saluatioÌ„ by his own good works so that whereas the Scripture teacheth vs that a man is onelie iustified and saued by a true and liuelie faith in Christ Iesus Poperie teacheth that a man is iustified not by such a faith alone but also by workes partlie of himselfe and partly of other 4 So the Scripture teacheth that Christ Iesus is a perfect Sauiour which hath redeemed vs from all iniquitie and that with once offring vp of himselfe once I say for all and for euer but popery teacheth that he hath onely satisfied for sinnes before Baptisme and that he must dailie be offred vp by the hands of some greasie priest The Scripture teacheth that there is certainely no coÌ„demnation to them that are in Christ Iesus that they that loue the brethren are of the truth and shal before him assure their hearts that they shall neuer perish out of the handes of Christ Iesus c but poperie teacheth that it is presuÌ„ption for any maÌ„ to say that he is assured of these things The Scripture teacheth vs that Christ his humanitie is in heauen and shal be in heauen till his second coÌ„ming vnto iudgement but popery teacheth vs that it is euen now vpon the earth that in manie places at one and the same time The Scripture teacheth vs that Christ his bodie glorified doth so retaine the essentiall qualities of a true bodie that it may be discerned to haue both flesh bones by our outward senses Luk. 24. 39. But poperie teacheth that it is so altered and chaunged that neither by sight nor by taste nor by touching and feeling it can be discerned to haue any more flesh and bone then a peece of bread yea then a wafer cake as thinne as a paper The Scripture forbiddeth all grauen or painted Images of any thing whatsoeuer and wheresoeuer to be made and worshiped or anie waies religiously to be bowed vnto but popery commaundeth the making and worshipping of Images of things in heauen and in earth materiall and spirituall visible and inuisible knowne and vnknowne liuing and without life euen of the materiall and woodden crosse of Christ The Scripture forbiddeth all detraction from and all addition vnto it selfe binding this prohibition with a commination of a fearefull curse to anie that shall so doe but poperie hath not feared to cut of the whole second commaundement and many other thinges neither to adde whole bookes to the Cannon of the Scriptures The Scripture condemneth all praiers of the mouth in anie vnknowne tongue without vnderstanding and affection but poperie teacheth that in praier and all other things opus operatum the worke done howsoeuer it be done with affection or without affection is meritorious and that all praiers of all persons and in al places must be in the latine tongue albeit they that pray vnderstand neuer a word and may as well be taught to say O Deuill which art in hell as Our father which art in heauen yea and so they oftentimes pray for ought they knowe to the contrary For howsoeuer the Pope hath canonized Thomas Becket as it is said Edmund Campian other of that traiterous nest for Saints yet their treasons for which they were iustly cut off by the sword of the ciuill magistrate and their damnable heresies and horrible blasphemies whereof they shewed no repentance doe rather condemne them for diuells in hell then commend them for Saints in heauen The Scriptures commend the obseruation of the Lord his day aboue all other daies condemning also the obseruation of any other day in like sort perpetuallie but poperie commandeth more holidaies now then were euer commanded by God himselfe in the time of the law and that to be kept as strictly as the Lords daie it selfe The scripture teacheth that al things are cleane to the cleane but poperie maketh such difference of meates drinkes apparell c. and teacheth that at some times all flesh is polluted that it defileth whosoeuer eateth thereof more then swearing fornication and such like things as God himselfe hath expressely forbidden The Scripture commaundeth to gather vp the basest of God his creatures that nothing be lost but poperie commandeth vpon Shâ—oue-tuseday that whatsoeuer of the best flesh be left it should be cast vnto the dogges and â—o vtterly lost rather then saued for the good of any man The Scripture teacheth vs onely to call vpon God in the dare of our trouble and to praie onely to him when we may call Our Father which art in heauen but poperie teacheth vs to pray to the virgin Marie Saint Peter Saint Iohn Saint Swithin c. yea to the eyes nose mouth c. to the neckerchiffe girdle c. of the virgin Marie as is manifest by some of their olde printed praier bookes The Scripture teacheth by sentence and example of Priests Leuites Prophets Apostles c. that marriage is honourable in all men though as holy as Adam was before his fall but poperie teacheth vs that at sometimes of the yeare marriage is vnlawfull for all men and at all times for the ministers of the word in regard of their holy function The Scripture teacheth vs that euery soule ought to be subiect to the higher power and to honour the King c and that whosoeuer resisteth such power resisteth the ordinance of God but poperie teacheth vs that the cleargie is exempted from all ciuill power and may not be called before any such magistrates neither be punished by any ciuill laws To finish this argument drawne from the repugnancie of the matter of poperie to the Scriptures and that religion which they commend I must euen say as the Apostle saith Heb. 11. 23. What shall I say more the time would be toâ— short to tell of Gedeon Baruch c. so I say must I say what shal I say more long time would be too short and much paper too little to set down all the repugnancies and contrarieties of the matter of Poperie and of the matter of that religion which is commended vnto vs in the scriptures Can both therefore be of God and acceptable vnto God that is alvvaies the same and in whome there is no chaunge nor shadow of chaunge THE FOVRTH ARGVMENT touching the forme of true religion THat which hath beene said of the matter of poperie in respect of the matter of that religion which is commended in the scriptures may be said of the forme God is a Spirit and therefore to be vvorshipped in spirit and truth Ioh. 4. 24. But poperie prescribeth such a carnall and fleshly forme and manner of worship as if God were all flesh and no spirit God oftentimes commaundeth himselfe to be worshipped onely according to his owne word And truly if Princes may lawfully require obedience and seruice of their subiects according to their owne lawes with much more equitie may God the Prince of princes require seruice according to his owne statutes and ordinances Therefore he doth iustly refuse the traditions precepts and doctrines
note leauing the further consideration of them to the godly reader 5 First therefore sith all these things doe most liuely shew the extreame follie high abominatioÌ„ of poperie how ought all papists to be ashamed of their religion How ought all Protestants that sometimes haue bin papists to be grieued for their poperie How ought they likewise to mourne for any of their frieÌ„ds yea for any other yet remaining in that estate yet shut vp in the shadow of death How ioyfull likewise and thankfull ought we to be that God hath opened our eies to see these things that he hath not sent his angel onely into our houses as sometime he did into the house of Lot to take him guide him out of SodoÌ„ before fire came froÌ„ heauen to destroy that citie but also hath giueÌ„ vs his holy spirit in our hearts thereby deliuered vs froÌ„ so ridiculous so grosse so horrible a religioÌ„ 6 Further we see by these things how dangerous it is not to beleeue the truth and how blockish we are if we be left vnto our selues Verily there is no errour so foolish so absurd so grosse so abominable so monstrous but that if God doe forsake vs if he take his spirit from vs if he leaue vs to our selues we are readie to beleeue it as truth yea to be zealous therein yea farre more zealous then any of Gods owne children are in the truth 7 O therfore let vs not deceiue our selues late vs hate poperie as such a monster ought to be hated let vs make that account of the truth giue such credit obedieÌ„ce theruÌ„to that for our conteÌ„pt light account thereof God neither giue poperie any returne againe vnto vs. Let vs earnestly pray let vs keepe watch by night ward by day let vs alwaies with all carefulnes looke vnto our selues let vs take heede of all Iesuits seminatie priests yea of all papists and likewise of all other meanes whereby we may be entangled with this filthie sottish religion and be drawne thereunto Let vs delight in the communion fellowship of al them that loue the truth and are able to confirme strengthen helpe vs forward in this religion which now generally we professe vsing all other good means commended vnto vs for the same end Let vs take heed not onely of the maine stock of poperie but also of euery bough branch twigge yea of euery leafe for there is dâ—ungerous if not deadly poison in thâ— least patch of poperie And as the whole substance of popish doctrine was not hatched all at once but now one egge laide laide and then an other now one chicken and then an other now one opinion and then an other vntill all the whole brood was come forth and when it was throughly hatched brought forth it had not all the stature nor all the feathers nor all the strength the first day but crept and got vp by litle and litle so the deuil being stil as subtil as he was and seeing poperie now to be banished and grieuing that it is forced to liue so long in exile therefore daily laboureth as alas by too great experience we daily see by litle litle againe to winne vs thereunto Priuately indeede in many places of this land and it is to be feared in too many I pray God also that it be not in too great places and with too great persons he laboureth where the whole body of popery doth remaine there to vphold it and where it is not there also wholly to bring it in againe For we see many now to be Papists euen of both sexes yea some to be recusant papists whose fathers were little more then borne in the beginning of the raigne of her most excellent Maiestie But although Satan the olde aduersarie where he thinketh he may be bold and where he hath fitte instruments to worke by hath in some priuate places euen in this flourishing time and bright light of the gospel drawne some to the whole doctrine and religion of popeâ—ie yet he will not as yet be so bold as to attempt this publikely NotwithstaÌ„ding he goeth about it by degrees by litle litle tunning as it were and filling his vessels here there one with stroÌ„g popish drink an other with small that is one with a maine point of poperie another with a smal point yea not onely tunning filling theÌ„ ther with but also tapping broching theÌ„ so filled giuing of the drink of theÌ„ by whole kannes to other to drinke And this he doth according to his old subtiltie hoping the more easily to bring in to broach all againe so to make all drunkeÌ„ againe with the cuppe of fornications that is in the haÌ„d of the whore strumpet of Rome 8 Wherefore in the feare of God in the tender loue that I beare vnto the soules of all I doe admonish all to take heede of this euil Whatsoeuer hath bin accounted poperie by good reason shewed to be repugnaÌ„t to the truth coÌ„mon consent of all churches reformed held as erronious heretical let all diligeÌ„tly take heed they neuer coÌ„ceiue any good liking thereof again If we feare any more to embrace all poperie let vs take heede that in the mean time we neuer entertain any one opinion therof though neuer so litle If we feare to be drunken with the stroÌ„gest drink or with many cups of poperie let vs refraine from tasting therof For as with them that delight in strong drinke one cup draweth on an other so also may we feare it wil be with theÌ„ which begin to smel of any one point of poperie It is dangerous it is dangerous to drinke in any one errour of poperie though neuer so small especially to persist in the liking thereof to say when we haue tasted it This is good and most dangerous it is to coÌ„mend the same to other to make them to drinke of the same cup with vs all this is very daÌ„gerous whither we doe it for some good liking of the thing it self or in regard of our own estimatioÌ„ or in any other respect whatsoeuer For we may feare least the Lord harden our hearts euen to like of those errors which as yet our soules abhor 9 I write not this to gal or gird at any or to disgrace any one particular person my heart hateth all such hatred delighteth in loue peace as wel in the credit of other as of my selfe but in a general loue I do generally admonish all to take heede in this behalfe The Apostle speaketh in the like generall maÌ„ner not admonishing some onely but also euery one to take heed least at any time there should be in any an euill vnfaithful heart to fal away Hebr. 3. 12. froÌ„ the liuing Lord. Yea after that he had testified vnto theÌ„ that he was perswaded good things Hebr. 6. 9. of theÌ„ such as did accompanie saluation yet he speaketh as generally exhorting theÌ„ to take heede that no man did fall away froÌ„ the grace of Hebr. 12. 15. God Adding further as a special means to take heede thereof that they should not suffer any roote of bitternes so much as once to spring vp amongst theÌ„ where by the root of bitternes all men know he meaneth errours and heresies Finally he addeth these reasons fitst that such roots or root would trouble theÌ„ secoÌ„dly that it would defile theÌ„ There is none therefore so stroÌ„g in the grace of God but that he may fal though not finally as hath bin shewed in my treatise if he be secure take not great heed 〈…〉 himselfe There is none so well 〈◊〉 with the sweet precious liquor of Gods truth but that he may becom bitter by suffering such bitter rootes to spring vp in his heart There is none at such peace with men and with his owne conscience but that he may be disquieted disturbed and troubled There is none so well was washed clensed by the pure water of Gods holy spirit but that he may be polluted defiled There is none therefore that may thinke this mine admonition of taking heede vnto himselfe to be superfluous and needles for him 11 To conclude I do again in all huÌ„ble maÌ„ner beseech all whoÌ„soeuer both all the reuerend fathers gouernours of our church also all other my learned and good brethreÌ„ as well remaining vnder our mothers wings in the Vniuersities of Cambridge and Oxenford as also alreadie called forth to labour in the ministerie of the word in particular churches all these I say I doe huÌ„bly beseech earnestly exhort to be feruent in spirit in behalfe of the truth and with all zeale to vpholde defend maintaine and daily in the places where we liue and in the hearts of the people ouer whoÌ„ the holy Ghost hath made vs ouerseers to further to encrease and to enlarge that sound and wholesome doctrine which hitherto hath bin taught by vs and heard like wise and in some measure receiued by those amongst whome we haue laboured THE ENDE
treatise also the mysterie of iniquitie in poperie is so fully discouered and the truth of our religion from point to point particularly so euidently declared that all men of any iudgement exercised in those treatises may easily see both the one the other yea many haue seene doe see both the one the other Notwithstanding as many haue seene doe see it so also Satan the god of this world doth stil detaine many in their former blindnes and ignorance Yea the nearer that his kingdome is to an ende the more diligently he goeth about like a roaring lyon seeking still whome he may deuoure Therefore he ceaseth not by his chiefe instrument the man of sinne and child of perdition I meane the Bishop and Pope of Rome continually to send forth into all corners of the realme swarmes of Iesuits and Seminarie priests as to harden those in poperie that haue not yet renounced that profession so also to infect other there with that are either of no religion or that hauing embraced ours are not yet sufficiently setled and grounded therein And truly both waies he doth the more preuaile partly because many haue not abilitie to buie the bookes of particular controuersies betwixt vs and the Papists they beeing some what costly partly because they haue no leisure to read them beeing many and large and partly because they haue no iudgement to conceiue of them beeing matters of learning and learnedly handled Where he cannot effect that which he would for the hardening of men in poperie or drawing them to poperie there he goeth another waie to worke either corrupting them with some other heresie or making them altogether profane and working in them a contempt of all religion Because all is one to him whether men be Papists or other heretikes or of no religion at all 2 Thus therefore seeing true religion euery where to decay the kingdome of Satan more and more daily to be enlarged partly by poperie partly by other heresies and partly by profanenes and contempt of all religion I haue thought good an other waie to trie the conuersion both of the ignorant Papists that are yet perswaded their religion to be sound and true and that wherein they please God and also of other heretikes and profane persons themselues if it be possible and likewise the confirmation and strengthening of such as professing our religion in shewe are notwithstanding vnstaied and wauering and therefore readie to be drawne any other waie To all these therefore I doe here offer these generall arguments following in defence of our religion and against poperie so briefly and plainely set downe that euen all that are not able to goe to the price of bookes of particular controuersies or that cannot intende the reading of them to waigh and conceiue them may yet generally see the truth of our religion and the falshood of poperie and seeing these things may likewise more seriously consider of our religion and contrarily of the most daungerous fearefull and wretched estate of all Papists and likewise of all other that are not as yet of our religion that so the one sort may not forsake our holy fellowship and the other may ioyne with vs and that both ioyned together in one truth may zealously professe it bringing forth plentifull fruits thereof Neither would I haue men wholly to content them-selues with these generall reasons neglecting particular treatises of particular controuersies but rather by this treatise to be the more encouraged to the reading of the other and to be made the fitter and euery waie the more able to iudge of them 3 That all men may the better see my meaning in this whole treatise and know the state of the whole cause by our religion I doe here vnderstand the religion now established publikely by publike authoritie professed in England and such other Churches as haue iustly forsaken Rome and are in good measure well reformed according to the word of God contained in holy Scripture To speake more plainly I meane by our religion that substance doctrine of faith wherein we dissent from the Church of Rome and doe all of vs consent among our selues both we with those other Churches and those other Churches with vs in this land By poperie like wise I vnderstand all that doctrine of the church of Rome which differeth and dissenteth from this our religion the doctrine held and professed publikely here in England other Churches in like manner reformed In this treatise therefore I doe vndertake by plaine and euident argumēts fit for the capacitie of all sorts both poore and rich both learned vnlearned though they can read or vnderstand onely the english tongue to prooue that this our religion is of God and that which God as touching the substance and doctrine thereof doth well accept and like of and contrarily by like arguments as plainely to shew that poperie is not of God and therefore also not in any account with him but abominable and detestable in in his sight THE FIRST ARGVMENT TOVCHING THE breeding and begetting of true religion THVS hauing declared both the reasons that moued me to this work and likewise the state of the whole cause hādled herein I will now enter into the arguments thēselues Here therefore first of al let vs consider the chiefe and principall meanes whereby both that religion that is of God and acceptable vnto God is at the first begunne and framed and afterward further built and perfected in them that atteine vnto it and also of the like meanes whereby poperie is at the first hatched and afterward brooded further strengthoned Touching the former it is most certaine that it is alwayes begunne by the word of God For the Apostle S. Paule expressly teacheth vs. Rom. 10. 17. That faith is by hearing the word of god preached S. Iames also chap. 1. 18. saith that we are begotten againe by the word of truth Our Sauiour likewise in the parable of the seede Matth. 13. plainely sheweth that that onely is good ground into the which the seede of god his word falling bringeth forth good fruite and so likewise that that onely is to be accounted good fruite which springeth from the seede of the word As the word of god is the only ordinary meanes whereby faith and regeneration are begunne in euerie man whome God will haue to be saued so also it is the especiall meanes whereby they are to be further built till they be finished S. Peter exhorteth the Christians to whome he wrote that as they were allreadie borne a new by the word of God 1. Pet. 1. 23. So also as new borne babes they should desire the sincere milke of the word that they might grow thereby chap. 2. verse 2. Saint Paule likewise hauing first exhorted the Thessalonians not to quench the spirit which they had receiued that is to cherish the spirite meaning the worke of faith regeneration wrought by the spirit a Metonymy of the cause
of men in his worship Isa 29. 13. Math. 15. 3. and in many other places doth he also condemne wil worship and such as is forged onely in the forge of man his wit but poperie prescribeth a forme of God his worshippe principally according to the doctrines of men and least of all according to the doctrine of God himselfe Yea to speake according to truth they haue brought such a darke cloud of the precepts of men into the worship of God that a man can hardly discerne whether they worship God according to any of his owne precepts Yea to speake yet more plaine they make so many images crosses reliques of saints they make so many praiers to Saints and offer so many gifts vnto them they haue so many pilgrimages in their honour they repose so much trust and confidence in all these things they bestow so much cost vpon them they so precisely and superstitiously obserue daies consecrated vnto them c. that a man cannot well saie that they worship God in any manner at all As for their foolish distinction digged onely out of that colepit from whence they haue digged their Images reliques and inuocation of Saints c. as none of their learned sort haue euer bene able to defend it so not one of fiue thousand of the vulgar people doe know or vnderstand it How then can they regard it or tell when they giue that vnto God which they giue vnto saints and images c. or that to these things which they should by their owne doctrine onely giue vnto God 2 Neither doe they onely worshippe these things but also a peece of bread which as soone as they haue adored goeth into the mouth from their mouth into the stomacke from the stomacke into the paunch and from the paunch out againe of the bodie all men know whither That this is so whatsoeuer the ignorant are perswaded to the contrarie is manifest because that if a man were driuen to that necessitie that he had no other meate to eate then their consecrated host as they call it as sometime Dauid was forced to eate of the shewbread I am sure they could not denie but that their host so eaten for a weeke or a moneth together would nourish the naturall man as well as other bread so as that their should be as good digestion and egestion of that as also of other bread or meate if it be so can the nature of it be so altered according to their doctrine and by their inchanting sorceries as that there should remaine nothing but accidents of bread It is most absurd it is most ridiculous For how can meere accidents nourish a materiall substance and make a materiall egestion If they saie that all this is done by the substance of Christ his very bodie they speake the more grossely in making that foode for this natural life and the more blasphemously in saying that that goes into the draught Againe in such a case I demand also whether a man forced to liue onely by such meanes for a time or so liuing voluntarily by getting some way or other all the Hosts to himselfe in a cuntrie could liue by them alone without drinke Certenly by their doctrine for the administring of the sacramēt in one kind onely it should be so For they say that one kind onely is sufficient because the blood of Christ is alwaies with the bodie per concomitantiam So then by this reason a man that should haue nothing but their host for a weeke or moneth or longer time to liue vpon should not onely haue meate but also drinke For they must as wel grāt the blood of Christ to be sufficient to quench thirst as his flesh to satisfie hunger Yet for all this let one of them trie but so litle a time to liue in this manner I meane onely feeding vpon nothing but vpon breade consecrated by some Papist and I doubt not but that he will be glad to aske his neighbour a cup of some other drinke beside that spiritual drinke which he hath by concomitance as they speak of his foode Yea if some Papist would trie this way to liue but a little while he should quickly finde the knauerie of transubstantiation and consequently also the impietie of all poperie 3 Nowe to returne from whence we haue made this digression the Papists doe not onely worship the crosse reliques and such like things but such as are no reliques of the Saints peeces of woode in stead of peeces of the crosse whereon Christ was nailed For if so many Churches should haue such large thongs of the very crosse of Christ as the Papists say they haue all gathered together would load the best shippe in England then no maruaile indeede though Christ were wearie of bearing his crosse what a gyant was Simon of Syrene whom they compelled to beare such a burthen O say they you doe not vnderstand the mysterie For the crosse of Christ was not so heauie as al the peeces now laid together would be How so because euer as one peece was cut off the remainder did grow to the former greatnes and was neuer a whit lesse then at the first but notwithstanding all the peeces cut off it still remaineth whole Let him that list beleeue this my name is Thomas and I will not beleeue it till I see it therefore I shall neuer beleeue it Touching their worship of reliques he that will haue sport let him read M. Caluin of that matter I meane his little booke of reliques where amongst other reliques he shall finde Christ his foreskinne cut off when he was circumcised his shooes the earth that laie vnder his feete when he raised vp Lazarus from the dead the title set ouer his head at his crucifying his thornie crowne the dish wherein he did eate the paschall lambe the napkin about his head when he was buried yea the very taile of the asse whereon he rode and many such morsels 4 By these things hitherto spoken we see how contrarie poperie is vnto the religion commended in the Scriptures both in matter and also in forme Who therefore that knoweth the constant immutable and spirituall nature of God can be perswaded in any reason that poperie should be acceptable vnto God If out of one fountaine cannot come both sweete and sowre waters can two religions so contrarie come from one and the same God If God approoue that religion which is commended in the Scriptures then he must needes disalow of that which is contrarie thereunto or if he allow of that religion which is contrarie to the Scriptures then he must also disallow of the religion commended in the Scriptures If therefore no man dare thinke that God disalloweth of the religion commended in the scriptures let no man dare to thinke that he alloweth poperie so contrarie thereunto Now as touching our religion both matter and forme agree with the Scriptures We commend knowledge we commend and teach all that the scriptures commend
water souÌ„dnes of minde hailenes of bodie preseruation of health securitie of hope strength of faith now and for the time to come Our father Hayle marie leafe 8. B. 3 In the 16. leafe B. there is a goodly picture of an old man with a long beard and a flashing woodknife hanging by his side wantonly kissing a woman the mysterie whereof passeth my capacitie but vnderneath are written these english verses or rather rith me doggâ—el How Marie the mother and virgin Visited Elizabeth wife of Zaehary Foure sweete and artificiall verses Which said blessed be thou cousin And blessed be the fruit of thy bodie 4 In the 20. lease B. is a blasphemous picture of the trinitie hauing three faces in one head and within one bodie This picture is in many other places both of that booke and also of many other This shall be sufficient to haue spoken thereof once for all In the leaues following follow a multitude of idolatrous and blasphemous praiers some to Saints named in the Scripture some to other I know not what neither I thinke doe they well know what they were These praiers I will here omit partly that I may not be too tedious partly because I haue touched the summe of some of them in my treatise before named Notwithstanding I will here expresse some of the most speciall praiers and many of the titles set ouer the praiers in english for the commendation of the latin praiers following such titles To omit many titles wherein are pardons of sinne graunted onely for many daies to all that shal deuoutly say the praiers annexed to such titles I will especially set downe such titles as haue the largest pardons or wherein besides the pardon is some especiall folly worthie the obseruation 5 â—o the 55 leafe B 〈…〉 this title This praier was shewea to S. Barnard by the messenger of As gold is better then all other mettals so praiers to the virgin Marie are better then praiers to God To the saying of the like praier is promised that he shall not die without penance and ministration of the holy sacraments fol. 51. A. of the same booke Gog this word perhaps should be God yet in truth Gog were fitter saying that as gold is the most pretious of all other mettall so exceedeth this praier all other praiers and who that deuoutly saith it shall haue a singular reward of our blessed Ladie and her sweete sonne Iesus â—hen followeth the praier it selfe to the virgin Marie wherein are those epithits which I haue noted in my former treatise Ancilâ—â— Trinitatis gloriosissima regina patriarcbarum magistra euangelistarum veracissima and such like 6 In the 59. leafe B. according to some impressions but according to some other in the 50. leafe there is this title These be Let the Papists trie the truth of the first promise here made and likewise of the last by the conuersion of 15. of their next kindred and the strengthening of other 15. alreadie righteous the 15. â—â—os the vvhich the holy virgin saint Brigitâ—a was wont to say daily before the holy roode in Sâ— Pauls church at Rome who so say this a whole yeare he shall deliuer 15. soules out of Purgâ—torie of his next kindred and conuert other 15. sinners to good life and other 15 righteous meÌ„ of his kind shall perseuere in good life And whitâ—ye desire of God ye shall haue it if 〈◊〉 be to the saluation of your soule After that great title follow the 15 00s themselues as O Domine Iesu c. 7 In the 62. leafe B. according to some other impressions 54. leafe B. followeth this title ouer a praier to Christ himselfe To all them that before this image of pitie deuoutly say 5. pater noster and 5. aue and a credo piteously The Papists in praier must look â—oure as the hypocrites Math. 6. 16. beholdiâ—g these armes of Christs passion are graunted 32755. reares of pardon And Sixtus the 4. pope of Rome hath made the 4. and the 5. praier and hath doubled his foresaid pardon 8 In the 65. leafe A. is this title following ouer an epistle of the crosse the which epistle also I haue annexed excepting onely the signe of the crosse so often made therein with redde incke as the word crosse is vsed The title followeth This epistle of our sauiour A beggerly pardon for the Popes magnificence to send to an Emperour sendeth our holy Father pope Leo to the Emperour Carolo magno of the which we findest written who that heareth this blessing vpon hiâ— and saith it once a day shall obtaine xl yeares of pardon and lxxx lenâ—ige and he shall not perish with soden death The epistle it selfe as they call it Crux christs sit mecum crux est quam semper adoro crux christi est verasalus crux christâ— super at omneÌ„ gladium crux christi solvit vincula mortis crux christi invincibilis per arma crux christi immobile signum crux christi sit michi via virtutum virtus per crucem diuinam aggrediar iter crux christi pandit omne bonum crux christi fugat omne malum crux christi abstulit penam eternam crux christs salua me sisque super me ante me post me quia antiquus hostis fugit vbicunque te viderit O altitudo crucis quam nuÌ„quam altitudo tetigit profunditas quam nunquam profunditas vallauit latitudo quamnuÌ„quam latitudo comprehendit libera me simulum tuum ab omnibus diabolicis artibus pessimis cogitationibus quae in me manent Tu diabole fuge ame vt nesciam te sicut tues abscissus a celo sic te abscidat spiritus sanctus a me 〈◊〉 sicut tu es alienus ab omnifelicitate sic tu sis alienuâ— a me sicut nunquam desideras deum sic nunquam desideres ad me venire Fuge diabole a me famule dei per signum sancto crucis ecce crucem domini fugite partes aduerse vicit leo de tribu Iuda radix Dauid alleluiaâ— benedictiâ— dei patris omnipotentis spiritus sancti Cruâ— Christi descendat super me mecum maneat semper Amen pater noster aue Maria. The same in english The crosse of Christ be with me It is the crosse which I doe alwaies worshippe The crosse of Christ is true saluation The crosse of Christ ouer commeth euery sword The crosse of Christ looseth the bonds of death The crosse of Christ cannot be ouer come by any armour The crosse of Christ is an immooueable signe The crosse of Christ to me the waie of vertues and vertue it selfe By the diuine crosse I will take my iourney vpon me The crosse of Christ laieth open euery good thing The crosse of Christ chaseth away euerie euill thing The crosse of Christ hath taken awaie eternall punishment The crosse of Christ saue me and be vpon meâ— before me and behinde me because the old enimie fleeth wheresoeuer