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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A38590	Catechistical discovrses in vvhich, first, an easy and efficacious way is proposed for instruction of the ignorant, by a breife summe of the Christian doctrine here delivered and declared : secondly, the verity of the Romane Catholike faith is demonstrated by induction from all other religions that are in the world : thirdly, the methode of the Romane catechisme, which the Councell of Trent caused to be made, is commended to practice of instructing in doctrine, confirming in faith, and inciting to good life by catechisticall sermons / by A. E.	Errington, Anthony, d. 1719?	1654 (1654)	Wing E3246; ESTC R8938	430,353	784

our prayers are hidden from them now in heauen and that God will let vs want their intercession for want of reuealing our prayers to them Noe we shall loose nothing by any ignotance of theirs They see God in glory and in that glorious sight they see all that is good for them to see therefor if they might pray and be desired by others to pray for them whilst they liued in this world there is nothing to hinder them for being prayed vnto in the next Hence it appeareth how absurde that question of Caluin was ●olu l. 4. insti nu ●4 when he asked how it came to passe that the Angels and Saints could heare soe farre as betwixt heauen and earth I giue you not his words because they are blasphemous and to irreuerent to be repeated but if Caluin will know how it com's to passe I tell him that it is by the light of glory which the Saints haue and if he say that they haue noe such glory he shall neuer haue it himselfe nor can in reason expect to haue it If they obiect the words of Ecclesiastes to shew that Saints might be prayed vnto in this life and not in the next B●●l 9. where it is said better is a dogg liuing then a Lyon dead It is true in respect of the operations of life which then the Lyon hath not and soe the Saints according to their bodys were better aliue then dead because their bodys liuing had the operations of life which dead they haue not but according to their soules which are spirits they are not onely as perfect but much perfecter and without comparison more actiue lightsome and vnderstanding being then not onely lightened of the burden of their bodys but also enlightened with the light of glory Saint Hierome answered this very obiection to Vigilantius the haeretike about twelue hundred yeares since in these words Lib. cont ●●g If Apostles and marryrs liuing in their bodys could pray for others when they might be sollicitous for themselues how much more after their crownes victorys and triumphs Moyses but one man getteth pardon of God for six hundred thousand armed men Steuan the first martyr after the example of our Lord prayed for his persecutors and now when they are with Christ shall they haue lesse power Paul saith of himselfe that two hundred and seauenty soules were granted him in the shipp at his prayers and now that he is resolued and with Christ shall he haue his mouth shutte vp and shall he not open it for those who all ouer the world haue beleeued at his ghospell and shall Vigilantius a liuing dogge be better then Paula dead Lyon This of the Ecclesiastes were indeede to some purpose if J did beleeue that Paul were dead in spirit Thus did S. Hierome discourse as a Catholike on this point shewing that the Saints with much more reason shall be prayed vnto in heauen then on earth and that there is noe comparison in those words of Ecclesiastes betwixt the soule of man whilst he is liuing and whilst he is dead but onely betwixt a liuing and a dead body and he calleth Vigilantius a dogge for barking against the Saints in denying their intercession We pray therefor to God as to the supreme power to grant vs that which we want We pray to our blessed Lady the Angels and Saints not to grant vs our wants but to grant vs their intercession to obtaine them of God for vs. And in this the Catholike Church vseth an orderly destinction euen in words when we pray destinguishing betwixt the diuine maiesty as supreme and the Saints as his seruants We say not to God Lord pray for vs but Kyrie eleyson Lord haue mercy vpon vs. Nor to Christ as he is the sonne of God doe we say Christ pray for vs but Christe eleyson Christ haue mercy vpon vs. We doe not say to our B. Lady or to the Angels or Saints haue mercy vpon vs but holy Mary pray for vs all ye holy Saints of God make intërcession for vs. Soe giuing vnto God that which is his due to wit the supreme and all honour both in himselfe and in his seruants and we giue vnto the Saints inferiour honour as the beloued seruants of God and follow the Councell of the holy psalmist who beginning his last psalme was inspired to say prayse God in his Saints Ps 150. This I haue said in honour of God and of his blessed Saints and euery word that I haue said I giue it freely to their honour desiring their prayers We pray particularly to some Saints for some particular benefits because we see those benefits more frequently granted by hauing recourse vnto those Saints ●nd if any aske why God granteth those benefits rather at the intercession of those then of other Saints I answere with the Apostle who hath knowne the name of our Lord Rom. 11. or who hath bene his Counsellour And this is a sufficient answere to such questions of curiosity for so it might be asked why God would determine particular offices to such and such Angels Yet the reason may be giuen to honour the merits of those Saints in some circumstances of their liues or deaths which those benefits haue relation vnto Soe women that haue sore breasts obtaine helpe by the intercession of S. Agatha whose breasts were cut of for the faith of Christ S. Apollonia is called vpon for the tooth ake because her teeth were strucken out for the same cause S. Roch is inuoked against the pestilence because himselfe was infected with it S. Blase against paines of the throte because he cured a child that was like to dy of a bone in the throte And our blessed Lady with good reason is called vpon by women in trauaile because she is the ioy glory and comfort of all women who in her child bearing was exempted from those paines and it pleaseth God that those miracles he remembred by vs. If any aske why in some places more then others we pray for such and such benefits I answere that there may be many reasons why God would oblige especially the inhabitans of that place and honour it with miracles and if this be not sufficient satisfaction I aske of him why at the Probatica pond in Hierusalem miraculous cures were obtained rather then in others places and why onely one was cured at a time and no more and why the leprous Prince of Syria was sent to be washed in lordan rather then in other waters and to be washed seauen times rather then any other number If he giue mee a good reason for these the same will I giue him to his question if he referre mee to the diuine will and pleasure so will I referre him Hauing declared whom wee are to pray to we will speake OF SOME IMPEDIMENTS that hinder vs in the obtaining of our prayers THE first and greatest impediment that hindereth the obtaining of our prayers is the greatest of all euils

words and signifying it also in action consecrating vnder two destinct formes to represent the separation of his Body and Blood in his Passion This although it be a commemoratiue and representatiue sacrifice representing and cōmemorating hisbeing offered on the Cros yet that bindereth not but it is a true Sacrifice as that was and of the very same thing after a different manner offered For if the figuratiue sacrifices of the law of Moyses were true sacrifices which represented this not as yet come but when it was to come after many hundreds of yeares how much more may that of the last supper be a true sacrifice which represented it as immediatly to bee offered and how much more may ours be a true sacrifice which representeth it as all ready offered Those were representations of a true sacrifice yet themselues also true sacrifices therefore it is not contrary to the nature of a sacrifice to be the representation of a sacrifice But they say that the sacrifices before Christ were true and reall creatures representing a future sacrifice different from them but we say that we offer vp the same thing that is represented in it how can it be the same and yet a representation of it Yes we offer vp the same Body that was offered on the Crosse and represent the same body offered in a different manner The same thing in a different state and condition may represent it selfe as it was before or shall be bereafter in another manner and state If a champion that had ouercome his enemy should represent afterwards the manner of his encounter then he should represent himselfe in a different state and that which represented should be the same as the thing which it did represent If Dauid for his greater glory had in his owne person exhibited to the people his victory ouer the Philisthaean Gyant then he had bene both a representation of Dauid and true Dauid representing the victory which himselfe had gotten so the Body of our Lord as it is offered at Masse representeth it selfe as it was offered on the Crosse and is the same in a different manner and state on the Crosse it was after a cruell and bloody manner as fighting on the Altare it is after an vnbloody manner as in peace after the victory Thus also the same sacred Body of our Lord in his glorious Transfiguration represented it selfe as it was to be in the state of glory afterwards Soe that the same thing may represent it selfe and the Masse may be a representatiue and commemoratiue sacrifice of that of the Cros and yet offer the same thing that was then offered Nay by how much more vnion that which representeth hath to that which it doth represent the more liuely and naturall is the representation of it as it were a more liuely and naturall representation of Dauids victory represented by himselfe then by another because it had more connexion and relation to the former action The being therefore a commemoratiue and representatiue sacrifice doth not hinder the Masse for being a true sacrifice of the same thing which is represented in it It representeth the oblation of the Crosse and in all places wheresoeuer Masse is said there the death of our Redeemer is commemorated and the same thing is offered all ouer and the very same that was offered on the Crosse The words of S. Chrysostome shall declare this point of the Christian doctrine What doe we saith he doe not we offer euery day we doe offer indeede Hom. in 7. ad hob and that in commemoration of his death And this is but one host and not many because he was but once offered and this Sacrifice is an example of that We offer still the same thing not to day one Lambe and to morrow another but allways the very same Because it is offered in many places are there therefore many Christs No! but the same Christ Here he is intirely and there intirely the same body This is enough in confirmation of the Catholike verity and we will dispute no more of it but blesse God for it Attende then ô Christian and consider the diuine loue to thee and how much thou art honoured in this mistery Thou by thy sinnes hadst lost the fauour of God and wert condemned for euer to be banished from him he to redeeme thee out of that state sent his onely sonne to suffer doath for thee who hauing giuen his life to restore thee to the state of grace would not leaue thee so but would remaine allwais with thee and be offered euery day for thee to keepe thee in that happy state With what loue and reuerence then ought we to be present at Masse Hauing said thus much of the Masse as it is a Sacrifice Let vs now come to THE PARTS AND CHREMONYS OF MASSE BEFORE that I speake of the parts and ceremonys of the Masse in particular I will say something of the nature of ceremonys in generall The vse of ceremonys in the seruice of God is grounded vpon the condition of our nature for man being a corporall creature must honour God according to his nature after a corporall manner Angels onely by intellectuall and and spirituall acts honour God because they are onely Spirits but men being both spirituall and corporall both spiritually and corporally according to there nature must honour him spiritually with inward acts of minde and corporally with outward actions of the body and therefore we pray not onely by spirituall and mentall prayer as the Angels doe but also with vocall words and vse ceremonys to signify outwardly our inward reuerence to the mysterys which are signifyed by them So that ceremonys are in vertue and effect words being altogether as proper signes and indeede more naturall to expresse our affections then words are The Sonne of God hauing assumed the nature of man by humane actions glorifyed his Father not onely spiritually with his minde but also corporally with his body by words and ceremonys when he prayed sometimes lifting vp his hands sometimes his eyes sometimes kneeling and prostrating himselfe and he iustifyed the like ceremonys in his disciples as when in that glorious solemnity in which they and the Hebrew children conducted him solemnly into Hierusalem they vsed both words and ceremonys to expresse their affection and ioy in him They cryed out Luc. 19. Mat. 21. Blessed is he that commeth King in the Name of our Lord Peace in Heauen and glory on the High And they carried boughs and spred their garments for him to treade vpon and when the Pharisys desired him to rebuke them they were rebuked themselues for desiring it The Magdalene comming to be cleansed at the fountaine of life spoke not with words but by many ceremonys her earnest repentance weeping washing and wipeing our Saviours feete kissing his sacred Body and annointing his head and when the Pharisy murmured at it Christ iustifyed those actions in her and gaue him to vnderstande that if he also had done

be decided by their owne reasons but who shall be the iudge betwixt them it must not be the determination of any particular man for that is as subiect to errour as they are and besides this question being concerning the spirit of God it cannot be decided by any authority lesse then diuine least otherwise the true spirit were reiected for false as possibly it might be by any inferiour authority Shall it be decided by force of armes That is soe absurde that it needeth noe refuting although perhaps Ioannes de Zischa was of that opinion for what absurdity will not an haeretike mainteine How then shall they be tryed bring them to the Church and see whether they will heare it But they will not be soe tryed How then there is now noe other way left to try them by They must then goe without any tryal at all to say what they list and soe they shall both prooue false spirits as being contrary to S. Iohn that sendeth vs to try our spirits and as being contrary to the scriptures which commande vs to heare the Church Ma●t 8. Therefor the spirit of God is allwais with obedience to the Church and the final resolution of faith is reduced to the word of God speaking to our harts and interpreted by the Church For there is noe way to try spirits and to declare certainely who are rightly inspired but by the authority of God speaking by it and by submitting our selues to the obedience of it Lu● 10. as to the voice of God He that heareth you heareth mee and he that despiseth you despiseth mee Saith Christ to the Pastors of the Church who haue the authority of the whole Church Mat. 18. And in another place If he will not heare the Church let him be to thee as the Heathen and the Publican Aug. tract 109. in Io S. Augustine the word of faith and the word of the Apostles to beleeue God and to beleeue the Church is the very same thinge Secondly the true faith hath bene often prooued and false doctrines confuted by miracles and these miracles haue planely conuinced for the obedience to that Church whose faith was soe confirmed Elias prooued by miracles the true faith of the Israëlits and confounded the Idolatrous Gentils Soe did Christ and his Apostles by many miracles prooue the christian faith against both Iewes and Gentils And these miracles obliged all whom inuincible ignorance excused not vnto the obedience of the Church of Christ and shewed planely that the spirit of God was to the obedience of that Church but noe miracle was euer wrought to shew that men should obey noe Church but that they might liue after their owne liking and beleeue what they would without obedience to any authority vpon earth Neither can there be any miracles wrought for any such manner of liuing for miracles being done in confirmation of the true faith oblige others to imbrace that faith which is soe confirmed by miracles and soe men come to an vnity of faith and make a Church that is to say a people vnited together in faith and religion But if men might for all those miracles which they see still follow their owne priuate spirits and not vnite themselues in obedience to that company whose faith is soe confirmed by miracles but might disobey it in matters of faith then they might disobey the authority of God and miracles were to noe purpose Therefor the very being of true miracles in confirmation of faith prooueth the being of a Church to which our spirits must allwais obey Moreouer if euery man were to be guided by his owne priuate spirit without obeying any Church there should be noe neede at all of miracles for the spirit is an inward and miracles are an outward testimony of the truth of any thinge to draw others vnto it but if all were to follow the inward testimony of their owne spirit without submitting vnto any external power then were they not to regard the outward testimony nor to be drawne by it And indeede to say that euery one is to follow his owne priuate spirit without being bounde to the obedience of any external power is as much as to say that euery one hath the true spirit of God and then what neede were there of miracles All which is contrary to the words of Christ and of the Apostles and contrary to the examples of the scriptures and to reason and experience by which we see soe many spirits of errors and of sinne in prowde and euill men Miracles may be and haue bene wrought to prooue the true faith but such miracles prooue that the spirit of God is to the obedience of the Church therefor the spirit of God is to the obedience of the Church Thirdly God hath ordained an orderly gouernment in his diuine worship and all order includeth subordination of inferiours to superiour powers and leaueth vs not to ourselues alone subiect to noe authority in points of religion and the same natural reason that bringeth vs to rely vpon the diuine autority in matters of faith telleth vs also that it is a more reasonable way for God to inspire vs to the obedience of the Church and to guide it with his sure and infallible assistance then to guide euery man by himselfe and his owne priuate spirit without being subiect to any autority or acknowledging of any superiour for this were to take away all order and to bring such a confusion into the world by making euery man his owne iudge as would by consequence destroy the world which without order can not subsist For if there were not allwais vpon earth some power authorized of God to prooue and approoue of the spirits of men what errors would be broched and what villanys committed and mainteined by wicked men vnder pretence of diuine inspiration God inspireth men to an orderly gouernment in his diuine worship therefor the diuine light and inspiration of faith in allwais to the obedience of the Church Soe that we may well say that faith is a supernatural light and gift of God by which we beleeue and firmely adhaere to the doctrine of the Church God giueth vs supernatural light to enlighten our vnderstandings and by his holy inspiration moueth our wills to submitte ourselues and to beleeue in all thinges according to the doctrine of the Church we cooperating with that light and inspiration of God submitte ourselues to the obedience of the true Church and then we haue actually true faith And whosoeuer he be that pretendeth himselfe to haue the spirit of God yet will not submitte himselfe to any Church but beginneth a new religion contrary to all the Churches then in the world or will mainteine a religion which soe beganne certainely that man hath not the true faith nor is the spirit of God in him But he sayth that he hath prayed to God for his spirit and Christ hath said that our father will giue the good spirit to those that

ought very much to flourish and excell in this vertue louing their neighbour and bearing with one anothers falts Christ called his disciples brethren because he would haue them to be as brethren in loue and vnion of hart And it was the first name which christians had to be called the brethren euen before they were called christians for then as the Euangelist declareth the multitude of beleeuers had one hart and one soule Act. 4. And soe great was the loue of christians in the primitiue Church that their very enemys admiring at it Apol. 36. according to Tertullian vsed to say see how they loue and are ready euen to dy for one another The peaceable and mild of hart are the temple of the Holy Ghost who dwelleth in the house of peace the peeuish and malicious of hart are of the deuils spirit and the more their anger and malice increaseth the liker they grow to him The best is to foresee the occasions and to preuent them We haue many examples of the punishments of anger and to commende patience to vs. Col. 7. c. 27. Cassian recordeth how that the abbot Moyses was possessed by the deuill for one small impatience by which he sinned Serm. 15. Quadrag But it was a terrible sight that which S. Bernardin as an eye witnes reporteth of a woman in a great presse of people who by chance throwne downe by a yong man became soe madde with anger that the man falling downe on his knees to aske forgiuenes of her and she denying it in the sight of all was carried away by the deuill The example of the Priest Paphnutius was admirable in this euen in his youth Cas coll 18. c. 15. who liuing in the wildernes in great sanctity of life one of the brethren out of enuy to him to blemish his good name tooke occasion on the Sunday when all was at the Church to goe into his cell and to leaue there a booke hidden and comming presently to the Church as soone as seruice was done he complained publikely that some had stolne his booke from him At which all being strucken with admiration as a strange and vnvsuall thinge amongst them he that had hidd it desired that before any stirred out of the Church some faithfull persons might be sent to search in the cells of euery one for it Some of the auncienter Monks being sent founde it in the cell of Paphnutius hidden amongst the baskets and frailes which he made At which the holy yong man stoode a long time astonished neither daring to confesse nor to deny it But in the end he desired them to impose what punishment they pleased vpon him and going forth he afflicted himselfe with many teares and with two weeks fast absteining also from holy Communion and then prostrating himselfe at the threshold of the Church he asked pardon But it pleased God to to declare the innocency of his seruant for his enemy was forced to bewray himselfe the deuill possessing and pittifully vexing him And when none could helpe him he was dispossessed by Paphnutius his prayers Remedys against anger Authors haue praescribed many meanes for patience and remedys against anger but they may all be reduced vnto this that we procure in our harts a great loue of God and apprehension of his goodnesse Io. 1.4 for then we shall loue our neighbour for his sake If any man saith S. Iohn shall say I loue God and hateth his neighbour he is a lyer When therefor we are at any time prouoked vnto anger let vs presently make an act of the diuine loue and thinke that we see the liuing image of God in the face of him that prouoketh vs and although he abuse that image in himselfe by then prouoking vs yet God whose image he is is still the same as louely and beautifull as before Gen. 9. and therefor I will not abuse his image nor be angry at it Whosoeuer shall shed mans blood his blood shall be shed for to the image of God man was made Secondly we may consider our selues as the souldiers of Christ then called out to fight and that the armes of his souldiers are patience without which we can by noe meanes gett victory the enemys of Christ being armed with impatience If we saw two companys the one of them following of Christ for their captaine the others vrged and driuen on by the deuill which side would we take the one armed with patience and meekenes towards the other the other with rage and malice against them Behold in the one their pale faces staring eyes foming mouths and their whole bodys swelling with the deuils poyson who clappeth his hands and vrgeth them to more and more anger Behold on the otherside the graue and mild countenances of the souldiers of Christ shining like the sunne all this while on their enemys and laboring to pacify them Christ as their captaine exhorting them still to perseuer in patience Prou. 16. Which of these would we rather preferre a patient man is better saith the holy Prouerbe then a strong one and he that ouer ruleth his minde then the ouerthrower of cittys Thirdly we may consider the rewarde and blessing which the patient man gett's God then presently blesseth him and opening and enlarging his hart to receiue more and more fauours of him in the end he goeth away with the crowne of victory Fourthly we may consider the good which we may doe to others by the example of our patience our very enemy will be edifyed at it and although for the present he perceiue not the grace of thy good example yet with in a while he will see it and be sorry for his falt and thou shalt be better satisfyed with this then if thou hadst spitte in his face or taken whatsoeuer reuenge of him Fiftly we may consider the many hurts which are endangered when men are blinded with passion and want reason to guide themselues A man that were to runne a race in a craggy place full of pitts and praecipices with his eyes blindfolded were he not in manifest danger to fall and kill himselfe soe are men in their passion they goe not leasurely but runne headlong and being blinded in their vnderstandings Io. 1.2 what can be expected but ruine to them He that hateth his brother is in darknesse saith S. Iohn because darknesse hath blinded his eyes Many great euils haue ensued of passionate and crosse answeres which might haue bene preuented with a mild word spoken in time Lastly we may consider how that all afflictions are sent of God and come not by chance but for our tryall and good Tob. 12. soe the Angell comforted Toby saying it was necessary that temptation should prooue thee and therefor holy Iob said that God had taken his goods and had strucken him and he blessed God for it We will then be contented with them and make them wellcome as the messengers of God THE SIXT COMMANDEMENT

vse them Thirdly they obiect that our B. Lady is farre distant from vs and it is absurde to salute one at such a distance But this is noe absurdity because distance of place hindereth not the intelligence of glorious soules It were indeede absurde formen here vpon earth to salute one another in absence because in absence they vnderstande not but if they vnderstoode it were ●ather absurde to hinder their communication when it were for a good end The blessed Virgin vnderstandeth in heauen our deuotions vpon earth for although in body she be absēt from vs yet in spirit sheis presēt with vs as Elizeus was absent in body from his seruant but was present in spirit with him and saw all that passed betwixt him and Naaman and told him afterwards Reg. 4.5 Was not my hart present when the man returned out of his chaire to meete thee S. Paul also wrote to the Corinthians that he was absent in body Cor. 1.5 but present in spirit with them But the blessed Virgin seeeth by the light of glory the deuotion of those that pray to her and is much more present with them then Elizeus or S. Paul were whilst they liued vpon earth absent from them Fourthly they obiect against the often repeating of the Haile Mary that God heareth as well at once as at many times but to repeate it a hundred and fifty times to what purpose Yes for many good purposes First to pray with more feruour secondly to obtaine by perseuering in prayer that which at first is not allwais obtained thirdly to imploy ourselues in the consideration of holy mysterys such as I haue declared to be conteined in the Rosary Christ hauing deliuered to his disciples the Pater Noster as a patterne of prayer shewed them also how it was to be vsed to wit with much earnestnes and importunity not presently desisting from prayer when we obtaine not our desire but perseuering still to aske For this he immediatly annexed the parabole of a man who asking to borrow bread at first it was denyed him but perseuering to aske by his importunity he obtained as many loaues as he needed And he did not onely teach this by word but also by example praying with much feruour and repeating in the garden the same prayer ouer Mat. 26. and ouer and ouer againe as S. Mathew hath noted He was heard as well at the first as at the last but he would teach vs to perseuer in prayer and that God granteth for our importunity and therefor he had at last the comfort of an Angell appearing to him which at first it is not likely that he had The blinde man sitting by the way when he heard the noyse of the multitude and vnderstoode that Iesus of Nazareth was passing by cryed out Iesus sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon mee Luc. 18. And when they rebuked him he cryed much more Sonne of Dauid haue Mercy on mee Christ heard him as well at the first as at the second time yet at first he granted not his desire because he would haue him to perseuer asking that he might commende his faith grant for his perseuerance and propose him as an example to teach vs how to pray The holy Kingin the 137. psalme repeateth in euery verse the very same words ouer againe soe that there being 27. verses the same thinge is repeated 27. times and take vp about halfe of the psalme An haeretike might aske what neede there was of soe much repeating the same thinge To whom I answere that Dauid was a holy man according to the hart of God and would sing the diuine praises with much feruour of spirit repeating the same words ouer and ouer againe many times and soe we repeate the praises of the B Virgin and double and redouble our prayers to her Christ sayeth it behoueth allwais to pray Luc. 8. Thes 1.5 and not to be weary And S. Paul biddeth Pray without intermission but we can not allwais pray new prayers If the prayer be a good prayer the more we repeate it the more loue we shew and more desire of obtaining and that which is to the honour of God cannot be asked too often vntill we obtaine it If it be good to say a good prayer once euery month it is better to say it once a weeke and if it be good to say it euery weeke it is better to say it euery day and better yet to say it euery hower so that we hinder not more necessary imployments l. 4. c. 28. Lactantius who liued about a thousand and three hundred yeares since and was master to Constantine the Great hath a discourse of purpose to commende the often repeating of the Aue Mary Fiftly they obiect that it tasteth of superstition to obserue such a number of prayers I answere that it tasteth of superstition to none but such as are out of tast with pious things and with the deuotions of the Catholike Church what superstition was it in saint Bartholomew and in saint Paul the Ermite to obserue a certaine number of prayers euery day An haeretike may call it superstition in Christ to choose twelue Apostles corresponding to the twelue Tribes of Israel or to pray thrice the same prayer in the Garden for that the number of three is often vsed in the Scriptures to signifie the firmnesse and stability of any thing or in a Catholike to say three Pater nosters in honour of the three persons of the blessed Trinity or siue in honour of the fiue wounds of our Lord. All which are as much superstitious as to obserue a certaine number of the Aue Marys in the Rosary And much more superstitious doth it outwardly appeare for Iosue to commande twelue men to take vp twelue stones out of lordan and to lay downe other twelue in their places to signify the twelue Tribes then to say a hundred and fifty Aue Marys in imitation of Dauids hundred and fifty Psalmes Yet who dare say that any of these things are superstitious We must not goe by the outtward appearance but by the intrinsecal to iudge of the malice of things Christ must not be iudged a sinner because he had the outward habite of a sinner The reasō why none of these things are superstitious is because there is nothing done in them but which hath conexion and proportion to a good end for which it is intended and therefore to obserue a certaine number of prayers in relation to some holy mistery not any of the actions aboue mentioned are in the species of superstitiō nor haue the malice of it because they haue proportion to a good end which is to stirre vs vp to deuotion by the representation of pious things Thus you see that the deuotion of the Rosary is well grounded vpon good and holy misterys and that all obiections against it are vaine and groundles as all must needes be that are obiected against the blessed Virgins honour Blessings are giuen to Beades