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
Touching faith and good workes it is Bellarmines confession Bell. de Justif l. 3. c. 6. The Protestants doe not deny but that faith and repentance are requisite that is a liuely faith and an earnest repentance and that without them no man can be iustified Lastly touching Iustification by faith onely it is Bellarmines confession Idem l. 5. c. 7. For feare of vaine glorie and by reason of the vncertaintie of our workes Tutissimum it is the safest way to relie wholly on the mercy of God I begge not of our Aduersaries the points in question betwixt vs but I wonder rather why they should send out such Anathemas and curses against all or any of those that denie their doctrine when as their best learned confesse that many principall points of their owne Religion yea many Articles of faith are neither ancient safe nor Catholike It is not the name of Catholique which they assume that makes good the Catholique doctrine neither is it the opinion of the great learning or the multitude on that side which must out face the truth for our Sauiour Christ doth especially note the members of his body by the name of a Little flocke Feare not little flocke Luk. 12.32 as if the paucitie of true beleeuers were the speciall Caracter of the true Church and as for the learned on that side You see your calling brethren saith the Apostle Not many wise men after the flesh 1. Cor. 1. 26. not many mightie not many noble are called And if our aduersaries list to assume all learning and knowledge vnto themselues I enuie not their great wisedome but I rather admire with wonder and pitie Mat. 11.25 and I thanke thee O Father Lord of heauen and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast reuealed them vnto babes And if our aduersaries please to reflect vpon their owne Religion they shall find likewise that the principall markes of the Romane Church were discouered and foretold long since by Christ and his Apostles that it should bee after the working of Sathan with all power and signes and lying wonders and wee know such miracles are the special caracters of the Roman Church The Spirit of God foresaw that their doctrine would consist in forginges not onely of Fathers of Councels of Schoolemen but of daily miracles in their Church and for this deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse because they receiued not the loue of truth that they might be saued their iudgement was foretold and is now accomplished 2. Thess 2.11 God shall send them strong delusions and they shall beleeue lyes I list not to insist vpon such feyned miracles wrought either by their Priests or by their companions for lucre sake Aliquandò in Ecclesia fit maxima deceptio populi in miraculu fictis in Sacerdotibus Nich. Lyra in Dan. ca. 14. It is sufficient that their owne Schoolemen confesse it but I professe with Austin As they were necessarie before the world beleeued to induce it to beleeue so hee that seeketh to be confirmed by wonders now is to be wondred as most of all himselfe in refusing to beleeue what all the world beleeues besides himselfe Sect. 16. Our Aduersaries obiection drawne from the Testimomonies of pretended Martyrs of their Religion answered BVt obserue the cunning and policie of these men they are not contented to claime an interest in all ancient and orthodoxe Authors in behalfe of their Church but they would seeme to confirme the truth of their doctrine by the sufferings of Saints and testimonies of holy Martyrs Camp Rat. 10 Let vs ascend into Heauen by imagination saith Campian and there we shall find such as through martyrdome are as ruddie as the Rose and also such as for their innocencie while they liued do glister as beautifully as the white Lillies there may we see three and thirtie Bishops of Rome which for their faith were immediatly murdered one after another Thou shalt find that they liued here and dyed members of the Catholike Church I confesse the name of Martyrdome carries some shew in honor of the Church of Rome but the truth being weighed in the ballance of sinceritie it will appeare but a braggeful of froth vaine glorie for if those Martyrs and Bishops neither suffered for that faith at the time of their deaths nor in all their liues receiued that faith which is now published with Anathema to all them that beleeue it not surely those Saints and Martyrs will neuer bee found to haue liued and died members of their Church although they died Martyrs in the ancient Romane Church Let vs examine some particulars did euer any Martyr die vpon confidence of his owne merits or dare any Romanist suffer death in iustification of his owne righteousnesse was there any of those three and thirtie Bishops canonized a Saint for his adoration giuen to Images Did euer any Martyr take it vpō his death or dare any Romish priest die vpon this confidence that he hath absolute power to remit sinnes to dispense with oaths to create in the Sacrament the Creator of heauen and earth Did euer any ancient Martyr teach that the Scripture was vnperfect without the helpe of Traditions or dare any Romanist take it vpon his death that all the vnwritten verities now taught and receiued in the Church of Rome are of equall authoritie with the Scripture Did euer any Martyr take it vpon his death or dare any Romish Priest die vpon confidence that the consecrated bread depending vpon the Intention of the Priest is the corporall and reall flesh of Christ It was the case of certaine Masse priests now or lately liuing and in particular of F. Garnet who beeing demanded whether if hee were to consecrate the Sacramēt that morning he should suffer death durst after consecration pronounce openly ouer the Cup B. Andrewes resp ad Apolog Bellar. ◠1 p. 7. If this wine in the Cup whose accidents you see bee not the very bloud of Christ which flowed from his side as he hung vpon the crosse let mee haue no part either in the bloud of Christ or with Christ hereafter F. Garnet as a man perplexed made answer It might iustly bee doubted neither did he conceiue that any one was bound rashly to endanger his saluation by assuming vpon his death that any Indiuiduall Priest at a time certaine did transubstantiat the bread into the bodie of Christ but peraduenture in generall and indefinitely saith he it may bee resolued that Transubstantiation is made Ab aliquo Alicubi Aliquandò By some Priest in some place at sometime And as concerning the Saints and Martyrs of the ancient Church it is vndoubtedly true that they could not die in that faith nor for that Religion which was altogether vnknowne to their Church The doctrine of Priuate Masse the Communion in one kinde the Prayer in an vnknowne tongue the works of Supererogation the peremptorie number of seuen Sacraments the power of
Legall and Euangelicall Scriptures let him bee accursed PARAG. 8. Indulgences IT is the Tenth Article of the Romane Creed I must firmely auouch that the power of Indulgences was left by Christ to the Church and I affirme the vse thereof to be most wholesome for Christs people This doctrine was proclaimed by the Councell of Trent Cum Potestas conferendi Jndulgenti as à Christo Ecclesiae concessa sit atque huiusmodi potestatem sibi tradita c. Concil Tridenâ— Sess 25. DecretuÌ„ de Jndulgentijs where it was likewise declared that whereas Christ did leaue Indulgences to the Church and the Church did vse that diuine power so granted in ancient times therefore the sacred Councell doth teach and command them to bee retained in the Church and condemne all them with a curse which either terme them vnprofitable or denie the Churches authority to grant them A reason no doubt sufficient for the Church of Rome to grant them and to lay Anathema vpon all such as shall denie them since Christ did first ordaine them and the Ancient Fathers did exercise that power committed to them by Christ but when we come to examination of Witnesses notwithstanding the Popes Creed and the Councels Decree it will bee found that neither Christ nor the Primitiue Fathers euer knew much lesse exercised such pardons and Indulgences as are now daily practised in the Church of Rome In the Primitiue Church when the Christians had committed any capitall and heinous offence for feare of persecution either in deniall of their faith or in sacrificing vnto Idols the parties were inioyned a seuere and long Penance the rigour of this punishment the Bishops and Pastors of their seuerall congregations had power if they saw cause to mitigate at their discretion which mitigation or relaxation of punishment was called by the name of Pardon or Indulgence This doctrine was deriued from Saint Paul who released the incestuous Corinthian from the bond of excommunication vpon his humiliation and serious repentance and writes vnto the Corinthians that they should doe the like and receiue him againe to their communion least he should be swallowed vp with immoderate griefe and this manner of Indulgence was ancient and continued long in the Church and of this there is no question Indulgentia propriè est absolutio Iudiciaria annexam habens solutionem ex Thesauro Bellâ—â—de Jndulg lib. 1. cap 5. The Indulgence in the Romane Church is an absolution from the guilt of temporall punishment by the application of the merits of Christ and his Saints which merits are termed Thesaurus Ecclesiae the Treasurie of the Church and this common Treasury of satisfactions is applyed to dead soules burning in Purgatory Thus Indulgences which were first vsed for mirigation of punishments are now reduced to priuate satisfactions and that which was formerly left to the discretion of euery Bishop in his owne Dyoces to dispense with summum Ius the extremity of the Law is now transferred wholy to the power and authority of the Pope nor that onely for some few yeares imprisonment in this life but for thousands of yeares in Purgatory after death insomuch that whosoeuer in the state of Grace shall say seuen prayers before the Crucifix Horae beatae Maria Virg secundum vsum sacruÌ„ and seuen Pater-Nosters and seuen Aue-Maries shall attaine six and fiftie thousand yeares of pardon fourteene thousand granted by Saint Gregory fourteene thousand by Nicholas the First and eight and twenty thousand by Sixtus the Fourth These and the like Indulgences were trained vp in the Schoole of Demetrius which brought no small benefit to the Pope and Clergie and therefore their owne Schoolemen Greg. de Valent cap. 2. Gregorie de Valentia termes them but a kinde of godly deceit wherewith the Church doth drawe men vnto some kinde of actions of deuotion euen as a Father when he moueth a little childe to runne promiseth him an apple which notwithstanding he doth not giue him But I will proceede to the publication of Witnesses whereby it shall appeare by the euidence of their owne Learned men that this point of faith hath no more Antiquity and consent of Fathers and Schoolemen in the Romane Church then the Articles before confessed De Jndulgentijs pauca dici possunt per certitudinem quia nec scriptura expresse de ijs loquitur sancti etiam Ambrosius Hilarius c. minime loquutur de Indulgentijs Durand 49. Sentent dist 20. q. 3. Indulgentiae authoritate Scripturae no innoture nobis sed authoritate Ecclesiae Romanae Romanorum Pontificum quae maior est authoritas Prier contr Luth. pro Indulg Difficile est modum Jndulgentiarum fundare authenticè in Scriptura Sacra c. Maior 4. d. 2. q 3. Durand Little can bee said of any certainty or as vndoubtedly true of Indulgences and pardons seeing the Scriptures speake not expressely of them neither the Fathers as Augustine Hillarie Ambrose Hierome c. Siluester Prierias Pardon 's are not knowne to vs by the authority of the Scriptures but by the authority of the Church of Rome and the Popes which is greater then the authoritie of the Scriptures Maior It is hard to ground the manner of Indulgences authentically in Scriptures in token of which the three first Doctors of the Church haue spoken but little Roffensis Bishop of Rochester It is not sufficiently manifest from whom Indulgâ—nces had their Originall Roffens Quamdiis nulla fuerat de Purgatorio cura nemo quaesiuâ— Indulgentias nam ex illo pendet omnit Indulgentiarum aesti matio caeperunt igitur Indulgentiae postquam ad Purgatorij cruciatus aliquaÌ„dò trepidatum erat Roffens art 18. contrà Lutherum Of Purgatorie there is very little or no mention amongst the ancient Fathers but after Purgatorie began to terrifie the world and after a while men had trembled at the torments thereof Indulgences began to be in request as long as Purgatorie was not cared for there was no man sought for Pardons for the whole price of pardons hangeth on Purgatory take away Purgatory and what shall we neede of Pardons harum vsus in Ecclesia serò receptus Alph. contr heres 8. verbo Jndulgentia Alphonsus a Castro There is nothing in Scripture lesse opened or whereof the Ancient Fathers haue lesse written then of Indulgences and it seemes the vse of them came but lately into the Church Antoninus There is not any expresse testimonie for proofe of Indulgences De Indulgentijs nâ—l expressè habemus in sacra Scriptura nec etiam c. Anton. part 1. ut 10 cap. 3. in principio De ortu JndulgentiaruÌ„ si certitudo habere possit veritatis indagandae opeÌ„ ferret verum quia nullâ—e Scripturae Sacra nulla priscorum Doctorum Graecorum aut LatinoruÌ„ authoritas Scripta haec ad nostram de duxit notiâ—iam Caiet opus 15. c. 1. Neque mirum videri debet si authores anti quiores non multos habemur qui
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
August de Bapt. cont Donat. c. 3. but it is vncertaine whether Traditions and vnwritten verities deliuered from hand to hand hauing no foundation in the Scriptures do not varie from their first institution Sect. 11. The testimonies of our Aduersaries touching the greater safety comfort and benefit of the soule in the Protestant faith then in the Romish FRom the certaine way I will proceed to the safer way wherein it shall appeare that as our doctrine is more Catholique more stable and certaine so likewise it is more profitable more safe and fruitfull or to vse their owne phrase of greater merit euen by the testimonies of their best learned amongst themselues Looke vpon the all-sufficiencie of the Scriptures All those things are written by the Apostles saith Bellarmine which are necessarie for all men Bell. de verbo Dei noÌ„ scripto l. 4 c. 11. and which the Apostles preached generally vnto all And although this Cardinall will allow the word of God to be but a partiall not a total rule yet De verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 2. saith he Regula credendi certissima tutissimaque est The Scripture is a most certaine and most safe rule of beleeuing So that it is a safer way to relye wholly vpon the word of God that cannot erre then vpon the Pope or Church which is the authoritie of man and may erre It is a safer way to adore Christ Iesus sitting at the right hand of the Father then to adore the sacramentall bread which depends vpon the intention of the Priest and may faile It is a safer way and wee liue more in safetie saith Austin if we giue all vnto God rather then if we commit our selues partly to ourselues and partly vnto God we will but it is God that worketh in vs to worke according to his good pleasure this is behoofefull for vs both to beleeue and to speake this is a godly this is a true doctrine that our confession may bee humble and lowly and that God may haue the whole Looke vpon the Communion in both kinds The Communion in both kinds and the Deane of Louaine will tell vs Cassand sub vtraque specie It were better the Communion were administred in both kinds in respect of the perfection thereof for it were more agreeable to Christs institution and it best agrees with the corporall feeding which is both in bread and drinke And saith Vasques Probabilior sententia seÌ„per mihi visa est eorum qui dicunt maiorem frugem gratiae ex vtraque c. Chamier de Euchar. l. 9. ca. 10. Cass ab vtráque specie Their opinion seemeth to vs more probable who say that greater fruits of grace are reaped by the Communion in both kinds then in one And saith Cassander Although the Communion in both kinds be not simply necessarie nor contrary to Christs precept yet it is much to bee preferred before the Communion in one kinde And their owne Schooleman Alexander â—b Hales professeth Though the order of receiuing in one kinde be sufficient Illa tamen quae est sub duabus est maioru meriti Alexand. Hal. in 4. Sentent q. 53 membr 1. yet the other of both kindes is of greater merit of greater fulnesse and power Priuate Masse Look vpon priuate Masse and it will appeare by a generall confession that the Communion of Priests and people together quod huius sanctissimi sacrificij vberior fructus proveniret c. is more safe and profitable then priuate Masse It is the confession of their great and generall Councel of Trent Concil Trid. Cap. 6. Can. 8. Optaret quidem c. The Councel could wish the people would communicate together with the Priest because it would be more fruitful more profitable the like confession is made by Mr. Harding Iewel Artic. 1. in Priuate Masse I denie not saith he but that it is more commendable and more godly on the Churches part Bellar. Quia Missae celebratio no solum ad sacrificium Deo offerenduÌ„ sed etiam ad populum nutriendum spirituali populo ordinatur proptereà ex hac parte negari non potest quin sit magiâ— perfecta legitima Mâ—sâ—a vbi communiâ—â—stes adsunâ— quam vbi desunt if many well disposed and examined would be partakers of the blessed Sacrament with the Priest and lastly Bellarmine himselfe is forced to confesse Because the celebration of the Masse is ordained not onely to offer Sacrifice to God but also the spirituall foode to the people therfore it cannot be denied Bellar. de Missa lib. 2. c. 10. that it is a more perfect and lawfull Masse where the Communicants are present then wherein the Priuate Masse the Priest alone receiueth Priests Marriage Looke vpon the Marriage of our Ministers and it will appeare by their owne confessions that it is the safer way to liue chastly in matrimony then by a single life to hazard their soules by Incontinencie In gestis Concil Basil lib. 2. Credo pro bo no salute animarum statutum vt non volentes continere possint contrahere quia experientia docente contrarios prorsus effectus sequitur Panor de Cleric Coning cap. cum Olim. It was the opinion of Aeneas Syluius afterwards Pope Pius Perhaps it were not the worst that many Priests were married for by that meanes many might be saued in married Priest-hood which now in barren Priest-hood are damned and Panormitan a great Canonist was sensible of the dangers that accompanied a single life and therupon resolues It were good and behoofefull for the soules of many if Priests might marrie because we finde by experience the Law of single life hath brought forth contrarie effects Cass de Celib Sacerd. Art 23. and Cassander who well vnderstood the life and conuersation of Priests proclaimes it to his Church If euer certes in these our daies the change of the Law of single life may be thought necessarie that those which cannot attaine to the perfect degree of chastitie may bee permitted to liue in the second degree of chast marriage Looke vpon our Prayer in a knowne tongue Prayer in a knowne tongue Aquinas Constat quod plus lucraiur qui orat intelligit quod dicit nam ille qui intelligit reficitur quantum ad intellectum quantum ad effectum sed mens eiâ—us qui non intelligit est sine fructu refectionis Si populus intelligit orationeÌ„ sacerdotis melius redu itur in DeuÌ„ deuotius respondet Amen Lyr. in 1. Cor. 14. and Aquinas their learned Schooleman tels vs It is manifest that he receiueth more benefit which prayeth and vnderstandeth what he saith for the minde of him that vnderstandeth not is without fruit and refection and Lyra was of the same opinion and withall giues a further reason If the people vnderstand the prayer of the Priest they are better brought to the knowledge of God and they answer Amen