obedience and acknowledging their owne weaknesse should learne with more expedition to call on him for helpe as the verie words of the scripture do set forth for that is altogether Caluinistrie but shee will haue it plaine That those punishementes were as a raunsome and payement made wherewith they did paye or satisfie God and make full recompense for their faultes and offences yea and that they thereby deserued that such as now call vpon them shoulde bee released from their punishment So that it helpeth not now what soeuer these Heretikes alledge out of the Scripture to proue that if God should enter into iudgement with men by their deedes no fleshe should be saued nor that one man amongst a thousande were able to answere him for that man doth dailie yea continuallie and euerie minute fall into so manie sinnes ouer and besides those whereof his owne conscience doeth incessantly accuse him if God shuld once begin to punishe according to the greatnesse or multitude of sinnes there should be neither end nor measure in punishment yea that all the righteousnesse of the holiest men is nothing else but as a stayned cloth in so much that their good workes can not in them selues stande in anie steade before the iudgement seate of GOD howe much lesse are they sufficient to make full satisfaction for sinnes and transgressions Also where they saie that God doth not punishe vs according to the desert of our sinnes thereby to make full satisfaction for the same but as a good father doth chastise his child to the intent he may be warned amend many such like places they bring in to long to bee rehearsed for they are all but litterall sentences and therefore can not serue the purpose of our deere mother the holie Church of Rome And likewise whereas these Heretikes doe alledge the theefe hanging vpon the Crosse to whome Christ did not once make an◠mention of satisfaction and recompense and also of Paule and of a multitude of such other which haue obteined only by Gods mere mercie forgiuenesse of their sinnes through Christ and for his sake being pardoned as well of the punishment as from satisfactiō for the same for that Christ had not only taken vpō him our sinnes but likewise the punishment for the same We passe not a point for all that for they are all nothing else but particular special examples and priuiledges wherof we will make no account nor esteeme them for anie perfect rule For this rule established at the Councell of Trent must needes remaine stedfast for euer to witte that God doeth not pardon any sinne entirely vnlesse a man haue first made full satisfaction and suffered condigne and deserued punishment for the same And this will we proue wonderfully by an inuincible argument Heare now a little and mark well for here the ewe lambs These Hexetikes must needs whether they will or no graunt this That no mans sinnes are forgiuen him without penance And now you must consider That penance is nothing els but a punishment for sinne For looke thus the Master of the Sentences doth write Poenitentia dicitur a puniendo qua quis punit illicita quae commisit that is Penance commeth of punishment or pyning whereby a man doth punish the euill which he hath cōmitted Ergo this matter is clere and the Heretikes catched in a snare For whereas they will perhaps say to wind themselues out of the nette That this is a starke lie an asseheadly dulnesse considering that this worde Poenitentia is nothing else in good Latin but Penitentnesse or repentance and is deriued not of the worde Punire To punish but of the worde Poenitere that is to say Penitent or sorie all this can not helpe them For to that we answere That our deare mother the holy Church hath nothing to do with their new heretike Latin she hath Latin of herself which is called Monkish Latin or Scullarie Latin. In such latin a Spanish chaplein of the Emperour Charles 5. did speak to a Germain at Ausburge said Latinū nostrū non est sicut vostrū Our Latin yours is not all one And therfore it is sufficiēt for vs that Poenitentia is so to be taken in our Latin and so it must be though the Crowe should be no bird And therfore is this certein without all doubt as was cōcluded at the councel of Trent that whosoeuer wil say that aswell the punishment as the offences are forgiuen that ful satisfaction is nothing els but a perfit faith wherby we faithfully beleue that Christ hath fully satisfied for vs he is acursed excōmunicated so that in cōclusion no sin is forgiuē without ful satisfaction And now cōsidering that so long as we liue we are neuer assured whether our satisfaction is of our God fully accepted allowed because it may happen that the Receiuers haue kept the same in their hands or else that our paiments be not currant in heauen or some other such thing by reason wherof our tallie should not be allowed by Gods auditors therefore hath our holy mother vpō this point cōcluded That no man can assuredly know or say that his sinnes are forgiuen him or that he shall be iustified before God without any doubt or to be assured of his mercie For this was the determination and conclusion of the holy fathers at Trent as followeth Whosoeuer saith ▪ that to the remission of sinnes it is needfull for all men steadfastly to beleeue that all his sinnes are clearely forgiuen him not hauing anie doubt of his owne weaknesse and insufficiencie let him be accursed For notwithstanding that our Lorde hath promised this vnto vs without anie doubt and confirmed the same by his promise that he will for Christes sake be our mercifull God and father and that he will no more thinke vpon our sinnes but will clearely forgiue and wash away the same for his owne names sake and not for any of our desertes yet may not wee credite him fullie so farre For although he say plainely That he wil not think vpon our sinnes to iudge vs according to the same yet will the holie Church of Rome haue vs take good heede to the matter least it should happen and chaunce otherwise and therefore will haue vs to consider well before hand and make good prouision of our merits and supererogatorie or superfluous good workes to fill his hand with those and so to content and please him as men please children with puppets and counters Notwithstanding all that Paule saith That all they that are the children of God haue the spirite of God and are ledde by him and he beareth witnes of them that they are the children of God and therby they crie Abba Father and saith That those which haue not this spirite are not of Christ considering that all those which are in Christ and do faithfully beleeue in him and haue their
fathers assembled at the couÌ„cell of Carthage were chiefly perswaded by to giue speciall commandement That no coÌ„mon or simple Priest shoulde take vpon him to doe any such thing Was not that I pray you a matter of importance to consult vpon And yet besides this it is there written I am the vine you are the branches â–ª he that remains in me I in him shall bring forth much fruit which the holy Church vnderstanding of the pope hath resolutely coÌ„cluded That no man may consecrate or hallow any Church but he alone Think you not that they had great reason so to do And therefore no doubt they are herein verie well founded and vpoÌ„ great reason persuaded out of this and all the other texts before alledged â–ª to conclude teach and determine thus That the Pope is not onely a man but Gods Lieftenant yea a God himselfe vpon earth by which occasion hee doeth likewise chaunge his name at suche time as hee is promoted to the Popes seate specially for that hee doeth likewise after his nature and from the degree of a man is become halfe a God. And vpon this consideration must his mandates be obserued as Gods commaundements Yea it is not lawfull for anie man to doubt or to reason vpon his title authoritie For hee may if it so come in his head set vp and establish a newe seruing of God or religion and all men must of necessitie folow his commandements how heauie or incomportable so euer they be For he can of an arrant knaue make an honest man neither may hee by anie man be iudged or punished no not although he runne headlong to bel and carie a great companie with him seeing it is he that iudgeth all men by his absolute power Yea thâ—re is giuen to him a full power authoritie as well in heauen as in earth and he must be of all men esteemed holie yea although hee were knowne to be an arrant knaue vile varlet neither may anie man say vnto him Wherefore do ye so or so And therfore the holy Church doth say declare pronounce That it is most nedfull that all Christen men for their saluation sake submit them selues wholie vnder the Pope of Rome as it is written in the first of Iohn And of his fulnesse haue we all receiued eueÌ„ grace for grace Which being vnderstood according to the letter may wel be applied to Christ but after the spiritual vnderstaÌ„ding which is according to the interpretation of the holie Church and of the Catholike Doctours it is without doubte to bee vnderstoode of the Pope of Rome And therefore doeth Esaias say What will ye doe in the day of the visitation and destruction which shall come from farre To whom will ye runne for helpe Or to whom will yee giue your honour that he may keepe it This is nowe to be vnderstoode after the interpretation of the holie Church That the Pope of Rome is all our honour and wealth For howe can it be otherwise vnderstoode Considering that hee hath the power to choose anie man or woman whoÌ„ he liketh of and him or her in the name of God or in his owne name yea and that without the will or consent of his Cardinals declare pronounce and iudge for a Saint canonize them put them in the Kalendar place them in the register of Saintes and so appoint them a roome in the Romish Hierarchie either amongst Angels and Archangels or else amongst Martyrs Confessours as he shall thinke good willing and commaunding That in euerie Church one holie day shal be kept for them and deuoute seruice said and done that day as to an holie Saint is proper apperteining yea and further giue and graunt to all such as shall once a yeere being shriuen and doing penance goe on pilgrimage visite the tumbe of such a newe Saint pardon of all their sinnes for one whole yeere and fourtie dayes Yea moreouer he may if it be his pleasure depose deface and blotte out of the Kalendar and register such as haue bene a long time canonized and worshipped as did appeare by Pope Boniface the 8. who caused Saint Herman of Ferrare to bee digged out of his graue and burnt after he had bene taken and esteemed for a Saint more than twentie yeeres And that which is more wee finde written That Pope Clement the fift about the yeere of our Lorde 1309. did charge and commaunde the Angels through his Popish authoritie power that they should take the soules of all such as comming in pilgrimage towardes Rome did die by the way and forthwith carie them into heauen without anie delay or tarrying or without letting them once smell the fire of Purgatorie as appeareth by his Bulles herevpon granted and made whereof diuerse copies doe at this day lie at Vienne at Limoges and at Poytiers townes in France in the chestes where the priuiledges of the same Townes are kept Wherefore then I pray you should not wee willinglie accept him for all our wealth and honour seeing hee can canonize make and vnmake hee Saintes and shee Saintes and hath likewise power ouer the Angels of heauen I doe not speake of this that hee as a King and Priest can make God yea and create him who onelie createth all thinges as it is written in the booke called Stella Clericorum which is to say The starre of the Clerkes or Priestes wherein all Priestes are named Creatores Creatoris And nowe he maketh all Priestes so that he may iustly bee called Creator creatorum creatoris that is to say The Creatour of those which haue shapen and created the verie Creatour of all things So that the writing of Paul to the Thessalonians where hee speaketh of the Pope of Rome is not amisse where he saith That he shal extoll and aduance him selfe aboue all things that is named God or Gods seruice and shall sit in the temple of God as though he were God him selfe and proclame him selfe for God. Which thing also was before spoken by the Prophete Daniel That hee should lift and set vp him selfe aboue all Godhead and should speake maruelous things against God and do euerie thing after his owne lust placing him selfe aboue all things in the worlde distributing landes and kingdomes euen as hee best list and will. Nowe according to this prophesie hath our deare mother the holie Church ordeined and concluded That hee hath full power and authoritie to doe what soeuer his will and pleasure is and that he may dispense both with the old and newe Testament with anie othe vowe or promise In summe hee is ouer and aboue all iudgementes of God or man to make of nothing something of streight crooked and of crooked streight to transubstantiate and chaunge the forme and substance of things euen as it shall come in his head For vnto him are all lawes iudgements subiect and
stet pro ratione voluntas Our pleasure is as we command Our lust for lawe perforce shall stand Or according to that which the Poet Horace saith in a verse Pictoribus atqué Poetis Quidlibet audendi semper fuit aequa potestas Painters and Poets haue licence to measure Their colours and verses euen at ther owne pleasure Secondarily whereas angels are couÌ„terfeited with wings that is taken out of Esaie Ezekiel who say That the Cherubims were shewed vnto them in a vision with wings And whereas S. Michael is made with a paire of balance in his hand that is because hee must wey the soules to see whether their good workes deserts be not heuier in weight than their sinnes of fences For as before we haue written the holy church hath appointed him that office because she esteemeth it a sure article that none can be saued by the merits bloud and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ onelie yet Paule doeth so teach but euerie man must by his owne good works deserts bee weyed out and saued making full satisfaction thereby of his sinnes and offences After this now where Moses is painted with hornes is vpon this occasion For that it is written to witte that the face of Moses did shine as Paule himselfe doeth set it forth that hath the common translation of the holie Church expounded thus That Moses had hornes for that he should be as it were a figure of our Bishoppes which now likewise we are two hornes And whereas they make of the three wise men that came out of the East three Kings and one of those as blacke as pitch like a Morian that is fetched out of the wordes of Dauid or Solomon saying Kings shall come out of the Moores lande to worship Christ. For this hath the holy Church interpreted to be spoken by the three wise men And although the Morians land lay much more to the West of Iurie than to the East from whence the wise men came that is of no importance for the holie Church can alter the lying and situation of the landes and make of the West the East Againe whereas they haue likewise set an Oxe and an Asse by the cribbe of their litle Iesus whiche doe warme him with their breath that is grounded vpon the plaine Text of Esaie who saith The Oxe doth know his maisters will and an Asse the cribbe of his maister but the people of Israel will vnderstande nothing at all c. Yea and it may be a verie good allusion that by the Oxe the Bishoppes Abbattes and Prelates are vnderstood because they weare hornes also like an Oxe and can roare out excellentlie well against these heretikes better than they can preache the worde of god And by the Asse may verie well be vnderstoode the graie Friers which are likewise as graie as asses and therewithall all the residue of Monkes Friers and poore Priestes who are not much better learned than Asses and doe esteeme Christ still as a young childe that lies yet in the cribbe and therefore go about to please him make him contented with goodlie images and puppets with belles rattelles with piping and daunsing and with such other like fonde toyes and ceremonies Againe where they paint S. Lungies who pricking Christ in the side with a speare receiued his sight by vertue of the bloud which sprinckled in his eyes that is likewise proued by good scriptures For Saint Iohn saith That a souldier with a speare did pearce Christes side And this speare in the Greeke was called Longi whereof the holy Church hath made a Saint and named the same S. Longinus And because the saide Iohn said That it came so to passe because the Scripture should bee fulfilled saying They shall looke vpon him whom they haue pearced Out of that haue they fetched the lies or Legend of S. Lungies as to say that he was blind and thinking to haue thrust his speare into a Crowe did thrust it into the side of Iesus Christ and so the bloud did spring out into his eyes wherby he receiued his sight and was long afterwards canonized by the Pope and put into the Kalendar for a Saint In summe all their paintings and all those dumbe images which are set vp in Churches as the Apostles with rounde trenchers behinde their heades and euerie one of them with his weapon in his hande our Ladie with her frisâ—ed haire and goodlie golden garmentes with her perukes fine kerchiefs and goodly set forth with all her conceites like a Princesse of this world and Saint Katharine and S. Barbara bare breasted with their embrodered and stitched workes as trimly deckâ— and painted as the Courtesans of Rome and Venice And all this can our deare mother fetch finely out of the scriptures yea and shee can finde you a threede for euerie needle So that these Heretikes haue nothing to say to this for whatsoeuer is done of a good intent and purpose and to the profite of our deare mother the holie Church of Rome that must bee by God accepted without anie doubt and hee must of necessitie passe it in his reckoning booke or else muscels were no fishe neither should you haue anie oysters at Billingsgate For a flaâ— conclusion wee must haue goodly images and braue painted tables in the Church yea and though it did not serue for anie other purpose but that young men and maidens will therefore the rather come to Church for thereby it happens often that when they come onelie to see the images and goodlie paintinges and fisnomies yet in the meane space some deuotion commes in their mindes to haue a snatch at a Masse or to heare a Salue Regina whereby they often obteine pardon of their sinnes euen halfe against their willes And therefore we care not a beane for all that these Heretikes can say to this but will manteine and vpholde our olde deuotion without anie iotte lacking The xv Chapter VVhich is touching the difference of meates NOwe as touching the forbidding to eate some kinde of meates in some certeine times that is likewise founded vpoÌ„ plain textes of the scripturs And first whereas God said to Adam Thou shalt not eate of the fruit of the tree of knowledge c. Out of that hath holie Church concluded That men may eate no fleshe vpon the fasting dayes Item after that Adam had sinned then did God curse the earth And now we doe knowe verie well that all fleshe which is to be eaten commeth of the earth Therefore hath our deare mother the holie Church streightlie defended and forbidden all men which on the moste principall and holie-fasting dayes must doe penance for their sinnes that in no wise they doe eate anie flesh on those dayes least they shoulde be partakers of the cursing of the earth like as the holie Bishop Durandus hath verie well set it forth Whereby it is apparant that the Corâ—e
excellent and crowneth them with victorie Restores the lame and impotent and healeth euerie maladie The diuels of hell it conquereth releaseth from imprisonment Newnesse of life it offereth it hath all at commaundement O Crosse of wodde incomparable to all the world most holesome No wodde is halfe so honourable in branche in bud or blossome O medicine which Christ did ordaine the sound saue euerie houre The sicke and sore make whole againe by vertue of thy poure And that which mans vnablenesse hath neuer comprehended Graunt by thy name of holinesse it may be fully ended c. Beholde here may you see that Christ Iesus is depriued of his right the same is giuen to a wodden Crosse so that it is not without iust cause that the Catholike children of our holie mother the Churche doe name themselues seruantes and slaues of the Crosse singing thus Serui crucis crucem laudent qui per crucem sibi gaudent Vitae dari munera dicant omnes dicant singli Aue salus totius soecli arbor salutifera That is to say The seruantes of the holie Crosse her praise to heauen let them tosse And they which in the Crosse reioyce and of the giftes of life haue choyce Let this of all both old and young in solemne sort be said and soung O holie Crosse which canst preuaile O tree of life All haile All haile Therefore neither is it any maruell that she doeth call vpon it so deuoutly and prayeth that it may defend vs from all aduersitie crying with a shrill voyce Ecce lignum crucis venite adoremus That is to say Beholde here is the wood of the crosse come let vs worshippe it And also O crux spes vnica auge pijs iustitiam dona reis veniam That is to say O holie Crosse our onely hope increase righteousnesse to the godly and pardon the offences of the wicked It is no wonder neither that she doeth so friendly flatter and coll it euen like as the shee Ape doeth her young ones with all manner of pleasure shee can deuise For shee doeth speake vnto it and doeth commend it as though it had great vnderstanding For this is it which they say Dulce lignum dulces clauos dulcia ferens pondera quod solum fuisti dignum sustinere Regem coelorum Dominum That is to say O sweete wood which diddest beare a sweete burthen fastened vnto thee with sweete nailes which wast reputed worthie thou alone aboue all other to beare the King of Heauen the Lorde Iesus With other sonnets sounding all vpon the same tune which shee singeth deuoutly in Gang weeke And to the end that none should maruell hereat Maister Gentianus doeth here shew that all this is founded vpon the Scripture the which he doth confirme by these wordes of Paule God forbid that I should reioyce but in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ for by this Crosse doth not he vnderstand the satisfaction and saluation which it brought vnto vs by the Passion and death of our Sauiour Iesus Christ for that vnderstanding is hereticall but onely the figure and bare likenesse of the Crosse like as our deere mother the holie Churche hath expounded it ordeining and commaunding that these foresaide wordes of Paule bee song vpon the day called Inuentio sanctae Crucis with open voyce ouer the figure likenesse of the Crosse. And in deede it is to bee thought that this is the iust meaning of Paule for otherwise if he had taken it so like as these Heretikes will interprete it what else might ensue thereof then all manner of anguish and sorrowe persecution and trouble Which is all together vnderstoode by the Crosse of Iesu Christ which was a kind of shamefull and detestable death as the gallowes is with vs Verely Maister Gentianus nor the Prelates of the holie Church conceiue no great pride in such a manner of Crosse but they gladly post it ouer to the Heretikes and Huguenotes against whom commonly they crie Crucifige crucifige Hang them vp hang them vp But the figure and holy token of the crosse formed of gold or siluer is the onely hope trust and staie of the holie Churche of Rome of all her subiectes For it bringeth her in good rentes and maketh continually a warme kitchen and a plentifull table Therefore must we doubtlesse vnderstand Paule so to the end his text may agree with the foresaid sonnet of the holie Church But touching Maister Gentianus in that he is here angrie and rores against the Heretikes saying It is a diuelishe mockerie that the Heretikes regard not to aske whether we will fraie away fliâ—s when wee make a signe of the Crosse with three fingers Therein hath he not in my iudgement any great reason so to disturbe himselfe For seeing that with a token of the crosse we fraie away diuels what maruell is it then with the same to driue away flies which in comparison are nothing so wicked as diuels Howbeit they doe oftentimes shamefully beshite the Sacrament boxe yea the God himselfe which dwelles therein and oftentimes do disturbe the deuotion of Priestes in their Memento and when they stande dreaming in their secretes Verily that is not to be compared by the diuelles But Zele and feruent affection hath caused our Gentianus thus to speake And from the flies doth he retire againe to the images for those in no sauce can he forget but will defende them by vertue of the second councell of Nicen. But because wee haue hereof spoken sufficiently before wee will not trouble the reader therewith any further The .iiii. Chapter Of the worshipping of Saintes and how their charges and offices are bestowed to eache a part and specially of our holie Ladie of Loretto and further of the agreement and disagreement which is betweene the â—atholikes and the Heathen FOrwardes he doth proceede from the images and falles to the worshipping of Sainctes which are those holie ones which are departed this worlde into heauen and saith That they are not worshipped of our louing mother the holie Church as goddes but they are prayed vnto onely that they will make intercession for vs For albeit that Saint Paule saith There is but one God and one intercessour betwixte God and man namely Iesus Christ yet that must bee vnderstoode of those days when the holy father the Pope of Rome had not yet canonized any Saintes neither commaunded that wee should erect any altars or Churches for them reade Masses or offer giftes and by their merites to craue pardon for our sinnes For since that time hath the holy Church concluded in sundrie her CouÌ„cels that they should also be our Atturnies Intercessours or Mediatours and that wee should crie to them at all times of our neede Yea she hath prescribed to eache his charge like as vppon Twelfe Eeue euerie one is appointed his office by drawing of lottes Our Ladie hath gotten the beane out of the Cake and the Queene of Heauen is their
excommunicated Yea marie syr it were better that the Councels were al at the gallowes thaÌ„ the holy church should be subiect to that order Then after this might they come in and dashe vs in the teeth with the Councell of Triburine which did forbid any money to be takeÌ„ for buryings what a gods name who could digest that morsel And to this they would adde the Councel of Basil where was plainely and sharpely ordeined That â—he Court of Rome shall not take any money for any Dispensations Elections Postulations PresentatioÌ„s nor any other Ecclesiastical offices authorities benefices hallowings blessings no not for the very Pallium or Bishops mantle neither to be paid vnder the colour of bulles seales nor aÌ„nuales by what colour or pretence soeuer they might be done Aha friend What an Eclipse would that breede in the Popes purse They would also come forth with the Councel of Mentz which was holden in the time of Carolus Magnus where was ordeyned That there should bee giuen againe and restitution made of al the goods lands which by bequest last will or testament had bene left to anie of the Spiritualtie tending to anie losse or hinderance of the right heires Goddes populorum That were too bitter a Pill to swallowe and digest Then would they assaulte vs with the Councell of Laterane whereat by Pope Nicholas 2. and fourteene Bishops was verie solemnly and irreuocably concluded That the Pope of Rome should be chosen by nomination the whole common people assembled together the spiritualtie with the Colledge of Cardinalles present And if it shoulde bee prooued that any man should by rewardes giftes bribes or any other indirect meanes attaine to the same roome the same should not onely be banished but should likewise be taken for a shamelesse heretike a backslider from Christ and an Apostata So that it should be lawfull to pull him out of his seat c. Aha my masters what a piece of worke were that By that meanes they might ouerthrowe and cleane roote out the holy Church of Rome Moreouer besides they would proue the pope Eugenius was by the councel of Basil iudicially condemned for an horrible Heretike and a shamelesse knaue and was deposed from his seate as a wicked vile villeyne who yet notwithstanding was after by fine handling and prettie practises of simonie and also with force holpen againe into his seate and of him euer since vntill this our time are al Bishops Cardinals Popes yea and all priests in general bred and sprung vp like a litter of pigges farrowed of a fruitful sow Al which one with an other head taile should be banished and esteemed for heretikes vngodly knaues if it were so that the Councels might beare any swinge against the authoritie and estimation of the sea of Rome and our mother the holy Church but that I assure you woulde be to feareful a matter And therefore must we of necessitie conclude That the CouÌ„cels can in no wise ouerrule the Church nor by their coÌ„mandments or ordinances coÌ„pel her to any thing no more than a Spiders web can hold or kepe fast a Pie or a Crow But al Councels must be subiect to the holy Church euen as an obedient child is subiect to his mother yea and they must alwayes daunse after her Pype Therefore when as these Heretikes and Huguenotes do bring in a great heape of these Councels to streÌ„gthen their doctrine withal agaynst the Romish Church they do but breake their braines in vaine They may well 〈◊〉 auace that the Councell Eliberinum in Spaine which was holden about the yeere 300. in the time of Constantine the great did plainely ordeine That there should bee no Images in the Churches nor in no wise to paint or carue any thing to be prayed vnto And they may alledge that in the twelfe Councell of Toledo in two Councels of Constantinople the one vnder Constantius the fift the other vnder Constantinus the sixt and likewise in a Councell in Fraunce vnder Carolus Magnus did all with one voyce consent in the same But we can not heare on that side They may likewise bring in apace and alledge That the Concilium Auristanum did clearly ouerthrow mans free will and iustification by workes teaching that all our righteousnes all the good works that we can do and al that is in vs must be imputed to the only goodnes vndeserued mercye of God that it is not in our natural power to prepare our selues to mercie but that we must receiue al eueÌ„ as beggers by mere gift through meeknes of the spirit But in all this they do but loose their labour and it is euen as much as if they would cut the aire in twaine for we do not esteeme al they can say worth a rushe That being done they may bring in apace for witnesses the Councels Affricanum and Mileteranum wherin saint Augustine did set forth such stuffe as were ynough to shame them all praying to saints vtterly ouerthrowen for that there was by perfect proofe and expresse Scriptures proued and concluded That neither is nor euer hathe beene on the earth so holie a man Christ onely excepted which hath not bene spotted with sinne himselfe and had neede continually to pray for remission and forgiuenesse of his owne sinnes So farre doth it differ from that then that the Saintes should haue any sparkle of deseruings remaining ouerplus But al these authorities are not worth a nut shell neither will we receiue their witnesses Moreouer whereas they make much a doe with vs that the first councel of Nicen did consent That it was lawfull for priests to marie and that the Councel of Gangren did curse and banish all such as vnder the colour of any cloyster religion or spirituall state should forsake their wiues or deface the state of matrimonie Whervnto the Councell called sexta Synodus coÌ„senting did further and aboue that ordeine That no man should require of any priest to make the vowe of chastitie vnles they of themselues were willing so to do But all this is euen as much as to knocke at a deafe mans doore And if that they also out of the sayde Councell of Gangrensis and out of the Councell of Ancerano kept about the same time of the Councell of Nicene will go about to perswade vs that they that eat flesh vpoÌ„ the Fryday or in the Lent should not be punished nor condemned yea and that in matters of mariage and eating of meates we may not charge mens consciences by the vertue of any newe lawe or bond al that is of Dauie Duttons dreame and wee 〈…〉 wise giue anye eare vnto it Furthermore they will bragge muche vpon the first Councels of Nicene and of Constantinople for that they did ordeine That the Bishop of Rome shall not haue any authoritie or iâ—risdiction out of his owne borders to witte the landes nigh adioyning to Rome
holy Church cannot erre Christ must haue patience transubstantiation must take place But we haue yet a much clearer text to witte where Christ himselfe saieth This is my bodie for by those wordes doeth the holie Church of Rome plainely vnderstand that the same which before was breade is nowe no more breade although Paule woulde call it breade a thousande times but is chaunged into the verie bodie of Iesus Christ as long and as broade as it was hanging vpon the Crosse. And for that cause it is that shee doeth disallowe all the expositions and interpretations which Basilius Tertullianus Theodoretus Augustinus and other holie Fathers haue sette foorth vpon the same saying That those woordes must bee figuratiuely and sacramentally vnderstoode as Christ himselfe hath plainely saide I am the vine or as Paule saieth The stone was Christ and as GOD spake to Abraham saying This is my promise Cut off the fore skinne c. Which is as muche to say that the breade shoulde not chaunge his nature nor the verie bodie of Christ bee there present but onelie that it shoulde bee a true and holie token a Sacrament a warrant and pledge a Seale and assuraunce whereby wee are assured and fullie certified that hee hath giuen vppe his bodie and bloud for our saluation And for this cause doe they call it a figure or token and in the Greeke Typus and Antitypa that is to say Speciall tokens But I doe tell you that the holie Church of Rome will not allowe anie such interpretations vnlesse it were so that men woulde vnderstand them as Damascenus doeth interprete them and as was in the seconde Councell of Nice concluded by the Fathers to witte That the breade shoulde bee such a seale pledge figure and holie token onely before it be consecrated which is to say It should be a Sacrament before it is become a Sacrament For that this is their conceite and meaning it is apparaunt out of this That long before the breade and the wine bee consecrated or made a holie Sacrament they doe offer vppe the same vnto God for remission of sinnes as well of the liuing as of the dead For in the Canon of the Masse yea before the bread bee turned into fleshe or the fiue holy wordes of consecration be heard the Priest doeth pray That God will accept that offering of breade and through that deliuer him from eternall death And then That hee will blesse the saide offering of breade in all pointes and make the same holie profitable meate and acceptable That is may become the bodie and bloud of Iesus Christ. Yea and before hee hath yet put the wine into the Chalice immediately after the Offertorie he saith thus O holie Father almightie and euerlasting God take and receiue this vnspotted sacrifice which thine vnworthie seruaunt doeth offer vppe vnto thee for my sinnes and innumerable misdeedes for my forgetfulnesse and vnthankefulnesse yea and for all these which are here present and for all faithfull Christians as well those that be liuing as those that be dead that it may bee acceptable auailable and effectuall vnto the saluation both of me and of them vnto eternall life Amen And in one of the secretes which is commonly read vpon the 24. Sunday after Trinitie Sunday he saith thus O Lord take and receiue mercifully this offering through which thou art pleased contented and pacified and hast receiued vs againe vnto saluation through the almightinesse and vnspeakablenesse of thy mercie c. Consider now here doeth our deare mother the holie Church ascribe vnto this bread all things which may be attributed vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ the onely begotten sonne of God as to say That God is become mercifull to vs for the bread sake and hath pardoned vs our sinnes and that before the bread bee consecrated or in anie point transubstantiated or changed What maruell is it then that they doe make a God of it after the fiue wordes be spoken ouer it and yet make a Sacrament of it before it can be a Sacrament For as they can of a peece of breade make God himselfe and of nothing create something wherfore should not they likewise be able to make of no Sacrament a Sacrament and of a Sacrament no Sacrament That is to say that a simple peece of bread shoulde bee a holie token and seale of the bloud of Iesus Christ euen before it bee made holie and consecrated And then Econtra that the Sacrament of the bodie of Christ shall bee no more either a Sacrament or token but euen the verie bodie of Christ it selfe So that the holie Fathers must needes haue vnderstoode it so especially when they say that this Sacrament is but a token a seale and a pledge specialy before it is become a Sacrament For after that it is once a Sacrament then no remedie our deare mothers will is that it shall bee fleshe and bloud and not anie longer neither bread nor wine to signifie the fleshe and the bloud And therefore doeth she not make anie account of the exposition of Christ Iesus himselfe who after he had saide of the bread This is my bodie and afterward of the Chalice of Cuppe This is the new Testament in my bloud thereby declaring that those words This is my bodie must be so vnderstoode as if hee had saide This breade is the new promise in my bodie which shall bee broken for you For of that shoulde followe that the breade after the consecration and likewise after the speaking of the fiue wordes should still remaine breade and so bee but simplie a Sacrament and true token of the bodie of Iesus Christ as shewing vnto vs the promise of God made in the breaking of the bodie and shedding of the bloud of Christ Iesus our Sauiour as was saide of the Circumcision This is my couenant which I doe make with you to witte for that the Circumcision is a sure and holie promise a pledge and seale through which the promise of God is verie stronglie and substantiallie made vnto the faithfull No no I assure you that liketh the holie Church of Rome nothing at all She will lay fast holde vpon the first wordes of Christ and not seek after anie exposition or glosse how necessarie soeuer they bee And for that cause shall Paule go without anie Audiuit when he commeth in with his interpretation and saith That the bread which we do breake is the communion of the bodie of Christ. For thereby it should also seeme that it remaineth bread still after the consecration and that it is not the bodie it self but a remembrance of the bodie â–ª which thing the holie Church in no wise admitteth nor alloweth for life nor death But especiallie she will not accept nor like of the interpretation following wherein Paule proceeding doeth declare how and wherefore the bread is the communion of the bodie of Christ saying For al we which eate of one bread become one bodie Nowe truelie that
christian beliefe And for that cause did they drinke the bloud of Christ as the Catholike Doctours haue written according to the doctrine of Cyprianus saying how can they shed their owne bloud for Christes sake if they doe not drinke of Christs bloud But now there is no more tidings of those matters for the holy church of Rome wil not lose one drop of her bloud considering that she hath ynough to do for the defence of the holy Catholike faith to shed the bloud of the Lutherans and Caluinists like water in the streetes And therefore it is not any more needful that the Lay people should drinke the bloud of Christ out of the Chalice vnder the substance of wine They can digest it well inough rawe as it was shed out of the bodie of Christ Iesus yet for all that the priests haue this aduantage that they may drinke the bloud of Christ both waies And yet is not the bloud of Christ in the Sacrament taken quite away from the Lay people For when they do eate the whole body with flesh bones it is certeine that they gette in the bloud wall For the before named Bonauentura doth make mention of a certein miracle of one which would not beleue that there was any bloud in the holy Ost or singing bread vsed in the holie Masse and sodeinly there came bloud ruÌ„ning out And likewise Alexander de Ales doth declare that vpoÌ„ a time when the people would haue receiued the Sacrament vnder both kindes there was sodenlie before them a platter full of bloud whereof the good deuoute people being meruellously abashed were glad to content them selues with the one And that the bloud vndoubtedlie is with the bodie we haue here before by manie other miracles declared sufficientlie proued Therefore haue the Laie people no occasion to complaine as though the bloud of Christ were denied them for euen the Priestes them selues are contented with one kinde on the good Fridaie next after the shire Thursday when they haue had their sops in good Bastard or Romnay For then the next day being good Friday they sing a drie Masse and keepe a Mouses banket as well as the Laie people doe at Easter Before time likewise in the Iewish church the Laie people had no parte of the drinke offerings but the Priestes onelie For although that Chrysostome saith touching this matter that this is now changed and that in this Sacrament the Laie people must enioye the like meate and drinke as the Priestes doe so as nowe the one hath no more aduantage than the other as they had in the olde Lawe yet can not the saying of Chrysostome anie thing serue in this place For against Chrysostome wil we set Brother Barnard of Luxenburgh professour in Theologie and Iohn Eckius with all other good Catholike writers of our time who haue otherwise written and determined of this matter And as touching that which the Huguenotes do alledge out of Paule yea out of Iesus Christ him selfe saying That Paule did command all christen people to do according as Christ had ordeined and as Christ had saide Drinke all of this We do answere to that That this was onelie a simple permission and not a speciall commandement as he saith in another place Destroie this temple and I will builde it vp againe within three dayes for that is no commaundement but onely a permission as if he said If it be so in deede that you will destroie this temple of my bodie I will not forbidde you but I will builde him vp againe c. In like manner doeth our mother the hâ—lie Church saie that these woordes Drinke you all of this And As often as you drinke this you shall declare the death of the Lord Those wordes are thus to be vnderstoode as though he had said I doe not will you Laie people to doe so but the Priestes onelie notwithstanding if you will doe it and that the Priestes are contented withall I will not then bee against it Thus you see the game is won Nowe let vs to an other matter tending to the like ende The vii Chapter VVhich doeth treate of full satisfaction for sinnes of the desertes of good workes also of the merites of Christes passion and of Iustification of the difference betweene mortall sinnes and veniall sinnes and of the assured hope of saluation NOwe seeing that wee haue sufficientlie spoken of the holie Masse and the Sacrament of the altar and that our mother the holie Church of Rome doeth moreouer teache and set foorth for an article of the faith That wee by desert hearing a Masse and receiuing the Sacrament may make full amendes for our offences and sufficientlie satisfie for our sinnes therefore it is now verie necessarie that we something treate of satisfaction for sinnes and of deseruing by good works the rather because the Heretikes do with their scriptures so trouble vs touching this point as they turne both the spit and the rost meat into the ashes in so much that wee shall loose both the sheepe and the fleece if wee suffer this to be so plucked from vs And therefore it is necessarie to put all good Catholike children in remembrance that in no wise they doe giue anie eare to the Heretikes touching this point for feare lest therby they should be brought out of the right way and so by receiuing their goodlie reasons multitude of scriptures be persuaded from their due obedience to the holie Church of Rome And to the ende that euerie man should be warned and not by negligence sodenlie taken in a trappe therefore shall I set out something more at large their meaning touching this point to the ende that euery one may see whether our deare mother the holie Church haue not iust occasion so bitterlie to curse and banish their doctrine Then to beginne withall they do take vpon them to defende and mainteine by Scripture That all sinnes are deadlie mortall because that sinne is the breaking of Gods commaundements as S. Iohn saith And That who soeuer doeth not obserue all whatsoeuer God hath commaunded in his Lawe is accursed For S. Iames doeth witnesse That who soeuer transgresseth in one point of the Lawe is guiltie in the whole considering that the same God which câ—mmaunded the one did also commaunde the other In so much that all those which commit sinne are through sinne alienated and estranged from the life which is onelie to bee had at the hand of God and so must fall into the hand of heath seeing that The recoÌ„pense of sinne is death according to the saying of S. Paule whereby all men without anie exception which are vnder sinne are likewise vnder the bondage of eternall malediction death and damnation considering that all haue sinned are fallen away from that life which is of God into his wrath and do thereby become if the speciall mercie of God were not
the children of wrath of cursing and of death yea iustlie may be called the verie enimies of god Out of this they conclude That in the wide world there is no meaâ—e nor counsell to be found for the payment accomplishment of our satisfaction but that all must be discharged to the vttermost farthing which is as much to saie that all people are vnder the eternall wrath curse damnation of God considering that the sentence of God being once pronounced must endure for euer and a man being dead and once taken away from life can neuer restore him selfe againe to life And thus say they there is no more to be said but al fleshe are debters vnto god But hereby is the mercie of GOD made manifest that the punishment of our sinnes is laide vpon our Sauiour Iesus Christ the vnspotted lambe of God that he hath suffered for vs and taken vpon him our sinnes that hee being become man and hauing put on our nature hath borne the burthen of this curse this wrath of GOD this death and this hell and damnation and through his diuine and eternall power for that hee also was the onelie Sonne of God yea euen God him selfe and the verie authour and well spring of eternall life hath ouer come and clearelie taken away the same and hath freelie and without deserte by his meere mercie giuen vnto all those which doe faithfullie beleeue in him life and iustification In so much that they nowe in the person of Iesus Christ as partakers of his bodie boldlie appeare before the Diuine Maiestie of GOD being assured that God is their good mercifull and most louing Father and doeth no more charge them with the burden of their sinnes but most mercifullie forgiueth them their olde and odde debtes and pardoneth them of the punishment which they haue deserued not thorough anie of their good workes merites or desertes but through the power of the merites and desertes of our Sauiour Iesus Christ whâ— hath made restitution for that which he neuer had and hath not only taken vpon him to discharge our debtes but also to suffer our punishment and hath borne the same wholie in his owne person so that hee is iustiâ—e called Our raunsome Our Pastour Our pledge Our full satisfaction and the costlie pâ—ice of our saluation without whom there is no saluation no raunsome nor redemption in the worlde And therefore say they That who soeuer will beginne to account or reckon with God a newe and make satisfaction or payment vnto him whether in whole or in parte â–ª of that which they are indebted vnto him those are wholie quite of Gods mercie and binde them selues soule and bodie to the full obseruing of the Lawe and doe clearelie take away and renounce as much as apperteineth vnto them the merites of Christ notwithstanding that by the iust iudgement of God sinne is so abhominable that it can not by anie meanes bee recompensed or fullie satisfied but onelie by eternall death and damnation or els by the sweete and most pretious offering of the bodie and bloud of Iesus Christ which is before God the Father a sufficient satisfaction and remission for the sinnes of all those that haue their full trust and confidence therein And also they doe acknowledge That God doth in the meane space correct his children in this worlde and proueth their faith by manie and diuerse troubles crosses afflictions partlie for that they shall learne to knowe verie well their miserie and calamitie and thereby be prouoked the rather spedilie to flie to his mercie for succour partlie that thereby they may become like vnto their maister head Christ Iesus and with him die from sinne and rise vp in newnesse of life and hereafter liue and reigne with him eternallie but they will in no wise consent that these troubles crosses afflictions should serue anie thing for satisfaction or remission of sinnes no not so much as for the least sinne that can be thought vpoÌ„ And likewise they clearely dissent disagree from vs saying That al the good works that anie man can do during all his life can not serue him to anie purpose for the remission of the least sinne that euer he committed considering that al men without exceptioÌ„ are of meere dutie bound to obey God to loue him with all their hearts with all their might with all their power in body and soule with thanks in all that lieth in them to loue their neighbours as theÌ„selues in such maner as though they had accoÌ„plished al this which is impossible for anie man to doe for that we are dead in Adam and that all the thoughtes of mans heart all the conceites of his mind are meere mischiefe and malice against God euen from the beginning in so much that they should yet remaine vnprofitable seruantes and should haue done no more than they of verie dutie were bound to do So farre doeth it differ that they should be able thereby to satisfie God make amends for any such offences as they heretofore haue committed For if they should come in reckoning by works then wee must make a perfect reckoning not halfe a reckoning say they otherwise works were no works but contrawise when men do seeke for mercie not for iustice then must they with Paul forsake all their works all their righteousnes their holines all whatsoeuer they haue done accompt the same as nothing to obteine iustification by faith through God mercy for otherwise mercie were no mercie And after this they proceede on further conclude in this forme and manner Now seeing God will not accept any iustificatioÌ„ by those works which he him selfe commanded in his Law how much lesse will he accept these workes which other men haue deuised and fetched out of their owne heades which hee neuer commaunded As to hearing of Masse to runne from one Church to another to trudge from one altar to another to go on pilgrimage â–ª to weare hairecloth to whippe them selues to pull a Friers hoode ouer their head to make vowes which God neuer allowed with such other like workes which the holie church doeth esteeme for verie meritorious calleth them Opera supererogationis that is to say Superfluous workes for that God neuer commanded them therefore men may hereby do more than they are of dutie bouÌ„d to do These say they shall not onelie be vnacceptable before GOD for good payement but shall rather be esteemed for false coyne yea bee imputed for verie slandering and blaspheming of God and for a flat forsaking and despising of the shedding of the bloud of Iesus Christ. O what a matter is this O helpe blessed Ladie of the 7. Okes Help S. Lewen S. Rombold S. Iames of CoÌ„postell with all your scallop shelles and pilgrims staues helpe all you sweet men and women Saints whose relikes are deuoutly prayed vnto by our deere
mother How can it be that she should be so ouerseene should then all good catholikes haue hitherto reckoned and still do reckon without their host should our forefathers haue deserued none otherwise by building Cloisters Abbies Trentals Masses and such like deuotions should all that be lost O no I defie that We will rather forsake the whole Scripture Peter and Paule with the whole rable of them than that such a slaunder should rise and take place in the holy Catholike Apostolike Popish church of Rome For if that were so then should all our Decrees decretals all our Sentences and Seâ—tentiaries al orders ordinances old customes vsages priuiledges and old proceedings of the holie church all masses with the appurtenances al priests and priestly doings and so one diuell with another be cleane ouerthrowen And then it must needes followe that the Lutherans Zwinglians Caluinistes shal yet againe beare the swing all the shorne swarme of holie shauelings with all the Sophisters Theologians of Louen with all the newe Bishops Abbats Monks Prelats giue place To what purpose then I pray you should the Duke of Alba with his Spaniards serue hauing taken so troublesome a iournie vpon him to stand the Bishops instead of Sargeants hangmen and to set vp the ruined Romish church in her authoritie againe O no no we will neuer be giuen to vnderstand beleeue that the scripture doth teach this for otherwise the scriptures must be heretical directly against the holie church then shuld the scriptures haue deserued to be burnt aswel as the Huguenotes Wel surely our Doctors of Louen haue likewise perused the scriptures our newe Bishops do daily reade their seruice Masse booke at lest when they haue leasure but they find not this written there therfore it is to be thought that either the heretikes haue other Epistles Gospels than is written in our Masse booke read in the church or there is more malt in the mill than the miller will be acknowen of For although our mother the holy church is content to graunt the heretiks that Christ is our right redeemer hath sufficiently satisfied for our sins because it shal not seeme they haue vtterlie forsaken Christ thrust him out of his seat yet is not that so to bee vnderstood that he onely must be taken for our ful raunsome and satisfaction or that he should haue fullie made our peace with God the Father through the offering vp of his bodie bloud so as we should now through his merites be esteemed for righteous and the children of God and haue an assured belefe that God hath for his sake forgiuen vs all our sinnes is to vs a good louing Father as these heretikes will needes proue by their Bible No no it wil not go so easilie to worke we must go otherwise to worke we our selues must paie our debtes with our owne monie satisfie God sufficiently for our sinnes or otherwise all would be naught For it doth not beecome the mercie of God saith the councel of Trent that he should forgiue vs our debtes for nothing without anie former satisfactioÌ„ And although it be so that Paul doeth take on him to defend that Abraham hath no iust occasion to presume of him selfe before God of any desert or former works yea saith That he that works not but doth stedfastly beleeue in him that doth iustifie the vngodly to him is his beleefe for righteousnesse as Dauid also saieth touching the iustification of those to whom God doth impute righteousnes without any works by these words Blessed are they whose vnrighteousnes is forgiuen and whose sins are couered Blessed is that man to whoÌ„ God imputeth not sin yet that holie ghost of the couÌ„cell of Trent hath concluded the contrarie saying thus Whosoeuer will defend mainteine that the vngodly are iustified by faith only that for the obteyning of Gods mercie his works are not needful let him be accursed And our Doctors of Louen haue once for all acknowledged iudged That God may not impute righteousnes to any maÌ„ through faith vnlesse he be righteous of him selfe For consider this is the conclusion of the worshipfull profound learned Magistri nostri Ioice RaueÌ„stein of Thielt in his booke which he now a while agoe did write against the Lutherans of Antwerpe This pretended righteousnes saith he doeth tend first against naturall reason for it cannot stand with any natural reason â–ª that one which had no wisedome in his head should yet notwithstanding be called wise either else righteous who hath no inwarde righteousnesse in him selfe Secondarilie it is slaunderous against the holie Ghost who hath testified and witnessed of manie men in the scripture that they were righteous before God so should the holy Ghost be attached for a false witnesse Thirdlie it doeth differ from the doctrine of the Catholike Fathers Consider now here we haue a clere iudgement irreuocable sentence wherevpon it must rest That Paule hath spoken amisse in saying that God doeth ascribe righteousnes to the vngodlie without any works For what is the meaning of this ascâ—ibing our alowing Our sharpwitted Magistri nostri of Louen can not by their naturall reasons nor with al then Syllogismes Quotlibets nor other speculacions conceiue the same no nor will permit that God should impute righteousnes or yet couer sinnes through the merites of Christ to one that were not righteous of him selfe by deeds that had sufficiently satisfied for his sinnes by his deeds so that God is not licenced to name things that are not as though they were as Paule ascribes vnto him or to deck vs with a righteousnes and obedience which we haue not deserued our selues our deare mother the holie Church of Rome doeth esteeme it for a foolishnes vntowardnesse and blasphemie against God that Christ onelie should be our wisedome our righteousnes our holines and our only redemption Shee will haue it that we shall euen of our selues and by our selues haue our owne wisedome righteousnesse holinesse and redemption before God at least if we will be esteemed for righteous She doth esteeme it for a foolish and faithlesse trust that one should trust to the righteousnesse of anie other than him selfe She will haue it that euerie one shall be iustified by his owne righteousnesse and by his owne merites and therewithall satisâ—â—e and pay all the sinnes and offences wherewith hee may bee by anie meanes iustly burthened It is true That originall sinne hath some preeminence and that it may not be tried to the vttermost point For notwithstanding that originall sinne is that which makes vs the children of wrath and brings vs to death yet will our mother the holie Church stay a little and pale in Gods determination and persuade the best betwixt both saying That it doth not well become the righteousnesse of God that he should deale with those which before baptisme haue
through negligence fallen into sinne in the same maner as with those which after the baptisme haue willingly and wittingly defiled the Temple of God and made sad the holie ghost She doth plainly acknowledge that euen at the first houre of their birth they haue deserued death and are fallen into the curse and wrath of God yet for all that she will take vpon her to be a meane betwene parties at variance and be like vnto Butter which bettereth althings therfore wil haue this hold That God as touching originall sinne shall bee satisfied by washing away the same by baptisme not receiuing or requiring anie other satisfaction or raunsome for that matter and for this hath shee also named Baptisme The first plancke whereby we are saued in our shipwrack But I assure you as touching all other sinnes shee doth sing vs a new song as followeth Si quis dixerit peccata omnia quae post baptismum fiunt sola recordatione fide suscepti baptismi â–ª vel dimitti vel venalia fieri Anathema sit That is to say Whosoeuer will maintein that all sinnes coÌ„mitted after baptisme should either be forgeuen or at least may be forgeuen onely through faith and power of Baptisme let him be accursed Here you may see now that this planke alone is too weake to beare vs out of the water so that Baptisme is not in anie wise the Lauer or bath of those that are borne a newe wherein Christ shoulde haue purged and cleane washed his spouse that she might become without spot or wrinkle as Paule goeth about to teach but onelie forsomuch as doeth apperteine to the first spotte wherewith we are borne and no further Neither is nowe anie more a Baptisme of conuersion penance as it was in the Apostles time For the holie Fathers assembled in the Councell of Trent haue accursed all those that shall call it a Lauer or bath and Sacrament of conuersion and repentaunce And therefore haue they prouided an other planke for vs wherewith wee may swimme out of this water as lustily as with a couple of Hogges bladders to witte the Tree of penance consisting of three braunches namely Confessio that is Shrift Contritio that is Heartes sorrow and Satisfactio that is Full satisfaction and a plenarie payment for our sinnes For this is the Saint Christopher that can carrie vs ouer the Sea and through this shall wee receiue once at our Baptisme the garment of innocencie and being afterwardes bespotted with sinne wash the same off again bring all into the right way Therefore it will be said according to the vnderstanding of our deare mother the holie Church as manie holie Catholike Champions haue both said and written That Christ hath made full satisfaction for originall sinne and hath fed vs when we coulde not yet slie but now that our fethers are ful growen we must slie of our selues out of the nest and helpe our selues That is to bee vnderstood We must from henceforth satisfie and sufficiently recompense for all our sinnes our owne selues For this is the opinion and meaning of manie holie Champions and pillars of the holie church of Rome as doth euidently appeare by the before written example of the two pillars But yet notwithstanding when all is well considered this is not yet the verie right tune and harmonious noyse which the holie Church commonly vseth in this daunse for out of this might follow That God should impute righteousnesse to those which are not righteous in them selues and through Christs merites and for his sake forgiue sinnes without any other satisfaction I tell you our mother the holie Church will not meddle with this pretended righteousnes She will not remaine in Gods debte but will clere the score and cut off all the nicks of the tallie Therefore hath she a little patched vp this and concluded That men shall likewise satisfie for some part of originall sinne and so fully satisfie God because he shall not hereafter report that hee hath forgeuen and pardoned the same for nothing but for Iesus Christes sake onely For weigh this wel this is the vtter determination and conclusion of our maisters of the Sentences That although the merits of Christ are the most speciall desert through which Gods mercie and the way into the kingdome of heauen is graunted vnto vs yet this notwithstanding is in no wise to be reckoned for the only whole and full satisfaction and deseruing Whereby it doth euidently appeare that alway with the merites of Christ there must be ioyned some deeds and workes of those which receiue the mercie and rewarde whether it be for themselues if they be of age or for another which is not yet come to full yeeres of vnderstanding which deedes are called Meritum de congruo vel condigno that is to say A deseruing worthily obteined or A lâ—ke worthie deseruing Consider then now doth it followe that for the redeeming of originall sinne some meritorious works are adioyned and specially the merites of the Sacrament which as our mother the holy Church saieth doe giue vnto men mercie Ex opere operato that is to say For the worthinesse of it selfe and deseruing by woorkes For whosoeuer will say and defend that the Sacraments shoulde not Ex opere operato or by their owne worthinesse present and giue mercie vnto vs but that faith or beleefe in Gods promises should be sufficient for the obteining of mercy as Paul saieth that Abraham did beleeue the promise of God and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse and did then first receiue the Sacrament of Circumcision for a seale to this freely giuen righteousnesse hee is by the Councell of Trent accurssed and excommunicated And because it shall not seeme that the Sacrament of baptisme is not sufficient to deserue the forgiuenesse of sinne Ex opere operato considering that the childe which is christened doth not there worke whereby it may deserue any thing therefore doth our dere mother the holie Church say That the Godfathers deserue it for the child And to the end that this deseruing may the more freely be put in the reckoning against the accusations of the diuell therefore hath our mother the holy Church deckt it trimly and hanged much costly ware about it as specially strong and mightie coniuring and commaunding of the diuell wherethrough he is forced to remoue streight way and giue place to the holy ghost Item with manie holie crosses which the Priest doeth make ouer the foreheade ouer the eyes the nose the eares the mouth the breast and the shoulders of the children so christned by the might power whereof the diuell originall sinne are chaced seuen mile froÌ„ thence so that his accusation is not esteemed worth a straw After this is the child gresed on the nose and eares with the priests snot spittle which spittle doth bring a maruellous strength with it as men may wel coÌ„iecture so that
of necessitie it must thereby receiue the mercie of god And in the end is giuen vnto it a white cloth or a coyfe and a waxe candle burning which the Godfathers do receiue in the name of the childe which surely is maruellous acceptable welcome vnto God as the holy Church doeth beare witnesse euerie Easter eeue singing vnto the waxe Candle whiche the Priestes do at that time hallow Talia igitur Domine digna sacris altaribus tuis munera offerimus quibus te laetari religio Christiana non ambigit That is to say Therfore Lorde doe wee offer vnto thee such worthie presents and giftes vpon thine altar wherein as Christian Religion nothing doubteth thou doest greatly delight and reioyce c. How must he then reioyce herein when hee shall see all these precious giftes and goodly ceremonies together whereby deuout persons haue greatly refourmed and trimly set forth the ordinances of his sonne Iesus Christ Will not he with a good will forgiue both originall sinne and also the rest of the whole debte seeing hee is so wâ—rshipfulâ—y paâ—ed with wax with tallow with creame and with spittle And then doeth not hee forgiue for nothing and onelie for the merites of Christ as the Heretikes say but he is satisfied with redie paiment And if he will not yet be therewithall content then we will fill his hands with a heape of deseruings of holie Saintes of both kindes for which onely he must vndoubtedly forgiue the whole debt yea although it were asmuch more insomuch as there shall not be left one iot vnsatisfied But howe nowe may some deuout Catholike heart thinke is Christ then nothing at all accounted of nor regarded by our deare mother the holie Church O yes by Saint Marie for shee doeth vse him specially to stoppe all holes withall For if so be that neither our paiments and satisfactions nor the merits of saints would be sufficient to discharge the whole debt but that there should remaine some behind vnpaid then that must be laide on his necke But if we be of our selues sufficiently furnished to satisfie all that resteth or if wee can by some of the Saintes to whome wee haue good deuotion get a good suretie or pledge which will answere for all then wee shall haue no neede to trouble Christ much wee can spare him well enough Then onelie if we hauing done our best to satisfie all our selues or to finde a sufficient suretie and yet can not bring either of both to passe then saieth our deare mother the holie Church that Christ must come foorth Vt suppleat nostros defectus that is to say To supplie our defaultes and to stoppe all holes But nowe because all this doeth seeme verie vnhandsome and that Christ might perhaps take this in euill part and perchaunce forsake vs and cast vs cleane off and send vs back againe to our Baalim and other Patrones at whose handes wee haue first sought help as he hath oftentimes giuen warning by his Prophetes so as then by that meanes we should fall betwixt two stooles in the ashes and so be forsaken on all sides To auoid this daunger the catholike doctors haue a little strengthned the rampier and baked the cake after another maner as may appeare in the said booke of Iodocus of Rauenstein where he writeth Whereas men do charge vs that we teach that Christ shoulde haue satisfied only for originall sin or other sinnes coÌ„mitted before baptisme that then the Masse should satisfie further for the other sinnes our meaning is not so and if there be anie such which do so vnderstaÌ„d or haue any such opinion we vtterly renounce their doctrine And truely their particular iudgement ought not to be applied to any former iudgment of the Catholike doctrine touching the Masse for the verie meaning of the holy man Thomas de Aquino was neuer such as appeares plainely out of that which hee writeth in the third part vpon the first question in the 4 â—rticle whereof he writeth It is most true that Christ came into this world not onely to take away that sinne wherein naturally all the posteritie of Adam are borne but likewise to the cleansing of all other sinnes And in the 49. question of the said thirde part Christ saith he hath released vs froÌ„ our sinnes Causaliter that is CoÌ„cerning the cause to wit for that he is the onely cause of our releasment through which all our sinnes are to bee forgiuen as well those past as these present or to come And then againe Forsomuch as the passion of Christ is a sure â–ª generall or common cause of the forgiuing of sinne it must needes follow that it bee annexed to the washing away and purging of the sinnes which we our selues haue coÌ„mitted which is don by baptisme penaÌ„ce and other sacraments which haue power through the passion of Christ c. In summe this is their meaning That as the sinnes wherein wee fell before baptisme haue not more aduauntage than the other but must all alike be holpen thorough penance and Sacramentes which are the right satisfaction and true raunsomming through which God is made at one with vs and hath forgiuen vs our sinnes And yet they haue not gotten this power only of themselues but for that Christ hath through his merits and passion deserued the same so that by this order Christ hath now his part in all things seeing that he in all the merites of the Masse satisfactions and other good workes is alway by our deare mother the holy Church called to be one And this office is committed vnto him that hee shall alway trudge vppe and downe to and fro farre and neere with the merites of good workes and satisfaction as a common messenger trauell so as they may continue in their full estimation and worship And for that cause it is that in all their blessings hallowings consecrations coniuring and bewitching in all Collects Secrets Complets and in all Ceremonies of the holie Church wherein they pray vnto God for the forgiuenes of sinnes for euerlasting life for all other good gifts either spirituall or temporall which she requires in consideration the power of her almes deedes fasting and abstinence through merites keeping of holidayes and by the strength and power of her hallowed waters salt candles palmes hearbes oyle tallowe reliques holie clothes and also through the might of the Sacraments the Masse and merites of Saintes and such other like things and yet alway in the end they adde this conclusion Per Christum Dominum nostrum that is Through Christ our Lord. As though they woulde say that those Ceremonies and creatures which they offer vnto God are the right marke to shoote at but Christ must giue the aime or else that those are the true mint or coyne wherewith they make paiment to God and doe fullie satisfie for their debtes and that Christ is he which doth value and allow the monie for currant And that this is
substantially cunningly haue determined and iudged That all sinnes are not deadlie but that there are but seneÌ„ deadâ— lie sinnes onelie which together with their branches and fruites haue deserued death The rest are altogether small simple and venial sinnes which he may not punish by death but with a smal rod such as doth serue to beate children withall And herevpon she hath valued all hir deseruings satisfactions euery one according to his price to the vttermost penie and so hath committed the balance to S. Michael with open commission charge that he do iustlie weye all the sinnes and offences of the Catholikes against the troubles which God hath sent them and likewise against their good deedes merites vpon this conditioÌ„ that if the said troubles good deedes â–ª and merites be but an ounce or twaine or some small weight lighter than the other then Christ shall make that good by his death and passion But if the difference in weight should be great so as it were to be considered vpon then must he to conterueil and make the weight euen put into that scale some good deedes c. as building of Abbies Masses Pilgrimages Pateâ— nosters and Aue Maries waxe candels holie ashes holie water Popes 〈◊〉 pardons grey friers cowles girdles S. Iames shels other like stuffe till both the balances wey alike But nowe Econtra â–ª if the good deeds meriâ—es c. be the heauier then shal the surplusage be kept against another time to helpe a good friend withall or to 〈◊〉 some 〈◊〉 soule one of Purgatorie And our mother the holie church hath had much a doe â— this matter to bring the balance to a iust â—â—ight and value to make all things euen betwixt the offences of men and the punishmentes of God and to approue that to be the right way which notwithstaÌ„ding she hath stronglie fortified with plaine scriptures And in especially where S. Iohn Baptist saieth Facite fructus dignos poenitentia that is to say Bring forth fruites worthie of repentance For out of this hath she concluded That the effect and nature of the punishment scourge of God must be equall with the effect and nature of the crime Well considered that the operation of good workes is not needfull to be so great or so manie in one that hath done â—esse sins as in him that hath coÌ„mitted a great deale more sinne c. And therefore when as God doeth visit anie man in this world with pouertie sicknesse hunger trouble or anie other crosse he must likewise haue those valued against his sinnes and offences And if it be found that the crosse and punishment which God hath laid vpon him be of greater importance than his sinnes haue deserued as our mother the holie Church of Rome will suppose that often times it is then must the surplusage of that be by some honest meane recompensed or if it be such as cannot well be recompensed by God then it shal be shut vp and kept in the chest of indulgencies and pardonâ— to serue the turne of such as shall haue neede of it for that shal at some conuenient time be sealed together with a Bull and then some profite will come of it as our deare mother the holie Church hath concluded alledging for that purpose a plain euident text of Iob saying O that my troubles and sorowes might be weyed my paines deliuered vp in a paire of balance They should be found heauier than the sande of the seas therein is it that my wordes haue ouerslipped me Consider now out of this hath our deare mother the holie Church gathered that Iob was contented to come to a reckoning with God and haue his crosse punishment weyed against his offences if his crosse punishment be greater than his sinnes as shee supposeth then will she that the surplus of the weight shall be shut vp in the Popes chest to â—elpe sâ—me other good fellowe withall for a little monie and so bring him out of daunger And to the end that hereafter no brabbling or processe should happâ—n in diâ—â—inguishing which are light and venâ—all sinnes and which are heauie and deadlie sinnes and how euerie sinne is to bee esteemed for that purpose hath shee fetched out of her cofer with her keye called Allegorica expositio a trimme scripture thereby to declare those things sufficiently beginning thus That like as in the beginning the serpent did first intise the woman ofte to sinne and then the woman brought the man to the same so haue wee now likewise the wittinesse within vs which is the serpent and then more the wisedome or the principall vnderstanding which is the man last of all the knowledge or the simplest part of vnderstanding which is the woman and this man is the same which by witnessing of the Apostle is called The image honour of God the woman is the same which by the Apostle is called The honour or beautie of the man. Is not this well and profoundly philosophied of our mother the holie Church of Rome I can not thinke but that the Maister of the Sentences was somewhere in the bottome of a deep seller when hee founde out this profounde speculation For otherwise it were not possible that he should haue conceiued these profounde secretes of his owne head But nowe let vs heare further of the matter Nowe there is saith he a spirituall mariage a naturall coniunction betwene the man and the woman and out of that is to be considered which is a deadlie sinne and which is a veniall sinne For euen as the serpent did by persuasion abuse the woman and the woman the man euen so it falleth out with vs For as the inward consent is the serpent which accepteth the accomplishment of sinne and so persuadeth the woman that is the knowledge or least branch of accomplishing and then when as by such reasons they are brought to consent to the accomplishing then it commeth to passe that the woman doth eate the forbidden fruite and then presenteth or offereth of the same to the man and so when she hath entised the vnderstanding or principall desire that it doth giue consent to the same then hath the man eaten of the forbidden fruit likewise But nowe if the full accomplishing remaine sticking in the minde and cogitation and taketh not full effect then it is but a verie small veniall sinne but when onlie the simple pretence is willing thereto to witte the lust and desire of the mind or thought without any further full pretence trauell to bring the same effectuallie to passe then hath the woman onelie eaten of the apple and not the man who hath by his owne strength subdued his will that it proceedes not to the performing and finishing of the woorke and yet in that case it is sometime a deadlie sinne and sometime a veniall sinne according to the continuance of the time â–ª But if in
the meane space there follow a perfect resolute desire to accomplish the same then hath the man likewise eaten principallie in coÌ„senting resolutâ—lie with pretence of accomplishment and in that case it is a damnable and an heauie sinne c. Surelie this will trie Saint Mâ—chaels wittes and put him to his trumpe howe to obserue this rule in weying and iudging these sinnes vnlesse he come first for a while into the Vniuersitie of Louen or to the Sorbonistes of Paris there to loiter read ouer and learne to vnderstand the glosses and expositions of the Maister of the Sentences I knowe no other meane for him howe to deale vnlesse he can find out in one place or other some subtil Doctour of diuinitie and make him so much his friend that hee will helpe him through with the matter yet notwithstanding the principall knowledge and speculation may well be brought to passe and considered as That we are not of dutie bound to loue God with all our hearts with all our minde and with all our might in such sort as he by his lawe hath commaunded seeing that the soule can separate her selfe from him and so giue ouer her selfe to sinne and yet not plunge so deepe therein as to fall throughly into Gods wrath â–ª yea there is great recoÌ„pense deserued at Gods hand when as a man is prouoked to sinne and to fall from God that by his wisedome hee doeth withstand the same so as the serpent onelie doth eate of the forbidden fruite as the Maister of the Sentences hath in another place written Therefore it is that our mother the holie Church of Rome hath expounded that which our Sauiour Christ set foorth in the fift Chapter of S. Matthewe As to loue our enimies not to doe euill for euill not to desire another mans wife and such other like sayings more after the Pharisaicall manner As that it is no speciall commaundement but onelie a counsell and aduise and that therefore no man is bounde to obserue and keepe the same but such as haue professed and vowed chastitie as Monkes Ankers and other such like Whereby doeth euidentlie appeare either that GOD hath wholie created and shapen the soule and hearte of man or at the least that his Lawe is not altogethâ—r spirituall considering that he hath not the full gouernâ—ment of the spirite onelie through this occasion that reason did not consent and agree wholie to sinne For in conclusion you may not esteeme sinne thus as though all that is done against Gods lawe and commaundement were a deadlie sinne and could not bee recompensed by deseâ—uing or satisfaction but all sins offences must be weighed in the balance of our mother the holie church of Rome who saieth thus That for all ordinarie and light sinnes and offences a man may sufficientlie satisfie with saying a Pater noster and an Aue Maria with knocking vpon the breast and saying Peccaui with holie water and especially with hearing of a Masse as for deadly sinnes the like must be done but yet with much more force efficacie and deuotion And to say all in all satisfaction is necessarie and requisite for all sinnes according to the qualitie and quantitie of the same And although a man shoulde wholie returne to God yet can not that helpe vnles hee make full satisfaction For whereas these Heretikes doe say That when soeuer a sinner doeth conuert and repent him of his sinnes God doth pardon and forgiue him yea in such sorte as he doth wholie forgette the sinnes committed and casteth them as farre from him as the East is from the West yea and sinketh them down euen into the bottome of the sea yea maketh them consume to naught euen as smoke or as a cloude in so much as they are not once more thought vpon euen like as he doeth also vtterlie forget all the good deedes that a man hath done which in the end doth giue him selfe to mischiefe Take heede of that saying for it smelleth of a faggot For our mother the holie Church of Rome hath speciallie concluded That GOD doeth not forgiue anie sinnes vnlesse a man doe first make full satisfaction and payment for the same to the vttermost and last farthing shee can allowe that hee forgiueth the sinne but not the punishment and for that cause must hee likewise bee well recompensed doing after this manner As if a man should pardon his debter all whatsoeuer hee did owe him and giue him to vnderstande that hee cancelled his obligation and in the meane space caused him to be arrested and cast into prison there to remaine and lie till the whole debte were paide euen to the vttermost mite Were not that great mercie vsed and a liberall pardoning of debters After that manner will our deare mother the holie Church of Rome haue that remission of sinnes vnderstoode which wee haue obteined through the bloud and passion of Iesus christ For the bloud of Iesus Christ saieth shee hath washed away the sinnes but holie water the Masse and such other like satisfactions doe deliuer vs from the paine and punishement Or rather the bloud of IESVS Christ hath troden the path by the which Masses Pilgrimages Holie water and other satisfactions may runne post after our Lorde God to put him in remembrance to pardon vs of the punishment which we by our sinnes haue deserued And if they perhaps should come to late then are the merites of Saintes in a readinesse to shut vp and make euen the rest of the reckoning and accompt For our deare mother the holy church of Rome saieth plainlie by speciall textes of the Scripture That God doeth neuer clearelie forgiue and pardon the punishment for sinnes through the merites of the bloud and passion of Christ without a former satisfaction For all the Scriptures and examples which the Lutherans â–ª and Huguenotes alledge and bring in to proue That God doeth chasten his children with plagues and punishmentes to the end to bring them to perfect knowledge and vnderstanding of their miserie and calamitie and to proue their faith or that hee will thereby bring them from the diuelishe dissimulations of this worlde all this doeth our deare mother the holie Church of Rome alledge to proue that God hath onelie forgiuen them the offence but not the punishment as appeareth by the example of Adam who although after his fall hee receiued comfort againe at Gods hande yet was hee well punished euen by bodilie death and with manie calamities sorrowes and troubles by the which hee made satisfaction And likewise take example of the Prophet Dauid who hauing grieuouslie offended God and afterwardes returned by repentance obteined forgiuenesse of his sinnes and was yet afterwardes notwithstanding this sharplie punished so forth of manie other examples For our mother the holie church wil in no wise allow That God did so punish them onelie to the ende they should so feele his mightie hande as they should euer after walke in feare and
recourse to him with perfect and steadfast hope through their beliefe in him and That God who abounds in mercie hath through his inestimable loue wherewith he hath loued vs when we were dead in sin made vs aliue againe in Christ through whose mercie wee are beecome holie yea and hath raised vs vp againe and placed vs in the heauens by Christ Iesus iustifying vs of his meere mercie through faith not through our selues but through the gift of God not by workes least anie man should boast himselfe so that from henceforth none can charge or blame the elect of God for it is he only which doth iustifie them who therefore can condemne them seeing that Christ hath suffered for them So that they are assured that neither death nor life nor Angel nor rule neither might nor power neither anie thing present nor to come neither hight nor depth nor any other creature can separate them from the loue of God shewed in Christ Iesus our Lord With manie such other like thinges which Paule speaketh of But all that cannot helpe For our mother the holie Church will haue that vnderstood onely of such as haue and are assured of the same by some speciall reuelation and of such as trust simplie vpon Gods worde and promise For she hath resolutely concluded that such a manner of beliefe should be nothing else but a flat and vaine-glorious presumption But when a man doth trust to his owne merits good works and satisfactions then he is assured to come out with his iust reckoning or at the least if there haue not bene ynough done here in this worlde that shall bee after in another worlde accomplished and paied to the vttermost farthing insomuch that he shall not remaine one mite in Gods debt For to that ende and purpose hath our deare mother the holie Churche of Rome ordeined the blessed Purgatorie whereof wee will nowe make further declaration and proue it to bee as well grounded on the Scripture as the merits and satisfactions whereof we haue now alreadie spoken The viii Chapter VVherein Purgatorie is established as well bp Scripture as by inheritance And herein are likewise intreated the remedies and helpes whereby the sillie soules are released out of Purgatorie HEre is to be considered that Purgatorie is founded and hath his ground out of the holie Scripture For if Masses are founded vpon the Scripture as wee haue alreadie certiâ—ied then surely we may not make a bastard of the Masse of Requiem And now if it be so that the Masse of Requiem is founded vpon the Scripture then no doubt there must needes be a Purgatorie But nowe let vs bring forth for the proofe hereof speciall textes of scripture First note howe there is written by Paule to the Corinthians That no man may lay anie other foundation but onely vpon Iesus Christ. And so whosoeuer doth build on this foundation gold siluer precious stones timber hay or stubble euerie mannes woorke shall appeare for the day shall declare it and it shall be shewed in fire the fire shall declare euerie mans woorke what it is c. This hath our dere mother the holy Church vnderstood meant and set forth of Purgatorie And although out of this it should follow That all manner of persons without exception as wel he Saints as she Saints which our holy father the Pope hath canonized yea and the verie Popes themselues shoulde daunse in Purgatorie as well as Iacke and Tom with the rest But considering how that doth not agree in one with the beliefe of the holie Church of Rome in respect of the superfluous good woorkes which those Saintes haue done for themselues and for their good friendes more than they were of duetie bound to do therefore she properly wisely concludeth therevpon That those soules onely which depart out of this world without any deadly sinne and before they haue sufficiently satisfied by penance for their veniall and quotidian sinnes shall remaine a certeine space in Purgatorie be there broiled and sodden til such time as they shall with soule Masses pardons or indulgencies be hailed out of the pan or chaldron as with a flesh hooke The which is worthie to bee noted considering that which is thereout concluded as first that as heretofore is declared al sinnes are not deadly neither deserue euerlasting damnation and then againe by this you may perceiue that which of late we did speake of namely That the death and passion of Iesus Christ hath purged but onely our originall sinne and not our daily sinnes for which wee must make full satisfaction our selues And whereas the Heretikes say that Paule doeth not in the foresaide text meane any thing at all of Purgatorie but meanes onely to speake according as the text importeth as many ancient fathers haue expounded vnderstoode the same of the fire of the holy ghost which doth in time trie cause to appere plaine all doctrines namely those which take their foundation of Iesus christ And they say that good doctrine and godly learning shal in this proofe remaine stedfast but babblers and false teachers shall consume like hay or stubble before the fire With all this we haue nothing to do for that is but an exposition after the letter and not after the spirit or allegorie It is sufficient for vs that our holie mother the Church of Rome hath vnderstood Paul otherwise and applied his text vnto Purgatorie like as she hath applied the wordes of the Euangelist where hee saith That it was a custome amongst the Iewes to weepe ouer the dead For therby she hath concluded That the Iewes did beleue that there is a Purgatorie because as she thinkes it had bene a great follie of them to weepe for the dead vnlesse they did beleeue there was a Purgatorie so that it is a thing verie credible that those which wept so sore ouer Steeuen as in the Acts of the Apostles is declared did thinke none other but that he was gone into Purgatorie notwithstanding that he had seene Iesus Christ sitting on the right hand of God the father and sealed the testimonie and witnesse of him with his bloud Thirdely Purgatorie is clearely proued â—ut of the plaine textes of Paule who saith That in the name of Iesus al knees do bow those that are in heauen those vpon the earth and those vnder the earth Surely we wil not haue this vnderstoode of diuels Ergo then it must needs folow that it is spokeÌ„ of the souls which lay burning in Purgatorie For thus saith S. Iohn in the Apocalypse touching the same matter And all creatures which are in heaueÌ„ in the earth vnder the earth in the sea all that are in them heard I saying Blessing honor power be to him that sitteth vpon the seat vnto the lambe for euermore Where vndoubtedly he doth vnderstand meane Purgatorie according to the exposition of our
though shee be something troubled with a laske although in deede shee is nowe waxen so olde and vnweldie as glisters can not helpe her greatlie especiallie so long as these Hâ—retikes are still gaping after Scriptures and will beleeue nothing vnlesse iâ— be set downe or confirmed by the Bible Nowe therefore I wil send them the Epistle of Paul to the Colossians where they shall find that Paul saith thus Now ioy I in my sufferings which I suffer for you and fulfill that which is behinde of the passions of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the congregation Alway prouided that they shal not vnderstand nor interpret this text after their mindes nor after the letter to wit as though Paul did meane nothing els but that he as a member of Christes body doeth followe Christ his head in suffring for the loue of the congregation and strengthening of the same for this interpretation is hereticall doth not wel agree with the interpretation and beleefe of our deare mother the church of Rome But they must know confesse that Paules meaning in that place is that the passion of Christ is not sufficient to satisfie for all our sins which we haue coÌ„mitted since for those must euery man make satisfaction for by good workes pardons with bulles indulgencies for to that end serue the merites of such Saints as haue bin canonized by Popes and the bloud of their martyrs which suffered in defence of the holy church of Rome furthermore all the meritorious works which S. Francis S. Benedict S. Dominick other holie fathers haue laid vp for a help which were superfluous more than they were bounde to do For all these merites good workes laid together vpon a heape with our merits superfluous good works which we haue in store ouer besides those which must first answere for our sinnes All these I say are shut vp in a chest together wherof our holy father the Pope hath the keies to keepe doth distribute them to euery person according to his discretion which is commonly according as euerie man doth annoynt his hand with golden oyle For this same golden oyle is of such strength vertue that there is no offence knauerie sinne nor abhomination so great but it will be heled made cleane with the same as is plainly to be sene in the Taxa poenitentiaria apostolica that is In the booke of reckoning or taxe register where the pardon and price of al sinnes is set vpon certein summes of monie which are set taxed in the popish or apostolike penance chaÌ„ber but now among the rest the Pope dealeth most liberallie with such as come to Rome in the yeere of Iubilie and doe there deuoutlie visite the graues or tumbes of Peter and Paul for those haue full remission of all their sinnes à poena culpa therewith are the two Apostles maruellouslie recreated for out of that may S. Peter note that the prayer of Christ for him when he said I haue praied for thee that thy faith should not fayle doeth there receiue ful effect when he seeth the people so deuoutlie disposed to go visit his tumbe and graue And by this nowe is that likewise which we alledged out of S. Paul fulfilled in so much doubtles that they haue great pleasure when they see such deuotion vsed and surelie do laugh wiâ—hall as though they had the tooth ache The holie Church of Rome doth yet bring forth other textes of importance for the establishing of indulgencies as speciallie where Christ said vnto Peter I shall giue vnto thee the keies of the kingdome of heauen which are to bee vnderstood the keies of the chest before mentioned wherin that rich tresure is shut vp which can neuer be emptied nor diminished for if it were possible that all the people of the worlde did go to Rome in one yeare of Iubilie that euerie man might receiue full indulgence and pardon yet should the same chest be no more emptied thereby than the Ocean sea should be with taking out of it one spoonefull of water or Saint Goddards mountaine be diminished by taking from it one handfull of sand as is plainly sette forth by a verie trimme and fine verse as followeth Mille licèt sumant deperit inde nihil That is to say Thogh thousands take none said nay Yet nothing wastes or weares away And now how necessarie and profitable this is to our holie mother the Church of Rome it doth appeare plainly out of this That onely the indulgencies with the letters of pardon and the Reseruationes pectorales mentales regressus generales speciales accessus with such other like trifles mo are worth to the Pope of Rome in France onelie aboue two hundred thousand Crownes a yeare so that through all Christendome it doth amount to aboue ten millions of Crownes which is a prettie summe But what shoulde I talke much of the Pope It is not long agoe that a simple gray frier called Samson of Millan being by Pope Leo 10. appointed amongst other for one of the gatherers or receiuers of the monie for Bulles and Indulgencies had within a little space gotten so much monie for himselfe that he did offer to giue a hundred and twentie thousand Ducats in redie monie to be chosen Pope In summe all indulgencies pardons iubilies buls with the rest of the Popes authoritie are lightly to be proued and declared by scripture if men will vnderstand them rightly and according to the exposition of our deare mother the holy Church The x. Chapter VVhich doth treat of the Supremasie of the Pope and proueth establisheth the same by scriptures examples NOw as touching that which is to be said for the supremasie and authoritie of the Pope that is to bee proued by so many clere strong testimonies witnesses of scripture that I can scarse tell where it is best to begin But I may take first the best knowne and plainest text where Christ said I say vnto thee that thou art Peter and vpon this Petra which is to say a stone or a rocke will I build my congregation and the gates of hell shal not preuaile against them c. For by these fewe wordes to begin withall it is witnessed after the spiritual expositioÌ„ of the holy church that Peter is the firme and seedfast foundation of the Church for she hath nothing to do with Christ in this matter as Clemens hath verie worthily set forth in his Epistle written to Iames the brother of our Lorde And againe here is not to be vnderstood by Peter the person of Peter the Apostle but in the name of Peter are our holy Fathers the Popes pointed vnto as with a wette finger For whereas the heretikes will say that Peter was neuer at Rome it is a stark lie See I pray you their follie well his head bones lie there
to know how the world walkes Therefore he had better haue held his tongue touching this matter For to begin withal an Asse might haue seene and perceiued that Paule dooth not there meane anie thing at all of matrimonie but of the vnitie betweene Christ and his congregation which he doth name to be A greate or deepe mysterie farre aboue the vnderstanding of all men And besides this these scornefull Heretikes will sowe a paire of Asse eares on maister Gentianus head seeing he did not consider That herein he doth speake both against himselfe and against our deare mother the holie Churche who hath plainly concluded that matrimonie is fleshly vncleane and vnholy and hath for that cause forbidden that Priestes shall marrie insomuch that it cannot be a holie Sacramente or else it muste followe that Priestes are not woorthie to enioye so holie a Sacrament And besides that these Heretikes will set a paire of spectacles on maister Gentianus nose to the ende hee may see and perceiue that if it be so that Matrimonie bee a Sacramente then must virginitie or maidenhoode much rather be a holie sacrament bycause that by our deare mother the holy Church it is much more esteemed thā matrimony so there must be eight sacraments Yea widowes will come in for their partes and challendge viduitie or widowehoode to be a sacrament So that men shall at the last be forced to regester for sacramentes all states and calling of men Wherevpon must needes follow that our deare mother the holy church hath erred in setting foorth teaching that there were onely seauen sacramentes vnlesse that shee peraduenture will haue it vnderstoode that by the number of seauen shee dooth meane an innumerable number as by Gentianus reasons appeareth shee dooth so that by his argument it must followe That in all places of the scripture where this woord Misterium that is to say a misterie is vsed that must streight way bee esteemed for a sacrament and by that order also must the kingdome of Antichrist and the beast with seauen heades be accompted for sacramentes So that in the end we should haue so many sacramentes that we shoulde not know what to doe with them but we must go set them out in the Sunne to dry or lade a great Hulke with them and send them into Norway which out of doubt were a greate disorder and such as might make open to al the worlde the impudencie and shamefulnesse of our deare mother the holy church of Rome seeing shee hath resolutely set foorth that there may be no moe but seauen sacramentes Which thing she hath likewise fetched out of the coffer of the scriptures with hir Allegoricall or Anagogicall key saith shee Seuen deadly sinnes Ergo must there be of necessitie seuen Sacramentes which must driue away and ouercome the same seuen deadly sinnes Item there is mention made of seuen Seales wherewith the booke of the olde Testament was sealed vp Also there were seuen pillars wherewith the church was vnderset how like are they to be the seuen principall of the new Bishops of the base countrey to wit The Cardinall Grandwell the President Viglius Franciscus Sonnius Petrus Cursius Ioannes Lindanus de castro and Fryer Kniefe Who I assure you sticke to their tackling and holde vppe the Romish Church like faste and sure pyllers and proppes for feare shee should fall into the myre After this likewise is mention made of Seuen washings whereby Naaman was healed of his leprosie and likewise of seuen Basens which the Sonne of Man held in his right hand and of Seuen loaues wherewith Christ fed the multitude of people of seuē times going about wherby the towne of Iericho was ouerthrown ▪ of seuē eyes in one stone and lastely of seuen candles set vpon the tabernacle For now saith our mother the holy church by all these are signified and set foorth the seuen doctours of the Romish church to wit the foure principall of the scholasticall theologie or diuinitie as Thomas de Aquino Ioānes Scotus Albertus Magnus and Occam together with the two profound interpreters of the masse namely Rabanus and Durandus and the Maister of the Sentences called Petrus Lombardus all which make iust seuen who should likewise set forth and establish in the church of Rome seuen sacramentes There may yet be alledged many other examples for the establishing of the number of seuen Sacraments to wit the seuē Psalmes which serue the soules in Purgatorie for seuē sacramentes Item the seuen diuels which cam to inhabit the house when they found it cleane emptie then the seuen sciences and also the seuen or fiue wittes of our Doctours of Louen wherewith they farre excell all the profounde wit and vnderstanding of the Apostles and Prophets with many other thinges more which might be broght in but our mother the holie church of Rome is satisfied with these examples and figures before specified Although yet me thinkes vnder correction of my maisters of Louen be it spoken to whose iudgements I submitte my selfe that the number of the seuen Sacramentes may best be applied for that which is written in the Apocalypse of the beast with seuen heades or as heretofore is set foorth Irenaeus himselfe hath applied this beast to the Romishe churche And the number of sixe hundreth sixtie sixe which is the number of the beast doe agree very well in one with this Greke worde EKKΛHΣIA ITAΛIKA Ecclesia Italica which is to say The Italian or Romish Church And there is likewise specially spoken of the Character or marke of the beast And now our mother the holy church sayth that there is likewise a Charecter or marke in the sacraments And last of al it is credibly affirmed that it is a mysterie to wit Babylon And nowe will our deare mother cōclude as is apparāt that matrimonie is a Sacrament because that this woorde misterium is playnely set foorth and then it must of necessitie followe that here also somewhat is spoken of Sacramentes seeyng that this woorde is likewise spoken of here And so must the beast with seuē heads vndoubtedly betoken and signifie the Romish church with her seuen Sacramentes and with her character or marke So that maister Gentianus is herein to be blamed That he hath to mainteine his argument vsed this worde misterium for the purpose of matrimonie to be a sacramēt cōsidering that our deare mother the holie Church hath alwaies vsed the same for her strōgest bulwarke alledging the same continually But herevpon yet might fall out a great question to wit how doeth it happen that men accompt vpon no more but seuen sacramentes seeing that yet our deare mother the holie Church hath ordeined at the least seuen and seuentie Sacramentes whereof none is conteined vnder anie of these seuen For on Easter eeuen when they do blesse the Easter candels then doth the holie Church offer vnto God the Father Fier for a great rewarde and a holie Sacrament saying
pray to the crosse as to a creature or to a similitude or likenesse For there was neuer anie man so frantike or madde which would pray to anie thing in steade of God as a bare and simple creature yea the Iewes theÌ„selues as we haue seene when they did pray vnto their golden calfe did it not in worship of the golden creature as a creature but in remembrance of him which had broght them out of the lande of Egypt as they well witnessed them selues in naming it by the name of him after whom they had made it The like haue the Heathen alwayes done and in consideration thereof they did call their images idols or simulachra that is to say Likenesses or images because they did in making them attribute vnto them the power of god And therefore did the Egyptians pray vnto those creatures wherein they perceiued best Gods goodnesse to bee declared towardes vs as Oxen and Kine the Sunne and the Moone and other creatures wherin they founde anie speciall helpe or comfort as is to be seene by Iustinus Athenagoras Arnob. August Lactan. Eusebius Orosius and other such like which haue written against them and verie notoriouslie out of Esaie who speaking against the Iewes said That God by his eternall and vnspeakeable power did make heauen and earth And then he doth demauÌ„d of them Like vnto whom then will you make God Or wherwith will you make his image Giuing them thereby plainly to vnderstand that they did not praye to their blockes and stockes onelie as simple creatures but that they did through such resemblances likenesses thinke to haue an image and so a remembrance of God euen as Maister Gentianus doeth here likewise alledge And it was also thus concluded in the second Councell of Nice For sure a calfe may conceiue and see that our deare mother the holie church hath this discretion as well as the idolatrous Iewes and Heathen It may well happen that some simple people and olde deuoute wiues do esteeme that blocke or stocke it selfe where it standeth for a verie God especiallie when he beginneth to laugh vpon them or els to weepe bitter teares for great pitie But what then That is satisfied by their good intents and deuout meanings which the holie church doth applie to the best Yet notwithstanding her owne ground and foundation is no other but euen the same grouÌ„d of the Iewes and Heathen Alwayes excepted and to bee considered that the image of the Crosse hath a speciall prerogatiue before all other images likenesses for it is like to the Sextons Cowe and therefore may grase in the churchyard and she is by our deare mother prayed vnto with a three folde deuotion more than other But now that I do not forget the crosse of pardons which is commonly set vp in the church when anie bulles or letters of pardon are come down from Rome which crosse hath euen such power vnlesse men will make the Popes Legates ranke liers as the offring vp of the body bloud of Iesus Christ vpon the crosse for our sinnes And yet we must besides al this pray vnto and worship all small or ordinarie crosses with Latria that is to say with such worship as doeth apperteine vnto God onelie acording to the order coÌ„mon rule of their schoole here before rehearsed spoken of After this now the verie wood of the crosse which came from Hierusalem and which Christ was crucified vpon must bee by vs worshipped as a creature for it owne proper worthines praied vnto with Hyperdulia that is with such worship as is ascribeth vnto the virgin Marie â–ª especiallie coÌ„sidering the great miracle that is thervpon to be seene which is that it is so waxen increased that the pieces thereof would lade a good Hulke And lastly in reuerence of the most holie crosse we must worship al other tokens similitudes of the same â–ª Wherein our louing mother doeth attribute great preheminence to the holy crosse in respect of that which shee doeth shewe towardes all the reliques and holy things True it is that most deuoutlie she doeth worshippe a heape of speares wherwithal Christ his side was pearced and twoo or three dosen of the verie same nailes which our Sauiour was nailed with on the crosse yea shee hath also ordeined a holie day in â—â—uerence of the same and hath appointed a speciall Masse for it namelie In festo Lanceae Clauorum Domini And then greetes the same most friendlie with a Sonnet wherein shee singeth thus Aue ferrum triumphale Intrans pectus tu vitale Coeli pandis ostia Fecundata in cruore Foelix Hasta nos amore Per te fixi saucia c. with the rest that followeth which in our tongue might thus be englished All hayle O Speare triumphant which pearcing Christ his side Commaundedst as thy seruant heauen gates to open wide O happie Speare and blessed dyde Crimson red in blood Of loue saue vs distressed vouchsafe to be so good c. Thereafter hath she yet foure or fiue of the right sponges wherewithall Christ was refreshed with vineger which she deuoutlie doeth licke and kisse and reserues for a singular relique Moreouer shee hath the verie naturall tayle of the Asse whereon he rode and the same Manger wherein hee laie whereof she makes great store But what is all this to be compared by the reuerence which she doeth shewe to the holie Crosse For admit shee doeth worship fiue or sixe Speares and some Nailes yet will she not worship all the speares which are vsed in the warres nor all the nailes which are made in the smithes forges nor all the sponges which growe in the sea nor yet al the tailes wherewith the asses are couered behind nor all the mangers wherein horses haue their prouender like as she doth permit to worship all the crosses which can be made for then you should counterfeite the Ape to nigh yet may it seeme strange to some whether all other reliques or holy things haue pist against the moone because they cannot atteine to the like preferment For all the roddes of right might challenge the same priuilege in worship of the rod wherewith Christ was scourged and al ropes in worship of that with which he was bound all haithornes in worship of the thornes wherewith he was crowned But it behoues them to be content with their portion for they are sufficientlie prouided for if sobeit the holy church doth please to attribute more to the crosse it proceedes of her meere liberalitie and of the special loue which shee doeth beare to the same which for the same cause shee reuerenceth more than the verie body of Christ which did hang on the crosse or than his bloud which he hath spilt on the crosse For wee can not perceiue that in reuerence of the bodie of Christ all bodies much lesse all similitudes or likenesses of the bodie are had in reuerence or worship like as
a paire of gloues that their left hande knoweth not what the right hand doth And their gold ring what doth it els signifie but that they be vpright without dissimulation Their staffe that they are strōg against heretiks And their handkercher which is alwaies at hand that they bee euer readie to abandon all earthlie filthines and wholie doe rubbe of their fleshlie affections After this all Priestes in generall haue they not a shauen crowne on their heades to shewe that like as a round crowne hath no corners so haue they not anie filthines which they can spare or be without But if I should rehearse all these matters peece by peece it would verilie seeme to be a Babylon which is A fowle confusion or meruellous medlie Therefore it is suffient to gather hereby what great mortification doeth lurke and lie hidden in the skinnes of these holie subiectes of the Romish Church which by their outward apparell and seeming doe shewe such exceeding great holinesse I referre now al men to consider what is to be thought of their inward parts which are so holie as though they were possest with seuen spirites To the contrarie whereof these newe Preachers haue neither sticke nor staffe myter nor ring neither yet anie shauen crownes or other whereby they may declare their mortification yea they goe arraied like other plaine people and say that Penance and mortification doeth not consist in such and such like outward ceremonies but in the conuersion of the mind and soule to Godwardes and in an inwarde feeling of miseries a true feling of Gods wrath against sinne and in a firme faith and trustie staie vppon Gods goodnes and mercie through the merites of Iesus Christ. Moreouer That bodilie excercise is litle vailable but Godlinesse in all thinges is profitable and helpefull Wherein they sufficientlie shewe that they knowe litle concerning the mortification which the holie Church doeth teache and they contemne holie Confession Contrition Absolution and Satisfaction and other such like thinges and loue the first day of Lent aswell as the last Behold for this cause is it that Maister Gentianus hath so cunninglie concluded in this Article That they hate wholie condemne fasting praying abstinence and mortification of the flesh The iii. Chapter VVhich doeth shewe howe it is to be vnderstood that we can not make satisfaction for the least offence and hree is concluded that the penaunce of Heretikes is not acceptable with God. BVt forsomuch as they do here acknowledge that we can neuer make satisfaction for the least offence of the worlde that might seeme to be a great heresie for if it were so the Heretikes shoulde haue great reason to saye that our satisfaction were vaine and friuolous And therefore they would say as hath bin shewed before That we ought to laie aside and treade vnder foote all hope of satisfaction and wholy to cleaue trust to the meere goodnes vndeserued mercie of God which in respect of our partes is without desert bestowed vpō vs but in respect of Gods righteousnes is giuen vs for an exceding deere price to witte the bloud of Christ Iesus the vnspotted lambe which as Esaie saith hath borne our infirmities was laden with our punishments which was wounded for our sins and for our sakes did suffer death and vpon him is laid the punishment whereby we are at peace And hereout they conclude with Paul That we haue through Christ all satisfaction and that hee is wholie our saluation iustification and deliuerance ▪ And with Peter That by none other in the world saluation is to be gotten for somuch as there is not anie other name giuen to mankinde whereby they may be saued insomuch that all our boasts whether it be of good workes merites or satisfaction is wholie excluded and brought to nothing in so much as before God it doth not preuaile and that no fleshe can be iustified in his presence by the workes of the lawe and that all our righteousnes is naught els but a stained cloth But al this is heresie as it hath ben sufficientlie shewed before and they which learne such are hanged and burned like Heretikes For els as hath bin said what should become of satisfaction and meritorious deedes which according to the doctrine of the holy Church do amend faultes escaped and by good foresight defend and set vs free from those to come What should become of al our good works whereby wee can deserue three sundrie things namelie Eternall life Increase augmentation of mercie and Forgiuenes of sinnes What should become of the merites of Saintes through the which the holie church doeth pray vnto God that he wil pardon all their offences through the Saintes whose reliques bones do lie on the altar where the Masse is said In so much as often shee doeth pray through the merites of ashes horses and dogges whose bones for the most parte remaines also as reliques on their altars What moreouer should become of our exceeding good workes which are called Opera supererogationis wherewith wee doe not onelie make satisfaction for our selues but also for others and especiallie for the soules in Purgatorie Yea what shoulde become of Purgatorie it selfe if there were not satisfaction What would become of Pardons and Bulles which are allowed and sent from the Pope Verelie they would serue for no purpose better than to be brought to the house of office to be sealed with portingale waxe if so bee it were true which Maister Gentianus doth here set downe as that wee are vnable to make recompence for the least offence It were in deede a lamentable case therefore we must vnderstande him here aright For his meaning was to speake thus obscurelie because he would tole and entise the heretikes into the field For otherwise this is not his meaning but doeth simplie vnderstand that we can not satisfie Nisi concurrente gratia that is to say Except mercie doeth assist and helpe our merites as is said before sometimes thorough the pikes For we haue apparantlie concluded that wee must make a bargain betwixt God and vs He doeth giue vs his mercie in our baptisme but after that wee must shift for our selues and by our good deedes bind God vnto vs so that of duetie he must receiue vs into heauen especiallie if we be assisted with the meanes and by helpes of holie church namelie by the vertue of the Masse holie water tapers c. and with the Popes Bulles for thereby will our infirmities amende like corne shaken with a shower of haile or like fish left on the sandes and as sower Ale in Sommer And if so be that besides this we will submit our selues and take vnto vs the habit of a Monke or Frier and so frame our selues after the ful shapen order of S. Francis S. Dominicks rule and so compasse more then God hath commaunded vs then wee excell all the rest of our
Church of Rome should bee throwne downe and troden vnder feet yea it must needes follow that the holie Pope is accursed a verie Bawde which hath made of the holy Catholike Church of Rome a fowle shamelesse whore Fie fie nay we will none of that Let Augustine much rather be an Heretike and all those that are of his opinion as master Athanasius Origine Hilarius Irinaeus Tertullianus Cyprianus Chrysostomus and Hieronymus let them rather be burnt euen al vpon a heape Although it be easie to iudge that if they were liuing nowe in these dayes they would be lothe to permitte any such grosse stuffe either to be vttred with their toÌ„gues or published by their pennes or if they did they must trudge with other into the fire Yea and Ambrose must recant and call backe againe or eate vp with salt that which he hath openly written That al doctrine whatsoeuer which hath not bene set forth and taught by the Apostles themselues is â–ª full of abhomination and knauerie Therefore all helpes not that they come forth with their writings thinking thereby to outface our deare mother the holy Churche of Rome It is a verie yong woolfe that neuer heard any noyse shee doeth no more esteeme these bragges than if it had thundred at Colen for she will be still on cockehorse let them tosse and turne it the best they can The .iii. Chapter VVherein is set foorth that the Church of Rome hath likevvise povver and authoritie ouer the auncient fathers and may receiue condemne interpret vse them as shall please her holines ANd now hereby doeth specially appeare that the holy Church of Rome hath not power and authoritie onely ouer the scripture of the olde and new Testaments but also ouer all the writing and doctrine of the olde fathers as there are Irinaeus Tertullianus Basilius Gregorius Nazian Origin Cyprian Albin Euseb. Arnobi Ambro. Lactant. Cyril Epiphanius Theodoretus VigilaÌ„tius Appollinarius Hieronymus Chrysostomus Augustinus Cedullius Possidonius Prosper Sidonius Gelasius Gregorius Alâ—uinus Haymo Bartramus and other mo suche like For one she acceptes as good Catholike an other shee reiectes as naught an Heretike some she allowes with additions of certaine gloses and Postils other she referres to euery mans iudgement Vpon some she hath fathered as their owne certain straunge bookes made at the least foure or fiue hundreth yeeres after they were dead And others shee hath cleane plucked and robbed of their feathers In summe she doth tosse them and turne them euen as shee will and windes them vp as short as a clewe of yarne And wherefore should she not I pray you For she might haue condemned them all for Heretikes if she would and in place of them haue taken in and receyued the writing and doctrine of Nicholaus of Bion of Apelles Seuerus Montanus Sabellius Paulus Samosatenus Manes Meletius Aâ—ius Marcellus Macedonius Euonius Eutiches Nestorius Donatus Pelagius and suche other mates But now she hath giuen them that honour that they are taken and counted for Catholik teachers these last she hath coÌ„demned banished for diuelish heretikes false teachers Not because that the one had truly set forth the sincere word of god And the other directly the contrarie for so she should againe submit herself vnder the scripture but because it hath so pleased her And therefore it is no reason that those to whom she hath geuen such honour should now go about to ouercrow her holines and force her with their writings as though she ought to be subiect therevnto No no they must stoope themselues howe learned or godly soeuer they haue beene and the holy Church must alway haue the authoritie and superioritie For it is written in the decrees All whatsoeuer any other teachers haue taught and written that is to bee receiued or reiected according as it shall please and be thought good to the Apostolical seate of Rome For the Pope is master ouer al whatsoeuer any man can teach or write Therefore ye see that the holy Church may choose picke out of the olde fathers what soeuer she findeth for her purpose and what soeuer she perceiueth against her shee may put out finely with a dash of a penne and so esteeme it for false meant as for example Whensoeuer the olde fathers doe with florishing reasons and by a figuratiue maner of speaking extoll and set forth the Sacrament out of that will she gather her transubstantiation And whereas they doe nominate the Sacrament an holy offring or sacrifice of that wil she fetch out her Masse with all the appartenances And whensoeuer any thing is set out by them to the laâ—d and praise of the true seruantes and Preachers of Gods word thereof doth she make a kingdome of priests and a popish Monarchie And when as they do highly praise the holy Saints martyrs deceased therevpoÌ„ commes abrode the praying to saints And in such places as they do earnestly set forth and highly prayse good workes and godly liuing therevpon can she by and by builde vp the pleasant Palace of free will and then she sayles with a faire wind And then are the olde Fathers followed in all points yea there is nothing else talked of here nor there but The olde fathers The olde fathers But now on the contrarie part whereas S. Augustine doth write whole bookes of the Predestination of saints of the special vndeserued mercie of God through Iesus Christ that fayth onely iustifieth of the weakenesse and dulnesse yea of the damnablenesse of mans free will and of the adnihilation of our deseruings all that is nothing else but heresie and going astray Whereas Ambrose and Chrysostome do teache that we shal not take men or dead creatures for our aduocats before God but only christ And where August saith that we shall not pray vnto Saintes nor erect for our â–ª selues particularly anie Chappels or Altars nor pray before Tumbes as the sayde Augustine and Leo doe beare perfect witnesse that neither the dead nor deseruing of Saints can any thing helpe vs to the forgiuenesse of our sinnes but onely the death and merites of Iesus christ And as Epiphanius doeth esteeme it for a shamefull heresie and an abhominable blasphemie of God that men shoulde praye eyther to Marie Gods mother or to anie other Saint but that must be couered with some blewe glose for a cloake As also the sayde Epiphanius doeth vtterlie chace the images as well of Christ as of anie other Saint out of the Church and breakes them in peeces forbidding men plainely to suffer anie such abhominations And as Ambrosius Augustinus Lactantius Origenes Athanasius Clemens Alexandrinus with many other do teache plainly that God will not bee worshipped with any likenesses or images either painted or carued The holy Church is deafe at this wil in no wise vnderstand it Where as Cyprianus Hieronymus Chrysostom and Augustinus doe say and defende that
after this life is neither any more time nor place to make amendes for our sinnes or obteine any mercy or forgiuenes at Gods hands there she shrinks backe into her shel and lettes her hoode hearken to that And where as the said Cyprianus and Hieronymus do stoutly teach That al Ministers true Preachers of Gods worde haue like power in what place soeuer they be whether it be at Rome or at Naples or amoÌ„g the Indies or in Tartaria all that is pedlers French to our holy mother the church of Rome whereas Gregorius doth plainly write and in diuerse places sayeth That whatsoeuer he be that names himselfe a general Bishop or The chiefe head and principall of all Bishops he is the very messenger of Antichrist and the sonne of the diuell for that neither hee nor no man liuing can beare the name of a generall Bishop without the vtter defacing of the seruice of the Church But that must be vnderstood with a prouiso to wit The Pope of Rome alwayes excepted Nowe whereas k Tertulianus Augustinus Theodoretus and many other moe doe expounde these wordes of the Sacrament This is my bodie sacramentally and say that it is a figure a signe and a seale of the bodie of Christ that was offred vp and broken for vs then is there nothing to say but God helpe you There is no bodie at home Whereas they doe generallie with one consent teache and stoutely mainteine that the Supper of the Lorde ought to bee ministred vnto all men vnder both kindes that smelles of a Ratte the Cow is broken loose Whereas Irinaeus who wrote that about a hundred yeres after saint Iohn the Apostle the number of the beast whereof Saint Iohn speaketh in his Reuelation or vision doeth meane by this word Latinos the Romish or the Latine Church and regiment and the Tertul. Hieronymus do expound the beast with seuen hornes for the citie of Rome that is al bibble babble In summe whensoeuer they set forth or teach any thing that souÌ„ds not wel in the eares of our deare mother the holy Church she lettes them be packing without any mention making of them or else she correctes them throughly considering that they are but men and may erre And wherfore For that she is not subiect to the writings of the fathers neither can her authoritie be subiect to their iudgement but she as wee haue saide before is aboue the fathers and gouerneth them turnes and winds them as she will forceth them eueÌ„ as she thinkes good And whatsoeuer they haue written must bee sifted through her siâ—e to picke out thereof the finest flowre For otherwise seeing that the olde fathers do oftentimes differ amongst themselues and other whiles write contrarie to that which they haue set downe before and alwayes for the most part haue done directly agaynst the opinion and dealing of the holie Church of Rome howe should yea howe shoulde men make good cloth of such yarne if it were not that the holy Church of Rome did giue her iudgement and sentence on their dooings and did chewe the pappe before in her owne mouth to put the same with more facilitie and easinesse into ours her sucking babes as it were with a Spoone giuing vs that which she alloweth for good and casting the rest away which tastes not well in her mouth into a corner The summe of all is that we maye not make anie foundation of our faith vpon the writings of the olde fathers vnles they haue first bene vnder the hands of the holie Catholike Church of Rome and be by her ouerseene and set forth as shall seeme good to her holinesse The iiii Chapter VVherein is set foorth that the Church of Rome is not subiect to anie Councell but maye approue or disanull them according as shee shall thinke best for her ovvne benefite And this is confirmed by many examples and profounde reasons BVt nowe are there some such grosse fellowes which notwithstanding they do see that the Church is aboue the Scriptures and aboue all the doctrine and Writinges of the olde Fathers yet they thinke that her power and authoritie maye be as it were compassed in and paled about by the Councels So that there should be nothing receiued for a commaundement of the church but it must first be concluded by a Councell And what soeuer were once there coÌ„cluded and agreed vpon with that neither the church of Rome should medle nor the Pope haue anie thing to doe Yea mary these good felowes O they come in due season they might a great deale better haue tarried at home For consider seeing that all the Prophetes and Apostles and likewise the old Fathers altogether yea Iesus Christ the very Sonne and trueth of God himself could neuer so binde nor make subiect the holy church that she should yeeld and submit her selfe to their writing and doctrine onely howe doe these felowes thinke then that the Councels should haue greater power to bring her within their parke and pases considering that they are men which haue so often times erred yea and swarued cleane from the trueth Wee knowâ— well ynough that the Councel Ariminense Sirmiense and Seleucense did in the time of Constantine the great fortifie the heresie of the Arrians with their Decrees The seconde Councel of Ephesus did cleue vnto the Heretike Eutyches and did blasphemously and confusedly mingle the two natures of Christe together The councel of Carthago in the time of Cyprian which was holden before the first councel of Nicene did conclude That heretikes ought to be christened againe But what needeth al this Was not Christ him selfe iudged coÌ„demned in a generall councel at Hierusalem which was the chosen citie of God And that the councels haue often times erred may lightly erre it appereth plainly inough by the witnessing of Gregorie Nazianzene who was accustomed to say That he neuer saw couÌ„cell that teÌ„ded to a good end Yea do we not see how there haue bin many couÌ„cels whose proceedings haue bin flat against the doctrine institutions set forth by our holy mother the church and yet would defend their doings by the holy scripture But what a good yere Can the couÌ„cels preuaile against the church of Rome they hauing no power nor authoritie at all other thaÌ„ is giueÌ„ them by our holy father the pope How I pray you should that then hang together that they should be placed at the vpper end not only aboue the pope but aboue the whole church Is it not written in the booke of the decretals That no couÌ„cel can in any thing forbid the holy church nor set any commandment ouer her considering that all couÌ„cels haue bin at her appointment and receiued their power authoritie froÌ„ her holinesse And that in al statutes ordinances decrees of the couÌ„cels the authoritie of the Pope is excepted exempted See we not likewise that in the councel of Lateran it was coÌ„cluded likewise