HAuing of late seene and read your Let­ter, touching that controuersie which is betweene you and vs, Whether it is true, or how it is possible that the Saints which are aboue in heauen, can heare the Prayers that you make unto them, from here beneath on earth; I held it my dutie to answere thereunto, and chiefly to these two points, whereof the first is, That it can be no otherwise then very good to pray and recommend vs to the Saints: the second signifieth, How and in what manner they may heare your Prayers and Supplications. For to build the first point, you lay downe two Articles and principles most false: The one, That this hath alwaies beene the doctrine of the Christian Church, to say and teach that this was a thing more then reaso­nable, and most profitable to man, to inuocate the Saints, yea, that the Church hath taught the same for the space of 1605 year unto this day. The other, How certaine Heretikes which are sprung vp within this fortie or fiftie yeares, haue meant to preach and teach the cleane contrarie; to wit, those whom you call Lutherans and Caluinists; who, but a few yeares ago, endeuoring to [...]uerthrow so auncient a doctrine (ac­cording [Page 18] to your opinion) haue said and say still, that we must not call vpon any of the Saints, but vpon God onely. I say that your first foundation is false, because (as Eckius one of your principall Doctours plainely confesseth in his booke of the worshipping of Saints) that it is impossible for you to alledge one onely text either out of the old or new Te­stament, whereby you can prooue that either Christ, his Euangelists or Apostles haue commanded vs to adore the Saints, or haue recommended this seruice to vs, as very profitable or reasonable. Also Petrus à Scoto confesseth, that the inuocation of Saints, is not taught in the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles, but is there insinuated. And likewise some of the Iesuits say, that it is not manifestly re­presented in them, but obscurely and mystically, or by cer­taine consequences which are pretended, and not well grounded. And for this cause the Councell of Trent recom­mending it vnto the Christians, makes no mention of the authority of the holy Scripture, but of the ancient custome only, of the consent of fathers, and of the decre [...]s of holy Councels. From whence followeth, that this commande­ment of inuocating the Saints, hath not bene giuen to the Christians (as you write) a thousand sixe hundred and fiue yeares ago or thereabouts, but hath bene a long time after forged (as I will prooue in due place) by your Predecessors, who haue made no conscience to teach for doctrine of sal­uation their owne traditions, and humaine inuentions▪ Which hauing shewed, your second foundatiō wil tumble downe of it selfe, that is, how this rule of worshipping God alone hath bene inuented by those whom wrongfully you terme Lutherans and Caluinists: for wee acknowledge none for our soueraigne Doctour and Master, but our Lord Iesus Christ, the only perfect wisedome, and essential word of his Father; who hath spoken heretofore to our Fathers by the auncient Prophets, and since being manifested in our flesh,We are not of Paul, nor A­pollo, but of Christ. hath spoken himselfe by his sacred mouth to his Disciples, and after his Ascension by his Apostles, who as faithful Secretaries, and dispensators of the secrets of God, haue left vs in writing the fundamentall points of pure Re­ligion, [Page 19] and touching this point haue taught vs, that God only (and no other) ought to bee called vpon by vs in our necessities. And although this is as cleere, as the Sun shine in a bright day at noone, yet because you are blinde, and leaders of the blinde, as your predecessors the Scribes and Pharisies were in the time of Iesus Christ, wee will alleage against you some certaine proofes for that which is aboue­said, to the end they may serue as a cleere light to those which wink not with their eyes, that they might not see in seeing, but open them with a holy desire to behold this light. When God saith in the first Commandement of his law, giuen by Moses to our Fathers,Exod 20. 3. A particular refutatiō from the authoritie of holy Scrip­ture. *Thou shalt haue none* other Gods before me: what doth hee signifie by this prohi­bition, but only that we ought not to acknowledge any o­ther God and Sauiour but him, nor to attribute to any one, that honour which is proper to him? that is, to call vpon him only in our anguishes, according to that expresse com­mand which he giueth vs in Deuteronom.Deut. 6. 13. Thou shall worship the Lord thy God, and serue him. And by the Prophet Asaph in the 50 Psalme,Psal. 50. 14. 15. verses 14. 15. Offer vnto God praise, and pay thy vowes vnto the most high, and call vpon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliuer thee, and thou shalt glorifie me. And to stirre vs vp the more thereunto, he denounceth by the Prophet Esay, Isaiah 42. 8. chap. 42. and 8 verse, I am the Lord, this is my name, and my glorie will I not giue to another, nei­ther my praise to grauen Images. And in the 45 chap. and 21 verse,Isaiah 45. 21. Haue not I the Lord? and there is none other God be­side me, a iust God and a Sauiour; there is none beside me. And in the 22 verse: Looke vnto me and yee shall be saued: all the ends of the earth shall be saued: for I am God, and there is none other. If hereupon you object against me, that God com­mandeth not by these places that wee should only worship him, and none other beside him:Anticipation▪ The answere is cleere, to wit, that this commandement of God was so interpreted by the Prophet Samuel, and in the fulnesse of time by our Soueraigne Doctor Iesus Christ himselfe. For therefore you may see how the Prophet warneth all the house of Is­rael in the 7 chapter of his booke and third verse, where he [Page 20] saith: If ye be come againe vnto the Lord with all your heart, put away the strange gods from among you, and Ashtoroth, and direct your hearts vnto the Lord, and serue him only, and hee shall deliuer you out of the hand of the Philistims. By which you may see, that the Prophet Samuel sheweth vnto the children of Israel, that the meanes and way to conuert and direct themselues vnto the Lord with all their hearts, is to serue him only, and to take away from before his eyes the Idols of the Heathen, which hee calleth the gods of the strangers. Euen so also our Lord Iesus Christ, being temp­ted in the wildernesse by the wicked spirit, which had transported him vpon a high mountaine, and shewed him all the kingdomes of the world, and the glorie of them, with promise, that he would giue them all vnto him if so be he would fall down and worship him, he alleageth against Satan that which is written in the sixt chapter of the book of Moses called Deuteronomie, expounding the intention of his father, as he which is his Counsellour (witnesse the Prophet Isaiah in his ninth chapter and fifth verse) he ad­deth thereto this word (only) when hee answereth Satan, that in that place it is written,Matth. 4. 10. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serue: as though he would haue said, That the seruice which is due vnto God only, is to worship him, and to prostrate our selues before him. And to this end and purpose the sonnes of Korah, who composed the 44 Psalme, teach vs, in the 20 and 21 ver­ses, that to call vpon any other besides God, is to forget and denie him.Psal. 44. 20. 21. If (say they) we haue forgotten the name of our God, and holden vp our hands to a strange god, shall not God search this out? for hee knoweth the secrets of the heart. And when the Apostle S. Paul maketh this demaund in his Epistle to the Romanes,Rom, 10. 14. How shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued? he sheweth thereby, that as man is forbidden to beleeue in any other but in God only,Inuocation ought to haue the same ob­ject, as faith. so is he not permitted to pray vnto any other then to the Creator of heauen and earth, seeing that inuocation is the compa­nion of faith. And therefore King Dauid in his Psalmes addresseth his prayers to none but onely vnto God, with a [Page 21] full assurance of faith, oftentimes calling him, his buckler, his shield, his retreat, his foundation, his deliuerer, his tower, his fortresse, his defender, and the horne of his saluation. Accor­ding to which the Prophet Asaph (in the 73 Psalme,Psal. 73. 25. and 25 verse) signifieth, That God only is his refuge in his distres­ses: For (saith hee) whom haue I in heauen but thee? and I haue desired none in the earth with thee. Also it is written in the 2. of the Chron. 20. 9. that King Iehoshaphat, being a­fraid of the Moabites and Ammonites which were come to assaile him, disposed himselfe to pray vnto the Lord, and in the prayer which he made in the temple in the name of his people, saith:2. Chron. 20. 9. If euill come vpon vs, as the sword of iudge­ment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and in thy presence (for thy name is in this house) and will crie vnto thee in our tribulation, and thou wilt heare and helpe. But to come now vnto your Argument, which scornfully you call The great peece of Canon, wherewith wee thunder against the walles of the towne and city of God which is his Church; this it is, That whosoeuer addresseth himself to any other but to God, doth wrong to God. For proofe whereof you adde that which wee alleage out of the first Epistle of S. Paul to Timotheus, the second chapter and fifth verse:1. Tim. 2. [...]. That as there is (but) one God, so there is (but) one Mediatour betweene God and men, to wit, the man Christ Iesus. You shuffle together, either through ignorance,Transition for the examinatiō and true vn­derstanding of our Argumēts. or malice, the Questions that are distinct, and seuerally handled by our Diuines. The first is, Who is it that we ought to call vpon? whereunto wee an­swere, God only. The second, In whose name? whereunto we answere, In the name of Iesus Christ, who is our onely Aduocate and Intercessor. For confirmation not of the first, (as you presuppose) but of the second answere, wee al­leage the abouesaid text out of the first Epistle to Timo­theus, in the second chapter and fifth verse: which I pray you against an other time to note, and to take better ad­uice and consideration vpon our Arguments, that you may propound them more sincerely. Touching your exception, though the Apostle S. Paul teacheth vs in that very text which I haue named, that there is but one Mediatour, yet [Page 22] (you say) that That hindreth not but there may be some which are subordinate and not soueraigne. The distinction of Mediatours subordinate and not soue­raigne, refuted as vaine, It shewes from what a spirit it commeth foorth, euen from the spirit of lying and contradiction. Of lying, because you adde thereto, that which is not found, nor can bee gathered from that a­bouesaid text of the Apostle, to wit, that Iesus Christ is the soueraigne. Mediatour onely in regard of others which are inferiour. Of contradiction, because you your selfe say thus: Though that Iesus Christ be truly our only Mediatour, sole Aduocate, and only Redeemer, that that hindreth not but there may be moe which are subordinate and not soueraigne, For, to be only Mediatour, & to haue some others besides, as subordinate, are things contradictorie. And if you will, that we should admit of such a glosse, you must then grant to vs, that out of this very text will follow, that when the Apostle saith, There is but one God, he meaneth one soue­raigne God; and albeit that verely hee is onely God, yet notwithstanding there be others subordinate, which one can neither speake nor thinke without blasphemie. Heereupon you alleage two replies of our Ministers: The first, How can these things agree together, The examina­tion of the So­phists first rea­son. that Christ is our onely Mediatour, and sole Intercessor for vs, and neuerthelesse there are some others besides him, to wit, the Saints? The second, If the Saints may also be called Mediatours (and are so indeede) how then is it that Iesus Christ is called the only Mediatour? To speake properly, these two replies are but one: now let vs see your answere vpon the latter, and the answere which you alleage therein with share reproch, that our Ministers are either ignorant of them, or maliciously hide and con­ceale them from the people. Now what are they? The first, isAlthough that Christ onely hath redeemed vs with his pre­cious blood, it followeth not from thence, that he is only the Mediatour of redemption, that Iesus Christ is called the only Mediatour, because that hee alone hath tro [...]de vpon the grapes in the wine-presse, and through the price of his blood hath paid our ransome, and hath reconciled vs vnto God his eternall father, not only in praying, but also in paying that which wee did owe: which the Saints haue not done, nor cannot doe. All this is true, but that which you adde is false, that Iesus Christ is the onely Mediatour, that is to say, only of Ransome and Redemption, and this is [Page 23] that which S. Paul meanes in the place alleaged: for after he saith, We haue one Mediatour betweene God and men, which is the man Christ Iesus, in explaining himselfe hee presently addeth these words: Quit dedit redemptionem se­metips [...]m pro omnibus, that is, who gaue himselfe a ransome for all men. For although the Apostle maketh no mention in this place, but of the first effect: of the mediation of our Lord Iesus Christ; it followeth not from thence, that his intent was to exclude the second, which he setteth downe elsewhere expressely, and namely in his Epistle to the Ro­manes, and 8. chapter, vers. 34. where hee ioyneth together those two fruites of the mediation of our Redeemer: for when he first demaudeth this,Rom. 8. 34. Who shall condemne vs? and answereth himselfe; It is Christ which is dead, yea, or rather which is risen againe, to wit, for to deliuer vs from condem­nation, in those words he setteth downe the first effect and going forward in answering,A forcible rea­son to shew that Christ is our only Me­diatour, aswell of intercession as of Redemp­tion. who is also at the right hand of God, and maketh request also for vs, hee likewise setteth downe the second, and giueth vs sufficiently to vnderstand, that Iesus Christ is our Mediatour and Aduocate towards God, not only in so much as he hath redeemed vs, but also in so much that hee maketh intercession vnto God his fa­ther for vs, and presents to him our supplications. And al­beit that the Apostle in the abouesaid text to Tim. chap. 2. speaketh nothing of the intercession of Iesus Christ, yet ne­uerthelesse S. Austin hauing respect to that which the A­postle admonisheth vs of in the verses going before, that is, to make requests vnto God for all men, and that in the name of his sonne Iesus Christ, he expounded it, as though the Apostle had there made an expresse mention of our Sa­viours intercession, as you may perceiue by those words of his second booke contra Parm. cap. 8. The mutuall prayers (saith he) of all the members which yet labour vpon the earth, ought to ascend vp to the Head, which is gone before into Hea­uen in whom we haue the remission of our sinnes. For if S. Paul were a Mediatour, the other Apostles would be so also, and so there would be many mediatours, which would not agree with [Page 24] that, which elsewhere he saith, That there is one mediatour be­tweene God and men.

The second cause, The examina­tion of the So­phist second reason by con­cession. why you confesse that Iesus Christ is called the only Mediatour, is because he is not only so, by rea­son of that office whereby he mediates for vs and reconceleth vs vnto God, but by reason also of his nature, for he is in the midst betweene God and man, being both God and man together, which the Saints are not. And for this cause he is called the on­ly Intercessour, like as the good and holy Fathers in time past haue taught vs, to wit, S. Austin in the ninth booke of the Ci­tie of God, and 17. chapter, S. Cyril in his 12. booke, S. Fulgence in his second booke ad Petrum, chap. 2. and S. Theodoret vpon that very place of S. Paul, with many others. We grant you this second reason, and besides we say that it maketh whol­ly for vs. And Tertullian, or as some thinke, Nouatianus, which in those daies was Priest to the Romane Church, proposeth vs this reason incommunicable to the Saints in the booke of the Trinitie, chap 13. 16. to shew vs that if Christ were only Man, as the Saints are, he could not be out Mediatour, not heare and succour vs vnto God his father through his intercession. If (saith he) Christ were man only, how is he present every where being called vpon, seeing it is not the nature of man, but of God, that he can be present in all pla­ces? And if Christ were man only, why is a man inuocated in our prayers for a Mediatour, seeing the inuocation of a man is iudged to be forcelesse to performe saluation! If Christ also be only man, why is confidence put in him, seeing that the hope which is placed in man is accursed? Wherefore hee which is de­clared to be made Medtatour betweene God and men, is found to haue vnited in himselfe both God and Man.

The third reason which you alleage that Iesus Christ is called the only Mediatour is, because that he is mediatour in such a sort for all men, that he hath no neede of any mediatour either for himselfe or for others. Now the Saints aswell in this world as in the other, though they are Mediatours and Inter­cessours for vs, in reconciling vs to God through their prayer, haue neverthelesse needs of Iesus Christ themselues to be re­conciled [Page 25] [...] God through his intercession, and in his name they [...] all that which they doe obtaine for vs.The examina­tion of the third reason.But Iesus Christ (saith S. Paul) without the interposition of any other goeth vnto God of himselfe to make intercession for vs. This reason hath been noted by Saint Austin that great doctour of the Church,Partly by con­cession, and partly by Ne­gation. when he saith thus: The Christians pray one for a­nother, but be for whom no man maketh intercession, and who maketh intercession for all, is the true and only Mediatour. We also admit of this third reason, that Iesus Christ is the only Mediatour, because that he hath no need of any other Me­diatour, either for himselfe or for others. But we denie that which you affirme without any proofe out of the holie Scripture, to wit, that the Saints aswell in this world as in the other,Anticipation. are our mediators and Intercessors. For albeit, the Scripture commandeth the Saints liuing in this world to pray the one for the other; yet you can in no wise from thence conclude that they are our mediators and interces­sors, but that they are our companions and fellow-helpers, who to assist vs, ioyne their prayers with ours, to mooue (as much as in them lieth) our heauenly father to mercie, as being fellow-brethren, and members with vs of one selfe­same spirituall bodie, whereof Christ is the head. And this is that which S. Austin vnderstood in saying, That all the members pray the one for the other, but the head is Mediatour for all. Now touching the Saints departed, I am astonished that you dare maintaine they are our mediators; seeing the holy Scripture expresseth nothing thereof; but con­contrariwise, S. Iohn (including himselfe in the rancke of all the other faithfull members dispersed in this world, for whom Iesus Christ was made a Propitiation, and for whom he maketh intercession to God his father) teacheth vs in his first epistle, second chapter and first verse: that If any man sinne wee haue an Aduocat with the father, 1. Iohn 2. 1. to wit, Iesus Christ the iust. And our Lord Iesus Christ calling him­selfe, The way, The truth and the life, saith expresly that No man commeth vnto the Father but by him: in the Gospell written according to S. Iohn, c. 14. and 6. v. Whereunto the Apostle S. Paul conformablie saith:Ephes. 3. 12. that by the faith which [Page 26] wee haue in Christ, wee haue boldnesse and entrance to the Fa­ther with confidence. Ephes. 3. 12. to the end that we may re­ceiue mercie,Heb. 4. 16. and find grace to helpe in time of neede. And that by the bloud of Iesus, we may be bold to enter into the holy place, by the new and liuing may, which he hath prepared for vs, through the vaile,Heb. 10. 19. 10. that is, his flesh. Heb. 10. 19. 20. In fine, that his priesthood is euerlasting. Wherefore he is able also perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him, seeing hee e­uerlineth, to make intercession for them.Heb. 7. 24. 25. Re [...]u [...]at [...] on of the Sophists conclusion a­gainst vs. Heb. 7. 24. 25. But to come to your conclusion: we which are Catholikes (say you) confesse well, that according to those significations aboue­said, that Iesus Christ is truely the Sole Mediatour, only Ad­uocate and Intercessour: but we also say, and that in all truth, against these heretikes, that that hindereth not, but the Saints liuing or departed, may be so also in their fashion. But now what wil you say if I should shew you by the Formulary of your prayers, that according to those significations aboue­said, you doe not hold Iesus Christ for your only Mediator and Intercessor? Here is shewed how our ad­uersaries cut the throat of their owne cause, with their owne kniues. Say you not, Precibus & meritis beate sem­per (que) virginis Mariae, & amnium sanctorum, perducat nos dominus ad regna caelorum? That is to say: By the prayers and merits of the most blessed and alwaies virgin Mary, and of all the Saints, the Lord bring vs into the kingdome of heauen. What is that I pray you but to attribute to the virgin Ma­ry, and the rest of all the Saints departed, not only that they should pray for vs, but also that they haue merited for vs? and so consequently that they are our Mediators, not onlie of Intercession, but also of ransome and redemption. Doe you not teach in your Catechisme made by the authoritie of the Councell of Trent, That men ought to inuocat the Saints, inasmuch as God through their merit and grace doth vs good? Approue you not that which Barnardine de Busto writeth in his Marial of the virgin Mary, That first of all she is Mediatrix of our saluation: 2. Mediatrix of our coniun­ction and vnion: 3. Mediatrix of our iustification: 4. Media­trix of our reconciliation: 5. Mediatrix of our intercession: and 6. Mediatrix of our communication? Sing ye not, O pia puer­pera, nostra pians scelera, iure matris impera Redemptori: that [Page 27] is, O godly Child-bearer, thou which purgest vs from our sins, command our Redeemer by the authoritie of a mother? Allow you not also the sentence of Lombard, who saith in the 4 booke of his Sentences, Dist 45. That the Saints make inter­cession for vs, both by their merits, in that they supply the defect of ours, and by their affection, in that they ioyne themselues to our prayers? and therefore (saith hee) [...]e pray vnto them, that they might make intercession for vs, to wit, that their merits may be allowed vs, and that they might wish our good, because that they wishing it, Godwils it also. See now how your owne words, and those of your Doctors, conuince you of contra­diction and manifest falsehood. As for the other part of your Conclusion, it is weakly grounded, and euen by your owne reasons is easie to bee ouerthrowne; that is, seeing with vs you confesse, that Iesus Christ only hath redeemed vs, through the merit of his death and passion, and that hee is only true God and true man, that he alone hath no neede of any other Mediatour, either for himselfe or for others: you cannot maintaine against vs with truth, that the Saints liuing or dead, are in any fashion our Mediatours and In­tercessors: yet you seeke neuerthelesse to proue it by some texts out of the Bible. For truth whereof (say you) I referre my selfe to the holy Scripture; for in the fifth Chapter of De [...] ­terenomie, Moses calleth himselfe a Mediatour,Sequestre. saying, I haue been an Vmperer, and a Mediatour between God and you, spea­king to the Hebrewes. Vnto which words S. Paul making an al­lusion in the 9. Chapter and 15. verse to the Hebrewes, calleth Iesus Christ the Mediator of the new Testament, to put a diffe­rence between him and Moses which had been of the old. How­beit this example of Moses will not serue your turne as a proofe, The Popists do wrong vnto the word of Mediatour, either through igno­rance or ma­lice. but to the first part of your Affirmation, to wit, that the liuing are Mediatours and Aduocates for others. I tell you moreouer, that in this lense, Moses neuer calleth him­selfe a Mediatour betweene God and men: but, as himself hath well interpreted it, hee bore messages betweene both the parties, that is, between God and the children of Israel. For in the Hebrew tongue you shall there finde these very words of Moses,Deut. 5. 5. saying: At that time I stood betweene the [Page 28] Lord and you, to declare vnto you the word of the Lord. If you replie hereupon, that Moses is called [...] (that is, a Me­diatour) in the Epistle to the Galathians, the third chapter and nineteenth verse: I answer, that sometimes this Greek word signifieth an Interpretour, which goes and comes to and fro betweene two parties, and that in this signification it is said by the Apostle to the Galathians, that the Law was ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediatour, to wit, Moses who twice went vp to the mountaine, and came downe againe with the two Tables of the law of God, to reade and expound them to the Israelites. In which sense wee grant you, that hee, the high Priests, and the ancient Prophets, who haue interpreted the will of God, and haue offered vp vnto him in the name of our Fathers, may be called Mediatours, and the Apostles also: but not in that sense in which heretofore we haue declared, that the Apo­stle S. Paul calleth Iesus Christ the onely Mediatour, in the first epistle to Timothie, the second chapter and fifth verse, where the Apostle taketh this word of Mediatour for a Re­conciler, as himselfe expoundeth it, saying, That hee gaue himselfe a ransome for vs: in which sense this title besee­meth none properly, but Iesus Christ onely, neither can it be attributed (without blasphemie) to the members of his Church.

But let vs examine a little your proofe that followeth: Is it not true (you demand me) that wee haue but one Saui­our of the world, which is Iesus Christ? Wherunto you an­swere, that there is nothing more true. And neuerthelesse the scripture which cannot lie giueth the same title of honor to o­thers, without doing wrong, or dishonor to Iesus Christ: as to Othoniel in the third chapter of the booke of Iudges, and ninth verse. And Nehemiah in the ninth chapter of his booke confir­meth the same, King Pharaoh also, as appeareth in the 41. chapter of Genesis, calleth Ioseph in the Egyptian tongue, not onely Sauiour, but Sauiour of the world. From whence (with a long circumlocution of words) you conclude, that by these three small reasons it is easie to be vnderstood how the Saints may also be mediators and intercessors vnto God for v [...] [Page 29] and if they are so,It is [...] from the [...] of a Sauiour, giuen to some as types of the Sauiour him­selfe. then wee may and ought to call vpon [...] our humaine necessities; and that it will not follow from thence [...] that you should reiect the sonne of God; for as much as you al­waies giue to him the first rancke of being the true and on [...]ly mediator, according to the fashion as you haue said, and the Saints is their sort an [...]man [...]r. So then it will be exceeding well done to inuocate them, as they alwaies haue done in your catho­like church.

It goes well with you, when you your selfe tearme your reasons small, and confesse beside, that the holy scrip­ture giueth this title of honor to others then to our Lord Iesus Christ, though it be neuer­thelesse for some other rea­son. And indeed those which you haue named in the old Testament are called sauiours or deliuerors; yet was it in regard that God had ordained them as instruments of de­liuerance for his people, and for types and figures of the Sa­uiour which was to come. But the holy scripture in no maner calleth the deceased Saints mediators: neither doth it teach vs, that they are established by God for instru­ments of mediation betweene God and vs; so that this ar­gument of yours drawne from the name of sauiour, makes nothing for your cause. As touching your Anticipation and excuse: that although you pray vnto the Saints yet neuerthelesse you doe not reiect the sonne of God, In vaine doe the papists boast of giuing lesus Christ the first ranke of innocation. because you alwaies giue vnto him the first ranke of being the true and onely medi­ator, according to that fashion which formerly you haue spoken of: it is easie to answere and proue the contrarie by the maner & custome of you [...] catholike church, wherupon you ground your superstitions. So it is then, that in the houres & Rosarie appointed for the virgin Mary, you equal hir with our redeemer, in calling hit Reparatrix and Sal­ [...]atrix of mankind: The queene of mercy, the valiant woman, which hath broken the serpents head, and she alone that hath rooted out all the heresi [...]s in the world. Cardinall B [...]nauen­ture makes no conscience to appropriate to hit all that Da­uid in his psalmes hath attributed to God the father, the sonne, and the holy Ghost. Blessed [...] is that man (saith he) which liueth Mary, which giueth praise vnto [...] name, which [Page 30] putteth his trust in hir,Execrable blasp [...]mies of the Romish church.which hopeth in hit. Come vnto hir all ye that are wearie, and she will giue rest vnto your soules. The heauens declare thy glorie: The earth and hir fulnesse is thine, thou raignest eternally with God: blessed are those which make much of thee, because in thy mercies thou wilt wash their sins: haue mercie on me, mother of mercie, and according to the bowels of thy mercies wash me from all mine iniquities. Wicked serpent whereof bostest thou thy selfe? put thy necke vnder Mary, ô Ladie bruse him by the vertue of thy foot: cast him down by thy force into the bottomlesse pu. Saue me in thy name, and deliuer me from mine vnrighteousnesse: take pitie on me, for my heart is readie to receiue thy will. Lord for our sinnes thou hast repulsed vs, and because of the virgin Marie hast taken pitie on vs. Let Marie arise, and all hir enemies shall be destroyed. Lord giue thy iudgement to thy sonne, and thy mercy to the queene his mother. God is the God of vengance: Ladie, saluation and life consists in thy hand. O how good is God vnto them that worship his mother! Come and let vs adore the La­die, let us giue praise vnto the virgin that hath saued vs. Let vs worship hir, and confesse vnto hir our sinnes. The Lord reig­neth, Mary fitteth vpon the Cherubins at his right hand; wh [...] dwelleth vnder hir wing is vnder a safe protection: haue re­membrance ô Ladie of Dauid, and of all those which call vpon thy name. The Lord said to my Ladie, sit my mother at my right hand: thou hast taken pleasure in goodnesse and holinesse; and therefore shalt thou raigne with me. Praise the Lord be­cause he is good, for his mercie is giuen by Mary. You trans­ferre in like manner to the Virgin, that which in all humi­litie of heart, she sung to the honor of her Creator and Sa­uiour. And in stead of that which she sung (as the Euange­list S. Luke witnesseth in the first chapter, and 45. verse) My soule magnifieth the Lord, and my spirit reioyceth in God my Sauiour, &c. Because he that is mighty, hath done for me great things, &c. you say, My soule magnifieth my Ladie, and my heart reioyceth in my Ladie: because hee that is mightie, hath done for mee great things through Mary his mother. What should I say more? You celebrate in your Canticles the Virgin Mary, as Lady of the Angels, espouse and Mother [Page 31] of the eternall king; Promise of the Patriarches; Veritie of the Prophets; Teacher of the Apostles; Mistr [...]s of the Euange­lists, Lady of the Word, and Queene of Heauen. And hereupon you beseech her that she would saue her people. Likewise you craue of her in expresse tearmes, all that which God himselfe will or can giue vnto vs, by his onely sonne Iesus Christ: Impetra nobis veniam, applica nobis grattam, prapar [...] nobis gloriam: that is to say, Obtaine pardon for vs, applie grace vnto vs, prepare glorie for vs. You haue corrupted Si­meons song, and in stead of that which the Euangelist Saint Luke reciteth in the second chapter, and 29 verse, how this good Father holding the Sauiour of the world in his armes, blesseth God and saith, Lord, now lettest thou thy ser­uant depart in peace according to thy word: for mine eyes haue seene thy saluation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people: you misturne these his words to the handmaide of the Virgin Mary,Deprauation of an expresse text of Scrip­ture, by those in popedome. saying: Lord now lettest thou depart in peace the handmaid of the Virgin Mary: for mine eyes haue seene the saluation of Mary, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people, a light to inlighten the Gentiles, &c. You hold her for the true saluation, the true felicitie, the great­nesse of charitie, the largenesse of pietie, vnto whom the Angels obey: as by one of your Letanies appeareth. Which is worse, your Cardinals and Bishops assembled in the Councel of Constance, in which they condemned to death Iohn Hus, and Ierome of Prague, both of them Bohemians, constant in the true faith, to adde vnto the heape of their crueltie against these Martyrs some token of their impie­tie, and hatred against the holy Ghost, which had endowed these two witnesses with his truth, and with such a mouth and wisedome against which these good fathers were not able to resist: they thought good to applie vnto the Virgin Mary, that prayer which is made to the honour of the holie Ghost, and in stead of saying, as before, Veni sancte Spiri­tus, &c. to haue made them sing: Veni maier gratiae, fons misericordiae, miseris remedium, veni lux Ecclesiae, tristibus lae­titi [...], [...]ne infund [...] radium, Simonis nanicula, fi [...]y tunicula, [...] scindatur prohibe▪ quae Deū hominibus, & [...] inn­gis [Page 32] ô puerpera! Hereses interime, schismata (que) reprime, firm [...] pacis f [...]era. That is to say: Come mother of grace, fountains of mercie, remedie of the wretched, c [...]e light of the Church, shed vpon these heauie soules, the beame of ioy. the small ship of Simon surnamed Peter: suffer not the little coat [...] of thy sonne to be torne in peeces, ô mother in childbed, which co [...]ioynest God with men, and the inferiour creatures with the celestiall: ab [...] ­lish Heresies, represse Schismes, and establish the couenants of peace. I am astonished at the blasphemies of Barnardine de Busto, and Anthonine Archbishop of Florence, who set the Virgin Mary aboue the onely sonne of God: for see what Barnardin [...] saith of her in his Mariall: Men may say of the Virgin Mary, that she is the light of the Gen [...]les and the glory of her people Israel. For God at her natiuitie said vnto her, I haue giuen thee as a light to the Gentiles, to the end thou maist be our saluation to the ends of the earth, a light to lighten the Gentiles. All graces (saith he) come downe vpon vs from the Father and the Sonne by the Virgin Mary, mediatrix between God and men: no grace cōmeth from heauen but by her hands. All graces enter into her, and come foorth from her: They are in Christ [...]s in the head from whence they flow they are in Ma­ry as in the neck which distributeth them. These whole pages shew, how the pre­tended Ca [...]ho­likes, which differ much from the words of lesus Christ, doe indeed be­reaue him of his most sweet flowers of ho­nour, to adorne the Virgin with them. Moreouer, If any man feele himselfe grieued at Gods iustice, hee may appeale to the Virgin Mary: which hath been signified in the booke of E­ster, chap. 5. where it is said that King Abashueros [...] being in anger and wroth against the Iewes, Queene Ester came to ap­pease him, and found such fauour with the King, that hee said vnto her, What is thy request? it shall be giuen thee, euen to the halfe of the kingdome. This Empresse (saith he) figured the Empresse of heauen, to whom God hath giuen the halfe of his kingdom: for God hauing his iustice and his mercy, hath reser­ueah is iustice to exercise it in this world, and hath left mercis to his Mother. Therefore if any one feele himselfe grieued as the Court of Gods iustice, let him appeale to the Court of the mercie of his Mother, &c. Whereunto is also conformable that which Anthonine the Archbishop writeth in his summe, par. 3. tit. 12. chap. 8. & par. 4. tit. 15. chap. 14. & 44. That as it is impossible, that they from whom the Virgin Mary [Page 33] [...]rneth the eyes of her mercie, should be saued; so is it necessa­rie, that those vpon whom she turneth them, praying for them, should be iustified and glorified: because Christ is not onely an Aduocate, but also a Iudge, who will examine all things in ri­gour, and will leaue nothing vnpunished. So the good God hath prouided vs such an Aduocatesse, in whom there is nothing but benignitie and gentlenesse. Hereupon abusing impudentlie the exhortation of the Apostle in his Epistle to the H [...] ­brewes, in the 4. chapter and 16 verse, he admonisheth vs to goe boldly vnto the throne of God, which is (saith he) the Virgin Mary, in whom he hath placed it: let vs goe (conclu­deth he) vnto her with assurance, as the Apostle saith to the Hebrewes, to the end we may obtaine mercie, and finde grace in time of need. Whereunto to bring the ignorant, he likewise is not ashamed to tell this fable, that the blessed Seraphins and angels would haue withheld the Virgin Mary, as she ascen­ded vp into heauen, to haue enioyed her company, and to haue placed her in the highest degree of their order, as she which sur­passed and excelled them both in glorie, and in the flame of cha­ritie. But what said she to them? I take pleasure in your order, and congratulate you most affectionately for your diuine f [...]r­ [...]encie. But the Scripture must be accomplished, saying, It is not good that man should be alone, let vs make him a helpe like to himselfe; so then it is not good that my Sonne should be alone, but that I must assist him, seeing I am his mother, and haue been giuen him for an aide; in redemption through compassion, in glorification through intercession for mankinde, to the intent that if God should threaten to drowne the earth, and to punish the sinnes of man by the flood of his scourges, I may appeare be­fore him as the Rain-bow, that hee may call to minde his coue­ [...]t and may reconcile himselfe with them, and not destroy the world. You speake not so audaciously of the other Saints departed: howbeit Viues the Spaniard confesseth plainly in his discourse on S. Austins 8. book of the City of God, that he cannot perceiue, that there is any difference betweene the opinion you hold of your Saints, and that which the Pagans held of their goods, considering you doe vnto them, the same honours as vnto God himselfe, and to his Sonne [Page 34] Iesus Christ. And indeed your Master of Sentences, and his disciples, makes no bones, to call the Saints the Mediatours of our saluation, & to teach how they through their works of supererogation haue purchased so great credit in hea­uen, that they haue not onely merited eternall glorie and happinesse for themselues, but by those workes also may succour those which yet walke in this vale of miserie, and to helpe their necessities. The praeyers of the Saints (saith Bonauenture in the 4. booke of his Sentences, dist. 45. qu. 2) may obtaine us many good things (as the Master, to wit of Scholasticall sentences, saith) by their affection, and through their former merits, by which readily and promptly they hau [...] serued God. On the other side: Our dutie is (saith Alexan­der of Ales in his fourth sentence, and 92 question) to pray vnto the Saints for three reasons: Because of our necessitie, the glorie of the Saints, and the reuerence to God. I say, because of the want and defect of our owne merits, to the end that when we haue not sufficient and enough of our owne, the merits of others may helpe and defend vs. I would willingly come foorth of that bottomlesse pit of your execrable blatphemies, but my conscience will not suffer me to dissemble those great prai­ses which you attribute vnto S. Francis, (who was condem­ned of impietie by Pope Iohn the 22.) and to S. Domini [...]s, as it were in despite of God and of his Sonne Iesus Christ: neuerthelesse, because I will not be too redious, I will not here cite all that is found written of them in the bookes al­lowed by your Church: onely I will draw foorth some drafts and principall points: whereof the first is, that it is written in the book of Conformities,Blasphematory praises attribu­ted by Papists, to two wicked fellowes, Saint Francis and S. Dominic. How the Virgin Ma­rie, and the rest of the Saints in heauen, goe in procession euer [...]e one in their order: but as for Saint Francis he is harboured in Christs side, and commeth forth through his wound is Ensig [...]e bearer, to conduct them with the banner of his Crosse in his hand. And in the Prose of S. Francis, that hee is The figura­tiue Sauiour, the way, the life, and a singular one crucified, who hauing receiued in a vision the same wounds as Christ had, (ac­cording to the Diuels attestation, which heerein is your Doctor) purgeth you from your sins. Wherefore in good [...] [Page 35] he may say that which is sung in the Gospell vpon his feast day: All things are giuen to me of my father, for as much as through his merites hee hath been made the sonne of God, and hath re­ceiued a billet from heauen, wherein was written: This man is the grace of God. So that now through the merits of his works, which are so holy, that if an Angell had done them, they could not haue bin more admirable: He is the modell of all perfectiō, in whom we may ioyntly see all the vertues of the Saints aswell of the old as of the new Testament: for hee hath obserued the Gospell to a letter, and hath accomplished all the commande­ments of God. In such sort that according to the prophecie of Ieremie in the 50 Chap. vers. 20. Men shall seeke for his sinne, but they shall not finde it. And of him the Psalmist hath spoken; Thou hast crowned him with glorie and honor, and hast set him euer all the workes of thine hands. For according to your be­liefe, he is in the glorie of the Father, as it is written, Phil. 2. he is deified, and in the glorie of God. But which is more, he ma­keth one selfesame spirit with God, he sitteth aboue in heauen as Aduocate of all the Church militant: he is most neerely knit vnto God, and beareth rule ouer euery creature. By one Masse he hath appeased God towards all the world. And to alleage your own words, Christus [...]rauit, Franciscus exorauit: that is to say, Christ hath prayed, Francis hath obtained. Let vs now come to S. Dominicus, who hath been like vnto the Lord (as Authonine the Archbishop writeth) and conse­quently hath been Dominicus in name and in deed; being that in possession, which Christ is in authority. Which An­thonme sheweth by many comparisons betweene Christ and Dominicus: alleaging first, that as Christ said, I am the light of the world, euen so the Church singeth of Dominicus, Thou art the light of the world. Secondly, like as Iesus Christ praying vnto God his father was alwaies heard when he would: so likewise Dominicus neuer demanded any thing of God, but [...]e obtained it entirely according to his desire. This neuerthe­lesse is not to be omitted, that herein he preferreth his Do­minicus before Iesus Christ, that hee hath demanded no thing of God, as Iesus Christ did in the garden, according to sensuali­ [...], that is to say, according to the infirmitie of the flesh, but [Page 36] all things according to reason, and for this respect his prayer was alwaies heard, as Dominicus (a witnesse not worthie of beliefe in his owne cause) recounted it himselfe to one of his familiar friends. To proceed vnto the comparisons of this Adorator of Dominicus: As Christ before his departure out of this world bad his Disciples farewel, promised them the great Comforter, the Spirit of truth, and shewed them that it was expedient he should depart: euen so, saith this brauing fellow, Dominicus answered his welbeloued friends; Weepe not my welbeloued, and let not my bodily departure (these are his very words) trouble you: where I goe, I shall be more profitable to you, then I haue been here, and after my death you shall haue mee for the best Aduocate, you can haue in this life.

These fine fables haue been verified by your Friers, and authorized by your Popes, who haue canonized these ho­ly Fathers, and ranked them with those which haue meri­ted to bee adored. Is it not then with false shewes, and a­gainst your conscience, that thus you doe boast your selues, that praying to the Saints you doe no wrong nor dishonour to Iesus Christ, whō ignominiously you cast out of his place, setting him beneath the Virgin Mary, & these two seducers of the people which I haue named? And yet this is not all; for the Euangelists make mention, that the souldiers of Pontius Pilate, to expose our Sauiour to open reproch and scorne before all the world, nailed him on the Crosse betweene two theeues, as captaine of the malefa­ctors: but you, as though it were a vertue in you to doe worse, place him in heauen amidst many seditious fellowes and murtherers, canonized by your Popes, and too well knowne by your Iacobins and Iesuites. What would Bona­uenture say at this, who at last corrected his owne excessiue praises aswell to the Virgin Mary, as to the other Saints de­parted, confessing in his 3. sentence, dist. 3. quest. 2. Sith that Iesus Christ is the Sauiour and vniuersall Redeemer of all mankinde, who hath opened the gates of heauen, hee onely dying for all, therefore one ought not to shut out of this generallitie, (that is to say, from the companie of all those which Christ [Page 37] hath saued) the blessed virgin Mary, nor to amplifie the ex­cellencie of the Mother, to diminish the glorie of the Sonne, be­cause that in so doing, wee should prouoke her to wrath, as she, who being but a creature, and he a Creator, had rather that her Sonne should be exalted then her selfe? Would he not say the same which Iohn Wicliffe did, (whom God shortly after rai­sed vp to awaken the world, buried in the dreames of your vaine Traditions) that it was a great folly, yea and a dete­stable impietie, to make a scurram (that is to say, a bouffon or a base fellow) his Mediatour?

And as for the authoritie of the Catholike Church,An excellent comparison, betweene the Prelats of these daies, and the Priests of old time. of generall Councels, of holy Fathers, and Doctors, whereby you thinke to dazle our eyes and to amaze vs: First of all I answere, that you are of the same humor, as the high Priests and inhabitants of Ierusalem were, extreamely rebellious to the doctrine of the Prophet Ieremy, who in time past did say the same as you doe at this day, and maintained also obstinately as you doe, that they could not erre: The law (said they) shall not perish from the Priest, Ierem. 18. 18. nor counsell from the wise, nor the word from the Prophet: Come, and let vs smite Ieremie with the tongue, and let vs not giue heed to any of his words, according to the complaint which the Prophet Ie­remie maketh thereof in the 18. chap. and 18. verse. But what did the Lord answere them by the mouth of his Pro­phet? Trust not in lying words, Ierem. 7. 4. saying, The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, Verse 11. this is the temple of the Lord. Is this house become a denne of theeues, whereupon my name is called before your eyes? behold, euen I see it, saith the Lord. But goe ye now vnto my place which was in Shilo, Verse 18. where I set my name at the beginning, and behold what I did to it for the wickednesse of my people Israel. Verse 14. Therefore will I doe vnto this house, where­upon my name is called, wherein also yee trust, euen vnto the place that I gaue to you and to your fathers, as I haue done vn­to Shilo. Verse 15. And I will cast you out of my sight, as I haue cast out all your brethren, euen the whole seed of Ephraim. The Priests said not, Ierem. 2. 8. where is the Lord? and they that should minister the law knew me not: and the Pastours also offended against me, and the Prophets prophecied in Baal, and went after things [Page 38] that did not profit. Iere. 8. 10. Moreouer, From the least euen vnto the greatest euery one is giuen to couetousnes, and frō the Prophet euen vnto the Priest euery one dealeth falsly. Likewise by the Prophet Ezek [...]el, chap. 22. vers. 26. 28. Her Priests haue bro­ken my law, Ezek. 22. 26. 28. and haue defiled mine holy things, they haue put no difference betweene the holy and prophane. And her Prophets haue seene vanities, and diumed [...] vnto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord God, when the Lord hath not spoken. In like manner the Prophet Azariah. 2. Chron. 15. vers. 2. 3. The Lord is with you while ye be with him: 2. Chron. 15. 2 Generall Councels, Fa­thers, and great Doctors, h [...]ue no authoritie, if they doe not conforme thē ­selues vnto the word of God. and if yee seeke him hee will be found of you: but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you. Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without Priest to teach, and without law. Where wee are to note, that God promised to the conductors of Israel, that thee would remaine with them, not simply, but with this condition, if they would abide with him, and follow his holy Commandements. And he addeth euermore this condition to the promises of his Couenant with the chil­dren of Israel: If yee will heare my voyce indeed, (saith the Lord by Moses in the 19.Exod. 19. 5. 6. chapter of Exod. 5. 6. verses) and keepe my couenant, then ye shall be my chiefe treasure aboue all people, though all the earth be mine: Yee shall be vnto me also a kingdome of Priests, and a holy Nation. Which words God commandeth Moses and his Prophets continually to re­peate vnto the children of Israel. So our Lord Iesus Christ also, making large promises to his Apostles, and in their names to all Christians, to abide with them, through the communication of the wholesome gifts of his holy spirit euen to the end of the world, putteth them oftentimes in minde of this condition; If yee loue me, if yee keepe my words, if yee abide in me, if my words abide in you, if yee shall keepe my commandements, my Father will loue you, ye shall be my friends, and my Father and I will come vnto you for to make our abiding with you, in the Gospell ac­cording to S. Iohn, chap. 14. vers. 14. All these conditionall promises, signifie vnto vs euidently, that those which are acknowledged for the members of the visible Church may fall, either into some fault against the second table, as it [Page 39] chanced to Dauid, The example of the Saints ought to be re­formed to the law, and not the law to their exāples. who committed adulterie with Bathshe­ba the wife of Vriah, and sent him to the campe with let­ters of commaund to Ioab to expose him to the enemies, that he might be slaine, 2. Sam. 11: or in some error against the first table, as happened vnto Aaron the high Priest, who formed a golden Calfe for the Israelites to worship: Exod. 32. 4. and after that to many Iudges and Kings; as to Gedeon, Iudg. chap. 8. vers. 27. and to Salomon, 1. King. 11: or into some reuolt from the Christian faith, or into some other abuse, as appeareth by the fall of S. Peter, who tru­sting too much to himselfe, denied his Master thrice, and after his repentance and confirmation into his Apostle­ship, was reproued by the Apostle S. Paul in the citie of An­tioch: because that in constraining the Gentiles to become Ierish, (as the Apostle speaketh thereof in the second chap­ter and 14.Gal. [...]. 14. verse) he went not with a right foote to the truth of the Gospell. And if those which are in the visible Church cannot fall, why doth the Apostle then reproue the Gala­thians, first chapter, 6. verse,Gal. 1. 6. that in forsaking him which had called them by grace, that is to say, Christ, they had transported themselues to another Gospell? And in the third chapter and third verse,Gal. 3. 3. that hauing begun in the spirit, they would make an end by the flesh? Wherefore hauing pourtraied before the eyes of the Corinthians sundrie faults and transgressions, which the Israelites had committed against the Lord in the wildernesse, hee addeth,1. Cor. 10. vers. 6. 11, 12. that these haue been examples for them, to the end to admonish them, to stand vpon their gards, and that he which thinketh he standeth, take heede lest he fall. Surely, if the Apostolicall Church could not haue failed, the Apostle S. Paul had had no reason to haue feared so much,1. Cor. 1. 2. lest the Corinthians, which he called the members of God and sanctified in Christs Iesus, and Saints by calling, should be corrupted in their thoughts, turning themselues aside, from the simplicitie that is in Christ, 2. Cor. 11. 3. It is a foolish reason that Pa­pists hold that general Coun­cels cannot erre. as the Serpent beguiled Eue through his subtiltie: 2. Cor. 11. 3. Secondly I answere, that you presuppose that which we neuer will grant you, to wit, that the Clergie and generall Councell, which represents the Church, cannot erre, and that whatsoeuer at any time [Page 40] hath been determined and decreed by the Councels, is cer­taine, and ought to be receiued without contradiction. To begin then with the Councell of the 4. hundred Prophets of King Ahab, I require of you, if the assemblie of these Doctors of lies, who flattered the said King, and counsel­led him all with with one consent to make warre against the Syrians, haue not erred? The Historiographer shew­eth vs that all of them were possessed with the spirit of er­ror,1. King. 22. and that onely Michaiah resisted them couragiously: and although he was cōdemned, smitten, and cast into pri­son, that the King notwithstanding would experiment it, and that euen with the perill of his life, hee was deceiued by the lying spirit of his foure hundred Prophets. You Catholikes will also graunt me, that the Councell of the chiefe Priests, the Scribes and the Elders of the people, as­sembled in the hall of the high Priest called Caiphas, erred greatly when they held a Councell, and consulted toge­ther how they might take Iesus by subtiltie and kill him, according as the Euangelist S. Matthew teciteth it in the 26. chapter of his Gospell, the third and fourth verses. If you suppose that the successors of S. Peter and the other A­postles of our Lord Iesus Christ haue receiued the priui­ledge that they could not erre, you abuse your selues. For the Apostle S. Paul aduertiseth all Christians, in his second Epistle to the Thessalonians, of an Apostasie and generall reuolt, which should come to passe in the Church of the New Testament; and declareth to them, that this mysterie of iniquitie began to worke in his time, and should be re­uealed by the comming of the sonne of perdition, which exalteth himselfe against God, euen to be set as God in the Temple of God, bearing himselfe as if he were God.As humane infirmitie is perpetuall, so men at al times haue been and will be in dan­ger of error. Now as this seducement of sinne glided by little and little into the Primitiue Church, through the craft and malice of Sa­tan: so hath it by many degrees discouered it selfe more and more, and one day hath added error to another, be­cause in the beginning there was no heede taken to the Councels and assemblies of the ancient Bishops, who haue not alwaies followed the true paterne of the wholesome [Page 41] words, which [...] receiued from the Apostles, and from their purer predecessors, but giuing eare to the lying and ambitious spirits of their companions, which pleased them in their inuentions, are gone astray from the truth. Euen so the Fathers assembled in the Councels of Neocesa­rea and Laodicea haue there cōcluded, that by the doctrine of the Apostle S. Paul, it was permitted to the Christians to take in mariage a second wife: but according to reason and the rule of truth, it is a kinde of whoredome: and for this cause they forbad the Priests not to bee present at the feast of any second wedlocke, and enioyned those which were married to their second match, to doe penance for the same. Whereupon you must needes grant me one of these two things, either that the Apostle S. Paul hath erred in that he hath not onely permitted a second marriage in the first Epistle to the Corinthians,1. Cor. 7. 27. 28. chap. 7. verses 27. 28. where hee shewes to him that is loosed from a wife, that he sinneth not in marrying himselfe againe, but giueth counsell also to the widowes in his first Epistle to Timoth.1. Tim. 5. 14. chap. 5. vers. 19. saying, I will therefore that the younger women marrie, and beare children, and gouerne the house, &c. Or that the Bishops of the aforesaid Councels haue erred,Councels are subiect to the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles, and to no doctrine contrary to them. in that they held the couenant of second wedlocke for an vnlawfull thing and fornication, forbidden by God in the seuenth commande­ment of his law. I presuppose that you will grant me rather that there was no error in the instruction of the Apostle S. Paul, which was diuinely inspired into him, but in the Bishops assembled in the Councels aboue said. In confi­dence whereof, I will come vnto the Councell of Nice, which imposed three yeeres penance vpon the Christians, who hauing abandoned their Armes, afterward returned to the warres againe: which rigour is condemned by S. Iohn Baptist, who did not commaund souldiers to forsake their Armes, but exhorteth them to content themselues with their payes, and to demaund nothing beside that which was ordained for them. The Fathers assembled in the Arelatan Councell, haue prohibited the admitting of a married man into the vocation of the holy Ministerie, by [Page 42] an article cleane contrarie to the [...] the Apostle S. Paul, 1. Tim. 3. 2. That which is hapned to one, or many Coū ­cels, may hap­pen to vs; if we doe n [...]t hold our selues to the rules of ho­ly Scripture. who saith in the first Epistle to Tim. chap. 3. that a Bi­shop must be the husband of one wife. The second Councell of Nice allowed the adoration and seruice of Images; a fault which you will not correct, to obey the second com­mandement of the Lord, who saith in Exodus, chapter 20. verses 4. 5. Thou shalt make thee no grauen Images, neither a­ny similitude of things that are in heauen aboue, neither that are in the earth beneath, nor that are in the waters vnder the earth: thou shalt not bow downe to them, neither serue them. In the Lateran Councell which was held vnder Pope In­nocentius the third, it was decreed that men should be­leeue, that the bread and wine was changed into the sub­stance of the bodie and blood of Iesus Christ, by the vertue of these fiue words, Hoc est enim corpus meum. Which is a false opinion and easie to be ouerthrowne by many places of holy scripture,Note. and especially by the 11. chapter of Saint Pauls first Epistle to the Corinth. where after he had reci­ted the institution of the Lords Supper, and treated of the consecration of the bread and wine, by these very words of our Lord Iesus Christ, This is my body, &c. he retaineth those same words of bread and wine. For (he saith) as often as ye shall eate this bread, and drinke this cup, ye shew the Lords death till he come. Againe, Whosoeuer shall eate this bread: fi­nally, let a man therefore examine himselfe, and so let him eate of this bread, and drinke of this cup. By which manner of speech he teacheth vs, that there is no transubstantiation in the holy Supper, but that the bread remaineth bread, and the wine keepeth it owne naturall propertie. They also which were present in the Councell of Toledo, haue they not iudged that he which in stead of being espoused to any honest woman, kept a concubine; ought neuerthelesse not to bee cast out of the communion of the Lords Supper? Doth not this sentence ouerthrow the institution of ho­ly Matrimonie, which by the Apostle S. Paul is called an vndefiled bed, and honourable among all men? Heb. 13. 4. Doth it not also fauour whoremongers, which possesse the vessels of their bodie in dishonour, and are condemned by [Page 43] God as well in the seuenth Commandement of his law, as by many holie remonstrances of the Prophets and Apo­stles? Moreouer, the 72 Canon of the 6. generall Councel, approued by Pope Adrian; doth it not say that men ought to breake the promises of Mariage, which the Catholikes haue made with heretikes, and to hold them for nought, as though they neuer had been made? Is not this too too dangerous a Canon, forged by the spirit of disloyaltie and dissension? For the spirit of truth, which guided the penne of the Apostle S. Paul, doth it not signifie to vs in the first Epistle to the Corinthians, the 7. chapter and 15. verse, that God hath called the married in peace, and that to entertaine and keep it?1. Cor. 7. 12. If any brother haue a wife that beleeueth not, if she be content to dwell with him, he ought not to forsake her: and if any woman hath an husband that beleeueth not, verse 13. if hee be con­tent to dwell with her, she ought not to forsake him neither. Whereunto the Apostle addeth this reason as most worthy of consideration, namely, the vnbeleeuing husband is sancti­fied by the wife, verse 14. and the vnbeleeuing wife is sanctified by the husband, and that through this coniunction their children are holy, which else would be vncleane. The Councell of Wormes abusing that admonition of the Apostle S. Paul, (in the 1. Epistle to the Cor. chap. 11. 28, where he saith: Let a man therefore examine himselfe, and so let him eate of this bread, and drinke of this cup) thought it a matter of no mo­ment to admit theeues and other scandalous persons vnto the Lords holy table, vpon the trial and testimonie of their owne consciences. These are the Councels very words: It oftentimes happeneth, that the Monkes in their Cloisters doe commit some crime of theft: behold wee therefore iudge, that these brethren being accused of such a fact, ought to cleere themselues thereof, and ordaine to this effect, that the Abbat, or some one among them of their brethren, celebrate the Masse, and that all trying and prouing themselues doe participate the same. And in another Canon: If any one hath charged the Bishop or Priest, with some mischieuous deed, he ought to cele­brate the Masse, and to shew thereby, that he knowes himselfe innocent and guiltlesse of that crime which is laid vnto his [Page 44] charge. All these ex­amples of abo­minable er­rors, shew how necessarie it is to trie the spi­rits. This canon hath not only been approued, but also put in practise by Pope Gregory the seuenth, named before his popedome Hildebrand, who being aduertised by let­ters, that he was accused of sorcerie and simonicall heresie, answered, that to satisfie euery man, according to that good canon of the Councell of Wormes, and to take away that scandalous report of him out of y^e Catholike Church, he would receiue the body of our Lord in token of his in­nocencie. True it is that afterward (as Bellarmine writeth) the Bishops thought good to abolish that pernicious ca­non, whereby their predecessors had prostituted the com­munion of the bodie and blood of our Lord Iesus Christ to all sorts of leaud persons, to be vnworthily trampled vn­der their feete and prophaned. But Bellarmine notwith­standing is driuen to confesse so much, that it was receiued and allowed for some time in your Church.

To come now vnto the errors of some other Councels. The Councels of Carthage and of Florence haue inrolled for canonicall bookes,The Papisticall Doctors agree not among themselues, and neuerthe­lesse they hold vnitie and con­sent for the marke of their Church. and as diuinely inspired, to serue all men in the points of religion, for a rule and as a law for their discourses, the bookes of Tobit, Iudith, Wisedome, Ec­clesiasticus and the Maccabees: which neuerthelesse, accor­ding to Cardinall Caietans owne confession, are accounted by S. Ierome, among the Apocrypha, and not receiueable for to ground vpon them any article of faith and to the end the Reader may not be troubled in that the abouesaid Councels, and the Popes Innocentius and Gelasius haue reckoned these bookes among the Canonicall, the said Cardinall giueth him this counsell in his obseruations vp­on the tenth chapter of Ester, to reduce them to the rule and correction ofA graue and a religious iudg­ment of Charles the grea [...] tou­ching y^e Coun­c [...]ll of Nice. S. Ierome. Charles the Great speaking of the two Councels of Constantinople and of Nice, in a book made at the Councel of Franckford, touching the adora­tion of Images, blameth the Councell of Nice of impietie and idolatrie forbidden by God in his holy word; when he complaineth, that not only the Kings of the Easterne pro­uinces, but also the Priests and Prelates (reiecting that which is said by the Apostle, that if any one preach otherwise, then that [Page 45] which hath been preached, though he were an Angel from hea­uen, let him be accursed) haue sought to bring into the Church through Councels, fond and infamous, things one knowes not what, which neither the Sauiour, nor any of his Apostles haue euer brought in, that is, as hee himselfe expoundeth them, Nouelties of words, and the foolish inuention of the worship­ping of Images; and afterward hee rebuketh the temeritie and boldnes of Irene. mother vnto Constantine the Empe­rour, in that she had borne the chiefe sway in that Coun­cell of Nice, saying, The Empresse did there all in all; a woman, vnto whom it was forbidden to teach in the Church, hath taught and ordained; she there intruded her selfe with the Bi­shops and all Ecclesiasticall Orders, teaching things vnprofi­table. Thirdly, he accuseth that Councell in that they ad­mitted thereunto Tharasius Patriarch of Constantinople, and gaue too much credit vnto him, who (as he speaketh) was at a iumpe come from the vulgar conuersation, into the dignitie of Priesthood, from the life of a Souldier, to a religious life, from the noise of the market, to the preaching and distribu­ting of holy mysteries, and that in summe, hee was of an ill iudgement, and spake not well concerning the holie Ghost. Whereunto hee addeth beside, that for the rest of all this Councell they were ignorant, barbarous, insufficient, fond and vnapt both in their sense and in their words, and neuerthelesse proud beyond all pride: which durst command that which ne­uer the Apostles, nor their successors ordained, and in one part of the Church, to condemne and accurse all the Churches in the world; which he proueth in that they made it to bee called a vniuersall Councell held for the worshipping of Images; without the consent of many other faithfull and Catholike Churches of God, and were so audacious euen rashly to accurse so many and so great Churches, which are the body of Iesus Christ, and to attempt to establish the worship and seruice of insensible things against the institution of diuine scripture. Now like as Charles the Great, who was present in the aforesaid Councell of Franckford assaulted the Councel of Nice; so likewise S. Austin, with many other of the ancient Fathers, haue reprooued oftentimes the writings of their [Page 46] companions in the work of the Lord, and the ordinance of their Councels, in calling them back to be tried by the ho­ly Scripture, and admonishing them, that through many of their false conclusions they were gone astray from the same: which S. Austin testifieth (in his second booke and third chapter of Baptisme) against the Donatists. The Epi­stles (saith he) of the particular Bishops, are corrected by the Prouinciall Councels, and the Prouinciall Councels by the vniuersall, and the first vniuersall Councels by the lat­ter: when by experience that which was locked is opened, and that which was hid is brought into light. Councels re­futed by oth [...]r Councels. This is the cause wherefore one Councell hath oftentimes retracted and re­pealed, that which a former had decreed. As for example, the generall Councell of Nice permitted the Priests to marrie, which afterward the Councels of Neccesarea, of Magence, and the second of Carthage forbad them to do. The Councell of Carthage, in which S. Cyprian was pre­sent, decreed that such as were baptized by Heretikes should be rebaptized; which was shortly after broken and disanulled by another Councell of Carthage. The second generall Councell of Ephesus approoued the error of Eury­ches, who acknowledged but one only nature in Christ, to wit, the diuine; but the general Councel of Chalcedon re­futed and condemned that heresie. You are not ignorant also how the Bracharean Councell condemned and accur­sed those which abstaine themselues from eating of flesh, and how the third Councell of Toledo hauing confirmed that decree; the cleane contrarie was ordained by the Councell of Rome, forbidding the vse of flesh vpon cer­taine daies i the yeere. The Councell of Constantinople decreed that they should throw and breake downe all the Images which were put vp in Churches; but this ordinance and decree was ouer throwne againe by the second Coun­cell of Nice, assembled by Irene mother vnto Constantine the Emperour; in which was commanded to reestablish and set vp those Images againe. These examples may suf­fice to shew that Councels may erre, and that oftentimes there hath been great dissension betweene Councels, and [Page 47] contrarietie in the articles of the ancient Synods, and that many things haue been proposed, receiued, and maintai­ned in them, without and beside the holy scripture: which, as S.Truth is one, and that which is one cannot be contradi­cted. Tertullian saith in his Treatise against Praxeas, is not in danger of saying things contrarie, but alwaies is conso­nant and agreeth in it selfe, as appeareth by the mutuall correspondencie of the texts aswell of the old as of the new Testament; which is alone without error, and exempt frō lying, as Cardinall Baronius also himselfe teacheth you in his Annals, tom. 2. This warre, and manifest contradiction of the ancient Councels, doth it not aduertise vs as it were of it selfe that we ought not to equall the canons of Coun­cels with the rules of holy Scripture? and yet neuerthelesse your ancestors haue done it, who haue equalled the de­cretall epistles of their Popes with the epistles of the Apo­stle S. Paul, and the decrees of the foure Councels, of Nice, Constantinople, Ephesus and Chalcedon, with the bookes of the foure Euangelists. Now in this great diuersitie of Councels, to which, I pray you, shall we haue our recourse to assure our consciences, but to the word of God which is the touchstone and ballance whereby wee must proue and weigh all the traditions of men? As S. Austin did in his dispute against Maximine Bishop of the Arrians, lib. 3. cap. 3. I ought not to alleage (saith he) the Councel of Nice, We are bound to hearken to the Church in the things wherein she giueth eare vn­to her Master. thereby to preiudice thee, nor thou against me that of Rimini: I am not bound nor tied vnto the authoritie of that Councel, ner thou vnto the other. It is by the authoritie of the Scriptures, which are not part [...]all to either of vs, but are common witnesses aswell to the one as to the other; and that by them we ought to dispute in alleaging cause against cause, and reason against rea­son. According to which rule S. Bernard in his 9 [...]. Epistle signified to the Bishops, which in his time were assembled to handle ecclesiasticall affaires, that he was very desirous to be present in their Councell, and in their assemblies, where the traditions of men were not obstmatel [...] maintained, nor super­stitiously obserued: but where the good and persit will of God was sought after in all humilitie and diligence, there am I (saith he) rauished with all my affection, there will I attend [Page 48] with my deuotion. There through loue do I take all my delight, and thereunto will I hold my selfe by consent. Now although this zeale of S. Austin and S. Bernard hath been followed and obserued badly by their successors, who since their time gaue too much credit to their owne Councels and humane fantasies; yet Gerson neuerthelesle sought to re­medie this abuse through his wholesome aduertisements. For in his booke of the spirituall life of the soule, he shew­eth that the sayings of the Apostles and their disciples were of another kinde of authoritie, namely in things which purely con­cerne our faith, then the instructions of their successors; and consequently that the authoritie of the Primitiue Church is farre greater then that which is at this day, and that there is neither Pope nor Councell that can abate any thing of that which was giuen vs by the Euangelists and S. Paul; or which hath the like authoritie, to make that any thing should bee of faith, All the do­ctrine of men [...]ath no autho­rity, but in that which is bor­rowed from the Scripture. as some men dreame. And in another place vpon this question, if in points of faith one might be called before the Pope: No particular man (saith he) not the Pope him­selfe, neither the Bishops can make a proposition which is here­ticall to be catholicall, or which is catholicall to be hereticall. And againe, in the triall of doctrines, Consider. 5. Tom. 1. That in case of doctrine more credit is to be giuen to one simple lay man, excellently skilfull in the Scripture, then to the Popes declaration; insomuch as it is certaine that one ought to be­leeue the Gospell rather then the Pope. Also that such a lear­ned man ought to oppose himselfe against a whole Councell, if he be there present, and seeth the greater partie to be inclined ei­ther through malice or ignorance to that which is contrarie to the Gospell, according to the example of S. Hilary. Where­unto doth agree that which the Abbat Panorma wrote in his chapter, intituled, Significat extra de Elect. to wit, that in things which concerne faith, the saying of a priuate person, ought to be preferred before the saying of the Pope, if so be it is fortified with better reasons out of the old and new Testament.

Franciscus Picus de Mirandula saith, If in a whole Coun­cell, the greater partie would ordaine some things, which are [Page 49] [...]ontrarie to the holy Scriptures, and against things that are not lawfull to bee violated: the other which are of the lesser number, opposing themselues against the greater, wee must ra­ther cleaue vnto the lesser number, as it happened in the Coun­cels of Rimini, and the second of Ephesus. Yea euen a simple countriman, a childe, or an old woman, are more worthie to bee beleeued, then the Pope and a thousand Bishops, if they should speake against the Gospell. Now that which wee haue spoken of the authoritie of Councels, ought to be appropriated to the censure of our fathers & pastors of the ancient Church, to wit, that wee ought not to receiue their writings, with such a reuerence and obedience of faith as wee receiue the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles, but to iudge and examine them by the Scriptures, according to that good counsell and example of some faithfull Doctors of the Primitiue Church:Our faith is not of elo­quence, or hu­mane perswa­sion. We ought not (saith S. Ierome inter. cap. 9 on the 98. Psalme) to follow the errors of our Fathers; but the Scriptures authoritie, and the commandements of God, which [...]nctruct vs. Euery other thing which shall be spoken after the Apostles time ought to bee cut off; let it haue no authoritie then, though the author thereof be holy or eloquent. Reade me those things (saith S. Austin in his booke of the Church, chap. 6.) in the Law, in the Prophets, in the Psalmes, or in the Epistles reade them there, and we will beleeue them. All others (saith he) how holy, or learned soeuer they be, I may reade them, not to beleeue what they say is true, because they say it; but in so much as they proue it by those canonicall authors, or by pro­bable reason. And in his epistle to Fortunatus; We ought not (saith he) to esteeme of all disputes, though they proceed from praise worthie, and catholike men, as the canonicall Scripture; but that in such a sort, as is lawfull (with the honour due vnto such men) to gainsay them, or to reiect some things in their writings; if per aduenture we finde they iudged otherwise then stands with the truth found out through the helpe of God, ei­ther by others or by our selues. For I am such a one in the wri­tings of other men, We must trie the spirits. as I would they should be in mine. Doe not stand (saith he in his preface of the third booke of the Tri­nitie) vpon my words and writings as vpon the canonical Scrip­ture. [Page 50] What soeuer in them thou shalt finde, beleeue it without doubting; but in my writings that which thou holdest not for very certaine, or if thou vnderstādest it not; hold it not as firme. The like saith he of S. Cyprians bookes in his second booke against Crescon chap. 32. I hold not S. Cyprians bookes for ca­nonicall: that which agreeth with the authoritie of holy Scrip­ture I receiue it with his praise; but that which agreeth not with them, I reiect by his good leaue: and we doe him no wrong, to make a distinction betweene his writings and the canonicall. For this wholesome canon of the Church was not without cause established, whereunto were brought certain bookes of the Pro­phets and Apostles, which wee dare not at all iudge, and accor­ding vnto which we freely iudge of all other bookes either of be­leeuers or Infidels. The like saith he also of S. Ieroms books, of S. Ambroses, and of the rest of the Fathers, which haue written since the Apostles time, in his epistle 112, and 11, booke against Faustus Manichean. cap. 5. I would not bring in the opinions of those great personages, lest thou shouldest thinke, that it behoueth me to follow the iudgement of any man, as the authoritie of the Scripture. In all their bookes, the rea­der or hearer hath a free iudgement to approue or reiect them, without the necessitie of beleeuing them, but with freedome to iudge thereof. From thence it commeth that hee exhorteth Vincent his friend in his 48. epistle, that hee should take heed of gathering against so many holy, cleere and vn­doubted testimonies, some cauils out of the writings of the Bishops, whether (saith he) of our owne, or of Hilaries, Cyprians or Agrippines: for such writings ought to be distin­guished from the authoritie of the canon, for men reade them not so, is it were to draw any testimonie from them, contrary to which it should not be lawfull to deeme, if peraduenture their opinion were otherwise then the truth requires. Wherewith the sentences of our Fathers agree!Godly and ex­cellent texts out of the Fa­thers. We haue no commande­ment fr̄o Christ (saith Iustine the Martyr in Triph. pag. 207) to beleeue in humane doctrines; but in those which his Apostles haue preached and himselfe hath taught. Therefore euery man must haue his recourse to the Scriptures, that he may finde as­surance in all things. Wee haue (faith Irenaeus in his third [Page 51] booke, chap. 1.) knowne the disposition of our saluation by no others, but by those by whom the Gospell is come vnto vs, which in their time they also preached, and afterward through the will of God haue giuen it to vs in the Scriptures, to the intent it might be the pillar and foundation of our faith. Againe, Iu­stine the Martyr saith in his exposition of true faith, that among the children of the Church, diuine things ought not to be comprehended within humane reasons and discourses; but that diuine words ought to be expounded, according to the will, instruction, and doctrine of the holy Ghost. S. Tertullian in like manner in his dispute, touching the flesh of Iesus Christ, saith, I receiue not this which thou bringest of thine owne be­side the Scripture; if thou art Apostolicall, then follow the A­postles doctrine. Likewise S. Ierome in his Annot. vpon the fifth chapter of Saint Pauls Epistle to the Galathians, saith plainly: Nulli kne verbo dei esse credendum, that is, We must not giue beleefe to any one without the word of God. Also S. Cy­ril, which was Bishop of Ierusalem, Cath. 4. saith, That it is not necessarie to teach any thing rashly touching the secrets of faith without the holy Scripture. If then I should teach thee these things simply, and without any proofe, beleeue me not vn­lesse thou receiuest some demonstration thereof by the Scrip­ture: for the saluation of our faith proceedeth not from a well composed discourse, but from the demonstration of diuine Scripture.

By these sentences our Fathers reduced themselues to the holy Scripture,We ought not to be ashamed to subiect our selues vnto that which the Apostles and the Angels are subiect vnto. commanding vs seriously to examine their sayings and writings by them, and if wee found them not agreeable and correspondent to that vniuersall rule of all sorts of Ecclesiasticall doctrines, to hold them in suspi­tion, and without any difficultie to reiect them: wherein wee cannot bee too rigorous, seeing that S. Paul, with his companions and the Angels make themselues subiect to that ballance, saying in his epistle to the Galathians, the first chapter and 8. verse,Galath. 1. 8. Though that we, or an Angel from heauen preach vnto you otherwise, then that which we haue preached vnto you, let him be accursed. Whereupon the Ab­bat Vincent Lirinensis made an excellent obseruation in his [Page 52] Treatise of the holy Scriptures Canon, chap. 22. That the Apostle S. Paul would spare no man, no not himselfe, nor Peter, nor Andrew, nor Iohn nor all the rest of the Apostles, but hath denounced, that all those which would publish be­yond that which the Apostles haue published, (these are the Abbats very words) should be accursed, thereby to maintaine the first faith stedfastly and strictly. Wherein, according to the very iudgement of your owne Doctor Canus, we do no wrong to our Fathers. For hee confesseth freely in the Centur. 3. that al the Saints, except those which haue writ­ten the canonicall bookes, haue spoken by a humane spi­rit, and at sometimes haue erred both in word and in wri­ting, euen in the points of faith,The Papists are condem­ned by those which they cite against vs as aduersaries. what learning or inno­cencie soeuer wee might conceiue in them. Behold there­fore some of your Doctors make no bones to reproue our Fathers, whensoeuer they are of an opinion, that they are gone neuer so little astray from the naturall sense of the holy Scripture. Without going any further; Robert Bellar­mine reiecteth the opinion of S. Austin, expounding that which S. Luke writeth of the fruite of the vine, and saith therein he hath not well obserued the Euangelist text. Al­so he accuseth Durand and Rupert of error, as appeareth by the 13. and 15. chapters of his third booke de Euchari­stia. Whereunto I will adde some of the ancient Fathers directly contrary to yours, whereby they wholly reiect the inuocation of Saints as superstitious, and hauing no ground in the holy Scripture. To begin then with Igna­tius, the disciple of S. Iohn, he giueth this exhortatiō to vir­gins in his sixth epistle to the Philadelphians:A gra [...]e ex­hortation of Ignatius, to pray only vnto God. Virgins set before your eyes in your prayers one only Iesus Christ, and his Father, being illuminated through his holy spirit. And in his third epistle to the Magnesians: Assemble together to pray in one place; let your prayer be common, one spirit, one hope in charitie and faith without spot in Christ: runne together as it were one man, to the temple of Christ, the high priest of God. Also Eusebius reciteth in his historie, lib. 4. cap. 14. that the other disciple of S. Iohn, named Polycarpus, being bound to a stake there to be burned for the name of Iesus Christ, [Page 53] he calleth not to minde his master in Christ S. Iohn, A testimonie giuen by Poly­carpus, who would not ad­d [...]efle himselfe to any but God. nor any of the Martyrs or holy men, which had been before him, to pray them to make intercession for him, but hee prayed vnto God alone, through Christ the only Mediatour and high Priest betweene the iustice of God and the sinnes of his people, saying, Father of Iesus Christ thy Sonne, by whom we haue had knowledge of thee, God of Angels and Powers, God of euery creature and of all the righteous, and of all sorts of races, which liue before thy face: I giue thankes that thou hast vouchsafed to grant vnto me this happie day, and this blessed houre wherein I shall be in the number of the Martyrs, and made partaker of the cup and passion of thy Christ vnto the resurrection of eternall life, both in soule and body through the immortall vertue of thy holy spirit; An excellent prayer. among which Martyrs I pray thee that I may be received before thy face, as a fat and pleasant offering. And for all these things, I praise thee, I blesse thee, and I glorifie thee through Iesus Christ thy most deare Sonne, and high priest, through whom vnto thee, with him, and with thy holy spirit, be glory now and for euermore. Also this same Historian sheweth vs in his 4. booke and 14. chapter, that the Iewes and Gentiles came to pray the Gouernour Nicetes, not to deliuer the bodie of Polycarpus to the Chri­stians, lest in forsaking their Christ crucified, they should religiously begin to honour him: Whereunto the author answereth, that these sillie superstitious men had therein through their ignorance deceiued themselues, and consi­dered not that true Christians can neuer forsake Iesus Christ, who suffered for the saluation of the world, neither will they honour religiously any other as God; because they know the true God, and him which alone (as hee ad­deth) ought to bee serued religiously.The pietie of Clement. Likewise Clement (according to your opinion) successor vnto the Apostle S. Peter, teacheth vs in his recognitions and Apostolicall institutions, that it is not lawfull for the Christians to pray vnto the departed, as the Heathen did, but that all our me­ditations and prayers ought to bee addressed onely vnto God, and that no man is permitted to come vnto him but through his Sonne and our Aduocate Iesus Christ.

[Page 54] Also Irenaeus testifieth in his second booke,A testimonie of Ireuaeus. and 57. chap­ter, that in his daies the Church was exercised in workes of pietie and charitie, and not by the inuocation of Angels and Saints departed, nor in inchantments, or any other wicked curiositie, but addressing purely and manifestly their prayers to the Lord, who made all things, and in the name of Iesus Christ, according to the necessitie of euery one. Clement Alexandrine treating vpon this subiect, was sore grieued at the Christians, which worshipped the spi­rits of the deceased,A reproch of Clement Alex­andrine. saying in his 7. booke, that it is a great brutishnes to craue any thing of those which were not Gods. And hereupon hauing respect vnto the true rule of inuo­cation, the which hee followeth with the rest of all the Christians, after the imitation of the Angels, hee addeth, That whereas there is but one only good, that is God, both wee and the Angels pray vnto him either to giue vs or to let vs haue such blessings, as he knoweth to be healthfull for vs. And in his first booke of Pedagogie, chap. 7. Iesus Christ (saith he) is our schoolemaster, who as children hath led vs vnto euerlasting life, and hath taken care of vs. And if we suffer our selues to be instructed, by this schoolemaster and conductor, we shall obtaine all things of God, which we can iustly demaund of him. Tertullians te­stimonie. The Church also with S. Tertullian hath followed this rule, who speaking of his fashion, and of all the Chri­stian Church in his Apologie, chap. 3. We pray (saith he) for the welfare of Emperours, vnto the eternall God, the true God, the liuing God, and lift vp our hands to heauen for them, be­seeching God that it would please him to giue vnto them a long life, and empire without feare, a safe Court, a strong armie, a faithfull Magistrate, a loyall people, and a peaceable world. These things can I demand of none in my prayers, but of him from whom I know I can obtaine them, because hee only hath made them, and I am his seruant which lookes vp to him alone, and vnto whom he will grant them. Testimonie from Origen. The like also saith Origen against Celsus, lib. 8. We present (saith he) the first fruits only vnto him, to, whom wee addresse our prayers, to wit, vnto God, hauing an high Priest which is entred the heauens euen Iesus Christ the Sonne of God, and we shall hold constantly the pro­fession [Page 55] of this faith, so long as through the blessednesse of God, and of his Sonne who hath manifested himselfe amongst vs, we doe remaine aliue: And although we know that not the diuels, but the Angels ouer see the abundance of fruites, and the mul­tiplication of cattell, yet neuer thelesse wee must not giue vnto them that honour which is due only vnto God: for God will not haue it so, nor they vnto whom such charges are committed; but they loue vs, because wee offer no sacrifices vnto them, nor haue they any need of his odours; and we are but to pray vnto one only God and to appease him, who is the Lord of all things, and to seeke only his fauour through pietie and other vertues. In that prayer which S. Cyprian hath composed,An example of S. Cyprians. and repea­ted so many times in memorie of the benefit of the death and passion of our Lord Iesus, he betaketh himself to none but to God the Father, the Sonne, and the holie Ghost, without making any mention therein either of Angels or of Saints. I should be too long and troublesome to recite it at length, only wee will content our selues to propound briefly the conclusion thereof to the Reader, to the intent he may censure thereof: Through thy name Lord Iesus (saith this good Father in the end of his prayer) deliuer me from the power of the aduersarie, thou that are a mightie deliuerer, and the aduocate of our prayers for the requests of our soules, solicite night and day for my sins, present my prayer to thy Fa­ther; and thou Lord O holy Father deigne to behold and looke vpon my prayers, as vpon the offerings of Abel. Vouchsafe to deliuer me from fire and eternall paine, and from all torments that thou hast prepared for the wicked, through our blessed Sa­uiour Iesus Christ, through whom be all praise, glorie and ho­nour to thee for euer and euer. An example of S. Hilaries. In that most excellent prayer which S. Hilarie made vnto God, to beseech him to giue him his grace to expound well the great mysterie of the holy Trinitie, he addresseth himself to none but vnto God, building vpon his promise, that to him which asketh hee shall receiue, to him which seeketh hee shall finde, and to him which knocketh it shall be opened. Also Eusebius in his bookes of preparation, sheweth that in his daies the Christians worshipped only God in spirit and truth. For [Page 56] what writeth hee thereof in his 4. booke of Preparation? We are taught (saith he) to serue religiously the only God of all creatures, Forcible rea­sons of Euse­bius to proue that wee are to inuocate none but God. and for this cause wee attribute to him alone, the worship that appertaines vnto him, seruing him only by way of religion. Afterward, treating in another place of the inter­cession of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ, and the rea­sons wherefore the Christians call vpon God, in the name of his only Sonne, first he rehearseth that it is because hee being become man, and taken our flesh vpon him, hath suf­fered for our sakes all manner of wrongs and reproches. Secondly, because hee prayeth vnto his Father for vs, and through his request which hee makes vnto his Father for vs, repulseth behinde vs all our enemies both visible and inuisible. Thirdly, because neither S. Paul, S. Peter, nor any of the other Saints haue been crucified for vs, but our only Redeemer Iesus Christ: from whence he concludeth, that the intercession which he maketh vnto his Father is proper to him, and incommunicable to the Saints, seeing he is the only high Priest, who once hath offered himselfe in a sa­crifice to God his Father, both for vs, for himselfe, and for man which he had taken out of the earth, who is ascended vp into heauen, there to celebrate for vs the spirituall sacri­fices, to wit, our supplications which hee presenteth vnto God his Father, praying him with vs, that for his sake hee will be mercifull and fauourable vnto vs. According to which he giueth vs this testimonie of S. Denys Bishop of Alexandria in his Ecclesiastical storie, lib. 7. cap. 10. who be­ing called before Aemilian Gouernour of Egypt to render an account of his faith, and to answere vnto his demands, and among the rest vnto this, vnto what God he and the other Christians addresse their prayers? He answereth him freely, that himselfe, nor the rest of the Christians did nei­ther worship, or serue religiously any other, but that God which only is hee who hath created of nothing, the hea­uens, the sea, the earth and all things which are in them. Moreouer, he repeateth in this very historie, lib. 10. cap. 4. that Paulin Bishop of Tyre, taught publikely both by mouth and writing, that Christ is our only Aduocate, the [Page 57] only author of life, the alone giuer of light, our great Phy­sitian, our King, our only Lord, and the Christ or anointed of God his Father, who alone is capable to make interces­sion in heauen for vs, as hee who hath borne our corrup­tions and sorrowes vpon him, who only hath established poore sinners againe, which were not only halfe dead, but alreadie rotten in their graues, and who heretofore and yet vnto this present hath of his owne gratious affection pre­serued vs, contrary to our owne hope and expectation. Fi­nally, that none of those which are in heauen had that po­wer to reestablish mankinde, and to deliuer him from the perdition whereinto hee was fallen, but this only Sauiour Iesus Christ. Therefore to this intent it is written of Con­stantine the Emperour in the fourth booke of his Ecclesia­sticall Historie, chap. 21, that he was so zealous at his pray­ers, and calling vpon the name of God, that euery day for certaine houres hee locked himselfe into some secret place of his palace, falling downe vpon his knees and speaking vnto God, crauing of him that which he had need of. Fur­thermore,A testimonie giuen by Constatine, not to addresse our prayers but to God only. that hee commanded his officers and souldiers daily to pray for him and the prosperitie of his kingdome, and to call only vpon God, according to the rules and in­structions of holy Scripture, and in praying to say, Lord we acknowledge no God but thee, thou art our King, wee call vpon thee for our succour, through thee wee haue obtained victories, from thee we expect felicitie both present and to come.

Moreouer, because the Christians should not only inuo­cate God the Father, but also his sonne Iesus Christ, S. A­thanasius disputing against the Arrians, to proue the God­head of our Lord Iesus Christ, groundeth principally his argument vpon this holy and commendable custome of the ancient Church: Neuer any (saith he, ser. 4.) hath prayed to receiue any thing of God and of the Angels, A necessarie doctrine to re­fute the seruice of Angels. or of some other creature: and neuer any man hath conceiued such a forme of words, as, God and the Angels grant it thee, but contrariwise from the Father and the Sonne, because of the vnion, and vni­forme reason of giuing. And as touching that that Iacob, blessed Ephrai [...] and Masasseh,Gen. 48. 15. 16. saying, The God which hath [Page 58] fod me all my life long vnto this day. The Angel which hath deliuered me from all ouill, blesse the children, &c. He hath not ioyned with God the Creatour, andy of the created Angels, and which of their owne nature were Angels; he hath not for saken God his nourisher to craue his blessing of an Angel vpon his little sonnes: but insomuch that he exprosly spake of that An­gel which had deliuered him from all euill, he hath shewne suf­ficiently, that his meaning was not to speake of any one of the Angels created, but of the Sonne of the Father, whom he ioy­ned as a companion with his Father in his prayers, by whom God deliuereth such, as it pleaseth him; for hee had acknowled­ged him for the Angel of the great Counsell, and hath not by his words signified any other then he alone which blesseth and deliuereth from euill. For he meant not, that the blessing which be craued of God, should be giuen to him and his little sonnes by an Angel, but by him only which elsewhere he prayeth vnto, saying,Gen. 32. 26. I will neuer forsake thee except thou blesse me. And he was God, as Iacobs words make mention when he saith, I haue seen God face to face: and vnto him (say I) Iacob prayed for to blesse his children. For Iacob called vpon no other then God, saying, Lord deliuer me from the hands of my brother Esau, &c. Nor Dauid also called on no other for his deliuerance, saying, Lord I haue cried vnto thee in my tribulation, and thou hast heard me; Lord deliuer my soule from lying lips, &c. Like­wise the Apostle S. Paul: God in whom we haue hoped, hath de­liuered me from euill, and will deliuer me, &c. And thereby thou maist perceive that it appertaineth to none but vnto God, to blesse and deliuer: for no other could deliuer Iacob but God, and Iacob called only vpon him as his deliuerer. It appeareth then that this Patriarch did not couple with God any one is his prayers, but the Word of God, (of whom S. Iohn writeth, to wit, that in the beginning it was God & with God.) which Re­deemer he calleth an Angel, because it is he alone which reuea­leth and sheweth God vnto vs: and which thing the Apoctl [...] S. Paul doth also oftentimes, when he saith, Grace be with you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Iesus Christ. And in his second sermon it is written: Be my prote­ctor, O God, and a fortresse for my refuge, to the end thou maist [Page 59] defend me. Item, The Lord is made the refuge of the poore, and all the rest which is found semblable in the holy Scripture. But if our aduersaries maintaine, that these words haue been spoken of the Sonne, as it is most likelie, let them then know, that the Saints doe not intreat of a creature, that he should be their aid, and hereafter let them referre these words (he hath been made, he hath made, he hath created) to Christs comming in the flesh, when he hath taken vp to the crosse our sins vpon him and said, Come vnto me all ye which are laden, and I will ease you.

In like manner Arnobius in his dispute against the Pa­gans,A graue ex­hortation of Arnobius. who through the intercession made vnto their little gods and mediatours, addressed themselues to the princi­pals, signifieth vnto them in his third booke, that to serue the Godhead it sufficeth vs to worship the chiefest God, who is the soueraigne Father, the supreme Lord, Creator and conductor of all things, and that in him only we serue whatsoeuer is to be serued religiously, and worship what­soeuer is to be worshipped. And in the end hee conclu­deth, speaking to the Gentiles of the intercession of our only aduocate Iesus Christ, Ye must learne (saith he, of vs) that soules cannot receiue the force of life and saluation from any, but from him, which this great king hath established in this charge; because the almightie Emperour was willing that hee should be the way vnto saluation, and, as I may say, the gate of life; through him there is an entrance into light, for by no other way can we attaine, or enter in by force, all other be shut vp, in­accessible, and fortified with an inumcible fortresse.

All these prayers and exhortations of the first successors of the Apostles are as so many faithful witnesse,The inuoca­tion of one on­ly God hath remained en­tire, after the natiuitie of Christ, not­withstanding the assaults of Satan. which all with one consent doe testifie, that these ancient Fathers haue maintained carefully the adoration of one only God, to wit, of the Father, the Sonne, and of the holy Ghost, more then for three hundred yeeres after the natiuitie of our Lord Iesus Christ. And although that shortly after some Monkes and disciples of the Gentiles, newly come foorth of Egypt and Syria, with the old leauen of their ido­latries, sought to bring vp the inuocation of Angels and Saints departed, into the Christian Church; yet was it not [Page 60] receiued of all, but only of some particular persons, which were reproued and condemned therefore, aswell by the iudgement and sentences of the Churches of Asia assem­bled in the Councell of Laodicea, as by many other excel­lent discourses of the principall Bishops of the Greeke and Latin Churches. The sentence of the generall Councell of all the Churches of Asia is described vnto vs by S. Theodo­ret in his Commentaries vpon the Epistle to the Colos­sians, and the exposition of those words of the Apostle con­tained in the second chapter,Coloss. 2. 18. and 18 verse, to wit, Let no man at his pleasure beare rule ouer you by humblenes of minde, and worshipping of Angels, A sentence of S. The [...]dorets. &c. Those (saith Theodoret) which forbad the law, seduced them to worship Angels, alleaging that the law had been giuen by them. Now this sinne remained for a long time in Phrygia and Pisilia, till that the Councell assem­bled in Laodicea, the capitall citie o' Phrygia, forbad them by an expresse law not to pray vnto the Angels: so that yet vnto this day is to be seene among their neighbours the Oratories of S. Michael. Now because they counselled the Christians vnder the cloake of humilitie to worship the Angels, S. Paul comman­deth them the contrarie, that they should beautifie all their say­ings and deeds with the remembrance of our Lord Iesus Christ. Giuo thanks (saith he) vnto God the Father through him, and not by the Angels. And the Synod of Laodicea following this law, as willing to cure this ancient maladie, ordained and pro­uided by another law, that they should not pray vnto the Angels, to the end they should not forsake our Lord Iesus Christ.

Now it resteth in vs to see whether our Fathers haue not taken great paines to haue plucked vp the rootes of this darnell and dangerous weede,Not to erre in points of Reli­gion, we must not giue eare but to the pure word of God. which the diuell (sworne enemie against the glorie of God) had sowne by night among the good graine of the pure inuocatiō of the Lords name. True it is that in the beginning some haue sowne this wicked seede vnder the shadow of deuotion: others haue receiued it to a good end and intention; and some o­thers not seeing to it before hand, giuing it too long a time of growth, it sprouted vp higher and higher, and finally [Page 61] would haue ouertopt the truth and haue stifled it; they suf­fered it to grow for a time with the good graine: but when they perceiued that this banefull weed began to ouer grow and choake that which by the Apostles had been planted in the Church, and watered by their successors, they then were constrained wholly to roote it out,The doctrine of Epiphanius, an ancient Do­ctor for the true inuoca­tion. beginning this holy labour first in the East, and went forward with it to­wards the West. For S. Epiphanius and diuers others of the seruants of God in the Easterne Churches, hauing vnder­stood that some superstitious women presented certaine cakes to the Virgin Mary, tooke occasion from thence to reproue this abuse, and to admonish them thereof in gene­rall, that they should not honour the Saints beyond mea­sure, but to honor their Lord, and so consequently such as had been seduced ought to renounce their errors, and to consider that Mary is not God, nor hath any celestiall bo­die: but that she is of the conception of man and woman, who (as Epiphanius saith in his Treatise of Heresit) steepeth in honor, is dead in charitie, and hath receiued her crowne in virginitie: let none then (concludeth he) offer vp in her name, for if he doe, he loseth his soule. Moreouer, he condemneth these women of heresie by these words: In them is accom­plished that which was foretold, some shall reuolt from the wholesome doctrine, betaking themselues to fables and the do­ctrine of diuels: for there shall be some (saith he) which shall giue diuine honors to the dead, as heretofore they honored them in Israel. And the glorie of the Saints in their time in opposition to God, was an error for others which saw not the truth. And this little haue we considered and written to such as will learne the truth in the Scripture, and not to braue it out through vain discourses, neither to arme themselues with a blasphematorie tongue; so that if some will not suffer them, nor receiue these profitable things, but rather the contrarie, we must say to him, how little soeuer we are, that hee which heareth, let him vnder­stand, and hee which is disobedient, let him disobey, and let him trouble vs nor the Apostles no more. For we haue spoken of the holy Virgin what wee deemed to be the most religious and the most profitable for the Church. Afterward, hee addresseth [Page 62] himselfe to these women,A graue cen­sure of the fe­minine super­stition. and rebuketh them, in that they had decked a chariot or a foure squared chaire, spreading a linnen vaile ouer it, and set it once a yeere before the vir­gin Mary, and presented thereon to her certaine loaues of bread for the space of some daies. He calleth this supersti­tion a heresie, and the roote of all idolatrie, womens rage, a false opinion, Eues maladie, who by the serpent was de­ceiued, the promise of error proceeding from that wicked beast, which bringeth forth no goodnesse, neither accom­plisheth the things promised, but calleth those which are not as though they were, the cause of death, the mistris and guide vnto disobedience, and reuolt from the truth it selfe: Item, a diabolical enterprise, a cursed affection to the forging of Idols inspired of the diuell, which vnder the cloake of righteousnesse ordinarily creepeth into the spi­rits of men, and through diuers cunning sleights deifieth a mortall nature. Also hee compareth the idolatrie of these women vnto the adulterie and whoredome of common strumpets, which heate themselues in the superfluitie of many beds; and trample vnder their feete the chast compa­nie of one legitimate husband.The virgin Mary is sancti­fied, but not de fied, and ought to be honoured, but not worship­ped. Hereupon hee confesseth that which these superstitious women were able to pro­pound vnto him, namely, that the bodie of the Virgin was holy: whereunto he answereth, that she was not therefore God; that she was a virgin worthie of all honour, but not giuen vs from God to be adored, but that euen she herself hath worshipped him, who of her was borne according to the flesh, and who is descended from heauen out of the bosome of his Father. Therefore ye may see (saith he) why the Gospell fortifieth vs, None was able to know bet­ter then Iesus Christ how much the vir­gin ought to be glorified. reciting what the Lord himselfe said vn­to her, Woman, what haue I to doe with thee? Mine houre is not yet come. To the intent that none should presume of more then appertaineth vnto this holy virgin, neither should attri­bute too much excellencie vnto her, he calleth her woman, as prophecying of the things which should come to passe in the world, by reason of partialities and heresies, lest that some in ad­miring her too much, should fall into the romings of this he­resie: for the whole discourse of this storie is but trash, and, as I [Page 63] may tearme it an old womans tale. Moreouer, to take away the occasion of all excuses and replies, he cleanly cutteth it off, and saith, that neuer any Scripture hath taught vs this kinde of adoration, nor that any of the Prophets haue euer commanded vs to worship a man, much lesse a woman. Ve­rely she is (saith Epiphanius) an excellent chosen vessell, The Saints are more to be ho­nored for ha­uing beleeued, then the virgin Mary, who bore the Son of God in her belly, or as Sim­eon which bore him be­tweene his armes. yet not­withstanding she is a woman, whose nature hath not in any thing been changed; but as she that in honour hath been raised vp, as the body of the Saints; and if more may be said in her ho­nour, like as Elias a virgin from the belly of his mother, which alwaies kept his virginitie, was taken vp into heauen, and saw no death: or as Iohn whom the Lord loued, and who leaned vpon his bosome, or as holy Thecla; but Mary is to be honou­red much more then these, because of the dispensation of that secret whereof as worthie she was reputed. But Elias, though he yet be liuing, ought not to be worshipped, nor Iohn; albeit that by his owne prayer he made his death to be admired, or receiued this grace from God rather, no nor Theela, nor any [...] Saint ought to be adored: The reason is, because (saith he) that the ancient error should not domineere ouer vs, that in forsaking the liuing God, we should not worship the things which hee hath created. For they haue worshipped and serued the creature, ha­ [...]ing forsaken the Creator, and are become fooles. For if he will not suffer vs to adore the Angels, much lesse her that is borne of Anna, who to Anna was giuen by Ioaechim, she that through prayers and all deuotion was giuen according to the promise made to her father and mother: and who in that respect is borne no otherwise, then according to the nature of others, The end where­fore Iesus Christ would take his flesh of woman, was not to the in­tent that she should be wor­shipped, but that the world might beleeue that he had ta­ken out nature vpon him. but as all of the seed of man, and out of the wombe of a woman. For although the storie of Mary and the traditions doe report, that it was said to her father Ioachim in the wildernesse, Thywife hath conceiued, yet was it not said, that it should be without copulation, or without the seed of man. But the Angell which was sont, foretold that which was to come, to the intēt we should not enter into doubt, because of that which in truth hath been done, as alreadie it had been ordained and promised to the righ­tous: and we see that the Scripture in many places declareth it to be so God then being descended out of heauen hath formed [Page 64] himselfe of the Virgin, as of earth, the Word hauing taken his flesh of the Virgin Mary: neuerthelesse, not to that end that the Virgin should be worshipped, neither to the intent that hee would deifie her, nor with meaning that wee should offer vp in her name. Hereupon returning to the first originall of the error of these women, hee crieth out, saying, From whence then is come this crooked Dragons from whence are these croo­ked Counsels renewed? let Mary be in honour, but let the Fa­ther, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost be worshipped; let none wor­ship Mary, nor any other woman, no nor a man likewise, for this mysterie is due only but to God. The Angels themselues are not capable of such an honour, therefore let the couetousnesse of the tree be taken away from before your eyes: let the creature returne vnto his Creator, She which is bound to wor­ship, is not ca­pable of being worshipped. let Adam with Eue come againe to reuerence and serue God only, let her be no more seduced by the Serpents voice; but let her abide in the commandement of God, Thou shalt not eate of the tree. This tree was not the er­ror, but by the tree came the disobedience of error: let none then eate of the error, which is for the Virgin Maries sake; for although the tree be faire, it is not therefore good to be eaten. And though that Mary be exceeding faire, holy, and to be ho­noured, yet is she not to be worshipped. But these women renew a mixtion at hab nab, and prepare a table not for God, but for the diuell; let Ieremy stay and withhold these peeuish women, that they may not trouble the world, nor say no more, We honor the Queene of Heauen. Honor besee­meth all the Saints, but a­doration be­longeth to God only. Whereupon briefly concluding his discourse, he saith, Let Mary be in honour, and let the Lord be worshipped. For the righteous (saith he) giue no occasion of error to any one, God is not tempted with euill, neither tempteth any man, nor likewise his seruants to deceiue vs.

If this holy Father had such zeale and courage to crie out so loud against these women in his time, which offered but a cake vnto the Virgin Mary, and that all the East trembled for it; what would he doe at this day, if he heard the prayers of your Iesuits, wherein they iovne ordinarily the Virgin Mary with the holy Trinitie, saying, To God one in Trinitie, and to the mother of God, Mary alwaies virgin be glorie and thanks giuing vnte eternitie? What would hee [Page 65] say of your prayer contained in the Psalter, approoued by the Doctors of Sotbon, and iudged not only worthie, but also very profitable to be published, in which you say to the Virgin Mary: My only succour, If the Virgin could speake from heauen, she would re­buke these blasphen atory vo [...]ves & p [...]ay­ers which they make vnto her. my lips are bound to publish no other praises then thine, I haue put all my hope in thee, to thee only I addresse my prayers, I will loue no other then thee; by thee the head of the Serpent hath been brused by thee the world is repaired, thy power is boundlesse, vnto thee I confesse my sinnes, into thy hands I remit my soule: Come vnto Mary ye which haue th [...]rst, pray vnto her, that with her water she will wash away the filthinesse of your sinnes; promised woman to bruse the Serpēt pray for vs; which sufferedst on the crosse with Christ, take pitie on vs. What would he iudge of Iustus Lip­sius, who putting out his eyes wherewith he had seene the light of truth in Holland and who not long ago hath abu­sed his penne to renew and disguise through the craft and cunning of his tongue, the false rumours of the miracles of the Ladies of Hates and of Montague? would he not li­ken this golden fable of Lipsius, and the florish of prayers which you make to the Virgin Mary, to the Cantarids and greene flies, which are of colour very faire and shining like gold, and yet are very dangerous and full of venome, which they spue vp, and cast on euery side vpon the trees and fruits of the earth? would he not crie out much more louder and farre more rougher against your superstitions,Our prayers one for ano­ther be witnes­ses only of our obedience to God, and the cha [...]itie wee beate vnto our neighbour, which cannot be [...] into the inter­cession of the Sonne of God. then he did in times past for the presenting but of a cake to the Virgin Mary? Had he not greater reason to call the praises and prayers which daily you offer to the holy Vir­gin, the instruments of error, diabolicall enterprises, a spi­rituall adulterie, a doctrine blasphematorie, and finally a forging Idoll heresie? Now as for Chrysostome, he teacheth vs in his sermons, and vpon the exposition of the formular of the prayer which Iesus Christ gaue vnto his Disciples, that God requireth not of vs, that wee should addresse our prayers to any other, but only vnto him, and to his Sonne Iesus Christ our sole Mediatour, to induce him to receiue and heare our supplications. And albeit that God in his word hath cōmanded vs to succour one another with our [Page 66] mutuall prayers, with promise to heare vs, notwithstan­ding, hee sheweth vs, that to purchase the fauour of God, wee haue no neede of any other helpe, then by addressing our selues to our only Sauiour Iesus Christ, we haue free accesse vnto his grace, and stand sure in the same. God (saith he in his fifth sermon vpon the 8. chapter of S. Matthew) will not grant vs so much of his grace, at the request of them which pray for vs, as when wee our selues pray, to the end wee might vse freedome in speaking to him, and that desiring to re­concile him vnto vs, we may reforme our selues. For so tooke he pitie on the Canaanitish woman, We haue no need or [...]ny other Interces­sors t [...]en we our selues; [...]n that we pray in the name of the Sonne of God. so on the theefe without ei­ther the intercession of aduocate or mediatour. And wilt thou learne this, that we in praying for our selues do more good with God then when others pray for vs? The Canaanitish woman cried, and as the disciples came vnto him they besought Christ, saying, Send her away, for she crieth after vs; and Christ Ie­sus answered, I am not sent but vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel: but when she came her selfe and continued on her crying▪ saying. Truth Lord, yet indeed the whelps eate of the crummes which fall from their masters table, then hee did her good, and said: Be it vnto thee as thou desirest. Thou maist see ho [...] hee put her off when others prayed for her, and heard her when she her selfe prayed. In like manner, in his 16. sermon vpon certain texts of the Gospel, according to S. Matthew, he saith, Is God farre from thee, that thou goest to seeke him in some place? He is not shut vp in any place, but alwaies he is by thee. And he which no place can containe, faith will containe him. For if thou wilt pray vnto a man, thou enquirest what he doth, and he to whom thou speakest heareth thee dreamingly, or hath not the leisure, or will not vouchsafe to answere thee. With God all this is needlesse, but in what place soeuer thou art if thou callest on him hee is at hand: Thou [...]ast no neede of an vsher, mediatour, or seruant, doe but say, take pitie on me, and as soone as thou hast spoken he is there; neither canst thou haue finished thy speech, but hee will say, here I am. Againe, in his discourse vpon the Canaanitish woman, Tell me woman, how durst thou addresse thy selfe to Iesus Christ, thou which art sin­full and wicked? I knew well what I doe, answered she. Behold [Page 67] the wisedome of the woman, she prayeth not to Iames, she ad­dresseth not her selfe to Peter, she cares not for all the Apostles: she seeketh no Mediatour, but in stead of all these, she taketh re­pentance along with her for her con [...]vanion, which was in place of a Mediatour for her, and so is gone vnto the souraigne fountaine. For (said she) therefore is he descended from hea­uen, therefore tooke he flesh vpon him, and made himselfe man, that I might dare to speake to him; A contrite heart is that which can lead vs vnto God. aboue in heauen the Cheru­bims tremble before him, the Seraphi [...]s feare him, and heere beneath on earth a woman of a wicked life speaketh vnto him, and saith, haue mercie on me: ô admirable! aboue trembling, beneath boldnesse! haue mercie on me, I haue no need of a Me­diatour. He repeateth this doctrine in his treatise of Repen­tance. God only (saith he) can cure the heart, who hath made the heart of euery one, and who euery day vnderstandeth our af­faires. He then can enter into our consciences (which is not possible for the Angels and Saints departed) to touch our spirits, and bow our soules. Knowing then these things, let vs haue our recourse vnto God, who will and can separate our vexations. For when wee haue to doe with men, to obtaine any thing at their hands, we must first meete with porters, then per­swade flatterers, and oftentimes take a great iourney. With God there is no such thing, without either mediatour or spokesman he is inclined to heare thee, without either money or charge he yeeldeth to thy prayer: It is a great fol­ly in men to addresse them­selues to their equals, which often pase thē with excuses, in stead of bringing them straight vnto God, who is ready to hold his armes open to receiue thē. It is sufficient if thou criest only to him with thy heart, or sheadest thy teares, he is then quickly moued to mercie. He addeth vpon the fourth Psalme: Thou canst not say, I am afraid to come neere and pray vnto God, for thou hast no need of any vshers which should bring thee vnto him, nor guards, nor friends: but when thou art alone by thy selfe, then is the principall time in which he will heare thee, for euen so did he with the Canaanitish woman: when Peter and Iames came vnto him, he did not grant her request, but when she per­sisted on, then he gaue her that which she craued. From whence he draweth this conclusion, in his sermon of the profit and aduancement of the Gospell: Thou hast no need of any aduo­cates vnto God, nor of any long discourse: but although thou [Page 68] beest alone,The faithfull man is neuer better accomp­ani [...]d, then when he pray­eth alone in his closet.without an aduocate, and praiest thy selfe vnto God, thou shalt obtaine thy desire.

Touching the intercession of the Saints departed, he de­termineth nothing thereof particularly: but writing to R [...]parius he admonisheth vs in general [...], that we ought not to worship, neither Reliques, Angels, nor any other crea­ture whatsoeuer. And so oft as he treateth of prayer, he ex­horteth vs not to haue our recourse to any creature, but vnto God only: and to follow in our prayers that forme of prayer and instruction of our Lord Iesus Christ, which hee recommendeth vnto vs in his 14 Sermon vpon S. Matthew, where hee saith, that hee which prayeth not as Christ hath taught,None can doe more with the Father then the Sonne. is none of Christs disciples, and that the Father wil­lingly heareth the prayer, which his Sonne hath indited, because the Father knoweth the intention and words of his Sonne; neither receiueth any thing but what his wise­dome hath expounded, reiecting all that men haue inuen­ted and followed through custome and vsurpation. So is it then, that Iesus Christ the only Sonne of God hath taught vs to call vpon our heauenly Father, but in his name. And S. Chrysostome expounding the fifth verse of the first Epistle to Timothy, Chap. 2. There is one God, and one Mediatour be­tweene God and man, which is the man Christ Iesus, noteth vpon this place that Christ to be our Mediatour, ought to be ioyned with God and Man, and that if hee were separa­ted from the substance of the Father, and had no naturall communion therewith, he could in no wise be our Media­tour. And to the end▪ wee should not thinke that God is pleased with doing vs good, and giuing [...]are to our re­quests, for the sake and merit of any other Saint, he signi­fieth to vs, that all men (except our Redeemer Iesus Christ) haue been defiled here with some sinne. God (saith he, in his 40. Sermon on Genesis) permitted that sometimes the righ­teous through their owne will should fall into sinne, to the intent that he alone should be without sinne. From hence it chanced that Abraham hath sinned through infidelitie, and Moses through ingratitude, not glorifying God, who gaue him water [Page 69] out of the rock. And in his 45. Sermon vpon S. Matthew, he maketh mention of the Virgin Maries ambition, which moued her to importune our Lord Iesus Christ to doe mi­racles. And vpon this sentence of the 14. Psalme and third verse, There is none that doth good, no not one, he citeth again for confirmation hereof, the vices and imperfections of the Virgin Mary, and of all the Disciples of our Lord Iesus Christ, saying that when Christ was crucified, there was none that did good: all his Disciples fled away, Iohn starke naked, Pe­ter denied him, and the s [...]ord of doubt or di [...]fidence pierced the soule of the Virgin Mary.

Among other arguments, which your Doctors vse to verifie that which you haue proposed in the beginning of your Epistle, to wit, y^• the Church hath taught & approued the inuocation of Saints for the space of 1605. yeeres: be­hold one of the principall saith, namely, that the Gentiles (into which number Iulian the Apostate ranked himselfe) called the Christians Idolaters, aswell for the veneration of Saints, as for that of Angels. But to refute your proposi­tion, and to discouer the falsehood thereof, I will here cite that answere which S Cyril Patriarch of Alexandria gaue expressely to Iulian the Apostate,A lie giuen to Iulian the Apo­state. vpon that false accusation and reproch: It is not so as thou thinkest (replied S. Cyril to Iulian the Emperour) that we deifie a man, and that we should not giue the honor of adoration to him which by nature is God; but we say rather, that the Word proceeded from the Father, by whom all things haue bin created, and who ordained to saue mankinde hath taken flesh, and hath bin made man. He is not worshipped (as thou saist, and wouldest beleeue) in that he is man; for why should we say so, but acknowledging that this man which appeared to vs is the Word of God? we goe vnto him in as much as he is also God, and who came from God the immu­table Father. As for the Martyrs, we reckon them not as Gods, neither haue we accustomed (note this word) to worship them: we only praise them and honour them with great honours, be­cause valiantly they haue fought for the truth, and in that they [...]eld the puritie of their faith, euen to despise their owne liues. Besides, thy Plato saith of such as haue liued well and died ho­norably, [Page 70] that they are made Demons,To depriue the Saints of vn­meete adora­tion, is not to frustrate them from their due reuerence.that is to say, Gods, and that after their death they ought to be serued, and their sepul­chres worshipped. But as for vs, we say not that the holy Mar­tyrs are made Gods, but haue accustomed to honour them as much as may be, yeelding them euery where in recompence of their noble vertues, a memorie that neuer perisheth, Neither shall you euer proue, that we worship men, or should attribute to them the glory of God. He sheweth the like in his bookes of the Trinitie, and in his Commentaries vpon the Gospell of S. Iohn: We come not vnto God (saith he in his first booke of the holy Trinitie) otherwise then by Christ. And in his third booke: Our faith iustifieth, and maketh vs familiar with God, and aduanceth vs neere vnto him. This faith is not simply in the man, but in the nature of God; and in as much as the Word was in the flesh. And in his Treatise of true faith: Our faith, and hope is in God, when Christ then said, beleeue in me, doth he not manifestly shew that he is God? And if in the Spirit of the Sonne, we haue confidence in calling vpon the Father; how is not Christ then god also, after that the Word was made flesh? Which he more amplie and cleerely expoundeth in his dis­course vpon the exhortation, which Christ made to his Disciples before his departure out of this world, to pray vnto the Father in his name, oftentimes promising to them, that they should obtaine whatsoeuer they demanded of his Father in his name.Seeing Christ commandeth vs to pray vnto the Father in his name, he excludeth all other names. He addeth, In my name, (saith S. Cy­ril) to shew that he is the Mediatour, and that the Father communicateth his blessings to vs, through the Son, by whom wee haue accesse to the Father in the Spirit, as it is written. Therefore hee calleth himselfe the gate, and the way; because (saith he) no man commeth vnto the Father but by me. For in as much as he is the Son & God, he giueth vs his blessings with the Father. Which S. Paul minding to shew vs, said, Grace be with you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Iesus Christ, But in so much that he is Mediatour, High-priest and Aduocate, he presenteth our prayers to God, for he alone gi­ueth vs libertie and boldnesse vnto the Father. We must then pray in the Sauiours name, if wee will be heard of the Father. None can be made holy or sanctified by the rule of liuing well, [Page 71] but through the helpe and intercession of Christ,The Father wil neuer yeeld vnto any, but [...] in whō he hath taken his good plea­sure.nor ioyned also to the Father, but through his mediation. He permitteth vs in no wise to aske any thing from his Father, but in his name on­ly, and promiseth that his Father will readily grant it vs. And in his fourth booke vpon the Prophet Esay: All prayers are directed by Christ, for by him we make our demaunds to God his Father, and by him we make our prayers, confessing also that God is in him. And in another place: To whom behoueth it better, to grant vnto the Saints their desires, and to giue them that which they require, then to him which only is naturally and verely God? The Saints haue receiued the crownes of righteousness, but they can­not giue them. The Saints who haue bin sanctified through the communication of God, which sanctifieth them, may well preserue this gift, if so be they keepe his commandements: but they cannot sanctifie others. For no man sanctified through the communication of the holy Ghost, hath the power to communi­cate this grace to others. There is none but the only fountaine of holinesse, which of it selfe can giue this holinesse to all. The Saints then who haue receiued this gift through grace and through communication, cannot distribute it to others at their pleasure: but the Sonne, who is the fountaine of holinesse, san­ctifieth his Disciples, saying, Receiue yee the holy Ghost. All which are arguments worthie to be noted, whereby Saint Cyril rebuketh the folly of such as forsake the well-spring of liuing waters, to search broken cesternes which will containe no water. S. Ambrose doth no lesse vpon this sub­iect in his sermons and discourses. For in his Commenta­ries vpon the Epistle to the Romanes, hee mocketh those greatly, who in stead of praying personally to God, and should not speake to him but in the name of his wel belo­ued Sonne, doe betake themselues to the Saints deported, as to his faithfull vassals and familiar friends to approch vnto his diuine Maiestie, and to obtaine his grace through their intreatie and intercession. He compareth them to the Heathen and Idolaters of whom the Apostle S. Paul spea­keth in his first chapter of that said Epistle, counting them­selues wise (saith he) they became fooles; and when they were ashamed that they had forsaken God, they accustomed to vse a miserable excuse for themselues, saying they had accesse vnto [Page 72] God through them, as in a Court by the Earles and Lords one hath accesse vnto the King. But I pray you is there any man so foolish,Whosoeuer is called ought to come vnto God without waiting for any other name.and so carelesse of his preseruation, as to attribute to an Earle, the honour of his King, sith that in vsing him so, it is by right high treason? and will not those men think themselues to be guiltie, which attribute to the creature, the honour due vnto his Creator, and abandon their Lord, to adore their fellow ser­uants? For surely the reason why men come vnto the King, by officers or Earles, is, because the King is a man, and knoweth not whom to trust vnto in his Common-weale. But to procure▪ God to be fauourable vnto vs, from whom nothing is hid, and who knoweth what is in euery one of vs, there is no need of any intercessor or spokesman, but of a deuout spirit: for in what place soeuer such a man will speake vnto him he answereth him. And in his third booke of the Holy Ghost,The sighes of the heart pene­trate the hea­uens. and 12. chapter, We must not adore any thing beside God; for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serue. If then the mysterie of the incarnation is to be adored, as a worke of the holy Ghost, according as it is written, The holy Ghost shall come vpon thee, and the power of the most high shall ouershadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be borne of thee shall be called the Sonne of God; without all doubt the holy Ghost also ought to be worshipped, seeing wee worship him, who according to the flesh was conceiued by the holy Ghost. But let no man straine that vnto the Virgin Mary; We ought to wo [...]ship in the Temple, but not the Tēple. she was the temple of God, but not the God of the Temple: and therefore he only ought to be adored, which wrought in that temple. And vpon the first chapter of the Epistle to the Colossians: The Apostle (saith he) hath declared from the beginning, how ex­ceeding great and infinite the omnipotence of Christ is, to the intent to teach vs, that it is he alone in whom wee must put our trust; because that through him all things are, and nothing can liue without him either in heauen or earth. The Father hath exalted his Sonne a­boue all crea­tures, by that voyce which speake f [...]o ̄ hea­uen, Heare him. So that if any one thinke he ought to affectate his deuotion to some one of the ele­ments, to the Angels, or to the superiour powers, let him know that he erreth. Therefore Christ ought only to be heard, and on­ly serued by way of religion, and none ought to be esteemed of in respect of him, because he which is the head, hath all others sub­iect [Page 73] to him, for he which humbleth himselfe before his subiects erreth; because that in holding not on the head, he is a stocke, that is, he is like vnto a twigge cut off from the tree, and which hath no roote, in such sort, that such a man is without the head, whereof (saith he) dependeth the life of the rest of that body. Also vpon his admonition of S. Paul in his Epistle to the Colossians, chap. 2. vers. 8. Beware lest there be any man that spoile you through Philosophie, and vaine deceit, through the traditions of men, according to the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Hee declareth that through vaine deceit and traditions of men, we must vnderstand the superstition which serueth the world for a Religion, and not God, which is one, and which leadeth vs not to Iesus Christ, in whom is the perfection of the Godhead. Moreouer, Saint Ierome in his disputes against Vigilantius, speaking gene­rally of the Christians in his time: We shorship not (saith he) nor serue by way of Religion, neither Angels, nor Archangels, nor Ch [...]rubins, nor Seraphins, nor any name which is named, neither in this present world, nor in the world to come, lest wee should rather serue the creature, then the Creator, which is blessed eternally. S. Cyprian proceedeth further, and saith in his fifth Sermon of such as are falne: Cursed is the man which putteth his hope in man. We must pray vnto the Lord, and call vpon God the Father in the name of his Sonne Iesus Christ: as he himselfe expoundeth it, in his excellent discourse vpon the Lords Prayer: where he admonisheth vs, that there is no prayer more certaine, or more pleasing to the Father, then that which by the mouth of his Sonne hath been pro­nounced, who is the Truth, and that to pray otherwise thē hee hath taught vs, is not only ignorance,The sinne of those which pray in ano­ther name then Iesus, partici­pates not so much of igno­rance, as of scorne. but an absurd fault, and like to that of the Iewes, whom the Lord rebu­keth, that they did reiect the commandement of God, to establish their owne traditions. Let vs pray then (saith hee) euen as our Lord hath taught vs. Prayer is acceptable to God, when as we pray with a prayer which is his owne, and that wee send vp into his eares the words of his Son. The Father knowes the language of his Sonne, when wee make to him our prayer. L [...]t him that dwelleth in your harts be in your voice, and vpon [Page 74] your tongue. And seeing that the Sonne is our Aduocate, whensoeuer we craue pardon for our faults, let vs take our Ad­uocates words [...] our mouth: for sith he saith, that whatsoeuer wee shall aske of the Father in his name, it shall be granted vs; when can our prayers then take greater force, if not when wee call vpon him with that prayer which himselfe hath made?

According to which S. Cyril teacheth vs in his 16 book vpon the 17 chapter of S. Iohn, God will neuer reiect the re­quests which himselfe hath commanded vs to addresse vn­to him. That if we would be heard of the Father, we must pray in the name of our Sauiour. And S. Lactantius saith, That they which pray vnto the dead, shall beare the paine of their impietie and wickednesse. Likewise S. Ambrose, That those which forsake the liuing God, to seeke after the dead, are accounted among the dead. For, as hee expoundeth it himselfe in his booke of Isaac, and of the blessed life, saith, that, Iesus is our mouth, by which we speake vnto the Father, our eye, by which wee behold the Father, and our right hand▪ whereby we offer our selues vn­to the Father: without the which Mediatour, these is no ap­proching vnto God, neither for vs, nor for any of the Saints. And S. Austin, who sometimes was an Auditour of S. Am­broses Sermons▪ saith the like therof vpon the 105. Psalme; to wit, that the prayer which is not made through Christ; Christ not only cannot blot out the sinne, but turneth it al­so into sinne. Also on the 29. Psalme, If we consider (saith he) what God thundreth foorth by S. Iohn, as it were out of a cloud, saying, do the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and that Word was God. [...] was in the be­ginning with God. All things were made by it, and without it was made nothing that was made. In it was life, and the life was the light of men. It is the huma­nitie in our Mediatour which prayeth for vs, and his Godhead which decree­eth vpon our prayers. And the light shined in the darknesse; and the darknesse comprehended it not. Hitherto (saith he) [...] finde no prayer, nor cause▪ nor place of [...]. But because [...] immediatly after he saith, And the Word was made flesh, and d [...]lt among vs; thou hast a Godhead, to which thou addressest thy prayer, and a humanitie which prayeth for thee. This was spoken by the Apostle, euen since the resurrection of our Lord▪ which sitteth at the right hand of God and soliciteth for vs, [Page 75] because he hath vouchsafed to be our Mediatour. And what is hee but a Mediatour betweene God and men? not betweene the Father and men, but betweene God and men.

What is that God?Christ being true man, com­meth vnto his equals, and through his righteousnes he reuniteth thē with God. The Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost. What are men? Sinners, contemners of God and mortall. Be­tweene this same Trinitie, and the infirmitie and iniquitie of men, was made a Mediatour a man not vniust, but neuerthe­lesse weake, to the end that in as much as [...], hee might ioyne vs to God, in that that he was weake he might draw neere to thee: and therefore to the intent hee might be a mediatour betweene God and men, the Word was made flesh, that is to say, the Word was made man. And vpon this sentence our Lord Iesus Christ saith, There is no way to come vnto God, but by the Sonne of God himself. I am the way, the truth [...] and the life▪ I am (saith the Lord) the truth; and the life▪ wilt thou [...] I am the way: wilt thou not be deceiued? I am the truth▪ wilt thou not die? I am the life. This thy Sauiour saith, Thou hast no where to goe but only to me; thou hast none to goe by, but by me. Goe by Christ man, and thou shalt come vnto God [...] If thou goest to him, thou must goe by him: seeke not any way, by which thou maist come vnto him but by him; he was made the way by which thou art to come. I say not to thee, seek the way; he which is the way is come vnto thee. Rise thou [...]p and walke. Walke with manners and not with feete. Whosoeuer runneth out of this way, and not by him, the more hee runneth, the more bee stra [...]eth; because he withdraweth himselfe the further out of the way. Moreouer, vpon the 94. Psalme: If thou seekest (saith he) thy Mediatour to leade [...]hee vnto God, he is in hea­uens▪ & there prayeth for thee, euen as he d [...]ed for thee in earth, being entred into the sanctuary of heauen, he only can present the prayers of the people, which haue no neere accesse vnto God. The same author noteth the words of the Apostle S. Iohn, 1. Epistle, chap. 2. vers. 1. If any man sin, we haue an aduocate with the Father, Iesus Christ the iust. Where this Apostle ta­keth heed of making himselfe a companion with our ad­uocate Iesus Christ, Surely (saith he) he was a iust and a great man, who dranke out of the Lords bosome the secrets of his my­steries. Being notwithstanding such a man,The Apostle saith we haue, and not you haue, to shew that he himself hath need of a Mediatour. he hath not said, ye haue an aduocate with the Father, but, If any man hath sinned, [Page 76] we haue an aduocate. Neither did he say, ye haue, nor did he not say, ye haue me, nor likewise ye haue Christ: but he propoundeth Christ, and not himselfe, and said, we haue, and not, ye haue. He chose rather to ranke himselfe in the number of sinners, to the end that Christ might be his aduocate, then to place himselfe an aduocate in stead of Christ, to be accounted among the dam­nable proud ones. Brethrē (saith he) we haue an aduocate with the Father, Iesus Christ the iust, he is the propitiation for our sinnes; who so holdeth that committeth no heresie, nor hath made any schisme or partie. For from whence are diuisions come? from hence that men say, wee are iust, we sanctifie the vncleane, we iustifie the wicked, we pray, we obtaine. But what said Iohn? If any man sinne, we haue an aduocate with the Fa­ther, Iesus Christ the iust. Againe, in his disputation against Parmenian, lib. 2. cap. 2. If the Apostle S. Iohn had said, He is the propitiation for your sinner, it should haue seemed that hee would haue separated himselfe from sinners, as if he had had no need of that propitiation which by the Mediatour is made, who sitteth at the right hand of the Father, and maketh request for vs. Which if hee had said, hee had said it not only proudly, but falsely.The dignitie of the Apostles hath not ex­empted them from the ne­cessitie of fal­ling downe at the feete of God. Also if hee had said, I haue written to you, that yee might not sinne: and if any man sinne, ye haue me for a Media­tour with the Father, and I obtaine the remission of your sins, as Parmenian, who in some place hath made the Bishop media­tour betweene the people and God; what good and faithfull Christians could haue borne it? who would haue respected him as the Apostle of Christ, and not rather as Antichrist? For Christian men (saith he) recommend one another vnto God through their mutuall prayers; but hee which prayeth for all men, and for whom none prayeth, is the true and only Media­tour. And for that his figure was represented to vs, in the per­son of the High-priest of the old Testament, it is not found that any should pray for the Priest. Likewise S. Paul recommen­deth himselfe to the prayers of the faithfull, as one of the mem­bers of Christ,The Apostle desired to be assisted with the prayer of the Saints, for asmuch as they were addressed to him, who is the head of the Saints. neither doth he make himselfe any mediatour be­tweene God and the people, but hee requireth that all the mem­bers of the body of Christ pray for him; because that the pray­ [...]rs which the members make, that yet are labouring on the [Page 77] earth, mount vp to the Head, which is gone before into heauen, in whom is the propitiation for our sinnes. Moreouer, spea­king of the Martyrs and other Saints departed, in his Trea­tise of true Religion, he expressely faith, that the seruice of the dead ought not to be reckoned among Christians for religion, and that wee ought to honour them by way of imitation, and not to adore them by way of religion. His words are: Honorandi sunt propter imitationem, non adoran­di propter religionem. And likewise of the Angels, We honor them (saith he) through charitie, and not through seruice. And to the intent we might not think that we doe wrong to the Saints departed and Angels, It is to disho­nor the Saints, and to grieue them, [...]o attri­bute to them, that which they know ap­pertaines vnto God. or should offend them in addressing or prayers only to God; he proueth by cer­taine places of holy Scripture, that neither the Angels nor the Saints deceased, at any time heretofore or now would be worshipped of vs; but that they rather call vs backe to our Creator, desiring that wee should worship with them, the same and one only God, through whose contempla­tion they are blessed. Heare ( [...]aith Saint Austin on the 96. Psalme) the Angel of the Lord, and the instructor of the A­postle S. Iohn, who fell down before him to haue worshipped him▪ at it is written in the 19.Reuel. 19. 10. chapter, and 10. verse of the Reuela­tion. This Angel which sought not, but the glorie of his Lord, said to him, Arise, what doest thou? worship God, I am thy fel­low seruant and one of thy brethren. What then, my brethren? let no man say I am afraid that an Angel should be angry if I serue him not in stead of my God: but he will be offended, when a [...] thou wouldest serue him, for he is good and loueth God. And as the Diuels waxe angrie when they are not serued, so Angels grow angry when they are serued by way of religion in stead of God.The Angels and the faith­ful which know that God will not giue his [...]onor to ano­ther, of which he is iealous, will neuer pre­sent thēselues to haue part thereof. And in his Meditations vpon the 96. Psalme: Let vs behold (saith he) the holy men, which were like to the Angels: when thou hast found out a holy man which is the seruant of God, and if thou wouldest worship or serue him for God, hee will hinder thee from it, because hee will not be to thee in stead of God, but with thee vnder God. Euen so did Paul and Barnabas for it, tearing their cloathes told them, Men and brethren what doe you? we are men subiect to passion as ye are. Consider [Page 78] then these examples which shew that godly men hinder such as would serue them by way of religion for Gods: and had rather that one only God be serued, one only God worshipped, and that to him alone oblation be made. And so all Saints and Angels seeke not, but the glory of this only God whom they loue. They haue no other study then to inflame vs, and to draw by force all those that they loue to his seruice, to his contemplation, and to the inuocation of his holy name. The Angels declare this alone God, and not themselues. For, for that cause are they called An­gels, that is to say, messengers of God, because they are his soul­diers, they seeke nothing but the glory of their Captaine: if they seeke after their owne glory they are as tyrants condemned; and such the diuels haue been, who haue filled the Temples of the Heathen, and haue seduced them to set vp Images for them, and to offer them sacrifices. And therefore he reproueth the follie and rashnesse of such, who seeking to returne vnto God, and were not of themselues able, had attempted this way to come vnto God through the mediation of Angels and Saints departed: of whom he saith in his tenth booke of his Confessions, chapter 42. that they were deceiued through the craft of Satan, and through the iust iudgement of God were fallen into the desire of curious visions. At which he taking an occasion, describeth to vs in that same place and many others the personall vnion of two natures, to wit, diuine and humane, which is to be found but only in our Redeemer Iesus Christ, and prooueth besides, that without this vnion Iesus Christ himselfe▪ could not haue been capable to accomplish the office of a Mediatour be­tweene God and men. If Iesus Christ were but sim­ply men, hee could not be capable to bring vs vnto God. It behoueth (saith he) that the true Mediatour betweene God and men, had something like vnto God, and something like vnto man▪ Lest that being in the [...] and in the other like vnto men, he should haue bin too farre from God, and in the one and in the other like vnto God; he should haue been too farre from men, and so could haue been no Me­diatour.By the vaile of Christs huma­nitie we enter into the San­ctuary. This true Mediatour (saith hee) which God hath showne to the humble through his secret mercie, hath appeared betweene mortall sinners, and the immortall iust one being mor­tell with men and that forasmuch as the reward of iustice is [Page 79] life and peace; iust with God, that through a iustice ioyned with God, he might abolish the death of sinners, which he would haue in common with them. Behold therefore (saith he, addressing himselfe to God the Father) I haue (in good earnest) my strong hope in him which sitteth at thy right hand, and beleeue that thou wilt heale all my griefes through him, who maketh intercession for vs vnto thee, without that I should de­spaire, &c.

Likewise in his 28 epistle, which he wrote to S. Ierome: I know (saith he) there is not so much as one only soule in all mankinde for the deliuerance of which the Mediatour between God and men, which is the man Christ Iesus, was not necessary. And in his second booke of the visitation of the sicke, hee faith, There is no saluation but in one only Iesus Christ, there is no other name giuen vnto men vnder heauen, by which man can be saued.We ought not to flie from the meanes of him, who hath suf­fred for our miseries. Let vs then familiarly turne our faces towards our Mediatour, who knoweth how to haue compassion of our in­firmities. I speake more ioyfully, and more assuredly to my Iesus, then to any of the holy celestial spirits; because God hath vouch­safed to be made that which I am. He hath taken the seede of Abraham, and not the Angels to be our High-priest, merci­full and faithfull in the things toward God, to the end to make a reconciliation for our sinnes.

Now as S. Austin preached this doctrine to the Hippo­nians for the space of fortie yeeres, to wit, from the yeere of our Lord Iesus Christ about 391, vnto the yeere 430; so would he confirme it by his writings which I haue allea­ged, and by many formes of praier which he made to God only: which here I cannot cite, except I should bring in some of his whole bookes, which is in no wise necessarie, seeing that by those peeces and parcels which I haue alrea­die produced out of them, euery man may perceiue what was the doctrine of S. Augustine concerning this matter. Which was approued by the Councels in which he was present, and namely by the third Councell of Carthage, wherein was ordained to all Christians by an expresse ar­ticle, that they euermore should addresse their prayers to God the Father, and to vse no prayers composed by any [Page 80] for his owne vse,As from ill manner good lawes are pro­ceeded, so are calumnies a­gainst the truth of the constitutions of Coun­cels and good Doctors. if first they had not conferred them with some one of their best instructed brethren. I will an [...]ex hereunto that which S. Austin himself testifieth, in the first booke of the manners of the Catholike Church. How the true Christians and Catholikes haue followed this rule in his time to stop the mouthes of the Manicheans, and Do­ctors of the Heathen, which vpbraided them that the Chri­stians did call vpon the Saints: Cull me not out (saith he) from the professors of the Christian name, such as know not, neither doe follow the vertue of their profession, search not out (against me) the troupes of the ignorant, which are supersti­tious euen in the true religion, and so much giuen to their li­kings, that they haue forgotten what they promised vnto God: I know there are many which adore the sepulchres, &c. And it is no maruell among so many people. Leaue off in time then, I pray you, from detracting the Catholike Church, in blaming the fa­shions of such as it selfe doth condemne, and daily seeke to cor­rect them as vnto ward children. And in his answere to the false accusations of a certaine Philosopher called Maxi­mus: To answere thee briefly (saith he) because thou mightest pretend no ignorance, and that it should not draw thee into a scandalizing s [...]criledge, know this that the Christian Catho­likes (of whom euen in your town there is a Church established) doe not serue religiously any of the dead, nor worship in stead of the Deitie any thing which by God hath been made and crea­ted, but the only God who hath made and created all things. From whence appeareth, that the inuocation of Saints bore not any sway in those daies, nor any degree or title of di­uine seruice in the Christian Church, in the time of Saint Austine and his predecessors. True it is hee complaineth that in his daies the Church began to lose her virginitie, and that they obscured not those most wholesome things which in the diuine books are commanded; but that there were instituted some other ceremonies beyond the cu­stome. He confesseth also, that the Church being setled among much chaffe and tares, did beare with many things, which themselues durst not reproue nor condemne, to a­uoid the scandals of some persons, whereof some were ho­lie [Page 81] and others seditious. But howbeit on the other side hee declareth, that neither hee nor the Church hath allowed the things which were against the faith and a godly life. There is a difference (saith he, in his 119 epistle to Ianuarius) betweene the things that we teach, What prudēce cannot take a­way, patience doth beare withall. and the things which we suf­fer, betweene the things that wee are commanded to teach, and between the things that we are commanded to amend, and con­strained to support them till we haue reformed them. And yet notwithstanding ye would make vs beleeue, that S. Austin, S. Ierome, S. Ambrose, S. Chrysostome, S. Basil, S. Athanasius, S. Origen▪ S. Irenaeus, and Denys the disciple of S. Paul, haue not only approued the superstition of those, which worshipped the departed Saints, but that euen themselues haue recommended it to the people, aswell by their pray­ers addressed to the Virgin Mary, and some other Saints, as by the recitall of their vertues and merits. Whereunto first of all I answere, that many sentences haue been falsified, and many annexed to the writings of the Fathers against their intention. Which was easie to bee done, because in their time the Art of Printing was not found out,Satan letteth slip no oppor­tunitie to sow his cockle. but co­pies only in written hand. Secondly, where as many books haue bin falsely published vnder the names of the Apostles, which had been receiued, if the Apostle S. Iohn, who surui­ued the others, (according to the testimony of S. Tertullian and Ierome) had not foreseene it; so many Treatises haue been deceitfully attributed to their successors, as by their complaints appeareth.

To begin then with the writings of S. Clement Bishop of Rome, S. Ierome in his Apologie against Ruffinus, saith of him, that hee made some bookes intituled Recognitions; among which, although there was a doctrine truly Apo­stolicall, exposed in many texts vnder the person of the A­postle S. Peter, yet they had mixed among them the do­ctrine of the Heretike Eumonius. So that it seemed in sun­drie places of them, there is none but he that speaketh. Eu­sebius also saith in his third booke and 35. chapter, that it cannot bee cleerely knowne that the second Epistle, and the Commentaries which are attributed to him be his, be­cause [Page 82] the ancient Fathers made no vse of this Epistle, and that these Commentaries kept in no wise neither the stile nor the forme of the pure doctrine of the Apostles, and containe in them the communication betweene Peter and Appion, of which the ancients make no mention. S. Epipha­nius addeth, that the Ebonians did vse certaine bookes in­tituled, The Peregrinations of S. Peter, written by S. Cle­ment, stuffed with falsehood, and that S. Clement himselfe controlled thē by his owne epistles, written to the Enocly­cians. Eusebius speaking of the booke intituled the Pa­stor, in his third booke and third chapter, saith, That it is Apocrypha, and that they were deceiued, who thought that that Hermes, which the Apostle S. Paul greeteth in his 16. chapter of the Epistle to the Romanes, was the author thereof.Satan seeke [...]h euermore to authorize his Ragins, to the preiudice of the truth. So likewise Erasmus of Roterdam saith, that many bookes badly patched together, haue bin annexed to S. Cy­prians bookes, to wit, the Treatise of the Reuelation of S. Iohn Baptists head; which is full of fables, and supersti­tions, that reciteth sundrie things happened a long while after S. Cyprians time: The treatise of Sina and Sion against the Iewes, which in no wise representeth, neither the knowledge, nor zeale of S. Cyprian. They haue also ming­led among S. Austins bookes, the booke intituled, The true and false penance; which containeth that fine fable, how S. Andrew seeing that the people would haue taken him away from the crosse whereunto they had bound him; began to make this prayer to God: Lord it is time that thou laiest my bodie in the graue, suffer them not to take me downe aliue from this crosse: It is time that my bodie should be interred, &c. In like manner, Lewes Viues Valen­tine (one of your best Catholikes) complaineth in his an­notations vpon the bookes of the Citie of God; that ma­ny sentences are annexed to them, which are not S. Austins. They haue put into the books of S. Ierome, the Commenta­ries of some of the Epistles of the New Testament, which, as S. Austin testifieth, was composed by a Monke and a he­re [...]ike called Pelagus▪ Robert Bellarmine also maintaineth in his disputations, that the booke written to Orosus and [Page 83] attributed to be Saint Austins, is not his. And many other bookes base and illegitimate, and which euen your selues confesse to haue been falsely fathered on our Fathers, and in no wise receiueable.

But to answere more particularly to your allegations: You deceiue your selues in that you thinke (your) S. Denys Areopagite was the disciple of the Apostle S. Paul. The time wherein S. De­nys Areopagite liued. For in the booke of Celestial Hierarchies, which you attribute to him, he speaketh of his predecessors Clement and Ignatius, which liued and suffered martyrdome vnder Traian the third persecutor of the Christians after Nero, and the 14. Emperor, which began to raigne about the yeere of Christ 100, and the thirtieth yeere after the decease of the Apostle S. Paul; according to the calculation of your Bishop Tre­culphus. This booke we haue also in suspition, because wee finde in it no marke of the true disciple of the Apostle S. Paul, neither in his language, nor in his doctrine. For there is no mention made therein for the abolishing of the an­cient ceremonies, of which the Apostle S. Paul very often disputeth in his Epistles; neither doth hee say in any place thereof, that that which he wrote, he did it by his masters authoritie. Therein hee doth but sport himselfe with deli­berate discourses, to teach the doctrine of the holy Gos­pell, by obscure subtilties, vaine speculations, and very in­tricate. He there treateth of Popes, Prelats, Priests, Monks, and of many other Orders, which in the Apostles time were not in the Church, nor a long while after. Likewise to shew that he did dissent from the Apostles, he applau­deth therein the Order of Monkes as the highest and most excellent of all others. Causes wherefore Laurence Valla one of your chiefest Doctors flouts at such as thought this S. Denys to be the disciple of S. Paul, and the author of this booke. As Erasmus of Roterdam noteth in his Annota­tions vpon the 17 chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. Now as for that which you cite out of the 7. chapter of his said booke, he himselfe expoundeth it, and exhorteth the faith­full to seeke after (not the Saints departed, but) the Saints conuersant in this world, to make request for them. I iudge [Page 84] (saith he) with the diuine Scriptures, that the prayers of the Saints in this life are very profitable, and in this manner, to wit, The celebra­tion of the ver­tues of some is charitable, but it is impietie to pray vnto thē. if any man desire diuine gifts, and acknowledging his sim­plicitie and infirmitie, let him go finde out some holy personage, and pray him to assist and succour him through his prayers. I grant you, that hee recounteth in the third chapter of the same booke, that they made mention of the Saints depar­ted, when they celebrated the Sacrament of the vnion of Iesus Christ with his members; because they are one part of the Catholike Church, and of the companie of those which are elected to eternall life. But there is a great diffe­rence betweene the recitall of the vertues of the Saints de­ceased this world, and the inuocation of them. And you will not shew vs that S. Denys propounding to vs the end wherefore mention is made of their good liues, doth there speake of the inuocation of Saints, but of the imitation of their godlinesse, and perseuerance in the Christian faith, saying, that they prayed those which holily and religiously had liued in this world; to the end that their suruiuers might by their examples learne to liue, and die well in God, and might bee admonished that they which die in him liue out of this world in a better life, and that God hath them in his memorie, according as it is written, That God knoweth such as are his, and that the death of the Saints is precious before him. Secondly, you produce the comparison which S. Irenaeus maketh betweene Eue and the Virgin Mary in his 5. booke and 16. chapter. I won­der why you represent not heere vnto vs S. Irenaeus words, which according to Bellarmines iudgement, doe cleerely shew, that S. Irenaeus beleeued and taught that the Virgin Mary ought to be adored by vs as an Aduocatesse of our first Mother Eue towards God. Therefore to encounter you with your owne weapons, I will here make S. Irenaeus to speake. As Eue (saith he) was seduced by the words of the wicked angel, The con [...]erēnce of these words of S. Irenaeus with that which the Ie­suite imposeth, discouereth more plainly his impudency. to flie from God in transgressing his word: so the Virgin Mary receiued the good tidings by the word of an an­gel, to beare God in being obedient to his word: and as this (Eue) was seduced to flie from God, so was this (Mary) per­swaded [Page 85] to obey him, to the intent that the Virgin Mary might be made an Aduocatesse of the Virgin Eue. What man is it that perceiueth not, that by this comparison S. Irenaeus op­poseth the male diction come vpon all mankinde through Eu [...]s transgression, to the blessing which afterward is come to them by the faith and obedience of the Virgin Mary? Touching this word Aduocatesse, from whence Bellarmine draweth his argument against vs, yee know well that it commeth not from Irenaeus who wrote in Greek, but from the translator of his booke. And albeit yee may take heere this name for a Mediatrix, yet you are not ignorant that this Greeke word paracletos, signifieth sometimes also a Comforter, and is so interpreted by S. Tertullian, and many others of the Fathers by the name of an aduocate in the same signification, as appeareth by the translation of those which haue trāslated the promise of our Lord Iesus Christ, described by S. Iohn in his 14. chapter, and 16. verse: I will pray the Father, and hee will giue you another Aduocate, that is to say, another Comforter. So, whosoeuer will take heed vnto the meaning of Irenaeus and his translator, and to the proper signification of this name Aduocate, in this place shall perceiue that the author meant to say no other thing, but that the Virgin Mary was chosen by God, to beare the Redeemer of the world, and brought foorth the Consolation to Eue, according to the promise which God made to her in paradise, that the seed of the woman should breake the head of the Serpent, who had seduced her. Thirdly, you are not ashamed to vtter the Sermon of the Virgin Mother of God, imprinted vnder the name of Saint Athanasius, calling the Virgin Mary. Lady, Mother, Rege­neratrix and Mistris, saying besides, Incline thine eare to our prayers, and forget not thy people; wee crie vnto thee, haue re­membrance of vs, &c. An euident signe, either that you haue not read the first volume of his writings, wherein he shew­eth by many examples and testimonies of the Bible, that none ought to haue his refuge neither to the Angels, nor any humane creature, but only to God, through the ad­dresse of his Sonne Iesus Christ; or if you haue read them, [Page 86] that you make lesse account of his first volume, which was approued and receiued by the ancient Church, then of the third which containeth, as you confesse, this prayer made to the Virgin Mary. In which volume to conuict you by your owne Doctors, Petrus Nannius Professor in the Vni­uersitie of Louain, hath annexed a preface; whereby hee aduertiseth the reader, that hee hath put into this second tome the bookes suspected of falsehood, and which accor­ding to his judgement were not composed by S. Athana­sius. Fourthly, you cite the prayer which S. Basil made to the fortie Martyrs, and you annex to it false Glosses and in­terpretations. For S. Basil commandeth not there the Chri­stians (as you affirme) to haue there recourse vnto these holy Martyrs, nor to call vpon them, but declareth in com­mendations of those Martyrs what they did in his time. He which is (saith he) in affliction goeth to those fortie Mar­tyrs; he which is in ioy runneth to them. Impudencie discouered. O what audacious­nesse is it to belie a Historie, and to make of a simple de­claration of the custome of the vulgar people an expresse exhortation! and what an impudencie is it, to dare to im­pose that vpon this holy Father, which neuer he thought to say! His intention was not so, as to stirre vp the hearts of his auditorie, to inuocate these Martyrs; but admoni­sheth them contrariwise, to moue one another through the remembrance of the Saints to imitate their zeale, and to worship and implore God in the assembli [...] of many, to appease him, and to render him thanks for his benefits, and to edifie each other by sermons of exhortation. You al­leage more faithfully the words of the 16. Homily, made by S. Chrysostome to the people of Antioch, where S. Chry­sostome speaking of the manner of the common people, to celebrate the memorie of the Martyrs, and to make their prayers vnto God neere vnto their graues; The Emperour (saith he)We ought not to alleage that which is done, for that which ought to be done. which is arrai [...]d in purple goeth to the sepulchr [...], (that is, of the Martyrs) and laying aside all pompe and mag­nificence, presenteth himselfe to supplicate the Saints, to make intercession vnto God for him, and he which beareth a diade [...] prayeth to a Text-maker, and a Fisherman. These words you [Page 87] attribute to S. Chrysostome. Neuerthelesse, sundrie of your Writers haue attributed them vnto S. Austine, and some o­thers to a certaine man called Theodore Daphnopath; Leasings would faine couer themselues. in such sort that you are not of one accord with your fellowes, nor of one and the same opinion touching the author of these words, from which you cannot conclude that S. Chryso­stome was of that minde, to recommend to the people the inuocation of Saints, as a seruice approued by God. For he speaketh not in this discourse of that which ought to bee done, according to the rule and instruction of the holy Scriptures, but of what was done by the people through their indiscreet zeale after the imitation of the Grecians, which yeerely made an assemblie about the graues of those which were slaine in the battell of Mara­thon, to celebrate their Feasts, and to recount their praises, as S. Cyril noteth in his sixth booke against Iulian the Apo­state. And albeit that S. Chrysostome did beare with this custome of the vulgar people, as many other corruptions and abuses of the like nature, which he could not remedie, without hurting the weake: notwithstanding hee often­times made his complaints thereof: See (saith he in his 12. Homily on the first to the Corinthians) how the iudgements of the common people are corrupted, vnprofitable, and ridicu­lous, partly by foolish men, and partly by children that doe suck. The Martyrs (saith he in his 45. Homily vpon S. Matthew) take no delight to be honoured with money, for which the poore [...]rie out for: to wit, because you employ it not for their nourishment rather. And in his 48. sermon vpon S. Iohns Gospell: When thou hearest that the Lord is risen naked from death, cease I pray thee from the foolish expence of funerals. For to what end is it good, seeing it bringeth but lesse to such as doe is, and no profit to the dead, but rather dammage? Finally, he is extreamely grieued at the superstitious ceremonies which they made about sepulchres, tearming them in his [...]. Homily vpon the first to the Corinthians, foolish deuo­tions, and diabolicall obseruations.Iohn Dam [...]soe­nus. Now followeth the sentence of a certain Monke called Iohn Dam [...]soenus, who for his writings began to florish in Dam [...]s [...]us, the princi­pall [Page 88] citie of Syria, about the yeere of Christ 730. Among other bookes which are attributed to him, wee haue foure touching the tradition of the Christian faith, which haue been translated out of Greeke into French, by a certaine Philosopher named Iacobus Faber Stapulensis. You affirme that in the 16 chapter of his last booke concerning the Christian faith, he saith, That through the Saints, the diuels are chased away, the sicke are healed, the blinde see, the leprous are clensed, tentations and vexations are vanquished, and that euery good thing commeth by them in fauour of those which craue them with a stedfast faith. Although that superstition is chiefly come forth of the heads of the Monks, yet there is great likelihood, that this sentence was juggled in a­mongst his writings. For though he liued in those daies, when superstition had her full sway and vigour, yet not­withstanding the Grecians were not so soone corrupted, as the Latins. And Emericus one of your writers, who li­ued a long while after him, reproueth the Grecians for this opinion, that men ought not to inuocate the saints, nor the Virgin Mary likewise, but one only Mediatour, which is Christ, and that to offer gifts to them, was to present sacri­fices to the Diuels.

Let vs now come to the booke de Viduis, composed by S. Ambrose: When Peters mother in law (saith he) had a fe­uer, Andrew and Peter prayed vnto the Lord for her: And thou widow, hast so many neere friends which pray for thee (to wit) the Apostles and Martyrs, if thou commest to them in v­nitie of deuotion. It behoueth then to pray vnto them, &c. For they can pray for our sinnes, sith they haue washed away their owne with their owne blood. S. Ambrose and S. Ierome, &c. haue passed their limits, and we ought to note, but not to imitate that which they haue said. Without searching any further, Sixtus Senensis one of your writers confesseth, that S. Ie­rome, and some others of the Fathers, haue suffered them­selues to be transported in such a sort, through the heate and vehemencie of their Orations, that sometimes they made Hyperboles, that is to say, and speake more cleerely, they surpassed the bonds of truth. Erasmus of Roterdam in his preface vpon this booke intituled, de Viduis, saith, that in this fertill matter so pleasing to the eares of the vulgar [Page 89] people, he hath let loose the bridle of his tongue, and pain­ted his discourse with the colours of Rhetorike, in such a [...]ort that the ignorant people could not well iudge there­of, but the learned only. In fine, that he thought he labou­red to set foorth his language by some artificiall drafts, to make a shew & florish of the ornaments of his eloquence. Howsoeuer, if hee were the author of this booke, hee hath wandred out of the way, and hath not well remembred his owne lesson, That Christ [...]s our mouth, by which we speake to the Father; our eye, by which we behold the Father; our right hand, whereby wee offer to the Father, and that without this Mediatour, there is no comming vnto God neither for vs, nor any of the Saints. As the anciēts did often bring in the Saints speaking, so spake they sometimes to them, as if they had been pre­sent. You alleage also for the establishing of your superstition, Saint Ieroms letter dedicated to Paula, to whom yee appropriate that title which ordinarily your companions doe attribute to the Virgin Mary, that is, cal­ling her holy Lady. But if we examine this epistle of S. Ie­roms, he speaketh to Paula who was absent and in heauen, as if she had been present, and that by a figure, and certaine manner of speech called in Shooles Apostrophe, whereby he not only prayeth vnto Paula, to supplicate God for Ble­silla, but for himselfe also in his extreame age. Likewise he saluteth Paula, and saith vale to her, that is, farewell, or God keep thee in good health. If then you will take these words to the very letter, to conclude from thence that hee hath called vpon Paula with a full assurance that she heard him, and could perswade the diuine Maiestie to heare her re­quest, you must likewise grant me, that he discoursed with her mouth to mouth, and that in praying to God to pre­serue her in health, he beleeued that she, and all the Saints in Paradise, desire that after their departure, we should re­commend them to God in our prayers. But as ye will deny me the last point, so I deny you the first, and that for these three reasons: The first is, that in the Epitaph he made for his friend Nepotian departed this world,The aduersary is driuen into absurditie, by good & strong reasons. he calleth him blessed, because hee neither heard nor saw the miseries of this world, nor the barbarian rage against the Christians. Whereunto hee addeth, that those words were as one [Page 90] would say dumbe and pronounced in vaine, because th [...] Nepotian heard him not: and that he with the other Chri­stians in his time was assured that Nepotian was in heauen with Iesus Christ, and ioyned to the companie of Saints. Now this that Ierome hath plainly spoken of Nepotian, that he heard him not, he also vndoubtedly hath beleeued, and vnderstood of Paula and the other Saints departed, who are established in their blessed estate, and receiued into pa­radise to enioy there the same rest with him. The second reason is, that hee manifestly declareth to vs in his Com­mentaries vpon the prophecie of Ezekiel, that the Saints li­uing in this world cannot succour vs, nor consequently the departed through their prayers and intercessions▪ For in his exposition of this admonition of the Prophet Ezekiel, chap. 14. vers. 14. though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Iob were in the midst of Ierusalem, &c. they could nei­ther deliuer them, nor their owne daughters. What shall we say (saith Ierome) of those which thinke that by the merit and vertues of their fathers, their peruerse children may be deliue­red frō hell fire? The soule of him which shal haue sinned, shall be that which shal die. Euery one shall die through his owne sin, and and shall be saued through his owne righteousnesse. In vaine the Iewes say, Abraham is our father, hauing not his workes; b [...]t if there be confidence in any, let vs put our trust only in the Lord. The third reason, for that he testifieth of these two Christian women, who had bin instructed by him, to wit, Paula and Blesilla, is, how they vpon the point of their death, did not recommend themselues to the Virgin Ma­ry, nor any of the saints in paradise, but to their only Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. When (saith he) the feuer burned Blesilla, and that her bed was bes [...]t with her dearest friends, behold her last words were, Pray yee to the Lord Iesus Christ that hee forgiue me▪ Likewise, who will giue me wings (saith Paula) as a doue, that I may flie from hence and rest me? My soule thirsteth after thee, my flesh oftentimes wisheth for thee. Notwithstanding this, we cannot wholly excuse him.Wise words of two women in great extre­mitie. For himselfe requiring Paula by his prayers to succour him in his old age, followed not y^• rule which he himselfe had gi­uen to Paula and Blesilla, to call only vpon God, neither [Page 91] the example of their confidence in the only Sauiour Iesus Christ, and sith that herein he hath failed, as by his owne instructions we haue proued, his authoritie bindeth not vs to follow his error. Now resteth that supplication which according to your opinion S. Austin made to the Virgin Mary, and to all the saints. For proofe whereof you cite the 40 chapter of his Meditations, where he saith, Holy and immaculate Virgin, mother of God, mother of our Lord Iesus Christ, vouchsafe to make intercession for me vnto him, of whom through thy vertues and merits thou wast made the ho­ly Temple. You alleage with a bad conscience this booke of Meditations: for you know that Erasmus and some o­ther Doctors durst not affirme it to be S. Austins. The Papistical Doctors make no conscience to discouer the shame of their fathers, seeing they attribute to them such shamefull mat­ters. Also you are not ignorant that the Canon Garet attributeth this supplication to Fulbert Bishop of Chartres. And in­deed, whosoeuer shall conferre this prayer printed vnder S. Austins name, with his sentences, which I haue alreadie alleaged against you, whereby he absolutely condemneth the inuocation of Saints, will iudge with these learned men, who had a better conscience then you, that none can attribute vnto him this prayer, without doing him shame and accusing him of manifest contradiction in his wri­tings, and of faining in that which he saith of Iesus Christ, that hee only can present vnto God his Father the prayers of his people, because there is no saluation but only in him: and of himselfe that he speaketh more safely to Iesus Christ then to all other saints in paradise. After this as in a passage you propose against vs the authoritie of S. Leo, and S. Gregory Popes, S. Gregory of Tours, S. Anselmus, and S. Bernard. And you could name many other protectors of your cause, if you were not of an opinion that the halfe of them which you haue already named, were not more then too sufficient to make the Caluinists and Lutherans to blush, if they had any blood in their hearts. I confesse that the inuocation of Saints, and namely of the Virgin Mary, was finally au­thorized by the latter of these Popes, if that be true as is reported, and brought vp by all force into the seruice of the Church about the yeere of Christ 600: because that in [Page 92] those daies there was no more Athanases, We auouch that supersti­tion got the vpper hand, but we denie that we ought to cleaue vn­to it. nor Chrysostoms, nor Cyprians, nor Austins, to stop the breach, and repulse it from gaining the heart of the vulgar people. I confesse also, that Anselmus and Bernard liuing in that miserable age, wherein superstition was the Mistris of the field, strooke their sailes and halted on both sides, to accommo­date themselues to the custome of their time, through feare and carnall wisedome: but I adde hereunto, that if you had euer a veine in your heart of shame, you would then blush in your soule, and would be ashamed to ranke Anselmus and Bernard with these, who through their writings haue confirmed your tradition, touching the adoratiō of Saints. For it was impossible for them to confirme you and your predecessors in your opinion, seeing themselues were ne­uer firme therein, but very inconstant and variable. For at sometimes they counselled the Christians to come vnto God by the Virgin Mary, calling her the Mediatrix and Sauiouresse of mankinde; at other times they admonished them of the cleane contrarie, and to addresse themselues to God only, through the intercession of his only Son, and not to put their hope, but in the mercie of the Father, and in the full satisfaction which his Sonne hath made to him for our sinnes. Howsoeuer it be, we finde in Anselmus Me­ditations the formall of prayer, which he made vnto God, and published to the intent al Christians might vse it with him for their instruction and consolation. Lord my God (saith he) I pray vnto thee, A formular of Anselmus his prayers. because thou art neere vnto all those which [...]all vpon thee; and those which call on thee in truth, for thou art the Truth. I beseech thee. let thy truth then teach me, that I may inuocate thy clemencie, for I cannot pray as I ought; but most blessed truth I beseech thee to instruct me. To be wise without thee, is to become foolish; but to know thee is perfect knowledge. O diuine wisedome instruct me, and learne me thy law: for I beleeue that he is blessed whom thou shalt in­struct, and he to whom thou shalt teach thy law. I desire to in­uocate thee, and intreate thee that it may be in truth. What is it to call on the truth in truth, but to inuocate the Father by the Sonne? for what is there more sweete then to pray the Fa­ther [Page 93] by his only Sonne, and to moue the Father vnto compassion by the remembrance of his owne Sonne? So haue wicked liuers been taken out of prison and bonds; A similitude. so those which are con­demned to lose their heads, recouered not only their liues, but an extraordinarie fauour, when they shew to the angrie fathers the loue of their children: Euen so almightie Father, through the loue thou bearest to thy almightie Sonne, I beseech thee draw my soule out of prison, to the end it may confesse thy name, deliuer me from the bands of sinne, through the intercession of this thy precious Sonne which sitteth at thy right hand. For surely I know not what other intercessor I could addresse to­wards thee for me, but only he which is the propitiation for our sinnes who sitteth at thy right hand, who through the glorie which is common to him with thee, soliciteth thy goodnesse for vs. Behold O God and Father my Aduocate with thee, behold my High-priest which hath no need of being cleansed through the blood of any one, because hee shineth being sprinkled with his owne blood. I haue addressed thy welbeloued Sonne for my Aduocate, I haue made him a Mediatour betweene thee and me, an Intercessor through whom I am sure to obtaine pardon: behold he is my hope, l [...]e in him is all my confidence. If thou re­reiect me for mine iniquitie, as I haue deserued, regard me yet at the least in thy Sonne, Our demerits are forgiuen through the merit of the Sonne of God. that propitiation which thou hast prepared by one, that serued thee. Remember what thy Sonne hath suffered, and forget that which a wicked wretch hath done. In like manner we finde in his Epistles another forme made for the instruction and consolation of the sick which prepare themselues to die, in forme of a discourse, wherein the Pastor demandeth, and the sick person answereth. Art thou glad in thy selfe (saith the Pastor to the sick) that thou diest in thy Christian faith? Yea, answered the sicke. P. Doest thou confesse to haue liued so ill as thou hast merited eternall punishment? S. Yea. P. Beleeuest thou that our Lord Iesus Christ died for thee? S. Yea. P. Doest thou giue him thankes therefore? Another forme of Anselmus, to comfort the sick. S. Yea. P. Beleeuest thou that thou canst not bee saued but by his death? S. Yea. P. Got to then, whilest yet thy soule is in thee, set all thy saluation only in his death. Haue con­fidence in no other thing, trust and commit thy selfe wholly to [Page 94] this death, couer thy selfe only therewith, and with it wrap thy selfe round about. And if the Lord would iudge thee, say, Lord I oppose the death of Iesus Christ our Lord, betweene me and thy iudgement; otherwise I could not debate with thee. And if hee say vnto thee, that thou art a sinner, say, Lord I put the death of Iesus Christ our Lord betweene thee and my sinnes. And if hee should say once more vnto thee, thou hast merited damnation; say, Lord I put the death of our Lord Iesus be­tweene thee and my damnation; I offer vnto thee his merit in stead of that which ought to be in me, in whom there is none. And if hee should say yet vnto thee, that he is angrie against thee: say, Lord I put the death of our Lord Iesus betweene me and thy anger. This being accomplished, let the sicke say three times, Lord I recommend my spirit into thy hands. Thus Saint Bernard hath oftentimes exhorted the people in his ser­mons, not to stand vpon the Apostles, nor any other Saint which is but a man, neither to any Angel, but to goe straight forward vnto the Father of lights, who is the only iudge and witnesse of our thoughts, and to his Sonne Iesus Christ, the only Sauiour and Bridegrome of the Church. For in his 23. Sermon expounding this sentence of our Lord Iesus Christ,S. Bernard sends vs to Christ. I am the way, the truth, & the life. Who will (saith he, making Christ himselfe speake) come, let come af­ter me, let him come by me, let him come to me. After me, saith the Lord, for I am the truth; by me, for I am the way; to me, for I am the life. And in his 15. Sermon on the 91. Psalme: The Church (saith he) is excellent well described in the Can­ticle of Canticles, that hauing found the watchmen, (or rather being found by them, for she sought them not) she staieth not with those watchmen, neither contenteth her selfe in their com­panie, but hauing enquired after her welbeloued, flies right to­wards him; for her heart had no trust in those watchmen but in her Lord: and it may be she would haue said to those which should haue counselled her otherwise, I haue my confidence in the Lord; which the Corinthians did not well obserue, when they met with those watchmen, but staied with them, and passed no further: I am (said they) of Cephas, As we are of Christ and not of another, so ought we to stay with Christ. and I of Paul, and I of Apollo: but what haue these sober and well aduised watchmen [Page 95] done? For they would not take to them the Bride, they which were ielous about her, euen with a godly ielousie, who had vowed to render her as a chast virgin to her husband. And, if I deceiue not my selfe, they pushed her forward, to the end she might passe further to finde out her welbeloued. And it is to be considered with what arrowes the Apostle S. Paul woundeth those which some to stay with the watchmen: Paul, hath he been crucified for you, or haue yee been baptized in the name of Paul? And immediatly after: I will deliuer him (saith the Lord in the 91 Psalme) because hee hopeth in me: not (saith hee) in the watchmen, not in man, not in Angel, but in me. Expect no good from any but from me, and not by them: for euery good gift is from aboue, comming downe from the Father of lights, for through me the watchmen are profitable. The Virgin Mary seeketh not to disrobe her sonne, or to be clothed with his robes. But for the rest, the watch of the secret intention, which is in the bottome of the heart, must not only be of me, but also is made by me, because the eye of man cannot penetrate so deepe, nor likewise the eye of an Angel. Also in his 174 epistle he admonisheth the Monks of his time, that the Vrgin Mary would be honoured with iudgement; because she hath no need of false honors, be­ing adorned aboue in heauen with true honors. She takes no delight (saith he) in a proud noueltie the mother of rushnesse and sister of lightnesse: to honor her in such a sort is not to ho­nor her, but to take away honor from her. The wel-spring of our merits is in the grace of God, and not in the righte­ousnesse of mē. Moreouer, manife­sting his faith to be only in God, in his 61 Sermon vpon the Canticle of Canticles: My merit (saith he) is the mer­cie of the Lord: for I haue no want of merit, so long as he hath no want of mercie. I boldly take from the bowels of the Lord what I want, because they are full of mercie. Besides, he died in this beleefe, saying, I confesse that I am not worthie of the inheritance of the kingdome of heauen, and the which through [...]ine owne merits I cannot obtaine: but my Lord which hol­deth it by a double right, that is, both by the inheritance of his Father, and through the merit of his owne passion; content with one he giueth me the other. And if I attribute it to my selfe by vertue of the gift which he hath giuen me, I am not confoun­ded.

It is not yet fiue hundred yeeres since S. Bernard, who [Page 96] was Abbat of the Cloister of Claitual,The time and place when S. Bernard flo­rished. liued in Burgundie, one of the principall Prouinces of France, and was there in greater reputation then al the other Monkes of his Order. His bookes doe plainly witnesse, that hee was more incli­ned to the inuocation of our only God and celestiall Fa­ther, then to the adoration of Saints, and that he beleeued that no man could haue sure accesse vnto his throne of grace, but by the merit of the death of our only Sauiour Iesus Christ. Your Fathers haue brought in and receiued his bookes in their Church without any contradiction; and euen vnto this present you haue them in your Cloi­sters, and handle them daily. And yet for all this you loue rather to affirme against your owne consciences that S. Bernard constantly maintained the inuocation of Saints, then roundly to confesse that he spake thereof with some scruple of conscience, and very doubtfully, as appeareth by his writings. In the repetition of the prayers, which our Fathers haue addressed to the departed Saints, you nomi­nate that prayer of Origens, and aske me whether Origen that Doctor praying to the Prophet Iob (about the yeere of Christ 220) Was an Idolater? But sith that Origen was be­fore S. Ieromes time, S. Chrysostomes, S. Cyprians, S. Austins, S. Iohn Damascenus, and many other Doctors of the Primi­tiue Church, according to S. Ieromes testimonie, who saith that in the yeere of Christ 203, Origen was then of the age of seuenteene yeeres; it is maruell why you haue not done him that honour,A double dis­honor done to Origen. to place him in his ranke, and to cite his prayers aswell as others. Moreouer, it is a wonder that you doe this wrong to Origen, to attribute this prayer to him; O S. Iob pray for vs miserable wretches, that the mercie of God may deliuer vs. True it is that Origen had many strange and dangerous opinions, in such sort that S. Ierome saith of him, that hee commended his spirit, but not his faith, that he set greatly by his translations, but not by his doctrines and expositions; which hee tearmeth venomous and farre from the sense of holy Scriptures, and doing them violence: but howbeit, as wee haue alreadie proued by his disputations against Celsus the Philosopher, that he [Page 97] spake well of the inuocation of Gods name,Albeit that O­rigen was an impure writer in some other points, yet he hath shewed himselfe pure in the article of inuocation. and maintai­ned that religious adoration appertaineth onely to God, and the presentation of out prayers to our only Mediatour and Intercessor Iesus Christ. If Celsus reproched Origen, that he and the other Christians worshipped our Lord Ie­sus Christ, and from thence sought to conclude that the Christians worshipped after the fashion of the Gentiles some other then God; would not he (Celsus) also haue re­plied that hee and his followers called vpon the Prophet Iob, and that they beleeued they offended not God in ser­uing religiously his seruant? would hee not likewife in good earnest haue flouted at this distinction of Origens, that the Christians worshipped no other but God, in cal­ling on the name of Iesus Christ: forasmuch as Christ was not a simple man, as the Prophets & other departed Saints were; nor likewise a simple creature, as the Angels, but forasmuch as hee was also one God with the Father, and Lord of all things? And what likelihood is there that hee besought Iob to pray for him, when he himselfe prescribed this rule to all Christians to offer their prayers only to God, through his only Sonne, and protesteth in his eighth booke against Celsus, to haue followed it with the other Christians? His rule is,There is no likelihood that Origen, who sent vs vnto God only, should addresse himself to mē. That wee must adore the only soue­raigne God, and present our prayers to the only Sonne of God, who is his Word, and the first borne of all creatures, that as a high priest he might offer them vp to his God and to our God, to his Father, and according to his word the father of all liuing. The practise agreeable to this rule is expressed in these words: We worship as much as we can through supplications and seruices one only God, and his only Sonne, his word and his image, offering our prayers to God the Lord of all things by his only Sonne, The words of Origen are very expresse a­gainst the in­uocation of Saints. to whom first we doe addresse them, beseeching him that being propitiatour far our sinnes, he would vouchsafe as high priest to offer vnto God our prayers, sacrifices and inter­cessions: and therefore our faith lieth in God through his Son who hath confirmed it in vs. It is not credible then that Ori­gen hath inuocated Iob, not the other departed Saints, not the Virgin Mary likewise, sith that hee himselfe in his ser­mons [Page 98] comprehendeth them all together in the number of sinners, which are not entred into heauen through their owne merits, but by the only faith in Iesus Christ. Shall we thinke (saith he in his 27. Sermon and 2. tome) that all the Apostles were offended in our Lord, and that his mother was exempted? If she hath suffered no scandall in the passion of the Lord, then Iesus died not for her sinnes. But if all haue sinned, and haue all need of the glorie of God, to be iustified and redee­med through his grace; What might haue been the offence of the Vrgin Mary. surely Mary was offended in that very houre. And this is it which Simeon prophecied, saying: And thy soule also (which knowest thou hast conceiued without a man, and who hast heard by Gabriel, that the holy Ghost should come vpon thee, and the power of the most High should ouershadow thee) euen thine shall a sword pearce thorow, and thou shalt bee smitten with the blade of doubtfulnesse, and thy thoughts shall distract thee, when thou shalt see him to be crucified and put to death, whom thou hast heard called the Son of God, and knewest to be begotten without the seede of man. But what will you say, if I should shew you that your owne men haue not held these Commentaries vpon Iob, nor Origens Lamenta­tions (wherein hee praieth the Saints to prostrate them­selues for him to the mercies of God) for authenticall bookes? For, as Pope Gelasius hath reiected the booke of Lamentations attributed to Origen and iudged to be Apo­crypha; so Sixtus Senensis sheweth in his fourth booke, that the Treatise vpon Iob, The Papists imposture ap­peareth not only in that they a [...]de and diminish to the word of God, but in that they make the Do­ctors of the Church to say what i [...] pleaseth them. and some such like books, were not composed by him, but by some other author, which certaine of our Fathers suspected of heresie. For in his se­cond booke, he compareth these three diuine persons, to wit, the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy Ghost, to three hornes of the Diuell, and tearmeth the doctrine of the ho­lie Trinitie a sect, and a heresie of three Gods. All men of reason and discretion, taking heede to the falsehood of these allegations; will they not haue in abomination your audaciousnesse and impudencie, to proue the anciencie of the adoration of Saints by witnesses of no credit, and by depraued bookes cast off a long while agoe by your pre­decessors? Moreouer, as the Arrians, Montanists and sun­drie [Page 99] other heretikes, haue mixed their poyson among the sound doctrine contained in the bookes of the ancient Fa­thers:The Papists take delight in troubling the [...]ountaine of liuing waters. and like as diuers superstitious persons haue annexed to the wholesome instructions of those Doctors (touching the inuocation of one only God, & the intercession of one only Mediatour Iesus Christ) the leauen of the inuocation of Saints to corrupt the pure serui [...]e instituted by our Lord Iesus Christ in the Apostolicall Church: euen so the suc­cessors of these enemies of the ancient puritie, perceiuing that the zealous followers thereof, made vse of the good bookes of the ancient Fathers to encounter their supersti­tions, haue continued in falsifying more and more their bookes. And to make vp the measure of their Fathers, be­ing assembled in the Councell of Trent, they enioyned some to change, cut off, and condemne, whatsoeuer they should finde, and iudge offensiue, and contrarie to their er­rors. Vpon which, the Iesuits are diligently employed, fol­lowing therein the example of the idolatrous Gentiles, who perceiuing (as A [...]nebius complaineth thereof in his third booke) that they might be conuicted of falsehood by Ciceroes bookes (touching the nature of the Gods) for­merly published, corrupted them, and maliciously concea­led them, that no more mention might be made of them. For the Iesuites haue made two Registers,The mysterie of Satan ap­pea [...]eth nota­bly in the le­suits Index ex­ [...]urgatory. imprinted at Naples, Madril and Antwerp, wherein they haue not only put sundrie words and sentences of the Fathers, which ex­pressely they commanded to chaunge and deface out of their bookes; but also added certaine annotations to their writings by some great personages to helpe and ease the memorie of the Reader, yea without sparing their owne Teachers, who haue laboured asmuch to impart vnto vs the true exposition of the Fathers doctrine, as they to be­reaue and rob vs of it. Now to cosen the world they haue intituled these fi [...]e bookes, Indices expurgatorij, that is to say, Purgatiue Indices, or Registers; which more aptly may bee tearmed Putrefactiues. For so farre off is it, that these scullions haue laboured to purge the booke of the ancient Fathers, and their expositors from staines and filth; that [Page 100] contrariwise they haue defiled them, wheresoeuer they laid their clutches on them, full of stench and putrifaction. I am ashamed to discover their villanies: but seeing I haue begun, I must proceed at once in manifesting it to them. In their Index of Spaine they haue ordained to deface these words of S. Hillaries, whereby he declareth the reason why the wise virgins answered the foolish, that they could not guie thē of their oyle, to wit, because none ought to be succo­red with the works and merits of another. Shreds of the abouesaid In­dex, whereby one may haue knowledge of the whole peece. In that very Index they command to race out of S. Anselmus booke of the manner of visiting the sicke these words of great consola­tion: Beleeuest thou, that thou canst attaine vnto glorie, not through thine owne merits, but by the vertue and merit of Ie­sus Christ? Beleeuest thou y^• he died for our saluation, and that none can be saued through his own merits, nor no otherwise then by his death and passion? They iudge also in that Index, that these words (annexed to S. Chrysostoms Register of his bookes) ought to be defaced, to wit, that faith only iusti­fieth, and faith only saueth, grounded on certain [...] sentences of S. Chrysostoms, noted in y^• said Register. It admonisheth the Reader also to reiect this glosse, that There are no more workes in the world to come, nor any calling to repentance &c. Which was receiued frō the discourse of Epiphanius in his treatise of Heresie, 59.As Rau [...]ns turne aside frō the sound parts of a carkesse, and fall vpon the rotten; so the I [...]su [...]ts re­iect that which is most holy in the writings of the Fathers, and stand vpon the impure. Likewise, it ordaineth that this proposition be raced out, that Prayer be made for the liuing, but not for the dead. Which was taken from S. Ieromes ad­monition, vpon the third chapter of the Epistle to the Ga­lathians: whereupon he noteth this sentence of the Apo­stle, that euery one shall beare his owne burthen: Whilest we are in this present world we may succour each other, either by prayers or counsels: but when wee shall appeare before the iudiciall thron [...] of Christ, neither Iob, Dauid, nor Noah can pray for vs, &c. What else? haue not the Iesuits comman­ded in the two Indices of Spaine and the Low-Countries, to cut out of the Register added to S. Chrysostoms bookes, these words, That all the Prophets haue bin married: where­by the Reader is sent to that which S. Chrysostome speaketh thereof in his 56. Sermon vpon S. Matthew, where he pro­ueth [Page 101] by the examples of Moses, Esay, and Ezechiel, that all the Prophets had wiues and houses. In the Low-Countrie Index they condemne the sentences of one of their princi­pall writers called Faber Stapulensis, whereby hee maintai­neth that S. Ierome and Chrysostome haue taught that in­uocation appertaineth to none but vnto God only. Also they would haue one to purge the writings of George Cas­sander, touching the naturall exposition of the word merit, and of whatsoeuer hee alleageth in his bookes concerning the custome of the Apostles first successors, to wit, that they haue communicated in the Lords Supper for more then a thousand yeeres vnder the two signes of bread and wine. They haue also commanded to race out the annotations of Erasmus of Rotterdam vpon the third chapter of the first Epist.It is an easie matter for the Iesuits to fight with the bones of the dead, which cannot speake. to Timothy, and in like maner those of S. Chrysostoms, That a Bishop must be the husband of one onely wife. Finally, as many lines, so many corruptions and as many infallable markes of their vngodlinesse, and ill consciences. For al­beit they seek to couer their impietie vnder that false mask the title of purgation; yet so it is y^• they do most manife [...]t­ly discouer it, by the soueraigne authority which they take to themselues, in censuring and condemning as Iudges the instructions of their ancestors, conformable to the word, which God himselfe hath inspired into his Prophets and Apostles. And if they had made no doubt of the testimo­nie of truth, which shined in the books of those first lights of the Church, they would not haue inforced themselues to quench then so much, but might thereby haue been ar­med to haue defended and preserued themselves.Those which are proued fal­si [...]iers, ought to be no more re­puted as wor­thie of credit and beleefe. On the other part, if they had been faithfull keepers of their wri­tings, which were put into their hands, they would haue altered nothing neither concerning the matter, nor the forme thereof, but would haue been carefull to haue pre­serued them in their originall puritie. But knowing now that these falsaries haue not kept the treasure committed to their charge, but haue mixed among them their lead; with the pure gold which they receiued from their ance­stors: what man is it among vs, which will dare to assure [Page 102] himself of the sinceritie of those authors and sentences, which they alleage against vs; and of the integritie of the interpretations, which they recōmend vnto vs, and of the truth of those examples which they propound vnto vs? And sith I haue quoted so many excellent sentences of the Fathers, manifestly contrarie to those which you haue pro­duced in your epistle vnder the name and authoritie of the same Doctors; what should we doe in so great a contradi­ction of those sundrie rules of prayers, cited aswell in the one part as on the other? as alreadie wee haue vnderstood, that there is nothing more sure, when any point of do­ctrine is to be disputed, or of the true sense of some texts in the Bible,Mariners in the▪ obscuritie of a tempest, haue their re­course to their compasse and needle, and Christians to the law. then to hold our selues to Gods law, which is a faithfull witnesse, according to the counsell of the Prophet Esay, chap 8. verse 20. to giue the exposition of the law of God in expounding it by the Scripture it selfe, imitating the example of Esdras, and some other Doctors of the old Testament, which is represented by Nehemiah before our eies, in the 8. chapter, and 2. verse. Euen so when a question is of the true rule and manner of prayer, there is nothing more expedient then to follow in all our prayers, that only forme of prayer which our Lord Iesus Christ taught his Apostles, as S. Tertullian and S. Cyprian shew vs by their ex­cellent discourses touching the excellencie and perfection of this prayer. And S. Austin in his epistle which he wrote to a Christian widow called Proba: Wee say no other thing (saith he) then that which is contained in the Lords Prayer, if we pray rightly and conueniently. And whosoeuer should say any thing which is not agreeable with this Euangelicall prayer, though he prayeth not vnlawfully, yet he prayeth carnally: and I know no reason why, but that one may say he prayeth vnlaw­fully, A saying of S. Austins very worthie to be noted. sith that such as are regenerated by the holy Ghost, ought to pray spiritually. By which admonition S. Austin signi­fieth to all Christians, that all prayers which haue not their foundation in the prayer of our Lord Iesus Christ (as are such which be addressed to the Saints departed) are carnall and vnlawfull.

But to returne to your obiections, where you say that [Page 103] you [...]et slip in silence the miracles done through the inuo­cation of Saints, and yet you send vs to the 22 booke of the Citie of God: and we send you back againe to that which wee haue formerly noted, to wit, that Viues testifieth that many sentences haue been annexed to that booke of the Citie of God, and for that reason we ought to giue no be­leefe thereunto. But rather as Origen witnesseth vpon Ie­remiah, it behoueth vs to call for witnesses the holy Scrip­tures: forasmuch as without those witnesses our sense and discourses are of no credit, which S. Austin also giueth vs to vnderstand by this exhortation, that whatsoeuer wee would haue men to beleeue, we must proue it by cleere te­stimonies of holy Scripture, and vse them against the ene­mies of the Church. And if we should grant you, that ma­ny miracles haue been done by the inuocation of Saints, yet you cannot with a good conscience gather frō thence, that this seruice was pleasing to God, seeing that the false prophets and ministers of Satan, haue sought to set vp their impieties through the lustre of many miracles. Thereupon Moses aduertiseth the people of his time (saying in Deut. [...]3. 1.)Deut. 13. 1. If there arise among you a Prophet or a dreamer of dreames (and give thee a signe or wander, The reprobats thēselues haue done guilefull miracles. and the signe and the wonder which he hath told thee come to passe) saying, Let vs go after other gods, which thou hast not known [...] let vs serue them, Thou shalt not hearken vnto the words of that prophet▪ or vnto that dreamer of dreames: for the Lord your God pro­ueth you, to know whether you loue the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soule. And Iesus Christ in the 24 of Matthew and 23 verse, saith, If any shall say vnto you, Matth. 24. 23. 24. loe here is Christ, or there beleeue it not: for there shall arise false Christs, and false Prophets, and shall shew great signes and won­ders, so that if it were possible, they should deceiue the very e­lect. 25. Behold I haue told you before (according to which Saint Paul writeth in the [...]. of Thes [...]. 2.)2. Thess. 2. that the comming of the Sonne of perdition, who s [...]ll sit as God in the temple of God, and shall exalt himselfe against God, and shall be by the working of Satan, with all power and signes and lying wonders, and in all [...] of vnrighteousnesse among them that [...] [Page 104] Whereupon S. Austin grounding himselfe, saith on the 9. Psalme, That Antichrist shall vse force in his empire, and de­ceit in his miracles. And in the treatise of Antichrist, which is added to his bookes: Antichrist (saith he) shall rise vp a­gainst the elect by three manner of waies: by terrors, by gifts, and by miracles. By how many meanes Satan shal exalt him­sel [...]e against the faithfull. And Chrysostome speaking of the false Do­ctors, on the seuenth chapter of S. Matthew: They cast forth diuels (saith he) in the name of Christ, hauing the spirit of the enemie, or they rather doe not cast them foorth, but seeme to cast them foorth, through the collusion which they haue with the diuels; and so alwaies they cast them foorth, and neuer doe heale. The diuels euermore crie before them as if they were chastized, and they neuer come foorth of them as though they were afraid. Behold therefore Theophylact teacheth vs in the explication of the seuenth chapter of S. Luke▪ and name­ly on the second verse, that preaching is confirmed by mi­racles, and miracles by preaching: for oftentimes diuers haue done wonders by the diuels, but their preaching was not sound: therefore their miracles also were not of God. Which Anselmus appropriating to the miracles of Anti­christ in his Commentaries vpon the second Epistle to the Thessalonians, and second chapter: These signes and won­ders (saith he) shall be lying, Why Anti­christs signes are called lies. either because they should deceiue the mortall through magicall visions, or else, because that al­though they should be wonders and prodigious signes, yet they should draw vnto lies such as beleeue in them. Moreouer, Me­ses recounteth in the booke of Exodus, that Pharaohs Ma­gicians haue imitated and counterfeited many miracles, which he formerly had done in the countrie of Egypt. Also Hippocrates reciteth in his book de Morbo Sacro, that some Sorcerers in his time healed many of the falling sicknesse in making sacrifices and certaine prayers, because they would be reputed as holy personages. The like writeth Bodin of Appolonius Thyaneus and of some other Sorce­rers which chased away diuels, and did many other won­ders through fainednesse and collusion. This is that also whereof the Emperour Charles the Great would aduertise vs by his third and fourth bookes, made vnder his owne [Page 105] name, and approued by Pope Adrians Legats, and many other Bishops of France, Germany, and Italie, which were present in the Councel of Frankford in the yeere 794. There is great danger (saith he) in many miracles, A notable sen­tence of Charles the Great, tou­ching miracles because there may be in them some craft of that crooked Serpent, which doth transfigure himself into an Angel of light: for many miracles are done by those Angels reuolted, by Powers, or rather by spi­rituall subtilties, which communicate to diuers miserable wret­ches the gift of prophecying, and doe many strange things through their officers, of which sort those shal be which shall say, Lord, Lord, haue we not prophecied in thy name? and haue wee not cast out diuels in thy name? and by thy name done many great workes? To whom the Iudge will answere, I neuer knew you. To this end also, S. Gregorie Bishop of Rome saith, Be­cause oft times miracles are done through the inspiration of the diuell, The pretended miracles of Popedome, are rather a pre­sumption of a false then of a true seruice. my brethren loue not those signes as are common with the reprobate. And S. Austin saith, The diuels doe miracles, like vnto those which were done by the seruants of God, &c. Considering therefore that the wicked Spirit hath often times done miracles among the Iewes and Gentiles, and that it was foretold that Antichrist and his supporters shall in great number doe them in the latter daies, to establish their errors, and seduce the elect of God, if it were possible; it is a follie in you to conclude that the miracles done, through the inuocation of the departed Saints, is a seruice pure and approued by God. But to reproue the course of your fine discourse, adorned with this figure of preuen­tion:The subiect for which the Pa­pists tearme vs heretike [...], de­clareth them to be imposters and heretikes themselues. There is one thing (will some man say) which troubleth much these heretikes, and what is it? how they cannot vnder­stand nor imagine that the Saints doe heare vs, affirming that it is vnpossible for a man praying beneath on earth to be heard of the departed Saints into heauen. Which according to the scope of your writing is the second point which wee haue yet to examine. It were to be wished that in this examina­tion you were more discreet and sincere. You consider not that in tearming vs heretikes; because we will not beleeue that the Saints deceased vnderstand and heare the prayers of those which call vpon them, you also reproue Salomon [Page 106] the wise of heresie, who teacheth vs in the first booke of Kings, and 8. chapter, that there is none but God only who knoweth the hearts of all men, and that that is one of the principall causes wherefore we should call vpon him; and to expect from him alone the accomplishment of our de­sires.1. Kings 8. 38. Lord (saith he) what prayer and supplication soeuer shall be made of any man, or of all thy people Israel, when euery one shall know the plague in his owne heart, and stretch foorth his hand in this house: Heare thou then in heauen in thy dwelling place, and be mercifull, and doe, and giue euery man, according to all his waies, as thou knowest his heart (for thou only knowest the hearts of all the children of men.) Moreouer, in stead of speaking seriously, you at your pleasure flout at Caluin, and our arguments. You say, that our strongest arguments, and that which we most set by, is, that which wee hold from our Captaine Caluin, who asketh you in the third booke of his Insti­tutions, chap. 20. sect. 24. Who hath reuealed to you this secret, that the departed Saints haue so long eares to stretch them downe vnto your words? and so sharp eyes, that they can behold your necessities? It is maruell that you, who so diligently set foorth your tongue with the colours of Rhetorique,Caluin speaketh to the foolish, according to their folly. vnderstand not, that hee maketh this demaund of you by an Ironia, or manner of mockage, and laugheth at your foolish imagination, that the Saints, which are aboue in heauen, heare and see what is done here beneath on earth. For without searching any further, Caluin confesseth in that very section, that the soules of the blessed, albeit they are separated from their bodies, and vse no more the in­struments of eyes and eares, yet vnderstand many things, which concerne the aduancement of the glorie of God, and his kingdome. Yea and that they seeke it with a set­led and vnmoued will; which may bee proued by some texts out of the Bible: but hee condemneth the boldnesse of your Sophists,If the Saints see all things within the mir­rour of eterni­tie, it would follow that they should see the day of the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ, which is false. who without any testimonie of holie Scripture, dare affirme that the brightnesse of Gods face is so great, that in the contemplation thereof the Saints may behold as in a mirrour the things which in this world do happen. But whilest you bark against this demand of [Page 107] Caluins, you dissemble our arguments, and accuse your selues of falsehood and deliberate malice, seeing you vaunt that you haue read the writings of our Ministers, and haue therein obserued the reasons which they pro­pound against the second point of your doctrine. If it be true that you haue perused the principall reasons of our Pastors; why then do you let passe in silence that which they haue drawne out of the fountaine of the holy Scrip­tures, and namely in the 9. chapter of Ecclesiastes, vers. 6. That the loue and the hatred of the dead is now perished, Eccles. 9. 6. and they haue no more portion for euer in all that is done vnder the Sunne. Esay 63. 16. And in the 63. chapter of Esay, and 16. verse, Lord thou art our Father, though Abraham be ignorant of vs, and Israel know vs not. Whereupon this argument of our Teachers is grounded. The holy Scripture manifestly instructeth vs in those aboue said texts, y^• the Saints decea­sed this world haue no more portion in the things which are done vnder the cope of heauen, nor any knowledge of our affaires. Therfore it is a folly in them, which yet walk in this vaile of miserie, to call vpon them.

But to proceed on with the course of your inuectiue, you say, that the disciples of Caluin and Luther, to shew them­selues wiser then their Masters, haue begun since that, to de­maund of the Catholiques some expresse texts and examples taken out of the holy Scripture, whereby it might appeare that the Saints aboue in Paradise vnderstand & heare our prayers. Whereunto I replie,Luther and Cal­uin haue not bound their aduersaries, to proue the in­uocation of Saints by the Scripture. that Luther and Caluin haue not re­quired of you any expresse texts by the which it might ap­peare that the deceased Saints heare our Prayers; because they knew exceeding well, that there could not be found for it so much as one only word in the Word of God. For what saith Caluin thereof in his 3. booke and 20. chapter, sect. 21? What angell or diuell euer reueiled to any man any one syllable of this intercessiō of Saints, which these men haue forged? For in the Scripture there is nothing said thereof. What reason had he then to seeke it there? And as for vs, which are none of Luthers or Caluins disciples, but Christs; wee require of you some proofes taken out of the [Page 108] marrow of the holy Scripture, not for that wee thinke it is possible for you; but because wee might haue the greater occasion to confute you of leasing euen by your own con­sciences.The Papists are to make good that which they af­firme, and not in vs which de­nie & disproue the inuocation of Saints. And when all is said, and when we come to that, ye feare the blowes, & to saue your selues from them, you answere vs reciprocally by a demaund, whether wee can proue our negatiue by some text, to wit, that the Scripture teacheth vs not, that the Saints which are in heauen can heare our prayers. In your inuectiue against Caluin, you re­proch him in that hee wanteth Philosophie: but herein I may rebuke you by an argument farre more forcible, that you haue not learned the lawes Dialecticae, (that is, of Lo­gick) which teacheth vs, Quod affirmanti incumbat proba­tio, to wit, that he which affirmeth any thing, is bound to proue his affirmation. So it is then, that you affirme, that the holy Scripture teacheth vs that the departed Saints heare our prayers,We neither de­nie nor affirme any thing of our own sense, but from the authoritie of the holy Scrip­ture. and wee contrariwise denie it; then it is not in vs to confirme our negation, but in you to ratifie your nega­tion; which is vnpossible for you: notwithstanding you are so imprudent, or rather so impudent as to say, that wee may reade ouer the Bible as oft as we list, yet we shall neuer pro­duce thereout one only text contrary to your opinion. If your conscience be not seared, it hath alreadie conuicted you of falsehood by the reading of those two places, which al­readie I haue quoted out of the 9. chapter and 16. verse of Eccle.Eccle. 9. 16. and Esay 63. vers. 16. where the holy Ghost guiding the pen of these two men of God,Es [...]y 63. 16. teacheth vs that they which are departed this life, haue no portion in our busi­nesses which are done vnder the Sunne, but that they are ignorant thereof.

Let vs now come to your demonstration, that the Scrip­ture faileth you not in this point: for to awaken our spirits, you first command vs to note this expresse text of Scripture, Two false prin­ciples and grounds of the Papisticall Do­ctors. that the Angels in heauen vnderstand our prayers, seeing they are the reporters of then to the diuine Maiestie, as appeareth by the same scripture. Secondly, it is an expresse text of scrip­ture, that the Saints shall be in heauen as the Angels, accor­ding to the saying of the Sonne of God in the Gospell. Where­unto [Page 109] you adde your conclusion, that the Saints heare our prayers, sith the Angels (vnto whom they are likened) heare them. If some one should propound this your argument borrowed from Bellarmine, to Scholars which haue heard the rules of Logick, they would quickly smell out your deceit, and would replie, that you doe not aptlie appro­priate it to the Saints departed, because to conclude from thence (according to the right forme and rule of Logi­cians) that the Saints departed vnderstand our prayers, you must first haue proued, that Iesus Christ saith in the 20. chapter of S. Luke, that the departed Saints are Angels, and not as you make them, like vnto Angels. They would likewise reiect your reason, and confirmation which you annex vnto this sentence,The Papists cā neuer proue, that the An­gels are the re­porters of the prayers of the Saints before God. that the Angels vnderstand our prayers, because they are the reporters of them to the diuine Maiestie, as appeareth by the holy Scripture. Mark you not here a fine proofe, to say it appeareth by the Scripture that the Angels report our prayers to God, without quoting so much as one testimonie? From hence it comes, that ha­uing taken your principall peeces from Bellarmine, you durst not alleage that place of holy Scripture which is in the 12. chapter and 15. verse of Toby, where the Angel Ra­phael saith, That hee is one of those seuen holy Angels, which presents before the Maiestie of God the prayers of the Saints. If it be in regard that you make conscience to confirme your proposition out of a booke which is Apocrypha, I commend you, and in that I preferre you before your Ma­ster. Or if it be because you haue not read, nor remembred well, that text which he alleageth in his book of the bles­sednesse of the Saints, I pardon you for it. Touching the rest, it seemes at the first sight, that you make some stop at falsifying the 36. verse of the 20 chapter of S. Luke, and of following therein the example of Bellarmine & Richeome, who in stead of saying as Christ did in answering the Sad­duces, that the Saints shall be (to wit, in the resurrection of the flesh) like the Angels: they turne this text as if Christ had said, that they are like to the Angels. But in the repeti­tion of your argument trussed to your conclusion, you [Page 110] shew your selfe to be of the same humour as your School-mastersOur confor­mitie with the Angels is not yet, but when we shal be glo­rified. aboue said are; seeing you change the future tense into the present; to maintaine with them that the Saints are like to the Angels: and that against the intention of our Soueraigne Lord and Master Iesus Christ, who dispu­ting against the Sadduces, which denied the resurrection of the bodie, and had propounded this question to him, worthie to be laughed at, touching a woman which had had seuen husbands, whose wife she should be in the re­surrection, sheweth them vpon this occasion, that the faithfull shall then be glorified, euen in regard of their bodies which shall not bee mortall, nor corruptible no more, but as the spirits of the Angels are, and consequent­ly shall not be enclined to mariage, for the maintaining of their race and posteritie, but shall be like to the Angels which doe not marrie. Now foreseeing through the agili­tie of your spirit, what we might replie on that aboue said place, you thinke that you heare vs alreadie answere, that this similitude of the Angels and Saints, whereof our Lord speaketh in the Gospell, consisteth only in their felicitie and blessednesse, and not in their nature and office, that is to say (as it hath pleased you to expound it) that the Angels and the Saints shall be in heauen equall and like each other, because both of them shall be blessed, enioying one selfesame glorie and felicitie. Now as you can finde nothing therein to chaw vpon, you grant vs this answere, and make it to serue your turne, as a fowler with his net, to take and ensnare vs. For behold the argument which you ground vpon our an­swere, is, that seeing the felicitie and state of future life, hin­dreth not the Angels from hearing the prayers of the mortall, why is it not possible that the Saints being in the same fe­licitie with the Angels and like vnto them, may not heare like­wise our prayers aswell as they? This text of scripture them sheweth that the Saints heare our prayers. We denie the con­sequence of this argument. If the felicitie of the Angels hindreth them not from hearing our prayers, that it fol­loweth from thence, that the felicitie of the departed Saints hindreth not them also from the vnderstanding of [Page 111] our Supplications;From things or persons which are vn­like, we ought not to draw like conclu­sions. the reason is, because the Angels (not­withstanding their present felicitie) haue receiued from God this charge, to watch ouer vs, and our safetie, as it is written in the 34. Psalme. For which cause the Apostle S. Paul calleth them administring spirits, sent for their sakes that are to receiue the inheritance of saluation, which the Scripture speaketh in no place of the Saints de­parted. You repeate afterward your affirmation, that the Saints deceased heare vs, see vs, and are not ignorant of that which is done vpon the earth. For confirmation whereof you propound vs the example of Abraham, who being dead and in Limbo, knew many things which happened among the peo­ple of the children of Israel, as one may perceiue by the 16. chapter of S. Luke. For first of all he knew, that the people had the bookes of Moses and the Prophets, the ancientest whereof was Moses, which had been written more then foure hundred yeares after the death of Abraham. Secondly, he knew the life which the rich Glutton led vpon the earth, and what miserie poore Lazarus had there endured. Thirdly, hee saw and knew the estate and condition of that wicked wretch, and heard his prayer, (although he was not heard) when he cried, Father A­braham haue mercie on me, and send Lazarus, &c. Notwith­standing there was a great distance betweene the one and the other, as Abraham answered him: finally, albeit that the rich Glutton was damned, saw he not Abraham? heard he not his answere? gaue he not his replies? albeit there was a great gulfe set betweene them? Now there is no man that dares deny all this; because it is the Gospell▪ and a storie pronounced by the mouth of him which cannot lie, but is the very truth himselfe, euen Iesus Christ. An argument from the least to the greatest, which hath more colour then strength. And if this thing and storie be true (as it is) I now charge all the Caluinian and Lutherian Ministers, and say vnto them, If Abrah [...]m (my Masters) being shut vp in Limbo, and not enioying at that time the sight of God, nor being blessed but through hope, knew notwithstanding the things of this world, the estate and miserie of the rich Glutton, and heard him make his prayer and demaund; will you thinke that the Saints in Paradise, beholding God, and his most bright sight, are better priuiledged then Abraham? I will reduce [Page 112] your paradox and superfluitie of words into this summa­rie: If (say you) Abraham in Limbo, being not yet bles­sed but through hope, knew the things of this world, (as appeareth by the historie thereof contained in the 16. chapter of S. Luke) the Saints in paradise enioying the most glorious countenance of God, are not lesse priuiledged in that then Abraham. Now you presuppose that this is a sure foundation, that Abraham after his death knew the affaires of this world, and from thence you conclude, that the consequence which you draw from it is good and true. I say that in your discourse you interlarde many things false and vncertaine. For first you presuppose that Abra­ham was in Limbo, and in the place of such as are not bles­sed but through hope, when Christ spake of him and La­zarus to his disciples.It is impietie to say Abraham was in Limbo. Whereof we can shew you the con­trarie in the 8. chapter of S. Matthew, and eleuenth verse, where Christ saith,Matth. 8. 11. that many shall come from the East and West, and shall sit downe with Abraham, and Isaac, and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen. In which text you may see, that Iesus Christ promiseth all those which shall beleeue in his doctrine, that their soules shall be transported into the kingdome of heauen, where were then at that time the soules of Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob. From whence one may easily gather, that Iesus Christ vnderstood in S. Luke by the bosome of Abraham, that which in S. Matthew hee calleth the kingdome of heauen. In consideration where­of sundrie of the ancient Fathers haue expressed those words of Abrahams bosome, by the name of Paradise. Likewise, there are some of them, which haue concluded from the abouesaid chapter of S. Luke, and some other pla­ces of holy Scripture, that men at their departure out of this life, enter (as touching their soules) either into eter­nall rest, or into eternal torment, and so consequently there is neither Limbo, or Purgatorie.Lactantius. There are two waies (saith Lactantius in his sixth booke of Baptisme) by which it is ne­cessary that humane life must passe: the one will carrie and lift men vp into heauen; the other will cast them downe headlong into hell. Origen. And Origen saith in his booke of Workes, that [Page 113] soules which depart this world, are either distributed into hell, or into the bosome of Abraham. Epiphanius. In like manner, S. Epiphanius in his Treatise of Heresie, saith in his 19. chapter, that after death there is no succour, no pitie, no repentance. For Lazarus commeth not to the rich Glutton, nor the rich Glutton to La­zarus; neither doth Abraham let fall his robes from on high, to inrich that wofull wretch; nor the rich Glutton obtaineth not also his request, though hee besought it of pitifull Abra­ham with many prayers: For the chambers are sealed vp, the time accomplished, the combat atchieued, the lists made voide, the Crowne giuen, and those which haue fought doe rest, and those which haue not gained before, are departed from thence, and those which haue not fought, cannot offer themselues any more for that purpose, and those which haue lost it in the lists, are put out, and all things are fully accomplished after our de­parture out of this world. S. Ierome. S. Ierome teacheth vs the like in his discourse vpon the death of Paula: Let it not grieue vs (saith he) for hauing lost her, or rather for hauing her still, for all things liue to God, and all they which returne to the Lord, be as in the number of his familie; we account that we haue lost her, but she is lodged in heauen: For when Paula was in her bo­die, she was absent from the Lord, saying, I am a pilgrim, and a stranger here, as all my Fathers were, I desire to be separated from this body, and to bee with Christ. She now enioyeth the blessings which no eye hath seene, no eare hath heard, nor which euer could enter into the heart of man. Whereof Iustine the Martyr also speaketh very cleerely in his 60 and 75.A notable say­ing of Iustine the Martyr. questions: In the storie (saith hee) of Lazarus and the rich Glutton, there is a declaration which conteineth this doctrine, that after the soule is issued foorth of the body, men cannot re­ceiue any further succour, by any care or prudence. After the soule is dislodged from the body, there is presently a distinction made betweene the righteous and the vnrighteous: For the soules of the righteous are carried by the Angels into the pla­ces of Paradise, whereof they are worthy, where they haue the conuersation and view of Angels and Archangels, yea euen the sight of our Lord Iesus Christ, according to that which is said; Being absent from the body, we are present with the Lord: [Page 114] But the soules of the vnrighteous goe into the places of hell, as it is said of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon, Hell beneath is moued against thy comming: and that which followeth. And all soules are kept in these two places till the houre of the re­surrection. Whereunto S. Ambrose subscribeth, by the ex­hortation which hee made to Christians in his Treatise of the Good of Death,An excellent doctrine of S. Ambroses. chap. 12. When the day of our death shal come (saith he) let vs march straight forward without feare into the companie of the Saints: for we shall goe to our fathers, and to those which haue taught vs the faith, to the intent that if our workes doe faile vs, our faith may succour vs, and our in­heritance may defend vs. Also the soule flies from hence on high, she goeth to dwell with that pure good which is both per­petuall and immortall &c. The soules rest is in the land of the liuing, The doctrine of S. Austin tou­ching the place of our retreate at our depar­ting this world whereunto no sinnes can penetrate where liueth the glo­rie of vertues. According to which saying, S. Austine gi­ueth vs this remonstrance in his 80. Epistle to Hesichius: In such a case (saith he) as thy last day findeth thee, euen such will the last day of this world take thee. Such as man dieth in that very day, such shall he be iudged in the other. And in his 10. Sermon vpon the Apostles words, There are two homes, the one in eternall fire, the other in an eternall kingdome. Like­wise in his 232. Serm. intituled De Tempore: Brethrē (saith he) let no man deceiue himselfe: for there are but two places, and no third for any one. Whereunto his exposition ser­ueth, which in another place he speaketh of in disputing against the Pelagians. The Catholique faith (saith he) by di­uine authoritie beleeueth, that the first place is the kingdome of heauen, the second hell, where all apostates and reuolters from the faith in Christ, shall feele euerlasting torments. As tou­ching a third we are wholly ignorant of; Neither the holy Scripture, nor the Catho­like Fathers giue any third places to soules after their de­cease. and which is more, wee finde by the holy scripture that there is none. Besides, in the 9. booke of his Confessions, he maintaineth y^• one seeth God in Abrahams bosome, and thereby he sheweth, as a thing most certaine, that the soule of Abraham, and the faithfull fathers departed this world, was in heauen, and not in Limbo or Purgatorie, where none can behold God, but in the alone seate of the blessed, according to that sentence [Page 115] of our Sauiour, contained in the fifth chapter of S. Mat­thew, and 8. verse, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. On the other side, the same Doctor saith of the Fa­thers of the old Testament, that they which beleeued in Christ, before hee came in the flesh, haue been saued through their faith in Christ Iesus. I could here alleage a sentence of S. Gregorie Nazianzen, (whereby he comforted himselfe at his brothers death, saying, that he was ascended vp into heauen, and rested in the bosome of Abraham) and many others to the same effect: but because I will not be too te­dious, I will now examine the second point of your opi­nion, which is, that that which Christ teacheth of the rich Glutton and Lazarus, The historie of Lazarus is pa­rabolicall. is a historie: which wee denie; be­cause there are sundry circumstances which shew also that it is partly a parable. For in that storie we cannot take the things literally which are recited in them, neither can it be possible in all that which Christ heretofore did preach of the rich Glutton and poore Lazarus; because Christ therein attributeth, tongues, fingers, and eyes to the soules of the departed, which hee doth by a manner of speech, which is called historicall, but is parabolicall; by which spirituall things are made cleere by the comparison and similitude of corporall.Though Abra­ham should haue heard the complaints of the rich Glut­ton, it follow­eth not from thence that the Saints heare our prayers. Now although wee shall approue that which wee haue denied, to wit, that Abraham heard the complaints of the rich man, yet cannot you solidly conclude from thence, that the departed Saints also doe heare the prayers of such as liue vpon the face of the earth. For Bellarmine your Doctor describeth the distance which is between Limbus and Hell in such a sort, as if he had bin there himselfe to haue measured the one and the other place, where hee saith, there is betwixt them a great ope­ning, neither more nor lesse then is betweene two places separated only by the aire, so that from the one part of this gulfe, one may see and heare what is done in the other. By this reckoning then the distance is not so great betweene those places, as it is betweene heauen and earth: seeing that these two places are shut vp on all sides, and so farre separated from each other, that it is not possible that the [Page 116] Saints which are in heauen and we which are here beneath on earth can heare or see each other. Neuerthelesse, to giue some colour to your opinion, you bring in S. Austin vpon this point, speaking in this manner: Quid non vident qui videntem omnia vident? What (saith he) doe not the Saints aboue in heauen see, in seeing him which seeth all things, to wit, God? But wherefore haue you not marked that place? is it not because you dare not openly gainsay those which attribute these words to S. Gregory? But howsoeuer, if they were his, he forgot himselfe in pronouncing these words: for albeit that God seeth all things, yet it followeth not from thence that the Saints which behold God should see all things likewise. If you should propound such an argu­ment in Schooles to Aristotles disciples, they would pre­sently confute you by the like argument, which an igno­rant person might make you of the Sunne, and of vs which daily doe behold it, to wit, sith that the Sunne, which is the eye of the world (as Philosophers tearme it) seeth and dis­couereth all things which are vnder the cope of heauen, that wee likewise in beholding the Sunne, should see all things which are vnder the Sunne.The Trinitie serueth not as a mirror in heauen, to cō ­template all things therein. What man is it that perceiueth not this consequence to be bad? And if it were good, yet yours would remaine false & naughtily groun­ded; because wee denie that which you affirme, without any testimonie of holy Scripture, that is, that God, or the Trinitie serue as a mirror to the soules of the departed, thereby to behold all things, as the Sunne and Moone which are as spectacles to our bodily eyes, to perceiue by them the things which are represented to our sight. Be­sides this, it is an easie matter to stop your mouth, and to shew by the testimonie of Christ and his Apostle in the sixth chapter of the Reuelation, that the Angels and the spirits of the departed, though they behold the face of God, yet they see not, nor know the day and houre of the last comming of Christ. Moreouer, wee can conuince you thereof euen by your predecessors, and can proue by their owne writings, how they taught that the soules of the de­parted see not any thing which is done vpon the earth: [Page 117] for you may see what Albertus Bishop of Ratisbone wri­teth thereof (who was Master to Thomas of Aquin) in his booke of our Coniunction with God,Albert Master vnto Thomas of Aquin, denieth that which o­ther of the Po­pish Doctors his successors doe affirme. and 8. chapter: The departed Saints (saith he) busie not themselues about the af­faires of this world, neither care for the estate thereof, neither of peace nor warre, neither of faire weather or raine, nor in summe for any man here below: but are wholly deuoted to one God, and all of them vnited and employed, to apply and accom­modate themselues to him. Finally, from the blessed you de­scend to the damned, and as though you had heard their discourses, and sounded their spirits, you reason without reason aswell of their knowledge, as of their charitie to­wards God, and men suruiuing them: for thus you dis­course: If the damned doe likewise heare those speake, which are so farre distant from them, as the rich man heard Abra­ham, and shewed himselfe mindfull and carefull for his bre­thren, which yet remaine vpon the earth, being afraid left they should come into the same place of torment where he was, as you may see in the Gospell by that which he spake vnto Abra­ham; should we thinke, that the Saints, and those which are in the kingdome of heauen see not, or know not what wee doe vpon the earth? Charitie is the marke of the children of God, and not of the repro­bate. Poore Diuine that thou art, which vnderstands not yet, that which the holy Scripture teacheth vs so cleer­ly in many places, that the zeale and charitie to the glorie of God, and the desire of our neighbours saluation, are vertues proper in the fourth degree (as in schooles they teach it) only to the elect and children of God, and are ne­uer found in the damned after this life, which are sworne enemies against God, and the children of his kingdome. If then the reprobate are without charity, and are glad to see many companions of their distresses, as some of your new Doctors confesse: what a stupiditie is it then in you, not to consider that Christ (as alreadie we haue touched) at­tributeth to the rich Glutton the care of his brethren by a parable or similitude, as also the speech of a liuing man, vsing his tongue and other members of his bodie, which neuerthelesse was separated by buriall from the soule cast downe into h [...]ll? I am much more astonied, because [Page 118] that Saint Austin, whom (as it seemeth by your writing) you haue read, saith expressely of the rich Glutton, that al­beit he prayed Abraham to send Lazarus vnto his bre­thren, yet hee knew not what his brethren did, nor what did then happen to them. But to beate you with your owne rod, you present vs a proofe, that the Saints which are in hea­uen see vs, because they behold God, who seeth all things. From whence I argue by the contrarie,The aduersa­ries argument retorted. that forasmuch as the damned, which are cast into vtter darknesse, see not the brightnesse of the face of God, therefore they see not a iot, nor haue any knowledge of our affaires? Afterward you stirre the pot about, and fall againe into your begin­ning, holding as an article worthie of beleefe, that which you haue not proued, nor euer can prooue by holy Scrip­ture, to wit, that the Saints and all blessed soules departed this life, know the things of this world, and thereupon you build your argument, which is called in Schooles, From the lesse to the greater: If the departed Saints know all things in this world, Vpō bad foun­dation: the [...]e can be made no good buil­ding. must they not much more know and heare the prayers which men make vnto them? Againe, If they can vnderstand and heare the voyce of the d [...]mned; is it possible that they should not vnderstand the prayers of such as are de­sirous to be saued? Beside, if the damned themselues (as appea­reth by the storie of the rich Glutton) would procure that there happen no euill to their brethren and friends; will those which are saued be lesse charitable? will they not aduance as much as they can, the saluation of their friends and Christian brethren? and that so much the more, because they see and heare that men doe seeke vnto them for it? To speake pro­perly, your first argument is no argument, but a trouble­some repetition of the principij, that is to say, of the princi­pall question which needeth a proofe of better stuffe then as yet you haue offered to satisfie vs withall. The others depend on the former, and haue been refuted alreadie. I will then goe on with the course of your Treatise, and ad­uertise you, that neither hee to whom you haue written your Epistle, not they vnto whom he hath communicated it to be read and examined, doe giue any beleefe to your [Page 119] false affirmations, that the Christians are commanded to inuocate the Saints departed, or that they doe heare their prayers. Hereupon you propound this question how the Saints can heare vs and you acknowledge, that to say the truth this is a hard question to be resolued, but neuerthe­lesse that your doctrine is true. To this point you produce that which S. Austin writeth thereof in his Treatise, De cura pro mortuis gerenda, cap. 16. In truth (saith S. Austin) this question surpasseth the force of my vnderstanding, being vnable to comprehend how and in what manner the Martyrs helpe those which we certainly know to be helped by them. I will here briefly repeate that which heretofore I haue shewne, to wit, how this sentence of S. Austins is contrarie to those which I haue gathered out of his writings, into which some since his departure haue maliciously sowne many tares and wicked seed,Places suspe­cted of S. Au­stins. which is the cause that wee hold this passage in suspition. And though it were S. Austins, yet are we not bound to receiue it, seeing it is contrarie to the holy Scripture. But to refute you by that very booke which you attribute to S. Austin; answereth not he himself to this question, whether the Saints departed intermeddle with our affaires, that hee is of an opinion they doe not? Doth he not reason in the same manner as we haue reaso­ned afore, to shew that his opinion is grounded in the ho­ly Scriptures? I will here recite his owne words, to the end the moderate reader may iudge of them:S. Austin doth absolutely de­ny that the Saints meddle with our af­faires. Let euery man take (saith Austin) as he will what I shall speake; If the soules of the departed were present in the businesses of the liuing, and so that we should see them, they would speake to vs in dreames: to say nothing of others, my good mother then would not leaue me one night alone, who for to liue with me, hath followed me by sea and land. But that which is sung in the Psalme is true, My father and my mother haue forsaken mee, but the Lord hath receiued me. If then our fathers haue left vs, how can they meddle with our affaires? and if our fathers and mo­thers be not present in them, what others of the dead are there which know the things that we doe, and that which we suffer? The Prophet Esay saith, Thou art our father, for Abraham [Page 120] is ignorant of vs, and Israel hath not knowne vs. If these Pa­triarchs were ignorant of that which this people did,A good argu­ment from the greater to the lesser.precrea­ted from them; how can the dead busie themselues to succour the liuing in their actions and affaires? and how could we say it were well with those which are departed this world, before the euils which followed their death had happened, if after their death they should likewise feele the things which come to passe in the calamities of humane life; or else wee should speake these things erroneously? and should we hold those to be in rest which are in paine, because of their suruiuers which haue no repose in this life? What is that then which God promised to holy King Iosiah as a great blessing, that he would take him to himselfe by death, that hee might not see the euils which hee threatned the people. Behold (saith the Lord) I will gather thee to thy Fa­thers,Absurdities that followe, if we should grant that the Saints depar­ted haue to do with our af­faires.and thou shalt be put in thy graue in peace, and thine eyes shall not see all the euill which I will bring vpon this place, and vpon the inhabitants of the same. The spirits then of the decea­sed are in that place, where they see not the things which are done, or which happen in the life of man. These are the words of S. Austin, which purposely you haue omitted to deceiue the ignorant, and to take an occasion from an imperfect al­legation of his discourse, touching the obscuritie and diffi­cultie of this matter of rising vp furiously against vs, and falsely to impose vpō vs, by a great medley of vaine words, that which we cannot nor will not beleeue with S. Austin, to wit, that this surpasseth the capacitie of our vnderstan­ding. For as we beleeue the creation of the world, the my­sterie of the holy Trinity, and the resurrection of the flesh, though we cānot mete them by the measure of our vnder­standing; and that because they are plainly taught vs in the holy Scripture: so when you shall prooue vnto vs, by expresse tearmes out of the writings of the Prophets, that the Saints heare vs, and ought to be adored, and called vp­on by vs that are here beneath on earth, then wee will be obedient to your counsell, and will subscribe in all humi­litie and reuerence to that article. But what? you would not that men should rebuke you, nor likewise should thinke that you seeke an escape through the bogges: and be­sides, [Page 121] in stead of bringing in some authenticall testimonie of the Bible, you begin againe to alleage to vs three man­ner of waies, whereby S. Austin (which might erre, and by his retractations roundly confesseth his errors) thought that the departed Saints might heare our requests. The first is, By the arriuall of those which depart this life, Three preten­ded meanes of the Papists, whereby the Saints might heare our pray­ers. and goe from hence to them, who may aduertise them of the things which happen on earth, and especially of that which concernes them most. The second: By the report of the Angels, which sometimes mount vp into heauen, and sometimes againe euen in an instant are about vs. The third: By the reuelation of Gods spirit, which may comport (I retaine your fine speeches) or beare it selfe with the soules of the blessed in heauen, neither more nor lesse then heretofore it did comport it selfe with the Prophets on earth, reuealing to them secret things, and that which should be done a long while after them, as the Scripture testifieth it. Whereunto you adde yet a fourth manner of speech inuented by Saint Gregorie, which is this, That the Saints seeing the face of God, see whatsoeuer appertaines to them in any sort, and consequently heare also our prayers. From whence you conclude, that by the doctrine of the Fa­thers we may conceiue somewhat how the blessed ones heare vs when we call vpon them. We now come to refute this fourth meane forged out of mens braines, without any ground of holy Scripture. First I will only aduertise the reader, that it is not likely this sentence (to wit,There is no likelihood that S. Gregorie took pleasure in cō ­tradicting him­selfe. that the departed Saints beholding the face of God doe see all things) was forged by S. Gregorie, seeing in the same chapter that you haue allea­ged in your Epistle, he saith the contrarie, to wit, that as they which are liuing know not the estate of soules departed; so likewise is vnknowne vnto the dead the manner of life, which those leade that remaine after them in the flesh. For the life (saith he) of the spirit is farre different from the life of the flesh, and as things corporall and spirituall are differing in na­ture, so are they likewise in knowledge. Now it resteth that we should examine those three former waies of the parti­cular knowledge which you attribute to the Saints depar­ted. I answere then to the first, that nothing is written [Page 122] thereof by the ancient Prophets, nor Apostles, and there­fore wee are not bound to beleeue it. Moreouer, it often happeneth that the citizens which dwel in one citie know not the affaires of one another; how can they then after their departure declare them to the soules of the blessed which they finde in heauen?The examina­tion of those three meanes abouesaid, of the vnderstan­ding of our prayers. Besides, there are many which in praying cast their eyes vp towards heauen, whilest none of their neighbours happen to decease; who is it then that should doe their message to the Saints departed? And not­withstanding if so be there should be at that instant some one ready to die when one prayeth, and to carry the newes to heauen; what man among you can shew me by diuine scripture, that God hath enioyned to him that speciall charge? not one. Or if you would that one should approue your first manner, you necessarily must grant me that there is no Purgatory. For if that soules must passe through Pur­gatory, and stay there for some time, according to the number of Masses, which are caused to be said for their de­liuerance; how can it be possible for them to aduertise in time the departed Saints of the prayers which were made vnto them so long before?

Your second and third meanes are of no more certain­tie then the others, because it is neither written in the old Testament nor in the new, that the departed Saints know our necessities by the report of the Angels, neither that God indueth y^e Saints after their departure with the spirit of prophecie and reuelation, as at sometimes hee did to his holy seruants, according as the necessitie did require, to make them capable of their extraordinarie calling where­unto he had called them.

Now followeth your last argument, which you your selfe calles least of all, and that for a good reason. For you number vp many of the Fathers, which haue inuocated the Saints departed, and afterward you close vp your Epistle with flouts against the Ministers of the reformed Chur­ches. But whatsoeuer you heape vp against them is [...] winde and smoake, yea dung in respect of the puritie and excellencie of the word of Iesus Christ and his Apostles, [Page 123] which we had rather follow then that of men, for we haue no certaine testimonie that their doctrine was diuinely in­spired, as we haue of the Prophets and Apostles, and that these men of God were not led by a humane wil, but were moued thereunto by the spirit of our principall Pastor and Bishop Iesus Christ: in whose name I admonish you no more to protest so lightly, before God his Father, that whatsoeuer you haue said, tendeth to his honour, and the saluation of him, to whom you haue sent your Epistle most preiudiciall and contrarie to the glorie of God, and the repose of the true members of Iesus Christ; vnto whom I pray to giue me his grace constantly to maintaine his pure truth, and to accompanie this mine answere with the vertue of his holie Spirit, to the end that thereby hee may moue your heart to conceiue your errors, and to renounce them, for the aduancement of his glo­rie, the acquitting of your conscience, and the augmentation of his kingdome.