A DIRECTORY TEACHING THE WAY TO THE TRUTH IN A BRIEF AND PLAIN DISCOURSE AGAINST the heresies of this time.  
(* ⁎ *)  
WHEREUNTO IS ADDED, A SHORT TREATISE AGAINST ADIAPHORISTS, NEUTERS, and such as say they may be saved in any Sect or Religion, and would make of many divers sects one Church.  1. Cor. 2. Veninon in sublimitate sermonis aut sapientiae. I came not in loftiness of speech or of wisdom. Psal. 63. Sagittae paruulorum factae sunt plagae eorum. The darts of little ones are made their scourges. 3. Reg. 3. Dabis ergo servo tuo cor docile. Thou shalt give therefore thy servant, a heart easy to be taught. Solomon. 
Printed with licence. 1605.   

ADMODUM REVERENDO IN CHRISTO PATRI, ERVDITIONE, pietate, & morum integritate conspicuo, GEORGIO BLACKVELLO Archipresbitero, totiusque cleri Anglicani Ordinarii, intra Britaniae fines laborantis, & constituti, moderatori, & rectori optimo, RADFORDUS in Domino salutem. (* ⁎ *)  
IN usus veteris illius tabernaculi, non solum a principibus olim dabantur (dignissime praesul) gemmae, aurum, argentum, lapides Onychini, & donaria quaeque praetiosiora: sed ab alijs etiam infimae sortis hominibus, sponte & promptissimo animo offerebantur, si non oleum ad luminaria concinnanda: tamen pili caprarum, aut pelles arietum rubricatae. Neque in restauratione templi, & murorum Hierusalem reaedificatione, post insignem illam captivitatem Babylonicam, a Deo per Nabucodonozor, propter peccata populi, genti judaeorum inductam; omnes cum Eliasib Sacerdote mangno, & fratribus ejus aedificaverunt portam gregis: aut cum filio Iosue principe Maspha, contra ascensum firmissimi anguli, collapsi, muri ruinas extruere; aut cum Baruch montem tenere potuerunt (quidam enim portam piscium texuerunt, alij vero in valle, & ad furnos, & ad sontes loca inferiora occupantes, muri fabricam consurgere fecerunt) & sic per summos, & infimos (ut aedific entur muri Hierusalem ubi solummodo holocausta & debitae laudes Deo persoluantur) perfectum & consummatum est opus. Sic nimirum disponente spiritu sancto, & nos in veteri illo populo (cui omnia in figuris contingebant) erudiente, ut quisque in loco, in ea, inquam vocatione, inquam a Deo vocatus est, permaneat & aedificetin salutem suam, utilitatem proximi sui: ut sic vivis ex lapidibus, animis viz. fidelium, extruatur murus sanctae civitatis Jerusalem, domus Dei, quae (astipulante Apostolo) est Ecclesia Dei vivi, columna & firmamentum veritatis. In hujus muro qui aedificare aut ruinas resarcire moliatur, sit paruulus, sit inops, sit a Sanaballat irrisus, sive a principibus, sive a sapientibus huius mundi contemptus; tamen quoniam firmum habet fundamentum (adsit tantum debita perseverantia) sicut mons Syon non commovebitur in aeternum. Extra hunc marum quiaedificat, quisquis est, destruit; hostis est, alienus est, non est cum Christo, qui non est in corpore Christi, cujus so●ius ipse est salvator; & qui non colligit cum illo, dispergit. Merito igitur cecinit Propheta: Elegi abjectus esse in domo Deimei, magis quam habitare in tabernaculis peccatorum. In hac domo, qui segregavit me ab utero matris meae (licet abjectissimum & indignissimum) per gratiam suam inhabitare fecit, hujus decorum diligere, in hac omnibus diebus vitae meae locum concupiscere, hujus ruinas dolere, huic pro viribus inseruire, & vocatione instituit, & praeceptis devinxit, & innumeris indies beneficijs, infinitisque donis magis magisque allicit: in tantum (ut verum fatear) quando concupivit anima mea (ex visitatione superna) in atria Domini, vox illa, vox tua, (O Deus cordis mei, O unicum solatium & praesidium singulare meum) dulcior prae caeteris aliquoties auribus meis insonuit: cum ex intimis meis praecordijs optauerim cum Propheta ut annuntiem omnes praedicationes tuas in portis filiae Zion. In hijs portis (quas sic diligit Deus supra omnia illa tabernacula jam obsolaeta & antiquata, licet olim sancta & modo cum honore sepulta) quamuis nec cum primis illis principibus & luminibus orbis terrarum, dominicique gregis ducibus summis, fundamenta prima ponere, valuas sanctificare, nec in eas obrizum, aut aurum purissimum cum lapidibus praetiosissimis inferre possim: neque cum stellis illis in perpetuas aeternitates micantibus, scilicet doctoribus sanctis (qui omni scientia praecellentes & vera virtute praediti fuerunt) ne minima quidem ex part sim dignus haberi, qui etiam de thesauris suis promentes nova & vetera ascensum fecerunt contra firmissimum angulum, mysteriorum, profunditatem, indagantes, & in montibus sanctis sacrarum scripturarum aedificantes, & inhabitantes die ac nocte tanquam lucernae super candelabrum positae universo mundo illux●runt, quique pennis columbae deargentatae exornati, & ipsi probatum argentum vestesque praetiosas in tabernaculum, & gazophilatium templi intulerunt: neque denique licet cum purpuratis patribus, excubitoribus domus Dei vigilantissimis, nec quidem cum mediocribus, nedum hujus temporis praestantissimis, theologis, hyacinthum, purpuram, coccumque bis tinctum, ad velandum, sive tegendum; aes ad sustentandum, ligua Setim ad sarta tecta domus Dei tenenda conferre valeam: tamen cum inferioribus ministris ex aedificiorum fragmentis, lapillos congerere, & persic congestos murorum licet fundatissimorum cicatrices obducere, foramina seu abrupta quaeque cum trulla mea caementaria obstruere, oppilare, & pro viribus meis adimplere, aggerem vero aedificij, si non firmiorem hostibus tarnen civitatis Dei, per rudera humumque aggestam magis maccessibilem facere statui, mecumque animo meo firmiter decrevi. Fretus igitur misericordia ejus, qui viduae pauperculae munus, aera minutissima, offerentis, bonoque animo majora volentis, praeditiorum muneribus non respuit, hoc qualecunque opusculum, tanquam capita rerum fidei fere omnium, hody controversarum, brevissime complectens, crassa (ut aiunt) Minerva contextum, & simpliciorum captui maxime inseruiens, magisque accommodatum in thesaurum domus Dei projectum▪ & aequo judicij tui libramini subjectum ab omnibus, ad consolationem fidelium, & conversionem infidelium sub benignissima tutela tua, legendum humiliter obtuli. Cui enim alij ego Presbiter licet indignus (vir ornatissime) hunc meum laborem magis dicarem, quam tibi, quem Archipresbiteratus titulo dignissime notatum, seu insignitum, non pecunia, cupiditates, ambitio, aut secularis potentia, non privati studium, nec ullum temporalium desiderium, sed bonae artes, literarum ornamenta insignia, cum eximia quadam charitate in omnes, caeterisque veris virtutibus conjuncta ad hunc honorem evexerunt. Te igitur prae caeteris mihi potissimum elegi, cujus manibus hoc opus, utcunque exile & indignum, offerrem, & merito: cum enim doctrina, lectione, judicio, praepolleas quis fere satius aut errores m●os emendare, aut errata corrigire, aut si quid forte laud dignum fuerit, per bona tua verba, & hilarem vultum gratius acceptare, aut mihi fructuosius rependere possit; cum vero animi, humilitate, charitate, alijsque virtutibus praecellas, si quid a me dictum fuerit communi utilitati, maxime patriae nostrae expediens & accommodatum, non segniter aut indiligenter praeterire, sed humanissime amplecti dignaberis; quod si quid non tam ad rem a me aliquando dictum est, aut forte aliquid offensum fuerit, non propterea statim omnia cum supercilio, nasute reijcere, aut cum fastu contemnere, sed potius cum lima tua dexterrima perpolire, aut cum virgula censoria corrigere, pro insita tibi humanitate & ch●ritate velis. Praeterea cum providentia divina caeteris praelatus eo loco sis, ut justa authoritate praelatus eo loco sis, ut justa authoritate praemineas, si hic libellus (censoribus varijs abnoxius) sub bonis auspicijs & debita approbatione tua in lucem prodeat (absit verbo invidiae) nemo inter nos fere melior aut excellentior te facile inveniri potest, qui ●um a Criticorum stylis iniquis aemulatorum corrosione, aut ab obtrectatorum vipereis morsibus inuidorūue serpentinis dentibus fortius defendat, meque dignius ex omni part tueatur. Tantum abest ut domesticorum, aut fratrum nostrorum in hac causa objurgationes tum verear: ut te duce instra militis Cataphracti in aciem prodiens, ne hostium quidem communium amentatam hastam & venenata jacula aut saevissimorum inimicorum atrocissimos ictus ullo modo pertimescam. Denique cum sis doctissimus, est quod sperem, ut has lucubratiunculas meas, utcunque raptim & in subsecivis operibus contextas, etsi non a docto profectas: tamen ab eo, qui fuit semper amantissimus literarum & literatorum omnium, compositas saltemque a doctissimorum fontibus exhaustas sive depromptas, sis eodem omnino animo quo oblatae sunt accepturus praecipue cum ingenij & ingenuitatis tuae sit, non tam personae alicuius indignitatem, aut muneris tenuitatem expendere quam offerentis animum, vota ac fidem ponderare: prudentiaeque pietatisque tuae linum fumigans non extinguere, novellaque germina aut novos foetus non exscindere: sed animos propensos in bonum Ecclesiae, & conatus omnes communi utilitati seruientes, dictis, factis, exemplis, conseruare, alere, augere. Quod cum facis, sicut tibi subditi a te, uti arboris rami a radice portantur, ita ut propediem maiores inde fructus erumpentes expectes, multa faciunt. Nam & animos tuorum erigis, & praeclarissimum omnium virtutum exemplar praebes, unde nobis omnibus egregiam operam navare possis, ut maiores indies progressus in virtute & sana doctrina habeamus, ut in charitate (quod est vinculum pacis & unitatis) radicati atque fundati, contra omnes Diaboli insidias, & haereticorum pravissimos insultus, firmiores stare, omniaque ignita tela inimici facilius superare possimus. Hoc igitur opusculum tibi dedico, illud tuis manibus offero▪ & si forte ad utilitatem populi, praelo dignum videatur, ut sub patrocinio tuo in lucem prodeat suppliciter oro. Qua in re pro certo scias non quaero meipsum aut gloriolam meam, quae nihil est (cum in hoc libello ex professo & verborum fucos, & Rhetorum flosculos deuitauerim) sed cum miserear turbam, & doleam patriam labentem, & fere iacentem, quaero pro modulo meo populum in viam veritatis, errantem reducere; patriae ruinas pro viribus meis resarcire; & sic gloriam Christo & Deo in Ecclesia sua restituere. Sane attendens inter quos vivimus, & quomodo caute oporteat ambulare ne quid gravius a me contra saecularium statum huius regm principum (salva semper veritate) dictum foret diligentissime precavebam; tamen siquid forte a me aliquando vehementius dictum sit quam status huius temporis ac locipatiatur, aut usque quaque omni rei tam aeque conveniat, aut in omnibus expediat, certe iste fervour mihi tantillum co●cedendus est, quem honor jesu mei, & invicta veritas imperarit. Tamen si quando haec scripta mea (si forte digna fuerint) a charitate tua utcunque cursim (licet non perfunctorie ut spero) perlegantur, si quid in eis quod doctas tuas aures offendat deprehenderis, obsecro ut statim expungatur: Siineptum, melioretur: si quid erratum, corrigatur: si quid a me liberius dictum sit, quam pro statu huius temporis, cautius ponatur: denique si hoc opus ex omni part indignum fuerit ut lucem videat, omnimodo supprimatur. Cum igitur hoc opus qualecunque est, meipsum, & omnia mea tibi refero, & justo tuo judicio subijcio, non est (uti spe●o) ut quisquam me arrogantiae, temeritatis, aut imprudentiae just arguat aut insimulet: sin candido calculo hosce meos labores, & conatus approbaveris, & serenafronte susceperis, si forte alijs sic tempore profecerint, sicut maximum fere meritum, tibi inde iure debetur: ita vires ingeni● & animo meo addideris, ut majora & magis ardua pro communi bono certamina, si non inscriptis, tamen in factis quotidie aggrediar. Non ignoro quamplurimos doctissimorum virorum libro● cōtr●uersiarum apprime eruditos etiam in vulgari nostra lingua conscriptos extare, quos qui bene perlegerint certe contra Haereticos Spartam nacti videantur: sed hij plerique magni voluminis, quique de uno fere articulo in re fidei pertractantes, cum non seruiant omnium sensibus aut captui, tu nec omnibus obuij sunt, nec pro varijs huius mundi negotijs perlegendi, quibus sicut non quicquam detraho, sed omni laud dignos existimo, ita alijs eiusmodi recens forte cudendis atque diwlgandis ex hoc meo opusculo nihil praeripio. Catachysmi vero nonnulli▪ (maxime ille venerabilis Canisii Societatis IESV Theologisummi, nuper Anglicae traductus, meritoque non sine magno multorum fructu impressus) quamuis summatim fere omnia doctissime complectantur: tamen experientia teste rudes & indoctiores eos non usquequaque tam bene intelligunt, neque quidem tam minutis rebus praesertim questiunculis nostratum tam magni viri se facile dimittunt. Hic vero meus libellus (seu Enchyridion) velut humi repens, sicut fere omnia hody controversa breviter (●tsi promiscue) cum adhortatiunculis ad sanam fidem & mores emendandos summatim docet, & praecipue de ijsdem inde pertractat, ita indoctorum & simplissimorum ingenijs dimissus sive subjectus ijsdem sese facillime accommodat, quod quidem opus (ex quorundam instantijs (qui rationem quantulamcunque de omnibus modernis fidei controversijs in uno libello sibi reddi vehementer postularunt & efflagitaverunt) a me iampridem compositum est: Sed cum essem partim serijs quibusdam negotijs impeditus, varijsque curis implicatus, partim a falsis fratribus proditus, & elusus, & ingrauescente persecutione nullo diu loco quiet stare perpessus, sed a communi hoste ad mortem fere quaesitus. Hijs inquam alijsque impedimentis rebusque cum essem distentus, iste libellus non editus, sed quibusdam meis ami●●s notus, & ab eis desideratus situ obductus iacebat, interim nonnulli ut promissis starem & eum in lucem emitterem expetierunt, quibus cum amplius refragari non possem, non diutius eos differendos putavi; sed ut eorum pijs desiderijs satisfacerem me accinxi, & ut hoc perficerem (quamuis adhuc in medio tribulationum positus) quantum in me est, feci. Itaque Autographum apud metenens, hunc libellum nonnullis in locis locupletatum transcribendum & charitati tuae mittendum curavi; unde, confido in Domino, feci, quod meum est: ne paruulis petentibus panem non sit qui frangeret eis, tuum erit facere, aut ut hoc opusculum tanquam horridum & abortiwm reijciatur, & conspuatur; aut uti opus pernecessarium & utile, utcunque sero emissum & postliminio receptum, a bonis omnibus obuijs (ut aiunt) ulnis amplectatur, quod & opto ad utilitatem Ecclesiae, & laudem nominis sui qui est benedictus in secula. Amen. Christus Dominus ad pacem bonorum, & Ecclesiae Anglicanae ornamentum egregium, te mei memorem, diutissime, & ubique incolumem conseruet, vir eximie & admodum reverend pater.  
27. Martii. 1599 Reverentiae vestrae filius obseruantissimus, particeps in tr●bulatione, & in Christo conseruus. I. R.   

THE PREFACE TO THE READER.  
Understanding by a friend of mine, not long ago, that one of familiar, and old acquaintance of his, was desirous to know the truth in matters of religion; and to have the truth set down in writing, for his better memory, & stay in this great diversity of men's minds, and sundry opinions at this day: I was loath at first to enterprise the matter, for that I knew, that there be written books most ample, and learned of all matters of controversy at this present far beyond my learning, and skill; wherein the Heretics of our time, be most evidently confuted: and the truth most plainly open, set down, and declared; able to satisfy any man in conscience whosoever, that with lowly spirit, and desire of truth, will considerately and thoroughly read them. Yet considering many men in this troublesome time there be (that be desirous to know the truth) either cannot attain those books, or be not of ability to buy them: or if they be, yet not at leisure to read them: or not of learning, and capacity sufficient well to conceaven of them; fearing likewise lest if any at my hands should desire to know GOD'S truth, and I hiding it from them, for want of discharge of my duty, might highly displease GOD, (to whom I am to make an account,) & that I might justly be reckoned amongst those, whom God by his holy Prophet complaineth of, Paruuli petierunt panem. My little ou●s that is poor simple souls, desirous of the truth, & their salvation have desired bread, the food of GOD'S word, and the Sacraments, & there was not that would break it unto them; Though there be many others of my Brethren, that do, and can do it far better, I being the least, ●nd unworthyest of all: Yet for these and diverse other considerations, & especially for discharge of my duty, at this present, I have briefly, and plainly for the simple sort, set down my mind, touching the chiefest matters, of controversies in religion in this time, whereby an unlearned man, may easily by himself, or another, find out sufficient authority to satisfy his mind, touching the truth of the most matters of religion in question at this day: wherein be not afraid (good countryman) but be bold I warrant thee, by such authority as I have set down to press, and charge the greatest Heretic in the world. For he may wrangle & wrest, and seek many narrow shifts: but in the end, he will bewray his own weakness; For this undoubted, and infallible Catholic Church and truth, may for a time in some sort be oppressed: but never suppressed nor hid it may be gainsaid, but in the end cannot be with stood, no more than that Idol Dagon could stand, but in presence of the Ark of the living GOD, was thrown down & burst a sunder: not for that in me any such exquisite matter may be found; but because I lean of such sure grounds, & authority, that possibly cannot fail. For even as at the noon day the light of the sun cannot be denied; so there is a certain truth so plain, that by no guileful falsehood in words, nor deceitful coloured speeches, can in any wise be darkened, or overthrown; which truth to speak and teach, if man should cease; the very rocks, and stones might cry out. But for that I writ this little treatise, to inform especially, an ignorant, and unlearned man: therefore I have accommodated myself as much as I could, to his understanding, using plain words, and now & then oft repetition of things that to the learned be not needful, and may seem ●edyous. Wherefore if this writing chance to fall into the hands of the learned, they may look for no ●yne phrases, or rhetorical terms, at my hands; neither in writing hastily have I observed that order, and method, which otherwise were requisite. Only, let him remember to whom I writ▪ & for whose sake especially, I have written this; which if not so sufficiently as I would wish, yet at least wise, it may be an occasion to some other, that can do it better, to make a more large, and profitable discourse. In the mean time if this my poor labour, and indeavoures, may do any good; be an instrument, or mean, to convert to GOD, or strengthen, Yea but the least, or weakest soul in the world: I think my pains well bestowed, and attribute thou nothing to me, but give the praise, & thanks wholly to God. But if (upon just occasion) in writing so in haste and that I aslure you with out any help of books, 
* Except that partelic in 2. or 3. chapters only of the B. Sacramit of the Altar, I hau● not only alleged, some authorities, of the holy Fathers, gathered by a learned, and late writer, but all so therein, now a●d then have used some oshisowne speeches whose name though very memorable, yet for the present upon iust reasons, I do conceal.  trusting only to my slender, & weak memory of that I have heretofore read or in schools heard of my masters: if I say in touching of so high mysteries so many, and weighty matters, I in any sort have failed, or gone one jot astray from the common received faith, of the true Catholic, and apostolic Roman Church (as by GOD'S gracious assistance I trust I have not) yet if there be any of my learned Catholic Brethren, that can sinned any just fault, or error herein: I will not obstinately defend yet, (as Heretics do) but humbly thank him, that will friendly, & charitable, either correct it himself, or warn me of it, that I may correct it my s●lfe, & amend it. For I as a frail man may easily e●; Yet ●●l I boldly say, with that learned * Father, I w●●●euer be an heretic: by GOD'S grace, as always submitting my lelfe, ●nd all my sayings, and doings, to the censure, judgement, and correction of the holy Catholic Church, that I know cannot err. Neither have I hear written any large discourse of any thing: but only touched as it wear the tops of things with what brevity l might, making the unlearned to understand. But this I beseech you, if at any time you perce●●e me to enueigh sharply against heretics or their falie dealing, & abuses; that you would not take it, that I do it for any want of Charity, towards them, or for hatred against their persons: but only in respect of their vices, and damnable sects, & heresies, whereby they hurt themselves, and others, and slander the truth. For it is the zeal of GOD'S cause, and the Catholic truth, that some time more vehemently, causeth me to speak; for it is not the most malicious heretic in this land; nor all the heretics (though never so maliciously they seek our blood) but GOD is my witness; I am so far from wishing them harm (though old infestred diseases must be cured with sharp medicines sometimes for the patients good) that I would lay my hands under their feet and kiss the very ground they tread one, to do them good; and win their souls to GOD: which though with the losle of my lise it were done: yet I trust in GOD; I should think it well 
* Aug.  bestowed. But if my labours can do such no good: yet I hope GOD will accept my good will; and desire. And if that I may herewith do any well disposed person good: Then I beseech him whosoever that I, a sinnful wretch; may be partaker of his good prayers; which is all I desire for these small pains. Far you well.  
10. Aprilis. Anno 1594. Written by him who desireth the good of his Country, and salvation of all. I. R.   


CHAP. I. OF THE TRUE WAT to salvation.  
GOod Sir, touching the truth of those matters you desire to know: First, assure yourself for certain, there is but one truth; from which, whosoever obstinately swerveth must needs be a liar, & so not of God, but of the Devil the father of lies. Secondly, to know the truth, you can inquire of none more certain; than of him, who is truth himself, who calleth himself via, veritas, & vita: the way, truth, & life. A way by grace; truth by infallible direction; & life by fruition of his glory, that is Christ: him, if you follow the true way, you shall not walk a-stray; him, the light and fountain of truth, if you chief respect, you shall not err, nor be overwhelmed in darkness, and so neither here want the life of grace, without which the soul cannot live: nor so consequently of God's glory, without which the soul liveth in everlasting death: without which life of grace here, & glory there, better it had been never to have enjoyed this mortal & transitory life. For what profiteth it a man (saith that everlasting truth) if he win the wholeworld, and lose his own soul? The beauty of which soul of man created by God, whilst it remaineth in state of grace, is so great, as framed to the likeness of almighty God; the dignity so excellent, as being fellow and coheir with Christ: and the price of such value, as redeemed with his precious blood; which beauty of man's soul, is soiled, blotted, quite lost, yea become like unto the old and crooked most ugly serpent the Devil by sin; ignorance, & forgetfulness; to be brief for want of knowledge, and following of the truth, which is Christ, who said he that followeth me, walketh not in darkness, but shall have the light of life. Assure yourself then (my good Sir) that it is the sweet motion of God's holy spirit that in clineth your desire to know the truth, which is of such invincible force, that it stayeth itself in God only, I mean as the final, and chief end of truth. For wine may be strong, women fair, Princes mighty, Sed omnia vincit veritas, But truth overcometh all things. Inquire then of Christ the infallible truth of those things you stand in doubt, and you shall be sure never to miss the way: so that you so inquire that you follow him with perseverance to the end, which is obtained by God's grace in perfect humility: without security, presumption, or trust in ourselves as of ourselves, but working with God's grace our own salvation, chief reposing and staying ourselves in the help and mercies of God: and so in matters of faith, yea and good works also, a man▪ I mean, may be in sure hope, and confidence never to miss the way. I have you will say, inquired thus of Christ, but I find divers professors of Christ, quite differing a sunder in most weighty matters of high mysteries of Faith, Religion, Sacraments, Ceremonies and of everlasting Salvation, and yet all party's glory of the truth. How may I then an unlearned man discern the light of the truth, from amongst so many monstrous clouds of darkness. Hear therefore what Christ saith, the truth that cannot fail, well consider, I say, the rule he setteth down to know the truth, from the dissembled cloak of truth, which is pernicious falsehood, and deceitful flattery. These be his words, Many shall come in my name, & say, I am Christ, & shall deceive many: 
Mat. 4  and again shall say; Behold here is Christ, Behold him there, as one sort of people who at this day glory of christ, The word of the Lord and the Gospel, say, behold you shall find Christ in a part & corner of Germany, in Saxony, in Wittenberg, in Denmark, as the Lutherans, who affirm that man hath no free will, and that God is the author of evil, aswell of the treason of judas, as of the election of Saint Paul. An other Sect as of Anabaptists that oftentimes abuse Baptism and confound all good civil and politic government, to the extirpation of Christian Princes and all governors, say you shall find Christ, the truth only with them. Another sort of men called Caluinists and Protestants who reign at Geneva & here especially in England, affirm Christ and the truth of the gospel to be only with them, these men say only faith justifieth, & leadeth to Salvation, they deny Christ's Blessed Body and Blood to be really, & substantially, truly present in the most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar: These men deny prayer for the Faithful departed, invocation of Saints and the like. another sort be called the Family of love, who after their prayer, preaching of Christ, and the gospel, as they term it, do work as it appeareth by their ill fruits, the works of darkness & things, inconvenient to be named. another Sect called Puritans, would pull down Churches, & also confound civil government. It were too long to reckon up all, far differing in opinions condemners of one another, and yet all professors of Christ, the truth, and the Gospel, and yet as I said before, as there is one very God, so but one truth: On● God, one Faith, one Baptism, and yet 
Ephes. 4  every one of these will not stick to say, behold here is Christ, and the truth with us, in this corner of the world, and another as stiflye again, behold he is there in another place: Is Christ divided? No but mark Christ's rule, who forwarneth us all of such that we go no● ou● after them (out of the unity of faith and the holy Catholic Church, that is, with out which no true Salvation can be sound) to follow them. If they say unto t●ee saith Christ, belioulde In deserto est, 
Mat. 24.  & ecce in penitralibus. He is in the desert and secret parlours, Noli●e exire, nolit● cr●d●●e▪ Go not out after them, that be● so divided amongst themselves, Do not believe them. And yet he giveth us a more certain mark how better to know 
Ibidem.  them. Many false prophets saith Christ, shall arise & deceive many▪ they shall come in sheeps' clothing, But inwardly they be ravening Wolves And then lo he giveth us a note to discern them by saying, You shall know them by their fruits. For a good tree cannot bring forth ill fruits▪ nor a bad tree good fruits. Let us then see the fruits of these Sect-Masters, and new Gospelers that give us such gay words & promises. Christ by his word & example commandeth & teacheth us to pray much, fast often, which his true followers have ever duly observed, these men pray little, fast less. He biddeth enter into life everlasting, by the strait way of penance. They preach liberty, as they say, of the Gospel; but by experience we see it tendeth to that end, that every one may with out controlment, live as he lust in lose liberty of the flesh. God sometimes in this Country for a thousand years together well near, was in religious houses with continual prayer of our forefathers served night & day: these men account such continual prayer lip▪ labour, pull down godly houses & Churches, but raise few; to be brief amongst them iniquity aboundeth, but Charity waxeth cold, wherein our godly predecessors so greatly excelled; As in building us so many Churches, chapels houses of prayer and religion, to honour God in so many hospitals to nourish & maintain the poor needy orphans and widows, so many colleges in our Universities to train up youth in virtue and learning now greatly decayed, as wanting the ancient orders & wont disipline therein, appointed by the Founders. Where is that humility, that modesty, that obedience to parents, and superiors as of old? Where is that fear of God, that fidelity & true dealing amongst men, that was wont to be? Be either now servants more trusty and obedient to their Masters, Wives to their Husbands, Subjects to their Princes? Is now justice better executed then a foretime, that the poor oppressed have no cause to complain? Do those that enjoy livings given by our forefathers to the Church keep better houses then their forefathers, that lived without such livings? do Ministers now bestow the goods of the Church more liberally upon the poor, than Priests before time? do they live now in any sort chastely with wives, as many married christians of old? how far then be they from the chastity of most reverend continent Priests of all ages? nay rather are not almsdeeds decayed, charity abandoned, chastity fled away? be these the fruits of Protestants, that make us such gay promises of the pure & sincere profession of the gospel? If then you believe Christ's words to be true, that the tree must be known by the fruits, these brochers then of the fifth gospel, that bring forth such cockle, darnel, & bad fruit, note and know them most assuredly not for true, but false Prophets, Ministers of the Devil, the father of lies, Antichristians, not lambs, but wolves in sheeps clothing, not Ministers of the word of God, but of their own fantasies, and foolish proud conceits, devourers of your souls, whom you ought to fly, as from the face of the serpent, for with their sweet words and speeches they deceive the hearts of the innocent: they confess themselves in words to profess and know God, but deny him in deeds, you shall know them by their fruits▪ But you will say perhaps there have ever been vices amongst men: I grant you, but not so common and general as now they be, and then Virtue of old was holden for Virtue, and Vice for Vice. But now quite contrary that which is sin is termed by the name of virtue; and that which is virtue is termed vice. So that in place wher● virtue was exercised now sin and vice is exalted & reigneth. Again these New men that brag to be reformers of the world and bringers in of light, aught to have taught us better manners, than these had, whom they took in hand to reform: which when they do not, nay be themselves, and make the world worse; It is a sure token they be not sent by God to reform men, but by the Devil to deceive men; Which foul & wily serpent, as witnesseth Saint Paul▪ oft transformeth himself into an Angel of light▪ fly then such lying Masters. For their Church and congregation▪ is not the flock of Christ▪ but the very Synagogue of Satan. And that you may better know the true church of god from the false Church of Antichrist, I will se● down, three or four notes proper to no Church, but only the true Church of Christ which if you mark well, they shall teach you in these perilous times, how to know the Church of God and so the true and only way to salvation. For he that willbe saved before all things must keep true faith and religion, and be a member of the church of God. For unto this Church, as Christ's only dear spouse for which he shed his precious blood all good gifts be given, all heavenly promises be made, in this Church as in his elect vineyard is only found the dew of his heavenvly grace the sweet liquor of his holy Sacraments, without this Church of Christ no salvation can be found, this Church is worthily called the ship of S. Peter, out of which whosoever at death shall be found, shall be overwhelmed without all▪ doubt in those floods of eternal damnation. For as at noah's flood, none were saved, but those only that were in the Ark, eight persons: even so we cannot pass through the Sea of this troublesome world, nor arrive to the sure haven of rest with god in his kingdom unless we sail in Noah and Saint Peter's ship, Christ's holy Church which church is nothing else but a congregation of all faithful people, living in one faith or unity of belief, under Christ their head & his Vicar the chief Pastor of our souls, Saint Peter's successor hear in earth, keeping that faith and belief that Christ and his Apostles taught and hath been ever openly preached in Christ's Church without intermission even from Christ's Ascension unto this day, & shall be so without fail, even to the end of the world. For against his 
Mat. 16  Church Christ promised The gates of hell (that is the Devil and all his power, that is all Infidels, Turks, jews, Heret●kes, & Schismatics) should never prevail: but the true Catholic church hath & more manifestly shall have in the end the upper hand, though for a time for our sins, in this and other countries it hath been sore persecuted and oppressed, yet can it never be vanquished or suppressed, because Christ's word shall never fail who promised to be with it and assist it with his holy spirit, to the end of the world. Nay the more it is persecuted, the more in the end, it will flourish: as the vine that is pruned afterward bringeth out branches more perfectly and more plentiful fruit. This ship of Saint Peter hath been sore tossed with storms of persecution from time to time, but yet by the good guiding of Christ her head, never overwhelmed. How sore was it shaken when Nero, that bloody tyrant and persecuting Emperor slew the chief Captains thereof Saint Peter and Saint Paul at Rome: in which city now Christ's Religion by his special grace and by the merits & prayers of these Apostles, most flourisheth? What bloody battles afterward made Domitian, Diocletian, and the rest of those persecuting Kings and Emperors, against the same Church, slaying by thousands of Christians in one day? The Arrian Heretics above a thousand years ago, that denied the Son of God to be of the same substance with his father, as the Heretics of our time now deny him, though not altogether alike, but in another manner, and in another article of our belief, according to his word to be hear with us in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar. Those that were true Christian Catholics especially bishops, & Priests were for the truth by them persecuted with fire and sword, both by Sea and land; Yet by the valiant death and constancy of Martyrs, and worthy Confessors; who were rob & spoiled of goods, lands liberties, and lives, by long imprisonment & death (as many in this country for the same cause now be) they in the end obtained over the enemies of the truth the victory, that even in those very places, where greatest persecution & bloodshed was for the truth, there afterward was of all sorts of people, greatest confession of the truth: Churches and houses of prayer being raised in those very places, where many Martyrs were hanged & shed their blood: the bloody persecutor dying, and being buried in hell, in eternal oblivion; The glorious Martyr now triumpheth and rejoiceth with God in Heaven with perpetual praise and memory of his name here on earth. When the gospel in this country was first preached, a blessed man harboured 
Amphibo l●s.  by Saint Albon near to Christ's time, that blessed Martyr for his receipt of Christ's messenger, and for becoming a Christian shed his blood, and yet in that very place was afterward a goodly Abbey built where Christ was served both day and night, and the town of Saint Albon (as of whom it took the name) for many hundred years honoured God in him, in that place, who before as a traitor and enemy to the Realm and state they put to death. Afterward about a thousand years ago, when Saint Augustine the Monk was sent by Saint Gregory then Pope of Rome to restore & preach christs faith and religion here amongst English men: then a 'mongst the Britons in some sort partly decayed for sin (as now in a great part of the whole Isle it is, if not worse in many men's hearts, though God be thanked a Church though little poor, and afflicted we have still) many mocks, buffets, and blows, that holy Monk with the rest of his fellows had, before they could recall this Country, to the right way of salvation: The storm against them was sharp for a time: But afterwards with long patience Christ bade the wind cease and there became a great calm: The Church of England having great tranquillity & flourishing after in religion & virtue, almost a thousand years together, till wicked Luther, & a many of his fellows, runagate Friars, and forsakers of their order, and religion for the desire they had to live as they lust, in all liberty & pleasures of the flesh, broached a new gospel, I would say raised up a monstrous storm of heresy & infidelity troubling the peace of the christian world, & quite overthrowing the common state of Religion here in our Country, till it please God to bid the raging storm cease, which no doubt hewil do, when it seemeth best to his good will & pleasure, who after a storm sendeth fair weather, & when he hath beaten his children well, knoweth to cast the rod into the fire, in the mean time in this perilous storm, it behoveth us to be well armed (lest we be overwhelmed) with all virtues, but first & chiefly with true faith and religion.   

Chap. two Of the first certain note of the true Church.  
Wherefore because heretics the enemies of truth deceive simple souls under the show of truth, & glory of the Church, as though they only were true members of the same, which notwithstanding they oppugn, & pull down. Therefore the first note whereby you may know the true church of Christ, from the Church of Satan, is this, that the Church of God is called Catholic, which word Catholic is derived from the Greek, and in Latin is as much as universalis, that is, universal and general; common as it were to all true believers of all nations: so that the true Church of Christ, is commonly called the Catholic church, or at least known 
The proper etymology of this word catholic is universal or general.  of all sorts so to be called, as we are taught in our Creed to believe the holy Catholic Church: so that true Christian believing men are commonly called catholics, & those that be divided from this known common faith, and Church of Christ in opinion, be properly termed Heretics. Now let us see to which Church this mark Catholic is proper and agreeth, and you shall find it to belong to no other, but only to that church which Heretics call the Popish or papistical church, but she it is which they so scornfully miscall, which is in deed the true Catholic church: For our church and true Catholic faith and religion, which they term Papistry, is common to all countries, wheresoever heretics be: but yet Protestant's or to speak more plainly heretics, be not in every place where catholics be as ●or example, heretics as Lutherans, Caluinists, or Protestants, Puritans, Anabaptists and the like sectaries divided from the Catholic church be here openly in England, Scotland, Ireland, Denmark, Switzerland, Iseland, partly in Bohemeland, yea in some corners of France, Polony, Hungary and in some provinces & free states rebels to their lawful Princes in the inferior and higher Germany. For in very few places else in all Europe, save these by me reckoned, shall you find any heretical estate. To omit then, that all these countries many hundred years together before they ever hard of these new heresies, were all catholic: yet at this day be they never so heretical, you shall find amongst them some open church of the catholics, & such as stick not to profess their faith with loss of liberty, goods & lives: as here in England though God's church be oppressed by heretics with taxes, impri sonments & death more than any christians be in the world, yea worse than under that open professed enemy of Christ the Turk, who permiteth Christians to live with liberty of conscience, to have their churches & Mass openly, whereas you see how catholics here for their faith, lose all their goods, & two parts of their lands, & cannot enjoy that quietly neither, but pilledwith every apparitor, & pursuivant, cast in prison, restrained of their liberty, and sustaining the like notable iniu stices, & disgraces known unto you already & to long to speak, yet notwithstanding be they never so sore oppressed, beggared or consumed, yet they live, & after their death new arise in their places so that you want not at every assizes and sessions, in every shire town in England Catholics that there be openly called upon, and ready to profess their faith; besides many hundreds that lie this day in prison, as in York, Hull, Norwitch, Wisbitch (where be above thirty priests together, most learned and reverend men, whereof some have been prisoners thirty years) and above an hundred Priests or thereabouts have been within the same time hanged, drawn & quartered for the same cause; though it is given out to the people, it is for treason, whereof they be most innocent, as may appear by their mild death, where they ever pray for conversion of the Queen and Realm, for recovery only whereof to the Catholic Faith & Religion, they be trained up in virtue and learning in other countries, and sent hither back again; besides many lay men and women, young and old, of all degrees, most noble personages, and of interior sort and condition, have and do suffer to the open testimony of the world, imprisonment and death for the Catholic cause. So that you see here for example in England, though never so poor, and persecuted, yet by God's gracious mercy and providence be Catholics, and an open professant Catholic congregation. The like might be said of Scotland, Ireland, Germany, and other countries, that look wheresoever heretics be, yet Catholics be amongst them openly, I say known to the world, But yet the church of Christ is in far more large, noble, & worthy countries, where no heretic dare openly show his head, no, nor at all, or rarely be found, as in the greatest countries of Europe (the corpses of Christendom) as in those most noble Countries 
In france god he blessed, though the state public be Catholic yet both publicly and privately I grant heretics  chief, Italy, Spain Sicily, and for the most part in the chief and famous cities of France, Portugal, and the like provinces, Kingdoms, and dominions adjoining by North and South, of those Countries; where (God be blessed,) the Catholic faith and Church hath free liberty, use for preaching, Sacraments and ceremonies, but very few heretics or none to account in respect, in the most of those mighty Regions, that dare openly avouch, their absurd monstrous heresies which they deceive the simple souls with all, here in England, & other obscure corners of the world like lurking thiefs, that be ashamed to show their faces before men. In somuch that at the last general council of Christendom holden at Trent, where the most of all the learned bishops and Doctors of Christendom were gathered together, to dispute and appease controversies in religion, the heretics of this country, and of all others in the world, being summoned to appear, and having free liberty given them to say what they could for themselves, with sufficient security of their safe conduct to and fro; they like men of cankered and guilty consciences, knowing the naughtiness of their own cause durst not appear, nor show their faces before the lawful judge, grave Senate, and council of Christendom; but like subtle foxes in their dens, kept themselves at home, & so by the consent of all christendom, were justly condemned for obstinate Heretics. Over and besides all these country's abovenamed, where you see by God's grace the Catholic church is openly persecuted, or free and in peace, there be other countries in the world, never heard of but of later years which now be of late with wonderful 
:: For miracles vid● Osorium d● Lusitanorun gestis: Item Maffeun, & maxi●e Epistolas Indicas, & japonicas ver bi gratia: The Reu● rend Father Franc. Z●uier his body was found uncorrupt, sweet, and of an odoriferous savour some months after his death I omit the report how he raised a dead man. This holy Zavier first in our age preached Christ in japonia.:: The japonians though they be as fa●re, or rather farther distant from the Romans than the Antipodes, yet they be not properly Antipodes but in ●ome sort, Antiesi, or quasi Antiesi: for that part of the world which is directly opposit●●o Rome is partly (it seemeth) Sea, partly terra incognita.  miracles converted to Christ's faith, & religion, both in the East and West Indians: insomuch as about 9 years passed in the latter end of the time of Gregory the thirteen of blessed memory, I myself saw there three young Princes come to Rome, that came from the uttermost coasts of the earth, out of a Country called:: japonia, who be Antipodes to the Romans, that is, their feet contrary to theirs, they were 3. years in coming, and all to visit the bodies of the Apostles S. Peter, and S. Paul, & to acknowledge their dutiful obedience to the apostolic Sea, and to worship Christ & his Vicar here on earth, they were (as worthy) received with great applause of all Christian states and Princes in Christendom, sent back again with great honour and gifts, and the like triumph and rejoicing to my knowledge was never in Rome before, since our Country was first converted unto Christ in Gregory the greats time our holy Apostle, that sent S. August●ne to preach the Gospel amongst us English men. These country's newly converted in the Indians, be converted by Jesuits, Monks, and Friars, so honourable once in our Country, but now odious; yea their very names. They in those mighty Countries & cities far greater than the rest of all Christendom●▪ do raise up houses of religion, as fast as we pull the down: they know, or believe no other faith but only the Catho▪ Roman faith & Church, praised 
●om. 1. 8.  with the Apostles mouth to be preached through the whole world. Heretics here you see in corners of Christendom rend and tear in pieces like rau●ning Wolves the flock of Christ, but they plant it in no place amongst Infidels, where Christ was never heard of before▪ as our Priests and religious men do, which they so rai●e against in their pulpits amongst ignorant people. But no marvel▪ for our Saviour describeth such Wolves under the name of hirelings, or rather no Pastor's, but thieves and robbers that come in by the window, & not by the door, that feed themselves, and not the flock of Christ, but be like to those whereof the Prophet speaketh: De 
Psal. 52. 5  vorant plebem meam ut cibum panis, devouro my poor people a● meat of bread: It is the property o● the heretic, ut furetur, mactet, & perdat, to steal, murder, & destroy: but not as a good shepherd to feed the flock of Christ, and raise up and build the walls of jerusalem the holy Church. Thus you see how the Church of Christ is no private conventicle, or tied to one or two Countries, or Nations: but it is common to the whole world. A mari usque ad mare▪ & a flumine usque ad terminos orbis terrarum: a visible Church to be seen as he promised by the holy Prophet it should be, that all Nations might have recourse thereunto: Again 
Ps. 112. 3.  he promised by his Prophet, it should be from the rising of the Sunnet to the setting of the same: again Et aperienter portaetuae 
Isa. 60. 11  iugiter, die ac nocte non claudenter, ut afferatur ad te fortitudo gentium, & reges earum adducantur. That her gates should never be shut, that is, that she should be common to all Nations of the world, both jew and Gentile: but this is proper to no sort of Heretics in the world, which be enclosed you see in a few corners of the same: as England and Germany. But our common known faith, Church, and religion, is Catholic, that is universal, general, and common: not only to these countries, but to all the countries of the world where Christ was ever preached or heard of; Even from the rising of the Sun to the setting of the same again, & therefore no other Church the true Church but ours only, that is, the common known Catholic and Apostolic, Roman Church. First than you see what Church hath the first true mark which we be taught in our Creed to believe, that is our Roman Church, & no other, because ours and no other you see can properly be called Catholic, that is common to all Nations.   

Chap. III Of the second certain note of the true Church.  
SEcondly this Catholic Roman church, is of greatest antiquity which is a sure note, or mark of the true Church, proper to no Church, but only to our church, that is the true catholic church. For this catholic faith & religion, which at this day for example is preached at Rome, in the Indians, & in all the coasts of the world, is no new fangled upstart opinion & sect, as lutherans & protestants be, whose first rising is yet in our father's memory, but most ancient that is, both ever continued one, and the same Faith and church, for almost these 1600. years from Christ's Ascension, even unto this day: whereas the Protestants can neither show church, chapel, nor congregation of their faith & religion through the whole world, till only within these 80. years, till Luther & his fellows, licentious Lollards first arose, if their were any of more ancient years as Wicliff, Hus, jerom of Prague and the like, yet with their opinions they held other damnable heresies, which the Protestants mislike, aswell as Catholics, so that only our Catholic Church, is that which hath continued, not for fourscore years, but fifteen hundred & fourscore; which mark so ancient of Antiquity, because heretics want, therefore they cannot be members of Christ's Catholic Church, against which, our Saviour promised: The devil and all his power, should never prevail, but that it should continue from his Ascension into Heaven, to his coming again to judgement, even to the end of the world, when by his just judgement he shall sever, the good corn, and chaff asunder, & make himself a glorious triumphant Church in Heaven, without spot, or wrinkle. Now then, either it must follow, that Christ failed of his promise, which to think, or say, is extreme blasphemy; or else that our Church the Catholic Roman Church, and no other is only the true church, because no other Church but ours only hath been seen, and openly continued, and prevailed against the devil, and all his members from Christ's time to this day. For their church if not you, yet your father knew when it sprung up, & that of what ground and occasion it rose; that was of Covetousness, Pride, and whoredom; but our Catholic Church hath continued, by most of there own confessions for a thousand years, yea some of them give us thirteen hundred years, but we will take to us, and are able to prove by all ancient authority, and the invincible truth sixteene-hundred years now well drawing on, that is even from Christ's time to this day. Wherefore our Church being the only church, that hath ever visibly been seen, and flourished in many 
Though the church hath ever been visible, yet I mean she hath especially flourished since.  times according to the promise of our Saviour his Church should do: Therefore it must needs follow, that no Church, but▪ only our catholic Roman Church is the true Church, as being by far most ancient even from Christ's time. But the heretic hath another shift for this, he granteth with us that the Church of Christ shall ever continue, but he would have it, an invisible congregation, secret in men's hearts, a congregation known to God alone, & to no mortal creature, save only to such as be of the same; whereupon he would have the Church to consist of the only Elect & saved souls, & that there be not of both sorts good and bad in the holy true Catholic Church; which wily shift of the heretics, we easily shift off, & reprove plainly by God's word, & his gospel, which compareth his church, Unto a 
Mat. 20. Mar. 12. Luc. 20.  city set upon a hill, to a tabernacle set in the sun, that cannot be hid. Again, he biddeth us, if we cannot amend our brother, by brotherly correction, Totel the Church, which if he will not hear, account him as a Heathen, and Publican, saith christ. But how should we tell that Church, or how should a man hear that church, that can neither be seen nor heard, but is invisible, as the heretics would have it. Wherefore you see how slender a shift this is of them, who like thieves that hate the light, would have the Church invisible, contrary to God's word, & his holy Gospel, which biddeth us to have recourse unto it in time of need, as the sure foundation and pillar of truth, so evident and plain that it may, and might ever, and shallbe seen to the worlds end, even from the rising of the sun, to the setting of the same again, as was foretold by the Prophets. Hereupon the Apostles writ their epistles to such and such Churches, and to the whole Catholic Church, as in particular to the Romans, the Cor. the Ephes etc. as visible that may be seen, that is. This position of theirs (heretics I mean denying the Church to be visible) is so false, that before Christ's time, when things were but in shadow and figure, yet was there ever an open visible Church of God whereunto men might have recourse in all doubts, especially since Moses, as appeared in Elias time, when it was so sore persecuted, that he cried out, Relictus sum ego solus, I good Lord thy servant am left 
3. Reg. 19  alone:, and yet answer was given him by God that he had left 7000. in Israel, besides the well known city of jerusalem, & Cath. juda) that never bowed knee to Baal. Lo a visible company at all times, yet in the visible church we be taught by Scriptures there be both good & bad, as appeareth by that parable of the gospel, the Kingdom of Heaven, that is the Church of God which in holy scriptures is sometimes called the Kingdom of heaven) is compared to a field, where 
Mat. 13.  good corn cockle and weed grow together, which our Saviour the good man of the house his Church bad let grow both together, least in weeding out the cockle the good corn also should be bruised, and plucked up, but in the end of the world, then will he by his Anglles gather his good corn, his elect people and bind the weed, that is the wicked in bundles to be burnt with unquenchable fire. For God suffereth wicked men, as saith Saint Augustine, to live amongst the just; that either they may be converted by their example, or else good men's patience by them may be the better exercised; In an other place the church is 
Mat. 13.  compared to a net, cast into the Sea gathering good, & bad fishes; & so likewise to the threshng place wherein is both corn & chaff. So that you see how false the heretiksb, e & how contrary unto the Gospel (whereof before the simple and unlearned ears they so brag) that would have the church invisible that no man might see their wily deceits, and would have therein none but good, whereas in their Church can be none but bad: but we that by god's grace be catholics do according to God's word affirm that in his holy Church be many good, & none good but only those of God's Church, yet amongst those good be some evil, till the last day of payment when the goats, and lambs shallbe shed, or separated by the good shepherd a sunder: so that God's Church is visible, that is open to the whole world to be seen and known and shall so continue even till the end of the world; take then this for the second most certain mark of the true Church of God, that our Catholic, and visible church is of the greatest Antiquity and longest continuance. Wherefore none but our church is the true spouse of Christ.   

Chap. IIII Of the third certain note of the true Church.  
The third most certain note of the true church is unity, and consent in all matters of Religion. For as there is on God (as I said in the beginning) so one only truth proceedeth from him, he is not the author of dissension, but of peace; as therefore there is one God, so is there but on Church, his only spouse. For thus he saith in his Canticles, una est Columba mea, etc. My dove is 
Cont. c. 6.  one, as she is one, so is she not, nor cannot possibly be divided into divers sects, factions, and opinions in faith and Religion, forso she should not be one but many, and so not of God which is one, and hath chosen her for his only spouse, and ever according to his promise guideth her with his holy spirit, saying, Her● & 
Heb. 13. 8  hody ipse, & in secula, who is one and the same, yesterday, to day, and for ever: hereupon it cometh that by the guiding of Christ's holy spirit, ever resident and directing his Church, that therein is not preached one faith this day, another that, now this year, one thing, an other year, an other, as Heretics do that can never agree among themselves in opinions, but the same faith that was taught in the beginning by christ & his Apostles in matters of Faith & Religion, the Church of God ever most sound keepeth pure vndesiled, as we be able to prove by authority of God's words, and all ancient Fathers, and the same Faith that we Catholics hold here in England, the same they hold in France, scotlan, Ireland, Germany, Poland, Dalmatia, Italy, Spain, the East and West Indians, and so to the uttermost coasts of the world, not differing a jot in points of religion, and due administration of the Sacraments. But if you see how finely heretics accord, you shall see them like Samsons foxes, with sire tied in their 
jud. 15.  tails together ready and of one accord to burn up the good corn of Christ, but their heads quite contrary from each one another, ready to bite one another in pieces, never agreeing in opinions, but sharply writing against one another, condemning one another to the bottomless pit of Hell. For Luther that was their first father, and broke down the walls and so was fallen with pronde Lucifer from the kingdom of heaven, from God's holy Church, did he long continue think you in one opinion with himself? No; for besides that in one and the same matter in some one book he is contrary to himself, he changed his opinions daily to worse and that diverse times. For first of pride, and covetousness he found fault at the manner of dispensing of pardons, and in the end denied the Pope, pardons, and all: what said I, Pardons Saints, & Sacraments to, espeacially private Mass, (as he termed it) and the most pure and unbloody Sacrifice of the Altar, propitiatory both for the quick and the dead, and that by the help & counsel of the Devil, that often in the night by his own confession used familiar speech with him, giving greater reasons against the Mass, than he was able to dissolve. But how did his Scholars, and followers think you accord with their master, and amongst themselves? but like to Vipers that burst their Parents bowels. For though in the beginning he had followers that greedily followed his opinion as heavenly oracles, yet the scholars being as proud as their master, they presently invented new opinions of their own, condemning their master in most bitter writings, and he them; insomuch that about one article of our faith and belief, (the Blessed Sacrament) a Learned man hath noted, above fourscore sundry heresies & opinions amongst them. Thus they disagree in most weighty matters, erring & sending others into error, the Lutherans fight against the Caluinists, the Caluinists, against the Lutherans, the Swinglians, Protestants, Anabaptists, Arrians, Puritans, Celestians, Brethren of love, & the like, too many to reckon, all branches of that unsavoury tree Luther, all and every discenting from one another, comdemning one another and that in the highest points of our Faith and belief, and yet every one braggeth of the word of God, the Lord, the Gospel, & that the truth is of his side, agreeing together for the most part certainly in no one thing, saving that all conspire against the Church of God taking upon them to defend God when they most of all offend him, as S. Gregory under the person of the friends 
In lib. moral. in job.  of job notably and oft describeth all heretics. This disention you see amongst themselves argueth they have not the spirit of God, for where unity and concord is wanting there can be no charity so that the heretics wanting the knot of peace, unity, concord and charity, cannot be of God who is not author dissentionis, sed pacis for want of this knot of peace & charity, brag they never so much of the word of the Lord, use they never so sweet blessings, yet it is not the word of God, but the very word of the devil, who when he tempted Christ used words of Scripture but evil understood, wherefore they were his own, being so evilly applied and expounded, but none of Gods, as all heretics words be, which be members of their father the Devil; for they with him bring Scriptures but wrested, so that not the Scripture, but the sense and evil understanding is blamed, the heretics bring Scriptures, and we that be Catholics allege Scriptures abundantly of both sides, but quite contrary one to the other, some judge than must needs be to try & decide them who those be that rightly understand the Scriptures; we ask them how they will be judged, whether by the holy Fathers of old? Yea say they as long as they accord with the Scriptures, but when as men they erred from the true sense of Scripture, than we refuse them, we answer though with more reverence, even so do we, but yet heretics want a certain judge to know when as men they erred, & when they spoke the truth, which certain stay of judgement withoutal doubt, Christ, which so dearly beloveth his people, hath provided, who promised his assistance, to direct us in all truth especially in this Law of grace to the world's end. He after so dear a price, hath not left us in worse case than the jews, amongst whom before Christ was a place of judgement to try certainly all doubts, as appeareth in the old law in Deuteronomium, That the high Priest and spiritual congregation assisting him was to judge, decide, & determine all doubtful matters in Religion, and Conscience, whose answer the people were to accept as the oracle of the holy ghost: hereupon in Deut. seventeen cap. is written Si deficile, & ambiguum apud te judicium esse prospexeris, etc. if thou perceive iudgdement to be doubtful with thee, and after if thou perceive the words or sentences of the judge to vary, Ascend ad locum quem elegerit dominus etc. veniesque ad Sacerdotes Levitici generis etc. queresque ab iis, qui indicabunt tibi judicii veritatem. Lo you see here how in the old law, matters were to be in all doubts determined & judgement by the high Priest to be given in that place God had chosen, they were in spiritual causes to show truth of judgement, not the law, or scriptures written, but the high Priest & his assistance the levitical priests were to interpret the law, and judge of the scriptures, as Malachi foretold how the lips of the Priest do keep the law. How much more now than in this law of grace when Christ had made a more firm pact with us for the assistance of his holy spirit saying. Alium Paracletum dabo vobis spritum veritatis. I will give you another comforter the spirit of truth: he shall teach you all truth; now after he hath confirmed the new testament, with his own blood, hath he not left us a more sure stay in all doubts? Yes doubtless, he hath promised his spirit you see to his holy church, & the chief pastors of the same, who promised to Peter, and all his successors in him, that his faith should never fail. To this church, this high priest, & vicar of christ in aldoubtful matters of faith as the only place & chief judge, whom God hath chosen, we safely as to the true & lawful judge must have recourse. The fathers of old, as men may err, but in those things they conspire and agree generally, altogether they cannot err, especially when the authority of the Church confirmeth their Doctrine to be according to the Scriptures. The Heretics who refuse to be tried by the Church they affirm the blessed fathers of the church to err, men in virtue, and learning no doubt far beyond any in these days, but they themselves now a days, like gods cannot err, they would be judges not only of Doctors, & Scriptures, but over general councils, Saint Peter, successor, Christ's vicegerent, and under Christ here in earth the high Priest and pastor general over our Souls, to whom in S. Peter Christ promised his faith should never fail, yea also over the Church and all, like unto lurking robbers flying ever the tribunal & judgement seat of the lawful judge, but we that by God's grace be Catholics, members of Christ's Mystical body the Church, as we have received the holy scriptures from the Church neither do we certainly know them to be scriptures but that the holy Church telleth us so we expound and understand the scriptures that be hard to be understood, yea be an unspeakable depth, not by our inventions and fantastical opinions, as every heretic doth, which maketh so many damnable heresies amongst them, but by the rule and authority of Christ's holy Catholic Church, who because she is the spouse of Christ whereof he is head, & guided with his holy spirit according to his promise, can never err in points of Salvation, nor lead her children amiss. Here upon it cometh that the Catholic Roman Church the house of Christ, dispersed through out the whole world is not divers, but one, as Christ her head is one, who is Saviour of his body. This church you shall find, to preach, teach, & use one uniformity of Sacraments, yea and for the most part of ceremonies through out the whole world, the same order, and time of Fasting, of Prayer, one and the same belief of all points of religion, in every coast in the earth, not now one Faith, and to morrow another: but the same that was planted by Christ & his Apostles, that which with perpetual peace, consent, unity, and concord she keepeth undefiled, & shall keep, even unto the end of the world. Here upon it cometh, that when as heresy, & heretics in the beginning seem plausible, and be greedily received, yet for that they be not grounded in Christ the truth, in the end become loathsome & hateful to all men, & being divided destroy one another. Contrary the Catholic Church being founded on christ the head corner stone, and fast linked together in unity concord and charity in all her members ever increaseth as she is more persecuted, and is Tanquam acies bene ordinata. As the forefront of a most strong army, well set in battle array: terrible to the devil and all his power, and ever increaseth. I say the more she is afflicted; for besides the heretics have stirred many up, that before were asleep, to search out the truth, yea and many to shed their blood in the Catholic cause; we have not lost so many Christians by heresies in these parts of the world, but God hath stirred up others that have raised many more in other parts of the world: which if this heresy had not troubled our quietness here, perhaps some of those apostolic men had not so speedily sought to have planted the Faith in other Countries. Wherein you see so good, and mighty is God which would never permit evil, but that he knoweth to gather good of it, to turn their evil to our good, and, increase of his Church, who by unity and concord thus obtaineth the victory, as that babylonical strumpet heresy is ever the ruin of herself. To be brief you see by this little that is said that none can have the spirit of God and the truth, but those only that have amongst themselves, the spirit of peace, unity & concord, which when it is, & ever hath beeve wanting amongst Protestants, and other heretics of this time, therefore it must needs follow, their sect, and congregaton is not the true church of Christ, & because none else save Catholic Christians which they call Papists do consent, and agree in all points of Faith and religion, living Tanquam unanimes in domo, As brethren all of one mind together in one house. Therefore we may most certainly conclude, that none other saving only the catholic Roman Church (which ever hath & doth live in unity & consent of Faith, & Religion in all points) is the true Church of Christ.   

Chap. V Of the fourth certain note of the true Church.  
THe fourth and last most certain mark of the true Church is the lawful succession of apostolic Priests & Bishops in the Catholic Church, which succession of Bishops, as it was a stay to S. Augustine against the Donatists, and other heretics of his time, to keep him within the unity of Gods Church: so is it likewise, a sure pillar for us: Many things there be (saith he) that keep me most justly within the bosom of the Church, the uniform consent of people, and nations, the authority confirmed with miracles, nourished with hope, increased with charity, finally the succession of bishops in Peter's seat to this day, to whom our Lord committed the charge of his fllock to be fed, keepeth me herein. This lawful succession of Bishops, lo, that led Saint Augustine to the knowledge of the true Church and conserved him in the lap thereof, is and justly may be no less a guide and stay to us in the same: which lawful succession of Bishops, because the heretics want, therefore they be not sent by God. For two kinds of vocations there be, the one is ordinary, theother extraordinary by miracle, both which because the Heretics want they cannot be of God: for as touching the first, that they want ordinary vocation by succession, it is plain, as for example who sent Luther, Caluin, and the rest? If they say God, & so claim an extraordinary vocation, where then be their miracles, that testify they be sent from God? They have none you see to prove their extraordinary vocation: and yet the son of God himself would not be believed without miracles, saying, Si 
joh.  opera non fecissem in eyes, que nemo alius etc. If I had not wrought such works amongst them as no other man did they should not have sinned; and must we believe Caluin and his fellowoes for their bare words? no, their fruits be not so good, you see it is unfit; As for their ordinary vocation by succession that every man seethe they want. For before Luther's time, there was neither patriarchal, nor Bispopps seat, nor yet ever any honest persons chair of his Gospel to be found throughout the world, as all men may most easily know: but to make the matter more plain by an example at home ask now the superintendant of York or Canterbury whom they succeed, perhaps they can name you two or three predecessors of their heretical crew, hut appose them a little more, and they can go no farther, whereas he that was last lawful and true Archbishop of Canterbury Cardinal Poole for example could have showed his lawful succession from his next lawful predecessor to an other many hundred years together, even to Saint Augustine's time who was sent by Saint Gregory the great than Pope, Saint Gregory succeeded Pelagius, Pelagius his predecessor Benedictus and so lineally every of those bishops in that seat could show their predecessor from whose hands by lawful ordinary succession, and vocation, they received their faith and apostolic authority, even to Saint Peter who was sent by Christ, as by all ancient writers we can prove; Then as I said, when as protestants, and all other heretics of this time, want both these vocations first ordinary not called of god, as Aaron was and much less extraordinary by miracle (for though marvels they show many, yet miracles none, no not as much as the healing of any lame creature: therefore it followeth they be none of Gods messengers, but such as of whom he complaineth by his word, Ipse currebant, & ego non mittebam eos. They ran and I sent them not, that is, be intruders of themselves not true messengers of Christ not pastors, but robbers, not simple true teachers, but wily foxes, not raisers up of God's house entering in by the door, but breakers down of the wall devouring the flock. Now how evidently the Catholic Roman Church hath this ordinary succession confirmed with miracles it partly appeareth by that is already said, when as then the very jews from Aaron to Christ could show their lawful succession of Bishops even to Christ the true lawgiver, that state of old being but a very figure of ours, and whereas by the Apostles doctrine, none ought to take upon them the office of bishops, no neither king nor prince (much less to make bishops) but he only that thereto is by ordinary vocation called as Aaron was by God, & anointed, & invested by Moses, who first himself by extarordinary vocation or miracle was chosen and called by God: and whereas by very drift of reason the Church cannot visibly continue, as Christ promised it should do, without pastors and heads to guide it and succeed one another in the same. The Catholic Roman Church only therefore, and no other being that which can show this ordinary and lawful succession of Bishops in the apostolic Sea of Saint Peter, whose faith in them Christ promised should never fail, must of necessity be the true Church of Christ; and other flocks and sorts of heretics, as Protestants & Puritans who soever, must needs be (brag they never so much of christ and the Gospel) the very Synagogue of Satan, & Antichrist. For the Protestants and other Heretics of our time, that would be accounted gospelers of christ & to have with them only the true Church, besides the new upstarts, be very blasphemous in so saying as going about in effect to prove untruth in christ, as though he failed in his promise who said his church should never decay: besides this I say they be very obsurd, ridiculous, & foolish in their opinion; for example would you not think him a foolish painter, and very unskilful in his art, that hired by some noble gentleman to draw his picture, after he had drawn the head would leave out body, legs, & arms, & set only the feet where the neck should stand to his head, Spectatum admissi risum teneatis? Every one think you that looked thereon would they not laugh him to scorn? yes truly. Like unto this foolish painter, be the gay deceitful painted heretics of our time: they brag 
Yea heretics (I mean) be far beneath the feet as for want of succession being no members of Christ's mystical body the church a● a●.  of the lord & christ the head of the church they say they teach the doctrine the Apostles did, & forsooth that they be all one with those B. Fathers of the Primitive church, one body in christ & his church but inquire of them by what sinews and joints they be tied to the Apostles & primitive church, of what lawful Bishops by succession, they have received their faith they can show you none. For 1500. years together, they brag of the head, & yet be in steed of the feet; where is the body? You see it is wanting: wherefore you see for want of succession they have no true possession in Gods house. Wherefore those that will come into his kingdom must fly their company Fugite de medio Babilonis fly out of Babylon, the corpse of sin, and Satan and her confusion heretical congregations, that you be not involved in her ruin and perpetual destruction.   

Chap. VI Of some other signs, and tokens of the true catholic church etc. how without it none can be saved.  
BY these four notes then of universality, antiquity, consent, and lawful succession, if you mark them well, you may ever know the true Church, from all other false sects, and conventicles of infidels, and miscreant heretics; because they be proper to no other church but only the Catholic Church. But besides these there be many other notes of the true Church that I cannot stand to reckon. For what faith (saving only the catholic Roman faith) hath been in every age, when it hath been planted in any Country first, confirmed with so many miracles (as in raising the dead, giving sight to the blind, making the lame to walk, and the dumb to speak) but our Church and Catholic faith? So that our church only I say is it and no other that hath had so many blessed, and learned fathers, and Doctors of all ages, from Christ's time to this day, as appeareth by so many learned treatises, and books, yea whole volumes of theirs written in defence of our faith and religion. As to begin with S. Dionise S. Paul's scholar he writeth most learnedly of the Hierarchies of Angels, of their aid, & succour we receive by them, of holy rites, and ceremonies used even at Mass this day contrary to the heretics of this time; yea we have the very Liturgies, that is the forms and orders of sacrifices, as much to say of saying Mass, which the Apostles namely Saint james, used in their days as they were taught by Christ, at his last supper; what shall I say of Policarp & holy Ignatius, in or near the Apostles time, the one scholar to S. john? view their writings you shall find the catholic faith confirmed: how oft, & devoutly do S. Athanasius, S. Gregory Nazianzene, S. Basil to pray our Lady the mother of God to assist and help them with her prayers? S. Chrisostome how reverently doth he speak of the most holy & blessed Sacrament of the Altar? no less doth Saint Ambrose, most plainly writing whole books of the same. In so much that learned Saint Hierome is ours, S. Augustine is ours, S. Gregory the Pope, S. Bede, S. Anselme, S. Bernard, and as many as ever were writers, or holy doctors in God's Church, be most evident for us; he that will but read their books and believe them, needeth no more, nor new writers for confirmation of his faith. If I would lie, yet their books being extant, to be sold almost in every stationer's, or bookbinder's shoope in London can testify the truth. If thou desire thy salvation (good brother) & perhaps discredit my words, yet take but the pains to peruse the books of those Blessed fathers by me named, & thou shalt find my words true. These Fathers, & many more to long for me to reck on, were most virtuous, most wise, most grave, most learned, of the greatest authority amongst all sorts of the best men in their days & since, so studious of holy Scriptures, that they consumed therein nights and days, yea their whole lives, and withal most skilful in all other liberal sciences. They would not attempt (as heretics do now a days new come from the grammar schools thinking themselves great men when they can speak a little latin & greek, yea some of them perhaps scarce good grammar scholars) to take upon them profanely to handle the sacred book of God, and expound rashly the holy scriptures, that book I say sealed with seven seals, open to none but to the humble in heart, and to such as use ordinary ways and means, as much fasting, continual prayer adjoined with good life, especially humility & lowliness of spirit (a virtue ever wanting in heretics) in clean & pure consciences, in which virtues, & worthy qualities, these B. Fathers most excelled living in such abstinence, continency, watching, meditation of the law of god, both night & day; prayer with them went ever before study, & study was joined with prayer; they did not expound hard places and high mysteries of Scriptures, after their own brain & fantastical conceit; but by the teachig of their masters, & holy forefathers of whom they had received the Scriptures, especially therein following the rule & common consent of Christ's holy Catholic Church that is ever guided with Christ her spouse, & head, & the holy spirit ever assisting the same church, which was the cause there was not such jars amongst them as now be amongst heretics. far unlike be our new gospelers to these holy Fathers, & how more securely may we well commit ourselves to God with them, than hazard our salvation with these companions? who with belly cheer little learning, less honesty, embracing of women, care of children, love of the world, and care of their own carcases being most carnal men, yet take upon them to reveal his mysteries of the Spirit, to open God's word, which commonly is open to none indeed, but to those that be pure in heart, and mind, and with humility submit their judgements under the obedience of the holy Catholic Church; whereunto all heretics be traitors and rebels: whether I say is it more like, if we had no more certain a mark of the true church and teachers; that these lewd companions have the truth on their sides; or those holy Fathers by me above named who excelled as much in virtue, as these new Gospelers be drowned in vice? which Fathers be of such authority, that though indeed they be always against heretics, yet the heretic is glad, if he can but get a scrap, or piece of a sentence, ever wrested, & evil understood out of these holy Doctors, that may seem to make for his purpose, though rightly understood in the samesentence, oftentimes they be most confounded. These holy Fathers were not eloquent in affection and inckehorne terms (as Protestants be all words, but no true, or sound matter) but wisdom in those fathers by force joined unto their words incomparable eloquence. See S. Chrysostom, S. Leo, S. Jerome, Lactantius, but above all that Blessed martyr S. Cyprian, who (as many other of our holy doctors & Catholic writers did) sealed his writings with his blood: if any of these holy Fathers, as men, at any time did of infirmity err, they did not maliciously & obstinately defend it, as proud heretics do, but were always ready to submit their doings to the censure, of the Cath. church, saying with S. Augustine. Errare possiim hereticus esse nolo; I may err (as a man) yet will I not be an heretic, that is obstinately defending any opinion the Church gain-sayeth. This Faith then, and Religion, & Catholic Roman Church thus grounded on Christ her head, thus plainly known by such distinct notes of Vniversallity, Antiquity, Succession, & Consent, thus adorned and flourishing with writings of so many, and so holy ancient Fathers and Doctors, thus confirmed with miracles, thus watered and sealed with the blood of most constant and valiant Martyrs, especially in the beginning of the Church, whilst the blood of Christ was yet warm in men's hearts, yea of later years too, as there want not in England and other places, even to this day: Is there any so blind, if he observe these notes well, but he may both know this to be the only true Church, and true way of Salvation, or so careless of his salvation that dare adventure his soul in any other congregation, save only the true Church of Christ thus strengthened with so many sure bulwarks and strong pillars? Assure yourself (good sir) ignorance cannot excuse you. For this is the city set upon a hill that cannot be hid, so evident, and so plain, that the words of the holy Prophet Esay may be applied unto her. Hec 
Isa. 35.  erit vobis directa via ita ut stulti non errent per eam. This shall be your direct way, so that idiots, or very simple souls may not miss the same. Where it is written to this effect, that great and less shall know God, that is, if they will seek his ways diligently and in due time. As also in jeremy the thirty one. Omnes cognoscent me a minimo eorum usque ad maximum. All shall know me from the least of them to the greatest. And again, Adducam eos. etc. in via recta. I will bring them, or lead them in the right way & Non impinguent in ea, and they shall not hit or stumble in it. Seek therefore to walk (good sir) in this way the Church of Christ, if you will attain the port of salvation, for as long as you be out of this way, you shall always be worse entangled with brambles, & briars of sin, and blind error, and ever further from your journeys end the kingdom of God. As youse when a man loseth his way in the night, he is always in greater incumbraunces, and further from the mark till he return by good guide to his way again: so it is in the blind way of this life if we leave Christ the way of life, and his dear spouse the church the only way of truth we be ever in greater danger till we return back again. Come home, the night draweth near, the day of payment hieth fast on, take heed if you come short of the marriage of Christ with his spouse the door be not closed up, and you shut out. Hear what St. Augustine saith, whatsoever saith he, a man be, or whosoever he is he cannot be saved, if he be not in the Catholic Church, and in another place to Peter the Deacon he hath these fearful sayings, Though a man give never so much alms, yea shed his blood for Christ, if he be not a member of Christ's Catholic Church he cannot be saved. Firmissime tene saith he, this hold steadfastly & doubt in no wise, not only all Pagans, and jews, but also heretics and Schismatics, that die without the unity of Christ's Catholic Church shall go into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his Augells. Neither doth this holy father St. Angustine speak these words of his own private opinion, but founded in Gods own word as in the holy Apostle St. Paul, who saith; If I give all my goods to the poor and body to be burnt and want charity, it profiteth me nothing: now unity be twixt God; (participatively I mean, our own souls and neighbours) is that which maketh charity in us by God's grace, which unity none can possibly have, that is not united to Christ, being a member of his body the holy Catholic Church: for otherwise he is divided, so that being out of this unity, he is not in charity, & so beingout of God's Catholic Church: he is out of state of Salvation; therefore right truly said that holy father Extra ecclesiam non est salus, without the Church there is no Salvation and that you may better perceive this reason the holy Apostle S. Paul 
1. Cor. 12.  compareth Christ's mystical body the church in some sort unto a natural body wherein every member you see hath his office, and function; the eye seethe, the ear heareth, the hand helpeth the leg, and the leg carrieth hand, & the whole body, every member is necessary one to the other, and every member is ruled by the head, & receiveth life from the body; but divide but a member, cut but a leg or an arm from the body, it dieth you see, the reason is, because it is not of the body; even so it is in Christ's mystical body his spouse the holy Catholic Church whereof he our good Lord & Saviour that took upon him our servile nature for us is the true head, & for all catholic Christians that believe as he teacheth, and live in unitiy under his Vicar the true, & chief Pastor of our Souls, worthily frequenting his sacraments, abstaining from all other sects in their prayers, Sacraments, and Ceremonies, these be truly called members of his visible Catholic Church, and receive grace, and mercy from Christ the head; yea that which is more, because there is as we believe a commuion of saints, every one is partaker (according to his good disposition and due deserts) of another's good prayers, works, and actions, yea in each of the prayers, and good deeds not only of those in earth (so we be in state of grace) but also of the merits & prayers (Promodulo nostro) of the Blessed Saints in Heaven, as both they & we with prayers, & good deeds help the faithful departed in that cleansing fire of Gods justice called Purgatory: But if one be divided from this common company of Christ's Church, either by Heresy, or Schism, as but only going to the Church there to pray, or to be present, or pray with Heretics: then lo, is he divided from the body of Christ the Catholic Church (for no man can serve two Masters) and so he hath not the fruit of life and grace in him, as long as he remaineth so divided in that state; the reason is because being divided, from the body he cannot have influence of grace from christ which is the head; thereupon it cometh, that what fasting, prayer, almesededs soever a man doth without God's Church, it nothing availeth to eternal salvation, the reason is, because our works (if they be not seasoned, or imbrued with the blood of Christ and watered with the dew of his grace) cannot be meritorious, nor acceptable in his sight: For by christ our lord, and head perfect God and man, by his grace in his passion our works be meritorious, being as he is God the principal and efficient cause of our justification, and merits, as he is man the mediation for our sins, and only Christ is the chief cause of our merit, though 
Tit. 3. Ephes. 1. & 2 Conc. Trid. ses. 6. cap. 7.  we once prevented with God's grace be workmen with him to our own merit and salvation, and the Sacraments be instrumental causes of our justification, so that by heresy or schism we be divided from the Church his body then consequently we be divided from him our head, and so void of his grace, without which our doings be nothing till we return back to him, in becoming true members of his body the Church. Yet in what soever state a man be, it is far better to do virtuous actions & deeds than otherwise, as by Fasting, Prayer, Almsdeeds, & the like, because in so doing one's damnation is the less, and because it is a disposition to better, that in the end God will power down, more plentifully his grace, & bring him to perfection, who worketh his gifts commonly in matter disposed, & yet first preventeth, or disposeth that a man may so dispose himself, but yet as I said how so ever, let him work never so much, yet if he be not in the end a member of God's Church, he cannot be saved, for the reasons abovesaide. And therefore a man ought to fear nothing more, than separation from Christ's Church, & suffer his soul rather to be separated from his body, yea lose many lives, if he had them, than ever be divided from Christ's Catholic Church, without which no true life of grace, nor salvation can be found, and when a man is once within the unity of the Church, then Celum ruat, though the world turn upside down, if he stick to th● rock and live accordingly to the rules thereof, he needs not be afraid, God is of his side: he shall lay such a sure foundation of the rock, that he needs not fear to be carried away, nor be wavering with every blast of new doctrine. Wherefore if you desire to know the truth, to be guided with truth, not to err from the truth, then presently become a member of Christ's body, that you may be guided by the spirit of truth that proceedeth from the head. Let no love of the world, riches nor worldly promotions, no love of yourself, wife, kinsfolks, or children, no fear of imprisonment, persecution, or death separate you from t●e knot of unity, and charity in Christ jesus and in his blessed & sweet spouse the Church inseparably joined together. Then in all doubts you m●y be resolved to perfect quietness▪ in God, in heart, & conscience. When you have thus found out, and thus joined yourself to the Catholic Church, you need not then staggar, or stand wavering ungrounded, never resolute in yourself what to believe or do, by reason of this opinion or that, nor need not to lean upon this man or that, but upon the infallible truth that can never fail, and without all doubt in all perplexities say, and firmly protest the Article of the Creed, I believe the Holy Catholic Church. See the goodness of God in providing our salvation, for no man unlearned, is so simple but he may do this and be saved, and none so learned and wise, but if he exceed this limit, trusting to himself, he shall err and be damned. Wherefore thus we must with humility, begin to believe, subjecting our judgement, and our reason unto Faith, and all our repose, next to Christ in the holy Catholic Church, and then we shall understand, otherwise we should be as wavering reeds, ●uer unconstant: for, Nisi credideritis, non 
First believe, and after understand▪ Esaias.  intelligetis. Unless you believe sayeth God by his holy Prophet you shall not understand, wherefore perfectly to understand the truth, you must first learn to believe, and follow the holy Catholic faith and Church, otherwise you shall never be certain, nor at a-stay, if you seek for salvation. For she ever directed with the holy Ghost (as Christ promised) is a strong fortress for great ones, and a quiet repose for little ones, and a Nurse, and Mother for al.   

Chap. VII Of the Sacraments in general.  
But because perhaps you desire 
Understand here that in course of divinity many things besides the Trinity, and Incarnation be taught before the Sacraments, though in matters of controversy to speak of them now next seemeth fittest for my purpose, & I call the Sacraments conduits & wellsprings, because they being ordained by Christ, ishuing & proceeding from that open bloody side of his on the Cross convey and confer grace to our souls, as vessels of mercy though God himself as the fountain of life is the chief original and principal cause of all grace.  to be informed of some more things in particular to know how this true Catholic Church teacheth us to believe, touching the high mysteries of our faith, especially the holy Sacrameuts: First than it is to be understood, that next after the mystery of the blessed Trinity thre● persons of one substance, eternity, equal power and authority, and one god from whom all good things proceed: to whom all good things be referred; and without whom all things be nothing, next unto this high and unspeakable mystery, as also the mystery of the second person in godhead Christ's incarnation, which both most deep and profound articles or points, I suppose you already believe, we be also taught that God the author of all grace, and goodness, hath of his infinite wisdom ordained the ways and means whereby we may be partakers of his grace, and that chiefly by means of his Sacraments; conduits and wellsprings of grace, which in number be seven. Which in these words of holy scripture in some sort were foretold or insinuated unto us. Sapientia edificavit sibi domum excidit columnas septem, that wisdom increate, that is the son of god the second person in trinity, the eternal wisdom of his father who disposeth all things in weight, number and measure and in unspeakable wisdom but espeacially in ordinance & government of his holy Church, hath cut out 
Cut out that is, hath ordained or made out of himself that is by his grace. Note that this place of holy scripture may signify many other gu●fts and graces of God besides the Sacraments: for such is the Majesty of holy scripture that it oft admitteth many senses in one place, & all according to the spirit of God.  seven pillars, seven Sacraments, fountains, & wellsprings of grace out of himself, that is the lively fountain of grace & the sure rock & cornerstone, which Daniel in spirit foresaw, that without hands was cut out, and fell from the mountain, that filled the whole world. These Sacraments than I say Christ ordained as vessels of his grace, and they take virtue from that fruit of the tree of the Cross: from, and of his precious blood and passion. For even as of our first Father Adam of a rib of his side Eve was form, whereby the world was multiplied: even so of the second Adam Christ our Saviour (a sleep by death upon the Cross, whereby we rise again of that water & blood plentifully running out of his side, and blessed body) the holy Sacraments of the church proceeded, as taking force & virtue thereof. Whereby we all be regenerate and borne new men again in Christ, whereby we be repaired, fostered and fed in soul, and whereby we receive here a token of Gods grace to appear with him in his glory.   

Chap. VIII What a Sacrament is, of the effects of the Sacraments, and why they were ordained.  
A Sacrament than is a visible sign of an invisible grace not only signifying grace as the heretics would have them like jews, to be but only bare figures, but these Sacraments do contain in them, and confer grace to the worthy receiver: Though Christ is the author of his Sacraments, neither is God so bound to his sacraments, but he can bestow his grace without them, yet because he ordained that by means of his sacraments we a●e to obtain his grace, we neither with contempt of them, nor without will and affection, when necessity offereth itself and just opportunity is given to receive them can be partakers of his grace, neither is man to expostulate, or argue with God why he useth sacraments as instruments of his grace, when as without them he can bestow it. For God that hath created man, knoweth in his divine wisdom the fittest means for his reparation yet some reason or convenience of God's dispotion herein may be assigned. First because a man consisteth not only of spirit but of body, therefore he doth no● only invisiblelye power in us his grace, immediately f●om himself, but useth these visible, and corporal signs of his invisible grace, and that by such means, and in such matters as be most fit to signify the effect of his grace in us by them inwardly wrought, as  example; in baptism the matter of the Sacrament is water, which as it outwardly washeth the body, so the word (with the intent of the lawful minister joined thereunto which things be required, in every Sacrament) the soul thereby is 
Eccept Matrimony in some sort, where in the consent of the parties is chief necessary whereunto only signs & tokens of the parties present may suffice in persons that be mute▪ etc..  inwardly (with God's grace given therein) purged, and washed from all sin. Moreover it is the just judgement of God we be▪ tied to visible Sacraments to obtain his grace, thereby to exercise our humility, & bring us in more subjection. For whereas we not only in the fall of our first parents wherein we all fell from God: but also daily of ourselves in transgressing his commandements have, and do therein prefer ourselves, mortal creatures, yea and the things here that be earthly before God himself, and the things that be spiritual, & heavenly; therefore it is his justice & judgement, and yet most of sweet disposition, that we now contrary wise for our greater humility, & obedience be tied to receive these Sacraments, under corporal forms whereby we may be partakers of spiritual, & invisible graces. To be brief the Sacraments depend not touching their dignity of the worthiness, or unworthiness of the Priest, but of god eue● good the author of the same. And they be ordained first to the honour & glory of God and increase of grace and as present remedies, and medicines against sin in persons well disposed▪ and also as certain effectual signs, and tokens, yea and in struements, of God's good will, grace, and mercy towards us, moving as well both the outward and inward man. Lastly 
When tho Sacraments move the outward man I mean that is but sometimes, & accidentaliter.  they be badges os true Christian men, whereby they be not only knit together in Religion, and uniformity of God's service, but also be discerned and known from Infidels and misbelievers, far more excellent than the Sacraments of the Law of Moses, by how much the truth exceedeth the shadow or figure. As for the laudable Ceremonies, the holy Church useth in administration of the same, they be praised by most ancient Fathers, and many of them practised in the Apostles time, and by experience we find stir up reverence and devoton in men's hearts, and therefore may not be left off for heretics scoffing, who in so doing, not only show themselves ridiculous, but of all grave and good men rather to be lamented, than with taunts answered.   

Chap. IX Of the holy Sacrament of Baptism, and of the necessity thereof.  
Now in disposition of these Sacraments in number seven, Gods providence & wisdom is chiefly declared, whereby he governeth, nourisheth, and confirmeth the best ordered commonweal his holy Church; for as you see in a temporal common wealth, first for the increase thereof be required procreation of Children: even so in Christ's commonweal the Church, is required a Spiritual regeneration, or newe-birth, as it were of Children, whereby we be made Christians, and heirs of God, and this is performed by the first Sacrament which is Baptism, whereby we be all borne again in Christ. For even, as unless we were borne of Adam we should not have original sin: even so unless we by Baptism, (at least in will and desire be borne again in Christ) we cannot be justified; which Sacrament is of such necessity, that none without it can be saved, at leastwise (if he cannot come to it) in will and affection, or in blood with the Innocents, and this is plainly Christ's own words, who taught us, Unless we be borne again of 
Mat. 28. Mar. 16. joh. 3.  Water and the Holy Ghost, we cannot enter into the kingdom, of God: And therefore because it is so needful that none but in that sort as I said before, without it can be saved; therefore see the goodness of Christ our Saviour, that did ordain the matter thereof in no other liquor, but in water only which is common to all, and most easily may be had, & yet besides that though none but a Priest is the ordinary minister of the Sacrament, yet if a Priest cannot be had, rather than the Child, or Person should die without Baptism, & so be lost for ever, god hath ordained, that either Man, or Woman, Turk, or jew, or Heretic in time of need, when no other person can be had, may baptize, yea and it is truly Christened, and cannot be Christened again, so they have intent to do, that the holy Church doth, & use the same words with Water together, which the Church doth, which is most easy, as, I baptize thee, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, & of the Holy Ghost, Amen. And the reason why Baptism is of such necessity, that none can be saved without it is this, because all we by the trespass of our first Parents Adam and Eve, are all borne in Original sin, sons of wrath & perdition, for as I said before, we all sinned in Adam's fall, as taking body of him, which being corrupted in him who of God was, created good, but sinned of himself as in the root, and being begotten of the same mass whereof he was the 
In this place I would imitate S. Austen in his Enchiridion, & alibi.  first Father (next to God the creator man, but not of sin) we be all by God's just judgement borne thrall to the same damnation that he was, in that he disobeyed God, in token whereof we feel in ourselves the very same infirmity in our bodies, and minds that he incurred by sin. For such was the state of our first Parents that were created in Original justice, that in keeping GOD'S holy Commandment they should without death of body freely have passed without labour, and pain, through this transitory life to everlasting life. But as soon as man had disobaied GOD he and all his issue fell into infinite miseries, as GOD threatened him he should do, saying if he broke his Commandment he should die, as being subject to the death of body and soul: whereas before Adam's fall, man's Free-will was of such value and force that his body was altogether (if the fault were not in himself) through GOD'S grace subject to reason, and his will. But now by losing of that first justice, quite contrary man's free-will, (though not quite lost, as Heretics lie) yet it is so much enfeebled that without God's speacial grace, and assistance, it can do nothing good in his sight to the obtaining of Salvation: hereupon it cometh to pass that the holy Apostle complaineth, that he felt a Law in his members repugnant to the Law of his mind leading him captive and subject whether he would, not that is as much to say, a kind of rebellion that by Adam's trespass we his poor children feel in our bodies which is concupiscence that reigneth in us, and provoketh us to evil contrary to right reason, which if it be not resisted it leadeth us to sin and damnation. Our good Lord then full of mercy and pity, seeing we could fall without him, but not rise without him, sent his only begotten son the second Adam to take upon him our frail nature and to be made like unto us in all things saving sin, and some such infirmities, and defects as do proceed of sin.  
Wherhfore, that vessel of God, that most pure, immaculate, & blessed Virgin, conceived him without sin, of the holy Ghost without knowledge of man, which Saviour though he is God, yet is he perfect man also in one person that is Christ God and man, who because he being God, & took upon him our nature without all spot of sin, therefore 
Some other causes likewise be why christ was not subject to death of duty (except only the will & ordinance of his father) who of his one good will gave his life for us.  he was not subject to death of duty, & necessity, which other men be for sin. Wherefore the Devil who had all mankind subject to death for sin, yet him he had not in that thraldom. Christ was only except, which that old wily serpent not perfectly knowing to be Christ the wisdom of God, entrapped him in his own snare. For the Devil envying our Saviour, by his holy life, and preaching drawing such multitudes from sin, & evil life, was afraid the whole world would have followed him, and his kingdom have decayed. Wherefore he stirred up his ministers the jews to make a ready dispatch and put him to death, which malice of the Devil and his ministers, Christ turned to the salvation of the whole world; for whereas thereby the Devil thought to have won many, he lost all, for putting our Saviour to death unjustly he lost those, whom he possessed before, in some sort justly.   

Chap. X How necessary, and fruitful Christ's passion is to all that follow him in patience, & good works, and how by Baptism the virtue thereof is applied to our souls.  
But you must understand though Christ died to save the whole world, yea one drop of his precious blood (in that sort as it was ever after the Incarnation & united to his divinity) had been, and is sufficient (if need were) for the ransom of many worlds, yet shall his passion save none, but those only that believe in him and keep his holy commandments, which every one by his grace may do, for God commandeth nothing impossible. But to make this more plain by a homely & familiar example. There is a pothecaries shop in some City full of medicines for all diseases, none you know be they never so sick, can be cured, or have any benefit thereby but such as will buy, send for those medicines, and apply them to their sores and diseases: so the passion of Christ is sufficient for infinite worlds if need were, but effectual & profitable to none but such as by themselves, or others apply it to their souls, by such ways, and means as he hath ordained, that is by faith▪ good works, and worthy receiving of his Sacraments, and such like other good means. This original sin than that we took all of our first parents is cleansed, & taken away by Baptism the first and most necessary Sacrament though not most excellent, which (as the rest of the Sacraments) doth take virtue of Christ's Passion: which sacraments (as conduit pipes, from that well of mercy the tree of the Cross) confer grace to our souls, so we put no obstacle of our parts: so necessary by such like means is the Passion of Christ to be applied unto us, that in no sort without it we can appease gods wrath for our sins nor be saved: neither Abraham, Moses, David, Elias (if he had died) nor any of the holy Prophets, could satisfy Gods wrath for their own sins, much less for the sins of the whole world till Christ's coming, nor since but by him, but they all and the rest of the Saints of the old testament, and holy Fathers were shut from the kingdom of God, and his sight in darkness, till Christ opened by his death the gate of Salvation, descended into Hell, and delivered out those holy Fathers, that so many thousands years there (with many heavy sighs, and fervent desires) expected his coming for their delivery: so that as we Christians believing the Passion of Christ, be saved by it now past, so those afore Christ's time were saved by hope and true belief in him the true Messias to come: yet this is the difference in salvation betwixt us since Christ, and they before his coming, that we presently after death (if we die in state of grace, or be not detained for a time in Purgatory to cleanse some lesser sins, or the 
* By reliks understand lesser defects or pain due to great sins viz. satisfactory● pains.  relics of sin) do enter into the kingdom of Heaven, & enjoy the sight of God, which they before Christ's time were they never so holy, could not attain to, till he had opened the gate of Paradise, shut for Adam's trespass, and kept by the Angels.   

Chap. XI declaring what Baptism is, & that Baptism remi●teth all sins, and how it truly justifieth us.  
You see now by this that is said the state of mankind for sin, and the necessity of Baptism to release him from sin: which Sacrament is ordained by Christ to take away that sin, wherein especially we be conceived, and borne of our forefathers, yea and all other sins too, if perhaps a man be not christened till he be old, as some converted from jews, and infidels now be. But you will say perhaps, if this sin we take of our first Parents, by Baptism in Christ be forgiven us, that after Baptism we are no more the sons of Adam but of Christ, not of death but of life, why then after christening do we feel in us, and have the same rebellion, and infirmities in our bodies still, which proceed of old Adam, as well as those have that be not christened? as for example we have still remaining in us that old rebellion of our flesh with many passions, & corrupt motions be-fraught with ignorance, forgetfulness, yea and subject to sickness and death, with many more inconveniences; all which defects, infirmities & the like we take of Adam & Eve our first Parents which (if they had not trespassed & we in them) we had never suffered. How happeneth it them (if by Christ their, and our trespass together is forgiven) that, as you will say, we still sustain the pain thereunto due? I answer true it is indeed, we bear still our infirmities, suffer still hunger, cold, shame, nakedness, and the like, which be left in us for sin, & by God therefore justly inflicted: But that you may better know why these still remain in us, you are to understand that in god which is all good there be two things espeatially, that is, his mercy & justice: whose mercy though it exceed all his works, yet we may not attribute so much to his mercy, that we take away his justice: for so we should derogate from God's honour, his most pure, and simple nature, which is all good, wherein ●uer mercy and justice be joined together. First then doth not God show his infinite mercy towards us, in that we ofding his Majesty which is infinite, which in no sort could be appeased, but by the death of his only begotten son (though otherwise if it had been his good pleasure he could have redeemed the world) in that I say by Baptism that taketh virtue of Christ's Passion, the door of grace in this life, & of heaven after death is opened to us, & so we be free from everlasting death, & damnation in hell, which before Baptism we were subject unto? doth not God therein show towards us his unspeakable mercy, making Christ pay for our sins? Yet it standeth with his justice, that if Christ our head, that paid for all, would not enter into his glory but by pains & death, than we his members must of justice be content to suffer some thing with him to be partakers of the work of our redemption, & so enter with him into his glory. For as saith S. August. Qui fecit te sine te, non saluabit te sine t●. he that made thee without thee, will not save thee without thyself. Besides this those infirmities of concupiscence of our flesh & rebellion in our minds (as long as they be but in the inferior part of our soul, that is, when reason ruleth them by virtue of this holy Baptism) be so far from sin, that if we resist them and yield not to them they be so far from sin (I say) that they greatly increase our merit, and be left in us to wrestle against, that our victory may be more glorious, and our reward greater, in that we infirm, and weak vessels of ourselves, having to fight still against so many strong enemies, as not only the world & devil, but also against the flesh that is ourselves, yet by the grace of Christ given us in Baptism, we may overcome them all. To be brief then, Baptism is a Sacrament instituted by Christ, whereby we be cleansed from sin, do forsake the Devil, are united and made one body with Christ, in his holy Church, and so thereby are delivered from everlasting death, and are made heirs of the heavenly kingdom, without which Sacament, in deed, or in will and affection at least (that is, if a man in no sort can possibly come unto it) none can be saved, as said our Saviour: Nisi quis natus fuerit denuo, non potest 
joh. 3. Mat. 28. Mar. 16.  videre regnum Dei. Unless a man be borne again (that is, by Baptism) he cannot enter into the kingdom of God, and again: Nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua, & spiritu Sancto, non potest intrare in regnum Dei, and again: Christ bade his Disciples go and baptize in the name of the Father and of the, etc. Unless a man be borne again of water and the holy Ghost, saith Christ, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Christ you see saith, that without water & the holy ghost we cannot be saved. The Protestants your ministers a number of them, teach you that christian men's children without Baptism may be saved, wherein they be contrary to Christ, the Gospel, and the common received saith of the holy Catholic Church of all ages, who with all speed ever hastened her children in danger of death to be baptized, knowing for certain, that if they departed without Baptism, they should be damned, not to so great a damnation, as those shall have, that after Baptism die in deadly sin, but yet those unchristened children shall be shut from the sight of God for-evermore, who is the full joy & delight of the soul, which is an unspeakable loss. Whereby you see the unmerciful dealing of the heretics of this time, who hinder poor infants from Baptism, & so utterly cast them away. The heretics of this time, especially Protestant's, 
* I mean the Puritans especially, who in their opinions leave almost no Sacrament at all. This as I remember I have hard reported of the anabaptists.  Puritans, and Anabaptists, have lest with them but one Sacrament, amongst seven that is Baptism only, and yet (good Lord) how many damnable heresies hold they about that! The * Anabaptists would have folks to be christened often, which is against the scriptures, and as much as in them lieth is to nail Christ to the Cross again: for by Baptism we be buried with him in his death to true mortification and once for all washed in his blood (I mean in Baptism which can not be itterated) as once for all he died, so that I say, to be rebaptized is to deny that virtue of Christ's passion once given for all in Baptism. For there is but one God as saith the Apostle one Faith, one Baptism and all Protestants and other heretics of this time commonly hold that Baptism doth not quit us from our sins, and make us just indeed as Christ and his Church teacheth, but say, that it but raseth as it were our sins, that they be not imputed to us, and that God as it were winketh at them: but yet nevertheless the blot remaineth in soul still which be two most damnable opinions, the one derogating chiefly from the Passion of Christ, the other from his honour and perfection of his work, who cleanseth men's souls in deed, by his Sacraments that they may be fit vessels, to be replenished with his glory, and made pure in his sight, & may see him for ever.   

Chap. XII Of the impiety, & abuse of heretics about Baptism.  
Moreover, many (as I said before) of your ministers teach, that if they have Baptism it is well, if they have it not, it is no matter, some will scarcely sprinkle water upon them, but make a preaching & some care not whether they use Christ's words in Baptism or no▪ as for the sign of the Cross (as being enemies indeed to the Cross of Christ, and not deserving the name of Christians that be ashamed of Christ our Master's ensign, and banner) they think and account it but a papistical, and superstitious ceremony, though in deed it is a most ancient, and Apostol●●● tradition: neither do they show themselves christians I say but rather Turkish, and members of Satan that be afraid, and ashamed of their Master's badge the Cross of Christ, whereby you see how little reckoning they make of Baptism without which we be Infidels and heathenish Turks (as it were) be a man borne never so much of Christian parents. For we receive our souls from God above, & not of our parents, that which we take of our parents is a piece of flesh only, conceived & brought out in sin in ourselves (I mean) soiled with that general fault, and blot we all take of Adam. For though our father's sins be to their souls forgiven by Baptism, yet in their bodies still remain the same infirmities they contracted by original sin before Baptism, & though those infirmities patiently borne, and resisted be not (as I said before) in our Parent's sin, but rather cause of merit, yet we being conceived of their bodies rebellious by concupiscence, bearing 
Yet I mean not that concupiscence in the regenerate is sin so we consent ●ot to it.  those infirmities, receive flesh, & body of them with the same infirmities and defects in us, that they of old Adam sustained and bore before Baptism, & so that spiritual substance, & creature, which is our soul▪ (being by God newly created▪ and infused, or put into our bodies newly form, laden with infirmities of Adam) then presently by GOD'S secret justice and judgement contracteth the same original sin, & is soiled with the same blot Adam our first father was, till it be washed away by Baptism. The heretics that see not this, show themselves either very ignorant, or else most malicious, that deceive the ignorant people and damn many poor souls, who because they be borne in that sin of Adam, in some sort without their own free will, therefore God ordained most present remedies to save them by, and that without their own procuring (if they be infants) the matter as water, being so common, the words so easy to be spoken, and that any reasonable person whosoever may be minister of it when a lawful Priest cannot be had; that is I mean, in necessity, when the child or person to be christened is in danger if death, for otherwise it ought not in any wise, to be sent to your new Ministers to be christened, nor Schismatic priests, nether if any Catholic Christian can be had till you can meet with a Catholic priest, t●ough the child of whomsoever may be truly christened; neither ought to be christened again, being once baptized, & the parents do offend, that send their children to be christened of such wolves, unlawful ministers, which be most unfit of all christian men to christian children, as holding & teaching so many monstrous heresies, about that holy Sacrament, and with all so little reckoning of it, & using it so unreverently, as scoffing at it & contemning many godly ceremonies the Church useth in adminstration of the same: which though they be not of the substance of the Sacrament, yet be they very requisite and expedient, as well to stir up devotion in the assistants & bystanders, as also that the enemy may have less power before & after to impedite any spiritual benefit the person baptised hath, or is to receive by means of Baptism, & that Satan may have less power to possess, or infest the vessel of God. hereupon as saith Saint Basill, we consecrate, or bless the water of Baptism, and the holy oil of Unction, and him also that ●●ceiueth Baptism. Finally let Godfathers and Godmothers look well to their charge, who promise for the child, that it shall forsake the Devil, and his works▪ and keep the Commandments of God and holy Church, I assure you their charge is not small.   

Chap. XIII of the holy Sacrament of Confirmation.  
The next Sacrament to Baptism is Confirmation which Sacrament though not so necessary as Baptism, yet as 
Aug. lib. 2. cont. lit. Petil. cap. 104.  Saint Augustine affirmeth it is as holy as it, and is given to those that be baptised first by the imposition, or laying on the hands of a lawful bishope ordinarily, & the inunction of holy Chrism: which Sacrament assoon as Christians can conveniently come to, they ought at their lawful Bishop's hands to desire, and receive it, otherwise they sin, and offend God grievously, if there be in them notable negligence. This Sacrament is a confirming, strengthening, and increasing a man in God's grace, which he before in Baptism first received & God began to work in him. For thereby a man is made more fit to overcome ghostly temptations, is threngthned in faith and devotion, ready to confess Christ, and fight under his banner (if need be) with shedding of his blood, being never to death ashamed to confess his holy name, and the Catholic faith, and truth. This Sacrament was ordained by Christ, as we be taught by Catholic doctrine, and tradition apostolic. This Sacrament, I say, (as all others) took beginning by the institution of 
Luc. 24. These places of Scripture many learned divines use for confirmation, where by I hinder none to allege more apt or plain authorities for this Sacrament.  Christ, who first thus spoke to his Apostles, Sat you in the City until you be clothed with virtue from above. And afterwards in the day of Penticost he powered the holy ghost in to the hearts of his disciples: which marvelous sending, or coming down of his holy spirit Saint Luke most divinely describeth: as also in the eight, and nineteenth chapter of the acts of the Apostles, he writeth how the Apostles did lay their hands upon those that were baptized (in using which visible sign they were more confirmed in grace) and after such imposition of hands, received the holy Ghost, Now lawful bishops (God never leaving his Church destitute of his grace)▪ do that which the Apostles did, whose place and person they sustain in giving this holy Sacrament. The lawful minister then of this holy Sacrament of Confirmation (ordinarily I mean) is only a Bishop, the matter thereof is mixed of Oil, and balm which consecrated by the Bishop is called Chrism, and the form which the bishop useth is I sign● thee with the sign of the Cross, and I confirm thee with Chrism, or unction of health, or salvation. In the name of the Father & of the Son, etc. This matter of Oil sanctified (where unto balm signifying the odoriferous savonr of good works is adjoined) is used in this Sacrament to signify the effect thereof. For as Oil is fat and cureth griefs, assuageth pains, refresheth and strengtheneth the weary bodies: so the Oil of God's grace (plentifully powered done in man's soul in this Sacrament) assuageth inordinate passions & motions, cureth our defects, strengtheneth and encourageth us in all godly ways, & replenisheth us with many spiritual, & heavenly gifts, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles above alleged, that when the people of Samaria had received Christ's faith, & were baptized afterwards the Apostles at jerusalem sent S. Peter, & S. john to confirm them in their 
Act. 8.  belief and God's grace, who when they came thither prayed for them, & when they laid their hands upon them they received the holy Ghost (that was more plentifully of the holy spirit of God) which imposition of hands by them, without all doubt Divines hold was Confirmation which lawful Bishops their Successors, & no other properly, or ordinarelye by Christ's holy ordinance do use, of which Sacrament likewise is mention made under the name of imposition of hands in the 6. Chapter to the Hebrues, by which place it appeareth that it cannot be iterated, or given to one twice, no more than Baptism can. This holy sacrament thus instiuted by Christ & which was by his Apostles with so great fruit practised Protestants & other like heretics of this time abolish, & quite put away, at least would make no more of it than a bare Ceremony, or Catechism, like Sacrilegious, and most ungodly men, accounting holy Oil consecrated by God's holy word that blesseth, & sanctifieth all things (o horrible blasphemy) no better, or fit for nothing but to grease boots & shows. 
This gross term though barbarous to write▪ yet woe be to heretics that are not ashamed to avouch it, giving me occasion to speak so.  But no marvel seeing they set so little store by Baptism, as I declared before, though they make Confirmation no Sacrament nor scarce allow it for a Ceremony: for indeed they hau● never a true Bishop left alive in England (which miserable state this poor Country (alas) was not in of a thousand years before) that can minister or give the holy Sacrament of Confirmation; for these wolves that be thrust in true Bishops places, be so far from Bishops, that the most of them be no Priests at all, and the lawful Bishops being gone and consumed by long imprisonment and dead, these bishops (terming themselves falsely Superintendents or Bishops) have either by simony, or sinister means intruded themselves in there places, or else be set therein by such as have no such power in spiritual government, but in spiritual matters ought to be ruled themselves, as sheep by their lawful pastors and bishops. But (oh England) how far art thou fallen from God, all due ecclesiastical order, and true religion for sin? Confirmation than you see (as I have declared) is a Sacrament, whereby as in a temporal common wealth when children to uphold and increase it, must be borne, & to make more perfect men, and soldiers must be strengthened, armed, & encouraged▪ so in this heavenly common wealth of Christ's Church when children are borne again by Baptism they ought to be confirmed more in grace, to make them more bold, and courageous soldiers of Christ, by the holy Sacrament of Confirmation, that so they may fight more valiantly in God's ways, and vanquish those Princes of darkness conquer the world, and themselves and win an everlasting Crown.   

Chap XIIII of the holy Sacrament of Penance, and of the three parts thereof, and of the necessity thereof to all sinners after Baptism.  
But as you see in a dangerous fight, a most valiant soldier may sometime take a deadly wound, whereunto a plaster and most sovereign salve is most needful, that so after he may fight more manfully: Even so Christ the good physician knowing the dangerous warfare man hath here upon earth with those most mighty enemies, the flesh, the world, & the devil, whereby sometime in soul he may take a deadly wound; that father of mercy then, and God of all comfort (knowing the weakness of our vessels, and taking compassion of our infimitie) to cure our deadly wounds, hath ordained another most wholesome Sacrament called Penance, which Saint Hierome calleth Secundam tabulam post naufragium the second table after shipwreck. For even as if in the Sea a ship burst there is no other remedy but take some board & swim out: Even so in this troublesome Sea of this wretched world which like the Sea is alway stormy, if a man after Baptism fall again to sin (as we be all sinners, and need the grace of God) then lo, there is no other refuge to besaved, but only by Penance, as our Saviour teacheth us: Nisi penitentiam 
Luc. 13. vers. 3  egeritis, omnes simul peribitis. Unless you do penance you shall altogether perish, which fall of ours by sin, as it especially consisteth in three things, in Thought, word, and Deed: So hath God's mercy ordained this Sacrament of Penance as a remedy which consisteth of three parts, that is first of Contrition of heart, in being sorrowful for our sins with full-purpose to amend; secondly of Confession of mouth in confessing the same to a lawful Priest as the Vicar of Christ; and thirdly in Satisfaction of works, which be Fasting, Prayer, Almsdeeds, and the like, which the Holy Scripture termeth fruits, or works of Penance. At this Heretics (when they cannot answer) scoff, but we prove them by Gods word, and authority of the Holy Catholic Church: We prove then the first part of Penance, that is Contrition of heart, by many places of Holy Scripture, 
I●●l. ●.  as where we are commanded to convert, and turn ourselves to GOD in Fasting, Weeping, and Lamentation: And again, Scindite corda vestra, & non vestimenta vestra, etc. Rend your hearts and not your garments, etc. 
Tolet. sum. lib. 2. Cap. 4. & conc. Trid. sess. 14. cap. 4.   
Which sorrow of heart is of such force when it is done in charity and pure love to God, that by virtue thereof it sometime may be so great, that man's sins may thereby be forgiven: Whereupon Almighty God sayeth by his holy Prophet, Convert to me, and I will be converted to you: And again, In quacunque hora ingemuerit peccator, etc. At what hour soever a sinner lamenteth from the bottom of his heart I will hear him. But what need we then saith the Heretics, to confess our sins to a priest? I answer for diverse causes; first because it is the ordinance of Christ in his New Testament, who knoweth best how to Order, 
Mat. 5. 21. Christian justice, I grant far exceedeth that of the pharisees in more things than one, which words declare the perfection of the new testament which to get, Confession is a great means.  Rule, and Govern his people, who telleth us, 
* Wherein is ever understood Confession included to be made in due time.  Unless our justice exceedeth that of the Scribes and Pharisees, we shall not enter into the kingdom of GOD, etc. For afore Christ indeed Penance was not a Sacrament as now it is, neither were they of the old Testament that was before Christ bond to confess all their sins, (Saluo meliori judicio) to the Priest, but compunction, inward repentance, and sorrow of heart, with amendment and restitution for injustice done would suffice, though even then we read that many would openly confess, yet in that state when the prophet spoke those words, we grant that in what hour soever a sinner with due repentance, or contrite sorrow and compunction of heart converted himself to God, he would forgive him, yea and moreover we grant the same still now in this law of grace since Christ that when-soever a man hath perfect contrition, or sorrow for his sins, they be forgiven him; but true contrition or perfect repentance with perfect love and charity to God, can no man have but he that hath will to keep Gods Commandments, and to do that Christ hath bidden: But Christ hath commanded that we confess our sins, as after I will prove by the Gospel, and therefore no man can have perfect contrition or conversion to God but he that is sorrowful for his sins, that assoon as he can meet, with a lawful Priest, or in due time he will confess them; that so Christ's ordinance being fulfilled by means of the Priest, they may be forgiven him. But if a man be in danger of death, or in such place that he cannot come possibly by any mean to confession before a Priest: then no doubt if he have perfect contrition and sorrow for his sins, Christ the high Priest (who as I said before is not so bound to his Sacraments but that without them he can give his grace) giveth in such time of necessity perfect absolution from sin, yea so great the sorrow of heart may be that both sin, yea and pain due unto sin in this life, and in the next may be forgiven. And I doubt not but that there be many good men that perhaps come to Confession once every week; that before they confess to the Priest have their sins forgiven at Gods hands: so great is their love to God, & sorrow for their sins, for that they have offended him, that is chief to be be loved; yet because of Christ's ordinance, in their contrition is always Confession included, or understood, which was plainly signified unto us, and taught by our Saviour by two especially of his wonderful miracles: the one was when he had healed the lepers he had them go and show themselves 
Luc. 17. 14.  to the priests, whereby we be taught, that though our sins (which be leprosy to our souls) be already in God's sight by perfect sorrow forgiven yet we must show them by confession to the Priest God's Vicar, because it is Christ's holy ordinance, who hath left that power his father gave him to his holy Church. Again when Christ raised Lazarus, that was four days dead (who signifieth a man deeplye dead in sin) when he was alive and rose up, having yet his hands, and feet bound, Christ bade his disciples Lose his bands, and suffer him to go a 
john. 11. 44.  way. So when Christ by his grace inwardly in man's heart, hath wrought sorrow, and repentance, and so made the sinner alive again in soul (which is a greater work of God then raising a dead man in body) he then bids his disciples lawful priests lose him by his authority left and given them, whereby what soever is bound in earth or loosed shallbe bound or loosed in Heaven, and so let▪ him go freely away loosed from the bands of sin.   

Chap. XV That Confession of our sins to a lawful Priest is necessary.  
BEsides this, Confession is necessary, because no man knoweth whether he hath true Contrition, or no, it is a thing so hard to be known: for though when a man doth that which he can, he may be in good hope, he is in gods grace and favour, yet none knoweth certainly whether he be worthy love or hatred, now though a man have not perfect sorrow, and contrition; yet if he be sorry he can be no more sorry, and fully purpose to satisfy & amend that which is past, coming them with lowly Confession to the Priest, an unperfect sorrow (which divines call attrition) by virtue of the holy Sacrament of Penance, in Confession 
I speak here after the common phrase of some, who say: Ex attrito fit quis contritus, though In rigore nun quam attritioper se fit contritio, quorum principia sunt contraria cum una ex timore alia vero ex amore ●riatur.  it is made and allowed before God for contrition, and so the eternal punishment for the sin is forgiven, by virtue of the keys committed to S. Peter, yet the Church with attrition, or imperfect sorrow, without Confession cannot save a man, but if he should die in it so without the holy Sacrament of Confession, yea though he had purpose to confess if he could, without doubt he should be damned: whereby you may see of what necessity Confession is, if there were no other reason save this. Moreover the grace of God so concurreth with this Sacrament that sometime in Confession a man may have contrition though he had it not before. All which and many more important reasons show the conveniency, and necessity of Confession. Now this Contrition is nothing else but an inward, and most great sorrow that a man hath, that he hath offended God chief to be beloved above all things: whereby we may gather that it is not true Contrition, when a man is sorry for any worldly loss, hindrance, or shame that cometh unto him, for that he hath offended, neither when one repenteth for fear of hell only (though the holy Church in her Sermons, and otherwise right worthily, setteth before men's eyes the pains of hell, that so through fear of God's judgement hard hearted sinners, may come to the perfect love of God) neither is it true contrition when one is sorry, & amendeth for fear of death only, or the loss of Heaven, though that fear be good, and laudable, yet is not so perfect, but a very good disposition to perfection. For if there were neither Death, judgement, Hell, nor Heaven, yet we ought to be sorry for that we have by sin lost and offended God, which above ourselves and all things is to be beloved, & when we be sorry for that espeacially, them have we perfect sorrow & contrition: whereby it appeareth how far those be from true contrition and conversion to God, that live a lose, and evil life, and then in peril of death for fear thereof only, and that which followeth, seem to lament and be sorry, and not for any love to God: who cry then, Lord Lord, & yet never do the will of that heavenvly Father: which kind of men Christ affirmeth shall never enter into that heavenvly kingdom, for though no man may despair at any hour when he hath full will to come to God, yet S. Aug. right worthily doubteth of those that defer their conversion to the last hour, the reason is, because with out a rare special grace of God, such men them come to God rather for fear of death than love of God, & so want true contritic; yet if they can come to the Sacrament of Confession than lastly & be sorry, they can be no more sorry, with purpose fully to amend, there is great hope then of Salvation in them. See then of what value Confession is whereof mention is made, yea & the practise thereof showed thus in the 19 Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. Multi credentium veniebant confitentes & annunciantes actus suos. That as many of those that believed came confessing and showing their works. And Saint james in the fift Chap. teacheth us thus Confitemini etc. Confess to one another your sins, whereof see but only Venerable Bede his exposition. Many desperate sinners defer their amendment to God desiring but one hour to be saved at last with the good thief, but one swallow maketh not a spring, the example of the thief was that no man should despair, but the damnation of infinite thousands, that defer their conversion to God till the last hour forwarneth us not to presume to sin. For that thief, that in the end beconing good was saved, sinned of ignorance perhaps all his life, and not of malicious presumption, as those do that will come to god when they list; nay it is his great mercy if he receive any, live they never so well; again, the thief had so perfect contrition & made such satisfaction for his sin as I doubt whether any man can do the like. For his sorrow, & repentance none doubteth of, which contrite & humbled heart god will never despise, he confessed there his sin to Christ the high-Priest, & he made thereof such satisfaction in confessing Christ upon the Cross, & reprehending the blasphemer before that multitude and the whole world, in so much that one act of his was of more value than perhaps some good preacher can merit in preaching Christ forty years together in the pulpit. So that this thief died a glorious Martyr. Let desperate sinners then that 
The opinion of some.  die in bed take heed betime they come not short of him. Now what this Confession is, to whom it ought to be made, who ordained it, and what fruit cometh thereby I will briefly declare. First Confession is the opening of man's fault, aswell secret, as public, spiritual & corporal, with detestation of sin above all things. Confession in holy Scripture is divers, as abundantly in the old Testament is declared, as to God, to lawful judges, etc. But now sacramental confession in this law of grace, is to a lawful Priest, having jurisdiction sitting in Christ's steed, and place, whereof saith Saint James. Confess one to another 
James. 5. 16.  your sins that you may be saved.   

Chap. XVI Of Confession more in particular, and of some sins against the first and second commandment.  
None is bound by the law of god to confession to a priest that is Sacramental Confession, unless he can justly accuse himself of deadly sin, that is of the breach of any of God's commandments, or unless he doubt probably, that he hath offended deadly, yet the holy Church commandeth once a year to receive, before which Confession in laymen (but much more in Priests if they find their consciences guilty) is commonly presupposed, which unless every one observe (unless he have some just impediment) he grievously sinneth: and though a man cannot find himself guilty of deadly sin, yet of some small sins (wherein we daily all offend and without which this life can hardly be led) the best may accuse themselves, & may very well confess them; and ordinarily good men some every wreak do confess such small sins: as light thoughts, vain words, and the like, which be commonly called venial sins, and whereof Christ saith we shall make account at the day of judgement if we first judge not ourselves here, which though not of necessity (because otherways they may be forgiven) yet they may be matters of confession. But a deadly sin if one after due discussion of his conscience can remember it & come to a lawful Priest every one under pain of damnation is bound to confess to a lawful Priest a deadly sin (I say) that is, the transgression, or breach of Gods Commandment, & it is called deadly because it draweth to everlasting death unless we confess it in the holy Sacrament of Penance if in any sort we can come to the Priest. Deadly sins be many, but especially these following be called capital and principal sins whereof all other sins proceed. Pride, Covetousness, Lechery, Gluttony, Wrath, 
Yet these sins some of them especially be not always mortal, but in some deep, or high degrees.  Envy, & Sloth. Moreover false belief, infidelity, & heresy, these three be most grievous deadly sins: likewise, witches or those that go or send to witches, or such you call wisemen & conjurers, those offend deadly. Likewise those that speak evil of God, our Lady, or his holy Saints, or against the Pope Christ's vicar here in earth, or against the holy Sacraments especially the B. Sacrifice of the Mass, those be all, or some of them sacrilegious blasphemous sinners, & excommunicate, & cannot be forgiven without Confession (at least in will when a Priest cannot be had) for those sins be most deadly against the first Commandment of God, that commandeth no God but one to be worshipped; as for Images, or Pictures of Christ & his holy saints they be no more forbidden us therein than to carry the Image of our Queen in our money or the like. God forbade all Idolatry, & worshipping of false Gods, & unclean & false Idols, & Images; not true Images that be lively memories of our Redemption, & virtuous personages, & therefore be called laymen's books, as holy Fathers term them. Nay God himself (as you shall read in holy Scripture) commanded Images to be made of Angels which were set up in salomon's Temple 
3. Reg. 6.  wherefore Christians right worthily set in their temples, the Images of Christ & his Saints. For many a simple unlearned man knoweth not how Christ died upon the Cross, but only by seeing his picture upon the Cross; therefore heretics that have pulled it out of Churches do that which lieth in them to put Christ's Passion out of man's mind, brag they never so much in words of the same. We then offend not against the first commandment of God that religiously keep and set up holy pictures to imprint Christ's memory in our hearts, but they that break and pull them down be impious heretics, who therefore in general Counsels many hundred years before by the consent of all Christendom have been condemned. Who in deed be worse than old idolaters, as worshippers of their own opinions; an Idolatry far worse than that of the gentiles. Again great swearers, and forswearers offend deadly and aught to confess; for an oath ought not to be used but in justice and judgement, whereby God is called to witness. Likewise those that break their vows: as of chastity, and the like. Let Schismatic priests that after their vows have taken whores to their concubines which they term their wives, look to this: as for Ministers they have no damnation for marriage, which priests with their so termed wives have, because they never made vow of chastity, for they (good men) think it impossible to be chaste, whereas 
* Cor. 7. 7. Ministers I mean so that they would forsake their heretical ministery and become Catholics should not sin in taking upon them honest marriage or in being married.  Saint Paul wisheth all men to be so as himself that was chaste. As for unlawful oaths, when, where, & before whomsoever they be taken, they ought not to be kept, for they do evil in taking them, but worse in keeping them if the matter be of importance, and unjust. As when Herod swore his daughter should have what she asked, and she like an envious caitiff by her mother's suggestion asked Saint john's head. Herode did evil in swearing rashly, but he offended worse, in keeping his oath deliberately. 
* Mar. 6.    

Chap. XVII. Of the rest of the Commandments, and of some sins against them to be confessed to the Priest.  
LIkewise when one goeth, & as oftas he goeth to the heretics Church to hear or be present with them at service, it is a deadly sin and Schism, and a denial of Christ which is the truth, and much more grievous a sin it is in recieuing that wicked and most blasphemous communion of theirs, which is heinous Idolatry, for that a man taketh a piece of bread reposing therein his salvation, contrary to Christ's holy ordinance, that left us his body and blood in the holy Sacrament to be received which they like traitors to God and his Church have abolished, and deceive with a piece of bakers bread the simple people, giving it them in steed of that bread of life that came down from heaven, whereby we all do live. So that this communion of theirs, being quite contrary to Christ's ordinance to receive it is most horrible, and deadly sin. And as by a worthy receiving the blessed Sacrament a man is made one body with christ; so to receive their communion it maketh a man one body with Antichrist, & the devil: wherefore I cannot find, or can hardly find a greater sin than to go to the heretics Church, & receive with them. For receiving the communion as the Diabolical Samaritans, the ministers thereof do raise up an Altar as it were against the true Altar of God, which God ever so abhorred & terribly punished: so the receivers of that communion (I say) make a public profession of the denial of the B. Body & Blood of jesus in the holy Eucharist, & of the catholic Faith & Religion: yea take a sign & seal of the same, incorporating themselves thereby to the synagogue of Antichrist, & the devil, as the worthy receivers of the B. Sacrament, be incoporate, knit, or made one body with Christ. Likewise not to come to Mass every Sunday, & Holiday (if a man can conveniently) is deadly sin.. So not to receive once a year, & that about Easter, the most Blessed Sacrament, is deadly sin.. Likewise all servile works and labours (unless a man have great need, or that things stand in danger of losing) be forbidden on one of those days under pain of sin. Those that in all lawful and honest things of great importance disobey their Parents, Masters, Kings, Princes and lawful Superiors offend deadly. But if father or mother, master or mistress, King or prince, or whosoever command me any unlawful thing against God's law, or the law of the holy Catholic Church I may then in no sort obey them, no not to die for it: but in that case we may say with Saint Peter▪ when the officers, and judges would have had him to have broken God's law, & to have been an obedient and good subject (as heretics term it) to his Prince, Nay saith S. Peter we must obey 
Act. 5. 29  God rather than men. And yet in all lawful & honest things he exhorteth, and commandeth us to obey Princes & Rulers, which we ought to do, otherwise we offend. Moreover those that give not every one their due (especially in a matter of importance) and oppress their tenants, or unjustly wrong their poor neighbours offend deadly. Likewise those that unjustly kill, by word or deed; or consent to death, or murder of others, or in any sort procure their own or other men's▪ death unjustly offend deadly: though the lawful judge & Magistrate may cause malefactors to be executed, & if they do it without malice, and justly, they do God good service. Likewise those that speak, and use craft, & unjust dealing deceiving their neighbours in great matters offend deadly. So likewise do aluserers yea though they take but the statute, and are bound under pain of deadly sin to make restitution, otherwise the Priest cannot give them absolution. Those likewise be cloaked usurers that sell dearer than the market will give in ready money, for that they forbear their money; yet if they sustain any hindrance by bearing their money, they may justly take so much as thereby they be hindered, but no more. Here I lament the state of many merchants & petty fogging lawyers, for it is very dangerous: As for Simony, as buying and selling▪ spiritual benefices, and such matter; it is now so common amongst the new Bishops and ministers, that because God taketh not present vengeance upon them, but stayeth for their amendment, they think it is almost no sin, but they shall find it one day most heavy; for it is most deadly, and if ever God send a good and Catholic time here in our Country they may chance be called to a reckoning for their honest dealing, unless they speedily amend and become friends, as they have been enemies to the Church, which I beseech God they may to his glory, and their own Salvation. Likewise all fornication, and unlawful dealing with any (save only that lawful knowledge between man and wife) is a deadly sin, and that betwixt man & wife also ought to be in honest sort for the avoiding of fornication, and for procreation of children, otherwise it is sin. Here likewise all dishonest touching of ourselves or others, and all unseemlye looks, all unhonest speeches, and unlawful desires, with a full consent of heart to that fleshly sin of lechery is forbidden, under pain of deadly sin, which and many other secret sins (not fit here to be named) are rather in Confession to be forbidden than here to be opened. But I am afraid England at this day (were it but only in such matters) is in a miserable state for want of Confession. For young folks (alas) be not taught what is sin, nor how to avoid it. Likewise all drunkards, gluttons, especially those that break Lent, Fridays, Saturdays, Ember days, and other eves, & holy fasting days (if they be able to fast, or have not some lawful impediment) commonly offend deadly, and so do all pernicious liars to other men's hurt, slaunderes, backbiters, stealers, or unjust receivers of other men's goods, these and many others hidden, and open fins that I cannot stand to reckon be deadly against God's holy Law and Commaundiments, and must be confessed, and that to a lawful Priest, that hath jurisdiction, and authority: for it is not the least of those deadly sins by me reckoned (with many more which time serveth me not to reckon) but they deserve everlasting death. And because the breach of God's commandment procureth death to the soul▪ as the breach of the Prince's commandment (in capital matters) procureth death of the body, therefore they be called deadly.   

Chap. XVIII Declaring what sin is, & how griovous in the sight of God, and how severely it is, and shall be punished for ever.  
ANd that you may the better understand what sin is, & so fear God & fly it, you shall understand that nothing displeaseth God, but sin which is the breaking of his holy law and Commandments. For when God saith thou shalt not do this, and then a man breaking his law, doth contrary to God's commandment, he showeth himself a disobedient subject, loving his own will and preferring it before Gods will, and so deserveth death in that he preferreth any creature or transitory pleasure before God the Creator, 
Note that this chief lie I mean by them which sin of malice: for many do sin only of frailty.  who is to man's soul everlasting life: Doth not (think you) that subject justly deserve death that wisheth in his heart, & doth what is in him, that his sovereign & lawful Prince were dead? Every one confesseth it. Let every one examine themselves whosoever committeth any dead lie sin & (I warrant you) secretly lurking in his heart he would wish there were no god to give judgement against him & to punish his sin, and so as much as lieth in him goeth about to pull God 
This seemeth true in every heinous mortal sin.  from his throne by committing one deadly sin▪ in that he preferreth the creature before God the Creator, (so vile a thing is the fond delight of one sin, which sin is a privation to nothing, fit for nothing but for everlasting fire) before him who is so good who be blessed for ever. Whereupon holy S. Chrisostome hath a feaerful but most true saying. The Devil at the last day shall challenge the sinful man arguing with God and saying. This man is mine, for my will and precepts hath he ever followed, but thy holy will & commandments would he never obey, & therefore of thy justice thou canst not deny me him. That man▪ then that offendeth the Majesty of God, which is everlasting, & wishing secretly in his heart there were no God to punish him, that so evermore he might sin, dying in the affection thereof deserveth therefore everlasting death, though it be but for one such a deadly sin, & should no doubt therefore be punished as long as God is God; that is for ever (because man of himself could never satisfy) but that God of his mercy hath ordained this holy Sacrament of Penance which taketh virtue of Christ's Blood, which united to his divinity, is able to appease God's wrath: by means thereof (I say) & not otherwise (at least in will & perfect contrition) after Baptism he may rise again. And that you may better believe that I say, assure yourself God so much abhorreth sin, that but for one sin of pride & that but only in thought, in that the first & most beautiful Angel 
Esay. 14.  said in his heart, he would be like to the highest, God spared him notnor a number more of those noble creatures the Angels far more excellent than man, but cast than down from heaven to the uttermost depth of hell without all recovery. So ugly & unclean is sin in God's sight, in so much that he spared not Adam the first 
Gen. 3.  man but cast him out of Paradise, & all but for one deadly sin in breaking his commandment in eating the forbidden Apple. The smart whereof all we his poor sons feel & shall feel to the world's end. For sin God spared not the whole world 
Gen. 7.  (save eight persons) but drowned al. For sin he spared not those noble Cities Sodom 
Gen. 19  & gomorrha, but destroyed them with fire & brimstone: In somuch that where they stood is to this day a dead sea, or lake, in token of that filthy sin of lechery & against nature, wherein those cities abounded, that no living creature liveth therein, nor any thing (though it bearreth iron aloft) can swim but sink, the fruits that grow about it seem fair, but inwardly be full of stinking ashes, which straying qualities of that lake is a token of gods heavy wrath & indignation for ever more for sin. Likewise Core, Dathan, & Abiron with all their adherents for rebellion 
Num. 16.  against Moses and Aaron, Priests & Prophets of God (as heretics now rebel against the high priests of Christ) in detestation of that grievous sin of division and Schism with fire that came down from heaven were destroyed, and the earth opened and swallowed them quick to hell. For some one deadly sin we read in holy scripture, that God hath stricken some with sudden death, in token of everlasting death, that remaineth for sin after this life. As that man that committed that foul sin not to be named which nature abhorreth, the Angel of god struck him suddenly with death. Likewise Ananias & Saphira for one sin 
Act. 5.  of sacrilegious covetousness, in deceiving the Apost▪ at a word of S. Peter fell down dead. To be brief God hath not spared most noble persons, Kingdoms, Nations, no nor the whole world, no nor last of all his only begotten son, but suffered him to be beaten as long as he had any drop of blood in his body, not 
Esthyperbolica lo●uti●  for his own (which was most innocent) but for our sins: And may we think (though he bear long) unless we amend & do Penance that he will spare us? No surely: for if our Saviour said to those women that at his passion followed him and wept. O daughters of jerusalem, 
Luc. 23.  weep not for me, but for yourselves & children. For if they do this in the green wood, what shall be done in the dry? As if he should have said, if they do this to me, if I suffer this which am without sin, the green fruitful tree of life, and that for your sins, what should be done then with him that being dry, void of the moisture of gods grace as a dry stick, fit for nothing but to make a firebrand in hell, and be punished for his own sins for ever in torments? The consideration than no doubt of this horror of sin, how much it displeaseth God, and how grievously it hath been punished in this world in all states, and shall be for ever in the next life, was the cause that made so many blessed Saints of old to take upon them such Penance in the willdernesse night and day: punishing themselves in this life, that they might have perfect joy and rest in the next. Whereof said S. Augustine. Hic ure, hic seca ut in illa die quiescam. Good Lord here burn, here cut that I may rest at that day, so great and odious in God's sight is one deadly sin, that had a man done never so many good deeds afore, yet if he die in that sin without Penance, he should lose all and be damned for ever. For by one deadly sin man doth as much as lieth in him to nail Christ to the Cross again, in so much that our sins were the cause of his death. And so beautiful is the soul in the sight of God when it is out of sin, that Christ for example if it had been but to have saved, and delivered your soul from sin, would have suffered as much as be did for th● whole world.   

Chap. XIX. Of the great ingratitude of man to God by sin, and that there is a difference of sins, with an exhortation to Confession, and amendment by Penance.  
O Sweet & most loving Lord jesus, why then dare we be so bold to offend the? If you should see me a wretched sinful man for your sake stripped naked and all my blood with beating running upon the flower, would you not have pity? I am sure you would. Remember them that Lamb of God he that made you & giveth you life & all things, that you have thus beaten him for your sins and do Penance for those that be past whilst you have space, & be afraid to offend him any more, who hath so dearly paid for our sins. For he is the same God he was, and if he spared not such people more in favour with him than we be, no more will he us, unless we (whilst we have time) speedily amend. But you will say, you speak of things impossible for any to keep in this life, for all we be daily sinners, and as saith S. john. 
1. joh. 1. 8  If we say we be without sin, we deceive ourselves. I grant none of us liveth without daily sins, & therefore we say daily in our Pater noster, dimit nobisdebita nostra good Lord forgive us our trespasses: but you must understand there is great difference in sins. There is a sin to death which S. john speaketh of, wherein if a 
1. joh. 5. 16.  man continue without Penance to the end for such a one he would not have us to pray, that is, those that continue to death in any of those deadly sins by me before rehearsed, without amendment and penance. But from such great sins a man by God's grace may ever abstain, as from Theft, Murder, Whoredom, Heresy, and the like enormous crimes. For God commandeth nothing unpossible, but that a man may by his grace easily keep. For otherwise God should be unjust, that would command us things to do, and forbidden us other things, and yet in not keeping his Commandments punish us for the same, if we be not able to keep them, which to think or speak (as heretics do) of God which is all good and just, is most horrible blasphemy. But one other kind of sin there is, which we call Venial sin, as a light thought, vain word, and the like, & that deserveth not damnation, nor is so grievous in God's sight, and in such small sins the best commonly offend, some more, some less, and as we oft & diverse ways fall therein, so be there diverse ways for our remedy, as oft saying the Pater noster with sorrow and purpose to amend, knocking upon the breast, sprinkling ourselves with Holy-water, taking Holybread, giving Alms, Fasting, with many such charitable works and the like; yet we must abstain from such little sins to, as much as we may for fear of falling into greater; yea and Christ saith: Of every 
Math. 12.▪ 36.  idle word at the day of judgement we must make account, & therefore we had need fly all sin as much as we may, for the least sin (though it damneth not) yet it darkeneth man's soul, hindereth God's grace and devotion, and if we do not satisfy for it in this life, we must be purged for it in the next (before we can attain the sight of God) in that cleansing fire of purgatory, th●t far exceedeth all the pain and punishment in this world. But for those great sins which be deadly, neither Pater noster▪ knockin, kneeling, nor any other ceremonies of the Church will serve without the holy Sacrament of Penance, of which sins chiefly, our saviour spoke, Unless 
Luc. 13. 5.  you do Penance, you shall all perish. Wherefore as I said every deadly sin must needs be opened in confession, with sorrow of heart and full purpose to amend. * Which confession before a 
We ought to be diligent to confess all great sins▪ for even as a wound not well searched to the bottom (though outwardly ●●aled) yet corrupteth the whole member, or body: so doth deadly sin by dissimulation not opened in Confession infect & destroy the whole soul 1. Cor. 11. 13.  Priest ought to be brief, simple, plain, in humble sort, entire or whole, sorrowful & prepared to obey. First brief it ought to be not with many words, but necessary, accusing no body but ourselves, in no sortexcusing ourfaults, but plainly telling the truth, and no more than the truth. In hnmble sort▪ remembering that what we tell to the Priest, we speak as to God: which confession must be entire or whole, that we tell not one sin & leave another unconfessed, but confess all, as far as our memory serveth for God forgiveth all or else none, and therefore as we remember them, we be bound to confess, and then God will forgive that & the rest. And withal in Confession every one ought to be prepared to do that is enjoined him to do by his ghostly-father, and for so judging a man's self here in this world, a man at the day of judgement shall not be judged. But if he will not confess himself to one man here, them at the last day shall his sins before God & the whole world be laid before him to his utter shame, confusion & endless damnation, & therefore as S. Paul exhorteth us. Let us judge ourselves here, (that is by humble Confession) and we shall not be judged at the last day. For God hath left a judgement seat here of mercy in his Church, before which if a man judge himself, he shall escape that strait judgement at the last day, if first he be loosed & quit here: neither needeth a man fear to confess, for the Priest may not reveal, or disclose any thing uttered in Confession no not for his life, nor to save or lose the whole world, & therefore if any man should be so ungracious to utter any thing heard in Confession, besides his perpetual infamy and shame, he should be suspended and degraded ever after from all Priestly office and function. Wherefore none needeth to fear that his Confession shall be uttered.   

Chap. XX Of whom the Sacrament of Penance was ordained & that Priests have authority given them by Christ to forgive sins, and of the matter, form, and effect of Penance.  
THis Sacrament of Penance them (whereof lowly Confession is one chief part) was ordained by Christ when he gave to his Church authority to bind and loose, saying to his Apostles and Disciples and their lawful successors to the worlds end: Whos● sins you forgive, they be forgiven▪ 
joh. 20. 23  For that he said to them he said to all as not suffering for their age only, but for all persons in all ages to the worlds end, saying to them and us, and the Pastors of his whole Church, Even as my father 
joh. 20.  hath sent me: also I send yond. So that his power, that his father gave him, he left to his Church, & the heads chief; as namely to Saint Peter, who when he first confessed Christ to be the son of God in reward of his glorious confession he promised him first and chief authority to bind and loose sins, as appeareth by the ve●y words of the Gospel, saying: Thou art Peter, and upon this 
Math. 16 18. & 19  rock● will I build my Church, and to thee will I give the knies of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever t●ou shalt bind in earth shallbe bound in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt lose in earth shallbe loosed in heaven. And then after his resurrection as appeareth by Saint john's gospel he performed his promise saying to his Apostles, when he breathed upon them. Receive you the holy Ghost. Whose 
joh. 20. 23  sins you forgive they be forgiven, and whose sins you hold they be holden. By which plain words of Christ you se● in both places he hath given authority to his Church to bind & lose sins, as all holy fathers upon these places do understand. But you must understand that Priests, as they be men do not forgive sins, but as they be the ministers of Christ, that is by his holy word and virtue of the holy Sacrament, as you see in Baptism the Priest speaketh Gode● word and sayeth. I baptise thee in the name of the Father etc. And so then by the power of God's word, with water in that holy Sacrament, the soul of the child is washed and cleansed from all sin. So when the humble penitent sinner cometh to the Priest, and confesseth his sin, the Priest than useth the word of God, and saith: I absolve thee, and so by the power of Gods word, and authority given him from Christ he looseth the sinner from sin. So that he which can believe his sins be forgiven him in Baptism, I see no reason but he may aswell believe his sins by Penance in confession and absolution be forgiven him. Neither ought any to doubt (as some unlearned foolish Idiots some times do) whether Priests, & Bishops the lawful successors of the Apostles and disciples of Christ, have full authority to forgive sin, as they had. For even as the lawful heir upon his father's death hath the same power & authority over his land & people (if he be a king) that his father had: Even so to the world's end the words of the holy Prophet be fulfilled in the Catholic Church the true inheritance & land of the living, Pro 
Psal. 44.  patribus tuis nati sunt tibi filii. To these true sons and heirs of the Apostles in the house of God which shall continue to the worlds end be given apostolic power and authority to the same end which the Apostles had it: Ad consummation 
Ephes. 4. 12.  sanctorum in opus ministerii. To the edifying & perfection of the Church of God, which shall not want her pastors and governors to the end. As therefore God said once Increase and 
Gen. 1.  multiply, & all things have done so since & as he said once to his Apost. Go teach 
Mat. 28. 19  all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost, and by those words Priests to this day have had authority to teach and Baptize: Even so saying to his Apostles. Whose sins you forgive they be forgiven, he gave in those words authority to lawful Priests to the worlds end to do the same. Thus you see by the plain words of the holy gospel Priests have power given them to forgive sin by virtue of the Sacrament of Penance, but they cannot know (as lawful judges in God's stead) what sins to forgive, and what penance to enjoin unless the sinner confess his sin. For no man knoweth the secrets of man's heart, but God alone; & therefore that a man's sins may be forgiven he must confess them plainly to the Priest. The minister then of this sacrament is a lawful Priest with jurisdiction, the form is, I absolve thee & the matter called Remotior, or the out ward matter belonging to this sacrament be sins, as wood is matter to the fire: & the matter of this Sacrament called, Vicin●or, or the inward matter, is the sorrow of the penitent, Contrition, Confession and Satisfaction, many other things appertain to this holy Sacrament of Confession that I cannot stand to reckon, the fruits whereof be many and unspeakable, as that thereby we be delivered from damnation, and to us thereby is opened the gates of Salvation, thereby followeth pureness and joy of soul and heart, and to be brief, whereas before by sin a man was the limb of the Devil, now by Penance he is made a member of Christ, and child of Salvation. Those that be Masters, and have charge of household and children, by experience know what the want of Confession bringeth a number unto. For in times past when the discipline of holy Church in Confession took place here in our country, servants & children, were afraid to offend God and that for confcience-sake did their labours as for God. Hard it was to hear of a felon executed a fourscore years ago at an Assize, but now a number for want of due instruction & fear of God, make conscience of nothing, so they may escape the halter.   

Chap. XXI Of the most Blessed Sacrament and Sacrifice of Christ's Body & Blood substantially, really, & truly upon the Altar.  
THe fourth Sacrament which is in the midst of the seven Sacraments is the most high, noble, most excellent, and worthy Sacrament, that is the Sacrament of the Altar, and as the son in the midst of the Planets giveth light to the other stars and planets, and exceedeth the same in glory. So the blessed Eucharist wherein is Christ himself the fountain of all grace, excelleth the other Sacraments in dignity and is far more excellent than any other Sacrament, by how much the fountain exceedeth any little river that proceedeth from it: for in this most blessed Sacrament I say is contained the fountain and wellspring of all grace and goodness our Lord & Saviour Christ jesus himself, his Blessed Body and Blood, who at his last supper, when he was to departed this world, the night before his Death & Passion, devised the ways & means according to his promise to remain with us still, leaving us under the form or likeness of bread & wine his very Body & Blood in perfect memory of his death and Passion. Protestants & other heretics (o monstrous & blasphemous heresy) hold & teach you that this Sacrament is but only a bare sign, figure, & remembrance of Christ's Body and his death. But we most steadfastly according to Christ's words, & the gospel do hold & believe, as sure as God's word and the truth cannot fail, that the very self same Body & Blood which was borne of the B, Virgin Mary & suffered death upon the Cross, is given us in this B. Sacrament, & that it is not a bare piece of bread, as it seemeth to the eye outwardly or is in the mouth by taste: but far above reason, contrary to our sensual feeling: when the priest in Christ's person hath once spoken Christ's words over that creature which before was bread, it is then wholly, really, & substantially turned into the very body & blood of our redeemer christ by his mighty word, which made all things of nothing, and to whom nothing is impossible, and this whosoever will be saved (bark the heretics never so much to the contrary) must steadfastly believe, for we prove it by God's word that cannot fail, & the apostolic doctrine so to be. First then the four Evangelists be plain. The sixth Chapter of S. john hath so many plain places whereby this holy Sacrament was promised, that I cannot have time to reckon them, as in one place Christ there saith. The bread which I will give is my flesh for the health of the world, for my flesh is verily meat▪ & my blood is verily drink, & he that eateth my flesh & drinketh my blood▪ dwelleth in me & I in him, & I will raise him up again at the last day, & unless you eat the flesh of the son of man, & drink his blood you, shall not have life in you. Lo hear no figure or remembrance only is named as heretics say. I know not truly how our Saviour could use any plainer words: again in the other three Evangelists in as plain 
Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22.  words, is mention made how our Saviour instituted or ordained this holy Sacrament, & in this manner the night before he suffered, after he had made anend of the Paschal lamb and old Testament, he took bread blessed and gave to his disciples saying. Take and eat for 
1. Cor. 11.  this is my Body, & likewise when he had blessed the Chalice, he said. This is my Blood. Likewise Saint Paul affirmeth, that that which he received of our Lord, he● gave to the Corinthians, for our Lord jesus (saith he) the same night he was betrayed took bread, and giving thanks broke and gave to his disciples saying. This is my Body which shallbe betrayed or delivered up for you, so likewise he spoke of the cup calling it his blood. And both the Evangelists & Saint Paul do agree, that Christ bade his Apostles sacrifice or do that which he had done in memory of his death and Passion, not to offer a piece of bread in memory of his death and Passion, for that should be to base and slender a memory (as the heretics your ministers belie the truth) but to consecrate, sacrifice, and receive after an unbloody manner the very self-same body, that the day after was bloudely once for all offered on the Cross there as a full price of our redemption, and here as a mean to make us partakers of that high price and ransom: there once bloudely offered, here the very self same flesh and blood that there once bloudely was offered, but here after an unbloody manner, not divided, or not cut in pieces (as the jews understood, and the heretics do blaspheme) but whole Christ, though really and substantially here present, yet after a spiritual and divine manner that cannot be sufficiently expressed in words: not one Christ here & other there or in heaven, not one to day another to morrow; but one and the self same which was offered upon the Cross and now sitteth at the right hand of his father, is daily offered up here in the Church in divers places at once, & that by the mighty power of his Godhead which is all in all 
* In saying united to his sacred Body, Videtur praeposte ra locutio. For his sacred Body is united to his Godhead, not confounded, but knit and joined together, (o ensign miraculum) two natures in one person  united to his sacred body, to whom nothing is impossible. We do not substitute then, or ordain many 
* There is but one Sacrifice, though daily, yea oft every day in the Catholic Church renewed by the ministry of Priests .. 1. Cor. 11. 26.  Sacrifices of Christ as the heretics belie us, for so we might be injurious to his Passion, but one and the self same sacrifice (though different in the manner, with that upon the Cross) is daily here offered unto God; there once bloudely, here unbloofily by the ministry of priests here in earth, to appease God's wrath, & renew in us the fruit of his death and Passion, wrought by that sacrifice once all bloody upon the Cross for all. Do this that I have done (saith Christ) in memory of me, that is, you shall represet, or show by this sacrifice the death of our Lord, as sayeth S. Paul to his coming again. By which words of Christ (Do this that I have done) he gave his Apostles and Priests authority to consecrate his Body, by virtue of his holy word: For what did Christ? He took bread, blessed & gave to his Disciples & said. This is my Body, and wine saying, This is my Blood. And bade them do that he had done, that is, by power of his mighty word to consecrate his blessed Body. So by those very words (that heretics abuse, when he said, Do this in memory of me, to make the holy Sacrament to be but a bare figure and remembrance of Christ) by those very words I say you see by very reason and as holy doctors ever understood. Christ gave authority to the Apostles, and to all Priests and bishops, their lawful successors to offer up daily that pure and unbloodye sacrifice in consecrating his body and blood, to represent and renew in us his death and Passion, till his coming to judgement again. And therefore at the holy Sacrifice of the Mass every ornament and action of the Priest, reduceth to our memory some thing Christ said or did during his life, bitter death, and Passion.   

Chap. XXII That heretics which deny Christ's body in the Sacrament evacuate the fruits of Christ's death and Passion in men's souls, and prepare the way to Antichrist.  
THe heretics therefore that do blaspheme & have abolished the holy, most blessed, dread full, pure, & most honourable Sacrament & sacrifice of the Mass, do as much as lieth in them to put out of men's minds the Passion of Christ, and make void in our souls the fruit thereof: wherefore they in deed be very forerunners of Antichrist that shall deny Christ and all, and yet like shameless & blasphemous wolves and deceivers, are not afraid to call the high Priest of God (Christ's Vicar here in earth the Pope) Antichrist, who is in deed the chief pillar & head of the Church here next to Christ, spreading and vphoulding Christ's faith against Turks, jews, Heretics, and all Infidles throughout the whole world. But these impostors call the Vicar of Christ Antichrist, that they Antechristians, and their Master Antichrist the vessel of Satan when he cometh may be the less suspected, & so pull down Christianity. But God's Church Christ's kingdom shall not fail, though we are to fear now in the later end of the world Antechriste is near hand (as these certainly be his forerunners) who at his coming shall raise a greater persecution against the Church, than ever was before: For he shall deny Christ and God, and also exalt himself above God with such false deceits and words, that if it were possible the very elect should be deceived, and the holy and continual sacrifice of the Mass shall in his time cease to be offered openly, as the holy prophet Daniel foretold. What other thing then 
Dan. 12. Heb. 7. 12 The turks though perhaps sometimes they have some voluntary external superstitious sacrifice: yet no ordinary set sacrifice-publike for as much as ever I red or heard.  do these heretics but prepare a way for Antichrist, who denying the blessed Mass (ordained and first said or celebrated by christ at his last supper) would leave us never an external Sacrifice to worship God withal, like very Turks, to whom being without external sacrifice they be most like? Translato enim (according to the Apostles doctrine) Sacerdotio, necesse est ut & legis translatio fiat: So that take away priesthood, take a way sacrifice, and so consequently God and all. For that by external sacrifice God is chiefly known and worshipped, the want and honour most due unto which sacrifice maketh us (you see) so many Atheists that now a days make a scoffing against Christ & God to: But Lord be merciful unto this Country whether is it fallen for sin and blind heresy, the worst weed that ever was sown? To be brief you see here how in an eleven plain places, in the four Evangelists and Saint Paul Christ calleth that most blessed Sacrament he ordained at his last supper his very body and blood▪ Caluin, Beza, and the Protestants, and other heretics of this time say it is but a figure, shadow, or bare remembrance (In a piece of bread) of his body and blood, must we believe Christ's and Saint Paul then, or your wise ministers and new upstart heretics of this time? O Christ; if I should forsake thee the everlasting truth, and believe or follow any brainsick heretic in the world, what should I answer, or how durst I appear before thy face? I confess than it is most certain and sure which thou hast said of this blessed Sacrament? This is my Body. This is my Blood. And that every heretic that saith, This is a figureof thy Body, This is a figure of thy Blood, is a most blasphemous and impudent heretic and liar.   

Chap. XXIII Wherein is declared that we ought as really, and truly to receive his Body with our mouths to health & salvation, as Adam did eat the forbidden apple to death and damnation.  
But it is a wonder what shifts these false Prophets, the heretics have to cover their lies under some show of truth, as though we were to eat Christ at his Father's right-hand, and so to delude the simple: for as a learned man of our time writeth of this matter in this sort. Concerning that Caluin willeth us to go into heaven by faith, to eat Christ's body: know you not because our nature was not able to climb up to the seat of God in heaven, therefore the son of God came down from heaven to earth to lead and lift us up to the fruition of his father? Know you not that because our body more quickly draweth our soul's downward then our spirit is able to draw our body upward, therefore Christ took not only the soul, but also the body of man, giving us in his last supper that body of his, to the intent that our bodies (taking hold in the Sacrament of the Altar of his body) might be carried into heaven to have the sight of God; & because faith without the Incarnation of Christ cannot lift up our bodies, therefore Christ fulfilled faith with truth, and having taken of the Virgin our nature, gave his body in deed to our bodies and souls, that we again might in body and soul be lifted up with it. It is not then sufficient to eat Christ by faith only: but to arise again in Christ the second Adam we must eat him in this blessed Sacrament, as really and verily as our first father Adam (wherein we all fell) did eat the forbidden fruit. The fruit of the tree forbidden entered into the mouth and damned; the fruit of the blessed Virgin, & of the tree of the Cross must enter into our mouths and spiritually work effect in our souls and thereby we shallbe saved. For as a man that is cast into a deep pit calleth by the mean of his tongue for help, but when a cord is let down to him, for the aid and secure of him, it is not then sufficient to use his tongue still, & to let his hands alone: Even so our faith called for Christ to come from heaven to help us to let down the cord of his humanity, and of his flesh and blood, and shall we now when it is let down to be fastened in our bodies, and in the bottom of our hearts by eating it really, shall we now refuse it, and say we will go into heaven by faith ourselves, and there take hold of Christ, whereby we may be saved and delivered out of the deep vale of misery? As though need were that the cord should have been let down, if we could have fastened our bodies to any thing in heaven, and yet our bodies are they which weigh down our souls chiefly. Authorities to prove the undoubted truth of this most blessed Sacrament, be almost innumerable. For if I should reckon up all holy Saints, and blessed Fathers that have written of the truth of this B. Sacrament, I should never make an end, S. Ambrose saith, 
Lib. 4. de Sacram.  This bread is bread before the words of the Sacrament, but when Consecration cometh to it, of bread is made the body of Christ, and how at Mass the Priest prayeth for Kings, Princes, and the people, but when he cometh to the most venerable & renowned Sacrament▪ then he useth not his own words (saith he) but the word of our Lord jesus, God commanded (saith he) and heaven was made, earth was made, all creatures were made, thou seest then (saith he) of what virtue the word of Christ is. If then God made things before of nothing, that were not, how much-more able is he to make things to be that were before, and to change them into another? As for example to make that which before was bread & wine, by consecration his Body and Blood: and before the words of Christ (saith he) the Chalice is full of wine and water, but when the words of Christ come thereunto, there is then the Blood that redeemed the people. All the holy Doctors as Saint Chrysostome, Saint Cyrill, Saint Cyprian, both the holy Gregory's, Saint Hierome, Saint Augustine, Saint Barnarde, be full of the like testimonies for this matter, many of them recording wonderful miracles, that have been wrought by virtue of this Sacrament: Saint Augustine amongst 
De. ciu. Dei.  the rest recordeth, how a place being troubled with evil spirits, One of his brethren (a. religious man▪ that was a friar or a monk) went and offered there the healthful Sacrifice (as much to say as he said Mass) and so the evil spirits were driven away. Hard you ever any such miracle wrought by their Communion all this time? I have probably hard how the Devil hath appeared in some of their Churches of late, and in the beginning of this Queen's time when Paul's steeple was burnt, the very communion table from all other things about it, was burnt in token of Gods wrath and indignation against that venomous bread of theirs, whereby they poison the souls of the simple people. In the four general Counsels that S. Gregory did honour as the fover Gospels, you shall find the blessed Sacrament of the Altar spoken of in most reverent sort, as called An honourable Sacrament called a most pure and unbloody sacrifice of Christ's body & blood, a pure and undefiled host, the lamb of God, and the like: by virtue whereof as we read in Saint Gregory's dialogues and other holy Fathers, the deaf have been made to hear, the dumb to speak, the lame to walk, & many other cured of incurable diseases. Being abused by jews, Heretics, and Infidles, it hath issued out of blood, and sometimes been seen with streams of glorious light proceeding from the same, as ancient histories do record, and blessed Saints in their writings do witness. To be brief than this blessed Sacrament and our pure and most blessed unbloody Sacrifice, being so plainly declared to be Christ's blessed body and blood by Christ's own words, the holy Apostles and Evangelists and all good men, that ever writ since Christ's time, by the general practise of the Church, by general councils that cannot err (because Christ hath promised his holy spirit to assist them, and his Church in all truth) and by so many and wonderful miracles we may firmly conclude with that holy Father Saint Hillary, I am de carnis & sanguinis Christi veritate in hoc Sacramento non est relictus ambigendi locus. 
The real presence proved by authorities of fathers.  There is no place left at all to doubt, touching the verity of Christ's body and blood in this most holy and venerable Sacrament. But yet to satisfy something more your godly desire, I will set down some authorities as I find written in a famous late writer briefly collected by him touching this matter. If every man (saith he) is to be credited and ought to have authority, in his own art and faculty, if when we build we call a Carpenter to counsel and when we make gardens a gardener; how much more must we esteem the Doctors of the Church, who are not only cunning by long labour bestowed upon the science of divinity; but also have so virtuously used themselves that they have been a boundantlye instructed in all knowledge by marvelous inspirations of the holy Ghost, whose names be so great that the very Heretics cannot deny them to be holy Saints in Heaven and therefore they pretend to have the first six hundred years of their sides.  
It is then a good sure way to work with the advice of those ancient Fathers, whose sayings because they be otherwhere (as in many books of common places and other writers) more at large and more particularly alleged I will here be more brief.  
First very many Fathers speaking of Christ's words or deeds (when after bread taken and thanks given he said. This is my body) allege the Almighty power of God to defend. The verity of those deeds and words, therefore the same Fathers believed those words. This is my body, to be true in so wonderful a manner as they sound at the first sight, and seeing they mean according to their most usual sound, that this which is pointed unto (though it seem still bread) is notwithstanding the substance of Christ's body, we ought to think that those Fathers believed the real presence of Christ's body, otherwise they would never have alleged his Godhead or Almighty power and omnipotency for the instituting of a figure and sign of his own body: sith for the institution of signs and figures, such an authority might have served as God gave to Moses, who was but servant to Christ and not God.  
S. Ireneus saith: How can they be sure 
Lib. 5. cap 34.  the bread whereon thanks are given, to be the body of their Lord, and the Chalice of his blood, if they say not him to be the Son of the maker of the world? S. Ireneus was so sure, that Christ through his Diviue power made the bread whereon thanks were given his own body, that if the Godhead were denied, which should work that presence, no man could be sure of the presence of Christ's body, and he might have been sure of a figurative presence, though Moses had been the minister of that Sacrament & not Christ.  
Saint Cyprian, that bread which our 
In ser. de cena Do.  Lord gave to the disciples by the omnipotency of the word was made flesh, what needed omnipotency to be alleged, for a fact that were not supernatural?  
S. Hillary speaking of the Sacrament 
Lib. 8. de Trin.  sayeth: By the profession of our Lord it is truly flesh and truly blood, is not this thing the truth? it may in deed chance not to be true to them, who deny jesus Christ to be true God, as who should say, if his Godhead may stand his flesh must needs be truly present.  
Saint Basill to show that these words. 
In reg. bre: quest. 172.  This is my body make full persuasion, allegeth out of Saint john, the glory or Godhead, and also the Incarnation of Christ, because except he were both true God and true man, This is my body, should not make full persuasion, sith if he were not man he should not have a body, whereof those words might be verified: If he were not God we might doubt how he were able to make his word true, but seeing he is God and man, and said, This is my body, there is no doubt of the presence of his body. 
de iis qui init. cap. 9 &. li. 4. De sacra. cap. 4. &. 5. de sacerdot.. lib. 3. Euseb. hom. 5. ●n Pascha.   
Saint Ambrose our Lord jesus himself crieth This is my body, he hath said & it was made.  
Saint Chrisostome. O Miracle, he that sitteth above etc. And again, let us every where give credit unto his words specially in the mysteries. Eusebius Emissenus. Let the very power of him that consecrateth strengthen thee. Saint Cirill of Alexandria seeing God worketh let us not ask how. Damascene, we know no more but that the word of God is true, strengthfull, almighty, but the manner is unscrutable. No wise man requireth us earnestly to believe the words which himself doth think to be figurative and parabolical, but he rather should bid us beware that we mistake them not, as Saint Chrisostome 
In Gen. hom. 21.  upon those words (God repent) crieth out, see a gross word, not that God repent (God forbidden) but God speaketh to us according to the custom of man.  
Likewise Saint Augustine saith in respect 
In john. tract. 4. Mat. 17. john. 1.  of those words (john Baptist is Elias) Our Lord spoke figuratively, but Saint john saying I am not Elias, answered properly.  
If now these words This is my body were figurative, we should have been warned by the watchmen of God, to beware of them, as now we are required yea we are so required to believe them, that it is wonderful to see and to consider how earnestly Doctors speak in 
Basil. in reg. q. 172. brevior.  that behalf.  
The certainty of our Lords words (who said) This is my body which is given for you, do this thing for a remembrance of me) in gender full persuasion. Surely figurative words cannot make full persuasion, because themselves are imperfect as lacking their proper signification, which is the chief virtue of words, whereby they should fully inform us: for no figurative speech is so plain as a proper speech is. Epiphanius, who so believeth not 
In anchor. sermon. Catech. mist. 4.  the saying to be true as himself spoke, he is fallen from grace and salvation.  
Cyrillus Hierosolymitanus, Seeing Christ himself affirmeth so, and saith of the bread This is my body, who hereafter may be so bold as to doubt? S. Ambrose Our 
De Sacra mento lib. 4. cap. 5. in Matth. hom. 83.  Lords jesus himself giveth witness unto us, that we take his body and blood, ought we any thing to doubt of his fidelity as witness bearing? S. Chrysostome, Because our Lord said, This is my body, let us not be entangled with no doubtfulness, but let us be leene and see it with eyes of understanding. Eusebius Emissenus, Let all doubtfulness of 
Hom. 5. in pasch. ad Calosyrium.  infidelity departed for so much as the author of the gift himself also is witness of the truth, S. Cyrillus of Alexandria doubt not, whether it be true sith Christ saith manifestly. This is my body, but rather take the word of our Saviour in faith for seeing he is the truth he lieth not. And again, 
Lib. 4. 13  let us take great advantage by the sins of other men, giving steadfast faith unto the mysteries, let us never in so high mysteries speak the word quomodo how?  
Saint Gregorius Nazianzenus: Eat 
In orat. 4. ●● Pasc.  the body and drink the blood without confusion or doubt, if at the least thou ar● desirous of life, neither do thou with draw faith from the sayings which concern the flesh.  
The same Saint Hillary, Leo, Isichius, Theophilactus, Paschasius, & divers others have spoken, requiring us not to doubt of the truth of this mystery, & that especially because Christ's words make full persuasion, and take away all occasion of doubting: but if they be figurative it is not so, than one may understand this kind of figure, another that kind, one may think it is to be a Metaphor and an other that it is Synecdoche, the third that it is Metonimia, the fourth that it is altogether an Allegorye or parable, and without all ground of history; others doubt to expound this is my body as if it were said, in this, with this, or under this or about this, my body is, yea from that day wherein the proper & natural sense of those words was denied, I think never any words have been more uncertain and more doubted of, than (This is my body) yet the Fathers were so far from this uncertainty that they counted him an Infidel, and fallen from grace and salvation who so did not believe them even as Christ spoke them: to wit even so as they sound at the first sight. If the truth of Christ's body be the real substance thereof, they that entreating of the Eucharist affirm the truth of his flesh must needs mean that his substance is really present in that Sacrament whereof they speak.  
S. Hillary speaking of the holy mysteries 
Lib. 8. d● Trin.  saith: There is left no place of doubting of the truth of flesh and blood. Yet surely if the substance of flesh & blood were not present, not only some place but the chief place of doubting were left.  
S. Ambrose. It is the true flesh of Christ 
De Sacra lib. 5. cap. 1. de jeiunio mensis serm. 6.  which we take. Doubt you nothing at all (Saith Leo) Concerning the truth of christs body. Be like he spoke to Catholics, for doubles the sacramentaries doubt so vehemently thereof, that they believe the truth of Christ's body to be only at the right hand of his father. Isichius, He receiveth 
In levit. li. 6. Ca 22. De ortho. side. lib. 4. Cap. 4.  by ignorance who knoweth not this to be the body and blood according to the truth. Damascenus, The bread and wine is not the figure of Christ's body and blood, God forbidden, but it is the self deified body of our Lord The like assertion Theophilact, Euthymius 
In. 6. joan in 26. Math.  and divers other fathers have.  
They that name the supper of Christ a figure, a sacrament, or a remembrance do not thereby exclude the true substance of Christ's flesh, but they mean to show, that it is present under the sign of another thing after a mystical and secret manner.  
Saint Cyprian▪ The divine substance 
In serm. de cena dom. lib. 8. &. de. Trinitat.  hath unspeakably infused itself in the visible Sacament Saint Hillarius, We take in deed the flesh of his body under a mystery Lo the flesh the substance of God is present in truth, but under a sign Cirillus Hierosolymitanus. Under the figure 
Catech. Mistag.  of bread the body is given to thee; Who now knowing the Sacrament to consist of two parts, will wonder that sometimes it is named the one and sometime of the other? S. Augustine, The Body and Blood of Christ shall then be life to every man, 
De verb. dom. Ser. 2.  if that thing which is visible received in the Sacrament be the truth itself eaten spiritually. Behold, there is a thing in the Sacrament, and so really it is there that it is visibly received, therefore it is not a spiritual thing only (for no such matter is visibly received) but it is there and thence it must be eaten spiritually and in the truth itself, that is to say, it must not only be taken in the mouth, but into the heart also, and then it shall be life to the receiver. This thing so received in the Sacrament must needs be the body of Christ under the form of bread, for nothing else is to be eaten spiritually. It were too tedious to allege all that Saint Augustine hath written in this behalf, but his other words being conferred with these will make it plain, that when soever he nameth it a figure, he meaneth the truth hidden under a figure, which is more shortly named a mystical figure. He that allegeth man's flesh, why the flesh and blood of Christ is not seen in the mysteries, presupposed (albeit an invisible) yet a most real presence thereof. Fluctuantem me converto 
Aug. ●n Psal. 98.  ad Christum, quia ipsum quero hic, & ●● venio quomodo sine impietate adoretur terra, sine impietate adoretur scabellum pedum eius: suscepit enim de terra terram, quia caro terra est, & de carne MARIE carnem accepit, & quia in ipsa carne hic ambulavit, & ipsam carnem nobis manducandam ad salutem dedit (Nemo autem illam carnem ●anducat, nisi prius adoraverit) inventum est, quemadmodum adoretur scabellum pedum Domini & non solum non peccemus adorando, sed peccamus non adorando. Which words may be thus englished I convert myself being in doubt to Christ, because him here I seek, and find how without impiety the earth may be worshipped; without impiety his footstool may be worshipped: for he took earth of earth because flesh is earth and of the flesh of MARIE he took flesh, and because he walked here in that flesh, & gave that flesh to us to be eaten for our salvation (but no man eateth that flesh unless he first worship it) It is found out, how the footstool of our lords feet may be worshipped, and not only we do not offend in worshipping it, but we do offend in not worshipping it. S. Ambrose saith it is not seen in his own form.  nullus horror 
De sacr▪ lib. 4. cap. 4.  cruoris sit, et precium tamen operetur redemptionis. To the end there may be no loathsome abhorring of raw blood, and yet the price of our redemption may work in us: So that by his judgement the truth of blood is present to work in us the effect of Christ's death, & yet the form of the blood is not seen because we should not abhor it.  
Theophilact. Although it seem bread to us, it changed by unspeakable operation, because we are weak and abhor to eat raw flesh (specially the flesh of man) & there fore it seemeth bread, but in deed it is flesh. If these words can be glossed with a figure, them I know not what shall escape the hands of these figure makers. They 
In apol. 2.  that acknowledge a change of the substance of bread into Christ's body, must needs mean a real presence of that body whereinto the change is made. When justinus the Martyr denieth us to take the things consecrated as common bread and drink, showing also that we have learned them to be not only sanctified in quality, but to be the flesh and blood of Christ, which is another substance; he doth us to understand that he meaneth them not to be after consecration the substance of common bread and wine, but to be the substance, which Christ took of his mother, when the word was made flesh.  
S. Cyprian showeth the bread which 
Cena Domini.  our Lord gave to the Disciples to be changed not in shape but in nature, there fore the substance is changed.  
S. Ambrose, It is not that which nature 
De iis qui initiat. cap. 9  form, but that which the blessing hath consecrated, if nature form the substance of common bread, & the words of blessing pronounced be This is my body, it is not afterward any more the substance of bread, but of Christ's body, grace is affirmed with the denial of nature. This argument is in manner at large, and that of the real presence, but who so listeth to see more therein, let him read Gregorius Nissenus in oratione catechetica. Cyrillus Hierosolymitanus in catechesi mistagogica. 4. Eusebius Emissenus in orat. 5 in pasch. Hysichius in Cap. 6. levit. Theophilact, Euthymius in evangelia. Damasce●. lib. 4. Cap.: 14.  
All that affirnie the external sacrifice of Christ's body and blood must needs teach the real presence thereof, sith that thing which is absent cannot externally be sacrificed. S. Dionysius Areopagita 
De Eccl. hierar. cap. 3. Luc. 22. Dial. 3.  saith. The Bishop excuseth himself for that he offereth a Sacrifice above his worthiness or power, crying out decently; thou O Lord saidst make this thing for remembrance of me. Heretics admit no Eucharist or offerings (saith S. Ignatius in Theodorete) because they do not confess the Eucharist to be the flesh of the Saviour. A man would have thought this had been in our time, against the Sacramentaries, it agreeth with old heretics so much.  
Eusebius Pamphili: We offer a sacrifice 
Lib. 1. demonst. Emang. cap. 10. Can. 18. Lib. 4. C. 32. Lib. 2. ep. 3.  full of God & dreadful, & most holy, we sacrifice after a new manner, according to the new Testament a clean sacrifice or host Concil. Nicenum, Let us understand by faith the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world, being situated in that holy table to be offered up bloudely of the Priests, and that we take indeed his precious Body and Blood, And again, neither rule or custom hath delivered that they who have no power, to offer sacrifice should deliver the Body of Christ to them who offer. Hereof S. Ireneus S. Cyprian S. Augustine, 
De civit. dei lib. 17. cap. 20.  and all the rest may be read, for it is a known matter handled of the father's most frequently. What shall Isay that the fathers teach that the Sacrament ought to be adored with godly honour, as I showed before? That they teach that evil men do receive and touch the body & blood of Christ, and thereby be guilty of them as judas was?  
That they teach our bodies to be nourished with Christ's flesh and blood, which cannot be nourished with a thing absent? That they teach us to be naturally untied to Christ, whilst he dwelleth 
Chrysost. hom. 24. in 1. Cor. Cypr. de cena▪ do●.  co●porallye in us? That they affirm Christ's body to be upon the Altar, upon the holy table, in the hands, in the mouths, and the blood to be in the cup? That they give it such names as only may agree to the substance of Christ, calling it Salvation, Light, Life, Lord, Christ, an Offering wholly burnt, a Sacrament which quickeneth, & maketh us live for ever?  
That they teach every man to receive the same substance, one measure, equal proportion, which is true neither of spiritual, nor of corporal gifts, but only of the flesh of Christ really present under the form of bread? That they use 
Cyp. de ce. na dom. Higher in 26. Mat. 6 Aug: de. ci●i. li. 10 cap. 5. & in psal. 39 Chry: hom de prodi●. jude.  in showing how it is sanctified, the verbs, creating, making, working, consecrating, representing, or making present, & such like, which are not verified of a matter only spiritual or absent in sub stance? That they speak of it covertly saying, Nornnt fideles, The faithful know? because if they should plainly declare the truth thereof, than Infidles would mock at it, as now the heretics do: for it is a mystery above all reason of man? Which scoffing were not to be feared 
Angli. confes. 9 ca 13. Cypr. li. 1. ep. 9 Aug de ciu. li 17. ca: 20.  if it were but a mere figure, for all kinds of religion have ceremonies and figures. That they applied it to the helping of souls departed, as being the very self same substance which ransacked hell? That they have taught it to be truth which hath succeeded in place of old figures?  
That they have used by the known truth thereof to prove that Christ had true flesh and true blood in a visible manner, and two natures in one person, against the old heretics? That they 
jeren. li. 4. ca 34. Theodore. in dial. 20. Ciril: Catech mistag. 4. Act. 5.  have so far preferred it before Baptism and the other Sacraments, that no crumb might be suffered to fall down or to be lost, which was not so in the water of Baptism, for men were baptized in the running water of the flood? That the Catecumeni, who were admitted to the preaching of the Gospel (which is an excellent sign of Christ's flesh and blood) yet might not 
Disonise. in Eccles. hierarch. cap. 3.  see the eucharist: because it was also the truth itself under a sign, that no man might eat it unless he were first baptised and kept the commandments and yet the Cathecumeni had a sanctified bread also given to them, which was a sign of Christ as S. August. doth witness? 
Lib. 2. cap. 26. de pecc. mor: et remis.  Let now the discreet reader weigh uprightly this doctrine so grounded in holy scriptures and ancient fathers, and he shall perceive, that whatsoever our adversaries bring for the other side it may prove the Sacrament to be a figure which we deny not, but it cannot disprove the real presence of Christ's body and blood under that figure, which is the thing that we stand in against them. When Protestants to cover their heresies about the Sacrament give it honourable terms we may say to them 
Lib. 8. de. Trim.  as Saint Hillarye said to the Arrians, who called Christ Lord: Dominum licet nuncupes etc. Albeit you name him Lord Yet you mean him not to be the Lord, because he is a Lord to you rather by a common kind and familiar name then by nature. Even so pretend what honourable opinion or doctrine the Protestants list of Christ's supper, yet as long as by nature and substance they think not that external gift to be his body, which himself called so, they rather soothe it by a better name, than mean it to be any better thing than a bare sign or figure. Ebion although he denied Christ's Godhead, 
Epiphan. Her. 30.  yet (as Epiphanius telleth) he affirmed him to rule Angels, and all that ever was made by God, and his scholars called him a Prophet, and the Son of God, which notwithstanding (forsomuch as they believed him not to be God by nature) the Catholics never doubted to say, that they taught him to be Nudum hominem, A naked bare man. Right so whatsoever holiness be annexed to bread and wine, be it the sign of never so great a virtue and efficacy, be it never so much called the body and blood of Christ, yet if it remain still in the former substance: if the truth which it is appointed to signify be absent, it is bare bread, and bare wine, and a bare token of Christ's Body and Blood. Some signs contain the truth they signify, as a loaf set out, that bread is there, & is to be sold; another kind of signs signify the truth absent, as the juy-bushe doth wine. The latter sign is a bare sign but not the first. The Catholics say the best and richest kind of seals is in the sacrament, because there is Christ's body really present, to signify and as it were by seal to witness his own death and Passion. The bloody sacrifices of the old Law did better signify Christ's Passion than Protestants bread & wine being but a bare sign. Melchisedeche likewise had besides his bread & wine, the real body of Abraham present whom he offered to God, & in him jesus Christ his seed, and so that also far more excellent than bakers bread.  
The body of Christ under the form of bread, is of itself both the thing, and also a figure of the mystical unity of the Church. Res Sacramenti that is, the thing of the Sacrament is the grace of God. The substance of Christ under the form of bread is the sign. For Christ cometh in his own corporal presence to seize and to endue us with his grace. Hence it cometh that S. Augustine so oft calleth this Sacrament a figure, because the body itself is here, not for it self, but to put us in possession of so great a grace as the union with God is. Moreover those that say the body of Christ is eaten by faith only and no otherwise be against the Gospel, that affirmed Christ gave his body with his own hands being present, and not at his father's right hand. But faith is 
Heb. 11.  an argument of things to be hoped for not appearing.  
If in S. john spiritual eating by faith be only spoken of, why is it said Dabo I will give? whereas spiritual eating was already given to all that ever believed and therefore it was not to come, but the bread which Christ will give is his flesh, and the gift thereof is to come; therefore it is more than a spiritual eating by faith which was both past and present.  
Note that the place in S. john which 
joh. 6.  heretics take to make most for them, in very deed maketh most against them. What, saith Christ, If you see the Son of man ascending, etc. Whereby is declared the power of our saviours Godhead, whereby only he ascended, which if the Capharnaits and heretics would perfectly believe, they would then never doubt of Christ's real presence in the Sacrament, which through the omnipotency of his godhead he is able to perform. Consider also against the heretics these figure makers, that it standeth well together the Eucharist to be a sign & the truth, as Christ is the Image of God, and yet also God, the higher every sign or Image is the less it differeth from the truth, and therefore the figure of Christ's body and blood differeth in form, but not in substance from Christ himself, and so although the Sacrament be a figure yet the words This is my Body) be not tropical or unproper. Hoc that is the word This, signifieth not bread but that is contained under bread Hoc facite▪ do this; the making of the sacrificed substance also must needs be a Sacrifice, not only suffering himself to be seen of those that desire him (as saith S. Chrysostome) but also to 
In john. hom. 45.  be touched & eaten, & teeth to be fastened in his flesh, & all to be filled with desire of him. Besides the real presence & sacrifice Christ's body also hath a local being in us, in respect that the substance of Christ occupieth the same place, under the form of bread, which the substance of bread did occupy before, & when we have that kind of bread in us: even so Christ's being is local in us.  
Moreover as Christ at his Incarnation came not from heaven by forsaking his glory, but by asumpting flesh of the Virgin: so now at the time of the Consecration his body cometh not down from heaven, but the bread is changed into his body & by that mean his body is present with us. And as after his resurrection he ascended into heaven: so after the communion (the forms of bread and wine being consumed) Christ ceaseth to be corporally with us, to the end we should again desire his presence, & well know these 
Note well.  two chief points of our belief; the one, that the end of the conjoining consisteth in spirit rather than in flesh, the other, that the flesh of Christ really eaten is the means whereby we have access to the spirit of God with trust & confidence.  
Now Christ cannot be better present in spirit and grace then if he be present in his self, therein to convert to us his spirit and grace: for the cause of his taking flesh, was to make his flesh an instrument to deliver his spirit & grace to our flesh, to the end that no mean of providing for our salvation might be omitted by so loving a father. In consideration whereof S. Ambrose saith, Thou that 
Lib. 6. de Sacram. Cap. 1.  takest his flesh art made partaker of his divine substance in that food Note that the spirit and substance of God cometh to us by taking Christ's flesh.   

Chap. XXIIII Of the excellency of the most blessed Sacrament and in what respect it is called a Sacrament, sign, or figure, and yet is the very thing itself which it betokeneth  
IT is a great glory in the profession of cookery to be able to make of one kind of stuff (as for example of eggs alone) sixteen or twenty divers dishes, but to do that feat much labour, many spices and sauces, great compositions and mixtures are required. Christ in steed of all those shifts used blessing, and working words of thanksgiving, which were so sure to work their intent, that some men have doubed whether he gave thanks first, because he foresaw the whole purpose out of hand should be obtained as himself wished, or else (which is more probable) whether the very working of the feat were not the self thanksgiving for the work.  
For his blessing and thanksgiving was the saying over the bread. This is my body: & over the wine. This is my blood. By virtue of which words, his body & blood being made of the creatures of bread & wine, as well were a thankful sacrifice themselves to God: as Christ also in his visible form having wrought this, did praise and thank his Father, for such an excellent effect, the which body and blood his Apostles eating and drinking, were made partakers of the greatest & most excellent banquet that ever was made on earth. For the better understanding whereof, it may please a man to repeat in his mind how God in the beginning adorned this world. First with Angels & heavenly spirits, secondly with the heavens themselves, thirdly with the elements, of fire, air, water, and earth, and as the Angels occupy the highest place, so do the heavens with the lights & stars in them occupy the second place, and the four elements are beneath them. When things were come after this sort, from the highest order of Seraphins to the earth, which is the lowest element of all, them it pleased the wisdom of god, to make as it were a revolt of all things & to return his creatures from the bottom of the earth upward again towards himself: he therefore made the earth to bring forth green grass, with all such kind of things as have animam vegetivam, in themselves to grow & increase, of which kind, all herbs, springs & trees be: above those in a higher degree were birds, fishes, & beasts, which have a life sensitive being able to move from place to place. Lastly god made man, who hath not only vegetative power & sensitive in his soul, but also reason & understanding, in whose body are the virtues of the four elements with the influence of the heavens, in whose soul is free will and power to govern▪ agreeable to the nature of Angels and of heavenly spirits for this cause this creature hath been worthily called, even of the Christian philosophers Microcosmos a little world, for that he alone hath in him all the degrees of creatures, both living and with out life, both sensible and reasonable, & therefore he is called in holy scripture. Omnis creatura, All creatures. Now when the son of God (taking pity that this little world, the work of his great power was by the devil seduced) came down and took flesh of the virgin mary, being true God & true man in one person, at that time were all things briefly brought again to God, whence they first were created & brought forth Christ alone is all in one. In his Godhead he is all that is above the heavens, and that filleth the world. In his manhood which is the footstool of God, he is all that is in, or under the heavens, in this manhood are all creatures most perfectly compiled without blemish of nature, of mind, or of body, so that seeing this body of Christ (wherein also all the fullness of the Godhead dwelleth) is given & eaten at a banquett, there is no doubt but the same is such a banquett, as cannot be made with all the creatures of heaven, and earth gathered together. In this one dish is a composition most delicate of Angels, heavens, elements, of herbs, fishes, birds, beasts, of reasonable men and of God himself, no kind of salett, meat, sauce, fruits, confection, no 
* Understand here that I mean not that any earthly thing is in the B. Sacrament after Consecration save only the very Body and Blood of Christ, who because it pleased him after a human sort to convert by eating & drinking (bread & wine and other visible creatures) into his sacred Body and Blood, therefore though the propriety of such creatures be changed in substance, yet juxta aliquid, in some manner and sort they be set on that table still, but wholly converted into the Body and Blood of Christ.  kind of wine, aquavitae, aquacomposita, liquors, syrups, can be found in nature, made by art, devised by wit, but it is all se●t upon this table and that in a small room, where it cloyeth not with the abundance, or annoyeth with the unclean handling, it filleth without loathsomeness, it provoketh the appetite without danger of surfeiting: to be short were it not a banquett provided by the son of God, no man would think it possible to have such a feast made in the de sart of this wicked world. Thus do we catholics teach of the supper of our lord & believe it agreeable to his word & worthy his worship, this banquett feedeth the whole man. There is a reasonable soul to feed our reason, a natural substance of flesh to feed & nourish our flesh, there is the spirit of God which quickeneth both soul & flesh to life everlasting. This is the true Manna, which containeth the taste of all sweetness, & hath in itself all manner of pleasant refection, this is the food of life, the which who so eateth worthily shall live for ever. This is the feast whereof Solomon speaketh. Hoc itaque visum est mihi bonum 
Eccles. 3: 5. & 7.  etc. This therefore seemeth to me good that a man eat & drink & enjoy gladness of his labour, which words S. Aust. expoundeth thus. Non est bonum homini nisi, etc. It is 
De civit. Dei li. 17. cap. 20.  not good for a man, but that which he shall eat & drink▪ what more credibly is he unstood to say, then that which belongeth to the partaking of this table, which he himself a priest mediator of the new testament, offereth▪ or giveth (according to the order of Melchisedech) of his body & blood? If then the Prophet hath affirmed the greatest good that man hath in this life to be eating and drinking, & that eating & drinking be long to the supper of our lord Christ, we may perceive right well, that the matter & substance of Christ's supper consists not in bread & wine (for then we might not be better occupied than in eating and drinking) but in the real flesh & blood of Christ, wherein all goodness spiritual & corporal is collected into one heap, & given unto us under the form of bread & wine, for so God hath appointed Instaurari omnia in Christo que in celis, & que in terra, etc. To renew all things in Christ which are in the Heavens and which are in the earth in him. All those eatings & drink which were in the law of nature & in the law of Moses in faith & spirit, are so far behind the supper of Christ after his manhood really assumpted, as the faith of Christ's Incarnation is behind the Incarnation itself: mark for being deceived with false doctrine, Christ by his incarnation gave a real truth to the faith of the father's and not a new spirit: So in his last Supper he giveth the same spiritual gift to us, that he gave to Abel, No, Abraham, etc. but he giveth us another kind of truth than ever he gave them. The truth made by Christ is the true flesh & blood which he took of his Mother, & the giving of that truth to be eaten, is the giving of that flesh & blood under the forms of bread & wine. Therefore they that now say Christ giveth bread & wine with spiritual gifts wherein our soul eateth & drinketh Christ's flesh & blood, they grant a good thing one way: but another way, they take away the greatest goodness that ever was given to man. Their spiritual eating is not evil, but it lacketh some truth, how so? Because the whole man is not fed, for faith feedeth but the soul, & yet the name of feeding is proper to the body, & thence is transferred to the soul: that feeding therefore is not fully true, which eateth not in mouth, which it eateth in heart, whereas the true supper of Christ is meat in deed and drink in deed, and must be the eating of that in our body which our mind & soul doth eat. The meaning of all those suppers, sacrifices, & feasts in the old time eaten with mouth, were to show that in time to come the same Messias (that they looked for and in whom they believed) should so truly come for our sakes into earth, that he should come also into our bodies to dwell by his flesh eaten in us, that we might dwell in him. The whole man in Paradise was overcome by eating with mouth of the forbidden fruit. Thus than Christ cured the whole man against the Devil persuading Eve to disobey God, he sent the Archangel Gabriel to persuade the B. virgin mary to consent to his will, against the Appletree he planted the Cross of our redemption. For the disobedience of Adam he himself the second Adam came to be obedient to his father, even to death. For the apple of the forbidden tree unlawfully eaten, he gave himself the fruit, & apple of that Cross which is the tree of grace lawfully, and needfully to be eaten and his blood to be droncken. As therefore the apple that Adam did really eat against the commandment of God, doth make us all that were in his body at that time guilty of disobedience, & the children of wrath; so the real eating of Christ's flesh, according to the worthy eating thereof which Christ commanded, doth make us all free from the pain of everlasting death, & the children of grace & glory. But as every man did not eat the prohibited apple in his own person & by his own act, but by the act of our father & mother, & as being in them, & of them: so it is not needful that every man in his own person eat the flesh of Christ which is given us in the Sacrament to be eaten. But it is absolutely needful that some or other eat it as really to salvation, as ever the apple was eaten to damnation, that all the rest who by Baptism enter into the same body, may be one perfectly with Christ, whilst they are one mystically with them who really eat the substance of Christ's flesh, being the substance of our true sacrifice, truly roasted upon the cross, & truly rising from death to the intent it might be truly eaten of us without any corruption or perishing thereof. So that the B. Sacrament of the Altar is a medicine against that poison, which Adam first, & in him all we took by tasting the apple against the commandment of god. It is not only profitable but necessary that as the poisoned apple entered in at Adam's mouth, & was not only received by faith, spirit, & under standing, but by hand, tongue, & jaws, & was digested into his bowels & poisoned 
Understand our flesh greatly infirm and sore infected though (as the creature of God) still good, but pestilent through our own fault.  all his flesh whereby the flesh that we took of Adam was also pestilent & poisoned, & our souls united to that infected flesh were also infected: Even so the medicine (which is the body and blood of Christ made of bread & wine) must not only be received by spirit, faith & understanding neither only the figure of it must be received in at our mouths & so conveyed in to our bowels, but the body of Christ itself must come to our bodies, & it must be received as really into them by our mouths, as ever the apple came into the mouth of Adam Who ever hard that when a man's body was really poisoned, it should be sufficient to think of a certain true medicine, & to receive with all the figure or sign thereof into his body, not at all touching and receiving really the medicine itself? yet such is calvin's doctrine. But he urgeth how the holy Fathers call the blessed Sacrament a figure; yea true, but not a figure alone, or a bare figure, but such a figure as Christ is a figure of his father's substance, and yet his substance in deed: so the sacrament is a figure of Christ, and yet Christ in deed: There can be no more gross or blasphemous conceit, then to think the word of God like the word of man. Look what odds is betwixt God and man: So much between his naming & figures of the old testament, & all other figures But some will say, will Christ give his body to be eaten and swallowed up of drunckeardes, whoremongers, blasphemers, and evil persons? Yea without doubt; for Christ thought it less evil, that evil men should eat his body, then that his Sacraments by any our infidelity should be made void, or the gift of his grace should be uncertain. But heretics that seem to stand so much upon scripture, I would gladly here of them, where they find in holy scripture the body of Christ in the sacrament called a figure. Truly from the beginning of Genesis to the latter end of the Apocalipes we find not our lords supper termed a sign, figure, or token of the body and blood of Christ. Christ the six of S. john. calleth it the meat which perisheth not but tarrieth into life everlasting, He saith his bread which he will give is his flesh which he will give for the life of the world He calleth it the flesh and the blood of the son of man, meat in deed and drink in deed, his flesh and his blood the eating of him, the bread which who so eateth shall live for ever. In S. Matthew the 26. and S. Mark 14 Chap. His body & his blood of the new Testament. In S. Luke the 22 Chap. His body which is given for us, and the Chalice which is the new Testament in his blood, which is shed for us. In S. Paul the first epistle to the Corinth. and 11 Chap. The bread which we break is the communicating of our lords body the Chalice of blessing which we bless is the communicating, or partaking of Christ's blood. The new Gospelers, that say they stick only to God's word, yet cannot find one Apostle, one Evangelist, one Prophet, or Patriarch that taught our lords supper to be a sign. S. Paul 
1. Cor. 11.  threatheth damnation to him that unworthily eateth it, and he calleth unworthy eating, not only the contempt thereof, or lack of faith, but even the omitting to prove or examine him himself before he eat our Lord's body, and that because he maketh no difference betwixt it and common meats: yet come the protestants with a new doctrine, affirming that we receive not our lords body into our bodies, but an evident sign and token thereof. They admit no authority, no rule, no trial of matters belonging to faith, but only the holy Scriptures, & immediately they break their own rule. In so much as the holy Scriptures calling the Supper of our Lord his body and blood, they teach it to be an evident token of his body & blood, if they keep not their own rule, who can they bind to keep the same? But the Protestants will ask me perhaps whether the lords Supper be not a Sacrament, if a Sacranient, then also a sign or token, I answer they that prescribe rules of bleeving to the world, they that will have all things proved by the touchstone of God's word, they that for pretence of following the Gospel have stirred up so great strife through all Christendom, must not talk with us with if, and and, with conditions and peradventures, but they must bring forth the word of God for that they say. So that although the Supper of our Lord were never so much a Sacrament, surely to them it were none, because they cannot prove out of the word of God where it is so named, to us it is both a Sacrament and a Sacrifice: a Sacrament because we are so taught by tradition from the Apostles: a Sacrifice, because Malachi the 
Mal. Cap. 1.  Prophet in the person of God expressly saith. In omni loco sacrificatur, & offertur nomini meo oblatio munda, quia mag num est nomen meum in gentibus. In every place a pure oblation is sacrificed & offered to my name, because my name is great among the Gentiles. There is absolutely no clean & pure oblation, but the sacrifice of Christ's body, & blood which was offered to death not in every place, but without the gate of Jerusalem alone, & the same is at this day unbloofily offered in the Mass in every place, wheresoever amongst the gentiles the name of God is rightly called upon. Thus both they and we may prove the supper of our Lord to be a Sacrifice by Scripture, but that it is a Sacrament we can prove, because our forefathers delivered such a Doctrine to us, they cannot prove the same seeing they will not be bound to unwritten Traditions: If they fly to the Church for naming it, it is a Sacrament, the same Church teacheth them there be seven Sacraments: but the Protestants say they find but two sanctified and delivered by Christ & allowed of the old fathers Ambrose & Augustine: but concerning the delivery of Sacraments by Christ, they might have found it in the word of God. Confirmation, in the 8. cap. of the Acts of the Apostles. Penance, john 20. Extreame-Vnction, jac. 5. priesthood, Luc. 22. Matrimony, Ephes. 5. And not only Baptism and the Eucharist. But what talk is this to say S. Ambrose & S. Augustin● allow the works of Christ? Was not the delivery and consecration of Christ of sufficient authority except Ambrose and Augustine had proved it? I thought Ambrose & Augustine should have been allowed by Scripture, and not Scripture by them. I stand with them upon▪ the authority of the word of God. Prove me thence these two Sacraments alone; yea prove that they are so named at all, what Gospel called Baptism a sacrament? What holy write nameth the Supper of our Lord a sacrament? Da●e they give these things a name, that which is not in the word of God? What warrant have they for that deed? They will say Ambr●se and A●gustine call them so, I reply Peter and Paul call them not so: at other times, and with other men I will stay upon the authority of Ambrose and Augustine, whom (as I ought to do) I reverence for men of excellent virtue & learning, but they were men (as they were wont to say) they might err, and be deceived; hear first the Scriptures to whom Protestants appeal only, and afterwards you shall hear what the Fathers say. But first I say that neither the old Testament, nor the new calleth the Supper of our Lord a Sacrament, therefore the Protestants that so call it, go from the assurance of the word of God to the good and laudable inventions and Traditions of men, which themselves condemn when they list. And yet they so call it a Sacrament, that upon that only word the authors thereof ground all their doctrine: thence it hath to be a sign, to be a token, to be a badge, a seal, a pattern, a counterpane: thence all the figurative doctrine riseth▪ thence it cometh that the real body and blood of Christ is denied to be under the forms of bread and wine. Shall now so much as Christ hath plainly spoken of his body and blood, so much as his Apostles and disciples have preached and written in that behaulf, shall now all this be overthrown by an unwritten verity? are these the men of God who fly from S. Matthew, S. Mark, S. Luke, Saint john, Saint Paul, to Augustine and Ambrose? If none but Prophets and Apostles had written, where had they found two Sacraments? Where had they read, that the supper of our Lord is a sign and token, they make much ado about the word of God, until they have gotten credit among the ignorant, and then they quite lead them from all the word of God: I speak to such good Christians as have the true love of the word of God left in their hearts, to them I speak, give not over S. Matthew, S. john, Saint Paul for Ambrose and Augustine, give not over Christ who is God and man to have the opinion of whatsoever Doctor, and Father in causes of belief. Some men in comparison of others be of great authority, but in comparison of God all men be nothing at all: God saith, This is my body, now whatsoever man or Angel from heaven tell you this is not the body of Christ, but only a figure of it, believe him not, but let him be accursed to you. Shall we not be well occupied if we leave the plain word of God, to come and see whether▪ Ambrose and Augustine teach two Sacraments or more? Saint Paul teacheth matrimony to be a Sacrament and shall we go from him to Ambrose and Augustine to see whether it be one or no? was ever such a practise heard of as to brag of Scriptures, to boast of holy writ, to cry upon us for coming to the word of God, and now that we are comen thither, to call us from all Prophets, and Apostles, yea from Christ himself to Ambrose and Augustine? is this the way to the holy Scriptures? can this fault be excused? can this hypocrisy be tolerated?  
To win the itching ears of the inconstant multitude, to get them the applause of licentious libertines in the pulpit they call to the word of God, and when they have gotten them within their nets they teach them out of Ambrose and Augustine, yea would God they did so at the least: but what if we prove they deceive the people, in fathering that upon Ambrose and Augustine which they never wrote nor taught?  
The Protestants say, Saint Augustme nameth but two sacraments, but besides twain I will bring other two named of him as plainly as possibly may be in his book de bono coniugali Cap. 24. these be his words, The good (saith S. Augustine) which riseth of marriage through all nations and men, consisteth in the cause of begetting children, and in the faith of chastity. And in so much as appertaineth to the people of God, it consisteth also in the holnes of the Sacrament, through which it is unlawful (yea though divorce come between) to marry an other whilst her husband liveth, not so much as for the very cause of bringing forth of children. Which though alone it be the cause why marriages are made, yet band of marriage is not loosed (unless the husband die) albeit that thing follow not for the which marriage is made. Much-like as if to bring the people together some of the Clergy should be ordered or consecrated with holy orders. for although the meeting of the people do not ensue, Yet Sacramentum ordinationis, the Sacrament of giving orders, abideth in them that be ordered, and if for any fault any man be removed from the office he shall not lack the Sacrament of our Lord which is once put upon him, although it remame to his damnation. Thus far S. Augustione in which words he declareth that among Christian men there are other two Sacraments of priesthood and of Matrimony, beside Baptism and the Euchraist, and each of them so great and so strong, that they cannot be loosed and taken away, but only by death of the party, although the chiefest cause cease why the Sacrament was given. In another place. S. Augustine Cont. Donat. Lib. 5. Cap. 2. speaketh plainly of the water of Baptism, Oil, the Eucharist & the Imposition of hands, all signed with the seal of the Cross.  
S. Ambroso likewise confesseth more Sacraments than Baptism and the Fucharist lib. 1 de penitentia cap. 7. these be his words, Cur baptizaris, si per hominem peccata dimittinon licot. etc. why art thou baptized, if it be not lawful sins to be forgiveness by man? truly in Baptism there is forgiveness of all sin: what skilleth it whether Priests challenge this right of forgiving sins to be given them by Penance, or by Baptism, the mystery or Sacrament is one in both? But thou wilt say that in Baptism the grace of the mysteries worketh; what in Penance doth not the grace of God work? Here is the same virtue and name of a mystery or Sacrament given to Penance which is given to Baptism, whereby Saint Ambrose taught there was as well a Sacrament of Penance as of Baptism.  
These few placeshave I brought out of S. Ambrose and Augustine to show as it were to your eyes (if you will not be wilfully blinded) how the Protestants cry out upon the word of God, till they have with sweet words won favour among the miserable number of these unstable men, that always hearken for news, but when they have them fast, then is the word of God clean forgotten, and in stead thereof Ambrose and Augustine are (I am urged to speak it) falsely alleged. For the truth is they that set nought by the word of God cannot long esteem Ambrose & Augustine, who with all their hearts embraced the word of God, and expounded the same according to the ancient Tradition of the Church.  
To what end then do our new masters run? truly to set up an Idol of their own making, in place of the word of God, to set up (I say) a fantastical religion of their own devising. But if they should cry to the people come come, bow down to the I doll that we have devised for you, the people would not come as being feared with the infamous name of an Idol, therefore they say come to the word of God, come to the holy Scriptures, come to the true Gospel of jesus Christ: they say exceeding well, you see we are come, and it quit● hath and will overthrow them. S. Dionysius and Hierotheus disciples of Christ▪ 
Dionis. de Hierarch. eccle. cap. 3.  and S. Paul call the Eucharist the sacrament of Sacraments, which they never would if there had been no more but two. See S. Dionis: Chap. 4. 5. 6. D● Ecclesiast. Hierarch. how he teacheth more Sacraments. But to return to my purpose I will not omit to open one subtle shift of the heretic, whereby like a bug or fox with a man's vizard of his face, he oft deceiveth the simple, and unwarye with fair blessings and gay terms, which unlearned men cannot judge of nor discern▪ He will tell you their communion is a holy sacrament, and that thereby you ●ate Christ as he sits at his father's right hand in faith & spirit, and that you must ●ate that heavenly bread (sorsooth) that they give you as the body and blood of Christ, and then no doubt you receive Christ and the like. But ask the heretic whether that bread he giveth to the people be the very body of Christ or no, and that properly it can be no more called bread in that it is called transubstantiate, and verily turned into the very body and blood of Christ in deed, & then you shall perceive the fox pull of his mask and show his ears, as I hard of a good fellow a minister did, who giving to a gentleman bread from their communion table and said. The body of our Lord jesus: etc.▪ by chance he let a piece fall, the gentleman esteeming it to be some holy thing above other bread sanctified by Gods word, would have taken it up again: no no said the minister Sir let it alone, here is more enough, yea said the gentleman is it not worth the taking up? truly quoth he● than none of it at all shall come into my belly, and so malcontent went his way. This minister you see in his action declared what their communion bread is, nothing but bare bakers bread in deed speak they never so gloriously of it to deceive the simple and so bad that it is not worth the taking up, whereas I have proved to you before by most sure authority that the Blessed Sacrament that Christ left us is no more bread, but his very body and blood in deed.  
But they say you must receive it in faith & spirit, how in faith & spirit? they speak a thing that neither they themselves nor any man else understandeth, for to say the truth, there Communion is such a minion, that they know not what to define or make of it, or what to affirm such is the blindness of heretics, when they have once lost the high way: for was there ever any that hard how a man could eat Christ in a piece of bread & nothing but bread? or may we think them so strong in faith and spirit, that with S. Paul they be always ravished when they come to their communion to the third heaven, that so they may ●ate Christ at his father's right hand? but these slender evasions be shifts for simple babes & over childish▪ (saving that they want not malice) to be answered. Truth it is the holy Catholic Church teacheth two kinds of receiving, the one is Sacramental, that is, when we receive the body & blood of Christ, not with heart only & earnest desire, but also really, truly, and substantially in the B. Sacrament Christ god & man, which every christian is bound to do at due times when he can come to it. Another manner of receiving is with spirit & fervent desire, when a man cannot or is not prepared sacramentally to receive, & of this kind of receiving S. Aust. saith▪ Crede & manducasti believe & thou hast eaten. Now heretics confounded both these manners of receiving sacramental & spiritual together, so that when the holy Fathers speak of spiritual receiving by Christian charitable faith & desire, which every good christian man as oft as he thinketh of this B. Sacrament, or is present at it, aught to have, that so more & mor● he may be fast linked, united, and incorporate with Christ, then do they either ignorantly or maliciously understand, and pervert the holy Fathers, as though they speak of Sacramental receiving, and so in brabbling of receiving Christ by faith alone, would exclude him out of the holy Sacrament contrary to his institution, and so in that Sacrament by denying of Christ wherein our faith is chiefly exercised, they lost both Christ therein, yea faith, devotion, religion and all.  
But the holy Fathers, which heretics seldom read, or if they do little understand or not believe them, when these blessed men (I say) spoke of spiritual receiving, as oft they do, they not only teach us the great and steadfast faith, & earnest desire, we ought to have to this blessed Sacrament, but the due preparation we ought to make worthily to receive the same, which is by innocent life and pure conscience, remaining in Christ by fervent love & charity, which is spiritually to receive Christ, that so he may remain in us & we in him, & with this preparation, if a man could not come to receive sacramentally the blessed Sacrament all the days of his life, yet no doubt he should be saved, for that thus spiritually he eateth Christ. In like manner the holy Doctors (namely Saint Augustine) term this B Sacrament a sign or figure which we deny not, for every Sacrament is a figure of sign, otherwise it could not be a Sacrament, but in that the heretics call it a bare sign as it were, or an only figure and sign, that by the holy Father's doctrine we utterly deny, and by God's word prove the contrary. For the Sacrament of the Altar is both a sign or figure, and yet the thing itself also which it signifieth, or figureth: as for example you see a loaf of bread stand before the bakers shop to be sold, it is both a sign that bread is there to be sold, and yet very bread itself: so the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar, is a sign of Christ's body, and yet his very body itself. How a sign of Christ's body, will you say? Marry a figure and sign of Christ's body, dead, broken, crucified, in an other quality, than we receive him in the blessed Sacrament. For in the blessed Sacrament we receive Christ's body, though a very true and natural body: yet not subject to those alterations and qualities our bodies be: and therefore we receive him with all (if I might so term it which is verily natural) a supernatural body, an impassable body, a glorified body, though in very deed before his Passion also he gave to his Disciples the very same body we now in the same Sacrament receive, giving his own body in his own hands to his Disciples by his mighty divine power united to that body, to which power nothing is impossible. So that (as saith a late famous writer) we verily teach & beleene the figure and the truth to stand together; the supper of our Lord to be the sign of Christ's body, and to be his own body; the weaker part is the sign, the greater is the truth: but both doth not only stand together in one Sacrament, but furthermore the true nature of every Sacrament of Christ is to have both, that is to say to have one certain truth and one certain sign of the same truth, the truth is hidden under the sign, the sign is witness of the truth, which once being declared you shall see the vain doctrine of the Protestants. The signs and miracles Christ wrought outwardly, were tokens of his Godhead hidden from our eyes, likewise the supper of Christ, is both a sign of his body & also his true body; a sign outwardly and the true body inwardly: a sign by the sound of words when it is first made, and a truth by the inward working of the holy Ghost by consecration. So that Christ (intending to leave certain holy mysteries unto his Church, thereby to convey unto her the fruit of his Passion and death, as well for regard of his own self in whose person two natures were united, as for regard of us who consist of body and soul) made the said holy Sacraments to be of a double sort and nature, so that the one part thereof might appear to the senses, the other should lie privy and only be seen by faith. Saint Chrisostome in an Homely of the treason of judas saith, Sacerdotis ore etc. that is, The words are spoken with the priests mouth, and by the virtue and grace of God the things set before our eyes are consecrated. This is (saith he) my Body, by this word the things proposed be consecrated. It is to be noted, that how many Fathers soever call the Sacrament a Figure, yet none of them all teacheth these words, This is my Body, and This is my Blood to be words figurative: For when▪ they call it a Figure, they mean not a Figure of Rhetoric, but a mystical Figure, and calling it a sign, they mean not a natural sign or token, but a mystical sign, that is to say, a secret, and miraculous kind or token, such as the state of the new Testament requireth, the nature whereof, is to do that which it sayeth, because Christ the speaker, performeth all that by his divine power and substance, which his word (spoken by the mouth of his manhood) in holy Sacraments doth utter and signify. Now he that would the Sacrament of Christ so to be a sign, that he should not make that thing to be his Body in deed, whereof in word he saith, This is my Body, he most wickedly denieth the godhead of Christ. This blessed Sacrament of the Altar is such a sign, as is withal a secret miracle, for it is a miracle not showed to Infidels, but only to the faithful. For as the birth of CHRIST is a sign to the faithful only, who believe Christ being God and man truly to have been borne of a Virgin without seed of man, by the almighty power of the holy Ghost, according to that Ipse Deus dabit vobis signum, 
Esa. 7.  ecce virgo ●oncipiet & pariet etc. Right so the supper of Christ is a sign of his Body and Blood, to the faithful only, who believe the nature of bread and wine to be turned into his body and blood, without generation or corruption by the only power of the word of Christ, who said after bread taken, and blessing made, This is my Body, This is my Blood, do this thing for the remembrance of me. Behold the making of Christ's Body and Blood for the remembrance of his death, that is, the sign we speak of, this was the memory or the remembrance whereof David said, Memoriam 
Psal. 110.  fecit mirabilium suorum. Our Lord hath made a remembrance of his marvelous works, etc. And think we that a remembrance of marvelous things is made of God without a miracle? S. Cyprian 
Cipr. de Cena. do.  saith, the bread to be made flesh, Omnipotentia verbi, By the Almighty power of the word. S. Augustine calleth it 
Aug. manu. ca 11. Chris. de Sacerd. Lib. 3.  Mirabile Sacrificium. S. Chrysostome, crieth out, O miracle▪ o the goodness of God, he that sitteth above with the father in the selse-same moment of time is touched with the hands of all men. If thou ask how it is made (saith Damascene) it is enough 
Damas'. de orthod. fid. Lib. 4 Cap. 14.  for thee to hear that it is made by the holy Ghost, even as our Lord made for himself and in himself a body out of the Virgin Mother of God, & we know no more, but that the word of God is true, strengthfull, 
Eus. lib. 5. demonst. cap. 3. Beda in hom: Vidit jesus Basil in Liturg. Greg. Niss. in orat: de Pascat. Hiero. in Leuit. Niceph. lib. 1. cap. 28.  Almighty. Eusebius calleth it, Admiralem exitum oraculi, A marvelous event of the Oracle. S. Bede nameth it, A sanstification of the holy Ghost, that cannot be uttered by speech. The like words have Saint Basil. Saint Gregory Nissenus, Saint Hierome, Nicephorns. Thus much I thought good briefly to say concerning the manner how the blessed Sacrament of the Altar is a sign, token, mystery, or remembrance, every word whereof expounded according to the Gospel, and to the state of the new Testament, doth prove the real presence of Christ's body and blood under the forms of bread and wine. It is a Sacrament which outwardly signifieth that which is inwardly wrought, it is a figure containing the truth figured, it is a sign meet for the inslitution of Christ, whose signs are miraculous, it is a secret token known only to those that believe, it is the remembrance of Christ's death by the presence of the body which died, what shall I say more? It is the body & blood of Christ covered from our eyes, revealed to our faith, feeding presently our bodies and souls to life everlasting.  
When Tertullian and S. Augustine say Christ gave a figure or sign of his body, the Protestant Grammarians understand a Rhetorical figure as Metonymia or Synecdoche, or such a figure as it is set up at an Alehouse or Wine-taverne: but the Doctors mean a peculiar sign and token miraculously instituted by Christ, which containeth and giveth to the faithful the truth which it betokeneth. Signs and figures in the Sacraments consist of words and the matter, as of Water, and I baptize, etc. Bread, and Hoc est, etc. of Oil, etc. Christ's words make that which they signify, otherwise neither body nor figure thereof. Again, which of the holy Fathers teacheth that (Body) standeth to signify the figure of body? Many Fathers say the words of Christ are plain, manifest, true, and effectual; but no man telleth of such a straying taking of the words (Body & Blood) no man witnesseth them to be taken for the figures of body and blood, and no marvel, for no man knew that interpretation. They 
Note well.  know that the true body of Christ given after such a sort under the forms of bread and wine, was a figure of the self same body, either walking visibly upon earth, or suffering upon the Cross, or sitting now at the right hand of his Father, or intending to come to judgement. They could tell that a thing present in a secret manner is a token, sign, and a watchword, to all the faithful of an open manner, either past, or to come in the same thing, by this means they confessed the Sacrament to be the sign of Christ's body and blood, but they knew no such figure, as the Sacramentaries have devised, they never could tell of Synecdoche or Metonymia, they knew sacramental, and not rhetorical figures, mystical, & not poetical, holy and not profane. L●t him therefore that will have any thing made at all of Christ's words, acknowledge them to be proper, to signify somewhat, and to make that they signify, which is the true body & blood of Christ, under those outward rinds or visible forms of bread and wine. For as under the visible flesh of Christ his Godhead lay privy, but yet was truly present, and had assumpted his flesh into one person: even so under the visible form of bread the flesh of Christ is really present in the holy mysteries, and therefore we touch that flesh when we touch the form of bread, as S. Thomas did touch the Godhead, when he touched the flesh of Christ, for in each place we touch not, either the godhead, or the flesh visibly, but by the mean of that thing wherein it is truly present, that thing (I say) received of us doth make his death & resurrection to be remembered. Hath he not all that ever Christ did presently before his eyes, who hath Christ himself present? But take Christ away and afterward it is a soolishe dream to talk how his deeds be set before our eyes by bread & wine, the appearance of bread is the token that Ch●istes body is here to be eaten, and the similitude of wine doth show, that his blood is here to be drunken: but the true showing of his death, life and resurrection, ariseth of that truth which is under those forms. When I eat that body that died, I show the death of it, because no sacrisiced flesh was ever eaten before the Host was ofr●d: but we eat really the body of christ therefore our fact crieth, that christ is dead, we eat the body alive having the blood and soul in it, therefore our fact crieth he is risen again. Thus the Catholics reason, let him that hath common sense, judge who goeth nearer the truth of the Gospel in presenting and showing Christ's death, the Protestant that hath but bread, or the Catholic that hath the very body. So that as you may partly gather by that which I have already said, the necessary mean of necessary remembrance of his death consisteth in the real presence of him that died. For who canforget his death, whose body is daily made, worshipped, and eaten, to the end the death may be remembered: but I may right well eat bread & drink wine, not yet remembering thereby that Christ is dead for me. S. john Chrysostome Homil. 52. upon S. Matthew saith, We receive Christ as well in our hand as in our heart. Vide (saith he) quid manu capias. This blessed Sacrament than 
Aug. de civit. Dei. lib. 10. ca 6. & lib. 9 con. ca 13.  was not called bare bread, or figurative bread of old, but the Sacrament of the Altar, because of Christ's table by Malachy called rightly an Altar; the pure Sacrifice of his body is prepared for us. Parasti in conspectu meo mensam. Thou hast prepared a table in my sight sayeth that divine Psalmist, and in the ninth of the proverbs it is written, Wisdom hath proposed a table, and the tenth of the first Epistle to the Corinthians S. Paul saith, You cannot be partakers of the table of our Lord, and the table of Devils. So that we receive Christ of his table to our mouths as into our hearts, prepared by him not by the baker, which can give nothing but bread.  
S. Cyrill said Christ's body eaten, shall raise our body Lib. 10. Cap. 13. in john. Tertullian confessed, that not only our soul, 
Tertul. lib de resurr. carn.  but also our body feedeth upon the Body and Blood of Christ to the intent our souls may be made fat of God. Likewise Ireneus writeth our flesh is nourished of the 
Ireneus adverse. heres. lib. 4▪ cap. 34.  Bod●e and Blood of our Lord.  
We may see now by this what error they fall into, who call Christ's supper only a figure of his body, yea who assign the body and blood of Christ to our souls, and bread and wine to our bodies, whereas there is no substance left of bread and wine, but even our bodies feed upon Christ's body as Ireneus, Cyrillus, and Tertullian have said, that as our souls be fed with grace: so by eating Christ's flesh our bodies may rise to glory. Having then such firm authorities, of Christ, the Apostles, and the most ancient, and learned Fathers, we little account of the words of Protestants, who have rather brought Christ's supper in contempt by bare terms, them by any sound authority or aleadging of scriptures. As for Caluins' supper, nothing is wrought therein, because bread and wine in it remaineth still, neither is any new thing wrought in Christ impassable, or possibly can be, whom they say they eat by faith: therefore their supper is nothing but bread. In Christ's supper, we teach the substance of bread and wine to be made the substance of Christ's Body & Blood, and that is the true work made in the supper of Christ, where the mutable creatures are turned into the immutable substance of Christ. Which work since the Protestants deny (babble what they will) they teach nothing to be wrought in the supper of Christ: yet this shift the Protestants have to cover their falsehood, because they see the Scriptures, Fathers, and Counsels so plain for Christ's real presence, therefore they use terms very smooth of putting on Christ in Baptism and of eating his body & blood, to the end, their denial of the thing itself may be less of the unlearned espied. For it is to be noted, that to make it evident to us, that Christ gave us his very body, & not a figure thereof, or the effect of the grace of his godhead only; he said not I give my own self (as Protestants say we receive him) which may be understood of his divinity as well as humanity in one person; and so (self) maketh for the receiving of Christ by grace & spirit only. But jesus foreseeing the drifts of Satan, & what heresies would arise, named expressly how he gave his body covered under the forms of bread & wine, which when we touch, we touch his very body; for even as kissing the hose under which the King's knee is contained, we are said to kiss the king's knee: even so in touching the accidents of bread & wine, we touch the body & blood of Christ under them. For (as I said) as S. Tho. touching Christ's flesh, confessed him to be God, because the godhead lay hid in that flesh: right so when we touch with teeth & mouth the form of bread in the holy mysteries, we confess that we touch thereby the flesh that lieth hid under that form. Therefore to speak of his B. body now risen again, which after a spiritual & supernatural manner & sort (though really & truly the very body of Christ) we receive in the B. Sacrament, it is (I say) both the true & very body of Christ, & yet the figure & sign of his body, once in an other quality & condition, than now it is in, that is, a most lively representation to our souls, & memories, that the very body we receive, once suffered & shed his blood upon the Cross, & it is also a sign of the union & conjunction betwixt him Christ our head given us therein, & us his members the holy Cath. Church which by means of this sacrament are united, incorporate, knit together, or made one body with Christ, & therefore the B. Sacrament is consecrated of such matter, & given us under such forms & likeness of such things (that is bread & wine) which do not only represent unto us most lively the shedding of Christ's blood, and offering of his body upon the Cross: but also signify unto us the union of Christ and his Church. For even as you see of many corns one loaf is made; So of many members in Christ knit together in perfect love and charity (by means of this most B. Sacrament the most perfect pledge of Christ's infinite love) all we thereby be made one body, in, and with him our head, and in this respect of the representation of Christ's Passion, and knitting together of his members with him, the very and most B. Body of our Lord (given us at his last supper) is called a sign or Sacrament, and yet nevertheless the thing itself, that is his B. Body and Blood, not figured or signified by bread and wine, but given under the forms, or likeness of bread and wine. For that which before consecration was bread & wine, is now by Christ's words transubstantiate, or wholly turned into the Body and Blood of Christ, as I declared before: though to our outward eyes, and carnal senses, there seemeth no other thing then before; yet by our faith we be taught far otherwise, as that it is most certainly without all doubt, the very Body and Blood of Christ, without which divine Sacrament a real conjunction betwixt his flesh, & the flesh of man, cannot be made by faith, spirit, and understanding only: for that is the conjunction of mind, but not of flesh and bones, as the man and wife by consent of marriage cannot be one body unless they come together: neither doth Christ come from his Father's right hand corporally to be joined with our flesh; but bread by consecration is turned into Christ's flesh, to the intent it may be received, and made one with our flesh, to the end we may be Concorporei, as the ancient Fathers term us, one flesh and body with Christ.   

Chap. XXV. Declaring how it implieth not contradiction that Christ is in heaven, and in the Sacrament in many places at once, but only declareth an infinite and Almighty power of God, & that Divine honour is due hereunto.  
YOu see now in some manner and sort, by this which is said in the former Chapter, the excellency of this most divine mystery, as our infirmity is able to declare to you, and in what respect this B. Sacrament is called a sign or figure and yet the very thing itself: wherefore you see the heretics do most pitifully and wickedly abuse the poor people to both their damnations, that contrary to Christ, the received faith of the Church, and all ancient doctors, would have the B. Sacrament but only a bare piece of bread in sign & figure. Read the holy Fathers and Doctors, and when they speak of the Sacramental receiving of this B. Sacrament, they so plainly without all tropes, signs, and figures call it verily, really, and substantially his body and blood, so often, so pithylie with so firm reasons, and so plainly, that if they had spoken against the Sacramentaries heretics of our time, they could have spoken no more plainly. For what words can be plainer than those of that most famous Council of Nice, wherein Arrius the enemy to the son of God, by more than three hundred holy Fathers was condemned? The words of the Nicene Council to our purpose are these Iterum etiam, hic divina mensa etc. Again here also in the holy table, let us not basely attend▪ the bread and cup set before us, but lifting up our mind let us understand by faith, that Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world. Situm ●sse, to be put and laid on that holy table, Incruente a sacerdotibus immolatum, to be unbloofily Sacrificed of the priests, and that we (vere) truly, and in deed taking his own precious Body and Blood, do believe this to be the mystical tokens of our redemption. For this cause we take not much but little, that we might know we take not to fill us, but for holiness. Thus far the Council. The blessed, noble, and most glorious Martyr S. Cyprian Decena Domini, of the supper of our Lord, is as plain, Panis iste etc. That Bread (saith he) which our Lord gave to his Disciples, being changed not in outward form, but in nature, through the almighty power of the word is made flesh. And because man's heart is not quiet till it rest in God, and because nothing can truly fill or content man save only God, therefore S. Hillary that strong pillar of God's Church against the Arrians teacheth us in his 8. book of the Trinity how Christ in this holy Sacrament naturally dwelleth in us. St vere & ●. if the word (sayeth he) be verily made flesh, and we verily take or receive the word flesh in our lords meat, how is he esteemed not to dwell naturally in us? Seeing then God is by nature the only everlasting meat which perisheth not, and seeing he must be given to us in his own nature, and we are not able to receive him as he is a spirit, he hath done for us, as good mothers and nurses do for their babes, the mother eateth bread, and by her eating turneth it into milk, and that milk she giveth to the infant, and by that means the infant eateth bread and milk. In the real flesh of Christ is the substance of God only made meat to be eaten of man. Faith is a great gift of God, but yet a creature only wherein the fullness of the Godhead dwelleth not, and therefore it is not able to attain to the union of God's nature, and much less able to give it: by eating of Christ we corporally have, and carry God in our bodies corporally; no otherwise in the world can be devised for it. As for the figure of bread, it is the only true figure, because it is a figure without substance of bread. For whereas S. Augustine in his third book & sixteen chapter de doctrina Christiana, upon these words (Nisi manduca●eritis etc. Unless you eat the flesh of the son of ●an, and drink his blood etc.) saith, videtur facinus etc. how Christ seemeth to command a heinous act or sin, it is a figure therefore (saith he) but understand you of the Passion of our Lord, commanding us sweetly to rest in Christ etc. These words are to be understood of the manner of eating, not as a dead carcase is torn in pieces in the shambles, but Christ is to be eaten in a mystery and a Sacrament, though verily and really, yet after a spiritual manner. Eor as the figure which was in that Paschall Lamb did not diminish the real kill and eating thereof, but only did refer it to a higher truth: so the figure which is in eating Christ's flesh▪ doth not diminish the true eating thereof, but only declareth the eating to be a figure, because it is referred again to a higher truth both in Christ whose flesh that once died is now eaten, & in us who eat it▪ not so much for to eat it corporally as to feed spiritually of God himself, who maketh that flesh profitable: 
August. in john. tract: 26. & 27.  & that S. August. though so it is evident by his own words upon S. john, Ye know not what is this manner of eating this flesh, but except ye eat it. Lo the manner of eating was secret, but the thing that should be eaten was natural flesh: these also be his words to the same effect: Carnem sic etc. They so understand flesh as it is torn in a carcase or sold in the shambles, and not as it is quickened with the spirit or Godhead. Here is reported wherein the jews did ●rre, they took the word flesh amiss, not concerning the substance of it (which must be really eaten) but concerning the manner of eating it, is not (modo) Latin for the manner? Is not (quomodo) as much to say as by what manner? the jews understood the name of flesh Quomodo dilaniatur, non quomodo vegetatur, that is by what manner it is torn a pieces, and not by what manner it is quickened: do not these words import, that the jews erred in the manner of eating Christ's flesh? Doth not he that findeth fault only with the manner of eating Christ's flesh, sufficiently allow the eating of the flesh itself, if it be done after a good manner? It is the Passion of Christ, and the spiritual manner of eating in respect whereof Christ's speech is called of S. Augustine figurative. For if Christ's flesh were eaten only to fill the belly without further account of spiritual grace and life, than were the eating of that flesh natural, sensible, accustomable, and without all figure, & should be eaten by cutting, tearing, and wasting it, but in that case flesh profiteth nothing: the flesh we speak of must be eaten as a figure, as a mystery, as a Sacrament, as a holy sign of a higher truth wrought in the soul, then that bodily eating doth work. So likewise in Baptism we are washed in a figure, because the washing hath a farther and higher end than only to cleanse the body. That speech therefore wherein Christ commandeth his flesh to be eaten, is figurative, not that we should deny the true eating of his flesh, but because that eating is referred to a greater purpose, then to the feeding of the body, for Christ's flesh is meat in deed, that is to say▪ is eatten in deed as I could prove upon that place: but it is not eaten only, that it should be corporally received, but to the end we should partake of the spirit & Godhead which is in it, and so by merit of that 
Hill▪ de Trinit. Lib. 8.  flesh really present in us, obtain life everlasting with it. Whereupon Saint Hilary disputing against the Arrians that Christ is not only of one will, but also of one substance with his father, saith, De naturali in nobis Christi veritate etc. That we say concerning the natural truth of Christ being in us, except we learn it of him we say it foolishly & ungodly, for himself saith, my flesh is meat in deed, he that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, tarrieth in me & I in him, there is no place of doubting left concerning the truth of fl●sh and blood: for now both by the profession of our Lord, and by our own● faith it is truly flesh, and truly blood, and these things taken and swallowed, are the cause that we tarry in Christ, and Christ in us: is not this thing the truth? it may well chance not to be true to them, who deny jesus Christ to b● true God. So that Christ as truly as he is God, so verily & really is he in the B. Sacrament though in an inexplicable & miraculous manner & sort, invisible and hidden from our corporal senses. For as after the resurrection the spiritual being which our bodies shall have, doth not diminish the truth of their nature, but declareth a wonderful abettering of them, in that they be made in manner equal to spiritual substance: even so the body of Christ in his supper is spiritual, not for any lack of his true substance under the forms of bread & wine, but because it is fully possessed & replenished with the Godhead and is present after the manner of a spirit, as being neither seen or felt, nor tasted, but only bel●ued, & therefore this B. Sacrament, is worthily called of the church at the consecration thereof, yea of S. Paul 1. Tim. 3. misterium fidei▪ a mystery of faith. So that you see, we must understand, that though in the B. Sacrament we truly (when we sacramentally receive) do receive in very deed his B. body & blood, yet we do not receive & eat Christ's B. body after such a carnal sort, as the Caphernaits & jewish Heretics understood & blaspheme. For the lexes when they heard Christ promise his body to be eaten of us, thought Christ would have given his body to have been cut in pieces, roasted, & ●●tē (as I said before) as the dead carcase of an ox is, whereupon some of his disciples so understanding departed, thinking it a hard saying of Christ that he would give his body to be so eaten: but he answered them right worthily, the spirit 
joh. 6. 63.  it is that quickeneth▪ but the flesh it profiteth nothing. How, doth the flesh of Christ profit nothing? what doth that flesh profit nothing that redeemed the whole world? God forbidden any christian should so imagine, how then must we understand Christ's words the flesh profiteth nothing? but according to S. Augustins interpretation, that is the carnal or fleshly understanding of Christ's words profiteth nothing but hurteth much: but put a spiritual & divine understanding to Christ's flesh according to his promise & word given us in the B. Sacrament, & then the flesh profiteth much: as for example, the wicked jewish heretics of this time thus blaspheme. What dost thou (say they) eat the very body of Christ indeed in the Sacrament? how chanceth it thou feelest not raw flesh? what, can so great a substance be under the likeness of so little a piece of bread? How canst thou swallow his bones? o blasphemous heretic. Lo here you see these men's understanding that thus with the jews so grossly conceive of Christ's body in the Sacrament, the flesh profiteth nothing, but hurteth much. But if they would understand, as Christ taught and the Church believeth, that we receive Christ's Body verily in the Sacrament, not after such a gross manner but after a spiritual sort, and in an unspeakable mystery, that is though a true and natural body, yea the very flesh and blood that was borne of the B. Virgin Mary and suffered death upon the Cross; yet with all a supernatural, miraculous, divine, glorified, and impassable body. Such a body as was conceived by the holy ghost, without know ledge of man, and that was borne of the B. Virgin, without in any sort opening or violating her sacred womb. Such a body as by his divine power therein with his B. hands multiplied five loaves of bread to the feeding of many thousands Such a body as being attempted to be stoned of the jews, passed through them and was not seen. Such a body finally that arose from death, the sepulchre fast shut: and such a body that after his Resurrection likewise appeared to his disciples, the gates fast shut, without dividing asunder or opening the same. Such a body that declared himself to S. Paul on earth, and yet at that present sat at his father's right hand in heaven. To be brief, such a glorified deficate body, to whom (by power of his divinity united thereunto) nothing is impossible; this (I say) if Heretics would believe with us, then to them the flesh of Christ would profit much. This is my Body, this is my Blood said Christ: the pronouns This, pointeth to body or blood, and not to bread and wine, as appeareth by the genders contrary, God provided of purpose that the article (This) therefore should neither agree with bread, nor with wine, but only with body & blood, or with the Chalice wherein the blood is contained, and therefore this to be true, that Christ's very body and blood is in the B. Sacrament of the Altar (as being most express and plain by the very words of christ) we are bound to believe, though to declare the manner how exceedeth man's reason, because he said it to whom nothing is impossible. And therefore for ignorant & unlearned men especially when heretics ask the reason how it is possible for Christ to be here, there, & in many places at once, it is not fit for them to reason, but to have recourse to faith which is above reason, & plainly say I believe Christ that said This is my body, to whose power nothing is impossible, and let the heretic demand, scof, or flout never so much, go you nofurder with him, but leave him to the more learned, that canhandle him better. For with his why's & hows he deceiveth the simple souls, as the serpent did Eve, who begun first with the woman the weaker vessel, whereby divines understand the sensual part or inferior part to reason, & proposed things that seemed delectable, reasonable, and good, and so in the end drew reason & and all awry, making her to consent by answering first doubtfully, and so made her do the things unlawful: but if she never had stood to have reasoned or answered the wily serpent, but had fled him at first, she had never been overcome. The devil then in like manner against the simple children of God's Church, taketh the bodies of heretics his members, & speaketh in them, as in paradise he spoke in the body of the serpent, & so poor simple souls listening to his wily crafts, he deceiveth under pretence of good, & casteth them out of paradise Christ's kingdom, that is his holy Church: wherefore fly you always the whispering of that old serpent in heretics that you be not deceived with them: For heresy creepeth as a canker, and the devils deceits be divers & many, & sometimes he armeth him self against the people of God, with the word of God evil understood, to overthrow the truth of God's word in this Sacrament, & other mysteries of our redemption, as when Christ saith, poor men shall you 
joh. 12. 8.  always hau●, etc. meaning passable, & in form of poverty, but not by withdrawing himself from us, by his corporal presence in this B. Sacram. as when it is said he is risen & ascended into heaven, we must understand he is nevertheless in his sacred flesh meat indeed in this miraculous mystery, and so in spirit & truth with us all days even to the end of the world. For Christ ascended into heaven there sitting at the right hand of his father and leaving us, the belief thereof as a chief article of our faith. Christ made his own supper saying, This is my Body, and commanded his Apostles, and their successors to make the same, saying do and make this thing for the remembrance of me. Therefore neither the making of Christ's body, neither the belief thereof can be contrary to the sitting of Christ at the right hand of his father. Again sith nothing is impossible to God (albeit that which implieth contradiction in itself be therefore impossible, because it repugneth to the truth it self which is God) is it not possible to God Christ should both be in heaven after one visible sort, and in the Sacrament after a mystical sort? It were impossible for the body of Christ, both to be in heaven and not in heaven, or to be in the Sacrament, and not to be there in the same respect: but to be in heaven and in the Sacrament, or to be in many places at once, that maketh no contradiction, but only showeth an almighty & infinite power in him who worketh it. In somuch as Christ is almighty to sit at the right hand of God he is able to perform his own word & gift in the Sacrament of the Altar: and therefore in the sixth of S. john when he spoke of eating his flesh and drinking his blood which he would give, he also declared that he would go up into heaven in his manhood where he was before in his godhead. And that thing he spoke (as S. Cirillus hath noted) to declared that he was God, and therefore able to work that which he spoke of, in so much as his words were Spirit and 
Chris. de sacerdoti● lib. 3.  Life. For this cause S. Chrysostome crieth out. O miraculum, O dei benignitatem O miracle, O goodness of God, he that sitteth above with the Father in the same very moment of time, is touched with the hands of men, and delivereth himself to those that will receive and embrace him: seem these things worthy to be despised and neglected? thou shalt perceive our holy things not only to be wonderful, but also exceed all wondering and astonying of the mind. Thus saith S. Chrisostome. This Blessed Sacrament then thus miraculously instituted by Christ for a perfect memory of his death, and pledge of his infinite love, with all reverence and honour is to be worshipped, and with grateful memories and pure hearts to be received of us, seeing he could show us no greater token of unmeasurable love then this (by giving himself wholly unto us) nor devise any more excellent way to declare the same. For as a man that in fight is wounded with a scar in his face for his friends sake, coming with that in his face putteth his friend in more perfect memory of his love, then if he left or sent him an hundredth other tokens: so Christ for our love taking a deep wound to death, could leave us no more perfect memory thereof then his own body, in an unspeakable mystery; whereby his death is showed until he come to judgement, at the end of the world. For even as the noble acts which other men have done be written upon their sepulchres: so in this memory of Christ, his acts are daily showed and rehearsed. Then his Incarnation is betokened most mystically when bread is made flesh, as the word was before made flesh, and that Incarnation is represented in outward show, also by singing of the angels hymn. Glory be to God in the highest. Then 
See here how in the B. Sacrament at Mass the whole life, death, and resurrection of Christ is represented.  the going before of Saint john Baptist is expressed by reading the Epistle: then Christ's preaching is represented by singing of the Gospel: then the faith of his Apostles and Disciples is betokened in pronouncing the Creed, or Articles of the faith. Then the supper of CHRIST is made with no less authority, than himself instituted it: then his Cross is showed by making the sign thereof upon the holy mysteries: then his death is invisibly wrought under the forms of bread & wine, by turning their substances into himself, and showing them, as if the very body were divided from the blood. Then the fruit thereof is sown in the hearts of the faithful people by giving them the grace to fear him, to love him to come penitently to him, & to be made one with him: then the resurrection is outwardly showed, because the several forms of bread and wine, each of them contain whole Christ under them: then the body is elevated and adored that suffered for us: then Christ is glorified for the redemption of all mankind: then thanks be given to God, blessing to the people, and prayer is made for all the world. But the incredulous heretic still objecteth, is bread turned into Christ's flesh? yea by his infinite power and unspeakable humility, whereby he fo● our love disdained not to take flesh of our earthly substance, which things considered bread seemed unto his wisdom the most fit matter where of he would make this Sacrament. For bread was usually turned into Christ's body whilst he lived in earth: for his body was nourished with bread, the which bread was turned into his flesh. Wherefore now also We believe well (saith Nissenus 
Nissen. in orat. catech. Luc. 24. Aug. ex-Ser. deverbis Euaug. apud Bed  brother to S. Basill) the bread which is sanctified with the word of God to be changed into the body of God, the word. Noverunt fideles the faith full know what I say, they know Christ in the breaking of bread, for not every bread, but that which receaue●h the blessing of Christ is made the body of Christ. Let us once deny the flesh of Christ to be really in the blessed Sacrament of the Altar and here is no perfect building toward the flesh of Christ, and consequently no reason why we should be called 
Ephes: 4. &. 5.  his mystical body or flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bones. For as if Eu● had not been taken really out of the natural body of Adam, she should not have been in truth bone of his bones: so we are not flesh of Christ's flesh in truth itself, except the flesh of CHRIST in the natural substance thereof be the mean by our natural conjunction to it, that we are framed and wrought into a spiritual man. And our flesh is 
I mean● not into a mere spiritual substance.  turned with out loss of his own substance or propriety into the nature of Christ's flesh, because it being the flesh that is dwelled in by the Godhead, is stronger than our nature: yet although the unworthy receivers do verily receive the body of Christ, we must conform our lives to the example of christ, that by receiving this Sacrament we may not procure to ourselves damnation, but for ever live in, and with Christ. For as Saint Augustine having spoken of judas, who gave himself to the Devil right worthily said. Non malum accipiendo, sed male accipiendo. 
De bap. contra do na. cap. 5. &. 8.  etc. Not in receiving an evil thing, but in receiving evilly. For it was the body and blood of our Lord: Yea to them to whom the Apostle said, he that eateth unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgement to himself: as the Apostles and other Saints did eat the body of Christ (as Saint Hierome affirmeth) to their Salvation. 
Hiero. in. psal. 21.  The manner of eating this divine mystery, carnal men cannot attain to: all corporal natures stand of an invisible substance, and of a visible form, the form of Christ's body was that the Caphernaites saw and could not eat, but the substance of Christ's body is that we eat in mystery. Hereof said Saint Augustine you shall not eat the body you see Viz. in visibili forma That is to say. In a visible form. Yet in another place touching, the verity of the thing in this Sacrament, he said. Every man 
Aug. in. psal. 98.  ought to adore earth or the flesh of Christ before he did eat it. Did not likewise Saint Ambrose say To this day 
Amb. de. spir. sanct. lib. 3. cap. 12.  we adore the flesh of CHRIST in the mysteries? So you see divine honour is due to this divine Sacrament. But Heretics in steed of due worship, do worship their own inventions and opinions like to GOD'S, as Saint Hierome upon Zacharie the thirteen Chapter well noteth. Sicut Idola fiunt manu artificis etc. Even as Idols (saith he) are made with the hand of the artificer: So the perverse Doctrine of Heretics whatsoever it feigneth, it turneth into an Idol, and maketh Antichrist to be adored for CHRIST. Saint Chrisostome exhorting to come to this Sacrament with Zeal and most vehement love writeth. Hoc corpus in presepe 
Chris. in. 1 Cor hom. 24. Hoc.  reveriti sunt Magi, etc. The wise men (commonly called the three kings) reverenced this body in the Manger, and being men without good religion and barbarous, they worshipped it with fear & much trembling after a long journey taken. Let us therefore who are the Citizens of heaven, at the least wise follow those barbarous men, for when they saw the Manger and Cottage only, and not any of those things which thou now seest, they came with most great reverence and quakmge: but thou seest that thing not in the Manger, but on the Altar not a woman which might hold it in her arms, but the Priest present, and the hely Ghost copiously spread upon the Sacrifice which is set forth, neither thou lookest barely upon the body as they did, but thou knowest the power os it, and all the order of dispensing things, and thou art ignorant of none of those things which were done by him, and thou hast been diligenly instructed in all things. Let us be stirred up therefore, let us quake, let us profess openly a greater devotion than those barbarous men, lest if we come barely and coldly, we ●eopard our head into a more vehement fire. Hitherto S. Chrisostome: he said before Quando, etc. When thou seest it set before thee, say with thyself for this body, I am no more earth and ashes. This body which is himself Christ then gave his twelve disciples at his last supper, under the form of twelve fragments or pieces of bread, bidding every one of them take and eat, in which deed he showeth himself to make the substance of his body present under the forms of bread in divers places at one time, although not after the manner of local situation, because his body hath not in the B. Sacrament actually that natural dimension and occupying of place, which it hath otherwise, but as he hath ordained it to be, so is it under divers forms of bread & in divers places at once by his omnipotency, to whom nothing is impossible. Here I am sure many will stand with me and say, they believe not so: to whom I answer that by so saying they have condemned themselves 
john. 6. 64  to be of those of whom Christ said. There are some of you who believe not. For if CHRIST said by that which was bread before his blessing which still seemed bread, if Christ said thereof This is my body, and gave it under twelve pieces or forms, seeing they (for the most of them I think) confess him to be able to make his body present under diverse forms, and to have promised to give his flesh, and to have said, This is my body, and to have given it to twelve, how can they deny that his body was present at that supper under twelve divers forms of bread, being whole and all under each form? The confessing also of that which Christ said is a thing appertaining to faith, because the speaker is God to whom all faith belongeth: to believe this that God saith must needs be a virtue, and to discredit it is a great vice. But some will still perhaps allege that The flesh profitteth nothing 
john. 6.  the words of Christ are spirit and life. That is true and therefore I believe that when he said, Take eat this is my body he gave his body not without life and spirit, but yet as really as ever by saying. 
Gen. 1.  Let the light be made. he made the light: for his words be not deadfleash, which profiteth nothing but quicken and give life, how and whensoever it pleaseth him, much better than the spirit and soul of a man is able to quicken and make lively the body wherein it is. These two saying This is my body, and my words are spirit and life, stand so well together that I believe the one for the others sake: Christ's words never want spirit and life, & power to quicken other things, even as his flesh never lacked all kind of spirit in itself. For when the soul was out of it, yet the Godhead remained and corporally dwelt in it, and the soul returned to it again the third day. 
Collos. 2.  Therefore when Christ said This is my body which is given for you. I am bound to believe that his body is neither without soul nor godhead, for else it were not truly said, it is given sor us if it were not profitable to us. Thus you see that I believe all the words of Christ together, and that you not doing so, are (without you repent) certain to be condemned  not believing these words. Take eat this is my body, you will say you believe these words, yet not carrially but spiritually, as it is meet for Christ's words to be believed. O Sir, he that assigneth a mean how he will believe Christ's words in that very fact showeth himself not to believe them. For belief inventeth nothing of his own, but followeth the authority of God that speaketh. I believe in deed that Christ's words cannot be carnal, as you take carnal words for foul & gross meanings, but I see it to be a very clean and pure meaning, that the most pure substance of the flesh of Christ should be given under the form of bread, to the end it may be eaten of us, and the chief and the cleanest thing we use to eat is bread: to give therefore the chief and most healthful flesh in the world to be eaten under the form of the purest eatable thing, is a very pure and clean work, far from carnality. You will say it is more pure if it be rather believed to be eaten only of the heart of man by faith and spirit, then by mouth and body. I answer that it is no pure eating of a corporal thing, which taketh away the truth of corporal eating. Again both ways of eating are better than one of them alone: I believe his real flesh to be eaten with heart and mouth, to be eaten with body & mind, to be eaten in deed & in faith. Here faileth your belief, because of two true things you believe but one, the other you discredit. To be short, let us imagine him that believeth the real presence of Christ's body and blood under the forms of bread and wine, to stand before the seat of God's judgement, and that Christ asketh him, why he did believe and worship his body and blood under the forms of bread and wine: may he not well answer in this wise? I believed so, and did so because your Majesty taking bread and having blessed it doubted not to say. This is my body, which words all my forefathers understood to be spoken properly, and to be true as they sounded, and therefore at the commandment of my Prelates I a dored your body under the form of bread. If CHRIST reply that he had Preachers who taught him otherwise, & cried to him to beware lest he committed Idolatry: First that objection might not be made to any man, that died above 80. years past, because no Preacher taught publicly any such doctrine. Secondly if so much were said to one of our time, he might answer that he had more forefathers and more Preachets, and those much more ancient and more honest men, who required him to believe Christ's words, and to worship the body of his maker. Well now we are come to the point, all the Catholics have preached with one accord, that it is the true body of Christ, and the Gospel witnesseth that CHRIST said. This is my body: here is the word of God, and the tradition and preaching of man joined together, I ask whether it be possible for CHRIST (who requireth of us nothing so earnestly as belief) to condemn that simple man, who being otherwise of good life believed his word and his forefathers, and the Preachers agreeable with both, or no? answer me for what fault shall this poor man be condemned? First to believe Christ it is no fault. Secondly Christ said This is my body. Thirdly he being an infant was of his parents taught, that to be the body of Christ which was held over the Priest's head. Fourthly as many and more preach to him when he cometh to lawful age, & say this is the body of Christ, as there are that afterward preach the contrary: tell me then what was his fault for which he may be condemned? If you say, his eyes told him it was not the body of Christ, he will answer, that for the reverence he bore to the word of God, he denied the sensible instruction of his eyes, as giving more credit to Christ, then to himself, is that a fault? If you reply that by that means he might have worshipped the rock in steed of Christ he will answer he knoweth not what you mean▪ he never had any rock showed him by most grave authority, which was said to be Christ, if such thing had been taught him, he (for his part) was so obedient to believe, so willing to adore Christ, that he would have done any thing, which had been commanded him under the name of Christ or of his religion: Is this a fault why the poor man should be condemned? no surely seeing the prophet David saith,  iumentum 
Psal. 62.  factus sum apudte, I am become as it were, a beast before thee. It is laudable saith Enthymius that in the sight of God we take ourselves as beasts, which being so I can devise no fault in this poor and simple man, who if he be deceived, he is deciued by Christ, by his forefathers, by divers Catholic and virtuous preachers, by the virtue of humility, of obedience, and of pure love towards God. But on the other side if Christ call one of them before him, who denieth his real presence, and ask him why he did not believe the Sacrament of the Altar, to be the body of Christ what will he answer for himself? will he say Sir, I believed your body to sit at the right hand of God the father, and therefore that your body was not in the Priest's hand? Why then thinkest thou that I am not able to make the same which is at the right hand of my father, to be also present under the form of bread? Sir whether you are able or no, I can not say: But I have heard many preachers tell, that one body cannot be at one time in divers places. O how dreadfully would Christ answer in this case; Did not those preachers whom thou pretendest to follow say always they preached to thee the sincere word of God? did they not by that colour overthrow Monasteries, Churches, Altars, Images of Saints, and mine own Image and Cross? Did they not deny the sacrifice of the Mass, Praying for the dead, & such like ancient usages only for pretence of the word of God? & now see how inexcusable they and thou art. I said Take eat This is my Body, I said this to twelve men, I gave each of them my body, & bade make that thing as it is written in the Gospel, I showed at Capharnaum that I was signed of my father, and equal with him in power, they themselves believe that I made all creatures, places, times of nothing: now is it doubted how I am able to make my body present under the form of bread in divers pansies? Yea to maintain the better the argument against my almighty power, they say I entered not into my Disciples the doors being shut, but either prevented the shutting of them (contrary to the words of my Gospel) or came in by the window, as thieves do, or by some hole, as creepers do: yea any thing is sooner believed than my divine strength and working: thou Hypocrite seeing the word of God hath it written four times in the new Testament. This is my body, how comest thou to talk with me of my sitting in heaven, as though one of my works were contrary to the other, if in deed thou hadst been humbly persuaded that I were god, thou wouldst not measure my almighty power by thy simple wit. Thou art twice condemned, first for denial of a truth, and again for denying it against my express word, which thou pretendest to esteem and pronouncest it false. If the poor man say he knew not so much, nor saw not the falsehood of that argument, and begin to accuse the false preachers who deceived him Christ may well say that he was not deceived, for before these false preachers began their false doctrine he had said. This is my Body and This is my Blood, and all the world believed and taught the real presence, of Christ's body and blood fifteen hundred years together; what cause now hadst thou to believe a new Gospel and new preachers thereof: forsooth Sir they said the Bishop of Rome had deceived us. If in this case Christ tell him, that the Bishop of Rome were the successor of Saint Peter, and so his Vicar, having promise by him not to err in faith, and yet that he alone taught not that Doctrine, but that all the Bishops, Doctors, and Preachers of the whole Church taught the same from the beginning, and that Christ himself had said the same, that all the Evangelists, and the Apostle Saint Paul had written the same, that all faithful men believed the same, what excuse can he have who forsook CHRIST, the Apostles, the bishops, the Fathers, the Preachers, and the whole Church to follow an upstart renegade friar, who began his doctrine so ambitiously and proudly, who lived so evil, and died so terribly, that his very abominable dealing with great princes, his shameful incest and horrible death, might make any good man weary to think upon him, much less should any have followed him? To be short, answer the poor man for himself what he may, yet he cannot deny, but that both Christ said This is my body, and the Church taught the same, & yet believed he not this to be the body of Christ, and therefore is one of them who believe not: and without faith (which is but one) there is no salvation, no pleasing of God, no part in the kingdom of heaven, which thing if they that be alive will consider, they may return again to the Catholic faith and Church, and so be made lively members of Christ's body, whereof Christ is the Saviour. O but the Heretic still urgeth, if I eat Christ really, than I feed not of him spiritually, I answer it is the fondest kind of reasoning in the world, by one truth to deny an other, seeing both stand together. Is my faith the less because Christ was bodily seen in earth? how is then my spiritual feeding the worse, because the food of life is in my mouth? Doth not Tertullian say, the flesh is fed 
De resurrect. cor.  with the body and blood of Christ, to the end the soul may be made fat with God, and yet will the Heretics say, Christ in his last supper left us but a figure of his body? Except ye eat the flesh of the son of man, is in deed a figure, and the speaking thereof is figurative, because it was not meant that a man should be visibly eaten, as flesh is at common tables, but yet that he should be really eaten, albeit the manner of eating be figurative as we know. S. Augustine then (as I said before, calling those words except ye eat my flesh figurative) referreth the figure to the manner of eating, but not to the substance which is to be eaten, for else if by no mean the flesh of Christ might be eaten, it should not be eaten by faith, but if it may so be eaten, it may be eaten by mouth also, in that pure manner as it is given us. The whole man must eat, as well in body as in soul, because the whole is taken and assumpted of Christ, the whole is incorporated by Baptism, the whole redeemed by death, and the whole shall be crowned with glory, therefore the true eating is to eat that meat, which of itself consisteth of body, soul, and Godhead, to eat it (I say) in body, soul, and spirit, and not by faith only.   

Chap. XXVI of the blessed Sacrament of the Altar showing how conveniently it was ordained for our reparation, and what preparation we ought to make to the same.  
BUT it is not my purpose here to recount the shifts of our adversaries, or rather deceits of the Devil, speaking by them his instruments to delude the simple to their damnation, but rather for our instruction and comfort. Let us note here the providence of God, & sweet disposition in the ordinance of this most divine mystery. Our first parents by pride (in coveting to be as Gods, and in incredulity, believing the serpent and mistrusting God) fell from God: contra●● 〈…〉 us like God in deed, and to recall us 〈…〉 heavenly Paradise, which our parents lost (by eating the forbidden fruit) Christ hath ordained a remedy quite contrary, giving us in this B. Sacrament himself the fruit of the B. Virgin, that bread that came down from heaven, that so with humility believing Christ's word, and promise far above our reason, forsaking ourselves & submitting our reason to faith in Christ, we may receive him, (his B. body) that happy fruit of endless life, and by virtue thereof recover the possession Eve lost by her unbelieving, and tasting the forbidden fruit. Leave vain disputes then of this blessed Sacrament, and with steedfast faith embrace the truth, for this high mystery far exceedeth man's reason. For of all the works that ever God wrought, this is 
* So S. Thomas calleth it miraculorum maximum if any can find a greater unusquisque abundet in sensu suo. Psal. 100  most wonderful and miraculous, insomuch that herein God showeth as it were the period, sum, and perfection of all his works, as he spoke before by his holy Prophet, Memoriam secit▪ mirabilium suorum, miserator, et misericors Dominus escam dedit timentibus se. GOD herein hath made a memory of his wonderful works, he hath given meat to those that fear him. So that this heavenly food is given to the salvation of those only that with reverent love, & with perfect faith come unto this divine banquet: for what a wonderful and mitaculous work of Christ is this to feed man with the food of Angels, for that Christ (whose glory is the repast, dainty, and satiety of Angels in heaven) is the food of poor pilgrims in this B. Sacrament here in earth; nay herein God hath exalted man above Angels, giving the Priest power by his mighty word to consecrate his body, so that that which before was bread, now is no more bread but his body which power he never granted to Angel. Again as God is all in all, and in every place in heaven and earth, and yet not divided but whole perfect God and as saith the Apostle. In ipso vivimus, movemur & sumus In him we live, be moved and are; Even so though the Blessed body of Christ be not in all places at once where his Godhead is, as the Lutheran Ubiquitary Heretics (that so they might coarcte the mystery of this Blessed Sacrament in their reasons) do dream: yet it is most certain (according to our belief, and Gods truth) that Christ ever sits at the right hand of his father most glorious, and yet is here sacramentally, and in a mystery in the B. Sacrament, and as fully Christ here, perfect God and man, as he is in heaven, and in many places, and divers Altars in all coasts of the world at once, and yet not many but one, and the same Christ indivisible; Yea in every little part, or particle of the holy Host, and B. Sacrament is as whole and perfect Christ, as in the whole host, and look where the Blessed body of Christ is, there is his blood, and where his body and blood is, there is his Godhead by virtue of that union of the divine and human nature in one person: therefore it followeth, that where the holy Sacrament is, there is God the son. And because the works of the Trinity be indivisible, though no person but the second ●erson in godhead was incarnate, an● took upon him our nature, yet there 〈◊〉 present, the Father, and the holy Ghost, three persons and one GOD in Trinity by virtue of the concomitance (as we term it) and hypostatical unyon whom all creatures do worship, to whom Angels sing out perpetual praises, and before whom heaven and earth do tremble and quake (O unspeakable and dreadful mystery) An other miracle in this B. Sacrament is that though it be daily eaten, yet is it never consumed, nor any thing impaired though many unclean persons and traitors like judas, do oft unworthily receive the same, yet in itself it is ever undefiled. As you see the clear son that shineth upon the foul clay is nothing darkened, but still remaineth pure in itself, which as it is noisome to the watery and evil disposed eye, so is it comfort to the clear and well disposed: even so Christ the son of righttuousnes given us in this B. Sacrament, is comfort, health, and salvation to the well disposed, but everlasting death, & damnation to those that come with unclean consciences, ●oaden with mortal sin, without cleansing their souls before, that is, without contrition and lowly confession for the same, not because the fault is in Christ: but because the thing that receiveth him is impure and unclean, yet Christ always perfect glorious in himself, without defect, and no marvel: for if he suffered himself to be abused, and shed his blood with wonderful blasphemies against him by those traitorous villains hanging upon the Cross passibly, no marvel I say though in this B. Sacrament impassable he suffereth himself to be unworthily received of hypocrites and wicked men, whereof some will not stick to stab their daggers in this 
By stab understand prick, thrust, or strike.  Blessed Sacrament, and tread it under feet, all which he suffereth wicked men to work, not withdrawing his divine presence that the good be not defrauded of so unspeakable a benefit, for by this their abuse they hurt and soil themselves, but not him who is immortal & impassable. Hereby we may answer the fond objections of heretics that say, what if cat or rat should eatiet? no doubt whatsoever taketh or abuseth it, it is nevertheless the very body of Christ still: but when the outward species, or form of the Sacrament passeth away from that unseemly vessel, than Christ's B. Body and Blood also passeth, & can be there no more abused. another wonderful miracle we see, and by daily experience prove in this B. Sacrament, that is, that whereas Christ hath ordained this B. Sacrament under the forms and likeness of those things that be most usual and familiar to us, that is under the forms of bread and wine (that the sight and horror of raw flesh and blood should not affray or appall us, so that to our outward eyes, taste, feeling & other senses, it seemeth no other but that it was before) yet is it quite contrary from that it was before, as far as heaven and earth is asunder, the accidents remaining without the subject, that is taste, feeling, and seeing bread and wine, but not so, nor yet any part thereof bread or wine, but wholly and perfectly the very body and blood of Christ.   

Chap. XXVII. Of the Manna, the paschal Lamb, and other figures of the B. Sacrament.  
BUT when as GOD hath wrought so many miracles in this B. Sacrament, what sacrilegious impiety, what damnable heresy, or rather Apostasy is this of any mortal men, to go about to feed us with figures, & pull Christ out of his kingdom, remaining in this B. Sacrament in his Church militant here in earth. These heretics would make us Christians (now in this state of grace, who have by Christ's promise the things themselves, that were shadowed & prefigured in the old law) in worse case than the jews themselves. For Manna was a figure of the B. Sacrament of the Altar as appeareth by Christ's own words. Your 
joh. cap. 6.  fathers (saith he) did eat Manna in the wilderness & are dead, but he that eateth this bread that I will give him shall live for ever. For whether think you Manna that bread that was rained down from heaven, and fed the children of Israel forty years in the wilderness was not a more excellent thing then a piece of bakers bread? and yet these blasphemous heretics would have the blessed Sacrament to be no better, and so make it worse than that which was but a figure of the Sacrament. O but the thing itself (this blessed Sacrament of ours (Christ's body and blood) as far exceedeth that Manna of old, as the Sun exceedeth the morning star the forerunner thereof in brightness. Almighty 
Exod. 16.  God when he rained Manna down from heaven, the jews knowing not what it was (for it did lie upon the earth like door dew, or the seed of the Coriander brayed with a pestle) marveling said, Manhu, that is, quid est hoc what is this? to whom Moses answered as from God, iste est panis etc. this is the bread our Lord hath given you to eat. Now in this Manna there is a marvelous and strange quality, which was, that he that gathered more than his fellows, had but to suffice, and he that gathered less had as much to suffice, as he that gathered more, and all sufficient and enough. Now in this blessed Sacrament of the Altar, Christ's body, though it far exceed man's reason to know the manner how it is, yet we must most certainly, and steadfastly believe our true Moses which is Christ, who telleth us it is the bread that came down from heaven, that is his very body and blood. What a goodly figure than was this Manna of our most pure and B. Sacrament of the Altar? Manna came down from heaven, our Sacrament more: It was to every one that which he liked best, our Sacrament more: a little sufficed thereof as well as a great deal, our Sacrament more: the murmuring jews repined at Manna, and our murmuring heretics do at our B. Sacrament much more▪ the bodies of the jews were fed with Manna, and our bodies and souls with the body and blood of our Lord jesus in this blessed Sacrament much more. Thus you see how the figure answereth and foreshoweth that holy thing of our Lord, and what an excellent and unspeakable thing this B. Sacrament of the Altar is, when the very shadow of it (Manna that betokened it so long before) was of such excellency and so miraculous, then how worthy and miraculous I say, is the thing itself, and how base conceits have the heretics of Christ, and how unworthy and unsavoury this their communion Caluinisticall bread is in respect of the jews Manna the very figure of our most B. Sacrament. 
3. Reg. 19  That bread which Elias did eat (by virtue whereof he arrived to the mount of God Horeb) is a figure likewise that by virtue of our bread of life in the Sacrament, we shall arrive to the mount of God the kingdom of heaven: that bread baken under ashes and the bread of proposition likewise ever kept in store. That Paschal lamb that with such 
The Paschall lamb  solemnity was eaten when the children of Israel passed through the red Sea to the land of promise, O what a notable figure is it of the B. Lamb of God upon the Altar in this B. Sacrament? and what preparation and disposition there ought to be to receive the same, we be taught by the figure. The lamb was eaten with 
Exod 12  wild lettuce, signifying to us with what sharp and bitter tears, and contrition for our sins we ought to receive the Lamb of God in this B. sacrament. They did eat it with their rains girt, betokening unto us the pureness, and chastity we ought to come with all to this lamb of God. They had staves in their hands, and did eat with haste, whereby we be taught that this is the true food of us wayfaringmen hereupon earth. They eat it roasted, that we should prepare ourselves to this sweet lamb of God with hot love, that is fervent charity: and whatsoever was left was burnt with fire, giving us thereby to understand that whatsoever we cannot by reason comprehend of this divine mystery, that we are to consume & burn up in ourselves by most faithful fervent love and charity. For perfect love to God supplieth all our defects, all this teacheth us with what worthy preparation we ought to come to our most blessed Sacrament the Lamb of God, prefigured by this paschal Lamb of the jews, which with such preparation was eaten, but what needs all this ado for bare bakers bread john Caluins' Communion.   

Chap. XXVIII. Wherein is touched how this Sacrament is also a sacrifice daily unbloofily offered by Priests, and propitiatory for the quick and the dead, and that it is the only sacrifice whereby God is chief honoured and worshipped.  
NOW this B. Sacrament of ours is also our own only, most pure, and unbloody sacrifice of the Church, whereby God is chief worshipped, his wrath appeased, by means whereof grace and salvation is given to us from that most gracious, and bloody sacrifice of the Cross, once there offered after a bloody manner for all, as the full and superabundant price of our redemption, but here daily upon the Altar after an unbloody sort, to make us partakers of the same sacrifice once bloudely offered, but in both places on the Altar of the Cross, and here in this blessed Sacrament one and the same Christ. Which sacrifice was prefigured by that of Melchisedech, who offered sacrifice 
Gen. 14. 18. Heb. 7. 3. & 4.  in bread and wine, and was the Priest of the most high God, whose father and mother is unknown: so our B. sacrifice then (though not bread and wine, but the very body and blood of Christ) is consecrated, and offered under the likeness of bread and wine. Which blessed Sacrament was offered at Christ's last supper a sacrifice also, he our Redeemer in his Disciples giving priests authority to consecrate and offer the same, and so he remaineth in them (being daily offered up by their ministry) A Priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedech, who was without mother according to his Godhead, and without father according to his manhood, and so figured and foreshowed by Melchisedech, whereof holy David in spirit called our Saviour 
Psal. 109.  Christ (foreseeing our blessed Sacrifice) A priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedech, if he be a Priest, than he must needs offer sacrifice, but he never offered sacrifice (save only at his last supper) I mean after the order of Melchisedech. Wherefore we offering or doing the same he did at his last supper (that is consecrating his body and blood) it followeth that this Sacrament of ours is also a sacrifice, yea and that propitiatory both for the quick and the dead, which as prophesied. Daniel the prophet is judge sacrificium. A continual sacrifice, that never shall cease to the worlds end (save that the public administration thereof by daniel's prophesy 
Daniel Cap. 12. Malachy. cap. 13  shall cease in Antechristes' time) but shall (as prophesied Malachi the prophet) Be offered a pure oblation and sacrifice in every place. What other is that but the holy Sacrifice of the Mass? Which sacrifice of itself (though the Priest may often be unworthy) is ever acceptable Ex ●pere operato (as divines term it) in Gods sight, because this sacrifice is his only son in whom he is well pleased. If they say the Prophet meant the sacrifice of a pure heart, it is not so, for no man can say his heart is altogether pure from sin at least from a soul, or light thought: if they say it was the sacrifice upon the Cross which the prophet foretold, that cannot be, because it was but in one place, wherefore it must needs follow the prophet foretold, the one only, pure, and unbloody Sacrament and sacrifice of the Altar at Mass offered in every place, and in steed of all those bloody sacrifices of old. From the rising 
Psal. 112.  of the son to the setting of the same again. Whereby you see this B. Sacrament was instituted by Christ, not only as a healthful medicine and food of our souls, but also that it might be offered continually as the chief and proper sacrifice of the new testament for a sufficient thanksgiving to God the father, and continual memory of our L. jesus his bitter Passion, till his coming again, whereby we eschew the evils of this life, obtain remission of sins with the grace of God, & glory in the world to come. And because Christ bade the Apostles and Priests of the new Testament do or sacrifice this in memory of him, his Incarnation, Life, Passion & Resurrection: therefore as by Christ's institution it is a sacrifice and lively representation, especially of his death and Passion: So every thing about the Altar (as the ornaments, ceremonies, & actions of the priest at Mass) do chief represent, and reduce into our memories the same. And if I would stand to recite the Scriptures, Counsels, and Fathers to this purpose that call it an host, an oblation, a pure and unbloody Sacrifice, the price of our Redemption, a healthful Sacrifice, and the like, I might fill great volumes, but I must be brief. Neither is it my purpose to answer here all heretical objections; neither to make any long discourse of so unspeakable a matter, for to give or set down the full doctrine hereof would require and fill (as I said) many and large books, which already of most learned men be written. My purpose is here but to instruct the simple and unlearned, who ought rather to ground themselves in true faith and belief, then to look into such high mysteries to comprehend Gods mighty works by reason. For what is man to compare as it were himself with God, to think to contain him whom heaven and earth cannot hold? for what is one man in respect of so many men, or what be all men in respect of God? Man is (as it were) a mite, like a vanity, a puff of wind; God is mighty, incomprehensible, yea great in the least things, without variance or inconstancy, at a beck of whose finger the very heavens, and earth do tremble and quake, the depth of whose mighty works we cannot reach unto, no not in the least things, or creatures we daily see here before our eyes. Who can number the stars or give a just account of their swift course, without going one jot out of order from the beginning of the world to this day? the very herbs, plants, and trees we see do daily grow and increase. Who is so wise that can discern or say now at this very instant I perceive the increase? Again when they be as it were dead in winter who can say they shall so flourish in summer, but he that hath experience? Imagine some man brought up in some cave under the earth, never seeing light nor conversing with men, If one should come unto him on a sudden, and discourse with him of colours black and green, and the like, tell him of the spring the course of the son, moon and stars, would he not wonder and think them above reason, till he saw and perceived them as we do? If then these things so familiar to us seem so admirable to those that be unaccustomed to see them, or if we ourselves cannot give a reason to the depth of the least things, can we think to comprehend God in the greatest? would we have God so little, that he cannot exceed our reason? And yet (o blasphemy & malicious blindness) such be the heretics of our time, who because they cannot attain by human reason to the depth of this mystery of Christ's body in the Sacrament, therefore they forsake faith & belief in Christ herein, against both truth and reason. O heretic shall Christ cease to be with us according to his promise, because thou art unable of reason? Nay he shall be when thou art not.   

Chap. XXIX. Of the great love and humility of Christ in this Blessed Sacrament, and of the devotion of Christians of old towards the same.  
THis Blessed Lord jesus than perfect God & man, which enclosed himself for our sakes in the womb of the most Blessed Virgin, when as him the heaven of heavens cannot comprehend, is also with us according to his word in the least particle of the B. Sacrament whole & perfect Christ, & entereth into the Cottage of our homely bodies, is always delighted to be with the sons of men, and yet is still incomprehensible, & all glorious with his father in heaven, & that by his mighty power to whom nothing is impossible. But o how happy was the time when men believed steadfastly and doubted nothing of Gods promise in this his so unspeakable a gift, and so worthily received the fruits thereof, whereas miscreants now both deny the truth, and show themselves most ingrateful in not only denying the truth, but thinking most basely of his divine ordinance. O horrible ingratitude, in steed of the Prince and king of heaven and earth left us in this Sacrament, to feed men with a piece of beead, like to the unclean hogg that refuseth the precious pearl, and feeddeth of the pease shaling in the clay. O what could CHRIST have done more for us than he did, and how more unthankful can these men show themselves to him then they do, which most displeaseth him, and hindereth his bounty towards us, for this unthankfulness is a vice that drieth up the fountain of God's grace in man's soul. Fly then such lying Masters (I say) and their wicked devices, taste no more of their bait that draweth to death but believe, and prepare yourselves with all purity of body and soul to receive in the blessed Sacrament, Christ the food of life, and so you shall reap the wonderful fruits thereof, which be many & infinite. First by worthy receiving of this most venerable Sacrament, many sins we could not remember in confession be forgiven us, so hot is the fire of GOD'S love towards us herein, if we receive him with fervour, that it again boileth and consumeth in us all defects, and imperfections with the relics of sin, as fire purifieth metals from dross and corruption, which was signified by the Paschal lamb roasted and those holocausts, or whole  sacrifices of the law. Besides this, it giveth most plentifully of grace to the well disposed, it infeebleth our passions, and inordinate motions, maketh less and weaker all temptations bodily and ghostly, giveth strength that we consent not to them, but to our great merit may overcome them. Wherefore saith a blessed Father. If thou feel not so oft violent temptations of the flesh, thank Christ for the grace that this holy Sacrament worketh in thee. Moreover in this B. Sacrament we chiefly exercise faith, to our greatest merit, believing Christ above reason, and not our senses, and that right worthily. For if as we read of a sort of Philosophers, they would credit what their Masters said, and never reason the matter but say Ipse dixit, our Master said it, accounting it a sure ground: great reason then have we Christians to give credit to our Master Christ the truth, whose words cannot fail, reasoning no farther but say Ipse dixit, Christ our Master said, This is my body: that he said it, this is a sure ground. Likewise in worthy offering & receiving this B. Sacrament we give due thanks to God for his wonderful benefits, which of ourselves we could never be able: whereupon the holy Prophet in spirit long before (considering the wonderful benefits of God bestowed herein, which of himself man could never be able to requite) burst our into these words. Quid retribuam Domino 
Psal. 115.  etc. O what shall I requite to my Lord God for all his goodness bestowed on me, I will (saith he) take the Cup of our Lord & call upon his holy name. See the mercy of God who bestoweth such benefits upon us, that none is able to requite, and yet we in receiving these precious gifts, and offering his benefits to him again, he accepteth it for a sufficient requital. Also in this B. Sacrament (as I said before) we represent mostlively Christ's Passion before our eyes, and imitate him therein. This is a sacrifice propitiatory both for the quick and the dead, which with the three Sages we ought to honour with all divine honour and worship, prostrate both in body and mind, as the holy Prophet foretold, saying, All the families of nations should worship in his sight. 
Psal. 21.  And in an other place, Adorabunr sca●ellum, etc. they shall worship his footstool, that is (as S. Augustnie understandeth) his body or humanity, the seat, or his footstool as united to his divinity. By this Sacrament and sacrifice we worship God, and chief acknowledge there is a true God: by this sacrifice God's wrath is chief averted, yea and sufficiently appeased for our 
I mean it is sufficient of itself, as the example of that upon the Cross, but to us according to our disposition.  sins, which sacrifice ever acceptable in his sight he never denieth, as being most glorified thereby, which is his only most dear son. So that it is joyful to Angels in heaven, comfortable to men in earth, and healthful to the faithful departed, and the chief honour to God here on earth; neither is there any thing so sufficient a remedy to release the faithful departed speedily of their pains, and bring them to the glory of God, as this Sacrament and sacrifice. To be brief, this blessed Sacrament, and our pure and vubloudy sacrifice Christ's very body and blood in deed, is the very body and blood that was borne of the B. Virgin, and suffered death upon the Cross▪ by means whereof we be incorporate, united, or knit unto Christ our head, made one flesh of his saered flesh and blood, by means whereof we receive herein a pledge most sovereign to appear glorious with him at the last day. Who is it then, but for to be worthily partaker of so great a benefit if he well consider, but would willingly lose two hundred marks, for that pain besides imprisonment (O doleful days) English statutes set down for hearing one Mass. For so long as we remain in the knot of peace, unity, and charity, that is be members of Christ's mystical body the Church by worthily receiving this venerable Sacrament, his very body: so long we be the very flesh and body of Christ, flesh of his sacred flesh and blood, and may say with a reverent Father to our unspeakable comfort, we are thy flesh and blood (O judge) of the living and the dead, we are thy members how unworthy soever, yet thy members have we never left off, or ceased to be, we never from thy body by heresy or schism divided ourselves: thy flesh (good Lord) then wilt thou not despise, thy flesh thou wilt not hate, thy flesh thou wilt never condemn, we have no hope, no trust, no other glory, but that thou art our flesh, and we thy flesh.   

Chap. XXX. Containing a brief recapitulation of things touched in the treatise of this Sacrament, and declaring that lay persons be not desrauded of the blood of Christ, nor healthful fruit of the Sacrament in receiving under one kind.  
O The infinite love of Christ to mankind, that with such sweet, pure, and undefiled kisses & embracings of love and charity, knits and toeth us fast together unto him. O Lord it is marvel that o●r hearts do not for love as it were burst asunder, when we consider the most dear and tender love of Christ towards us, for love you know deserveth love again: but what greater love could Christ show us, in not only dying for us, but still in this unspeakable mystery remaining with us? Was there ever Pelican that so tendered her young ones, who though she fed them with her blood, yet in the end she forsaketh them? was there ever mother, that so dearly loved her children, as christ doth us, who said and performeth it, that If a mother can forget the only son of her womb, yet will he never forget nor forsake us? who not only feedeth us with the sweet milk of his holy word the fruit full dew of his grace, taketh compassion upon us, even with shedding his blood, embracing us with his stretched out arms of mercy upon the Cross: but also still remaineth with us, even to the end of the world, fostering us with his very body, be dewing and washing us also with his most sweet and precious blood. O heart why dost thou not relent? why art thou so hard? how canst thou abstain from tears for pure love of that sweet Saviour and Redeemer? why art thou not appalled with fear? why art thou not stricken with love? why art thou not wholly inflamed with devotion which is oft afforded to the devout receivers hereof? for by how much this mystery is above man's reason, by somuch the fervent love & devotion (bestowed on us by the fountain of God's grace given us therein) is of more virtue and abundance. If S. Peter when he had but one glimce of God's glory, when he but tasted as it were a drop of his love in Mount Thabor, thought it good to stay there, and never to departed. When we receive hear a fountain of his love, a pledge of his glory, the celestial dew of all grace, why should we not fully content, satiate, and repose ourselves herein? O if such disposition is made for the receipt of some noble King in his subjects house, how ought we to cleanse our hearts and minds, to purify our bodies, to sweep our spirits with compunction and penitent sorrow of heart for our sins (which be the only things that be foul in God's sight and displease him) to confess with mouth, to satisfy with deed, to apply all the members of our bodies, and powers of our souls to entertain him, that so our souls and bodies may be an habition for Christ and tabernacle of the holy Ghost. But O sweet Saviour if my vessel were of the purest metal, far more excellent than gold, and precious s●ones, it were too base for thy Majesty whom those glorious Angelical spirits▪ or the heavens cannot comprehend; and where is then thy habitation, but only in pure minds and souls? Give me then grace (good Lord) to fly sin, to serve and love thee, so to dwell in thee that thou mayst inhabit in me. For in thee I can do all things, but without thee nothing: thou art the high Priest and true Sacrifice, thou art the offerer, and pure oblation itself CHRIST JESUS our Lord and God, the true MESSIAS, and Saviour of the world, thou be blessed for evermore. To be brief, you see now by this little which is said, the wonderful goodness of CHRIST, in leaving us his blessed body and blood in this holy Sacrament, whereby we all have life and grace, and salvation in our souls: for as our bodies cannot live without bread: so our souls cannot live without this bread of life Christ's body given us herein▪ as he said Unless you 
joh. 6. 53.  eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you. whereby you see how these new lying Masters heretics be worse than murderers, that pine and murder men's souls, in that they deprive and rob you of so unspeakable a benefit, as Christ's body and most blessed blood given at Mass, giving you poison in stead thereof (a piece of polluted bakers bread) wherein is no salvation, but (alas) quite contrary as before I have proved. No other remedy then (if you will save your souls) but fly their company and Communion, and so by cleansing yourselves from sin by healthful contrite Confession that you may be justified, make yourselves apt vessels to receive grace (that is become Catholics) reconcile yourselves to God, to the household of faith, to CHRIST'S holy Catholic Church, wherein only and no where else (assure yourselves as before God the everlasting truth) you shall receive the bread of life, and salvation. You have heard here, how that which CHRIST left us at his last supper is a Sacrament and Sacrifice, the very body and blood of our Redeemer, under the form or likeness of bread and wine, being perfectly and wholly transubstantiated, or converted into CHRIST'S body and blood: and how with divine honour we ought to adore and worship the same. By the way also I have touched a little sum of the wonderful effects, and fruits of the same that we daily receive, and what peril of soul you be in for want of the same, till you come to better estate. Hasten then out of Babylon, that is sin and heresy, that you may offer in jerusalem Sacrifice, which only may please God, whom only we ought to serve, and that is in the unity of his holy Catholic Church. The lawful Minister of this Sacrament is a lawful Priest, wherefore n● Protestant Minister can consecrate, because wanting lawful vocation and authority he is no Priest. The matter to consecrate with all is unleavened bread and wine of the grape, whereunto is put some water for a mystery, whereunto when Gods son CHRIST'S own word (spoken by a lawful Priest with intention to consecrate) cometh, of bread and wine is made the body and blood of Christ, who gave that power to a Priest he never did to Angels, nor his Blessed mother, that is to consecrate his body. This Sacrament (as I have said oft before) is far above reason, but submitting our reason to true faith it greatly increaseth our merit. For as saith Saint Gregory, God's work is not marvelous if it be comprehended in reason, neither hath faith merit where man's reason giveth experience. The chief thing then of this blessed Sacrament is Christ's body and blood, with the wonderful graces and gifts of God bestowed therein, commonly called the effects and fruits thereof: which that we may not with judas receive to our damnation, but with Saint Peter to our rising again and endless Salvation, I beseech our LORD that we may be armed with true and firm faith, pure and innocent life, fervent love and charity, that as for our sins for want of these virtues it now many years hath by God's judgement, and wrath been taken from us, to our unspeakable loss and the continual grief of all good men: So by renewing these virtues again in us, and by amending our lives, it once again by God's special grace may be restored to us, to the honour and glory of his holy name, to the confusion of the Devil and all his members, and to our unspeakable comfort and endless joy in heaven: that whereas here we now truly receive CHRIST in this unspeakable mystery, there we may be fed and enjoy his presence in that endless glory, which he our LORD JESUS grant who be blessed for ever. But yet moreover one thing is to be considered touching the manner of receiving this blessed Sacrament, which is, that although CHRIST gave this blessed Sacrament unto his Apostles under both kinds, that is, his body and blood apart, and although both Bishops and Priests, as oft as they celebrate Mass according to Christ's institution, are to receive under both kinds: yet the holy Church, upon most weighty consideration giveth the lay people but only one kind (that is the holy Host Christ's body) and that which the Priest or Clarke giveth them after in the Chalice, or in a glass, is but wine to wash their mouths, lest any of the holy Host should be left behind, or stick in the mouth; neither are lay persons in this receiving under one kind defrauded of the blood of Christ, nay they receive in that one kind as fully and perfectly Christ, as the Priest (that may lively represent Christ's Passion, and shedding of his blood, as the public Minister of the Church) receiveth both. For though his body be consecrated apart, and his blood apart in mystery, to signify the effusion thereof, and his death in his Passion, yet Christ is not divided, and therefore whosoever receiveth his body, likewise receiveth his blood, as being now inseparably joined together. For although through the force of the words of the Sacrament by consecration, the body and blood be severally present upon the Altar, yet by the concommitance, natural, and inseparable union betwixt them, it necessarily followeth, that where the body is, there also is the blood, and where the blood, there likewise the body: Yet sor fear of inconveniences, that might chance (if the common people should receive under both kinds) yea and for conservation of uniformity in receiving this B. Sacrament (the knot of peace in all persons, and places of the world) and for other just causes, the holy Church, who hath to dispose of this B. Sacrament (as of the rest according to time▪ and place) for the most edifying of the people, giveth it them under one kind only, knowing that Christ hath promised as much grace and salvation to the one kind as to both. For he that said, the 6. of S. john. Unless you eat the flesh of the son of man, & drink his blood, you shall not have life in you, he likewise in the same chapter said, He that eateth this bread shall live for ever, yea he our Saviour likewise as appeareth the 24. Chap. of S. Luke gave it two of his disciples under one kind when he took bread, blessed, and gave to them, and their eyes were opened and they knew him, which was that bread (as many learned fathers understand) that bread of life (I say) that came down from heaven Christ himself his blessed body, which would GOD the heretics in true faith and charity would dispose themselves with us, yea and the Disciples of Christ's to receive: then no doubt their eyes would be opened to see and be partakers of the truth, whose eyes (alas) infidelity, pride, and other sins have so blinded, that whereas at first some of them began to contend for the cup the blood of our Lord: in breaking unity & charity, in departing from the church, they have of Gods heavy justice and judgement (who in obstinate sinners suffereth one sin to be the punishment of an other) lost both body, blood, the price of their redemption & al. Likewise as it appeareth in the acts of the Apostles, they also themselves 
Act. 2. 42. & ca 20. 7  sometimes gave it the people under one kind, as the Church now universally doth through the whole world practise and use, and of most ancient time the people received under one kind, as by many testimonies & miraculous examples (when in the primitive Church this B. Sacrament under one kind (as now) was reserved, carried about, and given to the lay people) if leisure and time would permit me, I could show & most evidently prove. The Ark of God also carried about the wales of Hierico with solemnity of trumpets, whereby the munitions of the impious fell down, betokening this B. Sacrament the Ark of the living God with all honour solemnly carried in Procession, with all jubely of hearts, melody of voices, gravity of the Ecclesiastical and noble personages, adorned with most precious attire and rich ornaments, assisted with troops of the devout people of both sects, every one occupied in their degree: some hanging the streets and wales with cloth of their best Tapestry and Aurice, like the true Israelites that furnished the tabernacle, and adorned salomon's temple with their riches and jewels: others with the devout companies of the jews spread their garments in the ways, and strew the streets with rushes, herbs, flowers, palm boughs, and fragment blossoms: others like valiant soldiers of that worthy Gedeon carry with exultations torches, and lights in their hands, and sound out with great solemnity, and pleasant harmony the sacred bells, material trumpets of Christ & his Church, and other musical instruments: others with holy joseph, Nichodemus, and those devout women cover (as is meet) the most majestical and venerable Sacrament the most blessed body of our Lord with their white and finest sindons, and most precious jewels: others with all, or with the greatest part of their riches and posessions, chief in the honour hereof, have erected Altars of the best marble, silver, gold, and precious s●ones, and have builded most magnificent temples in divers nations of the world, little inferour to salomon's temple in greatness, but far exceeding it in true honour and glory by the pure, grateful, and sincere worship of God in that healthful sacrifice. In temples this divine mystery is reserved in guilt tabernacle with lamp; and light to the comfort of the faithful, and health of the sick, from hence in solemn procession it is carried in holy vessel and sacred hands through Church, princely street and covered path; young & old of all states & degrees prostrating themselves in body and mind, singing with joyful hearts & sweet consent in voice with those devout children of God. Hosanna filio 
joh. 12. 13.  David, blessed be he that cometh in the name of our Lord. And so the devout army of God carrying the banners displayed with the triumphant ensign, and standard of the Cross, beseech him for Christ his sons sake there present, all of one heart and accord, that the rocks of sin and walls of Satan may be pulled down, that the people of God may have true liberty, the weeds of iniquity may be rooted out, true virtue may be exalted, justice executed, God chiefly honoured and glorified in his people, that so Christ resting in his sacred tabernacle & remaining in his holy Church, Hierico being ruinated, destroyed, and quite razed down, the wales of Jerusalem may be builded up. Then may we sing exultantibus animis, with 
Psal. 50.  joyful hearts, Tunc acceptabis sacrificium justitiae oblationes & holocausta, tunc imponent super altare tuum vitulos. Then O Lord, we purified by grace in heart, and soul from sin, with due composition also, and decency of body wholly offering ourselves to thee, as thou offeredst thyself far more bountifully for us, in contrite and humble heart by Christ here our high Priest the only pure, and most acceptable Sacrifice; we (I say) will offer to thee O God, and thou for JESUS thy sons sake Shalt accept our sacrifices of prayers and thanksgiving oblations of justice, the due, sincere, and upright charitable dealing to word our neighbours, with whole  offerings of burning heavenly desires, with fervent love above measure to our loving L. above, then upon the Altar of our hearts, with incensed and divine affections kindled with devotion shall we make a feast to God and his Angels, who delight to rest and dwell with pure souls, devout, oft, and worthy receivers of this▪ blessed Sacrament: then shall we in thy Church militant here in earth over all nation's triumpth in true and sowed faith: then with constant patience the Lady of wisdom, and procurice of true honour, shall we in all adversities expect joyfully thy B. coming. Then for thy love with arms of love and charity shall we embrace both friend and foe, fructifying in good works, wishing and procuring to our power the good of all men: then shall christ enter into us with divine presence and holy grace, and we rest and repast ourselves of, and in him by his bountiful savour. Then shall we enter, and repose in him by tasting his sweetness, and go forth & contemplate his mighty power and goodness in all creatures, and superabundantly find within and without (which none can tell but he that hath found it) repast and refection of his love, his sweetness, his power, majesty, bounty, glory, and goodness. So reliquie cogitaticnum etc. the remnant of spiritual and pure thoughts conceived by the devout tasting, and most sweet meditation of this divine mystery, shall refresh us, and make in our hearts a festival day, a healthful banquet, an immortal and most delightful supper full of all joy and gladness. Then shall we be so enamoured with his love that with his sweet spouse in her Canticles, we burst out and say Fasciculus Myrrh, 
Cap. 1.  dilectus meus mihi, etc. My beloved to me is a poesy of Myrrh, of sweet odoriferous and fragrant flowers, I will embrace him, and he shall rest between my breasts in my very heart. Tenui, nec demittam 
Cap. 3.  eum, I have kept him etc. I will hold him fast, I will hold him fast, and never let him go. Thus exulting to GOD here upon the Altars of our hearts and souls thus offered in his sight, far better pleasing God than oblations, & sacrifices of thousands of those bloody sacrifices of calves & bulls. Then finally in that glorious triumphant Church a 'bove shall we laud, and glorify almighty god, through christ jesus his most sweet and only son, that pure and innocent Lamb, daily offered here in sacrifice upon the Altar in a mystery, and sitting at his Father's right hand in a supereminent glory, who to our bodies & souls is the true food of grace and glory that perisheth not, but remaineth to life everlasting, who be blessed and honoured of all creatures for evermore.  
Amen.   

Chap. XXXI. Of holy Order, what it is, by whom it was ordained, and of ho●e many degrees it consisteth▪ and that no man rashly without due consideration ought to take upon him the same.  
THE fift Sacrament is holy Order: as then in Baptism we be new regenerate, or borne in Christ, in Confirmation strengthened, in Penance after our wounds and faults healed, and raised up again, in the holy Sacrament of the Altar most abundantly fed to make us lively Soldiers of Christ, and that we may last out to our journeys end, & like royal Soldiers obtain the victory: so by this holy Sacrament of Order christs kingdom and common weal his holy Church, as a most valiant army set in most mighty noble order, is prepared to triumph over those Princes of darkness, perpetual enemies of mankind, & this wretched world. For if all things God hath ordained be well ordered, much more his holy Church so dearly beloved of him, that not only all things he created in heaven and in earth tend to the salvation of it, but he himself shed his blood for it. For even as God in his triumphant Church in heaven, hath some higher, some lower orders of Angels: even so in his Church militant here in earth there be divers degrees in holy order all tending to the due service of God, as Bishops, Priests, Deacons, and other inferior orders, whereof some succeed the Apostles, others the Disciples of Christ, and coadjutors of the Apostles, all lawful messengers and workmen of Christ, ad 
Ephes. 4. 12.  consummationem sanctorum in opus ministerit, duly to administer and execute his wo●ke, to bring his elect servants to perfection. Order then being instituted by Christ, & given by imposition of hands (as appeareth by holy Scripture) is a Sacrament you see ordained by Christ, whereby his Church is well disposed & governed, yea and defended against all foreign incursions. Now this holy order which is chief & principally called Priesthood consisteth of many orders, I mean the other inferior orders appertaining to it. Four inferior orders 
Other inferior orders every one in their degree, be also properly called Order but chief Priesthood whereunto the other inferior be long.  there be, which be preparations to Priesthood, which though they bind not to chastity as the 3. higher orders do, yet it is not connuenient that any take them but such as have mind to be Priests, yet there is first a preparation to these 4. inferior orders, which we call the first tonsure, whereby a man before he enter to take holy orders, is taught by thus cutting of the hair to shake of all worldly cares, to cut of all superfluous desires and transitory things, that may hinder him from heavenly contemplation and the due service of almighty God. The first of these lower orders is called the Ostiary, that is the door keeper, that hath by virtue of that office given him (which the keys the Bishop giveth him doth betoken) power to keep, and shut the Church doors to keep out heretics and infidels, and preserve enclosed from profane hands the holy vestures, and sacred vessels of Christ. The second order is the Reader, that by the book which the Bishop giveth him may read holy lessons of holy Writ in the Church. The third order is called an Exorcist, which hath power given him to expel and cast out Devils, not by witchcraft and superstition, as Soothsayers, Conjurers, and Witches have, openly and secretly calling upon the Devil: but by the word of God and authority given him by the Church. The fourth of the lesser orders is called an Acolite that may bring in cruets wine, & water to the altar to serve the Priest, clothes, candles, incense, lights, and other things necessary. And these 4. orders be degrees toward the 3. higher orders of Priesthood, which declare what a sovereign thing it is, and that no man ought rashly, or presumptuously to ascend to so high a dignity without due consideration, preparation, and by degrees. For if in the old law the Priests had their levites and other inferior ministers to serve them in their bloody sacrifice, how much more convenient is it in this law of grace, that Priests which serve the living God with the pure unbloody sacrifice of Christ at the Altar, have due Ministers & servitors, which none but they so authorized can properly exercise. These inferior orders in the Primitive church it seemeth were better known & practised with more solemnity, than now they be, though in Cathedral Churches to this day in Catholic countries they be solemnly used, neither without them can any take Priesthood without sin.   

Chap. XXXII. Of the higher orders, and how necessary by God's ordinance one head is over the rest.  
THree higher orders there be that bind to chastity, yea the lowest of them, which when any taketh ipso facto, he is bound to perpetual chastity. The first is called Subdeaconship, which is a degree under a Deacon, & hath authority given him by the Bishop solemnly to read the Epistle, as the Deacon hath authority likewise so emnly to read and sing the Gospel, and so to prepare the Chalice with other things about the Priest at Mass. Likewise the order of Deaconship was in the primitive Church of great authority, as appeareth by S. Stephen who was a Deacon, and others. The highest order is Priesthood, which office and function is given by the Bishop when he giveth the Pattyn and Chalice with bread & wine, using the words, whereby he giveth authority from Christ to consecrate the very body and blood of Christ, and to remit sins, when he said. Receive ye the holy 
john. 20. &. Math 18.  ghost: Whose sins you remit they be remitted, and whose sins you retain they be retained. This Sacrament of order is one of the three Sacraments whereof Baptism and Confirmation be the other two, that imprinteth in man's soul a character, that is a note, or sign distinctive for ever from all other persons 
1. Tim. 4. 2. Tim. 1.  that have not received those sacraments; which three sacraments cannot be itterated, that is, one person cannot take them twice. For be a man never so evil if he be baptized he is ever a Christian though he forsake his faith, and shallbe so judged of Christ at the last day, from others that are infidels: and he that is once a Priest, become he never so evil, let him take a strumpet, and do what he will, yea though he were degraded yet hath he still that note in his soul of Priesthood, and if he would attempt to consecrate in never so evil state of life, he doth it as verily as any good Priest, though to his own damnation. For the dignity of the Sacrament dependeth not of the power of man, but of God: yet if we know the Priest to be a Schismatic, Heretic, or openly excommunicate, we ought then in no case to be present at his Mass. The Bishop hath jurisdiction over the Priest, and the Archbishop over many Bishops, and the patriarch over many provinces, and the Pope as much to say Father of fathers) is the high Priest of God, Vicegerent here of Christ in earth, Bishop of Bishops, Head and chief ruler in spiritual matters over all Princes, Priests, Bishops, and over the whole Church under Christ her head; and who so gainesaith this obstinately is a proud rebellious heretic, and traitor to jesus our chief head, Lord, and King, and the sweet spouse his Church, and deserveth severe punishment of body also, as by such obstinacy (as long as he continueth therein) he is already damned in soul: yea in the old law before Christ it was death to disobey the high Priest, He that is proud, saith holy Scripture, 
Deut. ca 17.  and will not obey the commandment of the Priest, let that man die the death, that so mischief may be taken out of the people of God. For none be so pernicious members to Christian religion, as those that go about to break the peace of the Church, and break unity and concord, which all those do that bark against the Pope Gods Lieutenant Christ's Vicar here on earth, yea and (as the holy Fathers of old do record) it hath ever been the custom of heretics to bark against the rock of S. Peter, that apostolic Sea the Pope, because that against that rock heresy never hath, nor can possibly prevail, but falling upon it is burst asunder: yea and sayeth S. Jerome, Christ chose one Head amongst the rest that a head being made, and so ordained over the rest all occasion of Schism or division might be taken a way, for we see yea in very policy that no kingdom, no common weal, or house with out one head can stand, much less it is fit that God's house so well ordered, and sure that it may not be moved, should be without her head or steward. But to be head in spiritual matters belongeth neither to king nor temporal Prince, to no temporal man, much less to a woman to whom it is 
Mulieres in Ecclesia dei taceant. 1. Cor. 14. 34.  not lawful to speak in the Church (as by God's word I could prove at large) much lesseto govern in the Church. This power was chief given to S. Peter and his successors, and to the rest of the Apostles in their degrees, whereunto other Bishops succeed Peter, and his successors, and as a secondary rock, chief pillar, & head under Christ, govern the whole Church and others, & his brethren, and fellow workmen be governors of particular Churches, as he is of the universal Church chief Pastor & Father, having thereof the chiefest charge. For unto S. Peter (after christ had asked him thrice whether he loved him) he gave charge to feed his universal flock young & old, seed my lambs 
john. 21. Math. 16. 18.  saith he feed my sheep. Upon S. Peter likewise as the rock most sure under, & next unto himself he laid the foundation of his Church, promising his faith should never fail, which never hath done to this day, neither in S. Peter nor his successors, or ever shall to the end of the world. Let any heretic (if he dare) avouch this of any of their patriarchs at Geneva, or else where, if any would be so impudent (as in deed they be shameless) all the world may know him for a liar, as knowing their beginning & evil proceeding which will have a worse end. But we dare avouch & can prove, because we are authorized by Christ's holy word, that in S. Peter's chair, that is when any of S. Peter's successors defineth a matter of faith, intending to bind the whole Church (though in private as a man he may err otherwise) yet therein he never hath nor can err, as being assisted by God's holy Spirit. For the benefit of the whole Church I have prayed for thee Peter 
Luc. 22. 32.  that thy saith may not fail said Christ: in somuch that we read of none that ever herein quailed, that gods word may be true. Nay in the old Testament before 
Agg. 2. 12  Christ, when there was doubt of any matter of religion, they had recourse to the high Priest, & those of the stock of the Levites, in whom God ever conserved true faith, though in a number it quailed in Israel. But the heretics when they cannot answer by reason & authority, than they turn to scoffing & railing either commonly by lying, or else like cursed Cham as he did at his father's secrets scoff, in scoffing and deriding the same: So do they in discovering sins and defects of Popes & Prelates of the Church, deride their parents though in deed above thirty of the Pope's next after S. Peter, did all suffer martyrdom for Christ, and many glorious Saints and Doctors were of them since that time. Who more eloquent than S. Leo? who more holy than S Gr●gory, which both were Popes with many more? But these, heretics maliciously conceal, & if there were any that as men had sins or defects, those they publish to the world. We grant in deed that Popes as they be men may sin: but why for that (O heretic) dost thou slander the chair of S. Peter, wherein the Catholic faith shall ever undefiled continue? Why dost thou not remember that God can show the truth by an evil man, yea by a dumb beast? what, did not Caiphas though an evil man, yet for that he was the Bishop and high Priest, spoke true (prophesying of Christ) that it was expedient, that one 
joh. 11. 50  should die for the people, that the whole should not perish? Nay did not Christ himself say? Upon the chair of Moses do 
Math. 23 2. & 3.  sit the Scribes and Pharisees, do that they say, but do not as they do: for they say, and do not. If therefore any Pastors of the Church lead evil lives, they shall bear their own burden; neither ought we to follow them therein, but to do as they bid us, that is to follow the truth touching matters of faith, wherein the the chief Pastor cannot err: yet if we see defects in our spiritual Pastors, it is not for us (as heretics do) to slander them, uncover their defects, and that which is worse, to forsake the true faith for their sakes: but rather with holy Sem and japhet to cover their nakedness, or as that Christian Emperor Constantine did, who said that if he saw a Bishop do a thing inconvenient he would rather cover it with his cloak then reveal it. The reason is, that God● name & the truth for man's fault should not be blasphemed. Yet (God be blessed) the Church of Christ hath ever in all Countries had some good Pastors, whereas amongst heretics can possibly be none good.   

Chap. XXXIII Of God's severe punishment of divers for arrogating to themselves Priestly office, and how● we are to obey our Pastors.  
But admit that many were bad of life, must therefore God's ordinance be altered, and therefore any temporal King or Prince, yea that which is more absurd tinkers and cobblers take upon them to be Pastors, and rulers in spiritual causes? O why do they not remember, and be afraid how Almighty God of old from time to time punished such Luciferian pride, and intolerable presumption, and arrogancy. Chore, Dathon, and Abyron with 
Numeri cap. 16.  a number more of their conspiracy (who being not called, or chosen of God to the high Priestly office and function, and yet sacrilegiously would presume to to offer incense and do Sacrifice) did not fire from heaven consume them, & the earth swallow them up quick to hell, to the terror of all generations? That false King jeroboam that upon the Altar 
3. Reg. 13.  in Samaria offered sacrifice did not god strike him lame? And in like sort did he not plague those perfidious, & treacherous kings of Israel with sundry plagues from time to time for their rebellion against that Catholic I●da, that Priestly & Princely tribe his holy Church? Nay did not God strike Oza with sudden 
Oza. 2. Reg. 6.  death but for only touching (with desire to uphold the same) the ark of God, but a figure only of Christ's very, or mystical body the Church, not to be▪ touched, or governed by lay men, but by Priests & Bishops lawfully called by God as Aaron was? For to them and to none other Christ gave charge of his ●locke at his departure: nay there was neither King nor mighty Prince of many years after Christ's time that were Christians, and yet the Church never wanted her head & governors in spiritual matters, those were the Apostles & Bishops their lawful successors unto whom the holy Apostle exhorteth us to submit ourselves, saying Obedite praepositis vestris 
Heb. 13. 17.  & subiacete eye, obey your Prelates etc. for they watch as to give account for your souls, & such Priests as rule & govern the Church well, the holy Apostle 
1. Tim. 5. 17.  accounteth worthy double honour, those that labour in doctrine & in preaching the truth. For to them the holy Apostle gave the charge. Attend saith he, 
Act. cap. 20. 28.  to yourselves and the whole flock, wherein the holy Ghost hath ordained you Bishops regere Ecclesiam Dei, to rule or govern the Church of God. By these, and many like places of holy Scripture it appeareth, that not temporal Kings & Princes, but lawful Bishops be governors, and have supereminent power and authority in the Church. This that noble Emperor Constantine, that was the first Christian Emperor that most honoured & enriched the Church, son to S. Helen that noble Empress, that went pilgrim to Jerusalem, and miraculously found out the holy Cross: this (I say) he well considered, that it was the office of a King to be head of temporal matters in the common weal only, as to execute justice, to punish the offenders, to rule and command in taxes, tribute, and in martial affairs: but not to be ruler at the Altar, not to be head in the Church, not to give first censure, or judgement in spiritual causes: in so much that this noble Emperor being called to that first and most holy & general Council at Nice, where in the Arrian heretics 1300. years ago were condemned, would sit at that Council in no other place, but in the lowest place of all, acknowledging right worthily Priests, and Bishops in spiritual causes his far betters and superiors, he well knew his duty, and would not exceed his limits or office, knowing that it was the part of a King to rule in the palace, but the Priest in the Church, so much did this mighty Emperor (whom God so highly honoured & blessed with temporal power and spiritual graces) honour Priests, but espeacially the high Priest of God the Pope, that he gave to him and his successors for ever the City of Rome, and all the Territories thereunto belonging, giving place to the Vicar of Christ, and removing the Imperial seat to Constantinople where Christian Emperors many years after reigned, till that now for sin and heresy it is fallen under the enemy of Christ that great tyrant the Turk●, with whom our Protestants in England (o monstrous impiety) shake hands as is said to trouble the whole state of Christendom, that they themselves may live in more quietness at home: but no marvel, when they can have no help of God (who hateth the wicked and his iniquity) they run to the Devil, for like will to like in every degree. Theodosius the Emperor for a slaughter by him committed at Thessolonica being excommunicated by S. Ambrose Bishop of Milan, and put back by him from entering into the Church, entreated the Bishop he might enter into the Church: for that (saith he) David committed man slaughter, & yet after pleased god. Yea saith S. Ambrose, David offended which many Kings do, but David did penance which many Kings do not, let me first see fruit of your penance with David, and after we shall consider further. The Emperor fearing Christ in his Priest the Bishop, returned with humility and tears, and many days in his Palace did penance, till at length he was reconciled by S. Ambrose & admitted into the Church. O how far did this worthy godly Bishop differ from these false counterfeit Bishops of yours, that like flattering Parasites to feed themselves & children, give Prince's superiority in the Church, so far be they from gainsaying any vice reigning amongst them, which one day they will have cause to curse, as contrariwise Theodosius for his amendment had cause to bless the true Bishop S. Ambrose that plainly told him of his fault, using the rod and authority of the Church over him, in somuch that therefore the good Emperor after more loved and commended him for it above all men, esteeming. Ambrose worthy in deed to be Bishop. These noble Emperors Constantine, Theodosius, and the like, that so feared, honoured, and reverenced Priests (which in England you see here tyrannical heretics so greatly dishonour and cruelly murder) were of no less wit, learning, valour, courage, honour, and power, then heretical Princes be now a days, nay they were not only of far greater, worthier, and of more excellency in all princely qualities, than any such now living: but withal they were of more profound humility, had greater fear of God, and reverence of Priests his messengers, honouring Christ in them, which virtues Princes (alas) deceived with false heretics now want. They considered and feared right worthily these words of God. Qui tangit vos, tangit pupillam oculi mei, he that toucheth you (that is lawful Priests Gods anointed) toucheth (as it were) the very apple of his eye: remembering likewise what God said to Samuel of the jews. They have not despised 
1. Reg. 8.  thee, but me, that I reign not over them. And our Saviour saith. He that despiseth 
Luc. 10. 16. Mat. 10. 40. john. 13. 20. Math. 10 15.  you, despiseth me, he that hateth, you hateth me, he that receiveth you, receiveth me. Again he threateneth those that refuse his messengers coming in his name. That at the last day it shallbe more tolerable to Sodom, and Ghomor. Whereby it appearrth what great reward good Catholic christians at this day in England shall have at Christ's hands one day for receiving Priests, coming in his name, and lawfully sent by Christ, yea though it be loss of goods, lands, and life to the receivers, so much greater is their merit: and what peril and danger not only those stand in, that for dasterdly love to themselves, and fear of the world refuse them: but in what most damnable state those be that persecute Priests, and their receivers with most vile deaths; and so glory they never so much of Christ, yet they in deed persecute Christ in his members and servants, unto whom what good, or evil is done he accepteth as done unto himself.   

Chap. XXXIIII. Of the goodly order of the Clergy, and Monarchy of the Church, and of the Anarchy, and disorderly confusion of heretics.  
YOu may see by this little which is said the reverend order of Priesthood, how much it hath ever been honoured by good men, but ever impugned & persecuted by enemies of the truth, because the shepherd once taken away the flock is easily dispersed, which maketh the heretics so to rage, and tyrannize against Priests in England for the hatred in deed they have against the whole flock of Christ, to the end there should be left never a good christian or catholic in England, that in deed is their drift, though to blind the simple, they pretend all die for treason not for religion: and under the cloak of elemencye and mercy with a lingering persecution they use one of the most subtle and greatest tyranny that ever was used since CHRIST'S time▪ For making some out-warde show of clemency ever, they have and do, and will do (I fear me) the worst they can devise in their proceed, till it please GOD either to convert their hearts (which I beseech him of his mercy for their good, and salvation he would) or else otherwise to chastise them as it may best please him, to the terror and example of all posterity. You see likewise how Priesthood most necessarily was ordained by Christ for conservation of his Church, and what godly order is in the same, and what a valiant army hereby the heavenly Monarchy the Church of God thus set in order is: how bountiful and amiable to the good in their sight it is, and how terrible to the wicked, the Devil, & all his power: see I say, in what decent & noble array this Monarchy of Christ standeth. First the lay people as feet or inferior members though they rule not the head, yet as necessary members be expedient for the body, as other more noble members are: next to the temporal, & lay people, be those in lower orders, or degrees toward Priesthood, which as hands or arms in this christian Monarchy maintain & help the head, as subdeacons & deacons which in holy Order be eyes (as it were) to the Priest and Bishop: and so in order the Priest, & preacher is (as it were) mouth to the Bishop, helping him to administer the Sacraments and preach God's word: and so Bishops with their vigilant care (as it were) with their head & shoulders do support that most heavy burden Angelicis humeris tremendum, and so uphold altogether and maintain the head: whither the head guideth and directeth, all the inferior members go that way. The feet bids not the hand do this, neither any of the inferior members have domination over the higher, but every one useth his office and function, and is governed by the head, that is Christ's Vicar, and chief Pastor of our soul's S. Peter's successor, whose faith Christ promised should ever hold, and never fail: and therefore when tribute was to be paid for heads of houses our Saviour bad S. Peter go to the water, and take a fish, in whose mouth he should find a piece of money, and that he bade 
Math. 17. 27.  him pay for them both for me and theo said Christ: mark here for whom this tribute was paid, for Heads of houses only, not for the rest of Christ's disciples but for Cephas only, that is S. Peter the rock, and head of God's house under Christ tribute was paid. Thus you see what unity, peace, & charity is in God's Church by reason of one head under Christ the Pope. Whereby you see how the city of God's Church by this order in what sweet disposition it is, as that city jerusalem well built, and no marvel: for as we read Saba hearing of 
3. Reg. 10  the wisdom and worthiness of Solomon, coming out of the uttermost coasts of the earth to see him, when she hard his wisdom, saw the temple of God which he had built, the princely Palace wherein he dwelled, the godly order and disposition of his servants, the variety of dishes, the goodly service at his tables, with great admiration burst out saying Beati servi, qui astant coram te, & audiunt sapientiam tuam. Blessed be thy servants that wait in thy presence, and hearing thy wisdom, minister at thy table. If Solomon then which was but a shadow or figure of Christ the eternal wisdom of his father could so dispose his house, no marvel then though Christ the truth, and wisdom itself, in most noble, decent, and wise order could dispose his holy Church, which S. Paul calleth the 
1. Tim. 3.  house of God, the pillar and foundation of the truth, & this is done especially by the Sacrament of Order, for want whereof all discord and confusion is amongst heretics; whose rude company like the proud builders of the tower of Babylon, confound one another, and lifting their mouths to heaven to pull God from his throne, be divided into innumerable sects without all order. Wherefore the conventicle of heretics for her miserable confusion, is properly called in holy Scripture the strumpet of Babylon, drinking of the cup of God's wrath, justly forsaken of him, as destitute of his spirit for want of peace, unity, and concord, and the Church of the malignant, whereof that terrene bloody Cain was the first builder as Abel that innocent Martyr was the first builder of the city of God.   

Chap. XXXV Wherein is more at large described the babylonical confusion of sin and heresy, & how God hath blessed this Country of old, for honour and obedience to the Church & Priesthood.  
THerefore in heresy this Synagogue of Satan is such a discord and disorder, that it is a very figure of hell, ubi nullus ordo etc. where as testifieth holy job, there is no order, but everlasting horror dwelleth therein. What biting is there of one another, never agreeing with themselves, nor their followers? what bitter invectives? every one braggeth of the spirit of God, every one would be a teacher, an other Paul as it were, numquid omnes Apostoli, numquid omnes Doctores? The Apostle teacheth the Church of Christ that every one should not take upon him to have the office of an Apostle, or Doctor: but with heretics it is quite contrary, every one looketh amongst them to be a teacher, at least to expound the word, every one thinketh himself▪ a Priest though never called to that function by any lawful authority, & they would seem to have Scripture for them, but falsely wrested. Al we Christians in deed in holy Scripture be called genus sacerdotale a priestly stock generation, or kindred, but what then? So we be called all kings in the scripture, or a princely generation.▪ As therefore we be not all properly kings, but in some respect it is that we be so called, for that we by God's grace live well▪ and reign in Christ, well rule our inordinate passions and motions, and well govern ourselves, that it is which is a greater matter, then for some loosely to govern a kingdom: So, and no otherwise a●l lay Christians be called Priests, not for that they be properly Priests which none can be but those, which by order are lawfully chosen and ordained, but because they offer upon their hearts spiritual sacrifice of praises, prayers, & thanksgiving to God, which be not properly sacrifice, but metaphorically: no more be all Christians Priests properly, but figuratively, as we be not all properly Kings, but unproperly and in signification. But heretics like unclean beasts and unreasonable creatures out of all order, make no distinction of any thing, but confound all: therefore no marvel though amongst them the feet stand where the head should, and the head in steed of the feet. Every maid amongst them by Luther's opinion is a Priest, and every Minister amongst the Puritans would be head of the Church, every one may start up into the Pulpit, and say what the spirit moveth him; the man controleth his Master, & women, men for not preaching the word sincerely: if there be any form of order at this day in England amongst Protestants, as wearing of Surplices, Rochets, square Caps, and keeping Bells and Churches, and the like: all these ceremonies that bear a laudable show they have, and steal from the Catholic Church, insomuch that Whitgift their chief superintendant of Canterbury, could not defend such ceremonies as appeareth by his book against Puritans, but only by Catholic arguments. Wherefore they (though unworthily) call him Pope of Lambeth: But in deed (as heretics term them) those be but Pope's rags in deed. The Devil careth not to leave amongst heretics a a few ceremonies of Catholics to deceive the simple in making a show, so the Sacraments (that is the things themselves whereby men should receive gods grace) be taken away, so they take the shell, & leave out the kernel, take but only our rags as it were (if I might so term such laudable ceremonies when they be well used in God's Church) and all to clothe with all, and cover the unclean filth, and abomination of their ragged heretical flock, which be divided almost into as many superstitious heresies & contrary opinions, as they be men, & yet would imitate us catholics in their outward ceremonies, as apes do men. In so much (but that it hath pleased God to leave some seed of catholics yet in England, that keepeth them in some awe) they before this (I may justly think) had all become Turks or worse, openly denying Christ, God and all, as many of them already (by the relation of some that be of their secrets more than I) deny him in their hearts. Thus you see by the truth itself, and the contrary how necessary & worthy this holy Sacrament of Order is, in somuch that S. Chrisostome & other holy Fathers comparing the office of a Priest with the office of a King, prefer the Priest by many degrees before the King, by how much spiritual and divine matters exceed earthly, and these base corporal things. For in taking away Priesthood is taken away sacrifice, whereby God is chief worshipped, and so God thereby is most dishonoured, as by the contrary when Priesthood is had in reverence, then is he most honoured, & those that thus honour Christ in his Priests be most blessed and prosperous, yea oftentimes in this life. For what Country for example was more puissant, more virtuous, more religious than England was, so honourable in herself, beloved of her neighbours, & feared of her foes 
* English men were first converted by Pope Gregory the great, through the preaching of Augustine the Moke about 1000 year ago.  as long as she honoured Priesthood, and was an obedient daughter to the high Priest of God, by whom she first received the Gospel? From whom since she fell what Country is in more misery & danger at home and abroad? hereof be verified, the words of holy Scripture. Qui contemn●t me erunt ignobiles. The holy Prophet foretold that Kings and Queens should be nourishers & feeders of gods house the Church & defenders of his Priests, but those that contemn her and them shall become base, and unworthy.   

Chap. XXXVI. Of Matrimony, and what it is, and when it was ordained: of the chief good, end, and effect thereof, and how Virginity is preferred before it: also of vowed chastity annexed to Priesthood.  
THe sixth Sacrament is Matrimony which is the lawful conjunction of man and woman, instituted by God to live socially together during life, with out breach of mutual faith, and promise given in marriage the one to the other: which state of life though heretics falsely against God's word and the Apostles doctrine prefer before Virginity and chastiry, yet that they may show themselves heretics in all things, and leave nothing undefiled, they deny it to be a Sacrament, contrary to S. Paul, 
Ephes. 5. 32.  who calleth it a great Sacrament in Christ and his Church, in Paradise also first insinuated and in some sort ordained by God. For by that conjunction of man and woman in that honourable state of Matrimony, is represented the conjunction of Christ and his Church, as his most faithful wife and spouse, a pure virgin, which in his endless kingdom he shall make glorious without spot or wrinkle. The heretics that deny matrimony to be a Sacrament, not only gainsay Christ and the Apostles doctrine, confounded all good & civil government: but also induce judaisme, turcism, yea Paganism amongst Christians, who are taught by Christ & his Church that man & wife (as one body or rather two bodies in one flesh) ought not to be divided during life by plurality of more wives, or husbands, and why? but because matrimony is a Sacrament, wherein they be joined together, so representing the conjunction of Christ the head of his only body and spouse the Church, as man is head of one wife. But deny once with heretics matrimony to be a Sacrament, and so to want this mystical representation of Christ and his Church which maketh it a sacrament, yea though it were in no other respect, but in that representation; and than what followeth, but that marriage is nothing but a temporal pact, bargain, promise and a mere natural act, and then may a man according to the Turks law have as many wives as he can maintain and keep: which beastly absurdity you see followeth of protestants Doctrine, yea and of their practise in many places we see, from which fleshly heresy our Lord deliver us. But in this Sacrament worthily received is the grace of God given divers ways, & a remedy against unlawful concupiscence: but the chief goods hereof be Fides, proles, & sacramentum. The troth first, and fidelity that ought to be betwixt the parties married, that rather they should suffer death than once break. Secondly issue or children to Gods honour aught to be chiefly desired whereby God may be served. Thirdly in that it is a Sacrament is the greatest benefit, for so thereby grace is given to perform these things better, and to live in sweet conversation together in the fear and love of GOD, whereby appeareth how heinous this sin of adultery is that breaketh so holy a state, and violateth so high a mystery as the representation of the conjunction of CHRIST and his Church: yet though Matrimony be good Virginity or chastity is far better, insomuch that our Saviour affirmeth that some there be that have ever kept Chastity for the kingdom of GOD, and he exhorteth those that can (that is those that will take the holy state of virginity or chastity) to take it: and the Apostle wisheth all to be as himself, that is chaste: therefore he saith. He that giveth his Virgin to be 
1. Cor. 7 38.  married doth well: but he that keepeth her continual Virgin doth better, though none ought to be forced thereunto. Matrimony is granted also for fear 
Note that I hear do not say that the Sacrament chiefly for that end was ordained.  of a worse matter, that is to avoid fornication, and in that respect to those that be at liberty, and have not before vowed, chastity, Better it is (as saith the Apostle) for them to marry then to burn, though such (as he testifieth) shall not live without trouble of flesh. But if once they have vowed chastity, they must seek otherwise then by women, that is by fasting, prayer, study, discipline, & the like spiritual exercises to keep themselves chaste, otherwise they damnably offend like those wanton widows the Apostle speaketh of, because 
1. Tim. 5. 12.  Priman fidem irritam fecerunt: they broke their first faith made in vow, that is to Christ their husband, and so were damned: and therefore it is altogether unlawful for Priests to marry, because in being Priests they make vow of chastity. Therefore let every one before he take holy orders well consider with himself whilst he is at liberty, for after it is too late: and though some of the Apostles had wives, yet when they were called by Christ they forsook their wives, as it appeareth by their own words, we have forsaken all things and follwed 
Mat. 19 27.  thee, a wife belike was some thing: neither do we deny now a married man to become Priest, so that he hath married a maid only, and that she be dead, or else hath her full consent that never after she will desire his company. S. Ambrose showeth the reason why Priests of the new Testament, now in this law of Christ, and grace ought not to have wives, for if the Priests of the old Testament before Christ, when they were to do their office, and sacrifice at certain times in the year, every one in his course did then for that time, and a little before abstain from their wives; yet notwithstanding their sacrifice was (without comparison) nothing so noble as ours: the Priest then of the new Testament that offereth up daily sacrifice most excellent, that pure and B. lamb of god, how pure ought that heart to be? how undefiled those hands? how chaste that body that offereth up so noble and so unspeakable amistery? which because he always daily doth and when conveniently he may aught to do, therefore ought he always to abstain from wife. Besides that the cares of house, wife & children must needs distract, divide, and withdraw man's mind that he cannot so attentively attend to spiritual things, not so carefully look over his flock, nor so liberally feed the poor.   

Chap. XXXVII. That vows may be lawfully, and meritoriously made, and aught to be kept, and that Matrimony is a band inseparable during life, and wherein it consisteth.  
Heretics deny it to be lawful to make vows especially of Chastity, but we prove the contrary by God's word, who bids Vow and render, 
Psal. 75. 12.  or pay your vows, though in deed no man ought rashly to make vows, but with good advise and consideration, but once made they ought to be kept, those that be lawful, and in keeping them is greater merit: but yet we do not so extol Virginity, that we condemn Matrimony, but in all we say with the Apostle (save those that have vowed chastity) Matrimony is honourable 
Heb. 13. 4.  so there be no impediment, yet many sins may be committed both in manner of the contract and after, which I cannot stand to reckon: I say first that it is not lawful for a Catholic to contract matrimony with an heretic, or infidel, till they become both perfect Catholics, otherwise it is sin, neither can any within the fourth degree without lawful dispensation contract matrimony, otherwise it is no matrimony, Likewise the women of all vowed Priests be not their wives, though so termed, but the worst harlots, and sacrilegious strumpets that may be, save incestuous Nuns. Which positions I could prove by authority divine and human, as I have done others, if the shortness of the time (studying for brevity) would permit me. Moreover in lawful matrimony may many sins be committed, more fit to be taught in Confession to be avoided, then set down in this place, For as a man may kill himself with his own sword; so he may kill his soul with his own wife, & therefore the holy Sacrament of Matrimony is to be used with great reverence, and in the fear of God, and chief for the honest procreation of children, remembering that God and his holy Angels look upon them, & not in passione desiderii, in the passion of unlawful desire, like to the horse & mule 
Psal. 31. 9  in whom there is no understanding, as those 7 unchaste husbands of Sara did, coming 
Tob. 6. 17.  to her for desire of the flesh only, and not love of children, nor in the fear of God, and therefore the first night ever before they came together, they were destroyed of the Devil, till holy Toby came that armed himself with fasting, watching, and prayer, desiring only a holy generation before all carnal pleasure, and so chased the Devil away. This Sacrament of Matrimony is chief made by the consent of the parties, by words or sufficient signs, when there is betwixt them no impediment to the contrary, though without the parish Priest and lawful witnesses, where the holy Council of Trent is received, consent of the parties between themselves is no matrimony at all, & in this Country those privy matrimonies and contracts be ever sin. He that solemnizeth the matrimony ought to be a lawful Catholic Priest with jurisdiction, for before that solemnisation they ought not to lie together: and though for any notorious fault of either of the parties there should be separation of bed, or a perpetual divorce, yet such is the virtue of this Sacrament in this law of grace, that this knot of matrimony (I say) is so sure, that during the party's life neither can marry any other, otherwise (according to the evangelical and apostolic doctrine) adultery is committed. Nam 
Mat. 19 7  quod Deus coniunxit homo, non separet. Many other things were to be said touching this Sacrament, but I hasten to an end.   

Chap. XXXVII. Of extreme Unction, that it is a Sacrament, and ordained by Christ, taught by S. james, and practised by the Apostles and apostolic men.  
THe last Sacrament is extreme Unction, which was instituted by our Saviour CHRIST, as we be taught by the tradition of the holy Church. This to be a Sacrament the heretics deny, but we prove it by God's word, and doctrine of the holy Apostle S. James. First this Sacrament being a sacred sign instituted in holy Oil, inwardly conferring, or giving the unction and grace of the holy Ghost, as it was undoubtedly ordained by Christ, so was it by him our Saviour insinuated or fortold, when he sent his Apostles and disciples to heal the diseased, and anoint them with Oil. Secondly it was practised as a Sacrament by the Apostles 
Mare. 6. 13.  as S. james teacheth, exhorting it to be given to the sick. If any (saith he) amongst you be sick, let him bring in the 
jacob. 5. 14.  Priests of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of our Lord, and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and our Lord shall raise, or lift him up again, and if he be in sins they shall be forgiven him. Lo you see here by the Apostles doctrine, in this holy Oil (which we call extreme Unction, or the last anointing) is the grace of God given: Wherefore we are to believe the holy Church founded in Christ and in the apostolic doctrine, teaching us that it is a holy Sacrament, and most expedient in sickness to be used, scoff the heretics never so much, whose manner is, when they want matter, reason, and authority, to make supply by scoffs, whom the holy Scripture calleth in deceptione illusores, deceitful taunting 
2. Pet. 3. 3.  Masters. Filium Dei ostentui habentes, mocking the son of God, treading under their feet his most precious and sacred blood; but we may not forsake God's truth for their scoffs. The matter of this holy Sacrament is holy oil, consecrated by the Bishop, the lawful Minister hereof is a Priest, and it is to be given to none but to those that be sick, and likely of that sickness to die. The two chief effects of this Sacrament be (as appeareth by the words of S. james above said) that a man (if God think it expedient, and most to his honour) is restored to his former health, and hath the greater merit, and salvation: whereby it appeareth that it ought not to be given to those that go to war, the Sea, or in such like danger of death, nor to such as are presently to be executed, but only to the sick, in whom is oft a great fault that they never send for the Priest till others do for them, & till they be at the last gasp, so that then they can neither receive this holy Sacrament with such devotion nor fruit, as being in perfect reason they might. The sick then ought to desire this Sacrament, which many fond do not, thinking if then they do they can live no longer, not considering one fruit & effect thereof which is, that if God see it expedient it is a mean they may the more speedily recover their former health. The second and chief fruit and effect thereof is, that it forgiveth all such sins we could not remember in Confession, as appeareth by the words likewise of Saint james, who saith. If the sick be in sin, it shall be forgiven him. Lesser sins then and defects, yea & greater too (if we could not remember them) be herein forgiven. Wherhfore our good Lord jesus is ever to be blessed that by this Sacrament thus maketh perfect the work of our Salvation. For by means hereof in that last hour of death, when temptations commonly be divers, most great & dangerous, & the Devil most busy to get his prey, then lo I say by this Sacrament our temptations be enfeebled & made less & our souls more strengthened and comforted, that we be not dazzled with temptations, nor overcome, but may joyfully in God pass this life. For as in the old time Champions before the combat had wont with oil to anoint their naked bodies, that their adversaries might take less hold: so by means of this Sacrament, the outward matter whereof is oil, the soul being inwardly anointed by the grace of the holy Ghost, that subtle adversary the Devil can take less hold of it, that so it may pass out of the troublesome warfarre of this life, to that enlesse glory where it shall receive a crown of endless reward for ever. This Sacrament is ministered upon those outward senses, whereby we most usually offend, and whereby sin is drawn into our souls, as by our eyes, hands, and the like. The form of the holy words used is. By this holy anointing, and his most pitiful mercy our Lord pardon, and forgive thee what thou hast sinned, by the eyes, mouth, and so forth is said of the rest of the members that may with decency be named. Whereby you see how fitly and according to the Apostles Doctrine, this Sacrament is ordained & ministered. First instituted by Christ, both prayer and the holy matter concurring together: yet this holy Sacrament (though none under pain of damnation may despise it, but every one in time ought to desire it, yea often times if the party fall sick and recover again it may be given) yet I fay it is not of such necessity if a man cannot (with desire and sufficient means made) have it, but he may be saved without it by the special mercy and grace of God, Author and Institutor of all these seven Sacraments, and giver of all grace: to whom be all honour and glory.   

Chap. XXXIX. Touching briefly by the way, the matter of justification, and by whom, and how we be justified.  
THus you see (good Sir) I have touched briefly all the Sacraments, which that good Samaritane (curing the sick and wounded by pow●ing in wine and oil, that is jesus Christ full of mercy and justice) ordained as vessels of grace, and committed to Priests and Pastors of his Church to be dispensed, and bestowed by them on his people for their salvation. These seven Sacraments (I say) have I briefly touched, and the grounds thereof, proving every one by the very and express word of God, tradition, and general consent of the whole Church, which may suffice any simple or unlearned man, desirous to know the truth, for in behalf of such like especially I have taken these pains, with as much plainness, and simple stile as possibly I might in so high matters: neither was it my intent to give any full doctrine of these matters, but only to touch the principal grounds. If any desire moreful and large discourse, I refer him to the books of the learned, wherein he shall find many treatises in all tongues of some one Sacrament or other, and of every matter almost, or altogether at large, by me here briefly touched, and so passed over. But because the Sacraments be for the most part the principal points of our religion next to the B. Trinity, Incarnation, and Passion, those briefly for your sake (because you desire to know the truth for your salvation) I thought good to touch. For as God almighty by Christ jesus our meritorious Saviour is the chief efficient cause of our justification: So his Sacraments be the ordinary means, and instrumental causes whereby a man in receiving them (if he be well disposed by the grace of God, and put no let of his part) of a sinner and child of the Devil, is made a just man and the child of God, renewed and raised up again (in Baptism especially) from Orjginall sin by Christ the second Adam as he was vitiated and fell from original justice by Adam our first father. And though God worketh commonly his grace in matter disposed, yet he it is that so preventeth, disposeth, and freely giveth the grace first to dispose a man's self. So that when man first receiveth God's grace, whereby ex impio fit justus, that is, of a wicked man, and vessel of perdition, he is made a just man, which is called justification, and the first grace preventing a man: that (I say) by grace of God is wrought of his mere love and goodness, without any work, merit, or desert of man, for otherwise grace should not be grace which is first given without any desert or merit of our part, whereby we be so made just. And hereof the holy Scripture saith as from Gods own mouth Quia dilexite, ideo attraxite miserans, 
jer. 31. 3.  because I loved the therefore (said God to man) I have drawn thee unto me, having mercy, and pity upon thee: by the which love of his he chose man before all worlds. But understand me well I pray you, when a man hath first of god's goodness thus received his first grace, the true foundation and merit of all our good works, then lo by man's true faith, hope, charity, good works, and endeavours (being thus first prevented and after helped by God) he may, and must (if ever he will be saved) not only conserve that first grace of God wrought in him by his goodues, by fleeing sinneand embracing virtue: but also in so doing greatly increase God's grace in him once received, whereby he is rightly said to merit and deserve his salvation: and in this respect it is said. Qui iuscus est iustisicetur 
Apocalip. 22. 11.  adhuc, he that is just let him yet be more just. We once then by Christ our saviours grace being first truly justified, our proper justification secondarily, is the keeping and doing of the Commandments of God, as holy Zachary and Elizabeth the parents of Saint john Baptist (who contrary to the Hereretiks of our time that affirm that none be truly just, and that the Commandments of God be impossible to be kept) 
Luc. 1. 6.  were both just before God, walking in all the Commandments & justifications of our Lord. Which Commandments of god a man duly observing, he may more and more as it were deserve by this second kind of justification God's grace & merit his salvation: & in this second kind of justification, whereby of a just man, a man is made more just, a man must lay to his hand and work with God that first without our deserts giveth his grace, and so Saint Paul calleth us, as it were 
Rom. 2. &. 8.  workmen with God calling & stirring us up first, who for our greater glory & reward in heaven will not save us without 
1. Cor. 13. Galat. 5.  our own works and endeavours, but will reward every one according to his. This matter of justification than is not as Heretics teach, that a man can be saved by faith alone, without any good work or merit of his own, or that a man can merit nothing, for that it derogateth from God's grace: but rather (when man first founded in true faith thus with GOD'S grace worketh his salvation) it is a higher commendation of his grace, that so strengtheneth our frail vessels by his grace to work our merit and salvation: neither must we believe heretics that say no man is just in deed but that God so imputeth it, or is so accounted as that the justice of God whereby he is just and justice himself, is imputed to us, so that the heretics would have us to have no true inherent justice in us, but a kind of imputative justice, as that man's sins by Christ were not truly forgiven, nor quite wiped away & cleansed to his great dishonour, as though his works were unperfect and we still deformed, as having our sins but blotted and razed over, not quite put away, contrary to the Apostles doctrine, who teacheth us how Christus nos saluos fecit p●r Baptismum 
1 Peter. 3. 21.  & that we be truly washed, and sanctified in deed in the▪ name of our Lord jesus, and so have true justice & sanctification inherent, & remaining in us, not that justice in us whereby he is just, but that justice is in us whereby by his grace he maketh us just. Therefore you must affirm and steadfastly believe that a man in Christ is just, sanctified, and perfect by God's grace in his soul in deed, though we compare not our justice here with God, no nor with his Saints in glory. Beware also of that vain fiduce, or no faith of heretics, whereby they say they believe they be justified, and know certainly they shall be saved, making themselves their own judges. For although every one that believeth and doth well may be in good and steadfast hope of his salvation, yet no man is sure thereof in this life without some special revelation from God, but rather must Work his salvation with 
Phil. 2. 12.  fear and trembling, knowing that perseverance to the end is the great gift of God, when as the holy Apostle that was ravished to the third heaven did chastise his body, and brought it in subjection, lest when he preached to others he himself might become a reprobate.   

Chap. XL. Of Predestimation, and that as no man is saved without God's grace: So no man shall be damned without his own fault, and that we must not curiously dispute hereof.  
NEither must you believe that most cursed and damnable opinion of heretics, that say do what you will, if you be borne to be saved you shall be, or damned you shall be. For God which is all good and just will damn no man but through his own fault, nor save no man but with his good will and labour, wherefore if a man be damned it is his own fault, & not Gods, but if he be saved he is to thank God that he hath given him grace to work his salvation. Truth it is, that God would all men to be saved, yet will he give his grace effectually 
Nota bene, that I ever mean that Gods good will and providence is of Predestination, and election the chief cause.  to none to be saved (though not his foresight, but his good will is the chief cause of predestination & election) but to those which he foreseeth will work his will, and those be predestinate to everlasting Salvation, and be properly called his elect, and be by God before all worlds predestinate to be saved: not whether they do well or ill as heretics say, but because God to whom all things be present 
* In this seeing of GOD, I mean his good will is included, which giving men grace to keep his Commandments is the chief cause of Predestination, & election as I said before.  seethe they will follow his will and Commandments, and do the things that be good, and yet withal giveth them the grace fi●st effectually to do those things whereby they may be saved. Whereupon S. Gregory hath these words in his first book of Dialogues and 7. chapter. Obtinere nequaquam possunt, etc. that is to say, Holy men or good men cannot obtain by their prayers the things which have not been predestinate: but those things which holy men do bring to pass or obtain by prayer, are so predestinate or ordained by God before all worlds, that they may so obtain those things by prayers, for that very predestination of that endless kingdom also, is so disposed of almighty God, that the elect may com● unto it by labour, that so they in prayer or earnest desire may deserve to receive that, which almighty God hath disposed to give them before all worlds. And a little after he saith, without doubt it is plain that Predestination is fulfilled by prayers, when as he whom God hath predestinate to multiply his seed (that was Abraham) obtained by prayer that he might have sons. Now why God of his mercy chooseth some out of the mass of mankind by his grace to be saved, and ●ustly leaveth others to themselves, not so effectually helping them with his grace, that is his hidden and secret justice and judgement, which we are not to enter to discuss: for none shall be unjustly damned, or without their own fault. For as we see though the Sun shine never so bright, if we open not our eyes we receive no comfort thereof: so though God's grace be abundant and ready for all, shining round about, yet none be partakers thereof but such as by God's special grace will open the eyes of their souls to follow Christ's example, and keep his holy precepts, which by God's help (which is ready for all) a man may do. Neither is it our parts (as heretics do) much to meddle with these matters by curious disputes, but let every one unite himself to God's Church, become a faithful catholic Christian, fear God, and keep his Commandments, and then he may be in good and steedfast hope of his salvation, remembering God is faithful of his promise, and will reward our good will and well doing, and suffer none to be tempted more than he is able to bear, and leave the rest to God's holy disposition, and stand not to dispute of his secrets, not saying (as heretics do) I know certainly I shall be saved, for that is in God's hands and judgement, but as I said before in the former chapter to have a good hope of our salvation, working our salvation with 
phillip 2. 12  fear and trembling, as S. Paul did chastise his body and bring it in subjection lest saith he, whilst I preach to others I 
1. Cor. 9 27.  myself become a Reprobate.   

Chap. XLI. That man hath free will, and that God's Commandments are possible to be kept, and that every one must work his salvation with fear and trembling.  
LIkewise one of the chief points wherein they these blasphemous heretics chief err, is in this matter of Predestination, for that they would have a man to have no free will, but that God is the mover and doer in man as well of evil as of good, ryea and that all our actions are evil, though done in state of grace, whereof this horrible blasphemy must needs follow, that they would make God the author of evil as well as of good. But the truth is though man's free will by Adam's trespass is sore wounded, yet not quit lost, but that it concurreth to every reasonable action of a man in reason, and so he with God's grace may work his salvation, & not of necessity is forced to work his damnation. For where in holy Scripture it is written God hath done evil, 
As in Ezechiell c. 6. ver. 10. Et scient quia ego dominus non frustra locutus sum ut faceren eyes malum hoc Et alibi planius intelligitur malum poene.  we must understand that just revenge, or the evil pain and punishment due unto sin, but in no wise sin itself: Again where in holy Scripture, it is said God hath hardened man's heart etc. it is to be understood that for man's sin God hath justly forsaken him, and so suffered him to be hardened, not that he forceth any of necessity to do evil in being so hardened: for as appeareth by divers other places of holy Scripture God hath put good and evil in man's sight, he may choose whether he will. Hereupon it cometh to pass, that the Commandments of God contrary to the heretics opinion, 
* The holy Prophet said, Elegi abjectus esse, etc. Ps. 8● jac. 2. 19  may (as I touched before) by God's grace be kept, without keeping whereof no man have he never so great faith may be justified, but deserveth damnation. For as saith S. james the Devils also believe and tremble. And again faith without good works is dead in itself, as shall one day appear, when those that have done good shall goes into life everlasting, and those that have done evil into everlasting fire. The Apostle 
Rom. 7. 16  postle moreover, though he said he did that which he would not, etc. we are to understand that these like sayings of his are so much from making against free will, that they make most for free-will, which consisteth in the principal part of the soul, which we see hereby cannot be inclined to sin, unless a man will, though the inferior part of the soul, as passions inordinate, inordinate motions, concupiscence, and external motions of the body, may come against our will: which be so far from sin, that they serve to our great merit if we by will and reason consent not, but manfully resist them, and therefore though by the grace of God in Baptism they be so mortified and buried in CHRIST that they be no sins, but occasion of merit, yet they be left ad luctam & agonem, for us to strive and fight against, that so virtue in us coming to perfection in infirmity, GOD may be more glorified in us, and we in the end more worthily and highly rewarded. Understand well then that there is two actions, or powers in man, that is in the higher part of the soul, & in the lower sensitive part and body, which inferior part never induceth sin, as long as the superior part yieldeth not thereunto, for in the baptized sin (as saith S. Augustine) should not be sin unless it were voluntary. But one thing here I am to admonish you of, that although (as I said) the Commandments of God be possible to be kept, yea sweet and easy, which when a man by God's grace to the uttermost of his power performeth, he may be in sure hope of salvation, yet he must beware of that vain fiduce (as I have oft said) or presumptuous faith of heretics, bragging they know they shall be saved. For although we must believe to the well disposed there is remission of sins in God's Church, yet no man knoweth whether he be worthy love or hatred, neither is he certain of that great gift or perseverance to the end (ordinarily I mean) but I hasten to an end.   

Chap. XLII. Of Christ's descending into Hell, and of the intolerable blasphemy of Heretics against Christ in this point.  
further the Heretics of this time leave nothing undefiled, no not the very articles of the Creed: for some deny Christ descended into hell, & say that upon the Cross he despaired (O horrible blasphemy I am afraid to speak it) and in his B. soul suffered the pains of the damned. Can any christian ears hear this? yet they are not ashamed to affirm it. Was it not enough, that that B. Lamb of God, that most innocent, & sacred flesh which Christ our Lord took of the B. Virgin without spot, and united to his divinity, should shed his precious blood a sufficient ransom for the whole world unless withal he suffered in his sacred soul the pains of the damned? as much to say as he despaired and blasphemed God his father whom he at that instant fully satisfied for our sins, and ever pleased. This needeth no answer it is so hateful of itself (I suppose) to your ears, and yet in their writing Protestant-puritanes (especially that blasphemous heretic john Caluine their Master in his unorderly Institutions) do affirm it. But that his B. soul, all glorious descended into hell not to suffer pain, but to the unspeakable comfort and release of those that were faithful souls there in that Limbo patrum (a place the brim or edge as it were of Hell, where the holy Fathers shut from the vision of God remained, that for so many hundred years desired his company) is most plain not only by the Apostles Creed that might sufice any Christian man, but by the prophets, Apostles, and holy Scriptures. In one place is mention made, His soul was not left in hell, and 
Psal. 15. 10. Ephe. 1. 20 et. 4. 9 1. Pet. 3. ●2.  in another place it is said of Christ That he asended what is it but because he descended also first into the lower parts of the earth, that was into hell: of the torments, or sorrows whereof (as being the death, or vanquisher of death, and the biting or devourer of hell according to the Prophets) he could not be detained or holden. But these fellows that deny Christ was in hell (the cloisters whereof he once broke, binding that old serpent) and so deny their Creed, no marvel though they make so small reckoning of Purgatory, but account it as a buggard to fear children. In which place in deed I warrant them they shall never come, unless they amend their manners and monstrous opinions. There is a lower place prepared for all such incredulous infidels, and heretics, that is In inferno infernori, In the deepest bottomless pit and gulf of hell and damnation, wherein is no redemption.   

Chap. XLIII. Of Purgatory what sort of people be therein punished, and for what manner of sins, and defects they be there detained, and that Prayer Sacrifice, Almsdeeds, and the like be healthful for the departed.  
Now that there is a Purgatory or a cleansing place for some lesser sins, and the relics of sin, or the pain and satisfaction due unto sin in the next life before the soul can be in quiet rest, and enjoy the glory of God, we prove it by divers reasons, and authorities of Scriptures and Fathers, and the common received faith of the universal Church at all times. First then we are to note, that the everlasting pain due unto sin is forgiven by virtue of Christ's Passion in the holy Sacrament of Penance, so that if a man die in state of grace, by that Sacrament a perfect penitent sinner, with out doubt he shall never perish everlastingly, yet there be many lesser sins, many inordinate passions, many defects and imperfections, and the payment and satisfaction due to those greater sins, which all and every (if they be not perfectly wiped or cleansed from the soul in this life, by perfect love to God and works of Penance) shall no doubt thereof be cleansed and paid for in the next, before the soul can see God and enter into his kingdom. For no spotted, or unclean 
Apoc. 21. 27.  thing shall enter thereunto, as witnesseth Saint john. God's great mercy it is I say then that forgiveth the sin by Penance here in this life, that it be not punished everlastingly in hell, but it is in his justice we do some satisfaction for it, which if it be not here it must be done there, that is in Purgatory before the soul can attain the glory of God. Many there be that speak of Purgatory, but few that deeply consider the fearful, and terrible pains thereof, which be so great that no pain in this world is comparable thereunto. The fire of God's justice there, as noteh Saint Augustine as far exceedeth the fire we see here, as the fire in deed exceedeth fire painted upon a wall: insomuch that the pains of Purgatory differ little from those in hell, but that the one hath end, and the other hath none, and those in Purgatory be blessed souls in state of grace and salvation, but those in hell be cursed, desperate, and sure of everlasting damnation. Three sorts of people as nameth S. Augustine there be that depart out of this world, one sort so good, that they need not our prayers. As the B. Martyrs and Confessors, that gloriously confessed CHRIST, and with servant love shed their blood for his sake, that through Christ be washed, and cleansed in their own blood, those washed their stoles as saith S. john 
Apoc. 7. 14.  in the blood of the Lamb, and with that fervent love to God be so cleansed from all spot of sin, that presently without stay they enter into his kingdom, walking in white garments of honour and glory with him for evermore: these need not our prayers, but pray for us. An other sort there be, that be so bad that we may not pray for them after their death: as all Infidels, jews, Turks, Heretics, schismatics, and all whosoever die out of God's Church, without which is no Salvation; or in deadly sin, those the holy Church prayeth not for, as being by god's judgement damned in Hell, wherein is no redemption or recovery for evermore. another sort of departed there be, for whom only and no other we pray, that is for the faithful departed in peace and charity, which can in no sort be, but in the faith & unity of Christ's holy Catholic Church, that is for faithful Christian catholics dying in state of grace: for them we pray that sooner they may be released of their sins and defects, and enjoy Gods glory. And that we ought this to do, we 
Eccles. 7. 37. 2. Macha 12. Math. 5. 27. 1, Cor. 3. Phil. 2. 2. Tim. 1. 1. john. 5. Apoc. 5.  prove it by divers authorities of holy Scripture, as where we bidden to do well to the dead, and again forbid not favour to the dead, with divers other plain places of the old and new Testament: but according to the places here alleged, how should one do well to the dead but by almesdeed or prayer? or how can we hinder them of benefit, unless we omit, and cease to do and pray for them.   

Chap. XLIIII. More at large of Purgatory & prayer for the dead, & how heretics not only corrupt, but deny the plain Scriptures in avouching the contrary.  
IN an other place of holy Scripture it is written how a noble captain having of his soldiers slain, sent money to jerusalem to be offered for the departed, thinking well and religiously of the resurrection of the dead, and that his soldiers died with piety or virtue, and in the end the Scripture concludeth 
2. Mach. 12. 46.  thus: Therefore it is a good, or holy and healthful thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from their sins. These places by me alleged here be the word of God most plain you see, written in the holy and sacred Bible: but how think you do the heretics answer these plain places? Truly they deny the whole books and all to be the word of God and the Scripture, so shameless be these companions, that whatsoever is so plain they cannot possibly gloze upon, or wrest to their own purpose, that presently they cast away. So Luther denied Saint james Epistle for that it made for good works, & others other parts: what kind of men think you be these that brag before the simple in their pulpits of the word of God? why dare you commit your salvation to such? who as long as they can in any sort wrest Gods word to their own lust, so long they cry the scripture scripture, & word of the Lord: but when it is so plain they can no way gainsay it, but that it condemneth flatly their damned heresies, them they put out of God's word & holy Scripture whole books, as namely this book of the Maccabees, whereout I took the latter authority, which book as certainly is God's word, as S. john's gospel. For who kept for me undefiled from others writings S. john's gospel? or how do I know it to be the word of God, but that our holy mother the catholic Church hath kept it for me, and teacheth me that it is God's word? which church telleth me as certainly, that these books of Scripture that so plainly make for prayer for the dead, be also the word of God. If therefore I believe the holy Church in one, why should I not aswell believe her in the other? as therefore I am certain by no other means but by the Church's authority that S. john's Gospel is true, and God's word: so by the same means I know most certainly every Christian is bound to believe this book of the Maccabees, & other the like that heretics deny to be the word of God. Thus you see than we have the plain word of God, that it is a good and healthful thought to pray for the dead: yea our Saviour himself teacheth there is a place a man shall not come out of it, till he have paid the last 
Math. 5. 27. &. 12. 32.  farthing, after which once paid a man may come out: but in hell a man shall never have release, wherefore our Saviour speaketh this of Purgatory. The same is taught by S. Paul's doctrine also where 
1. Cor. 3. 13.  he compareth pure works & unperfect works, the one to gold and silver, the other to wood, hay, stubble, and sayeth: that the fire shall try of what quality every man's work is. The like I could prove by the same Apostle and others the Apostles in other their writings in holy Scripture, but I make haste: neither can I stand to allege authorities of holy Doctors for this matter, it is needless their works be full. S. Augustine (as it is most plain in his books of Confessions) prayed and desired others to pray for Monica his mother departed, yea he wrote a whole book of prayer, and care to be had for the dead: if we consider what holy men did of old to avoid this cleansing fire of Purgatory in the next life, it is strange 
Historia. Anglorun  and almost incredible. Saint Bede maketh mention of one, that being in a trance or ecstasy passed this life, saw some glimce of the joys of the blessed, and of the pains of those in Purgatory, & by God's sufferance returning back to his body, he ever after took such penance that it seemeth intolerable, sometime standing in cold nights in freezing water even to the chin: his friends would ask him why he so greatly punished himself, he would answer no otherwise but meekly say, I have seen, or felt more pains or cold, and suffered harder things, meaning (no doubt) of the pains in Purgatory in the next life. This same holy Doctor maketh mention likewise, of a Religious Priest saying daily Mass for his brother that he thought dead (but in deed bound prisoner being taken in wars) how every day at the holy oblation at Mass his brother's chains burst asunder. Many such strange miraculous visions, & revelations it pleased God to show of old and later time also, manifestly declaring Purgatory. That which helpeth them there is chief the holy sacrifice of the Mass, because that B. Sacrifice is of most virtue & most holy, and of itself pleaseth God: also fasting, prayer, almsdeeds, pilgrimage, and the like godly works devoutly performed be healthful for the faithful departed, & so likewise be pardons of Pope, & Bishops rightly applied available for the same: which pardons that we may avoid those pains in the next life it is very good, meet, and expedient we seek for in this life, not so to get pardons that we should be loiterers ourselves, & do nothing, for so pardons little avail. For they profit not, but to those that be in state of grace, and well disposed to receive them.   

Chap. XLV. Of Pardons, and what they are, whereof they come & in what sort they be available both for the living & the dead.  
Now what these Pardons be that heretics so slander, you shall better understand. First our sin after that by the Sacrament of Penance (as I have said before) it be forgiven, yet some satisfaction and penance remaineth therefore, which if it be not done in this life it must be done in the next, because God as he is merciful, so is he just, and will have us do something of ourselves: insomuch that for some one deadly sin of ancient time, near unto the Apostles time were 7. years of penance enjoined, which if a man in this time should do for every deadly sin, his life would not endure, a few persons excepted (whom God preserveth from those greater sins) very rare to be found upon earth. These Pardons then of the Pope be not properly forgiveness of sins, but of the pain due unto sins. The reason is, because the Church that hath authority from God justly to inflict satisfaction, & penance for sin, the same Church likewise hath power given her to release such pains and satisfaction, that be of God's justice laid on us for sins: and the Church, that in the Sacrament of Penance by her Priests hath the authority from Christ to forgive sins, the same Church likewise by God hath authority given her by means of Pardons and fuffrage to release the pain due unto sin. Now the Pope being head of the Church is chief dispensator and steward of these Pardons, & they be properly called the treasure of the Church, that is specially granted out of the merits of Christ's Passion, & his holy Saints. For this is to be understood in every good work that there be 2▪ things, the one is merit and reward that properly appertaineth to the doer procuring him greater glory: another thing in this work is satisfactory penance, or pain due unto sin, which sin first our Saviour Christ was void of, without all sin of his own virtue, and so was his B. Mother by his special grace ever preserved from all sin, and many of the Virgins, Martyrs, and great friends of God did more penance a great deal then ever their sins deserved: hereupon the holy Apostle said Adimple● ea quae desunt passi●num Christi, I fulfil 
Col. 1▪ 24.  (saith he) those things which be wanting of the passions of CHRIST for his body which is the Church. Lo S. Paul did fulfil or satisfy those things that were wanting of the passions of Christ, not for the redemption of the world (for Christ therein needed no helpe-fellowes, for his Passion had been enough for many worlds) but that which he fulfilled of the passions of Christ were satisfactions, pains, or penance, which every one for himself (that he may suffer with Christ, and so be partakers of the fruit of Christ's Passion of such infinite value) is bound to do. This satisfaction and pains (I say) Saint Paul did not only for himself, but for all the faithful people the mystical boof Christ's Church, that so they mightfully be partakers of Christ's merits, and passions of such infinite value, and so be released quite from sin and pain due thereunto. These satisfactory pains of S. Paul and other holy Saints who satisfied, and did more penance for sin then ever they deserved (as I said before) be properly called the treasure of the Church, in which Church because we be members all of one body, that is as we believe there is a communion of Saints: so therefore we by God's grace be partakers of the merits, and prayers of 
I mean this participation taketh effect in such as be in state of grace. For according to our due disposition every one is partaker of another's good actions, merits, & prayers.  the Saints in heaven, as we in earth be partakers of an others good actions and prayers, and they in Purgatory of our merits, and of the merits and prayers of Saints in heaven, because there is a communion of Saints in God's Church, and being all members of one body under Christ our head, we thus mutually help one another: whereupon it is (I say) that these satisfactory pains put into the treasure of God's Church, not only help us to release us, and satisfy our pains due unto sin, which perhaps we are not able of ourselves in this life to satisfy: but also be a release by means of suffrage for those in Purgatory.   

Chap. XLVI By what means Pardons may be applied to our souls, and that we must justly do that which is appointed us to be partakers of the same  
NOw the Pope as having the keys of this spiritual treasure, giveth out thereof to all faithful people (so they apply it to themselves, or the departed) by such ordinary means as by him is ordained, as by fasting, prayer, almsdeeds, pilgrimage or the like: as for example to those that be contrite confessing and receiving, and saying but only our Lady's Psalter, or the Beads once over, or the 7. Psalms, or Litanies having but only a token on them (as it were) from the Pope, that is a Cross, holy grain, a bead sanctified, or blessed or the like, that bead o● Cross is a sign and certain token to the party so disposed and doing, that the Pope granteth he hath so many days or years of Pardon, yea perhaps a full Pardon for all his sins past, that is the pain due unto sin: for as I said the eternal trespass of sin is forgiven before in Confession, which debt or pain is to be paid either in this life, or in Purgatory. The heretics slander the Pope and the Church, and say he granteth Pardon to such for money, but they belly him: for most commonly Pardons be granted to such, as devoutly confess, receive, and say certain godly prayers for the Pope's intent, and benefit of the whole church. If any almesdeed be at any time required, it is not for the Pope's coffers, as being (God be blessed that so exalteth his Church, spite of all infidels & heretics) an absolute Prince of himself, needing no such matter, but rather maintaining as a general father poor people children of the Church of all nations in the world: but if any alms be given, as very seldom is when pardons be granted, the Pope assigneth the parties to give it with their own hands to their poor neighbours, or to the building of some notable ornament to all Christendom, as to S. Peter's Church, or for the defence of Christendom against our great enemy the Turk and the like. These Pardons, Stations, and the like how frequent, or much used they were in S Gregory's time a thousand years ago it appeareth to those that be conversant in his works: and other men's holy writings of old, and though in the primitive Church they were not so needful then, when men were more charitable and fervent in God's love, the blood of Christ being yet warm in their hearts, and because when any offended they of themselves did such penance, as might suffice: yet in the very Apostles time these Pardons were given. For S. Paul after excommunication of the incestuous Corinthian, whom he gave to Satan in body 
1 Cor. 5, 5  to be punished that his soul might be saved, after a time when he saw his sorrow and amendment (lest the enemy might have too much power over him, and least with sadness he might be overwhelmed) gave him pardon, remitting his pain for the rest of his penance due, saying, To whom you pardon, 
2. Cor. 2. 20.  or forgive any thing, I likewise did the same, who if I pardoned any thing I did it in the person of Christ. What other thing was this then giving of pardon?   

Chap. XLVII. Of Excommunication, and how dreadful a thing it is, & how heretics being excommunicated in the highest degree their excommunication of others is ridiculous & contemptible.  
BY which words not only appeareth the value and practise of Pardons even in the Apostles time, but the heavy rod of Excommunication the heretics so little fear, by which excommunication the Devil had power over the Corinthians body to torment it, as he hath over the heretics souls that despise it, who though they feel not the smart in this life and by miracle to the terror of others, as they did in the primitive Church: yet doubtless it is a leprosy which will stick to their souls in the next life, far more fearful than any torment can be here to the body. For all Heretics and schismatics be excommunicate, that is cut off from all grace of God, the Sacraments, good deeds, and prayers of the Church, and be in the hands of Satan. Heretics that would do like Catholics, as Apes would be like men, they forsooth being excommunicate themselves would excommunicate others, but they have no authority, their excommunication is nothing, fear it not a straw, a happy thing it is to be excluded out of their Synagogue, to be out of their company, with whom in prayers & divine service none ought to converse: sear excommunication of the Church in deed, obey her truly, and care not for any censure of the wicked Church of Satan.   

Chap. XLVIII Of some abuses about Pardons, and of the late reformation of the same, and of the covetous humours of English Ministers.  
But for these Pardons I spoke of before, I deny not but some abuses might be in those that carried them up and down called Pardoners, some of them seeking their own gain, but the Pope or Pardons ought not to be blamed for that, but the abuses and faults taken away, the good uses ought to be left still: for nothing is so good but it may be abused, yea the very Sun in the firmament, by light whereof as good men use to work good works and their Salvation: so evil men a buse it to the works of darkness, that is, to work wickedly, and their damnation. The Pope then and the holy Church hath not disallowed pardons the use whereof be requisite, but he hath ordained by consent of the whole Church, that Pardoners no more so abuse the people, but that they receive pardons from their ordinary and lawful Curates, and that without all hope of gain, or money hereafter. As for your ministers, (good men) they be all in the spirit, they desire no money, women, nor no worldly nor corporal thing, they be so full of the spirit: yet because you know them better than I, tell me (I pray you) whether they be not some thing greedy of duties that were paid to Priests, and the Church of old, yea of very pence or half pence given of devotion of old for maintenance of Church lights, holy Water, and holy Bread, and the like, now employed to feed their brats with, or to light themselves or their wives to bed, who if they be greedy of that which is nothing their due, yea be the most beggarly covetous wretches in England of all men, then let them not complain of the Pope's covetousness for pardons, no nor of any thing which was given to Priests, or the Church, which in deed was due: as Peter pence and the like.   

Chap. XLIX. Exhorting all to do their Penance meekly here, and not to trust to much to the help, & prayers of their friends left behind.  
But thus by the way in speaking of pardons, (which by charitable faithful men alive may be applied by means of suffrage, to the faithful departed for their speedy release) I am digressed from my purpose in speaking of Purgatory, and prayer for the dead. Before I touched certain places of the Scriptures, and authority of the Church, and Fathers that maketh for this purpose, and how fasting, prayer, pardons, but especially the holy sacrifice of the Mass, is the most sovereign remedy for the faithful departed. But as I exhort all to pray for the departed, and forget them not considering they cannot help themselves (though Divines hold, that the more charitable we are to help the departed, by so much the prayer of our friends shall help us after our death) so would I wish all not to much to trust others, which oftentimes be forgetful of their friends departed, enjoy they never so many of their posessions and goods. But let each one do well yea the best he can for himself, and perform his penance meekly whilst he is here, that he may have a pure and perfect soul: for happily even in those that be careful of their Salvation some dross of sin, imperfection, or corruption may be found to stay them in that fire of Gods justice, and there many a light thought, many a vain word, many a headstrong passion, and unmortified affection, which we little regarded and lightly passed over in ourselves without correction, shallbe found stiff matter for Gods justice to work on in that cleansing fire, where nil inultum remanebit no sin shallbe left unpunished: the sharpness and severity whereof (in that it is inflicted by God's judgement for sin) who is it if he deeplye consider, but he may easily perceive? The greatness of which pain is such and so subtle, that God can lay such punishment on the soul in one hour, that it may seem and serve for a thousand years, whereby you see, that those that at the day of judgement shallbe taken in debt of pain due to sin, may fulfil it in an hour, though they deserved a thousand years, so greatly can GOD Almighty increase the punishment in that space: so that when the Pope granteth pardon for many thousand years (whenas, Purgatory shall remain no longer, but till the day of judgement, which perhaps may be with in an hundredth years) yet his pardons be right just, and available for the reason abovesaid. But (as I said) I exhort all to do their Penance here, & leave it not to that place, for besides that one day there is more than a whole year here, and yet that one day of penance here may satisfy for a whole year there, yet though a man were there a thousand years he should nothing merit thereby, but only satisfy for sin with pain and due punishment, but here in doing penance, he both satisfieth for his sins, escapeth greater punishment, & increaseth his merit, more plentifully receiving here the grace of God in this life, and glory in the next.   

Chap. L. Of Pilgrimage proved by examples of Christ, and his servants.  
AS for pilgrimage of devotion, or vow to holy places, where it hath pleased God to work his wonders, if it be well used it is laudable and highly commended in holy Scripture, as appeareth by that solemn pilgrimage, that not only of the jews, but also 
Act. 8. 27.  of the Gentiles proselytes, yea and by our Saviour himself and his blessed Mother was made to salomon's Temple, where God did accept of their prayers better than in other places, though he be in every place, and heareth those at any time, that in spirit and truth worship him, and call upon him. The three kings that by guiding of a 
Mat. 2. 2.  stare found out Christ; what other was that then a pilgrimage to Jerusalem & Bethleem? So S. Helen a noble Empress went in pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and miraculously found out the Cross. S. john Chrisostome, had such a desire to have seen, and kissed the very chains of Saint Peter at Rome, wherein he was bound, and to see the place where Saint Paul shed his blood there, where three fountains miraculously at his death sprung up, that he said. If he were at liberty from charge of his Bishoply, and pastoral care, he would have gone in pilgrimage from Constantinople to Rome himself. Many like testimonies and examples for Pilgrimage might be found, which we are to believe and follow, scoff M. Minister never so much in his chair at home. For holy Saint Hierome that in Pilgrimage travailed about Jerusalem and all the holy land, and with Paula, Eustochium, and many other B. Virgins and Widows (as having care or charge over them) most sweetly visited, and religiously lived and died by the holy Manger at Bethleem, where the sweet babe jesus was borne, may and shall be to me ever of more reverend authority, than all the taunts of heretics in the world, to move me a jot. For I had rather be a poor Pilgrim with S. Hierome in that poor devout Cave at Bethleem, than a proud heretic in a Prince's Palace.   

Chap. LI Of the relics of Saints reverently to be used and kept, and of miracles wrought by means of them.  
AS for the B. bodies and relics of Saints who shed their blood for Christ, which once were & shall be ever after the resurrection lively temples, & tabernacles of the holy Ghost, which heretics blasphemously call dead men's bones, though we neither worship them nor their Images as Gods, neither think any divinity in them, or worthy any divine honour, yet honourably to conserve and keep them, devoutly to behold or kiss them, and to show certain reverence towards them, in that they be relics, and tokens left us by such dear servants and friends of God, we be taught both by the holy Scriptures, practise of God's Church from Christ's time, and the testimony of all good men, which declare that by the relics of Saints, that is dead men's bones (as the heretics term them) many great miracles have been wrought. Bid your Ministers look in the 4. book of Kings and in the 13. chapter, and see whether they cannot find there in holy Scripture, how when certain men cast a dead body into the grave of Elizeus the Prophet, as soon as the body touched the holy Prophet's bones, it rose up alive again, and stood upon his feet. Can heretics blame us for keeping vestments, and clothes of Saints departed, when we read in holy Scripture that Elizeus by 
4. Reg. 2.  keeping his Master Elias his cloak, received with all his double spirit, and coming to the river jordan striking it with that cloak the river divided, and by virtue thereof gave him passage 
Mar. 5. 28. & 29. Act. 19 12. Act. 5. 15.  over? What, did not the very hem of Christ's garment, napkins, and little clothes taken from S. Paul's body, and the shadow of S. Peter, heal and cure the sick, lame, and diseased with incurable diseases? what need we go farther for Relics of Saints, then to plain Scripture itself? were not all the patriarchs buried with great honour? did not joseph according to his father jacob's commandment carry his body dead into the land of promise? And were not joseph's bones 400. years after his death with great honour by the children of Israel carried into the land of promise also? and dare heretics burn the bones & sacred bodies of Martyrs & Saints, and cast their ashes into the wind and waters, rend & tear their vestments asunder, yea most villainously break down and abuse the Image and sacred Cross of CHRIST, the very ensign of our redemption, and yet say they have Scripture for it? But these bodies of Saints be they never so much abused by them, shall appear glorious in the resurrection, when Infidels, and Heretics that tear CHRIST'S mystical body his Church, and his coat asunder, shall without all doubt fry for it in Hell. I could show divers miracles likewise since CHRIST'S time (but time serveth me not) which have been wrought at the bodies of Saints. As Saint Augustine maketh mention 
Aug. lib. 22. de ciu. Dei. cap. 8  of the Relics of Saint Stephen, whereby were cured diseases: Yea by the very flowers that touched the Cophin wherein his Relics were put, miraculous things were wrought. We read also how that by the vail of a certain blessed Virgin, and Martyr the outrageous, and furious flames of fire, which threatened ruin to some whole City, have been quenched: by Saints bodies the Devils expelled, to the blind their sight restored, and the lame made to walk: How miraculously were the two Chains that at jerusalem and Rome bound Saint Peter, of themselves knit together, and the like? whereby it appeareth how mighty and high their Lord is, how good and gracious that so highly honoureth the very bones, or relics of his dear friends that truly served and loved him here, giving other thereby encouragement to follow their example. Which honour given by GOD to his friends and servants, when the Holy Prophet considered he wondered at, saying. Thy friends O God be 
Psal. 138. 17.  too too much honoured. But the heretics that not only deny prayer for the souls departed, but withal burn and so dishonour the relics of Saints, both which (the honourable relics of Saints, and prayer for the souls departed) be great hopes, and comforts of the resurrection, truly in my simple judgement do shoot fast to deny another article of our Creed, that is the resurrection of the body and all: with which denial as I do not alltogither charge them, yet to confess the truth I iustye suspect them, and let them not say, but they have been forewarned.   

Chap. LII. Of honour and invocation of Saints, and how Saints pray for us, and may hear & relieve us by their prayers: as also that our prayers to Saints and their intercession for us is no injury, but glory to Christ our Mediator.  
TOuching the Saints in Heaven, our prayers and honour we do to them, such honour and prayers be by far and by many degrees inferior to those that we do to God: nay what honour we do to Saints it tendeth chiefly to Gods honour, who is honoured in his Saints, who accepteth the least service we do to any of his friends as done unto him. Now you must understand their be divers kinds of worships and honours, according to the worthiness of the persons we show it to: as one kind of honour is due to father and mother, another kind of worship or honour to gentlemen our betters, another higher honour to temporal Lords, Princes, Bishops, and the like: and yet when we do this honour to them, which by Gods Commandment is due because they take power of him, there is no reasonable man that can say we dishonour God therein, but rather honour him in so doing. So likewise we honour Saints as great friends of God, Princes and Senators in that heavenly court, with an honour due unto them, which kind of honour the Greeks call Dulia: and we right worthily worship and honour our blessed Lady, as being nearest Christ with another kind of honour call led Hyperdulia, higher than that again: but we honour GOD alone with that most high honour and service called Latria, which honour is due to none but to God only, to whom finally, and alone in this high service is due all honour and glory, and with this most high service which is Sacrifice, we only worship God and no Saint. For we say not we offer to thee Peter, or Paul: Sed offerrimus tibi domine deus, We offer and do Sacrifice to thee O Lord, for in this manner of honour that is Sacrifice, he will give his honour to no other. Heretics now confound all these honours together, making no distinction, or difference between them, whereby they deceive themselves, and others, we then neither honour our Lady, Saints, nor Angels with that honour due unto God, but with such honour as is meet for his friends, and most noble creatures, in whom God is chief honoured and praised: but touching Sacrifice which is proper to God, that divine worship (I say) consisting in external sacrifice and in acknowledging the parties worshipped to be Gods, is it which may be done to no man nor creature, and therefore the Apostles refused it with all possible diligence, and all the Angels and Saints in heaven refuse that adoration by Sacrifice. The Catholic Church suffereth no Priest, nor other so to worship any Saints in heaven or in earth, she hath but one external Sacrifice of Christ's body, and blood that she offereth to God alone, which is the holy Mass. And neither to Peter, nor Paul (saith S. 
Aug. lib. 8. de civit. Dei. c. 27.  Augustine) though the Priest that sacrifiseth standeth over their bodies, and offereth in their memories. But other kinds of honours, and duties inferior without all comparisons (how great soever they be) to this we do as the Scriptures, and nature teach us to all superiors in heaven and earth, according to the degrees of grace, honour, and blessedness that God hath called them unto, from our B. Lady Christ's own mother, to the least servant he hath in the world. For which the heretics would never accuse Christian people of Idolatry, if they had either grace, learning, faith, or natural affection. As for that the Angel would 
Apoc. 19 10.  not let S. john worship him, it was because (as he said) he was his fellow servant, especially now after Christ's incarnation, and to instruct us, that what good gifts, virtues, or holiness we receive of God we seek not honour to ourselves for it, but for God: Saint john then being in an ecstasy knew not so perfectly whether the Angel was CHRIST oran Angel, which if the Angel had not told, it might have been Saint john would then have worshipped him as God, which he forbade, bidding him adore or worship God, that was with the honour due unto God: and in other places of scripture when Angels appeared to men, as for example to joshua they knowing them 
Ios. 5. 13  to be but Angels, than they never forbade men any such worship: but Angels and holy men, when they had due honour done unto them, did not disallow it, but rather commended it, as by many other places of scripture may be showed, but I would be brief. Now that Saints pray for us you shall find it in the holy Scripture of jeremy, in the fifteen Chapter of the second book of the Maccabees, where is mention made how jeremy long after his death prayed for the people, and that for the merits, and prayers of Saints (though they be departed) God giveth many good gifts, and graces to his servants; you shall find it in divers places of holy Scripture: as for example in the old Testament almost in every book, you shall find how God for his servants Abraham, Isaac, and jacob, and for David his servants sake and the like, spared and did not punish his people when they deserved it, but gave them benefits for their sakes long before departed. Neither be our prayers to Saints any injury to Christ our mediator, no more than when we desire one another to pray for us, as Saint Paul did the Romans and others, 
Ro. 15. 30.  desiring them to help him in their prayers. For though Christ be 
Col 4. Ephe. 6.  our only mediator of redemption, yet there be many mediators of intercession to make us partakers of that redemption once wrought for all. Neither is it marvel the Saints can hear our prayers: for as appeareth by the Gospel, they be as Angels of God, who rejoice at the conversion 
Math. 22. 30. Luc. 15. 7.  of a sinner, and therefore no doubt see our needs, assist us with their prayers, and rejoice at our victories. For if the Devils by Gods permission see and know our actions, much more than doubtless do the Saints of GOD by his gracious favour see and perceive our actions, and necessities. Neither is this contrary to that, that God alone seethe man's heart, for we 
Dan. 2. 1. Reg. 5.  read of Daniel, and other men that have known the secrets of man's heart by Gods revelation: much more do the Saints in heaven that in seeing God as in a clear glass, see themselves, our necessities, and all things that are requisite for any creatures to know. 
Gre. lib. 1. moral. in job.  For as saith Saint Gregory, how is it but that they know all things that see him that knoweth and seethe all things?   

Chap. LIII. Declaring how God for his holy servants sakes heareth our prayers, and how the holy Fathers of old prayed to Saints.  
Now all the Scriptures be full how we men on earth be relieved, and helped by Angels in heaven, as appeareth 
Tob▪ 5. 6. 7. 8. 9 10. 11.  by holy Toby guided by an Angel that delivered him and his wife from the Devil, and helped him to his money, made that holy marriage, cured his father's eyes, and offered their prayers to God: what will you have more? Holy jacob the Patriarch when he blessed his grand children the sons of joseph, these were the very words in the eight and forty Chapter of Genesis saying. GOD which feedeth me from my youth even to this present day: the Angel which delivereth me from all evils, bless these children, and upon them my name be called, and the names of my Fathers Abraham and Isaac. As much you see said this blessed Prophet and Patriarch, as we do when we say God and our Lady bless the child, GOD and Saint john help you, and the like, which heretics scoff at, and when jacob said my name and of my fathers be called upon, did he not plaintie declare, that their children and posterity should beseech GOD for their sakes to be merciful to them, or else pray to them to pray for them, as when we pray to them and others saying, Lord, for David thy servants sake have mercy upon us, O all patriarchs and Prophets of GOD pray for us, Saint Peter pray for us, Saint Paul pray for us, and so forth. Do you not see here what substantial grounds of holy Scripture we have for honouring, and praying to Saints, though in a far lower degree than we honour and pray unto God, as I have declared before? for we say to God in our prayer, God the father of heaven have mercy upon us, and not as we do to Saints pray for us, signifying thereby that all honour we give to Saints tendeth to GOD, and that all grace and goodness cometh principally from God; neither that the Saints have any goodness, or graces as of themselves without God, but all from him, so that we pray not to Saints for any want or insufficiency in God, but in respect of our own unworthiness, that be not so worthy, nor can be so speedily heard of God by our own prayers, as by the prayers of his Saints, of his Saints and dearest friends. And this appeareth plainly by the last chapter of job, that where jobs friends were reprehended for their faults, yet would not God accept their prayers for their unworthiness, but bade them go to job to his servant. My servant job saith God shall pray for you. Now that all holy Fathers from Christ's time to this day have made their humble prayers, and petitions to the Mother of God, and all Saints, their works, and devout prayers declare: time serveth me not to repeat them, they would fill whole books.   

Chap. liv. Touching by the way the B. Virgin our Lady, and the injuries done unto her.  
ONly this I cannot omit without grief of heart, the shameful dishonour and blasphemy the heretics do and say against the B. Mother of God, some Ministers esteeming her no better than their baggage wives, and some naming her with such compatisons and terms, as I am afraid to recite. But O filthy and blasphemous mouth, darest thou call with such base terms the Mother of God, the tabernacle of Christ, and very temple of the holy Ghost, his dear spouse, the perfect figure and flower of his Church, that star of light, in whose blessed womb Christ rested nine months, taking flesh of her sacred flesh and blood, she bearing him in that sacred vessel of hers, whom heaven and earth could not comprehend? She that the holy Ghost spoke by, that all nations shall call her blessed, darest thou (I say) compare to her a drab, yea any woman that ever was, or ever shall be? She that is the flower of women; She that bruised the Serpent's head, as repairing by her virtues that which Eve lost by her vice; She that was a pure religious Virgin, in, before, and after her sons birth; She that is clothed with the Sun and stars, having the Moon under her feet; She that shineth for ever with pearls and precious stones of honour and glory: that mystical Ark of God, that royal throne of the very true Solomon, whom he chose before all other creatures for his chief and elect vessel, in whom he is well pleased, who for her incomparable beauty, admirable perfection, unspeakable glory and splendour of all magnificent virtues, far surpasseth all the praises of those Angelical Citizens and human creatures. She that in giving suck to that blessed Lamb of God, sucked with all of him divine wisdom, ever duly serving him, never displeasing him, conserving all his words and sayings in her heart: who sitteth at the right hand of her Son in a golden vesture (as prophesied holy David) all glorious, that is, compassed about with all variety of unipeakable virtues and merits, there rewarded with honour and glory, where (as saith S. Bernard) The Son showeth his wounds to his Father, and the Mother placed above all Angels, Cherubyn▪ and Seraphin showeth her breasts to her Son. There sayeth he the devout penitent sinner can have no repulse or gainsay. And therefore against all heretics in the world follow my counsel with S. Bernard. In omnibus anxietatibus tuis Mariam cogita Mariam invoca, In all thy heaviness and necessities whatsoever, devoutly think upon mary, and call upon her, and seek to follow her example, as a pattern to all faithful Christians, remembering that the injuries done to her, Christ (no doubt) accepteth as done to him, and the honour done to her as done to him: for the Son cannot but love the Mother: but I go forward.   

Chap. LV Of Images, and of the Cross of Christ, and of the reverend and laudable uses of the same.  
IMages I touched in the first Commandment, yet to say more: heretics that will keep pictures of their wives, husbands, or friends, and may not abide the picture of Christ, his blessed Mother and holy Saints, me thinks post fast forwards to deny the Humanity of CHRIST with the heretics of old: otherwise I see not why they should deny his Image and picture. As for pictures that put us in mind of GOD the Father, and the holy Ghost, they do not go about to express his divinity, which is incomprehensible and unspeakable, which neither can be painted, feigned, or imagined, but only some property in GOD: as his fatherly care, his eternity, his meekness, mercy, and the like expressed by the do●e and holy lamb, which I touched before. But that there were pictures ever of Christ, and his Saints all antiquity doth testify, yea Christ himself imprinted the very figure of his face in a cloth in kissing it, or laying it to his face, which picture is reserved to this day whereby miracles have been wrought: And Saint Luke painted the Image of our Lady, reserved to this day, borne in Rome in solemn procession in S. Gregory's time, whereby miracles (as I have probably hard) have been wrought. There is mention made likewise in the 
Euseb. lib. ●. 14. ●is.  Ecclesiastical histories, of an Image of Christ made by the woman that was cured of an issue of blood, by touching the hem of our saviours garment, which Image she set up in memory of that benefit, and the * hem of the 
Yea a plant there planted or a flower when it gre● so high as the hem of the Image of Christ, cured.  same Image did also miracles. This Image julian the Apostata threw dow●e and set up his own in steed thereof, which was immediately destroyed by fire from heaven, but the Image of Christ broken in pieces by the heathen, the Christians afterwards gathering the pieces together, placed it in the Church, where it was, (as Zozomenus writeth) unto his time. But I hasten on, and let this suffice any reasonable Christian that these Image-breakers in general Counsels, & by the consent of all Christendom have been condemned many hundred years ago, as is most meet. For surely such as cannot abide the Image of Christ, his B. Mother & Saints, prepare the very way to Antichrist, the Devil, & his army that shall have Imaginem bestiae scriptam in frontibus 
Apoc. 14.  eorum, the Image or Idol of that beast written in their foreheads in steed and despite of the Cross of Christ, which these Antichristian heretics already detest & abhor. And this moreover I say and confidently affirm, that if the King, or a noble man would not take it in good part to have their arms razed or pulled down, assure yourself Image-breakers and spiteful razers down of Crosses shall not be unpunished, as God hath showed already some tokens of his wrath. Therefore heretics that slander us we worship them for Gods, belike think we have not so much wit, or sense as a dog, who knoweth an Image from a ●iuing body (I warrant you) even by his very nose. Let proud foolish heretics then avaunt, and preach trifling toys to babes, and Idiots, Christians know what they do in keeping, and reverencing Images and Christ's Cross, neither need they heretics counsel. For touching that we do to Images, and Relics, we want neither Scripture, nor sufficient authority: otherwise I deny not but some abuses about Images in some simple people might creep in, but that good Pastors and Bishops may easily reform, and Images stand still, which being well used Saint Gregory rightly termeth as it were lay men's books, as representing to the unlearned in figure, that which the history doth to the learned in books: but I cannot stay.   

Chap. LVI. Of Service in the Latin tongue: and how meet and convenient it is that the Scriptures be reserved, & service said in the ancient, and sacred tongues.  
THe heretics to deceive the simple, made them a great while believe there was no difference between the Catholic Service, and their heretical ministerly prating prayers, between the old religion and the new, the old service and the new (as they term it) but if you mark well which I have said, you may see there is as much difference as between heaven and hell, truth and falsehood. For the heretics either deny, or with their foul hands defile almost every article of the christian faith and religion, and yet forsooth they brag, Oh now you have the light in that forsooth they have the Bible, and yet dismembered and very much corrupted, translated into the english tongue, and that they have the Lords prayer & service in the english tongue. O have you so? but I will prove by your light (as you term it) you bring in all darkness, and in making a show of the truth, you be very impostors, or jugglers. Have you not heard of some 
A Similitude.  juggling companion that could (with his familiar Devil) cast such a mist in some Parlour before men's eyes, that ships there, as in the Sea should seem to be sailing, men rowing, the Sun glistering upon the waves, and yet neither Sea, ship, man, nor Sun in deed, but only by knavery their senses deluded? But a worse juggling of heretics is this in deed, by how much the worthiness of man's soul exceedeth the body. For jugglers deceive and blind the eyes of the body, but these impostors heretics blind and deceive the eyes of man's soul, and true understanding, whereby they be deprived from the sight of God, light of grace, and salvation. For whereas the holy Catholic Church instructed, and taught by her Master and her Pastor S. Peter, doth acknowledge 
2. Pet. 3. 16.  (as he saith) that there be some things in holy Scripture heard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable do deprave, as the rest of the Scriptures to their own damnation: therefore now she as a tender Mother over her children, knowing hard meat not fit for all, but that some as infants are to be fed as it were with milk, and other such light meats, more easy to be digested, knowing also that too much light dazzleth man's eye, but a competent light is comfortable: therefore she I say as a prudent Mother letteth her children see no more light of the Scriptures, than their weak senses unaccustomed to such high mysteries can well conceive or bear, nor giveth their souls no harder places to fee●e upon, than their infirm conceits and stomaches be well able to digest, as the holy Apostle did; when he said, As to 
1. Cor. 3. 2.  little ones in Christ, I gave you milk not strong meat: even so the holy Church guided ever by the wisdom of God, seeing the infirmity of her children▪ knowing the Scriptures to be good, yet not fit for every man's reach, giveth to every one thereof in measure according to their capacities. Wherefore she most commonly hath reserved and kept it uncorrupt from other writings, in the three most ancient and sacred tongues as in the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, appointing learned men always to instruct the simple out of that learned book with such histories, & holy lessons as might be most fit to edify, and help them, esteeming it sufficient for them to know there ever was, is, and shall be one God in Trinity that made, and would save them that kept his law, and Commandments: and that Christ the son of God was borne of a Virgin, died on the Cross, rose again, and that they receive his very body in the B. Sacrament for the health and food of their souls. So the Church thought it sufficient for ignorant men to know, and believe the articles of the Creed, to know they were bound to keep the Commandments of God under pain of deadly sin and damnation, to confess and be sorry when they fell, with full purpose of amendment, to say their Pater noster, ave, and Creed, and to leave other high mysteries to learned Divines. But now these new jugglers set the Scriptures to be read, heard, and judged upon of young, old, learned, and unlearned of all sorts, and so they say they have brought in the light: but appose the ignorant when they have read and heard them, what they then conceive of such, and such parables of the Gospel, such places of holy Scripture, you shall find them so variable among themselves, to have such foolish, fantastical, and fleshly; yea childish conceits thereof, that whereas they brag of the light (alas simple souls) you shall find nothing in their minds but ignorance, error, and darkness: they think they see a ship, and it is but a fantastical shape: they enter in deed into a whole Sea of the depth of Gods inscrutable mysteries, but alas they know not how to row therein, and so be drowned and overwhelmed with the floods thereof: they think they see men in steed of trees: they imagine they see the light of the sun and they embrace darkness, Hereof cometh such innumerable opinions, such proud and blind arrogancy, such monstrous heresies, such horrible sins & vices for that every simple fool would be a tamperer with God's book, which they understand not, but by mistaking of the text, go about to defend what they list: yea what humour they be most given to. Upon these & many more weighty considerations the holy Church keepeth the scriptures in the latin tongue for the most part, & so likewise upon the like considerations that every saucy presumptuous fellow should not deride the mysteries he understandéth not, if they were spoken in the plain vulgar & english terms: therefore the church useth at mass in her prayers & public service the latin tongue that I say the holy Sacraments, should not grow into contempt, being made common to every base rogne to descant upon, thinking that it is sufficient the ignorant sort take the fruit thereof, though they know not the mystery, yet the Church doth not disallow any to pray any godly Catholic prayer what he will, yea the Pater noster, ave & Creed in the english tongue, so he do it not in despite of the Church, condemning others that they do not well that pray in the latin tongue, yea though they understand it not. For often times it may be that the poor plough man, that saith his pater noster not under standing the words, may pray with more devotion & please God better, than the greatest doctor that can make a sermon of every petition of the same: for God in prayer doth not so much attend to man's word, but to his will, affection, & lifting up of man's heart to God, which is properly prayer. Nay what doctor is so learned when he readeth the Psalms, though he can english them never so well, that understandeth them to the depth? yea of some verse or sentence perhaps he knoweth no one perfect sense, & yet though he understand them not perfectly, he prayeth of them nevertheless, knowing God understandeth them, & his devout meaning therein, as being indicted by his holy spirit, and that he accepteth his devout intent. The little children of Jerusalem when Christ on Palme-sunday entered the City, cried or sung in his praise: Osannafilio David, which 
Luc. 21. 9  words being children they understood not, yet Christ was well pleased, & delighted more with their praises, then with the wise Doctors, Scribes, & pharisees that understood the Scriptures. So you see it is not the understanding, but the devotion, affection, and men's good will to which men of good will the Angels 
Luc. 2. 14  came to show that everlasting peace (by Christ made betwixt GOD and man) that pleaseth God. So that thou unlearned man whosoever, fear God, serve him, keep his Commandments, pray in what tongue thou wilt in obedience of GOD'S Church, and though thou understand not, have a good will in thy prayer to please God, and I warrant thee my soul for thine, God will hear, and accept thy good devout prayer, and desire.   

Chap. LVII. Wherein the Apostles words touching praying, and preaching in unknown tongues are expounded, and of the goodly order of the Church's service, praying, singing, and praising God night and day in her cannonicall hours, feasts, and times of the year.  
Now whereas Saint Paul would 
1. Cor. 14.  have one speak in the Church in a tongue that may be understood, rather than a thousand words in an unknown tongue, truth it is we deny it not as Saint Paul meaneth: for he speaketh there chief of Preachers. For you know if a Priest or jesuite should preach in latin to the people, it would nothing edify, because few understand, and therefore the Church ever causeth her preachers to teach the people, and preach in the vulgar tongue of the Country, and so Saint Paul would have it. Again Saint Paul spoke to those that in his time had the gift of tongues, which many for want of order did abuse upon ostentation, or indiscretion by praying, or speaking, or preaching, altogether aloud, some in one language, some in another, that bred confusion & disorder, that such fruit could not be gathered of that gift of the spirit of divers tongues given, as was requisite. This S. Paul sought to reform that all things might be done to edification, which the Church doth in her prayers in on tongue by uniformity, & otherwise as I have declared before: yea this godly order the holy Church observeth in the course of her service, vicissitude, & disposition of the feasts according to that hymn of hers, Temporum das tempora, ut alleves fastidium. Lord thou art he that givest us times upon times to lighten our weariness; yea the very appointed hours of prayer in the night, and day in the Church, declareth the watch and ward, this holy mother (according to Christ's and the Apostles counsels) hath over herself and children, as when she prayeth, praiseth, & singeth to God most sweetly throughout the whole world, at the prime, early, in the dawning of the day, at the third, sixth, and ninth hours, in the evening, at midnight, and the like, as we be taught by the Scriptures the Apostles did, that went to prayer at the ninth hour, and David rose at midnight, and in the morning to confess the name of our Lord, as at evening every night he prayed to God, and watered the couch of his former sins with contrite and gracious tears, and the like godly orders at other times (but at these statuted hours especially, and not without mystery, remembrance, and due signification chief of Christ's passion for us and gifts bestowed by his holy spirit of us) godly and holy apostolic men used in observing hours, scoff heretics never so much. For though God may be served at all hours, times, and places, yet times appointed by the Church be best for obedience sake, and that we may join ourselves together, thereby in prayer tanquam acies bene ordinata as true soldiers of Christ well armed, and in good array at all times, and against all assaults of the foreign and common enemy.   

Chap. LVIII. Of the Beads, and of the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary, or our Lady's Psalter: and of the great good, and spiritual fruit by devout saying the same.  
SO they scoff at Beads that be directories, or (as it were) guides by the numbers, to bring men in mind of the mysteries of our redemption. The 
1  first ten Auies, and Pater noster put us in mind of Christ's incarnation: The second 
2  of the visitation of Elizabeth by our B. Lady: The third of Christ's nativity: 
3  The fourth of his presentation in 
4  the Temple: The fift of the finding out 
5  of Christ by his Mother once lost. The 
6  sixth ten Auies, and Pater noster put us in mind, how Christ for our sakes sweat water and blood in his agony, and prayer for us in the garden: The seventh, 
7  how he was whipped: The eighth, how 
8  he was crowned with a crown of thorns: The ninth, how he bore his Cross: The 
9 10.  tenth, how he was crucified. The eleventh, 
11  how he rose again: The twelve, 
12  how he ascended in to heaven: At the 
13  thirteenth, we are to remember the coming down of the holy Ghost: At the 
14  fourteenth, the assumption of our Lady: And at the fifteenth her coronation. Of 
15  all which mysteries (besides the comfort thereof, and confirmation in our faith) we may apply something morally out of the acts of our Saviour, & his B. Mother to our instruction and edification. And we are taught by the oft repeating this number of ten, to have ever written in our minds the 10. Commandments of God, by observing whereof we must enter into life everlasting, whereunto for us to achieve is required perfection in us, which perfection is signified by this perfect number of 10. And as saying the Pater noster once, we acknowledge one god: so in saying the ave Mary 10. times, we intent not (as heretics taunt) to pray to praise or worship our Lady more than God, or like to him, but with devout & thankful minds in so oft together reciting his own words, which he sent to the comfort of us all by his messenger the Archangel Gabriel, we protest in that mystical number of ten so oft repeated, our loving heart without measure to God, for so unspeakable a benefit, having nothing but love to seek to requite him for the same: which love because it consisteth in observing the ten commandments of God, which we cannot do without his grace, therefore we so oft beseech his B. mother to pray for us, and in respect of our unworthiness, that she most worthy, to our aid and comfort would be a messenger for us to her son, as the Archangel Gabriel from God was a messenger to her of comfort to the relief of all mankind: So that all good men, but especially simple persons being renewed in memory of the work of our redemption by means of Beads, we are not to forsake them for their taunts. For though God be not delighted with the number of prayers so much as with discreet affefection and desire to him: yet these mystical and godly numbers help to increase our devotion and affection, and therefore we had now more need to use Beads then ever, when as devotion waxeth cold, both to pray for heretics amendment, and that we fall not in their blindness, & for divers other holy, godly, and reasonable causes and things.   

Chap. LIX. Of the ave Maria how it is a most devout prayer, grateful to God, joyful to Angels, terrible to the Devil, and most healthful and comfortable to all mankind.  
AS for the ave Maria it is the very words of the Angel Gabriel, Elizabeth, and the holy Church, now where as heretics say it is no prayer, but a salutation, they bewray their ignorance, for many sentences and words be in Scriptures, that seem no prayers, and yet effectual prayers, as in the Psalms and other places may appear, where God's mercy, justice, might, bounty, love, and the like, is praised or called on, not in form of prayer, but yet a most effectual prayer, to obtain his mercy, goodness, bounty, & grace. So in the Au● Mary our B. La: is saluted to the intent to pray for us & thanks given to god that vouchsafed by that unspeakable mystery of his incarnation of her body to be incarnate & made man for us, whereby man is recovered from damnation, the Devil overcome, the ruins of Angels be repaired: so that the ave Maria was the most joyful tidings that ever was brought from God to man No marvel then though Infidels & heretics members of the Devil, abhor the ave Mary: for as often as it is devoutly said, as it is joyful to Angels in heaven, so it maketh the Devil, and al' his Angels to tremble and quake. But some Puritans would have no Pater noster neither, nor any stint prayer, so long they have babbled of the Lord and spirit, that now you see they deny Lady's prayer & Lords prayer too, I am afraid in their corrupt consciences Christ and God too, neither do I marvel: for improbity & wickedness never consisteth in one degree (as one said) Sed cum incipit labi, ruit, & praecipitat, till it come to the depth of all evil and mischief. For being fallen from the Church, and having once lost the high way, they must needs ever be further from the truth (wanting a sure ground and foundation to stay themselves upon, that is the true Catholic Church 
1. Ti●. 3. 15.  of God, which Saint Paul calleth the foundation, and pillar of truth) till once they return back again.   

Chap. LX. Of divers holy ornaments and things belongîng to the Church, as of lights in Churches, of incense, Dedication of Churches, and such like godly ceremonies.  
AS for sacred and holy bells, vestments, holy vessels, as Chalices and the like, Heretics beat them in pieces, make guns of them, & chamber pots, and fill their purses. The like did heretics and infidels of old espeacially julian the Apostata that made water in the Chalice, wherein the blood of Mary's Son (for so the Infidels termed it in contempt of him and her) was offered, but he & his fellows had foul ends, as these fellows have & will have unless God give them grace to amend. For if the people of God before Christ had their holy Trumpets to call the people together; the levites & Priest their holy vestments, sacred cups and Phyals, and other vessels though we follow not now jewish ceremonies (as heretics belie us) yet why should we not have our ornaments Sanctified by God's word, and that in more devout & exquisite sort then the jews had, by how much Christ's law exceedeth the jewish ceremonies. For we see these outward ceremonies much help to increase inward devotion, as for example the very candles, and Church lights do signify unto us the light of God's grace; the Gospel the purity of conscience & good works we ought to have, with many more significations which well weighed excite, and stir up devotion. The Majesty of our temples or churches adorned with sumptuous ornaments, and Images of Christ and his Saints in a lively history (as it were) setting before our eyes by their glorious death and martyrdom, their triumph and victories over hell and death: these temples (I say) thus adorned being solemnly dedicated to God, yea & their dedication yearly renewed or remembered do they not teach us to dedicate our bodies and souls wholly to the service of God, as being lively temples of the holy Ghost, and daily to cleanse them more & more from sin, to adorn them with virtues, and to renew, confirm, and furnish them up eftsoons with those effectual signs and seals of our redemption those divine mysteries the healthful Sacraments? If God promised to hear the prayers of those that called upon him in salomon's temple, how much more will he hear our prayers and lawful petitions thus made in our Churches, who serve God now in spirit and truth, and not in presence of that umbraticall Ark of the old testament: but in that most high mystery before Christ's most B. body, our only mediator and redeemer, whose intercession is evermore acceptable in his father's sight the Ark of the living God that reigneth for ever. If when two or three in Christ's name be gathered together he hath promised to hear them, how much more when many hundred or thousands be so collected, & united in prayer in one Church, will God be amongst them, and perform their good desires: surely heretics that thus ruinated, despise, and pollute Monasteries, Oratories, and christian Temples, set up an Idol in their own imaginations in steed thereof, and prepare the way for that general, and Antichristian abomination of desolation, which was prophesied by Daniel the Prophet. O Christ when thy sign shall appear in the clouds that lighteneth the whole world, than Church robbers, Image breakers the razers down, & cursed enemies of thy Cross, then, then shall come to confusion, when thou shalt make all thy enemies thy footstool. Moreover when as in our Churches any ceremonies of incense, and sweet perfumes (which signify & betoken the sweet odour and savour of good life, that aught to be among us) be used, it is well and commendable: which and the like ceremonies though in some sort of old they were used, yet seeing that Christ came not to break the law but to full fill it, any such ceremonies as be not evacuate, and frustrate by Christ's coming (as the bloody sacrifice, circumcision and the like) are now not to be observed, because we have the things themselves whereof those ceremonies, and sacrifices were figures: yet (I say) any thing that tendeth to nourishing of piety, devotion, and charity are to be kept still, as fasting, knocking, kneeling, or any such godly ceremonies which concern the body, as devotion doth the mind: both which we must offer to God as being all his own, and due unto him.   

Chap. LXI. Of religious persons▪ of their sanctity, learning▪ and perfection of life: and of the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience which make a religious man: and of the heavy judgement of God to vowebreakers, and how our Lady vowed virginity.  
AS for our god●y religious men that with great fervour of love to God dedicate themselves in holocaustumin a whole  sacrifice (as it were) both bodies and souls▪ to GOD making a sacrifice to him of the chiefest powers of their souls by obedience, and of their bodies by chastity and poverty were they not prefigured by the Rechabites, Nazarites, and divers orders of the Prophets, that led a more perfect order of life, than the rest of the people? Was not Elias, Saint john Baptist, and many more as it were religious Hermit? Be not our religious jesuits, and Friars a plain pattern of apostolic life that with the Apostles forsake all honour riches and promotion for Christ, living in common, preaching Christwith hazard of their lives to Heretics, jews, & Gentiles, & all barbarous people through out the whole world. These be most wise, most learned, & yet most innocent, just, simple, & virtuous men, such as the world, especially our country is not worthy of, which a long time hath most impiously & ingratefully rejected them, notwithstanding that God prospered our ancestors of old far better by their merits and prayers, whiles they prayed, preached, and served God in our country both night & day: by them our commons were maintained, by them fatherless children widows and servants sustained, and relieved, all states in body and soul by them greatly enriched & supported: The loss of which religious houses, for all virtuous training up of youth in learning, and otherwise this country now feeleth. And here I cannot omit the subtlety of the devil who by little & little, as the wily serpent getteth in his head & then after his whole body, he bore men in hand that by suppressing of religious houses, the country would be greatly enriched, but they being once down the country within a few years after was spoiled in a great part of all ver●ue & riches, both for that the king that was the first breaker down of the wall (that scourg of God for our sins) spent all the money he scraped of religious houses & his commons too & that in a fewyears' in vanities & in besieging of cities in other country's little benefiting him or his posterity: and also divided himself & the whole Realm from God's church & so spoiled himself & others of virtue, opening the window to all vice & heresies. Insomuch that shortly after though not in his time, Lutherans (and worse than Lutherans that he seemed so much to abhor) corrupted the realm, abrogated Mass, and all: see by what degrees sin and heresy entereth, which by religious orders was long restayned. Hereof then came presently the spoil of the fairest flower in Christ's garden, next to Martyrdom, that was virginity, which both S. Matthew the 19 Chapter: S. Paul the first to the Corinth. and 7. Chapter: and S. john in his apocalypsis the 14 Chapter so highly commmend, as S. Paul preferring that state before marriage saying, he that joineth his virgin 
1. Cor. 7. 38.  in matrimony dothwell, but he that doth not, doth better. As for breaking vows of virginity, chastity and the like, as obedience and poverty, which three vows be proper to religion, and make a religious man: These to keep heretics dissuade and be the cause of the breach of such vows, whereby indeed good actions as devoted to God be a great deal more meritorious especially in religious men, whose meat and sleep in doing it of obedience is to them meritorious. Such vows heretics (contrary to the Scriptures) say ought not to be made, but we prove it by the Scriptures as in Genesis. Did not jacob vow if he returned safe such and such things he would do in the honour of God? Likewise in the books of the levites. Numbers, Deuteronomion, Judges, Kings, Psalms, Prophets, & through the course of the Scriptures lawful vows be commended & practised by good men, & damnation threatened to the breakers of them. As S. Paul to Tym. the 1. Epistle & 5. Chapter pronounceth damnation to those that break the vow of chastity. But woe, woe be them to runnegat vowbreakers, Friars & Nuns, & woe to those that be the procurers. For if man be jealous over his wife, much more in most just sort is god's zeal, indignation, & just wrath against those that defile his spouses vowed virgins, once dedicated to him. Nay did not the B. Virgin Mary vow virginity? I will prove out of the Gospel, & that by the exposition of most ancient, learned, & holy Fathers that she did: For when the Angel told her she should conceive a son, how cometh that to pass (saith 
Luc. 1. 34  she) for I know not a man? and yet was she already espoused to joseph, whom if she would, or ever had determined to have known carnally, she never would have asked any such question, how that might come to pass. For she the most prudent Virgin knew that by knowledge of man, was the way ordinary to conceive; but she (saith S. Ambrose had made vow of 
Ambros. in Luc.  virginity, which she might not break; & therefore she asked the question how? not doubtful of the mystery, but desirous to know the manner, to whom the Angel answered not by man, but by the holy Ghost, which was without breach of vow, and then she was satisfied: thus you see our Lady was a vowed Virgin but be these the fruits of new gospelers that bereave us of all virtues, yea virtuous & religious persons also: whereas the most learned & most virtuous men that ever were since Christ, and the Apostles time were religious men, Ftiers, and Monks; As S. Augustine of the Latin Church, S. Basill a Greek, S. Anthony Hilarion, S. Giles, S. Hierome, S. Bennet, and S. Gregory, S Bernard, S. Dominick, S. Francis, all Monks or Friars, the most of them saying Mass every day: Good Lord what miraculous men were these? so triumphing over the Devil, so mastering themselves, so supporting others, what continual fasting? what prayers, what earnest & profound studies were they daily exercised in? some of them curing incurable diseases, some raising the dead, others with a word expelling Devils, some giving themselves for the help & redemption of othres, some knowing the very thoughts of men by divine revelation, whom neither serpent nor poison could hurt, some by continual meditation of Christ having the eyes of their souls watered in his blood, and reposing themselves in his wounds, & open side, had the very tokens and impression of those his sacred fixures imprinted in their hands and feet. O what candour? what simplicity? what innocency what purity of conscience were in their unspotted breasts? O what hellhounds, what members of the Devil and Antichrist be these heretics that pull down the Abbeys & Monasteries, raze the monuments, break a sunder and burn the orders, godly rules and statutes of these religious fathers left to their children and posterity? can Antichrist do more when he cometh then pluck not only religious men but pure virgins and religious women that served Christ their spouse and husband out of their cloisters, & make them harlots and common strumpets: yet had we a number of most B. men Carthusian Monks with some others also, that in defence of the truth manfully shed their blood.   

Chap. LXII. Of holy water, and how creatures being blessed by the word of God, miracles sometimes by the same be wrought to the expelling of devils, and confirmation of Christian religion.  
AS ●or ceremonies of holy water, and holy bread, & Agnus Dei blessed by the Pope, heretics at the beginning, before they plucked off their vizardes', began to set little store by, as they did by religious folks and so by little and little not only denied sacramentals, but sacraments and all: see by what degrees mischief getteth the upper hand. But we be taught by holy Scriptures that all things which God hath created or made, and whatsoever is rightly blessed or sanctified by his holy word, is good; yea by means of his word is bettered and more sanctified: For so when Eliz●us cast salt into the water it was amended. Others you shall read of old that by God's blessed word were made healthful, and multiplied to profit of body & soul, and the confusion of the Devil that is afraid of one drop of water blessed with God's word, as we daily see by experience in some possessed. This holy water we take then remembering Gods grace given us once in that healthful water of Baptism, and in taking of it with faith & devotion, sprinkling ourselves, the wicked spirits have less power of us, and the places where we be with many other fruits that follow: yea among Infidels that never heard of Christ before, sometimes miracles are wrought by one drop of holy water, as in the Indians in divers places to this day. Now, because our faith when it was first planted amongst us, was then confirmed with miracles therefore it is not requisite that miracles be so ordinarily wrought amongst us, though sometimes it pleaseth God to show them, where they may do good, & be not derided as heretics would do if any were here wrought, & attribute them to sorcery & witchcraf: but God will not have his pearls cast to hogs. Fit it were for heretics (good men) to bring some miracles to confirm their new no faith. But our Catholic faith hath been, and is God be blessed by miracles sufficiently in all ages confirmed to this day.   

Chap. LXIII. Of holy Bread given the people in remembrance of that most blessed Sacrament, and in some sort taught us by Christ in those loans blessed, and multiplied by him in the desert.  
HOly Bread we use to take on those days we receive not the blessed Sacrament, and this holy Bread is a remembrance of the blessed Sacrament, for you must understand, that in the primitive church they received the blessed Sacrament almost every day, such was the devotion of the people whilst Christ's blood was yet warm in their hearts, but in process of time, as devotion ever by little and little decayed: so did they less use the same, so that the holy Church 
Concil. later. can. omnis utriusque sextus etc.  was constrained to make a law, that once ayeere at least about Easter every one should receive, and that under pain of deadly sin if one have no lawful impediment: Yet the holy Church wisheth men often to receive yea with due preparation, the oftener the better if it were every week or fortnight. But because every one is not thus disposed, yet in many countries she giveth holy Bread somewhat to nourish charity thereby in the people, & in remembrance of Christ in the most blessed Sacrament, the bread of life that came down from heaven that fed the people miraculously with holy blessed Bread in the wilderness, and shall feed us with life everlasting once, as now daily in the mean time he feeds us with his grace.   

Chap. LXIIII Of receiving under one kind, and how the same fruit is reaped by one kind as by both: & that peace, unity, and charity is the end of this blessed Sacrament.  
THough when I entreated of the B. Sacrament of the Altar I spoke something of receiving, under one kind, yet I thought good to give some further admonition in this place touching the same matter, for that I find by experience many unlearned persons, that after receiving of the blessed Sacrament when wine of decency and conveniency is given them to drink, do take it for the very blood of our Lord, which notable negligence & gross ignorance in them may either come by forgetfulness, and over little care & due consideration of this blessed Sacrament, as not duly preparing themselves well and often to remember, what, & how they are to receive: Or else perhaps sometimes for want of good instruction, & due information of those that first admit these simple lay persons to this blessed Sacrament, which every good Priest that hath charge of men's souls, as a prudent dispensator of the mysteries of God ought to be careful of, that nothing be wanting of his part, but that either publicly, with great discretion or at least privately, his voice when he entereth into the sanctuary of our Lord may be heard. For if the people in the old law could discern, when the high Priest went to offer sacrifice by the noise of his bells hanging at his vesture, how much more in this law of grace ought the Priest of God to take heed he be not dumb, but so to extol his voice that the very simplest person of reason may hear him, and receive sufficient food of his doctrine to their salvation: & that they discern not only when they are to offer their prayers to God by his sacrifice: but what, and how they are to receive with him, that is (as I said before) that although Priests more lively to represent Christ's Passion receive under both kinds, that is both Christ's B. body in the host, and blood in the Chalice to represent more effectually (according to his institution) the shedding of his blood upon the cross, to which end he said to his apostles only (no lay person being present) and to their successors bibite ex hoc omnes, drink ye all of this: yet all lay persons (upon weighty considerations, as for fear sometimes of shedding of the sacred blood of christ in being given to so many, which neither without great indecency, and inconueniency could be consecrated for so many to receive) but under one kind, that is the blessed Host, & body of Christ, but not the Chalice as Priests do: yea if it were convenient to use so great vessels for so precious and sacred a thing yet hard it would be in some places far north to get wine sufficient to consecrate for so many. And therefore whether the Priest or another give you that be lay persons wine in the Chalice or in some other ●up, you must take it as no part of the Sacrament, but as wine only to wash your months that none of that holy Host the body of our Lord remain in your mouth still, for in the least part or particle of the holy Host is perfect Christ, wholly his body & blood: wherefore lay men receive the Sacrament as fully that receive under one kind, as the Priest doth that receiveth under both, therefore lay people are to content themselves with the food their holy Mother the Church giveth them, who knoweth best how to feed her children, and will give them that which is meet: and dispute no further. For heretics disputing for the Chalice to receive it as well as Priests, disputed so long that in the end they denied body, blood & all of Christ in the Sacrament, from which damnable heresy and blasphemy God bless all true Christians.   

Chap. LXV. Of fasting, and the fruits thereof, and how it hath been used, and commended by Christ and his Saints, and how it is commanded under pain of sin by the Church, and to what persons: & how such as disobey the Church in this precept of fasting or any other, disobey Christ.  
WE read moreover in holy Scripture fasting highly commended, yea Moses, Elias, & our Saviour fasted forty days, insomuch that when any great graces were to be given to men, or any revelations, or strange visions made to the Prophets, it was commonly done to them in fasting. Insomuch that look as by eating we fell out of Paradise: So by fasting Christ began our recovery again, affirming one Devil there was that 
Mar. 9 29.  could not be cast out, but by prayer and fasting. Many other virtues there be, which I cannot stand to reckon, as chief modesty, temperance, liberality, and the like that follow of fasting, whereas drunkenness and belly cheer is the nurse of all vice, and destruction of body and soul. When as then fasting is so highly commended, the holy Church seeing the slackness and indevotion of some, that would never fast unless they were commanded, and besides that all things might be done in order, and that we may to our greater fruit and merit, as all members of one body, suffer altogether, and join ourselves together in fasting, hath ordained the lent forty days fast by the example of Christ, and very tradition of the Apostles. Likewise in England our custom bindeth us to fast Fridays, and abstain from flesh on Saturdays: So likewise the Church commandeth at four times in the year to fast, that so by prayer and fasting not only the holy Ghost may be more plentifully powered down upon them, that then receive holy orders: but also that we may pay to God at such times, tithes of our bodies and souls, in thanksgiving for fruits of the earth, & fruits of his grace, as we do in the Cross, or rogation week, with solemn procession: which or the like S. Gregory used in Rome against plague and pestilence, as this rogation week was first ordained by another holy Bishop to that end, and after received of the whole Church to pray for the living and the dead, and to arm us against all incursions of the Devil both bodily and ghostly. As for the ember days so called of our ancient forefathers in this country, because of those fasting days men eat bread baked under embers or ashes: these solemn feasts (I say at four times in the year have been in use, above these thousand years, as by S. Leo it evidently appeareth, and as may be proved by many other ancient Fathers, and so solemnly kept in the Church, for such good purposes as above said. So likewise many other eves of our Lady, the Apostles & Martyrs are to be observed of great antiquity, and most ancient custom, teaching us thereby that as by fasting the eves of Saints here we must keep holy the days after, that is their feasts in earth: so by penance, patience, and long sufferance in the day or short time of this life, we after may keep a festival day, that is, possess eternal joy and glory with God, and his Saints in the kingdom of heaven. Yet she as a discreet mother commandeth none to fast, but as they may: for she beareth with poor labouring men that are not able with fasting to work, those the Church doth not constrain, though of devotion in our country the poor ploughman (after his manner) would fast as devoutly as Priest, or King, and do his work nevertheless. The holy Church likewise beareth with children, old folks, sick folks, women with child, or with any such that have lawful impediment, though it be meet they do it with leave of the Priest. These holy feasts, lolhards & heretics spitefully break in despite of the Church, but as often as they do it they offend deadly. For Christ our Redeemer and lawgiver, as he commendeth fasting by his word and example, though he set downs in the Gospel written no prescript days, or certain days of fasting; yet he in the Gospel expressly commandeth us to hear and obey the holy Catholic Church, who upon due consideration (as I said) setteth down certain days and times of fasting: which Church whosoever will not obey, he disobeyeth christ, who biddeth us account such a disobedient person that will 
Mat. 18. 17.  not hear the Church no better than a heathen man. Now therefore then (as I said before) the holy Church commandeth us to fast on such and such days, which commandment of hers whosoever breaketh, he breaketh Christ's commandment, that biddeth us obey his Church, and therefore heretics that break fasting days, and lent commanded to be fasted by Christ's holy church (yea and that of contempt) are to be accounted no better than Heathens & Turks; though it be not the meat as unclean that entereth into the mouth, but the disobedience in will, and act that displeaseth God and hurteth the soul.   

Chap. LXVI. Of traditions, whereof they came, and what they be, & of what authority: and that by tradition and and authority of the Church we know the Scriptures to be the word of God, which be ever most reverently preserved by Catholics, but evil understood, corrupted, yea some quite razed out by Heretics.  
THE like is to be said of those that of spite break any of the rest of the holy canons, statutes, and precepts of the Church, as those that marry out of due season, hear not, or desire not to hear Mass on the Sundays when they can, and will not come to it, and the like: For Infidels likewise those are to be accounted, that will not believe and follow the traditions of the Church which heretics scoff at, and yet S. Paul saith, stand and hold the traditions 
2. Thes. 2. 15. 1. Cor. 11. 2. joh. 2. 3. Ioh vlt. verse. 25.  which either you have learned by our speech or writing. Yea S. john in the holy Gospel affirmeth, that all things our Saviour did, be not written, insomuch that if they were, he supposeth the world would not be able to contain the books, but what if we had never had Scripture left us? should we not have believed the mouth & tradition of the Church, who was believed, and taught her children to believe, and follow her before any Scriptures were written, whereof we want (as appeareth some part of that which the Prophets, and Apostles writ and left us? and those parts we have, as they be most special rules, testimonies, directions, & stays for the Church: so we believe & keep them with all reverence, as delivered us by the Church. For infallible truth whose authority chief, moveth us so to do. Now these traditions are nothing but godly precepts, orders, uses, rites, ceremonies, and infallible truths of Christ, God, his Saints and Sacraments, & due administration of the same, which we receive by word of mouth without writing of our forefathers, as they did of theirs from one generation to another, from Christ & his Apostles time. Hereupon S. Austen giveth this notable rule, that when any thing is generally received of the whole Church, the first beginner or author whereof cannot be found out, or is unknown: acknowledge that for certain, for an apostolic tradition, & we are to believe it as certainly to be true, as though it were written in the Scripture. For the church was, and traditions were, as I said before the Scriptures was. Nay saith an holy Doctor and blessed Saint, what if the Scripture had never been, should we therefore not have believed the Church's traditions? Nay saith S. Augustine I would not believe the Canonical Scripture, or gospel, but that the Church's authority moveth me thereunto. See here of what authority the Church is unto whom the word written is but a rule and stay as it were. When S. Paul had taught the Corynthians 
1. Cor. 11. ●4.  the truth of the blessed Sacrament of the Altar, & forewarned them of some abuses amongst them about the same, he told them that at his coming he would dispose and set in order other things about administration of the same, which what he did therein it is not written: yet we are to think he was as good as his promise. And therefore many things used at Mass this day, as the holy canon and other ceremonies, we no doubt have than by the institution of Christ, and Apostolical tradition. For though the Church according to diversity of times what she thinketh most fit to edify the people, may alter (especially some external rites and ceremonies) or put to as she thinketh best: yet there be certain things she never doth nor will alter as Christ's words therein, and the traditions of the Apostles wherefore I am bound to believe the Church as well when she saith of tradition this is the word, or deed of Christ or the Apostles, as when she telleth me of the Scripture, this is GOD'S word, which Scripture we reverence more than any people in the world, as I declared before, but not the Scripture, but the false understanding is to be blamed▪ again though the Scripture be profitable to instruct, teach and the like, yet many other things that be not written be expedient, & necessary to be known as the word Trinity is not written in Scripture, yet necessary to be known, and believed where S. john saith in the apocalypse that no man shall add or put to that book or draw from it, he meaneth that no man ought to corrupt his writing in that book, or any other books of the Scriptures, nor pull out any books, but Heretics, as protestāns and the like, not only corrupt the text of Scripture, both by false translation and false understanding them, as of late hath been proved to their shame if they had any: but also mangle & pull out a number of books of Holy Scripture that make against them, as I declared before, wherefore upon them and such as they be, that so add, and pull out of holy Scripture, must needs lie that heavy curse, God by S. john threateneth against such evil men depravers, sacrilegious robbers, and defacers of the Scriptures, and GOD'S word.   

Chap. LXVII. Of God that he is one in substance and three in persons: and of the horrible blasphemy of heretics & Athistes against his divine Majesty.  
But some other heretics of this time have neither lest Christ, nor God, the blessed Trinity untouched. One heretic blasphemeth and compareth the blessed Trinity, our most mighty and merciful Lord God, one in nature and substance, but three in persons, which S. john calleth the father, the word, & the 
Pater ver bum Spiritus Sanctus.  holy Ghost. These three (saith he) be one that is (as I said) three persons and one God of one substance, power, and eternity: these divine persons (I say) that horrible and most monstrous heretic compareth to Cerberus the dog of hell with three heads, oh blasphemy why doth not the earth open? Oh merciful Lord God long patiented? Other like men there be, that worse than beasts desire to dispute, whether there be a God or no: a thing that very heathen men having use of reason never scarcely doubted of. For I never read or heard of any nation for the most part so barbarous but it either worshipped a true God or a false God: but see how sin & heresy hath blinded men's hearts. O if Atheists would but lift up their eyes, to heaven and behold the heavens that all Philosophers, and Astronimers know by reason never cease moving, and how one plannett or orb, hath superiority, or domination over another, and how the lowest and all the rest be in continual circuit moved by force, and virtue of the highest that primum mobile: if senseless men (I say) would but only consider this common, plain, known, natural reason they in the end might find some first & chief mover above the rest, & so when man's mind is so high it can attain or reach no further, that incomprehensible thing so far above the reach of man's reason is God, summum & perenne bonum, that most high, chief, essential, and endless goodness the beginning of all things, & yet of himself without beginning orend, that containeth all things, and whom nothing, not heaven and earth can contain or hold, and yet whole and perfect God in all, and every part of heaven and earth, whose mighty power reacheth to the uttermost coasts of that bottomless lake: but alas what need I say this to Christians, and yet there be that go under that name, & in our country too that call these matters in question with no less vanity and levity (would GOD with no more blasphemy) then to talk of Robin Hood, these be such whereof the Prophet speaketh: dixit insipiens in cord suo, etc. the foolish man said in his heart there is no God.   

Chap. LXVIII. Of hell and of the just punishments therein for sin without release for evermore.  
AND truly a number of Heretics live as though there were no God indeed, hell nor heaven, what▪ they stick not to confess some of them, that hell is only in the breast and but a darkness of the mind and conscience, or some biting of the same, but they shall feel unless they speedily amend, another hell indeed as Christ said, where that deadly worm gnawing upon them shall never die, and where that everlasting fire that he at the last day shall command the wicked to departed into, shall never be quenched, where is weeping wailing and gnashing of teeth. Truly I myself knew an usurer now become a Master by his honest trade that said who is able to say there is a hell? and yet this man would seem to be wise: indeed it is seldom seen, that any return from hell to bring news back, especially usurers: but if he would believe God to be just, or believe Christ, he would not doubt of this matter, for our just Lord threateneth hell to the wicked, as he promiseth endless reward of glory to the just, yea our meek and merciful Saviour saith there is a hell, and that with no small nor short pains and punishments but with unmeasurable & endless torments: For what do you think that rich glutton, which Christ speaketh of in the Gospel, would give that could not have a drop of cold water, to quench the thirst of his tongue end, being punished in flames of fire? What think you would he do at this day to be released, of his torments who would not look at the poor beggar nor spare him a mite, or give him a piece of bread lying in misery, the dogs licking his sores when the rich glutton fared deliciously every day in silks and veluttes, what think you would he do to be with that poor beggar in heaven if life but for seven years wpon earth might be granted for his salvation; but that time is passed for ever, in hell is no redemption, where the tree falleth there forever it lieth; that is whether a man die in state of salvation, or damnation, after death passed it cannot be altered, because his soul is hardened in malice dying without just sorrow and with affection ever to sin if it might be, wishing there were no GOD to punish sin, and so dying in displeasure of his Majesty which is infinite deserveth endless torments, but those we pray for departed, that die in state of salvation (as I said before) and nevercome in that bottomless pit I now speak of. But touching those in hell with them the gate is shut up, which once shut there is never hope of salvation, the night is come when man can work there no more his salvation; therefore would God this rich usurer and all of his mind betime would know there is a hell, as christ telleth, and work their salvation as he exhorteth which this rich glutton if he might would, but being in hell he can do no more, as being in an end of that, which shall never have end.   

Chap. LXIX. Of heaven which worldlings contemn & how we may obtain it, and of the glorious and most happy estate of the body with the soul for ever after the general resurrection.  
BUT you see what opinions heretics and usurers have of hell, I would gladly know what they think of heaven. I have heard of some that have had so good a conceit thereof, that if God would ever let them live here, they would never desire him (as they say) to trouble him in heaven, nor no more I warrant you they shall unless they have a better desire to come thither, whether to arrive a man must leave affection to this worldly trash or else quite forsake it, which worldlings cannot abide to hear of, for heaven is high & cannot be obtained with too great a burden on our backs nor without labour pains and earnest desires as saith Christ, The Kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and men must take it as it were by force, that is, swinck and sweat for it, as an inheretance of greatest importance let therefore a man joyfully give himself and all he hath for it, & he shall win it, As the wise man that found the treasure in the field sold all he had to enjoy that field and treasure, whereby is understood the Kingdom of GOD the treasure and fullness of all good things: wherein we shall find Christ the full delight and infinite treasure of man's soul. Heretics would some of them have us now in no better case (since Christ hath by his bloodshed opened heaven gates and removed that wall betwixt God & us) than the jews were before Christ, when none entered into God's glory till Christ had delivered them, but Heretics belie the truth & think too basely of Christ's victory over the devil, hell, & death, who would have men's souls 
That some gather out of Luther's works was his opinion & of others or rather worse. Note the perfection of man is greater by how much he approacheth nearer to angelical nature  to lie I know not in what, obscure places, and hidden receptacles till the day of judgement, but truth it is as we be taught by the Scriptures our Saviour with the rich spoil of Saints & many blessed souls entered into his father's glory, with whom Saint Paul desired to be when he said I desire to be loosed (from his body that was) and be with Christ, so that Christ is in heaven no doubt now, and Saint Paul & all his blessed friends, and innumerable saved souls since his Ascension with him, and he hath prepared the way for us if we well and perfectly do live, to be with him as soon as the soul is from the body and at the glorious resurrection with Christ, then shall we be clothed with a glorious stole of our bodies also in which respect we shall be better by it in some sort, than 
I mean not that human nature exceedeth angelical but thus I speak chiefly for the honour of our Lord ●●svs who in himself hath so highly exalted our nature.  Angels that want bodies, which body as it was partaker with the soul of the grief and pains of Christ, so it shall be for ever partaker of the glorious resurrection with him, where after with Christ shall be more joy & happiness of all good things then may be thought or imagined.   

Chap. LXX. Of the Pope, that he is the Vicar of Christ, and lawful successor of Saint Peter.  
LAstly the heretics rail much against the Pope for he is ever in one end of their sermons, and therefore I will end with him in this little treatise, I told you before and proved unto you in one of the notes of the true Church (which is succession) how the Pope is Vicar of Christ, and successor most lawful to Saint Peter, to whom and all his successors in him, Christ committed chief charge and authority over the Church wherein at the first general counsel he made decree, & gave first sentence, he raised the dead, healed the incurable with his shadow, and struck two dead at his word to the terror of all excommunicate and sacriledgious persons, and to declare the authority he had to bind and loose, to kill and raise again, wonderful were the things that GOD wrought by those that succeeded in his place, 30. and more of the first Popes were all most glorious Martyrs. One of 
I mean Marceline who in that per secutio of Dioclesian Thus ad hibuit de orum simulacris. ex Damas'. & Platina.  the Popes indeed with his predecessor S. Peter denied Christ for fetre of death but with S. Peter presently rose again, & condemned his own fault, whereas other Bishops for that he was the high Bishop would not condemn him, saying in the Council, Prima sedes a nemine indicatur, The first seat or S. Peter's chair is judged of no man: Wherefore before the prosecuting Tyrant confessing his fault, and accusing the denial of his Master with just reproof of the Infidel, and incredulous persecutor, the impious and cruel Tyrant put him to death, & so he died a glorious Martyr. Another Pope there was (as some affirm) a favourer of the heresy that holdeth, that souls before the day of judgement shall not see God and was about to have ascended the chair, that is to have made a decree intending to bind the whole Church thereunto for 
This story have I heard, 〈◊〉 to my remēbr●ce I never read it neither c●n I call to memory the 〈◊〉 of th●● Pope of 〈…〉 by relation of others I heard this matter as also of his sod death.  maintenance of that erroneous opinion. But it pleased God to strike I am with sudden death, that he could not do his intended purpose. See the providence oh God how he defended his Church, and how faithful he is in his promise, that told S. Peter his faith thou d never 〈◊〉. For though Peter and Marceline of frailty for fear denied their Master, and this other Pope as a private man became a favourer of heresy, and did err as men, some in act of themselves, and another in opinion. Yet when they came to make public decree, intending to bind the whole Church thereunto ●o give judgement as it were ex Cathedra in that place which is the highest tribunal seat in God's Church, wherein they spoke in the person of Christ there o they never did, nor any successor of S. Peter can ever possibly err, as partly appeared▪ by this dreadful example of this aforesaid Pope prevented with death, so that if there were any one Pope amongst an hundred (as they be but men) of evil life or conversation, God's truth of heretics ought not to have been slandered therefore, neither hath the true faith in the apostolic seat of S. Peter failed, though any ill man for the sins of the people may have possessed the same, but ordinarily the Popes have been, and be (God be blessed for it) the most godly and virtuous men upon earth as I before showed by the glorious number of those that be Martyrs and Confessors, such Saints as the heretics cannot deny.   

Chap. LXXI. What most admirable, virtuous holy, zealous, and most worthy and charitable men many Popes have been of old and of late years also, even to this present day.  
FOR example, of what virtue was Leo the Pope that meeting Attila a great and mighty tyrannical King that had spoiled almost all Italy, and coming to Rome to have destroyed it, Le● then Pope desired him to return, who though he came like a Lion, he obeyed the Pope's words and returned as meek as a Lamb, his soldiers marveling their Master would be so ruled by a Priest, he answered that he durst do no other. For whilst Leo the Pope talked with him, he said he saw one stand by the Pope in Priestly attire, with a drawn sword threatening him death if he would not obey the Pope. By the same virtue and holiness, another time he put back Gensericus from the burning and sacking of Rome Yet we do know though Rome were destroyed, that Saint Peter's successor should nevertheless be Pope of Rome though he were in any place of the world. As for Rome it hath often been sacked, and the Popes persecuted & driven away: and yet God hath had ever care to provide a Pastor for his Church, though God hath oft and as we may well think, will for his servants sake above other places defend that City, what should I speak of that apostolic spirit that was in Gregory the great, first Pope of that name, and our Apostle of England. His religious acts and worthy works extant to this day, declare the excellency of the man for all eternity; when heretics that call him the first Antichristian Pope, shall with confusion be buried in hell, to omit most famous and worthy men, and be short, what singular virtues had Gregory the thirteenth of blessed memory? what Seminaries did he erect? what learned Colleges did he maintain? what seeds of virtue and learning by religious apostolic Fathers and men, did he sow almost throughout the whole world, who with infinite expenses, sought the conversion of heretics and the whole world besides especially our country, to whom he was a most loving father, oft lamenting the miserable state thereof, and that with tears. How miraculous and worthy the acts were of P●us Quintus his predecessor against the Turks, all Infidels and Heretics, all the world knoweth: I need not speak of the virtue and religious piety of our holy Father Clement the eight that now is Pope of Rome, for all good men there know it, what excessive expenses he hath been, and daily is at, in defending the whole Christian world against the commou enemy the Turk, what fatherly care he hath upon those Princes and States that bound upon him, what gifts and dignities he hath bestowed on such as have showed themselves valiant Champions in defence of Christ's truth, and christian countries: how with sighs and tears he hath lamented such Princes and countries, that have withdrawn themselves from their christian brethren, winking at the Turk, finally to their own harm and ruin, with what apostolic, serious, zealous, and most prudent divine letters, and grave messengers to the contrary he hath exhorted and admonished them: to be brief, France, and Spain, yea and all Europe to their comfort and joy, seethe and feeleth the fruits of his labours, in reconciliation of Christian Princes, quieting of Countries, seeking to the uttermost of his power for perfect peace betwixt God and man throughout the whole world, a man surely right worthy his name, a right Clement full of Clemency, mercy and piety, in charitable alms good deeds, and most worthy thoughts towards all men. The Pope's sometimes after a great and sure proof of their Godly lives and miracles have canonized good men departed for Saints here to be accounted & reverenced in earth, as they be with GOD in honour above in heaven, but the glorious acts of these holy Popes, not only of old but also of latter years (God ever be blessed for it. Cuius manus non est abbreviata) approve them to be Saints canonised with GOD indeed as having their names written in the book of life whose worthty and famous memory for all generations shall never decay.   

Chap. LXXII. Wherefore he weareth his Crown is borne of men's shouldrrs & suffereth devout persons to kiss his foot.  
THe heretics say the Pope is proud, for that men kiss his foot, & bear him on their shoulders, and that he weareth a triple crown & the like, first for wearing a crown, they ought not to blame him, for he is not only Bishop but also a king over that country and city & requisite it is for him & his counsel the Cardinals to bear some show of majesty and estate otherwise the infirm people that must be holden in awe would despice and not obey them. Again if God suffer wicked Princes to have glory and reign, it is for the glory of his name then that sometimes his dearest servants may have peace and honour even upon earth for the comefort of the faithful & that infidels may have less cause to triumph and blaspheme the name of Christ, as though he could not exalt his Vicar and Steward but would forsake altogether his dearest servants. As for being borne of men's shoulders, it is for that he may the better be seen of the people, as he passeth to Saint Peter's Church of some solemn feast that they may all see him and have his blessing which they could not a number see if he went in the throng, whereas there is such press sometime of such a high feast, many thousands being gathered together (so great is the devotion of the people) to serve Christ honour him in his Vicar, and visit the bodies of the holy Apostles. In that some of devotion, kiss his foot, though he command nor require any so to do, yet considering for whom they do it, that is, that it is for Christ whose person by God's providence he representeth, he dissaloweth not their devotions, and we see therein the word of the holy Prophet in some sort according to the letter verified that before Christ prophesied Inimici eius terram lingent that his enemies shall lick the earth, that is those that sometimes were enemies to Christ as Rome was before it received CHRIST faith afterward shall become so obedient & subject to Christ that they shall worship his very footstool, and not only kiss his foot, but the very earth his Vicar treadeth upon. Moreover whereas Saint Gregory, Saint Leo and all holy Father's Popes in that seat, writ of themselves (though most humble men) yet (I said) they affirm of themselves that they supply the place of Saint Peter and CHRIST yet 
This I heard of such inhabitants ● Rome tha● well knew it that this was the custom of Pius quin tus and Gregori●● 13.  as every one may easily perceive, they be most humble and lowly men of themselves in so much that the Popes that now be, in their own persons give audience, and will hear and help the cause of the poorest men in the world, yea once every day from his most weighty affairs the Pope allotteth a time to hear himself, the complaints of the poor insomuch that in his writings such is his humility he termeth himself with no higher a style then calling himself always the servant of the servants of God.   

Chap. LXXIII. Why heretics have ever slandered the Pope, and how GOD turneth their malice to the benefit of his elect, and how heretics be forerunners of Antichrist, and of Christ's victory over his enemies in his Church.  
ANd yet will heretics can the Pope proud that with all humility watch and care, seeketh their salvation both night and day? But it is not without cause heretics slander and bark against the Pope for they like wolves, as long as he the lawful pastor is sound cannot have full scope to invade and decoure Christ's flock and therefore as holy Fathers do note it, hath ever been the manner of heretics to bark against the Pope & yet see how God can turn all to the best, for truly the brabbling & most impudentiying of your Ministers against the pope gaineth them little, for it giveth some occasion that never almost heard of the Pope, to inquire further what he is and so finding him in the end to be Christ's Vicar and Pastor of their souls by good inquiry of the truth they forsake their wolvish Ministers as liars and enemies to Christ the truth, who because they be Antechristians themselves, therefore the more primly to go masked & unknown themselves they call the pope Antichrist not unlike to that drab and unnatural mother whereof we read in Scripture, that that having oner-laine her own child, malapertly would have faced down the natural mother and have had her living child in keeping: But wise Solomon decided the matter; So you see it is the property of naughty women ever to slander the good that their own naughtiness may either seem more tolerable, or less suspected. So I say this corrupted whore of Babylon, this strumpet heresy ever slandereth the good woman the natueral mother (the spouse of Christ his Church) but especially the head thereof Christ's Vicar the Pope calling him Antichrist, Christian Rome Babylon and the like, whereas as I declared they themselves indeed be very antichristians preparers of Antechrists' way, his prophets and very forrunners, and their many fold heresies be nothing but a very heap of deadly damnable dregs & corruption, a very babylonical confusion; But Christ (our true Solomon) the wisdom of his father hath and ever will judge and discern our natural mother his dear spouse, the Catholic Church's cause will restore her weeping for her children lost wilv according to his promise preserve his Vicar her lawful pastor the Pope in all truth that his faith shall never fail, and send the drab and strumpette of heresy and sin packing and make her foolishness and wily deceits known unto all men, yea will cast her into the fiery lake, burning with fire and bristome in sacula saculorum world without end. Where all her fawters that maintained her here and fled not out of her be time, all King's Princes and nations of the world that with her whoredom were corrupted shall cry Woe, woe, Babylon, Babylon, that great City is fallen down, and so of the cup of God's wrath with her shall they drink for ever who were corrupted with her prostitution, and who followed her plefures and delights here in this life. When Christ in his Triumphant Kingdom the Church, spite of that old Dragon the strumpet and all her Merchants shall reign for ever.   

Chap. LXXIIII. Of the assistants of the Pope as first of his Cardinals, and why they be so called, also of religious men Priests and Godly men of this time that died Martyrs and of the dying obstinately of heretics.  
Heretics to show all their spite when they cannot answer Catholic arguments nor touch the Pope for or in his life, yet will they slander all the Pope's assistants, Bishops and Priests with their old worn out terms of Papists & popery etc. The Cardinals (as is well known) be Princes, men of no small virtues, & of the greatest gravity, learning and civility in the world maintaining virtue and learning and justly punishing vice and heresies in all places, refusing many of them no labours nor pains to help the poor, & uphold God's Church amongst whom our late Cardinal Allen of blessed and worthy memory (a most rare man and father to this country as all good english men, & the Christian world besides knoweth) deserveth not the least praise and they be called Cardinals (amongst other reasonable causes) for this reason because even as the door is stayed and hangeth of the books, so under Christ and his Vicar, the safeguard health & well doing of the flock of Christ is sustained, and dependeth much upon the vigilant care and wisdom of this most grave senate their prudent & mature ounsel. If any of them (as men) do offend as is seldom seen, the Pope as judge over all next to God, leaveth it not unpunished. As for Bishops and Priests here in our country of old, though many of them most reverend virtuous men, yet we are not bound to defend the lives of all, but such as were nought indeed be the shame of your ministers, and their new broached heresy for who but lose Priests and religious men of lewd life were ready so greedily to teceive heresy yea became the first brokars of heresis, as in Germany Luther a runnegat naughty Friar. Bawdy Bales here in England & many more not worthy memory. And who resisted, and died rather than they would yield to sin and heresy, but good virtuous men indeed? Who more learned, wise graveand virtuous, then John Fisher ate Bishop of Rothester who for that he would not yield to the kings unlawful desire, nor conseut to abrogate the Pope's authority (who neither would nor could dispense with the King in a thing contrary to God's law) whereof he fell out with the Pope, and so you see upon what grounds here in England began heresy. This holy bishop (I say) nothing consenting unto the kings unlawful desire (in putting away his wife & forsaking the lawful Pastor of his soul the Pope) whereby he foresaw all heresy and mischief would follow. Most gloriously in the defence of the Catholic and Apostolic faith opposed himself as a wall for the house God and sealing that in act which before he had preached, and thought by word most constantly and victoriously shed his blood. So did that wise and honourable learned man Sir Thomas Moor so the Monks of the  who at their death praying for the King and realm, sealed likewise the truth with their blood, not like heretics in Queen Mary's time that at the stake like hellhounds barked against the Pope, and railed against the Queen and state, dying as furiously and obstinately; as these Martyrs in King Henry's time, & our Priests in this Queen his daughter's time die meekly and constantly, and no marvel, for heretics be Martyrs of the Devil, as Catholics be Martyrs of Christ. For as S. Augustme saith, It is not the death, but the cause that maketh the Martyr. For heretics in his time were punished justly by Christian Princes, yea some desperately of old killed themselves as we see now some wicked & perverse persons do; so that voluntary to die you see is indifferent both to good and bad; So that our Saviour called not every one blessed that suffer persecution but such as suffer for righteousness sake   

Chap. LXXV. Of Antichrist forerunnners, of his falselymg signs & deceits, of his intolerable Luciserian pride, subtlety, and short reign, though most violent persecution of his life, birth, death, and ministers.  
Heretics then dying against the truth which is Christ, what other be they then Martyrs of Satan? very Prophets and forerunners of Antichrist; which most wicked man against the latter day shall come in all  and lying signs and wonders flatly denying 
2. Thes. 2.  Christ and God, extolling himself above God, as saith S. Paul, with such subtlety that the very elect if it were possible should be deceived: But our good Lord JESUS for his elect sake will shorten those perilous dates. For as we gather out of the holy Prophets, especially the apocalypse of Saint john, he shall 
Dan. 11. leb. 12. 13. 14. 17. 19 20.  reign but three years and a half, whom our Lord JESUS shall destroy with his power, yet in that short time he shall so persecute the Church, that all the persecutions we now seel, or that ever were since Christ, be but as it were a shadow in respect of that of Antichrist. For as the power of God was in Christ to convert and win souls; So by God's sufferance, all the power of the Devil shall be in Antichrist, to pervert and deceive men. Though the Devil shall not be incarnate in Antichrist, as God was in Christ, wherein not by confusion of substance, but by unity of person two distinct natures in Christ be but one person. This persecution shall be both openly and secretly, openly in might & power, slaying the innocent, and secretly in his forerunners, that prepare his way before his coming, and after his coming in his ministers that by sleights & wiles under the colour of virtue, shall bring in all horrible sin & vice, deceiving the innocent & simple sheep. He shall be borne as many affirm of a jew of the tribe of Dan. See how far all these qualities be from the Pope of Rome which the heretics call Antichrist; For Antichrist is as much to say, as contrary or against Christ. The Pope he most honoureth & preacheth, and causeth Christ to be preached. Antichrist shall call himself God, the Pope calleth himself servant of the servants of God; Antichrist as some gather out of Genesis. Fiat Dan. Coluber in via etc. Shall be borne of a Iew. The Pope is commonly an Italian, Frenchman, or Spaniard borne, & chosen for his virtue and learning out of these or some other christian country. The jews chief shall receive Antichrist at his coming whom they look for as their Messias & Saviour to come & conquer the whole world with great pomp and glory as our Savifore told them that another should come in 
joh. 5.  his own name, him they would receive, which all Fathers understand to be Antichrist, that the jews shall receive in steed of Christ, whom they crucified coming in his father's name. To be brief, there hath from Christ's time to this day been many Popes, but Antichrist borne of the tribe of Dan or of some other tribe shall be but one man & as S. john in the apocalypse affirmeth he shall slay Enoch 
Apocal. cap. 11.  and Helie whom Christ shall send to preach against his false miracles, and to comfort his afflicted flock the Church which he shall never forsake.   

Chap. LXXVI. How the Devil and Antichrist be compared to that monstrous serpentine tailed Dragon drawing numbers with them into everlasting perdition, and that one certain man Antichrist is yet to come though he hath many forerunners.  
LET any man, of learning, read but only S. Gregory upon job, and he shall find all this, and much more than I can say upon Antichrist, comparing that great monstious serpent and dragon Behemoth which streatcheth out his tail as the Cedar tree unto the Devil, and Antichrist his vessel, that (as saith S. john) with his tail draweth 
Apoc. 12.  the third part of the stars of heaven, that is men in great account and authority in the sight of the world, for learning and other qualities, he by promises gifts and threatenings shall draw down with him out of God's Church to destruction and damnation, as his forerunners heretics and Infidels do, you see a number that for fear of loss of life gain pleasures and commodities, forsake Christ the truth and their salvation, so that many Antechrists' no doubt as 
joh. 1. 4.  saith S. john be now in the world, deniers of truth & adversaries of the same: but yet one man of perdition, properly called Antichrist, is yet to come as we by Scriptures and authorities of holy Fathers and Doctors be taught: of which wicked man heretics of these times, as I have oft said be no doubt Prophets & forerunners, affirming that darkness is light, and light darkness; that is, that the Pope (which as by sufficient authority I have already proved, is the chief servant and member of Christ) is Antichrist, so that when he cometh faith being decayed, Antichrist indeed may rule and take place without controlment or gainsaying: but yet Christ will have his Church and faithful 
Apoc. 11.  flock even in the heat of Antechrists' time that shall boldly gainsay him, and with their blood testify the truth which shall never decay. From which perilous times which seem now to approach our Lord deliver us: For truly of all heretics that ever were since Christ these heretics approach the nearest to Antichrist and seem to be his very forerunners. For Antichrist at his coming shall deny Christ God and all as heretics have by times since Christ, denied some less articles of the Christian faith, some more for of some heretics we read of old that denied the consubstantiality of the son of God with his father as the Arrians, some the grace of God, other free will as in Saint Augustine time. Some denied 
Pelagius jovin an. vigilantius Eu●ches  invocation of Saints, derided their sacred relics and scoffed at pilgrimage gate, or devout visitation of their holy sepulchres; as in Saint Jerome's time, one denied the resurrection of the body in Saint Gregory's time; Others began to bark against the blessed Sacrament before, and in Saint Bernard's time and so from time, false heresies have start up against the Church of God, for her better trial and exercise, of wisdom of mind: as by bloody persecutions of pagans, and infidels she before was exercised in body. But these protestants with their fellow puritans, and other of their brethren heretics of this time, deny almost or corrupt all articles of our faith and religion, their faith standeth all of negatives, and therefore like and most like Antichrist, which shall deny all goodness God and all. As for example the heretics of our time deny the true Church, deny free will, deny all the Sacraments save Baptism, and that I told you how they abuse also, they deny purgatory, prayer to the Saints of GOD; deny pardon; Pope, pilgrimage, fasting, prayer, yea have some most erroneous and bad conceits of Hell, Heaven, Christ, God, and all, be not these Appollionists, 
Apoc. cap. 9  Abbadonists, those destoryers whereof Saint john speaketh, the very messengers of the denill and forerunners of Antichrist, that thus raise up all old heresies from hell & thus by heaping a farthel of them & all sin & mischief to gather make an open gap to an universal defection, & general Apostasy the very high way to erect an ydol, to adore Antichrist instead of Christ our only Saviour & true God, wherefore hold them for certain to be very forerunners, percursors & members of Antichrist which we justly fear will shortly follow.   

Chap. LXXVII. In a sew words touching the chief matters that have been spoken in this treatise, and how the unlearned especially in matters of religion ought to leave disputes and simply to believe the truth founding themselves in Christ and in the Catholic Church.  
THus (good Sir) according to your desire; I have declared unto you the truth of those matters, you desire to be informed of: I have set you down by what certain marks and notes you may know the true Church from the false Synagogue of Satan; I have likewise more in particular, briefly declared unto you the truth of the seven Sacraments, how they be grounded of Christ's holy word, & instituted by him, & by the Scriptures have discovered to you the falsehood of our adversaries the heretics. I have also briefly touched almost every thing at this day in controversy, as justification, free-will, prayer for the dead, prayers to Saints, pardons Pope, fasting, prayer, pilgrimage, with other like. These points & articles that every Catholic is bound under pain of damnation to believe, I have not only proved unto you by the Scriptures but also by the church's authority that every Christian is bound to believe, for when you have once found out the true church (which by those notes I set down you may easily do) though we have authority sufficient for every thing the holy Catholic Church useth and teacheth: yet it is not meet especially for unlearned, folks to stand to reason or dispute with whies and howes but to stay them on that sure rock, foundation, and pillar of truth the holy Catholic Church, that so they may not be wavering as the reed nor borne away with every blast of new doctrine, as circumvented with error and blindness in the craftiness and subtlety of men, always learning and never coming to the perfection of true knowledge which indeed can never be had, but in captivating the understanding in obsequium fidei into the obedience of the true Christian Catholic faith working by charity for we see by too lamentable experence, how unfit it is for the common people (deceiving themselves that know not neither what they speak nor whereof they affirm) to jangle and dispute of Scripture matters which (as saith Saint Peter) the unlearned and unstable do deprave to 
2. Pet. ●. cap. vlt●.  their own destruction wherefore it behoveth the simple people especially that (being thus forewarned by the chief Pastor of their souls under Christ Saint Peter) they be careful never to fall or decline from their proper & sure stability in Christ, & his dear spouse the holy Catholic Church but say in all doubts when the heretics asketh you what reason you have for this, or what Scripture for that, or what believe you of this or of that, Say you no more, but I believe the holy Catholic Church, as she believeth in all things so do I: if he ask you again and again, how she believeth; answer the heretic, even as I believe & I believe as the Catholic Church believeth, and so stay & quietre yourself, and so first begin to believe, & then after to understand. For as God said by his holy Prophet unless you believe you shall not understand; yea it is sufficient to salvation, if your life be according, though you cannot understand, the chief & highest mysteries nor bring Scripture for every thing, so you believe as the Catholic Church doth grounding yourself therein who is able to direct and guide you from and out of all errors encumbrances and darkness of this world, into a most sure and stable light. For to the holy Catholic Church Christ promised to send his spirit the holy Ghost, after his departure to be, with her and guide her in all truth, even to the end of the world. I have many things to say to you (saith our Saviour to his Disciples) but you cannot bear them away now but when I shall go I will 
joan. 16.  send you the holy ghost the comforter he shall teach you all truth. Lo you see by Christ promise his holy Spirit shall guide his church in all truth, that it never fail err nor be deceived, that is (as I have proved before at large) only the true Catholic & Apostolic Roman church & no other, in this Church what simple man so ever containeth himself and truly followeth the same he cannot go astray, and out of this Church, if he were the greatest Philosopher or learned man in the world (as there be some, Falsi nemmis scientiam sibi promittentes) Yet most certainly he shall err & be deceived. To this Church then without which is no Salvation, join yourself, her obey: her follow her believe in all things & you cannot err, (my soul for yours) nor go astray to damnation, this Church if you forsake (as I said before) if you had all the wisdom of men or all the learning of Aristotle, and the wisest Philosophers that be or have been you should without all doubt err walk in darkness and perish for ever.   

Chap. LXXVIII. Against schism & that it is altogether unlawful and forbidden, under pain of damnation to go to the churches of heretics or schismatics to their prayers sermons Sacraments spiritual exercises, or in any sort directly or indirectly to communicate, participate, yield, consent or assent to the s●me, also a precaution is given to beware of dissembling Catholics which indeed are schismatics.  
BUT when you be thus once established in the one only truth of Christ and his ●oly Church though this be the foundation, first to begin to believe well, yet you must then do according to true faith & believe, else you can not be saved for saith (as I said before out of S. james) without good works is dead, 
Epist. jacobi cap. 2.  take heed then when you be once well grounded in true faith & religion that you not only flee sin and seek to exercise good works & true virtue, but withal beware of dissembling catholics that flatter themselves to be catholics, & be none indeed, they confess themselves to know Christ in words, and yet deny him in deeds. These men be as daingerous as heretics themselves in some respects worse, and will under pretence of religion more easily deceive the simple, and those we call schismatics: not only lay people, but such as be and were priests of old and yet for fear of losing their livings will teach you (as thee term it) to bear a little with the time till a better world come and in the mean time unlooked for death cometh For thus they will come unto you and say. O Sir you keep a good house you might badly be spared amongst your neighbours, infaith this world will not last alwalyes, and then he will with judas whisper in your ear & tell you how you shall hear news err it be long, & then will say unto you. Cannot you go to church in the mean time, and keep your conscience to yourself, by God there is never a knave of them all shall take advantage of me and yet God knoweth my mind. Lo this dissembling Schismatic with these and others foolish persuasions which come of love of his flesh and want of love and fear of God he deceiveth himself and others, For the truth is whatsoever you believe yet if you do contrary to your belief you damn your own soul doing contrary to your conscience. For we may not dissemle with God For he that denieth me before men saith Christ, I will deny him before my father which is in heaven. For God hath not only made man's heart and soul to believe in him, but hath given him a body And mouth to confess 
Rom. 10.  him, which we must do to be saved: For we believe in heart to righteousness, (as saith Saint Paul) and confess in mouth to Salvation. Now to go to the heretics church is to deny Christ for Christ is the truth. Who as he is God in all, and all in all, so is he wholly in every part of the truth, and therefore he that denieth any article of his faith denieth the truth, and so denieth Christ, yea but you will say, I say nothing there, but sit down and say my prayers, yea but your very being there, your very action or deed, is an allowing of their evil doings or sayings, for Christ and his holy Sacraments be there abused and blasphemed, so be his blessed mother and his Saints: and therefore if I be present in such a company, joining myself with them by my presence, I allow of them, whatsoever I think to the contrary: you see if one be drawn in amongst thieves, perhaps partly against his will to be at a robbery, as to hold the horses, he shall be hanged for his pains. The Church indeed was built by our forefathers for God's service, and good purposes, and was dedicated to God, consecrated or hallowed, but now is defiled with unclean birds, & become worse than a den of thieves; as haunted by the Devils, and ministers that daily blaspheme Christ's truth, & holy Sacraments. Wherefore if you will not be damned with them, she such damnable company, if you were in company where your Lord & Master were evil spoken of, & you should give them courage by your presence and silence: do you think your Master would not pluck his coat oft from your back, & thrust you out? so God will deal with dissemblers, cast them out of his kingdom and service, that see him & hear him dishonoured, and dissemble it, besides many dangers ghostly, that follow by going to heretics prayers and Churches; so that if you will be a Catholic Christian, and know the truth to your salvation, you must leave going to heretics Church and Service. For if you go to their Church, yea but once a year, you can be no more a member of Christ's Catholic Church: as long as you continue in that state and mind, it casteth you out from it, yea once at any time going to their prayer, and service, sermons, or Sacraments: Nay the Pope himself cannot dispense with any to go to the heretics Church, to be present, or hear their service, because it is by God's law forbidden. Moreover we gather out of Saint Paul: he that consenteth to sin, is guilty of the same sin, he in any sort consenteth tot The Protestants of this time then be condemned for heretics, by all Christendom; and be indeed most detestable heretics, and their service contrary to God's ordinance, and sacrilegious sin, but to go to the Church, is by my action and deed, a consenting to sin, in that I allow of them by my presence, and otherwise, wherein I sin damnably: therefore to go to heretics service and prayer, is a damnable sin, yea schism and unlawful, and cannot be dispensed with. First than it is against God's holy & eternal law to go to heretics Churches, to fit or be with them in their Church at their prayers, or service, whereof said the holy Prophet, Odivi Ecclesiam malignantiam & cum impiis non sedebo. I hated the Church of the malignannt, and will not sit with the wicked. Yea you shall find in all the whole course of the holy Scriptures, in the old Testament how God separated his people, from foreign Nations, and people of a contrary religion: so far from praying or marrying with them, that they should not eat, drink, nor converse with them. Thus for example God speaketh of marrying, or conversing of his people with women of a false religion. Certissime enim avertent, corda vestra a domino vestro, beware of strange and foreign women, because most certainly they will avert, or turn your hearts from your Lord God: See here how carnal conversion is forbidden to God's people, with idolatrous, herericall, or ill persons, how much more ought we not to commerce, or meddle with them in spiritual or divine matters: for than certo certius, without all doubt, they will pervert our souls, who by gay painting words, and sweet speeches do reduce the hearts of the innocent, the Devil using the mouth of heretics, to seduce the simple as he did the body, and whispering of the serpent to deceive our first mother Eve, insomuch, that for fear of this inconvenience of being seduced, and chief for not to break the law of God, which forbiddeth to pray and go to heretics Churches: the perfect believers of old of the tribe of juda, did not pray nor use in many other respects, to converse with the Samaritans, (as appeareth in S. john) which 
joh. 4.  Samaritans were schismatics, fallen into Schism, and Idolatry, from the true Chtholicke juda and Jerusalem, the City of God. And although Peter, john, and others of the Apostles went to the Temple of the jews, after Christ's Ascension, they did that lawfully, because she law of Christ then being not so manifestly known, nor his faith and Gospel spread through the world, the law of Moses was by degrees to be buried with honour, yea and the Apostles went chief thither, by their preaching, doctrine, and miracles to confound the obstinate jews, and plant Christ, & the truth in their hearts; in which case, a learned Doctor of the Catholic Church that is to make a Catholic sermon, or to convert, or confound an heretical preacher, might go to Church: yea some hold, that for some mere temporal respect; as for example, to bear the Prince's sword, or his cushion, or the like, one might so wait of his Lord and Master to Church, so it be known to all men that that temporal action or office, is only the cause of his so doing, and so one neither pray, nor show any reverence to their service, and so he presently return, when he hath done his temporal office, this was the case (as some suppose) of Naaman the Syrian, who asked leave of the holy Prophet, to wait of his king to the idolatrous temple, to do his temporal business, to be brief, God is jealous Zelotes, & even as the man may not abide his loving spouse to be familiar or converse with another, but will cast her out rather; so God will not have the soul for his spouse, that is, double in heart or goeth two ways, perdi disti omnes qui fornicantur abs te, thou hast destroyed all that commit fornication from thee, O Lord. No man can serve two Masters, but must either pleaseone, or displease the other, we cannot serve God & Mammon, Christ & Baliall: God our true father, will not have his child divided, but will rather leave it in the evil woman's keeping. But what shall I say of some monstrous minds, drawing every thing to their own humours, as that forsooth a man may go to heretics church, so he pray not with them, because the 3. children of Israel were amongst those that ado Nabucadonosers' statue, or idol, & yet worshipped it not, whereas these three children in that they there openly confessed their faith, suffering themselves, to be east into the hot fiery furnace, rather than they would dissemble the true faith, one jot in worshipping a false god, or yielding to an untrue religion, do condemn all schismatics, most evidently that dissemble all things, in taking oaths, going to Church, kneeling, uncovering the head, hearing blasphemy and keeping silence; yea for fear saying oft as they say, but suppose they but only be present at Church, yea though it were with a protestation, of a contrary religion to heresy either under the colour of obedience, or the like. Yet it is unlawful because such a protestation declareth, that he cometh to do a thing, that of itself is intrins●ce malum, very nought, and evil of itself: as I proved before, & so this protestation aggravateth the sin as those do that more publicly sin, and yet excuse, defend, or rather glory in it. The like may be said of that obedience, of theirs, to an unjust law which intendeth thereby, that a man should allow and conform himself to heresi, & injustice, in which case we are neither to obey Master, Mistress, Parents, Husband, Magistrate, nor the greatest Prince in the world, but we must boldly say with Saint Peter, we must abbey God, 
Act. cap. 4.  rather than men, as for the presence of these three children, before the people adored, to say therefore one may be amongst heretics at their service is very childish, & foolish, for either these three holy men, when they came thither, knew not of any such worship there to be done, but that it was some other spectacle, or else as being principal persons, they came as magistrates for some temporal service, to the King over the people or else they came by the very instinct of the holy Ghost, to reprove the people, of their sin and false worship, and to acknowledge & worship the living God (as the glorious profession of his name, in the midst of the flame, with that angelical Society) well declareth. Secondly this matter was talked of, and debated by certain great learned men, at the counsel of Trent, and was found most unlawful, both by the law of God and the Church, & therefore no power on earth, no not the Pope can dispense with any, to go to the heretics church, no more than he can dispense with any to kill, steal, commit fornication, or the like, neither was it needful to make any new canon, or decree of this matter, because in former general councils, it was ever holden unlawful yea an express canon of the Apostles, forbiddeth all Christians to go to heretics churches or service, much less to receive with them, or communicate with them in their Sacraments: If any say Cardinal Allen thought it not such great sin, to go to heretics church, it is most false, & impudent, as his letters and writings well understood; yea his life and death declareth, and as the lives and deaths of his scholars which (if I may so term it be vere signum Apostolatus sui) make most manifest to the world, and he that holdeth it lawful to go to Church of heretics, condemneth well near a hundred of B. Martyrs in our days, that might have lived if they once would have yieldeth to have gone to Church. Thirdly the Pope himself and all learned divines of our time utterly deny it in any sort to be lawful: and no doubt his holiness, if in any sort, it could have been tolerated of his commiseration, and fatherly pity of our affliction, would most willingly have dispensed with us, surely the apostolic father the Pope, alone his iudgent ought to satisfis any true Catholic Christian in the world. Fourthly going to heretics Church is most dangerous, for fear of infection: can a man touch pitch and it not defile him? can he lie by a Serpent, and she not sting him? then then may he conuers with an heretic, much and be not infected or corrupted with him; and therefore S. Paul exhorteth us to fly the heretic man, because his heresy creepeth as the canker, it hath been noted in great learned men, that in reading of heretics books have been thereby inclining to heresy: how much more dangerous than is it, for lay persons; Yea simple unlearned men to hear their voice, in sermons, prayers, and the like, wherefore heretics books also under pain of excommunication be forbidden, to all to be read. For fear of infection, unless they have lawful authority or faculty granted them. Fiftly as we read in the Ecclesiastical histories, true Christians evermore abhorred the Churches, conventicles and companies of heretics, yea Saint john the Evangelist would not bathe himself, where Cerinthus the enemy of the truth had been before, lest the bath should fall upon his head, and exhorteth us not to salute the heretic which we ought not to do in any sort to favour his heresis, though to win heretics to God and true religion. The church in this time permitteth us to eat drink, and traffic with heretics and schismatics in temporal matters only, as our B. Saviour, and his Apostles conversed, eat and drank with sinners, to win them to his father's kingdom; yea to converse with heretics was so odious & a thing so well known in the primitive church, to be unlawful that the people would not say Amen, or abide in the Church, whilst the Arrian Bishop was amongst them: nay (that which is strange) the very children, made a conscience to play with the ball, (with out expiation before) that ran under the heretics horses feet, what should I say blessed Martyrs of old, yea tender Virgins and Women, accounted it noless then very denial of Christ, who said He that denieth me before men, I will deny him before my father in heaven either to go to churches of heretics or temples of Idolaters, which be in effect one; For as Idolaters worship the works of their hands, so do heretics their fond opinions, and imaginations, and Idolatry a great deal worse than that of the gentiles. If these blessed Saints of old (I say) would but have yielded to the time, in but once putting up the fingar to the wicked demands of the persecutors, to have gone to their churches, and service, than had, we wanted many glorious Martyrs in heaven, which those sharp times of persecution most fruitfully afford us. Sixtly this dissimulation in being present at heretics service, is scandalous, and offensive, to the infirm and weak in faith, inducing other to sin, & do the like, which sin of scandal, is one of the greatest and most general in the world, and shall be most severely punished; against which Christ thundereth that most terrible woe, affirming it were better one with a millstone about his neck, were cast into the sea, then to scandalize one of such litleweaklings in christ and religion. Whereupon the holy Apostle affirmed, he would never eat flesh, rather than offend his weak Brother. Yea old Eleazarus a jew, before Christ (which may be a confusion, to many Christians) would rather suffer death, than but only seem to do against the law, for fear of drawing weaklings, and younglings, to do the same. seventhly and last (for it is my purpose to be brief) and refer you to more large and learned substantial treatises, written of this matter, in going to heretics Churches, or being thus present at their prayers, Sacraments, or service in any place, conventicle, or congregation of theirs be a man never so Catholic in mind, yet in so doing he becometh a schismatic, & excommunicate person, which is a thing more terrible than the two edged sword or any torment in this life. For thereby a man is cut from God, Christ, and all the Sacraments, prayers, & merits of Saints in heaven, & the prayers & good deeds, of all good men in earth, & so is exposed to the Devil, and damnation. For (as said S. Augustme to Peter the Deacon) hold steadfastly and doubt in no wise, not only all Paynims & jews, but also all heretics & schismatics, that die without Christ's Catho. Church shall go into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil, & his Angels, a terrible token whereof God showed, yea even in this life of schismatics, as Chore, Dathan & Abiron, that were of the same religion Moses was, & yet because they divided themselves, from Moses & Aaron, offering sacrifice of themselves & not being lawfully called thereunto, fire consumed them from heaven, & their adherents. Yea the earth swallowed them downé quick to hell, & therefore S. Augustine biddeth fear nothing so much as division, & separation that is schism; for what ●● schism, but a cutting of, and division from the whole: so that such Christians as in all points believe, as the church doth, and yet in their action do contrary to their belief (as such dissemblers do, that for fear or other temporal respect, as here in England go to church) such properly be schismatics, so called because by their separation they not only divide, & cut of themselves quite from God's church but also tear in sunder the mystical body of Christ (which is one) worse than the soldiers, that cast lot upon his vesture, not cutting it a sunder: schismatics than first be divided in themselves, pretending one thing in body, & thinking another in mind: indeed if we in substance consisted only of soul, the case were altered, but seeing we consist both of body and soul God, (as I said before out of Saint Paul) requireth action and confession of body; and belief of heart to concur together, as both in the end shall have reward or judgement together, secondly schism is so grievous in God's sight, because it extinguisheth charity, without which nothing can please God: for charity proceedeth of unity, which schism by separation & division quite taketh away, God almighty then which in himself is one, as all things proceed from him by unity (as the root and lively perpetual fountain) so must they tend and have reflection to him again by charity in unity, wherein whosoever gathereth not with Christ he scattereth, as he affirmeth hereupon; it cometh according to the Apostles doctrine, that we be all one body in Christ's holy Catholic Church, from which whosoever is divided by schism, he cannot have life of Grace and salvation from Christ the head, as being a divided member from his mystical body; even as any member of our body dieth, we see that is divided from our natural body. Therefore S. Augustine right worthily exhorteth to fear nothing so much as separation (that is schism) whereby we lose the grace of God, all merits of prayers, good works, life, and salvation, this aught to appall our schismatics, if they had any feeling or fear of God, but these of our times be more absurd, hard hearted and blind, then those of old, for not only schiss matiks of old, but heretics little differed in external rites and ceremonies from Catholic service, nor in administration of the Sacraments from the true Catholic service & sacraments, but our schiss matiks frequent a Caluinisticall puritan rabble of reading. For their service with heretics, no more like the Catholic true service of Christ's Church, save only but for the new Testament, which notwithstanding they most falsely interpret, and corruptly translate, no more like (I say) set Baptism aside, then the jewish superstitious reading and ceremonies is like to christian service. Moreover, in going to heretics service, no true priest can administer unto them the Sacraments of the Catholic Church, as penance, & the Sacrament of the Altar, which once a year you are bound to receive, & therefore if it were nothing but in this respect you be in most miserable state of damnati on, as never receiving the food of life without which your soul cannot live, no more than the body can without corporal sustenance, but neither can you be present at Mass on holy days, nor receive at Easter (which under pain of deadly sin you are bound, unless you have some lawful impediment) as long as you go to heretics service, & therefore you see, how on every side you are plunged in sin & misery, so long as you continued in this damnable state of schism: therefore I exhort you in the name of jesus, as you respect his honour that hath so dearly bought you, and tender your own salvation, fly out of Babylon presently, that is out of this miserable confusion of sin & heresy, out of this sinful, wretched and most abominable city, that you be not overwhelmed & perpetually lost in the ruins of the same. Fugite de medio Babilonis, fly out therefore I say out of the midst of Babylon, and be not of those which Paululum fugiunt, which fly but a little, lest you be corrupted with her prostitution, and enwrapped in her snares, and if you will, or look ever to be saved by the truth, I have here taught; First, after you have learned to believe well, then do penance that is, be sorrowful, confess your sins, (with full purpose to amend) to a lawful Catholic Priest, & then do the worthy fruits of penance, & that chief by his good counsel, direction, & appointment, and so I beseech you with the holy Apostle, for Christ's sake be reconciled to God, be reconciled to Christ's holy Catholic Church, and then be careful so to amend your life, that you take heed of recidivation, or falling back to your former vomit, lest the latter end be worse than the beginning, though what falls soever of infirmity a man may have had, yet quickly he ought to rise again, fight manfully and grow not weak hearted, how sorrowful or penitent soever; work then busily and virtuously, be ever sorry whilst you have time and space, for that is past, though by God's grace already in the Sacrament forgiven: according to that de propitiato peccato noli esse sine timore, of thy sin forgiven be not without fear during this life, come no moee at heretics Church, nor service, nor Sacramenrs, no not to die, but suck of the sweet breasts of your dear mother, and Christ's true spouse the Catholic Church; follow her counsels, listen to her sermons, frequent devoutly her Sacraments, and so you shall believe well, live and die the servant of Christ, and attain your salvation: otherwise as long as you live in this state, that is, out of the unity of the Catholic Church, without all doubt you be in state of damnation; and therefore, seeing there is no other remedy, speedily amend and do penance.   

Chap. LXXIX. Admonishing to amendment of life, seeing the time is short, and the hour of death uncertain, when as ignorance shall excuse no man.  
For this life is short and uncertain, but death most certain, and yet the honre most uncertain, remember my words I pray you; I have told you the truth, ignorance cannot excuse you if you follow then my advise, you shall win your own soul, if you do not, I must be a witness against you before God and his Angels at the last day. Then Princes cannot excuse you, nor rulers, for though they indeed shall bear the greatest charge or burden; yet every one nevertheless in his degree shall bear his own sin, according to that of the Apostie, unusquisque onus suum portabit. Wherefore as in discharge of my duty, I have truly set down before you, and declared the truth as I will answer before jesus the dreadful judge at the last day, who is that everlasting truth, for which undoubted Catholic truth, I trust by God's great mercy and grace, I shall be ready to shed my blood, if I be called thereto. So on the other side I most humbly and instantly again and again, exhort, pray, and beseech you, for that great love of Christ towards us all, whereby for our sakes he shed his most precious blood, that you would deeply consider the importance of this matter, and remember your salvation: Consider first what perilous times we live in now towards the end of the world: consider withal the shortness & instability of this life, & how daily of all sorts by death you see men taken awa●e before your eyes: Remember at least when you see as it were the heavens open with lightnings, & perceive the earth sometimes chime & tremble under your feet, and when to the terror of all mortal creatures, you hear the most high & mighty Lord (at a beck of whose finger heaven & earth quaketh) thunder from above, them I say learn to fear & not for get him after. But remember & deeply consider, that everlasting punishment & unquenchable fire prepared for the wicked, and those unspeakable joys prepared for the just: consider the straightway to salvation, how few shall be saved, in respect of those that shall be perpetually lost and damned. Eight persons in the whole world were but saved from dro uning, in the universal deluge noah's flood. But one just Lot could be found in five Cities, Sodom and Gomorrah and the rest, for sin consumed with fire and brimstone from heaven here, and burning in hell for ever: but twelve Apostles CHRIST chose amongst all the jews, and yet one was a traitor, good things therefore you see, but especially good men indeed are hard to be found, & therefore you see how true Christ's words be many are called but few are chosen, & yet I hope, and most confidently trust in God, you & all those that will read this little treatise and follow it, & avoid the heresies and sins herein refelled, and disproved, you and every one (such I say that will this do) my full confidence is in God, and you may be in stead fast hope, you shall be of that few number that Christ hath chosen: consider moreover, wherefore you were created and made of God, not to eat, drink, sleep, & live here, but to pass this life with dutiful service to God, that you may enjoy his endless kingdom. The end than God hath made you for, is to be partaker of his glory in heaven, and therefore all things you have here in this world on earth you ought to refer to the service of God, for what is this life but (as saith Saint Gregory) a continual death, wherein every day we die a little, something of our life is cut of daily; account then this world, and all worldly possessions and habitations but as it were an Inn, wherein you are but to stay as it were for a night and away, and therefore seek not to make you a dwelling place on earth, chiefly (though to have moderate care of our bodies also is not forbidden us) but look for and build you a place in heaven. Alas what be all pleasures this world can afford you? You see they be but vain and can never content man's mind; the covetous man is never full fraught or contented with gold and riches but ever coveteth more: the drunkard and glutton ever seekerh how he may more and more delight his taste and fill his belly and paunch, (the lecherous man more fleshly pleasure, he hath (like the wood set on fire) he desireth & burneth faster therein: riches fade, beauty decayeth, memory saileth; all the glory of the world passeth away, as the shadow, nothing can truly satiate, & content the soul, but God himself, which is had by enjoying of his divine glory. To obtain this than you must bend all your might and power. Nam regnum calorum vim patitur & violenti rapiunt illud (Saith our Saviour) we must by violence as it were obtain his kingdom, not only sighting and striving against ourselves, that is this froward and corrupt nature of ours that is too much given to self love and liking of this world, and ourselves in being ready to forsake this transitory life of this body, to enjoy the eternal life of the soul, but what lets or impediments soever you have to the contrary, manfully and joyfully remove them, and shake them off, as if the Tyrant threaten thee, or with flattery or fair words and promises seek to allure thee, yea if thy parents that begot and bore thee, or thy children that be part of thy substance of thy flesh and blood, or thy own wife that is as it were thy one body and sleepeth in thy bosom, would hinder thee from thy salvation, GOD is nearer and dearer to thee then them all. Forsake comfortably thy parents with their weeping eyes, respect not they children with stretched out hands, pass by thy wife though on thy threshold she lie at thy feet with spread and torn hair; Yea be cruel to thine own body in this case and as saith Saint Jerome fortiter ad crucem Christi evola, fly with that simple sweet Dove: in cavernas petrae into the holes of that sure rock, the open wounds of thy redeemer and manfully with good courage, and all joy embrace the cross of CHRIST thus by violence you must obtain his kingdom; thus bend all your might and power (I say) to win CHRIST and please him. For him I say be content to forsake wife, children, livings, possessions, yea this life itself to win a better, taking up the cross and following him. For so all have and must do that will enter into his kingdom, remembering we must suffer with him, to be glorified with him and if he our head would not enter into his kingdom but by Passion and labours: then we his servants & members cannot look to follow him, but by the same way of pains and sufferance the disciple is not better than his Master, neither a delicate member is comely under that head that weareth a Crown of thorns. If then thus you by patience follow and win Christ, you shall have all things, him if you forsake you lose all: If you truly cleave and stick to him and his commandments, he is mighty and will descend you, he is merciful and will pardon you, he is bountiful & will bestow all gracious gifts of you, he is rich & will sustain and nourish you, he is pitiful and will comfort you, & knowing your weakness, and bearing the heavier end of the yoke or cross with you, will lay no more of your shoulders, than you are able to bear, nor will not suffer us to be tempted above our strength, as he hath said by his true messenger, wherein he is faithful & will perform his promise, he is loving and just, and will make us for our labours (crowning his graces & gifts in us) partakers of his glory, where art we ought all to shoot comforting ourselves ever in the troubles of this life with hope of that fruition of God, our final rest, and perfect delight.   

The 80. and last chap. How though every one ought to be prepared to suffer, yet none ought rashly to cast themselves into tentation but if we be called thereunto then we ought to be most glad to suffer, as being God's cause we suffer for.  
BE desirous then to suffer for Christ and the Catholic faith (& though none as long as without denial of their faith they may escape affliction, ought rashly to cast themselves into tentation as knowing not the measure of their strength) yet if you be called thereunto, be not ashamed but joyful and glad you may be found worthy to suffer for Christ's truth; For it is the way, Christ himself (as I said) and his glorious friends the Apostles and Martyrs, have trodden before, yea it is the most glorious cause, and most comfortable that ever any suffered for God's cause, I say, his faith and truth, for which one may be killed, but never overcome. For which whosoever have suffered, and no other have entered into his heavenly kingdom. Consider what labour and care men take for some small living for this short life. The Merchant man to attain gold refuseth no peril, the husband man to gain fruit or corn refuceth no labour, nor the huntsman for his pleasure oftentimes without his dinner a whole day running together accounteth it any pain, and shall we refuse troubles pains, grief, labour, or loss of any thing in this life to find out Christ the invincible truth, and so truly to follow him whereby we shall avoid peril of damnation in hell; live with a pure and quiette conscience in this life, wherein if we live to an hundred years yet is it soon spent & passeth as a shadow, & after this transitory life obtain everlasting salvation & life where never after we shall need to fear death, hell, nor damnation; well good things cannot be had without pains, much less the endless good with sleeping and no labour can be obtained, but with earnest and the greatest endeavours. Suppose then, you at this very instant were to departed this life (as you know not whether you are to live till to morrow) and should be had before that dreadful judge, the searcher of hearts, where of all your life a straight reckoning must be made, yea of all gifts bodily & ghostly as of wit, learning, power, goods, riches, lands, possessions and of all other talents God hath bestowed of you, how you have spent and bestowed them during the short time you were here steward thereof, if then at that hour, which is so uncertain you would wish you had done, yea though it had been never so much, to have served and pleased God, do then something now while you have time, that then you would wish to have done, and so then you show yourself a wiseman indeed, laying a sure foundation here in earth, the fruit of which building you shall enjoy in the kingdom of heaven, which to enjoy with God for ever account you little or nothing of all things here upon earth: for look what beauty sweetness and glory be in all things here on earth, they be but a shadow as it were of God's glory, for what brightness or beauty soever is in the sun, moon, stars, men, women, children, was sweet savours soever be in perfumes, flowers, fragrant blossoms, what delights soever be in music, birds, mountains, valleys, rivers, or in any other thing, that is delectable to any of our senses, that be seen, felt, or understood by man here ou earth, all these and infinite more pleasures, and most sure and perfect delights in a far more excellent sort, shall the blessed saved souls enjoy in that heavenly kingdom in beholding that glorious face and vision of God, from whom all these good things do proceed, and in whom they be contained as the perfect mirror and sum of all perfection, with all swetee peace and tranquillity in ever enjoying the same, and with all security never to lose the same, there we shall see God face to face, and the more we see him, the more we shall desire him; and the more we desire him, the more we shall love him; and the more we love him, the more we shall be delighted and fully satiated with him, as said the holy Prophet, Satiabor cum apparuerit gloria tua, O Lord when thy glory shall appear, then shall I be satiated, for as saith S. Augustine God hath made us for him, and our heart is unquiet till we come to him, there is that lively fountain and pleasant river, clearer than the crystal; that celestial paradise the force whereof maketh joyful the whole city of God, and that watereth the whole earth, making these carnal hearts, and terrestrial bodies of ours by virtue thereof, celestial and divine, in this river is found the Chrysolit, Topaz, Carbuncle, and all other gems, and precious jewels, there is light without darkness, day without night, glory without end, when as certain then it is that you shall be a saved soul and S. with God, if you labour for it, or else (which Christ forbidden) a damned reprobate for ever, therefore so labour & work your salvation, whilst the light of his mercy and grace yet shineth open for you during this life, that you may after enjoy that endless life; pluck up than your heart (man) intend prosper proceed & regna, march manfully forward, and joyfully in God's ways, and take heed then of looking back, for such are not fit for the kingdom of GOD; comfort yourself, the labour and pains be little and short, but the reward great and endless; good labourers be content with a slender dinner, in hope of a full and joyful supper, and with all take heed above all things, you defer not your conversion to GOD and amendment from day to day. For it is a subtlety of the Devil to cause a man to make delays, and so then death cometh when he lest looketh for it, and taketh a man unprovided: wherefore for our greater merit and security, we ought to be provided at all hours for CHRIST'S call, whose mercy and grace is ready for all that come in time, yea more ready to receive us than we be to come. So that if a man be not partaker of God's grace and favour, the fault is in himself and not in God, for even as you see when the sun shineth, a man cannot have the light of the sun unless he will open his eyes: No more than can any man have the light of GOD'S grace (though Gods grace also worketh the due disposition) but he that will open the eyes of his soul, offer his will and affection wholly to God, and dispose himself to receive God's mercy and grace, who is ever ready to help us, and who ever stirreth and moveth man tô receive the effect thereof that is of his grace and goodness, yea God ever standeth knocking at the door of man's heart and soul, some times by prosperity, and otherwhiles by adversity, daily by his benefits, and oft by his holy inspirations, ego stoad ostium pulso, I stand (thus saith God) and knock at the door, that is of man's heart and soul, (as I said) to the end a man should incline his heart, and lay to his hand to believe and follow his holy ways, yea so loving, bountiful, and gracious is God, and so desirous of man's salvation, that it is not the worst person in the world, but sometimes he shall have good motions, and holy inspirations to amend his life, and the more a man hath, and yet followeth them not but is hardened and dieth in sin the greater shall be his damnation: Mark then O man whosoever the motions and stir of thy heart, and noli contristare spirituns, do not as it were make sad the holy Ghost, by ingratefully repelling his most blessed and holy instincts, beware you put not back Gods holy motions; nothing falleth on the earth without Gods will and holy disposition, no not the very bird, neither can any thing be done without his permission, whereof if we may make good, and therefore nothing can happen to us in this life, good, nor ill, but if we will we may take occasion, thereof to remember our end, and and dispose ourselves more and more to our salvation: and therefore I say to you especially for whom I have taken this labour to write this treatise) it ought to be a more evident and effectual motive and sufficient warning for the perfect amendment of your life, by your reconciliation to GOD, who because it is he, that as he straightly commandeth us to keep his commandments and follow his holy ways, so without his grace and help, we cannot fruitfully do, nor execute the same. For whether Paul or Apollo plant or water, yet Deus incrementum dèdit, God is he that ever hath and must give the increase. And therefore seeing upon this ground S. Augustine said unto GOD, good Lord give that which thou commandest, and command what thou wilt. Let us then follow his counsel, who said Ask and you shall have, seek and you shall find, knock & it shall be opened unto you. Let us therefore not cease to knock, humbly and instantly to crave grace and mercy at his hands that the sweet and seasonable rain of his gracious fountain may be plentifully instilled into our hearts, yea let us make instance at least to obtain one drop of grace, to mollify and strengthen our hard & weak hearts. Open then the eyes of our souls O Lord, and they shall be opened, water them with the dew of thy heaveuly grace, strike our hearts with thy fear and love, that we ever may be so watchful over our souls, that we never prefer any pleasure of the flesh, any worldly riches, credit, or honour, before thy true service and everlasting glory. Let us then work busily our salvation, as the matter of greatest importance, whilst this life endureth: for as saith our Saviour, the night will come when no man can work, from which dark night of sin, hell death, and eternal damnation, CHRIST the everlasting truth of his infinite mercy deliver you and us all; convert all heretics, and poor deceived souls, make us all members of one body, his dear spouse the Catholic Church, that as heretofore by diversity of minds a number have been divided from Christ, so knitting ourselves altogether in the knot of peace, unity, and charity in Christ's holy Catholic Church here on earth, we may then once enjoy his endless glory altogether in his triumphant, and most glorious Church in heaven, where all errors, sadness, sorrows, pains, lamentations, and mournful tears shall quite cease and pass away, where more joy, felicity, and true happy blessedness, than ever eye hath seen, ear hath heard, or man's heart can imagine or conceive, whereunto hespeedely bring us, our Lord and Saviour CHRIST JESUS. To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost, be all honour and glory.   

A SHORT TREATISE AGAINST ADIAPHORISTS, NEUTERS, SUCH AS SAY THEY MAY be saved in any sect, or religion, & would make of many divers sects one Church.  
AMongst many shifts of Heretics, and Schismatics, (which by the example of their Master, that old & wily Serpent, be commonly versipelles) one is that they would bear Catholics in hand, they be of one Church with them still, that so more easily they may draw the simple into their nets & perdition. For the Majesty of the church is so great that the very name thereof maketh the enemy appalled, either to seem to resist it, or to live with out it, for though oftentimes in their pulpits, & writings, (especially amongst themselves) heretics will not stick most impudently to affirm, the visible Church especially was decayed for a thousand years, and more, & glory, that they be the men sent from God, to restore it again. Yet when they be pressed by the learned to show their vocation, who sent them because (as I declared before) they have neither extraordinary vocation by miracle, nor ordinary by succession as is plain, and so evidently to all learned men, show themselves false Prophets not sent of god, (for no man according to the Apostles doctrine, aught to preach unless he be sent, by lawful authority) which the Heretics perceiving so plain by Scriptures they cannot deny: divers shifts they have used, some to show their vocation like the Apostles extraordinary by miracle. As Luther that by miracle would have expelled the Devil out of one possessed, but in his exorcisms was driven to such hard shifts as hardly he could get honestly out of the place himself clean; a merry jest, but scarce honest to be reported: so Caluin killed a man which he hired to feign himself dead, and to rise at his call to confirm his Apostleship who by GOD'S judgement falling dead indeed his wife bewrayed with exclamation the matter, therefore these two new Apostles having no better success for their mission and extraordinary calling. Beza (Caluins' successor) devised another shift for his lawful embassage, and ordinary calling, and election; For in that great and solemn meeting and most famous dispute in France, betwixt Catholics and Hugonots at Poissee; Cardinal Guise being 
In conuentu Poissiaceno. lib. 1. de stat. religionis in Gallia sub Carolo 9 part. 1. & lib. 3.  moderator himself, asked Beza who sent him, from whence come you; but Beza being not able to answer, he fell to this shift and most silly refuge; that he was lawfully called and chosen of those people, that chose him, to be their Pastor: leaving so Luther and Caluin his forefathers in the lurch, who were chosen neither of the Clergy, nor people to preach, having none to preach to, and therefore intruded themselves first not sent; like thieves that by violence enter into another man's house, or the adulterer that by stealth ascending another man's bed corrupteth his wife; so corrupteth these false Apostles (Luther and Calum) the Churches; they invaded, the silly poor people, the flock and spouse of Christ in some particular countries, and cities, with adulterous and false doctrine, so sending themselves, before they could be chosen and received of the people, which Beza (Calums honest successor) said he was called of. But such a calling as this is both Martion, Ebion, Arrius, Photinus, Sabellius, Pelagius, yea Mahomet and Sergius, with all old Heretics, may as well allege as Luther, Caluyn, & Beza; which that learned assembly seeing might well be ready with hands & feet, out of their company to explode: yet Beza so unable to defend his Masters, or his own calling, and yet so frontlesly still avouching the same, to be by election of his people. A learned divine of Paris then urged him to give but one instance, from the Apostles time of such an election or vocation: which Beza plainly confessing, though such an example indeed, could not be given, yet still he shamelessly affirmed that his doctrine, by the number of those he converted, were sufficient to declare his lawful calling? yea miraculous as great a miracle (as said Sir Thomas Moor) as to see a stonefall downward, as though people of all nations, be not ever most prone to embrace licentious liberty, especially under the pretence of virtue, and authority as appeared in Mahomet, and others; who have had greater flocks following them, than yet Luther, Caluin and Beza have. But the truth is as it most evidently appeareth by the Scriptures, the tradition of the Church universal, and all true Ecclesiastical writers; none ever from the Apostles time to this day have, or can be, as true Pastors lawfully called, sent, and ordained but such only as can show their vocation and lawful succession, from and of the Apostles or Apostolic men; As S. Paul for example made Timothy Bishop and Timothy others: so such Bishops as can lawfully show their succession, from the Apostles may (by the approbation of CHRIST his Vicar especially) make other Pastors, and Bishops to teach, feed, and govern the Church of GOD, as sons, lawful heirs, and successors to the Apostles. And so because the heretics have neither miracles, lawful succession, nor ordinary vocation, seeing withal how the claim of the consent, and election of the people for their vocation and mission; is so frivolous, and vain, yea most shameful as against all authority of the Scripture, and practise of the whole Church (whose name is yet of such authority, that they dare not avouch, that any can be saved without it.) See now another shift, & as it were the last refuge devised; (though by some foreign heretics yet now chief of late by one Buny, and many of such ministerly companions) which is this forsooth; that Lutherans, Caluinists, Papists, Protestants, and all be but one Church, and why? But because say they, we differ but in some small points, but in the chief articles and substance of our religion do agree well. I will omit here to set down how well the Lutherans and Cal●inists agree; when as Luther to his dying day (as appeareth by his writings yet) condemned Zwinglius to the pit of hell, and all his followers; and so in like manner the calvinists the Lutherans, to let these men and infinite more Heretics of this time agree amongst themselves, who all make one Church indeed, but the Church of the malignant only, that is the Synagogue of Satan: and to let here pass also schismatics, who though they agree with the Church of GOD in true faith, yet most miserable men they cut themselves off from the same church in doing contrary to her laws and precepts, and so by their own judgement, alas condemn themselves, in that they best allow. This only I say against the Lutherans, Protestants, and all Heretics in the world, you uncircumcised Philistians what have you to do with the host of the living GOD the Catholic Church; which you blaspheme, contemn, and by all means possible, go about to depress, rent, and tear a sunder, can any be truly accounted a lawful subject, and due member of that common weal, the sovereign Prince whereof he betrayeth, defieth, and with all hostility impugneth? can any be called a natural and dutiful child to his mother, that with Nero goeth about to exenterate, rent, or tear her bowels asunder? or shall he be heir in his father's house, that weary of his father's good ordinances, life, and discipline, becometh a parricide? shall that Shepheard have his hire at the years end that stealeth and devoureth his Master's sheep? or shall that member be left in the body, that being become pestilent and contagious would corrupt, spoil, and destroy the rest? Or to be brief can any ingenuous, or generose honest well minded Husband, accept those children, preferring them to as good portions as his own, which his wife confesseth to be conceived in adultery, Then surely will Christ accept protestants for children of his Church, which she his dear and most faithful spouse so justly execrateth, and abhorreth as bastard slaves for corrupting his word with adulterous doctrine, for abolishing his Sacraments, persecuting his servants, profaning his holiness, and extreme horrible blaspheamy of his holy name, what I say? shall protestāns be with us members of the Catholic Roman Church, whom they so blaspheamously term the whore of Babylon, whose head Christ's Vicar they call Antichrist, scoffing at him in their rhymes and jests, deriding him upon stages, railing on him in their pulpits▪ yea joining him with the Turk in their new made Psalms, saying, from Turk and Pope defend us Lord, teaching ●o their children from their cradles to sing and pray against the Vicar and substitute of Christ, in their new congregations, as the old cankered Jews teach their young brood to pray and blaspheme. Christ in their rotten outworn Synagogues, nay the Lutherans in the beginning (much more now their followers, being come to the perfection of the fift Gospel) preferred the Turk before the Pope, wishing rather to live under him then under the Popedom, nay have not Protestants of late shaken hands with the Turk, wishing him all good success in his affairs, yea some of the chief Princes amongst Protestants, as appeareth in their letters, making him an open gap (to their powers) to invade all Christendom; will these be accounted children of the Catholic Church, that thus go about (might & main) to ruinated her whole corpses, by word and sword, now at length as their first father Luther, at first dash went about to cut off the Pope's head, when the Lutherans drove 
For that army consisted most of Lutheran hired Soldiers out of Gerard many, for whose out rage against Rome Carolus 5. was not to be blamed, they making spoil of that holy City against his will.  him into the Castle of S. angel, sacked Rome, rob the Churches, and made themselves Cardinals of derision in the Pope's Palace; yea made havoc of all: which yet by GOD'S just judgement they long enjoyed not. For as their chief Captain ascending the wall, died a sudden death, so the rest of that sacriledgious army within a few months after lost all, yea the most of them died miserably. O impudency: be these children of that Catholic Church with us, that thus like viper's endeavour to burst her bowels asunder, yea most tyrannically cut out of her very breasts; whereof notwithstanding, her holy and sweet spouse jesus her head, singeth in those divine Canticles: Meliora sunt ubera tua super vino fragrantia unguentis optimis. The sweet milk of these two breasts of the Church, be God's word, and the blessed Sacraments. First, have not heretics with their false corrupt interpretations, and translations (framing scriptures to their own fantasies) most wickedly perverted the same, but also have quite pulled out, and razed whole books and notable members thereof, which most flatly condemn their damnable heresies, and therefore they plainly deny those most sacred books of Scripture, to be holy Scripture at al. As for the Sacraments though they confess two, yet in effect they deny all, saying they be but bare signs, conferring no grace at all; & though Baptism they have still (but not without damnable heresies about the same, in their opinions) yet their communion bread is poison, which they erect and set up against the true Altar & sacrifice of God in his church, which sacrifice of the Altar, they blasphaemously call an Idol, treading those divine mysteries, left for the food of our souls by christs holy institution, under their feet. The rest of the Sacraments they utterly deny, & contemn the sacred Virgins, which the church, as the dear darlings of Christ embraceth in her bosom, they profane religious persons by vows dedicated to God, they deride their Oratories, and sacred places they pull down, riotously consume, & bestow their livings, the sacred Priests of God in great numbers for professing of their faith, and execution of their function, they most cruelly persecute, and put to death. This England can testify, that besides the consumption of many in prison of all sorts, within this forty years hath had above an hundred Priests (be sides women and lay persons) some of them after long and most hard imprisonment rack, and torment at length, all of them, most cruelly put to death, hanged, drawn, and quartered, the most of them alive: In the inferior Germany, but in France especially have Priests there found more favour falling into the Hugonots hands? surely no; it will seem to posterity almost incredible, what the holy anointed of God have there suffered for the Catholic faith: some of them have had their bowels drawn out quick, and that on spits, winding them out before their faces to their greater torments, and lingering death; from others they cut off their members, and gave them roasted to eat; others they buried quick, leaving out their heads as pretty marks to bowl and play at, with many more exquisite torments, by those most cruel Caluinists, full of instinct and spirit of Beza, exercised upon the servants of God, and shall these be accounted of one Catholic Roman Church with us? whom Jews, Turks, vandals, Goths, nor most barbarous Scythians could never more cruelly persecute. Shall these I say, inherit and be partakers of the fruit of that vineyard of Christ, that with cursed Cham reveal their father's nakedness, as if there were any Pope, Bishop, Prelate, Priest, or religious person that showed some infirmities (as we be but men) most scornfully & odiously they set it out, to the scandal of the infirm, and reproach of the whole host of God his Church, whose ordinances and laws which all Christian men ought to obey (otherwise they be heathens & publicans) they break; whether it be in fasting, prayer, or any other good order, & that most spitefully, for that it is commanded by the Church to give a plain instance hereof. The old Lord Treasurer (Cecil) thought it in policy meet, or at least moved the matter, that the late Gregorian Calendar should be received, Elmer start up and said, though otherwise 
superintendant of London.  it were requisite, yet would he never consent to receive it, because it was ordained by the Pope. With more moderation the Treasurer replied: My Lo●if any thing good & laudable be instituted by the Pope, why may not we follow it. Surely quoth he it is unbishoply spoken, but john of London learned this lesson of his grandsire Luther, to hate th● Pope in all things, knowing that where the Pope's laws may take force, their heresy can have no sway nor entrance. Insomuch that Luther being dead & buried in hell (though the Pope according to Christ's promise, shall live, & govern the house of God to the world's end) yet, to show his bloody mind, & of his followers thus (have I heard) is it written of his Sepulchre, Morstua ero O Papa etc. See whether these be not fit children, and members for the Catholic Roman church (the death of whose chief father and Pastor, they imagine and intend to their uttermost power, & last breath, yea if it were possible even in their graves) Shall any Protestant ministers then be Pastors of Christ's flock, whose true Pastors they so mortally hate, whose sheep they infect, and devour indeed they shall have their hire, but with Chore, Dathan, Abiron, and their complices, whom hell devoured & swallowed up for ever, & that for a less sclusme, pride and disobedience, than Protestants daily and now many years have used, most obstinately against the whole Church of God, of whom they are no more meet to be members, than those rebellious Ch●rites were to be of the host of Israel, the army of the living GOD, if we be so straightly commanded in holy Scripture to fl●e the heretic, not to salure or converse with him, if Saint Paul did bid, auferte malum de medio vestri. For fear of corrupting the rest if the excommunicated the Corrinthian for a less fornication than heresy is, and if the whole Church of God near the Apostles time, have cut of less heretics than these from her society, yea for holding the same heresies that these heretics, of our times do (these holding withal many worse besides) will now then the same Church contrary to herself, her Master's precept, and apostolic doctrine, yea all sense & reason engraff such rotten members, (so virulent an pestiferous every way) in her body: yea will Christ her spouse I say embrace them in the lap and bosom of his Church; then surely will he admit Turks and all; and then wherefore was he incarnate, & suffered for us on the cross, which blessed passion as the Turks deny, so do Caluinists the effect thereof & that in more blaspheamous sort, than Turk's; Insomuch that I may safely affirm that protestant puritanes, be further of from the true Church of God, and have less excuse to make of their Apostasy, at the day of judgement than the very Turks. As for example the Turks have to show almost a thousand years now for their antiquity, & continuance in great glory prosperity, and victories, especially now within these two hundred years, with the applause consent, and following of many nations, with great show of alms, hospitality, long prayer, fasting, and other good deeds; all which our heretics want. As for the Turkish opinions though in a gross and carnal sort, yet they believe there is one God all good & just creator of all things & rewarder of well doers. But our devilish heretics most blaspheamously affirm, he is the author of evil, that his commandments are impossible to be kept, and therefore it followeth he is unjust, and most unmerciful to punish men with endless torments for breaking those laws that none can keep, besides that they hold that men want free will, and whether he do well or ill (if he be predestinate to be saved, or damned) he shall be, all is one. Caluine affirmed that CHRIST despaired and blasphemed his father upon the cross, suffering in his soul the pains of the damned: Yet the Turks hold him ever to be a holy Man, the Son of a Virgin, and the most blessed man that ever was or shall be, yea punish such as deny it, but you will say Caluin and his followers hold him to be GOD, which Turks do not, I deny that Caluin and his adherents acknowledge Christ for GOD unless they will have more GOD'S then one, and in so affirming they be worse than Turks: For what meaneth Caluin when contrary to the Church's creed, and faith, he denieth the Son of God to be Deus de Deo, God of God that is everlastingly begotten of his father's substance, but he will have him Deus ex se or per se as much to say as of another substance from his father, and so of the holy Ghost, and so it must needs follow that either there be three Gods as of divers substances or else that the Son, and the holy Ghost be no Gods at all, by this doctrine of Caluin & his followers; but the first cannot be, & yet if the son be of another substance from his father, then whether he be less than his father, equal or greater than his father, yet being of another substance from his father, (as Caluin blaspheameth) then must it needs follow there be two Gods at least, which consequent because Caluin denieth, & yet obstinately affirmeth the precedent: therefore he affirmeth Christ, or his father, or both, to be no god at al. And truly in my opinion it seemeth more tolerable to affirm there is no god, them thus with Caluin & other heretics to blaspheme his infinite goodness, which indeed cannot consist with the very essential nature of God; as to say he is unjust, unmerciful, the author of evil, so that protestāns be worse than very atheists, how much more tollerabe than be Turks than they, who though they deny the passion of Christ, yet do they not hold that ever he despaired or blasphemed God, as Caluinists do teaching likewise (but especially the Zwinglians) that not only Turks, and all heathenish children, if they be predestinate be aswell saved as Christian men's children Christened, who dying yea in their infancy, they say if they be not predestinate, though christened, yet can they not be saved, but also that the old heathens as Socrates, Hercules, Numa, etc. be saved, as much to say as christ died in vain for the world if such as never had respect to him could be saved without him as well as the B. Virgin, Peter, Paul, and such: for these and old heathens Zwinglius joineth together telling the King of France in his Epistle to him, exhorting him to embrace his Gospel which if he would do, he telleth yea and promiseth him, he shall see these and many more there together in one kingdom. Do you think this doctrine of these two men Caluin & Zwinglius (which our english Heretics chiefly follow and teach) can join the followers and believers thereof in the Catholic Church? surely then as I said, Turks, Atheists, and all heathens, be of the Church: doth not Caluin utterly 
These be Caluins ownewords Epist. ad Polonos. pag. 946. ut cognoscant te unum Deum id est Trinitatem hoc non modo tanquam insipidum sed prophanum quoque repudiamus.  utterly mislike and forbid that any should call upon, pray to, yea or use this word trinity: as to say o holy Trinity one GOD have mercy upon us, for though he can abide (in that manner as he teacheth) to hear named the Father the Son and the holy Ghost yet can he not abide this word consubstantiality (which one viz. Luther said his soul abhorred) nor this word Trinity neither as a papistical invention: For me to recite these places of theirs written at large would be too long and tedious, but their books be extant in every stationer's, shop and their doctrine herein so manifest, to the world that none can deny it, howsoever our politic courtly parliamentary religion here in England to dazzle simple men's eyes, will have such words as of Trinity still used to content the vulgar sort though they jump with their Apostles Zwinglius & Caluin in conceit & opinion in the deepest degree. Thus you see how in the chiefest points of our religion as of God, Christ, & the Blessed Trinity heretics quite differ from the catholic Church, as also in that great matter of justification by faith and good works in Christ jesus, which the holy Apostle S. Paul in his Epistles so divinely teacheth, whose meaning S. james after so perfectly explaineth, yea S. Peter the Prince of the Apostles exhorting us by good works to make our vocation sure & stable forwarneth Christians to take heed how they understand his brother Paul who according to that high divine wisdom of God given him, wrote many things hard to be understood, which the unlearned & unstable deprave as the rest of the Scriptures to their own destruction saith he; good Lord do not these wavering unstable heretics of our time (as S. Peter right worthily termeth them) never long continuing in one opinion but full, with themselves and others, of sects and dissensions do they not most perversely and corruptly interpret chief this holy Apostles Epistles against the true matter of justification, confounding faith & good works, yea affirming faith alone to justify, which is a very diabolical faith, affirming man hath no true justice in him, with many absurdities and heresies. As about the merits not only of our good works, and the Saints in heaven which they affirm to be none, but about the merrittes of JESUS Christ himself: the like absurdities they hold about predestination free will, the Sacraments, invocation of Saints, prayer for the dead, images, pilgrimage, pardons, fasting, prayers, and every point all most of the Catholic Church's faith. And be these of the Church of God who hold not one sound opinion almost of God, Heaven, Hell, Purgatory, nor of the Church of God itself militant here on earth, sparing neither the souls of the glorious S. in heaven, nor their bodies and sacred relics here in earth, but dig them out of their tombs, consume them with fire, and cast their ashes to be dispersed in the water, and the wind to try (perhaps with the old heathens) whether they shall rise again at the last day, and can we make these men (or rather monsters) members with these glorious Saints in heaven, as of the same Church whose faith they despise, whose good manners they so little follow and regard, and whose very bodies and ashes they so rack, tear, and ransack here on earth. If we can of chalk make cheese, make the Aethiopian white, or firmly conjoin brass and earth together, then perhaps we may join Catholics and Protestants in one Church and make them beautiful and acceptable in God's sight, and not before; no, no, these two as▪ far differ in God's sight, in his grace and favour, as the other things do in nature, and much more: Heretics that divide their love from the whole Church of God, divide their lives, divide their faith and religion, can be no more acceptable of God (the natural head and spouse of his one only Church) than it could be pleasing to the natural mother by salomon's motion to have the child divided, who chose rather to leave it in the evil woman's keeping: even so God our true father will have us one (as he is one) in unity of true faith and religion in his Church, or else we cannot be true children with him in his house, which is one and not divided. Hereupon my first ground 
1.  is this, that neither Lutherans, Protestants, Puritans, nor any other sect whatsoever in the world, dissenting from the common known Catholic and apostolic Roman Church, can be members of the true Church of GOD, nor canpossibly be saved; because as God is one, so his true Catholic spouse the Church (as one wife of one husband) is one, one in faith and religion, and that in every point and article, tuam unus Dominus, una fides, unum Baptisma, and without true faith it is impossible to please God, which is only the one Catholic faith, and Church, without which whosoedyeth, shall most certainly perish everlastingly, as all did bodily out of noah's Ark, testimonties hereof be abundant, the Prophets, Saint Paul, and all the whole course of Scriptures and Fathers, so expounding them, namely holy Athanasius whose Creed is received of the universal Church of God, which Church is rightly called, una Columba mea, amica mea, of Christ her spouse, viz: my only dove, my darling, one, chosen out from amongst a thousand: all heretics then dissenting thus from Catholics, and amongst themselves can never be members of God's Church, as long as they remain in this state, divided from that one, and only Catholic Church. Secondly, if we look inwardly into the most essential parts of our Catholic faith and religion, you shall find them chief to differ from us therein, for if they were but incertain indifferent matters left for learned men to use their opinions and judgement in, and not articles of faith defined out of holy Scripture by the Church of God, (the true keeper and expositor of Scripture) wherein they differ from us, they were tolerable; but they differ from us, not only in less articles, but in many, and the chiefest, substantial, intrinsical parts and articles of faith, the least whereof, every one under pain of damnation, is bound to keep pure, and undefiled. Now Buny in his Pacification pag. an hundred and eight, following some of his fellows, Bullinger, Musculus, and the like (who finding themselves miserably entangled with this question of the Church) devised certain principles and foundations of faith, wherein whosoever agreed, they should be accounted all members of one church, these Buny imitating (of his bounty) is so liberal towards us poor Papists; insomuch that more than once he affirmeth that in substance of religion we and they agree, and therefore that we be all one members of one Catholic, and Apostolic Church, and blameth his fellow Ministers; that very rashly, and inconsiderately they reject Papists from the communion of the true church. For (saith he) unless we confess the papistical Church, to be the true Catholic and Apostolic Church (whereof we are members no less than the Papists) we cast ourselves into a great difficulty to find any other Carholicke and Apostolic Church, which being planted first of the Apostles, hath always continued to our time, wherein we as members may be engraffed, which if we cannot find or perform, then are we constrained to confess our Church to be more new and later than the Roman Church, thus far Buny: whereby, you may see what shifts heretics are driven to, that would make the world to believe we differ in small, or no substantial parts of teligion that so by seeming to creep into one Church with us (though wanting altogether the virtue, and for the most part the true faith of members of the Church) yet at leastwise they may cover themselves under the bare title of the true Church; the more to cover their bad dealings, and to deceive the simple. But what frontless brazen faces of Protestants be these to affirm that their sects agree with the CATHOLIC CHURCH not only of all former times, and of all Nations in the world, but also that they be not contrary to the universal Church at this day. Let us then briefly consider all the essential, or substantial parts of the Church of ancient time and of this age which is all one, and let us see in what one principal point of faith or government, Heretics agree with us. First they have instituted another regiment or politic government of the Church quite contrary to that of the true CATHOLIC CHURCH, for in steed of the Bishop of Rome (general and only chief Pastor of the whole Church) they have made temporal Princes heads of the Church, whereby as for example here in England, making first a Man, than a Boy, and now a Woman head of the Church, they change religion as oft as Princes, whether the Prince be Lutheran, Adiaphorist, half Catholic, as King Henry was; Zwinglian (as his daughter is said to be) trinitary, Arrian as another may be, or Turk as perhaps the other may be; if to be supreme head of the Church be so annexed to the Crown as a matter of inheritance as our English Divines now of late have made it, yea and that by God's law we be bound to obey them in spiritual matters, then by this divinity, every new King may coin a new religion, quite contrary to his predecessor; and all good and holy. Whereas to Pster and his successors, Christ's Vicar, by Christ's ordinance made head of his Church, to keep uniformity of faith to the worlds end: in the same is certainly promised to the confusion of all heretics in the world, that his faith (ever one) shall not fail, which promise Christ hath hitherto kept with his Church and general Pastor, and shall do to the world's end, let me see now whether any heretic in the world, can, or dare avouch so much for his sect, whereas we dare boldly affirm, that CHEST his prayer to his father for our true Church is heard, Ego rogavi pro te Petre ut non deficiat fides tua. Well this ordinance of CHRIST (of such importance for the government of the Church) heretics have altered, and you see how it proveth with them; Quot capita, tot fides, tot senten tiae. Secondly, they have quite taken away Priesthood, and Sacrifice, and have induced a new ministry altogether, which is a matter of so great importance, that it altereth the whole law. Thirdly, of seven Sacraments they have taken away quite six, is this a small point think you; which in effect taketh from us, the chief effects of CHRIST'S Passion and Redemption, insomuch that a true Catholic rather ought ro suffer death, then deny the least Sacrament, but Buny and such like can swallow up any thing. Fourthly, they have quite abolished certain articles out of the very Apostles Creed, as for example, whereas according to the Scriptures, we are taught to believe how CHRIST dsscended into hell: if the Apostles creed be not substantial parts of our religion, wherein we are taught chief what to believe (whereas this unity of the faith Apostolic is one chief foundation of christian religion) than nothing at all is material or of substance to be believed: Fiftly, as I said before, touching predestination justification, free will, reward of good works, Protestants have coined such new opinions (besides old heresies which they holdt about some of them) as were never heard of before. Sixtly, they deny authority to many of the canonical Scriptures. seventhly, (as I also touched before) of the nature of GOD, of the blessed Trinity of three persons and unity of one substance, of the death of Christ, and redemption, heretics have devised monstrous horrible opinions and blaspheamyes, horrible for not only Christians but very Turks to think or speak of, & be these the fellows that make not a Church a new of their own but amend the old, do they differ from us I say but in small indifferent matters; Fie upon such palpable lies, fie upon such impudence, that ever men that would be accounted reasonable creatures, can have faces to avouch such absurdities, to go about to huddle up such gross inconveniences all in one bowgett; and most miserable and weak senseless and ungracious be those men that can believe such lying Masters, that under such pretence of piety, or rather the profession of open impiety bring in such sects of perdition, to the subversion of many silly souls. Thirdly as I here 
3.  before have noted, in taking away external priesthood & sacrifice, they have quite in a most essential point altered the whole law of Christ; for according to the Apostles doctrine and Haeb. 7. 5 12. translate enim sacerdotio necesse est ut & legis translatio fiat so that say Bullinger Buny or any other protestāns in the world what they will they must go seek a new Church, from the Catholic Church to mask themselves in: for here possibly can be no hold for them, whose priesthood they have taken away, whose sacrifice they have aboleshed, which priesthood & sacrifice is one great part of the chief form and substance of the whole law of Christ, for hereby we be taught the law of God, hereby we be governed and conserved in the law of God, hereby we chiefly acknowledge god, hereby we be severed from false believers and worshippers of GOD, and heareby we truly worship, honour, and adore the most high and only God, and with such supreme worship, as is due to no creatuer neither in heaven nor earth, so that you see what heretics have done, in not only altering, but leaving no external priesthood nor Sacrifice at all: First they by quite altering the law of Christ have made them a new Church of their own to dwell in more than ever GOD made; they have also abrogated all good discipline and orderly government, both to learn how to believe, and how to live and conserve themselves in the grace of GOD, and openly to be known for his servants, yea in taking away Sacrifice the chief service of GOD, they frustrate in themselves the coming of Christ, the fruits of his Passon, and make an open gap to all sin, infidelity and plain Atheism, as by lamentable experience we see at this day, wheresoever protestāns have planted their fift Gospel, that quite supplanteth them out of the true Church of Christ into the malignant church of Satan. Fourthly heretics truly acknowledging now by force the Roman church for the true Catholic Church justly condemn themselves as being justly censured and condemned for blaspheamous obstinate heretics of the same which if she be the true Church (as they say desiring to be accounted members of the same) then is she not contrary to herself as being guided with the holy Ghost as Christ promised his true Church ever should be, & thus you see the Apostles words verified in heretics who be damned by their own judgement (saith he & therefore bids us. Flee them after the first and second correction, to such Christ shall justly say at the last day. Ex ore tuo te judico serve nequam, who for their impiety and misbelieving being openly condemned accursed & quite cut of by excommunication by his spouse & from her (who yet being urged they durst not but confess her to be the true Church) yet still they disobeyed her, to their own perdition and of their deceived followers, like to those proud devils who confessing Christ to be the Son of God, yet given over in desperate obstinacy to a reprobate sense, still by their sleights & temptations, draw as many as they can from God, blaspheming his holy name though to their own pain ever, and greater damnation, heereuppon it is so hard to hear of a learned chief heretic truly converted, if he have long continued obstinate, because he sinneth of malice, and commonly in the beginning especially against his own conscience, and so damned by his own judgement, in the end, is by God's just judgement quite blind in soul & understanding, and so being become obdurate or hardened in heart, is given over in reprobum sensum. Thus you see how heretics make an argument against themselves in accounting themselves members of that Church which they rebelliously disobey which by Christ's commandment they are commanded to hear & follow contrary to whose precept from which they be runnegates & plain Apostates & of the same Church be publicly condemned. Fiftly it irketh me to find any so feeble or weak if they be but once well inclined to the true Catholic Church, as once to think that the heretics of our time can be in any sort members of the same, to yield reasons for the disproof of so manifest an untruth, seemeth to me as needless as to prove that the Devil is alyar or that the Sun shineth at the noon day: For besides (as I touched before) the Heretics of our time one sect or other, either quite deny or else damnably err in the most principal and substantial articles of Christian faith and religion, yea so far and deeply that Turks may as well yea and 
Except that heretics bear the name of Christians, etc.  better (though both be nought) be admitted as Christian catholics and for members of God's Church as they. For the heretics of this time raise up from hell, all old heresies (whereof Turcisine first arose) for the most part that have been from Christ's time to this day, & such as many hundred years agone have been condemned by the general consent of all Christendom & now knitting altogether in one farthel with a number more of their own and the devils new devising they make rather a general apostasy denying all things in effect that good is, than an heresy from the Church making the high way to the Devil and Antichrist, learning yet this lesson of false Mahomet their grandesire, to admit all sects and religions, that in outward words confess GOD, to be of their Church or to be saved and, so by the devils drift endeavour to their power, to send all the world packing to Hell. Butlett us suppose (which would GOD it were true) that Protestants differed from the Catholic Church, but in some one point; or the least article of our faith now in question at this day. As for example invocation of Saints, or the use of images, yet I say & am able plainly to prove, that for the obstinate denial of the less of these points, or any such like they should quite cut themselves off from the unity of Christ's Catholic Church; which we are bound by Christ's own word, & by the instruction of our creed to hear & believe, & because as there is but one faith & Church, so but one truth therein, which is plain and simple and cannot be intermeddled with any lie, therefore whatsoever this church proposeth as matter of truth & faith to be believed. I am bound to believe it or else I discredit her for a lying Church & so not the Church of Christ which is truth, so that deny the Church's truth and belief in one point, deny her in all, and the misbelief and obstinate gain saying against one article of faith, maketh one an heretic, and so offender against the whole, for God is truth and wholly in every part of truth, so that to deny any received truth of the Church, which is matter of faith, is to offend against the whole, insomuch that S. james saith qui totam legem seruaverit offender it autem in uno factus est, omnium reus, he that keepeth the whole law & offendeth in one point is guilty of all, now the true Church of GOD eight hundred years agone condemned image breakers, (for example) quite cutting them off from the corpse & unity of the Church commending to all as a matter of faith that good Christians ought reverently to keep and useth sacred Images of Christ and his Saints, the same doth the Church of God still believe, teach & confirmed it in her last general Council, holden at Trent & as these image breakers for that one heresy were many hundred years agone condemned by the consent of all Christendom and cut of quite from the whole Church, so were those that denied invocation of Saints and their holy relics as joumian and Vigilantius in S. jeroms time against which heretics and their heresies as new Idols Saint Jerome himself thundering with 
Note here that Beza in Actor. Apo. cap. 23. v. 3. Is angrywith S. Jerome forwriting against joumian & vigilantius saying Ego coram Deo & Angelus e●us affirm, intoller an dan● esse multis locis in de torquè dis Scriptures Hieronimi andaciam ut in libro contra iovinianum & Vigilantium: see here how Beza approveth eld heretics of his opinions condemning S. Hierome.  authority of God's word and his church very sententiously and learnedly burst them asunder; many other such like heretics for other opinions as the Donatists in Africa in S. Augustine time agreeing many of them in all other points with the Catholic Church yea many of them differing little or nothing at all in the outward rite and form of the Church's service, yea some of them but schismatics in the beginning yet were they all cut of the Church, no true Christians ever Communicating with them in Sacraments or prayers the holy fathers so vehe mently writing against the least of those heresies that rather than they would have admitted the least of them into the Church of God, they would have suffered many deaths, and come now heretics that cast down Images Saints yea Christ himself out of the Church and pull down churches and all, and think to be accounted member of god's Church, nay that Church hath ever taught us another lesson who hath ever been so careful to keep her faith with Saint Paul that rejoicing said fidem seruavi: In all points, so pure and undefilled (remembering her chief pastors lesson) that therein she must resist the Devil; seeking ever his prey whom he may devour whom he bids us resist Forts in fide, strong in the Catholic faith especially; That even as the Church triumphant in heaven with God can admit no impure or unclean soul distained with sin, so certainly the true Church of God militant here on earth neither may nor can admit into her society any open obstinate leaporous heretic infected with the least heresy, and why? but because as treason is most hay nous to the Prince and common weal, so is heresy most grievous in the sight of GOD, and most pernicious to his Church: many other great offenders the Prince oft spareth, but very seldom is treason pardoned, because it tendeth to the ruin of the King's person, and dissolution of the whole state and Monarchy. So the holy Church oft times with great compassion, is forced to tolerate grievous sinners, yea with sighs and tears ought to sorrow and lament them, expecting donec formetur in eyes Christus, and as long as they be not obstinate in sin, as in theft, fornication, or more grievous faults, so long oft she expects I say their amendment, not quite cutting them off, but relieving them with prayers and good Counsel that so she upon their recovery with joy may embrace them in visceribus misericordiae Christi, but even as the vigilant shepherd immediately driveth away the Wolf or separateth the scabbed sheep from 〈◊〉 flock for fear of killing his lambs or infecting his sound sheep. So the true Pastors of the Church never tolerate heresy, nor the least heretic in Christ's flock the Church, because it creepeth as the canker, and destroyeth the corn of Christ; Darnell, Cockle, and such other weed, though it be permitted to grow still with corn till the day of reaping, yet venomous black flying vermin, that consume the corn at every bit, must diligently at all times be driven away. For heresy opposeth herself by division against God which is one preferring her own wit before the wisdom and ordinance of Christ in his Church, sinneth most highly in Luciferian pride, which God so detesteth: breaketh charity & the knot of peace in his Church which he chief loveth: and so shooteth against GOD himself the chief Monarch in most traitorous and rebellious sort by pride, and goeth about to shake and pull down the foundation of his common weal his Church, in steed of true faith (where of it standeth) perverting the understanding the eye of the soul, that is by false doctrine whereof the tower of Babylon the very Synagogue of Satan is builded. So that the Church ever carefully conserveth true faith in every point clear as the apple of the eye, the sight whereof, as it cannot tolerate the least moth to cleave to it, so cannot the Church of God admit the least heresy, or join himself in society with the least sect of heretics or schismatics in the world, no more than a generous minded & most royal Princes can admit in her kingdom, some new unworthy upstart that seeketh to be her equal or superior, or the jealous husband can permit the adulterer he suspecteth with his wife, to lie in bed by her side, no, no, coang●státum est stratum nec pallium breve utrumque operire potest, neither is there any agreement in the least things betwixt light and darkness, betwixt GOD and the Devil, betwixt his true CATHOLIC CHURCH and that false babylonical strumpet heresy. Hereupon it cometh, that most blessed holy divine men ever so detested heresy, and the least society or affiance to the same, Saint john would not come in the bath where the heretics had been. another holy man (though most innocent) could tolerate himself to be accounted a whoremaster, an unclean person, and the like, but when one called him an heretic, he could bear no longer: So Saint Basil talking with the Emperor of matters of religion: the Cook coming in saucily, and telling the holy man his opinion, that it was but a small matter to yield to his Master the Emperor in a word or two, and needed not to stand so precisely in divine matters, which seemed indifferent, or of no great moment, yea sir Cook (quoth S. Basil) it is your part to tend to your Pottage, and not to boil or chop up divine matters: & then with great gravity turning to the Emperor said, that those that were conversant in divine matters (with conscience) would rather suffer death, then suffer one jot of holy Scripture (much less an article of faith) to be altered or corrupted. What think you now, if such a one as M. Buny or a less heretic perhaps, as some Arrian heretic should have come in & denied with protestants, not jors, nor words, but whole books of Scripture, not one article, but almost all the Sacraments, with many articles of the Catholic faith, & that such, as be the chief substance of the same, and yet for all that, with such unclean fingers seeking to make a Pacification betwixt them, and Saint Basil with the Catholics, and should say we believe all one God, and so are of one Church with you, let us not pass of this article, or that this place of Scripture and the other, but without more ado, account us as we are Catholics with you, what may we think this grave divine Basil would have answered to such a motion, how would he have shaken up such a nullifidian Minister of the Devil? how would he have drawn out that weapon so terrible to the wicked and more piercing than the two edged sword, and told him flatly with his Master CHRIST, ●owe in that case, n●●●●●●●itt●re pac●m, sed gladium, and may not we say to such Ne●ters as Bunny and his fellows be, which be the worst kind of heretics in the world, which be● neither hot nor cold, make a hodge podge of altogether. Master Buny, you that thus unskilfully behave yourself in divine matters (and yet not altogether unlearned in compositions) better it will become you to make some compounds of apothecary stuff, or if that be too difficult or painful for you, some meash of a pot of good Ale and divers sundry spices, as you sit in your chair by the fire side, then thus without all skill▪ learning, or reason in divinity to make a conjunction of two things, that be as far as heaven and hell asunder, as heretics of our time especially be, from the Church of God; Nay the heretical and schismatical Greeks and other old sects in the east, and by north, which be far nearer in faith to catholics then Protestants be, have many of them many hundred years ago by the just consent of Christendom been▪ quite cut off from the true Church of God, yea schismatics here in England that in all articles believe as the Catholic Church doth, yet in doing contrary to their faith Ipso facto they cut themselves off from the Church of Christ which can admit none nor acknowledge justly for hers but such as keep unity of faith both in thought and action, such as are not ashamed to confess the truth before men, such as believe in heart for justice, and confess in mouth to salvation I 
Petr●● Aboto.  heard once of a learned divine, who earnestly disputing in schools, of the authority of the holy Scriptures, one merrily (though unfitly in that place and matter) brought in the example of Tobies' dog that wagged his tail so to infirm the authority of the whole books as that he was not bound to believe that, what said the divine dost thou make a jest of it, the verity whereof I am ready to defend with my blood, which was right worthily spoken, for though some places of holy Scripture be more mistle all then other and contain not all profound ma●er alike; Yet some places for faith and other for mortal life, another for mystery, another avowching some circumstance apperreyning to the verity of some history, (as this for example of Tobyas dog) in their degree be all true alike, which books of holy Scriptures & every sentence contained therein being proposed to us by the Church to be believed to be true, a good Christian ought rather to suffer death then deny one sentence thereof to be true for so discrediting the Church and Scriptures in one point he might make the rest uncertain and so doubt in all. But heretics that deny the whole book of Toby, Hester, judith the Canticles, the Proverbs, Ecclesiasticus, the two books of Machabies, Bar●ch, yea 
Or if they call not in question these whole books yet some notable sentences & chapters of the same.  some call in question whether Mark, Matthew and Luke be true Gospels, and whether the apocalypsis be a true book of Scripture, some flatly denying Saint james Epistle as Luther their chief Apostle, and corrupt the rest of holy Scriptures shall these men be written in the book of life, that lay such violent hands of God's book shall we admit such rebellious traitors in the host of God's Church, that thus first robbing her of her armour whereby she may defend herself, endeavour quite to subvert her, scatter and disperse her a sunder, these Protestants new Masters and teachers. 
6.  Sixtly, If they were of God who is not author Dissentionis fed pacis, they would agree together and with their first masters especially, who many of them in the beginning & since quite disclaim from our Church as quite decayed, and come they now to us with their foul feet, when many of their fautors, and all wise and honest men are weary of them. seventhly, such heretics as can 
7.  admit any sect in their Church, show themselves to be of no conscience, no fervour, no faith, no religion, and been the most dangerous persons in the world & commonly the worst & hardest to be reclaimed to good? These be the persons God most abhorreth wishing they were either hot or cold, Sed quaniam taepidus es, because thou art lukewarm (saith he) I will even spew thee out of my mouth signifying GOD can digest no such Neuter Nullifrdian sots; in figure whereof it was forbidden in the law to have a garment woven of linen &  signifying that the mixture of contrary sects, Christ cannot admit in his garment his spouse the Church, which though it was well embroidered wholly over, declaring how his Church should be adorned & glister with variety of all noble & golden virtues in every state & degree yet should they, all tend to charity & end in one, signified by the same garment whole with out seam, which the cruel soldiers yet divided not, then which; heretics be worse that rent & tear with barbarous cruelty & sundry heresies: asunder the mystical body and garment of Christ his Church, and this to do the better now in the latter end of the world, and most dangerous days by subtly creeping into her, they would make of her as it were a linsey wolsey medley garment for themselves a while to mask in, till they might if it were possible rob & spoil her of all virtues, and heavenly treasures of scriptures, Saints, sacraments, God & all such drone bees that seek to their own ruin, and of others, to suck the sweet of other men's labours, CHRIST JESUS will ever have his watchmen to drive back from his sacred enclosed garden whereinto none shall truly enter, but the right in faith nor any enjoy the fruits thereof everlastingly but the righteous in heart, for if the Church (as I said) hath justly shirt out at all times before and since Christ's time heretics for less heresies) than these of our days be by many degrees) yea if God himself hath not spared just revenge of many of them in this life, yea sometimes to the terror of others hath inflicted terrible sudden death for less sins than heresy, yea spared not Angels in heaven for that vice proper to all heretics (which is pride) then though he be long, patiented let no heretic think he shall in the end scape the heavy hand of God, in token of whose heavy wrath and just indignation for this sin of heresy, all good Christian Emperors, Kings, & Magistrates have most severely punished it with fire to the terror of the wicked, and preservation of the good. Lastly heretics 
8. Heretics be most fit to be linked in one Church with the Turk who have pulled down that most noble & religious order of the Knights of the Rhodes, ordained to defend Christendom against the Turk, to whom Protestants now show all homage in most humble letters gift and other tokens of benevolence yea complotting with him to the ruin of Catholic states & princes as both by their letters intercepted & evident actions appeareth.  that would be of one Church with catholics by what joints & sinews would they be knit to and with them, surely they have lest none, for if they run (as many of them have done) to the primitive Church, and the Apostles time, they may indeed falsely and foolishly brag of the head, but then they must absurdly without body and other members, join their soul feet to their monstrous Chimerical head of that old dragon, but not of Christ whose Church hath ever visibly continued, & shall do to the end of the world, but if they will join themselves with us now that by God's grace be catholics: I see not one bond of faith, Hope nor Charity left in them to make this connextion between us, they that have razed out or defaced the whole Scriptures which by God's grace we keep to our defence, they that contemn whole general counsels, where on we stand firmly, they that nothing regard all holy Fathers, which as watchmen in GOD'S house teach us how to govern ourselves, they that take away Sacraments that ●oster and feed us to life everlasting they that abolish sacrifice, whereby we are to worship God only, they that blaspheme God the blessed Trinity on whom we are to believe they that take away Saints in heaven from praying for us, and the Church of GOD heese from all authority to guide and govern us, all which articles and diverse others which they deny we steadfastly believe, here is no way left you see to conjoin us in faith. As for hope with us in GOD they have none left neither but in themselves only who they make judges over themselves of their own fancies: Knowing without all doubt (as they say) they shall be saved before CHRIST come to judgment, and so they be passed hope. As for Charity how can they agree with us so quite contrary to them, that can agree in no one point amongst themselves saving that they in one point conspire together (yea all heretics in the world) that is to rail against, and impugn the Pope our chief pastor under Christ the Bishop of Rome him the Lutherans, him the Caluinists, him Protestants, him Anabaptists, him Trinitaries, him the family of love cry out of with one uniform consent (crucifige) but in other matters how many men so many opinions, commonly reign, cursing one another like devils whom they serve, deriding and scoffing each one another; see but only the invectives of puritanes, against protestants here in England, & go no further, & note how they be entertained again by Whitgift & others, and it will give some taste of the rest how they agree first amongst themselves going about to thrust one another out of temporal possessions, yea to cut one another's throat. As for their charity towards us it is no other than that of julian the Apostate towards Christians of his time, who spoiling them of their goods, and many of their lives, said he did them a benefit, because according to their Master CHRIST'S promise, they should receive a hundred fold for things lost so, here in this life, and after the Kingdom of heaven, Such charity heretics show to us that imprison us, spoil us of goods and livings, consume many with a lingering persecution (most terrible) dispatch others with violent death, infame us, slander us make us, odious to the state and Princes where we live, as traitors, impoverish our widows, beggar o●r children, enfeeble & corrupt our youth, profane our virgins, rob our churches kill & murder our Priests: be these in peace & charity with us? That offer open hostility against us in word, deed and in every libel they make or paltry sermon they preach. Fie upon such hypocrisy, fie upon such feigned charity jesus preserve all true believers from such a ch●rch as heretics have now devised, from such a peace or pacification which they pretend, Qui enim paris fideli cum infideli, qut q●● conventio Christi ad Belial aut quis consensus templi Dei cum Idolis, and peace is to those only that believe truly in God, to those that have steadfast trust in him, to those that loving him above all things, live in unity & peace, by perfect charity with their neighbours all which firm bonds to tie themselves with us, because heretics want, therefore as long as they contyneu in this state, they can have no portion with us, nor in the land of the living, nam non est pax imp●is dicit Dominus, would GOD therefore they would truly and unfeignedly seek to be one with us, which to our grief & unspeakable loss to themselves, they have first forsaken; that so we might be one with them, most joyfully should they be embraced of us, yea to win them to this, we would adventure our lives, spare no labour peril nor pains, yea with many heavy sighs & tears c●ying to our sweet & blessed Lord jesus that he would move their hearts to come now at length lest it will be to late, we beseech them for the love of Christ (with the holy Apostle to be reconciled to God by doing true penance without which alas they shall certainly perish evermore. We humbly beseech them to be sorry for their enormous crimes, to recant & abjure their heresies, and so with all humility of heart & mind sweetly to embrace the cross of Christ which so long they have been professed enemies of. And this is the ordinary means they must use if ever they will be members of one Church with us or be saved, in the unity of which church our blessed Lord speedily in graff them. I humbly beseech him though it were with the effusion of my blood to their endless good and glory of his name. And here now finally, I instantly beseech all good catholics with due thanks giving to be joyful in God and constant in that true faith and Catholic Church, out of which to our comfort and confirmation we see our very adversaries confess none can be saved, in which true Church of ours I say though our enemies by force of truth confess we may be saved, yet (alas) they living and dying out of the same, we know most certainly they shall be damned, yea by their own judgement & confession: O how happy had they been, if never they had broken down the wall by forsaking that unity unto which (unless they return again) they can never embrace charity nor enjoy grace nor glory. O Lord than open their eyes that they may see, for without thee, they may, and have fallen▪ but without thee, they can never see, nor find the means to arise again, grant us all grace then we beseech thee most bountiful Saviour, that we (that by thy special grace be called of thee from amongst many lost sheep to be of thy flock, servants in thy house, workmen in thy vineyard, members of thy mystical body the Cath: Church) may ever be so thankful to thee in sound virtue, pure life & conversation for our state and gracious vocation, that having no other thing (as of ourselves) to rejoice and glory in, but that we are thy members (O B. jesus) which thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood, that (I say we are thy flesh & blood, & members of that body, whereof thou art the head, we may so answer by thy grace to this high and heavenly vocation, & happy state, that being worthy & fruitful members of thy body here in earth, we may for ever after this life, see thy face in glory.   
Amen. Laus De●. I. ✚ R.  
Finis.   

THE CONTENTS OF THE CHAPTERS Contained in this Book.  

CHap. 1. Of th● tru● way to Salvation. pag. 1.  
chap. 2. Of th● 〈◊〉 certain note of the true Church▪ pag. 17.  
chap. 3. Of the second certain note of the true Church. pag. 27.  
chap. 4. Of the third certain note of the true Church. pag. 33.  
chap. 5. Of the fourth certain note of the true Church. pag. 45.  
chap. 6. Of some other signs and tokens, of the true Catholic Church, etc. how without it none can be saved. pag. 52.  
chap. 7. Of the Sacraments in general. p. 68  
chap. 8. What a Sacrament is, of the effects of the Sacraments, and why they were ordained. pag. 71.  
chap. 9 Of the holy Sacrament of Baptism, and of the necessity thereof. pag. 75.  
chap. 10. How necessary & fruitful Christ's passion is to all that follow him in patience▪ & good works, & how by Baptism the virtue thereof is applied to cur souls. pag. 81  
chap. 11. Declaring what Baptism is, & that Baptism remitteth all sins, & ho● it truly justifieth us. pag. 84.  
chap. 12. Of the impiety, and abuse of heretics about Baptism. pag. 90.  
chap. 13. Of the holy Sacrament of Confirmation. pag. 95.  
chap. 14. Of the holy Sacrament of Penance, and of the three parts thereof, & of the necessity thereof to all sinners after Baptism. pag. 100  
chap. 15. That Confession of our sins to a lawful Priest is necessary. pag. 107.  
chap. 16. Of Confession more in particular▪ and of some sins against the first & second commandment. pag. 113.  
chap. 17. Of the rest of the commandments, and of some sins against them to be confesled to the Priest. pag. 118.  
chap. 18. Declaring what sin is, and how grievous in the sight of God▪ and how severely it is▪ and shall be punished for ever. pag. 124.  
chap. 19 Of the great ingratitude of man to God by sin▪ and that there is a difference of sins, with an exhortati● to Confession, & am●dment by penance. p. 131.  
chap. 20. Of whom t●e Sacrament of Penance was ordained, and that Priests have authority given them by Christ to forgive sins, and of the matter, form, and effect of Penance. pag. 136.  
chap. 21. Of the most blessed Sacrament and sacrifice of Christ's body and Blood substantially, really, and truly upon the Altar. pag. 142.  
chap. 22. That Heretics which deny Christ's body in the Sacrament, evacuate the fruits of Christ's death and Passion in men's souls, and prepare the way to Antichrist. pag. 148.  
chap. 23. Wherein is declared that we ought as really, & as truly to receive his Body with our mouths to health & salvation, as Adam did eat the forbidden apple to death and damnation. pag. 152.  
chap. 24. Of the excellency of the most blessed Sacrament, and in what respect it is called a sacrament, sign, or figure, & yet is the very thing itself which it beto keneth. pag. 181.  
chap. 25. Declaring how it implieth not contradiction that Christ is in heaven, and in the Sacrament in many places at once, but only declareth an infinite and almighty power of God, and that divine honour is due hereunto. pag. 226.  
chap. 26. Of the B. sacrament of the Altar, showing how conveniently it was ordained for our reparation, & what preparation we ought to make to the same. p. 262▪  
chap. 27. Of the Manna, the paschal Lamb, and other figures of the B. sacrament. pag. 269.  
chap. 28. Wherein is touched how this sacrament is also a sacrifice daily unbloofily offered by Priests, & propitiatory for the quick & the dead, & that it is the only saerifice whereby God is chief honoured and worshipped. pag. 274.  
chap. 29. Of the great love and humility of Christ in this B. sacrament, & of the devotion of Christians of old towards the same. pag. 281.  
chap. 30. Containing a brief recapitulation of things touched in the treatif● of this sacrament, & declaring that lay persons be not defrauded of the blood of Christ, nor healthful fruit of the sacrament in receivieg under one kind p. 288.  
chap. 31. Of holy Order, what it is, by whom it was ordained, and of how many degrees it consisteth, and that no man rashly without due consideration ought to take upon him the same. pag. 305.  
chap. 32. Of the higher orders, and ho●e necessary by God's ordinance one head is over the rest. pag 309.  
chap. 33. Of God's severe punishment of deuers for arrogating to themselves Priestly office, and how we are to obey our Pastors. pag. 318.  
chap. 34. Of the goodly order of the Clergy, and Monarchy of the Church, and of the Anarchy, and disorderly confusion of heretics. pag. 325.  
chap. 35 Wherein is more at large described the babylonical confusion of sin and heresy, & how God hath blessed this Country of old for honour & obedience to the Church & Priesthood. pag. 330.  
chap. 36. Of Matrimony, and what it is, and when it was ordained: of the chief good, end, & effect thereof, & how Virginity is preferred before it: also of vowed chastity annexed to priesthood. p. 336  
chap. 37. That vows may be lawfully, & meritoriously made, and aught to be kept, and that Matrimony is a band inseparable during life, and wherein it consisteth. pag. 342.  
chap. 38. Of extreme Unction, that it is a Sacrament, and ordained by Christ, taught by S. james, & practised by the Apostles and apostolic men. pag. 345.  
chap. 39 Touching briefly by the way, the matter of justification, and by whom, & how we be justified. pag. 350.  
chap. 40▪ Of Predestination, and that as no man is saved without God's grace: So no man shall be damned without his own fault, and that we m●st not curiously dispute hereof. pag. 357.  
chap. 41. That man hath free will, & that God's Commandments are possible to be kept, & that every one must work his salvation with fear & trembling pag. 361.  
chap▪ 42. Of Christ's descending into Hell, & of the intolerable blasphemy of heretics against Christ in this point. pag. 365  
chap. 4●. Of Purgatory what sort of people be therein punished, and for what m●nner of sins, & defects they be there detained▪ and th●t Prayer, Sacrifice, Almsdeeds, and the like be healthful for the departed. pag. 367.  
chap. 44. More at large of Purgatory & prayer for the dead, & how heretics no● only corrupt, but deny th● plain scriptures in avouching the contrary. pag. 371.  
ch. 45. Of Pardons, & what they are, whereof they come & in what sort they be available both for the living & the dead. p. 376  
chap. 46. By what means Pardons may be applied to our souls, and that we must justly do that which is appointed us to be partakers of the same. pag. 380.  
chap. 47. Of Excommunication, & how dreadful a thing it is, & how heretics being excommunicated in the higbest degree their excommunication of others is ridiculous & contemptible. pag. 384.  
chap. 48▪ Of some abuses about Pardons, and of the late reformation of the same, and of the covetous humours of English Ministers. pag. 385.  
chap. 49. Exhorting all to do their Penance meekly here, and not to trust to much to the help, and prayers of their friends left behind. pag. 387.  
chap. 50. Of Pilgrimage proved by examples of Christ, & his servants. pa. 390.  
chap. 51. Of the relics of Saints reverently to be used and kept, & of miracles wrought by means of them. pag. 392.  
chap. 52. Of honour & invocation of Saints and how Saints pray for us, & may hear and relieve us by their prayers: as also that our prayers to Saints & their intercession for us is no injury, but glory to Christ ou● Mediator. pag. 397.  
chap. 53. Declaring how God for his holy servants sakes heareth our prayers, and how the holy Fathers of old prayed to Saints. pag. 403.  
chap. 54. Touching by the way the blessed Virgin our Lady, and the injuries done unto her. pag. 406.  
chap. 55. Of Images, and of the Cross of Christ, and of the reverend & laudable uses of the same. pag. 409.  
chap. 56. Of Service in the Latin tongue: and how meet & convenient it is that the Scriptures be reserved, & service said in the ancient, & sacred tongues▪ pag. 413  
chap. 57 Wherein the Apostles words touching praying, and preaching in unknown tongues are expounded, and of the goodly order of the Church's service▪ pra●ing▪ singing, & praising God night and day in her cannonicall hours, feasts, and times of the year pag. 421.  
chap. 58. Of the Beads, & of the fifteen● mysteries of th● Rosary, or our Lady's Psalter: & of the great good, & spiritual fruit by devout saying the same▪ pag. 424.  
chap. 59 Of the ave Maria how it is a most devout prayer, grateful to God▪ joyful to Angels, terrible to the Devil, & most healthful and comfortable to all mankind. pag. 427.  
chap. 60. Of divers holy ornaments and things belonging to the Church, as of lights in churches, of Incense, Dedication of churches, and such like godly ceremonies. pag. 429.  
chap. 61. Of Religious persons, of their sanctity, learning▪ and perfection of life: and of the vo ●es of poverty, chastity, and obedience, which make a religious man: and of the heavy in ●geme●t of God to vow▪ b●eakers, & how our Lady vowed virginity. pag. 433.  
chap. 6●. Of holy Water, and how creatures being blessed by the word of God miracles sometimes by the same be wrought to the expelling of Devils, and conf●rmation of Christian religion. pag. ●40.  
chap. 63. Of holy Bread given the people i● remembrance of that most blessed Sacrament, and in s●me sort taught us by Christ in those l●aues blessed, a●● multiplied by him in the desert. pag. 442.  
chap. 64. Of rece●uing under one kind, a●d how the same fruit is rea●ed by on● kind as by both: an● that peace, unity, and charity is the end of this blessed Sacrament. pag. 444.  
chap. 65. Of fasting▪ & the fruits thereof, & how it hath be●e used, & co●●●nded by Christ & his Saints, & how it is commanded under pain ●f sin by the church & to ●hat persons: & how such as disobey the Church in this precept of fasting or any other, disobey Christ. pag. 447.  
chap. 66. Of traditions, whereof they c●me & what they be▪ & of what authority: & that by tradition and authority of the Church we kno● the Scriptures t● b● the word of G●●, which be e●er most reverently preserved by Catholics, ●ut evil understood, corrupted, yea s●me quite razed ●ut by Heretics. pag. 452.  
chap. 67. Of God that he is one in substance and three in persons: and of the horrible blaspheamy of heretics, and Athistes against his divine Majesty. pag. 457.  
chap. 68 Of Hell and of the just punishments therein for sin without release for evermore. pag. 459.  
chap. 69. Of Heaven which worldlings contemn & how we may obtain it, and of the glorious▪ and most happy estate of the body with the soul for ever after the general resurrection. pag. 462.  
chap. 70. Of the Pope, that he is the Vicar of Christ, and lawful successor of Saint Peter. pag. 465.  
chap. 71. What most admirable, virtuous holy, zealous, and most worthy and charitable men many Popes have been of old and of late years also, even to this present day. pag. 468.  
chap. 72. Wherefore he weareth his Crown is borne of men's shoulders, & suffereth devout persons to kiss his foot. p. 472▪  
chap. 73. Why heretics have ever slandered the Pope, and how God turneth their malice to the benefit of his elect, and how her●tikes be forerunners of Antichrist, and of Christ's victory over his enemies in his Church, pag. 475.  
chap. 74. Of the assistants of the Pope as first of his Cardinals, and why they be so called, also of religious men Priests and Godly men of this time that died Martyrs and of the dying obstinately of heretics. pag. 479.  
chap. 75. Of Antechrists' forerunners, of his false lying signs & deceits▪ of his intolerable Luciferian pride, subtlety, and short reign, though most violent persecution of his life, birth, death, and ministers. pag. 483.  
chap. 76. How the Devil & Antichrist be compared to that monstrous serpentin● tailed Dragon drawing numbers with them into everlasting perdition, and that one certain man Antichrist is yet to come though he hath many forerunners. pag. 486.  
chap. 77. In a fewewords touching the chief matters that have been spoken in this treatise, & how the unlearned especially in matters of religion ought too leave disputes and simply to believe the truth founding themselves in Christ and in the Catholic Church. pag. 490▪  
chap. 78. Against Schism▪ & that it is altogether unlawful and forbidden under pame of damnation, to go to the churches of heretics, or schismatics▪ to their prayers, sermons, sacram●ts, spiritual exercises, or many sort, directy, or indirectly, to communicate, participate, yield, consent, or assent to the same▪ also a precaution is given to beware of dissembling catholics, which indeed are schismatics. pag. 495.  
chap. 79. Admonishing to amendment of life, seeing the time ●s short, and the hour of death uncertain, when as ignorance shall excuse no man. pag. 517.  
chap. 80. How though every one ought to be prepared to suffer, yet none ought rashly to cast themselves into temptation, but if ●e be called thereunto, than we ought to be most glad to suffer, as being Gods ca●se we suffer for. pag. 525.  
A short treatise against Adiaphorists, Neuters, and such as say they may be saved in any sect or religion, and would make of many divers sects one Church. pag. 537.   
FINIS.