Sermon 17 November 1599, Apology · Part 2 · Section 7
Obſervations vponupon his life gathered out of Surius and the great Miſſall.
Firſt in the whole diſcourſe of his life I finde little mentiō of Chriſts merits, & of the myſteries of the paſſiō of our redemption, and of his infinite graces and mercies that hauehave beene moſt aboundantly powred vponupon his church, wheras S. Paul in his 14. Epiſtles containing in ſumme of leaues a ſmall volume, matter vnexplicable, hath in each chapter in ſome ſort expreſſed ſometimes at large & amply, ſomtimes in a word, every where pithily & to purpoſe, yea 500. times at the leaſt the bleſſed name of Ieſus may be quoted out of theſe Epiſtles. And yet the penner of this S. Hughes life hath ſcarſe quoted in a long & verball diſcourſe the name of Ieſus once, neither hath he made any great mention of Chriſts merittes, neither of the great myſtery of our redemptiō, which ſhould be the ſcope that all that d…cribe the Sancts liues ſhoulde principally obſerue, & ſhould be the worke that all writers in deſciphering Sancts liues ſhould onelyonly arme at. For,Bernard. in Cant. Serm. 13. in compariſō of Chriſts glo…y, I ſafely and ſincerely may ſay with Bernard. Quis credat par…et…, ſi ſe dicat parturire radium, quem ſuſcipit per …eneſtram aut ſi glorienter nubes quod imbres generint, quis nonirredeat? Mihi liquidò conſtat, nec de canalibus orir…rivos aquarum, nec de labijs vel dentibus verba prudentiae, et ſi ſenſus vl…rà corporeus non attingat. Siqua ſanc in ſanctis digna lande veladmiratione intueor, clara luce veritatis diſcutiens, profectò reperio laud…bilē ſive mirabilem alium apparere, at que alium eſſe, et laudo Deum in ſanctis eius. Sive ſit Heliſaeus, ſiue ille magnus Helias, mortuorum vti que ſuſcitatores, ipſi quidem ſuo non imperio, ſed miniſterio foris exhibent nobis nova et inſueta. Deus ver… in ipſis maneus ipſe facit opera: inviſibitis et inacceſſabilis … ſe, in ſuis spectabilis at que mirabilis, qui facit mirabilia ſolus. Nec laus cala… laudabilis eſt pictura, ſive ſcriptura; nec gloria linguae aut labicrum ſermo boni…. Who will beleeue the wall that ſaith it brought forth the Sunne beame vvhichwhich it receiveth through the windowes? or who would not ſcoffe at the cloudes, if they vaunte that they begate the ſhoures? I am fully perſwaded, that neither rivers of water do riſe out of the chanels through which they rūne, nor the vvordes of wiſedome out of the lippes and teeth which vtter them, although by any bodily ſ…nſe wee can reach noe farther, & coniecture no other. If I ſee in the ſaints any thing worthy praiſe and admiration, examining it by the cleere light of truth, I verily finde that it is one who appeareth commendable and admirable, and another who is ſo indeede, and ſo I praiſe God in his Saintes. Whether it be Eliſaeus, or that great Elias, both raiſers of the dead, they indeede exhibite and ſhew vntounto vsus apparently new and vnaccuſtomed miracles, not by their own autority, but by their miniſtery. But it is God who abiding in them, doth theſe workes himſelfe; God vvho in himſelfe is inviſible and vnapproachable, but in his Miniſters viſible and vvonderfull, doth theſe vvonders alone. Neither is laudable vvriting or painting the praiſe of the pen or … Nor good ſpeech the glory of the tongue or lippes. If Iacobus de voragine, Alayſus Lipomanus, Laurentius Surius, Iohannes Molanus the Compilers of Legendes, and Cardinal Baronius now living, had obſerved this ſentence of Bernards, & had ſayled within the compaſſe of this bright Cynoſura, they would not hauehave troubled th… world with ſo many idle, ſuperſluous, & fabulous diſcourſes, in nature Apocryphall, to the Church vnprofitable, derogatory to the glory of Ieſus Chriſt (as now they hauehave done) Chriſt beeing the one only Sun of righteouſnes, in whoſe appearance al the ſtarres of heaven ſhine dimmely, and in ſome ſort are ecclipſed.
…ſe…va.Secondly in all this Legend of Biſhop Hughes life containing eight large leaues in folio devided by 32. chapters I finde the worde Faith but ſeldome mentioned, whereas S. Paule in one onelyonly Chapter to the Hebrewes namely the 11. wherein he ſummarily deſcribeth the life of the Patriarchs of the old Teſtament, and concluding the matter of all their ſtory only in 40. verſes, hath inferred the name of faith at the leaſt 34. times, ſo that in mine opinion the inſerting of it by the B. Apoſtle in the life of the Fathers ſhineth more gloriouſly to the eies of the faithfull,A ſimilitude as a precious ſtone incloſed in a ring of gold gliſtereth in the eies of any curious worldly beholder.
3. Obſerva.Thirdly I obſerue in this diſcourſe certaine places of holy ſcripture wreſted & abuſed by this Legendary penner, impertinently, dangerouſly alleadged, yea ſomewhat preiudiciall to the perſon of our bleſſed Saviour, vnleſſe they be conſtrued in better ſenſe, which thing can hardly bee admitted, the Author laying them downe in ſuch ſort as he hath done: which ſentences heere follow, and by vvay of application are applied by the ſaid writer vntounto B. Hugh: Proficit puer spiritu ſapientia & intellectus, …miniſtrans velut alter Samuell coram Domino, gratus Deo, & charus hominibus. The childe increaſed in the ſpirit of wiſedome and vnderſtanding, Iſai. 11. v …. Rom. 1, v. 2 Iohn 4 Miſſal. in die S. Hugonis. Haba. 3.13.miniſtring as an other Samuell before the Lord, acceptable to God and beloved of men. Erat et ex toto voluntas in lege Domini, in qua meditabatur die & nocte, His whole will or minde was ſetled on the Law of the Lord, wherein he meditated day & night. Meus est cibus, vt faciam voluntatem patris mei qui eſt in coelis. It is my meate to doe the will of my Father which is in heaven. Egreſſus et in ſalutem populi tui, in ſalutem cum Chriſto. Thou wenteſt forth to ſaue thy people, to ſaue thē with thy Chriſt. Which thing the Miſſall affirmeth Secundum vſum Sarum that S. Hugh did heare the firſt night after hee was conſecrated Biſhop of Lincolne. To this might bee adioined certaine other thinges out of the Miſſall vntounto which I referre them that hauehave leiſure and are deſirous to read them.
Fourthly being advaunced to the Biſhoprick of Lincolne freely by Henry the king of England & honored by his ſonnes K. Richard the 1. and K. Iohn, Obſerva. 4.he oppoſed himſelfe to ſuch demaunds, requeſts, impoſitions, tributes, gratifications, which theſe Princes impoſed vponupon the ſubiects of this Realm, which how it doth agree with the ſaying of the Apoſtle in the 13 to the Romaines, Rom 13. Cui tributū, tributū: cui honorem, honorē: cus vectig el, v…cti gal. Tho. Beckes Obſerue whether this Ve…iſier regarded the precept of the Apoſtle in the 2 to Timothy, and the counſel that Saint Peter gaue to Chriſtians in this 1. Epiſtle 2. chapt. 13. and ver. 14 Regū malleus. Idle applied and malitiouſly. 1. Cor 14. King La…cius. Eletheurius being Pope An. Domi 179. Ioſeph of Arimathia. Greg. Mag. Auguſt in Monachus An Do. 596 Vide …ito. Bedae Gyl. de excidio. Brit. Polydor. Virgil. hiſtoria Angliae lib. 2.all faithfull Chriſtiās may eaſilie diſcerne. Beſides he behaued himſelfe roughly and very rudely in much of his demeanure to the two firſt of the Princes, whereby it ſeemeth that the late memory of Thomas Becket Archbiſhoppe of Canterbury vvas impreſſed deeply in him not without ſome applauſe of the clergy in thoſe daies, amongſt whome a vaine and idle verſifier affixed vponupon his herſe at the time of his funerall this Diſtich ſounding perilouſly and ſeditiouſly. Pontificum baculut, Monachorū norma, ſcholarum Conſultor, Regum malleus Hugo fuit. A vvorthy ſchoole-founder, a Monke mirror true, Prelats ſtaffe, Monarchs mallet thou waſt holy Hugh.
Fiftly whereas the author of this Legend of the life of St. Hugh hath mentioned many miracles effected by St. Hugh, partly in the time of his life, partly by his medi…tion to God (as the author ſaith) after the time of his death; you may eaſily find by the circumſtance of theſe actions, according to time, place, & perſōs, the moſt of the thinges, if not al, ſpecified of this argument either to be incredible, or ridiculous, or prodigious, or ſuch as are monſtrous, nothing reſembling the nature of true miracles.
Firſt for that the gifte of miracles rather ſerueth for thē that doe not beleeue then doe beleeue. In as much as our hiſtories hauehave teſtified and verified that the Chriſtian religion was receiued heere vniverſally in this Realme many hundred yeeres before S. Hugh was borne. Miracula (as Gregory ſaith) neceſſaria erant in exordio Ecleſiae Ʋt enim ad fidem creſceret multitudo credentium, miraculis fuerat nutrie… da: quia et nos cum arbuſta plantamus, tamdiu eis aquam in fū dimus quoſ que ea in terra tam coaluiſſe videamus: et ſi ſemel radicem fixerint, irrigatio ceſſabit. Hinc eſt enim quod Paulus dicit: Linguae in ſignum ſunt, non fidelibus, ſea infidelibus. Habemus de his ſignis atque virtutibus quae adhuc ſubtiliùs conſiderare debemus. Sancta quippe Eccleſia quotidie ſpiritaliter facit, quod tunc per Apoſtolos corporaliter faciebat. Miracles were needfull in the Infancie of the Church. For the multitude of the beleeuers, the more to grovv and increaſe in faith, was to b… nurſt vp vvith miracles, as men when they ſet grafts doe ſo long water them, vntill they ſee them ſpring vp; & when once they be firmly rooted, they leaue watering: & hēce it is that Paul ſaieth; Tongues ſerue for a ſigne, not for them that doe beleeue, but for them that doe not beleeue Other ſignes & miracles we hauehave, which we are more diligently to marke: for the church doth now daily that ſpiritually, which it did then by the Apoſtles outwardly. Nay in S. Auſtens time it ſeemeth the giftes of miracles were not ſo neceſſary, as may be gathered by theſe ſentences quoted in his writinges. Inter fideles ſignae et prod…gia non ſunt neceſſaria, ſed ſpes firma: VntoUnto the faithfull ſignes and miracles are not needfull, but a ſtrong beliefe. Quiſquis adhuc prodigia vt credat inquirit, magnum eſt ipſe prodigium, qui credente mundo non credit: Whonever doth yet for the ſeale of his faith ſeeke for miracles, to himſelfe a greate miracle, or rather monſter, inſomuch as the whole world beleeving he remaineth incredulous. Let this ſuffice for the firſt note of Biſhop Hughes miracles. This point I ceaſe to diſcuſſe further in this place, in regard I am to handle by Gods grace this Argument more at large hereafter, which I am ſeriouſly inforced to debate, and to ſhew my minde in (God willing) the Veſpers of the next Act,A Derectiō of Samuell Haſhnets diſcourſe againſt …ohn Dorrel &c. Vide praefa. Anton tomo hiſto 1. in Bulla canonizata Clement 7. Ant part 3 titul 22 paragraph. 3. partly by promiſe, partly for that a booke with a letter hath ſecretly bin conve…ed vntounto me from a friend of one Iohn Dorrel Batchelor of Art in Cambridge in ſome ſort ſolliciting me to manifeſt my opinion herein.
The ſecond reaſon why I giuegive no credit to the miracles aſcribed by theſe Legendary writers to S. Hugh, is for that they faile in probation, and of that forme of probation, in thoſe 1…. conditiōs which the Church of Rome in matters of ſuch quallity requireth, whereby the world may infallibly be induced to beleeue that they be true and vnfained miracles.
Thirdly I thinke that there is no credit to bee aſcribed to theſe miracles of Biſhop Hugh, A Swanno geniall to S Hugh.for that ſome of theſe miracles, as I ſaid, are fooliſh and ridiculous, ſome of them are incredible & ſuperſtitious, all: of them meere repugnant to the ſincere trueth of Gods holy word in the ſcriptures inſpired from aboue: as namely the tale of a mighty big ſwan geniall to Biſhop Hugh, for the which fiction the Legēdary writer deſerueth the title of a Doctor of the Whetſtone▪ which by a ſong prognoſticated Biſhop Hughs death ſome few dates before his final departure. Some difference there in betweene this Legendary & Ariſtotle in relation of the ſinging of ſwannes.De hiſt… an… mal. 9. c. 12. It is thought generally of learned men, that Ariſtotle reported an vntruth, when he ſaide the ſwannes did accuſtomably ſing before their owne death. foreign ſwannes are by nature foreign ſingers &c. foreign, They ſing eſpecially at their owne deathes. But th…s Swan of Lincolne ſinging before anothers death, I thinke, may be reputed by moſt learned men a fiction, and a fable.
How ſuperſtitious thoſe miracles are, that are aſcribed to Biſhop Hugh; and how diſſonant from the ſound word of faith, theſe two examples following may evidently demonſtrat to all that louelove the truth. In the firſt wherof this Legendary-ographer mentioneth that our Savior Chriſt vouchſafed to appeare viſibly very oft to B. Hugh in the ſhape of a moſt beautifull childe,In the Sacrament. Virae Hugo. Cap. 27. Aqui. part 3 Queſt. 76. Art. 8. a miracle deviſed by the ſchoole-mens invention to eſtabliſh the verity of their fained Trāſubſtantiation. His ſecond miracle cōteined an appearāce of S. Hugh after his death to one of his friends, with whom hee converſed very familiarly in his life time, who was very deſirous to know his eſtate after his departure out this life, vntounto whō alſo, as this Legēdary reporteth, he reſolved diverſe intricate queſtiōs, which this his familiar before was not able to conceiue, vntill he was inſtructed by the miraculous apparition of B. Hugh after his deceaſe Who ſeeth not, that hath any taſt of gods word, that this groſſe ſable directly contradicteth the holy parable of our Saviour concerning Dives & Abraham, vntounto whō, as vve knowe,Luke. 16.29.31. the Patriarch replied, when he would hauehave one ſent from the deade in this manner. They hauehave Moſes and the Prophets, if they will not heare Moſes and the Prophets, neither will they be perſwaded though one riſe from the deade againe. This fiction I ſay alſo directly contradicteth the cō maundement of God in the 18. of Deuteronomy: Deuter. 18. V. 11.Let not there be among you one that asketh councell of the dead.
I do not doubt but the godly will thinke that the moſt of thoſe miracles,Lucians fictions. which are attributed to B. Hugh, are in their own natures no better for truth, then ſome of Lucians fictions▪ or (that I may ſpeake more pertinently to the former name of a Mallet attributed paraſitically to B. Hugh) then that fable of a Mallet was true, whō the L…fl…nders in the time of Paganiſme did idolatrouſly adore: which fabulous example I doe more willingly inſtance in, becauſe a writer of their owne, to delight his auditory,Calvino… Lib 1 cap. 7 Alex. Gag. indeſ. Lith. hath recited it in this forme and order out of Alexander Gagvviu in deſcriptione Lithvaniae. Some of the Lithvan…an Idolators being asked this queſtion, what the reaſon ſhould bee why they honored for a God not onelyonly trees, ſerpents, ſtarts, ſū but alſo an iron Mallet of huge quantity; they made anſwere to them that made the demaund of them in this manner: We worſhip and adore this mallet for this reaſon. VponUpon a time a prince of Lithvany impriſoned the Sunne in a ſtrong tower: for that certaine daies he did not diſcover the beames of his light vntounto the people ſubiecte to that Clymate: herevpon Aries Taurus Gemini and the reſt of the 12. Signes fearing that the world ſhould looſe the benefitt of the light of the ſunne, providing this Mallet, with the force thereof brake downe the walles of this priſon, & ſo by conſequent releaſed the ſunne out of priſon, that he might returne to the accuſtomed ſervice of the world: for which benefite effected by this Mallet as the inſtrument, ſaid theſe Idolators, we do yeeld this Mallet theſe ſignes of divine honor, thankfully acknowledging hereby what good our country hath ſince intertained by it. This fable of the Mal…t may vvorthily equalize in mine opinion moſt of the fabulous narrations written of B. Hugh, and may bee reported vvith as greate credit, as many of them which this Legend, and ſuch as the Myſſal hath mentioned and propoſed to the world.
Laſtly leſt it ſhould be obiected that I deale not charitably with the dead, and that I cenſure peremptorily the writers of this Legend, and am over partial for the Proteſtantes glorye; it remaineth that I ſhoulde adioyne to this Treatiſe, what fruites of true holineſſe, notwithſtanding al this popiſh trumpery is ſpecified by the fore-ſaid writers concerning B. Hugh.
Laſt obſer. Againſt Symony and bribery.It is written of him that he was advanced to his Biſhopricke without any S…moniacal compact, & that in the Adminiſtration of that great office in the Church he was not blemiſhed with bribery & Simony, which 2. abominations not only Rome, but other coūtries by profeſſiō Chriſtians how farre may be touched with, the Lord God knoweth: I pray God that theſe two filthy worms or Ga…grenas mar not all in the ende.What things ſhall be required in the day of iudgmēt of all Chriſtians It ſeemed that hee repoſed not any great confidence of merite in Monaſtical life, as it appeareth by his anſwere that he made vntounto certaine that highly cōmended the Carthuſian inſtitution of life, & diſcommēded life ſecular. In the dreadful day of iudgment God will not aske of ſuch as ſhall be preſented before that glorious, righteous and iuſt tribunall whether they hauehave been in profeſſiō Monkes, Friers, religious perſons, E…mits, &c. but this whether they hauehave lived like good Chriſtians, or not: whether their hearts hauehave beene beautified with charity, their mouths hauehave alwaies teſtified Gods verity, whether they hauehave kept their ſoules and bodies veſſels to the holy Ghoſt in ſanctification and chaſtity.A comfort for al faithful women. It is ſaide alſo that he exhorted the ſexe of women, with fervent and holy zeale to louelove the Lorde, and to cleaue to him, ſince the Saviour of the world diſdained not to bee borne of a woman. When the extremity of his laſt ſickneſſe whervpon he deceaſed,The day of iudgment to the faithfull a day of comforte. approached, one ſpake vntounto him of the day of iudgement: vntounto whō he replied. That day ſhal not be to me a day of iudgement, but a day of grace and mercy.
Theſe laſt obſervations I hauehave adioyned to the reſt not to flatter the world,1. Cor 15.10 but to avoide all partiality in writing, not to aſcribe any merite vntounto S. Hugh, but only to ſhevv what the grace of God hath wrought in him, exhorting Pellagian merit-mongers alwaies to perſwade themſelues that when they hauehave done all that they can, they bee but vnprofitable ſervants; that all things that mā hath,Luke. 17. 1. Cor. 4.7. Eſay 64.6. he hath receaved: that, Every good thing, and every perfect gift is from aboue, and commeth downe from the father of lights: that, Al our righteouſneſſe is as filthy clow…s: that only God is holy, and all men ſinners &c.
To thoſe that ſhall take exception againſt the vnprofitable tediouſneſſe of this diſcourſe, & perhaps will repute it nothing elſe but a miſpending of time, pen, and paper, both to the writer laborious, & to the reader troubleſome, I apollogize my ſelfe in this manner.Note.
By this abſolute narration of B. Hughes life I hauehave yeelded ſufficient reaſon why I giuegive no approbation to the Minor ſpecified in the obiection, and what good cauſe I hauehave to make ſome doubt alſo of the Maior. Moreover by this divers that knew no more of B. Hughes life (I wil not ſay as the old proverbe is then the dogge that lookt over Lincolne,An Engliſh by-worde. 1. Tim. 1.7. Exo. 10.22.23. Rev. 16.10: The angel powring his v…l vpō the throne of the beaſt &c The ſūme of the aunſwer to the third general Accuſation. About An. Dom. 1215 An. part 3… tit. 22 his verbis Votuores coeli &c. Iere. 2.13. Bell. Tom. 1. Cont general. 7. lib. 1. c. 8 9. but) then thoſe that the Apoſtle ſaith, neither knovv what they speake, neither whereof they affirme, might be better inſtructed and giuegive over vaine attending and liſtning to old wiues fables, wherewith the kingdome of darkneſſe in the time of darknes was vpheld. For at that time the darknes was like the darkneſſe of Egypt ſpecified in the 10. of Exodus 22. & 23. ver. And laſtly, that I might ſhew that al glory is to be given to God, and that all men are ſinners.
It reſteth now that I ſhoulde ſummarily anſwere each point of this third general Accuſatiō, accordingly as they are laid downe in the premiſes ſyllogiſtically.
Firſt I anſwere that the canonization of Saints as it was vſed in the time of Honorius the third, and as it is now accuſtomably practized, hath no warrant out of holy ſcriptures, neither out of the Synagogue before Chriſt our Lorde his Nativity, neither out of the ancient Primitiue church. The proofes that Antouinus alleadgeth for it are meere allegoricall, and very vnſufficient, no waies able to hold wate…, no more then thoſe broken ceſte…nes, which the prophet Ieremy hath ſpoken of in his 2. Chapter, neither are thoſe things of any greater moment which Cardinall Bellarmine hath newly turbiſhed concerning: his argument of canonization of Saints. But I omit this, partly becauſe it doth imply divers queſtions pertaining ad plenitudinem poteſtatis Papae, to the fulneſſe of the Popes ſoveraigne power, partly for that it concurreth with thoſe examinations and confutations that appertaine to thoſe whoſoeuer doe profeſſe in writing, and hauehave begonne to anſwere Bellarmine his controverſies: which, God giving me life and leaſure I will doe my beſt endevor in, & principally for that, to ſuch that are already inſtructed in the groundes of ſincere religion, theſe doctrines of men are by one blaſt of Gods holy ſpirite in the twinckling of an eie confounded and brought to nothing.
Secondly admit that B. Hugh was regularly canonized by Pope Honorius the 3. yet it is no good conſequent, that the ſolemne office Eccleſiaſticall of the Church of England the 17. of November is any preiudice at all to B. Hugh: no more then the ſolemnization of B. Hughes ſervice is preiudiciall to greater Saints then he was by their owne teſtimony. For that ſelfe-ſame day there is in the vniverſall Church alſo a ſacred celebrity of many other Confeſſors or Saints:Baron. 17. November Vſuardus. Max. namely, of Gregorius Thaumaturgicus, of Dionyſius, Gregorius Turonenſis, and others, which are holden by the church of Rome Saints of greater merite, learning, integrity, miraculous workes then B. Hugh.
Thirdly I anſwere negatiuely to the Minor, and vvill God willing demonſtrate that this Accuſer herein malitiouſly playeth the part of a ſlye Sophiſt, namely in this forme. The ſolemne celebrity of Q Elizabeth Coronation day and the ſacred Church office that day performed is the cauſe why B. Hughes feſtivall day ſervice and honour that day is neglected. And that all the force of this malicious accuſation conſiſteth of no other foundation materially, then a ſophiſticall fallacy tearmed by Ariſtotle foreign &c. which then is vſed,Ariſtot. Elench. when that which in no ſorte is cauſe of any thing, is aſſigned and reputed to be cauſe of ſuch an effect that it never prodvced. How true my aunſwere is theſe reaſons following may perſpicuouſly & ſufficiently ſatisfie all indifferent readers to their content.Ann. Regn. Reg Eliza. be hae. 12. The time of the beginning of the celebrity of the 17 of November. D. Coop. Vicechan. in the Vniverſity of Oxford.
About the 12. yeare of the Reigne of her Excellēcy was the firſt practize of the publike ſolemnization of this day, & (as farre forth as I can heare, or can by any diligent inquity learne) the firſt publike celebrity of it was inſtituted in Oxford (by D. Cooper being thē there Vicechauncelour after B. of Lincolne, and by remoue from thence B. of Wincheſter) from whence this inſtitution flowed by a voluntary current over all this Realme, not without the ſecret motion of Gods holy ſpirit, I doubt not, and to the great comforte of all true Engliſh harts. The continuall obſervation of which ceremony ſithence hath not beene impoſed vpō the church of England by any Eccleſiaſticall decree, neyther preſcribed by any Canon of the Church: but hath bin meere voluntarily continued by the religious and dutifull ſubiects of this Realme in their thankfulneſſe to God, and in their perfit zeale, tendring her Maieſties preſervation in deſiring the cōtinuance therof to Gods glory, & the good of the church and common wealth of England. Herevpon it is evident that ſince this office begā only to be practiſed the 17. of November the 12. yeare of her Highneſſe reigne, and not before; the ſolemne celebrities performed the 17. of November were no more cauſe why B. Hughes feſtivity is not now remembred in this Realme; no more cauſe, I ſay, then the drinking of Aeſops Lambe of the ſtreame water twelue miles beneath the ſpring or fountaine,Aeſopi fabulae. was the occaſion why the woolfe at the well head did drinke puddle or muddy water eſpecially B. Hughes ſuperſtitious feſtivity being abrogated at the leaſt 12. yeares before by publicke authority of the church of England vponupon iuſt cauſe,Ezekias breaking the braſen ſerpente. 2. King. 18.4 and ſufficient warrant out of Gods word: yea & all the raigne of K. Edward, and part of the Raigne of K. Henry the 8 her Highneſſe Father, who by the grace of God now raigneth, and whome I beſeech God long to cō tinue in this Regiment to his glory, to the good of his church, & the great comfort of all true ſubiects of this floriſhing Realme.
Each part of the Minor hauing bin anſwered ſufficiently, if any man ſhal here propoſe to me this …nte …ga…ry, what in my opinion I thinke of B. Hughes ſalvation in regard of the premiſes? Firſt I breefely anſwere that I find no reaſō why B. Hugh in ſacred Canonization ſhould hauehave a day deſigned to his celebrity before many thouſand of Chriſtians not once noted by the church o… Rome, ſince it is evident that the 13. ve. of the 14. of the Reve. may b… a…plaed truly to many thouſands of the faithful that hauehave been, and are omitted in the Romiſh Catologue.
1 Cor c …3. v. 11.12 1. 14 15. Let the Chriſtian Reader aſſure himſelfe that this place maketh nothing for doctrine of Purgatory being rightly expounded, and faithfully interpreted according to the analogy of faith.Next admit that B. Hughes Canonization were in the inſtitution tollerable to be obſerved feſtiva…ly: yet it is no good reaſon that now in like māner the office of that day, being polluted with much ſuperſtition, ſhould alſo in this light of the Goſpell be remembred in like ſort as it vvas before.
For mine opinion of his ſalvation I referre my ſelfe to Gods only knowledge herein, and hoping the beſt, propoſing to my ſelfe in all ſuch caſes to wade no farther in a queſtion of ſuch quality, then the rule of the B. Apoſtle hath taught me in the 1. to the Cor. 3 11. For other foundation can no man lay, then that which is laid, which is Ieſus hoſt. 12. And if any man build on this foundation golde, ſilver, precious ſtones, timber, hay or ſtubble. 13. Every mans worke ſhalbe made manifeſt: for the day ſhall declare it, becauſe it ſhall bee revealed by the fire: and the fire ſhall trie every mans worke of wh…t ſorte it is. 14. If any mans worke, that he hath built vponupon abide, he ſhall receaue wages. 15. If any mans worke burne, he ſhall looſe, but hee ſhall be ſafe himſelfe: nevertheleſſe as it were by the fire.
Hauing ended the diſcourſe of the life of B. Hugh, and hauing anſwered the third generall accuſation, it remaineth that I ſhould breefly repeate the ſūme of it ſyllogiſtically, thereby to eſtabliſh the validity of my aunſwere, which in this forme I propoſe.
That church-ſervice which worketh among Chriſtian people no contempt or forgetfulneſſe of any Saint faithfully canonized by the true church of God,The …eterting of the argument. and vvholly tendeth to no other end, but to glorifie GOD, is allovvable &c.
But the ſolemnization of Q. Elizabeths holy day,A… …t is commonly called &c. namely the 17. of November, worketh among Chriſtian people noe neglect of any Saint truly canonized &c, noe not of Hugh ſometimes B. of Lincolne.
Ergo The ſolemnization of Q. Elizabeths holy day name be the 17. of November is allowable, &c.