A briefe Treatise agaynst certayne errors of the Romish Church Uery plainly, notably, and pleasantly confuting the same by Scriptures and auncient writers. Compiled by Gregory Scot. 1570 |
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Against the praying to Saintes.
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 | A briefe Treatise agaynst certayne errors of the Romish Church |  |
Against the praying to Saintes.
What profit of true prayer is,
no tong can well expresse,
What comfort to the heauy soule,
opprest with carefulnesse.
no tong can well expresse,
What comfort to the heauy soule,
opprest with carefulnesse.
Thereby our God he present is,
when daunger is at hand,
Defending and eke strengthning vs,
temptacion to withstand.
when daunger is at hand,
Defending and eke strengthning vs,
temptacion to withstand.
His heauenly grace he graunteth soone,
if prayer do complayne,
Thereby forgeuenes of our synne,
and peace we do obtayne.
if prayer do complayne,
Thereby forgeuenes of our synne,
and peace we do obtayne.
As walles the town doth compasse safe,
when enmyes force is bent:
So prayer doth the soule preserue,
when Sathan doth vs tempt.
when enmyes force is bent:
So prayer doth the soule preserue,
when Sathan doth vs tempt.
But of all these great benefites,
the faithfull you bereue,
That in the Saintes of God do teache,
the people to beleue.
the faithfull you bereue,
That in the Saintes of God do teache,
the people to beleue.
All contrary to Christian faith,
so leading them away,
From God the geuer of good giftes,
our onely hope and stay.
so leading them away,
From God the geuer of good giftes,
our onely hope and stay.
And so a wicked fayth reposde,
then prayer did succeede,
Whereby their names were cald vpon
for helpe iu tyme of neede.
then prayer did succeede,
Whereby their names were cald vpon
for helpe iu tyme of neede.
By this we know your church to be
all false and counterfeat,
Euen that same whore in skarlet red
where Sathan hath his seat.
all false and counterfeat,
Euen that same whore in skarlet red
where Sathan hath his seat.
For wher ye church of Christ remaines
there God alone is knowne,
His onely name who cals vpon,
those people be his owne.
there God alone is knowne,
His onely name who cals vpon,
those people be his owne.
But with your Romish church it is
worsse, then with Iuda was,
Because the number of your gods
doth all your Cities pas.
worsse, then with Iuda was,
Because the number of your gods
doth all your Cities pas.
For no disease nor daunger is,
but there was euer one,
To whom you did ascribe the power
of curing it alone.
but there was euer one,
To whom you did ascribe the power
of curing it alone.
Saint Mary and saint Margaret
for women great with childe,
Saint Barbara from fearfull stroke
of thunder, did vs shilde.
for women great with childe,
Saint Barbara from fearfull stroke
of thunder, did vs shilde.
Saint Loy was leach for al your horse,
saint Patricke for your Oxe,
Saint Iob he had the onely gift
for healing of the poxe.
saint Patricke for your Oxe,
Saint Iob he had the onely gift
for healing of the poxe.
Saint Iohn, and so saint Benedict
all poyson could expell,
Sebastian, and saint Roche for plage
all others dyd excell.
all poyson could expell,
Sebastian, and saint Roche for plage
all others dyd excell.
Saint Blase for swelling of the necke,
Otilia for the sight,
Saint Steuen also was prayde vnto,
to saue vs in the night.
Otilia for the sight,
Saint Steuen also was prayde vnto,
to saue vs in the night.
Saint Clement and saint Christofer
from drowning could preserue,
For payne of teeth the onely prayse
Appoline did deserue.
from drowning could preserue,
For payne of teeth the onely prayse
Appoline did deserue.
For headach Anastacius,
Urbane was God of wyne,
For sodaine death S. Marke was sought
saint Antony for our swyne.
Urbane was God of wyne,
For sodaine death S. Marke was sought
saint Antony for our swyne.
For ague was Saint Petronell,
Cornelis had the skill,
Of falling sickenes daungerous,
to saue vs from the ill.
Cornelis had the skill,
Of falling sickenes daungerous,
to saue vs from the ill.
Saint Valentine for the kinges euyll,
saint Laurence for the fyre,
All prisoners saint Leonard prayd,
to graunt them their desyre.
saint Laurence for the fyre,
All prisoners saint Leonard prayd,
to graunt them their desyre.
The Hunters had Custaehius,
the whores had Magdalene,
Unto saint George in tyme of warre.
what seeking hath there bene?
the whores had Magdalene,
Unto saint George in tyme of warre.
what seeking hath there bene?
These be your gods and many mo,
on whom the people call,
These be your stinking cesterns, that
no water hold at all.
on whom the people call,
These be your stinking cesterns, that
no water hold at all.
When you thus ranne lyke Infidels,
to seeke helpe at the dead,
You thought no doubt in Israell
there was no God to dread,
to seeke helpe at the dead,
You thought no doubt in Israell
there was no God to dread,
You thought hys power was verye weake
and yet do think the same,
Els would you not put confidence,
in any other name.
and yet do think the same,
Els would you not put confidence,
in any other name.
But Papistes and the Heathen both,
in this faith do agree,
If many gods they haue to helpe,
the safer shall they bee.
in this faith do agree,
If many gods they haue to helpe,
the safer shall they bee.
This fond opinion was the cause,
the Romaines would not chuse
The God of Israel, nor consent
his seruice for to vse.
the Romaines would not chuse
The God of Israel, nor consent
his seruice for to vse.
For then they knew that for their God
him onely they should take,
But graunt they wold not, for one God
all other to forsake.
him onely they should take,
But graunt they wold not, for one God
all other to forsake.
The first commaundement doth charge
in one God to beleue,
To praise him, and to pray to him,
all woorship so to geue.
in one God to beleue,
To praise him, and to pray to him,
all woorship so to geue.
These are chief points in seruing God,
these thinges if we applye,
Or geue to any Saint at all,
our God we do denye.
these thinges if we applye,
Or geue to any Saint at all,
our God we do denye.
Therefore this one thing must you do,
if prayer you will make,
To Saintes departed, and your selues,
to their defence betake:
if prayer you will make,
To Saintes departed, and your selues,
to their defence betake:
First find ye meanes to make them gode
then all this stryfe shall ende,
Such prayer and such seruice done,
they may you well defende.
then all this stryfe shall ende,
Such prayer and such seruice done,
they may you well defende.
Your Pope he can canonize Saintes,
your selues do teach it playne,
Perhaps he hath euen as great power
to make them gods agayne.
your selues do teach it playne,
Perhaps he hath euen as great power
to make them gods agayne.
Untill you bring this thing to passe,
in vayne you call vpon
The names of Saintes, for they know not
the things that here be done.
in vayne you call vpon
The names of Saintes, for they know not
the things that here be done.
They know not yet the thoughts of mē,
nor power haue they none.
To search mās hart, how can they then
graunt helpe to any one?
nor power haue they none.
To search mās hart, how can they then
graunt helpe to any one?
This is not to despise the Saintes,
as you make some beleue,
But this vnto God is his due,
honour and praise to geue.
as you make some beleue,
But this vnto God is his due,
honour and praise to geue.
But you do them most iniurye,
for they yet neuer dyd
Seeke that belonged vnto God,
nor to be worshipped.
for they yet neuer dyd
Seeke that belonged vnto God,
nor to be worshipped.
Therfore those blessed Saintes ech one
in whom you now do trust,
When Christ shall come to iudge vs al
will then accuse you furst.
in whom you now do trust,
When Christ shall come to iudge vs al
will then accuse you furst.
And where you make them Aduocates
to God in tyme of neede,
That through their intercession,
we may the better speede:
to God in tyme of neede,
That through their intercession,
we may the better speede:
Such intercessors for mankynde,
God hath appoynted none,
As meanes to bring vs vnto him,
but Iesu Christ alone.
God hath appoynted none,
As meanes to bring vs vnto him,
but Iesu Christ alone.
He is the way, he is the doore,
by whom we enter all,
The doore it serueth for true men,
but theeues doo clyme the wall.
by whom we enter all,
The doore it serueth for true men,
but theeues doo clyme the wall.
As theeues we may you then accompt,
such false wayes to inuent,
If you ment well, with Christ alone,
then would you be content.
such false wayes to inuent,
If you ment well, with Christ alone,
then would you be content.
He is the Mediator of
all intercession,
And not onely (as you do teach)
of our redemption.
all intercession,
And not onely (as you do teach)
of our redemption.
Of prayse which is perpetuall,
you thus do him bereue,
And that which was but temporall
you are content to geue.
you thus do him bereue,
And that which was but temporall
you are content to geue.
For once he wrought redemption,
but raigning now on hye,
He there remaineth an Aduocate
for us continuallye.
but raigning now on hye,
He there remaineth an Aduocate
for us continuallye.
The Apostle hauing prayer taught,
he sheweth orderly,
One Mediatour Iesus Christ
of God and Man to be.
he sheweth orderly,
One Mediatour Iesus Christ
of God and Man to be.
And least that errour should remayne
or any doubt at all,
Saint Iohn also, Iesus alone
our Aduocate doth call.
or any doubt at all,
Saint Iohn also, Iesus alone
our Aduocate doth call.
On Gods right hand he that doth sit,
doth intercession make,
Angell or Saynt, how can you then
for Intercessors take?
doth intercession make,
Angell or Saynt, how can you then
for Intercessors take?
Yet prayers which the faithfull make,
as long as they do lyve,
One for another in distresse
for gooly we beleue.
as long as they do lyve,
One for another in distresse
for gooly we beleue.
But those are wicked which you geue,
and offer to the deade,
Or when you seeke mo Aduocates,
then Christ in tyme of nede.
and offer to the deade,
Or when you seeke mo Aduocates,
then Christ in tyme of nede.
Our onely Priest is in the heauen,
and there doth pray for thee,
Who here on earth, euen for thy sake
contented was to dye.
and there doth pray for thee,
Who here on earth, euen for thy sake
contented was to dye.
The powre and vertue of his death
which did vs all redeeme,
This intercession whole doth worke,
so God doth it esteeme.
which did vs all redeeme,
This intercession whole doth worke,
so God doth it esteeme.
Then Christ appeareth so for vs,
before the heauenly throne,
That euen the merit of his bloud,
can speake for us alone.
before the heauenly throne,
That euen the merit of his bloud,
can speake for us alone.
All promises that God hath made,
in Christ he doth fulfill,
What things we aske in Christes name
he graunteth with good will.
in Christ he doth fulfill,
What things we aske in Christes name
he graunteth with good will.
None other patrone neede me seeke,
nor long discourse to make,
But if by Christ we come to him,
he can vs not forsake.
nor long discourse to make,
But if by Christ we come to him,
he can vs not forsake.
In him if prayer do not ende,
and so with him begynne,
Such prayer doth nothing auaile,
but turned is to synne.
and so with him begynne,
Such prayer doth nothing auaile,
but turned is to synne.
He is our mouth, by whom alwaye
to God we may be bold
To speake, he is our eye also,
wherby we him behold.
to God we may be bold
To speake, he is our eye also,
wherby we him behold.
So our right hand he is, wherewith
we do our selues present,
The waye to lyfe they do forsake,
that other meanes inuent.
we do our selues present,
The waye to lyfe they do forsake,
that other meanes inuent.
The key of Dauid he it hath,
that can both ope and shut,
All power is his, therfore for helpe
to him we ought to suite.
that can both ope and shut,
All power is his, therfore for helpe
to him we ought to suite.
Call vpon God in thy distresse,
seeke his powre euer more,
He will defend thee, and thou shalt
yeld him the praise therfore.
seeke his powre euer more,
He will defend thee, and thou shalt
yeld him the praise therfore.
His name it is a towre most strong,
to all in tyme of neede,
Who so his name doth call vpon,
hath promise for to speede.
to all in tyme of neede,
Who so his name doth call vpon,
hath promise for to speede.
| A briefe Treatise agaynst certayne errors of the Romish Church | |