obscure assemblies but in open Churches and generall Congregations of our owne Countrie in the darkest ages long before Luthers daies But obserue the comming of our aduersarie That book which was published in Anselmes daies for instruction and visitation of the sicke the same booke I say both for matter and substance hath of late yeares beene printed at Paris at Collen Ordo Baptizandi cum modo visitandi infirmos Paris anno 1575. Colon. anno 1556. Ven. anno 1575. at Venice whereby not onely the doctrine of merits is ecclipsed but the now Romane faith is discouered to differ from the ancient what therefore can bee expected how these men should iustifie their owne printed Authors Behold the Romane Inquisitors haue carefully prouided by two Expurgatory Indices Quiroga p. 149. Sandoual Roxas anno 1612. that the words of comfort which the Priest was enioyned to pronounce to the sicke person should be all blotted out and although the Inquisitors haue not as yet passed their sentence vpon Aelfricks Homilie Aelfricks Sermon on Easter day printed at London 1623. pag. 7. yet in that Homilie they haue suggested Transubstantiation by two feined miracles contrary to the doctrine of the Eucharist then publiquely taught and farre different from the whole Scope of the Author and the Latine Epistle written by Aelfricke to the Arch-bishop of Yorke is to be seene mangled and razed in a Manuscript in Bennets Colledge in Cambridge as is well obserued by a learned Diuine D. Iames in his corruption of Fathers pag. 55 and I cannot conceiue but it was done by some Romanist because it doth plainely confute the doctrine of Transubstantiation Thus wee see what time and errors hath brought to passe That Protestant faith which in Aelfricks daies was generally receiued in England for Catholique doctrine is now condemned as hereticall by a preuailing faction in the Romane Church and that word of truth which was published in Anselmes daies for the saluation of Priests and people in the English Church is now condemned by an Index Expurgatorius with a Deleatur vpon those sauing words but I say of them as Saint Ambrose sometimes pronounced of the Arrians Ambros orat 1. contr Arrian Transubstātiation They may well blot out our letters but our faith they shall neuer abolish Againe looke vpon their doctrine of Transubstantiation and you shall see how miserably their Church is deuided touching the antiquity and vniuersality of that point of faith some deriue it from the words of Christ others from Christs Benediction before the words were vttered some from the exposition of the Fathers others from the councel of Lateran some from the authoritie of the Scriptures others from the determination of the Church and whereas many other points of the Romish doctrine are pretended to be Apostolicall Traditions as hauing no foundation in the written word it is obserued by learned Du Plessis that the Papists generally maintaine that their Masse is prooued from the Scripture insomuch as in the 28. of Matthew and other places where there is mention made of the Sacrament the ordinarie Glosse doth note with capital letters in the Margent Moru de Miss lib. 1. c. 1. in initio Here is the Institution of the Masse It was the great vaunt of Campian the Iesuite Camp Rat. If the Protestants name the Gospell we ioyne with them the verie words are for vs This is my body this is my bloud and Bellarmine his fellow Iesuite professeth confidently that the words Bellar. de Euch. l. 1. c. 11. This is my bodie are of the essence of the Sacrament and they are operatiue If wee shall further question at what time whether before or after the wordes spoken there is a conuersion of the elements into the bodie and bloud of Christ Aquinas tels vs Vltimum instans prolationis verborum est primum instant in quo est in Sà cramento corpus Christi in toto autemtempore praecedenti est item substantia panis Aqu. par 3. q. 75. art 7. ad 1. that the verie last instance of the deliuerie of those words is the first instance of Christs bodie in the Sacrament but in all the time before there is the substance of bread remaining If these men therfore haue spoken the truth let them beare witnesse of the truth onely let mee tell you they want that vnitie in this point of faith which they appropriate as a speciall marke to their Church and for proofe of this I will proceed to publication of witnesses wherein I will produce no other testimonies but their owne learned Authors and I presume a better proofe then their owne confessions none of them can expect whereby it shall appeare that their grand point of Transubstantiation hath neither foundation in our Scriptures nor certaintie in the Fathers nor vnitie among themselues to conclude it for an Article of beleefe Touching the words of Consecration Salmeron the Iesuite speaking in the person of the Grecians deliuers their opinion in this manner Cham. lib. 6. de Euch. c. 7. When the Benediction of the Lord is not superfluous or vaine neither gaue hee simply bread it followeth when he gaue it the transmutation was made and those wordes This is my body did demonstrate what was contained in the bread Ex Catholicis solus Caietanus in Commentario huius Articuli qui iussu Pij Quinti in Romanâ editione expunctus est docuit seclusa Ecclesiae authoritate verba illa Hoc est corpus meum ad veritatem hanc confirmandā non sufficere Suar. Tom. 3. disp 46. not what was made by them And Swarez the Iesuite ingeniously professeth that Cardinall Caietan in his Commentarie vpon this Article did affirme that those words of Christ This is my body do not of themselues sufficiently prooue Transubstantiation without the supposed authoritie of the Church and therefore by the commandement of Pius Quintus that part of his Commentarie is left out of the Romish Edition Habemus confitentem wee haue a faire confession for a Cardinall and a friendly caueat touching the spunging of his authoritie And that the world may know these men are better friends to our cause then many yet conceiue them I will produce both Cardinals and Bishops and Schoolemen who will testifie with vs that there are no words in Scripture to proue Transubstantiation that those words This is my body are not of the essence of the Sacrament that the ancient Fathers did not beleeue the substance of the Sacramentall bread to be conuerted into Christs reall flesh and lastly that Transubstantiation was not beleeued de Fide as a matter of faith aboue 1000 yeares after Christ And first I will giue you their owne confessions touching the place and proofe of Transubstantiation deriued from the Scriptures Quomodò fit corpus Christi vtrum per cōuersionem alicuius c. Biel in Con. Missae Lect. 40. Gabriel Biel How the body of Christ is in the Sacrament Non
was vsed by the Apostles their successors not deuised by Luther If therefore the three Creeds the two principall Sacraments of the Church the 22. bookes of Canonicall Scripture the first foure generall Councels the Apostolique Traditions the ancient Lyturgies the ordination of Pastors If I say all these were anciently taught and vniuersally receiued in all ages in the bosome of the Romane Church euen by the testimonies of our aduersaries themselues it is but a silly and senslesse question to demand of vs where our Church was before Luther The positiue doctrine which we teach is contained in a few principall points those also haue Antiquity and Vniuersality with the Consent of the Romane Church The points in controuersie which are sub Iudice in question are for the most part if not all additions to the Church and certainely frō those additions and new Articles of faith the question doth truly and properly result vpon themselues Where was your Church that is Where was your Trent doctrine and Articles of the Romane Creed receiued de Fide before Luther But admit our doctrine lay inuolued in the bosome of the Romane Church which no Romanist can deny I say admit it became hidden as good corne couered with chaffe or as fine gold ouerlayed with a greater quantitie of drosse was it therefore new and vnknowne because Poperie sought by a preuailing faction to obscure it was there no good corne in the Granary of the Church because till Luthers dayes it was not seuered from the chaffe no pure gold because our aduersaries would not refine it by the fire of Gods word If the chaffe and drosse be ours or if our Church sauour of nothing but Noueltie and heresie as some of these men pretend let them remoue from the bosome of their owne Church that new and hereticall doctrine which they say was neuer heard of before Luther and tell mee if their Church will not prooue a poore senslesse carkasse a dead body without a soule Take away the three Creeds which we professe our two Sacraments the 22. bookes of Canonicall Scripture the Apostolicall Traditions the foure first general Councels and tell me such light chaffe new heresies as they how stile them being remoued if their twelue new Articles their fiue base Sacraments the Apostolicall Scriptures their vnwritten verities and Traditions will make a true visible Church It is true that wee denie their additions there aliquod amplius because they are grounded on humane authoritie and want the foundation of the Scriptures wee denie Purgatorie Inuocation of Saints Works of Supererrogation worship of Images and the like and if our Religion be therfore termed Negatiue for deniall of those things who sees not but for the like reason they themselues wil stand guiltie of the same aspersion Do not they denie the substance of bread after Consecration doe not they denie the Scriptures to the Laitie Marriage to the Priests the Cup to the Lay people the Supremacie to their Soueraigne in his own dominions and may not we for these and the like reasons protest against them that therfore theirs is a Negatiue Religion But that the world may know wee obtrude not these things by way of recrimination it shall appeare by their owne confession the Traditions which we deny are declined by the best learned amongst themselues Nay more they doe not onely acknowledge those things which we hold but the most ingenious of them are ashamed also of those additions which wee denie As for instance we charge them with the worship of Images they denie it or leastwise excuse their manner of adoration but they condemne not vs for not worshipping We accuse them for praying in an vnknowne tongue they excuse it that God knowes the meaning of the heart but they do not condemne vs for praying with the spirit and with vnderstanding Wee condemne them for adoring the elements of bread and wine in the Sacrament because it depends vpon the intention of the Priest they excuse it Jnnocentius the third Adoro te si tu es Christus that they adore vpon condition If the consecrated bread be Christ but they doe not cōdemne vs for adoring Christs reall body in heauen we accuse them for taking away the Cup from the Lay people they excuse it that it was not taken vp by the Commandement of the Bishops Coster Enchirid de commun sub vtraque specie Anno 1414. but it crept in the Bishops winking thereat saith Costerus but they did not condemne vs for following Christs example and receiuing in both kinds Lastly we accuse them for their priuate Masses contrarie to Christs institution and the custome of the Primitiue Church Harding in B. Jewel ca. Priuat Masse they excuse it That it is through their own default and negligence whereof saith Master Harding the godly and faithfull people since the time of the Primitiue Church haue much complained and which is remarkable and comfortable to all beleeuing Protestants we charge them with flat idolatrie in the adoration of the Sacrament in Reliques in Saints in Images and howsoeuer they excuse themselues in distinguishing their manner of adoration yet I say to our endlesse comfort be it spoken they cannot charge vs in the positiue doctrine of our Church no not with the least suspition of idolatrie Sect. 9. The testimonies of our Aduersaries touching the Protestant and the Romane faith in the particulars PARAG. 1. Iustification by faith onely THese things premised I will proceed to the examination of witnesses both for the Antiquitie of our doctrine and the Noueltie of theirs but before I go to publication I will present you with two Records for two principall points of our faith by which euidences it shal appeare that the Word and Sacraments the proper marks of a true Church were rightly preached and duely administred here in England in the most obscure ages long before Luthers daies I say it shall appeare that before and after the Conquest the Priests and professors of those times protested openly against the doctrine of Romish merits preaching saluation through Christ alone and withall publikely professed and administred the same Sacraments in the same faith and truth which wee teach and administer at this day In the dayes of Anselme Archbishop of Canterburie about the yeare 1080. there was a set and publique forme of prayer prescribed for the visitation of the sicke Cass in append ad opus Jo. Roffen de fiducia misericordia Dei. and this forme saith Cassander in Bibliothecis passim obuia was commonly to be had and read in all Libraries The wordes are plaine and fully consonant to the faith our Church professeth Ordo Baptizandi visitandi edit venet Anno 1575. Dost thou beleeue to come to glorie not by thine owne merits but by the vertue and merit of the passion of our Lord Iesus Christ dost thou beleeue that our Lord Iesus Christ did dye for our saluation and that none can
harum rerum mentioneÌ„ sâ—ciant quoniaÌ„ c. Bellar. de Indulg lib. 2. cap. 17. either in Scriptures or the writings of the Ancient Fathers but onely out of Moderne Authors C. Caietan If there could be a certaintie found touching the beginning of Indulgences it would much auaile in searching of the truth but because there can be no certainty found touching the beginning of them there is no authoritie of Scripture or Ancient Fathers Greeke or Latine that bringeth them to our knowledge Bellarmine It is not to bee wondred if we haue not many Ancient Authors which makes mention of Indulgences for many things are contained in the Church onely by vse and custome without writing This learned Cardinall confesseth that many ancient authorities are not to be expected for proofe of this doctrine and this seemes to me a strange thing that an Article of faith should want Antiquity and Vniuersality of Fathers which as they pretend belongs to al points of faith it is strange that a Generall Councell should declare them to bee deriued from Christ and yet they should want ancient Fathers to witnesse Christs doctrine I rather beleeue according to the Article of the Creed that the vse thereof is most wholesome for the people for albeit they are granted onely to draw money from them yet withall the Popes Ministers had this benefit by them they sometimes set them to sale for a small price or game at Tables in a Tauerne Guicciard lib. 13. anno 1520. to redeeme soules out of Purgatory as it is witnessed by their owne Authors The Learned Doctors of of the Trent-Councell were not ignorant of this practise and of much more exercised by Leo the Tenth and others of his Predecessors but they were so farre from beleefe that this point of faith should bee deriued from Christ and his Apostles that Ecchius and Thecel and Prierius for want of Scriptures and Fathers laid their groundworke on the Popes authority and consent of Schoolemen Histor. of Trent lib. 1. p. 6. concluding that the Pope not being able to erre in matters of faith and hauing approoued the doctrine of the Schoolemen and himselfe publishing the Indulgences to all the faithfull it was necessary to beleeue them as an Article of faith I will not say it was a straÌ„ge presumption for a Councell to determine an vncertaine doctrine for a point of faith vpon the Popes infallibilitie and opinion of Schoolemen but I will say it is a senselesse and weake faith that giues assent to that doctrine which wants authority of Scriptures and consent of Fathers It was an ingenuous confession of their owne Cunerus Dolendum simul miranduÌ„ c. It is to bee lamented and admired how some Catholiques doe write of Indulgences so timorously so coldly so diuersly Chamier de satisfacti lib. 24. cap 2. so doubtfully as if their reasons were so farre fetched or so vncertaine that without great difficultie they could not proue them and surely if Cardinall Bellarmine or Cardinall Caietan and the rest could haue found better proofes for this point of faith they would neuer haue confessed that neither Scriptures nor Fathers doe bring them to our knowledge especially since no Article of faith can bee created without the authoritie of scriptures and therfore Saint Austins confession shall be my conclusion for their Article of faith If wee or an Angell from heauen preach vnto you any thing concerning faith and life besides that you haue receiued in the Legall and Euangelicall Scriptures let him bee accursed You haue heard the confessions of our best learned Aduersaries witnessing with vs that the principall points of their Faith and doctrine now taught and professed in the Church of Rome were not knowne to former ages whereby we may easilie discerne how the Church of Rome doth obtrude strange Articles of beleife vpon her Proselites which haue no foundations in the Scriptures and want the vniuersalitie and consent of Fathers and although the Priests and Iesuits are bound by an oath to maintaine the Papacie and thereupon they generaly protest that al the Fathers are on their side and the ignorant people out of an affected ignorance blinde obedience easily condescend to that beleefe yet I say it cannot bee denied that the Popes sworne seruants our sworne enemies there best witnesses and our worst accusers haue testified these things both against themselues and in behalfe of our doctrine howsoeuer they may be excused yet sure I am they are diuided amongst themselues consequently want another speciall marke of their Church which is vnity in points of Faith To take a short reuiew of our Aduersaries confessions touching the doctrine of Merits they haue confessed that our Iustification is by faith and Christ Iesus onely they haue confessed that there is no saluation nor assurance in our owne merits but in the mercie and merits of our alone Sauiour and in this confession they intimate the noueltie and vncertainetie of their owne doctrine and in this likewise they acknowledge the antiquity and visibility of our Church long before Luthers daies Touching TransubstaÌ„tiatioÌ„ they haue confessed there is no expresse place of scripture to proue the word nor the meaning of the word they haue confessed the conuersion of the bread into Christs body Antè LateraneÌ„se Concilium non fuit dogma fides Scotus in 4. sentent c. 11. â—3 was not generally receiued by the Fathers they haue confessed before the Councell of Lateran it was not reeeiued for an Article of beleefe In these confessions they plainely intimate the noueltie and vncertaintie of their owne doctrine and by these likewise they acknowledge the antiquity and Visibility of our Church long before Luthers daies Touching Priuate Masse they confessed it was not vsed in the Ancient Church for say they the communion of Priests and people together was practised by the Fathers In this confession they intimate the Noueltie of their Religion and in this they acknowledge the antiquity and Visibility of our Church long before Luthers daies Touching the Seuen Sacraments they confesse the definite and certaine number of Seuen was vnknowne to Scriptures and Fathers they confesse that some of those Sacraments were not instituted by Christ they confesse that all of them are not true and proper Sacraments of the new Law all which on the contrarie are commanded by their Church to bee beleeued vpon a Curse and in these confessions they argue the Noueltie and vncertaintie of their doctrine and in this they acknowledge the antiquitie and Visibilitie of our Church long before Luthers daies Touching the Communion in one kinde they confessed that it was not practised by the Apostles nor the ancient Church for say they Christ did institute in both kinds and the Primitiue Fathers did continue it in both kinds In this confession they intimate the noueltie and vncertaintie of their owne doctrine in this they acknowledge the antiquitie and visibilitie of our Church long before Luthers dayes Touching