condemned for an Heretike for not being a Nouelist where numbring vp many nouelties which are vsed in the Romish Church hee reckoneth this Transubstantiation for one 4. Arguments against Transubstantiation Comp. Theol. verit l. 5. c. 58. Which doctrine of Transubstantiation I discouered to containe a notable Heresie by the proofes following First sayth Ioannes de Combis Latria is a seruice and reuerence exhibited to God therefore if the honour due to God be exhibited vnto the creature it is Idolatrie Latria comprehendeth fiue thinges viz. Faith Knowledge Reuerence Sacrifice and Prayer Whereupon I framed this Argument The doctrine of Transubstantiation admitteth this worship in the Church of Rome to a Creature viz. to Bread and Wine which notwithstanding the words of Transubstantiation remaineth still a creature otherwise how is Bread and Wine the externall signes of inusible grace as euerie true Sacrament is or how is the essentiall part appointed by CHRIST in the Sacrament remaining when it ceaseth to be there as Transubstantiation teacheth the Bread and Wine doth Nay the very Scriptures say so much shewing the Bread still to remaine Bread and the Wine still to remaine Wine Saint Paule the heauenly interpreter of CHRISTS wordes doth not admit Transubstantiation but doth so interpret the Sacramentall vnion that still the visible elements remaine for the Bread of the Sacrament hee calleth Bread still euen after the consecration to teach that the substance of the Bread remaineth still and so he calleth the Wne still Wine as appeareth plainely by his wordes The Cup of Blessing which wee blesse 1. Cor. 10.16 is it not the communication of the bloud of CHRIST and the Bread which wee breake is it not the participation of the bodie of the Lord Now then if the Chalice be but a communication of his bloud and the Bread but a participation of his bodie still remaining Bread and Wine for the thing participating is not the thing participated where then is their doctrine of Transubstantiation or how can it stand sound with the truth of the Scriptures He sayth plainely further 1. Cor. 10.16 1. Cor. 11.26 Vers 27. Vers 28. All wee are partakers of one Bread And againe As often as yee shall eate this bread And againe Whosoeuer shall eate this Bread besides Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of this Bread Now therefore the Scripture teaching vs so plainely Bread and Wine to remaine in the Sacrament it followeth that there is no Transubstantiation in the Sacrament and so consequently it is apparant that all those commit grosse Idolatrie that worship it with Latria because they giue that worship which is due to God to the creature which they beleeue to be God teach to be God and pray to as vnto God 5. Fathers against Transubstantiation Secondly I summoned diuers auncient Writers to see whether they would afford me any warrant for Transubstantiation and I finde them against it and none for it I finde Tertullian in expresse wordes to say Iesus Christ hauing taken bread Tertul. l. 4. adu Marc. cap. 40. distributed it to his Disciples he made it to be his bodie saying This is my bodie that is the figure of my bodie I finde him likewise to shew as much in expresse wordes in another place Tertul. l. 3. adu Mars cap. 19. saying God hath so reuealed it in the Gospell calling the bread his bodie to the end that thou mayest thereby vnderstand that he hath giuen to the bread the figure of his bodie Now then if the bread be a figure of CHRISTS bodie according to Tertullian then it is not transubstantiated Saint Cyprian sayth Epist 3. l. 2. Wee finde that the Cuppe which the Lord offered was mingled and that which he called his bloud was wine See here Saint Cyprian giueth but a denomination to the bloud attributing substantiall being to the wine by the Verbe Substantiue Lib. 8. demonstr Euang. cap. 1. Eusebius is also cleare agianst Transubstantiation in these wordes IESVS CHRIST gaue vnto his Disciples the signes of the diuine dispensation commaunding them to celebrate the figure of his owne bodie For seeing that he did now no longer receiue the sacrifices of bloud nor the slaughter of diuers beastes ordained by Moses hee hath taught vs to vse the bread for a signe of his bodie See here it is still called bread and a signe of the bodie how then is it transubstantiated Saint Augustine also standes against Transubstantiation De doctrine Christian l. 3. c. 16. saying These wordes Vnlesse you eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud are a figure commaunding vs to partake the Passion of CHRIST and profitably to remember that his flesh was crucified for vs. Nowe therefore if the eating the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinking his bloud is but to partake of the Passion of CHRIST and a profitable remembrance that his flesh was crucified for vs how did Saint Augustine teach the doctrine of Transubstantiation Nay rather doth he not most plainly insinuate the contrarie I finde also the same Doctor to say against Adamantus Chap. 12. The Lord made no difficultie to say this is my body when he gaue the signe of his body Here I obserue the word Bodie to bee expounded by the signe of his body Who saith in an other place Epist 23. ad Bonifac. The holy signe of Christs body is after a sort the body of Christ and the holy signe of the bloud of Christ and so the holy signe of faith to wit Baptisme is faith Surely Baptisme can not bee said to be Transubstantiated into faith how then can the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ bee substantially transubstantiated into the body and bloud of Christ Saint Augustine in an other place is yet plainer against Transubstantiation saying Vnderstand that which I say spiritually Super Psal 98. you shall not eate my body which you see neither shall you drinke the bloud which my Tormentors shall shed I haue recommended vnto you an holy signe which being spiritually vnderstood shall make you liue Behold how cleare S. Augustine is against Transubstantiation So also is S. Chrysostome that golden mouthed Doctor of Greece most clearely gainesaying the doctrine of Transubstantiation in the Sacrament saying The bread before it be sanctified we call bread Ad Caesar Monachum but when the diuine grace sanctifies it it is deliuered from the name of bread and is thought worthy the name of the Lords body though the nature of bread remaine still Now curteous Reader if I should not iudge vnpartially I can not but here conclude that if the nature of bread remaine the substance of bread can not be changed into the body of Christ substantially and therefore no transubstantiation can follow 6. I can not omit here to record Gelasius who saith Other strong places of ancient Fathers agianst Transubstantiation De duabus naturis Christi The bread
because so it wanteth an essentiall part thereof Therefore very iustifiable is his Maiesties assertion when reckoning vp the nouelties of the Church of Rome amongst the rest he ranketh the amputation of the one halfe of the Sacrament from the People Praemonit 4 Secondly that the doctrine of the Church of Rome doth crosse Christs institution It also crosseth Christs institution is also most cleere to any iudiciall man for as my Italian master teacheth me That the Eucharist was instituted in the last Supper Tract 4. de sacra c. 1. dico 2. after the washing of feet before the vsuall Supper the first is a matter of faith out of the Gospell and it is defined in Clementine Vnico in the Tridentine Councell where it sayth Ses 13. c. 1. 2. This is the tradition of the auncient Fathers Now then if this be so we must examine whether Christ did institute it vnder both kindes or not for if he did then certainely it is also so to be ministred likewise to the people because hee bid that to be done in remembrance of him which he himselfe did then his meaning not being to institute two Sacraments of the Supper whereof the one for the Priestes should consist of two parts or of two kindes the other for the people but of one I finde Saint Matthew to record Christs institution in this manner As they did eate Iesus tooke the bread Mat. 26. v. 26.27.28.29 and when he had blessed it he brake it and gaue it to the Disciples and said Take eat this is my bodie Also he tooke the Cuppe and when he had giuen thankes he gaue it them saying Drinke ye all of it for this is my bloud of the New Testament that is shed for many for the remission of sinnes I finde aso Saint Marke to set it down thus Mark 14. v. 22. And as they did eate Iesus tooke the bread and when he ahd giuen thankes hee brake it and gaue it to them and said Take eate this is my bodie And also hee tooke the Cuppe and when hee had giuen thankes gaue it to them and they all dranke of it and hee said vnto them This is my bloud of that New Testament which is shed for many S. Luke records it thus Luk. 22.19 20 And he tooke bread and when he had giuen thankes he brake it and gaue to them saying This is my bodie which is giuen for you doe this in remembrance of me Likewise also after supper he tooke the Cup saying This Cup is that new Testament in my bloud which is shed for you 1. Cor. 11. v. 23 24.25.26 27.28.29 And S. Paule most largely explicates the same Institution saying I haue receiued a Precept of the Lord which I also haue deliuered vnto you that the Lord Iesus in the night when he was betrayed tooke bread and when he had giuen thankes he brake it and said Take eat this is my bodie which is broken for you this doe ye in remembrance of me After the same manner also he tooke the Cup when he had supped saying This Cup is the new Testament in my bloud this doe as oft as ye drinke it in remembrance of me for as often as ye shall eate this Bread and drinke this Cup ye shew the Lords death till he come Wherefore whosoeuer shall eat this Bread and drinke the Cup of the Lord vnworthily shall be guiltie of the bodie and bloud of the Lord. Let euery man therefore examine himselfe and so let him eat of this Bread and drinke of this Cup for he that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation because he discerneth not the Lords bodie Now out of all these places of S. Mathew S. Marke S. Luke and S. Paule I finde both kindes instituted by Christ and so inseparably intimated with a copulatiue coniunction that whosoeuer separateth them can but most insolently oppose himselfe against Christs institution and the essence of the Sacrament What greater pride can there be than when Christ sayth in expresse words Drinke ye all of this as well as eate the bread than with the Church of Rome to contradict him teaching the people onely to eat the bread and not drinke the wine Or what greater presumption than so rudely to thwart S. Paule who calleth the institution of the Sacrament a Precept which he deliuereth to the people specifying both formes of bread and wine commaunding as well the receiuing of the wine to be drunke in remembrance of Christ as the bread to be eaten and therefore if the one bind lay people the other also doth as strongly oblige them especially since S. Paule in another place sayth thus 1 Cor. 10.16.17 The Cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the bloud of Christ The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the bodie of Christ for we that are may are one bread and one bodie because we doe partake of one bread and one Chalice The Church of Rome taking away the participation of the Chalice in ministring the Sacrament to lay people onely vnder the forme of bread maketh S. Paule to speake false who ioyneth both formes together with a coniunction copulatiue shewing that we are many one bodie because wee participate of both making vs all one And it is here to be noted how the Bibles printed amongst our aduersaries doe varie about this Text and may be suspected that they haue played Legier du maine with the Bible as well in their last corrected Latine as in the Greeke concerning this Text for in them both of one Chalice is left out and yet in an olde Manuscript which I haue now in my hands and in another Bible printed at Paris in the yeare of our Lord 1583 the text is That omnes quidem de vno pane de vno calice participamus We all partake of one bread and of one Chalice Whereby it is more than probably to be feared some notorious imposture hath beene committed in leauing out the Chalice in the latest vulgar editions So that now all these places of Scripture being iudicially weighed the amputation of one part of the Sacrament seemeth not onely to controll Christs owne institution but also his absolute commandement 5 Besides that it is a meere noueltie It is also a noueltie Lib. de Eccles obseruat c. 19. p. 388. Thom. in 1. Cor. 11. lect 5. 6. Aeneas Sil. Hist Bohem. c. 52. Bellar. de Euehalib 4. cap. 26. not grounded vpon antiquitie is most apparant to all that rightly examine the matter for at the first the people receiued the cup as well as the bread afterward sayth Micrologus the Romane Order commandeth the wine also to be consecrated that the people may fully communicate and this was approued by many learned Writers Yet in time the Councell of Constance See 13. ff item ipsae forbad it and then all of the Church of Rome began to change
I might well thinke my selfe bereâ—uâ—d of my right wittes if I should any longer offend GOD by the still offering of it as I haue done too often and by continuing the practize thereof to the eternall damnation of other mens soules Therefore curteous Reader if thou art a child of the Church of Rome follow no longer such a stepmother leading thee by publique appearances to thine owne ruine and to the dayly prouocation of Gods wrath against thee hate her fooleries detest her idolatries and abandon her communion if thou wilt not eternally perish albeit thou hâ—st long laine asleepe in the deadly lethargie of Romish superstitions awaken at last and breake off all the bands of thy sinfully-habituated affections to that Antichristian monarchie esteeme no longer that to be white which is blacke that to bee holie which is most vngodlie feare not the curses of the Pope in denying the Sacrifice of the masse to be propitiatorie for sinnes his excommunication will haue no such force as Antoninus the Archbishop of Florence had Lipelo in vita Ant. 2. Maij. who denouncing the sentence of excommunication vpon a white loafe of bread made it as blacke as a coale and freeing it afterward from the same curse it returned to be as faire as it was before All the Popes Anathemaes can not make the bread of the masse otherwise than it is idolatrous all the white flower in it cannot make it pleasing vnto GOD or a Sacrifice allowable for Christians Therefore say thou with mee from thy heart with mee in true detestation of all the abhominations committed by such Idolatrie Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori Lord bee thou mercifull vnto me a sinner CHAP. XIII Containing an obseruation about the doctrine of transubstantiation which is a principall noueltie taught in the Church of Rome AFter the former obseruations had sufficiently alienated by iudgement and affections from further approbation of the faith of Rome My proceeding about the doctrine of transubstantiation yet because I thought that I could not bee sufficiently enough armed against those errours and falshoods wherein from my youth both my vnderstanding and affections had beene habituated which would be powerfull still to incline and leade my soule againe vnto those Romish abhominations which long custome had made familiar and in conceit religious I still proceeded further to the discussion and discouerie of other errors false doctrines secceeding nouelties taught in that Church that more and more beholding her spirituall fornications and disloyalties I might in my soule bee the stronger to oppse against them and the better able to relinquish and abandon with assurance of truth of my side and securitie to mine owne conscience all communion and participation with her sinfull heresies and nouelties and happily auoyde Gods iust punishments which are threatned by the holy Scripture against her disloyalties to the faith of Christ her heauenly Spouse 2 Amongest all which there was scarce any one thing that wrought more powerfully and fearefully in mine vnderstanding It ought to be a great terror to adore the creature for the Creator euen to the terrour of mine owne soule for my erroneous doctrine deliuered to others than the discouery of this late new-sprung-vp doctrine of transubstantiation which sets vp such an Idoll of bread in the Church of Rome to be adored as God that that seemeth to be truly verified of her which was vttered long before Colet Deum quem ignorauerunt patres eius auro Argento lapide pretioso rebusque pretiosis Dan. 11.38 He shall honour the God whome his fathers knew not with gold and siluer with precious stones and with pleasant things The gainsaying of which doctrine vnto the Church of Rome seemeth so vnlawfull that shee pronounceth most bitter execrations against those that shall so doe Sess 13. an 2. If any shall say sayth the Councell of Trent that in the holy Sacrament of the Eucharist there remaineth the substance of bread and wine together with the bodie and bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ and shall denie that admirable and singular conuersion of the whole substance of bread into the bodie and of the whole substance of wine into the bloud the formes of bread and wine still remaining which conuersion the Catholike Church most fitly calleth Transubstantiation be he accursed 3. Yea The Church of Rome hateth the reformed Churches for nothing more than for impugning the doctrine of Transubstantiation Pet. Besseus concept Theolog. Quadraeg dom 3. Dan. 13. the Teachers and Preachers of that Church doe not hate the worthie Professors and Arch-Doctors of the Gospell for any point of doctrine more than for impugning this of Transubstantiation Peter Besse the great and famous French Preacher against Master Caluin and Luther speaketh thus Two wicked old men of vnbridled lust did wickedly accuse the most chaste Susanna of Adulterie notwithstanding that shee was the most chast and honestest that was to be found in the whole Kingdome of Babylon here againe wee see two craftie knaues marching out vpon the Stage Luther and Caluin that accuse the chaste Susanna viz. the holy sacred Sacrament of the Eucharist and Transubstantiation the chiefe member thereof of Idolatrie then the which notwithstanding there is nothing to be found in the world more holy or diuine And the samd Author soone after for the same point compares them to the two witnesses of most deperate audacitie that gaue false witnesse against Christ adding further That as Christ was crucified in the middle betweene two theenes Ibid. so likewise wee see it fareth with the Sacrament of the Altar where being placed betweene two theeues two most desperate Heretikes it is assaulted with diuers blasphemies who a little after speaketh vnto the Idoll in this manner and also to God saying Worthily therefore O sacred Eucharist thou mayest crie out Dirupisti vincula mea Psal 115. tibi sanctificabo hostiam laudis And thou O Lord Saepe expugnauerunt me a iuuentate mea For often O Lord haue they persecuted thee often haue they blasphemed against thee shot their arrowes at thee and chiefely at Transubstantiation This Preacher it should seeme hath forgot that the doctrine of Transubstantiation is a noueltie of no greater antiquitie than the fourth Councell of Laterance Iacques Gualter Chron. de Pestat du Christianis tries siecle Can. 1. which was held but in the yere 1215 vnder Innocent the third which is not yet 400 yeres since where that doctrine was deliuered in these wordes But the bodie of Christ and the bloud in the Sacrament of the Altar is contained vnder the formes of bread and wine the bread being transubstantiated into the bodie and the wine into the bloud by Gods power This it seemeth his Maiestie very iudiciously obserued when after he had said If the Romish Church hath coyned new articles of Faith neuer heard of in the first fiue hundred yeares after Christ I hope I shall neuer be
and wine passe into the substance of the body and bloud of Christ yet so as the nature of bread and wine ceaseth not and they are turned into the diuine substance yet the bread and wine still remaine in the propertie of their nature If this be true that the nature of bread and wine ceaseth not and that the bread and wine still remaine in the propertie of their nature then can not transubstantiation stand For hereby Gelasius confuted Eutiches the Heretike holding that Christ had but one nature and that in regard of the vnion the humanitie was turned into the Deitie against which error he opposed the doctrine of the Eucharist shewing that as therein bread and wine after consecration were honoured with the name of his body and bloud and receiued grace to their nature to bee a holy Sacrament though still they remained in their former nature and propertie So the humanitie of Christ receiued grace by the hypostaticall vniting it to the God-head and yet still retained the former propertie to be humane flesh Therefore had Gelasius beliefe beene answerable to the present Church of Rome concerning Transubstantiation he not only could not thereby haue confuted Eutiches but Eutiches might by that very doctrine most probably haue confuted him Who might right well haue argued thus Thou Gelasius thinkest the Sacrament a resemblance of the incarnation of Christ and the vnion of his two natures but in the Sacrament the bread and wine after consecration remaine no more but are turned into the flesh and bloud of Christ and so there is but one substance After this manner may I likewise say in the Incarnation after the vnion the humanitie remaineth no more but is changed into the Diuinitie and the Nature is but one What could Gelasius haue answered to this Argument if hee had held the doctrine of Transubstantiation Hence it is euident both by his wordes and the scope of his disputation that he held it not Not vnlike to Gelasius is the doctrine of Theodoret Dial. immuta fol. 8. writing thus Our Sauiour in deliuering the Sacrament called his body bread and that which is in the cup he called his bloud he changed the names and gaue his body that name which belonged to the signe and to the signe that name which belonged to his body The reason why he thus changed the names was because he would haue such as partake the diuine Sacraments not to heede the nature of those thinges which are seene but for the change sake of the names to beleeue the change that is made by grace For he called it wheat and bread which by nature is his body and againe on the other side he called himselfe a Vine Thus honoring the simbols and signes which are seen with the name of his body bâ—oud not by changing their nature but by adding grace to nature And further the same Author in an other place reprehending the Eutichian heretike saith Dialog 2. Inconfusus You are caught in your owne net for the mysticall signes after consecration do not depart from their nature but they abide in their former substance form and figure and may be seen touched as before If they depart not from their nature if they abide in their former substance figure and forme if Christ changed not the natures but the names adding grace to nature how can the doctrine of transubstantiation in the iudgement of this writer stand free from the impeachment of an erroneous innouation 7. How moderne Authors of the Church of Rome shew the doctrine of transubstantiation to be nouell De verit corp sang p. 46. And so I find euen by the confession of the learnedst moderne Writers this doctrine is but nouell and of small antiquitie and hath not been beleeued as a matter of faith in the purest ages of the Primitiue Church for it is well knowne that before the Councell of Laterane no man was bound to beleeue Transubstantiation as themselues confesse Tonstal sayth It was free for all men till that time to follow their owne coniecture as concerning the manner of the Presence Scotus and Biel are reported by the later Schoolemen to haue been of minde That the opinion is very new and lately brought into the Church Soto 4. d 9. q. 2. art 2. 4. Suar. tom 3. d. 5.4 d. 10. q. 2. ad arg pro prima sect 1. and beleeued only vpon the authoritie of the Laterance Councell And Scotus himselfe saith We must say the Church in the Creede of the Laterane Councell vnder Innocent the third which begins with the words Firmiter credimus declared this sense concerning transubstantiation to belong to the verity of our faith Besides Scotus Bellarmine confesse Scot. d. 11. q. 3. Bellar. Euchar. lib. 3. cap. 23. Turrec tract 13. q. 49. There is no Scripture to conuince it vnlesse yee bring the Church of Romes exposition that is to say the Popes authoritie in whom they thinke the power of the vniuersall Church in determining matters of faith principally resides Now therefore if this doctrine bee no more ancient than the Councell of Laterane as it is cleare I oppose against the accurse of the Councell of Trent the malediction of blessed Saint Paul a better man than any in the Councell of Trent who pronounceth a direfull Anathema against any that shall teach other doctrine than what he taught how fearefull a state then doe all Popish Priests stand in that teach this noueltie of Transubstantiation diametrally contrarie to the places of S. Paul before cited 1. Cor. 10.16 1. Cor. 11.26 Vers 27. Vers 28. Euagrius 4. lib. Hist c. 35. Niceph. lib. 17. cap. 25. Hiesich l 2. super Leuit. cap. 8. Euseb lib. 7. c. 8. August cont lit Petil. lib. 9. c. 30. It is well knowne that it was an vsuall thing in former ages in diuers places to giue the residues of the Sacrament to little children as Euagrius and Nicephorus haue left recorded to posteritie Yea and in other places of the Christian world as Hesichius teacheth neither hath it beene thought much in former times to giue the bread of the Sacrament into the peoples handes and sometimes permitted them to carry it home which is a signe that they conceipted not then the doctrine of Transubstantiation which hath caused it since to be adored and haue made it a sinnefull act for Lay people to touch the Sacrament yea and haue brought it to such a fond esteeme that if a Flie or a Spider fall into the wine or any like thing which can not without vomit or danger of death be taken downe the Flie or Spider or what else must be taken out and washed as warily as may be in a Chalice and the Priest must take the ablution but the Flie or Spider must be burnt Ibidem eodem cap. Or if a sick man vomit vp the body of the Lord it must bee taken vp againe as diligently as may be and taken by a
Priest or by some cleane and discreet youth if the sicke man can not resume it himselfe 8. The inconueniences of approuing Transubstantiation Besides the inconueniences that follow of this doctrine of Transubstantiation are so many that no man almost out of common sense can admit it vnlesse bee will fondly suffer himselfe to bee carried away with such a generall implicite faith of the Church of Romes inerrabilitie whereby he may fall into as many heresies and dangers of seduction as a blinde man is in danger of falls if he will only walke by the guidance of an other as blinde as himselfe Hence it followeth that it must be beleeued that accidents are without a subiect whereas the nature of a Sacrament requireth no such matter like as when the wood is burned the colour of the wood should remaine alone without a subiect that Mice that knaw the consecrated Hoast doe knaw bare accidents alone and thta the glorified body of Christ are subiect to the grinding of teeth That no worke of God neither of Creation nor of Redemption is so great as the worke of consecration by the Priest by which transubstantiation is performed Whence it is come that the Romish Diuines hold that many miracles together are done in the Sacrament of the Eucharist whereof Ioannes de Combis reckoneth vp nine so fond and ridiculous that it is a wonder any man can beleeue them as first In Comp. Theol. verit lib. 6. c. 14. That the body of Christ is in as much quantitie there as it was vpon the Crosse and as it is now in heauen yet doth it not exceede the bounds of that forme with all the rest of like nature Hence to breede a beliefe of this doctrine the Romish writers tell vs that the Sacrament being lost in a Village of Komele in Germanie in a Pixe Caesar lib. 9. c. 7. it was discouered in a field by the Oxen that did worship it kneeling downe vpon the ground which neither by whips nor cries would not stir out of the place from worshipping their Creatour till it was taken away by the Parish Priest who fetcht it away with crosse candle and incense in great reuerence They tell also how a certaine woman going to the Communion reserued the Sacrament and put it into her hiue amongst her Bees as one had counsailed her wherevpon the pretie Bees were so religiously affected to their creatour that for the fit entertainment of so great a guest S. Anto. 3 p. sum tit 12. c. 8. ff 3. they built him a goodly Chappell in waxe with walls windowes dores caues and Altar to rest him vpon with a bell also and when the time was come that the honie was to be taken out the woman raised vp her hiue and beheld this fine miracle which caused her with great feare to go and confesse her fault to the Priest who with his Parishioners carried the Hoast with great reuerence to the Church They tell also for a great miracle concerning this doctrine S. Bonauent in vit 8. Francis Cath. Hist cap. 5 tit 13. part 4. how that S. Francis had a sheepe which ordinarily went to Church which at the time of Eleuation of the Lords body that the people might worship it bended downe his head fell vpon his knees shewing all other tokens of worship and adoration which much moued the assistance to greater deuotion They tell further Ioan. Mefreth in hort Reign ser de coena Domini that when a woman cast the Sacrament amongst Swine they kneeled downe to it and worshipped it how shee rosted it and it fell a bleeding how shee buried it in the earth and yet still the bloud flowed forth whereupon moued to compunction shee beleeued the true body of Christ to be in the Sacrament and did penance for her incredulitie all the rest of her life Many other the like incredible fables they haue left recorded to moue men to worship the bread and wine in the Sacrament with diuine honour due only to God and so to confirme this noueltie of Transubstantiation the which since there are no Scriptures to support it I can not beleeue it as also for that the obseruations of the reasons noted in this Chapter induce me to the contrarie beliefe Therefore deare Reader beware how you beleeue the Romish doctrine established with such lying signes and wonders reiecting both Scriptures and Fathers to the contrarie make not a corruptible creature your God and Maker giue honour and glorie vnto God only who by his infinite mercies requires it at thy handes and as I haue done renounce all societie in rites ceremonies and acts of religion with the Church of Rome that that of Dauid may be verified both of me thee Psal 1. v. 1. saving Blessed is the man that hath not walked in the councell of the vngodly nor stood in the way of sinners and hath not sit in the chaire of Pestilence which happinesse thou maiest enioy if thou followest not the vngodlie Councells of Laterane and Trent in this point of doctrine if thou continuest not in that Church and restest not thy selfe vpon that Pestilent chaire of Romes infectious Idolatries CHAP. XIIII Containeth an obseruation about the Sacrament ministred but vnder one kinde to Lay people in the Church of Rome I Haue read in a certaine Preacher that the Writers of naturall thinges haue left recorded The Sacramēt vnder one kind giueth not life vnto the soule Petrus Besseus Concep Theol. fer 2. maior Heb that there is a certaine hearbe to bee found vpon the Alpes hauing only two branches which is of such a strange naturall power and officacie that the beasts liuing vpon those mountaines if they chance to tast but of one of those branches forthwith they die but if they eate of both branches they take no hurt or dammage but are nourished thereby Euen so doe I obserue vpon the mountaines of holy Scripture the plant of the holy Eucharist hauing two branches of bread and wine by Christs institution of such nature and qualitie that if by faith his faithfull flock eate but of one branch and leaue the other they perish through heresie but if by faith they tast and feede of both branches that is both of bread and wine they feele much good they are strengthened in the life of their soule and are much nourished thereby according to that of Christ Ioan. 6. Nisi manducaueritis carnem filij hominis biberitis eius sanguinem non habebitis vit am in vobis Vnlesse you eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud you shall not haue life in you Whereby I obserue the great danger the Church of Rome standeth in which will afford here sheepe in the Sacrament only one branch viz. the bread and bereaue them of the other branch viz. the wine and on the contrarie side the great happinesse of the Church of England which affordeth Christs faithfull flocke both branches
of the blessed Sacrament as well Bread as Wine according to Christes owne institution This inducement amongst many hath not beene the least which hath as comfortably drawne mee to the Church of England as the starre which appeared to the three Sages in the East guided them in a short space to the presence of Christ swadled in clothes and lying in a Crib at Bethlem hauing in imitation of them now offered vp my three gifts vnto Christ to be emploied wholly in his seruice my Vnderstanding my Memorie and my Will with all my faculties of body and soule depending or subiect vnto them for the propagation of his Gospell for the demolition of Romish nouelties and for the manifestation of his vnspeakable mercies shewed vnto me and the reformed Churches in freeing vs from those damnable errors and wicked waies wherein the Church of Rome leadeth her blinded followers which fondly shut their eies from the Sunne-shine of truth appearing in the holy Scriptures and from the Prophets and Apostles who like shining starres by their doctrine recorded in the booke of Gods secrets would both comfort and direct their soules in the right way to heauen if flying with humilitie to Christ and acknowledging their owne blindnesse they would crie out with deuotion vnto him like the poore blinde man in the Gospell Domine fac vt videam O Lord make me to see 2. Howsoeuer the aduersaries in the Supper of the Lord make no reckoning of the wine Both formes must be in the Eucharist which is essentiall to the Sacrament yet the true faithfull knowing the dignitie and excellent value thereof will not be so vnmannerly being inuited thereunto as to neglect that which Christ prouideth for them For being rightly enformed that as in the great and pompous supper which Cleopatra Queene of Aegypt set before Antonius there were two pretious iewells and gemmes brought to Antonius which were esteemed to bee worth two hundred and fiftie thousand Crownes Euen so in the supper of the Lord in the blessed Eucharist which is the great supper prouded in the Church of God for his faithfull friends there are two iewells of inestimable price that is the bread and wine by meanes whereof the flesh and bloud of Christ the rich price of our redemption is conueyed vnto our soules therefore there is no iust cause why the Church of Rome pretending to bee the chast Spouse of Christ should be so scornefull of the rich gift of her heauenly Spouse who liberally offereth her both these iewels as most discourteously to suffer and permit that the lay people should be depriued of the one of them since Christ hath appointed both for them The practise to be so is sufficiently knowne to all and that the doctrine of the Church of Rome is so also appeareth by the Councell of Trent saying Concil Trident. ses 21. anno 1. If any shall say that by Gods Precept or vpon necessitie of saluation all and euery faithfull of Christ ought to take both formes of the most blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist let him be accursed And agine If any shall say Cap. 2. that the holy Catholike Church was not led vpon iust causes and reasons to communicate lay men and Clerkes also not consecrating onely vnder the forme of bread or therein to haue erred let him be Anathema By which it is most apparant how the Church of Rome doth not onely crosse Christs institution and disobey his commaundement but also ouerthroweth the very essentiall part of the Sacrament 3 For first The ministration of the Sacrament vnder one forme is repugnant to the essence of the Sacrament there is nothing more essentiall in a Sacrament than the matter and forme thereof as in Baptisme the water and wordes so in the blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist the essentiall parts thereof are the Bread and Wine coniunctim ioyntly and the words of consecration of either of them ioyntly and not diuided for the Catechisme of the Councell of Trent defineth a Sacrament thus Cathe ad Parachos A Sacrament is a thing subiect to our senses which by Gods institution hath power as well to signifie as to effect holinesse and righteousnesse Whereby it appeareth that the sensible signe instituted by God is a thing essentiall to euerie Sacrament Which appeares also b Iohan Viguerius saying De sacra in Gene c. 16. v. 3 It is necessarie that the things which are assumed for the Sacraments be determined by Gods institution because that things by their naturall vertue haue no power of sanctifying Now therefore if we consider the matter and sensible signes instituted by Christ for the Sacrament of the Eucharist Jnstit c. 16. ff 3. vers 1. Thom. 3. p. q. 74. art 1. Iohannes Viguerius telleth vs That the matter of this Sacrament before consecration is bread and wine because Christ tooke bread and wine and Melchisedech who in his sacrifice figured Christ offered bread and wine so Christ did institute it vnder the formes of bread and wine and very conueniently First for the vse of the Sacrament which is eating for as water is taken in the Sacrament of Baptisme for the vse of spirituall ablution because corporall ablution is commonly done by water so bread and wine for spirituall refection because most commonly men are corporally refreshed therewith Secondly for signification because this Sacrament is a memoriall of the Lords Passion in the which the bloud was spearated from the bodie so distinctly the bread as a Sacrament of the bodie and wine as a Sacrament of the bloud Thirdly for the effect in respect of the whole Church which consisteth of diuers beleeuers so the bread is made of diuers cornes and the wine of diuers grapes Out of this ground it seemeth that the Iesuit in Rome deliuered in the Schoole the definition of this Sacrament in this manner which I tooke from his mouth with mine owne penne which is De sacramentis tract 4. c. 1. dico 3. That the Eucharist is a Sacrament which vnder the formes of bread and wine containeth the bodie and bloud of Christ for the nourishment of spirituall life giuen by Baptisme From all which doctrine I most clearely gather that bread and wine iointly ministred belongeth to this Sacrament and that without ouerthrowing the essence of this Sacrament according to our aduersaries owne Teachers it cannot be giuen vnder one kind to the lay people for it is to be giuen to lay people according to the essentiall parts thereof instituted by Christ but according to these Writers the essentiall parts thereof are bread and wine iointly as the matter the forme being the wordes of consecration iointly pronounced ouer either forme ergo the bread and wine coniunctim are to be ministred to ther people for the integritie of the Sacrament Whence it followeth that the Church of Rome by the amputation of one forme vtterly crosseth and ouerthroweth the nature of the Sacrament and so maketh it no Sacrament at all
and when I noted that I could neuer heare any one Iesuit to speake reprouingly of it and further heard some very rashly and foolishly to cast the imputation of inuenting it vpon the best States-men of this land as a traine to make Catholikes the more odious to the State I began to obserue a custome vsed by some which is without any regard of truth or knowledge to speake the worst they can to blemish the reputation of their aduersaries so I heard a certaine young Iesuit report when Garnet was in the Tower A pretty deuice that day and night oyle was put into his eyes with feathers and other means vsed to keepe him from sleepe that so being weakened both in bodie and minde he might be easily drawne to confesse all he knew which circumstances with diuers others belonging to this vnmatchable treason though they made mee not then abandon the faith and beleefe of those that were actors thereof yet did they sow such seedes of doubtfulnesse and care in me to be sound in faith that the effects and fruits issuing from them of doctrine concerning disallegeance to the King which is contained in the Popes Breues hath much auerted me since as namely the doctrine of Bellarmine teaching that the Apostles were not subiect to temporall Princes de iure but de facto retracting the former opinion Bellarmin cont Barclaium tract De potest summi Pontificis in rebus temporalibus ca. 3. fol. 48. extant in his controuersies these many yeares now holding the quite contrarie notwith standing it is a doctrine of faith that as well the Clergie as the Laitie are subiect to Kings and Princes because obedience to Kings whether they be good or wayward in Scripture is commended vnto all 1. Petri 2.18 behold here the second occasion 7 A third occasion concurring to my conuersion Conference with others was conference with others into whose companies by chance I haue falne as once with a learned Knight who not knowing me to be a Priest conferred with me as with a professor of the Romane faith who winded me into such a circle about the Scriptures and the Church that I could neuer winde my selfe out of it till I winded my selfe out of the Romane Church and stayed my selfe vpon a ground not admitted there which is that the Scriptures are the most sufficient and certaine rule of faith that Christians haue which if you take away all religion all faith all knowledge of God falleth to the ground And another time I fell into dispute with a graue ancient Iustice of Peace who pressed me so farre that I promised to send him some principall doctrines of the Roman Church so sufficiently proued by Scriptures by Fathers and by naturall reason that if they could bee answered I would subscribe to his Church but in the examination of the proofes of those very points brought in by Bellarmine and due consideration of them I found them to be of very little force to proue the verities intended as hereafter shall appeare concerning the Masse Transubstantiation the ministration of the Sacrament vnder one kinde to lay people Pardons auricular confession and others whereupon I haue proued since as good as my promise in ioyning my selfe to the Church of England 8 A fourth occasion of examining more carefully the controuersies hath been grounded vpon his Maiesties Title His Maiesties Booke in his Premonition to Christian Princes stiling himselfe the Defendor of the true Christian Catholike and Apostolike faith which seemed so strange vnto me at the first considering that no Church more chalengeth the name of Catholike than the Church of Rome that I began to consider with my selfe whether I could finde any capitall points of faith taught now by the present Church of Rome that were not taught and professed by the ancient and Primitiue Church and now impugned by the Church of England and finding that the doctrine of deposing Princes and Kings by the Pope was not ancient nor Transubstantiation nor the Masse as now it is practised nor the Sacrament as now it is ministred by the Church of Rome nor Pardons nor prohibition of Priests marriages I haue since beene enforced to conclude that certainely the present Church of Rome professeth not in those points the true Christian Catholike and Apostolike faith Further as I noted the profession his Maiestie maketh in his Premonitorie Epistle to Princes Praemonit ful 35 acknowledging himselfe to be such a Christian Catholike as beleeueth the three Creedes that of the Apostles that of the Councell of Nice and that of Athanasius admitting the first foure generall Councels as Catholike and Orthodox the ioint consent of Fathers in the Primitiue age the authoritie of Scriptures c. I could not but conceiue at last that his Maiestie went vpon the strongest foundations of the Catholike faith that could bee layed to auoid the danger of new doctrines which obseruations did much facilitate my search and scrutinie into the true grounds and reasons of faith besides many other occasions of priuat conference with diuers particular persons who thought themselues much tempted in matters of faith and religion because they could hardly beleeue what the Church of Rome teacheth or at least not without great difficultie Whereby you may see courteous Reader the prouidence of God working in me by degrees towards my conuersion affoording mee the occasions and meanes first of searching and examining which brought me at length to the motiues of resoluing as hereafter you shall vnderstand more at large when I shall first haue layd downe vnto you certaine fundamentall obseruations as grounds on which the true Christian Catholike faith must of necessitie stand and the whole frame thereof be surely builded CHAP. III. Containing the first fundamentall obseruation of the end of man and his chiefe happinesse AFter the manifestation of the occasions which by Gods prouidence occurred to forward this worke of my conuersion The chiefe businesse of man is to seeke his end the next thing to be spoken of is to acquaint thee deare Christian Reader with those fundamentall obseruations which made further way to the complete perfection thereof the first of which was of that nature that I assure my selfe no man who hath care of his soule and saluation can chuse but allow for I assured my selfe that if I went vpon such sure foundations and principles as religion ought to stand vpon I could neither stay in error nor fall into any Hence I was moued to resolue most constantly that the most immoueable foundation that all my sp rituall building should stand on should be a frequent consideration that the chiefe and most principall affaire and businesse of greatest importance in this world wherein it was my dutie to employ my endeuors ought to be the saluation of my soule and my future happinesse in the life to come since to this end God created me to his similitude and likenesse redeemed mee with the most precious bloud of his most
deere Sonne and daily preserued me by his power and goodnesse This I conceiued and concluded alwaies to be the matter of greatest importaÌ„ce in this world which I was to preferre before all other affaires whatsoeuer belonging but vnto this temporall and transitorie life of our bodies and therefore for the accomplishing of this businesse rather than neglect it all other affaires whatsoeuer were to be omitted eternall blisse and the saluation of my soule being my chiefe end nd not consisting of any created but increated goodnesse which is God himselfe 2 This fundamentall obseruation I gathered out of Thomas Aquinas What mans end is Tho Aquin. 12. q. 1. art 8. sed contra Augustin 19. de ciuit Dei c. 1. 3. de Trinit c. 3. 4. q. 5. to 4. Tho. Aqum 12. q. 1. ar 8 in corp 2â— q. 12. art 8. sad contra whose words are these Vltimus finis hominuÌ„ est beatitudo the last end of men is bliffe which all desire as Augustine saith And it cannot befall any other creatures void of reason to be happie as Augustine saith in his booke of 83 Questions for the obtaining of which end the same Thomas prescribeth the meanes way saying Man and other reasonable creatures obtaine their last end by knowing and louing God which is not compatible to other creatures that obtaine their last end onely by participating some likenesse of God by their onely being life and also by their knowledge This he further declareth in another place writing thus Augustine writeth August 19 de â—â—â—â—â—at Dei c 26. in princip to 5. that as the soule is the life of the flesh so God is the blessed life of man of whom it is said in the Psalmes Blessed is the people whose Lord is his God And further to the same purpose he reasoneth after this manner saying Ibidem in corpore That it is impossible for the blisse of man to be in any created good for blisse is a perfect good which totally quieteth the appetite otherwise it were not the last end if any thing remained yet to be desired For the obiect of the will which is the appetite of man is an vniuersall good as the obiect of the vnderstanding is vniuersall truth whereby it is manifest that nothing can quiet the will of man but an vniuersall good which is not found in any thing created but onely in god because euerie creature hath a participated goodnesse therefore God alone can sill the will of man according to that which is said in the 102 Psalme who replenisheth the desire with good things c. Therefore the blisse of man consists in God alone Well therefore might Saint Augustine declare the small comfort that is to be found in any thing but in God No true and perfect rest in creatures August lib. 1. Confess cap. 1. saying Fecisti nos ad te inquictum est cor nostrum donec requiescat in te thou hast made vs for thee and our heart is vnquiet till it rest and repose in thee for as the needle of a Dyall toucht with a Loadstone is not able to rest or stand stedfastly still till it be turned towards the North Pole so neither can our soule carrying the similitude or likenesse of God Genes 8. vers 8. take any true quiet repose or comfort in any thing created but in God onely for like as the Doue put out of the Arke by the hand of Noah after the generall deluge to discouer the land though with a speedie flight shee tooke a surucy of all the foure Climates of the world yet the Scripture sayth Genes 8. vers 9. Non inuenit vbi requiesceret pes eius shee found no place for her foote to rest on vntill shee came to the hand which put her foorth so our soules which in creation are put out by the powerfull hand of God into the tumultuous and stormie sea of this life can finde no place of true rest and contentment where to settle our selues till wee returne againe vnto God who created vs. This made good King Dauid to crie out with an earnest desire to enioy God in heauen Psa 73. vers 25. saying Whom haue I in heauen but thee and there is none vpon earth that I desire besides thee my flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for euer for loe they that are farre from thee shall perish 4 Such as this hath alwaies beene the desire of Gods Saints concerning their last end and euerlasting happinesse This end is the desire of Gods Saints vpon the assured obseruation whereof I my selfe in imitation of them building the frame of all my spirituall proceedings haue beene and am verily persuaded that God would neuer suffer me to misguide my steppes from the true faith or by any heresie to miscarrie with my soule from this obseruation haue I first gathered the great feare I ought to haue not to offend God Feare but with all care to keepe his commaundements that I may not make frustrate my end like him of whom the Psalmist sayth Qui non accepit in vano animam suam who hath not receiued his soule in vaine Psal 24. vers 4. but with innocencie of good works in his hands purenesse in his heart doth ascend vnto the mountaine of the Lord and stand in his holy place Secondly I haue also gathered the great care I ought to haue Care not to make any earthly or transitorie thing of this life my chiefe end at which my actions must aime as neither riches nor preferment nor ease nor health nor any earthly thing which cannot affoord true contentment to the soule but rather to hazard the preiudice of all these than to ruinate my soule or to step out of the right way to heauen Resolution to embrace the meanes of the truth Thirdly I haue also further from this obseruation of my end grounded a most constant resolution not to neglect any occasions or labours of due search and examination into the maine grounds and principles of faith or any meanes that might necessarily conduce thereunto whereupon I haue beene alwaies moued to arme my selfe with fit reasons wherewith I might not onely establish my faith but be able also to defend it against all obiections that might any way contradict it For the better performance whereof my purpose and practise hath beene often to meditate vpon the happinesse of the happie end whereunto wee are all ordained by God so that this obseruation setling me in the true feare of God and in a due care of my saluation and in a constant resolution to apply my selfe vnto all the meanes and helpes that might facilitate me thereunto finding here my steppes to stand as vpon a strong rocke I proceeded forward with my vnderstanding to behold and contemplate what fundamentall obseruation I might set my next steppe vpon as will appeare in the Chapter following