The Bee Hive of the Romish Church, Part 3
Here followeth the exposition vponupon the third part of Gentianus Haruets Epistle: wherin is treated of Auricular confession, of the Sacraments, of Matrimonie, of Confirmation, and of the holy Anointment.
The first Chapter. Of Auricular confession, and howe necessarie it is, and of establishing the same by the Scriptures.
Auriculer confession.HEre now doth followe the third part of the Epistle of Gentianus, wherein he doth declare himself greatlie to wonder, that these new Preachers of the gospell will go about to abolish auricular confession. Cockes populorum! But howe would they go to worke? Where our holie mother hath so straightlie cōmanded vponupon paine of damnation,These are the very wordes of Pope Innocent the 1. in a generall councell cō cluded, and is set down in the decrees, Chap. Omnis vtriusque sext…s de penietentis & remissionibus. That al such as are of both kindes, to wit, male & female, shall assoone as he or she is come to yeeres of discretion, confesse them selues to their owne Curate of all their sins, at lest once a yere: vnderstanding the same alway of deadlie sinnes only, as is set forth by the glosse vponupon the text: because daily and perdonable sinnes are with a Pater noster, or with a sprinckle full of holy water, cleane washed away.
I maruell, howe these Heretikes can speake against this. For were it not euen as much as though they would put out both the eies of our mother the holie church? For vndoubtedly, this auricular confession is worthe two paire of eies to her. For by the one, she can see, perceiue & learne al the secret determinations, counsels, and pretences of all Kings, Princes and Potentates of Christendome: by reason whereof she is come to a peaceable possession & enioying of her authoritie and gouernement ouer all Countries and Kingdomes: And by the other she can see and creepe euen into the verie bottome of the bosomes of yong maides, simple and sorrowful wiues, and widdowes, and so grope out and vnderstand all their secrets: and then enioyne them such friendlie penaunce, that their troubled consciences are thereby comforted, and their sorrowfull heartes made ioyfull. O good Lord! How often hauehave these holy Priests and Friers giuen (vnderunder confession) good wholesome counsell to the sorrowfull barren wiues, whereby they hauehave afterwardes become blyth mothers, and hauehave euer after borne an inward louelove towardes their holie ghostlie fathers, euen as though it were to their owne husbands.
Yea, there is at this present a good holie graie Frier at Brudgesse, called Brother Cornelius the Whipper, who (by meanes of this holie auriculer confession) did teach a great many of simple womē, to tame and mortifie their fleshe, in this manner: That they for the fulfilling of penance to them inioyned, and to receiue of him ful absolution of their sinnes, hauehave verie willinglie gon creeping vppon handes and feete, starke naked before that holie ghostlie father: and when he did marke anie that the fleshe was not sufficientlie mortified, them did he followe with a rodde in his hand, and whipped thē vponupon the bare buttockes, till they had thereby done sufficient penance.
By the same token, that hee is yet at this houre called, Brother Cornelis the whipper, and is verie well beloued in the towne of Brudgesse, where the women are verie deuoute to do such penance.
Consider now, if that auricular confessiō had bene pulled downe, howe could he hauehave brought those good women to such a deuout mortification and penaunce? Howe shoulde our deare mother the holie Church bring into the right path, that goodlie and friendly congregation of women, whiche Pope Clement did commaunde, if it were not by that holie auriculer confession? So that truely, Nectarius Bishop of Constantinople was muche to blame,Nectarius. for disanulling auriculer confession, onelie because there was a Deacon or a Priest, whiche had shreeuen a woman vnderunder her smocke.In the yeare 395. Was not that a straunge matter of the Bishoppe?This is set out in the storie tripar…ite in the .9. booke. Chap. 28. Surely he must needes hauehave bene either a Lutherian or a Huguenote, seing he had no more regarde too the ordinaunces of his deare mother the holie Church. But I assure you, it goeth now to worke after an other manner, what woulde that Bishoppe hauehave done, if he had seene brother Cornelis the whipper, and such other good felowes, Surely he would hauehave driuen auriculer confession with all that baggadge to the gallowes.Chrisostome vponupon the .51. Psal. and in the 3. Homelie vppon the .12. chap. to the Hebr. And in the Homelie of penaunce. &c. Seing he was so earnestly moued for such a smell matter. But we will let him alone with a morren. And although Chrisostome was of the same opinion, and did directly withstande auriculer confession, yet notwithstanding we hauehave nothing to do therwithal, we will sticke to and keepe fast our auricular confession: yea, and though all the Doctours of the Churche, shoulde runne madde. For when all is saide, it were almost as good that the Masse should be put downe and buried for euer, as that there shoulde be no auricular confession. Our deare mother the holie Church will take heede to that, she wil not put downe nor suffer to be ouerthrowen, such a trimme and necessarie thing as that is, to please these Heretikes: especially seeing she can defende it by holy Scripture, aswell as any article before specified, as you may clearly see out of the doctrine of Maister Gentianus Haruet.
Iohn. 20.28.Is it not written, (saith he,) Whose sinnes soeuer you doe forgeue, the same shall be forgeuen. Now they cannot forgeue without hauing knowledge first of the matter: and the matter cannot come to anie knowledge, but by confession, made either openly or in secrete. And therefore without doubt (sayth he) auricular or secrete confession is muche more comly and honest, than open cō fession. Consider well of this matter (gentle Reader,) here the matter is so cleare, that a blinde man may see it aswell in the darke as without a candle. For notwithstanding that Christ speakes there of ministring & preaching the gospel,Whose sinnes you remit, &c. whereby the forgiuenesse of sins is pronounced vntounto all those that beleeue: as he himselfe doth expounde it, saying: That Paule shall open the eyes of the blinde, Act. 26.18.to the end they may turne from the darkenesse, to the light, and from the power of the diuel, vntounto God, so that they may obteine forgiuenesse of their sinnes, and so bee partakers with them, whiche are by beliefe in Iesus Christ, made holie. Whervpon Paule plainely sayeth, That he hath folowed this commaundement, not by confessing of women secretly in their eares, but by preaching and setting foorth of the Gospell, and the forgiuenesse of sinnes. And whereas Chrysostome and all the olde Fathers hauehave so vnderstoode and set it foorth: yet notwithstanding,Chrysostome vponupon the .23. of Mathewe the .44. homilie. since that the holie Churche hath vnburthened all Bishops, Priestes, Ministers, and Officers of the Church, of their charge of preaching, and hauehave geuen the same to images and Sainctes made of stockes and stones, to be bookes and preachers to the Laie people. The time and matter is much altered: And the priestes beginne to finde a good taste in this auriculer confession. They hauehave blowen this forgeuing of sinnes in at the eares. They geue thee absolution with a Crosse, alledging and setting foorth the woordes of Christ, for proofe thereof. So that it is not to be merueiled at, that our Maister Gentian doeth so glorie of this Text, and will with that plainly prooue auriculer confession: Notwithstanding that the holie Churche hath many other cleare Textes of the Scripture, whereby to proue and establish the same.
As for example: whereas Christ sayde to the Lepre, after that he had made him whole:Mathew. 8.4. Marke. 1.44. Luke. 5.14. This witnesse is by Eckius and all other Catholike writers interpreted to this sence. Goe and shewe thy selfe to the Priest, and offer thine offering according as Moises hath commaunded. For that is onelyonly thus to be vnderstood: Goe hence and shriue thy selfe vntounto thine owne Ghostly Father, and doe such penance, as he shall enioyne you. And the like,Iames. 5.26. where Saint Iames saith, Confesse your sinnes one to an other, By that did Iames meane nothing else, but onelyonly seeke you out a Priest or a Frier, to whom you may open your minde, and declare vntounto him perticulerly al your euil deedes, and he will quickly geue you absolution, especially, if you let him see a peece of golde. For (by interpretation of our deare mother the holy Churche) One to an other, is as muche to say, as the Priestes and Friers onelyonly. And therefore, where Sainte Iames following right in the same place saith, And pray one for an other, we may very well vnderstand that thus, as though he would say: Pray onelie for Friers and Priestes, that the world may be cleane cleansed of them, and Purgatorie filled with them.
The .2. Chapter. Treating of the Sacrament of seuen orders, & of matrimonie, & of the holie oyle or oyntment, and of the number of the .vii▪ Sacramentes.
AFter this commes Maister Gentianus to the rest of the Sacramentes,The Sacramēt of seuen orders and sayeth thus: As touching the seuen orders, is there not a playne Texte in Saint Paule where hee sayeth: 1. Tim. 4.14Doe not neglect that which is in thee, whiche is geuen thee by prophesie, and laying on of handes of the Priesthood, Looke the .18. Chap. of the .2. part.for that is asmuch to say, as Take good heede and see that you doe not take vppon you to be masse Priestes, Looke the 19. Chap. of the .1. parte.before you hauehave bene Porter, Candle bearer, Chorister, or Acoluthus, Subdeacon and Deacon, for all these must goe before, if you wil hauehave the other to followe, as we hauehave heretofore declared by scriptures.The Sacramēt of matrimonie.
Then he doth further declare, that matrimonie is a sacrament,Ephes. 5.32. bicause there is written: This is a greate mysterie, I say in Christ Iesus, and the congregation. But I could be very well content, that gentle Gentianus, had helde his tongue there, and neuer hauehave written so. It is verye true, that our deare mother the holie church hath bene accustomed heretofore, to bring in the same for a testimonie or witnesse, before that the common sorte had read or were acquainted with the scriptures: but now the time doth not serue any longer to geue men brickbattes for turfes, or to make them beleeue that the Moone is made of greene Cheese: for euerie one will pretend now to know how the world walkes. Therefore he had better hauehave held his tongue touching this matter. For, to begin withal, an Asse might hauehave seene and perceiued, that Paule dooth not there meane anie thing at all of matrimonie: but of the vnitie betweene Christ and his congregation: which he doth name to be A greate or deepe mysterie farre aboue the vnderstanding of all men. And besides this, these scornefull Heretikes, will sowe a paire of Asse eares on maister Gentianus head: seeing he did not consider, That herein he doth speake both against himselfe, and against our deare mother the holie Churche, who hath plainly concluded that matrimonie is fleshly, vncleane, and vnholy: and hath for that cause forbidden, that Priestes shall marrie, insomuch,Looke the 17. Chap. of the … parte. that it cannot be a holie Sacramente: or else it muste followe, that Priestes are not woorthie to enioye so holie a Sacrament. And besides that, these Heretikes will set a paire of spectacles on maister Gentianus nose, to the ende hee may see and perceiue, that if it be so, that Matrimonie bee a Sacramente, then must virginitie or maidenhoode much rather be a holie sacrament, bycause that by our deare mother the holy Church it is much more esteemed thā matrimony, & so there must be eight sacraments. Yea, widowes will come in for their partes, and challendge viduitie or widowehoode to be a sacrament. So that men shall at the last be forced to regester for sacramentes, all states and calling of men. Wherevpon must needes follow, that our deare mother the holy church hath erred in setting foorth & teaching, that there were onelyonly seauen sacramentes, vnlesse that shee (peraduenture) will hauehave it vnderstoode, that by the number of seauen shee dooth meane an innumerable number, as by Gentianus reasons appeareth shee dooth, so that by his argument it must followe, That in all places of the scripture, where this woord Misterium, that is to say a misterie is vsed, that must streight way bee esteemed for a sacrament: and by that order, also must the kingdome of Antichrist and the beast with seauen heades be accompted for sacramentes: So that in the end, we should hauehave so many sacramentes, that we shoulde not know what to doe with them: but we must go set them out in the Sunne to dry, or lade a great Hulke with them, and send them into Norway: which out of doubt were a greate disorder, and such as might make open to al the worlde the impudencie and shamefulnesse of our deare mother the holy church of Rome: seeing shee hath resolutely set foorth, that there may be no moe but seauen sacramentes. Which thing she hath likewise fetched out of the coffer of the scriptures with hir Allegoricall or Anagogicall key (saith shee) Seuen deadly sinnes. Looke the .1. chap. of the .2. parte.Ergo must there be of necessitie seuen Sacramentes, which must driue away and ouercome the same seuen deadly sinnes. Item there is mention made of seuen Seales, wherewith the booke of the olde Testament was sealed vp. Also there were seuen pillars, wherewith the church was vnderset: how like are they to be the seuen principall of the new Bishops of the base countrey to wit,Seuen bishops in the low countreis Vigilius. The Cardinall Grandwell, the President Viglius, Franciscus, Sonnius, Petrus Cursius, Ioannes Lindanus de castro and Fryer Kniefe, Who (I assure you) sticke to their tackling and holde vppe the Romish Church like faste and sure pyllers and proppes for feare shee should fall into the myre. After this likewise is mention made of Seuen washings whereby Naaman was healed of his leprosie, and likewise of seuen Basens, Henricus de Vr… ma…ia vponupon the fourth booke of Sent. dist. 1.which the Sonne of Man held in his right hand, and of Seuen loaues, wherewith Christ fed the multitude of people: & of seuē times going about wherby the towne of Iericho was ouerthrown▪ of seuē eyes in one stone: and lastely, of seuen candles set vponupon the tabernacle. For now (saith our mother the holy church) by all these are signified and set foorth the seuen doctours of the Romish church, to wit, the foure principall of the scholasticall theologie or diuinitie, as Thomas de Aquino, Ioā nes Scotus, Albertus Magnus, and Occam, together with the two profound interpreters of the masse, namely Rabanus and Durandus, and the Maister of the Sentences called Petrus Lombardus: all which make iust seuen, who should likewise set forth and establish in the church of Rome seuen sacramentes.
There may yet be alledged many other examples for the establishing of the number of seuen Sacraments, to wit, the seuē Psalmes, which serue the soules in Purgatorie for seuē sacramentes.Matth. 12. Luke. 11. Item the seuen diuels which cam to inhabit the house when they found it cleane & emptie: then the seuen sciences: and also the seuen or fiue wittes of our Doctours of Louen, wherewith they farre excell all the profounde wit and vnderstanding of the Apostles and Prophets, with many other thinges more, which might be broght in: but our mother the holie church of Rome is satisfied with these examples and figures before specified. Although yet me thinkes (vnderunder correction of my maisters of Louen be it spoken, to whose iudgements I submitte my selfe) that the number of the seuen Sacramentes may best be applied (for that which is written in the Apocalypse, of the beast with seuen heades: or (as heretofore is set foorth) Irenaeus himselfe hath applied this beast to the Romishe churche. And the number of sixe hundreth sixtie sixe, which is the number of the beast,Apoc. 13 18. For each letter in greek makes one number. 5.20.20.30.2 EKKΛH 200.10.1.10 Σ. IAI 30.1.30.10. TAΛI 20.1. KA Th…s makes together. 666. Apoc. 13.17. doe agree very well in one wt this Greke worde EKKΛHΣIA ITAΛIKA, Ecclesia Italica, which is to say, The Italian or Romish Church. And there is likewise specially spoken of the Character, or marke of the beast: And now our mother the holy church sayth that there is likewise a Charecter or marke in the sacraments. And last of al it is credibly affirmed that it is a mysterie: to wit, Babylon: And nowe will our deare mother cō clude, as is apparāt, that matrimonie is a Sacrament because that this woorde misterium is playnely set foorth: and then it must of necessitie followe, that here also somewhat is spoken of Sacramentes, seeyng that this woorde is likewise spoken of here. And so must the beast with seuē heads, vndoubtedly betoken and signifie the Romish church with her seuen Sacramentes, and with her character or marke. So that maister Gentianus is herein to be blamed, That he hath (to mainteine his argument) vsed this worde misterium for the purpose of matrimonie to be a sacramēt: cōsidering that our deare mother the holie Church hath alwaies vsed the same for her strōgest bulwarke, alledging the same continually,
But herevpon yet might fall out a great question, to wit, how doeth it happen, that men accompt vponupon no more, but seuen sacramentes, seeing that yet our deare mother the holie Church hath ordeined at the least seuen and seuentie Sacramentes, whereof none is conteined vnderunder anie of these seuen? For on Easter eeuen, when they do blesse the Easter candels, then doth the holie Church offer vntounto God the Father Fier, for a great rewarde and a holie Sacrament,Fire a Sacrament. saying thus:
Te in tuis operibus inuocantes in hac sacratissima noctis vigilia, de donis tuae suppliciter offerimus Maiestati, non adipe carnis pollutum, non prophana vnctione viciatum, non sacrilego igne contactum, sed cera atque stuppa constructum, in tui nominis honore succenssum ignem, obsequio religiosae deuotionis offerimus. Magnum igitur Mysterium, & noctis huius mirabile Sacramentum, dignis necesse est laudibus cumulari.
That is to say:
Calling vponupon thee in thy workes, this holie Eeue of Easter, we offer most humbly vntounto thy Maiestie, this sacrifice: namely, a fire not defiled with the fat of fleshe, nor polluted with vnholie oyle or oyntment, nor attainted with anie prophane fire: but we offer vntounto thee, with obedience, proceeding from perfect deuotion, a fire of wrought waxe & weeke, kindled and made to burne in the honour of thy name. This so great a mysterie therefore, and the maruellous sacrament of this holie Eeue, must needes be extolled with due and deserued praises.
Marke well nowe, here is the holy fire, or else surelie the Eeue it selfe, called (not onlie Mysterium) but also A maruellous Sacrament, and offered vp vntounto God for a great present, whereby he is (as in the end is concluded) made verie ioyfull & merie.
The finding of the Crosse, a sacrament.Likewise, the signe of the Crosse is also called a Sacrament. For vppon the day called Inuentio sanctae crucis, that is, The finding out of the holie crosse, are song by our deare mother the holie church, in a certeine metricall sequence, these words:
Non sunt noua Sacramenta,
Nec recenter est inuenta
Crucis haec Religio.
Ista dulces aquas fecit,
Per hanc Silex aquas iecit,
Mosis officio.
Nulla salus est in domo,
Nisi Cruce munit homo
superliminaria.
That is to say:
This is no newe made Sacrament,
Nor holie crosse doeth represent
a late vpstart inuention:
This crosse made bitter water sweete,
And floudes from rocke of flint to fleete,
by Moses priestly function.
All health and wealth is turnd to losse,
in euerie house and houshold,
Except the signe of holie crosse
be set vponupon the threshold.
So that the signe of the Crosse must also be a holie sacrament without doubt.
And the like, when they make holie water, they pray thus:
Deus, qui ad salutem humani generis maxima quaeque Sacramenta in aquarū substantia condidisti, adesto propitius inuocationibus nostris, & elemento huic multimodis purificationibus praeparato, virtutem tuae benedictionis ✚ infunde: vt creatura Mysterii tui tibi seruiens, ad abiiciendos daemones, morbosque pellendos, diuinae gratiae sumat effectum, &c.
That is to say:
O God, who hast (for the health of mankind) ordeined and made manie sacramentes of the substance of water, accept mercifullie our prayers, and sende into this water (which is by manie meanes made cleare) the vertue of thy blessing ✚: So that this creature of thy sacrament seruing thee, may receiue perfect strength and power, to chace away diuels, and to driue away all diseases & sicknesses, &c.
Water a Sacrament.Here is the water likewise called Creatura mysterii: so that it must needes bee a sacrament, seeing that A Sacrament is nothing els, but a holie signe of anie holie thing: The Maister of sentences in the .1. chap. the dist. and .4. booke.or▪ A visible similitude or likenesse of anie inuisible grace or pardon. So that it may iustlie bee said, Accedat verbum ad elementum, & fiet Sacramentū: that is to say: When the worde is ioyned with the element, it is made a Sacramēt. And now, out of doubt, here is an element, to wit, the water: And herevppon commes the wordes of the Priests, by which it doth receiue a gratious power, to participate vntounto men an vnuisible gift, euen as well as the holie oyntment, or anie other sacrament of the holie church, ergo is it likewise a sacrament. And herevppon it doeth followe, that the holie ashes also is no lesse. Item▪ the Priestes spittle. Item, the Palmes. Item, the waxe candels, and all other elementes, which our deare mother the holie church doeth likewise consecrate, hallowe and blesse, to the ende they may assist men by some inward power: all such must likewise be sacramentes. Make the reckoning then, and note whether wee shal not hauehave a notable companie of sacraments.
And whereas some men will say herevpon, that there is, or must be a difference betweene these, and the seuen sacraments:Henricus de V… maria vponupon the foresaide texte of the sentences because that the seuen sacramentes doe not onelie betoken things, but do also of themselues minister merciemercy and grace, and that the other can not of them selues giuegive anie grace, neither be the occasion of anie: that is plaine blasphemie against the holie church: as is euidentlie to be seene out of the lectures, readinges, and exorcismies or coniurations, which she doeth vse ouer the saide elementes, whereby they doe receiue as great power at the least, as anie of all the seuen Sacramentes hauehave: as you may plainly see in the Masse booke. Otherwise men might say that all her lectures or readinges and exorcismies or coniurations, were vnnecessarie, without power, and of no value: whiche is plaine blasphemie. And if men woulde say then, that all these small Sacramentes are conteined vnderunder the Sacramēt of penaūce, seing that satisfaction is included vnderunder penaunce, and that al these do tend to the doing of satisfactiō for our sins, & therfore are cōteined vnderunder satisfactiō: that woulde not sound well: for this alegation woulde alway be brought in against it, that baptisme and the holie oyle or oyntment, and Confirmation, with all the rest of the sacraments, must all likewise be conteined vnderunder penaunce: seeing all they (as is heretofore declared) doe iustifie men Ex opere operato, or by the merites of good workes, and so are reckoned for good payment and satisfaction. And therfore as touching this matter, wee must conclude thus: That this remaineth onlie at the will and discretion of our deare mother the holie Church of Rome: so that shee may ordeine and establishe as manie sacramentes as she list, and in the meane space make vsus beleeue that there are no more but seuen. And so might it well bee said, that the number of seuen is here to be vnderstood for an endles number, as hath bene written before.
And nowe, as touching the holie oyntment, wherewith they do vse to anoint the sicke, when they lie a passing, Gentianus doeth establish that verie finelie by scripture, as specially, where Saint Iames saith: If there be anie sicke among you, let him sende for the Elders of the congregation, and let them pray ouer him, and anoint him with oyle, in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of the faithfull shal comfort the sicke, and the Lord shall restore him: and if he hauehave sinned, it shalbe forgiuen him. Whereby our holie mother doeth vnderstand, that whensoeuer anie bodie lies a passing, so that there is no more hope of life in him, the Prieste shal then anoint him with holie oyle, blesse him with crosses, and coniure him with certein words, and then he can neuer come in hell: for all the diuels will runne away from before the crosses, like a dogge before a fli…che of bacon. And therefore must hee take vp his lodging, either in the suburbes of hell, or in Purgatorie, where hee shall hauehave his house hire and firewood free, till such time, as he (with soule Masses and Popes pardons) hauehave gotten a platte of ground in heauen, to build a house thervppon, of merites and good workes. And this same oyle is of such power, that through it all our sinnes are forgiuen vsus, according to that which the Priestes mumble out in their Masse:In the Masse booke. Per istam sanctam vnctionem & piissimam suam misericordiam, indulgeat tibi Deus, quicquid peccasti per visum, per aud itum, odoratum, tactum, & gustum, &c. that is to say, Thorough this holie oyntment, and by his meeke merciemercy, will God forgiue thee all thy sinnes, what soeuer thou hast committed, by seeing, by hearing, by smelling, by feeling, and by tasting, &c.
Consider nowe, what can you looke for more to enioye by the pretious bloud shedding of Iesus Christ the sonne of GOD, than that, which the Priestes doe beare vsus in hand to giuegive vsus, by the power and vertue of their holie oyle? These Heretikes may (if they will) hold f…st on the offering vp of the bodie and bloud of Iesus Christ: but the good Catholike subiectes of the holie church of Rome, will in no wise forsake this holie oyntment. We will rather bidde Christ him selfe Adieu, then wee will suffer such a pretious thing to be wroung out of our handes. It is verie true, that these Heretikes doe herein againe mocke with our deare mother the holy Church, saying, that our Priestes are like vntounto Apes and Monkies, which will counterfeyte euerie thing that they see done before them, though they hauehave neither knowledge nor vnderstanding of the matter: and this doe they alledge hereof, because that Marke doeth witnesse,Mark. 6.13. That the Apostles had receiued the gifte of the holie Ghost, whereby they did make the sicke whole with their prayers, and with anointing or laying on of handes, or by some other apparant token. As it doeth likewise appeare in Paule,1. Cor. 12.2…. who amongest other apparant giftes of the holy Ghost, did likewise deale with this gift of making the sicke whole: and he him selfe did shewe a notable token ouer the dead,Act. 20.10. falling vponupon the dead carcase, and embrasing it in his armes: As we reade also of the Prophet Eliseus, who did the like ouer the dead childe,2. Reg. 4.34▪ stretching forth his feete and his handes, and set his mouth directlie on the mouth of the dead, and his eies on the eies of the dead: and so he with these notable tokens, iointlie with his deuoute prayers, did reuiue that dead carcase. But nowe, seeing there are no more such giftes amongst the Congregation (for that nowe the preaching of the Gospell hath no neede of anie newe establishing by signes and miracles) therefore will these Heretikes say, that it is but verie Apes plaie, to vse outwarde tokens, where they hauehave no inwarde power nor might, which may be shewed with the signe or token. For otherwise the Priestes must rubbe all blind mens eies with spitle and clay, and stretche them selues out vponupon all dead carcases: which were a verie beastlinesse, seeing they hauehave not the power to make the blinde see, nor to reuiue the dead: neither can they (with their oyle) make anie sicke man whole. And therefore they were better to burne the oyle in their lampes, or grease their bootes withall, rather than so to dissemble and mocke with God and his word: This talke these Heretikes hauehave, when they are gathered together: but we doe not passe for them one haire. For when wee shall finde anie of those, that would grease his shoes with that holie oyle or oyntment: yea, if he will not pray vntounto it, and worship it vppon his knees, as though it were God him selfe, him we will burne in steade of oyle, and make a good fire of him▪ For we will stand vntounto the wordes of Iames, & the example of the Apostles, whether we hauehave the power to make whole or no: we go foorth with our matter, euen as we also grease the childrens eyes with clay and spitle, although we hauehave not the power to make the blinde see: yea, and although the children are not blinde, it is inough for vsus that our mother the holie Church hath so ordeined. Notwithstanding it is here greatlie to bee noted, that maister Gentianus hath gone about to declare his innocencie herein, saying, that hee did bring this in onelie by manner of example, and as children playe in iest: For otherwise, if it were in earnest, hee would bring in other manner of stuffe: for hee could say so much to the matter, as hee would quicklie stoppe the mouthes of the Heretikes, as men may easilie iudge by his goodlie vtterance, and by his great learning, which doth appeare of him on all partes.