the end Saint Austins minde in this point may the more appeare I will set downe some of his speaches touching some words of our Sauiour in the sixt of Iohn Ioh 6.44 Your fathers did eate Manna in the wildernesse and are dead What cause is there saith Saint Austen to the Iewes why you should bee proud they did eate Manna and are dead Why did they eate and died because they beleeued that which they saw and vnderstood not that which they saw not therefore your fathers because you are like them For as touching this visible and bodily death brethren we also dye that eate of the bread which came downe from heauen And a little after But as touching that death meaning eternall death whereof the Lord terrifying spake when hee said These mens fathers are dead Moses eate Manna Aaron eate Manna Phinâ—es eate Manna and many others there which pleased God did eate and died not why Quia visibilem cibum intellexerunt spiritualiter spiritualiter esurierunt spiritualiter gustauerunt vt spiritualiter satiarentur Because they vnderstood the visible meate spiritually they spiritually hungred for it they spiritually tasted it that they might bee spiritually filled with it For wee also hodie to day or now in the time of the Gospell haue receiued visible meate but the Sacrament saith he is one thing the vertue of the Sacrament is another thing many take or receiue from the Altar and dye and euen in taking dye And heere-hence it is that the Apostle saith They eate and drinke to themselues Iudicium iudgement or damnation For the Lords morsell was not poyson to Iudas yet hee tooke it and when hee had taken it the enemy entred into him not because hee tooke an euill thing sed quia bonum malè malus accepit But because hee beeing a bad man tooke a good thing in a bad sort Looke to it then brethren panem caelestem spiritualiter maÌ„ducate innocentiam ad altare portate that is eate the heauenly bread spiritually bring innocency to the Altar Thus hee counselleth such as minde to come to the Altar Tract 26. de ca. 6.10 which twise together in the same treatise he calleth the Lords Table saying the Sacrament of this thing that is of the vnity of the body and bloud of Christ some where dayly c is prepared in Dominica Mensa in the Lords Table Et de mensa Dominica sumitur and taken from the Lords Table Hee counselleth such I say before they come there to marke what they say in that prayer Forgiue vs our trespasses or debts as wee forgiue them c. If thou forgiuest saith he thou shalt be forgiuen come secure and safe meaning with a good conscience panis non venenum est the bread is not poyson but see thou forgiue for if thou doe not thou lyest vnto him whom thou deceiuest not thou maist lye to God but thou canst not deceiue God But to come to that which chiesly now I would shew out of that Tract touching these words â— 5 catabanon this is the bread descending or as Saint Austin saith which descendeth from heauen This bread saith hee Manna did signifie this bread the Altar of God signified those were Sacraments in their signes diuers but in the thing which is signified paria sunt 1. Cor. 10. they are like Heare the Apostle I would not saith he haue you ignorant brethren that all our fathers were vnder the cloud and all passed through the sea and were all baptized vnto Moses your vulgar edition hath in Moyse citton Mosen 1. Cor. 10.3 in Moses in the cloud and in the sea and did all eate the same spirituall meat The same spirituall meate indeed saith Saint Austin namâ— corporalem alteram for another bodily meate for the Manna nos aliud wee another thing but the same spirituall meate that wee eate sed patres nostri non Patres illorum but our fathers not their fathers quibus nos similes sumus c. to whom we are like not to whom they were like meaning though the vnbeléeuing Iewes then and such as abide not in Christ nor haue Christ abiding in them now of whom he speaketh afterwards had then or haue now the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ which Sacrament he calleth bodily and visible meate and saith it is pressed with the téeth in a carnall sort and visibly yet they do not eats his flesh nor drinke his bloud spiritually for that is done of them which abide in Christ and in whom Christ abideth Read the whole tract M. Tractable Rom. I maruell our Sauiour should rather say Take and eate c. then looke on a Crucifix in remembrance of mee Guid. Our Sauiour knew the Images set vp in the sight of the simple sooner made Idols then bread that is eaten vnlesse any would be so bold to teach and so foolish to beléeue that bread is God because he called it his body Besides this the Sacrament being a seale of the promise and taken so soone after these words This is my body which is giuen for you c. doe stirre vs vp as much as such things may by faith to féede on the body and bloud of Christ which worthily eaten and drunke do nourish vs to eternall life as Bread and Wine doe strengthen and comfort vs in this life Tract Maister Guidewel you seeme to speake many good things but I would heare one substantiall Argument out of any one of the Fathers against Transubstantiation Guid. Yee shall Whosoeuer commendeth his body and bloud in those things which are brought together into one consisting of many Cornes and many Grapes commendeth them not onely in that which is called Accidents as the forme the colour and taste of Bread and Wine but also in the substance and subiect in which those Accidents haue their beeing But our Sauiour commended his Body and Bloud in such things as consisted of many Cornes and many Grapes Ergo he commended them in things substantiall and not in Accidents wanting their substance Tract I deny the minor Guid. If you deny that Christ commended his body and bloud in such things as consist of many Cornes and many Grapes I haue S. Augustine against you for he on the fixth of Iohn saith that our Lord Iesus Christ commended his body and bloud Aug. Ioan 6. tract 26 in those things which beeing many are brought together into some one thing saying Let them be the body of Christ if they will liue of the Spirit of Christ Aug. in Ioan tract 26 Nam aliud in vnum ex multis granis conficitur constat aliud in vnum ex multis acinis confluit For one thing consisting of many Cornes is wrought or made into one and another thing sloweth togegether into one consisting of many clusters Now take the meate and drinke spoken of in that sixth of Iohn in what sence you wil but tell me how we may haue a thing that consisteth of many
bloud but it is no proper spéech Tract The Apostle meaneth Christ his bloud shed on the Crosse Guid. True but the words are you fee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the bloud of his Crosse is set downe more plainly in these words Rom. 3 2â— Whom speaking of Christ he hath set forth to bee a reconciliation through faith in his bloud c. Much more then being now iustified by his bloud Rom 5.9 c. By whom we haue redemption through his bloud c. Eph. 17. Heb. 9.14 Vnto him that loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his bloud Ioh. 1.7 Reu. 1. â— You sée then that hee calleth the bloud of Christ the bloud of his Crosse Col. 1.20 speaking-more properly verse 14. And so no doubt but the same Apostle in saying that he reioiceth in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ meant his sufferings and also the force effects and merits of his Death and Passion with all the Comforts truits and promises which we receiue thereby as it is affirmed by the reuerend and learned in the Canons Can. 30. Rom. Howsoeuer the word Crosse is to be taken in any of the places cited by my cozen I see no reason why I may not haue the signe of the crosse to put mee in minde of him that died for me Why haue you the picture of the King Queene and Prince in your house but to put you in minde to pray for them If you haue no Crosse to bring Christ his death to your remeÌ„brance then haue you nothing Mad. Yes Mistresse Romana we haue the History of his passion and the Sacrament of his body and bloud after the giuing whereof our Sauiour Christ said to those that sate at the Table Do this in remembrance of me so we do that to remember his loue towards vs which hee biddeth vs to do But who bid you make Crosses or who brought the first Crosse into England I cannot tell Rom. Can not you tell Cozen Tract Some write that the first Altar Polycro lib. 5 cap. 12 â—erk proble pag. 38. 84. and the first Crosse were erected in England by Oswald in the place of the battaile agaiust Cadwall in the yeare 635. Mad. Well whosoeuer first brought it hither it mattereth not I see the word Crosse is much vsed in the New Testament which word so often repeated together with the History of his passion and our Communicating may serue to bring Christ his Passion into our remembrance though we had no signe yet Maister Guidewell and many others besides him doe vse that signe after the childe is baptized not condemning others which say they cannot doe it with a quyet mind no more then he would haue them to condemne him what moueth him to doe it hee knoweth best himselfe Guid. There bee thrée causes that moue me to vse that signing Rom. The one is you are loth to loose your maintenance You had rather giue an Almes then take one Guid. Indeed it is a more blessed thing to giue then to receiue but you get no fée of me if you will bee the Procter to tell my tale before you be required First I finde that ancient Christians being godly men and great Clearks did allow the vse of it in Baptisme Secondly Canon 30. such as command it say it is no part of the substance of that Sacrament and that being vsed afterwards meaning after the Infant is fully and perfectly baptized it doth neither adde any thing to the vertue or perfection of Baptisme nor beeing omitted doth detract any thing from the effect and substance of it The third cause is I sée there bee many of the superstitious Catholikes for I will kéepe the name of the sincerer Catholickes vnto our selues so addicted to shewes and signes though they say wee féede on bare signes that they bee ready to iudge all such as crosse not enemies to the Crosse of Christ and therefore for my part I choose rather to vse it the higher powers that command it not attributing such power vnto it as our Aduersaries doe then to giue any occasion to the Recusants to say the Gouernours would haue vs come to Church and when we come there wee shall sée such as should exhort vs to obey in matters of substance vnwilling to yeelde to such things as themselues call shewes and shadowes Mad. Indeed it is good we take heed we put no stumbling-blockes in the way of such as bee backward But must wee not haue care also that we offend not such as be forward Guid. Wee must not despise the least of the faithfull Math. 18.10 If a Christian Prince command me to do that wherewith some weake brother being a Subiect is offended because hee thinketh God is offended with it what should I doe in this case I cannot satisfie both If I bee willing to obey my Prince my weake brother is offended If I refraine because of the the Subiect my Prince is not obeyed Who seeth not that these things are troublesome Mad. You know wee must so obey our Prince that we put no occasion of falling or a stumbling-blocke as the Apostle saith before our brother Rom. 14.13 Guid. If to crosse be a stumbling-block and I leape ouer it and saue my shin and another stumble at it and breake his shins can I helpe it it is not a blocke of my putting Mad. Though it be not yet perhaps some will say you should set your shoulders to it to help to remoue it because it may hurt others though not your selues Guid. Anumber of men farre stronger then I haue béene heauing at it a long time but I sée they heaue against the Hill others stronger then they by reason they haue authority lift against them as some thinke the vse of these things will driue backe so others thinke it will draw on Experience I thinke in time will tell whose iudgment is best Though some stuÌ„ble at Christ as the vnbeléeuers doe yet Christ is the true Messias and if any through weaknes or howsoeuer stumble at the signe of the Crosse yet it must néeds be granted it is appoynted to be vsed as a sign of that crosse whereto the true Christ and not any counterfeit was fastened Rom. Was there euer any counterfeite Christ Guid. Cooper Fabian are set down by Grafton in his Abridgement as testifying that there was a Councell holden at Oxford of the Bishops in the first yeare of Henry the third 1220 where a certaine man was condemned which taught that hée was Iesus Christ And to confirme the same hee shewed the token of wounds in his Hands Body and Fée and was therefore condemned and crucified on a Crosse at Atterbury besides Banbury-hill till he dyed Rom. I regard not the signe of that crosse whereon that counterfeite died When I crosse me I think on Christ his Crosse as I am in loue with that crosse so I tell you true I cannot be weaned from any ceremony that
charge vs with it Rom. What the English of that speech is my cozen can tell but I cannot nor I care not but I see you are not greatly in loue with traditions Mad. As to reiect all traditions were rashnesse so to féede vpon them as substantiall foode and néedfull to eternall life the written word being left for that purpose is méere folly and a meanes to deceius vs. Rom. All your talke Madame is of the written word and your Churches are decked with nothing but Bibles Paraphrases the Creed the ten Commandements and such like but I see no Altars and Images no Crosses no Ashes nor any of our deckings vnlesse it be a surplesse and that to many of you is as welcome as snow in Haruest Guid. What say you mistresse Romana haue we neither Crosses nor Ashes had the bodies of those which were burnt in Quéene Maries dayes no Crosses nor Ashes Rom. Yes but not for the Popes sake Guid. You say true for it was for Christs sake that they suffered their flesh bloud sinewes artires and veines bowels mary-bones and braines to be burnt to Ashes which burning though it were a cruell torment considering who felt it yet nothing so horrible as fierie Fauxe his burning would haue beene because the other gaue some warning he would haue giuen none Tract Truly I for my part doe vtterly mislike that any religion should set in her foote by such diuelish deuises but my Couzen sayd your Churches wanted Altars and Images Guid. What should we doe with Altar or super-Altars we haue no such vse for them now as in the lawe Christ Iesus our Sacrifice hath offered vp himselfe once for all on the Altar of the Crosse Tract Did not he say Leaue thine offering vpon the Altar And againe Whether is greater the Offering or the Altar which sanctifieth the Offering Guid. Hee spake according to the time The Temple and the Altar were standing Christ was not come to the Crosse Rom. What say you to Images Guid. I say it is good not to be too farre in loue with them least wee make Idols of them As I feare me one Garnet did of that Image which I my selfe with two or three more that were appoynted to search that Colledge whereof the said Garnet was a member some 40 yeares agoe found in his study the which Image of Alablaster I hauing in my hand standing in the said Garnets study he said vnto me I pray you handle it reuerendly To whom I answered That I would handle it with as much reuerence as was due to a stone and so let it fall to the ground before his face What warrant hee had so to esteeme of it I know not but my warrant euen then was this thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image Exod. 20. Babes keepe your selues from Idols 1. Ioh. 5.11 They that make them are like â—o â—em and all that trust in them Psal 115.8 with vs part of the 113. Psal according to their diuiding it is the 16. verse of Psalm 113. to my remembrance Gregory Martin whom also I knew in Oxford would not haue any of these places vnderstood of Images of Saints but of the Idols of the Heathen But all that liued here in time of Popery or haue trauelled where such Images be much regarded must needes confesse that they haue beene and are made very Idols and that a number goe a whooring after them as the Heathen did after theirs They that tare the Church bookes heere and said Vp shall holy Crosse and you shall goe downe were not farre from this But howsoeuer other places of holy Scripture touching Images may bee vnderstood of heathen mens idols I can hardly be perswaded that S. Iohn in the place I cited before meant such only because he wrote to such Fathers as knew him that was from the beginning to such yong men as were stroÌ„g and had the word of God abiding in them and knew the truth And in the fifth chapter v. 13. he saith that they to whom he wrote beleeued in the name of the Sonne of God and therefore it is very likely that such were weaned from heathenish idols Rom. But what say you to our Sencings Offerings and such like Guid. You are so in loue with such matters that you giue vs occasion to suspect that you thinke God and the Saints are as well pleased with such things as the Heathen thought their Gods were with the bloud of Beasts Touching which Lactantius hath these words Quid enim Coelestis in se boni potest habere pecudum sanguis effusus quo aras inquinant Lactan dâ—uero cultu ca. 2 nisi forte deos existimaut eo vesci quod homines aspernantur aetingere c. For what Heauenly good thing can the bloud of Beasts haue in it wherewith being shed they pollute their Altars except perhaps they thinke the Gods doe eate that which men disdaine to touch and whosoeuer can make such a Feast though he be a Cutthroate an Adulterer a Sorcerer a Parricide he shall be a happy man him they loue him they defend he shall haue what he will worthily therefore doth Perseus after his manner deride this kinde of superstition Qua tu inquit mercede Deorum emeris auriculas pulmone c. With what wilt thou hire the Gods thee to heare With Bowels of Beasts and other like cheare So it should seeme that you thinke to winne Gods fauour by outward seruice shewes of deuotion If any of your family will go to Masse and carry a Crucifixe hee shall be your white sonne hee shall haue a farme but if he looke on a Bible or go now and then to a Sermon then out with the Hereticke he hath forfeited his lease Tract The carying of a crucifixe is but a badge of our profession Guid. Our Sauiour you know said all men should know his Disciples by louing one another Tract May not one carry a Crucifixe and loue to a Catholicke also Guid. You should loue those also whom you take for your enemies Christ saith sinners loue their louers Tract How do you know we loue theÌ„ not Guid. In that you go about to kill them Tract May not hereticks be put to death Guid. Do you accompt them Heretickes which hold that Athanasius faith is the Chatholicke faith and shall men dye ere they come to their answere Tract Athanasius saith Christ descended into hell what thinke you of that Guid. I do not onely think but stedfastly beleeue that as he suffered so farre forth in soule and body for the redemption of his people as his Father thought was sufficient for such an holy redeemer as he was to suffer So also in such sort hee hath descended into hell and lockt vp the power of the diuell for he hath the keies of hel of death and hee hath triumphed Reu. 1. hauing gotten the victory that none which repent and beleeue in him shall neede to feare the fiery force thereof
your old Latine Edition and in other places of the New Testament so in the psalmes And comming at last to the nintie psalme hee saith Sunt huius Psalmi versus septemdecim c. There bee seauenteene verses in this psalme and I dare bee bolde to say there bee more faults in the Translation of this psalme then there bee verses in the psalme And in the same Chapter he saith Itaque vere dici potest non esse hos Dauidicos Psalmos quos illi in suis sacris lectitant atque cantitant sed Graci Latinique interpretis errores Therefore it may truely bee said that the psalmes which they vsually reade and sing in their Seruice are not Dauids psalms but the errours of the Greeke and Latine Interpreter It were heere too long to recite all the faults he setteth downe in the twelfth chapter of that second question where hee noteth many places of the New Testament corrupted in the Latine Edition Towardes the end of the Chapter hee saith hee hath chosen a fewe out of manny if hee should set downe all hee should make a Volume If you list to buy the Booke it is Intituled Disputatio de sacra scriptura c. Tract Did not he which wrote that booke finde fault with them Pag. 118. which put ipsa for ipsum in the third of Genesis verse 15 Guid. Yes for finding Hu in the Hebrew and Autos in the Greeke He saw there was no reason why it should bee translated ipsae she as if not Christ but the blessed Virgin had broken the Serpents head Speake your minde M Tract did she or our blessed Sauiour dash the Diuels power Tract She brought forth him that did it Guid. We all agree in that and therefore she may be wel called blessed being preferred through the fauour of God to such an excellent office Mad. Me thinkes learned men that agree in this that the holy Scriptures are penned by the holy Ghost and contain such things as are true should leaue publishing one anothers ouersights or whatsoeuer you list to call it and ioyne together in Christian and louing sort to set forth a sound translation It is an easie matter to espy here and theee a broken quarrell in the windowes of a great building yea and of a little house too But to builde the whole house and so to build it as it may please euery mans eye that hath skill in building is another maner of matter Guid Yea Madame if charity had once so possest our hearts as to moue vs in a brotherly sort to seeke for the truth and to worship the fountaine of our life light as he might bee pleased with vs we might sing Ecee quam bonum c. Behold how good Psal 133. c. Rom. Before wee come to singing let mee heare what men of your side say of Baptisme Guid. A reuerend Father of this Land in one of his bookes saith thus Since Children be defiled by Adam B. B. if they may not be washed by Christ the disobedience of man shall be mightier to condemnation then the grace of God and the obedience of Christ to iustification which the Scriptures reiect as a wicked absurdity Wherefore the Church absolutely and flatly may not assure saluation vnto children vnbaptized lest they seeme naturally innocent or generally sanctified without baptisme albeit their parents desiring and seeking it Note if they be preuented by naturall necessity we must leaue them to the goodnesse and secret election of God not without hope because in their parents there wanted not will but an extremity disappointed them And in the Children the let was weakenesse of Age not wickednesse of heart And so the Sacrament omitted not for any contempt of Religion but by strictnesse of time In which cases Saint Augustine saith the want of baptisme may bee supplyed if it please God c. Tract Doth not your allowed Catechisme hold Sacraments generally necessary to Saluation Guid. Yes for that which is ordained by Christ to confirme our faith c. may well bee counted needfull to Saluation generally Tract What saith your Caluin is he of no request with you now Guid. I know in what request hee is Iust cap 15. But thus hee writeth touching the matter wee haue in hand No small wrong is done to the Couenant of God if wee doe not rest in it as though it were weake in it selfe whereas the effect thereof hangeth neither vpon Bapstime nor vpon any other Additions There is afterward added to it a Sacrament like a seale not that it bringeth effectualnesse to the promise of God as to a thing weake of it selfe but onely confirmeth it to vs. Whereupon it followeth the Children of the faithfull are not therefore baptized that they may then first bee made the Children of God which before were strangers from the Church Note Not by â—aâ—ure but by promise but rather that they bee therefore receiued by a solemne signe into the Church because by the benefite of the promise they did already belong to the body of our Sauâ—our Iesus Christ c. And in the sixteenth Chapter hee saith Baptisme besides this that it is a signe to testifie religion before men sheweth first the cleansing of sinne which we obtaine of the bloud of Christ then the mortifying the flesh which standeth vpon the partaking of his death by which the faithfull are regenerate to newnesse of lifâ— receiued into the fellowship of Christ Further he saith whatsoeuer agreeth with Circumcision agreeth also with Baptisme 1. The foundation in both is one to wit Christ 2. The promises whereupon the power of the signes consist are one namely of the fatherly fauour of God of the forgiuenesse of sinnes of life euerlasting 3. The thing figured is all one in both to wit regeneration Tract What else haue you of his Guid. Fateor oblatam scandali occasionem Epist resp si infans c. I confesse there is an occasion of scandall or offence offered to all the godly if by thy slackenesse or negligence the infant depart without Baptisme Wherefore not onely are they not to be borne withall which neglect baptisme but they also are not to be allowed which through a certaine boasting and for ostentations sake do long protract the administratioÌ„ of an holy thing But the infant by that meanes is depriued of the signe of health to with Baptisme yet I deny that his state is any thing the worse before God for albeit Baptisme be a seale of our adoption yet we are writteÌ„ in the book of life both by the grace of God and also by his promise For tell mee for what cause our children are saued but by that word Ego sum Deus seminis tui Gen 17.7 I am the God of thy seed and except that word did appertalne vnto them they were not to bee admitted vnto Baptisme Now if their saluation stayeth it selfe on the promise of God and that foundation bee fit of
Cornes that is bread without the very meale or very substance of the very Corne. I call it meale for their sakes who do not well vnderstand the difference betwixt the substance accidents although I know that neither the meale nor the bread is séene but ratione accidentis by reason of the colour c. Tract I grant it is Bread and Wine before the blessing and consecrating not after Guid. This answere will not serue your turne nor yet your saying It is done by miracle and power diuine which is your vltimum refugiuÌ„ your last refuge for Christ commended not his Body to his Disciples till after hee had blessed and broken as you may sée in that vulgar Edition which you chiefely regard Et manducantibus illis accepit Iesus panem benedicens hee vseth the present tense because Latine Articles haue no Participles Preters or Aorists as the Gréeke hath Fregit dedit eis And they eating or as they did eate Iesus tooke bread and blessing or hauing blessed hee brake and gaue to them Et ait sumite hoc est corpus meum And he said Take yee this is my body Where you sée that transstation leaueth out the word Comedite Eate yee Mar. 14.22 which Erasmus hath because hee findeth in that place of Saint Marke not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Take yee eate yee Tract But I maruell Erasmus translateth Eulogesas cum gratias egisset Guid. It may be for that hee found the word Eulogesas hauing blessed but once to wit in Saint Marke Eucharistesas hauing giuen thankes Mar. 14.22 Mat. 26 26.27 Mar. 14.23 Luke 22.17.19 1. Cor. 11.24 some some sire times twice in Matthew once in Marke before the giuing of the Cuppe where your vulgar Edition also hath gratias ageÌ„s giuing thanks twise in Luke and once in Saint Paul I meane where all these speake of the Lords Supper Rom. I maruell why you call it the Lords Supper rather then the Masse Guid. Because it was instituted at supper time and that which Saint Paul calleth Curiacon Deipnon your vulgar Edition translateth Dominicam Coenam the Lords Supper Rom. Is that true Cozen Tract Yes Guid. He may not deny it no more then he may deny that Saint Austin saith Locutio de gen Multum haec locutio notanda est c. This maner of speaking is much to bee noted when some things signifying are called by the names of the things which they signifie Herehence it is that the Apostle saith 1. Cor 10.4 and the rocke was Christ hee doth not say the rocke doth signifie noting that to bee his meaning that the rocke doth signifie Christ though he said the rocke was Christ euen as though it bee said This is my Couenant Gen. 17 10. it is the Lords Passeouer Ex. 12 11 Gen. 41.26 The thrée branches are thrée dayes Gen. 40.12 Eze. 37 11 Reu. 1 20 Reu 12.15.16 The seuen Starres are the Angels of the seuen Churches The seuen Candle-stickes are the seuen Churches The ten hornes which thou sawest are ten Kings The waters which thou sawest c. are people multitudes The ten Hornes c. are they that shall hate the Whore The Woman which thou sawest is the great Cittie which reigneth ouer the Kings of the earth Yet by is and are is ment doe signifie Rom. But what do you bring out of any Fathers touching This is my Body Saint Augustine sayth The Lord doubted not to say Hoc est Corpus meum Cum signum darit Corporis sui This is my Body when he gaue a signe of his Body Tract I thinke you found these words in the conference had in the Tower with our Campion the 23. of September in the afternoone 1581. Guid. Though I haue seene that conference yet I found these words not onely there but in S. Austin his own booke against Adimantus a disciple of Manicheus chap 12 The Manichies as apeareth by the chapter would needs find a â—arre betwixt that place in the old Testament where bloud is forbidden to be eaten because it is Anima the life or the soule of the flesh and that place of the new Testament where we are forbidden to feare them the kill the Body but cannot hurt the Soule herehence they reason thus If the bloud be the soule how is it that men haue such power ouer it c. they cast it to Dogges to Foules they poure it on the ground they mingle it with dirt and mire They adde also this that the Apostle saith Flesh Bloud shall not possesse the kingdome of God Then if the bloud be the soule say they then no Soule shall be found able Regnum dei adipisci to attaine to the Kingdome of God To this cauill S. Austin answereth first in effect thus That they cannot shew in any booke of the old Law where the Soule of man is said to be Bloud And afterwards towards the middle of the Chapter he hath these words For of that which is written Sanguinem pecoris animam eius esse that the bloud of a Beast is the Soule thereof besides that which I haue said before the it pertayneth nothing to me Quid agatur de pecoris anima what becoÌ„meth of the soule of a Beast I may also interpet that precept In signo esse positum to be put in the signe or to be vnderstod of the signe as it S. Austin should say whereas it is forbidden in the lawe to eate bloud because it is the life or soule By saying it is the life he meaneth it is the signe of life Nonenim dubitauit dominus dicere hoc est corpus meum cum signum daret corporis sui For our Lord doubted not to say this is my Body when he gaue a signe of his body touching that other place Flesh and bloud shall not inherit the kingdome of God After he hath saide somewhat of the change which shall be in the resurrection where they marry not but are as the Angels he commeth at length to these words of the Apostle For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortall immortality Tract I should be more easily drawen to fauour this your opinion if I could heare that Christs Vickar did fauour it Guid. You talke much of Christ his Vicar Doe you receiue or refuse any doctrine according as this or that man of whome you haue a good opinion liketh or disâ—yketh it You should rather search whether the word of God whereon your faith ought to be grounded doth warrant it yea or no As all Kings so all Bishops of Rome are not of one minde in euery thing If you tye your faith to the Coach of mens opynions then when that Coach runs eastward your fayth must runne with it if that runne westward then your faith must runne with it if that runne westward then your faith runneth the way vp hill and downe hill turning winding as the
God Tract I haue thought that the Pope hath beene very carefull to winne our Soules to God and therefore we should be at peace with him Guid. His care for our Soules I leaue to God but I see cleerely if that which is written of some of them be true as I haue no reason to doubt they haue great care to haue our Gold and Siluer In the defence of the Apologie Def. of Apol pa. 794. I read thus The Pope sayth he meaning Mathias Parisienfis being diseased with a spiritual dropsey that is to say with an vnquenchable thirst of money shooke out all the Priests purses Anno. 1215. spoyled the Abbies of all their Treasures Againe The Pope made a decree in Rome 1246. that the goods money of all Bishops and Priests deceased within England should be taken to his vse The Pope gaue straight commandement to the Bishops of England that all Parsons and Vicars being resident vpon their Benefices should pay to him yerely the third part of all the valewes of their saide Benefices And that all Parsons and Vicars being not resident should pay vnto him yeerely the one full halfe part of their Benefices All these payments to continue for the space of three whole yeers which amounteth at the least to the summe of an hundred threescore and tenne thousand pound The Bishops of England after some great and forcible intreaties agreed together 1247. to giue the Pope a contribution of eleuen thousand marks At that time the Pryor of Winchester was forced to pay yéerly thrée hundred threescore and fiue marks Bodē Anno. towards the furniture of the Popes table The Pope made a straight decree that all Bishops elect should imediatly trauell out of England to Rome to atend vpon his Holynesse as Mathias sayth Vt Romanorum loculos impraegnaret in ruinam regni Angliae To stuffe the Romans purses to the decay of the Kingdom of England The Pope had the Tenthes of all the spirituall liuings in England during the space of ten whole yeeres Tract Enough of this for this may suffice to shewe that the Pope had a great stroke heere Guid. A great stroke in deed and yet I saide nothing of many thousands of Florenes which the Archbyshops and Bishops of England payed to the Pope at euery vacation for their Anuales of first fruits If you list to see more of this matter turne to the 794. 795 page of the Apology Tract Not I I had rather haue peace of conscience and that I knew in what Church God is best honoured that I might ioyne to that so liue dye that I may liue for euer Guid. Indeed that you speake of is more worth then ten thousand worlds Sith thē in our Church are found the holy Scriptures which teach men in whom to beleeue how to beléeue and how to liue that we may liue with Christ our life and light that lasteth lighteth euer I maruaile why you should not frame your selfe to come among vs. If the Byshop of Rome be haue himselfe like a good Shepheard feeding the Romans with sound fodder it is the better both for himself and them if not it is the worse for both howsoeuer he be he is far from vs but the Testament of Christ thankes bee to God is neere vs and we finde our Sauiour in that Testament saying Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them Now what is it to bee gathered together in his name who is call'd Iesus Christ but to come in sincerity beléeuing in him with a minde to please him the beareth that name confessing him to be our Iesus that is our Sauiour to be Christ that is the annointed King to gouerne and defend vs annoynted Priest to offer himselfe a Sacrifice once for all and a Prophet yea greater then all Prophets yea then all Angels as being the Sonne of God Heb. 1. by whom in the last dayes God hath spoken and made knowne vnto vs his will to come I say beleeuing in him calling vpon God for mercy in his name to come with a mind to obey his voyce to come with charitable hearts one towards another so far from seeking the destruction one of another that though any of vs tooke another for his enemy yet if we saw him hunger or thirst wee should so refresh him and so pitty his misery that by our charitable dealing we might do what in vs lay to quench the fierie coles of his wrath and turne it into hot burning loue towards vs. If thus wee come together we be gathered together in Christ his name then he will bee among vs and no doubt but where such a head is the body cānot want life neither doth any sound member of such a body deserue to be or wish to be cut off from the whole Good M. Tractable be tractable be not wifull doe not condemne the Doctrine taught in our Churches vpon heare say come your selfe and you shall heare such as haue knowledge teach that there is one true liuing and eternall God immortall inuisible only wise which made al things by that logos or word which was in the beginning with God being the onely naturall Sonne of God Ioh. 1.14 I i◠before all worlds which word or Son at the appointed time was made flesh that is became man when he was conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of that most blessed and most holy woman the Virgin Mary not by turning the Godhead or diuine nature which he had before all time into the manhood but by taking of the manhood which consisteth of a reasonable soule and humane flesh into the Godhead and so in the same flesh without sinne dyed for our sins and rose againe for our iustification reconciling vs vnto God sanctifying and comforting with his holy Spirit all the Elect Ephe 1. whō the Father hath chosen in him before the foundation of the world that they should be holy and without blame before him in loue who hath predestinated vs to be adopted through Iesus Christ vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace wherwith he hath made vs accepted through his beloued in whom we haue redemption through his bloud euen the forginenesse of sins according to his rich grace c. Which things as also the assuring vs of our resurrection to life euerlasting when the same Christ our Sauiour who now sitteth at the right hand of Maiesty on high shall come to iudge quicke dead are sealed to the strengthening and comforting of our soules Not onely in baptisme were we are dedicated to the seruice of the blessed Trinfty by dying to sinne and walking to newnesse of life but also in the Lords Supper where by eating and drinking that holy Sacrament we are more effectually stirred vp through faith to féed spiritually on the very body of Christ crucified and to drinke his most precious bloud shed for remission of our sins Which great loue of his we ought to remember with thanksgiuing vntill his comming againe endeuouring to assure our selues of our effectuall calling and so of our election by bringing forth the fruits of that Faith which worketh by loue which is then done when we flie from euill and do that which is good walking in our vocation as becommeth vs first calling vpon God without whose blessing and fauour all labour and watching is in vaine Psal 127 then hauing a care to giue euery man his due whether he be superiour equall or inferiour to hurt none Rom 12 to do good to all to reioice in hope to be patient in tribulation to distribute to the necessity of such as want according to our ability especally to the houshold of faith to loue without dissimulation to pray for our persecutors Mat. 5 44 that it would please God to conuert them as he conuerted Saul to take heed of recompencing euill for euill to remember that vengeance belongeth to God to beware of being wise in our owne conceite to confesse that none but God is free from sinne and errour Mat. 11.29 and that those which be gone to rest are frée through Christ of whom it we that be here learne to bee humble and méeke wee shall through the same blessed Sauiour if we continue to the end be exalted to that life ioy that hath no end And so I leaue you to God to whom be all praise and glory now and euer through Christ who grant vs all to farewell FINIS