of the trueth of Christs flesh and bloud there is no place left for doubting Answer Neither doe we doubt of the truth of Christs body and bloud but firmely believe the doctrine of the true Incaâ—nation of Christ. Objection Hilarie saith in nobis carnalibus manentem per carnem Christum habemus we men consisting of flesh and bloud have Christ remayning in us by his flâ—sh Answer So wee have by reason of our mysticall union with Christs flesh and not by any corporall transubstantiation of our flesh into Christ. The same Hilarie saith nos in eo naturaliter inessemus ipso in nobis naturaliter permanente Christ is naturally in us and wee in him but wee are not in him naturally or carnally by any transubstantiation therefore neither is he so in us these termes then of Hilaâ—ies permanentâ—m in nobis carnaliter silium the sonne remayning in us carnally note onely a greater and more reall union than barely by consent or concord of will such as the Arrians acknowledged onely betwixt the Father and the Sonne denying an unitie of nature purposely to avoid that text I and the Father are oneâ— Hilary speaking of this neere union calleth it the mysterie of a true and naturall union mysterium verae ac naturalis unitatis and so indeed it is in respect of Christs inseparable union which hee hath with us by his incarnation by which he is become flesh of our â—lesh and bone of our bone and in respect of our mysticall union with him and his body whereby wee become members of Christs body and quickned by his spirit Object Saint Cyril in his fourth Catechisme saith He that in the marriage of Cana changed water into wine by his onely will is not hee worthy that wee beleeve him that he hath changed wine into his blood Answer S. Cyrils place maintaineth not Popish transubstantiation for in this the shapes and accidents remaine and the materiall substance is corrupted but in our Saviours miracle in the second of Saint Iohn the shapes accidents and forme were changed and the common materiall substance remained Iohn 2.9 Object Cyril saith it is not simple bread and wine it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid. Answer Hee sheweth his meaning to be this namely that the consecrated bread is not common ordinary and meere naturall bread but sanctified elevated and changed to supernaturall use and operation And so I proceed The Elements called Antitypes after Consecration The Fathers of this age treating of the Sacramentall Signes call them Similitudes correspondent types or figures of the body and blood of Christ the figure of the body and blood of the Lord Iesus saith Ambrose and Nazianzene speakes as wee have heard of his sisters laying up some portion of the types or tokens of Christs precious body and blood and againe how durst I offer unto him the type of so great a mysterie in lâ—ke sort Cyril of Hierusâ—lem cals them types and antitypes and they call the Symboles after Consecration Antitypes Now that which is a figure similitude and representation of a thing is not properly the same PA. It followeth not the Eucharist is termed the figure of Christs naturall body therefore it is not substantially and properly his body The figure of a thing may be the same with the thing figured Christ Iesus is a figure of his Fathers substance Hebr. 1.3 and yet is the same substantially with the Father Iohn 10.30 PRO. There is such opposition of Relatives as that the signe and the thing signified cannot bee the same in that very respect and point wherein they are opposite for the instance brought it followeth thus the sonne is the chaâ—acter of his Fathers substance ergo the Son is not the Father though of the same substance nor is the Father the Sonne so must the opposition of necessity hold the Sacrament is the figure signe and representation of Christs body ergo it is not the body of Christ but sacramentally and figuratively In a word you say that Christ is a Character and figure of his Father and yet of the same substance but to have spoken home to the matter in question you should have said that Christ a figure of the Fathers person is yet the same person that the Father which is utterly false To procâ—ed Saint Ambrose saith if thâ—re bee such vâ—rtue in the words of our Lord to make those things that were not to begin to bee how much more powerfull is his word that they remaine the same they were and yet bee changed into another thing hee holdeth the bread and wine in the Lords Supper to remaine to bee the same thaâ— they were therefore they are not changed in substance for then they should not be the same they were yet hee saith they are changed into other to wit not in substance but in qualitie use and signification for so hee saith before the blessing of the heavenly words another kind is named after the Consecration the body of Christ is signified Now if by the consecrated bread in the Eucharist the body bee signified then is not bread essentially the body PA. Saint Ambrose in the ninth chapter of such as are newly instructed in the mysteries saith Moses his word changed the water of Aegypt into blood if so great was the benediction of man what may wee thinke of divine Consecration where the very words of our Saviour worke hee saith also that by benediction or consecration the nature of the Elements in the Lords Supper is changed PRO. Among the six or seaven examples broâ—ght by Saint Ambrose only two are substantiall and the rest accidental for in the place alledged he addeth also these examples that Moses divided the Red Sea that Iordan turned his couâ—se that the bitter waters of Mara were made sweet in all which workes of God there was no Transubstantiation for the waters and the Red Sea were the same in nature and substance as they were before so that by these examples it appeareth that notwithstanding Saint Ambrose say the nature is changed yet he meant a change in qualitie onely and not in substance And such a change there is in the Eucharist the Elements are changed when of common and naturall creatures they are made sacred and become Channels and Instruments of saving grace and such a change Ambrose meant for comparing these miracles of the Prophets wherein God changed the nature of things with the change that is wrought in the Sacrament he saith that it is no lesse to adde some new things unto things than to change the nature of things averring plainly thereby that the bread had received some new thing without loosing the nature of bread and such a change is not strange for thus a piece of waxe becomming the Kings Seale changeth it's nature without Transubstantiation Besides the Fathers use the like Tenour of speech of the Sacrament of Baptisme and yet doe not hence inferre any Transubstantiation they
who set forth Eusebius Now Eusebius hath no such thing as is pretended his words in his owne language are these It is our custome to come to the Tombes and Monuments of the Martyrs and to make our prayers at or befâ—re those Shrines or Tombes and to honour those blessed soules Plâ—â—saith they used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to present themseâ—ves at the Martyrs Tombes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to make their prayers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those Toâ—bes and Monuments he saith not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to these Martyrs as Bellarmine would have it It is onething to pray ad memorias Martyrum before or neere the Sepulchers of â—he Martyrs as ancieÌ„tly they were wont to doe another thing to say as our adversariâ—s doe that these Prayeâ—s were made unto the Martyrs themselves the truth is they were made unto God to pâ—aise him for the assistaâ—ce given unto the Martyrs and to crave of God the like Gâ—ace 4. Fâ—urthly and lastly Eusebius in the same treatise doth fully expreâ—se himselfe touching this matter saying We are taught to worship God onely and to honour those blessed Powers that are about him with such honour as is fit and agreeable to their â—state and condition and againe To God onely will we give the worship due unâ—o his name and him onely doe we religiouslie worship and adore Object Saint Ephraim the Syrian saith Wee pray you O yeâ— blâ—ssed Spirits vouchsafe to make intercession to God for us miserable sinners Answer The learned take exceptions at this Ephraim as being a counterfeit lately brought to light and not set forth in his native language but taught to speake in the Roman tongue â—ut bee it that it is the true Saint Ephraem yet hee saith nothing directly for praying to Saints for it is but an Apostrophe in generall which infeâ—reth no coâ—â—lusion aâ— all noâ— is it directed to any one peculiar Saint bâ—t â—o the Saints iâ— geneâ—all Now it is conâ—essed that they pray to God Pro nobis miseris peccatoribus and this their bâ—other-like affâ—ction and Saint-like performance is an â—speciall paâ—t of the Communion of Saints Besides Ephraem take him as hee commâ—th to our hands delivereth that which overthroweâ—h Saintly Invocatioâ— for hee prayeth to God onely without mentioâ—ing any Saint at all yea hee saith expresly That hee knoweth no other save God to whom hee should present his prayers and yet more fully saying Tibi soli redemptori supplico To thee only my Saviour and Redeemer I make my prayer and supplication And thus speakes Ephraem when once he is out of his pâ—osopopeiaes and Rhetoricall compellations his paâ—egyâ—icks and commendatorie orations of the Saints Of Iustification by Faith onely Concerning Iustification by Faith onely Saint Ambrose or some of the same standing with Ambrose is cleare and plentifull throughout his Commentaries on Saint Pauls Epistles They are justified by faith alone by the gift of God yea hee farther saith No worke of the Law but onely faith is to bee given in Christ's cause Saint Hilarie saith That which the Law could not unloose is remitted by Christ for faith alone justifieth Saint Basil saith That it is true and perfect rejoycing in the Lord when a man is not puffed up with his owne righteousnesse but acknowledgeth his want thereof yet râ—joyceth that hee is justified by faith alone in Christ. By this that hath beene said it appeareth that when wee say Faith onely justifieth wee have not departed from the doctrine of the ancient Fathers in this point of Iustification Of Merit Concerning Merit Saint Ambrose saith Whence should I have so great merit seeing mercy is my crowne and againe What can wee doe worthy of the heavenly rewards the sâ—ffâ—ringâ— of this time are uâ—worthy for the glory tâ—â—t is to come therefore the forme of heavâ—nly Decrees doth proceed with men not according to our meâ—its but according to Gods mercy Basil saith Everlasting rest is layd up for them that strive lawfully in this life not to bee rendred according to the dâ—bt of workes but exhibited by the grace of the bountifull God to them that trust in him Macarius the Aegyptian Hermite touching the gift which Christians shall inherit averreth That this a man may rightly say that if any one from the time wherein Adam was created unto the very end of the world did fight against Satan and undergoe afflictions hee should doe no great matter in respect of the glory that hee shall inherit for heâ— shall reigne together with Christ world without end PA. You produced Saint Cyril of Hierusalem as if he should witnesse for you whereas hee is ours and your Mr. Cooke tellâ—th us that Bellarmine often alleadgeth him on our behalfe PRO. The learned make question whether Cyril or Iohn B. of Hierusalem were the Author of those Catechismes and surely in some part thereof there bee divers things unworthy of that ancient and learned Cyril who is the more to be beloved of the Orthodoxe as he was greatly hated of the Aâ—rians yet even in these Catechismes take them as they come to our hands Master Rivet a learned and judicious Divine finds many testimonies that make for us and against the Papists For instance sake Cyril in his Catechisme having numbred all the bookes of the old Testament omitteth all those that are controverted and saith Peruse the two and twenty bookes but meddle not with the Apocrypha meditate diligently upon those Scriptures which the Church doth confidently read and use no other Hee saith That the safetie and preservation of faith consists not in the eloquence of words but in the proofe of divine Scripture The same Cyril saith Receive the body of Christ with a hallow hand saying Amen and after the partaking of the body of Christ come also to the cup of the Lord. The same Cyril saith that the words my Body were Spoken of the bread Christ thus avoucheth and saith of the Bread this is my Body He resembleth the consecrated oyle wherewith their foreheads were annoynted to the consecrated bread in the Eucharist Looke saith he Thou doe not thinke it to be onely bare and simple oyle for even as the consecrated bread after prayer and invocation is no more common bread but Christs body so the holy oyle is no more bare and simple oyle or common but Charisma the gift of Grace whence as Master Rivet saith wee may thus argue as is the change in the oyle such there is in the Eucharist but in the oyle there is no change in substance but use and sanctification by grace and therefore there is no substantiall change or conversion in the Elements of bread and wine when they become the body and blood of Christ. Objection Saint Cyril saith Know you for a surety that the bread which is seene of us is not bread though the taste
nothing remaines but the outward formes and accidents of bread Reply Bellarmin saith that this Epistle is not extant amongst Saint Chrysostome's Workes and when Peter Martyr objected this place to Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester the Bishop replyed That it was none of Chrysostomes but another Iohns of Constantinople Rejoynder What though it were not then extant diverse parcells of Chrysostome have beene lately found out and annexed to his other Workes Besides the same Bishop Gardiner reports that Peter Martyr saith that this Treatise of Chrysostome was extant in a Manuscript and found in the Library at Florence and that a Copie thereof remained in the Archbishop of Canterburies hands Againe they that would father tâ—is â—reaâ—â—se on another theâ— must bring us anothâ—r Iohn of Constantinople besides Chrysostome and tell us what time hee lived it is usuall with the Church-storie and Sâ—int Austine and Ierome to call Chrysostome Iohn of Constaâ—tinople or Priest of Antioch Lastly this Authour saith nothing but what Saint Ambrose Gelasius and Theodoret have vouched For whereas the Hâ—retike Eâ—tyches taught that Christ his body was changed into the substance of his Divinity after the resurrection and that the substance of his body remayned no more the same Pope Gelasius confuteth him by a similituâ—e and comparisâ—n drawne from the Sacrament to wit Tâ—at as the substance of Bread remayneth after consecration so Christ his bodily substance remained after the resurrection His words are these The Sacraments which wee receive of the body and â—loud of Christ are a divine thing by meanes whâ—râ—of wee are made partakers of the divine nature and yet the substance or nature of Bread and Wine doth not cease to be The Papists they tell us that after consecration the substance of bread and wine is abolished and the shaâ—eâ— accidents quantity therof only remaine but this is contrary to these Fathers assertion who say there ceaseth not to be the very substance of bread and wine Neither will it serve to say that Gelasius by substance meant accidents for if Gelasius had not taken the word substance properly in both places he had not concluded against the Hereticke Reply Pope Gelasius was not the Author of this Treatise but some other of that name Rejoynder There be divers Authors that entitle Pope Gelasius to it but were it Gelasius Bishop of Caesarea as Bellarmine seemes to incline or a more ancient Gelasius Gelasius Citizenus as Baronius would have it the record is still good against our adversaries for it is confessed on all sides that he was an Orthodoxe Father and very ancient Theodoret brings in Eranistes in the person of an Eutyclâ—ian Heretike who confounded the two natures in Christ and falsely held that The body of Christ after his Ascension being Glorified was swallowed up of the Deitie and continued no more the same humane and bodily essence as before his resurrection it had been and for defence of this his Heresie he takes his comparison from the Eucharist and argues in this sort Even as the symbols or signes of the Lords body and bloud afâ—er the words of Invocation or Consecration are not the same but are changed into the Body of Christ even so after his Ascension was his body changed into a divine substance To this Objection of the Hâ—retikes the Orthodoxe or Catholike which was Theodoret himselfe replies and retorts his owne instance upon him thus You are caught saith he in your owne net for as the mysticall signes in the Eucharist after sanctification or Consecration doe not goe out of their proper nature but continue in their former figure and substance and may be seene and felt as before so the body of Christ after the Resurrection remaineth in it's former figure forme circumscription and in a word the same substance which it had before although after the Resurrection it be immortall and free from corruption In which passage we see the Heretike held that Bread is changed after consecration into the substance of Christ's body and so do our adversaries the Orthodoxe or Catholike taught that Bread after consecration remaineth in substance the same and so doe we teach Theodoret indeed and so doe we acknowledged that Christ's body after his Ascension was changed from a corruptible to an immortall and glorious body but yet not changed in substance it still remained the same in substance even as the Elements in the Sacrament remaine the same in substance that they Were before consecration and may be seene and fealt though they be changed in use from common to consecrated bread and wine Now if the Elements of Bread and Wine according to this Orthodoxe Father remaine in their former substance shape and species then is not the whole substance of bread and wine changed into the whole substance of the body and bloud of Christ and where is then your Transubstantiation Answer Bâ—llarmine answereth this place by distinguishing the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 substantia saying When Theodoret saith â—hat the substance of the Elements remaynes and is not changed hee speaketh not of substance as it is opposed to accidents but of the â—ssence and nature of accidents which hee alwayes understandeth by Symbols Reply Theodoret in this very Dialogue exactly distinguisheth betweene Substance and Accidents and sheweth that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee meanes not Accidents but Substance properly so taken saying Therefore wee call a body substance and health and sicknesse an accident by which passage it is evident against Bellarmine that Theodoret takes not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the esâ—ence specially of accidents but for substance propeâ—ly so called as it is opposed to Accidents Besides if Theodoret had thought as the Papists hold that the substance of bread and wine ceaseth and is changed into the very body and bloud of Chirst and that the accidents thereof onely remaine as namely the whitenesse roundnesse taste or the like then could not this Father have drawne or râ—torted an Argument from the Sacrament to proâ—ve that the substance of Christ's body remayned after his ascension for then as the learned on ouâ— side have well observed the Hereticke upon the doctrine of Transubstantiation might have inferred this erronious opinion about the humane nature of Christ to wit that as in the Eucharist there is onely the outward shape and forme of bread and not the reall substance even so in Christ there was the shape and forme of flesh but not the very nature The same Theodoret saith that our Saviour honoured the visible symbols with the name of his body and bloud not changing the nature but adding grace to nature The same Thâ—odoret saith that our Saviour gave the signe the name of his body What can a man say more expresse then that in thâ—se words This is my hody our Saviour hath given to the signe that is to say to the bread the name of his body Answer You stand
joyne in the worthy participation of Christs body and bloud Omnes all the people as well as the Priests Isidore saith These be thâ— Sacraments to wit Baptisme and Chrysme and the body and bloud of Christ. Now with Baptisme he joynes Chrysme because their manner was to annoint those who were baptized Of the Eucharist Isidore saith Bread because it strengtheneth the body is therefore called Christs body and wine because it worketh bloud in the flesh it hath therefore relation to the bloud of Christ but these two being sanctified by the Holy Ghost are changed into a Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ. He saith Christ called bread his body to wit Sacramentally a signe a Sacrament of his body and not Substantially he saith Bread is changed into a Sacrament of Christs body which notes a Sacramentall Conversion and not Substantiall he saith Bread strengthens mans body bread Substantially and not Accidentallie so that it is not the roundnesse or figure of bread that strengthens mans body nor the colour of wine that is turned into bloud Hesychius saith We eate this food by receiving the memorie of his Passion not of his Glory but of his Passion the same Author saith Our mysterie is both bread and flâ—sh to wit bread in substance and indeed and Christs body not in substance but in a mystery Of Images and Prayer to Saints Gregorie allowed onely an Historicall use of Images otherwise he speakes positively that The worshipping of Images is by all meanes to bee avoided and though hee misliked the breaking of them yet he commended those that forbad the adoration of them yea he commands the people to Kneele and bow downe to the omnipotent Trinitie onely and therefore not too or before an Image And Cassander saith that Gregorie therein declared the judgement of the Romane Church to wit that Images are kept not to be adored and worshipped but that the ignorant by beholding those Pictures might as by written records be put in mind of what hath beene formerly done and be thereupon stirred up to Pietie Concerning Prayer as wee finde in Gregorie very rarely any prayer to Saints so unto the Virgine Mary not any one Which we may conceive he would not have omitted if he had believed as divers Papists maintaine That she is a Savioresse a Mediatresse That as Assuerus offered halfe of his kingdome to Queene Esther so Christ reserving the kingdome of Iustice to himselfe hath granted the other moitie the kingdome of mercie to his mother PA. Was not Invocation of Saints used in the Church-service in Saint Gregories dayes PRO. Be it so that some such devotions were used in his time yet in the ancient Missals there is no such forme to be found In them indeed the Saints names in their Anniversarie solemnities and Holydayes were remembred and put into their Memento but they were not praied unto men praied only to God that he would give them grace to follow their examples and make them partakers of that happinesse which those blessed ones already enjoyed and at that time when this alteration began and that the Gregorian forme tooke place the Invocation was not brought into the Liturgie and publike prayers of the Church in Direct forme but men prayed still unto God onely though desiring him the rather to respect them for that not onely their brethren on earth but they also that are in heaven cease not to pray for them neither is there any other forme of prayer found in the missall but in the Sequences and Litanies onely saith Learned Doctor Field Gregorie indeeed added some things to the Canon the Alle-lujah the Kyrie Eleâ—son Lord have mercie upon us the Orizon Diâ—sque nostros in pace disponas Give peace in our times O Lord together with other Collects But I doe not find either in Cassander or Pamelius their Liturgies that Gregorie brought in any direct forme of Prayer to Saints Afterwardâ— Nocherus the Abbot who lived about the yeaâ—e eight hundred and fifty composed the Sequences and so when the ancient Missalls were abandoned it is no marvaile if Invocation of Saints stept up in their place Lastly the forme and manner of Saintly Invocation used about the yeare 600 in Saint Gregories dayes differeth extreamely from that which was used by Papals in later times as may appeare by these instances following The Hymne of Thomas Becket runnes thus in the Salisbury Primer Tu per Thomae sanguinem Quem pro te impendit Fac nos Christe scandere Quò Thomas ascendit By the bloud of Thomas Which for thee he did spend Make us thither O Christ to climbe Whither Thomas did ascend To the blessed Virgin they pray Maria mater gratiae Mater misericordiae Tu nos ab hoste protege Et horâ mortis suscipe Mary mother of heavens grace Mother where mercie hath chiefe place From cruel Foe our soules defend And them receive when life shall end The Crosse is likewise devoutly saluted in this manner O Crux ave spes unica Hoc passionis tempore Auge pijs justitiam Reisque dona veniam All Haile O Crosse our onely hope In this time of the passion Encrease thou justice to the godly And give to sinners pardon Of Faith and Merits Hesychius saith The grace of God is given onely of mercie and favour and is embraced and received by onely Faith Gregorie held not justification by inherent righteousnesse for speaking even of the second justification hee teacheth that we are justified before God freely by grace Our just advocate saith he will in judgement defend us for just if so bee wee know and accuse our selves to bee unrighteous and unjust He confesseth That all our righteousnesse is manifestly proved to be unrighteousnesse if once it bee strictly examined according to justice Hee accounts a mans best actions imperfect and unable to abide the Iudges triall unlesse hee weigh them by the scale of his mercie Isidore saith it was noted a propertie in the Catherists or ancient Puritans to glorie of their merits Gregorie held not Merit of Condignitie but appealed to the court of Mâ—cie saying I grow on to eternall life not by the merit of my works but by the pardon of my sinnes presuming to obtaine that by the onely mercie of God which I dare not hope for by my owne deserts and hereof as also of the imperfâ—ction of our works he gives a good reason saying that the evill that is in us is simply evill but the good that we thinke we have it is not absolutely pure and simply good So that how much soever we travaile in good works we never attaine to true puritie but onely imitate it And this may suffice to shew what religion Saint Gregorie professed other testimonies may be seene in Master Panks Collectanea out of Saint Gregorie and Saint Bernard shewing that in most fundamentall poynts they are ours PA.
disguise your sacriledge of the Cup taken from the people as if our Saviour Christ were not sparing enough in ordainiâ—g as few outward Ceremonies as might wel be but that he must doe that by two which might have beene compassed by one or as if he would have the Ministers receive his body and bloud superfluously that is to say both in the Bread and in the Cup too which was sufficiently received in either of them Againe though the devout Communicant receiving Christ spiritually by Faith is thereby possessed of whole Christ crucified in the inward act of the soule yet we deny that the whole is received Sacramentally in this outwad act under one onely part of this Sacrament so that if Concomitance were granted yet Communion in one kinde is not justifiable for although it deprive not people of Christs bloud as it is a bodily part conteined in the veines yet it depriveth them of the bloud of Christ as it was shed powred out and offered in sacrifice for them neither can suâ—h manner of receiving shew foorth the Lords death which is one chiefe end of the celebration of this Sacrament 1 Cor. 11.28 The breaking of Bread repesenteth in no wise the effusion of bloud this is lively represented by the powring out of the consecrated Wine and dâ—inking of the Cup there being a perfecter signification in both kinds then in one Lastly though the people might receive the blood together wiâ—h the host â—et he that so receives the blood cannot properly bee said to drinke now Christ saith expresly Vnlesse you drinke his blood you shall not have life in you Iohn 6.53 which place your Papists themselves understand of the Eucharist Concerning the number of Sacraments the Trent-Councell accurseth all such as shall say that the number of Sacraments is either more or lesse then seaven but our Church holds that of the Sacraments of the Newe Testament there bee two ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospell that is to say Baptisme and the Lords Supper and those five which by the Church of Rome are called Sacraments to wit Confirmation Penance Orders Matrimony and Extreame Vnction are not to be accounted Sacraments of the Gospell Now that there are and ought to be two Sacraments onely in the New Testament appeareth hereby in that there is no promise made unto us of life everlasting in Iesus Christ which is not sufficiently witnessed and assured unto us by these two Sacraments For the summe of all the promises of God in Christ is reduced unto these two heads that for his sake we are received into the favour and houshold care of God and that being once received we shall be continued in the saâ—e for ever the former whereof is sealed unto us by Baptisme for our entrance and admission into the Covenant and the later by the Lords Supper for our continuance growth and confirmation therein These two were instituted by Christ Hoc facite Doe this in remembrance of mee is our warrant for the one and goe teach and baptise for the other x there is deepe silence in the rest Of the Eucharist The Trent Councel holds that there is a conversion of the whole substance of bread and wine into the substance of Christs body and blood wrought by the words of consecration and that there onely remaine the semblances and shewes the outward shapeâ— formes or accidents of bread and wine yea the Councel accurseth such as affirme bread wine to remaine in this Sacrament after consecration And yet S. Paul tells us that after consecration it is bread which is broken and eaten it is no lesse than fivetimes so called after the pretended change Neither is it called Bread because it was bread but because it is bread not in name onely but in nature and properties for after consecration the bread and wine they nourish the body and comfort the heart as before but the bare formes of bread and wine as the roundnesse of the Hoste or colour of the Wine such as they say onely remaine the substance thereof being abolished cannot nourish without corporall substance Now our Church holds that the change of the substance of the bread and wine into the substance of the body and blood of Christ commonly called Transubstantiation cannot be prooved by holy Writ but is repugnant to plaine testimonies of holy Scripture PA. How doth it appeare that Christs bodie and bloud are not corporally given and taken in the Sacrament PRO. By these reasons First wee receive the body and blood of Châ—ist in the Sacrament as the Discâ—ples of Christ did in the first Iâ—stitution of it Now the body and blood of Chriâ—t were not corporally received by them but onely spiritually Secondly Christ his body is ascended and taken up into heaven and the heavens must containe him till the end of the world Thirdly Christ hath but one body and that a true body and such as cannot be in many places at once and it filleth a place wheresoever it is and may bee both seene and felt This was also the judgement of otherâ— whom you much reverence Dionysius Areopagita held not Transubstantiationâ— For he distinguisheth bâ—tweene the substantiall Signâ—s and Christ signâ—fied by them saying that By those reveâ—end Signes and Symboles Christ is signified and the faithfull made partakers of him He calleth not tâ—e ministration of the holy mysteries the sacrificing of Christ unto his Father as the Papists doe but a Typicall or Symbolicall Sacrifice that is a figuâ—e or signe of that great sacrifice and the same Denys as Bellarmine confesseth calleth the Sacrament an Anâ—iâ—ype and that after consecration so that according to Saint Denys the Elements of Bread and Wine in this Sacrament are Types Antitype and Symbols that is Figures and Signes of the body and bloud of Châ—ist and yet not onely bare naked and Signes significative but reâ—lly exâ—ibiting Christ for that is Denys his word to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the faithfull thereby partake Christ Iesus PA. The Scripture is plaine for us where Christ saith This is my Body Math. 26.26 PRO. Although Christ say This is my Body yet hee saith not as you doe this is made or shall be changed into my Body he saiâ—h not that his body and bloud is conteined under the shapes or formes of Bâ—ead and Wine Againe you that stand so for the Letter take not Christs Words litterally for it is an improper speech to say This is my Body that is the thing conteined under these formes is by conversion and substantiall transmutation my Body but your Papists mainteining Transubstantiation expound Christs words in this or the like manner therefore in the point of Transubstantiation you depart from the Letter and consequently make it figurative You indeed alleage the Words and Letter but not the true meaning we beleeve Christs words in their right sence now the shew makes for you the sence and substance
and Wine in the Sacrament of the Supper are made flesh and the bloud of Iesus in that same manner that the eternall Word of God was made flesh but so it is that the substance of the Divine nature neither evanished nor yet was changed into the substance of flesh and in like manner the Bread is made the Body of Christ neither by evanishing of the substance thereof nor yet by changing the substance thereof into another substance Iustine Martyr telleth us that the Bread and the Wine even that sanctified food wherewith our bloud and flesh by conversion are nourished is that which we are taught to be the flesh and bloud of Iesus incarnate Our Lord saith Clemens of Alexandria did blesse Wine when he said take drinke this is my bloud the bloud of the Vine Irenaeus saith that our Lord taking Bread of that condition which is usuall among us confessed it to be his Body and the Cup likewise containing that creature which is usuall among us his bloud so that in their construction it was Bread and Wine which Christ called his Body it was Bread in substance mateâ—iall Bread and the Body of the Lord in signification and Sacramentall relation The Lord called Bread his body now since Bread could not be his body substantially it must needs be it was onely his body Sacramentally Of Images and Prayer to Saints Concerning the use of Images we find that in these best ancient times Christians were so far from bringing them into their Churches that some of them would not so much as admit the Art it selfe of making them so jealous were they of the danger and carefull for the prevention of deceipt whereby the simple might any way be drawn on to the adoring of them we are plainly foâ—bidden saith Clemens Alexandrinus to exercise that deceitfull Art for the Prophet saith Thou shalt not make the likenesse of any thing either in the Heaven or in the Earth beneath Moses commandeth men to make no Image that should represent God by Art for in truth an Image is a dead matter formed by the hand of an artificer but we have no sensible Image made of any sensible matter but such an Image as is to be conceived with the understanding yea but thine Images are of Gold be it so now I pray thee what is Gold or Silver Iron Brasse Ivorie the Adamant Diamond or Precious Stones Are they not terra et ex terrâ are they ought but Earth and made of the Earth now being nothing else but a piecâ— of more refined Earth I have learned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 terram calcare non colere to walke on the Earth and not to worship it to set my foote on it not to bow my knee to it And thus farre Clement of Alexandria holding it a monstrous thing to bow downe to a stock or a stone Irenaeus reckons it among the abuses of the Gnostikes that they had certaine painted Images and others made of other stuffe saying that it was the Picture of Christ made by Pilate When the Emperour Adrian in favour of the Christians had commanded that in every City Churches should be built without Images which at this day are called Adrians Temples because they have no Gods in them which they said he made for that end to wit to pleasure the Christians it was presently conceived that he prepared those Temples for Christ as Aelius Lampridius noteh in the life of Alexander Severus which is an evident Argument that it was not the use of Christians in those dayes to have any Images in their Churches Learned Master Casaâ—bone in his notes upon this place of Lampridius thinketh that this story is rather to be referred to Tiberius the Emperour â—han to Hadrian and that Adrian causd Temples to be dedicated to his owne name and thâ—se Temples Adrian being prevented by death remained unfinished and without any Images at all whence it came to passe that many wâ—n thought that Adrian built those Temples not to himselfe but unto Christ and with these agreeth Lampridiusâ— as one who knew that which none could then be ignorant of that both the Iewes in the Temple at Hierusalem did worship God without Images and Pictures as both Strabo and Dio write and that in their dayes the Christian Churches were such as afterwards Saint Austine reports them to have beene in his dayes Saint Austin upon the hundred and thirteenth Psalme expounding those words of David that Idols have a mouth and speake not makes this objection that the Church hath also divers instruments and vessels made of gold and silver for the use of celebrating the Sacraments but he answers have these instruments mouths and speake not eyes and see not doe we addresse our prayers to them now surely he could not have spoken thus if he had Images in Churches or if Images had bin a part of the Churches Vtensils and moveables in his dayes Concerning Prayer to Saints Iustine Martyr Clemens Alexandrinus and Tertullian have reported the publike formes of Christian service and Religious excercises of the Primitive Christians and yet make no mention of Prayer to Saints or Angels but onely of Prayer directed to God in the name and mediation of Christ alone Irenaeus tels us that in his dayes the Church per universum mundum Irenaeusâ—aith â—aith not as Fevardentius and the Papists now a dayes would teach him that the Heretikes called upon false and imaginary Saints and Angels and the Church upon the true Saints and holy Angels but this he saith that the Church called upon God in Christ Iesus Eusebius in his Storie setteth downe Verbatim a long Prayer used by Polycarp the Martyr at the time of his suffering wherin if Invocation of Saints had beene reputed any part of Christian devotion in those dayes he would undoubtedly in so great perill and at his deaâ—h have recommended himselfe to God by the Prayers and Merits of Saints but his forme of Praier is Protestant-like tendered to God himselfe only by the mediation of Christ concluding his Prayer in this manner therefore in all things I Praise thee I blesse thee I Glorifie thee through the eternall Priest of our profession Iesus Christ thy beloved Sonne to whom with thee O Father and the Holy Ghost be all Glory now and for ever Amen When the people of the Church of Smyrna desired to have the body or bones of their Martyredâ— Bishop Polycarp to buriall the Iewes perswaded the Governour not to grant it for that then the Christians would leave Christ and worship the body of Polycarp to which surmise they reâ—urne this answer we can never be induced either to forsake Christ which hath suffered for all that are saved in the World 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or to worship any other for him being the Sonne of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee adore him but the Martyrs as the
Christ gave unto his Disciples a Figure of his Body Therefore Christ had a true Body Tertullians words are these Christ taking the Bread and distributing it to his Disciples made it his Body saying This is my Body that is to say this is a figure of my Body but a figure it could not be unlesse there were a Body of a truth and in deed for a void thing as is a fantasie can receive no figure Here Tertullian affirmeth expressely of Bread which he received into his hand and distributed to his Disciples that it it is a figure of Christs Body The Rhemists answer that when some Fathers call the Bread a figure or signe they meane the outward formes of Bread and Wine but Tertullian proving the truth of Christs humanitie by the Sacrament of the Supper interprets these words This is my Body that is to say the figure of my Body where if by the figure of Christs Body there were nothing else to be understood but the formes and outward shapes the Hereâ—ike upon this construction might have concluded for himselfe that the figure of his Body is nothing but a bare forme and shape of a thing therefore he himselfe was nothing else but a â—hew of a Body no true Body Others expound Tertullians words in this sort The figure of my Body is my Body or this Bread which under the Law was a figure of my Body is now my Body But Tertullian both here and in divers other places makes Bread the Subject of the proposition this is my Body now the Accidents and shape of Bread are not Bread In a word Tertullian sheweth that Christ called Bread his Body in saying this is my Body as the Prophet Ieremie called the body bread in saying Let us put wood upon his bread meaning his Body shewing them both to be spoken equally in a figurative sense For although Tertullian say that the Bread of the Old Testament was a figure of Christs body yet he denyeth not thereby that it is so in the new The truth is Tertullians exposition is so full for us that Gregorie Valence rejects it Cyprian in the third Epistle of his second booke saith Wee find that the Cup which the Lord offered was mixed and that that which he called bloud was wine So that if we aske Cyprian what consecrated thing it was which Christ had in his hands and gave to his Disciples he answereth it was bread and wine and not absolutely that which hee gave up to be crucified on the Crosse by Souldiers namely his body and bloud if againe we demand of Cyprian why Christ called the bread which he had in his hand his body he readily answereth saying the things signifying or signes are called by the same names whereby the things signified are termed Objection Cyprian saith that this bread is changed not in shape but in nature naturâ mutatus and by the omnipotencie of God is made flesh now omnipotencie is not required to make a thing to be a signe significant Answer Bellarmine saith Cyprian was not the Author of the booke De Coenâ Domini and he saith well for these Sermons are extant in All-Soules Colledge Library in Oxford in an ancient Manuscript under the name of Arnoldus Bonavillacensis and Dedicated not to Pope Cornelius as these are pretended but to Adrian the fourth about the yeare 1150 the same time that Saint Bernard lived and wrote an Epistle to this Arnoldus But to let it passe for Cyprians it followes not the bread is changed in nature therefore it is Transubstantiated for every change of nature is not a change of substance nature implies qualities and properties as well as substances an evill man changeth his nature when he becomes a good man yet is he not Transubstantiated bread is châ—nged when of common it becomes consecrated to an holy use and office and omnipotencie is required to make the dead and corruptible elements a bit of bread and a draught of wine not onely significative but truly exhibitive seales of the body and bloud of Christ and to elevate them so high as to bee chanels and effectuall instruments of Grace Besides the Author by the words naturâ mutatus changed in naâ—ure understood not a coporall change for in the same sentence he declareth himselfe by the example of Christs humanitie which being personally united to the Deitie is changed but not so as that it looseth his naturall forme and substance Origen against Christs Body going into the Draught To proceed Origen saith that meat which is Sanctified by Gods Word and Prayer as touching the materiall part thereof goeth into the belly and is voyded into the draught but as touching the Prayer which is added according to the portion of Faith it is made profitable neither is it the matter of bread but the word spoken over it which profits him that doth not unworthily eate thereof and these things I speake of the Typicall and Symbolicall bodie Here wee see Origen distingâ—isheth betweene the Spirituall bread which is the reall body of Christ and the bread Sacramentall saying that not that body but this bread goeth into the draught or seege which no sanctified heart can conceive of Christs body Now whereas Bellarmine saith that the Accidents onely are called by Origen the materiall part wee answer that it was never heard that meere Accidents were called which are Origens words in this place either meates or materialls The truth is this place of Origens touching the typical and symbolical body is so cleere for us that Sixtus Senensis growes jealous of it to speake my mind freely saith he I suspect this place to bee corrupted by Heretikes Of Images and Prayer to Saints Concerning Images Origen replieth thus to Celsus the Philosopher that it is not a thing possible that one should know God and Pray to Images and that Christians did not esteeme these to be Divine Images who used not to describe any figure of God who was invisible and without all bodily shape nor could endure to worship God with any such kinde of service as this was In like manner when the Gentiles demanded of the ancient Christians why they had no knowne Images Minutius Felix returnes them for answer againe What Image shall I make to God when man himselfe if thou rightly judge is Gods Image and againe we neither worship nor wish for Crosses these holy Images which vaine men serve want all sense because they are earth Now who is there that understandeth not that it is unâ—it for an upright creature to be bowed downe that he may worship the earth which for this cause is put under our feete that it may be troden upon not worshipped by us wherefore there is no doubt that there is no Religion wheresoever there is an Image thus farre Lactantius Tertullian stood not onely against adoration of Images but alâ—o against the very making
say the word of Christ is most efficacious to alter the propertie of naturall water and to give regenerating force and vertue to it Saint Ambrose saith that in Baptisme man is changed and made a new creature Learne saith he how the word of Christ is accustomed to change every creature and when he will he altereth the course of nature Saint Cyril saith the waters are changed into a divine nature And Gregorie Nazianzene saith that by Baptisme we put on Christ by Baptisme we are changed or transmuted into Christ. Now from hence we cannot infeâ—re that eiâ—her the water of Baptisme or regenerate persons are changed by Transubstantiation the change is not corporall in either of the Sacraments but mysticall in use and signification In the Church saith Macarius Scholler to Saint Anthonie bread and wine is offered the type of his flesh and bloud and they which are partakers of the visible bread doe Spiritually eate the flesh of the Lord. Now according to this Father bread and wine are taken bread and wine are offered and these be the types or tokens of the body and bloud and that they be so called after Consecration is likewise acknowledged by Bellarmine And we may farther observe that the words of Macarius are so cleere for the spirituall and not corporall receiving as that some were faigne to set a Marginall glosse upon Macarius his text Of Image-worship The Councel of Elliberis in Granado in Spayne decreed That no Pictures should or ought to be in the Church lest that which is worshipped or adored should be painted on walls Now it will not serve to say that the Councel onely forbad the painting of Images on Church-walls where in time of persecution or otherwise they might be defaced as if they might be set or hung in tables for the Councels decree runs generally saying It is our mind that Pictures ought not to be in the Church Now if it forbad the very being of them in Churches then surely it utterly condemned their adoration Melchior Canus chargeth this ancient Councel with impietie for making such a decree de tollendis Imaginibus Saint Ambrose saith God would not have himselfe worshipped in stones the Church knoweth no vaine Idaea's and divers figures of Images but knoweth the true substance of the Trinity The fact of Epiphanius which himselfe records in his Epistle to Iohn Bishop of Hierusalem translated by Saint Hierome out of Greek into Latine is very famous in this case namely how himselfe found a Picture in the Church of the village of Anablatha which though it were out of his owne Diocesse yet in an hoâ—y zeale he tore it and wrote to the Bishop of the place beseeching him that no such Pictures might bee hanged up as being contrary to Religion The words of Epiphanius are these I found there a vayle hanging at the doore of the Church dyed and painted and having the Image as it were of Christ or some Saint for I doe not well remember whose Image it was when therefore I saw this that contrary to the authority of the Scriptures the Image of a man was hanged up in the Church of Christ I cut it and gave counsel to the keepers of the place that they should rather wrap and burie some poore dead man in it and afterward hee intreateth the Bishop of Hierusalem under whose governement this Church was to give charge hereafter that such vayles as those which are repugnant to our Religion should not be hanged up in the Church of Christ. I know indeed that Iesuit Fisher would shuffle off this evidence by saying that it was the picture of some prophane Pagan bâ—t Epiphanius himselfe saith it had imaginem quasi Christi vel Sancti cujusdam the image as it were of Christ or of some Saint surely therefore the Image went for Christs or for some noted Saints neither doâ—h he finde fault with the irresemblance but with the Image as such Baronius saith they are rather the forged words of some Image-breakers than of Epiphanius Bellarmine would disproove them by sundry conjectures which Master Rivet rejects and defeâ—dâ— the foresayd Epistle of Epiphanius clearing it from all the Cardinal 's cavills aâ—d surely if we observe Epiphanius his practice about the foresayd Image and his Doctrine of Mariam nemo adoret we may well thinke these two had both one Father PA. The Idolatry forbidden in Scripture and disliked by the Fathers is such as was used by Iewes and Pagans and this wee Christians practise not PRO. Indeed the Apostle when hee disswadeth Christians from Idolatry propounds the Iewes fall saying Neither be yee Idolaters as some of them were 1 Cor. 10. 7 8. The like also hee addeth touching another sinne Neither let us commit fornication as some of them did as well then might one pleade that Iewish or Heathenish fornication were onely reprehended as Iewish or Heathenish Idolatry it being a foule sinne whether it bee committed by Iewe Pagan or Christian and more haynous in the Christian who professeth Christ to practise that which Gods word condemneth in the Iewes and Pagans for Idolatry PA. The Heathen held the Images themselves to be Gods which is farre from our thought PRO. Admit some of the simpler sort of the Heathen did so what shall wee say of the Iewish Idolaters who erected the Golden calfe in the wildernesse can wee thinke that they were all so sencelesse as to imagine that the calfe which they knew was not at all in rerum naturâ and had no being at that time when they came out of Aegypt should yet be that God which brought them out of Aegypt Exod. 32.4 And for the Heathen people though they haply thought some divine Majestie and power was seated in the Images yet they were scarcely so rude as to thinke the Images which they adored to be very God for thus we find them usually to answer in the writings of the Fathers Wee worship the Gods by the Images and I neither worship the Image nor a Spirit in it but by the bodily portraiture I doe behold the signe of that thing which I ought to worship PAP Though the Heathen did not account the Image it selfe to be God yet were those Images set up to represent either things that had no being or Devils or false-Gods and in that respect were Idols whereas we erect Images onely to the honour of the true God and of his servants the Saints and Angels PRO. Suppose that many of the Idolatrous Iewes and Heathens Images were such as you say they were yet they were not all of them such howsoever Idolatry is committed by yielding adoration to an Image of the true God himselfe as appeareth by the first Chapter of the Epistle to the Romanes where the Apostle having said that God shewed unto them that which might bee knowne of him and that the Invisible things of him that is his
and Austine in this point are ours Of Communion under both kinds Saint Chrysostome saiâ—h that whereas Vnder the Law there was a difference betweene Priests and Laicks in communicating of victimâ—s In the nâ—w it is otherwise for one body and one Cup is ministred to all Hierom saith that the Pastors administred the Eucharist and distributed the bloud of our Lord to his people the same Hierome reportâ—th how Exuperius Bishop of Tholouse in France was wont to carry the CoÌ„munion to persoâ—s absent There was no man saith he richer than Exuperius who carried the Lords body in a Wicker basket and his bloud in a Glasse It is true indeed that the Bishop sold the Churchâ—Plate for the reliefe of the poore so that he was driven to use Osier baskets and Glasse-cups but withall the story saith he carried the consecrated bread and wine severally and apart and not by way of Concomitancie Besides that the wine might be carried abroad in a viall to sicke persons without any such danger of spilling as the Iesuit dreames on Saint Austine saith All that would have life are exhâ—â—ted to drinke of the bloud and that The whole Church having received the Cup answereth Amen Pope Lâ—o râ—proveth such as in his time refused the Cup which is a token that the Cup was then in use among the Laietie his words are these Whereas some to hide their infidelitie come sometimes to Catholike Churches and are present at the celebration of sacred mysteries they so temper the matter that with unworthy mouthes they receive the Lords body but decline to drinke the bloud of our Redemption I would â—herefore have your holinesse take notice that by these signes they may be discovered and their Sacrilegious dissembling may be found out and descried that being thus discovered they may by Priestly authoritie he cast out of the societie of the Saints In like sort Gelasius enjoyned Communion in both kinds We have found saith he That certaiâ—e having received a poâ—tion of the sacred body onely abstaine from the Cup of the most holy blâ—ud which men because they are said to be intangled with I know not what superstition either let them receive the whole Sacrament or else let them be wholly â—xcluded from receiving because there can be no dividing of one and the same mysterie without grievous Sacriledge Reply Gelasius hap'ly speaketh of some Priests who consecrated the elements but themselves received not in both kinds Answer The words hee useth are Recipiant and Arceantur which doe evidently prove that he speakes of the people who doe not themselves receive the Sacrament but from the Ministers hand as also the word Arceantur that is Let them not be received though they offer themselves Besides the ancient histories speake not of any Priest that ever made scruple of drinking of the Chalice which himselfe had consecrated Reply The Manichees had an opinion that Wine was not created by God but by some evill spirit and that Christ did not shed his bloud on the Crosse and hereupon they abstained from the Chalice therefore the Church in detestation of this errour for a time commanded Communion under both kinds upon this occasion Gelasius made the Decree recorded by Gratian. Râ—joynder This was not done upon occasion of the Manichee's errour for before ever they appeared in any number Communion in both kinds was practised as appeareth by the Apostles Ignatius Iustin Martyr Irenaeus Tertullian and Saint Cyprian Now Cyprian the youngest of these flourished about the yeere two hundred and fiftie and the Manichees rose not till about the yeere two hundred seventy three Againe although Leo speake of the Manichee's yet Iesuit Vasques sayth that He commanded not the use of the Cup because of them but required that those which feigned themselves Catholikes and came to the holy Communion receiving the bread and taking the Cup into their hands pretending that they dranke the wine and yet did not should carefully be observed Now among a multitude of Communicants some few might hold the Cup to their mouth and make shew of drinking and yet receive no wine The Cup then was not for a time only allowed to the Laicks by Leo and Gelasius thereby to discover who were Manichees but in these Popes dayes the Cup was usually and ordinarily given to the Laicks and upon the refusing of the Cup then in use among the Catholikes the Manichees were discovered otherwisâ— how could the Pope have reproved their practice How could the Manichees have beâ—ne espyed and kâ—owne if they and the Catholikes had received in one kind both alike For this is the token that Leo would have them knowne by for that Thâ—y refuse to drinke the bloud of our Redemption by which words it is cleere that the Cup was offâ—red orderly unto them as unto others but thâ—y refused it Now touching the place of Gâ—lasius the same Vasquâ—z sayth that Whereas some of his part apply the same to the Manichees Canonâ— for therein he teacheth That the mysterie of the Eucharist is of that natuâ—e in regard of it selfe that without griâ—vous sacriledge it cannot bee dâ—vided and severed the one part from the other to wit because of the institution and signification Admit then that the Manichees occasioned this Decree yet this Decree is backed with a generall â—eason which forbids all to communicate in one kind onely under the perill of Sacriledge so that the Popes Canon reacheth not onely to the Manichee but to all such as halve the Communion be they Manichees oâ— Papists or whatsoever they be Of the number of Sacraments Saint Austine with others tell us That the Sacraments of the nâ—w Law flowed out of Christ's side now none issued thence but the Sacrament of water which is Baptisme and the Sacrament of bloud in the Supper The same Austine sayth Our Lord and his Apostles have dâ—livâ—red unto us a few Sacraments in stead of many and the same in doing most easie in signification most excellent in obsâ—rvation most revâ—rend as is the Sacrament of Baptisme and the celebration of the body and bloud of our Lord. And the same Father speaking of the same Sacraments whiâ—h he calleth for number the fewest for observation easiest for signification excellentest withall indeed addeth a si quid aliud if any such other Sacrament bee to bee found in Scripture but himselfe could not find any other for he concludeth them within the number of two saying These be the two Sacraments of the Church Of the Eucharist Saint Chrysostome saith that Before the Bread be sanctifyed we call it Bread but when Gods grace after consecration hath sanctifyed it by the meanes of the Priest it is freed from the name of Bread and is accounted worthy of the name of the Body of Christ although the nature of the Bread remaine still in it Châ—ysostome sayth the nature of bread remayneth after consecration they say
Eleutherius time or in the Apostles dayes for had it beene so the Britaines who changed not their Faith but kept still the substantiall grounds thereof would likewise have held the Popes Supremacie yea doubtlesse those Catholike Bishops of Britaine had they but knowne and believed as now it is given out the Pope to be Iure divinâ— by divine right and Gods appointment the Monarch of the whole Church they would have yeelded obedience to Austine and in him to the Pope but they opposed it as being urged by those of the Romish faction so that it was not then as now it is made one of the chiefe heads of the Romish Faith for now a dayes men are made to believe that out of the Communion of the Romane Church nothing but hell can be looked for and subjection to the Bishop of Rome as to the visible Head of the Vniversall Church Is required as a matter necessary to salvation But this was no part nor Article of the ancient Britaines Creed and therefore they withstood it and if it were no Article of Faith them surely it is none now a dayes To close up this point hereby is overthrowne the maine Article of the Romane Creed For if as the Papists say and sweare there be no salvation out of the Romane Communion then is the case like to goe hard with the one thousand two hundred British Monks of Bangor stiled Saints and Martyrs that died out of the Roman Communion and yet within the Communion of Saints But this Grand Imposture of the now Romane Church is notably discovered by the learned and zealous Bishop of Coventrie and Lichfield Doctor Morton now Lord Bishop of Durham My conclusion shall be this out of the holy Catholike Church of the Creede there is no salvation but out of the fellowship of the Romane Church there hath beene and is salvation as appeares in the case of these our British Martyrs therefore the present Romane Church is not as it is pretended the Catholike Church of the old Creede but a particular of the new Trent Creede THE SEVENTH CENTVRIE From the yeare of Grace 600. to 700. PAPIST PRoceede to name your men PROTESTANT I name Gregory the great whom Bellarmine usually placeth in this seventh Age for that hee lived unto the yeare 605 what time as Trithemius saith he dyed Now also lived his Scholler Isidore Bishop of Sivil in Spaine usually termed Isidore the younger Now also by Bellarmine's account though others make him much ancienter lived Hesychius Bishop of Hierusalem with other Worthies as namely the Britaines of Wales as also Saint Aidan and Finan now also was held the sixth Generall Councell PA. I challenge Saint Gregory hee is ours PRO. Gregorie indeed lived in a troublesome time whiles the Goths and Vandals overranne Italie and Rome was besieged by the Lombards There was then also great decay in knowledge and scarcity of able men to furnish the Church withall and few in Italie as Baronius saith that were skilled both in Greeke and Latine Yea Gregory himselfe proâ—esseth that hee was ignorant of the Greeke tongue yet was he stâ—led the great and yet not so great as godly and modest It is commonly said of him That he was the last of the good Bishops of Rome and the first of the bad ones That he was the first Pope and leader of the Pontifician companies and the last Bishop of Rome Hee was supeâ—stitious in diverse things hee lived in a declining age and as in time so in some truths came short of his predecessours yet he taught not as your Trent Papists doe but joyned with us in diverse weighty poynts of Religion Of the Scriptures sufficiencie and Canon Gregory held the Scriptures sufficiencie saying Whatsoever serveth for edification is contayned in the volume of the Scriptures wherein are all resolutions of doubts fully and plentifully to be found they being like a full Spring that cannot be drawne drye Hee approved the vulgar use of the Scriptures exhorting a Lay-man to study them because saith hee they bee as it were Gods Letter or Epistle to his Creature wherein he reveales his whole minde to him And lest any complaine of the difficulty of the Scriptures he compares them to a River wherein there are as well shallow Foords for Lambes to wade in as depths for the Elephant to swim in And Isidore saith that the Scripture is common to petty Schollers and to Proficients And whereas Heretickes use to alleadge Scripture for themselves Gregory saith they may bee confuted by Scripture it selfe even as Goliath was slaine with his owne sword Gregory held the bookes of Maccabees Apocryphall Wee doe not amisse saith he if wee produce a testimony out of the booke of Maccabees though not Canonicall yet published for the iâ—struction of the Church And Occham accordingly reports Gregories judgement saying The booke of Iudith Tobias the Maccabees Ecclesiasticus and Wisedom are not to bee received for the confirmation of any doctrine of Faith Isidore saith In these Apocryphall although there be some truth to be found yet by reason of the many errours therein they are not of Canonicall authâ—rity Of Communion under both kindes and number of Sacraments Saint Gregory in his Dialogues if they be his tells us of some that were going to Sea some whereof happily were Lay-men carryed with them the consecratâ—d body and bloud of the Lord in the Ship and there received it And againe His body is there recâ—ived his flesh is there divided for the peoples salvation his bloud is not now powred out upon the hands of Infidels but into the mouth of the Faithfull Hee speakes expressely of the Faithfull and of the people And in his Homily touching the Passeover he saith What is meant by the bloud of Christ you have now learned not by hearing of it but by drinking of it which bloud is then put on both posts when it is drawne in both by the mouth of the body and of the heart Herein Gregory resembles the partaking of Christ's bloud in the Eucharist to the bloud of the Paschall Lambe in the twelfth of Exodus striken upon both poâ—ts of the doore thereby noting the mouth and the heart each whereof after their manner receive Christ for with the mouth and corporally wee receive the wine which is the Sacrament of his bloud and with our heart and by faith we receive the thing Sacramentall the bloud it selfe Besides hee speakes expressely of drinking and the termes hee useth hauritur and perfunditur That Christ's bloud is shed and taken as a draught demonstrate that he speaks not of partaking Christ's bloud as it is joyned to his body and inclosed in his veines but as severed from it as my worthy and learned friend Doctor Featly hath observed Isidore saiâ—h The fourth prayer is brought in for the kisse of Peace that all bâ—ing reconciled by charity may
Image-worship yet in some other things he was Orthodoxe and in those we comply with him Now also was held a famous Councel at Constantinople in the East and another at Frankford in the West both of them opposing the second Nicen Synod Now also lived Adelbert of France Samson of Scotland and Claudius Clemens of the same nation Bishop of Auxerâ—e in France Thâ—se with others opposâ—d Boniface the Popes factour whiles he sought to stablish Papall Supremacie adoration of Reliques and Images Pargatorie prayer for â—he dead and to impose single life on the Clâ—rgie and for â—his they were persecuted under Pope Zacharie with bonds and imprisonment Aventinâ— saiâ—h â—haâ— Albertus Gallus and other Bishops and Priestâ— of his sect so calls he the way after which they worshipâ—â—od did mightily withstand this Boniface or Winifrid an Engâ—iâ—â—â—an bishop of Meâ—tz Toward the laâ—er end of this Age there lived though they flourished in the ninth Age Claudius Clemens Scotus as also Ioannes Mailrosius Scotus called Madrosius haply for that he lived in the Monastery of Mailros planted by bishop Aidan and his followers in Northumberland where also Saint Cuthbert had his education PA. I claime Saint Bede for one of ours PRO. You will lose your claime for though he were tainted with superstition and slipt into the corruptions of the Times wherin he lived Beleeving and reporting divers Fabulous Miracles and incredible Stories as some of your owne men haue censured him neither doe we defend all hee wrot yet in divers maine grounds of Religion he was an Adversarie to your Trent Faith Bede was a Priest he lived in the Monasterie of Saint Peter and Saint Paul at Weere-mouth neere Durham A great Clerke and writer of the English Story Alcwin or Alwin was a Yorke-shiere man as appeares by his name Alwin which in these parts continues to this day He was Keeper of the Library at Yorke erected by Archbishop Egberâ— He was also Schoole-master to Rabanus and in great favour with his Pupill Carolus Magnus whom hee perswaded to found the Vniversitie of Paris He wrot three bookes of the Trinitie and Dedicated them to Charles The Papists charge Calvin to have made these bookes and to have set them forth in Alcuinus name Alcuin and Calvin being all one name by changing the Letters but this is untrue since both the note of the beginning and ending of this booke is to be seene in an ancâ—ent Manuscript in Lincolne Colledge and the very Copie it selfe written as it may be conjectured above five hundred yeeres agoe is to be seene in the Princes Library at Saint Iames. Besides that my selfe have seene Alcwin's booke of the Trinitie Printed in the yeare 1525. whereas Calvin by Bellarmines account shewed not himselfe untill the yeere 1538. Of the Scriptures Sufficiencie and Canon Damascen saith Whatsoever is delivered unto us in the Law and the Prophets by the Apostles and Evangelists that wee receive acknowledge and reverence and besidâ—s these wee require nothing else The same Damascen numbers all those bookes and those onely as Canonicall that we doe and addeth That the Bookes of Wisdome and Iesus the Sonne of Syrach are good Bookes and containe good Lessons but that they are not numbred in this account neither were layd up in the Arke And our Alcuinus Abbot of Saint Martins at Tours in France writing against Elipantus bishop of Toledo tels him that he urged authoriâ—ies out of the booke of Iesus the sonne of Syrach but saith he Saint Hierome and Isidore doe testiâ—ie that without question it was to be reputed amongst the Apocryphall and doubtfull Bookes Of Communion under both kinds and the number of Sacraments Charles the Great saith The mystery of the body and bloud of Christ is daily received by the faithfull in the Sacrament of his â—lesh and bloud in â—anis ac vini figurâ in the figure oâ— bread and wine And that â—he Sacrament is in it owne naâ—ure brâ—ad and wine but the body and bloud of Christ by Mysticall and Sacrameâ—tall relation hee shewes in the same termes as Isidore did before him and Rabanus after him Becausâ— bread saith Bede confirmes the bâ—dy and wine doth worke bloud in the flesh therefore the one is mystically refâ—rred to the body of Christ the other to his bloud But to leave particular men we have the suffrage of a whole Councel held at Constantinople in the yeare 754 wherein it was maintained that Christ chose no other shape or type under heaven to represent his Incarnation by but the Sacrament which he delivered to his Ministers for a type and a most effectuall commemoration thereof Commanding the substance of bread to bee offered and this bread they affirme to be a true Image of his naturall flesh And these assertions of theirs they are to be found in the third tome of the sixth Action of the second Councel of Nice Of Images and Prayer to Saints Concerning Images venerable Bede as we find him cited by Gerson the Chancellour of Paris saith That Images are not simply forbidden to bee made but they are utterly forbidden to bee made to this end to bee worshipped and adored Charles the Great as Cassander saith hath pithily and wittily stated this question of Images that it is no prejudice to want tâ—em nor priviledge to have them that such as utterly reject them may be taxed with â—icklenesse and they that worship them branded with folly In this Age there arose great contention in the Church touching the matter of Images the Greeke Empâ—rouâ—s Leo Isaurus Constantine Nicâ—phorus Stauratius Leo Armenus Michael Balbus Theophilus and others their â—ucâ—essours opposiâ—g them in the East and on the other side Gregorie the second and third Paul the first Stephen the fourth Adrian the first and other Popes of Rome as stiffly upholding them in the West In a Councel of 338 Bishops held at Constantinople Anno 754 they were solemnly condemned for they banished all other Images and determined That there was one onely Image appointed by Christ to wit the blessed bread and wine in the Eucharist which represent to us the body and bloud of Christ there was decreed under Constantine nicknamed Câ—pronymus That none should privately in houses or publikely in Churches procure keepe or worship any Image uâ—on paine of deposition Zonaras saith That in the hearing of all the people they openly forbad the worship of Images calling all such as adored thâ—m Idolaters and speaking of the Emperour Leo Armenus hee saith He was mightily bent against them insomuch as he decreed utterly to abandon them Thus did those Ezekiah's of Greece being strongly opposed by the Papall foâ—ces Now so it was afterwards in another Coâ—nâ—el of 350 bishop held at Nice in the yeare 787. Images were set on foote againe and this Councel was calâ—ed and swayed under that Doctresse Irene the Empresse
with Haymo as indeed his Commentaries on Saint Pauls Epistles are in a manner all taken out of Haymo as Doctor Rivet hath observed It is the report of our Ancestors saith Walafridus Strabo that in the Primitive times they were wont according to Christs Institution to Communicate and partake of the Body and Bloud of our Lord even as many as were prepared and thought fit Regino describeth the manner of Pope Adrians delivering the Communion to King Lotharius and his followers in both kindes The King saith hee takes the Body and Bloud of our Lord at the hands of the Pope and so did the Kings Fallowers Paschasius saith These bee the Sacramentâ— of Christ in the Church Baptisme and Chrysme and the Body and Bloud of Christ and Rabanus hath the selfe same words Now with Baptisme they joyne Chrysme because they used to annoint such as were baptized for otherwise Rabanus speakes precisely of two saying What doe these two Sacraments effect and then hee answers That by the one we are borne anew in Christ and by the other Christ abides in us Of the Eucharist Rabanus saith Bread because it strengthneth the body is therefore called the Body and Wine because it maketh bloud is therefore referred to Christs bloud Haymo saith the same with Rabanus Rabanus farther saith That the Sacrament in one thing and the power thereof another the Sacrament is turned into the nourishment of the body by the vertue of the Sacrament we attaine â—ternall life Hee saith the Sacrament which is the Bread is turned into our bodily nourishment nâ—w spâ—cies shewes and accidents can not nourish but these latter words of Rabanus are razâ—d â—ut whereas the Monke of Malmesbury witnesses that Rabanus wrote accordingly as is alleaged and this razure is observed by the publisher of Mathew of Westminsters Historie Haymo calls the Eucharist A Memoriall of that Gift or Legacie which Christ dimised unto us at his Death Rabanus saith that Christ at first instituted the Sacrament of his Body and Bloud with blessing and thanksgiving and delivered it to his Apostles and they to their Successors to doe accordingly and that now the whole Church throughout the world observes this manner Christianus Druthmarus reporting our Saviours Act at his last Supper sayth Christ changed the bread into his body and the wine into his bloud Spiritually he speaks not of any change of substances Walafridus Strabo saith That Châ—ist delivered to his Disciples the Sacraments of his body and bloud in panis vini substantiâ in the substance â—f bread and Wine When Carolus Calvus the Emperour desired to compose some diffeâ—ences about the Sacrament then on â—oot he râ—quired Bertram a learned man of that Age tâ— deliver hâ—s jâ—dgement in that poynt Whether the body and bloud of Christ which in the Church is received by the mouth oâ— tâ—â— faithful be celebrated in a mystery or in the truth anâ— whether it be the same body which was borne of Mary Whereunto hâ— returnes this answer That the bread and the wine aâ—e tâ—â— body and bloud of Christ figuratively that This body is tâ—e pledge and the â—igure the other the very naturall bodie That for the substance of the Creatures that which they were before consecration the same are they also afterward That they are called the Lords body and bloud because they take the name of that thing of which thâ—y are a Sacrament That there is a great difference betwixt the mystery of the bloud and body of Christ which is taken now by the faithfull in the Church and that which was borne of the Virgin Mary All which he proves at large by Scriptures and Fathers Your wisedome most excellent Prince may perceive saith he that I have proved by the testimonies of holy Scriptures and Fathers that the bread which is called Christs body and the Cup that is called his bloud is a figure because it is a mysterie PA. I except against Bertram his booke is forbid to be read but by such as are licenced or purpose to conâ—ute him PRO. Bertram wrote of the body and bloud of Chrâ—st as Trithemius saith and by your Belgicke or Lâ—w Countrey Index Bertram is stiled Catholicke Now this Index was published by the King of Spaines commandment the Duke of Alva and first printed at Antwerp in the yeare 1571 and often since reprinted Now so it is howsoever he be accounted a Catholicke Priest and much commended by Trithemius yet are this Catholicks writings forbid to be read as appeares by severall Indices the one set forth by the Deputies of the Trent Councel and another printed at Parts under Clement the eight Now these Inquisitors dealt too roughly and therefore the divines of Doway perceiving that the â—orbidding of the booke kept not men from reading it but rather oâ—casioned them to seeke after it thought iâ— better policie that Bertram should be suffered to goe abroad but with his keeper to wit some popish glosse to wait on him Seeing therefore say they we beare with many errours in other old Catholicke writers and extenuate them excuse them by inventing some device oftentimes deny them and â—aine some commodious sense for them when they are objected in disputation with our adversaries we doe not see why Bertram may not deserve the same equitie and diligent revisall lesâ— the Herâ—ticks cry out that we burne and forbid such antiquity as maketh for them and accordingly they have dealt wiâ—h Bertram for by their Recognition We must reade Invisibiliter in stead of Visibiliter and these words The Substance of the Creatures must be expounded to signifie outward shewes or Accidents But this will not serve the turne for Bertram speaking of the consecâ—ated bâ—ead and wine saith that for the substance of the creatures they remaine the same after consecration that they were before Now if they doe so then is not the substance of bâ—ead and wine changed into the substance of the flesh and bloud of Christ as the Trent Councel would have it Nor will it serve to say that by the substance of the Creatures is meant the outward accidents as the whitenesse of the bread the colour of the wine or the like for Bertram speakes properly that the consecrated bread and wine remaine the same in substance And it were an improper speech to attribute the word Substance to Accidents as to say the substance of the colour or rednesse of the wine or the like PA. Master Brerely suspects that this booke was lately set forth by Oâ—colampadius under Bertrams name PRO. This suspicion is cleered by the antient Manuscript copies of Bertram extant before Occolampadius was borne one whereof that great Scholler Causabon saw in the Librarie of Master Iames Gilot a Burgesse of Paris as he witnessed to the Reverend and learned Primate Doctor Vsher. And yet besides these Mâ—nuscripts Bertram
that stone then from which the water ranne bodyly Christ but it signifyed Christ. The same Abbot saith Men have often searched and doe yet often search so that it seemes that this was then in question and so before Berengarius time how bread that is gathered of Corne may be turned to Christs body or how wine that is pressâ—d out of many grapes is turned through one blessing to the Lords Bloud and the resolution returned is this Now say wee to such mâ—n that some things bee spoken of Christ by signification some thing by thing certaine true thing and certaine is that Christ was borne of a Maid Hee is said Bread by signification and a Lambe and a Lyon Hee is called Bread because hee is our life hee is said to bee a Lambe for his Innocencie But Christ is not so notwithstanding after true nature neither Bread nor a Lambe Why is then the holy Housell called Christs Body or his Bloud if it be not truely that it is called Without they be seene bread and wine both in figure and taste and they â—ee truly after their hallowing Christs body and blood through Ghostly mysterie And againe Much is betwixt the body Christ suffered in and the body that is hallowed to Housel the body truely that Christ suffered in was borne of the flesh of Mary with bloud and with bone and his Ghostly body which wee call the Housel is gathered of many Cornes without bloud and bone and therefore nothing is to bee understood therein bodily but all is Ghostly to bee understood Here wee see the body of Christ borne of the blessed Virgin the body of flâ—sh is plainly distinguished from the consecrated substance of bread or the Body Sacramentall which the Homilist cals Ghostly And againe This Mysterie iâ— a pledge and a figure Christs body is truth it selfe the pledge we doe keepe Mistically untill wee bee come to the truth it selfe and then is this pledge ended Truely it is Christs body and bloud not Bodily but Ghostly and ye should not search how it is done but hold it in your beliefe that it is so done The like matter also was delivered to the Clergie by the Bishops at their Synods out of two other writings of the same Aelfricke in the one whereof directed to Wulfsine Bishop of Shyâ—burne we reade thus That holy Housel is Christs body not Bodily but Ghostly not the body which he suffered in and so forth In the other witten to Wulfâ—tane Archbishop of York thus That lively bread is not bodily so nor the selfe-same body that Christ suffered in nor that holy wine is the Saviours bloud which was shed for us in bodily thing but in Ghostly understanding both be truely the bread his body and the wine also his bloud as was the heavenly bread which wee call Manna which words are to be seene mangled and razed in a Manuscript in Bennets Colledge in Cambridge as our learned Antiquarie of Oxford hath well observed And we may conceive it to be done by some Papist for that it plainely confutes the doctrine of Transubstantiation the best is the evidence is restored out of another Copie PA. Here is much a doe with an old Record which your selves will not haply justifie in every poynt PRO. The Record is both ancient and authenticke but to be free from errour is the priviledge of holy writ your selves stand not to all which the Fathers even of the first Age wrote Why then shâ—uld we make good all that was delivered in this later and ignorant Age so much cumbred with Monkery There are indeed in this Homily some suspicious wordes as where it speakes of the Masse to be profitable to the quicke and dead of the mixture of water with wine and a report of two vaine miracles which notwithstanding seeme to have beene infarced for that they stand in their plâ—ce unaptly and withoâ—t purpose and the matter withoâ—t thâ—m both before and afâ—er doth hang in it selfe togâ—thâ—r most ordeâ—ly besides these mistakes they are but touched by the way and aâ—e different from thâ— whole scope of the Authour Thus was Priest and people taught to believe in the Chuâ—ch of England above sixe hundâ—ed yeares agoe for this Sermon was written in the old Saxon tongue befoâ—e the Conquâ—st and appointed in the reigne of the Saxons to be spoken to the people at Easter before they should recâ—ive the Communion Neither was Aelfricke the first Authour of this Homily but the Translatour theâ—eof out of Latine into the old English or Saxon tongue the Homily it selfe was exâ—ant before his time and the resolution thereof is the same with that of Berâ—â—am and in many places directly translated out of him so that the doctrine is both ancient and Orthodoxe whereas that of Transubstantiation was not publickly taught in the Church of England till Lanfranck and others a thousand yeares after Christ came with an Italian tricke and expounded Species and forma panis for the qualities and accidents of bread without subject or substance But from the bâ—ginning it was not so Of Images and Prayer to Saints Concerning Images Churchesâ—an â—an a middle couâ—se neither rudely breaking them nor supeâ—sâ—itiously adoring them and this opinion they stoutly maintained and for some ages after continued most constant therein as Câ—ssâ—â—der sâ—ith and hee saith true as appeares by the prâ—ctise of the French in the ninth and the Almaines in the twâ—lfth Age. The Abbat Smaragdus saith that Christ onely makes Inteâ—cesâ—ion in heaven for us performing that with the Father which he pâ—titioned of the Father being both our Mediator to preferre our Petitions and our Creator to grant our râ—quâ—sts In liâ—e sort Radulphus Flaviacensis calls the Angell of the covenant Christ Iesus The Master of Requests to preferre our suits in the court of Heaven and to mediate betwixt God and men Now if he by his Fathers Patent be Master of Requests surely wee may not without Commission and warrantie out of Gods word constitute others either Saints or Angels Mediators of our Prayers Of Faith and Workes It is of necessitie that belâ—evers should bee saved onely by the faith of Christ saith Smaragdus the Abbot Who is it that can doe all that God hath commanded wee are not come to that blessednesse or merit to yeeld him obedience in all things saith Flaviacensis For as he saith One may doe bonum and not benè one without grace may doe a Morall act as give Almes the act Morally good ex genere objecto but not good ex fine circumstantijs in case it be given out of vaine glory or â—he like PA. You taxed this Age for imposing single life on the Clergie this was no Innovation PRO. In this Age there arose great contention about Priests marriage At length about the yeare 975. the matter was referred to the Roode of Grace which as the Annalists and Legendaries say returned this
Waldenses from such foule imputations The first Article Objected Parsons saith they held that when the flesh doth burne that all conjunction with man or woman is lawfull without destinction The three Conversions the 3 part chap. 3 nu 12. Answere Indeed many have borne false witnesse against them but their witnesse doe not agree together I know this is objected by Parsons and others and yet Reinerius who was one of their Inquisitors said of them as is already alleaged that they made a great shew of Godlines and lived righteously before men and beleeved all things rightly touching God and concerning all other Articles of the Creed Againe Casti sunt Leonistae the Leonist's liue chastly and againe Quae libet naturâ turpia devitant They avoyd whatsoever is naturally dishonest Claudius Seisselius Archbishop of Turin a man in great credit under Lewes the twelfth King of France although he had written a booke expresly against the Waldenses yet he thus farre cleereth them saying that it makes much for the confirmation and toleration of that profâ—ssion that setting aside differences in point of Faith in other things they welnigh leade a more godly life than other Christians for they sweare not unlesse they he constrayned they seldome take the name of the Lord in vaine and they are very carefull to keepe their promise When some of the Cardinalls and Prelates accused the remainders of the Waldenses in Merindol and Cabriers that they were Heretickes sorcerers and incestuous persons and thereupon mooved that good King Lewis the twelfth to roote them out the Waldenses having notice hereof sent their Deputies to his Majesty to declare unto him their innocencie whereupon the Prelates were instant upon the King not to give such Heretikes any accesse or audience but the King answered that if he were to make warre against the Turke he would first of all heare him whereupon the King sent master Adam Fume his Master of Requests and one Doctor Parvi his confessor to search and inquire both into their life and religion the Commissioners accordingly visited those places and upon their returne related to the King what they had found namely that Infants were baptized the Articles of faith were taught the Lords Prayer the ten Commandements the Lords day observed the Word of God Preached and no shew of wickednesse or fornication to be perceived amongst them onely they found not any Images in their Churches nor any ornaments belonging to the Masse The King hearing this report of the Commissioners sayd and he bound it with an oath that they were better men than he or his people better than himselfe and the rest of his subjects And thus we have cleared the Waldenses from Parsons his first imputation a foule slander indeed but yet such as we finde was cast upon the auncient Christians as well as upon them and most unjustly and untruely upon both of them Object They held that it was not lawfull for Christians to sweare at all for any cause whatsoever because it is written Doe not sweare Matthew 5. Iames 5. They held also that the magistrate ought not to condemne any to death because it is written Iudge not Matthew chap. 7. Luke chap. 6. Parsons loco citato Answere Claudius Seissel as before is alleadged saith indeed that they doe not sweare unlesse they be constrained belike then being lawfully called they refuse not to sweare in Iudgement in triviall matters they would not sweare rashly according whereunto they alleadged our Saviours precept besides they affirme that there are lawfull oathes tending to the honour of God and their Neighbours good and they alleadge that place in the sixth to the Hebrewes 16. that an oath for confirmation to them is an end of all strife The other cavill arose upon their complaining that the magistrates delivered them to death without any other knowledge of the cause than the bare report of their Inquisitors Priests and Friers who were parties and their professed enemies otherwise the Waldensian doctrine was that they were not to suffer the Malefactour to live Object They hold that the Apostles Creed is to be contemned and no account at all to be made of it and that no other prayer is to be used but onely the Pater Noster set downe in Scripturâ— Parsons quò suprà Answere This is an idle cavill for Reinerius hath already told us that they beleeve all the Articles contained in the Creed besides in their bookes they have very good and Catholike expositions of the Creed Doe these men then slight the Creed They doe not indeed hold the Creede to be a prayer no more doe they that of the Angels Haile to Mary they hold it to be a salutation and no direct invocation as Claudius Seissel saith it followes not hence because they hold not the Creede nor the Angelicall Salutation to be any direct prayer that therefore they neglect the Creede The other allegation is as idle for their owne writers Reyner and others record divers other of their prayers as for grace before meate this He that blessed the five Barly loaves and two Fishes in the Desert to his Disciples blesse this table unto us and after meate thus God which hath given us corporall food give us also spirituall life Object They held that the power of consecrating the body of Christ and of hearing confessions was left by Christ not onely to priests but also to lay-men if they be just Parsons ibid. Answere The first part of this Article they held not but rather the contrary that neither Priests nor Laikes could consecrate the body of Christ for Reinerius saith They doe not beleeve the Sacrament to be the true body and blood of Christ but the bread consecrated is called in a certaine figure the body of Christ as it is sayd the Rocke was Christ and the like For the second they sayd truely and we hold that we are to confesse our faults one to another Iames 5 16. yea though they be Lay-people so they be godly and discreet and able to counsaile and comfort us but especially to the discreet and learned Minister of Gods Word to receive from him Ghostly comfort counsaile and upon our hearty repentance absolution Object They held that no Priests must have any living at all but must live on almes and that no Bishops or other dignity is to be admitted in the Clergie but that all must be equall Parsons ibid. Answere That their Ministers may not lawfully take and enjoy livings or that it was sinne so to doe they taught not but were sorry they had not sufficient stayed livings for them whereby they might have more time to their studies and greater opportunity to instruct them with necessary doctrine and knowledgeâ— but they were not ashamed of their Ministers that were content to worke with their hands to get their living as the Apostles had done before them So that if they spoke ought that looked that way
of weake abilities and also for that they had made a booke which they called the everlasting Gospell whereunto they said Christs Gospell was not to be compared Pope Alexander the fourth was content upon complaint made unto him that the Friers booke should be burned provided that it were done covertly and secretly and so as the Friers should not be discredited thereby and as for William of Saint Amour hee dealt sharply with him commanding his booke to be burnt as also he suspended from their benefices and promotions all such as either by word or writing had opposed the Friers untill such time as they should revoke and recant all such speeches and writings at Paris or other places appointed so tender was his holines over the Friers credit and reputation knowing belike what service might be done to him and his successours by these newly errected orders of â—riers I call them newly erected for in the time of Pope Innocent the third about the yeare 1198 the Iacobites an order of preaching Friers were instituted by Saint Dominicke and about the beginning of this age the order of Franciscans preaching Friers Minors was instituted by Saint Francis borne at Assise a towne in Italy Of the Scriptures sufficiencie and Canon SCoâ—us saith that supernaturall knowledge as much as is necessarie for a wayfaring man is sufficiently delivered in sacred Sâ—ripture Thomas Aquinas in his commentary upon that place of Saint Paul the Scriptures are able to make one wise unto salvation that the man of God may be perfect 2 Timoth. 3.15.17 saith that the Scriptures doe not qualifie a man aâ—ter an ordinarie sort but they perfit him so that nothing is wanting to make him happy And accordingly Bonaventure saith The beneâ—it of sâ—ripture is not ordinarie but such as is able to make a man fully blessed and happy Hugo Cardinalis speaking of the bookes rejected by us saith These bookes are not received by the Church for proofe of doctrine but for information of manners Of Communion under both kindes and nâ—mber of Sacraments ALexander Hales howsoever he some way incline to that opinion that it is sufficient to receive the Sacrament in one kind yet he confesseth that there is more merit and devotion and compleatnesse and efficacie in receiving in both Againe hee saith Whole Christ is not sacramentally conteined under each forme because the bread signifieth the body and not the blood the wine signifieth the blood and not the body Concerning the Churches practise wee doe not finde that the lay people were as yet barred of the cup in the holy Sacrament for our Countrey-man Alexander Hales who flourished about the yeare of Grace 1240. saith that we may receive the body of Christ under the forme of bread onely sicut fere ubique fit à Laicis in ecclesiâ as it is almost every where done of the Laiety in the Church it was almost done every where but it was not done every where Concerning the Sacraments the Schoolemen of this age can hardly agree amongst themselves that there be seaven Sacraments properly so called Alexander of Hales saith that there are onely â—oure which are in any sort properly to be sayd Sacraments of the new Law that the other three supposed Sacraments had their being before but received some addition by Christ manifested in the flesh that amongst them which began with the new Covenant onely Baptisme and the Eucharist were instituted immediately by Christ received their formes from him and flowed out of his wounded side Touching Confirmation the same Alexander of Hales saith the Sacrament of Confirmation as it is a Sacrament was not ordained either by Christ or by the Apostles but afterwards was ordained by the Councell of Meldain France Touching extreame unction Suarez saith that both Hugo of Saint Victor in Paris and Peter Lombard and Bonaventure and Alexander of Hales and Altissidorus the cheefe schoolemen of their time denyed this Sacrament to be instituted by Christ and by plaine consequence saith he it was no true Sacrament though they were of opinion that a Sacrament might be instituted by the Apostles and therefore admitted not of this consequence Of the Eucharist COncerning the Eucharist Scotus saith that it was not in the beginning so manifestly beleeved as concerning this coversion But principally this seemeth to move us to hold Transubstantiation because concerning the Saraments we are to hold as the Church of Rome doth And hee addeth wee must say the Church in the Creed of the Lateran councell under Innocent the third which begins with these words Firmiter credimus declared this sence concerning Transubstantiation to belong to the veritie of our faith And if you demaund why would the Church make choice of so difficult a sence of this Article when the words of the Scripture This is my Body might be upholden after an easie sence and in appearance more true I say the Scriptures were expounded by the same spirit that made them and so it is to be supposed that the catholike Church expounded them by the same spirit whereby the faith was delivered us namely being taught by the spirit of truth and therefore it chose this sence because it was true thus farre Scotus Let us now see what Bellarmie saith Scotus tells us saith he that before the Councell of Lateran which was held in the yeare one thousand two hundred and fifteene transubstantiation was not beleeved as a point of faith this is confessed by Bellarmine to be the opinion of Scotus onely he would avoyd his testimonie with a minime probandum est Scotus indeed saith so but I cannot allow of it and then hee taxeth Scotus with want of reading as if this learned and subtile Doctor had not seene as many Councels and read as many Fathers for his time as Bellarmine The same Bellarmine saith that Scotus held that there was no one place of scripture so expresse which without the declaration of the Church would evidently compell a man to admit of Transubstantiation and this saith the Cardinall is not altogether improbable It is not altogether improbable that there is no expresse place of Scripture to proove Transubstantiation without the declaration of the Church as Scotus sayd for although the Scriptures seeme to us so plaine that they may compell any but a refractary man to beleeve them yet it may justly be doubted whether the Text be cleare enough to enforce it seeing the most acute and learned men such as Scotus was have thought the contrary thus farre Bellarmine unto whom I will adde the testimonie of Cuthbert Tonstall the learned Bishop of Durham His words are these Of the manner and meanes of the Reall presence either by Transubstantiation or otherwise perhaps it had beene better to leave every man that would be curious to his owne conjecture as before the councell of Lateran it was left and Master Bernard Gilpin a man most holy and
Church holding that shee was a pure Virgin both before the birth of Christ and that shee also continued a Virgin all her life after condemned Helvidius for an Heretike now why were the Helvidians adjudged Heretikes surely because they beleeved more than was reveled in the word and would have thrust that on the Church for an Article of faith which had no ground at all And this is your case you over-â—each in your beliefe as the Helvidian Heretikes did witnesse your tenets of Transubstantiation adoration of Images Invocation of Saints Purgatory the Popes supremacie and the like wherein your faith is monstrous like the Gâ—ant of Gath who had on every hand sixe fingers and on every foote sixe toes and so it is with you who in the new Creed of Pope Pius the fourth have shuffled in more Articles of faith than ever God and his Catholike Church made Neither doe wee fall short in our beliefe for wee measure our faith by the standard and rule of Gods written wordâ— now since it jumpeth with the rule it neither faileth in defect nor over-reacheth in excesse Now by this time I hope I have performed the taske which I undertooke PA. You have indeed given in a Catalogue of visible Professors in some part of Christendome but what is this to the whole universall Church PRO. Very much for these particular congregations serve to make up the whole state of Christ his Church militant here on earth now this Church farre and wide dispersed hath in her particular members for substance of doctrine taught as wee doe To begin with the Easterne Church amongst the Grecians and Armenians The Grecians held that the Romane Church had not any Supremacie of Iurisdiction authoritie and grace above or over all other Churches They celebrated the Sacrament of the Eucharist in both kinds as we doe They denied that there was any Purgatorie fire They denied Extreame unction to bee a Sacrament properly so called They reject the Religious use of Massie Images or Statues admitting yet Pictures or plaine Images in their Churches The Armenians denie the true body of Christ to be really in the Sacrament of the Eucharist under the Species of Bread and Wine They denie the vertue of conferring grace to belong to the Sacraments Ex Opere operato They denie the Popes Supremacie and are subject to two of their owne Patriarches whom they call Catholicks They reject Purgatorie They have their publicke Service in their vulgar language The North-east Church amongst the Russians and Muscovites as they were converted to Christianitie by the Grecians so have they ever since continued of the Greeke Communion and Religion They have their divine Service in their owne vulgar language They reject Purgatorie They communicate in both kinds They denie the spirituall efficacie of Extreame unction To proceede now to the South-Church amongst the Habassines or mid land Aethiopians the Character of their Religion is this as I find it in Maâ—hew Dresser who reports it from Francis Alvarez a Portugal Priest and sometimes Legat into Aethiopia They communicate in both kinds They use no Extreame unction They reverence the Saints but they pray not unto them they doe much honour the mother of Christ but they neither adore her nor crave her mediation They have their Liturgie or Church Service in their owne vulgar language They have a Patriarcke of their owne who is confirmed and consecrated by the Patriarcke of Alexandria on which See they depend and not on the Romane In the Westerne Church we have the consent of the Waldenses in France the Wicklevists in England commonly called Lollards and Thaborites in Bohemia Here be then the Greeke and Latine Church the Churches in the the East West North and South all of them teaching for substance of doctrine as we doe I know indeed that Bellarmine sleighteth these Churches of Graecia Armenia Russia and Aethiopia saying We are no more moved with their examples than with the examples of Lutherans and Calvinists for they bee either Hereticks or Schismaticks So that all Churches be they never so Catholicke and ancient if they subscribe not to the now Romanâ— Faith are either Schismaticall or Hâ—reticall But we may not be so uncharitable to these afflicted Churches For as learned Bishop Vsher saith if wee should take a survey of these Churches and put by the points wherein they did differ one from another and gather into one body the rest of the Articles wherein they all did generally agree we should find that in those propositions which without all controveâ—sie are universally â—eceived in the whole Christian world so much truth is conâ—eined as being joyned with holy obedience may be sufficient to bring a man unto everlasting salvation Object I except against the Greeke Church for that it denieth the procession of the Holy Ghost from the Son of God Answer Every errour denieth not Christ the foundation Indeed it would have grated the foundation if they had so denied the procession of the Holy Ghost from the Sonne as that they had made an inequalitie betweene the Persons but since their forme of speech is that the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father by the Sonne and is the spirit of the Sonne and since as the Master of the Sentences saith Non est aliud It is not another thing to say the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of the Father and the Sonne then that he is or proceeds from the Father and the Sonne in this they seeme to agree with us In eandem fidei sententiam upon the same sentence of Faith though they differ in words Since I say they thus expresse themselves they may continue to bee a true Church though erronious in the point mentioned In like sort Scotus following his Master Lombard saith that The difference betweene the Greekes and the Latines in this point is rather Verball in the manner of speech than Reall and materiall Besides it seemes by the same Scotus that the Greeks held no other Heresie then Saint Basil and Gregory Nazianzene held whom yet no man durst ever yet call Hereticks so that you must give us the famous Greeke Church againe PA. I have yet divers exceptions to take at your Catalogue as also at your English Martyrologie for you have named out of Foxe some for Martyrs who were very meane persons namely Iohn Claydon a Curriar of Leather Richard Howden a Wooll-winder as also some by name Thomas Bagley for a Martyr who was a married Priest PRO. What though some of them were tradesmen did not Peter stay divers daies in Ioppa with one Simon a Tanner Act. 9.43 Was not that godly convert Lydia a seller of Purple Act. 16.14 Hath not God chosen the base things of the world to confound the mighty 1 Cor. 1.27 c. Besides they were no such base people for among others I produced
and differed from you so that they cannot belong to the same Church PRO. Concerning Wickliffâ— Husse and the rest if they have any of them borne record to the truth and resisted any innovation of corrupt Teachers in their times even to blood they are justly to be termed Martyrs yea albeit they saw not all corruptions but in some were themselves carried away with the streame of error Else if because they erred in some things they be no Martyrs or because we dissent from them in some things we are not of the same Church both you and we must quit all claime to Saint Cyprian Iustin Martyr and many more whom we count our ancients and predecessors and bereave them also of the honour of martyrdome which so long they have enjoyed Irenaus and Iustin Martyr held the error of the Millenaries Cyprian many others held Rebaptization necessary for such as were baptized by heretikes S Austin and the greatest part of the Church for sixe hundred yeares held a necessitie of the Eucharist to Infants and in other things differed one from another and from the Church in the aftertimes correcting their errors yet because they all entirely and stedfâ—stly held all the necessary fundamentall principles which these errors did not infringe neither held they these errors obstinatly but only for want of better information they were of the same Church and Religion whereof we are S. Austin saith There be some things in which the most Learned and best Defenders of the Catholike Rule the bond of faith preserved do sometimes not agree among themselves and one in some one thing saith righter than anoher Now if the different opinions of the Fathers in some points hindred not their union in substance of the faith and their being members all of the same Church why should the like or lesser differences now among the Protestants hinder their union in substance of the same faith and their being members all of the same Chuch both among themselves and with the Fathers yea but Wickliffe and Husse with others mentioned in our Catalogue they erred in point of faith it is true but yet their error was not joyned with pertinacy they errâ—d not incorrigibly buâ— for want of better information they erred in that doctrine of faith wherein the truth was not fully scanned declared and confirmed by a Plenary Councell as S. Austin speaketh had it beene we may well thinke the very same of all those holy men which Austin most charitably saith of Saint Cyprian Without doubt they would have yeelded to the truth being manifested unto them by the authority of the whole Church Object We are at vnity but your Protestants are at ods and namely your Lutherans and Calvinists in the point of the Sacrament the one holding Consubstantiation and the other opposing it Answer The Protestants especially we of the Church of England are at unity as appeares by the Harmony of our confessions as also by our joynt subscriptions to the Articles of Râ—ligion established And for the point mentioned the difference is nothing so great as you would have it thought for as the moâ—t learned and judicious Zanchius observeth and our Doctor Field out of him In all necessary points both the parties agree and dissent in one unnecessary which by right understanding one another might easily be compounded Both sides saith Zanchius doe agree that the elements of bread and wine are not abolished in their substance but onely changed in their use which is not onely to signifie but also to exhibit and communicate unto us the very body and blood of Christ with all the gracious working and fruits thereof Both parties agree that the very body and blood of Christ are truely present in the Sacrament and by the faithfull truely and really received Thus farre all parties agree that is in the whole necessary and sufficient substance of the doctrine of this Sacrament for the other matter wherein they differ de modo of the manner how Christ is present in the Sacrament seeing it is not expressed in the Scriptures in the judgement of Zanchius it might well be omitted and they themselves confesse when they have gone as farre as they can to determine it still it is ineffable and not possible to be fully understood It is enough for us saith the same Zanchius to beleeve the body and blood are there though how and in what manner wee cannot define So then in this maine controversie betweene them about Consubstantiation which as Zanchius saith did afterwards occasion that other of ubiquity in both these controversies the main truth on both sides is out of controversie that Christ is really truly exhibited to each faithfull Communicant and that in his whole person he is every where the doubt is onely in the manner how he is in the Symbols and how in heaven and earth Now for other ods amongst us they be but in Ceremonies or at worst in points of no absolute consequence whereas the differences amongst Papists concerne the life of Religion They differ concerning the Supreame authoritie of the Church whether it be in the Pope or in the Generall Councel The Councels of Constance and Basil determined that a Generall Councel was above the Pope the Councel of Florence decreed the Pope to be above a Generall Councel They differ concerning the manner of the conception of the Virgin Mary The Dominican Friers following the Thomists hold that she was conceived in Originall sinne the Franciscans hold the contrary The moderne Popes disâ—gree with the ancient concerning the dignitie of universall Bishop adoration of Images Transubstantiation Communion in both kinds and the Merit of good workes as is already showne in the fifth and seaventh Centurie of this treatise So cleere is it that some doctrines of the later Roman Church were opposed by the ancient Roman Bishops thâ—mselves to wit adoration of Images as also the dignity and title of universal Bishop by Gregorie the Great coÌ„munion in one kind â— as also the merit of good works by Leo the first TransubstantiatioÌ„ by Gelasius the first Besides the Iesuits and Dominicans differ at this day concerning the weighty point of Free-will and Grace The truth is the Popish Faith varieth not onely with their persons but according to time and place so that they can exchange their tenets upon occasion advance or cry downe their opinions at their pleasure as may best serve for their advantage For as Azorius the Iesuit saith It falls out often that that which was not the common opinion a few yeares since now is And that which is the common opinion of Divines in one Country is not so in another As in Spaine and Italy it is the common opinion that Latreia or divine worship is due to the Crosse which in France and Germaâ—y is not so but some inferior kind of worship due thereunto And Navarrus the Casuist sayes
could at the samâ— time dictate unto seven severall Clarkes or Notaries hee was of such esteeme that divers would say Malle se cum Origene errare quà m cum alijs verâ— sentire that they had rather erre with Origen than thinke aright with others hee exhorted others to Martyrdome and from his child-hood was himselfe desirous of the honour thereof but in the seventh persecution under Decius hee fainted and his heart was so overset with feare to have his chaste body defiled with an ugly Ethiopian that hee chose rather to offer incense to the Idoll then to bee so filthily abused for this cause hee was excommunicated by the Church of Alexandria and for very shame fled to Iudea wherâ— he was not only gladly received but also requested publikely to preach at Hierusalem But so it was falling upon that place of the Psalmist Vnto the ungodly saith God why doest thou preach my Lawes and takest my Covenant in thy mouth whereas thou hatest to bee reformed and hast cast my words behind thee Psalm 50.16.17 These woâ—ds so deepely wounded his heart with griefe that hee closed the booke and sate downe and wept and all the congregation wept with him In expounding the Scriptures hee was curious in searching out of Allegories and yet falling on that place Math. 19.12 Some have gelded themselves for the kingdome of heaven hee tooke those words literally and gelded himselfe to the end hee might live without all suspition of uncleannesse whereas hee expounded almost all the rest of the Scriptures figuratively Hee held a fond opinion concerning the paines of devils and wicked men after long torments to bee finished It is usually said of him Vbi bene scripsit nemâ— melius ubi malè nemo pejus where hee wrote wellâ— nâ—ne better so that wee may say of him as Ieremy of his figs the good none better the evill nonâ— worse Ier. 24.2 Cypriaâ—â— was a learned godly Bishop and glorious Martyr he erred indeed in that he would have had such as had beene baptized by Heretikes if afterwards they returned to the true Church to bee rebaptized yet he was not obstinate in his errour hee was as Aâ—stin saith of him not onely learned but docible and willing to bee learned and that hee would most easily have altered his opinion had this question in his life time beene debated by such learned and holy men as afterwards it was so that S. Austin makes this observation touching Cyprians errour hee therefore saw not this one truth touching Rebaptization that others might see in him a more eminent and excellent truth to wit his humilitie modestie and châ—ritie Of the Scriptures sufficiencie and Canon Tertullian though hee stood for Ceremoniall traditions unwritten and for Doctrinall traditions which were first delivered from the Apostles by word of mouth and afterwards committed to writing yet dealing with Hermogenes the Hereticke in a question concerning the faith whether all things at the beginning were made of nothing presseth him with an Argument ab Authoritate negativè Whether all things were made of any subject matter I have as yet read no where saith hee Let those of Hermogenes his shop shew that it is written if it bee not written let them feare that wâ—e which is allotted to such as adde or take away but for himselfe hee professeth that hee adoreth the fulnesse of the Scripture And why may not wee also argue negatively touching divers Tenets of Poperie that from the beginning it was not so Math. 19.8 In the two Testaments saith Origen eveâ—y word that appertaineth to God may bee required and discussed and all knowledge of things out of them may be understood but if any thing doe remaine which the holy Scripture doth not determine no other third Scripture ought to be received for to authorize any knowlâ—dge Origen in his exposition upon the first Psalme faith wâ—e may not bee ignorant there are two and twenty bookes of the old Testament after the Hebrewes which is the number of the Letters among them This is likewise witnessed by Eusebius that as Origen received the Canon of the Iewes so likewise he reiected those sixe bookes which wee terme Apocriphall with the Iewes Of Communion under both and the number of Sacraments Tertullian speaking in generall of Christians saith the flesh feedeth upon the body and blood of Christ that the soule may be fatâ—ed as it were of God hee speakes of the body and blood of Christ as distinct things saying Corpore sanguine and elsewhere he mentions the Cup given to a Lay-woman saying from whose hands shall shee desire the Sacramentall Bread of whose Cup shall shee participate hee speaketh of a Christian woman married to an Infidell and sheweth the inconvenience of such a match whereby the faithfull wife was like to bee debarred of the comfort of receiving the Sacrament and drinking of the Lords Cup. Origen maketh this question What people is it that is accustomed to drinke blood and hee answereth the faithfull people Hereunto Bellarmine saiâ—h the people did drinke but they had no commâ—nd so to doe where hee grants us that communicating under both kinds was the Agend or Church practise in this age besides Origen in this very place alleadgeth Christs praecept for the Cup out of the sixt of Iohn Cyprian speaking of such as in time of persâ—cution had lapsed and not stucke to the truth and therâ—upon were barred from the Communion hee desires that upon their repentance they may bee admitted and hee gives this reason How shall wee sit them for the Cup of Martyrdome if before wee admit them not by right of Communion to drinke of the Lords cup in the Church And againe Because some men out of ignorance or simplicity in Sanctifying the Cup of the Lord and ministring it to the people doe not that which Iesus Christ our Lord and God the Authour and Institutour of this Sacrifice did and taught Where albeit the maine scope of the Epistle bee to prove the necessity of administring the Sacrament in Wine and not in meere water as the Aquarij did yet on the bye he discovers the practice of the Church for both kinds and saith expressely that the Cup was ministred or delivered to the people Tertullian in divers places of his works acknowledgeth the same Sacraments with us to wit Baptisme and the Lords Supper and Beatus Rhenanus in his notes upon Tertullian observes the same and for this hee is brought under the Spanish inquisition and roughly entertained for his paines as appeares by a Censure passed on him and extant in the latter end of Tertullians Works Of the Eucharist Tertullian disputing against Marcion who denied that Christ had a true Body confuteth him by a reason drawne from the Sacrament of the Supper in this manner A Figure of a Body presupposeth a true Body for of a shew or phantasie there can be no Figure But
of the Evangelist what wants it what obscuritie is there in it all things there are full and perfect Saint Basil saith it is a manifest falling from the Faith and an argument of arrogancie either to reject any point of those things that are written or to bring in any of those things that are not written Gregory Nyssen layeth this for a ground which no man should contradict that in that onely the truth must be acknowledged wherein the seale of the Scripture testimonie is to be seene The same Father in an oration of his calleth the Scripture an even streight and inflexible Rule neither mentâ—oneth he any more rules but this onâ— and adding the word ipsa to the Rule he delareth the same to be an adaequate and onely Rule Of the Scripture Canon The Councell of Laodicea saith we ought to reade onely the bookes of the Old and New Testament yea the same Councell recites onely those Canonicall bookes of Scripture which we allow and the Canons of this Councell though a provinciall Councell are confirmed by the sixt generall Councell in Trullo now if it be replied the Laodicean Councell excludes the Apocrypha the Carthaginian Councell receives them and both these were confirmed in the sixt generall Councell held in the Palace called Trullo and how can this stand together the matter is thus reconciled the Laodicean speakes of the Canon of Faith the Carthaginian of the Canon of good manners to both which the sixt Councell subscribed in that sence and we to it To proceed Hilary tells us the Law of the Old Testament is conteined in two and twentie bookes according to the number of the Hebrew letters and Athanasius saith the same and as touching the Apocryphall bookes as namely the booke of Wisedome Maccabees and the rest he saith Libri non sunt Canonici they are read onely to the Caetechumens or novices in Religion but are not Canonicall Epiphanius after he had reckoned up the Canon of two and twentie bookes censureth the bookes of Wisedome and Ecclesiasâ—icus in these words they are fit and profitable but not reckoned amongst those bookes which are received by our Church and therefore were neither laid up with Aaron nor in the Arke of the New Testament Ruffinus in his explanation of the Creede which is found among Saint Cyprians workes and so attributed to him setteth downe the Catalogue conteining all those bookes which we admit secluding all those that are now in question wee must know saith he that there be also other bookes which are not Canonicall but are called of our Ancestors Ecclesiasticall as is the Wisedome of Salomon Ecclesiasticus Tobias Iudith and the bookes of Maccabees all which they will indeed have to be read in the Church but not to be alledged for Confirmation of Faith To this testimonie of Ruffin Canus a Popish writer thus replieth although Ruffin did affirme that the bookes of Maccabees were to be rejected by the tradition of the Fathers yet by the Readers leave he was ignorant of that Tradition as if Canus a late writer were better skilled in the Primitive tradition than Ruffinus or Cyprian Gregorie Nazianzen nameth all the bookes that wee admit save that he omitteth the booke of Hester being misperswaded of the whole by reason of those Apocryphall additions to it Now Bellarmine would shift off such testimonies as these by saying it was no fault in them to reject these bookâ—s because no generall Councell in their dayes had decreed any thing touching them But we aske how it came to passe that so many Catholike Divines after this pretended decree of their Canon rejected these bookes as others had done before for some in every Age rejected thâ—m Of Communion under both and number of Sacraments Gregory Nazianzene saith of his sister Gorgonia in this manner if her hand had laid up any portion of the types or tokens of the precious body and of the bloud he saith that his sister after she had communicated she laid up some part of the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ now as she kept the consecrated bread in a cloth so she might carry the wine in a viall howsoever this religious woman received in both kinds The same Nazianzen bids reverence the Lords Table to which thou hast accesse the bread whereof thou hast beene partaker the cup which thou hast communicated being initiated in the passions of Christ. Athanasius being accused for breaking a Chalice writeth thus What manner of Cup or when or where was it broken in every house there are many Pots any of which if a man breake he committeth not sacriledge but if any man willingly break the sacred Chalice he committs sacriledge but that Chalice is no where but where there is a lawfull Bishop This is the use destin'd to that Chalice none other wherein you according to institution doe drinke unto and before the Laity This was the custome in Athanasius his dayes Saint Ambrose speakes to a great secular Prince Theodosius in this sort How dare you lift up to him those hands from which the blood yet droppeth will you receive with them the sacred body of our Lord or how will you put in your mouth his precious bloud who in the commanding fury of your wrath have wickedly shed so much innocent bloud The same Saint Ambrose in his Treatise that hee wholly set apart for the laying foorth of the Doctrine of the Sacraments specifyeth not any other than either those two of ours Baptisme and the Lords Supper and yet wee have of his as they are divided sixâ— bookes de Sacramentis of the Sacraments And so I come to treat of the Sacrament Of the Eucharist PA. You have produced Hilarie and Cyril of Hierusalem on your side whereas they make for us in the poynt of the Sacrament Saint Hâ—larie sayth nos verè verbum carnem cibo Dominico sumimus Hil. l. 8. de Trinitate PRO. Hilaries testimony was much urged by Mr. Musket Priest and was notably cleered by Doctour Featly in the second dayes disputation now to the place alleadged he sayth The Word truely became Flesh truely to wit by Faith and Spiritually not with the mouth and carnally Objection These words of Hilarie Sub Sacramento communicandae carnis and the like following nos verè sub mysterio carnem corporis sui sumimus wee truely receive the Flesh of his body under a mystery prove the reall presence of Christs flesh under the formes of bread and wine Answer Saint Hilarie by the words Sub Sacramento and sub mysterio carnem sumimus meaneth nothing but that in a mystery or Sacramentally we eate the true flesh of the Sonne of God sub mysterio is no more than in mysterio that is mystically under a similitude in a similitude or after a resemblance Object St. Hilarie sayth in the booke alleadged de veritate carnis sanguinis non est relictus ambigendi locus
find it to bee bread but the body of Christ insomuch as Bellarmine upon this testimonie saith Quid clariùs dici potest What can be said more plainely Answer Cyril saith The bread which is seene of us is not bread and the same Cyril saith of the Water in Baptisme it is not simple water let the one satisfie the other Cyril saith of the bread as hee doth of the oyle that it is no bare simple or common oyle but Charisma the type and symboll of a spirituall gift and so hee meant of the bread the Consecrated bread that it is no ordinary or common bread but of different use and servâ—ce and yet theâ—ein not any change of substance at all Neither doth Cyril say as Bellarmine corrupâ—ly traâ—slateth it or at leâ—st mâ—kes use of a corrupt trâ—nslation That the body of Câ—rist is given Sub spâ—cie panâ—s Vnder the forme of bread but as it â—s in the Greeke Vnder the type of bread even as hee saith afterwards Thinke not tâ—at you taste bread but tâ—e Antitype of Christs body so that hee calleth the consâ—crated bread and wine â—ypes and Antitypes that is signes of the body and blooâ— of Christ. Now whereâ—s Cyril would not have us judge of thâ—s Sacrament by our taste or sense it iâ— true that as the Bread and Wine are â—ound and whiâ—e aâ—d sweet in taste our bodily senses mâ—y indeed perceive thâ—m but as they are types and Aâ—titypes that is signâ—s Of the body and blood â—f Christ so â—hey aâ—e spiâ—itually to bee discernâ—d with our understanding onely as the Reverend and learned Dâ—ctor Morton Lo. Bishop of Coventry and Lichfiâ—ld and now Lord Bishop of Durâ—sme hath observed Lastly the same Cyril saith That wee have râ—pentance and remission of sinnes confined onely to the terme of thâ—s prâ—sâ—nt life More might be alleadged out of the same â—yâ—il but these may suâ—fice to shew what hee in his Caâ—echismes taught his schollers touching the Scripturâ—s sâ—fficâ—encie aâ—d Caâ—on Communion in both kinds the Euchaâ—ist and Purgatory Before I cloâ—e up this Centurie I must needs speake of Constantinâ— the Great and the two generall Councelâ— held in this Age. In â—his age flourished the honour of our nation that Christian Pâ—ince Constantine the Great borne of our coâ—nâ—rey woman Hâ—lâ—na both of them Britaines by biâ—thâ— Royâ—ll by descent Saints by estiâ—ation and true Catholikes by profession PA. Doâ—tor 〈◊〉 and Master Brerely show them to have bâ—â—nâ— o◠〈…〉 PRO. Our reverend and learned Doctor Doctor Abbot late Bishâ—p of Salisbury hath sufficiently confuted your Bishop and acquitted them from being Papists since they held not the grounds of Popery as at this day they are maintayned PA. If constantine were no Papist of what faith tâ—en was hee PRO. Hee was of the true ancient Christian Faith as may appeare by these instances following Hee held the Scriptures sufficient for deciding matteâ—s of Faith and accordingly prescribed this rule to the Nicene Councell saying Because the Apostles Bookes doe plainely instruct us in divine matters therefore we ought to make our Determinations upon Questions from words which are so divinely inspired he saith not that the Scriptures plainely teach us what to thinke of the nature and substance of God as Bellarmine would wrest it but also of the holy Law and things concerning Religion for so doe the words sound in the originall and herein saith Theodoret the greater part of the Councell obeyed the voyce of Constantine Constantine held it not the Popâ—s peculiar to summon generall Counâ—â—lls for hee called the Councell of Nice himselfe and therein sate as President and mâ—deratour receiving every mans opinion helping sometimes one part sometimes another reconciling them when they were at ods untill hee brought them to an agreement in the Faith The same Eâ—perour by his royâ—ll Letters Prescribed to the Bishops such things as belonged to thâ— good of Gods Church yea hee held himselfe to bee a Iuâ—ge and supreme Governour in Causes Ecclesiasticall for hee professeth speaking generally of all soâ—tâ— of men if any shall rashly or undadvisedly maintaine these pestilent assertions meaning the Arrians His saucinesse shall beâ— instantly curbed by the Emperours exâ—cution who is Gods Ministers Moreover Constantine never sought to the Pope for pardon hee never worshipped an Image never served Saint nor Shrine never knew the Masse Transubstantiation nor the halfe Communion hee prayed not for his Fathers soule at the performance of his Funeralls used no Requiems nor Diriges at his Exequies he wished not any prayers to bee made after his death for his owne soule but having received Baptisme newly before his death professed a stedfast hope that needed no such after-prayers saying Now I know indeed that I am a blessed man that God hath accounted mee worthy of immortall life and that I am now made partaker of the light of God And when they that stood about him wished him longer life hee answeâ—ed That hee had now attayned the true life and that none but himselfe did understand of what happinesse he was made partaker and that he therfore hastned his going to his God Thus Constantine dyed outright a Protestanâ— hee craved no after-prayers for his soule hee dreaded no Purgatory but dyed in full assurance of going immediately to his God Was this Prince now a Trent papist Now to proceed the fiâ—st Generall Councell in Christianitie after the Synod of the Apostles was that famous fiâ—st Councell of Nice consistiâ—g of 318. Bishops the greatest lights that the Christian world then had it was called about 325 yeares after Christ against Arrius that denyed Christ to bee veâ—y God from this Councell wee had oâ—r Nicen Creed it was summoned not by the thâ—n Bishop of Rome but by the Emperour Constantine Gathering thâ—m together out of divers Cities and Provinces as themsâ—lves have lâ—fâ—â—ccorded Wee produce the sixth Canon of this Councell against the Popes monarchicall Iurisdiction the â—enour thereof is this Let ancient customes hold that the Bishops of Alexandria should have the government over Aegypt Lybia and Pentapolis because also the Bishop of Rome hath the same custome as also let Antioch and other Provinces hold their ancient priviledges Now these words of the Canon thus limiting and distinguishing the severall Provinces and grounding on the custome of the Bishop of Rome that as hee had preheminence of all the Bishops about him so Alexandria and Antioch should have alL about them as likewise every Metropolitane within his owne Province these words I say doe cleerely shâ—w that before the Nicene Councell the Pope neither had preheminence of all through the world as now hee claymeth to bee an universall Bishop nor ought to have greater preheminence by their judgement than he had before time this being the effect of the Canon to wit That the Bishop of Alexandria shall have authority over his Diocesses as the Bishop of Rome
7 makes this inference In this doe wee give glory to him when we doe confesse that by no precedent merits of our good deeds but by his mercie onely wee have attained unto so great a dignitie And Rabanus in his commentaries upon the Lamentations of Ieremie least they should say our Fathers were accepted for their Merit and therefore they obtained such great things at the hands of the Lord he adjoyneth that it was not given to their Merits but because it so pleased God whose free gift is whatsoever he bestoweth I will close up this Age onely with producing an Evidence drawne about the yeare 860 namely a learned Epistle which Huldericke Bishop of Ausburg in Germanie wrote to Pope Nicolas in defence of Priests Marriage From this holy discretion saith he thou hast no a little swarved when as thou woâ—ldst have those Cleargy-men whom thou oughtest only to advise to abstinence from mariage compelled unto it by a certaine imperious violence for is not this justly in the judgement of all Wise men to be accounted violence when as against the Evangelicall institution and the charge of the Holy Ghost any man is constrained to the execution of private Decrees The Lord in the old Law appointed marriage to his Priest which he is never read afterwards to have forbidden PA. Master Brerely saith that this Epistle is forged under the name of Ulrick Bishop of Augusta PRO. Your Spanish Inquisitors have suppressed this Tesâ—imonie and strucke it dead with a Deleatur Let that whole Epistle be blotted out but our learned bishop Doctor Hall prooves that this Huldericke wrote such a Treatise and about the time assigned and also that this Record is Authenticke that it is extant as Illyricus saith in the Libraries of Germanie that ouâ— Archbishop Parker bishop Iewell Iohn Foxe had Copies of it in Parchment of great Antiquitie Besides your owne man Aeneas Sylvius afterwards Pope Pius the second almost two hundred yeares agoe mentions it and reports the Argument of it for speaking of Ausburg he saith Saint Vdalricus huic praesidet qui papam arguit de Concubinis Vdalricke is the Saint of that City who reproved the Pope concerning Concubines THE TENTH CENTVRIE From the yeare of Grace 900. to 1000. PAPIST WE are now drawing on to the thousandth yeare what say you to this tenth Age PROTESTANT By the fall of the Romane Empiâ—e Learning was now decayed and the publike Service no longer to be understood by reason of the change of the vulgar Tongues Wernerus a Carthusian Monke saith of this Age That holinesse had left the Popes and fled to the Emperours Bellarmine saith There was no Age so unlearned so unluckie And Baronius complaines saying What was then the face of the Roman Church when potent and base Whores bare all the sway at Rome at whose lust Sees were changed Bishoprickes bestowed and their Lovers thrust into Saint Peters Chaire Insomuch as Baronius is glad to prepare his Reader with a Preface before he would have him venter upon the Annals of this Age Lest a weake man seeing in the Story of those times the abomination of Desolation sitting in the Temple should bee offended and not rather wonder that there followed not immediatly the Desolation of the Temple And he had reason to Preface as much considering the corruption that grew in this Thousandth yeare wherein Satan was let loose For at thiâ— time they of Rome forbad others to marâ—y and in the meane whiles themselves slept in an unlawfull bed They also devised a carnall Presence of Christ in the Sacrament so that as the noble Morney saith The lesse that they beleeved God in hâ—aven the more carefull were they to affirme him to bee in the Bread in the Priests hands in his words in his nods and that by these meanes when it pleased them they could make him appeare upon earth Thus dishonesty accompanied infidelitie and no marvell since as Ockam saith A lewd life oftentimes blindâ—th the understanding But leâ— us see whether in this Monkish Age during this mist in Aegypt wee can discover any light in the Land of Goshen In this Age lived the Monke Radulphus Flaviaceâ—sis Stephanus Edvensis Bishop Smaragdus Abbot of Saint Michaels in Germany and Aelfricke Abbot of Malmesburie about the yeare 975. Of the Scriptures sufâ—iciencie and Canon Flaviacensis compares the Scripture to a well-furnished Table or Ordinarie It is saith hee our spirituall refection and Cordiall given to us against the heart-qualmes of our enemies The same Author speaking of Bookes pertainning to sacred Historie saith The Bookes of Tobit Iudith and of the Machabees though they bee read â—or the Churches instruction yet they have not any perfect Authoritie In like sort Aelfricke Abbot of Malmesburie in his Saxon Treatie of the old Testament tell us There are two Bookes more placed with Salomons workes as if he had made them which for likenesse of Stile and profitable vse have gone for his but Iesus the sonne of Syrach composed them one is called Liber Sapientiae the Booke of Wisdome and the other Ecclesiasticus very large Bookes and read in the Church of long custome for much good instruction amongst these Bookes the Church hath accustomed to place two other tending to the glory of God and intituled Maccabaeorum I have turned them into English and so reade them you may if you please for your owne instruction Now by this Saxon Treatise written by Aelfricus Abbas about the time of King Edgar seven hundred yeares agoe it appeares what was the Canon of holy Scripture here then received and that the Church of England had it so long agoe in her Mother tongue Of Communion under both and number of Sacraments Stephanus Edvensis saith These gifâ—s or benefits â—re dayly performed unto us when the Body and Bloud of Christ is taken at the Altar Aelfricke mentions but two Sacraments of Baptisme aâ—d the Lords Supper the same which Gods people had under the Law who though they had many Rites and Ceremonies yet in proper sense but two Sacraments his words are these The Apostle Paul saith 1 Cor. chap. 10. vers 1 2 3 4. That the Israelites did eate the same ghostly meate and drinke the same ghostly drinke because that heavenly meate that fed them fortie yeares and that water which from the Stone did flow had signification of Christs Body and his Bloud that now bee offered dayly in Gods Church So that as a good Author saith This Age acknowledged onely two Sacraments Of the Eucharist Our English Abbot Aelfricke in his Saxon Homily which was appointed publikely to be read to the people in England on Easter day before they received the Communion hath these wordes All our Forâ—fathers they did eate the same Ghostly meate and dranke the same Ghostly drinke they dranke truely of the stone that followed them and that stone was Christ neither was
examining them The like may be sayd of Bede Gregorie and others that holding Christ the foundation a right and groaning under the weight of mens Traditions humane satisfactions and the like popish trash they by unfained repentaÌ„ce for their errours lapses knowne and unknowne and by an assured faith in their Saviour did finde favour with the Lord these and the like we hold to be Gods servants and propter meliorem saniorem partem by reason of their better and sounder part to be with us lively members of the true Church though in some things they were mistaken and that they may be termed professours of our faith inasmuch as the denomination is to be taken from the better part and not alwayes from the greater For example sake there is much water and little wine mixed in a glasse yet it is called a glasse of wine so say we of professors S. Bernard and such like there is in them some bad parts some superstition and Poperie and some good in that they hold Christ Iesus the foundation aright in this case they may in respect of their better part be termed and denominated true professors and therefore you must give us againe Saint Bernard with others to whoÌ„ you have no right or claime unlesse it be to their errours which they suckt in from the corrupt breasts of some of your side and so I proceed to the severall points in question Of the Scriptures Sufficiencie and Canon Saint Bernard as wee heard approveth such a Councell wherein the Traditions of men are not obstinately defended but the revealed will of God enquired after for that this is all in all Claudius Seyssel Archbishop of Turin in Piedmont one that was Neighbour to the Waldenses and laboured to enforme himselfe touching their positions and also to confute them saith that they admitted onely the text of the old and new Testaments so that they denyed unwritten traditions to be the Rule of Faith Petrus Cluniacensis after he had reckoned up the canonicall bookes saith There are besides the authenticall bookes sixe other not to be rejected as namely Iudith Tobias Wisedome Ecclesiasticus and the two bookes of Macchabees which though they attaine not to the high dignitie of the former yet they are received of the Church as containing necessary and profitable doctrine Hugo de Sancto victore saith All the Canonicall bookes of the old Testament are twentie two there are other bookes also as namely the Wisedome of Salomon the booke of Iesus the sonne of Syrach the bookes of Iudith Tobias and the Machabees which are read but not written in the Canon The Bible was translated into English some hundred yeares as it is probably conjectured before Wickliffs translation came forth a coppie of which auncient translation my selfe have seene in our Queenes Colledge Librarie in Oxford in the praeface whereof it may be seene that the translatour held the controverted bookes for Apocrypha for thus he saith what ever booke of the Old Testament is out of these he maketh the same â—anon with us twentie five before sayd shall be set among Apocrypha that is without authoritie of beleefe Therefore the booke of Wisedome Ecclesiasticus Iudith and Tobie bee not of beleefe Hierome saith all this sentence in the prologue on the first booke of Kings now if at that time the above sayd bookes had beene accounted Authenticall by the Church and of beleefe he would have sayd but this opinion of Hieromes is not approved by the Church as Doctor Iames hath well observed Of Communion under both kinds and number of Sacraments HVgo de Sancto victore giveth a reason of the entire communicating in both kinds Therefore saith he the Sacrament is taken in both kindes that thereby a double effect might be signified For it hath force as S. Ambrose saith to preserve both body and soule Gratian rehearseth many ancient Canons and constitutions for communicating in both kinds Saint Bernard in his third Sermon on Palme Sunday maketh the Sacrament of Christs body and blood the Christians foode Touching the Sacrament of Christs body and blood saith he there is no man who knoweth not that this so singular a food was on that day first exhibited on that day coÌ„mended and coÌ„manded to be frequently received Saint Bernards words have reference to the Institution of Christ now at our Saviours last Supper there was Wine as well as Bread and Bernard treating thereof saith it was commanded to be frequently received now if the whole Church were enjoyned so to doe then also is every particular beleever who is of age fitted thereunto enjoyned to receive it accordingly The precise number of seaven Sacraments was not held for catholike doctrine no not in the Church of Rome untill more than a thousand yeares after Christ this is ingenuously confessed by Cassander Vntill the dayes of Peter Lombard who lived about the yeere 1145 you shall scarce finde any authour saith their Cassander who set downe any certaine and definite number of Sacraments neither did all the schoolemen call all those sâ—ven proper Sacraments but this is without all controversie saith the same Cassander that there are two chiefe Sacraments of our Salvation that is to say Baptisme and the Lords Supper and so speake Rupertus and Hugo de Sancto victore and he saith true for Rupertus putteth the question and asketh Which be the chiefe sacraments of our salvation and hee answereth Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord. Of the Eucharist IN this age â—ratian the Monke affoordeth us a notable testimony against transubstaÌ„tiatioÌ„ his coÌ„parison is thus drawne This holy bread is after its manner called the body of Christ as the offering thereof by the hands of the Priest is called Christs passion now the Priests oblation is not properly and literally in strict termes and sence the passion of Christ but as the Glosse hath it the Sacrament representing the body of Christ is therefore called Christ's flesh not in verity of the thing but in a mystery namely as the representation of Christ therein is called his Passion Gratians words are these As the heavenly bread which is Christ's flesh after a sort is called Christ's body whereas indeed it is the Sacrament of his body and the sacrificing of the flesh of Christ which is done by the Priest's hands is sayd to be his passion not in the truth of the thing but in a signifying mistery Iâ—annes Semeca who was the first that glossed upon Gratians decrees telleth us how this comparison is to be meant This Sacrament saith the Glosse because it doth represent the flesh of Christ is called the Body of Christ but improperly not in the truth of the thing but in the mysticall sence to wit it is called the Body of â—hrist that is it signifieth his Body From these premisses we inferre that after consecration the Sacrament is not in truth Christ's Body but onely in a
amisse and not to prosecute Luther but this Councel was not followed wherupon divers parts according to Gersons Councel began this worke of Reformation so much desired by all good men howsoever opposed by the pope and his adherents PA. A Reformation presupposeth that things were amisse will you charge the Catholicke Church with errour PRO. Wee say that particular Churches and such is that of Rome may erre and divers have erred Sixtus Senensis reckons up many Fathers that held the Millenary errour mistaking that place in the Revelation 20.5 They said that there should be two Resurrections the first of the godly to live with Christ a thousand yeares on earth in all wordly happinesse before the wicked should awake out of the sleepe of death and after that thousand yeares the second Resurrection of the wicked should bee to eternall death and the godly should ascend to eternall life this errour continued almost two hundred yeares after it began before it was condemned for an heresie and was held by so many Church-men of great account and Martyrs that Saint Augustine and Ierome did very modestly dissent saith the same Senensis The opinion of the necessity of Infants receiving the Sacrament of the Lords body and blood as well as Baptisme did possesse the minds of many in the Church for certaine hundreds of yeares as appeareth by that which Saint Austine writeth of it in his time and Hugo de Sancto victoâ—e many hundred of yeares after him Were there not also superstition and abuses in the primitive Churches did not a Councell forbid those night vigils which some Christians then used at the graves of the Martyrs in honour of the deceased Saints and are not these Vigils now abolished Doth not Saint Aâ—stine confesse there were certaine Adoratores sepulchrâ—rum â—t picturarum worshippers of tombes and pictures in the Church in his time and doth not the same Father taxe them for it To come to later times Thomas Bradwardine complayned That the whole world almoâ—t was gone after Pelagius into errour arise therefore O Lord saith hee and judge thine owne cause Gregorius Ariminensis saith That to affirme that man by his naturall strength without the speciall helpe of God can doe any vertuous action or morally good is one of the damned heresies of Pelagius or if in any thing it differ from his heresie it is further from truth The same Gregory saith The heresies of Pelagius were taught in the Church and that not by a few or them meane men but so many and of so great place that hee almost feared to follow the doctrine of the Fathers and oppose himselfe against them therein Cardinall Contaren saith That there were some who pretended to be Catholikes and opposite to Luther who whiles they laboured to advance free-will too high they detracted too much from the free-grace of God and so became adversaries to the greatest lights of the Church and friends to Pelagius It is not strange then that weâ— say there hath beene a defection not onely of Heretikes from the Câ—urch and faithâ— but also in the Church of her owne children from the sincerity of faiâ—h dâ—livered by Christ and his Apostles not for that all or the whole Church at any time did forsake the true faith but for that many fell from it according to that of Saint Paul 1. Tim. 4.1 In the last times some shall depart from the faith attâ—nding to spirits of errour Besides such a famine of the word as fell out in these later times must needs have brought in corruption in doctrine and this was it that called for Reformation For in sundry ages last past the Roman Church hath behaved her selfe more like a step-dame then a naturall mother insomuch as shee hath deprived her children of a principall portion of the food of life the word of God her publike readings and service were in an unknowne tongue the holy Scriptures were closed up that people might not cast their eyes upon them fabulous Legends were read and preached insteed of Gods word but as Claudius Espencaeus a Doctor of Paris a bitter enemy to Bâ—za and therefore more worthy of credit in this bâ—halfe saith Our Ancestors as devoutly affâ—cted to the Saints as we thought is not fit that the rehearsall of the Saints lives should shoulder out the bookes of the old and new Testament and the reading thereof And hereby it came to passe as one of their owne Authors saiâ—h That the greater number of people understood no more concerning God and things divine in particular and distinct notions then Infidels or heathen people And here in England there was such a dearth of the word in these later times of popeâ—y that some gave five markes some more some lesse for an English booke some gave a load of hay for a few Chapters of Saint Iames or of Saint Paul in English Was it not now high time to reforme these things but Rome would neither acknowledge her errours nor reâ—orme them but rather sought to defend them persecuting such as by authority established laboured this reformation How easie and safe had it beene for Rome had shee tendered the peace of Christendome to have according as the truth required permitted the uâ—e of the Cup as sometime the Councell of Basil allowed it to the Bohemians and the publike service of God in a knowne language as was sometimes granted to the Slavons as also to have abolished the worship of Imâ—ges and the like without which the Church wâ—s and that very well for a long time But Rome would not yeeld in one point lest shee should bee suspected to have erred in the rest and therely the Infallibility of the Roman Oracle the Pope bee called in question PA. That which is reformed remaines the same in substance that it was before And therefore the Catholike Religion and the substantiall exercise thereof should have remayned in England upon the Reformation but you have set up another Religion PRO. We doe not say that the Catholike Religion is reformed for that cannot bee amended but that wee have reformed Religion in that we have purged it from certaine devises and corruptions which had crept into it Before this reformation Religion was like to a certaine lumpâ— or masâ—e consisting partly of gold aâ—d partly of other refuse mettall and drosse to a sicke body wherein besides the flesh blood and bones and vitall spirits there were also divers naughty humours that had surprised the body our reformation tooke not away your gold to wit those fundamentall truths wherein you agree with us but purged it from the drosse it drew not the good blood from the body but onely purged out the pestilent humour so that we have retained whatsoever was sound Catholike and primitively ancient onely those things that were patched to the ground-soles of Religion that wee have pared away as superfluous wee have not removed the ancient land-markes