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Mirrovr of new reformation

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151

XLVIII. Of the Crosse, to Ananias.

Say , Ananias, whence doth it arise
That in this sort thou shouldst the Crosse

Luther saith, if he might recouer any parcel of the Crosse, he would cast it into the darkest & rankest sinke. Luth. in Postilla Ecc. Wit. fol. 148. 6. & 149. § 2. Beza from his hart detesteth the image of the Crucifixe. Beza in Colloq. Montispil. & in Ep. 8. 12. Puritans tearme the crosse the marke of the beast, not to be tolerated in Baptisme by a timorous conscience. See the suruey of Common Prayer pag. 100. 102. 103. and their short Treatise of the Crosse in 8. Amsterd. 1604. pag. 21.

despise?

When those Diuine Diuines, those more then men,
Those saint-like Sages Austin, Nazianzen,
Ambrose, both Cyrils, Athanasius,
Both Clements, Hierome, Epiphanius,
And al the rest of this graue learned troop
With reuerence stil before the Crosse did stoop,
And in their actions to preuent al feare

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Of Sathan's snares, the Crosse chiefe place did beare.

By the mysterie of this Crosse the rude are catechized, the font of Baptisme consecrated; with the signe of the same Crosse, by imposition of the hand, the baptized receiue the guifts of graces; with the character of the same crosse Cathedral Churches are dedicated, Altars consecrated, Sacraments with the imposition of our Lords words accomplished, Priestes also and Leuites by this are promoted to holy Orders, and generally al the Ecclesiastical Sacraments are by the vertue of this performed. Aug. ser. 19. de Sanctis Chrifost. hom. 55. in Mat.

Then with the Crosse the rude were catechiz'd,

The font was blest, the faithful al baptiz'd,
Churches therwith they stil did dedicate,
Altars, and Christ his body

With this signe of the Crosse the body of our Lord Iesus Christ is consecrated. Aug. ser. 101. de tempore.

consecrate,

By the mysterie of this Crosse the rude are catechized, the font of Baptisme consecrated; with the signe of the same Crosse, by imposition of the hand, the baptized receiue the guifts of graces; with the character of the same crosse Cathedral Churches are dedicated, Altars consecrated, Sacraments with the imposition of our Lords words accomplished, Priestes also and Leuites by this are promoted to holy Orders, and generally al the Ecclesiastical Sacraments are by the vertue of this performed. Aug. ser. 19. de Sanctis Chrifost. hom. 55. in Mat.

The Priest receiued Orders, and in fine,

By power and vertue of this sacred signe
Al Sacraments (our bucklers 'gainst hel's might)
Performed were, without

Which signe of the Crosse, vnles it be applied to the forehead of them that belieue, or to the water itself wherof they are regenerated, or to the oyle wherwith they are annointed, or to the sacrifice wherwith they are fed, not any of them is rightly performed. Aug. trac. 118. in loan. ser. 19. de SS. &c.

it nothing right.

Let vs not be ashamed to confesse Christ crucified but let the signe of the Crosse be confidently imprinted with our finger in the forehead, and in al things els: Let there be made a Crosse when we eate bread, when we drinke, when we goe forth, when we come in, before sleep, when we lye down, and when we rise; when we goe and when we rest. Cyril Hierosol. Catech. 13. At the table, when we see lights, in our chamber, when we sit, what conuersation soeuer we be busyed in, we stil make the signe of the crosse in our forehead. Tertul. de Corona militis c. 3.

Before they went to sleep, when they awak't

Before they rose, when they their rest forsak't,
When they were drest, before they tooke the ayre,
When they began to study, or prepare
To eate, or drink, or talk, or light to see,
Or what soe're they did, immediately
They with the Crosse against al future harme,
Their forehead, brests, and other parts did arme

When the soldier of Christ had thus said, he fortified himselfe with the signe of the Crosse, and with constancie of mind and vndanted countenance, without changing colour at al, he ioyfully went to punishment. Basil, in magn. orat. Gord. Mart.

Did euer Tyrant seek by threats or paine

T'enforce them from Christs holy truth refraine?
Lest they perhaps vnarm'd should loose the field
'Gainst threats and paine the Crosse was stil their shield.

By the signe of the Crosse al magike is depressed, sorcery made of no effect &c. Athanas. de Incarnat. Verbi.

Did any e're by magike art intend

To trouble them? The same Crosse was their freind.

Making the signe of the Crosse, he without any feare drunke the poyson. Greg. Mag. de Sabino Episcopo. Idem lib. 2. Dial. c. 3. where he writes that a poysoned glasse was broken by the signe of the Crosse, as with a stone.

Did any to them, vnder faire pretence

Of loue, giue poyson? Th'Crosse was their defence
They euer held, Good Zealous, doe not grudge
Heer to admit now an vnpartial Iudge,
Whether 'tis fitter I my selfe resigne
To their so general iudgement, or to thine?

What doe the diuels feare? What doe they tremble at? Doubtles at the Crosse of Christ, in which they were subdued, in which &c. Feare therfore & trembling wil surprize them when they see the signe of the Crosse faithfully fixed in vs. Orig. Hom. 6. in & Hom. 8. in diuersos Euangelij locos. Cyrillus Hieros. Catech. 13. Ephrem. ad Monachos paren. 2. Hieron. ad Psal. 85.

They held, I say, that Diuels euer feare

Before the Ensigne of the Crosse t'appeare;
That Crosses can euen with their very sight.

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A man vsing the signe of the Crosse doth driue away the deceits of the diuel &c. Athana. de Incarnatione Verbi & in vita Antonij.

Detect their slights, and put them al to flight:

A certaine man called Ioseph, a Patriarch among the Iewes, become a Christian, did take a vessel of water before them al, and with a lowd voice, imposing with his owne finger the signe of the Crosse vpon the vessel, & calling vpon the name of Iesus, said thus: In the name of Iesus of Nazareth, whom my forefathers crucified, be there power in this water to confound enchantments and magike &c. which done, al the enchantments were forthwith dissolued. Epiph. Her. 30. cont. Ebionitas.

That crosses can to water power impart

Streight to dissolue the slights of diuelish art,

The Bishop Donatus came not armed against the Dragon with sword, speare, or dart, but made against him the Crosse with his finger in the ayre, and spit in his face. The Dragon no sooner receiued the spits into his mouth, but instantly dyed. Sozomen. l. 7. c. 23. & Chrisost. hom. 55. in Mat.

That Crosses had wild beasts to mildnes brought

Of miracles wrought by the Crosse read Theodoret. in vita S. Iuliani, & vita S. Martiani, & in Philotheo cap. 9. Hieron. in vita Hilarionis, Tert. de scorpiac. Aug. de Ciuit. Dei lib. 22. c. 8. Victor Vticens. de persecutione Wand. lib. 2. Gregor. Mag. lib. 2. Dial. c. 3. Sulpicius in vita S. Martiani with infinit more.

That Crosses diuers miracles had wrought:

How great a terrour this signe of the Crosse is to the diuels, he may wel know, who hath seen how, adiured by Christ, they fly forth of the bodies which they had possest: for as he with a word &c. so now his followers cast those foule polluted spirits forth of men, both with the name of their Master, and with the signe of his passion. Lactant. lib. 4. Instit. cap. 27.

That Crosses without doubt can dispossesse

The impression of the vital signe freeth vs from carnal desires, and frames our life to the imitation of God. Dionys. Areop. Eccl. Hierar.

That Crosses can our loose desires represse.

That such as ere to Crosses haue recourse

What dost thou thinke the diuel wil suffer, if he see thee hold that sword wherwith Christ quaild his power? &c. Chrisost. hom. 55. in Mat.

Need not to dread the power of hellish force.

Be not thou therfore ashamed of so great a good, lest when Christ shal come in his Maiesty he be ashamed of thee: for then shalt thou see this signe more bright then the sunne beames before Christ &c. Idem in hom. 55. in Mat.

They gaue vs counsel not to be asham'd

To vse that Crosse, wherwith hels pride was tam'ed,
Lest when that Christ shal in the fearful day
That glorious Ensigne in the ayre display
He our disdaine with death shal prosecute
And be asham'd to heare our shameles sute.

The Crosse is become more famous then diadems or crownes; neither is there a crowne greater or ornament to the head, then is the Crosse, which is more worthy of al honour. Idem. ibidem.

They priz'd a Crosse more highly farre then gemmes

Then gold, then pearle, then Crownes, or diadems,
And thought the Crosse which on the ground was worne,
More then the Crowne which Princes heads adorne.

Theodorus and Valens added the cause of this their statute to be Ne sacrum signum pedibus calcaretur, Lest the holy signe should be troden vnder-foot. l. 1. Codi. tit. leg. cum fit nobis. We ought to blesse our forehead and brest with the Crosse of our Lord, and we tread it vnder our feet. Paul. Diac. lib. 18. rerum Roman. It was a saying of the Emperour Tyberius 2.

So that the Emperours for reuerence sake

Gaue special charge none on the ground should make
The Crosse, because they held it farre vnmeet,
That blessed signe should be defil'd with feet.
But it was then (though no-where now at al)

Wherfore let vs with gentle diligence ingraue the Crosse in our chābers, in the wals, in the windowes, in our foreheads. Chrisost. Hom. 55. in Mat. And in an other place he saith: It is on the wals and tops of howses, in bookes, in Cities, in townes inhabited and not inhabited. Quod Christus sit Deus. Ruffinus Eccles. hist. lib. 2. c. 29.

First on each window, and on euery wal.

The same Crosse then the top of houses crownes
Adornes great Cities, graces countrey Townes;
Shines bright in holy Churches, no place free
From that deuotion-stirring mysterie;
Which to confirme since scriptures were not found,

Of these (to wit the making the signe of the Crosse in the forehead) and other such like doctrine, if you expect authority from scripture, you shal find none: tradition shal be alleaged to be the authour, custome the confirmer, and faith the obseruer Tert. de corona milit is cap. 3. the same saith S. Basil de Spiritu Sancto c. 27.

They thought Tradition a sufficient ground.

And yet thy, Brother, zeale doth neuer doubt

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At this so much respected signe to flout,

Others vse to make the signe of the Crosse vpon them with their fingers, to the end that by this signe they may be safe from the Diuel &c. this is not piey but magike Ioannes Brentius in Catechis. explicans symbolum Apostolorum.

And say that when the diuel doth depart

At sight therof, it is by magike art:

Christ crucified is better represented by a Cow then a Crucifixe. Who belch forth this blasphemy see in Beza Colloq. Mompelgar. pag. 406.

And (thou, good Reader, heer auert a while

Thy face, lest that this clause thy eyes defile,
And thou, sweet Iesus, pardone the words I hate,
I but thy foes blasphemous words relate)
And that more truely then a crosse, a Cow
Doth to vs al Christ crucified shew.
Tel me be ey and nay (for vnto thee
The spirit reueals al truth) how can it be
That such great men should walke so farre astray
And only thou find out the neer high-way?
Perhaps they al were fooles, thou only wise,
Thou to be blinded world a sunne did'st rise,
To chase al misty shades thou wast elect,
As worthier farre then they for to detect
Their faults, and best deseru'dst that vnto thee
The spirit should shew the truth. Yes verily.