were called Sadduces which in the Hebrew tongue doth signifie iust and righteous men Another sect were Pharisies so called as some thinke because they were expounders of the Law as others iudge Tanquam separati i. as separated from the societie of others in effect the same that Monachi that is to say liuers alone yet notwithstanding this glorious title and sundry austere and straite obseruations which in their liues they vsed they were the greatest aduersaries our Sauiour Christ had The Valentinian Epipha herae 31. â—ertul de mongam and Montaniest Heritiques called themselues Spirituales spirituall men and counted others carnall Therefore we are not to be moued with such outward titles which are but sheepes clothings to hide rauening Wolues But Rom. 2. 28. as S. Paul saieth hee is not a Iew which is one outward euen so euery one is not a Catholique that is so outwardly called but hee is a true Catholique that truly in his heart beleeueth and obeieth the heauenly doctrine of almightie God contained in the holy canonicall Scriptures in which the onely rule both of faith and life is Caus 8. Quaest 1. â—ec sufficere prescribed vnto vs as Beda saith the which holy doctrine deliuered and sanctified vnto vs in the holy Scriptures if this Gentlewoman and other of the same sect not obey as most certainely they doe not and as hereafter shall be proued they be no true Catholiques howsoeuer they be so outwardly called and doe vainely bragge of the same to whom may be well applied that saying of the Prophet Heare yee this O house of Iacob which are called by the name of Israel and come out of the waters of Iuda which sweare by the name of the Lord and make mention of the God of Israell but not in truth nor in righteousnesse But now I come to the questions 1. First whether Masse or Communion was brought first to England at the conuersion of our English nation to Christianitie 2. Secondly whether Masse or Communion be more ancient 3. Thirdly whether the CoÌ„munion as it is now practised in England were extant in any nation before the Raigne of King Henry the eight Answere AS touching the administration of the Sacrament of Christs body bloud which is commonly called the Communion because it is a pledge vnto vs of that Communion and fellowship which wee haue both with our Sauiour Christ and also one with another two kinde of things are to be considered First such as be of the substance and essence thereof which are vnchangeable Secondly such things as be Accidentall pertayning to the forme and fashion of the ministration thereof which be variable Of the former sort is the hauing of bread and wine the distribution of the same to them that be present prayer and thankesgiuing in a knowne tongue that all with one mouth and heart may giue thankes to God for his great and infinite mercies towards vs in nor sparing but giuing his owne deare sonne for vs euen his body to be broken vpon the Crosse and his bloud to be shed for our saluation whereof the bread and wine is a Sacrament that is to say a holy signe remembrance and pledge vnto vs yea and a meane and instrument whereby wee are made partakers of Christes body and bloud giuen for vs and of all the benefits of his passion These things be of the substance of the Sacrament and ought alwaies to be vsed and may not be altered Other things there be accidentall as the time and place of ministring the same the habit or tire to be vsed of the Minister the forme of praier and thanksgiuing in respect of the words These and such other be not of the substance of the Sacrament and haue no expresse commandement but be variable and changeable so that all things be done decently and to edification Now to come vnto your questions If you meane by the Communion and Masse the forme of praiers and Liturgie vsed by vs and you I may well say that neither of them both were first brought into England at the conuersion thereof to Christianitie altogether in such forme as now they be vsed for both what diuersities of Liturgies and seruice bookes haue beene and also what additions haue beene put to the same is not vnknowne Gregorie Lib 7. iud 2. Epist 6 3. saith the Apostles did consecrate and minister the Sacrament only with the prayer of our Sauiour Christ There be extant diuers sundrie Liturgies of the which the Papists attribute one to S. Iames another to S. Basil another to S. Chrysostome one differing froÌ„ another And in this small Iland within the time of Popery there were three or foure sorts of Masse bookes one after the manner of Yorke another after Sarum another after Bangor And about thirtie yeares past there was brought in a Romane Missall which abolisheth the rest It appeareth both by Augustine the Monkes questions and Gregorie the first answeres that there were diuers and different orders in diuers Churches Augustines question hath these words Cum vna sit fides sunt Ecclesiarum diuersa consuetudines Beda Ecclesiast hist lib. 1. cap. 28. altera consuetudo missarum in sancta Romana ecclesia utque altera in Galliarum tenetur i. Whereas there is but one faith there be diuers customes of the Churches and there is one custome or order of Masses in the holy Church of Rome and another in the Churches of France So also wee confesse that in the Churches where the truth of Christs Gospell is taught there be sundry Liturgies differing in forme of words and yet agreeing in substance of matter which may well be vsed to the glory of God and comfort of his people So that it forceth not though our Liturgie or forme of prayer vsed at the ministration of Christs holy supper were not brought into this Land at the first conuersion thereof or were neuer vsed before the raigne of King Henrie the eight as long as it cannot be prooued that it containeth any thing vngodly and dissenting from the word of God neither doth it auaile them though they could proue that their Masse as it is now vsed was brought into this Land at the conuersion of it which they cannot doe as long as we can plainely proue that it containeth a false sained sacrifice and hath many wicked prayers and superstitious toyes contrarie to the word of God Well saith Tâ—rtullian Quadâ—unque Tertul. de Virgin vâ—land aduersus veritatem sapit hoc â—rit Hâ—resiâ— ettam vetus consuetudo i. Whaâ—soeuer is against the truâ—th the same is Heresiâ— euen an olde custome But I will shew that some of their olde prayers which they vse in their Masse be wicked and dissenting from the word of God The Priests in the Canon of the Masse after Consecration prayeth in these words Supra quae propitio sereno vultu respicere digneris c. That thou wouldest vouchsafe to looke with a mercifull and fauourable
deliuering to the Corinthians the supper of our Sauiour Christ according to the institution which he had receiued of Christ deliuered not onely the bread but also the Cup to the whole Church of Corinth which I suppose you will not say were all Priests 1. Cor. 11. 25 26. 27. This Cup is the new Testament in my bloud As often as yee shall eate this bread and drinke this Cup yee shew the Lords death till hee come Wherefore whosoeuer shall eate this bread and drinke the Cup of the Lord vnworthily shall bee guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord. Paschasius expoundeth these words thus Bibite ex hoc omnes hoc est tam ministri quam reliqui credentes Drinke ye all of this that is to say both ministers and the rest that beleeue The glosse as it is alledged Cassan de vtraque specie by Cassander thus Bibite ex hoc omnes scilicet sine personarum acceptione Drinke yee all of this that is all without respect of persons So doth Chrysostom Omnibus vnum corpus Chrysost in 2 Cor. hom 18 Theoph in 1. Cor. 11. proponitur poculum vnum One body and one Cup is propounded to all So saith Theophilactus Tremendus calix pari cunctis conditione traditus est The fearefull Cup is in like sort deliuered vnto all Yea this absurd exposition of theirs is contrary to the practise of the Primitiue Church and to all antiquitie as might bee shewed and of some Papists is confessed But to proceede and to shew how they handle other places I will ioyne two places togither because they doe often alleage them together to prooue the Popes supremacie ouer the whole Church of God dispersed ouer the whole world The one Hosea 1. 11. Then shall the Children of Iudah and the Children of Israel be gathered together and appoint themselues one head The other place is Iohn 10. 16. There shall be one fold and one shepheard These places bee alleaged Ioan. de Paris de potest regia Papali ca 3. by Pope Pius the second Epist 288. by Iohannes de Parisijs by D. Harding c. expounding the same not of D. Hard. confut Apolog. cap. 3. dâ—â—s 2. Christ but of the Pope to be this one head and one shephard The which what a priuat and false exposition it is I neede not greatly to shew it is so plaine and apparent The Hieron in Oseam cap. 1. first place of Hosea Saint Hierome expoundeth thus Haec omnia fient quia magnus est dies seminis Dei qui interpretatur Christus i. All these things shall come to passe because it is the great day of the seede of God which is expounded not the Pope but Christ so also doth Frier Lira Congregabuntur filij Iudae idest Apostoli c. There shall assemble Nicol Lira in Oscam cap. 1. together the Children of Iuda that is to say the Apostles and the Children of Israel that is to say the heathen conuerted together that is to say in one Church and shall appoynt vno them-selues one head that is to say one Christ So doth S. Augustine de ciuitate Dei lib. 8. cap. 28. Whose words for shortnes sake I omit The other place is so plaine that a Cobler by hearing or reading of it may perceiue that our Sauiour Christ spake it of himselfe and not of the Pope He saith I am the good shepheard and knowe Ioh the 10. 14. mine and am knowne of mine I lay downe my life for my sheepe Other sheepe I haue also which are not of this fold them also must I bring and they shall heare my voyce and there shall be one sheepefolde and one shepheard Therefore doth my father loue me because I lay downe my life that I might take it againe Who is so blind as seeth not these words to be spoken of our Sauiour Christ him-selfe and not of the Pope Yet that doughty or rather doltish Doctor Iohannes de Parisâ—â—s is not ashamed to say that it is not to bee vnderstoode of Christ but of some other Minister which should rule in his place His words be these Congregabuntur filii Iuda filii Vbi supra Israel vt ponant sibi caput vnum Ioan. 10. fiet vnum ouile vnâ—s pastor Quod quidem de Christo intelliginon potest sed de alio aliquo ministro qui praesit loco eius i. The Children of Iuda and the Children of Israel shal be gathered together and shall appoynt them-selues one head and Ioh. 10. There shall bee one fold and one shephard which cannot bee vnderstood of Christ but of some other minister that must rule in his place Behold the absurdity of this saying and exposition and let this cauiller who in his questions and challenge so disdainefully despiseth our learning consider what a blind ignorant and vnlcarned Doctor and writer this was that so absurdly expoundeth this place and contrarily to the plaine words denieth them to be vnderstood of our Sauiour Christ and blasphemously attributeth that vnto the Pope which is onely proper and peculiar to Nic. Lirâ— in Ioha cap. 10. Iesus Christ Frier Lira was of better iudgement who writeth thus Fiet vnus pastor idest Christus i. There shall be one pastor that is to say Christ I will shew another place or two in like manner expounded for the proofe of the same matter In the booke of the ceremonies of the Church of Rome the which I wish were in English that our English Catholikes might see the goodly ceremonies and orders of the Church it is thus written Papa in nocte Lib. 1. Caerem titul 7. natiuitatis domini benedicet ensem quem postea donat â—â—cui principi in signum infini â— potentiae pontifici collatae iuxta illud data est mihi omnis potestas in coelo in terra Item dominabitur à mari vsque ad mare à flumine vsque ad terminos orbis terrarum i. The Pope in the night of the feast of Christs Natiuitie blesseth a sword for a signe of the infinit power giuen to him which hee afterward bestoweth vpon some Prince according to that saying All power is giuen to me both in heauen and in earth also He shall rule from the sea vnto theÌ„ sea and from the flood vnto the ends of the world Are not these sayings thinke you finely expounded of the Pope whereof the one our Sauiour Christ himsefe spake In Concil Lâ—teron sub Leâ— 1â— pag. 671. and the other the Prophet Dauid prohesied of Iesus Christ him-selfe And the former of these places Stephen the Archbishop of Patraca applied vnto Pope Leo the 10. in the Councell of Lateran in the audience of the Pope him-selfe who thankefully accepted it and suffered it to be published and printed and so to this day was neuer by any Papist disliked By these places any man may discerne and iudge whether this Romish prelate be not that
of it but wil expect a syllogisme to bee made of it for the proofe of Purgatorie and then I shall further consider what to say vnto it Wee do beleeue that they onely be members of that bodie whereof Christ Iesus Coloss 12. ◠is the head which bee either triumphing with him in heauen or be fighting for him against Sathan sinne and the world here vpon earth Saint Paul saith that Christ came to make peace by the bloud of his crosse and to reconcile the things which are in earth and the things which are in heauen That is to say his whole vniuersall Church whereof part was alreadie in heauen and part remained behinde vpon the earth They therefore that bee in Purgarorie bee no members of his bodie nor are to bee deliuered by him but being the Popes creatures are either by him who can at his pleasure emptie and scoure Purgatorie to bee deliuered or else still in that fained fire to be tormented Neither hath true Christian charitie so much as the cursed couetousnesse of Priests beene the bellowes to blow that forged fire for the heating of their kitchens Now that I haue answered your reasonlesse reasons of our denying this article of Christian faith the communion of Saints I will briefly shew what is our beleefe of it Wee beleeue that all the Saints of God and members of the holie Catholike Church haue communion and fellowshippe with Iesus Christ and are partakers of all his benefits Of this communion Christ speaketh I am the vine yee are the Joh. 15. 5 branches hee that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruite Of this speaketh S. Paul God is faithful 1. Cor. 1. 9. by whom yee are called vnto the fellowship of his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. This communion or fellowship is wrought by faith by the which Christ dwelleth in the hearts of all Ephes 3. 17. his elect and faithfull people and by which wee be graffed into him to receiue all grace and goodnes from him as the branch doth from the vine or stocke And we beleeue that all the faithfull and Godly bee knit togither in loue as the Coloss 2. 2 Apostle speaketh whereby they are to communicate those graces and gifts which God hath bestowed vpon them to the edifying and helping of others in such sort as GOD hath appointed Yea wee beleeue that all the faithfull haue communion and fellowship together in that they haue all one heauenly father one Iesus Christ their redeemer and mediator one holy Ghost their sanctifier are iustified by one faith common to all the elect dedicated to GOD by one baptisme called by one Gospell to bee partakers of one kingdome of glory This is the summe of our beleefe concerning this article wherein wee would know what fault you can finde But your communion and vnion consisteth in being vnder one Pope of Rome vnder whose obedince whosoeuer is not you thinke he cannot be saued as is before shewed neither will you haue communion with him And therefore whereas Christianity hath continued as I said before in Greece Russia Aethiopia Armenia and other countries amongst whome no doubt but God hath had and now hath his elect and chosen people yet you haue no communion or felloship with them because they be not vnder your one Pope And much lesse haue you communion with the Saints in heauen because you haue not the faith of Gods elect For did the faithfull Patriakes Prophets Apostles and others beleeue to bee deliuered from the fire of hell by the merits of Nicholas Titus 1. 1. or to ascend into heauen by the blood of Thomas Becket Nay Iesus Christ is the onely mercy seate into the which the two Cherubins did looke that is as I take it both the faithfull before his comming in the flesh and they that be after doe looke only vpon Christ in him onely to seeke and finde mercy Now let vs see the third article of our Creed which you say we deny which is Remission of sinnes Here I beseech the Christian reader to consider who they bee that deny this article containing a principall point of Christian religion and saluation whether we or this accuser with his partners Wee beleeue that whereas we be children of wrath vnprofitable seruants and prodigall children that haue sinned against heauen and our heauenly father and are so deepely indebted to God that we be neuer able to make payment for the which he might iustly throw vs into the dungeon of damnation for euer wee I say beleeue that he hath giuen his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer Job 3. 16. Ephes 17. beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life by whome wee haue redemption through his blood euen the Coloss 2. 14. 1. Ioh. 2. 12. forgiuenes of sinnes according to his rich grace and that our sinnes are forgiuen vs for his names sake And we beleeue that God of his great mercy in Iesus Christ doth forgiue vs not onely our sinnes but also the punishment due vnto them and which we haue deserued by them accepting vs for vessels of his mercy and heires of his glory Now this accuser of vs and his companions doe first beleeue that they doe make satisfaction to Gods iustice for their sinnes For whereas our sinnes be called debts and satisfaction is a payment it followeth that if we doe make satisfaction for them then we neither need nor can haue forgiuenesse of them For our satisfaction and Gods forgiuenesse cannot stand together For euen as if I owe a man a hundreth pounds and I pay him he doth not forgiue it and if he forgiue it I do not pay it So if we by satisfaction make paiment to GOD for our sinnes then hee doth not forgiue them if he forgiue them then wee doe not make satisfaction for them Now let vs see what is the doctrine of these men concerning this their satisfaction whereby they make paiment themselues to God for their debts Bishoppe Fisher whome I suppose the Pope hath fainted for standing so John Fisher in Psa 1. poenitent stifly in his cause writeth hereof thus Thirdly some there be which by grace in this life haue so punished them-selues for their offences that they haue made a sufficient recompence for Jbidem them Againe So doth hearty weeping for sinne expell sinne is a sufficient iust recompence for it And againe But wheras In Psa 2. poenitent any creature hath made due satisfaction in this life he neuer after that shall suffer more paine and also is cleane out of debt and nothing after that shall euer bee claimed of him Againe They bee called recti corde that haue made satisfaction so Jbidem plentifully that God can aske no more of them And in his Latine booke against Luther he hath these words Secundo supponimus quod quanquam nemo sit cui non cumulatius praemium in coelis Deus largiatur quà m hic in
43. Math. 27. 46. â—2 death but Christ our Sauiour was in such an Agonie that his sweate was like drops of bloud trickling downe to the ground so that an Angell appeared from heauen comforting him He cryed and said My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Whereby it doth euidently appeare that hee suffred not onely an outward death of the body but did in his soule wrastle with the paines of Hell and beare the burden of GODS wrath due to our sinnes to deliuer vs from the same and to purchase the loue and mercy of God vnto vs. And when the prophet saith of him He hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrowes Isa 53. 4. 5. 6. he was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastisment of our peace was laid vpoÌ„ him and with his stripes we are healed Alwe like sheepe haue gone astray we haue turned euery one to his owne way and the Lord hath laid vpon him the inâ—quity of vs all Did not our Sauiour Christ heere in suffer the punishment which was due to our sinnes Saint Paul saith that Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law being made a curse for vs for Galath 3. 13. it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth on the tree yet Iesus Christ was neuer accursed of his Father but he bare in his body and soule the curse that was due to our sinnes to deliuer vs from the curse of God aind to purchase to vs the blessing of God But these men who other-wayes are so full of curious distinctions doe herein erre because they doe not with Saint Augustine put a difference betweene that which appertained to Christs owne person Augustin psal 21 c. and that which hee suffered in the person and place of vs the which if this writer or rather slaunderer had don hee might haue abstained from these his blasphemous collections of his owne and not our assertions As if Christ had despaired of his Saluation or GOD had hated him c. Where-unto I answere that Christ was farre from such despaire which properly is a sinne in the reprobate and not a punishment of Gods iustice And we hould that our Sauiour Christ suffered in our person and for vs those torments which are righteous punishments of GODS iustice against sinne and not such as properly bee sinnes in the deuils and in wicked and reprobate men as are despaire and hatred of God And therefore we confesse with our mouthes and beleeue with our hearts that Christ was neuer hated of his Father but alwaies the deerely beloued Sonne of God in whome he was alwayes well pleased But hee hated sinne the which as man had committed so in mans nature Gods iustice was to be satisfied The which for that corrupt and sinfull man was not able to performe the Sonne of God as I said became our surety tooke vpon him our nature and in the same hath suffered vpon the crosse the punishment of Gods anger due to our sinnes and thereby hath satisfied Gods iustice pacified his anger and purchased his loue and mercy to all those that truly beleeue in him And so Christ was tormented with anguish of minde nor for his sinnes as you falsely gather but for out sinnes which hee bare in his body and soule vpon the crosse and God was not enemy to God but enemy to our sinnes which were imputed to Christ that his satisfaction and righteousnes might bee imputed vnto vs To conclude we beleeue that Christ suffered vpon the crosse those punishments of sinne which proceede from Gods iustice and be no sinnes which in some sense may be called the paines of hell the which as Christ by his Deitie ouercame and it was impossible for him to be held and ouercome of them so the diuell and the reprobate shall eternally indure them And this is no disperate doctrine but a most comfortable doctrine to assure vs that in Christ Gods iustice is satisfied our sinnes are discharged hell is conquered and wee from it be deliuered So that we may with the Apostle say O death where is thy sting O 1. Cor. 15. 35. hell where is thy victory The Pamphlet The Protestantes haue no meane to determine controuersies and abolish heresies 5. Article AS the Protestants neither know what they beleeue nor why they beleeue so haue they no meanes in their Church to settle them in vnity of beleefe nor to dâ—termine controuersies nor to abolish heresies as hath the Catholike Church for our Sauiour Christ by his diuine prouidence did foresee that heresies were to arise in his Church as his Apostle S. Paul doth warne vs the which as plagues were to infect his flocke and therefore hee not onely fore-warned vs of them but also gaue vs meanes how to preuent and extinguish them He willed vs to heare his Church if we would not be accounted as Ethnicks and Publicanes He ordained Pastors and Doctors lest we should bee carried away with euery blast of vaine doctrine He promised to the Church the assistance of the holy Ghost in such sort as they which would not heare her would not heare him The Catholikes therefore beleeuing certainly that the Church cannot erre that the general Councells cannot deliuer false doctrine that the Pastors and ancient Fathers with ioynt consent cannot teach vntruths when heresies spring vp presently with the voyce of the Church plucke them vp euen by the rootes and so euer hath practiâ—ed and after this manner hath ouerthrowne al encounters false opinions and errors which the diuel by his ministers euer planted or established in the world and so they haue bene freed from all braules and quarrels in matters of religion But the Protestants admitting the sole Scripture as vmpire and Iudge in matters of controuersies allowing no infallible interpreter thereof but remitting all to euery mans priuat spririt singular expositioÌ„ cannot possibly without error wind themselues out of the laborynth of so many controuersies wherewith they are now inueagled and intricated And the irreconciliable iarres betwixt them and the Puritanes in essentiall points of faith giue sufficient testimonie that they wil neuer haue an end or can haue an end holding those grounds of opinion which they obstinately defend And albeit they goe about to bleare the peoples braines with I know not what vnitie and conformity in matters of faith and in the substance of religion and that their disagreement onely consisteth in points of ceremonies and trifles of small importance yet in very deed they differ in sundry essentiall pointes of religion and although this shift will perhaps serue to cast a mist ouer the confused conceits of silly fooles yet no wise man will euer bleeue them I pray you tell me is not the Kinges supremacy a matter of faith and a cheefe point of religion and doe not all sound Puritanes in the world denie it and defie it Aske Caluin the Puritanicall Patriarke what he thought of King Henry the
and the worke being performed her maiestie is bound vpon her fidelitie and iustice to pay that she promised In like manner God may giue vs the kingdome of Heauen without any respect or regard of workes as he giueth it to little children which are baptised and so it is a meere gift and a pure grace Or hee may giue it with some respect vnto our workes and so he giueth it to all them who hauing vse of discretion keepe his commaundements and for this cause it is called wages merces areward Ad Rom. 4. v 5. and thus the Maior must be vnderstoode to wit that whatsoeuer God giueth as wages is giuen for workes and such wages are called merits Wages then and merits haue a mutuall relation for what are wages but a reward of merits and what are merits but a desert of wages The Minor is most plaine and inculcated in Scriptures Voca operarios redde illis mercedem Call the workemen Matth. 208. and pay them their wages Ecce venio merces mea mecum est reddere vnicuique secundum opera sua Loe Apoc. 22. 12. I come and my wages with me to giue to euery one according to his works Vnusquisque propriam mercedem accipiet secundùm suum laborem Euery one shall receiue proper wages 1. Ad Cor. 3. 8. Matth. 5. 12. cap. 6. ver 1. â— ad Tim. 5. 18. according to his labour The like we haue in twentie other places of Scripture all which infallibly prooue that the kingdome of heauen is giuen as wages for merits and consequently that Protestants who are enemies to merits shall neuer attaine to the kingdome of heauen which is purchased by good workes and merits And for sâ—ch men vvee may vvell say that heauen was neuer made no more then learning for him that vvill neuer studie nor vertue for him vvho despiseth the exercise thereof Answere AS euerlasting life is not in your bestowing so wee want not merites to obtaine it to wit Gods mercies and Christs sufferings for vs with the which wee content our selues and nothing doubt but they be sufficient to discharge vs of damnation and to bring vs to saluation Of these merits sweetly saith Bernard Meum proinde meritum miseratio Domini c. My merit is Gods Bernard in Cantic serm 61. mercie I am not cleane voide of merit as long as hee is not voide of mercies And if the mercies of the Lord be much I am much in merits What though I be guiltie to my selfe of manie sinnes Surely vvhere sinne hath abounded grace also hath superabounded And if the mercies of the Lord be from euerlasting to euerlasting I will also from euerlasting sing the mercies of the Lord. Shall I sing my owne iustice O Lord I vvill remember thy iustice onely for that is mine also in that thou August in Psal 139. art of God made iustice to me So Augustine saith Meritis suis nihil tribuunt sancti totum non nisi misericordiae tuae tribuunt ô Deus i. The Saints attribute nothing to their owne merits they attribute all O God onely to thy mercie Hierome Hieron lib. 1. aduers Pelag. fâ— 120. saith Tunc ergo iusti sumus quando nos peccatores fatemur iustitia nostra non ex proprio merito sed ex Dei consistit misericordia i. Then are vvee iust vvhen vvee acknowledge our selues to be sinners and our iustice or righteousnesse consisteth not in our merits but in Gods mercie S. Basil saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. EteÌ„rnal rest or life is propounded Basil in Psalm 114 Homil. 16. pag. 224. ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to them that striue lawfully in this life not rendred according to the merit or desert of vvorkes but according to the grace of the * magnificent God bestowed vpon them that trust in him But these counterfeit Catholicks not content therewith nor thinking the same sufficient will put vnto them the merits of Saints departed and of men liuing and their owne workes and satisfactions thereby fully to effect that which Gods mercies and Christs merits are not able perfectly to performe This their doctrine appeareth both by their prayers in their Masse-bookes and Porteises and also by the forme of a Monkes absolution in these words Meritum passionis Domini nostri Iâ—sâ—s Luther in 2. cap. ad Gaâ—at Tileman de Hesusius de 600. erroriâ—â—s Papista loc 9. de â—oenitent fol. 67. Christi beatae Mariae semper Virginis omnium sanctorum Meritum ordinis grauamen religionis c. i. The merit of the pasâ—ion of our Lord Iesus Christ and of blessed Mary alwaies a Virgine and of all Saints The merit of thy order the heauinesse of thy religion the humilitie of thy confession the contrition of thy heart the good vvorkes that thou hast done and shalt doe for the loue of our Lord Iesus Christ be vnto thee for the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes to the increase of merit and grace and to the reward of eternall life Thus these men by their doctrine make Iesus Christ not a full perfect and sufficient Sauiour and so infringe the saying of Saint Peter There is not saluation in any other for among men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen vvhereby we Act. 4. 12. must be saued What is this but to denie the Lord that hath bought vs as Peter also saith Whether this doctrine 2. Pet. 1. 1. be agreeable to the word of God let the Christian reader by these places discerne and iudge Christ came Math. 20. 28. Ioh. 1. 29. to giue his life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ransome for many Hee is that lambe of God vvhich taketh away the sinne of the vvorld In him vvee Coloss 1. 14. 20. 22. 1. Pet. 1. 18. haue redemption through his blood that is the forgiuenesse of sinnes He hath made peace by the bloud of his crosse and hath reconciled vs in the bodie of his flesh through death We are not redeemed vvith corruptible things as siluer and gold from our vaine conuersation receiued by the traditions of the Fathers but vvith the precious bloud of Christ as of a lambe vndefiled and vvithout spot Hee himselfe bare our sinnes in his bodie on Ibid. cap. 2. 24. the tree that vve being dead to sinne should liue in righteousnes by vvhose stripes vve are healed The bloud of Iesus Christ his 1. Ioâ— 1. 7. sonne clenseth vs from all sinne He hath loued vâ— and vvashed Apocal. 1. 5. vs from our sinnes in his bloud and made vs Kings and Priests vnto God his father As these places attribute our iustification and saluation onely to Iesus Christ and his merits so others doe detract and take the same from our workes and deseruings To him that vvorketh not but beleeueth Rom. 4. 5. in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnes If it be of grace it is no more of workes or else
truely receiue Iesus Christ and doth eate his flesh and drinke his blood to the feeding and nourishing of his soule to eternall life but an euacuating of the substance of the bread and wine and the turning and transubstantiating of the same into the very naturall body and bloud of Christ contained vnder the outward accidents of bread and wine concerning this false grosse and carnall doctrine I haue said sufficiently in a printed sermon published twentie yeares past and as yet not confuted wherein I haue shewed that this doctrine is contrary to the holy Scriptures which call it bread after it is consecrated and when it 1 Cor. 10 16. 17. 2. 26. 27. 28. is receiued and that it is contrary to the nature of a Sacrament which must haue a substantiall element or else it can bee no Sacrament that it is contrary to the Articles of faith and holy Scripâ—ures which teach vs that Christ in respect of his humanitie is ascended into heauen and there is to bee sought and not vpon the earth and that this doctrine draweth with it many absurdities as that Christs body is at one moment in heauen and earth and in infinite places of the earth without either quantity or quality of a body and that wicked and vnfaithfull men doe eate the very body and blood of Christ and such other absurdities which are more largely layde downe in my sayd Sermon whereunto I remit the reader where also I haue set downe sundrie testimonies of the ancient godly learned Fathers against this grosse and false doctrine of transubstantiation As touching their Sacrifice of the Masse wherein they falsly faine that they offer vp Iesus Christ for a propitiatory sacrifice for the sinnes of the liuing and of the dead I say that this doctrine hath neither warrant of the word of GOD nor of the ancient godly and learned Fathers but is contrary to them both First no man euer did or can offer vp Iesus Christ for a propitiatorie Sacrifice Iudâ—â— betraved him the Priests accused him Pilate condemned him the Iewes crucified him but none did offer him for a sacrifice for our sinnes but himselfe Who Heb. 9. 14 through the eternall spirit offred himselfe without spot to GOD. So saith Saint Paul that Christ gaue Ephes 5. 2. himselfe for vâ—to bee an offering and a sacrifice of a sweet smelling sauour to God And if a man could offer vp Iesus Christ vnto his Father for a Sacrifice then see what an absurditie would follow that Iesus CHRIST should bee accepted of his heauenly Father for the mans sake that doth offer him for in all Sacrifices the man is not excepted for the sacrifice sake but the Sacrifice for the mans sake that doth offer it As for example Caine and Abel offered either of them a Sacrifice the one of the fruit of his field the other of the increase of his cattell there was no difference before God in the outward sacrifice yet the one was accepted and the other was reiected because the one was a godly and faithfull man that did offer it and the other a wicked Hypocrite and therefore the Apostle saith that by faith Abel offered a greater sacrifice Heb. 2. 4. then Caine did The Sacrifices of Noah Abraham and other faithfull Fathers pleased GOD and it is said that hee smelled a sweet â—auour of rest and this was because they Gen. 8. 21. were godly and faithfull which did offer them Afterward the same Sacrfices offred by the wicked Iewes which were a sinfull nation a people laden with iniquitie the seede of the wicked corrupt children which Isa 1. had forsaken the Lord and prouoked the holy one of Israel to anger whose hands were full of blood 15 were so odious and abominable to GOD that he saith of them What haue I to doe with the multitude 2 of your sacrifices saith the Lord I am full of the burnt offerings of Rammes and the fat of fedde beastes And a little after Bring no more oblations in vaine incense is an obhomination vnto mee Yea GOD saith of those sacrifices in another place Hee that killeth a Bullocke is as if hee slewe a man hee that sacrificeth a sheepe is as if hee cut off a dogges necke hee that offereth an oblation is as if hee had offered Isa 66. 3. swines blood he that remembreth incense is as if he had blessed an idoll c. Why did God thus abhor these sacrifices which he himselfe had commanded to bee offered euen because they were wicked men voide of true faith and repentance which did offer them And to come nearer to the purpose why was the sacrifice of Iesus Christ vpon the Crosse a sweete smelling sacrifice to God to pacifice his wrath to satisfie his iustice and to purchase his mercy vnto vs surely because Iesus Christ the Sonne of God did offer it as before is declared And therefore it must in like manner follow that if a miserable man could offer Iesus Christ for a sacrifice to his Father then Christ should bee accepted for the mans sake the which if it be false and blasphemous then can no man offer vp Iesus Christ for a propitiatory sacrifice to his Father Moreouer this sacrifice of our Sauiour Christ vpon the Heb. 7 27 Crosse for our redemption was but once offered and can neuer bee repeated So saith the Apostle that Christ needed not dayly as those high priests did offer vp sacrifice first for their owne sinnes and then for the people for that did hee once when hee offered vppe himselfe Againe neither by Heb. 9 12 the bloud of Gâ—ates and Calues but by his owne entred hee once into the holie place and obtained eternall redemption Againe not that hee should offer himselfe often as the high priest 9. 25. entered into the holy place euery yeare with other bloud for then must hee often haue suffered since the foundation of the world but now in the end of the world hath he appeared once to put away sinne by the offering of himselfe And as it is 10. 19. appointed to all men once to die and then commeth iudgement So Christ was once offered to take away the sinnes of man c. Againe By the which will wee bee sanctified euen by the offering of the body of Iesus Christ once made Againe but this Vsc 12. man after hee had offered one sacrifice for sinne sitteth for euer at the right hand of God Thus wee see that the holy scripture teacheth vs that our Sauiour Christ once offered himselfe once entred into the holy place with one oblation once made hath sanctified vs and so can neuer bee repeated And if this sacrifice should bee repeated and our Sauiour Christ should daily be offered in the Masse see what absurdities would follow First that the sacrifice of our Sauiour Christ vpon the Crosse were weake imperfect and insufficient to take away sinne for so the Apostle doth reason doth proue