mention made His soule was not left in hell and Psal 15. 10. Ephe. 1. 20 et 4. 9. 1. Pet. 3. â—2 in another place it is said of Christ That hee asended what is it but because hee desended also first into the lower partes of the earth that was into hell of the torments or sorrowes whereof as being the death or vanquisher of death and the biting or deuourer of hell according to the Prophets he could not bee detayned or holden But these fellowes that deny Christ was in hell the cloysters whereof hee once broke binding that olde serpent and so deny their Creede no meruaile though they make so small reckening of Purgatorie but account it as a buggard to feare children In which place in deed I warrant them they shall neuer come vnlesse they amend their manners and monstrous opinions There is a lower place prepared for all such incredulous infidells and heretickes that is In inferno infernori In the deepest bottomlesse pitte and gulf of hell and damnation wherein is no redemption Chap. XLIII Of Purgatorie what sort of people be therein punished and for what manner of sinnes and defects they bee there detained and that Prayer Sacrifice Almes-deeds and the like bee healthfull for the departed NOwe that there is a Purgatory or a cleansing place for some lesser sins and the reliques of sinne or the paine and satisfaction due vnto sinne in the next life before the soule can be in quiet rest and enioy the glory of God wee proue it by diuers reasons and authorities of Scriptures and Fathers and the coÌ„mon receaued faith of the vniuersall Church at all times First then wee are to note that the euerlasting paine due vnto sinne is forgiuen by vertue of Christs Passion in the holy Sacrament of Penance so that if a man die in state of grace by that Sacrament a perfect penitente sinner with out doubt hee shal neuer perish euerlastingly yet there be many lesser sinnes many inordinate passions many defects and imperfections and the paiment and satisfaction due to those greater sinnes which all and euery if they bee not perfectlye wipte or cleansed from the soule in this life by perfect loue to God and works of Penance shall no doubt thereof be cleansed and paide for in the next before the soule can see God and enter into his kingdome For no spotted or vncleane Apoc. 21. 27. thing shall enter therevnto as witnesseth Saint Iohn Gods great mercy it is I say then that forgiueth the sinne by Penance here in this life that it be not punished euerlastingly in hell but it is in his iustice wee doe some satisfaction for it which if it be not here it must be done there that is in Purgatory before the soule can attaine the glory of God Many there be that speake of Purgatory but fewe that deepely consider the fearefull and terrible paynes thereof which be so great that no paine in this worlde is comparable thereunto The fire of Gods iustice there as noteh Saint Augustine as farre exceedeth the fire we see here as the fire in deede exceedeth fire painted vpon a wall insomuch that the paines of Purgatory differ litle from those in hell but that the one hath end and the other hath none and those in Purgatory be blessed soules in state of grace and saluation but those in hell be cursed desperate and sure of euerlasting damnation Three sorts of people as nameth S. Augustine there be that departe out of this worlde one sorte so good that they neede not our prayers As the B. Martyrs and Confessors that gloriously confessed CHRIST and with seruent loue shed their bloud for his sake that through Christ bee washed and cleansed in their owne bloud those washed their stoles as saith S. Iohn Apoc. 7. 14. in the bloud of the Lamb and with that feruent loue to God be so cleansed from all spot of sinne that presently without stay they enter into his kingdome walking in white garmentes of honour and glory with him for euermore these need not our prayers but pray for vs. An other sort there be that bee so badde that we may not pray for them after their death as all Infidells Iewes Turkes Heretickes Schismatickes and all whosoeuer die out of Gods Church vvithout vvhich is no Saluation or in deadly sinne those the holy Church prayeth not for as being by gods iudgment damned in Hell wherein is no redemption or recouery for euermore An other sort of departed there be for whome only and no other we pray that is for the faithfull departed in peace and charitye which can in no sort bee but in the faith vnity of Christes holy Catholicke Church that is for faithfull Christian catholickes dying in state of grace for them wee praye that sooner they may be released of their sinnes and defects and enjoye Godes glorye And that we ought this to doe vvee Eccles 7. 37. 2. Macha 12. Math. 5. 27. 1 Cor. 3. Phil. 2. 2. Tim. 1. 1. Iohn 5. Apoc. 5. proue it by diuers authorities of holye Scripture as where wee bidden to doe vvell to the dead and againe forbidde not fauour to the dead with diuers other plaine places of the olde and newe Testament but according to the places here alleadged how should one doe wel to the dead but by almesdeed or praier or how can we hinder them of benefit vnlesse we omit and cease to doe and pray for them Chap. XLIIII More at large of Purgatory prayer for the dead how heretickes not onlye corrupt but denye the playne Scriptures in avouching the contrary IN an other place of holye Scripture it is written how a noble captaine hauing of his souldiers slaine sent monye to Ierusalem to bee offered for the departed thinking well and religiouslye of the resurrection of the dead and that his souldiers died with piety or vertue and in the ende the Scripture concludeth 2. Mach. 12. 46. thus Therefore it is a good or holy and healthfull thought to praye for the dead that they may be loosed from their sinnes These places by mee alleadged here be the worde of God most plaine you see written in the holye and sacred Bible but howe thinke you doe the heretickes answere these plaine places Truly they deny the whole bookes and all to bee the worde of God and the Scripture so shamlesse be these companions that whatsoeuer is so plaine they cannot possibly glose vpon or wrest to their owne purpose that presently they cast awaye So Luther denyed Saint Iames Epistle for that it made for good works others other parts what kind of men thinke you be these that bragge before the simple in their pulpits of the worde of God why dare you commit your saluation to such who as long as they can in any sort wrest Godes word to their owne lust so long they crye the scripture scripture word of the Lord but when it is so plaine they can no way gainsay
it but that it condemneth flatly their damned heresies theÌ„ they put out of Gods word holy Scripture whole bookes as namely this booke of the Machabees whereout I tooke the latter authority which booke as certainly is Gods word as S. Iohns gospell For who kept for me vndefiled from others writings S. Iohns gospell or how do I know it to be the worde of God but that our holy mother the catholike Church hath kept it for me and teacheth me that it is Gods word which church telleth me as certainly that these books of Scripture that so plainly make for prayer for the dead be also the word of God If therefore I beleeue the holy Church in one why should I not aswell beleeue her in the other as therfore I am certain by no other meanes but by the Churches authority that S. Iohns Gospell is true and Gods worde so by the same meanes I knowe most certainly euery Christian is bound to beleeue this book of the Machabees other the like that heretiks dâ—ny to be the word of God Thus you see then we haue the plaine worde of God that it is a good and healthfull thought to pray for the dead yea our Sauiour himself teacheth there is a place a man shall not come out of it till hee haue paid the last Math. 5. 27. 12. 32. farthing after which once paid a man may come out but in hell a man shall neuer haue release wherefore our Sauiour speaketh this of Purgatory The same is taughâ— by S. Pauls doctrine also where 1. Cor. 3. 13. he compareth pure works vnperfect works the one to golde and siluer the other to wood haye stuble and sayeth that the fire shall trye of what qualitye euerye mannes worke is The like I could proue by the same Apostle and others the Apostles in other their writinges in holye Scripture but I make hast neither can I stand to alleadge authorities of holy Doctors for this mater it is needlesse their works be full S. Augustine as it is most plaine in his books of Confessions prayed and desired others to pray for Monica his mother departed yea he wrote a whole booke of prayer and care to be had for the dead if we consider what holy men did of olde to avoide this cleansing fire of Purgatory in the next life it is strange Historia AngloruÌ„ and almost incredible Saint Bede maketh mention of one that beeing in a traunce or extasie paste this life sawe some glimce of the ioyes of the blessed and of the paines of those in Purgatory by Gods sufferance returning backe to his body he euer after tooke such penance that it seemeth intollerable somtime standing in colde nights in freesing water euen to the chin his friends would aske him why hee so greatly punished himself he would answere no otherwise but meekely say I haue seene or felte more paynes or colde and suffered harder thinges meaning no doubt of the paines in Purgatory in the next life This same holye Doctor maketh mention likewise of a Religious Priest saying daily Masse for his brother that he thought dead but in deed bound prisoner being taken in warres howe euery day at the holy oblation at Masse his brothers chains burst asoÌ„der Many such strange miraculous visions reuelations it pleased God to shew of olde and later time also manifestly declaring Purgatory That which helpeth them there is chiefly the holy sacrifice of the Masse because that B. Sacrifice is of most vertue most holy and of it selfe pleaseth God also fasting praier almesdeedes pilgrimage and the like godly workes deuoutly performed be healthful for the faithful departed so likwise be pardons of Pope Bishops rightly applied auailable for the same which pardons that we may auoide those paines in the next life it is very good meete and expedient we seeke for in this life not so to get pardons that we should be loyterers our selues do nothing for so pardons little auaile For they profitte not but to those that be in state of grace and well disposed to receaue them Chap. XLV Of Pardons and what they are whereof they come in what sort they be auaileable both for the liuing the dead NOwe what these Pardons bee that heretickes so slaunder you shall better vnderstand First our sinne after that by the Sacrament of Penance as I haue said before it bee forgiuen yet some satisfaction and penance remayneth therefore which if it bee not done in this life it must be done in the next because God as he is mercifull so is he just and will haue vs do something of our selues insomuch that for some one deadly sinne of auncient time nere vnto the Apostles time were 7. yeares of penance enjoyned which if a man in this time should doe for euery deadlie sinne his life would not endure a fewe persons excepted whome God preserueth from those greater sinnes verie rare to bee founde vpon earth These Pardon 's then of the Pope bee not properly forgiuenesse of sinnes but of the paine due vnto sinnes The reason is because the Church that hath authority from God justly to inflict satisfaction penance for sinne the same Church likewise hath power giuen her to release such paines and satisfaction that bee of Gods iustice laide on vs for sinnes and the Church that in the Sacrament of Penance by her Priests hath the authority from Christ to forgiue sinnes the same Church likewise by God hath authority giuen her by meanes of Pardons and fuffrage to release the paine due vnto sinne Now the Pope being head of the Church is chiefe dispensator and steward of these PardoÌ„s they be properly called the treasure of the Church that is specially graunted out of the merits of Christs PassioÌ„ his holy Saints For this is to bee vnderstoode in euery good worke that there be 2 thinges the one is merit and rewarde that properly appertaineth to the doer procuring him greater glory another thing in this worke is satisfactory penance or paine due vnto sinne which sinne first our Sauiour Christ was voide of without all sinne of his owne vertue and so was his B. Mother by his special grace euer preserued from all sinne and many of the Virgins Martyrs and great friends of God did more penâ—nce a great deale then euer their sinnes deserued herevpon the holy Apostle saide Adimpleâ— ea quae desunt passiâ—num Christi I fulfill Col. 1 24. saith he those thinges which be wanting of the passions of CHRIST for his body which is the Church Lo S. Paul did fulfill or satisfie those thinges that were wanting of the passions of Christ not for the redemption of the worlde for Christ therein needed no helpe-fellowes for his Passion had bene enough for many worldes but that which hee fulfilled of the passions of Christ were satisfactions paines or penance which euery one for himselfe that he may suffer with Christ and so bee pertakers of the
the Catholike Romaine Church hath this ordinary succession confirmed with miracles it partly appeareth by that is allready sayd when as then the very Iewes from Aaron to Christ could shewe their lawfull succession of Bishoppes euen to Christ the true law-giuer that state of olde being but a very figure of ours and whereas by the Apostles doctrine none ought to take vpō them the office of bishops no neither king nor prince much lesse to make bishops but hee only that therto is by ordinary vocatiō called as Aaron was by God annoynted inuested by Moises who first himselfe by extarordinary vocation or miracle vvas chosen and called by God and whereas by very drift of reason the Church cannot visibly continew as Christ promised it should doe without pastors and heades to guide it and succeede one another in the same The Catholike Roman Churh only therfore and no other being that which can shew this ordinary and lawfull succession of Bishops in the Apostolike Sea of Saint Peter whose faith in them Christ promised should neuer faile must of necessity be the true Church of Christ and other flockes and sortes of heretikes as Protestants Puritanes who soeuer must needs be bragge they neuer so much of christ and the Gospel the very Sinagogue of Satan Antichrist For the Protestantes and other Heretikes of our time that would be accounted gospellers of christ to haue with them ōly the true Church besides the new vpstarts bee very blasphemous in so saying as going about in effect to proue vntruth in christ as though he failed in his promis who saied his church shold neuer decay besids this I say they be very obsurd ridiculous foolish in their opiniō for example would you not thinke him a folish painter and very vnskilful in his art that hired by some noble gentleman to draw his picture after he had drawn the head would leaue out body legs armes sett only the feet where the necke should stand to his head Spectatum admissi risum teneatis Euerye one thinke you that looked theron would they not laughe him to scorne yes truly Like vnto this foolish painter be the gaye deceitfull painted heretikes of our time they brag Yea heretikes I mean be farre beneth the feete as for want of succession being no members of Christs misticall body the church a◠a◠of the lord christ the head of the church they say they teach the doctrine the Apostles did forsooth that they be al one with those B. Fathers of the Primitiue church one body in christ his church but enquire of thē by what sinewes and ioynts they be tied to the Apostles primitiue church of what lawful Bishops by succession they haue receiued their faith they can shew you none For 1500. yeares together they brag of the head yet be in steed of the feet wher is the body You see it is wanting wherefore you see for want of succession they haue no true possession in Godes house Wherfore those that will come into his kingdome must flie their company Fugite de medio Babilonis flie out of Babilon the corps of sin and Satan and her confusion hereticall congregations that you be not inuolued in her ruine and perpetuall destruction Chap. VI. Of some other signes and tokens of the true catholike church c. how without it none can be saued BY these foure notes then of vniuersality antiquity consent and lawful succession if you marke them well you may euer know the true Church from all other false sects and conuenticles of infidells and miscreant heretikes because they be proper to no other church but only the Catholike Church But besides these there be many other notes of the true Church that I cannot stand to reckon For what faith sauing only the catholike Romane faith hath bene in euery age when it hath beene planted in any Countrie first confirmed with so many miracles as in raising the dead giuing sight to the blind making the lame to walke and the dumb to speake but our Church and Catholike faith So that our church only I say is it and no other that hath had so many blessed and learned fathers and Doctors of all ages from Christs time to this day as appeareth by so many learned treatises and boks yea whole volums of theirs writtē in defence of our faith and religion As to begin with S. Dionise S. Paules scholler he writeth most learnedly of the Hierarchies of Angells of their aide succour we receaue by them of holie rites and ceremonies vsed euen at Masse this daye contrarie to the heretikes of this time yea we haue the very Liturgies that is the formes and orders of sacrifices as much to say of saying Masse which the Apostles namelye Saint Iames vsed in their dayes as they were taught by Christ at his last supper what shall I say of Policarp holy Ignatius in or nere the Apostles time the one scholler to S. Iohn view their writings you shal find the catholike faith confirmed how oft deuoutly do S. Athanasius S. Gregory Nazianzene S. Basil to praye our Lady the mother of God to assist and helpe them with her prayers S. Chrisostome how reuerentlye doth he speake of the most holy blessed Sacrament of the Aulter no lesse doth Saint Ambrose most plainly writing vvhole bookes of the same In so much that learned Saint Hierome is ours S. Augustine is ours S. Gregory the Pope S. Bede S. Anselme S. Bernard and as many as euer were writers or holye doctors in Gods Church bee most euident for vs hee that will but reade their bookes and beleeue them needeth no more nor new writers for confirmation of his faith If I would lye yet their bookes beyng extant to be sould almost in euerye stationers or booke-binders shoope in London can testifie the truth If thou desire thy saluation good brother perhappes discredite my words yet take but the pains to peruse the books of those Blessed fathers by me named thou shalt find my wordes true These Fathers many moe to long for me to reck on were most vertuous most wise most graue most learned of the greatest authority amongst al sorts of the best mē in their daies since so studious of holy Scriptures that they consumed therin nightes and dayes yea their whole liues and withal most skilfull in all other liberal sciences They would not attempt as heretikes do now a daies new come from the grammer schooles thinking thēselus great men when they can speake a little latine greeke yea some of them perhappes scarce good grammer schollers to take vpon them prophanely to handle the sacred booke of God and expounde rashly the holy scriptures that booke I say sealed with seauen seales open to none but to the humble in harte and to such as vse ordinary wayes and meanes as much fasting continual praier adioyned with good life especially humility lowlines of spirit a virtue
carnis sanguinis Christi veritate in hoc Sacramento non est relictus ambigendi locus The reall presence proued by authorities of fathers There is no place lefâ—e at all to doubt touching the verity of Christes body and blood in this most holye and venerable Sacrament But yet to satisfie some-thing more your godlye desire I will sett downe some authorities as I finde written in a famous late writer breifly collected by him touching this matter If euery man saieth he is to be credited and ought to haue authority in his owne art and facultye if when wee buylde wee call a Carpenter to counsell and when we make gardens a gardener how much more must wee esteeme the Doctors of the Church who are not onlye cunning by long labour bestowed vppon the science of Diuinitye but also haue so vertuously vsed them selues that they haue been a boundantlye instructed in all knowledge by maruelous inspirations of the holy Ghoste whose names bee so great that the verie Heretickes cannot denye them to be holy Saintes in Heauen and therfore they pretend to haue the first sixe hundred yeares of their sides It is theÌ„ a good sure way to work with the aduice of those auncient Fathers whose sayinges because they be otherwhere as in manye bookes of common places and other writters more at large and more particularlye alleadged I will here be more breife First very many Fathers speaking of Christs wordes or deedes when after bread taken and thankes giuen hee said This is my body alleage the Almightye power of God to defend The veritye of those deedes and wordes therefore the same Fathers beleeued those wordes This is my body to be true in so wonderfull a manner as they sounde at the first sight and seing they meane according to their most vsuall sounde that this which is pointed vnto though it seeme still bread is not-withstandinge the substance of Christes body we ought to thinke that those Fathers beleeued the reall presence of Christs body otherwise they woulde neuer haue alleadged his God-head or Almighty power and omnipotencie for the instituting of a figure and signe of his owne bodye sith for the institution of signes and figures such an authoritie might haue serued as God gaue to Moyses who was but seruant to Christ and not God S. Ireneus saith How can they be sure Lib. 5. cap 34. the bread whereon thankes are giuen to be the body of their Lorde and the Chalice of his bloud if they say not him to be the Sonne of the maker of the world S. Ireneus was so sure that Christ through his Diuiue power made the bread whereon thankes were giuen his owne body that if the God-head were denied which shoulde worke that presence no man could be sure of the presence of Christes body and he might haue beene sure of a figuratiue presence though Moyses had beene the minister of that Sacrament not Christ Saint Ciprian that bread which our In ser de cena Do. Lord gaue to the disciples by the omnipotencie of the worde was made flesh what needed omnipotencie to be alleaged for a fact that were not supernaturall S. Hillary speaking of the Sacrament Lib. 8. de Trin. sayeth By the profession of our Lord it is truly flesh and truly blood is not this thing the truth it may in deed chaunce not to be true to them whoe deny Iesus Christ to bee true God as who should say if his Godhead maye stand his flesh must needes bee truely present Saint Basill to shew that these words In reg bre quest 172. This is my body make full perswation alleadgeth out of Saint Iohn the glorye or God-head and also the Incarnation of Christ because except hee were both true God and true man This is my body should not make full perswation sith if he were not man he should not haue a body whereof those wordes might be verified If hee were not God wee might doubt how he were able to make his worde true but seeing hee is God and man and said This is my body there is no doubt of the presence of his body de iis qui init cap. 9. li. 4. De sacra cap. 4. 5. de sacer dot lib. 3. Euseb hom 5. â—n Pascha Saint Ambrose our Lord Iesus himself crieth This is my body he hath said it was made Saint Chrisostome O Miracle he that sitteth aboue c. And againe lett vs euery where giue credit vnto his wordes specially in the misteries Eusebius Emissenus Let the very power of him that consecrateth strengthen thee Saint Cirill of AlexaÌ„dria seeing God worketh let vs not aske how Damascene wee know no more but that the worde of God is true strengthfull allmighty but the maner is vnscrutable No wise man requireth vs earnestly to beleeue the words which himselfe doth thinke to bee figuratiue and parabolicall but he rather shoulde bidd vs beware that wee mistake them not as Saint Chrisostome In Gen. hom 21. vpon those wordes God repented crieth out see a grosse worde not that God repented God forbid but God speaketh to vs according to the custome of man Likewise Saint Augustine saith in respect In Iohn tract 4. Mat. 17. Iohn 1. of those wordes Iohn Baptist is Elias Our Lorde spake figuratiuely but Saint Iohn saying I am not Elias aunswered properly If now these words This is my body were figuratiue wee should haue been warned by the watch-men of God to beware of them as now we are required yea we are so required to beleue them that it is wonderfull to see and to consider how earnestly Doctors speake in Basil in reg q. 172. breuior that behalfe The certainty of our Lords words who saide This is my body which is giuen for you doe this thing for a remembrance of me in gender full perswasion Surely figuratiue words cannot make full perswasion because themselues are imperfect as lacking their proper signification which is the cheife vertue of wordes whereby they shoulde fully enforme vs for no figuratiue speech is so plaine as a proper speech is Epiphanius who so beleueth not In anchor sermon Catech. myst 4. the saying to be trew as him selfe spake hee is fallen from grace and saluation Cyrillus Hierosolymitanus Seeing Christ him selfe affirmeth so and saith of the bread This is my body who hereafter may be so bold as to doubt S. Ambrose Our De Sacra mento lib. 4. cap. 5. in Matth. hom 83. Lords Iesu him selfe giueth witnes vnto vs that we take his body and bloud ought we any thing to doubt of his fidelity as witnesse bearinge S. Chrysostome Because our Lord said This is my body let vs not be intangled with no doubtfulnes but let vs be leene and see it with eyes of vnderstanding Eusebius Emissenus Let al doubtfulnes of Hom. 5. in pasch ad Calosyrium infidelity depart for so much as the author of the guifte himselfe
let him bee accursed to you Shall wee not bee well occupied if we leaue the plaine vvorde of God to come and see whether Ambrose and Augustine teach two Sacramentes or moe Saint Paule teacheth Matrimonye to bee a Sacrament and shall we goe from him to Ambrose and Augustine to se whether it be one or no was euer such a practize hearde of as to brag of Scriptures to bost of holy writt to crie vpon vs for coming to the word of God and now that we are comen thither to call vs from all Prophets and Apostles yea from Christ himselfe to Ambrose and Augustine is this the way to the holy Scriptures can this fault bee excused can this hypocrisie be tollerated To winne the itching eares of the inconstant multitude to gett them the applause of licentious libertines in the pulpit they call to the worde of God and when they haue gotten them within their netts they teach them out of Ambrose and Augustine yea woulde God they did so at the least but what if wee proue they deceiue the people in fathering that vpon Ambrose and Augustine which they neuer wrote nor taught The Protestants say Saint Augustme nameth but two sacraments but besides twaine I will bring other two named of him as plainly as possibly may bee in his booke de bono coniugali Cap. 24. these be his wordes The good saith S. Augustine which riseth of mariage through all nations and men consisteth in the cause of begetting children and in the faith of chastity And in so much as appertaineth to the people of God it consisteth allso in the holnes of the Sacrament through which it is vnlawful yea though diuorce come between to mary an other whilest her husband liueth not so much as for the very cause of bringing forth of children Which though alone it be the cause why marriages are made yet band of marriage is not loosed vnlesse the husband dye albeit that thing followe not for the which marriage is made Much-like as if to bring the people together some of the Cleargie should be ordered or consecrated with holy orders for although the meeting of the people doe not ensue Yet Sacramentum ordinationis the Sacrament of giuing orders abideth in them that be ordered and if for any faulte any man be remoued from the office he shall not lacke the Sacrament of our Lord which is once put vpon him although it remame to his damnation Thus farre S. Augustione in which wordes he declareth that amonge Christian men there are other two Sacramentes of Preisthood and of Matrimony beside Baptisme and the Euchraist and each of them so great and so strong that they cannot bee loosed and taken away but only by death of the party although the chiefest cause ceasse why the Sacrament was giuen In another place S. Augustine Cont. Donat. Lib. 5. Cap. 2. speaketh plainly of the water of Baptisme Oyle the Eucharist the Imposition of hands al signed with the seale of the Crosse S. Ambroso likewise confesseth moe Sacraments then Baptisme and the Fucharist lib. 1 de penitentia cap. 7. these bee his wordes Cur baptizaris si per hominem peccata dimittinon licot c. why art thou Baptised if it be not lawfull sinnes to be forgiuenes by man truly in Baptisme ther is forgiuenes of all sin what skilleth it whether Preists chalenge this right of forgiving sinnes to be given them by Penance or by Baptisme the mistery or Sacrament is one in both But thou wilt say that in Baptisme the grace of the misteries worketh what in Penance doth not the grace of God work Here is the same vertue and name of a mistery or Sacrament giuen to Penance which is giuen to Baptisme vvhereby Saint Ambrose taught there was as well a Sacrament of Penance as of Baptisme These few placeshaue I brought out of S. Ambrose and Augustine to shew as it were to your eyes if you will not be willfully blinded how the Protestantes crie out vppon the worde of God till they haue with sweete wordes wonne fauour amonge the miserable number of these vnstable men that alwaies harken for newes but wheÌ„ they haue them fast then is the word of God cleane forgotten and in stead thereof Ambrose and Augustine are I am vrged to speake it falselye alleadged For the truth is they that sett naught by the word of God cannot long esteeme Ambrose Augustine who with al their harts imbraced the word of God and expounded the same according to the auncient Tradition of the Church To what end then doe our new masters runne truly to sett vp an Idoll of their owne making in place of the word of God to set vp I say a phantastical religion of their owne deuising But if they should crie to the people come come bow downe to the I doll that wee haue deuised for you the people would not come as being feared with the infamous name of an Idoll therefore they saye come to the worde of God come to the holy Scriptures come to the true Gospell of Iesus Christ they say exceeding well you see we are come and it quitâ— hath and will ouerthrowe them S. Dionisius and Hierotheus disciples of Christ Dionis de Hierarch â—ccle cap. 3. and S. Paul call the Eucharist the sacrament of Sacraments which they neuer woulde if there had beene no more but two See S. Dionis Chap. 4. 5. 6. Dâ— Ecclesiast Hierarch howe he teacheth moe Sacraments But to returne to my purpose I wil not omit to opeÌ„ one subtil shift of the heretike whereby like a bugge or fox with a mans visard of his face he oft deceiueth the simple and vnwarye with faire blessings and gaye tearmes which vnlearned men cannot iudge of nor descerne He will tell you their communion is a holy sacrament and that therby you â—ate Christ as he sitts at his fathers right hand in faith spirit and that you must â—ate that heauenly bread sorsooth that they giue you as the body and bloud of Christ and then no doubt you receiue Christ and the like But aske the heretike whether that bread he giueth to the people be the very body of Christ or no and that properly it can be no more called bread in that it is called transubstantiate and verily turned into the very body and bloud of Christ in deed then you shall perceiue the foxe pull of his maske and shew his eares as I hard of a good fellowe a minister did who giuing to a gentleman bread from their communion table and said The body of our Lorde Iesu c. by chaunce he let a peece fall the gentleman esteeming it to be some holy thing aboue other bread sanctified by Godes word would haue taken it vp againe no no said the minister Sir lett it alone here is more enough yea said the gentleman is it not worth the taking vp trulye quoth heâ— then none of it at all shall come into my belly and so
this respect of the representation of Christs Passion and knitting togither of his members with him the very and most B. Body of our Lorde giuen vs at his last supper is called a signe or Sacrament and yet neuerthelesse the thing it selfe that is his B. Body and Bloud not figured or signified by bread and wine but giuen vnder the formes or likenes of bread and wine For that which before consecration was bread wine is now by Christs wordes transubstantiate or wholy turned into the Body and Bloud of Christ as I declared before though to our outwarde eyes and carnall sences there seemeth no other thing then before yet by our faith we be taught farre otherwise as that it is most certainly without all doubt the very Body and Bloud of Christ without which diuine Sacrament a reall coniunction betwixt his fleash the fleash of man cannot be made by faith spirit and vnderstanding only for that is the coniunction of minde but not of fleash and bones as the man and wife by consent of mariage caÌ„not be one body vnlesse they come togither neither doth Christ come from his Fathers right hand corporally to be ioyned with our flesh but bread by consecration is turned into Christs flesh to the intent it may be receiued and made one with our flesh to the end we may be Concorporei as the auncient Fathers tearme vs one fleash and body with Christ Chap. XXV Declaring how it implieth not contradiction that Christ is in heauen and in the Sacrament in many places at once but only declareth an infinite and Almighty power of God that Diuine honor is due hereunto YOu see nowe in some maner and sort by this which is said in the former Chapter the excellencie of this most diuine mystery as our infirmity is able to declare to you and in what respect this B. Sacrament is called a signe or figure and yet the very thing it selfe wherefore you se the heretikes doe most pitifully and wickedly abuse the poore people to both their damnations that contrary to Christ the receiued faith of the Church and al auncient doctors would haue the B. Sacrament but onlie a bare peece of bread in signe figure Reade the holy Fathers and Doctors and when they speake of the Sacramentall receiuing of this B. Sacrament they so plainly without all tropes signes and figures call it verely really and substantially his bodye and bloud so often so pithylie with so firme reasons and so plainly that if they had spoken against the Sacramentaries heretickes of our time they could haue spoken no more plainly For what wordes can be playner then those of that most famous Councell of Nice wherein Arrius the enemy to the sonne of God by more then three hundred holy Fathers was condemned The wordes of the Nicene Councel to our purpose are these Iterum etiam hic diuina mensa c. Againe here also in the holy table let vs not basely attend the bread and cuppe set before vs but lifting vp our minde let vs vnderstand by faith that Lamb of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world Situm â—sse to be put and laid on that holy table Incruente a sacerdotibus immolatum to bee vnbloudely Sacrificed of the Preistes and that wee vere truly and in deed taking his owne pretious Bodye and Bloud doe beleeue this to be the misticall tokens of our redemption For this cause wee take not much but little that wee might knowe wee take not to fill vs but for holinesse Thus farre the Councell The blessed noble and most glorious Martyr S. Ciprian Decena Domini of the supper of our Lord is as plaine Panis iste c. That Bread saith hee which our Lorde gaue to his Disciples being changed not in outward forme but in nature through the almighty power of the word is made flesh And because mans heart is not quiet till it rest in God and because nothing can truly fil or content man saue only God therefore S. Hillary that strong pillar of Gods Church againste the Arrians teacheth vs in his 8. booke of the Trinity how Christ in this holy Sacrament naturally dwelleth in vs. St vere â— if the worde sayeth hee bee verely made flesh and wee verely take or receiue the worde flesh in our Lordes meate howe is he esteemed not to dwell naturally in vs Seeing then God is by nature the only euerlasting meate which perisheth not and seing he must be giuen to vs in his owne nature and wee are not able to receiue him as he is a spirit hee hath done for vs as good mothers and nources doe for their babes the mother eateth bread and by her eating turneth it into milke and that milke shee giueth to the infant and by that meanes the infant eateth bread and milke In the reall fleshe of Christ is the substance of God only made meate to bee eaten of man Faith is a great gift of God but yet a creature only wherein the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth not and therefore it is not able to attaine to the vnion of Gods nature and much lesse able to giue it by eating of Christ we corporally haue and carry God in our bodies corporally no otherwise in the worlde can be deuised for it As for the figure of bread it is the only true figure because it is a figure without substance of bread For whereas S. Augustine in his third booke sixteene chapter de doctrina Christiana vpon these wordes Nisi manducaâ—eritis c. Vnlesse you eate the flesh of the sonne of â—an and drinke his bloud c. saith videtur facinus c. how Christ seemeth to commande a heynous act or sinne it is a figure therefore saith he but vnderstand you of the Passion of our Lord commanding vs sweetly to rest in Christ c. These wordes are to be vnderstood of the maner of eating not as a dead carcase is torne in peeces in the shambles but Christ is to be eaten in a mistery and a Sacrament though verely and really yet after a spirituall maner Eor as the figure which was in that Paschall Lamb did not diminish the reall killing and eating thereof but only did refer it to a higher truth so the figure which is in eating Christs flesh doth not diminish the true eating thereof but only declareth the eating to be a figure because it is referred againe to a higher truth both in Christ whose flesh that once died is now eateÌ„ in vs who eate it not so much for to eate it corporally as to feede spiritually of God him selfe who maketh that flesh profitable August in Iohn tract 26. 27. that S. August though so it is euident by his owne words vpon S. Iohn Ye know not what is this maner of eating this flesh but except yee eate it Lo the maner of eating was secrete but the thing that shoulde bee eaten was naturall flesh these also be his wordes to the same
high God whose father and mother is vnknowne so our B. sacrifice then though not bread and wine but the very body and bloud of Christ is consecrated and offered vnder the likenesse of bread and wine Which blessed Sacrament was offered at Christs laste supper a sacrifice also hee our Redeemer in his Disciples giuinge Priestes authority to consecrate and offer the same and so hee remaineth in them being daily offered vp by their ministery A Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech who vvas without mother according to his Godhead and without father according to his manhood and so figured and foreshewed by Melchisedech whereof holy Dauid in spirit called our Sauiour Psal 109. Christ foreseeing our blessed Sacrifice A priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech if he be a Priest then hee must needes offer sacrifice but he neuer offered sacrifice saue only at his last supper I meane after the order of Melchisedech Wherefore we offering or doing the same he did at his last supper that is consecrating his body and bloud it followeth that this Sacrament of ours is also a sacrifice yea and that propitiatorye both for the quicke and the dead which as prophecied Daniel the prophet is Iuge sacrificium A continuall sacrifice that neuer shall cease to the worldes end saue that the publike administration thereof by Daniels prophesie Daniell Cap. 12. Malachy cap. 13 shall cease in Antechristes time but shall as prophesied Malachie the prophet Be offered a pure oblation and sacrifice in euery place What other is that but the holye Sacrifice of the Masse Which sacrifice of it selfe though the Priest may often be vnworthy is euer acceptable Ex â—pere operato as diuines tearme it in Godes sight because this sacrifice is his only sonne in whome hee is well pleased If they saye the Prophet meant the sacrifice of a pure harte it is not so for no man can saye his hart is alltogether pure from sinne at least from a soule or light thought if they say it was the sacrifice vpon the Crosse which the prophet foretolde that cannot be because it was but in one place wherfore it must needs follow the prophet foretolde the one onlye pure and vnbloudy Sacrament and sacrafice of the Altar at Masse offered in euery place and in steed of all those blouddy sacrifices of olde From the rising Psal 112. of the sonne to the setting of the same againe Whereby you see this B. Sacrament was instituted by Christ not only as a healthfull medicine and food of our soules but also that it might be offered continually as the cheife and proper sacrifice of the new testament for a sufficient thanksgiuing to God the father and continuall memory of our L. Iesus his bitter Passion till his comming againe wherby we eschew the euills of this life obtaine remission of sins with the grace of God glory in the world to come And because Christ bad the Apostles and Priestes of the newe Testament doe or sacrifice this in memorie of him his Incarnation Life Passion Resurrection therefore as by Christs institution it is a sacrifice and liuely representation especially of his death and Passion So euerye thinge about the Altar as the ornaments ceremonies actions of the preist at Masse do chiefly represent and reduce into our memories the same And if I would stand to recite the Scriptures Councels and Fathers to this purpose that call it an host an oblation a pure and vnbloudy Sacrifice the price of our Redemption a healthfull Sacrifice and the like I might fill great volumes but I must be briefe Neither is it my purpose to answere here all hereticall obiections neither to make any long discourse of so vnspeakable a matter for to giue or set downe the full doctrine hereof would require and fill as I said many and lardge bookes which already of most learned men bee written My purpose is here but to instruct the simple and vnlearned who ought rather to ground them selues in true faith and beliefe then to looke into such high misteries to comprehend Gods mighty workes by reason For what is man to compare as it were himselfe with God to think to containe him whome heauen and earth cannot holde for what is one man in respect of so many men or what be al men in respect of God Man is as it were a mite like a vanity a puff of winde God is mighty incomprehensible yea great in the least thinges without variance or inconstancie at a becke of whose finger the very heauens and earth do tremble and quake the deapth of whose mightie workes we cannot reach vnto no not in the least thinges or creatures wee daylie see here before our eyes Who can number the starres or giue a iust accompt of their swift course without going one iote out of order from the beginning of the worlde to this day the very herbes plantes and trees wee see doe daily grow and increase Who is so wise that can discerne or say nowe at this very instant I perceaue the increase Againe vvhen they bee as it vvere deade in vvinter who can say they shal so flourish in sommer but he that hath experience Imagine some man brought vp in some caue vnder the earth neuer seeing light nor conuersing with men If one should come vnto him on a sodain and discourse with him of collours blacke and greene and the like tell him of the spring the course of the sonne moone and starres would he not wonder and think them aboue reason till he sawe and perceaued them as we doe If then these thinges so familiar to vs seeme so admirable to those that be vnaccustomed to see them or if we our selues cannot giue a reason to the depth of the least things can wee thinke to comprehend God in the greatest would we haue God so litle that he cannot exceed our reasoÌ„ And yet o blasphemy malicious blindnes such be the heretiks of our time who because they cannot attaine by humane reason to the depth of this mistery of Christs body in the Sacrament therefore they forsake faith beliefe in Christ herein against both truth and reason O hereticke shal Christ cease to be with vs according to his promise because thou art vnable of reason Nay he shall be when thou art not Chap. XXIX Of the great loue and humility of Christ in this Blessed Sacrament and of the deuotion of Christians of olde towards the same THis Blessed Lord Iesus theÌ„ perfect God man which enclosed himselfe for our sakes in the wombe of the most Blessed Virgin when as him the heaueÌ„ of heauens cannot comprehend is also with vs according to his word in the least particle of the B. Sacrament whole perfect Christ entreth into the Cottage of our homely bodies is allwaies delighted to be with the sonnes of men and yet is stil incomprehensible al glorious with his father in heauen that by his
rewarder of wel doers But our diuelish heretiks most blaspheamously affirme he is the author of euill that his commaundements are impossible to be kept and therefore it followeth he is vniust and most vnmercifull to punish men with endles tormentes for breaking those lawes that none can keepe besides that they hold that men want free will and whether he do well or ill if he be predestinate to bee saued or damned hee shall be all is one Caluine affirmed that CHRIST despaired and blaspheamed his father vppon the crosse suffring in his soule the paines of the damned Yet the Turks hold him euer to be a holy Man the Sonne of a Virgin and the most blessed man that euer was or shall be yea punish such as deny it but you will say Caluin and his followers hold him to be GOD which Turks do not I deny that Caluin and his adherents acknowledge Christ for GOD vnlesse they will haue mo GODS then one and in so affirming they be worse thē Turks For what meaneth Caluin when contrary to the Churches creede and faith he denieth the Sonne of God to be Deus de Deo God of God that is euerlastingly begotten of his fathers substance but he wil haue him Deus ex se or per se as much to say as of another substance from his father and so of the holy Ghost and so it must needes follow that either there be three Gods as of diuers substances or els that the Sonne and the holy Ghost be no Gods at al by this doctrine of Caluin his followers but the first cannot be yet if the sonne be of another substāce from his father then whether he be lesse then his father equal or greater then his father yet being of another substance frō his father as Caluin blaspheameth then must it needes follow there be two Gods at least which consequent because Caluin denyeth yet obstinatly affirmeth the precedēt therfore he affirmeth Christ or his father or both to be no god at al. And truly in my opinion it seemeth more tollerable to affirme ther is no god thē thus with Caluin other heretiks to blaspheame his infinite goodnes which indeede cānot cōsist with the very essential nature of God as to say he is vniust vnmercifull the author of euill so that Protestāts be worse thē very atheists how much more tollerabe then be Turks then they who though they deny the passion of Christ yet do they not hold that euer he dispayred or blaspheamed God as Caluinists do teaching likewise but especially the Zwinglians that not only Turkes and all heathenish children if they be predestinate be aswell saued as Christian mens childrē Christened who dying yea in their infancy they say if they be not predestinate though Christined yet can they not be saued but also that the old heathēs as Socrates Hercules Numa c. be saued as much to say as christ dyed in vaine for the world if such as neuer had respect to him coulde be saued without him as well as the B. Virgin Peter Paul and such for these and olde heathens Zwinglius ioyneth together telling the King of France in his Epistle to him exhorting him to imbrace his Gospell which if he would do he telleth yea and promiseth him he shall see these and many moe there together in one kingdome Do you thinck this doctrine of these two men Caluin Zwinglius which our english Heretiks chiefely follow and teach can ioyne the followers and beleeuers thereof in the Catholike Church suerly then as I said Turks Atheists and all heathens be of the Church doth not Caluin vtterly These bee Caluins ownewords Epist ad Polonos pag. 946. vt cognoscant te vnum Deū id est Trinitatem hoc non modo tanquam insipidum sed prophanū quoque repudiamus vtterly mislike and forbidde that any should cal vpon pray to yea or vse this word Trinitye as to say o holy Trinity one GOD haue mercy vppon vs for though he can abide in that manner as he teacheth to heare named the Father the Sōne and the holy Ghost yet can he not abide this word consubstantiality which one viz. Luther said his soule abhorred nor this word Trinity neither as a papisticall inuention For mee to recite these places of theirs written at large would be too long and tedious but their bookes bee extant in euery stationers shoppe and their doctrine heerein so manifest to the world that none can deny it howsoeuer our politik courtly parlamētary religion heere in England to dazle simple mens eyes will haue such wordes as of Trinity still vsed to content the vulgar sort though they iump with their Apostles Zwinglius Caluin in conceipt opinion in the deepest degree Thus you see how in the chiefest points of our religiō as of God Christ the Blessed Trinity heretikes quite differ from the catholike Church as also in that great matter of iustification by faith and good works in Christ Iesus which the holy Apostle S. Paul in his Epistles so diuinely teacheth whose meaning S. Iames after so perfectly explaneth yea S. Peter the Prince of the Apostles exhorting vs by good works to make our vocatiō suer stable forwarneth Christians to take heede how they vnderstād his brother Paul who according to that hye diuine wisedome of God giuen him wrote many thinges hard to be vnderstood which the vnlearned vnstable depraue as the rest of the Scriptures to their owne destruction saith he good Lord do not these wauering vnstable heretiks of our tyme as S. Peter right worthely termeth them neuer long contynuing in one opinion but full with themselues and others of sects and dissentions do they not most peruersly and corruptly interpret chiefly this holy Apostles Epistles against the true matter of iustification confounding faith good works yea affirming faith alone to iustifie which is a very diabolicall faith affirming man hath no true iustice in him with many absurdities and heresies As about the merrits not only of our good workes and the Saints in heauen which they affirme to be none but about the merrittes of IESVS Christ himselfe the like absurdities they hold about predestination free will the Sacraments inuocation of Saints prayer for the dead images pilgrimage pardons fasting prayers and euery point all most of the Catholike Churches faith And be these of the Church of God who hold not one sounde opinion almost of God Heauen Hell Purgatory nor of the Church of God it self militant heere on earth sparing neither the soules of the glorious S. in heauen nor their bodies and sacred reliques heere in earth but digge them out of their tombes cōsume them with fire and cast their ashes to be dispersed in the water and the winde to trye perhappes with the old heathens whether they shall rise againe at the last day and can wee make these men or rather monsters members with these glorious Saints in heauen as of the same Church whose