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AN       ANSWER 


T  O 


JOHN   MARTIALL'S 
TREATISE    OF  THE   CROSS. 


gUtstttutefc 


jFor  tfje  iputiltcatton  of  tfje  ffisaorfes  of  t^ 

anU  0?arlp  EOriter^  of  t^e  Uefovmrt) 


AN    ANSWER 


TO 


TREATISE    OF    THE    CROSS. 


BY 


JAMES    CALFHILL,    D.D., 

DEAN    OF    BOOKING,     ARCHDEACON    OF    COLCHESTER, 
AND    BISHOP-ELECT   OF    WORCESTER. 


EDITED  FOK 


BY    THE 

REV.  RICHARD  GIBBIXGS,  M.A., 

KKCTOR  AND  VICAR  OF   RAYMUXTERDOXEY,  IX  THK  DIOCKSE  OF   RAPHUB. 


CAMBRIDGE: 

PRINTED  AT 

THE     UNIVERSITY     PRESS. 

M.DCCC.XLVI. 


' 


/t 


AN   AVNSWERE 

TO    THE    TREATISE 

OF   THE   CROSSE: 
wherin  ye  shal  fee  by  the  plaine 

and  vndoubted  word  of  God,  the  va 
nities  of  nun  Mgfirourtr:  t>i>  fbe  true 

and  Godly  Fathers  of  the  Churchy 
t\>t  fcreamesi  anU  trotagesi  of  atfjer 

controlled  :  and  by  lavvfull  Coun 
sels,  conspiracies  ottertfjrofoen. 


Reade  and  Regards. 

Si  quis  diuersam  sequitur  doctrinam,  &  non  acqui- 
escit  sanis  sermonibus  lesu  Christi,  et  ei  quae  secun- 
dum  pietatem  est  doctrinse,  is  inflatus  est,  &  nihil 
scit.  Paul9,  i.  ad  Tim.  6. 


If  anp  man  teacfi  ot^rtojise,  antr  agreed)  not  to  tfte 
some  fcoorJjes  of  ^jesus  (^ftrtst,  fc  to  tfte  Uoctrtne  fofifcft  is 
according  to  ©olilinesse,  ty  is  puft  bp  $r  fenotoetft  nothing. 

IMPRINTED     AT    L  0  N- 
Oou,  In;  Vm  vi.)  Drnli.ini,  for 

Lucas  Harryson. 
Anno.   1565. 


[CALFHILL.] 


OF 


CALFHILL    AND    MARTIALL. 


"  JAMES  CALFHILL,  or  CALFIELD,  a  Shropshire  man 
born1,  made  his  first  entry  into  the  University,  an.  1545,  or 
thereabouts;  and  after  the  last  foundation  of  Ch.  Ch.  had 
been  finished  by  K.  Hen.  VIII.,  he  was  soon  after  made  a 
Student  thereof,  an.  1548,  aged  18  :  where  going  through 
the  usual  classes  of  Logic  and  Philosophy,  proceeded  M.  of 
Arts,  and  was  junior  of  the  act  celebrated  in  St  Mary's 
church,  18  July,  1552.  From  the  time  that  he  was  first 
made  Student  of  Ch.  Ch.  he  always  gave  great  hopes  that 
he  would  prove  a  considerable  person  in  his  time ;  being 
composed  from  his  youth  to  gravity,  and  endowed  with  an 
acute  genie,  and  a  quick  vigour  of  mind.  In  1560  he  was 
made  the  second  Canon  of  the  second  Prebendship  of  the 
said  church ;  was  admitted  to  the  reading  of  the  Sentences 
the  year  following ;  and  afterwards  became  Doctor  of  D., 
Dean  or  Rector  of  Booking  in  Essex,  Archdeacon  of  Col 
chester,  (in  the  place,  as  it  seems,  of  Joh.  Pullayne  deceased ;) 
and  at  length,  upon  the  translation  of  Dr  Edwyn  Sandys 
from  Worcester  to  London,  in  1570,  he  was  nominated  by 
the  Queen  to  succeed  him  ;  but  before  consecration  there 
unto  he  died.  He  was  in  his  younger  days  a  noted  Poet 
and  Comedian  ;  and  in  his  elder  an  exact  Disputant ;  and 
had  an  excellent  faculty  in  speaking  and  preaching." 

"  May  16,  1562,  Calfhill  was  instituted  to  the  Rectory 

1  [Strypc  states  that  he  was  a  native  of  Edinburgh.] 


Vlll  BIOGRAPHICAL  NOTICES  OF 

of  St  Andrew  Wardrobe,  London  ;  and  in  the  same  year 
was  appointed  Proctor  for  the  Clergy  of  London,  and  the 
Chapter  of  Oxford,  in  the  Convocation  that  determined  on 
the  Thirty-nine  Articles ;  as  well  as  to  the  Prebend  of  St 
Pancras,  in  the  Cath.  church  of  St  Paul,  October  4.  He 
was  also  Sub-Dean  of  Christ  Church,  and  Vicar  of  West 
Horsley  in  Surrey.  In  the  year  1569,  he  made  applica 
tion  to  Secretary  Cecil,  Chancellor  of  Cambridge,  for  the 
Provostship  of  King's  College,  but  without  success." 

"  This  ingenious  person  died  at  Booking  before-men 
tioned,  (having  a  little  before  resigned  his  Canonship  of  Ch. 
Ch.)  and  was  buried  in  the  chancel  of  the  church  there, 
22  Aug.  in  fifteen  hundred  and  seventy,  saith  the  register 
belonging  to  that  church ;  which,  I  suspect,  is  false,  because 
there  was  a  commission  issued  out  from  the  Prerogative  court 
of  Canterbury  at  Lond.  to  Margaret  his  Widow,  dated  21 
Aug.  1570,  to  administer  the  goods,  debts,  and  chattels  of 
him  the  said  Dr  Jam.  Calfhill,  lately  Archd.  of  Essex,  (as 
there  he  is  styled,)  deceased.  So  I  presume  he  died  about 
the  beginning  of  that  month." 

"  Calfhill  must  have  died  before  the  20th  of  August, 
1570 ;  for  Thomas  Watts  was  presented  to  the  Rectory  of 
Booking  on  that  day."  (Wood's  Athence  Oxonienses :  ed. 
Bliss.  Vol.  i.  coll.  377—80.  Lond.  1813.) 

"  The  business,  first  agitated  by  the  exchange  of  friendly 
Letters  betwixt  the  said  reverend  Prelate "  [Bp  Jewel,] 
"  and  Dr  Henry  Cole,  the  late  Dean  of  St  Paul's,  more 
violently  followed  in  a  book  of  Rastal's,  who  first  appeared 
in  the  lists  against  the  Challenger;  followed  therein  by 
Dorman  and  Marshal,"  [Martiall,]  "  who  severally  took  up 
the  cudgels  to  as  little  purpose  :  the  first  being  well  beaten 
by  Nowel,  and  the  last  by  Calfhil,  in  their  discourses  writ 
against  them."  (Heylin's  Hist,  of  Queen  Eliz.,  p.  130.  Lond. 
1660.) 


CALFHILL  AND  MARTIALL.  IX 

"JoHN  MARTIAL,  Bachelor  of  Law,  sometime  Usher  of 
Winchester  School,  and  now  a  Student  in  Divinity  at  Lou- 
vain,  had  published  a  Treatise  of  the  Cross;  and  had  the 
confidence  to  dedicate  his  book  to  Queen  Elizabeth  :  em 
boldened  upon  her  aforesaid  retaining  the  Image  of  the 
Cross  in  her  chapel ;  terming  it  her  good  affection  to  it. 
But  this  year,  1565,  a  learned  Answer  came  forth  against 
that  Treatise,  by  Scripture,  Fathers,  and  Councils  ;  written 
by  James  Calfhil,  B.D.  of  Christ's-Church,  Oxon,  as  I  con 
jecture,  though  his  name  be  not  to  it."  (Strype's  Annals, 
Vol.  i.  Part  ii.  p.  200.  Oxford,  1824.) 

"He  published  some  things  against  one  Mr  Calfhill,  in 
defence  of  the  Cross :  and,  in  memory  of  this  engagement 
and  conquest,  he  left  a  ring,  with  a  valuable  stone,  to  adorn 
a  piece  of  our  Saviour's  Cross,  religiously  preserved  in  the 
collegiate  church  in  Lisle."  (D odd's  Church  History  of 
England,  Vol.  ii.  p.  113.  Brussels,  1739.) 

"  I  write  nothing  about  Marshal,  [Martiall,]  for  fear 
of  defiling  my  paper."  (Bp  Jewel.  Zurich  Letters;  first 
Series,  p.  12.  Camb.  1842.) 


The  editor  has  a  few  remarks  to  make.  He  wishes 
to  express  his  obligations  to  the  Council  of  the  Parker 
Society  for  the  readiness  with  which  they  permitted  him 
to  be  guided  by  his  own  judgment,  or  fancy,  with  respect 
to  the  typographical  arrangement  of  this  work,  and  the 
addition  of  notes  where  they  seemed  desirable.  He  is  con 
scious  of  having  suffered  from  the  disadvantage  of  residence 
at  a  great  distance  from  Dublin ;  but  nevertheless  he  has 
aimed  at  all  possible  accuracy  both  in  the  verification  and 
correction  of  references : — expertus  discet  quam  gravis  iste 
labor: — and  it  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say,  that  he  is  re 
sponsible  for  every  thing  inserted  within  [  ]  crotchets. 


X  SUPPLEMENTAL    OBSERVATIONS. 

Since  the  notes  in  page  44  were  written,  the  editor  ob 
tained  a  copy  of  the  edition  of  Josephus,  (a  Latin  version 
ascribed  to  Rufinus ;  folio,  apud  Jo.  Froben.  Basil.  1524.) 
which  Calfhill  appears  to  have  used ;  or  perhaps  we  might, 
with  more  preciseness,  speak  of  it  as  the  edition  which  Bp 
Ridley  used :.  for  our  author  evidently  was  acquainted  with 
the  Treatise  against  worshipping  of  Images,  first  published 
by  Fox.  Compare  Acts  and  Mon.  iii.  833.  Lond.  1684. 

With  regard  to  one  of  the  "  tracts  of  Penance  "  attri 
buted  to  S.  Chrysostom,  p.  64,  the  reader  may  consult 
the  observations  made  by  Mr  Ay  re  in  page  77  of  the 
Early  Works  of  Becon :  and  as  to  the  charge  advanced 
by  Calfhill  against  the  author  of  the  questioned  treatise, 
it  would  seem  likely  to  be  greatly  mitigated,  (and  there 
is  here  an  instance  of  the  injudiciousness  exhibited  in  pass 
ing  a  hasty  censure  upon  any  of  the  Fathers  ;)  if  we 
remember,  that  whatever  defect  may  be  conceived  to  be 
in  S.  Chrysostom's  supposed  language  concerning  penitence 
and  humiliation,  the  same  will  be  found  to  occur  in  the 
prayer  of  our  Commination-Service  in  which  we  make  men 
tion  of  "  weeping,  fasting,  and  praying,"  as  well  as  in 
the  following  passage  taken  from  a  writer  who  is  not 
generally  suspected  of  unsoundness  :  "  We  must  repent,  fast, 
pray,  give  alms,  forsake  ourselves,  condemn  ourselves,  with 
bitter  tears  and  trembling  work  our  salvation,"  &c.  (Bp 
Pilkington's  Works,  p.  448.  ed.  Parker  Soc.) 

Page  75,  note.  Erase  the  comma  after  Heroldt's  sur 
name. 

It  may  be  presumed  that  Ptolemseus,  or  Bartholomews 
Lucensis  is  the  "Ptolome"  referred  to  in  page  128:  but 
the  position  of  Scythia,  "  far  distant  from  Grecia,"  is  de 
fined  in  the  Cosmographia  of  Claudius  Ptolemy ;  Lib.  vi. 
sigg.  D  3,  4.  Vicencia3,  1475. 

To  complete  what  has  been  said  in  note  5,  p.  137,  con- 


SUPPLEMENTAL    OBSERVATIONS.  XI 

cerning  the  pictorial  representations  of  our  Saviour  sanctioned 
by  the  Quinisext  Council,  and  to  correct  and  elucidate  the 
text,  it  may  be  added,  that  the  seventy-third  Canon  of  the 
same  Synod  commanded  that  figures  of  the  Cross,  made  on 
any  pavement,  should  be  entirely  effaced.  The  object  of  this 
injunction  was  similar  to  that  of  the  Decree  which  had  been 
previously  issued  by  the  Emperors  Theodosius  II.  and  Valen- 
tinian  III. :  (p.  190.)  namely,  to  prevent  the  sign  of  The  vic 
tory  obtained  for  Christians  from  being  slighted  and  trodden 
under  foot : — "  ne  forte,  pedibus  conculcatum,  vilescat  salutare 
victoria?  nostrse  trophseum."  (Matth.  Blastaris  Syntagma  Al 
phabet,  apud  Bevereg.  Pandectt.  ii.  ii.  228.)  Martiall  may 
have  found  the  Trullan  Ordinances,  (the  greater  part  having 
been  "recens  Latinitate  donata,")  in  the  collections  of  Jove- 
rius,  Carranza,  Hervetus,  or  Du  Tillet ;  and  he  was  probably 
deceived  by  the  heading,  "  Can.  Constantinop.  Con.  sex. 
Univer"  The  place  "  in  the  Pope's  law,"  which  Calfhill 
does  not  more  fully  than  thus  describe,  is  Dist.  xvi.  C.  Habeo 
librum;  and  it  is  to  be  seen  in  Ivo  likewise.  Par.  iv. 
Cap.  121. 

As  the  conjecture  in  note  12,  p.  193,  with  reference 
to  the  "  Bishop  of  Orleance,"  cannot  be  considered  satis 
factory,  except  upon  the  supposition  of  the  existence  of 
more  than  one  mistake,  it  is  apparently  preferable  to  decide 
that  Jonas  Aurelianensis  was  intended.  See  his  first  book 
against  Claudius,  Bishop  of  Turin,  and  his  "  nasvos "  enu 
merated  by  the  Magdeburg  Centuriators.  (ix.  x.  526.  Basil. 
1565.) 

The  editor  is  indebted  to  his  kind  friend  and  fellow- 
labourer  Mr  Ayre  for  having  suggested  to  him  the  pro 
priety  of  adding  to  note  1,  p.  212,  this  remark ;  that 
possibly  Calfhill  may  have  followed,  and  therefore  should 
only  share  the  blame  with,  other  writers,  relative  to  the 
account  he  has  given  of  the  origin  of  Sponsors. 


Xll  SUPPLEMENTAL    OBSERVATIONS. 

By  the  phrase  "  ut  Collectam  facerem,"  "  to  perform 
the  Collect,"  which  our  author  (p.  253.)  erroneously  trans 
lates  "to  make  a  gathering,"  we  are  to  understand,  that 
the  object  of  S.  Epiphanius  was  to  celebrate  the  holy  Com 
munion,  anciently  called  "  Collecta,"  or  "  2v'fa£t?."  See 
Du  Cange,  Glossar.  and  Fleury,  xix.  xliv.  231.  Oxf.  1842. 

Page  276.  The  words  "M.  Hide,  late,"  at  the  com 
mencement  of  the  first  marginal  note,  have  been  accidentally 
obliterated  after  the  final  revision  of  the  sheet. 

In  the  "  Table,"  pp.  395,  399,  it  is  inaccurately  stated 
that  the  Council  of  Constantinople,  an.  754,  was  held  "  under 
Leo  Isauricus."  Constantino  Copronymus  should  have  been 
mentioned ;  for  Leo  the  Isaurian  died  in  the  year  741. 
Vid.  L'Art  de  verifier  les  Dates,  p.  424.  A  Paris,  1750. 


MYRAGH  GLEBE,  DUNFANAGHY, 
Dec.  29,  1846. 


TO  JOHN   MARTIALL, 

STUDENT  IN  DIVINITY, 

JAMES  CALFHILL,  BACHELOR  OF   THE  SAME,  WISHETH 

THE  SPIRIT   OF  TRUTH  AND  MODESTY,  WITH 

INCREASE  OF  KNOWLEDGE   IN   THE 

FEAR  OF  GOD. 

IT  is  not  very  long  ago  since  the  famous  report  of  your 
(Martial)  affairs  came  unto  mine  ears,  and  treatise  of  defence 
unto  my  hands.  Indeed,  as  a  young  scholar,  (for  so  ye  say 
ye  are,  and  I  by  your  workmanship  may  well  conjecture,) 
ye  have  said  for  the  Cross  so  far  as  your  skill  doth  serve 
you,  or  as  the  honesty  of  the  cause  deserveth.  I  suppose  it 
had  been  more  honesty  for  you,  and  would  have  furthered 
your  purpose  better,  if  either  your  weakness  had  wrestled 
at  the  first  on  a  better  ground,  or  so  weak  a  cause  had  got 
some  sturdier  champion  to  defend  it.  Now  that  you  fight 
more  eagerly  than  wisely  in  a  Cross  quarrel,  ye  lie  so  open 
to  be  cross-bitten1,  that  the  cause  itself  and  your  poor  credit 
go  to  the  ground  together.  For,  though  ye  use  to  face  men 
with  all  such  terms  and  titles  of  estimation,  as  rather  of 
some  be  gotten  by  continuance,  than  given  by  desert;  as 
Bachelor  of  law,  and  Student  in  divinity  :  yet,  if  ye  had 
joined  more  logic  with  your  law,  your  reasons  should  not 
have  run  so  lawless  (as  they  do  :)  or,  if  you  had  remembered 
your  old  humanity,  you  would  not  have  stained  your  new 
divinity  with  such  slanders  and  lies,  such  vain  supposals  and 
idle  tales,  as  I  am  ashamed  to  hear  of  any  that  challengcth 
to  himself  the  name  of  learning.  But  man's  law  striketh  so 
great  a  stroke  with  you,  that  God's  rule  and  conscience  is 
excluded  from  you:  and,  being  so  deep  in  your  popish 
divinity,  you  have  forgotten  all  Christian  humanity.  Where 
fore,  the  censure  of  S.  Paul,  which,  in  the  beginning,  I  used  i  itm. 
as  my  word,  may  justly  be  applied  to  you :  that,  inasmuch 
as  ye  give  no  ear  to  the  sound  doctrine,  nor  content  yourself 
with  that  religion  which  accordcth  to  piety,  ye  are  but  puffed 
up  with  vain  glory  :  ye  seek  for  praise  of  men ;  which,  of 

1  [thwarted,  or  deceived.] 


2  AN    EPISTLE 

the  wiser  sort  ye  shall  never  purchase.  How  well  your 
poesy  scrveth  against  us  whom  you  would  seem  to  touch, 
when  the  Apostle  inveighed  against  the  enemies  of  the  Cross 
of  Christ,  (which  you  are,  and  not  we,)  shall  afterward  be 
seen  in  the  discourse.  But  among  you,  the  wilful  wanderers, 
of  one  affection,  of  one  bringing  up,  the  saying  is  verified 
bratuis  in  \vhich  Horace  hath l :  Scribimus  indocti  doctique  poemata 

He  1'octica. 

passim. 

First  came  into  our  stage  a  gay  disguised  guest,  a  sud 
den  convert,  (and  I  fear  me  greatly  lest  an  Apostata,)  M. 
Doctor  Harding.  He,  because  he  is  right  worshipful  M. 
Doctor,  and  hath  otherwise  some  opinion  of  learning,  (words 
indeed  at  will ;)  he  must  needs  be  thought  to  say  something. 
But  how  this  something  in  effect  is  nothing,  the  Bishop  of 
Salisbury  abundantly  doth  prove.  Next  to  the  master 
came  the  worthy  scholar :  and  yet,  worthy  Man,  he  gave 
but  a  Dor*.  We  do  easily  see  in  whose  forge  he  was 
framed :  he  savours  of  the  fire  that  flew  out  before :  and 
yet,  neither  of  them  both,  for  all  their  heat  of  railing,  hath 
any  warmth  of  religion.  His  proofs  I  pass  to  the  Reproof 
published  abroad  already.  Only  I  am  sorry  M.  Nowell  had 
not  a  more  learned  adversary.  Then  comes  in  M.  Rastall, 
and  puts  in  his  rejoinder.  All  against  M.  Jewell.  Alas  ! 
I  pity  the  poor  soul ;  he  maketh  his  match  so  far  amiss. 
Dares  EnteUum3.  Nay,  Hinnulus  Leonem*.  Yet  he  saith 
that  he.  will  but  fight  with  a  penknife ;  he  will  overthrow 
with  a  breath,  if  he  can.  0  noble  courage !  He  leaveth 
the  bloody  lances  and  terrible  halberds,  for  hardy  Harding 
and  doughty  Dorman  :*  he  himself  will  come  after,  and  blow 
his  enemies  afore  him.  If  I  should  deal  with  this  dangerous 
bug5,  I  would,  for  all  that,  provide  myself  of  a  longer  sword ; 
for  belike  he  hath  a  very  strong  breath ;  and  yet  with  a 
bodkin  he  may  be  borne  over.  I  will  not  touch  this  proud 
peacock's  tail :  I  will  leave  it  at  leisure  to  be  pulled  of  an- 

1  [Horat.  Epist.  ii.  i.  117.] 

2  [A  drone,  or  a  beetle :  so  that  Dor-man  is  made  to  signify  a 
dronish  man.     The  phrase  "  He  gave  but  a  dor"  means  that  ho  buzzed 
like  a  beetle ;  making  sound  without  sense.] 

3  [Vid.  Erasmi  Adagia,  fol.  IT,  b.   Argent.  1510.     (Tit.  Malum 
accersilum.)] 

*  [Ibid.  Tit.  Excellcntice.]  «  [bugbear.] 


TO    JOHN    MAKTIALL.  3 

other.  To  make  up  the  mess,  steps  out  M.  Staplcton.  Ho 
will  not  stand  by,  and  be  but  a  looker  on.  Having  therefore 
never  a  weapon  of  his  own,  he  runs  to  a  ruffian,  and  borrows 
his  sword.  He  hath  put  on  a  new  scabbard  on  it :  he  hath 
varnished  the  hilts.  The  blade  itself  is  all  to  behacked6. 
It  hath  been  already  in  so  many  frays,  and  borne  away  so 
many  blows,  that  it  is  now  scarcely  able  to  scratch.  This 
young  man,  therefore,  will  fight  with  the  scabbard.  But  if 
a  man  give  him  a  dry  blow  or  two,  (as,  for  his  wilfulness,  he 
well  deservcth,)  we  shall  see  hereafter  what  fence  he  hath 
for  it. 

There  is  none  of  all  these  but  may  with  more  ease  make 
fifteen  such  books  as  they  cumber  the  printers  of  Antwerp 
withal,  than  answer  fifteen  leaves  of  sound  doctrine.  The 
parties  be  known:  their  skill,  their  qualities  we  arc,  (God 
wot,)  too  well  acquainted  with,  to  be  now  abused  by  dog's 
eloquence.  If  your  causes  were  better,  (as  worse  they  can 
not  be,)  forsooth  you  should  find  of  your  old  acquaintance 
enow  to  match  you;  and,  unless  ye  were  sounder,  to  shame 
you  too.  This  advantage  ye  have,  (God  be  thanked  for  it,) 
that  ye  have  nothing  else  to  do  but  commit  to  writing  your 
peevish  fancies,  and  send  them  into  England  to  set  us  a 
work  withal.  We  ourselves  are  occupied  otherwise,  (as 
friends  to  the  flock  of  Christ  which  we  have  in  charge,)  than 
that  we  can  or  will  attemper  our  doings  to  the  lewd  desert 
of  our  contemned  enemies ;  or  mispend  our  time  in  answering 
of  that,  which,  in  the  cars  of  all  indifferent,  carrieth  a  suffi 
cient  confutation  with  it.  Notwithstanding,  lest  some  more 
simple  than  other  may  be  deceived  by  you;  and  you  your 
selves  be  fooded  in  your  folly,  through  too  much  forbearing 
and  silence  of  ours ;  we  have  humbled  ourselves  beneath  the 
honesty  of  our  cause  :  we  have,  for  charity's  sake,  vouchsafed 
to  say  more  than  the  cause  requireth,  or  all  the  college  of 
your  conspiracy  can,  with  good  reason,  answer. 

As  for  you,  (good  Sir,)  which  only  come  to  make  up  a 
number,  and  seem  to  do  something ;  choosing  to  entreat  of 
a  plausible  matter,  (as  your  discretion  doth  take  it;)  if  ye 
had  held  your  tongue,  I  might  have  esteemed  you  somewhat, 
and  reputed  you  wise.  Ye  remember  the  proverb:  Stultus 
si  tacucrit.  Thus  ye  write,  all :  some  more,  some  less ; 

6  [altogether  hacked.] 

1 2 


4  AN    EPISTLE 

learned,  unlearned,  wilful,  and  witless ;  but  mcra  poemata, 
stale  jests  or  fables :  and  especially  you,  whom,  among  the 
rest,  I  may  pity  rather  than  envy.  For  learning  have  ye 
little,  discretion  less,  good  manners  least  of  all.  Your  friends 
that  most  embrace  your  opinion  are  ashamed  of  your  proofs 
when  ye  speak  of  yourself:  so  fond  they  are,  so  senseless 
and  unsound.  ]S"or  I  do  derogate  so  much  from  myself,  but 
I  would  be  ashamed  to  answer  such  a  book ;  unless  I  thought 
good,  upon  this  occasion  of  unseasonable  sowing  of  your  rotten 
seed,  to  plant  again,  in  the  Lord's  field,  the  seed  of  salvation 
and  certain  truth ;  to  the  comfort  of  the  weak,  and  confusion 
of  the  wicked.  Wherein  I  marvel  not  if  the  doctrine  be 
higher  than  your  skill  can  reach  unto.  For  I  know  what 
Doctor  presented  you :  I  know  who  made  you  start  up  a 
writer.  Magister  artis  ingeniique  largitor  venter1.  Your 
exhibition  belike  failed  you,  and  therefore  ye  thought  to 
pick  a  quarrel  to  the  alms-basket.  But  more  alms  it  were, 
with  stripes  enow  to  send  you  to  school  again,  than  to 
reward  you  as  a  schoolmaster  to  other.  For  this  must  I 
needs  say ;  that  either  ye  have  not  well  learned  your 
sophistry,  or  else  you  think  you  have  to  do  with  fools. 
For  three  kinds  of  paralogisms  of  false  arguments,  or  fond 
cavils,  are  most  familiar  with  you.  First,  by  inserting  oft 
into  your  writing  Non  causam  pro  causa :  taking  that  for 
a  buttress  and  defence  of  your  cause,  which  maketh  nought 
to  purpose.  Then,  by  arguing  Ab  eo  quod  est  secundum 
quid,  ad  simpliciter :  making  a  general  consequent  of  that 
which  in  part  is  true ;  an  absolute  rule  of  that  which  was 
done  or  spoken  only  in  some  respect :  and,  most  of  all,  A 
consequenti :  when  ye  rashly  gather  that  doth  not  truly 
follow.  Ye  may  pcradventure  bring  us  into  hatred,  by 
these  sinister  means,  with  them  that  by  prejudice  have  a 
pleasure  in  your  fancies :  but  your  proofs,  for  all  that,  shall 
be  nothing  the  sounder  ;  nor  our  substantial  truth  the  weaker. 
As  for  the  whole  drift  and  conclusion  of  your  tale,  whereby 
ye  heap  all  mischiefs  on  us ;  derive  the  cause  of  the  plagues 
of  God,  and  our  sinful  lives,  from  the  spring  of  doctrine, 
which  in  Christ  we  profess ;  therein  ye  bewray  your  wil- 
fulncss,  and  your  ignorance :  wilfulness,  in  speaking  against 
a  known  truth  ;  ignorance,  in  reasoning  to  overthrow  yourself. 
1  [Persius,  Prolog.  10,  11.] 


TO    JOHN    MARTIALL.  5 

For  though  we  deserve  most  evil  at  God's  hands  ;  being  still 
better  learned2,  and  not  better  lived ;  yet,  if  ye  remember 
yourself,  (M.  Martiall,)  there  was  never  age  so  free  from 
miseries,  specially  in  England,  as,  since  the  preaching  of  the 
Gospel,  this  of  ours  hath  been :  and  sure  a  pitiful  piece  of 
work  it  is,  when  Papists  in  honesty  shall  contend  with  them 
whom  ye  call  Protestants.  A  slender  point  of  defence  it  is, 
when  you  give  such  a  prick  as  makes  yourselves  to  bleed. 

But  ye  may  not  be  touched,  ye  think  :  you  have  dedicate 
your  book  to  the  Queen's  highness :  ye  craftily  come  with  a 
lair  view,  commending  her  Majesty  in  appearance ;  but,  in 
effect,  with  a  false  proffer,  (to  your  shame  and  confusion  be 
it  spoken,)  ye  condemn  her.  Thus  traitorously  ye  seek  for 
defence  at  her  hands,  whose  person  ye  flee,  whose  doings  ye 
impugn.  You  have  received  from  your  Jove  of  the  Capitol 
a  Pandora"^  box,  to  present,  (and  God  will,)  to  our  Prometheus. 
But  she,  (God  be  thanked,)  is  too  wise  to  credit  you.  Ye  may 
seek  for  some  other  popish  Epimetheus,  that,  accepting  your 
offer,  may  set  abroad  your  mischiefs.  I  doubt  not  but  the 
lewdness  of  such  her  enemies  shall  work  great  advantage 
both  to  her  Highness,  and  to  us  her  true  subjects.  Ye  call 
her  "  gracious  and  clement  Princess  Elizabeth;  by  the  grace  of  Foitoi. 
God,  Queen  of  England,  France,  and  Ireland."  The  rest  of 
her  style  ye  wittingly  omit.  That  which  is  the  chief  praise 
in  a  Christian  Prince,  to  be  Defender  of  the  faith,  ye  abridge 
her  of:  belike  ye  repute  her  not  to  be  such  a  one.  That 
which  your  great  god3,  much  like  to  Caiphas1  prophecy,  was 

2  [Boys's  Exposit.  of  Dominical  Epistles  and  Gospels :  Spring  Part, 
p.  183.  Lond.  1610.] 

3  [A  question  has  been  raised  as  to  the  justness  of  the  charge  very 
frequently  brought  by  our  writers  against  Romanists,  with  respect  to 
the  assumption  of  divine  power  by  their  pontifical  Dictator.     Inde 
pendently  of  the  assertion  in  the  Canon  Law,  (Dist.  xcvi.  C.  Satis 
evidenter.  fol.  cvii.  Parrhis.  1518.)  that  the  Bishop  of  Rome  was  called 
a  God  by  Constantine,  and  that  accordingly  he  could  not  be  judged 
by  men,   it  appears  from  the  Gloss  upon  the  Extravagant  Cum  inter, 
that  the  Pope  has  received  the  title  of  "Oua  LORD  GOD."     (Extr. 
Joan.  xxn.  De  verb.  sig.  Tit.  xiv.  Cap.  iv.  §.  Declaramus,  prope  finem.) 
Father  Parsons,  in  his  Wam-word,  assures  us  that  he  could  never  find 
the  expression ;  and  his  brother  Jesuit  Eudaemon-Joannes  maintains 
that   the  word  "God"  is  a  typographical  error.     (Apol.  pro  lit". 
Garneto,  p.  138.  Colon.  Agripp.  1610.)     Mr  Butler's  repetition  of  the 


C  AN    EPISTLE 

contented  to  give  to  her  predecessor,  you,  "loving  subject  and 
true  beadsman1/'  be  loth  to  grant  her,  the  true  successor. 
That  which  is  the  only  proof  of  king-like  authority,  within 
her  own  realms  and  dominions  to  be  the  supreme  governor 
under  God  of  all  persons  and  causes,  ye  deny  to  her ;  and 
yet  ye  grant  her  to  be  the  Queen.  She  to  be  Queen,  and 
yet  a  subject  to  other:  you  to  be  Englishmen,  and  yet  no 
subjects  to  her.  Indeed,  good  cause  you  have,  with  all  the 
rabble  of  your  perverse  confederates  and  outlaws,  to  call  her 

statement,  (Book  of  R.  C.  Cliurch,  p.  130.  Lond.  1825.)  that  the  term 
"  Deum"  is  not  to  be  found  in  the  Vatican  MS.  of  Zenzelinus,  is  not 
of  any  greater  importance  than  the  argument  of  Allatius,  and  of 
Alban  Butler,  (Lives  of  Saints,  Vol.  ii.  p.  89.  Dubl.  1833.)  against  the 
existence  of  Pope  Joan,  founded  on  the  "true"  copy  of  the  Chronicle 
of  Martinus  Polonus,  "kept  in  the  Vatican  Library;" — for  we  must 
remember  the  confession  of  Possevinus  about  Manuscripts  :  "  Ad  istos 
enim  quoque  purgatio  pertinet."  (Bibl.  Sel.  Lib.  i.  Cap.  xii.  p.  58. 
Konue,  1593.) 

The  state  of  the  case  seems  to  be  this :  "  Pope  Gregory  the  thir 
teenth  employed  and  enjoined  certain  of  the  Cardinals  to  revise  and 
coi-rect  the  Gloss  of  the  Canonists :  when,  as  many  editions  thereof 
had  this  word  Deum,  God,  and  yet  some  had  it  not,  they  set  forth  a 
new  copy ;  and,  by  the  authority  of  Pope  Gregory,  they  restored  that 
word  Deum,  which  before  had  been  wanting  in  some  few  of  their 
editions.  Neither  in  the  Censures  of  the  Gloss,  set  out  by  the  com 
mand  of  Pope  Pius  the  fifth,  nor  yet  in  the  Index  Expurgatorius,  is 
the  least  mention  made  of  any  mutation  or  alteration  of  the  word 
Deum,  for  which  we  challenge  them."  (Squire's  Lectures  on  2  Thess.  ii. 
p.  271.  Lond.  1630.  Conf.  Dounami  Papa,  Antichristus,  pp.  310 — 11. 
Lond.  1620.  Abbotti  Antilogia,  Cap.  v.  foil.  78,  seqq.  Lond.  1613. 
Mayeri  Theorem.  Theol.  de  vulneribus  Ecdes.  Rom.  necdum  curatis, 
Par.  i.  Vulnus  i.  §.  ii.  Basil.  1612.  Foulis's  Romish  Treasons,  pp.  29, 
30.  Lond.  1681.  Roscoe's  Leo  X.,\.  121.  Liverp.  1805.  Morton's  Grand 
Imposture,  p.  252.  Lond.  1628.  Gieseler's  Text-book  of  Ecdes.  Hist.  iii. 
46—7.  Philadel.  1836.) 

It  is  said  that  Domitian  had  previously  styled  himself  "  Dominus 
et  Deus  noster ;"  (Selden's  Titles  of  Honor,  p.  47.  Lond.  1614.)  and 
the  papal  adoption  of  the  blasphemous  title  may  be  seen  in  the  follow 
ing  editions  of  the  Canon  Law:  Lugduni,  1526,  1556, 1559, 1572, 1584. 
Lutet.  Paris.  1522,  1561,  1585,  1601,  1612.— If  it  be  pretended  that 
the  Roman  Pontiif  cannot  be  held  responsible  for  the  adulation  be 
stowed  by  his  creatures,  the  same  excuse  might  have  been  made  for 
Herod,  when  "the  people  gave  a  shout,  saying,  It  is  the  voice  of  ti 
god,  and  not  of  a  man."] 

1  [One  who  says  prayers  for  his  patron.] 


TO    JOHN    MARTIALL.  7 

gracious  and  clement  Princess ;  if  grace  and  clemency  it  may 
be  called,  which,  suffering  you  to  your  self-will,  takcth  not  the 
sword  of  vengeance  in  her  hand,  but  lets  you  run  headlong 
on  your  own  destruction.  Her  Grace  might  punish,  where 
she  forbeareth :  she  might  justly  pronounce  the  sentence  of 
death,  where  she  remitteth  an  easy  prisonment.  Therefore 
clement  she  is.  Ye  say  right  well.  But  whether  her  Majesty 
(gracious  otherwise  to  all,)  be  gracious  unto  you,  I  doubt.  For 
if  it  had  pleased  her  royal  Grace  to  have  bridled  you  ere 
this  with  shorter  reins,  ye  had  not  been  at  this  day  so 
headstrong  as  ye  are.  Many  hundreths  of  you,  (repenting 
your  rebellious  hearts,)  had  been  converted  to  Christ;  and  by 
severity  learned  that  which  clemency  shall  never  teach  you. 
Now  is  your  insolence  grown  to  such  excess,  that  ye  abuse 
all  other  and  yourselves  too :  that  ye  think  men  dare  not 
for  fear  do  that,  which  for  tender  heart  and  pity  they  do 
not :  that  ye  think  with  hypocrisy  to  deceive  God,  and  with 
flattery  the  world.  Ye  threaten  kindness  on  the  Queen's 
Majesty;  saying  "that  her  noble  personage  in  all  princely 
prowess,"  (for  so  ye  term  it,)  "and  her  good  affection  to  the 
Cross,"  (which  is  the  matter  ye  treat  of,)  moved  you  so  pre 
sumptuously  to  adventure ;  so  adventurously  to  presume,  (I 
should  say ;)  as  to  recommend  your  treatise  to  her  Highness. 
Indeed  we  have  a  most  noble  Princess ;  (God  for  His  mercy 
prosper  her,  long  to  reign  over  us,  in  despite  of  your  malice, 
and  increase  of  our  joy;)  such  a  one  as  is  beautified  with  rare 
gifts  of  nature,  in  wisdom  marvellous,  in  virtue  singular. 
Prowess  she  leaveth  to  the  other  sex.  Subjects  she  hath 
enow  to  practise  it.  As  for  her  private  doings,  neither  are 
they  to  be  drawn  as  a  precedent  for  all ;  nor  any  ought  to 
creep  into  the  Prince's  bosom,  of  every  fact  to  judge  an 
affection.  This  can  the  world  well  witness  with  me,  that 
neither  her  Grace  and  Wisdom  hath  such  affiance  in  the  Cross 
as  you  do  fondly  teach ;  neither  takes  it  expedient  her  sub 
jects  should  have  that  which  she  herself,  (she  thinkcth,)  may 
keep  without  offence2.  For  the  multitude  is  easily,  through 
ignorance,  abused :  her  Majesty  too  well  instructed  for  her 
own  person  to  fall  into  popish  error  and  idolatry. 

Now,  for  that  which  followeth  :  if  ye  were  so  good  a  sub- 

2  [Strype's  Annals,  Vol.  i.  Part  i.  p.  2G2.  Oxford,  1824.     Life  of 
Parker,  ii.  35.   Ib.  1821.] 


AN    EPISTLE 

ject  as  you  ought,  and  framed  yourself  to  live  according  to 
the  laws,  ye  should  see  and  consider  how  good  order  is  taken 
"  by  public  authority,  not  privy  suggestions,"  that  Roods  and 
Images  should  be  removed,  according  to  God's  law,  out  of 
churches,  chapels,  and  oratories ;  and  not  so  despitefully 
thrown  down  in  highways,  as  you  most  constantly  do  affirm : 
the  contrary  whereof,  as  by  our  law  is  established,  so  in  effect 
is  proved.  For  we  do  see  them  in  many  places  stand,  nor  are 
at  all  offended  therewith.  And  do  not  you  give  us  a  good 
cause  to  credit  you  in  the  rest,  who,  in  the  first  entrance  of 
your  matter,  make  so  loud  a  lie  ? 

But,  that  your  impudence  may  be  the  more  apparent, 
ye  stay  not  so  :  ye  stick  not  to  father  of  the  ancient  Fathers' 
faith  such  falsehoods  and  absurdities  as  they  never  thought ; 
good  man  never  gathered.  For  where  ye  say,  by  their 
authority,  "that,  ever  since  Christ's  death,  Christian  men 
have  had  the  sign  of  the  Cross  in  churches,  chapels,  ora 
tories,  private  houses,  highways,  and  other  places  meet  for 
the  same,"  it  shall  be  evident  by  their  own  writings,  (such  as 
none  shall  againsay,)  that,  four  hundred  year  after  Christ, 
there  was  not  in  the  place  of  God's  service  any  such  sign 
erected.  By  the  way  I  report  me  to  that  which  Erasmus1, 
a  great  stickler  in  the  Cross  quarrel,  writeth :  Usque  ad 
cetatem  Hieronymi,  erant  probatce  Religionis  viri,  qui  in 
templis  nullam  ferebant  Imaginem,  nee  pictam,  nee  sculp- 
tam,  nee  textam ;  ac  ne  Christi  quidem,  (ut  opinor,}  propter 
Anthropomorphitas  ;  "  Until  Hierom's  time,  there  were  men 
of  good  Religion,"  (which  is  to  be  noted,  lest  ye  say  they  were 
heretics,)  "  that  suffered  not  in  churches  any  Picture  at  all, 
either  painted,  or  graved,  or  woven ;  yea,  not  so  much  as  the 
Picture  of  Christ,  because  of  the  Anthropomorphites,  (as  I 
suppose.)"  Now  this  was  above  four  hundred  year  after 
Christ :  for,  by  Hierom's  own  computation2,  it  must  be  after 
the  sixth  year  of  Arcadius1  Consulship,  which  falls  out  anno 
four  hundred  and  eight ;  and  Prosper  Aquitanicus  maketh  it 
to  be  four  hundred  and  twenty-two  year  after  Christ3.  But 

1  In  Catechcsi  sua,  Cap.  6.     [Symboli  Catechesis  vi.  p.  163.  Basil. 
1533.  ed.  princ.  4to:  vel  sig.  i5.  Ib.  1551.  8vo.] 

2  In  Procemio  3.  Comment,  super  Amos.     [S.  Hieron.  Prcefatio  in 
lib.  tert.  Proph.  Amos,  sig.  hiii.  Venet.  1497.] 

3  [There  must  be  some  error  here:  for  S.  Jerom  died  in  the  year 


TO    JOHN    MARTIALL.  9 

as  much  as  this  the  Fathers  themselves  shall  be  witnesses  of,  to 
disprove  your  vanity.  "  Then  that  they  worshipped  the  sign  Foiio2. 
of  the  Cross,  or  counselled  other  to  do  the  same,"  is  as  true  as 
the  other :  yea,  a  thing  it  was,  when  use  of  such  signs  was 
received  indeed,  most  abhorred  of  them.  I  appeal  to  your 
Pope,  Gregory  the  Great4,  the  first  that  ever  defended  Images. 
He  found  fault  with  Serenus,  Bishop  of  Massilia5,  for  break 
ing  the  Images  that  he  found  in  his  church :  yet  he  con- 
demneth  your  doctrine  for  worshipping  them ;  saying  in  one 
place  :  Et  quidem  selum  vos,  ne  quid  manu  factum  adorari 
possit,  habuisse  laudavimus :  "And  truly  we  commended  you, 
in  that  ye  had  a  zeal,  that  nothing  made  with  hand  should 
be  worshipped."  Tua  ergo  fraternitas  et  illas  servare,  et 
ab  earum  adoratione  populum  prohibere  debuit :  "  Therefore 
your  brotherhead  should  have  preserved  them,  and  forbidden 
the  people  that  they  should  not  worship  them."  And  this 
Gregory  was  six  hundred  year  after  Christ.  Where  then 
was  the  reverence  done  to  the  sign  ?  Where  gave  they  the 
counsel  to  creep  to  the  Cross6?  See  you  not  how  shamefully 
ye  abuse  the  Prince  with  slanders  and  untruths  ? 

As  for  the  third  substantial  ground,  whereupon  ye  build 
the  buttress  of  your  cause  ;  "  that  no  fear  or  mistrust  of  idol-  Foiio  2. 
atry  can  be  where  the  Cross  is  worshipped ; "  that  position 
and  more  than  paradox  is  as  true  as  the  rest :  as  true  as  the 
Jews  could  commit  no  idolatry  in  worshipping  the  brazen  Ser 
pent7:  and  yet  that  sign  was  commanded  once8;  this  sign  to 
us-ward  was  commanded  never.  Wherefore,  since  your  ware 

420.  Vid.  Petavii  Rationar.  Temp.  p.  316.  Franeq.  1694.  Pagi  Grit, 
in  Annall.  Baron.  Tom.  ii.  p.  176.  Colon.  Allob.  1705.  Besides,  in 
the  "  editio  Consularis,"  or  "  vulgata,"  of  Prosper's  Chronicon,  which  is 
annexed  to  the  Eusebian  and  Hieronymian  Chronicles,  published  by 
Joseph  Scaliger,  it  is  distinctly  stated  that  the  sixth  Consulship  of 
Arcadius,  and  the  first  of  Probus,  occurred  in  the  year  407.  See  pago 
191.  Amstel.  1658;  and  compare  Baronius,  ad  an.  406.  Tom.  v.  p.  259. 
Antverp.  1658.] 

4  Ep.  Li.  vii.  Indict,  ii.  Cap.  109.    [Opp.  Tom.  ii.  fol.  234,  b.  Ant 
verp.  1572.] 

5  [Marseilles.] 

c  [See  Bp.  Larimer's  Sermons,  p.  132.  ed.  Parker  Soc.] 

7  2  Reg.  [Kings]  xviii.  [4.] 

8  Num.  xxi.  [8.]     Joan.  ix.  [S.  John  iii.  14.]  • 


10  AN    EPISTLE 

is  no  more  worth,  (M.  Martiall,)  you,  like  a  pelting1  pedlar, 
putting  the  best  in  your  pack  uppermost,  I  see  not  where  ye 
may  have  utterance  for  it,  unless  it  be  to  serve  to  sluttish 
uses.  And  that  ye  should  rest  in  any  hope  that  the  Queen's 
Majesty,  amidst  her  great  affairs,  should  have  so  much  vacant 
time  as  to  take  a  view  of  your  vain  devices,  is  a  miracle  to 
me ;  and  makes  your  folly  to  appear  the  more,  the  more  ye 
conceive  a  liking  of  yourself.  The  story  that  ye  bring  of 
Socrates'  report2,  not  truly  quoted,  (for  I  think  ye  never  read 
it,)  maketh  small  for  your  purpose.  What  though  Sisinnius, 
an  heretic,  a  Novatian,  did  give  advice,  for  appeasing  of  the 
Arrians'  heresy,  that  the  ancient  Fathers  should  be  called  to 
witness  ;  will  you  take  example  of  one  not  well  instructed,  nor 
Aviso,  in  this  case  as  it  appeared  ?  Were  the  ancient  Fathers 
sufficient  to  appease  the  cause  ?  Were  they  not  enforced,  (that 
notwithstanding,)  each  man  to  bring  his  opinion  in  writing, 
and  stand  to  a  further  judgment  and  determination  ?  Read 
ye  the  place.  They  neither  could,  nor  can,  for  imperfections 
that  remain  amongst  them,  content  the  conscience  in  doubtful 
cases ;  nor  ought  at  any  time  to  be  judges  of  our  faith.  S. 
Augustin,  Contra  Maximinum  Arrian.  Epis.,  hath  a  goodly 
rule,  better  to  be  followed  and  observed  than  yours.  For 
when,  in  the  like  controversy  with  the  Arrians,  the  Council  of 
Ariminum,  where  many  Fathers  were  assembled,  made  for 
the  one  part,  and  the  Council  of  Nice  confirmed  the  other; 
Augustin,  to  declare  that  we  ought  not  to  depend  upon 
man's  judgment,  but  wholly  and  solely  upon  the  truth  of 
God's  word,  said3:  Nee  ego  Niccenum,  nee  tu  debes  Arimi- 
nense,  tanquam  prcejudicaturus,  proferre  Concilium.  Nee 
ego  hujus  authoritate,  nee  tu  illius  detineris.  Scripturarum 
authoritatibus,  non  quorumque  propriis,  sed  utrisque  com- 

1  [paltry,  petty,  pitiful.    Sec  Shakspeare's  King  Richard  II.  Act  ii. 
Scene  i.  line  60.     Measure  for  Measure,  Act  ii.  Scene  ii.     Midsummer 
Night's  Dream,   Act  ii.    Scene   ii. — Becon    speaks    of   "pedlar-like 
Papists."     (Catech.  &c.  p.  451.  Camb.  1844.  ed.  Parker  Soc.)] 

2  It  is  Socratis  Lib.  v.  Cap.  x.     [Eccles.  Hist.  fol.  245,  b.    Lut. 
Paris.  1544  :  or  English  translation,  p.  335.  Lond.  1709.] 

3  Epist.  Lib.  iii.  Cap.  xiv.    [This  reference  is  incorrect.    The  pas 
sage  may  be  found  in  S.  August.  Lib.  ii.  contra  Maximin.  Arian.  Opp. 
Tom.  viii.  col.  499.    Cf.  col.  460.  Antwerp.  (Amstel.)  1700.  ed.  Bened. 
a  J.  Cler.] 


TO    JOHN    MAUTIALL.  11 

uttinibus  testibus,  res  cum  re,  causa  cum  causa,  ratio  cum 
ratione  c&ncertet :  which  words,  in  English,  be  these  :  "  Nei 
ther  I  must  bring  forth  the  Council  of  Nice,  nor  thou  the 
Council  of  Ariminura,  as  one  to  prejudice  the  other.  Neither 
I  am  bound  to  the  authority  of  the  one,  nor  thou  restrained 
to  the  determination  of  the  other.  But  by  the  authorities 
of  the  Scriptures,  (not  peculiar  witnesses  unto  either  of  us,  but 
common  and  indifferent  unto  us  both,)  let  one  matter  with 
another,  cause  with  cause,  and  reason  contend  with  reason." 
Then  is  it  no  outrage,  (as  it  pleaseth  your  wisdom  to  term  it,)  FOUO  3. 
to  refuse  your  order ;  since  most  of  the  Fathers,  yea,  every 
one  of  them,  have  had  their  errors,  as  afterward  more  clearly 
shall  appear.  Yet  for  all  your  dotages,  whereof  peradventure 
ye  dreamed  in  some  drunken  phrensy,  for  all  your  absurdities, 
I  dare  and  will  join  issue  with  you.  Let  the  doctrine  of  the 
received  Fathers  (for  you  make  Fathers  of  Friars,  and  legend 
lies  laws,)  decise  the  controversy  that  is  betwixt  us.  If  I 
bring  not  more  sound  antiquity  to  confirm  my  truth,  than 
you  can  avouch  for  maintenance  of  your  error :  if  the  self 
same  Fathers  direct  me  not  in  the  right  way,  which  you  mis 
construe  for  the  cross  way :  let  our  Theodosia  deal  as  she 
lusteth  with  me ;  the  shame  to  be  mine.  Otherwise,  (if  it  be 
God's  will,)  the  amendment  to  be  yours.  Amen. 


THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  READERS. 


IF  neither  experience  of  elder  age,  nor  present  authority 
of  Scripture  were  to  put  us  in  mind  of  the  sleights  of  Satan, 
how  he  continually  doth  bend  his  force  against  the  fort  of 
our  afflicted  souls ;  yet  the  subtle  conspiracies  of  these 
younger  days,  the  practice  of  the  Papist,  that  Martials  now 
the  Devil's  host,  and  marcheth  forward  with  a  forged  ensign, 
appearing  outwardly  to  be  the  friend  of  Christ,  whose  faith 
and  religion  he  utterly  subverteth,  may  serve  as  a  warning 
piece  out  of  the  watch-tower,  to  make  us  run  to  the  walls 
of  faith,  betaking  ourselves  each  man  to  his  defence  in  the 
certain  truth  of  God's  eternal  Testament.  For  if  the  ground 
work  be  shaken  once,  whereupon  we  build  our  health  and 
salvation,  (which  is  the  affiance  in  Christ  our  God,  and  credit 
to  His  word,)  then  enters  our  enemy  with  banner  displayed, 
and  beateth  us  down  to  the  pit  of  damnation.  Wherefore, 
he,  seeking  to  supplant  Christ,  and  pull  our  hearts  from 
service  of  Him,  compasseth  by  all  means  to  win  himself 
some  credit  with  us ;  and  the  knowledge  of  God,  revealed 
in  His  word,  by  a  little  and  a  little  to  be  taken  from  us. 
But  he  hath  of  himself  too  ill  a  name  to  be  esteemed  so  : 
and  therefore,  under  visor  of  that  that  he  is  not,  he  wins 
men  to  yield  to  that  that  they  should  not.  He  becomcth 
therefore  in  all  his  works  an  ape  of  God;  to  imitate  and 
resemble,  after  his  hellish  manner,  to  the  utter  overthrow 
and  destruction  of  our  souls,  that  which  our  heavenly  Father 
hath  provided  for  our  health,  salvation,  and  bliss.  Herein 
hath  he  handled  himself  so  workmanly,  that  he  looks  very 
narrowly  that  can  discern  the  difference.  Yea,  the  eyes  of 
his  heart  must  be  better  cleared  than  by  the  light  of  reason, 
or  else  he  shall  be  blinded  in  the  mist.  We  see  that,  even 
from  the  beginning,  after  God's  Spirit  had  moved  Abel  and 
the  holy  Patriarchs  to  offer  sacrifice  unto  Him,  that  should 
be  figures  all  of  that  one  Sacrifice,  which  Christ,  according 
to  the  prefixed  pleasure  of  the  eterne  Deity,  should,  at  His 
time,  on  the  Cross  perform ;  the  Devil,  in  worshipping  of  his 
Idols,  did  come  so  near  the  same,  that  the  self-same  did  seem 


THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  HEADERS.  13 

to  be  done  in  both.  Yea,  generally,  in  all  the  superstitions 
and  detestable  rites  of  the  heathen  folk,  he  took  his  pattern 
out  of  the  ordinance  of  the  Hebrews,  and  manners  of  the 
Christians.  Which  thing  Tertullian,  among  the  Latin  writers 
the  most  ancient  and  chief,  right  well  declareth1 :  Ipsas 
quoque  res  Sacramentorum  divinorum  in  Idolorum  mysteriis 
cemulatur,  &c. :  "  Yea,  the  very  matter  and  substance  of  the 
divine  Sacraments  he  counterfeits  in  his  Idol-service."  He 
hath  his  Baptism2,  whereby  such  as  do  believe  in  him  have 
forgiveness  promised  them :  he  marketh  his  men  with  signs 
in  the  forehead :  he  hath  his  offerings,  his  sacrificers,  his 
virgins,  and  his  votaries.  That,  if  we  look  on  the  super 
stitions  of  Numa  Pompilius ;  the  badges,  the  privileges,  the 
offices  of  his  Priests ;  the  vessels,  the  ceremonies,  the  furniture 
of  his  sacrifices;  we  shall 'see  how  the  Devil  morositatem 
illam,  as  Tertullian  termeth  it,  Judece  gentis  imitatus  est : 
"  did  imitate  the  fancies  and  self-willness  of  the  Jews."  As 
Moses  went  up  into  the  mount  Sina,  and  there  received  the 
Law  tables,  whereof  the  author  God  Himself  should  be ;  so 
Minos,  afterward,  among  the  Grecians3,  hiding  himself  awhile 

1  Do  Prsescriptionibus  advers.  Hseret.    [De  Prcescript.  Hcereticor. 
Cap.  xl.  Opp.  p.  216.  Lut.  Paris.  1675.     Cf.  De  exhort.  Cast.  Cap.  xiii. 
p.  524 :  "  Dei  Sacramenta  Satanas  adfectat."] 

2  ["  Tingit  et  ipse  quosdam,  utique  credentcs  et  fidelcs  suos :   ex- 
positioncm  delictorum  de  lavacro  rcpromittit ;  et,  si  adhuc  mcmini, 
Mithra  signat  illic  in  frontibus  milites  suos:  celebrat  et  panis  obla- 
tionem . . . ;    habet  et  virgines,  habet  et  continentes.      Ceterum   si 
Nunue  Pompilii  superstitiones  revolvamus ;  si  sacerdotalia  offlcia,  in 
signia,  et  privilegia;  si  sacrificalia  ministeria,  et  instrumenta,  et  vusa 
ipsorum  sacrificiorum,  ac  piaculorum  ct  votorum  curiositates  con- 
sideremus ;  nonne  manifesto  Diabolus  morositatem  illam  Judaicoj  legis 
imitatus  est?"     (Tertull.  loc.  sup.  cit.  pp.  216-17.)] 

3  ["  Qusenam  est  ergo  Grsccorum  incredulitas  ?  Num  nolle  credcro 
veritati,  quoe  dicit  Legem  per  Mosen  datam  esse  divinitus?  cum  ipsi 
ex  iis  qua;  apud  se  scripta  sunt  Mosen  honorent,  et  Minoein  rcferant 
ad  Jovis    antrum  venientem,   novem  annorum  spatio   leges  a  Jovo 
accepisse."     (Clem.  Alex.  Strom.  Lib.  i.  Opp.  p.  351.    Conf.  L.  ii.  p. 
367.  ed.  Sylburg.  Lut.  Paris.  1641.)    "Sabinus  Rex...asttitiam  Minois 
voluit  imitari,  qui  se  in  antrum  Jovis  recondcbat ;  et  ibi  diu  moratus, 
leges  tanquam  sibi  a  Jove  traditas  affcrebat :  ut  homines  ad  parendum 
non  modo  imperio,  sod  etiam  Religione  constringeret."     (Lactant.  Dr. 
falsa  Relig.  Lib.  i.  Cap.  xxii.  Cf.  Betuleii  Connui'iif.  p.  7S.  Basil.  l.")ii:t. 
Ilomeri  Od.  Lib.  xix.  178,  179.   Mitford's  Greece,  Vol.  i.  Chap.  i.  Sect, 
ii    Dionysii  Ilalicarnass.  Antiq.  Rom.  Lib.  ii.  Cap.  Ixi.)] 


14  THE    PREFACE 

in  Jupiter's  cave,  came  forth  at  length,  and  gave  them  laws, 
from  mighty  Jove,  as  he  pretended.  And,  to  the  end  the 
people  might  the  more  be  bound  in  obedience,  the  like 
practice  had  the  Roman  King l,  of  Avhom  I  spake  before  : 
saying  that,  in  the  night  time,  he  had  secret  conference 
with  ./Egeria;  and  she  delivered  him  such  wholesome  laws 
as  the  mighty  Gods  had  decreed  on.  Whereby  what  other 
thing  was  attempted  of  the  Devil,  but  that  all  credit  should 
be  denied  to  Moses ;  inasmuch  as  Minos  and  Numa  too  did 
allege  the  like  authority  for  themselves,  and  yet  it  was 
evident  they  were  but  fables  ? 

Will  ye  go  to  the  circumstances  of  place  and  persons? 
Then,  as  God  ordained  His  service  to  be  had  first  in  the  taber 
nacle,  then  in  the  temple  at  Hierusalem ;  so  would  the  Devil 
have  his  hills  and  groves.  As  God  did  raise  up  His  holy  men 
and  Prophets,  that,  being  inspired  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  might 
declare  His  will,  and  by  force  of  miracles  win  the  more  credit ; 
so  hath  the  Devil  his  conjurors,  his  witches,  his  figure-flingers, 
and  his  sorcerers,  with  the  spirit  of  illusion  to  work  strange 
effects.  As  we  have  a  place  of  eternal  rest,  so  have  they 
their  heaven :  Elysios  campos,  et  amcena  vireta  fortunato- 
rum  nemorum2 :  "the  sweet  pleasant  paradise,  and  places  of 
good  hap."  As  we  have  hell,  even  so  have  they  :  that,  if  we 
preach  the  blessedness  of  the  faithful3,  by  the  merits  and 
mercies  of  Christ  our  Saviour,  then  step  the  godless  out,  and 
take  it  as  a  tale  of  the  Poets'  paradise  :  if  we  threaten  ven 
geance  to  the  misbelievers4,  and  extreme  torment  of  hell-fire, 

1  ["  Numa  Pompilius,   lit   populum    Romanum  sacris  obligarct, 
volebat  videri  sibi  cum  Dea  JEgeria  congressus  csso  nocturnes,  cjus- 
que  monitu    accepta  Diis   immortalibus   sacra  institucre."     (Valcr. 
Max.  Lib.  i.  Cap.  ii.  Conf.  Liv.  Lib.  i.  Cap.  xix.  Juven.  Sat.  iii.  12. 
Plutarch,  in  Vit.  Numce,  $.  8.  Cic.  De  Legib.  Lib.  i.  Cap.  i.  ad  calc. 
Ovid.  Fast.  Lib.  iii.  275—6.)] 

2  ["  Devenere  locos  ketos,  ct  amoena  vireta 

Fortunatorum  nemorum,  sedcsque  beatas." 

(Virg.  jEn.  vi.  638—9.)] 

3  ["  Si  Paradisum  nominemus,  locum  divinsc  amcenitatis  recipicndis 
Sanctorum  spiritibus  destinatum,...Elysii  campi  fidem  occupaverunt." 
(Tertull.  Apologet.  Cap.  xlvii.)] 

4  ["  Gchennam  si  comminemur,  quse  est  ignis  arcani  sub  terra  ad 
pcenam  thesaurus,  proinde  decachinnamur ;  sic  enim  et  Pyriphlegeton 
apud  mortuos  amnis  est."     (Tertull.  Apol.  ib.  Conf.  Ad  Nat.  Lib.  i. 
C.  xix.  Dan.  vii.  10.  Euseb.  Prcepar.  Evangel.  Lib.  xi.  Cap.  xxxviii. 
p.  567.  Colon.  1688.)] 


TO    THE    READERS.  15 

the  Devil's  limbs  laugh  us  to  scorn  again  ;  and  do  resemble  it 
to  Plato  his  Purgatory ;  or  to  the  scalding  of  Pyriphlegeton, 
a  river  so  devised  by  the  heathen  folk,  to  burn  in  hell  with 
flames  unquenchable. 

Such  sleights  hath  Satan,  to  put  us  in  security  of  any  fur 
ther  pain :  to  pull  us  from  the  hope  of  perfecter  estate,  that 
here  we  may  live  as  the  Devil  would  have  us ;  in  the  end  to 
receive  as  the  Devil  can  reward  us.  And  he  hath  not  wanted 
his  instruments  of  old.  He  hath  made  himself  ministers  from 
time  to  time,  that,  in  the  world's  eye,  were  most  worthy 
reverence,  and  likelier  than  the  rest  to  compass  his  desire. 
Among  them  all,  to  the  Devil's  behoof  never  so  faithful  ser 
vants;  to  the  destruction  of  the  people  never  so  pestilent 
instruments,  as  the  Papists  are.  For  what  have  they  not 
done,  to  the  utter  subversion  of  all  true  Religion  ?  As  Christ 
commanded  the  believers  in  His  name  to  be  baptized,  so  they, 
in  the  Devil's  name,  have  baptized  Bells,  with  the  same  cere 
monies  and  solemnities  that  they  would  use  in  Infants' 
christening  :  save  that  the  Devil  would  have  in  his  Sacrament 
a  certain  more  majesty  than  God  in  His.  Therefore  the  Pa 
pists,  by  the  spirit  of  the  Devil,  ordained  that  a  Bishop  must 
needs  christen  a  Bell ;  whereas  every  poor  Priest  may  christen 
a  Child5.  And  because  that,  through  water,  consecrated  by 

5  [Bellarmin  asserts  that  all  this  is  a  slanderous  device  of  heretics ; 
and  wonders  that  it  has  not  been  stated  that  provision  has  been  made 
for  the  catechizing  of  a  Bell  as  well  as  for  baptizing  it.  (De  Rom. 
Pont.  Lib.  iv.  Cap.  xii.  Disp.  Tom.  i.  col.  1009.  Ingolst.  1601.)  The 
accusation  of  pi-ofanencss  cannot,  however,  be  so  easily  dispelled ;  as 
will  appear  from  an  examination  of  the  Pontifical,  De  benedictionc 
Signivel  Campance,  either  in  an  old  edition,  as  that  Lugd.  1511,  fol. 
cl.,  or  in  an  impression  revised  by  the  authority  of  Pope  Urban  VIII., 
p.  371,  sq.  Antverp.  1663.  Bishop  Bale  (Acta  Rom.  Pontt.  Lib.  iv.  p.  133. 
Francof.  1567.)  and  the  Centuriators  (Cent.  x.  col.  294.  Basil.  1567.) 
inform  us,  that  Pope  John  XIV.,  about  the  year  973,  was  the  first  who 
gave  names  to  baptized  Bells :  and  Crashawe,  in  his  valuable  Sermon 
at  the  Crosse,  (pp.  115 — 20.  Lond.  1608.)  has  discussed  the  matter;  and 
drawn  a  parallel,  from  which  it  is  evident  that,  with  respect  to  cere 
monies,  sponsors,  prayers,  and  the  minister  employed,  a  Bell*  has 

*  [The  duties  of  a  Bell  are  thus  described  on  a  MS.  leaf  in   a  Sarum  Manual, 
Duaci,  1610: 

"En  ego  Campana  nunquam  denuncio  vana: 

Laudo  Deuni  verum,  Plebem  voco,  congrego  Clerum : 
Funera  plango,  fulgura  frango,  Sabbatha  pango : 
Excito  Icntos,  dissipo  ventos,  paco  crtientos."] 


16  THE    PREFACE 

the  word  of  God,  sins  lire  remitted  ;  not  by  the  force  of  water, 
but  power  of  the  Spirit ;  therefore  the  Devil  would  have  his 
consecration  of  water  and  of  salt,  qua  cuncti  sanctificentur 
ac  purificentur  aspersi :  as  it  is  written  in  the  Pope's  De 
crees  l :  that  whosoever  are  sprinkled  therewith  are  by  and 
by  sanctified,  purified,  made  clean  and  holy.  Go  no  further 
than  to  their  Portesses2;  and  you  shall  see  how  they  approve 

greatly  the  advantage  of  a  Child. — Bellarmin  and  others  insist  on 
Benediction  being  the  word  that  should  be  used  in  this  case,  and  not 
Baptism:  but  it  might  suffice  to  say,  that  the  latter  term  is  so  far 
from  being  an  invention  of  Protestants,  that  it  is  as  old  as  the  days 
of  Charlemagne ;  who,  in  a  Capitular,  bearing  date  anno  789,  issued 
an  injunction,  "ut  Clocas"  [or  "Gloggas,"  in  Irish  Clock,  in  French 
Cloches,  German  Glocken,  or  Gloggen,]  "non  baptizent."  (Baluzii  Capi- 
tidaria  Regum  Francor.  Tom.  i.  col.  244.  Paris.  1677.)  The  papistical 
derivation  of  the  word  can  be  inferred,  likewise,  from  the  title  of  the 
fifty-first  of  the  Centum  Gravamina  in  Orthuinus  Gratius ;  viz :  "  De 
superstitione  inani,  in  baptizandis  Campanis,  ne  scilicet  animse  pcrdan- 
tur  carum."  (Fascic.  Rer.  expet.  ac  fugiend.  fol.  clxxvi.,  b.  Colon. 
1535.)  These  Hundred  Grievances  of  the  German  nation  have,  by 
some  Romanists,  been  absurdly  "  stigmatized  as  a  Lutheran  produc 
tion:"  (see  Mendham's  Council  of  Trent,  Introd.  p.  8.  Lond.  1834.) 
but  the  editor  is  in  possession  of  an  original  copy  of  them,  printed  at 
Nuremberg,  in  1523,  (when  the  assembly  which  formed  them  was  dis 
solved,)  as  well  as  of  the  reprint,  with  Luther's  preface,  Vittemberg. 
1538.] 

1  De  Consecr.  Dist.  iii.  [Cap.  xx.  "  Aquam  sale  conspersam  populis 
benedicimus,  ut  ea  cuncti  aspersi  sanctificentur  et  purificentur."  This 
is  an  extract  from  the  first  spurious  Epistle  of  Pope  Alexander  I.,  who 
is  commemorated  in  the  Canon  of  the  Mass,  and  to  whom  is  falsely 
attributed  the  introduction  of  the  use  of  Holy  Water,  about  the  year 
115.  The  argument  upon  which  the  ordinance  is  founded,  in  this 
Decree,  is  derived  from  an  impious  citation  of  the  verses,  Heb.  ix.  13, 
14:  "Nam  si  cinis  vitulse,"  &c. :  "For  if  the  ashes  of  an  heifer,  sprin 
kling  the  unclean,  sanctifieth  to  the  purifying  of  the  flesh ;  how  much 
more  shall" — not  "the  blood  of  Christ,"  but  "aqua  sale  aspersa," — 
water  sprinkled  with  salt  sanctify  and  cleanse  the  people  ? !  This  fictitious 
Epistle  is  adduced  not  only  in  the  Canon  Law,  but  in  the  Sacerdotale, 
fol.  191.  Venet.  1579;  and  also  by  Bellarmin,  (De  cultu  Sanctt.  Lib.  iii. 
Cap.  vii.)  and  Collin.  (Traite  de  I'Eau  Benite,  pp.  132, 143, 173.  A  Paris, 
1776.)  Conf.  Gretser.  De  Benedictt.  L.  ii.  Cap.  vi.  Ingolst.  1615.] 

[2  Breviaries. — The  Latin  name  Portiforium,  derived  from  portare 
foras,  gave  rise  to  the  French  porte-hors :  (the  s  was  anciently  pro 
nounced.)  The  word  "Porthors"  was  corrupted  to  "Porthose"; 
and  thence  came  Portuse,  Portass,  Portess.] 


TO    THE    READERS.  17 

it3.     Aqua  Benedicta  ddeantur  tua  delicta.     Aqua  Bene- 
dicta  sit  tibi  salus  et  vita4. 

"  By  the  Holy  Water  so, 
Be  thy  offences  put  thee  fro. 
Let  the  Holy  Water  be 
Salvation  and  life  to  thee." 

These  words  were  in  their  daily  service.  But  0  blas 
phemous  mouths,  to  attribute  that  to  their  inventions  which 
is  the  work  of  God  alone,  the  price  of  the  blood  of  Christ 
our  Saviour.  Yet  will  they  have,  as  their  father  had,  when 
he  came  forth  with  Scriptum  est5,  the  Scripture  for  them : 
applied,  I  promise  you,  to  as  good  a  purpose  as  when  the 
witch,  by  her  Pater  noster,  made  her  pail  go  a  milking. 
For  why  should  I  not  compare  the  Priests,  (that  consecrate 
Crosses  and  ashes,  water  and  salt,  oil  and  cream,  boughs 
and  bones,  stocks  and  stones ;  that  christen  bells  that  hang 
in  the  steeple  ;  that  conjure  worms  that  creep  in  the  field6 ; 
that  give  S.  John's  Gospels  to  hang  about  men's  necks ;) 
to  the  vilest  witches  and  sorcerers  of  the  earth?  Each 
Prince  hath  his  people  ;  and  delivereth  his  laws  to  be  ob 
served  of  them :  which  if  they  keep,  they  shew  they  are 
his.  And  God,  (that  His  servants  might  be  known  to  the 
world,  by  walking  according  to  His  will,)  ordained  some 
works,  wherein  He  would  have  us  to  exercise  ourselves ;  as 
the  fear,  the  faith,  the  love  to  God-ward,  the  repentance  of 
our  evils,  the  profession  of  the  Gospel,  the  furtherance  of 
the  same,  prayer,  thanksgiving,  and  praise  of  God,  patience, 
perseverance,  justice,  charity,  and  such  other  like.  What 
doth  the  Devil  now  ?  To  seal  his  servants  into  league  with 
him,  he  deviseth  ordinances  to  make  them  to  be  known  by : 

3  [The  form  for  consecrating  salt  and  water,  together  with  a  decla 
ration  of  the  benefits  they  confer  when  exorcised,  may  bo  seen  in  the 
Portlforium  ad  nsum  Eccles.  Sarisb.  Par.  Hiem.  fol.  191,  b,  sqq.  Ro- 
thom.   1556.     Manuak  Sarisbur.  pp.  265 — 271.  Duaci,  1610.     Rituale 
Roman,  pp.  180 — 9.  Colon.  Agripp.  1628.     Missale  Rom.  pp.  cvii — ix. 
Antverp.  17G."».] 

4  [Conf.  Siberi  HirnisAquam  Bened.  bibens,  pp.  31,  40.  Lips.  1712.] 
a  [S.  Matth.  iv.  0.] 

c  [The  "  Bcnedictio  contra  Aves,  Vermes,  Mures,  vel  Locustas," 
is  to  be  found  in  the  Sacerdotale,  fol.  225.  Venet.  1579:  and  in  the 
Sarum  Manual  appears  the  "  Benedictio  ad  omnia  qusecunque  vo- 
lueris."] 

•  2 


18  THE    PREFACE 

as,  strange  attire,  differ ence  of  meats,  refusal  of  marriage, 
rising  at  midnight,  shutting  up  in  a  cloister,  erecting  of 
Images,  worshipping  of  Saints,  service  in  Latin,  gadding  on 
pilgrimage,  making  of  vows,  most  wilful  beggary,  most  vile 
hypocrisy.  Hereby  the  simple  have  been  so  deluded,  that 
they  thought  God's  service  to  consist  herein ;  and  so  the 
Devil  for  God  was  honoured.  Hereby  the  Devil's  children 
have  so  magnified  themselves,  that,  (God's  law  neglected,)  their 
beastly  fancies  have  been  had  in  reverence.  For  proof 
whereof,  go  no  further  than  to  this.  Sole  life  is  not  by 
God  commanded1:  the  Devil  doth  exact  it  in  his  ministers. 
Adultery  is  by  God  condemned2:  the  Devil  in  his  ministers 
makes  a  trifle  of  it.  That  filthy  vice,  which,  by  the  testi 
mony  of  the  Apostle  Paul3,  doth  quite  exclude  us  from  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  they  make  but  a  game  of,  or  a  sin  ] 
venial.  If  ye  credit  me  not,  read  the  Decree  of  Alexander, 
the  third  of  that  name4.  There  he  affirmeth,  that  as  for 
adultery  and  such  other  faults,  which  he  accompteth,  by  ex 
press  word,  crimina  leviora,  "trifling  offences,"  the  Bishop  may 
dispense  with.  And  yet  some  good  fellows  will  say  that  we 
preach  liberty.  We,  or  the  Papists  ?  Judge  ye.  Pelagius  the 
Pope,  as  we  read  in  a  certain  Decretal  of  his5 ;  (and  when  I 
speak  of  Decrees  and  Decretals,  think  that  I  speak  of  no 
other  matter  than  that  which  the  Papists  have  in  as  sove 
reign  a  price  as  the  Bible  ;)  gives  a  worthy  censure  in  the  like 
case.  A  man  that  had  been  married  would  needs,  after  the 

1  Genes,  xxvi.  [3,  4,  24.]  2  Exod.  xx.  [14.] 

3  1  Cor.  vi.  [9, 10.]  Heb.  xiii.  [4.] 

4  Cap.  At  si    Clerici.    paragra.    do  Adult.  [Decretall.  Greg.  IX. 
Lib.  ii.  Tit.  i.  Cap.  iv.  coll.  524—5.  Paris.  1585.— "De  Adultcriis  vero 
ct  aliis  criminibus,  quse  sunt  minora,  potest  Episcopus  cum  Clericis 
post  peractam  poenitentiam  dispcnsare."] 

5  Dist.  xxiv.   Cap.  Fraternitatis.  [Dist.  xxxiv.  Cap.  vii. — "Frater- 
nitatis  tuee  relatione  suscepta,  ejus  latorem  secundas  quidera  nuptias 
expertum  non  fuisse  didicimus ;  castitatem  tamen  eum  priori  non  ser- 
vasse  conjugio  designasti.     Et  quamvis  multa  sint,  quec  in  hujusrnodi 
casibus  observari  canonice  jubeat  sublimitatis  autoritas ;  tamen  quia 
defectus  nostrorum  temporum,  quibus  non  solum  merita,  sed  corpora 
ipsa  hominum  defeccrunt,  districtionis  illius  non  patitur  in  omnibus 
manere  censuram ;  et  setas  istius,  do  quo  agitur,  futursc  incontinentise 
suspicionem  auferre  dignoscitur ;   ut  ad  Diaconatum  possit  provehi, 
temporum,  ut  dictum  est,  condescendentes  defectui,  concessisse  nos 
noveris."] 


TO    THE    READERS.  19 

decease  of  his  wife,  become  a  Priest ;  and  sued  for  his  orders. 
The  Prelates  fell  of  examining  the  matter,  whether  he  were 
Biyamus  or  no :  that  is  to  say,  whether  his  wife  was  not  a 
maid  when  he  married  her ;  or  whether  he  himself  had 
married  a  second  wife.  For  if  either  of  these  had  been 
found  in  him,  he  had  been  unmeet  to  enter  into  orders.  But 
found  he  was  to  be  an  adulterer  ;  who,  after  his  wife's  death, 
had  a  child  by  another  woman.  Now  what  saith  the  holy 
father  ?  "  Inasmuch  as  he  is  not  found  to  be  Biyamus,  but 
yet  proved  incontinent,  we  hope  well  of  him  :  let  him  have  his 
orders.  As  for  his  lechery,  we  bear  with  him,  in  respect  of 
the  weakness  of  this  our  age."  See  the  Religion  of  Popery. 
If  it  had  been  his  hap  to  have  married  a  widow,  or  the 
second  time  to  have  entered  into  the  holy  state  of  matrimony, 
this  man  should  have  had  no  orders :  now  that  he  is  be 
come  a  whoremaster,  he  hath  them.  Here  comes  in  place 
the  famous  judgment  of  him  that  makes  the  gloze,  not  in 
mockery,  but  in  good  earnest :  Ecce  casus,  ubi  plus  valet 
luxuria  quam  castitas6 :  "Behold  a  case,  where  incontinence 
hath  a  more  privilege  than  chastity."  Thus,  I  suppose,  ye  see 
how  the  Devil  doth  advance  his  works ;  and,  by  the  ministry 
of  the  Papists,  set  up  himself  in  place  of  God. 

Now  that  his  Religion  should  in  all  points,  to  the  world's 
eye,  be  as  perfect  as  God^s,  and  that  men  should  not  want 
helps  enow  to  hell :  as  God  appointed  the  prayers  unto  Him 
to  be  made  through  Christ  our  mediator ;  so,  when  the  Devil 
will  be  served  best,  he  deputeth  Saints  to  be  intercessors,  and 
every  one  of  them  hath  his  charge  limited7.  One  to  deliver 
us  from  the  fever  quartan  ;  another  to  preserve  us  from  the 
danger  of  the  sea.  One  to  restore  the  goods  that  we  have 
lost ;  another  to  defend  our  folds  from  the  fox.  One  for  the 
plague ;  another  for  the  purse.  One  for  ourselves  ;  another 
for  our  swine.  And  is  not  this  mere  Gentility 8  ?  Yet  is  it 

c  ["  Eccc  casus,  ubi  plus  juris  habet  luxuria  quam  castitas :  quia 
castus  repcllcretur,  si  contraxisset  cum  sccunda ;  scd  fornicator  non." 
(Gloss,  in  verb.  Non  patitur.  Dlst.  xxxiv.  fol.  xxxviii,  b.  Paris.  1518.)] 

*  [Vid.  Tilemani  Heshusii  Sexcenti  Errores,  fol.  126.  Witcb.  1612. 
Fulke  on  1  Tim.  ii.  New  Test.  p.  676.  Lond.  1617.  Brevinfs  Saul  and 
Samuel  at  Endor,  pp.  72—4.  Oxf.  1674.  Early  Works  of  Bccon,  pp. 
138—9.  cd.  Parker  Soc.  Bp.  Cosin's  Works,  i.  146—7.  Oxf.  1843.] 

8  [Gentilism,  heathenism — The  following  remarkable  passage,  to 

2 2 


20  THE    PREFACE 

right  Popery.  As  they  had  Juno  for  women  in  childbed, 
so  we  the  blessed  Virgin  in  her  place  with  us.  As  they  had 
./Esculapius  to  save  them  from  diseases,  so  had  we  S.  Roke 
to  supply  that  room.  As  they  had  Mars  to  help  them  in 
warfare,  so  had  we  S.  George  to  make  us  win  the  field. 
Finally,  lest  there  should  want  any  thing  to  please  the  wanton 
world ;  as  God,  of  His  mercy,  did  make  man  after  the  image 
and  likeness  of  Himself,  so  the  Devil  hath  put  in  the  mind 
of  man  to  make  Images  after  the  likeness  of  God,  and  so 
to  transfer  His  honour  unto  creatures.  The  blockish  Images, 
the  dead  Crosses,  have  been  crept  to,  been  worshipped.  The 
lively  images  of  Christ  Himself  have  been  brought  to  the 
Cross,  and  burned  cruelly.  May  I  not  therefore,  with  Clement, 
the  Apostles'  successor,  say l :  Quis  est  iste  honor  Dei ;  per 

the  same  effect,  occurs  in  an  uncorrupted  edition  of  the  Commentary 
of  Ludovicus  Vives  upon  S.  Augustin's  City  of  God:  (Lib.  viii.  Cap. 
xxvii.  Paris.  1541.)  "Multi  Christian!  in  re  bona  plerumque  peccant, 
quod  Divos  Divasque  non  aliter  venerantur  quam  Deum.  Nee  video 
in  multis  quod  sit  discrimen  inter  eorum  opinionem  de  Sanctis,  et  id 
quod  Gentiles  putabant  de  suis  Diis."  These  words  have  been  omitted 
by  the  Louvain  Divines ;  (Vid.  p.  372.  edit.  Paris.  1585.)  and  we  must 
not  expect  to  discover  them  in  the  Appendix  Augustiniana  by  Le 
Clerc.  (p.  581.  Antwerp.  1703.)  It  is  very  observable,  that  sentence 
of  expurgation  was  not  passed  upon  them  by  the  Indexes,  Antverp. 
1571;  Madriti,  1584;  Romse,  1607;  Ulyssip.  1624;  Hispali,  1632; 
Madrid,  1640,  and  1707;  all  of  which  review  the  Commentary  of 
Vives,  and  annihilate  the  succeeding  note.  The  Indice  Ultimo  of 
Madrid,  1790,  informs  us,  p.  19,  "  que  muchas  Ediciones  de  las  Obras 
de  S.  Agustin  hechas  por  Hereges,  especialmente  las  que  salieron 
antes  del  aiio  1576,  han  sido  manchadas  con  Indices,  Xotas  margi- 
nales,  6  Escolios  viciados":  and  the  single  instance  of  secret  deprava 
tion,  just  pointed  out,  is  sufficient  to  prove,  that  we  have  reason  for 
being  on  our  guard  against  private  as  well  as  printed,  arbitrary  as  well 
as  formal,  processes  of  false  dealing  in  Romanistic  publications.] 

1  Recog.  Li.  v.  [p.  94.  Basil.  1526. — "  Quis  ergo  iste  honor  Dei 
est ;  per  lapideas  et  ligneas  formas  discurrere,  et  inanes  atque  exa- 
nimes  figuras  tanquam  Numina  venerari ;  et  hominem,  in  quo  vere 
imago  Dei  est,  spernere"? — Calf  hill  is  grievously  mistaken  in  ascribing 
the  books  of  the  Recognitions,  or  the  Itinerary  of  S.  Peter,  to  S. 
Clement  of  Rome :  but  he  speaks  in  accordance  with  a  notion  predo 
minant  in  his  time ;  and  he  may  have  been  misled  by  the  title-page  of 
the  first  edition  by  Sichardus,  just  referred  to ;  or  by  the  assertion  of 
Rufinus,  (Lib.  de  adult.  Lib.  Origen.)  that  the  author  was  "  Apostolicus 
vir,immo  pacne  Apostolus."  We  have  only  a  Latin  version  of  these  books, 


TO    THE    READERS.  21 

lapideas  et  ligneas  fonnas  discurrere,  atque  examines  fign- 
ras  venerari ;  et  hominem,  in  quo  vera  Dei  imago  est,  sper- 
nere  ?  "  What  honour  of  God  is  this  ;  to  run  about  the 
counterfeits  of  timber  and  of  stone,  and  to  worship  the 
shapes  that  are  without  soul ;  and  despise  man,  in  whom  the 
true  shape  of  God  is?"  Yet  have  we  often  heard,  and  some 
time  to  our  grief  have  seen,  that,  for  the  quarrel  of  stocks 
and  stones,  many  learned  men  have  lost  their  lives :  and 
where  the  learned  and  godly  books,  containing  God's  un 
doubted  word,  have  been  torn  in  pieces  and  despitefully 
burned,  these  Laymen's  books2  have,  with  no  grief  at  all, 
been  suffered  to  stand ;  but,  for  the  pulling  down,  have  pro 
cured  the  death  and  destruction  of  many.  Thus,  for  the  Idol 
sake,  the  true  image  of  Christ  hath  been  defaced,  and  painted 
Images  been  suffered  to  the  abuse ;  the  thing  taken  from  us 
that  should  teach  us  the  right  use.  It  is  not  unknown  to  all 
the  world,  with  what  cruelty  and  rage  Satan  hath  upholden 
and  maintained  his  device,  by  executing  of  thousands  for 
contempt  of  an  Image  :  but,  for  the  contempt  of  God,  and 

by  Rufinus  ;  and  this  not  quite  complete,  as  some  parts  were  by  him 
purposely  "  reserved  for  others."  It  appears  certain  that  the  author 
could  not  have  lived  until  about  the  year  180 :  and  Le  Nourry  (Appar. 
adBibl.max.Patt.  col.  222.  Paris.  1703.)  andlttigius  (Dissert.  dePatrib. 
Apost.  p.  223.  Lips.  1699.  Hist.  Eccles. '  Scec.  i.  pp.  56 — 7.  Ib.  1709.)  sup 
pose  him  to  have  been  an  Ebionite  heretic.  This,  however,  is  denied 
by  Grabe;  who  thinks  it  "altogether  likely"  that  he  was  orthodox;  but 
that  his  writings  have  been  wretchedly  distracted  and  interpolated. 
(Spicileg.  Tom.  i.  p.  279.  Oxon.  1714.)  The  Roman  Council,  held  under 
Pope  Gelasius,  in  the  year  496,  denounced  the  work  as  "  apocryphal"; 
(Dist.  xv.  Cap.  iii.)  and  this  censure  has  been  adopted  in  the  Catalogue 
of  heretical  books,  issued  by  the  Tribunal  of  the  Inquisition  at  Venice, 
in  1554,  and  reprinted  by  the  learned  Mr  Mendham,  in  1840.] 

2  [The  name  "  Idiotarum  libri"  has  been  frequently  assigned  to 
Images  from  the  days  of  Pope  Gregory  the  Great ;  who  declares  that 
"  quod  legentibus  scriptura,  hoc  idiotis  prsestat  pictura  cernentibus." 
(Epistt.  Lib.  ix.  Cap.  ix.)  The  passage  is  cited  in  the  Canon  Law ; 
(De  Consec.  Dist.  iii.  Cap.  xxvii.)  and  has  been  a  staple  authority  with 
Romish  controvertists,  from  Eckius  to  Dr  Milner.  (Vid.  Eck.  De  non 
tollend.  Imagin.  Cap.  v.  Ingolst.  1522.  End  o/Controv.  p.  259.  Lond. 
1824.)  It  will  not  add  much  to  the  strength  of  the  argument,  if  wo 
remember  that  the  Heathen  made  use  of  the  same  pretence :  for  S. 
Athanasius  tells  us,  that  they  affirmed  that  their  Images  served  "  us 
ypa/i/iara  rrjs  eVi  Qfov  dtwpias,"  "  instar  literaruiu  ad  Deum  contem- 
plandum".  (Orat.  contra  Gentes,  §.  xxi.)] 


22  THE    PREFACE 

murdering  of  His  Saints,  what  conscience  was  there  ever  in 
Papist  ? 

When  the  people  of  Antioch1  had,  in  despite,  pulled 
down  the  brazen  Image  of  Theodosius  his  wife,  (who  then  was 
Emperor ;)  for  this  their  outrage  and  disobedience,  they  were 
threatened,  (as  they  well  deserved,)  to  lose  their  liberties,  and 
be  committed  to  the  sword.  But  when  the  men  of  war 
approached,  a  silly  man  whose  name  was  Macedonius2,  de 
void  of  learning  and  great  skill,  but  virtuous  otherwise,  did 
stay  their  rage  with  this  kind  of  oration :  "Tell  the  Emperor, 
(my  friends,)  that  he  is  not  only  an  Emperor,  but  a  man  too : 
therefore  he  ought  not  only  to  respect  his  empire  and  rule, 
but  also  his  own  condition  and  nature.  For  whereas  he  is  a 
man,  he  hath  subjects  of  the  h'ke  estate  with  himself;  and 
the  nature  of  man  is  made  after  the  image  and  likeness  of 
God.  Wherefore  he  ought  not  so  cruelly  and  outrageously 
to  slay  the  image  of  God,  lest  the  Maker  of  that  image 
should  be  incensed  thereby  to  wrath.  He  should  rather 
consider  that  this  extremity  is  used  only  for  an  Image  of 
brass ;  and  none  there  is,  unless  he  be  mad,  but  can  tell  the 
difference  between  a  dead  and  senseless  thing,  and  that  which 
hath  both  life  and  soul.  Let  him  also  remember  this,  that 
it  is  easy  for  us,  for  one  Image  of  brass  to  restore  many  : 
but  he,  for  all  his  power,  is  not  able  to  make  one  hair  of 
them  that  shall  be  destroyed  for  it."  With  report  hereof 
the  good  Emperor  was  quieted ;  and,  instead  of  cruelty,  ex 
tended  courtesy.  But,  since  Idolatry  hath  taken  root,  how 
many  thousand  Christians  have,  without  redemption,  been 
burned  and  hanged,  only  for  disproving  the  abuse  of  Imagery? 
And  with  them  that  be  wedded  to  their  own  wills,  yet  to  this 
day  a  greater  fault  it  is,  to  speak  against  an  Image  of  any 
kind  of  metal,  than  doing  of  a  trespass  against  the  majesty 
of  God.  And  therefore  we  see  that  Pictures  and  Images, 

1  Theodoret.  Lib.  v.  Cap.  xix,  &  xx.     [Eccles.   Hist.   Auctores: 
edit.  Greec.  ex  off.  Rob.  Steph.  fol.  343,  b.  Lut.  Paris.  1544:  vel  edit. 
Lat.  Joachimo  Camerario  interp.  p.  508.  Basil.  1549.   The  narrative  is 
in  the  twentieth  chapter  in  the  edition  by  Valesius,  Paris.  1673.] 

2  [An  account  of  this  Monk  is  given  in  Theodoret's  Historia  Reli- 
giosa,  n.  xiii.  Opp.  Tom.  ii.  pp.  447—9.    Colon.  Agripp.  1573.      He  is 
spoken  of  also  in  the  seventeenth  of  S.  Chrysostom's  Homilies  on  the 
Statues,  §.  3 ;  and  is  named  in  Damascen's  Apolog.  fro  venerat.  sanctar. 
Imag.  Lib.  iii.  fol.  82,  b.    Paris.  1555.] 


TO    THE    READERS.  23 

which,  partly  of  Gentility,  partly  of  a  blind  and  foolish  zeal, 
were  received,  at  the  first,  to  be  signs  of  good-will,  and  pro 
vocations  to  virtue,  have  been,  in  process,  the  destruction  of 
Religion,  and  maintenance  of  gross  Idolatry.  I  omit  tho 
offence  and  cause  of  stumbling  unto  the  weak;  which,  in  the 
Scripture,  is  oft  accursed3. 

Justinus,  in  his  book  De  Monarchia4,  sheweth  how  man's 
nature  had  understanding  at  the  first  granted,  to  the  end  that 
the  truth  might  be  learned  of  them,  and  the  true  worship  of 
the  one  God,  the  only  Maker  and  Lord  of  all.  But  the  Devil's 
malice  craftily  came  in  place ;  and  caused  men  to  forget  their 
own  estate,  and  the  majesty  of  God,  for  their  own  imagina 
tions.  Which  thing  experience  itself  hath  taught  us ;  that  the 
flesh,  delighting  in  her  own  devices,  hath  made  us  prone, 
above  all  other  faults,  to  superstition  and  wicked  worshippings. 
Esay  saith5 :  "  Their  land  was  full  of  Idols;  and  they  worship 
ped  the  work  of  their  own  hands."  Wherein  the  order  of 
words  is  to  be  noted :  how  first  the  Prophet  doth  name  the 
matter,  be  it  silver  or  gold ;  then  afterward  he  comes  to  tho 
use,  which  consequently  always  doth  follow.  For  it  cannot  bo 
chosen,  but  with  the  Idol  must  go  the  abuse ;  as  of  the  fire,  if 
ye  lay  on  wood,  ariseth  flame.  Nor  only  in  our  days  this  vile 
corruption  hath  had  the  upper  hand ;  but  by  the  same  deceit 
ful  train,  ever  from  the  beginning,  Satan  hath  inveigled  the 
hearts  of  the  simple.  Ezechiel  affirmeth6,  that  when  the  Israel 
ites  were  yet  in  Egypt,  they  had  rebelled  against  the  Lord ; 
they  had  not  cast  away  the  abominations  of  their  eyes,  nor  yet 
forsaken  the  Idols  of  the  country  :  wherefore  God,  intending  to 
wean  them  from  the  breast  of  fornication,  to  leave  the  sucking 
of  such  dregs  of  Idolatry,  for  this  only  respect  delivered  unto 
them  most  part  of  His  ceremonies.  Yet  all  they  were  not 
able  to  keep  them  within  the  compass  of  God's  true  service, 
but  that  they  would  fall  to  their  own  inventions.  AVc  see 
how  they  forced  Aaron7,  afore  his  brother  Moses  could  de 
scend  from  the  mount,  to  make  them  a  golden  calf,  to  fall 
down  and  do  worship  to  it.  AVe  see  how,  when  they  were  in 
the  land  of  promise,  under  their  Judges  and  their  Kings,  they 
went  a  madding  after  their  Idols.  AAre  see  that,  after  the 

3  Deut.  xx.  [18.]  Lcvit.  xix.  [14.]  Matth.  xviii.  [6.] 

4  [S.  Just.    Mart.  De  Monarchia  Dei  Liber.    Opp.  p.  103.    Lut. 
Paris.  1615.    Cf.  Euseb.  Hist.  Eccles.  Lib.  iv.  Cap.  xviii.] 

5  Cap.  ii.  [8.]  C  Cap.  xx.  [8—12.]  7  Exod.  xxxii.  [1.] 


24  THE    PREFACE 

zealous  Kings  Ezechias  and  Josias  had  reformed  Religion,  the 
people  were  so  prone  to  the  contrary,  that,  immediately  upon 
their  decease1,  they  returned  again  to  their  old  vomit.  '  Yea, 
•when  the  ten  tribes  were  brought  to  captivity,  for  serving 
God  otherwise  than  He  would2,  the  tribe  of  Judah  was  not, 
by  this  their  brethren's  plague,  amended3 ;  nor,  when  they 
were  brought  under  yoke  themselves4,  they  considered  any 
whit  the  cause  of  their  distress5,  which  was  the  forsaking  of 
their  Lord  and  God.  For,  being  in  Babylon,  they  went  as 
near  as  they  could  to  the  rites  of  Gentility6;  and,  restored 
again  unto  the  land  of  promise",  under  Antiochus  they  fell 
again8.  Such  is  the  violent  persuasion  of  error  ;  such  is  the 
force  of  superstition  ;  that,  as  soon  as  ever  occasion  is  minis 
tered,  our  corrupt  nature  inclineth  to  it.  Whereof  we  need 
to  fetch  no  further  proof  than  our  own  days.  That  idol  of 
Winchester,  Stephen  Gardyner,  subscribed,  in  King  Edward's 
reign,  against  the  use  of  Images ;  comparing  them  to  a  child's 
book,  that  ought  to  be  taken  from  him,  if  he  only  delighted 
in  the  golden  cover  :  yet,  in  Queen  Mary's  days,  he  forgat 
himself,  and  commanded  them  every  where  to  be  erected. 
For  fourteen  year  together,  as  by  good  depositions  it  is  to 
be  seen,  he  preached  against  the  Pope's  supremacy,  vehe 
mently,  pithily,  earnestly,  very  earnestly,  forwardly :  but,  as 
soon  as  ever  opportunity  served  him,  he  brought,  (in  the 
Devil's  name,)  the  idol  in  again9.  What  shall  I  speak  of  men's 
private  doings?  Generally  we  heard,  in  our  Josias'  reign, 
when  he  had  pulled  down  the  high  places,  that  our  affections 
had  been  laid  too  low ;  that  we  had  been  deceived.  And  as 
for  pilgrimages,  pardons,  and  such  idle  toys,  who  would  defend 
them  ?  who  would  not  confess  that  they  had  been  abused  by 
them  ?  Yet,  in  that  terrible  interreign  of  Antichrist,  a  pil 
grimage  in  Wales  was  straight  erected.  Fair  fruit  followed. 
Much  resort  unto  it ;  and  never  any  of  the  learned  fathers 
opened  once  his  mouth  against  it.  Such  is  the  trust  to  men : 

1  2  Reg.  xxi,  &  xxiii.  [2  Kings  xxi.  3.  xxiii.  32.] 

2  [1  Kings  xiv.  16.  2  Kings  xvii.  20 — 23.] 

3  [2  Kings  xvii.  19.  Jer.  iii.  8.] 

4  [2  Chron.  xxxvi.  20.  Ezra  v.  12.] 

5  [Jer.  xliv.  23.  Lam.  i.  8.  Baruch  vi.  2.] 

6  [Hosea  iii.  4.  Song  of  the  three  Children,  v.  14.   Willet's  Synopsis 
Papismi,  p.  461.  Lond.  1634.] 

?  [Ezraix.  8,  9.]  s  [i  Mace.  i.  10—15.  41—52.] 

3  [Bp.  Pilkington's  Works,  p.  587.  od.  Parker  Sot-.] 


TO    THE     HEADERS.  25 

so  ready  and  apt  we  are  to  follow,  (as  the  Prophet  saith,  and 
as  I  did  allege  before,)  the  abominations  of  our  own  eyes ; 
attempering  God's  service  unto  our  outward  senses.  Whereby 
it  comes  to  pass,  as  Lactantius  doth  say10:  Ut  Reliyio  nulla 
sit,  ubi  Simulachrum  est:  "  That  no  Religion  is  there,  where 
an  Image  is.11 

And  since,  (to  come  near  to  our  present  purpose,)  Crosses 
in  market-places,  and  not  in  churches,  are,  (as  by  good  proof 
we  find,)  great  stumbling  stones,  not  only  to  the  simple, 
but  also  to  such  as  will  seem  to  be  wiser ;  impossible  me- 
think  it  is,  a  Cross  to  be  erected  in  place  of  God's  service, 
and  Him  that  hanged  on  the  Cross  to  be  honoured  as  He 
ought.  For  the  mind  is  rapt  from  heavenly  consideration 
to  the  earthly  creature ;  from  the  soul  to  the  substance ; 
from  the  heart  to  the  eye.  Cause  we  can  assign  none  other 
but,  as  the  same  Lactantius  doth  say11:  Esse  aliquam  per- 
versam  potestatem,  quce  veritatis  sit  semper  inimica :  qua} 
humanis  erroribus  gaudeat :  cui  unicum  [al.  ununi\  ac 
perpetuum  sit  opus  offundere  tenebras,  et  hominum  ccecare 
mentes,  ne  lucem  videant ;  ne  denique  in  cesium  aspiciant,  ac 
naturam  corporis  sui  servent:  "  There  is  a  certain  perverse 
power,  which  always  is  enemy  unto  the  truth :  which  taketh 
pleasure  in  man's  error :  whose  only  and  continual  work  it  is 
to  overcast  clouds  and  mists  of  darkness,  to  blind  the  minds 
of  men  that  they  see  not  the  light;  that  they  look  not  up 
into  heaven,  and  keep  the  nature  of  their  own  body."  For 
whereas  other  living  creatures12,  in  that  they  have  not  re- 

10  De  fal.  Rel.  Li.  ii.  Cap.  xix.     ["Quare  non  cst  dubium,  quin 
Religio  nulla  sit,  ubicunque  Simulacrum  cst."     (De  origine  Erroris, 
Lib.  ii.  Cap.  xix.)] 

11  De  fal.  Rel.  Li.  ii.  Cap.  i.   [De  orig.  Ei-ror.  Lib.  ii.  C.  i.] 

12  ["Nam  cum  caeterso"  (al.  cseteri)  "animantes  pronis  corporibus 
in  humum  spectent,   quia   rationem   ac  sapientiam  non  accepcrunt; 
nobis  autem  status  rectus,  sublimis  vultus  ab  artifice  Deo  datus  sit ; 
apparet  istas  Religiones  Deorum  non  esso  rationis  humame,  quia  cur- 
vant  cceleste   animal  ad  veneranda  terrena."     (Lactant.  ubi  supra.) 
This  passage  may  naturally  remind  us  of  the  derivation  of  'Avdpuwos, 
as  given  in  Plato's  Cratylus ;  and  of  the  well-known  lines  of  Ovid : 
(Metamorph.  Lib.  i.  84-5-6.) 

"Pronaque  cum  spectent  animalia  cactera  terrain, 
Os  homini  sublime  dedit,  coelumque  tueri 
Jussit,  et  erectos  ad  sidera  tollere  vultus." 

See  Boys's  Scrmuii  for  the  third  Sunday  in   Lent :  Exposit.  p.   83. 
Lond.  1610.  Bp.  Andrewes's  Sermons,  p.  465.  Lond.  1635.  Cicero,  De 


26  THE    PREFACE 

ceived  wit  and  reason,  bend  grovelling  to  the  ground ;  but  we 
have  an  upright  state,  a  countenance  aloft,  from  God  our 
Maker  given  us ;  it  appeareth  that  that  Religion  and  service 
of  God  accordeth  not  unto  men's  reason,  which  bends  and 
bows  the  heavenly  creature  to  worship,  to  kneel,  to  knock  to 
the  earthly.  God  would  have  us  to  look  upon  the  heavens1 ; 
to  seek  for  our  Religion  there,  in  that  place  which  is  the  seat 
of  His  glory ;  to  behold  Him  in  heart,  whom  with  our  eye  we 
can  never  see.  And  is  not  this  an  extreme  folly,  yea,  a  mere 
madness,  to  advance  the  metal  which  is  but  corruptible,  to 
abase  the  mind  which  is  eterne :  whereas  the  shape  and  pro 
portion  of  our  bodies  do  teach  us  no  less,  but  that  our  minds 
should  be  lifted  thither,  whitherward  ye  see  our  heads  erected  ? 
Yet  hath  our  enemy  so  enchanted  us,  that  we  have,  for  his 
sake,  forsaken  our  friend ;  forgotten  God,  and  ourselves  too. 

But  he  hath  not  done  this  at  once  and  altogether :  by  a 
little  and  a  little  he  hath  crept  in  upon  us ;  till  at  the  length 
he  hath  wholly  possessed  us.  At  the  first,  Images,  among 
Christian  men,  were  only  kept  in  private  houses,  painted  or 
graven  in  story- wise ;  which  had  some  meaning  and  signifi 
cation  in  them.  Afterward  they  crept  into  the  church,  by  a 
zeal  not  according  to  knowledge,  as  by  Paulinus  at  Nola ;  yet 
nothing  less  was  meant  than  worship  of  them.  So  that,  at 
the  first,  they  seemed  in  some  respect  to  be  tolerable,  as 
means  to  excite  men  to  thankfulness  and  devotion ;  until  the 
Devil  shewed  himself  in  His  likeness,  and  turned  the  glory  of 
the  immortal  God  to  the  service  of  a  vile  and  earthly  crea 
ture.  Yet,  if  we  had  not  seen  that  effect  follow,  which  indeed 
we  have,  too  lamentably,  to  the  desperate  destruction  of  many 
Christian  souls;  we  might,  notwithstanding,  justly  condemn  the 
whole  faithless  and  fond  invention.  For  it  was  but  a  will- 
worship,  a  naughty  service,  having  no  ground  of  the  word  of 

Legib.  Lib.  i.  Cap.  ix.  Prudentius,  Cont.  St/m.  L.  ii.  Opp.  p.  403. 
Lugd.  1553.  S.  Cyprian,  Ad  Demetr.  Opp.  pp.  191-2.  ed.  Ox.  Lactan- 
tius,  De  Vita  beata,  Lib.  vii.  Cap.  v.  De  Opifaio  Dei,  Cap.  viii.  ad  init.] 

1  ["  Spectare  nos  ccelum  Dcus  voluit . . .  ut  Religionem  ibi  quseramus; 
ut  Dcum,  cujus  sedes  ilia  est,  quern  oculis  non  possumus,  animo  con- 
tcmplemur.  Quod  profccto  non  facit,  qui  ses,  aut  lapidem,  qure  sunt 
terrena,  vencratur.  Est  autem  pravissimum,  cum  ratio  corporis  recta 
sit,  quod  est  temporale,  ipsum  vero  animum,  qui  est  seternus,  humilem 
fieri :  cum  figura  et  status  nihil  aliud  significent,  nisi  mentem  hominis 
eo  spcctarc  oportere  quo  vultum."  (Lactantius,  ut  sup.)] 


TO    THE    READERS.  27 

God,  and  only  spring  of  error  and  Gentility.  For,  according 
to  the  commandment  of  the  Almighty2,  "Every  man  must 
not  do  whatsoever  seemeth  good  in  his  own  eyes.  Whatso 
ever  God  hath  commanded  us,  we  must  take  heed  to  it ;  nei 
ther  adding  any  thing  unto  it,  nor  taking  any  thing  away 
from  it."  Likewise  the  Prophet  Jeremy  doth  advise  us3, 
"  not  to  hearken  to  them  that  speak  the  vision  of  their  own 
heart,  and  not  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  Lord.  For  what  is 
chaff  to  wheat  ?"  And  the  Apostle,  to  the  same  effect4 : 
"  Whatsoever  is  not  of  faith  is  sin :  faith  is  by  hearing,  and 
hearing  by  the  word  of  God."  Wherefore  Tertullian  doth 
well  affirm5:  Quod  nobis  nihil  licet  de  nostro  arbitrio  indul- 
gere;  [al.  induceref\  sed  nee  eligere  quod  aliquis  de  arbitrio 
suo  induxerit.  Apostolos  Domini  habemus  authores :  qui  nee 
ipsi  quidquam  de  suo  arbitrio  quod  inducerent  elegerunt ; 
sed  acceptam  a  Christo  disciplinam  fideliter  nationibus  as- 
signarunt :  "  That  it  is  not  lawful  for  us  to  flatter  ourselves 
with  any  thing  of  our  own  judgment  and  discretion ;  nor  to 
choose  that  which  any  man  hath  brought  in  of  his  own  head. 
We  have  the  pattern  of  the  Apostles  for  us :  which  took 
nothing  to  bring  in  after  their  own  pleasure;  but  faithfully 
assigned  to  the  nations  the  doctrine  that  they  had  received  of 
Christ."  Cyprian  also6:  Non  hominis  consuetudinem  sequi 
oportet,  sed  Dei  veritatem;  cum  per  Esaiam  Prophetam 
Deus  loquatur  et  dicat :  Sine  causa  autem  colunt  Me,  man- 
data  et  doctrinas  hominum  docentes.  Et  iterum  Dominus  in 
Evangelio  hoc  idem  repetat,  dicens :  Rejicitis  mandatum  Dei, 
lit  traditionem  vestram  statuatis :  "  We  must  not  follow  the 
custom  of  man,  but  the  truth  of  God ;  inasmuch  as  He  speak- 
eth  by  His  Prophet  Esay,  and  saith :  '  They  honour  Me  in 
vain,  teaching  the  doctrines  and  precepts  of  men.'  And  again, 
in  the  Gospel,  Christ  Himself  repeateth  the  same,  saying: 
'  Ye  refuse  the  commandment  of  God,  to  establish  your  own 
tradition.'  "  And  learned  Austin  doth  teach  us  no  less,  writing 
on  this  sort7 :  Extat  authoritas  divinarum  Scripturarum, 

2  Deut.  xii.  [8,  32.] 

3  Jerom.  xxiii.  [16,  28.]  *  Rom.  xiv.   [23.  x.  17.] 

5  De  prces.  advers.  Haeret.  [De  prescript.  Hcereticor.  Cap.  vi.] 

6  Caecilio  fratri.  Epis.  68.  [Ad  Pamclii  et  Episc.  Oxon.  numeros, 
Ep.  Ixiii. :  Ad  Erasm.  Lib.  ii.  Epist.  iii.  Lugd.  1550.] 

7  De  Trinita.  Lib.  iii.  Cap.  xi.   [  $.  22.  col.  570.  Opp.  Tom.  viii. 
Antw.  1700.] 


28  THE    PREFACE 

wide  metis  nostra  deviare  non  debet :  nee,  relicto  solidamento 
divini  eloquii,  per  suspicionum  suarum  abrupta  prcecipitari  ; 
ubi  nee  semus  corporis  regit,  nee  perspicua  ratio  veritatis 
elucet :  "  There  is  extant  with  us  the  authority  of  holy 
Scripture,  from  the  which  our  mind  ought  not  to  swerve  : 
nor,  leaving  the  substantial  ground  of  God's  word,  run  head 
long  on  the  perils  of  our  own  surmises ;  where  we  neither 
have  sense  of  body  to  rule  us,  nor  apparent  reason  of  truth 
to  direct  us."  Wherefore,  sith  the  Scripture  hath  taught,  and 
Fathers  confirmed,  that  only  God  is  sufficient  schoolmaster ; 
and  His  word  prescribeth  us  one  certain  order,  each  man  by 
preaching  to  be  instructed  in  the  truth x ;  what  should  we  run 
to  dumb  doctors,  which  take  out  nothing  else  but  lessons  of 
lies?  For,  as  Hieremy  saith2:  Eruditio  vanitatum  lignum: 
"  The  stock  is  a  doctrine  of  vanity;"  and  Abakuk3 :  "An  Image 
is  the  teacher  of  lies."  Shall  we  then  discredit  the  counsel  of 
our  God,  saying4 :  Scrutamini  Scripturas :  "  Search  ye  the 
Scriptures  ;"  and  follow  the  device  of  the  Devil,  teaching : 
Conternplamini  Picturas :  "  Look  upon  Pictures  ?" 

Let  men  bring  in  what  pretence  they  lust,  that  Images  do 
serve  for  men's  instruction :  yet  evident  it  is,  that  they  came 
from  Gentility ;  and  that  doth  Eusebius  prove5.  For  he  re- 
porteth  that  he  saw  in  the  city  of  Ca3sarea  a  certain  Image. 
But  where?  Ante  domus  illius  fores :  "Before  the  door,"  in 
the  street,  not  in  the  church  ;  which  old  men  said  was  made  as 
like  to  Jesus  as  it  could.  Another  Image  there  was,  made  like 
a  woman  kneeling  afore  Christ,  holding  up  her  hands ;  con 
taining  the  history  of  her  that  was  diseased  with  the  issue  of 
blood6.  Now  come  to  the  judgment  of  the  ecclesiastical  writer 
on  it.  Nee  minim  videri  debet,  eos,  qui  ex  Gentibus  olim  a 
Servatore  nostro  curati  sunt,  ista  fecisse ;  quando  et  Aposto- 
lorum  Illius  Imagines,  Pauli  videlicet  et  Petri,  denique  et  Ip- 
sius  Christi,  in  tabulis  coloribus  depictas  asservari  vidimus  : 
quod  veteres,  ex  Gentili  consuetudine,  eos,  quos  servatores 
putarunt,  ad  hunc  modum  honorare  soliti  fuerint :  that  is 
to  say :  "  Nor  it  ought  to  seem  any  marvel,  that  they,  which 

1  [Rom.  x.  14.]  2  Cap.  x.  [Jcr.  x.  8.] 

3  Cap.  ii.  [Hab.  ii.  18.]  *  Joan.  v.  [S.  John  v.  39.] 

5  Eccl.   Hist.  Li.  vii.  Cap.  xviii.  [Calfhill  quotes  from  the  Latin 
version  by  Wolfgangus  Musculus,  p.  113.  Basil.  1549.] 

6  Matth.  ix.  [20-22.] 


TO    THE    READERS.  29 

from  among  the  Gentiles  were  cured  of  our  Saviour,  did 
these  things  ;  whereas  we  have  seen  the  Pictures  of  His 
Apostles,  of  Paul  and  Peter,  of  Christ  Himself,  reserved  in 
tables  set  forth  with  colours :  because  men  of  old  time,  (by 
custom  that  came  from  the  Gentiles,)  were  wont  to  honour,  on 
this  sort,  them  that  they  thought  to  be  the  helpers  and  pre 
servers  of  them."  In  which  words  two  things  are  especially 
to  be  observed.  First,  that  erecting  of  Images  came  from 
Paganism7 :  when  such  as  were  newly  converted  to  the  Chris 
tianity  could  not  clearly  be  weaned  from  all  their  Gentility  ; 
no  more  than  we,  returning  from  Popery,  can  willingly  leave 
the  rags  of  Rome.  And  surely  many  things  might  be  borne 
withal  in  them,  which,  being  far  stept  in  years,  came  at  length 
to  the  truth ;  and  hardly  forsook  that,  that  all  their  lives  they 
had  been  inured  to.  And  therefore,  as,  in  Paganism,  they 
made  Images  of  them  that  had  well  deserved ;  so,  in  Christi 
anity,  they  did  the  like  observance  to  Christ  and  His  Apostles. 
Furthermore,  by  the  testimony  of  Eusebius  it  appeareth,  that 
in  his  time,  (which  was  three  hundred  and  twenty-five  year 
after  Christ,)  neither  Images,  nor  Pictures,  nor  any  such  Coun 
terfeits  were  brought  into  the  churches,  nor  yet  received  of 
all  Christians  ;  (for  he  made  a  wonder  and  strange  sight  of 
that  that  he  there  saw  ;)  but  only  privately  some  took  it  up  : 
not  for  Religion,  not  for  God's  service,  but  for  a  witness  of 
their  own  good-wills ;  as  we,  in  our  houses,  have  the  Pictures 
of  them  whom  we  hold  dearest,  and  do  love  best. 

The  first  that  ever  we  do  read  of,  to  have  brought  in 
Imagery  into  the  church,  was  Pontius  Paulinus,  a  Bishop  of 
Nola;  which  lived  in  the  reign  of  Theodosius  and  Martian, 
Emperors,  four  hundred  and  three  score  year  after  Christ.  The 
occasion  of  his  inconsiderate  zeal  was  this8.  The  people  were 
accustomed,  every  year  once,  to  celebrate  the  feast  of  Felix  the 
Martyr ;  and  in  the  church  to  banquet  and  make  good  cheer. 
The  Bishop,  seeing  some  abuse  therein,  to  the  end  he  might 
keep  them  from  surfeiting  and  riot,  caused  the  walls  of  the 
temple  to  be  painted  with  stories  taken  out  of  the  Old  Testa 
ment  ;  that  they,  beholding  and  considering  the  Pictures, 
might  give  themselves  the  more  to  temperance  and  sobriety. 
About  the  same  time,  Prudentius  reporteth,  how  he  saw 

"(   ["edviicf]  awifdtuf."] 

8  [Compare  Bingham's  Antiquities,  ii.  508—9.  Lond.  1840.] 


30  THE    PREFACE 

painted  and  pourtraycd,  in  the  church,  the  history  of  S.  Cas- 
sian1.  Thus  Imagery  came  from  private  houses  to  public 
places ;  from  painting  also  to  embossing ;  yet  neither  pri 
vately  nor  openly,  painted  or  embossed,  we  read  that  they 
were  honoured,  until  it  was  about  six  hundreth  year  after 
Christ :  when,  through  barbarity  of  Goths  and  Vandals,  (which 
burst  into  Italy,  spoiled  all  places,  and  burned  libraries,)  virtue 
decayed,  learning  went  to  wreck,  Religion  was  little  seen 
unto :  then,  by  common  ignorance  of  God's  word,  negligence 
of  the  Bishops,  and  unruly  reign  of  barbarous  aliens,  Images 
were  not  only  set  up,  but  began  to  be  worshipped.  There 
fore  Serenus,  Bishop  of  Massile,  the  head  town  of  Gallia  Nar- 
bonensis,  now  called  the  Province,  seeing  the  people,  by  occa 
sion  of  Images,  fall  to  Idolatry,  brake  all  that  were  in  that 
city  to  pieces,  were  they  either  of  Christ  or  of  His  Saints ; 
and  was  therefore  complained  upon  to  Gregory,  the  first  of 
that  name,  then  Bishop  of  Rome.  And  as  this  was  the  first 
learned  Bishop  that  did  allow  the  open  having  of  Images  in 
churches,  so  upon  him  do  all  Image-worshippers  at  this  day 
ground  their  defence.  He  reproved  Serenus  for  breaking 
down  of  them 2 :  he  commended  the  having  of  them  ;  but  the 
worshipping  of  them  he  utterly  condemned.  He  would  not 
have  had  it  to  be  abolished,  which  was  set  up  not  to  be  wor 
shipped,  but  only  to  instruct  the  minds  of  the  ignorant.  Ho 
would  have  had  the  sight  of  the  story ;  but  the  service  and 
honour  to  the  thing  that  was  seen,  he  willed  by  all  means  to 
be  avoided.  How  well  this  doctrine  took  place  afterward ; 
how  soon  the  thing  wherein  he  minded  best  came  to  wickedest 
end ;  the  horrible  mischiefs,  that  in  the  east  and  west  Churches 
ensued,  are  a  lamentable  example  to  us.  For  although  the 
Images  taught  not  the  people,  but  blinded  them  indeed; 
though,  contrary  to  Gregory's  determination,  they  were  abused 
to  most  damnable  Idolatry;  yet  have  they  had,  and  yet  have 
their  defenders:  yea,  with  such  zeal,  such  earnest  affection,  this 
quarrel  of  Images  hath  been  maintained,  that  it  bred  a  schism 
between  the  east  and  the  west  Churches ;  that  it  engendered 
hatred  between  one  Christian  and  another ;  set  Council  against 

1  [Peristeph.  Passio  Cassiani.  Opp.  p.  204.  Lugd.  1553. 

"  Erexi  ad  coelum  faciem :  stetit  obvia  contra 
Fucis  colorum  picta  Imago  Martyris."] 

2  Epist.  Libr.  vii.  Indict,  ii.  Cap.  cix. 


TO    THE    READERS.  31 

Council,  Church  against  Church,  Prince  against  Prince.  Hence 
rose  rebellions,  treasons,  unnatural  and  cruel  murders ;  the 
daughter  digging  up  and  burning  her  father,  the  Emperor,  his 
bones;  the  mother  murdering  her  own  son,  being  an  Em 
peror3.  At  the  last,  the  tearing  in  sunder  of  Christendom 
and  the  empire  into  two  pieces :  till  the  infidels,  the  Turks, 
(the  common  enemies  to  both  parts,)  have  most  cruelly  van 
quished,  destroyed,  and  subdued  the  one  whole  part,  all  the 
empire  of  Greece ;  and  have  won  a  great  piece  of  the  other 
empire ;  and  put  all  Christendom  in  most  dreadful  fear  and 
horrible  danger.  All  which  matters  are,  in  the  discourse,  more 
at  large  opened.  Gregory,  therefore,  if  he  had  lived  but 
awhile  longer;  and  seen  the  least  part  of  all  the  miseries 
which  all  the  world  hath  felt  since,  only  for  maintenance  of 
those  Mammots4 ;  he  would,  and  well  might  have  cursed  him 
self,  for  leaving  behind  him  so  lewd  a  precedent. 

But,  by  the  way,  to  prosecute  a  little  the  two  points  of 
Gregory's  determination.  First,  that  they  teach  not  accord 
ing  to  his  will ;  then,  that  they  be  worshipped  contrary  to  his 
will :  if  any  instruction  might  be  taken  of  them,  and  there 
were  no  peril  annexed  to  them,  God,  that  omitted  nothing  ne 
cessary  for  our  salvation  and  comfort,  would  not  so  earnestly, 
in  Scripture,  have  forbidden  them.  I  refer  you  to  the  places 
themselves,  most  manifest  in  that  behalf,  too  many  to  be  re 
hearsed.  But  I  have  quoted  the  book,  the  chapter,  and  the 
sentence,  that  you  may  easily  find  them;  and  I  exhort  you  to 
reading  of  them.  Exod.  xx.  4  ;  Levit.  xix.  4  ;  Numer.  xxiii. 
23;  Deut.  iv.:  from  the  first  sentence  to  the  48 ;  [40?]  Psal. 
cxv.  4,  and  so  forth;  Psal.  cxxxv.  15;  Sap.  [Wisdom]  xiii,  xiv, 
xv.;  Esay  xl.  18,  and  forward;  Esay  xlii.  8;  Esay  xliv.  9; 
Ezechiel  vi.;  Baruch  vi. ;  Act.  vii.  48  ;  Act.  xv.  28  ;  Rom.  i. ; 
1  Cor.  v.  10 ;  1  Cor.  x.  14 ;  2  Cor.  vi.  14 ;  [16?]  Gal.  v.  20 ; 
1  John  v.  21.  And  although  there  be  none  that  think  the 
gold  and  silver,  the  stock  or  the  stone,  to  be  God  Himself;  yet 
is  it  great  prejudice,  great  derogation  from  the  glory  of  God, 
to  seek  so  great  a  God  after  so  base  a  sort.  Yet  seeking  it 
is  not,  but  rather  forsaking  ;  whatsoever  pretext  or  good  intent 
go  with  it.  Michah,  when  he  had  stolen  the  xi.  c.  sides 

3  [Vid.  Spanhcmii  Rest.  Hist.  Imagg.  Sect.  v.  Opp.  Tom.  ii.  Lugd. 
Bat.  1703.] 

4  [Mammcts,  puppets.] 


32  THE    PREFACE 

[eleven  hundred  shekels]  of  silver  from  his  mother1,  being 
somewhat  religious  otherwise,  and  fearing  the  curse  that  she 
laid  upon  the  thief,  confessed  the  fact,  and  brought  the  goods 
home  again.  His  mother  was  glad ;  and,  as  the  story  wit- 
nesseth,  did  dedicate  straight  the  silver  for  her  son :  not  to 
any  Idol,  but  to  God  Himself;  and  made  an  Image  of  it. 
When  this  was  done,  Michah  set  it  up  in  his  own  house ; 
builded  a  chapel ;  made  an  altar  ;  prepared  furniture  ;  appoint 
ed  service  for  it :  the  ephod,  the  teraphin,  the  alb,  and  the 
vestment ;  the  Levite  of  Bethlehem,  the  Priest  deputed  for  it. 
And  say  not  here  that  I  think  Ephod  to  be  Latin  for  an  Alb, 
and  Teraphin  for  a  Vestment :  but  I  know  that  by  the  names 
of  Ephod  and  Teraphin  all  superstitious  attire  is  signified2. 
Thus  they  pretended  to  serve  God  with  an  Image.  Thus 
theft  gave  occasion  of  superstitions.  Thus  Idols  brought  in 
oratories,  chapels  and  altars,  sacrifices,  vestments,  and  such 
like  ;  which  all  be  utterly  condemned  of  the  Lord.  For  it 
folio weth  in  the  history  :  "In  those  days  there  was  no  King 
in  Israel ;  but  every  man  did  that  which  was  good  in  his  own 
eyes."  But,  in  the  Law,  we  read  commanded  the  direct  con 
trary  :  "No  man  shall  do  that  which  seemeth  good  in  his 
own  eyes3."  Wherefore,  in  the  same  chapter,  a  certain  place 
is  prescribed,  where  God's  service  should  be.  And  afterward, 
to  the  same  intent,  first  the  tabernacle  and  the  one  only  altar ; 
then  the  temple  itself  was  builded  by  Salomon.  Nor  the 
temple  was  sooner  reared,  than  a  certain  and  due  form  of 
God's  service  was  appointed :  from  which  if  the  people  any 
deal  swerved,  it  was  holden  fornication;  and  the  Prophets 
cried  out4:  Dereliquistis  Dominum,  et  serviistis  Diis  atienis: 
'•'Ye  have  forsaken  the  Lord,  and  served  strange  Gods."  This, 
as  Michah  did  for  devotion,  Jeroboam  afterward  did  for  policy. 
For  when  the  kingdom  of  Israel  was  pitifully  divided,  by  the 
work  of  God,  for  Idolatry  sake ;  and  that  only  the  tribe  of 
.Tudah,  with  a  few  of  the  Benjamites,  cleaved  to  the  house  of 
David  ;  the  rest  of  the  ten  tribes  followed  this  wicked  tyrant: 
he,  fearing  greatly  lest,  by  the  doctrine  of  the  Levites,  the 
kingdom  might  grow  again  into  one  body,  if  the  people,  ac- 

1  Jud.  xvii. 

2  ["  Teraphim  were  small  Images, .  .  much  like  to  Puppets."  (Mede's 
Works,  Book  i.  p.  183.    Lond.  1672.)] 

3  Deut.  xii.  [8.]  *  Jere.  ii.  [13.]  v.  [7.]  xi.  [10.]  xiii.  [10.] 


TO    THE    READERS.  33 

cording  to  their  ancient  order,  went  up  to  Hierusalem  to  servo 
God  ;  to  the  end  he  might  estrange  the  people  both  from  the 
temple  and  discipline  of  the  Law,  partly  for  fear,  partly  for 
ambition,  instituted  a  new  Religion:  different  from  that  which 
they  had  received ;  another  than  that  which  God  appointed. 
Wherefore  he  made  them  two  golden  calves5,  not  to  be  Idols, 
but  to  represent  the  true  God  unto  them ;  and  this  in  effect 
he  said :  "  Ye  have  long  taken  pains  to  travel  to  Hierusalem. 
I  pity  your  weary  journeys  :  I  have  compassion  of  your  great 
expenses.  I  have  provided,  therefore,  that  ye  may  serve  God 
nearer  home;  that,  at  your  own  doors,  ye  may  have  the  Re 
ligion,  which  is  as  acceptable  unto  God  as  that."  Well  did 
the  wise  worldling  foresee,  that  without  Religion  no  Policy 
could  stand ;  and  therefore  he  would  have  a  cloke  of  that  to 
cover  his  shame  withal.  He  bringeth  forth  Images.  He  doth 
not  use  any  new  sacrifice  or  solemnities  unto  them.  But,  as 
the  Israelites,  in  the  wilderness,  cried  to  their  one  calf6,  "These 
are  thy  Gods,  0  Israel,  that  brought  thee  out  of  the  land  of 
Egypt ;"  so  do  they  now  cry  out  to  their  two  calves,  "  These 
are  thy  Gods,  0  Israel,  that  brought  thee  out  of  the  land  of 
Egypt."  But,  as  they  before  were  not  so  devilish  and  beastly, 
to  think  that  Aaron's  calf  delivered  them  from  Pharao  his 
bondage ;  (for  Aaron  himself,  at  that  time,  said :  Festum 
Domini  eras  est :  "  To-morrow  is  the  feast  of  the  Lord," 
not  the  feast  of  the  calf  or  of  the  ox  ;)  so  now  Jeroboam  taught 
not,  the  people  believed  not,  that  those  molten  things  were 
Gods  indeed ;  but  attributed  to  the  sign  the  name  peculiar  to 
the  thing  that  was  signified  :  and  although  they  directed  their 
words  to  the  Images,  yet  they  erected  their  hearts  unto  God. 
Notwithstanding,  Abiah7  the  Prophet  said  thus  to  Jeroboam8  : 
"  Thou  hast  done  evil,  above  all  that  were  before  thee :  for 
thou  hast  gone  and  made  thee  other  Gods,  and  molten  Images, 
to  provoke  Mo ;  and  hast  cast  Me  behind  thy  back."  For 
Augustin  saith9:  Quisquis  talem  coyitat  Deum,  qualis  non 
est  Deus,  alienum  deum  utique  et  falsum  in  cogitations  por- 
tat :  "  Whosoever  imagineth  God  to  be  such  a  one  as  He  is 

5  1  Reguni  [Kings]  xii.  [28.]  6  Exod.  xxxii.  [8.] 

7  [Ahijah.    Abijah  was  the  son  of  Jeroboam.] 

8  1  Regum  [Kings]  xiv.  [9.] 

9  Qusest.   sup.   Jos.  Lib.  vi.  Cap.  xxix.  [Opp.  Tom.  iii.  col.  442. 
Antw.  1700.] 


34  THE    PREFACE 

not,  carricth  in  his  thought  a  strange  and  a  false  god."  True 
godliness  telleth  us,  that  we  ought  not  otherwise  to  deem  of 
Him,  than  in  His  word  He  hath  set  forth  unto  us.  Socrates 
was  wont  to  say1,  Unumquemque  deum  sic  coli  oportere, 
quomodo  seipsum  colendum  esse  prcecepisset :  "  Every  god 
was  so  to  be  honoured,  as  he  himself  had  given  in  command 
ment."  Wherefore,  as  Michah  and  Jeroboam  grievously  offend 
ed  ;  so  whosoever  brings  into  God's  service  any  thing  of  his 
own  device,  he  sinneth  deadly.  But  Images,  Crosses,  and 
Crucifixes  are  men's  devices,  whereby  they  flatter  themselves 
in  pleasing  God.  They  ought  therefore  to  be  abhorred. 

Erasmus  saith,  in  Cathechesi2:  Ut  Imagines  in  templis  sint, 
nulla  prcecipit  vel  humana  constitutio.  He  maketh  an  argu 
ment  from  the  less  to  the  more :  saying,  that  not  so  much  as 
man's  constitution  doth  bind  that  Images  should  be  in  churches  ; 
therefore  much  less  the  law  of  God.  For  God,  seeing  the 
inconvenience  that  should  by  them  arise  unto  us,  utterly  for 
bade  them ;  as  the  places  above  rehearsed  prove.  Let  not 
therefore  the  disguising  cloke  of  a  good  intent  make  us  shake 
off  the  true  garment  of  God,  to  transgress  His  commandment, 
and  derogate  from  His  glory.  Whosoever  lead  us  but  a  little 
awry  from  the  path  that  Christ  hath  willed  us  to  tread  in, 
lead  us  the  right  way  to  the  Devil  of  hell.  Beware  ye  there 
fore  of  these  Syrene  tunes,  these  enchanting  charms,  that  wise 
men  of  the  world  are  wont  to  use,  saying :  "  Bear  for  a  time. 
Use  discretion.  Be  not  too  rash  in  reformation."  We  ought 
rather  to  hearken  to  Christ  Himself,  which  wills  us  "to  walk 
whilst  we  have  the  light3."  If  we  suffer  mists  to  be  overcast 
the  clear  shining  sun,  darkness  shall  sooner  overtake  us  than 
we  would.  There  is  but  one  gate  whereby  we  must  enter 
into  eternal  life.  There  is  but  one  way  to  bring  us  to  our 
journey's  end.  The  least  straying  in  the  world  shall  make 
us  come  never  thither.  And  yet,  not  only  for  our  own 
sakes,  but  also  for  Christ's  cause,  we  must  take  a  wise  way 
herein.  For  they  that  go  about  to  bereave  us  of  our  life, 
(which  is  hidden  in  Christ,)  would  as  well  that  God  should  be 

1  August.  De  con.  Evan.  Li.  i.  Cap.  xviii.  [Opp.  Tom.  iii.  Par.  ii. 
col.  8. — "Socratis  enim  sententia  cst,  unumquemque  deum  sic  coli 
oportere,  quomodo  se  ipse  colendum  esse  prseceperit."] 

2  [Explan.  Symbol.  Catech.  vi.  p.  165.  Basil.  1533.] 
8  Jean  xii.  [S.  John  xii.  35.] 


TO    THE     HEADERS.  35 

disgraced  in  us.  Wherefore,  in  controversies  of  our  Religion, 
we  should  not  only  have  respect  to  this,  how  dear  our  own 
salvation  is  to  us,  but  also  how  far  we  further  and  advance 
the  glory  of  our  God.  Then,  if  it  were  so,  that  Images  were 
commanded,  (as  they  are  not ;)  and  had  their  end  to  teach,  (as 
they  do  not ;)  both  our  own  profit,  and  honour  of  our  God, 
might  make  us  the  willinger  to  embrace  them.  But,  as  they 
are  not  commanded,  but  accursed,  so  bring  they  no  know 
ledge,  but  blind  in  ignorance.  For  if  they  do  teach,  it  is  for 
the  shape,  and  not  for  the  substance.  Otherwise,  the  trees  in 
the  wood,  and  silver  in  the  shop,  might  teach  as  well  as  they. 
If  the  shape  do  work  an  understanding  in  us,  because  it  is 
made  as  the  Image  of  a  man  or  of  a  woman,  then  why  not  one 
Image  teach  as  well  as  another  ?  Shall  the  gayer  coat,  which 
maketh  us  peradventure  more  covetously  disposed,  or  more 
wantonly  affected,  strike  a  more  zeal  of  devotion  into  us  ? 

We  have  seen  Images  in  every  church ;  specially  of 
Ladies  and  of  the  Cross4 :  then  why  did  they  gad  from  Lon 
don  to  Wilsdon,  from  Wilsdon  to  Walsingham,  to  seek  for 
other  Ladies  ?  Could  not  the  one  teach  as  much  as  the  other  ? 
Their  eloquence,  their  voice,  and  diligence,  was  all  alike. 
Why  did  my  countrymen,  from  their  own  parishes,  where 
they  had  Crosses  enow,  come  on  pilgrimage  so  oft  to  the 
very  Cross  of  Ludlow  ?  Why  did  they  run  from  every  cor 
ner  of  their  own  country  to  the  Rood5  of  Chester?  Unless 
ye  will  say,  (as  many  thought  indeed,)  that  the  iron  chain  of 
that  sturdy  Champion,  put  about  the  neck,  might  save  them 
from  the  hempen  halter ;  which  other  could  not  do.  Then 
must  it  needs  be  somewhat  else  than  teaching,  that  maketh 
this  people  to  give  unequal  honour  to  signs  of  equal  Saints. 
Alexander  the  coppersmith  will  come  in  with  his  band ;  and 
there  will  be  a  stir,  which  shall  be  the  dearest  Diana  to  them6. 

4  [Vid.  Lewis's  Hist,  of  Eng.  transl.  of  Bible,  p.  199.  Lond.  1739.] 

5  [A  Cross. — "Certo   Saxoncs    nostri    Crucem   jiob  appcllarunt. 
Etiam  locum  eminentiorem,  quo  in  Ecclesiis  sistebatur,  postcri  the 
Rodeloft."    (Spelmanni  Glossar.  p.  494.  Lond.  1687.)    Calfhill  seems 
to  allude  to  an  Image  of  S.  George,  the  Patron  Saint  of  England,  who 
was  represented  "  with  a  long  spear,  upon  a  jolly  hackney,  that  gave 
the  Dragon  his  death-wound,  as  the  painters  say,  in  the  throat."    (Bp. 
Hooper's  Early  Writings,  p.  320.  Cambr.  1843.  ed.  Parker  Soc.  Conf. 
Selden's  Titles  of  Honor,  p.  364.  Lond.  1G14.)] 

6  [Acts  xix.  33,  34.  2  Tim.  iv.  14,  15.] 

3—2 


36  THE    PREFACE 

Otherwise  they  would  no  more  crouch  to  this  Image  or  that, 
than  they  do  the  Bible1 ;  which  teacheth,  (methink,)  as  much 
as  they.  Again,  if  they  teach,  let  me  ask  them,  whom? 
Learned,  or  unlearned?  If  they  teach  the  unlearned,  how 
can  they  know  the  Picture  of  Christ  from  the  Picture  of 
Peter?  Because  of  the  Cross.  Why,  both  were  crucified. 
But  not  after  one  sort.  How  know  they  that?  They  have 
learned  it  of  other.  But  here  they  have  lost  the  state  that 
they  were  in ;  for  they  are  now  become  to  be  learned.  Of 
other  also  they  might  have  learned  moe  lessons  than  that, 
and  of  more  certainty.  But  the  crown  of  thorn,  the  wound 
in  the  side,  do  make  the  matter  plain.  Alas,  how  shall  the 
simple  know  that  Christ  was  crowned,  was  wounded  for  us  ? 
They  have  heard  it  of  M.  Parson.  Let  M.  Parson  then  preach 
it  to  them.  If  he  preach  not  a  truth  with  his  tongue,  the 
Picture  by  and  by  will  teach  a  lie. 

I  remember  how  Stephen  Gardiner,  (whose  authority  I  use 
in  answering  of  him  who  was  Usher  of  the  school  where  he  was 
Bishop  of  the  see,)  was  foully  once  abused  by  an  Image.  Whereas 
the  King,  in  his  great  seal,  was  set  on  both  sides ;  on  the  one 
side,  as  in  war,  the  chief  Captain  ;  on  the  other  side,  as  in  peace, 
the  liege  Sovereign  ;  that  famous  Bishop  had  found  out  there  S. 
George  on  horseback :  which  the  graver  never  made  in  it,  nor  the 
sealer  never  sealed  with  it.  Yet,  in  his  letters  to  M.  Vaugham, 
of  Portsmouth,  answered  afterward  by  the  Council,  concerning 
the  same  matter  which  we  have  now  in  hand,  he  useth  these 
words :  "  He  that  cannot  read  the  scripture  about  the  King's 
broad  seal,  either  because  he  cannot  read  it  at  all,  or  because  the 
way  doth  not  express  it,  yet  he  can  read  S.  George  on  horseback 
on  the  one  side."  If  his  learned  Lordship  could  not  read  aright 
such  a  common  Image;  if  the  inscription  could  escape  his  eyes; 
no  marvel  if  the  lay  people  were  deceived  in  the  like.  I  will 
tell  you  what  these  books  do  teach  them.  Carnal  and  gross 
imaginations  of  God :  and  give  further  occasion  to  feed  their 
own  wicked  humour.  When  Amadys,  a  goldsmith  of  London, 
lay  at  the  point  of  death,  his  Parson  presented  him  with  the 
Cross  ;  to  put  him,  at  the  least,  in  remembrance  of  his  Maker. 
But  what  his  remembrance  was  helped  thereby,  his  answer 
declares.  For  he  raised  himself  in  his  bed,  and  said  :  "  What 
is  the  price  of  an  ounce  ?"  Such  is  the  fruit  that  the  unlearned 

i  [Wicliffe's  Apology,  p.  90.  Lond.  1842.  ed.  Camden  Soc.J 


TO    THE    HEADERS.  37 

receive  by  Images  ;  yea,  though  they  be  of  the  best  sort.  As 
for  the  learned,  they  have  better  books :  they  need  not  to  be 
•warned  with  such  idle  workmanship.  A  lively  Image  is  more 
to  purpose  than  a  dead.  And  if  the  proportion  and  shape  of 
a  man  may  move  us,  then  Avhy  not  of  the  living  rather  than 
the  dead  ?  If  I  see  a  poor  man  stretched  on  the  Cross  indeed  ; 
enemies  scorning  him,  power  oppressing  him,  and  death  afflict 
ing  him ;  he  may  for  the  remembrance  do  me  more  good,  and 
for  peril  less  harm :  for  I  need  not  to  doubt  idolatry  to  him. 
But  if  I  nail  a  dead  Picture  on  the  material  Cross,  and  set  it 
up  in  the  church,  my  memory  is  little  mended.  I  may  per- 
adventure,  and  not  like  to  the  contrary  but  I  shall,  be  misled 
by  it.  Now  suppose  it  were  so,  that  a  Crucifix  in  the  church 
did  tell  me  indeed,  in  most  significant  and  plain  letters,  that 
Christ  on  the  Cross  died ;  what  am  I  the  better  for  that, 
unless  I  know  that  He  died  for  me,  and  the  mean  how  His 
death  may  be  applied  to  me  ?  But  this  by  no  Picture  can  be 
expressed.  The  promises  in  the  word  must  declare  me  that; 
without  the  which,  nothing  is  the  Image,  yea,  worse  than 
nothing.  Will  ye  then  have  us  to  be  put  in  mind  of  our 
estate  and  condition,  of  our  redemption  in  Christ  ?  No  Picture 
can  represent  it ;  no  piece  of  metal  can  set  out  that,  which  all 
the  preaching,  all  the  writing  in  the  world,  is  not  able  suf 
ficiently  to  beat  into  our  dull  and  forgetful  heads. 

But  oft  we  see  that,  by  the  Image  or  story,  our  memory  objection, 
is  holpen.  Hereto  I  answer,  first,  that  it  is  an  extraordinary, 
and  therefore  an  unlawful  mean  :  condemning  the  negligence  of 
them  that  should  be  perfecter  and  lively  remembrancers ;  and 
excluding,  (as  it  were,)  the  word  of  God  from  his  proper  func 
tion.  Then,  also,  there  ought  not  any  such  forgetfulness  to  rest 
in  us.  Christ  hath  willed  us  thereof  to  be  mindful  ever.  Wo 
should  not  stand  in  need  of  more  outward  helps,  than  He, 
(expert  of  our  infirmities,)  hath,  of  His  mercy,  provided  for  us. 
Consider  this  with  yourselves ;  that,  if  an  Image  be  put,  it  is 
an  Image  of  God,  or  an  Image  of  man.  God  is  invisible,  and 
hath  no  body  :  how  can  He  then  be  pourtrayed  ?  Shall  wo 
give  a  shape  to  Him,  that  hath  no  shape  ?  "  The  Lord  spake 
unto  you,"  (saith  Moses2,)  "  out  of  the  middle  of  fire.  You 
heard  the  voice  or  sound  of  His  words,  but  you  did  see  no  form 
or  shape  at  all."  And  by  and  by  followeth  :  "Take  heed,  there- 
2  Dent.  iv.  [12,  ir>,  10,  2:1,,  24.] 


38  THE    PREFACE 

fore,  diligently  unto  your  souls.  You  saw  no  manner  of  Image, 
in  the  day  in  the  which  the  Lord  spake  unto  you  in  Horeb,  out 
of  the  midst  of  the  fire  :  lest  peradventure  you,  being  deceived, 
should  make  to  yourselves  any  graven  Image,  or  likeness  of 
man  or  woman."  And  again,  in  the  same  chapter  :  "  Beware 
that  thou  forget  not  the  covenant  of  the  Lord  thy  God, 
which  He  made  with  them  ;  and  so  make  to  thyself  any  carved 
Image,  which  the  Lord  hath  forbidden  to  be  made.  For  the 
Lord  thy  God  is  a  consuming  fire,  and  a  jealous  God."  Thus 
God  doth  earnestly  and  oft  call  upon  us  to  mark  and  take 
heed,  and  that  upon  the  peril  of  our  souls,  to  the  charge  that 
He  giveth  us.  Then,  by  a  solemn  and  long  rehearsal  of  all 
things  in  heaven,  in  earth,  and  in  the  water,  He  forbiddeth 
any  Image  or  likeness  of  any  thing  to  be  made.  There  follow- 
eth  also  the  penalty ;  the  horrible  destruction,  with  a  solemn 
invocation  of  heaven  and  earth  to  record,  denounced  and 
threatened  to  all  transgressors  of  this  commandment.  There 
fore,  in  the  old  Law,  the  middle  of  the  Propitiatory,  (which 
represented  God's  seat,)  was  empty ;  lest  any  should  take 
occasion  to  make  any  similitude  or  likeness  of  Him.  Esay, 
aftqr  he  hath  set  forth  the  incomprehensible  majesty  of  God, 
he  asketh1:  "  To  whom,  then,  will  ye  make  God  like;  or  what 
similitude  will  ye  set  up  unto  Him  ?  Shall  the  carver  make 
him  a  carved  Image ;  and  shall  the  goldsmith  cover  it  with 
gold,  or  cast  him  into  a  form  of  silver  plates  ?  And,  for  the 
poor  man,  shall  the  Image-maker  frame  an  Image  of  timber, 
that  he  may  have  somewhat  to  set  up  also  ?"  And,  after  this, 
he  crieth  out :  "  O  wretches,  heard  ye  never  of  this  ?  hath  it 
not  been  preached  to  you  sith  the  beginning;  how,  by  the 
creation  of  the  world,  and  the  greatness  of  the  work,  they 
might  understand  the  majesty  of  God,  the  Maker  and  Creator 
of  all,  to  be  greater  than  that  it  could  be  expressed  or  set 
forth  in  any  Image  or  bodily  similitude  ? "  Thus  far  the  Pro 
phet  Esay;  who,  from  the  forty-fourth  chapter  to  the  forty- 
fifth,  entreateth,  in  a  manner,  of  no  other  thing.  And  S.  Paul 
evidently  teacheth  the  same2;  that  no  similitude  can  be  made 
unto  God,  in  gold,  silver,  stone,  or  any  other  matter. 

By  these,  and  many  other  places  of  Scripture,  it  is  evident 
that  no  Image  either  ought,  or  can  be,  made  unto  God.     For 
how  can  God,  a  most  pure  Spirit,  whom  man  never  saw3,  be 
i  Esay  xl.  [18—26.]     2  Act.  xvii.  [29.]      3  Joan.  i.  [S.  John  i.  18.] 


TO    THE    READERS.  39 

expressed  by  a  gross,  bodily,  and  visible  similitude  ?  How  can 
the  infinite  majesty  and  greatness  of  God,  incomprehensible  to 
man's  mind,  much  more  not  able  to  be  compassed  with  the 
sense,  be  expressed  in  a  finite  and  little  Image  ?  How  can  a 
dead  and  a  dumb  Image  express  the  living  God  ?  What  can 
an  Image,  which,  when  it  is  fallen,  cannot  rise  up  again ;  which 
can  neither  help  his  friends,  nor  hurt  his  enemies;  express  of 
the  most  puissant  and  mighty  God,  who  alone  is  able  to  reward 
His  friends,  and  destroy  His  enemies  everlastingly  ?  S.  Paul 
saith4,  that  such  as  have  framed  any  similitude  of  God,  like 
a  mortal  man,  or  any  other  Image  of  Him  in  timber,  stone,  or 
other  matter,  have  changed  His  truth  into  a  lie.  Wherefore, 
they  that  make  any  Image  of  God  are  plainly  convict  to  be 
godless  persons.  I  may  reason  with  them  as  Arnobius  doth 
with  the  Gentiles5:  Si  certum  est,  apud  vos  Deos  esse  quos 
remini,  atque  in  summis  cceli  regionibus  degere;  quce  causa, 
quce  ratio  est,  utSimulachra  ista  fingantur  a  vobis;  cum  ha- 
beatis  res  certas,  quibus  preces  possitis  eff under e,  et  auxilium 
rebus  in  exigentibus  postulare  ?  "If  you  be  assured,"  (saith 
he,)  "  that  they  which  you  think  be  Gods  indeed,  and  dwell  in 
the  high  regions  of  heaven ;  what  cause,  what  reason  is  there 
that  you  make  these  Images;  whereas  ye  have  sure  and  cer 
tain  things,  whereto  ye  may  pour  out  your  prayers,  and 
crave  help  when  your  need  requireth?"  So,  if  we  have  a 
God  indeed,  what  do  we  with  His  Image  ?  Forsooth,  because  objection. 
we  cannot  see  God  any  otherwise,  we  must  both  see  Him  and 
serve  Him  on  this  sort.  So  said  the  Heathen  and  idolaters6: 
Quia  Deos  videre  datum  non  est,  eos  per  Simulachra  colimus, 
et  munia  officiosa  prcestamus  :  "  Because  it  is  not  granted  us 
to  see  the  Gods,"  (quoth  they,)  "therefore  we  honour  them  by 
their  Images,  and  do  our  duties  towards  them."  But  what 
doth  this  ancient  Father  answer  them  ?  The  same  that  I  do  to 
all  our  Image-mongers  :  Hoc  qui  dicit  et  asserit,  Deos  esse  non 
credit ;  nee  habere  convincitur  suis  Religionibus  fidem :  cui 
opus  est  videre  quod  teneat;  ne  inane  forte  sit,  quod  obscurum 

4  Rom.  i.  [25.] 

5  Lib.  vi.  paulo  post  princip.  [p.  195.  Lugd.  Bat.  1651.] 

6  Arnobius,  Lib.  vi.  [p.  195. — "An  numquid  dicitis  forte  pnesen- 
tiam  vobis  quandam  his  Numinum  sub  oxhibcri  Simulacris ;  et  quia 
Deos  videro  non  datum  est,  eos  sic  coli,  iis  et  munia  officiosa  prse- 
stari?"] 


40  THE    PREFACE 

non  videtur  :  c:  He  that  saith  and  affirmeth  this,  believeth 
that  there  is  no  God  at  all ;  and  is  convinced  that  he  giveth 
no  credit  to  his  own  Religion :  inasmuch  as  he  must  needs  see 
that  that  he  must  hold ;  lest  happily  [haply]  it  fall  out  to  be 
nothing,  which  is  not  apparent  to  the  eye  to  be  something." 
And  lest  peradventure  ye  say,  that  these  words  of  Arnobius 
cannot  be  applied  unto  our  age,  because  he  spcaketh  of  Gods, 
and  we  acknowledge  but  one  God ;  (although  I  might  answer 
that  we,  having  for  the  Image  of  our  one  God,  in  specialty,  the 
same  excuse  which  they,  in  generalty,  had  for  all  their  Gods, 
are  proved  to  be  in  the  same  fault  with  them ;  and,  being  in 
the  same  fault,  must  be  partakers  of  the  like  shame ;  yet,)  let 
us  see  whether  his  own  scholar,  which  knew  his  master's 
meaning  best,  did  not  apply  the  pretensed  reason  to  our  one 
God,  and  Image  of  Him.  Lactantius,  de  falsa  Religione1: 
Verentur  ne  omnis  illorum  Religio  inanis  sit  et  vacua,  [al. 
vana,~\  si  nihil  in  prcesenti  videant  quod  adorent :  et  ideo 
Simulachra  constituunt;  quce,quia  mortuorumsunt Imagines, 
similia  mortuis  sunt,  omni  enim  sensu  carent.  Dei  autem, 
in  wternum  viventis,  vivum  et  sensibile  debet  esse  Simula- 
chrum.  That  is  to  say:  "  They  are  afraid  lest  their  Religion 
be  void  and  to  no  purpose,  if  they  see  nothing  presently  that 
they  may  worship :  and  therefore  they  make  Counterfeits ; 
which,  because  they  are  Images  of  the  dead,  are  like  to  the 
dead,  for  they  be  without  sense.  But  the  Image  of  God,  who 
liveth  for  ever,  must  be  lively  and  sensible."  So  far  Lactantius. 
Wherefore,  since  God  is  not  like  unto  these;  for  He  is  living, 
but  these  are  dead  :  He  hath  neither  hand  nor  foot,  but  these 
have  both;  though  they  neither  strike,  nor  stand  of  them 
selves  :  He  is  neither  old  nor  young,  but  these  are  painted, 
some  gracious,  some  grisly,  some  lusty,  some  rusty ;  it  fol- 
loweth  that  they  are  not  the  Images  of  God,  which  are  made 
by  the  hand  of  man :  for,  as  Lactantius  saith2 :  Simulachrum 
a  similitudine  nomen  accepit  :  "  An  Image  hath  taken  his 
name  of  likeness." 

But  some  of  the  adversaries  will  not,  in  this,  contend  with 
me.  They  may,  perhaps,  grant  an  abuse  in  the  Image  of  the 
Father ;  (whom,  notwithstanding,  they  have  suffered  to  stand  in 
every  church  and  chapel,  like  an  old  man,  with  a  grey  beard, 
and  a  furred  gown,  even  as  the  painter's  conceit  did  serve  him ;) 

Li.  ii.  Cap.  ii.  [De  origine  Erroris,  L.  ii.  C.  ii.]          2  [Loc.  sup.  cit.] 


TO    THE    READERS.  41 

but  the  Image  of  the  Son,  because  He  is  made  man  for  our 
sakes,  may,  (as  a  man,)  be  set  forth  unto  us.  And,  therefore, 
they  write  how  Christ  did  send  His  Picture  to  Abgar,  King  of 
Edissenes3.  But,  as  it  is  not  like  that  any  such  matter  should 
be,  and  Eusebius,  writing  the  history  at  the  full4,  omit  it;  so, 
that  we  neither  may,  nor  ought,  make  any  Image  of  Christ 
Himself,  shall  by  good  reason  appear.  And,  first,  imagine  that 
it  were  possible  to  have  the  true  Counterfeit  of  Christ ;  it  fol- 
loweth  not,  therefore,  that  we  ought  to  have  it.  For,  in  all 
cases  that  concern  Religion,  it  is  not  only  to  be  enquired,  whe 
ther  a  thing  may  be  done  or  no ;  but  whether  it  be  lawful, 
and  agreeable  to  God's  word,  to  be  done  or  no.  For  all 
wickedness  may  be,  and  is,  daily  done ;  which  yet  ought  not  to 
be  done.  Wherefore  Augustin5  counsels  us,  "  that  we  love 
not  those  sights  that  be  subject  to  the  eye ;  lest,  swerving 
from  the  truth,  and  loving  shadows,  we  be  cast  into  darkness. 
Let  not  our  Religion  consist  in  our  own  fancies:  for  any  truth, 
whatsoever  it  be,  is  better  than  any  thing  that  can,  of  our  own 
head,  be  devised  of  us." 

But  some  will  say,  What  truth  have  ye  for  you,  that  objection. 
Images  are  utterly  forbidden  ?  I  might  refer  them  to 
that  which  is  said  and  proved  before  :  but,  because  they 
are  contentious,  I  will  add  somewhat  else ;  yet  nothing 
beside  the  Commandment  itself6:  "  Thou  shalt  not  make 
any  likeness  of  any  thing  in  heaven  above,  in  earth  be 
neath,  or  in  the  water  under  the  earth."  Could  any  more 
be  forbidden  and  said  than  this :  either  of  the  kinds  of 
Images,  which  be  either  carved,  molten,  or  otherwise  simi 
litudes  ;  or  of  things  whereof  Images  are  forbidden  to  be 

3  ["  . .  Abagaro  autcm  Christus  Dcus,  quoniam  eum  vitlere  gestiebat, 
transmisit."     (Synod.  Niccen.  n.  Act.  v. — Concilia,  Generalia,  iii.  561. 
Romse,  1612.)] 

4  [Ecdes.  Hist.  Lib.  i.   Cap.   xiii.   Conf.  Evagr.   L.   iv.   C.  xxvii. 
Nicephor.  Lib.  ii.  Cap.  vii.     The  earliest  witness,  in  support  of  the 
fable  of  the  Edessan  Image,  is  Evagrius  Epiphaniensis;  who  concluded 
his  History  in  the  year  594.     Vid.  Lib.  vi.  Cap.  ult.  Cavei  Hist.  Lit. 
Baronii  Annall.  Tom.  viii.  ad  an.  594.  n.  xxx.] 

5  De  vera  Reli.    To.   i.    Cap.    ultimo.     [Opp.  Tom.  i.  col.  587. 
$.  107,  108.  Antw.  1700 — "Non  diligamus  visibilia  spectacula;  ne,  ab 
ipsa  veritate  aberrando,  et  amando  umbras,  in  tenebras  projiciamur. 
Non  sit  nobis  Religio  in  phantasmatis  nostris.     Melius  est  enim  quale- 
cumque  verum  quam  omne  quidquid  pro  arbitrio  fingi  potest."] 

c  Exod.  xx.  [4.] 


42  THE     PREFACE 

made  ?  Are  not  all  things  either  in  heaven,  earth,  or  water 
under  the  earth?  Be  not  our  Images  of  Christ,  and  His 
Cross,  likenesses  of  things  in  heaven,  earth,  or  under  the 
earth  ?  If  they  say,  that  this  Commandment  concerneth  the 
Jews  only,  to  whom  the  Law  was  given ;  I  answer,  with  all  the 
Fathers  of  the  Church,  that  it  was  moral,  and  not  ceremonial : 
therefore  it  bindeth  as  well  us  as  them.  If  they  say,  that 
these  and  such  other  prohibitions  concern  the  Idols  of  the 
Gentiles,  and  not  our  Images;  Epiphanius1  shall  answer  them: 
who  did  rent  a  painted  cloth,  wherein  was  the  Picture  of 
Christ,  or  of  some  Saint;  affirming  it  "  to  be  against  our  lieli- 
gion,  that  any  such  Image  should  be  had  in  the  temple2." 
Irenaeus3  also  shall  answer  them :  who  reproved  the  heretics 

1  In  Epist.  ad  loan.  Patriar.  lerosoli.     ["Deinceps  preecipere,  in 
Ecclesia  Christi  ejusmodi  [al.  istiusmodi]  vela,  quse  contra  Religioncm 
nostram  veniunt,  non  appendi." — This  Epistle  is   extant  in  Latin, 
among  the  works  of  S.  Jerom,  who  has  translated  it.      (Vid.  JEpistt. 
S.  Hieron.  Par.  i.  Tract,  iii.  Ep.  xix.  sig.  m  ii.  Lugd.  1508.  Conf. 
Apol.  adv.  Rufin.)    It  appears  as  an  addition  to  the  Latin  version  of 
the  works  of  S.  Epiphanius,  by  the  prohibited  writer  Janus  Cornarius, 
Basil.  1578;  and  was  not  contained  in  the  first  impression,  Ib.  1543. 
As  to  the  date  of  the  latter,  Possevinus,  Du  Pin  and  Cave  are  greatly 
mistaken :    for  there  could  not  have  been  any  edition  published  by 
Cornarius  in  1533,  or  1540,  as  his   Dedication  was  written  on  the 
Calends  of  November,  1542.     Baronius,  Bellarmin,  Spondanus,  Du- 
reeus,  and  many  other  Romanists  find  it  convenient  to  deny  the  in 
tegrity  of  this  Epistle  :  but  it  is  distinctly  adduced  as  genuine  evidence 
in  the  Caroline  Books,  (iv.  xxv.)  composed  about  the  year  790;  and  in 
the  Acts  of  the  Synod  of  Paris,  held  A.  D.  825.     (Goldasti  Imperialia 
Decreta,  p.  665.  Francof.   1608.)     Alphonsus  a  Castro  candidly  re 
proaches  S.  Epiphanius  for  having  been  an  Iconoclast.     (Cont.  Hceres. 
de  Imagg.)    Waldensis,  "cum  magistro  Roberto,"  supposes  that  he 
was  "seized  with  zeal,  but  not  according  to  knowledge;"  (Sacramentalia, 
Tit.  xix.    Cap.  clvii.  fol.  cccxxv.  Paris.   1523.)  and  John  Damascen 
decides  the  point  by  saying  that  "  One  swallow  makes  no  summer." 
(Apol.  pro  ven.  S.  Imagin.  Lib.  i.  fol.  15,  b.  Paris.  1555.  Conf.  Baxter's 
Key  fur  Catholicks,  p.  167.  Lond.  1659.     Natal.  Alexand.  Hist.  Eccles. 
Saec.  iv.  C.  vi.  Art.  xxviii.  Paris.  1699.     Hospinian.  De  Templis,  fol. 
49,  b.  Tiguri,  1587.     Stillingfleet's  Defence  of  Discourse,  p.  501.  Lond. 
1676.)] 

2  ["  Tale  cnim  Simulacrum  Deo  ncfas  est  Christiano  in  templo  col- 
locare."   (S.  August.  Lib.  de  Fide  et  Symb.  Cap.  vii.  §.  14.  Opp.  Tom. 
vi.  col.  116.)] 

3  Li.  i.  Cap.  xxiv.     [Adv.  Hceres.  p.  61.  Paris.  1575. — "  Gnosticos 
so  autem  vocant :  etiam  Imagines  quasdam  quidem  depictas,  quasdam 


TO    THE    READERS.  43 

called  Gnostici,  for  that  they  carried  about  the  Image  of 
Christ,  made  truly  after  His  own  proportion,  in  Pilate's  time, 
(as  they  said;)  and  therefore  more  to  be  esteemed  than  these 
lying  Images  of  Him  which  we  now  have.  Augustin4  also 
shall  answer :  who  greatly  alloweth  M.  Varro,  affirming  "  that 
Religion  is  most  pure  without  Images;"  and  saith  himself5: 
"  Images  be  of  more  force  to  crook  an  unhappy  soul,  than  to 
teach  and  instruct  it."  And  he  saith  further  :  "  Every  child, 
yea,  every  beast,  knoweth  that  it  is  not  God  that  they  see. 
Wherefore,  then,  doth  the  Holy  Ghost  so  often  warn  us  of  that 
which  all  men  know?"  He  answereth  thus:  "For  when 
Images  are  placed  in  temples,  and  set  in  honourable  sublimity6, 
and  begin  once  to  be  worshipped,  forthwith  breedeth  the 
most  vile  affection  of  error."  Thus  all  the  Doctors  have 
thought  the  Commandment  to  extend  to  us;  and  that  our 
Images  are  forbidden  by  it. 

Now,  if  they  will  yet  reply  and  say,  that  Images  are  in-  objection. 

autem  et  tie  rcliqua  materia  fabricatas  habent;  dicentes  fonnani 
Christ!  faotam  a  Pilato,  illo  in  tempore  quo  fuit  Jesus  cum  hominibus." 
Conf.  S.  Epiphan.  cont.  Carpocr.  Hceres.  xxvii.] 

4  De  Civitate  Dei,  Libr.  iv.  Cap.  iii.     [Cap.  xxxi. — "  Quapropter 
cum  solos  dicit  animadvertisse  quid  esset  Deus,  qui  Eum  crederent 
animam  mundum  gubernantem ;  castiusque  existimat  sine  Simulacris 
observari  Religionem ;  quis  non  videat  quantum  propinquaverit  veri- 
tati  ?"] 

5  In  Psal.  xxxvi.   &  Psal.  cxiii.     [Enarr.  in  Psal.  cxiii.  Serm.  ii. 
§.  vi. — "Plus  enim  valent  Simulacra  ad  currandam  infelicem  animam 
. .  .  quam  ad  corrigendam." — Item  §.  iii.  (Conf.  §.  ii.  et  Enarr.  in  Psal. 
xxxvi.  Serm.  ii.  §.  xiii.)     "Quis  puer  interrogatus  non  hoc  cerium  esse 
respondeat,  quod  '  Simulacra  Gentium  os  habent,  et  non  loquentur ; 
oculos  habent,  et  non  videbunt;'  et  csetera  qua;  divinus  senno  con- 
texuit?     Cur  ergo  tantopere   Spiritus   Sanctus  curat   Scripturarum 
plurimis  locis  heec  insinuare,  atque  inculeare  velut  inscientibus,  quasi 
non  omnibus  apertissima  atque  notissima ;  nisi  quia  species  membro- 
rum,  quam  naturaliter  in  animantibus  viventem  videre,  atque  in  nobis- 
metipsis  sentire  consuevimus,  quamquam,  ut  illi  asserunt,  in  signum 
aliquod  fabrefacta,  atque  eminenti  collocata  suggestu,  cum  adorari 
atquo  honorari  a  multitudine  cceperit,  parit  in  unoquoque  sordidissi- 
mum  erroris  affectum  ?"] 

c  [Calf  hill  here,  as  on  an  occasion  previously  noted,  seems  to  have 
had  other  words  of  S.  Augustin  likewise  in  his  mind :  for  elsewhere 
we  find  the  expressions,  "  Verumtamen  cum  his  locantur  sedibus, 
honorabili  sublimitate,"  &c.  (Epist.  cii.  Qua?st.  iii.  $.  18.  Opp.  Tom. 
ii.  col.  212.)] 


44  THE    PREFACE 

deed  forbidden ;  not  to  be  had,  but  to  be  worshipped :  for, 
otherwise,  the  works  in  cloths  of  arras,  the  Images  in  Princes' 
coins,  the  art  of  painting,  and  carving,  &c.,  were  wicked :  I 
answer  to  this,  that  Images,  for  no  superstition ;  Images  of  none 
worshipped,  nor  in  danger  to  be  worshipped,  are  indeed  toler 
able  :  but  Images,  placed  in  public  temples,  cannot  be  possibly 
without  danger  of  worshipping;  and  therefore  are  not  there  to 
be  suffered.  The  Jews,  to  whom  this  law  was  first  given,  (who 
should,  of  congruence,  have  the  true  sense  and  meaning  of  it,) 
thought  that  it  was  so  generally  to  be  taken,  that  neither,  in 
the  beginning,  they  had  any  Images  publicly  in  their  temples, 
as  Josephus  writeth;  neither,  after  the  restitution  of  the  tem- 
ple,  would,  by  any  means,  consent  to  Herod1,  Pilate2,  or  Pe- 
tronius3,  that  Images  in  the  temple  at  Hierusalem  should  be 
placed  only;  although  no  worship  was  required  at  their  hands: 
but  rather  offered  themselves  to  the  death,  than  to  assent  that 
Images  should  once  be  placed  in  the  temple  of  God.  Neither 
would  they  suffer  any  Image-maker  to  dwell  among  them4. 
Origen  addeth  this  cause:  "Lest  their  minds  should  be  plucked 
from  God,  to  the  contemplation  of  earthly  things."  The  Turks, 
taking  some  part  of  their  Religion,  observe,  to  this  day,  the  same. 
For  he  that  writeth  their  story,  annexed  to  the  Alchoran,  saith5 : 
Picturas  sen  sculpturas  omnium  Imayinum  sic  abhorrent  et 

1  Anti.  Jud.  Li.  xvii.  Cap.  viii.    [Antiqq.  xvii.  Cap.  vi.  §.  ii.  Vol.  i. 
pp.   842 — 3.  ed.  Havercamp. — Lib.   i^.   Ke</>.  77.  p.   529.  edit,  princ. 
Basil.  1544.— Lib.  xvii.  C.  viii.  p.  596.  Colon.  1G91.  Conf.  Bell.  Jud. 
Lib.  i.  Cap.  xxxiii.  §.  ii.] 

2  Lib.  xviii.  Ca.  v.    [Antiqq.  xviii.  Cap.  iii.  §.  i.  ed.  Haverc.  Vol.  i. 
p.  875. — Lib.  ITJ.  Ke0.  8'.  p.  551.  ed.  Basil. — L.  xviii.  Cap.  iv.  p.  621.  ed. 
Colon.    Cf.  Bell.  Jud.  ii.  ix.  $$.  ii,  iii.] 

3  Lib.  xviii.  Ca.  xv.     [Ant.  Lib.  xviii.  Cap.  viii.  Vol.  i.  p.  899-  ed. 
Hav. — Lib.  «;.  Ke$.  ia.  p.  568.  cd.  Basil. — L.  xviii.  Cap.  xi.  p.  639.  ed. 
Colon.    Conf.  Bell.  Jud.  ii.  x.] 

4  ["Nam  in  civitatem  eorum  nullus  Pictor  admittebatur ;  nullus 
Statuarius ;  legibus  totum  hoc  genus  arcentibus :  ne  qua  occasio  prse- 
beretur  hominibus  crassis;  neve  animi  eorum  a  Dei  cultu  avocarentur 
ad  res  terrenas,  per  hujusmodi  illecebras."    (Origenes,  Contra  Celsum, 
Lib.  iv.  pp.  181 — 2.  ed.  Spencer.  Cantab.  1658.)] 

5  Cap.  x.  ["  Unde,  ex  hoc  Alcorano  edocti  Turci,  hunc  hodie  obser 
vant  vivendi  morem;  ut  frater  ille,  qui  duos  et  viginti   annos  illic 
servierat  captivus,  prodidit.     Inprimis   Imagines  omnes,  seu  pictas, 
seu  sculptas,  abhorrent  ac  dotestantur;  usque  adeo  ut  Christianos, 
quoniam  his  oblectantur,  Idolatras,  Dccmonumquc  cultores,  et  vocitent 


TO    THE     READERS.  45 

dctestantur,  ut  Cliristianos  qui  in  Mis  tantum  delectantur, 
Idololatras  et  cultores  Dcemonum  vocent,  et  in  veritate  esse 
credant.  Unde,  dum  essem  in  Chio,  et  ambasiatoribus  Tur- 
corum  pro  recipiendo  tributo  illuc  venientibns,  introductis  in 
ecclesiam  nostram,  vellem  persuadere  de  Imaginibus ;  nequa- 
quam  acquiescentes,  sed  omnibus  rationibus  refutatis,  hoc 
solum  affirmabant,  Vos  Idola  colitis.  Which  words  may 
thus  be  turned  into  English  :  "  They  so  abhor  and  detest  all 
painting  and  graving  of  any  Images,  that  they  call,  and  verily 
believe,  the  Christians  that  only  delight  in  them,  to  be  idola 
ters  and  worshippers  of  Devils.  Wherefore,  when  I  was  in 
Chio,  and  would  have  persuaded  the  ambassadors  of  the 
Turks,  which  came  thither  to  receive  tribute,  (after  I  had 
brought  them  into  our  church,)  as  touching  Images  ;  they  would 
not  agree,  but,  refuting  all  reason,  this  only  they  affirmed, 
'  You  worship  Idols.' "  And  surely  Jews  and  Turks  will  never 
come  to  our  Religion,  while  these  stumbling-blocks  of  Images 

c5  7  O  o 

remain  amongst  us,  and  lie  in  their  way. 

Now  that  I  have  proved,  as  well  by  the  words  of  Scripture, 
as  by  the  true  sense  and  meaning  of  it,  so  understood  of  all  the 
faithful,  that  it  is  a  piece  of  infidelity,  to  have  an  Image  in  place 
of  God's  service,  it  might  suffice  to  decise  the  controversy  that 
is  in  hand.  But  an  Image  cannot  be  made  of  Christ,  unless 
it  be  a  lying  Image  ;  as  the  Scripture  peculiarly  calleth  Images 
lies,  as  I  proved  before.  For  Christ  is  God  and  man.  And 
since,  of  the  Godhead,  which  is  the  most  excellent  part,  no 
Image  can  be  made,  it  is  falsely  called  the  Image  of  Christ ; 
and  they  that  do  apply  any  honour  to  it  are  mere  idolaters  : 
making  Christ  thereby  inferior  to  the  Father  ;  cleaving  only  to 
His  humanity;  whereas  we  are,  by  Christ's  own  words,  com 
manded,  "  that  all  should  so  honour  the  Son  as  they  honour 
the  Father6."  But,  against  this,  a  crafty  Papist  may  reply  and 
say,  that,  by  the  same  reason,  it  is  not  lawful  to  paint  a  man, 
for  he  consisteth  of  soul  and  body ;  and  the  soul,  which  is 
the  chief  part  of  him,  no  art  or  cunning  is  able  to  express. 
But  I  answer  to  this,  that  the  reason  is  nothing  like.  For 
the  soul  may  be  severed  from  the  body;  as  daily,  by  death, 
we  see  experience :  nor  it  is  impiety  to  think  upon  or  behold 

et  firmitcr  credant."     (Jo.  Cuspiniani  Turcorum  Rel!yio,fo\.  65,  b.  Ant- 
verp.  1541.    Cf.  Lcunclavii  Pand.  Hist.  Tare.  p.  139.  Francof.  1596.)} 
6  Jo.  v.  [23.] 


46  THE    PREFACE 

the  shape  of  a  man  without  a  soul.  But  the  divinity  of 
Christ  cannot  be  separate  from  His  humanity:  neither  is  it 
lawful  to  imagine  an  humanity  without  a  divinity,  lest  we  fall 
into  the  heresy  of  Nestorius ;  as,  in  the  third  article,  where  I 
shall  have  occasion  to  speak  of  the  Council,  assembled  by  com 
mandment  of  Constantine  the  fifth,  at  more  large  is  opened. 

2.  And,  whereas  Christ  hath  carried  His  flesh  up  into  heaven  with 
Him,  no  more  to  be  known  according  to  the  flesh1 ;  we,  fleshly 
creatures,  do  fall  from  His  will,  and  make  a  counterfeit  of  a 
mortal  flesh;  whereas  His  is  glorified.   Furthermore,  unknown 

3.  it  is,   what  was  the  form  and  countenance  of  Christ3.     So 
many  places,  so  many  Images3 ;  and  every  one  of  them,  (as 
they  affirm,)  the  true  and  lively  Image  of  Christ ;  and  yet  never 
a  one  of  them  like  to  another.     Wherefore,  as  soon  as  an 
Image  of  Christ  is  made,  by  and  by  a  lie  is  made,  which  is 
forbidden  by  God's  word.   Wherefore,  since  our  Religion  ought 
to  be  grounded  upon  truth,  Images,  which  cannot  be  without 
lies,  ought  not  to  be  made ;  or  put  to  any  use  of  Religion. 

Thus  have  I  declared  the  unlawfulness  of  Images,  in  which 
respect  they  are  intolerable.  Now  a  word  for  the  folly  of 
them,  which,  among  us,  is  nothing  sufferable.  Athanasius4  ap- 
pointeth  two  ways  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  God ;  Ani- 
mam,  et  Opera:  "  the  soul  of  man;11  which,  by  the  Word,  may 
behold  the  Word,  and  so  enter  into  the  privy  chamber  of  the 
Almighty :  and,  if  that  suffice  not,  "the  works  of  God;"  whereby 
the  invisible  things  of  His  eterne  virtue  and  divinity  may  be 
seen  of  us5.  Then,  us  to  seek  any  new  ways,  since  these  are 
ordained  ever  since  the  beginning  and  creation  of  the  world, 
is  too  much  foolishness.  If  we  seek  for  comparisons,  and  will 
have  one  thing  set  forth  by  another,  why  should  we  not 
rather  follow  Christ's  institution,  than  be  addicted  to  our  own 
devices  ?  Christ,  in  the  Scripture,  hath  resembled  Himself  to 
many  of  His  creatures,  which  daily  and  hourly  are  before  our 

1  [2  Cor.  v.  16.] 

2  [The  Epistle  of  Lentulus,  alleged  by  Molanus  and  others,  in 
defence  of  representations  of  the  Saviour,  is,  of  course,  spurious.] 

3  [Videantur  Reiskii  Exercitationes  Historicce  de  Imagmibus  Jesu 
Christi,  Jenac,  1685.] 

4  Oratione  contra  Idol.   [Contra  Gentes,  §§.  34,  35.  Opp.  Tom.  i. 
ed.  Bened.] 

5  Rom.  i.  [20.] 


TO    THE     READERS.  4? 

eyes  :  and  can  we  not  be  contented  with  them  ;  but  make  new- 
creatures,  of  our  own  heads,  to  put  us  in  mind  of  our  bounden 
duties  ?  We  see  the  light  and  shining  sun ;  and  see  we  not 
the  power  of  Christ  in  it  ?  We  see  the  ways  and  doors  to 
our  houses  ;  and  see  we  not  Christ,  the  ready  path  to  heaven  ? 
We  see  the  hens,  clocking  of  their  chickens ;  and  see  we  not 
Christ,  continually  calling  us  ?  We  see  poor  shepherds,  feed 
ing  of  their  sheep ;  and  see  we  not  Christ,  the  true  feeder  of 
our  souls  ?  We  see  ourselves,  the  lively  images  and  perfect 
counterfeits  of  Christ  Himself;  and  shall  Christ  be  forgotten, 
unless  we  have  a  Crucifix  ?  There  is  nothing,  I  promise  you, 
but  madness  in  this  meaning.  There  is  nothing  that  can  so 
lively  express  the  affects,  (as  I  may  term  them,)  and  qualities 
of  Christ,  as  those  things  which  He  thought  good  to  serve  our 
understanding.  Shall  we  then  refuse  the  more  evident  argu 
ment,  and  fall  to  the  darker  signification  ?  Shall  we  contemn 
Christ  and  His  order,  and  set  so  much  store  by  a  blind  Pic 
ture?  Nero,  I  remember,  was  sometime  so  wanton,  ut 
gladiatorum  puynas  spectaret  in  smaragdo6.  He  had  an 
emerald  in  his  ring,  that  would  give  to  the  eye  the  resem 
blances  of  things  that  were  before  it.  Wherefore,  when  the 
masters  of  defence  came  to  play  their  prises7,  he  would 
behold  them  in  his  ring.  I  wis8  he  might  have  discerned 
them  better,  if  he  had  looked  on  their  own  selves,  and  not 
have  tooted9  in  a  stone  to  see  them.  But  nothing  can  content 
the  curious ;  and  the  flesh  delighteth  in  her  own  devices. 

Thus  is  it  proved  that  Images  do  not,  according  to 
Gregory's  mind,  teach ;  but,  in  all  respects,  be  vain  and 
foolish :  and,  if  they  did  teach,  yet,  by  the  Scripture  and 
word  of  God,  such  schoolmasters  are  forbidden  to  us.  Now, 
that  they  are  honoured,  contrary  to  his  mind,  experience 
of  long  time  hath  proved,  and  the  popish  doctrine  hath 
confirmed.  For  order  is  taken  how  they  shall  be  hallowed10: 
first,  with  exorcism  of  water  and  of  salt ;  then  with  hypo- 

6  [C.  Plinii  Sec.  Natur.  Hist.  Lib.  xxxvii.  Cap.  v.] 

1  [Prizes,  trials  of  skill.]  8  [pret.  and  Part.  pass.  Wist.] 

9  [looked  pryingly.     See  Spenser's  Shepheard's  Calender :  March ; 
1.  66.    Pierce  the  Ploughman's  Crede,  sign.  B.  i,  B.  iii.  1553.     Fairfax, 
Tasso,  x.  56.  xiv.  66.     Latimer's  Sermons,  pp.  283,  287.     Cranmer's 
Works,  p.  229.  1.  3.  Cambr.  1844.  ed.  Parker  Soc.] 

10  In  Pontificali. 


48  THE     PllEFACE 

critical  and  blasphemous  prayer ;  afterward  with  censing, 
anointing,  kissing,  erecting,  and  an  hundreth  other  most 
vile  observances.  Privileges  and  pardons  be  granted  to  them  ; 
candles  and  tapers  be  lighted  afore  them ;  much  gold  and 
jewels  are  bestowed  on  them :  and,  lest  authority  should 
want  to  error,  in  all  their  sayings,  in  all  their  writings,  and 
in  their  general  Councils,  they  have  confirmed  the  worship 
ping  of  them ;  as  in  the  second  at  Nice l,  and  that  which  was 
assembled  at  Rome  by  Gregory  the  third2.  But,  of  these 
idolatrous  deeds  and  doctrines,  I  shall  have  occasion  hereafter 
to  entreat.  Sufficeth  now  that  I  have  shewed,  how  the  Devil 
abuseth  the  works  of  God,  to  his  own  purpose  :  how  Images 
have  crept  into  the  church :  how  necessarily  they  are  naught : 
both  by  the  word  of  God,  and  authority  of  good  men  con 
demned.  And,  sith  they  teach  not  otherwise  than  lies ;  and  are, 
notwithstanding,  honoured,  to  the  shame  of  us,  and  derogation 
of  God's  glory;  they  ought,  in  general,  to  be  removed  from  the 
place  of  peril ;  the  place  of  God's  service.  We  must  not  give 
place  to  our  own  reason :  we  must  not  measure  God  with  the 
line  of  our  fancies  ;  but  build  according  to  the  plat3  laid  before 
us,  and  shew  our  thankfulness  by  obedience.  If  we  once  give 
place  to  our  enemy,  which  daily  doth  assault  us,  I  confess,  (with 
Martiall,)  that  we  give  occasion  of  our  own  fall.  If  we  be  not 
circumspect,  and  wise  in  Christ,  we  shall  unwares  be  set  upon 
and  betrayed.  We  see  how  he  suborneth  his  ministers,  by  all 
crafty  means  to  seduce  us,  if  he  can.  They  were  wont  to  say : 
"  There  is  small  store  of  Saints,  when  the  Devil  carrieth  the 
Cross :"  but  we  may  justly  suspect,  that  there  is  small  good 
ness  in  the  Cross,  when  it  is  carried  by  the  Devil  and  his  Saints. 
Martiall,  much  like  to  Virgil's  Sinon,  (of  whom  he  took  a  pre 
cedent,  to  make  an  artificial  lie,)  for  three  leaves  together,  in 
his  preface,  telleth  undoubted  trothes4;  to  the  end  that  the  false 
hoods,  which,  foolishly,  (God  wot,)  he  doth  infer,  may  have  the 
more  credit.  And  whensoever  I  bring  any  of  MartialPs  alle 
gations,  I  note,  in  the  margent,  the  leaf  of  his  book,  where  ye 
shall  find  it ;  after  this  sort :  Fol.  with  a  or  6,  for  the  first  or 
second  page :  because  it  were  vain  to  recite  more  of  his  idle 

1  [An.  787.] 

2  ["Romanum  V.  &  VI.  ann.  731,732.  habita.      In  utroquc  do 
cultu  Imaginum  actum  cst."    (Cavci  Hist.  Lit.  i.  645.  Oxon.  1740.)] 

3  [Plot,  design  :  contracted  from  the  French  complot.] 
*  [truths.] 


TO    THE    READERS.  49 

words ;  which  might  well  increase  the  volume,  but  cumber  too 
much  and  loathe  the  reader. 

He  beginneth,  then,  with  a  long  process  ;  and  hath  couched  FOI.  3,  b. 
all  his  eloquence  together,  to  tell  a  good  tale  of  his  master  the 
Devil.  He  labours  busily  about  that,  which  no  man  contends 
with  him  of.  There  he  forgat  the  rule  of  logic,  de  Reciproca- 
tione.  That  is  an  ill  argument  which  serveth  both  parts.  I 
grant  that  Satan  hath  gone  about,  first  by  persecution  and  fear, 
afterward  by  fair  promises,  to  make  the  moe  to  hang  upon  him. 
We  have  had  experience  of  this  in  some  of  his  own  sect ;  whom  D.  Harding. 
these  two  Doctors,  fear  of  death,  and  hope  of  promotion,  within 
the  space  of  a  month  instructed  more  than  in  seven  years 
he  could  learn  before.  We  see  the  trial  of  this  in  every 
one  of  the  new  colligioners  of  Lovain,  who  could  be  contented 
with  all  their  hearts  to  reform  themselves ;  unless,  in  their  M. 
the  Devil's  service,  they  feared,  on  the  one  side,  a  new  revolt 
and  rage  of  Antichrist ;  and,  on  the  other  side,  hoped  to  be 
Bishops,  when  the  world  should  turn.  Rusticus  expectat  dum 
defluat  amnis"0.  They  know  what  followeth.  Now,  to  turn 
the  weapon  on  their  own  heads.  Because  the  providence  and 
mercy  of  our  God  hath  frustrate  their  hope  in  their  opinion 
too  long,  they  have  thought  it  best  to  make  open  war  against 
God,  and  all  honesty ;  to  send  for  their  friends,  and  summon 
their  diets  in  the  Low-countries.  Thence  have  proceeded  the 
popish  practices :  the  smoky  stirs  that  were  blown  in  Scot 
land ;  the  fiery  factions  inflamed  in  France;  the  Pholish6 
treason  condemned  in  England ;  the  popish  conspiracy  at 
tempted  in  Ireland  :  that,  as  it  hath  been  the  old  wont,  and 
all  the  religion  of  Romish  fathers,  to  maintain,  by  the 
sword,  that  reign  of  Romulus,  first  gotten  by  murder ;  to  set 
sometime  the  mothera  against  the  son;  the  sonb  against •  Irene 
the  father;  the  people0  against  the  Prince;  so  they  might SnSnt the 
set  realms  together  by  the  ears,  and  arm  the  subjects  against  J^1™? thc 
the  Queen ;  themselves  to  be  maintained  in  their  pride  and  Jf^"'.'^ 
hypocrisy.  When  this  hath  not  taken  the  desired  effect,  j^"!;.1'"1' 

«  In  Knclaml 
against  King 

5  [" Rusticus  expectat  dum  defluat  amnis ;  at  illc  H^nrythe 

Labitur,  et  labetur,  in  omne  volubilis  sevum." 

(Hor.  Lib.  i.  Epist.  ii.  42—3.)] 

6  [Polish;    Cardinal   Pole's.     Vid.    Schelhornii   Anuxnitates   Hist. 
Eccles.  Tom.  i.  pp.  11—276.  Francof.  1737.    Works  of  Bp.  Pilkington, 
p.  497.     Early  Writings  of  Bp.  Hooper,  pp.  37,  38.  edd.  Parker  Soc.] 

[CALFHILL.] 


50  THE    PREFACE 

(God  giving  wonderful  and  glad  success  to  the  noble  furtherer 
of  His  word  and  glory,)  they  have  thought  it  most  gainful  for 
them  to  come  in  with  a  new  battle ;  a  battle  of  books  :  where 
of  some  already  be  come  into  our  sight ;  and  they  say  that 
more  do  lie  in  ambush.     Thanks  be  to  God,  they  shed  no 
blood;  though  they  breathe  nothing   else   but  sedition  and 
lies.      If  it  have  pleased  God,  at  any  time,  to  raise  more 
notable  instruments  in  His  Church,  as  Luther,  Zwinglius,  and 
Calvin  were ;  as  Knokes,  Latymcr,  and  Cranmer  have  been ; 
to  beat  down  the  walls  of  the  malignant  Church ;  and  most  of 
them,  with  their  blood,  to  bear  witness  to  the  truth :  then  are 
they  condemned  of  the  antichristians ;  and,  with  all  words  of 
beastliness  and   reproach,   slandered.     But  now  they  have 
uttered  themselves  so  far ;   their  malice  and  impudence  is  so 
apparent ;  that  their  tongue  indeed  is  no  slander  at  all.  They 
Avere  wont  to  say,  that  a  man  should  not  belie  the  Devil. 
What  shame  is  it  then  for  M.  Martiall  to  belie  the  Saints  ?  as, 
that  the  Reformation  at  Berna  should  be  under  Zwinglius ; 
where  he  never  preached,  or  had  aught  to  do :    the  altera 
tion  of  the  state  in  Helvetia  should  be  in  the  time  of  Luther 
and   his  abettors ;    whereas  it  chanced  almost  two  hundred 
years  before  they  were  born,  sub  Bonifacio  octavo  :   that 
knowledge  of  the  Gospel  in  England  began  in  Latimer  and 
Cranmer's  days ;  whereas,  in  King  Henry  the  third  his  reign, 
an.  1374,  not  only  Wickleife  and  many  in  his  time,  but  also 
the  King  himself,  began  as  good  matter  of  Reformation :  (as  the 
Chronicles  report.)     But  they  will  still  be  like  themselves. 
And  now  M.  Martiall  brags  of  his  master's  arms  and  recogni 
zance  in  his  forehead.     What  it  is  that  his  forehead  hath 
more  than   unshamefacedness,   I  see  not:    what  his  tongue 
hath,  we  may  all  be  witnesses  ;  the  forward  and  faithful  profes 
sion  of  his  master.     Hie  homicida  crat  ab  initio,  et  in  veri- 
tate  non  extitit,  quia  veritas  in  illo  non  est1 :    "He  was  a 
man-queller  from  the  beginning,  and  abode  not  in  the  truth, 
because  there  is  no  truth  in  him."    Wherefore,  dearly  beloved, 
although  this  ape  come  forth  with  ten  Articles,  in  imitation  of 
ten  Commandments ;  yet,  God  be  thanked,  they  neither  be  the 
Commandments,  therefore  to  be  followed  ;  nor  Articles  of  our 
faith,  therefore  to  be  believed.     But  rather,  (as  in  the  process 
it  shall  well  appear,)  every  one,  (as  he  construes  them,)  swerves 
1  Joan.  viii.  [S.  John  viii.  44.] 


TO    THE    HEADERS.  51 

from  the  faith  ;  and  therefore,  by  commandment,  we  ought 
to  beware  of  them.  Judge  you  indifferently.  I  appeal  to  the 
conscience  of  every  Christian,  whether  we,  (avoiding  the  occa 
sion  of  Idolatry,)  tend  any  whit  to  Paganism,  as  the  Papists  by 
their  devices  do :  or  whether  we,  (by  removing  all  Images,  and 
consequently  the  Cross  too,)  do  derogate  from  Christ  and  from 
His  passion,  as  they  do ;  which,  having  the  material  Cross, 
cannot  come  to  the  knowledge  and  faith  of  The  crucified. 

I  confess  that  I  am  more  aspre2  in  my  writing,  than  other 
wise  I  would,  or  modesty  requireth :  but  no  such  bitterness  is 
tasted  in  me,  as  the  beastliness  of  them,  (with  whom  I  have  to 
do,)  deserveth.  Bear  with  me,  therefore,  (I  beseech  you ;) 
bear  with  a  truth,  in  plain  speech  uttered.  Bayard  hath 
forgot  that  he  is  a  horse ;  and  therefore,  if  I  make  the 
stumbling  jade's  sides  to  bleed,  blame  me  not.  Impute  not 
to  malice  and  impatience  that  which  is  grounded  of  hatred  to 
the  crime,  but  love  to  the  persons  which  be  touched.  I  hope, 
by  this  means,  that,  seeing  their  own  shame,  they  will  come 
to  more  honesty;  or,  hearing  their  own  evil  doings,  surcease, 
(at  least  wise,)  their  evil  speaking.  They  have  nothing  so  rife 
in  their  depraving  mouths,  wherewithal  to  burden  our  minis 
try  in  England,  as  heaping  together  all  base  occupations ;  to  FOI.  9,  a,  t>. 
shew  that  the  craftsmen  thereof  be  our  preachers.  I  wis  I 
might  answer,  and  justify  the  same,  that  as  great  a  number 
of  learned  as  ever  were ;  as  ancient  in  standing  and  degree 
as  they,  supply  the  greatest  rooms,  and  places  of  most  credit. 
Wherefore  they  do  us  wrong,  to  match  the  simplest  of  our 
side  with  the  best  of  theirs.  As  for  their  famous  writers, 
Rascall,  Dorman,  Martiall,  and  Stapleton ;  which  now,  with 
such  confidence,  make  their  challenges  ;  be  known  unto  us  what 
they  are.  But  they  which,  at  home,  be  no  more  known  than 
contemned,  as  soon  as  ever  they  taste  the  good  liquor  of 
Lovain,  they  be  great  Clerks,  Bachelors  of  divinity,  Students 
of  the  same ;  they  must  be  magnified,  they  must  be  rever 
enced,  as  if  Apollo  suddenly  had  cast  his  cortayne3  about 

2  [Aspcr,  harsh  ;  inclined  to  asperity.] 

:j  [Curtain;    from  tho  Latin  Cortina,  the  covering  of  the  Tripod, 
from  which  the  Priestess  of  Apollo  delivered  responses. 
"Delphica  damnatis  tacuerunt  sortibus  antra: 
Non  Tripodas  Cortyna  legit." 

(Prudentii  Apotheos.  Opp.  p.  289.  Lugd.  15o3.)] 

4—2 


52  THE    PREFACE 

them.  But,  to  grant  that  the  inferior  sort  of  our  Ministers 
were  such  indeed  as  these  men  of  spite  imagine ;  such  as 
came  from  the  shop,  from  the  forge,  from  the  wherry,  from 
the  loom ;  should  ye  not,  (think  you,)  find  more  sincerity  and 
learning  in  them,  than  in  all  the  rabble  of  their  popish 
Chaplains,  their  Mass-mongers,  and  their  Soul-Priests?  I 
lament  that  there  are  not  so  many  good  preachers  as  parishes  : 
I  am  sorry  that  some,  too  unskilful,  be  preferred :  but  I  never 
saw  that  simple  Reader  admitted  in  our  Church,  but,  in  the 
time  of  Popery,  ye  should  have  found,  in  every  diocese,  forty 
Sir  Johns1,  in  every  respect  worse.  I  could  exaggerate  their 
case  alike,  and  prove  it  better;  how  bawds,  bastards,  and 
beastly  abused  boys,  have  been  called  to  be  Bishops  among 
them :  Sorcerers,  Simoniacs,  Sodomites,  pestilent,  perjured, 
poisoners,  have  been  advanced  to  be  Popes  among  them. 
Shall  this  derogate  from  their  holy  see?  Yet  none  of  ours,  of 
any  calling  or  name  amongst  us,  can,  of  envy  itself,  be  bur 
dened  with  the  like.  As  for  the  rascal  of  their  Religion,  what 
were  they?  what  are  they?  Adulterous,  blasphemous,  covet 
ous,  desperate,  extreme,  foolish,  gluttons,  harlots,  ignorants  : 
and  so  go  through  the  cross  row  of  letters,  and  truly  end  it 
with  Est  Amen.  Therefore,  if  they  urge  us  any  further  with 
imperfection  in  our  state  ;  thereby  to  bring  us  into  contempt 
and  hatred  ;  we  will  descend  to  particularities,  and  detect 
their  filth  to  the  whole  world. 

"We  are  not,  (dear  Christians,)  the  men  that  the  adver 
saries  of  the  truth  report  us :  we  do  not  lean  to  our  own 
wisdoms;  we  prefer  not  our  sayings  before  the  Decrees  of 
ancient  Fathers :  but,  after  the  advice  of  the  Fathers  them 
selves,  we  prefer  the  Scriptures  before  men's  pleasures.  This 
may  we  do  without  offence,  (I  trust.)  The  Popes  themselves 
have  permitted  us  this.  Eleutherius  the  Pope,  writing  to 
Lucius,  King  of  England2,  said  thus  unto  him :  Petiistis 

1  [Or  Mass-Johns  ;  though  the  latter  nickname  has  frequently  been 
given  to  Presbyterian  teachers.    See  Bp.  Sage's  Presbytery  examined: 
Works,  Vol.    i.   pp.    360—61.    Edinb.    1844.    ed.    Spottiswoode  Soc. 
Compare  Chaucer's  Canterbury  Tales,  14816.      Spenser's  Shepheard's 
Calender:  May;  309.  Care's  Weekly  Pacquet  of  Advice  from  Rome,  Vol. 
i.  p.  126.  Lond.  1679.  Becon's  Displaying  of  the  Popish  Mass :  Prayers, 
&c.  p.  267.  Larimer's Sermons,  p.  317.  Camb.  1844.  edd.  Parker  Soc.] 

2  In  the  ancient  Records  of  London,  remaining  in  the  Guildhall. 
[The  entire  of  the  Rescript,  ascribed  to  Pope  Eleutherus,  or  Eleu- 


TO    THE    READERS.  53 

a  nobis  leges  Romanas  et  Ccesaris  vobis  transmitti,  quibus 
in  regno  Britannia^  uti  voluistis.  Leges  Romanas  et 
Ccesaris  semper  reprobare  possumus ;  legem  Dei  nequa- 
quam.  Suscepistis  enim,  miseratione  divina,  in  regno 
Britannice,  legem  et  fidem  Christi.  Habetis  penes  vos  in 
regno  utranque  paginam.  Ex  illis,  per  Dei  gratiam,  per 
consilium  regni  vestri,  sume  legem ;  et  per  illam,  Dei  pa- 
tientia,  vestrum  rege  Britannia}  regnum,  Vicarius  vero  Dei 
esto  in  regno  illo ;  fyc. :  "Ye  have  required  of  us  to  send 
the  Roman  and  imperial  laws  unto  you,  to  use  the  same  in 
your  realm  of  England.  We  may  always  reject  the  laws  of 
Rome,  and  laws  of  the  Emperor ;  but  so  can  we  not  the 
law  of  God.  For  ye  have  received,  through  the  mercy  of 
God,  the  law  and  faith  of  Christ  into  your  kingdom.  You 
have  both  the  Testaments  in  your  realm.  Take  out  of  them, 
by  the  grace  of  God,  and  advice  of  your  subjects,  a  law ; 
and  by  that  law,  through  God's  sufferance,  rule  your  realm. 
But  be  you  God's  Vicar  in  that  kingdom ;"  and  so  forth. 
If  the  Lovanists  had  but  a  mangled  piece  of  such  a  prece 
dent  for  the  Pope,  as  here  is  for  every  Prince,  Lord,  how 
they  would  triumph !  They  would  decipher,  and,  by  rhetoric, 
resolve  every  letter  of  it.  But  let  that  pass.  It  is  enough, 
for  this  place,  to  shew  the  Pope's  own  Decree  ;  that  all  men's 

therius,  may  be  found  in  Ussher's  Britann.  Eccles.  Antiquitates,  Cap. 
vi. ;  and  it  has  been  translated  by  Collier  and  others.  There  is  not 
any  certainty  as  to  the  exact  date  of  the  alleged  conversion  of  Lucius, 
the  first  Christian  King  of  the  Britons ;  but  the  transactions  connected 
with  him  have  been  generally  referred  to  the  latter  half  of  the  second 
century.  With  regard  to  the  Epistle  in  question,  though  it  has  been 
greatly  esteemed  by  many  of  our  writers,  there  appears  to  be  very 
little  reason  for  believing  in  its  genuineness.  It  was  printed  in  the 
twelfth  year  of  King  Henry  VIII.  ;  and  was  afterwards  inserted  by 
Lambard  in  his  work  De  priscis  Anglorum  legibus,  published  in  1568. 
(p.  142.  ed.  Wheloc.  Cantab.  1644.)  "As  for  the  manuscript  in  Guild 
hall,  London,  it  seems,"  (says  Collier,)  "  at  the  most,  to  be  no  more  than 
two  hundred  years  old."  (Eccles.  Hist.  i.  35.  Lond.  1840.)  Sir  Henry 
Spelman  observes,  that  the  Letter  is  not  to  be  met  with  until  a  thousand 
years  after  the  death  of  Eleutherius ;  and  where  it  was  first  discovered 
is  altogether  uncertain.  (Concill.  Vol.  i.  Conf.  Parsons's  Three  Conver 
sions  of  England,  i.  93.  Dodd's  Church  History,  by  Tierney,  iii.  143. 
Lond.  1840.  Soames's  Anglo-Saxon  Church,  p.  26.  Lond.  1838,  Jewel's 
Def.  ofApol.  pp.  10,  11.  Replie,  p.  142.  Ib.  1609.  Fox's  Acts  and  Mon. 
i.  118.  Lond.  1684.  Stillingfleet's  Origines  Britann.  p.  58.  Ib.  1685.)] 


54  THE    PREFACE 

devices,  be  they  never  so  worthied  with  the  name  of  Fathers, 
may  justly  be  repelled ;  and  ought  to  give  place  to  the  law 
of  God.  Wherefore,  if  any,  of  their  own  imagination,  have 
brought  in  any  thing  to  God's  service,  not  altogether  con 
sonant  to  the  word ;  not  we,  but  the  word,  doth  wipe  it 
quite  away.  For  I  think  it  meet,  according  to  the  Decretal, 
taken  out  of  Augustin1,  consuetudinem  laudare,  quce  ta- 
men  contra  fidem  catholicam  nihil  usurpare  dinoscitur : 
"  to  praise  the  custom,  which,  notwithstanding,  is  known  to 
usurp  nothing  against  the  catholic  faith."  If  this  faith  be 
retained,  I  will  not  contend  with  any ;  but  the  Fathers  I 
will,  with  all  my  heart,  reverence.  The  common-place  of  our 
adversaries  is,  to  exhort  the  Prince  and  other,  to  keep  the 
ancient  Traditions  of  our  Fathers :  and  I  beseech  them,  with 
all  my  heart,  that  they  will  defend  and  maintain  those  things 
which  they  received  according  to  truth.  If  tyranny  of  men 
hath  brought  in  any  thing  against  the  Gospel,  let  not  the 
name  of  Fathers,  and  vain  opinion  of  Antiquity,  bereave  us 
of  the  sacred  and  everlasting  Verity.  What  greater  folly 
can  there  be  than  this ;  to  measure  God's  matters  with  the 
deceitful  rule  of  man's  discretion ;  where  the  pleasure  of  God, 
revealed  in  His  word,  should  only  direct  us  ?  They  that 
plead  at  the  bar,  in  civil  causes,  will  not  be  ruled  over  by 
examples,  but  by  law.  Demosthenes  said  very  well :  ov-% 
o>?  yeyove  TroXXa/cts  aXXws  TrpocrrjKei  yiyvecrOai :  "  It  is  not 
meet  that  things  should  be  ordered  as  otherwise  they  have 
often  been."  Much  less  should  God's  wisdom  be  set  to  school 
unto  man's  folly.  Wherefore,  to  conclude;  the  only  sweet 
water,  to  quench  our  thirsts,  must  be  fet  from  the  fountain 
of  God's  eternal  will.  There  is  the  well  that  springeth  up 
into  everlasting  life2.  Beware  of  the  puddle  of  men's  Tra 
ditions3:  it  infecteth  oft;  seld  it  refresheth.  We  must  not 

1  Dist.  xi.  Cap.  Consuetudinem.     [These  arc  not  the  words  of  S. 
Augustin ;  but  our  author  was  deceived  respecting  them  by  some  old 
edition  of  the  Canon  Law.     They  occur  in  a  Decree  attributed  to 
Pope  Pius  I.  ;    (Vid.  Binii  Concilia,  Tom.  i.   p.  72.  Colon.  Agripp. 
1618.)  and  likewise  in  an  Epistle  of  S.   Gregory  the  Great  to  the 
Bishops  of  Numidia.     (Epistt.  Lib.  i.  Indict,  ix.  Cap.  Ixxv.)] 

2  Joan.  iv.  [S.  John  iv.  14.] 

3  ["  Let  us  diligently  search  for  the  well  of  life  in  the  books  of  the 
New  and  Old  Testament;  and  not  run  to  the  stinking  puddles  of  men's 
Traditions."     (Homily  on  tlie  knowledge  of  holy  Scripture.}} 


TO    THE    READERS.  55 

use  the  pretext  of  custom ;  but  enquire  for  that  which  is 
right  and  good.  If  any  thing  be  good;  if  it  profit,  and 
edify  the  Church  of  Christ,  let  it  be  received ;  yea,  though 
it  be  strange4 :  if  any  thing  be  hurtful,  and  prejudicial  to 
the  true  simplicity  of  the  Gospel,  let  it  be  abandoned ;  though 
fifteen  hundreth  years'  custom  have  confirmed  it.  For  my 
part,  I  crave  no  further  credit,  than  the  Christian  conscience, 
grounded  on  the  word  of  God,  shall,  of  indifferency  and  good 
reason,  grant  me.  The  Lord  direct  your  hearts  in  his  love 
and  fear :  confound  Satan  with  all  his  wickedness ;  and  give 
the  glory  only  to  Christ.  His  name  be  praised,  for  ever  and 
ever.  So  be  it. 

4  Chrysost.  in  Gen.  Cap.  xx.  [xxx.J  Horn.  Ivi.  ["Nam  si  quidem 
bonum  et  utile  fuerit  consilium,  etiam  si  non  sit  consuetude,  fiat :  Sin 
damnosum  et  perniciosum  est .  .  .  etiam  si  consuetude  sit,  rejiciatur." 
(S.  Chrysost.  Opp.  Lat.  Tom.  i.  col.  439.  Basil.  1547.)] 


TO    THE    FIRST    ARTICLE. 


HAVING  to  erect  the  house  of  God,  whereto  we  ought  to 
be  fellow-workers,  we  are  bound  especially  to  see  to  this  : 
that  neither  we  build  on  an  evil  ground,  thereby  to  lose  both 
cost  and  travail ;  nor  set  to  sale  and  commend  to  other  a 
ruinous  thing,  or  any  way  infectious,  instead  of  a  strong 
defence,  or  wholesome  place  whereupon  to  rest.  The  Apostle, 
commending  his  doctrine  to  the  Corinthians,  saith 1 :  Ut  sa 
piens  architectus,  fundamentum  posui :  "  As  a  skilful  master- 
builder,  I  have  laid  the  foundation  :"  and  "  other  foundation 
can  no  man  lay  than  that  which  is  laid,  which  is  Christ 
Jesus."  Christ  hath  received  of  his  Father  all  things  :  He  hath 
conferred  upon  us  no  less.  He,  by  his  death,  hath  made 
entrance  into  life  for  us.  He  is  become  our  wisdom,  our 
righteousness,  our  sanctification  and  redemption.  By  His 
name  we  must  only  be  saved :  by  His  doctrine  we  must  only 
be  directed :  upon  that  rock,  that  faith  of  His,  we  must  sub 
stantially  be  grounded.  If  any  man  teach  other  lessons  than 
of  that,  we  must  say  with  Paul2:  Si  Angelas  e  coelo :  "If 
an  Angel  from  heaven  teach  otherwise  than  the  Apostles  have 
preached  to  us,  let  him  be  accursed ;"  and  with  S.  John3 : 
Quod  audistis  ab  initio,  id  in  vobis  permaneat :  "  Let  that 
abide  in  you,  which  you  have  heard  from  the  beginning  :  so 
shall  you  continue  both  in  the  Son  and  in  the  Father.  And 
this  is  the  promise  that  He  hath  promised  us,  even  eternal 
life."  "  If  any  man  do  not  bring  this  doctrine  with  him,  do  not 
so  much  as  salute  him  ;  neither  receive  him  into  your  houses  :" 
for  he  that  loveth  God,  heareth  His  voice,  saith  Christ4 ;  and 
they  in  vain  do  worship  Him,  that  teach  the  doctrine  and 
Men,  in  God  precepts  of  men5.  Men  have  their  errors  and  imperfections; 
SJJtobf"'  and,  though  they  be  the  children  of  God,  yet  they  be  not 
wtthout'the  guided  by  His  good  Spirit  always.  Every  man,  that  hath  an 
instrument  in  his  hand,  cannot  play  on  the  same  ;  nor  every 
man,  that  hath  learned  the  science,  can  please  the  ear ;  but, 

1  1  Corin.  iii.  [10, 11.]  2  Qallath.  i.  [Gal.  i.  8.] 

3  1  Joan.  [1  John  ii.  24,  25.     2  John  10.] 

4  Joan.  xiv.  [S.  John  xiv.  21,  23.  x.  27.] 

5  Math.  xv.  [S.  Matth.  xv.  9.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE   OF  THE   CROSS.  57 

if  the  strings  be  out  of  tune,  or  frets  disordered,  there 
wanteth  the  harmony  that  should  delight :  so,  whensoever  we 
swerve,  never  so  little,  from  the  right  trade  of  God's  holy 
word,  we  are  not  to  be  credited,  we  ought  not  to  please. 
\Vherefore,  sith  the  way  is  dangerous,  our  feet  slippery,  that 
we  fall  oft,  and  are  sliding  ever,  no  marvel  if  the  best  of 
us  sometime  do  halt.  It  falleth  oft,  that  such  as  preach  and 
profess  Christ  build  sometime  on  Him  evil,  unsound,  and 
corrupt  doctrine.  Not  that  the  word  of  God  is  occasion  of 
heresies ;  but  that  men  lack  right  understanding  and  judg 
ment  of  the  same,  which  cometh  only  by  the  Spirit  of  God. 
And  this  it  is  that  S.  Paul  saith6 ;  how  some  do  build  upon 
Christ  the  foundation  gold,  silver,  and  precious  stones ;  but 
some  other  timber,  and  hay,  and  stubble.  Yet  must  we  not 
take  the  hope  of  God's  mercy  from  such  evil  carpenters  as 
lay  so  rotten  a  covering  upon  so  sure  a  building ;  whereas 
otherwise  they,  offending  in  trifles,  be  sound  enough  in  greater 
matters ;  and  stick  to  Christ,  the  only  substantial  and  true 
foundation.  Yet,  such  their  errors  and  imperfections,  being 
brought  to  the  fire  of  God's  Spirit,  and  tried  by  the  word, 
shall  be  consumed.  Augustin  therefore,  when  he  would 
frame  a  perfect  preacher,  willeth  him  to  confer  the  places  of 
Scripture  together7.  He  sends  him,  not  to  the  Doctors1  dis 
tinctions,  nor  to  the  censure  of  the  Church,  nor  Canons  of  the 
Popes,  nor  Traditions  of  the  Fathers ;  but  only  to  quiet  and 
content  himself  with  the  word  of  God.  Therefore,  in  the 
primitive  Church,  when  as  yet  the  New  Testament  was  not 
written,  all  things  were  examined  according  to  the  sermons 
and  words  of  the  Apostles.  For  which  cause,  S.  John 
writeth8:  Qui  ex  Deo  est,  nos  audit:  "  He  that  is  of  God, 
heareth  us ;  and  he  that  heareth  us  not,  is  riot  of  God."  So 
far,  therefore,  as  men  accord  with  the  holy  Scripture,  and 
shape  their  writings  after  the  pattern  that  Christ  hath  left 
them,  I  will  not  only  myself  esteem  them,  but  wish  them  to 

c  1  Cor.  v.  [iii.  11, 12.] 

7  De  Doctrin.   Christiana,  Li.   ii.  Ca.  ix.  &  sequentibus.     [Opp. 
Tom.  iii.  col.  19. — "Ut  ad  obscuriores  locutiones  illustrandas,  de  mani- 
festioribus   sumantur  cxempla ;    et  qusedam  certarum  sententiarum 
testimonia  dubitationem  incertis  auforant,"  &c.     Compare  the  second 
Part  of  King  Edward  the  sixth's  first  Homily.] 

8  1  Joan.  iv.  [1  John  iv.  6.] 


58  THE  FIKST  ARTICLE. 

be  had  in  most  renown  and  reverence.  Otherwise,  absolutely 
to  trust  to  men,  which  may  be  deceived ;  and  gather  out  of 
the  Fathers'  writings  whatsoever  was  witness  of  their  imper 
fection,  is  neither  point  of  wisdom  nor  safety. 

In  every  age,  God  raised  up  some  worthy  instruments  in 
His  Church ;  and  yet,  in  no  age,  any  was  so  perfect,  that  a 
certain  truth  was  to  be  builded  on  him.  AVhich  thing,  by  ex 
ample,  as  well  under  the  Law,  as  in  the  time  of  Grace,  God  hath 
sufficiently,  by  His  work,  declared.  Among  the  Jews,  who  was 
ever  comparable  unto  Aaron  ?  AY  ho  fell  so  shamefully?  He 
assented,  for  fear,  unto  the  people's  idolatry.  Among  the  Minis 
ters  of  the  Gospel,  who  had  so  great  and  rare  gifts  as  Peter  ? 
Who  did  offend  so  fleshly  ?  For  dread  of  a  girl,  he  denied  his 
Master.  Which  thing  was  not  done  without  the  providence  of 
Almighty  God ;  thereby  to  put  men  in  remembrance  of  their 
frailty ;  and  further,  to  instruct  them  whence  truth  in  doctrine 
must  only  be  fetched.  Trust  not  me,  saith  Augustin1,  "nor 
credit  my  writings,  as  if  they  were  the  canonical  Scripture  ;  but 
whatsoever  thou  findest  in  the  word,  although  thou  didst  not 
believe  it  before,  yet  ground  thy  faith  on  it  now :  and  what 
soever  thou  readest  of  mine,  unless  thou  knowest  it  certainly 
to  be  true,  give  thou  no  certain  assent  to  it."  And,  in  another 
place2,  reproving  such  as  will  bring  forth  cavils  out  of  men's 
writings,  thereby  to  confirm  an  error,  he  saith,  that  a  differ 
ence  should  be  made  between  the  assertions  and  minds  of 
men,  were  they  either  Hilary,  Cyprian,  Agrippin,  or  any 
other,  and  Canon  of  the  Scripture.  Non  enim  sic  leguntur, 
he  saith,  tanquamita  ex  eis  testimonium  prefer atur,  ut  contra 
sentire  non  liceat;  sicubi  forte  aliter  sapuerint  quam  veritas 
postulat.  In  eo  quippe  numero  sumus,  ut  non  dedignemur 
etiam  nobis  dictum  ab  Apostolo  accipere :  Et  si  quid  aliter 
sapitis,  id  quoque  Deus  vobis  revelabit :  "  For  they  are  not 
so  read,  as  if  a  testimony  might  be  brought  forth  of  them, 

1  Pro  loco  Li.  iii.  De  Trinita.  To.  iii.   [De  Trin.  Lib.  iii.  $.  2.    Opp. 
Tom.  viii.  col.  562. — "Noli  meis  literis  quasi  Scripturis  canonicis  in- 
servire :  sed  in  illis,  et  quod  non  credebas,  cum  inveneris,  incunctanter 
crede;    in  istis  autem,  quod  certum  non  habebas,  nisi  cerium  intel- 
lexeris,  noli  firmiter  retinere."] 

2  Epist.  xlviii.  ad  Vincent,  de  vi  coer.  Hser.     [al.  Ep.  xciii.  §.  35. 
Opp.  Tom.  ii.  186. — "Hoc  genus  literarum  ab  auctoritate  Canonis  dis- 
tinguendum  est."J 


ANSWER   TO   THE   TREATISE   OF   THE   CROSS.  59 

which  it  were  not  laAvful  for  any  man  to  gainsay ;  if  perad- 
venture  they  thought  otherwise  than  the  truth  requireth. 
For  we  are  in  the  number  of  them,  that  disdain  not  to  take 
this  saying  of  the  Apostle  to  us  :  '  If  any  of  you  be  otherwise 
minded,  God  shall  reveal  the  same  unto  you5."  Wherefore, 
with  what  judgment  the  Fathers  of  the  Church  ought  to  be 
read,  Basil3  setteth  forth  by  a  proper  similitude  :  Juxta  totum 
Apium  similitudinem,  orationum  participes  nos  fieri  con- 
venit.  Illce  enim  neque  ad  omnes  /lores  consimiliter  acce- 
dunt ;  neque  etiam  eos  ad  quos  volant  totos  auferre  tentant  : 
sed  quantum  ipsis,  ad  mellis  opificium,  commodum  est  ac- 
cipientes,  reliquum  valere  sinunt.  Et  nos  sane,  si  sapiamus, 
quantum  sincerum  est,  et  veritati  cognatum,  ab  ipsis  adepti, 
quod  reliquum  est  transiliemus :  "We  must  be  partakers  of 
other  men's  sayings,  wholly  after  manner  of  the  Bees.  For 
they  flee  not  alike  unto  all  flowers ;  nor,  where  they  sit,  they 
crop  them  quite  away  :  but,  snatching  so  much  as  shall  suffice 
for  their  honey -making,  take  their  leave  of  the  rest.  Even  so 
we,  if  we  be  wise,  having  got  of  other  so  much  as  is  sound,  and 
agreeable  to  truth,  will  leap  over  the  rest."  Which  rule  if 
we  keep,  in  reading  and  alleging  the  Fathers'  words,  we  shall 
not  swerve  from  our  profession :  the  Scripture  shall  have  the 
sovereign  place ;  and  yet  the  Doctors  of  the  Church  shall 
lose  no  part  of  their  due  estimation. 

There  is  not  any  of  them,  that  the  world  doth  most  wonder  None  of  the 
at,  but  have  had  their  affections ;  nor  I  think  that  you,  (ad-  h*ve«ncL 
versaries  to  us  and  to  the  truth,)  will,  in  every  respect,  admit 
all  that  any  one  of  the  Fathers  wrote.  Myself  were  able,  from 
the  very  first  after  the  Apostles'  time,  to  run  them  over  all ; 
and,  straitly  examining  their  words  and  assertions,  find  imper 
fections  in  all.  But  I  would  be  loth,  by  discrediting  of  other, 
to  seem  that  I  sought  some  praise  of  skill :  or  else  be  likened 
to  Cham,  Noah's  son;  that,  seeing  the  nakedness  of  the  Fathers, 
will,  in  contempt,  utter  it4.  But  because,  in  ceremonies  and 
observances,  (wherein  they  scant  agreeing  with  themselves ; 

3  Concio.  ad  Adolcsc.  [This  is  the  well-known  Opusculum  de 
legendis  Antiquorum  libris.  The  translation  here  given  is  substantially 
the  same  as  that  by  Leonardus  Aretinus,  Cap.  vi.  Argent.  1507.  Conf. 
Fabricii  Bibl.  Orcec.  ix.  33.  Hamb.  1804.  The  original  may  be  seen 
in  D.  Basilii  Opera  Grasca,  pp.  226 — 7.  Basil.  1551.] 

*  Gen.  xxi.  [ix.  22.] 


60  THE   FIRST  ARTICLE, 

every  one  discording  from  other,  declined  all  from  simplicity 
of  the  Gospel ;)  we  are  only  burdened  with  the  name  of  Fa 
thers,  give  us  leave  sometime  to  use  a  Regestion1.  Let  us 
have  the  liberty  toward  other,  which  Hierom  granteth 
against  himself,  saying2 :  Certe,  ubicunque  Scripturas  non 
interpreter,  et  libere  de  meo  sensu  loquor,  arguat  me  cui 
lubet :  "  Truly,  wheresoever  I  expound  not  the  Scriptures, 
but  freely  speak  of  mine  own  sense,  let  any  man  that  list 
reprove  me."  Not  that  I  will  give  so  large  reins  to  the  headi- 
ness  of  some,  which,  either  of  affection  or  of  singularity,  will 
needs  dissent;  but  that  I  will  not  exempt  any  from  their 
just  defence,  from  trial  of  the  spirits  whether  they  are  of 
God3.  We  must  follow  the  example  of  them  of  Berrhea4 ; 
which  trusted  not  to  Paul  himself,  but  searched  the  Scrip 
tures  whether  they  were  so.  But  whereas  this  precept  is 
general ;  all  men  to  judge,  all  men  to  try,  what  doctrine  they 
receive ;  this  judgment  and  trial,  to  be  had  by  the  word,  is 
somewhat  indeed,  but  yet  not  all  that  may  be  said  in  the 
matter.  I  grant  the  Scripture  to  be  a  good  judge  indeed ; 
but,  unless  the  Spirit  of  wisdom  and  knowledge  do  lighten 
our  wits  and  understanding,  it  shall  avail  us  little  or  nothing 
to  have  at  hand  the  word  of  God,  whereof  we  know  not 
the  sense  and  meaning.  Gold  is  tried  by  the  touchstone, 
and  metals  in  the  fire ;  yet  only  of  such  as  are  expert  in  the 
faculty :  for  neither  the  touchstone,  nor  yet  the  fire,  can 
any  thing  further  the  ignorant  and  unskilful.  Wherefore, 
to  be  meet  and  convenient  men  to  judge  of  a  truth,  when 
we  do  read  or  hear  it,  by  the  Holy  Ghost  we  must  be  di 
rected.  In  this  behalf,  although  I  know  that  the  gifts  of 
it  is  possible  God  have  their  degrees,  yet  dare  I  say,  that  none  is  utterly 
truth.  so  void  of  grace,  but  hath  so  much  conferred  on  him,  as  shall 
be  expedient  for  his  own  behoof ;  unless  he  be  utterly,  as  a 
rotten  member,  cut  off  from  Christ.  Vain  it  were  to  command 
a  thing  that  lies  not  in  us ;  and  us  to  deny  the  possibility, 
when  we  have  a  promise  of  a  thing  that  shall  be,  doth  argue 
our  inconstancy  and  misbelief.  Wherefore,  sith  Christ  and 

1  [Retort.] 

2  In  Apo.  pro  lib.  contra  Jovin.  To.  ii.  [.  . .  "arguat  me  quilibet." 
(Apol.  ad  Pammach.  Epistt.  Par.  i.  Tract,  ii.  Ep.  viii.  sig.  g,  iii.  Lugd. 
1508.)] 

3  Joan.  iv.  [1  S.  John  iv.  1.]  [4  Acts  xvii.  11.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  61 

His  Apostles  say  oftentimes,  Videte,  cavete,  probate,;  which 
•words  be  spoken  in  thd  commanding  mode5,  and  bid  us  see, 
beware,  and  prove ;  I  must  needs  conclude,  that  we  shall  not 
be  destitute  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  so  far  as  shall  be  most 
needful  for  us,  if  we  do  ask  the  same  by  faith.  And  whereas 
Christ  doth  affirm  that  we  shall  know6;  and  S.  John,  in  his 
epistle,  doth  assure  us  that  we  do  know7,  Spiritum  veritatis, 
et  spiritum  erroris,  "  the  Spirit  of  verity,  and  spirit  of  error," 
we  must  acknowledge  and  confess,  that  the  truth  is  not  hid 
from  us,  further  than  Ave  list  to  shut  it  up  from  ourselves. 

But  here  ariseth  a  doubtful  case.  If  every  man  shall 
have  authority  to  give  his  verdit  upon  a  controversy, 
which  shall  seem  and  say  that  he  hath  the  Spirit,  no  cer 
tain  thing  shall  be  decreed ;  every  man  shall  have  his  own 
way ;  no  stable  opinion  and  judgment  to  be  rested  on. 
Hereto  I  answer  again,  that  there  be  two  kinds  of  examina-  TWO  kinds 

„  ,  ,  ,.  .  of  examina 

tion    ot    doctrine ;    one    private,    another    public.       Private,  ti?nofdoc- 

whereby  each  man  doth  settle  his  own  faith,  to  stay  con-  Private- 
tinually  upon  one  doctrine,  which  he  knoweth  stedfastly  to 
have  proceeded  from  God.  For  consciences  shall  never  have 
any  sure  port  or  refuge  to  run  unto,  but  only  God.  He, 
when  He  is  called  upon,  will  hear  our  prayers :  when  He  is 
desired,  will  grant  us  His  Spirit.  But  He  hath  prescribed  us 
a  way  beforehand  to  attain  the  same,  if  we  bring  under  all 
senses  of  ours  unto  His  word  :  Si  Patrem  habetis  Deum, 
qnomodo  non  agnoscitis  loquelam  meam  ?  "  If  ye  have 
God  to  your  Father,"  saith  Christ,  "how  falleth'it  out  that 
ye  do  not  understand  my  talk8?"  Oves  mece  coynoscunt 
vocem  meam,  et  non  sequuntur  alienum :  "  My  sheep,"  saith 
He,  "know  my  voice,  and  follow  no  stranger9."  Nor  doubt 
it  is,  but,  by  the  instinct  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  we  be  made 
His  sheep;  which  will  not  hearken  to  errors  and  heresies, 
(which  are  the  voices  of  strangers,)  but  follow  the  voice 
of  our  Master  Christ,  which,  in  the  Scripture,  is  crying  to 
us.  If  these  reasons  and  allegations  may  not  prevail  with 
some,  to  drive  them  to  a  sure  and  safe  anchor-hold  in  Christ ; 
let  them  run,  and  they  list,  to  the  other  kind  of  examin 
ation  of  doctrine ;  which  is  the  common  consent  of  the  Church,  public. 
For,  sith  it  is  to  be  feared  greatly,  lest  there  arise  some 

5  [Imperative  mood.]  6  [<•$_  John  viii.  32.] 

7  1  Joan.  iv.  [1  S.  John  iv.  6.]       8  Joan.  viii.  [S.  John  viii.  42—3.] 

9  [S.  John  x.  4,  5,  27.] 


62  THE   FIRST  ARTICLE. 

phrenetic  persons,  which  will  brag  and  boast,  as  well  as  the 
best,  that  they  be  Prophets,  they  be  endued  with  the  Spi 
rit  of  truth,  and  yet  will  lead  men  into  all  errors,  this 
remedy  is  very  necessary;  the  faithful  to  assemble  them 
selves  together,  and  seek  an  unity  of  faith  and  godliness. 
But  when  we  have  run  as  far  as  we  can,  we  can  go  no 
further  than  to  the  wall :  we  must  revolt  to  the  former 
principles ;  and  try,  by  the  Scriptures,  which  is  the  Church. 
Wherefore,  in  controversies  of  our  Religion,  if  men's  devices 
were  less  esteemed,  and  the  simple  order  of  God's  wisdom 
followed,  less  danger,  fewer  quarrels,  should  arise  amongst 
us ;  more  truth,  more  sincerity,  should  be  retained  of  us. 
And,  to  this  end,  I  could  have  wished  that  you,  M.  Martiall, 
should  have  learned,  first,  to  frame  your  own  conscience 
according  to  the  word:  then  have  ascribed  such  authority 
thereto,  that  we  needed  not,  forsaking  the  fountain,  to  fol 
low  the  infected  streams ;  nor,  having  the  use  of  sweet  and 
sufficient  corn,  feed  upon  acorns  still.  But  I  would  that 
had  been  the  most  fault  of  yours,  to  have  attributed  much 
unto  the  Fathers ;  and  had  not  otherwise,  of  malice,  wrested 
them;  and,  of  mere  ignorance,  sometime  corrupted  them. 
The  Scripture,  which,  in  the  title  of  your  book,  hath  the 
first  place,  in  the  rest  of  the  discourse  hath  very  little  or 
no  place  at  all ;  and,  under  name  of  Fathers  and  Antiquity, 
fables  and  follies  of  new-fangled  men  are  obtruded  to  us. 
To  come  to  the  instants. 

First  ye  bring  forth  the  significations  of  "  Cross"  in  Scrip 
ture.  Ye  muster  your  men,  whose  aid  ye  wih1  use  in  this 
sorry  skirmish.  And  although  they  be  very  few,  yet  ye  num 
ber  one  moe  than  ye  have  ;  and,  like  a  covetous  Captain,  will 
needs  indent  for  a  dead  pay.  Ye  say  that  the  Scripture 
hath  preferred  to  your  band  four  soldiers:  "  the  Cross  of  afflic 
tion  ;  the  passion  of  Christ;  the  Cross  that  He  died  on ;  and 
the  material  or  mystical  sign  of  the  Cross  :  material,  to  be 
erected  in  the  church ;  mystical,  to  be  made  with  the  finger 
in  some  parts  of  the  body."  These  be  not  many,  ye  wot ;  ye 
might  have  kept  tale  of  them  :  but  the  first  and  the  second,  as 
the  word  of  God  commendeth  indeed,  and  be  most  necessary 
for  our  salvation,  so  will  you  not  deal  withal ;  they  be  too  cum 
bersome  for  your  company  :  the  third  ye  confusely  speak  of ; 
of  which,  notwithstanding,  small  commendation  in  the  Scripture 
is  found :  the  fourth,  which  ought  to  strike  the  greatest  stroke, 


ANSWER   TO   THE   TREATISE   OF   THE   CROSS.  63 

is  not  extant  at  all.  For  neither  the  material,  nor  mystical 
Cross,  in  that  sense  that  ye  take  them,  to  that  end  that  ye 
apply  them,  be  once  mentioned  in  the  word  of  God.  Where 
fore,  ye  might  blot  out  of  your  book  Scripture,  and  take  to 
yourself  some  other  succours  ;  or  fight  with  a  shadow.  I  need 
ed  not  to  trouble  myself  about  your  third  Cross,  which  is  the 
piece  of  wood  whereupon  Christ  died;  both  for  because  we 
have  it  not,  and  also  you  yourself  do  not  take  it  incident  into 
your  purpose  to  treat  of.  Yet,  because  ye  make  many  glosses 
thereon,  and  apply  to  the  sign  the  virtue  proper  to  the  thing 
itself,  it  is  not  amiss  to  examine  your  folly. 

First  ye  cite  a  place  of  Chrysostom,  ex  Demonstrations  Foiio  13,  a. 
ad  Gentiles l ;  and,  for  three  leaves  together,  (although  ye  do 
not  tell  us  so  much,)  ye  write  another  man's  words  as  your 
own,  to  praise  your  pregnant  wit.  But  ye  patch  them  and 
piece  them  ill-favouredly ;  and,  whatsoever  seems  to  make 
against  you,  ye  leave  out  fraudulently.  This  is  no  plain  or 
honest  dealing.  Indeed  Chrysostom  stoppeth  many  a  gap 
with  you.  The  comfort  of  your  Cross  doth  most  rest  in 
Chrysostom2.  But  Chrysostom  was  not  without  his  faults. 
His  golden  mouth,  wherein  he  passed  other,  sometime  had 
leaden  words,  which  yielded  to  the  error  and  abuse  of  other. 
I  am  not  ignorant  that,  in  his  days,  many  evil  customs  were 
crept  into  the  Church ;  which,  in  his  works,  he  reproveth 
not.  He  praiseth  such  as  went  to  the  Sepulchres  of  Saints3. 

1  [See  the  extract  in  Gother's  Nwbes  Testium,  pp.  161 — 3.  Lond. 
1686. ;    and  in  the  unacknowledged  source   of  his  authorities,  Nat. 
Alexandri  Hist.  Ecdes.  Tom.  v.  pp.  638 — 9.] 

2  [Our  author's  unguarded  language,  in  this  place,  may  best  be  ac 
counted  for  by  the  fact  that,  at  the  period  when  he  wrote,  it  was  im 
mensely  difficult  to  distinguish  between  the  genuine  and  the  spurious 
writings  of  the  Fathers.     On  the  present  occasion,  S.  Chrysostom  has 
probably  been  censured  in  consequence  of  the  fictitious  treatises,  In 
S.  Crucem ;  De  adorat.   Crucis ;   De  confess.  Cmcis ;   In  adorationem 
venerandce  Crucis  ;  and  the  sometimes  questioned  Homily  De  Cruce  et 
Latrone,  which  appears  in  the  Appendix  to  the  fifth  tome  of  S.  Augus- 
tin's  works,  and  is  numbered  the  civ.  of  the  Sermons  de  Tempore.  (ed. 
Bened.  Antw.  1700.)    The  passages  ordinarily  made  use  of  by  Roman 
ists  may  be  found  in  the  clviii.  and  clix.  chapters  of  the  sixth  volume 
of  the  Doctrinale  Antiquitatum  Fidei  Catholiccv,  by  Thomas  Netter  a 
Walden,  Paris.  1523.] 

3  To.  iv.  ad  Pop.  Ixvi.    [The  passage  has  been  quoted  by  Bellar- 
min ;    (De  Sanctt.  Beatit.  Lib.  i.  Cap.  xix.)  who,  however,  elsewhere 
confesses  that  only  twenty-one  of  theso  Homilies  are  undoubtedly 


64  THE  FIRST  ARTICLE. 

He  maketh  mention  of  Prayer  for  the  dead1.  Monkery  he 
commendeth  above  the  moon2.  In  his  tract  of  Penance3, 
beside  many  other  absurdities,  (when  he  had  rehearsed  many 
ways  to  obtain  remission  of  sins ;  as  alms,  weeping,  fasting, 
and  such  other ;)  he  maketh  no  mention  at  all  of  faith.  In  his 
Commentaries  upon  Paul,  he  saith,  that  Concupiscence,  unless 
it  bring  forth  the  externe  work,  is  no  sin4.  Wherefore,  if  he 

authentic.  (De  Scriptt.  Eccles.  p.  100.  Romee,  1613.  Conf.  Possevini 
Appar.  Sac.  Tom.  i.  p.  855.  Colon.  Agripp.  1608.  Crakanthorp,  Contra 
Archwpisc.  Spalatens.  p.  413.  Lond.  1625.  Stapleton's  Fortresse  of  the 
Faith,  p.  279.  S.  Omers,  1625.)] 

1  In  1  Cor.  xvi.  Horn.  xli.     [Horn.  xli.  in  1  Cor.  xv.  pp.  592 — 3. 
Oxford,  1839.   Library  of  Fathers,  Vol.  v.     Vid.  S.  Augustini  Confess. 
p.  165.  ed.  Oxon.  1838.     Ussher's  Answer  to  a  Challenge.     Of  Prayer 
for  the  dead.] 

2  ["Dico  Chrysostomum,  ut  qutedam  alia,  per  excessum  ita  esse 
loquutum."     (Bellarm.  De  Mlssa,  Lib.  ii.  Cap.  x.  col.  1083.  Ingolst. 
1601.)     Vid.  Morton's  Catholike  Appeale,  pp.  46 — 51.  Lond.  1610.] 

3  [It  may  be  a  matter  for  inquiry  whether  or  not  our  author  here 
alludes  to  the  second  of  nine  authentic  Homilies  de  Poenitentia ;  or 
whether  reference  be  not  made  to  what  is  the  fifty-fifth  spurious  tract 
in  the  eighth  volume  of  the  Benedictine  edition;  the  twenty-third 
false  treatise  in  the  ninth  volume  ;  or  to  the  Homilia  exhortatoria  in 
Po3nitentiam,  which  Savile  considered  to  have  been  the  work,  not  of  S. 
Chrysostom,  "  sed  alterius,  fortasse  ex  veteribus,  mediocriter  eriiditi." 
The  editor  is  in  possession  of  a  Sermo  de  Poenitentia,  strangely  ascribed 
to  S.  Chrysostom ;  twice  alleged  by  Gratian ;  (Caus.  xxxiii.  Qucest.  iii. 
Dist.  i.  Cap.  xl.  &  Dist.  iii.  Cap.  viii.)  and  cited  also  by  Peter  Lombard ; 
(Sententt.   L.  iv.   D.  xvi.)  both  of  whom  assign  it  to  "Joannes  Os 
aureum."     It  was  printed,  with  other  treatises,  about  the  year  1480 ; 
and  is  generally  annexed  to  Antoninus's  Instructio  simplicium  Confcs- 
sorum,  though  not  contained  in  a  copy  now  before  the  editor,  and 
reputed  to  be  of  the  first  impression,  about  1470.] 

4  [An  exactly  opposite  sentiment  is  attributed  to  him  in  the  Canon 
Law : — "  voluntas,  sine  opere,  frequenter  peccat."  (Deer.  ii.  Par.  Caus. 
xxxii.  Qu.  v.  Cap.  x.)     See  also  S.   Chrys.  Horn.  vii.   on  S.  Matth. 
Library  of  Fathers,  xi.  104.  Oxf.  1843:— "Think  not,"&c.;  "for,  in 
the  purpose  of  thine  heart,  thou  hast  done  it  all."     Compare  Homily 
xv.  on  tU  Statues,  §.  12.  Vol.  ix.  p.  257.  Ib.  1842.      Vid.   etiam  De 
Poenit.  Horn.  vi.  Tom.  ii.  p.  316.  ed.  Bened.     De  Resur.  mort.  §.  2. 
Tom.  ii.  p.  425.  Tom.  i.  pp.  249—50.   Tom.  iv.  p.  769.  Horn.  xvii.  in  S. 
Matth.  Tom.  vii.  222,  sq.  Horn,  xviii.  241. — Calf  hill's  charge  against 
S.  Chrysostom  seems  to  have  been  founded  upon  an  unreasonable 
interpretation  of  some  words  at  the  commencement  of  the  thirteenth 
Homily  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans.  (Tom.  ix.  p.  557.)      It  must  be 
remembered  that  the  language  of  the  Fathers,  upon  such  a  subject, 
was  regulated  with  more  precision  after  the  Pelagian  controversy.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  05 

had  said  so  much  for  the  Cross  as  ye  misconstrue,  and  more 
than  accordeth  with  the  glory  of  Christ,  I  might  lap  it  up  with 
other  of  his  errors ;  and,  having  the  Scripture  for  me,  Chrysos- 
tom  should  be  no  precedent  against  me.  But  I  will  not  go 
this  way  to  work.  I  admit  his  authority  :  but  mark,  M.  Mar- 
tiall,  what  his  meaning  is.  In  the  place  that  ye  allege  for 
the  Cross,  he  dealt  with  the  Gentiles.  The  mark  that  he  shot 
at  was  to  prove  to  them,  quod  Christus  Deus  esset,  "  that 
Christ  was  God;"  as  in  the  title  appeareth.  Now,  because 
this  punishment,  to  be  hanged  on  the  gallows,  was  marvellous 
offensive  unto  the  Heathen ;  nor  they  could  think  Him  to  be 
a  God  that  was  executed  with  so  vile  a  death ;  Chrysostom, 
therefore,  goeth  as  far  in  the  contrary :  proving  that  that, 
which  was  a  token  of  curse,  was  now  become  the  sign  of  sal 
vation.  And  because  that  they  spake  so  much  shame  of  the 
Cross ;  derogating  therefore  from  Him  that  was  crucified ;  the 

7  O  O 

Christians,  to  testify  by  their  outward  fact  their  inward  pro 
fession,  would  make,  in  every  place,  the  sign  thereof.  This 
was  the  occasion  that  the  mystical  Cross  crept  into  custom. 
But  here  is  no  place  to  entreat  of  that ;  though  you,  taking 
still  Non  causam  pro  causa,  that  which  is  impertinent  for 
proof  of  your  matter,  confound  the  same. 

Notwithstanding,  how  things,  received  to  good  purpose,  ^J?^1,1, 
(as  to  the  judgment  of  man  seemeth,)  may  afterward  grow  to  continued, 
abuse,  this  sign  of  the  Cross  sheweth.     That  which  was,  at  the 
first,  a  testimony  of  Christianity,  came  to  be  made  a  magical 
enchantment.    That  which  was  a  reproof  to  the  enemies  of  the 
Cross,  became,  in  the  end,  a  cause  of  conquest  against  the  Chris 
tians.     Nor  it  is  to  be  thought,  that  wheresoever  a  sign  of  a 
Cross  was,  were  it  either  in  mountain  or  in  valley,  in  tavern  or 
in  chamber,  in  brute  bodies  or  in  reasonable,  there  was  by  and 
by  a  zeal  of  true  devotion  ;  but  as  well,  or  rather,  an  heathen-  The  sign  of 

«  the  Cross  ;in 

ish  observance,  a  superstition  of  them  that  never  thought  on  |J{^™;£. 
Christ.  We  read  that  the  Egyptians'  great  Idol  Serapis  had  a 
Cross  in  his  breast;  and  that  sign  was  one  of  their  holy  letters. 
Whereupon  lluftinus  reporteth5,  that  many  of  the  learned 

5  Li.  ii.  Ca.  xxix.  [Hist.  Ecdes.  p.  261.  Basil.  1549.]  Sozom.  Li. 
vii.  Cap.  xv.  [p.  679.  Conf.  Socrat.  Lib.  v.  Cap.  xvii.  p.  372.  ///.-•/. 
Tripart.  Lib.  ix.  C.  xxix.  August.  1472.  Niccph.  Callist.  L.  xii.  Cap. 
xxvi.  p.  379.  Paris.  1562.  Casalius,  DC  veter.  jEgypl.  Ritib.  p.  49. 
Ronur,  1G44.  I)e  vcter.  sac.  Christ.  Hit.  p.  C.  Ib.  1645.  Amlrcwes, 

[CALFHILL.1 


66  THE   FIRST  ARTICLE. 

among  the  Egyptians  were  the  rather  contented  to  embrace 
Christianity,  because  they  saw  the  Cross  esteemed,  which  was 
before  a  great  ceremony  of  theirs.    And  we  may  well  suppose, 
that  when  they  pulled  down  the  Images  of  Serapis  out  of 
their  windows  and  walls,  and  placed  in  their  stead  the  sign  of 
the  Cross,  they  imitated  the  fact  of  the  Apostle  Paul l ;  who , 
of  the  Athenians'  superstition,  did  take  occasion  to  preach  a 
truth :  so  these,  to  win  the  Egyptians  to  the  faith,  would 
retain  something   of  their  old  observance ;   but  applied   to 
another  meaning  than  they  before  did  understand.      So  the 
custom  of  running  about  the  streets  with  firebrands,  in  honour 
of  Proserpina,  was  turned,  with  Christians,  into  Candlemas- 
day2.   The  sacrifice  of  Ceres,  done  in  the  fields,  with  howling  of 
women,  and  crying  of  children,  was  made  a  general  observance 
with  us,  in  the  Rogation-week3.      The  Images  of  Mercury4, 
set  by  the  highway  sides,  were  afterward  converted  to  Crosses5. 
And  where  there  was,  in  Rome,  Templum  Pantheon;  a  temple, 
wherein  all  the  Gods  of  the  world  were  honoured ;  the  devout 

Pattern,  p.  49.  Lond.  1650.     Tenison,  Of  Idolatry,  pp.  123 — 4.  Lond. 
1678.] 

1  Act.  xvii.  [22—3.] 

2  [Calfhill  may  be  traced  to  Erasmus  here. — "  Religiosi  patrcs 
arbitrabantur  magnum  esse  profectum ...  si  superstitiosa  consuetudo 
cursitandi  cum  facibus,  in  memoriam  raptse  Proserpinse,  verteretur  in, 
religiosum  morem,  ut  populus  Christianus,  cum  accensis  cereis,  con- 
veniret  in  templum,  in  honorem  Marise  Virginis."      (Modus  orandl 
Deum,  sig.  e.  Basil.  1525.  Conf.  Bedse  De  Temp,  ratione  Lib.  Cap.  x. 
Opp.  Tom.  ii.  p.  65.  Colon.  Agripp.  1612.  Baronii  Martyrol.  die  Febr. 
2.  p.  63.  Antv.  1613.     Hildebrandi  RituaU  Orantium,  p.  133.  Helm. 
1656.     Bochart,  Traitte  des  Reliques,  p.  5.  A  Saumur,  1656.     Rabau. 
Maur.  De  i>istitut.  Cleric.  Lib.  ii.  Cap.  xxxiii.  Phorca?,  1505.)] 

3  [.  .  . "  Si  qui  segetem  stultissimis  ritibus  lustrare  consuevenmt, 
aut  Cererem  puerorum  ac  puellarum  cantu  delinire,  circunferrent  per 
agros  vexillum  Crucis,  hyrnnos  modulantes  in  laudem  Dei  ac  Divorum." 
(Erasmus,  ubi  supra.)] 

4  ["  Si  Pagani  Mercurium  . . .  vise  vicinireque  prpefectum  statuebant, 
quanto  magis  a  nobis  convenit  Sanctorum  Imagines  in  viis  poni  ?"  .  .  . 
"  Itaque  Crux  in  via  posita,"  &c.     (Molanus,  De  Hist.  S.  Imag.  p.  199. 
Lugd.  1619.  Cf.  Binii  Concilia,  iv.  ii.  417.     Middleton's  Letter  from 
Rome,  pp.  180—82.  Lond.  1742.)] 

5  Con.  Polon.  12.     [Card.  Hosii  Co»f.  Cathol.  Fid.  Christ,  fol.  12, 
a.   Antverp.  1559. — "  Dejecta?  sunt  Statuee  Mercuriales,  quse  viarum 
indices  fuerant ;  et  earum  in  locum  erectse  sunt  Statuee  Christi  cruci- 
fixi."] 


ANSWER    TO   THE   TREATISE   OF   THE   CROSS.  (>7 

fathers,  to  take  away  this  idolatry,  did  consecrate  a  church  in 

the  same  place  unto  All-Hallows6 :  that  that  should  now  be  nonifac.  n 

i  n     •  t  t      !•  •!  01         All-Hallow 

converted  unto  Saints,  that  before  was  attributed  unto  false  en-day. 
Gods.  And  yet,  whatsoever  pretext  of  zeal  they  had,  this  was 
no  good  change,  no  sound  reformation :  to  take  away  many 
false  Gods ;  of  true  Saints  to  make  many  Devils :  for  so  they 
are,  when  they  be  honoured ;  I  mean,  by  that  honour  of  in 
vocation.  So  that  it  is  not  straightways  allowable,  whatsoever 
is  brought  in,  under  cloke  of  good  intent ;  nor  whatsoever 
hath  been,  upon  good  occasion,  received  once,  (as  this  was 
never,)  must  necessarily  be  retained  still. 

Stephanus  the  Pope  hath  this  Decree7:  Si  nonnulli  ex  prce- 
decessoribus  et  majoribus  nostris  fecerunt  aliqua,  quce  iillo 
[al.  illo]  tempore  potuerunt  esse  sine  culpa,  et  postea  vertun- 
tur  in  error  em  etsuperstitionem;  sine  tarditate  aliqua,  et  cum 
magna  authoritate,  a  posteris  destruantur:  "If  any  of  our 
predecessors  and  elders  have  done  any  thing,  which  at  any  time 
could  be  without  offence,  and  afterward  be  turned  into  error  and 
superstition;  let  them,  without  any  more  delay,  and  with  great 
authority,  be  destroyed  of  them  that  come  after."  Then,  since 
this  crossing  hath  bred  such  inconvenience,  that,  the  externe 
action  had  still  in  reverence,  the  inward  faith  hath  been  un 
taught  ;  and  that  virtue  attributed  to  the  sign,  (which  only  pro- 
ceedeth  from  Him  which  it  signified ;)  the  sign  itself  may  well 
be  left,  and  the  signified  Christ  be  preached  simply.  For,  as 
Augustin  saith8 :  Noli  putare  te  injuriam  facere  montibus 
sanctis,  quando  diverts,  Auxilium  meum  non  in  montibus,  sed 
in  Domino:  "  Think  not  that  thou  dost  any  injury  to  the  holy 
hills,  when  thou  sayest,  My  help  is  not  in  the  hills,  but  from 
the  Lord;"  so  there  is  no  wrong  done  to  the  Cross  of  Christ, 
if  I  say,  not  the  Cross,  but  The  crucified,  is  to  be  trusted  to. 

6  Sigebertus  in  Chro.  Li.  x.      [Jac.  Ph.  Bergomensis,  in  Suppl. 
Chronic.    Lib.  x.  fol.  218,  a.    Brixiee,  1485.     Conf.  Sigeb.  CJironicon, 
ad  an.  609.  fol.  35,  b.  Paris.  1513.    Freculphi  Chron.  Tom.  ii.  Lib.  v. 
Cap.  xxvi.  fol.  clx.  ed.  princ.  Colon.  1539.     Mirabilia  Romas :  De  S. 
Maria  Rotunda.    Middleton's  Letter  from  Rome,  p.  1(51.] 

7  Dist.  Ixiii.  Cap.  Quia.  in  paragr.  Verum.  [Cap.  xxviii.] 

8  Lib.  de  Past.  Cap.  viii.     ["  Noli  putare  injuriam  facere  to  monti 
bus  sanctis,  quando  dixeris,  Auxilium  meum  non  a  montibus,  sed  a 
Domino."     (De  Pastoribus  liber  unus.  Opp.  Tom.  ix.  fol.  231,  b.  Paris. 
1541.)  In  the  Benedictine  edition,  (v.  158.)  this  treatise  is  De  Scriptnris 
Sermo  xlvi.  ;  and  elsewhere  it  is  De  Tempore  Sermo  clxv.] 

5—2 


68  THE  FIRST  ARTICLE. 

Which  thing  your  own  author  meaneth,  in  the  self-same  place 
which  is  alleged ;  although  it  please  you  to  suppress  the  words. 
For,  after  he  had  said,  Sparsa  est  in  parietibus  domorum,  in 
culminibus,  in  libris,  in  civitatibus,  in  vicis,  in  locis  quce 
habitantur,  et  quce  non  habitantur;  which  place  you  cite,  to 
shew  what  use,  what  estimation  of  the  Cross  was  every  where ; 
the  very  next  words  that  follow  be  these :  Vellem  audire  a 
Pagano,  unde  symbolum  tarn  maledictce  mortis  ac  supplicii 
omnibus  tarn  desiderabile,  nisi  magna  Crucifixi  virtus :  "  1 
would  hear  of  a  Pagan,  how  it  cometh  to  pass,  that  the  sign 
of  so  cursed  a  death  and  punishment  is  so  desired  of  all,  if  it 
be  not  the  great  power  of  Him  that  was  crucified."  This  ye 
leave  out,  and  yet  have  recourse  again  unto  the  words  that 
follow ;  whereby  ye  would  prove  the  sign  itself  to  be  a  token 
of  much  blessing,  and  "a  wall  of  all  kind  of  security  :"  for  so 
Chrysostom  saith. 

If,  against  my  objection,  ye  do  reply  and  say,  that  the 
power  of  Him  which  was  hanged  on  the  Cross  made  the 
Cross  itself,  and  the  sign  thereof,  to  be  of  more  virtue : 
that  this  was  not  the  mind  of  the  Doctor,  the  conclusion 
of  his  tale  convinceth.  Hoc  mortem  sustulit,  saith  he ;  hoc 
infer ni  cereas  portas  confregit :  "  This  took  away  death  ; 
this  broke  the  brazen  gates  of  hell,"  &c.  But  did  there  any 
material  thing  ?  Did  the  piece  of  wood ;  did  any  sign  work 
this  effect  ?  Was  death  and  hell  conquered  by  it  ?  The  articles 
of  our  faith  do  teach  us  otherwise  ;  and  the  phrase  of  Scripture 
is  far  different.  Ipse  salvum  faciet  populum  suum  a  peccatis 
suis:  "It  is  He,"  saith  John;  [the  Angel;]  it  is  Christ,  and  not  the 
Cross,  "that  shall  save  the  people  from  their  offences1."  Venit 
Filius  hominis  queerer e  et  servare  quod  perierat :  "  The  Son 
of  man  came  to  seek  and  save  that  which  was  lost2."  Misit 
DeusFilium  suum  in  mundum,  ut  servetur  mundusper  Ipsum : 
"  God  sent  His  Son  into  the  world,  that  by  Him  the  world 
might  be  saved3."  "  As  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the 
wilderness,  so  must  the  Son  of  man  be  exalted ;  that  all  that 
believe  in  Him  perish  not4."  These  titles  of  honour,  this 
work  of  mercy ;  to  sanctify  us,  to  purchase  deliverance  from 
death  and  hell;  as  it  is  acknowledged  of  us,  so  is  it  attributed, 

1  Mat.  i.  [S.  Matth.  i.  21.  'Compare  S.  John  i.  29.] 

2  Mat.  xviii.  [11.]     Luc.  xix.  [10.]  3  Joan.  iii.  [17.] 
*  Ibidem.  [S.  John  iii.  14.  15.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE   OF  THE  CROSS.  CD 

in  God's  word,  to  Christ  Himself,  and  not  to  His  Cross.  Et 
qui  loquitur,  loquatur  tanquam  eloquia  Dei :  "  If  any  man 
speak,  let  him  speak  as  the  words  of  God 5."  Yet  evident  it 
is,  that  Chrysostom,  by  a  figure  of  Metonymia,  did  speak 
of  the  Cross  that  which  was  properly  to  be  applied  to  the 
Passion. 

From  Chrysostom  ye   climb  up    to  Martialis,  whom  ye  FOHO  1.1,  a. 

rv  <•  *rJ       Martial's- 

do  make  Sapientum  octavum,  one  01  the  seventy-two  Dis 
ciples.  Eusebius  saith6,  Septuaginta  Discipulorum  catalo- 
ffum  nusquam  reperiri ;  "  that  the  catalogue,  the  register  of 
the  seventy -two  [seventy]  Disciples  is  found  in  no  place."  But 
you  place  them  at  your  pleasure ;  you  are  able  to  point  them 
out  with  your  finger.  Hierom,  Gennadius,  Isidorus,  making 
books,  of  purpose,  of  ecclesiastical  writers,  never  do  remember 
this  author  of  yours ;  whom  you,  for  the  name's  sake,  do  like 
the  better.  But  if  his  anciency  had  been  such  as  you  pre 
tend,  it  had  been  a  great  oversight  of  them  to  have  so  for 
gotten  him7.  But,  to  his  place.  "  The  Cross  of  our  Lord  is 
our  invincible  armour  against  Satan  ;  an  helmet  warding  the 
head  ;  a  coat  of  fence  defending  the  breast ;  a  target  beating 

*  1  Peter  iv.  [11.] 

c  Lib.  i.  Ca.  xii.  ["  Septuaginta  vero  Discipulorum  catalogus 
nullus  uspiam  fertur."  (Hist.  Ecc.  interp.  Muscul.)  De  Discipulorum 
numero,  vid.  Blondelli  De  Ixx.  Discip.  Dissert,  ad  fin.  Gaulmin.  edit. 
Lib.  De  vita  et  morte  Mosis,  pp.  488 — 90.  Hamb.  1714.] 

7  [The  fictitious  Epistles  of  Martial,  Bishop  of  Limoges,  were  first 
heard  of  in  the  eleventh  century ;  and,  from  the  year  1521,  have  been 
frequently  published,  and  adduced  by  Romanists.  His  Life  is  said  to 
have  been  composed  by  his  disciple  Aurelianus,  whom,  forsooth,  he  had 
raised  from  the  dead  ;  and  it  is  appended  to  the  Historia  Apostolica  of 
Abdias,  fol.  154,  sqq.  Paris.  1566.  Mirseus  (Auctar.)  is  mistaken  in 
saying  that  Martial's  Epistles  were  written  in  Greek ;  and  Vossius 
{De  Hist.  Lat.  ii.  xxxviii.)  apologizes  for  his  having  fallen  into  the  same 
error.  S.  Gregory  of  Tours  (Hist.  Gall.  i.  xxviii.  f.  v.  ed.  princ.  Paris. 
1512.)  makes  the  earliest  mention  of  Martial's  episcopate,  as  having 
been  about  the  year  250 ;  and  Barthius  (Adversar.  Lib.  xlv.  pair. 
2069.)  conjectures  that  Aurelian  of  Rheims,  who,  according  to  Trithe- 
mius,  lived  A.  D.  900,  was  the  author  both  of  the  counterfeit  Epistles, 
and  of  the  Life.  Conf.  Placcii  Theatrum  Pseudon.  p.  435.  Hamb.  1708. 
Coci  Censur.  quor.  Scriptt.  p.  51.  Lond.  1614.  Fabricii  Bill.  med.  fy 
inf.  Latin,  xii.  104.  Hamb.  1736.  Le  Nourry  Apparat.  Dissert,  ix. 
Paris.  1703.  Riveti  Grit.  Sacr.  Lib.  i.  Cap.  vii.  Genev.  1642.  Hoorn- 
beekii  Miscellanea  Sacra,  Lib,  i.  pp.  57 — 9.  Tlltraj.  1677.] 


70 


THE   FIRST  ARTICLE. 


back  the  darts  of  the  Devil ;  a  sword  not  suffering  iniquity 
and  ghostly  assaults  of  perverse  power  to  approach  unto 
us1."  If  this  may  be  rightly  understood  according  to  the 
letter,  we  need  not  greatly  to  stand  in  dread  of  Satan ;  he 
is  easily  vanquished :  we  need  no  further  armour  than  the 
Cross :  let  Christ  alone ;  this  Mars  shall  suffice  us.  God 
said  to  Job2,  that  Behemoth  or  Leviathan  are  of  another  man 
ner  of  force :  none  dare  come  near  them ;  none  can  resist 
them  :  the  sword  shall  never  touch  them  ;  the  spear  yieldeth  to 
them  :  they  esteem  iron  as  a  straw,  and  brass  as  rotten  wood. 
But  rotten  wood,  a  cankered,  wormeaten,  ill-favoured  Cross,  may 
keep  us  safe  enough  from  the  Devil.  Then  is  not  the  Devil 
such  a  bug  as  we  talk  of:  he  is,  (belike,)  some  Robin  Good- 
fellow,  that  only  is  meet  to  make  babies  afraid.  But  if  that 
you,  in  your  most  ruff,  at  Winchester,  had  been  no  more 
terrible  to  the  boys,  with  a  rod  in  your  hand,  than  the  parish 
Priest,  with  confidence  in  the  Cross,  is  to  the  Devil ;  your 
scholars  should  have  had  as  little  learning,  as  you  discretion, 
or  the  Devil  dread.  But  you  are  not  so  to  be  dallied  withal. 
>is,b.  Damascenus  saith  further  for  you3,  "that  the  Cross  is 

ascenus.       _  _  . 

given  us  as  a  sign  upon  our  foreheads,  like  as  Circumcision 
was  to  the  Israelites :  by  this  we  Christian  men  differ  and 

1  [Coccius,  in  his  Thesaurus  Catholicus,  (i.  239.  Colon.  1619.)  gives 
the  original  of  this  sentence  from  the  Epistle  to  the  people  of  Bour- 
deaux : — "  Crux  enim  Domini  armatura  vestra  invicta  contra  Satanam  ; 
galea  custodiens  caput ;  Jorica  protegens  pectus ;  clypeus  tela  maligni 
repellens;  gladius  iniquitatem  et  angelicas  insidias  perversse  potestatis 
sibi  propinquare  nullo  modo  sinens." — Bellarmin  employs  these  false 
Epistles  to  serve  his  purposes,  "  quoniam  ab  aliquibus  recipiuntur :" 
(Recognit.    Opp.)  and  though,  "  multis  de  causis,"  he  suspects  their 
authenticity,  yet  he  declares  (De  Scriptt.  Eccl.)  that  they  are  "pious;" 
and  that  "non  pauca  dogmata"  might  be  proved  by  them  against 
heretics :  in  short,  he  consoles  himself  with  the  reflection  that,  who 
ever  may  have  been  the  author,  they  contain  "  nihil  pro  adversariis, 
sed  omnia  pro  nobis."     (De  Clirlsto,  Lib.  i.  Cap.  x.)] 

2  Job  xl.  [xli.  Compare  Isaiah  xxvii.  1.  Luther  on  Gal.  iv.  29.  fol. 
226.  Lond.  1577.] 

3  ["  Hscc  nobis  signum  data  est  super  frontem,  quemadmoduin 
Israeli  Circuncisio :  per  ipsam  enim  fideles  ab  infidelibus  et  distamus 
et  discernimur.      Ipsa  est  scutum,  et  anna,  et  tropheum,  adversus 
Diabolum.     Ipsa  signaculum,  ut  non  tangat  nos  exterminator."     (De 
orthodoxa  Fide,  iv.  xii.  fol.  89,  b.  Paris.  1507.     See  the  editio  prin- 
ceps  of  the  Greek,  fol.  108.  Veronre.  1531.)] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE   CROSS.  tl 

are  discerned  from  infidels.  This  is  our  shield,  our  weapon, 
our  banner,  and  victory  against  the  Devil.  This  is  our  mark, 
that  the  destroyer  touch  us  not."  To  speak  a  little  of  your 
author:  not  utterly  to  discredit  him,  but  in  part  to  excuse 
him,  for  that  he  was  not  in  all  points  so  sound  as  otherwise 
it  had  been  to  be  wished4.  Eutropius  writeth5,  that  he  lived 
in  the  reign  of  the  Emperor  Leo  Isauricus,  the  third  of  that 
name.  Then  was  the  bloody  bickering  for  Images.  Then 
Satan  did  bestir  himself.  Then  was  it  no  marvel,  if  a  man, 
learned  and  godly  otherwise,  were  carried  away  with  the 
common  error.  I  am  not  ignorant  that  Damascen  did 
greatly  contend  for  Images.  But  out  of  the  Scriptures  he 
brought  no  proof  at  all :  only  by  a  miracle  he  would  con 
firm  them.  We  know  what  illusions  are  wrought  in  that 
behalf:  and  therefore,  against  the  word,  no  authority  of  man, 
no  miracle,  must  come  in  place.  Ezechias  destroyed  the  brazen 
Serpent6,  which  had  a  most  strange  and  wholesome  miracle  to 
witness  with  it ;  (for  all  were  restored  to  health  by  it :)  and 
shall  forged  lies  make  learned  men  and  godly  Princes  forbear 
so  great  abuse ;  maintained  by  fond  opinion,  and  after  no 
sound  precept  ?  But  let  us  weigh  his  reason.  He  compareth 
the  Cross  on  the  forehead  and  Circumcision  together.  If  he 
had  shewed  as  much  commandment  for  the  one  as  is  for  the 
other,  I  could  have  liked  it  well :  now  that  Circumcision  was 
straitly  enjoined;  and  the  sign  of  the  Cross  never  spoken  of: 
Circumcision  was  a  thing  done  in  the  flesh ;  the  Cross  in  the 
forehead  is  but  a  sign  in  the  air :  I  see  not  how  these  things 
can  join  together.  But  if  Damascenus,  (which  I  rather  think,) 

4  [This  seems  to  have  been  the  decided  opinion  of  338  Bishops  in 
the  Council  of  Constantinople,  held  A.D.  754.     They  thus  deal  with 
Damascen : — "  Manzuri  ignominioso  et  Saracenico  anathema.     Icono- 
latne  et  faleigrapho  Manzuri  anathema.     Doctori  impietatis,  et  per- 
verso  interpreti  divina?  Scriptural  Manzuri  anathema."     (Apud  Sept. 
Synod.  Act.  vi.  Concill.  Gen.  Tom.  iii.  P.  ii.  p.  124.  Roma?,  1612.)] 

5  Rerum  Ro.   Lib.   xxi.     [Tho  Breviarium  Historice  Romanic,  by 
Eutropius,  contains  only  ten  books :  but  the  Historia  Miscella  com 
prises  these  books  interpolated,  and  with  an  addition  of  four  others, 
by  Paullus  Diaconus.     The  books  from  the  sixteenth  to  the  twenty- 
fourth,  inclusive,  were  annexed    by  Landulphus  Sagax ;   and  bring 
down  the  History  to  the  year  806.     Vid.  Hist.  Rom.  Scrlptt.  Minor, 
Notit.  Liter,  p.  xvi.  Bipont.  17S9.] 

6  2  Reg.  xviii.  [2  Kings  xviii.  4.] 


72  THE  FIRST  ARTICLE. 

do  take  the  sign  in  the  forehead  for  the  Passion  itself  printed 
in  our  hearts ;  then,  on  the  other  side,  there  is  as  great  a 
square.  For  Circumcision  did  only  serve  for  a  remembrance ; 
but  this  Cross  is  the  thing  itself  to  be  remembered.  Lactan- 
tius  goeth  nearer  a  truth 1 ;  and  compareth  together  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb,  (wherewithal  the  door-posts  of  the  Hebrews 
were  sprinkled,)  and  the  sign  of  the  Cross,  that  men  in  the 
uttermost  parts  of  their  bodies  bear.  But  Lactantius  saith 2  : 
Cruor  pecudis  tantam  in  se  vim  non  habuit,  ut  hominibiis 
saluti  esset :  "  The  blood  of  a  beast  had  not  such  power  in  it 
as  to  save  men."  Therefore,  (say  I,)  the  sign  of  the  Cross  is 
neither  shield,  nor  weapon,  nor  victory  of  ours.  And  this  is 
mine  answer  to  Damascenus. 

Nor  I  am  herein  ashamed  of  the'Cross ;  but  I  am  ashamed 
IG.  a,  b.  of  your  too  cross  and  overthwart  proofs.  Ye  grant  yourself, 
that  the  effects  aforesaid  are  to  be  ascribed  to  the  death  of 
Christ ;  but  yet  you  swear,  (Mary,)  that  they  are  not  to  be 
done,  without  the  sign  of  the  Cross.  Your  argument  is  this : 
"  As  men,  notwithstanding  the  merits  of  Christ's  passion, 
must  receive  the  Sacraments ;  so  fighters  against  the  assaults 
of  Satan  must  not  only  have  faith,  but  also  the  outward 
sign  of  the  Cross."  0  cunning  comparison !  0  worthy  argu 
ment,  that  all  the  world  may  wonder  at !  Would  a  man 
have  thought  that  an  Usher  of  Winchester  could  have  be 
come  so  deep  a  Divine?  The  Sacraments,  (ye  say,)  must 
concur  with  faith :  ergo,  the  sign  of  the  Cross  with  Christ. 
This  is  as  good  a  reason  as  if  I  should  say  :  Notwithstand 
ing  God's  power,  that  giveth  the  increase,  I  must  eat  my 
meat :  ergo,  notwithstanding  my  labour,  whereby  I  may  sus 
tain  myself,  I  must  needs  covet  my  neighbour's  goods.  The 
respects  be  like.  In  the  first  proposition,  God's  power  and 
faith,  the  necessity  of  Sacraments  and  of  noriture3,  to  be  com 
pared  together.  In  the  second,  Christ's  passion,  to  answer 
our  labour ;  which  both  are  necessary,  and  the  same  sufficient 
means  for  us :  and  the  lusting  after  another  man's  goods,  set 

1  Lactantius,  De  vera  Sa.  Li.  iv.  Ca.  xxvi.     ["Frons  enim  sum- 
mum  limen  est  hominis ;  et  lignum  sanguine  delibutum  Crucis  signifi- 
catio  est."] 

2  ["  Non  quia  cruor  pecudis  tantam  in  se  vim  gerebat,  ut  hominibus 
saluti  esset;  sed  imago  fuerat  rerum  futurarum."] 

3  [nurture.] 


ANSWER   TO  THE   TREATISE   OF   THE   CROSS. 

against  the  sign  of  the  Cross;  whereof  there  is  nere  nother4 
commanded,  but  forbidden.  Ye  were  taught  once,  out  of  the 
Topics5,  that  it  is  an  ill  argument  A  consequents  when,  in  two 
propositions,  things  utterly  unlike  shall  be  compared  together  ; 
and  the  one,  by  no  mean,  can  infer  the  other.  Sacraments 
are  commanded  by  express  word  of  Scripture.  Ye  should 
have  proved,  first,  that  the  sign  of  the  Cross  is  so.  Sacra 
ments  have  a  promise  annexed  to  them.  Where  is  the  promise 
to  the  sign  of  the  Cross  ?  To  pass  over  the  rock  that,  in  the 
midst  of  your  course,  ye  run  upon ;  that  Sacraments  are  the  sacraments 
cause  of  grace :  whereas,  in  them,  the  only  promises  of  God,  £raS?u'^ 
by  Christ,  both  by  word  and  sign,  are  exhibited  unto  us : 
which  promises  if  we  apprehend  by  faith,  then  is  the  grace 
increased  in  us ;  and  the  gift  of  God,  by  faith  received,  is,  by 
the  Sacrament,  sealed  in  us.  So  much,  by  the  way,  to  teach 
you  true  doctrine. 

But,  to  return  to  the  other  purpose.  If  there  be  such 
necessity  of  the  sign  of  the  Cross,  to  fight  against  Satan ; 
what  a  fool  was  Paul,  when  he  furnished  a  Christian  with 
his  complete  armour6,  to  forget  this  chief  piece  of  defence, 
which  is  able,  (belike,)  to  do  more  than  all  the  rest  ?  What 
a  fool  was  Peter,  when  he  gave  advice  to  resist  that  adver 
sary7,  that  said  not  as  well,  Resistite  Crucis  signo,  as, 
otherwise,  fide  solida  ?  He  might  have  willed  us  to  have 
taken  a  Cross  in  our  hand ;  or  made  such  a  sign  in  our  fore 
head,  and  so  resisted  him;  but  he  only  said,  "Resist  him  by 
stedfast  faith."  That  faith  hath  this  effect,  to  withstand 
temptations,  is  plainly  to  be  seen  by  the  word  of  God.  That 
the  sign  of  the  Cross  can  do  the  like,  I  utterly  deny,  till  you 
be  at  leisure  to  prove  it.  But  why  ?  Doth  not  Athanasius 
say8 :  "  The  Devils,  seeing  the  Cross,  oftentimes  tremble,  flee 

4  [neither  nor  other:  neither  one  nor  the  other.] 

5  [of  Aristotle.] 

6  Ephes.  vi.  [11— 18.]  "•    1  Peter  v.  [9.] 

8  Athanasius,  Qusestio.  xxxix.  as  M.  Martiall  quotes  it.  [There  is 
so  much  diversity  between  the  various  editions  of  this  farrago,  that  it 
does  not  seem  reasonable  to  reprove  Martiall  thus.  He  had  probably 
cited  what  appears  as  the  conclusion  of  the  answer  to  Qusest.  xxxviii., 
in  the  second  Benedictine  volume,  and  in  the  previous  impressions  at 
Paris  and  Cologne ;  and  nearly  the  same  words  occur  at  the  end  of 
the  reply  to  the  fortieth  Question :  viz.  "  cum  Crucem  vident,  scepo 
tremunt,  horrent,  sternuntur,  ac  fugantur."  It  is  far  more  important 


74  THE   FIRST  ARTICLE. 

away,  and  are  miserably  tormented?"  Correct  your  book, 
Sir :  ye  quote  it  amiss.  Indeed,  in  his  book  of  Questions, 
Quaest.  15,  lie  demandeth,  why  the  Ass  that  Christ  rode  on 
should  not  as  much  be  esteemed  as  the  Cross  that  He  suffered 
on  ?  Whereto  he  answereth,  that  upon  the  Cross  our  salva 
tion  was  wrought,  and  not  on  the  Ass  :  wherefore,  the  Devils, 
seeing  that  Cross,  are  still  afraid.  But  what  is  this  to  the 
sign  of  the  Cross ;  since  we  have  no  more  that  Cross  than  we 
have  the  Ass  ?  But,  if  we  had  it,  should  we  think  the  Devil 
would  be  afraid  of  it,  without  any  further  force  or  resistance? 
I  will  answer  again  by  Athanasius1.  He  asketh  a  question, 
how  charmers  do  cast  forth  Devils  out  of  men  ?  Hereto  he 
answereth,  "  that  where  it  is  written  in  the  Gospel,  '  If  Satan 
cast  out  Satan,  his  kingdom  cannot  stand/  thereby  it  is  manifest 
that  the  charmer  doth  not  cast  out  Satan,  but  Satan  of  his 
own  accord  goeth  out,  to  deceive  men :  and,  to  the  end  they 
shall  not  go  to  Christ,  by  this  means  he  persuadeth  them  to 
go  to  the  sorcerers."  On  like  sort,  the  Devil  may  seem  to 
tremble  and  quake,  when  he  seeth  a  Cross ;  but  it  is  for  no 
other  purpose  but  this,  that  we  should  leave  our  confidence  in 
Christ,  and  only  repose  it  in  a  piece  of  wood.  Wherefore  I 
suspect,  as  insufficient,  the  counsel  given  to  the  Religious2; 
that,  when  wicked  spirits  should  set  upon  them,  then  they 
should  arm  themselves  and  their  houses  with  the  sign  of  the 
Cross.  For,  to  retort  the  argument  on  your  own  head : 

to  observe,  that  the  Qucestiones  ad  AntiocJnun  are  utterly  supposititious. 
Bellarmin  (De  Scriptt.  Eccl.)  bears  witness  that  "  Athanasii  esse  non 
possunt:"  but,  nevertheless,  he  has  arrayed  them  in  defence  of  the 
Cross ;  (De  Imag.  L.  ii.  C.  xxviii.)  Images  in  churches ;  (De  Noils 
Eccles.  iv.  ix.  §.  xviii.)  and  Prayer  for  the  dead.  (De  Purg.  Lib.  i. 
Cap.  x.)  In  some  copies,  at  Queest.  Ixii.,  the  illegitimate  author  refers 
to  "  fj.fjas  'Aduvao-ios"  himself:  and  ventures  to  differ  from  him.  Vid. 
Sixti  Senens.  Biblioth.  iv.  218.  Francof.  1575.  Edit.  Bened.  Tom.  ii. 
252.  Raynaudi  Erotemata,  p.  127.  Lugd.  1653.  Chamieri  Panstrat. 
Cathol.  Tom.  ii.  p.  867.  Genev.  1626.  Gerhardi  Patrologia,p.  213.  Jense, 
1653.  Du  Moulin's  Masse  in  Latin  and  English,  p.  387.  Lond.  1641.] 

1  Qusest.  xxxii.  [al.  cxxiv.] 

2  [In  the  disputable  Life  of  S.  Anthony,  among  the  works  of  S. 
Athanasius ;  and  contained  also  in  the  Vitas  Patrum,  falsely  ascribed 
to  S.  Jerom.  (fol.  xx.  Lugd.  1520.) — "  Quos  cum  videritis,  tain  vos 
quam  domos  vestras  Crucis  armate  signaculo ;  et  confestim  dissolven- 
tur  in  nihilum  :  quia  metuunt  illud  trophscum,  in  quo  Salvator  aereas 
exspolians  potestates,  eas  fecit  ostentui."] 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE   OF   THE    CROSS.  /O 

though  "  they  fear  the  banner,  in  which  our  Saviour  Christ,  F°lik)  18-  * 
spoiling  the  powers  of  the  air,  brought  them  forth  in  open 
shew,"  yet  doth  it  not  follow,  that  the  sign  of  this  banner  is 
able  to  work  the  like  effect.  The  banner  that  there  was 
spoken  of  was  the  death  itself:  the  banner  that  we  bear  is 
scant  a  figure  or  shadow  of  it. 

I  know  how,  in  this  latter  age,  much  crossing  hath  been 
used ;  and  how  the  example  thereof  hath  come  from  elder 
years.  But  the  Fathers  in  many  things  have  thought  better  A  necessary 

J  J  note  to  be 

than  they  have  written :  many  times  they  have  borrowed  °easdj"|d0'fin 
of  the  common  custom  improper  phrases,  and  such  as  seem  the  Fathers- 
to  maintain  an  error,  the  thing  itself  being  otherwise  defined 
in  them.  So  Augustin  useth  the  name  of  Satisfaction, 
because  it  was  a  common  word ;  but  the  heresy  of  Satisfac 
tion  he  doth  plainly  reprove.  He  useth  this  proposition, 
Omne  peccatnm  est  voluntarium,  "  Every  sin  is  voluntary," 
because  it  was  a  common  phrase  ;  yet  he  excludeth  not  the 
birth-sin,  which  is  of  necessity.  The  like  could  I  speak  of 
other.  Wherefore,  not  so  much  their  saying,  as  their  intent 
and  meaning,  is  to  be  considered.  In  this  case,  many  of  the 
Fathers  speak  of  the  Cross  in  the  forehead.  The  Scrip 
ture  mentioneth  the  sign  in  the  forehead.  But  to  what 
purpose  ?  Shall  we  think  that  the  breaking  of  the  air  with 
a  thumb,  or  drawing  of  a  thing  after  such  a  form,  is  like  to 
that  which  the  Poets  call  Orci  galea,  "  the  helmet  of  hell ;" 
wherewithal  whosoever  be  covered,  they  cannot  be  seen,  nor 
any  shall  hurt  them  ?  Then  were  the  Cross  Avorse  than  the 
conjuror's  mace  :  then  were  the  forehead  accursed  for  having 
it.  Wherefore,  there  was  a  further  meaning  in  it;  which,  for  The  cross  in 

.  _       .,,  the  forehead. 

your  instruction,  I  will  now  tell  you.    The  forehead  betokeneth  what  it 

»  •  meaneth. 

shame.  Whereupon  the  proverb,  Perfricuit  frontem,  "  He 
hath  rubbed  his  forehead,"  is  spoken  of  him  that  is  past  shame. 
Wherefore  the  sign  of  the  death  of  Christ  is  willed  to  be  set 
in  the  sign  of  shame;  to  signify  unto  us,  that  of  Christ's 
death  we  should  not,  at  any  time,  be  ashamed.  Nor  this  is  my 
private  exposition.  Augustin  corifirmeth  the  same3:  Quia  in 
f route  erubescitur,  Ille  qui  dixit,  Qui  JMc,  crnbnerit  coram  ho- 
ininibus,  erubescam  eum  coram  Patre  meo  qui  in  coelis  est, 
ipsam  ignominiam  quo<ta)>imodo,  et  quani  Pagani  derident, 

;{  Tom.  viii.  in  Psal.  cxli.  [Explan.  I'iwlm.  fol.  o<vxxxvi;.  Paris. 
1529.  Cf.  Discipuli,  Semi.  xli.  ed.  princ.  Colon.  1474.] 


7G  THE   FIRST  ARTICLE. 

in  loco  pudoris  nostri  constituit.  Audis  hominem  insultare 
impudenti,  et  dicere,  Frontem  non  habet.  Quid  est  Frontem 
non  habet  ?  Impudens  est.  Non  habeam  nudam  frontem  ; 
tet/at  earn  Crux  Domini  mei.  Which  is  as  much  to  say  as  this: 
"  Because  in  the  forehead  is  that  whereby  we  arc  ashamed  of 
Him  that  said,  '  He  that  shall  be  ashamed  of  Me  before  men, 
I  will  also  be  ashamed  of  him  before  my  Father  which  is  in 
heaven,'  the  very  ignominy  and  shame,  as  it  were,  which  the 
Pagans  do  laugh  to  scorn,  He  hath  appointed  in  the  place  of 
our  shame.  Ye  hear  a  man  lay  to  an  impudent  person's 
charge,  that  '  he  hath  no  forehead.'  What  is  meant  by  that  ? 
He  is  impudent.  Let  me  not  therefore  have  a  naked  fore 
head;  let  the  Cross  of  my  master  Christ  cover  it." 

Thus  may  ye  well  understand  the  Fathers,  whensoever 
they  teach  you  to  make  a  Cross  in  your  forehead ;  for  other 
wise,  the  crossing,  without  believing,  is  mere  enchanting.      I 
rysostom.  gladly  do  embrace  the  testimony  of  Chrysostom,  which  you 
nstate       bring  forth  for  yourself,  ex  Horn.  Iv.  in  xvi.  Mat.  * :   Crucem 

ipliciter  &  .  .    .         *     .     . 

eurpun;    non  simpliciter  digito  in  corpore,  sea  magna  projecto  fide  in 

eheau.-  mentepriusformare  oportet:  "  Thou  must  not,  with  thy  finger, 
simply  print  the  Cross  in  thy  body ;  but,  first  of  all,  with  great 
faith,  in  thy  mind."  This  is  it,  M.  Martiall,  that  mars  all  your 
market.  This  if  ye  grant  me,  (which  is  your  own  allegation,) 
we  two  shall  soon  agree.  For  if  this  be  the  Cross  that  ye 
mean  of,  let  it  be  had,  a  God's  name ;  let  it  be  honoured.  But 
this  is  no  material  nor  mystical  Cross ;  for  neither  of  them  both 
can  be  printed  in  the  heart :  therefore  it  is  the  faith  in  Christ's 
passion,  which  the  finger  cannot  impress  in  the  forehead,  but 

iio  la,  b.  grace  can  engraft7  in  the  mind  of  man.  Hcec  Crux  non  terri- 
biles,  sed  despicabiles  hominibus  Dcemones  effecit:  "This  Cross 
hath  made  Devils,  not  terrible,  but  contemptible  unto  men." 

Martian    Jn  translating  of  which  few  words,  ye  shew  yourself  to  bo 

ne  trans-  '    «/  J 

very  negligent,  or  very  ignorant.  For  thus  ye  English  them: 
"  This  Cross  hath  made  Devils  not  only  terrible,  but  contemp 
tible  to  men :"  where  ye  should  have  said,  either,  "  not  only 
not  terrible,"  or  else  have  put  "  only"  in  your  purse :  for  the 
sense  cannot  stand  with  it.  Now,  where  ye  gather,  (but  indi 
rectly,)  out  of  Chrysostom's  words,  that  two  things  be  requisite : 
first,  printing  the  merits  of  Christ's  passion  in  the  mind  ;  after- 

1  [Homily  liv.     See  Library  of  the  Fathers,  Vol.  xv.  pp.  736 — 7. 
Oxford,  1844.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  77 

i 

ward,  the  signing  of  the  Cross  in  the  body ;  I  briefly  answer : 
Frustra  fit  per  plura,  quod  fieri  potest  per  pandora  :  "  In 
vain  it  is  to  do  by  the  moe  that  may  be  done  by  the  fewer." 
There  is  nothing  in  the  world  that  the  Cross  can  do,  but  faith 
can  do  without  the  Cross.  Leave  we,  therefore,  that  which 
may  tend  to  superstition,  and  is  uncommanded ;  and  betake 
ourselves  to  that  which  is  of  force  enough,  and  is  the  founda 
tion  of  our  faith.  Here  would  I  stay,  with  you,  from  recital 
of  more  out  of  Chrysostom,  but  that  I  thought  good  to  warn  Another  note 
you,  that  figures  of  Hyperbole2  and  Metonymia  be  often  in  ^^^,t!lc 

'  the  Fathers'  writings.  When  they  praise  a  thing,  they  ascribe  ^ther,. 
more  unto  it  than  they  mean ;  and,  many  times,  under  the 
name  of  one  thing,  applied  fitly  to  our  capacities,  they  un 
derstand  another.  I  remember  that  Chrysostom  hath  these 
words3:  Non  solutn  Crucifixum,  sed  etiampro  Ipso  oecisorum 
favillas  Dcemones  contremiscunt :  "  Not  only  the  Devils 
tremble  at  Christ  crucified,  but  also  they  quake  at  the  very 
ashes  of  them  that  were  slain  for  Him."  Here  is  as  much 
attributed  to  ashes,  as  was  before  to  the  Cross;  and  think  ye, 
therefore,  that  Satan  would  be  afraid  to  tempt  you,  if  ye  had 
a  few  ashes  of  dead  bones  in  your  bosom  ?  Peradventure 

,  some  of  you  may  be  so  sotted  in  folly,  that  ye  would  gather 
them  up  devoutly,  and  keep  them  as  reliques  holily.  Such  I 
refer  to  the  place  of  Chrysostom,  in  Opere  imperfect.  Hoin. 
xliv.  in  cap.  Mat.  xxiii.4 ;  whereupon  I  shall  have  occasion 
hereafter  to  entreat,  when  I  come  to  speak  of  the  like  absurd 
ity,  the  little  pieces  of  the  Cross  kept. 

Now  let  us  hear  what  ye  find  in  other.   Origen  ye  bring,  £°li°nu)' b- 
in  his  exposition  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  Lib.  vi. 5    And 

2  ["  Meminisso  oportet,  quod  ct  alibi   ssepe  monuimus,  non  cssc 
concionatorum  verba  semper  eo  rigore  accipienda,  quo  primum  ad 
aures  auditorum  perveniunt:  multa  enim  declamatores  per  Hyperboleiu 
crebro   enunciant . . .  Hoc    interdum    Chrysostomo   contigit."      (Sixt. 
Scnens.  Biblioth.  Sanct.  Lib.  vi.  Annot.  clii.  p.  533.)] 

3  Tom.  iv.  de  laud.  Pauli  Horn.  iv.     [Vol.  ii.  pag.  493.  cd.  Ben. 
vel  apud  Bedse  Opp.  Tom.  vi.  col.   836.  Colon.  Agripp.  1612.     &eo 
Jewel's  Replie  unto  M.  Harding' s  Answer,  p.  371.  Lond.  1609.] 

4  [Vid.  Sixti  Senensis  Bibl.  Sanct.  Lib.  vi.  Annot.  cii.  p.  510.] 

5  ["  Tanta  vis  est  Crucis,  ut  si  ante  oculos  poriatur,  et  in  mente 
fideliter  retineatur,  ita  ut   in  ipsam  mortem  Christi  intentis  oculis 
mentis  aspiciatur,  nulla  concupisccntia,  nulla  libido,  nulla  superare 
possit  invidia."     (Hoin.  vi.  cit.  Coccio,  Tltesanr.  Ccith.  i.  234.     Conf. 
Bucchingeri  Hint.  Ecrlrs.  p.  130.  Lovan.  1560.)] 


78  THE   FIRST  ARTICLE. 

although  this  Father  makcth  most  against  you,  as  afterward 
shall  appear;  yet,  to  the  end  that  such  young  scholars  as  you 
may  learn  with  what  judgment  ye  ought  to  read  the  old  writers, 
I  think  it  expedient  somewhat  to  speak  of  him.  In  sundry 
points  his  doctrine  is  sound;  specially,  concerning  the  Trinity, 
the  two  natures  in  Christ,  the  Baptism  of  infants,  original  sin, 
and  use  of  Images.  But  things  have  passed  under  his  name, 
where  are  intermeddled  many  fond  opinions;  which  both  were 
condemned  in  his  own  time,  and  are  not  now  to  be  credited  of 
us1 :  as,  that,  before  the  creation  of  the  world,  there  was 
another  world2:  that  the  Devils  in  hell  shall,  at  the  last,  be 
saved3.  And  if  ye  scan  his  other  writings,  there  will  appear 
either  great  inconstancy,  or  very  small  perfection.  In  the 
article  of  Justification4,  he  swerveth  from  himself;  and,  in  some 
points,  from  all  other  too.  The  Spirit  he  taketh,  not  for  the 
motion  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  but  for  the  allegorical  interpreta 
tion5.  Peter  he  supposeth  to  excel  the  rest,  because  it  was 
said  to  him,  in  the  plural  number  :  "  Whatsoever  thou  loosest 
in  earth  shall  be  loosed  in  the  heavens;"  whereas  to  other 
it  is  spoken,  in  the  singular  number :  "  It  shall  be  loosed  in 
heaven6."  These  and  such  other  toys  are  not  only  in  him, 
but  also  in  other  of  his  time  and  age :  wherefore  they  ought 
to  be  read,  as  witnesses  of  things  done,  not  as  precedents  of 
faith  and  doctrine.  Yet,  unless  you,  M.  Martiall,  will  set 
Origen  to  school  again,  and  teach  him  what  to  say,  you  can 
not  construe  any  lesson  of  his,  to  pick  out  a  proof  of  any  other 
Cross  than  the  mind  conceiveth,  not  the  hand  maketh.  For 
though  ye  bring  a  piece  of  a  sentence,  wherein  the  praise  of 
the  Cross  is  put ;  Tanta  vis  est  Crucis,  "  So  great  is  the 

1  [See  Stephen  Jerom's  Life  and  Death  of  Origen,  prefixed  to  his 
Repentance,  Lond.  1619.     Cf.  Sculteti   Medull.    Theolog.  Patrum,  p. 
134.  Francof.  1634.   Carionis  Chronicon,  iii.  303.  Genevse,  1625.   Huetii 
Origeniana,  Lib.  iii.  Cap.  i.  et  Append,  pp.  272-8.  Rothom.  1668.] 

2  [Huet.  Origen.  163.] 

3  [Origenian.    L.   ii.   Qu.  xi.  — "  Quanquam  etiam  diversum   ex 
Origenis  scriptis  supra  protulimus."    (Centur.  Magdeb.  iii.  x.  c.  264.)] 

4  [Huetii  ad  Orig.  Comment.   Obscrvatt.  p.  46.    Faber  on  Justif. 
p.  117.  Lond.  1837.] 

5  [Vid.  Lib.  iv.  n-epi  apx&v,  Cap.  ii.  2  Cor.  iii.  6.  Boys's  Exposition; 
Autunine  Part,  p.  8.  Lond.  1612.  S.  Aug.  De  spiritu  et  litera,  Cap.  v. 
sig.  C  c  ii.  Wittenb.  1519.] 

6  [Comment.  \.  336-7.  cd.  Huet.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  79 

power  of  the  Cross,"  (quoth  he ;)  yet,  if  ye  remembered  the 
very  next  words  that  go  before,  ye  should  plainly  see  of  what 
Cross  he  meant.  Discoursing  upon  these  words  of  the  Apostle, 
"  Let  not  sin  reign  in  your  mortal  body,"  he  asketh  a 
question,  how  it  is  possible  to  avoid  it  ?  He  answereth  :  Si 
faciainus  illud,  quod  idem  Apostolus  dicit :  Mortificate  mem 
bra  vestra  quce  sunt  super  terram ;  et  si  semper  mortem 
Christi  in  corpore  nostro  circumferamus :  certum  namque  est, 
quia  ubi  mors  Christi  circumfertur,  non  potest  regnare  pec- 
catum :  "If  we  do  that,"  saith  he,  "which  the  same  Apostle 
willeth  us,  'Mortify  your  members  which  are  upon  the  earth:' 
and  if  we  carry  about  always  in  our  bodies  the  death  of 
Christ :  for  it  is  certain  that  where  the  death  of  Christ  is 
carried  about,  there  can  no  sin  reign."  And  immediately  he 
inferreth  your  words :  Est  cnim  tanta  vis  Crucis  Christi : 
"  For  the  power  of  the  Cross  of  Christ  is  so  great."  Where 
by  it  is  evident  that  he  speaketh  of  the  death  of  Christ ;  and 
that  is  the  Cross  that  he  commendeth.  That  Cross  have  you 
nothing  to  do  withal.  But  if  the  picture  of  a  Cross  looked 
on  be  able  to  daunt,  (as  you  devise,)  concupiscence  and  sen 
suality,  how  hath  it  fallen  out  that  your  spiritual  fathers,  all 
to  becrossed  about  their  beds,  have  had  their  familiars  be 
tween  the  sheets?  How  have  your  Nuns,  (that  chaste  gene 
ration,)  with  their  beads  in  their  hands,  been  blessed  with  great 
bellies?  I  will  no  more  offend  chaste  ears. 

But  Origen's  Cross,  that  is  to  say,  the  death  of  Christ,  both  origen  over 
may  and  must  be  set  before  our  eyes,  and  faithfully  kept  in  imagery. 
the  chest  of  our  hearts,  though  no  visible  sign  be  made  thereof; 
which  neither  hand  can  truly  counterfeit,  nor  man's  folly  ought 
falsely  to  forge.  Origen  therefore,  in  the  behalf  of  Christians 
of  his  time,  saith7:  Celsus  et  aras,  et  Simulachra,  et  delnbra 
nos  ait  defugere  qiiominus  futidentur,  quandoquidem  invisi- 
bilis  nostrce  hujus  et  inexplicabilis  communionis  fidem  et  cha- 
ritatis  factionem  esse  existimat :  cum  nihil  interea  videat, 
nobis  quidem,  pro  aris  et  delubris,  justorum  esse  mentem;  a 
qua  haud  dubie  emittuntur  suavissimi  incensi  odores :  vota, 
inquam,  et  preces  ex  conscientia  puriore ;  &c.  Because  his  sen 
tence  is  long  in  the  Latin,  I  will  word  for  word  rehearse  it 
in  English :  "  Celsus  doth  say  that  we  avoid  the  making  of 
altars,  and  Images,  and  oratories,  because  he  thinketh  that 
7  Contra  Celsum,  Libr.  viii.  [p.  389.  Cantab.  1658.] 


80  THE  FIRST  ARTICLE. 

the  faith  of  our  invisible  and  inexplicable  communion  and 
charity  is  nothing  else  but  a  faction :  whereas,  in  the  mean 
while,  he  seeth  not,  that  instead  of  altars  and  oratories,  with 
us  the  minds  of  the  faithful  are ;  from  which,  no  doubt,  most 
sweet  savours  of  incense  are  cast  out :  prayers,  I  mean,  and 
supplications  from  a  pure  conscience.  Whereof  S.  John,  in  his 
Revelation1,  speaketh  on  this  sort :  'The  prayers  of  the  Saints 
are  incense ;'  and  the  Psalmist2 :  '  Let  my  prayer,  O  Lord, 
be  in  thy  sight  as  incense.'  Furthermore,  we  have  images 
and  worthy  offerings  unto  God,  not  such  as  be  made  by  un 
clean  workmen,  but  framed  and  fashioned  by  God's  word  in 
us :  whereby  such  virtues  may  rest  in  us,  which  shall  imitate 
and  resemble  The  first-begotten  of  all  creatures3 ;  in  whom 
examples  are,  as  well  of  justice,  continence,  and  valiantness, 
as  otherwise  of  wisdom,  godliness,  and  all  virtues.  There 
fore  such  images  are  in  all,  as  have  by  the  word  of  God 
gotten  them  this  temperance,  this  righteousness,  this  fortitude, 
this  wisdom  and  piety,  with  all  the  frame  of  other  virtues,  in 
which  I  think  it  meet  the  honour  be  given  unto  Him,  which 
is  the  pattern  of  all  images,  The  image  of  God  invisible;"  and 
so  forth.  Whereby  it  appeareth,  (as  in  plain  words  he  speak 
eth  after,)  that  all  images  should  be  such  as  God  Himself 
commanded ;  such  as  should  be  within  man,  and  not  without 
man ;  such  as  consisted  in  the  knowledge  of  Him,  after  whose 
image  man  himself  was  made. 
.images in  Also  his  testimony  serveth  for  this;  that  in  his  time  there 

igen's  time  -IT-  i  rrn  n 

t  spiritual,  were  no  material  images  in  temples.  Inere  was  no  Kood,  no 
Cross,  no  likeness  of  any  thing,  save  only  spiritual,  of  grace  and 
virtues.  Consider,  I  beseech  you,  how  in  his  fourth  book 
against  Celsus4,  he  commendeth  the  Jews :  Nimirum  apud 
quos,  prceter  Eum  qui  cunctis  prcesidet  rebus,  pro  Deo  nihil 
unquam  sit  habitum :  nee  quisquam,  sive  Imayinum  fictor, 
sive  Statuarum  fabricator,  in  eorum  republica  fuerit ;  ut  quos 
procul  lex  ipsa  abiyeret,  ut  ne  qua  hiis  esset  fabricandorum 
Simulachrorumoccasio;  quce  stultosquosdam  mortaliumaDeo 
revelleret,et  adcontemplanda  terrena  animi  oculos  retorqueret. 
That  is  to  say  :  "  Among  whom  nothing  was  ever  accompted 
God,  beside  Him  which  ruleth  all:  nor  in  their  commonwealth 

1  Apocal.  viii.  [4.  v.  8.]  2  Psalm,  cxli.  [2.] 

3  [Col.  i.  15.    The  Heir  of  the  whole  creation.] 

4  [Soo  before.  Preface,  p.  44.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  81 

any  carver  of  Idols,  or  Image-maker  was ;  as  whom  the  law 
itself  drove  away  from  them,  to  the  intent  they  should  have 
no  occasion  to  make  any  Images ;  which  might  pluck  certain 
foolish  persons  from  God,  and  turn  the  eyes  of  their  souls 
to  the  contemplation  of  earthly  things."  So  much  for  Origen. 
And  if  ye  read  his  book  thorough,  ye  shall  see  it  proved 
in  plain  words  a  frentike5  part  to  worship  Images  ;  a  mad 
ness  to  say  that  any  knowledge  of  God  can  be  gotten  by 
them.  Only  this  sufficeth  here,  that  your  allegation  maketh 
not  to  your  purpose ;  and  your  author  alleged  maketh  most 
against  you.  Then  what  should  ye  talk  that,  in  the  primi-  Foiio  9,  a. 
tive  Church,  Crosses  were  set  up  in  every  place ;  that  every 
church  and  chapel  had  the  sign  of  the  Cross  erected  in  it ; 
that  Sacraments  could  not  be  made  without  it ;  that  men 
devoutly  kept  pieces  of  it,  &c. :  whereof  Origen,  two  hun 
dred  and  eighty6  year  after  Christ,  knew  nothing;  but  rather, 
by  the  law,  condemned  such  observances?  Where  now  is  the 
counsel  that  you  have  learned  of  your  elders  ?  Where  is 
the  advertisement  of  grave  Fathers  ?  AVhere  is  the  medicine 
that  you  call  sovereign,  taken  from  the  best  physicians  of 
the  Church  ?  I  will  not  compare  you  to  a  tapster,  a  tinker, 
an  ostler ;  but  to  a  lewd  apothecary,  that  understandeth  not 
his  bill,  but  giveth  quid  pro  quo ;  or  else  to  cook  ruffian, 
that  mars  good  meat  in  the  dressing. 

But,  to  proceed,  and  give  somewhat  a  further  taste  of 
your    unsavoury    sops.     Ye    bring     forth    Cassiodore's    an-  ca&siodor. 

,.»..,  ,      .  F°lio  W,  b 

thority7 ;  which  may  be  answered  in  a  word,  that  he 
meaneth  nothing  less  than  you  do  imagine.  For  what 
though  "  the  signs  of  the  heavenly  Prince  be  printed  upon 
the  faithful,  as  the  image  of  the  Emperor  is  in  his  coin, 
whereby  the  Devil  is  expulsed  from  them,"  &c. :  what 
though  "  the  Cross  be  the  invincible  defence  of  the  hum 
ble,  the  overthrow  of  the  proud,  the  victory  of  Christ,  the 

5  [phrenetic,  frantic.] 

6  [Possibly  a  mistake  for  230;  us  Origen  died  A.D.  254.] 

7  ["  Sicut  nummus  Imperatoris  portat  imagincin,  ita  et  fidelibus 
signu  coelestis  Principis  imprimuntur.     Hoc  munimine  Diabolus  multi- 
formis  expellitur  . .  .  Crux  enim  est  humilium  invicta  tuitio,  superbo- 
runi  dejectio,  victoria  Christi,  perditio  Diaboli,  infernorum  destructio, 
ceelestium  confiimatio,  inors  infidelium,  justorum  vita."     (Cunmn  ,it.  in 
Psal.  iv. — Coccius,   i.  242.     Waldensis  Sacram.  fol.  cccxxviii.  Paris. 
l.v_>;;.     Cf.  Fabricii  Biblhth.  Latin.  Tom.  ii.  p.  169.  Veuot.  1728.)] 

6 


f  n 


82  THE  FIRST  ARTICLE. 

undoing  of  the  Devil,  the  destruction  of  hell,  the  confirmation 
of  heavenly  things,  the  death  of  infidels,  the  life  of  the  just;" 
is  a  Rood,  or  a  Crucifix,  or  wagging  of  a  finger,  able  to  shew 
whose  men  we  are,  as  the  print  in  the  money  doth  shew  whose 
the  coin  is?  Wheresoever  that  image  and  superscription 
is  stamped,  there  is  it  certain  who  hath  a  right  to  the  coin1  : 
but  whosoever  have  the  sign  or  stamp  of  a  Cross  upon 
them  shew  not  thereby  whose  servants  they  are.  Your 
Popes  and  your  Prelates  have  Crosses  before  them,  Crosses 
hanging  upon  them,  Crosses  in  their  crowns,  Crosses  in  their 
garments ;  and  yet  I  fear  me  lest  ye  will  not  affirm  them 
to  be  the  best  servants  of  Christ.  You  know  sometime 
there  be  coins  of  counterfeits.  I  know  the  most  crossers 

3od!nthef    are  n°t  ^e  best  Christians.      The  sign  of  God  printed   in 

•aithtui.  ^e  faithful  is  the  belief  in  Christ,  and  grace  to  do  there 
after.  The  Cross  that  is  their  refuge,  their  succour  and 
defence,  is  the  death  of  Christ,  and  merits  of  His  passion. 

Peevishness  But  see  what  peevishness  is  in  Papists.  Wheresoever  they 
read  of  fire  in  the  Scripture,  thence  they  kindle  Purgatory. 
Wheresoever  they  hear  a  body  mentioned,  there  do  they 
tear  it  to  Transubstantiation.  Wheresoever  they  see  this 
word  "  Cross"  come  in  place,  they  lift  it  up  to  the  Rood-loft,  or 
at  the  least  to  the  forehead.  Methinks,  M.  Martiall,  that  you 
might  have  remembered  your  first  division,  where  ye  made 
mention  of  four  significations  of  the  Cross,  and  so  applied,  (as 
the  troth  is,)  the  sayings  of  your  authors  unto  the  second.  But 
your  wisdom  foresaw  this  objection  of  mine,  and  therefore  ye 

Koi.2o,a,b.  grant  that  "nothing  can  avail  or  profit  man,  unless  he  hath  a 
stedfast  faith  in  Christ,  and  faithful  belief  in  the  merits  of 
His  passion."  But  "  Mary,"  say  you,  (Mary  is  much  beholding 
to  you  ;  indeed  she  stands  next  to  the  Cross2 :)  "  as  not  every 
simple,  bare,  and  naked  faith,  but  such  as  worketh  by  cha 
rity,  conquereth  the  world ;  so  not  every  faith  worketh  to 
man  the  foresaid  effects,  but  faith  assisted  by  the  sign  of  the 
holy  Cross."  Then,  by  your  reason,  the  sign  of  the  Cross 
is  as  necessary  to  concur  with  our  belief  as  charity  to  be 
with  faith :  But  faith  without  charity  is  a  DeviPs  faith : 
Therefore  belief  without  a  sign  of  the  Cross  is  also  devilish. 
I  am  sure  that  no  man  endued  with  common  sense,  how 
soever  he  be  affected  in  cases  of  religion,  but  will  condemn. 
1  [S.  Matth.  xxii.  20,  21.]  2  [g.  J0hn  six.  25.] 


ANSWER  TO. THE   TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  83 

herein  the  lack  of  discretion  in  you.  For  tell  me,  I  pray  you, 
what  Scripture,  what  Father,  what  reason  ever  taught  you  to 
compare  the  sign  of  the  Cross  with  charity,  with  hope,  with 
fasting,  and  with  prayer  ?  None  of  these  but  we  have  an 
hundreth  places  in  the  word  of  God  to  commend  and  command 
them :  but  as  for  the  sign  of  the  Cross,  what  mention  is 
there,  much  less  commendation  ? 

Forsooth  ye  bring  authorities  and  experiments:  au-  Foiiozi,  a. 
thorities  of  Lactantius  and  Augustin ;  experiments  of  Julian. 
As  for  Lactantius,  he  tieth  two  points  together ;  the  name 
of  Christ,  and  sign  of  His  passion3.  The  power  of  the 
name  we  read  of:  "Save  me,  0  God,  by  thy  name4." 
"  The  name  of  the  Lord  is  a  strong  tower :  the  righteous 
runneth  unto  it,  and  is  exalted5."  And,  "  Our  help  is 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord6."  And  in  the  New  Testa 
ment:  "Blessed  is  he  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord7."  "  In  my  name,"  (saith  Christ,)  "  they  shall  cast  out 
Devils8.1'  And  the  effect  thereof  was  proved  in  the  seventy 
Disciples,  which  returned  home  with  joy,  and  said,  "  Devils 
are  subject  unto  us  in  thy  name9."  "  Whatsoever  in  my 
name  you  shall  ask  my  Father  you  shall  obtain10."  "Who 
soever  shall  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord  shall  be  saved11." 
Examples  also  of  Peter :  "In  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  of 
Nazareth,  rise  up  and  walk12."  Also,  "His  name  hath  made 
this  man  sound,  whom  ye  see  and  know,  through  faith  in 
His  name13."  And,  "  There  is  no  other  name  under  heaven 
whereby  we  may  be  saved14."  In  all  these  places  there  is 
no  sign  of  the  Cross  spoken  of;  yet  all  these  prove  a  true 
effect.  Wherefore  the  name  of  Christ  alone  would  have 
done  as  much  as  the  name  and  the  sign  together.  Nor  we 
must  impute  the  virtue  to  the  sign;  though,  contrary  to 
the  use  and  example  of  Scripture,  it  pleased  some  men  to 
add  it. 

3  ["  Sectatores  Ejus  cosdem  Spiritus  inquinatos  de  hominibus  et 
nomine  Magistri  sui,  ct  signo  passionis  excludunt."   {De  vera  Sapientia, 
Lib.  iv.  Cap.  xxvii.)] 

4  Psal.  liv.  [1.]  5  Prover.  xviii.  [10]. 
«  Psal.  cxxiii.  [cxxiv.  8.]  1  Matth.  xxiii.  [39. J 
8  Marc.  xvi.  [17.]                                »  Luc.  x.  [17.] 

10  Joan.  xiv.  [S.  John  xiv.  13,  14.  xvi.  23.] 

11  Act.  ii.  [21.]  12  Act.  iii.  [6.] 
13  [Acts  iii.  16.]  i<  Act.  iv.  [12.] 

6—2 


84  THE   FIRST  ARTICLE. 

The  like  may  be  said  of  Austin's  place :  for  where  he 
speaketh  of  the  articles  of  our  faith,  called  in  Latin  Symbolum1 ; 
which  he  willed  before  to  be  written  in  the  heart,  laid  up  in 
store  in  the  book  of  memory ;  he  concluded,  that  a  way  to 
Avithstand  the  enemy  was  cum  Symboli  Sacramento,  "with 
the  Sacrament  of  faith,"  (which  you  interpret  "  a  stedfast 
faith,")  et  Cruets  vexillo,  "  and  ensign  of  the  Cross."  What 
meaneth  he  by  that  metaphor  ?  What  is  that  ensign  of  the 
Cross  ?  The  banner  that  is  carried  about  the  churchyard  in 
procession  ?  No :  but  that  which  in  the  self-same  sentence 
before  he  called  Canticum  salatis,  joining  it  with  Symboli 
remedio,  contra  antiqui  Serpentis  venenum:  "  the  song  of 
salvation,  joined  with  the  remedy  of  the  twelve  articles  of 
our  faith,  against  the  poison  of  the  old  Serpent."  Therefore 
straight  after,  when  he  had  rehearsed  the  two  chief  engines 
wherewithal  our  enemy  doth  afflict  us,  voluptatem  et  timo- 
rem,  "  pleasure  and  dread,"  he  doth  not  bid  us  to  make  the 
sign  of  a  Cross  in  our  forehead,  nor  run  to  succour  of  so 
weak  a  shield ;  but  to  fence  ourselves  timore  Domini  casto, 
et  fide  orationis :  "with  the  chaste  fear  of  God,  and  faith  of 
prayer." 

Ye  see  by  this  time  that  your  authorities  make  nothing 
for  you.  The  wrong  understanding  of  the  name  "Cross"  doth 
make  your  arguments  run  of  uncertain  feet,  and  halt  down 
right.  The  jointly  concurring  of  faith  and  fruits,  I  know 
to  be  necessary ;  the  word  of  God  doth  teach  me :  but  the 
necessary  concurrence  of  the  sign  of  the  Cross  with  faith,  is 
more  than  you  can  learn,  either  of  God's  word,  or  else  good 
Father ;  and  therefore  more  than  we  ought  to  believe,  unless 
we  wilfully  believe  a  lie.  Christ  was  sufficient  schoolmaster  to 
us.  He  left  no  precept  of  His  Cross  amongst  us :  only  He 
willed  every  man  to  take  up  his  own  Cross2.  The  Apostles 
that  gloried  in  the  Cross3,  that  is  to  say,  the  death  of 
Christ ;  that  lived  under  the  Cross,  that  is  to  say,  were 
subject  to  afflictions,  carrying  about  with  them  the  death  of 

1  De  Syinb.  ad  Cathe.  i.  [The  Sermon  here  cited  is  the  first  of 
three  spurious  addresses  to  Catechumens.  The  Benedictine  editors 
allow  that  the  author  was  "  much  inferior  in  learning  and  genius"  to 
S.  Aug-ustin.  Opp.  Tom.  vi.  406.  Antw.  1701.] 

a  Mat.  xvi.  [24.]    Mark  viii.  [34.  J     Luc.  ix.  [23.] 

a  [Gal.  vi.  14.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE   OF  THE   CROSS.  85 

Christ  in  their  mortal  bodies4  ;  that  did  many  miracles  by 
Him  that  hanged  on  the  Cross ;  never  used,  (as  we  read,) 
the  sign  of  the  Cross,  nor  gave  any  counsel  or  commandment 
for  it.  Shall  Christ  our  High  Priest,  "touched  with  the  feel 
ing  of  our  infirmities5,"  be  insufficient  furnisher  of  us,  and 
foolish  men  arm  us  at  all  points  ?  Shall  the  Apostles  forget 
so  necessary  a  piece  of  defence,  and  the  Pope  remember  it  ? 

I  think  indeed  that  the  Cross-quarrellers  took  all  their  Papists  take 

-  precedent  of 

precedent  of  Julian  the  Apostata6;  that  whereas  they  meant  to  Julian  the 
have  as  little  religion,  they  would  have  as  light  a  rescue,  as 
he  had.  But  before  I  come  to  recital  of  his  story,  let  me 
cite  your  comparison.  It  is  not  odious,  but  too  ridiculous  :  Folio  21,  a. 
the  bare  sign  of  the  Cross  ye  prefer  before  naked,  sole,  and 
only  faith.  The  sign  of  the  Cross  of  itself  what  is  it  ?  A 
beating  of  the  air ;  a  throwing  of  a  stone  against  the  wind ; 
in  effect,  nothing.  But  faith,  make  it  as  naked  and  bare  as 
you  can,  yet  is  it  a  quality  of  the  mind,  which  at  the  least 
wise  to  the  world  commends  us.  For  let  it  be  as  the  School 
men  term  it,  fides  informis,  "an  unshapen  faith ;"  or  as  Paul 
calleth  it,  fides  ficta,  "a  feigned  faith7;"  or  the  worst  that 
ye  can  make  it,  Dcemonum  fides,  "the  Devils'  faith8;"  yet 
doth  it  teach  us  somewhat :  it  taketh  away  the  excuse  of 
ignorance,  as  Paul  to  the  Romans  witnesseth9;  and  forccth 
a  sin  upon  us,  as  Christ  Himself  affirmeth10 :  "  If  I  had 
not  come  and  spoken  to  them,  they  should  have  no  sin." 
Your  naked  Cross,  as  it  cannot  stand  by  itself,  so  in  itself 
it  containcth  nothing,  unless  perhaps  some  worms  and 
spiders  be  crept  into  a  corner  of  it.  All  must  rest  in  the 
conceit  of  man  and  his  imagination.  I  might  say  with 
Thomas  Aquinas11 :  Quod  fides  informis  et  formata  fides  est 
idem  habitus;  quia  ad  naturam  fidei  niJdl  attinet  sive 
charitas  adsit,  sive  non  adsit.  Nam  hoc  per  accidens  fit ; 

4  1  Cor.  iv.  [10.]  -5  Hebr.  iv.  [15.] 

0  [Vicl.  Pierre  de  Croix,  Du  signe  de  la  Crouc,  p.   94.    A  Arras, 

1004.] 

'"  1  Tim.  i.  [5.]  8  [S.  James  ii.  19.] 

3  [Rom.  i.  20.]  1(»  Joan.  xv.  [22.] 

11  [Vid.    Summ.  2.   2.   Q.   iv.  4  ad  lm,   3m,   4m.     Script,  sup.  tert. 

Sententt.  foil.  409,  b,  410.   Paris.  1574.     Conf.  BulH  Il>ir»«ni.  ApostoL 

Dissert,  post.  Cap.  ii.  p.  37.  Loud.  1703.     Bellarm.  />  Justif.  Lib.  i. 

C.  xv.  Willet's  Synopsis  Piijtixh.!.  97!).] 


86  THE  FIRST  ARTICLE. 

as  he  saith.  Whose  Avords  in  English  be  these :  "  Faith 
unshaped  and  shaped  faith  is  all  one  constant  quality ;  be 
cause  it  skilleth  not  for  the  nature  of  faith  whether  cha 
rity  be  there  or  no.  For  that  is  an  accidental  thing." 
Now,  if  this  were  true,  a  naked  faith  were  far  better  than 
a  naked  Cross ;  because  there  should  be  no  difference  between 
a  naked  faith  and  a  faith  clad  as  well  as  can  be :  but 
if  I  should  stand  in  defence  of  this,  I  should  be  as  foully 
deceived  as  your  Saint  was.  I  will  reason  with  you  out 
of  the  Master  of  the  Sentence1.  Let  faith  be  taken,  sive 
pro  eo  quo  creditur,  sive  pro  eo  quod  creditur,  "  either  for 
that  whereby  we  believe,  or  else  for  that  which  is  believed ;" 
certain  it  is  that  the  simplest  of  them  both  is  better  than  a 
sign,  though  it  be  of  the  Cross.  For  be  it  the  latter  faith, 
quam  Dcemones  et  falsi  Christiani  habent,  as  he  saith ; 
"which  the  Devils  and  false  Christians  have:"  yet,  by  the 
same,  possunt  credere  Deum,et  credere  Deo2:  "they  can  be 
lieve  that  there  is  a  God  ;  they  can  give  credit  unto  His  words." 
But  a  bare  Cross  cannot  do  this.  Take  me  a  man  that  never 
heard  of  Christ,  and  bring  him  to  a  Spaniard,  to  behold  all  his 
Crosses  at  the  Mary  Mass ;  and  he  shall  be  as  learned,  when 
he  cometh  away,  as  the  Ape  is  devout  when  he  hath  eaten  the 
Host3.  But  if  a  man  neither  did,  nor  could  ever  hear  at  all, 
this  naked  faith  were  able  to  teach  him,  without  any  further 
information,  that  a  God  there  is  ;  which  the  very  Gentiles  did 
understand.  Again,  to  compare  a  gift  of  God,  which  is  in 
the  mind,  to  the  work  of  man  made  with  the  hand,  is  canibus 
catulos  conjungere,  matribus  hcedos* :  "to  join  the  whelps 
and  hounds,  the  kids  and  goats  together." 

Now  to  your  Julian.     Ye  say,  that  when  he  had  consulted 

1  [Pet.  Lombardi]  Lib.  iii.  Sent.  Dist.  xxiii.  Cap.  Unicum.  [foil. 
258,  b,  259.  Paris.  1553.] 

2  ["  Aliud  enim  est  credere  Illi ;  aliud  credere  Ilium ;  aliud  credere 
in  Ilium.      Credere  Illi,  est  credere  vera  esse  quae  loquitur :  Credere 
Ilium,  credere  quia  Ipse  est  Deus  :  Credere  in  Ilium,  diligere  Ilium." 
(Serm.  suppos.  clxxxi.  de  Tempore,  inter  S.  Augustini  Opera,  Tom.  x. 
fol.  215.  Paris.  1541.)] 

3  [With  regard  to   the  miraculous  respect,  said  to  have  been 
rendered  on  various  occasions  to  the  Host,  by  Beasts,  Birds,  and 
Insects,  see  the  Jesuit  Bridoul's  School  of  the  Eucharist ;  with  a  Preface 
by  Clagett.  Lond.  1687.] 

4  [Virg.  Eclog.  i.  23.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  87 

with  sorcerers,  and  they  had  made  the  Devils  solemnly  to 
appear5,  "  he  was  stricken  in  a  fear,  and  forced  to  make  the 
sign  of  the  Cross  in  his  forehead.  Then  the  Devils  looking 
back,  and  seeing  the  figure  of  the  Lord's  banner,  and  re 
membering  their  fall  and  overthrow,  suddenly  vanished  out  of 
sight."  Thus  much,  or  so  much  as  this,  ye  cite  out  of  Theo- 
doret  and  Gregory  Nazianzen.  For  the  truth  of  the  history  I 
contend  not  with  you :  but  what  I  judge  of  the  experiment  I 
will  tell  you.  First  of  all,  that  wicked,  reprobate,  and  godless 
persons  can  use  the  sign  of  the  Cross  as  well  as  other :  which 
proposition  shall  quite  confute  all  your  ninth  article.  For  if 
such  as  Julian  can  cross  themselves,  and  notwithstanding  have 
never  a  whit  the  more  faith,  (as  yourself  confess ;)  then  how  FOI.  22,  a. 
falls  it  out  "  that  the  Cross  driveth  out  heresies  ;"  fol.  94,  b  : 
"  that  the  sign  of  the  Cross  converteth  obstinate  sinners;"  fol.  contnutuv 

tions  in  Mar- 

114,  115  :  '•'  that  the  sign  of  the  Cross  maketh  wicked  men  tia11- 
to  think  upon  God ;"  "  that  the  Cross  is  comfortable  in  despe 
ration;"  fol.  116.?  Secondly,  this  I  note  :  how  sore  the  Devil 
was  hurt  by  the  Cross ;  when,  it  notwithstanding,  he  retained 
the  possession  of  whole  Julian  both  in  body  and  soul.  Thirdly, 
that  the  Devil  doth  feign  himself  to  be  afraid  of  that,  which, 
with  all  his  heart,  he  would  have  men  to  use.  For  this 
is  a  general  rule ;  that  the  Devil  is  a  liar,  and  always  will 
seem  to  be  as  he  is  not.  If  there  were  no  other  matter  in 
the  world  against  you,  this  only  were  sufficient  to  discredit 
you.  For  what  better  reason  is  there  that  crossing  ought 
not  to  be  used  at  all,  than  that  the  Devil  did  seem  to  dread 
it.  If  that  indeed  he  had  been  afraid  of  it,  he  would  have 
doubled  a  point  with  you,  and  not  have  played  so  open  play. 
He  runs  from  the  steeple  to  dwell  in  the  people.  He  coun 
terfeits  a  flight  from  the  Holy  Water  bucket,  and  nestles 
himself  in  the  bosom  of  the  Priest.  He  seemeth  to  give 

5  [The  extract  seems  to  have  been  taken  from  the  Latin  version  of 
Theodoret,  in  the  Historia  Tripartite,  by  Cassiodorus,  Lib.  vi.  Cap.  i. — 
"  Quibus  solemniter  apparentibus,  terrore  compellitur  Julianus  in 
fronte  sua  Crucis  formare  signaculum.  Tune  Dcemones,  tropha-i 
Dominici  figuram  respicientes,  et  suse  recordati  devictionis,  repente 
disparuerunt."  Conf.  Theod.  Hist.  Eccles.  Lib.  iii.  Cap.  iii.  ed.  Basil. 
1549.  D.  Gregorii  Nazianz.  Adv.  Julian.  Oral.  iii.  Opp.  Tom.  i.  p. 
206.  Paris.  1583.  Freculphi  Chronic.  Tom.  ii.  Lib.  iv.  C.  ix.  Colon. 
1539.  Chron.  Abbat.  Ursperg.  pag.  xc.  Argent.  1540.  Nicephori  Lib.  x. 
Cap.  iii.  Hickes's  Jovian,  C.  vi.  p.  144.  Lond.  1G83.] 


88  THE   FIRST  ARTICLE. 

place  to  the  charmer's  enchantment,  and  yet  that  sacrifice 
doth  please  him  exceedingly.  Ye  confess  that  Julian  had 
no  hope  in  Christ,  no  love  to  God,  no  faith  ;  and  will  ye  not 
confess  that  he  was  thereby  a  desperate  person,  and  a  limb 
of  the  Devil  ?  The  Devil  then  should  have  done  him  wrong, 
if  he  had  put  him  in  any  further  danger. 

But  one  thing  I  marvel  at ;  how  you,  M.  Martiall,  a 
Bachelor  of  law,  sometime  Usher  of  Winchester,  now  Student 
in  divinity,  making  a  book,  intitled  to  the  Queen,  perused 
by  the  learned,  privileged  by  the  King,  allowed  by  Gunner l, 
should  fall  into  manifest  contradictions,  and  scape  uncon 
trolled.  I  see  it  is  true,  quod  mendacem  memorem  esse 
oportet :  "  a  liar  had  need  have  a  good  remembrance." 
Ye  said  in  the  leaf  before,  "  The  sign  of  the  Cross  must 
concur  with  faith,  and  faith  with  the  sign  of  the  Cross  :" 
now  ye  allow  the  bare  sign  of  the  Cross,  without  any 
faith,  to  have  the  force  and  power  aforesaid.  If  I  thought 
ye  were  ignorant  of  Satan's  practices,  I  would  shew  you 
some  of  them,  to  make  you  more  circumspect.  But  you 
have  been  brought  up  in  his  school  a  good  while ;  and  there 
fore  I  think  ye  practise  after  him,  endeavouring  yourself  of 
set  purpose  to  deceive :  for  which,  like  a  spider,  ye  spin  a 
subtile  web.  You  suck  out  of  the  Fathers  the  worst  Joyce2 
that  you  can,  that  you  may  turn  the  same  into  your  own 
filthy  and  infected  nature.  Gregory  did  well,  in  abhorring 
the  name  of  Universal  Bishop3 :  but  Gregory's  authority  is 
not  taken  in  that.  Gregory  said  well,  when  he  told  us  the 
tale  of  Speciosus,  a  Deacon,  that  would  rather  forsake  his 
benefice  than  his  wife4 :  but  the  precedent  of  that  persuadeth 
you  not.  Only  when  Gregory  disgraceth  himself  with  old 
wives'  tales,  and  trifling  customs  of  his  corrupted  time,  then 
is  he  meat  for  your  saucy  mouths. 

A  Jew,  saith  Gregory,  "  without  trust,  confidence,  or  faith 

1  [That  is,  as  the  editor  believes,  (for  he  has  not  seen  the  work  ;) 
that  it  had  received  the  Imprimatur  of  the  Censor  Cunerus  Petri  de 
Bro \vershaven,  the  first  Bishop  of  Leuwarden  in  Friesland.] 

2  [juice.] 

3  [Epistt.  Lib.  iv.  Capp.  Ixxvi,  Ixxviii,  Ixxx,  Ixxxii,  Ixxxiii.  Lib.  vi. 
C.  cxciv.  Opp.  Tom.  ii.  Antverp.  1572.] 

4  [Epistt.  L.  iii.  Cap.  xxxiv.  fol.  193.     Cf.    Gratiani  Decret.  Dist. 
xxxii.  C.  ii.  &  Caus.  xxvii.  Qusest.  ii.  Cap.  xx.j 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  89 

in  Christ's  passion,  was  preserved  from  spirits  by  the  sign  of 
the  Cross5."  I  rehearse  not  the  circumstance  of  the  tale, 
because  I  have  told  you  more  than  is  true  already6.  For 
if  he  had  no  faith  in  Christ,  the  Scripture  is  plain  that  there 
could  no  spirit  be  worse  than  himself.  Impossible  it  is  to 
please  God  without  faith7 :  and  shall  God,  by  the  Cross, 
preserve  them  that  please  Him  not?  Who  seeth  not  what 
a  fable  this  is,  or  rather  a  blasphemy,  if  it  be  weighed  aright? 
But  Gregory  hath  it;  a  Doctor  of  the  Church.  So  hath  he 
more  untruths  than  this.  As  that,  for  confirmation  of  Sacri 
fice  for  the  dead,  he  bringeth  forth  a  vision,  a  dream,  or 
a  dotage8;  such  a  one  as  I  am  ashamed  to  father  upon 
him,  or  any  one  of  the  faithful ;  yet  proof  good  enough 
for  such  a  matter  of  naught.  His  tale  is  this.  A  certain 
Priest,  that  used  the  baths,  went  on  a  day  into  them  ; 
and  found  a  young  man,  (whom  he  knew  not,)  very  ob 
sequious  and  serviceable  unto  him  :  he  pulled  off  his  shoes, 
he  took  his  garments,  he  did  whatsoever  might  be  com 
fortable  for  him.  When  this  he  had  often  done,  one  day 
the  Priest  going  thitherward  thought  thus  with  himself :  I 
ought  not  to  seem  unthankful  unto  him,  which  hath  so  de 
voutly  been  accustomed  to  serve  me  whensoever  I  wash  me; 
but  needs  I  must  carry  him  somewhat  for  a  reward.  Then 
took  he  with  him  the  tops  of  two  loaves  which  had  been 
offered  at  service.  And  as  soon  as  ever  he  came  unto  the 


5  ["  Quamvis  fidem  Crucis  minimo  haberet,  signo  tamon  se  Crucis 
munire  curavit."  (Dial.  Lib.  iii.  C.  vii.  fol.  xxvi.  Paris.  1513.)] 

G  [Any  pei-son  would  be  likely  to  tell  '''more  than  is  true,"  who 
should  absolutely,  and  without  remorse,  ascribe  these  controverted 
Dialogues  to  S.  Gregory  the  Great.  The  learned  Robert  Cooke  has 
sufficiently  examined  their  style  and  contents;  (Censura,  pp.  209 — 12.) 
and  though  there  is  a  great  deal  of  difficulty  connected  with  them, 
they  are,  for  the  most  part,  unhesitatingly  recognised  only  by  Roman 
ists,  and  by  those  who  wish  to  traduce  the  early  writers  of  the 
Church.  Many  excellent  critics  have  assigned  the  "  salubrious  narra 
tions,"  (as  Photius  calls  them,  Cud.  cclii.)  to  Pope  Gregory  II.,  who 
lived  in  the  eighth  century,  and  certainly  was  surnamed  .Dialoyns. 
Vid.  Comber's  Roman  Foryerles,  Part  iii.  Cent.  v.  pp.  12G,  193.  Loud. 
1695.  Riveti  Crlt.  Sacr.  Lib.  iv.  Cap.  xxix.  Baronii  Martyrol.  dio 
Deceinb.  23.] 

7  Heb.  xi.  [G.] 

*  Lib.  Dial.  iv.  Cap.  k.  [fol.  Iviii.] 


90  THE  FIRST  ARTICLE. 

place,  he  found  his  man;  he  used  his  service  as  he  was  wont 
in  all  points.  Thus  when  he  had  washed,  and  put  on  his 
clothes,  as  he  was  going  out  he  offered,  (as  a  blessing,)  unto 
the  man  that  had  been  so  diligent  about  him,  that  which  he 
brought  with  him ;  requiring  him  courteously  to  accept  that 
which  he  offered  him  in  the  way  of  charity.  But  he,  mourn 
ing  and  afflicted,  answered,  Father,  what  meanest  thou  to 
give  me  these  ?  This  bread  is  holy ;  this  can  I  not  eat. 
For  I,  whom  thou  seest,  sometime  was  lord  of  this  place; 
but  for  my  sins  now,  after  my  death,  am  deputed  hither. 
But  if  thou  wilt  do  any  thing  for  me,  offer  this  bread  unto 
Almighty  God  for  me,  to  be  a  mediator  for  my  sins :  and 
then  knoAv  that  God  hath  heard  thy  prayer,  when  thou  shalt 
come  hither  to  bathe  thee  and  find  me  not.  So  the  next  week 
after  the  Priest  continued  in  mourning  for  him ;  every  day 
did  offer  the  Host  for  him ;  and  afterward,  when  he  came  to 
the  bath,  he  found  him  not.  Hereupon  Father  Gregory  con- 
cludeth :  Qua  ex  re  quantum  prosit  animabus  immolatio 
sacrce  oblationis  ostenditur;  quando  hanc  et  ipsi  mortuorum 
spiritus  a  viventibus  petunt,  et  signa  indicant  quibus  per 
earn  absoluti  videantur.  In  English  this  :  "  By  which  thing 
it  is  shewed  how  much  the  Sacrifice  of  the  holy  oblation 
profiteth  the  souls ;  when  the  spirits  of  the  dead  require  this 
of  the  living,  and  shew  signs  whereby  they  may  appear  to 
be  delivered  by  it."  And  so  far  Gregory. 

But  is  it  not  a  pitiful  case,  that  of  so  weak  a  ground  so 
wicked  a  doctrine  should  be  builded,  contrary  to  the  manifest 
word  of  God  ?  In  the  eighteenth  of  Deuteronomy  :  "  Seek 
not  to  learn  a  truth  of  the  dead."  And  in  the  eighth  of  the 
Prophet  Esay  :  "  Should  not  a  people  inquire  at  their  God  ? 
Shall  they  depart  from  the  living  to  the  dead  ? "  Howso 
ever  the  state  of  men  is  after  this  life,  no  doctrine  should 
be  gathered  of  the  talking  of  spirits.  And  furthermore,  that 
dead  men  do  serve  in  the  baths  upon  the  earth ;  be  loosed  out 
of  the  popish  Purgatory,  which  they  affirm  to  be  subtus 
terram,  "  under  the  earth,"  to  become  as  it  were  barbers' 
apprentices  upon  the  earth,  may  well  be  a  legend  for  Plato 
his  Purgatory,  joined  with  the  tale  of  Danaus'  daughters,  who 
pour  in  water  into  a  bottomless  tub.  Wherefore,  M.  Martiall, 
doubt  ye  not  this ;  but  the  wicked  spirits,  which  saw  vas 
vacuum  sed  signatum,  "  an  empty  vessel,  but  signed  with  the 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  91 

Cross,"  were  bold  notwithstanding,  ad  evitandum  vacuum, 
.to  enter  into  him. 

As  for  the  words  of  Lactantius1,  which  you  bring  forth; 
that  when  they  do  sacrifice  to  their  Idols,  if  there  stand 
any  man  by  that  hath  his  forehead  signed,"  (for  that  which 
you  add,  "  with  the  Cross,"  is  more  than  ye  find  in  the 
text ;)  "  then  they  offer  up  no  sacrifice,  neither  their  wizard 
is  able  to  give  answer,"  must  rather  be  understood  of  the 

O  7 

faithful  christened,  than  of  any  that  were  crossed:  for  by 
the  signed  forehead  they  signified  Baptism,  and  the  faith 
of  Christ  which  they  professed.  Otherwise,  if  it  be  as  you 
say,  "that  spirits  cannot  abide  the  sign  of  the  Cross,  nor 
continue  in  place  where  any  man  is  that  hath  the  sign  of 
the  Cross,"  the  best  counsel  that  I  can  give  men  is,  to  be 
marked,  to  burn  their  flesh  with  an  hot  iron,  and  make 
a  durable  Cross  in  their  foreheads ;  whereby  they  may  be  free, 
as  long  as  they  live,  from  fearing  of  spirits,  without  any  more 
ado.  But  I  fear  me  lest  this  be  no  sufficient  defence.  For 
Serapis  and  his  Priests  were  all  to2  becrossed;  and  yet  the 
Devils  danced  among  them.  The  Pope  hath  his  Crosses,  yea 
double  and  treble  ;  yet  is  not  the  Devil  afraid  to  come  at  him. 
Silvester  the  second,  as  Platina  reporteth3,  was  a  practiser  of 
naughty  arts;  and  therein  addict  himself  altogether  unto  the 
common  enemy  of  mankind.  And  indeed  first  he  gat  the 
archbishoprick  of  Reme,  and  afterward  of  Ravenna,  by  simony. 
Last  of  all,  by  the  Devil's  forwarding  help,  he  gat  also  the 
occupying  of  the  Pope's  see :  howbeit,  under  this  condition ; 
that  when  he  departed  this  life,  he  should  be  all  wholly  the 

1  Lib.  iv.  Ca.  xxvii.  De  vera  Sap.    ["  Nam  cum  Diis  suis  immolant, 
si  assistat  aliquis  signatum  frontem  gerens,  sacra  nullo  modo  litant ; 
Nee  responsa  potest  consultus  reddere  Vates."] 

2  [altogether :  in  which  sense  the  phrase  is  used  in  Judges  ix.  53 : 
"  and  all  to  brake  his  skull :" — but  in   many  Bibles,   (for  instance 
Bagster's,)  "  break"  has  been  wrongly  substituted  for  "  brake."] 

3  [Vitce  Pontiff,  fol.  Ixxiv.   Venet.   1518.      In  Carranza's  Summa 
Conciliorum,  p.  569.  Salmant.  1551,  we  read  of  this  Pope :    "  Is  magus 
fuisse  fertur :"  but  the  word  "  magus"  has  been  corruptly  altered  into 
"magnus"  in  the  following  editions:    Antverp.  1569.;  Paris.  1624.; 
Rothom.  1655. ;  Paris.  1677.     The  Vatican  Expurgatory  Index,  in  its 
review  of  Zuinger's  Theatrum  vitce  humance,  directs  that  the  term 
"magus,"  which  had  been  therein  applied  to  Silvester,  should  be  erased, 
(p.  720.  Romce,  1607. :  p.  592.  Bergom.  1608.)] 


92  THE   FIRST  ARTICLE. 

Devil's,  by  whose  false  deceits  he  obtained  so  high  dignity. 
Whereupon,  as  the  same  Platina,  the  Pope's  own  Secretary, 
doth  write ;  when  Silvester  was  not  circumspect  enough, 
in  being  ware  of  the  Devil's  baits,  he  was  killed,  all  to 
pulled,  of  the  promoter  of  his,  the  Devil :  yea.  when  he  was 
a  massing  in  the  church.  A  strange  case,  M.  Martiall,  that 
so  many  Crosses  as  were  in  the  church,  so  many  Crosses  as 
were  in  the  Mass,  could  not  save  the  supreme  Head  of  the 
Church  from  tearing  in  pieces  by  wicked  spirits;  yea,  when 
he  was  at  his  holy  Mass !  Wherefore  the  Cross,  in  your 
fourth  signification,  is  not  "  the  heavenly  note  and  immortal 
sign."  It  hath  not  that  effect,  "  by  continual  meditation  of 
heavenly  things  and  the  life  to  come,  to  make  men  heavenly 
and  immortal.'" 

Still  you  do  reason  A  non  causa  pro  causa ;  attributing 
that  unto  the  outward  sign,  which  is  indeed  the  virtue  of 
Christ,  and  belief  in  His  passion.  Ye  say  that  the  sign  of 
the  Cross  is  spoken  of  by  God  Himself  in  His  Prophet  Esay : 
but  it  shall  appear,  by  the  very  Scriptures  that  you  allege, 
how  ignorantly  and  how  falsely  you  cite  your  authorities. 
God,  by  the  mouth  of  His  servant1,  witnessed  how  He  would 
bring  to  pass  that  the  Church,  which  had  continued  barren 
a  long  while,  should  now  be  fruitful ;  and  have  such  store 
of  children  that  she  should  wonder  at  her  own  increase,  say 
ing:  Quis  genuit  mihi  istos;  quum  ego  sim  sterilis  et  solitaria, 
relegata  et  vaga  ?  Quis  ergo  educavit  istos  ?  En  ego  sola 
relicta  sum;  isti  ergo  undenam  sunt ?  "Who  hath  begotten 
me  these;  seeing  I  am  barren  and  desolate,  a  banished  person, 
and  a  wanderer  to  and  fro  ?  And  who  hath  nourished  them  ? 
Behold,  I  was  left  alone ;  and  whence  are  these  ?"  God,  to 
answer  this  case,  and  to  shew  that  there  should  be  a  spiritual 
brood,  begotten  through  grace  of  adoption,  not  by  the  com 
mon  course  of  nature,  but  by  the  secret  working  of  His  Spirit, 
said:  Tollam  ad  Gentes  manum  meam,  et  ad  populos  signum 
meum  erigam :  "  I  will  lift  up  my  hand  to  the  Gentiles,  and 
set  up  my  standard  unto  the  people :"  meaning,  that  not 
only  the  Jews,  but  also  the  Gentiles,  should  be  brought  to 
Christ;  which,  agreeing  in  unity  of  one  faith  together,  should 
be  gathered  as  brethren  into  one  mother's  lap. 

1  Esay  xlix.  [21.  22.  Cf.  Zacasmii  Collect.  Hon.  i.  309.  Eorrue,  1G98.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE   OF   THE   CROSS. 

Now,  I  beseech  you,  turn  over  your  histories,  consult 
with  your  elders,  and  see  what  it  was  that  brought  the  Gen 
tiles  to  Christianity,  the  idolatrous  nations  to  true  lleligion. 
If  it  were  the  sign  of  the  Cross,  after  your  fourth  significa 
tion,  "  made  of  some  earthly  matter  to  be  set  up  in  churches,  Foiio24,a. 
or  made  with  man's  hand  in  the  air,  in  form  and  likeness  of 
the  other,"  then  is  it  somewhat  that  you  have  said.  But  if 
it  were  the  preaching  of  the  word,  (as  most  certain  it  is,) 

which  did  so  work  in  the  hearts  of  men  that,  refusing  their 

.  • 

errors,  they  became  to  be  faithful ;  then  you  are  a  falsifier 

of  the  word,  M.  Martiall.  Learn  you  of  me,  that  preaching 
is  that  hand  of  God,  that  standard  of  His,  whereby  that  mer 
ciful  effect  is  wrought,  as  well  in  us  as  in  all  other,  to  be 
brought  to  the  truth  from  blindness  and  ignorance.  And  if 
ye  think  scorn  to  learn  of  me,  learn  of  God  Himself,  who  in 
the  text  before  saith,  that  His  mouth  is  a  sharp  sweard2,  and 
that  preaching  is  a  chosen  shaft,  had  in  the  quiver  of  the 
Almighty.  For  the  word  in  operation  is  as  forcible  as  a 
sweard2:  it  moveth,  it  ravisheth,  it  rencweth  men:  it  piero- 
eth  to  the  heart,  it  searcheth  the  secret  places:  it  entcreth 
through,  as  S.  Paul  saith3,  "  even  unto  the  dividing  asunder 
of  the  soul  and  of  the  spirits,  and  of  the  joints  and  of  the 
marrow,  and  is  a  discerner  of  the  thoughts  and  the  intents 
of  the  heart.  Neither  is  there  any  creature  which  is  not 
manifest  in  His  sight;  but  all  things  are  naked  and  open 
unto  His  eves  with  whom  we  have  to  do."  This  two-edged 

*  O 

sweard2,  which  God  hath  put  in  the  mouth  of  man,  doth  try 
the  force  of  things  set  against  it.  It  cuttcth  the  corrupt 
affections  from  the  heart :  it  openeth  the  festered  sores, 
the  pestilent  imposthumes  of  our  ill  desires :  it  overthroweth 
the  kingdom  of  Satan  :  it  slays  his  host,  sin,  death  and  hell. 
And  as  an  arrow,  which  is  past  the  bow  of  a  cunning  archer, 
cannot  be  stayed  by  hand,  before  it  have  his  lighting-place; 
so  doth  the  word  hold  still  his  constant  course :  it  maketh 
way  wheresoever  it  goeth :  it  falleth  as  He  willeth,  which  is 
the  only  director  of  it :  but  fall  where  it  will,  it  iallcth  with 
effect;  nor  any  man  can  withstand  the  blow  that  it  givcth. 

If  you  can  justly  ascribe  any  such  piece  of  operation  to 
the  Cross,  in  your  fourth  signification,  then  will  I  gladly  give 

2  [sword.]  a  Hcb.  iv.  [12,  13.] 


94  THE  FIRST  ARTICLE. 

place  unto  you.  But  whereas  it  is  certain  that  no  work  of 
man  can  alter  the  heart,  or  once  regenerate  it  to  true  piety, 
the  standard  that  Esay  the  Prophet  speaketh  of  maketh 
nothing  for  your  purpose.  But  S.  Hierom,  ye  say,  taketh 
your  part;  for  upon  that  place  he  noteth1 :  "Undoubtedly 
there  is  meant  the  banner  or  sign  of  the  Cross."  Indeed  S. 
Hierom  hath  these  words :  Hand  dubium  quin  vexillum 
Crucis;  ut  impleatur  illud  quod  scriptum  est:  Laudibus  Ejus 
plena  est  terra.  Which  is  as  much  to  say  as  this :  "  No 
doubt  but  it  shall  be  the  ensign  of  the  Cross ;  that  it  may  be 
fulfilled  which  is  written,  'The  earth  is  full  of  His  praises.'" 
Here  Hierom  doth  explicate  himself,  what  he  doth  mean  by 
the  ensign  of  the  Cross :  the  setting  forth  of  the  praise  of 
God;  which  is  not  by  setting  of  a  Cross  on  the  altar,  but  by 
preaching  the  crucified  Christ  unto  people.  The  place  of 
Jeremy  the  fourth  maketh  no  more  for  the  Cross  than  it 
doth  for  the  Candlesticks.  For  when  the  Prophet  had  spoken 
to  the  inhabitants  of  Juda  and  Jerusalem,  to  be  circumcised 
to  the  Lord,  and  cut  off  the  foreskins  of  their  infected  hearts; 
ne  egrederetur  tanquam  ignis  furor  Ejus,  et  accenderetur,  et 
nemo  extingueret :  "  Lest  His  wrath  should  go  forth  as  fire, 
and  should  be  kindled,  and  no  man  quench  it ;"  he  comcth 
further  to  declare  the  obstinacy  of  men's  hearts,  that  by  no 
means  can  be  brought  to  goodness,  but  seek  by  all  means  to 
avoid  the  reward  and  plague  of  wickedness.  Wherefore,  by 
an  irony,  he  saith  unto  them :  "  Blow  the  trumpet  in  the  land : 
cry,  and  gather  together,  and  say,  Assemble  yourselves,  and 
let  us  go  into  strong  cities.  Set  up  the  standard  in  Sion2,"  &c. 
As  if  that  he  had  said,  I  know  what  you  will  do :  when  the 
wrath  of  God  shall  fall  upon  you,  when  your  enemies  shall 
oppress  you,  you  will  not  consider  the  cause  thereof;  but 
you  will  run  to  your  strong  holds,  you  will  arm  yourselves, 
and  stand  at  your  defence :  you  will  set  up  your  standard 
in  Sion,  and  think  that  you  shall  be  safe  there.  But  it  will 
not  be  so,  saith  the  Lord:  Quoniam  Ego  malum  accersam  ab 
aquilone :  "  Because  I  will  bring  a  plague  from  the  north." 
And  truly  there  is  no  cause  why  Hierom  in  this  place 
should  run  to  his  allegory,  whereas  there  is  so  plain  and 

1  [Super  Esaiam,  Lib.  xiii.  sig.  N  v.  Venet.  1497.] 

2  Jeremy  iv.  [4 — 6.] 


ANSWER  TO   THE   TREATISE   OF   THE   CROSS.  95 

sound  a  sense  in  the  letter.  But  if  his  allegory  should  take 
place,  let  all  go  together,  and  it  maketh  against  you.  For 
his  words  be  these3:  Ingrediamur  civitates  munitas.  Hcc- 
reticorum  bella  consurgunt :  Christi  monumenta  [al.  muni- 
menta]  nos  teneant.  Levate  signum  Cruets  [in  specula ;  id 
est,~\  in  sublimitate  ecclesicn :  "  Let  us  enter  into  the  walled 
cities.  The  battles  of  the  heretics  do  arise :  let  the  munitions 
of  Christ  hold  us.  Lift  up  the  sign  of  the  Cross  in  the 
height  of  the  church."  Let  me  now  ask  you  this  question; 
whether  we  must  run  against  heretics  with  a  Cross  in  our 
hand?  as  I  remember  a  Priest  of  your  faculty  beat  all  his 
parish  with  the  Cross-staff.  If  this  artillery  beat  not  down 
heresies,  think  that  S.  Hierom  meant  another  thing;  that 
is  to  say,  the  sign  of  the  Cross  in  the  top  of  the  church, 
the  preaching  of  the  word  in  the  Prelates  of  the  Church. 

Now,  as  for  the  sign  of  the  Son  of  man4,  "which  shall, 
before  the  judgment,  appear  in  heaven,"  forsooth  there  is 
no  certain  proof  that  it  shall  be  a  Cross5.  For  Chrysostom, 
in  his  second  exposition  upon  the  twenty-fourth  chapter  of 
Matthew,  saith6 :  Quidam  putant  Crucem  Christi  ostenden- 

3  [Super  Hieremiam,  Liber  i.  sig.  T  v.  cd.  sup.  cit.] 

4  Matth.  xxiv.  [30.] 

5  [Waldensis  (Sacram.  Tit.  xx.  Cap.  clviii.)  attempts  to  evince  from 
Isaiah  Ixv.  22, — "  as  the  days  of  a  tree  are  the  days  of  my  people," 
that  the  fragments  of  the  Cross  are  to  be  collected  together  with  the 
Elect;   preparatively  to  its  appearance  in  heaven,  according  to  an 
opinion  very  generally  held  by  the  Fathers.      See  S.  Chrysostom's 
fifty-fourth  and  seventy-sixth  Homilies   on   S.  Matthew.     S.   Cyril, 
Catech.  xiii.  &  xv.  pp.  323,  383.  Paris.  1609.     Bellarm.  De  Imaginibus, 
Lib.  ii.  Cap.  xxviii.  Rhem.  Test.  p.  69.  1582.     Pierre  do  Croix,  Dis- 
cours  du  signe  de  la  Crowe,  p.  288.  A  Arras,  1604.   Leigh's  Annot.  p.  65. 
Lond.  1650. ;  and  compare  the  last  three  lines  of  the  sixth  book  of  the 
Sibylline  Oracles,  thus  translated  by  Castalio  : 

"O  Lignum  felix,  in  quo  Deus  Ipse  pependit. 
Nee  te  terra  capit ;  sed  coeli  tecta  videbis, 
Cum  renovata  Dei  facies  ignita  micabit."] 

6  Horn.  xlix.    [Op.  imperf.  in  S.  Matth.  inter  D.  Chrysost.  Opp. 
Tom.  ii.  col.  964.  Paris.  1570 The  "Opus  imperfectum"  was  inter 
dicted  by  the  Index  Romanus  of  Pope  Paul  IV.,  in  the  year  1559  :  but 
the  prohibitory  sentence  was  withdrawn  by  Pius  IV.,  in  1564 ;  and  by 
Clement  VIII.,  in  1596.     Baronius  is  indignant  at  the  idea,  that  to  S. 
Chrysostom  should  be  ascribed  "  ab  incerto  auctore,  sed  certo  hscre- 
tico,  hsereticorumque  deterrimo,  compositas  Homilias  illas  purulentas, 


96  THE  FIRST  ARTICLE. 

dam  csse  in  codo.  Verius  autem  est,  ipsum  Christum :  in 
corpore  suo  habentem  testimonies  passionis ;  id  est,  vulnera 
lancece  et  clavorum ;  ut  impleatur  illud  quod  dictum  est, 
Et  videbunt  in  Quern  pupuyerunt :  "  Some,"  (saith  Chry- 
sostom,)  "  think  that  the  Cross  of  Christ  shall  be  shewed  in 
heaven.  But  it  is  truer  that  Christ  Himself  shall  appear : 
having  in  His  body  the  testimonies  of  His  passion ;  that  is  to 
say,  the  wounds  of  the  spear  and  nails;  that  it  may  be  ful 
filled  which  was  said,  '  And  they  shall  see  Him  whom  they 
pierced.'"  Nor  only  content  with  his  own  censure,  he  bring- 
eth  after  a  proof  of  Scripture,  that  the  words  cannot  be 
spoken  of  the  Cross,  but  of  the  body  of  Christ  Himself;  be 
cause  the  rest  of  the  Evangelists,  writing  of  the  same  matter, 
do  only  say,  Videbunt  Filium  hominis  venientem :  "  They 
shall  see  the  Son  of  man  coming."  Whereupon  he  concludeth, 
that  all  the  Evangelists  do  shew,  siynum  Christi  esse  ipsum 
corpus  Christi;  qui  in  siyno  corporis  sui  coynoscendus  est 
a  quibus  crucifixus  est :  "  That  the  sign  of  Christ  is  the 
body  of  Christ  Himself;  who  in  the  sign  of  His  body  shall  be 
known  of  them  of  whom  He  was  crucified."  So  that  ye 
challenge  more  a  great  deal  than  we  need  to  grant  you. 

But  you  shall  see  how  courteously  I  will  deal  with  you. 
Admit  that  the  sign  of  the  Son  of  man  is  the  Cross  indeed. 
What  have  ye  gained  now  ?  First,  it  shall  be  no  material 
Cross  made  with  man's  hand,  nor  yet  a  sign  printed  in  his 
forehead.  Therefore  ye  must  run  to  a  fifth  signification  of 
"Cross"  in  Scripture;  for  this  cannot  serve  for  the  fourth. 

lucrcsum  scatentes  vermibus,"  &c.  (Ad  an.  407.  p.  264.  Tom.  v.  Antv. 
1658.)  Bellannin  thinks  it  credible  that  the  author  was  a  Catholic, 
but  that  his  work  was  depraved  by  the  Arians ;  (De  Scriptt.  Eccl.  p. 
100.  Conf.  Franci  Disquisit.  de  Papistarum  Indictbtis,  pp.  102—104. 
Lips.  1684.  Wharton's  Enthusiasm  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  p.  117. 
Loud.  1688.)  and  it  has  been  supposed  by  Montfaucon  that  he  could 
not  have  lived  before  the  sixth  or  seventh  age.  (In  Diat.  Op.  prsefix. 
Cf.  Thilo,  Cod.  Apocr.  N.  Test.  Tom.  i.  pp.  xciv,  xcv.  Lips.  1832.  Vid. 
Ittig.  De,  Biblioth.  Patt.  Prsef.  pp.  cxviii — cxx.  Lips.  1707.  Dalleeum, 
De  vcro  usu  Patrum,  p.  56.  Genev.  1656.  Usser.  De  Scriptur.  et  Sac. 
vernac.  p.  262.  Lond.  1690.  Crakanthorp.  Defens.  Eccl.  Anglic,  p.  556. 
Lond.  1625.  Morton's  Catliolike,  Appeale,  pp.  313 — 14.  Lond.  1610. 
Natal.  Alexand.  Hist.  Eccles.  Tom.  iv.  pp.  161 — 63.  Paris.  1699.  James's 
Treatise  of  the  corruption  of  Fathers,  &c.  Part  ii.  pp.  33 — 39.  Lond. 
1611.)] 


ANSWER  TO   THE   TREATISE   OF   THE   CROSS.  97 

The  places  that  ye  cite  out  of  the  ninth  of  Ezechicl,  and 
seventh  of  the  Revelation,  where  many  be  sealed  into  God's 
servants,  (out  of  which  order  I  fear  me  lest  a  number  of  my 
Cross-masters  may  cry  with  the  Friar,  Nos  sumus  ejcempti  : 
"We  are  exempt1;")  I  marvel  that  you  can  without  blushing 
utter.  But  if  ye  have  any  shame  in  you,  I  will  make  you  to 
blush.  Think  you  that  the  sign  of  GOD  in  the  foreheads  was 
the  sign  of  a  Cross  drawn  with  a  finger  ?  Is  the  Spirit  of  life, 
and  lively  faith,  (which  only  express  the  true  print  of  God,) 
inspired  as  soon  as  a  Cross  is  figured  ?  Is  the  sign  of  a 
Cross  sufficient  to  discern  the  good  from  the  bad ;  the  faith 
ful  from  the  infidels  ?  Yet  such  must  the  sign  of  the  Cross 
be,  if  it  be  the  same  that  either  Ezechiel  or  Saint  John 
speaketh  of.  Consider  this,  ye  gross  Papist;  that  he  that 
marked  the  foreheads  in  Ezechiel  was  neither  Carver,  Grosser, 
nor  Conjurer.  He  was  clothed  in  linen,  and  had  an  inkhorn 
by  his  side.  He  bare  the  type  of  a  Scribe  and  a  Priest.  The 
mark  that  he  gave  them  was  the  letter  Tkau~;  (of  which  I  The  letter 
speak  more  in  the  next  article :)  signifying  the  law,  direction, 
or  rule ;  to  note  that  the  Minister  of  God's  word  must  print 
the  seal:  he  must  engrave  in  the  very  heart  the  law  of 
God,  and  rule  of  faith ;  and  then  be  they  safe  and  sure  from 
all  evil.  The  blood  of  the  lamb  in  the  old  Law  was  not  cast 
behind  the  door,  but  sprinkled  upon  the  door-posts:  the  mark 
of  God  is  not  set  in  the  back,  but  in  the  forehead  of  all  the 
faithful ;  that,  as  things  most  manifest  be  said  to  be  written 
in  a  man's  forehead,  and  the  forehead  is  the  place  of  shame, 
so  should  the  servants  of  the  living  God,  lightened  with  His 
word  and  Holy  Spirit,  never  dissemble  it,  or  be  ashamed 
of  it. 

Again,  the  persons  scaled,  as  well  in  Ezechiel  as  in  the 

1  [The   disturbance  of   episcopal  jurisdiction  by  the  privileges 
granted  to  the  monastic   Orders,  and  the  laxity  of  life  among  the 
"  exempt,"  were  facts  acknowledged  by  the  Council  of  Trent.    (Sess. 
xxiv.  Cap.  xi.    Conf.  De  Habermann  ab  Unsleben,  Dissert,  de  Pont. 
Iio,,i.  potest.    Sect.  iii.  pp.  104 — 7.    Gottintrse,  1754.)   Launoi  imagines 
a  case  of  an  Abbot  or  a  Monk  saying,  with  confidence,  to  a  Bishop  of 
Paris :  "  Tu  potestatem  in  me  nullam  habes  .  .  .  Ego  exemptus  sum : 
vatic  vias  tuas,  et  sis  anathema  maranatha."    (Assert.  Inquis.  in  Chart. 
Imm.  B.  Germ.  p.  72.  Lut.  Paris.  1658.)] 

2  [Bp.  Hooper's  Discourse  concerning  Lent,  pp.  256-7.  Lond.  1695. 
Conr.  Bruni  De  Cceremon.  Lib.  iii.  Cap.  v.  pag.  76.   Mogunt.  1548.] 

FCALFHILL.I 


98  THE    FIRST    ARTICLE. 

Revelation,  do  shew  that  they  had  a  surer  mark  than  a  sorry 
sign  of  the  Cross  can  be.  For  in  Ezechiel  we  read :  "  Pass 
thorough  the  city  of  Hierusalem,  and  set  a  mark  upon  the  fore 
heads  of  them  that  mourn  and  cry  for  all  the  abominations 
that  be  done  in  the  midst  thereof."  And  in  the  seventh  of 
the  Revelation:  "  Till  \ve  have  sealed  the  servants  of  our  God 
in  their  foreheads."  Therefore,  such  as  lament  and  be  sorry 
for  abominable  wickedness;  such  as  be  indeed  the  servants  of 
God,  they  be  sealed :  but  all  men  indifferently  have  the  sign 
of  the  Cross ;  many  moe  than  be  grieved  with  the  sight  of 
sin,  or  do  continue  in  the  fear  of  God :  therefore  the  seal, 
that  in  these  places  is  spoken  of,  is  not  the  sign  of  the  Cross. 
Julian  was  crossed ;  Pope  Silvester  was  crossed ;  and  yet,  as  it 
is  proved  afore,  neither  of  them  both  did  mourn  for  their 
sins,  or  served  God.  See  ye  not  then  how  fondly  ye  pre 
tend  Scripture  for  your  Cross?  There  be  only  five  places 
brought,  and  every  one  of  them  doth  make  against  you. 
Wherefore,,  since  these  be  the  only  ground  of  the  two  kinds 
of  Crosses,  whereupon  in  this  treatise  ye  mind  to  discourse, 
and  these  make  nothing  for  you ;  what  shall  we  think,  not  of 
your  slender  building,  but  ill-favoured  botching,  whose  foun 
dation  already  is  shaken  unto  naught? 

Ye  please  yourself  well,  and  think  ye  have  shewed  a 
great  piece  of  wit,  when  ye  call  your  adversaries,  (me 
and  such  other,)  "  enemies  of  the  Cross."  But  I  think 
there  is  no  man  so  mad  to  believe  you,  unless  ye  could 
tell  what  the  Cross  meaneth.  Ye  say,  "  that  ye  attribute 
nothing  to  the  sign  of  the  Cross,  without  special  relation 
to  the  merits  of  Christ's  passion."  Then  why  did  ye 
bring  in  the  example  of  Julian1,  and  the  Jew?  Why  after 
ward  allege  ye,  "  that  man,  using  only  the  sign  of  the  Cross, 
putteth  away  all  the  craft  and  subtilty  of  the  Devil?"  Ye 
forget  yourself;  ye  should  have  one  to  wring  you  by  the  ear. 
But  I  will  bear  with  your  weakness :  although,  to  confirm 
your  better  advisement,  ye  close  up  your  tale  in  the  first 
article  with  as  vain  a  supposal  as,  in  your  dreaming  devising, 
ye  conceived  afore ;  "  that,  as  God  giveth  victory  in  battle, 
health  in  sickness,  &c.,  but  by  the  help  of  men,  as  external 
means ;  so  Christ  workcth  all  the  effects  that  shall  be,  but  by 

1  [Conf.  Durant.  Rationale :   DC  invent.  S.  Crucis ;  Lib.  vii.  fol. 
clxxx.  Nurcmb.  1481.] 


ANSWER    TO    THE     TREATISE    OF    THE    CROSS.  99 

the  holy  sign  of  His  Cross."  If  I  might  crave  so  much  of  your 
Mastership,  I  would  be  a  suitor,  once  to  have  you  prove 
that  which  so  often  you  confidently  affirm.  I  acknowledge 
you  not  for  any  such  Pythagoras,  that  it  shall  suffice  me  for 
mine  own  discharge  to  say,  O.VTOS  e0ct,  M.  Martiall  hath  said 
the  word :  but  I  rather  think  you  to  be  some  scholar  of 
Anaxagoras,  which  have  learned  to  make  quidlibet  ex  quolibet ; 
an  apple  of  an  oyster.  Pardon  me,  therefore,  if  I  trust  you 
no  further  than  I  have  trial  of  you. 


TO    THE    SECOND    ARTICLE. 


A  FOOL  on  a  time  came  to  a  Philosopher,  and  asked 
him,  "What  is  honesty  ?  Whereto  he  would  make  him  no 
answer ;  for,  said  he,  thou  demandest  me  a  question  of  that 
that  thou  hast  nothing  to  do  withal.  And  sith  your  wisdom, 
in  the  second  article,  doth  prove  nothing  else  but  that  which 
ye  profess  ye  will  have  nothing  to  do  withal,  it  may  seem, 
folly  in  me  to  make  you  any  answer  to  it.  In  the  next  side 
of  the  leaf  before,  these  words  ye  have  :  "  There  be  two  kinds 
of  signs  of  the  Cross  :  the  one  made  of  some  earthly  matter, 
to  be  set  up  in  churches,  and  left  in  the  sight  of  the  people  ;  the 
other  expressed  or  made  with  man's  hand,  in  the  air,  in  form 
and  likeness  of  the  other,  and  imprinted  in  men's  foreheads, 
breasts,  and  other  parts  of  the  body,  and  used  as  further 
occasion  requireth.  Of  which  two  signs  in  this  treatise  I 
mind  to  discourse."  Now,  if  either  of  these  signs  was  pre 
figured  in  the  law  of  nature,  foreshewed  by  the  signs  of 
Moses'  Law,  denounced  by  the  Prophets,  or  shewed  from 
heaven  in  the  time  of  grace,  then  think  that  you  have  said 
something,  and  I  have  done  you  wrong  in  reproving  of  you. 
But  the  passion  of  Christ  and  manner  of  His  death  was  only 
prefigured.  What  is  this  to  the  sign  ?  And  if  it  were  so, 
(which  you  shall  never  prove,)  that  the  sign  itself,  the  God  of 
the  Rood-loft,  the  Cross  of  the  .altar  were  prefigured,  what  is 
that  to  your  purpose  ?  What  a  consecution  is  this,  M. 
Martiall :  "The  Crucifix  is  prefigured  in  Moses,  in  the  Pro-« 
phets,  and  in  the  time  of  Christ:  therefore  no  remedy  but 
a  Crucifix  must  be  had  in  the  church,  borne  in  procession, 
and  crept  unto  on  Good-Friday?"  Then,  let  me  reason  with 
you.  The  treason  of  Judas  was  foretold  by  prophecy ;  Psal. 
cviii.  Fiant  dies  cjus  pauci,  et  episcopatum  ejus  accipiat 
alter :  "  Let  his  days  be  short,"  (saith  David,)  "  and  let 
another  occupy  his  room1 :"  which  to  be  understood  of  Judas, 
the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  prove2.  And  in  the  time  of  grace 
there  was  no  less  foreshewed,  when  Christ  said,  Unus  ex 

1  [Psalm  cix.  8.]  2  [Acts  i.  20.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  101 

vobis  Diabolus  est :  "One  of  you  is  a  Devil3:"  Ergo,  we 
must  reverence  the  treason  of  Judas  ;  yea,  some  sign  thereof 
we  must  have  amongst  us.  The  manner  of  his  death  was 
also  prefigured,  as  Augustin  affirmeth4;  how  his  belly  should 
burst,  and  he  desperately  die :  therefore  let  us  have  ono 
holyday  of  betraying,  another  of  bursting.  For  if  prefigur 
ing  in  law  of  nature,  denouncing  by  the  Prophets,  foreshowing 
from  heaven  in  time  of  grace,  be  able  to  enforce  the  necessary 
use  and  estimation  of  any  thing  ;  then  why  should  not  this,  and 
many  other  plagues  of  God,  be  honoured  as  well  as  the  sign 
of  the  Cross  ?  Wherefore  I  will  briefly  run  over  your  authors, 
and  note  by  the  way  sometime  how  fondly  ye  apply  them. 
When  men  from  a  certain  revealed  truth  will  run  to  their 
own  fantasies  and  devices,  no  marvel  if  sometime  they  over 
shoot  themselves :  and  when  they  leave  the  histories  of  the 
Scripture,  and  seek  for  allegories  more  than  need,  they  breed 
oftentimes  obscurity,  and  bring  men  in  doubt  further  than 
before.  Yet  I  deny  not,  but,  as  Augustin  saith5,  there  may 
be  a  spiritual  understanding  beside  a  sense  literal.  Other 
wise  the  Apostle  did  not  well  in  figuring  the  two  Testaments 
by  the  two  Children,  one  of  the  bond-woman,  another  of  the 
free6  ;  nor  we  could  admit  his  exposition  of  Moses'  rock 
to  be  Christ  Himself7.  But  in  this  case,  where  every  man  is 
led  by  his  own  sense,  his  exposition  is  most  to  be  allowed,  who 
speaketh  most  according  to  piety. 

Damascen  doth  resemble  the  tree  of  life  in  Paradise  to 
the  Cross8 :    and  as  in  one  sense  I  condemn  it  not,  so  in  an- 

3  Joan.  vi.  [70.] 

4  In  Psal.  cviii.  [Conf.  Paulini  Aquileicnsis  Lib.  de  salutar.  Docum. 
Cap.  Ivi.  inter  S.  August.  Opp.  vi.  685.  ed.  Ben.] 

5  De  Civitate  Dei,  Libro  xiii.  Cap.  xxi.    ["  Quasi  propterea  non 
potuerit  esse  Paradisus  corporalis,  quia  potest  etiam  spiritalis  intelligi : 
tanquam  ideo  non  fuerint  duee  mulieres,  Agar  et  Sara,  et  ex  illis  duo 
filii  Abrahac,  unus  de  ancilla,  alius  de  libera,  quia  duo  Testamcnta  in 
eis  figurata  dicit  Apostolus :  aut  ideo  de  nulla  petra,  Moyse  percutiente, 
aqua  defluxerit,  quia  potest  illic,  figurata  significatione,  etiam  Christus 
intelligi ;   eodem  Apostolo  dicente,  Petra  autem  erat  Christus."] 

6  Galat.  iv.  [22—24.] 

7  1  Cori.  x.  [4.] 

8  ["Hanc  pretiosam  Crucem  prefiguravit  vitse   lignum,  quod  in 
Paradise  plantatum  est  a  Deo :    nam  posteaquam  per  lignum  more, 
oportebat  per  lignum  donari  vitam  et  resurrectionem."     {De  orth.  Fid. 
iv.  xii.  90.)] 


102  THE  SECOND  ARTICLE. 

other  I  like  it  not ;  for  I  see  that  you  be  deceived  by  it.  He, 
(shewing  how  Christ,  as  a  good  physician,  did  cure  by  con 
traries,)  made,  as  it  were,  our  life  to  spring  out  of  His  death  ; 
and  therefore  compared  the  tree  of  life  to  the  passion.  But 
the  words  that  are  inferred  savour  not  of  the  Scripture ; 
for  ye  say :  "  Seeing  death  came  in  by  the  tree,  it  was  con 
venient  that  life  and  resurrection  should  be  given  again  by 
a  tree."  Paul  speaketh  otherwise1:  Per  unum  hominem 
intravit  mors,  et  per  hominem  resurrectio  :  "  By  one  man 
sin  entered  in,  and  by  one  man  resurrection : "  not  by  one 
tree ;  though  one  death  upon  a  tree  was  a  mean  thereof. 
Augustin,  in  divers  places,  maketh  the  tree  of  life  to  be  the 
wisdom  of  God:  as  in  his  second  book  De  Gen.  contra 
Manich.  Cap.  ix.2;  and  in  his  thirteenth  book  De  Civitate 
Dei,  Ca.  xxi.3  Likewise,  as  often  he  doth  resemble  it  to 
Christ  Himself:  as  in  his  first  book  and  fifteenth  chapter 
Contra  adversaries  Legis  et  Proph*,  speaking  of  Paradise, 
where  Christ  and  the  thief  should  meet,  saith :  Esse  ibi  cum 
Christo,  est  ibi  esse  cum  vitce  ligno  :  "To  be  there  with 
Christ,  is  to  be  there  with  the  tree  of  life."  And  whereas 
Cassiodore,  upon  the  first  Psalm,  doth  refer  the  tree  planted 
by  the  river  side  unto  the  Cross  that  bare  Christ;  how 
much  better  Augustin,  on  the  same  place,  expounds  it  of 
Christ  Himself  :  Qui,  de  aquis  decurrentibus,  id  est,  populis 
peccatoribus,  trahit  eos  in  radice  [al.  radices'^  disciplines 
suce :  "  Which,  of  the  running  waters,  that  is  to  say,  the 
sinful  people,  draweth  men  unto  Him  in  the  root  of  His  dis 
cipline."  For  whereas  Christ  is  the  Wisdom  of  the  Father, 
this  exposition  is  consonant  unto  Scripture,  which  of  that 
Wisdom  saith,  Lignum  vitce  est  amplectentibus  earn :  "  She 
is  the  tree  of  life  to  them  that  lay  hold  on  her5."  But  if 
the  wood  of  the  Cross  be  worthily  called  "  the  tree  of  life, 
because  our  Lord  Christ,  who  is  our  life,  was  hanged  there ;" 
why  should  not  the  Ass  be  the  beast  of  life,  because  our 

1  1  Cor.  xv.  [21.] 

2  [Opp.  Tom.  i.  498.  cd.  Ben — "  Lignum  autcm  vitsc,  plantation  in 
medio  Paradisi,  Sapientiam  illain  significat."] 

3  ["  Lignum  vitee,  ipsam  bonorum  omnium  matrcm  Sapientiam."] 

4  [Opp-  viii.  398. — "  Esse  autem  ibi  cum  Christo,  hoc  est  esse  cum 
vitsc  ligno.     Ipse  est  quippe  Sapientia,  de  qua,  ut  superius  commemo- 
ravi,  scriptum  est,  Lignum  vita;  est  amplectentibus  cam."] 

5  [Prov.  iii.  18.] 


ANSWER  TO   THE   TREATISE   OF  THE  CROSS.  103 

Lord  Christ,  who  is  our  life,  did  ride  upon  her  ?  Ye  will 
say,  peradventure,  that  the  Ass  was  no  instrument  for  His 
death :  but  for  His  kingdom  she  was  ;  and  why  not  the  in 
strument  of  His  kingdom,  as  well  as  of  His  priesthood,  be 
honoured  of  us  ?  I  say  it  to  this  end ;  that  if  ye  think  the 
Fathers  of  the  Church,  speaking  of  the  Cross,  to  be  under 
stood  so  grossly  as  ye  take  them,  many  fond  absurdities 
shall  arise  thereof.  They  meant  of  the  death  of  Christ  that 
which  you  attribute  to  the  material  Cross.  They,  by  a  figure, 
did  ascribe  to  the  sign  that  which  is  proper  to  the  signified 
thing.  I  omit  some  authorities  that  you  do  allege ;  because 
they  neither  do  make  for  you,  nor  against  me. 

Cyrillus  saith6:  "The  holy  Cross  brought  us  up  to  heaven  ;  Foiio26,a. 
and  that  the  Cross  is  that  ark  of  Noah,  by  which  we  are 
saved  from  the  flood  of  the  water  of  sin  overflowing  us,"  &c. 
I  think  there  is  none  so  senseless  as  yourself  but  construes  his 
words  otherwise  than  you.  Too  easy,  God  wot,  is  that  way  to 
heaven,  Avhereto  we  may  be  carried  a  pickback  on7  a  Rood. 
Too  soon  shall  AVC  fall  from  state  of  our  felicity,  if  a  rotten 
piece  of  wood  or  cankered  metal  must  support  us  in  it.  Too 
dreadful  shall  this  drowning  in  our  sins  be,  if  no  better  ark 
than  of  a  Cross  material  shall  preserve  us  from  it.  Let  the 
Doctors  dally  in  figures  as  they  fancy;  let  us  not  depart  from 
the  verity  of  the  word.  If  they  speak  one  thing,  and  mean 
another,  let  us  take  their  meaning,  and  let  their  words  alone. 
Great  difference  there  is,  when  a  doctrine  is  plainly  taught, 
and  when  they  descant  upon  a  text.  Wherefore,  the  standard 
of  Abraham,  according  to  Ambrose  ;  the  wood  of  the  sacrifice,  Foiio  26,  t>. 
according  to  Cyril;  the  blessing  of  Jacob,  according  to  Damas-  Foiio27,  a. 
ccn  ;  the  rod  of  Aaron,  according  to  Origcn  ;  by  which  all,  (is 
said,)  the  Cross  was  prefigured,  I  wittingly  omit.  For  what  if 
a  thousand  things  else  were,  (as  men  imagined,)  figures  of  a 
Cross;  (in  which  case  a  man's  invention  might  have  scope 
enough,  and  find  in  the  Scripture  many  moc  such  figures 
than  they  have  spoken  of;)  shall  this  bring  such  authority  to 
the  Cross,  (which  is  the  thing  that  you  do  shoot  at,)  that  the 
sign  of  the  Cross  shall  be  in  all  places  set  up  and  honoured  ? 

0  [Catech.  xiii.  p.  303.  Paris.  1601).  "Ubiquo  per  lignum  salus. 
Noe  temporo  per  ligneam  arcam  vitcc  fuit  conservatio." — Cf.  Di'y- 
lingii  Observatt.  sacr.  iv.  140.  Lips.  1757.] 

?  [on  the  back  of.] 


104  THE  SECOND  ARTICLE. 

The  lifting  up  of  Moses1  hands,  Exodi  xvii.,  some 
what  will  I  speak  of;  thereby  to  declare  that  such  young 
men  as  you,  speaking  much  of  the  Cross,  know  not  at  all 
the  sign  of  the  Cross.  That  the  lifting  up  of  Moses'  hand 
did  signify  prayer, ,  is  evident  by  consent  of  all  men. 
Chrysostom  De  orando  ad  Deum,  lib.  i.  saith1 :  Quomodo 
Moses  Israeliticum  populum  in  bellis  servavit  ?  An  non 
arma  quidem  cum  exercitu  discipulo  tradidit ;  ipse  vero  de- 
precationem  opposuit  hostium  multitudini  ?  Nos  interim 
docens,  preces  justorum  plus  valere  quam  arma,  quam 
equitation,  &c.  In  English  thus  :  "  How  did  Moses  preserve 
the  people  of  Israel  in  the  wars  ?  Did  he  not  deliver  unto 
his  scholar  his  armour  and  host ;  but  he  himself  set  his 
earnest  prayer  against  the  multitude  of  his  enemies  ?  There 
by  teaching  us,  that  the  prayer  of  the  righteous  is  more 
available  than  arms  or  horsemen."  And  in  his  Sermon  of 
Moses2:  Desinit  Israel  vincere,  Mose  desistente  in  prece ;  ut 
dum  diversa  populis  exhiberentur,  orationis  potentia  nobis 
monstraretur :  "Israel  leaves  overcoming,"  (quoth  he,)  "when 
Moses  left  his  praying ;  that  when  divers  effects  were  shewed 
unto  the  people,  the  power  of  prayer  might  be  shewed  unto 
us."  And  truly,  if  we  mark  the  place  itself,  much  better 
doctrine  may  be  pyked  of3  it,  than  to  prefigurate  I  wot  not 
what  manner  of  Cross  unto  us.  The  lifting  up  of  Moses1 
hands,  with  the  rod  therein,  is  nothing  else  but  prayer  that 
proceeds  of  faith,  according  unto  God's  word.  So  David 
saith4  :  "  Let  the  lifting  up  of  my  hands  be  as  an  evening 
sacrifice."  The  heavy  hands,  whereof  the  story  speaketh,  do 
signify  the  sluggishness  and  fainting  of  our  flesh  in  all  vir 
tuous  and  honest  exercise.  But,  as  Moses  fainting  had  a 
stone  put  under  him,  so  we  must  have  Christ,  that  spiritual 
stone,  to  support  our  weakness :  as  Aaron  and  Hur  stayed 

1  [The  words  have  been  derived  not  from  the  first,  but  from  the 
second  dubious  treatise  Tlepl  -n-porrev^s,  according  to  the  earliest  Latin 
version  by  Erasmus;  (sig.  C  vi.  Basil.  1525.)  who  considered  the  Oration 
to  be  "  non  Chrysostomi,  sed  eruditi  cujuspiam."] 

-  [This  must  mean  the  spurious  Homily  on  the  seventeenth  chapter 
of  Exodus,  beginning  "  Stabat  Moyses,"  and  enumerated  by  Sixtus  of 
Siena  and  Possevinus  among  those  which  are  "perperam  D.  Chrysos- 
tomo  inscripta."] 

3  [picked  off.]  i  Psal.  cxl.  [cxli.  2.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  105 

up  Moses'  hands,  so  the  Ministers  of  the  word  must  con 
firm  the  hearts  of  them  that  make  their  prayers  with  the 
merciful  promises  of  Almighty  God. 

But  Augustin  saith,  "  that  beside  all  this,  the  figure  objection, 
of  the  Cross  was  foreshewed  there."  That  am  I  well 
contented  to  admit :  but  your  Englishing  of  the  text  I 
will  not  admit.  For  whereas  the  Latin  hath  manibus  in 
Crucis  figuram  extensis,  you  to  expound  it  thus,  "  his 
hands  held  up  across,"  is  too  absurd  and  foolish.  For 
to  stretch  out  his  hands  in  form  of  a  Cross,  and  to  hold 
his  hands  across,  is  two  things.  The  stretching  forth  is  at 
the  arms'  end,  as  Christ's  was  on  the  Cross,  with  the  whole 
distance  of  body  betwixt  them :  the  holding  of  the  hands 
across  is  with  one  over  the  other.  Wherefore,  by  your 
reason,  Moses  made  a  Cross,  but  it  was  a  Saint  Andrew's 
Cross5:  or,  if  you  will  have  the  figure  of  the  church 
Cross  represented  here,  then  Moses  put  one  of  his  hands 
under  his  other  elbow;  which  the  text  beareth  not.  But,  O 
blindness  of  Popery,  that  neither  understand  the  Father's 
writing,  nor  can  give  a  reason  of  your  own  ceremonies ! 
Moses,  stretching  out  his  hands,  made  a  figure  of  the  Cross  : 
but  your  learning  cannot  reach  to  know  what  the  old  figure 
of  the  Cross  was.  It  is  like  to  the  Greek  Y :  which  our 
countryman  and  late  Cardinal  M.  Poole  understood  well 
enough ;  and  therefore,  in  his  new  gallery  at  Lambheth,  in 
the  glass  windows,  he  drew  this  figure  Y,  in  token  of  the 
Cross,  as  is  yet  to  be  seen.  But  what  is  this  figure  like  to 
the  Rood  or  Crucifix?  What  have  ye  gained  by  this  alle 
gation,  but  utterly  bewrayed  your  ignorance?  And  certainly, 
if  God's  word  would  suffer  us,  (which  indeed  is  against  it,)  to 
have  and  occupy  the  sign  of  a  Cross,  yet  the  form  that  we 
use  is  against  all  precedent  of  Scripture  and  antiquity.  Which, 
when  I  come  anon  to  the  exposition  of  the  letter  Thau,  shall 
appear  more  plainly. 

But  your  fresh  argument,  inferred  of  the  place   afore,  Foiio28,b. 
movcth  me  to  laughter  with  an  indignation.     For  it  savours 
nothing  of  the  school,  save  that  it  hath  Ergo  before  the 

5  [Viil.  S.  Just.  Mart.  Opp.  pp.  317—18.  Lut.  Paris.  1615.  Conf. 
Lactant.  vel  Cecil.  De  mort.  Pers.  Cap.  xliv.  p.  267.  ot  Cuperi  Not.  p. 
238.  Ultraj.  1692.  Dalleeum,  De  relig.  Cult,  object,  p.  798.  Genev. 
1664.] 


106  THE  SECOND  ARTICLE. 

conclusion;  which  every  alcwife  can  do  as  well  as  you. 
It  hath  neither  mode  nor  figure,  wit  nor  common  sense. 
For  this  is  your  reason :  "  The  Devil  is  discomfited  by  the 
Cross  of  out  Lord,  which  was  prefigured  by  the  hands  of 
Moses :  But  by  Moses'  hands  the  sign  of  the  Cross  was  pre 
figured  :  Ergo,  by  the  sign  of  the  Cross  Devils  are  over- 
corned."  I  need  not  to  shew  the  error  of  your  argument ;  for 
it  is  too  manifest,  and  hath  nothing  else  but  error  in  it.  If 
thus  ye  had  said :  "  Devils  are  discomfited  by  that  which 
Moses'  hands  prefigured :  But  Moses'  hands  prefigured  the 
sign  of  the  Cross :  Ergo,  by  the  sign  of  the  Cross  Devils  are 
discomfited ;"  I  would  have  better  allowed  your  argument, 
and  denied  your  "  minor/'  which  is  the  second  proposition : 
for  Moses'  hands  prefigured  not  the  sign  of  the  Cross,  but  the 
Cross  itself,  which  is  the  death  of  Christ.  Look  on  the 
words  of  your  author.  But  one  fault  is  too  familiar  with 
you ;  that  whatsoever  is  spoken  of  effect  of  the  passion,  you 
do  attribute  to  the  instrument  and  sign.  So  the  wood  of 
Marah1  prefigured  the  glory  and  grace  of  the  Cross;  not  of 
the  sign,  but  of  the  thing  itself :  for  the  bitterness  of  death 
is  not  taken  away  by  a  material  Cross,  or  sign  in  the  fore 
head  ;  but  death  by  death  is  swallowed2. 

Hitherto  of  your  Cross  figures  under  the  Law.  Now 
that  the  same  was  denounced  by  the  Prophets,  ye  run  to 
the  places  of  Ezechiel  and  Jeremy ;  which  although  I  have 
answered  at  the  full  in  the  latter  end  of  the  first  article, 
yet  somewhat  must  I  add  for  your  further  learning.  The 
letter  n  Thau  to  be  a  kind  of  Cross,  (as  you  out  of 
Tertullian  allege,)  I  grant3 :  but  how  it  can  be  applied  to 
the  sign  of  our  Cross,  I  see  not.  For  the  figure  which 
you  make,  somewhat  like  unto  our  common  Cross,  is  the 
Greek  Tav,  or  the  Latin  T 4 :  but  the  Prophets  spake 
Hebrew ;  and  the  Hebrew  character  is  a  very  pair  of 

1  [Exod.  xv.  23— 25.J 

2  1  Cor.  xv.  [54.] 

3  ["  Et  ut  ad  nostra  veniamus,  antiquis  Hebrseorum  literis,  quibus 
usque  hodio  utuntur  Samaritan!,  cxtrcma  Thau  litera  Crucis  habet 
similitudinem,  quoe  in  Christianorum  frontibus  pingitur,  ct  frequent! 
manus  inscriptione  signatur."   (S.  Hieron.  Comment,  in  E~ech.  ix.  Opp. 
Tom.  v.  pag.  404.  Basil.  1565.  Cf.  Origen.  in  eund.  loc.)] 

4  [Tertull.  Advers.  Marcion.  Lib.  iii.  Cap.  xxii. — "Ipsa  est  enim 
litera  Grsccorum  Tau,  nostra  auteni  T,  species  Crucis."] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  107 

gallows  J")5.  Your  Cross  is  Fifjura  duarum  linearum  in 
se  invicem  ductarum ;  nimirum  unius  perpendicularis,  sub 
altera  diamctrali :  "  The  proportion  of  two  lines  drawn  to 
gether  ;  one  directly  downward,  and  another  cross  overthwart." 
Whereof  if  ye  will  have  any  figure  of  old  time  before  you6, 
go  to  the  Egyptians'  Idol  Serapis,  which  had  it  just  pictured 
in  his  breast,  as  Suidas  and  Orus  Apollo  testify.  But  that 
the  Latin  T,  or  Greek  Tan,  and  Hebrew  Thau,  be  all  alike, 
none  will  say  but  such  a  great  Clerk  as  you.  For  indeed,  as 
the  Hebrew  letter  is  different  in  fashion  from  the  Greek,  so 
in  signification  they  were  quite  contrary.  The  Hebrews  by 
their  fi  Thau  did  figure  death ;  the  Greeks  by  their  Tau 
did  signify  life.  Therefore  Isidorus7  writeth,  that  in  old  time, 
when  they  would  note  in  their  registers  such  as  were  slain  in 
the  wars,  they  would  mark  them  with  the  letter  G,  as  thrust 
thorough  with  a  dart,  or  else  of  Qdvaros,  which  is  death: 
but  when  they  would  note  any  one  alive,  they  would  put 
their  letter  Tau,  this  cross  mark  T  upon  him.  Also  Asconius 
Pcdianus  saith,  that  when  a  jury  gave  up  their  verdict  of 
guilty  or  not  guilty,  such  as  were  condemned  to  death  were 

5  [This  argument  is  rendered  nugatory  by  the  fact,  that  the  modern 
Hebrew  letters  were  not  in  use  until  after  the  time  of  Ezekiel  and 
the  Babylonish  Captivity.     The  Prophet  could  have  referred  only  to 
the  Samaritan  Thau,  which  was  not  an  oblong  cruciform  character,  but 
appears  decussated  on  coins  and  medals.     The  Latin  Vulgate  and  the 
English  Douay  version  in  this  case  differ  from  the  Septuagint ;  and 
Aquila,  (or  Theodotion,  according  to  S.  Jerom,)  was  the  first  who 
changed  the  interpretation  of  the  text.    Vid.  Casauboni  Exercit.  ad 
Annales  Baronii,  xvi.  Ixxviii.  620 — 21.    Lond.  1614.      Jos.  Scaligeri 
Animadvers.  in  Chronol.  Euseb.  p.  117.  Lugd.  Bat.  1658.  Leigh's  Critica 
Sacra,  Suppl.  p.  24.  Lond.  1662.     Sixt.  Senens.  Biblioth.  Lib.  ii.  p. 
125.     Molani  Hist.  Imagg.  iv.  482.  Lugd.  1619.     Douay  Bible,  Annot. 
p.  658.  Rouen,  1635.     Conf.  Waltoni  Prolegom.  iii.     Considerator  con 
sidered,  Chap.  xiii.  Lond.  1659. — "  In  nummis   Samaritanis,  qui   in 
Muscis  occurrunt,  TaO  forma  Crucis  exaratum,  ut  nos  in  Tabula  ex- 
pressimus,  frcqucntissime  visitur :  in  quos  si  incidissct  Scaliger,  Ori- 
genis  et  Hieronymi  testimonio  refragatus  non  esset."  (De  Montfaucon, 
Palceograph.  Grcec.  Lib.  ii.  Cap.  iii.  p.  133.  Cf.  p.  122.  Paris.  1708.)] 

6  ["  Deniquc  si  in  literis  figuram  Crucis  nancisci  cuperemus,  ad 
yEthiopicas,   quarum  Thau  Crux  est,  confugiendum  esset ;    aut  ad 
^Igyptias  Hieroglyphicas,  undo  tot  Cruces  inventre  in  Serapidis  fano." 
(Steph.  Morini  Exercitt.  de  Lingua  primceva,  p.  257.  Ultraj.  1694.)] 

7  [Origin.  Lib.  i.  C.  xxiii.  Opp.  p.  10.  Paris.  1601.] 


108  THE  SECOND  ARTICLE. 

marked  with  01;  but  such  as  were  quit  were  marked  with 
the  T2.  Wherefore  there  is  no  reason  why  your  Rood  or 
Crucifix  can  by  any  mean  be  applied  to  the  mark  which 
Ezechiel  speaketh  of.  First,  because  none  have  the  Prophet's 
mark  but  such  as  be  godly,  and  lament  wickedness  :  but 
many  of  the  Devil's  children,  grinagods  and  such  other,  be 
crossed,  and  cursed  too.  Then  also  the  proportion  is  so  far 
different,  that  there  is  no  likeness  betwixt  them.  But,  for  the 
likeness  of  the  effect,  they  may  be  well  compared  together3. 
For  as  they  only  were  saved  which  were  so  signed  with  the 
letter  n  Thau,  so  none  be  saved  now,  nor  yet  ever  were,  but 
such  as  have  the  print  of  Christ's  Cross  within  them,  merits 
of  His  passion,  and  faith  in  His  blood. 

Well  doth  Hierom4  shew  the  causes  why  the  sign  r\  Thau 
should  be  made  in  the  foreheads  of  the  elect :  first,  ut  per- 
fectam  in  viris  gementibus  et  dolentibus  scientiam  demon- 
straret ;  quia  extrema  apud  Hebrceos  est  vicjinti  et  duarum 
litter  arum :  that  is  to  say,  "  To  shew  a  perfect  knowledge  in 
them  that  mourn  and  be  sorry ;  because  it  is  the  last  letter  of 
twenty-two  among  the  Hebritians."  That  as  that  letter  doth 
end  the  alphabet,  so  when  Christ  died  on  the  Cross,  (which 
that  letter  signified,)  all  things  were  ended  necessary  for  our 
salvation ;  according  to  the  word  Consummatum  est :  "It  is 
finished5 :"  the  work  of  our  salvation  was  then  fully  wrought6. 
Again,  saith  Hierom,  because  this  letter  is  the  first  in  the 
word  which  signifieth  Law  among  the  Hebrews,  Illi  hoc  ac- 

1  [. . .  "nigrum  vitio  prsefigere  Theta."    (Pers.  iv.  13.)] 

2  [Cf.  Paull.  Diacon.  De  notis  Literar.     Godwyn's  Rom.  Antiq.  p. 
247.  Lond.  1658.] 

3  [Hooker,  Vol.  ii.  p.  324.  Oxford,  1841.] 

4  In  Ezech.  Cap.  ix.     [Lib.  iii.  sig.  EE  viii.  Venet.  1497 "  Tau, 

qua;  extrema  est  apud  Hebrceos  viginti  et  duarum  literarum  ;  ut  per- 
fectam  in  viris  gementibus  et  dolentibus  scientiam  demonstraret :  sive, 
ut  Hebraci  autumant,  quia  Lex  apud  eos  appellatur  Thora,  qusc  hac,  in 
principle  nominis  sui,  litera  scribitur."] 

5  Joan.  xix.  [30.] 

6  ["  But  this  reward  (saith  Ezekiel)  is  for  those,  whose  foreheads 
are  marked  with  Tan ;  which  (as  Omega  in  Greeke)  is  the  last  letter 
in  the  Hebrew  Alphabet,  and  the  marke  of  Consummatum  est  among 
them :  They  onely  shall  escape  the  wrath  to  come.     And  this  crowne 
is  laid  up  for  them,  not  of  whom  it  may  bo  said,  Currebatis  bene,  Ye 
did  runne  well ;  but  for  those  that  can  say  (with  Saint  Paul)  Cursum 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  109 

cepere  signaculum,  qui  Legis  prcecepta  compleverant :  "  They 
received  this  mark,  which  had  fulfilled  the  precepts  of  the 
Law."  So  that  the  fashion  of  the  letter  is  not  so  much  as 
the  mystery 7 ;  which  accordeth  well  to  that  which  I  said  be 
fore  :  yet  neither  the  fashion  nor  the  mystery  maketh  aught 
for  your  purpose,  M.  Martiall.  Now  I  marvel  what  toy  came 
into  your  idle  head,  when,  for  a  proof  of  the  undoubted  sign 
of  the  Cross,  ye  bring  forth  the  words  of  the  Psal.8:  "  0 
Lord,  the  light  of  Thy  countenance  is  sealed  on  us."  Do  ye 
think  that  the  light  of  God's  countenance  is  a  piece  of  wood 
in  the  Rood-loft,  or  a  Crucifix  on  the  altar  ?  Or  else,  do  ye 
think  that  the  light  of  God's  countenance  can  be  fixed  with  a 
finger  in  the  fleshy  forehead  ?  If  none  of  these  be  true,  what 
shall  I  say  to  you  ?  You  have  made  a  whip ;  yourself  shall 
be  beaten  with  it.  Hierom's  words  be  these :  Prcecipitur 
sex  viris,  ut  prceter  eos  qui  possunt  dicere,  Signatum  est 
super  nos  lumen  vultus  Tui  Domine,  cunctos  interficiant: 
"  Commandment  is  given  to  the  six  men,  (of  whom  Ezechiel 
speaketh,)  that  they  kill  all  but  them  that  can  say,  '  0  Lord, 
the  light  of  Thy  countenance  is  sealed  on  us.'"  The  light  of 
God's  countenance  is  His  favour  toward  us.  Then  is  it  signed 

O 

in  us,  when  the  sense  thereof  doth  come  unto  us,  and  breed 
a  confidence  and  sure  hope  within  us.  If  the  light  of  God's 
countenance  be  the  selfsame  with  the  letter  J"l  Thau,  and  the 
letter  Thau  no  other  but  the  sign  of  the  Cross ;  then  who 
soever  have  the  sign  of  the  Cross  have  hope,  have  confidence, 
have  faith  in  God.  But  this  is  utterly  false,  as  experience 
itself  doth  teach  us.  Therefore  the  letter  Thau,  though  in  a 
mystery  it  betokened  the  death  of  Christ,  yet  hath  it  no  re 
lation  to  the  sign  of  the  Cross. 

consummavi,  I  have  finished  my  course  well."  (Bp.  Andrewes,  Sermons, 
p.  307.  Lond.  1635.)— 

Pendemus  a  Te, 

Credimus  in  Te, 

Tendimus  ad  Te, 

Nou  nisi  per  Te, 

Optime  Christe.] 

"•  ["  Plurima  qui  breviter  vis  discere,  disco  ubi  sola 
Littera  Tau  magnum  complectitur  Alphabetum. 
Crux  Tau  Christum,  A  et  Q,  principium  et  finem.' 
(Cornelius  Curtius,  De  Clavis  Dominicls,  p.  125.  Antv.  1070.)] 

8  [Psal.  iv.  G.  Lat.] 


110  THE  SECOND  ARTICLE. 

For  answer  to  the  other  places  of  Esay  and  Jeremy,  I 
refer  you  to  that  which  I  said  before.  Now,  to  come  to  the 
time  of  grace,  I  had  need  to  beware  of  you.  Ye  come  in 
with  that,  which  ye  have  good  testimony  to  be  true  indeed ; 
that  a  Cross,  in  the  fourth  signification,  such  a  Cross  as  ye 
speak  of,  was  shewed  from  heaven  to  Constantino  the  Great, 
with  these  Angel's  words  :  In  hoc  vince,  "  In  this  overcome1." 
"Nor  the  good  Emperor  saw  this  only,  but,  as  Eusebius 
writeth,  was  commanded  to  make  a  sign  of  it,  carried  it  in 
his  standard,  and  afterward  did  cause  his  men  in  their  armour 
to  grave  it2."  But  whatsoever  it  hath  pleased  God,  for  His 
glory's  sake  at  any  time  to  do,  must  not  be  drawn  for 
example  unto  us.  Privileges  extend  no  further  than  to  the 
persons  comprised  in  them.  Signs  and  miracles  were  shewed 
to  some,  which  neither  be  granted  to  other,  nor  ought  to  be 
asked  of  all.  Moses  had  a  sign  to  confirm  him  in  his  enter 
prise  against  Pharao  :  but  Josue  had  not  so.  He  only  had  a 
bare  commandment,  when  he  entered  upon  the  land  of  Cha- 
naan.  Gideon  was  confirmed  by  miracle  to  fight  against  the 
Madianites :  so  neither  Jephte  nor  Sampson  were.  Paul  was 
by  a  sign  from  heaven  called :  so  was  not  Peter,  nor  any  of 
his  successors  after.  Wherefore,  if  thus  it  pleased  God  to 
enbolden  the  heart  of  Constantino  to  fight  against  Maxentius 
the  tyrant,  that  He  would  shew  him  such  a  sign  from  heaven  ; 
not  to  confirm  his  faith,  which  by  the  word  was  to  be  esta 
blished,  but  to  put  him  in  assurance  of  a  thing  beside  the 
word,  that  is  to  say,  victory  against  his  enemies3 ;  what  prece- 

1  [Conf.  Fabricii  Biblioth.   Gfcec.   Vol.  vi.  pp.   700—718.   Hamb. 
1798.    Gothofredi  Dissertt.  in  PMlostorg.  pp.  16—20.  Genev.  1643.    Le 
Nourry  Diss.  in  lib.  De  mart.  Persec.  pp.  184 — 190.  Paris.  1710.     New 
man's  Essay  on  Miracles,  pp.  cxxxiii. — cxliii.  Oxford,  1842.] 

2  ["  Constantinus  vidit  in  nocte  apertis  oculis  igneam  Crucem  ad 
Orientem,  et  audivit  Angclum  Dei  dicentem  sibi :  Constantine !  in  Jioc 
signo  vinces.    Et  quamvis  adhuc  esset  maximus  persecutor  Christia- 
norum,  tamen,  divino  edoctus  miraculo,  signum   Crucis  vexillis,  cly- 
peis,  et  avmis  suis  et  suorum  imposuit."     (Hermann!  Gygantis  Flores 
Temporum,  p.  46.  Lugd.  Bat.  1743.)] 

3  ["Magis  id  quidcm  ad  spem  victoria;  in  prcclio,  quod  instabat, 
per  fidem  potentia;  Christ!  confirmandam  pertincbat,  quam  ad  spem 
salutis  seternce,  qua;  majori  in  periculo  vcrsabatur,  per  eundem  Christum 
consequendae."     (Card.  Polus,  De  Baptismo  Constantini ;  ad  calc.  Lib. 
de  Concilia,  fol.  62,  b.  Roma;,  1562.)] 


ANSWER  TO   THE   TREATISE   OF   THE   CROSS.  HI 

dent  is  this  to  prejudice  my  cause  ?  He  newly  was  con 
verted  to  the  faith :  he  was  weak  therein ;  and  therefore  he 
doubted  of  such  success  in  his  aifairs  as,  for  His  Church  cause, 
God  appointed  to  grant  him.  For  which  cause  an  extraor 
dinary  mean  was  used :  and  God  applied  Himself  to  the 
capacity  of  them  that  He  dealt  withal ;  giving  such  a  token  to 
them  as  might  well  assure  them  of  conquest  in  His  name.  In 
hoc  signo  vince,  said  God :  "  In  this  sign,"  that  is  to  say, 
in  His  name,  whom  this  figure  representeth,  '•'  overthrow  thine 
enemies." 

It  was  not  the  sign  that  gave  the  victory :  Constantine 
never  thought  it.  He  taught  his  people  otherwise  to  say  ;  as 
it  appeareth  in  the  solemn  prayer  which  he  willed  them,  with 
lifting  up  of  eyes  and  hearts  to  heaven,  daily  to  make.  For 
as  soon  as  ever  he  had  vanquished  the  tyrant,  he  returned 
unto  Rome,  and  first  of  all,  Victorice  Authori  yratiarum 
actionem  persolvit*,  "  he  gave  his  thanks  to  the  Author  of 
victory :"  then  afterward  he  set  up  His  Cross  in  the  market 
place,  to  the  end  it  might  there  remain  a  testimony  of  the 
power  of  God;  that  whosoever  did  behold  the  same  might 
by  and  by  conceive  of  Whose  Religion  this  Emperor  was,  and 
in  Whose  name  he  overcame  his  foes.  Which  visible  sign,  at 
the  first  gathering  of  the  Church  together,  newly  come  from 
the  Gentiles,  (among  whom  the  Cross,  and  therefore  Christ 
crucified,  was  utterly  contemned,)  was  thought  very  necessary ; 
that  by  this  outward  mean  he  might  draw  them  by  a  little 
and  a  little  to  think  better  of  Christ,  and  so  to  serve  Him. 
But  what  is  this  to  the  Cross  in  churches?  Yea,  what 
is  it  at  all  to  us  ?  God  spake  this  to  Constantino.  He 
did  well  to  follow  Him.  God  hath  not  spoken  thus  to 
us.  Wherefore  should  we  imitate  it?  Shall  we  that  have 
had  the  Gospel  preached  so  long  amongst  us,  we  and  our 
forefathers,  stand  in  need  of  such  extraordinary  aids  as 
they  that  never  knew  God,  nor  heard  of  Him  ?  Whatso 
ever  our  need  is,  through  our  own  default,  surely  we  ought 
not  to  have  them :  God  is  not  pleased  with  them.  For,  as 
Chrysostom5  said,  concerning  the  like  superstitions  as  you 
do  now  maintain,  (carrying  about  of  S.  John  Gospels,  keep- 

4  Eusebius,  Do  vita  Const.  Lib.  i.  [p.  168.  Muscul.  interp.  1549.] 

5  In  xxiii.  Matth.  Horn.  xliv.     [Horn,  xliii.  Op.  imperf.  col.  920. 
Vide  supra,  pp.  95,  6.] 


112  THE  SECOND  ARTICLE. 

ing  little  pieces  of  the  Cross  of  Christ,  and  esteeming  of  such 
other  reliques,)  I  may  as  justly  say  to  you ;  that  it  is  a  madness 
to  seek  after  such  things  as  heretofore  have  been,  and  an 
impiety  now  to  use  them.  Chrysostom  maketh  this  objec 
tion  to  himself :  Did  not  the  handkercher  of  Peter,  and  sha 
dow  of  his  body  passing  by,  preserve  them  that  were  sick  ? 
Thereto  he  replies  himself,  and  saith,  Etiam  antequam  Dei 
notitia  in  hominibus  esset,  ratio  erat  ut  per  sanctitatem 
hominum  Dei  potentia  cognosceretur :  nunc  autem  insania 
est :  "  Yea,  before  the  knowledge  of  God  was  in  men,  it  was. 
reason  that  the  power  of  God  should  be  known  by  the 
holiness  of  men :  but  now  it  is  madness."  Even  so  say  I 
to  you ;  that  although  in  the  time  of  Constantinus  the  sign  of 
the  Cross,  as  he  did  use  it,  was  not  only  tolerable,  but  also 
necessary,  so  now  it  is  not  only  superfluous,  but,  (in  respect 
of  our  abuse,)  impious. 

Thus  much  for  Constantino's  apparition.  But  whereas 
ye  apply  his  example  unto  us,  saying,  "  that  as  he,  so 
long  as  he  served  God,  and  honoured  His  Cross,  ever  had 
good  success ;  so  even  had  we  in  all  conflicts,  as  long  as 
we  served  God  truly,  and  contemned  not  His  Cross ;"  I  say 
that  your  comparison  is  not  pleadable  :  each  part  containeth 
some  piece  of  untruth.  Like  a  hasty  hound,  ye  run  at  riot ; 
and  in  making  of  likenesses  ye  be  too  licentious.  Con- 
stantine  was  commanded  to  have  the  sign  of  the"  Cross.  No 
marvel  then,  so  long  as  he  obeyed,  if  he  also  prevailed. 
But  still  ye  put  Non  causam  pro  causa.  Ye  impute  his 
victories  as  well  to  the  honouring  of  the  Cross,  as  to  the 
service  of  God  :  whereas,  of  honour  done  to  the  Cross  no 
word  was  before  spoken.  He  carried  it ;  he  reverently  spake 
of  it ;  thereby  to  testify  his  faith  in  Christ :  but  he  crouched 
not  to  it ;  he  put  off  no  cap  to  it. 

Now  for  our  victories,  which,  (you  say,)  we  achieved, 
"  as  long  as  we  served  God  truly,  and  with  horrible  blas 
phemies  contemned  not  His  Cross."  Alas !  ye  take  the 
matter  all  amiss.  For  as  long  as  we  so  esteemed  the 
material  Cross,  (as  you  think  good  we  should,)  so  long  we 
committed  most  horrible  blasphemies,  and  served  not  God 
at  all.  Notwithstanding,  we  had  successes  granted  us ;  such 
as,  in  matters  that  concern  this  life,  be  not  denied  to  the 
very  infidels  :  for,  as  Augustin  saith,  Qui  dat  felicitatem 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  113 

in  regno  ccelorum  non  nisi  solis  piis,  regnum  hoc  ter- 
remim  ct  piis  ct  impiis  confert ;  sicut  Ei  placet,  cui  nihil 
injuste  placet1 :  "He,  that  giveth  blessedness  in  the  king 
dom  of  heaven  not  but  to  the  godly,  confers  this  earthly 
reign  both  upon  the  godly  and  upon  the  godless  ;  even  as 
pleaseth  Him,  to  whom  nothing  is  unjustly  pleasing."  He 
that  gave  empire  and  rule  unto  the  Hebrews,  that  worship 
ped  but  one  God,  gave  dominion  and  kingdom  also  to  the 
Persians,  that  worshipped  moe  Gods.  He,  that  gave  increase 
of  corn  and  grain  to  the  worshippers  of  Him,  gave  plenty  also 
to  the  honour ers  of  the  Idol  Ceres2.  He,  that  prospered  Marius, 
avaunccd  Cassar.  He,  that  furthered  Nero,  did  good  to  Au 
gust.  On  the  other  side,  He,  that  gave  empire  unto  Vespasian, 
brought  in  Domitian.  He,  that  maintained  Constantino,  did 
suffer  Julian.  So  that,  on  both  sides,  good  success  in  this 
world  is  granted ;  and  we  cannot  gather  a  liking  or  mis- 
liking  of  God  by  it3.  Yet,  if  a  man  should  call  you  to 
accompt,  and  judge  according  to  Chronicles'  record,  you 
should  be  condemned  in  your  opinion.  For  when  the  Cross 
was  most  magnified,  we  had  cross  luck  among.  How  came 
it  to  pass  that  the  proverb  hath  been,  Bustum  Anglorum 
Gallia,  Gallorum  Italia :  "  France  hath  been  the  burial 
of  Englishmen,  and  Italy  of  the  Frenchmen  ?  "  How  pros 
pered,  I  pray  you,  the  Catholics  in  the  north,  when  every 
Priest  and  -  Parish-clerk  came  out  with  a  Cross ;  every 
poor  Soldier  that  followed  the  camp  was  all  to  becrossed ; 
and  the  only  cause  of  their  insurrection  was  altogether 
masking  and  crossing  ?  I  could  rehearse  times  more  than  one, 
when  our  countrymen  have  had  small  cause  of  triumph,  and 
yet  the  Cross  was  esteemed  too.  When  the  Normans  did 
invade  the  land,  not  all  the  Bishops  and  Pope-holy  Clergy, 
with  all  their  Crosses,  could  once  withstand  them.  When 
civil  discords  arose  within  the  realm,  on  both  sides  were 
Crosses,  and  both  sides  went  to  wrack. 

Nor  you  have  cause  to  condemn  this  age,  as  cast  out 
of  favour  with  Almighty  God,  if  good  success  in  external 
things  be  sign  of  favour.  If  plagues  of  God  had  been  Note. 

1  Do  Civit.  Dei,  Li.  v.  [Cap.  xxi.     Cf.  S.  Matth.  v.  45.] 

2  [Acts  xiv.  17.] 

3  [Eccles.  ix.  1.     Cf.  Downtime's  Cliristlin  Warfare,  p.  96.  Lond. 
1634.     S.  Bernard!  Serm.  i.  in  Sfptnag.  Opp.  fol.  '23,  a.  Lucd.  1530.] 

r  $ 

LCALFHILL.] 


114  THE  SECOND  ARTICLE. 

frequent  among  us,  and  all  things  had  gone  backward 
with  us,  (as,  thanks  be  to  God,  they  have  not ;)  if  God 
and  man,  both  earth  and  air,  had  fought  against  us,  (as 
we  by  proof  do  see  they  have  not ;)  yet  could  I  with 
better  cause  have  imputed  it  to  your  wilfulness  and  tyranny, 
(ye  Papists,)  which  brought  men  continually  to  the  cross 
of  fire,  than  to  the  foregoing  of  a  Cross  in  the  coat.  For 
why  should  not  both  heaven  and  earth  cry  vengeance  on 
us ;  since  the  earth  is  imbrued  with  the  bloodshed  of  Saints 
murthered  by  you,  and  air  is  infected  with  breath  of  you 
living?  But  God  hath  hitherto,  for  His  children's  cause, 
deferred  the  punishment  due  for  your  mischiefs.  Look  for  it 
one  day,  when  neither  Cross  nor  Mass  shall  deliver  you.  But 
why  do  you  falsely  abase  the  goodness  of  our  God  toward 
us  ?  Why  do  you  spitefully  impair  the  glory  of  our  Queen, 
and  her  prosperous  reign  ?  What  honour  she  gat  at  Leith, 
without  effusion  of  blood,  how  can  you  be  so  impudent  as  to 
dissemble  ?  What  quiet  peace,  what  godly  friendship,  is  be 
tween  the  realms  of  England  and  Scotland  purchased  now ; 
now  that  your  Religion  is  in  both  places  abolished :  whereas, 
in  the  time  of  Popery,  there  was  never  but  hatred  and  mortal 
war.  All  the  world  doth  see,  and  justly  may  say,  that,  in  the 
time  of  the  Gospel,  God  hath  more  abundantly  blessed  us 
than  ever  He  did  since  the  land  was  inhabited.  And  of  the 
doings  at  Newhaven,  what  an  honourable  peace  ensued,  (con 
trary  to  the  wish  and  will  of  the  enemies  of  God  and  of 
their  country,  the  Papists,)  we  do  now  feel,  thanks  be  to  God  ; 
and  you  cannot  deny.  But  in  the  Catholic  time,  (as  you  call 
it,)  what  success  had  you ;  when  Calleis  and  Guines,  so  hardly 
won,  so  long  kept,  with  such  glory  and  gain  to  the  English 
name  defended,  was  easily  in  one  three  days  with  shame 
lost  ?  More  will  I  not  rehearse  of  our  desperate  losses  in 
that  tyrannous  interreign. 

I  return  to  your  visions.  Julian,  (as  you  cite  out  of 
Sozomenus1,)  "had  a  shower  of  rain  that  overtook  him;  and 
every  drop  that  fell,  either  upon  his  coat,  or  any  other  that 
accompanied  him,  made  a  sign  of  the  Cross."  Again 2 : 

1  [Eccles.  Hist.  Lib.  v.  Cap.  i. — The  circumstance  is  spoken  of  by 
Bp.  Jewel ;  (Replie,  p.  371.  Lond.  1609.)  who,  by  referring  to  "  Li.  v. 
Cap.  1.,"  shows  that  he  quoted  from  the  Tripartite  History.] 

-  [Lib.  v.  Cap.  xxii.     Adonis  Chron.  pp.  149—50.  Paris.  15G1.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE   OF  THE  CROSS.  115 

"When  the  said  Julian  counselled  the  Jews  to  repair  the 
temple  of  Jerusalem,  destroyed  by  the  Romans,  God,  to 
make  them  desist  from  that  wicked  purpose  of  theirs,  caused 
the  ground,  where  they  had  digged  a  great  trench  for 
the  foundation,  to  be  filled  with  earth  rising  out  of  a  valley. 
And  when,  this  notwithstanding,  they  continued  their  work, 
God  raised  a  great  tempest  of  wind,  and  scattered  all  the 
lime  and  sand  which  they  had  gathered ;  and  caused  a  great 
earthquake,  and  killed  all  that  were  not  baptized  ;  and  sent  a 
great  fire  out  of  the  foundation,  and  burned  many  of  the 
labourers.  And  when  all  this  nothing  discouraged  them,  a 
bright  glittering  sign  of  the  healthful  Cross  appeared  in  the 
element ;  and  the  Jews'  apparel  was  filled  with  the  sign  of  the 
Cross3."  The  application  of  these  two  histories,  (which  for 
this  purpose  I  set  out  at  large,  that  they  may  the  better  be 
considered,)  will  make  you  glad  to  scrape  them  out  of  your 
book.  For  ye  fare  as  a  fool  that  walks  in  a  net ;  or  as  the 
children,  whose  head  being  hid,  they  think  their  bodies  cannot 
be  seen.  Although  ye  cast  some  shadows  over  you,  and 
think  that  your  head  is  hid  in  an  hole,  yet  your  ears  be  so 
long  that  they  do  bewray  you4. 

When  thus  ye  have  heaped  up  as  many  mystical 
figures  of  the  Cross  as  you  and  your  learned  Counsel  can, 
ye  gather  a  fine  conclusion  of  them:  "  that  God  willeth  Folio  34. 
all  His  highly  to  esteem  the  thing  which  those  figures  signi 
fied;  and  to  believe,  that  as  those  figures  wrought  temporal 
benefits  to  the  Israelites,  so  the  truth,  (that  is,  the  Cross 
itself,)  shall  work  unto  His  elect  and  chosen  children,  believ* 
ing  in  His  Son  Jesus  Christ,  and  having  His  sign  printed  in 
our  foreheads,  the  like  benefits,  effects  and  virtues,  spiritually, 
and  much  more  greater."  First,  who  told  you  that  the  truth 
of  those  figures  was  the  Cross  itself ;  unless,  by  a  figure,  ye 
take  the  Cross  for  The  crucified  ?  Then,  that  those  figures 
wrought  temporal  benefits,  how  can  you  prove?  Sure,  if 
they  were  causes  of  any  good  that  came,  they  were  Causce 
stolidcK,  as  Tully  calleth  them,  mean  and  instrumental  causes ; 
as  the  axe  is  cause  of  the  wood  cleaving,  and  not  efficient. 

3  [Conf.  Ditmari  Clironic.  L.  ii.  p.  24.  cd.  princ.  Francof.  1580. 
Trithcmii  Annall.  Hirsaug.  i.  101.  ii.  580.  exc.  typ.  Monast.  S.  Galli, 
1690.] 

4  [De  Asini  umbra,  vid.  Erasrai  Adagia,  fol.  xlvi.  Argent.  1510.] 

8—2 


116  THE  SECOND  ARTICLE. 

Thirdly,  if  ye  would  have  concluded  well,  Distinguenda 
fuissent  ambiyua  ;  those  words,  that  diversely  may  be  taken, 
should  have  been  severed  into  their  divers  significations ;  that 
we  might  have  known  how  to  have  understood  your  Master 
ship.  When  ye  join  the  truth  and  the  Cross  together,  what 
Cross  can  I  tell  you  speak  of?  If  it  be,  according  to  your 
promise  afore,  the  Cross  in  the  fourth  signification,  (for  thereof 
ye  said  you  would  only  entreat ;)  then  is  not  your  Cross  the 
truth  itself,  but  a  figure  still.  Whereas  ye  couple  the  belief  in 
Christ,  and  His  sign  printed  in  our  foreheads  together,  what 
sign  is  that  ?  The  Cross  with  a  finger  ?  If  ye  mean  it  so,  ye 
make  an  unmeet  comparison ;  the  one  being  necessary,  the 
other  idle  and  unlawful  too.  This  am  I  sure  your  meaning  is, 
by  covert  speech  to  deceive  the  simple,  and  cause  them  to 
derive  the  glory  from  the  truth,  and  transfer  it  to  the  figure ; 
to  have  in  reverence  your  idle  sign,  and  let  the  thing  signi 
fied  be  forgotten. 

As  for  the  figures  of  the  old  Law,  mark  what  Ter- 
tullian l  saith ;  and  thereby  shall  you  learn  a  better  meaning 
of  them  than  your  mean  skill  considereth :  for  thus  he 
saith  :  Sacramentum  mortis  figurari  in  prcedicatione  opor- 
tebat:  quanto  incredibile,  tanto  mac/is  scandalo  futurum,  si 
nude  prcedicaretur ;  quantoque  magnificum,  tanto  mayis 
adumbrandum,  [al.  obumbrandum^]  lit  difficultas  intellectus 
gratiam  Dei  qucereret :  "  It  behoved  the  Sacrament  of  the 
death  of  Christ  to  be  figured  in  preaching :  for  how  much 
more  it  is  incredible,  so  much  more  offensive  should  it  be,  if 
nakedly  it  had  been  preached ;  and  by  how  much  it  was 
more  glorious,  so  much  the  more  it  was  to  be  shadowed,  that 
the  hardness  of  understanding  might  seek  for  the  grace  of 
God."  So  far  Tertullian.  But  how  little  grace  of  God  you 
have,  in  sticking  still  to  the  easy  letter,  and  never  seeking 
the  glory  of  the  death,  is  too  well  seen  by  your  doings.  The 
sign  of  the  Cross  was  shewed  to  Constantino.  He  was  not  yet 
become  a  Christian.  It  was  expedient  to  have  a  miracle.  We 
do  profess  great  skill  and  knowledge ;  and  shall  we  not  be 
lieve  without  a  sign  ?  That  which  was  once  done,  shall  it  bo 
asked  ever  ?  That  which  was  commanded  to  one  alone,  shall 
it  be  drawn  a  precedent  for  all  ?  "  The  sign  of  the  Cross 
was  shewed  to  Constantino  in  his  great  anxiety,"  (ye  say,)  "  to 

1  Adversus  Marcio.  Li.  iii.  [Cap.  xviii.J 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  117 

instruct  us,  that  in  all  anxiety  of  mind,  and  pensiveness  of 
heart,  the  Cross  of  Christ  shall  be  our  comfort."  So  far  I 
grant.  "  And  the  sign,"  (you  say,)  "  to  be  a  mean  to  over 
throw  our  enemies."  Where  find  ye  that  ?  God  hath  moo 
means  of  comfort  than  one.  He  delivereth  His  that  are  in 
danger  by  divers  ways. 

We  read2,  that  when  Alexander  the  Great,  for  denial 
of  tribute  to  be  paid  unto  him,  was  utterly  in  mind  to 
destroy  Hierusalem ;  and  was  marching  thither  with  an 
huge  army,  which  no  power  of  theirs  was  able  to  resist; 
laddus,  which  was  the  chief  Bishop  then,  put  all  his  pon 
tifical  attire  upon  him,  and  caused  the  rest  of  his  Clergy 
to  do  the  like,  and  went  forth  to  meet  the  tyrant 
so.  Alexander  no  sooner  saw  him,  but  he  lighted  from  his 
horse,  fell  flat  on  the  ground  before  him.  The  lusty  rois 
ters  that  were  about  him,  marvelling  at  this  so  sudden 
change,  from  wrath  to  worshipping,  from  force  of  arms  to 
submission  and  prayer,  specially  to  a  Priest,  whereas  the 
Prince  vainly  supposed  himself  to  be  a  god ;  and  where  he 
minded  before  in  heat  of  his  displeasure  utterly  to  have  de 
stroyed  them,  now  to  become,  contrary  to  his  nature,  an 
humble  suppliant  to  them  ;  Alexander  made  answer  thus : 
"  When  I  lodged  in  Dio,  a  city  of  Macedon,  such  a  personage 
as  this,  of  like  stature,  like  apparel  in  all  points,  appeared  to 
me,  and  willed  me  to  set  upon  Asia ;  promising  that  he  would 
guide  me  in  the  voyage,  and  in  the  enterprise  always  assist 
me.  Wherefore  I  cannot  but  greatly  be  moved  at  the  sight 
of  him,  to  whom  I  owe  my  duty  and  service."  Thus  God 
delivered  His  people  then.  Thus  God  appeared  to  Alexander 
the  Great,  in  a  Priest's  attire.  Now,  if  it  be  lawful  to  use 
your  order,  and  of  every  particular  and  private  case  to 
gather  a  general  and  like  rule ;  I  may  as  well  conclude,  that 
the  vision  of  Alexander  instructeth  us,  in  all  our  troubles  and 
distresses  to  have  the  sign  of  a  Priest  in  his  masking  gar 
ments,  as  the  vision  of  Constantino  to  have  the  sign  of  a 
Cross.  For  God  used  the  one  mean  as  well  as  the  other ; 
and  no  more  commandment  is  of  the  one,  than  of  the  other. 

Gregory3  reporteth  a  notable  history,  how  God  sometime 

2  Josephus,  Li.  xi.  Ca.  viii.     [Antiqq.   Jud.  pp.   327 — 28.   Basil. 
1524.] 

3  Dialog.  Li.  iii.  Cap.  i.  [foil,  xxiii,  b,  xxiv.  Paris.  1513.] 


118  THE  SECOND  ARTICLE. 

delivered  a  sort  of  poor  prisoners  out  of  the  hands  of  bar 
barous  aliens ;  not  by  the  sign  of  a  Cross,  nor  yet  by  secret 
vision,  as  before,  but  by  a  stranger  fact  of  His  providence. 
When  the  Vandals  had  spoiled  Italy,  and  carried  from  thence 
many  captives  into  Africk  with  them,  Paulinus,  a  godly  man, 
and  Bishop  in  those  parts1,  gave  the  poor  souls  whatsoever  he 
had  for  their  relief.  And  when  he  could  extend  his  charity 
no  further,  but  all  was  gone,  a  widow  on  a  day  came  to  him, 
lamenting  her  estate,  that  her  son  was  carried  away  prisoner, 
and  by  the  King's  son-in-law :  wherefore  she  besought  him  to 
give  her  somewhat  for  his  ransom,  if  haply  his  lord  and 
taker  would  accept  it.  But  the  good  man,  devising  with  him 
self  what  he  might  give  for  her  comfort,  found  nothing  but 
his  own  person  ;  and  therefore  he  said :  "  Goodwife,  I  have 
nothing  for  thee,  save  only  myself :  take  me :  say  I  am  thy 
servant ;  and  give  me  up  for  a  bondman  in  thy  son's  stead." 
The  woman,  hearing  this  of  so  great  a  personage,  thought 
rather  that  he  mocked  her,  than  pitied  her :  but  he  per 
suaded  her  to  do  after  his  advice.  Forward  they  went;  the 
widow  as  the  mistress,  the  Bishop  as  the  bondman.  To 
Africk  they  came :  they  met  with  the  King's  son-in-law.  The 
widow  makes  her  humble  suit,  to  have  her  son  restored  to  her  : 
but  he  doth  not  only  refuse  to  assent,  but  disdain  to  hear 
such  a  caitiff  as  she  was.  At  length  she  besought  him  so 
much  to  tender  her,  as  to  accept  for  her  son's  exchange  a 
servant  that  she  had  brought  him,  presenting  the  Bishop. 
When  the  gentleman  had  beheld  his  sweet  face  and  fatherly 
countenance,  he  asked  him  of  what  occupation  he  was.  "No 
occupation,"  quoth  he;  "but  I  can  keep  your  garden  well." 
Whereupon  he  was  well  contented  to  accept  the  servant;  and 
the  only  son  was  given  up  unto  the  mother.  Thus  was 
the  pitiful  widow  gladded.  The  reverend  Father  became  a 
gardener. 

Now  when  the  King's  son-in-law  should  use  to  resort 
into  his  garden,  he  questioned  often  with  him  ;  and  finding 
him  very  prudent  in  his  answers,  forsook  the  company  of 
others  his  familiars,  and  rather  chose  to  talk  with  his  gar 
dener.  Paulinus,  then,  accustomed  every  day  to  bring  salads 
to  his  lord's  table ;  and  having  his  dinner  with  him,  go  to  his 
work  again.  When  thus  he  had  continued  a  certain  season, 
1  [scil.  of  Nola,  in  Campania.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  119 

it  iell  out  on  a  day,  that  as  his  master  was  in  secret  talk  with 
him,  he  said  on  this  sort :  "  See  what  ye  do  :  make  good  pro 
vision  how  the  kingdom  of  the  Vandals  may  be  disposed  and 
governed  ;  for  the  King,  (sooner  than  ye  are  ware,  and 
very  shortly,)  shah*  die."  When  this  he  heard,  because  he 
was  beloved  of  the  King  more  than  the  rest,  he  concealed  it 
not,  but  uttered  all  that  he  understood  by  his  gardener,  whom 
he  reputed  to  be  very  wise.  When  the  King  heard  it,  he 
answered :  "  I  would  fain  see  the  man  that  you  talk  of." 
Then  said  his  son-in-law,  Paulinus'  master  :  "He  useth  to 
prepare  me  salads  for  my  dinner ;  and  to  the  end  ye  may 
know  him,  I  will  take  order  that  he  shall  bring  them  unto 
the  table  where  your  Highness  shall  sit."  And  even  so  he 
did  :  whom  as  soon  as  ever  the  King  had  espied,  he  began  to 
tremble ;  and  calling  aside  his  son-in-law,  revealed  his  secret 
unto  him,  saying :  "  True  it  is  that  thou  hast  heard.  For 
this  night,  in  my  dream,  I  saw  certain  judges  sitting  in  the 
place  of  judgment  against  me ;  among  whom  this  man  was 
also  one  :  and  they  awarded  the  scourge  from  me,  which  I 
sometime  took  in  hand  against  other.  But  ask  what  he  is; 
for  I  think  him  not  to  be  any  common  person,  as  he  seemeth, 
but  rather  a  man  of  great  worthiness  and  estimation."  Then 
secretly  the  King's  son-in-law  did  call  Paulinus  to  him,  and 
enquired  earnestly  what  he  was.  To  whom  the  good  man 
answered  :  "  I  am  thy  servant,  whom  thou  didst  take  a  substi 
tute  for  the  widow's  son."  But  when  more  instantly  he  lay 
upon  him  to  utter,  not  who  he  now  was,  but  what  condition 
and  estate  he  was  of  in  his  own  country;  at  length,  with 
much  ado,  he  confessed  that  he  was  a  Bishop.  When  his 
master  and  lord  heard  it,  he  was  stricken  in  a  great  fear ; 
and  "ask,"  (quoth  he,)  "whatsoever  thou  wilt,  that  thou  mayest 
return  into  thine  own  country  bountifully  rewarded  of  me." 
To  whom  Paulinus  answered  :  "  One  benefit  there  is,  whereby 
thou  mayest  most  gratify  me  ;  if  thou  release  all  the  prisoners 
of  my  city."  Which  thing  was  accomplished ;  and  the  cap 
tives,  sought  throughout  all  the  country,  were  sent  home 
again,  and  ships  full  of  grain  with  them. 

Thus  God,  for  delivery  of  His  servants,  used  the  ministry 
of  a  captive  Bishop  :  and  shall  we  gather  of  this,  that  in  like 
extremities  we  must  have  a  Bishop  to  become  a  gardener,  and 
with  salads  in  his  hand  wait  at  his  master's  table  ?  Yet  as 


120  THE  SECOND  ARTICLE. 

good  reason  for  this,  as  for  the  use  of  the  Cross,  grounded  on 
Constantino's  apparition.  A  wise  man,  of  this  and  inch-like 
examples,  would  have  gathered  another  manner  of  rule 
general ;  and  said,  that  by  this  we  learn  how  God  never  for- 
saketh  His,  but  by  secret  means,  unknown  to  the  world, 
worketh  their  comfort  and  delivery.  The  Cross  was  com 
manded  to  Constantine,  to  be  set  up,  and  used  in  his  wars. 
"Therefore,"  (say  you,)  "His  pleasure  is,  at  this  present  day, 
to  have  the  sign  of  the  Cross  made,  and  set  up  in  open  places, 
used  in  wars,"  &c.  How  prove  ye  this,  M.  Martiall  ?  Forsooth 
ye  say  :  Quia  Jesus  Christus  heri,  et  hodie,  et  usque  in 
scecula  :  "  Because  Jesus  Christ  is  yesterday,  to-day,  and  He 
for  ever1."  By  the  same  reason  I  prove,  that  we  need  not, 
at  this  day,  the  sign  of  the  Cross ;  for  Christ  is  able  otherwise 
to  defend  us.  His  power  is  not  abated.  He  is  the  same  that 
He  was  before ;  and  a  thousand  ways  He  hath  beside  to  help 
us.  But  I  gladly  conclude  with  you,  that  the  sign  was 
shewed  from  heaven  at  Hierusalem,  to  declare  that  the  faith 
and  doctrine  of  the  Christians  was  both  preached  by  men, 
and  shewed  from  heaven ;  and  that  it  consisteth  not  in  the 
persuasible  words  of  human  wisdom,  but  in  the  shewing  of 
the  Spirit  and  power2. 

The  drops  of  rain,  that  fell  upon  Julian,  made  a  print 
of  the  Cross  in  his  garment,  and  the  rest's.  "Therefore," 
(say  you,)  "  it  is  necessary  for  every  man  to  be  signed 
and  marked  with  the  Cross."  But  the  Cross  noted  them 
to  be  persecutors :  Ergo,  it  is  necessary  for  us  to  be  noted 
as  persecutors.  Ye  see  how.  your  own  examples  kill  you. 
There  is  nothing  that  ye  bring  but  maketh  against  you. 
Indeed  Sozomenus  writeth3,  that  some  did  interpret  the 
Crosses  on  that  sort :  Christianorum  doctrinam  esse  ccelestem; 
et  oportere  omnes  Cnice  signari :  "  That  the  doctrine  of 
Christians  was  heavenly  ;  and  that  all  men  ought  to  be  signed 
with  the  Cross."  But  God  forbid  we  should  have  such  occasion 
to  be  so  marked :  for  none  were  marked,  but  such  as  had 
reneged  their  faith.  So  that  the  Cross  doth  not  always  por 
tend  goodness  ;  nor  is  the  sign  peculiar  unto  Christians.  If 
the  sign  had  been  of  such  force  as  ye  make  it,  Julian  the 
Apostata  would  not  have  gone  forward  with  his  attempted 

i  [Heb.  xiii.  8.]  2  [i  Cor.  ii.  4.] 

3  Ecclcsi.  Hist.  Lib.  v.  Cap.  i. 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE   OF  THE  CROSS.  121 

mischief.     But  forward  he  went,  though  the  Cross  continued 
on  his  coat  still.     Wherefore  the  Cross  is  no  proof  of  virtue. 

The  same  may  be  confirmed  by  the  story  that  followeth.  Folios. 
For  the  glittering  sign  of  the  Cross  in  the  element,  the  crossing 
of  the  Jews'  coats  when  they  would  have  re-edified  their  Hieru- 
salem,  was  but  a  token  of  God's  wrath  and  vengeance  :  and 
although  it  was  signwn  salutaris  Crucis,  "  the  sign  of  the 
healthful  Cross ; "  yet  was  it  not  healthful  to  them  that  ware 
it;  but  rather  a  testimony  of  God's  just  judgment  against 
them.  Wherefore,  as  God  miraculously  did  work,  and  used 
this  sign  to  contrary  effects ;  sometime  for  comfort,  sometime 
to  despair ;  sometime  for  the  godly,  sometime  to  the  wicked ; 
so  must  we  not,  contrary  to  reason,  gather  an  universal  only 
of  the  one  side ;  and,  contrary  to  His  will,  abuse  it  at  our 
pleasure.  If  it  had  been  always  granted  to  the  godly,  and 
to  none  but  them  :  if  it  had  been  always  a  sign  of  succour, 
and  not  of  destruction ;  your  argument  then  should  have  had 
some  appearance  of  troth  or  likelihood.  Now,  by  your  own 
examples,  where  the  wicked  only  be  signed  with  the  Cross ; 
where  the  Cross  doth  work  nothing  but  confusion ;  the  ground 
work  of  your  cause  is  miserably  shaken,  and  you  be  turned 
over  in  your  own  trip.  Of  all  your  examples  ye  infer  your 
own  fancy ;  what  you  do  think  God's  meaning  was,  to  shew 
such  signs  of  the  Cross,  both  under  the  Law,  and  in  the  time 
of  grace :  but  of  your  meaning  ye  bring  no  proof  at  all, 
either  out  of  Scripture,  or  Doctors  that  ye  brag  of.  Only  for 
us,  your  idle  supposal,  (as  you  think,)  may  serve.  Lovain 
hath  licentiate  you,  to  make  what  lies  ye  lust. 

The  substantial  ground  that  I  spake  of  before,  whereupon  God's  word 

i'ii  T-»    v     •  •        i  i>  r*  •  i        the  ground  of 

we  ought  to  build  our  Religion,  is  the  word  ot  Grod :  without  the  Heiigion. 
which  no  fact  of  man,  no  particular  example,  can  prove  any 
thing.  Then,  if  ye  would  have  the  sign  of  the  Cross  received 
into  God's  service,  ye  should  as  well  prove  God's  will  therein, 
and  bring  His  direct  authority  to  us.  It  sufficeth  not  to  say, 
"  This  was  once  so  ; "  but  rather  to  shew,  "  This  was  well  so  : " 
nor  any  one  example  can  bind  us  now,  without  express  com 
mandment  in  God's  book  for  it,  extending  to  us,  and  during 
for  ever.  But  you  deal  with  God's  book  as  Epiphanius4 

4  Contra  Iloer.  Lib.  i.  To.  ii.  ["  Adaptare  cnitentes  ea,  quoc  recto 
dicta  sunt,  his  qua;  male  ab  ipsis  excogitata  sunt."  (Hwes.  xxxi.  Opp. 
p.  59.  Cornar.  interp.  Basil.  1578.)] 


122  THE   SECOND  ARTICLE. 

reporteth  of  heretics  :  Qui  multos  decipiunt  per  male  com- 
positam  Dominicorum  verborum  adaptatorum  sapientlam : 
"  Which  deceive  many  by  the  wisdom  of  the  Lord's  words  ill- 
favouredly  applied."  As  if  a  man  should  take  an  Image  of 
some  notable  personage,  lively  set  forth  and  adorned  with 
pearl  and  stone ;  and  afterward  should  deface  the  counterfeit 
of  a  man  in  it,  and  make  a  dog  or  a  fox  of  it.  Then  if  he 
should  remove  the  jewels  and  garnishing  of  the  one  to  the 
picture  of  the  other,  and  say  to  them  that  look  upon  it  : 
"This  is  the  picture  of  such  a  man  or  such;"  and  for  proof 
thereof  would  bring  the  pearl  and  stone  so  cunningly  couched  ; 
would  ye  not  think  him  to  be  a  crafty  fellow,  and  yet  believe 
him  never  a  whit  the  sooner  ?  Even  so  fare  you  :  for,  instead 
of  the  text,  ye  bring  forth  a  contrary  misshapen  gloss ;  and 
then  ye  apparel  it  with  a  few  pearls  of  Scripture,  applied  as 
well  as  a  precious  diamond  to  the  picture  of  a  grinning  dog. 
And  yet  a  dog  is  but  a  dog,  although  he  had  a  Bishop's  best 
mitre  on  his  head :  no  more  are  you  but  leAvd  h'ars,  for  all 
the  patch  of  truth  sewed  on  your  cloke  of  fables.  Blear  not 
therefore  the  people's  eyes  :  deceive  not  yourselves  :  learn 
the  true  service  of  God  out  of  His  word,  and  go  no  further. 
The  Cross  of  Christ  is  necessary  for  us  :  His  death  and 
passion  is  only  our  joy  and  comfort ;  our  life  and  our  redemp 
tion  :  but  the  material  or  mystical  sign  thereof  is  more  than 
needcth  ;  too  dangerous  to  be  used.  We  have  the  word,  the 
ordinary  mean,  to  lead  us  into  ah1  truth  :  we  must  not,  beside 
the  word,  seek  signs  and  tokens.  We  have  the  bodies :  what 
grope  we  after  shadows  ?  Ceremonies  were  given  unto  the 
Jews  to  be  a  mound,  (as  it  were,)  between  the  Gentiles  and 
them ;  to  sever  the  people  of  God  from  other,  not  only  by 
inward  things,  but  also  by  outward ;  that  the  people  of  God 
should  be  within  that  enclosure,  the  other  without :  and  these 
outward  rites  and  observances  were  an  assurance  unto  the 
Jews,  that  they  were  lawful  heirs  of  the  promise,  and  not 
the  Gentiles.  But  Christ  came  into  the  world,  to  gather  one 
Church  of  both  peoples1 ;  and  therefore  pulled  down  the  wall 
that  was  between  them  :  Deer  eta  ceremonialia  :  "  The  de-v 
crecs  of  ceremonies."  Christ  followed  herein  the  policy  of 
Princes,  which,  if  they  will  gather  into  society  of  one  king 
dom,  as  it  were,  divers  peoples,  they  will  take  away  the 
i  [Ephes.  ii.  14,  15.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  123 

things  that  made  the  difference  before ;  diversities  of  coins 
and  laws.  So  Christ,  minding  to  make  one  people  of  the 
Jews  and  Gentiles,  utterly  did  abolish  all  legal  ceremonies. 
And  Paul  compareth  them  to  a  hand-writing,  whereby  we  be 
bound  to  God ;  that  we  cannot  stand  in  argument  against 
Him,  and  deny  our  debt.  But  by  Christ  this  debt  is  so  re 
mitted,  that  the  obligation  is  cancelled,  the  hand-writing  is 
put  out,  as  the  Apostle  saith2.  Now  when  the  instruments  are 
cut  in  pieces,  the  obligations  cancelled,  the  debtor  is  set  free; 
which  we  have  purchased  by  Christ's  death.  Wherefore 
we  read,  that  the  veil  of  the  temple  tare ;  to  the  end  the 
people  might  understand  thereby,  that  their  sins  were  re 
mitted,  and  they  discharged  from  burden  of  the  Law. 

But  when  the  wicked  and  faithless  nation  continued,  after 
Christ's  death,  to  exercise  in  the  temple  ceremonies,  which  had 
their  end  before ;  and  would  thrust  them  unto  men  as  parcel  of 
Religion,  and  worshipping  of  God;  Christ,  using  the  ministry 
of  the  Romans,  so  destroyed  the  temple,  that  for  these  fif 
teen  hundreth  years  they  have  had  no  place,  no  respite  to 
repair  it.  And  when  they  did  attempt  the  matter,  they  were, 
(as  you  alleged,)  by  divers  means  destroyed  and  disappointed  ; 
namely,  by  the  dreadful  apparition  of  a  Cross.  Whereof  ye 
might  have  gathered,  that  God  so  misliked  the  superstitious 
ceremonies  of  the  temple,  that  He  would  not  suffer  the  stones 
of  it  to  stand.  The  like  plague  shall  ensue  to  all,  that, 
having  light,  will  follow  darkness  ;  that,  being  free,  will  bring 
a  slavery  upon  them  ;  that,  being  delivered  by  Christ  from 
these  outward  things,  and  having  Christ,  yet  will  be  wedded 
to  these  outward  things,  as  if  that  God  were  pleased  with 
them.  Wherefore  remember  Saul3:  let  no  disguised  clokc  of 
a  good  intent  cover  an  ill  act,  contrary  to  the  word.  JNadab 
and  Abiu  brought  in  strange  fire4,  not  commanded  of  the 
Lord.  The  fire  of  the  Lord  therefore  consumed  them.  Uzah, 
when  the  oxen  did  shake  the  ark5,  of  a  good  intent  did  put 
his  hand  unto  it ;  and  was  stricken  dead  for  his  offence. 
Melior  est  obedicntia  quam  victimce,  said  Samuel :  "  Better 
is  obedience  than  sacrifice."  Better  is  a  naked  service,  with 

2  Coloss.  ii.  [14.] 

3  [1  Sam.  xv.  21,  22.] 
*  Levit.  x.  [1,  2.] 

s  2  Sam.  vi.  [6,  7.] 


124  THE  SECOND  ARTICLE. 

the  word,  than  a  gorgeous  solemnity,  not  commanded  by 
the  word.  Quicquid  Ego  prcecipio  vobis,  hoc  tantum  facite : 
"  Whatsoever  I  do  command  you,"  (saith  the  Lord1,)  "  do  that, 
and  that  only  :"  Non  addes  quicquam,  nee  minues :  "Thou 
shalt  not  add  any  thing  to  it,  nor  take  away  any  thing 
from  it." 

When  Christ  shall  appear  in  brightness  of  His  glory : 
when  He  shall  sit  as  a  just  Judge,  at  His  second  coming,  to 
ask  a  straight  [strait]  accompt  of  all  your  life,  faith,  and 
Religion ;  what  can  ye  answer  ?  what  will  ye  say  unto  Him? 
"  We  have  garnished  Thy  temple  with  gold  and  silver  :  we 
have  set  up  candles  upon  Thine  altars :  we  have  sainsed  Thy 
Saints:  we  have  erected,  esteemed,  honoured  Thy  Cross." 
What  shall  He  then  reply  to  this  ?  The  word  of  His  Prophet 
Esay :  Quis  requisivit  ista  de  manibus  vestris  ?  "  Who  did 
require  these  things  at  your  hands2?"  My  temple  ought 
your  own  hearts  to  be ;  as  I  Myself  pronounced3,  and  My 
Apostle  Paul  bare  witness  with  Me4.  This  should  have  been 
adorned  with  chastity,  simplicity,  fear  of  My  name,  love  of 
My  mercies,  innocency  of  life,  integrity  of  faith.  Such  rest 
ing  place,  and  such  ornaments  thereof,  have  I  required ;  but 
you  have  them  rejected.  No  altar  of  squared  stone  have 
I  appointed :  Myself  on  the  altar  of  the  Cross  abolished  it. 
I  only  ought  to  be  the  altar  now,  whereupon  your  sacrifice 
of  praise  and  thanksgiving  should  be  laid;  and  light  of 
your  good  works  shining  to  the  world  be  set  upon.  But 
Me  and  My  death  ye  have  adnihilated,  to  magnify  your  own 
imaginations.  My  Saints  should  have  been  patterns  of  holy 
life  and  true  faith  unto  you  ;  not  have  usurped  My  room 
and  office  to  become  mediators,  and  be  called  upon.  The 
sweet  perfume  of  prayer  should  have  arisen  from  the  sayn- 
sure5  of  your  heart  to  Me ;  and  no  flinging  of  coals  about 
the  church  to  other.  But  you  have  sticked  only  to  the 
Jewish  and  hypocritical  observance :  the  truth  exhibited  in 
time  of  grace  ye  have  not  received.  The  memory  of  My 
death,  by  preaching  of  the  word,  and  due  administration  of 

1  Deut.  xii.  [32.] 

2  Esay  i.  [12.] 

3  Levit.  xxvi.  [11,  12.]    Esay  lii.  [6.] 
*  1  Cor.  vi.  [19.]  2  Cor.  vi.  [16.] 

5  [censer.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  125 

Sacraments  in  the  church,  should  have  been  continued  ac 
cording  to  My  will :  the  members  of  My  body,  the  lively 
counterfeits  of  Mine  own  Person,  the  poor,  the  naked,  the 
comfortless  Christians,  should  have  been  relieved,  clothed, 
encouraged6.  But  by  your  Imagery  you  have  excluded  My 
word:  by  your  Roods,  Crosses,  and  Crucifixes,  utterly,  (as 
much  as  in  you  lieth,)  defaced  the  glory  of  My  death.  Depart 
ye  therefore  away  from  Me,  ye  workers  of  iniquity.  Let  now 
the  god  that  you  have  served  save  you.  Enter  into  ever 
lasting  fire,  prepared  for  the  Devil  and  for  you  his  angels. 

This  when  God  shall  lay  unto  your  charge,  this  fine7  shall 
follow  of  it :  and  when,  in  the  terrible  conflict  with  Satan,  ye 
shall  call  your  consciences  to  accompt ;  and  see  those  idle  toys 
that  you  have  trusted  to  to  be  void  of  comfort ;  what  shall 
ye  then  do  but  be  driven  to  despair,  and  say  to  the  mount 
ains  :  "Fall  down  upon  us8."  Wherefore,  if  yet  there  be  any 
place  of  repentance  left  for  you9 ;  if  malice  and  obstinacy 
have  not  utterly  secluded  God's  grace  from  you  ;  take  up  by 
times  :  seek  Christ  in  His  word  :  forsake  your  will-worship 
pings  :  set  not  your  follies  in  the  service  of  God  against  the 
wisdom  of  the  Almighty  revealed  in  His  word.  You  think 
your  hold  is  good  :  God  knows  it  abides  no  stress.  Yc  say  yc 
seek  the  Shepherd  :  I  prove  ye  find  the  fox. 

6  [Tcmpla,  Dcum,  Viduas,  reparando,  colendo,  cibando, 

Martha,  Maria,  plus  Samaritanus  eris.] 
'  [end,  or  penalty.]  8  [Rev.  vi.  16.] 

9  Luke  xxii.  [xiii.  3.] 


TO    THE    THIRD    ARTICLE. 


FOR  declaration  and  proof  of  your  third  article  ;  which  is, 
"that  every  church,  chapel,  and  oratory,  erected  to  the  honour 
and  service  of  God,  should  have  the  sign  of  the  Cross ;"  ye 
bring  four  reasons :  whereof  the  two  first  be  too  unreasonable, 
grounded  upon  foolish  fables ;  the  third  is  insufficient  to  con 
firm  a  doctrine  ;  the  fourth  is  a  custom  of  error  not  con 
sonant  to  truth.  For  the  first  ye  allege  one  of  Abdias'  tales ; 
whom  you  affirm  "  to  have  seen  Christ  in  the  flesh  :  to  have 
followed  Simon  and  Jude  into  Persia ;  and  to  have  been  made 
Bishop  of  Babylon  by  the  Apostles."  To  speak  somewhat  of 
your  famous  Father l :  that  he  saw  Christ  in  the  flesh,  what 
marvel  was  it,  if  he  were  one  of  the  seventy-two  Disciples,  as 
you  and  Lazius,  (that  found  the  lying  legend,  in  his  preface 
upon  Abdias2,)  witness?  Concerning  his  ancienty,  no  marvel  if 
ye  cite  him :  for  if  ye  make  accompt  of  his  years,  by  pro 
bable  conjecture  out  of  his  book,  ye  shall  find  him  almost  as 
old  as  Mathusale.  He  lived  long  after  S.  John's  time ;  for 
he  citeth  authorities  out  of  his  Gospel  divers :  and,  speaking 
of  a  miracle  done  at  S.  John  his  tomb,  how  manna  sprang 

1  [The  ten  books  of  the  Historia  Certaminis  Apostolici  were  first 
published  in  the  year  1551;  and  were  alleged  with  confidence  by  many 
Romanists,  until  effrontery  could  persist  no  longer.     Pope  Paul  IV. 
condemned  them  in  his  Index,  in  1559 :  but,  strange  to  say,  they  were 
released  from  censure  by  the  Tridentine  Catalogue  of  1564,  and  by 
Pope  Clement  VIII.  in  159G;  in  consequence,  as  Molanus  states,  of 
"  former  ecclesiastical  zeal  having  become  seasoned  with  discretion." 
(Hist.  S.  Imagg.  Lib.  ii.  Cap.  xxviii.)     Oudin  has  placed  the  Pseudo- 
Abdias  in  the  beginning  of  the  tenth  century;  (Comment,  ii.  418.)  and 
henceforth,  it  may  be  safely  asserted,  with  Thilo,  "  hujus  quidem  libri 
auctoritate  nemo  permovebitur."     (Codex  Apocr.  Nov.   Test.  Tom.  i. 
p.  673.  Lips.  1832.     Conf.  Jewel's  Replk,  Art.  i.  p.  7.     Conference 
betwene  Rainoldes  and  Hart,  p.  505.  Lond.  1584.      Coci  Censur.  pp. 
42 — 47.   Blondell.  De  Joanna  Papissa,  p.  118.  Amstel.  1657.    Voss.  De 
Hlstor.  Grcec.  L.  ii.  C.  ix.  p.  118.    Amst.  1697.    Grabii  Spidleg.  i.  314. 
Oxon.  1714.  Fabricii  Cod.  Apoc.  N.  T.  Tom.  ii.  388—742.  Hamb.  1703.)] 

2  [pag.  vii. — Abdias  does  not  say  of  himself  that  he  was  one  of  the 
seventy  Disciples ;  nor  is  the  statement  made  by  the  Pseudo-Dorotheus, 
Nicephorus,  and  others.     Vid.  nomenclatur.  apud  Wicelii  Hagiolog. 
fol.  clxxiii.  Mo<runt.  1541.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE   OV   THE   CROSS.  127 

out  of  it,  he  saith3:  Quam  usque  hodie  nignit  locus  iste:  that 
is  to  say :  "  Which  manna  this  place  bringeth  forth  to  this 
day."  Then,  if  it  were  so  strange  a  matter  as  he  would  have 
it  seem,  many  years  were  run  between  the  death  of  the 
Apostle,  and  writing  of  his  book.  But  John  himself  was  an 
hundreth  year  old,  lacking  two,  when  he  died.  For,  as  your 
'Abdias  saith4:  Cum  esset  annorum  nonayinta  septem,  &c. : 
"  When  he  was  fourscore  and  seventeen  year  old,"  Christ 
appeared  to  him ;  and  so  forth.  And  Abdias,  if  he  were  one 
of  the  seventy-two  Disciples,  was  called  to  his  ministry  the 
self-same  year  that  John  was  to  his  Apostleship :  so  that,  by 
all  likelihood,  he  was  then  as  old  as  John,  and  living  long 
after  John.  How  old  was  he,  say  you? 

But  a  man  of  those  years,  being  broken  so  much  in 
travail  as  he  was,  to  do  as  he  did,  was  a  miracle  of  itself. 
For,  if  ye  credit  his  own  writings,  he  was  at  Saint  Andrew's 
death  in  Achaia.  For  in  his  life5  he  saith  :  Diutissime 
Dominum  clarificans,  et  yaudens,  nobis  flentibus  reddidit 
spiritum :  "  lie,  long  glorifying  the  Lord,  and  rejoicing, 
while  we  were  weeping,  gave  up  the  ghost."  Whereupon 
the  marginal  note  hath :  Ex  hoc  apparet,  Abdiam,  hujus 
historice  author  em,  passioni  interfuisse:  "It  appeareth  by 
this,  that  Abdias,  the  author  of  this  history,  was  present 
at  the  passion."  Likewise  he  was  with  Thomas  in  India, 
where  he  was  a  witness  of  all  his  doings.  For,  speaking  of  a 
miracle  shewed  in  prison,  he  saith6 :  Servi  Dei  dormire  non 
poterant,  quos  sic  Christus  excitabat,  neque  patiebatur  nos 
somno  dimeryi :  "  The  servants  of  God  could  not  sleep,  whom 
Christ  had  raised  so,  nor  suffered  us  to  be  drowned  in  sleep." 
Then,  if  the  nominative  [accusative]  case  plural,  "  us,"  includeth 
him  that  told  the  tale,  Abdias  then  was  also  there.  Beside  this, 
he  was  at  the  death  of  Saint  John  in  Ephesus ;  for  he  saith7 : 
Gaudebamus  quod  tantam  cernebamus  yratiam :  dolebamus 
quod  tanti  viri  aspectu  et  prwsentice,  specie  defraudabamur  : 
"  We  rejoiced  for  that  we  saw  so  great  grace :  we  sorrowed 
that  we  were  bereaved  of  the  sight  and  presence  of  so  great 
a  personage."  And  there  is  noted  in  the  margent :  Et  hoc 
aryumentum  est,  Abdiam  interfuisse  morti  Johannis  :  "  And 

s  Li.  v.  in  fine.  [fol.  70,  b.  Paris.  1566.]          4  [fol.  68,  a.] 

5  Lib.  iii.  circa  finem.  [fol.  44,  b.] 

c  Lib.  ix.  [fol.  116,  b.]  '  Lib.  v.  [fol.  70,  b.] 


128  THE  THIRD  ARTICLE. 

this  is  a  proof,  that  Abdias  was  at  the  death  of  John."  Not 
withstanding  all  this,  he  went  out  of  Jewry,  with  Simon  and 
Judc,  into  Persia.  There,  (as  he  witnesseth  of  himself1,)  he 
was  present  at  all  their  doings,  and  was,  made  Bishop  of 
Babylon  by  them.  For  thus  he  writeth :  Ordinavere  autem 
Apostoli  in  civitate  Babylonis  Episcopum,  nomine  Abdiam, 
qui  cum  ipsis  venerat  a  Judcea :  "  The  Apostles  appointed 
Bishop,  in  the  city  of  Babylon,  one  whose  name  was  Abdias, 
which  came  from  Jewry  with  them." 

Now,  I  beseech  you,  how  is  it  possible,  that  he  which 
immediately  came  out  of  Jewry,  and  had  his  charge  in 
Babylon,  should  be  at  one  time,  (as  it  were,)  in  so  divers, 
and  so  far  distant  parts  of  the  world  :  in  Achaia,  in 
India,  in  Ephesus,  in  Persia ;  and,  if  we  give  credit  to 
historiographers,  also  in  Scythia?  For,  as  touching  Andrew, 
at  whose  martyrdom  he  affirms  he  was,  Eusebius2  out  of 
Origen,  and  Sophronius3,  as  we  read  in  Ptolome,  and  Nicc- 
phorus4  do  all  witness,  that  he  went  into  the  coast  of  Scythia, 
far  distant  from  Grecia.  And  as  for  his  death,  Sabellicus5 
doth  say,  that  he  suffered  in  Scythia.  Then  either  was  your 
author  a  liar,  or  a  lewd  Bishop ;  to  forsake  his  charge,  and  be 
such  a  land-leaper.  But  a  liar  he  was  :  for,  comparing  the 
times  of  the  Apostles'  deaths,  and  distance  of  places  where 
they  were  resident,  it  is  impossible  his  sayings  to  be  true. 

Furthermore,  that  the  antiquity  of  this  Abdias  should  be 
such  as  ye  talk  of,  is  more  than  a  miracle  to  me;  since  neither 
Irene,  nor  Eusebius,  nor  Hierom,  nor  any  one  of  the  received 
Fathers,  (being  nearest  to  the  same  time,  and  writing  of  the 
same  matter,)  do  once  mention  him :  yea,  to  say  the  truth, 
both  Scripture  and  Fathers  be  direct  against  him.  For  where 
he  maketh  S.  John  to  say 6 :  Virtutum  opes  habere  non  posse, 

i  Lib.  vi.  [fol.  83,  a.]  2  Lib.  iii.  Cap.  i. 

3  [If  he  were  the  author  of  the  Life  of  S.  Andrew,  which  is  among 
tho  interpolations  in  S.  Jerom's  Catalogue  of  Ecclesiastical  Writers. 
Erasmus  suspected  that  the  additions  were  made  "ab  alio  quopiam 
studioso."  (S.  Hier.  Opp.  Tom.  i.  p.  306.  Basil.  1565.)  Conf.  Ern.  Sal. 
'Cypriani  Dissertat.  de  Hieron.  Catal.  pp.  7,  8.  Francof.  &  Lips.  1722. 
Mabillonii  Vetera  Analecta,  pp.  196,  197.  Paris.  1723.] 

4  Lib.  ii.  Ca.  xxxix.  &  Li.  iii.  Ca.  i. 

5  Ennead.  vii.  Lib.  iv.  [Tom.  ii.  p.  224.    Basil.  1538.] 

6  Lib.  v.  [fol.  63,  a,  b.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  129 

qui  voluerit  divitias  habere  terrenas :  "  That  he  cannot  have 
the  substance  of  virtues,  that  will  have  the  substance  of  the 
earth ;"  it  accordeth  not  with  the  doctrine  of  Christ  :  for  we 
read  in  His  word  of  many  that  were  rich,  and  yet  were  virtuous 
notwithstanding.  That  John  should  allow  the  fact  of  Dru- 
siana7,  which,  being  a  married  wife,  withdrew  herself  from 
her  husband's  company  without  his  consent,  is  contrary  to 
the  rule  of  Christ8,  and  His  Apostle  Paul9.  That  he  doth 
attribute  to  the  same  Apostle,  the  prescription  of  thirty  days 
for  sufficient  repentance 10,  is  otherwise  than  Christ  hath  taught 
us  :  for  He  will  have  us  to  forgive  septuagies  septies,  "  seventy 
times  seven  times11."  That  S.  John  should  use  so  fond  miracles, 
as  to  make  whole  again  broken  jewels12 ;  to  turn  trees  and 
stones  into  gold13;  hath  no  appearance  of  truth  in  it.  That  in 
his  life-time  a  church  was  builded  at  Ephesus,  dedicated  to 
him,  and  called  by  his  name14,  may  be  proved  false  by  a 
thousand  testimonies.  For  beside  that  it  was  derogation  to 
God's  honour,  it  was  contrary  to  the  use  of  the  primitive 
Church.  And  all  men  agree  that,  until  the  reign  of  Constan- 
tinus,  there  were  no  chapels  or  oratories  erected  in  honour 
of  any  Saint. 

Augustin  plainly  affirmeth,  that  in  the  Church  of  Christ 
Martyrs  have  the  highest  room.  Nee  tamen  nos,  (sayeth 
he15,)  eisdeni  Martyribus  templa,  sacerdotla,  sacra,  et 
sacrificia  constituimus ;  quoniam  non  ipsi,  sed  Deus 
eorum,  nobis  est  Deus :  "  Yet  we  build  not  up  temples, 
appoint  officers,  service,  and  sacrifice  for  the  said  Martyrs ; 
because  not  they,  but  their  God,  is  our  God."  Again,  in 
another  place16,  somewhat  more  plainly  :  Nonne,  si  tcmplum 
alicui  sancto  Angela  excellentissimo  de  lignis  et  lapidibus 
faceremus,  anathematizaremur  a  veritate  Christi,  et  ab 
Ecclesia  Dei;  quoniam  creaturce  exhiberemus  earn  sert'i- 

'  [L.  v.  54,  a.]  s  Matth.  xix.  [6.] 

!>  1  Cor.  vii.  [10.]  Coloss.  iii.  [18.] 

i"  [Lib.  v.  fol.  65,  a.] 

11  Matth.  xviii.  [22.]  i-'  [L.  v.  01,  b.] 

is  [fol.  62,  a.]  »  [v.  68,  a.] 

15  De  Civi.  Dei,  Lib.  viii.  Cap.  xxvii. 

1U  Contra  Max.  Arr.  Episc.  Lib.  i.  [This  was  the  old  name  of  what 
i.>  imw  termed  the  Cudatio  cam  Mcutimino.  The  quotation  may  be  seen 
in  ' >}'j>.  Tom.  viii.  col.  467.  ed.  Ben.  Antw.] 

FCALFHILL.] 


130  THE  THIRD  ARTICLE. 

tutem,  quce  uni  tantum  debetur  Deo  ?  Si  ergo  sacrilegi 
essemus,  faciendo  templwn  cuicumque  creaturce,  quomodo 
non  est  Dens  verus,  cm  non  templum  facimus,  sed  nos  ipsi 
templum  sumus  ?  "  If  we  should  make  a  temple  of  wood 
and  stone  for  any  holy  Angel,  yea  though  he  were  the  most 
excellent  of  all,  should  we  not  be  accursed  from  the  truth  of 
Christ,  and  from  the  Church  of  God  ;  because  we  exhibited  that 
service  to  a  creature,  which  is  due  to  God  alone  ?  Therefore, 
if  we  should  offend  in  sacrilege,  by  building  a  church  to  any 
creature,  how  can  it  be  but  He  is  the  true  God,  to  whom  we 
make  no  temple,  but  ourselves  are  temples  ?"  By  which  places 
we  prove,  that  in  his  time  there  was  no  church  or  chapel 
builded  for  any  Saint ;  that  it  was  reputed  a  cursed  thing, 
contrary  to  truth  and  the  Church  of  God ;  that  they  commit 
sacrilege,  which  do  build  any  :  finally,  that  churches  and 
oratories  are  not  erected  for  God  Himself,  but  to  the  use  of 
man.  Wherefore,  in  the  tale  of  Saint  John  his  church,  your 
Doctor  doted. 

Now  what  say  you  to  this,  that  Chrysostom  affirmeth1? 
Petri  quidem,  et  Pauli,  et  Joannis,  et  Thomce  manifesto, 
sunt  sepulchra  :  aliorum  ve.ro,  cum  tanti  sint,  minime 
cognitum  est  libi  sunt :  "  The  sepulchres  of  Peter  and 
Paul,  John  and  Thomas,  be  well  known :  but  of  the  rest,  as 
great  as  they  were,  it  is  not  known  where  they  were."  But 
your  Abdias  setteth  forth  the  matter  plainly,  where  every 
one  of  them  was  laid  into  the  ground :  wherefore  ye  must 
either  condemn  Chrysostom  or  him.  And  yet  in  these  the 
Doctors  agree  not.  For,  to  go  no  further  than  to  S.  John,  of 
whom  I  spake  last,  Abdias  saith  that  he  died  not,  but  was 
put  quick  in  his  grave,  and  there  he  commanded  mould  to  be 
cast  upon  him2.  Omnes  benedicens  ac  valefaciens,  deposuit 
se  viventem  in  sepulchro  suo,  et  jussit  se  operire  :  "  Blessing 
them  all,  and  taking  his  leave  of  them,  he  laid  himself  down 
quick  in  his  grave,  and  bade  them  cover  him."  But  Hierom 
saith3 :  Sexayesimo  octavo  post  passionem  Domini  anno, 
mortuus  JEphesi,  juxta  eandem  iirbem  sepidtus  est :  "  The 

1  To.  iv.  in  Cap.  ad  Heb.  xi.  in  Ho.  xxvi.     [Opp.  Lat.   Tom.  iy. 
col.  1820.  Basil.  1547.] 

2  Lib.  v.  in  fine.  [fol.  70,  b.] 

3  In  Catal.    Scrip.   Eccle.  [apucl  Fabricii  Biblioth.  Ecdes.  p.   57. 
Hamburg!,  1718.] 


ANSWER   TO   THE   TREATISE   OF   THE   CROSS.  131 

threescore  and  eight  year  after  the  passion  of  our  Lord,  he 
died  at  Ephesus,  and  was  buried  hard  by  the  said  city." 
What  shall  we  now  think  of  your  Abdias  ?  whom  you  know 
to  have  been  one  of  the  seventy-two  Disciples ;  but  Eusebius 
saith4,  that  no  such  matter  is  known :  whom  you  affirm,  out 
of  his  own  books,  to  have  been  made  Bishop  of  Babylon ;  but 
I  have  proved,  out  of  the  same,  that  he  could  not  be  in  so 
many  places  and  so  far  distant :  whom  you  do  think  to  be 
worthy  credit ;  but  evident  it  is,  that  he  speaketh  naught 
but  repugnancy  to  the  Scriptures,  and  more  than  any  Father 
beside  himself  alloweth. 

For  further  proof  whereof,  examine  your  dedication, 
of  which  ye  make  so  great  accompt ;  and  it  shall  be  no 
"  levity,"  (as  you  would  have  it  appear,)  if  a  man,  stayed 
by  the  grace  of  God,  refuse  to  lean  to  so  weak  a  staff.  A 
church  is  consecrated,  or  made  an  holy  place,  not  by  super-  ™nn™e0f 
stitious  words  of  magical  enchantment;  not  by  making  of (ledicati0"- 
signs  and  characters  in  stones ;  but  by  the  will  of  God,  and 
the  godly  use.  His  will  is  set  forth  in  His  word  unto  us, 
wherein  He  hath  commanded  His  people  to  assemble  themselves 
together ;  and  hath  annexed  a  promise  to  it,  that  He  will  be 
there  in  the  midst  of  them.  The  use  that  maketh  a  place 
holy  is,  to  have  the  word  purely  set  forth  in  it;  the  Sa 
craments  duly  to  be  received ;  and  prayers  humbly  to  be 
made  therein.  Take  away  the  commandment ;  take  away  the 
right  use ;  the  place  remaineth  profane  still :  yea,  though  a 
thousand  Angels  should  be  said  to  cross  it.  Shall  we  think 
that  any  place,  any  creature  of  God,  is  of  itself  unclean? 
Shall  we  think  that  Devils  lie  in  stone  walls,  that,  once  be 
sprinkled  with  a  little  Holy  Water,  will  be  packing  straight  ? 
When  God  had  made  all  the  creatures  of  His,  vidit  quod  essent 
omnia  valde  bona  :  "  He  saw  that  all  things  were  very 
good5."  And  Augustin,  in  his  Confessions6 :  Sinyula  bona 
sunt,  et  omnia  valde  bona,  quce  Tu  fecisti :  "Every  thing  by 
itself,  and  all  things  are  exceeding  good,"  (he  saith,)  "  which 
Thou  hast  made,  0  Lord."  And  as  for  the  place,  it  is  pre 
pared  for  men,  and  not  for  God.  For  "  God  dwelleth  not  in 
temples  made  with  hand7:"  but,  as  the  Martyr  saith,  in  Pru- 

4  [//.  E.]  Lib.  i.  Ca.  xii.  «  Genesis  i.  [31.] 

6  Lib.  vii.  Ca.  xii.  [pp.  116-17.  Oxon.  1838.] 
"•  Act.  xvii.  [24.] 

9—2 


132  THE  THIRD  ARTICLE. 

dentius1:  ^Edern  Sibi  Ipse  mente  in  hominis  condidlt,  vivam, 
serenam,  &c. :  "  He  made  a  temple  to  Himself  within  the  mind 
of  man,  living  and  clear."  Then  is  not  any  earthly  place 
holy  of  itself;  but  inasmuch  as  holy  things  are  done  therein, 
it  is  called  holy.  S.  Paul,  speaking  of  meats,  saith,  that  they 
are  sanctified  per  verbum  Dei,  et  orationem :  "  by  the  word 
of  God,  and  prayer2 :"  but  that  a  sanctification  should  come 
to  a  creature  by  making  of  the  sign  of  a  Cross,  is  more  than 
Abdias  himself,  or  you,  can,  out  of  Scripture  or  good  authority, 
avouch.  Salomon  made  a  temple  to  the  Lord  :  and  no  Angel 
of  God  came  down  to  hallow  it ;  nor  any  Priest  was  called  to 
conjure  Spirits  out  of  it.  Hallowed  it  was,  when  according  to 
God's  will  and  ordinance  it  was  used.  Constantino  built 
divers  churches ;  and  yet  this  example  he  never  followed : 
nor,  although  he  had  the  Cross  in  admiration,  as  which  was 
from  heaven  revealed  to  him,  yet  did  he  ever  bring  the  Cross 
into  the  church. 

Wherefore,  your  Bartholomeus'  dedication  I  have  in  as 
good  credit  as  the  rest  of  the  tales  that  Abdias  tells  con 
cerning  S.  Bartholomew.  For  this  he  ainrmeth ;  that  the 
Devil,  giving  marks  of  him  to  his  friends,  said  among  the 
rest3 :  Viginti  sex  anni  sunt,  ex  quo  nunquam  sordidantur 
vestimenta  ejus  ;  siiniliter  et  sandalia  ejus  per  viginti  quin- 
que  annos  nunquam  veterascunt :  "  Now  are  there  twenty-six 
years  since  that  his  garments  never  filed4 ;  nor  his  shoes  for 
these  twenty-five  years  ever  waxed  old."  We  read  that  the 
like  miracle  was  shewed  to  the  children  of  Israel5,  when  as 
they  were  in  wilderness,  and  had  no  ordinary  mean  to  come 
by  necessaries.  But  that  S.  Bartholomew,  a  King  his  nephew, 
a  trim  fellow,  with  precious  stones  in  every  corner  of  his 
coat ;  in  such  credit  with  a  Prince,  as  he  was  with  Polymius ; 
in  such  a  populous  country  as  India  was ;  (which  things  all 
Abdias  doth  write  of  him ;)  should  have  his  garments  kept 
from  wearing,  was  more  than  needed,  more  than  with  reason 
may  be  believed.  Again,  Abdias  witncsseth,  that  S.  Bartho- 

1  Lib.  Peristephanon.  [Opera,  foil.  153-4.    Antvcrp.  1540.] 
a  1  Tirao.  iv.  [5.] 

3  In  Vita  Earth.  Lib.  viii.  [fol.  96,  b.] 

4  [were  defiled. — "  Sacrilege  is  to  file  holy  Jung."    (Wicliffe's  Apol. 
p.  22.  Lond.  1842.  cd.  Camden  Soc.)] 

5  [Deut.  viii.  4.] 


ANSWER  TO   THE   TREATISE   OF  THE   CROSS.  133 

lomcw  came  in  to  the  King  Polymius  when  the  doors  -were 
shut ;  which  never  was  heard  tell  of  but  only  of  Christ0 :  and 
now,  by  his  doctrine,  we  may  fall  a  reasoning  of  the  dimensions 
of  S.  Bartholomew's  body.  Then,  in  the  same  legend,  he 
reporteth  also,  that  Mary,  the  mother  of  Christ,  did  make  a 
vow  of  chastity :  with  many  other  points,  most  strange,  and 
dissonant  from  all  godly  learning.  But  see  how  these  lying 
losels7  do  detect  themselves.  Abdias  saith8,  that  Astyages, 
brother  to  Polymius,  caused  S.  Bartholomew  fiistibus  caidi, 
ccexumque  decollari :  "to  be  all  to  bebatted,  and  afterward 
to  be  beheaded :"  but  he  shews  not  where,  save  only  in  some 
piece  of  India.  Nicephorus,  another  of  your  authors,  saith9: 
Hierapoli  in  Crucem  actum  :  "  that  he  was  hanged  at  Hiera 
polis.''1  But  he  that  makes  Supplementum  Chronicorum 
writeth10:  In  Albana,  Majoris  Armenice  urbe,  primo  ccesum, 
dein  excoriatum  :  "  that  in  Albana,  a  city  of  Greater  Armenia, 
first  he  was  slain,  and  afterward  was  flayed."  So,  by  this 
means,  the  poor  Saint  should  first  be  beheaded,  I  wot  not 
where  in  India ;  then,  afterward,  lose  his  life  on  the  gallows  at 
Hierapolis  ;  and,  last  of  all,  have  his  skin  pulled  over  his  ears 
in  Armenia11,  a  good  while  after  that  his  head  was  gone.  It  is  a 
sport,  and  yet  a  spite,  to  see  how  men  of  your  profession, 
(Master  Martiall,)  that  vaunt  yourselves  to  be  friends  to  the 
Cross  of  Christ,  can  do  nothing  almost  but  lie.  Wherefore, 
those  things  condemning  utterly  your  author's  credit,  I  need 
to  wade  no  further  in  confutation  of  his  church-hallowing. 
It  confuteth  itself,  with  shame  enough  to  you.  Only  I  marvel, 
that  as  "  the  Angel12,"  (as  you  say,)  "engraved  with  his  finger  Foiio38,a. 
in  the  square  stones  the  sign  of  the  Cross ;  and  further,  from 
God  commanded  them  to  make  such  a  sign  in  their  foreheads  ;" 

c  [S.  John  xx.  19,  26.]  '  [knaves,  cheats.] 

8  Lib.  viii.  circa  finem.  [fol.  102,  a.] 

9  [Lib.  ii.  Cap.  xxxix.    Nicephorus,  however,  adds  that  S.  Bartho 
lomew   escaped   from    death  at   Hierapolis,  in  Phrygia ;    and   that, 
"  aliquanto  post  tempore,  Urbanopoli,  provincial  Cilicisc,  in  Crucem 
rursus  actus,  ad  unice  desideratum  Christum  migravit."] 

10  Lib.  viii.  anno  a  Christo  80.     [Jac.  Phil.  Bergomensis  Snpplem. 
Clironic.  fol.  153.     Brixise,  1485.] 

11  [Cave  maintains  that  Albanople,  in  Armenia  the  Great,  was  "  the 
same  no  doubt  which  Nicephorus  calls  Urbanople,  a  city  of  Cilicia." 
(Antlqq.  Apostol.  p.  662.    Lond.  1742.)] 

12  [Abdias,  foil.  100-1.] 


134  THE   THIRD  ARTICLE. 

commanded  not  as  well,  (which  had  been  more  to  purpose,)  to 
make  the  like  signs  •  in  other  stones,  in  dedication  of  other 
churches.  I  would  wish,  in  the  next  print  it  might  be  put  in ; 
that  your  popish  church-hallowing,  (whereof  I  will  speak 
anon,)  might  seem  to  have  some  precedent  for  it. 

But,  for  S.  Bartholomew,  I  have  said  enough.  And  the  same 
answer  may  suffice  for  S.  Philip ;  as  his  example  is  out  of  the 
said  Abdias  brought.  For,  as  S.  Hierom  saith J ;  (touching  the 
name  of  Zachary,  of  whom  mention  is  made  Matth.  xxiii. ; 
that  some  would  have  him  to  have  been  the  eleventh  of  the 
Prophets,  but  some  other  to  have  been  the  father  of  S.  John 
Baptist :)  Hoc,  quia  de  Scripturis  non  habet  anthoritatem, 
cadem  facilitate  contemnitur,  quaprobatur:  "This,  because 
it  hath  not  authority  of  the  Scripture,  is  as  easily  contemned 
as  proved ;"  so  may  I  say  for  the  words  which  ye  father 
upon  S.  Philip :  "  In  the  place  where  Mars  seemeth  to  stand 
fast,  set  up  the  Cross  of  my  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  adore  the 
same2:"  because  it  is  contrary  to  the  Scripture,  and  is  but  the 
report  of  a  lying  legend,  I  may,  with  good  cause,  reject  the 
authority.  For  neither  was  the  change  allowable,  to  destroy 
one  Idol,  to  make  another ;  (as  in  the  first  article  I  proved :) 
nor  to  adore  it,  was  in  any  wise  tolerable ;  as  afterward  more 
at  large  appeareth.  Wherefore,  your  reason  being,  (as  it  is,) 
absurd  and  foolish,  we  be  not  driven  to  any  such  shift  as  ye 
talk  of,  to  say  that  faith  should  be  fixed  in  a  wall.  We  know 
no  such  melody  to  move,  as  you  say,  hard  stones ;  or  make 
brazen  pillars  to  understand  :  though  your  magical  minstrelsy 
hath  been  such,  that  rotten  stocks  have  spoke  at  your  pleasure  ; 
spoken  good  reason,  (as  you  have  esteemed  it.)  Remember 
ye  not  the  Rood  of  Winchester,  that  cunningly  decised  a 
controversy  between  the  Monks  and  married  Priests ;  pro 
nouncing  in  Latin :  (for  he  was  better  taught  than  his  masters 
the  Monks:)  Non  bene  sentiunt  qui  favent  Presbyteris :  "They 
think  not  well  that  favour  the  Priests?"  Who  was  that 
Orpheus,  that  wrought  that  understanding  there  ?  Dunstan, 
or  the  Devil,  or  both  ?  It  hath  been  always  a  popish  practice, 
to  make  Roods  and  Images  to  roll  their  eyes,  to  sweat,  and 
to  speak ;  (whereof  infinite  examples  might  be  brought :)  but 
that  of  men,  professing  the  Gospel ;  of  Protestants,  (as  ye  call 

1  Super  xxiii.  Matth.     [Opp.  Tom.  ix.  p.  70.  Basil.  1565.] 

2  [Abdias,  fol.  122,  b.] 


ANSWER   TO   THE   TREATISE   OF   THE   CROSS.  135 

them,)  there  hath  been  any  such  delusion,  is  not  in  any  writing 
of  any  age  to  be  found.  Wherefore  ye  do  us  wrong,  in  bur 
dening  us  with  such  untruths;  unless,  by  remembrance  of  your 
own  follies,  ye  will  force  us,  (as  it  were,)  to  open  and  disclose 
your  shame. 

But  let  me  come  to  your  Councils.  The  first  ye  fetch 
from  the  record  of  Ivo3  and  Gratian4,  alleging  a  Synod 
kept  at  Orleance  in  France.  Ye  do  right  well  to  cite  your 
authors ;  otherwise  I  might  have  suspected  the  authority  : 
for,  in  all  the  Canons  of  the  Council  itself,  we  read  not  the 
words  that  make  for  your  purpose5.  But  you  do  wisely,  not 
to  pass  the  compass  of  your  own  profession  ;  and  therefore  say 
no  more  than  the  popish  Decrees  do  teach  you.  But,  if  a  man 
may  be  so  bold  in  your  own  faculty  to  oppose  you ;  how  do 
the  words  of  this  your  Council  prove,  that  every  church  must 
have  the  sign  of  the  Cross  ?  "  Forsooth,"  (say  you,)  "  because  Foiio  40. 
it  is  decreed,  that  no  man  build  a  church,  before  the  Bishop 
of  that  diocese  come,  and  set  up  a  Cross."  By  the  same  reason, 
the  ring  of  the  church-door  is  a  piece  of  God's  service  too. 
For,  as  the  fixing  of  a  Cross,  the  pitching  of  a  stake,  (as  it 
were,)  in  the  ground,  doth  shew  that  the  Bishop  hath  limited 
out  the  compass  of  the  church ;  so  the  other  is  a  proof  of 
Induction  of  the  Priest.  Yet,  as  this  sign  of  possession  taken 
is  no  part  of  duty  within  the  church  discharged ;  so  the  other 
sign  of  authority  to  build  given  is  no  part  of  service  within 
the  building  to  be  done.  And  this  is  the  point,  which  in  this 
article  ye  go  about  to  prove  ;  "  that  every  church  and  chapel" 
must  have  a  Cross  erected  in  it,  to  the  honour  and  service  of 
Almighty  God.  But  this  Cross  serveth  another  turn ;  to  a 
civil  Policy,  and  no  point  of  Religion :  for,  lest  that  men 
should  presume  to  build  churches  without  authority  ecclesias 
tical,  it  was  decreed,  that  the  Bishop  of  the  diocese  should 
view  the  place ;  appoint  where  the  body  of  the  church  should 

3  [Decret.  iii.  Par.  Cap.  viii.  fol.  84,  a.  Lovau.  15G1.] 

4  ["  Nemo  ccclesiam  sedificet,  antcquam  Episcopus  civitatis  vcuiat, 
ct  ibidem  Crucem  figat."     (De  Consec.  Dist.  i.  Cap.  ix.)] 

5  [They  are  in  reality  the  words  of  the  sixty-seventh  Novel  of  tho 
Emperor  Justinian;  which  has,  of  course,  been  cited  by  Cornelius  a 
Rynthelen.  (Jurista  Romano-Caihol.  pp.  224,  259.  Colon.  Agripp.  1618. 
Conf.  Rhythm,  de  S.  Annone,  cura  Mart.  Opitii,  pag.  50.    Duntisei, 
1639.)] 


136  THE  THIRD  ARTICLE. 

be ;  and  leave  his  mark  behind  him  :  which  mark  might  as 
well  have  been  his  Crosier  as  his  Cross ;  but  that  the  one  was 
less  chargeable  than  the  other.  If  ye  credit  not  me,  turn  over 
your  Decree.  There  shall  ye  find,  that  order  is  taken  for 
things  necessary  before  the  church  be  builded :  but  we  do 
inquire  what  is  necessary  service  in  a  church  hallowed. 
Wherefore,  I  see  not  how  that  Council  Provincial,  triginta 
trium  JEpiscoporum,  "of  three  and  thirty  Bishops,"  as  the  book 
doth  tell  us1,  can  make  any  thing  for  you.  But  if  there  were 
most  plain  determination  for  the  Cross,  in  that  or  any  other 
such-like  Council ;  I  am  no  more  bound  to  the  authority, 
thereof,  than  you  will  be  to  the  English  Synods,  held  in  King 
Edward's  days,  and  in  the  Queen's  Majesty's  reign  that  now 
is.  Yet,  the  duty  of  a  subject,  (if  ye  were  honest,)  might  drive 
you  to  this ;  whereas  there  is  no  cause,  that  might  enforce 
my  consent  to  the  other. 

Now  for  your  second  at  Towres,  whose  Canon  is  this  : 
Ut  corpus  Domini  in  Altari,  non  in  Armario2,  sed  sub 
Crucis  titulo,  componatur :  which  you  do  English  after 
io  40,  b.  this  sort :  "  That  the  body  of  our  Lord,  consecrated  upon 
the  Altar,  be  not  reposed  and  set  in  the  Revestry,  but 
under  the  Rood."  Where  we  may  learn  two  school  points 
of  you.  First,  that  Armarium  is  Latin  for  a  Revestry3: 
then,  that  Titulus  Crucis  is  Latin  for  a  Rood.  But  if 
your  scholars  have  been  taught  heretofore  to  translate  no 
better,  a  rod  had  been  more  meet  for  the  Usher :  for 
Armarium  may  well  be  taken  for  a  library,  for  a  closet,  or 
Almerie4;  but  no  more  for  the  Revestry  than  for  the  belfry. 
Yet  will  I  not  greatly  in  that  word  contend  with  you.  Be  it 
that  their  foolish  meaning  was  for  a  Revestry ;  yet  doubtless 
they  were  not  so  mad  as  to  put  Titulus  Crucis  for  a  Rood. 
Titulus  Crucis  is  "  the  title  of  the  Cross :"  and  I  marvel 

1  [Vid.  Binii  Concilia,  Tom.  ii.  P.  i.  p.  548.  Colon.  Agr.  1618.] 

2  [Instead  of  "  non  in  armario,"  (Crabbe's  reading,)  we  now  gene 
rally  find  "  non  in  imaginario  ordine,"  in  the  third  Canon  of  this  Synod 
of  Tours.    Binius  (ii.  ii.  231.)  tells  us,  that  the  remodelled  injunction 
signifies,  that  the  Host  should  be  placed,  not  among  the  sacred  Images, 
but  immediately  under  the  Cross  which  was  upon  the  middle  of  the 
Altar.]  3  [or  Vestry.] 

4  [Almonry.  In  old  Records  the  words  "Almonarium,"  "  Almorie- 
tum,"  and  "  Almeriola"  occur ;  and  mean  a  repository  for  provisions 
for  tho  poor.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  137 

that  you  vrould  not  rather  expound  it  for  a  Fix,  than  a 
Rood ;  being  driven  by  this  to  carry  God's  body  sacred 
from  the  Altar  into  the  Rood-loft.  We  have  not  heard  afore 
this  time,  that  the  Sacrament  was  reverently  kept  under  the 
Rood ;  that,  the  Altar  refused,  the  Rood-loft  should  be  re 
verenced. 

Now  as  concerning  the  sixth  General  Council,  kept  at 
Constantinople  in  Trullo  ;  "  whereby,"  (ye  say,)  "  it  may  be 
gathered,  that  the  sign  of  the  Cross  was  kept  and  had  in 
churches ;"  I  pray  you  allege  the  Canon  of  that  Council, 
out  of  which  ye  gather  it5.  I  am  not  ignorant  that,  in  the 
Pope's  law,  it  is  cited  so6  :  but  I  am  not  yet  persuaded 
that  it  is  so.  Belike  the  patchers  of  those  ragged  reliques 
mistook  the  name  of  the  sixth  for  the  seventh.  For,  as 
it  is  certain  that,  in  the  sixth  Council  of  Constantinople, 
there  was  a  long  discourse  contra  Monothclitas,  "  against 
them  which  affirmed  there  was  but  one  will  in  Christ;"  so, 
in  all  the  Actions  that  are  come  abroad  to  the  sight  of 
the  world,  there  is  not  so  much  as  mention  of  the  Cross. 
It  is  an  easy  matter  to  say :  "  Such  a  Council  denned  so  the 
case  ;"  and  bring  no  proof  at  all,  nor  so  much  as  a  word,  to 
rule  the  case  over.  This  is  too  slight  dealing,  in  so  great  a 
cause,  as  you  will  have  the  Cross  to  be.  But,  on  the  other 
side,  as  you  have  brought  but  the  bare  name  of  three  Councils 
for  you,  whereof  there  is  none  that  confirmeth  your  error  ; 

5  [Martiall  must  have  alluded  to  the  eighty-second  Canon  of  the 
Quinisext  Council,  which  allowed  Pictures  of  the  Saviour  to  supplant 
typical  representations  of  Him  by  a  Lamb.     This  Trullan  Synod  was 
held  in  the  year  692 :  and  though  its  Decrees  were  recognized  by  the 
second  Council  of  Nice,  they  are  now  received  only  by  the  Eastern 
Church.     Pighius  wrote  a  tract  to  prove  that  the  Acts  both  of  the 
sixth  and  seventh  Council  were  forged:  (Controv.  prcecip.  foil.  271-292. 
Paris.  1542.)   but,  whatever  may  be  the  fate  of  other  Ordinances, 
Bcllarmin  will  not  permit  the  Canon,  above  referred  to,  to  escape ;  for 
he  declares  that  "iste  Canon  semper  receptus  fuit  ab  Ecclesia."    (De 
Imagin.  Lib.  ii.  Cap.  xii.)  Vid.  Bevereg.  Pcwdectt.  i.  252.    Binii  Con- 
cill.  iii.  i.  224.    Lupi  Synod.  Deer.  ii.  1041.  Lovan.  1665.    Comber's 
Discourse  of  the  second  Nicene  Council,  p.  56.     Lond.  1688.     Jenkins's 
ITixtor.  Exam,  of  Gen.  Counc.  p.  14.   Ib.  1688.    Crakanthoq).  D< 
Ecchs.  Anglic,  p.  382.  Lond.  1625.    Coci  Censur.  p.  231.    Du  Moulin, 
Nouveaute  du  Papisme,  p.  907.  A  Geneve,  1633.] 

6  [Ant.  August ini  De  emendat.  Grcitiani,  Dint.  xv.  Lib.  i.  pp.  125-6. 
Paris.  1607.] 


138  THE  THIRD  ARTICLE. 

so,  if  I  bring  three  Councils  indeed,  as  famous  as  they,  which 
in  plain  words,  by  public  and  free  assent,  shall  overthrow  it, 
will  ye  be  then  content  to  give  over  ?  Howsoever  your  fro- 
wardness  in  this  behalf  shall  lead  you ;  yet,  that  other  may 
understand,  how  men  of  sounder  judgment  have  assembled 
themselves  also  together,  and  al way  resisted  the  heresy  of 
Imagery,  I  will  only  rehearse  three  other  to  you. 

Constantino  the  fifth,  son  to  Leo,  surnamed  Isauricus, 
(otherwise,  by  a  nickname  of  Iconolatra?,  called  Iconomachus ; 
of  Image-worshippers  an  Image-enemy;)  in  the  year  of  our 
Lord  746  \  called  a  Council  at  his  princely  palace  of  Con 
stantinople;  where  Eutropius2  reporteth,  that  the  Bishop  of 
Ephesus,  the  Bishop  of  Perga,  the  Bishop  of  Constantinople, 
with  other  moe  to  the  number  of  three  hundred  and  thirty- 
eight  Prelates  were;  as  appeareth  by  the  subscriptions  :  (or,  as 
Sigebertus3  reporteth,  three  hundred  and  thirty.)  There  they 
sat,  deliberating  upon  the  matter,  from  the  tenth  of  February 
till  the  eighth  of  August.  In  the  end  they  concluded,  as 
touching  the  Image  of  Christ,  thus :  Si  quis  divinam  Dei 
Verbi  secundum  incarnationem  figuram,  &c.  The  Acts  of 
which  Council  I  will  therefore  insert  at  more  large  into  my 
writing4 ;  because  they  contain  very  learned  reasons  against 
the  Picture  of  Christ  to  be  made,  or  Image  of  any  other  in 
place  of  God's  service  used. 

Sanctorum  Patrum*  et  Universalium  Synodorum  pur  am, 
et  inviolatam,  et  a  Deo  traditam  fidem  nostram  et  con- 
fessionem  observantes,  dicimus :  Non  debere  quenquam 
divisionem  aut  confusionem,  ultra  verum  sensum  et  volun- 
tatem  inexprimibilem,  et  incognoscibilem  illam  unionem  dua- 
rum,  secundum  Hypostasim  unam,  naturarum,  comminisci. 
Qucenam  est  hcecinsana  opinio  pictorum;  ut,  lucri  turpis  et 
miseri  causa,  ea,  quce  effici  nequeant,  studeant  conficere :  ut 

1  [754.    Sigebertus  says  755.] 

2  Eutropius,  Rer.  Rom.  Lib.  xxii.    [Sec  before,  page  71,  n.  5.] 

3  Sigebertus  in  Chro.  [fol.  54,  a.  Paris.  1513.] 

4  [They  are  extant  among  the  Acts  of  the  second  Council  of  Nice  : 
and  Calf  hill  quotes  from  what  is  styled  by  Sirmondus  the  "  vulgata 
editio,"  and  what  Labbe,  Daille,  and  others  have  erroneously  supposed 
to  be  the  old  Latin  translation ;   whereas   it   is  merely  the  version 
made  by  Gybertus  Longolius,  in  the  year  1540.] 

5  [Concill.  General.  Tom.  iii.  P.  ii.  p.  97.  Romsc,  1612.] 


ANSWER  TO   THE   TREATISE   OF   THE   CROSS.  139 

et  ca,  quce  ore  et  corde  stint  tantummodo  confessa,  impiis 
manibus  figurare  intendant  ?  Arbitratus  autem  sic  est, 
ipsam  Imaginem  Christum  vocando.  Est  autem  Christus 
hoc  nomine  Dens  et  homo.  Sequitur,  ut  Imago  Dei  sit  et 
hominis.  Et  consequent  est,  ut,  aut  juxta  opinionem  vani- 
tatis  SUCK,  Deitatem,  quce  circumscriptione  created  carnis 
circumscribi  non  potest,  circumscripserit ;  aut  inconfusam 
illam  unitionem,  impietatis  confusione,  confuderit;  et  geminas 
blasphemias  in  Deitatem,  et  per  descriptionem  et  confusio- 
nem,  intulerit.  lisdem  ergo  blas%>hemiis  earum  adorator 
involvitur:  et  vce  illud  utriusque  jwcemium;  quod  scilicet  et 
cum  Ario,  Dioscoro,  Eutyche,  et  Acephalorum  hceresi  erra- 
verint.  Damnati  autem  a  cordatis  viris  in  eo,  quod  in~ 
comprehensibilem  et  incircumscriptibilem  divinam  Christi 
natnram  ipsi  depingere  studuerunt,  ad  aliam  aliquam  prava 
inventione  apologiam  confugiunt ;  quod  solius  carnis  quam 
vidimus  et  palpavimus,  et  cum  qua  versati  sumus,  illius 
inquam  Imaginem  exhibemus :  quod  sane  impium  est,  et 
Nestoriana  diabolica  inventio.  Considerandum  est  et  hoc  : 
quod  si,  juxta  orthodoxos  Patres,  simul  caro,  simul  Dei 
Verbi  caro,  nunquam  partitionis  notitiam  suscepisset,  sed  to- 
taliter  tota  natura  divina  assumpta,  et  totaliter  et  perfecte 
Deitate  arrepta  faisset ;  quomodo  in  duas  diducetur,  et  ab 
impiis  illis,  qui  istudfacere  conantur,f)rivatimseparabitur? 
Consimiliter  vero  et  de  sacra  Ejus  anima  se  habet.  Postquam 
enim  assumpsisset  Deltas  Filii  in  propria  Hypostasi  carnis 
naturam,  inter  Deitatem  et  carnis  crassitudinem  anima 
mediam  se  interposuit :  et  quemadmodum  simul  caro,  simul 
Verbi  Dei  caro ;  sic  simul  anima,  simul  Verbi  Dei  anima. 
Et  ambabus  simul  conspectis,  videlicet  anima  et  corpore, 
inseparabilis  ab  ipsis  Deltas  extitit ;  et  in  ipsa  etiam  dis- 
junctione  animce  a  corpore,  in  voluntaria  passione.  Ubi 
enim  anima  Christi,  illic  etiam  Deltas :  et  ubi  corpus 
Christi,  et  illic  quoque  Deltas  consistit.  Siquidem  igitur  in 
passione  inseparabilis  ab  Us  mansit  Deltas,  quomodo  insani 
isti,  et  quavis  imprudentia  irrationaliores,  carnem  Deitate 
conjunctam,  et  deificatam,  dividunt ;  et  hanc,  ut  nudi  homiiii* 
Imaginem,  pingere  conantur  ?  Et  ex  hoc  in  aliud  impie 
tatis  barathrum  labuntur.  Nam,  carnem  a  Deitate  sepa- 
rantes,  et  per  se  subsistentem  earn  induccntes ;  aliamque 
personam  in  carne  constituentes,  quam  in,  Imagine  represcn- 


140  THE   THIRD  ARTICLE. 

tari  dicunt ;  quartam  personam  Trinitati  adjiciunt,  et 
divinam  asscrtionem  j)rcedicant  impiam.  Itaque  fiet  illis,  qui 
Christum  depingere  nituntur,  ut  aut  Deitatem  circumscrip- 
tibilem,  et  cum  carne  confusam  dicant :  aut  corpus  Christi 
expers  Deitatis,  et  divisum;  prceterea  personam  per  se  sub- 
sistentem  in  carne  asserant ;  et  ita  Nestoriance  Deo  repug- 
nanti  hceresi  similes  existunt.  In  talem  igitur  blasphemiam 
et  impietatem  cadentes,  pudore  suffundantur;  aversentur 
wipsos;  et  talia  facere  desinant :  nee  hii  solum  qui  faciunt, 
verum  etiam  qui  falso  nomine  factam,  et  dictam  ab  ipsis 
Christi  Imaginem  venerantur.  Absit  a  nobis  ex  cequo  et 
Nestorii  divisio,  et  Arii,  Dioscori,  Eutychis  et  Severi  con- 
fusio  ;  male  sibi  ipsa  repugnantia,  et  quce,  utraque  ex  cequo 
impietatem  procuran  t. 

Which  words  in  English  be  these : 

"  We,  following  therein  the  pure  and  inviolable  faith, 
delivered  from  God,  received  of  holy  Fathers  and  General 
Councils,  do  say :  That  no  man  ought  to  imagine  a  division  or 
confusion,  contrary  to  the  true  sense  and  will  not  able  to  be 
expressed ;  and  the  same  union,  being  above  reach  of  know 
ledge,  of  two  natures  agreeable  to  one  Person.  For  what  a 
mad  opinion  is  this  of  painters ;  who,  for  filthy  lucre's  sake, 
endeavour  to  make  those  things  that  cannot  be  made ;  and  go 
about  with  their  wicked  hands  to  express  counterfeits  of 
those  things,  which  are  only  with  heart  and  mouth  acknow 
ledged  ?  Undoubtedly  such  was  the  judgment  of  him,  that 
called  the  Image  itself  Christ.  But  Christ  is  by  this  name 
both  God  and  man.  It  followeth  then,  that  it  is  the  Image  of 
God  and  man.  And  that  also  followeth,  that  either,  accord 
ing  to  their  vain  opinion,  he  hath  circumscribed  the  Deity ; 
(shut  up  the  Godhead  within  a  compass ;)  the  which  cannot  be 
circumscribed,  (or  limited  his  room,)  as  is  the  nature  created  : 
or  that  he  hath  confounded,  by  confusion  most  wicked,  that 
uniting  and  knitting  together  of  the  two  natures,  which  are 
inconfusible ;  (and  in  themselves  distinct :)  and  so,  by  his  de 
scription  and  confusion,  hath  committed  against  the  Godhead 
a  double  blasphemy.  Such  therefore  as  worship  them  are 
enwrapped  in  the  same  blasphemies,  and  the  curse  is  reward 
to  either  of  them ;  in  that  they  have  erred  with  Arrius, 
Dioscorus,  and  Eutyches,  and  such  also  as  are  infected  with 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  141 

the  heresy  of  the  Aeephali.  Notwithstanding,  they,  being 
condemned  of  men  of  understanding,  in  that  they  have  at 
tempted  to  paint  the  divine  nature  of  Christ,  which  is  not 
only  not  to  be  measured  and  bounded  in,  but  also  not  to  be 
comprehended,  (or  by  wit  comprised,)  do  flee  through  their 
ungracious  invention  to  some  other  defence ;  that  we  do  set 
forth  alone  the  Image  of  that  nature  only,  of  that,  (I  say,) 
which  we  have  seen,  handled,  and  been  conversant  with :  and 
that  is  very  wicked,  and  a  devilish  device  of  Nestorius.  This 
also  is  further  to  be  considered :  that  if  so  be,  according  to 
the  mind  of  the  right  believing  Fathers,  that  flesh,  which  is  not 
only  flesh,  but  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  God,  did  never  learn 
the  way  to  be  divided,  but  the  whole  nature  of  the  Divinity 
received,  and  perfect  Deity  thereunto  was  taken;  how  shall 
it  of  these  wicked  ones,  which  endeavour  this  thing,  be 
divided  into  two  ;  and  each  by  itself  be  separated  ?  Like  is 
the  state  and  condition  of  His  sacred  soul.  For  after  such 
time  as  the  Godhead  of  the  Son  had  assumpted  in  proper  Per 
son  the  nature  of  flesh,  the  soul  placed  herself  a  mean 
between  the  Deity  and  the  grossness  of  the  flesh  :  and  as 
that  flesh  was  not  only  mere  flesh,  but  also  the  flesh  of  God 
the  Word ;  even  so  the  soul,  not  only  an  human  soul,  but  also 
the  soul  of  God  the  "Word.  And  both  together  being  seen, 
(that  is  to  say,  the  soul  and  the  body,)  the  Godhead  remained 
as  inseparable  from  them ;  yea,  and  that  even  in  the  separation 
itself  of  the  soul  from  the  body,  in  that  passion,  which  wil 
lingly  He  suffered.  For  wheresoever  the  soul  of  Christ  is, 
there  is  also  the  Godhead :  and  where  the  body  of  Christ  is, 
there  is  also  the  Godhead.  If  that  therefore  the  Godhead 
could  not  be  separate  from  these  in  the  passion,  how  do 
these  madmen,  (as  rash,  and  altogether  unreasonable,)  make 
a  division  of  flesh,  joined  with  the  Divinity,  and  deified ; 
and  attempt  to  paint  the  same  as  the  Image  of  a  natural  man 
only,  and  no  more  ?  And,  forth  of  this,  they  slip  into  ano 
ther  bottomless  pit  of  impiety.  For,  in  that  they  do  separate 
the  human  nature  from  the  Divinity,  and  do  bring  in  the 
same  subsisting  by  itself ;  and  thereby  do  make  another  person 
in  the  flesh,  the  which  they  say  to  be  represented  in  the 
Image ;  they  do  join  a  fourth  person  to  the  Trinity,  and  give 
sentence  that  the  word  of  God  is  wicked.  Therefore,  it  must 
needs  follow  of  them  which  attempt  to  paint  Christ,  that 


142  THE   THIRD  ARTICLE. 

either  they  must  say,  that  the  Godhead  is  circumscriptible ; 
(such  as  may  be  contained  within  a  certain  compass ;)  and  so 
confounded  with  the  flesh :  or  else  affirm,  that  the  body  of 
Christ  is  void  of  the  Godhead,  and  divided,  and  moreover  a 
person  by  itself  subsisting  in  the  flesh  ;  and  so  join  with 
the  heresy  of  Nestorius,  impugning  God's  truth.  Forasmuch 
then  as  they  fall  into  such  blasphemy  and  impiety,  let  them 
be  ashamed ;  let  them  abhor  themselves ;  let  them  cease  to 
practise  such  things :  neither  they  only  which  do  make  them, 
but  those  likewise  which  do  worship  that  which  they  make, 
and  untruly  name  the  Image  of  Christ.  Let  therefore  be  far 
from  us,  (as  reason  requireth,)  as  well  the  division  of  Nestorius, 
as  also  the  confusion  of  Arius,  Dioscorus,  Eutyches,  and  Se- 
verus ;  wickedly  disagreeing  one  with  another,  and  on  either 
side  causing  an  impiety." 

And  a  little  after  the  said  Council  hath : 

Imaginum  falsi  nominis  prava  appellatlo  neque  ex 
Christi,  neque  Apostolorum,  neque  Patrum  traditione  ccepit ; 
neque  precationem  sacram  ullam,  qua  sanctificari  possit, 
habet :  sed  manet  communis  [et]  inhonorata,  quemadmodum 
ab  artifice  pictore  absoluta  est.  Quod  si  autem  quidam  ex 
co  errore  existentes  dixerint,  recte  ac  pie  a  nobis  dictum 
esse,  in  subversione  Imaginis  Christi  a  nobis  facta,  propter 
indisseparatam  et  inconfusam  essentiam  duarum  natura- 
nnn  in  una  Hypostasi  convenientium  :  tamen  iterum  dubitare 
oportet,  propter  Imagines  ter  incidpatce,  et  supergloriosce 
Domince  Deiparce,  Prophetarum,  Apostolorum,  et  Marty- 
rum,  cum  sint  meri  nudique  homines ;  neque  ex  duabus 
naturis,  divina  scilicet  et  humana,  in  una  Hypostasi  con- 
sistant,  quemadmodum  in  solius  Christi  Imaginibus  fieri 
renuntiavimus.  Dubitare  autem  oportet,  propter  Imagines  ter 
inculpatce,  et  super gloriosce  Deiparce  Domince,  Prophetarum, 
Apostolorum,  et  Martyrum,  cum  fuerint  nudi  homines,  et  non 
ex  duabus  naturis  constituti,  quidnam  conveniens  aut  com- 
modum  ad  has  dicere  potuerint,  subverso  priore  argumento. 
Profecto  nihil  est  quod  hie  habe[}i\t.  Sed  quid  dicimus  de 
subversione  ?  Quandoquidem  Catholica  nostra  Ecclesia,  me 
dia  existens  inter  Judaismum  et  Gentilitatem,  neutram  illis 
consuetam  sacrificationem  accepit ;  verum  novam  pietatis  et 
mysticce  constitutionis  a  Deo  datceformam  et  viam  ingredi- 
tur.  Nam  cruenta  Judworum  sacrificia  et  holocaustomata 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  143 

non  admittit;  ct  Gentilitatis  in  sacrificando  omnem  Idolola- 
triam  et  Statuarum  copiam  aversatur.  Hcec  caput  et  inventrix 
abhominabilis  istius  artis  fidt.     Nam  cum  spem  Resurrec- 
tionis  non  haberet,   dignum  sibi  ludicrum  excogitavit ;   ut 
per  cum  Insiim  absentes  tanquam  adhuc  prcesentes  exhiberet. 
Siquidem  igitur  nihil  novi  sapit  hcec  res,  profecto,  tanquam 
alienum   dcemoniacorum   hominum    inventum,   ab   Ecclesia 
Christi  longissime  abjiciatur.      Cessent  itaque  ora  omnium, 
quce  loquuntur  impia  et  contumeliosa  contra  hanc  nostram 
JDeo  gratam  sententiam  et  Decretum.     Sancti  enim  qui  Deo 
placuerunt,  et  qui  ab  Eo  dignitate  sanctitatis  honorati  sunt, 
etiamsi  hinc  transmigraverint,  non  tamen  eos  odiosa  mortua 
ars  unquam  faciet  redivivos :  sed  quicunque,  ex  Gentilium 
errore,  illis  Statuas  aut  Imagines  erigere  fuerit  conatus,  blas- 
phemusjudicabitur.    Quomodo  autem  et  valde  laudatam  Dei 
Matrem,   quam  obumbravit  plenitudo  Deitatis,  per  quam 
nobis  eluxit  lumen  quod  adiri  nequit ;  Matrem,inquam,  ipsis 
ccelis   altiorem,    sanctiorem    Clierubin,   vulgaris   Gentilium 
ars  pingere  audet  ?     Rursus,  quomodo  eos  qui  cum  Christo 
regnaturi  sunt,  et  in  sedibus  cum  Eo  sedebunt  judicaturi 
orbem  terrarum,   conformes  Ejus  glorice,   quibus  non   erat 
dignus   mundus,   ut   divina  miracula   asserunt ;    quomodo, 
inquam,  eos  non  timent  per  artem  Gentium  exhibere  ?    Pro 
fecto  non  fas  est  Ckristianis,  qui  spem  Resurrectionis  habent, 
Dcemonum   culture   consuetudinibus  uti,      Et   eos,  qui  in 
tanta  et  tali  gloria  resplendebunt,  non  decebat  ignominiosa 
et  mortua  materia  ignominia  ajficere.  Nos  autem  ab  alienis 
nostrce  fidei  demonst\_r\ationes  non  recipimus ;  et  in  Dccmo- 
nibus  testimonia   non   requirimus.     Ad  hcec,   exquisita   et 
exputata  nostra  sententia,  turn  ex  Scriptura  divinitus  af- 
flata,  turn  ex  Patrum  electorum  testimoniis  efficacibus,  con- 
venientibus  nobis,  et  asserentibus  piam  nostram  intentionem, 
exhibebimus  nostram  definitionem;  quibus  non  contradixerit  is, 
qui  conatur  hwc  in  dubium  vocare :  qui  vero  ignorat,  discat 
is,  et  erudiatur,  quod  scilicet  a  Deo  sunt.   Principio  verbum 
divince  vocis,  sic  dicentis,  prcemittimus  :  Deus  est  Spiritus : 
Quicunque  Deum  adoraverit,  in  spiritu  et  veritate  adorct. 
Et  iterum :  Deum  nemo  vidit  unquam :  neque  vocem  Ejus 
audivistis,  neque  formam  Ejus  vidistis.     Beati  sunt  qui  non 
viderunt,  et  crediderunt.     Et,  in  Veteri  Testamento,  ait  ad 
Moysen  et  populum  :  Non  fades  tibi  Idolum  ;  neque  omnem 


144  THE   THIRD  ARTICLE. 

similitudinem,  quwcunque  sunt  in  ccelo  supra,  et  in  terra, 
infra.  Quam  ob  causam  in  monte,  in  medio  ignis,  vocem 
verborum  vos  audivistis ;  similitudinem  autem  non  vidistis, 
sed  tantummodo  vocem.  Et,  Mutaverunt  gloriam  immor- 
talis  Dei,  per  Imaginem,  non  solum  ad  mortalis  hominis 
similitudinem  effictam ;  et  venerati  sunt  et  coluerunt  ea  quce 
condita  sunt,  supra  Ewn  qui  condidit.  Et  rursum :  Si 
enim  cognovimus  Christum  secundum  carnem,  jam  non 
cognoscimus.  Per  fidem  enim  ambulamus,  non  per  speciem. 
Et  hoc,  quod  ab  Apostolo  aperte  dictum  est :  Igitur  fides  ex 
auditu ;  auditus  autem  per  verbum  Dei.  Si  enim  cogno- 
vimus  Christum  secundum  carnem,  jam  non  cognoscimus. 
Per  fidem  enim  ambulamus,  non  per  speciem.  Eadem 
etiam  et  Apostolorum  discipuli  et  successores,  divini  Patres 
nostri  tradunt.  Epiphanius  enim  Cyprius,  inter  antesig- 
nanos  praiclarus,  sic  inquit :  Attendite  vobis,  ut  servetis 
traditiones  quas  accepistis.  Ne  declinetis,  neque  ad  dex 
ter  am,  neque  ad  sinistram.  Quibus  infert  hcec :  E stole 
memores,  dilecti  Jilii,  ne  in  ecclesiam  Imagines  inferatis ; 
neque  in  Sanctorum  coemiteriis  eas  statuatis :  sed  perpetuo 
circumferte  Deum  in  cordibus  vestris.  Quinetiam  neque  in 
domo  communi  tolerentur.  Non  enim  fas  est,  Christianum 
per  oculos  suspensum  teneri,  sed  per  occupationem  mentis. 
Idem,  in  aliis  quoque  Sermonibus  suis,  de  Imaginum  subver- 
sione  multa  dixit ;  quce  studiosi  qucerentes  facile  invenient. 
Similiter  et  Gregorius  Theologus  in  Versibus  suis  dicit  : 
Flagitium  est,  fidem,  habere  in  coloribus,  et  non  in  corde. 
Ea  enim,  qucR  in  coloribus  existit,  faciliter  eluitur;  qucevero 
in  prof  undo  mentis,  ilia  mihi  arnica.  Joannes  autem  Chry- 
sostomus  sic  docet :  Nos,  per  scripta,  Sanctorum  fruimur 
'prccsentia ;  non  sane  corporum  ipsorum,  sed  animarum  Im 
agines  habentes.  Nam  quce,  ab  ipsis  dicta  sunt  animarum 
illorum  Imagines  sunt.  Maxima  vero  ad  recti  investiga- 
tionem,  inquit  Magnus  Basilius,  meditatio  Scripturarum, 
divino  afflatu  nobis  datarum.  In  his  enim  et  rerum  ar- 
gumenta  inveniuntur  ;  et  vitce.  beatorum  virorum  perscriptce, 
veluti  Imagines  qucedam  animata',  secundum  Deum  politica 
imitatione  operum  exhibentur.  Et  Alexandrian  lumen  Atha- 
na&ius  dixit :  Quomodo  non  miseratione  prosequendi  sunt, 
qui  creatnras  adorant :  quod  illi  qui  indent  non  videntibus 
•  •till inn  cocliibent ;  ct  audientes  non  audientcs  orant,  precan- 


ANSWER   TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  145 

turque?  Creatura  enim  a  creatura  nunquam  servabitur* 
Similiter  Amphilochius,  Iconii  Episcopus,  sic  inquit :  Non 
enim  nobis  Sanctorum  corporales  vidtus  in  tabidis  coloribus 
ejfigiare  curce  est,  quoniam  his  opus  non  habemus;  sed  politico 
illorum  virtutum  memores  esse  debemus.  Consentanea  his 
etiam  Theodorus,  [al.  Theodotus,~\  Ancyrce  Episcopus,  sic 
docet :  Sanctorum  formas  et  species  ex  materialibus  colo 
ribus  formari,  minime  decorum  putamus :  horum  autem 
virtutes,  quce  per  scripta  traditce  sunt,  veluti  vivas  quasdam 
Imagines,  reficere  subinde  oportet.  Ex  his  enim  ad  similium 
imitationem  et  zelum  pervenire  possumus.  Dicant  enim 
nobis,  qui  illas  erigunt  Statuas,  qucenam  utilitas  ex  illis  ad 
se  redit.  An  quod  qualiscumque  recordatio  eos  habet  ex 
tali  speciali  contemplatione  ?  Sed  manifestum  est,  quod 
vana  sit  ejusmodi  cogitatio,  et  diabolical  deceptionis  in- 
ventum.  Similiter  et  Eusebius  Pamphili,  ad  Constantiam 
Augustam,  petentem  Christi  Imaginem  ad  se  ab  illo  mitti, 
talia  dicit:  Quoniam  autem  de  Christi  Imagine  ad  me  script 
sisti,  ut  tibi  mitterem ;  velim  mihi  significes  quamnam 
putes  Christi  Imaginem:  utrum  illam  veram  et  incommu- 
tabilem,  natura  Illius  characteres  ferentem;  aut  hanc  quam 
propter  nos  assumpsit,  servilem  formam  pro  nobis  induens, 
Sed  sane  de  divina  forma  non  arbitror  etiam  ipse  ego  te 
esse  solicitam;  cum  fueris  ab  Illo  edocta,  neminem  Patrem 
cognovisse,  praiter  Filium;  neque  Ipsum  Filium  condigne 
quempiam  cognovisse,  nisi  qui  Ilium  genuit  Pater.  Et  post 
alia  :  Sed  omnino  servi  requiris  Imaginem  formce,  et  carnem 
quam  propter  nos  induit :  sed  et  hanc  gloria  Deitatis  suce 
commixtam  esse  didicimus,  et  passam,  mortuamque.  Et 
post  pauca :  Quis  igitur  glorice  ejuscemodi  et  dignitatis 
splendores  lucentes  et  fulgurantes,  ejfigiare  mortuis  et  in- 
animatis  coloribus,  et  umbratili  pictura  posset  ?  cum  neque 
divini  Illius  Discipuli  in  monte  Ilium  contemplari  quive- 
rint :  qui,  cadentes  in  faciem  suam,  non  posse  se  ejusce 
modi  spectaculum  inspicere  confessi  sunt.  Igitur  si  carnis 
illius  figura  tantam  ab  inhabitante  in  ea  Divinitate  accepit 
potentiam,  quid  oportet  dicere  tune,  cum  mortalitatem  exuit ; 
et,  corruptionem  abluens,  formam  servi  in  Domini  et  Dei 
gloriam  transtulit :  post  mortis  scilicet  victoriam ;  post  as- 
censum  in  ccelos  ;  post  cum  Patre,  regio  in  throno,  a  dexteris 
confessum;  [consessum ;]  post  requiem  in  ineffabilibus  etinno- 

10 


14G  THE  THIRD  ARTICLE. 

minandis  sinibus  Patris :  in  quam  ascendentem  et  desidententi 
ccelestes  potestates,  illi  benedicti,  [al.  Illi  benedictis]  vocibus 
acclamabant,  dicentes :  Principes,  tollite  portas  vestras : 
aperiamini  portce  ccelestes:  introivit  Hex  glorice?  Hcec  igitur 
ex  multis  pauca  Scripturce  Patrumque  testimonies,  in  hac 
definitione  nostra,  parcentes  sane  copice,  ne  in  longum  res  pro- 
traheretur,  collocavimus.  Reliquis  enim,  qucn  inftnita  sunt, 
volentes  supersedimus,  ut  qui  velint  ipsi  requirant.  Ex  his 
igitur  a  Deo  inspiratis  Scripturis,  et  beatorum  Patrum  sen- 
tentiis  stabiliti,  et  super  petram  cultus  divini  in  spiritupedes 
confirmantes,  in  nomine  sanctce  et  supersubstantialis  vivi- 
ficantis  Trinitatis,  unanimes,  et  ejusdem  sententice,  nos,  qui 
Sacerdotii  dignitate  succincti  sumus,  simul  existentes,  una 
voce  deftnimus :  Omnem  Imaginem,  ex  quacunque  materia 
improba  pictorum  arte  factam,  ab  ecclesia  Christianorum 
rejiciendam,  veluti  alienam  et  abominabilem.  Nemo  homi- 
num,  qualiscunque  tandem  fuerit,  tale  institutum,  et  impium 
et  impurum,  posthac  sectetur.  Qui  vero  ab  hoc  die  Imaginem 
ausus  fuerit  sibi  parare,  aut  adorare ;  aut  in  ecclesia,  aut 
in  privata  domo  constituere,  aut  clam  habere;  si  Episcopus 
fuerit,  aut  Diaconus,  deponitor :  si  vero  solitarius,  aut 
laicus,  anatliemate  percellitor,  imperialibusque  Constitutio- 
nibus  subjicitor  ;  ut  qui  divinis  decretis  impugnet,  et  dog 
mata  non  observet. 

The  English  of  which  words  is  this  : 

"  The  wicked  calling  of  Images  by  a  false  name  neither 
had  his  beginning  by  tradition  from  Christ,  nor  of  His  Apos 
tles,  or  yet  the  ancient  Fathers  ;  neither  had  it  any  holy 
prayer,  wherethrough  to  be  sanctified:  but  it  remaineth 
profane,  even  as  it  is  wrought  and  finished  of  the  painter. 
But  if  certain,  (delivered  of  that  error,)  affirm,  that  we  have 
godlily  and  uprightly  said,  in  throwing  down  the  Image  of 
Christ,  because  of  the  inseparable  and  inconfusible  substance 
of  two  natures  joined  in  one  Person ;  yet,  notwithstanding, 
some  occasion  of  doubt  remaineth  in  them,  as  touching  the 
Images  of  the  Virgin  most  glorious  and  undefiled,  the  Mother 
of  God,  of  the  Prophets,  Apostles,  and  Martyrs,  seeing  that 
they  be  only  men,  and  no  more  ;  neither  do  consist  of  two 
natures,  that  is  to  say,  the  divine  and  human  joined  in  one 
Person,  as  before  we  have  signified  to  be  in  Christ,  and  the 
contrary  thereof  practised  in  His  Images :  there  groweth  in* 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  147 

deed  some  matter  of  doubt,  as  touching  the  Images  of  the 
most  glorious  and  undefiled  Mother  of  God,  of  the  Prophets, 
Apostles,  and  Martyrs,  seeing  that  they  were  only  men,  and 
not  framed  of  two  natures,  what  they  be  able  to  say  to  any 
purpose  with  reason  unto  these.     The  former  argument  over 
thrown,  certainly  they  have  nothing  at  all  in  this  case  to  say. 
But  what  say  we  to  overthrowing  Images?     Forasmuch  as 
our  Catholic  Church,  being  a  mean  between  the  Judaism  and 
Gentility,  hath  received  neither  of  the  manner  of  sacrifices 
accustomed  to  them ;  but  hath  entered  into  a  new  way  and 
order  of  godliness,  and  mystical  constitution  given  and  deli 
vered  of    God:    for  it  doth  in  no  wise  admit  the  bloody 
sacrifice  and  burnt-offerings  of  the  Jews ;  and  it  doth  utterly 
abhor,  not  only  all  Idolatry  in  sacrificing,  but  also  multitude 
of  Images  of   Gentility:  (for   this   was  the  head   and  first 
most  abominable  deviser  of  this  art ;  which,  (having  no  hope 
of  Resurrection,)  invented  a  toy,  worthy  itself ;  whereby  always 
the  absent  might  be  shewed  as  present :)  therefore,  since  this 
practice  smelleth  not  of  any  novelty,  doubtless  let  it  be  re 
moved  most  far  off  from  the  Church  of  Christ,  as  a  strange 
and  foreign  device  of  men  possessed  with  the  Devil.     Let 
the   tongues  then  of   all  such   surcease,   which   spew   forth 
•wicked  and  blasphemous  things,  to  the  derogation  of  this  our 
judgment  and  Decree,  most  acceptable  to  God.     As  for  the 
holy  men  who  pleased  God,  and  which  were  honoured  by 
Him  with  the   dignity  of  holiness  ;  although  that   they  be 
departed  hence,  yet  that  dead  and  hateful  practice  shall  never 
make  them  again  alive.     But  whosoever,  (poisoned  with  the 
error  of  the  Heathen,)  shall  attempt  to  set  up  Images  to  them, 
he  shall  be  adjudged  as  one  that  hath  committed  blasphemy. 
And  how  dare  the  rascal  occupation  of  Gentiles  presume  to 
paint  that  most  praiseworthy  Mother  of  God,  whom  the  ful 
ness  of  the  Godhead  hath  overshadowed  ;  through  whom  hath 
shone  upon  us  that  light,  which  cannot  be  come  unto ;  that 
Mother,  (I  say,)  higher  than  the  heavens,  holier  than  the 
Cherubins  ?     Again,  why  fear  they  not,  (I  say,)  according  to 
the  art  of  Ethnicks  to  counterfeit  them,  which  shall  reign  with 
Christ,  and  shall  sit  on  seats  with  Him  to  judge  the  world, 
conformed  unto  Him  in  glory ;  of  whom  the  world  was  un 
worthy,  as  the  godly  miracles  affirm  ?    Verily  it  is  not  lawful 
for  Christians,  (which  believe  the  Resurrection,)  to  use  the 

10—2 


148  THE  THIRD  ARTICLE. 

order  of  worshipping  of  Devils.  Neither  yet  doth  it  beseem-, 
by  vile  and  dead  kind  of  matter  to  reproach  them,  the 
•which  shall  shine  in  so  great  and  passing  glory.  As  for  us, 
we  use  not  to  receive  of  strangers  demonstrations  of  our  faith  ; 
neither  yet  in  Devils  to  require  testimony.  Furthermore, 
(our  sentence  searched  and  discussed,  both  out  of  the  Scripture 
inspired  from  above,  and  out  of  the  effectual  testimonies  of 
piked  [picked]  Fathers,  agreeing  with  us,  and  affirming  our 
good  intent,)  we  will  exhibit  in  this  case  our  resolute  deter- 

O  '/ 

mination ;  which   he   shall  not  be    able  to   gainsay,    which 
laboureth  to  call  these  things  in  question.     As  for  him  that  is 
ignorant,  let  him  learn  and  be  instructed,  that  these  things 
are  taken  out  of  the  word  of  God.     First,  we  place  before 
the  rest  this  sentence  of   God's  voice,  saying :    '  God   is  a 
Spirit :  whosoever  will  worship  God,  in  spirit  and  truth  let 
him  worship.'    And  again :  '  No  man  at  any  time  saw  God/ 
'Neither  have  ye  heard  His  voice,  or  seen  His  shape.'   'Blessed 
are  those  which  have  not  seen,  and  yet  believed.'     And,  in 
the  Old  Testament,  He  said  to  Moses  and  the  people  :  '  Thou 
shalt  not  make  to  thyself  any  graven  Image;   neither  the 
likeness   of   any  thing  in  heaven  above,    or  in    the    earth 
beneath.     For  the  which  cause,  you  heard  the  voice  of  His 
words  in  the  mountain,  in  the  midst  of  fire  ;  but  His  shape  ye 
saw  not,   but  only  heard  His   voice.'      And :    '  They   have 
changed  the  glory  of  the  immortal  God,  by  an  Image  framed 
after  the  shape  of  a  mortal  man ;  and  they  have  honoured 
and  worshipped  the  things   which   are  created,   above  Him 
which  hath  created.'     And  again :  '  For  if  we  have  known 
Christ  according  to  the  flesh,  now  we  know  Him  not.'     '  For 
we  walk  by  faith,  and  not  by  the  outward  appearance.1    And 
this  also,  which  is  most  plainly  spoken  of  the  Apostle :  '  There 
fore  faith  cometh   of  hearing ;  but  hearing  cometh  by  the 
word  of  God.'      '  For  if  we  have  known  Christ  according  to 
the  flesh,  now  we  know  Him  not.'    '  For  we  walk  by  faith,  and 
not  by  outward  appearance.'     The  very  self-same  things  our 
godly  Fathers,  (the  scholars  and  successors  of  the  Apostles,) 
do  teach  us.    For  Epiphanius  of  Cyprus,  (most  famous  amongst 
the  foremost,)  thus  saith :  '  Take  heed  unto  yourselves,  that 
ye  keep  the  traditions  which  ye  have  received :  see  ye  lean' 
not,  neither  to  the  right  hand,  nor  to  the  left.'     Unto  which 
he  addeth  these  words :  '  Remember,  dear  children,  that  ve 


ANSVVEll  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  149 

bring  no  Images  into  the  church ;  neither  place  them  in  the 
sleeping  places  of  the  Saints  :  but  see  that  continually  ye 
carry  about  in  your  heart  the  Lord.  Neither  yet  let  them 
be  suffered  in  a  common  house.  For  it  is  not  lawful  for  a 
Christian  to  be  holden  in  suspense  by  his  eyes,  but  by  the 
contemplation  of  his  mind.1  The  same  Father  also,  in  many 
other  of  his  Sermons,  hath  declared  many  things  touching  the 
overthrow  of  Images;  which  the  studious  seeking  for  shall 
easily  find.  Likewise  also  Gregory  the  'Divine  saith  in  his 
Verses :  '  It  is  a  thing  most  abominable;  to  believe  in  colours, 
and  not  in  heart :  for  that  which  is  in  colours  is  easily  washed 
away  ;  but  such  things  as  are  in  the  depth  of  the  mind, 
those  like  I  well.'  John  Chrysostom  also  teacheth  thus : 
'We,  through  writing,  enjoy  the  presence  of  the  Saints; 
although  that  we  have  not  the  Images  of  their  bodies,  but  of 
their  souls.  For  those  things  which  are  spoken  by  them  are 
Images  of  their  souls.'  Basilius  also  the  Great  saith,  '  that 
the  chiefest  tiling,  serving  to  the  outfinding  of  truth,  is  the 
meditation  of  the  Scriptures,  given  unto  us  by  divine  inspira 
tion.  For  in  these  not  only  arguments  of  things  are  found ; 
but  also  the  written  lives  of  holy  men  are  printed  unto  us,  as 
certain  li vely  Images ;  and  that  through  the  politic  imitation 
of  their  works,  according  to  God.'  Also  Athanasius,  the 
light  of  Alexandria,  said :  '  How  are  they  not  to  be  lamented 
which  worship  creatures :  that  those  that  see  yield  service  to 
those  which  are  blind ;  those  that  hear  do  pray  and  beseech 
those  which  are  altogether  deaf?  For  the  creature  shall 
never  be  saved  of  a  creature.'  Likewise  Amphilochius,  Bishop 
of  Iconium,  thus  saith  :  '  We  accompt  it  a  matter  of  no  esti 
mation,  to  counterfeit  in  tables  with  colours  the  bodily 
countenances  of  the  Saints;  because  that  of  these  we  have 
no  need :  but  we  ought  rather  to  be  mindful  of  the  policy  of 
their  virtues.'  Agreeable  also  hereunto  doth  Theodorus1, 
Bishop  of  Ancyra,  teach  in  these  words :  '  We  judge  it 
nothing  seemly  at  all,  to  make  the  forms  and  shapes  of  holy 
men  with  material  colours :  but  it  is  requisite,  that  we  often 
repair  and  make  fresh  their  virtues ;  which  by  writings  are 
delivered  unto  us,  even  as  though  it  were  certain  lively 
Images.  For  by  these  we  may  come  to  the  zealous  following 

1  [Gcnnadius  (De  Vir.  illust.  Cap.  Iv.)  calls  him  Theodorus ;  but 
generally  he  is  named  Theodotus.] 


150  THE  THIRD  AIITICLE. 

of  the  like.  Let  those  tell  us,  which  set  up  the  same  Images, 
what  profit  they  have  by  them  :  whether  they  have  any 
kind  of  remembrance,  by  such  special  kind  of  beholding  them. 
But  it  is  most  apparent,  that  every  such  thought  is  vain,  and 
an  invention  of  devilish  deceit.'  Likewise  also  Eusebius 
Pamphili  signified  after  this  sort  to  Constantia  the  Empress, 
craving  of  him  to  send  the  Image  of  Christ  unto  her  :  '  For 
asmuch  as  ye  have  written  to  me  of  the  Image  of  Christ, 
that  I  should  send  it  unto  you ;  I  would  you  should  shew  me 
what  thing  you  think  the  Image  of  Christ  to  be :  whether 
that  same  true  and  unchangeable  creature,  bearing  the  marks 
of  the  Deity  ;  or  that  which  He  assumpted  for  our  sakes, 
taking  on  Him  the  shape  of  a  servant.  But  as  touching  the 
Picture  of  the  Deity,  I  judge  ye  be  not  very  careful ;  inas 
much  as  ye  have  been  taught  of  Him  that  none  hath  known 
the  Father,  but  the  Son ;  and  that  none  hath  worthily  known 
the  Son,  but  the  Father  which  begat  Him.'  And  after  other 
things  :  '  But  ye  altogether  desire  the  Image  of  the  servant's 
shape,  and  of  the  flesh  which  He  took  on  Him  for  our  sake  : 
but  we  have  learned  that  this  is  coupled  with  the  glory  of 
the  Godhead,  and  that  the  same  suffered  and  died.'  And  a 
little  after  :  '  Who  can  therefore  counterfeit  by  dead  and 
insensible  colours,  by  vain  shadowing  painter's  art,  the  bright 
and  shining  glistering  of  such  His  glory?  whereas  His  holy 
Disciples  were  not  able  to  behold  the  same  in  the  mountain : 
who,  therefore,  falling  on  their  faces,  acknowledged  they  were 
not  able  to  behold  such  a  sight.  If  therefore  the  shape  of 
flesh  received  such  power  of  the  Godhead,  dwelling  within 
the  same ;  what  shah1  we  then  say,  when  as  it  hath  now  put 
off  mortality,  washing  away  corruption ;  and  hath  changed 
the  shape  of  a  servant  into  the  glory  of  the  Lord  and  God  ? 
What  shall  we  say  now,  after  His  victory  over  death  ;  after 
His  ascending  into  heaven ;  after  His  sitting  in  the  kingly 
throne  on  the  right  hand  of  His  Father ;  after  rest  in  the 
not  utterable  secrets  of  the  Father ;  into  the  which  He  as 
cending  and  sitting,  the  heavenly  powers,  those  blessed  ones, 
with  voices  together  do  cry  :  Ye  Princes,  lift  up  your  gates  ; 
ye  heavenly  gates,  be  ye  opened  ;  and  the  King  of  glory  shall 
enter  in  ?'  These  few  testimonies  therefore  of  Scriptures  and 
Fathers,  out  of  many,  we  have  placed  here  in  this  our  deter 
mination  :  avoiding  indeed  multitude,  lest  the  matter  should 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  151 

be  too  prolix ;  and  abstaining  of  purpose  from  the  residue, 
(which  be  infinite,)  that  those  which  lust  may  themselves 
.seek  them.  Being  therefore  throughly  persuaded  by  these 
Scriptures,  (inspired  from  God,)  and  by  the  judgments  of 
the  blessed  Fathers ;  (staying  our  feet  upon  the  rock  of  the 
worship  of  God  in  spirit :)  we,  which  are  girded  with  the 
dignity  of  the  Priesthood,  being  of  one  mind  and  judgment, 
assembled  together  in  one  place,  do  with  one  voice  determine,  in 
the  name  of  the  holy,  supersubstantial,  and  quickening  Trinity  : 
That  every  Image,  made  by  painter's  wicked  art  of  any 
kind  of  matter,  is  to  be  removed  forth  of  the  church  of 
Christians,  as  that  which  is  strange  and  abominable.  Let 
no  man  from  this  time  forward,  (of  what  state  soever  he  be,) 
follow  any  such  kind  of  wicked  and  unclean  custom.  Who 
soever  therefore,  from  this  day  forward,  shall  presume  to 
prepare  for  himself  any  Image,  or  to  worship  it ;  either  to 
set  it  in  a  church,  or  in  any  private  house,  or  else  to  keep 
it  secretly ;  if  he*  be  a  Bishop  or  a  Deacon,  let  him  be 
deposed :  but  if  he  be  a  private  person,  or  of  the  lay  fee, 
let  him  be  accursed,  and  subject  to  the  imperial  Decrees ;  as 
one  which  withstandeth  the  commandments  of  God,  and 
keepeth  not  His  doctrine." 

Whereupon  the  Council's  determination,  so  far  as  con- 
cerneth  this  case,  ensueth  thus : 

Si  quis  non  confessus  fuerit  Dominum  nostrum  Jesum 
Christum,  post  assumptionem  animator,  rationalis,  et  intellec- 
tualis  carnis,  simul  sedere  cum  Deo  et  Patre ;  atque  ita 
quoque  rursus  venturum,  cum  paterna  majestate,  judica- 
turum  vivos  et  mortuos;  non  amplius  quidem  carnem,  neque 
incorporeum  tamen,  ut  videatur  ab  Us  a  quibus  compunctus 
est;  et  maneat  Deus,  extra  crassitudinem  carnis;  anathema. 

Si  quis  divinam  Dei  Verbi,  secundum  incarnationem, 
figuram  materialibus  coloribus  studuerit  effigiare ;  et  non  ex 
toto  corde,  oculis  intellectualibus,  Ipsum  sedentem  a  dextris 
Patris,  super  solis  splendorem  lucentem,  in  throno  glorice, 
adorare ;  anathema. 

Si  quis  incircumscripti\bi\lem  Verbi  Dei  essentiam,  et 
Hypostasin,  propterea  quod  incarnatus  est,  naturalibus  colo 
ribus  in  Imaginibus,  ad  formam  hominis,  depinxerit;  et  qui 
non  theologice  sensit,  earn  post  carnem  non  minus  incircum- 
scriptibilem  remansissc ;  anathema. 


152  THE  THIRD  ARTICLE. 

Si  quis  indivisam  Dei  Verbi  naturae,  et  carnis  secun- 
dum  Hypostasin  unitionem;  videlicet  ex  utrisque  uriam,  incon- 
fusam,  et  impartibilem  perfectionem  factam,in  Imagine  depin- 
gere  conatur;  vocatque  eum  [earn]  Christum;  (Christus  enim 
nomine  uno  et  Deum  et  hominem  significat :)  et  ex  ea  re  con- 
fusionem  duarum  naturarum  monstrose  asserit;  anatJiema. 

Si  quis  carnem  Hypostasi  Verbi  Dei  unitam  diviserit; 
et,  in  nuda  excogitatione  mentis  earn  habens,  ex  eo  conatus 
fuerit  illam  in  Imagine  depingere;  anathema. 

Si  quis  unicum  Christum  in  duas  hypostases  diviserit ; 
ab  una  parte  Dei  F 'ilium,  et  ab  altera  parte  Marice,  filium 
collocans;  neque  continuam  unitionem  factam  confitens;  et 
ob  id  in  Imagine,  tanquam  per  se  subsistentem,  Marice  filium 
depinxerit ;  anathema. 

Si  quis  ex  unitione  ad  divinum  Verbum  deificatam 
carnem  in  Imagine  pinxerit;  veluti  dividens  earn  ex  assumpta 
et  deificata  Deitate;  et  indeificatam  ex  Jipc  earn  conficiens ; 
anathema. 

Si  quis  in  forma  Dei  existentem  Deum  Verbum,  servi 
formam  in  propria  Hypostasi  assumentem,  et  per  omnia 
nobis  similem  factum,  sine  peccato,  conatus  fuerit  materi- 
alibus  coloribus  figurare,  veluti  si  nudus  homo  fuisset;  et 
hoc  modo  ab  inseparabili  et  incommutabili  Deitate  sejun- 
gere;  veluti  quaternitatem  inducturus  in  sanctam  et  vivifi- 
cantem  Trinitatem;  anatJiema. 

"  If  any  person  shall  not  acknowledge  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  after  the  taking  of  living,  reasonable,  and  under 
standing  flesh,  to  sit  together  with  God  and  His  Father ;  and 
that  He  shall  so  return  again,  with  the  majesty  of  His  Father, 
to  judge  both  quick  and  dead ;  not  any  more  flesh,  and  yet 
notwithstanding  having  a  body,  that  He  may  be  seen  of 
those  of  whom  He  was  pricked;  and  that  He  doth  remain  God, 
without  the  grossness  of  flesh ;  let  him  be  holden  accursed. 

"If  any  person  shall  attempt  to  counterfeit  the  divine 
figure  of  God  the  Word,  as  He  became  man,  with  material 
colours ;  and  doth  not  worship  with  all  his  heart,  with  eyes 
of  understanding,  Him,  sitting  on  the  right  hand  of  His 
Father,  glistering  above  the  brightness  of  the  sun,  in  the 
throne  of  His  glory  ;  let  him  be  holden  as  accursed. 

"  If  any  person  do  paint  the  incircumscriptible  nature 
and  substance  of  God  the  Word,  and  His  Person,  with  natural 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  153 

colours  in  Images,  after  the  fashion  of  a  man,  because  that  measured,  or 
He  took  flesh ;  and  doth  not  also  think,  after  the  doctrine  w'sthm  any 

T    •    •  v     •  /»  certain 

of  true  divinity,  the  same  divine  nature,  after  the  assumpt-  bounds, 
ing  of  flesh,  to  remain  notwithstanding  incircumscriptible ;  let 
him  be  holden  as  accursed. 

"  If  any  person  do  enterprise  to  paint  and  set  forth,  in 
an  Image,  the  indivisible  uniting  in  one  Person  of  the  natures 
of  God  the  Word  and  flesh ;  that  is  to  say,  the  perfection 
made  of  both  twain,  -which  neither  is  to  be  confounded  of 
either,  nor  one  from  the  other  to  be  severed ;  and  doth  call 
the  same  Christ ;  (for  Christ  in  one  name  doth  signify  both 
God  and  man :)  and  by  that  means  most  monstrously  doth 
affirm  the  confusion  of  the  two  natures ;  let  him  be  holden  as 
accursed. 

"  If  any  person  shall  divide  the  human  nature,  united  to 
the  Person  of  God  the  Word ;  and,  having  it  only  in  the 
imagination  of  his  mind,  shall  therefore  attempt  to  paint  the 
same  in  an  Image  ;  let  him  be  holden  as  accursed. 

"  If  any  person  shall  divide  Christ,  being  but  one,  into 
two  persons ;  placing  on  the  one  side  the  Son  of  God,  and 
on  the  other  side  the  son  of  Mary ;  neither  doth  confess  the 
continual  union  that  is  made ;  and  by  that  reason  doth  paint 
in  an  Image  the  son  of  Mary,  as  subsisting  by  himself;  let 
him  be  accursed. 

"  If  any  person  shall  paint  in  an  Image  the  human 
nature,  being  deified  by  the  uniting  thereof  to  God  the 
Word;  separating  the  same  as  it  were  from  the  Godhead 
assumpted  and  deified;  making  the  same  as  though  it  were 
not  deified ;  let  him  be  holden  as  accursed. 

"  If  any  person  shall  presume  to  counterfeit  in  material 
colours  God  the  Word,  being  in  the  shape  of  God,  and 
taking  on  Him  in  His  proper  Person  the  form  of  a  servant, 
and  by  all  things  made  like  unto  us,  (yet  without  sin,)  as 
though  that  He  were  but  only  bare  natural  man ;  and  by 
this  means  to  divide  Him  from  the  inseparable  and  unchange 
able  Godhead ;  as  though  he  would  bring  in  a  quaternity 
into  the  holy  and  quickening  Trinity ;  let  him  be  holden  as 
accursed.1' 

And  so  far  the  Council  of  Constantinople,  concerning  this 
case  :  whose  authority  if  you  admit  not,  yet  let  their  reasons 


154  THE  THIRD  ARTICLE. 

take  place,  or  be  answered  :  let  the  word  of  God,  which 
they  faithfully  alleged ;  the  testimony  of  Fathers,  which  they 
roundly  brought  out,  take  away  this  wicked  and  abominable 
worshipping  of  God  with  an  Image.  Let  not  the  natures  of 
Christ  be  confounded.  Let  not  the  one  from  the  other  be 
severed.  Christ  on  the  Cross  was  both  God  and  man:  that  on 
our  Cross  is  but  an  Image  only  of  a  man.  Christ  on  the  Cross 
was  the  Son  of  God :  that  on  our  Cross  is  but  the  Image  of 
the  son  of  Mary.  Christ  hath  an  inseparable  and  unchange 
able  Godhead  :  that  on  our  Cross  maketh  two  persons  of  one ; 
four  persons  in  Trinity.  Therefore  accursed  be  that  Cross  to 
the  Devil.  And  thus  much  for  the  first  Council. 

Now  about  the  same  time1,  when  the  controversy  was 

hot  in  Greece,  they  began  also  to  stir  in  Spain :  and  there, 

iciimm     at  a  city  called  now  Granata2,  was  a  Council  held  of  nineteen 

ibertta-     Bishops,  and  six  and  thirty  Elders.     The  chief  among  them 

was  Fcelix,  Bishop  of  Aquitane.     When  they  maturely  had 

weighed  the  matter,   with  one  assent  they  agreed  on  this 

point3 :  Placuit,  Picturasin  ecclesia  esse  non  debere;  ne  quod 

colitur    aut    adoratur    in   parietibus   depingatur.      Which 

words  in  English  are  these  :  "  Our  pleasure  is,  that  there 

should  be  no  Pictures  in  the  church ;  that  the  thing  be  not 

1  [There  is  an  extraordinary  anachronism  apparent  here :  for  the 
Synod  of  Elvira  was  held  about  the  year  305 ;  and  is  not,  even  by 
Baluze,  put  later  than  324.    (See  Cardinal  De  Aguirre's  Notitia  Con- 
ciliorum  Hispanice,  p.  36.  Salmant.  1686.)    In  order  to  account  for  so 
great  an  error,  it  may  be  suspected,  that  our  author  looked  hastily  into 
Carranza's  Summa:  (p.  64.  Salm.  1551.)  where  he  might  have  found 
his  marginal  words,  "  Concilium  Elibertinum ;"  and  the  observation, 
"  Hsec  omnium  fere   consensu  dicitur  Granata ;"   together  with  the 
remark,  that  the  Synod  had  been  holden  "  circa  Nicseni  Concilii  tem- 
pora :"  which  last  statement  he  may  have  construed  into  an  allusion 
to  the  second,  instead  of  to  the  first  Council  of  Nicsea.     The  editor  of 
Latimer's  Sermons,  in  1758,  has  endeavoured  to  propagate  the  same 
confusion :  for  he  declares,  that  the  first  General  Council  "  instituted 
the  veneration  due  to  the  Virgin  Mary,  the  holy  Cross,  and  to  the 
Images  or  representations  of  Christ,  His  Apostles,  and  of  other  de 
parted  Saints."!    (Vol.  i.  p.  237.  Comp.  p.  443.)] 

2  [Granada  has  absorbed  the  ancient  Elvira :  but,  strictly  speaking, 
it  is  not  true  that  Elvira  is  now  called  Granada.] 

3  Can.  xxxvi.    [Ivonis  Decretum,  iii.  40.  Qonzalez  Collect.  Can.  Eccl, 
Hisp.  col.  287.  Matriti,  1808.     Routh  Reliquiae  Sacrce,  iv.  51.   Oxon. 
1818.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  155 

painted  on  the  walls  which  is  served  or  worshipped."  The 
like  also  is  repeated  after,  Can.  41.  But  "these,"  (ye  say,)  Follow, t>. 
"were  condemned  by  the  seventh  General  Council  kept  at  Nice, 
where  three  hundreth  and  fifty  Bishops,  (men  of  great  virtue, 
profound  knowledge,  and  deep  sight  in  divinity,)  were."  But 
that  was  also  condemned  after,  by  another  Council,  assembled 
at  Frankford  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  794 :  where  all  the 
learned  of  Charles  his  dominions,  of  France,  Italy,  and  Ger 
many  were  present:  whither  Adrian  the  Pope  sent  also  his 
embassadors,  Theophylact  and  Stephan  :  where  Charles  him 
self  was  in  proper  person,  upon  occasion  of  the  said  Council 
of  Nice,  which  the  Pope  had  sent  him  to  be  approved.  But 
he  doth  call  it  stolidam  et  arrogantem  Synodum,  "  a 
doltish  and  a  proud  Synod ; "  and  the  Decree  there  made, 
touching  the  adoration  of  Images,  (which  you,  M.  Martiall, 
do  teach  so  stoutly,)  impudentissimam  traditionem,  "  a 
most  impudent  and  shameless  tradition."  I  refer  you  to  the 
four  books  of  Carolus4;  in  which  at  large  is  set  forth,  not 
only  the  vanity  of  those  reverend  Asses,  which  went  about 
to  establish  Images,  but  also  the  effect  of  the  Council  of 
Frankford  not  utterly  abolishing,  (which  was  their  imper 
fection,)  but  plainly  condemning  the  adoration  and  worship 
of  them.  But  in  this  case,  where  Council  is  against  Council, 
and  necessary  it  is,  that  one  of  them  be  deceived,  which 
must  we  trust  to  ?  I  know  that  the  latter  age  hath  received 
the  worse,  the  seventh  of  Nice.  But  we  must  not  follow 
the  authority  of  men,  were  they  never  so  many ;  but  the 
direction  of  God  His  Spirit,  and  truth  revealed  in  His  holy 
word.  What  moved  the  faithful  to  refuse  the  second  of 
Ephesus5,  and  willingly  embrace  the  Council  of  Chalcedon, 
but  that,  examining  their  Decrees  by  Scripture,  they  found 
Eutyches'  heresy  confirmed  in  the  one,  which  the  other  con- 

4  [Published  by  Joannes  Tilius,  at  Paris,  in  1549;  and  reprinted  by 
Goldastus,  in  his  valuable  collection  of  the  Imperialia  Deereta  de  cultit 
Imaginum,  Francof.  1608.  The  Caroline  Capitular  was  composed 
about  the  year  790 ;  and  the  perusal  of  it  is  forbidden  by  the  Triden- 
tine  Index,  p.  40.  Antverp.  1570.  A  full  examination  of  the  disputes 
concerning  it  is  contained  in  Dorschei  et  Grambsii  Collat.  ad  Concil. 
Francofurd.  pp.  40 — 93.  Argentor.  1649.  Cf.  Mabillonii  Prcef.  in  iv. 
scec.  Bened.  §.  20.  Prsefatt.  p.  183.  Rotom.  1732.] 


156  THE   THIRD  ARTICLE. 

dcrancd?  So,  when  the  manifest  word  of  God  shall  try 
where  the  Spirit  of  God  doth  rest,  there  must  the  credit, 
and  there  only,  be  given. 

And  to  the  end  that  all  readers  hereof  may  understand 
and  see  what  vanity  there  was  in  the  Prelates  of  Mcene    I 
Council ;   what  more  than  vanity  is  in  the  magnifiers   of  so   j 
mad   a  company  ;    I  will  set  forth  the  allegations   of   the   j 
Image-worshippers,  and   the  confutation  which  the  servants   I 
of  God  made :  that  every  man  thereby  may  judge   so,  as 
the  Spirit  of  God  shall  lead  him,  and  as  himself  shall  see 
good  cause.      First  of  all,  their  general  position  was1 ;  that    j 
the  Images  of  Christ,  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  other  Saints,   j 
were  sacred  and  holy  ;  therefore  to  be  worshipped.     Hereto    I 
the  Synod  answered;  that  the  antecedent,  the  former  pro-  I 
position,  was  false  :    inasmuch  as  they  are  neither  holy  in 
respect   of  the  matter    whereof   they   be  made,  nor  of  the   ] 
colours  that  be  laid  upon  them ;  nor  yet  for  any  imposition   ! 
of  hands,  nor  by  any  canonical  consecration :  therefore  they    j 
be  not  at  all  holy ;   much  less  therefore  to  be  worshipped,   j 
The  noble  John,  the  legate  of  the  Easterlings,  brought  forth    I 
another  reason  :  God  made  man  after  His  own  image  and 
likeness :  therefore  Images  are  to   be  worshipped.     Hereto    I 
the  Catholics  justly  replied ;  that  he  made  a  false  argument,  ] 
Ab  ignoratione  JSlenchi :   by  applying   that  to   Image-wor-  ] 
shipping,  which  made  nothing  at  all  to  purpose.    For  both  out  I 
of  Ambrose  and  Augustin  they  proved,  that  man  is  called  the 
image  of  God,  not  for  his  external  shape,   which  Images  well 
enough  may  represent ;  but  for  the  inward  man,  the  mind, 
the  reason,  the  understanding,  and  virtues  consonant  to  the 
will  of  God;     For  Ambrose  saith2 :   Quod  secundmn   ima-  I 
ginem  est,  non  est  in  corpore,  nee  in  materia,  sed  in  anima  ] 
rationabili :  "  That  which  is  according  to  the  image  of  God, 
is  not  in  the  body,  nor  in  the  matter,  but  in  the  reasonable 
soul."   Likewise  Augustin3:  Accedit  utcunque  anima  humana  \ 
interior,  homo  recreatus  ad  imaginem  Dei,  qui  creatus  est 
ad  imaginem  Dei:  "The  inward  soul  of  man,  the  new-born 
man,  which  is  made  after  the  image  of  God,  cometh  after  a  . 

i  Car.  Mag.  Li.  i.  Cap.  xx.  &  To.  ii.  Con.  Concil.  Nice.  u. 

'*  In  Psal.  cxviii.  Ser.  x.    \0pp-.  Tom.  ii.  958.  Lut.  Paris.  1661.] 

3  In  Psal.  xcix.  [fol.  ccxxix.  Paris.  1529.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  157 

sort  near  unto  God  His  image."  But  that  wheresoever  a 
similitude  and  likeness  is  spoken  of,  there  is  also  an  image 
to  be  meant,  Augustin  disproveth4 :  Ubi  similitude,  non  con- 
timio  imago,  non  continuo  cequalitas,  &c. :  "  Where  a  simili 
tude  or  likeness  is,  not  by  and  by  an  image,  not  by  and  by 
equality."  So  that  the  folly  of  him  was  great,  to  abuse  the 
Scripture  to  so  impertinent  a  purpose. 

But  the  Nice  masters  proceed  and  say ;  that  as  Abraham 
worshipped  the  sons  of  Heth5,  and  Moses  Jethro,  the  Priest 
of  Madian6;  so  must  Images  be  worshipped  of  men.    Hereto 
the  Council,  (as  Charles  the  President  thereof  affirmeth,)  an 
swered7  :  Dementissimum  est,  et  ab  omni  ratione  seclusum, 
hoc,  ad  astruendam  Imaginum  adorationem,   in  exemplum 
trahere;  quod  Abraham  populum  terrce,  et  Moses  Jethro,  Sa- 
cerdotem  Madian,  leguntur  adorasse :  "  It  is  a  thing  of  most 
madness,  and  utterly  severed  from  all  reason,  to  bring  for  ex 
ample,  to  confirmation  of  Image-worshipping,  that  Abraham  is 
read  to  have  worshipped  the  people  of  the  earth,  and  Moses 
Jethro,  the  Priest  of  Madian."     The  Saints  of  God,  in  token  of 
their   obedience  and  humility,  sometime  have  bowed  them 
selves  ;    have  shewed   some   piece    of   courtesy   to   such    as 
pleased   them,   and  had  authority  in  the  earth :    but  what 
is  this  for  the  honour  done  to  a  dead  stock  ?     Why  is  this 
example  made  to  be  general,  extending  to  all,  both  quick 
and  dead,  both  good  and  bad :  whereas  the  Saints  themselves 
sometime  abhorred  this  worship  to  be  given  them ;  sometime 
refused  to  give   it  unto  other?     Imagines  vero,  nusquani, 
nee  tenuiter,  quidem   adorare  conati   sunt :    "  But  as    for 
Images,  they  never  attempted  in  any  place,   or  in  any  so 
slender  wise,  to  worship  them."  Let  them  learn  of  Augustin8, 
that  Abraham  and  Moses,  doing  as  they  did,  were  examples 
of  humility,  not  patterns  of  impiety.      Let  them  learn,  that 
there  is  no   less   diversity  between  the  worshipping  of  an 
Image,  and  worshipping  of  a  man,  than  is  between  a  living 
man,  and  a  man  painted  upon  the  wall.     Let  them  learn  how 
love,  reverence,  and  charity  towards  men,  is  in  the  Scripture 
commanded  oft;  the  bowing,  the  kneeling,  the  service  to  an 
Image,  is  in  every  place  forbidden  and  accursed. 

4  Octog.  trium  Qusest.  Ca.  Ixxiv.   [Opp.  T.  vi.  col.  47.] 

»  Gen.  xxiii.  [7,  12.]  <*  Exod.  xviii.  [7.]  7  Lib.  i.  Cap.  ix. 

8  De  Doctri.  Christ.  Li.  i.  Cap.  i.    [Prolog.  Opp.  Tom.  iii.] 


l.r>8  THE   THIRD  ARTICLE. 

But  a  familiar  figure  the  Papists  have,  to  make  the  Scrip 
ture  to  serve  their  fancies ;  Acyrologiam,  which  you  may  call 
"  Abusion,"  "improper  speeches."  As,  wheresoever  in  the 
Hebrew  text  they  read  any  word  that  betokeneth  bowing, 
saluting,  blessing,  they  do  full  wisely  turn  it  "  worshipping." 
And  is  this  honest  and  upright  dealing  ?  Yet  how  they  dally 
on  this  sort,  both  with  the  world  and  with  the  word  of  God, 
the  next  allegation  of  theirs  declareth1 :  Jacob,  suscipiens  a 
filiis  suis  vestem  talarem  Joseph,  osculatus  est  earn,  et  cum 
lachrymis  imposuit  oculis  suis.  Ergo,  &c.  Which  words  in 
English,  according  to  their  translation,  be  these :  "  Jacob, 
receiving  of  his  sons  Joseph  his  long  garment,  he  kissed  it, 
and  with  tears  laid  it  upon  his  eyes :  and  therefore  Images 
are  to  be  worshipped."  And  is  not  this  a  reason2,  that  might 
have  been  fette3  out  of  a  Christmas  pie?  Will  any  man 
hereafter  find  fault  with  Papists  depraving  of  the  Scripture, 
since  they  take  them  leave  to  make  what  Scripture  they  list  ? 
Where  find  they  this  text  in  all  the  Bible ;  that  Jacob  kissed 
his  son's  garment,  and  laid  it  upon  his  eyes?  The  place  is 
the  thirty-seventh  of  Genesis  ;  where  only  we  read,  that  the 
sons  of  Jacob  brought  unto  their  father  Joseph  his  party- 
coloured  coat,  and  said :  "  This  have  we  found  :  see  now  whether 
it  be  thy  son's  coat  or  no.  Then  he  knew  it,  and  said,  It  is 
my  son's  coat.  A  wicked  beast  hath  devoured  him.  Joseph 
is  surely  torn  in  pieces.  And  Jacob  rent  his  clothes,  and  put 
sackcloth  about  his  loins,  and  sorrowed  for  his  son  a  long 
season."  Where  is  the  kissing  of  the  coat,  and  laying  it  on 
his  eyes  ?  But  if  kissing  had  been  there,  what  is  that  to 
worshipping  ?  But  to  kiss  and  to  worship  is  all  one  with 
them.  They  worship  where  they  kiss :  let  them  kiss  where 
they  worship  not. 

Another  worthy  Father  of  that  sacred  assembly,  be 
cause  he  would  have  a  fresh  device,  coined  out  of  hand 
another  piece  of  Scripture,  saying4 :  Jacob  summitatem 
virgce  Joseph  adoravit :  "  Jacob  worshipped  the  top  of 
Joseph's  rod :"  Therefore  we  may  worship  the  Picture  of 
Christ.  Let  me  ask  of  his  fatherhood,  where  he  findeth  the 

1  Carol.  Mag.  De  Ima.  Li.  i.  Ca.  xii. 

2  [Does  the  author  play  upon  the  words  raison  and  raisin  ?] 

3  [fetched.] 

4  Car.  Mag.  De  Imag.  Li.  i.  Ca.  xiii. 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS,  159 

place?  Let  him  put  on  his  spectacles,  and  pore  on  his 
Portasse 5.  If  this  be  lawful,  that  every  noddy  that  cometh  to 
a  Synod  may  chop  and  change  the  word  of  God  as  he  will ; 
what  need  we  to  care  for  Moses'  writing,  or  Esdras'  restoring, 
or  Septuagint's  translating,  or  the  Apostles'  handling  of  the 
Scripture?  The  great  virtue  and  profound  knowledge  of 
those  synodical  men  may  serve  and  suffice  us.  And,  to  pro 
secute  the  cause  of  Jacob,  another  riseth  up,  and  puts  in  his 
verdict,  saying6:  Benedixit  Jacob  Pharaonem,  sed  non  ut 
Deum  benedixit :  adoramus  nos  Imaginem,  sed  non  ut  Deum 
adoramus :  "  Jacob  blessed  Pharao,  but  he  blessed  him 
not  as  God :  we  worship  an  Image,  but  we  worship  it  not  as 
God."  This  man  had  wit  without  all  reason.  He  compared 
the  blessing  that  the  holy  Patriarch  gave  unto  the  King ;  the 
bounden  man  to  the  well  deserver ;  the  subject  to  the  superior ; 
unto  the  worship  of  a  senseless  Image,  that  standeth  in  the 
wall,  and  doth  no  more  good. 

But  another  brought  in  a  sounder  proof;  and  framed 
his  argument  after  this  sort7 :  Propitiatorium,  et  duos 
Cherubin  aureos,  et  arcam  testamenti,  jussu  Dei  Moses 
fecit.  Ergo,  licet  facere  et  adorare  Imagines :  "  Moses, 
by  the  commandment  of  God,  made  the  Propitiatory,  and 
the  two  golden  Cherubins,  and  the  ark  of  witness.  There 
fore  it  is  lawful  to  make  and  worship  Images."  This 
fellow  began  in  good  divinity,  but  ended  in  foolish  so 
phistry  :  for  in  the  Conclusion  he  put  more  than  was  in 
the  Premisses.  Moses  made  this  and  that :  therefore  we  may 
both  make  and  worship.  Where  doth  he  read  that  they  were 
worshipped  ?  Yea,  how  can  those  examples  be  applied  unto 
Images,  since  they  be  set  in  the  face  of  the  people,  only  to 
this  end,  to  be  gazed  on ;  but  the  ark  of  witness,  with  the 
furniture  thereof,  was  in  the  oracle  of  the  house,  in  the  most 
holy  place,  covered8,  that  it  might  not  be  seen  without.  Again, 
the  Cherubins  were  but  a  peculiar  ordinance  of  God9;  and 
therefore  could  not  prejudice  an  universal  law.  But,  to  pro 
ceed  :  It  is  written  in  the  Law 10,  (say  they  u  :)  Ecce  vocavi  ex 
nomine  Beseleel,  filii  [filium~\  Ur,  filii  Hor,  de  tribu  Juda  ; 

5  [See  page  16,  note  2.] 

c  Car.  Mag.  Li.  i.  Cap.   xiv  7  Cap.  xv. 

s  Num.  iv.  [5.]  9  2  Par.  [Chron.]  r.  [7,  8.] 

1°  Exod.  xxxi.  [2-5.]  n   Car.  Mag.  Lib.  i.  Ca.  xvi. 


1GO  THE  THIRD  ARTICLE. 

et  replevi  eum  spiritu  sapientice,  et  intellig  entice,  ad  per* 
Jiciendum  opus  ex  auro  et  argento.  Ergo,  licet  adorare 
Imagines:  "  I  have  called  by  name  Bezaliell,  the  son  of  Uri, 
the  son  of  Hur,  of  the  tribe  of  Juda ;  whom  I  have  filled 
with  the  spirit  of  God,  in  wisdom,  and  in  understanding,  and 
in  knowledge,  and  in  all  workmanship,  to  find  out  curious 
works  to  make  in  gold  and  silver.  Therefore  it  is  lawful  to 
worship  Images."  A  reason,  as  if  it  had  been  of  your  making, 
M.  Martiall,  Ab  ignoratione  Elenclii.  Therefore  the  Synod 
answered ;  that  it  was  not  only  an  extreme  folly,  but  a  mere 
madness,  to  apply  the  figures  of  the  old  Law,  which  only  were 
made  as  God  devised,  and  had  a  secret  meaning  in  them,  to 
the  Images  of  our  time ;  which  every  carver,  goldsmith,  and 
painter  make,  as  their  fancy  leadeth  them,  to  an  ill  example, 
and  to  no  good  use  in  the  world.  But  what  should  I  stand  in 
exaggerating  of  their  folly  ?  I  will  truly  report  the  reasons  of 
the  one  part ;  and  abridge  what  I  can  the  answers  of  the  other. 

Sicut  Israeliticus  populus  Serpentis  cenei  inspections 
servatus  est ;  sic  nos,  Sanctorum  effigies  inspicientes,  salva- 
bimur l :  "  As  the  people  of  Israel  was  preserved  by  the 
looking  on  the  brazen  Serpent,  so  we  shall  be  saved  by  look 
ing  on  the  Images  of  Saints ;"  quoth  the  Image-worshippers. 

THE    ANSWER. 

They  that  repose  their  hope  in  Images  are  condemned  by  the 
Apostle ;  (quoth  the  Fathers  of  Frankford  Council :)  Spes  quce 
videtur  non  est  spes  :  "  That  hope  which  is  seen  is  no  hope2." 
Furthermore,  the  brazen  Serpent  was  not  commanded  to  be 
worshipped :  therefore  the  worshipping  of  an  Image  is  falsely 
inferred  of  it.  Thirdly,  the  brazen  Serpent  was  commanded 
of  God :  but  no  piece  of  Scripture  doth  bear  with  Images. 

THE    REASON. 

Si,  secundum  Mosis  traditionem,  prcecipitur  populo, 
purpura  hyacinthina  in  fimbriis,  in  extremis  vestimentis 
poni,  ad  memoriam  et  custodiam  Preeceptorum ;  multo  magis 
nobis  est,  per  adsimulatam  Picturam  sanctorum  virorum, 
videre  exitum  conversations  eorum,  et  eorum  imitari  fidem, 
secundum  Apostolicam  traditionem*.  Which,  word  for  word 

1  Car.  Mag.  Lib.  i.  Ca.  xviii. 

2  Rom-  viii.  [24.]  :J  Car.  Mag.  Lib.  i.  Ca.  xvii. 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  161 

in  English,  is  thus :  "  If,  according  to  Moses'  tradition,  a 
purple  violet  be  commanded  to  the  people,  to  be  put  in  their 
purfles4,  and  skirts  of  their  garments,  for  a  memory  and  keep 
ing  of  the  Commandments ;  much  more  must  we,  by  the  coun 
terfeit  Picture  of  holy  men,  see  the  end  of  their  conversation, 
and  imitate  their  faith,  according  to  the  tradition  Apostolic." 

THE    ANSWER. 

Each  part  of  this  argument  consists  of  untruths.  First, 
by  corrupting  the  Scripture,  in  calling  it  a  purple  violet ; 
whereas  purple  is  one  colour,  and  violet  another.  Then,  by 
comparing  things  unlike  together  ;  wearing  of  a  garment,  and 
worshipping  of  an  Image.  Thirdly,  in  alleging  a  most  un 
truth  of  all ;  that  the  conversation  of  holy  men  is  seen  in  an 
Image.  For  faith,  hope,  and  charity,  (which  be  the  chief 
virtues  of  Saints.)  are  things  invisible :  but  Images  and  Pictures 
are  visible.  As  for  imitation,  what  it  ought  to  be,  the  Apostle 
sheweth  us,  saying5:  Imitatores  mei  estate,  sicut  filii  cha- 
rissimi :  "  Be  ye  followers  of  me,  as  most  dear  children :" 
and,  in  another  place6 :  Imitatores  mei  estate,  sicut  et  ego 
Christi :  "  Be  ye  followers  of  me,  even  as  I  am  of  Christ." 
Whereby  it  appeareth,  that  the  tradition  of  the  Apostles  is, 
to  behold  the  godly  conversation  of  the  Saints,  not  in  Pictures, 
but  in  virtues :  to  imitate  their  faith,  not  in  feigned  Imagery, 
but  in  sincere  good  works. 

THE    REASON. 

Jesus  Nave  duodecim  lapides  statuit,  in  Dei  memoriam. 
Ergo,  licet  adorare  Statuas'1 :  "  Josue  did  set  up  twelve  stones, 
for  a  remembrance  of  God.  Therefore  it  is  lawful  to  worship 
stocks  and  stones." 

THE    ANSWER. 

Josue  meant  nothing  less  than  to  teach  the  Israelites  to 
worship  stones :  but  to  put  them  in  mind,  that  they  were  the 
stones  of  the  river,  that  was  dried  for  them. 

THE    REASON. 

Nathan    adoravit  Davidem.      Ergo,  nos    Imagines* :  i 
"  Nathan  did  worship  David.     Therefore  we  may  Images." 

4  [Embroidered  borders,  or  trimmings :  from  the  French  p<inrfilles.] 
«  1  Cor.  iv.  [14-16.]  «  1  Cor.  xi.  [1.] 

"•  Car.  Mag.  Lib.  i.  Ca.  xxi.  8  Car.  Mag.  Lib.  i.  Ca.  xxii. 

11 


1G2  THE  THIRD  ARTICLE. 

THE    ANSWER. 

Nathan  did  not  worship  David,  set  forth  in  colours,  or 
painted  on  a  wall ;  but  a  living  creature,  set  in  the  throne  of 
justice,  supplying  the  room  of  God.  Wherefore  there  is  no 
comparison  betwixt  them. 

THE     REASON. 

Signatum  est  super  nos  lumen  vultus  Tui  Domine.  Item, 
Vultum  Tuum  requiram.  Ergo,  Imagines  sunt  adorandce ! : 
'"Thy  countenance,  0  Lord,  is  signed  upon  us2.'  And,  '  Thy 
countenance  I  will  seek  after3.'  Therefore  Images  are  to  be 
worshipped." 

THE    ANSWER. 

If  these  words  of  David  did  any  thing  appertain  to 
Images,  we  might  justly  enquire  what  countenance  they  have, 
and  how  this  countenance  may  be  signed  in  us.  The 
countenance  of  God  is  Christ  His  Son;  to  the  knowledge  of 
whom  we  must  aspire  by  Scripture,  and  not  by  Picture. 
Wherefore,  sith  the  countenance  of  God  cannot  be  seen  in 
material  Images,  which  have  no  eyes ;  it  is  too  fond  to  apply 
it  to  Images.  In  the  same  Psalm4  the  Prophet  hath:  "He 
that  dcsireth  life,  and  will  see  good  days,"  what  shall  he  do  ? 
Pore  upon  Pictures  ?  seek  after  Images  ?  No.  Declinet  a 
inalo,  et  faciat  bonum :  "  Let  him  refrain  from  evil,  and  do 
the  thing  that  is  good." 

THE    REASON. 

Vultum  tuum  deprecabwitur  omnes  divites  plebis.  Ergo, 
Imagines  mint  adorandce 5 :  " '  All  the  rich  of  the  people 
shall  make  their  homage  before  thy  face6.'  Therefore  Images 
are  to  be  worshipped." 

THE    ANSWER. 

Homage  is  done  before  the  face  of  such  as  can  both  hear, 
and  have  understanding.  Since  neither  of  these  is  in  an 
Image,  it  cannot  be  that  by  the  face  of  God  is  meant  an 
Imajre. 


"B* 


1  Car.  Mag.  Lib.  i.  Ca.  xxiii. 

2  Psal.  iv.  [6.]  3  [Psalm  xxvii.  8.] 
4  [Psalm  xxxiv.  12-14.  xxxvii.  27.  1  Pet.  iii.  10,  11.] 

6  Car.  Mag.  Lib.  i.  Ca.  xxiv.  c  psal.  xliv.  [xlv.  12.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  1G3 

THE    REASON. 

Dilexi  decor  em  domus  Tuce.   Sed  Imagines  pertinent  ad  i 
decor  em  templorum.     Ergo,  Imagines  sunt  diligendce.'1 :  "'I 
have  loved,'  (saith  David8,)  'the  beauty  of  Thy  house.'     But 
Images  pertain  to  the  beauty  of  churches.    Therefore  Images 
are  to  bo  loved." 

THE    ANSWER. 

The  house  of  God  is  not  the  material  church,  of  lime  i 
and  stone ;  but  the  congregation  of  faithful  people,  in  whose 
hearts  He  dwellcth :  nor  the  beauty  hereof  consisteth  in  out 
ward  garnishing,  but  spiritual  virtues  ;  not  in  Imagery,  but 
in  piety.  They  which  renounced  the  world,  and  withdrew 
themselves  from  the  sight  of  evil,  had  no  Images  to  deck 
their  houses.  They  dwelt  in  simple  and  vile  cottages  ;  and 
yet  they  loved  the  beauty  of  God's  house.  AVherefore  the 
beauty  thereof  doth  not  consist  in  Images. 

THE    REASON. 

Sicut  audivimus,  ita  vidimus.  Ergo,  Imagines  sunt  ado- 
randan9:  "'As  we  have  heard,  so  have  we  seen;'  (saith  David.10) 
Therefore  Images  are  to  be  worshipped." 

THE    ANSWER. 

The  promises  of  God  to  them  that  fear  Him,  to  be  their 
refuge,  help,  and  deliverance,  were  the  things  that  they  had 
heard  foretold  by  the  Prophets,  and  seen  in  themselves.  And 
if  they  had  not  felt  a  stronger  effect  of  God's  power  than  a 
sorry  Picture  could  have  brought  unto  them,  they  should 
have  continued  all  the  days  of  their  life,  in  body,  slaves; 
in  soul,  ignorant. 

THE    REASON. 

Damnantur  inimici,  qui  malignantur  in  Sanctis  Dei. 
Ergo,  Imagines  contemnentes  damnantur11 :  "Those  enemies, 
that  do  work  evil  to  the  Saints  of  God,  are  condemned12. 
Therefore  such  as  despise  Images  are  condemned." 

THE    ANSWER. 

To  omit  the  phrase  of  malignantur,  for  malum  inferunt; 

?  Car.  Mag.  Lib.  i.  Ca.  xxviii.  8  psal.  xx\-i.  [8.] 

«  Car.  Mag.  Lib.  i.  Ca.  xxx.  10  Psal.  xlviii.  [8.] 

11  Car.  Mag.  Lib.  ii.  Cap.  i.  12  psai.  ixxiv.  [3.] 


164  THE  THIRD  ARTICLE. 

what  a  gross  ignorance  was  this,  to  put  the  Saints  of  God 
for  the  Sanctuary  itself  ?  Wherefore  the  Synod  answered  : 
The  Psalm  entreateth  of  such  as  had  spoiled  the  temple  of 
Hierusalem ;  had  taken  away  the  furniture  thereof,  which 
God  had  commanded.  What  is  that  to  Images  ?  He  neither 
speaketh  of  the  Saints  of  God ;  nor  Images  are  the  Saints  of 
God. 

THE    REASON. 

moiatra.  In  civitate  Tua,  imagines  ipsorwn  ad  nihilum  rediyes. 

Ergo,  Imagines  sunt  adorandce1 :  "'Thou  shalt  bring  their 
images  in  Thy  city  to  naught2.'  Therefore  Images  are  to  be 
worshipped." 

THE    ANSWER. 

momaehi.  The  city  of  God  sometime  is  taken  for  the  soul  of  man, 
inhabited  of  God  :  sometime  for  His  congregation  upon  earth. 
Sometime  also  for  the  heavenly  Hierusalem ;  as  in  this 
place3  :  that  as  they  have  denied  the  image  of  God  upon 
earth ;  so  their  own  images  shall  not  appear  in  heaven,  but 
be  reserved  in  everlasting  pain. 

THE    REASON. 

moiatrre.  Scriptum   est :   Exaltate  Dominum  Deum  nostrum,   et 

adorate  scabellum  pedum  Ejus  ;  quoniam  sanctus  est.  Ergo, 
Imagines  sunt  adorandce4  :  "It  is  written :  'Exalt  the  Lord 
our  God,  and  fall  down  before  His  footstool;  for  He  is  holy5.' 
Therefore  we  must  fall  down  to  Images." 

THE    ANSWER. 

>nomachi.  It  is  no  proof  that  Images  should  be  worshipped,  because 
it  is  written,  that  we  should  fall  down  before  the  footstool  of 
God.  For  we  must  not  esteem  His  footstool  according  to  the 
use  of  men ;  nor  deem  that  God  is  circumscript  with  quantity, 
or  needeth  a  thing  to  bear  up  His  feet  withal.  We  must  not 
think  that  any  thing  is  to  be  worshipped  but  only  God ;  the 
same  God  that  telleth  what  His  footstool  is,  saying :  Ccelum 

1  Car.  Mag.  Lib.  ii.  Ca.  iii.  2  psai.  ixx;i.  [Ixxiii.  20.] 

3  Augustinus,  Tom.  viii.  in  Psal.  Ixxii.      ["Nonne  digni  sunt  hsec 
pati:   ut  Deus  in  civitate  Sua  imaginem  eorum  ad  nihilum  redigat; 
quia  et  ipsi,  in  civitate  sua  terrena,  imaginem  Dei  ad  nihilum  redege- 
runt?"    (In  Psalm,  fol.  clxiii,  b.  Paris.  1529.)] 

4  Car.  Mag.  Lib.  ii.  Ca.  v.  5  Psal.  xcix.  [5.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  165 

Mihi  sedes,  terra  autem  scabellum :  "  Heaven  is  My  seat, 
and  the  earth  My  footstool6."  But  shall  we  worship  the 
earth,  which  is  the  creature  of  God?  No,  but  as  Ambrose 
saith7 ;  by  the  earth  is  the  flesh  of  Christ  signified,  which  He 
took  from  the  earth.  It  is  therefore  lewdly  applied  to 
Images,  which  appertaineth  to  the  mystical  service  of  our 
Lord  Christ. 

THE    REASON. 

Scriptum  est :  Adorate  in  monte  sancto  Ejus.  Ergo, 
Imagines  adorandce8:  "It  is  written  :  'Worship  Him  in  His 
holy  hill9.'  Therefore  Images  are  to  be  worshipped." 

THE    ANSWER. 

The  Prophet  saith  not,  The  hill  is  to  be  worshipped ;  but, 
God  to  be  worshipped  in  His  holy  hill.  And  if  he  had  said, 
Worship  the  hill;  yet  wise  men  would  have  construed  it  for 
God,  and  not  for  Images.  For  the  Church  itself,  the  con 
gregation  of  faithful  people,  is  that  hill  of  His,  that  Sion 
wherein  He  dwelleth.  Then  in  that  hill  we  must  not  "super- 
stitiously  worship  Images;  but  Christ  Himself,  the  Captain  of 
that  hill :  who,  to  purchase  that  hill  unto  Him,  vouchsafed 
not  only  to  take  our  shape,  but  in  our  shape  to  suffer  death. 

THE    REASON. 

Scribiturin  Canticis:  Ostende  Mihifaciem  tuam.  Ergo, 
Imagines  ostendendce10  :  "It  is  written  in  the  Canticles11: 
'Shew  Me  thy  face.'  Therefore  Images  are  to  be  shewed." 

THE    ANSWER. 

The  Church  it  is,  whom  Christ  there  speaketh  to  :  whom 
sometime  He  calleth  a  dove ;  sometime  His  fair  one ;  sometime 
His  love.  The  Church,  (that  is  to  say,)  His  elect  and  chosen, 
He  willeth  there  to  rise,  that  is  to  say,  believe  ;  to  hasten 
to  Him,  to  fructify  in  good  works ;  to  come,  that  is  to  say, 
receive  an  everlasting  reward.  The  face  of  this  Church  is 

G  Psal.  [Isaiah]  Ixvi.  [1.]  Act.  vii.  [49.] 

?  \De  Spiritu  Sancto,  Lib.  iii.  C.  xii.  Opp.  Tom.  iv.  264.  — "  Sed 
nee  terra  adoranda  nobis,  quia  creatura  est  Dei.  Videamus  tamen  ne 
terrain  illam  dicat  adorandam  Propheta,  quam  Dominus  Jesus  in  car- 
nis  assumptione  suscepit."] 

8  Car.  Mag.  Lib.  ii.  Ca.  vi.  9  Psal.  xcviii.  [xcix.  9.] 

10  Car.  Mag.  Lib.  ii.  Ca.  x.  «  [ii.  14.] 


1G6  THE   THIRD  ARTICLE. 

not  corporal,  but  spiritual :  not  by  proportion  of  Imagery, 
but  by  properties  of  virtue  to  be  discerned.  Then  is  it  an 
impudent  application  of  the  face  of  this  Church  to  Images; 
unless  whatsoever  is  there  spoken  mystically  must  be  taken 
carnally. 

THE    REASON. 

Erit  altare  in  medio  ^iEgypti.  Ergo,  Imagines  in  media 
templi1:  '"There  shall  be  an  altar,'  (saith  the  Prophet2,)  'in 
the  midst  of  Egypt.'  Therefore  Images  in  the  midst  of  the 
church." 

THE    ANSWER. 

This  prophecy  was  performed  in  Christ :  who,  in  the 
midst  of  Egypt,  that  is  to  say,  the  world,  hath  erected  His 
altar,  His  faith  and  belief;  by  which  we  may  make  our  prayers 
to  Him.  Stolidum  est  ergo,  say  they;  "It  is  a  doltish  part"  to 
apply  it  to  Images. 

THE    REASON. 

Nemo  accendit  lucernam,  et  ponit  earn  sub  modio.  Ergo, 
Imagines  habendce  sunt,  et  colendai  luminibus3 :  " '  No  man 
lighteth  a  candle,  and  putteth  it  under  a  bushel4.'  Therefore 
Images  must  be  had,  and  worshipped  with  candles." 

THE    ANSWER. 

O  res  inconsequens ,  et  risu  digna  !  "  0  matter  imper 
tinent,  and  worthy  to  be  laughed  at ! " 

THE    REASON. 

ECCQ  virgo  concipiet,  et  pariet  filium.  Hanc  autem  pro- 
plietiam  in  Imagine  nos  videntes,  videlicet  virginem  ferentem 
in  ulnis  quem  genuit;  quomodo  sustinebimus  non  adorare 
et  osculari5  ?  '"  Behold,'  (saith  the  Prophet6,)  'a  virgin  shall 
conceive,  and  bring  forth  a  son.'  And  whereas  we  behold 
this  prophecy  in  a  Picture,  seeing  a  virgin  carrying  her  son 
in  her  arms;  how  can  we  forbear  but  worship  it  and 
kiss  it?" 

THE    ANSWER. 

The  performance  of  this  prophecy  must  not  be  seen  in 
uncertain  Images  of  man's  hand,  but  fastly  be  fixed  in  tho 

1  Car.  Mag.  Li.  ii.  Ca.  xi.  2  Esay  xix.  [19.] 

3  Car.  Mag.  Li.  ii.  Ca.  xii.  4  Matth.  v.  [lo.] 

5  Car.  Mag.  Li.  iv.  Ca.  xxi.  c  Esay  vii.  [Ii.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.       1G7 

heart  of  man.  Nor  the  mysteries  thereof  to  be  sought  in 
Pictures,  but  in  holy  Scriptures.  And  as  for  worshipping 
or  kissing  a  senseless  thing,  who  will  presume  so  to  do?  (say 
they.)  Quis  tale  facinus  perpetrare  audebit  ?  "  Who  shall 
dare  commit  such  an  heinous  fact?" 

THE    REASON. 

Imaginis  honor  in  primam  formam  transit.  Ergo, 
Imagines  honorandce^ :  "  The  honour  done  to  an  Imago  pass- 
eth  into  the  first  shape  after  which  it  was  made.  Therefore 
Images  are  to  be  honoured." 

THE    ANSWER. 

A  strange  case,  never  heard  tell  of  before ;  never  to  be 
proved  hereafter.  Christ  said  not,  That  which  you  have 
done  to  Images,  you  have  done  to  Me ;  but,  "  Whatsoever  you 
have  done  to  one  of  these  little  ones,  ye  have  done  to  Me8." 
Nor  thus  He  said,  He  that  receiveth  an  Image,  rcceiveth  Me; 
but,  "He  that  receiveth  you,"  (Mine  Apostles,)  "receiveth 
Me9."  Nor  Christ  His  Apostle  said,  Let  us  love  Images; 
but,  "Love  one  another10."  Wherefore,  it  is  a  vain  dream, 
contrary  to  all  Scripture  and  reason  too,  that  honour  done  to 
a  senseless  thing  shall  pass  to  him,  that  neither  peradvcnturc 
hath  the  like  shape,  nor  ever  is  present  with  it.  But  if  it 
were  possible,  (as  they  falsely  affirm,)  that  honour  and  rever 
ence  done  to  an  Image  redoundeth  to  the  glory  of  the  first 
sampler ;  how  can  we  imagine  that  Saints  are  so  ambitious, 
that  they  will  have  such  honour  done  to  them  ?  If  in  the 
flesh  they  did  abhor  it,  in  the  spirit  shall  they  accept  it  ? 

THE    REASON. 

Suscipio  et  amplector  honorabiliter  sanctas  et  vmerandas 
Imagines,  secundum  servitium  adorationis,  quod  consub- 
stantiali  et  vivificatrici  Trinitati  emitto :  et  qui  sic  non 
sentiunt,  neque  glorificant,  a  sancta,  Catholica,  et  Aposto- 
lica  Ecclesia  segrego ;  et  anathemati  submitto ;  et  parti, 
qui  abnegaverunt  incarnatam  et  salvabilem  dispensationem 
Christi,  veri  Dei  nostri,  emitto n :  "I  do  receive,"  (quoth 
Constantinus,  Bishop  of  Constance  in  Cyprus,)  "  and  honour- 

*  Car.  Mag.  Lib.  iii.  Ca.  xvi.      8  Matth.  xxv.  [40.] 

9  Matth.  x.  [40.]  10  1  Joan.  iii.  [11,  23.  iv.  7, 11.] 

11  Car.  Mag.  Lib.  iii.  Ca.  xvii. 


168  THE  THIRD  ARTICLE. 

ably  embrace,  the  holy  and  reverend  Images,  according  to 
that  service  of  adoration  and  worship  which  I  give  to  the 
Trinity,  of  one  substance  together,  of  one  quickening  power  : 
and  those  that  think  not  so,  nor  glorify  them  so,  I  separate 
from  the  holy,  Catholic,  and  Apostolic  Church.  I  pronounce 
them  accursed,  as  such  as  take  part  with  them  that  denied 
the  incarnate  and  salvable  dispensation  of  Christ  our  true 
God." 

THE    ANSWER. 

0  horrible  blasphemy !  What  man  in  his  right  wits  would 
ever  say  such  a  thing,  or  consent  to  the  saying  ;  that  a 
vile  Image  or  a  blind  Picture  should  be  honoured  as  the 
eternal  and  almighty  Trinity  ?  That  an  earthly  creature 
should  have  the  service  that  is  only  due  to  the  heavenly 
Creator  ?  Who  could  abide  him,  Nauseantem  potius  quam 
ioquentem  :  "  Spewing  rather  than  speaking?"  What  honest 
oars  would  not  rather  detest  than  delight  in  the  hearing 
of  him  ?  It  only  sufficed  his  fatherhood  to  affirm  the  dam 
nable  and  shameless  heresy.  It  only  sufficeth  to  rehearse 
his  absurdities,  to  make  all  Christians  mislike  with  him  and 
maintainers  of  such  lies  and  devilish  devices.  For,  suppose 
that  it  were  good  to  have  Images,  and  to  honour  them ; 
shall  it  therefore  be  made  equivalent  with  a  matter  of  our 
faith,  without  the  which  we  cannot  be  saved  ?  Shall  we  be 
accursed  for  that,  which  Scripture  never  taught  us;  but  is 
direct  contrary  against  the  Scripture  ?  Dominum  Deum 
tuum  adorabis,  et  Illi  soli  servies  :  "  Thou  shalt  honour  the- 
Lord  thy  God,  and  Him  only  shalt  thou  serve1." 

THE    REASON. 

Qui  Deum  timet,  honorat  omnino,  adorat,  et  veneratur, 
sicut  Filium  Dei,  Christum  Deum  nostrum,  et  signum  Crucis 
Ejus,  et  figuram  Sanctorum  Ejus2  :  "  He  that  feareth  God, 
doth  honour,  worship,  and  reverence  the  sign  of  the  Cross  of 
Christ,  and  figure  of  His  Saints,  no  otherwise  than  the  Son  of 
God,  even  Christ  our  God." 

THE    ANSWER. 

This  is  a  different  phrase,  a  contrary  opinion  to  all  the 
Scripture.  The  holy  men  of  God  did  ever  teach  the  fear  of 

1  Deut.  vi.  [13.  S.  Matth.  iv.  10.]       2  Car.  Mag.  Lib.  iii.  Ca.  xzviii. 


ANSWER  TO   THE   TREATISE   OF  THE  CROSS.  169 

God;  and  never  taught  the  service  of  an  Image.  David3 
saith  not,  He  that  feareth  God,  worshippeth  Images ;  but, 
"  He  that  feareth  God,  greatly  delighteth  in  His  command 
ments."  So  that  the  fear  of  God  consisteth  not  in  worshipping 
of  Images,  but  in  observance  of  the  law  of  God.  And  if  none 
fear  God,  but  the  same  worship  Images,  what  is  become  of 
the  Saints  aforetime,  which  never  had  them  ? 

THE    REASON. 

Imago  Imperatoris  est  adoranda.  Ergo,  etiam  Christi 
ct  Sanctorum4 :  "  The  Image  of  the  Emperor  is  to  be  wor 
shipped.  Therefore  the  Image  of  Christ  and  His  Saints." 

THE    ANSWER. 

By  that  which  is  of  itself  unlawful,  they  go  about  to  con- 
firm  a  thing  more  unlawful.  For  it  is  not  to  be  proved,  that 
the  Image  of  man  is  to  be  worshipped :  yet,  if  that  were 
granted,  great  odds  there  is  in  the  comparison.  The  Emperor 
is  local ;  and,  being  in  one  place,  cannot  be  in  another :  but 
God  is  every  where.  And  to  comprise  Him  within  the  com 
pass  of  a  stone  wall,  or  a  little  table,  which  is  all  in  all ;  and 
whole  every  where :  whom  the  earth  containeth  not,  nor 
heavens  comprehend ;  is  too  profane  a  case,  cousin  to  in 
fidelity. 

THE    REASON. 

Qui  adorat  Imaginem,  et  dicit,  Hoc  est  Cliristus,  non 
peccat.  Ergo,  Imagines  adorandces:  "He  that  worshippeth 
an  Image,  and  saith,  This  is  Christ,  sinneth  not.  Therefore 
linages  are  to  be  worshipped." 

THE    ANSWER. 

He  that  maketh  a  lie,  sinneth.  But  he  that  affirmeth  so 
vile  a  thing  as  an  Image  is  to  be  Christ  Himself,  maketh  an 
impudent  lie.  Therefore  he  that  so  sayeth,  sinneth. 

THE    REASON. 

Imagines  sacris  vasis,  Cruci  Dominicce,  et  libris  Scrip- 
tune  divince  cequiparantur.  Ergo,  adorandce6 :  "  Images 

3  Psal.  cxi.  [cxii.  1.]  <  Car.  Mag.  Lib.  iii.  Cap.  xv. 

5  Car.  Mag.  Lib.  iv.  Cap.  5. 

6  Car.  Mag.  Li.  ii.  Cap.  xxix.  Cap.  xxviii.  &  Cap.  xxx. 


170  THE  THIRD  ARTICLE. 

arc  comparable  with  the  holy  vessels,  with  the  Cross  of 
Christ,  and  books  of  holy  Scripture.  Therefore  to  be  wor 
shipped." 

THE    ANSWER. 

A  sort  of  lewd  comparisons.  For,  as  for  holy  vessels, 
they  were  commanded :  so  are  not  Images.  And  yet  not  the 
vessels  commanded  to  be  worshipped.  Therefore,  to  gather  a 
worshipping  of  Images  by  them,  is  folly.  Then  also,  the 
Cross  hath  wrought  miraculous  and  merciful  effects  to  our 
salvation :  so  can  Images  do  none.  And  yet,  by  the  way, 
they  plainly  declare1 :  Per  Crucem  non  lignum  illud  siy- 
nificari,  sed  totum  opus  Christi,  et  afflictiones piorum :  "That 
by  the  Cross  there  is  not  signified  the  piece  of  wood,  but  the 
whole  work  of  Christ,  and  afflictions  of  the  godly."  The 
Scripture  also,  (by  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost,)  was 
delivered  to  men,  and  bringeth  a  most  certain  commodity  with 
it.  Images,  as  they  sprong  from  error  of  Gentility,  so  have 
they  no  profit,  but  perverting  in  them. 

THE    REASON. 

Jacob  erexit  lapidem  in  titulum.  Ergo,  Imagines  ado- 
randoB2 :  " '  Jacob  took  a  stone,  and  set  it  up  as  a  pillar3,' 
Therefore  Images  are  to  be  worshipped." 

THE    ANSWER. 

Although  this  be  a  lubberly  reason;  (to  use  the  term  of 
Charles  the  Great,  who  plainly  called  it  Rem  non  medio- 
cris  socordice;)  yet  somewhat  will  I  say  according  to  mine 
author,  to  shew  the  difference  between  Jacob's  fact  and  their 
affection. 

One  thing  it  is,  the  holy  Patriarchs  by  some  notable  mark 
to  foreshew  things  that  were  to  come ;  and  another,  to  have 
an  idle  workman  to  make  an  Image  in  remembrance  of  things 
past.  One  thing  it  is,  to  be  inspired  with  the  Holy  Ghost ; 
and  a  far  other,  to  have  the  art  of  carving  or  graving.  One 
thing  it  is,  to  trust  to  God's  working ;  and  another,  to  put  an 
occupation  in  practice.  One  thing  it  is,  that  Jacob  set  up  a 
pillar ;  another,  that  a  workman  shall  set  up  an  Image. 

1  Car.  Mag.  Li.  ii.  Cap.  xxviii. 

2  Car.  Mag.  Li.  i.  Cap.  x.  3  Gen.  xxxi.  [45.] 


AXSWEH  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  171 

THE    REASON. 

Jesus  ad  Abgarum  Imaginem  Siiam  misit.     Ergo,  Ima-  i 

adorandce* :  "Jesus  sent  His  Image  unto  Abgar.   There 
fore  Images  are  to  be  worshipped." 

THE    ANSWER. 

It  is  no  Gospel,  that  Jesus  sent  His  Picture  unto  Abgar.  i 
And  Gelasius  himself,  sometime  Pope  of  Home5,  numbercth 
both  the  Epistle  that  Christ  is  said  to  have  sent  unto  him, 
and  also  the  report  of  the  Picture6,  inter  Apocryplia  ;  among 
the  writings  not  received  to  be  read  publicly  in  the  church, 
nor  serving  to  prove  any  point  of  Religion.  Wherefore  the 
reason  is  insufficient. 

THE    REASON. 

Images  did  miracles7;  and  are  comparable  to  the  hem  of 
Christ's  garment,  by  the  touching  whereof  the  woman  was 
healed  of  her  issue  of  blood.  Therefore  to  be  worshipped. 

THE    ANSWER. 

That  Images  did  any  miracles,  is  a  very  lie.  Yet,  if 
miracles  they  had  done,  it  is  not  enough  to  prove  them  to  bo 
worshipped. 

THE    REASON. 

That  they  did  miracles,  is  proved  by  examples8.  The 
Image  of  Polemon  preserved  one  from  the  act  of  adultery. 
The  dream  of  an  Archdeacon,  whom  an  Angel  in  his  sleep 
commanded  to  worship  an  Image.  A  Monk  lighted  a  candle 
before  the  Image  of  our  Lady;  and  five  or  six  months  after 
he  found  it  burning. 

4  Car.  Mag.  Li.  iv.  Cap.  x. 

5  [In  the  Synod  which  consisted  of  seventy  Bishops;   A.D.  496. 
Vid.  Gratiani  Decretum,  Dist.  xv.  C.  Sancta  Romana  Ecclesia.] 

6  [This  is  a  mistake :  for  the  story  of  the  Image  is  of  a  later  date ; 
and  is  brought  forward,  as  genuine  evidence,  in  the  fifth  Act  of  tho 
second  Council  of  Nicsea.     Gretscr  informs  us  truly,  that  "  Gclasius 
nunquam  Imaginem  ipsam  apocryphis  deputavit ;  quidquid  tandem  sit 
do  Epistolis.     Et  Concilium  11.  Nicsenum  non  Epistolis,  sed  Imagine 
Edessena  nititur."     (Do  Imagg.  non  manufact.  Opp.  Tom.  xv.  p.  192. 
Ratisb.  1741.)] 

7  Car.  Mag.  Lib.  iii.  Ca.  xxv. 

8  Car.  Mag.  Lib.  iii.  Ca.  xxi.  &  Cap.  xxvi.  et  Li.  iv.  Ca.  xii. 


172  THE  THIRD  ARTICLE. 

THE    ANSWER. 

For  the  first,  there  is  no  reason  to  induce  us,  that  the  tale 
is  true.  Yet,  if  it  were  true,  there  is  no  less  difference  between 
the  miracles  of  Christ  and  miracles  of  Polemon,  than  is  be 
tween  the  Person  of  Christ  and  person  of  Polemon.  For  the 
second,  it  is  an  unwise  and  unwonted  thing,  to  confirm  by 
a  dream  a  doubtful  case.  Whether  he  dreamed  it  or  devised 
it,  there  is  no  proof  at  all,  no  witnesses  of  the  matter.  And 
yet,  if  he  so  dreamed  indeed,  our  doubt  by  good  reason  may 
be  no  less.  But  it  is  well  enough ;  a  drunken  device  to  be 
confirmed  with  a  drowsy  dream.  As  for  the  third,  the 
circumstance  of  the  fact  itself,  the  person,  the  place,  the  time 
considered,  we  may  justly  derogate  all  credit  from  it.  For 
neither  we  are  assured  of  the  honesty  of  him  that  told  the 
tale ;  nor  it  is  reported  where,  or  when,  or  after  what  sort  it 
was  done.  Wherefore  it  sounds  so  like  a  lie,  that  a  true 
man  ought  not  to  believe  it.  Yet,  if  it  were  a  most  certain 

O  * 

truth,  that  a  candle  burned  five  or  six  months  together,  we 
ought  not  to  ground  thereof  an  adoration  of  a  thing  un 
reasonable.  Balaam's  Ass  opened  his  mouth  to  reprove  his 
master1 ;  preserved  the  children  of  God  from  cursing.  Shall 
then  the  tongue  of  the  Ass,  or  his  tail  be  honoured  ? 

Thus  have  ye  heard  how  the  Nice  Council  confirmed  as 
they  could,  by  Scripture  and  by  miracles,  not  only  the  having, 
but  worshipping  of  Images.  Ye  have  heard  in  it  how  the 
learned  Fathers,  assembled  at  Frankford,  answered  their  idle 
and  impudent  allegations.  But  lest  I  should  seem  to  suppress 
any  thing,  that  in  appearance  maketh  for  our  adversary,  I 
will  shew  what  Fathers  and  Doctors  of  the  Church  Hireneis 
[Irene's]  chaplains  brought  forth  for  them. 

First  of  all,  Augustin  ;  who  saith :  Quid  est  imago  Dei, 
nisi  vultus  Dei,  in  quo  signatus  est  populus  Dei  ?  "  What 
is  the  image  of  God,  but  the  countenance  of  God,  in  which 
the  people  of  God  is  sealed?"  Therefore  Images  are  to  be 
worshipped. 

THE    ANSWER. 

The  image  of  God  is  Christ  His  Son,  according  to  Paul: 
Qui  est  imago  Dei  invisibilis :  "  Which  is  The  image  of  the 

i  Num.  xxii.  [28.     2  Pot.  ii.  16.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  173 

invisible  God2."  And  to  apply  that  to  a  stock  or  a  stone,  which 
is  peculiar  unto  Christ,  is  horrible.  Nor  Augustin's  meaning 
was  so3  :  but,  as  it  is  evident  by  his  own  words,  he,  speaking 
of  Christ,  whom  he  calleth  the  image  and  countenance  of  the 
Father,  saith,  that  in  Him  we  be  sealed,  Qui  dedit  pignus  Spi- 
ritus  in  cordibus  nostris :  "  Which  gave  the  pledge  of  His 
Spirit  in  our  hearts4 ;"  whereby  we  are  sealed  into  the  right 
of  His  children,  against  the  day  of  redemption5. 

Then  brought  they  forth  an  authority  out  of  Gregorius 
Nyssenus6.  To  which  the  Synod  answered,  that  inasmuch  as 
his  life  and  doctrine  was  unknown  to  them7,  they  could  not 
admit  his  testimony,  for  approving  of  a  thing  in  controversy. 

They  alleged  also  Cyril8  upon  John9:  but  corrupting  his 
sentence,  depraving  his  sense ;  that,  as  the  words  were  brought 
unto  them,  it  was  as  hard  to  pick  out  construction,  as  to  find 
a  pin's  head  in  a  cart-load  of  hay. 

Likewise  they  dealt  with  Chrysostom10;  alleging  that  he 
should  say  :  Vidi  Angelum  in  Imagine :  "  I  saw  an  Angel  in 
an  Image."  Whereto  was  answered,  that  it  was  nothing 
likely;  because  Angels  are  invisible. 

Nor  otherwise  with  Ambrose11 :  Nam  et  ipsius  senten- 
tiam  ordine,  sensu,  verbisque  turbarunt :  "  For  they 
troubled  his  sentence,  both  in  the  order,  the  sense,  and  the 

2  [Col.  i.  15.] 

3  Car.  Mag.  Lib.  ii.  Ca.  xvi.  4  [2  Cor.  i.  22.] 

5  [Ephes.  iv.  30.]  6  Car.  Mag.  Lib.  ii.  Ca.  xvii. 

"•  [As  this  plea  can  hardly  be  esteemed  sufficient,  it  is  right  to 
observe  that,  in  the  fourth  Act  of  the  second  Council  of  Nicsea,  a 
passage  was  cited  from  S.  Gregory's  Oration  De  Deilate  Filil  et 
Spiritus,  et  in  Abraham;  in  which  he  relates,  that  he  was  much  affected 
by  beholding  a  Picture  of  the  offering  up  of  Isaac.  (Opp.  Tom.  ii.  p. 
908.  Paris.  1615.)] 

8  Car.  Mag.  Li.  ii.  Cap.  xx. 

9  [Or  rather  upon  S.  Matthew;  as  Pope  Adrian  testifies  in  his 
Epistle  to  Constantino  and  Irene,  Act.  ii.] 

1°  Car.  Mag.  Li.  iii.  Cap.  xx.  [Sept.  Syn.  Act.  iv. — The  words  were 
quoted  from  the  dubious  Homily,  Unum  et  eundem  esse  Legislatorem 
ntriusque  Testamenti;  and,  at  all  events,  only  stated,  that  the  writer  was 
pleased  with  a  representation  of  the  Angel  destroying  the  Assyrians.] 

11  Car.  Mag.  Li.  ii.  Cap.  xv.  [Pope  Adrian's  Letter,  in  the  second 
Act,  notifies  that  the  extract  was  derived  from  one  of  the  books  "  ad 
Gratianum  Imperatorem."] 


174  THE   THIRD  ARTICLE. 

words."  Nor  this  is  my  private  opinion.  The  whole  Council 
affirmed  it  so ;  and  the  Acts  are  evident  to  prove  no  less. 

As  for  the  example  that  they  brought  of  Silvester1,  how 
he  presented  the  Images  of  the  Apostles  to  Constantinus;  it 
makcth  nothing  for  them.  He  shewed  him,  peradventurc, 
Pictures  to  look  upon ;  no  Images  to  adore. 

But  I  must  not  forget  how  they  brought  an  example  of 
a  certain  Abbot2;  which  made  an  oath  to  the  Devil,  that  he 
would  not  worship  the  Picture  of  Christ,  or  of  His  mother: 
but  afterward  he  brake  his  oath;  saying,  that  it  was  better 
for  him  to  haunt  all  the  brothel-houses  in  the  city,  than  to 
abstain  from  worshipping  of  Images.  I  need  not  to  rehearse 
the  Council's  answer  to  it.  There  is  no  such  babe,  but  seeth 
their  beastliness.  Only  their  greatest  reason,  that  doth  remain, 
is  this. 

THE    REASON. 

Epiphanius,  discoursing  upon  all  the  sects  of  heretics,  doth 
not  accompt  them  for  any  that  worship  Images.  Therefore 
it  is  no  heresy  to  worship  Images3. 

1  Car.  Mag.  Li.  ii.  Cap.  xiii.    [A  more  decisive  answer  might  hare 
been  elicited  from  the  fact,  that  the  Acts  of  Pope  Silvester,  from  which 
the  narrative  was  taken,  and  which  are  the  main  foundation  for  tho 
fahles  respecting  the  Leprosy,  Baptism,  and  Donation  of  Constantino, 
are  an  extravagant  fiction.    (See  Crakanthorp's  Defence  of  Constantine, 
pp.  206 — 232.  Lond.  1621.)     If  it  be  argued,  that  their  genuineness 
seems  to  be  established  by  the  Gelasian  Decree,  at  the  end  of  the  fifth 
century ;  we  may  reply,  in  the  first  place,  that  Archidiaconus,  Cardinal 
Cusanus,  and  the  Gregorian  Glossators  concur  in  bearing  witness,  that 
the  sentence  in  question,  and  a  great  many  others,  "  absunt  a  plerisquo 
vetustis  Gratiani  codicibus :"   and  secondly,  even  if  the  legitimacy  of 
the  paragraph  bo  admitted,  it  only  affirms,  that  the  Acts  were  "  read 
by  many  Catholics  in  the  city  of  Rome;" — a  declaration  which  need 
not  be  much  more  than  equivalent  to  the  assertion,  (if  it  were  true,) 
that  many  Protestants  study  the  Golden  Legend.] 

2  Car.  Mag.  Li.  iii.  Cap.  xxxi.    [The  tale  is  recorded  in  the  fourth 
and  fifth  Acts  of  the  Deutero-Nicene  Council ;  and  is  said  to  be  ad 
duced  from  the  Limonarium  of  Sophronius  of  Jerusalem.  The  Limo- 
narium,  or  Pratum  spirituale,  is  not,  however,  the  work  of  Sophronius, 
but  of  Joannes  Moschus,  who  lived  in  the  year  630  ;  and  of  the  author 
of  tho  performance  Baronius  has  been  forced  to  ask  :  "  Cum  hecc  com- 
pingat  ea  narratione  mcndacia,  qua)  fides  in  rcliquis  ?"    (Annall.  Tom. 
v.  ad  an.  407.  p.  270.  Antv.  1658.)] 

3  Car.  Mag.  Li.  iv.  Cap.  xxv. 


ANSWER    TO    THE    TREATISE    OF    THE    CROSS.  175 

THE    ANSWER. 

Epiphanius,  discoursing  upon  all  the  sects  of  heretics,  doth 
not  accompt  them  for  any  that  condemn  Images.  Therefore 
it  is  no  heresy  to  condemn  Images.  But  that  the  same 
Epiphanius  did  not  only  mislike  with  worshipping  of  Images, 
but  also  with  the  having  of  them4,  shall  appear  hereafter. 

It  sufficeth  now  that  I  have  set  forth  to  you  the  best  part 
of  the  Acts  of  the  noble  Council.  Ye  see  the  learned  reasons  that 
they  made :  the  deep  and  profound  judgments :  the  pith,  the 
strength,  the  marrowbones  of  their  matter;  wherewith  they 
did  so  begrease  themselves,  that  now  they  shine  so  glorious 
in  your  eyes.  If  men  had  devised  matter  to  mock  them 
withal,  I  suppose  they  could  not  have  found  any  so  absurd 
as  they  brought  with  them.  Yet  these  be  they  that  repre 
sented  the  state  of  the  universal  Church.  These  be  they  that 
could  not  err.  These  be  they  that  you  only  depend  on. 
These  be  the  three  hundreth  and  fifty  Bishops,  that  condemned 
the  three  hundreth  and  eight  and  thirty  that  were  before 
assembled  at  Constantinople.  These  be  the  judges  that  gave 
sentence  against  the  Council  gathered  in  Spain.  These  be 
the  worthy  pillars  that  bare  up  the  Cross  and  Images.  And 
if  a  man  considered  by  what  spirit  they  were  led  when  they 
came  to  Nice,  he  needed  not  to  marvel  at  the  strange  and 
horrible  success  of  their  doings.  For  who  then  bare  the 
sway  ?  Who  did  assemble  them,  but  that  Athalia,  that  Jesa- 
bel  Irene ;  which  was  so  bewitched  with  superstition,  that,  all 
order,  all  honesty,  all  law  of  nature  broken,  she  cared  not 
what  she  did,  so  she  might  have  her  Mawmots5?  She  burned 
her  father's  bones.  She  murthered  her  own  son.  She  per 
verted  by  violence  all  order  of  lawful  counsel,  that  she  might 
go  a  whoring  with  her  Idols  still.  When  Constantino  the 
iifth,  father  to  her  husband  Leo,  (by  marriage  of  whom  she 

4  [Erasmi  Stultitiw  Laus,  p.  116.  Basil.  1676.] 

5  [The  term  "Mawmots"  or  "Mammets"  signifies  Puppets;  (Sco 
before,  p.  31.)  and  "Mawmctry"  means  the  worship  of  Images.    The 
names  have  doubtless  been  corrupted  from  "  Mahomet"  and  "  Maho- 
metry."    See  Selclen,  quoted  by  Dr  Wordsworth ;  Eccles.  13ioy.  Vol.  i. 
p.  368.     Hincmar  of  Rheims,  speaking  of  the  Council  of  Frankfort, 
uses  the  apposite  expressions,  "  Puparum  cultum;"  (Cont.  Ilinc.  Lau- 
dun.  Episc.  Cap.  xx.)  and,  in  Becon's  works,  we  read  of  "  Mahound-liko 
Mawmets."    (Prayers,  &c.,  p.  233.  ed.  Parker  Soc.)] 


17C  THE  THIRD  ARTICLE. 

most  unworthy  came  to  her  estate,)  had  lien  dead  and  buried 
a  good  while  in  his  grave,  she  digged  him  up :  she  shewed 
her  cruelty  on  his  carcase :  she  cast  his  bones  into  the  fire ; 
and  caused  his  ashes  to  be  thrown  into  the  sea.  This  did  the 
good  daughter,  the  defender  of  Images,  because  her  father, 
when  as  yet  he  lived,  had  broken  them  in  pieces;  affirming 
simplicity,  rather  than  sumptuousness,  to  be  most  fitting  for 
the  church  of  Christ.  Thus  raged  she  during  the  nonage 
of  Constantino  her  son;  and  made  the  palace  of  Constanti 
nople  a  sink  of  sectaries,  a  follower  of  deformed  Rome.  But 
when  the  Emperor  himself,  (her  son,)  grew  to  discretion,  he 
trod  in  his  father's  and  grandfather's  steps;  and  did  so  much 
mislike  with  his  mother's  Mawmetry l,  that  he  began  to  bridle 
her  insolent  affection :  he  took  the  sword  out  of  her  mad 
hands ;  and  threw  down  the  monuments  of  superstition,  which 
she,  (with  such  diligence  and  cost,)  had  erected.  Whereupon 
the  malice  of  her  wicked  breast  was  so  incensed,  that  she 
spared  not  to  set  on  fire  her  own  house ;  to  conspire  the  death 
of  her  own  child ;  only  to  maintain  her  Images  in  the  church. 
Therefore  she  not  only  forgat  her  duty  to  her  Prince,  her 
love  to  her  son,  but  she  joined  with  a  sort  of  cut-throats : 
she  utterly  cast  off  the  nature  and  condition  of  a  woman: 
she  became  more  savage  than  a  wild  beast.  For  beside  that 
she  craftily  betrayed  the  Emperor,  she  traitorously  bereaved 
him  of  his  inheritance  the  crown :  she  most  unwomanly 
scratched  out  the  eyes  of  the  same  her  own  son :  she  most 
abominably  cast  him  into  prison :  most  detestably  at  length 
she  murthered  him.  Thus  was  the  living  for  the  dead;  the 
Prince  for  a  Puppet ;  the  natural  child  destroyed,  for  the 
naked  unnatural  use  of  Imagery. 

And  to  declare  the  wrath  of  God,  justly  deserved  for  this 
execrable  fact,  Eutropius  reporteth  thus2:  Obtenebratus  est  sol 
per  dies  septemdecim,  et  non  dedit  radios  suos :  ita  ut  er- 
rarent  naves  maris;  omnesque  dicerent,  quod  propter  excce- 
cationem  Imperatoris,  sol  obccecatus  radios  suos  retraxerit : 
"The  sun  was  darkened  for  seventeen  days,  and  gave  not  forth 
his  light :  so  that  the  ships  of  the  sea  wandered  ;  and  all  men 
affirmed,  that  for  the  putting  out  of  the  Emperor's  eyes,  the 
sun,  being  blinded,  withdrew  his  beams."  The  cause  of  which 

1  [See  the  preceding  note.] 

2  [See  page  71,  note  5.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE   OF  THE  CROSS.  177 

terrible  and  strange  effect,  the  only  practiser  of  all  the  forcsaid 
outrages,  was  only  that  Irene,  that  President  of  Nicene  Council: 
for  that  only  cause,  for  which  she  gathered  that  conspiracy 
too-other.  And  when  she  saw,  that  Avithout  extortion  and 

O  * 

violence,  she  was  not  able  to  compass  her  wicked  enterprise, 
she  fell  to  tyranny :  she  stopped  the  mouths  of  her  adversary 
part ;  and  either  banished  them  out  of  the  way,  or  kept  them 
in  such  hold,  that  they  should  not  hurt  her.  And  was  not 
this  a  goodly  Council  then :  the  cause  so  unlawful ;  the  caller 
so  horrible ;  the  parties  so  beastly  ;  the  order  so  unconscion 
able?  Brag  as  ye  please  of  your  Nice  Council :  undoubtedly  Foik>4i,  i>. 
they  gave  unwise  counsel.  Nor  it  rested  in  them  to  bind  or 
loose  in  heaven  what  they  would.  They  did  not  answer  the 
points  of  their  commission :  therefore  they  had  not  the  effect 
of  power.  Which  thing  considered,  I  trust  you  will  detest  their 
impiety ;  who,  for  a  Picture,  have  defaced  Scripture ;  who,  for 
a  fancy  of  their  own  brain,  have  fallen  into  a  phrensy  of  too 
much  superstition :  apparelling  their  Idols  with  garments  of 
God's  service;  and  cloking  their  Idolatry  with  a  face  of  true 
worshipping. 

Now  that  I  have  battered  about  your  ears  this  your 
"  Ajax'  shield,"  which  ye  thought  to  use  as  a  special  de 
fence;  "the  name  of  Councils,  General  and  Provincial;"  of 
which  some  do  make  nothing  for  you,  the  rest  ought  not  to 
have  authority  with  any ;  let  me  now,  I  say,  descend  unto 
your  Doctors.  Ambrose3  affirmeth,  "  that  a  church  cannot  Ambrose, 
stand  without  a  Cross:"  and  thereupon  ye  infer,  "that  aFoiio42, a. 
Cross  must  needs  be  in  the  church."  I  grant  ye,  Master 
Martiall :  and  yet  have  ye  gained  nothing.  For  though  he 
spake  of  the  sign  of  a  Cross,  yet  it  rests  to  be  proved  that 
he  meant  of  your  Cross.  He  maketh  many  mysteries  of  the 
Cross :  as  the  hoised  sail,  the  earing4  plough,  the  blowing 

3  Scrm.  Ivi.    [This  is  the  second  Sermon  De  Cntce  Domini,  and 
the  fifty-second  of  the  Sermones  de  Temporc,  inter  Opp.  S.  Ambr.  Vol. 
ii.  Tom.  v.  71 — 2.  Lut.  Paris.  1661.     It  is  the  identical  Discourse  De 
Cruce,  which  Gennadius  (De  Vir.  illust.  Cap.  xl.)  ascribes  to  Maximus 
Taurinensis,  who  was  really  the  parent  of  it.     Coccius  has  divided  one 
authority  into  two,  by  citing  extracts  from  the  same  Homily,  under  the 
names  of  both  Fathers.  (Thesaur.  Cuth.  i.  240 — 41.  Conf.  Latiui  La- 
tinii  Biblioth.  Sacr.  ct  Pro/an,  pp.  137,  164.  Romsc,  1677.)] 

4  [tilling— Gen.  xlv.  6.  Exod.  xxxiv.  21.] 

12 


178  THE  THIRD  ARTICLE. 

winds  from  each  quarter  of  the  earth,  the  lifted  up  hands  of 
the  faithful  people :  and  every  one  of  these,  according  to 
Ambrose  his  allegation,  is  a  very  Cross.  Then  may  ye  have 
any  one  of  these,  and  have  a  Cross:  yea,  impossible  it  is 
almost  to  do  any  thing,  but  that  ye  shall  have  the  sign  of  a 
Cross1.  Aves  quando  volant  ad  wthera,  formam  Crucis 
assuinunt.  Homo  natans  per  aquas,  vel  orans,  forma  Crucis 
vehitur.  Navis  per  maria  antenna  Cruci  assimilata  suffla- 
tur :  as  Hierom  saith2 :  "  When  the  birds  fly  into  the  air, 
they  take  the  form  of  a  Cross.  A  man  when  he  swimmeth 
in  the  water,  or  prayeth,  is  carried  after  the  manner  of  a 
Cross.  The  ship  in  the  sea  is  blown  forward,  with  the  sail- 
yard  hanging  Crosswise  at  the  mast."  Also  Arnobius3,  an 
swering  the  Heathen,  that  in  despite  laid  unto  the  Christians' 
charge,  that  they  honoured  Crosses,  said  plainly  :  Cruces  nee 
colimus,  nee  optamus :  "  Crosses  we  neither  worship,  nor 
wish  for."  But,  on  the  contrary  side,  he  proved  that  they 
had  as  many  Crosses  as  the  Christians.  For  their  banners 
and  ensigns,  what  were  they  but  gilded  and  adorned  Crosses? 
Their  spoils  of  enemies,  carried  on  the  spear's  point,  the  noble 
signs  of  their  valiant  victory,  represented  not  only  the  fashion 
of  a  Cross,  but  also  the  Image  of  a  man  nailed  on  it.  So 
that  the  sign  of  a  Cross  is  naturally  seen  in  the  ship  sailing, 
the  plough  earing,  the  man  praying.  And  among  the  rest, 
I  think,  (as  you  say,)  that  there  is  no  church  can  stand  with- 

1  [Conf.  S.  Just.  Mart.  Apol.  Opp.  p.  90.  Lut.  Paris.  1615.] 

2  Hiero.  in  xv.  Marci.     [With  regard  to  these  Commentaries  on  S. 
Mark,  we  learn  from  Sixtus  Scriensis,  that  "  magis  abhorrent  a  stylo 
Hieronymi  quam  ignis  ab  aqua.     Hos  cssc  hominis,  qui  non  multum 
Latinc,  minus  etiam  Greece  et  Hebraice  noverit,  argumento  sunt  ora- 
tionis  barbaries,  et  incpta  peregrinarum  vocum  interpretatio."     Ho 
adds  that,  in  the  exposition  of  the  fifteenth  Chapter,  some  mutilated 
verses,  concerning  the  figure  of  the  Cross,  are  inserted ;  having  been 
borrowed  from  Sedulius,  who  lived  several  years  subsequently  to  S. 
Jcrom.    (Biblioth.  Sanct.  Lib.  iv.  p.  266.  Cf.  Index  Theol.  ct  Scriptur. 
ab  Angelo  Roccha  a  Camcrino,  p.  106.  Roma?,  1594.)] 

3  Libro  viii.     [There  are  only  seven  books  by  Arnobius,  Adversus 
Gentes ;  and  the  memorable  words  here  referred  to  are  to  be  found  in 
the  treatise  by  Minucius  Felix,  De  Idolorum  vanitate :  p.  89.   Oxon. 
1678.     This  Dialogue  is  named  Octavius:  but,  in  the  old  editions  of 
S.  Jerom's  work  De  Viris  illustribus,  as  well  as  in  his  Epistle  to  Mag 
nus,  it  is  incorrectly  styled  Octavus ;  and,  for  a  considerable  time,  it 
passed  for  an  eighth  book  by  Arnobius.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE   OF  THE  CROSS.  179 

out  it.  For  unless  ye  have  the  cross  beams  and  the  cross 
pillars,  with  one  piece  of  timber  shut  into  another,  (which  is 
the  very  sign  of  a  Cross,)  I  cannot  tell  how  the  building  can 
abide.  But  what  is  this  to  your  Rood  and  Crucifix,  or  to  a 
sign  drawn  with  a  finger  ?  If  a  Cross  be  so  necessary,  then 
look  on  the  roofs  and  walls  of  your  houses;  and  there  shall 
ye  find  as  substantial  a  Cross  as  in  the  Rood-loft  or  upon  the 
Altar.  If  the  sign  of  a  Cross  must  needs  be  worshipped, 
(as  you  in  every  place  do  teach,)  then,  by  Ambrose  his  reason, 
we  are  as  well  bound  to  adore  and  worship  the  sail  of  the 
ship,  the  plough  of  the  field,  the  winds  of  the  air,  and  the 
arms  of  a  man.  For  in  the  same  place  alleged  by  you,  where 
the  Cross  is  extolled,  these  signs  are  mentioned :  Hoc  Domi- 
nico  signo  scinditur  mare,  terra  colitur,  cesium  rcyitur, 
homines  conservantur :  "  By  this  sign  of  our  Lord  the  sea  is 
cut,  the  land  is  ploughed,  the  sky  is  ruled,  and  men  be 
preserved."  Yea,  the  very  effects  that  you  do  attribute  to  the 
church  Cross,  S.  Ambrose  ascribeth  to  the  mast  of  a  ship  : 
and  yet  no  man  did  ever  crouch  unto  it,  unless  it  were  to 
keep  him  from  the  weather. 

Wherefore  your  ignorance  or  unfaithfulness  is  too  appa 
rent,  in  that  ye  father  the  words  of  Ambrose :  "  If  a  church  Foiio42. 
lack  a  Cross,  by  and  by  the  Devil  doth  disquiet  it,  and  the 
wind  doth  squat  it : "  (for  his  words  be  these :)  Cum  a  nautis 
scinditur  mare,  prius  ab  ipsis  arbor  erigitur,  velum  disten- 
ditur ;  ut,  Cruce  Domini  facta,  aquarum  fluenta  rumpan- 
tur :  et,  hoc  Dominico  securi  signo,  portum  salutis  petunt; 
periculum  mortis  evadunt.  Figura  enim  Sacramenti  quce- 
dam  est  velum  suspensum  in  arbore;  quasi  Christus  sit 
exaltatus  in  Cruce :  atque  ideo,  confidentia  de  mysterio  veni- 
ente,  homines  ventorum  procellas  negligunt ;  peregrinationis 
vota  susciplunt.  Sicut  autem  ecclesia  sine  Cruce  stare  non 
potest;  ita  et  sine  arbore  navis  infirma  est.  Statim  enim 
[ct  hanc]  Diabolus  inquietat;  et  illam  ventus  allidit.  At 
ubi  signum  Crucis  erigitur,  statim  et  Diaboli  iniquitas 
rcpellitur ;  et  ventorum  procella  sopitur.  The  English  is 
this :  "  When  the  sea  is  furrowed  of  the  mariners,  first 
they  hoise  up  the  mast,  and  spread  abroad  the  sail;  that, 
the  Lord  His  Cross  being  made,  the  waves  of  the  water  may 
be  broken :  and  they,  (secure  with  the  sign  of  our  Lord,) 
reach  unto  the  haven  of  health ;  and  scape  the  danger  of 

12—2 


180  THE  THIRD  ARTICLE. 

death.  For  the  sail,  hanging  upon  the  mast,  is  a  certain 
figure  of  an  holy  sign ;  as  if  that  Christ  were  exalted  on 
the  Cross  :  and  therefore,  through  confidence  of  the  mystery, 
cunning  men  do  not  care  for  the  storms  of  winds ;  they 
undertake  their  appointed  pilgrimage.  And  as  a  church 
cannot  stand  without  a  Cross ;  so  is  a  ship  weak  without  a 
mast.  For  straight  the  Devil  doth  disquiet  it,  and  the  wind 
squat  it.  But  where  the  sign  of  the  Cross  is  hoised  up,  the 
iniquity  of  the  Devil  is  driven  back ;  and  tempest  of  wind  is 
calmed."  Whereupon,  I  beseech  you,  doth  he  infer,  "  the 
Devil  doth  disquiet,  and  wind  squat  it  ? "  Not  upon  the  men 
tion  of  a  ship  without  a  mast  ?  Whereupon  did  he  talk?  Of 
the  church  Cross,  or  the  ship  Cross  ?  If  the  mast  of  the 
ship  did  no  more  preserve  and  save  the  vessel,  than  the 
Crucifix  on  the  Altar,  or  Cross  in  the  Rood-loft  can  do  the 
church  ;  neither  should  the  ship  be  preserved  in  the  water, 
nor  the  church  at  any  time  be  consumed  with  the  fire.  We 
needed  not  to  fear,  (if  your  opinion  were  true,)  the  burning 
any  more  of  Paul's.  Make  a  Cross  on  the  steeple,  and  so  it 
shall  be  safe.  But  within  these  few  years  it  had  a  Cross,  and 
rcliqucs  in  the  bowl,  to  boot :  yet  they  prevailed  not ;  yea, 
the  Cross  itself  was  fired  first.  Wherefore,  S.  Ambrose  his 
rule,  (as  you  most  fondly  do  take  him,)  holdeth  not.  If  ye 
say,  that  his  rule  doth  hold  notwithstanding,  because  Paul's 
was  burned  in  the  time  of  schism :  I  answer,  that  in  your 
most  catholic  time,  the  like  plague  happened,  twice  within  the 
compass  of  fifty  years  ;  and  therefore  S.  Ambrose  was  not  so 
foolish  to  mean  as  you  imagine. 

As  for  Lactantius,  (whose  verses  ye  bring  to  confirm  the 
use  of  a  Rood  in  the  church ;)  I  might  say  with  Hierom l : 
Utinam  tarn  nostra  potuisset  confirmare,  [al.  affirmarc,~\ 
quam  facile  aliena  destruxit :  "  I  would  to  God  he  had 
been  able  as  well  to  have  confirmed  our  doctrine  and  Re 
ligion,  as  he  did  easily  overthrow  the  contrary."  For  many 
errors  and  heresies  he  had ;  among  the  which  I  might 
reckon  this :  Flecte  genii,  lignumque  Crucis  venerabile  adora : 
"Bow  down  thy  knee,  and  do  honour  to  the  worshipful 
wood  of  the  Cross."  For  upon  the  word  of  the  Prophet 
llieremy,  Lignum  de  saltu  prwcidit :  "  lie  hath  cut  a  tree 

1  Ep.  ad  Paulinum.  [jEpistt.  Par.  iii.  Tract,  ix.  Ep.  xxxviii.  sig. 
000.  Lugd.  1508.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  181 

out  of  the  forest ;"  S.  Hierom2  taket-h  occasion  to  speak  of 
the  Gentiles'  Idols,  adorned  with  gold  and  silver,  of  whom  it 
is  said3  :  "  A  mouth  they  have,  and  speak  not :  ears  they 
have,  and  hear  not."  And  lest  it  might  be  thought,  that  the 
making  and  honouring  of  such  appertained  peculiarly  unto 
the  Heathen,  he  said :  Qni  quidem  error  ad  nos  usque  trans- 
ivit :  "  Which  error  indeed  hath  come  over  unto  our  age." 
And  then  inferreth  this  :  Quicquid  de  Idolis  diximus,  ad 
omnia  dogmata  quce  sunt  contraria  veritati  referri  potest. 
Et  ipsi  enim  ingentia  pollicentur ;  et  Simidachrum  vani 
cultus  de  suo  corde  confingunt.  Imperitorum  obstringunt 
aciem;  et  a  suis  inventoribus  sublimantur.  In  quibus  nulla 
est  utilitas;  et  quorum  cidtura  proprie  Gentium  est,  et  eorum 
qui  ignorant  Deum.  Which  words  are  in  English  these : 
"  Whatsoever  we  have  spoken  of  Idols  may  be  referred 
unto  all  doctrines  contrary  to  the  truth.  For  they  also  do 
promise  great  things ;  and  devise  an  Image  of  vain  worship, 
out  of  their  own  heart.  They  blind  the  eye  of  the  ignorant ; 
and  by  the  inventors  of  them  are  set  aloft.  In  which  there 
is  no  profit;  and  the  worshipping  of  which  is  an  heathenish 
observance,  and  a  manner  of  such  as  know  not  God." 

Wherefore  the  words  alleged  by  you,  (as  out  of  Lactantius,) 
sufficed  to  discredit  him ;  because  he  will  have  a  piece  of  wood 
to  be  worshipped:  omitting  all  his  other  errors;  and  that  Ge- 
lasius  the  Pope,  in  consideration  of  many  his  imperfections, 
reckoneth  his  books  inter  Apocrypha;  such  as  may  be  read, 
and  no  doctrine  be  grounded  on.  But  I  will  answer  to  you 
otherwise:  disprove  it,  if  you  can.  I  verily  suppose,  that 
those  verses  were  never  written  by  Lactantius4.  The  causes 

2  In  Iliercmiam  x.  [sig.  V  v,  vi.  Vcnet.  1497.] 

3  Psal.  cxiii.  [cxv.  5,  6.] 

4  [Calf  hill's  supposition  is  altogether  true :  for  Possevinus  (Appar. 
Sac.  ii.  4.)  acknowledges  that  the  Poem,  De  Passione  Domini,  "  nullibi 
inter  antiquos  Lactantii  codices  inventus  est."    Bellarmin  (De  Scriptt. 
Eccl.)  stamps  it  as  "ambiguous:"  but,  with  questionable  honesty,  ho 
lias,  at  least  four  times,  employed  it  as  an  indubitable  testimony. 
(Apol.  pro  Respons.  ad  lib.  Jacobi  Regis,  Cap.  viii.  p.  126.  an.  1610.    De 
Imaginibiis,  Lib.  ii.  Cap.  xii.  &  Cap.  xxviii.    De  notis  Eccksice,  L.  iv.  C. 
ix.  $.  xviii.  Conf.  Dorschei  Hodeget.  Cathol.  Anti-Kirch.  Prczlim.  p.  89. 
Argentor.  1641.    Zornii  Opusc.  Sacr.  i.  52.  Altonav.  1743.)    Pelliccia, 
too,  has  called  it  "  antiquissimum  monumentum  Imaginis  Christi,  Cruci 
aflixi."   (De  Christ.  Eccles.  Polit.,  cura  Ritteri.  Tom.  i.  p.  335.  Colon,  ad 
Rhen.  1829.  Cf.  Bartholini  De  Cruce  Ifypomnem.  p.  104.  Amstcl.  1670.)] 


182  THE  THIRD  ARTICLE. 

that  induce  me  to  this  are  these:  S.  Hicrom1,  making  mention 
of  all  his  writings,  (yea,  of  many  moe  than  are  come  unto  our 
hands,)  maketh  no  mention  of  this.  Again,  churches  in  his 
time  were  scarcely  builded :  for  he  lived  in  the  reign  of 
Dioclesian,  by  whom  he  was  called  into  Nicomedia,  as  Hie- 
rom  writeth.  Afterward,  when  he  was  very  old,  he  was 
schoolmaster  to  Crispus,  Constantinus'  son,  and  taught  him  in 
France.  Now,  in  the  reign  of  Dioclesian,  the  poor  Christians 
had  in  no  country  any  place  at  all,  whither  they  might 
quietly  resort,  and  "  stand  still  a  while,  looking  on  the  Rood, 
with  his  arms  stretched,  hands  nailed,  feet  fastened."  They 
had  neither  leisure  nor  liberty,  to  be  at  such  idle  cost.  They 
contented  themselves  with  poor  cabins,  whereto  they  secretly 
resorted;  and  yet,  notwithstanding,  had  them  pulled  on  their 
heads.  Euscbius,  writing  of  the  persecution  under  Diocle 
sian,  saith2:  Oratorio,  a  culmine  ad  pavimentum  usque, 
una  cum  ipsis  fundamentis  dejici;  divinasque  et  sacras 
Scripturas  in  medio  foro  igni  tradi,  ipsis  oculis  vidimus: 
"We  saw  with  our  eyes,  that  the  oratories,"  (he  calleth  them 
not  temples,  for  so  they  were  not;)  "were  utterly  thrown  down, 
from  the  top  to  the  ground ;  yea,  with  the  very  foundations 
of  them :  and  that  the  sacred  and  holy  Scriptures,  in  the  midst 
of  the  market-place,  were  committed  to  the  fire."  Then  was  it 
no  time  for  them  to  make  Images  of  Christ ;  whose  faith, 
(without  peril,)  they  could  not  profess :  nor  solemnly  to  set 
up  Roods,  where  privately  they  had  no  place  thereto.  And 
this  was  in  the  most  flourishing  time  of  Lactantius.  Yea, 
afterward,  in  the  beginning  of  Constantinus'  reign,  Maximinus 
gave  licence  first,  that  Christians  might  build  Dominica 
oratorio3 :  "  The  Lord's  places  of  prayer."  And  the  first 
temple  that  Constantinus  built  was  at  Hierusalem,  the  thirtieth 
year  of  his  reign4.  Wherefore,  methinketh,  impossible  it  is, 
that  Lactantius  should  write :  Quisquis  odes,  mediique  subis 
in  limina  templi ;  with  the  rest  of  the  verses  rehearsed  by 
you. 

Then  how  different  the  doctrine  is,  both  from  that  which 
himself  teacheth,  and  generally  was  received   in  his  days, 

1  In  Catalogo.    [Lib.  de  Vir.  illust.  Cap.  Ixxx.] 

2  Lib.  viii.  Ca.  ii.    [Ecdcs.  Hist.  cd.  Lat.] 

3  Eus.  Lib.  ix.  Cap.  x.   [p.  143.  Basil.  1549.] 

4  Sozom.  Li.  ii.  Cap.  xxvi.  [p.  579.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE   OF  THE  CROSS.  183 

that  lewd  verso  (Flecte  gcnu,  lignumque  Crucis  venerabile 
adora,)  shcweth :  for  in  his  books  he  plainly  affirmeth,  that 
no  man  ought  to  worship  any  thing  on  the  earth5.  And 
further  he  saith,  that  whosoever  will  retain  the  nature  and 
condition  of  a  man,  must  seek  God  aloft :  in  heaven,  not  in 
earth  ;  in  heart,  not  in  workmanship  of  hand6.  His  argument 
is  this7 :  Si  Religio  ex  divinis  rebus  est,  divini  autem  nihil 
est  nisi  in  ccelestibus  rebus;  carent  ergo  Religione  Simu- 
laclira :  quia  nihil  potest  esse  cceleste  in  ca  re,  quce  fit  ex 
terra :  "  If  Eeligion  consist  of  holy  things,  and  there  be 
nothing  holy  but  in  heavenly  things;  then  Images  are  void  of 
Religion:  because  in  that  thing,  which  is  made  of  the  earth, 
there  can  be  nothing  heavenly."  You  will  grant  me  now, 
that  a  Rood  is  made  of  some  earthly  matter,  of  stone,  or 
timber.  Then  doth  Lactantius  repute  it  unholy,  and  to  have 
no  Religion  at  all  in  it.  And  will  he  have  us  to  bow  the 
knee  to  adore  and  worship  an  unholy  thing,  a  thing  of 
no  Religion? 

Eusebius,  living  in  the  same  age,  and  somewhat  after  HUMMUS. 
him,  thought  it  a  strange  case  to  see  an  Image  stand  in 
Coesarea:  which  Image,  notwithstanding,  was  not  yet  crept 
into  the  church;  as  in  the  preface  I  have  approved.  Fur- ga"0  8' [p' 
thermore,  Arnobius8,  schoolmaster  to  Lactantius,  hath  a  num-  Arnobius. 
ber  of  places  to  disprove  this  assertion.  For  he  telleth  how 
the  infidels  laid  to  the  Christians'  charge,  that  they  hid 
Him  whom  they  honoured,  because  they  had  neither  temples 
nor  altars.  But  he  sheweth  what  temples  they  had  erected 
then :  In  nostra  ipsorum  dedicandum  mente;  in  nostro  imo 
consecrandum  pectore  :  "  To  be  dedicate  to  Him  in  our  own 
mind;  consecrate  to  Him  in  the  bottom  of  our  breast." 
Whereupon  he  inferreth  :  Quern  colimus  Deum,  nee  ostendi- 
mus  nee  videmus :  imo  ex  hoc  Deum  credivnus;  quod  Eum 
sentire  possumus,  videre  non  possumus:  "  The  God,  that  wo 
worship,  we  neither  shew  nor  see :  but  rather  by  this  wo 

5  Divi.  Insti.  Li.  ii.  Ca.  i.  [Deorig.  Error,  ii.  i.  Vicl.  sup.  pp.  25, 2G.] 

6  Cap.  ix.    [Lib.  ii.]  7  Divi.  Inst.  Lib.  ii.  Ca.  xix. 

8  Advcrsus  Gcntcs,  Li.  viii.  [M.  Minucius  Felix  is,  as  before,  the 
author  who  should  have  been  mentioned.  His  Octavius  is  annexed  to 
the  work  of  Arnobius,  published  by  Elmenhorst,  Hanov.  1603 ;  and 
the  sentences  here  alleged  arc  in  pages  392,  389,  of  this  edition.  Tho 
editor's  copy  once  belonged  to  Primate  Ussher.] 


184  THE   THIRD  ARTICLE. 

believe  Him  to  be  God;  because  we  can  feel  Him,  but  we 
cannot  see  Him."  Yea,  to  go  no  further  than  to  the  Cross 
itself,  to  the  Rood  that  ye  talk  of;  Arnobius  affirmeth  plainly  : 
Cruces  nee  colimus,  nee  optamus.  Vos  plane,  qui  ligneos 
Deos  consecratis;  Cruces  ligneas,  ut  Deoruin  vestrorum  par- 
tes,  forsitan  adoratis  :  "  We  neither  worship,  nor  wish  for 
Crosses.  You,  that  consecrate  wooden  Gods,  peradventure 
worship  the  wooden  Crosses  as  parts  of  your  Gods."  Whereby 
is  evident,  as  well  by  the  undoubted  words  of  Lactantius 
himself,  as  otherwise  by  the  testimony  of  S.  Hierom,  and 
witness  of  Eusebius,  and  doctrine  of  Arnobius ;  first,  that  the 
verses  should  not  seem  to  be  his.  Then,  that  by  all  likeli 
hood  there  were  no  churches  in  Lactantius  his  time ;  and 
therefore  no  Roods  in  churches.  Thirdly,  that  no  holiness, 
no  Religion  is  in  any  earthly  matter ;  and  therefore  in  no 
Rood.  Lastly,  that  neither  Crosses  nor  Crucifixes  were 
either  worshipped,  or  wished  for :  but  that  it  was  thought  a 
mere  Gentility  to  bow  down  unto  them. 

As  for  S.  Augustin,  Ser.  xix.  de  Sanctis1,  he  speaketh 
nothing  else  but  of  the  mystery  of  the  Cross,  as  you  yourself 
allege.  Crucis  mysterio  basilicce  dedicantur:  "By  the  mys 
tery  of  the  Cross,"  (and  not  "  by  the  sign  of  the  Cross,"  as 
you  do  ignorantly  translate  it2;)  "churches  are  dedicated." 
Now  you  be  to  learn  what  is  a  mystery ;  learn  it  of  Chry- 
sostom,  who  saith3:  Mysterium  appellatur,  quoniam  non  id 
quod  credimus  intuemur;  sed  quod  alia  videmus,  alia  credi- 
mus:  "It  is  called  a  mystery,  because  we  see  not  that  which 
we  believe ;  but  that  we  see  one  thing,  and  believe  another." 
Then  is  it  not  the  sign,  (which  you  do  take  for  the  material 
thing,)  but  the  mystery,  that  maketh  the  dedication :  not  the 
thing  that  we  see,  but  that  which  we  believe :  the  death  of 
Christ,  which  in  the  congregation  He  will  have  shewed,  until 

1  [The  ownership  of  this  Sermon  cannot,  by  any  means,  be  vindi 
cated  for  S.  Augustin.  It  is  the  third  Discourse  De  Anmmtiatione 
Dominica:  Opp.  Tom.  x.  foil.  263,  b,  264.  Paris.  1541.] 

'2  [Inaccuracy,  and  not  ignorance,  ought  to  have  been  censured  for 
this  error.  The  previous  sentence  commenced  with  "  Hujus  Crucis 
mysterio ;"  and  that  intended  to  be  adduced  is,  "  Cum  ejusdem  Crucis 
charactere  basilica?  dedicantur,"  &c.] 

3  Chrysostomus  in  1.  ad  Cor.  Ca.  ii.  Ho.  vii,  b.  [Library  of 
Fathers,  Vol.  iv.  p.  79.  Oxford,  1839.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  185 

His  coming4.  As  for  the  lifting  up  of  a  couple  of  fingers, 
which  you  do  call  a  benediction,  or  the  material  Cross  set  up  at 
dedication ;  they  be  nothing  profitable  without  the  mystery : 
but  with  the  mystery  they  be  very  perilous  :  nor  we  do  read 
that  ever  Augustin,  (although  ho  mentioneth  the  Cross  often,) 
doth  ever  speak  of  a  man's  Image  on  it,  with  side  wounded, 
and  body  blooded.  Crucem  nobis  in  memoriam  Suce  pas- 
sionis  reliquit,  he  saith :  "  He  hath  left  us  the  Cross  in 
remembrance  of  His  passion."  But  so  immediately  in  the 
same  sentence,  upon  the  same  words,  he  inferreth  also  :  Cru 
cem  reliquit  ad  sanitatem :  "He  hath  left  us  a  Cross  for 
our  health."  But  as  the  sign  of  the  Cross  is  no  ordinary 
mean,  whereby  God  useth  to  confer  health  upon  the  sick ;  so 
hath  He  not  ordained  it  to  remain  in  the  church,  for  any 
remembrance  of  His  death  and  passion.  His  word  He  left 
us,  to  put  us  in  mind  hereof:  and  to  the  end  our  eyes  might 
have  somewhat  still  to  feed  upon;  that  Christ  might  never 
be  forgotten  of  us;  He  hath  left  among  us  the  lively  mem 
bers  of  His  own  body;  the  poor,  the  naked,  the  comfortless 
Christians5:  who,  being  always  subject  to  the  Cross,  might 
both  excite  our  thankfulness  toward  Him,  and  prepare  our 
selves  the  better  for  the  Cross.  As  for  the  Hood,  and  Crucifix 
on  the  Altar,  which  have  hands  nailed,  arms  stretched  out, 
feet  pierced,  with  a  great  wound  in  the  side,  and  a  bloody 
stream  issuing  out;  they  may  well  be  compared  to  the  Gen 
tiles'  Idols;  which  have  mouths,  and  speak  not;  eyes,  and 
see  not. 

You  will  answer,  (I  dare  say,)  that  yc  know  well  enough 
the  Cross  is  nothing  but  a  piece  of  metal ;  and  he  that  hang- 
eth  in  the  Rood-loft  is  not  Christ  indeed,  but  a  sign  of  Him. 
So  did  the  Heathen  know,  that  all  their  Idols  were  silver  and 
gold,  the  work  of  men's  hands :  yet  the  Holy  Ghost  did  often 
tell  them  of  it,  as  if  they  had  forgotten  it ;  because  that  the 
livelier  the  counterfeit  is,  the  greater  error  is  engendered. 
Some  of  the  Gentiles  would  excuse  their  Idolatry  by  alleg 
ing,  that  they  did  not  honour  the  matter  visible,  but  the 
Tower  invisible ;  as  Augustin,  in  the  person  of  the  Idolater, 
doth  say6:  Non  hoc  visibile  colo;  sed  Numen  quod  illic  in- 
visibiliter  habitat:  "I  worship  not  the  thing  that  I  sec;  but 

*  1  Cor.  xi.  [26.]  6  [Comp.  p.  12.-,.] 

6  In  Psa.  cxiii.    [Serm.  ii.  fol.  cclxix.  Paris.  1529.] 


186  THE  THIRD  ARTICLE. 

the  Power  that  I  see  not,  and  dwelleth  therein."  So,  among 
the  Christians,  some  have  been  so  fond,  through  making  of 
Images,  and  applying  the  shape  of  man  or  woman  to  them, 
that  they  have  thought  greater  virtue  to  rest  in  one  than  in 
another ;  and  therefore  from  one  would  resort  to  another. 
But,  by  the  censure  of  S.  Augustin,  the  Apostle  condemneth 
them  all,  saying1 :  Non  quod  Idolum  sit  aliquid;  sed  quo- 
niam  quce  immolant  Gentes,  Dcemoniis  immolant,  et  nonDeo: 
et  nolo  vos  socios  fieri  Dcemoniorum :  "  Not  that  the  Idol  is 
any  thing ;  but  that  these  things  which  the  Gentiles  sacrifice, 
they  sacrifice  to  Devils,  and  not  unto  God :  and  I  would  not 
that  ye  should  have  fellowship  with  the  Devils."  Therefore, 
in  the  Christian,  I  may  justly  say,  that  the  opinion  itself  of 
holiness  in  an  Image  is  very  devilish. 

But  you,  M.  Martiall,  have  a  better  evasion.  Ye  ascribe 
not  so  much  to  the  substance  itself,  and  matter  of  an  Image; 
but,  with  the  Nice  Masters,  ye  use  it  to  this  end:  "that  ye 
may  come  to  the  remembrance  and  desire  of  the  first  sampler 
and  pattern  which  it  resembleth :"  and  withal  you  exhibit  some 
courtesy  and  reverend  honour  to  it,  because  "honour  and 
reverence,  done  to  an  Image,  redoundeth  to  the  glory  of  the 
first  sampler ;  and  he,  that  adoreth  and  honoureth  an  Image, 
doth  adore  and  honour  that  which  is  resembled  by  the  Image." 
So  did  the  Gentiles  cloke  their  Idolatry;  as  Augustin  plainly 
reporteth.  Yet  were  they  nothing  the  less  Idolaters.  For 
this  he  saith  of  them 2 :  Videntur  autem  sibi  purgatioris  esse 
Reliyionis,  qui  dicunt:  Nee  Simulaclirum,  nee  Dcemonium 
colo ;  sed  per  effigiem  corporalem  ejus  rei  signum  intueor, 
quam  colere  debeo :  "  They  seem  to  be  of  more  pure  Re 
ligion,  which  say :  I  neither  worship  the  Image,  nor  the 
Power  thereof;  but  by  the  corporal  likeness  I  behold  the 
sign  of  the  thing,  which  I  ought  to  worship."  Yet,  not 
withstanding,  because  they  called  their  Idols  by  the  names 
of  Vulcanus  and  Venus,  as  we  our  Images  by  the  name  of 
Christ,  and  of  our  Lady ;  because  they  did  some  outward 
reverence  to  their  Idols,  as  we  unto  our  Images ;  both  for 
them  and  us,  as  Augustin  saith  :  Apostoli  una  sententia 
pcenam  damnationemque  testatur  :  "  One  sentence  of  the 
Apostle  witnesseth  our  punishment  and  condemnation."  And 
what  sentence  is  that  ?  Qui  transmutaverunt  veritatem 
1  1  Cor.  x.  [19,  20.]  2  In  Psa.  cxiii.  [ut  sup.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  187 

Dei  in  mendacium;  et  coluerunt  et  servierunt  creaturce 
potius  quam  Creatori,  qui  est  benedictus  Deus  in  scecula: 
"Which  turned  the  truth  of  God  into  a  lie;  and  worshipped 
and  served  the  creature,  forsaking  the  Creator,  which  is  the 
blessed  God  for  evermore3."  But  how  is  the  truth  turned  to 
a  lie ;  and  the  creature  rather  served  than  the  Creator  ?  It 
followeth  in  the  place  alleged :  Effigies,  a  fabro  factas, 
appellando  nominibus  earum  rerum  quas  fabricavit  Deus, 
transmutant  veritatem  Dei  in  mendacium :  res  autem  ipsas 
pro  Diis  habendo  et  venerando,  serviunt  creaturce  potius 
quam  Creatori :  "By  calling  the  Pictures,  made  of  the  work 
man,  by  the  name  of  those  things  which  God  hath  made,  they 
change  the  truth  of  God  into  a  lie :  and  when  they  repute 
and  worship  the  things  themselves  as  Gods,  they  serve  the 
creature  rather  than  the  Creator."  Wherefore,  Augustin  noted 
very  well ;  that  Paul  (prior e  parte  sentential  Simulachra 
damnavit;  posteriori  autem  interpretations  Simulachrorum  •) 
"in  the  first  part  of  his  sentence  condemned  Images;  and  in 
the  latter  the  interpretation  and  meaning  of  them."  So  that 
if  your  cause  be  all  one  with  the  Gentiles,  and  excuse  one ; 
and  yet  both  of  them  condemned  by  the  Scripture,  and  con 
vinced  by  authority ;  it  followeth,  that  no  Hood  nor  Crucifix 
in  the  church  ought  to  be  suffered :  for  it  is  Idolatry. 

Of  the  same  metal  that  the  Cross  is  made,  we  have  tho 
candlesticks,  we  have  the  censers :  yet  they,  which  most  do 
think  that  God  is  served  with  candlesticks  and  censers,  attribute 
not  the  honour  unto  them,  that  they  do  to  the  Cross.  What 
is  the  cause  ?  S.  Augustin  declareth  :  Ilia  causa  est  maxima 
impietatis  insance;  quod  plus  valet  in  affectibus  miserorum 
similis  viventi  forma,  quca  sibi  efficit  suj)plicari,  quam  quod 
earn  manifestum  est  non  esse  viventem,  ut  debeat  a  vivcnte 
contemni.  Plus  enim  valent  Simulachra  ad  curvandam 
infelicem  animam,  quod  os  habent,  oculos  habent,  aurcs 
habent,  nares  habent,  manus  habent,  pedes  habent ;  quam  ad 
corriyendam,  quod  non  loquentur,  non  videbunt,  non  audient, 
non  odorabunt,  non  contrectabunt,  non  ambulabunt :  "  This 
is  the  greatest  cause,"  sayeth  he,  "of  this  mad  impiety;  that 
the  lively  shape  prevaileth  more  with  the  affections  of  miserable 
men,  to  cause  reverence  to  be  done  unto  it,  than  the  plain 
sight,  that  it  is  not  living,  is  able  to  work  that  it  be  con- 
3  [Rom.  i.  25.] 


188  THE   THIRD  ARTICLE. 

tcmned  of  the  living.  For  Images  are  more  of  force  to  crook 
an  unhappy  soul,  in  that  they  have  mouths,  eyes,  ears,  nostrils, 
hands  and  feet;  than  otherwise  to  straighten  and  amend  it, 
in  that  they  shall  not  speak,  they  shall  not  see,  they  shall  not 
hear,  they  shall  not  smell,  they  shall  not  handle,  they  shall 
not  walk." 

And  so  far  Augustin.  Which  words  might  utterly  de- 
hort  us  from  Imagery ;  and  drive  both  the  Rood  and  the 
Cross  out  of  the  church;  if  we  were  not  such  as  the  Prophet 
speaketh  of,  become  in  most  respect  like  them l.  For  with  open 
and  feeling  [seeing]  eyes,  but  with  closed  and  dead  minds, 
we  worship  neither  seeing  nor  living  Images.  More  could  I 
cite,  as  well  out  of  him,  as  out  of  the  rest  before  alleged,  for 
confirmation  of  this  truth  of  mine.  I  could  send  you  to  the 
iv.  book  of  Aug.  De  Civit.  Dei,  Ca.  xxxi. ;  where  he  commend- 
eth  the  opinion  of  Varro,  that  affirmed,  God  might  be  better 
served  without  an  Image  than  with  one.  I  could  allege  his 
book  De  Hceres.  ad  Quodvultdeum ;  where  he  mentioneth 
one  Marcellina2,  whose  heresy  he  accompteth  to  be  this ;  that 
she  honoured  the  Pictures  of  Christ  and  other.  I  could  refer 
you  to  his  book  De  Con.  Evan.  Li.  i.  Ca.  x.3;  where  he 
sayeth:  Omnino  errare  meruerunt,  qui  Christum  non  in  sanc- 
tis  codicibus,  sed  in  pictis  parietibus  qucesierunt :  "  They 
have  been  worthy  to  be  deceived,  that  have  sought  Christ,  not 
in  holy  books,  but  in  painted  walls."  These,  I  say,  with  divers 
other,  I  could  bring  forth;  but  that  I  think  that  this  sufficcth 
to  prove,  that  the  Fathers  were  not  so  fondly  in  this  case 
affected,  as  you  would  have  it  appear  to  other. 

Concerning  Paulinus4,  I  will  not  greatly  contend  with 
you,  but  that  in  his  days,  which  was  four  hundred  and  forty- 
eight5  year  after  Christ,  there  was  in  some  churches  the  sign 
of  the  Cross  erected.  But,  as  I  said  before,  it  sufficeth  not 
to  say:  "This  was  once  so ;"  but  proved  it  must  be,  that 

1  Psa.  cxxxiv.  [cxxxv.  18.] 

2  [The  partner  of  Carpocrates ;  "  quse  colebat  Imagines  Jesu,  ct 
Pauli,  et  Homeri,  et  Pythagorse."    (S.  Aug.  Liber  de  Hceress.  Cap.  vii. 
fol.  22.  ed.  Danseo.  Genev.  1578.)] 

3  [Opp.  Tom.  iii.  P.  ii.  col.  6.  ed.  Ben.  Antw.] 

4  [Conf.  James,  Treatise  of  Corruption,  Part  4.  p.  88.  Lond.  1611. 
Gee's  Answer  to  the  Compiler  of  Nubes  Testium,  p.  81.    Lond.  1G88. 
Tertullian,  Vol.  i.  p.  113.  Oxford,  1842.] 

5  [Paulinus  died  A.D.  431.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE   OF  THE  CROSS.  189 

"This  was  well  so."  Paulinus6  commendeth  the  woman  that 
separated  herself  from  her  own  husband,  without  consent, 
under  cloke  of  Religion :  and  hath  the  word  of  God  the  less 
force  therefore,  which  saith7 :  "  Whom  God  hath  coupled 
together,  let  no  man  put  asunder?"  Paulinus8  affirmeth, 
that  the  book  of  the  Epistles  which  the  Apostles  wrote,  laid 
unto  diseases,  healeth  them:  and  shall  we  think  that  in  vain 
it  is,  that  "  the  Lord  hath  created  medicines  [out]  of  the 
earth?  He  that  is  wise  will  not  abhor  them9."  He  that 
will  follow  whatsoever  hath  been,  is  a  very  fool. 

I  know  that  Justinian  taketh  order,  (which  is  yet  but 
politic ;)  that  no  man  build  a  church  or  monastery,  but,  (as 
reason  is,)  by  consent  of  the  Bishop :  and  that  the  Bishop 
shall  set  his  mark,  which,  (by  his  pleasure,)  should  be  a 
Cross.  But  what  is  this,  say  I,  to  the  Rood  or  Crucifix, 
in  places  consecrate,  where  God  is  served?  The  same  an 
swer,  that  I  made  before  to  the  Synod  which  was  kept  at 
Orleance,  may  serve  to  this  Emperor's  Constitution:  al 
though  it  be  not  prejudicial  to  truth,  if  he  that  lived,  by 
your  wise  computation10,  a  thousand  year  after  Christ;  in 
deed  five  hundreth  and  thirty ;  at  the  least  in  time  of  great 
ignorance  and  barbarity ;  should  enact  a  thing  contrary  to  a 
truth.  Yet,  to  say  the  truth,  I  see  no  cause  why  I  should  not 
admit  his  grave  authority;  since  he  neither  speaketh  of  Rood,  Foiio45. 
nor  Crucifix,  nor  yet  of  mystical  sign  on  the  forehead ;  which 
are  the  only  matters  that  you  take  in  hand  to  prove.  Loth 
would  we  be  to  cite  him  for  our  part,  (inasmuch  as  we  depend 
not  upon  men's  judgments  ;)  unless  he  spake  consonant  unto  the 
Scriptures ;  and  brought  better  reason  for  other  matters  with 
him,  than  you  or  any  other  allege  for  the  Cross.  For  the 
truth  of  an  history,  we  admit  him  as  a  witness  for  us :  for 
establishing  of  an  error,  we  will  not  admit  him  or  any  other 
to  be  a  judge  against  us. 

It  sufficeth  you  to  use  the  name  of  Justinian,  how  small 
soever  the  matter  be  to  purpose :  but  I  will  bring  you  for 
one  two ;  that,  (not  in  doubtful  speech,  but  in  plain  terms, 

c  Epi.  iii.  ad  Aprium.  [ad  Aprum.  Opp.  fol.  cli.  Paris.  151G.] 

7  Mat.  xix.  [6.] 

8  Ad  Cithcrium.    [Carm.  ad  Cythcrium.  fol.  ccxx.] 
°  Ecclc.  xxxviii.   [Ecclus<  xxxviii.  4.] 

10  In  Catalogo  post  Prscfationem. 


190  THE  THIRD  ARTICLE. 

and  under  grievous  pain,)  have  decreed  in  all  their  seig 
niories  and  countries  a  direct  contrary  order  unto  yours. 
Not  that  there  was  no  Cross  then  used,  (which  might 
well  answer  Justinian's  case ;)  but  that  there  should  not  be 
any.  Petrus  Crinitus1,  ex  libris  Auyustalibus,  doth  make 
mention  of  the  law ;  the  same  which  Valens  and  Theodosius 
concluded  on2.  His  words  be  these  :  Valens  ct  Theodosius, 
Imperatores,  Prcefecto  prcetorio  ad  hunc  modum  scripsere : 
Cum  sit  nobis  euro,  diligens  in  rebus  omnibus  superni  Nu- 
minis  Reliyionem  tueri ;  signum  Salvatoris  CJiristi  nemini 
quidem  concedimus  coloribus,  lapide,  aliave  materia  fingere, 
insculpere,  aut  piny  ere ;  sed  quocunque  loco  reperitur,  tolli 
jubemus:  gravissima  pcsna  eos  mulctando,  qui  contrarium  de 
er  etis  nostris  et  imperio  quicquam  tentaverint :  "  Valens  and 
Theodosius,  Emperors,  wrote  on  this  sort  to  then*  Lieutenant: 
Whereas  in  all  things  we  have  a  diligent  care  to  maintain  the 
Religion  of  God  above ;  we  grant  liberty  to  none  to  counter 
feit,  engrave,  or  paint  the  sign  of  our  Saviour  Christ,  in 
colours,  stone,  or  any  other  matter ;  but  wheresoever  any 
such  be  found,  we  command  it  to  be  taken  away:  most  griev 
ously  punishing  such  as  shall  attempt  anything  contrary  to 
these  our  decrees  and  commandment."  Here  is  another 
manner  of  order  taken,  than  out  of  any  writing  of  received 
author  can  justly  be  alleged  for  your  part.  So  that,  with 
Erasmus3,  I  may  justly  say;  "that  not  so  much  as  man's  con 
stitution  doth  bind,  that  Images  should  be  in  churches." 
Ye  see,  (M.  Martiall,)  I  have  not  concealed  any  one  of 

1  Do  honcsta  Disc[iplina,]  Lib.  ix.  Cap.  ix.     [Crinitus  has  been 
obliged  to  submit  to  anything  but  honest  discipline,  in  consequence  of 
his  having  been  so  communicative  :  for,  in  Cardinal  Quiroga's  Expur- 
gatory  Index,  it  is  commanded,  that  the  entire  Chapter,  with  the  ex 
ception  of  fifteen  lines,  should  be  exterminated,  (fol.  183.  Madriti, 
1584.)] 

2  [This  remarkable  Constitution  of  the  Emperors  Theodosius  and 
Valentinian  was  promulgated  in  the  year  427.    It  is  contained  in  Jus 
tinian's  Codex ;  (Lib.  i.  Tit.  viii.)  and  is  the  first  among  the  Imperialla 
Decreta  collected  by  Goldastus.     Compare  Sutcliffe's  Answer  to  Par 
sons,  p.  299.  Lond.  1606.  Norris's  Antidote,  Part  i.  p.  293.  an.  1622. 
Becon's  Catecli.  &c.,  p.  71.  ed.  Parker  Soc.] 

3  In  Cathech.  sua.      [Symboli  Catech.   vi.  p.   165.  Basil.   1533. — 
"  Nam  ut  Imagines  sint  in  templis,  nulla  preecipit  vcl  humana  consti- 
tutio."] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  191 

your  authorities.     I  have  omitted  no  piece  of  proof  of  yours  : 
and  yet  authority,  being  rightly  scanned,  doth  make  so  much 
against  you,  that  your  proofs  be  to  no  purpose  at  ah1.    As  for 
the  use  of  that,  which  you  call  "the  Church,"  and  is  indeed  Foiio  40,  a. 
the  Synagogue  of  Satan,  I  need  as  little  to  cumber  the  read 
ers  with  refuting  of,  as  you  do  meddle  with  approving  of  it. 
Only  this  will  I  say ;  that,  ever  since  Silvester's  time,  such  filth 
of  Idolatry  and  superstition  hath  flowed  into  the  most  parts 
of  all  Christendom  out  of  the  sink  of  Rome,  that  he  needed 
indeed  as  many  eyes  as  Argus,  that  should  have  espied  any 
piece  of  sincerity  ;  until  the  time  that  such  (as  your  worship  and 
wisdom,  according  to  your  catholic  custom,  when  the  scalding 
spirit  of  scolding  comes  upon  you,  call  "heretics  and  miscre-  FOHO 46, b. 
ants;")  began  to  reform  the  decayed  state,  and  bring  things  to 
the  order  of  the  Church  primitive  and  Apostolic.  Wherefore,  if 
ye  stick  upon  a  custom,  consider  your  Decree4:  Nemo  consuetu 
dinem  rationi  et  veritati  prceponat :  quia  consuetudinem  ratio 
et  veritas  semper  excludit :  "  Let  no  man  prefer  custom  before 
reason  and  truth :  because  reason  and  truth  always  excludcth 
custom."     And  in  the  same  Distinction5,  out  of  Augustin  is 
alleged  this  :  Qui,  contempta  veritate,  prcesumit  consuetudi 
nem  sequi,  aut  circa  fratres  invidus  est  et  malignus,  quibus 
veritas  revelatur;  aut  circa  Deum  ingratus  est,  inspiratione 
cujus  Ecclesia  Ejus  instruitur.     Nam  Dominus  in  Evan- 
gelio :   Ego  sum,  inquit,  veritas :  non  dixit,  Ego  sum  con- 
suetudo.     Itaque,    veritate   manifestata,    cedat   consuetudo 
veritati:  quia  et  Petrus,  qui  circumcidebat,   cessit  Paulo 
veritatem prcedicanti.   Igitur,  cum  Christus  veritas  sit,  magis 
veritatem  quam  consuetudinem  sequi  debemus :    quia  con 
suetudinem  ratio  et  veritas  semper  excludit :  "  He  that  pre- 
sumcth,"  (saith  Augustin6,)    "to  follow   custom,    the    truth 
contemned,  either  is  envious  and  hateful  against  his  brethren, 
to  whom  the  truth  is  revealed ;    or   unthankful  unto  God, 
by  whose  inspiration  His   Church   is  instructed.      For  our 
Lord  in  the  Gospel  said :  '  I  am  the  truth.'     Ho  said  not : 
I  am  custom.       Therefore,   when  the  truth  is   opened,  let 
custom  give  place  to  truth  :  for  even  Peter,  that  circumcised, 
gave  place  to  Paul  when  he  preached  a  truth.     Wherefore, 

4  [Gratiani]  Deer.  i.  Parte.  Dist.  viii.  Parag.  Vcritate. 

5  Parag.  Qui  contempta. 

6  De  Baptis.  parvulorum.  [De  Bapt.  conl.  Donat.  Lib.  iii.  Capp.  v, 
vi.  Opp.  Tom.  ix.  col.  75.  cd.  Ben.  a  J.  Clcr.] 


192  THE  THIRD  ARTICLE. 

since  Christ  is  the  truth,  we  ought  rather  to  follow  truth 
than  custom :  because  reason  and  truth  always  excludctli 
custom." 

Then  be  not  offended,  good  Sir,  I  pray  you,  if,  following 
better  reason  than  you  have  grace  to  consider ;  more  truth 
than  is  yet  revealed  to  you ;  we  refuse  your  catholic  schism 
and  impiety.  Be  not  spiteful  to  them  that  know  more  than 
yourself.  Be  not  ingrate  to  God,  that,  in  these  latter  days, 
to  knowledge  of  His  word  hath  sent  more  abundance  of  His 
Holy  Spirit.  Dwell  not  upon  your  custom.  Bring  truth, 
and  I  will  thank  you.  Speak  reason,  and  I  will  credit  you. 
Non  annorum  canities  est  laudanda,  sed  morum.  Nullus 
pudor  est  ad  meliora  transire1 :  "Not  the  ancienty  of  years, 
but  of  manners,  is  commendable.  No  shame  it  is  to  pass  to 
better." 

The  tale  of  the  superstitious,  (whom  you  call  virtuous 
lady,)  Helena,  I  shall  speak  more  of  in  the  eight  article. 
Certain  it  is,  that  superstitious  she  was;  as  is  proved  after 
ward  in  the  eight  article ;  who  would  gad  on  pilgrimage  to 
visit?  sepulchres2,  &c.  Likewise  Constantinus,  her  son,  was 
not  throughly  reformed.  For,  as  Theodoret  reporteth3,  after 
he  came  to  Christianity,  fana  non  subvertit:  "he  overthrew 
not  the  places  of  Idol  worshippings."  Wherefore  it  is  no 
marvel,  if  they,  building  churches,  should  have  some  piece  of 
Gentility  observed,  a  Cross  or  a  Rood-loft.  Yet,  where  men 
tion  is  made  that  Helena  did  find  the  Cross,  we  find  not  at 
all  that  she  worshipped  the  Cross,  but  rather  the  contrary. 
For  Ambrose  saith4:  Invenit  titulum ;  Regem  adoravit :  non 
lignum  utique ;  quia  hie  Gentilis  est  error,  et  vanitas  im- 
piorum:  "  She  found  the  title;  she  worshipped  the  King:  not 
the  wood  pardie5;  for  this  is  an  error  of  Gentility,  and  vanity 
of  the  wicked."  And  where  we  read6,  that  Constantinus 
the  Great,  for  his  miraculous  apparition  and  good  success, 
did  greatly  esteem  the  Cross;  graved  it  in  his  men's  armours; 

1  Ambros.  in  Epi.  ad  Thco.  &  Valent.   [S.  Ambrosii  Epist.  ad  Imp. 
Valentin.  Epp.  ii.  xii.  Opp.  Tom.  v.  199.  Lut.  Paris.  1661.] 

2  In  Orat.  funebri,  do  obitu  Theodo.    [S.  Ambr.  Opp.  Tom.  v.  col. 
123.  Vol.  ii.] 

3  Thcodorctus,  Lib.  v.  Ca.  xx.  [cd.  Lat.  Camcrario  intcrp.] 

4  Ambros.  Do  obitu  Thoodosii:  [ut  sup.] 

5  [Verily;  par  Dleu  :  like  the  Latin  Ilercle.'} 

c  Euse.  Do  vita  Const.  Lib.  iv.    [Eccl  Hist.  Auctt.  p.  206.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  193 

and^  erected  it  in  the  market-place ;  yet  we  never  read  that 
he  made  a  Rood-loft,  or  placed  the  Cross  upon  the  Altar. 
And  think  ye  that  Eusebius  would  have  forgotten  this,  which 
did  remember  far  smaller  matters,  if  any  such  thing  of  a  truth 
had  been  ?  Wherefore,  whatsoever  you  deem  of  other,  or 
whatsoever  your  own  wisdom  be,  your  supposal  in  this  case 
is  neither  true,  nor  likely  to  be  true.  Peradventure  ye  sup 
pose,  that  your  hot  interrogations  of  "Shall  we  think?,"  and  Foiio47. 
constant  asseverations  of  "  No  man  of  wisdom  can  think,"  will 
make  us  by  and  by  yield  unto  a  lie.  But  we  are  no 
children :  we  are  not  to  be  feared  with  rattles.  Ye  must 
bring  better  matter  than  your  own  thinking,  and  sounder 
proofs  than  Silvester  his  writing,  or  else  your  Cross  shall  be 
little  cared  for. 

We  know  what  idle  tales  and  impudent  lies  of  Con 
stantino's  Donation,  Peter  and  Paul's  apparition,  with  such 
other  like,  are  in  the  Decrees  ascribed  to  Silvester.  And 
thence  ye  fetch  your  authority,  that  "  Constantino  made  a  Foiio47. 
church  in  honour  of  S.  Paul,  and  set  a  Cross  of  gold  upon  his 
cophyne7,  weighing  an  hundreth  and  fifty  pound  weight8."  0 
what  an  oversight  was  this  in  Eusebius ;  that,  writing  his  life, 
avauncing  his  acts,  suppressed  such  a  notable  and  famous 
piece  of  work9!  0  what  a  scape  was  this  of  Sozomenus,; 
that,  making  mention  of  his  little  chapel10,  forgat  the  great 
church!  But,  as  the  Prophet  saith11,  "  An  Image  is  a  teacher 
of  lies ;"  so  must  your  Imagery  be  defended  with  lies,  or 
else  they  will  fall  to  naught.  I  perceive  ye  be  driven  to  very 
narrow  shifts,  when  ye  bring  the  authority  of  a  Bishop  of 
Orleance12,  to  avouch  the  ancienty  of  the  sign  of  a  Cross.  Sweet 

I  [coffin.] 

8  ["  Scd  et  Crucem  auream  super  locum  beati  Pauli  Apostoli 
posuit,  pensantem  libras  150."  (Vita  Silvest.  Pap.  i.  apud  Binii  Con- 
cill.  Tom.  i.  P.  i.  p.  215.  Colon.  Agripp.  1618.)  With  respect  to  the 
imaginary  endowment  of  S.  Paul's  church,  see  Geddes,  The  grand 
Forgery  displayed,  p.  10.  Lond.  1715.] 
v  9  [Conf.  Pet.  Molinsei  Iconomachum,  p.  59.  Sedani,  1635.] 

J°  [Eecl.  Hist.  ii.  xxvi.] 

II  Hiere.  x.  [Jer.  x.  8.  Habak.  ii.  18.] 

12  [The  editor  conjectures  that  there  is  an  error  here ;  and  that 
Aries,  not  Orleans,  was  the  city  which  Martiall  should  have  named : 
for  it  is  certain,  from  Gratian's  Decree,  that  Arelatensis  and  Aurelia- 
nensis  have  been  sometimes  confounded.  In  the  third  Homily,  De 
Paschate,  ascribed  to  Ca?sarius  Arelatensis,  we  read :  "  Hscc  est  ilia 

13 

[CALFHILL.J 


194  THE   THIRD  ARTICLE. 

flowers  be  rare  where  nettles  be  so  made  of.  But,  alas,  what 
hath  he,  that  furthereth  your  cause  ?  Take  away  the  term  of 
legitimiiSi  whereby  he  calleth  it  a  lawful  custom,  and  I  will  not 
contend  for  any  piece  of  his  assertion.  I  know  that  it  crept 
not  into  the  Church  first  in  the  time  of  Charles,  to  have  the 
sign  of  the  Cross  used.  I  know  the  custom,  received  in  some 
places,  was  three  hundreth  year  elder  than  he  ;  yet  not  with 
out  contradiction  at  any  time.  Wherefore,  in  this  and  such 
other  cases ;  where,  either  against  the  universal  Scripture,  a 
custom  general  is  pretended  ;  or  a  private  custom,  without  the 
word,  established ;  let  the  rule  of  S.  Augustin 1  take  place 
rather :  Omnia  talia,  quae  neque  sanctarum  Scripturarum 
authoritatibus  continentur,  nee  in  Conciliis  Episcoporum 
statuta  inveniuntur,  nee  consuetudine  universce  Ecclesice,  ro- 
borata  sunt;  sed  [pro]  diversorum  locorum  diversis  moribus 
innumerabiliter  variantur,  ita  ut  vix  aut  omnino  nun- 
quam  inveniri  possint  causce,  quas  in  eis  instituendis  homi 
nes  secuti  sunt ;  ubi  facultas  tribuitur,  sine  ulla  dubitatione 
resecanda  existimo :  "  All  such  things,  as  neither  are  con 
tained  in  the  authorities  of  holy  Scriptures,  nor  are  found 
enacted  in  Councils  of  the  Bishops,  nor  are  confirmed  by 
custom  of  the  universal  Church ;  but,  according  to  the  divers 
orders  of  divers  places,  innumerably  do  vary,  so  that  the  causes 
may  scant  or  not  at  all  be  found,  whereby  men  were  induced  to 
ordain  them  ;  I  think  that  they  ought  without  all  controversy 
be  cut  away."  Then,  sith  the  sign  of  the  Cross  of  Christ  is 
not  commanded  in  holy  Scripture :  sith  no  more  Councils  have 
confirmed  the  use  of  it,  than  have  condemned  it  :  finally,  sith 
the  universal  Church  never  hath  received  it,  but  only  some 
private  places  where  the  great  Antichrist  of  Rome  prevailed  : 
nor  they  themselves  able  to  allege  a  just  and  lawful  cause  of 
this  their  ordinance  and  will-worship ;  I  conclude  and  say, 
that  the  sign  of  the  Cross  out  of  all  churches,  chapels,  and 
oratories,  out  of  all  places,  deputed  peculiarly  to  God  His 
service,  ought  to  be  removed. 

Crux,  quam  in  postibus  rcgiis,  signatam  in  fronte  gcstamus  ;  quam  jus- 
tissimo  in  professione  receptam  Dominus  Cardinalis  ct  Imperator 
legitimus  impressit."  This  Homily  is  likewise  inserted  among  the 
rhapsodies  attributed  to  Eusebius  Emisenus.] 

1  Epist.  cxix.  [In  ed.  Bcned.  Ep.  Iv.  Cap.  xix.  §.  35.  Opp.  ii.  107. 
Calfhill  may  possibly  have  transcribed  the  passage  from  the  Canon 
Law,  in  which  the  word  "pro"  is  omitted.  (Dist.  xii.  C.  xii.)j 


TO    THE    FOURTH   ARTICLE. 


AND  whereas  ye  be  now  beaten  from  the  walls  of  your 
greatest  fort,  and  run  into  the  castle ;  ye  leave  off  meddling 
with  Rood  or  Crucifix,  and  fall  to  defence  of  the  sign  mystical ; 
I  must  lay  some  battery  to  this  hold  of  yours,  and  I  fear  me 
not  but  I  shall  fire  you  out.  That  ceremonies  were  of  old 
received  in  the  Church,  and  among  the  rest  the  sign  of  the 
Cross  drawn  with  a  finger,  I  deny  not,  I  do  confess.  When 
men  were  newly  converted  from  Paganism,  and  each  man  was 
hot  in  his  profession,  the  Christian  would  not  only  with  his 
heart  belief  and  tongue  confession  shew  what  he  was ;  but 
also,  in  despite  of  his  Master's  enemies,  declare  by  some  out 
ward  sign,  and,  by  crossing  of  himself,  testify  to  the  world 
that  he  was  not  ashamed  of  Christ  crucified.  Hereof  have  I 
witness  Tertullian,  in  Apoloyetico2,  and  in  his  book  De  Corona 
J\Iilitis3.  Whereupon  the  Fathers,  of  a  zeal  and  devotion,  ad 
mitted,  (almost  in  all  things,)  this  sign  of  the  Cross ;  received 
it  into  God  His  service,  as  a  laudable  ceremony ;  and  wished 
all  men  to  use  it.  Hieronymus  ad  Eustochium*,  et  Demetri- 
adem5:  Prudentius  in  Hymnis6.  Yet  can  it  not  be  denied, 
but  some  were  too  superstitious  in  this  case ;  ascribing  more 
to  the  outward  sign,  than  to  the  virtue  signified :  and  so  they 
made,  of  a  well  meaning  custom,  a  magical  enchantment.  Nor 

2  [Cap.  xvi.] 

3  [Cap.  iii. — This  treatise  was  written  after  he  had  become  a  Mon- 
tanist.] 

4  ["Ad  omnem  actum,  ad  omncm  inccssura,  manus   pingat  Cru- 
cem."    (De  Virg.  servand.  sub  fin.  ^Epistt.  Par.  iii.  Tract,  iv.  Ep.  xvi. 
Lugd.  1508.)] 

5  ["  Crebro  signaculo  Crucis  munias  frontem  tuam  ;  ne  extermina 
tor  ./Egypti  in  te  locum  rcperiat."  (Par.  iii.  Tract,  v.  Ep.  xvii.)    This 
must  not  be  mistaken  for  the  Pelagian  Epistola  ad  Demetriadem :  for, 
in  the  latter  part  of  it,  S.  Jerom  speaks  thus  of  the  previous  Epistle  to 
Eustochium:   "Ante  annos  circiter  triginta,  de  Virginitate  servanda 
edidi  librum."    Cf.  Riveti  Grit.  Sacr.  iii.  xvii.  p.  314.  iv.  xi.  418.] 

0  [Vide  Ilymnum  ante  Somnivm :  Hymnum  omni  hora :  Hymnum 
in  Itonorem  Hemetrii  et  Cheledonii:  Apotheos.  Advers.  Judceos;  et  Cont. 
Symmach.  Lib.  i.  De  potent  ia  Crucis.  Opp.  foil.  66,  81,  99,  196,  233. 
Antverp.  1540.] 

13—2 


196  THE  FOURTH  ARTICLE, 

only  the  simple  did  in  this  case  abuse  themselves ;  but  such 
as  had  more  learning  than  the  rest,  and  ought  to  have  been 
good  schoolmasters  to  other,  taught  superstitious  and  un 
sound  doctrine. 

I  report  me  to  Ambrose,  if  he  be  the  author  of  the 
funeral  Oration  for  Theodosius  ;  and  also  to  Ephraem1,  De 
Paenit.  Cap.  iii. ;  et  De  Armatura  Spirituali,  Cap.  ii.  Which 
effect  if  we  had  not  seen  by  experience  in  our  days  follow, 
we  would  not  for  the  ceremony  contend  so  much.  But 
whereas  we  see  the  people  so  prone  to  superstition,  that  of 
every  ceremony  they  make  a  necessity ;  that  they  bend  not 
their  hearts  to  the  consideration  of  the  heavenly  mystery,  but 
defix  their  eyes,  and  repose  their  affiance  in  the  earthly  sign ; 
we  are  forced  to  refuse  the  same.  For  doctrine  in  this  case 
will  not  prevail,  if  the  thing  that  they  trusted  to  be  not 
taken  from  them.  So  that  the  thing  which  the  ancient  Fathers, 
(in  a  better  age,  with  less  abuse,)  were  contented  to  admit, 
must  not  so  straitly  be  enforced  upon  us,  in  a  worse  time, 
to  maintain  a  wicked  error.  For,  as  Augustin  saith2 :  Non 
verum  est  quod  dicitur  :  Semel  recte  factum  millatenus  esse 
mutandum.  Mutata  quippe  temporis  causa,  quod  recte  ante 
factum  fuerat  ita  mutari  vera  ratio  plerumque,  flagitat,  ut 
cum  ipsi  dicant,  recte  non  fieri  si  mutetur,  contra  veritas 
clamet,  recte  non  fieri  nisi  mutetur  :  quia  utrumque  tune 
erit  rectum,  si  erit  pro  temporum  varietate  diversum.  Quod 
enim  in  diversitate  personarum  uno  tempore  accidere  potest, 
ut  hide  liceat  aliquid  impune  facere  quod  illi  non  liceat ; 
non  quod  dissimilis  sit  res,  sed  is  qui  facit :  ita  ab  una 
eademque  persona,  diversis  temporibus,  tune  oportet  aliquid 
fieri,  tune  non  oportet ;  non  quod  sui  dissimilis  sit  qui  facit, 
sed  quando  facit :  "  It  is  not  true  that  is  said,  '  A  thing 
that  was  once  well  done  must  in  no  wise  be  altered.'  For 
when  the  cause  of  the  time  is  changed,  good  reason  doth 
require  the  well  done  thing  afore  so  to  be  changed  now, 
that  where  they  say,  it  cannot  be  well  if  it  be  changed,  the 
truth  on  the  other  side  crieth  out,  that  it  cannot  be  well  if  it 
be  not  changed.  For  that  which  may  chance  at  one  time  in 
diversity  of  persons,  that  one  may  do  a  thing  without  offence 

1  [In  whoso  case,  the  editor  is  obliged  to  confess  with  Bellarmin  : 
(DeScrippt.  Eccles.)  "nonvacavit  mihi  legere,  nisi  Sermones  aliquos."] 

2  Ad  Marcellinum,  Epist.  v.  [alias  cxxxviii.  Opp.  Tom.  ii.  311.} 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  197 

which  another  may  not ;  not  that  the  matter  is  of  itself  unlike, 
but  the  party  that  doth  it :  so  in  respect  of  divers  times,  of 
the  self-same  person  now  may  a  thing  be  done,  and  now  may 
it  not  be  done;  not  that  he  is  different  from  himself  that 
doth  it,  but  the  time  when  he  doth  it." 

Wherefore  I  like  well  that  counsel  of  Gregory,  which 
he  gave  to  Augustin  the  Monk,  whom  he  sent  into  Eng 
land  to  plant  a  Religion3:  Novit  fraternitas  tua,  (saith 
he,)  Romance  Ecclesice  consuetudinem,  in  qua  se  meminit 
esse  nutritam.  Sed  mihi  placet,  ut  sive  in  Romana,  sive 
in  Gallicorum,  sive  in  qualibet  Ecclesia  \aliquid~\  inve- 
nisti,  quod  plus  omnipotent  Deo  possit  placere,  sollicite 
eliyas  ;  et  in  Anglorum  Ecclesia,  quce  adhuc  in  fide  nova 
est,  et  in  constitutione  prcecipua,  quce  de  multis  Ecclesiis 
collifjere  poteris,  infundas.  Nan  enim  pro  locis  res,  sed 
pro  rebus  loca  amanda  sunt.  Ex  sincjulis  ergo  quibus- 
cunque  Ecclesiis,  quce  pia,  quce  relicjiosa,  quce  recta  sunt, 
elicje :  et  hcec,  quasi  in  fasciculum  collecta,  apud  Anrjlorion 
mentes  in  consuetudinem  depone :  "  Your  brotherhood  knoweth 
the  custom  of  the  Romish  Church,  wherein  ye  remember  ye 
have  been  brought  up.  But  my  pleasure  is,  that  whatso 
ever  ye  have  found,  be  it  either  in  the  Church  of  Rome, 
or  French  Church,  or  any  other,  that  more  may  please 
almighty  God,  ye  carefully  choose  the  same :  and  the  best 
constitutions  that  you  can  gather  out  of  many  Churches, 
pour  into  the  Church  of  England,  which  is  as  yet  raw  in  the 
faith.  For  the  customs  are  not  to  be  embraced  for  the 
country  sake ;  but  rather  the  country  for  the  custom  sake. 
Choose  ye  therefore  out  of  all  Churches,  whatsoever  they  are, 
the  things  that  are  godly,  religious,  and  good :  and  these 
being  gathered  into  one  bundle,  repose  them  as  customs  in 
the  Englishmen's  hearts."  So  that  of  the  wise  it  hath  been 
always  reputed  folly,  to  stick  to  prescription  of  time  or 
place.  Only  the  lawfulness  of  the  use  hath  brought  more  or 
less  authority  to  the  thing.  Wherefore  ye  have  no  advan 
tage  of  me,  in  that  I  granted  the  use  of  crossing  to  be 
ancient  in  the  Church4.  For  if  it  had  been  well  in  our  fore- 

3  Dist.  xii.  Cap.  Novit.     [Respons.  ad  Intcrrog.  iii.  Opp.  Tom.  ii. 
fol.  275,  b.  Antverp.  1572.] 

4  ["  Wee  confcsse  that  there  was  a  holy  and  commendable  vsc  of 
the  transeant  signe  of  the  Crosse  in  the  primitiue  Church :  to  wit,  as 


108  THE  FOURTH  ARTICLE. 

fathers,  yet,  by  Augustin's  rule,  it  might  be  ill  in  us ;  and 
therefore  to  be  altered.  And  stiffly  to  defend  one  certain 
custom,  without  apparent  commodity  to  the  Church,  is  by 
Pope  Gregory  himself  disproved.  Only  I  am  sorry,  that 
imperfections  of  wise  men  have  given  such  precedent  of 
error  to  the  wilful.  I  am  loth  to  say,  that  the  Fathers  them 
selves  were  not  so  well  affected  as  they  ought.  But  ye 
drive  me  to  lay  my  finger  on  this  sore,  and  continually  to 
scratch  it. 

The  tale  of  Probianus,  which  ye  cite  out  of  Sozomen 
in  the  Tripartite  History1,  hath  small  appearance  of  truth 
in  it.  For  if  he  adored  not  the  material  Cross,  he  was 
the  better  Christian  for  that :  but  if  he  believed  not  the 
death  of  Christ,  then  was  he  not  converted  unto  the  faith  at 
all.  For  without  Christ,  and  the  same  crucified,  our  faith  is 
all  in  vain.  Wherefore,  when  it  is  said,  "  that  he  would  not 
worship  the  cause  of  our  salvation2 ;"  either  the  writer  of 
this  history  doth  ill  apply  this  to  the  wood  material,  or  you 
do  ill  apply  it  to  your  purpose.  It  should  seem  to  be  a  tale 
framed  out  of  Constantinus'  apparition ;  when  foolish  wor 
shippers  of  the  Cross  would  still  have  moe  miracles  to 
confirm  their  Idolatry.  But,  as  thieves  that  have  robbed 
do  leave  alway  some  mark  behind  them,  whereby  they  may 
be  known,  either  what  they  were,  or  which  way  they  bo 
gone ;  so  this  author  of  yours,  leaping  over  the  pale,  hath 
left  a  piece  of  his  cloke  behind  him,  and  ye  may  track  him 

a  badge  of  Christian  profession ;  to  signifie  that  they  were  not  ashamed 
of  their  crucified  God,  which  the  heathen  and  wicked  lewes  vsed  to 
cast  in  their  teeth :  and  so  of  the  permanent  Crosse,  erected  in  publiko 
places,  to  be  as  it  were  a  tropheo  and  monument  of  the  exaltation  of 
Him  that  dyed  on  the  Crosse."  (Beard's  Retractive  from  the  Romish 
Religion,  pp.  239 — 40.  Lond.  1616.)] 

1  [Lib.  ii.  Cap.  xix. — "  Totius  vero  salutis  causam,  id  est  sacratissi- 
mam  Crucem,  nolebat  adorare.   Hanc  habenti  sententiam  divina  virtus 
apparcns  signum  monstravit  Crucis,  quod  erat  positum  in  Altario  ejus 
ecclesice.    Et  aperte  palam  fecit,  quia  ex  quo  crucifixus  est  Christus, 
omnia,  quse  ad  utilitatem  humani  generis  facta  sunt,  quolibet  modo 
prscter  virtutem  adorandee  Crucis  gesta  non  essent,  neque  ab  Angclis 
sanctis,  neque  a  piis  hominibus."    Conf.  Sozom.  Hist.  Eccles.  Lib.  ii. 
Cap.  iii.j 

2  [In  the  original  it  is  related,  merely,  that  Probianus,  while  a 
semi-pagan,  would  not  admit  that  the  Cross  had  been  the  source  of 
salvation.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  199 

by  the  foot.  For  if  he  meant,  (as  you  devise,)  "  that,  ever 
since  the  death  of  Christ,  whatsoever  good  hath  been 
wrought  to  mankind,  either  by  good  men,  or  holy  Angels, 
the  same  hath  been  wrought  by  the  sign  of  the  Cross ;" 
then  Angels  by  like3  have  bodies  to  bear  it,  have  hands  to 
make  it.  But  Angels,  being  ministering  Spirits4,  have  from 
the  beginning  wrought  many  virtues  for  man's  behoof :  have 
been  by  God's  providence  a  defence  of  the  faithful,  and 
overthrow  of  the  wicked :  yet  can  they  not  make  any 
material  Cross,  such  as  is  set  up  in  churches ;  nor  yet 
mystical,  such  as  men  use  to  print  in  their  foreheads. 
Wherefore,  either  the  collector  of  this  tale  was  a  liar, 
or  you  a  fond  applier.  Howsoever  it  falls  out  in  rhyme, 
yet  the  reason  is  good.  But  rather  of  the  two  I  would 
excuse  the  author,  who,  by  the  Cross,  meant  Christ  His 
passion  ;  and  lay  you  in  the  fault,  which  understood  him 
not. 

For  doubtless  if  there  were  such  an  apparition  to 
Probianus,  (as  I  am  not  yet  persuaded  of,)  yet  that  the 
meaning  of  it  should  be  such  as  you  say,  "to  drive  him  Foiioso, 
to  the  worship  of  a  Cross  in  earth,"  hath  neither  Religion 
nor  reason  in  it.  Constantine  himself,  which  was  as  newly 
converted  to  the  faith,  neither  was  commanded  to  do  the 
like,  nor  ever  did  it.  Cyprian,  Augustin,  and  Chrysos- 
tom,  entreating  all  of  the  passion  of  Christ,  do  use  the  term 
of  the  Cross  as  the  Apostle  himself  doth ;  1.  ad  Cor.  i.  et 
ad  Gal.  v.  :  Ut  Crux  sit  prcedicatio  de  Crucifixo  :  "  That 
when  they  name  the  Cross,  by  a  figure  they  mean  The 
crucified."  Notwithstanding,  I  grant  that  in  ministration 
of  Sacraments,  and  sometime  otherwise,  they  seemed  all 
to  use  a  certain  sign  of  Cross ;  not  sign  material,  but 
such  as  men  do  print  in  their  foreheads.  Shah1  we  there 
fore  be  restrained  to  that,  whereof  there  is  no  precept  in 
Scripture,  nor  they  themselves  yield  lawful  cause5  ?  But 

3  [belike.]  4  Heb.  vii.  [i.  14.] 

5  [The  matured  judgment  of  the  Church  of  England,  about  the 

matter,  is  made  known  in  the  xxxth  Canon  of  1603  ;  to  which  we  are 

referred  by  our  Prayer-book,  at  the  end  of  the  Baptismal  Service. 

Compare  Gother's  Discourse  of  the  use  of  Images,  p.  14.  Lond.  1687. 

Barlow's  Summe  of  tlie  Conference  at  Hampton  Court,  p.  74.  Lond. 

1625.] 


200  THE  FOURTH  ARTICLE. 

admit  their  authority.  Think  you,  they  did  attribute  so 
great  virtue  to  the  wagging  of  a  finger,  that  the  Holy 
Ghost  could  be  called  down,  and  the  Devil  driven  away  by 
it  ?  Think  you,  they  would  have  neglected  churches  ;  re 
fused  Sacraments ;  doubted  of  their  health  ;  if  a  Priest  had 
not  broken  the  air  first,  and  with  his  holy  hand  made  an 
over  thwart  sign  ?  Learn  more  good,  (ye  Puine,)  than  so 
fondly  to  think,  and  falsely  report  of  the  holy  Fathers.  Read 
their  learned  writings  with  riper  judgment.  Examine  duly 
the  very  words  which  ye  do  allege  as  making  for  you ;  and 
ye  shall  see,  (good  young  scholar,)  that  ye  have  not  learned 
your  lesson  well. 

Cyprian,  ye  say,  writeth1 :  "  Whatsoever  the  hands  be, 
which  dip  those  that  come  to  Baptism ;  whatsoever  the 
breast  is,  out  of  which  the  holy  words  do  proceed ;  Opera- 
tionis  authoritas,  in  figura  Crucis,  omnibus  Sacramentis 
largitur  effectum:  'The  authority  of  operation  giveth  eifect 
to  all  Sacraments,  in  the  figure  of  the  Cross.'"  I  acknow 
ledge  the  place.  It  is  in  his  work  De  cardinalibus  Operi- 
bus  Christi :  quod  inter  suspecta  et  notha  est.  But  weigh 
the  reason.  First  he  excludeth,  (as  touching  any  merit,) 
not  only  the  hand,  but  the  heart  of  the  Priest.  He  careth 
not  what  he  be,  so  that  he  do  the  thing  that  he  cometh  for. 
The  institution  of  Christ  retained,  God  worketh  inwardly 
that  which  no  outward  fact  can  give.  If  the  hand  be  evil, 
can  the  work  of  the  hand  be  good  ?  In  no  wise  ;  unless  the 
work  be  commanded.  Then  shew  the  commandment  for  the 
sign  of  the  Cross,  if  ye  will,  have  Cyprian  to  mean  of  it. 
Experience  in  part  we  have  of  more  witchcraft  and  sorcery, 
wrought  by  the  sign  of  the  Cross,  than  by  any  thing  in  the 
Avorld  beside.  Wherefore  it  is  neither  the  Priest  himself,  nor 
any  thing  that  he  doth,  no  not  the  sign  of  the  Cross  made, 
that  giveth  effect  unto  the  Sacraments.  Cyprian,  in  plain 

1  De  cardinalibus  Operibus  Christi :  suspectum  opus.  [The  words 
are  contained  in  the  tract  De  Passione  Christi,  which  is  the  ninth  of 
twelve  treatises  in  a  work  now  well  known  to  have  been  composed 
by  Arnoldus  Carnotensis,  Abbas  Boncc-vallis,  about  the  year  1160.  Vid. 
James,  Treatise  of  Corruption,  Part  i.  pp.  12 — 16.  Lond.  1611.  Coci 
Censur.  pp.  72 — 75.  Lond.  1614.  Raynaudi  Erotemata  de  malis  ac 
bonis  libris,  pp.  135 — 6.  Lugd.  1653.  Jamesii  Eclog.  Oxonio-Cantab. 
Lib.  i.  p.  46.  &  Lib.  ii.  p.  10.  Lond.  1600.  Baillet,  Jugemens  des  Savans, 
Tome  i.  p.  255.  A  Paris,  1722.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE   OF  THE  CROSS.  201 

words,  affirmeth  this2:  Veniebat  Christus  ad  Baptismum; 
non  eyens  lavacro,  in  quo  peccatum  non  erat ;  sed  ut  Sacra 
mento  perennis  daretur  authoritas,  et  tanti  virtutem  operis 
nulla  personarum  acceptio  commendaret :  quoniam  remissio 
peccatoi'um,  sive  per  Baptismum,  sive  per  alia  Sacramenta 
donetur,  proprie  Spiritus  Sancti  est,  et  Ipsi  soli  hujus  effici- 
entice  privileaium  manet.  Verborum  solemnitas,  et  sacri  in- 
vocatio  Nominis,  et  signa  institutionibus  Apostolicis  Sacer- 
dotum  ministeriis  attributa,  visibile  celebrant  Sacramentum : 
rem  vero  ipsam  Spiritus  Sanctus  format  et  efficit ;  et  conse- 
crationibus  visibilibus  invisibiliter  tnanum  totius  bonitatis 
Author  apponit.  Mark  well  the  words :  in  English  they  be 
these :  "  Christ  came  to  Baptism  ;  not  wanting  a  washing,  in 
whom  there  was  no  sin ;  but  to  the  end  that  a  continual 
authority  might  be  given  to  the  Sacrament,  and  no  accepting 
of  persons  commend  the  virtue  of  so  great  a  work.  For 
remission  of  sins,  be  it  either  given  by  Baptism,  or  by  other 
Sacraments,  properly  appertaineth  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
the  privilege  of  this  effect  remaineth  unto  Him  alone.  As 
for  the  solemnity  of  words,  and  calling  upon  the  name  of 
God,  and  signs  attributed  to  the  Apostolical  institutions, 
through  the  ministry  of  the  Priests,  they  make  a  visible 
Sacrament :  but  the  thing  itself  the  Holy  Ghost  doth  frame 
and  make ;  and  to  the  visible  consecrations  the  Author  of  all 
goodness  invisibly  doth  put  His  hand."  Here  do  ye  see  that 
the  effect  is  given  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  only  to  the  Holy 
Ghost,  which  you  do  attribute  either  to  the  Priest,  or  to  the 
sign  of  the  Cross. 

But  let  me  deal  with  you  as  you  deserve  a  while.  Let 
me  forget  that  you  are  a  Bachelor  of  law.  Let  me  forget 
that  you  were  M.  Usher.  Let  me  go  to  work,  as  with  a 
scholar  of  Winchester.  C.  What  is  the  saying  of  S.  Cyprian, 
Sirrah  ?  M.  "  The  authority  of  operation  giveth  effect  Foiio  49. 
to  all  Sacraments,  in  the  figure  of  the  Cross."  C.  What 
is  the  principal  verb,  John  ?  M.  "  Giveth."  C.  What 
is  the  nominative  case  ?  M.  "  Authority."  C.  Well  then, 
it  is  authority  that  giveth  effect.  But  what  authority, 

2  De  Baptismo  Christi.  [This  is  the  fourth  of  the  same  tractates, 
by  "Arnoldus  Abbas,  Cypriani  nomen  mentions."  (Thilo,  Cod.  Apoc. 
N.  Test.  \.  632.  Lips.  1832.)  Vitl.  S.  Cypr.  Opp.  p.  662.  Vcnot.  1547 ; 
vel  Append,  ii.  in  edit.  Oxon.  p.  30.  1682.] 


202  THE   FOURTH  ARTICLE. 

John  ?  M.  "Authority  of  operation."  C.  To  whom  refer 
you  this  operation?  M.  "Forsooth  to  the  Priest,  that  makes 
the  Cross  with  his  thumb."  C.  Down  with  him.  Give  me 
the  rod  here.  Have  ye  forgot  that  ye  learned  out  of 
Ambrose1,  Aliud  est  elementum,  aliud  consecratio ;  aliud 
opus,  aliud  operatio :  "  The  element  is  one  thing,  and  con 
secration  another ;  the  work  is  one  thing,  and  operation 
another?"  The  work  is  done  by  the  Priest,  but  the  operation 
by  God.  So  Ambrose  saith  also  that  the  consecration  is2: 
Non  sanat  aqua,  nisi  Spiritus  Sanctus  descenderit,  et  aquam 
illam  consecraverit :  "  The  water  healeth  not,  unless  the 
Holy  Ghost  descend,  and  consecrate  that  water."  And  is  thy 
wit  so  short,  that  thou  rememberest  not  the  text  of  Cyprian, 
that  I  told  thee  even  now  ?  One  expoundeth  the  other.  As 
there  he  said,  The  effect  of  Sacraments  properly  appertaineth 
to  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  that  privilege  is  His  alone ;  so 
here  he  saith,  The  authority  of  operation  giveth  effect  to 
Sacraments.  Well ;  go  forward.  In  figura  Crucis  :  English 
me  that,  John.  M.  "  In  the  figure  of  the  Cross."  C.  What 
is  that  ?  M.  "  Forsooth,  the  red  mark  that  I  see  in  my 
master's  Mass-book3."  C.  Down  again.  Is  your  wit  so 
good  ?  Must  ye  be  beaten  twice  for  one  sentence  ?  Construe 
it.  M.  Autoritas  operationis,  "  The  authority  of  opera 
tion,"  largitur  effectum,  "  giveth  effect,"  omnibus  Sacra- 
mentis,  "  to  all  Sacraments,"  in  figura  Crucis,  "  in  the 
figure  of  the  Cross."  C.  Why,  young  man,  do  ye  bring 
in  the  sign  of  the  Cross  there  ? 

Shall  I  take  you  in  hand   again?      The   Cross  must 

1  DC  Sacram.  Lib.  i.  Ca.  v.    [Opp.  iv.  355.  Conf.  Gratiani  Decret. 
De  Consec.  Dist.  iv.  Cap.  ix. — The  genuineness  of  the  six  books  on  the 
Sacraments   cannot  be  easily  maintained.  Vid.   Card.   Bonac  Rcrum 
Liturg.  Lib.  i.  Cap.  vii.  p.  41.  Roma?,  1671.    Zaccarise  Biblioth.  Ritual. 
Tom.  ii.  p.  18.  Roma?,  1778.  Morton's  Catholike  Appeale,  p.  96.  Lond. 
1610.    Riveti  Crit.  Sacr.  Lib.  iii.  Cap.  xviii.     Du  Pin's  Eccles.  Hist. 
Vol.  i.  p.  284.  Dubl.  1723.    Dallsci  De  Cultt.  Latinor.  relig.  Lib.  ix. 
Cap.  xiii.  p.  1231.  Geneva?,  1671.] 

2  Ibidem. 

3  [The  Canon  of  the  Mass  commences  with  the  letter  T;   ("To 
igitur,"  &c.  ;)  which  used  often  to  be  illuminated,  and  made  to  servo 
for  a  representation  of  the  Cross.     Now  there  is  commonly  a  print  of 
the  Crucifixion  in  this  part  of  the  Roman  Missal.    Compare  a  marginal 
note  by  Pamelius,  in  Tom.  ii.  Opp.  D.  Gregorii  Magni,  fol.  368,  b. 
Antvcrp.  1572.   Molanus,  DC  Hist.  S.  Imagg.  Lib.  iv.  Cap.  vi.  p.  484.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE   OF   THE   CROSS.  203 

go  before  in  procession.  I  tell  you,  construe  it  by  the 
points  as  the  words  do  lie.  M.  Operationis  authoritas, 
"  The  authority  of  operation,"  in  figura  Crucis,  "  in  the 
figure  of  the  Cross,"  largitur  effectum,  "  giveth  effect," 
&c.  C.  That  is  another  matter.  Well  now :  The  au 
thority  of  operation,  (that  is  to  say,  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,)  in  the  figure  of  the  Cross,  giveth  effect  to 
Sacraments.  But  is  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the 
red  mark  of  your  master's  Mass-book  ?  No,  but  it  is  in  the 
figure  of  the  Cross :  that  which  the  Cross  figureth ;  even 
Christ  Himself.  So  ye  have  learned  a  true  doctrine  now ; 
"  That  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  Christ,  giveth  effect 
to  Sacraments."  Bear  it  away,  lest  ye  bear  me  a  blow.  But 
now  I  remember  myself;  you  shall  not  tarry  long  for  it. 
Hem  tibi.  Do  ye  use  to  make  a  down  point  before  ye  come 
to  the  end  of  a  sentence  ?  Do  you  not  see  a  comma,  a 
conjunction  copulative,  and  a  chief  piece  of  the  matter  follow  ; 
and  will  you  falsely  leave  it  out  all  ?  Take  the  book  in 
your  hand,  and  read.  H.  Autoritas  operationis,  in  figura 
Crucis,  omnibus  Sacramentis  largitur  effectum :  et  cuncta 
perayit  Nomen,  quod  omnibus  nominibus  eminet,  a  Sacra- 
mentorum  Vicariis  invocatum  :  "  The  authority  of  operation, 
in  the  figure  of  the  Cross,  giveth  effect  to  all  Sacraments : 
and  The  name  above  all  names,  being  called  upon  of  the 
Deputies  of  the  Sacraments,  goeth  through  withal."  C.  If  ye 
had  remembered  yourself,  (Sir  boy,)  and  taken  this  latter 
clause  with  you,  you  would  not  have  attributed  operation  to 
the  Priest,  nor  effect  of  Sacraments  to  the  sign  of  the  Cross  ; 
nor  have  been  laid  over  the  form  for  it.  But  ye  feel  not 
the  stripes  :  I  am  very  sorry  for  that :  verily,  verily,  ye  have 
well  deserved  them.  For  if  S.  Cyprian  would  not  ascribe 
so  much  virtue  to  the  name  of  God,  that  It  should  be  able  to 
do  all ;  (otherwise  than  called  upon,  which  respecteth  the 
faith  of  the  receiver :)  shall  we  think  that  he  had  a  sorry 
breaking  of  the  air,  whereby  the  Cross  is  made,  in  such  high 
reverence  and  admiration? 

On  a  time  the  same  Father  was  demanded  his  judg 
ment,  whether  such  as  were  baptized  bedrid  were  Christians, 
or  no.  Whereto  he  answered4 :  jEstiuiamus  in  nullo 

4  Cyprianus  Magno,  Epist.  Ixiv.     [Ad  Pamela  num.  Ep.  Ixxvi. :  in 
edit.  Oxon.  Ep.  Ixix.  pp.  185— G.] 


204  THE   FOURTH  ARTICLE. 

mutilari  et  debilitari  posse  beneficia  divina ;  nee  minus 
aliquid  illic  posse  contingere,  ubi  plena  et  tota  fide  et 
dantis  et  sumentis  accipitur,  quod  de  divinis  muneribus 
hauritur :  "  We  think  that  the  benefits  of  God  cannot 
in  any  thing  be  mangled  and  made  the  weaker ;  nor 
any  thing  less  can  happen  there,  where  the  grace  that  is 
drawn  from  the  spring  of  God's  goodness  is  apprehended 
with  full  and  perfect  faith,  as  well  on  the  giver's  behalf  as 
on  the  receiver's."  If  such  as  were  baptized  in  their  beds, 
having  but  a  little  water  sprinkled  upon  them,  wanting  a 
great  number  of  ceremonies,  which  Cyprian  thought  Apos 
tolic  and  necessary,  were  in  as  good  case  as  the  rest ;  Quia 
stant  et  consummantur  omnia,  (as  he  saith,)  majestate  Do 
mini,  et  fidei  veritate  :  "  Because  all  things  do  stand,  and  be 
brought  to  perfection,  by  the  majesty  of  God,  and  sincerity  of 
faith ;"  shall  we  think  that  the  idle  ceremony  of  a  Cross  can 
give  effect  to  Sacraments,  and  Sacraments  be  imperfect  with 
out  a  Cross  ?  Your  own  Doctor  doth  overthrow  you. 

But  ye  cite  two  authorities  of  S.  Augustin,  to  confirm  your 
error.  For  the  first,  where  he  saith1:  "With  the  mystery  of 
the  Cross  the  ignorant  are  instructed  and  taught ;  the  font  of 
regeneration  is  hallowed,"  &c.;  I  answer  as  I  did  before, 
according  to  the  true  meaning  of  the  word  "mystery;"  that 
the  meaning  of  the  Cross  which  we  believe,  and  see  not,  (for 
so  Chrysostom  saith2;)  and  not  the  visible  and  material  Cross, 
worketh  the  effects  aforesaid.  For  you  will  grant  me  that 
the  sign  of  the  Cross  is  but  an  accessory  thing.  The  sub 
stance  of  the  Sacrament  may  consist  without  it.  Augustin 
saith  not3 :  Accedat  Crucis  siynatio  ad  elementum,  et  Jit 

1  ["Hujus  Crucis  mysterio  rudes  catechizantur :   eodcm  mysterio 
fons  regenerationis  consecratur." — S.  Augustin  must  not  bo  held  re 
sponsible  for  the  language  of  the  spurious  Sermo  xix.  de  Sanctis,  which 
is  in  this  place  alleged.] 

2  Chrysos.  1  ad  Cor.  Cap.  ii.  Horn.  vii.  [p.  79.  Engl.  trans.  Oxf.] 

3  Aug.  in  Jo.  Tract,  xl.  et  De  Catacl.  Cap.  iii.    [The  Ixxxth  tract 
upon  S.  John's  Gospel  should  have  been  referred  to :  and  the  Sermon 
concerning  the  Deluge  is  very  far  from  being  authentic.    According  to 
the  Benedictine  editors,  the  style  of  it  is  "  rudis,  ac  demissus,  minime- 
que  Augustinianus."  (Tom.  vi.  398.)     The  phrase  "Accedit  verbum 
ad  elementum,  et  fit  Sacramcntum"  was  manifestly  stolen  from  the 
tract  jus*t  mentioned;  in  which  are  also  the  succeeding  words.    (Opp. 
iii.  ii.  512.  ed.  Ben.  Antw.)] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE   OF  THE  CROSS.  205 

Sacramentum  :  "  Let  the  sign  of  the  Cross  concur  with  the 
element,  and  it  is  a  Sacrament ;"  but,  Let  the  word  come  to 
the  element,  and  it  is  a  Sacrament.  And  yet  he  doth  not 
attribute  so  much  to  the  element  itself,  or  to  the  word,  as 
you  do  to  the  sign  of  the  Cross.  For  of  Baptism  he  saith  : 
Unde  ista  tanta  virtus  aquae,  ut  corpus  tangat,  et  cor  abluat, 
nisi  faciente  verbo  ?  Non  quia  dicitur,  sed  quia  creditur. 
Nam  et  in  ipso  verbo,  aliud  est  sonus  transiens,  aliud  virtus 
manens  :  "  Whence  cometh  this  so  great  virtue  of  the  water, 
to  touch  the  body,  and  wash  the  soul,  but  by  the  working  of 
the  word  ?  Not  because  the  word  is  spoken,  but  because  it  is 
believed.  For  in  the  word  itself,  the  sound  that  passeth  is 
one  thing,  and  the  virtue  remaining  another."  If  only  faith 
bring  effect  to  Sacraments ;  if  the  word  itself  be  not  available 
"without  belief ;  shall  we  think  that  S.  Augustin  made  such 
accompt  of  the  sign  of  a  Cross?  Indeed  he  made  great  of 
the  mystery  of  the  Cross,  because  on  it  only  dependeth  faith. 
But  the  mystery  you  have  nothing  to  do  withal.  For 
unless  it  be  a  material  Cross,  or  a  Cross  made  with  a  finger 
in  some  part  of  the  body,  ye  profess  that  in  this  treatise  ye  Foiio24. 
will  speak  of  none. 

And  now  to  the  second  allegation  out  of  Augustin. 
As  the  manner  of  signing  with  the  Cross  was  in  his  time 
usual,  so  would  I  wish,  for  your  own  sake,  that  ye  could 
content  yourself  with  his  significations ;  and  wade  no  fur 
ther  in  so  dangerous  a  puddle,  than  he  hath  dipped  his 
foot  before  you.  Well  doth  he  please  himself  in  a  subtile 
device4  of  his,  when  he  will  refer  the  Apostle's  words,  Ephe. 
iii.  to  the  figure  of  the  Cross :  meaning  by  the  breadth,  that 
there  is  spoken  of,  Charity ;  by  height,  Hope ;  by  length, 
Patience ;  by  depth,  Humility.  But  these  make  no  more 
for  Paul's  meaning,  than  the  geometrical  proportion  that 
Ambrose,  out  of  the  same  place,  gathereth.  Only  there  is 
some  edification  in  the  words :  and  though  ye  apply  them  to  FOHO  48, 
your  most  advantage,  yet  can  ye  not  infer  your  purpose  of 

4  [This  device  is  exhibited,  not  only  in  the  tract  next  quoted,  but 
also  in  the  viith  Sermon  De  verlis  Apostoli ;  (Opp.  x.  62,  b.  Paris. 
1541.)  and  thence  it  appears  to  have  descended  to  the  counterfeit 
Sermo  clxxxi.  de  Tempore,  in  the  same  volume,  (fol.  216.)  Of  these 
two  the  'latter  is  entitled  De  Symbolo,  in  the  Benedictine  edition ; 
(Tom.  vi.  758.)  and  the  former  is  number  clxv.  in  Tom.  v.  554.] 


20C  THE  FOURTH  ARTICLE. 

them.  For  you  would  have  it  appear,  that  no  Sacrament 
were  made  and  perfected  rightly,  without  the  sign  of  the 
Cross.  But  Augustin  goeth  not  so  far.  Only  he  saith l : 
Nihil  eorum  rite  perficitur :  "  None  of  them  is  solemnly 
done,  and  according  to  the  received  order."  For  are  you, 
(M.  Lawyer,)  ignorant  of  this  common  position  among  the 
Civilians ;  Quod  recte  justitiam  causce,  rite  solennita- 
tem  respicit :  "  That  this  term  recte  hath  respect  unto  the 
righteousness  and  truth  of  the  cause ;  but  rite,"  which  is  the 
word  that  Augustin  useth,  "  doth  go  no  farther  than  to  the 
order  and  solemnity  thereof?"  So  I  grant  you  well,  that 
in  Augustin's  time,  if  there  wanted  a  Cross,  there  wanted 
a  ceremony  ;  and  yet  were  the  Sacraments  perfect  notwith 
standing.  In  our  Church  of  England,  a  Cross  is  com 
manded  to  be  made  in  Baptism  :  yet  was  it  never  thought 
of  any  wise  or  godly,  that  Baptism  was  insufficient  without  it. 
Go  to  your  Canon,  where  order  is  taken2,  Ut  omnia  Sacra 
mento,  Crucis  signaculo  perficiantur  :  "  That  all  Sacraments 
shall  be  made  perfect  with  the  sign  of  the  Cross."  Yet  in  the 
Gloss  upon  the  same  place,  ye  shall  find,  twice  in  one  leaf, 
these  words :  Non  removet  quin  aliter  possint  sanctiftcari, 
et  valere  ad  remissionem :  sed  refert  factum  ;  nee  aliter  fit 
solennis  Baptismus :  "He  doth  not  take  away  this,  but  that 
otherwise,"  (that  is  to  say,  without  the  sign  of  the  Cross,)  "  they 
may  be  sanctified,  and  the  thing  be  available  unto  remission. 
But  it  is  requisite  that  the  thing  be  done ;"  (that  is  to  say,  the 
sign  of  the  Cross  be  made :)  "  nor  otherwise  it  is  a  solemn 
Baptism."  This  is  the  Pope's  Law,  and  your  Gospel.  Where 
fore  I  beseech  you,  (good  solemn  Sir,)  be  not  so  hard  master 
to  us,  that,  for  default  of  solemnity,  we  shall  be  defaulked  of 
fruit  of  Sacraments. 

As  for  Chrysostom,  (I  have  answered  you  oft ;)  he 
speaketh  of  a  Cross  that  you  have  nothing  to  do  withal. 
It  is  too  heavy  for  you  to  bear.  It  is  not  to  be  seen  as 
yours,  but  to  be  felt  as  ours.  Then  trouble  not  yourself 
more  than  ye  need.  We  are  agreed  by  this  time,  Chry 
sostom,  and  you,  and  I,  and  all,  that  a  Cross  we  must  have. 
The  matter  is  certain ;  but  the  metal  we  doubt  of.  I  promise 

1  Trac.  in  Joan,  cxviii.  [ad  fin.] 

2  De  Consecr.  Dist.  v.  Cap.  Nunquid  non.     [The  Gloss,  as  tran 
scribed,  belongs  to  the  preceding  Cap.  viii.  Dictum  est.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  207 

you,  I  cannot  brook  the  charming  of  Simon  Magus,  nor  ham 
mering  of  Alexander  the  coppersmith.  Wherefore  ye  must 
bring  better  proofs  than  these,  or  else  ye  shall  be  sure  to  fail 
of  your  purpose.  If  ye  will  have  any  game  at  all,  run  in 
better  order ;  lest  all  that  behold  you  cry,  Extra  oleas : 
"  Ye  range  beyond  the  bounds."  Ye  have  filled  your  cheeks 
with  a  great  deal  of  vain  wind :  and  when  ye  have  gaped  as 
wide  as  ye  can,  what  bring  ye  forth  ?  A  vision  of  Probianus ; 
a  proper  lie.  And  what  conclude  ye  of  it?  "That  inasmuch 
as  neither  Angels,  nor  men,  have  ever  done  any  thing  for 
the  weal  of  man,  without  the  sign  of  the  Cross ;  therefore  no 
Sacraments  can  be  made  without  it."  But  Angels,  say  I,  have 
no  hands  to  make  such  Crosses  as  we  do,  nor  such  as  you 
do  treat  of.  Therefore  instruct  your  Angel  better,  when 
soever  ye  will  call  him  to  speak  on  your  side. 

As  for  your  other  authors,  what  shall  I  say  to  ?  Ye  mis 
construe  Cyprian.  Ye  understand  not  Augustin.  Chrysostom 
maketh  nothing  for  you.  Therefore  awake  out  of  your  dream 
at  last,  and  good- morrow,  M.  Martiall.  Ye  noted  out  of  Cyprian,  Foiio  so,  b 
that  because  he  hath  Operationis  autoritas,  "  the  authority 
of  operation  ;"  "  thereupon  is  grounded  an  authority  and  com 
mission  from  God,  to  make  and  minister  His  Sacraments."  But 
this  was  in  your  dream.  For  whosoever  hath  the  use  of  eyes 
or  his  right  wits,  will  see  and  consider,  that  there  is  meant, 
no  Priest  gesturing,  but  Holy  Ghost  working.  Ye  noted  out 
of  Augustin,  that  in  his  time  "churches,  fonts,  and  altars  were 
hallowed ;  children  confirmed,"  &c.  But  if  ye  go  to  hallowing 
and  confirming  of  our  days,  and  compare  it  with  that  which 
was  used  then ;  ye  shall  see  no  more  likeness  than  is  between 
chalk  and  cheese.  We  read3  how  Constantinus,  that  lived  in 
the  same  age  with  Augustin,  about  forty  year  before  him, 
hallowed  his  church  at  Hierusalem.  He  called  together  the 
Fathers  that  were  assembled  at  Tyrus :  he  courteously  enter 
tained  them  :  he  royally  feasted  them  :  he  charitably  did  deal 
unto  the  poor :  he  liberally  did  endue  the  church.  What  did 
the  Bishops  on  the  other  side  ?  They  prayed  and  preached. 
Some  read  their  lessons  of  divinity :  some  did  reveal  their 
secret  contemplations :  other  some  did  make  their  learned 
Sermons :  and  the  rest  did  occupy  themselves  in  prayer  for 

3  Euseb.  Li.  iv.  do  vita  Constantini,  [Capp.  xliii — xlv.]  &  Athanas. 
in  Apol.  ii.    [Apol.  cont.  Arian.  Opp.  i.  i.  201.  Paris.  1G9S.] 


208  THE  FOURTH  ARTICLE. 

the  peace  of  the  Church,  and  preservation  of  the  Emperor. 
And  although  this  order  seeraeth  to  have  sprung  a  Judceorum 
encceniis,  "  of  the  Jews'  observance  in  their  dedication  ;"  with 
out  commandment  of  God  to  us,  and  therefore  a  will-worship  ; 
yet  read  we  not  of  any  magical  enchantment,  or  any  such 
popish  pageant,  as  Episcoporum  Pontificate  teacheth. 

In  Augustin  his  time,  they  needed  no  more  for  hallowing  of 
a  church  but  a  Sermon  and  prayers ;  in  which,  peradventure, 
(that  I  may  feed  your  humour,)  they  made  the  sign  of  a  Cross 
with  their  finger.  But  since  his  time,  and  ever  since  Poperv 

,       ,      ,  ,          ,  ,  />     i  •  11 

hath  had  the  upper  hand,  a  great  number  ot  things  else  have 
been  exacted  by  law1,  and  thought  more  necessary  than  any 
of  the  other  two.  As  an  Holy  Water  sprinkle,  a  bucket,  salt, 
water,  wine,  ashes,  mortar,  tyleshardes2,  bones,  baggage, 
frankincense,  oil,  cream,  searcloth,  clouts,  twenty-four  crosses, 
twenty-four  candles.  These  tools  to  work  withal  being  in  a 
readiness,  the  Bishop  comes;  (for  none  can  do  the  feat  but 
he :)  and  first  he  conjures  water  and  salt ;  Ut  sit  omnibus 
sumentibus  salus  mentis  et  corporis :  et  quicquid  ex  eo 
tactum  vel  respersum  fuerit,  careat  omni  immunditia,  omni- 
que  impuynatione  spiritualis  nequitice3 :  "  That  to  all  the 
receivers  it  may  become  health  of  mind  and  body :  and  that 
whatsoever  be  touched  or  sprinkled  therewith  may  lack  all 
uncleanness,  and  all  assault  of  spiritual  wickedness."  That 
Devils,  diseases,  corruptions  of  airs,  infections  of  bodies,  and 
whatsoever  may  be  prejudicial  to  health  and  welfare,  may 
quite  be  voided,  wheresoever  any  drop  of  this  water  falleth. 
A  sovereign  medicine,  not  only  sufficient  to  discredit  physic, 
but  also  to  decay  Priests'  occupation.  Wherein  I  marvel  at 
their  discretions,  right  provident  otherwise  for  the  purse  ;  that, 
by  avauncing  one  thing  of  less  importance,  they  would  dero 
gate  authority  from  the  moe  helps  to  hell ;  so  many  wholesome 
suffrages,  so  many  Saints'  intercessions,  so  many  meritorious 
and  devout  Masses :  that  I  speak  nothing  of  the  blood  of 
Christ ;  which,  among  the  rabble  of  Romish  heretics,  is  a 
thing  of  a  thousand  least  accompted  of. 

But  what  shall  I   stand  in  searching  their   absurdities, 

1  In  Pontifical! ;  de  consecrationo  ecclesiarum.  [fol.  Ixxxix.  Lugd. 
1511.:  p.  209.  Antverp.  1663.] 

2  [tilcsherds.] 

3  [De  benedictione  primarii  lapidis;  ad  init.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE   OF  THE  CROSS.  209 

in  whose  life  and  doctrine  there  is  nothing  else  but  devilish 
and  absurd  ?  Thus,  when  the  sorcerer  hath  made  his 
first  charm,  he  goeth  thrice  about  the  church,  casting  of 
Holy  Water  on  the  stone  walls.  First  low,  then  high, 
then  highest  of  all ;  and  at  every  time  knocketh  at  the 
church-door  with  a  Cross  in  his  hand,  saying  :  Tollite 
portas  Principes  vestras  :  which  words,  (as  they  trans 
late  them,)  be :  "  Ye  Princes,  lift  up  your  gates :"  whereas 
David  saith4 :  Tollite  portce,  capita  vestra  :  "  Ye  gates,  lift  up 
your  heads."  But  a  small  matter  to  falsify  the  Prophet, 
whom  they  never  truly  understood  yet.  As  for  this  text,  is  a 
shipman's  hose  with  them.  Sometime  they  apply  it  to  Christ, 
going  down  to  hell :  sometime  to  Magistrates,  to  make  a  way 
open  to  Christ :  sometime  also  to  Salomon's  temple. 

Well,  when  thus  in  a  mockery  M.  Bishop  hath  knocked 
twice,  and  twice  gone  solemnly  about  the  church,  with  as  much 
devotion  as  a  horse  ;  at  the  third  time,  the  great  door  openeth  : 
for  he  shut  in  one  before,  of  purpose  to  open  it  when  his  quew5 
came.  Then  setteth  he  up  a  Cross  in  the  midst  of  the  church, 
and  maketh  another  charm :  saying,  that  the  piece  of  wood, 
(which  he  calleth  the  Cross  of  Christ,)  may  be  a  stay  and 
defence  for  all  suppliants  there ;  that  that  piece  of  wood  may 
triumph  there  and  for  evermore.  Then  must  the  ashes  be 
thrown  into  the  church ;  (0  horrible  witchcraft !)  and  the 
Bishop  must  write  with  his  Crosier  his  a,  b,  c,  in  Greek, 
upon  the  ground.  After  this,  a  confection  is  made  of  salt, 
wine,  and  ashes :  such  a  drug,  as  I  would  wish  no  worse 
for  my  lord's  own  holiness,  whensoever  his  queysie6  stomach 
doth  loathe  better  nurture  of  the  word  of  God ;  for  doubtless 
it  is  restority  to  such.  See  what  he  saith  to  it :  Ut  vinum, 
cum  aqua  et  cinere  mixtum,  armatum  ccelestis  defensione 
virtutis,  &c. :  "  That  wine,  mixed  with  water  and  ashes,  may 
be  armed  with  defence  of  heavenly  virtue."  Then  oil  and 
cream  is  put  into  the  Holy  Water.  Sure  that  is  a  purgative, 
and  a  strong  one  belike :  for  the  marble  stones  be  anointed 
with  it :  and  a  verse  of  the  Psalm  sung :  "  The  Lord  hath 

O 

anointed  thee  with  the  oil  of  gladness  above  thy  fellows7." 
0  stony  hearts !  to  apply  the  words  which  the  Spirit  of  God 
properly  spake  of  Salomon,  and,  under  Salomon's  person,  of 

4  Psal.  xxiii.  [xxiv.  7,  9.]  5  [Or  cue ;  humour.] 

0  [queasy,  squeamish.]  "  Psalm  xlv.  [7.] 

14 

[CALFHTT,L.J 


210  THE  FOURTH  ARTICLE. 

Christ,  to  a  greasy  stone,  that  every  man  doth  tread  on, 
every  dog  bewrays. 

Then  doth  the  quire  sing  :  Erexit  Jacob  lapidem : 
"Jacob  reared  up  a  stone1;"  whereof  they  know  not  the 
signification.  Also  they  bleat  out  with  wide  throats :  Ibi 
est  Benjamin  adolescentulus,  in  mentis  excessu :  "  There 
is  little  Benjamin,  out  of  his  wits ;"  as  they  translate  it. 
And  think  ye  that  they  were  well  in  their  wits,  which,  for 
Dominator  eorum,  would  put  in  mentis  excessu  ?  whereas 
they  should  have ,  said :  There  is  little  Benjamin,  their  Go 
vernor2  ;  to  say :  There  is  young  Benjamin,  ravished  of  his 
wits  ?  But  this  is  Scripture  of  church-hallowing.  This 
is  the  purpose.  These  be  the  texts.  The  prayers  are  the 
same  that  Salomon  used,  when  he  was  commanded  to  make 
the  temple :  save  that  they  will  have  a  crop  of  Colocyntida, 
to  mar  a  whole  pot  full  of  pottage3.  For  they  add  unto  these 
invocation  of  Saints,  derogation  to  God,  and  abuse  of  His 
creatures.  When  this  is  done,  the  rotten  bones  and  reliques 
are  hallowed,  with  like  ceremonies  and  solemnities  as  they  had 
before.  And  then  they  put  on  their  masking  coats ;  and  come, 
like  blind  fools,  with  candles  in  their  hands  at  noon-days,  and 
so  proceed  to  the  holy  Mass;  with  renting  of  throats,  and 
tearing  of  notes,  chanting  of  Priests,  howling  of  Clerks,  fling 
ing  of  coals,  and  piping  of  organs.  Thus  they  continue  a 
long  while  in  mirth  and  jollity :  many  mad  parts  be  played. 
But  when  the  Vice4  is  come  from  the  Altar,  and  the  people 
shall  have  no  more  sport,  they  conclude  their  service  with  a 
true  sentence :  Terribilis  est  locus  iste :  "  This  place  is 
terrible."  And  have  they  not  fair  fished,  think  you,  to  make 
such  ado  to  bring  in  the  Devil  ?  0  blind  beasts !  O  senseless 
hypocrites !  whom  God  hath  given  over  unto  themselves ;  that 
they  shall  not  see  their  own  folly,  and  yet  bewray  their 
shame  to  all  the  world  beside.  And  is  not  this  your  church- 
hallowing,  that  ye  talk  of?  This  is  it  that  your  Church  hath 
ordained. 

Now  that  ye  may  prove,  in  particularity,  that  which 
generally  ye  did  avouch  before ;  ("  the  sign  of  the  Cross  to 
be  used  in  all  Sacraments ;")  ye  come  to  an  enumeration  of 
them  all.  And  I  dare  say  ye  be  glad  to  catch  such  occasion 

1  Genes,  xxviii.  [18.]  2  Psalm  Ixvii.  [Ixviii.  27.] 

3  [2  Kings  iv.  39,  40.]  4  [A  Jester  in  a  Play.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  211 

to  treat  of  the  seven  Sacraments :  yet  doubt  I  not,  but  before 
I  have  done  with  you,  I  shall  make  ye  contented  to  cut  off 
five  of  them.  First,  as  touching  the  use  of  Baptism,  ye  begin 
with  Dionysius ;  to  whom  ye  give  the  surname  of  Areopagita,  Dionysiu 
and  honourable  title  of  "  Saint  Paul's  scholar."  Eusebius5  in- 
deed  maketh  mention  of  such  a  one  ;  and  saith  that  he  was  the 
first  Bishop  of  Athens :  and  this  he  speaketh  of  the  report  of 
another  Dionysius  of  Alexandria6.  But  as  for  any  writing  of 
his,  he  hath  no  word  at  all :  and  doubtless,  if  it  had  been 
true,  which  you  affirm,  he  would  not  have  suppressed  it. 
S.  Hierom7  maketh  mention  of  two  of  that  name.  One  that 
was  at  Corinth,  in  the  reign  of  Marcus  Antoninus  Verus,  and 
Lucius  Commodus.  Another,  that  was  scholar  sometime  to 
Origen ;  and  Bishop  afterward  of  Alexandria,  in  the  reign  of 
Galienus.  But  not  a  word  yet  among  all  their  writings,  (which 
he  most  diligently  doth  rehearse ;)  either  of  the  Heavenly  or 
Ecclesiastical  Hierarchy ;  out  of  which  ye  cite  all  your  au 
thorities.  Wherefore  it  is  a  bastard  book8,  unjustly  fathered 
upon  S.  Paul  his  Dionyse ;  whereas  the  style  itself,  and  matter 
there  entreated  of,  do  argue  that  it  is  of  no  such  antiquity. 

For,  to  go  no  further  than  to  those  words  that  you  do  Foiio  52. 
allege  of  his  ;  "how  the  Bishop  assigneth  some  man  to  be  God 
father  to  him  that  is  to  be  baptized ;"  here  is  a  plain  lie :  for 

5  Euseb.  Eccl.  Hist.  Li.  iii.  Ca.  iv.  &  Lib.  iv.  Cap.  xxi. 
G  [Corinth. — Conf.  Usserii  Vet.  Epistt.  Hibernic.  Syllog.  pp.  59,  67. 
Dublin.  1632.] 

7  In  Catal.  Script.  Eccles.  [Capp.  xxvii,  Ixix.] 

8  [It  can  scarcely  be  necessary  to  enlarge  upon  this  point,  after  the 
almost  infinite  discussion  which  it  has  undergone.    The  author  of  tho 
Hierarchia  cannot  have  lived  antecedently  to  the  fourth  century ;  and 
Daille  and  many  others  have  wished  to  reduce  him  to  the  sixth  age. 
Morinus  has  shown  that  these  books  were  never  produced  until  tho 
year  532 ;  and  that  they  then  emanated  from  the  Severian  heretics. 
Very  few  will  be  affected  by  Bellarmin's  statement,  "quod  alicubi 
latuerint"  until  the  days  of  S.  Gregory  tho  Great.    (De  Scrippt.  Eccl. 
ad  an.  71.)    Conf.  Pearsonii  Vindic.  Ignat.  Par.  i.  Cap.  x.    Dallaeum, 
Delibris  suppos.  Dion.  Areop.  #  Ignat.  Ant.  Geneva?,  1666.  LeNourry, 
Apparat.  Dissert,  x.  Paris.  1703.      Perkinsii  Prcepar.  ad  Demonst. 
Problem,  pp.  8 — 10.  Cantab.  1604.     Probleme  propose  aux  Sfavans ; 
par  le  Pere  Honoru  de  Ste  Marie:  A  Paris,  1708.     Jac.  Sirmondi  Dis- 
sertat.  &  Launoii  Varia  de  duobus  Dionysiis  Opiiscula:  Paris.   1660. 
Ant.   Reiseri  Launoii  Anti-Bellarmin.  pp.   765 — 777.  Amstel.   1685. 
Stillingfleet's  Answer  to  Cressy,  p.  132.  Lond.  1675.] 

14—2 


212  THE  FOURTH  ARTICLE. 

the  use  of  Godfathers  was  not  invented  forty  year  after.  It  is 
evident  by  consent  of  all  men  ;  yea,  the  Decree  itself  beareth 
witness  with  me,  that  Hyginus  was  first  founder  of  God 
fathers1:  and,  among  all  the  received  writers  of  that  age,  ye 
shall  not  lightly  read  of  any  gossipping.  But  suppose  it  bo 
true,  that  our  records  have,  that  Hyginus  hatched  this  egg ; 
he  lived  at  the  least  an  hundreth  and  forty  year  after  Christ. 
in  the  names  And  how  can  S.  Paul  his  scholar,  whose  life  yourself  can 

;iftheau-  .  • 

i)ho.viaartieagnd  s^retch  no  longer  than  to  the  ninety-sixth  year  after  Christ, 
speak  of  that  which  he  never  thought  on ;  which  was  so  long 
devised  after  ? 

But  to  the  matter.  I  know  right  well,  that  within 
two  hundred  year  after  Christ,  there  were  crept  into  the 
Church  many  idle  ceremonies ;  and  the  simplicity  of  Christ 
His  ordinance  refused.  Each  man,  as  he  had  either  credit 
or  authority,  presumed  of  himself  to  add  somewhat  to 
Christ's  institution :  and  the  flesh,  delighting  in  her  own 
devices2,  delivered  the  same  with  as  strait  a  charge  as  if 
that  Christ  Himself  had  taken  order  for  it.  Notwithstanding, 
if  aught  beside  the  authority  of  Scripture  were  so  ancient 
indeed,  (as  I  last  spake  of;)  and  admitted  at  any  time  into 
God  His  service ;  yet  were  we  no  more  bound  to  observe  the 
same,  than  the  Fathers  themselves  have  yielded  to  it.  For  if 

Traditions  no  they  have  repelled  the  traditions  of  their  elders,  and  after 

ground  of  ITII  i  r>     -i      •  i      • 

doctrine.  established  some  other  ot  their  own ;  their  example  proveth 
no  use  Apostolic  or  necessity  to  have  been  in  the  one; 
and  their  precedent  authorizeth,  that  we  may  as  lawfully 
disannul  the  other.  Enforce  not  therefore  a  doctrine  of  a 

Traditions     custom.     Traditions  always  have  varied :  and  many  such  as 

vary. 

Cyprian,  Tertullian,  Augustin,  with  other,  have  thought  to 

1  De  Cons.  Dist.  iv.  Cap.   In  Catechismo.  Platina  in  vita  Hygini. 
[Neither  the  Decree  nor  Platina  bears  witness  to  any  such  thing.    The 
decision  merely  was,  that,  in  case  of  necessity, — "  si  necessitas  cogit," — 
the  same  person,  or  one  person,  might  appear  as  Sponsor  both  at  Bap 
tism  and  Confirmation.      Platina    testifies  that  this  Pope  desired, 
"  unum  saltern   Patrimum,   unamve  Matrimam  Baptismo  interesse." 
The  argument  is  entirely  invalidated  by  the  fact,  that  the  Ordinance, 
which  the  Canon  Law  atti'ibutes  to  Pope  Hyginus,  in  truth  proceeded 
from  Theodore,  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  about  the  year  680. — Vid. 
Theodori  PcenitentiaU,  Cap.  iv.  p.  5 ;  itemque  not.  Jac.  Petit,  p.  95. 
Tom.  i.  Lut.  Paris.  1677.] 

2  [Page  23,  line  14  :  p.  47, 1.  26.] 


ANSWER  TO   THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  213 

be  necessary  for  salvation,  the  Church  of  Rome  itself  hath 
not  thought  expedient  to  be  used  for  instruction.  Christ  gave 
commandment,  Baptism  to  be  ministered  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost3.  The 
Apostles  continued  in  the  same  order4.  Ceremonies,  or  cir 
cumstances,  we  read  of  no  more  in  Scripture :  save  only  the 
water5;  without  all  conjuration,  consecration,  or  insufflation; 
the  persons  baptized ;  the  preaching  of  God  His  promises,  and 
faith  in  Christ,  and  prayer  of  the  faithful.  Now,  come  ye 
down  to  Tertullian's  time ;  and  ye  shall  find  many  strange 
inventions6.  Three  dippings  in  the  water :  tasting  of  milk 
and  honey  :  abstaining  from  all  other  washing  for  a  seven- 
night  after.  In  Hierom's  time,  there  was  no  honey  used7 ; 
but,  in  lieu  thereof,  wine  and  milk  were  given8.  In  Cyprian's 
time,  there  was  consecration  of  water ;  and  such  estimation  of 
oil,  that  no  man  was  thought  to  be  a  Christian,  that  was 
baptized  without  it9.  In  Augustin's  time,  the  witnesses  made 
answer,  in  the  infant's  behalf,  to  the  Articles  of  the  faith 
demanded  of  them10 :  and  yet  the  infant  himself  was  suffered 
immediately  to  be  partaker  of  the  Supper  of  the  Lord11 ;  and 
the  same  thought  as  requisite  as  was  his  Baptism.  Not 
withstanding,  the  latter  age,  (yea,  the  Church  of  Rome,  which 
you  call  "  Catholic,")  hath  taken  most  of  all  these  away. 

Then  what  do  ye  windless 12  fetch  about  to  prove,  folio  53, 
but  that  the  sign  of  the  Cross  hath  been  used  in  Baptism,  and 
therefore  now  to  be  had  in  reverence  ?  By  the  same  reason, 
honey,  milk  and  wine  shall  be  restored  in  Baptism,  and  every 
infant  receive  the  Communion.  For  greater  authority  you 
have  not  for  the  Cross,  than  I  for  these.  Indeed  Rabanus 
Maurus13,  a  Bishop  of  Mentz,  living  in  the  most  corrupt  age 

3  Matth.  xxviii.  [19.]  *  Actes  x.  [47—8.] 

5  Luc.  iii.  [16.]  c  Lib.  do  Coro.  Mil.  [Cap.  iii.] 

7  [How  then  arc  we  to  understand  "  Dcinde  egressos  lactis  et  mellts 
prsegustare  concordiam ':"   (sEpistt.   Par.  i.   Tract,  ii.    Ep.  xii.   Cont. 
Lucifer,  sig.  h  iv.  Lugd.  1508.)] 

8  Lib.  xv.  Com.  in  Esaiam.   [Super  Esai.  Iv.  1.] 

9  Epist.  Ixxii.   [Ep.  Ixx.  in  edd.  Pamel.  &  Oxon.] 

10  Epi.  ad  Bonifacium.  [xcviii.  al.  xxiii.] 

11  De  Pec.  mer.  &  remis.  Cap.  xx.  [Lib.  i.  C.  xx.  $.  27.  Opp.  Tom. 
x.  cd.  Ben.] 

12  [out  of  breath.] 

13  DC  inst.  Cler.  Cap.  xxvii.  [sigg.  d  ii,  iii.  Phorccc,  1505.] 


214  THE   FOURTH  ARTICLE. 

of  the  Church,  in  the  same  place  that  you  have  quoted,  doth 
not  only  make  mention  of  the  Cross  sign,  but,  refusing  the 
traditions  of  the  learned  Fathers,  (of  which  I  spake  even 
now,)  bringeth  in  his  own ;  as  salt,  spittle,  tapers,  and  such 
other  like.  Salt  was  by  the  Law  commanded  to  the  Jews : 
and  if  it  had  been  Christ  His  pleasure,  that  His  Ministers 
should  have  had  respect  unto  the  Jewish  ceremonies,  then 
either  Christ  would  have  commanded  it,  or  the  Apostles 
would  have  used  it.  But  neither  of  these  is  true.  There 
fore  it  is  a  vain  device.  The  spittle,  whereby  they  defile 
and  infect  the  child,  is  taken  out  of  the  miracle  Joannis 
nono l.  But  the  Apostles  saw  that  done :  and  yet  none  of 
them  all  daubed  his  spittle  upon  the  ears  and  nostrils  of 
them  whom  they  baptized.  Christ  His  spittle,  there  is  none 
but  would  wish,  both  for  himself  and  for  his :  but  the 
spittle,  sometime  of  a  pestilent  infected  Priest ;  most  times 
of  a  stinking  drunkard ;  always  of  a  sinner  ;  I  know  not  who 
would  be  so  fain  of.  God  keep  my  friend's  child  from  it. 

As  for  burning  of  tapers  at  noon-day,  is  mere  foolish, 
and  taken  out  of  the  fond  Gentility.  In  the  old  time,  the 
Christians,  in  their  assemblies,  used  burning  candles  at  time 
of  God's  service  :  but  in  the  night  time,  because  they  durst 
not  resort  together  in  the  day  time ;  and  it  had  been  uncom 
fortable  and  discommodious  to  sit  in  the  dark.  Whereupon 
S.  Hierom  answereth2 :  Cereos  non  clara  luce  accendimus, 
sicuti  frustra  calumniaris;  sed  ut  noctis  tenebras  hoc  solatia 
temperemus  ;  et  vigilemus  ad  lumen,  ne  cceci  tecum  dormia- 
mus  in  tenebris :  "We  light  no  tapers  in  the  broad  day,  as 
thou  dost  vainly  slander  us  ;  but  that,  by  this  comfort,  we  may 
temper  the  darkness  of  the  night;  and  may  watch  at  the 
light,  lest  with  thee  we  sleep  in  the  dark."  Thus  doth  S. 
Hierom  say  for  his  tapers.  Let  them  answer  to  him,  (as 
doubtless  they  shall  to  God,)  that  otherwise  do  use  them. 
Thus  have  I  shewed,  how  simply  Christ  did  set  forth  His  holy 
Sacrament ;  how  diversely  men  have  swerved  from  His  order, 
and  therefore  in  ceremonies  ought  not  to  prejudice  us.  But 
your  Church  Cacolique,  not  content  with  the  ordinance  of 
Christ  and  His  Apostles  ;  not  sticking  to  the  ceremonies  of  the 

1  John  ix.  [6.] 

2  Advcrsus  Vigilant.   [^Epistt.  Par.  i.  Tract,  ii.  Ep.  x.  sig.  h.  Lugd. 
1508.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE   OF  THE   CROSS.  215 

received  Fathers;  have  chosen  rather,  of  their  own  fantas 
tical  and  idle  brain,  to  use  crossing  and  conjuring,  begreasing 
and  bespewing  of  the  poor  infants.  Therefore  I  like  not  the 
generation  :  their  order  I  detest. 

And  now  to  Confirmation ;  which  you  affirm  to  be  no  confirm 

»  tion. 

new  device,  "  as  new  bold  Biblers  babble ;"  but  I  shall  F°lio54- 
prove  to  be  no  Sacrament,  as  young  lewd  liars  lay  for 
themselves.  And  first,  where  ye  snatch  a  piece  of  Augustin3, 
wherein  he  calleth  the  Chrism  a  Sacrament,  I  answer;  that 
he  attributeth  no  more  thereto,  than  otherwise  to  prayer, 
and  to  the  word  of  God.  Yea,  the  Master  of  the  Sen 
tences4  himself  teacheth  you,  that  many  things  improperly 
be  called  Sacraments,  which  must  not  in  reasoning  be  num 
bered  among  the  Sacraments  of  Christ  His  Church.  But 
if  on  this  sort  every  sign  visible,  and  the  same  holy,  be 
a  Sacrament  with  you ;  then  shall  every  Image  in  the 
church  be  a  Sacrament.  For  they  be  signs,  and  you  say 
they  be  holy.  As  for  the  example  of  Christ,  who  embraced 
little  children  in  His  arms5,  and,  laying  His  hands  upon  their 
heads,  blessed  them,  I  answer ;  that  as  every  fact  of  Christ 
doth  not  serve  for  our  imitation,  but  instruction ;  so  must  we 
not  make  a  Sacrament  of  each  of  them.  For  so  the  breathing 
upon  His  Apostles6,  whereby  He  gave  them  the  Holy  Ghost, 
should  be  a  Sacrament.  Only  this  sign  may  be  a  precedent 
for  us,  that  children  appertain  to  the  kingdom  of  God ;  that 
they  ought  not  be  denied  the  sign,  which  are  partakers  of 
the  grace  ;  and  therefore  should  be  baptized.  Then  afterward, 
if  ye  will  have  them  confirmed,  I  allow  it  well ;  retaining 
that  order,  which  in  the  primitive  Church  was,  and  in  the 
English  Church  is,  used :  that  children,  after  certain  years, 
be  presented  to  the  Bishop;  and,  rendering  an  accompt  of  that 
faith  of  theirs,  (which  by  their  sureties  in  Baptism  they  pro 
fessed,)  have  hands  laid  on  them ;  which  is  nothing  else  but 
prayer  made  for  them.  Quid  enim  est  aliud,  (saith  S. 
Augustin7,)  manuum  impositio,  quam  oratio  super  hominem ? 

3  [Co«*.  lit.  Petil.  Lib.  ii.  Cap.  civ.  Opp.  Tom.  ix.  199.  cd.  Ben. 
Ant.] 

4  [Sententt.  Lib.  iv.  Dist.  i.     Compare  the  Homily  Of  Common- 
Prayer  and  Sacraments.] 

s  Mark  x.  [16.]  6  J0hn  xx.  [22.] 

7  DC  Bap.  cont.  Don.  Lib.  iii.  Cap.  xvi.   [Opp.  T.  ix.  79.  ed.  Ben.] 


216  THE   FOURTH  ARTICLE. 

"  For  what  is  laying  on  of  hands  else,  but  prayer  over  a 
man?" 

One  thing  will  I  ask  of  these  apish  imitators.  If  they 
will  ground  upon  Christ  His  doing  their  Confirmation,  how 
dare  they  presume  to  do  more  than  Christ  did?  Whence 
have  they  their  oil  ?  Who  gave  them  authority  to  exhibit 
what  sign  of  the  Holy  Ghost  they  would  ?  What  promise 
have  they  of  grace  annexed  unto  their  Sacrament,  unless 
they  have  shut  the  Holy  Ghost  in  their  grease-pot?  They 
apply,  I  know,  whatsoever  is  spoken  of  the  grace  of  God's 
Spirit  to  this:  but  ineptly1.  For  Christ  saith  simply2, 
that  God  will  give  His  good  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  it :  and 
to  the  faithful,  that  He  will  not  leave  them  fatherless3 ;  but 
send  the  Spirit  of  truth  unto  them,  and  Himself  dwell  with 
them.  But  they  do  restrain  this  unto  their  ceremonies :  that 
whosoever  is  not  anointed  of  them,  is  not  accepted  of  God ; 
no,  nor  he  is  a  perfect  Christian.  For  this  they  write4  : 
Omnes  fideles,  per  manus  impositionem  Episcoporum,  Spiri- 
tum  Sanctum  post  Baptismum  accipere  debent,  ut  pleni 
Christiani  inveniantur  :  "  All  faithful  must  receive  the  Holy 
Ghost  after  Baptism,  by  the  imposition  of  the  Bishop's  hands, 
that  they  may  be  found  full  Christians."  And  in  the  next 
Decree  :  Spiritus  Sanctus,  qui  in  fonte  jylenitndinem  tribuit 
ad  innocentiam,  in  Confirmatione  augmentum  prcestat  ad 
gratiam  :"  "The  Holy  Ghost,  that  in  Baptism  hath  given 
fulness  to  innocency,  in  Confirmation  performeth  increase  to 
grace."  But  let  them  shew  me  what  warrant  of  God  His 
word  they  have  for  this  ;  what  promise  of  God  is  sealed  in 
us  by  this  their  new-found  Sacrament.  Is  Christianity  now 
to  be  fet  out  of  Popery  ?  Is  the  truth  of  God,  contained  in 
the  Scriptures,  insufficient  to  inform  us  ?  Is  there  no  full 
Christian,  unless  he  be  anointed  ?  Alas,  where  are  so  many 
Apostles,  so  many  Martyrs  become,  that  never  were  anointed  ? 
Is  Baptism  insufficient  without  Confirmation  ?  Is  Baptism 
available,  as  the  Decree  hath,  only  for  them  that  should  die 
straight ;  and  Confirmation  for  them  that  should  live  longer  ? 
Doth  Baptism  only  regenerate  us  to  life,  but  Confirmation 
furnish  us  unto  the  fight  ?  What  is  it  then  that  Paul  hath  : 
"  We  are  buried  with  Christ  by  Baptism  into  His  death ;  that 

1  [foolishly.]  2  LUC.  xi.  [13.] 

3  Joh,  xiv.  [18.]  4  De  Conse.  Dist.  v.  Ca.  i. 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  217 

like  as  Christ  was  raised  up  from  the  dead  by  the  glory  of 
the  Father,  so  we  also  should  walk  in  newness  of  life5'?"  This 
partaking  of  death  and  life  with  Christ  is  nothing  else  but 
the  mortifying  of  our  own  flesh,  the  quickening  of  the  spirit, 
in  that  the  old  man  is  crucified,  and  we  may  walk  in  newness 
of  life. 

But,  by  this  their  device,  they  take  away  half  the  effect 
of  Baptism ;  rejecting  therein  the  commandment  of  God, 
to  establish  their  own  tradition6.  Wherefore  I  will  reason 
with  you  as  Chrisx  did  with  the  Pharisees7.  Is  the  Confir 
mation,  (which  you  call  a  Sacrament,)  ordained  to  be  so  from 
heaven,  or  of  men  ?  If  it  be  of  men,  it  is  no  Sacrament. 
If  it  be  of  God,  then  shew  the  word.  Ye  have  the  example 
of  the  Apostles  in  the  cha.  viii.  and  xix.  of  the  Acts :  but  Folio  54>  «• 
no  example  sufficeth  for  a  Sacrament.  The  Apostles  them 
selves  usurped  not  so  much.  But  see  how  well  ye  follow  the 
example.  "  When  the  Apostles,  which  were  at  Hierusalem, 
heard  say  that  Samaria  had  received  the  word  of  God,  they 
sent  unto  them  Peter  and  John  :  which,  when  they  were 
come  down,  prayed  for  •  them,  that  they  might  receive  the 
Holy  Ghost.  For  as  yet  He  was  come  down  on  none  of 
them ;  but  they  were  baptized  only,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus.  Then  laid  they  their  hands  on  them,  and  they  re 
ceived  the  Holy  Ghost8."  I^ow,  are  ye  ignorant  what  here  is 
meant  by  the  Holy  Ghost  ?  I  will  tell  you.  The  gift  to 
speak  in  divers  languages  ;  to  work  miracles ;  and  other  par 
ticular  graces  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  And  although  they  had 
received  the  common  grace  of  adoption  and  regeneration 
through  Baptism ;  yet  had  they  not  these  other  qualities, 
which  in  the  beginning  of  the  Church  were  granted,  and  now 
be  denied.  So  that  laying  on  of  hands  served  to  good  use 
then,  when  it  pleased  God  at  instance  of  the  Apostles'  prayers 
to  confer  the  visible  graces  of  His  Spirit :  but  now  that  there 
is  no  such  ministry  in  the  Church;  now  that  miracles  be 
ceased  ;  to  what  end  should  we  have  this  imposition  of  hands  ; 
the  sign  without  the  thing?  If  a  man  should  now-a-days 
prostrate  himself  upon  the  bodies  of  the  dead,  because  Helias 
and  Paul  used  this  ceremony  in  raising  of  their  dead,  should 
he  not  be  thought  preposterously  to  do  ?  So  that  it  might 

5  Rom.  vi.  [4.]  6  Mar.  vii.  [9.] 

1  Mat.  xxi.  [25.]  8  Actcs  viii.  [14—17.] 


218  THE  FOURTH  ARTICLE. 

well  be  a  kind  of  Sacrament  in  the  Apostles'  time ;  but,  the 
cause  ceasing,  what  should  the  sign  continue  ? 

Yet  ye  content  not  yourselves  with  the  Apostles'  order  : 
ye  will,  (as  I  said  before,)  have  somewhat  of  your  own. 
For  neither  Peter  nor  John  anointed  the  Samaritans;  but 
you  do  besmear  whomsoever  you  lay  hands  on.  Ye  call 
, a.  it  Chrisma  salutis:  "The  Chrism  of  salvation."  But  who 
soever  seeketh  salvation  in  the  Chrismatory,  shall  be  sure 
to  lose  it  in  Christ.  Oil  for  the  belly,  and  the  belly  for 
oil ;  but  the  Lord  shall  destroy  both  the  one  and  the 
other.  Good  Lord  !  what  beast  but  a  Papist,  what  Papist 
but  a  Devil,  durst  presume  to  say,  that  salvation  should 
be  fet  out  of  an  oil-box  ?  The  Apostle  calleth  us  from 
impotent  and  beggarly  things1  :  and  if  we  be  dead  with 
Christ,  he  saith,  we  must  not  be  burdened  with  traditions2. 
Wherefore  ye  take  the  matter  all  amiss ;  that,  by  the 
doings  of  S.  Peter  and  S.  John  in  Samaria,  or  else  by 
the  fact  of  S.  Paul  at  Ephesus3,  do  ground  your  Sacra- 
1.  ment  of  Confirmation.  One  reason  ye  have  heard :  because 
the  ceremony  of  laying  on  of  hands  served  for  particular 
graces,  which  were  but  temporal;  and  therefore  now,  the 
thing  abolished,  the  sign  should  not  remain.  Another  I  will 
2-  bring  you.  The  Apostles  laid  their  hands,  but  only  upon 
certain  persons,  even  such  as  the  gifts  aforesaid  were  be 
stowed  on.  Confirmation  is  extended  unto  all :  gracious  and 
graceless ;  come  who  will,  none  is  denied  it.  Who  gave  you 
authority  ?  Where  is  your  commission  to  bestow  that  indiffer 
ently  upon  all  persons,  which  the  Apostles  gave  but  unto 
few  ?  Indeed,  if  it  be  so  necessary  to  salvation,  as  ye  make 
it,  I  cannot  greatly  blame  you.  But  then,  on  the  other  side, 
blame  you  I  must,  that  you  are  so  negligent  in  bestowing  it. 
For  this  is  your  doctrine :  that  without  Confirmation  there 
can  be  no  perfect  Christian.  And  I  beseech  you,  how  many 
be  suffered  to  die  unconfirmed  ?  Unless  the  Bishop  chance  to 
pass  by,  which  is  once  peradventure  in  seven  year ;  all  they 
that  depart  in  the  mean  season  are  Jews,  belike,  or  in  state 
of  damnation.  And  can  your  charities  suffer,  without  remorse 
of  conscience,  so  many  semi-christians  to  pass  you  ?  Thus 
every  way  you  confute  yourselves.  For  if  your  Sacrament 

i  Gala.  iv.  [9.]  2  Colos.  ii.  [8.] 

3  Act.  xix.  [6.] 


ANSWER  TO   THE   TREATISE   OF   THE   CROSS.  219 

of  Confirmation  be,  as  you  say,  "such  an  ointment,  with  Foiioss.a. 
whose  most  holy  perfection,  the  gift  and  grace  of  Baptism  is 
made  perfect :"  if  it  be  an  ointment,  "  altogether  holy  and 
divine,  the  perfection  itself  and  sanctification,  the  beginning, 
the  substance,  the  perfecting  virtue  of  all  holiness  given  us 
from  heaven ;"  then  are  you  wicked  persons,  that  take  no 
order  that  the  moe  may  have  it.  But  if  there  be  no  such 
virtue  in  it,  then  do  ye  lie  the  more. 

Again,  yet  further  to  note  your  absurdity.  Your  Decree,  3. 
in  case  of  Confirmation,  is  this4 :  Manus  quoque  impositionis 
Sacramentum  magnet  veneratione  tenendum  est ;  quod  ab 
aliis  perftci  nonpotuit  \j)otesf\  nisi  a  Summis  Sacerdotibm: 
nee  tempore  Apostolorum,  ab  aliis  quam  ab  ipsis  Apostolis 
leyitur  aut  scitur  peractum  esse  :  nee  ab  aliis  quam  qui 
conun  tenent  locum,  cuiquam  \iinquam~]  perfici  potest,  aut 
fieri  debet.  Nam  si  aliter  prcesumptum  fuerit,  irritum 
habeatur  et  vacuum:  "The  Sacrament  of  laying  on  of 
hands  must  be  held  with  great  worship ;  which  cannot  be 
made  of  any,  but  only  of  the  High  Priests :  nor  it  is  read  or 
known,  that  in  the  Apostles'  time  it  was  ministered  by  any, 
but  only  by  themselves :  nor  it  can  or  ought  to  be  done  of 
any,  save  only  such  as  supply  their  rooms.  For  if  it  be 
presumed  to  be  otherwise,  let  it  be  void  and  of  no  effect." 
But  how  came  the  Bishops  by  this  prerogative  ?  How  chance 
that  every  Priest  may  minister  Baptism,  and  the  Supper  of 
the  Lord;  but  only  Bishops  may  confirm?  Only  the 
Apostles  did  in  their  time  minister  these  Sacraments  :  and 
therefore,  by  that  reason,  only  Bishops  should  have  that  office 
now.  But  are  only  Bishops  the  Apostles'  successors  ?  When  Papists  con- 
ye  inhibit  any  of  the  lay  fee  to  take  the  Host  in  his  hand,  themselves. 
this  cause  ye  allege ;  that  it  was  deli vered  only  to  the 
Apostles.  In  this  case,  ye  admit  every  poor  Priest  a  suc 
cessor  unto  them.  But  why  not  in  the  other  ?  Because  if 
any  be  less  successors  to  the  Apostles  than  other,  they  be 
your  Bishops.  But,  to  make  a  device  of  your  own  brain, 
although  in  matters  of  Religion  it  be  not  sufferable ;  yet.  to 
make  a  lie  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  falsify  the  Scripture,  is  Papists  beiie 
more  intolerable.  And  is  it  not  a  strange  case,  that  the  holy 
Father  writing  the  law;  Gratian  collecting  it;  so  many 
seraphical  Doctors  commenting  of  it;  so  long  use  in  all 
4  DC  Consccr.  Dist.  v.  Cap.  Manus  quoque. 


220  THE  FOURTH  ARTICLE. 

realms  confirming  it ;  it  should  there  be  written,  and  suffered 
to  remain,  that  in  the  Apostles'  time  it  was  never  read  or 
known,  that  imposition  of  hands  was  done  by  any,  but  by  the 
Apostles  themselves  ? 

AVhy,  what  did  Ananias  ?  He  laid  his  hands  upon  Saul ; 
whereby  he  received  his  sight,  and  was  endued  with  the 
Holy  Ghost1.  What  Bishop  was  he  ?  No  Bishop,  for 
sooth.  But  a  Monk,  by  all  likelihood.  For,  by  the  Canon 
^e  a^ways  the  Apostles'  vicegerents.  See  you 
time,  your  own  shame  ?  Shall  this,  notwith 
standing,  your  Confirmation  be  still  a  Sacrament;  having 
nothing  else  but  man's  devices,  and  a  sort  of  impudent 
lies  to  support  it  ?  If  it  had  been  a  truth,  that  only  the 
Apostles  had  laid  on  hands :  if  it  were  a  good  order,  that 
only  Bishops  should  do  the  like ;  how  falleth  it  out  that  the 
Popes  themselves  have  dispensed  with  the  matter  ?  Gregory 
writeth  thus3  :  Ubi  Episcopi  desunt,  ut  Presbyter  i  etiam  in 
frontibus  baptizatos  Chrismate  tangere  debeant,  concedimus : 
"Where  Bishops  want,  we  grant  that  Priests  also  may 
anoint  in  the  foreheads  such  as  be  baptized."  How  is  this 
presumption  avoided  ?  How  doth  the  Sacrament  now  stand  in 
force?  But  who  will  seek  for  any  reason,  constancy,  or 
truth  in  Popery  ?  The  example  of  Christ  is  pretended. 
Yet  Christ  never  bad  it :  nor  the  fact  of  Christ  can  be 
drawn  to  imitation ;  nor  theirselves  will  stick  unto  it.  Christ 
never  used  oil :  they  make  it  necessary.  Christ  promised 
indifferently  to  all  the  faithful  His  Holy  Spirit :  they  do 
restrain  it  to  their  own  ceremonies.  Christ,  for  our  behoof, 
instituted  Baptism  ;  that  we  might  die  to  sin,  and  live  to  right 
eousness  :  they  by  Confirmation  have  cut  away  half  the  effect 
thereof.  The  Apostles  withdraw  us  from  the  elements  of 
this  world :  they  Avill  have  us  seek  our  salvation  in  an  oil- 
box.  The  Apostles  used  imposition  of  hands ;  which  had 
effect  when  miracles  were  in  place :  they  will  have  the  same 
order,  although  they  cannot  have  the  same  end.  The  Apo 
stles  laid  hands,  but  only  upon  some,  which  had  the  gift  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  withal :  they,  without  respect  or  differences 

1  Acte.  ix.  [17.] 

2  In  Glosa  preced.  Dist.     ["  Alibi  Monachi  dicuntur  tcncrc  locum 
xu.  Apostolorum :  alibi  Sacerdotcs."] 

3  Deer.  Parte  i.  Dist.  xcv.  Ca.  Pervenit. 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  221 

of  persons,  confirm  every  body.  Therefore  it  is  but  a  mere 
tradition ;  and  the  same  neither  Christian  nor  Apostolic.  In  the 
order  of  it,  they  be  contrary  to  themselves.  They  "will  have 
it  necessary  to  salvation  :  and  yet  they  let  many  die  without 
it.  They  say,  that  only  Bishops  are  the  Apostles'  suc 
cessors  :  and  yet  in  other  cases  they  grant,  that  every  Priest 
is  a  successor  too.  They  affirm,  that  the  Apostles  gave  them 
only  their  precedent :  and  yet  Ananias,  that  was  no  Apostle, 
is  proved  to  have  done  the  same.  They  teach,  that  a  Bishop 
must  only  minister  it :  and  yet  they  dispense  for  a  Priest 
to  do  it.  And  may  not  we  Biblers  be  bold  to  call  you 
babblers  ? 

If  only  these  heresies,  lies,  absurdities,  were  in  your  proofs 
of  Confirmation,  they  only  were  sufficient  to  confirm  you 
fools.  But  see  a  fouler  matter,  of  all  Christian  ears  to  be 
abhorred.  While  ye  go  about  to  avaunce  your  invention,  ye 
deface  the  ordinance  of  almighty  God,  and  overthrow  the 
groundwork  of  our  salvation.  Confirmation  a  Sacrament  ?  Yea, 
a  Sacrament  worthier  than  Baptism.  For  the  Master  of  the 
Sentence  sayeth4  :  Sacramentum  Confirmationis  dicitur  esse 
tnajus  Baptismo  :  "  The  Sacrament  of  Confirmation  is  said  to  be 
greater  than  the  Sacrament  of  Baptism."  And  afterward  the 
cause  is  added  :  Quia  a  dignioribus  datur,  et  in  digniore  parte 
corporis :  "  Because  it  is  given  of  worthier  persons,  and  in  the 
worthier  part  of  the  body."  For  only  Bishops,  (as  is  said,)  con 
firm  ;  but  every  Priest  may  minister  Baptism.  And  in  Baptism, 
oil  is  laid  upon  the  head ;  but  in  Confirmation,  upon  the  fore 
head.  Where,  first,  is  to  be  noted,  that  ye  stick  in  one  mire  papists  attri- 
still ;  ascribing  more  to  the  oil  your  invention,  than  to  the  on  fn'Bap- 
water,  which  is  God's  element.  It  sufficeth  us  to  have,  as  water. 
Christ  and  His  Apostles  had,  fair  water  in  our  Baptism  :  your 
oil  is  better  for  a  salad  than  a  Sacrament.  Then  also  by  the 
way  ye  fall  into  another  heresy.  For  when  ye  decree  the 
bishopping  of  children  to  be  greater  Sacrament  than  Baptism 
is,  because  every  Priest  may  christen,  but  only  Bishops  may 
confirm  ;  shew  ye  not  therein  yourselves  to  be  very  Donatists5;  papistsare 
esteeming  the  dignity  of  the  Sacraments  of  the  worthiness  of D( 
the  Minister  ?  Yet  not  only  the  Master  of  the  Sentence,  but 
also  the  Decree  confirmeth  that  doctrine.  Melchiades,  an 

4  Lib.  iv.  Dist.  vii.  Cap.  ii. 

5  [Oliver  Ormerod's  Picture  of  a  Papist,  p.  49.  Lend.  1606.] 


222  THE   FOURTH  ARTICLE. 

author  of  yours,  and  a  Pope,  saith ! :  Sacramentum  manus 
impositionis,  sicut  nisi  a  majoribus  perfici  non  potest,  ita 
et  majori  veneratione  venerandum  est  et  tenendum :  "  The 
Sacrament  of  laying  on  of  hands,  as  it  cannot  be  made  but 
only  of  the  greater,  so  is  it  to  be  worshipped  with  greater 
reverence,  and  so  to  be  defended." 

But,  0  God,  what  a  strange  Religion  is  this !  A 
d^p  Of  grease,  infected  and  filed  with  the  stinking  breath 
of  a  sorcerous  Priest,  enchanted  and  conjured  with  a  few 
fumbled  words,  to  be  compared  to  Christ's  holy  Sacrament ; 
preferred  to  the  water  sanctified  by  the  word  of  God. 
But  this  is  your  manner,  to  deprave  the  Scriptures  in  every 
point ;  corrupt  the  Sacraments  with  your  own  leaven ;  and 
let  nothing  that  good  is  stand  in  due  force,  for  your  spiritual 
policies  and  fresh  inventions.  Give  over  therefore  at  length 
the  breast  of  fornication  :  leave  sucking  of  the  dregs  of  super 
stition  and  Popery :  whereto  I  persuade  myself,  that  rather 
fond  nurses  have  inured  you,  than  conscience  or  reason  per 
suaded  you.  For,  Scriptures  have  ye  none,  but  the  same 
condemn  you :  nor  godly  Fathers  any,  but  the  same  be 
against  you.  For  proof  whereof,  as  I  have  hitherto  dis 
coursed  of  your  Scriptures  for  Confirmation,  and  uttered  your 
doctrines,  disagreeing  from  the  same ;  so  now  will  I  come  to 
judgment  of  your  Doctors. 

For  Confirmation  to  be  a  Sacrament,  ye  bring  Denise 
and  Fabianus  :  of  which  the  one  I  have  already  suffi 
ciently  disproved;  the  other  was  but  a  Pope,  and  never 
received  author2.  But  I  will  set  against  them  Tertullian 
and  Augustin :  two  for  two ;  substantial  and  honest,  for 
suspected  and  infamous.  Tertullian3,  speaking  of  the  Sa- 

1  De  Con.  Dist.  Y.  Cap.  De  his  vcro.    [The  preceding  words  from 
Peter  Lombard,  and  the  extract  from  Gratian,  in  this  place,  are  de 
rived  only  from  one  of  the  feigned  Epistles  of  the  early  Popes;  of 
which  Bellarmin,  with  interesting  cautiousness,  declares :  "  nee  indubi- 
tatas  esse  affirmare  audeam."    (De  Rom.  Pont.  Lib.  ii.  Cap.  xiv.  Vid. 
Blondelli  Pseudo-Isidor.  fy  Turrian.  vapulantes,  p.  429.  Genev.  1628.)] 

2  [As  the  putative  evidence  of  an  ancient  Roman  Prelate  cannot 
be  so  easily  disposed  of,  it  is  right  to  remark,  that  Martiall  must  have 
quoted  the  second  spurious  Epistle  of  Pope  Fabian.     The  Rhemists 
likewise  have  alleged  it,  for  the  same  purpose.     (New  Test.  p.  313 
Rhemes,  1582.  Conf.  Blondell.  ut  sup.  p.  294.)] 

3  Adversus  Marcionem,  libro  iv.  [Cap.  xxxiv.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  223 

craments   of  the   primitive  Church,   reckoneth  no  more  but 
Baptism  and   the   Supper  of  the    Lord,  saying :    Quomodo 
tu   nuptias   dirimis ;   nee  conjungens  marem   et  fceminam, 
nee  alibi  conjunctos  ad  Sacramentum  Baptismatis  et  Eu- 
charistice  admittens  ?  &c. :  "  How  dost  thou  break  marriage  ; 
neither  coupling    the    man   and    the  woman  together,   nor, 
being  coupled  otherwise,  admitting  them  to  the  Sacrament 
of  Baptism   and  thanksgiving?"     Likewise,  in  his  book  De 
Corona  Militis*,  entreating  purposely  of  the  order  of  the 
Church,  beginneth  with  Baptism,  and  sheweth  what  ceremonies 
were  observed  therein :  and  then  he  proceedeth  to  the  Supper 
of  the  Lord ;  and,  (for  Sacraments,)  no  further.    Augustin  also 
most  plainly  saith5:  Dominus  signis  nos  non  oneravit ;  sed 
qucedam  pauca  pro  multis,  eademque  factu  facillima,  et  in- 
tellectu  augustissima,  et  observations  castissima,  Ipse  Do- 
minus  et  Apostolica  tradidit  disciplina:  sicuti  est  Baptismi 
Sacramentum,  et  celebratio  corporis  et  sanguinis  Domini. 
Which  words  in   English   be  these :    "  Our  Lord  hath  not 
burdened  us  with  signs;  but  Christ  Himself  and  the  discipline 
of  the  Apostles  hath  delivered  us,  in  the  stead  of  many,  a  very 
few ;  and  the  same  most  easy  to  be  done,  most  royal  to  be 
understood,  most  pure  to  be  observed :  as  are  the  Sacrament 
of  Baptism,  and  celebration  of  the   body  and  blood  of  the 
Lord."     The  like  whereof,  and  in  effect  the  same,  he  hath, 
Ad  Januarium,  Ep.  cxviii.6 

This  is  the  doctrine  of  the  true  Church.  This  only 
ancient ;  and  whatsoever  is  against  it,  new.  What  it  pleased 
men  to  use  in  the  ceremony  of  Confirmation  maketh  very 
smally  to  purpose :  and  the  thing  itself  being  so  shamefully 
abused  as  it  hath  been,  the  sign  of  the  Cross  to  have  been 
used  therein  is  a  good  matter  against  you.  But  sorry  I  am, 
and  ashamed  of  you,  that  still  ye  bewray  your  ignorance  and 
folly.  Needs  will  ye  have  seven  Sacraments ;  and  yet  in 
your  discourse  ye  confound  them :  alleging  that,  for  proof  of 
Confirmation,  which  the  authors  only  did  mean  of  Baptism. 
Thus  do  ye  fall  into  the  old  absurdity:  that,  as  before, 
wheresoever  ye  read  this  word  "Cross,"  ye  would  lift  it  to 

4  Cap.  iii. 

5  De  Doctrin.  Christiana,  Lib.  iii.  Cap.  ix.    [Opp.  Tom.  iii.  col.  37. 
ed.  Bened.  Ant.] 

0  [al.  liv.  Opp.  ii.  93.] 


224  THE  FOURTH  ARTICLE. 

the  Rood-loft,  or  to  the  forehead ;  so  now,  wheresoever  ye 
hear  mention  of  oil,  yc  make  it  only  to  serve  for  bishopping. 
Learn,  (M.  Martiall,)  to  understand  your  author,  before  ye 
presume  to  become  a  writer.  Denise,  Tertullian,  Augustin, 
and  Cyprian,  in  the  places  that  ye  bring  of  Christians' 
anointing,  spake,  (as  it  is  evident,)  but  only  of  baptizing 
them.  For  in  their  days,  (as  is  before  approved,)  oil  was 
received  to  the  element  of  water. 

And  specially  the  words  of  Denise  do  confute  you:  for 
he  joineth  together  the  Christening,  the  Chrisom1,  the  Chrism, 
and  the  Communion ;  which  all  in  one  Sacrament  of  Baptism 
did  concur.  Then  what  is  this  to  your  purpose,  that  Ter 
tullian  hath2 :  Caro  signatur,  ut  anima  mimiatur :  "  The 
flesh  is  signed,  that  the  soul  may  be  defended  ? "  Was  there 
never  any  signing  of  the  flesh,  but  in  Confirmation  ?  Your 
self,  I  dare  say,  will  not  admit  it.  But  if  ye  were  so  fond  as 
to  affirm  it,  yet  Tertullian  himself  disproveth  you.  For  the 
very  next  words  that  follow  be  these :  Caro  manuum  impo- 
sitione  adumbratur:  "The flesh  is  overshadowed  by  imposition 
of  hands."  And  whereas  divers  things  be  spoken  of,  Confir 
mation,  (if  in  any  place,)  must  be  understood  in  the  latter 
clause;  and  there  is  no  word  of  the  sign  of  the  Cross.  Where 
fore,  how  doth  it  appear  by  these  your  proofs,  "  that  the 
holy  Fathers  used  also  the  sign  of  the  Cross  in  this  your 
holy  Sacrament?"  Augustin3,  (if  you  had  ever  read  him,) 
should  not  have  been  alleged  of  you.  For  in  all  the  chapter 
he  treateth,  how  the  Jews  were  brought  to  Hierusalem  by 
those  means,  as  are  figures,  unto  us;  mentioning  especially 
Baptism,  represented  in  the  water  of  Jordan,  and  the  Supper 
of  the  Lord,  by  slaying  of  the  lamb,  whose  blood  was  sprinkled 
on  the  door-posts :  upon  which  words  he  immediately  infer- 
reth:  Passionis  et  Crncis  signo,  &c. :  "Thou  must  be  marked 
in  thy  forehead  with  the  sign  of  the  passion  and  Cross  of 
Christ,  as  it  were  in  a  post."  What  is  this  to  Confirmation  ? 
As  much  as  a  text  out  of  Bevys  of  Hampton. 

And  as  for  Cyprian,  although  the  words,  alleged  by  you, 
be  the  very  worst  in  all  his  works;  (which  argueth  very  small 

1  [A  white  garment,  put  upon  a  child  at  the  time  of  its  Baptism. 
See  Reeling's  Liturgioe  Britannicce,  p.  251.  Lond.  1842.] 

2  [De  Resurrect,  carnis,  Cap.  viii.] 

3  Angus.  Lib.  do  catech.  rudib.  Ca.  xx.    [Of p.  vi.  208  ] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  225 

discretion  in  your  choice :)  yet  are  they  quite  from  the  purpose 
too.      I  omit  how  Cyprian,  without  a  commandment,  made  in  c 
God  His  service  anointing  necessary  :  condemning  therein  all 
that  before  him  had  been  baptized,  and  had  not  any  oil  poured 
upon  them.      Forsooth,  by  his  reason,  not  heretics  only,  re 
turning  to  the  Church,  should  be  partakers  of  his  heretical 
re-baptization ;  but  the  Baptism  of  Christ,  of  the  Apostles,  of 
all  them  that  we  read  of  in  the  Scripture,  should  be  insufficient. 
For  neither  will  he  have  the  element  of  water  to  be  sufficient 
to  baptize  withal,  unless  it  be  consecrate;  (Oportet  mundari  et 
sanctificari  aquam  prius  a  Sacerdote*  :  "  The  water  must  be 
cleansed  and  sanctified  first  of  the  Priest:")    nor  yet  this 
consecrated  water  to  serve,  unless  we  have  a  little  oil  to  boot. 
Ungi  quoque  necesse  est  eum,  &c. :   "  It  is  necessary,"  (saith 
he,)  "  that  whosoever  is  baptized,  be  anointed :  that,  the  oint 
ment  being  once  received,  he  may  be  the  anointed  of  God, 
and  have  in  him  the  grace  of  Christ."     Yet  we  never  read 
that  the  Apostles  used  any  words  of  consecration ;  that  they 
thought  themselves  in  that  case  to  be  Priests,  whom  the  New 
Testament  calleth  Ministers  of  the  word ;  or  that  they  could 
repute,  contrary  to  the  express  word,  any  creature  unclean. 
Omnia  munda  mundis :  "  All  things  are  clean  to  the  clean5." 
Christ,  by  His  word  and  institution  of  Baptism,  sanctified 
all  water,  used  according  unto  His  will.    No  man  ought  to  add 
to  His  ordinance  any  thing.    No  Priest  by  conjuring  can  bring 
such  holiness  and  perfection  unto  it,  that  in  his  respect,  as 
Cyprian  would  have  it,  it  shall  be  more  available  for  remission 
of  sins.     Wherefore  S.  Cyprian  was  too  far  wide  herein  ;  and 
applied  unjustly  unto  the  Priest  the  word,  (Aspergam  super 
vos  aquam  mundam:  "  I  will  sprinkle  clean  water  on  you6;") 
which  God  peculiarly  promiseth  of  Himself.      Then  also  to 
enforce  a  necessity  of  oil,  that  Baptism  cannot  consist  without 
it;  whereas  Christ  did  not  appoint  it,  nor  Apostle  use  it ;  passed 
his  commission :  Ut  ne  quid  gravius.     But  to  attribute  more 
unto  the  oil,  (man's  own  invention,)  than  to  Baptism  itself,  the 
ordinance  of  Christ,  I  must  needs  say  was  proud  and  blas 
phemous.     Yet  Cyprian  so  did ;  for  he  said,  that  unless  they 
were  on  his  wise  anointed,  they  could  not  be  true  Christians. 

4  De  Hseret.  bapt.  Ep.  Ixxii.  [al.  Ixx.  p.  190.  edit.  Fell.] 

5  Ad  Tit.  Ca.  i.  [15.]  &  Ro.  xiv.  [14.] 

6  Ezech.  xxxvi.  [25.] 

15 

LCALFHILL.] 


226  THE  FOURTH  ARTICLE. 

To  have  The  anointed  of  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ,  within 
them,  was  not  enough,  unless  a  little  oil  had  also  besmeared 
them.  A  pitiful  case,  that  so  good  a  Father,  so  faithful  a 
Martyr,  should  have  so  foul  a  blot  to  blemish  his  authority1. 
But,  (as  I  said,)  we  must  not  gather  out  of  the  Fathers' 
writings  whatsoever  was  witness  of  their  imperfection.  Yet 
do  I  marvel  most,  what  mad  conceit  ye  had,  to  bring  this 
place  for  the  use  of  the  Cross  in  bishopping  of  children.  Only 
S.  Cyprian,  in  all  that  Epistle  and  divers  other,  goeth  about  to 
prove,  that  heretics  should  be  baptized.  And  this  is  far  from 
Confirmation :  full  little  doth  it  confirm  your  Cross. 
;ainst  the  Now,  to  speak  a  word  of  your  "  seven-fold  grace,"  which 

>ertion  of  ... 

ac"  fold     you  say  *s  conferred  at  bishopping  ;  I  beseech  you  shew  me  the 

)iio57,a.  groun(i  Of  y0ur  device2.  I  know  that  you  delight  in  the  odd 
number,  as  all  enchanters  have  done  of  old :  and  therefore 
seven  Sacraments ;  seven  kinds  of  graces  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
But  wherefore  seven  ?  Because  Esay  3  numbereth  but  seven : 
and  this  is  the  reason  of  all  the  Papists  that  ever  wrote.  But 
I  might  bid  them  tell  them,  as  Tom  Fool  did  his  geese.  Esay 
numbereth  but  six,  and  the  seventh  is  their  own.  Therefore 

tpistsfaisi-  still  I  prove,  that  Papists  are  falsifiers  of  the  word  of  God. 

ripture.  And  yet  if  the  Prophet  had  rehearsed  seven,  (as  it  is  of  every 
man  to  be  seen  he  did  not ;)  to  gather  out  of  that  a  seven 
fold  kind  of  grace,  were  too  absurd ;  inasmuch  as  other  places 
attribute  of  divers  effects4  divers  other  titles  to  the  Holy 
Ghost :  nor  the  faithful  are  only  partakers  of  those  that 
Esay  doth  speak  of,  which  are,  Wisdom,  Understanding, 
Counsel,  Strength,  Knowledge,  and  Fear  of  God ;  but  also  of 
other,  as  Chastity,  Sobriety,  Truth,  Holiness,  which  in  like 

1  [See  Donne's  Sermons,  Vol.  i.  p.  329.  Loncl.  1640.] 

2  [Rev.  i.  4.  iii.  1.  iv.  5.  Zech.  iv.  2, 10.  1  Cor.  xii.  4. — The  hymn 
"  Veni,  Creator  Spiritus,"  introduced  twice  into  our  Prayer-book,  at 
the  last  review,  commences  thus : 

"Come,  Holy  Ghost,  our  souls  inspire, 

And  lighten  with  celestial  fire. 

Thou  the  anointing  Spirit  art, 

Who  dost  Thy  seven-fold  gifts  impart."] 

3  Chapt.  xi.  [2.     See  Prynne's  Briefe  Survay  and  Censure  of  Mr 
Cozens  Ms  couzening  Devotions,  pp.  59,  68.  Lond.  1628.] 

4  ["  There  be  nine  of  them  set  downe  ;  nine  manifestations  of  the 
Spirit:  (1  Cor.  xii.)  some  of  them  nine:  there  be  nine  more  set  downe; 
nine  fruits  of  the  Spirit:  (Gal.  v.)  some  of  them  nine:  some  gift  He 
will  give."  (Bp.  Andrcwes;  Sermons,  p.  607.  Lond.  1635.)] 


ANSWER   TO   THE   TREATISE   OF   THE  CROSS.  227 

manner  do  flow  from  the  same  spring.  Then  also,  to  thrust 
the  power  of  God's  Spirit  into  such  a  corner,  that  it  shall 
have  but  seven  holes  to  start  to,  is  too  strait  a  compass,  and 
cannot  contain  Him.  But  this  I  may  excuse  you,  as  the 
painter  did  himself;  who,  being  reproved  that  he  had  left  out 
a  Commandment,  whereas  he  was  bidden  to  write  them  all  in 
a  table,  answered :  There  is  more  than  ye  will  keep.  So  you, 
in  rehearsal  of  your  seven-fold  grace,  speak  of  six  more  than 
you  are  partaker  of. 

Wherefore,  to  make  my  Apostrophe  to  the  readers ; 
{as  you  do :)  seeing  Dionysius  is  justly  disproved  to  be  of  Foiio  57,  b. 
no  such  authority  and  antiquity  as  the  Papists  pretend : 
seeing  S.  Augustin  is  depraved  of  them ;  S.  Cyprian  alleged, 
where  he  defendeth  an  heresy ;  the  example  of  Christ  and 
His  Apostles  most  falsely  drawn  to  proof  of  Confirmation ;  I 
trust  you  will  more  esteem,  and  better  regard,  the  authority 
of  ancient  Fathers  indeed,  whose  plain  assertions  I  have 
brought  to  the  contrary ;  you  will  more  reverence  the  word 
of  God,  the  bread  of  life,  by  them  abused  to  most  impiety, 
than  the  stinking  leaven  of  these  lying  hypocrites  :  who  speak 
of  Scripture,  but  esteem  it  not ;  who  lay  the  Fathers  for 
them,  but  understand  them  not;  who  pretend  antiquity,  but 
are  carried  about  with  every  wind  and  puff  of  new  doctrine : 
being,  as  S.  Cyprian  saith5,  beginners  of  schisms,  authors  of 
dissension,  destroyers  of  faith,  betrayers  of  the  Church, 
and  Antichrists  indeed :  who,  going  about  to  deface  the  Ca 
tholic  Religion,  commanded  by  Christ;  taught  by  the  Apostles, 
continued  in  the  Church  by  the  Holy  Ghost ;  have  defaced, 
(as  it  were,)  the  truth  of  Christ's  ordinance,  to  place  their  own 
dreams  and  devices :  as  it  appeareth  by  the  number  of  their 
Sacraments ;  by  declining  in  all  points  from  the  order  of 
Christ  and  His  Apostles;  by  oil,  cream,  salt,  spittle,  candles, 
and  such-likc,  added  unto  Baptism ;  by  preferring  bishopping 
of  children  afore  it ;  by  making  oil,  of  their  own  addition,  of 
more  effect  and  virtue  than  the  element  of  water,  sanctified  by 
the  word  of  God :  finally,  ascribing  perfection  of  Christianity, 
which  consisteth  in  the  spirit,  to  the  outward  work  of  con 
juring  and  crossing. 

Now,  M.  Martiall,  to  come  to  your  Holy  Orders ;  which, 

5  Epistola  ad  Novatianos.     [Not  S.  Cyprian,  but  some  unknown 
writer,  was  the  author  of  the  Epistola  ad  Novalianum  hcereticum.] 

15 — 2 


228  THE  FOURTH  ARTICLE. 

among  your  Sacraments,  ye  put  in  the  third  place.  I  mar 
vel  that  ye  are  so  barren  in  the  ground,  which  of  itself 
is  so  fruitful,  that  whereas  ye  number  but  seven  Sacra 
ments,  this  one  hath  begotten  by  spiritual  generation  six  moe. 
For  the  Master  of  the  Sentence1,  (whom  ye  and  all  your 
faction  do  follow,)  maketh  seven  degrees  of  Orders.  Et  Mi 
Ordines  Sacramento,  dicuntur2:  "And  these  Orders,"  (saith 
he,)  "be  called  Sacraments."  He  saith  not,  that  they  do  all 
concur  to  make  a  Sacrament.  So,  by  this  means,  we  have  now 
thirteen  Sacraments  :  a  plentiful  increase.  And  to  set  forth 
the  more  the  dignity  of  their  calling,  in  every  one  of  these 
Holy  Orders  they  have  Christ  Himself  a  companion  with  them. 
But  whereas  Sacraments  must  have  a  promise  annexed  to 
them,  a  promise  immediately  from  God ;  if  any  of  these 
Orders,  or  they  altogether  should  make  a  Sacrament,  some 
piece  of  Scripture  should  be  brought  for  proof  of  it.  Neither 
Angels  nor  men  can  make  a  Sacrament.  Therefore  they  lie, 
when  they  do  call  their  Orders  Sacraments ;  inasmuch  as  they 
which  are  called  among  them  Ordines  minores,  "  the  inferior 
Orders,"  by  their  own  confession  were  never  known  in  the 
primitive  Church,  but  long  devised  after.  Hosius  himself3;  out 
of  whom  you  took  your  authorities,  as  well  of  Augustin, 
as  of  Leo,  to  prove  your  Orders  a  Sacrament ;  confesseth  in 
the  same  place,  that  of  old  time,  Ordines  ii  minores  inter 
Sacros  non  numerabantur :  "These  inferior  Orders  were  not 
reckoned  among  the  Holy  ones."  But  now  they  be  Holy  all, 
and  Sacraments  all.  If  I  should  rehearse  the  idle  ceremonies 
that  are  observed  in  every  one  of  them  ;  the  Jewish  disagree 
ments  of  the  Doctors  themselves,  when  each  man  hath  a  sere4 
assertion  of  his  own,  defended  with  tooth  and  nail ;  the  clouted5 
Heligion  of  old  patches  of  Judaism,  Paganism,  and  Christianity 
together,  whereby  they  commend  this  their  Sacrament  to  the 
world;  I  should  cumber  the  readers  too  long  with  unfruitful 
matters,  and  busy  myself  more  a  great  deal  than  needed,  to 
confute  that,  which  you,  M.  Martiall,  (such  is  your  modesty,) 
are  ashamed  to  allege. 

1  Lib.  iv.  Dist.  xxiv.  Cap.  i.  [fol.  345.  Paris.  1553.]          2  ffol.  349.] 

3  In  Confess.  Polonica,  Cap.  li.  [fol.  138,  a.  Antverp.  1559.] 

4  [Dry,  withered :  or,  more  probably,  late  as  to  its  origin ;  in  the 
ficnsc  of  '"O^ifiudia,"  "sera  eruditio."] 

5  [Josh.  ix.  5.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  229 

The  Ministry  of  the  word,  commended  unto  us  by  Christ  HOW  the  MI- 

•  "  nistry  of  the 

Himself.  I  can  well  admit  to  be  a  Sacrament ;  and  there-  worrf  may  b< 

called  a  Sa- 

fore  allow,  in  a  right  sense,  the  title  that  Augustin  doth trament- 
give  unto  it.  For  therein  is  a  ceremony,  that  is  taken  out  of 
the  word  of  God ;  and  a  sign  of  spiritual  grace  conferred,  as 
Paul  doth  witness6 :  yet  am  I  not  contrary  to  myself  herein, 
who  before  affirmed,  that  there  were  only  two  Sacraments  of 
the  Church ;  Baptism,  and  the  Lord's  Supper.  For  when  in 
general  we  treat  of  Sacraments,  we  truly  say  that  there  are  but 
two  ;  because  there  are  no  more  ordinary,  and  appertaining  to 
all  the  faithful.  But  ordering  of  Ministers  is  a  special  thing ; 
contracted  to  a  few,  belonging  only  to  a  peculiar  function :  so 
may  it  well  be  called  a  Sacrament,  and  yet  be  denied  to  be  a 
Sacrament  of  the  Church.  But  where  I  attribute  to  Christian 
Ministry  so  much  as  I  spake  of,  there  is  no  cause  of  pride 
for  popish  Priests.  For  they  swerve  so  far  from  Christ's 
institution,  that  they  serve  not  at  all  for  any  godly  purpose. 
Christ  did  ordain  His  Apostles  to  preach;  and  to  that  end  He 
breathed  on  them7,  shewing,  by  that  sign,  the  power  and 
virtue  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  wherewithal  He  endued  them  : 
but  the  Romish  apes  only  retain  the  sign,  the  thing  itself 
being  farthest  from  them  ;  and  as  for  the  end  which  Christ 
respected,  they  have  least  regard  of.  For  they  have  taught 
their  Priests,  that  it  is  least  part  of  their  duty  to  preach ; 
most  to  do  sacrifice,  and  say  Mass.  And  this  doth  the  words 
of  their  institution  prove ;  and  a  great  proctor  of  theirs, 
Hosius8,  affirm.  For  where,  in  the  verse  of  incantation,  they 
have,  Potestatem  illis  dari  placabiles  offerendi  Deo  liostias : 
"  That  power  is  given  them  to  offer  acceptable  sacrifice  unto 
God  ; "  this  do  they  restrain  only  to  the  Mass.  And  Hosius 
doth  wrestle  marvellously  about  the  word;  driving  [deriving] 
it  still  from  the  Greek  \etTovpyeiv,  which  he  will  have  to 
signify  sacrifice.  So  in  the  end,  to  raise  their  own  gain,  they 
derogate  all  from  Christ  His  death  and  His  passion. 

We  know  that  Christ  did  offer  Himself  sufficiently ; 
and  made  a  perfect  satisfaction  for  our  sins.  We  know 
that  He  needeth  not  any  Priest's  help,  to  be  as  acceptable 
to  His  Father,  for  his  service  sake,  as  Christ  for  that  one 
and  only  Sacrifice  of  His  body  was.  Christ  gave  command- 

c  1  Tim.  iv.  [14.]  7  Job.  xx.  [22.] 

8  De  Sacramento  Ordinis.  [fol.  145,  a.] 


230  THE  FOURTH  ARTICLE. 

merit  to  be  faithful  Ministers,  not  bloody  conjurors.  Christ 
gave  an  injunction  to  feed  the  flock,  not  to  offer  sacrifice. 
Christ  hath  promised  His  Holy  Ghost,  not  to  purge  and 
take  away  sins,  but  to  maintain  the  Church,  and  keep  it 
in  good  order.  And  as  for  the  argument,  that  the  most 
learned  Papists  do  build  upon  the  Greek  word,  may  easily 
be  answered.  For  Chrysostom,  when  he  had  considered 
how  Paul  had  written1,  that  he  was  a  Minister  of  Jesus 
Christ,  consecrating  the  Gospel ;  (for  so  S.  Augustin  turneth 
it :)  that  there  might  be  an  acceptable  oblation  and  sacri 
fice  of  the  Gentiles,  saith ;  that  the  Apostle  there  did  make 
full  mention  of  all  the  sacrifice  that  he  could  make ;  using 
both  the  terms  of  \eirovpyia  and  \epovpyia,  whereupon 
the  Papists  will  ground  their  idolatrous  Mass.  This  is  my 
sacrifice,  to  preach  the  Gospel,  saith  he :  my  sword  is  the 
Gospel ;  my  sacrifice  is  the  Gentiles.  And  now  would  I  fain 
see  what  these  enchanters  can  say ;  bragging  themselves 
therefore  to  be  Priests,  because  they  can  juggle  so  finely,  that 
things  shall  pass  out  of  their  nature  by  them. 

The  Priesthood  and  sacrifice  that  the  Apostles  had,  was 
to  convert  the  simple  souls,  to  daunt  the  cruel  courages  of  men, 
to  make  an  offering  of  them  unto  the  Lord ;  not  through 
gross  miracle,  or  by  bloody  knife,  but  by  the  spiritual  armour 
of  the  power  of  God ;  whereby  counsels  are  overthrown,  and 
every  high  thing  that  avaunceth  itself  against  God  is  van 
quished2.    And  whosoever  will  be  successors  unto  the  Apostles, 
must  use  this  Ministry,  this  trade  of  doctrine  :    which  if  they 
continue  in,  being  lawfully  called  thereunto  by  God,  and  have 
gifts  competent  to  approve  their  calling  unto  the  world ;  they 
need  not  to  care  for  the  sign  of  the  Cross  to  be  imprinted 
in   them,  the  virtue  whereof  never   departeth  from    them. 
Certain  it  is,  that  neither  Scripture,  nor  any  learned  Father, 
commendeth  any  blessing,  but  of  prayer,  to  us.     And  how 
your  wisdom  doth  esteem  the  wagging  of  a  Bishop's  fingers, 
I  greatly  force  not.      I  looked  rather,  that  ye  should  have 
commended  the  oil  for  anointing,  which  the  greasy  merchants 
will  have  in  every  mess.    For  the  character  indelebilis,  "  the 
mark  unremoveable,"  is  thereby  given.    Yet  there  is  a  way  to 
have  it  out  well  enough ;  to  rub  them  well-favouredly  with 
salt  and  ashes :  or,  if  that  will  not  serve,  with  a  little  soap, 
i  Rom.  xv.  [16.]  2  2  Cor.  x.  [4,  5.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  231 

But  ye  had  very  little  to  say  in  the  matter ;  and  therefore,  as 
soon  as  you  had  alleged  your  Doctor  Denise,  (whose  authority 
notwithstanding  we  may  justly  deny  ;)  "ye  plucked  down  your 
sail,  and  cast  your  anchor  there."  Very  wisely  done  of  you. 
For  perilous  it  is,  to  carry  too  high  a  sail  upon  a  rotten 
mast. 

Now,  for  a  proof  that  the  sign  of  the  Cross  should  be 
used  also  in  the  Supper  of  the  Lord  ;  (which  you  blasphemously 
do  call  the  Mass,  which  is  nothing  else  but  the  sacrifice  of 
the  Devil ;)  ye  bring  the  places  of  the  xxvi.  chap,  of  Matthew, 
and  xiv.  of  Mark,  where  ye  do  find  this  word,  Benedixit, 
that  is  to  say,  "  He  blessed."  And  that  this  blessing  should 
be  but  a  certain  gesture  of  the  hand,  ye  cite  Albertus  Magnus3 ; 
and  compare  the  places  of  Scripture  together,  where  it  may 
appear  that  the  self-same  thing  is  meant.  I  am  glad  ye 
admit  the  conference  of  places.  I  perceive  you  will  play 
small  play,  rather  than  sit  out,  when  Albertus  Magnus  is 
worthied  of  authority.  But  how  well  you  and  he  do  under 
stand  the  Scriptures,  shall,  by  God's  grace,  appear  anon. 
The  words  of  Matthew  be  these4:  \afiwv  o  'Irja-ovs  TOV 
aprov,  Kal  ev^apicrrtjcra^,  e/cXctcrei>:  which  words,  (if  ye  under 
stand  any  Greek,)  be  these :  "  Jesus  taking  the  bread,  and 
giving  thanks,  brake  it."  Likewise  in  Mark5 :  \a(3wi>  o 
'{qvovs  uprov,  evXoytjcras,  e/fXatre :  "Jesus  taking  the  bread, 
when  He  had  given  thanks,  He  brake  it."  In  the  first  place, 
it  is  evident  that  the  word  of  your  old  translation,  Benedixit, 
cannot  be  taken  for  the  sign  with  a  finger,  because  of  the 
proper  word  of  giving  thanks,  which  cannot  be  applied  to 
an  extern  gesture.  Then  also  the  word  of  Mark,  if  ye 
observe  the  etymology  of  it,  must  signify  the  same.  For 
what  is  ev,  and  what  is  \oyeiv ;  what  is  bene,  and  what  is 
dicere  ?  The  words  are  compounded  of  "  well"  and  "  speak." 
So  that  to  bless  is,  to  speak  well,  and  not  to  cross  well. 
When* ye  were  last  at  Mass,  and  heard  the  Priest  sing 
aloud,  Gratias  agamus,  ye  might  have  learned  what  it  is 
benedicere.  For  it  was  at  the  first  received  in  the  Church, 
that  when  they  came  unto  the  mysteries  of  the  Lord's 
Supper,  they  should  bless,  that  is  to  say,  should  be  thankful 
for  them. 

3  [Lib.  de  myster.  Missce.  Conf.  Coccii  Thesaur.  Cathol.  ii.  630.] 

4  Mat.  xxvi.  [26.]  5  Mark  xiv.  [22.] 


232  THE  FOURTH  ARTICLE. 

Which  thing  is  proved  right  well  by  Chrysostom1  : 
who,  upon  these  words,  Calix  benedictionis  cui  benedicimus, 
nonne  communicatio  sanguinis  Christi  est  ?  "  The  cup  of 
blessing  which  we  bless,  is  it  not  the  partaking  of  the 
blood  of  Christ?"  1  Corin.  x.  ;  because  blessing  is  twice 
spoken  of,  saith  :  Cum  benedictionem  dico,  eucharistiam 
dico  :  et,  dicendo  eucharistiam,  omnem  benignitatis  Dei 
thesaurum  aperio,  et  magna  ilia  munera  commemoro  : 
etenim  cum  calice  inenarrabilia  Dei  beneficia,  et  quce- 
cunque  consecuti  sumus  addimus.  Ita  ad  Eum  accedimus  ; 
cum  Eo  communicamus  ;  gratias  agentes,  quod  humanum 
genus  errore  liberavit  ;  quod  cum  spem  nullam  haberemus, 
et  impii  essemus,  fratres  et  consortes  Suos  ascripsit.  Hiis 
et  cceteris  hujusmodi  gratiarum  actionibus  accedimus. 
Which  words  of  the  Doctor  may  be  translated  thus:  "When 
I  speak  of  blessing,  I  speak  of  thanksgiving  :  and,  speaking 
of  thanksgiving,  I  open  all  the  treasure  of  the  goodness  of 
God,  and  rehearse  those  great  gifts  of  His  :  for  with  the 
cup  we  add  the  unspeakable  benefits  of  God,  and  whatso 
ever  we  have  obtained.  So  we  come  unto  Him  ;  we  com 
municate  with  Him  ;  thanking  Him,  that  He  hath  delivered 
mankind  from  error  ;  that  when  we  had  no  hope,  and  were 
wicked  persons,  He  admitted  us  brothers  and  companions  to 
Himself.  With  these,  and  such  other  renderings  of  thanks, 
we  come  unto  Him." 

Here  ye  see  what  Chrysostom  took  blessing  to  be.  Set 
Chrysostom  against  your  Albert.  But  let  us  see  further 
conference  of  the  Scriptures.  JSTot  only  Christ,  in  His  last 
Supper,  used  this  form  of  blessing,  (which  you  do  make 
chief  point  of  consecration  ;)  but  also  in  other  of  His  miracles 
doing,  whereof  we  read  in  every  one  of  the  Evangelists.  As 
where  Matthew2,  Mark3,  and  Luke4,  speaking  of  the  five  thou 
sand,  beside  women  and  children,  fed  with  five  loaves  and  two 
fishes,  report,  that  Christ  used  such  order,  as  the  word  import- 
eth  to  be  blessing  ;  evXo'yrjcrev.  S.  John5,  entreating  of  the 
same  matter,  expoundeth  what  is  meant  by  blessing  :  for  he 
saith  :  /ecu  ev-^aptorijya^,  &e<We  :  "  And  giving  thanks,  He 


1  Chrysost.  in  Epi.  ad  Co.  1.  Cap.  x.  Horn.  xxiv.     [Library  of  Fa 
thers,  Vol.  iv.  p.  326.  Oxford,  1839.] 

2  Mat.  xiv.  [19.]  3  Mar.  vi.  [41.] 
4  Luc.  ix.  [16.]  ^  Job.  vi.  [11.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  233 

delivered."  Likewise,  where  mention  is  made  of  the  seven 
loaves6,  Christ  blessed  also ;  but  the  Evangelists  set  it  out 
by  the  word  of  thanksgiving  :  Kal  ev^apicmjo-a?,  e/cXacre  : 
"  And  when  He  had  given  thanks,  He  brake."  So  that  most 
evidently  appeareth,  by  the  word  of  God,  to  all  reasonable 
creatures,  that  it  is  all  one  thing,  to  bless,  and  to  give 
thanks.  Yea,  where  yourself  allege  the  word  of  Senedixit,  in 
the  xxiv.  ch.  of  Luke  ;  that  Christ,  lifting  up  His  hands,  blessed 
His  Apostles ;  ye  shall  also  find,  the  next  sentence  save  one 
after,  the  same  word  applied  unto  the  Apostles  themselves ; 
that  they  also  did  bless,  and  bless  God.  For  the  text  hath : 
Erant  assidui  in  templo,  laudantes  et  benedicentes  Deum  : 
"  They  were  continually  in  the  temple,  praising  and  blessing 
God7."  Think  you  that  this  blessing  was  with  a  certain  sign 
of  the  hand '?  Is  this  the  meaning  of  the  word  of  God,  where 
still  we  be  warned  to  bless  the  Lord  ?  If  this  be  absurd,  (as 
I  am  sure  ye  will  grant ;)  then  grant,  that  blessing  is  another 
manner  of  matter  than  crossing. 

Wherefore,  since  I  have  proved  by  nature  of  the  words 
themselves,  by  consent  of  all  the  Evangelists,  by  testimony 
of  the  Apostle  Paul,  by  judgment  of  Chrysostom,  that 
blessing  is  thanksgiving ;  I  may  justly  conclude  your  as 
sertion  to  be  vain  and  frivolous,  that  Christ  used  crossing 
in  ministering  of  His  Supper.  What  rite  or  ceremony  was 
received  after,  diversely,  according  to  the  disposition  of 
divers  times  and  persons,  is  not  material.  For  I  have 
sufficiently  proved  afore,  that  it  is  not  enough  to  say,  This 
was  once  so ;  but  it  must  be  proved,  that  It  was  well 
so.  For  I  well  allow  the  proceeding  of  Cyprian  against 
Stephen  the  heretic8,  which  urged,  (as  you  do,)  traditions  to 
be  kept.  But  what  said  he  to  it  ?  Unde  est  ista  traditio .? 
Utrum  de  Dominica  et  Evangelica  authoritate  descendens  ; 
an  de  Apostolorum  mandatis  atque  Epistolis  veniens .? 
"  Whence  is  this  tradition  of  theirs  ?"  (saith  he.)  "  Doth  it 
descend  from  the  authority  of  Christ  and  His  Gospel ;  or  from 
the  writings  and  commandments  of  His  Apostles?"  As  for 
that  which  is  written  by  Christ,  he  proved  necessary  to  be 
observed :  likewise  whatsoever  is  contained  in  the  Acts  of  the 

c  Mat.  xv.  [36.]    Mar.  viii.  [6.] 

'  Luc.  xxiv.  [53.] 

8  Cyprianus  Pompeio  frat.  Ep.  Ixxiv.  [p.  211.  ed.  Oxon.] 


234  THE  FOURTH  ARTICLE. 

Apostles,  or  other  of  their  writings :  but  otherwise,  he  would 
not  be  bound  to  admit  any  thing.  And  therefore  ye  may 
prate  as  long  as  ye  lust,  what  men  in  this  time  and  that  time 
received ;  and,  without  better  proof,  bind  us  no  whit  to  ob 
servance  of  it. 

Thus  have  you  made  a  fair  muster,  M.  Martiall,  with 
signs  and  proffers,  and  proved  nothing.  While  ye  travail  to 
bring  the  Cross  to  seven  Sacraments,  you  have  discoursed  on 
four,  and  confounded  them  all.  And  as  for  the  three,  which 
you  have  put  in  the  rearward,  ye  use  only  this  reason :  "All 
Sacraments  of  the  Church,"  (as  Augustin  saith,)  "  are  made 
with  the  sign  of  the  Cross :  But  Matrimony,  Penance,  and 
Extreme  Unction  are  Sacraments  of  the  Church  :  Therefore 
the  sign  of  the  Cross  is  used  in  them."  For  answer  whereof, 
neither  is  the  first  Proposition,  (as  you  understand  it,)  to 
be  admitted ;  nor  the  second  in  any  wise  is  true.  Therefore 
the  Conclusion  doth  follow  but  ill-favouredly.  First,  ye  are 
abused  in  your  own  conceit,  in  esteeming  the  sign  of  the  Cross 
to  be  a  thing  of  such  necessity,  as  that  the  Sacraments  may 
not  be  made  without  it ;  whereas  it  is  but  an  accessory  thing, 
devised  by  man,  whereof  in  Scripture  we  have  no  prece 
dent.  And  Augustin1  would  not  say,  (as  you  fondly  do,) 
that  simply  Sacraments  are  made  with  the  sign  of  the  Cross  ; 
but  mentioning  that,  as  a  piece  of  a  ceremony  more  than 
needed,  brought  in  withal  the  necessary  point,  (that  you  leave 
out,)  the  calling  upon  the  name  of  Christ.  For  Sacraments 
consist  of  the  sign,  and  thing  signified ;  of  the  word,  and 
the  ceremony.  And  in  Baptism,  the  water  and  sprinkling 
thereof,  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost,  upon  the  party  that  is  to  be  christened,  is  the  whole 
sign  and  ceremony  to  be  done.  But  remission  of  sins,  par 
ticipation  of  life,  fellowship  with  Christ  and  with  His  members, 
also  the  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  are  by  grace  con 
ferred,  be  the  signified  thing,  the  promise  of  mercy  so  sealed 
in  us.  Here  is  no  word  of  the  sign  of  the  Cross,  and  yet  is 
the  Sacrament  made  perfect  thus.  Nor  in  Christ's  institution 
we  hear  any  mention  of  such  a  ceremony ;  nor  that  Christ  in 
His  own  Baptism,  nor  the  Apostles  in  theirs,  were  blessed  with 
a  finger.  Wherefore  the  Major  is  falsely  set.  But  the  Minor 
is  farther  out  of  square. 

1  Ser.  clxxxi.  de  Tempore.     [See  before,  p.  205.] 


ANSWEI!  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  235 

For  before  Gregory's  time,  although  every  man  granted  ^a|" 
Matrimony  to  be  an  holy  ordinance  of  God,  yet  who  ever  ment- 
affirmed  it  to  be  a  Sacrament  ?  Forsooth,  (say  you,) 
Ambrose,  Augustin,  and  Leo.  So  the  same  Ambrose2  calleth 
the  words  and  works  of  Christ,  whereby  He  shewed  His 
Divinity,  hidden  otherwise  in  God,  a  Sacrament.  And 
Augustin  hath  nothing  more  familiar  in  him  than  Sacra 
mento,  Scripturarum,  "  the  Sacraments  of  the  Scriptures ;" 
whereby  he  understandeth  the  dark  speeches  and  spiritual 
meanings  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  So  that,  if  ye  take  a  Sacra 
ment  for  that  whereby  any  thing  is  signified  unto  us,  then 
Matrimony,  I  grant,  may  be  a  Sacrament.  But  see  what 
absurdity  ensues  thereon.  As  many  Parables  as  we  have  in 
Scripture,  so  many  Sacraments.  The  grain  of  mustard  seed, 
the  goodwife's  leaven,  the  door  of  the  house,  the  shepherd, 
the  giant,  the  thief,  (for  by  all  these  the  kingdom  of  God 
and  Christ  are  signified  ;)  must  be  Sacraments.  So  the  wash 
ing  of  hands,  the  shaking  of  dust  from  the  Apostles1  feet, 
and  every  act  of  Christ,  may  be  a  Sacrament.  Then  we  shall 
not  keep  us  within  the  number  of  seven,  (which  you  appoint ;) 
but,  ere  we  have  done,  we  shall  have  seven  score,  yea,  seven 
hundred  Sacraments.  But  if  ye  take  a  Sacrament  for  such  a 
sign  as  God  hath  ordained  for  us ;  to  confirm  our  faith,  and 
seal  the  promise  of  His  grace  within  us ;  then  are  you  too  far 
wide.  For  proof  of  Baptism  we  have  :  "  Whosoever  believeth, 
and  is  baptized,  shall  be  saved3.1'  For  the  Supper  of  the  Lord 
we  have:  "Take,  eat;  this  is  My  body."  "Drink  ye  all  of 
this :  this  is  My  blood,  which  is  shed  for  many  for  the  remis 
sion  of  sins4."  And  have  we  the  like  for  Matrimony  ?  Then 
take  a  wife,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved.  Then  take  a  wife,  and 
thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee.  This  is  your  doctrine,  (M.  Martiall ;) 
this  is  your  Lovain  learning. 

But  ye  say  for  yourself,  that  S.  Paul  called  it  a  Sacra 
ment5.     Ye  forget  yourself:  he  neither  used  the  term,  nor 

2  In  Ep.  ad  Tim.  1.  Ca.  iii.      [S.  Ambrosii  Opp.  iii.  579.— This 
Commentary  was  not  written  by  S.  Ambrose ;  but  probably  by  Hilarius 
Diaconus  :  though  even  that  is  uncertain.  Conf.  Oudin.  i.  481.  Schoene- 
mann,  Biblioth.  Patrum  Latin,  i.  307.  Lips.  1792.] 

3  [S.  Mark  xvi.  16.]  4  Mat.  xxvi.  [26—28.] 

6  Ephe.  v.  [32. — Compare  Gregory  Martin's  Discoverie  of  manifold 
Corruptions,  p.  245.  Rhemes,  1582.    Fulke,  New  Test.  p.  619:  Defense, 


236  THE  FOURTH  ARTICLE. 

applied  it  to  that  purpose.     To  admit   that  it  were  so,  as 
your  ignorant   and  gross  translator  hath ;    (whereof  I   will 
speak  more    anon ;)    yet    your    discretion    and   skill    might 
have  considered  the  correction  that  follows,  when  the  Apostle 
saith  plainly,  that  he  speaketh  not  of  the  man  and  woman, 
but  of  Christ  and  His  Church :  so  that  the   Sacrament  is 
referred   to  them,   and  not  to  Matrimony.     But   the  igno 
rance  of  the  Greek  word  hath  only  bred  this  error ;  where 
for    a    Mystery  it   is    translated    a    Sacrament.      I   marvel 
greatly  that  the  name  of  Sacrament  should  be  so  seriously 
urged  in  this  place,  being  otherwise  in  all  places  of  the  Scrip 
ture  beside  neglected.     For  your  said  old  translator  hath,  in 
the  same  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians,  and  i.  cha. :   Ut  notum 
faceret  nobis  Sacramentum  voluntatis  Suce  :  "That  He  might 
notify  to  us  the  Sacrament  of  His  will1;"  (for  'the  mystery  of 
His  will.')  By  the  same  reason  now,  the  Scripture  itself,  where 
by  God's  will  is  revealed  to  us,  shall  be  a  Sacrament.    And  in 
the  Epistle  to  Timothy2,  your  old  translator  hath:  Magnum 
est  pietatis  Sacramentum,  quod  manifestatum  est  in  came : 
"  Great  is  the  Sacrament  of  godliness ;"  (for  '  great  is  the 
mystery  of  godliness ;')  "  which  is,  God  is  manifested  in  the 
flesh."     By  which  reason,  the  incarnation  of  Christ  should  be 
also  a  Sacrament.    Nor  there  shall  be  any  end  of  Sacraments, 
if,  wheresoever  we  read  of  mystery,  we  shall  understand  the 
Sacraments  of  the  Church. 

Your  wisdom  supposeth,  that  because  a  mystery  and 
a  Sacrament  do  not  so  far  differ,  but  that  that  which  is 
called  a  mystery  may  also  be  a  Sacrament,  therefore  your 
ground  is  good  enough,  that  Matrimony  is  a  Sacrament. 
This  do  ye  prove  by  a  sad  tale  of  old  mother  Maukin, 
that  "  thought  her  Saint  Edmund  to  be  no  minstrel  be 
cause  he  was  a  Minister ;  whereas  in  these  latter  days  a 
minstrel,"  (as  you  say,)  "  may  be  a  Minister,  and  serve 
both  turns  for  a  need."  But  if  mother  Maukin3  had  been 
such  a  daukin3,  as  to  think  every  Minister  to  be  a  minstrel, 

164.  Lond.  1617.    Cartwright's  Confutat.  p.  496.  1618.  Ward's  Errata, 

p.  87.  Dubl.  1841.    Moquot,  L'Examen  et  Censure  des  Bibles,  Tome  ii. 

Art.  xxxiv.  p.  385.  A  Poictiers,  1617.] 

1  Ad  Eph.  i.  [9.]  2  1  Timo.  iii.  [16.] 

3  [Maukin  or  Malkin  signifies  a  slattern ;  and  Daukin  or  Dawkin 

has  a  similar  meaning.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  237 

as  you  do  every  mystery  to  be  a  Sacrament ;  then  Martiall 
and  Maukin,  a  dolt  with  a  daukin,  might  marry  together ; 
and  the  Vicar  of  Saint  Fool's4  be  both  minstrel  and  Minister, 
simiil  et  semel,  to  solemnize  your  Sacrament.  But  we  must 
not  dally  with  the  signification  of  the  word  with  you ;  but  we 
must  consider  what  is  the  definition,  and  what  is  required  in 
a  Sacrament ;  and  then  we  shall  find  nothing  lack  in  Matri 
mony,  that  is  or  ought  to  be  in  any  other  Sacrament.  "  It  is," 
(you  say,)  "  a  visible  sign  of  invisible  grace."  But  what  is  that  Foiio67,  b. 
grace  ?  Salvation,  justifying,  or  sanctification,  conferred  upon 
them  that  are  partakers  of  it  ?  If  it  be  so,  some  thing  it  is 
that  ye  say.  But  it  is  not  so.  For  he  that  is  married  is  not 
in  that  respect  more  the  child  of  God,  than  if  he  were  unmar 
ried.  He  that  is  married  hath  no  peculiar  promise,  that  for 
his  marriage  sake  his  sins  are  remitted  him.  And  yet  these 
things  are  requisite  in  a  Sacrament;  that,  by  the  visible  sign, 
some  such  promise  as  this  may  be  sealed  in  us.  I  will  bring 
against  you,  for  this  point,  no  other  divinity  but  your  own. 
The  Master  of  the  Sentence  sayeth5:  Sacramento,  non  tantum 
significandi  gratia  instituta  sunt,  sed  etiam  sanctificandi. 
Quce  enim  significandi  gratia  tantum  instituta  sunt,  solum 
signa  sunt,  et  non  Sacramenta  ;  sicut  fuerunt  sacrificia  car- 
nalia,  et  observantice  ceremoniales  veteris  Legis,  &c. :  "  Sacra 
ments  are  not  only  ordained  to  signify,  but  also  to  sanctify. 
For  those  that  are  only  appointed  to  signify,  are  only  signs, 
and  no  Sacraments  ;  like  as  the  carnal  sacrifices,  and  ceremonial 
observances  of  the  old  Law  were."  So  that  he,  which  other 
wise  defendcth  as  many  heresies  as  you6,  overthrows  your 
reason ;  which  do  make  Matrimony  to  be  a  Sacrament,  because 
it  is  a  sign  of  invisible  grace.  For  so  were  all  the  sacrifices ; 
so  were  all  the  ceremonies  of  the  old  Law.  And  indeed  he 
confesseth,  that  they  and  such  like  are  called  Sacraments, 
licet  minus  proprie,  "  though  not  so  properly."  And  so  do  I 
grant  you,  that  it  may  be  called  a  Sacrament,  and  yet  not 
such  as  we  here  speak  of. 

4  [Vid.   Maitland's  Dark  Ages,  p.   156.  Lond.   1844.      Gregory's 
•Eplscopus  piterorum,  p.  119.  Lond.  1663.] 

5  Lib.  iv.  Dist.  i.  Cap.  i. 

6  ["  He  found  not  so  much  as  a  word  touching  seven  Sacraments 
before  Peter  Lumbard."    (Bp.  Carleton's  Life  of  Bernard  Gilpin,  p.  5. 
Lond.  1629.     Compare  Stillingfleet's  Council  of  Trent  ezamin'd  and 
disprov'd  by  Catholick  Tradition,  p.  74.  Lond.  1688.)] 


238  THE  FOURTH  ARTICLE. 

.bsurdities  But  mark  how  great  and  how  many  absurdities  follow 

octnne.con-  Of  y0ur  doctrine.    First,  where  ye  make  Wedlock  a  Sacra- 

erning  the  «/  ^  * 

tetSmon'  °f  men*»  Je  g°  against  yourselves ;  and  destroy  the  holy 
number  of  seven,  making  eight  Sacraments  at  the  least. 
For  Wedlock  out  of  Wedlock  hath  engendered  another, 
and  begotten  two  Sacraments.  This  is  not  my  device.  I 
read  it  in  your  Decrees.  .  For,  in  the  treatise  of  Matri 
mony  and  the  act  thereof,  it  is  written1:  Duo  sunt  Sa- 
cramenta :  unum  Dei  et  animce :  aliud  Christi  et  Ecclesice. 
Dei  et  animce,  in  sponsis :  Christi  et  Ecclesice,  inter  virum 
et  uxorem :  "  There  are  two  Sacraments :  one  of  God  and 
the  soul :  another  of  Christ  and  the  Church.  The  Sacrament 
of  God  and  the  soul  is  in  the  parties  espoused  :  the  Sacrament 
of  Christ  and  the  Church  is  between  the  man  and  the  wife." 
So  that  the  very  talk  of  Matrimony  hath  gotten  young  ones. 
And  by  this  we  may  see  the  foolish  end  of  wavering  heads, 
tossed  with  doubtful  floods  of  opinions.  Sometime  ye  will 
have  but  seven  Sacraments,  and  always  this  is  a  defended 
principle  :  yet  in  your  books  sometime  ye  make  eight ;  some 
time  as  many  as  a  man  will  imagine. 

Bother  ab-  Furthermore,  whereas  ye  make  a  Sacrament  of  Wed 
lock,  how  falleth  it  out,  that  afterward  ye  condemn  it  as 
a  piece  of  uncleanness?  Ye  say,  when  a  man  will  marry, 
then  he  goeth  to  the  world.  Ye  write  that  Marriage  is  a 
carnal  thing.  Ye  maintain  in  your  laws,  that  in  Matri 
mony  are  profane  lusts,  defiling  concupiscence :  that  a  man 
in  that  state  cannot  please  God;  cannot  be  heard  of  God. 
And  yet  still,  ye  will  have  it  a  Sacrament.  Innocentius 
Pope,  in  his  Decree,  saith2 :  Neque  eos  ad  sacra  officia 
fas  sit  admitti,  qui  exercent  etiam  cum  uxore  carnale  con 
sortium  ;  quia  scriptum  est :  Sancti  estate,  quoniam  Ego 
sanctus  sum ;  dicit  Dominus  Deus  vester :  "  Nor  let  it  be 
lawful  for  them  to  be  admitted  to  holy  rooms,  which  use  carnal 
company  with  their  wife ;  because  it  is  written :  '  Be  ye  holy, 
for  I  am  holy;  saith  the  Lord  God3.'  "  Where,  first,  (I  beseech 
you,)  mark,  how  the  lawful  use  of  Matrimony  is  called  carnal 
company :  then  also  how  despitefully  the  place  of  Scripture, 

1  Deer.  ii.  Parte.  Caus.  xxvii.  Quo.  ii.  in  Glo.    [Cap.  Cum  societas. 
fol.  cccxli,  b.  Paris.  1518.] 

2  Deer,  prhna  partc.  Dist.  Ixxxii.  Cap.  Proposuisti. 

3  Lev.  xx.  [7,  26.  &  xi.  44,  45.] 


ANSWER  TO   THE   TREATISE   OF   THE   CROSS.  239 

"  Be  ye  holy,  for  I  am  holy,"  is  applied  against  Matrimony. 
The  words  were  spoken  by  God  unto  the  Hebrews,  when  He 
forbad  them  that  they  should  not  offer  up  their  sons  to 
Moloch;  that  they  should  not  follow  the  sorcerers  and  the 
witches :  and  hi  the  latter  end  of  the  chapter  it  is  repeated 
again ;  where  incest  with  mother,  sister,  or  such-like,  is  con 
demned.  Wherefore,  by  wresting  this  to  lawful  Marriage, 
what  did  they  but  condemn  the  married  of  ungodliness  ?  Yet 
God  commanded  the  Priests  of  the  old  Law  to  be  holy ;  whom, 
notwithstanding,  He  never  did  restrain  from  Marriage. 

But  Innocentius  goeth  forward  in  his  Decree,  and  saith : 
Multo  magis  igitur  Sacerdotes,  quibus  et  sacrijicandi  et 
orandi  jiige  officium  est,  semper  debebimt  ab  hujusmodi  con- 
sortio  abstinere.  Quia  si  contaminatus  fuerit  carnali  con- 
cupiscentia,  quo  merito  se  posse  exaudiri  credit ;  cum  dictum 
sit:  Omnia  munda  mundis;  coinquinatis  autem  et  infidelibus 
nihil  est  mundum,  sed  coinquinata  est  eorum  mens  et  con- 
scientia?  &c. :  "Therefore  much  more  Priests,  which  have  a 
continual  office  to  sacrifice  and  pray,  ought  always  to  abstain 
from  such  company.  For  if  he  be  denied  with  carnal  con 
cupiscence,  by  what  merit  of  his,  thinks  he,  that  he  can  be 
heard ;  whereas  it  is  said :  'All  things  are  clean  to  the  clean; 
but  to  them  that  are  defiled,  and  to  the  unfaithful,  nothing  is 
clean,  but  their  mind  and  conscience  is  defiled4?'"  And  can 
there  be  any  thing  spoken  or  devised  more  contumelious 
against  the  state  of  Matrimony,  than  that  such  as  are  married 
are  thereby  defiled  with  carnal  lusts,  and  their  prayers  cannot 
be  heard?  What  shall  the  honest  couples  throughout  all 
Christendom  think  of  this ;  that  when,  in  the  fear  of  God, 
they  use  the  ordinance  that  God  hath  willed  them,  that  day 
they  need  not  to  make  their  prayers ;  for  the  Pope  saith  they 
shall  not  bo  heard?  Wherefore  all  men,  by  this  man's  holy 
order,  must  either  utterly  refuse  prayer5,  or  refuse  to  give 
due  benevolence  to  their  wives6:  which  both  are  shameful 
inconveniences.  I  omit  that,  in  the  same  Decree,  he  applies  to 
the  married  this  sentence  of  Paul :  Qui  in  carne  sunt,  Deo 
placere  non  possunt :  "  They  that  are  in  the  flesh  cannot 
please  God7."  Then  woe  be  to  the  married :  they  are  out  of 
God's  favour,  and  therefore  condemned.  I  omit  that  Siricius 

i  [Tit.  i.  15.]  s  Luc.  xviii.  [1.]  Colo.  iv.  [2.] 

«  1  Cor.  vii.  [3.]  1  [Rom.  viii.  8.] 


240  THE  FOURTH  ARTICLE. 

calleth  the  use  of  Matrimony  obsccenas  cupiditates,  "filthy 
lusts1."  I  omit  that  another,  Innocent  by  name,  (but  nocent, 
and  noisome  indeed  ;)  saith2,  that  to  marry  a  wife  is,  cubilibus 
et  immunditiis  deservire,  "  to  serve  wantonness  and  unclean- 
ness."  Thus  do  they  deface  the  ordinance  of  God,  to  com 
mend  their  own  unchaste  and  filthy  state.  Yet  will  they  have 
Matrimony  to  be  a  Sacrament.  A  sorry  Sacrament;  that,  by 
your  law,  is  nothing  else  but  carnal  company,  carnal  con 
cupiscence,  uncleanness,  wantonness,  filthy  lusts,  severing  us 
from  God's  people,  making  our  prayers  not  to  be  heard. 

How  say  you,  (M.  Martiall,)  are  you  yet  ashamed  of  your 

profession  ?     Will  you  stand  to  this  still,  that  Matrimony  is  a 

Sacrament  ?  Then  let  me  proceed  a  little  further  with  you. 

he  third      Wherefore  do  you  exclude  your  Priests  from  Marriage  ?  Whv 

bsurdityfor  .    .    </.  \ 

JentofMa  are  JQ  so  injunous  unto  them,  that  they  shall  not  partake 
•imony.  foG  holy  Sacrament  ?  Shall  they  alone  be  graceless,  where 
so  great  grace,  as  you  say,  is  given  ?  Or  else  are  your  Sacra 
ments  so  singular  and  self-will,  that  they  cannot  in  one  subject 
agree  together?  But  ye  do  not  exclude  them  from  the 
Sacrament,  (you  say ;)  but  only  from  the  carnal  knowledge. 
But  the  carnal  knowledge,  (say  I,)  by  your  own  authority,  is 
a  chief  part  of  the  Sacrament ;  and  therefore  ye  exclude  them 
from  the  Sacrament  itself.  For  these  be  the  words  of  your 
Canon  Law3:  Cum  societas  Nuptiariim  ita  a  principio  sit 
instituta,  ut,  prceter  commixtionem  sexuum,  non  habeant  in 
se  Nuptice  conjunctionis  Christi  et  Ecclesice  Sacramentum: 
"Whereas  the  fellowship  and  society  of  Marriage  is  so  ordained 
from  the  beginning,  that,  beside  the  commixtion  of  sexes, 
Marriage  hath  no  Sacrament  of  the  conjunction  of  Christ  and 
His  Church  together,"  &c.  Whereby  it  appeareth,  that  the 
carnal  knowledge  between  man  and  woman,  (which  you  forbid 
your  Priests,  though  not  absolutely,  yet  only  so  as  they 
might  lawfully  use  it ;)  is  that  Sacrament  of  yours.  There 
fore  ye  do  wrong  to  your  shorn  and  anointed,  to  forbid  them 
Marriage,  your  new-made  Sacrament,  if  for  no  other  respect 
but  this,  Ut  sacris  vestris  operentur.  But  ye  have  a  remedy 
for  it,  damnable  and  devilish.  I  will  not  speak  it  for  shame. 
God  make  you  honest. 

1  Dist.  Ixxxii.  Ca.  Quia  ali[quanti.] 

2  Dist.  xxviii.  Cap.  Deccrnimus. 

3  Deer.  ii.  Tarte.  Causa  xxvii.  Qiuest.  ii.  [Cap.  xvii.] 


AXMVEK  TO   THE   TUEATISE   OF   THE  CROSS.  241 

Again  yet,  where  ye  touch  that  Matrimony  is  a  Sacra-  The  fourth 

v       '  J  y  absurdity  for 

ment ;  yea,  the  company  itself  of  man  and  wife  together  in  ^^0^13- 
the  act  of  Matrimony  to  be  a  Sacrament ;    and  every  Sacra-  trimony- 
ment,    (you  say,)   conferreth    grace ;    how    doth    this    hold 
together,  that  in  the  act  of  Matrimony,  in  the  company  of 
man  and  wife  together,  ye  deny  the  presence  of  the  Holy 
Ghost?     For  your  law  affirmeth  it  to  be  sin,  though  a  sin 
venial4.      Shall  it  now  be  a  Sacrament,  and  anon  no  Sacra 
ment  ?     Shall  all  Sacraments  confer  grace ;  and  this  be  a 
Sacrament,   and   confer  none  ?     Shall  it  be  holy,   and  yet 
profane  ;  a  Sacrament,  and  yet  a  sin  ? 

Last  of  all,  to  prove  that,  in  all  your  devices  of  error  and  The  fifth  ab- 

1  <*  surdity  for 

hypocrisy,  ye  seek  for  nothing  else  but  to  colour  and  cloke  ^entoflia 
abominations ;  consider  what  an  heap  of  mischiefs  is  covered  trimony- 
with  this  face  of  holiness.  When  ye  have  determined  that 
Matrimony  is  a  Sacrament,  ye  take  the  knowledge  of  causes 
matrimonial  unto  yourselves :  for  spiritual  cases  must  not  be 
handled  of  profane  judges.  Then  have  ye  made  such  horrible 
laws  to  confirm  your  tyranny,  that  they  are  not  only  impious 
to  God,  but  injurious  to  man.  As,  that  young  folk,  wilfully 
contracting  themselves  without  their  parents'  consent,  may 
marry  well  enough :  that  there  shall  be  no  Marriage  within 
the  seventh  degree :  that  he,  that  divorceth  an  adulterous 
person,  may  not  marry  another  :  that  Gossips,  (as  we  call 
them,)  may  not  be  man  and  wife  together :  that  from  three 
weeks  before  Lent,  till  the  octaves  of  Easter ;  from  Advent 
to  Twelfthtide ;  and  for  three  weeks  before  Midsummer,  there 
shall  be  no  marrying  at  all,  without  a  dispensation.  No 
marvel  then  if  ye  have  made  a  Sacrament  of  Matrimony, 
since  that  is  the  milch  cow  that  yieldeth  so  large  a  meal  of 
spiritual  extortion. 

Now,  to  come  to  Penance,  which  ye  make  a  Sacrament  renance. 
as  well  as  Matrimony.     Ye  call  it  "a  bath  of  tears,  a  de-  Foiio GB, a. 
spoiling  of  the  old  life,  the  second  board  after  shipwreck." 
These  titles  argue  not  that  it   is  a  Sacrament;  nor  I  con 
tend  who  giveth  it  these   titles:    certain  I   am,  that  some 
of  them  be   blasphemous  and  abominable.      For,   to  go   no 
further  than  to  this,  "  that  it  is  called  the  second  table  after 
shipwreck,"    Qiiia  si  quis  innocentice  vestem  in  Baptismo 

4  Dec.  i.  Partc.  Dist.  xiii.  Cap.  Item  advers.  in  Glo.  [fol.  xii.  Paris. 
1518.] 

16 

[CALFHILL.J 


242  THE  FOURTH  ARTICLE. 

perceptam  peccando  corruperit,  per  Pcenitentice  remedium 
reparare  potest :  "Because,"  (saith  the  author1,  whose  name  I 
suppress  as  well  as  you ;)  "  if  any  have  marred  his  garment 
of  innocency,  which  in  Baptism  he  gat,  by  the  remedy  of 
Penance  he  may  repair  it."  This  is  as  much  to  say,  as  if 
the  effect  of  Baptism  were  taken  away  by  sin :  whereas  we 
be  bound  to  call  our  Baptism  to  remembrance  whensoever 
we  sin ;  that,  by  the  promise  exhibited  in  Baptism,  the  sinful 
soul  may  be  refreshed,  and  Penance  out  of  it  gathered. 
Therefore,  as  the  Gospel  itself  doth  say,  John  preached  the 
Baptism  of  Penance  to  remission  of  sins2 ;  so  the  Fathers  of 
the  Church  do  call  Baptism  sometime  the  Sacrament  of 
Penance3.  But  to  your  reason,  whereby  ye  prove  Penance 

Folio  es,  b.  to  be  a  Sacrament.  "It  is  a  visible  sign  of  invisible  grace," 
(ye  say;)  "and  the  visible  sign  is  the  external  act  of  the  Priest, 
absolving  the  penitent."  By  this  reason  ye  prove  better 
Absolution  to  be  a  Sacrament  than  Penance :  and  so  shall 
our  Sacraments  multiply  still.  I  beseech  you,  what  hath 
Penance  to  do  with  the  Priest's  Absolution  ?  Can  there  be  no 
remission  of  sins,  unless  the  Priest  assoyle4  me  ?  I  will  prove 
that  manifestly  false,  and  by  your  own  law.  For  Confession 
goeth  before  Absolution;  and  yet  without  Confession  there 
may  be  good  remission.  So,  by  this  reason,  we  stand  not  in 
need  of  the  visible  element :  the  invisible  grace  is  granted 
without  it.  For, according  unto  your  Canon5:  Voluntas remu- 
neratur, non opus :  "The  will  is  rewarded,  and  not  the  work." 

Folio  ee,  b.  Then  is  it  a  lie  which  you  affirm,  "  that  sins  are  remitted  by 
mean  of  the  external  work." 

I  know  that  you  be  more  conversant  in  the  Pope's 
Decrees  than  in  Austin's  works :  therefore  I  will  shew  you 
what  Gratian  gathereth  out  of  them6.  The  sorrow  of  my 
heart,  though  I  speak  never  a  word,  nor  Priest  lay  hand 
upon  my  head,  purchaseth  me  pardon.  Id  qtiod  probatur 
autoritate  ilia  prophetica1 :  In  quacunque  hora  peccator 
fuerit  conversus  et  ingemuerit :  non  enim  dicitur,  ore  con- 
fessus  fuerit,  sed  tantum  conversus  fuerit  et  ingemuerit ; 

1  [Pet.  Lombardi]  Lib.  iv.  Sent.  Dist.  xiv.  Ca.  i.  [fol.  317,  b.] 

2  Mar.  i.  [4.]  3  Dec.  Caus.  xv.  Qusest.  i.  [Cap.  iii.] 
4  [absolve.]  5  De  Poen.  Dist.  i.  Ca.  Si  cui.  [xxx.] 
6  De  Poen.  Dist.  i.  Ca.  Facilius.  [xxxii.J 

17  [Ezek.  xviii.  27,  28.] 


ANSWER  TO   THE   TREATISE   OF   THE   CROSS.  243 

vita  vivet,  et  non  morietur :  "  Which  thing  is  proved," 
(saith  he,)  "  by  the  authority  of  the  Prophet,  saying :  '  In 
what  hour  soever  a  sinner  shall  be  turned  and  lament :'  for 
he  saith  not,  when  he  shall  be  confessed,  but  when  he  shall 
be  converted  and  lament;  then  shall  he  live,  and  not  die." 
Likewise  after8:  Evidentissime  apparet,  quod  sola  cordis 
contritione,  sine  confessions  oris,  peccatum  remittatur :  [_re- 
mittituri]  "  It  appeareth  most  evidently,  that  by  the  only 
contrition  of  heart,  without  confession  of  mouth,  sin  is  remit 
ted."  And  yet  again9:  Confessio  quce  soli  Deo  Jit,  quod  est 
justorum,  purgat  peccata  :  "The  confession  which  is  made  to 
God  alone,  (which  is  the  part  of  the  righteous,)  purgeth  the 
offences."  By  which  places  all,  it  is  plainly  to  be  seen ; 
first,  that  your  Eareshrift 10,  (one  part  of  your  Penance,)  is  to 
no  purpose  :  then  that  Absolution,  which  is  your  external  work, 
your  Sacrament,  (as  you  call  it,)  is  no  mean  of  remission. 
Furthermore,  to  rake  out  this  kennel  of  Popery ;  Penance  is 
a  Sacrament,  (ye  say.)  Every  Sacrament  a  visible  sign. 
The  visible  sign  herein  is  the  external  act  of  the  Priest :  the 
invisible  grace  is  the  remission  of  sins  to  the  penitent.  So 
the  sign  and  Sacrament  is  in  the  Priest ;  but  the  grace  in  the 
people.  But  how  is  this  grace  conferred  ?  Forsooth,  by  the 
Priest,  the  ghostly  father.  And  on  whose  head  soever  the 
Priest  layeth  his  hands  under  Confession,  hath  he  remission  ? 
Yea,  forsooth :  Quia  Sacramento,  novce  Legis  ejftciunt  quod 
figurant11 :  "Because  the  Sacraments  of  the  new  Law  do  bring 
to  pass  that  which  they  figure."  Then  every  murderer,  thief, 
adulterer,  though  he  never  repent,  hath  clear  remission,  for 
he  hath  the  Sacrament.  0  shameless  impudcncy ! 

But  if  it  were  so,  (which  is  great  impiety,)  that  by  the 
external  act  remission  were  obtained,  yet  I  see  not  how  that 
should  be  a  Sacrament.  "  For  the  matter  of  this  Sacrament,"  Folio  i 
(say  you,)  "  is  the  external  act  of  the  penitent,  containing  these 
three  points;  Contrition,  Confession,  and  Satisfaction12."  Among 
all  these,  where  is  the  visible  element  ?  Ubi  est  ilia  corpo- 
ralis  species,  quce  fructum  habet  splritualem  ?  as  Augustin 

8  Ca.  Qui  natus.  [xxxvi.]  9  Ca.  Quidam  Deo.  [xc.] 

10  [Auricular  Confession.]         n  Lib.  iv.  Sent.  Dist.  i.  Cap.  i.  &  iii. 
12  ["  Judas  had  all  the  three  parts  of  popish  Repentance,  Confession, 
Contrition,  and   Satisfaction ;    yet  not  saving  Repentance."     (Hill's 
Olive-branch  of  Peace,  budding  in  a,  Sermon,  p.  9.  Lond.  1648.)] 

16—2 


214  THE   FOURTH  ARTICLE. 

saith1:  "Where  is  that  bodily  shape,  which  hath  the  spiritual 
fruit?"  Hath  Contrition,  Confession,  or  Satisfaction  a  body? 
Be  these  subject  to  the  eye,  as  bread,  wine,  and  water  are  ? 
Be  they  not  virtues  proceeding  from  the  mind,  or  things 
uttered  by  the  mouth :  and  will  you  make  them  to  be  things 
sensible,  as  boys  and  girls  brought  out  in  a  pageant  ?  Where 
fore  your  Sacrament  is  cut  off  by  the  waist.  Make  as  good 
shift  with  the  words  as  you  can,  your  visible  and  bodily  sign 
is  gone.  And  I  marvel  how  ye  dare  so  precisely  speak  of 
your  Sacrament  of  Penance,  affirming  the  external  act  to  be 
the  visible  sign  of  release  of  sin  the  invisible  grace :  whereas 
your  Master  of  the  Sentence  is  put  to  his  shifts  in  this  case2 ; 
and,  putting  two  opinions,  determineth  upon  none.  Whether 
the  outward  act  should  be  the  Sacrament ;  or  else  the  outward 
and  inward  together.  As  for  the  outward,  which  you  do 
rest  upon,  he  feareth  to  grant,  lest  this  inconvenience  ensue : 
Non  omne  Sacramentum  Evangelicum  efficere  quod  figurat : 
"  That  all  the  Sacraments  of  the  Gospel  have  not  the  effect  of 
that  which  they  figure."  But  who  is  so  bold  as  blind  bayard3? 
Hitherto  have  I  spoken  not  so  much  as  I  might,  to  derogation 
of  your  Devil's  doctrine,  but  so  much  as  your  ignorance  and 
oversight  doth  cause  me  of  conscience  to  put  you  in  mind  of. 
For  the  rest  ye  refer  me  to  the  book  of  the  seven  Sacra 
ments,  set  forth  by  the  late  King  of  famous  memory,  Henry 
the  eighth4.  And  because  this  is  but  a  popish  device,  (whoso 
ever  defend  it,)  I  refer  you  to  the  same  book,  to  know  what 
ye  ought  to  think  of  the  Pope. 

Now  as  for  Extreme  Unction,  which  you  say  was  pro 
vided  of  God's  mercy  and  goodness,  that  in  the  last  and 
perilous  extremity  we  should  not  be  destitute  of  aid  and  com 
fort.  Indeed  God  never  forsaketh  His.  He  hath  left  His 
promises  to  heal  the  mind's  infirmities,  and  use  of  physic  for 
diseases  of  the  body.  But  that  oil  can  enter  into  the  soul, 
or  is  so  sovereign  a  medicine  for  the  flesh,  resteth  to  be 
proved.  "  The  Apostles  anointed  with  oil  many  sick  folks, 

1  Ser.  <le  Bap.  Infan. 

2  Lib.  iv.  Sent.  Dis.  xxii.  Ca.  ii. 

3  [A  bay  horse.] 

4  [The  Assertio  septem  Sacramentorum,   against  M.  Luther,   was 
translated  into  English,  and  published  by  authority,  Lond.  1687.    The 
first  Irish  edition  was  that  of  Dublin,  1766.] 


AN'SWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  245 

and  they  were  healed5 :"  the  Priests  anoint  every  sick 
body,  and  none  of  them  is  the  better.  The  Apostles  were 
commanded  to  cast  out  Devils,  to  cure  diseases,  to  cleanse  the 
lepers,  and  to  raise  the  dead :  the  Priests  never  had  any  such 
commission.  The  Apostles  signified  by  their  anointing  the 
virtue  and  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  by  which  the  cure  was 
wrought :  the  Priests  with  their  oil  mock  the  Holy  Ghost, 
and  make  the  body  but  greasier  for  the  grave.  If  every 
example  that  we  read  in  Scripture  shall  be  followed  of  us ;  if 
every  thing  that  was  a  sign  to  other  shall  be  a  Sacrament  to 
us ;  then  dust  and  spittle  shall  be  a  Sacrament  to  heal  sore 
eyes :  then  the  pool  of  Siloah6  shall  be  a  Sacrament  to  wash 
away  the  filth :  then  lying  on  the  dead7  shall  be  a  Sacrament 
to  raise  them  up  to  life.  Wherefore,  though  anointing  were 
in  the  primitive  Church  used,  and  the  same  was  a  sign  of 
grace  conferred,  yet  cannot  this  precedent  extend  to  us,  be 
cause  the  commandment  concerneth  us  not,  and  also  the  effect 
and  end  thereof  is  ceased. 

Ye  have  a  common  proverb  in  your  law  :  Accessorium 
sequi  naturam  principalis  :  "  That  the  accessory  thing- 
doth  follow  the  nature  of  the  principal."  Wherefore,  since  Anointing 

.  .  ,       .  .  ..  o  •  1  1        1  T  W8S  a  S'8n  °f 

the  principal  is  gone,  the  working  of  miracles  and  healing  healing. 
of  the  sick,  what  shall  we  do  with  the  accessory,  the  sign 
thereof,  and  outward  anointing  ?  Ye  urge  vehemently  the 
institution  of  God  by  His  Apostle  S.  James :  but  the  Apostle 
meant  not  preposterously8  to  draw  to  imitation  that  which 
was  temporal,  and  only  touched  the  present  state.  When 
the  doctrine  of  Christ  was  raw  in  the  people's  mouths, 
and  a  new  Church  began  to  be  gathered,  miracles  were  ne 
cessary  ;  many  gifts  were  granted ;  and,  amongst  the  rest,  the 
power  of  healing :  the  Ministers  whereof  used  their  oil,  not  Anointing  no 

°  cause  of 

as  a  cause  of  health,  but  as  a  sign  that  the  virtue  proceeded  health- 

from  above,  and  they  were  but  instruments  of  the  same.   Now, 

since  the  gift  of  healing  is  gone,  (as  I  am  sure  ye  will  confess ;)  Anointing 

.      .  O         >  \  J  '/  must  cease, 

to  what  purpose  is  it  to  use  the  oil  ?  If  ye  will  therein  be  the  'f^^f 
Apostles'  successors  ;  if  ye  will  follow  Saint  James  his  counsel ; in* t>easeth- 
save  the  sick  and9  you  can :  shew  the  grace  of  your  grease. 

&  Mark  vi.  [13.]  6  Joan.  ix.  [7.]  7  Act.  xx.  [10.] 

8  [inverting  the  order  of  things  :  putting  the  future  instead  of  the 
present  time.] 

9  [an',  if.] 


246  THE  FOURTH  ARTICLE. 

The  greasy  merchants,  that  take  this  cure  now-a-days  in  hand, 
be  no  more  exhibitors  of  the  grace  then  granted,  than  the 
Player  on  the  stage  is  a  King  indeed,  when  he  cometh  dis 
guised  in  a  golden  coat.  Christ  dispensed  many  things  by 
His  Apostles,  the  effect  whereof  He  denieth  unto  us.  And 
anointing  better  might  be  used  of  such  as  have  the  power  of 
healing,  Surgeons  or  Physicians,  than  of  such  as  have  no  skill, 
but  only  in  murdering  and  in  killing. 
>ntradie-  Here  I  rehearse  not  the  contradiction  that  in  your  idle 

an  in  •! 

KtrSne.  Decrees  I  find,  and  is  only  sufficient  to  disprove  your  as 
sertion  :  for  whilst  each  man  goeth  about  to  establish  his 
own  device,  and  each  man  is  contrary  to  another1,  ye  shew 
therein  that  ye  be  liars  all.  You  say,  that  Priests  only 

o«o 70, a, b.  must  be  the  Ministers  of  this  Sacrament:  "Priests  must  be 
called  for,  Priests  must  anoint."  But  Innocentius,  a  Father 
of  your  Church,  hath  long  ago  decreed  the  contrary.  For 
Sigebertus,  in  his  Chronicle2,  affirmeth  that  he  made  an  Act, 
Oleo  ad  usus  infirmorum  ab  Episcopo  consecrato  licere  uti, 
non  solum  Presbyteris,  sed  omnibus  etiam  Christianis,  in 
suam  suorumque  necessitatem  ungendo :  "  That  it  should 
be  lawful,  not  only  for  the  Priests,  but  also  for  all  Christians, 
to  use  the  oil  consecrated  of  the  Bishop  for  the  behoof  of 
the  sick ;  anointing  therewith,  according  to  the  necessity  of 
themselves  and  their  friends."  But  ye  allege  Saint  James 
for  you3 :  "  Is  there  any  sick  among  you,  let  him  bring 
in  the  Priests  of  the  Church  ;"  (for  so  ye  translate  it : )  "  and 
let  them  pray  over  him,  anointing  him  with  oil,  in  the  name 
of  our  Lord."  Ye  abhor  the  name  of  the  Lord ;  (for,  by 
Storie's  position,  that  is  the  mark  of  an  heretic4:)  and  yet 
all  Prophets  and  Apostles  use  it.  Then  it  folio weth  :  "  The 
prayer  of  faith  shall  save  the  sick ;  and  if  he  be  in  sins, 
they  shall  be  forgiven  him." 

KOW  the  Pa-         Now  if  a  man  should  grant,  (which  I  have  proved  to  be 

iiistsinall  .      . 

•"^swerve  m0st  untrue,)  that  the  anointing  here  spoken  of  agreed  to 

James  his 

1  [Cf.  Dalleeum,  De  Extrema  Unctione,  Lib.  i.  Cap.  ii.  Genev.  1659.] 

2  Anno  Domini  404.    [Chron.  fol.  5,  a.  Paris.  1513.    Vid.  Pithoei 
Cod.  Canon,  vet.  p.  336.  Lut.  Paris.  1609.     Clagett's  Discourse  concern 
ing  Extreme  Unction,  Part  ii.  Sect.  iii.  Lond.  1687.] 

3  James  v.  [14,  15.] 

4  [Comp.  Fox's  Acts  and  Mon.  Vol.  iii.  pp.  460,  470.  Lond.  1684. 
Exam,  of  Philpot,  pp.  9,  47.  ed.  Parker  Soc.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  247 

tliis  age ;  yet  had  ye  furthered  your  cause  nothing,  inasmuch 
as  so  shamefully  ye   do  decline  from  the  Apostle's  order.  ™eabsurdi" 
Saint  James  will  have  all  to  be  anointed,  if  they  he  sick :    1. 
you  only  anoint  in  case  of  mortality  and  danger  of  death, 
when  one  foot  is  in  the  grave  already.      If  oil  be  your 
Sacrament,  and  the  promise  of  grace  be  annexed  to  it,   to 
heal  both  bodily  and  ghostly,  (as  you  say ;)  then  what  hard 
hearts  have  you,   that   suffer   so   many  to   languish   in  ex 
tremity,  that  come  not  by  your  wills  before  the  last  gasp  ? 
S.  James  will  have  the  sick  to  be  anointed  of  many  :  you    2. 
will  admit   but    one  alone,    with  his    head   in   his    sleeve, 
muffled  as  an  ape,  with  a  bell  before  him,   as  a  bat-fowler 
for  an  owl.     S.  James  will  have  the  Elders  to  be  called  to    3. 
this  office,  which  were  not  only  of  the  Ministry,  but  also  of 
the  lay  fee :   you  will  have  a  rabble  of  shorn  Priests,  and 
none  but  them.     S.  James  is  content  with  simple  oil :  you  will    4. 
have  none  but  such  as  a  Bishop  hallowed  ;  with  many  a  stink 
ing  breath  warmed ;  with  many  a  sorcerous  word  enchanted ; 
with  many  a  beck,  many  a  knee  to  the  ground  idoled.      S.    5. 
James  will  have  unction,  (the  sign  of  God's  Spirit,)  and  prayer 
of  the  faithful  to  concur  together ;  noting  that  it  is  not  the  oil 
that  healeth,  but  good  men's  prayers  are  always  available : 
you  most  blasphemously  do  ascribe  remission  of  sins  unto  your 
oil-box. 

Now  brag  of  your  unction :  go  sell  your  kitchen-stuff. 
Try  it,  and  ye  lose  it.  It  is  too  stale  to  make  a  Sacrament. 
It  stinketh,  I  tell  you.  For  whereas  in  a  Sacrament  two 
things  be  required :  first,  that  it  be  a  ceremony  instituted  of 
God;  then,  that  it  have  a  promise  of  grace  in  it:  in  the 
first  we  respect  that  the  ceremony  be  delivered  unto  us ;  in 
the  second  that  the  promise  also  concern  us.  And  forasmuch 
as  neither  the  ceremony  was  commanded  us,  nor  the  promise 
appertaineth  to  us ;  both  being  temporal,  and  long  ago  sur 
ceased;  I  may  well  conclude,  that  Extreme  Unction  is  no  Sacra 
ment.  Whatsoever  in  the  Council  of  Florence5,  or  in  the  late 

5  [The  mention  of  this  Council,  with  reference  to  the  Romanistic 
Sacraments,  proceeded  from  a  misconception  of  no  slight  moment. 
It  is  to  be  remembered,  however,  that  the  error  is  one  into  which  the 
author  has  fallen  in  company  with  many  of  our  best  writers;  for 
example,  Stillingfleet  (The  Council  of  Trent  examined  and  disprov'd, 
pp.  93, 109.  Lond.  1688.)  and  Hooker,  (vi.  ri.  11.  Vol.  iii.  p.  93.  Oxf. 


248  THE  FOURTH  ARTICLE. 

Synod  of  Trent,  hath  been  decreed  to  the  contrary,  shall  not 
prejudice  my  truth.  For  I,  having  reason  and  Scripture  for 
me,  with  the  learned  and  sound  determinations  of  moe  Fathers' 
of  the  Church  than  these,  will  not  be  prescribed  by  conven 
ticles  and  conspiracies.  You  pretend  authority  :  we  bring  the 
Scripture.  You  call  us  heretics :  we  prove  you  no  less.  And 
which  shall  take  place :  God's  word,  or  men's  wills ;  a  talk, 
or  a  proof  ?  If  all  the  fat  bulls  of  Basan  did  draw  together, 
and  the  Devil  their  carter  did  drive  them  to  Trent,  there  to 
feed  and  stand  fast  for  their  provender,  shall  the  Lord's  sheep 
therefore  be  starved  ?  shall  His  work  be  neglected  ?  If  ten 
thousand  of  your  affinity,  bewitched  with  the  sorcery  of 
Romish  Circe,  should  hold  a  Council,  and  call  all  men  to  the 
trough  of  your  own  draff1,  should  not  I  acknowledge  and 
confess  with  Gryllus,  in  whom,  (bearing  the  figure  of  a  reason 
able  creature,)  enchantment  could  take  no  place,  that  reason 
and  Religion  should  be  preferred  to  the  belly  ?  What  reason 
is  in  this ;  their  sentence  to  hold,  who  be  the  parties  accused, 
and  yet  judges  of  the  cause  ?  What  Religion  is  in  this  ;  that, 
for  filthy  lucre,  man's  idle  ordinance  shall  displace  the  com 
mandment  of  almighty  God  ?  Wheresoever  I  see  this  shame 
and  disorder,  (as  in  all  your  popish  Councils  it  is,)  I  appeal 
from  them ;  I  say  with  Paul :  Mihi  pro  minima  est  lit  a 
vobis  judicer  :  "  I  pass  very  little  to  be  judged  of  you2." 
As  for  the  place  of  Htlarius  against  Auxentius  the  Arrian  ', 

1841.)  Bellarmin's  words  are  these  :  "  Porro  Grsecos  agnoscere  pro 
vero  Sacramento  Extremam  unctionem,  patet  primo  ex  Concilio  Flo- 
rentino,  ubi  sine  ulla  contradictio'ne  receperunt  instructionem  Arme- 
norum,  ubi  inter  alia  Sacramenta  numeratur  Extrema  unctio."  (De 
Extr.  Unct.  Cap.  iv.  col.  1647.  Ingolst.  1601.  Cf.  Catech.  Concil.  Trid. 
pp.  226,  273,  333.  Lovan.  1567.)  This  statement  exhibits  consummate 
carelessness,  if  nothing  worse  :  for  it  is  manifest  beyond  contradiction, 
that  the  Instruction  given  to  the  Armenians,  and  prescribing  to  them 
the  seven  Sacraments,  owes  its  origin  not  to  the  Council  of  Florence, 
but  to  the  schismatical  Pope,  Eugenius  IV.  The  Instruct ioArmeniorum 
is  dated  x.  Calend.  Decemb.  1439,  exactly  four  months  after  the  de 
parture  of  the  Greeks  from  Florence;  an  event  which  took  place  on  the 
20th  and  21st  of  July,  in  the  same  year.  Vid.  Coci  Censuram,  pag. 
232.  Cosin's  Schol.  Hist,  of  Canon  of  Scripture,  §.  clviii.  Lond.  1672. 
History  of  Transub.  pp.  157 — 9.  Ib.  1676.  Dallseum,  ut  sup.  ii.  xxi. 
p.  148.] 

1  [Food  for  swine.]  2  i  Cor.  iv.  [3.] 

3  [S.  Hilarii  Opp.  1269.  cd.  Benod.  Paris.  1693.] 


ANSWER  TO   THE   TREATISE   OF   THE   CROSS.  249 

how  fitly  it  may  be  applied  unto  you,  (and  not  to  us,  whom 
you  would  seem  to  touch,)  all  they  that  have  eyes  do  see. 
For  you  can  say  nothing  but  "These  new  Ministers  are  FOI.  71,72. 
heretics ;  they  are  Calvinists,  and  therefore  Devils."  Proof 
bring  ye  none,  but  the  same  is  reproved.  I  trust  therefore 
ye  have  credit  according.  But  to  you  I  say  :  Ye  be  fallen 
with  Auxentius :  ye  do  participate  with  Arrius'  heresy.  Who 
is  the  Devil's  Angel  then  ?  Who  is  to  be  avoided  ?  Nor  I 
am  contented  only  to  say  it,  (as  you  do;)  though  in  this 
respect  my  word  were  as  well  to  be  accepted  as  yours,  but  I 
prove  it  too.  For  when  ye  make  an  Image  of  God  the  Word, 
Creaturam  facitis  Eum,  qui  omnia  creavit ;  as  Epiphanius 
sayeth4:  "  Ye  make  a  creature  of  Him  that  created  all  things." 
Wherefore,  if  ye  would  assent  to  the  Decrees  of  the  first 
Nicene  Council,  and  go  no  further,  these  words  needed  not 
betwixt  you  and  me.  But  when  ye  take  away  the  name  of 
Nicene,  and  put  Florence  or  Trent  in  place  thereof,  ye  are  as 
true  a  man  as  he  that  stale  a  goose,  and  sticked  down  a 
feather.  For  all  Councils  are  not  alike.  Nor  all  they  that 
brag  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  are  by  and  by  inspired  with  His 
grace.  For  Hilarius,  your  own  author,  (whom  to  no  pm*-  FOI.  72,  b. 
pose  ye  brought  forth  last ;)  hath,  to  good  purpose,  this5  : 
Multi  sunt,  qui,  simidantes  fidem,  non  subditi  sunt  fidei, 
sibique  fidem  ipsi  potius  constituunt  quam  accipiunt :  sensu 
humance  inanitatis  inflati,  dum  quce  volunt  sapiunt,  et  nolunt 
sapere  quce  vera  sunt :  cum  sapientice  hcec  veritas  sit,  ea 
interdum  sapere  quce  nolis.  Sequitur  vero  hanc  voluntatis 
sapientiam  sermo  stultitice :  quia  necesse  est,  quod  stulte 
sapitur,  stulte  et  prcedicetur  :  "  Many  there  are,"  (saith  he,) 
"which,  feigning  a  faith,  are  not  subject  to  faith,  and  rather  do 
appoint  themselves  a  faith  than  receive  it :  puffed  up  with  the 
sense  of  man's  vanity,  while  they  understand  those  things 
that  they  lust,  but  will  not  understand  those  things  that  be 
true  :  whereas  the  truth  of  wisdom  is,  sometime  to  understand 
those  things  that  thou  wouldest  not.  But  the  talk  of  folly 
cometh  after  this  will-wisdom  :  for  necessary  it  is,  that  fool 
ishly  it  be  uttered,  that  foolishly  is  understood." 

4  Lib.  ii.   Tom.  ii.  Hser.  xcvi.    [User.  Ixix. — The  Panarium  was 
written  against  eighty  heresies.] 

5  Hilarius,  Li.  viii.  de  Trinit.  [Opp.  947.] 


TO    THE    FIFTH   ARTICLE. 


ALTHOUGH  ye  bend  yourself  in  all  this  article,  and 
stretch  every  vein  of  your  feeble  skill,  to  prove  a  matter, 
which,  although  it  be  in  part  untrue,  yet,  being  granted,  did 
not  hurt  my  cause ;  ("  That  the  Apostles  and  Fathers  of  the 
primitive  Church  blessed  themselves  with  the  sign  of  the  Cross, 
and  counselled  all  Christian  men  to  do  the  same;  and  that 
in  those  days  the  Cross  was  set  up  in  every  place  convenient 
for  it :")  yet,  because  ye  still  appear  in  your  likeness,  and  it  is 
so  requisite  ye  be  known  to  the  world,  a  clouter  of  a  patch 
of  troth  upon  a  whole  cloke  of  lies;  I  will  not  disdain  to 
make  an  easy  proof  of  your  three  tagless  points :  for  any 
greater  stress  they  will  not  abide.  And  first  of  all,  the 
term  of  blessing  is  ill  applied  to  signing  in  the  forehead. 
For  what  it  is  to  bless,  I  declared  in  the  article  before : 
to  speak  well,  profess  well,  live  well.  This  is  evXoyetv : 
this  is  benedicere ;  which  you  do  use  alway  to  translate 
"bless."  S.  Augustin  hath1:  Benedicam  Dominum  in  omni 
tempore :  semper  laus  Ejus  in  ore  meo.  Quod  est  in  omni 
tempore,  hoc  est  semper.  Et  quod  est  benedicam,  hoc  est 
laus  Ejus  in  ore  meo  :  "I  will  bless  the  Lord  in  all  time : 
always  His  praise  shall  be  in  my  mouth.  And  that  which 
He  sayeth,  in  all  time,  is  ever.  And  that  which  He  sayeth,  I 
will  bless,  is,  His  praise  in  my  mouth."  Likewise  Chrysostom2: 
Quando  Dominus  benedicitur,  et  aguntur  Illi  gratice  ab 
hominibus,  tune  uberior  ab  Illo  solet  benedictio  dari,  propter 
quos  Ipse  benedicitur.  Nam  qui  benedixerit,  debitorem 
Ilium  facit  majoris  benedictionis :  "  When  God  is  blessed, 
and  thanks  be  given  of  men  unto  Him,  then  more  plen 
teous  blessing  is  wont  to  be  given  of  Him,  for  their  sakes 
by  whom  He  is  blessed.  For  he  that  blesseth  maketh  Him 
debtor  of  a  greater  blessing."  Where  ye  see  plainly  what 
the  nature  of  the  word  is,  and  in  what  sense  it  hath 
been  taken  of  old.  But  if  you  have  learned  of  your  old 

1  August,  in  Psa.  xxxii.  [xxxiii.  al.  xxxiv.] 

2  Chrysos.  in  Gen.  Ca.  ix.  Horn.  xxix.     [Opp.  Lat.  Tom.  i.  coll. 
238—9.  Basil.  1547.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  251 

mother  Maukin,  (of  whom  ye  spake  before,)  another  sense; 
if  you  have  borrowed  of  foolish  custom  a  new-found  significa 
tion  of  the  word,  to  note  a  signing  of  a  Cross  in  the  forehead ; 
ye  do  very  ill  apply  it  to  the  Apostles'  time,  and  primitive 
Church :  where  we  never  read,  Benedicebant  se  signo  Crucis, 
sed  signabant  se  :  "  That  they  blessed  themselves,  but  marked 
themselves  with  the  sign  of  the  Cross  :"  yet  that  the  Apostles 
did  ever  practise  any  such  thing,  is  not  to  be  found  in  any 
approved  writer. 

Your  authorities  ye  fetch  out  of  Abdias.  Such  lips, 
such  lettuce3.  Him  have  I  proved  in  the  third  article  to 
be  a  very  liar,  a  vain  foundation  to  build  a  truth  upon. 
Wherefore,  as  loth  to  be  tedious,  (as  you.)  I  will  travail  no 
further  in  confuting  of  these  two  or  three  leaves  together,  FOI.  73, 74, 
which  are  wholly  gathered  out  of  his  legends.  If  any  think  ' 
any  piece  of  more  credit  to  be  given  to  him,  let  him  resort 
to  that  which  I  sayed  before,  or  read  his  tales.  I  wish  no 
better  confuter  than  himself.  As  for  Clement,  whom,  (you  element, 
say,)  S.  Peter  appointed  to  be  his  successor,  I  would  fain 
have  you  to  reconcile  your  authors  before  I  do  fully  believe 
it4.  For  Irena3us5  reckoneth  Linus  first  after  Peter ;  then 
Anacletus  ;  and  Clement  to  be  the  third.  Eusebius0  affirmeth 
the  same :  adding  further,  that  after  Linus  had  occupied 
the  see  twelve  year  together,  then  he  resigned  his  bishoprick 
to  Anacletus,  the  second  year  of  Titus.  Epiphanius7,  although 
he  vary  in  the  name,  yet  in  the  order  he  doth  agree,  saying: 
Episcoporum  in  Roma  successio  hanc  consequentiam  habuit: 
Petrus  et  Paulus,  Linus,  Cletus,  Clemens:  "  The  succession 
of  Bishops  in  Rome  had  this  orderly  sequel :  Peter  and  Paul, 
Linus,  Cletus,  Clemens."  And  whereas  in  the  same  place 
report  is  made,  that  both  Linus  and  Cletus  enjoyed  the  room 
twelve  year  apiece,  I  marvel  that  Clement,  according  to 
Peter's  will,  did  not  immediately  succeed,  but  tarried  for  it 
twenty-four  year.  A  great  modesty  of  the  man,  or  much 
immodesty  of  the  makers.  But,  to  come  to  the  purpose ;  that, 

3  ['Similes  habent  labra  lactucas:' — " notissimum  dicterium,  de 
asino  carduos  comedente."    (Erasmi  Adagia,  fol.  1.  Argent.  1510.)] 
•*  [Vid.  Pearsonii  Opera  posthuma :  ed.  Dodwell.  Lond.  1688.] 
6  Contra  Hseres.  Li.  iii.  Ca.  iii.  [p.  159.  Paris.  1575.] 
c  Bus.  Li.  iii.  Cap.  xiii.    [Hist.  Eccles.] 
"•  Epiph.  Lib.  i.  To.  ii.  Ha?,  xxrii.  [p.  35.  Cornar.  interp.  Basil.  1578.] 


252  THE  FIFTH  ARTICLE. 

which  ye  cite  of  his  authority,  hath  no  credible  author  to 
support  it.  Indeed  I  find  in  his  Recognitions  l  a  notable  place 
or  two  for  the  material  Cross  ;  which  I  think  convenient 
to  speak  of  more  hereafter  in  the  tenth  article. 

76.  The  tales  of  S.  Anthony,  S.  Martin,  Donatus,  Bishop  of 
Euoria2,  and  Paula,  the  noblewoman  of  Rome,  I  pass  over  with 
silence;  because  if  they  did  sign  themselves,  (as  you  say,)  they 
be  no  precedents  to  enforce  an  imitation  :  and  yet  a  man  may 
doubt,  whether  such  things  were  done  as  are  reported,  or  no. 
Erasmus  his  judgment  is,  that  S.  Hierom  wrote  the  life  of 
Paul  the  Heremite  only  for  his  exercise3.  And  in  the  same 
place  that  ye  bring  for  your  proof;  "  where  S.  Anthony  armed 
his  forehead  with  the  impression  of  the  healthful  sign,  and  by 
and  by  the  monster,  running  swiftly  over  the  field,  vanished 
out  of  sight;"  we  read  these  words4:  Hcec  utrum  Diabolus  ad 
terrendum  eum  simulaverit  ;  an,  (ut  solet,}  eremus,  monstru- 
osorum  animalium  ferax,  istam  quoque  gignat  bestiam,  incer- 
twn  habemus  :  "  Whether  the  Devil  did  counterfeit  these 
things  to  fear  him  ;  or  else,  whether  the  wilderness,  being  very 
fruitful  of  monstrous  beasts,  do  bring  forth  also  this  beast, 
I  know  not."  So  that  we  may  doubt  of  the  truth  of  the 
history.  And  most  likely  it  is,  (as  S.  Hierom  himself  saith  ;) 
that  the  Devil,  feeling  the  Heremite's  affection,  would  make 
the  sign  of  the  Cross,  wherein  he  delighted,  to  be,  (as  ever 
since  it  hath  been,)  a  cause  of  further  sickness,  a  stone  of 
offence,  a  stumbling-block  to  fall  at.  Therefore  he  minis 
tered  an  occasion,  whereby  he  might  run  to  this  sorry 
succour  ;  and  feigned  himself  to  be  afraid  of  it,  that  men  might 
put  more  affiance  in  it.  Wherefore  we  ought  to  doubt  the 
worst,  lest  these  external  means  do  make  our  enemy  have 
more  advantage  of  us,  and  our  inward  faith  to  be  the  less. 

o-  Notwithstanding,  if  in  the  doings  of  elder  age  there  were 
ay  no  such  offence,  yet,  considering  how  things  in  time  have 

e  done.  J  & 

grown  to  abuse  and  superstition,  such  as  have  been  tolerably 

1  [See  before,  pages  20,  21.] 

2  [Evoria,  in  Epirus.  Vid.  Sozom.  Hist.  Eccl.  Lib.  vii.  Cap.  xxv.j 

3  ["Videtur  et  hoc  Hieronymus  exercitandi  ingenii  gratia  lusisse." 
(Opp.  S.  Hieron.  Tom.  i.  p.  237.  Basil.  1565.)] 

4  Hieron.  in  Vita  Pauli  Eremitse.    [Inter  Vitas  Patrum,  S.  Hier 
adscript,  fol.  xv,  b.  Lugd.  1520:  vel  in  edit.  Rosweyd.  p.  18.  Antverp. 


ANSWER  TO   THE   TREATISE   OF  THE   CROSS.  l}5o 

received  must  now  of  right  and  conscience  be  condemned. 
Remember  the  Decree  of  Stephen5,  whereof  I  spake  before; 
that  if  any  of  the  predecessors  have  done  any  thing  which 
at  any  time  could  stand  without  offence,  and  afterward  is 
turned  to  error  and  superstition,  it  ought  immediately  to  be 
removed.  And  I  see  not  but  Christians  may  better  forsake  it 
than  keep  it. 

I  am  glad  that  ye  esteem  so  much  S.  Hierom's  report 
of  Paula.  I  trust  ye  will  not  reject  him  when  in  a  greater 
matter  he  shall  be  alleged.  Epiphanius,  a  Bishop  of  Cyprus, 
who  li ved  about  the  year  of  our  Lord  three  hundred  and  a 
ninety,  writing  to  John,  the  Patriarch  of  Hierusalem,  hath 
these  words6 :  Quod  audivi  quosdam  murmurare  contra  me, 
quia  quando  simul  pergebamus  ad  sanctum  locum  qui  vo- 
catur  Bethel,  ut  ibi  collectam  tecum  ex  more  ecclesiastico 
facerem;  et  venissem  ad  villam  quce  dicitur  Anablatha;  vidis- 
semque  ibi  prceteriens  lucernam  ardentem,  et  interrogassem 
quis  locus  esset,  didicissemque  esse  ecclesiam,  et  intrassem  ut 
orarem  ;  inveni  ibi  velum  pendens  in  foribus  ejusdem  eccle- 
sice,  tinctum  atque  depictum,  et  habens  Imaginem  quasi 
Christi,  vel  Sancti  cujusdam  :  non  enim  satis  memini  cujus 
Imago  fuerit.  Cum  ergo  hoc  vidissem,  in  ecclesia  Christi, 
contra  authoritatem  Scripturarum,  hominis  pendere  Imaginem, 
scidi  illud;  et  magis  dedi  consilium  custodibm  ejusdem  loci, 
lit  pauperem  mortuum  eo  obvolverent  et  efferrent.  Which 
words,  right  worthy  to  be  considered,  are  in  English  these : 
"  In  that  I  heard  certain  did  grudge  against  me,  for  that, 
when  we  went  together  to  the  holy  place  which  is  called 
Bethel,  to  make  a  gathering  there  with  thee,  according  to 
the  manner  of  the  Church ;  and  came  to  a  village  called 
Anablatha ;  and,  as  I  passed,  saw  a  candle  burning,  and  asked 
what  place  it  was ;  and  when  I  had  learned  that  it  was  a 
church,  and  had  entered  in  to  make  my  prayers,  I  found 
there  a  vail  hanging  in  the  church-porch,  becoloured  and 
painted,  and  having  the  Image  as  it  were  of  Christ,  or  of 
some  Saint,  upon  it :  for  I  do  not  well  remember  whose  Image 
it  was.  Therefore  when  I  had  seen  this,  that  in  the  church 
of  Christ,  contrary  to  the  authority  of  the  Scriptures,  there 
hanged  the  Image  of  a  man,  I  cut  it;  and  gave  counsel  rather 

5  Dist.  Ixiii.  [Cap.  xxviii.  Decret.  Par.  i.     Vid.  p.  67.] 

6  [Sec  before,  page  42.] 


254  THE   FIFTH  ARTICLE. 

to  the  churchwardens,  to  wrap  some  poor  dead  man  in  it, 
and  bury  him."  So  far  Epiphanius.  And  a  little  after  he 
requesteth  the  Bishop  of  Hierusalem  to  give  commandment: 
In  ecclesia  Christi,  ejusmodi  vela,  qua  contra  Religionem 
nostram  veniunt,  non  appendi.  Decet  enim  honestatem 
tuam  hanc  magis  habere  solicitudinem;  ut  scrupulositatem 
tollat,  quce  indigna  est  Ecclesia  Christi,  et  populis  qui  tibi 
crediti  sunt :  "That  in  the  church  of  Christ  there  should  be 
no  such  clothes  hanged,  which  come  against  our  Religion. 
For  it  becometh  your  honesty,"  (saith  he,)  "rather  to  have 
this  care;  to  take  away  the  scrupulosity  which  is  unworthy 
of  the  Church  of  Christ,  and  people  which  are  committed  to 
your  charge."  Whereby  we  see  that  certain  Images  of  Christ 
and  other  were  in  those  days  crept  into  the  church ;  but  the 
faithfuller  Bishops  did  straight  remove  them.  We  see  also 
that  in  S.  Hierom's  time,  (to  approve  that  which  in  the 
Epistle  I  said  before ;)  the  use  of  Images  was  not  publicly  re 
ceived  in  churches,  but  judged  disagreeant  unto  the  Scriptures. 
For  otherwise,  (to  use  your  own  reason ;)  S.  Hierom  would 
not  have  winked  at  his  fault,  nor  translated  the  Epistle  with 
out  correction,  if  he  had  thought  that  his  doing  had  been  ill, 
or  his  words  untrue. 

But  what  could  ye  have  more  evident  against  your 
Cross,  than  that  which  Epiphanius  most  freely  said  ?  First, 
that  it  is  against  the  authority  of  the  Scripture,  to  have 
the  Image  of  a  man  hang  in  the  church  of  Christ.  Then, 
that  he  desired  that  such  painted  clothes  should  not  be 
hanged  up,  because  he  thought  them  against  our  Religion. 
Last  of  all,  that  he  deemed  the  use  of  such  to  be  but  a 
scrupulosity,  unworthy  of  Christ's  Church,  unworthy  of 
Christians1.  We  teach  no  more  than  Epiphanius  did ;  yet 
you  condemn  us  as  heretics.  Was  Epiphanius  ever  accompted 
such  ?  Would  Saint  Hierom  have  turned  his  Epistle  out  of 
the  Greek  into  Latin,  if  it  had  contained  any  unsound  doctrine  ? 
Would  he  have  given  such  a  testimony  of  him,  (as  we  read  he 
did,)  if  he  might  have  been  stained  with  any  point  of  heresy? 
Writing  to  Pammachius,  against  John  of  Hierusalem,  he  saith 2 : 

1  [For  the  substance  of  these  remarks,  and  for  several  authorities 
adduced  by  Calf  hill,  see  Bp.  Ridley's  Treatise  concerning  Images.'] 

2  Hieronymus  ad  Panamachium.  [sEpistt.  Par.  i.  Tract,  iii.  Ep.  xx. 
sig.  miii.  Lugd.  1508.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE   OF   THE   CROSS.  ZOO 

Habes  Papam  Epiplianium,  qui  te  aperte  missis  [al.  multis] 
literis  hcereticum  vocat.  Carte  nee  cetate,  nee  scientia,  nee 
vitce  merito,  nee  totius  orbis  testimonio,  major  illo  es. . .  Eo 
[al.  Et]  tempore  quo  totiim  Orientem,  (excepto  Papa  Atha- 
nasio  atque  Paulino,}  Arrianorum  et  Eunomianorum  hceresis 
possidebat;  [al.  possideat ;]  quando  tu  [al.  in~]  Occidentalibus, 
et  in  rnedio  [al.  Judece\  exilio  Confessoribus  non  communi- 
cabas;  ille  vel  Presbyter  monasterii  abEutitio  audiebatur,vel 
postea  Episcopus  Cypri  a  Valente  non  tangebatur.  Tantce 
enim  venerationis  semper  fuit,  ut  regnantes  hceretici  ignomi- 
niam  suam  putarent,  si  talem  virum  persequerentur :  "Thou 
hast,"  (quoth  he,)  "  the  Pope  Epiphanius ;"  (where  is  to  be 
noted,  that  the  Pope  in  old  time  did  signify  but  a  Father;  and 
the  name  was  given  not  only  to  them  of  Rome3,  but  also  to 
them  of  Cyprus  and  Alexandria :)  "who,  in  his  letters  to  thee, 
calleth  thee  heretic.  Truly  neither  in  age,  nor  knowledge,  nor 
worthiness  of  life,  thou  art  greater  than  he.  At  such  time 
as  the  heresy  of  the  Arrians  and  Eunomians  possessed  all  the 
East,  (except  Father  Athanasius  and  Paulinus ;)  when  thou 
diddest  not  communicate  with  them  of  the  West,  and  such  as 
confessed  the  truth  in  midst  of  their  exile ;  he,  being  but  a 
poor  Minister  of  a  religious  house,  was  heard  of  Eutitius,  and 
being  afterward  Bishop  of  Cyprus,  was  not  touched  of  Valens. 
For  always  he  was  of  such  worship  and  reverence,  that 
when  the  heretics  reigned,  they  thought  it  a  shame  for  them, 
if  they  should  persecute  such  a  man  as  he." 

Here  have  ye  the  testimony  of  S.  Hierom  for  Epiphanius. 
Ye  have  heard  what  his  opinion  was.  I  would  fain  know  what 
your  judgment  is  of  it.  S.  Hierom  praised  Paula :  so  did  he 
Epiphanius.  S.  Hierom  wrote  the  life  of  Paula  :  so  did  he 
discourse  upon  Epiphanius,  and  translated  his  doings.  Then 
set  the  fact  of  Paula  against  the  fact  of  Epiphanius,  and  see 
which  is  to  be  preferred.  She  made  the  sign  of  a  Cross  in 

3  [The  name  of  "  Pope"  was  not  restricted  to  the  Bishop  of  Rome 
until  a  Decree  for  its  appropriation  was  issued  by  Gregory  VII.,  in  the 
year  1076.  Vid.  Morton's  Grand  Imposture  of  tJie  (now)  Church  of 
Home,  p.  249.  Lond.  1628.  Usser.  De  Christianar.  Ecclesiar.  success, 
et  statu,  Cap.  v.  p.  64.  Lond.  1687.  Casauboni  Exercit.  xv.  ad  Annall. 
Baronii,  p.  422.  Lond.  1614.  Laud's  Conference  with  Fisher,  p.  181. 
Ib.  1639.  Binii  Concilia,  iii.  ii.  297,  398.  Erasmi  Stultitioe  Laus,  p. 
182.  Basil.  1676.] 


25G  THE   FIFTH  ARTICLE. 

her  forehead  :  he  would  have  no  sign  in  the  church  remain 
ing.  She  prostrate  herself  before  the  Image  on  the  Cross : 
he  cut  in  pieces  the  cloth  that  had  the  Image  on  it.  She, 
without  reason,  not  according  to  skill,  gave  example  of  a 
thing :  he,  by  Religion  and  Scripture,  condemned  it.  She 
was  a  woman,  but  he  a  man.  She  unlearned,  but  he  learned. 
She  lived  after,  in  a  corrupter  age:  he  went  before,  nearer  the 
sincerity  of  the  Apostles'  times.  Then  if  ye  urge  the  one,  I  will 
burden  you  with  the  other.  Yet  admit,  with  Epiphanius,  no 
Cross,  no  Crucifix,  no  Image  in  the  church ;  and  I  will  not 

io/8,79.  stick  with  a  mystical  sign  of  the  Cross  with  Paula.  Ye 
reckon  up  a  sort  that  used  of  devotion  to  make  in  their 
foreheads  this  Cross  sign :  ye  make  no  mention  of  them  that 
used  it  not ;  in  zeal  as  good  as  they,  and  in  number  moe. 
Wherefore,  as  Dionysius  answered,  when  it  was  laid  unto  him 
how  many  had  escaped  the  peril  of  the  sea,  by  Neptune's  aid, 
whose  garments  and  monuments  were  hanged  up  to  be  seen ; 
"  Yea,"  (quoth  he.)  "  but  there  are  no  monuments  of  them 
that  perished :"  even  so  say  I ;  though  you  keep  a  calendar 
of  the  crossers,  yet  where  is  the  register  of  them  that  crossed 
not1  ?  If  I  should  in  number  contend  with  you,  I  well  near 
might  be  equal ;  but  if  antiquity  should  be  respected,  you 
should  be  far  inferior.  For  as  for  Abdias'  fables,  all  wise  and 
honest  esteem  as  much  as  the  famous  pamphlets  that  come 
from  Lovain. 

But  I  will  not  use  so  slender  a  defence.  I  will  not, 
(as  you  do,)  cumber  the  readers  with  more  idle  talk  than 
needful  proof.  For  if  in  any  thing,  sure  in  Religion,  this 
sentence  taketh  place :  Non  vivendum  exemplis,  sed  legibus : 
"We  must  not  live  by  examples,  but  by  laws."  Yet  here  ye 
triumph  marvellously ;  God  wot,  before  the  victory,  before 
any  blow  given.  For  when  ye  have  rehearsed  the  names 
of  certain  which  in  their  days  did  use  this  ceremony,  ye 

ioso.a.  vehemently  say  :  "  Shall  we  so  far  discredit  and  disauthorizc 
these  grave,  virtuous,  and  learned  men,  as  though  they  knew 
not  the  Scriptures,  and  true  interpretation  of  the  same ; 
as  though  they  knew  not  light  from  darkness,  verity  from 
heresy,  true  Religion  from  vain  superstition?  Alas,  God 
forbid."  Alas,  good  man,  how  fell  you  out  with  yourself? 

1  [Cf.  Gul.  Reginald!  Calvino-Turcismum,  p.  94.    Colon.  Agripp. 
1603.] 


ANSWER    TO    THE     TREATISE    OF    THE    CROSS.  257 

Who  hath  chafed  your  charity  ?  Be  men  discredited  that  be 
not  in  every  point  followed  ?  Hath  your  wisdom  forgotten 
that  the  selfsame  Fathers,  which  twice  or  thrice  ye  rehearse  by 
tale,  both  did  and  taught  more  oft  and  more  earnestly  other 
things  than  that,  wherein  yourself  refuse  to  follow  them? 
I  will  take  pains  for  your  pleasure  to  run  them  over  again, 
in  such  order  as  ye  put  them,  that  ye  shall  not  say  but  I  deal 
faithfully  with  you. 

Tertullian  is  put  in  the  first  rank.  He  saith2:  "When-  Tertuiiian. 
soever  we  go  forth  and  move  forward,  whensoever  we  come 
in  or  go  out,  whensoever  we  put  on  our  apparel  and  draw 
on  our  shoes,  when  we  wash,  when  we  sit  down  at  the 
table,  when  we  have  light  brought  in,  when  we  go  to  our 
chambers  and  sit  down,  whatsoever  we  have  to  do,  we 
make  the  sign  of  the  Cross  in  our  foreheads."  The  very 
next  sentence,  (save  one,)  before,  these  words  he  hath  also :  Tertuiiian-s 

....  traditions. 

Die  Domimco  jejunium  nefas  ducimus,  vel  de  gemculis 
adorare.  Eadem  immunitate  a  die  Paschce  in  Pentecostem 
usque  gaudemus :  "We  think  it  a  wickedness  to  fast  upon  the 
Sunday3,  or  to  serve  God  on  our  knees4.  And  the  same  im 
munity  we  enjoy  from  Easter-day  to  Whitsuntide."  And 
before  that :  Oblationes  pro  natalitlis  annua  die  facimm  : 
"We  make  every  year  an  offering  for  our  birthday5;"  we 
keep  the  wakes.  And  now,  M.  Martiall,  how  chance  that 
ye  kneel  at  your  Mass  on  Sunday  ?  Why  do  you  not  offer 
up  a  cake  on  Monday  ?  Tertullian  thought  the  one  a  wicked 
ness  ;  the  other  he  commanded  as  a  necessary  service.  Dare 
ye  so  discredit  and  disauthorize  Tertullian  ?  Alas,  God  forbid. 
Ye  will  rather  never  serve  God  at  all ;  never  fast,  never 
kneel ;  but  drink  and  be  merry,  and  pipe  up  John  taberer 6, 
"  To-morrow  shall  be  my  father's  wake."  These  toys  and  such 
other,  as  he  borrowed  of  Montane,  (notwithstanding  afterward 
condemned  by  Council ;)  so  you  of  conscience  and  tender 
heart  will  follow,  thinking  therein  you  are  a  good  Catholic. 

2  De  Corona  Militis.     [Cap.  iii.     Compare  Du  Moulin's  Treatise  of 
Traditions,  pp.  159—161.   Dubl.  1750.] 

3  [Conf.  Gratiani  Decret.  De  Cons.  Dist.  iii.  Capp.  xiii,  xiv,  xv.] 

4  [See  the  xxth  Canon  of  the  first  Nicene  Council.] 

5  [By  these  "  birthdays"  are  to  be  understood  the  days  upon  which 
the  memory  of  Martyrs  was  annually  celebrated.] 

6  [A  player  on  the  Tabour  or  Tambourine.     Compare  tho  use  of 
the  word  "  tabering,"  in  Nahum  ii.  7.] 

17 

ICALFHILL.J 


258  THE  FIFTH  ARTICLE. 

The  next  in  your  array  is  holy  Ephraem1.  He  saith2:  "Let 
us  paint  in  our  gates,  and  print  in  our  foreheads,  faces,  breasts, 
and  all  parts  of  our  body,  the  lively  sign."  In  the  same 
book  also,  De  Pcenitentia3,  four  times  together  he  calleth 
Christ  Legislatorem,  "  a  law-maker."  And  is  this  catholic  ? 
Where  have  ye  read  the  like  ?  He  prayeth  also  to  the 
Virgin  Mary,  saying4 :  Sub  alis  tuis  custodi  me :  "  Keep  me 
under  thy  wings."  What  word  or  sense  of  Scripture  for  this? 
David,  in  four  or  five  places,  doth  attribute  the  same  to  God  ; 
Psalm  xvi,  xxxv,  Ivi,  Ix,  Ixii ;  [xvii,  xxxvi,  Ivii,  Ixi,  Ixiii ;]  but 
to  none  other :  and  the  whole  course  of  Scripture  is  indeed 
against  it.  Yet  here  ye  will  follow  him.  Then  what  say 
you  to  this  ?  Divers  times  he  feigned  himself  to  be  mad, 
for  fear  lest  they  should  lay  a  bishoprick  upon  him.  Will  ye 
follow  him  in  this  ?  I  doubt  your  modesty. 

Chrysostom,  (you  say,)  doth  counsel  us,  "  with  great  study 
and  earnest  zeal,  to  set  in  our  foreheads  and  minds  the  Cross5." 
So  doth  he  every  man  to  have  the  Bible  in  his  house6.  How 
like  ye  that?  Every  man  and  woman,  as  well  and  rather 
the  lay  fee  than  the  Clergy,  to  be  conversant  in  Scripture 7. 
Admit  ye  that  ?  That  wheresoever  the  Bible  lieth,  the  Devil 
can  have  no  power  there7.  Believe  ye  that  ?  That  Monks 
had  their  minds  void  of  all  affections,  and  their  bodies  like 

1  [S.  Ephraem  of  Edessa  lived  about  the  year  370.    Th.  Bartholinus 
has  therefore  wrongly  placed  him  in  the  third  century.     (De  Morbis 
Biblicis,  p.  124.  Francof.  1672.)] 

2  ["  Pingamus  in  januis,  atque  in  frontibus  nostris,  et  in  ore,  et  in 
pectore,  atque  in  membris  omnibus  vivificum   signum."      (Lib.  de 
Pcenit.   C.  iii.  cit.  Bellann.  De  Imaginibus,  L.  ii.  Cap.  xxix.  &  Card. 
Hosio,  Opp.  fol.  7,  a.  Antverp.  1566.)] 

3  De  compunctione  cordis,  Lib.  i.  Ca.  v.    [This  tract  should  not  bo 
confounded  with  the  treatise  De  Pcenitentia.  Conf.  Trithem.  De  Scriptt. 
Eccl.  Ixxviii.] 

4  De  laudibus  Marise.     [In  edit.  Voss.  Tom.  iii. — The  genuineness 
of  many  of  these  Sermons  has  been  questioned.     Vid.  Riveti  Grit. 
Sacr.  iii.  xxi.  339.     Crakanthorp  styles  the  author  "  Impostorem,  non 
Patrem."     (Cont.  Archiep.  Spalatens.  p.  413.)] 

5  ["  In  fronte  quoque,  ac  mente,  magno  studio  Crucem  inseramus." 
(Horn.  Iv.  in  S.  Matth.  apud  Coccium,  i.  236.)] 

6  Horn.  ix.  in  Epis.  ad  Coloss.     [Library  of  Fathers,  Vol.  xiv.  p. 
287.  Oxf.  1843.] 

"•  De    Lazar.    Cone.    iii.    &    iv.      [Opp.    Lat.     Tom.   ii.     Paris. 
1570.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  259 

Adam's  before  the  fall8 ;  (wherein  is  denied  original  sin.) 
Confess  ye  that  ?  If  in  these  points  ye  think  it  no  shame 
to  swerve  from  Chrysostom,  think  it  no  discredit  to  refuse 
the  other. 

S.  Hierom  "counsels  us  to  make  the  sign  of  the  Cross9."  £911078. 

O        ,  t  Hieron. 

So  doth  he  also  to  trust  to  the  merits  of  the  Priest ;  or 
else  to  think  there  is  no  due  Sacrament10.  He  saith  that  our 
souls,  as  long  as  they  are  young,  are  without  sin11 ;  and  that 
to  marry  twice  is  as  ill  almost  as  to  play  the  harlot12.  If  in 
these  cases  ye  think  he  had  the  true  interpretation  of  the 
Scripture,  I  marvel  not  if  ye  trust  him  in  the  other.  But 
if  in  these  he  was  deceived,  why  do  ye  so  earnestly  urge  him 
in  the  other  ? 

Saint  Auorustin  "  commandeth  us  to  make  the  sign  of  the  Foiio  TS. 

August. 

Cross13."  So  doth  he  also  that  Infants  should  receive  the 
Communion14.  If  ye  discredit  him  in  this,  who  thought  it 
as  necessary  for  them  to  take  the  Lord's  Supper  as  to  be 
christened,  will  ye  think  it  so  great  a  matter,  in  such  a  trifle 
as  the  other  is  ;  which,  without  any  word,  without  any  binding 
us  to  it,  he  only  spake  of ;  a  little  to  dissent  ? 

Cyrillus  ye  name,  but  cite  no  authority.     When  we  come  Foiio  79,  b. 
to  his  place,  in  the  latter  end  of  the  ninth  article,  you  shall 
hear  more  news  of  him. 

Prudentius  he  saith15,  "that  when  we  go  to  sleep,  we  Prudentius. 
must  in  our  foreheads  make  the  sign  of  the  Cross."     But,  in 
the  same  book16  also  he  saith,  that  it  was  the  woman  that 
subdued  the  Serpent ;  transferring  the  glory  from  Christ  unto 
Mary.     And  as  he  doth  infer  a  reason  for  the  Cross,  because  Foiio  79. 
"  a  mind  earnestly  fixed  on  that  sign  cannot  be  inconstant  and 
waver ;"  so  doth  he  for  the  dignity  of  Christ's  mother,  say 
ing  :  "  The  Virgin,  that  deserved  to  bring  forth  God,  bringeth 

8  In  Cap.  Mat.  xxi.  Horn.  Ixix.     [Tom.  ii.  col.  498.] 

9  [Epist.  adDemetriad.:  vel  potius  in  Expos,  suppositit.  Psal.  Iviii.] 

10  In  iii.  Sopho.  [sig.  q  viii.   Venet.  1497.] 

11  [viz.  actual  sin  :  as  he  had  previously  declared,  "quod  nullus  in 
die  quo  nascitur  pravum  aliquid  committero  potest."]     In  Ezech.  Ca. 
xvi.  [sig.  GG.  cod.  vol.] 

12  Contra  Jovin.     [sEpp.  Par.  i.  Tract,  ii.  Epist.  v.  Lugd.  1503.] 

13  [7n  S.  Joan.  Tractat.  cxviii.] 

14  De  Pecc.  mer.  &  remiss.  Libr.  i.  Cap.  xx.     [Opp.  Tom.  x.] 

15  [Cathem.  Hymn,  ante  somnum.     Opp.  fol.  6G.  Antverp.  1540.] 
10  CathemerifcSf,  Hymno  ante  cibum.     [Opp.  fol.  48,  b.] 

17—2 


260  THE  FIFTH  ARTICLE. 

all  poison  and  ill  power  unto  naught."      And  the  doctrine  of 
the  one  is  as  true  as  the  other. 

Wherefore,  since  it  is  not  to  be  denied,  but  that  every 
one  of  the  Fathers  of  the  Church,  (whom  I,  notwithstanding, 
with  all  my  heart  do  reverence ;)  have  had  their  errors  and 
imperfections ;  (though  not  in  like  degree  all :)  ye  do  us 
wrong  to  say  we  discredit  them,  if  we  do  not  clearly  in  all 
things  follow  them.  They  themselves  refused  that  honour 
and  authority.  They  must  be  trusted,  but  yet  as  men.  As 
long  as  they  bring  their  warrant  for  them,  God  forbid,  in 
deed,  but  we  should  admit  them.  If  we  established  our 
traditions,  and  destroyed  theirs ;  if  we  devised  a  worship 
of  our  own,  and  despised  theirs,  we  were  to  be  blamed  : 
but  when,  in  respect  of  God's  commandment,  (which  no  man 
ought,  on  peril  of  his  life,  transgress;)  we  reject  a  custom 

oso.  and  device  of  man,  we  are  not  to  be  burdened  with  pride 
or  singularity.  Yourselves  think  it  lawful  to  alter  and  inno 
vate,  at  your  own  pleasures,  all  traditions  and  ceremonies  of 
elder  time :  as,  taking  away  milk  and  honey  from  Christen 
ings,  contrary  to  Tertullian ;  and  denying  infants  the  Supper 
of  the  Lord,  contrary  to  Augustin  ;  with  an  hundred  moe  that 
I  could  rehearse.  And  wherewithal  do  you  supply  them? 
With  your  own  fancies,  your  own  follies.  Yet  you  neither 
discredit  nor  disauthorize  the  Fathers.  We,  if  we  stand  not 
to  every  iote,  that  any  one  of  the  Fathers  heretofore  hath 
written1,  and  hath  pleased  the  Pope  of  his  power  absolute  to 

io81-  admit,  are  compted  heretics,  schismatics,  such  as  have  separated 
ourselves  from  the  Church. 

chS  hf  f         Indeed  we  profess  a  separation  from  you,  as  our  Apology 

[land.  doth  witness2,  and  shew  good  reason  why.  Therein  your 
fineness  doth  call  us  patchers.  I  wis  all  the  pack  of  you 
hath  not  cloth  in  your  shops  to  make  the  like.  But, 
separating  ourselves  from  you,  the  enemies  of  God  and  of 
His  truth,  we  join,  (as  we  ought,)  with  the  Church  of 

1  [There  is  here  a  manifest  allusion  to  a  Gloss  in  the  Canon  Law ; 
Dist.  ix.  Cap.  Noli  nieis : — "  Scripta  sanctorum  Patrum . .  hodie  juben- 
tur  omnia  teneri  usque  ad  ultimum  iota."] 

2  ["  We  have  indeed  departed,  not  as  heretics  ever  have  done,  from 
the  Church  of  Christ ;  but,  as  good  men  ought  to  do,  from  the  con 
tagion  of  wicked  men  and  hypocrites."    (Bp.  Jewel's  ApoL  Chap.  iv. 
$.  18.  p.  65.  Lond.  1685.)] 


ANSWER   TO   THE   TREATISE   OF   THE   CROSS.  261 

Christ.  For  what  is  the  unity  that  you  appoint  us  ?  The  ^ani|y^f 
humble  obedience  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  whom  you  will 
have  to  be  the  Mother  Church ;  whom  you  do  call  the 
bosom  and  the  lap,  that  all  men  ought  to  run  unto,  which 
will  be  numbered  among  God's  children.  You  with  this 
unity  content  yourselves ;  seeking  rather  yourselves  over 
Christ,  than  Christ  over  the  flock  to  reign:  compassing  rather 
how  yourselves  may  daintily  live  in  this  world,  than  how  the 
members  of  the  Church  may  be  brought  to  Heaven.  But  we  v?ty.0{ 

«•'    ^  Christians. 

must  appoint  such  kind  of  unity,  as  must  not  depend  upon  one 
particular  or  private  Church ;  be  it  either  of  Antioch,  or  of 
Hierusalem,  or  of  Rome  itself;  but  upon  the  Catholic  and 
universal  Church,  which  was  not  only  before  Rome  in  anti 
quity,  but  shall  continue  when  Rome  is  gone.  This  must  we 
search  out  of  the  Scriptures.  Unum  corpus  multi  sumus  in 
Christo,  saith  the  Apostle3:  "  We,  being  many,  are  one 
body  in  Christ."  Christ  is  the  head,  and  we  be  the  members. 
How  do  the  members  and  the  head  agree  ?  With  one  flesh, 
one  blood,  one  spirit,  and  one  life.  As  Christ  is  in  the  Father, 
and  the  Father  in  Christ,  so  we  all  by  Christ  are  one  in 
God.  If  one  Spirit  rule  us,  we  must  all  think  one  thing.  If 
we  be  all  one  body,  we  must  not  hate  our  own  flesh.  As 
brotherly  love  and  charity  is  necessary  for  us,  to  declare  by 
the  same  that  we  be  Christ's  disciples :  as  peace  and  quiet 
ness  among  us  all  is  a  thing  most  expedient,  as  a  band  to  knit 
us  in  the  unity  of  the  Spirit ;  so  they,  which  are  thus  united 
unto  Christ,  must  not  only  be  quickened  with  the  same 
Spirit,  but  be  comforted  and  maintained  with  the  same  faith 
and  hope. 

Wherefore,  if  you  will  have  us  to  continue  the  unity 
of  your  Church  with  you,  then  make  it  first  a  Catholic 
Church;  and  of  a  sink  of  Idolatry,  a  follower  and  furtherer 
of  true  Religion.  It  is  not  by  and  by  the  unity  of  the  Church, 
which  comes  under  colour  and  name  of  it.  Hierom,  a  Doctor 
of  the  Church,  writeth4:  Sub  Hege  Constantio,  Euselio  et 
Hippatio  Consulibus,  nomine  unitatis  et  fidei,  infidelitas 

3  Rom.  xii.  [5.] 

4  Contra  Lucifcrianos.     [The  reading  is  strangely  different  in  the 
editor's  earliest  edition : — "  Sub  Rege  Constantino,  Eusebio  et  Hip- 
patio,   cognomino    unitatis    et    fidei,    infidelitas  non    agnoscebatur." 
(JEpistt.  Par.  i.  Tractat.  ii.  Ep.  xii.  lit.  L.  Lugd.  1508.)] 


262  THE  FIFTH   ARTICLE. 

scripta  est :  "  In  the  time  of  Constance  the  King,  Eusebius 
and  Hippatius  being  Consuls,  under  the  name  of  unity  and 
faith,  infidelity  was  written."  And  such  an  unity  do  you 
deliver  us,  (not  you  alone,  I  mean,  but  all  the  rabble  of  popish 
heretics  with  you;)  as  consisteth  of  Idolatry,  false  worshippings, 
simony,  with  a  corrupt  body,  and  a  counterfeit  head,  even 
Antichrist  himself.  You  say  that  the  unity  of  the  Church 
doth  hang  upon  observance  of  ceremonies,  old  rites  and  cus 
toms  :  we  say  that  it  standeth  upon  Faith  and  Spirit.  Which 
are  the  truer  in  this  behalf  ?  S.  Paul  biddeth  us  to  be  careful 
to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit,  till  we  meet  together  in  the 
unity  of  Faith1.  Augustin,  entreating  of  the  Sabbath  fast, 
saith2:  Interminabilis  est  ista  contentio  ;  generans  lites,  nun- 
quam  [al.  non]  finiens  qucestiones  :  "  This  contention  is  end 
less  ;  still  engendering  strife,  never  ceasing  from  doubts." 

And  what,  I  beseech  you,  do  you  that  brag  of  your  unity  ? 
Dissent  from  all  antiquity,  not  agree  with  yourselves,  contend 
about  trifles,  damn  the  true  faith,  derogate  all  from  Christ's 
death  and  His  passion,  and  giving  it  to  your  own  free  will 
and  works.  The  works  that  you  command  be  your  own 
devices.  The  works  that  God  commands,  you  have  nothing 
to  do  withal.  Break  God's  commandment,  and  it  is  no 
matter.  Break  yours,  we  die  for  it.  It  is  a  wonder  how 
bold  you  will  be  to  pronounce  heretics,  to  serve  your  turn. 
Victor,  Bishop  of  Rome,  would  excommunicate  and  condemn 
of  heresy  all  the  Churches  of  Asia3,  because  they  did  keep 
their  Easter  Quartadecima  luna  primi  mensis,  when  the 
Jews'  sweet  bread  is  eaten,  and  not  at  the  time  that  he  kept 
it  at  Rome.  A  sore  point,  I  promise  you.  But  you  condemn 
us  of  heresy  for  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  against  the  tradi 
tions  and  precepts  of  men.  If  they,  from  whose  ordinances 
we  do  depart,  had  either  thought  their  traditions  necessary,  or 
shewed  Scripture  whereupon  they  grounded  them,  we  would 
not  presume  to  withstand  their  authority,  or  gainsay  their 
good  reason.  But  when  they  deliver  them  as  things  indif 
ferent,  and  plainly  profess  that  they  have  no  word  of  the  Lord 
for  them  ;  a  hope  of  commodity  may  cause  us  to  retain  them, 
but  an  apparent  mischief  must  drive  us  to  refuse  them.  Ter- 

1  Ephesi.  iv.  [3, 13.] 

2  Epist.  Ixxxvi.  [al.  xxxvi.  Cap.  ix.     Opp.  ii.  58.  ed.  Ben.  Ant.] 

3  Euseb.  Ecclesiast.  Hist.  Lib.  v.     [Cap.  xxiv.  ed.  Vales.] 


ANSWER   TO   THE   TREATISE   OF   THE   CROSS.  263 

tullian  himself,  when  he  had  rehearsed  a  great  sort  of  tradi 
tions,  among  which  this  was  the  last  that  we  now  do  speak  of, 
(the  manner  of  signing  with  the  Cross  in  the  forehead,)  imme 
diately  inferreth4:  Harum  et  aliarum  ejusmodi  disciplina- 
rum  si  legem  expostules  Scripturarum,  nullam  reperies:  [al. 
invenies  :]  "  If  thou  require  a  law  of  Scripture  for  these  and 
such-like  orders  of  discipline,  thou  shalt  find  none." 

Wherefore,  since  they  build  not  upon  the  Scripture,  they 
do  not  expound  upon  the  word.  When  these  toys  be  taught, 
we  cannot,  (as  you  say,)  "discredit  and  disauthorize  them,  asFoiio79, t>. 
though  they  knew  not  the  Scriptures,  and  true  interpretation 
of  the  law."  When  you  do  make  a  lie  of  your  own,  do  I  dis 
credit  your  knowledge  in  the  law  ?  A  lawyer  may  sometime 
be  a  liar,  as  you  prove  unto  us,  and  yet  not  the  law  to  wit. 
When  the  Fathers  bring  an  invention  of  their  own,  do  I  other 
wise  deny  them  the  right  sense  of  Scripture  ?  The  Fathers 
may  have  sometime  their  fancies,  and  yet  beside  the  word. 
Then,  if  their  fancies  be  misliked,  is  their  exposition  of  the 
word  condemned,  whereas  they  meddle  not  with  the  word  ? 
Apelles1  shoemaker  was  worthily  checked,  when  he  would  be 
busy  above  the  knee5;  but  that  did  not  let  but  he  might  have 
judgment  good  enough  of  the  shoe.  Yet,  in  a  shoe  made  on 
another's  last,  the  best  shoemaker,  for  all  his  skill,  may 
chance  be  deceived.  Indeed,  good  cause  we  have  only  to 
depend  upon  the  word  of  God,  and  not  be  ruled  over  by  time 
or  custom  ;  because,  in  matters  of  our  Religion,  as  Christ  hath 
taken  perfect  order  therein,  so  hath  He  commanded  us  to  go 
no  further,  but  Him  obey.  Socrates  was  wont  to  say6:  Unum- 
quemque  deum  sic  coli  oportere,  quomodo  seipsum  [se  ipse] 
colendum  esse  prcecepisset :  [prceceperit :]  "  That  every  god 
was  so  to  be  served,  as  he  himself  had  commanded  to  be 
served."  And  this  was  the  cause  why  the  Romans  would 
never  receive  the  God  of  the  Hebrews.  For,  grounding  upon 
this  foresaid  principle,  they  saw  it  necessary,  that  either  all 
their  Idols  should  be  excluded,  and  only  the  true  God  enter 
tained,  or  He  only  not  admitted,  the  rest  be  honoured.  For 

4  Tertullian.  De  Corona  Militis.     [Cap.  iv.] 

5  [See  the  origin  of  the  proverb,  "  No  sutor  ultra  crepidam,"  ex 
plained  in  Erasmi  Apophthegmata,  Lib.  vi.  fol.  282,  b.  Paris.  1532.] 

c  August.  De  consen.  Evan.  Li.  i.  Cap.  xviii.     [Opp.  iii.  ii.  8.    Cf. 
p.  34.] 


264  THE  FIFTH  ARTICLE. 

by  the  word  of  God  they  found  that  they  could  not  agree 
together ;  and  contrary  to  His  word  they  would  not  seek  to 
serve  Him. 

If  they  had  this  affect,  as  Augustin  declareth,  gathered 
by  moral  reason,  and  by  no  further  insight  of  faith ;  shall  we, 
that  profess  more  knowledge  and  perfection,  be  foolisher 
than  they,  hearing  continually  Christ  and  His  Apostles 
inveighing  against  will-worshippers?  Therefore,  I  say,  we 
ask  for  the  word :  you  answer  us  by  will.  We  call  for 
Scripture:  you  reach  us  custom.  Martial1,  a  merry  man, 
a  poet  of  your  name,  a  man  of  more  learning  and  wit  than 
you,  had  sometime  to  do  with  such  a  lawyer  as  you.  For 
a  neighbour  of  his  had  stolen  three  goats.  The  matter  was 
called  into  the  court :  the  party  should  come  to  prove  the 
indictment.  He  gat  him  a  counsellor  to  declare  the  case. 
When  the  judge  was  ready  to  hear  it,  his  counsellor  fell  a 
discoursing  of  the  fight  at  Cannas,  the  battle  with  Mithridates, 
the  wrongs  and  injuries  sustained  by  the  Africans.  Thus, 
when  he  had  filled  their  ears  a  great  while  with  din,  thumping 
on  the  bar,  and  squeaking  in  his  small  pipes ;  Martial,  ten 
dering  his  own  cause  more  than  the  babbling  of  his  vain 
advocate,  at  length  pulled  him  by  the  sleeve,  and  said : 
"And  please  your  worship,  I  gave  ye  my  fee  to  talk  of 
three  goats."  And  thus  had  I  need  to  put  you  in  remem 
brance.  For  where  ye  appointed  to  speak  of  God's  service, 
ye  tell  us  a  tale  of  this  man  and  that  man ;  what  he  did,  and 
they  did :  and  yet  not  a  word  what  God  hath  commanded. 

Ye  call  us  curious,  when  we  require  Scripture.  We  can 
get  at  your  hands  nothing  else  but  custom.  And,  speaking  of 
custom,  according  to  your  custom  ye  make  a  lie,  and  falsify 
Tertullian.  For  these  are  your  words  :  "We  say  with  Ter- 
tullian,  that  custom,  increaser,  confirmer,  and  observer  of  faith, 
taught  this  use  of  the  Cross,"  &c.  As  if  the  increase,  confir 
mation,  and  observing  of  faith  proceeded  of  custom.  His 
words  are  otherwise.  For,  speaking  of  his  traditions,  he  saith : 
Si  legem  expostules  Scripturarum,  nullam  reperies.  Traditio 
tibi  prcetendetur  auctrix,  consuetudo  confirmatrix,  et  fides 
observatrix  :  "If  thou  demand  a  law  of  Scripture  for  these, 
thou  shalt  find  none.  Tradition  shall  be  pretended  to  thee  as 
increaser,  custom  confirmer,  and  faith  observer  of  them." 
1  Epig.  Lib.  vi.  [19.] 


ANSWER   TO   THE   TREATISE   OF   THE   CROSS.  265 

Where  you  may  see,  that  custom  is  not  made  increaser  and 
confirmer  of  faith,  but  faith  observer  of  custom.  Notwith 
standing,  I  must  still  bear  with  you :  for  ye  be  driven  to 
narrow  shifts,  and  fain  would  ye  say  something.  But  it  is 
a  foul  shift  to  make  a  lie.  This  custom,  ye  prove,  came  of 
tradition.  "  For,"  (as  Tertullian  saith2,)  "  how  can  a  thing  be 
used,  if  it  were  not  first  delivered  ?"  To  grant  it  a  tradition, 
I  will  not  stick  with  you.  But  Tertullian  will  have  the  same  Martian  is 
to  be  builded  upon  reason,  or  else  he  refuseth  it.  He  maketh  own  authors 

.  ,       .  ,  .  ,  •  i          i  overthrown. 

the  antithesis,  not  between  written  and  unwritten,  but  between 
written  and  reasonable.  And  so  he  thinketh  a  tradition  not 
written  to  be  admitted,  so  it  be  reasonable.  Therefore  he 
saith :  Rationem  traditioni,  consuetudini,fideipatrocinaturam 
perspicies :  "Ye  shall  see  that  reason  will  defend  tradition, 
custom,  and  faith."  And  afterward  :  Non  differt  scriptura 
an  ratione  consistat,  quando  et  legem  ratio  commendet :  "  It 
is  no  matter  whether  custom  consist  of  writing  or  of  reason, 
inasmuch  as  reason  also  commendeth  law."  So  that  reasonable 
must  be  the  tradition.  And  how  shall  this  reasonable  be 
defined?  Tertullian  himself  doth  tell  you ;  limiting  how  a  man 
may  make  a  custom,  if  he  conceive  and  decree  duntaxat  quod 
Deo  congruat,  quod  disciplines  conducat,  quod  saluti  profi- 
ciat :  "  Only  that  is  agreeable  to  God,  furthering  unto  disci 
pline,  and  profitable  to  salvation."  If  the  tradition  of  the 
Cross  sign  may  be  proved  to  be  such,  I  will  yield  unto  you 
with  all  my  heart. 

Consider  the  reasons  and  the  examples  that  the  Doctor 
useth.  First,  of  the  Lord's  authority,  who  said :  Cur  non 
et  a  vobis  ipsis  quod  justum  est  judicatis  ?  Ut  non  de 
jndicio  tantum,  sed  de  onmi  sententia  rerum  examinanda- 
runi :  "'AVhy  do  you  not  of  yourselves  judge  that  that  is 
righteous3?'  That  it  be  not  only  understood  of  judgment,  but 
of  every  sentence  of  things  to  be  examined."  And  it  fol- 
loweth :  Dicit  et  Apostolus,  Si  quid  ignoratis,  Deus  vobis 
revelabit.  Solitus  et  ipse  consilium  subministrare,  cum  prce- 
ceptum  Domini  non  habebat,  et  qucedam  edicere  a  semetipso; 
sed  et  ipse  Spiritual  Dei  habens,  deductorem  omnis  veritati*. 
Itaque  consilium  et  edictum  ejus  divini  jam  prcecepti  instar 

2  ["  Quomodo  enim  usurpari  quid  potest,  si  traditum  prius  non 
est  ?"]     Tertullian.  De  Corona  Militis.    [Cap.  iii.] 

3  [S.  Luke  xii.  57.] 


a  cu 


266  THE   FIFTH  ARTICLE. 

obtinuit,  de  rationis  divince  patrocinio.  Hanc  nunc  expos- 
tula;  salvo  traditionis  respectu,  quocunque  traditore  censetur: 
nee  authorem  respicias,  sed  authoritatem,  &c.  :  "  And  the 
Apostle  saith,  '  If  ye  be  ignorant  of  anything,  God  shall  reveal 
it  to  you1.'  He  himself,  when  he  had  not  a  commandment 
from  the  Lord,  was  wont  to  give  counsel,  and  prescribe  some 
things  of  himself2;  but  as  one  that  had  the  Spirit  of  God, 
director  of  all  truth.  Wherefore,  his  counsel  and  edict  hath 
now  obtained  to  be,  (as  it  were,)  the  commandment  of  God, 
through  supportation  and  defence  of  the  reason  divine.  This 
reason  inquire  for  ;  saving  the  respect  of  tradition,  whosoever 
be  the  deliverer  thereof:  nor  respect  the  author,  but  the 
authority." 

So   far  Tertullian.       And    in  his   words  many   notable 
points   are  to   be   observed.       First,  that  in  all  judgments 
and  examinations  of  things,  we  must  follow  that  that  is  right 
stom-  and  good.      Then,  that  no  man  presume  to  ordain  anything 
spirit  of  God;  m  the  Church,  unless  he  have  the  Spirit  of  God  to  guide  him. 

in  custom, 

%5fi£S*     Thirdly,   that  S.  Paul's  tradition  should  not  have  stood  in 

scripture1?    force,    unless    it    had    been    consonant    unto    the   Scripture. 

^Teredf  con"  Fourthly,  that  in  all  customs,  we  must  have  an  eye  unto 
God's  law,  seek  what  accordeth  to  it  ;  having  no  respect  to 
the  custom-maker,  but  Scripture-confirmer.  Thus  ye  might 
have  learned  how  to  judge  of  traditions.  Tertullian  might 
have  taught  you.  But  as  soon  as  ever  you  had  made  a  lie 
of  him,  there  ye  left  him. 

?oiio82,a.  To  Basil,  who  saith3,  "If  we  reject  and  cast  away 

customs,  which  are  not  written,  as  things  of  no  great  value 
or  price,  we  shall  condemn,  before  we  be  ware,  those  things 
which  in  the  Gospel  are  accompted  necessary  to  salvation  ;" 

1  [Phil.  iii.  15.]  2  [1  Cor.  vii.  12,  25,  40.] 

3  ["Nam  si  consuetudines,  quse  scripto  proditee  non  sunt,  tanquam 
baud  multum  habentes  moment!,  conemur  rejicere,  imprudentes  et  ea 
damnabimus  qua?  in  Evangelic  necessaria  ad  salutem  habentur."  (De 
Spiritw  Sancto,  Cap.  xxvii.  p.  104.  edit,  princ.  Erasm.  interp.  Basil. 
1532.)  Erasmus,  who  first  translated  this  work,  informs  us,  in  his  de 
dicatory  Epistle  to  Joannes  Dantiscus,  that  when  he  had  accomplished 
half  of  his  task,  without  weariness,  he  perceived  that  the  style  of  the 
treatise  became  greatly  changed;  and  hence  he  was  led  to  suspect, 
"studiosum  quempiam,  quo  volumen  redderet  auctius,  multa  inter- 
texuisse,  vel  ex  aliis  autoribus  decerpta  emblemata,  vel  ex  sese  re- 
perta."] 


ANSWER  TO   THE   TREATISE   OF   THE   CROSS.  267 

I   answer,  that  of  traditions  there  be  three  kinds.      Some  Three  kinds 

of  traditions 

that  necessarily  are  interred  of  the  Scripture.  Such  were  i. 
the  Apostle's  traditions :  as,  that  a  woman  in  the  congrega 
tion  should  not  be  bare-headed  ;  that  in  the  congregation 
she  should  keep  silence :  that  the  poor  should  labour  with 
their  own  hands,  and  get  their  living.  Which  all,  and  such 
other,  although  they  were  not  expressly  in  the  word,  yet 
consequently  they  followed  of  the  word.  And  therefore  Paul 
did  not  obtrude  them  of  his  authority,  but  by  the  Scrip 
ture  prove  them.  These,  and  the  like,  I  confess  to  be  neces 
sary,  and  of  all  Christians  to  be  retained.  Prove  ye  the 
Cross  sign  to  be  one  of  these,  and  I  will  recant.  But  there  2. 
have  been  other  things  delivered  to  the  Church,  direct  con 
trary  to  the  word :  as,  Latin  service,  worshipping  of  Images, 
vowing  of  chastity,  communicating  under  one  kind,  and  an 
infinite  number  of  popish  prescriptions.  These  ought  not  in 
any  wise  to  be  received;  but,  (what  pretext  of  antiquity  or 
authority  soever  they  have,)  be  utterly  refused. 

The  third  kind  of  traditions  is  of  such  as  be  indifferent ;  3. 
neither  utterly  repugnant  to  the  word  of  God,  nor  neces 
sarily  inferred  of  it.  Herein  we  must  follow  the  order  of  in  tradition: 
the  Church ;  and  yet  not  absolutely,  but  with  a  limitation,  what  toei£ 
First  we  must  see,  that  those  observances  be  not  set  forth 
as  a  piece  of  God's  service,  wherein  some  special  point  of 
holiness  or  Religion  shall  consist.  For  they  may  be  kept 
for  order,  for  policy,  for  profit  of  the  Church :  but  other 
wise  the  Scripture  itself  hath  God's  store,  and  plenty  of 
things,  expedient  for  His  honour  and  service,  our  comfort 
and  salvation.  Felix  Ecclesia,  (sayeth  Tertullian 4,)  cui 
totam  doctrinam  Apostoli  cum  sanguine  [suo]  profude- 
runt :  "  Happy  is  the  Church,  to  whom  the  Apostles  poured 
out  the  whole  doctrine,  together  with  their  blood."  There  is 
no  insufficiency,  no  imperfection.  Therefore  we  must  especi 
ally  beware,  that  in  our  traditions,  indifferent  of  themselves, 
we  repose  no  holiness  or  devotion.  Then  also,  that  we  think 
them  not  to  be  of  such  necessity,  that  at  no  time  they  may  be 
removed.  The  Church  must  still  retain  her  right  to  be  judge 
and  determiner  of  such  traditions :  either  to  bear  with  them, 

4  Tertul.  DC  prsescrip.  adver.  Hsereti.  [Cap.  xxxvi. — Tertullian  was 
speaking  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  when  he  exclaimed,  "  Ista  quam  felix 
Ecclesia"!  &c.] 


THE   FIFTH  ARTICLE. 

or  else  abolish  them,  as  best  may  serve  for  edification.  Last 
of  all,  this  must  not  be  forgotten;  that  the  people  of  God 
sometime  be  oppressed  with  traditions  and  ceremonies ;  and, 
for  outward  solemnities,  the  inward  true  service  of  God  is 
neglected.  As  in  the  popish  Church,  on  a  high  day,  there 
are  so  many  gaudes1,  that  there  is  no  place  for  a  preacher. 
Wherefore,  the  superfluities,  the  long  train  of  ceremonies,  must 
be  cut  off ;  lest  they  do  hinder  the  course  of  godliness,  and  by 
he  church  gay  shew  engender  a  confidence  to  be  put  in  them.  S.  Au- 

ad  too  many  °    *   .        .          ,°.  1-11  i/-^i 

sremonies    pmstin,  m  jjjg  tune,  complained  that  the  Church  was  too  full 

i  Augustin  s  O 

me-  of  presumptions.     And  of  them,  that  have  been  added  since, 

a  man  may  make  many  large  volumes. 

Wherefore,  these  provisos  had,  the  order  of  the  Church, 
(I  mean  not  Rome,  for  that  is  no  member  of  it ;)  may  be 
kept  in  traditions  which  are  indifferent.  But  in  this  number 
you  cannot  justly  comprise  the  Cross.  And  although  of 
some  Fathers  it  hath  been  accompted  such,  yet  must  ye 
remember,  (as  I  said  before,)  that  they  did  not  alway  build 
gold  and  silver,  but  sometime  hay  and  stubble,  upon  Christ. 
Nor  every  thing,  that  is  pretended  to  be  the  Fathers' 
writings,  must  by  and  by  be  thought  to  be  theirs.  Many 
bastard  babes  have  been  put  in  the  cradle ;  either  when 
there  was  no  lawful  child,  or  the  same  overlaid  and  stifled 

oi.  84,  a.     by  the  nurse.     As,  for  example,  Athanasius,  (whom  you  cite 
tianasms.    fol,  proof  ^at  ^he  (jross  was  used  in  his  time ;)  hath  many 

ivagrius.  things  that  be  none  of  his.  Evagrius,  in  the  Ecclesiastical 
History2,  doth  plainly  say,  that  many  works  of  Apollinarius 
were  ascribed  unto  him.  And  as  for  the  book,  which  you 
allege,  Qucestionum  ad  Antiochium,  [Antiochum,~]  is  evident 
to  be  another's ;  for  Athanasius  himself  is  cited  in  it3.  The 
words  are  these :  Et  hcec  quidem  multum  valens  in  divina 
Scriptura  magnus  Athanasius  :  "  And  these  things  did  great 
Athanasius,  a  mighty  one  in  the  Scripture  of  God."  Would 
Athanasius  have  reported  this  of  himself?  Wherefore,  in 
that  ye  bring  prescription  of  time  and  writings  of  the  Fathers 
for  you,  ye  do  both  reason  upon  an  uncertain  principle,  and 
fail  in  your  proof.  For  the  principle,  I  say,  and  I  doubt 

1  [Ostentatious  rites.] 

2  Li.  iii.  Cap.  xxxi.  [p.  766.  ed.  Lat.  Basil.  1549.] 

3  Qusest.  xxiii.    [Vide  supra,  pp.  73 — 4 ;  et  Bellarm.  De  Scriptt. 
Eccles.  p.  65.  Romee,  1613.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  260 

not  but  ye  will  subscribe  unto  me;  that  whatsoever  hath  been 
delivered,  and  otherwise  esteemed  Apostolic,  is  not  to  be  fol 
lowed  and  thought  inviolable. 

To  begin  with  that,  which  bred  in  the  Church  a  miser 
able  schism  for  many  years  together,  the  Easter  fast4:  was  Easter  fast. 
it  always,  and  in  every  place,  uniformly  observed  ?  Nothing  5^"$* 
less.  All  the  Asians  dissented  from  the  .Romans ;  and  each  {£•  J|£ok' 
of  them  said  they  had  a  tradition,  yea,  from  the  Apostles.  xxvi.a"hL 
The  Asians  would  have  Easter-day  to  be  the  fourteenth  of 
the  month  Nisan,  howsoever  it  fell ;  were  it  either  the  first, 
second,  third,  fourth,  fifth,  or  sixth  fery5.  The  Eomans 
would  have  it  only  on  that  day  which  is  called  Domini- 
cus,  "  the  Sabbath."  The  Asians  were  the  stronger  part. 
They  had  Philip  the  Apostle,  and  his  daughters ;  John  the 
Evangelist,  and  Polycarpus,  his  scholar,  for  them.  The 
Romans  had  the  whole  succession  of  Bishops,  from  Peter 
forward.  Which  of  these  parts  will  you  approve  ?  Ye 
are  a  Romanist,  and  therefore  ye  will  hold  with  Anicetus 
rather ;  following  the  custom  that  is  of  him  received.  But 
now  ye  must  not  condemn  the  other,  lest  ye  be  guilty  of  the 
same  crime  that  Irenseus  did  reprove  in  Victor.  For  he  held 
it  tyranny,  to  throw  the  thunderbolt  of  excommunication,  for 
a  little  storm  that  rose  of  ceremony.  Notwithstanding,  they 
squared  still.  For  when  Polycarpus  came  to  Rome,  Anicetus 
being  Bishop  there,  many  quarrels  there  were  betwixt  them, 
well  afterward  composed ;  but  of  this  point  they  could  not 
agree.  Neque  enim  Anicetus  Polycarpo  persuadere  [suadere] 
poterat,  ne  servaret  quce  cum  Joanne  Discipulo  Domini  nostri, 
ac  reliquis  Apostolis,  quibuscum  fuerat  conversatus,  semper 
servaverat.  Nee  Polycarpus  Aniceto  suasit  ut  servaret;  qui 
sibiPresbyterorum,  quibus  successerat,  consuetudinem  servan- 
dam  esse  dicebat.  Et  cum  ista  sic  haberent,  communionem 
inter  se  habuerunt :  "  For  Anicetus  could  not,'*  (as  Eusebius 
saith6,)  "  win  Polycarpus,  that  he  should  not  keep  those  things 
which,  (with  John  the  Disciple  of  our  Lord,  and  the  rest  of 
the  Apostles,  with  whom  he  was  conversant,)  hitherto  he  had 

4  [Vid.  Ussher's  Religion  of  the  ancient  Irish  and  British,  Chap.  ix. 
p.  92.  Lond.  1631.  Beaven's  Account  of  S.  Irenceus,  pp.  44 — 53.  Loud. 
1841.] 

s  [Holy-day.] 

6  [Hist.  Eccles.  v.  xxvi.  83.  interp.  Muscul.] 


270  THE   FIFTH  ARTICLE. 

kept.     ]S"or  Polycarpus  could  persuade  Anicetus  to  yield  unto 

them  ;  who  said  that  the  custom  of  the  Elders,  whom  he  had 

succeeded,  was  to  be  kept  of  him.     And  whereas  things  stood 

on  this  sort,  yet  had  they  a  communion  betwixt  them." 

For  diversity        A  worthy  example  for  this  our  age;  wherein  suchVictorines 

ind™re^°ns  as  you,  (M.  Martiall,)  will  by  and  by  condemn  of  schism  and 

nonies.  men  ,  .  . .   .     '       - 

not  to  be      heresy  whosoever  in  traditions  do  not  agree  with  you.     These 

:ondemned.  •>  ..  /.-i 

holy  Fathers  dissented  in  opinion  of  the  mean  actions :  yet  in 
the  end  they  joined ;  and  by  the  way  friendly  communicated. 
We,  because  we  do  not  in  opinion  agree ;  because  we  go  not 
against  our  conscience  and  the  word  of  God,  are  accompted 
heretics.  "  But  after  the  way,  (which  you  call  heresy,)  we 
worship  the  God  of  our  fathers ;  believing  all  things  which  are 
written  in  the  Law  and  Prophets1."  If  so  great  offence  hang 
upon  transgressing  of  Tradition,  we  shall  condemn  all  faithful 
before  us,  all  congregations,  and  Rome  itself.  For  it  was 
'oiycarpus.  &  tradition,  in  Polycarpus'  time,  to  keep  Easter-day  sometime 
i^they5'  on  one  day,  sometime  on  another.  And  Irenaeus  reporteth  of 
iary-  him  :  Hie  docuit  semper  quce  ab  Apostolis  didicerat;  quce  et 
Ecclesice  tradidit,  et  sola  sunt  vera2 :  "He  taught  always 
those  things  that  he  learned  of  the  Apostles ;  and  those  he 
delivered  unto  the  Church,  and  they  only  be  true."  Yet  you 
observe  the  Easter  on  one  day  ever ;  the  Sunday,  (as  you  call 
it.)  It  was  a  tradition,  in  Tertullian's  time3,  to  give  milk 
and  honey  to  Infants  at  their  Christening ;  and  this  he  held 
Apostolic  :  yet  you  keep  it  not.  It  was  a  tradition,  in  Au- 
gustin's  time4,  that  men  should  not  fast  from  Easter  to  Whit 
suntide  :  yet  you  decree  the  contrary.  It  was  a  tradition,  in 
Cyprian's  time5,  (which  Augustin  also  confirmeth;)  that  the 
Supper  of  the  Lord  should  be  ministered  to  Infants  ;  and  this 
was  thought  necessary  to  salvation  :  yet  you  decline  from  this. 
It  was  a  tradition,  in  Epiphanius'  time6,  that  for  six  days 
before  Easter  men  should  eat  nothing  but  bread  and  drink 
with  a  little  salt :  yet  you  observe  not  this.  It  was  a  tradi 
tion,  in  Basil's  time7,  (which  also  Tertullian  doth  record  ;)  that 

1  Act.  xxiv.  [14.]  2  Ireneeus,  Contra  Hcer.  Li.  iii.  Cap.  iii. 

3  Tertul.  De  Corona  Militis.    [Cap.  iii.] 

4  Augustinus  Casulano.  [Epist.  xxxvi.] 

5  Cyprian.  De  lapsis.   [Opp.  p.  132.  ed.  Oxon.] 
0  Epiphanius,  Ad  versus  Arrium.    [Hceres.  Ixix.] 
7  Basilius,  De  Spir.  Sanct.  [Cap.  xxvii.  p.  107.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  271 

no  man  should  serve  God  with  bowing  of  the  knee  on  the 
Sabbath-day,  nor  yet  all  the  time  from  Easter  to  Whitsuntide : 
yet  you  mislike  with  this.  Wherefore,  sith  traditions, 
honoured  with  the  name  of  the  Apostles,  accompted  of  the 
Fathers  and  Doctors  necessary,  do  notwithstanding  so  often 
vary,  and  you  yourselves  in  no  wise  admit  them ;  what 
reason  is  it,  that  we  should  be  condemned  for  refusal  of  the 
like ;  which,  with  less  reason,  more  inconvenience,  it  pleaseth 
yourselves  to  confirm  and  stablish? 

I  have  hitherto  had  in  hand  your  two  first  points ;  and 
stretching  them  a  little,  they  be  broken  both.  For  neither 
have  you  proved  sufficiently,  that  they  of  the  primitive 
Church  used  the  sign  of  the  Cross  themselves,  and  counselled 
other  to  do  the  like ;  nor,  if  it  had  been  proved,  it  were  suffi 
cient  to  drive  me  to  assent.  Now  to  the  third,  "that  the  said 
Cross  was  erected  in  every  place ;"  although  in  the  third 
article  I  have  in  part  declared  the  contrary,  yet  to  your 
further  proof  I  must  answer  something.  And  so,  first,  to 
your  Martialis8,  (though  he  were  last  found;  after  fourteen  ManiaUs. 
hundreth  years'  sleep  and  odd,  suddenly  astarted ;)  I  say,  King 
Arthur  was  a  noble  King :  he  had  twelve  Knights  of  the 
round  table ;  and  whether  Launcelot  du  Lake  were  one  of 
them,  I  do  not  well  remember  :  but  he  was  a  Martial  man 
too :  he  was  a  doughty  Knight :  he  did  many  worthy  feats, 
as  it  folio weth  in  the  text.  Are  ye  not  ashamed  to  vouch  Foi.  ss,  h. 
him  to  be  one  of  the  seventy  and  two  Disciples,  whom  neither 
they  of  the  Apostles'"  time,  nor  they  that  succeeded  after, 
ever  mentioned  or  knew  ?  Shall  he  now  by  miracle  be 
raked  out  of  a  dunghill,  where  he  hath  lien  a  stinking 
fourteen  hundreth  years  ?  Shall  we  now  disprove  Eusebius,  seek  for  this 
and  all  other  writers,  to  make  your  matter  good  ?  Yet,  to  |i£"nghofbe 
say  the  truth,  his  words,  without  wringing  or  wresting  at  all,  tide." 
be  taken  of  soberer  wits  than  your  own  to  import  much  less 
than  you  do  talk  of.  For  we  may  have  the  Cross  in  a  sign, 
(according  to  the  words  of  Christ  in  His  last  Supper,  "Do 
this,  as  oft  as  ye  do  it,  in  remembrance  of  Me ;")  though  we 
have  not  the  sign  of  the  Cross.  Therefore  you  be  forsworn 
once  ;  for  ye  said  :  "  In  good  faith  it  could  not  be  so."  Foiio83,b. 

But  what  shall  I  seek  for  any  truth  of  you,  who,  shaving 
your  crown,  have  shaken  all  honesty  and  faith  from  you? 
8  [Vid.  ante,  p.  69.] 


272  THE   FIFTH  ARTICLE. 

Folio 84, b.  YOU  wish  with  a  sigh,  (alack,  good  heart!)  "that  the  readers 
Athanasius.  should  see,  how,  in  the  time  of  Athanasius,  Christian  men 
made  Crosses,  like  unto  the  Cross  of  Christ,  and  adored  the 
same."  I  should  here  pass  the  bounds  of  modesty,  and 
justly  offend  the  good  reader's  ears,  if  I  should  answer  ac 
cording  to  your  professed  impudency,  and  shameless  deserving. 
Thought  you'  that  your  writing  should  never  come  to  scan 
ning  ?  Was  it  not  enough  for  you  to  belie  them  that  be  most 
unlike  you,  the  Ministers  of  the  Church  of  Christ  now  living ; 
but  that  you  would  still  falsify  the  Scriptures,  and  make  lies 
of  the  Fathers  ?  Remember  your  writings  :  your  words  are 
Folio  84,  a.  these  :  "  Now  that  it  stayed  not  here,  but  was  set  up  and  had 
in  reverence  in  other  places,  and  other  ages,  it  appeareth  by 
Athanasius :  who,  asking  the  question,  Why  all  faithful  Chris 
tian  men  make  Crosses  like  unto  the  Cross  of  Christ,  and 
make  nothing  like  to  the  spear,  reed,  or  sponge,  being  holy 
as  the  Cross  ;  answereth  and  sayeth:  Crucis  certe  figuram,  ex 
duobus  lignis  componentes,  adoramus,  &c. :  '  We  certes, 
making  the  figure  of  the  Cross  of  two  pieces  of  wood,  adore 
and  worship  it.' " 

These  are  your   words :    yours   I    may  call   them,    for 
they  be  furthest  off  from  Athanasius'  meaning.      And  in  the 
make?" three  margen^  the  place  is  quoted  ;  Qucest.  xxxix.   ad  Anti.    Here 
nasiSstogS"  be-    three  lies    together.     First,   by  suppressing  a  piece   of 
ther.  Athanasius :    saying   of   the  spear,   reed,   and   sponge,  that 

they  are  "  holy  as  the  Cross ;"  where  the  author  hath, 
that  they  are  "  as  holy  as  the  Cross."  Then  remember  this 
"  as."  Also,  by  corrupting  of  the  text,  putting  in  the  words  of 
"adore  and  worship,"  which  are  not  in  the  book.  Last  of  all, 
referring  us  to  the  thirty-ninth  Question,  whereas  there  are 
not  so  many  in  all.  Indeed,  Qucestione  xvi.,  these  are  his 
words1 :  Quare  credentes  omnes  ad  Crucis  Imaginem  Cruces 
facimus ;  lancece  vero  sanctce,  aut  arundinis,  aut  spongiaz 
figuras  nullas  conficimus:  cum  tamen  licec  tarn  sint  sancta, 
quam  ipsa  Crux  ?  Responsio.  Figuram  quidem  Crucis,  ex 
duobus  lignis  compingentes,  conficimus ;  ut  si  quis  infidelium 
id  in  nobis  reprehendat,  quod  veneremur  lignum,  possimus 
duobus  inter  se  disjunctis  lignis,  et  Crucis  dirempta  forma, 
ca  tanquam  inutilia  ligna  reputare  ;  et  infideli  persuadcre, 
quod  non  colamus  lignum,  sed  quod  Crucis  typum  venere- 
1  Quscst.  xvi.  ad  Antio.  [Vide  supra,  pp.  73 — 4.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  273 

mur :  in  lancea  vero,  aut  spongia,  vel  arundine,  nee  facere 
lioc,  nee  ostendere  possimus.  AVhich  in  English  are  these : 
"  Why  do  all  believers  make  Crosses  after  the  Image  of  the 
Cross;  but  make  no  figures  or  likenesses  of  the  spear,  the 
reed,  or  the  sponge :  whereas,  notwithstanding,  these  are  as 
holy  as  the  Cross  itself?  The  answer.  We  make  indeed 
the  figure  of  the  Cross,  by  putting  of  two  sticks  together ; 
that  if  any  of  the  infidels  reprove  that  in  us,  that  we  worship 
wood,  we  may,  by  separating  two  pieces  of  wood,  and  taking 
away  the  form  of  a  Cross,  accompt  them  as  unprofitable  sticks  ; 
and  persuade  the  infidel,  that  we  worship  not  wood,  but 
the  thing  represented  by  the  Cross :  which  in  the  spear, 
sponge,  or  reed,  we  neither  can  do  nor  shew." 

Here,  first,  it  is  evident,  that  the  reed  or  spear  is  as 
holy  as  the  Cross,  and  therefore  as  well  to  be  worshipped 
as  the  Cross,  although  the  word  of  comparison  you  would 
fain  suppress.  Then,  that  there  is  not  any  word  or  half 
word  for  worshipping  :  yea,  the  whole  sequel  of  the  matter 
doth  convince  the  contrary.  Yet  your  honesty  is  such,  as 
to  put  in  of  your  own,  (under  name  of  Athanasius,)  "  adore 
and  worship."  By  the  Pope's  own  law2,  (for  being  such  a 
falsary,)  ye  should  have  your  crown  pared,  and  be  made 
an  abbey-lubber  as  long  as  ye  live.  And  may  not  I  use 
the  words  of  your  zealous  spirit,  and  say :  "  Ah !  see,  good 
readers,  what  a  sot  we  have  to  do  withal  ?"  Because  ye  read, 
(or  hear  say  at  the  least,)  that  a  Cross  was  made,  therefore 
ye  conclude  it  was  set  in  the  Rood-loft:  for  "no  man,"  Foiio  &»,  t>. 
(say  you,)  "  maketh  him  a  velvet  coat  to  lay  it  up  in  his 
press,  or  his  friend's  picture  to  be  put  in  the  coal-house." 
But  doth  any  wise  man,  when  he  hath  a  new  garment,  pro 
claim  it  in  the  market-place?  or  hang  the  counterfeit  of  his 
friend  upon  a  pole  to  be  seen  ?  By  your  own  slender  reason, 
as  ye  judge  of  the  one,  so  imagine  of  the  other. 

Now,  to  come  to  the  Ecclesiastical  History,  where  men 
tion  is  made  of   the  Idol   Serapis3;    I   would  the  readers 

2  Dist.  1.  Ca.  Si  Episcopus.  ["  Si  Episcopus,  Presbyter,  aut  Diaconus 
capitale  crimen  commiserit,  aut  chartam  falsaverit,  aut  falsum  testimo- 
nium  dixerit ;  ab  officii  honore  depositus,  in  Monasterium  retrudatur : 
et  ibi,  quamdiu  vixerit,  laicam  tantummodo  communionem  accipiat."] 

3  [Cf.  Mariana,  De  rebus  Hispanice,  Tom.  i.  Lib.  iv.  p.  159.    Mo- 
gunt.    IGOr,.] 

18 

[CALFHILL.J 


274  THE  FIFTH  ARTICLE. 

should  well  consider  it.  For  Roods,  Crosses,  and  Images, 
have  been  nothing  else  but  counterfeits  of  Serapis.  The 
Priests  of  Egypt,  the  votaries  of  those  days,  (for  Ruffinus1 
calleth  them  ayvevovras  ;  such  as  had  made  themselves,  (and 
God  will,)  chaste ;)  set  me  up  in  their  temple  a  monstrous 
Idol,  reaching  from  one  side  of  the  wall  to  the  other.  To 
purchase  more  credit  to  it,  they  had  made  a  little  window 
eastward,  where  the  morning  Sun  might  glimmer  in,  and, 
taking  the  just  height  of  their  Idol,  should  shine  no  lower 
nor  higher  than  they  would ;  but  that,  when  their  god  was 
shrined,  might  be  full  in  his  face,  and  upon  his  lips.  And  so 
by  this  means  a  miracle  was  wrought :  the  Sun  with  a  kiss 
bade  him  welcome  to  church.  Again,  where  the  nature  of 
the  loadstone  is  to  draw  iron  to  it,  they  made,  (as  curiously 
as  workmanship  could  devise,)  the  Image  of  the  Sun  in  iron  : 
that  whereas  the  Sun  was  in  the  vawte2,  and  the  Image 
directly  underneath  it,  the  Image  sometime  might  rise  and 
hang  in  the  air.  But  lest  the  ponderosity  of  the  metal 
might  come  to  his  course  again,  they  conveyed  it  away,  and 
said:  "The  Sun  hath  now  taken  his  leave  of  Serapis,  and  gone 
to  his  business."  These  and  such  other  inventions  they  had 
to  deceive  the  people.  Such  hayes3  they  pitched  to  purchase 
their  profit.  But  these  were  but  gross,  in  respect  of  the 
fineness  of  our  Parish-Priests  and  popish  Chaplains4.  For 
they  have  made  Roods  with  rolling  eyes  and  sweating  brows, 
with  speaking  mouth  and  walking  feet.  I  report  me  to  the 
Rood  of  Grace,  the  Rood  of  Winchester,  the  very  Cross  of 
Ludlow,  and  Jack  Knacker  of  Witney.  Nor  marvel  if  the 
Cross  be  so  deep  in  your  books,  that  can  stand  a  high-lone, 
and  walk  on  the  Altar ;  that  can  run  in  the  night-time  from 
S.  John's  chapel  into  our  Lady's,  and  will  not  for  jealousy 
abide  from  her. 

But  I  would  the  world  should  understand,  that  as  the 
Egyptians  and  Christians,  Serapis  and  the  Cross  sign,  in 
name  do  differ ;  so  the  Priests  of  them  both  be  of  one 

1  Ruffinus,  Ecclcsias.  Hi.  Lib.  ii.   Cap.  xxiii.     [Inter  Eccl.  Hist. 
Auctt.  p.  259.] 

2  [vault.] 

3  [Nets  for  catching  rabbits.] 

4  [See  Marchetti's  Official  Memoirs;  translated  by  the  Rev.  B.  Ray- 
ment.  Lond.  1801.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  275 

Eeligion,  like  conversation.  Tyrannus,  a  Chantry-Priest5, 
serving  at  Saturnus1  altar,  had  a  way  to  creep  into  his  god's 
belly ;  (for  he  was  hollow,  as  most  part  of  our  Images  are, 
meet  for  to  make  swine's  troughs :)  and  whensoever  any 
gentlewoman's  devotion  served  her  to  come  to  make  her 
orisons,  if  the  Priest  liked  her  person,  answer  was  made  from 
within,  that  she  must  abide  there  all  that  night,  in  privy 
contemplations.  The  silly  husband  was  glad  that  he  had 
any  thing  to  do  his  god  a  pleasure ;  and  therefore  would 
deck  her  and  trim  her  up  in  her  holy-day  array :  and  to 
church  she  goeth,  with  penny  in  her  purse,  and  taper  in  her 
hand,  to  offer  for  her  sins.  The  Priest,  before  all  the  people, 
shuts  the  church-door ;  he  leaves  the  woman  within,  and 
home  he  goeth.  But  afterward,  by  a  privy  vault  underneath 
the  ground,  he  conveys  himself  into  the  body  of  the  Image : 
and  while  the  lamps  be  burning,  and  she  praying,  he  roareth 
somewhat  out  of  his  trunk ;  partly  to  fear  her,  partly  also 
to  make  her  well  apaid,  that  she  should  be  worthied  to  have  a 
god  to  talk  to  her.  But  when  he  had  wrought  whatsoever 
he  thought  good,  either  to  astony  her,  or  entice  her  to  folly, 
then  suddenly,  by  a  vice,  all  the  candles  go  out ;  he  playeth 
the  Priest,  &c.  Thus,  in  conclusion,  many  honest  men's 
wives,  many  worshipful  and  honourable,  under  colour  of 
holiness,  and  by  mere  hypocrisy,  were  instruments  many 
years  to  satisfy  the  pleasure  of  the  filthy  Priest.  At  length, 
a  discreeter  matron  than  the  rest,  abhorring  the  vice,  and 
observing  the  manner  of  it,  knew  the  Priest's  voice,  and 
detected  it  to  her  husband.  Hereupon  the  Priest  was  appre 
hended  ;  the  Idol  ransacked ;  the  starting  holes  espied ;  the 
crimes  confessed  ;  the  hypocrisy  abhorred. 

And,  would  to  God,  that  the  like  wickedness,  and  far  more 
horrible,  daily  committed  by  the  unchaste  generation  of  sole- 
lived  Priests,  might  cause  alike  all  countries  and  nations  to 
detest  your  shame.  Ye  blame  lawful  marriage  :  ye  think  it  a 
life  dissolute,  and  satisfying  of  the  lusts  of  the  flesh.  But 
how  live  ye  ?  how  live  ye  ?  With  viler  shifts  than  Saturnus' 
Priest.  Adultery  no  fault.  For  the  most  part  ye  practise  it 
all.  It  is  worse,  it  is  worse.  I  appeal  to  your  conscience,  (M. 
Martiall,)  whether  ye  know  it  to  be  so,  or  no  ?  Myself  will 
not  speak  what  I  do  know.  But  accursed  be  he,  that  taught 
5  Ruffinus,  Eccl.  Hist.  Lib.  ii.  Cap.  xxv.  [p.  260.  ed.  Basil.  1549.] 

18—2 


276  THE  FIFTH  ARTICLE. 

hooimaster  the  bovs  of  Winchester  to  know  that,  which  M.  Hide,  (ye 

Winches-  m  '     V 

remember,)  so  severely  punished.  Ye  lay  unto  our  charge 
pride,  carnal  lusts,  sensuality,  much  babble  of  the  Lord,  no 
good  works  in  Christ,  in  talk  much  vehemency,  in  deed  no 
charity  :  and  of  late  there  hath  stepped  up  a  famous  Clerk, 
wesEuank.  who,  sifting  a  private  fault  in  one  only  person  that  professeth 
ans-]  the  truth,  and  exaggerating  the  same,  concludeth  with  doting 
Demipho  :  Unum  nosti,  omn-es  noveris :  "  Know  one,  and  know 
all."  And  may  I  not  answer  as  unto  Davus,  Ad  pistrinum 
vel  capistrum  Dave  ?  But  if  I  should  unrip,  (as,  if  ye  leave 
not  your  slanders,  I  will  do  by  God's  grace,  if  life  and  leisure 
serve  me ;)  the  lives  of  your  popish  Doctors,  and  your  own 
selves ;  0  Lord,  what  perjury,  what  impiety,  what  inconti- 
nency,  what  sodomitry,  would  burst  out  together !  But  here 
I  stay,  and  will  return  to  Serapis. 

iio8o,a.  j  ^1^  yOU  beforej  that  if  ye  would  have  any  precedent 

of  the  Cross  sign,  ye  must  go  to  the  Egyptians'  Idol  Serapis. 
The  Christians,  therefore,  thinking  that  a  mean  to  bring 
them  sooner  unto  the  faith,  pulled  down  the  scutcheons  of 
the  Idol,  and  in  every  place  set  up  the  Cross1:  not  to 
have  them  fall  from  one  Idolatry  to  another,  (which  is  by 
worship  of  it ;)  but  that  it  might  be  an  introduction  unto 
further  knowledge,  and  procuring  of  a  credit  unto  our  Re 
ligion.  For  the  Cross  being  one  of  their  letters,  which 
they  called  \epariKai,  "  priestly  and  holy  letters2,"  made 
them,  for  affection  to  their  own  tradition,  think  the  better 
of  ours.  For  the  author  saith :  Qui  tune,  admiration* 
rerum  gestarum,  convertebantur  ad  /idem,  dicebant,  ita  sibi 
ab  antiquis  tradituin;  quod  hcec,  quce  mine  coluntur,  tamdiu 
starent,  quamdiu  viderent  signum  istud  venisse  in  quo  esset 
vita.  Unde  accidit,  lit  magis  ii,  \Jii,~\  qui  erant  ex  Sacer- 
dotibus  vel  Ministris  templorum,  ad  fidem  converter entur, 
quam  illi,  quos  errorum  pro  vestit/ice  [prassttgicc]  et  decep- 
tiomnn  machines  delectabant :  "They  which,  by  wondering 
at  things  that  were  done,  were  converted  to  the  faith,  said, 
that  it  was  told  them  of  old,  that  these  things,  which  now 
are  worshipped,  should  stand  so  long  as  they  should  see 
that  that  sign  was  come,  in  which  there  was  life.  Whereof 

1  Ruffinus,  Ecclcsia.  His.  Lib.  ii.  Ca.  xxix.  [p.  261.] 

2  [See  Wall's  Ancient  Orthography  of  the  Jews,  Part  i.    Chap.  ii. 
p.  45.  Lond.  1835.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  277 

it  came  to  pass,  that  rather  they,  which  were  of  the  Priests 
and  Ministers  of  the  church,  were  converted  to  the  faith, 
than  such  as  took  a  pleasure  in  sorceries  of  error,  and  trains 
of  deceit."  So  that  it  was  better  than  a  preaching  unto  them, 
because  they  had  such  a  prejudice  thereof.  Now  if  the 
case  were,  that  Heathen  should  be  converted  to  the  faith, 
and  they  beforehand  had  the  Cross  in  reverence,  I  would  in 
this  respect  admit  it.  But  among  Christians,  where  The 
crucified  is  daily  preached,  and  ought  to  be  known  without 
such  external  mean,  great  folly  it  is  to  have  it. 

Hitherto  of  the  doings  in  Alexandria.  Now,  to  come  to  FOHO  as, , 
Constantinople :  as  touching  Chrysostom,  I  have  said  enough 
in  the  first  article.  Only  therefore  will  I  add  this,  which  may 
be  a  bone  for  you  to  pick  on ;  that  whereas  he  speaketh3  of 
] louses,  markets,  wildernesses,  highways,  sea,  ships,  garments, 
parlours,  walls,  windows,  armour,  and  such  other  things,  where 
the  Cross  should  be,  only  he  saith  not,  that  the  Cross  was 
in  the  church.  Reckoning  up  so  many,  would  he  have  forgot 
ten  the  chief,  if  any  such  order  had  been  received  then  ?  It 
is  not  credible.  Augustin,  (if  ye  were  not  too  wilfully  set,) 
should  not  be  urged  of  you4.  For  he  meaneth  nothing  less 
than  either  the  material  or  your  mystical  Cross.  He  plainly 
speaketh  of  the  passion  of  Christ :  and  incident  into  that  is 
the  form  thereof,  which  was  His  suffering  upon  the  Cross. 
Crux  Christi,  (saith  he,)  ferice  sunt,  et  nundince  spirituales : 
"The  Cross  of  Christ  is  our  holy  feast,  and  spiritual  fair." 
Do  ye  keep  the  feast  unto  the  piece  of  wood  ?  Do  ye  buy 
anything  of  the  external  sign?  If  ye  do  not,  ye  mistake 
S.  Augustin.  For  immediately  upon  the  foresaid  words  he 
inferreth  those  that  you  allege  :  "  Before  the  Cross  was  a 
name  of  condemnation ;  now  it  is  made  a  matter  of  honour  : 
before  it  stood  in  damnation  of  a  curse ;  now  it  is  set  up 
in  occasion  of  salvation."  Where  I  grant,  indeed,  that  he 
maketh  a  difference  between  the  Cross  in  the  old  Law,  and 
Cross  in  the  new  Law  :  but  what  is  meant  by  that  Cross  ? 
The  material  thing  ?  That  is  but  as  you  guess ;  for  I  am  sure 
of  the  contrary.  The  Scripture  saith  not,  Maledictnm  lig 
num,  "  Cursed  is  the  tree  ;"  but,  Maledictus  omnis  qui  pendet 

3  Chrysostom.  Dcmonst.  contra  Gentiles.    [Supra,  p.  03.] 

4  August.  DC  Cruce  et  Latronc.    [Vid.  ante,  pag.  63.  not.  2.] 


278  THE  FIFTH  ARTICLE. 

in  ligno,  "  Cursed  is  every  one  that  hangeth  on  the  tree  V 
Wherefore  your  collection  is  vain,  "  that  as  then  the  material 
Cross  was  a  name  of  ignominy,  so  now  the  material  Cross  is 
a  thing  of  honour."  Did  the  ignominy  consist  in  the  wood 
then  ?  No,  but  in  the  person.  For  if  ye  were  hanged,  M. 
Martiall,  (to  use  a  familiar  example,)  the  shame  were  not  in 
the  gallows,  but  in  yourself,  man.  Then  the  honour  is  not 
in  the  material  Cross,  but  Him  that  died  on  it.  And  that 
the  words,  (Nunc  erecta  est,  "  is  now  at  this  present  set  up,") 
cannot  be  racked  to  a  metaphorical  sense  is  very  strange  to 
me  :  for  if  it  be  true,  that  Christus  idem  heri  et  hodie,  that 
"  Christ  is  the  same  both  to-day  and  yesterday2 ;"  and  that 
He  is  the  Lamb,  Qui  occisus  est  ab  origine  mundi,  "  which 
was  slain  from  the  beginning  of  the  world3;"  methinketh  it 
is  no  absurdity  to  say,  that  now  at  this  present,  in  the 
time  of  grace,  Christ  daily  suffereth ;  His  passion  is  set  out 
as  a  spectacle  unto  us4. 

And  now,  to  conclude  with  Constantine  the  Great ;  whose 
fact  is  such  a  defence  unto  you,  that  ye  think  yourself  full 
armed  with  it :  but  without  any  school-play,  with  a  down 
right  blow,  ye  may  be  touched  on  the  bare.  For  although 
Constantinus,  (not  fully  yet  instructed  in  the  faith,)  "  some 
time  defended  his  face  with  the  sign  of  salvation ;  sometime 
shewed  forth  the  victorious  banner ;  sometime  erected  it  in 
a  painted  table ;  sometime  did  hang  it  up  before  the  court- 
gate;"  yet  we  never  read,  that  of  so  many  churches  as, 
(you  say,)  he  builded,  he  brought  the  sign  of  the  Cross 
into  any  of  them5.  Then  did  he  not  repose  any  holiness 
therein,  nor  his  doings  otherwise  are  to  be  drawn  to  example ; 

i  Deut.  xxi.  [23.]   Gal.  iii.  [13.]  2  Heb.  xiii.  [8.] 

3  Apo.  [Rev.]  xiii.  [8.]  4  [Galat.  iii.  1.] 

5  [Bellarmin  (De  Imagin.  L.  ii.  C.  ix.)  informs  us  that  "  Eusebius, 
lib.  3.  &  4.  de  vita  Constantini,  dicit,  in  templis  a  Constantino  ex- 
structis  in  Palsestina,  fuisse  maximam  copiam  Imaginum  aurearum  et 
argentearum."  Unfortunately  for  the  Cardinal's  veracity,  Eusebius 
merely  records  the  number  "  avadrjuarav  xpwov  KOI  apyvpov."  (Lib.  iii. 
Cap.  xl.)  It  is  to  be  hoped,  nevertheless,  that  Bellarmin's  offence 
may  be  palliated  by  the  fact,  that  he  may  possibly  have  adopted, 
through  negligence,  the  shameless  corruption  of  the  passage  in  the 
Latin  version  by  Joannes  Portesius,  who  has  transformed  "  Donaria" 
into  "  Imagines."  (p.  681.  edit.  Basil.  1559.  Conf.  Dallseum,  De  Imagg. 
Lib.  iii.  pp.  255—6.  Lugd.  Bat.  1642.)] 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  279 

unless  ye  have  need  to  return  with  him  from  paganism 
to  the  faith,  and  have  as  large  commission  as  he.  Where 
fore,  sith  your  ignorance  understandeth  not  the  Fathers' 
•writings  ;  sith  your  impudency  falsely  corrupteth  them  ;  sith 
presumptions  have  always  cumbered  the  Church  of  God ;  and 
traditions  in  every  age  with  every  sere 6  Bishop  varied ;  we 
are  not  to  be  thought  otherwise  than  followers  of  the  Apostles, 
although  we  decline  from  some  thing  that  men  have  called, 
and  in  their  conceits  reputed,  Apostolic.  Flatter  not  yourself, 
as  if  any  were  so  mad,  having  common  sense,  to  be  persuaded 
with  your  glorious  words,  which  in  every  leaf  have  so  good 
trial  of  your  shameless  lies.  Learn  what  the  Church  is ;  then 
talk  thereof.  Be  a  member  of  the  Church,  and  I  will  make 
more  accompt  of  you.  Be  no  preacher  to  other  of  their  soul 
health,  unless  ye  take  better  order  for  your  own. 

6  [late.—"  0  seri  studiorum."— See  note  4,  p.  228.] 


TO    THE    SIXTH    ARTICLE. 


"THAT  divers  holy  men  and  women  got  little  pieces  of  the 
holy  Cross,  and  enclosed  them  in  gold  or  silver ;  and  either  left 
them  in  churches  to  be  worshipped,  or  hanged  them  about  their 
necks,  thereby  to  be  the  better  warded."  To  which  asser 
tion,  considering  what  in  the  articles  afore  hath  been  said  and 
proved,  a  short  answer  may  serve.  For  inasmuch  as  all  your 
reasons  be  grounded  on  a  false  principle,  (authority  of  men, 
which  in  God's  matters  can  take  no  place ;)  ye  spend  in  this 
article  a  great  many  moe  words  than  all  the  matter  in  your 
book  is  worth.  Tertullian  himself1,  speaking  of  a  tradition 
more  reasonable  than  this,  pretendeth  not  authority,  but  saith 
that  he  will  prove,  Hoc  exigere  veritatem :  cui  nemo  prce- 
scribere  potest ;  non  spatium  temporum,  non  patrocinia 
personarum,  non  privilegium  [al.  privilegid]  regionum.  Ex 
hiis  enini  fere  consuetudo,  initium  ab  aliqua  ignorantia  vel 
simplicitate  sortita,  in  usum  per  successionem  corroboratur, 
et  ita  adversus  veritatem  vindicatur.  Sed  Dominns  noster 
Christus  Veritatem  Se,  non  consuetudinem  cognominavit.  Si 
semper  Christus,  et  prior  omnibus,  ceque  veritas  sempiterna 
et  antiqua  res  :  "  That  the  truth  requireth  this :  against  the 
which  no  person,  no  space  of  time,  no  mastership  of  men,  no 
privilege  of  countries,  can  prescribe.  For  most  commonly  by 
the  mean  of  these,  custom,  (that  began  of  some  ignorance  or 
simplicity,)  is  by  succession  confirmed  into  an  use,  and  so 
exception  taken  against  the  truth.  But  Christ  our  Lord 
called  Himself  the  Truth2,  and  not  the  custom.  If  Christ  be 
always,  and  before  all,  the  truth  itself  is  as  well  eternal, 
and  of  most  ancienty3."  Let  them  consider  and  mark  well 
this,  who  accompt  it  new,  that  in  itself  is  old.  No  novelty, 
but  verity,  confoundeth  heresy.  Whatsoever  is  against  the 

1  Tertullian.  Do  Virginibus  velandis.  [ad  init.] 

2  [S.  John  xiv.  6.] 

3  ["  'E/xot  8e  iipxeia  fcmv  'ir/o-oOs  Xptoror."    (S.  Ignatii  Ep.  ad  Phila- 
del.  $.  viii.)] 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE   OF   THE  CROSS.  281 

truth,  the  same  is  heresy  :  yea,  the  old  custom  itself  as  saith 
Tertullian. 

Wherefore  ye  should  not  presume  so  much  upon  the 
credit  of  Helena,  Paulinus,  Gregory,  that  whatsoever  they 
did  should  be  a  sufficient  precedent  for  us  to  do  the  like. 
The  Fathers  of  the  Old  and  the  New  Testament  are  not  to 
be  drawn  for  example  always.  For  then  why  not  David 
defend  an  adulterer,  and  a  lecherous  captain  willing  to  des 
patch  his  trusty  soldier  ?  Why  were  it  any  fault  to  abjure 
the  faith,  or  otherwise  dissemble  with  God,  if  the  like  fact  in 
Peter4  might  be  followed?  Augustin  very  wisely  saith5: 
Non  debemus  imitari  semper  aut  probare  quicquid  probati 
homines  egerunt ;  sed  judiciiim  Scripturarum  adhibere,  an 
illce  probent  ea  facta :  "  We  must  not  always  imitate  or 
allow  whatsoever  allowed  persons  have  done ;  but  lay  the 
judgment  of  Scriptures  to  it,  whether  they  allow  the  doing  of 
it."  If  then  I  drove  you  unto  this  issue,  that  ye  should 
prove  by  the  word  of  God  the  alleged  examples  good,  ye 
had  need  to  require  a  longer  term,  and  yet  in  the  end  you 
would  make  a  non-suit.  For  ye  shall  not  find  in  all  the 
Scripture  any  piece  of  word,  or  example  of  any,  that  can 
by  force  be  wrested  to  the  reservation  of  little  scraps  of 
wood,  or  reposing  any  hope  or  affiance  in  them.  Too  vain 
and  heathenish  is  that  observance :  too  foul  and  horrible  is 
that  Idolatry. 

Yet  will  I  not  deface  those  forenamed  persons,  upon 
whose  authority  ye  ground  yourself;  nor  say  that  other 
wise  they  were  ungodly,  though  in  this  point  no  godliness 
appeared.  Paul  writeth  of  the  Jews  in  his  time  thus  :  Testi- 
monium  illis  perhibeo,  quod  studium  Dei  habent,  sed  non 
secundum  scientiam :  "I  bear  them  record,  that  they  have 
the  zeal  of  God,  but  not  according  to  knowledge6."  And 
I  doubt  not  but  these  whom  you  have  named  had  a  zeal 

<  [Gal.  ii.  11—13.] 

5  ["  Non  itaque  debemus  quidquid  in  Scripturis  etiam  Dei  testimo- 
nio  laudatos  homines  fecisse  legerimus,  consentiendo  approbare,  sed 
considerando  discernere  ;  adhibentes  judicium  non  sane  nostrsc  aucto- 
ritatis,  sed  Scripturarum  divinarum  atque  sanctarum:"  &c.]  Aug. 
Contra  ii.  Ep.  Gauden.  Lib.  ii.  [Contra  Gaudent.  Lib.  i.  Cap.  xxxi 
Opp.  Tom.  ix.] 

«  Rom.  x.  [2.] 


282  THE  SIXTH  ARTICLE. 

of  their  own ;  thought  to  serve  God  :  yet,  serving  their  fancy- 
first,  they  did  offend  against  the  majesty  of  God,  and  were 
occasion  of  fall  to  many  that  came  after.  The  holy  Chron 
icles1  report  of  Jehosaphat,  that  "he  walked  in  the  first  ways 
of  his  father  David,  and  sought  not  Baalim ;  but  sought  the 
Lord  God  of  his  father,  and  walked  in  His  commandments, 
and  not  after  the  trade  of  Israel."  The  like  testimony  also  is 
given  him  in  the  xx.  ch. :  Jehosaphat  "walked  in  the  way  of 
Asa  his  father,  and  departed  not  therefrom ;  doing  that  which 
was  right  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord.  Notwithstanding,  the 
high  places  were  not  taken  away."  Beside  this,  he  made 
affinity  with  Ahab,  '-'and  loved  them  that  hated  the  Lord2." 
Did  any  man  therefore,  for  those  imperfections,  condemn  Jeho 
saphat  as  a  wicked  Prince?  Or  will  any  man  excuse  him 
for  the  same  ?  On  like  sort,  I  will  not  utterly  disprove  your 
authors.  I  think  not  the  contrary,  but  that  they  were  God's 
children ;  although  in  this  matter,  for  which  their  authority  is 
pretended,  there  is  none  with  safe  conscience  that  can  like 
with  them.  Gideon,  among  the  Judges  of  Israel,  was  the 
least  stained ;  yet,  through  devotion,  (as  he  esteemed  it,)  he 
grievously  sinned  against  the  Lord3.  For  when,  as  a  mighty 
champion,  he  returned  home  from  conquest  of  Midiam,  the 
soldiers  laden  with  golden  prey,  he  required  their  ear-rings 
to  be  given  to  him.  Which  amounting  to  a  great  sum,  he 
made  an  Ephod  of  it;  he  deputed  it  to  holy  uses;  and 
served  in  the  tabernacle.  By  which  means  it  came  to  pass, 
that  all  Israel  went  a  whoring  after  it,  and  it  was  the  de 
struction  of  Gideon  and  his  house. 

So  that  we  see  by  David,  by  Peter,  by  Jehosaphat, 
by  Gideon,  that  men,  of  singular  graces  otherwise,  some 
time  do  fall  into  great  absurdities,  and  are  not  to  be  drawn 
to  imitation.  Which  thing  I  speak  unto  this  end ;  that  you 
shall  not  say  I  condemn  your  Fathers  as  Infidels  and  Idolaters, 
although  unadvisedly  they  gave  too  just  occasion  of  such 
offence  to  other.  Yet  were  it  no  deadly  sin,  if  I  called 
Nicephorus  and  Gregory  fabulous  ;  Paulinus  and  Helena  super 
stitious  :  which  as  I  have  already  in  part  proved,  so  were  it 
easy  to  be  confirmed.  But  I  had  rather  as  men  excuse 
them,  than  as  Gods  follow  them.  The  Pharisees  did  wear 

*  2  Par.  xvii.  [3,  4.] 

2  2  Paral.  [Chron.]  xix.  [2.]  3  Jud.  viii.  [24—27.] 


ANSWER  TO   THE   TREATISE   OF  THE   CROSS.  283 

their  phylacteries,  their  scrolls  of  parchment,  upon  their  long 
robes,  wherein  the  Commandments  of  God  were  written.  A 
juster  pretence  had  they  to  continue  that  ceremony,  (the 
word  of  God  commanding  them  that  the  Law  should  never 
depart  from  their  eyes4;)  than  ever  any  had  for  pieces  of 
the  Cross.  Notwithstanding,  Christ  reproved  their  hypocrisy, 
and  pronounced  upon  them  the  heavy  woe5.  Shall  not 
this  be  done  unto  all  them,  that  for  a  vain  glory  devise 
a  will-worship ;  and  ascribe  their  defence  to  a  rotten  stick, 
that  only  dependeth  on  the  providence  of  God  ?  If  ye 
think  the  comparisons  are  not  like ;  the  writing  of  the  Com 
mandments  on  the  coat,  and  enclosing  a  piece  of  the  Cross 
in  gold ;  then  read  what  Hierom  sayeth.  Lay  down  aifection  ; 
and,  to  condemn  your  error,  speak  out  your  conscience. 
His  words  are  these6 :  Non  intelligentibus  Pharisceis  quod 
hcec  in  corde  portanda  sunt,  non  in  corpore :  alioqnin  et 
armaria  et  arcce  habent  libros,  et  notitiam  Dei  non  habent. 
Hoc  apud  nos  superstitiosce  mulierculce  in  parvulis  Evange- 
liis,  et  in  Crucis  ligno,  et  istiusmodi  rebus,  quce  habent 
quidem  zelum  Dei,  sed  non  juxta  scientiam,  usque  hodie 
factitant;  culicem  liquantes,  et  camelum  glutientes  :  "Where 
the  Pharisees  understood  not,"  (saith  S.  Hierom,)  "  that  the 
Commandments  are  to  be  carried  in  the  heart,  and  not  in  the 
body :  for  otherwise  studies  and  chests  have  books,  and  have 
not  the  knowledge  of  God.  This  do  superstitious  women 
to  this  day  with  us,  in  little  Gospels,  and  pieces  of  the  Cross, 
and  such  other  things ;  which  have  the  zeal  of  God,  but  not 
according  to  knowledge ;  straining  a  gnat,  and  swallowing  a 
camel." 

Here  doth  S.  Hierom  compare  together  the  broad  phy 
lacteries,  and  little  pieces  of  the  Cross.  He  calleth  them 
the  Pharisees'  hypocrisy,  and  these  to  be  women's  super 
stitious  folly.  He  granteth  them  both  a  zeal  of  God,  but 
neither  according  to  knowledge.  And  so  little  did  he  esteem 
the  llehques  of  the  Cross  ;  so  fond  a  thing  he  thought  it  to  be 
enclosed,  carried  or  worshipped  of  any ;  that  he  would  not 
attribute  the  folly  unto  men,  which  ought  of  congruence  have 

4  [Exod.  xiii.  16.  Deut.  vi.  8.] 
s  Mat.  xxv.  [xxiii.  13 — 29.]  Luke  xi.  [42—44.] 
6  Hieron.  in  xxiii.  Mat.  [Opp.  Tom.  iv.  col.  109.  ed.  Bened.  Paris. 
1706.] 


284  THE  SIXTH  ARTICLE. 

more  discretion,  but  superstltiosis  mulierculis,  to  such  as 
your  old  mother  Maukins  are.  And  sith  you  urge  authority 
so  much,  who  is  more  to  be  credited?  Helena,  a  silly 
woman,  or  Hierom,  a  learned  man  ?  Nicephorus,  a  suspect 
writer,  or  Hierom,  a  received  Doctor  of  the  Church  ?  Pau- 
linus,  a  Bishop,  or  Hierom,  (as  you  say,)  a  Cardinal  ?  Gregory, 
a  Pope,  or  Hierom,  a  Saint  canonized?  They  carried,  they 
sent,  they  reverenced,  little  pieces  of  the  Cross.  But  he 
condemns  it,  as  more  than  a  womanish  superstition,  as  strain 
ing  of  a  gnat,  and  swallowing  of  a  camel. 

And  whereas  ye  cite  Chrysostom J ;  that  such  as  could 
get  any  piece  of  the  Cross  "  enclosed  the  same  in  gold, 
as  well  men  as  women,  and  made  it  meet  for  their  necks;" 
it  is  not  to  be  thought,  that  this  he  spake  as  a  praise 
of  the  parties,  but  a  practice  of  the  time.  For  Hierom 
and  he  lived  both  in  one  age,  and  then  were  men  too 
much  addicted  to  such  idle  toys.  If  ye  ask  me  then,  why 
Chrysostom  did  not  in  the  same  place  disprove  the  fact ; 
I  answer,  that  he  had  to  do  with  the  Heathen,  which 
caught  occasion  of  every  man's  private  doing  to  bring  the 
Religion  of  Christ  in  obloquy.  Therefore  it  was  no  wisdom 
for  Chrysostom,  to  have  revealed  the  shame  of  Christians ; 
which  might  have  hindered  his  cause  very  much,  and  dis 
couraged  the  other  from  coming  to  the  faith.  Myself,  if  I 
should  convert  an  Infidel,  would  not  uncover  the  shame  of 
Papists,  but  hide  it  what  I  could :  assured  of  this,  that 
there  is  no  Turk  nor  Sarazin  in  the  world,  that  will  forsake 
his  own  Idolatry,  to  fall  into  a  worse  of  Popery.  So  that  it 
was  not  without  good  consideration,  that  Chrysostom  so 
cleanly  did  excuse  the  fact,  which  he  liked  not,  that  he  might 
not  oiFend  them  whom  he  sought  to  win.  Think  you  that  a 
Jew  can  be  brought  from  confidence  in  his  Terjoary|Oa/u/JiaToi/, 
the  name  of  God  written  in  four  letters2,  if  he  chance  to  see 
a  sorry  piece  of  wood  had  in  like  reverence  ?  They  were 
wont  to  enclose  that  in  gold :  even  so  do  you  pieces  of  the 
Cross.  They  thought  themselves  safe  from  all  perils  by  it : 
even  so  do  you  by  this.  And  is  there  any  hope,  that  the 
Jews  can  think  well  of  that  Religion,  which  condemneth  their 
superstition  about  the  name  of  God,  (had  in  such  reverence 

1  Chrysostom.  in  Dem.  ad  Gentiles. 

2  [: 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  285 

among  them,  that  they  dare  not  presume  with  tongue  to  utter 
it ;)  and  useth  a  worse  about  a  piece  of  wood  ?  May  we  not 
suspect,  that  there  is  some  piece  of  truth  more  than  we  are 
ware  of;  some  piece  of  secret  operation,  (as  Serenus  Salmo- 
nicus3  doth  write4,)  in  the  word  of  Abracadabra5,  to  heal 
one  of  the  fever ;  if  a  splinter  of  a  rotten  post,  against  all 
kind  of  mischief,  sufficiently  may  defend  us  ?  I  marvel  not 
now,  that  your  Soul-Priest  in  the  Tower  was  found  with 
Hosts  hanging  about  his  neck  in  a  silken  purse,  if  a  piece  of 
wood  have  such  power  to  save  us.  I  doubt  not  but  shortly 
you  will  also  bring  in  aurea  Alexandri  nmnismata,  "the 
golden  corns  of  Alexander,"  of  which  Chrysostom  speaketh6, 
to  tie  to  your  feet ;  and  S.  John's  Gospels,  to  hang  about  your 
necks. 

These  superstitions,  these  witchcrafts  and  sorceries,  were 
used  in  Chrysostom's  time,  and  are  not  yet  forsaken  of 
some.  But  what  Chrysostom  thought  of  them7,  and  of  such 
Reliques  as  you  do  talk  of,  appeareth  in  his  second  exposition 
upon  Matthew ;  where  he  expostulated!  with  the  Priests  for 
their  phylacteries  and  Gospels,  saying8:  Die  Sacerdos  insipiens, 
nonne  quotidie  JEvangelium  in  ecclesia  legitur,  et  auditur  ab 
hominibus  ?  Cut  ergo  in  auribus  posita  Evangelia  nihil 
prosunt,  quomodo  eum  poterunt  circa  collum  suspensa 
salvare  ?  Deinde,  ubi  est  virtus  Evangelii  ?  in  Jiguris 
literarum,  aut  in  intellectu  sensuum  ?  Si  in  figuris,  bene 
circa  collum  suspendis :  si  in  intellectu,  ergo  melius  in  corde 
posita  prosunt,  quam  circa  collum  suspensa  :  "  Tell  me,  thou 
foolish  Priest,  is  not  the  Gospel  daily  read  and  heard  of  men 
in  the  church?  Therefore,  who  hath  no  profit  by  hearing  of 

3  [Or  Sammonicus.    Vid.  Konigii  Bibliotli.  vetus  et  nova,  p.  719. 
Altdorf.  1678.] 

4  [See  the  extract,  and  figure  of  the  amulet,  as  given  by  Baronius  ; 
ad  an.  120.  §.  xvii.] 

5  [Conf.  Irenseum,  Advers.  Hceres.  Lib.  i.  Cap.  xxiii.] 

6  Ad  pop.  Antio.  Ho.  xxi.  [Horn.  xix.  §.  15.   Cf.  Horn,  xliii.  in  1  Cor. 
sub  fin. ;  &  in  S.  Matth.  Horn.  Ixxii.    S.  Isidor.  Pelusiot.  Epist.  cl.  Lib. 
ii.  p.  178.  Heidelb.  1605.    Suiceri  Thesaur.  in  verb.  EvayytXiov.  i.  1227. 
Amstel.  1728.] 

7  [Bingham's  Antiq.  Book  xvi.  Ch.  v.  §.  vi.] 

8  Chrysostomus,  in  caput  Mat.  xxiii.  Horn,  xliii.    [Opp.  Lat.  Tom. 
ii.  col.  920.  Paris.  1570.     Vide  supra,  pp.  95 — 6.    Bp.  Jewel's  Works, 
Part  i.  p.  327.  ed.  Parker  Soc.] 


286  THE  SIXTH  ARTICLE. 

the  Gospel,  how  can  it  save  him  by  hanging  it  about  his 
neck?  Furthermore,  wherein  consisteth  the  virtue  of  the 
Gospel  ?  in  the  proportion  of  the  letters,  or  understanding 
of  the  sense  ?  If  in  the  letters,  well  dost  thou  hang  them 
about  thy  neck  ;  but  if  in  the  understanding,  then  would  it 
profit  more,  reposed  in  thy  heart,  than  hanged  about  thy 
neck." 

Thus  much  Chrysostom.  And  lest  peradventure  ye 
should  think,  that  this  only  superstition  were  reproved  of 
him,  he  proceedeth  further,  and  toucheth  matter  that  doth 
more  nearly  concern  our  case.  Alii,  qui  sanctiores  se  osten- 
dere  volunt  hominibus,  partem  fimbrice  aut  capillorum 
Suorum  alligant  et  suspendunt.  O  impietas !  Majorem 
sanctitatem  in  Suis  vestimentis  volunt  ostendere,  quam  in 
corpore  Christi  :  ut  qui,  corpus  Ejus  manducans,  sanatus  non 
fuerit,  fimbrice  Ejus  sanctitate  salvetur  ;  ut,  desperans  de 
misericordia  Dei,  confidat  in  veste  hominis.  In  English  : 
"  Some  other,  which  will  shew  themselves  holier  unto  men,  do 
bind  together  and  hang  up  a  piece  of  the  hem  of  Christ's 
garment,  or  His  heare l.  0  wickedness  !  They  will  shew  more 
holiness  in  the  garments,  than  in  the  body  of  Christ :  that  he, 
which  is  not  healed  by  eating  of  His  body,  shall  be  saved  by 
the  holiness  of  His  garment  hem ;  that  he,  that  despaireth  of 
the  mercy  of  God,  shall  put  his  confidence  in  the  garment  of 
a  man."  And  think  ye  not,  that  the  coat  of  Christ,  which 
touched  His  blessed  body ;  that  the  heare  *  of  Christ,  which 
grew  upon  His  holy  head,  is  of  as  great  virtue  as  a  piece  of 
the  Cross  whereupon  He  died  ?  Then  if  Chrysostom  compted 
it  impiety,  to  have  such  estimation  of  the  coat  or  heare  *  of  our 
Saviour  Christ,  shall  we  think  that  a  piece  of  wood  was  in 
such  price  with  him?  Would  he  enclose  the  Cross  in  gold, 
or  counsel  other  to  do  the  same,  which  held  it  wickedness  so 
to  esteem  a  parcel  of  His  body  ?  Christ  hath  left  us  His 
body  indeed,  for  a  memory  of  Him,  for  a  comfort  of  us  to  be 
received:  and  shall  we  seek  for  external  means,  which 
neither  have  part  of  promise,  nor  be  devoid  of  peril?  We 
read  in  the  Gospel2,  that  after  Christ  was  crucified,  Joseph 
required  the  body,  and  interred  it :  the  Marys  were  be 
holders  of  His  passion  and  burial :  there  was  no  sparing  of 

1  [hair.] 

2  Mat.  xxvii.  [57—61.]  Luk.  xxiii.  [50—56.] 


ANSWER  TO   THE   TREATISE   OF  THE   CROSS.  287 

cost  for  ointment :  yet  none  of  them  all  cared  for  the  Cross. 
If  it  had  been  such  a  jewel  as  you  do  make  it,  they  would 
have  brought  it,  stolen  it,  or  spoken  at  the  least  wise  of  it. 
Many  other  things,  of  less  importance,  (than  this  is,  by  your 
supposal,)  be  mentioned  in  the  Scripture,  as  necessary  or  ex 
pedient.  Only,  (more  than  that  Simon  of  Gyrene  carried  it,) 
we  read  nothing  of  the  Cross  that  He  died  on. 

I  remember  that  it  is  a  great  argument  of  yours,  how  God 
will  not  suffer  His  Church  to  err.  I  remember  ye  alleged 
in  the  article  before,  Quod  in  hanc  Apostoli  plenissime  con-voi\o«j,\>. 
tulerunt  omnia  quce  sunt  veritatis  :  "  That  the  Apostles  most 
plentifully  conferred  on  the  Church  all  things  appertaining 
unto  the  truth  ;"  as  Irenseus  doth  truly  say3.  How  chanceth 
it  then,  that  this  truth  of  the  Cross,  for  four  hundreth  years 
together,  was  hidden  from  them  ?  From  the  death  of  Christ 
till  the  time  of  Helena4,  no  man  or  woman  ever  talked  of  it. 
When  she  came,  she  found  it,  two  hundreth  years  after  it  was 
utterly  consumed.  I  think  that  such  idle  Chaplains,  such 
morrow-mass  Priests  as  you,  so  slenderly  furnished  out  of  the 
storehouse  of  faith  to  feed  the  people,  would  be  glad  to  deal 
more  of  your  popish  plenty,  if  this  at  the  first  were  gently 
accepted.  We  should  have  extolled  S.  Leonard's  bowl,  S. 
Cornely's  horn,  S.  George's  colt,  S.  Anthony's  pig,  S.  Francis' 
cowl,  S.  Parson's  breech,  with  a  thousand  Ileliques  of  supersti 
tion  as  well  as  this.  For  miracles  have  been  done  by  these, 
(or  else  you  He ;)  nor  authority  of  men  doth  want  to  these. 
Longolius5,  a  learned  man,  and  Charles  the  V.6,  a  noble  Em 
peror,  requested  to  be  buried  in  a  Friar's  cowl,  and  so  they 
were.  Therefore  the  Friar's  cowl  must  be  honoured.  Ye 

3  Lib.  iii.  Ca.  iv.  Contr.  User.     ["  Tantte  igitur  ostensiones  cum 
Bint  haec,  non  oportet  adhuc  queerere  apud  alios  veritatem,  quam  facile 
est  ab  Ecclesia  sumere ;  cum  Apostoli,  quasi  in  dcpositorium  dives, 
plenissime  in  ea  contulerint  omnia  quse  sint  veritatis."] 

4  [Bartholinus,  De  Cruce,  p.  23.  Amstel.  1670.    Patrick's  Devotions 
of  the  Roman  Church,  pp.  343 — 348.   Lond.  1696.    Comber's  Roman 
Forgeries,  p.  155.  Lond.  1689.     Chamieri  Panstrat.  CathoL  ii.   872. 
Gcnev.  1626.     Newman's  Essay  on  Miracles;  prefixed  to  Fleury's 
Eccks.  Hist.  Vol.  i. ;  pp.  cxliii — clxx.  Oxford,  1842.] 

5  [Vid.  Hanmer's  Great  bragge  and  challenge  of  M.  CJiampion  con 
futed,  fol.  6,  b.  Lond.  1581.] 

6  [Cf.  Strada,  De  Bella  Bclgic.  Lib.  i.  Dec.  i.  Gul.  Zenocarus,  De 
Hep.  et  Vita  Car.  Max.  iv.  221.  v.  292.  Antverp.  1596.] 


288 


THE   SIXTH  ARTICLE. 


remember  what  the  host  in  Chaucer  said  to  Sir  Thopas  for 
his  lewd  rhyme1.  The  same  do  I  say  to  you,  (because  I 
have  to  do  with  your  Canterbury  tales,)  for  your  fair 
reasons. 

One  thing  remaineth,  which  I  do  you  wrong  if  I  omit  : 
the  singular  virtue  that  is  not  only  in  every  portion  of 
the  holy  Cross,  but  also  in  every  sign  thereof;  inasmuch  as 

oiio  92,  &  "  it  only  driveth  away  all  subtilty  and  crafts  of  evil  Spirits ; 
destroyeth  witchcraft ;  doth  as  much  as  the  presence  of  Christ 
in  earth ;  proceedeth  with  like  efficacy  as  the  first  sampler." 
Strange  effects,  I  promise  you.  But,  first,  I  marvel  why  you 
are  offended  with  us  for  preaching  only  faith  justifieth,  since 
you  do  teach  us  that  the  only  sign  of  the  Cross  can  do  as 
much  as  it.  If  only  wood,  if  only  making  an  over  thwart  sign, 
disappoint  the  might  of  adversary  Powers ;  he  is  but  a 
fool  that  will  be  troubled  with  Sprites ;  he  is  but  a  beast 
that  will  fear  the  Devil.  Signo  Crucis  tantum  utens  homo, 
omnes  horum  fallacias  pellit :  "  Man,  using  only  the  sign  of 
the  Cross,  putteth  away  all  their  subtilty  and  craft."  If  a  piece 
of  wood,  that  worms  do  breed  in ;  that  never  God  nor  good 

olio 93.  man  commended  otherwise  than  wood,  have  such  "spiritual 
water  flowing  thereinto,  which  is  known  to  be  salvation  of 
faithful  souls ;"  shall  we  be  condemned  for  attributing  the  like 
effect  to  spiritual  and  lively  faith ;  which  the  word  of  God  so 
oft,  so  earnestly,  with  such  promise  of  grace,  such  assurance 
of  safety,  commendeth  to  us  ?  If  the  sign  of  a  Cross,  drawn 
with  a  finger,  "do  the  same  that  the  presence  of  Christ  did  in 
earth,"  (as  is  by  you  alleged ;)  0  men  unmerciful,  that  suffer 
so  many  halt,  so  many  lame,  so  many  blind,  so  many  sore,  to 
live  in  misery,  and  miscarry  with  us.  Christ  cured  the  like  : 
He  by  His  presence  brought  health  and  comfort  to  all  dis 
eased.  Why  do  not  you,  (my  Cross  Masters,)  the  like '?  If 
these  allegations  be  true,  (as  confidently  they  be  printed  of 
you,)  why  cease  your  miracles  ?  Confirm  us  in  your  foolish 
faith.  When  we  see  the  effects,  we  shall  consider  of  the 
cause. 

Thus  have  I  shewed  you,  that  in  cases  of  Religion,  (as  •] 

this  is  one,)  no  men's  authority  should  prescribe  unto  us ;    no 

time,  no  custom  prejudice  a  truth.     Examples  be  dangerous 

to  be  followed ;   both  because  they  be  sometime  but  personal, 

1  [Tyrvvhitt's  Chaucer,  Yol  ii.  p.  239.  Lond.  177">.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  289 

and  arc  not  always  of  God's  good  guiding  Spirit :  which,  if  it 
be  true  in  them,  of  whose  faith  and  holiness  we  have  in  the 
Scripture  honourable  commendation ;  we  may  the  more  mis 
trust  of  other,  whose  lives  and  virtues  we  can  by  no  means  be 
so  well  assured  of.  As  for  authorities,  (though  Scripture 
itself  doth  suffice  the  faithful,  and  such  as  delight  not  to  be 
contentious ;)  yet,  that  men  of  good  judgment  utterly  abhorred, 
as  heathenish,  devilish,  and  idolatrous,  this  keeping,  enclosing, 
honouring  of  a  piece  of  wood,  or  any  such  earthly  matter, 
I  have  brought  you  Hierom  and  Chrysostom ;  whose  plain 
words  condemn  the  superstition  of  you,  and  all  other  that  you 
do  talk  of.  Last  of  all,  I  have  touched  the  gross  absurdities 
that  consequently  do  follow  of  your  doctrine ;  which,  (though 
I  have  not  thoroughly  unripped,  your  beastliness  and  vanity 
being  so  loathsome  to  me ;  yet)  have  I  touched  sufficiently  to 
drive  you,  (if  any  grace  be  in  you,)  to  consider  your  duty 
better ;  to  write  with  more  reason,  or  be  still  with  less  shame. 
Is  this  the  profession  of  your  Priesthood ;  is  this  the  com 
mission  that  men  of  your  coat  have ;  to  preach  the  fables  of 
old  Gentility,  and  stir  up  the  kennel  of  stinking  superstition, 
which  every  old  wife  is  aweary  of,  every  child  doth  scorn  at  ? 
Learn  Christianity  of  Christ  Himself ;  true  order  of  preaching 
of  the  Apostles.  Seek  not  so  much  what  men  have  done,  but 
how  well  they  have  done. 

It  is  written  to  the  Hebrews2,  that  "  God  of  old  time 
spake  at  sundry  times,  and  in  divers  manners,  to  our  fathers 
by  the  Prophets ;  but  in  these  last  days  hath  spoken  unto 
us  by  His  dear  Son."  Whereby  what  other  thing  is  to 
be  meant,  but  that  God  hereafter  will  not  use  the  mouth 
of  many,  nor  heap  us  prophecy  upon  prophecy,  revelation 
upon  revelation;  but  that  He  did  so  fully  instruct  us  by 
His  Son,  that  the  very  last  and  everlasting  testimony  of 
truth  must  be  had  of  Him  ?  He  gave  Him,  therefore,  a  sin 
gular  prerogative,  to  be  our  Prophet,  our  Master,  and  our 
Guide :  commanding  Him  only,  no  Church,  no  Council,  no 
man  to  be  heard.  The  Church,  (I  trust,)  will  take  no  more 
upon  them  than  the  Apostles  did.  What  the  Synagogue  of 
Antichrist  doth,  I  care  not :  what  the  true  Christians  ought 
to  do,  I  prove.  Christ  sent  forth  His  Apostles  into  the  world, 
and  gave  them  commission  to  teach  and  preach,  not  whatso- 

2  Hebr.  i.  [1,  2.] 

19 
[CALFHILL.J 


290  THE  SIXTH  ARTICLE. 

ever  they  could  invent,  but  what  He  had  first  commanded 
them1.  And  nothing  could  be  more  plainly  said,  than  that 
which  He  speak eth  in  another  place:  "Be  not  ye  called 
Rabbi,"  as  masters  or  rulers  over  your  brothers'  faith:  for  one 
is  your  Doctor  and  your  Teacher,  Christ2.  Then,  if  nothing 
can  be  allowed  in  matters  of  faith  and  salvation  but  that 
which  is  grounded  on  Christ  and  the  Gospel,  all  doctrines  of 
men,  all  Crosses,  all  Crucifixes,  Rood-lofts  and  all,  which  have 
no  colour  of  Scripture  to  defend  them,  but  be  most  injurious 
and  contrary  to  the  same,  must  clean  be  abolished  and  put  out 
of  the  Church.  If  Christ  did  call  them  hypocrites,  and 
honourers  of  Him  in  vain,  which  teach  the  doctrines  that 
proceed  of  man3 ;  surely  you  Papists,  (for  fouler  name  of 
heresy  can  I  give  you  none4 ;)  which  bring  us  men's  autho 
rities,  without  the  warrant  of  God's  holy  word ;  that  bind 
us  to  believe  things  most  contrary  to  it,  are  neither  shepherds 
nor  sheep  of  the  fold ;  but,  for  all  your  fleece,  be  ravening 
wolves. 

This  doth  Ignatius  on  this  wise  confirm5:  Omnis  igitur  qui 
dixerit  prceter  ea  [ilia]  quce,  tradita  sunt,  tametsi  fide  dignus 
sit,  tametsi  jejunet,  tametsi  virginitatem  servet,  tametsi  signa 
facial,  tametsi  prophetet,  lupus  tibi  appareat  in  grege  ovium : 
"  Whosoever  speaketh  anything  more  than  is  written,  although 

1  [S.  Matth.  xxviii.  20.] 

2  Math,  xxiii.  [8.] 

3  Math.  xv.  [7—9.] 

4  [Baronius,  on  the  contrary,  maintains  that  they  could  not  be 
adorned  with  any  "  more  sublime  title  of  glory."    (Martyrol.  die  16 
Octob.    Conf.   Leslseum,  De  rebus  gestis  Scotorum ;  Parsenes.  p.  23. 
Romce,  1578.     Bellarm.    De   notis  Ecclesice,  Cap.  iv.    Crakanthorp's 
Vigilius  dormitans,  p.  188.  Lond.  1631.    Rhem.  Annot.  on  Acts  xi.  26. 
Schelhornii  Amcen.  Hist.  Eccles.  Tom.  i.  p.  968.  Francof.  1737.   Kelli- 
son's  Survey  of  the  new  Religion,  p.  95.  Douay,  1603.   Morton's  Catho- 
like  Appealefor  Protestants,  p.  678.  Lond.  1610.    Challoner's  Authority 
of  the  Catholic  Church,  p.  95.  Dubl.  1829.     Dodd's  Church  Hist,  of 
England,  by  Tierney,  Vol.  i.  pp.  311,  450.  Lond.  1839.    Du  Moulin's 
Anatomy  of  the  Mass,  p.  87.  Dubl.  1750.    Lynde's  Case  for  the  Specta 
cles,  p.  150.  Lond.  1638.)] 

5  in  Episto.  ad  Hieronim.    [Ileronem. — This  Epistle  is  certainly 
not  authentic,  though  it  has  been  patronised  by  an  assailant   of 
Ancient  Cliristianity.  (i.  119.)     Calf  hill  has  used  the  old  Latin  version, 
published  by  Jacques  Le  Fevre,  Argentor.  1527.  Vid.  cl.  Usserii  edit. 
p.  164.  Oxon.  1644.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE   OF  THE  CROSS.  291 

he  be  worthy  credit,  although  he  fast,  although  he  keep  his 
virginity,  although  he  do  miracles,  although  he  prophesy ; 
yet  let  him  seem  to  thee  a  wolf  in  the  flock  of  sheep."  This 
hath  been  always  the  opinion  of  the  godly.  This  all  the 
Doctors  have  taught  and  written.  Only  you,  (good  Sir,) 
and  certain  of  your  factious  fellowship,  will  be  wiser  than 
Christ ;  bolder  than  the  Apostles ;  better  learned  than  the 
Doctors ;  and  give  us  out  new  lessons  that  Scripture  never 
thought  of. 

I  will  not  tarry  here  in  rehearsal  of  your  errors  in  other 
points,  which  hasten  to  the  end  of  my  reproof  of  this.  Only 
you,  (good  readers,)  I  shall  exhort,  and,  for  the  mercies  of 
Christ,  beseech  you,  that,  as  ye  tender  your  own  health,  and 
wish  to  be  gathered  into  the  fold  of  life,  ye  will  hearken  to 
the  voice  of  your  Shepherd  Christ,  and  come  at  no  stranger's 
call.  Give  credit  to  no  man  in  matters  of  your  faith,  further 
than  he  brings  his  warrant  with  him.  Believe  no  report,  for 
it  is  a  liar.  Beware  of  the  wolvish  generation,  which  now 
being  hungry  kept,  and  feeding  upon  carrion,  breathe  out 
nothing  else  but  horrible  blasphemies  and  stinking  lies.  They 
prate  of  good  life  :  themselves  most  licentious.  They  burden 
men  with  breach  of  laws  :  themselves  most  rebellious  and  dis 
solute.  They  go  about  to  discredit  us  as  teachers  of  carnal 
liberty  :  themselves  imbrued  with  all  kind  of  filth  and 
abomination.  As  for  all  their  doctrine  and  Religion,  I  may 
say  unto  them,  as  Christ  did  to  the  Pharisees :  Popnlus 
iste  labiis  Me  honorat,  cor  autem  eorum  longe  cst  a  Me : 
"  This  people  honour  Me  with  their  lips,  but  their  hearts 
are  far  off  from  Me6."  Their  eyes,  their  hands,  their 
head,  their  feet  they  frame  in  such  wise  as  shall  tend  to 
some  piece  of  observance  of  the  law.  Their  winking,  their 
nodding,  their  moving,  their  crossing,  is  all  God's  service, 
as  they  do  tell  us.  But  where  is  the  heart?  Where  is 
the  mind,  and  inward  purity  that  God  requireth?  When 
they  hear,  "  Thou  shalt  not  kill ;"  "  Thou  shalt  not  steal ;" 
"  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery ;"  the  purest  of  them  all, 
what  do  they?  Peradventure,  not  draw  the  sword  to  slay 
any  man ;  not  lay  their  hands  on  other  men's  goods ;  not 
depart  their  bodies  with  harlots,  (which  yet  is  a  marvellous 
rare  bird  to  be  hatched  in  the  nest  of  Popery ;)  but  they 

c  [S.  Matth.  xv.  8.] 

19—2 


292  THE  SIXTH  ARTICLE. 

compass  mischief  and  destruction  in  their  hearts  :  they  burn 
in  desire :  they  fret  and  consume  away  for  envy.  So, 
that  which  is  the  chief  of  the  law  is  least  among  them. 
That  which  seemeth  gay  to  the  outward  shew  is  only  re 
tained  and  kept. 

And,  for  conclusion,  beside  that  they  expel  faith,  which 
is  the  goodness  of  all  works,  they  set  up  works  of  their 
own  making,  to  destroy  the  works  of  God,  and  be  holier 
than  they.  First,  with  their  chastity,  they  destroy  the 
chastity  that  God  ordained,  and  only  requireth.  With 
their  obedience,  they  take  away  the  order  that  God  in 
this  world  hath  set,  and  exacteth  none  other.  With  their 
poverty,  they  pervert  humility  and  the  true  poverty  of  the 
spirit,  which  Christ  taught  only,  which  is  only  not  to  love 
the  worldly  goods.  With  their  fast,  filling  their  unsatiable 
paunches,  they  forget  the  fast  which  God  commandeth,  a  per 
petual  soberness,  to  tame  the  flesh.  With  their  pattering  of 
prayers,  they  have  put  away  the  prayer  that  God  hath 
taught  us;  which  is  either  thanks  for  benefits  received,  or  de 
siring  help,  with  trust  to  be  relieved.  Their  Crosses  have 
displaced  Christ.  Their  Pictures  have  defaced  Scripture. 
Their  Laymen's  books1  have  abolished  the  Law.  Their  holi 
ness  is  to  forbid  that  which  God  ordained  to  be  received  with 
thanksgiving :  as  meat  and  matrimony.  Their  own  works 
they  maintain :  they  let  God's  decay.  Break  theirs,  and 
they  persecute  to  the  death :  break  God's,  and  they  either 
look  through  their  fingers,  or  else  give  a  flap  with  a  fox-tail, 
for  a  little  money.  Then  is  it  easy  to  be  espied  what  they 
are.  Let  them  disguise  themselves  never  so  closely,  yet,  by 
this  examining  of  their  natures  and  properties,  they  will  be 
wray  themselves.  Chrysostom,  commenting  upon  the  seventh 
of  Matthew,  saith :  Si  quis  lupum  cooperiat  pelle  ovina, 
quomodo  cognoscet  eum,  nisi  aut  per  vocem,  aut  per  actum? 
Ovis  inclinata  deorsum  balat.  Lupus  in  ae'ra  convertit 
caput  suum  contra  codum,  et  sic  ululat.  Qui  ergo  secun- 
dum  Deum  vocem  humilitatis  et  confessionis  emittit,  ovis  est, 
Qui  vero  adversus  veritatem  turpiter  blasphemiis  ululat  con 
tra  Deum,  lupus  est.  Which  is  thus  in  English  :  "  If  any 
man,"  (saith  he,)  "cover  a  wolf  with  a  sheep's  skin,  how  shall  he 
know  him,  but  by  his  voice  or  by  his  doing  ?  The  sheep  bows 
1  [See  Preface,  p.  21.] 


ANSWER    TO    THE    TREATISE    OF    THE    CROSS.  293 

down  the  head  to  the  ground,  and  bleats.  The  wolf  lifts  up 
his  nose  into  the  air,  and  barks.  Therefore  whosoever,  ac 
cording  to  God's  word,  speaketh  with  the  voice  of  humbleness 
and  confession,  he  is  a  sheep.  But  he  that,  contrary  to  the 
truth,  blatters  out  blasphemies  against  God,  is  a  very  wolf." 
That  the  Papists  are  such,  as  it  doth  sufficiently  appear 
already,  so  shall  it  abundantly,  (ere  I  have  done,)  be  proved. 
Therefore  I  say,  Beware  of  Papists. 


TO    THE    SEVENTH    ARTICLE. 


ALTHOUGH  we  ought  not,  in  discussing  of  a  truth  ruled 
over  by  the  word,  greatly  contend  what  rites  and  ceremonies 
have  of  presumption  or  toleration  been  brought  into  the 
Church ;  yet,  that  you  may  see  before  your  eyes  what  ill  of 
such  precedents  hath  issued ;  how  one  inch  granted  to  super 
stition,  a  whole  ell  hath  followed ;  consider  a  while  your 
Litanies  and  Processions.  "  The  singing  and  saying  of  Litany," 
(you  say,)  "  is  commonly  called  Procession  :"  but  Litanies  were 
received  long  before  Processions  did  come  in  place.  For  Lita 
nies,  what  are  they  but  humble  prayers  and  supplications  unto 
God,  to  procure  His  favour,  and  turn  away  His  wrath  ?  These 
have  been  received  in  the  Church  of  old,  and,  according  to 
occasion,  diversly  used. 

We  read  that  when  Constantinus  the  Emperor  had  pur 
chased  peace  unto  the  Church  of  God,  about  a  three  hund- 
reth  and  thirty  year  after  Christ,  then  publicly  the  Christians 
repaired  together.  Then  were  there  in  the  congregations,  (as 
Eusebius  reporteth1,)  Orationes,  Psalmodice,  sacrorum  ope- 
rationes,  mysteriorum  participationes,  gratiarum  actiones  : 
"  Prayers,  singing  of  Psalms,  business  about  holy  things,  par 
ticipation  of  mysteries,  and  giving  of  thanks."  And,  (that 
which  is  worthy  to  be  remembered,)  he  writeth  of  the  good 
Emperor  on  this  sort2:  Cantare  primus  incepit,  una  oravit, 
Condones  stans  reverenter  audiit :  adeo  ut  rogatus  ut  con- 
sideret,  respondent,  Fas  non  esse  dogmata  de  Deo  remisse  ac 
segniter  audire :  "  Himself  began  first  to  sing,  prayed  with 
the  rest,  and  reverently  heard  the  Sermons,  standing  on  his 
feet ;  so  far  forth,  that  when  he  was  required  to  set  him 
down,  he  answered,  '  That  it  was  not  lawful  to  hear  the  pre 
cepts  of  God  with  slackness  and  with  sloth.'  "  Hilarius  also, 
three  hundred  and  seventy  year  after  Christ,  writeth  of 
the  order  of  the  Church  in  his  time  thus3:  Audiat  orantis 

1  Euseb.  Eccle.  Hist.  Lib.  x.  Cap.  iii. 

2  De  vita  Const.  Li.  iv. 

8  Hilarius,  in  expos.  Psal.  Ixv.    [Opp.  col.  174.  ed.  Ben.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  295 

populi  consistens  quis  extra  ecclesiam  vocem;  spectet  cele- 
bres  liymnorum  sonitus ;  et  inter  divinorwn  quoque  Sacra- 
mentorum  officia  responsionem  devotee,  confessionis  \accipiat :] 
"  A  man  that  standeth  without  the  church  may  hear  the 
voice  of  the  people  praying ;  may  behold  the  solemn  sound  of 
hymns ;  and,  as  the  Sacraments  are  a  ministering,  the  answer 
of  a  devout  confession."  Likewise  Ambrose4:  Prcecepit  Apos- 
tolus  fieri  obsecrationes,  postulationes,  gratiarum  actiones, 
pro  omnibus  hominibus,  &c. :  "  The  Apostle  commandeth," 
1  Timoth.  ii.,  "  supplications,  prayers,  intercessions,  and  giving 
of  thanks  to  be  made  for  all  men."  "Which  rule  and  law,"  saith 
Ambrose,  "  all  Priests  and  faithful  people  do  so  uniformly  ob 
serve,  that  there  is  no  part  of  the  world  wherein  such  prayers 
are  not  frequent."  So  that  it  is  evident  that  Litanies  were 
then  in  use,  although  we  read  not  of  any  Processions  till  the 
time  of  Agapetus,  Pope5 ;  who,  (as  Platina  reporteth6,)  did 
first  ordain  them,  anno  five  hundred  and  thirty-three ;  although 
we  read  the  like  of  Leo  the  Third,  about  eight  hundred  and 
ten  year  after  Christ.  Surely,  whensoever  Processions  began, 
they  were  taken  of  Gentility. 

We  read  oft  in  Livy,  that  the  Romans,  in  all  their  dis 
tresses,  would  run  to  every  sere  Idol  that  they  had ;  would 
go  their  circuits  from  this  place  to  that  place,  and  think  they 
did  acceptable  service  unto  God.  We  read  in  Arnobius7  thus 
much  of  their  folly :  Nudi  cruda  hyeme  discurrunt :  alii 
incedunt  pileati:  scuta  vetera  drcumferunt,  pelles  ccedunt, 
mendicantes  vicatim  Deos  ducunt.  Qucedam  fana  semel 
anno  adire  permittunt :  qucedam  in  totum  nefas  visere  est : 
qucedam  viro  non  licet :  nonnulla  absque  fceminis  sacra 
sunt :  etiam  servo  quibusdam  ceremoniis  interesse  piaculare 
flagitium  est,  &c. :  "  They  gad  about  naked  in  the  raw 

4  Ambros.  De  voc.  Gentium,  Cap.  iv.  [Lib.  i. — The  two  books,  De 
vocatione  Gentium,  are  unquestionably  spurious.] 

6  Polidor.  De  inven.  Li.  v.  Cap.  x.  [Polydorus  Vergilius,  De  rerum 
inventoribuSfJAb.  vi.  Cap.  xi.  p.  416.  Basil.  1550.] 

6  [Platina,  in  his  Life  of  Pope  Agapetus  I.,  does  not  speak  of  the 
institution  of  Processions:  but  ho  elsewhere  (in  Vit.  Leonis  I.)  states, 
that  Litanies  or  Supplications  were  first  introduced  by  Mamercus, 
Bishop  of  Vienne.    The  appointment  of  the  observance  of  the  Roga 
tion-days,  at  Rome,  he  attributes  to  Pope  Leo  III.] 

7  Arnobius,  Contra  Gent.  Lib.  viii.    [Minucius  Felix,  De  Idolor* 
vanitate,  p.  73.  Oxon.  1678.   Vid.  ante,  pp.  178, 183.] 


296  THE  SEVENTH  ARTICLE. 

winter :  other  have  their  caps  on :  they  carry  about  with 
them  old  targets  ;  they  beat  their  skins ;  they  lead  their 
Gods  a  begging  round  about  the  streets.  They  suffer  some 
chapels  to  be  gone  to  once  a  year :  some  must  not  be  seen  at 
all :  some  a  man  must  not  come  unto :  some  other  are  holy 
enough  without  women  ;  and  for  a  servant  to  be  at  some  of 
them,  is  a  heinous  offence." 

So  much  Arnobius,  concerning  the  Romans.  And  think 
you  not  that  our  Processions,  with  banners  displayed  and 
Idols  in  arms,  be  lively  described  here?  Certainly,  amongst 
the  christened,  I  never  read  that  any  used  Processions,  before 
the  Montanists  and  the  Arrians.  Tertullian1  maketh  mention 
of  the  one,  and  Eusebius2  of  the  other.  Meet  it  is,  therefore, 
that  Papists,  participating  with  their  errors,  should  also  take 
part  of  their  idle  ceremonies.  Concerning  Litanies,  (as  of 
latter  years  they  have  been  ordained,)  you  must  understand, 
that  some  be  called  minores,  "  the  less ;"  some  majores,  "  the 
greater."  The  less  were  instituted  by  Mamertus,  [Mamercus,] 
Bishop  of  Vienna,  [Vienne,]  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  four 
hundred  and  sixty-nine,  [four  hundred  and  sixty-eight,]  as 
Sigebertus3,  or  four  hundred  and  eighty-eight,  as  Poly- 
chronicon4  reporteth.  The  order  of  them  was  but  a  solemn 
assembly  of  people  unto  prayer,  at  such  time  as  we  call 
the  Rogation-week.  The  cause  was,  Pro  terrce  motu,  pro 
tempestatibus,  et  bestiarum  incur  sionibus,  quce  turn  tem- 
poris  populum  contriverunt :  "For  earthquakes,  and  tempests, 
and  invasions  of  wild  beasts,  which  then  did  greatly  destroy 

1  Tertullian.  Li.  ii.  ad  Uxorcm.  [Cap.  iv. — Calfhill  was  mistaken 
in  supposing  that  Tertullian  was  a  Montanist  when  he  composed  the 
books  Ad  Uxorem :  and  it  is  very  probable  that  he  was  deceived  by 
the  Centuriators,  with  regard  to  the  Montanistic  origin  of  Processions. 
(Vid.  Cent.  iii.  Cap.  x.  col.  241.  Basil.  1559.)    The  word  "proceden- 
dum,"  which  Tertullian  uses,  can  assuredly  not  refer  to  any  public 
display  in  those  days  of  persecution,  but  merely  to  private  attendance 
upon  religious  ordinances.] 

2  Euseb.  Eccle.  Hist.  Libro  vi.  Cap.  viii.    [Through  inadvertence, 
Eusebius  has  been  quoted  instead  of  Socrates.] 

3  [Chron.  fol.  18.  Paris.  1513.] 

4  [By  Ranulphus,  or  Radulphus  Higdenus ;  who  has  been  accused 
of  excessive  plagiarism.     It  is  said  that  Rogerus  Cestriensis  was  the 
original  writer;    and  that   "Ralph  stole  his  pretended  work  from 
Roger."    (Bp.  Nicolson's  Engl.  Histor.  Library,  p.  52.  Lond.  1776.)] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  297 

the  people."  The  greater  Litany  was  devised  by  Gregory 
the  Pope5,  anno  five  hundred  and  ninety-two ;  when,  as  the 
occasion  being  like  as  before,  the  superstition  began  to  be 
more.  For  by  reason  of  a  great  pestilence  following  of  a 
flood,  the  Bishop,  by  ceremonies,  thought  to  appease  the 
wrath  of  God ;  and  therefore  made  septiformem  Litaniam, 
"  a  sevensort  Litany."  One  of  the  Clergy,  another  of  the 
Monks  :  one  of  men,  another  of  their  wives :  one  of  maidens, 
another  of  widows :  the  last,  of  poor  and  children  together. 
These  people,  so  distinct  into  seven  orders,  should  come  from 
seven  several  places,  and  then  it  was  thought  they  should  be 
heard  the  sooner.  But  in  their  Procession,  fourscore  persons 
were  stricken  with  the  plague6,  to  shew  how  well  God  was 
pleased  with  them. 

Notwithstanding,  how  things,  of  a  good  devotion  instituted, 
in  time  do  grow  to  great  abuse,  these  Litanies,  that  you  talk 
of,  do  prove.  For  what  the  order  and  solemnity  of  them  was, 
we  read  in  the  Council  of  Mentz,  celebrated  eight  hundreth 
and  thirteen  year  after  Christ.  The  words  of  their  Decree  be 
these7:  Placuit  nobis,  ut  Litania  major  observanda  sit  a 
cunctis  Christianis  diebus  tribus* :  et  sicut  sancti  Patres 
nostri  instituerunt ;  non  equitando,  nee  pretiosis  vestibus  in- 
duti,  sed  discalceati,  cinere  et  cilicio  induti,  nisi  infirmitas 
impedierit :  "  Our  will  is,  that  the  greater  Litany  be  observed 
of  all  Christians  three  days :  and  as  our  holy  Fathers  have 
ordained  it ;  not  riding,  nor  having  precious  garments  on  them, 
but  bare-footed,  in  sackcloth  and  ashes,  unless  infirmity  do 
let."  So  far  the  Council.  Contrary  to  which,  the  popish  ^^stcde" 

from  all  good 
order. 

5  Grcgorius,  Indie,  vi.  Cap.  ii.  [Epistt.  Lib.  xi.  Ep.  ii.  Conf.  Pet. 
do  Natalibus  Catalog.  Sanctt.  L.  iv.  fol.  cii.  Lugd.  1508.  Durant. 
Rationale;  Lib.  vi.  fol.  clx.  Nuremberg.  1481.  —  Both  S.  Gregory  I. 
and  Walafridus  Strabo  have  given  the  name  of  "  Litania  major"  to  the 
Rogations  which  the  former  instituted  at  Rome.  It  would  seem,  how 
ever,  that  the  Litanies  of  Mamercus  have  been  incorrectly  styled  the 
"  less."  See  Bingham's  Antiq.  B.  xiii.  C.  i.  $.  xi. ;  and  compare  Hilde- 
brand's  Rituale  Orantium,  pp.  128 — 131.  Helm.  1656.] 

c  Sigebertus,  in  annum  591.  [fol.  33.] 

17  Concilium  Moguntiacum.  [Cap.  xxxiii.  Binii  Concilia,  Tom.  iii. 
P.  i.  Sect.  ii.  p.  201.  The  Decree  is  extant  also  in  pag.  20  of  the 
Gesta  Concilii  Mogunciaci,  first  published  Basil.  1532.] 

8  [Cf.  Caroli  Magni  et  Ludov.  Pii  Capitula,  ab  Ansegiso  Abbato  et 
Bened.  Levita  collect.  Lib.  v.  fol.  105,  a.  Paris.  1603.] 


298  .     THE   SEVENTH  ARTICLE. 

Procession  is  never  solemn,  but  when  all  the  copes  do  come 
abroad,  and  every  wife  is  ready  to  scratch  another  by  the 
face,  for  going  next  the  Cross.  And  as  the  devotion  of  men 
is  less,  so  are  the  words  of  invocation  used  among  the  Papists 
worse :  which  I  shall  have  occasion  anon  to  speak  of,  when 
I  come  to  the  Litany  that  Augustin  the  Monk  used,  at  enter 
ing  into  our  land.  With  you,  M.  Martiall,  I  will  proceed  in 
order. 

The  Arrians,  as  you  cite  out  of  Sozomenus,  being  set 
beside  their  churches  at  Constantinople,  had  secret  conven 
ticles,  whither  they  resorted :  much  like  to  men  of  your 
occupation  in  England,  which  have  their  Mass  in  corners. 
They  divided  themselves  into  companies,  and  sung  psalms  and 
hymns,  made  in  rhyme  after  their  own  guise ;  with  additions 
for  proof  and  defence  of  their  own  doctrine,  as  popish  Por- 
tusses  and  hypocritical  Hymnals  have ;  such  as  you  in  Oxford 
were  delighted  to  sing  about  the  Christmas  fire.  "Which 
thing,"  (say  you,)  "the  good  Bishop  and  vigilant  Pastor  Chry- 
sostom  espying ;  lest  some  of  the  Catholics,  allured  with  the 
pleasant  qasure1  of  the  metre,  and  sweet  sound  of  their  rhyme, 
should  go  to  their  assemblies ;  devised  also  certain  hymns  in 
metre,  and  made  them  sing  them  in  the  same  tune  that  the 
Arrians  did :  whereby  it  came  to  pass,  that  the  Catholics  far 
passed  them  in  number,  and  in  solemnity  of  Procession.  For, 
(saith  Sozomenus :)  Argentea  Crucis  signa  una  cum  cereis 
accensis  prazcedebant  eos :  '  Before  the  Catholics  went  two 
silver  Crosses,  with  tapers  or  torches  burning.' "  Thus  far 
you,  Sir.  And,  doubtless,  herein  you  have  shewed  a  great 
piece  of  skill.  You  have  noted  in  the  margent,  (because  we 
shall  not  forget  it,)  how  Crosses  and  tapers  were  carried  in 
Procession.  And  is  not  the  Cross  much  beholden  to  you,  that 
now  make  it  a  candlestick;  that  now  will  compare  it  to  a  link, 
or  a  staff-torch,  or  to  the  pole  that  carrieth  the  cresset 2  ?  And 
may  not  your  Lovanists  greatly  joy  in  you  that  can  devise  ? 
May  not  we  also  greatly  joy  in  them  that  can  oversee,  and 
suffer  such  a  proof  to  go  to  print  ? 

Give  me  leave  a  little  to  examine  your  history.  First 
of  all,  that  which  is  the  chief  circumstance  ye  utterly  omit : 
that  the  Arrians'  assemblies  were  in  the  night.  Where- 

1  [cadence.] 

2  [A  light  set  upon  a  beacon.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  299 

upon  Sozomenus  saith3 :  Noctu  congregati,  et  in  ccetus  di- 
visi :  "  That  in  the  night-tiine  they  were  gathered  together, 
and  divided  themselves  into  companies."  And  Socrates  saith4: 
JEt  hoc  maxima,  noctis  parte  faciebant :  "  And  this  they 
did  most  part  of  the  night."  Again,  where  ye  say,  that 
the  Catholics  had  two  silver  Crosses,  it  is  more  than  ye 
found  in  the  text ;  and  peradventure  less :  for  argentea 
Crucis  signa  may  be  as  well  many  silver  signs  of  the  Cross, 
as  one.  But  what  were  those  silver  Crosses  ?  Such  as  ye 
would  make  the  ignorant  believe  ?  Such  as  you  do  use  to 
carry  in  Procession  ?  If  other  be  so  mad  to  credit  you,  yet 
we  do  know  too  much  to  be  abused  by  you.  Socrates  writeth 
of  the  matter  thus5 :  Joannes,  veritus  ne  hujusmodi  cantioni- 
bus  simpliciorum  quisquam  ab  Ecclesia  avelleretur,  opposuit 
illis  quosdam  e  suo  populo;  qui  et  ipsi  nocturnis  hymnis 
dediti,  et  illorum  studium  hebetarent,  et  snos  in  fide  con- 
firmarent.  Videbatur  quidem  utile  fore  hoc  Joannis  pro- 
positum,  verum  cum  perturbatione  est  etpericulis  terminatum. 
Cam  enim  homousiani  hymni  in  nocturnis  illis  hymnodiis 
illustriores  redderentur;  (excogitaverat  enim  argenteas  Cruces, 
quibus  erant  impositce  cerece  faces  accensce,  ad  quam  rem 
Eudoxia  Imperatrix  sumptus  suppeditaverat :)  Arriani  nu~ 
mero  multi ;  and  so  forth.  Which  words  are  in  English 
these  :  "  John,"  (Bishop  of  Constantinople,)  "  fearing  lest  by 
these  songs  of  the  Arrians  any  one  of  the  simple  might  be 
pulled  from  the  Church,  set  certain  of  his  own  people 
against  them :  which  being  also  given  to  sing  the  night 
hymns,  might  both  hinder  the  purpose  of  the  adversary,  and 
confirm  in  faith  the  minds  of  the  Catholics.  This  intent  of 
John  seemed  to  be  profitable,  but  it  ended  with  trouble  and 
perils.  For  when  the  songs  of  the  Catholics  in  their  night 
tunes  were  made  more  notable  ;  (for  he  had  devised  certain 
cross  pieces  of  silver,  whereupon  were  put  burning  tapers  of 
wax,  whereof  Eudoxia  the  Empress  did  bear  the  charge :) 
the  Arrians  endeavoured  to  revenge  themselves.1" 

Here  it  is  evident  wherefore  these  Crosses,  (that  you  do  The  e 
talk  of,)  were  had :  that  inasmuch  as  their  assemblies  were  in  tin 
the  night,  when  lights  were  necessary ;  and  those  lights  of 

3  Lib.  viii.  Cap.  viii.  [Hist.  Eccl] 

4  Lib.  vi.  Cap.  viii. 

s  Socrates,  Ecclesia.  Hist.  Lib.  vi.  Cap.  viii.  [Musculo  interp.] 


300  THE  SEVENTH  ARTICLE. 

theirs  could  not  be  carried  on  a  straight  piece,  they  would  have 
a  piece  to  go  cross  overthwart,  to  set  many  candles  on  :  which 
being  made  of  silver,  the  lights  glimmering  thereupon  made  a 
beautiful  and  goodly  shew.  This  is  the  history.  This  was 
the  Cross  ;  these  were  the  tapers  of  Chrysostom's  time.  But 
what  is  this  to  popish  Procession  ?  As  much  as  if  I  said, 
My  Lord  Mayor  hath  a  perch  to  set  on  his  perchers1,  when 
his  gesse2  be  at  supper :  therefore  the  Priest,  when  he  is  at 
his  prayers,  must  have  a  Crucifix  to  go  before  him.  The 
barber  in  his  shop  hath  a  laten3  plate  to  set  on  his  candles,  to 
shave  men  thereat :  therefore  the  Priest,  when  he  goeth  his 
stations  about  the  churchyard,  must  have  a  silver  Cross 
carried  before  him,  and  a  couple  of  boys  with  tapers  in  their 
hands,  to  light  him  at  noon-days.  I  remember  of  old  that 
on  Tenebre- Wednesday4,  or  one  of  the  solemn  days  before 
Easter,  ye  were  wont  to  have  a  right  counterfeit  in  the 
church  of  Constantinople's  Cross ;  save  that  the  one  was  of 
silver,  the  other  of  wood.  And  this  was  Judas'  Cross, 
whereupon  was  set  a  great  sort  of  candles,  which  at  service- 
time  were  put  out  in  order.  But  this  I  think  is  not  the 
Cross  that  ye  speak  of.  For  you  will  have  a  silver  Cross, 
(or  copper  at  the  leastwise,)  after  the  pattern  of  Chrysostom's 
Catholics.  But  then  you  must  stick  it  full  of  candles  too,  or 
else  you  be  not  like  nother. 

And  have  you  not  great  cause,  M.  Martiall,  upon  this 
example  to  infer  these  words  of  triumph  and  victory : 
"  Lo,  good  readers,  Chrysostom,  an  ancient  Father,  and 
one  of  the  most  famous  Doctors  of  the  Greek  Church,  and 
renowned  for  virtue  and  learning  throughout  the  world, 
had  the  sign  of  the  Cross,  and  tapers  with  light,  carried 
in  his  church  of  Constantinople,  before  his  people  in  Pro 
cession  ?"  And  was  it  indeed  a  Cross,  M.  Martiall  ?  In 
which  signification  of  yours ;  the  first,  second,  third,  or 
fourth?  Doubtless  you  were  much  over-seen,  that  did  not 
make  the  fifth  signification  of  "Cross"  to  be  the  cross  staif 
that  carried  the  candles.  And  was  this  Cross  carried  in 

1  [The  editor  imagines  that  the  meaning  of  this  phrase  is,  that  my 
Lord  Mayor  hath  a  chandelier  for  his  large  wax  candles.] 

2  [guests.]  3  [latten,  iron  tinned  over.] 

4  [Wednesday  in  Passion-week  :  so  called  from  the  Romish  Service 

Tenebrce.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  301 

the  church  ?  I  had  thought  it  had  been  in  the  streets.  For 
the  Arrians  could  not  come  into  the  church ;  and  yet  they  met 
with  them,  with  flinging  of  stones,  and  cracking  of  pates. 
" The  Arrians  had  no  Cross;"  (you  say.)  Why  then  they  went 
darkling,  or  were  content  with  a  lantern.  Lo,  good  readers, 
hath  not  M.  Martiall  said  much  to  the  matter?  First,  that  Martiaiim 

one  story 

in  Constantinople  there  should  be  carried  two  silver  Crosses.  j?aketh ' four 

lies,  and  yet 

And  that  is  a  lie.    For  there  is  no  number  mentioned.    Then,  m£kTthter 
that  they  should  be  carried  in  Procession.     And  that  is  a  lie.  nTmhing  for 
For    it  was  only  in  processu,  in   their  marching  forward. 
Thirdly,  that  they  were  carried  in  the  church.     And  that 
is  a  lie.     For  it  was  in  the  streets.     Fourthly,  that  they 
were  carried,  as  ours  are,  in  the  day-time.     And  that  is  a 
lie.    For  it  was  in  the  night-season.     What  ?  four  lies  toge 
ther,  in  so  small  room?     Too  much,   of  conscience.      But 
mark   the  conclusion.     "  Forsooth,  we  gather  out  of  Sozo-  Martian's 

it      -n  x-xi  /•  i  conclusion 

menus,  by  the  godly  Father  Chrysostom  s  fact,  that  we  must  out  of  sozo- 
carry  a  candlestick  instead  of  a  Cross  in  Procession."  A 
proper  collection :  and  yet  very  true.  For  the  Crosses  of 
Constantinople,  to  prove  a  doctrine  of  the  church  Cross,  is 
as  good  as  the  cressets  on  midsummer-night,  to  prove  the 
censers  at  high  Mass  in  Paul's. 

And  thus  much  for  the  Cross.  Now  to  the  candles. 
If  they  were  of  old  used  in  the  service  of  the  Church, 
no  marvel  at  all,  since  their  meetings  were  in  the  night 
time,  where  to  be  darkling  it  was  uncomfortable.  We 
read  in  Eusebius5,  that  in  the  reign  of  Antoninus  Verus, 
in  France,  in  Lyons  and  Vienna,  [Vienne,]  the  Christians 
were  forbidden  to  have  any  houses  to  dwell  in,  to  enter 
with  other  folk  into  the  baths,  to  walk  abroad  in  the  streets, 
or  to  be  seen  in  any  place.  By  reason  whereof,  they  were 
compelled  to  get  them  caves,  and  there  under  the  ground 
to  hide  them.  But  when,  for  their  comfort  in  Christ,  they 
would  resort  together,  they  did  it  in  the  night-time,  for  fear 
of  suspicion :  and  thereof  many  slanders  did  rise  upon  them, 
for  treasons,  conspiracies,  whoredoms,  and  murder.  Yet  The  use  of 
candles  they  had,  and  necessary  they  were.  Likewise  we topers 
read,  that  when  Justina  the  Empress,  favouring  the  Arrians, 
had  granted  them  the  use  of  the  church  in  Milan,  Ambrose 
withstood  it ;  and  kept  it  day  and  night,  with  watch  and 
5  Eusebius,  Eccl.  Hist.  Lib.  v.  Cap.  i. 


302  THE  SEVENTH  ARTICLE. 

ward1.  Then  Litanies  were  sung,  and  then  were  tapers  used. 
But  when  persecutions  ceased,  and  men  might  freely  serve 
God  abroad :  when  rewards  were  given  to  the  servers  of 
Him,  and  service  appointed  in  the  day-time ;  that  candles 
should  be  used,  they  had  no  ground  of  reason.  I  see  not 
whence  you  may  have  a  precedent  of  your  burning  tapers  at 
noon-day,  so  well  as  from  the  sacrifices  of  Saturnus2.  Aras 
Saturnias  non  mactando  viros,  sed  accensis  luminibus 
excolebant :  "  They  decked  and  furnished  the  altars  of  Saturn, 
not  with  the  blood  of  men,  but  with  burning  of  candles." 
And  we  never  read  that  any  returned  from  Gentility,  but  re 
tained  somewhat  of  their  old  observances. 

If  ye  urge  the  old  custom,  that  so  many  hundreth  years 
ago  tapers  were  used  in  God's  service,  I  will  reply  with  re 
proof  of  that  custom  by  a  General  Council.  For  in  the  Synod 
held  in  Spain,  called  Concilium  Elibertinum3,  it  was  straitly 
enjoined,  that  none  should  light  candles  in  the  day-time. 
Lactantius,  inveighing  against  the  heathenish  or  popish  super 
stition,  (conveniunt  enim  in  uno  tertio,  "for"  Papists  and  Pagans 
"  agree  in  a  third ;"  that  is  to  say,  lighting  of  candles  unto 
their  Gods:)  saith4:  Accendunt  lumina  velut  in  tenebris  agenti 
Deo.  Sed  si  cceleste  lumen,  quod  dicimus  Solem,  contemplari 
velint,  jam  sentiant  quod  non  indigcat  lucernis  eorum  JDeus, 
qui  in  usum  hominis  tarn  candidam  lucem  dedit.  Et  tamen 
quum  in  tam  parvo  circulo,  qui  propter  longinquitatem  non 
amplius  quam  humani  capitis  videtur  habere  mensuram, 
tantum  sit  fulgoris,  ut  eum  mortalium  luminum  acies  non 
queat  contueri ;  et  si  paulisper  intenderis,  hebetatos  oculos 
caligo  ac  tenebrce  consequantur  ;  quid  tandem  luminis,  quid 

1  Augustinus,  Li.  Confes.  ix.  Cap.  vii.  [p.  155.  Oxon.  1838.] 

2  ["  Aras  Saturnias  non  mactando  viros,  sed  accensis  luminibus 
excolentes."]  Macrob.  Saturn.  Li.  i.  Cap.  vii.  [p.  241.  ed.  Zeun.  Lipsise, 
1774.    Gronovius  reads  "viro,"  from  a  MS.] 

3  Cap.  xxxiv.    [Qonzalez,  Col.  Can.  Eccles.  Hisp.  287.  Matriti,  1808. 
— The  Synod  of  Elvira  should  not  have  been  designated  as  "  General." 
(See  before,  p.  154.)    An  elaborate  apology  for  its  decisions  was  com 
posed  by  Don  Fernando  de  Mendoza;   which  was  published,  with 
additional  notes  by  others,  and  with  the  commentary  of  Emman.  Gon- 
disal.  Tellez,  Lugduni,  1665.] 

4  Lactantius,  De  vero  Cultu  Dei,  Li.  vi.   Cap.  ii.     [Vol.  ii.  p.  5. 
Bipont.    1786.      Compare  Mengher's  Popish  Mass,  p.  154.  Limerick, 
1771.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  303 

claritatis  apud  Deum,  penes  quern  nulla  nox  est,  esse  arbi- 
tremur :  qui  hanc  ipsam  lucem  sic  moderatus  est,  ut  neque 
nimio  fulgore,  neque  calore  vehementi,  noceret  animantibw ; 
tantumque  istarum  rerum  dedit  ei,  quantum  aut  mortalia 
corpora  pati  possunt,  aut  frugum  maturitas  postularet  ? 
Which  is  to  say  in  English  :  "  They  light  candles  unto  God, 
as  if  He  were  in  the  dark.  But  if  they  will  behold  the  hea 
venly  light,  (that  we  call  the  Sun,)  they  may  understand  that 
their  God  lacketh  no  lights,  that  for  the  use  of  man  hath 
given  so  clear  a  light.  And  yet,  whereas  in  so  small  a  circle, 
which  by  reason  of  the  distance  seemeth  no  bigger  than  a 
man's  head,  there  is  so  great  a  glistering,  that  the  engine  of 
man's  eye  is  not  able  to  look  directly  on  it ;  and  if  for  a  while 
ye  fix  your  sight  thereon,  dimness  and  darkness  do  follow 
your  dased5  eyes  ;  what  light,  what  clearness  may  we  think 
to  be  with  God6,  with  whom  there  is  no  night  at  all :  who 
hath  so  ordered  this  light  of  his,  that  neither  by  too  much 
shining  beams,  nor  over  parching  heat,  he  should  hurt  the 
cattle ;  and  yet  of  both  hath  departed7  so  much  as  either  the 
bodies  of  man  may  bear,  or  riping  of  the  fruits  require?" 
Wherefore  he  concludeth :  Num  igitur  mentis  suce  compos 
putandus  est,  qui  Authori  et  Datori  luminis  candelarum  ac 
cerearum  [al.  aut  cereorum~\  lumen  offert  pro  munere  ?  "  Is 
he  to  be  thought  to  be  in  his  right  wits,  that  to  the  Author 
and  Giver  of  light  offers  up  the  light  of  candles  and  tapers 
for  a  gift?" 

And  can  there  any  thing  more  plainly  be  said,  to  con- There  must 
demn  the  use  of  burning  tapers  on  the  Lord's  table  ?  "  God  on  the  Lord1 
hath  required  another  light  of  us,"  (saith  Lactantius ;)  "  and 
the  same  not  dim  and  smoky,  but  clear  and  bright,  proceed 
ing  from  the  mind,  which  for  that  cause  is  called  0o5s,"  as 
much  to  say  as  '  light : '  "  which  doubtless  is  impossible  for  any 
to  set  forth,  but  him  that  knoweth  God."  Then,  if  we  set  up 
in  the  day-time  a  candle  for  ourselves,  we  be  blind  fools  :  if 
for  the  use  and  service  of  God,  we  be  blasphemous.  Terre- 
num  enim  facimus  Eum,  et  in  tenebris  ayentem  :  "  For  we 
make  Him  earthly,  and  shut  Him  up,"  (as  it  were,)  "in  a 
dark  prison."  Itaque  istiusmodi  cultores,  quia  cceleste  nihil 
sapiunt,  etiam  Religiones  quibus  deserviunt  ad  terram  revo- 

s  [dazzled.]  6  [S.  James  i.  17.] 

7  [separated.] 


304  THE  SEVENTH  ARTICLE. 

cant.  In  ea  enini  lumine  opus  est,  quia  ratio  ejus  et  natura 
tenebrosa  est :  "  Therefore  such  worshippers,  because  no  hea 
venly  thing  savours  with  them,  call  down  their  Religions, 
which  they  observe  and  keep,  unto  the  earth;  wherein  we 
stand  in  need  of  light,  because  the  respect  and  nature  of 
it  is  cloudy  altogether  and  full  of  darkness." 

Thus  much  have  I  said  to  your  first  proof  of  Cross  and 
tapers  at  time  of  Litany.  Now,  where  you  find  yourself  ag 
grieved,  that  we  have  not  likewise  your  ceremonies  in  ure1, 

Folio 94, b.  saying,  "Our  heretics  now-a-days  will  have  no  Cross  at  the 
singing  of  their  Lord's  Prayer,  because  neither  their  Lord  nor 
they  can  abide  the  sight  of  the  Cross  ;"  truly,  I  had  thought 
that  we  had  had  all  one  Lord  before ;  that  we  had  all  de 
pended  upon  Christ,  and  justly  might  have  been  called  Christ- 

£Iartlallre"    ians  :  now  that  ye  refuse  Him  in  the  plain  field,  what  shall  I 

fuseth  the  J  A  m ' 

Pr^er  and    ca^  you  but  Antichrists  and  Apostatse  ?    For  evident  it  is  who 

consequently   Jg    Qur   ^^    by    the     praver    ^^    we    US6)     an(J   Christ    hath 

commanded  us :  you,  by  condemning  the  Prayer,  also  deny 
the  Lord.  For  what  mean  you  by  this  :  "  Heretics  at  their 
Lord's  Prayer  ?  "  Have  we  any  other  Lord's  Prayer  than  that 
which  is  written  in  the  vi.  of  Matthew,  and  xi.  of  Luke? 
If  this  ye  acknowledge,  ye  might  as  well  have  said,  "  at 
the  Lord's  Prayer,"  or,  "  at  our  Lord's  Prayer,"  as,  "  at 
their  Lord's  Prayer :"  but  if  ye  have  such  a  sect  of  yourselves, 
that  do  mislike  with  the  Lord's  Prayer,  I  would  be  gladly 
taken  as  an  heretic  of  such ;  and  all  your  Religion  I  hold 

Foiio  94,  b.  accursed.  "  They  cannot  be  heretics,"  say  you,  "  that  can 
abide  the  sight  of  the  Cross."  And  will  you  abide  by  that  ? 

Luther  is      Ye  have  proved  by  this  time  Luther  no  heretic  :  for  always  he 

Gic.110  is  pictured  full  devoutly  kneeling  before  the  Cross  ;  and  truly 
no  Papist  had  the  sign  of  the  Cross  in  more  reverence  than 
he.  Wherefore  you  must  restrain  your  position,  or  lessen 
much  the  number  of  your  heretics. 

Justinian  Justinian's  laws,  though  in  civil  cases  I  do  gladly  admit, 

and  in  some  matters  of  correction  I  like  very  well ;  ( Ut 
quod  pwderastis  virilia  confestim  exsecari  voluit :)  yet  in 
Religion  we  are  not  bound  to  this  order.  I  know  that 

O 

in  his  time  many   superstitions  were  come  in   place2 :   and 

1  [use  :  from  usuraJ] 

2  [The  object  of  Justinian,  in  requiring  the  formality  of  a  public 
Procession,  at  the  time  of  the  consecration  of  a  church,  was  simply 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  305 

since  he  lived  in  the  same  age  with  Agapetus  the  Pope, 
first  founder  of  Processions,  no  marvel  if  he  followed  some 
piece  of  his  fancy.  Mamertes  and  Gregory,  that  first  de 
vised  Litanies,  although  they  make  mention  of  divers  orders 
and  solemnities  that  were  used  in  them,  (namely  of  the 
use  of  the  Bishop's  Pall3 ;)  yet  speak  they  no  word  that 
the  Cross  should  go  before  them.  Wherefore  I  greatly  force 
not,  whether  the  order  of  Crosses  in  Litanies  were  used  some 
what  before  his  time,  or  first  by  himself  devised ;  since  we 
have  example  of  so  many  faithful,  that  prayed  without  it ; 
and  promise  that  our  prayer  shall  be  heard,  though  we  want 
it.  Myself  will  not  discredit  the  Emperor,  which  being,  as 
Suidas  saith,  draX^a'/Sj/Tos,  "utterly  unlearned,"  deserved 
well  of  learning.  But  what  he  was,  both  for  his  laws 
and  execution  of  justice  and  Religion,  read  Alciate4  and 
Evagrius5. 

The  tale  and  titles  of  Augustin  the  Monk,  (who  commonly  j^e^nk, 
is  called  the  Apostle  of  England,)  I  have  not  in  such  credit  and  ^iTed  ?hey 
estimation,  that  I  think  us,  (as  you  say,)  next  unto  God  most  Engisamiof 
beholden  to  him  for  our  faith  and  Religion.     For  ever  since 
the  time   of  Eleutherius  of  Rome,  and  Lucius  of  England6, 
Christianity  hath  been  received,  and  never  failed  among  us. 
Indeed  some  parts  of  the  realm,  which  now  are  accomptcd 
chief,  and  then  lay  most  open  to  the  spoil  of  enemies,  were 
blinded  with  paganish  superstition,  and  the  faithful  Christians 
fled  into  the  mountains.     The  Saxons,  for  the  part  that  they 
possessed,  were  most  idolater.     The  Britons  remained  Christ 
ians;  insomuch   that  when  Augustin   came  among  them,  he 
found  seven  bishopricks  and  an  archbishoprick,  beside  divers 

to  suppress  conventicles.  He  declares,  that  many  persons  had  pre 
viously  pretended  to  erect  oratories ;  but  that  they  yielded  to  their 
morbid  fancies,  and  became  the  founders  "  non  orthodoxarum  eccle- 
siarum,  sed  illicitarum  speluncarum."  (Vid.  Constit.  nov.  Ixvii.  p.  121. 
&  Const,  cxxiii.  p.  212.  Greg.  Haloandro  interp.  ed.  princ.  Noremb. 
1531.)  The  marginal  notes  in  the  editor's  copy  are  attributed  to 
Melancthon.] 

3  [Vid.  Spelmanni  Glossar.  in  verb.     Butler's  Lives  of  the  Saints, 
i.  760.     Dubl.  1833.] 

4  Alciat.  Li.  iv.  Disp.  Cap.  vii.    [Opp.  T.  iv.  col.  200.    Francofurti, 
1617.] 

5  Evagrius,  Libro  iv.  Ca.  xxx.  et  xxxii. 

6  [See  before,  pp.  52—3.] 

r  i  20 

LCALFHILL.] 


306  THE  SEVENTH  ARTICLE. 

and  sundry  Monasteries :  which  all  had  faithful  and  learned 
Prelates,  keeping  their  flocks  in  most  godly  order.  Nor 
utterly  was  the  faith  extinguished  where  Augustin  landed. 
For  Ethelbert,  the  King  of  Kent,  (as  Poly  dor1  writeth,)  was 
meetly  well  instructed  by  a  godly  wife2,  that  came  out  of 
France,  and  a  Christian  Bishop3  that  attended  on  her.  But 
Augustin,  when  he  caine,  in  place  of  Idolatry  planted  super 
stition  :  and  where  Religion  was  sincerely  taught,  he  laboured 
what  he  could,  of  a  certain  ambitious  proud  heart,  to  pervert 
it.  For,  finding  in  the  city  of  Bangor4  a  notable  sort  of 
Monks,  (not  idle  bellies,  as  of  late  years  they  have  been,  but 
learned,  and  living  of  the  sweat  of  their  brows5 ;)  insomuch 
that,  being  divided  into  seven  parts,  there  were  no  less  than 
three  hundreth  of  a  company  ;  this  Romish  Prelate  required 
subjection  of  them ;  and  further  would  have  enjoined  them 
to  become  servitors,  in  preaching  of  the  Gospel  to  their 
mortal  enemies,  the  Saxons.  Which  conditions  when  they 
refused,  Ethelbert  the  King,  partly  in  Austin's  quarrel,  partly 
of  an  old  grudge  of  his  own,  stirred  up  the  rest  of  the 
Saxon  Kings  to  make  war  upon  them.  So  they  came  to 
Chester,  wherein  the  religious  people  had  assembled  them 
selves;  and  when  the  city  was  taken,  there  were  twelve 
hundreth  of  the  good  men  most  cruelly  slain6.  And  whereas 
their  rage  was  not  so  quieted,  but  needs  they  would  come  to 
destroy  Bangor ;  the  Britons'  confederates,  assembling  them- 

1  [Polydorus  Vergilius,  in  Anglic.  Hist.] 

2  [Bertha.] 

3  [Luidhard.] 

4  [Vid.  Broughton's  Memorial  of  Great  Britain,  Chap.  iv.  p.  39. 
1650.] 

5  [Bp.  Lloyd's  Historical  Account,  p.  158.  Lond.  1684.] 

6  [Bede  completely  exonerates  Augustin  from  participation  in 
this  crime :   for  he  states  that  it  was  perpetrated,  "  ipso  jam  multo 
ante  tempore  ad  ccelestia  regna  sublato."    (H.  Ecc.  Angl.  Lib.  ii.  ad 
fin.  Cap.  ii.)    It  is  true  that  these  words  are  wanted  in  King  Alfred's 
Saxon  version ;  and  this  fact  has  induced  Abp.  Parker,  Bp.  Godwin, 
Cave,  and  a  multitude  of  others,  to  consider  them  an  interpolation. 
Mr  Stevenson,  however,  after  Whelock,  informs  us,  that  "  the  MSS; 
universally  exhibit  this  passage."    (Not.  in  loc.  p.  103.  edit.  Lond. 
1838.      Compare  Pantin's   Observations  on  Dr  Arnold's  "Christian 
duty  of  granting  the  Roman  Catholic  claims,"  p.   85.     Lutterworth, 
1829.)] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  307 

selves,  withstood  them,  and  slew  ten  thousand  and  threescore 
of  them.     Hactenus  Galfridus1. 

Which  great  murder  cannot  be  imputed  to  any  thing 
so  much  as  to  the  ambition  of  the  Monk.  And  although 
Beda8  recite th  the  history  somewhat  otherwise,  yet  his 
witness  proveth  that  Augustin  was  much  to  blame,  which 
would  so  seriously  contend  about  trifles.  For  what  were 
the  matters  that  he  exacted  ?  Primo,  ut  eodem  quo  Romana 
Ecclesia  tempore  festum  Paschatis  celebrarent :  secundo, 
communibus  ritibus  et  cceremoniis  cum  Romanis  in  Bap- 
tismi  ministerio  uterentur :  tertio,  ut,  communicata  opera, 
et  communibus  laboribus,  genti  Anglice  Evanyelium  prcedi- 
carent.  That  is  to  say  :  "  First,  that  they  should  celebrate 
the  Easter  feast  at  the  same  time  that  the  Church  of  Rome 
did.  Secondarily,  that  they  should  use,  in  ministration  of  Bap 
tism,  the  self-same  ceremonies  with  the  Romans.  Thirdly, 
that  they  should  communicate  their  travails,  that  jointly  they 
should  take  pains  together,  in  preaching  of  the  Gospel  to  the 
English  nation."  These  conditions,  because  they  were  not 
received,  the  people,  (as  he  saith,)  were  plagued. 

But  in  this  behalf,  the  wonderful  judgment  of  almighty 
God  is  worthy  to  be  considered,  that  exerciseth  His  people 
with  plagues  among  :  and  although  of  His  mercy  sometime  He 
grant  them  Alcyonia  tempora,  "some  little  breathing  whiles;" 
yet  tempests  do  arise  anon,  and  the  Cross  accompanieth  true 
Christianity.  Which,  in  this  age  of  the  Church,  wherein  Gre 
gory,  (by  surname  the  Great,)  and  Augustin,  of  whom  we  last 
have  spoken,  lived,  may  well  be  seen.  For,  after  the  flourish 
ing  time  of  Constantinus,  wherein  most  liberty  was  granted 
Christians ;  after  the  learned  age  of  Augustin  and  Ambrose, 
when  all  good  knowledge  was  at  the  ripest ;  suddenly  ensued 
a  strange  and  lamentable  alteration  :  when,  for  light,  dark 
ness  ;  for  God's  service,  ceremonies  ;  for  learning,  ignorance 
and  barbarity  succeeded.  That  if  ye  pass  six  hundreth  year 
after  Christ,  ye  shall  see  nothing  but  cloud  of  ceremonies, 
darkening  the  Sun  of  eternal  truth ;  and  a  sort  of  will- 
worships,  defacing  the  true  honour  of  the  almighty  God. 

7  [In  Historia  Britonum — Stillingflcet  does  not  commend  the  pru 
dence  of  those  who  "  swallow  Geoffrey  of  Monmouth  whole,  without 
chewing."    (Antiquities,  p.  78.  Lond.  1685.)] 

8  Hist.  gent.  Ang.  Lib.  ii.  Cap.  ii. 

20—2 


308  THE  SEVENTH  ARTICLE. 

And  then  might  you  seek  all  Christendom,  and  scarcely  find 
a  learned  Father,  excepting  Gregory  and  Fulgentius.  These 
two  were  the  best,  and  almost  the  only  to  be  accompted  of: 
and  yet  these,  (God  wot,)  shewed  in  what  time  they  lived ; 
when  every  man  delighted  to  have  a  God's  service  of  his  own 
making.  And  then  was  our  hap  to  receive  this  Pope's  Apostle 
from  Eome,  Crucem  pro  vexillo  ferens  argenteam  :  '-'carrying 
a  silver  Cross  for  his  banner,"  and  the  Image  of  Christ  painted 
in  a  table. 

Where,  by  the  way,  ye  may  observe,  that  ceremonies, 

*  .     •  J       J  « 

the  elder  they  are,  do  grow  the  more.     For,  whereas  Au- 

»      .      ' 

§us*m  brought  in  but  a  bare  Cross,  we  have  received  not 
only  a  Cross,  but  also  a  Crucifix  graved  thereon :  and  where 
as  he  carried  a  Picture  but  painted  on  a  table,  we  have  the 
same  carved  and  embossed.  Augustin,  coming  unto  them  that 
never  had  heard  of  Christ,  politicly  devised  somewhat,  where 
withal  first  he  might  feed  their  eyes,  that  afterward,  lending 
him  their  ears,  he  might  instruct  their  hearts.  Wherefore,  if 
this  fact  of  his  might  be  excused  by  the  state  and  condition  of 
the  country ;  yet  cannot  we,  in  our  Cross-carrying,  have  the 
like  pretence,  and  therefore  ought  not  to  use  the  like  example. 
Notwithstanding,  his  Litany  was  good ;  and  I  marvel  that  the 
Komish  Church  is  not  at  this  day  contented  with  the  like. 
He  came  not  in  with  Ora  pro  nobis :  he  made  no  intercession 
to  Saints  for  us ;  but  only  sung  this  sweet  Litany  :  Depreca- 
mur  Te  Domine,  in  omni  misericordia  Tua,  ut  auferatur 
furor  et  ira  Tua  a  civitate  ista ;  quia  peccavimus  :  "In  all 
Thy  mercy,  we  beseech  Thee,  0  Lord,  that  Thy  indignation 
and  fury  may  be  taken  away  from  this  city;  because  we  have 
sinned."  Which  Litany  of  his,  if  it  be  compared  with  ours, 
the  selfsame  thing  shall  be  seen  in  both.  But  the  popish 
Litany,  as  it  is  different  from  this,  so  is  it  idolatrous.  Virgin 
Mary,  pray  for  us :  Peter,  pray  for  us :  Paul,  pray  for  us ; 
and  so  forth  to  Abbots,  Monks,  Hermits,  Nuns,  Friars,  and  all 
to  pray  for  us.  I  may  say  to  you,  as  Tertullian,  by  an  irony, 
said  to  the  Gentiles1:  Vos  religion  salutem  quceritis  ubi  non 
est :  petitis  a  quibus  dari  non  potest :  prceterito  Eo  in  cujus 
est  potestate.  Insuper  eos  ( Christianos)  debellatis,  qui  earn 
sciunt  petere,  qui  etiam  possunt  impetrare  dum  sciunt  petere. 
Nos  enim,  pro  salute  Imperatorum,  Deum  vocamus  ceternum, 
1  Tertullianus,  in  Apologetico,  Ca.  iii.  [Capp.  xxix,  xxx.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  309 

Deum  verum,  et  Deuni  vivum,  quern  et  ipsi  Imperatores  pro- 
pitium  [al.  propriuni]  sibi  prceter  cceteros  malunt :  "  You 
devout  persons,"  (said  Tertullian,)  "  seek  for  salvation  where 
it  is  not  to  be  found.  Ye  ask  it  of  them  that  cannot  give  it : 
omitting  Him  in  whose  hands  it  is.  Nor  content  with  this,  ye 
beat  down  those  Christians,  which  know  to  ask  health,  which 
also  be  able  to  obtain  it,  because  they  know  how  to  ask  it. 
For  we,  for  the  Emperors'*  good  state  and  preservation,  do 
pray  to  the  eternal  God,  the  true  God,  and  living  God,  whom 
the  Emperors  themselves  had  rather  than  all  other  to  be  mer 
ciful  unto  them." 

This,  (I  say,)  do  we  for  all  magistrates  and  rulers ;  for 
all  things  necessary  for  this  life  of  ours.  Nor  we  think  it 
necessary  to  observe  any  other  form  and  ceremony  in  our 
praying,  than  the  same  Tertullian  setteth  forth  of  Christians 
in  his  time,  without  any  Cross  at  all :  Ad  coelum,  (saith 
he,)  suspicientes  Christiani,  manibus  expansis,  quia  in- 
nocuis ;  capite  nudo,  quia  non  erubescimus ;  denique  sine 
monitore,  quia  de  pectore  oramus ;  precantes  sumus  omnes 
semper2  pro  omnibus  Imperatoribus,  vitam  illis  prolixam, 
imperium  securum,  domum  tutam,  exercitus  fortes,  senatum 
fidelem,  populum  probum,  orbem  quietum,  et  qucecunque 
hominis  et  Ccesaris  vota  sunt.  Hcec  ab  olio  orare  non  pos 
sum  quam  a  quo  scio  me  consecuturum  :  quoniam  et  Ipse  est 
qui  solus  prcestat,  et  ego  sum  cui  impetrare  debetur  :  famulus 
Ejus,  quiEum  solum  [al.  solus~\  observo ;  qui  Ei  offero  opimam 
et  majorem  hostiam,  quam  Ipse  mandavit ;  orationem  de 
carne  pudica,  de  anima  innocenti,  de  Spiritu  Sancto  profec- 
tam :  "  We  Christians,  looking  up  to  heaven,  with  hands 
stretched  out,  because  they  are  harmless ;  bare-headed,  be 
cause  we  are  not  ashamed  ;  without  any  prompter,  because 
we  pray  from  the  heart ;  always  do  make  our  supplications 
for  all  Princes  and  rulers :  beseeching  God  to  send  them  a  long 
life,  a  quiet  reign,  an  household  in  safety,  and  valiant  soldiers, 
counsellors  faithful,  and  people  virtuous,  a  merry  world,  and 
whatsoever  themselves  wish  for  beside.  These  things  I  can 
not  pray  for  of  any  but  of  whom  I  know  I  shall  obtain,  be 
cause  He  it  is  that  only  performeth ;  and  I  am  he  that  must 
obtain :  His  servant,  which  honour  and  esteem  Him  only ; 

2  [al.  . .  "sine  monitore,  quia  de  pectore;  oramus  pro  omnibus 
ratoribus"  &c.] 


310  THE  SEVENTH  ARTICLE. 

which  offer  unto  Him  a  fat  and  full  sacrifice,  which  He  hath 
commanded  me ;  a  prayer  that  proceedeth  from  a  sober  and 
chaste  flesh,  an  innocent  soul,  and  from  the  Holy  Ghost." 

In  which  words  Tertullian  declareth  the  order  of  God's 
service  in  his  time ;  which  consisted  not  in  outward  shews,  but 
inward  verity :  nor  in  their  distresses  they  called  upon  any,  (as 
you  do  in  your  Litanies,)  save  only  upon  Him,  that  only  can 
and  will  reward  His.  Wherefore,  your  Litanies  of  late  devised 
be  most  unlawful ;  and,  notwithstanding  your  Crosses,  you  be 
•apists  super-  most  superstitious.  Superstitiosi  enim  [autem\  vocantur,  (as 
?W.U  '  l  Lactantius  saith1,)  non  qui  filios  suos  superstites  optant;  (om- 
nes  enim  optamus :)  sed  aut  liii  qui  superstitem  memoriam 
defunctorum  colunt ;  aut  qui,  parentibus  suis  super stitibus, 
[al.  superstites,^  colebant  [al.  celebrant]  Imagines  eorum 
domi,  tanquam  Deos  Penates.  Nam  qui  novos  sibi  ritus 
assumebant,  ut  in  Deorum  vicem  mortuos  honorarent,  quos 
ex  hominibus  in  coelum  receptos  putabant,  hos  superstitiosos 
vocabant :  "For  they  are  called  superstitious,  not  that  desire 
their  children  to  be  long  lived ;  (for  so  we  do  all :)  but  either 
such  as  have  the  memory  of  the  dead  fresh  with  them,  and 
esteem  the  same  ;  or  such  as,  having  their  parents  alive,  did 
worship  their  Images  at  home,  as  their  household  Gods.  For 
they  that  took  new  fashions  unto  them,  to  honour  the  dead 
instead  of  the  Gods ;  which  men  they  supposed  to  have  been 
received  out  of  earth  into  heaven ;  them  did  they  call  super 
stitious."  And  forasmuch  as  you,  (M.  Martiall,  and  your 
fellows,)  be  such  which  so  diligently  retain  the  memory  of 
the  dead ;  which  call  upon  the  dead,  and  make  your  prayers 
to  them ;  Lactantius  saith  you  be  not  religious,  but  super 
stitious. 

Polio 97, a  As  for  the  ensign  of  our  Master  Christ,  "which,"  (you 

say,)  "we  labour  to  have  out  of  the  field;"  because  we  know  the 
fight  of  our  adversary  is  uncessant,  without  any  truce  or  in 
termission,  until  this  soul  of  ours  do  unbody,  we  carry  this 
ensign  always  with  us ;  we  never  suffer  it  to  depart  from  the 
walls  of  our  heart;  but,  sleeping  and  waking,  eating  and 
drinking,  at  church  and  at  home,  we  have  it  always  afore 
us.  And  this  is  indeed  the  Cross  of  Christ ;  not  carried  on 
a  staff,  not  set  upon  an  Altar,  but  fixed  in  our  hearts,  with 
a  joyful  remembrance  of  His  merits  for  us.  Hoc  enim  vexillo, 
1  Lactantius,  Divin.  lust.  Li.  iv.  Ca.  xxviii. 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  311 

antiquus  hostis,  non  Imaginibus,  victus  est :  hiis  armis,  non 
colorum  fucis,  Diabolus  expugnatus  est :  per  hanc,  non  per 
Picturas,  inferni  claustra  destituta  sunt :  per  hanc,  non  per 
illas,  humanum  genus  redemptum  est.  In  Cruce  namque, 
non  in  Imaginibus,  pretium  mundi  pependit.  Ilia  ad  ser 
vile  supplicium,  non  qucedam  Imago,  ministra  extitit.  Hoc 
est  nostri  Regis  insigne,  non  qucedam  Pictura,  quod  nostri 
exercitus  indesinenter  aspiciunt  legiones.  Hoc  est  signum 
nostri  Imperatoris,  non  compaginatio  colorum,  quod  ad  prce- 
lium  nostri  [nostrce]  sequuntur  cohortes :  "  For  by  this  en 
sign,"  saith  Charles  the  Great2,  "  not  by  Images,  our  ancient 
enemy  is  overcome.  By  this  artillery,  not  by  any  counter 
feits  of  colours,  the  Devil  is  vanquished.  By  this,  and  not 
by  Pictures,  the  dungeons  of  hell  are  emptied.  By  this,  and 
not  by  them,  mankind  is  all  redeemed.  For  the  price  of  the 
world  hanged  on  a  Cross,  and  not  in  Images.  The  Cross, 
and  not  an  Image,  was  the  matter  of  a  servile  punishment. 
This,  and  not  a  Picture,  is  the  ensign  of  our  King,  which  the  The  material 

no  ensign  of 

bands  of  our  army  continually  do  look  on.  This,  and  not  christ- 
a  tempering  of  certain  colours,  is  the  sign  and  banner  of  our 
Emperor  and  Captain,  which  our  hosts  of  men  do  follow  to 
the  wars."  By  which  relation  of  contraries,  it  appeareth 
plainly,  what  the  Cross  is  that  we  ought  to  reverence,  and 
what  Christ's  banner  that  we  ought  to  display.  Not  the 
Image,  the  sign  and  Picture,  but  the  memorial  of  His  death 
and  passion.  Wherefore  he  concludeth  :  Non  qucedam  mate- 
rialis  Imago,  sed  Dominicce  Crucis  mysterium  vexillum  est, 
quod  in  campo  duelli,  ut  fortius  confligamus,  sequi  debemus : 
•  '  It  is  not  any  material  Image,  but  the  mystery  of  the  Cross  The  true  en- 
of  Christ,"  (the  death  itself,)  "  which  is  our  ensign,  that  in  Christ. 
the  field  of  our  conflict  we  ought  to  follow,  to  the  end  we  may 
more  manfully  fight."  And  thus  you  see,  that  all  authority 
and  reason  condemns  you.  There  is  nothing  in  God's  ser 
vice  that  you  mislike  in  us,  but  rather  ought  to  be  reputed 
praise. 

The  Reliques  of  Anastasius,  brought  in  with  Procession, 
(which  ye  also  do  bring  to  prove  the  use  of  a  Cross,)  shew  ^"^  ^ 
that  you  stand  in  great  need  of  good  proofs,  when  you  can  be 
contented  with  so  slender  aids.  I  need  no  more  to  answer,  but 
that  a  superstitious  instrument  was  meetest  to  serve  a  super- 
2  Car.  Mag.  De  Imag.  Lib.  ii.  Cap.  xxviii.  [p.  280.  ed.  Goldast.] 


312  THE  SEVENTH  ARTICLE. 

stitious  effect.  We  read  in  the  Old  Testament1,  that  who 
soever  touched  the  dead  corpse  of  any  man,  and  purged  not 
himself,  denied  the  tabernacle  of  the  Lord,  and  should  be  cut 
off  from  Israel.  And  shall,  in  the  New  Testament,  the  rotten 
bones  of  a  dead  carcase  make  men  the  holier  ?  If  all  the 
Scripture  be  read  over,  and  writings  of  the  Fathers,  for  three 
hundred  year  after  Christ,  we  shall  find  no  commandment  or 
example  in  the  world  of  Reliques  kept,  or  bones  translated. 
We  read  of  Moses,  the  servant  of  the  Lord,  that  "  he  died  in 
the  land  of  Moab  ;"  and  the  Angel  of  the  Lord  "  buried  him 
in  a  valley  :  but  no  man  knoweth  of  his  sepulchre  unto  this 
day2."  Which  thing  was  of  purpose,  by  the  providence  of 
God,  appointed  so,  that  the  Jews  might  have  no  occasion 
thereby  to  commit  Idolatry.  But  if  the  translating  of  dead 
bones  had  made  either  for  the  glory  of  God,  or  commodity  of 
man,  the  Reliques  of  such  a  one  as  Moses  was  should  not  have 
been  hidden.  For  doubtless  of  all  Prophets  he  was  the 
greatest,  by  the  testimony  of  God  Himself :  who  called  him 
"  faithful  in  all  His  house3;"  to  whom  He  spake  mouth  to 
mouth,  and  by  vision,  and  not  in  dark  words :  yet  was  not 
his  body  shrined,  nor  his  bones  carried  in  Procession,  nor  any 
chapel  erected  for  him.  Indeed  the  Devil  did  attempt  no 
less  than  to  make  it  a  matter  of  superstition ;  (for  we  read4 
that  there  was  a  strife  betwixt  him  and  Michael  about 
Moses1  body  :)  but  the  Angel  of  the  Lord  withstood  it.  And 
although,  peradventure,  by  some  instruction  ye  shall  hap  upon 
the  story  of  Joseph,  who  required  his  brothers  to  carry  his 
bones  into  the  land  of  Canaan5 ;  yet  doth  it  not  make  for 
your  Reliques  nother.  For  who  kneeled  ever  to  Joseph's 
tomb  ?  Who  brought  it  ever  into  the  sanctuary  ?  Who  lighted 
ever  any  candle  to  it  ?  Only  to  assure  them  of  his  faith  in 
God's  promises,  and  to  confirm  them  that  the  land  of  promise 
they  should  enjoy,  he  willed  them,  as  a  witness,  to  take  his 
body  with  them. 

Next  unto  Moses,  among  the  Prophets,  were  Samuel 
and  Elias.  "  Samuel  died,"  (as  the  Scripture  saith,)  "  and 
all  Israel  assembled,  and  mourned  for  him,  and  buried  him 
in  his  own  house6:"  more  we  have  not.  Elias  was  rapt 

1  Num.  xix.  [13.]  2  Josue  xxxiv.  [Deut.  xxxiv.  5,  6.] 

3  Num.  xii.  [7,  8.  Heb.  iii.  2,  5.]  *  Ep.  Jude,  [9.] 

fl  [Gen.  1.  24,  25.]  6  1  Samu.  xxv.  [1.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  313 

in  a  fiery  chariot7:  his  body  was  translated,  not  into  the 
church,  but  into  heaven ;  both  to  testify  the  reward  of  im 
mortality  prepared  for  the  faithful,  and  to  cut  away  occasion 
of  men's  Idolatry.  Furthermore,  "  Elisha  died,  and  they 
buried  him.  And  certain  bands  of  the  Moabites  came  into 
the  land  that  year.  And  as  they  were  burying  a  man,  behold 
they  saw  the  soldiers :  therefore  they  cast  the  man  into  the 
sepulchre  of  Elisha :  and  when  the  man  was  down,  and 
touched  the  bones  of  Elisha,  he  revived,  and  stood  upon  his 
feet8."  Yet,  after  so  great  a  miracle,  his  bones  were  not 
translated :  there  was  no  pilgrimage  appointed  to  him ;  there 
was  no  chapel  erected  for  him.  "While  he  lived,"  (sayeth  Jesus 
the  son  of  Syrach9,)  "he  was  not  moved  for  any  Prince, 
neither  could  anything  bring  him  into  subjection :  nothing 
could  overcome ;  and  after  his  death  his  body  prophesied  :  he 
did  wonders  in  his  life,  and  in  death  were  his  works  marvel 
lous.  Yet,  for  all  this,  the  people  repented  not."  So  that 
this  miracle,  confirming  the  doctrine  and  calling  of  Elisha, 
served  as  a  preaching  of  penance  to  them,  and  not  to  enforce 
a  worshipping  of  the  body.  For  which  cause  it  is  plainly 
said,  his  body  prophesied.  When  zealous  and  good  Josias 
had  taken  the  bones  of  the  false  Prophets  out  of  their  graves, 
and  burned  them  upon  the  altar,  seeing  the  sepulchre  of  the 
man  of  God,  he  said:  "  Let  him  alone ;  let  none  remove  his 
bones10."  Great  cause  in  appearance,  why  they  should  have 
been  removed  thence,  where  so  many  wicked  had  hen  buried  : 
but  suffered  they  were,  and  honoured  they  were  not.  In 
the  New  Testament,  what  shall  we  think  the  cause  that  so 
little  mention  is  made  either  of  the  burial,  or  else  assumption 
of  the  Virgin  Mary,  whose  undefiled  body  was  the  worthy 
temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  but  that  the  wisdom  of  God 
foresaw  what  mischief  and  Idolatry  would  soon  have  risen  of 
it  ?  Of  John  Baptist  we  read,  that  after  he  was  slain,  "  his 
disciples  came,  and  took  up  his  body,  and  buried  it11."  Like 
wise  of  Stephen,  when  he  was  stoned,  that  "  certain  men 
that  feared  God  carried  him  among  them  to  be  buried,  and 
made  great  lamentation  for  him 12 :"  but  of  their  bones  reser 
ving,  or  bodies  translating,  not  a  word  at  all.  Doubtless, 

7  2  Reg.  ii.  [2  Kings,  ii.  11.]  8  2  Reg.  xiii.  [20,  21.] 

9  Ecclesi.  xlviii.  [12—15.]  1°  2  Reg.  xxiii.  [18.] 

11  Mat.  xiv.  [12.]  12  Act.  viii.  [2.] 


314  THE   SEVENTH  ARTICLE. 

if  such  Keliques  had  been  thought  profitable  to  the  Church  of 
Christ,  there  should  not  have  been  such  silence  of  them. 

Notwithstanding  afterward,  upon  abundance  of  zeal,  not 
only  the  memories  of  the  faithful  Martyrs,  but  also  some  parcels 
of  their  mangled  bodies,  began  to  be  kept ;  to  little  use  of  them, 
and  ill  example  to  their  posterity.  Wherefore,  methink,  they 
made  a  right  good  excuse,  that,  denying  the  body  of  Polycar- 
pus  to  them  that  sued  for  it,  said :  JVe,  Christo  relicto,  hunc 
colere  inciperent1 :  It  should  not  be  delivered;  "lest,  Christ 
forsaken,  they  should  begin  to  serve  him."  None  of  the 
Saints,  but  have  left  behind  them  a  better  memorial  than  a 
scull  or  a  carcase,  in  writing  or  in  doing.  Let  their  writings 
then  be  perused  of  us ;  the  virtuous  conversation  of  their 
life  be  followed ;  and  they,  (no  doubt,)  will  be  best  contented. 
Erasmus,  entreating  of  such  superstitions  as  you  do  most 
embrace,  said  very  wisely  to  the  soldier  of  Christ2 :  Veneraris 
Divos ;  gaudes  eorum  Reliquias  contingere :  sed  contemnis 
quod  illi  reliquerunt  optimum,  puta  vitce  puree,  exempla. 
Nullus  cultus  gratior  Marice,  quam  si  Marice  humilitatem 
imiteris.  Nidla  Religio  Sanctis  acceptior,  magisque  propria, 
quam  si  virtutem  illorum  exprimere  labores.  Vis  tibi 
demereri  Petrum  et  Paulum  ?  Alterius  fidem,  alterius  imi- 
tare  charitatem ;  et  plus  feceris,  quam  si  decies  Romam 
cursitaris.  That  is  to  say  :  "  Thou  worshippest  the  Saints  ; 
thou  art  glad  to  touch  their  Reliques :  but  the  best  thing  that 
they  have  left  behind  them,  which  is,  the  examples  of  a  pure 
life,  thou  contemnest.  No  service  more  acceptable  unto  Mary, 
than  if  thou  imitate  the  lowliness  of  Mary.  No  Religion 
more  welcome  and  more  proper  unto  Saints,  than  if  thou 
study  to  express  their  virtue.  Wilt  thou  procure  the  favour 
of  Peter  and  of  Paul  ?  Follow  and  resemble  the  faith  of  the 
one,  and  charity  of  the  other ;  and  thou  shalt  do  more  than 
if  thou  shouldest  gad  ten  times  to  Rome."  So  much  as 
touching  Anastasius'  Reliques. 

Now  that   I   have  proved  the  Cross  of  Chrysostom  to 

1  Euso.  Eccle.  His.  Li.  iv.  Cap.  xvi.  [p.  67-  ed.  Lat.] 

2  In  Enchir.  Can.  v.    [Enchiridion  Militis  Christiani,  Canon  v.  foil. 
56—7.  Argentina),  1521. — This  work  has  been  sufficiently  expurgated 
by  the  various  Indexes:  and  it  is  strange  that  it  should  have  been 
ascribed  to  Luther,  instead  of  to  Erasmus,  in  Smedley's  History  of  the 
Reformed  Religion  in  France,  Vol.  5.  p.  18.  Lond.  1832.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  315 

make  nothing  for  you  ;  the  laws  of  Justinian  not  to  pre 
scribe  me ;  the  example  of  Augustin  the  Monk  not  to  bind 
me  ;  the  translating  of  Keliques  not  to  be  esteemed  of  me  ; 
it  remaineth,  that  your  proofs  for  having  of  a  Cross  at 
singing  or  saying  Litany  are  insufficient.  I  have  shewed 
you,  by  the  way,  whose  device  were  Litanies ;  whence 
came  Processions ;  how  far  we  swerve,  both  in  the  one  and 
in  the  other,  from  those  will-worshippers  that  first  invented 
them.  I  have  declared  no  less  the  fond  abuse  of  tapers, 
and  shameful  superstition  of  Reliques  in  the  Church,  both 
by  God's  word,  and  testimony  of  good  men  condemned. 
Wherefore  let  us,  forsaking  vanities  of  men's  devices,  seek 
God,  and  service  of  Him  in  Scripture.  Let  us  walk  before 
Him  in  innocency  of  life.  Let  us  be  followers  of  Saints,  as 
they  were  of  Christ.  Let  us  in  humbleness  of  our  heart  make 
our  prayers  unto  Him,  although  we  have  no  Cross  in  Proces 
sion  before  us.  But  for  avoiding  of  the  Cross,  (the  plague  of 
God  due  for  our  deserts,)  let  us  often  use  our  godly  Litany; 
and  let  us  instantly  always  say :  "  From  the  tyranny  of  the 
Bishop  of  Rome,  and  all  his  detestable  enormities3 ;  from  all 
false  doctrine  and  heresy,  from  hardness  of  heart,  from  con 
tempt  of  Thy  word  and  commandment;  good  Lord  deliver 
us." 

3  [These  words  were  contained  in  the  first  and  second  Books  of 
King  Edward  VI.,  1549,  and  1552  ;  but  were  omitted  from  the  Litany, 
when  revised  upon  the  accession  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  in  1559.] 


TO    THE    EIGHTH   ARTICLE. 


THAT    MANY    STRANGE    AND    WONDERFUL    MIRACLES 
WERE   WROUGHT  BY  THE  SIGN   OF  THE  CROSS. 

IF  signs  and  miracles,  which,  in  these  latter  days,  have 
been  ofter  wrought  by  power  of  the  Devil  than  by  Spirit  of 
God,  should  be  brought  to  confirm  a  doctrine  in  the  Church  ; 
no  vain  Idolatry  of  the  Gentiles,  no  wicked  worshippings 
among  the  Christians,  but  by  the  same  reason  shall  be  autho 
rized.  "When  Accius  Navius,  the  great  wizard,  had  dehorted 
Tarquin  the  old  from  invocating  anything,  until  he  had  been 
stalled l  by  him,  and  received  at  his  hands  certain  observances  ; 
the  King,  scorning  his  occupation2,  willed  him  to  ask  counsel 
of  his  birds,  whether  it  might  come  to  pass,  that  he  had  con 
ceived,  or  no.  When  answer  was  made  that  it  might,  he 
delivered  him  a  whetstone,  and  commanded  him  to  cut  it 
with  a  razor  in  two  :  which  thing  he  did  ;  and  thereupon  the 
sorcerer's  Image  was  erected.  When  the  Yeii  were  over 
thrown,  and  their  city  taken,  a  soldier  was  sent  to  fetch 
away  Juno  Moneta  from  them3  :  and  when  in  sport  he  asked 
her  whether  she  would  go  to  Rome,  the  Image  answered 
that  she  would.  When  the  mother  of  the  Gods,  (accord 
ing  to  Sibylla's  oracle,)  was  brought  from  Pessinuns4;  [Pes- 
sinus ;]  and  the  ship,  being  set  on  the  sands  in  Tyber,  could 
by  no  force  or  policy  be  moved ;  Claudia,  (which  otherwise 
was  of  suspected  fame,)  besought  the  Goddess,  that  if  she 
thought  her  to  be  a  maid,  she  would  suffer  the  ship  to  be 
drawn  to  the  shore  by  her  girdle  :  and  so  it  was.  When 
Rome  was  afflicted  with  a  mortal  plague,  and  everywhere 
some  died  of  the  pestilence ;  J3sculapius,  conveyed  from  Epi- 
dauro,  purged  the  air,  and  conferred  them  health5.  When 
Appius  Claudius6,  (contrary  to  divine  responsal,)  would  have 

1  [installed.]  2  Livius,  Deca.  i.  Lib.  i.  [xxxvi.] 

3  Livius,  Dec.  i.  Lib.  v.  [xxii.  Cf.  Val.  Max.  L.  i.  C.  viii.  3.] 

4  Decadis  iii.  Lib.  ix.  [L.  xxix.  ad  fin.  Ovid.  iv.  Fast.  152,  sq.] 

5  [Liv.  Lib.  x.  Cap.  xlvii.  ad  calc.  L.  xi.  Epit.  Conf.  S.  Aug.  De  Civ. 
Dei,  x.  xvi.] 

6  Decad.  i.  Li.  ix.  [xxix.  Valcr.  Max.  Lib.  i.  Cap.  i.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  317 

transferred  the  sacrifices  of  Hercules  to  common  servants, 
he  had  by  miracle  his  eyes  put  out  for  it.  When  Pyrrhus 
had  spoiled  the  Revestry7  of  Proserpina,  and  taken  away  all 
the  treasure  that  he  found ;  soon  after  he  was  drowned8,  and 
nothing  saved  but  only  the  good  lady's  money. 

Infinite  such  examples  I  could  aUege,  whereby  the  Heathen 
were  blinded  in  Gentility9,  as  you  be  now  in  Popery.  But 
shall  we  gather  of  those,  that  witches  and  wizards  must  be 

O  * 

consulted  with  ?  that  Juno  Berecynthia,  J^sculapius,  Hercules, 
and  Proserpina,  must  have  sacrifice  and  service  done  them  ? 
If  this  ye  admit  not,  I  will  as  little  grant  the  sign  of  the 
Cross  to  be  admitted,  for  any  miracle  that  hath  been  wrought 
by  it.  Jupiter  and  Diana,  with  the  whole  rabble  of  ethnic 
Idols,  did  heal  many  of  their  diseases,  and  strangely  delivered 
them:  whereof  S.  Cyprian  doth  make  a  feate10  discourse. 
You  will  grant,  (I  dare  say,)  that  this  was  done  by  power  of  Miracles  are 
the  Devil.  And  can  the  Devil  then  do  such  deeds  ?  Can  he  tSe'ifevii  ;y 

and  how. 

heal  ?  can  he  restore  ?  He  can,  when  God's  pleasure  is  : 
and  he  doth  among  them  that  are  subject  to  his  tyranny ; 
that  will  walk  in  a  popish  blindness  :  before  whose  eyes  he 
casteth  such  a  mist,  that  they  think  themselves  in  the  mean 
while  to  be  worshippers  of  God,  and  to  be  aided  of  Him. 
For  the  Devil  himself  hath  so  ill  a  name,  that  if  he  were 
never  so  dear  to  men,  yet  they  would  not  profess  him  openly, 
nor  call  upon  him  by  express  words.  Wherefore,  he  doth  so 
daze11  the  minds  of  them  that  he  hath  gotten  under  his  rule, 
that  they  think  with  themselves  they  serve  no  man  less  than 
the  Devil ;  when  he  indeed  pulls  them  clean  away  from  the 
worshipping  of  God,  and  salvation  that  is  in  Him,  to  make 
them  partakers  of  his  unhappy  state  and  condemnation. 

Therefore  these  wicked  Spirits12  do  lurk  in   Shrines,  in 

7  [or  Revestiary ;  Vestry.] 

8  [Liv.  L.  xxix.  C.  xviii.  Justin.  Hlstor.  Lib.  xxiii.  C.  iii.  Plutarch, 
in  Vit.  Pyrrhi.] 

9  [Conf.  Lactant.  Lib.  ii.  De  orig.  Error.  C.  vii,  xvi.] 

10  [skilful,  ingenious.]  n  [dazzle.] 

12  ["  Hi  ergo  Spiritus  sub  Statuis  atque  Imaginibus  consecratis  deli- 
tescunt.  Hi  afflatu  suo  Vatum  pectora  inspirant,  extorum  nbras 
animant,  avium  volatus  gubernant,  sortes  regunt,  oracula  efficiunt, 
falsa  veris  semper  involvunt.  Nam  et  falluntur,  et  fallunt ;  vitam 
turbant,  somnos  inquietant.  Irrepentes  etiam  in  corporibus  occulto 
mentes  terrent,  membra  distorquent,  valetudinem  frangunt,  morbos 


318  THE  EIGHTH  ARTICLE. 

Roods,  in  Crosses,  in  Images :  and  first  of  all  pervert  the 
Priests,  which  are  easiest  to  be  caught  with  bait  of  a  little 
gain.  Then  work  they  miracles.  They  appear  to  men  in 
divers  shapes ;  disquiet  them  when  they  are  awake ;  trouble 
them  in  their  sleeps  ;  distort  their  members  ;  take  away  their 
health ;  afflict  them  with  diseases l ;  only  to  bring  them  to 
some  Idolatry.  Thus  when  they  have  obtained  their  purpose, 
that  a  lewd  affiance  is  reposed  where  it  should  not ;  they 
enter,  (as  it  were,)  into  a  new  league,  and  trouble  them  no 
more.  What  do  the  simple  people  then?  Verily  suppose 
that  the  Image,  the  Cross,  the  thing  that  they  have 
kneeled  and  offered  unto,  (the  very  Devil  indeed,)  hath  re 
stored  them  health;  whereas  he  did  nothing  but  leave  off 
to  molest  them.  Hcec  est  enim,  (as  S.  Cyprian  saith,)  ipsorum 
medela,  cum  cessat  ipsorum  injuria  :  "  This  is  the  help  and 
cure  that  the  Devils  give,  when  they  leave  off  their  wrong 
and  injury." 

Nor  truly  we  cannot  justly  allege,  that  such  things 
were  done  among  the  Gentiles  only,  nor  yet  only  among 
the  Jews,  (as  we  do  read  it  was2  ;)  but  among  the  Christ 
ians  it  both  hath  been  and  shall  be  so.  S.  Paul  hath  a 
notable  place  in  his  second  Epistle  to  the  Thessalonians,  the 
second  chap.  "The  wicked  man,"  (saith  the  Apostle,)  "shall 
be  revealed  :  whose  coming  is  by  the  working  of  Satan,  with  all 
power  and  signs  and  lying  wonders ;  and  in  all  deceivable- 
ness  of  unrighteousness  among  them  that  perish3."  Whereby 
it  is  evident,  that  signs  and  wonders  shall  be  wrought  in  the 
time  of  Antichrist,  that  shall  be  able  "  to  seduce,  (if  it  be  pos 
sible,)  the  very  elect4."  Have  we  not  warning  in  the  Gospel, 
that  some  shall  come  to  Christ  after  such  a  sort  in  the 
latter  day,  saying  :  Domine,  Domine,  nonne  per  nomen  Tuum 
prophetavimus ;  et  per  nomen  Tuum  Dcemonia  ejecimus ; 
et  per  nomen  Tuum  multas  virtutes  prcestitimus  ?  "  Lord, 

lacessunt,  ut  ad  cultum  sui  cogant ;  ut  nidore  altarium,  et  rogis  peco- 
rum  saginati,  remissis  quse  constrinxerant,  curasse  videantur.  Heec 
est  de  illis  medela,  cum  illorum  cessat  injuria."  (S.  Cyprianus,  De 
Idolor.  vanitate.  Opp.  p.  14.  ed.  Oxon.)] 

1  [Vid.  Pinamont.  Exorcista  rite  edoctus,  Lucse,  1690. ;  et  omnino 
Hieron.  Mengi  Flagellum  Dcemonum,   ac  Fuslis  Dcemonum,  Venet. 
1683.] 

2  Deu.  xiii.  [1—5.]  3  2  Thes.  ii.  [8—10.] 
4  [S.  Mark  xiii.  22.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  319 

Lord,  have  we  not  by  Thy  name  prophesied;  and  by  Thy 
name  cast  out  Devils ;  and  by  Thy  name  done  many  great 
•works  ? "  To  whom  God  shall  answer  notwithstanding : 
Nescio  vos  :  "  I  know  you  not5."  So  that  it  is  not  a  suf 
ficient  proof  to  make  the  thing  good,  to  say,  that  miracles 
were  wrought  by  it.  God  doth  abhor  adultery  :  yet  by  the 
act  of  it  sometime  doth  He  suffer  a  miracle  to  be  done,  in  the 
conception,  the  generation,  the  bringing  of  the  child  into 
life.  God  is  offended  with  theft :  yet  doth  He  suffer  stolen 
bread  to  feed  us ;  which  is  only  the  power  of  His  miraculous 
and  secret  working.  Now  if  ye  gather,  that  the  use  of  the 
Cross  is  commendable,  because  of  miracles  done  by  it ;  by  the 
same  reason  the  adulterer  and  thief  may  defend  and  maintain 
their  unlawful  doings,  because  as  great  and  greater  miracles 
are  wrought  by  them. 

Notwithstanding,  I  know,  some  miracles  are  better  than 
other  some ;  and  great  difference  there  is  betwixt  them. 
Christ  and  His  Apostles  wrought  miracles:  so  did  Simon 
Magus  and  other  sorcerers.  But  as  God's  glory  was  fur 
thered  by  them,  so  private  gain  was  sought  for  in  these. 
As,  for  the  heavenly  doctrine  of  Christ,  a  confirmation 
was  fet  from  miracles ;  so  is  there  no  devilish  superstition, 
but  the  same  hath  had  strange  wonders  for  it.  Wherefore 
S.  Augustin  hath  a  goodly  rule6 :  Si  Anyeli  sacrificia  sibi 
petant  fieri,  et  adhibuerint  sifjna ;  ac  e  diverso  alii  testen- 
tur  uni  Deo  sacrificandum,  neque  ulla  miracula  fecerint ; 
Us  utique,  non  illis,  credere  oportet :  "  If  Angels  require 
sacrifice  to  be  done  unto  them,  and  work  signs  withal ;  and 
contrariwise  some  other  testify,  that  sacrifice  must  only  be 
made  to  God,  and  yet  do  no  miracles ;  we  must  believe  these, 
and  not  them."  And  in  another  place,  concerning  the 
Manichees,  he  saith7:  Signa  ut  vobis  credatur  nulla  facitis : 
quamvis  si  ea  faceretis,  vobis  credendum  non  esset :  "  Ye 
work  no  miracles,"  (saith  Augustin  to  the  Manichees;) 
"whereby  ye  may  induce  us  to  believe  you:  though,  if  ye 
did  work  such,  we  ought  not  therefore  to  credit  you."  And 
so  say  I  to  you,  (M.  Martiall.)  You  say  the  Cross  is  able 

5  Matth.  vii.  [22,  23.] 

6  Augustinus,  De  Civitat.  Dei,  Li.  x.  Cap.  xvi. 

7  Contra  Faustum.  [Lib.  xiii.  Cap.  v. — "  Miracula  non  facitis  :  qiise 
si  faceretis,  etiam  ipsa  in  vobis  caveremus."] 


320  THE   EIGHTH  ARTICLE. 

to  do  this  and  that :  we  see  it  not :  no  miracles  ye  work :  and 
yet  if  ye  did  so  strange  things  as  ye  talk  of,  we  were  not 
bound  to  believe  your  doctrine.  For  miracles  alone  are  not 
sufficient  to  confirm  and  stablish  us  in  a  right  faith.  First 
of  all,  by  the  line  of  Scripture,  we  must  examine  the  doc 
trine  that  is  taught  us  :  then,  if  it  do  agree  to  that,  we  must 
believe  it ;  yea,  though  we  have  no  miracle  at  all.  But  if 
miracles  do  come  beside,  then  are  the  believers  more  estab 
lished ;  and  such  as  yet  do  not  believe1  be  made  the  more 
attent  to  hear,  and  have  a  way  made  for  them  to  come  to  the 
faith.  Wherefore,  in  some  condition,  they  be  like  to  Sacra 
ments.  For  both  are  added  as  assurances  to  promises,  as 
seals  to  writings.  And  as  Sacraments  do  bring  no  comfort, 
unless  they  be  received  by  faith  ;  so  miracles  do  not  avail, 
except  we  have  first  a  regard  to  doctrine.  In  this  diversity, 
to  make  no  difference,  is  oversight ;  to  commend  the  worse, 
and  omit  the  better,  is  falsehood. 

oiio 99, a.  You  are,  (you  say,)  "in  a  great  perplexity  where 

ye  shall  begin ;  as  he  that  sitteth  at  a  table  furnished 
with  many  delicate  dishes,  whereof  he  shall  first  taste. " 
And  I  marvel  that  you,  so  fine  a  feeder,  will  fall  to  your 
crambe2.  Ye  are  "come  to  a  garden,  set  round  about  with 
fresh  fragrant  flowers :"  and  yet  ye  gather  but  an  handful 
of  nettles  for  us  to  smell  unto.  Christ,  by  the  touch  of 
His  hand,  spittle  of  His  mouth,  by  a  plaster  of  dirt,  (as  you 
call  it,)  healed  the  sick,  opened  the  ears  of  the  deaf,  restored 
the  eyes  of  the  blind.  And  why  should  not  the  dirt  of 
the  street  be  as  well  honoured  as  the  Cross  of  the  Altar ; 
since  the  Scripture  doth  commend  the  dirt,  but  maketh  no 
mention  at  all  of  the  Cross ;  since  better  proof  we  have  of 
miracle  wrought  by  the  one,  than  ever  can  be  made  for  the 

hree reasons  other?     If  any   external  means,   whereby  strange   wonders 

hy  miracles  »  » 

iakedfor°the  ^ave  come  t°  Pass>  be  to  be  had  in  admiration;  why  not  such 
as  Christ  and  His  Apostles  used,  and  the  Scripture  men- 
tioneth,  rather  than  the  idle  device  of  man,  whereof  there 
is  no  lawful  precedent  ?  Again,  if  your  assertion  were  true, 
("that  miracles  were  wrought  by  the  sign  of  the  Cross ;")  yet 
were  they  not  only  by  the  sign  of  the  Cross :  and  there- 

1  [1  Cor.  xiv.  22.] 

2  [Cabbage.   "  A\s  KpafjLpr)  Qdvaros."   "  Occidit  miseros  crambe  repe- 
tita  magistros."] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE   OF   THE  CROSS.  321 

fore  the  Cross  only,  (according  to  your  treatise,)  should  not 
without  the  rest  be  magnified.  Last  of  all,  if  it  were  true, 
(as  ye  shall  never  prove,)  that  such  things,  (as  you  allege,) 
were  done  sometime  by  the  sign  of  the  Cross ;  yet  this  can  be 
no  reason  why  the  Cross  should  now  be  had  in  estimation ; 
unless  ye  will  have  all  means  and  instruments  of  wonders 
heretofore  wrought,  as  the  hem  of  Christ's  garment3,  the 
spittle  and  the  clay4,  the  shadow  of  Peters,  and  napkin  of 
Paul6,  to  be  likewise  honoured  and  esteemed  of  us. 

But  let  me  come  to  rehearsal  of  your  miracles.     Among 
them  this  is  the  first :  and  because  I  will  have  your  truth  in 
allegations  appear,  I  will  put  it  down  as  you  have  written  it,  Martian. 
word  for  word  in  order.      "  At  what  time  the  virtuous  lady 
Helena,  willed,  as  the  story  mentioneth,  by  revelation  from  God,  Euseb.ux. 
to  seek  the  Cross  of  Christ  in  Hierusalem,  found,  after  long  j^T 
digging  in  the  mount  of  Calvary7,  three  Crosses,  so  confuse, 
that  neither  by  the  title  that  Pilate  set  up  in  Hebrew,  Greek, 
and  Latin,  neither  by  any  other  means,  they  could  discern 
which  was  the  Cross  that  bare  our  Saviour  Christ ;  a  noble 
woman  of  the   city,  consumed  and  spent  with  long  sickness, 
did  lie  at  death's  door,"  &c.     Ye  note  for  your  credit,  in  the 
margent,  the  place  whence  ye  have  the  story :  and  that  you 
affirm  to  be  out  of  Eusebius  his  Ecclesiastical  History,  the 
tenth  book,  the  seventh  and  eighth  chapters.       But  this  is  a  Martian  be- 
shameful  lie  :  for  Eusebius  hath  no  such  word.     And  this  is  bius- 
a  better  proof  of  the  vanity  of  your  history;  that  where 
Eusebius,  in  his  third  book,  De  vita   Constantini,  maketh 
mention  of  Helena,  and  the  place  itself  of  Christ's  sepulchre, 
which  by  the  Emperor's  commandment  was  cleansed,  yet  he 
speaketh  not  a  word  of  this  miraculous  invention  of  the  Cross8. 

3  [S.  Matth.  ix.  20.  xiv.  36.]  4  [S.  John  ix.  6.] 

s  [Acts  v.  15.]  6  [Acts  xix.  12.] 

7  [In  the  sixty-fourth  Legend  of  the  Lombardic  History,  we  read 
that  the  Cross  was  discovered,  first  by  Seth,  the  son  of  Adam ;  next 
by  Solomon,  on  mount  Lebanon ;  thirdly,  by  the  Queen  of  Sheba,  in 
Solomon's  temple ;  fourthly,  by  the  Jews,  in  the  pool  of  Bethesda;  and 
lastly  by  Helena,  on  mount  Calvary.     The  authority  alleged,  with  re 
gard  to  Seth,  is  the  apocryphal  Gospel  of  Nicodemus.] 

8  [Conf.  Theod.  Bolmanni  Tumbam  Servatoris,  p.  20.  Helm.  1703. — 
Baronius  (ad  an.  32G.  $.  xlii.)  and  Bellarmin  (De  Imaginibus,  ii.  xxvii. 
1015.)  assert  that  Eusebius,  in  his  Chronicle,  has  borne  witness  of  the 
invention  of  the  Cross.     They  are,  however,  greatly  astray :  for  there 

21 

ICALFHILL.J 


322  THE   EIGHTH  ARTICLE. 

Yet  he  lived  at  the  same  time,  and  was  more  likely  to  know 
a  truth  than  other.  Ye  be  to  blame,  therefore,  to  belie 
Eusebius.  Indeed  Ruffinus,  in  his  first  book  and  seventh 
chapter,  hath  the  like  that  ye  talk  of.  But  what  may  be 
judged  of  the  story  shall  afterward  appear. 

And  first  for  the  virtue  of  lady  Helena,  (though  I  would 
be  glad  to  speak  as  much  good  of  my  countrywoman1  as  I 
can ;)  yet  she  was  a  concubine,  (by  your  leave,)  to  Constance2; 
as  it  appeareth  in  Catalogo  Ccesarum,  Cap.  i.,  which  is  inserted 
into  the  Ecclesiastical  History3.  Likewise  S.  Ambrose  calleth 
her  Stabulariam*,  "a  woman  brought  up  in  an  hostrie5." 
And  as  for  her  superstition,  (which  in  part  I  have  touched 
before,)  it  is  too  evident.  But  whatsoever  she  was,  let  us  go  to 
her  fact.  If  she  found  the  Cross,  a  time  was  when  she  found 
it ;  and  the  same  must  be  after  her  conversion,  when  Silvester 
was  Bishop  of  Rome  :  for  otherwise  she  could  not  be  so 
virtuous  and  religious,  (as  ye  talk  of.)  And  Nicephorus 
affirmeth6,  that  by  Silvester  she  was  converted  to  the  faith. 
For  which  cause  the  author,  (whose  credit  in  this  tale  ye 
follow,)  doth  write  the  invention  of  the  Cross  to  have  been 
in  the  reign  of  Constantinus  the  Great.  But  what  saith  your 
Pope-holy  law  to  this  ?  Read  your  Decree7.  Eusebius  Papa. 

is  not  any  such  testimony  in  the  original  Greek ;  but  it  appears  only 
in  the  falsified  Latin  version.  See  Du  Moulin's  Masse  in  Latin  and 
English,  pp.  392 — 3.  Lond.  1641.  Comber's  Roman  Forgeries,  p.  155. 
Lond.  1689.] 

1  [Vid.  Usserii  Britann.  Eccles.  Antiqq.  Cap.  viii.  p.  94,  sqq.  Lond. 
1687.] 

2  [Eusebii  Chron.  pp.  48,  180.     Amstel.  1658.  Orosii  Histor.  Lib. 
vii.  Cap.  xxv.  fol.  cccxvi.    Colon.  1561 — Selden  confutes  the  suppo 
sition  by  an  extract  from  Josephus  ^Egyptius.     See  a  note  upon  the 
Historia  Sacra  of  Severus  Sulpitius;  Lib.  ii.  Cap.  xlix.  p.  371.    Amst. 
1665.] 

3  [At  the  end  of  the  Latin  version  of  Theodoret,  by  Joachimus 
Camerarius,  who  was  the  author  of  this  Catalogus.] 

4  Ambros.  Do  obitu  Theodosii.  [Opp.  Tom.  v.  123.  Lut.  Paris. 
1661.] 

5  [Hosterie,  or  Hostelrie,  an  Inn.] 

6  Nicephorus,  Li.  vii.  Ca.  xl.  [Cap.  xxxvi.] 

7  In  Deere.  Do  Consec.  Di.  iii.  Cap.  Crucis.     [xix.  This  Chapter 
consists  of  an  extract  from  the  third  spurious  Epistle  of  Pope  Euse 
bius,  presently  referred  to  again.     Vid.  Blondelli  Pseudo-Isidor.  et 
Turrian.  vapulantes,  pp.  420 — 22.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  323 

Crucis  Domini  nostri  Jesu  Christi,  qnce  miper,  nobis  gu- 
bernacula  sanctce  Romance  Ecclesice  tenentibus,  quinto  nonas 
Mail  inventa  est :  "  Eusebius  the  Pope.  The  Cross  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which  of  late  was  found  the  third  day  of 
May,  while  I  had  the  governance  of  the  holy  Church  of 
Home  ;"  and  so  forth.  Whereby  it  is  evident,  that  your  law 
saith  how  the  Cross  was  found  in  Eusebius'  time  :  your  author 
saith  it  was  in  Silvester's  time.  And  yet  many  years  were 
run  betwixt :  yea,  the  whole  reign  of  Melchiades  the  Pope, 
beside  many  odd  years  of  their  own  continuance  in  the  Romish 
see.  Wherefore,  you  must  either  say,  that  your  popish  law 
doth  teach  you  lies ;  or  else  that  your  author  in  this  behalf 
is  a  liar.  It  is  always  to  be  observed,  how  uncertain  tales 
be  delivered  of  Papists  as  truths  unto  us. 

Marianus  saith8,  that  the  Cross  was  found  in  the  reign  of 
Constance,  father  to  Constantinus. 

Ruffinus  saith9,  that  in  Silvester's  time  it  was  found  out ; 
which,  by  Hierom's  computation,  must  needs  be  a  good 
while  after  the  fifth  year  of  Constantinus'  reign :  for  only  in 
the  fifth  year  of  Constantinus  Silvester  began  his  popedom. 
And  therefore  Sigebertus  saith10,  that  he  cannot  see  how  this 
gear  may  stand  together. 

In  the  first  tome  of  Councils,  we  have  three  Epistles  of 
Eusebius,  Pope  of  Rome ;  whereof  the  last  is  Ad  Thuscos  et 
Campanos ;  where  order  is  taken,  that  the  invention  of  the 
Cross,  found  in  his  time,  should  be  kept  holy-day11.  Then  "God 

8  [Ad  an.   Chr.   306.   col.   304.    Basil.   1559.— De  Mariani  Scoti 
Chronic.  Vid.  Sigeb.  ad  an.  1082.] 

9  [Hist.  Eccles.  Lib.  i.  Cap.  viii.] 

10  Lib.  viii.  Chro.    [The  Chronicon  of  Sigebertus  is  not  divided  into 
Books;  and,  as  it  commences  at  the  year  381,  it  cannot  contain  such 
a  statement  at  all.     It  would  appear  that  the  author  has  confounded 
Sigebertus  with  Jac.  Phil.  Forestus,  Bergomensis;  in  whoso  Supple- 
mentum  Chronicarum  we  find  the  following  words  :  "  Qua?  res  quomodo 
stare  possit  ignoro."    (Lib.  viii.  fol.  179.    Brixiae,  1485.)    In  Gene- 
brard's  Chronographia  we  read:   "Nam  quod  Lib.  i.  Cone,  in  Epist. 
Eusebii,  tribuit  ejus  institutionem  Eusebio  Papa?,  constare  non  potest." 
(Lib.  iii.  ad  an.  320.     Paris.  1600.     Conf.  Naucleri  Chronog.  Vol.  ii. 
Gen.  xi.  pp.  499,  505.    Colon.  1579.     Martini  Poloni  Chron.  pag.  187. 
Antverp.  1574.    Bedae  Serm.  Opp.  Tom.  vii.  356 — 7.     Colon.  Agr. 
1612.     Pet.  de  Natalibus  Catal.   Sanctor.   Lib.   iv.   fol.   ciii.   Lugd. 
1508.)] 

11  [Binii  Concilia,  i.  i.  207. — Bellarmin  readily  admits  that  the  au- 

21—2 


524  THE  EIGHTH  ARTICLE. 

inspired"  not  "  the  heart  of  Helena  to  seek  the  Cross."  It 
was  found  to  her  hand :  yea,  long  before  she  was  converted 
to  the  faith. 

Again,  if  it  were  admitted  that  Helena  did  find  it ; 
(being  driven  thereunto  by  womanish  curiosity,  or  a  foolish 
zeal l :)  yet,  in  the  rest  of  the  tale,  I  see  no  constant  truth. 
For  you  say  "  that  she  found,  after  long  digging  in  the  mount 
of  Calvary,  three  Crosses,  so  confuse,  that  neither  by  the  title 
that  Pilate  set  up  in  Hebrew,  Greek,  and  Latin,  neither  by 
any  other  means,  they  could  discern  which  was  the  Cross  that 
bare  our  Saviour  Christ."  But  Saint  Ambrose  hath  the  quite 
contrary  ;  for,  entreating  of  the  same  matter,  he  saith2:  Trio, 
patibula  confusa  reperit;  quce,  ruina  contexerat,  inimicus  ab- 
sconderat.  Sed  non  potuit  obliterari  Christi  triumphus. 
Incerto  hceret  ut  mulier :  sed  certam  indayimm  Spiritus 
Sanctus  inspirat,  eo  quod  duo  latrones  cum  Domino  cruci- 
fixi  fuerint.  Qucerit  ergo  medium  lignum.  Sed  poterat 
fieri,  ut  patibula  inter  se  ruina  confunderet,  casus  mutaret 
et  inverteret.  Redit  ad  Evangelii  lectionem  :  invenit  quia 
in  medio  patibulo  prcelatus  titulus  er at,  Jesus Nazarenus,  Rex 
Judceorum.  Hinc  collecta  est  series  veritatis.  Titulo  Crux 
patuit  salutaris.  The  English  whereof  is  this :  "  She  found 
three  trees  of  execution  confounded  together ;  which  the  ruin 
and  fall  had  covered,  the  enemy  had  hidden  away.  But  the 
triumph  of  Christ  could  not  so  be  blemished,  and  quite  forgot 
ten.  As  a  woman,  she  did  stick  in  doubt :  but  the  Holy 
Ghost  inspired  a  sure  way  of  trial,  inasmuch  as  two  thieves 
were  crucified  with  our  Lord.  Wherefore  she  seeketh  the 
tree  that  was  in  the  midst.  But  it  might  be,  that,  in  the 

thenticity  of  this  Epistle  is  "non  certum."  (De  Confirmed.  Lib.  ii. 
Cap.  vii.  414.)  Surius  and  Binius,  in  their  notes  upon  it,  have  deter 
mined  that  the  part  which  relates  to  the  discovery  of  the  Cross  is 
undoubtedly  surreptitious.  Mr  Taylor,  however,  has  cited  this  coun 
terfeit  document  without  any  hesitation.  (Ancient  Christianity,  Vol.  ii. 
p.  298.  Lond.  1842.)  It  is  remarkable  that  Pope  Gelasius,  in  the 
year  496,  condemned  as  apocryphal  the  "  Scripta  de  inventione  S. 
Crucis  Dominica3 :"  (Dist.  xv.  Cap.  iii.)  and  we  may  leave  it  to  Baro- 
nius  to  investigate  what  these  writings  were.  Vid.  Martyrol.  Rom. 
die  Maii  3.  p.  186.  Antverp.  1613.] 

1  ["  Stulta  curiositas,"  vel  "  ineptus  Religionis  zelus."    (Calvin.  De 
Reliqq.  p.  276.)] 

2  Ambros.  De  obitu  Theodosii.  [ut  sup.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  325 

spoil  of  the  place,  the  gibbets  might  be  confounded :  some 
chance  might  change  them ;  some  occasion  displace  them. 
Wherefore  she  returneth  to  the  reading  of  the  Gospel :  she 
findeth,  that,  on  the  middle  gallows,  this  title  on  the  top  was 
set :  '  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  King  of  the  Jews.'  Hence  was  the 
course  of  truth  gathered.  The  healthful  Cross  was  well 
known  by  the  title." 

So    far    S.   Ambrose.      Now   see    the    repugnancies    in  Nothing  eiw 
this  proof  of  yours.      Marianus  saith   that  the   Cross   was  nanoy  and 

.  .  .  contradic- 

found  in  the  reign  of  Constance.     Ruffinus  ascribeth  it  to  ti?"  '\a  P°T 

pish  doctrine 

the  time  of  Constantine.  Eusebius  doth  challenge  the  glory 
of  the  miracle  unto  his  time.  Silvester  denieth  it,  and 
saith  that  in  his  time  it  was  first  sought  and  found.  The 
Canon  Law  doth  hold  with  Eusebius.  The  Ecclesiastical  His 
tory  taketh  part  with  Silvester.  You  cite  the  story,  "that  by 
the  title  which  Pilate  set  up  "  the  Cross  by  no  means  could  be 
discerned.  And  S.  Ambrose  saith  plainly,  that  by  the  title3 
the  Cross  was  discerned.  Whom  shall  we  credit  now? 
What  shall  we  build  upon  so  uncertain  ground  ?  You  made 
a  lie  of  Eusebius  Pamphilus,  that  in  his  Ecclesiastical  History 
he  should  report  the  story  that  he  doth  not.  Eusebius  the 
Pope  and  the  Canon  Law  prove  that  you  do  lie,  referring  the 
invention  of  the  Cross  to  Silvester's  time,  who  converted 
Helena ;  whereas  it  was  found  a  good  many  years  before,  in 
Eusebius'  reign,  or  else  do  they  lie.  Wherefore,  sith  Euse 
bius  of  Csesarea,  that  was  most  likely  to  know  the  truth, 
living  in  the  same  age,  writing  of  the  same  matter,  maketh  no 
mention  how  the  Cross  should  thus  miraculously  be  found ; 
sith  your  own  authors  agree  not  in  their  tales,  but  in  every 
circumstance  of  time,  of  persons,  of  manner  of  the  doing, 
vary ;  I  may  justly  doubt,  whether  Helena  were  inspired  of 
.God  to  seek  the  Cross,  or  that  by  any  such  strango  miracle 
the  Cross  was  found.  "As  God  worketh  nothing  in  vain,"  (as 
you  say ;)  so  not  every  vanity  that  you  devise  God  worketh, 
say  I. 

From  the  whole  Cross  ye  descend  to  every  piece  there 
of  :  as,  "  that  it  should  have  the  like  efficacy  and  force,  for  Foiio  IOL 
that  it  was  once  imbrued  with  the  water  and  blood  of  our 
Saviour  Christ."    But  if  every  piece  of  wood,  that  is  stoutly 

3  [. .  "  etsi  vetustate  propemodum  abolitus."    (Polyd.  Vergil.  De 
rer.  inventor.  L.  v.  C.  vi.  pag.  334.  Basil.  1550.)] 


326  THE   EIGHTH  ARTICLE. 

affirmed  to  be  a  piece  of  the  holy  Cross,  were  once  imbrued 
with  the  blood  of  Christ,  then  Christ  in  His  body  had  as 
much  blood  as  any  great  river  hath  drops  of  water.  What 

11-       /^ii      •  i  i  •  i  t  • 

land  m  Christendom,  what  city,  what  monastery,  what  private 
parish,  but  hath  had  some  piece  of  it  ?  Helena  sent  the  one 
part  of  it  to  Constantino,  her  son ;  (Ruffinus,  Ecclesi.  Hist. 
Lib.  i.  Cap.  vii.  [viii.]  Sozomenus,  Li.  ii.  Cap.  i.)  which  was 
set  upon  a  pillar  at  Constantinople.  The  other  part  she  en 
closed  in  a  silver  coffin ;  and  that  she  commanded  to  be  kept 
at  Jerusalem.  Notwithstanding,  a  halting  wench,  that  waited 
sometime  on  lady  Helena,  and  afterward  ran  away  from  her 
mistress,  stale  a  piece  of  the  said  Cross,  and  brought  it  to 
Poytiers  in  France.  Another  piece  fell  down  from  heaven, 
and  is  kept  as  a  Relique  in  the  holy  chapel  of  Paris.  Another 
piece,  as  much  as  an  Angel  could  lug  on  his  back,  was  brought 
to  Rome,  and  a  whole  Rood  was  made  thereof.  Finally,  the 
Cross  hath  so  replenished  all  places  of  the  world1,  that  if  all 
the  pieces  were  gathered  together,  no  ship,  no  hulk  of  greatest 
burden,  were  able  to  bear  them.  And  yet  poor  Simon  of 
Cyrene  carried  sometime  the  whole. 

If  ye  go  to  the  constant  opinion  of  men,  the  Cross 
is  yet  remaining,  (most  of  it,)  at  Jerusalem.  Wherefore  we 
must  go  fight  against  the  Turks,  and  recover  the  holy 
Cross.  But,  being  so  mangled  as  it  hath  been,  what  by 
theft,  and  what  by  friendship,  impossible  it  is  that  anything 
should  remain  of  it ;  yea,  though  it  were  so  big  as  Noah's 
ark :  unless  it  be  like  the  monster  Hydra,  that  for  every 
head  cut  off  ariseth  seven;  for  every  splinter  taken  from  it, 
another  greater  piece,  as  big  as  an  oak,  doth  grow.  The 
Ecclesiastical  History  saith2:  Liyni  ipsius  salutaris  partem 
detulit  filio ;  partem  vero  thecis  argenteis  conditam  dereli- 
quit  in  loco :  That  Helena  "  brought  one  part  of  the  health 
ful  wood  unto  her  son;  and  the  other  part  she  left  in  the 
place  at  Jerusalem,  enclosed  in  a  silver  coffin."  To  this  ac- 
cordeth  Theodor.  Eccle.  Hist.  Li.  i.  Cap.  xviii.,  and  Sozome 
nus,  Li.  ii.  Cap.  i.  So  that  by  them  it  should  appear,  that 
whereas  she  sent  but  one  piece  of  the  Cross  to  Constantino, 
which  was  reserved  at  Constantinople,  supra  columnam  por- 
phyream,  "  upon  a  red-marble  pillar ;"  "  the  greatest  part 

1  [S.  Cyrilli  Ilier.  Cateches.  pp.  79,  216.     Paris.  1609.] 

2  Ruffinus,  Li.  i.  Cap.  viii. 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  327 

thereof,"  maxima  portio,  as  Sozomenus  writeth,  was  left  at 
Hierusalem.  But  Jacobus  Philippus  Bergomensis  saith3,  that 
a  piece  of  it  was  brought  to  Rome  ;  and  the  same,  (as  it  should 
seem,)  that  the  other  authors  affirm  to  have  been  left  at  Hieru 
salem.  For  his  words  be  these  :  Crucis  ipsius  partem  detu- 
lit;  quam  quidem  et  tliecis  argenteis,  atque  gemmis  pretiosis- 
simis  exornari  fecit ;  quamque  denique,  Romam  veniens,  secum 
cum  magna  veneratione  detulit :  "  She  brought  a  piece  of 
the  Cross,"  (saith  he ;)  "  which  she  caused  to  be  garnished 
with  silver  cover,  and  precious  stones:  which  also  at  length, 
coming  unto  Rome,  she  brought  with  great  worship  with  her." 
Whereby  we  are  brought  in  doubt  where  Helena  did  bestow 
the  Cross  :  and  what  became  of  any  part  of  it,  our  Doctors 
agree  not. 

Furthermore,  as  concerning  the  nails  wherewithal  Christ  Thenaiis  that 

'  _          Christ  was 

was  fastened  to  the  Cross,  a  greater  controversy  doth  arise.  "•[jj'afied 
Theodoret,  EC.  Hist.  Li.  i.  Ca.  xviii.,  writeth  thus :  Cla- 
vorum  alias  galece  regice  inseruit ;  qui  prazsidio  essent  capiti 
filii  sui,  et  Jwstium  tela  repellerent :  alios  frenis  equestribus 
conjunxit :  "  Some  of  the  nails  Helena  did  put  in  the  King's 
helmet ;  which  might  be  a  defence  to  her  son's  head,  and 
repulse  the  weapons  of  his  enemies  :  other  she  put  to  his 
horse's  bridle."  But  Sozomenus  saith4 :  Galeam  ex  illis  ^et 
frenum  equorum  fabricasse :  That  the  Emperor  himself 
"  made  him  an  helmet  and  an  horse-bridle  of  them."  So  that, 
first,  they  agree  not  in  this;  whether  it  should  be  the  mother's 
device,  or  the  son's.  Then  also,  whether  the  nails  were 
clenched  in  the  helmet,  and  joined  to  the  bridle  ;  or  else 
that  a  whole  helmet,  and  bridle  too,  were  beaten  out  of  them. 
Ambrose  varieth  from  them  both ;  for  he  affirmeth5:  De  uno 
clavo  frenos  fieri  prcecepit.  De  altera  \_altero]  diadema  in- 
texuit.  Unum  ad  decorum,  [decorem,~]  alterum  ad  devotionem 
vertit:  "  She  commanded  of  one  nail  a  bridle  to  be  made.  She 
wove  the  other  into  his  coronet.  One  to  the  shew,  the  other 
she  turned  to  devotion."  And  as  for  the  third,  she  kept. 
Now,  to  carry  a  thing  in  sign  of  honour,  as  it  were  in  triumph, 
is  one  thing  :  to  make  it  a  special  point  of  defence  another. 
A  sallet6  is  one  thing,  and  a  cap  another :  an  helmet  is  one 

3  Lib.  ix.  [Suppkm.  Chronicar.  L.  ix.  fol.  182.     Brixite,  1485.] 
*  Lib.  ii.  Ca.  i.  5  Ambrosius,  Do  obitu  Theodosii. 

6  [salad c,  headpiece.] 


328  THE   EIGHTH  ARTICLE. 

thing,  and  a  crown  another.  To  join  a  nail  unto  my  bridle 
is  one  thing :  to  make  a  bridle  of  a  nail  is  another.  Beside 
this,  Bergomensis  is  different  from  them  all.  For,  in  his 
Chronicle1,  he  speaketh  of  three  nails  :  whereof  the  first,  he 
saith,  Constantinus  ipse  in  frenwn  equi  sui  transtulit,  quo 
in  prcelio  tantummodo  ntebatur.  Alterum  vero  in  galea 
sua  \jgalece  suce  cono]  collocavit.  Et  tertiwn  [ut  Divus  tes- 
tatur  Ambrosius,~\  in  Adriaticum  mare,  ad  comprimendas 
scevientis  maris  procellas  dejecit :  "Constantino  himseh0 trans 
posed  into  his  horse's  bridle,  which  in  the  wars  he  only  used. 
Another  he  placed  in  his  helmet.  The  third  he  cast  down 
into  the  gulf  of  Adria,  to  assuage  the  storms  of  the  raging 
sea."  So  that  Sozomenus  dissenteth  from  Theodoret :  S.  Am 
brose  tcacheth  a  contrary  to  them  both;  and  Bergomensis 
agreeth  with  none  of  them  at  all. 

The  truest  opinion  is,  that  there  were  not  past  three 
nails  in  all2.  Which  three  you  see  how  they  were  bestowed. 
One  was  put  into  an  helmet,  or  into  a  crown :  another  was 
annexed  to  a  bridle,  or  else  a  bridle  beaten  out  of  it :  the 
third  was  cast  into  the  bottom  of  the  sea.  Notwithstanding, 
I  know  not  how  it  cometh  to  pass,  but  every  one  of  these 
is  extant  to  this  day :  and  although  the  helmet  be  gone,  the 
bridle  consumed,  the  sea  continueth,  yet  the  very  selfsame 
nails  be  come  abroad  again,  and  reserved  as  Reliques.  Yea, 
more  than  ever  were  driven  on  the  Cross ;  unless  they  will 
make  of  five  wounds  fifteen.  For  Calvin,  (whom  I  am  not 
ashamed,  for  honour's  sake,  to  name,  and  none  of  you  all  is 
able  to  disprove ;)  in  his  book  of  Reliques,  proveth,  of  his 
knowledge,  that  in  Italy,  France,  and  Germany,  there  be 
at  the  least  fourteen  remaining.  And  I  could  easily  bring 
forth  the  fifteenth,  which  was  here  in  England  in  Queen 
Mary's  days,  with  a  taper  burning  solemnly  before  it.  Thus 
is  the  Cross,  and  every  nail  thereof,  an  anvil  to  strike  men's 
lies  upon.  This  is  the  constancy  in  men's  doctrine.  By  this 
may  be  gathered,  that  popish  fantasies  are  as  Poets'  fables ; 

1  [loc.  sup-  cit.] 

2  [The  number  four  is  insisted  on,  and  the  whole  subject  fully  dis 
cussed,  by  the  Augustinian  Cornelius  Curtius ;  De  Clavis  Dominicis  Lib. 
Antverp.  1670.  Conf.  D.  Greg.  Turon.  De  gloria  Martyr.  Lib.  i.  Cap.  vi. 
p.  9.  Colon.   1583.  Henningii  Archceolog.  Passional.  Cap.  xx.  p.  200. 
Francof.  1676.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  329 

and  as  much  credit  to  be  given  to  them  otherwise,  as  to  the 
legends  of  Lucian. 

Ye  urge  a  miracle  for  every  little  piece  and  splinter  of  FOI.  103,  a. 
the  Cross;  inasmuch  as  a  church  and  a  religious  house  was 
preserved  from  burning  by  it.  Paulinus  doth  tell  the  tale. 
But  if  such  a  thing  happily  [haply]  were  done,  when  mira 
cles  did  stand  in  force,  and  men  stood  in  need  of  them,  yet 
were  they  not  made  to  establish  a  worshipping,  or  having  at 
all  of  a  Cross  with  us ;  but  to  confirm  a  faith  in  the  cruci 
fied  Christ  in  them ;  and  to  teach  us,  not  to  do  the  like,  but 
to  believe  the  like.  Many  tales  have  ye  heaped  up ;  as, 
"  That  a  woman  should  be  preserved  from  rape  and  witch-  FO.  104,  a,  t>. 
craft  by  the  sign  of  the  Cross,  and  name  of  Christ.  That 
a  woman  was  brought  safe  out  of  the  stews  by  the  grace  of 
Christ,  and  sign  of  the  Cross.  That  a  canker  in  a  woman's  FO.  105,  a,  b. 
breast  was  healed  by  the  Cross.  That  a  dragon  was  killed 
with  the  Cross.  That  S.  Martin  made  certain  Gentiles  stand 
still,  and  preserved  himself  from  the  fall  of  a  tree,  by  the 
sign  of  the  Cross.  Finally,  that  a  soldier  was  killed  for  for-  FOI.  IOG,  a. 
saking  the  bearing  of  the  sign  of  the  Cross."  The  credit  of 
these  stories  all  I  remit  to  the  authors.  Only  I  affirm,  that 
they  prove  not  your  cause ;  for  it  is  no  good  reason :  "  The 
sign  of  the  Cross  hath  done  this  miracle  and  this  :  Ergo,  the 
sign  of  the  Cross  must  be  set  up  and  honoured."  If  ye  could 
avouch  that  the  sign  of  the  Cross  were  able  now  to  do  the 
like,  I  would  admit  your  case  the  rather :  though  absolutely, 
(as  I  said  before.)  miracles  do  not  enforce  a  doctrine. 

The  woman  of  which  Epiphanius3  reporteth,  when  she  was 
in  the  baths,  felt  one  by  enchantment  touch  her,  whom  she  saw 
not,  and  made  the  sign  of  a  Cross :  which  was  no  cause  of  her 
preservation,  but  witness  of  her  faith  that  did  preserve  her. 
And  this  Epiphanius  himself  testifieth  :  Signavit  se  in  nomen 
Christi,  ut  quce  Christiana  esset :  "  She  signed  herself  into 
the  profession  and  name  of  Christ,  as  who  was»a  Christian." 
And  after  he  saith  not  that  the  signing  served  her ;  but  per 
signaculum  et  fidem :  "  By  the  sign  of  Christ  and  by  faith" 
the  woman  received  hope.  And  faith  doubtless,  without  the 
sign,  had  been  able  to  have  wrought  as  much  as  that ;  but 
that  it  pleased  God  to  shew  a  miracle,  which,  (to  another  end,) 

3  Lib.  i.  Tom.  ii.  User.  xxx.  [pp.  42 — 3.    Basil.  1578.    Cornario 

intorp.] 


330  THE   EIGHTH  ARTICLE. 

He  would  by  some  visible  sign  to  be  expressed.  The  end  was, 
to  shew  the  virtue  of  belief  in  Christ,  and  to  convert  an 
heathen  man,  which  could  not  see  the  secret  faith  that  so 
prevailed  against  enchantment,  and  therefore  stood  in  need  of 
an  outward  sign.  Wherefore  Epiphanius,  in  the  same  place, 
concludeth  :  Hoc  tertium  instructionis  ad  fidem  opus  Jose- 
pho  contigit :  "  This  third  work  happened  unto  Joseph,  for 
instruction  of  his  faith."  So  that  when  it  pleased  God  to  use 
a  miracle  for  conversion  of  an  Infidel,  we  must  not  gather 
that  He  hath  left  an  example  for  us  to  do  the  like  :  yet  is  not 
such  power  ascribed  to  the  sign,  as  you  collect ;  but  the 
virtue  remained  in  the  name  of  Christ.  Notwithstanding,  as 
oft,  in  the  Scripture,  causa  per  effecta,  fides  per  opera  decla- 
ratur,  "  the  cause  is  declared  by  the  effects,  as  the  faith  by 
works ;"  so,  many  times,  and  specially  for  the  world's  instruc 
tion,  the  inward  purity  and  persuasion  is  notified  to  men  by 
the  outward  fact :  which  fact  needeth  not  now  to  be  the  siffn 

O 

of  the  Cross ;  since  we  live  not  among  Turks  and  Sarazins, 
but  all  men  without  it  know  of  whom  we  hold,  in  whom  we 
do  believe.  Thus  have  I  answered  the  place  of  Epiphanius : 
and  by  this  you  may  learn  never  to  allege  a  place,  but  to 
consider  better  the  circumstance  of  the  same.  I  think  a  man 
should  have  much  ado  with  you,  if  ye  were  able  at  this  day 
to  shew  the  like  virtue  and  effect  of  a  Crucifix,  as  hath  been 
of  old  reported.  Yet  this  ought  to  be  approved,  afore  we  do 
confirm  the  necessary  use  thereof. 

A  Catholic  of  yours,  for  all  his  confidence  in  the  Cross, 

would  be  loth  to  adventure  his  daughter  in  a  common  brothel- 

oii.  104,  a.    house,  (as  your  tale  is  of  the  woman  of  Corinth ;)  although 

he  had  taught  her  never   so   much   to  cross  her.      Perad- 

venture    she  might  be  as  good  a  maid  as  she  that  took 

such   pleasure  in  massing   and  in  crossing,  that  out  of  the 

church   she  would  never  come,  unless  it  were   to   a  man's 

niy  Papists  bed.     Only  I  marvel,  if  the  sign  of  the  Cross  be  so  sove- 

rentimtsand  reiffn  a  medicine  to  preserve  chastity,  why  so  many  of  your 

Ivouterousl  f.  ,  "  ,  .*  '        f 

another,  order,  that  most  delight  therein,  make  stews  as  it  were  of 
their  own  houses ;  none  so  great  lechers  as  the  superstitious ; 
none  more  incontinent  than  popish  Priests.  And  they  think 
they  have  warrant  of  your  Religion  for  it.  For  in  that 

1  [adulterous.     See  Wicliffe's  Apology,  pp.  76,  78.  Lond.  1842.  ed. 
Camden  Soc.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  331 

tyrannous  interreign  of  Antichrist,  eight  year  ago,  when  a 
Priest  of  Oxford  was  accused  to  Cardinal  Poole's  com 
missioners  of  an  horrible  offence,  not  to  be  named  of  a 
Christian,  but  commonly  practised  among  the  Papists  ;  Nefas 
est  accusare  Sacerdotem,  cried  out  the  Datary2  :  "It  is  a 
wickedness  to  accuse  a  Priest"  of  such  crime  or  such.  But 
the  matter  was  evident  ;  the  parties  confessed  it.  And  what 
was  awarded  him?  Forsooth,  to  ask  his  fellow  whether  he 
were  a  thief:  to  tell  a  tale  in  another's  ear,  which  was  as 
good  as  himself.  So  that  Confession  salved  that  sore  straight. 
About  the  same  time  an  old  fornicator,  in  Red-cross  street, 
in  London,  declared  the  effect  of  your  Religion  ;  which  is,  to 
breed  a  security  in  sin  :  for,  being  taken  in  adultery  by  such 
as  are  yet  alive,  and  have  good  cause  to  remember  it,  he 
sped  himself  as  fast  as  he  could  to  church  ;  would  needs  have 
a  Mass  ;  and  when  he  had  heard  it,  he  came  home  again.  His 
wife  laid  the  matter  bitterly  to  his  charge  :  his  friends  most 
grievously  did  expostulate  with  him  :  and  when  he  had 
nothing  to  excuse  himself  ;  nothing  to  lessen  the  fault  withal, 
he  said  :  "  There  is  none  of  you  all,  though  you  would  see 
me  hanged,  but  knows  I  believe  in  the  Sacrament  of  the 
Altar.  Well  then,  I  believe  well  ;  I  thank  God  of  that."  Yet 
he  thought  his  belief  in  the  Sacrament  of  the  Altar  was 
enough  for  him,  though  otherwise  he  played  the  varlet  egre- 
giously. 

You  think  that  a  sign  of  a  Cross  sufficeth,  (as  it  did  for 
Lucian  [Julian]  and  the  Jew  ;)  though  no  faith  in  Christ,  no 
goodness  do  come  withal.  And  this  may  be  supposed  to  have 
encouraged  your  devout  fathers  to  live  so  licentiously  as 
they  have  done.  Wherein  if  I  had  Lewis  Evans  his  vein,  I 
could  with  truths  make  those  ears  to  glow,  which  now  do- 
glory  in  his  shameless  lies.  "  The  sign  of  the  Cross,"  (say  you,)  FOI.  ne,  a. 
"maketh  that  harlots  would  live  chaste."  How  happens  it 


then,  that  a  friend  of  yours,  (a  bastard,  or  Bishop,  or  both  >ng  i'apisu. 
was,  peradventure3,)  which  is  not,  I  warrant  you,  without  a 
Cross  or  twain,  should  have  from  his  bedside  a  privy  pos 
tern  ?  Not,  that  when  his  Bacchus  had  bathed  him,  his 
Venus  might  warm  him  ?  How  falleth  it  out,  that  a  chief 
maintainer  of  your  faction,  that  joycth  as  much  in  the  Cross 

2  [An  officer  attached  to  the  Court  of  Rome,  through  whom  many 
Benefices  are  conferred.]  3  [Gardiner  ?J 


332  THE   EIGHTH  ARTICLE. 

sign  as  you,  loathed  always  his  lawful  diet,  and  delighted 
most  in  stolen  venery  ?  What  hap  was  this,  that  sometime 
a  Warden  of  your  College,  that  daily  devoutly  would  kneel 
before  the  silver  Cross,  and  attempted  as  earnestly  to  bring 
all  Christians  to  the  wooden  Cross,  should  keep  both  the 
mother  and  the  daughter  in  Oxford ;  and  after  for  perjury 
wear  a  paper  in  Windsor1?  I  will  no  further  offend  chaste 
ears,  with  rehearsing  the  shame  of  your  unchaste  generation. 
Only  will  I  say,  (and  if  ye  further  urge  me,  in  particularity 
will  prove ;)  that,  as  I  am  now  entreating  of  miracles,  so  ever 
in  my  time  it  hath  been  greatest  miracle  to  see  a  chaste 
Votary. 

But,  to  return  to  your  allegations:  if  ye  will  have  us 
credit  you  in  your  doctrine,  then  let  us  see  the  fruits :  let 
miracles  be  wrought ;  let  the  Cross  make  you  honest ;  and 
I  will  verily  affirm  it  a  miracle.  If  the  sign  of  a  Cross  do 
heal  diseases,  and  kill  dragons :  if  it  keep  us  from  the  fall  of 
trees,  and  make  our  enemies  stand  still  before  us ;  then  fare 
well  physic  :  I  will  occupy  no  weapons;  I  will  fear  no  danger  ; 
>irprcoof  of1  I  W^  conquer  where  I  lust.  A  vanity  it  is  of  you,  M.  Mar- 
esent  use.  ^a|^  ^.Q  ^rjng  for  pr0of  of  a  present  use  that  which  was  done 
so  long  ago.  Remember  what  Father  Gregory  doth  say2 : 
Nolite  fratres  amare  signa,  quce  possunt  cum  reprobis 
haberi  communia  :  sed  charitatis  atque  pietatis  miracula 
amate ;  quce,  tanto  securiora  sunt,  quanto  et  occulta ;  et  de 
quibus  apud  Dominum  eo  major  Jit  retributio,  quo  apud 
homines  minor  est  gloria :  "  Brethren,  be  not  in  love  with 
signs,  which  may  be  had  common  with  the  reprobate :  but 
love  ye  rather  the  miracles  of  charity  and  true  godliness ; 
which,  the  more  secret  the  more  secure :  and  for  the  which, 
the  less  estimation  that  there  is  with  men,  the  greater  is  the 
reward  with  God." 

In   the  first  beginning  and  gathering  of  the  Church3, 

1  [See  Dr  London's  picture  in  Fox.  ii.  469.  ed.  1684.] 

2  In  Evan.  Jo.  Horn.  xxix.  [Opp.  Tom.  ii.  fol.  131,  b.  Antverp.  1572.] 

3  ["  Sed  hsec  necessaria  in  exordio  Ecclesice  fuerunt.    Ut  enim  ad 
fidem  cresceret  multitude    credentium,  miraculis  fuerat  nutrienda. 
Quia  et  nos,  cum  arbusta  plantamus,  tamdiu  eis  aquam  infundimus, 
quousque  ea  in  terra  jam  coaluisse  videamus ;  et  si  semel  radicem 
fixerunt,  irrigatio  cessabit.    Hinc  est  enim  quod  Paulus  dicit,  Linguae 
in  signum  sunt,  non  fidelibus,  sed  infidelibus."    (S.  Greg.  Mag.  fol. 
sup.  fit.)] 


ANSWER  TO   THE   TREATISE   OF   THE   CROSS.  333 

many  things  were  necessary,  which  now  be  needless.  Mira 
cles  were  used  then,  which  outwardly  be  denied  now. 
When  we  go  about  to  plant  a  tree,  so  long  we  water  it,  A  «n»iitu 
until  we  see  that  it  hath  taken  root;  but  when  it  is  once 
substantially  grounded,  and  branches  spread  abroad,  we  take 
no  more  pain  to  water  it :  on  like  sort,  as  long  as  the  peo 
ple  were  altogether  faithless,  this  mean  of  miracles  was  of 
indulgence  granted  them  ;  but  when  spiritual  instruction  had 
taken  better  place,  the  corporal  signs  surceased  straight. 
Wherefore  the  Apostle  sayeth  :  Lin-gum  in  signum  sunt,  non 
fidelibus,  sed  infidelibus  :  "  Strange  tongues  are  for  a  sign,  not 
to  them  that  believe,  but  to  them  that  believe  not4."  And 
plainly  to  argue  that  a  thing  is  good,  because  a  miracle  is 
shewed  by  it ;  or  else  to  approve  a  present  use  by  that  which 
needfully  sometime  was  done ;  hath  too  many  absurdities  and 
inconveniences  to  be  yielded  to.  S.  Augustin  denied  that  argu 
ment  of  Petilian 5 :  he  would  not  admit  the  doctrine  of  the 
Donatists ;  although  they  had  wrought  all  wonders  in  the 
world.  Non  dicat,  sayeth  he,  ideo  verum  est,  quia  ilia  et 
ilia  mirabilia  fecit  Donatus,  vel  Pontius,  vel  quilibet  alius  ; 
aut  quia  homines  ad  memorias  mortuorum  nostrorum  orant 
et  exaudiuntur  ;  aut  quia  ilia  et  ilia  ibi  contingunt :  "  Let 
not  the  adversary  say,  therefore  it  is  true,  because  Donate 
or  Pontius,  or  any  other  hath  done  these  and  these  wonderful 
and  strange  things ;  or  else  because  men  do  make  their 
prayers  at  the  tombs  of  our  dead,  and  be  heard ;  or  because 
such  things  and  such  things  do  happen  there  :"  for  these  may 
be  as  well  figmenta  mendacium  hominum,  vel  portenta 
fallacium  Spirituum  :  "  the  feigned  devices  of  lying  men,  or 
strange  wonders  of  deceitful  Spirits." 

Wherefore,  if  miracles  prove  the  use  of  a  Cross,  why  As  w*" «•« 

'  *    may  have 

should  they  not  confirm  the  doctrine  of  the  Donatists  ?    Yea,  M,^"^ 
if  miracles  may  commend  a  thing,   I  will  not  only  have  the  cmss%- m.r 
sign  of  a  Cross,  but  the  sign  of  a  Devil.     Macrobius,  in  his  makeuf 
Saturnalibus,  Li.  i.  Ca.  vii.,  speaking  of  the  sacrifices  used 
in  the  reign  of  Tarquin  the  Proud,  sayeth :  Effigies  manice, 
suspensce  pro  singulorum  foribus,  pericidum,  si  quod  im- 
mineret  familiis,   expiabant :    "  The  Images   of   madness, 

4  1  Cor.  xiv.  [22.] 

5  Aug.  De  uni.  Ecclc.  Cap.  xvi.  [Cap.  six.  Ep.  cont.  Donat.  Opp. 
Tom.  ix.  252.] 


334  THE  EIGHTH  ARTICLE. 

hanged  before  every  man's  door,  made  clear  for  all  dangers 
that  hanged  over  the  household."  Wherefore  I  will  thus 
reason  with  you : 

Either  the  miracles  that    you  do  speak  of   were  false 
tales,  or  else  they  were  truths. 

If  they  were  false  tales,  a  true  man  ought  not  to  allege 
them,  nor  a  Christian  believe  them. 

The  Scripture  warneth  us,  that  in  the  latter  days  there 

shall  be  strong  Spirits  of  illusion;   so  that  the  elect  them- 

e trueoV'    se^VGS'  (^  ^  ^e  possible,)  may  be  seduced.    Wherefore,  if  the 

[arti^nr*1'  Devil  ^  anj  time  by  *ne  Priests,  as  of  old  time  by  the  wise 

'rosf^can6  men   of  Egypt,  have   wrought  wonders  about  Hoods  and 

iw£Tuseethe  Images  ;  no  doubt  but,  by  shewing  unwonted  things,  he  goeth 

about  to  allure  us  to  things  unlawful :    and  therefore  such 

miracles  should  not  be  credited.     But,  on  the  other  side,  if  it 

pleased  God  to  use  the  sign  of  a  Cross  indeed,  as  a  mean  to 

work  some  miracles  in  the  world  ;  yet  is  it  no  sufficient  cause 

to  confirm  the  having,  much  less  the  honouring  of  it  now. 

To  mollify  the  hearts  of  visible  and  mortal  men,  God  used 
visible  and  mortal  means  ;  not  to  confirm  a  reverence  to  them, 
but  to  establish  an  honour  and  service  to  Himself.  God  spake 
toses'  bush,  unto  Moses  out  of  a  fiery  bush l.  Shall  now  the  fire  or  the 
Tmsh  be  honoured  ?  A  good  cause  is  brought  why  God  ap 
peared  in  a  bush,  rather  than  any  thing  beside :  that  the 
people's  eyes  might  teach  them  that  which  their  hearts  and 
souls  ought  to  believe.  For  the  thorns  of  the  bush  did 
signify  the  sins  for  which  the  Law  came.  And  as  the  bush 
pricks  not  in  the  root,  but  is  gentle  and  smooth,  though  the 
body  and  branches  be  full  of  thorns  ;  so  are  not  our  sins  of 
our  first  creation,  but,  by  growing  in  the  flesh,  we  have 
gathered  them  unto  us.  As  the  bush  was  not  consumed  by 
the  fire,  but  the  fire  glisteringly  did  set  forth  the  bush  ;  so 
were  not  sins  abolished  by  the  Law,  but  only  notified ;  not 
taken  away,  but  laid  open  afore  us.  For  the  Law  could  no 
more  but  tell  us  our  disease :  only  the  grace  of  Christ  doth 
cure  us.  As  God  appeared  in  form  of  fire,  and  not  in  an 
earthly  shape ;  so  must  we  learn  to  follow  God ;  to  raise  our 
thoughts  and  desires  upward,  and  not  be  depressed  with 
downfall  cares.  As  God  vouchsafed  to  appear  in  a  mountain, 
thereby  to  put  us  in  mind  of  His  height,  far  passing  Princes 
1  [Exod.  iii.  2.  Acts  vii.  30.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE   OF   THE   CROSS.  335 

and  all  worldly  sublimity  ;  so  must  we  consider  the  worthiness 
of  our  calling  ;  and  be  well  assured,  that  such  a  hill  must  be 
climbed  of  us,  as  hath  all  the  earth  subject  underneath  it. 
Wherefore,  as  so  great  miracle  was  wrought  by  fire,  in  a 
bush,  on  a  mountain,  not  to  enforce  an  estimation  of  the 
means,  but  only  to  drive  men  to  the  ends  aforesaid ;  so  by 
the  Cross  miracles  have  been  wrought ;  not  for  the  wood's 
sake,  not  for  the  metal,  but  only  for  confirming  of  a  faith  in 
Christ.  This  faith  then  let  us  retain,  and  let  the  Cross  alone. 

Moses  avoided  the  wrath  of  God,  and  escaped  death,  by  circumci- 
cutting  off  the  foreskin  with  a  sharp  stone2:  and  this  is  as 
much  as  Saint  Martin's  sign,  whereby  he  avoided  the  fall 
of  a  tree.  Shall  now  a  sort  of  stones  be  brought  into  the 
church,  and  honoured  of  us?  Moses  did  see  the  Angel  of 
the  Lord  ready  to  destroy  him,  because  he,  (dwelling  in  the 
land  of  Midian,)  neglected  the  circumcising  of  his  son;  and  he, 
that  was  a  messenger  of  the  God  of  Abraham,  had  not  in  his 
child  the  sign  of  the  faith  of  Abraham,  wherein  the  Jews 
might  and  did  glory.  This  Circumcision  then,  whereby  such 
peril  miraculously  was  shunned,  was  done  by  a  stone ;  not 
that  an  earthly  stone  should  be  the  more  esteemed,  but  Christ, 
the  Corner-stone,  be  signified ;  by  whom  all  sins  and  trans 
gressions  be  cut  off,  and  by  whom  the  danger  of  eternal 
death  only  is  avoided.  The  rod  of  Aaron  was  often  turned  Aaron's  rod. 
into  a  Serpent3,  often  returned  into  the  own  nature ;  which  in 
a  figure  represented  Christ,  from  life  to  death,  from  death 
arising  unto  life  again :  or  else  that,  as  the  rod,  by  dividing 
the  Red  Sea4,  made  a  passage  open  into  the  land  of  promise ; 
so  Christ,  through  Baptism  into  His  death,  hath  prepared  the 
way  into  life  for  us.  Shall  now  the  rod  of  Aaron,  because  it 
wrought  such  miracle,  be  set  up  in  the  church  ?  The  tree  The  wood  of 

r  Marah. 

that  was  cast  into  the  waters  of  Marah5  did  make  them 
sweet ;  in  token  that  the  bitterness  of  the  Law  was  taken 
away  by  the  death  of  Christ,  and  now  the  minds  of  the 
faithful  people  be  replenished  thorough  it  with  spiritual  and 
abundant  pleasure.  Shall  therefore  the  sign  of  that  piece  of 
wood  now  be  worthied  of  honour  ? 

The  Jews  were  preserved  from  the  Serpents'  stings0  by  ^1re,^zen 

2  Exod.  iv.  [24—26.]  a  Exod.  vii.  [9,  10.] 

4  [Exod.  xiv.  16.]  f>  Exod.  xv.  [25.] 

c  Num.  xiv.  [xxi.  9.] 


336  THE   EIGHTH   ARTICLE. 

looking  on  the  brazen  Image ;  representing  also  the  death 
of  Christ,  which  from  infection  of  damned  Spirits  saveth 
His  elect.  Shall  now  a  piece  of  brass,  or  sign  of  a  Serpent, 
be  set  up  in  churches,  and  reverently  adored  ?  The  rock, 
smitten  with  Moses'  hand1,  gushed  out  of  water;  and  the 
streams  flowed  in  the  parched  fields,  to  satisfy  the  drought 
of  the  thirsty  people :  whereby  is  signified  Christ  to  be  the 
stone  cut  out  of  the  quarry,  sine  manibus  prcecidentium, 
"  without  any  workman's  hand2 ;"  which,  by  the  lively  liquor 
of  His  eternal  Testament,  quencheth  the  thirst  of  incredulity ; 
crying  continually  :  Si  quis  sitit,  veniat  ad  Me  et  bibat  : 
"  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  to  Me  and  drink3."  Shall 
now,  for  this  respect,  the  rock  or  river  be  exalted,  and  set 
in  place  of  God's  service  ?  The  fleece  of  Gideon4  was  only 
moisted  with  the  dew,  when  all  the  earth  beside  was  dry  : 
again,  it  was  only  dry  upon  the  fleece,  when  the  dew  fell 
upon  all  the  ground  :  to  note  the  Gentility  of  all  the  world 
destitute  of  grace ;  void  of  that  heavenly  and  spiritual 
dew ;  when  only  the  fleece  of  Israel,  the  people  of  the 
Jews,  were  comforted  with  the  showers  of  God's  word  and 
promises.  Again,  that  for  want  of  true  belief  the  foresaid 
people  should  wither  with  the  drought  of  infidelity ;  when 
the  heathen  folk  should  be  all  to  besprinkled  with  the  dew 
of  heaven,  as  now  we  are  by  preaching  of  the  Gospel. 
But  where  the  threshing-place  of  the  barn,  and  fleece  of 
Hierobaal5,  were  the  means  whereby  the  miracle  was  wrought, 
shall  any  of  them  both  be  now  magnified  of  us  ?  Sampson, 
with  the  jaw-bone  of  an  ass,  slew  a  thousand  men6;  and  out 
of  the  cheek-tooth  thereof  the  water  ran,  to  assuage  his 
thirst :  in  signification  how  Christ,  our  Advocate  and  Medi 
ator,  hath  overthrown  the  adversary  Power ;  hath  by  one 
death  destroyed  all  the  enemies  of  life ;  and  hath  refreshed 
the  dry  souls  of  faithful  people,  which  be  the  members  of  His 
body,  with  the  spiritual  drink  of  affiance  in  Him.  Shall  we 
now  have  jaw-bones  and  cheek-teeth  in  the  church  ? 

Elias  with  his  cloke  divided  the  water  of  Jordan7 :  in 
sinuating  unto  us  how  Christ,  by  His  incarnation,  hath  made 

i  Nume.  xx.  [11.]  2  [Dan.  ii.  34,  45.] 

3  Joan.  vii.  [37.]  4  Jud.  vii.  [vi.  36—40.] 

s  [Judges  vii.  1.]  6  Jud.  xv.  [15, 19.] 
«  2  Reg.  ii.  [2  Kings,  ii.  8.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  337 

a  way  to  Baptism ;  that,  by  faith  in  Him,  we  may  walk  on 

the  dry  land  of  security,  dreadless  of  the  waves  of  sin.    Shall 

therefore  a  cloke  be  hanged  up,  and  a  candle  lighted  before 

it  ?     Naaman  the  Syrian,  by  washing  himself  in  Jordan,  was  ^shTng s 

cleansed  of  his  leprosy8:  and  shall  the  sign  of  Jordan  be 

worshipped  of  us  ?    The  hem  of  Christ's  garment  conferred  The  hem  of 

rr  .  °  f  Christ's  gar- 

health  upon  the  woman  touching  it9:  and  shall  the  sign  ofment: 

this  be  had  in  estimation  ?    The  shadow  of  Peter  healed  also  lfl^°w 
some  that  passed  by10:  likewise  the  kerchief  and  handker-  Paul's hand- 

J  f  kerchief. 

chiefs  of  Paul  cured  diseases11,  and  drove  out  evil  Spirits.  Shall 
now  the  sign  of  a  shadow ;  shall  a  sorry  clout,  be  so  much 
made  of  ?  Therefore,  if  miracles  of  old  time  past,  wrought, 
(as  I  may  grant  you,  though  absolutely  I  am  not  bound  to 
believe  all  that  you  do  bring  ;)  by  mean  of  a  Cross,  shall  be 
sufficient  cause  to  make  the  sign  thereof,  or  the  selfsame 
thing,  to  be  erected  and  honoured ;  then  shall  the  fiery  bush, 
the  mountain  of  the  Lord,  the  Circumcision  of  Moses,  the 
rod  of  Aaron,  the  wood  of  Marah,  the  brazen  Serpent,  the 
water  of  the  rock,  the  fleece  of  Gideon,  the  jaw-bone  of 
Sampson,  the  cloke  of  Elias,  the  washing  of  Naaman,  the 
hem  of  Christ's  coat,  the  shadow  of  Peter,  the  handkerchief 
of  Paul,  be  set  up  in  the  church  themselves,  or  their  signs. 
For  by  none  of  these  but  miracles  were  done :  and  as  good 
reason  in  this  respect  to  set  up  in  the  church  any  one  of 
these,  as  otherwise  the  Cross. 

As  I  have  shewed  you  the  effect  and  end  of  other 
miracles  reported  in  the  Scripture,  so  when  it  pleased  al 
mighty  God  to  bring  moe  nations  to  one  faith  in  Christ, 
and  used  the  Cross  as  a  mean  to  work  the  like  by,  you 
must  as  well  understand  the  meaning,  not  to  bring  the 
wood  into  an  admiration,  not  to  teach  us  the  service  of 
a  sign,  but  to  confirm  the  faith  in  The  crucified,  and  due 
obedience  to  Him  that  was  signified.  "  A  jewel,"  (you  say,) 
"  a  precious  stone  of  some  strange  virtue,  if  a  man  have  it, 
must  be  kept  warily,  nor  the  stone  be  suffered  to  be  broken. 
And  shall  we  Christian  men  break  the  Cross  of  Christ  ?  &c. 
An  herb  in  the  garden,  medicinable  for  this  or  that  disease, 
must  not  be  rooted  out.  And  shall  we  root  out  of  our 
gardens  the  holy  sign  of  the  Cross  ?"  and  so  forth.  Well, 

s  2  Reg.  v.  [14.]  9  Mat.  ix.  [20—22.] 

10  Act.  v.  [15.]  11  Act.  xix.  [12.] 

22 


338  THE  EIGHTH  ARTICLE. 

M.  Martiall,  let  me  ask  you  this  question:  If  ye  have  but 
a  glass,  and  repute  it  a  diamond,  doth  your  estimation  bring 
virtue  to  the  thing  ?  If  ye  had  a  good  herb,  and  the  same  be 
now  withered,  will  ye  make  as  much  of  it  as  if  it  were  in 
the  prime  ?  The  Cross  that  ye  make  so  great  accompt  of, 
that  ye  covet  to  have  set  up  in  churches,  hath  not  the 
virtue  and  power  that  ye  talk  of :  it  cannot  heal :  it  cannot 
preserve :  it  cannot  daunt  the  affections  of  the  flesh :  it  can 
not  drive  the  wicked  Spirits  from  us.  As  the  mean  is  gone 
of  the  foresaid  effects,  so  are  the  effects  themselves  ceased. 

Possible  it  is  that,  in  time  past,  men  did  some  good  by 
signing  them  with  a  Cross  :  now  is  it  not,  according  to  your 
position,  "  medicinable  against  all  conjuration,  enchantment, 
sorcery,  and  witchcraft;"  but  rather  daily  used  in  all  these. 
Wherefore,  your  proofs  be  too  weak  ;  your  miracles  to  no 

oiio IDS, b.  purpose;  your  Doctors  much  like  yourself.  "The  Heathen, 
the  New-Indians,  the  Jew,  the  Apostata,"  these  are  desirous  of 
the  sign  of  a  Cross  ;  "  These  signed  themselves  with  a  Cross  on 
the  forehead :  Therefore  the  sign  of  the  Cross  must  be  used 
and  honoured."  As  like  as  if  I  said  :  These  were  idolaters  ; 
they  knew  no  true  worship ;  the  Devil  deluded  them ;  and 
therefore  we  must  follow  them.  May  I  not  therefore  with 
juster  cause  than  you  complain,  and  say  as  you  do,  O  tem- 
pora !  "  0  miserable  days  !  O  times  too  licentious ! "  when 
every  Erostratus  may  become  famous  by  burning  of  Diana's 
temple ;  when  every  insolent  and  idle  brain,  if  he  can  in 
veigh  against  the  state  of  his  country ;  defame  them  that  in 
learning  and  virtue  be  far  unlike  himself ;  shall  presume  to 
write,  and  be  suffered  to  print,  his  ignorant  allegations  and 
impudent  untruths,  to  deface  the  Gospel,  to  set  agog  sedi 
tious  and  new-fangled  heads  ? 

You  would  have  men  judge  no  better  of  us,  but  that 

oi.  loo,  a,  b.  we  go  about  "to  overthrow  the  Religion  of  Christ,  take 
away  the  memory  of  His  passion,  and  say  that  there  is 
no  Christ  at  all."  This  do  ye  set  forth  by  an  example  of 
Andrew  Lampugnan,  which  gat  an  audacity  to  slay  the 
Duke  of  Milan,  by  striking  oft  his  Image ;  and  by  a  simili 
tude  of  a  chamber  of  presence,  wherein  whoso  cometh  and 
pulleth  down  the  cloth  of  estate,  or  otherwise  breaketh 
Prince's  arms  in  pieces,  he  is  no  loyal  and  faithful  subject. 
Let  the  world  judge  betwixt  you  and  us,  who  seek  less  the 


ANSWER  TO   THE  TREATISE   OF  THE  CROSS.  339 

defacing  of  Christ  and  His  Gospel ;  who  would  more  abolish 
the  memory  of  His  death.  We  by  continual  preaching  of  it, 
or  you  by  often  painting  of  it.  We  by  referring  all  glory 
unto  God,  or  you  by  transferring  all  praise  unto  yourselves. 
We  by  setting  forth  our  state  of  salvation  so  as  Christ  Him 
self  hath  taught  us,  saying,  "  Search  ye  the  Scriptures ;"  or 
you  by  following  the  Devil's  doctrine,  and  perverting  the 
word,  affirming,  that  we  daily  must  gaze  upon  Pictures1. 

There  be  other  means  to  remember  Christ,  (as  in  the 
Preface  I  have  at  large  declared ;)  than  by  laying  two 
sticks  across,  or  breaking  the  air  with  a  thumb  on  my 
forehead.  Nor  they  deny  Christ  which  affirm  Him  to  be 
God,  and  therefore  in  heaven  seek  Him  ;  but  such  as  make  Papists  deny 
an  Image  of  Him,  severing  thereby  His  Divinity  from  hu 
manity,  and  only  as  man  upon  earth  honour  Him.  Where 
fore  your  history  is  ill  applied.  Galeatius  Maria,  (as  your 
own  author2  saith,)  being  Duke  of  Milan,  was  a  wicked 
tyrant,  a  common  ravisher  of  all  honest  women,  a  violent 
oppressor  of  all  his  subjects :  therefore  God  stirred  the  hearts 
of  some  to  conspire  his  death.  And  for  the  same  cause 
the  word  of  that  arms  is,  Vel  in  Ara,  that  God  in  every 
place,  yea,  to  the  Altar  itself,  pursueth  the  revenge  upon  the 
ungodly.  And  therefore  the  man,  which  otherwise  stood  in 
dread  of  the  Prince,  was  by  another  mean  heartened.  But 
God  stirreth  the  heart  of  none  to  work  any  vengeance  on 
Christ  His  Son :  therefore  the  comparison  is  not  like.  Again, 
Lampugnan  gat  him  the  lively  Image  of  the  Duke :  we  have 
the  Image  I  wot  nere  of  whom :  sure  the  Image  of  Christ  it  is 
not ;  but,  in  respect  of  the  abuse,  a  damnable  Idol.  Then, 
if  the  striking  at  the  Image  of  Christ  be  sign  that  Christ 
Himself  is  hated,  consider  with  yourself  who  is  more  faulty, 
who  is  more  despitefully  set  herein  ;  you,  or  we.  We  peck 
at  a  stone  or  a  piece  of  wood,  which  hath  no  likeness  in  the 
world  of  Christ :  you  burn  and  butcher  the  lively  members 
of  Christ's  own  body,  the  perfect  counterfeits  of  Him  departed 
hence.  We  pull  down  the  dumb  and  the  deaf  Idols,  the 
instruments  of  abuse  :  you  murder  the  Saints  ;  you  destroy 
the  Prophets ;  you  spite  that  any  liveth  honester  than  your 
selves.  Who  now,  (I  beseech  you,)  be  more  enemies  of 
Christ  ?  Who  be  more  like  to  fall  into  apostasy  :  the  ovcr- 

1  [Coinp.  p.  28.]  2  Paradinus,  in  Symbolis. 

22—2 


340  THE   EIGHTH  ARTICLE. 

throwers  of  Idols,  or  destroyers  of  Saints ;  the  mislikers  of 
a  dead  stock  or  stone,  or  murtherers  of  quick  and  living 
men? 

You  request  mo  to  tell  you,  "  if  a  man  come  into  a 
chamber  of  presence,  and  pluck  down  the  cloth  of  estate,  and 
break  the  Prince's  arms  in  pieces,  is  it  not  his  intent  to  have 
the  Prince  deposed."  Indeed,  Sir,  if  the  Prince  have  set  it 
up,  and  give  commandment  that  it  shall  there  stand,  it  is  too 
great  an  offence  to  break  it.  But  if  the  Prince  have  pro 
claimed  the  contrary,  that  none  shall  presume  to  draw  his 
arms,  or  set  up  any  cloth  of  estate  for  him ;  and  yet,  not 
withstanding,  some  in  despite  or  mockery  shall  hang  up  a 
beggarly  and  stinking  clout ;  or,  instead  of  his  royal  arms, 
erect  some  monument  of  reproof  and  shame ;  if  I  came  in 
place,  I  would  pull  it  down,  and  be  the  faithfuller  subject  for 
that.  And  this  is  the  very  state  of  our  cause.  Christ  and 
His  Apostles,  (as  I  have  proved  before,)  have  utterly  forbid 
den  Images.  There  is  no  Cross  that  hath  any  likeness  of 
our  Redeemer  on  it.  Christ  hath  taken  order,  only  by  His 
word  to  be  set  forth  unto  us.  Therefore  the  Cross  of  wood, 
stone,  or  metal,  may  without  offence  be  removed  of  us.  For 
it  is  not  the  cloth  of  estate  of  His ;  the  arms  and  recogni 
zance  of  His  kingdom.  It  is  a  wicked  invention  of  the  Papists, 
a  crafty  delusion  of  the  Devil,  to  supplant  Christ ;  to  take 
away  the  knowledge  and  true  service  of  Him.  Alexander,  (as 
Horace  saith1,) 

Edicto  vctuit  nc  quis  so,  prater  Apellcm, 
Pingerct,  aut  alius  Lysippo  duccrct  sera, 
Fortis  Alexandri  vultum  simulantia : 

"  Gave  charge  that  but  Apelles  none  in  colours  should  him  dress, 
Or  but  Lysippus  should  in  brass  his  countenance  express." 

Then,  if  a  simple  botcher  had  attempted  to  draw  him, 
contrary  to  his  commandment,  should  he  not  have  com 
mitted  petty  treason,  trow  you?  On  like  sort,  Christ  hath 
given  out  His  word,  whereby  He  hath  witnessed  of  Him 
self2.  He  hath  straitly  enacted,  that  whosoever  worship  Him, 
in  spirit  and  verity  they  shall  worship3:  they  shall  not 

1  Episto.  Lib.  i.  [Lib.  ii.  i.  239—41.] 

2  Joan.  iv.  [41.  v.  31.  viii.  14,  18.] 

3  Joan.  v.  [iv.  24.] 


ANSWER   TO   THE   TREATISE   OF   THE   CROSS.  341 

more  simply  conceive  of  Him  than  of  the  Majesty  of  a 
God,  the  second  Person  in  Trinity,  with  our  flesh  carried 
up  into  heaven  with  Him.  Now  cometh  the  workman  with 
his  tools,  and  maketh  a  corporal  and  lying  shape,  to  bring  an 
outward  and  earthly  worship.  Alexander  the  coppersmith 
crieth  out  for  his  advantage.  Simon  Magus,  the  sorcerer, 
contendeth  for  his  share.  S.  Paul  is  against  it4.  S.  John 
condemneth  it5.  What  shall  we  now  do  ?  go  to  the  lying 
Image,  and  forsake  the  true ;  forbid  the  word,  and  bring  in 
a  Picture ;  have  our  hearts  here  in  earth,  where  our  God  is 
in  heaven  ?  Quisquamne  tarn  ineptus  est,  ut  putet  aliquid 
esse  in  Simulachro  Dei ;  in  quo  ne  hominis  quidem  quicquam 
est  prceter  umbram6  ?  "  Is  any  man  so  foolish  as  to  think, 
that  any  piece  of  God  or  godliness  is  in  an  Image ;  wherein 
there  is  no  point  incident  into  a  man,  beside  the  shadow  ?" 
Shall  this  be  the  arms  and  cognizance  of  our  Master  ;  in 
nature  whereof  there  is  nothing  like  Him,  in  use  whereof 
there  is  nothing  but  misliketh  Him  ? 

I  doubt  not  but  the  Cross,  if  it  had  any  sense  or 
understanding,  would  bow  down  itself  to  the  maker  of  it, 
and  not  abide  the  maker  to  do  honour  to  it.  For  had  not 
the  maker  bestowed  some  cost  and  workmanship  upon  it,  it 
might  well  enough  have  been  locked  in  the  coffer  and  laid 
in  the  chimney.  Then,  what  preposterous  thing  is  this  :  they 
that  have  sense  to  set  up  the  senseless ;  the  reasonable  crea 
tures  to  worship  the  unreasonable ;  the  living  to  fall  down 
before  the  dead ;  the  workmanship  of  God,  and  children  of 
His  kingdom,  to  adore  a  corruptible  piece  of  earth  ?  An  ill 
effect  of  a  vile  occupation. 

O  curvce  in  terras  anirase,  et  coelestium  inanes!  Penius. 

"  0  crooked  souls,  bent  to  the  earth,  and  void  of  heavenly 
things !" 

We  rather  ought  to  erect  our  hearts  and  eyes  thither, 
where  our  end  is,  whither  we  look  to  go,  than  be  defixcd  on 
that  which  presently  doth  cumber  us,  and  long  we  shall  not 
enjoy.  Humi  miseri  volutamini,  (as  Lactantius  doth  say7;) 
et  pcenitet  quadrupedes  non  esse  natos,  cum  deorsum  quceriti.-i 

4  Rom.  i.  [23.]  5  Epi.  i.  Ca.  v.  [21.] 

c  Lactantius,  DC  falsa  Rel.  [De  origine  Error.]  Lib.  ii.  Cap.  Ii. 
?  De  fal.  Rcli.  [De  orig.  Erroris,]  Lib.  ii.  Cap.  ii. 


342  THE   EIGHTH  ARTICLE. 

quod  in  sublimi  qucerere  debuistis :  "  Ye  wretches  tumble 
upon  the  earth ;  and  seem  to  be  sorry  that  ye  be  not  made 
four-footed  beasts,  when  ye  seek  below  that  which  ye  ought 
to  find  above." 

For  your  Crosses  and  Crucifixes,  your  Images  and  in 
ventions,  what  pretext  soever  they  have  to  commend  them, 
what  colour  and  cost  soever  to  garnish  them,  yet  are  they 
but  earth :  from  thence  they  came,  and  thither  they  will. 
What  should  ye  then  be  subject  unto  things  inferior  to  your 
selves  ?  Quum  vos  terrce  summittitis,  humilioresque  facitis, 
ipsi  vos  ultra  ad  inferos  mergitis,  ad  mortemque  damnatis; 
quia  nihil  terra  inferius  et  humilius,  nisi  mors  et  inferi  : 
quce  si  effugere  velletis,  subjectam  pedibus  vestris  terram 
contemneretis,  corporis  statu  salvo;  quod  iccirco  rectum  ac- 
cepistis,  quo  oculos  atque  mentem  cum  Eo  qui  fecit  conferre 
jiossetis.  Contemnere  autem  et  calcare  terram  nihil  aliud  est 
quam  Simulachra  non  adorare;  \quia  de  terra  Jicta  sunt1 :] 
"  When  you  submit  and  abase  yourselves  unto  the  earth,  ye 
throw  yourselves  voluntarily  to  hell,  and  condemn  you  to 
death ;  for  nothing  is  inferior  and  worse  than  the  earth,  but 
death  and  hell :  which  if  ye  would  avoid,  ye  should  contemn 
the  earth  that  is  under  your  feet,  preserving  the  state  and 
condition  of  your  body ;  which  for  this  respect  ye  have  received 
upright,  that  ye  might  resemble  and  compare  both  eyes  and 
mind  with  Him  that  made  them.  But,  to  contemn  and  despise 
the  earth,  is  nothing  else  but  not  to  worship  Images,  which 
are  made  of  earth."  Thus  much  Lactantius. 

Now,  if  Christ  be  so  slenderly  received  of  us,  and  all 
His  benefits  so  lightly  passed  over,  that  our  memory  must 
be  holpen ;  and,  unless  we  have  somewhat  subject  to  our 
eyes,  we  shall  soon  forget  Him ;  we  have  the  poor ;  we  have 
beside  the  seals  of  His  mercy,  the  Sacraments  of  His  grace, 
which  when  He  delivered  He  said :  Hoc  facite  in  Mei  com- 
memorationem :  "Do  this  in  remembrance  of  Me2."  "For 
as  oft  as  ye  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  this  cup,"  saith  the 
Apostle,  "  ye  shew  the  Lord's  death  till  He  come3."  Where 
fore,  let  this  confirm  our  memory,  that  Christ  thought  needful 
for  us :  let  us  not  seek  any  further  aids  than  Christ,  (expert 
of  our  infirmities,)  hath  left  us.  If  Christ  and  His  death  be 

1  Lactantius,  ibidem.  2  [S.  Luke  xxii.  19.] 

3  1  Cor.  xi.  [26.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE   OF  THE   CROSS.  343 

duly  preached  to  us,  no  force  if  all  Crosses  be  cast  into  the 
fire.  But  if  preaching  of  Christ  and  hearing  of  His  word  do 
fail  us,  a  sorry  Cross  can  but  delight  our  eyes,  and  straight 
corrupt  our  hearts.  The  miracles  that  have  been  done,  al 
though  they  may  in  part  without  any  shame  be  doubted  of, 
•without  any  impudency  denied ;  yet,  granted  to  be  true,  must 
not  be  brought  for  confirmation  of  a  Cross,  lest  the  like  be 
alleged  to  make  Simon  Magus  a  Saint.  Indeed  we  read,  that 
for  the  like  effects  he  had  an  Image  in  Home  set  up  to  him, 
with  this  inscription :  Simoni  deo  sancto4 :  "To  Simon  the 
holy  god."  But  Christ  also  speaketh  of  the  like,  which  in  the 
latter  day  shall  come  unto  Him,  saying :  "  Lord,  have  we  not 
cast  out  Devils  in  Thy  name ;  and  by  Thy  name  done  many 
great  works  ?"  To  whom  notwithstanding  Christ  shall  answer 
this:  "I  never  knew  you:  depart  ye  from  Me,  ye  workers 
of  iniquity5."  Therefore  your  miracles,  if  they  be  false,  be 
devilish :  if  they  were  true,  yet  now  are  impertinent.  But 
if  we  should  deny  them  as  untrue,  (wherein  we  might  have 
good  authority  to  support  us ;)  should  we  therefore,  according 
to  your  gathering,  "deny  the  omnipotency  of  God,  as  though  FoLin,a. 
He  could  not  work  any  such  miracles?"  Why,  we  rather  do  ad 
vance  it  much  ;  acknowledging  that  God,  without  such  external 
means,  is  able  to  work  more  effects  than  these.  Only  beware 
you,  lest  by  ascribing  too  much  unto  the  mean,  ye  be  igno 
rant  of  the  end,  and  disgrace  the  Author. 

We  see  by  experience,  that  virtues  wrought,  or  so  supposed 
to  have  been,  by  the  sign  of  a  Cross,  hath  caused  sensing6, 
kneeling,  offering,  and  all  kind  of  wicked  Idolatry  to  the  Cross. 
And  so,  where  Christ  should  have  been  only  praised,  a  piece  of 
wood  is  honoured.  A  good  matter  it  is  to  receive  a  benefit,  and 
so  acknowledge  it.  A  vile  part  it  is  to  enjoy  the  pleasure  of 
one  man's  travail,  and  bestow  the  thanks  upon  another.  Yet 
so  it  falleth  out  among  the  superstitious.  God  worketh  the 
miracle :  they  worship  the  mean.  So  did  the  children  of  for- 

*  Eusebi.  Li.  ii.  Cap.  xiii.  [S.  Justin  Martyr,  who  presented  his 
Apology  to  Antoninus  about  the  year  140,  is  the  first  of  tho  Fathers 
who  mentions  this  circumstance.  Many  writers  have  supposed  that 
the  statue  had  been  erected  to  Semo  Sancus,  a  Sabine  deity ;  and 
authorities  on  both  sides  of  the  question  are  enumerated  by  Dr  Bur 
ton,  in  the  forty-second  note  upon  his  Bampton  Lectures.  Oxf.  1829.] 
Mat.  vii.  [22,  23.]  6  [incensing.] 


344  THE   EIGHTH  ARTICLE. 

nication  among  the  Jews  of  old,  whose  mother  had  played  the 
harlot,  saying1 :  "I  will  go  after  my  lovers,  that  give  me  my 
bread  and  my  water,  my  wool  and  my  flax,  mine  oil  and  my 
drink."  "  Nor  she  did  know  that  I,  saith  the  Lord,  did  give 
her  her  corn  and  oil,  multiplied  her  gold  and  silver,  which 
they  bestowed  upon  Baal.  Therefore  will  I  return,  and  take 
away  my  corn  in  time  thereof,  and  my  wine  in  the  season 
thereof,  and  will  recover  my  wool  and  my  flax  lent,  and  dis 
cover  her  lewdness  in  the  sight  of  her  lovers."  Whereby  we 
have  to  understand,  that  as  God  is  the  only  worker  of  all 
miracles  tending  to  our  health  and  preservation,  so  doth  He 
accompt  it  an  heinous  fault,  a  spiritual  fornication,  when  the 
glory  thereof  is  conferred  on  another.  Learn  you  by  this, 
that  the  matter  of  the  Cross  never  had  the  virtue  to  work 
such  things  as  you  report ;  and  therefore  ought  not  of  any  to 
be  worshipped.  God  by  His  Prophet,  in  plain  terms,  doth 
call  it  whoredom,  which  you  for  your  profit,  in  speech  of 
hypocrisy,  do  call  devotion.  Wherefore,  beware  of  the  plague 
ensuing :  derive  not  the  glory  from  The  crucified  to  the 
Cross.  Vivum  colite,  ut  vivatis.  Moriatur  enim  necesse  est, 
qui  se  suamque  animam  mortuis  adjudicavit2 :  "  Worship 
the  living  God,  that  you  may  live.  For  needs  he  must  die, 
that  hath  adjudged  himself  and  his  soul  unto  the  dead." 

1  Ose.  ii.  [5,  8—10.]  2  Lactan.  Li.  ii.  Cap.  ii.  [ad  fin.] 


TO    THE    NINTH    ARTICLE. 


WHAT  COMMODITY  EVERY  CHRISTIAN  MAN  HATH,  OR 
MAY   HAVE,  BY   THE  SIGN  OF  THE  CROSS. 

As  the  ground  itself,  and  chief  buttress  of  your  cause  is 
taken  out  of  the  second  of  Nice,  whose  impudent  vanities3  I 
have  sufficiently  before  declared ;  so  are  not  you  ashamed 
sometime  to  allege  them  with  as  small  trial  as  they  had  truth. 
But  as  S.  Ambrose  said  of  the  Council  held  at  Ariminum4: 
Illud  ego  Concilium  exhorreo :  "  That  Council  I  do  utterly 
abhor ;"  so  do  I  say  of  this,  that  with  as  good  cause  and 
with  all  my  heart  I  refuse  their  authority,  and  condemn  their 
doings.  A  vain  allegation  it  was  of  Germanus,  "  that  the  Foi.  113,  t>. 
Images  of  holy  men  are  a  lively  description  of  their  stout 
ness,  a  representation  of  holy  virtue,  a  dispensation  of  grace 
given  them :"  a  vain  application  it  is  of  yours,  "  that  even  so 
the  Cross  and  Image  of  Christ  crucified,  set  before  our  eyes, 
is  a  lively  description  of  His  stoutness  in  bearing  the  blows  of 
the  Jews,"  and  so  forth.  To  speak  first  of  other  Images,  and 
so  to  descend  to  yours ;  I  beseech  you,  what  stoutness  and 
virtue  is  described,  what  holiness  and  grace  is  dispensed  by 
them  ?  When  the  Saints  were  alive,  their  virtues  could  not 
be  discerned  with  eye:  they  rested  in  the  mind  their  proper 
subject.  And  shall  they  now  be  seen  in  their  dead  Images, 
which  have  neither  mind  nor  sense  to  hold  them  ?  This  is  as 
just  as  Germain's  lips.  When  I  see  an  Image  gorgeously 
apparelled,  with  spear,  or  sword,  or  book  in  the  hand ;  another 
with  a  box  or  a  babe  in  her  arms ;  what  reason  can  tell  me 
whether  Mars  or  S.  George,  Venus  or  the  Virgin  the  mother 
of  Christ,  be  there  erected  ?  If  ye  tell  me  that  the  super 
scription  discerns  them,  then  if  it  please  the  maker  to  remove 
the  title,  that,  which  before  was  the  Idol  Venus,  shall  now 
become  the  blessed  Virgin :  that,  which  was  Mercury,  shall 

3  ["  Multse  apocryphorum  quisquilise."    (Ant.  Pagi  Crit.  in  Annales 
Baronii,  Tom.  i.  p.  45.  Colon.  Allob.  1705.)] 

4  Li.  Ep.  v.  Epi.  xxxi.    [Epistt.  Lib.  ii.  Ep.  xiii.  Opp.  v.  204.] 


346  THE  NINTH  ARTICLE. 

anon  be  Paul :  and  so,  as  it  pleaseth  the  workman  to  name  it, 
it  shall  be  reverenced  and  esteemed. 

But  whereas  they  be  called  Laymen's  books1,  impossible 
it  is  without  a  schoolmaster  to  read  them.  But  when  they 
be  read,  what  lessons  have  they  ?  Such  as  Cherea  did 
learn  in  Terence;  or  such  as  Venus  Gnidia  did  teach  in 
Lucian.  For  when  they  behold  strange  and  costly  Images, 
wondrously  adored,  with  coronets  on  their  heads,  rings  on 
their  fingers,  precious  stones  on  their  garments  ;  what  may 
they  think,  but  that  some  stately  Princes,  with  their  proud 
apparel  and  disguised  train,  be  come  in  presence?  and 
then  they  fall  down  and  worship  the  body,  or  the  garment ; 
the  Idol,  or  the  gold ;  or  peradventure  both.  The  body 
is  stiff,  for  it  is  a  stone :  the  garments  as  stiff,  for  they  are 
of  gold.  The  shape  enforceth  an  honour  to  the  Image :  the 
furniture  provoketh  a  coveting  of  the  goods.  So  at  one 
time  two  Idolatries  be  committed.  If  your  maids  do  look 
upon  Mary  Magdalen,  as  in  the  churches  she  is  set  forth, 
with  nice  apparel  and  wanton  looks ;  what  can  they  behold 
in  her  but  the  pranks  of  an  harlot?  what  can  they  learn 
of  her  but  lusts  of  vanity  ?  Doubtless,  if  Images  must 
be  admitted  to  set  forth  the  Saints,  the  Saints  themselves 
shall  not  be  honoured,  but  dishonoured :  and  we  shall  espy 
no  example  of  soberness,  of  chastity,  of  contempt  of  riches, 
and  vanity  of  the  world ;  but  of  excess,  of  wantonness,  of 
pride  and  covetousness.  For  if  the  external  decking,  the 
trimming  of  the  Puppets,  do  lively  describe  anything ;  it  is 
not  the  nature  of  holy  Saints,  but  childish  affection  of  old 
doting  fools,  which  must  have  such  babies  to  play  them  with 
al.  But  that  play  of  folly  doth  end  in  earnest  of  gross 
Idolatry. 
reason  And  although  some  affirm,  that  in  these  days  men 

our  time  •  -i  i  «•  i 

images.  \ye  too  wise  and  learned  to  take  any  hurt  or  offence  by 
Images ;  they  know  what  they  are ;  they  gad  not  into  far 
countries  after  them ;  the  preachers  otherwise  inform  them : 
and  therefore,  (as  they  suppose,)  it  is  not  unlawful  or  wicked 
absolutely  to  have  Images  in  churches;  though  it  may,  (for 
the  danger  of  the  simpler  sort,)  seem  to  be  not  altogether 
expedient.  To  this  I  reply,  that  none  in  these  days  in 
this  respect  is  better  instructed  in  the  fear  of  God  than 

1  [Preface,  page  21.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  347 

Ezechias  was ;  more  zealously  affected  to  the  truth  than 
Josias ;  more  endued  with  wisdom  from  above  than  Salo 
mon.  They  knew  what  an  Idol  or  Image  was :  they  were 
not  likely  for  their  own  persons  to  sustain  any  harm  or 
damage  by  them :  they  armed  other  against  the  danger 
of  them.  Yet  would  not  Ezechias  suffer  the  brazen  Serpent, 
(the  sign  of  Christ  our  Saviour,)  to  stand2.  Josias,  for  all  his 
knowledge,  which  could  not  in  that  case  be  himself  abused, 
took  away  all  occasion  of  ruin  from  his  people,  and  utterly 
removed  all  Idols3.  Salomon,  for  all  his  wisdom,  by  suffering 
his  wanton  paramours  to  bring  their  Idols  into  his  court  and 
palace,  was  by  carnal  harlots  persuaded,  and  brought  at  the 
last  to  the  committing  of  spiritual  fornication ;  and  of  a  most 
wise  and  godly  Prince  became  a  most  foolish  and  vile 
idolater4.  Then  let  Ezechias  and  Josias  teach  us  utterly  to 
remove  all  occasion  of  fall,  as  well  from  other  as  from  our 
selves  :  let  Salomon  also  fear  us  from  suffering  any  such  to 
stand,  lest  by  transgression  our  wisdom  be  folly,  and  under 
standing  error.  "He  that  loveth  danger  shall  perish  therein5 ;" 
and  "  Let  him  that  standeth  beware  he  fall  not6." 

I  am  sure  there  is  no  Prince  of  the  world  more  furnished 
with  skill  than  was  that  Salomon :  none  have  more  graces 
conferred  on  them  :  and  yet  he  was  abused  by  Images ;  by 
Images,  that  he  knew  to  be  but  stocks  and  stones.  For 
"  horrible  it  is  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living  God7 :"  and 
whoso  turneth  "  the  glory  of  the  incorruptible  God  to  the 
similitude  of  the  Image  of  a  corruptible  man  :"  whoso  turneth 
"  the  truth  of  God  into  a  he,  and  worshippeth  the  creature, 
forsaking  the  Creator8 :  for  this  cause  God  giveth  them  up  to 
vile  affections,"  to  their  hearts'  lusts,  to  uncleanness,  &c.  Then 
let  all  Princes,  all  wise  of  the  world  beware,  that  they  procure 
not  God's  indignation  by  breaking  His  precept,  so  often  given, 
so  straitly  enjoined  :  "  Thou  shalt  make  to  thyself  no  like 
ness  of  any  thing."  Suppose  they  be  so  strengthened  in 
faith,  so  assisted  by  grace,  that,  how  great  soever  the  danger 
be,  yet  they  fall  not  in  it,  they  keep  themselves  uncorrupt 
from  Idolatry ;  shall  that  be  sufficient  excuse  for  them,  if  they 

2  2  Re.  xviii.  [2  Kings  xviii.  4.] 

3  2  Re.  xxiii.  [14.]  <  1  Re.  xi.  [1—8.] 
5  Eccle.  xiii.  [Eccl"*'  iii.  26.]                    6  1  Cor.  x.  [12.] 

7  Heb.  x.  [31.]  8  Rom.  i.  [23—26.] 


348  THE  NINTH  ARTICLE. 

leave  occasion  of  such  offence  to  other  ?  Shall  their  learning 
and  wisdom  be  cause  of  folly  and  deceit  to  the  simple? 
Shall  they  have  such  regard  of  their  own  fancy,  which  is  to 
no  purpose,  but  only  to  gaze  on  ;  without  a  commandment, 
as  they  themselves  confess ;  that  the  silly  flock  shall  be  scat 
tered  thereby ;  and  the  more  multitude,  being  simple,  perish ; 
for  whom  Christ  paid  as  dear  a  ransom1  as  for  the  greatest, 
the  wisest,  the  best  learned  of  the  earth  ? 

The  Scripture  is  commanded  to  be  known  of  all  men. 
"  Gather,"  (saith  Moses2,)  "  the  people  together,  men,  women, 
and  children,  and  the  stranger  that  is  within  thy  gates ;  that 
they  may  hear,  and  that  they  may  learn,  and  fear  the  Lord 
your  God,  and  keep  and  observe  all  the  words  of  His  Law." 
Likewise,  in  the  New  Testament3,  the  like  commandment  is 
given  by  Christ,  to  "  search  the  Scriptures."  "Which  words  if 
any  man  think  do  appertain  only  to  the  Jews  of  the  old  time, 
or  to  the  Clergy  now ;  by  the  same  reason,  (as  Augustin  doth 
well  prove4,)  he  may  say,  that  Christians  ought  not  to  know 
Christ,  nor  be  known  of  Christ.  Notwithstanding,  the  Scrip 
tures,  (contrary  to  God's  will,)  have  been  for  a  policy  for 
bidden  to  be  read,  lest  the  ignorant  might  fall  into  error  by 
them.  And  shall  not  the  Pictures,  forbidden  and  banished 
out  of  God's  service,  breeding  a  most  vile  affection  of  Idola 
try,  be  removed  rather  out  of  the  temple,  as  well  in  respect 
of  the  precept  as  peril  ?  I  have  shewed  what  these  Images 
do  describe :  pride,  avarice,  wantonness,  and  nothing  else.  If 
a  man  say,  this  Saint  in  his  life-time  despised  his  life,  to  live 
with  God  ;  continued  in  poverty,  to  be  rich  in  Christ ;  rejected 
the  pleasures  and  lusts  of  the  flesh,  to  subdue  the  same  to 
the  good  guiding  Spirit ;  his  Image  by  and  by  controls  him 
of  a  lie.  For  he  seeth  a  most  cheerful  and  stately  look,  a 
gorgeous  and  rich  attire,  an  embracing  in  death  of  that  which 
in  life  he  most  abhorred. 

Wherefore,  as  Images  generally  describe  a  contrary  effect 
to  their  first  patterns;  as  alway  they  work  a  more  wicked  end 
than  in  Religion  is  to  be  admitted ;  so  the  Cross  itself  doth 
not  nor  cannot  lead  us  to  The  crucified ;  but  estrangeth  our 

1  [Rom.  xiv.  15.    1  Cor.  viii.  11.] 

2  Deute.  xxxi.  [12.]  3  John  v.  [39.] 

4  De  verb.  Domini,  Ser.  xlv.  [al.  De  Scripturis,  Serm.  cxxix.  Opp. 
Tom.  v.  cd.  Ben.] 


ANSWER  TO   THE  TREATISE   OF  THE  CROSS.  349 

hearts  from  God  the  Creator  to  a  vile  creature.  And  if  the 
commodity  of  Images  in  the  Church  or  Crosses  had  been  such, 
(as  you  would  have  it  appear;)  I  marvel  that  Christ,  our 
schoolmaster,  that  His  Apostles,  our  teachers,  took  no  order 
for  them.  Paul  saith  not5,  Qucecunque  picta  sunt,  sed  Quce- 
cunque  scripta  sunt,  ad  nostram  doctrinam  scripta  sunt, 
&c. :  "  Whatsoever  things  are  painted,  but  Whatsoever  things 
are  written,  are  written  for  our  instruction."  Not  that  by 
Images  or  gazingstocks,  but  "  thorough  patience  and  comfort 
of  the  Scriptures,  we  may  have  hope."  Nor  he  saith,  "All" 
Picture,  but  "  Scripture,  inspired  of  God,  is  profitable  to  teach, 
to  reprove,  to  instruct ;  that  the  man  of  God  may  be  perfect, 
furnished  to  all  good  works6."  Then  if  the  Scripture  be  a 
commended  and  commanded  way,  and  the  same  sufficient  to 
make  us  perfect  in  all  points,  I  see  not  to  what  use  an  Image 
or  a  Picture  is. 

God  gave  the  Law  to  Moses7,  not  set  forth  with  colours, 
but  written  in  two  tables.  Josue  delivered  the  same  unto 
the  people,  not  in  Imagery,  but  in  word8;  not  glorious  to  the 
eye,  but  gladsome  to  the  ear,  comfortable  to  the  heart :  so 
that  the  mean,  whereby  they  would  the  benefits  of  God  to  be 
kept  in  remembrance,  was  not  to  paint  or  grave  the  likeness 
of  them,  but  by  faithful  pen  report  the  noble  facts,  and  so  print 
in  the  heart  a  thankful  memory.  David,  entreating  of  the  In 
carnation  and  Nativity,  Passion  and  Death,  Resurrection  and 
Kingdom  of  Christ  our  Saviour,  (which  are  the  proper  effects 
which  you  will  have  set  forth  in  Imagery ;)  saith,  in  the 
Person  of  Christ,  thus :  In  capite  libri  scriptum  est  de  Me  : 
"  In  the  beginning  of  the  book  it  is  written  of  Me9."  It  is 
not  graved  in  a  piece  of  metal,  or  painted  on  a  wall.  The 
Evangelist  saith10:  Sicut  scriptum  est  in  libra  sermonum 
JEsaice :  "  As  it  is  written  in  the  book  of  Esaie's  sermons." 
He  spake  of  sermons,  and  not  of  signs ;  of  a  book,  and  not1 
of  an  Image.  The  Apostles  also,  of  whom  it  is  written11: 
"  Beautiful  are  the  feet  of  those  that  bring  tidings  of  peace, 
and  preach  health;"  which  went  throwing  their  seeds  with 
tears,  planting  the  faith  of  Christ  with  affliction,  and  shall 

5  Rom.  xv.  [4.]  6  2  Tim.  iii.  [16,  17.] 

7  Exo.  xx.  [Deut.  v.  22.]  8  Josu.  xxiii,  xxiv. 

9  Psa.  xxxix.  [xl.  7.]  10  Luke  iii.  [4.] 
11  Esa.  Iii.  [7.  Rom.  x.  15.] 


350  THE  NINTH  ARTICLE. 

return  again  having  their  hand  full1,  with  plentiful  increase, 
•with  joy  for  gain,  and  success  of  the  Gospel ;  sent  not  a 
Cross,  or  history  of  the  Passion  painted  in  a  table,  to  cities 
or  to  nations ;  but  their  Epistles,  the  certain  witnesses  of  their 
minds,  their  writings.  Nor  Christ,  (that  we  read  of,)  con 
ferred  on  them  the  art  of  painting,  carving,  or  engraving; 
whereby  they  might  convert  the  Heathen  to  the  faith,  or  leave 
a  remembrance  with  their  disciples  after  them :  Sed  aperuit 
illis  Dominus  sensum  Scripturarum  :  "  But  the  Lord  opened 
the  sense  of  Scripture  to  them2."  S.  John,  banished  into  the 
island  Patmos,  to  receive  the  secret  and  divine  Revelations, 
heard  at  the  Lord's  hands,  Scribe  hcec  in  libro :  "  Write 
these  in  a  book3 ;"  and  not  Work  them  in  stone  or  metal. 
Whereby  we  are  given  to  understand,  that  the  instruction 
of  our  faith,  the  only  aid  of  a  godly  memory,  must  be  the 
Scripture.  The  Cross,  with  a  Picture  of  a  man  upon  it,  with 
arms  stretched,  body  pierced,  and  feet  nailed,  may  peradven- 
ture  put  me  in  mind  of  a  man  so  executed :  but  who  it  was, 
for  what  cause  it  was,  to  what  wholesome  end  and  effect  it 
was,  no  Picture  in  the  world  can  tell  me4.  If  preaching,  in 
spired  by  the  grace  of  God,  working  effectually  in  the  hearts 
of  hearers,  be  not  able  to  turn  and  convert  the  obstinate  :  if 
the  lawful  use  of  God's  holy  instrument,  piercing  the  hearts, 
and  striking  the  conscience,  cannot  frame  aright,  and  reform 
to  piety ;  what  shall  we  think  of  a  dumb,  senseless,  unlawful 
thing  ?  If  I  see  a  felon,  a  thief,  a  murtherer  hanged  before 
mine  eyes,  have  I  not  more  to  consider  mine  own  estate,  than 
if  I  beheld  a  wooden  Rood  or  silver  Crucifix  ?  Suppose  I 
know  that  that  Picture  representeth  Christ,  am  I  furthered 
anything  toward  my  salvation?  or  are  the  mercies  of  Christ 
more  effectual  to  me,  unless  I  know  that  even  God  the 
Father  hath  also  chosen  me  in  Christ  His  Son5,  "before  the 
'foundations  of  the  world"  were  laid,  that  I  "should  be  holy  and 
without  blame  before  Him  in  love  ?"  Is  there  any  cause  to 
drive  me  to  thankfulness,  or  otherwise  to  virtuous  conversa 
tion,  because  I  see  a  gallows ;  which  my  horse  seeth  as  well 
as  I,  and  yet  is  not  the  holier  ?  Can  I  glorify  God  for 
sending  of  His  Son,  unless  I  know  that  He  did  send  Him ; 

1  Psa.  cxxv.  [cxxvi.  5,  6.] 

2  Luk.  xxiv.  [45.]  3  Apoc.  i.  [Rev.  i.  11.] 
4  [Compare  p.  37.]                        6  Ephc.  i.  [4—10.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE   OF  THE  CROSS.  351 

and  for  me  He  sent  Him;  whom  "He  hath  predestinate  to  be- 
adopted  through  Jesus  Christ  unto  Himself,  according  to  the 
good  pleasure  of  His  will ;  to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  His 
grace,  wherewith  He  hath  made  us  accepted  in  His  beloved: 
by  whom  we  have  redemption  through  His  blood,  even  the 
forgiveness  of  sins,  according  to  His  rich  grace  :  whereby  He 
hath  been  abundant  toward  us  in  all  wisdom  and  under 
standing  ;  and  hath  opened  unto  us  the  mystery  of  His  will, 
according  to  His  good  pleasure  which  He  had  purposed  in 
Him :  that  in  the  dispensation  of  the  fulness  of  times,  He 
might  gather  together  all  things  in  one,  which  are  in  heaven, 
and  which  are  in  earth,  even  all  in  Christ  ?"  If  these  effects 
be  described  in  a  Cross,  the  duty  of  thankfulness  is  taught 
withal,  the  form  of  obedience  is  set  forth  unto  us.  But  no 
Cross  can  tell  me  that  Christ  came  once  into  the  world ; 
much  less  that  He  was,  before  He  came :  that  He  came  to 
die  for  us  ;  that  He  died  to  rise  again ;  that  He  rose  to 
purchase  a  righteousness  for  us :  yet  these  and  some  other 
articles  of  our  faith  we  must  be  first  instructed  in ;  or  else 
the  sight  of  the  Cross  doth  no  more  profit  me  than,  (as  I 
said,)  my  horse.  But  neither  we  are  willed  by  any  word  of 
God  to  fetch  our  knowledge  from  such  unskilful  school 
masters,  nor  anything  is  in  them  whereof  they  can  to  our 
health  inform  us. 

You  say,  "  that  the  Cross  teacheth  the  proud  and  Foiio  m,  i 
contentious  man  humility:  for  if  any  be  wise  in  his  own 
conceit,  and  condemneth  other  men's  judgments,  and  craketh6 
to  the  people,  that  the  doctrine,  which  he  teacheth  con 
trary  to  all  other,  is  sure,  sound,  and  grounded  upon  the 
word  of  God ;  that  man,  I  say,  looking  intentively  upon  this 
sign,  may  learn  humility,  and  say  with  S.  Paul :  '  God  forbid 
that  I  should  brag  or  glory  in  any  thing,  but  in  the  Cross  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ7.'"  Indeed,  Sir,  humility  may  well 
one  way  be  learned  of  a  Cross ;  for  when  it  is  stricken,  it 
strikes  not  again :  when  it  is  reviled,  it  gives  no  ill  language : 
will  it  to  stand,  and  it  will  not  stir.  But  you,  that  think 
yourself  as  wise  as  any  man,  and  yet  are  abused  in  your 
own  conceit,  when  ye  look  on  your  Cross,  what  are  ye  ad 
vantaged?  Do  ye  learn  to  glory  in  nothing  else  but  Christ 
crucified  ?  Indeed  S.  Paul,  in  that  Epistle  to  the  Galatians, 
«  [cracketh,  boasteth.]  7  [Gal.  vi.  14.] 


352  THE  NINTH  ARTICLE. 

condemned  the  hypocrites  and  false  teachers,  which  urged 
the  Law,  Circumcision,  and  Ceremonies :  against  whose  heresy 
he  brought  his  assertion,  that  only  the  death  of  Christ 
was  his  joy  and  f eh' city ;  nor  any  thing  he  had  but  that  to 
rejoice  in. 

If  you  have  learned  this  lesson  of  the  Cross,  I  am  glad 
thereof.  For  then  ye  condemn  your  merits  and  satisfactions : 
then  will  ye  lay  away  your  idle  ceremonies  and  will-worship. 
But  if  you  retain  a  confidence  in  your  works ;  if  you  ascribe 
any  righteousness  unto  them ;  if  you  think  you  are  able  to 
deserve  salvation,  or  satisfy  any  way  for  another's  sins;  then 
do  ye  glory  in  somewhat  else  than  the  Cross  of  Christ :  then 
is  your  humility  but  hypocrisy.  When  the  Papists  behold 
the  work  of  their  own  hands,  the  Cross  itself,  fair  mustering 
in  the  church ;  which  might  peradventure  have  been  a  log 
for  the  chimney,  or  else  .  .  .  ,  if  they  had  not  given  that 
shape  unto  it,  and  garnished  it  as  it  is,  which  now  by  their 
means  is  reverently  adored,  and  thought  to  be  of  such  sin 
gular  virtue ;  no  other  thought  can  come  into  their  heads, 
but  that  they  themselves  be  better  than  their  handy  work, 
the  maker  more  to  be  esteemed  than  the  metal :  and  so  for 
humility  a  pride  is  engendered,  that  they  be  causes  of  such 
wonderful  effects;  and  if  God  be  honoured,  they  must  be 
thanked. 

As  for  obstinate  sinners,  if  they  have  no  better  helps  to 
regenerate  their  hearts  than  the  sign  of  a  Cross  to  feed  their 
eyes,  they  are  like  to  be  as  well  converted  as  Julian  and 
the  Jew,  (of  whom  ye  spake  before ;)  who,  notwithstanding 
that  they  made  a  Cross,  remained  in  their  paganism  accursed 
still.  We  read  in  the  Scripture  such  power  attributed  to  the 
word ;  but  to  the  wood  never.  Lex  Domini  immaculata, 
convertens  animas :  testimonium  Domini  fidele,  sapientiam 
prcestans  parvulis :  "  The  law  of  the  Lord  is  perfect,  con 
verting  the  soul :  the  testimony  of  the  Lord  is  sure,  and  giveth 
wisdom  unto  the  simple.  The  statutes  of  the  Lord  are  right, 
and  rejoice  the  heart :  the  commandment  of  the  Lord  is  pure, 
and  giveth  light  unto  the  eyes1."  If  any  such  authority  could 
be  brought  for  the  Cross,  I  could  more  easily  be  brought  to 
believe  it.  Now  that  ye  bring  but  your  own  supposal,  I 
might  refute  it  with  a  bare  denial :  but  I  will  bring  Chry- 
1  Psal.  xviii.  [xix.  7,  8.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE   OF  THE  CROSS.  353 


sostom  for  me2.  Animo  despei'ato  niiiil  pejus. 
signa,  quamvis  miracula  videat,  in  eadem  perstat  perti- 
nacia.  Which  is  to  say  :  "  Nothing  is  worse  than  a  despe 
rate  mind.  Although  he  see  signs,  although  miracles  be 
wrought,  yet  he  standeth  stiffly  in  the  same  self-will  froward- 
ness."  And  there  also  he  bringeth  the  example  of  Pharao, 
whom  all  the  wonders  and  plagues  of  Egypt  could  not 
make  relent.  "Wherefore,  if  the  Cross  be  brought  unto  the 
like,  I  am  sure  small  comfort  will  arise  thereof  :  so  that  not 
only  the  authority,  but  also  the  example  condemns  you. 

Athanasius,  in  the  place  by  you  alleged3,  how  "  the 
wonted  affections  be  taken  out  of  harlots'  hearts  ;  murderers 
keep  their  weapon  no  longer  ;  fearful  men  conceive  a  courage  ; 
barbarous  nations  lay  away  their  immanity4;"  doth  not 
ascribe  these  effects  to  the  Cross,  but  wholly  and  solely  to 
the  faith  of  Christ.  "  Then  why  doth  he  mention  the  sign 
of  the  Cross,"  (say  you  ;)  "  why  was  he  not  contented  to  put 
faith,  and  no  more?"  Not  that  they  should  be  joined  patent 
together  ;  but  that  the  one  might  be  testified  by  the  other. 
And  the  manner  of  that  time  was,  they  being  conversant 
among  the  Infidels,  by  this  kind  of  sign  to  shew  their  profes 
sion.  So  that,  as  it  is  not  enough  to  have  a  faith  secret  to 
ourselves,  whereof  we  dare  not  make  a  confession,  but  that 
we  must  so  seem  unto  the  world  as  inwardly  we  are;  that 
God  be  not  only  glorious  in  Himself,  but  so  acknowledged  of 
the  world  ;  therefore  the  sign  of  the  Cross  and  faith,  the  token 
of  profession  and  profession  itself,  be  put  together.  And  though 
ye  turn  over  all  histories  that  ever  were,  ye  shall  never  find 
that  a  Cross  without  faith  did  further  any  man  :  but  that 
faith  alone,  without  any  Cross,  is  right  available,  the  Scrip 
ture  in  every  place  witnesseth. 

Now  where  ye  contend,  that  a  Cross  is  necessary,  "  not- 
withstanding  that  men  may  have  godly  instructions  by  read- 
ding  the  Scriptures,  and  hearing  good  preachers  :  because  every 
man  cannot  read  Scripture,  nor  understand  it  when  he  readeth 
it  ;  and  every  man  cannot  at  all  times  so  conveniently  hear 

2  Chrysosto.  in  Cap.  Jo.  viii.  Horn.  liv.  [Tom.  iii.  col.  219.  Paris. 
1570.] 

3  De  human.  Verbi.   [De  inccu-nat.  Verbi  Dei,  §.  50.  Opp.  i.  i.  91. 
Paris.  1698.] 

4  [savagent-ss.] 

,  23 

rAI.KHII.I..  I 


354  THE   NINTH  ARTICLE. 

a  good  preacher,  as  he  may  see  the  sign  of  the  Cross ;  and 
things  seen  do  move  more  affection  than  those  that  be  heard 
or  read1 :"  as  your  answer  to  this  objection  against  yourself 
containeth  three  pretended  causes,  so  will  I  in  order  consider 
of  them.  First,  that  all  men  cannot  read  Scripture,  or  un- 

gesk       derstand  it  when  they  read  it :  I  beseech  you,  be  Images  and 

Jtfuiiy.  Crosses  such  books  as  all  men  can  read  and  understand  ?  Did 
not  I  tell  you2  how  Stephen  Gardiner,  a  learned  man,  made  a 
false  construction  out  of  such  a  book,  taking  the  Image  of  the 
King  for  S.  George  on  horseback  ?  The  countenance,  the  pro 
portion,  the  apparel  of  them,  is  as  pleaseth  the  workman  to 
devise :  the  virtue,  the  power,  and  the  qualities  of  them,  is  as 
pleaseth  the  lookers  on  to  imagine.  And  let  them  read  in 

f  be  read  Images  that  lust ;  let  them  understand  as  they  may;  nothing 
doubtless  is  to  be  read  or  understood  in  them,  but  the  lewd 
lessons  of  gross  Idolatry,  penned  by  the  Devil,  tending  to 
damnation.  And  if  there  were  not  apparently  such  peril  in 
them,  (the  contrary  whereof  cannot  be  avoided ;)  yet  were  we 
bound  not  only  to  suspect,  but  also  to  refuse  such  school 
masters  as  they,  being  not  authorized  by  God's  commission, 
but,  (as  I  have  proved,)  always  inhibited.  If  Christ,  (as  the 
Gospel  telleth  us,  twice  in  one  place  together,)  be  the  only 
Doctor  and  Guide  of  His,  Matth.  xxiii.  :  if  God  hath  spoken 
in  these  last  days  by  His  Son  unto  us;  in  whose  Person  all 
wonted  ways  of  instruction,  all  revelations  do  cease,  Hebr.  i. ; 
we  must  now  go  no  further  than  to  His  word  ;  we  must  seek 
no  teacher  but  His  Holy  Spirit.  Ipse  nos  inducet  in  omnem 
veritatem :  "  That  same  will  induce  us  into  all  truth3." 

e  can  be         And  although  I  know  that  the  gifts  of  God  have  their  de- 

ach  ig- 

"iri^us  grees>  yet  dare  I  say,  that  none  is  utterly  so  void  of  grace, 
vkdge  in  but  hath,  (for  understanding,)  so  much  conferred  on  him,  as 
shall  be  expedient  for  his  own  behoof ;  unless  he  be  utterly,  as 
a  rotten  member,  cut  off  from  Christ4.  But  if  the  skill  of  read 
ing,  or  gift  of  understanding  be  denied  unto  any,  shall  he  be 
driven  to  seek  it  where  it  is  not  ?  Then  shall  he  find  what 
he  would  not.  If  our  heavenly  Father  refuse  to  teach  us,  a 

1  ["Segnius  irritant  animos  demissa  per  aurem, 

Quam  quae  sunt  oculis  subjecta  fidelibus." 

(Horat.  Ep.  ad  Pisones,  180 — 1.)] 

2  [Pref.  p.  36.]  3  [S.  John  xvi.  13.] 
4  [Compare  page  60.] 


ANSWER  TO   THE   TREATISE   OF   THE   CROSS.  355 

vile  creature  cannot  instruct  us.  If  God  withdraw  His  decreed 
mean,  whereby  He  may  win  us,  an  extraordinary  matter,  a 
stock  or  a  stone  cannot  convert  us.  If  God  do  not  suffer  us  a 
preaching  Parson,  the  Devil  doth  send  us  such  dumb  Vicars. 
If  man  be  not  worthied  to  direct  us  in  a  truth,  an  Image 
or  a  Cross  will  pervert  us  with  a  lie.  Posuit  thesaurum 
Suum  in  vasis fictilibus :  "He  hath  put  His  treasure  in  frail 
vessels ;"  (saith  S.  Paul5,  speaking  of  the  work  of  God's  ex 
ceeding  mercy,)  in  sending  us  men  of  our  own  nature,  by 
whom  His  will  may  be  revealed  to  us.  But  if  your  order 
and  assertion  did  hold,  then  had  He  put  His  treasure  in 
dumb,  and  dead,  and  senseless  creatures ;  and  should  stand  to 
discretion  of  the  carpenter  or  smith,  where  He  should  best 
confer  His  grace.  A  strange  case,  that  where  all  the  works  That  whic 
of  God  be  insufficient  to  teach  humility,  to  persuade  patience,  turesofo. 

•  '  cannot  tea 

to  convert  from  error,  and  comfort  in  despair,  the  vile  work  a  Cross  cal 
of  man's  wicked  hand  is  able,   (as  you  say,)  to  procure  and 
compass  the  same  for  us. 

The  world  itself  is  a  certain  spectacle  of  things  invisible ; 
for  that  the  order  and  frame  of  it  is  a  glass  to  behold  the 
secret  working  and  hidden  grace  of  God.  The  heavenly 
creatures  and  spheres  above  have  a  greater  mark  of  His 
Divinity ;  more  evident  to  the  world's  eye  than  either  can 
be  unknown  or  dissembled6.  Which  thing  S.  Paul  declareth 
to  the  Romans7 ;  saying,  that  so  much  was  opened  unto 
men  as  was  requisite  to  be  known  of  God ;  in  that  His 
invisible  powers,  yea,  till  ye  come  to  His  eterne  virtue  and 
Divinity,  being  understood  from  the  very  beginning  and 
creation  of  the  world,  be  daily  seen  amongst  us.  Notwith 
standing,  such  a  knowledge  as  this,  being  grown  and  gathered 
by  such  circumstances  as  be  common  unto  all  alike,  is  natural  as 
it  were;  and  only  enforceth  this,  that  no  excuse,  no  cloke  of  igno 
rance,  can  be  pretended :  but,  to  alter  the  heart,  to  make  a  new 
mind,  to  regenerate  it  to  true  piety,  is  the  work  of  another 
instrument,  and  effect  of  another  cause.  For  the  principal  and 
chief  point,  whereupon  dependeth  our  health  and  salvation,  is  not 
only  to  know  God's  absolute  and  universal  authority,  (whereof 
both  heaven  and  earth  is  full,  and  all  the  world  is  witness ;) 
but  also  to  find  out  His  secret  counsels,  to  consider  His 

5  [2  Cor.  iv.  7.]  6  [Psal.  xix.  1—4.] 

7  Rom.  i.  [19,  20.] 

23—2 


356  THE  NINTH  ARTICLE. 

judgments,  to  mark  the  mysteries  of  our  salvation  in  Christ 
our  Lord,  which  is  hidden  from  the  world. 

Then,  if  the  marvellous  works  of  God  be  not  sufficient 
to  direct  our  ways,  considering  how  frail  we  are ;  and  if  it 
hap  that  through  them  sometime  we  fall  into  any  deeper  con 
sideration  of  the  heavenly  nature,  straightways  we  are  pulled 
from  the  thought  thereof  to  our  own  lewdness  and  imagina 
tions,  sliding  to  the  dotages  and  dreams  of  the  flesh  ;  whereby 
it  cometh  to  pass,  that  if  perhaps  any  true  instinct  do  sparkle 
in  us,  it  is  out  again  before  we  can  get  any  warmth  of  it ; 
what  shall  we  think  of  a  silly  Cross,  that  sorry  worms 
and  canker  doth  corrupt ;  that  never  God  nor  good  man 
devised  ?  Shall  we  run  to  so  wicked  and  unwieldy  succour  ? 
Shah1  we  seek  so  blind  a  guide  to  bring  us  out  of  darkness  ? 
God  never  hath,  no  not  from  the  beginning,  dealt  otherwise 
with  His  elect,  but  that  He  would  strengthen  and  relieve  their 
weakness  with  a  stronger  remedy.  For  He  hath  used  to 
their  instruction  the  mystery  of  His  word,  illuminantis 
oculos,  et  intellectum  dantis  parvulis  :  "  that  lighteneth 
the  eyes,  and  giveth  understanding  unto  the  meek1." 

Therefore  the  goodman  and  master  of  the  house  said 
in  the  Gospel :  Negotiemini  donee  veniam :  \_Negotiamini  dum 
venio :]  "Occupy  till  I  come2;"  when  he,  intending  to  go 
abroad  himself,  gave  each  of  his  servants  his  portion  to  bestow. 
What  portion  was  it  ?  What  was  the  talent  ?  What  was  the 
merchandize  that  they  should  traffic  with  ?  Not,  with  the 
merchants  of  Tyrus3,  to  lade  their  ships  with  precious  wares  ; 
nor,  with  the  mariners  of  Ahasias4,  seek  strange  countries  to 
get  gold:  but  His  word  it  was  that  He  charged  them  Avithal : 
that  was  the  treasure,  that,  being  well  bestowed,  should  bring 
infinite  pleasures  with  it.  For  His  word  is  the  lively  water5, 
whereby  the  heats  of  our  lusts  are  quenched  ;  the  bread  of 
life6,  to  feed  our  hungry  souls  ;  the  pleasant  wine7,  to  cheer 
and  make  us  merry ;  the  lantern,  to  guide  our  steps8 ;  the 

1  Psal.  xviii.  [7,  8.]  2  Luke  xix.  [13.] 

3  [1  Kings  ix.  27,  28.] 

4  [1  Kings  xxii.  48,  49.    2  Chron.  xx.  35—37.] 

5  Joan.  iv.  [10,  14.]    Apoc.  xxii.  [1.] 
B  Joan.  vi.  [35.] 

"  Cantic.  viii.  [2.] 
*  Psalm  cxix.  [105.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  357 

sword,  that  overthroweth  the  enemies  of  the  truth9 ;  the  fiery 
shield,  to  defend  us  against  our  adversaries10;  the  sure  rock, 
whereupon  to  build11;  the  touchstone,  to  try  out  doctrines12, 
and  what  spirits  are  of  God 13 ;  the  key,  to  open  and  shut 
heaven  gates 14 ;  the  sweet-tuned  instrument,  to  pass  away  the 
tediousness  of  this  our  exile  ;  the  medicine  for  all  diseases ; 
the  joy,  the  jewel,  the  only  reliques  of  Christ  departed 
hence :  which,  if  we  mind  to  know  His  will,  as  it  becometh 
obedient  children ;  if  we  do  look  to  be  heirs  with  Him,  as  all 
men  do  make  a  reckoning  of;  then  must  we  seek,  observe, 
and  have  always  in  reverence.  For  hence  is  the  perfect 
knowledge  of  all  truth  only  to  be  had;  and  all  other  blessed 
ness,  in  as  ample  wise  as  if  that  Christ  were  before  our  eyes, 
ready  to  perform  and  pronounce  the  things.  Wherefore,  sith 
the  Scripture  is  worthied  of  these  titles,  and  none  of  them 
can  justly  be  applied  to  the  Cross :  sith  the  word  is  the  ordi 
nary  and  only  mean  that  God  now  useth  for  instruction  of 
His ;  the  Cross  is  a  schoolmaster  of  error  and  impiety.  Let  no 
man  plead  ignorance  for  his  excuse ;  which  may  well  be  in 
creased,  but  reformed  never,  by  a  beggarly  book  of  wood  or 
stone. 

As  for  the  other  parcel  of  your  answer,  that  "  because  Foiio  117, 
all  men  cannot  so  conveniently  at  all  times  hear  a  good 
preacher,  as  they  may  see  the  sign  of  the  Cross,  therefore 
the  Cross  must  be  had  beside  preaching ;"  I  may  turn  the 
argument  on  your  own  head :  that  the  more  general  the 
matter  is,  and  more  easily  come  by,  being  in  itself  unlawful, 
the  more  seriously  it  ought  to  be  reproved,  the  more  justly 
condemned.  For  whereas  Images  do  but  infect  the  heart, 
are  occasions  of  fall,  and  nothing  else ;  it  is  a  perilous  matter, 
the  poison  to  be  more  general  than  the  medicine,  the  remedy 
to  be  harder  than  the  offence  to  come  by.  Bonum  quo 
communius  eo  prcestantius,  saith  Aristotle :  "  A  good  thing, 
the  more  common  it  be,  the  better  it  is."  But  a  mischief, 
the  more  it  spreadeth,  the  more  it  annoyeth ;  and  of  all  The  more 
mischief,  an  Image  most.  For  Images,  Crosses,  Crucifixes,  cross,  the 

'  worse. 

are  every  man  s  ware :  a  good  preacher  is  scarcely  to  be 

9  Sap.  xviii.   [Wisdom  xviii.  16.    Eph.  vi.  17.] 

10  Naum  ii.  [3.]  "  Math.  xvi.  [18.] 
12  1  Cor.  x.  [15.]  is  [1  S.  John,  iv.  1.] 
14  Apoca.  xv.  [5.  iii.  7.] 


358  THE  NINTH  ARTICLE. 

found  in  a  country.  Images  continually  do  preach  Idolatry  : 
the  preacher  cannot  always  open  his  mouth  against  it.  Images 
are  likely  to  seduce  a  multitude ;  all  men  of  nature  being 
prone  to  Idolatry  :  the  preacher  is  able  to  persuade  but  a 
few ;  few  men  inclined  to  credit  sound  doctrine.  Wherefore, 
the  doctrine  of  a  good  preacher,  and  a  gay  puppet  set  up  in 
the  church,  being  direct  contrary ;  the  less  we  may  hear  the 
preacher,  the  more  we  may  see  the  puppet ;  the  less  is  our 
comfort  in  Christ  our  Lord,  the  more  do  we  stand  in  the 
DeviFs  danger. 

AS  f°r  affections  to  be  stirred  by  Imagery,  I  grant 
^ey  may  be  some,  but  not  such  as  they  ought.  For  im 
possible  it  is,  (as  in  the  Preface  is  declared ;)  an  Image  to 
come  in  place  of  God's  service,  and  not  allure  to  a  wicked 
worship.  Experience  hath  taught  us,  and  examples  do  prove, 
that  Princes,  for  their  pleasure  erecting  Images,  have  bred 
the  vile  affection  of  Idolatry.  The  Book  of  Wisdom  is  most 
evident  therein.  Then,  if  the  Picture  of  a  living  man,  a 
mortal  creature,  be  of  such  force  to  crook  the  soul ;  what 
shall  we  think  of  Images  of  them  that  are  reputed  Saints  ?  of 
the  Image  of  Christ,  our  God  and  Saviour  ?  Whose  names  be 
written  in  the  book  of  life1,  they  care  not  for  their  faces 
to  be  painted  on  a  post.  They  that,  alive,  abhorred  any 
worship2,  will  not,  being  dead,  provoke  so  great  offence. 
Christ,  that,  (as  God,)  will  be  honoured  in  truth,  must  not  to 
the  world  be  set  forth  with  a  lie :  nee  qui  Spiritu  cceperunt 
came,  consummandi ;  "  nor  they,  that  began  in  the  Spirit, 
must  be  made  perfite  in  the  flesh3."  The  Heathen,  that 
believed  not  immortality  of  soul,  and  were  altogether  vain 
glorious  and  proud,  had  a  pleasure  to  have  their  Images  set 
up ;  and  their  children  rejoiced  in  their  parents'  folly  :  but 
this  must  not  be  taken  as  precedent  for  us  Christians.  For 
they  had  no  other  reward  of  well  deserving :  we  look  for 
another  manner  of  crown  of  glory ;  which  is  laid  up  in  store 
for  us,  against  a  better  day4.  They  had  no  laws  to  forbid 
such  counterfeits ;  yea,  the  law  itself,  to  excite  men  to  virtue, 
decreed  Statuas  in  foro,  "  Images  in  the  market-place :" 
we  have  law  enough  from  the  majesty  of  God  to  condemn 

1  Luc.  x.  [20.]  2  Act.  xiv.  [14,  15.] 

3  Gala.  iii.  [3.] 

4  2  Tim.  iv.  [8.]    1  Pctr.  v.  [4.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE   TREATISE   OF  THE   CROSS.  359 

Images  in  place  of  prayer5.  Wherefore  I  may  say,  with 
the  good  Fathers  of  Frankford6  :  Si  homines  mortales  pro- 
tervia  vanitatis  inflati,  &c. :  "  If  mortal  men,  puffed  up  with 
frowardness  of  their  own  vanity,"  proud  of  worldly  pomp, 
bragging,  ambitious,  because  they  could  not  be  in  all  places, 
would  be  magnified  in  some  place  ;  because  they  looked  for 
no  heavenly  profit,  would  therefore  have  an  earthly  praise ; 
shall  this  enforce  us  to  make  a  Picture  of  our  God,  who  is  in 
every  place,  can  be  contained  in  no  place,  whose  seat  the 
heavens  are,  whose  footstool  is  the  earth,  who  is  wonderful 
in  all  places,  can  with  the  eye  be  discerned  in  no  place  ? 
Where  His  virtue  is  so  great,  His  glory  so  excellent,  His 
might  so  unmeasurable,  He  is  not  with  colours  to  be  pour- 
trayed,  to  be  seen  in  temples  made  with  man's  hand,  to  be 
honoured  or  known  in  a  beggarly  Picture;  but  to  be  set 
forth  in  His  worthy  works,  sought  for  in  the  heavens,  wor 
shipped  in  heart :  the  Prophet  saying :  Adorate  Dominwn 
in  atrio  sancto  Ejus :  "  Worship  the  Lord  in  His  holy 
sanctuary7:"  and  the  Evangelist:  Deus  Spiritus  est :  et 
qui  adorat  Deum,  in  spiritu  et  veritate  oportet  adorare : 
"  God  is  a  Spirit :  and  they  that  worship  God  must  worship 
Him  in  spirit  and  in  truth8." 

Thus  have  I  proved,  that  our  affections  to  God-ward 
neither  ought  nor  can  be  stirred  up  by  the  vain  painter's 
or  carver's  craft,  howsoever  men's  fancies  are  delighted 
with  them.  Yet,  to  consider  your  own  histories :  when 
Alexander  the  Great  was  fair  and  finely  painted,  Julius 
Cassar  beholding  him  was  made  more  ambitious :  and  he 
that  otherwise  could  have  been  contented  with  his  own 
estate,  was  through  a  Picture  made  a  plague  of  the  world. 
Scipio  the  African,  by  looking  on  his  forefathers'  monu 
ments,  had  more  occasion  of  pride  than  cause  of  praise  given 
him.  Notwithstanding,  if  in  worldly  things,  for  special  policy, 
such  order  be  tolerable ;  (to  keep  in  memory  the  noble 
facts  of  other :)  if  affections  at  home  may  be  stirred  with 
counterfeits  of  our  absent  friends  ;  yet,  in  God's  matters,  inGoa-sn 

'     </       '  •  tersno 

whose  presence  is  at  no  time  denied  us,  whose  Person  cannot  Jj^ry  a 
be  truly  counterfeited,  whose  facts  are  more  lively  described 

5  Deu.  iv,  v,  vii.    1  Job.  v.  [21.] 

6  Car.  Mag.  Li.  iii.  Ca.  xv.  [pp.  376 — 7.  ed.  Goldast.] 

?  Psal.  xxviii.  [xxix.  2.]  8  Job.  iv.  [24.] 


360  THE   XIXTH   ARTICLE. 

in  His  word  than  all  the  workmen  of  the  world  can  imitate ; 

this  point  of  Devil's  rhetoric,   this  moving  of  affections,  is 

not  to  be  yielded  to.      For  the  minds  of  the  faithful  be  only 

stirred  up  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  which  inwardly  worketh  in 

the    heart;   and  outwardly  by  His   word  and    Sacraments. 

nagery  Wherefore  Erasmus  would  not  admit,  that  a  preacher  should 

much    bring  an  Image  to  the  pulpit :  he  would  not  have  such  books 

ithout.  ~  J 

as  those.  Yet  then  I  am  sure  they  might  be  best  read ;  and 
affections,  (if  ever,)  would  most  be  moved  then.  His  words  be 
these l :  Quidam  per  Imagines  movent  affectus,  aut  per . 
ostensas  Sanctorum  Reliquias ;  quorum  neutrum  convenit 
gravitati  loci  in  quo  consistit  Ecclesiastes.  Neque  enim 
legimus  imquam  tale  quicquam  factum,  vel  a  Christo  vel  ab 
Apostolis  :  "  Some,"  (saith  he,)  "do  move  affects  by  Images,  or 
shewing  of  Saints'  Reliques ;  whereof  neither  agreeth  to  the 
gravity  of  the  place  that  a  preacher  standeth  in.  For  we 
read  not  that  ever  any  such  thing  was  done  of  Christ  or  His 
Apostles." 

Then,  if  Religion  will  admit  no  precedent,  but  only 
of  Christ  and  His  Apostles :  if  Images  with  tongues,  to  tell 
what  they  are,  be  not  allowable ;  shall  tongueless  things, 
by  man's  device  be  erected  in  every  place,  to  serve  God 
withal  ?  I  told  you  before  what  Images  do  teach  :  what 
affections  they  move  is  evident  to  all.  As  Cherea,  when  he 
saw  painted  in  a  table  how  Jupiter,  in  form  of  an  ingot  of 
gold,  came  through  the  tiles,  and  fell  into  his  lady's  lap, 
rejoiced  with  himself,  and  said,  If  the  thundering  God 
played  such  a  part,  ego  homuncio  hoc  non  facerem? 
"  should  not  I,  poor  wretch,  do  this  ?"  so,  when  a  gorgeous 
and  golden  god  shall  stand  upon  the  Altar,  will  not  the 
covetous  wish  it  in  his  purse?  will  not  he  gather,  If  God 
delight  to  be  made  and  adorned  with  this  precious  metal,  am 
not  I  bound  to  make  much  of  mine  ?  When  a  man  is  pour- 
trayed  in  the  church,  hanging  on  a  gibbet,  and  another  fool 
is  crouching  to  it,  the  cause  not  considered,  and  circumstance 
unknown;  will  not  the  careless  and  desperate  person  think 
with  himself,  What  shame  is  it  for  me  to  hang,  since  our  God 
was  so  served  ?  This  is  the  least  harm  that  can  come  of  it. 
The  wicked  adoration,  the  damnable  Idolatry,  I  wittingly 
omit.  In  the  next  article  I  shall  entreat  of  it. 

1  Li.  iii.  Eccle,  [Opp.  T.  v.  col.  987,  D.  Lygd,  Bat.  1704,] 


ANSWER   TO   THE   TREATISE   OF  THE   CROSS.  301 

Xow,   for  the  calling  unto  remembrance  of  that  which  images  nc 

'      .  .  beailmitti 

hath  been  taught,  or  occasioning  to  learn  that  which  is  un-  for  he'p  ° 

memory. 

known,  ye  say:  "that  Images,  if  for  no  other  cause,  yetFoiioiia, 
because  they  quicken  the  memory,  which  in  many  is  fickle ; 
help  ignorance,  which  in  some  is  lurde ;"  (I  know  not  what 
ye  mean  by  the  term2 ;  but  so  ye  have  sent  it  us  un- 
corrected :)  "  stir  up  love,  which  is  waxen  cold ;  help  hope, 
which  is  almost  dead ;  move  devotion,  which  in  all  men 
decayeth ;  revive  faith,  which  in  all  men  faileth ;  they 
might  right  well  be  suffered  among  Christian  men."  For 
proof  of  which  points  ye  bring  two  places :  one  (as)  out 
of  Augustin ;  another  out  of  Cyril.  To  the  place  of  Au- 
gustin  I  answer,  according  to  the  judgment  and  censure 
approved  by  the  Parisians,  and  set  before  the  work  that  ye 
cite3:  Quod  Sermo,  De  visitations  infirmorum,  locutuleii  A  vain  fai 

.  ...  fathered 

cujusdam  est,  nee  docti  nee  diserti.  Quid  habuerunt  vel^nAu^ 
frontis  vel  mentis,  qui  talia  scripta  nobis  obtruserunt 
nomine  Augustini  ?  "  That  the  Sermon  entituled,  '  Of  the 
visiting  of  the  sick,'  is  some  babbler's  doing,  that  hath  neither 
learning  nor  eloquence.  What  shamefacedness  or  honesty  was 
in  them,  which  have  dashed  us  in  the  teeth  with  such 
writings,  in  the  name  of  Augustin  ?" 

To  Cyrillus  I  say,  that  he  had  to  do  with  Julian  the 
Apostata  ;  to  whom  it  was  expedient  to  excuse  the  order  of 
Christians  in  his  time ;  and  therefore  he  said :  "  The  healthful 
wood  doth  make  us  remember,"  &c.  Indeed,  in  comparison  of 
the  Gentiles'*  Idols,  Jupiter  and  Ganymedes,  Daphne  and 
Apollo,  of  which  he  there  discourseth,  the  sign  of  the  Cross  was 
to  be  preferred  :  and  to  the  enemy  we  must  not  exaggerate  the 
fault  of  our  friend,  but  cover  it  what  we  can.  So  did  Cyrillus. 
But  that  he  was  not  in  the  same  heresy  with  you,  see  what 
precedents  he  bringeth  against  you.  In  the  selfsame  book 
whereas  you  bring  your  authority,  these  words  he  hath* : 

2  [lurid.] 

3  [This  was  the  judgment  of  Erasmus.     The  Divines  of  Louvain 
(Cens.  Tom.  ix.  Opp.  S.  Aug.)  have  decided,  with  respect  to  this  Ser 
mon,  that  "  non  est  Augustini :"  and  Bellarmin  uses  the  expressions, 
"licet  falso  tribui  videatur  Augustino."    (De  Extrem.  Unct.  Cap.  iv. 
col.  1646.  Ingolst.  1601.)  Vid.  Coci  Censur.  p.  181.  Lond.  1614.    Con- 
ference  betwene  Rainoldes  and  Hart,  p.  199.  Lond.  1584.] 

*  Cyrillus,  Li.  vi.  Contra  Julianum.  [p.  193,  D.  edit.  Spanheim. 
Lipsia?.  1696.] 


362  THE  NINTH  ARTICLE. 

Honestus  et  bonus  erat,  (sicut  ipse  elicit,) Numa;  et,  splendida 
prceditus  intelligentia,  etiam  plurimas  Sacerdotum  constitute 
leges.  Diligenter  ergo  inquiramus,  quern  habuerit  ille  cultus 
modum.  Scripsit  igitur  de  illo  Dionysius  Halicarnasseus, 
qui  Romanorum  Historiam  diligenter  composuit,  quod  templa 
quidem  et  delubra  extruxerit,  Simulachrum  autem  in  illis 
crat  nullum.  Nam  quia  Pythagoras  philosophiam  commen- 
dabat,  cujus  et  dogmata  sequebatur,  cognoverat  Deum  om- 
nino  specie  et  forma  tali  car  ere;  affirmabatque  Ilium  gaudere 
mentalibus,  et  non  carnalibus  sacriftciis.  Iccirco  et  con- 
structa  templa  fidei  nominabat;  qua  sola  Deus  ab  hominibus, 
quantum  capaces  sunt,  videtur  :  et  subditis  praicipiebat,  ut 
per  fidem  jurarent :  "  Numa,"  (saith  Cyril,  in  answer  unto 
Julian,)  "  as  the  enemy  himself  affirmeth,  was  honest  and 
good;  and,  endued  with  notable  understanding,  made  many 
laws  for  the  Priests.  Let  us  inquire  therefore  diligently, 
what  manner  of  service  he  had.  Dionyse  of  Halicarnassus, 
which  wrote  well  the  History  of  the  Romans,  reporteth, 
that  he  made  temples  and  oratories,  but  there  was  no  Image 
in  the  world  in  them.  For  because  he  commended  the  wis 
dom  of  Pythagoras,  whose  doctrine  also  he  followed,  he 
knew  that  God  was  destitute  of  such  form  and  shape  ;  and 
affirmed,  that  He  took  pleasure  in  sacrifices  of  the  mind,  and 
not  of  the  flesh.  Therefore,  the  temples  that  he  builded,  he 
called  the  temples  of  faith ;  by  which  only  God  is  seen  of 
men,  so  far  as  they  are  able  to  reach  unto  His  sight :  and  he 
commanded  his  subjects  to  take  their  oath  by  faith." 

In  which  words  many  things  may  fruitfully  be  observed  : 

first,  that  where  Julian  laid  Numa  his  lleligion  to  the  Christians' 

charge,  Cyril  is  contented  with  his  authority ;  but  he  useth  it  to 

ii  allow-   the  condemnation  of  heathenish  Idolatry :  then,  that  he  alloweth 

10  Images  . 

lurches,  no  Images  to  be  in  churches;  bringing  a  reason  as  out  of  nature 
itself,  whereof  the  Philosophers  were  not  ignorant,  that  there 
can  be  no  likeness  of  God  made ;  and  therefore  not  of  Christ, 
unless  we  deny  Him  to  be  God.  So  that  if  a  Cross  was 
used  in  his  time,  yet  was  there  no  Picture  of  Christ  upon  it l. 

1  [It  should  not  be  supposed  that  respect  for  the  Cross,  as  the 
symbol  of  our  faith,  is  calculated  necessarily  to  superinduce  Idolatry  : 
but  such  an  admission  is  not  by  any  means  applicable  to  the  venera 
tion  of  a  Crucifix,  which  is  an  Image  of  the  Saviour,  Cruel  affixus.  See 
a  Letter  from  Cassander  to  Bp.  Cox:  Zurich  Letters ;  second  Series, 
pp.  43,  44.] 


ANSWER  TO   THE   TREATISE   OF  THE   CROSS.  363 

Last    of   all,   that   places   deputed  unto    prayer   were    only 
called  by  the  name  of  that,  which  is  the  only  mean  whereby 
we  apprehend  the  promises  of  God,  and  come  to  true  know 
ledge  of  Him.      If  there   were  nothing  else  but  Nurna  his 
judgment,  (whom,  notwithstanding,  in  all  these  points  Cyrillus 
doth  allow  ;)  he  were  only  sufficient  to  condemn  your  doctrine. 
For  if  Christ  be  God,  and  God  can  have  no  form  or  shape,  NO  imaRe 
what  shall  we  think  of  the  Pictures  of  Christ  in  every  Rood-  made, 
loft,  and  on  every  Crucifix?     Are  they  not  things  utterly 
unlawful,  and   such  as  wherein  Numa  shall  condemn  you  ? 
Peradventure  ye  set  a  Picture  of  Christ,  as  of  only  man ;  but 
thereby  ye    run    into   a   damnable  heresy  :  separating   His 
humanity  from  His  Divinity  ;  and  making  Him  inferior  unto 
His  Father,  as  is  proved  afore.     Again,  the  wisdom  of  that  NO  church 
Roman    King  condemneth  the  foolish  superstition  of  Chris-  u"  the°nar 

.    T  i      •        i  i  i  i  of  a  Saint. 

tians,  in  giving  worse  names  unto  their  churches  than  he  did 
to  the  temples  of  his  Idols.  For  he  called  them  all  the 
temples  of  faith  ;  giving  thereby  the  glory  unto  God :  whereas 
we  do  call  them  Saint  John's  church,  S.  Peter's  church,  S. 
Mary's  church,  and  such  other  like. 

To  join  issue  in  the  case,  whether  memory  be  holpen 
by  Imagery :  if  ye  speak  of  God's  matters,  it  is  an  un 
godly  memory  that  is  holpen  by  them.  Infelix  memoria, 
qucc,  ut  Christi  memoretur,  qui  nunquam  a  pectore  juxfi 
hominis  recedere  debet,  imayinarice  visionis  est  indiga : 
"  An  unhappy  memory  is  that,"  (as  Charles  the  Great 
affirmeth2 ;)  "  which,  to  remember  Christ,  who  never  ought 
to  depart  out  of  the  heart  of  the  just  man,  standeth  in  need 
of  a  sightful  conceit :"  nor  otherwise  can  have  the  presence 
of  Christ  within  him,  unless  he  have  His  Image  painted  on 
the  wall,  or  expressed  in  some  other  matter.  This  is  not 
only  said,  but  a  reason  of  the  same  is  brought.  "  For," 
(sayeth  he ;)  "  such  a  memory  as  is  nourished  and  kept  by 
Images  proceedeth  not  of  hearty  love,  but  necessity  of  eye 
sight."  And  see  by  this  means  how  little  God  is  beholden 
to  us.  We  remember  Him  as  we  remember  the  Devil.  A  devilish 

-n  i  i*  •  i  i        MI  memory, t 

K  or  when  we  are  not  moved  of  conscience  and  good-will  to  must  be 
think  upon  Christ,  but  only  as  the  eye  by  occasion  is  led ;  a  Cro&s- 
then  is  there  no  love,  but  a  mere  necessity,  which  maketh  me 
remember,  so  oft  as  I  see  it,  any  thing  that  I  hate  most.      So 
2  Lib.  iv.  Do  Imag.  Ca.  ii.  [p.  466.  Francof.  1608.] 


364  THE  NINTH  ARTICLE. 

that  who  are  these,  that  must  have  their  memories  quickened 
with  a  Cross  ?  Such  as,  if  they  were  blind,  belike  would  not 
remember ;  and,  being  where  no  Cross  is,  will  forget  Christ. 
And  sure  like  enough.  For  there  are  no  worse  livers  in  the 
world  than  likers  of  the  Cross.  Wherefore,  sith  the  mind  of 
man  ought  so  wholly  to  be  defixed  on  Him  after  whose 
image  it  was  first  made,  that  by  no  creature  it  ought  to  be 
estranged  from  the  truth,  which  is  Christ;  Dementissimum 
est  earn  interpositis  materialibus  Imaginibus,  ne  Ejus  obli- 
vionem  patiatur  admoneri  debere :  cum  videlicet  hoc  infir- 
mitatis  sit  vitium,  non  libertatis  indicium  :  "  Most  madness 
it  is,  that  our  minds  by  the  mean  of  material  Images  must 
be  put  in  remembrance,  lest  we  fall  to  forget  Him  :  whereas 
this  is  the  fault  of  infirmity,  no  sign  of  liberty." 

The  Apostle  Paul  saith,  that  our  conversation  must  be  in 
heaven1,  and  hope  reposed  in  heavenly  things.  Spes  enim  quce 
videtur  non  est  spes :  "  That  hope  which  is  seen  is  no  hope2." 
God  hath  made  many  creatures  of  His  own,  whereby  His 
power  may  be  known  of  us  ;  and  they  all,  notwithstanding,  in 
their  degree  serve  us.  Shall  we  now  shape  out  a  new  creature, 
and  serve  it  ?  So  did  the  Jews  ;  whom  the  Prophet  bitterly 
reproveth,  saying3 :  "To  whom  will  ye  liken  God,  or  what 
similitude  will  ye  set  up  unto  Him  ?  The  workman  melteth 
an  Image ;  or  the  goldsmith  beateth  it  out  in  gold ;  or  the 
goldsmith  maketh  silver  plates.  Doth  not  the  poor  choose 
out  a  tree  ?"  and  so  forth.  Whereby  we  are  given  to  under 
stand,  that  all  Imagery,  (so  far  as  concerneth  God's  service,) 
is  condemned ;  not  only  for  the  use  and  adoration,  but  also 
for  the  having  and  erecting  of  them.  For  as  yet  he  spake 
not  of  the  worshipping  of  Images,  but  only  of  worthying  them 
any  place  among  them.  "To  whom  will  ye  liken  God  ?"  (saith 
he ;)  as  who  should  say :  Paint  what  ye  will,  emboss  and 
burnish,  yet  shall  your  workmanship  have  nothing  like  with 
God.  Therefore,  to  aspire  unto  the  knowledge  of  Him,  we 
must  not  take  counsel  of  our  own  folly :  but  follow  the  wis 
dom  of  God  herein ;  and  betake  us  to  His  word,  which  is 
the  lively  image  and  perfect  counterfeit  of  Himself.  If  this 
suffice  not,  let  us  cast  our  eyes  about  upon  His  creatures,  and 
they  will  tell  us  of  Him :  yea,  the  poor  and  hungry,  that  still 

1  Philip,  iii.  [20.]  2  Rom.  viii.  [24.] 

3  Esay  xl.  [18—21.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.      o65 

be  subject  unto  the  Cross,  will  lead  us  straighter  to  Christ  than 
any  Cross.  If  you  will  seek  for  any  further  aid,  I  may  say 
unto  you,  as  followeth  in  the  Prophet :  An  nescitis  ?  An  non 
audistis  ?  An  non  vobis  annunciatum  est  ab  initio  ?  An  non 
edocti  estis  a  fundamentis  terrce  ?  "  Know  ye  nothing  ? 
Have  ye  not  heard  ?  Hath  it  not  been  told  you  from  the  be 
ginning  ?  Have  ye  not  understood  by  the  foundations  of  the 
earth?"  Mark,  (I  beseech  you,)  what  schoolmasters  Esay  doth 
appoint  us.  When  he  had  used  the  general  word  of  "  know 
ing,"  he  inferred  two  ways  that  lead  us  to  knowledge.  First 
is  the  word,  which  cometh  by  hearing.  The  second  is  the 
world,  which  without  our  workmanship  is  daily  to  be  seen. 
If  ye  find  any  more,  it  is  more  than  the  Prophet  knew  of: 
it  is  more  than  the  Spirit  of  God  teacheth :  it  is  more  than  a 
Christian  and  godly  man  may  use. 

"Wherefore,  seeing  nothing  is  described  by  the  Cross 
available  for  us;  no  piece  of  cause  or  effect  of  Christ's 
passion  is  represented  in  it ;  yea,  the  Person  of  Christ,  (as 
much  as  in  us  lieth,)  disgraced  by  it,  and  the  majesty  of  God 
dishonoured  :  seeing  by  the  Scriptures  and  authority  of  the 
godly  such  mean  of  remembrance  is  both  insufficient  and 
utterly  unlawful ;  condemning  ourselves  of  too  deadly  forget- 
fulness,  and  contempt  of  the  order  that  God  hath  set  us : 
finally,  seeing  that  it  is  such  a  sorry  school-master  as  speak- 
eth  doubtfully,  teacheth  devilishly,  is  seen  dangerously ;  let 
the  sign  of  the  Cross  be  cast  out  of  the  church,  and  the 
Cross  itself  be  preached  simply :  lest,  by  suffering  the  sign 
of  the  Cross  to  stand,  the  Son  of  God  crucified  be  contemned ; 
and  we  fall  to  worshipping  of  a  Cross  material,  which  in  the 
next  article  shall  be  proved  damnable. 


TO    THE    TENTH    ARTICLE. 


THE   ADORATION   AND   WORSHIPPING   OF    THE    CROSS    TO 
BE  ALLOWED  BY  OLD  AND  ANCIENT  FATHERS. 

ALTHOUGH  in  the  former  articles  the  folly  and  unfaith 
fulness  thereof  is  shewed  ;  yet,  that  the  world  may  understand 
upon  how  weak  a  ground  ye  stand,  how  ruinously  ye  build, 
I  will  assay  the  force,  and  soon  overthrow  the  foundation  of 
your  cause.  Most  reason  it  had  been,  if  ye  would  have 
proved  an  adoration  and  worship  of  a  Cross,  (which  apper- 
taineth  unto  God  alone ;  which  to  no  creature  can  be  applied  ;) 
ye  should  have  brought  some  testimony  of  the  Scripture, 
which  in  God's  matters  only  and  sufficiently  doth  take  an 
order.  But  you  saw  that  Scripture  is  direct  against  you : 
therefore  you  would  not  allege  that  should  hinder  you.  The 
painter,  that  had  drawn  a  cock  ill-favouredly,  commanded  his 
boy  to  keep  the  quick1  cocks  away :  so  you,  that  shamefully 
would  confirm  a  lie,  reject  most  wickedly  the  proof  of  truth. 
But  I  will  briefly  note,  (which  you  utterly  omit,)  God's  plain 
and  evident  commandment  to  the  contrary  :  whereby  ye  may 
learn,  that  if  men  in  terms  had  overshot  themselves,  yet  you 
should  have  a  better  aim  than,  by  following  their  guess,  rove 
so  far  from  all  godliness. 

If  you  had  proceeded  orderly  and  according  to  the  rule 
of  skill,  you  would  have  shewed,  first,  what  "  adoration2 
and  worship"  is ;  and  then  have  approved,  (which  you 
never  shall,)  the  lawful  application  of  it  unto  the  Cross.  If 
ye  take  it  as  the  word  in  Hebrew  signifieth,  it  is  to  bow 
down  or  prostrate  yourself.  The  Grecians  come  very  near 
unto  the  same,  and  express  it  by  bowing  of  the  knee,  or 
putting  off  the  cap,  &c.  Nor  I  doubt  but  you  in  this  inter 
pretation  agree  with  me.  Notwithstanding,  that  in  no  sense 
it  can  be  given  unto  an  Image,  or  otherwise  to  a  senseless 

1  [living.] 

2  [With  regard  to  the  derivation  of  "  Adorare,"  (Orare  ad,)  see  Abp. 
Tenison's  Discourse  of  Idolatry,  p.  288.  Loncl.  1678.] 


ANSWER   TO   THE   TREATISE   OF   THE   CROSS.  367 

and  dead  creature,  shall  appear  anon.  In  Exodus3,  when 
God  had  spoken  of  all  similitudes  and  likenesses  of  things  in 
heaven  or  in  earth,  He  added  :  "  Thou  shalt  not  bow  down 
to  them,  nor  serve  them."  The  Greek  is  the  same,  which 
signifieth  worship  and  adoration :  /ecu  M  TrpoGKvvt'iaeis  av- 
Tots.  Also  the  Prophet,  in  God's  Person,  speaketh4 :  "Is 
there  no  knowledge  nor  understanding  to  say,  I  have  burnt 
half  of  it  even  in  the  fire,  and  have  baked  bread  upon  the  coals 
thereof :  I  have  roasted  flesh,  and  eaten  of  it :  and  shall  I 
make  the  residue  an  abomination  ?  shall  I  bow  to  the  stock 
of  a  tree?"  And  with  a  great  indignation  in  another  place 
he  saith5 :  "They  worshipped  the  work  of  their  own  hands; 
that  which  their  own  fingers  made.  A  man  bowed  himself, 
and  a  man  humbled  himself:  therefore  spare  them  not." 

Many  other  places  I  could  heap  hereon,  which  evidently 
convince  all  adoration  to  other  than  to  God  to  be  accursed. 
Only  when  you  will  us,  after  the  example  of  your  master  the 
Devil,  to  fall  down  and  worship  a  silver  Cross,  or  a  wooden 
tree,  I  will  answer  with  Christ :  "Avoid,  Satan.  It  is  written  : 
'  Thou  shalt  worship  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  Him  only  shalt 
thou  serve6.'"  Now  worship  and  service  so  jointly  do  concur 
together,  that  the  one  cannot  be  without  the  other.  If 
only  we  must  serve  God,  Him  only  we  must  worship.  In 
the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews7,  S.  Paul  proveth  Christ  more 
excellent  than  the  Angels,  because  they  worship  Christ,  but 
are  not  worshipped  again.  If  Angels  have  not  this  adoration, 
shall  a  vile  stock,  or  a  cold,  cankered,  corrupt  piece  of  metal 
have  it?  In  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  it  is  written8  how 
Cornelius,  the  Centurion,  fell  down  at  Peter's  feet  and  wor 
shipped  him :  but  the  Apostle  took  him  up,  and  reproved 
him,  saying :  "  Stand  up,  for  I  myself  am  a  man."  If  so 
great  a  Saint  as  Saint  Peter  was  be  not  to  be  worshipped,  so 
foul  a  block  as  a  Rood  is  much  less  is  to  be  set  by.  In  the 
Revelation9,  an  Angel  from  heaven  gave  a  charge  on  this 
wise  :  "  Fear  God,  and  give  Him  the  glory;  for  the  hour  of  His 
judgment  is  corne:  and  worship  Him."  Which  worship,  that 
it  ought  not  to  be  given  to  another,  in  the  same  book  good 

3  Exod.  xx.  [5.]  4  Esay  xliv.  [19.] 

•'  Esay  ii.  [8,  9.]  "  Matth.  iv.  [10. j 

"  Heb.  i.  [4—6.]  »  Act.  x.  [25,  26.] 
<J  Apoc.  xiv  [7.] 


368  THE   TENTH  ARTICLE. 

precedent  we  find.  For  when  the  Evangelistes  fell  down  at 
the  Angel's  feet  to  worship  him,  he  answered1 :  "  See  thou 
do  it  not :  I  am  thy  fellow-servant,  and  one  of  thy  brethren, 
which  have  the  testimony  of  Jesus  :  worship  God."  Likewise, 
about  the  latter  end,  this  witness  ye  have 2 :  "  When  I  had 
heard  and  seen,"  (saith  John,)  "  I  fell  down  to  worship  before 
the  feet  of  the  Angel.  But  he  said  unto  me,  See  thou  do  it 
not:  for  I  am  thy  fellow-servant,  and  of  thy  brethren  the 
Prophets,  and  of  them  which  keep  the  words  of  this  Book : 
worship  God."  If  the  Angels  of  heaven  refused  worship  and 
adoration ;  alleging  withal  that  they  were  but  servants,  and 
therefore  would  not  derogate  from  their  Master,  ascribing  to 
themselves  that  which  is  only  due  unto  God ;  shall  we  think 
that  an  Image,  a  Picture,  or  a  post,  forbidden  to  be  made, 
accursed  to  be  used,  may,  as  a  dumb  god,  or  a  dead  Devil, 
lawfully  be  thus  honoured  ? 

I  will  not  cumber  you  any  more  with  Scriptures ;  for 
that  I  think  you  are  not  so  far  past  shame,  but  that  ye 
acknowledge  that  they  are  against  you.  Let  us  come  to 
the  Doctors.  Ye  only  cite  Chrysostom ;  and  so  as  it  pleaseth 
Friar  Perionie  of  Paris  to  make  him  speak :  Augustin,  in 
a  work  that  is  none  of  his ;  (as  here  a  little  before  I 
proved :)  Athanasius,  corrupted ;  as  in  the  fifth  article  I 
shewed :  Lactantius,  utterly  against  himself ;  as  shall  anon 
be  justified.  And  as  for  Paulinus,  Damascen,  and  the  Canon 
cited  as  out  of  the  sixth  Council  General,  I  have  heretofore  in 
sundry  places  answered.  Here  are  but  seven  authorities  in 
all ;  if  they  were  admitted,  (as  they  are  not,)  to  be  true.  But 
if  I  should  run  over  all  the  ancient  Fathers  that  ever  wrote, 
and  truly  allege  them,  (as  you  do  not,)  they  would  all  confirm 
you  a  liar  and  idolatrer.  For  proof  I  will  bring  you  for 
seven,  seventeen ;  (beside  Councils  General :)  and  among  them 
the  selfsame  authors  which  you  trust  unto ;  that  your  blind 
ignorance  or  wilful  obstinacy  may  the  more  appear.  1  will 
cite  them  in  order  as  in  ancienty  they  stand. 

Clement3,  not  past  eighty  years  after  Christ,  in  the 
work  that  you  do  ascribe  unto  him4,  saith,  that  when  Peter 

1  Apoc.  xix.  [10.]  2  Apoc.  xxii.  [8,  9.] 

3  Clemens,  Recog.  ad  Jac.  frat.  Do.  Lib.  v.  [p.  93.  ed.  princ.  Basil. 
1526.] 

4  ["  Whiche  boke  of  trueth  was  neuer  of  hvs  makvngc."   (Barnar- 


ANSWER  TO   THE   TREATISE   OF  THE   CROSS.  369 

had  spoken  much  against  the  Egyptians'  superstitious  Idol 
atry  ;  which  honoured  an  ox  and  a  goat,  a  fish  and  a 
serpent,  with  other  sluttish  and  uncleanly  things,  Cloacas 
et  crepitum  ventris ;  and  that  the  hearers  began  to  laugh 
thereat,  he  burst  out  into  these  words :  Ridetis  vos  aliorum 
dedecora,  quia  longa  consuetudine  propria  non  videtis. 
Nam  ^Egyptiorum  quidem  stultitiam  merito  ridetis ;  qui 
muta  animalia,  ipsi  cum  sint  rationabiles,  colunt.  Audite 
tamen  quomodo  et  illi  vos  irrideant ;  aiunt  enim :  Nos 
viventia  colimus  animalia,  licet  moritura ;  vos  vero,  quce 
nunquam  omnino  vixere,  hcec  colitis  et  adoratis :  "  Ye  laugh 
at  others'  shame,  because  by  long  custom  ye  see  not  your 
own.  For  with  good  cause  ye  may  scorn  the  folly  of  the 
Egyptians ;  which,  being  reasonable  creatures  themselves, 
worship  dumb  beasts.  But  hear  how  they  do  mock  you  too  ; 
for  they  say :  We  worship  living  creatures,  although  die  they 
shall ;  but  you  do  worship  and  adore  those  things  which  never 
lived  yet."  And  think  you  not,  that  he  well  describeth  and 
.ondemneth  your  error  of  the  worship  to  be  given  to  the  The  worshi 
Cross  ?  Is  it  not  a  dead  thing  ;  and  therefore  to  be  worship-  worse  than 

1      the  Egvpt- 

ped  a  great  deal  more  idolatrous  than  the  beasts  of  Egypt  ?  iansTduis. 
They  of  an  external  worship  judged  an  unlawful  act,  and 
Peter  doth  approve  them  in  it :  you  will  offend  as  heinously 
as  that,  and  yet  will  not  be  judged  unlawfully  to  do.  Again, 
he  plainly  proveth  in  the  same  place  what  spirit  you  have, 
when  you  speak  for  the  Cross.  For  his  words  be  these  :  Per 
alios  item  Serpens  ille  prof  err  e,  verba  hiijuscemodi  solet : 
Nos,  ad  honorem  invisibilis  Dei,  Imagines  visibiles  adora- 
mus  :  quod  certissime  falsum  est.  Si  enim  vere  velitis  Dei 
Imaginem  colere,  homini  benefacientes,  veram  in  eo  Dei 
imaginem  coleretis  :  "  The  Devil,"  (saith  he,)  "  by  the  mouth 
of  other,  is  wont  to  bring  forth  such  words  :  '  We,  to  the  wor 
ship  of  the  invisible  God,  worship  the  visible  Images:''  and 
this  is  most  certainly  false.  For  if  ye  will  truly  worship 
God's  Image,  ye  should,  by  being  beneficial  unto  man,  worship 
the  true  image  of  God  in  him."  Thus  far  Clement :  where  I 
beseech  you  mark,  that  he  doth  affirm  it  to  proceed  of  sug-  ^^^ 
gestion  of  the  Devil,  that  men  for  God's  honour  will  worship  {JJfnJur'of 

Christ  they 

dino  Ochine's  Dialoge  of  the  vniuste  -usurped  Primacie  of  tJie  Bishop  o/c"^!"1'1'" 
Home,  translated  by  John  Ponct,  D.D.  sig.  Q  4.  Loud.  1549.)  Vide 
supra,  pp.  20 — 1.] 

24 

LCALFHILL.] 


370  THE  TENTH  ARTICLE. 

Images.  Also  that  he  sheweth,  how  and  what  Images  may 
indeed  be  worshipped :  men,  the  true  images  of  God,  helped. 
iem.Aiex.]  Thus  much  Pope  Clement.  Now  another  Clement,  of  Alex 
andria1,  which  was  about  two  hundred  and  fifteen  year  after 
Christ,  for  confutation  of  your  beastly  error,  bringeth  the 
assertion  of  Heraclitus  the  Ephesian  :  An  non  prodigiosi  sunt, 
qui  lapides  adorant  ?  "  Be  they  not  monstrous,  that  worship 
stones?"  And  what  your  Cross  is  better,  I  see  not.  As  it 
standeth,  it  corrupteth.  When  ye  honour  it,  ye  most  disgrace 
it.  Sense  [Cense]  it,  and  ye  singe  it,  or  take  the  beauty  from 
it.  Doubtless  such  Images,  beside  the  use,  which  is  abominable, 
in  their  creation  are  worse  than  any  living  creature  :  and 
therefore  I  may  doubt,  with  Clement,  Quomodo  quce  sunt 
insensilia  divino  sint  honore  affecta  ;  et  errantium  utpote 
miserorum  miser eri  amentice  :  "  How  it  cometh  to  pass,  that 
things  devoid  of  sense  have  divine  honour  and  worship  given 
them ;  and  worthily  pity  the  madness  of  those  miserable 
wretches,  so  deceived  as  they  are."  For  other  creatures,  be 
they  small,  be  they  great,  whatsoever  they  be,  have  either 
all  senses,  or  else  some ;  or,  if  sense  be  denied  them,  yet  life 
is  granted  them,  they  increase,  they  grow :  but  Images, 
Crosses,  Crucifixes,  are  altogether  idle,  void  of  good  effect, 
utterly  unprofitable.  They  be  cast,  they  be  molten,  they  be 
cut,  they  be  graved,  they  be  embossed,  they  be  burnished ; 
and,  last  of  all,  with  nails  they  be  fastened,  that  with  knees 
they  may  be  honoured.  Adorant  autem  hii  non  Deos  et 
Dcemones,  mea  quidem  sententia;  sed  terram  et  artem,  quod 
quidem  est  Imagines :  "  But  these  folk  do  worship,  in  my 
opinion,"  (saith  old  Clement,)  "not  Gods  nor  Devils ;  but  earth 
and  workmanship,  which  is  the  Images."  Wherefore  he  proveth, 
that  such  have  fetched  their  Religion  from  proud  Persians, 
beastly  barbarians,  superstitious  sorcerers  ;  Ignor  antes  Deum; 
hcec  autem  egena  et  infirma,  ut  ait  Apostolus,  quce  ad  usum 
hominum  ministeriumque  facto,  sunt,  elementa  adorantes : 
"  Whereas  they  know  not  God ;  but  worship  these  beggarly 
and  weak  elements,  as  the  Apostle  calleth  them,  which  are 
made  to  the  use  and  service  of  men."  And  further  he  proveth 
out  of  God's  word,  Exod.  xx.,  that  to  make  a  Cross  is  a  kind 

1  Clemens  Alexandr.  Oratione  ad  Gentes.  [Opera  Lat.  pp.  19,  23, 
22.  Basil.  1566.  Calfhill  adopts  the  translation  by  Geutianus  Her- 
vetus.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  371 

of  craft :  Nobis  enim  est  aperte  vetitum  artem  fallacem 
exercere.  Non  fades  enim,  inquit  Propheta,  cujusvis  rei 
similitudinem,  &c. :  "  For  it  is  plainly  forbidden  us  to  practise 
this  deceitful  occupation :  inasmuch  as  the  Prophet  saith  : 
'  Thou  shalt  not  make  the  likeness  of  any  thing.' "  Here 
you  perceive  what  this  good  Father  thought ;  that  it  was  a 
monstrous  matter,  a  mad  part,  worse  than  service  of  the 
Devil,  to  worship  stocks  or  stones,  or  any  such  thing  as  a 
Cross  is. 

Irenseus  reproveth  the  heresy  of  the  Gnostici2,  Qui  Ima- 
gines  quasdam  depictas,  quasdam  autem  et  de  reliqua 
materia  fabricatas  habent ;  dicentes  formam  Christi  factam 
a  Pilato  in  illo  tempore  quo  fuit  Jesus  cum  hominibus  : 
"  Which  had  certain  Images,  some  painted,  some  made  of 
other  matter ;  saying  that  the  form  and  Picture  of  Christ  was 
made  by  Pilate,  at  what  time  Jesus  was  conversant  with 
men."  Thus  he,  that  came  near  unto  the  Apostles'  time, 
reputed  it  an  heresy  to  have,  to  make,  to  carry  about  with 
them  the  counterfeit  of  Christ.  What  would  he  have  done  if 
they  had  honoured  it  ?  Damned  them  to  the  Devil. 

Tertullian,  not  long  after,  writing  against  Marcion3,  shew- 
eth  that  the  only  cause  of  forbidding  Images  and  likenesses 
of  things  was  the  adoration  and  worship  of  them :  Similitu 
dinem  vetans  fieri  omnium  quce  in  ccelo,  et  in  terra,  et  in 
aquis,  ostendit  et  causas,  Idololatricc  scilicet,  quce  substan- 
tiam  cohibent*  Subjicit  enim,  Non  adorabitis  ea,  neque 
servietis  illis:  "God,  forbidding  the  likeness  of  any  thing  in 
heaven,  in  earth,  or  in  the  water  to  be  made,  shewed  also 
the  causes  which  do  restrain  the  substance.  And  those 
causes  are  Idolatry ;  for  he  inferreth  after :  '  You  shall  not 
Avorship  them,  nor  serve  them.'"  Wherefore,  (as  he  truly 
saith,)  to  adore  and  worship  the  likeness  of  any  thing,  (as  a  TO  worship 
Cross  is  some  thing,)  is  mere  Idolatry ;  against  which  offence  idolatry.' 
the  holy  Martyr  Cyprian  inveighing,  see  how  he  describeth  it4:  Cs- 
Quid  ante  inepta  Simulachra  et  Jlgmenta  terrena  captivum 
corpus  incurvas  ?  Rectum  teDeus  fecit:  et  cum  ccetera  ani- 
malia  prona  et  ad  terram  situ  vergente  depressa  sint,  tibi 

2  Irenseus,  Adversus  Hoer.  Li.  i.  Ca.  xxiv.  [ad  fin.  Cf.  pp.  42 — 3.] 

3  Tertull.  Advers.  Mar.  Lib.  ii.  [Cap.  xxii.] 

4  Cyprian.   Ad  Demetrium.   [Ad  Demetrianum.  Opp.  pp.  191 — 2. 
edit.  Fell.] 

24—2 


372  THE  TENTH  ARTICLE. 

snblimis  status;  et  ad  ccelum,  atque  ad  Deum  tuum  [ah 
sursimi]  vultus  erectus  est.  Illuc  intuere  :  illuc  oculos  tuos 
erige  :  in  supernis  Deum  quaere.  Ut  carere  inferis  possis, 
ad  alta  et  ccdestia  suspensum  pectus  attolle.  Quid  te  in 
lapsum  mortis,  cum  Serpente  quern  colis,  sternis  ?  "  What 
dost  thou  bow  thy  captive  body  before  foolish  Images  and 
earthly  counterfeits  ?  God  hath  made  thee  upright  :  and 
whereas  all  other  beasts  of  the  earth  are  depressed  in  shape, 
bending  down  to  the  ground-ward,  thou  hast  a  lofty  state  ;  to 
heaven,  and  to  thy  God  thy  countenance  is  erected.  Then 
look  up  thither  :  thither  cast  up  thine  eyes  :  seek  God  above. 
That  hell  thou  mayest  lack,  lift  up  thy  doubtful  heart  to  high 
and  heavenly  things.  What  dost  thou  throw  thyself,  with  the 
Devil  whom  thou  servest,  into  the  pit  of  death  ?"  So  far 
S.  Cyprian  :  and  by  him  it  is  plain,  that  to  bow,  to  kneel,  to 
shew  any  sign  of  reverence  to  an  earthly  counterfeit,  to  the 
work  of  man's  hand,  is  contrary  to  nature,  against  the  dig 
nity  of  our  creation,  and  a  wicked  worship. 

What  Origen's  opinion  was  in  this  behalf,  I  have  proved 
afore,  in  the  first  article  ;  and  thither  ye  may  resort  to  find  it. 
Only  this  will  I  add;  that  when  he  had  rehearsed  the  Command 
ment  of  God,  Exod.  xx.,  he  put  his  own  censure  and  verdict 
thereunto,  saying  1  :  Erat  quidem  Legis  mens  ea  ;  ut  singulis 
in  rebus,  ut  veritas  exigebat,  Mi  versarentur  :  nee  prwter 
verum  cffingerent  aliqua,  quce  prce  se  maris  vel  fcemince 
speciem  prce  se  ferrent,  &c.  :  "  The  mind  of  the  Law,"  quoth  he, 
"was  this  ;  that  they  should  in  all  things  so  behave  themselves 
as  the  truth  required  :  nor  that  they  should  beside  the  truth 
counterfeit  any  thing,  representing  the  shape  of  man  or  woman." 
Wherefore,  the  Picture  of  Christ  upon  the  Cross,  by  Origen's 
opinion,  is  against  the  Law.  Beside  this,  he  telleth  you  what 
adoration  and  what  worship  is2:  Aliud  est  colere,  aliud 


1  Lib.  iv.  Contra  Celsum.  [Vid.  p.  182.  ed.  Spencer.  Kal  e/Sou 
•ye  6  vofjios  rfj  jrepl  eKacrrou  dKr/dda  opuXovvras  OVTOVS  p.rj  dvair\a.o~(rfiv 
fTfpa  Trapa  TJJV  aXijdfiav,  ^ffv86[j.eva  TO  aXrjdias  dpo~eviKbv,  rj  TO  ovrcas 
AyAmcdr.] 

3  In  Exod.  Horn.  viii.  Cap.  xx.  [Opp.  T.  ii.  p.  158.  ed.  Bened. 
Parisiis,  1733.  Combefis  restored  the  Greek  of  this  passage,  which 
differs  in  some  respects  from  the  Latin  given  in  the  text  :  —  aXXo  irpoo-- 
KWfiv  Kal  aXXo  \arpfveiv.  6  p,ev  yap  e'£  oX^r  ^v^rjs  8ov\ev(ov  TOVTOIS  ov 
fiovov  •npofTKVvti  dXXa  /cat  Xarpevei.  6  8t  Ka0vTroKpiv6/j.fvos  Kal  dia  TU 
v,  ov  Xarpfvd  ptv  irpoo-Kvvti  Se.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  373 

adorare.  Potest  quis  interdum  et  invitus  adorare :  sicut 
nonnulli,  Regibus  adulantes,  cum  eos  ad  hujuscemodi  studio, 
deditos  viderint,  adorare  se  simulant  Idola;  cum  in  corde 
ipsorum  certum  sit,  quia  nihil  est  Idolum.  Colere  vero  est, 
toto  Mis  affectu  et  studio  mancipari.  Utrumque  ergo  rese- 
cat  sermo  divinus:  ut  neque  affectu  colas,  neque  specie 
adores :  "To  worship  is  one  thing,  and  to  adore  another. 
For  a  man  may  sometime  against  his  will  adore :  as  they,  that 
flatter  Princes,  when  they  see  them  addict  to  such  studies, 
do  feign  themselves  to  worship  Idols ;  whereas  in  their  heart 
they  are  assured  that  an  Idol  is  nothing.  But  to  worship  is 
to  enter  into  a  certain  servitude  and  bondage  with  them,  and 
be  addict  unto  them  with  all  affect  and  zeal.  Therefore  the 
word  of  God  cutteth  away  both :  that  neither  in  heart  thou 
worship,  nor  in  appearance  adore."  Thus  much  sufficeth  for 
Origen :  whereby  it  is  plain  that,  whatsoever  our  minds  are, 
our  bodies  must  not  bow  to  any  Cross  or  creature. 

Arnobius,  discoursing  against  the  Gentiles3,  who  served 
Idols,  and  did  sacrifice  unto  them,  had  the  same  objected  him 
that  you  do  to  us.  "We  worship  the  Gods,"  (said  they,)  "  by 
their  Images."  And  you :  "  By  worshipping  the  Cross  we 
serve  Christ."  And  may  I  not  answer  to  you,  as  he  did  to 
them  ?  Si  hoc  non  sit,  coli  Se  Christus  nesciat  ?  nee  im- 
partiri  [impertirt]  a  vobis  ullum  Sibi  honorem  existimabit  ? 
Per  tramites  ergo  quosdam,  et  per  qucedam  fidei  commissa, 
ut  dicitur,  vestras  sumit  atque  accipit  cultiones :  et  antequam 
sentiat,  Cui  illud  debetur  obsequium,  Simulachro  litatis  prius  ; 
et  velut  reliquias  quasdam  aliena  ad  Ilium  ex  authoritate 
trammittitis  :  "If  you  had  not  this  Cross,  should  Christ  bo 
ignorant  that  He  were  served  of  you  ?  will  He  think  there 
is  no  honour  done  Him  ?  Then  doth  He  receive  your  service 
and  your  worshippings  by  certain  trains,  by  other  put  in. 
trust:"  (Vicars,  if  ye  will,  or  Commissaries:)  "and  before  He,  to 
whom  the  obsequy  is  due,  have  any  feeling  of  the  matter,  ye  do 
your  sacrifice  unto  the  Image ;  and  send  Him  but  the  scraps 
from  another  man's  board."  Et  quid  fieri  potest  injuriosius, 
contumeliosius,  durius,  quam  Deum  alterum  scire,  et  rei 
alteri  supplicare  ?  opem  sperare  de  Numine,  et  nullius  sensus 
ad  ejfigiem  deprecari  ?  Nonne  illud  est,  quceso,  quod  in  vul- 
garibus  proverbiis  dicitur,  Fabrum  cadere  [al.  cwdere]  cum 
3  Arnobius,  Contra  Gcntes,  Lib.  vi.  [p.  195.  Lugd.  Bat.  1651.] 


374  THE  TENTH  ARTICLE. 

ferias  fullonem  ?  et  cum  hominis  consilium  quceras,  ab 
asellis  et  porculis  agendarum  rerum  sententias  postulare  ? 
"  And  what  can  be  devised,"  (saith  he,)  "  more  injurious,  slan 
derous,  uncourteous,  than  to  acknowledge  one  God,  and  make 
thy  suit  to  another  thing  ?  to  hope  for  help  of  God,  and 
pour  out  thy  prayers  to  a  senseless  Image  ?  Is  not  this,  (as 
the  proverb  hath,)  'To  have  a  quarrel  to  Rowland,  and  fight 
with  Oliver  ?'  and  where  thou  seekest  for  advice  of  men,  to 
ask  the  sentence  first  of  porklings  and  of  asses?"  Again1: 
Non  iste  error  est  ?  Non,  (ut  proprie  dicatur,)  amentia,  sup* 
plicare  tremebundum  fabricates  abs  te  rei ;  et  cum  scias 
et  certus  sis  tui  esse  operis,  et  digitorum  artem,  pronum  in 
faciemruere?  &c.:  "Is  not  this  an  error?  Is  it  not,  (to  speak 
properly,)  a  madness,  in  trembling-wise  to  make  thy  humble 
suit  to  a  thing  that  thou  madest  thyself;  and  whereas  thou 
dost  know  and  art  assured  that  it  is  thine  own  workmanship, 
the  fruit  of  thine  own  fingers,  to  fall  grovelling  upon  thy  face 
before  it?"  I  will  no  further  deal  with  Arnobius.  All  his 
eight  [seven]  books  contain  nothing  else  but  confutation  of 
your  Image  heresy  and  Cross  shame. 

]  Lactantius,  his  scholar,  beside  many  other  places  to  the 
like  effect,  whereof  in  the  former  treatise  I  have  touched 
divers,  hath  also  this2 :  Quce  amentia  est,  aut  ea  finger e 
quce  ipsi  postmodum  timeant,  aut  timere  quce  finxerint? 
Non  ipsa,  (inquiunt,)  timemus,  sed  eos  ad  quorum  ima- 
ginem  ficta,  et  quorum  nominibus  consecrata  sunt.  Nempe 
ideo  timetis,  quod  eos  esse  in  coelo  arbitramini :  neque 
enim,  si  Dii  sunt,  aliter  fieri  potest.  Cur  igitur  oculos 
in  ccelum  non  tollitis ;  et,  advocatis  JDeorum  nominibus,* 
in  aperto  sacrificia  celebratis  ?  Cur  ad  parietes,  et  ligna, 
et  lapides  potissimum,  quam  illo  spectatis  ubi  eos  esse  cre- 
ditis  ?  "  What  madness  is  this,  either  to  frame  those  things 
which  they  may  after  fear,  or  fear  those  things  which  they 
have  framed  ?  No,  forsooth,  (say  they,)  we  fear  not  that, 
but  them  after  whose  image  they  be  made,  and  to  whose 
names  they  be  consecrated.  Why  then  ye  fear  them,  because 
ye  suppose  them  to  be  in  heaven :  for  if  they  be  Gods,  it 
cannot  otherwise  be  chosen.  But  why  do  you  not  lift  up 
your  eyes  to  heaven;  and,  calling  upon  the  Gods  by  name, 

1  [Lib.  vi.  p.  200.] 

2  Lactantius, De fals.  Rel.  [Deorig.  Error.]  Lib.  ii.  Cap.  ii.  [admit.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  375 

do  your  sacrifices  openly?  Why  do  you  rather  look  to  the 
walls,  to  the  stocks  and  stones,  than  to  that  place  where  you 
believe  they  are  ?"  If  Lactantius  thought  it  a  wickedness  in 
them  to  turn  their  eyes  unto  the  earthly  creatures  beneath, 
where  God  was  only  to  be  found  above,  shall  your  adoration 
of  a  Cross  stand  ?  shall  the  worship  of  a  piece  of  wood  or 
mass  of  metal  be  so  esteemed  ?  Where  is  now  Flecte  genu, 
lignumque  Crucis  venerabile  adora3  ?  Did  he  condemn  the 
Gentiles  for  turning  of  their  eye  to  stocks  and  stones;  and 
shall  he  charge  the  Christians  to  bow  the  knee  to  the  wor 
shipful  Cross  ?  It  is  too  absurd  and  impious. 

Athanasius  is  so  far  from  adoration  and  worshipping  of  Atha 
the  Cross,  that  in  many  places  he  is  most  earnest  to  the  con 
trary.  In  his  first  Sermons  Contra  Idola*,  he  hath  nothing 
more  frequent  than  that  such  honour  to  creatures  is  ac 
cursed.  But  lest  you  think  he  spake  only  against  the  Gentiles' 
Idols,  and  that  concerneth  not  your  Images  and  your  Cross, 
I  will  come  nearer  you,  and  go  to  the  nature  of  the  word 
general  '-'adoration."  He  reasoneth  with  the  Arrians,  denying 
Christ  to  be  equal  with  the  Father,  after  this  sort5 :  Si 
adoratur  ab  Angelis,  quia  gloria  sublimior  est,  par  erat  ut 
omnia  inferior  a  sitperioribus  se  in  adorando  inclinarent. 
Sed  id  ita  non  est :  creatura  siquidem  creaturam  non 
adorat :  sed  quce  servilis  sunt  conditionis  dominos ;  et  quce 
creaturce  sunt  Deum  adorationibus  colunt :  "If  Christ  be 
adored  of  the  Angels,  because  He  is  higher  in  glory  than 
they,  reason  it  were  that  all  inferior  things  should  bow  down 
themselves  in  adoration  to  their  superiors.  But  that  is  not 
so.  For  one  creature  adoreth  not  another :  but  such  as  are 
of  servile  condition  adore  their  lords  and  masters ;  and  such 
as  be  creatures  do  worship  their  God  by  adorations."  After 
ward  he  inferreth  the  examples  of  Peter  and  the  Angel,  which 
would  not  that  this  service  should  be  done  unto  them.  Where 
upon  he  concludeth :  Solius  Numinis  est  adorari6 :  "It 

3  [See  before,  pp.  180—3.] 

4  [Orat.  contra  Gentes.~\ 

5  Contra  Arrianos,  Ser.  iii.  [Orat.  ii.  §.  23.  p.  491.    Opp.  Tom.  i. 
ed.  Ben.] 

6  [Calf hill  seems  to  have  used  the  Latin  version  of  the  works  of 
S.  Athanasius,  published  at  Basle,  apud  Froben.  1564.     In  Cardinal 
Zapata's  review  of  this  edition,  in  his  Expurgatory  Index,  Hispali, 


37C  THE  TENTH  ARTICLE. 

appertained!  only  to  the  Godhead  to  be  adored."  Wherefore, 
unless  ye  make  your  Cross  a  God,  it  can  have  no  worship 
nor  adoration.  As  for  the  place  which  out  of  his  Questions 

las.  a.  ye  allege,  I  say  again,  ye  lie.  For  it  is  not  Crucis  figuram, 
ex  duobus  lignis  componentes,  adoramus,  as  you  do  cite  it ; 
but,  Crucis  figur am,  ex  duobus  lignis  compingentes,  confaimus. 
Mark,  good  readers,  what  a  true  man  we  have  to  speak  for 
the  Cross.  Where  Athanasius  hath :  "We  frame  the  figure  of 

125,  a.  the  Cross,  making  it  of  two  sticks ;"  this  man  hath :  "  We, 
making  a  figure  of  the  Cross  of  two  pieces  of  wood,  adore  it." 

0  blind  ignorance,  or  blinded  malice !     If  the  understanding 
of  a  word  might  have  deceived  one,  yet  the  circumstance  of 
this  place1  is  such,  that  none  in  the  world  can  make  more 
against  adoration   of  the  Cross.     For  he  yieldeth  a  reason 
why  they  make  a  Cross  of  two  pieces  of  wood ;   that  if  any 
infidel  lay  unto  their  charge,  that  they  worship  wood,  they 
may  break  the  form  of  it,  et  inftdeli  persuadere,  quod  non 
colamus  lignum,  "  and  persuade  the  infidel,  that  we  worship 

tiaiiafai-  not  wood."     A  marvellous  matter,  that  a  fugitive  of  England, 
aaasius.  and  a  Divine  of  Lovain,  should  be  so  lewd  a  falsifier.     But 

1  proceed  to  other. 

EPJ-  Epiphanius,   (as  is  before   alleged,)   would  not   suffer  a 

vail  to  hang  in  the  church  that  had  a  man's  Image  on  it. 
Would  he  suffer  a  Cross,  think  you,  to  be  worshipped? 
He  willed  the  Bishop  to  command,  ne  ejusmodi  vela  ap- 
penderentur2,  "  that  such  clothes  should  not  be  hanged  up," 
quod  contra  christianam  Religionem  veniunt,  "  because  they 
come  against  Christian  Religion :"  and  after  he  calleth  it 
scrupulositatem  indignant  Ecclesia  Christi,  "  a  scrupulosity 
unworthy  of  the  Church  of  Christ."  Shall  we  think  that  he  could 

1G32,  p.  50,  we  find  the  following  proscription  of  a  reference  to  the 
passage  in  the  text:  "In  Indice  dele  sequentia — Adorari  solius  Dei 
esse."  Here  there  is  no  slight  intimation  conveyed  of  the  danger 
apprehended  by  Romanists  from  an  honest  perusal  of  the  writings  of 
the  Fathers :  and  a  simple  proof  of  their  having  a  guilty  conscience, 
with  regard  to  the  absolute  worship  of  the  Cross,  may  be  derived  from 
a  censure  passed  by  the  Belgic  Index  Expurgatorius  upon  the  Chris- 
tiani  Poetce,  edited  by  George  Fabricius ;  which  is  this :  "  D.  col.  4. 
dele  illud,  Crucem  ligneam  adorare,  aperta  Idolatria."  (p.  11.  Antverp. 
1571.)] 

1  Quaest.  xvi.  ad  Antioch.  [Vid.  ante,  pp.  73 — 4,  272 — 3.] 

2  Epiphanius,  ad  lo.  Epis.  Hieroso.    [Vid.  sup.  pp.  42,  253 — 4.] 


ANSWER  TO   THE   TREATISE   OF   THE   CROSS.  377 

allow,  not  a  cloth,  but  a  Cross;  not  a  vail,  but  a  Crucifix? 
And  where  he  could  not  suffer  the  sight  of  the  one,  would 
he  abide  the  service  of  the  other  ?  Entreating  of  a  sect  of 
heretics  called  Collyridians,  which  did  offer  to  the  Virgin 
Mary,  these  words  he  hath3  :  Prcetextu  justitice  semper  sub- 
iens  hominum  mentem  Diabolus ;  mortalem  naturam  in 
hominum  oculis  deificans  ;  Statuas,  humanas  Imagines  prce 
se  ferentes,  per  artium  varietatem  expressit.  Et  mortui 
quidem  sunt  qui  adorantur.  Ipsorum  vero  Imagines,  quce  nun- 
quam  vixerunt,  adorandas  introducunt ;  adulterante  mente 
ab  uno  et  solo  Deo :  velut  commune  scortum,  ad  multam 
multiplicis  coitus  absurditatem  irritatum ;  et  quod  temperan- 
tiam  legitimi  conjugii  unius  viri  detrivit :  "  The  Devil, 
entering  into  the  mind  of  men,  always  under  pretext  of  justice ; 
advancing  in  the  eyes  of  men  the  mortal  nature  to  the  de 
gree  of  God ;  hath  expressed,  thorough  variety  of  cunning, 
Images,  representing  the  counterfeits  of  men.  And  they  that 
are  worshipped  indeed  be  dead.  And  the  Images,  which 
never  lived,  they  bring  in  to  be  worshipped :  the  mind  there-  worship  to 

,  ../..  ,  •••!••  i  Images,  for 

by  committing  lornication,  and  estranging  itself  from  the  one  nication. 
and  only  God :  as  it  were  an  harlot,  departing  filthily  her 
body  unto  many ;  and  as  one  that  had  worn  away  the  sober 
use  of  lawful  company  with  one  husband."  And  afterward : 
Non  dominabitur  nobis  antiquus  error,  ut  relinquamus 
Viventem,  et  adoremus  ea  quce,  ab  Ipso  facta  sunt.  Coluerunt 
enim  et  adoraverunt  creaturam  prceter  Creatorem,  et  stulti 
facti  sunt :  "  The  old  error  shall  not  prevail  over  us,  to  leave 
The  living,  and  worship  those  tilings  which  arc  made  of  Him. 
For  they  have  worshipped  and  adored  the  creature  beside 
the  Creator,  and  became  fools."  So  he  proceedeth  with  proof, 
that  neither  Helias,  nor  John,  nor  the  Virgin  Mary,  nor  the 
Angels  themselves,  are  to  be  adored.  Ergo,  no  Cross. 

S.  Ambrose,  speaking  how  the  Cross  was  found,  said  this  of  [s.Ambros 
Helena4:  Regem  adoravit,  non  lignum:  quia  hie  Gentilis  est 
error,  et  vanitas  impiorum :  "  She  worshipped  the  King, 
and  not  the  Cross :  for  that  were  an  error  of  Gentility,  and 
vanity  of  the  wicked."  What  plainer  words  can  you  desire  ? 
Ye  cannot  say  that  he  spake  of  the  Gentiles'  Idols.  He  spake 

3  Li.  iii.  Tom.  ii.  Hsero.  Ixxix.  [p.  344.  Jano  Cornar.  interp.] 

4  Ambros.  De  obitu  Theod.    [Antca,  pag.   192.     Compare   Gee's 
Answer  to  the  Compiler  of  the  Nubes  Testiwm,  p.  80.  Lond.  1688.] 


378  THE  TENTH  ARTICLE. 

Of  the  Cross,  the  same  that  Christ  hanged  on :  and  that,  he 
said,  was  an  heathenish  error ;  and  to  worship  was  a  vanity 
of  wicked  men.  If  the  very  Cross  whereon  Christ  suffered 
be  not  to  be  adored,  will  you  conclude  that  a  sign  thereof 
should  so  be  reverenced? 

Hierom  hath:  Notanda  proprietas,  Deos  coli,  Ima- 
ginem  adorari ;  quod  utrumque  servis  Dei  non  convenit : 
"  The  property  of  the  words  is  to  be  marked,  that  Gods 
are  worshipped,  and  an  Image  adored:  whereof  neither 
agreeth  to  the  servants  of  God."  Read  more  of  him,  In  Jere. 
vi.  et  x.  et  Dan.  iii.  Ye  shall  plainly  see,  that  neither 
worship  nor  adoration  ought  to  be  given  to  so  vile  a  thing 
as  a  Cross  is. 

j  Augustin  agreeth  with  his  fellows,  and  sayeth1:  Non  sit 
nobis  Religio  humanorum  operutn  cultus.  Meliores  enim 
sunt  ipsi  artifices,  qui  talia  fabricantur  ;  quos  tamen  colere 
non  debemus :  "  Let  not  us  have  a  Religion  in  worshipping 
of  man's  works.  For  the  workmen  themselves  that  made 
them  be  better  ;  whom,  notwithstanding,  we  ought  not  to 
worship." 

Nor  Chrysostom,  in  any  work  that  is  his,  dissenteth 
from  the  rest.  Upon  the  iv.  of  John,  and  xxxii.  Horn.2, 
these  plain  words  he  hath :  Adorare  creaturce  ;  adorari  non 
creaturce,  sed  Domini  est :  "To  adore  and  worship  belong- 
eth  to  a  creature ;  but  to  be  adored  belongeth  to  no  creature, 
but  only  to  the  Lord." 

Cyril,  when  he  would  prove  the  Divinity  of  Christ,  and 
that  He  is  of  the  same  substance  with  the  Father,  drew  an 
argument  from  adoration  of  the  Angels :  and  if  that  any  but 
only  God  may  be  adored,  then  is  his  reason  none.  The 
words  be  these3 :  Nemo  ignorat,  nulli  prorsus  naturce  prce- 
terquam  Dei  adorationem  a  Scriptura  contribui :  "  No  man 
is  ignorant,  that  adoration  in  the  Scripture  is  attributed  to  no 
kind  of  nature,  save  only  to  the  nature  of  God."  And  thus 
the  elder  Fathers. 

1  Augustin.  Devera  Rel.  Cap.  IT.  [§.  108.  Opp.  Tom.  i.  587.  cd. 
Ben.] 

2  [Opp.  Lat.  Tom.  iii.  col.  131.  Paris.  1570.] 

3  Cyrill.  Thesauri  Li.  ii.  Cap.  i.    [Opp.  Basil.  1546.  ed.  Trapezuntii. 
T.  ii.  col.  32,  A.    The  Greek  is  somewhat  different.    Opp.  T.  v.  p.  71, 
C.  Lutetise,  1638.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  379 

Now,  to  come  down  to  latter  years.  Gregory  the  Pope, 
the  first  that  ever  maintained  Images,  is  so  much  against 
the  adoring  of  them,  that  in  every  sentence,  where  he 
speaketh  of  them,  he  seriously  forbiddeth  it4 :  Zelum  vos,  ne 
quid  manu  factum  adorari  possit,  habuisse  laudavimus.  Et 
iterum :  Ab  earum  adoratione  populum  prohibere  debuit. 
Et  tertio  :  Ut  populus  in  Picturce  adoratione  minime  pec- 
caret.  In  English :  "  We  praise  it  well,  that  you  had  a 
zeal,  that  nothing  made  with  hand  should  be  adored."  And 
again:  "You  ought  to  have  forbidden  the  people  from  the 
adoring  of  them."  Thirdly,  "  That  the  people  should  not 
offend  in  adoration  or  worshipping  of  a  Picture."  If  Pictures 
generally  be  thus  commended,  [condemned?]  so  much  as  con- 
cerneth  adoration,  I  leave  it  to  your  discretion  to  consider 
what  is  to  be  said  of  worship  to  be  done  to  Roods  or  Cru 
cifixes.  Nor  here  I  will  omit  a  proper  workman  of  your 
own  occupation,  Johannes  Alfonsus  de  Castro.  He,  in  his 
book  Adversus  Hcereses,  reporteth,  that  one  Claudius,  Bishop 
of  Taurino5,  forbad  all  in  his  jurisdiction  the  adoration  and 
worship  of  our  Lord's  Cross.  He  was  of  Privy  Council  to 
Charles  the  Great :  a  worthy  Prelate  for  so  wise  a  Prince. 
What  the  opinion  of  Charles  the  Great  was  in  this  behalf,  I 
refer  you  to  his  four  books  De  Imaginibus,  of  purpose  penned 
against  the  insolent  and  doltish  conspiracy  dissembling  at 
Nice.  If  ye  look  for  Councils  to  condemn  your  error,  I  send 
you  back  to  the  third  article ;  and  there  ye  shall  find  suffi 
cient  to  confute  you. 

Thus  have  I  slightly  passed  over,  not  all  that  I  could 
recite,  but  as  many  as  I  thought  expedient  for  clear  dis 
proof  of  your  ungodly  purpose.  Ye  would  have  it  appear, 
that  all  the  Fathers  were  in  your  fond  belief;  whereas  yo 
rehearse  but  a  very  few,  and  the  same  not  only  corruptly 
wrested,  but  maliciously  in  most  parts  falsified.  I  have 
brought  you  the  simple  and  plain  words  of  theirs  out  of 
their  own  approved  writings,  such  as,  I  trust,  you  will  not 
gainsay.  Now  let  the  good  readers  judge,  whether,  ac 
cording  to  the  false  exposition  of  you,  or  fond  meaning  of  a 
few,  the  Cross  should  be  worshipped  and  adored;  or  else, 
according  to  the  sound  censure  of  the  moe,  of  the  godly,  of 

4  Epist.  Li.  vii.  Indict,  ii.  Cap.  cix.  [Ad  Serenum.  Supra,  pp.  9,30.] 

5  [Turin.] 


380  THE   TENTH  ARTICLE. 

the  Scriptures  themselves,  be  cast  out  of  the  church,  and  de 
puted  to  the  use  that  it  deserveth. 

'^[re-  As  for  the   adoration,    S.   Peter  compared  it  with  the 

r!?ontors  Gentiles'  Idolatry ;  condemned  it  as  unlawful ;  and  yet  saw 
ratkfn'lJf  not  the  hearts  of  the  worshippers.  Clement  of  Alexandria 
Cross'  calleth  it  a  monstruous  thing,  a  mad  part,  worse  than  the 
service  of  the  Devil,  to  worship  stocks  or  stones :  yet  we 
must  creep  to  the  Cross,  you  say.  Irenseus  accompteth  it 
heresy  to  carry  about  the  true  Image  of  Christ :  yet  you 
will  have  it  catholic  to  adore  and  worship  the  false  Cross. 
Tertullian  saith  that  it  is  Idolatry  to  adore  the  likeness  of 
any  thing :  then  is  there  no  great  holiness  or  safety  in 
the  Cross.  Cyprian  affirmeth  it  to  be  contrary  to  nature, 
against  the  dignity  of  our  creation,  and  a  wicked  worship, 
to  fall  down  to  a  creature :  and  shall  we  then  adore  the 
Cross  ?  Origen  will  not  admit  any  external  sign  of  honour, 
(howsoever  the  mind  otherwise  be  affected,)  to  be  given 
to  the  workmanship  of  man's  hand;  but  saith  that  it  is 
against  the  Commandment :  and  shall  we  crouch  and  creep 
to  the  Cross?  Arnobius1  scorneth  the  esteeming  of  the 
Cross;  and,  to  the  condemnation  of  Ethnics,  saith:  Cruces 
nee  colimus,  nee  optamus.  Vos  plane,  qui  ligneos  Deos  conse- 
cratis,  Cruces  ligneas,  ut  Deorum  vestrorum  partes,  forsitan 
adoratis :  "  As  for  Crosses,  we  neither  worship  nor  wish  for. 
But  you,  which  consecrate  ye  wooden  Gods,  peradventure 
worship  the  wooden  Crosses  as  parcels  of  your  Gods."  This 
spake  Arnobius  in  defence  of  the  Christians,  and  reproof  of 
the  Gentiles :  and  shall  we,  direct  contrary  to  this,  both 
wish  and  worship  Crosses,  worse  than  the  Gentiles,  unworthy 
name  of  Christians?  Lactantius  in  like  sort  condemneth  the 
Gentiles  for  tooting  upon  Images ;  and  willeth  them  to  look 
up  to  heaven  :  and  shall  we  still  be  poring  on  so  blind  a 
book  as  a  Cross  is  ?  Athanasius  would  not  that  the  enemy 
should  have  such  advantage  of  him  as  to  say,  that  he  or  any 
other  Christian  worshipped  the  Cross :  we  must  have  it  a 
doctrine,  that  every  man  is  bound  to  worship  it.  Epiphanius 
tare  the  vail  that  had  the  Picture  of  Christ  upon  it :  he 
affirmed  the  worshipping  of  the  same  to  be  fornication  :  we 
must  have  a  post  with  a  mock  man  upon  it,  and  afterward  do 
honour  to  it.  Ambrose  accompted  it  an  error  of  Gentility,  a 
1  Lib.  viii.  [Minucius  Felix — Vid.  ante,  pp.  178,  183 — 4.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  381 

vanity  of  perverse,  to  adore  the  Cross :  and  we  must  hold 
it  a  good  catholic  doctrine,  because  Master  Martiall  doth  teach 
it.  Hierom,  Augustin,  Chrysostom,  Cyril,  Gregory,  condemn, 
(as  is  before  confirmed,)  all  adoration  done  to  any  creature : 
and  yet  you  think  the  same,  by  testimonies  of  the  Fathers, 
due  to  the  sign  of  the  Cross.  If  you  had  considered  the 
Fathers  well,  you  would  not  so  ill  have  slandered  them. 

You  think  you  have  a  good  evasion,  when  you  say,  "that  Foiio  128,1 
•we  must  attribute  unto  it  not  any  divine  honour,  due  only  to 
God ;  but,  as  it  hath  been  right  well  declared  before  of  others, 
an  inferior  kind  of  reverence."  I  marvel  that  you  are  so 
inconstant,  M.  Martiall.  Even  now  you  would  needs  have 
"  adoration  and  worship  to  the  sign  of  the  Cross ;"  and  they 
be  proper  unto  God  alone :  now  will  ye  have  an  inferior 
reverence.  And  what  is  that  ?  Forsooth,  you  cannot  tell ; 
but  it  hath  been  declared  of  other.  I  know  what  other  in 
this  behalf  have  babbled,  making  their  distinction  between 
XctTpeia  and  <$ov\eia2.  They  put" two  horses  into  one  stable, 
to  eat  at  one  rack,  and  reach  to  one  manger :  yet  they  be  not 

2  [The  Sicilian  Inquisitor  Ludovicus  a  Paramo  (De  orig.  Of.  S. 
Iiiquis.  Lib.  ii.  p.  345.  Matriti,  1598.)  relates  a  circumstance,  which 
appears  decisive  with  respect  to  the  real  doctrine  of  the  Church  of 
Rome,  as  to  the  worship  of  the  Cross. — Joannes  ^Egidius,  a  Canon  of 
Seville,  having  ventured  to  maintain  that  God  was  to  bo  adored  with 
Latria,  and  the  Cross  to  bo  reverenced  only  with  Dulia,  was  compelled 
to  retract  his  opinion  publicly,  as  heretical ;  and  to  declare,  that  the 
Cross  was  to  be  honoured  with  the  same  supremo  adoration  as  that 
which  is  rendered  to  Christ  the  Lord.  And  the  reason  put  forward  is 
important ;  viz :  because  such  an  idea  as  his  was  plainly  opposed  to 
the  tenet  of  the  Roman  Church,  as  expressed  in  her  ritual  chants,  "  O 
Crux  ave,  spes  unica,"  and  "  Crucem  Tuam  adoramus." — It  should  bo 
well  known,  likewise,  that  both  in  the  old  Pontifical?,  amended  by  the 
command  of  Pope  Innocent  VIII.,  and  in  the  reformed  volume,  revised 
by  the  authority  of  Popes  Clement  VIII.,  and  Urban  VIII.,  this  un 
deniable  statement  has  been  sanctioned  with  regard  to  the  Cross  : 
"DEBETUR  EI  LATRIA."  (Ord.  ad  recip.  Imperat.  fol.  clxxxv.  Lugd. 
1511.:  p.  486.  Antverp.  1663.)  Cf.  Gretseri  Controv.  Bellarm.  Defens. 
Cap.  xiv.  Lib.  iii.  Tom.  ii.  col.  940.  Ingolst.  1609.  Refut.  Hasenmilleri, 
p.  105.  Ib.  1594.  D.  Thomse  3  Part.  Qu.  25.  Art.  3.  et  Cajetani  Comm. 
Alex,  do  Ales  Op.  super  tert.  Sententt.  144.  c.  4.  sigg.  p  8,  9.  Venet. 
1475.  Bellarm.  De  Imagin.  Lib.  ii.  Cap.  xx.  Sutcliffe's  Challenge,  pp. 
151,  170.  Answere,  p.  15.  Lond.  1602.  Holcot,  Super  lib.  Sap.  Lcct. 
clviii.  sig.  G  iii.  Reutling.  1489.] 


382  THE  TENTH  ARTICLE. 

served  alike,  because  they  have  a  bar  betwixt  them.  I  could 
speak  more  of  the  absurdity  hereof,  but  that  I  must  lay  my 
finger  on  my  line,  and  tread  the  only  steps  of  you,  that  full 
crookedly  have  gone  before  me.  If  you  vouchsafe  to  tell  me 
what  that  inferior  reverence  should  be,  (which  now  by  silence 
ye  utterly  suppress ;)  ye  shall  then  know  further  of  my 
mind. 

It   only  remaineth  that  I   answer  your  paradox,    your 

• 12a  strange,  your  incredible  proposition,  "  that  there  can  be  no 
mistrust  nor  fear  of  Idolatry  in  Christian  men  worshipping  and 
adoring  the  Cross."  To  come  to  "worship  and  adore"  again, 
where  the  next  line  before  ye  would  have  but  an  inferior 
reverence,  maketh  me  think  that  you  be  very  fickle,  and  not 
settled  as  yet  on  any  certain  ground.  But  worship,  a  God's 
name,  adore  and  deify,  (say  you;)  for  certain  it  is  there  can 
be  no  peril  of  Idolatry.  Ye  do  very  wisely  to  put  men  in 
security;  for  otherwise  they  would  be  very  loth  to  venture. 
Great  is  the  leap,  and  the  water  deep.  But  how  shall  we 
pass  ?  Ye  have  devised  a  bridge,  as  it  were,  of  a  bulrush. 

trange     Your  argument  is  this  :  "  All  that  be  Christians  are  baptized. 

of  that  no  e  .  r 

"woiatr  -^n(^  ^  ^iey  ke  baptized,  then  have  they  received  the  faith  of 
i  Papist.  Christ ;  and  '  believe  in  one  God,  Father  almighty,'  and  so 
forth  ;  and  have  learned  that  Commandment  of  His  :  '  Thou 
shalt  have  no  other  Gods  but  Me.'  If  then  by  Baptism  they 
have  received  the  faith  of  Christ ;  and  believe  in  one  God, 
Father  almighty,  &c. ;  and  have  learned  that  Commandment 
of  His,  that  they  shall  have  no  other  Gods  but  Him  ;  then 
believe  they  in  no  other  god  but  in  Him ;  then  serve  they  no 
other  god  but  Him ;  then  make  they  to  themselves  no  other 
god  but  Him :  but  whensoever  they  pray,  wheresoever  they 
kneel,  whatsoever  gestures  they  use,  they  give  all  honour 
and  praise  to  God ;  they  have  their  hearts  and  minds  fixed 
upon  Him  :  nor  we  may  judge  the  contrary,  for  they  are 
Christians ;  and  so  are  we  also  expressly  forbid  to  judge  of 
other  men's  consciences,  or  to  be  curious  or  suspicious  of 
other  men's  doings." 

To  answer  with  modesty  to  so  impudent  an  assertion, 
is  hard :  reasonably  to  deal  with  so  unreasonable  a  crea 
ture,  is  more  than  covenant.  To  use  many  words  where 
a  wand  is  deserved,  is  more  a  great  deal  than  needeth  for 
your  reason,  unless  ye  were  purged  first.  For  doubtless 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  383 

there  is  some  mad  humour  reigning,  that  bringeth  forth  so 
absurd  reasoning.  First,  ye  have  proved,  that  all  Pro-  J^^ 0| 
testants  be  good  Christians ;  for  they  be  baptized,  they  argument, 
have  received  the  faith,  &c.  Then,  that  yourself  are  very 
much  to  blame,  in  deeming  amiss  of  them.  For  inasmuch  as 
they  have  learned  the  Commandments,  they  also  of  necessity 
must  obey  the  Commandments.  Thirdly,  that  all  subjects  in 
the  realm  of  England,  all  Christians  beside,  are  in  right  good 
case ;  for  they  cannot  sin.  This  is  your  reason,  M.  Martiall, 
and  not  mine.  For  thus  ye  say :  "  They  have  learned  the 
Commandment  to  have  no  other  god  but  Him :  then  believe 
they  no  other  god  but  Him ;  then  serve  they  no  other  god 
but  Him."  By  the  same  reason  I  may  reply  :  The  man  that  The  absurd; 

•  »         *   •  ties  thereof, 

is  baptized  hath  received  the  faith ;  doth  know  the  Command 
ment,  "  Thou  shalt  not  steal ;"  "  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adul 
tery  :"  therefore  there  is  none  that  is  baptized  that  can  be  a 
thief  or  adulterer.  The  Jews  were  circumcised ;  they  had  the 
Law ;  they  knew  that  they  ought  to  have  no  other  Gods  but 
Him  :  therefore  no  Jew  that  ever  was  idolatrer.  But  notwith 
standing  our  Christendom  and  faith  received,  many  be  thieves 
and  murtherers :  notwithstanding  the  Law  delivered  to  the 
Israelites,  they  worshipped,  (some  of  them,)  the  brazen  Serpent ; 
and  the  Scripture  saith  they  were  idolatrers  therein.  There 
fore,  notwithstanding  that  men  outwardly  profess  one  God, 
yet  do  they  not  worship  alway  one  God,  nor  serve  Him  on 
such  sort  as  they  are  commanded.  So  that  it  bideth  still,  for 
all  your  blind  reason,  that  a  man  may  fear  Idolatry  in  such 
as  do  pretend  a  worshipping  of  God. 

And  we  do  not  offend,  in  affirming  you  idolatrers.  For 
although,  (as  you  say,)  one  kind  of  Idolatry  be  best  known  Foli° 129.  & 
unto  God  alone,  who  searcheth  the  heart,  yet  hath  He  left 
a  way  to  try  it,  a  judge  to  discern  it.  And  therefore, 
indefinitely  and  absolutely  to  say,  that  Idolatry  is  a  sin 
lurking  and  lying  secret  in  the  heart,  is  an  inconvenience. 
Remember  how  Christ,  at  the  first  entrance  into  His  school, 
gave  out  this  lesson1:  Quemcunque  puduerit  Mei  coram 
kominibus,  pudebit  et  Me  illius  coram  Patre  Meo  et  sanctis 
Anfjelis :  "  Whosoever  shah1  be  ashamed  of  Me  before  men, 
I  will  also  be  ashamed  of  him  before  My  Father  and  His 
holy  Angels."  So  that  God  is  not  herewith  contented,  if  a 
1  Luc.  vi.  [ix.  26.] 


384  THE   TENTH  ARTICLE. 

profession  man  inwardly  with  heart  acknowledge  Him ;  but  also  severely 

Christ  is  J  i  /.       •  •/. 

luisiteina  doth  exact,  that  by  our  outward  profession  we  testify  to  tho 
world  that  His  disciples  we  are.  For  upon  none  other  con 
dition  but  this  He  doth  admit  us  into  the  society  and  fellow 
ship  of  His  kingdom.  Truly  doth  Paul  say l :  Corde  creditur 
ad  justitiam ;  ore  con/essio  fit  ad  salutem  :  "  With  heart 
we  believe  to  righteousness ;  with  mouth  we  confess  to  salva 
tion."  Out  of  which  words  it  is  plainly  to  be  gathered,  that 
there  is  no  true  faith  before  God,  but  the  same  engendereth 
a  confession  before  men :  that  every  man,  according  to  his 
calling  and  grace  given  him,  do  further  by  all  means,  as 
occasion  is  given  him,  the  glory  of  his  God.  Therefore 
Peter's  precept  is  general2,  to  "be  ready  always  to  give  an 
answer  to  every  man  that  asketh  a  reason  of  the  hope  that 
is  in  us."  This  reason  ye  refuse:  ye  keep  a  bird  in  the 
bosom,  but  it  bewrays  the  nest.  For  impossible  it  is,  that 
a  good  conscience  in  service  of  his  God  shall  in  appearance 
do  one  thing,  and  in  effect  another.  And  although  the  service 
acceptable  unto  God  consist  in  "  spirit  and  truth,"  as  Christ 
Himself  pronounceth3;  yet  will  He  not  only  be  truly  served, 
but  also  be  known  that  He  is  so  served.  For  which  purpose 
these  extern  actions  are  right  necessary,  to  be  witnesses  to 
the  world  of  our  affect  within  us. 

Understand  ye  therefore,  that  as  two  kinds  of  honour 
be  due  to  God ;  one  spiritual,  resting  in  the  heart ;  another 
corporal,  consisting  in  outward  gesture;  so  are  there  also 

KO  kinds  of  two  kinds  of  Idolatry.  The  first,  when  a  man  by  perverse 
opinion  corrupteth  the  spiritual  worshipping  of  God :  the 
second,  when  the  honour  peculiar  unto  God  is  transferred 
to  a  creature.  In  both  these  ye  Papists  most  heinously 
do  offend.  For  ye  think  that  God,  which  is  a  Spirit,  is  de 
lighted  with  your  masking  and  extern  pomp,  wherein  consisteth 
all  Romish  Religion ;  and  so,  by  your  own  text,  ye  be  proved 
false  worshippers.  Also,  by  your  knocking  and  holding  up  of 
hands  before  an  Image,  ye  shew  yourselves  whose  servants 
you  are,  abasing  your  estate,  and  serving  a  creature.  For 
the  proof  whereof,  because  it  more  nearly  concerneth  our 
question,  let  us  inquire  what  bond  we  be  entered  in  with 
God,  to  serve  Him  as  we  ought.  So  shall  we  see,  whether  any 

*  Rom.  x.  [10.]  2  1  Pet.  iii.  [15.] 

3  Joan.  iv.  [23,  24.] 


ANSWER  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  385 

outward  and  bodily  fact  may  well  induce  us  to  say  or  think 
any  man  an  idolatrer. 

The  eternal  God  requireth  at  our  hands,  that  His  name 
be  glorified  both  in  our  spirit  and  in  our  body,  because 
that  both  be  His.  And  if  the  commandment  did  not  extend 
so  far,  yet  reason  doth  convince  no  less.  For  inasmuch  as 
our  bodies  also  be  redeemed  with  the  precious  bloodshed  of 
Christ,  what  a  shame  is  it  to  have  them  subject  still  unto 
the  Devil's  service  ?  our  souls  to  be  God's,  our  bodies  to  be 
the  Devil's  ?  Whereas  our  bodies  ought  to  be  the  temples 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  what  absurdity  is  this,  to  defile  them 
with  sacrilege?  Whereas  our  bodies  are  fore-appointed  to 
immortality,  and  partaking  of  the  glory  of  God,  what  wick 
edness  is  this,  to  attaint  them  with  Idolatry  ?  Paul,  when 
he  doth  inveigh  against  fornication,  useth  this  argument : 
AVhereas  our  bodies  are  "  the  members  of  Christ,"  is  it  meet 
to  "  make  them  the  members  of  an  harlot4  ?"  And  on  like 
sort  I  may  answer  you  :  Whereas  our  bodies  be  the  members 
of  Christ,  shall  we  cut  them  off  from  this  body  of  His  ?  shall 
we  prophanate  them  with  unlawful  worshipping?  God,  when 
He  would  express  the  peculiar  note  of  His  faithful  servants, 
saith  of  them,  that  they  bowed  not  the  knee  to  Baal,  nor 
with  their  mouth  kissed  him5.  He  might  as  well  have  said, 
that  they  were  not  polluted  with  superstition  ;  they  did  not 
accompt  Baal  for  a  god.  But  to  intimate  unto  us,  that  the 
inward  affect  in  this  case  sufficeth  not,  He  expresseth  by 
name  the  outward  gesture  as  altogether  impious.  Wherefore, 
howsoever  we  flatter  ourselves  with  an  hidden  opinion,  (so 
secret  that  ourselves  feel  it  not ;)  yet  the  evident  and  apparent 
work  of  capping  and  knocking,  bowing  and  kneeling,  may 
disprove  our  heart  to  be  well  affected ;  and  we  by  outward 
adoration  try  and  discern  a  mere  idolatrer.  When  God  by 
His  Prophet  would  describe  His  magnificence  and  honour  due 
to  Him,  He  said6 :  Vivo  Ego,  Mild  flectetur  omne  genu,  et 
omnis  lingua  jurabit  Mihi :  "  I  live,  saith  the  Lord,  every 
knee  shall  bow  to  Me,  and  every  tongue  shall  swear  to  Me." 
Thus  the  Holy  Ghost  by  bowing  of  the  knee,  by  profession 
of  the  mouth,  describeth  true  worshipping.  But  you,  M. 

•*  1  Cor.  vi.  [16.] 

5  1  Reg.  x.  [1  Kings,  xix.  18.]    Rom.  xi.  [4.] 

«  Esay  xlv.  [23.] 

25 

[CALFIIILL.  1 


386  THE   TENTH  ARTICLE. 

Martiall,  will  have  neither  good  nor  bad  worshipping  to  be 
judged  by  gesture. 

A  proper  shift  ye  have,  when  ye  adore  an  Image  and 
creep  to  the  Cross,  saying,  you  know  that  to  be  but  a 
piece  of  metal ;  you  make  not  your  prayers  to  that,  but  unto 
God  alone,  whom  in  spirit  you  worship,  though  your  face 
peradventure  be  turned  to  the  Image.  The  self-same  pretext 
had  the  Corinthians.  For  they  resorted  to  the  feasts  of  Idols, 
not  of  superstition :  they  were  too  well  instructed.  And 
Paul  in  their  person  bringeth  forth  an  excuse  for  them :  Sci- 
mus  quod  Idolum  nihil  est :  "  We  know  that  an  Idol  is. 
nothing1:"  we  know  that  one  God,  one  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ,  is  to  be  honoured  and  served  of  us.  But  did 
this  satisfy  S.  Paul  ?  Nay.  But  he  affirmed  rather,  that 
their  inward  persuasion  and  pretended  excuse  was  nothing ; 
inasmuch  as  their  example  moved  the  weak  to  commit  Idol 
atry.  "  For  if  any  man,"  saith  the  Apostle,  "  see  thee,  which 
hast  knowledge,  sit  at  table  in  the  Idols'  temple,  shall  not  the 
conscience  of  him  that  is  weak  be  boldened  to  eat  those 
things  which  are  sacrificed  to  Idols  ?"  And  on  h'ke  sort  you 
affirm,  that  an  Image  or  a  Cross  is  nothing.  But  when  ye 
give  the  outward  reverence,  when  ye  adore  it,  will  not  the 
simple  deem  great  virtue  in  it?  shall  not  your  knowledge, 
(whatsoever  it  is,)  be  occasion  of  your  brother's  fall,  for  whom 
Christ  died?  Wherefore,  sith  adoration  is  so  offensive,  better 
it  were  never  to  see  Image  while  the  world  standeth,  that  our 
brother  be  not  offended.  And  this  is  S.  Paul's  reason,  and 
not  mine. 

As  for  yomi*  subtile  and  profound  argument,  drawn  out 
of  the  bowels  of  your  professed  law ;  whereby  ye  make  a 
wondrous  demonstration,  that  there  can  be  no  due  proof  of 
Idolatry,  inasmuch  as  "Confession"  thereof  is  nothing  credible  ; 
"  Probation"  cannot  be  made  but  by  external  signs,  and 
they  do  only  enforce  a  presumption;  and  as  for  "  Evidence  of 
the  fact,"  it  cannot  fall  into  affects  of  the  mind,  where  the 
abomination  of  Idolatry  lieth ;  I  answer,  that  although  we  be 
very  ingenious  to  find  out  excuses  for  our  own  offences,  yet 
the  evidence  of  the  outward  fact  maketh  sufficient  probation 
of  Idolatry,  and  is  too  good  a  witness  of  misdemeaning  mind. 
For  if  the  heart  conceived  not,  the  body  would  not  do  :  and 
i  1  Cor.  viii.  [4—10.] 


ANSWER  TO   THE   TREATISE   OF   THE   CROSS.  387 

if  the  body  called  the  heart  unto  accompt,  I  am  sure  that  at 
least  in  the  Court  of  Chancery,  where  conscience  is  examined, 
the  heart  should  be  first  condemned  of  misgovernment.  When 
Ezechias  destroyed  the  brazen  Serpent,  the  Jews  lacked  such 
an  advocate  as  you,  that  might  have  called  the  King  into  the 
law,  and  tried  the  case  of  injustice  against  him,  because  he 
was  not  able  to  make  proof  of  any  crime.  For  they  would 
not  confess  their  Idolatry :  and  their  kneeling  to  the  Image 
made,  (as  you  say,)  but  only  a  presumption  :  and  no  evidence 
could  be  fet  from  the  outward  fact,  because  ye  suppose  there 
is  no  Idolatry  but  secret  in  the  heart.  But  flatter  yourselves, 
(as  you  best  can,)  with  your  lurking  affect  and  privy  devotion ; 
your  apparent  impiety  shall  not  only  to  God-ward,  but  to  the 
world  condemn  you.  If  Daniel's  companions  had  feed  such 
a  counsellor,  such  a  lawyer  as  you,  they  would  not  have  thrown 
themselves  into  such  extremity;  whereas  they  could  not  have 
been  convinced  of  Idolatry  for  all  their  kneeling  before  the 
Idol,  if  in  heart  they  retained  the  honour  and  service  of  the 
living  God.  But  they  would  not  have  their  bodies  defiled 
with  wicked  worshippings,  nor  of  one  temple  make  two  Lords ; 
the  soul  to  be  God's,  the  body  to  be  Satan's.  S.  Paul  of 
the  outward  conversation  condemned  the  Corinthians  as  idol- 
atrers,  1  Cor.  viii.  S.  Peter  also2,  (as  is  before  rehearsed,)  laid 
to  his  hearers'  charge,  that  they  were  worse  than  the  Egypt 
ians,  because  of  the  external  signs.  God,  when  He  setteth  forth 
the  true  service  of  Himself,  maketh  often  mention  of  the  out 
ward  reverence.  Therefore,  (as  you  call  it,)  so  is  it  indeed 
"a  poor  judgment"  of  yours,  that  because  God  is  worshipped 
in  spirit  and  in  truth,  therefore  men,  falling  before  a  piece 
of  wood,  knocking  the  breast,  and  holding  up  the  hands,  may 
not  in  any  wise  be  thought  idolatrers.  Enrich,  (I  beseech 
you,)  this  poor  judgment  of  yours  with  better  reason,  or  hold 
your  tongue  for  shame. 

As  touching  your  wisdom  and  deep  discretion,  wherein  FOHO  132. 
ye  will  not  be  so  abased  "  to  be  more  brutish  than  beasts, 
more  simple  than  birds,  more  foolish  than  daws ;  but  that  ye 
know  a  dead  Image  from  a  live  man,  a  still  Picture  from  a 
quick  creature ;"  I  say,  that  Scripture  sheweth  precedents  of 
the  contrary  in  as  wise  men  as  you  arc :  and  as  for  your 
own  part,  experience  doth  teach  us  otherwise.  The  juggling 
2  [The  Pseudo-Clement :  p.  369.] 

25 — 2 


388  THE   TENTH  ARTICLE. 

of  Papists  with  Roods  and  Images  hath  sought  by  all  means 
to  plant  an  opinion  of  holiness  and  divinity  to  rest  in  dead 
things.  And  howsoever  you  believe  of  them,  yet  damnable 
is  the  service  that  you  command  unto  them ;  and  the  more 
ye  know  the  vile  condition  and  estate  of  them,  the  more  just 
and  terrible  is  your  condemnation,  in  exacting  a  worship  and 
adoration  of  them.  Therefore  I  say  with  Paul1  :  "Because 
ye  know  God,  and  glorify  Him  not  as  God,  neither  are  thank 
ful  ;  but  become  vain  in  your  imaginations,  and  your  foolish 
heart  is  full  of  darkness ;  when  ye  profess  yourselves  to  be 
wise,  ye  be  very  fools." 

11  And  thus  have  I  answered  your  ten  articles ;  using  moe 
words  in  disproof  of  them  than  the  cause  requireth,  or  any 
man  of  indifferency  would  look  for  at  my  hands.  Only  I 
would  not  be  said  to  conceal  any  piece  of  proof  that  you 
bring  for  maintenance  of  your  error.  Wherefore  I  have 
turned  over  leaf  by  leaf,  as  in  the  margent  every  where  ap- 
peareth  ;  perused  each  line  and  word  that  had  any  reason  in 
it ;  annexing  a  sufficient  and  the  same  abundant  confutation 
of  it.  Your  Conclusion  indeed  I  deal  not  withal :  for  it  con- 
taineth  more  than  was  in  the  Premisses ;  more  than  you  be 
able  or  go  about  to  prove.  It  is  but  an  heap  of  lies  and 
slanders,  which,  impudently  spoken,  may  be  best  answered 
with  silence.  Nor  any  news  it  is,  the  professors  of  the  truth 
to  be  depraved  of  you.  Paul  was  blasphemed  as  a  teacher 
of  heresy2,  as  whose  Religion  should  be  new  and  strange. 
Constantine  was  accused  as  an  innovator  and  perverter  of 
God's  order3,  because  he  furthered  and  followed  Christianity. 
The  faithful  Fathers  wanted  not  their  Cross :  they  were  always 
reviled  with  most  words  of  reproach,  and  deemed  of  the 
world  the  vilest  persons  of  the  earth.  But  as  they  did  not 
contend  in  scolding,  but  stood  most  stiff  in  heresy -reproving4 ; 
so  sufficcth  me  to  have  detected  your  folly,  and  disproved 
your  untruths,  that  the  simple  at  leastwise  be  not  abused  by 
you.  The  cause  itself  standeth  too  fast  to  be  battered  with 
such  feeble  assault  of  yours.  -The  honesty  of  men,  whom  you 
would  seem  to  touch,  is  not  to  be  impaired  with  the  running 

1  Rom.  i.  [21,  22.] 

2  Act.  xviii.  [xxiv.  14.  xvii.  20.  xviii.  13.] 

3  Sozomenus,  Li.  i.  Cap.  xviii.  [p.  558.  ed.  Lat.] 

4  Theodor.  Li.  iii.  Cap.  v.  [p.  471.  Eccl.  Hist.  Auctt.  Basil.  1549.] 


ANSWEU  TO  THE  TREATISE  OF  THE  CROSS.  389 

over  of  a  railing  mouth.     If  ye  gather  hereafter  any  sounder 

skill,  and  riper  discretion  do  come  unto  you,  ye  will  correct 

your  former  follies,  and  thank  me  for  the  ministering  occasion 

of  amendment.     But  if  God  hath  utterly  resigned  you  to 

yourself ;  and  wilfulness,  reigning  in  your  witless  head,  breed  a 

confidence  to  put  still  your  more  shame  in  print ;  myself 

will  contemn  so  lewd  an  adversary,  and  give  place 

to  other,  that,  with  more  freedom  of  speech, 

and  less  derogation  unto  their  persons, 

may  answer  you  according  to 

your  shameless 

deserts. 

FINIS. 


Quse  meliora  tuis  placitis  hoc  temporc  noram, 
Impartire  tibi  visum  cst :  hiis  utcre  mecum5. 


5  [  ..."  Si  quid  novisti  rcctius  istis, 

Candidus  imperti :  si  non,  his  utcrc  mecum." 

(Horat.  Ep.  \.  vi.  67—8.) 

"  Sin  habes  aliquid  in  hoc  argumcnto  mclius,  sequere  quod  melius 
cst :  sed  interim  huic  nostrse  promptse  voluntati  saltern  hoc  prscmii 
repende,  ut  quod  habes  melius,  velis  nobis  esse  commune." 

(Erasmi  Modus  orandi,  ad  fin.  sig.  u  2.  Basil.  1551.)] 


MORTIS   ET    CRUCIS    COLLATIO. 


Qui  cupis  ad  Vitam  renovari  Morte  futuram, 

Mortem  Christ!  ammo  fac  meditere  tuo. 
Mors  ea  Vita  fuit ;  Vitamque  fidelibus  omnem 

Prsestitit  in  sola  mortuus  Ille  Cruce. 
Non  tamen  ipsa  licet  Cruce  Mors  inflicta  ministra, 

Mortis  erit  celebri  dira  ministra  loco. 
Mors  peperit  victa  solidos  de  Morte  triumphos : 

Crux  valet  ad  Vitam  materiata  nihil. 
Mors  affert  animis  onerum  solatia  pressis : 

Crux  dare  lenimen  lignea  nulla  potest. 
Stigmata  Mortis  habent  animi  defixa  fideles  : 

Stigmata  formats  sunt  malefida  Crucis. 
Mors  in  honore  piis  aeterno  tempore  stabit: 

Effigiata  piis  Crux  abolenda  venit. 
Mortis  ut  obrepat  mala  non  oblivio  nobis, 

Corporeae  remanet  mystica  Coena  dapis. 
Hsec  data  firmandis  quasi  tessera  mentibus  olim ; 

Solaque,  perpetuo  quse  peragatur,  erit. 
Non  sic  Ille  Crucem  Christus  praeceptor  habendam 

Instituit :  valeat  Crux,  ubi  Ccena  valet. 
Sin  Crucis  ante  oculos  monumentum  velle  videmur, 

Subdita  sunt  Christi  vivida  membra  Cruci. 
Vivida  si  nequeant  animos  percellere  nostros, 

Incutiantne  magis  mortua  signa  fidem? 
Perfida  visibili  gens  est  contenta  figura ; 

Dum  res  interea  significata  perit. 
Sic  quos  debuerat  verum  vox  viva  docere, 

Fusilis  errorem  semper  Imago  docet. 
Quos  Deus,  in  sacra?  demissus  viscera  mentis, 

Non  facit  officii  sic  meminisse  sui, 
Yana  creature  facies,  subjecta  protervis 

Luminibus,  memores  scilicet  efficiat. 
Nee  tamen  hie  scelerum  finis :    sceleratior  inde 

Cultus  ab  affectu  deteriore  venit. 


MORTIS  ET  CRUCIS  COLLATIO.  391 

Namque  velut  Divi,  lapides  et  ligna  coluntur, 
Artificis  postquam  forma  fit  arte  Crucis. 

Sin  ea  forma  magis  pretioso  obducta  metallo, 
Protinus  Idolum  Crux  facit  una  duplex. 

Ergo  Crucifixus  nobis  in  honore  locetur ; 
Cruxque  sit  a  nobis  matcriata  procul. 


THE    SAME    IX    ENGLISH. 

WHO  dost  desire  to  Life  to  come  by  Death  to  be  restor'd, 
Record  alway  in  mindful  heart  the  Death  of  Christ  thy  Lord. 
This  Death  gave  Life ;  and  He  that  died  did  on  His  Cross  alone 
Bring  everlasting  Life  to  those  that  Him  believe  upon. 
But  though  by  mean  of  that  His  Cross  this  Death  was  brought 

to  pass, 

Yet  ought  not  Cross,  instead  thereof,  to  hold  the  sacred  place. 
A  perfect  triumph  over  Death  this  Death  did  once  achieve : 
But  the  material  Cross  to  Life  no  help  at  all  doth  give. 
This  Death  doth  bring  a  full  release  unto  the  grieved  mind  : 
But  in  the  framed  Cross  of  wood  no  comfort  is  to  find. 
The  marks  of  this  most  wholesome  Death  the  faithful  hearts 

do  bear : 

The  mark  of  formed  Cross,  God  wot,  is  but  untrusty  gear. 
With  godly  men  this  Death  for  aye  in  honour  shall  abide : 
Of  godly  men  the  shapen  Cross  is  to  be  laid  aside. 
Lest  this  good  Death  that  bringeth  Life  should  slip  out  of  our 

mind, 

He  of  His  sacred  body  hath  His  Supper  left  behind. 
This  as  a  pledge  to  strength  our  souls  is  pointed  to  endure ; 
And  this  alone  ordained  is  to  be  in  daily  ure. 
Our  Master  Christ  commanded  not  the  Cross  be  holden  so : 
But  where  this  Supper  is  in  place  the  Cross  may  be  let  go. 
But  of  the  Cross  some  monument  if  we  desire  to  see, 
The  lively  members  of  our  Christ  to  Cross  still  subject  be. 
If  lively  ones  want  force  enough  to  move  our  resty  mind, 
Alas,  in  lifeless  signs  what  force  of  credit  shall  we  find  ? 
The  faithful1  sort  content  themselves  with  signs  yseen  with  eye; 
Even  while  the  matter  signified  is  wholly  lost  thereby. 

i  [faithless?] 


392  MORTIS  ET  CRUCIS  COLLATIO. 

So  them,  that  should  by  lively  voice  have  learn'd  the  truth 

to  know, 

The  forged  Image  evermore  doth  into  error  throw. 
Shall  they  whom  God,  that  doth  descend  into  the  godly  breast, 
Doth  not  so  make  to  call  to  mind  the  duty  they  profest ; 
Shall  they,  forsooth,  in  heart  be  brought  to  hold  the  same 

aright 

By  fickle  form  of  creature,  subject  to  erring  sight  ? 
Yet  is  not  here  the  end  of  ills :  for  hereof  doth  ensue 
From  worse  aifect  false  worship  done  where  it  was  never  due. 
For  after  once  a  form  of  Cross  is  made  by  workman's  art, 
To  stocks  and  stones,  as  heavenly  Gods,  then  honour  they 

impart. 

But  if  with  precious  metal  it  be  garnisht  to  the  eye, 
A  double  Idol  of  one  Cross  is  honoured  by  and  by. 
Let  Him  therefore  that  died  on  Cross  devoutly  be  ador'd ; 
And  let  material  Cross  be  far  from  us  that  fear  the  Lord. 


FINIS. 


Imprinted  at  London  by  Henry 

Denham,  for  Lucas  Harrison,  dwelling  in 

<£f)urci)garlie,  at  tfje 

of  flje  Crane. 

Anno  Domini.   1565. 
Nouembris.  3. 


A   TABLE, 

BY   ORDER  OF  THE  ARTICLES,  BRIEFLY  CONTAINING 
THE  EFFECT  OF  THE   WHOLE  BOOK. 


IN  THE  EPISTLE. 

TACt 

WHAT  famous  Clerks  be  now-a-days  become  writers  .  .  .2 
What  is  to  be  thought  of  Martiall  .'  ....  .  .3 

What  arguments  he  useth 4 

How  he  traitorously  taketh  away  the  chief  part  of  the  Queen's  style  5 
How  she  for  her  clemency  is  not  gracious  to  Papists  .  .  .7 

How  foolishly  he  flatters  her -  .  .7 

The  Queen's  private  doings  no  precedent  to  all  .  .  .  .7 

Of  every  fact  not  to  judge  an  affection 7 

How  public  order  hath  taken  away  Roods  and  Images  .  .  .8 
How  Martiall  doth  lie,  in  saying  that  Crosses  are  not  suffered  in 

high-ways  .  .  •.: 8 

How  his  three  grounds  of  his  cause  be  laid  only  upon  lies  .  .  9 
How  for  the  doctrine  of  the  Cross  we  may  stand  to  judgment  of 

the  Fathers,  though  Scripture  were  not 11 

IN  THE   PREFACE. 

The  Cross  a  forged  ensign  of  Christ   .        .        .        .        .        .        .12 

Satan's  sleight  to  displace  God  and  His  word      .        .        .        .        .12 

The  Devil  is  the  ape  of  God       .        .        .        .  .        .        .12 

All  Gentility  took  precedent  of  God's  service      .        .        .        .  13 

Sacraments  of  the  Hebrews  counterfeited  by  the  Heathen         .        .13 
Minos  followed  Moses         .        .        .        .        ...        .        .        '13 

Hills  and  groves  in  imitation  of  the  tabernacle  .         .        .        .        .14 

Witches  and  sorcerers  instead  of  Prophets  and  Priests       .     •    .        .14 
The  Poets'  paradise  for  Christians'  heaven         .        .        .        .        .14 

Their  purgatory  for  hell    .        .        .        .        .        .        .  .15 

Papists  herein  the  Devil's  chief  ministers  .        .....  15 

For  Baptism  of  infants,  Baptism  of  bells    .        ...        .        .        .15 

More  solemnity  in  the  Devil's  service  than  in  Christ's       .         .        .15 
Holy  Water  devised  in  despite  of  Baptism .       .  .        .        .15 

Ordinance  of  God,  and  ordinance  of  the  Devil    .        .        .        .        .17 

Sole  life  exacted  in  the  Devil's  ministers    .        .....  18 

Adultery  with  Papists  a  light  trifle 18 

The  Devil  deputeth  Saints  intercessors 19 

As  God  made  man  image  of  Himself,  so  the  Devil  devised  Images  of 

God .20 

God's  books  burned ;  Devil's  books  advanced     ....          20 


394  A  TABU-:. 

PACK 

Macedonius  his  answer  to  Theodosius'  men  of  war  .  .  .  .22 
Images  came  from  Gentility  and  foolish  zeal  .  .  .  .  .23 
Images  cannot  be  without  abuse  .......  23 

How  prone  we  are  to  superstition 23 

How  Lactantius  affirmeth  no  Religion  to  be  where  an  Image  is        .     25 
How  Images  crept  into  the  church     .......     26 

To  have  an  Image  is  a  will-worship,  and  therefore  unlawful  .  .  26 
Proofs  that  nothing  in  God's  service  should  be  admitted  beside  the 

word  .  .  .  ,  .  . 27 

Images  teachers  of  lies 28 

How  God's  oi'der  is  broken  by  Images  .  .  .  »  :  .  .  .28 
That  Images  came  from  Gentility,  is  proved  .  .  •«  -  .  ^  .  .28 
That  in  Eusebius'  time,  three  hundred  and  twenty-five  year  after 

Christ,  no  Images  in  churches       .        .        .        .  ,        .29 

Serenus,  Bishop  of  Massilia,  brake  all  Images    .        .     ,   .  '     ;        .30 
Fruits  of  Images         .........        .        *  *        .30 

Places  of  Scripture  condemning  Images  ,  .  .  .  ,  .  31 

Papists'  devotion  like  to  Michah ,31 

Image-maintainers  like  to  Jeroboam  .  .  . ,  ,  .  .  .32 

Erasmus'  opinion  of  Images «  .  34 

Images  be  proved  not  to  teach  otherwise  than  wickedly     .        .        .35 
That  memory  is  holpen  by  the  story,  is  answered     .        .        .         .37 

That  God  can  have  no  Image  made  of  Him       ....       .        .37 

That  Christ  neither  can  nor  ought  have  an  Image  made  of  Him  .  41 
Images  not  only  forbidden  to  be  worshipped,  but  also  to  be  had  .  41 
Three  reasons  why  Christ  can  have  no  Image  made  of  Him  .  .  45 
The  folly  to  have  a  Picture  of  Christ  .  .  ,  .  •  ,  .  .  46 
How  Images  are  honoured  contrary  to  the  mind  of  Gregory  .  .  47 
A  note  how  Martiall's  allegations  for  the  Cross  are  to  be  known  in 

this  treatise    ...  .......     48 

The  Papists'  hope       .        .        ,        .        ,  .  .        .49 

Martiall  lies  in  his  preface  .         ...         .         .        ,        .        ,     •   .    50 

Comparison  between  Papists  and  true  Christians  ,  .  ,  .52 

IN  THE   FIRST  ARTICLE. 

Men  in  God's  matters  not  to  be  believed  without  the  word        .         .    56 
What  judges  ought  to  sit  in  controversies  of  Religion        .        .        .60 
How  Martiall  entreateth  of  that  which  is  not :  applying  to  the  sign 
the  virtue  proper  to  the  thing  itself       .        .        .        .        .        .    63 

Chrysostom  his  praise  of  the  Cross  answered     .        .        .       •.        .63 
Things  well  received  ill  continued      ...        .        .        .        .    65 

The  sign  of  the  Cross  an  heathenish  observance         .        .        .        .    65 

Chrysostom  mangled  by  Martiall       .  ....     68 

Martialis,  a  pretended  Disciple,  answered  .  •     .        .        .        .        .69 

Damascenus  answered       •  .      •  .        .  .  .        .70 

Cross  sign  no  weapon  to  fight  against  Satan       .        .       •:..       .        .    73' 


A  TABLE.  395 

PAGE 

Athanasius  answered  .  «  ,  .  .  .  ,  .  .  .  .73 
Necessary  notes  to  be  observed  in  reading  of  the  Fathers  .  .  .75 
Origen  answered  for  his  praise  of  the  Cross  ...  .  .77 
Cassiodore  answered  .  .  .  .  ...  .  .  .81 

Martiall's  fond  reason  for  necessity  of  a  Cross 82 

Lactantius  and  Augustin  answered     .        .        .        .        ,        .         .83 

Martiall's  comparison  examined          .......     85 

Julian's  example  opened,  whereby  he  will  prove  the  Cross  to  drive 

away  Spirits  .        .        .        .        .        .        ....        .     86 

The  like  example  of  a  Jew,  out  of  Gregoiy  .  .-.',•«  .88 
Silvester  the  second,  for  all  his  Crosses,  in  the  very  Mass-time  was 

torn  in  pieces  by  Devils  .  .  .  .  ,  .  .92 

Martiall's  allegations,  whereby  he  will  prove  mention  to  be  made  of 

his  Cross  in  Scripture ;  and  how  they  are  answered     .        .        .92 

IN  THE  SECOND  ARTICLE. 

Martiall  goeth  only  about  to  prove  a  matter  that  lie  promised  he 

would  not  speak  of .  100 

It  is  declared,  that,  although  the  Cross  were  prefigured  by  Moses  and 
the  Prophets,  yet  it  follows  not  that  we  must  needs  have  the 

sign  thereof 100 

His  allegations  for  the  prefiguring  of  the  Cross,  examined         .        .  103 

Moses'  hands  lifted  like  a  Cross  .  104 

The  letter  Thau 10G 

Constantino's  apparition  answered .110 

For  good  success  in  the  Cross- tune 112 

Julian's  visions  discussed .        .  114 

Divers  means  that  God  hath  miraculously  used  for  delivery  of  His    .  117 

How  Papists  deal  with  God's  book 121 

The  end  of  Ceremonies       .        .        .     • 122 

What  Christ  in  judgment  shall  require  of  us 124 

IN  THE  THIRD  ARTICLE. 

The  four  reasons  why  every  church  and  chapel   should  have  the 

sign  of  the  Cross,  answered 126 

Abdias  proved  fabulous       .  .        .        .  '     .        .        .        .126 

The  true  manner  of  dedication  of  churches 131 

Bartholomew's  dedication  . 132 

Philip's  dedication 134 

The  Councils  by  Martiall  alleged,  answered 135 

He  bringeth  the  bare  name  of  three  Councils,  and  nothing  else  .  137 
Three  Councils  which  are  plain  against  Images  .  .  .  .138 
The  Council  of  Constantinople,  under  Leo  Isauricus  .  .  .  138 

The  Council  of  Granata,  called  Elibertinu  m  .  .  .  .~T  .  154 
The  Council  of  Frankford  .  155 


396  A   TABLE. 

PAOB 

The  beastly  reasons  of  the    second   Council  of  Nice   confirming 

Images,  answered 156 

The  wickedness  of  Irene,  President  of  that  sixth  [seventh]  Council .  175 
The  Doctors  answered,  that  seem  to  command  the  sign  of  a  Cross  in 
churches        ...........  177 

Ambrose  in  that  case  considered 177 

How  a  cross  on  the  steeple  saveth  the  church  from  burning      .         .180 
Lactantius'  authority  answered  .        .        .  .        .        .        .180 

Eusebius  thought  it  strange  to  see  an  Image  stand  in  the  church       .  183 
Arnobius  a  great  enemy  to  Images      .        .        .        .        .         .        .184 

Augustin  answered     ...        .        .        .        .        .        .        .184 

What  is  a  mystery ' .    '    .        .         .  184 

Augustin  doth  answer  the  same  objections  which  the  Papists  make 
in  defence  of  Images      .         .         .        .  .        ...  185 

His  places  against  Images  .         .         .        .        .        .         .        .         .188 

Paulinus  of  Nola  answered  and  disproved  «    »     .        .        .        .  188 

Justinian's  laws  weighed     .........  189 

Valens  and  Theodosius  enacted  that  no  Cross  should  be  used     .         .190 
The  custom  of  Church  considered      .         .        .        .        .        .        .191 

Silvester's  lie  concerning  the  church  of  Constantinus          ,        ,        .193 
Augustin's  rule  for  custom          .         .        .         .        ,        ,        .        .194 

IN   THE   FOURTH   ARTICLE. 

A  proof  that  although  the  sign  of  the  Cross  have  been  used,  yet  doth 
it  not  follow  that  it  is  lawful  now          .        .        .         .        .        .195 

The  tale  of  Probianus  disproved         .        .         .        .        .        .        .198 

Cyprian's  authority  examined 200 

Augustin's  authority  discussed 204 

The  difference  of  rite  and  recte 206 

The  Canon  Law  condemneth  Cross-master  Martiall  ....  206 

Chrysostom  answered 206 

Constantinus'  church-hallowing       •  .        .        .        .        .        .        .  207 

Popish  church-hallowing    .  208 

Dionysius  disproved  not  to  be  Areopagita 211 

Traditions  and  ceremonies  added  to  Baptism 212 

Confirmation  proved  no  Sacrament    .        .        .        .        .        .        .215 

Papists' blasphemous  doctrine  touching  Confirmation        .        .         .216 
The  reasons  against  popish  Confirmation    .        .        .        .        ,        .  217 

How  Papists  falsify  the  Scripture       .        ..        .'       .        .        .219 

The  absurdity  of  popish  doctrine        .         ...        .        .        .  220 

The  Fathers'  opinion  touching  the  number  of  Sacraments         .        .  222 
Cyprian's  error  .         ..........  224 

The  seven-fold  grace  of  Papists 226 

Orders  proved  to  be  no  Sacrament      .        .        .  .        .        .  227 

No  due  proof  can  be  made,  that  a  Cross  with  a  finger  was  or  ought 
to  be  made  in  the  Lord's  Supper  ...        ....        .  231 

Matrimony  proved  no  Sacrament 235 


A  TABLE.  397 


Martiall's  reason  to  make  Matrimony  a  Sacrament  ....  23G 
Absurdities  in  popish  doctrine  concerning  Matrimony  .  .  .  238 
Martiall  disproved  for  his  Sacrament  of  Penance  ....  241 
Vanity  [Unity]  of  Papists  therein  .  .  '  .  .  '  ,  .  .  244 
Martiall  confuted  for  his  Sacrament  of  Extreme  Unction  .  .  .  244 
The  absurdities  in  popish  doctrine  for  Extreme  Unction  .  .  .  247 
That  all  Councils  are  not  to  be  credited  .  .  .  .  .  248 

IN  THE   FIFTH  ARTICLE. 

That  Martiall  understandeth  not  what  "  blessing"  meaneth,  which 
applieth  it  to  a  sign  in  the  forehead      .......  250 

Unlawful  authorities  brought  for  blessing 251 

Epiphanius'  authority,  which  tare  the  vail         ,  253 

What  is  to  be  thought  of  traditions 256 

Tertullian's  traditions  not  to  be  observed  .        .        .  __ .        .  257 

Ephraem  not  alway  sound  .        . , .        .  258 

Chrysostom  not  in  all  things  to  be  followed        .        .       -.        .        .258 

Hierom  sometime  to  be  reproved 259 

Augustin  not  always  to  be  admitted v    .        .  259 

Prudentius  hath  his  infirmities  . 259 

The  unity  of  Papists  and  Christians  .  .  -  .  .  .  .  .  261 
How  Martiall  doth  corrupt  Tertullian  .  .  .  .  2G4 

In  custom  what  to  be  considered  ~  266 

Traditions  three-fold 267 

Traditions,  how  they  vary .         .  270 

What  lies  Martiall  maketh  of  Athanasius  .        ...        .        .,,..;.  272 

That  Roods,  Crosses,  Images,  are  counterfeits  of  Serapis  .  .  274 
The  godliness  and  good  Religion  of  Papists 275 

IN  THE  SIXTH  ARTICLE. 

Authorities  unlawful  alleged  by  Martiall,  for  confirming  of  the 

Cross-keeping 280 

No  authority  of  men  to  be  grounded  on  in  God's  matters  .        .        .  282 

Hierom  against  reserving  pieces  of  the  Cross 283 

Chrysostom's  saying  for  enclosure  of  the  Cross  in  gold,  answered      .  284 

Chrysostom  against  such  superstition 285 

Effects  of  the  Cross  and  pieces  thereof  considered      ....  288 

IN  THE  SEVENTH   ARTICLE. 

That  Crosses  at  the  first  were  not  used  in  Litanies 294 

Montanists  and  Arrians  authors  of  Procession    .  .        .                 .  296 

Litanies  of  two  sorts,  and  when  devised -20Q 

How  Papists  degenerate  from  all  good  order      .  ...      .        .        .  207 

The  Crosses  of  Constantinople,  what  they  were  .        .        .        .  299 

How  Martiall  in  one  story  maketh  four  lies       .  .        .        .*      .801 

Concerning  the  use  of  tapers      .        .        .        .'  .                 .  -      .  301 


398  A   TABLE. 

PAGE 

There  must  be  no  tapers  on  the  Lord's  table 303 

How  Martiall  proveth  Luther  no  heretic   .        .        .        .        .        .  304 

The  affairs  of  Augustin  the  Monk  in  England   .....  305 

Papists  superstitious,  and  why    ........  310 

The  true  ensign  of  Christ 311 

For  Reliques ....  311 


IN  THE  EIGHTH  ARTICLE. 

Miracles  no  proof  of  doctrine 316 

Wrought  by  the  Devil .  .  .  317 

Three  reasons  why  miracles  make  not  for  the  Cross  ....  320 

How  Martiall  belieth  Eusebius 321 

How  the  Papists  agree  not  for  invention  of  the  Cross  .  .  .  323 
What  lies  be  made  of  pieces  of  the  Cross  .  .  ...  326 

Of  the  nails  that  Christ  was  crucified  withal  .  .  .  .  .  327 
The  answer  to  the  miracles,  that  were  affirmed  to  have  been  done  by 

the  Cross 329 

How  Papistry  breedeth  security  in  sin 330 

Miracles  past  no  proof  of  present  use 332 

That  as  well  we  may  have  the  sign  of  Idols,  as  the  sign  of  the  Cross 

for  any  miracle 333 

Whether  the  miracles  of  the  Cross  were  true  or  no,  they  can  prove 

no  lawful  use  thereof .  334 

The  similitude  of  the  cloth  of  estate 340 

For  memory  holpen  with  a  Cross  .......  342 


IN   THE  NINTH   ARTICLE. 

Vanities  alleged  for  commodities  of  the  Cross     .        .        j.        ,        .  345 

The  true  effects  of  Images .346 

The  reason  that  Images  should  not  be  unlawful  though  not  expe 
dient,  answered 346 

God's  books  commanded,  forbidden  for  policy:    man's  books  for 

policy  must  needs  be  maintained .  348 

Whether  Images  can  teach  tilings  necessary  to  salvation  .  ..  .  350 
That  Crosses  teach  no  humility,  no  virtue  .  .  .  •  .  .  351 
That  Images  speak  doubtfully,  teach  devilishly,  be  read  unlawfully  354 
That  there  can  be  no  such  ignorance,  as  should  drive  us  to  seek 

knowledge  in  an  Image       .        .        .        .        .        .        .        .  354 

The  titles  and  commendation  of  Scripture 356 

That  for  want  of  preachers  we  must  not  seek  to  Images    .        „        .  357 

What  lewd  affections  be  stirred  by  Imagery 358 

What  affections  were  stirred  in  the  Heathen  by  Images  .  .  .  358 
No  Imagery  with  preaching,  much  less  without  .  360 

How  Images  must  not  be  admitted  for  help  of  memory     .        .        .  361 


A  TABLE.  399 

PA  OF. 

How  Cyril  alloweth  no  linages  in  churches 3(52 

A  devilish  memory,  that  must  be  holpcn  with  a  Cross      .        .         .  363 

IN   THE   TENTH   ARTICLE. 

What  adoration  and  worship  is 366 

That  adoration  by  the  Scripture  is  forbidden  to  Images     .        .        .  367 

Authorities  for  adoration  of  the  Cross  falsely  alleged          .        .        .  368 

Authorities  of  the  Fathers  against  the  adoration  of  the  Cross     .         .  368 
A  strange  proof  that  no  man  may  fear  Idolatry  in  worshippers  of 

the  Cross ' 382 

The  absurd  argument  of  Martiall 383 

Two  kinds  of  Idolatry .  384 

That  bowing   and  kneeling  to    Crosses    and  Images  doth  prove 

Idolatry 385 


THE  AUTHORS  ALLEGED  AGAINST  BOTH  THE  HAVING 
AND  WORSHIPPING  OF  THE  CROSS. 

CLEMENS  Rom.  Epis. 

Irenseus. 

Clemens  Alexandrinus. 

Josephus. 

Cyprianus. 

Tertullianus. 

Origenes. 

Arnobius. 

Lactantius. 

Eusebius. 

Athanasius. 

Epiphanius. 

Ambrosius. 

Hieronymus. 

Augustinus. 

Chrysostomus. 

Cyrillus. 

Prudentius. 

Gregorius  PP. 

Alfonsus  de  Castro. 

Carolus  Magnus. 

Petrus  Crinitus. 

Erasmus. 

The  author  of  the  Turks'  History. 

COUNCILS. 

The  Council  of  Constantinople,  under  Leo  Isauricus. 
The  Council  of  Granata. 
The  Council  of  Frankford. 


INDEX. 


AARON,  23,  33,  58,  104,  335. 

Abbot  (Robert,  Bp.  of  Salisbury,)  An- 
tilogia,  6. 

Abdias,  Historia  Apostolica,  fit):  when 
this  work  was  first  published,  126: 
its  genuineness  and  contents  dis 
cussed,  126 — 135:  its  perusal  inter 
dicted,  and  afterward  allowed,  126. 

Abgarus,  fable  of  the  Picture  sent  to 
him  by  our  Saviour  ;  and  the  earliest 
writer  who  mentions  it,  41:  the  second 
NiceneCouncilreliesupon  the  fiction ; 
and  this  is  confessed  by  Gretser,  171: 
mistake  in  the  Caroline  Books  with 
regard  to  Pope  Gelasius  and  the 
Edessan  Image,  171. 

Abracadabra,  an  amulet  used  by  the 
Basilidian  heretics,  235. 

Accius  Navius,  316. 

Ado,  Breviarium  Chronicorum,  114. 

Adrian  I.  (Pope)  173. 

"  Advouterous,"  330. 

yEgeria,  14. 

yEgidius  (Joannes)  compelled  to  assent 
to  the  doctrine,  that  supreme  adora 
tion  is  to  be  offered  to  the  Cross,  381. 

/Esculapius,  20,  316,  317. 

Agapetus  I.  (Pope)  said  to  have  intro 
duced  Processions,  295,  305.  • 

Aguirre  (Cardinal  De)  Notitia  Conci- 
lior.  Ilispan.)  154. 

Ahijah,  33. 

Albertus  Magnus,  231. 

Alciatus  (Andreas)  305. 

Alcoran,  44. 

Alexander  the  Great,  his  interview  with 
Jaddus,  117- 

Alexander  I.  (Pope)  spurious  Epistle, 
alleged  for  the  use  of  Holy  Water, 
16. 

Alexander  III.  (Pope)  affirms  that 
adultery  is  but  a  trifling  offence,  18. 

Alexander  (Natalis)  42,  63,  96. 

Alfred  (King)  306. 

Allatius  (Leo)  Confulatio  fabulte  de 
Joanna  Papissa,  6. 

[CALFHILL.1 


"  All  to,"  3,  7»,  91,  92,  133,  336. 

"Almerie,"  136. 

Ambrosius  (S.)  how  his  testimony  was 
adduced  at  the  second  Nicene  Coun 
cil,  173:  a  Sermon  De  Cruce,  by  S. 
Maximus  Taurinensis,  attributed  to 
him,  177=  declares  that  to  worship 
the  material  Cross  would  be  a  hea 
thenish  error,and  vanity  of  the  wicked, 
192,  377:  not  the  author  of  the  Com 
mentary  in  Ep.  ad  Tim.,  235:  the 
books  De  Vocatione  Gentium, bearing 
his  name,  fictitious,  295:  what  he 
said  of  the  Council  of  Ariminum, 
345. 

In  Psalmos,  156. 

De  Spiritu  Sancto,  165. 

-  Epistt.,  192,  345. 

Oratiofunebrisdeobilu Thcodosii, 

192,  196,  322,  324,  327,  377- 

.  De  Sacramentis  libri  sex,  cited, 
and  their  genuineness  questioned,  202. 

Anastasius,  311. 

Anaxagoras,  99. 

And,  an',  if,  5, 1.  16 ;  245,  274. 

Andrew  (S.)  127,  128. 

Andrewes  (Bp.)  25,  65—6,  226. 

Anicetus  (Pope)  how  S.  Poly  carp  and 
he  disagreed,  without  a  breach  of 
communion,  269 — 70. 

Anno  (S.)  135. 

Anointing,  the  symbol  of  the  gift  of 
healing,  245.  Vid.  Unction  (Ex 
treme). 

Ansegisus  (Abbas)  297- 

Anthony  (S.)  his  Life,  74:  what  S. 
Jerom  doubted  respecting  the  mon 
ster  which  appeared  to  him,  252. 

Antioch,  People  of,  rescued  from  im 
minent  danger  by  a  Monk,  22. 

Antiochus,  24. 

Antoninus,  (Archiep.  Florent.)  64. 

Apelles,  263. 

Appius  Claudius,  316. 

Aquila,  107. 

Aquinas  (S.    Thomas)  his   language 

26 


402 


INDEX. 


about  faith,  85:  defends  the  ascrip 
tion  of  Latria  to  the  Cross,  381. 

Archidiaconus.    Vid.  Guido. 

Aretinus  (Leonardus)  69. 

Ariminum  (Council  of)  10,  345. 

Aristotle,  73. 

Armarium,  what  it  signifies,  136. 

Arnobius,  a  treatise  by  Minucius  Felix 
attributed  to  him,  178,  183,  295,  380. 

Adversus  Gentes,  39,  373,  374. 

Arnoldus  Carnotensis,  twelve  treatises 

by  him,  attributed  to  S.  Cyprian,  200, 
201. 

Asconius  Pedianus,  107- 

"  Assoyle,"  242. 

Athanasius  (S.)  many  works  of  Apolli- 
narius  anciently  ascribed  to  him, 
268 :  the  Index  Expurgatorius  of 
Cardinal  Zapata  condemns  a  refer 
ence  to  his  declaration  that  "God 
alone  is  to  be  adored,"  375—6:  the 
counterfeit  Quastiones  ad  Antiochum 
falsified  by  Martiall,  376. 

Oral.  cont.  Gentes,  21,  46,  375. 

QutBstiones  ad  Antiochum  spuri 
ous,  73—4,  268,  272—3,  376. 

Life  of  S.  Anthony,  74. 

Apol.  contra  Arian. ,20fJ. 

De  incarnat.  Verbi  Dei,  353. 

Cont.  Arian.  Oral,  ii.,  375. 

Augustin  (S.,  the  Monk,)  in  what  state 

he  found  the  Britons,  305 — 6:  whether 
chargeable  with  the  massacre  of  the 
Monks  of  Bangor,  306 :  what  his  de 
mands  were,  307 :  his  Litany ;  and 
how  far  Romanists  differ  from  him, 
308. 

Augustinus  (S.)  Decree  falsely  assign 
ed  to  him,  54  :  a  Homily,  attributed 
to  S.  Chrysostom,  found  among  his 
works,  63,  2/7 :  spurious  addresses 
to  Catechumens,  84  :  fictitious  Sermo 
clxxxi.  de  Tempore,  (vel  De  Sym- 
bolo,)  86,  205,  234:  counterfeit  Ser. 
xix.  de  Sanclis,  184, 204  :  Sermon  De 
Cataclysmo  far  from  being  authentic, 
and  condemned  by  the  Benedictine 
editors,  204:  rejection  of  the  Sermon 
De  visitatione  injirmorum  by  Eras 
mus,  the  Divines  of  Paris  and  Lou- 
vain,  and  by  Bellarmin,  361. 

—  Contra  Maximin.  Arian.,  10, 129. 

De  Trinitate,  27,  58. 

« Qucest.  sup.  Jos. ,  33. 


Augustinus  (S.)  De  consen.  Evangel., 
34,188,263. 

-  De  vera  Religione,  41,  3/8. 

-  De  Fide  et  Symbolo,  42. 


129,  188,  316,  319. 

-  In  Psalmos,  43,  75,  101,  156,  164, 
185—8,  250. 

-  Epistt.,  43,  58,  194,  196,213,223, 
262,  270,  333. 

-  De  Doctrina  Christ.,  57,  157,  223. 

-  Sermones  de  Tempore,  63,  67,  86, 
205,  234. 

-  Confessiones,  64,  131,  302. 
.  -  De  Pastoribus,  67- 

-  Sermones  de  Scripluris,  C7,  348. 

-  De  spiritu  et  litera,  78. 

.  De  Gen.  contra  Munich.,  102. 

-  Contra     adversaries     Legis     et 
Proph.,  102. 

-  DeQucestionibusoctoginta-tribus, 
157. 

-  Liber  de  Hceresibus,  188. 

-  DeBapt.  contra  Donat.,  191,215. 

-  In  S.  Joannem,  204,  206,  259. 

-  De  verbis  Apostoli,  205. 

-  De  Peccat.  mer.  <Sf  remiss.,  213, 
259. 

-  Cont.  liter.  Petil.,  215. 

-  De  catech.  rudibus,  224. 

-  Serm.  de  Bap.  Infan.,  244. 

-  Contra  Gaudent.,  281. 

-  Contra  Faustum,  319. 
Augustinus  (Antonius)  137- 
Aurelianus  Remensis,  69. 

Bagster  (Samuel)  error  in  his  Polyglott 
Bible,  91. 

Baillet(Adrien)  Jugemens  des  Savans, 
200. 

Bale  (Bp.)  his  statement  as  to  the 
giving  of  names  to  Bells,  15. 

Baluzius  (Stephanus)  16,  154. 

Baptism,  how  sins  are  remitted  therein, 
15  —  16;  ceremonies  added  to  it,  212 
—  14  :  grace  received  through  it,  217  : 
Romanists  take  away  half  its  effect, 
216  —  17  ;  and  blasphemously  teach 
that  Confirmation  is  a  greater  Sa 
crament,  221—2. 

-  of  Bells,  15,  16,  17. 
Barlow  (William)  199. 

Baronius  (Cardinal)  9,  41:  rejects  an 
Epistle  of  S.  Epiphanius,  42:  his 


INDEX. 


403 


description  of  the  Opus  imperfectum 
ascribed  to  S.  Chrysostom,  95 — 0:  his 
account  of  Joannes  Moschus,  and  the 
Limonarium,  174:  exhibits  the  figure 
of  the  amulet  Abracadabra,  285: 
considers  the  name  "  Papists"  to  be 
a  sublime  title  of  glory,  290:  alleges 
a  falsified  translation  of  the  Chronicle 
of  Eusebius,  321—2:  referred  to  re- 
specting  the  Scripta  de  inventione 
A".  Crucis  Dominicte,  condemned  by 
the  Gelasian  Decree,  324. 

Martyrologium,  66,  89,  290,  324. 

Barthius  (Caspar)  his  conjecture  about 

the  Epistles  and  Life  of  Martial,  Bp. 
of  Limoges,  69. 

Bartholinus  (Thomas)  De  Cruce  Hy- 
pomnemata,  181,  287- 

De  Morbis  Biblicis,  258. 

Bartholomew  (S.)  tales  concerning  him 

told  by  Abdias,  132—3:  the  place 
and  manner  of  his  death,  133. 

Basilius  (S.)  Concio  ad  Adolesc.,  59. 

De  Spiritu  Sancto :  first  edition 

of  Erasmus's  Latin  version  ;  and  his 
judgment  concerning  the  work,  266: 
cited,  270. 

Baxter  (Richard)  42. 

"  Beadsman,"  6. 

Beard  (Thomas)  his  words  with  regard 
to  the  transient  sign,  and  permanent 
erection,  of  the  Cross,  197 — 8. , 

Beaven  (James)  269. 

Beam  (Thomas)  10,  19,  52, 175,  190. 

Beda  (Ven.)  De  Temporum  ratione, 
66;  Homilice  S.  Chrysostomi  apud 
eum,  77:  his  testimony  exonerative 
of  S.  Augustin  the  Monk  from  the 
guilt  of  murder,  306:  Sermo  de  in 
ventione  sanctcB  Crucis,  323. 

Bellarmin  (Cardinal)  denies  that  Bells 
are  baptized,  15, 16 :  quotes  a  spurious 
Epistle  of  Pope  Alexander  I.,  16: 
rejects  an  Epistle  of  S.  Epiphanius, 
42:  adduces  from  S.  Chrysostom  a 
Homily  which  he  confesses  not  to  be 
authentic,  63 — 4  :  acknowledges  that 
S.  Chrysostom  has  sometimes  spoken 
hyperbolically,  64:  cites  the  fictitious 
Epistles  of  Martial,  Bp.  of  Limoges, 
JO:  condemns,  and  yet  relies  on,  the 
Qucestiones  ad  Anliochum,  falsely  as 
cribed  to  S.  Athanasius,  74 :  referred 
to,  85,  95,  196,  258,  268,  290:  his 


opinion  as  to  the  author  of  the  Opus 
imperfectum,  96 :  statement  respect 
ing  the  eighty-second  Canon  of  the 
Quinisext  Council,  137:  dishonesty 
with  regard  to  a  Poem  assigned  to 
Lactantius,  1 81 :  unsatisfactory  ac 
count  of  the  writings  of  the  Pseudo- 
Dionysius  the  Areopagite,  211:  his 
timidity  in  speaking  of  the  counterfeit 
Epistles  of  the  early  Popes,  222:  mis 
representation  as  to  the  memorable 
Instruct™  Armeniorum,  248:  he  a- 
dopts  a  gl  aring  corruption  of  a  passage 
in  Eusebius,  De  vita  Constantini, 
2/8:  alleges  a  falsified  version  of  the 
CAr»wicfeofEusebius,321 — 2:  stamps 
as  ambiguous  a  feigned  Epistle  bear 
ing  the  name  of  Pope  Eusebius,  323 
— 4:  his  words  with  regard  to  the 
Sermon  De  viailatione  injirmorwn, 
untruly  assigned  to  S.  Augustin,  361: 
defends  the  ascription  of  Latria  to 
the  material  Cross,  381. 

Bells,  Baptism  of,  15,  16,  17. 

duties  of,  15. 

Benedictus  Levita,  297. 

Bergomensis    (Jac.    Phil.)    Vid.   Fo 
res  tus. 

Bemardus(S.)  113. 

Bertha,  306. 

Betuleius  (Xystus)  13. 

Beverege(Bp-)  137. 

Bible,  mistake  in  Bagster's  Polyglott, 
91. 

Annotations  upon  the  Douay,  10?. 

Bingham  (Joseph)  Antiquities,  29, 285, 
297. 

Binius  (Severinus)   Concilia,  54,  66, 
136, 137,  193,  255,  297,  323,  3->4. 

"  Birthdays"  of  Martyrs,  the  days  of 
their  martyrdom,  257. 

"  Bless,"    to,    misapplication    of  the 

word,  231—33,  250. 
Blondellus  (David)  69, 126,  222,  322. 
Bochart  (Matthieu)  66. 
Bolmann(Theod.)321. 
Bona(  Cardinal)  202. 
Boys  (John)  5,  25,  78. 
Bramhall(Primate)SeeFlorencc(  Coun 
cil  of). 

Brevint  (Daniel)  19. 
Bridoul  (Toussain)  86. 
Broughton  (Richard)  306. 
Brunus  (Conradus)  9/. 

20 — y 


404 


INDEX. 


Bucchingerus  ( Michael)  77- 

Bull  (Bp.)  85. 

Burton  (Ed ward)  343. 

Butler  (Alban)  Lives  of  the  Saints,  C, 

305. 
Butler  (Charles)  Book  of  B.  C.  Church, 

5—6. 

Csesarius  Arelatensis  (S.)  a  Homily, 
De  Paschate,  attributed  both  to  him 
and  to  Eusebius  Emisenus,  193 — 4. 

Cajetanus( Thomas  deVio,  Cardinalis) 
381. 

Calvinus  (Joannes)  De  Reliquiis,  324, 
328. 

Camerarius  ( Joachimus)  22,  322. 

Care  (Henry)  52. 

Cario  (Joannes)  78. 

Carleton  (Bp.)  237- 

Caroli  Magni  et  Ludov.  Pii  Capitula, 
297. 

Carolus  Magnus.    Vid.  Charlemagne. 

Carranza  (Bartholomaeus)  his  Summa 
Conciliorum  vitiated,  91  :  possibly 
misunderstood  by  Calfhill  respecting 
the  Synod  of  Elvira,  154. 

Cartwright  (Thomas)  236. 

Casalius  (Joannes  Baptista)  65. 

Casaubonus  (Isaacus)  107,  255. 

Cassander  (  Georg. )  referred  to  concern 
ing  a  Cross  and  a  Crucifix,  362. 

Cassian(S.)30. 

Cassiodorus  (Mag.  Aur.)  Historia  Tri- 
partita,  65,  87,  114, 198. 

Comment,  in  Psal.,  81, 102. 

Castalio  (Sebastianus)  95. 

Castro  ( Alphonsus  a)  reproves  S.  Epi- 
phanius,  42  :  what  he  states  concern 
ing  Claudius,  Bp.  of  Turin,  379. 

"  Casure,"  298. 

Cave  (Guilielmus)  41,  42,  48,  133,306. 

Cecilius  (Lucius)  105. 

Centuriatores  Magdeburgenses,  their 
statement  with  respect  to  the  first 
naming  of  Bells,  15  :  quoted  about 
Origen,  78  :  they  appear  to  have 
misled  Calfhill  concerning  the  origin 
of  Processions,  296. 

Ceremonies,  why  imposed  upon  the 
Jews,  122. 

Challoner(Bp.)290. 

Chamierus  (Daniel)  74,  287. 

Charlemagne  (Emperor)  forbad  that 
Bells  should  be  baptized,  16 :  what 


he  called  the  second  Council  of  Nicaea, 
155  :  his  account  of  the  true  ensign 
of  Christ,  311  :  his  description  of  an 
unhappy  memory,  363:  his  books 
De  Imaginibus  again  referred  to, 
379. 

Charlemagne  (Emperor)  Caroline 
Books,  when  composed,  42:  inter 
dicted  by  the  Index  Tridentinus, 
155 :  where  their  history  and  subject 
are  discussed ,  1 55 :  their  contents  given 
at  considerable  length,  156 — 175. 

Charles  V.  (Emperor)  buried  in  a 
Friar's  cowl,  287- 

Chaucer  (Geof.)  52,  288. 

Chrysostomus  (S.  Joannes)  speaks  of 
the  Monk  Macedonius,  22  :  spuri 
ous  treatises  ascribed  to,  respecting 
the  Cross,  63 :  fictitious  Homily  Ad 
pop.  Ant.  adduced  as  if  from,  63 — 4  : 
various  references  to,  64  :  uses  hyper 
bolical  language,  64,  77  :  Opus  im- 
perfectum  attributed  to,  77,  95 — 6, 
111,  285  :  uncertain  treatise  Deoran- 
do  ad  Deum,  104:  counterfeit  Homily 
on  Exod.  xvii.,  104:  dubious  Ho 
mily,  Unum  et  eundem  esse  Legisla- 
torem  utriusque  Testamenti,  vainly 
alleged  at  the  second  Nicene  Council, 
173. 

Demonstratio  ad  Gentiles,  63,  65, 

277,  284. 

In  Genesin,  55,  250. 

Sermo  de  Pcenitentia,  64. 

De  Cruce  et  Latrone,  63,  277. 

Horn,  in  S.  Matth.,  76,  95,  258, 

259,  285. 

De  laudilus  S.  Pauli,  77. 

In  Ep.  ad  Hebr.,  130. 

In  Epist.  ad  Cor.,  184,  204,  232, 

285. 

Horn,  in  Ep.  ad  Coloss.,  258. 

De  Lazaro  Condones,  258. 

Ad  pop.  Antioch.  Horn.,  285. 

In  S.  Joan.,  353,  378. 

Cicero,  14,  25. 

Clagett  (William)  86,  246. 
Claudius  Taurinensis,  379. 
Clemens  Alex.  Strom.,  13. 

Oral,  ad  Gentes,  370. 

Clemens  Rom.  (S.)  not  the  author  of 

the  Recognitions,  20 — 21 ;  which  are 
mentioned  with  reference  to  the  ma 
terial  Cross,  252 ;  retorted  against 


INDEX. 


405 


Romanists,  31)8—  70;    and   wrongly 
quoted  in  S.  Peter's  name,  380,  3i57. 
Clement  VIII.  (Pope)  Index  lib.  pro- 
hib.,  95, 126. 

Pontificate,  381. 

Clericus  (Joannes)  10,  20. 

Coccius  (Jodocus)  Thesaurus  Catko- 
licm,  70,  77,  81,  177,  231,  258. 

Cocus  (Robertas)  Censura  quorundam 
scriptorum,  69,  89,  126,  137,  200, 
248,  361. 

"  Collectam  facere,"  "to  perform  the 
Collect,"  or  celebrate  the  holy  Com 
munion,  253. 

Collier  (Jeremy)  53. 

Collin  (Nicolas) adduces  a  false  Epistle 
of  Pope  Alexander  I.  in  defence  of 
Holy  Water,  16. 

Collyridians,  377. 

Combefis  (Franciscus)  372. 

Comber  (Thomas)  89,  137,  287,  322. 

Confirmation,  215—227. 

Conradus  a  Lichtenau,  Abbas  Ursper- 
gensis,  Chronicum,  87. 

Constantine  (Emperor)  said  to  have 
called  the  Bishop  of  Rome  a  God,  5 : 
sign  from  heaven  shown  to  him,  and 
his  consequent  respect  for  the  Cross, 
110 — 12  ;  which,  however,  he  did  not 
introduce  into  churches,  2/8  :  glaring 
corruption  of  a  passage  in  a  Latin 
version  of  Eusebius,  De  vita  Con. 
stantini,  278. 

Constantinople,  Quinisext  Council  held   j 
at,  anno  6!(2,  an  account  of  its  De-    | 
crees ;    and  what   its  eighty-second 
Canon  permitted,  137. 

Council  of,   an.  75-1,  anathema 
tized  Damascen,  71 :  its  Acts  where 
to  be  found,  138  :  long  and  important 
extracts  from  them,  138 — 154. 

Constantinus  Copronymus.what  Coun-   I 
cil  he  summoned,  and  when,  46,  138 : 
how  his  remains  were  treated  by  the 
Empress  Irene,  175 — 6. 

(Jonzalez  ( Franciscus  Antonius)  Collec-   \ 
tio  CanonumEcclesiee  Hispante,  154, 
302. 

Comarius  (Janus)  42,  121,  251,  329, 
377. 

Cosin  (Bp.)  19,226,248. 

Crabbe  (Petrus)  his  reading  in  a  re 
markable  Canon  of  the  second  Synod 
of  Tours  altered,  136. 


Crakanthorp( Richard)  64,  96, 137, 174, 
258,  290. 

"  Craketh,"  351. 

"Crambe",320. 

Cranmer  (Abp.)  47. 

Crashawe  (William)  Sermon  at  the 
Crosse,  15. 

"  Cresset",  298. 

Crinitus  (Petrus)  his  work  De  honesta 
Disciplina  expurgated,  190. 

Croix  (Pierre  de)  85,  95. 

Cross,  sign  of  the,  not  mentioned  in 
Scripture  as  part  of  the  Christian's 
armour,  73 :  what  that  Cross  is,  which 
is  the  refuge  of  the  faithful,  82  :  verses 
in  Isaiah  and  Jeremiah  explained, 
92 — 4  :  what  is  to  be  "  the  sign  of  the 
Son  of  man  in  heaven,"  95 — 6  :  seal 
ing  of  the  servants  of  God,  97 — 8: 
lifting  up  of  the  hands  of  Moses,  104 
—6;  the  letter  Thau,  106—9:  token  of 
victory  shown  to  Constantine,  110 — 
12  :  transient  sign  of  the  Cross  usual 
among  Christians  in  ancient  times, 
195,  seqq. :  judgment  of  the  Church 
of  England  relative  to  this  sign,  199  : 
the  word"  blessing"  wrongly  applied, 
231—33,  250. 

material,    Justinian's   mandate 

with  regard   to  its  occasional  erec 
tion,  135—6,    189,    304—5  :  S.  Je- 
rom  compares  the  reservation  of  frag 
ments  of  it  to  the  use  of  Pharisai 
cal  phylacteries,  283 — 4  :  what  kind 
of  Crosses  S.  Chrysostom  introduced 
at  Constantinople,  298—301  :  Inven 
tion  of  the  Cross  by  Helena,  287: 
Eusebius  does  not  mention  it,  but  his 
Chronicle  has  been  falsified  respect 
ing  it,  321 — 2 :  witnesses  agree  not 
in  their  statements  concerning  it,  322 
— 5  :  how  many  times  the  Cross  was 
discovered,  according  to  the  Golden 
Legend,  321 :  fragments  of  the  Cross, 
325—27:  the  nails,  327—8:  autho 
rities  against  the  adoration  of  it,  368 
—79  :   the   Belgic   Index  condemns 
the  assertion,  that  it  is  manifest  Ido 
latry  to  adore  the  Cross,  376  :  proof 
that  Latria,  or  the  highest  degree  of 
worship,  is  offered  to  it  by  Romanists, 
381 See  the  "  Table." 

"Cross-bitten",  1. 


406 


INDEX. 


Crucifix  (A)  to  be  regarded  very  dif 
ferently  from  a  Cross,  185,  362. 

Cunner ;  Cunerus  Petri  de  Browers- 
haven,  88. 

Cuperus  (Gisbertus)  105. 

Curtius  (Cornelius)  De  Clavis  Domi- 
nicis  liber,  328. 

Cusanus  (Cardinal)  174. 

Cuspinianus  (Joannes)  45. 

Cyprianus  (Ern.  Sal.)  128. 

Cyprianus  (S.)  Ad  Ctecil.frat.  Epist., 
27. 

twelve  treatises,  by  Arnoldus  Car- 

notensis,  ascribed  to  him,  200,  201. 

Ep.  ad  Magnum,  203. 

Epist.  Ixx.,  213,  225. 

fictitious    Epistola  ad    Novatia- 

num  hcereticum,  227. 

Epist.  Ixxiv.,  233. 

De  lapsis,  270. 

De  Idolorum  vanitate,  317 — 18. 

Ad  Demetrianum,  371 — 2. 

Cyrillus  Alexand.  (S.)  in  what  manner 

alleged  at  the  second  Council  of  Nicaca, 
173 :  Contra  Juliaimm,  3d  :  allows 
not  Images  in  churches,  362 :  The 
saurus,  378. 
Cyrillus  Hierbsol.  (S.)  95, 103,  326. 

Dallz-eus  (Joannes)  96,  105,  202,  211, 
246,  248,  278  :  his  error  as  to  a  Latin 
version  of  the  Acts  of  the  second 
Council  of  Niceea,  138. 

Damascenus  (S.  Joannes)  22:  his  re 
mark  respecting  the  testimony  of  S. 
Epiphanius,  42  :  compares  the  sign 
of  the  Cross  to  Circumcision,  70 : 
anathematized  by  the  Council  of  Con 
stantinople,  an.  754,  71 :  affirms  that 
the  tree  of  life  prefigured  the  Cross, 
101. 

Danaeus  (Lambertus)  188. 

"  Based,"  303. 

Datary  (The)  331.  Vid.  Ormanet 
(Nicholas). 

"  Daukin,"  236. 

"  Daze,"  317. 

"  Departed,"  303. 

Devil  (The)  imitates  the  ordinances  of 
God,  12,  seqq. 

Deylingius  (Salom.)  103. 

Dionysius  Alexandrinus  (S.)  211. 

Dionysius  Areopagita,  the  writings  at 
tributed  to  him  spurious :  when  the 


author  of  the  Hierarchia  lived :  at 
what  time,  and  by  whom  his  books 
were  first  produced :  Bellarmin's 
unsatisfactory  statement  respecting 
them,  211. 

Dionysius  of  Corinth,  211. 

Dionysius  Halicar.,  13,  362. 

Disciples  (The  seventy)  69,  126. 

Discipulus.    Vid.  Heroldt. 

Ditmarus,  Chronicon,  115. 

Dodd(  Charles)  53,  290. 

Dodwell  (Henry)  251. 

Domitian,  blasphemous  title  assumed 
by,  6. 

Donatus,  Bp.  of  Evoria,  252. 

Donne  (John)  226. 

"  Dor,"  A,  2. 

Dorman  (Thomas)  2,  51. 

Dorotheus  Tyrius  (Pseudo-)  126. 

Dorscheus  ( Joannes  Georgius)  155, 181. 

AoiAeia,  whether  acknowledged  by 
Romanists  to  be  a  sufficient  degree  of 
worship  for  the  material  Cross,  381. 

Downham.(  George,  Bp.  of  Derry,) 
Papa  Antichristus,  6. 

Downham(John)  The  Christian  War 
fare,  113. 

"  Draff,"  248. 

Durteus  (Joannes)  42. 

Durantes  (Gulielmus)  98.  297- 

«  Eareshrift,"  243. 

"Earing,"  177- 

Easter  Feast,  and  ante-paschal  Fast,  269. 

Eckius  (Joannes)  21. 

Edward  VI.  (King)  called  our  Josias, 
24:  remarkable  alteration  in  the 
Litany  after  his  reign,  315. 

Eleutherius  (Pope)  Rescript  attributed 
to  him,  52 — 3,  305. 

Eliberis,  sive  Illiberis.    Vid.  Elvira. 

Elijah,  312—13,  336. 

Elisha,  313. 

Elizabeth  (Queen)  her  title  of  Defender 
of  the  faith  omitted  by  JMartiall,  5: 
her  clemency  abused  by  Romanists, 
6—7 :  retained  a  Crucifix  in  the  royal 
chapel,  7  :  called  Theodosia,  11  :  re 
markable  words  omitted  from  our 
Litany  after  her  accession  to  the 
throne,  315. 

Elmenhorst  (Geverhardus)  183. 

Elvira,  Synod  of,  strange  mistake  con 
cerning  it :  when  it  was  held  ;  and 


INDEX. 


407 


what  it  decreed  respecting  Pictures  in 
a  church,  154 :  its  Ordinance  with 
regard  to  the  lighting  of  tapers  in  the 
day-time  in  cemeteries,  302:  what 
volume  contains  the  most  complete 
annotations  upon  its  Decrees,  302. 
Ephesus,  second  Council  of,  what  called 

by  the  Greeks,  155. 
Ephrsem  (S.)  when  he  lived,  258  :  the 
authenticity  of  many  Sermons  attri 
buted  to  him  questioned ;  and  what 
the  author  of  them  was  called  by 
Crakanthorp,  258. 

De  Pcsnitentia,  196,  258. 

De  Armatura  spirituals,  196. 

De  Compunctione  cordis,  253. 

De  laudibus  Maria,  258. 

Epiphanius  (S.)  Epist.  ad  Joan.  Pa 
triarch.  Hierosol.,  42,  253—4,  376: 
S.  Jerom's  approval  of  this  Epistle, 
and  commendation  of  its  author, 
254—5. 

Panarium,  43,  121,  249,  251,  270, 

329,  377 :  how  the  second  Synod  of 
Nicaa  argued  from  this  book  in  de 
fence  of  Image-worship,  1/4  :  reply 
of  the  Council  of  Frankfort,  175. 
Erasmus  (Desider.)  Adayiu,  2, 115, 251. 

Symboli  Catechesis,  8,  34,  190. 

Modus  orandi  Deicm,  66,  389. 

Stultitiae  Laus,  \  75,  255. 

Apophthegmata,  263. 

Enchiridion    Militis   Christiani, 

314. 

Ecclesiastes,  360. 

.  his  Latin  version  and  opinion  of 
the  treatise  on  Prayer  ascribed  to 
S.  Chrysostom,  104:  his  judgment 
with  respect  to  the  additions  to  S. 
Jerom's  Catalogue  of  Eccles.  Writers, 
128  :  what  he  thought  of  S.  Jerom's 
Life  of  S.  Paul  the  Hermit,  252:  his 
translation  of  the  treatise  De  Spiritu 
Sancto  assigned  to  S.  Basil ;  and  how 
far  he  considered  the  work  authentic, 
266 :  his  Enchiridion  Mil.  Christ. 
attributed  to  Luther,  314:  he  would 
not  permit  an  Image  to  be  brought 
into  a  pulpit,  360 :  his  censure  upon 
the  spurious  Sermon  De  visitatione 
infirmorum,  bearing  the  name  of  S. 
Augustin,  361. 
Ethelbert( King)  306. 
Eudaemon-Joannes  (Andreas)  5. 


Eudoxia  (Empress)  299. 

Eugenius  IV.  (Pope)  his  Instructio 
Armeniorum  wrongly  ascribed  to  the 
Council  of  Florence,  248. 

Eusebius  Emisenus,  a  Homily  attri 
buted  to  him,  and  to  S.  Casarius  Are- 
latensis,  193—4. 

Eusebius  Pamph.,  shameless  corrup 
tion  in  an  old  Latin  version  of  his 
work  De  vita  Constantini,  278 :  Ba- 
ronius  and  Bellarmin  rely  on  a  falsi 
fied  translation  of  his  Chronlele, 
321 — 2 :  cited  with  regard  to  the 
statue  erected  to  Simon  Magus,  343. 

Chronicon,  9,  321,  322. 

Prtepar.  Evang.,  14. 

Hist.  Eccles.,  23,  28,  41,  69,  128, 

131,  182,  211,  251,  262,  269,  294,  301, 
314,  343. 

De  vita   Constantini,   111,    192, 

207,  294,  321. 

Eusebius  (Pope)  a  spurious  Epistle, 
bearing  his  name,  alleged  in  the 
Canon  Law,  322 :  referred  to  by 
Calf  hill,  323  :  opinion  of  Bellarmin, 
Surius,  and  Binius,  with  regard  to 
its  authenticity,  323 — 4  :  quoted  by 
Mr.  Taylor,  324. 

Eutropius,  Landulphus  Sagax  mis 
taken  for,  71,  138, 

Evagrius  Epiphaniensis,  the  first  who 
speaks  of  the  Edessan  Image,  41 : 
when  he  concluded  his  Eccles.  His 
tory,  41:  declares  that  many  works 
of  Apollinarius  were  ascribed  to  S. 
Athanasius,  268:  referred  to  about 
Justinian,  305. 

Evans  (Lewis)  276,  331. 

"Exempt"  (The)  97- 


Faber(G.  S.)  78. 

Fabian  (Pope)  a  spurious  Epistle  as 
signed  to  him  alleged,  222. 

Fabricius  (Georg.)  memorable  censure 
passed  by  the  Belgic  Index  upon 
words  in  his  edition  of  the  Christiani 
Poeta;,  3?6. 

Fabricius  (Joannes  Albertus)  Biblio- 
theca  Grceca,  59,  1 10. 

Bibliotheca  Latina,  81. 

Biblioth.  med.  et  inf.  Latin.,  69. 

Codex  Apocr.  Nov.  Test,,  126. 

Bibliotneca  Ecclesiastica,  130. 


408 


INDEX. 


Fairfax,  Tasso,  47. 

Falsifiers,  punishment  of  clerical,  273. 

Fathers,  Calfhill  will  abide  by  their 
decision,  11;  and  declares  that  he  re 
verenced  them  with  all  his  heart,  260  : 
what  they  teach  concerning  the  second 
Commandment,  42,  43  :  it  should  not 
be  our  object  to  seek  for  proofs  of 
their  imperfection,  58,  226 :  with 
what  judgment  we  should  read  their 
writings,  59 :  they  frequently  use 
phrases  which  have  been  misunder 
stood,  75  :  they  must  be  trusted,  but 
yet  as  men,  260 :  Romish  pretence  of 
observing  their  injunctions  "to  the 
utmost  jot,"  260 :  when  we  are  un 
willing  to  adopt  their  fancies,  we  do 
not  reject  their  exposition  of  Scrip 
ture,  263  :  many  supposititious  works 
ascribed  to  them,  and  under  what 
circumstances,  268 :  an  instance  of 
the  way  in  which  Expurgatory  In 
dexes,  while  apparently  abstaining 
from  censuring,  effectually  condemn 
their  sentiments,  375 — 6. 

"  Feate,"  317. 

Felix  Aquitanicus,  the  leader  at  the 
Synod  of  Elvira,  154. 

Fell  (Bp.)  27,  225,371. 

"  Fery,"  269. 

"  Fette,"  158. 

Fevre  (Jacques  le)  290. 

"  Filed,"  132,  222. 

Florence,  Council  of,  Decree  of  Pope 
Eugenius  IV.  wrongly  attributed  to 
it,  by  Stillingfleet,  Hooker,  [Bram- 
hall,  v.  211.  Oxf.  1845.]  and  others, 
247 — 8  :  Bellarmin's  argument  re 
specting  the  Instructio  Armeniorum 
refuted,  248. 

Forestus,  Bergovnensis,  (Jacobus  Phi- 
lippus)  Supplem.  Chronic.,  67,  133, 
327,  328. 

probably  mistaken  for  Sigebertus, 

67,  323  :  the  reason  for  this  supposi 
tion,  323. 

Foulis  (Henry)  6. 

Fox  (John)  53,  246. 

Francus  (Daniel)  Disquisitio  de  Papis- 
tarum  Indicibus,  96. 

Frankfort,  Council  of,  condemned  the 
second  Synod  of  Nicaea,  155 :  by 
whom  it  was  summoned,  and  when  ; 
and  concerning  the  Caroline  Books, 


155 :   the  contents  of  these  Books, 
156—175 :  an  extract  from  them,  359. 

Freculphus  Lexoviensis,  67,  87- 

"Frentike,"81. 

Fulke(  William)  19,  235. 

Galfridus  Monumetensis,  307- 

Gardiner  ( Bp. )  his  inconsistency,  [See 
Fox,  iii.  454.  ed.  1684.]  24 :  deceived 
by  an  Image,  36,  354:  probably  al 
luded  to,  331. 

"Gaudes",  268. 

Gaulminus  (Gilbertus)  69. 

Geddes( Michael)  The  grand  Forgery 
displayed,  193. 

Gee  (Edward)  his  Answer  to  Gother, 
188,  377. 

Gelasius  I.  (Pope)  date  of  the  Roman 
Council  under  him,  which  condemn 
ed  the  Itinerary  of  S.  Peter,  21:  whe 
ther  this  Synod  rejected  the  fable  of 
the  Edessan  Image,  as  well  as  the 
supposed  Epistle  to  Abgarus,  or  not, 
171 :  what  is  to  be  thought  of  the 
paragraph  respecting  the  Acts  of 
Pope  Silvester  L,  174 :  sentence 
passed  upon  the  works  of  Lactantius, 
181 ;  and  upon  the  Scripta  de  inven- 
tione  S.  Crucis  Dominica,  324. 

Genebrardus  (Gilbertus)  323. 

Gennadius  Massiliensis,  69,  149,  177- 

George  (S.)  20,  35,  36. 

Gerhardus  (Joannes)  74. 

"Gesse",  300. 

Gideon,  336. 

Gieseler(J.  C.  I.)  6. 

Gilpin( Bernard)  237. 

Gnostics  (The)  boasted  of  having  an 
Image  of  Christ,  and  were  reproved 
byS.  Irenjeus,  42— 3,  371. 

God,  the  Pope  called,  5,  6. 

Godwin  (Bp.)  306. 

Godwyn  (Thomas)  108. 

Goldastus  (Melch.  Haim.)  Imperialia 
Decreta  de  cultu  Imaginum,  42,  155, 
190,  311,  359. 

Gother  (John)  source  of  the  authorities 
alleged  in  his  Nubes  Testium,  63 : 
by  whom  answered,  188,  377  :  refer 
red  to,  199. 

Gothofredus  (Jacobus)  110. 

Grabius  (Joannes  Ernestus)  21,  126. 

Grace,  seven-fold,  true  doctrine  re 
specting,  admitted  by  the  Church  of 


INDEX. 


409 


England,  on  the  authority  of  Scrip 
ture,  226. 

Grambsius  (Joannes)  155. 

Granada,  whether  the  modern  name  of 
Elvira,  154. 

Gratianus,  Decretum,  5,  16,  18,  19,  21, 
54,  64,  67,  88,  171,  174,  191, 193, 194, 
197,  206,  212,  216,  219,  220,  222,238, 
239,  240,  241,  242,  243,  253,  257,260 
2/3,  322. 

Gratius  (Orthuinus)  16. 

Gravamina  (Ce?itum)  not  of  Lutheran 
origin,  16. 

Gregorius  Nazianzenus  (S.)  87. 

Gregorius  Nyssenus  (S.)  vainly  alleged 
at  the  second  Nicene  Council;  and 
insufficient  reply  in  the  Caroline 
Books  to  his  testimony,  1/3. 

Gregorius  Turonensis  (S.)  69,  328. 

Gregory  I.  (Pope)  condemned  the  wor 
ship  of  Images,  9,  30,  3/9  :  abhorred 
the  name  of  Universal  Bishop,  88 : 
tells  the  tale  of  Speciosus,  88 :  his 
advice  to  Augustin  the  Monk,  V97  : 
his  Litania  major,  297. 

Epistt.,  54,  88,  297. 

In  Evangel.  Horn.,  332. 

Dialogi,  their  authenticity  ques 
tioned,  f!9  :  notable  story  of  Paulinus, 
taken  from,  117—19. 

Gregory  II.  (Pope)  89. 

Gregory  VII.  (Pope)  what  restriction 
he  placed  upon  the  application  of  the 
title  "  Pope",  and  when,  255. 

Gregory  XIII.  (Pope)  6. 

Gregory  (John)  Episcopus  puerorum 
in  die  Innocentium,  237. 

Gretserus  (Jacobus)  defends  a  spurious 
Epistle  ascribed  to  Pope  Alexander 
I.,  16  :  declares  that  the  second  Ni 
cene  Council  relied  on  the  fable  of 
the  Edessan  Image,  171 :  maintains 
that  Latria  should  be  rendered  to  the 
Cross,  381. 

Gronovius  (Jacobus)  302. 

Guido  Baisius,  vel  de  Bayso,  Archidi- 
aconus  Bononiensis,  174. 


Habermann  ab  Unsleben  (G.  Jos.  Ig. 

Jo.  Nep.  De)  97. 
Hales  (Alexander  de)  381. 
Haloander  (Gregorius)  305. 
Hanmer( Meredith)  287- 


Harding  (Thomas)  2,  49. 

Hart  (John)  his  Conference  with  Rai- 
noldes,  126,  361. 

"  Hayes",  274. 

"Heare",  286. 

Helena  (Empress)  S.  Ambrose  utterly 
denies  that  she  worshipped  the  ma 
terial  Cross,  192,  377:  she  was  the 
wife,  and  not  the  concubine,  of  Con- 
stantius,  322 :  Oalfhill  states  that  S. 
Ambrose  called  her  Stabulariam, 
(but  his  word  "asserunt"  refers  to 
the  enemies  of  Christianity,)  322: 
notice  of  the  time  when  the  Cross  was 
found,  287:  how  many  inventions  of 
it,  according  to  the  Golden  Legend, 
321:  difference  of  statements  about 
the  matter,  322—25. 

Henningius  (Joannes)  Archaologia 
Passionalis,  328. 

Henry  VIII.  (King)  Assertio  septem 
Sacramentorum,  244. 

Hermannus  Gygas,  Flares  Tempornm, 
110. 

Heroldt  (Joannes)  75. 

Heshusius  (Tilemanus)  19. 

Heylin  (Peter)  See  Vaughan. 

Hickes(Bp.)87. 

Hide  (Thomas)  276. 

Hieronymus  (S.)  date  of  his  death,  9: 
Chronicle,  9:  his  translation  of  an 
Epistle  of  S.  Epiphanius,  42,  253—4.  , 

Vita  Patrum  falsely,  when  all  to 
gether,  (as  was  formerly  the  case,) 
ascribed  to  him,  74,  252:  his  state 
ment  with  regard  to  the  Samaritan 
Thau,  106 — 7:  interpolations  in  his 
Catalogue  of  Ecclesiastical  Writers, 
128:  spurious  Commentaries  on  S. 
Mark,  1/8:  his  desire  respecting 
Lactantius,  180:  what  Erasmus 
thought  of  his  Life  of  S.  Paul  the 
Hermit,  252:  the  character  he  gives 
of  S.  Epiphanius,  255 :  counterfeit 
Exposition  of  the  Psalms,  259 :  he 
compares  together  phylacteries  and 
pieces  of  the  Cross,  and  equally  con 
demns  the  use  of  both,  283. 

_.    .  Apol.  adv.  Rufin.,  42. 

Apol.  ad  Pammach.,  GO. 

De  Scriptoribus  Eccles.,  69,  128, 

130,1/8,  182,211. 

Super  Esaiam,  94,  213. 

Super  Hieremiam,  95,  181,  378. 


410 


INDEX. 


Hieronymus  (S.)  Comment,  in  Ezech., 
106, 108- !J,  259. 

Comm.  super  Amos,  8. 

Super  S.  Matth.,  134,  283. 

Epist.  ad  Magnum,  178. 

.         Ad  Eustochium,  195. 

Ad  Demetriadem,  195,  259. 

Cont.  Lucifer.,  213,  261. 

Adversus  Vigilant.,  214. 

Ad  Pammachium,  254. 

S.  Paulas  Vita,  255. 

In  Sophoniam,  259. 

Contra  Jovinian.,  259. 

In  Daniel.,  378. 

Higdenus  (Ranulphus,  vel  Radulphus) 
his  character  as  an  author,  296. 

Hilarius(S. )  Liber  contra  Auxentium, 
248. 

De  Trinitate,  249. 

. Expositio  Psalmorum,  294. 

Hilarius  Diaconus,  it  is  not  certain  that 
he  was  the  author  of  a  Commentary 
in  Ep.  ad  Tim.,  attributed  to  S. 
Ambrose,  235. 

Hildebrandus  (Joachimus)  66,297- 

Hill's  Olive-branch  of  Peace,  243. 

Hincmar  of  Rheims,  175. 

Holcot  (Robertus)  referred  to  as  a  wit 
ness  against  the  decision  of  Aquinas, 
with  regard  to  the  worship  of  the 
material  Cross,  381. 

Homerus,  13. 

Homilies,  54,  57,  215. 

Hooker  (Richard)  referred  to,  with 
regard  to  the  sign  of  the  Cross,  108: 
his  mistake  respecting  the  Council  of 
Florence,  247—8. 

Hooper,  (Bp.  of  Gloucester  and  Wor 
cester,)  35,49. 

Hooper,  (Bp.  of  Bath  and  Wells,)  97. 

Hoornbeekius  (Joannes)  69. 

Horatius,  2,  49,  340,  354,  389. 

Hosius  (Stanislaus,  Cardinalis)  his 
words  about  the  substitution  of  Crosses 
for  Images  of  Mercury,  66:  what  his 
confession  is  relative  to  the  inferior 
Orders,  228:  referred  to  concerning 
the  Mass,  229;  and  S.  Ephracm,  258. 

Hospinianus  (Rodolphus)  42. 

41  Hostrie,"  322. 

Huetius  (Petrus  Daniel)  78. 

Hyginus  (Pope)  mistake  committed  in 
assigning'  to  him  the  institution  of 
Sponsors;  and  what  was  really  the 


date    and    origin    of    his    supposed 
Decree,  212. 


Ignatius  (S.)  Ep.  ad  Philadelph.,  280. 

the  spurious  Epistle  Ad  Heronem 

alleged  by  Calf  hill,  and  supposed  to 
be  genuine  by  Mr.  Taylor  also,  290. 

Images.     See  the  "  Table." 

"  Immanity,"  353. 

Index  Expurgatorius,  20,  91, 190, 314, 
375-6. 

Index  librorum  pro/lib.,  20, 21,  95, 126. 

"  Ineptly,"  216. 

Innocent  I.  (Pope)  censured  on  account 
of  an  Epistle  alleged  as  his  by 
Gratian,  238 — 40:  questionable  De 
cree  with  regard  to  the  use  of  con 
secrated  oil,  246. 

Innocent  VIII.  (Pope)  Pontificals, 
amended  by  his  command,  directs 
that  Latria  should  be  offered  to  the 
Cross,  381. 

Irenaeus  (S.)  reproved  the  Gnostics  for 
having  an  Image  of  Christ,  42 — 3, 
371:  in  what  order  he  makes  the 
early  Bishops  of  Rome  to  have  suc 
ceeded  S.  Peter,  251:  why  he  rebuked 
Pope  Victor,  269:  his  account  of  S. 
Polycarp's  doctrine,  270:  referred  to 
respecting  the  Basilidian  heretics, 
285:  cited,  287. 

Irene  (Empress)  her  infamous  conduct 
and  cruelty,  31, 175 — J:  convoked  the 
second  Council  of  Nicaea,  175,  177. 

Isidorus  Hispalensis  (S.)  69,  107. 

Isidorus  Pelusiota  (S.)  285. 

Ittigius  (Thomas)  21,  96. 

Ivo,  Decretum,  135,  154. 

Jaddus,  his  interview  with  Alexander 
the  Great,  117. 

James  (Thomas)  96, 188,  200. 

Jenkins  (Robert)  137. 

Jerom  (S.)  See  Hieronymus. 

Jerom  (Stephen)  78. 

Jewel  (Bp.)  2,  53,  77,  114,  126,  260, 
285. 

Jews,  their  proneness  to  Idolatry,  23, 
24 :  why  Ceremonies  were  imposed 
upon  them,  122 :  consequence  of  the 
attempt  to  rebuild  their  temple,  115, 
121, 123. 

Joan  (Pope)  6. 


INDEX. 


411 


Joannes  Moschus,  when  he  lived,  and 
what  the  character  given  of  him  by 
Baronius,  174. 

John  (S.)  fables  concerning  him,  in 
the  work  of  the  Pseudo-Abdias,  126 
—131. 

John  XIV.  (Pope)  said  to  have  first 
given  names  to  Bells  in  Baptism,  15. 

John  XXII.  (Pope)  notorious  and  un- 
censured  Gloss  upon  his  Extravagant 
Cum  inter,  5 — 6. 

Joseph,  the  removal  of  his  remains 
affords  no  argument  for  Relics,  312. 

Josephus  yEgyptius,  322. 

Josephus  (Flavius)  bears  witness  of 
the  hostility  of  the  Jews  to  Images, 
44:  gives  an  account  of  the  interview 
of  Jaddus  with  Alexander  the  Great, 
117. 

Jude  (S.)  128. 

Julian  the  Apostate,  affords  a  precedent 
to  Papists,  with  regard  tot  he  sign  of 
the  Cross,  85 — 88:  shower  of  rain 
which  overtook  him,  114,  120:  con 
sequence  of  his  attempt  to  rebuild  the 
temple  of  Jerusalem,  115,  121,  123. 

Justinian  (Emperor)  his  command  that 
churches  were  not  to  be  built  without 
episcopal  licence,  and  the  erection  of 
a  Cross,  135 — 6:  no  reason  for  refus 
ing  to  admit  his  authority  about  the 
matter,  189:  his  Codex  referred  to, 
190:  what  his  object  was  in  requiring 
a  Procession  whensoever  a  church 
was  to  be  consecrated,  304 — 5. 

Justinus,  317. 

Justinus  Martyr  (S.)  De  Monarchia 
Dei,  23. 

Dialog,  cum  Tryphone,  105. 

Apolog.  i,,  referred  to  respecting 

the  figure  of  the  Cross,  178;  and  the 
statue  erected  to  Simon  Magus,  343. 

Juvenalis,  14. 

Keeling  (William)  224. 
Kellison  (Matthew)  290. 
Konigius  (Georg.  Matthias)  285. 

Labbe  (Philippus)  his  error  as  to  a 
translation  of  the  Acts  of  the  second 
Nicene  Council,  138.- 

Lactantius,  what  S.  Jerom  desired  con 
cerning  him,  180:  his  works  reckoned 
inter  apocrypha  in  some  copies  of 


the  Gelasian  Decree,  181:  the  verses 
attributed  to  him,  De  Passione  Do 
mini,  entirely  spurious,  180 — 184, 
375 :  Bellarmin's  disingenuousness 
respecting  them,  181:  Lactantius  ad 
duced  to  prove  that  Papists  are  su 
perstitious,  310. 

De  falsa  Relig.,  13. 

De  origine  Erroris,  25,  26,  40, 

183,  317,  341,  342,  344,  374. 

. De  Vita  beata,  26. 

De  Opijicio  Dei,  26. 

1  De  vera  Sapientia,  72,  83,  91, 

310. 

De  mortibus  Persecutorum,  105. 

De  vero  Cultu  Dei,  302. 

Lambardus  (Gulielmus)  53. 
Lampugnan  (Andrew)  338,  339. 
Landulphus   Sagax.   confounded  with 

Eutropius,  71,  138. 
Latimer  (Bp.)  9,  47,  52,  154. 
Latinius  (Latinus)  177- 

Aarpeia,  proof  that  this,  the  highest 
species  of  worship,  is  offered  to  the 
material  Cross,  381. 

Laud  (Abp.)  255. 

Launoius  (Joannes)  his  satirical  lan 
guage  concerning  the  "  exempt,"  97: 
Varia  de  duobus  Dionysiis  Opuscula, 
211. 

Law  (The)  mentions  a  certain  place 
appointed  for  God's  service,  32 :  con 
demns  Images,  37—8,  41—2:  all  the 
Fathers  teach  that  the  second  Com 
mandment  is  moral,  not  ceremonial, 
42,  43. 

Law  (Canon)  referred  to  respecting  the 
ascription  of  Divinity  to  the  Pope, 
5 — 6:  valued  as  highly  as  the  Bible 
by  Romanists,  18,  206:  what  punish 
ment  is  prescribed  therein  for  Clergy 
men  guilty  of  falsification,  2/3:  what 
date  it  fixes  upon  for  the  invention  of 
the  Cross,  322 — 3 — Vid.  Gratianus. 

Law  (Civil)  Vid.  Justinian,  andTheo- 
dosius  II. 

"  Laymen's  books,"  21,  292,  34t>. 

Lazius  (Wolfgangus)  asserts  that  Ab- 
dias  was  one  of  the  seventy  Disciples, 
126. 

Legenda  Aurea,  174:  recounts  five  in 
ventions  of  the  Cross,  321. 

Leigh  (Edward)  1).">,  10/. 

Lentulus,  Epistle  of,  46. 


412 


INDEX. 


Leo  Isauricus,  71,  138. 

Leo  III.  (Pope)  what  Platina  has  at 
tributed  to  him,  295. 

Leslams  (Episc.)  290. 

Leunclavius  (Joannes)  45. 

Lewis  (John  )  35. 

Litanies,  what  they  are,  294 :  "  greater" 
and  "less,"  296— 7. 

Livius,  14,  295,  316,  317- 

Lloyd  (Bp.)  306. 

Lombardus  (Petrus)  cites  a  spurious 
Sermo  de  Posnitentia,  attributed  to 
S.  Chrysostom,  64  :  referred  to  about 
faith,  86 :  teaches  that  many  things 
are  improperly  called  Sacraments, 
215:  declares  that  Confirmation  is  a 
greater  Sacrament  than  Baptism,  221 : 
corrupt  source  of  this  statement,  222  : 
he  makes  thirteen  Sacraments  out  of 
seven,  228:  overthrows  MartialTs  at 
tempt  to  prove  Matrimony  to  be  a 
Sacrament,  237:  said  to  have  first 
spoken  of  the  seven  Sacraments,  237: 
referred  to,  242,  243,  244. 

London  (Dr.)  condemned  for  perjury, 
(See  Fox,  ii.  469.  ed.  1684.)  332. 

Longolius  (Christophorus)  buried  in  a 
Friar's  cowl,  287- 

Longolius  (Gybertus)  mistake  concern 
ing  his  translation  of  the  Acts  of  the 
second  Council  of  Nicaea,  138. 

Lucius  (King)  52— 3,  305. 

Ludovici  Pii  Capitula,  297- 

Luidhard  (Bp.)306. 

Lupus  (Christianus)  Synodorum  De- 
creta  et  Canones,  1 37- 

"Lurde,"  361. 

Luther  (Martin)  70,  244:  how  Martiall 
unconsciously  proved  that  he  could 
not  have  been  an  heretic,  304:  a  work 
by  Erasmus  ascribed  to  him,  314. 

Lynde  (Sir  Humphrey)  290. 


Mabillonius  (Joannes)  128,  155. 

Macedonius,  the  31onk,  appeases  the 
anger  of  Theodosius,  22. 

Macrobius,  302,  333. 

Magdeburgenses.     Vid.  Centuriatores. 

Maitland  (S.  R.)  237. 

Mamercus,  Bp.of  Vienne,  what  he  in 
stituted,  295,  296 :  whether  his  Lita 
nies  have  been  correctly  styled  the 
"less,"  297. 


"  Mammots,"31:  "Mawmots,"  "  Maw- 
metry,"  origin  of  these  words,  175. 

Manriq  (Thomas)  Censura  in  Glossas 
Juris  Canonici,  6. 

Manuale  Sarisbur.,  17- 

Marcellina,  an  heretic,  worshipped 
Images,  188. 

Marchetti  (Gio.)  Official  Memoirs, 
relative  to  the  miraculous  events 
which  happened  at  Rome,  in  1796—7, 
274. 

Maria  (Galeatius)  339. 

Mariana  (Joannes)  273. 

Marianus  Scotus,  Chron.,  323. 

Marie  (Honore'  de  S.)  211. 

Martialis,  264. 

Martialis  Lemovicensis,  his  fictitious 
Epistles,  when  first  heard  of,  and 
published,  69  :  cited  by  Bellarmin, 
70 :  not  one  of  the  seventy  Disciples, 
69,  2/1. 

Martin  (Gregory)  235. 

Martin  (S.)  252. 

Martinus  Polonus,  Chromcon,  6,  323. 

Mass-book,  "red  mark"  in,  what  it 
signifies,  202. 

Matrimony,  not  a  Sacrament,  235 — 41. 

"Maukin,"236. 

Maximus  Taurinensis  (S.)  his  Sermon 
De  Cruce  attributed  to  S.  Ambrose, 

177. 

Mayerus  (Wolfg.)  De  vulneribus  Ec- 

cles.  Rom.,  6. 
Meagher  (Andrew)  302. 
Mede  (Joseph)  32. 
Melancthon  (Philip)  305. 
Melchiades  ( Pope)  a  fictitious  Epistle 

ascribed  to  him  adduced,  222. 
Mendham    (Joseph)   Memoirs  of  the 

Council  of  Trent,  16. 
Cathalogus  librorum  hcereticorum, 

(Venet.  1554.)  21. 
Mendoza  (Fernando  de)  302. 
Mengus  (Hieronymus)  318. 
Mentz,  Council  of,  an.  813.  its  Decree 

respecting  the  Litania  major,  297  • 

when  its  Gesta  were  first  published, 

297. 

Middleton  (Conyers)  66,  67. 
Mi1ner(John)21. 

Minos,  how  he  imitated  Moses,  13 — 14. 
Minucius  Felix,  his  Oclavius  ascribed 

to  Arnobius,  178,  183,  295,  380. 
Miracles.    See  the  "  Table,"  398. 


INDEX. 


Mirscus  (Aubertus)  his  mistake  about 
Martial's  Epistles,  69. 

Missale  Romanum,  17,  202. 

Mitford(W.)  13. 

Molanus  (Joannes)  quotes  the  spurious 
Epistle  of  Lentulus,  46 :  his  language 
about  the  Image  of  Mercury  and  the 
Cross,  66  :  referred  to  about  the  letter 
Thau,  107;  and  the  release  of  the 
Pseudo-Abdias  from  censure,  126: 
also,  202. 

Monks,  called  vicegerents  of  the 
Apostles,  220. 

Montfaucon  (Bernardus  de)  his  sup 
position  as  to  the  time  when  the 
author  of  the  Opus  imperfectum  lived, 
96:  his  statement  respecting  the 
form  of  the  Samaritan  Thau,  107- 

Moquot  (Etienne)  236. 

Morinus  (Joannes)  what  fact  he  has 
proved  with  regard  to  the  writings 
ascribed  to  Dionysius  the  Areopagite, 
211. 

Morinus  (Stephanus)  cited  with  re 
ference  to  the  letter  Thau,  107. 

Morton  (Bp.)  6,  64,  96,  202,  255,  290. 

Moses,  how  the  Devil  attempted  to  sub- 
vert  the  credit  of  his  mission,  13 — 14: 
what  the  lifting  up  of  his  hands  pre 
figured,  104 — 6:  the  reason  for  the 
concealment  of  his  sepulchre,  312: 
why  God  appeared  to  him  in  a  bush, 
334  :  his  danger  from  neglect  of  Cir 
cumcision,  335 :  the  rock  smitten  by 
him,  336. 

Moulin  (Pierre  du)  74,  137,  193,  257, 
290,  322. 

Musculus  (Wolfgangus)  28,  69,  111, 
269,  299. 

Naaman,  337- 

Nadab  and  Abihu,  123. 

Natalibus  (Petrus  de)  297,  323. 

Natalitia,  birthdays,  (or  days  upon 
which  Martyrs  suffered,  and  com 
menced  their  new  life,)  annually  ob 
served,  257. 

Nauclerus  (Joannes)  323. 

"  Nere  nother",  neither  nor  other;  or, 
more  probably,  never  neither,  73. 

Netter  a  Walden  (Thomas)  Vid.  Wal- 
densis. 

Newman  (J.  H.)  110,  287- 

Nicsea,  first  Council  of,  10 :  instances  of 


it  having  been  strangely  confounded 
with  the  second  Nicene  Synod,  154  : 
ordained  that  upon  SundaysChristians 
should  pray  standing:  (this  posture 
signifying  our  restitution  through 
Christ ;  while  kneeling  upon  other 
days  was  intended  to  represent  the 
fall  of  man.)  257. 

Nicaea,  second  Council  of,  referred  to 
respecting  the  Edessan  Image,  41 : 
confirmed  the  worshipping  of  Images, 
48  :  Decrees  of  the  Council  of  Con 
stantinople,  an.  754,  preserved  among 
its  Acts,  71,  138 :  admitted  the  De 
crees  of  the  Trullan  Synod,  137 : 
what  Charlemagne  called  it,  and  its 
decisions,  155  :  contents  of  the  Caro 
line  Books  in  answer  to  it,  156 — 175 : 
opinion  of  A.  Pagi  with  regard  to 
the  authorities  alleged  thereat,  345. 

Nicephorus  Callistus,  41,  65,  87,  126, 
128,  133,  322. 

Nicodemus,  Gospel  of,  321. 

Nicolson  (Bp.)  296. 

"  Noriture",  72. 

Norris  (Silvester)  190. 

Nourry  (Nicolaus  le)  21,  69,  110,  21 1. 

Nowell  (Alexander)  2. 

Numa  Pompilius,  13,  14,  362—3. 

Ochine  (Bernardine)  368—9. 

Opitius  (Martinus)  135. 

Oracles  (Sibylline)  95. 

Orders  (Holy)  227—231. 

Origen,  assigns  the  reason  for  Image- 
makers  not  having  been  suffered  to 
dwell  among  the  Jews,  44  :  his  fond 
opinions,  78 :  overthroweth  Imagery, 
79—81  :  year  of  his  death,  81  :  Life, 
Death,  and  Repentance,  78. 

Contra  Celsum,  44,  79,  80,  372. 

In  Ep.  ad  Horn.,  77,  79. 

—  ttepi  apxtov,  78. 

Commeiitaria,  (ed.  Huet.)78. 

In  Ezech.,  106. 

In  Exod.  Horn.,  3?2. 

Orleans,  first  Council  of,  Canon  of 
this  Provincial  Synod,  relative  to  the 
consecration  of  churches,  135 — 6. 

Ormanet  (Nicholas,  Datary  of  Pope 
Julius  III.)  331.  [Comp.  Fox,  iii. 
639.  ed.  1684.] 

Ormerod  (Oliver)  Picture  of  a  Papist, 
221. 


414 


INDEX. 


Orosius(Paulus)322. 

Orus  Apollo,  vel  Horapollo,  his  testi 
mony  with  regard  to  the  figure  on 
the  breast  of  Serapis,  107. 

Oudinus  (Casimirus)  the  date  he  as 
signs  to  the  Pseudo-Abdias,  126 : 
referred  to,  235. 

Ovidius,  14,  25,  316. 

Pagi  (Antonius)  9  :  his  words  concern 
ing  the  authorities  adduced  by  the 
second  Council  of  Nicaea,  345. 

Pall,  305. 

Pamelius  (Jacobus)  202,  203. 

Pantin  ( T.  P. )  Reply  to  Dr.  Arnold,  306. 

"  Papists",  a  foul  name  of  heresy,  ac 
cording  to  Calfhill ;  but  a  sublime 
title  of  glory,  in  the  opinion  of  Ba- 
ronius,  290. 

Paradinus  (Claudius)  Symbola  heroica, 
339. 

Paramo  (Ludovicus  a)  a  proof,  derived 
from  him,  that  the  highest  degree  of 
worship  is  rendered  to  the  material 
Cross,  381. 

"  Pardie",  192. 

Paris,  Synod  of,  anno  825,  42. 

Parker (Abp.)  his  reason  for  suspecting 
that  there  was  a  remarkable  interpo 
lation  in  Bede's  Hist.  Eccles.  gent. 
Anglorum,  306. 

Parsons,  or  Persons  (Robert)  5,  53. 

Patrick  (John)  287- 

Paul  (S.)  handkerchiefs  brought  from 
him  unto  the  sick,  337. 

Paul  the  Hermit  (S.)  252. 

Paul  IV.  (Pope)  Index  Romanus,  95, 
126. 

Paula  (S.)  252,  253,  255—6. 

Paulinus  Aquileiensis,  101. 

PaulinusNolanus  (S.)  said  tohavebeen 
the  first  who  brought  Imagery  into  a 
church,  26 , 2!) :  a  notable  story  of,  1 1 7- 
19  :  year  of  his  death,  188 :  censured, 
189. 

Paullus  Diaconus,  his  additions  to 
Eutropius,  71- 

De  notis  Liter  arum,  108. 

Pearson  (Bp.)  211,  251. 

Pelagius  II.  (Pope)  Decree  of,  con 
cerning  second  Marriage,  18,  19. 

Pelliccia,  his  words  about  a  passage  in 
a  Poem  falsely  ascribed  to  Lactan- 
tius,  181. 


"  Pelting",  10. 

Penance,  241—44. 

"  Perchers",  300. 

Perionius  (Joachimus)  368. 

Perkinsius  (Guilielmus)  211. 

Persius,  4, 108,  341. 

Petavius  (Dionysius)  9. 

Peter(S.)his  shadow,  337:  erroneously 
mentioned  in  connexion  with  the  Ili- 
nerarium,  380,  387. 

Petit  (Jac.)  212. 

Philpot  (John)  246. 

Photius,  89. 

"  Pickback  on",  103. 

Pierce  the  Ploughman,  47. 

Pighius  (Albertus)  De  Actis  vi.  et  vii. 
Synodorum,  137. 

Pilkington  (Bp.)  24,  49. 

Pin(L.  E.  Du)42,  202. 

Pinamonti  ( J.  P.)  Exorcista  rite  edoc- 
tus,  318. 

Pithoeus  (Franciscus)  Codex  Canonum 
vetus,  246. 

Pius  I.  (Pope)  54. 

Pius  IV.  (Pope)  95. 

Pius  V.  (Pope) 6.  Vid.  Manriq  (Tho 
mas). 

Placcius  (Vincentius)  69. 

Platina  ( B. )  his  statement  with  regard 
to  Pope  Silvester  II.,  91 — 2 :  his  ac 
count  of  the  supposed  Ordinance  of 
Pope  Hyginus  respecting  Sponsors, 
212 :  inaccurate  reference  to  him, 
295:  his  evidence  concerning  Lita 
nies  and  the  Rogation-days,  295. 

Plato,  25. 

PliniusSec.  (C.)4?. 

Plutarchus,  14,  317. 

Polus  (Reginaldus,  Cardinalis)  his 
treason,  49 :  figure  Y  in  the  win 
dows  at  Lambeth,  105:  declares  what 
the  sign  shown  to  Constantino  inti 
mated,  110 :  trial  of  a  Priest  before 
his  Commissioners,  331. 

Polycarpus  (S.)  how  he  disagreed,  but 
yet  maintained  communion,  with 
Anicetus,  269 — 70  :  testimony  of  S. 
Irenseus  as  to  his  doctrine,  270  :  why 
his  remains  were  not  given  to  those 
who  asked  for  them,  314. 

Ponet  (Bp.)369. 

Pontificale  Romanum,  gives  directions 
for  the  Baptism  of  Bells,  15  :  ordains 
the  hallowing  of  Images,  47,  48  : 


INDEX. 


415 


[This  form,  itis declared, "embodies, 
in  the  most  perfect  manner,  the  doc 
trine  of  the"  papal  "  Church  con 
cerning  them".  (Dr.  Wiseman's  Let 
ter  to  Mr.  Newman,  p.  31.  Lond. 
1841.)]  Ceremonies  prescribed  by  it 
for  the  consecration  of  churches, 
208 — 10  :  its  assignment  of  supreme 
worship  to  the  Cross,  381. 

Pope  (The)  called  God,  5:  what  the 
name  "  Pope"  signifies,  and  when  it 
was  restricted  to  the  Bishop  of  Rome, 
255. 

Popes,  spurious  Epistles  ascribed  to 
the  early.  Vid.  Blondellus  (David); 
Bellarmin  (Card.) 

Portass,  Portess,  Portusses,  16,  159, 
298. 

Portesius  (Joannes)  shamelessly  cor 
rupted  a  passage  in  Eusebius,  with  a 
view  to  defend  the  erection  of  Images 
in  churches,  278. 

Portiforium,  16,  17. 

Possevinus(Antonius)  remarkable  con 
fession  in  his  Bibliotheca  Selecta,  as 
to  the  expurgation  of  IV1SS.,  6. 

Apparatus  Sacer,  referred  to,  64 : 

contains  an  enumeration  of  spurious 
treatises  ascribed  to  S.  Chrysostom, 
104 :    the  author  acknowledges  the 
falsity  of  a  Poem  assigned  to  Lac- 
tantius,  181. 

"  Prises",  47. 

Probianus,  what  was  meant  by  the  de 
claration,  that  he  refused  to  adore  the 
Cross,  198,  199. 

Processions,  their  institution  to  whom 
ascribed,  295,  305 :  Calfhill  probably 
misled  by  the  Centuriators  respecting 
them,  296  :  why  the  Emperor  Justi 
nian  required  that  a  Procession  should 
take  place  whensoever  a  church  was 
to  be  consecrated,  304 — 5. 

Prosperus  (S.)  Chronicon,  9. 

Prudentius,  Cont.  Sym.,  26,  195. 

Peristeph.,  29,  30,  132. 

Apotheosis,  51,  195. 

Hymni,  195,  259. 

Prynne  (William)  22C. 
Ptolemy,  128. 

Puppets,  32,  346.  Vid.  Mammots. 
"  Purfles",  161. 
Pyrrhus,  317. 
Pythagoras,  99. 


"•  Quew",  209. 
"  Queysie",  209. 

Quiroga  (Cardinal)  his  Expurgatory 
Index,  190. 

Rabanus  Maurus,  De  institutions  Cle- 

ricorum,  66,  213. 
Rainoldes  (John)  his  Conference  with 

Hart,  126,301. 
Raisin  and  raison,  158. 
Rastall,  or  Rastell  (John)  2,  51. 
Rayment  (B.)  274. 
Raynaudus  (Theophilus)    Erotemata 

de  malts  ac  bonis  libris,  74,  200. 
Reginaldus  (Gulielmus)  256.  [Calfhill 

is  styled  by  him  "  scriptor  politus".] 
Reiserus    (Antonius)    Launoii    Anti- 

Bellarm  inus  ,211. 
Reiskius  (31.  Joannes)  46. 
Relics,  311—14. 
"  Revestry",  136,  317. 
Rheims.    See  Testament. 
Ridley  (Bp.)  his  Treatise  concerning 

Images,  254. 
Rituale  Romamnn,  17. 
Rivetus  (Andreas)  69,   89,  195,  202, 

258. 

Roccha  a  Camerino  (Angelus)  178. 
Rogations.     Vid.  Litanies. 
Rogerus  Cestriensis,  296. 
Rome,  Council  of,  under  Pope  Gela- 

siusl.,  21,  171,  174,  181,324. 

fifth  and  sixth  Councils  of,  48. 

"  Rood",  35. 

Roscoe  (William)  6. 

Rosweydus  (Heribertus)  his  valuable 
edition  of  the  Vita  Patrum,  252. 

Routh  ( Martinus  Josephus)  Reliquiae 
Sacra,  154. 

Rufinus,  his  Latin  version  of  the  Recog 
nitions,  20,  21. 

Hist.  Eccles.,  65,  274,  2/5,  276, 

323,  326. 

Rynthelen  (Cornelius  a)  135. 

Sabellicus  (Marcus  Antonius)  128. 
Sacerdotale,  false  Epistle  adduced  in 

the,  16  :  Benediction  in,  17. 
Sacraments  (The  seven)  210—248.— 

Vid.  Lombardus(Petrus)  ;  Florence 

(Council  of). 
Sage  (Bp.)  52. 
Saints,    made  to  succeed    to  heathen 

Deities,  19,  20. 


416 


INDEX. 


"  Sallet",  327. 

Salmonicus,  vel  Sammonicus  (Serenus) 
285. 

Samson,  336. 

Saul,  123. 

Savilius  (D.  Henricus)  64. 

"  Saynsure",  124. 

Scaliger  ( Josephus)  9,  107- 

Schelhornius  (Jo.  Georg.)  49,  290. 

Schoenemann  (Car.  Traug.  Gott.)  235. 

Scultetus(Abrahamus)  78. 

Sedulius,  some  of  his  verses  introduced 
into  a  work  untruly  ascribed  to  S. 
Jerom,  178. 

Selden  (John)  Titles  of  Honor,  6,  35  : 
his  explanation  of  the  words  "  Main- 
mets"  and  "  Mammetry",  175  :  he 
refutes  a  falsehood  about  the  Em- 
press  Helena,  322. 

"  Sensing",  343. 

Serapis,  the  Egyptian  Idol,  had  a  figure 
of  a  Cross  upon  his  breast,  65,  107  : 
Roods,  Crosses,  and  Images,  counter 
feits  of  Serapis,  274 :  how  the  Cross 
recommended  Christianity  to  the 
Egyptians,  276—7. 

"Sere",  228,  279,  295. 

Serpent  (The  brazen)  9,  335—6. 

Shakspeare  (W.)  10. 

Siberus  (Urban.  Godofr.)  De  Aqua 
Benedicts  potu  Brutis  non  dene- 
gando,  17. 

Sichardus  (Joannes)  20. 

Sigebertus  Gemblacensis,  Chronicon, 
67, 138,  246,  296,  297,  323. 

apparently  confounded  with  Ber- 

gomensis,  67 ;  and  why  this  seems  to 
be  the  case,  323. 

Silvester  I.  (Pope)  his  Acts  fictitious, 
174 :  Vita  quoted,  193. 

Silvester  II.  (Pope)  his  character  and 
death,  91—2. 

Simon  (S.)  128. 

Simon  Magus,  statue  erected  to  him  as 
a  god,  343  :  what  ancient  writer  first 
mentions  this  fact ;  and  what  is  the 
conjecture  of  many  critics  about  the 
matter,  41,  343.] 

Dissertatio  de  duobus  Dionysiis, 

211. 

Siricius  (Pope)  words  attributed  to 
him,  240. 

Sirmondus (Jacobus)  Concilia  Genera- 
lia,  41,  138. 


Sisinnius,  10. 

Sixtus  Senensis,  Bibliotheca  Sancta, 
74 :  confesses  that  S.  Chrysostom 
has  sometimes  spoken  hyperbolically, 
77  :  enumerates  the  spurious  treatises 
ascribed  to  S.  Chrysostom,  104  :  re 
ferred  to  about  the  letter  Thau,  107  : 
his  description  of  the  Commentaries 
on  S.  Mar k  falsely  attributed  to  S. 
Jerom,  1/8. 

Smedley  (Edward)  error  in  his  History 
of  the  Reformed  Religion  in  France, 
314. 

Soames  (Henry)  53. 

Socrates  Scholasticus,  10, 65,  296,  299. 

Solomon,  347. 

Sophronius,  whether  the  interpolator  of 
S.  Jerom's  Catalogue  of  Eccles. 
Writers,  128. 

Sophronius  Hierosolymitanus,  not  the 
author  of  the  Limonarium,  as  was 
asserted  at  the  second  Nicene  Council, 
174. 

Sozomenus(Hermias)65,  114 — 15,  120, 
182,  193,  198,  252,  299,326,  327,388. 

Spanhemius  (Fridericus)  31,  361. 

Spelmannus  (Henricus,  Eq.Aur.)  Glos- 
sarium  Archaiol.,  35,  305. 

Concilia,  53. 

Spencerus  (Gulielmus)  44,  372. 

Spenser  (Edmund)  47,  52. 

Spondanus  (Henricus)  42. 

Sponsors,  institution  of,  wrongly  attri 
buted  to  Pope  Hyginus,  212. 

Squire  (John)  6. 

"  Stalled",  316. 

Stapleton  (Thomas)  3,  51,  64. 

Stephanus  V.  (Papa)  67,  253. 

Stevenson  (Josephus)  306. 

Stillingfleet  (Bp.)  42,  53,  211,  237. 

his  error  with  regard  to  the  Coun 
cil  of  Florence,  247 — 8  :  his  opinion 
of  Geoffrey  of  Monmouth,  307. 

Story  (Dr.)  246. 

Strada  (Famianus)  287. 

Strype  (John)  7. 

Suicerus  (Joannes  Casparus)  285. 

Suidas,  testifies  that  Serapis  had  a 
figure  of  the  Cross  upon  his  breast, 
107 :  what  he  declares  respecting 
Justinian,  305. 

Sulpitius  (Severus)  322. 

Superstitious,  who  are  so,  according  to 
Lac  tan  tins,  3]0. 


INDEX. 


417 


Surius  (Laurentius)  324. 
Sutclitfe  (Matthew;  190,  381. 
"  Sweard",  93. 


"  Taberer",  "tabering",  25/. 

Tapers,  214,  301—304. 

Tarquinius  Priscus,  316. 

Taylor  (Isaac)  quotes  as  genuine  a 
spurious  Epistle  ascribed  to  S.  Igna 
tius,  290:  cites  a  counterfeit  Epistle, 
bearing  the  name  of  Pope  Eusebius, 
and  not  generally  admitted  even  by 
Romanists,  324. 

Tellez  (Emman.  Gond.)  302. 

"  Tenebre-Wednesday",  300. 

Tenison  (Abp.)  66,  366. 

Teraphim,  32. 

Tertullianus,  De  prescript.  Hcerct., 
13,  27,  26?. 

De  exhort.  Cast.,  13. 

Apologet.,  14.  195,  308—10. 

Ad  Nat.,  14. 

Advers.  Marcion.,  106,  116,  222, 

371. 

De  Corona  Militis,  195,  213,  223, 

257,  263,  265,  270. 

De  Resurrectione  carnis,  224. 

De  Virginibus  velandis,  280. 

valuable  note  on  his  Apology  re 
ferred  to,  188  :  a  Montanist  when  he 
wrote  the  treatise  De  Corona,  195: 
acknowledges  but  two  Sacraments, 
223 :  not  a  Montanist  when  he  com 
posed  the  books  Ad  Uxorem;  and 
how  an  expression  of  his,  "proce- 
dendum",  has  not  any  reference  to 
Processions,  296. 

Testament,  Notes  to  the  Rheims  New, 
95,  222,  290. 

'I'tTpayptinnaTov,  a  Jew  will  not  cease 
from  confidence  in,  if  he  see  the 
material  Cross  similarly  reverenced, 
284. 

Thau,  the  letter,  what  it  signifies  in 
the  book  of  Ezekiel,  97  :  the  Samari 
tan  Thau  like  a  S.  Andrew's  Cross, 
107 :  S.  Jerom's  explanation  of  the 
reasons  why  this  sign  was  to  be  made 
in  the  foreheads  of  the  Elect,  108 — 9 : 
what  the  Hebrews  figured  by  their 
Thau,  107 :  remarks  by  Bp.  Andrewes 
and  Cornelius  Curtius  upon  the 
meaning  of  the  letter,  108—9 :  in  a 


[CALFHILL.] 


mystery  it  betokened  the  death  of 
Christ,  109. 

Theodore  (Abp.)  his  Decree  concern 
ing  Sponsors  attributed  to  Pope 
Hyginus,  212. 

Theodoretus,  Eccles.  Hist.,  22,  87, 192, 
322,  326,  327,  388. 

Historia  Religiosa,  22. 

Theodosia,  Queen  Elizabeth  so  called. 
11. 

Theodosius  I.  (Emperor)  pacified  by 
the  Monk  Macedonius,  22. 

Theodosius  II.  (Emperor)  his  and  Va- 
lentinian's  Ordinance  with  respect  to 
engraving  or  painting  the  sign  of  the 
Cross  on  the  ground,  190. 

Theodotion,  107- 

Theodotus,  vel  Theodorus,  Ancyraims. 
149. 

Thilo  (Joannes  Carolus)  96,  126,  201. 

Thomas  (S.)  127. 

Tierney  (M.  A.)  53,290. 

Tilius  (Joannes)  in  what  year  he  pub 
lished  the  Caroline  Books,  155. 

Todd  ( J.  H.)  his  edition  of  Wicliffe's, 
Apology  referred  to,  36,  132,  330. 

"  Tooted",  "tooting",  47,  380. 

Tours,  second  Synod  of,  an  alteration 
in  one  of  its  Canons  noted,  136. 

Traditions,  of  three  kinds ;  Scriptural 
or  Apostolical,  Popish,  and  Ecclesi 
astical,  2f>7- 

Trapezuntius  (Georgius)  378. 

Trent,  Council  of,  247—8. 

Catech.  Cone.  Trident.,  248. 

Trithemius  (Joannes)  De  ScriptorWii* 
Eccles.,  SO,  258. 

Annales  Hirsauyienses,  115. 

Trullan  Synod.     Vid.  Constantinople. 

"  Tyleshardes,"  208. 

Tyrwhitt's  Chaucer,  288. 

Unction  (Extreme)  244 — 48. 

Unity,  of  Papists,  what  it  is,  261 :  how 

they  exhibit  what    they   boast    of, 

262  :  upon  what  true  Unity  depends, 

261. 
Urban  VIII.  (Pope)  Pontificate,   15, 

381. 

"  Ure",  304. 

Urspergensis  Abbas.     Vid.  Conradus. 
Ussher  (  Primate)  53,  64,  96,  183,  211. 

255,  269,  290,  322. 

27 


418 


INDEX. 


Uzzah,  123. 

Valentinian  III.  (Emperor) memorable 
Ordinance  made  by  him  and  Theo- 
do.sius  II.,  with  regard  to  engraving 
or  painting  the  sign  of  the  Cross  on 
the  ground,  190. 

Valerius  Maximus,  14,  316. 

Valesius  (Henricus)  22,  262. 

Vandals,  30,  118. 

Vaughan  (Mr.)  Bp.  Gardiner's  letters 
to  him,  [See  Heylin,  Ref.  Edw.  VI.. 
p.  56,]  36. 

Vergilius  (Polydorus)  De  rerun  in- 
ventoribus,  referred  to  about  Proces 
sions,  295;  and  the  title  on  the  Cross 
when  found  by  Helena,  325. 

Angl.  Hist.,  306. 

"  Vice",  210. 

Victor  I.  (Pope)  reproved  by  IS.  Irena.'us. 
260. 

Virgilius,  86. 

Vives  (Ludovicus)  his  Commentary 
vipon  S.  Augustin's  City  of  God  cor 
rupted,  20. 

Vossius  (Gerardus  Joannes)  corrects 
his  mistake  about  Martial's  Epistles, 
69:  referred  to,  126. 

Vossius,  seu  Volckens  (Gerardus)  258. 


Walal'ridus  Strabo,  297- 
Waldensis    (Thomas)     condemns     S. 
Epiphanius,  42 :  referred  to,  63,  81: 


his  strange  argument,  with  respect  to 
the  fragments  of  the  Cross,  !I5. 

Wall  ( Charles  William )  2/6. 

Walton  (Bp.)  107. 

Ward  (Thomas)  Errata  of  the  P rotes  - 
tunt  Bible,  236. 

Water  (Holy)  Hi,  17- 

Wharton  (Henry)  96. 

Whelocus  (Abrahamus)  53,  306. 

Wicelius(Georgius)  Hagioloyium,  126. 

Wiclifte  (John)  36,  50,  132,  330. 

Willet  (Andrew)  24,  85. 

Wiseman  (Dr.)  See  Pontificate. 

Wordsworth  (Christopher)  quotes  a 
passage  from  Selden,  with  reference 
to  the  terms  "Mammets"  and  "Mani- 
metry",  175. 

Zacagnius     (Laurentius     Alexander) 

Collectanea  Monumenlorum,  92. 
Zaccaria   (Franciscus  Antonius)  Bib- 

liotheca  Ilitualis,  202. 
Zapata  (Cardinal)  his  Index  condemns 

a  reference  to  the  words  of  S.  Atha- 

nasius,  which  teach  that  "  God  alone 

is  to  be  adored",  375 — 6. 
Zenocarus  a  Scauwenburgo  (Gulielmus) 

287- 

Zenzelinus,  6. 
Zeunius,  302. 
Zornius  (Petrus)  181. 
Zuingerus  ( Theodorus)  his  Thcalrum 

vita  humante  expurgated,  91.