The True Catholic

12. Of Miracles.

F Erus of this matter writes thus: Unless you see you will not believe. This word condemneth us, for we also require signs: That is, we will be otherwise certified then by the word: For when as we hear the forgiveness of sins and other promises of God; then we think we would believe, if we were assured by any sensible signs. But if thou be one of the faithful, the word of God ought to suffice thee, without any signs: for God hath sufficiently yielded to our infirmity, that in the beginning of the law and gospel, he adjoined to his word certain signs, as seals, by which we might be assured, that they were the word of God. But now he will not at our pleasure, give anymore signs: but he will have us believe his word. For we walk not by sight, but by faith. And hereupon he saith to Thomas, Blessed are they which have not seen, and yet have believed. Therefore not without cause he condemns those, which as yet seek for signs. For first not to believe without signs, is against the nature of faith: For faith is a substance of those things which are not seen: but are hoped for. Secondly, not to believe without signs, is injurious to God; as though he could either deceive or be deceived. Thirdly, it is dangerous to give more heed to signs, then to the word of God it self: for the devil can show signs, the which thing we see in the enchaunters of Egypt. Hereof also Moses forbiddeth that no credit should be given to the Prophet doing miracles, and in the mean while teaching against the law: because miracles cannot make the false word true, but seduce rather; but if they be annexed to the true word, they confirm and seal us the more in the truth. Lastly, faith conceived by miracles is not so constant; for they which believe not, because of the word but by reason of miracles, oftentimes fall into incredulity in the time of tribulation, neither continue steadfast in faith; as we may see in the Israelites, who very often, when as the miracles ceased, fell a doubting.

Again he writes thus: Then we may safely believe miracles if the doctrine agree with the word of God which they teach, that they are done in Christ.

And again, of the ends of miracles he writes thus: God hath annexed miracles to his word, as it were certain seals, by which we should be assured, that they were not the words of man but of God, which we see confirmed with such great signs, which belong only to God to do: for which cause Christ did not only miracles himself; but gave his Apostles also power to do the same; as also in times past to Moses and the Prophets. Thus much Ferus. Therefore miracles of themselves (if they be separated from the word) are of no force to establish any doctrine.

13. Of Apparitions of spirits.

A Gainst Appearing of spirits, Jerome writeth thus: This you ought to know, that every nation asketh counsel of their own God's, and enquires of the dead for the living, but to you he hath given his law for to help you, that you may say: The divination of the heathen is not such; which often deceiveth the worshippers: And not like ours which without any gift is drawn out of the law of God. And after. No marvel if you follow your traditions, when as every nation asketh counsel of their Idols (speaking of the Scribes and Pharisees following the traditions of their fathers:) Therefore we will not ask counsel of you being as it were dead, concerning the living; God hath rather given you a law, and the testimony of the Scriptures, which if ye will not follow, you shall have no light: but ever darkness shall oppress you. May we not say the like of the Papists, who followed the apparitions of spirits and the traditions of the elders?

Saint Bernard also asketh a question of the blessed Virgin, of whom it is said that she cast in her mind what that salutation should mean: And why she should suspect, talking with an Angel; and he answereth: wilt thou (O man) be in danger, without care? fear then security it self. Wilt thou be safe and sure from the devil? then fear Angels from heaven: Thou hast heard that Satan hath transformed himself into an Angel of light, that he might deceive man. Thus much Oleaster allegeth out of Bernard. I would to God they themselves had followed this holy fact of the blessed virgin, who at the first suspected the Angel that appeared to her; and that they had not given credit to the apparitions of Angels, nor of the Saints: No nor to the blessed virgin her self, or of the souls of any departed; of whom they have learned most part of their religion. Satan may seem a saint, the blessed virgins; nay even an Angel of God. Beware therefore how thou at all believest such apparitions, least thou be deceived. Look rather to Moses and the prophets; according to thy Saviors counsel, then to these doubtful apparitions. And after: Why (O woman) dost thou lie, saying God hath forbidden, both to eat and touch the tree, when as God only forbad the eating thereof? Note here, that he calleth it a lie to add to the commandment of God, though it seem religious; as not so much as to touch the tree. This Eve might seem to have said of a devotion that she bare to the commandment; that she would not so much as touch the tree: But that had been superstition, that had been more then God commanded: she might lawfully have touched the tree. And many such superstitions, beside the word, Eve the mother Church of Rome, upon a good intent for devotion, bringeth now into the Church.

Stella also of Revelations writes thus: Simeon believed the scriptures, which spake of Messias, and after he had Revelations. Hereby we are taught that they are worthy to have Revelations shown them, which believing the scriptures obtain those things which they believe, and do them. Secondly, that those Revelations are certain which do not dissent from the Scriptures: Thus far Stella. I would to God they had examined all their revelations, and apparitions by this rule of the scriptures: then the papists by lying spirits had not been so often deceived, as they have been.

Of the nature and sleights of the devil, Ludouicus Viues hath very excellently written thus: Thou (O Lord) art only good, and whatsoever thou hast created are good, because thou art the creator of them. But he that is thy continual enemy the devil is naught and wicked: He is thy enemy, and therefore also ours; because thou accountest us for thy children. He can hurt thee by no manner of means, but he can and is willing to hurt us diversely, and he is ever ready to destroy us, never sleeping his opportunity. And which of us in any respect is able to resist him? for if we deal with him in strength, he is most strong; neither is there any power found upon earth ( as Job saith ) that may be compared unto him. If by policy, he is most crafty, he will counterfeit love & favor to thee, whose destruction above all others he longeth for; and to whom every minute he imagineth mischief: Nay also he will seem to bear a fair show, as that he alloweth truth and virtue, which he hates most deadly; and he will profess himself a schoolmaister of good dealing and integrity, condemning all evil actions, whereof he himself is the author and principal actor. That thing which he greatliest desireth, he will make a show as that he could in no wise abide it; and that thing which he abhors and detests, he will seem greatly to long for and desire, that he may more easily take us at his pleasure. This is another point of his cunning, by urging thy justice, to make the mind sorrowful, and to persuade desperation: and again, by showing thy mercy and clemency, to make the mind presumptuous and slothful. Again, of the consideration of every ones dignity, to make them proud and arrogant. Again, he will procure hatred against thy law, that is, even against thine own self, as though thou wast an enemy to the lawful desires of the flesh. It were to be wished that these sleights of Satan were known to all Christians: It would make conjurers take heed how they trusted Satan: It would make simple Christians also take heed how they believed any apparition of spirits, or vain fables, although it had a smocke or some savor of truth or virtue. For this is one of Satan's sleights, as here we may learn, to season his lies sometimes with some show of virtue and goodness, that he may beguile simple souls, and draw them on, and so cause them to believe lies. But here all those that are wise in Jesus Christ, must know that all is not gold that glistereth: And no doubt this was the root of that golden Legend, which the Papists make so great account of, and wherein are many fables tending to virtue and religion: but they are but Satan's lies, burnished over with a show of truth and virtue: As Ludouicus Viues here teacheth all Christians, that Satan can do cunningly. And saint Paul also saith: We are not ignorant of his sleights or devises.

Of Apparitions and Revelations, Granatensis writes thus: If we ought not (saith he) to seek for spiritual comforts & delights that we may wholly give our selves unto them, and delight in them, much less are revelations, visions, inspirations, and such like to be desired: for they truly are the beginnings of devilish illusions, neither let any man fear that herein he is disobedient to God, if he shut all his gates against these. For God knoweth if he mind to reveal anything to man to find an entry to come in at, and to open the gates so, that men need not doubt, but know assuredly that God is there. So he dealt with Samuel being yet a child, whenas he called once and twice, and the third time, and he told him all things which he would that he should know, so plainly, that there now was no cause of doubting left, nor the Prophet now should doubt of his embassage.

Granatensis here suspects revelations, and he plainly affirms, that they are the very beginnings of Satan's illusions. Therefore true Christians must not easily give credit to such, but examine them always by God's word. If he agree not with that, it is Satan which appears, though he appear like an Angel of light.

14. Of Invocation.

T He common received opinion of the Papists is, that we may invocate the saints in heaven. Poligranes a papist writes thus: If they forsake Christ their advocate and mediator in heaven, which call upon saints; then much more they forsake him, which do require the prayers of saints on earth. The which thing Christ hath not only forbidden, but commanded. He makes no difference between invocation and a request: men may request one another to do anything; but to call upon any man is idolatry, and forbidden by God's word. But I would not have them ignorant (saith he) that it is one thing to be a mediator of salvation, & another of intercession: only Christ is the mediator of salvation, but there may be more of intercession &c. As though Christ had said, only for your salvation if you begin it in my name, you shall obtain it; and not generally of all things: Whatsoever you shall ask the father in my name, he will give it you. If he be a Mediator, then he is a mediator of all things: There is no exception in his most bountiful; large promise made to us. But after as should seem, not being bold to give invocation to saints, he partly reclaimes his former sentence; so saith he: After some sort man's name may be called upon. For Jacob s • ith to the sons of Joseph. Let my name be called upon them, &c. That is, I account them as my children, though they were borne in Egypt. Doth this place prove that they should in their prayers call upon Jacob? but rather that they should of men be accounted the children of Jacob. It makes nothing for invocation or prayer. Other papists more sound have defined prayer far otherwise. Granatensis defines prayer thus: That prayer rightly made, is nothing else then a drawing near of man to God, and an union of both their spirits. If this definition be true, then the prayers we do make to saints are no prayers: And Stella defines prayer thus: Prayer is a climbing or flying up of the soul that lives in this world to God. And it is as it were a suit which we offer to our God, and to our King. Our God as he is a most mighty; so he is a most merciful and bountiful prince. He will have all suits to be made to himself alone: He himself will bestow all his benefits; to make us praise him alone: Praised be the Lord, even the God of our salvation, which ladeth us daily with benefits, saith David. And Vocabularium Scholasticum, defines invocation, to be calling of a thing into it self by effects, and divine worship. But Stella teacheth: That the devil cannot take anything from our understanding or will, because the operation of the devil cannot directly reach unto the substance of our soul: no nor any Angel can do that, because it is only God which can enter into our soul & is truly in it; which also can work in it: So that then God is only to be invocated, who can enter into our soul, and not any Saint or Angel.

First of all, that terrible example of God's judgment upon Nadab and Abihu Aaron's sons, should terrify all Christians, They offering incense to the Lord, with a good intent, no doubt, with strange fire, & not with that which came down from heaven (thorough their own blind devotion breaking and transgressing God's most holy commandment) were suddenly of God consumed with fire sent from heaven. And are not our prayers now incense, & sacrifices of God, as both David & saint Paul do plainly teach? and dare we presume to offer them to his majesty otherwise, then he hath commanded? shall we not alone kindle them with that fire, which Christ came to cast down from heaven upon earth, which no doubt is the fire of his holy word, which lighteneth and inflameth all men, the which fire, his will is, that it should burn and flame? dare we prsume to fetch fire at any other, be he never so holy or ancient? Surely, if Nadab and Abibu, through their negligence, were thus severely punished in the shadow; we in the light, being also taught most plainly, and admonished concerning this point, how shall we escape unpunished? Let no man's good intent or blind devotion herein beguile him: It excused not them; neither shall it excuse us. do that only which I command thee, saith God. And obedience is better then sacrifice.

Ferus a Frier, to exhort all Christians to call upon the name of Christ, very excellently writes thus: He kneels down at their knees, he beginneth not to wash their hands, which had been a more honest service, but their feet, which of all other is a duty most abject and most filthy: And he doth all these things alone, he alone pours out the water, he alone washeth, he alone wipeth. Who will not here cry out with the Prophet: I have considered thy works, and I have been amazed? I beseech thee consider with thyself, who did this? even Jesus. And whose feet washed he? Of the dignity of Christ we have heard already, who were more base then the Apostles? they were all poor and of no reputation: besides all this, one of them was a traitor: another of them should deny his master: yet for all this, he did this service so lovingly unto them. What can he deny us; who so greatly humbled himself? And the same Ferus writes thus: The scripture doth ever describe Christ unto us, loving and courteous, having no bitterness or sharpness in him, but altogether seeking our commodity, that we might be the more drawn to his bountiful goodness to embrace this king. So Zechariah describeth Christ in the ninth chapter: Behold thy king cometh to thee meek and gentle: And Isaiah: Behold thy God feeds his sheep as a shepherd: And again especially for this cause he would be made a child least any man should be afraid to come unto him: he is altogether gentle and courteous, there is no sharpness or discourtesy in him. Therefore woe to him that deferreth to come unto him: how dare he behold the high Judge, that hath despised his lowly Savior? Let us therefore come to him while there is some time of Grace: Let us call upon him while he is near: Let us seek him while he may be found. Again, What is it to worship the father in the spirit, but to have received the spirit of Adoption, by which we cry Abba father? and what is it to worship God in truth, but abiding in his son, which saith, I am truth, to cal upon the father, and to pray in the name of the son? It is the same, as though he had said: The true worshippers by a true and necessary distinction of the persons, shall worship one God the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost: yea they shall worship the father by the son, in the holy Ghost. This is an excellent and brief sum of true worship and Christian religion.

The Jews did so despise the Samaritans, yea & all the Gentiles, that they would not vouchsafe to speak to them. Therefore this woman, seeing Christ to be a Jew, durst not have spoken to him, unless Christ had first spoken to her. So when as we all have sinned, and know that God is offended with our sins, and therefore displeased with sinners; none of us durst have spoken to God, unless he had spoken to us first: But now we speak to him safely and boldly, and we can open to him all our necessities; as this woman afterward durst speak boldly to Christ: but in this also that he spake unto a woman being a heathen and a sinner; he declared that he despised no man. God doth not only speak to us first, as Christ did to this woman; but commanded us to call and speak to him: and if his only speech did thus encourage the woman to speak to him, though she were a sinner, shall not his commandment much more encourage us? O we of little faith? And again the same Ferus saith in another place: This is that true Joseph, whom God hath exalted over all Egypt, & hath commanded that all should bow their knees before him: This is that true Joseph, which hath his great barns full of corn, to be given forth to the hungry: To him the father sendeth us, even as Pharaoh sent back the Egyptians from himself, to Joseph; Go to Joseph (saith he) and whatsoever he shall say that do: So our heavenly father, this is my beloved son hear him: This is he alone who in famine can save. To him therefore let us run with the Egyptians, saying, we are thy servants, our salvation is in thy hands. Thou only have regard unto us, and we will serve the king willingly.

Jerome also of prayers writes thus: That sacrifice of the soul is blind, which is not lightened with the light of Christ, nor hath an eye looking from the gospel: the prayer of him that prayeth is lame, which cometh to God with a double mind, which heareth that said unto him which the Jews heard said unto them: How long will you halt on both sides? That prayer is faint and altogether weak, which hath not Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God: such like prayers, which are made without the light of the truth, and have no sure footsteps, and are as it were faint with diverse infirmities; if they should be offered to any one that beareth rule in the Church, to any other learned man or Teacher or Doctor, would they not be rejected and turned to his shame and discredit, that offereth such prayers? This is Jerome's meaning, we would be ashamed to offer to any learned man doubtful suites or requests, and not understood: and shall we presume to offer such to God?

Philippus de dies a Frier of this matter writes thus: All the time, before the coming of Christ, may be called an empty time: but Christ was borne in the fullness of time; because God, to become man, was to communicate himself more to us then ever could have been. Even as one having often distributed his riches, at last to show the top of his liberality, giveth his chest and all his Jewels: So God before very liberally had bestowed on the Jews; but on us, he hath bestowed the riches, and chest and all; that is, his son: In whom are all treasures of wisdom hid.

And therefore among other causes, for this, the time of grace is called the fullness of time. And for this cause, the son of God is called the hand of the father, because as by the hand things are wont to be distributed: So the eternal father, by the son, hath given his heavenly gifts. This hand David prayed so earnestly for: send out thy hand from above, &c. If we lack anything, we are wont to receive it at men's hands, and not at their feet: So here, let us receive all things at the hands of God Almighty: let us not seek anything at Saints or Angels, which may resemble God's feet.

Jerome writes thus upon these words: And they shall not remember the former things. Although this may be said, that in the new heaven, and the new earth, all the remembrance of our conversation shall be quite blotted out; least this should be some piece of evil, to remember our former griefs and necessities. As the saints shall not remember their former anguishes or griefs, to impair in any respect their joy: so no doubt, much more not the griefs of others. And again: In all their trouble there shall be no trouble. And the Angel of his face shall save them: that is, Jesus Christ, who is the Image of God, and appears before God now for us: or else who is like to us, and is perfect man. In times past as David witnesseth, The sacrifices were bound to the horns of the Altar, not to the posts of the house of God, though they were never so holy and gilded: So now we must bind our sacrifices, that is our prayers, to the Altar Jesus Christ, not to the posts of the house, that is, to the Saints.

Ferus also writes thus: Afterward John expresseth the conditions of those that be Christ's friends: he standeth (saith he) as ready to do whatsoever is to be done: he heareth what the bride groome talketh with the bride; and he rejoiceth in the glory of the bridegroom. These are those three conditions of all the friends of Jesus Christ, which were bidden to the marriage, by Ferus his judgment; and of all God's Saints. And no doubt, as they performed the two former, while they were here in this life; that is, they stood all ready to do his commandments, and they gladly heard his words: so likewise in heaven, they rejoice in his glory: his glory is their glory. They all with Saint John here, do put away all glory yielded unto them, and attribute it unto him. And after, he must increase; I must decrease: we are taught by this sentence, that all the authorities, dignities, offices, righteousnesses, wisdoms, powers of all men are to be made no account of; that only Christ's authority, dignity, office, righteousness, wisdom, power, may be established. To conclude, it belongs to him to be exalted, it belongs to us to be humbled. If this be true, what means all those hymns, and songs, and prayers to the glory of Saints, which the Church of Rome useth?

In the council of Reims cap. 2. celebrated under Charles the great, An. dom. 913. we are taught, that it is not lawful for a Christian not to know without book, the Lord's prayer, or not to understand it, or not too often use it. If this be true, how many thousand Christians in the time of Popery were transgressors of this law, who understood not the Lord's prayer?

Theodoret against prayers to be made to Angels, writes thus: They which defended the law, persuaded them to worship Angels, saying, that the law was given by them. And this fault remained long in Phrygia and Pisidia: wherefore also the synod, which met at Laodicea, which is the chief City of Phrygia, did forbid by law that they pray to Angels. And even unto this day, we may see amongst them and amongst their borderers, houses of prayer of S. Michael. They gave men counsel to do this, using humility: saying, the God of all things could not be seen nor comprehended, nor that any man could come unto him, and that they must get them the good will of God, by the means of the angels Is not this plainly the papists doctrine at this day? they build Churches to Angels; they teach that by the means of Angels, we must procure the favor of God.

And after upon these words, Do all things in the name of our Lord's Jesus Christ; because (saith Theodoret) they commanded to worship Angels: he commands the contrary, that they should make glorious or acceptable to God both their words and deeds, by the remembrance of our Lord Christ. And (saith he) send forth your thanksgiving to God your father by him, and not by Angels. The council of Laodicea following this law, and having a mind to cure this old disease; decreed, that they should not make any prayers unto angels: & that they should not leave out the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Here we may note that we should not make any prayers unto Angels: and that we should never leave out of our prayers the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, but that we should do all things in his name: and that he alone makes our prayers glorious in the sight of God, and procures us God's favor.

Stella also of the great mercy of our Savior writes thus: Secondly he touched the leaper, that he might move us boldly to come to him, and that he might take away all occasion of fear: let no man be afraid: let all come to him. Christ doth not loathe our Leprosy nor filthy corruption: but he pities us more then any father doth his children, because he knows whereof we be made. If a leprous sinner may come boldly to Christ; what sinner shall be afraid to come? Also upon the first of Luke, he asks a question why God sent an Angel to the virgin, could not God himself have revealed this mystery to the virgin? he could truly: but he would send an Angel first, that he might declare the love and charity he bears unto us: so that he procures our redemption even by the ministry of Angels. So Paul saith: Are they not all ministering spirits for those which shall receive the inheritance of salvation? Out of which place man may draw an argument, that he may magnify or think well of his own estate, because Angels are sent to minister, and serve unto him. And after: If any prince or noble man should prostrate himself on the ground, that he might gather up the crumbs which fell from thee, were he not despised and no account made of: So thou which art a noble and excellent creature of God, when as thou hast Angels to be thy servants, oughtst not to bow thyself to these earthly things, which are vile and of no reputation. Thus far Stella.

The same reason we make against praying to Angels: If God have so exalted us, that Angels are our servants, why should we abase our selves to kneel down to them, or pray to them? who will kneel or pray to his servant? This reason the Angel himself used to S. John, when he would have fallen down, and worshipped him: he answered him, see thou do it not, I am thy fellow servant, worship God.

And in another place of angels writes thus: Now peace is reformed by Christ's incarnation between men and Angels: and therefore he said very fitly, that the Angels stand by them, as their friends and familiars: and in this he shows and equality or familiarity; he stood not about them as before the exaltation of man's nature in Christ; because Angels then suffered themselves to be worshipped: as Abraham did and others. The which they did not, after the word took our humanity upon it: for John the Evangelist being banished into the I will of Patmos, being willing to worship the Angel which appeared to him: The Angel said unto him: See thou do it not, for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren. Angels honored the nature of man after the divine incarnation. And after, Angels are of a more excellent nature then we; yet the Lord loves us better then them. If a man's right or left hand were cut off, and another should be given him of gold, or set with precious stones; would he choose this second? No man would be so mad, that would desire his own hand to be cut off, that he might have another of gold or silver given him. For although the hand made of gold or silver be more worth; yet the hand of flesh is his own substance, strengthened with his veins, sinews, and blood: so we are members of Christ, and his hand of flesh; but Angels are as it were a hand of gold or silver. And although that kind of metal be more precious; yet God loves us more, as his own hand of flesh.

Ferus yields this reason amongst other, why our Savior Christ prayed: That our prayers might thereby be the more forcible. For then (saith he) our prayers are effectual when as they are grounded upon Christ's prayer, as upon a foundation. But to encourage us to make our prayers unto Christ, and to no other, Stella writes thus: My delight is amongst the children of men. He would be handled of us: For, for this cause he was made man. The bride knew well the nature and qualities of this bridegroom, when she said, who will give me my brother sucking the paps of my mother, that I may kiss thee, and embrace thee? Our God is not like the men of this world. For to dispatch any business, thou must come a thousand times to their houses, and that (which is worst of all) thou shalt be so far off from dispatching thy business, as that they will not so much as hear thee. But what a good God have we, how loving, how easy to be spoken to, how courteous? He takes away that objection which many make; that we must have intercessors to Jesus Christ.

Osorius declares how Christ is said to pray for us. His prayer is the execution of his perfect and absolute office, that is, that he is our advocate with great willingness: the offerings of his most precious blood, the religion of his most holy and pure sacrifice once done for us, which all do cry out ever to the father for us, and do desire our pardon of him, and do earnestly crave for us the gifts of the holy spirit. If these things do ever appear before the Majesty of God for us, what need we desire anything else? If Christ continually with his most precious blood and most bitter passion, do most willingly make intercession for us (as Osorius here affirms) what need we (if we believe this) the intercession of another? Is not this sufficient? That were nothing else, but to light a candle before the sun.

And after he writes thus: When as men imagine God after their own nature, and therefore conclude his power within narrow bounds, and do measure his goodness after their own wit and capacity; it comes to pass, that they often doubt of the power of God, and that they give no credit to many of God's works, for the wonderful and strange example of his great goodness. And hereof all the pestilent opinions that ever man's wicked mind conceived had their beginning: for men either doubt of the power or of the goodness of God, &c. And surely this is also the ground of Popery, they measure not goodness and mercy according to his most holy and infallible word, but according to their own fancies and reasons: as in many other points, so especially in this point of invocation.

Stella of Jesus Christ writes thus: Come thou now unto Christ: for he is as able now to heal all thine infirmities, as he was then, when so great virtue went out of him: for if thou be pensive and sorrowful, if thou be poor, if thou be sick, if thou be overwhelmed with sins and wickedness, if thou liest like a bondslave in the miserable captivity of the Devil: Come to Christ, fear not, because he is able (who hath borne all our infirmities) to heal thy wounds. If these may boldly come to Christ in their own persons without fear, who shall be afraid to come to him?

But some other papists have not had this assurance to come to Christ in their affairs and businesses, and those that have seemed to be great in the Popes kingdom. Campion, when as he should come into England to sow the Popes Darnell, committed this his business and journey to S. John the Baptist very often (as it is written in an Epistle that goes about in his name) as to his peculiar Saint and patron, and being before the Major of Dover he prayed to God, desiring also Saint John to pray for him. And another Papist doth plainly pray for, and invocate the grace of the holy virgin, and of all the blessed Angels, and Saints of that heavenly court. But Master Campion should here have remembered, that David teacheth him another lesson: Commit thy way unto the Lord, and he shall bring it to pass; and to none else. And in another Psalm he saith: whom have I in heaven but thee? speaking of God. And our Savior teacheth all Christians this lesson also in their prayers: Father, I thank thee, because thou hast heard me, I know that thou hearest me always, but because of the people that stand by, I said it, that they may know, that thou hast sent me. We must pray to none but to him, that we know hears our prayers. And when we have prayed, we must have this faith in our prayers, which our Savior here teacheth us by his example: for, for our learning he spake this, that after our prayers we must say; Father, I thank thee, that thou hast heard me. When we pray as in another place he teacheth us, we must believe verily, that we receive the things we pray for, and then they shall be done unto us. So he himself prayed here, and we in all our prayers must also follow his steppes. S. John also teacheth us: this is our great trust that we have in Jesus Christ, that when we pray, we know he heareth us: we have not this assurance in any other. And David saith: Thou that hearest the prayer, to thee shall all flesh come. And in another place: I will call upon thee in the time of my trouble: for I know that thou hearest me. And therefore God is called only 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the searcher of the heart. To make Saints and Angels hear our prayers, is to make them God's: no man is sure whether they hear our prayers or no. And therefore seeing our prayers must not waver, but must be a thing certain, as S. James teacheth us: we may not pray unto them. David knew that the Angels pitched their tents round about the faithful, and guarded them, even as well as the Papists do now; but for all that he never called upon any of them, but only upon God: and shall we now, having our Savior Jesus Christ ascended up into heaven, to this purpose to be our mediator, who is the beloved son of the father?

Saint Agustine might have taught also Master Campion this lesson, that the Saints do not know what things are done here on ea • th; neither that (which they object) do now perfectly behold the face of God; and therefore do not know all things, who writes thus: It is not to be doubted, that the soul being taken by the force of death from the senses of the body, and after death having now put off the flesh, and having passed from all the shadows of corporal things, that it cannot behold that immutable essence of God, as the Angels do, either for some other hid and secret cause, or else for this cause, that there still yet remains in it a natural desire of governing the body, by which desire it is as it were hindered: so that it cannot climb up with her whole desire to that high heaven, as long as she lacks the body; by the ruling whereof that desire may surcease. Furthermore, when as the body was such a thing, as it were very hard and troublesome to govern, even as this flesh, which corrupts and burdens the soul, coming from the offspring of sin and transgression; much more is the soul quite turned away from the beholding of that most high heaven, wherein God dwells: therefore it was necessary that she should be plucked away from those senses of the flesh, that it might be shown her how she might be able to attain unto that. Therefore when she shall receive again this body, not fleshly, but by exchange made spiritual, being now made equal with Angels; then both the master and servant shall have the perfection of their nature; both the quickener and that also which is quickened, with such unspeakable facility, that that now shall be a glory, which before was a burden. Here S. Agustine plainly teacheth, y ^t the souls of the faithful before the day of judgment, do not perfectly behold the face of God; and that they are hindered, by a certain love and desire which they have to their bodies: and therefore that he quite overthrows here that same common ground of Popish invocation, That even now they behold the face of God, and therefore know all things. No, Saint Agustine saith plainly, that that shall be fulfilled at the day of judgment, and not before, no not in any Saint, no not in S. John the Baptist: and therefore we are not sure now that they hear our prayers. And that then shall be verified that saying of our Savior: That then the Saints shall be equal to the Angels; at the day of judgment, and not before; because still they naturally love the body, they cannot climb up to that hie heaven, where God himself dwells. O that all catholiques would learn this lesson of S. Agustine! It would make them pray more to God, and not so much to the Saints, as they do. Who would venture but earthly treasure, but he will know how he bestows it? Our prayers pass all the treasures in the world. And therefore David saith: I will praise the name of God with a song, and magnify him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the Lord better, then a young bullock that hath horns and hoofs. And S. Bernard saith: Let none of you (my brethren) make a light account of your prayers. For I tell you, that he, to whom we pray, makes no small account of it. For before it goes forth of our mouth he commands it to be written in his book. And shall we pray to them, whom we are not sure whether they hear us or not? What is this else, but as it were to cast our gold in the streets? Let us offer our gold to God, we are sure he is ready to receive it. As for Saints and Angels, we are not sure whether they receive our prayers, and whether they hear us or not.

But to make the matter more plain, Saint Agustine in another book writes thus of his mother, to the same effect which he wrote before: Let everyone (saith he) take this that I write, as he list (Belike he thought he should offend some with this his doctrine: there were some then that began to trust in them which were dead.) If the souls which are dead, knew what we did which are alive, surely then they would speak unto us, when as we see them in our sleeps. And that I may let others pass, surely my loving mother would never a night forsake me, which followed me both by sea and by land, that she might live with me. God forbid, that now having obtained a more happy life, she should become cruel, and should not now comfort her son, whom she loved so dearly, whom she could never abide to see sorrowful. But surely that which the holy Psalm sounds in our ears is true; because my father and my mother have forsaken me; but the Lord hath taken me up. If therefore our parents have forsaken us, how know they our cares and affairs? And if our parents know not this, what other dead men know what we do, or what we suffer? Isaiah the Prophet saith: Thou art our father, for Abraham is ignorant of us, and Israel knows us not. If such great Patriarchs knew not what became of the people which sprang of them, to whom (believing in God) God promised that a people should spring of their stock; how shall other dead men be present and intermingle thenselves to help & know the actions and affairs of theirs? How shall we say that God dealt well with them, which died before the evils came, which followed after their death, if after their death they also feel what things happen in the miserable life of man? Do we peradventure err in saying these things of them? And do we account them to be at rest; whom the disquiet life of the living grieves? &c. This doctrine Agustine doeth not only affirm; but also proves by the example of his mother; and also by many other testimonies of the Scriptures: and shall we not believe him? Surelie if the Saints departed know not our affairs here in this world after their deaths, much less do they know and hear our prayers. And therefore as S. John saith of our works, Let us not lose our works: so say I of our most excellent work, that is prayer, let us not lose our prayers.

But here some may object that Agustine doth say in the same book, that he that buries his friend nigh the grave of a Martyr, reaps this commodity thereby to his friend, that he commends the same soul to the Martyr, by his devout prayer and affection: and that therefore Agustine allows prayers made to Martyrs. But how doubtful in this his assertion he is, let all men judge. This is his opinion, which I have noted before: That Martyrs ordinarily and by their own proper natures cannot be present to the affairs of the living, nor know what they do; but by God's power (saith he) they may; as Moses and Elias appeared to Christ. But how shall we know this; that as often as we pray unto them, God gives that grace extraordinarilie unto them, that they may hear us: no man living can ascertain us hereof. And of the miracles that are done at their very toombes, where if they be in any place present, they should be most present, Agustine writes thus: Although this question passeth my capacity to know how Martyrs help them, whom it is certain are holpen by them; whether they themselves are present at one time in so many places, and so far one from another? or whether they may be present at all, where their memories are; or whether they may be present everywhere, where their memories are not; or whether they being in places correspondent to their merits, and being quite removed from the knowledge of all affairs; and yet praying generally for the necessities of such, as do pray unto them: As we also pray for the dead, whom we see not, neither know where they are, or what they do: God almighty who is present everywhere, neither being mixed with us nor yet separated frō us, hearing y ^e prayers of Martyrs by the ministry of Angels, which are spread abroad here and there, yield unto men these comforts, which he knows they stand need of in this life, and so doth commend unto us by his wonderful and unspeakable power and goodness, the merits of his Martyrs where he pleaseth, when he pleaseth, and how he pleaseth; but especially at their memories, because he knows this to be most profitable for us to edify the faith of Christ, for the confession of which, they have suffered. This matter is a greater matter then I can reach unto, and more deep then I can search. Therefore whether of these two be true, or perchance whether they both, that at sometimes these things may be done by the presence of the Martyrs, or at some other times by the Angels, taking upon them the persons of the Martyrs: I dare not determine, I had rather learn these things of those that know them.

Agustine here plainly affirms, that Martyrs by their own natures ordinarily know not what we do here, but by God's power they may. Again, that we praying for the dead, do neither know what they do; nor where they are: so the saints may pray for us generally not knowing our estates.

And here, although he seem to allow prayer for the dead (as he doth also in other places of that book) yet he declares here in what sense they then prayed for them; not knowing what they did, nor where they were: and therefore this their praying for the dead, makes nothing for the popish purgatory. They knew not where they were, for whom they prayed: therefore they prayed not to help them out of purgatory, as the papists teach. Therefore their prayers for the dead, which S. Agustine saith was used of the whole Church in those days, makes nothing for the praying for the dead, which now the Papists use. They had another meaning in those their prayers, then they have now. They prayed as it were of a certain Christian duty; declaring thereby their affections and love to the departed; but they pray now to help them out of purgatory. And in this sense also S. Agustine prayed for his mother, which the Papists allege to confirm their prayers for the dead, which is nothing to the purpose. I believe (saith he, praying to God for his mother) that thou hast done already that which I pray for; yet O Lord accept the free will offerings of my mouth. Agustine believed verily, that God had already done that which he prayed for; yet to declare (as should seem) his devotion, he also wished the same. Such were the prayers which the Church and the Fathers, in those days made for the dead.

And as concerning these prayers for the dead, this is his private judgment, that not for all in general, but for those alone, who when they were alive here deserved that those prayers might help, such prayers are available. But how contrary is this to the saying of the wise man? That the tree lies where it falls: after it be once down there is no removing it. And how contrary is this to that which S. Agustine else where writes himself: That everyone ought to be careful of the last day of his life? For in what state soever, the last day of his life shall find every man, in the same shall the last day of the world also take him: because what kind of one he now dies, such a one at that day shall he be judged. If this be true, there is no hope of profiting any man after he be dead. And herein he seems to agree with S. Paul, who saith, that now we ought to bear one another's burden, as long as we live here. But after this life, everyone must bear his own burden: then there is no bearing one another's burden, no easing, helping, or relieving one another. So that this opinion of S. Agustine, of working here in this life, that he may be holpen hereafter, is both against the doctrine of the scriptures, & also contrary to that, which himself hath taught in other places.

But to return again to the Martyrs: S. Agustine in that book writes; That Martyrs or dead men appear to us after their deaths, as we appear to others that dream of us, we not knowing that we do appear. Nay he thinks that those apparitions are of Angels, which appear sometimes to men, and command that their bodies should be buried, when as they themselves whose bodies they are, know no such thing. If Agustine smelled thus much in his days, concerning burying of bodies of Saints, that they were not the saints themselves that appeared, but angels (the saints never knowing) we may suspect that they were also evil angels, that did appear then, because they lied: but if they were good angels, as Agustine thought, yet we may judge of the like thus much, that those apparitions which were in time of Popery, which often appeared and craved to be holpen out of purgatory, in the likeness of men's souls; were not their souls, nor perchance the souls of such never knew any such thing, but were lying angels.

Of the knowledge also of them which are dead, Agustine in the same book writes thus: Those which are dead, may know some things here, which are necessary for them to know: and again not know, what is not necessary for them to know: both things past, present, and also things to come, the spirit of God reue • ling it unto them: as also not all men; but the Prophets, while they lived here, knew. Neither knew they all things; but such things, as God's providence judged fit for them to know. So that by S. Augustine's judgment first it is uncertain, whether the Saints know anything at all of our earthly affairs or no. And again, if they know, they know not all things; but such things as God reveals to them, and thinks meet for them to know. And now in this uncertainty of their knowledges, who will make their prayers unto them, and not be sure whether they be heard or not? especially when as the same S. Agustine in another place writes, If faith want, prayer dies: for who will pray, that believes not? Wherefore the blessed Apostle, when as he exhorted to prayer, said: Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved. And that he might show faith to be the fountain of prayer, neither that the stream can run, where as the head of the water is dried up; he added and said: But howe shall they call upon him, in whom they have not believed? Therefore that we may pray aright: let us believe, and let us pray also that faith fail not, by which we pray. So that without certain faith that our prayers are heard and obtained, prayers by S. Augustine's judgment in this place are naught: but such prayers can no man make to saints.

Again, he teacheth that prayers are now the sacrifices of Christians: Therefore God commanded the Jews to leave the whole land, and to offer sacrifices in one place, and to pay their vows, because then all the land was unclean with the smoke of Altars, and with the savor of graves, and with other pollutions, which from the sacrilege of the profane Gentiles were brought upon it. But to us now that Christ is comed, and hath purged the whole earth, all places are become places fit for us to pray in. And therefore S. Paul exhorts and commands to pray without ceasing, and in every place, &c. So that now in stood of all Jewish sacrifices, prayer is the Christians sacrifice: and in steed of their one place Jerusalem, where they were bound to offer their sacrifices only, we may now pray in all places. And again, he that sacrificeth to gods, but to God alone, shall be destroyed: for that I may say nothing of other things (which belong to the service wherewith God is worshipped) as concerning sacrifice, there is no man dare say, but that it belongs to God alone. And again, Who ever thought, that he ought to offer sacrifice but to him, either whom he knew to be God, or supposed or imagined to be God? So that prayers being now Christians sacrifices; and sacrifices being due only to God: therefore prayers by Augustine's judgment, should be due to God also only.

And in another place of Martyrs he writes thus: We build not so our Martyrs Churches, as to gods; but memorials, as to dead men, whose spirits do live with God: neither there do we erect Altars, upon which we may sacrifice to Martyrs; but we ofter all our sacrifices to our only God, and also the God of the Martyrs. At which sacrifice as men of God which through the confession of his faith have overcome the world, they are named in their place and order: yet they are not called upon of the priest, when he sacrificeth: for he offers sacrifice to God, and not to them; although he offer sacrifice at their memorials: for he is God's priest, and not theirs. And the sacrifice he offers, is the body of Christ, which he offers not to them, because they are it themselves. Here S. Agustine doth teach us most manifestly, these three things: That sacrifice belongs only to God, and that invocation is sacrifice; and that the body of Christ which the Priest offers, is not Christ's natural body (as the Papists teach and would have us believe, that S. Agustine taught, when he speaks of the oblation of Christ's body in the Eucharist) but his mystical body: and the sacrifice of that body, I think the Papists will not say, anything profits the dead. And if invocation be sacrifice, as S. Agustine here plainly teacheth; shall we invocate martyrs and saints? If the priests in those days did not invocate them: shall we now? This is S. Augustine's resolute judgment. His speeches in his other book of the care of the dead, are but doubts.

Saint Paul of prayer writes thus: Likewise also the spirit helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what to pray as we ought: but the spirit it self makes requests for us, with sighs which cannot be expressed. But he that searcheth the hearts, knoweth what is the meaning of the spirit: for he maketh request for the Saints, according to the will of God.

We must always pray in the holy Ghost, as S. Jude teacheth us: but only God, which searcheth the hearts (as S. Paul here teacheth) knoweth and understandeth the sighings of the spirit, and no angel or saint else: therefore we must make all our prayers to God alone, and not to any saint or angel.

Prayer is a talking with God: and therefore David saith; Hear my words (O Lord) and understand my meditation. But are we sure when we speak to a saint, that he hears us? And who will speak to any, that he is not sure whether he heareth him or no?

And Ferus also yields this reason, why we should invocate only Jesus Christ: Christ (saith he) was present in the congregation at Antioch, according to his promise: Where two or three be gathered together in my name, I am in the midst of them. And he was at the same time present with Peter at Jerusalem. For he fills heaven and earth. And this is the comfort of the godly, that God is present with them in all places; and therefore in all places they may call upon him: for he is nigh unto them that call upon him in truth. Here is a forcible reason why we should call upon God alone, because he alone fulfils heaven and earth, and therefore in all places we may boldly call upon him. So are we not sure of the presence of any creature else; so that when we pray to them, we may perchance pray to the walls.

Ferus, speaking of the woman that poured the precious ointment on Christ, writes thus: Mark with what confidence this woman comes unto Christ, whom notwithstanding that same holy man John was afraid to touch at Jordan: She conceived this confidence by no other means, then of the often tried and approved goodness of Christ: therefore it was not rashness in this woman, but great charity and exceeding love. So also the faithful, although they be not now altogether without sin; yet they dare boldly say unto God, our Father. Of Peters refusal also to Christ to wash his feet, he writes thus: Again in this Peter also erred, that as should seem, because he would have reverenced Christ: therefore he refused this his service. Even as in another place also he repelled Christ from him, when as he said; Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinner: yea, but if thou shalt think thyself to be a sinner; yet thou must not put the Lord from thee. This seems to be a kind of reverence: but it is a preposterous reverence proceeding of flesh and blood. As many for their unworthiness think that they dishonor God, if they pray unto him, or receive the sacraments: But faith thinks far otherwise; that is, that he dishonors God, which sins; and not he which craveth pardon, and useth the means ordained of God to heal his sins: so he dishonoreth God, not which endures his service, but he that refuseth him, and prefers his own judgment before the will of God. It is a good thing to confess our own unworthiness: nay we ought to do it. It is a good thing also to reverence the Majesty of God: but this goodness turns it self into superstition, if we exclude the service of Christ for out unworthiness. Therefore let us not fear to come unto God, because he commands us to come unto him, and to call upon him: Come to me (saith he) all ye that travel, &c. And again, Call upon me in the time of thy trouble. Nay thou yieldest to God the greatest honor, if thou shalt call upon him faithfully. And again, thou dishonorest him with the greatest dishonor that may be, if he calling thee unto him, and promising thee help; thou despise him, by not coming unto him: so also thou yieldest greatest honor unto Christ, when as thou endurest his service towards thee. Hence it is, that Marie sitting as it were quietly and idly at Jesus feet, & enduring Christ's ministry which he yielded unto her by preaching, is far more honourably commended, then busy Martha. To conclude, if thou wouldest have health, thou mayest not put away the Physician from thee; yea come thou so much the more boldly to him, as thine infirmity or unworthiness is the greater. So also in our necessities concerning these our temporal and worldly things, we respect neither our own unworthiness, not the dignity of any other; so that we may be helped and relieved. So he that is hunger-bit, and almost famished, will not fear to speak to any, be he never so honorable, being forced with the extremity of hunger: do thou so likewise, &c.

And after, Also he covertly shows his Apostles, by what means, and as it were greeses or steps, they must climb up to God: For we cannot come to the father, but by Christ; for he is the way. And we cannot come unto Christ, unless we receive his Apostles, that is, their words: therefore we must begin to climb up to God, by the hearing of his word. He that receiveth this, receiveth Christ: and he that hath Christ, hath the Father: and he that hath the Father, hath all good things, &c. So that to hear God's word is the first step to climb to God: and then in what case are they, that refuse to hear God's word preached. Secondly, by hearing God's word, we are taught the next step, that is, to make our prayers to Christ only (for God's word teacheth us to make our prayers to God, by the means of no other) And therefore the invocation of saints is no step of this heavenly ladder, by Ferus his judgment.

Ferus of Christ being whipped and spit upon, writes thus: Think these things with thyself, O Christian: behold Christ in this form and plight, and thou shalt never despair of his grace: for he will never forsake thee trusting in him which suffered so great things for thee, deserving nothing at his hands.

And of Christ's mother the blessed virgin, he writes thus: For at other times Christ seemed to use hard speeches unto his mother: that is, when as the work of God was to be done: as in the 2. of John, Mat. 12. Luk. 12. For when as God's business is in hand, all man's affections must cease and give place. But here on the Cross he acknowledgeth his mother most faithfully and courteously, &c. In God's affairs all motherlie affection must cease, saith Ferus: but the forgiveness of sins and such like, are God's affairs; therefore in these matters, the blessed virgin meddleth not.

Of the first word that our Savior spake on the Cross (Father forgive them; for they know not what they do) Ferus writes thus: When as the Lord Jesus was made now a true sacrifice, and now he was come to the fulfilling of our redemption and salvation, although he were oppressed with unspeakable torments: yet remembering wherefore he suffered such things; that is, for our sakes: therefore forgetting all his griefs and pains, he begins to encounter with his fathers anger with his prayers, and now he begins to execute his office, he begins his priesthood, he is become a mediator between God and man, an intercessor and a defender of us, and he sets himself wholly, as an invincible wall, against his fathers anger: for he could not forget his natural goodness. Therefore whereas others would have cursed, blasphemed, and railed, he prays, and that not for himself, but for others; and not only for others, but for his most deadly enemies, and his crucifiers; who notwithstanding had been worthy, either to have been devoured with fire from heaven, or to have been swallowed up of the earth.

And a little after, If Christ prayed so earnestly for his crucifiers, how much more now doth he make intercession for those which call upon him and believe in him, &c. This great zeal and love of Christ towards his very enemies in the midst of all his torments; must needs work an assured confidence, that he will now hear us which believe in him. And therefore we need not fly to any other in our prayers, but only to him. If he so willingly (saith Ferus) forgave the sin done against his own person: he will no doubt far more easily forgive us. Therefore we come boldly and without all fear to God, having so loving a patron and advocate.

Ferus also of Invocation, that it is a part of God's honor, writes thus: Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God. This adoration consists not in bowing of the knee, or such like; but in spirit and truth. To worship God, to believe in him, to serve him, to cal vpō him: without these thou art an Idolater, whatsoever thou doest, if thou love or fear any other thing more then God; if thou in thy necessity call not upon him: for, for this cause he sends thee adversities, that thou shouldest call upon him: And they have not inquired after the Lord, but have trusted in the help of Egypt. And so many of us do. Thus far Ferus. Here we may plainly see first that Ferus makes this Invocation of God, a special part of God's worship, or Latria: and that to this end, to make us to call upon him, he sends us afflictions. Secondly, how he reproves them that trusts in Egypt, that is, in man, either living or dead, or in what thing soever.

Philippus de dies also of prayer writes thus: Whosoever doth knock at the doors of the tender mercy of God, with his prayers, with faith and reverence, with humility and sure confidence, with all which, this woman was furnished; he truly toucheth the Lord, and draws his virtue and spirit to him. Therefore happy is he, that truly can say with the Prophet, I will offer the fat burnt offerings. He offers to God fat burnt offerings, which offers him prayers full of humility, assurance of obtaining them, and devotion. And he offers prayers without marrow, which offers prayers without love, devotion, or attention. And these, whether they be Clergy or Lay-men, although they pray a great number of Psalms or of other prayers, as a task, without any intention of the mind, blessing God with their mouths, but with their hearts giving themselves to pleasures and delights, in the streets: these truly thrust the Lord, they touch him not, because they only touch him with their bodies, and not with their spirit. And therefore they receive from him neither any virtue or grace. What must we do then brethren? Truly that of Saint Paul, I will pray with my spirit, I will pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, I will sing with my mind. Thus much Philippus de Dies: Wherein he condemns all the Latin prayers, made of the ignorant and simple people, which understand no Latin. And such were almost all their prayers in the days of our forefathers, because they lacked this marrow of truth, and confidence of the assurance of obtaining their prayers at God's hands, they lacked this mind and understanding which S. Paul speaketh of. And as Dies truly affirms, they that pray so, thrust and throng Christ, but they touch him not.

Stella also to the same effect writes thus: My soul doth magnify the Lord ( saith the blessed virgin Marie.) And that very fitly: for God is to be praised rather in heart and mind, then in voice, according to that of S. Paul: Sing to God in your hearts. And after, My soul (saith she) doth magnify the Lord, because my tongue stambreth: neither can it number all the benefits bestowed upon me. Therefore I offer the inward affection of my mind in giving of thanks. And again, Where we are taught that God is to be praised rather in mind and heart, then in body. But many have the prayer of the voice only and mouth, and not of the heart, to whom the Lord saith: This people honoreth me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And of our Savior Jesus, he writes thus: In that they led Jesus with them to Jerusalem, thou oughtest to learn, that in all thy journeys and in all thy travailings most sweet Jesus ought to accompany thee. Have him always before thine eyes: let no worldly matter enter into thy mind, but in all thy affairs direct all thy thoughts to him, as it were to a mark. If we ought to have him always before our eyes, why should we have then any other? And that Jesus Christ is so loving towards us, that we need not have any other, he writes thus after, preferring his great love towards us before the love of John the greatest saint in the world, and so by a consequent before any other saint whatsoever: Therefore (saith he) John preached in the wilderness, because in the City there are so many sins, and abominations, that John could not abide them. John was grieved at the heart: neither could he digest so many sins. But when as he saw the Pharisees, he could not abide them, but he burst out saying: O ye generation of vipers, &c. But Christ hath a better stomach to bear with our iniquities, and to cure our infirmities, as one that loves us with all his heart, and with all his affection, and winkes at the sins of men, that they might repent. And for this cause John would not enter into Cities, that he might not see the lying of artificers, the usury of merchants, the vanity and pomp of noble men, &c. Thus far Stella.

But quite to overthrow all invocation of Angel or Saint whatsoever, doth not S. Paul most evidently write thus? Let no man make you shoot at a wrong mark or defraud you of your price at his pleasure, through humility in worshipping Angels, intruding himself into those things he knows not, puffed up vainly by the conceit of his own flesh. As though he should say: If any man teach you this doctrine, that it is humility to worship Angels, and that you may not presume to come in God's sight; such a one beguiles you, he makes you lose your price, lose your reward. For he that runs in a race, must obey his pleasure that maketh and appointeth the game & mastery. If you pray never so much, and fast never so often, if you do not these according to God's word, in the name of Jesus Christ, you lose your price: and he that teacheth contrary, is puffed up of the pride of his own mind, he follows his own reason, and not the light of God's word; and therefore in these matters is stark blind, and knoweth nothing: As S. Paul teacheth of all such; If any man (saith he) teach any other doctrine, and gives not heed, respects not the wholesome words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that doctrine which agrees with religion, he is puffed up and knows nothing. And both these places of S. Paul teach one doctrine, that he which besides the light of gods word, of his own natural reason teacheth this worshipping of Angels, is puffed up and knoweth nothing: and intrudes himself into those things he knows not. For who knows anything of the will of God, but he, which was in the bosom of the father; and hath now made us his friends; and hath revealed the same in his word? Nay that which follows, quite overthrows the invocation of Saints or Angels. And not holding the head (that is, Jesus Christ) by which all the body furnished and knit together, by joints and bonds increaseth to that increasing and perfection which God requires. Do not all the members seek for all things from the head? Even so should all Christians from their head Jesus Christ; and from none other: and by that grace they shall draw from him, they shall grow to the increasing of God, that which God requires. And who will have anymore? Let us therefore cleave only to our head, as S. Paul here teacheth plainly, and look and hope for all good things from him: and not worship any Angel or saint whatsoever. We shall receive from him sufficient graces to grow to the increasing of God. And what need we anymore?

Granatensis prays thus: Give me grace (O Lord) that in all the storms of my persecutions, and in all my tribulations & temptations, that I may fly unto thee, I may seek thee, I may only call upon thee. And yet in other places he makes his prayers to Saints. And again, of Angels and Saints he writes: That is the joy of Angels, and the desire of the Saints, and the rejoicing of just men, to serve thee perfectly, to be conformable to thy will in all things; and whatsoever they do, to refer it ever to thy honor. I know (O my God) that the Angels and souls of Saints in heaven, do rejoice more for the glory and magnificence of thy name, then for their own, and to be more careful for the excellency of thy honor, then for their own: And that their will is so intermingled with thy will, that their will is this, that thy will may be pleased in all things, and by all things. If this be the will of the saints, as Granatensis here affirmeth, why do we not honor God alone with these; and surcease to honor them, seeing it pleaseth not them? they look not for it at our hands: nay it displeaseth them. Again, Granatensis very excellently and finely writes thus: O the soul of my soul! O the life of my life! I desire thee wholly, and I offer myself wholly unto thee: the whole, to the whole; one to one; and one only, to only one: O that that had place in me, which thou praiedst to thy father! O holy father grant, that they may be one as we are one, and I in them, and thou in me: that they may be made perfect in one. This unity should be betwixt all Christians and Christ: They should offer themselves; as they are one, so only to him alone.

15. Of Prayers in a strange language.

T He Papists at this day, condemn their old superstition of their private Latin prayers, and as should seem, are ashamed of it. For Master Stapleton our country-man, in his book against M. Jewel writes thus: That in our country whatsoever they did fifty or forty years ago, in the late reign of Queen Marie, the people had their common Mattines books both with Latin and with English. Thus far M. Stapleton. He confesseth that the people were bereaved of the great benefit of their private prayers, forty or fifty years; but he might as well have said five hundredth years or moe. For they confess that the people's private devotion should be in a tongue which they understand. So that then to teach English men to pray in Latin, is to defraud them of the fruit and benefit of their prayers, as they did many hundredth years, till the Gospel began to shine in the world. And yet also in their reformation, as should seem, they are loath quite to banish all private Latin prayers, but they add Latin prayers and English together: as though those former Latin prayers not understood were not hurtful, and might safely be used still: so loath they are to forsake their former superstition. Whereas other Catholics do account such prayers, but lip labors and chatterings, as hereafter shall be shown.

And here if they will grant, that private devotion ought to be made with understanding, why ought not our common prayers to be made so also? No doubt all common prayers are grounded upon that promise of our Savior: Again, verily I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree in earth upon anything, whatsoever they shall desire, it shall be given them of my father which is in heaven. And so have the Papists themselves expounded this place. Jansen upon this place writes thus: But it shall be very truly said that the Lord by this sentence would signify, how great the power of the Church, that is, of the congregation of the faithful is, to which above he would have the unrepentant brother to be manifested, that is to say, that if two of them only agreeing together, they shall obtain whatsoever they will, much more the judgment of any whole congregation is to be feared. And no doubt, that thing which she will, shall be allowed of God. Thus far Jansen. The force of Excommunication lies in the consent and communion of the prayers of the Church. Take this common consent away, and take away also excommunication. And after he writes thus: Or else therefore he saith that he is in the midst of them, that he should signify unto them, that he would fulfill those things which they do ask, and that he would help all their enterprises, that that which he attributed unto his father in the former sentence, now he should be understood to attribute to himself. For Christ is said to be in the midst of any that do agree, not only by reason of the presence of his divinity, according to which he is everywhere; but by reason of his special grace and assistance, by which he makes their prayers acceptable to God his father: as though also they were poured out of him, or as though he did accept them & perfect them. By these sentences therefore he doth two manner of ways commend Christian concord, both for the great force thereof in obtaining with God the father, and then that it is adorned and beautified with his presence. Hereof may be learned how much we ought to attribute to synodes and general councils, gathered together and assembled in the name of Christ for the observation of the faith and manners. Thus far Jansen. The consent and unity of the Church adds force to her common prayers, saith Jansen; as also to general councils; and therefore not only private devotion (as Master Harding and Master Stapleton teach) but common service ought to be in a tongue known, and with consent of the people, if they mind to have those prayers of any force with God.

Ferus also upon that place teacheth the same doctrine: If (saith he) one being in some great extremity or in some great danger, should hear some such like word of him that could help him, as thou hearest here of Christ, how gladly wouldest thou receive it, how diligently wouldest thou do that he commanded. But we have not one or two promises, but many; and yet we doubt to call upon God, and yet we see all things full of perils and dangers, the which is a certain sign, that greater plagues remain for us. For what good thing can we look for at God's hands, of whom we will not vouchsafe to bestow so much honor, that in our present perils and dangers we will not seek for his help? O nation, void of counsel and wit! I would to God thou wouldest be wise and understand, and wouldest foresee thy latter ende. For they which are made more obstinate by the scourges of God, what do they deserve else, then greater scourges? We may note here, howe Ferus makes our common prayers understood, the only means to turn away God's rods from us, and a chief part of his honor. And after upon these words: I say unto you again, that if two of you, &c. As though he should say, If you be able to do so much with God, who can do all things, that he will perform that which you desire, if only two of you shall agree among themselves; how much more will he ratify the sentence of the whole Church: yea I am in the midst amongst them, condemning the wicked; if so be that they seek not revenge nor the death of their brother, but the glory of God and the salvation of their brother, that is, if they condemn in my name. Again, Christ here teacheth us how we ought to deal with him that is excommunicate. For he is not to be accounted as an enemy; but through the same charity wherewith nothing is omitted for his amendment, we must also pray for him, that God would convert him, whom man by all his diligence and by doing what he could, could not convert. And Christ here promiseth that he will grant whatsoever we shall desire for our brother, if we shall continue in charity. Thus far Ferus. Here we may note, that the sentence of excommunication must be done by common consent & knowledge of the Church, and likewise their common prayers to God for his amendment. Their common Latin and blind prayers they made in Popery, quite overthrew this order of Christ's Church, and took this help from the congregation of succouring their brethren, who had fallen into any grievous crime. And here, who marks not Satan's sleights, who as he is the author to make silly souls fall into grievous sins; so no doubt he was the counselor of hindering the means of their recovery, as much as in him lay, in stopping all those means which after their sin, might do them good. And what greater harm could he devise against the frail sinner, whereof no doubt every congregation hath great store, then to take away this forcible and healthful remedy of the common prayers of the Church, made by consent to heal their deadly wounds? To which Christ hath annexed this notable promise: That whatsoever two or three of them agreeing shall ask, he will most assuredly grant. This most bountiful promise was made to common prayers, and not to private devotions: And therefore Satan bends his most force to hinder this mutual consent, this understanding in common prayer. He is content to let men privately in their private devotions pray, with their understandings. That cannot so much hurt him, as the other.

Upon this promise and ground, no doubt the common prayers of the faithful in the primitive Church were grounded: As appeareth in the acts of the Apostles, where saint Luke thus describeth the estate of the primitive Church, immediately after Christ: These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, & Marie the mother of Jesus, & with his brethren. Their common prayers were made with one accord not only their private devotions, as the Papists would make men believe: And why should not all Churches follow the example of this Church? Ferus upon this place writes thus: Though they had (saith he) a certain promise of the holy ghost, yet without ceasing they continued in prayer: For there is no Church where there is no prayer. Again, they prayed with one accord. There is no Church where there is not unanimity. The prayers are not acceptable, where there is no concord. Lastly, they continued in prayer: for he is not worthy to be heard, which doth not continue in prayer. And this was the chief work which Luke left in writing of the Apostles. Such was the first Church, but now the matter is altered; now there is another state of the Church. The brawls and quarrels which are in the Church Ferus mislikes. He would have prayers be made of brethren agreeing and consenting together: As were those in the Primitive Church. And after he writes thus: Thou learnest here who received the holy Ghost: and what they did. They were all of one accord; they dwelt aloft, they prayed, and to these came the holy Ghost: Therefore it is no marvel if the holy Ghost do not fly unto us; for where the heart is tainted with quarrels, anger, and envy; there is no place left to the holy ghost. For the author of unity and concord requires not any or a common unity or agreement: but a most straight and heavenly consent.

The like form of common prayers we read in the Acts, when the Apostles were forbidden to preach in the name of Jesus: As soon as they were let go, they came to their fellows, & shown all that the high Priests & Elders had said unto them: And when they heard it, they lift up their voices to God with one accord & said &c. Here is the form of common prayers the Apostles used, they lift up their voices to God altogether: no doubt they understood their prayers. So when Peter was cast in prison of Herod, it is written, that earnest prayer was made of the Church of God for him. These were common prayers. And no doubt all the faithful understood the prayers, and gave their consents. And this is that which saint Paul teacheth to the Corinthians: What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, but I will pray with the understanding also. I will sing with the spirit, but I will sing with the understanding also. Else when thou blessest with the spirit, how shall he which occupieth the room of the unlearned say, Amen, at thy giving of thanks, seeing he knoweth not what thou sayest? Thou verily givest thanks well: but the other is not edified. S. Paul here speaks manifestly of common prayer in the Church, both of praying & singing of Psalms, and not only of private hymns, or some particular songs, which some Christians made to their own comforts, and to praise God: as Master Bellarmine expounds this place. Saint Paul's doctrine agrees with the promise of our savior, and with the practice of the Church before recited. The same doctrine he delivereth to Timothy a Bishop, to be delivered to the whole Church: I will therefore (saith he) first of all supplications, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men: for kings, and all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty. No doubt he means here common prayers: And he puts down the benefits which are reaped thereby, which being known and understood of the Church, should as it were whet on this their desire of praying. These benefits they should know assuredly, they did reap by their prayers: and that they were to obtain them by no other means but by prayer. And therefore seeing they are such things, as no man can be without, & all men greatliest desire, it behooveth them especially to pray for these: and as they know and understand the price of them, to be so much the more earnest by their prayers in begging them of God. The like doctrine he teacheth all men after in their private prayers: I will (saith he) that men pray in all places lifting up pure hands, without doubtfulness. They must have faith joined with their prayers, and believe verily they do receive that which they pray for, according to our saviors doctrine; or else they shall obtain nothing at God's hands. But this faith of receiving the things they pray for, argues a knowledge. They cannot believe they receive the things they pray for, unless they know what they pray for: so that by saint Paul's doctrine, both common & private prayers must be made with our understanding. The same teacheth saint James: Is any sick amongst you? Let him call for the elders of the Church, & let them pray for him. And anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick. Here are common prayers set down; but they must be done in faith, and in the name of the Lord Jesus: S. James agrees with the gospel. Our common prayers must have these two conditions, which the gospel teacheth: they must be made in faith, and with knowledge, as is before repeated: And they must be made in the name of the Lord Jesus. They must not be barbarous prayers without understanding, as saint Paul terms them, but Christian prayers framed according to the doctrine of Jesus Christ. The same doctrine saint John teacheth: And this is the assurance which we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us. And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have desired of him: Saint John ioines the same two conditions to common prayers which saint James did, that is, faith and assurance that we shall obtain our petitions; and knowledge. And this is that which our savior himself also teacheth all his: Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: Ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. What can be greater joy to a man, then to have his suit granted of a mortal man, even of a king: but to have it granted at the hands of God, is the cause of the greatest joy in the world. The hope that is deferred (saith Solomon) is the fainting of the heart: bu • when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life. But how shall w • know that our suits and prayers be granted us or not, unless we know what we pray for? Therefore they take from us this tree of life, which teach us to pray in Latin, and not to understand our prayers. They take from us the greatest joy we have in the world: And what kind of enemies are they? The same doctrine saint John gives of private prayers: If any man (saith he) see his brother sin a sin not unto death: let him ask, and he shall give life for them which sin not unto death. All Christians ought to pray for their brethren, when they see them offend. They should pray God to amend them: And should they not then understand their prayers? I would to God all Christians would attentiuelie mark this forcible effect of prayer: they shall by their prayers give life to their brethren offending. To restore a dead man in body to life again, what a great commendation would we account it: but it is a far greater matter to restore a dead man in soul to life again. And this most assuredly doth faithful prayer. Oh that all Christians would remember this, and practice it, and cease in their brothers sins, as most men do now a days, either to backbite them, or slander them; but rather as saint John here counselleth, pray for them.

Neither were the common prayers only in the Gospel, but in the law also in a known tongue. Before the captivity David saith: O come let us sing unto the Lord: Let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation. This exhortation had been in vain; if the people then had not understood what had been said. And in another Psalm he concludes thus: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel forever and ever: And let all the people say Amen: prase ye the Lord. And again, speaking of the Church of Christ, he saith: God is king over all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding. All Christ's subjects must be children to malicioiusness, but not in wit: they must be men in understanding: And they must praise God with their understandings. He requires only the heart: He will be worshipped in spirit and truth; as our savior teacheth. And again, We must not now worship him, as the wicked did in Isaiah days: This people honoreth me, with their lips; but their heart is far from me. This kind of worship God condemned in the Jews, and do we think that he will allow of such like amongst Christians? Of the common prayers also of the Jews after y ^e captivity, we read thus in the book of Nehemiah: And Esdrah praised the Lord the great God; and all the people answered, Amen, &c. No doubt if they had not understood his praises, they could not have answered, Amen. So that contrary to M. Hardings and Mast. Stapletons assertions, both private and common devotions ought to be in a tongue known, and understood of the common people.

But M. Bellarmine in this weighty matter of prayer, which is as it were the very key of heaven, and the only means for the poor sinner to refresh and comfort his soul, is quite contrary to himself: For in one place he writes thus: That he is not worthy of the thing he asketh, which doth not acknowledge that he standeth need of the thing he requireth. And therefore we must be poor and miserable wretches in our own eyes, if so be that we will obtain mercy and grace. And again, he deuides prayer thus: There is one kind of prayer (saith he) only mental: Another both mental and vocal. Neither ought there be added the third member, vocal only: for that is not only profitable to please God, but rather to provoke God's anger: according to that saying: This people honoreth me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Here he plainly affirms, that only vocal prayers (such as are all prayers not understood) obtain nothing at God's hands, but rather provoke his anger. If this be true, then their masses, which many of their priests scant well understood, and their other Latin prayers, which commonly the people made without understanding, pleased not, but rather displeased God.

And again he writes thus: The fifth condition of prayer is devotion. And devotion here is called a desire of praying attentively, carefully, diligently and fervently: for the Lord reproves the people that pray only with their lips. And he is pronounced accursed that doth the work of the Lord negligently. This condition, as also the former do spring of faith. For he which attentively & with a strong faith considers how great the majesty of God is, and how great is our vileness, & how great the matter is which we require at God's hands, it is not almost possible, but that he should come to pray humbly, reverently and fervently. Thus far M. Bellarmine. Where he makes the consideration and knowledge of the thing we beg at God's hands, a means to make Christians devout in their prayers. But they which pray in Latin, lack this consideration: therefore their prayers cannot be made but without devotion. So that here M. Bellarmine seems to require knowledge in prayer, that their prayers may be devout and please God. But in other places he goes about to prove, that prayers not understood may please God. And he allegeth arguments to confirm the same: The priest (saith he) in the old law prayed for the people in the Tabernacle, and the people tarried without, and neither understood nor knew what he prayed. First here y ^e priest was a shadow of Christ, who alone entered into the tabernacle, and the people might not enter in with him: and therefore could not understand his prayers: but his prayers were such as if they had been present, they might have understood. And therefore this makes nothing for their Latin service, where priest and people are both present together. Secondly, he allegeth, that the Church prays for infidels and wicked men, which would not that she should pray for them: and yet no doubt her prayers do them good. But here the Church doth understand her prayers. The question is not, whether he that reapeth good by a prayer, should understand it or not. But whether he that makes any prayer, either for himself or for any other, ought to pray with understanding, and to know the prayer he makes? Surely he that prays for another or for himself, and knows not what he prays, shall neither do himself nor the other any good. As they which in times past said de profundis for them which were dead, did no doubt not profit them: nay if they had understood what they had said, they would never have said it for the dead, which was made of one living for himsefe: neither are the dead so much as once named therein.

Thirdly, he allegeth some sayings of the fathers, as of Origen and Chrysostom: That as charmers by words not understood do drive Serpents out of their holes: so the word of God being read, and yet not thoroughly understood, is of much more force against the Devil. But these fathers speak not of the Scriptures, read in a strange language of the people, that they should be of any force; but only of some dark and obscure places, which being read and passed over, although not thorowlie understood, with some other plainer places, might yet profit the soul, and daunt the enemy: as did the Eunuchs reading of the Prophet Isaiah, who no doubt understood the words he read (as they do not of their Latin prayers) although he understood not the meaning of the words. For he could say, Of whom speaketh the Prophet, of himself or of another? But these places make nothing for prayer, which speak of reading the Scripture. Lastly, he allegeth Agustine, That one praying the prayers which heretics have made, not knowing them to be heretics prayers, may reap good by them. But this is nothing to the purpose: So the prayer be good, and prayed with understanding and a lively faith, it makes no matter who made it.

Basel very excellently of the common prayers used in the Church in his time, writes thus: If so be that God account the sea good and beautiful and commendable: how much more is not that wise decree of the Church more glorious, in which a mixed noise of men, women and children (as it were of the water beating against the shore) of their prayers, rebounds unto God with the depth of peace and tranquility, and preserves it firm and immovable (all those wicked spirits being put to flight) which were not able with their heretical doctrines so much as once to move her. He calls these common prayers consilium, the wisdom or policy of the Church. The old enemy of our salvation Satan, hath banished this policy out of the church. Of all other, this most prevails against him. Let the true Church use it again, and judge who she is which useth it not. But it is worthy our consideration, how other Papists have condemned prayers in general, being made without our understanding. Viuiennus a Papist concerning this matter, writes thus: Therefore if any man (saith he) seek the means how he may obtain the grace of God, let him give himself to prayers, which are the weapons, by which all the power of the Devil is overthrown. Therefore the wicked spirits sometimes when we pray, cast stumbling blocks in our ways, that either being slothful we may be weary of praying, or being terrified we may quite give it over, or being carried away with vain thoughts, we may pronounce negligently those words, which we should pronounce with great discretion; being like to drunken men, who oftentimes talk many things, neither do well know what they say. Let us now discover such sleights and crafts of the enemy, and let us also consider the diligence of the Saints in eschuing them; that by imitating them we may set light by and make no account of those, who can overcome none but such as willingly yield them selves unto them. By these things which have been spoken the saying of Aggathon the Abbot may be proved true, who being asked what spiritual exercise of all other was most painful: answered, prayer: because while we pray that evil spirit doth trouble us, sometimes assaulting us openly, sometimes secretly laying siege against us, and by all means endeavoring that he may confound, and trouble the minds of them that pray, being not ignorant what a forcible matter with God is the constant, continual, and perseuerant intention of the mind of him that prayeth with humility. This Papist confesseth that when we pray, we must not rashlie pour out our words, but with discretion: that we must not be like drunken men when we pray, praying we cannot tell what. And were not such like, all the Latin prayers, which without understanding, the simple people made in Popery? He confesseth that amongst all other our spiritual works, Satan labors especially to hinder our prayers, or to pervert them, which thing he need not do in Popery: he had framed them (as the common proverb is) the bow to his own bent. They in those days prayed ignorantly, without faith, with wandering minds, being fixed on nothing, even as he would have them. The same Viuiennus also of prayer writes thus: With what kind, and how great an affection of his mind, David prayed, he himself testifieth saying: I have made my supplication before thy face with my whole heart. And again, I have cried with my whole heart, hear me (O Lord.) He hath cried unto the Lord with his heart, who hath prayed earnestly, not they which do make a chattering with their words, and do not conceive with their mind that which they post over with their lips And after him Solomon the most wisest king of all the kings of Judah, in that book (if it be his) which is entitled the book of Wisdom: I gate me unto the Lord, and I made my prayer unto him, and I spake from the very bottom of my heart. He is to be prayed unto with our whole heart, who is commanded to be loved with our whole heart. But they which pray carelessly, do seem to make light account of him, of whom they do request anything, and therefore they do not obtain their requests: They do but chatter like Parats & Pies, by Viuiennus his judgment, that know not what they do pray for. And such like chatterings were all the Latin prayers in popery, which the common people daily did make.

Caietane also agreeing with him, of prayer writes thus: Prayer (saith he) with a good intent, without attention, that is, diligent marking or understanding, is unlawful; for the want of devotion or reverence that is joined with it. Thus far Caietane. He that prays must mark what he prays, whether he pray himself, or give his consent by saying, Amen, to the prayers of another. And therefore the simple Christian and unlearned, must as well understand the common prayers of the Church, as his own private prayers. Shall he say Amen, and give his consent to that he knows not what it is? That were an absurd thing; even in our trifling wordly matters, no man will do so: and shall we do so in heavenly matters; matters of great weight and importance? But in the darkness of popery, the most part neither understood their private nor their public prayers, and how then could they have that attention which Caietane here requires?

Bernardus de Frenesda another Papist, of prayer also writes thus: It is the general doctrine received of all the Saints, that there are three things necessary to a just man, which bring him inestimable commodities: and that by these three the just man is preserved in his righteousness. And these are, praying, reading, and well-doing. In these should a wise man daily exercise himself; and so discreetly with Christiā zeal, measure and divide his time, that he should be ever occupied in one of these. Prayer gives light, purgeth, comforts, makes merry, kindles zeal, lightens afflictions, nourisheth devotion, engenders confidence (if our own spirit do not reprove us) expels slothfulness, terrifieth the devils & overcomes temptations. These are the most excellent fruits & commodities of prayer. But now the same author teacheth us also the true manner of prayer. Then (saith he) we do pray truly when as we think on nothing else, and when all our thoughts are bent on heavenly things, whenas our heart is inflamed with the fire of the holy Ghost. His prayer is perfect, whose cause, & tongue, & deeds, and speech, and life, and thoughts, cries.

And he addeth, that the third effect of prayer is the spiritual refreshing of the soul. And that to this effect of prayer, is necessarily required the attention or marking of the soul, not that which is spent about the material words of the prayer, nor that only which is about the meaning of the words, but that which respects the end of the prayer, which is God, and that thing for which a man prayeth. We may learn here by his judgment, that he which will reap this last and most principal fruit, and effect of prayer, which is the spiritual refreshing of his soul, must not only mark the meaning of the words of his prayer, but chiefly the Majesty of God, and the thing he prays for. If this be true, then the papists have bereaved their brethren of this chief fruit of prayer, which is the spiritual refreshing of their souls, when as they taught them to pray in Latin; when as they neither understood the words of their prayer, nor the thing they prayed for. And so by this authors judgment, though they prayed many and long prayers in those days, and did rise up early to prayer; yet the poor silly souls, for lack of understanding these their prayers, were famished and received no spiritual refreshing, or comfort thereby.

Granatensis himself also of prayer, writes thus: Even as one that is sick takes more profit of the meat he eats and chewes himself, then of that which being chewed of another is givē him, like abroth or some pottage: so the prayer a man makes himself of thos • words which the holy ghost ministereth unto him; is more profitable, then that which is framed and made by other men's words which are often repeated, as of some that know not what they mean, without any attention or devotion. Thus far Granatēsis. We may note here how he also condemns prayers without understanding. And because that when we repeat prayers made of others, though we do understand the meaning of the words of them; yet oftentimes carelessness and forgetfulness will creep into our minds; therefore he prefers the prayer which a good Christian is able to make of himself, by such words as the holy ghost shall put in his mind, before any such prayers made of others, be they never so devout. And the same Granatensis writing of certain hymns made by one Ieronymus Vda, saith thus: These three hymns of the trinity are to be commended to every person in this kind: and his other hymns to others: which being well understood, and de • outly repeated and considered, are as it were most sweet Mann • to our souls, making them fit to taste heavenly things. So that the • all their hymns being not understood, by his judgment, are worth nothing. And again of prayer, he writes thus: In the power of this Lord (meaning Jesus Christ) let us come to the throne of grace, with great confidence, being assured that whatsoever we shall ask in his name, we shall obtain it. This is the chief condition: which our petition or prayer ought to have joined with it, that it may be of force with God ( as saint James saith ) that is to say, faith and sure confidence, which ought chiefly to be grounded, not in our selves or in our own works or merits, but in the merits of Christ Jesus, and also in the infinite goodness and mercy of God, which can be overcome by no kind of wickedness; and chiefly on the truth of the word and promises of God, who through the whole scripture promiseth, that he will never forsake them, which turn to him with their whole heart, call upon him, and have all their hope most assuredly reposed in him. Although thou hast been hitherto a most grievous sinner; yet thou must not therefore be discouraged: for as Saint Jerome saith, sins that are past do not condemn us, if now they do not please us. By which words we may plainly perceive, how greatly they are deceived, who waighing their own wants and infirmities, do despair of the mercy of God: as though God would not hear them, if so be they pray unto him. And they do not consider, that the principal foundation of this confidence, are the merits of Christ, the mercy of God, and the truth of his words, which is as it were a shield, as the kingly Prophet saith: Compassing about all them that trust in him: No sinner, by his judgment, ought to despair, though his sins be never so grievous; but ought boldly to come to the throne of grace: and what needs then the intercession of saints? Therein he erreth that he makes the mercy of God and the merits of Jesus Christ, but the principal, and not the only foundation of our confidence, when as David saith: Thou O Lord alone makes me dwell in safety, and securelie: what foundation can man have of confidence or security, beside this? Again, of the excellency of the name of Jesus in another place, he writes thus: Thy name is like oil poured out: without all doubt there is a great resemblance betwixt oil and the name of the bridegroom; and therefore the holy ghost not in vain, hath compared the one of them to the other. And I say for three properties of oil, because it gives light, it feeds, and it makes soft; if you can yield no better reasons then these. It feeds the fire, it nourisheth the flesh, and it asswageth pain: Therefore it is light, meat and medicine. Behold now the same things in the name of the bridegroom: It gives light being preached, it feeds being studied upon; and being called upon, it lenifieth and asswageth. And let us briefly run over everyone of these: Whereof I pray you sprang so great and so sudden a light over all the world, but by the preaching of the name of Jesus? Neither is the name of Jesus only light, but also meat: are you not so often comforted as you think upon it? what makes so fat the mind of him that museth often thereon, as it doth? what makes our senses so quick? strengthens the powers of our souls: makes lively or good and honest our conversation: cherisheth our chaste affections? All the meat of the soul is dry, if it be not basted with this oil: It is unsavory, if it be not seasoned with this salt. If thou write anything, it doth not please me, unless I read Jesus there: If thou dispute or confer, it pleaseth me not, unless Jesus sound there. Jesus is honey in the mouth, music in the ear, and joy in the heart: but it is also physic. Is any amongst us sorrowful? let Jesus come into his mind, and let it leap up into his mouth, and behold as soon as you shall name him, light shall spring, all clouds shall be dispersed, and fair sunshine shall appear. Doth any man fall into sin? nay doth he run by despair into the snare of death? If he shall call upon this name of life, shall he not by and by begin to breath again, and recover life? What ever accustomed heardnes of heart, fainthearted cowardliness, cancred malice, or slothful idleness was ever able to abide to appear before this glorious name? who had ever the fountain of tears dried up, and calling on the name of Jesus did not burst out again more plentifully and flowed more sweetly? Who ever now quaking and trembling in dangers, this name of power being called upon, did not by and by receive courage and repel all fear? Who ever wavering and boiling in doubts calling upon this glorious name, received not forthwith most assured resolution and certainty? Who ever discouraged in adversity and even now fainting, if he once but named this name of help, lacked strength? And to this thing the Lord himself invites us, when as he saith: Call upon me in the day of thy trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. Nothing so bridles the rage of anger, asswageth the swelling of pride, heals the wound of envy, stops the stream of riot, quencheth the flame of lust, slakes the thirst of covetousness, and vanquisheth that tickling itching of all vncomlinesse. For when I name Jesus, I set before mine eyes a most meek man, humble and lowly in heart, courteous, sober, chaste, merciful, and famous in all virtue and holiness; and the same also God omnipotent, who heals me with his example, and strengthens me with his arm. Therefore I take from him examples to follow, as he is a man; and help to lean and trust unto in all my troubles, as he is God: these as Apothecaries stuff; this as the strength and virtue of them. And I make thereof such a confection as no Physician in the world is able to make. This electuarie thou hast, O my soul, hid & laid up as it were in the box of this name Jesus most wholesome truly, which is of power and force against all thy plagues and infirmities. Let this box be ever in thy bosom, ever at hand, that all thy thoughts and actions may always be directed to Jesus. For to this thou art also invited of the bridegroom in the Canticles, when he saith: Let me be as a signet in thy heart, and as a signet on thy arm. Thus much Granatensis cites out of Bernard. A discourse worth the marking; who knowing these virtues of the name of Jesus, will not call upon it? or will call upon any other name? This must be an electuarie ever in our bosom and ever in our hands, saith Bernard and Granatensis, two skillful Physicians of souls, and shall we not follow their counsel?

Of prayer in the Church he writes thus: It is an usual thing that if we will find anything, we will seek it in his proper & natural place. If therefore the Church be the proper place of God, it is meet that the son of God and God be sought & found there. The church is the house of prayer; and where prayer is heard, there God is found. Wherefore my brother, when as thou art afflicted, destitute of comfort, distracted with cares, lean, luke warm, & without any fatness or spark of devotion, enter into the Church, continue in prayer. For if thou shalt continue praying with faith and humility, without doubt thou shalt find Christ who is God: and this shall be a sign to thee that thou hast found him, if thou shalt after find devotion, pleasure, refreshing, and joy in thy soul.

And after that, in the Church and in all other places that we should pray only unto Christ, he allegeth this notable saying out of Agustine: Agustine saith, that so great mercy and courtesy shined in the person of our Savior, in all his words, works, and in his whole life; and that there was such a report thorough all that country of his courtesy and mercy, which sprung of the works which he wrought daily amongst them, that the malicious harts of the Jews thought, that so courteous and merciful a man could not speak the word of condemnation, or pronounce sentence of death against any; no, not although the law condemned him: and therefore they brought unto him the woman taken in adultery, that hereby they might take an occasion of slandering him and of accusing him, as a transgressor of the law. So that the greatness of the clemency, and mercy of our Savior gave opportunity to those wicked persons, of accusing him. But the wisdom of God overcame the malice of man, and Moses Serpent devoured the Serpents of the Sooth-sayers: For the Lord judged so wisely, that the woman was absolved, her accusers being put to silence and confusion. If the malicious Jews had such an opinion of the great mercy of our Savior; shall not Christians have the like? And if they have, will they direct their prayers to any other?

And after, speaking of the woman of Canaan, he writes thus: First we are taught here in all our tribulations and necessities that we must run unto God, as this woman did, who (as Origen notes) was an infidel and a worshipper of devils: yet she neither went to men nor to devils, to seek remedy of them; but she came to the true Savior and redeemer of the world. For this is the property of prayer, that it is a general remedy against all evils: and in this respect the virtue thereof was commended, as Theodoret witnesseth of one of the ancient fathers, who was wont to say: That physitions for diverse diseases, had their diverse medicines, and that they cured this disease with this medicine, and that, with another: but Christians against all manner of evils have but one medicine, and that is continual and devout prayer, which never returns empty. If this infidel, nay being also a worshipper of devils, as Origen affirms, were not repelled of our Savior, why should any Christian distrust?

And of y ^e conditions which are required in our prayers he writes thus: The first thing that is required in our prayers, is faith: For which this woman is commended, to which especially y ^e obtaining of her suit is ascribed of the Lord: according to the word of Christ himself, saying: All things whatsoever you ask, praying; believe that you shall receive them. The reason hereof among other is this, because this bond of faith, which ever brings with it assured trust of the mercy and goodness of God, is one of those things which do most glorify and honor God: whose nature is to honor those again of whom he is honored, and to glorify those of whom he is glorified. The which that we may better understand, we must know that there are two manner of ways of praising God: One with words; another with works. The physician with words commends the treacle he hath made, and saith that it is of great force against all poison: but he commends it in deed, who being stricken of a Scorpion, takes his treacle and is healed by it. Thou seest how this second kind of praising is better then the former. The one praiseth it in hope, the other in deed: the praise of the one consists in words; but of the other in works: and therefore as much difference as there is between saying and doing; so great difference is there also between those two manner of commendations.

But faith praiseth the goodness and mercy of God, after the second manner, when as she being in the midst of perils and temptations, she is secure and triumpheth. Through this assurance she undertakes great and hard matters; and she distributes to the poor that she hath, without any care, hoping with assurance in the mercy of God, which never forsakes them which trust in him, and which enter into perils and troubles for his name sake. There are very few, although perchance otherwise good men, who have attained to this step of faithful assurance; but happy and thrice happy is he, that hath attained unto it: to which this woman seems to have climbed up; who being so often repelled and rejected of the Lord; yet for all that did not distrust of his goodness and mercy. Therefore not without cause the Lord commends her faith, saying: O woman, great is thy faith! Be it unto thee even as thou wilt.

And this is diligently of us to be marked here, that thorough the whole Gospel there are only found but two such exclamations of our Savior, and both of them to the same purpose: One is in the words now recited; the other is, when as Christ reproving a man not believing, cried out: O froward and incredulous generation! How long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? These two exclamations do very manifestly declare, how grateful and acceptable to God that faith is, which hath this hope & assurance ever joined with it; and how greatly incredulity and distrustfulness displeaseth him. Faith brings with it ever assurance and confidence: and therefore cannot abide wavering and doubtfulness. And such a faith only is acceptable to God saith Granatensis. But how can then that be a faith acceptable to God, which other papists teach, which brings with it uncertainty of their salvation? And of the certainty and full assurance, that we ought to have in obtaining our prayers when we pray, he writes thus out of Bernard: Of the first fruit or rather effect of prayer, Bernard thus speaks: As often as I speak of prayer, me thinks I hear in your hearts, but as it were some ordinary talk betwixt man and man, which also I have heard very often of others, and sometime tried in myself. For what a matter is this? that although we never cease from praying, yet at any time scarce any one feels what is the fruit or commodity of his prayer. As we come to prayer; so we depart from prayer: as though no man answered us again, or gave us a word: as though no man minded anything, but as that we have seemed to have labored in vain. But what says the Lord in the Gospel: Judge not (saith he) according to the outward appearance; but judge ye the righteous judgment. And what is the righteous judgment? but the judgment of faith; because the just man lives by faith: Therefore follow thou the judgment of faith; and not thine own experience; because faith is true, but thine experience is oftentimes deceitful. And what is the truth of faith? but that the son of God himself hath promised whatsoever ye shall desire in prayer, believe that you shall receive it, and it shall be done unto you. Let none of you (O my brethren) make light account of his prayers: For I say unto you, that he to whom we pray, makes no small account of it. For before it go out of our mouth, he commands it to be registered in his book: And one thing of these two we may without all doubt hope for; that he will grant either that which we desire; or that which he knows to be more profitable for us. For we know not to pray as we ought to pray, but he hath compassion of our ignorance, and receiving our prayer courteously, gives us not that which is not either profitable for us, or is not necessary to be given us so soon. And again, When we ask that which is not profitable for us he hears us not, but he gives us that which is more profitable: even as the carnal father is also wont to do, who when his child desires of him both bread and the knife, he will give him the bread, but not the knife.

This assurance we should have when we make our prayers, that God answers us, & granteth us our requests, or else that which is far better for us: and with this trust and assurance whensoever we pray, we should return from prayers, not as though we had prayed to a wall, or that we were not better then we were before: nay when we return from speaking to that bountiful and rich king, we must believe assuredly that we return not again empty; but enriched with many great and heavenly treasures. This assurance in popery how could they have which knew not what they said, nor for what they prayed. And again, of God's great willingness to hear our prayers, he writes thus. It would very greatly delight and please the mercy of God, if men were so ready to hear his voice, as he is to hear theirs: For it is most true, that we are a great deal more slack in our duties, then he is in his. Therefore when as he calls his spouse in the Canticles, he calls her four times, & he repeats the same word four times: Return, return (saith he) O Shulamite, return, return. But she when she calls her bridegroom, calls him but once, And behold he is at hand: Return (saith she) my beloved, be like a Roe, or a young Hart upon the mountains of Bether. And is God thus willing to hear our prayers: and shall we not pray unto him? shall we pray to any other?

Of the great mercy of God, Granatensis writes thus: David said: O Lord, say unto my soul, I am thy salvation: As though he should say, I have my ears now full of thy terrible names and titles, O let that time come, wherein by thy new name thou hast promised salvation to my soul! And that is truly, when as thou shalt be called Jesus, that is, a Savior. This David said in times past in the person of us all. But after that thou remembering the mercy and promises made to our fathers, that the time should be that thou wouldest take upon thee our humanity and misery: When as I say, thou camest out of thy hall of power and justice, and coming to us thou wentest to thy palace of courtesy and mercy, thou fulfillest then whatsoever thou before hadst promised to all men. That same chief and great follower and Apostle of thy son Jesus Christ our Lord, first began to call thee then father of mercies and God of all consolation: Father, that he might declare unto us, that as a father, thou wouldest help us; and God, because thou canst help whom thou wilt. So that now sinners seeing thee to have comed out of thy hall of severity into thy palace of mercy and comfort, seeing thee altogether clad now with their apparel, and becomed now one of their family; now they will no more run wandering up and down, they cannot tell whither; but being knit to thy most holy Church, with sincere faith and sure hope, they do come to thy throne, asking pardon of their sins. Thus far Granatensis. He declares to us now, that this faith every Christian must have, that now God himself is become like one of us: and therefore we may boldly go even to his throne our selves; we need no intercessors to him, yea although we be sinners: And even of himself on his throne our selves crave pardon for our sins.

And this doctrine is not his own, but it is grounded on saint Paul's. We have not an high Priest (saith he) which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all things tempted in like sort; yet without sin: Let us therefore go boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help even in the time of need: We have a most merciful high priest tempted in all things like to us. Never man so tempted, who may say as that Poet makes Queen Dido to say to the Troianes: I myself, who have felt sorrows have now learned to pity all such as be in sorrows; none may evermore truly say this, then Jesus Christ. And therefore boldly we may go even to his throne, even to ask mercy, not only to beg spiritual graces or blessings: And mercy argues sins; where there is mercy and pardon craved, there as sin; even such miserable sinners may come boldly to this throne of grace to crave pardon for their sins. Granatensis, nay the Apostle Paul tells all Catholics this: and will they not believe them? And if they believe them, what need they go to any other? The same Granatensis writes thus of himself: And surely the errors of my life and sins are so many and so great, that some men being in the same state of damnation, as well as I, and not considering (O Lord) thy omnipotency, but measuring, according to their own frailty and wavering minds, with their forward thoughts, have entered into judgment with thee, saying: Mine iniquities are greater, then that they may be pardoned: and giving no credit to thy words and promises, imagine that as some angry or cruel man, thou thinkest upon punishment and revenge, and not upon grace and pardon. And such (O my God) when they shall see that thou wilt forgive me my sins, shall be overcome and ashamed of their judgments: And they shall acknowledge that which thou spakest by thy Prophet; that is, As high as the heavens are exalted from the earth; so are thy ways far above the ways of men, and thy thoughts above their thoughts. Therefore (O Lord) have mercy upon me and blot out mine iniquity. Thus far Granatensis.

He confesseth himself to be a damnable sinner: Here is no merits then; and yet for all that, he hopes for pardon, & comes to the throne of God's mercy: nay they which think God to be an angry God, so that he will not hear sinners, he plainly teacheth that they have a wrong opinion of God. And do not the papists teach this in their doctrine of intercession to saints & Angels? This faith all the scriptures teach us, that when we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, God doth most assuredly hear us. And so we ought to frame our words when we pray, as though we were in the presence of God; and our hearts after we have prayed, that God in whose presence we have prayed, hath granted our requests. This faith the gospel teacheth. They which believe not this, deny the faith of the Gospel.

And the same Granatensis, that he may the more deeply imprint and fasten this love of God in our hearts: which is the very root of the assurance which we have in our prayers, in another place let us mark how excellently he commendeth and expresseth this exceeding great love of God towards us. Can there be any greater argument of the goodness of God wished or desired, then to consider that a God of such infinite Majesty, who not for any need, but only of his own goodness, doth stoop down & humble himself so greatly, that as a steward & purueyour of birds, fishes and worms, he provides all things necessary for their life. Neither being content with this alone, he doth humble himself so far, that he gives them also pleasant things, wherewith they may delight themselves, stirring up in them also certain motions of pleasures. That even as thou, O Lord, hast not only an essence or being; but also a most happy and blessed essence: so also thou wouldest have all thy creatures, be they never so vile and base, in their kind, to participate of thee; and to enjoy both these, that they should have both an essence, and also a most happy and joyful essence.

Who is not now amazed to see such a miracle, who hereby acknowledgeth not the infinite kindness, nobility, and liberality of God's heart, who shows himself so loving and courteous to so vile creatures, which if a man meet withal, he will make no account to trample under his feet? Which of us is it, that thinks it concerns him anything at all, whether a Fly or Pismire have food or not; or whether she be merry or sad? Who therefore will not marvel that a God of such great majesty; in comparison of whom, all the world is no bigger almost then a little Pismire, not only to have special care of the lives of these small vermin; but also of the delights and pleasures, wherewith everyone of these is delighted; when as he looks at the hands of these, neither for praise nor thanks? O wonderful goodness! O inestimable sweetness! O my God how great & incomprehensible are those things, which in the bosom of thy glory, thou hast reserved for thy faithful friends, when as thou hast such a special care of vile worms? How can I distrust of thy providence & mercy towards men, whom thou hast bought with thy precious blood, when as that is not wanting even to the beasts of the field? Thus far Granatensis. This only consideration should make us pray to God alone.

And after of the prayers of the faithful, he writes thus: What shall I say, O Lord, of thy readiness in hearing the prayers of the just; what of thy speedines in fulfilling their desires? how often doest thou promise us this in thy holy scriptures, that thou mightest take away our infidelity & distress? In a certain place thou sayest, which of you asks bread of his father, and will he give him a stone? our asks fish, and will he for fish give him a serpent? or if he ask an egg, will he reach him a Scorpion? If ye therefore when as ye are evil, know to give good things to your children: how much more shall your heavenly father from heaven give his holy spirit to them which ask him. And in another place: Ask and it shall be given to you: seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you. But the words of our Lord which are in S. John's Gospel, do declare the same much more manifestly: by which it is manifest, that God hath at once opened to his friends all the gates of his mercy, when as he saith, If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Could the heart of man (if a wish were given him to wish whatsoever he would) have wished a more large or greater benefit? when as in these words he hath leave given him, to ask whatsoever he will. And he gives his word also that whatsoever he asketh, he shall obtain.

These are the promises of the Gospel: from which they also disagree not which are found everywhere amongst the Prophets. The Psalmist saith in a certain place, he will do the will of them that fear him, and he will hear their prayer, and will save them. And in another place: The eyes of the Lord are upon the just, and his ears are open unto their prayers. And in another place, he saith: He hath regarded the prayer of the humble, and hath not despised their petition. Isaiah also sings the same song to us. For after he had shown with what good works, God is especially served, by and by he addeth the reward that shall be given to them that serve him, saying: Then he shall call, and the Lord shall hear him: he shall cry, and the Lord shall say: Behold, here am I. And as though this were but a small thing; thou thyself O Lord, addest a far greater, and more bountiful promise in the same Prophet, saying: And it shall come to pass, that before they shall call I will answer, and while they yet speak, I will hear. He must needs be very hard hearted and stark blind, who is not moved with such words and promises, that he may consider and perceive the great mercy and goodness, which thou usest towards thy servants. And who would not willingly suffer anything that he might be accounted in the number of them, &c. To make intercessors to God, what is it, but to doubt of these promises, both of the Prophets and of the Gospel? then to doubt of this readiness of God, which Granatensis here teacheth to hear our prayers? If this be true, we need no intercessors.

And after, Great is the love wherewith fathers love their children, and yet the fathers tender heart will not suffer that the son that hath married against his will, or hath done any such like fault should once come into his sight. But yet the tender mercy of this our heavenly father, although a man have done unto him, all the injuries that can be devised, if he return to him with all his heart, doth not despise him, but receives him as he did the prodigal son, forgiving all his trespasses and faults. The prophet knew this when as he said: O Lord thou art our father, Abraham is ignorant of us, and Israel knows us not: but thou O Lord art our father, and our redeemer, and thy name is from everlasting. This thy love O Lord springs of thy goodness: from which proceed two most profitable streams, that is, thy mercy, and thy love: the one that our infirmities might be cured; and the other, that thy good things might be imparted to us. If therefore this thy fountain be infinite; what shall the flood of love be, that proceeds from it? Therefore I neither fear, nor am afraid, nor distrust: although I acknowledge myself to be a sinner, & so unworthy to be beloved. For how froward soever I am, he that loves me is good; & so good, that he will not reject sinners: yea he calls them unto him, he receives them and eats with them. To all these tokens and works of thy love, another is added: O Lord, because thou art love it self, thy Evangelist witnesseth this, when as he saith: God is charity, and he that dwelleth in charity, dwelleth in God, and God in him. O truly sweet and wonderful thing! to have such a God who is altogether love, and whose nature is charity, &c. Such a faith should all Christians have of God, and such a confidence in him. And this faith the Gospel teacheth. And what needs then any intercessors to so loving a God and merciful a father?

And again he writes thus: The greatness of thy goodness (besides all these) thy mercy doth most of all testify, which thou usest towards sinners, bearing with them with so great kindness; looking for them with such great patience; yea being offended of them, yet calling them to grace and pardon; and being injured by them, even drawing them to reconciliation. Nay to conclude, offering them satisfactions, and opening to them the rich treasures of thy merits. How easily art thou found of them, how soon doest thou hear them, how merciful art thou in receiving them, how liberal in pardoning them? I am greatly amazed, O Lord, when I remember the mercy which thou vsedst towards Manasseh that king of Judah; to whom after his strange idolatry; after the blood of thy Saints shed so plenteously; after so great and horrible iniquities: when as he asked pardon of thee, thou didst not only forgive him all his sins, but also didst deliver him from most cruel bondage, and didst restore him again to his kingdom: not denying salvation to him, by whose wickedness so many souls had perished, and for whose heinous acts, that noble City of Jerusalem, with that most famous and holy temple was overthrown and become desolate. Thus far Granatensis. And this is to declare the name of God: I have declared thy name (saith our Savior) and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me, may be in them and I in them. This is to declare the name of God: how merciful, how kind, how loving God is: how ready he is to hear sinners and willing to pardon them. For otherwise God hath no proper name, that Christ declared unto us. And this every Christian is bound to do. And hereof dependeth a great reward; that God will love such preachers and declarers of his name: that is, of his mercy and goodness, even with the same love, that he loved Jesus Christ. And here then let all Christians take heed, how that they do derogate anything from this name.

Titilman a Papist in his exposition of S. John's Gospel, expounds this place thus: These places of Granatensis I have rehearsed thus at large both for the excellency of the matter contained in them, and also to declare how resolute he is in this matter. The same Granatensis, as in his whole book of devotion he doth highly commend prayer, and would that no other business or study whatsoever should hinder that, affirming prayer to a Christian to be like Samson's hair; which when it was cut away, he was no stronger then another man: even so (saith he) the strength of a Christian consists in his prayer. Take that away from him; and he shall be of no strength at all. So he declares most excellently how we should pray. Christians (saith he) that pray are in this place to be admonished, that making their prayers they do that, with as great devotion and marking, as lies in their power. For hereof depends all the force and fruit of prayer: for in God's ears, as Bernard witnesseth, an earnest desire is a great crying; and a cold or slothful mind and intention, is a low voice: for his ears are open rather to the voice of the heart, then to the voice of the body. By this it may be plainly perceived, how barren and fruitless the prayers of some men are, as well clergy as lay-men, which with such haste and speed run over their devotions and Psalms, that they seem not at all to talk with God. For they would not deal so negligently and carelessly with man, if they had anything that they would earnestly obtain at his hands. For as Solomon testifieth. The poor man beseecheth, but the rich man speaketh roughly. For he that feels his own want and misery, and couets earnestly to be relieved in these, as he desires this from the bottom of his heart; so he prays with all his heart, & with as great earnestness as he can, saying with the Prophet: I have cried with my whole heart, hear me, O Lord. I would to God men would understand & remember when they pray, with whom they speak, and about what businesses they speak. For if they knew that they talked with that same great majesty, at whose presence the Angels do tremble, and that they make suite unto him, concerning that weighty matter, that is, the forgiveness of their sins, and the salvation of their souls: then they would open their eyes, and they would perceive what an unseemly, nay what an unreasonable thing it were, that they should speak to such a Lord of so weighty matters, so negligently; yea to talk with him so, as they would not talk with their servant, if they would have him do anything.

Saint Bernard reproves them covertly when he saith, I say this (to be brief) that some find in their prayers when they pray, a certain lumpishnesse and dullness of the mind, that praying only with their lips, they neither mark well what they speak, nor with whom they speak; because they come to prayer as it were of custom, with small reverence or care. Therefore as it behooveth us to be watchful in all our actions; so especially in our prayers: For although ( as the same Bernard saith ) the eyes of the Lord do behold us at all times, and in all places, but especially in our prayers. For although we be seen ever, but then we present our selves before the majesty of God, and do talk with him as it were face to face. And in another place he saith: It is dangerous if thy prayer be fearful, without faith; more dangerous if it be rash, without reverence; but the third and most dangerous, if it be key cold as we say, and come not from a lively affection. For a fearful prayer cannot pierce the heavens, because over great fear restrains the mind, that the prayer cannot ascend, nay not come out. A key cold or faint prayer vanisheth away & perisheth, when it should ascend, because it lacketh force. A rash prayer ascends truly, but it rebounds back again: for God resists it; neither doth it obtain grace, but deserves punishment. But that prayer which is faithful, humble, and fervent shall, without all doubt, pierce into the heavens. And therefore it is most certain, it cannot return empty. Thus far out of Bernard.

Granatensis in this long discourse teacheth, that all our prayers must be fervent, with a feeling of the things we do want, which feeling engendereth this fervency: and therefore must be made with our understandings. We must know what we pray for; what a great matter we beg at God his hands; and that (saith he) will make us to be earnest suitors. Secondly, they must be devout, we must remember to whom we speak, to the God of infinite majesty and power. And with what fear and reverence should we poor wretches come before such a God? What reverence will we use when we come before any mortal Prince: And shall we not use much more, when we appear before the immortal God?

Stella also of Prayer writes thus upon these words: Knocke, and it shall be opened unto you. God will have nothing idle in us, but he will have us ask, seek, and knock, with our mouth, with our heart, and with our hands. For even as a singer changeth his voice, according to the notes: so he that prayeth must feel diverse effects in himself: first devising in his heart that which he thinks; so that he first begin to feel before he think: & so he shall present mysteries to the majesty of God, rather by works then words, even as Simon Maccabeus placed in the City, which he had conquered, men that did the law and were skillful in it: so thou must be wise and diligent, and thy soul must be endued with such wisdom that it may do in deed that thing which it thinketh, so that thy heart and thy tongue may both say the same thing together: for otherwise it would smally advantage thee to praise God, with thy mouth, and to have thy heart distracted about many other things. For thou shalt be like those, of whom the Lord speaketh. This people honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. And a little before Stella thus distinguisheth these three. These things (saith he) may thus be distinguished, that to ask, may respect the action of the mouth; to seek, the action of the heart; and to knock, the action of the hands. So that by his judgment, our mouth, our heart, & our hands, & words ought all to agree together. And as after he teacheth, we should lift up in our prayers pure hands, full of good works, & with such hands we should knock: & then God assuredly would hear us: and our hearts should also understand the meaning of our prayers. And after he writes thus: Fourthly, when as he saith, that we should ask of him: he shows himself to be our help, and succor, that in all our necessities we should fly unto him, because he is our refuge and strength, a helper in troubles, which have greatly assaulted us. When God took upon him our nature, he became all things unto us that were necessary for us, that he might relieve the necessities of men. If Paul became all things to all men, how far more better Christ. What I pray thee dost thou stand need of which Christ hath not to relieve thy necessity? If thou shalt say, I stand need of life; he by and by answereth, I am life: if thou shalt say, I stand need of truth; he saith, I am truth: If thou lack both the eyes of body and soul, which are twice precious eyes, and can be bought neither for money nor gold; he is such a shining and bright light, that it is said, no man can attain unto it. But if thou lack wit, which is the most miserable thing of all and most to be lamented, he will by and by offer himself and say, I will give thee understanding: To conclude, if thou lack the service of bread and wine, he will be present with thee saying, I am the bread of life, I am the true vine. So that in all things and for all things, Stella would have us have recourse to Jesus Christ.

Basel of common prayers in his time writes thus: I beseech you of what kind are our prayers: how do we pray? All men, except a few, are abroad about their merchandizes: And their wives as their servants wait upon Mammon at home. A few are left to pray with me, and they soon weary and negligent, and tossing themselves hither and thither, and marking when he that sings the Psalms, will ende the verses, that they may be let go from the Church as from some bonds or from some prison. It seems by this that the people understood the Psalms which were sung.

And after, The innocent infants, who feel not our grief and misery (speaking of a great dearth by means of a great drought which they then endured) come to Church to make a confession; and they are no cause of these our miseries; neither can they deliver us from them, when as they have no knowledge nor ability of praying to God. Thou come and show thyself: thou (I say) who art loaden with sins, fall down on the ground, cry and sigh &c. Here we note again, the manner of their common prayers, that they made a common confession. And again, that children could not pray because they lacked understanding.

Augustine, of the common prayers now in Christ's Church, writes thus: Also after this division of tongues by God's appointment it came to pass; that the mystery of the holy scriptures til the fullness of time, should be kept in the proper language of one people chosen out of many; until the time appointed, when as he would make manifest unto all nations the mystery of his divine pleasure, he sent down from above the holy Ghost, bringing with him that knowledge of all languages, having also before ordained preachers of that his heavenly will and pleasure. The which spirit before had sung the great and mighty works of God, till that time, but in one language; but now as it were to consecrate and make holy all languages, at his first coming preached by the Apostles (in all languages) so they, which as it were to confirm this matter, God had gathered together in Jerusalem at that time out of all nations, said: We have heard them speak in our own tongues the mighty works of God. Thus far Agustine: Before Christ the holy Ghost sang the praises of God in one tongue; but since his coming in all tongues: All languages are sanctified.

Michael ab Isselt describing the estate of the primitive Church writes this of prayer: In times past (saith he) there was great zeal of prayer in the Church: in so much that no hour passed without the praises of God, without prayers, without thanksgiving. In this one thing they were occupied day and night. Saint Jerome saith that ever after prayer they gave themselves to reading, & after reading again to prayer; whithersoever one went he should hear the plowman holding his plough, singing Alleluiah. And the sweating shearer comforted himself with Psalms, and the vinedresser pruning his vine with his sharp hook did sing some of David's Psalms. The mariner at his stern, the waterman at his oar, the digger among his clods, the shomaker in making his shoes, the weauer at his loome, the fisher among his nets, everyone of these obtained good success, increase and God's blessing to his works by prayer. The wife sitting at her rock, the boy playing with his ball, the servant sent about his masters business, all these commit themselves and their health to God by prayers. All these like Bees, saith Epiphanius, having in their hands the wax of their work, but in their mouth drops of honey, when as with their own singing voices they did praise the Lord of all things, and did pray unto him. Thus far Michael ab Isselt. This was the estate of the Primitive Church. Thus they occupied themselves, now with reading, now with praying, but in all these with understanding; quite contrary to the ignorance, which of late reigned in the popish Church. And of such prayers may most truly be verified that which the same author addeth after: what shall I (saith he) make many words? By prayer, we may do all things: and without prayer we can do nothing. It is the general instrument or tool of Christians, without which they can work nothing. For even as a soldier without his sword, or a scrivener without his pen, or a smith without his tools: so is a Christian without prayer. What marvel is it if devils which never before have been heard of, have now invaded all sortes of men? The cause is, that now prayer amongst all is perished.

Ferus of prayer writes thus: These things are required to an effectual prayer: first that thou believe that which God hath promised: Faith in the word and promise of God. Secondly, that with an ardent and earnest affection, thou dost offer something to God, which thou couetest to obtain. Thus far Ferus. So that then we must know what we pray for.

Ferus of the invocation of the name of Jesus in our prayers, writes thus. It proves (saith he) the divinity and power of Christ, that the inuocatiō of his name performeth that which we request. Peter healed the lame man, not with any superstitions: but by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus. So use corporal medicines, that the chief hope may be in humble prayer. Thus far Ferus. They diminish the virtue of Christ's name and derogate from his deity, by his judgment, that use other names in their prayers. It is superstition to call upon others.

Jacobus de Valentia a Papist, of the name of Jesus writes thus upon these words, O God save me in thy name: But here (saith he) a doubt may arise, because this name Jesus seems not to be the name of the father, but of Christ his son: How therefore doth the son say to the father, O God in thy name save me? It should seem that he should have said: In my name. To this it may be answered, that the name Jesus belongs principally to the father, and was given and communicated to Christ himself of his father. For whatsoever Christ hath, he hath it of the father: wherefor this name Jesus is the name Adonai and Tetragrammaton, as we have said in the prologue of the Psalms, and in the 7. psalm: which is as much to say, as to be omnipotent, salvation and to be perfect. And that this name doth properly belong to God: therefore it is communicated and given of the father to his son: as the Apostle saith of the Philippians: He hath given him a name, which is above all names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, &c. Therefore not only we do ask of the Father by this name Jesus in all our prayers: but also Christ himself, as he is man, asks in the virtue of this name, bestowed on him of the father: Because this name contains in it all virtue and omnipotency, and an infinite sea of merits. Therefore Christ saith to his father, O God my father save me in thy name Jesus, which name thou hast imparted and bestowed upon me: and deliver me and my members by thy virtue, and omnipotency, which is contained under this name Jesus. For there is no other name, in the which the world must be saved, but in this thy name. Thus far Jacobus de Valentia: Where he excellently describes the dignity of the name of Jesus. It is the name of God himself: in the virtue of this name Christ himself prayed: it is a sea of infinite merits: and shall we then use any other? Shall we doubt whether this name alone will serve our turn or not?

Ludouicus Viues of the Lord's prayer writes thus: As of our religion, so also of our prayer which is a chief part of our religion, he may be the author and master, who knows perfectly both the divine nature, and our nature; who understands what is profitable for man, and also what God requires of us, both worthy of God, and him also that asketh. And also with what words, not so much fit for God (for he knoweth the meaning and force of all words) as for the mind of him that speaketh, that he may not be ignorant, how he ought to think of God. And of this his understanding the love of God may spring in him and be confirmed.

And after, There is no prayer which ought so diligently and attentively to be said and meditated upon of us, as this (meaning the Lord's prayer) every part of it, nay every word, every letter, every prick of it are to be weighed of us. He would have this prayer especially of all to be understood: and not to be said in Latin, as they used in Popery.

16. Of Auricular confession.

C Yprian writes thus of that place in the 20. of John: Whose sins ye remit, &c. It is manifest, where and by whom remission of sins may be given, which is given in baptism: for the Lord gave first that power to Peter, upon whom he built his Church, and from whom he ordained and shown the original of humanity, that that should be loosed on earth, that he had loosed. And after his resurrection he speaketh also to his Apostles saying: As my father sent me, so send I you: when he had said thus, He breathed upon them and said to them: receive ye the holy Ghost; whose sins yet forgive, they are forgiven to him; whose ye retain, they are retained. Whereby we perceive, that it is lawful in the Church for the governors thereof, and those that are appointed by the law of the Gospel and the Lord's ordinance, to baptize, and to give remission of sins: and that without, neither anything can be bound or loosed, seeing there is nobody that can bind or loose anything. Neither do we set down this (O brother) without the authority of the scriptures. So that we said, that all things are set in order, by a certain law, and by his own appointment. Neither that any man may take upon him anything, against the Bishops and priests, which is not in his right and power. For Chore, Dathan and Abiram, against Moses and Aaron took upon them authority to sacrifice; neither did they that without punishment, which they attempted unlawfully.

Here we may learn first, that the fathers works either thorough malice or ignorance, have been corrupted: for what sense should this have (for God first gave this power to Peter, from whom he shown and ordained the original of humanity) no doubt it should be of unanimity or unity: as appears by the other place of his book of the simplicity of prelates. So we may see, how that old cousoner Satan hath not kept back his fingers, from the fathers works: he hath been doing with them. And therefore, who dare safely build his faith upon them. Secondly, that the Church was built upon Peter, to declare the unity that should be amongst all pastors; not to declare any superiority of Peter in power, or authority of binding or loosing above the rest; for there hereafter he adds: That all the rest received like power with him of binding and loosing. And that the heretics rebelling in the Church, and breaking the unity thereof, do not rebel against any one, but against the Bishops and priests; even as Chore, Dathan, and Abiram did against Moses and Aaron. And lastly, he expounds plainly where this power of binding and loosing is executed, which he affirms to be in Baptism, and not in auricular confession, as our late divines of Rome teach, who attributes the very strength, and power, and force of that place to auricular confession, and to their priests, then either forgiving or detaining sins.

Cyril also, as hath been alleged before, agrees herein with Cyprian, and expounds this authority of forgiving sins which the ministers have to be executed in baptism or in repentance of notorious sinners. Agustine also expoundeth that place of S. Matthews Gospel: To thee I will give the keys of the kingdom of heaven, thus: that Peter when this was said unto him, signified the whole Church. And of Christ's coat which was without seam he writes thus: The coat without seam least at any time it should be ripped in sunder, came unto one; because he gathers all into one: even as amongst his Apostles, when as the number was twelve, that is, three times four, and they were all asked: Only Peter answered: Thou art Christ the son of the living God. And it was said to him: To thee I will give the keys of the kingdom of heaven, as though he alone had received power of binding and loosing, when as he being but one, answered that for all, and received this withal, as a figure of unity: therefore one for all, because unity is to them all. And therefore this when he had said: wrought about, he addeth thorough out: the which if we refer to that which it signifieth, no man lacks it, who is found to pertain to the whole, from which whole, as the Greek tongue shows, the Catholic church is called. This is Augustine's judgment, that Peter answered for all; and received like authority for all.

But M. Bellarmine saith: There was no cause, why Christ should so particularly say to Peter, To thee I will give the keys: and feed my sheep; and that for his singular faith and love; if he should receive nothing besides the rest. He plainly dissents from Agustine; and so their new Catholic faith from the old: Agustine and Cyprian affirm that this speech of our Savior was to him alone, to declare the unity he would have amongst all his ministers: and in this he made him a mirror and not a master. And Cyril saith, by his threefold commission he comforted him again, for his threefold denying: this he gained by it.

Franciscus de Euia a Papist, of auricular confession writes thus: I counsel thee also (dear brother) if thou wilt confess thy sins often, that thou get thee a proper confessor, and such a one as is well experienced in that matter, a wise man, and of a good and commendable life: to whom thou mayest safely committee thy conscience; and to have now even in the steed of the Lord God, to whom thou mayest surely reveal all thy secrets both inward and outward, and all thy sins. Herein he plainly discovers the corruptions of their Church. Should a sheep go from his shepherd? This is an absurd thing. But such hath been their doctrine and practice, that the pastors of congregations need not preach themselves, but friers in their rooms: and thereby were all their Frieries maintained: and that the sheep may go from their pastors to seek some other, to reveal their sins unto. Whereas S. Peter exhorts all elders and pastors to feed their flocks themselves; and our blessed Savior enioines this thing to Peter, as his principal duty: to feed his flock. The true shepherd is to bind up the wounds of his flock, and to heal them himself: He that doth not so is that idol shepherd, whereof Zechariah prophesieth; He shall not look for the thing that is lost, nor seek the tender lambes, nor heal that which is hurt, nor feed that that standeth; but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and shall tear thir hoofs and claws in pieces. And have not the shepherds in popery done thus? whereof many of them never preached. Is not the word of God the lantern and candle in God's house to lighten our paths, and wherewith also to seek that which is lost, which candle that wise woman which was a figure of Christ's Church lighted, and therewith sought for her lost groat; which the foolish woman the Popes Church, hath quite put out and hidden under a bushel.

Is it not the leaves of that tree of life Jesus Christ, which serve to heal the nations: as Saint John showeth us in the Revelation? Are not the scriptures those fruitful trees also, whereof Ezekiel prophecieth, that by the river of God's spirit (which is our only comforter in this life, as our Savior doth teach us) do grow on the brink thereof, on this side and on that side, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof fail, and it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters run out of the sanctuary, and the fruit thereof shall be meat, and the leaves thereof shall be for medicine. Is not here a lively description of God's spirit, and of the scriptures? The one is a well, a stream springing into everlasting life: a comforter, that only like water comforts in all the heats and broils of this life: as our savior teacheth. And the other as trees, that grow on the brink of this heavenly river (The word of God and his spirit are never separated) which ever have their leaves and fruit; no winter can make their fruit fade, nor frost cause their leaves fall: Nay, because they are watered from the sanctuary they do not only like other trees bring forth still y ^e same fruits, but new fruits every month. And their fruits are meat, and their leaves medicines. If this be true, then the papists, in whose coasts in times past these fruitful trees were not seen growing and flourishing, lacked also that heavenly and comfortable river, that proceeded out of the sanctuary. They had in those days wordly comforts enough, like to that rich man; but they lacked the comfort of God's spirit, & their souls were famished for the want of these trees, whose fruits are the only food of souls. And their sins and wounds of their souls were putrefied and festered, for lack of these leaves to heal them: which are the only plasters for spiritual sores; as the prophet Ezekiel & Saint John do plainly teach. If we will live we must apply these leaves to our hearts, as the preacher doth teach us. It is better (saith he) to go into the house of mourning then of feasting because this is the end of all men. And the living will lay it to his heart. And Abacucke saith, that the just shall live by faith. And Saint Paul, that faith cometh by hearing the word of God. Therefore what life could be in that Church, where God's word was seldom, or never taught? It is written of the blessed virgins Marie, that she laid up her sons words, Jesus Christ's words, and the words of the shepherds in her heart: So must all good women that mind to be blessed, that love the blessed virgins, follow likewise these her holy steps, and lay up Jesus Christ's words, & their pastors words in their hearts, and the words of no others. They must not seek strangers to confess their sins, and to lay open their sores unto, as the popish Church teacheth.

Nay even now when as these trees begin again to flourish in the world, many are not thankful to God for such a great blessing, that now hath made these wholesome and fruitful trees to spring again in their coasts; but do find fault with them & do despise them. They will have nothing but old fruit: They can abide no new fruit. But here they must learn, that these trees bring forth new fruits every month. They must not be so wedded to antiquity, as to contemn & condemn all novelty: but rather let them mark well what everything is: Let them say, if it be a fruit of the tree of life, if it have a root and ground in the scriptures: I will receive it most thankfully, & ioyfullie. Let everyone of us, Try all things, and keep that which is good: as Saint Paul counselleth us: and examine the spirits whether they be of God or no, as S. John also commandeth: and not willfully shut our eyes, or straight way cast it out of our hands (we will none of it) because it seems new. Let us remember how that these fruitful trees of the Lord, which are watered with the water that comes out of the sanctuary, bring forth new fruits every month. They diminish the dignity of these trees, & are enemies to their own health; nay to their own only true & greatest joy and pleasures, that they can have in this world, that believe not this, and will not taste of these new & most pleasant fruits.

And here also we must mark another singular smack, or relish, and another special commendation or privilege, which these fruits, which the word of God hath, beyond all other fruits and writings of men whosoever. The words of the Lord (saith David) are pure words, as silver, purified to the Lord of the whole earth, and fined seven times. And no silver else whatsoever, nay all the gold of man, yea of the fathers whosoever, is but dross to this silver. And so must all Christians account of the fathers: and yet I cannot tell how it comes to pass, that in many men's mouths, the writings of the fathers have a better relish, and pleasanter taste, then the word of God. But let all men here learn, that even the gold of the fathers, even the purest doctrine they teach, is impure in comparison of the doctrines of the scriptures. They have only this commendation, that they are silver purified seven times to the Lord of the whole earth. And in the repairing of the Church of Christ, which now in our days is in hand, which Antichrist had defaced; Saint John in the Revelation borrows this testimony of David: where after he had declared how much of God's house should be repaired again, & how far the builders should proceed in that work, he adds, what testimonies God will have, and what witnesses in his Temple, what trees in this his new Paradise, and what candles in his house. The old Tabernacle had but one Candlestick in it with seven branches, to lighten it; and the old world but one Noah, to testify to them the will of God; and the house of Israel but one Moses, as a servant; to testify those things which should be spoken after. As our Savior also told the Jews: Do not you think that I will accuse you to my father: there is one that accuseth you even Moses, in whom you trust. But in the Church of Christ, shall be two witnesses. The Law and the Gospel. Besides this former testimony of Moses: The gospel also shall be preached to all nations for a testimony, (saith our Savior) and then shall the ende come. Out of the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word or matter be confirmed: Before his judgment God will have his truth firmly ratified to the world. And therefore of these two witnesses, and of these two testaments of the Law and of the Gospel, in our days in the repairing again of the Temple which was profaned and defaced by Antichrist, Saint John saith, These are two Olive trees, and two Candlesticks, standing before the God of the earth: Alluding, no doubt, to David here in the Psalm. The word of the Lord is purified to the Lord of the earth: and these Olives and Candlesticks stood before the Lord of the earth. As though the word of God and these Olives and Candlesticks were all one. The word of God the two testaments, are the Lord's two Olives, able not only to sustain: but to cheer and make merry all God's household servants. They are also the Lord's two great lights, like the Sun & the Moon, which are sufficient also to lighten his whole house, in all obscure and dark points of Religion, and to show us the perfect and ready way to heaven. Now let all his faithful servants have an eye only to these.

Let us mark what authority saint Agustine himself yielded to the fathers and expositers of the holy scriptures, which were before him, who speaking of the doors of heaven which were opened, and of the fountains of the deep at Noah his flood, writes thus: We cannot (saith he) for the slendernes of our wit, and knowledge, unfold the hardness of this matter, with a grounded or ratified opinion that that is truth which we teach; notwithstanding we will without any partiality show what in these matters the studies of our former masters could find out, in their diverse opinions, yielding no more authority to one then to another, of whose judgments, and of whose particular choises, we give every man leave to allow or disallow at his pleasure. This opinion Saint Agustine had of the opinions and judgments of those, which before him expounded the holy scriptures, whom he calls Masters: he himself was bound to none of them, nor no more would he have any other. And so no doubt by this his own example, he hath taught all men what opinion (if they will not be willful) everyone should have of his writings & expositions. So that then in the time of popery, the shepherds the pastors of congregations, in not giving this meat unto their flocks, in not healing their wounds & sores, with the leaves of these trees, in not preaching the word of God, they have declared themselves not be Christ's shepherds; but to be Antichrists hirelings. Nay to make this matter more plain: They have not only not fed them, but torn in pieces their hoofs, as Zechariah prophecieth: wounding their consciences and weakneng their faithes, in teaching that unless they sang masses for them after their deaths, their faith in Christ did not profit them: And that they were damned if they brake one of the least of their ceremonies, and traditions. Is not this quite to tear in pieces the very hoofs and claws of the poor silly lambes? whereby they began now to go and to lay hold on Christ.

Secondly, this same Author saith: That now one having gotten such a faithful and holy confessor, let him account of him even as of God himself, and reveal to him boldly all his secret sins and all the secrets of his heart. And is not this plainly to say that the Pope is Antichrist? He shall sit in the Church showing himself as God, saith saint Paul. And doth not he here confess the same? What is it else to be God? but to search the harts and rains, as the scriptures often teach. This thing they attribute to God only. And yet the Pope and his clergy arrogate it to themselves. And is not this to sit in the Church as God? Saint Paul writes to the ministers of the Church of Corinth, that they should judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who shall lighten things that are hid in darkness, and make the counsels and secrets of the hearts manifest, and then shall every man have praise of God. And to Timothy. Some men's sins are open before hand, and go before unto judgment; but some men's follow after. But the papists by this their doctrine contrary to saint Paul's doctrine in both these places, do make their confessors to take upon them that knowledge of secrets which belongs to God, and that no sins are to be reserved unto the day of judgment. Their confessors (if men will not be damned) (as they teach) must know them before.

This author here himself confesseth: that to know the secrets of the heart belongs only to God. And that therefore everyone is to account of his confessor even as of God himself. And is not this plainly to affirm, that the Pope shall sit in the Church as God? Let us never look that any other shall ever come into the Church, and challenge or take upon him more of the divine Authority then this.

And therefore let us acknowledge that this prophecy of saint Paul is already fulfilled in him. And that the Pope and his clergy sit now in the Church of God.

17. Of Purgatory.

F Irst concerning Purgatory: that vehement and comfortable Sermon which God commaundes Isaiah, and in him all ministers, to preach to his Church, is as it were a double cannon to beat down the paper walls of Purgatory, Comfort, comfort my people (saith the Lord your God) speak to the heart of Jerusalem and cry unto her, that her warfare is now at an end, and that her iniquity now hath obtained pardon. For she hath received at the Lord's hands double for all her sins. This is a sermon of comfort: and this must be preached to the heart of Jerusalem, and of all God's Church, and cried out in their ears, that their warfare now is finished, that is no doubt, when they shall ende this life. For as Job teacheth us and saint Paul: Our life here is a warfare. And saint Paul not only saith so, but gives every Christian the armor that belongs to it. Now when this warfare is ended, God's ministers are to preach to his people, that then their sin hath obtained pardon: Nirtse as it is in the Hebrew, that is, is made now well pleasing to God, and that they have now in this their warfare, In this life received double punishment, that is, sufficient for all their sins. And therefore they need fear no punishment hereafter. And this is that lesson which Peter also teacheth all Christians: God our most loving father, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope of an inheritance, immortal, undefiled, that withereth not, reserved for us in heaven, &c. wherein we rejoice; though now for a season (if need require) we are in heaviness through manifold temptations. Peter herein agrees with Isaiah, that in this life (if need be) we receive sufficient punishment for our sins. This is Jerusalem's comfort at her very heart. And this is also that which saint Paul saith: But when we are judged, we are corrected of the Lord, because that we should not be condemned with the world. God judgeth his saints in this life, because he will not condemn nor punish them in the life to come. And the same lesson saint Paul teacheth in another place: My son despise not ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as it is in the Greek) make no light account of the correction of the Lord, but account it as a most precious ie well. For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and he scourgeth every son which he receiveth. And he after speaks very manifestly of the afflictions of this life: as these words import: Wherefore lift up your hands which hang down, and your weak knees. And Saint Peter likewise: Now is the time that judgment shall begin at the house of God: Whereas S. Paul said before, that God in this life scourged all his sons, S. Peter to the same effect saith, that judgment now begins at God's house. The one names the inhabitants, and the other the house. And S. Peter also to the great comfort of all God's children, seems to aim at the continuance of this correction: and he calls it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which is an opportunity, or a very short time, and not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which may signify some longer space of time. And S. Paul himself also in effect saith the same in another place, calling the continuance of our afflictions momentaneam leuitatem, a small light trifle in comparison of the joy that hereafter we shall receive: and that which endures but for a minute of an hour.

Of purgatory Jerome writes thus: He shall purge or melt the sons of Levi, that is, their understandings and words. So truly the words and judgments of all pastors stand need of this God's purifying: his gold only is most pure, purified seven times in the furnace. Our gold how pure soever it seems to us, stands need of this melting and purifying. And hereupon Jerome addeth of all Christians: That they shall reprove their wicked brethren, and they shall be to God as a precious jewel, for he shall spare them in that terrible day, which he shall make: because every man is under sin. Jerome will have this melting, and this judgment to be in this life, alleging that saying of Peter, now the time is, that the judgment began at the house of God.

And of that place to the Corinthians he writes thus: And that stone which only the Septuag inta do translate a Carbuncle, may signify, not a dead or burning coal, as some have expounded it: but a Carbuncle stone which for the likeness it hath to the color of fire, may be called fiery: whereas we learn, that the altar of God, is full of Carbuncles, that is of fiery stones and hot burning coals, purging sins; whereof we read thus written of God: That coals were kindled of him: and of God himself it is said, that he is a consuming fire: and our Savior saith in the Gospel, I came to send fire upon earth. And that he might baptize with the holy Ghost, and with fire: for fire shall try every man's work what kind of one it is. And he that shall be saved, shall so be saved, as though he had gone thorough the fire. And this is to be marked, that even to Jeremiah to whom it is said: before I fashioned thee in the womb, I knew thee: and I sanctified thee in thy mothers womb, because he had not unclean lips. But yet he said, I am a child, I cannot speak. The Lord himself stretched out his hand and touched my mouth and said: Behold, I have put my words into thy mouth: but to Isaiah who said; I am a man of unclean lips; and I dwell in the midst of a people that hath unclean lips, God's hand was not retched; but Seraphim was sent of God, or he did fly unto him of his own accord. Because he is appointed to his service: and he hath a stone in his hand, which after the Septuaginta and Theodotion, he took with a nipper, but after Aquila and Symmachus which follow the Hebrew, he took (Melachim) that is, with a pair of tongs, that therewith he might touch his mouth, and might purge his old and accustomed sins. Here we may plainly see, that either God himself with his own hand, or else Angels with those carbuncles, according to the word of God do purge sins, and that Jerome expounds that place of the Corinthians of this heavenly fire, and not of any infernal fire, purging sins. But that indifferent m • n shall endure the fire of purgatory, seemed not to Jerome to be grounded manifestly upon this place, who expounds it of a contrary fire.

And in another place Jerome writes thus: God is called a consuming fire, that he may consume in us whatsoever is hay, wood, or stubble and thorns: that is cares of this world which the barren ground brought for good seed. Jerome here affirms that God himself is the fire, that burneth up all our chaff, stubble and wood, & not any fire of purgatory. And that by the fire of his word and his spirit he worketh these effects: For here he addeth: for of this fire the Lord speaketh in the Gospel: I came to throw fire down upon the earth. And after: This fire I supposed to have sitten upon the tongues of the Apostles and all the faithful, when they spake with diverse tongues, and drove away all ignorance, and lightened the hearts of them that received the word of God.

And after most evidently he writes thus: If any man therefore have tares, which may be burnt, which the envious man did sow whilst the householder slept, these shall the fire burn, these shall be burnt; and in the eyes of all the Saints, their punishments shall be made manifest, which in steed of gold, silver, and precious stones, have built upon the foundation of the Lord, hay, wood, stubble, food of that everlasting fire. And after: As of the devils and all them that deny God and wicked men, which say in their hearts there is no God; we believe their torments are everlasting fire: so also of sinners. Alas, even of Christians, whose works are to be proved and tried with fire, we think that there shall be a merciful sentence of the judge, mixed with clemency. This fire and this purging, and this sentence; Jerome plainly affirms, to be at the last day.

Also writing of that hard place of the Psalm; Pardon me before I go hence, he writes thus: He truly which while he lives in this body, and hath not obtained pardon for his sins, and so shall depart out of this life, perisheth to God, and ceaseth to be anymore: although as concerning himself, he remain in punishments.

Of purgatory also Jerome in another place writes thus: God will not punish twice the same fault: and he that hath once received evils in this life shall not suffer again y ^e same torments at his death, which he hath suffered in his life. But if need be, all God's children are chastened in this life, saith S. Peter. Again, now the time is, that judgment begins at the house of God. Therefore none of God's children shall be punished hereafter. If need be, they shall be punished now. And S. Peter seems to make but as there is one God, and one law, and one lawgiver: so also but one judgment concerning all the transgressions of this law. And he affirms that it is begun already in God's house among God's children, but it shall be perfected and consummated, at that great day of judgment of all the wicked and damned. And in another place he writes thus: Do we therefore seek where this healthful burning shall be? No man doubts, but in the holy Scriptures. By the reading whereof all the sins of men are purged. These three purgatories Jerome seems to avouch unto us: the purgatory of God's word, the purgatory of afflictions, and the purging fire of the day of judgment, which (according to the opinion then received of many in the Church) he thought, should purge the Lord's gold, without impairing it or hurting it, from his dross, that it might shine the brighter. Although S. Peter do refer this purging to the afflictions of this life.

The common received opinion of the Church was in Cyprians days, that all Christians departed were with the Lord, as at large he proves: first by a vision: secondly by the scriptures. He writes thus: When as one of his fellows, ministers, and priests, being now weary with sickness and afraid of death approaching, desired deliverance from death, there stood by him thus desiring and almost dying, a young man of majesty, of honor, to be worshipped, of great dignity and glory, whom no mortal eye could almost behold, but that he was able to see him, being now ready to die. But he not without grief of mind and voice, groaned out and said: Are you afraid to suffer, will you not depart hence: what shall I do to you? Our brother being at the point of death, heard what he should say to others: for he which heard it, being now dying, heard it to this end, that he should show it to others: he heard it not for himself, but for others, &c. And after he writes thus: To us our selves, the least and basest of all others: how often hath it been reuolued, how often and plainly by the grace of God commanded: that I should diligently and humbly preach and protest, that our brethren are not to be lamented, that by the Lord's calling are delivered out of this world; when as I know that they are not lost, but sent before; and departing from us, that they go before us. And that as going a journey or sailing, we should long for them: we should not lament them: neither that we should here wear mourning garments for them, when as they there have taken white garments. And that we should not give occasion to the Gentiles, that they may justly and rightly reprove us; that we should lament those as extinct or perished, whom we affirm to be alive with the Lord, and that we should reprove, with the testimony of our heart and minds, the faith which we profess with our tongues and voice. We our selves sin against our own hope and faith: all the things we say, seems but feigned, forged & counterfaited: It availeth nothing in words to tattle of virtue, and with deeds to destroy the truth. S. Paul also reproves, and chides, and blames those, that are sorry for the departure of their friends. He affirms that those are sory for their friends departure which have no hope: but we which live thorough hope, and believe in God, and believe that Christ suffered for us and rose again: we believe that those that remain in Christ Jesus shall rise again by him and in him. Why will not we our selves depart out of this world, or why do we deplore and lament our friends departing, as though they were perished? Our Lord Christ admonishing us & saying, I am the resurrection: he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And all that lives and believes in me, shall not die forever. If we believe in Christ, let us believe his words and promises, and we shall not die forever: that we may come to Christ joyfully, and without care; with whom we shall live and reign. That in the mean time we die; by death, we pass to immortality: neither can immortality succeed, unless we depart hence first. Death is not a going out of the doors: but a passage from a worse place to a better. And an earthly journey being ended, as an arriuall to things eternal, who will not hasten to obtain these things which are better? Who will not wish the sooner to be changed and to be made like the form and shape of Christ, to come to the dignity of eternal glory? as S. Paul preacheth, our conversation is in heaven, 3. Philipp. And that we shall be such as our Lord Christ promiseth, when as he prayeth to his father for us, that we might be with him.

And that we may live with him in eternal dwellings, and may rejoice with him in the heavenly kingdom: O father, those that thou hast given me, I will that where I am, they be with me; and that they may see my glory which thou hast given me before the world was made. He that is about to go to the dwelling place of Christ, to the glory of his heavenly kingdom, ought not to weep or lament, but ra ••• r according to the promise of the Lord, according to the faith of truth in his passage and translation to rejoice.

Here we may plainly see, the faith and hope of all Christians at their deaths in Cyprians days. They died ioyfullie without fear and care, in as much as they were sure they went to God. This was the common received opinion of the Catholic Church then. This doctrine Cyprian by revelation was commanded to preach. The latter revelations which the Papists brag of, which teach a doctrine contrary to this, it is likely they were not of God.

And after Cyprian writes thus: We must consider (beloved brethren) and often think, that we have renounced this present world, and that we live here as strangers and pilgrims, let us embrace that day which appoints every man to his home, which taking us hence, and delivering us from the snares of this world, restores us again to paradise and to the kingdom of heaven: who being placed in a far country, will not make haste to return into his own country? who making haste to sails to his friends, would not wish for a prosperous wind, that he might sooner embrace his dearly beloved friends? We account now Paradise for our country, we begin now to have the Patriarchs for our parents: why do we not make haste and run, that we may see our country? that we may salute our parents?

Primasius also S. Augustine's scholar, upon that place of S. Paul writes thus: And every man's work what it is the fire shall prove: If any man's work shall abide that which he hath built upon; he shall receive a reward, that is (saith he) either the examination of the last judgment, or present affliction, which is compared often to fire. He makes mention here of no fire of purgatory; which if it had been the faith once given to the Saints, he would not have been ignorant of, nor upon the exposition of this place here omitted it.

Jansen of that place of S. Marks Gospel writes thus: The Lord said, that the eye or hand offending, is to be cut off: but because that cannot be done without pain, he addeth, everyone of God's elect and chosen which will please God, must be seasoned with the fire of afflictions.

And after, Because we have need of wisdom, circumspection, and discretion, it is necessary that one may beware of offenses, that he never give any offense or take any: he addeth: And every offering must be seasoned with salt. And after he concludes thus: As no oblation according to the prescription of Moses is lawful, unless it pass thorough the fire and be seasoned with salt: so whosoever will be a spiritual sacrifice, which is acceptable to God, it is necessary, that he be purged and tried with the fire of tribulations, and as it were preserved to salvation, and that he also be seasoned with the salt of the wisdom of the Gospel, lest he be corrupted with the contagion of the wicked, or by his own infection he infect and give offense to others: but that rather by his soundness, he may take corruption from others. Here we may learn how that Jansen expounds that fire and fault whereof Saint Mark speaketh, of the doctrine of the Gospel, and of the fire of afflictions in this life: and not of the fire of Purgatory: To which fire some other Papists would wrest that place.

Petrus Berchorius writes thus: Where Christ builds his Church, the sound of a hammer or hatchet is not heard, no punishment or grief is felt: because for a surety, the stones, that is, the saints, which are the matter of the temple, are first in this world hewn by tribulations and engraven and made square by virtues. Therefore when they ascend thither they shall be troubled no more: but shall be placed in God's sanctuary in rest. This world by his judgment the quarrie that is the forest: here all the stones and timber for God's heavenly temples, are squared and hewed: after this life, they are placed in the building, and they do rest. Ferus also writes thus: Furthermore, therefore also faith is said to save, because by it we are incorporate into Christ, and are made his members and one body with him: but Christ's body and members shall not be judged, neither can be judged or damned, yea they shall judge others. No not into Purgatory: For is not Purgatory a sentence or judgment?

Gregory also teacheth the same that Berchorius hath taught, Solomon's temple (saith he) bare an image of this city, meaning the Church. In the building whereof with stones, there was not the noise of a hammer heard without. For we, which shall remain in these holy buildings, we are knocked as yet without doors by afflictions, that hereafter we may be placed in the temple of the Lord, without any correction of discipline. In as much as whatsoever is superfluous or crooked in us, is now by hammering as it were, and knocking cut off. And then in that heavenly building the only bond of truth shall couple us.