the first workes of the Apostolike and Primitiue Church to seale vp vnto vs the Canon of theese bookes by the same spirit which had inspired them and so called them Canonicall as if a man should say Reguler because they are ordained the rule of Christian doctrines and stand as a law to guide all our discourses And to this first number it belongeth not neither hath belonged since then to any either man or Church to chop in or to adde other bookes without the violating of the iudgement of the Apostolike Primitiue Church For what other thing were it but to say that it had excluded the bookes which it should haue admitted Wherefore we may thinke that what they haue said of such as at this day leade vs to Iewish fables Tit. 1.14 and to the commaundements of men which Saint Paule so earnestly warneth vs of to the pretended Gospels of Saint Iames Saint Bartholmew Nicodemus Ioseph of Aremathia c. yea and to the verie bookes which the Church both Christian and Iewish haue pronounced Apocrypha was not done to teach vs to draw from thence anie patternes of good manners as sometimes the olde fathers do but pretended articles of faith not to strengthen any poynt of Canonicall doctrine but to lay a foundation of a new inuented one such as neuer came in the Canon Euen as Saint Augustine after his modest maner would tell them the same that he said to the Donatists These men wanting examples of their wickednesse do boast themselues to haue found in the booke of the Machabees August cont Gaudent l 2 c. 23. one Razias to imitate who slue himselfe but the Iewes make no such account of these bookes as they doe of the Law the Prophets and the Psalmes to which God hath giuen testimonie as to his witnesses They haue beene receiued not vnprofitablie of the Church if so be they be soberly read principallie in respect of these brethren the Machabees who laboured and tooke paines for the law of God c. Could he haue spoken thus of the diuine bookes inspired of God without blasphemie Caletan in 1. ad Cor. c. 12. v 28. Not vnprofitablie if they be read soberlie c. And this is the same that in our time Cardinall Caietan hath acknowledged laying out the difference betwixt the Apostles and all others in the Church The vniuersall gouernment of the church saith he belongeth onely to the Apostles not onely by worde and action but also by writing and therefore the onely writings of the Apostles or those which haue beene approued by them must haue the authoritie of holy writ The second rule is That for the vnderstanding of these Canonicall bookes To haue recourse to the originals Hebrew and Greeke Ambros de S. Spir. l. 2. c. 6. de incarna c. 8 or any place in them that is in controuersie we haue recourse for the olde Testament to the truth of the Hebrew and for the New to the Greeke seeing there is neuer a translation by whom soeuer it may haue beene performed which can be called either Canonicall or Authenticall Seeing also that as from false premisses or propositions there cannot follow but a false conclusion so from false Grammar there cannot proceede true Diuinitie And this is that which the Fathers say vnto vs If any man striue about the diuersitie of Latin copies that some vnfaithfull persons haue falsified them let him in such case looke vpon the Greeke c. Againe We haue found it so in the Greeke copies Hillar in Psal 11◠the authoritie whereof is farre more to be preferred Saint Hillarie We haue oftentimes tolde you that we cannot be satisfied in the vnderstanding of the Scriptures by the Latine translation And this Saint Ierome spoke to him that was ignoraunt in the Hebrew tongue Saint Ierome also whose translation some men doe so highly esteeme howbeit that the best learned doe doubt if it be his and all agree that all of it is not S. Hier. in Epi. ad Paulin. Marcel ad Suniam ad Damas in Prefat in 4. Euang. in Zac. c. 4. 8. ad Lucin. Augu. de doct Christ l. 2. c. 11 Epist 59. 19 De doct christ l. 2. c. 10 15 in Decret D. 9 c. in veterum Genes 3. It behooueth vs to haue recourse to the originall of the Hebrew for the Olde testament and to the Greeke for the New For saith he there are so manie diuerse Latine copies as there are bookes and by these originals wee must alter and correct that which hath beene ill translated by the Interpretors Saint Augustine The Latins to attain to the knowledge of the Scriptures haue neede of two wings of the Hebrew and Greeke tongues let the Latines haue recourse vnto the Hebrew and Greeke copies c. Againe For to correct the Latins let vs vse the Grecians c. Let vs rather beleeue the tongue from whence the Expositors haue translated the Scriptures into other tongues c. Saint Augustine I say who knew nothing in the Hebrew And that they had iust cause to say so may be made to appeare vnto vs by infinite examples In Genesis it is said That the seed shall breake the head of the Serpent that is to say Christ The Vulgar translation saith Ipsa she◠not Ipsum that is to say semen and so by that means it is referred vnto the virgin Marie◠and so a Sauioresse set vp in stead of a Sauiour At this stone good S. Barnard stūbled as Burgensis Caietanus Canusius do acknowledge c. And still they would that wee should leaue it in the way to the ende that euerie man may stumble thereat S. Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrewes saith Hebr. 13. That God is well pleased with charitie and well doing The Interpreter hath translated it That by them men merit at Gods bands See you not therefore say some vnto vs Merit proued in the Scripture Yes were it not that euerie man knoweth what the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meaneth nemely that God taketh pleasure c. Melchisedech brought forth bread and wine to Abraham In stead of Protulit he hath translated it Obtulit Genes 18. and see you not how thereupon also the sacrifice of the Masse◠But Vatablus and Pagnine and Caietan also doe acknowledge the sooth and therefore reforme the translation and withall you wipe out the Masse So vpon the Psal 68. For To sleepe amongst pots or Andirons he translateth it Inter Cleros amongst the clergie The lots or heritages ex lapidibus sacculi is made lapides saeculi stones of the ballance that is of weights are made eternall stones and fiue hundred such like Where is the Doctor how holie or great soeuer he may be who resting and relying vpon any such translation shall be able to gather any true sense Who shall not be forced thereby to deceiue both himselfe and others No lesse then Accursius
and bookes Nay rather how can we receiue and admit of them seeing they belie themselues or build our selues vpon them seeing they plucke downe themselues hauing receyued the black sentence by the Primitiue Church and being confounded by their owne mouthes wordes And in all this who goeth away with the losse our aduersaries for producing false witnes or we for charging them therewithall they for offering to make vp theyr payment of counterfeyte coyne and that in a bargaine of merchandize of such prices and worth or we for touching and making an assay thereof But what is the greatest gaine that riseth by such faining and counterfeyting of bookes Certes euen such as ordinarilie attendeth Sathan in all the trauell and paine hee putteth himselfe vnto namelie to drawe and allure and afterwarde to keepe man kinde in the snares of ignorance or errour by his counterfeyte and fained deuises The same which fel vpon those deceyuing Spirits in the first ages of the christian Churches for foisting in the goodlie Gospells of Nicodemus S. Iames S. Bartholomew S. Thomas and others which was a derogating from the authoritie of the holy true Scriptures so much as in them laye by the bringing in of those which were false What did the Manichies pretend sayeth S. Augustine by their false Actes of the Apostles Euen nothing else but to weaken the truth of the holie historie and to strengthen the arme of falshoode which suteth verie well with that which Leo the first saide That these pretended writinges of the Apostles which vnder this faire name contained the seedes of manie false doctrines ought not onelie to bee forbidden in the church but quite banished yea burned Againe it is most certaine that one of the hotest persecutions that euer the Primitiue Church endured and whereof it so grieuously complayneth was that which was kindled with the bellowes of false and counterfeyte writinges and those proceeding so farre as euen to shrowde themselues vnder the name of Iesus Christ of the truth it selfe so ragingly did the spirite of lying ouerflow and so licentiouslie did he run loose at his libertie in these first ages as there was not to be found a more deadly wound then that against the puritie of the Gospell so the ancient Fathers did fortifie and arme themselues to the vttermost of their might for the keeping out of the same as Ireneus Iustine Origene Melito and others by distinguishing the Canonicall bookes from the Apocrypha whereas our aduersaries now a dayes that they may haue the better meanes to support and beare out their lies are nothing so carefull for or so zealously and earnestlie set vppon anie thing as to shake and weaken the authoritie of the holie Canonicall Scriptures and that partlie by slipping in amongst thē such books as the Primitiue Church had cut off as dead vnprofitable members partlie by reuiuing yea by new coining such store of such manner of fables such store of such such fooleries as possiblie they could deuise al to that end that amongst so much filthie and durtie stuffe as they brought and as had beene of olde swept and cast out of the Church by the auncient Fathers they might at the leaste finde out some scantlins more or lesse of the stuffe wherewith they did infect and corrupt their Church CHAP. III. What manner of diuine Seruice was vsed in the Christian Church in the time of the Apostles and their Disciples NOw it may not content vs to know that the Masse which is vsed at this day was no parte of the diuine seruice of God in the Christians Church in the time of the Apostles and their Disciples nor yet anie other thing comming neare vnto the same but wee must goe further and search what manner of seruice it was though wee bee put to fish and finde out the truth from the botomles lake of lying deceitfulnes a thing become very hard and difficult for vs to atchieue by reason of the piled heaps of ceremonies and the mighty multiplying of Nouelties for men to play and sport themselues withall throughout the whole continuance of so manie ages and because also that besides all such we shall bee forced to vndertake the clearing of this so intricate and intangled a matter by the darke and dimme traces as they may be found which are apparant in the bookes that are left vs and which our aduersaries themselues doe approue to the ende that on the one side we may bee able to discerne of Superstition from which we must depart and that on the other side we may not hang in suspence what is the true seruice of God wherunto we are to cleaue and according whereunto we ought as neere as may bee to desire and labour for the reformation of the Church Now this ought to suffice vs 1. Cor. 11. that S. Paule hath tolde vs that he hath not taught the Churches anie thing but that which he had receyued from the Lord and which also he hath declared vnto vs and againe that S. Peter by the bookes of our verie aduersaries is sayed to haue tyed and kepte himselfe to his institution And who is hee that would receiue or belieue otherwise of anie one or al the rest but yet notwithstanding men will not be content herewithall wee must be forced for their satisfaction to handle the matter in a more large and ample manner And here first we are to consider what S. Angustine telleth vs that is What the seruice was amongst the Christians that the church of God yea of Christ had his beginning in Adam shall end in this world by the last Christian which is asmuch to say as that there is but one Church euer since the beginning euen vnto the worlds end howsoeuer it haue his diuerse periods amongst all which that was the chief and principall which happened vpon the change of Iudaisme into Christianitie for to speake properlie a good Iewe was no other thing then a Christian by faith looking and waiting for the Messias which is Christ as in like manner a Christian is a true and naturall Iew of the true seed of Abraham in asmuch as by the same faith he hath receiued Iesus for the Christ The diuine seruice likewise amongst the Iewes notwithstanding that they were darkened in their opinions by the peruerse glosses of the Pharisies was abiding sincere and pure purged and free from all Idolatrie in as great measure as euer at any time before when our Sauiour Christ came into the world whereupon wee see he made it not straunge neither yet his Disciples to be conuersant in their Temple and Synagogues But on the contrary there was the place where our Lord did chuse oftentimes to take occasion to teach instruct the people to interprete the Scriptures which were therein diligentlie read as in like manner his Apostles did after his example Iohn 18. Actes 15. and to this end we haue infinite store of plaine and manifest places both
ad Pammach Oceanum de Origen we should likewise speake doubtfullie of the Deitie of the holie Ghost with Saint Hillarie we should condemne children dying without Baptisme with Saint Augustine we should giue them the Eucharist with Saint Cyprian and the greatest part vntill the time of Charles the great euen vnto the mouthes of the dead as certaine Councels doe beare vs witnesse In a word we should haue made with lesse then nothing of the Church of Christ Augeas his Oxehouse Canus l. 7. de locis Theol. c. 3. Gen. Cent. 3. seq ad finem c. 4. VillavinceÌ„tius de ratione studiâ—â— Theolo l. 4 c. 6 obseru 1. 2. Baron annal tom 2. of Noes Arke a sinke of all superstitions and errours Which thing our greatest aduersaries themselues at this time not being able to dissemble doe say All the Saints such onely excepted as haue written the Canonicall bookes haue spoken by the Spirit of man and haue sometimes erred euen in the matters of faith both in worde and writing what profoundnesse of learning or innocencie of life soeuer that we can obserue and marke in them And they come so farre as to set downe their errors and that both by their names as also by their kinds concluding that the Scriptures are onely without error and exempted from lies As therefore there are rules for the expounding of the Scripture by the Scripture The Fathers must be admitted as expounders but not as law-giuers so there are also for the expounding of them by the Fathers the first whereof is alwayes this That they be receyued and read as expounders not as law-giuers and that they referre their expositions to the rule of faith and the articles thereof and not to make any new faith any new articles according to that which Saint Ierome saith vnto vs Hieron cont Iouinian August de Bono viduitat As oft as I expound not the Scriptures but speake freely of mine owne sense reprooue me who will And Saint Augustine The holie Scripture hath set vs a rule not to dare to knowe more then it behoueth My teaching of thee then may not be any other thing then to expound vnto thee the words of the Teacher that is of the Lord. Vincentius c. 2 22 41. And this is the same that Vincentius Lyrinensis saith vnto vs The Canon of the Scriptures saith he is perfect and superaboundantly sufficient in it selfe for all things Wee are not then to make any addition of the Fathers to make by them any supplie vnto the doctrine of the Scriptures but rather saith he seeing that they may bee interpreted in diuerse senses it is meete to ioine therewithall the authoritie of the Ecclesiasticall vnderstanding Not to adde vnto or alter any thing that is written but onely to make for the vnderstanding of it For saith he elswhere It is written Depositum serua That which hath beene committed of trust vnto thee not what thou shalt haue inuented That which thou hast receiued not what thou hast found out wherein thou must not be an authour but whereof thou art a gardiant not an ordiner but a disciple not a guide but a follower What thou hast receiued in golde redeliuer the same in golde c. And in the person of Timothie this is spoken vnto all Teachers it is spoken to the whole Church c. And what we say of one of the Fathers we take it as spoken of all togither for although all the men of the world could bee assembled and called togither and that euerie one of them were worth an Augustine they could not make or cause to be made one article of faith to binde the faith of a Christian to beleeue anie other thing necessarie vnto saluation then that which is in the holy Scripture Gaâ—â— following that which Saint Paule saith Though I my selfe or an Angel from heauen should preach vnto you any other thing then that which wee haue alreadie preached vnto you let him be accursed And a little after he setteth downe the reason For I haue not receiued or learned it of any man but by the reuelation of Iesus Christ c. And this hath beene renued by all the olde Fathers though but ill fauouredly kept by them which were their successours and whereupon notwithstanding our maister Gerson and Cardinall Caietan after him haue framed this conclusion That the Church of this time cannot any more neither hath bin able besides that which the Primitiue Church could to canonize any booke establish any article of faith c. The second is That we discerne in the workes of the Fathers the true and legitimate bookes from the faigned ones not to attribute them vnto them and by consequent sucke out of them an other mans errors in stead of their sound opinions not to receiue any doctrine for old when as the same shall be either new or else verie sparingly commended vnto vs of the ancients For it cannot be denied but that there are many such and those easily found out either by the stile being otherwise in one age then it is in another yea differing in some one time of some one father from that of another or by some apparance of contrarietie and that either in doctrine or exposition a thing hardly befalling any one authour or by the alledging of Authours which are notoriously knowne not to haue liued till after them or by the vsing of some tearmes and speeches not as yet practised in the Church in their time c. Of all which sorts the malice of men hath furnished vs with sufficient store of examples For the stile of the Epistles attributed to the first Bishops of Rome is meerely barbarous and Gottish in the times of the greatest flourishing of the Latine tongue and when there could not bee found in all Italie nor in all the Romane Empire either learned or idiot that could speake this language The stile of Denys the pretended Areoopagite is nothing like to Saint Pauls containing nothing of Apostolicall note or marke nothing of the spoiling of Ceremonies so oft repeated by the Apostle The treatise of Sina and Sion against the Iewes c. nothing of that vigor which was in Saint Cyprian his other writings against the very same but farre lesse of his elegancie zeale and doctrine The pretended Canons also of the Apostles how should they proceed from them when they forbid that which the others approue and command that which they do openly disproue and disallow And therefore by so much the more daungerous and poisonfull for hauing purloined the name of so soueraigne a drug And in such sort we are likewise to say of Saint Clement his reuises and Saint Peter his peregrination Hieronym in Apolog. cont Ruff in Epiph. haeres 27. which Saint Ierome and Epiphanius do witnesse vnto vs wittingly to hold and take part with the heresie of Eunomius and Ebion the most pernicious ones that haue been in the Church
which hee there alleadgeth out of the old Writers are verie expresse and fit for the purpose ' Peter sayeth hee preacheth vnto them to belieue in him whom they had crucified to the ende that belieuing they might drinke the bloode which they had spilt in their madde and furious moode Againe The same blood which they shedde in their follie they drunke by his grace c. And the Canons which hee draweth out of Iulius Gelasius and Gregorie the Great doe vtter the same neither doth the Glose vpon the decree speake otherwise in any part thereof de Consecr d. 2. To bee briefe the olde Agends euen to this daye in the Rubrick of the visitation of the sicke do beare these wordes Let the bodie and the blood of the Lord bee administred vnto them vnder both kindes yea and since that superstition brought in that which they call Periculum effusionis the daunger of shedding so that vntill this time there is not one bare worde to bee found in all the olde Writers to the contrarie but that the cuppe was administred vnto the people Sufficient proofe of the same are the verses engrauen vppon the olde cuppes as likewise this Hymne in vse as yet vnto this daye Dedit fragilib us corporis ferculum Dedit ex tristibus sanguinis poculum Omnes ex eo bibite Sic Sacrificium istud instituit Cuius Officium committi vo luit Solis Presbiteris quib us sie congruit Vt sumant dent caeteris As likewise Beatus Rhenanus reporteth that in his time there were to bee seene in some cathedrall Churches the cuppes wherewith they ministred vnto the people and that they were called ministring cuppes likewise in the Romish pontificall which were couered and of the weight of some 480. or 560. ounces hauing a certaine pretie little beake or pipe at which the people did drinke to auoid all shedding And namelie there is to bee read of that of the cathedrall Church of Mentz and of that of the Abbye of S. Gall in Swisserland And as yet to this day in the Abbye of Clugni at the great Masse the Priest doth consecrate three hostes the one whereof they say is for himselfe and the others for the Deacon and Subdeacon which being receiued hee drinketh in the cuppe one parte of the consecrated wine with a hollow reede or pipe and then after him his Deacon and Subdeacon one after another doe drinke the rest with the same reede or pipe And the Christians called Maronicks of the Citie Marcinas in Syria remaining still vntill this present in Ierusalem practise the same And now wee are come to twelue hundred yeares and more after the death of our Lord obseruing in all ages and pointing out from age to age this vse of both kinds in the Church And then what manner of antiquitie is that which our aduersaries can obiect against vs from that time forward But as the doctrine of Transubstantiation authorised by the Councell of Lateran after the yeare 1200. had within a while after engendred and brought forth by consequence the concomitancie or ioyning and coupling of the bodie and blood of Christ together as also the daunger of shedding this new conclusion followed of these two ouer-measures about the yeare 1300. That therefore it was sufficient seeing also that it was lesse daungerous to giue vnto the Laitie onelie the kind of bread And yet hetherto it stoode rather by toleration then by ordinance or constitution for it was not yet throughlie founde out as being but in certaine Churches not in all and the rather seeing the daylie resolution of the best learned was That the Sacrament was not perfect but vnder both kindes Gulielmus Durandus Bishoppe of Miniat Gulielm Durand in ration diuinorum L. 4. p. 3. titulo de osculo pacis did euerie where maintaine and defend that our Lorde did institute it for all vnder both kindes and that they are requisite for the perfection of the Sacrament in briefe hee sayeth All those in the Primitiue Church which were present at Masse did communicate because that all the Apostles had drunk of thee cup the Lord commaunding them Drinke yee all for they offered a great loafe sufficient for all which thing is as yet practised of the Grecians Where is now the difference betwixt the Priestes and the Laitie Againe Although that vnder the kinde of wine the bodie bee receiued with the blood Duran l. 2. p. 2. tit simili mod notwithstanding according to the iudgement of Innocent the third the blood cannot bee drunke vnder the kinde of bread nor the bodie is not eaten vnder the kinde of wine because that like as the blood is not eaten nor the bodie drunken so neyther is the one and the other drunke vnder the kinde of bread nor eaten vnder the kinde of Wine c. And this is the cause why he addeth in certain places after the taking of the bodie and of the blood there is reserued and kept behind in the cup some little quantitie of blood and wine powred vpon it to the end that the other Communicantes may take it because it should not bee conuenient to make so much blood and because also that there cannot be any cup found to containe it and notwithstanding sayeth hee in manie places men doe communicate with breade and wine that is with the whole Sacrament and this is also confirmed vnto vs by Thomas And hereof it commeth that some do attribute the taking away of the cuppe vnto this Innocent notwithstanding that he made not anie decree for the same Balaeus l. 5. de vit Pap. But yet it was much about the verie same time that the giuing of wine to wash the mouth withall was brought in in steade of the cutting of the kinde for wee reade in the Synodall booke of the Church of Nisme these wordes Wee commaund and inioyne all Priestes Synodalis liber Nemau eccles that they haue pure wine readie in the Church to giue vnto euerie one of the people presentlie after that hee shall haue receiued the bodie of the Lord forbidding them in expresse tearmes not to depart out of the presence of the Priests vntill they haue taken some and verie well washed their mouthes therewithall And notwithstanding this error did not vniuersallie as then possesse all Christendome Abbas Visper for wee reade that the Christian Souldiers which were to vndergoe the assault made vpon Damiata before that they would buckle themselues thereunto did all of them communicate the bodie blood of our Lord c. Alexander Hales maketh mention how that in his time the deuout and religious persons found it strange that the cuppe should bee taken from them demaunding that it might bee restored vnto them againe and that this their request was made of no effect by a pretended miracle which was by the making of blood to come out of an host Alexand. 4. q. 40. M. 3. art 2. 4. q. 53. M. 1. c. And
this venome as it were by a fire Marke this word As then the speeches here vsed do not deale with the fire of that materiall purgatorie And in deed he setteth downe S. Cyp. l. 3. testim aduers Iud. c. 57. Cyrill in Esa l. 1. c. 4. orat 3. Barnabas as one of this number S. Cyprian likewise The Lord hath reformed and amended me not giuing me ouer vnto death according to that which is written in Malachie c. For saith he God amendeth and preserueth his faithfull S. Cyrill expoundeth it of the operation of the holy Ghost in the regnerating and sanctifying of the faithfull and according to the same expoundeth the place of Esay 4. When the Lord shall wash the daughters of Sion c. But yet and if wee marke the text Behold the Lord saith he quasi ignis as a fire This then cannot be purgatorie but God which maketh this purging and not properly a fire but as a fire hee meaneth doubtlesse the fire of the spirit of Christ which purifieth our soules by his doctrine And so S. Ierome hath expounded it Hugo in Esa c. 4. in Malac. c. 3. Cardinall Hugo in like manner saith He will purge sinnes by the fire of his passion or of his spirit And by this meanes we conclude that there is no place throughout all the canonical bookes of the old Testament from which may bee gathered or proued this their purgatorie or any of the praiers or Masses for the dead neither yet according to the exposition of the fathers and that the most worthie and renowned amongst them any such torment as is giuen to them And this is freely acknowledged by Perion the Monke and thereof there is as yet some iarre and disagreement remaining amongst those of the Church of Rome namely whether there were any purgatorie in the time of the olde Testament or not There remaine the booke of Tobiah and the second of the Machabees both Apocrypha which we are to examine howbeit that wee could answere them in a word that all doctrines that haue no other ground approbation but in the Apocrypha bookes must needs themselues be Apocrypha Tobiah saith Tob. c. 4. v. 18. Cast thy bread liberally vppon the graues of the iust but giue nothing vnto the wicked The Israelites had beene amongst the Gentiles and so had Tobiah also now the Gentiles were wont to make feastes at the funeralles of their neere kinsmen Vnde parentare et parentatum The Iewes that they might not seeme to be behind the Gentiles in honouring of their parentes distributed victualles vnto the poore In like manner saith Saint Ierome they caried victualles to such as were sorrowful pensiue and which wept about the graues of their dead which hee gathereth out of the 31. of the Prouerbes And Cardinall Hugo Hee speaketh here of some fashion not knowne vnto vs or rather for the comforting of the kinsfolkes hee commanded feastes to be made after the buriall c. This is all that can be gathered out of this place That of the Machabees may seeme to minister vnto them some better matter for their purpose This is saith he a oly cogitation to pray for the dead 2. Micab 12. to the ende that they may bee deliuered from their sinnes c. First it is pittie that this doctrine of their pretended fire whereof they make so great accounts and for the defence whereof they haue kindled so many fires throughout Christendome should haue no other foundation then one only place and that out of the Apocripha bookes and that the rather in as much as they haue beene acknowledged such by all antiquitie and by the most auncient Doctors and Councels witnesse S. Cyprian S. Ierome S. Augustine S. Gregorie c. The primitiue Church gouerned by the holy Ghost Cypr. in Symbol Hieronym in lib. Sapient August contr Gaudentium Gregor l. 8. Moralium hath not iudged the books of the Machabees to be such without cause if afterward they haue been permitted to be read in the Church it was as S. Augustine telleth vs For the example sake of vertue and not for the grounding of any doctrines vpon them Saint Ierome saith They are read for the instruction of the people and not to authorize any doctrine c. S. Gregorie likewise They are not produced or alleadged for to testifie or confirme any thing as canonicall but onely for edification There are whole volumes to this effect And when as the Church hath not touched or had any dealing with the reportes and narrations contained in the second booke partly as not agreeing vppon the same matters with that of the first and partly for their being detected and conuinced of falshood by the whole storie of the ancient gestes of the Iewes as in that matter of the hidden fire of the Arke c. which Nehemiah and Esdras would not haue concealed c. We cannot but haue them suspected as also it fared with Pope Gelasius who would not admit of the first c. yea the Author himselfe giueth sentence of condemnation against himselfe as crauing pardon if he haue written amisse The holy Ghost who hath inspired and enlightened the authors of the canonicall scriptures would neuer haue written so In the second book it is certaine that from the time of the Machabees 2. Machab. 4.7.12 the Iewes by means of the familiaritie that they had with the Grecians began mightily to incline to Paganisme Now wee will shew hereafter that this doctrine is taken from the Paganes and it appeareth so to be by Iason who in fauour of Antiochus prouided an vniuersitie of paganisme in Ierusalem by other priestes who turned the sacrifices of the law into the manner of vsage that was amongst the Paganes 2. Machab. 3.13 sacrificing for the idolatrous kings for the Lacedemonians for the health of Heliodorus a piller and spoiler of the temple also by their suffering of the Paganes contrarie to the law to offer therein as namely vnto Antiochus Eupator the Emperor Augustus c. Philo de legatione ad Caium By the historie of Razias who laid violent hands vpon himselfe that so he might not fall into the enemies hands the opinion of al Paganes yet commended by this author of the second book of Machabees But after all this let vs come to the storie which is the same with that which is mentioned in the 1. book and 5. chap. Ioseph the sonne of Zachary and Azarias priestes 1. Mach. 5.57 in the emulation which the prowesse and valiantnesse of Iuda had stirred vp in thē contrarie to his inhibition made an enterprise against Iamnia but Gorgias comming out against them discomfited them so that there remained 2000. vpon the place And Israel had receiued a sore ouerthrow Because saith he that hee had not obeied Iuda and that they were not of those whom God had stirred vp for the deliuerance of Israel that is to say because they
receiued into eternal happines because of the Son of God made a sacrifice for vs whome they haue participated in the Eucharist But as hee was vrged drawne by the strife contention of the time for there was then much to do about this Article whereas al the former haue made but two orders of the deceased August de cura pro mortuis ad Paul Nol. c. 1.4.18 Ad Dulcit q 2. De Ciuit. Dei l. 21. c. 13. 14 Idem de verb Domini Serm. 32. he hath made three The good saith hee who haue nothing to doe but to make prayers and supplications and these are they whome by name they dayly vsed so to praie for The wicked for whome no prayers or supplications could serue if it be not it may be saith he for the damned for the diminishing and lessening of their punishment And Chrysostome said also that they did ease their paines And the middlemost or those betwist the other two who haue need and accordingly ayde and succour there by whether it bee saith hee that God may not deale with them according to their sinnes or that their soules may be purged before the day of iudgement by temporall punishment that so they may not fall into the eternall Finally the prayers which are made for the good are thankesgiuings for the wicked such as whereby the liuing may be comforted and for those which are betwixt both such as are propitiatorie Now this is the first man that hath set open this way and passage contrarie to all auncient writers and more then foure hundred yeares after our Sauiour Christ there hauing not beene any man before time that had so much as read any thing of prayer for the dead or of a third place which they call Purgatorie and this Purgatorie notwithstanding wherof he saith elswhere in other places That there is some apparance that it is That it may be that there is one That no part of the Scripture speaketh of it That there is not any at all Doubtfull therefore are these prayers and oblations euen for the middle order of the deceased as is also his Purgatorie Or rather none at all absolutely as neither his Purgatorie seeing that by his confession there is none in the Scriptures What doe wee gather out of all this discourse Verily first That these prayers haue no foundation or ground either in the olde or new Testament Secondly that they are proceeded partly from humane affections and partly from the imitation of the Pagans Thirdly that the old Fathers vsed them for those whome they belieued alreadie to enioy eternall life as the Apostles Prophets Martyrs the holy Virgine c. Or we may say better according to the manner wherin they prayed in the Councell of Trent for the Soules of the Popes Paul the third and Iulius the third For those which liue and die in a most holy manner can they possibly according to their owne doctrine abide so long in Purgatorie Fourthly that it was then in regard of their soules a holy desire and to be taken in like sence as when we say liue O Christ liue O God c. whome wee know to raigne eternally In regard of their bodies a prayer vnto God that it would please him to glorifie them in the resurrection c. Fiftly that they were made rather in consideration of the liuing then of the dead to ease them of their griefe and confirme them in their faith instructions that may bee taken at a better hand and warrant from the Apostle Torment not your selues about them which are a sleepe c. Sixtly that they made them not vpon any consideration of Purgatorie seeing that amongst so many reasons of so many Doctors liuing in diuers ages and places not any one before Saint Augustine hath alleadged Purgatorie Seuenthly that these obseruations and reasons so diuers and manifold doe witnesse vnto vs that it was at that time held as an indifferent doctrine as also how that the greater sort doe call it a Custome a Decree an Institution c. Eightly that Saint Augustine himselfe who alone after many other better reasons alleadgeth Purgatorie cannot make any good proofe of the same seeing he himselfe doth not couer or conceale what doubt hee was in whether there were a Purgatorie or not Likewise he deliuereth contrarie assertions whereby there is great apparance and likelyhood that he did not reuoke or vnsay any thing but so farre as hee was wonne and ouerswayed by the headstrong conceipt of men seming in the light of nature to know that which they had neuer heard or seene Finally that the prayers for the dead which haue no foundation in the world ought not to haue any more authoritie in the Church then Baptisme for the dead practised say the ancients but not approued from the time of the Apostles or the Eucharist giuen into the mouth of the dead the one and the other proceeding from the same naturall affections and yet both the one and the other abolished and banished out of the Church Now it is not to be forgotten that that which was to be seene very weake and feeble in S. Augustine for to strengthen this new building withall hath beene since that time vnderpropped by counterfait and fained writings by men willing that way to imploy their vttermost indeauour thus labouring by vntruth to establish a lie and mans deuice and inuention by notorious and hainous crimes And to that end some haue attributed vnto him the Bookes August de ver fals paenit c. 71. De vera falsa paenitentia made in deede by Monkes though they be commonly cited in his name where he saith Let him that deferreth to conuert and turne too long passe through the fire of Purgatorie which is more painefull and grieuous then all the punishment that man can indure in this life A Sermon also of the day of the dead or of the remembrance of all the deceased where they haue made him speake in the same tearmes and manner of speach A booke notwithstanding wherein the Author himselfe alleadged S. Augustine as also the feast not being as yet receiued into the Church in his time but instituted by Odilo Abbot of Clugni more then 500. yeares after And yet which is more there are some that haue deuised an Epistle written from S. Cyril Bb. of Ierusalem to S. Augustine for to confirme him in the opinion of Purgatorie Cyril I say whose life S. Ierome did write whiles he liued writing to S. Augustine of the myracles of Saint Ierome after his death In which Epistle there is mention made How that S. Ierome appeared vnto a certaine man named Eusebius and commaunded him to cast his sacke ouer three dead bodies which should presently therupon rise therby confounding the heresie which denied Purgatory That these three men thus raised againe made their abode amongst men for the space of twentie dayes declared how that S. Ierome had beene the meanes of their seeing of
the carrion shall bee Idem hom 24. in 1. Cor. c. 10. thither will the Eagles resort The Eagles saith he to shew that it greatly standeth him vpon that wil come neere to this body to pitch his flight in the highest and loftiest degree and that he haue nothing to doe with the earth that he looke vp vnto behold the Sun of righteousnes And that he haue the eye of his vnderstanding verie quicke and sharpe sighted for this table is a table for Eagles to feed vpon and not the Crowes They are to thinke saith he in an other place Idem hom 60. ad Pop. Antioch Idem in Psal 144.133 in Mat. hom 7. 90. Idem in Ep. ad Caesar Monach Idem in oper impers hom 11. in Iohan. That they taste and feed on him that is set on high worshipped of Angels They are to rise vp to the gates of heauen to looke vpon him he filleth the spirit not the belly He distributeth the holy things vnto them that are holy Thou maiest imbrace him but it must be with a pure conscience touch him but by rising in thy spirit soaring aboue the heauens But what is there in all this that maketh for the transubstantiators In the Epistle to Caesarius ther is a doubt put yet it is an old one The bread saith he before it be sanctified is called by vs bread but after that it is sanctified by the grace of God c. it is thoght worthy to be called by the name of the body of our Lord notwithstanding that the nature of bread doe still abide in it c. And in an other place If it be daungerous to conuert sanctified vessels to priuate vses there being not in them the verie bodie of Christ but the misterie of his body then how much more the vessels of our bodies which God hath prepared for his owne habitation c. Whether Chrysostome Maximinus or some other were the Author of this booke so it is that he speaketh as was then the vse and custome and according to the faith receiued in the Church For as concerning that which Bellarmine saith that a certaine disciple of Berengarius did insert it it is as easie for vs to denie as it is hard and difficult for him to proue Saint Ierome speaketh not any otherwise Hieronym in Mat. 26. After saith hee that the Passeouer was accomplished and the flesh of the Lambe eaten with the Apostles he tooke bread which comforteth the heart of man and passeth forward to the Sacrament of the true Passeouer to the end that as Melchisedec Gods high Priest offering for a presiguration of him had done he also might represent the truth of his body Bellarmine laboureth in this place to turne represent into present or offer Idem ad Hedâ—â— but S. Ierome will expound himselfe If saith he the bread which is come downe from heauen be the body of Christ and the wine his bloud shed for manye for the remission of sins c. let vs ascend with the Lord into this great hall c. and let vs receiue of him there on high the cup of the new Testament and there celebrating with him the Passe-ouer let vs bee drunken with him with the wine of sobrietie c. Then it is here below that it doth represent him and on high that it presenteth and offereth him They replie If saith he The bread which he brake and gaue to his Disciples be the body of our Sauior then our Lord himselfe est conuina conuiuium both the guest and the feast he which eateth he which is eaten c. Not verily after the letter for Belarmine would be loth to blame S. Ierome of heresie and this is their heresie That the bread may be the body of Christ And therefore in a mysterie Idem in 1. Cor c. 11. in a figure for a remembrance for a pledge c. And he himselfe also doth vse al these words Hee tooke the bread saith hee and blessing it as he should suffer left it to vs for his last remembrance as he which goeth into strange countries leaueth some one or other token of remembrance with his friend c. which he can hardly looke vpon without weeping And this is in handling the matter of the supper Idem aduers Ioum. l. 2. C. de hac quidem de Consecr D. 2. In an other place He offered wine for a figure of his bloud c. for a figure of his Passion to approue the truth of his body And vpon Leuiticus Of this oblation saith he which is maruelously made for a remembrance of Christ it is permitted to eate but it is not permitted to any according to his own sence to eate of that which Christ hath offered vpon the Altar of the Crosse What becoÌ„meth then of that which they say that the very same is taken in of men at their mouthes And what distinction shall it be possible for S. Ierome to make therein But that that that is to say the Sacrament is taken and receiued with the mouth but this that is the thing is receiued by faith And this is the same that he saith in an other place In Ep. ad Hedâ—â—t In Eccles c. 3 Idem in 1. Cor 11. In Esa c 66. That all those that haue put on Christ in Baptisme doe eate the bread of Angels that we are fed with his flesh both in the Sacraments as also in the Scriptures That they which haue had the same in such sort as to bee fed therewith must haue a cleane and a new spirit Comparing the receiuing of Christ in the supper with that receiuing of him which is in Baptisme and in the word Againe That the flesh of Christ is vnderstood two waies Either spiritually and diuinely whereof it is said My flesh is truely meate c. Or for that which was crucified and pearced with the Souldiers speare That then is the Sacramentall that is to say the Eucharisticall bread so called for the straite vnion of the Sacrament and the thing c. And this the real into which we are grafted and implanted by the vertue of the holy Ghost crucified in it to be glorified with it c. For as for that which our aduersaries say that that is his flesh which cannot suffer and this his flesh that is subiect to suffering they should remember themselues how that this is spoken many ages after our Lords glorification whose flesh as they themselues hold cannot any more become subiect to suffering S. Idem ad Eph. c. August q. â—7 In Leuâ—t ad Eund cont Maxim l. 3. c. 22. Idem Ep. 23. ad Boâ—â—â—ac Augustine commeth We haue seene his Maximes heretofore as so many preparatiues to the deciding of this matter Hee said vnto vs The fathers haue eaten the same meate that we in the Sacraments and he gaue vs the holy supper for an example Againe The signes of eatimes
and so of plaine and euident sentences for the opening of the hidden couert ones But otherwise if vnder the colour of obscuritie thou labor to gather any point of new doctrine Irenaeus will say vnto thee Thou must reason from the cleare places of the Scripture and not from parables Saint Basil The things that may seeme darkly spoken in one place are most cleare in another Saint Augustine Who is so impudent as to expound anie place of Scripture for himselfe by an Allegorie if he haue not an other verie cleare place in the Scripture which may make it plaine Seeing likewise saith he in another place That of all that which is obscure therein Lomb. l. 3. d. 5 there riseth not any thing almost but that which is cleare elsewhere Lombard Tho. in Sum. q. 147. art 10. Pet. de Alliac Where as the Scripture is silent it will be good for vs not to affirme any thing Thomas Thou canst not reason from an Allegoricall sense c. To be briefe the Cardinall Alliaco That the scripture is a lampe that giueth light and that wee must haue recourse thither to haue saluation Gerson That an idiot a woman yea a childe Gers de Script de exa doct Pic. in Quest an Papa sup Concil are better to be beleeued alledging the Scripture then the Pope and a whole Councell And the Counte Iohannes Picus Mirandula after the same manner So farre off were these men who yet were the lights of their time from this darke opinion sprung no doubt out of the pit of vtter darknesse That the Scriptures were not any thing but darknesse But in a word the mischiefe is for that we will finde it difficult because that in the clearnesse thereof it is impossible for vs to finde out our inuentions obscure because that our traditions cannot stand before this light and imperfect because that neither by it nor before it we are able to defend our imperfections Yet so it is that our aduersaries replie that there are controuersies amongst vs that wee cannot agree of the expounding of the places which are alledged respectiuely How they must be expounded and therefore who shall expound them vnto vs who shall cause vs to admit of one exposition more then of another Let vs striue thitherward hauing Gods grace to assist vs let vs come thereto with the Zeale of his glorie the loue of the truth and the desire of saluation and then a meane knowledge ioyned with a good conscience would speedily attaine the ende And for some small taste thereof may it please the reader to examine certaine rules that follow being those which the auncient fathers doe teach vs. The first is That we be agreed vpon the Canonicall Scriptures thereby to auoyde the confounding of them with the Apocrypha that is To agree of the bookes called Canonical of the setting downe of the spirit of God for iudge rightlie discerned and distinguished from euerie spirit of man for humane scripture after the maner of monie is so much the more hurtfull and damnable by how much the coine that it hath counterfeited is the better and hereof the olde Church hath had a speciall regard I call this the first because that by this doore it did perceiue both vanities and heresies to enter into the Church vnder a fained name of our Lord and his Apostles They tell vs that the Scripture is the ballance the rule and the squire c. Hieronym ad Laetam And therefore to render to things their weight measure and streightnesse it is necessarie that it should be iust And this is that which S. Ierome telleth vs Let vs looke vnto our selues to beware of the Apocrypha bookes and if we will reade them c. let vs know that they are not theirs by whose names they are called that many faultie things are mingled there amongst that it craueth a singular prudencie in him that looketh to gather golde out of mud and in a worde that we must not reade them ad dogmatum veritatem for the confirming of doctrines So farre off is he from beeing of iudgement that wee shoulde rake togither the dregges of all manner of such Authours from all parts therewith to defile the Church And in another place In Symb. Ruf. in Praefat in Prou. in Reg. in prolog Galeato Hiberas naemas Certaine peruerse men to strengthen their opinions haue inserted vnder the name of holie personages things that they neuer writ and notwithstanding there are some which preferre these Hiberian fables before the Authētike bookes And this is the cause why S. August doth presse the heretikes continually with the Canonicall Bookes and refuseth the Apocrypha wherin they did their whole indeuour to ground themselues Let vs lay aside both on the one part the other that which we produce frō elswhere then out of the Canonicall bookes let vs shewe forth the holy Church by the holy Oracles let vs search for it in the holie Canonicall Scriptures c. To them I yeeld this honour that their Authour could not erre any maner of way the others I read in such sort how holy or lerned soeuer they might be as that I beleeue them not in that which they say because they say it but because they perswade me either by the Canonicall bookes or else by probable reason c. And therefore he saith further Ep. 19. ad Hieronym l. 2. con Dona. c. 3. con Faust l. 11. c. 5. The aduised searcher of the holy Scriptures shall reade them first all ouer but those onely which are called Canonicall for then he shall be able to reade the others more safely being alreadie instructed in the faith of the truth for feare that otherwise they might forestall and get the aduantage of a weake spirit abuse it with dangerous lies infect it with some preiudicate opinion cōtrarie to sound vnderstanding Lib. de Ciuit. Dei c. 15.23 For although therin be found some truth notwithstanding because of many vntruthes they are vtterly without all Canonicall authoritie And in the meane time what impudencie is it to go about to make him to giue credit to the decree by committing the offence of a most notorious lie D. 9. c. in Canonicis acknowledged also by Alphonsus of Castres to haue said That the Decretall Epistles of the Bishops of Rome are of the same authoritie Cyril Hierosol Catech. 4. that the Canonicall Scriptures Cyrill Patriarke of Ierusalem Studie these Scriptures onely which wee boldly and confidently reade in the Church but haue not any thing to doe with the Apocrypha Nazian de veris Scripturae libris Nazianzene In them wee see the light c. But to the ende that the bookes that are excluded from thence may not deceiue thee learne to know the true and legitimate number c. If you find any other then those holde them for base and bastardlie ones Yea and this was one of
and sung twice The Psalmes at the first were wont to be sung intire whole of all the people and with one voice where afterward they were diuided into pauses and in the ende into verses in the singing whereof the Cleargie and the people did by course sing one one verse Hermanus Gigas in Flore temp Psalmes and the other the other Gregorie appointed an Antiphonarie for the time and space of the whole yeare consisting of Versicles Responsories for euery day Likewise he ordained a schoole of singers to sing the lithurgie and hee laboured greatly to haue his song or maner of singing receiued euery where throughout the Latine Churches finding himselfe much offended with the barbarous voyces of the French Singing Germaine English men Ioann Diaconus l. 2. c 6. 7. Walafr c. 22. Kyrie cleison as not hauing beene able to fit and tune themselues thereunto He taketh the Kyrie eleison from the Grecians and was found fault with therefore for said some This is far off from reducing the Church of Constantinople vnder the church of Rome seeing thereby he did nothing els but draw their fashions manners vnto Rome But he excuseth himselfe in these wordes Amongst the Grecians all the people doe say it but amongst vs the Cleargie that is the Ministers of the Church onely and the people answereth Greg. l. 7. epi. 63. indict 2. Prayers Againe Looke how oft we say Kyrie cleison so many times also do we say Christe eleison which is not done amongst the Grecians For prayer hee made a booke some part whereof was taken and drawne out of that of Gelasius which is called the Sacramentarie containing those thinges which were to be said euerie day throughout the yeare If there be found saith Walafridus any thing in this booke which halteth it is to be thought Gregor l. 2. c. 17. Walafr c. 22. Lessons that it is none of his but that some other hath added the same thereto afterward yea and there are old Masse-bookes to be seene where are noted the praiers secrets and Post-communions of Gregorie to make them tobe knowne from the others which in deed are more corrupt then his For the lessons of the Gospell and Epistle he followeth directly and altogether the booke of lessons or the bookes called Comes attributed vnto Saint Ierome saue onely that vpon the festiuall dayes the institution of Pope Vigilius was receiued and kept and thereto also was his booke of Anthemes fitted and squared endeuouring to raise and draw Anthemes taken out of the Psalmes to answere to the seuerall drifts and purposes of the lessons whereas before this prescript forme of reading the Gospels Epistles Prophesies and other bookes of the old and new Testament were read through Sermons And as for their preachings and expositions of the word of God vnto the people hee speaketh of himselfe in a certaine place that he had expounded forty lessons out of the Gospel as it had beene accustomed to be read vpon certaine daies in the Office Gregor in praef Homil. and that some of his expositions were deliuered by word to his Clearke or Secretarie that he might afterward reade them to the assemblie and that he had himselfe pronounced and vttered other some of them with his owne mouth But therewithal he complaineth himselfe greatly of the iniquitie and abuse of the time which had preuailed so far as that The Pastors of the church had left and abandoned the chaire of teaching and preaching of the Gospell Gregor D. 92. and would not find leasure to do any other thing then sing And this saith he grew because singing men were aduaunced and placed in the Ministerie of the Church who supposed themselues to haue discharged their duty when they had opened their pipes tickled the people with their singing though they had done nothing vnto them eyther in instructing of them in the articles of their faith or in the doctrine of manners For offerings Offeringes they continued and were brought in euerie day notwithstanding that the Church was growne very rich in so much as that diuers of the old Fathers complained themselues saying that the Bishops had not done as Moses did who caused proclamation to be made amongst the people that they should not bring any more Gregor in Dialogis when he saw that there was enough for the building of the tabernacle For wee find likewise that in the time of Gregorie there were offered sheep and calues c against the expresse Canon which commanded that nothing but bread wine should be offered But the greater abuses hapning about the consecration of the offerings cause vs to leape ouer the other which were not so waightie with a lighter foote Now we haue alreadie seene that it was the peoples custome to offer of their fruits and increase vnto God as the old people of the Iewes did and that these fruits were consecrated vnto him by a holy prayer after the manner vsed by the Priest amongst the Israelites wherin he was humbly intreated to take in good part that their thanksgiuing and to accept of this their sacrifice of praise And these fruits as all the peace offerings amongst the Iewes were lifted vp or shaken for to shew them vnto the people after that of the same fruits that is of the bread and wine was taken that which was sufficient for the Sacraments and the remainder reserued for the poore c. Now all this so commendable a custome beganne not to degenerate but to turne into a plaine poison about this time of Gregorie Walafr c. 22. and not without iust cause saith Walafridus seeing he ordained the order of Masses consecrations as well as of singing For in deed the forme of consecration was so far changed at that time by chaunging of the subiect as that the words properly vsed in the blessing of the gifts and offerings were appropriated directly to the Sacraments The Canon There then beganne the worke about that part of the Masse which properly they call the Canon In the Primitiue Church the holy Supper was celebrated euery Lords day and all the faithfull there present were bound to participate thereof by little and little thir zeale waxed cold whereof we heare S. Ambrose S. Chrysostome and others to crie out In the ende it came to that point Can. non iste C. quotidie de consecrat dist 5. that the people did not for the most part accustome any more to communicate neither were they pressed any thing thereunto by the diligence of the Pastors Whereupon likewise followed a tolleration and ceasing from the looking vnto of the seueritie and straitnesse of the Canons namely those which enioyned men that they should communicate at the least three times a yeare at the natiuitie of Christ Easter and Pentecost otherwise they should not bee taken for good Catholikes which afterward was restrained to the Natiuitie of Christ onely And thus it
bee helde at Constantinople Anno 870. which they call ordinarilie the eight generall Councell whose Actes and decrees wee cannot finde extant in the volumes of the Councels and but a verie fewe of them else where in histories And Bartholomeus Caranza sayeth that hee met with them so depraued and falsified as that he durst not coppie them out Onelie the Popes fauourites doe affirme that therein should bee confirmed the worshipping of Images and the curses of the second Councell of Nice repeated So that wee neede not doubt if we consider the proceeding such as it is set downe in the Pontificall booke it selfe Lib. Pontificalis that is to say that Adrian the Pope gaue vnto his Legates a little booke containing all that hee would haue to be belieued of the supremacie of the Pope and of the worshipping of Images with this charge that they should not receiue or admit any man into counsel or consultation with them before they had first signed the same but that by this meanes hee preuailed in the cause hauing no aduerse partie to stand against the same Againe that which is left remaining with vs is such stuffe as that it would make a man quake and tremble to reade it the Emperour Basill vttering these speeches therein Now are you out of the Diuelles clouches true Christians worthy of eternall life for if you had not abandoned this heresie Christ could haue profited you nothing How manie heresies yea and how many blasphemies be there in these few wordes Christ saith the Apostle doth profite vs nothing if we bring in againe the ceremonies of the law But what manner of conclusion is this If we obserue and keepe this Commaundement being one of the ten Thou shalt not make any grauen Image Thou shalt not worshippe them c. Christ doth profite vs nothing An other Canon sayth We ordaine that Images be worshipped as the holie Gospell The reason hereof is worth the noting for say they As men are saued by the sillables of these bookes euen so are both the wise and foolish mightily helped by Images And notwithstanding these their beetle headed reasons Nicaetas and Zonara do write that from that time forwarde all such were accounted Heretikes as did not adore and worshippe Images And yet so as that this kinde of superstition did neuer proceede or prosper in the Churches of Greece as it did amongst the Latines for besides the Greeke Churches had but a few and those painted pictures onelie and not any grauen or carued Images the difference betwixt them in the maner of worshipping them is so great that Emericus in the volume of his inquisitions rehearsing the errors of the Greekes setteth down these That they may not pray vnto Saintes no not vnto the holy virgin Marie That they hold that to offer vnto them is to offer sacrifice vnto the Diuell as also that to worship or kisse the Crosse is meere impietie senceles sottishnes But this must be distinguished of according to the times and countries But from hence forward let vs lanch forth into the depth of Idolatrie We make our selues offensiue to the Iewes in giuing them matter to stumble at and as loathsome as any stench vnto the Turks whome it had beene our duties rather to haue wonne and drawne to haue beene one with vs by the puritie of doctrine and the holines of our ceremonies The more contradiction we find the more care and industrie doe wee bring with vs for the propagating and spreading abroad of the same the more authoritie for to establish it and the greater rage and furie for to warrant and make good the same withall The Princes working the same sometimes in despight sometimes vpon enuie and malice which they beare one against an other but all of them to gratifie and pleasure the Bishoppe of Rome The Pope by his Decrees censures and curses by degrading and putting down of Emperours by absoluing their subiects of their oaths by rooting out and burning of all whosoeuer shall dare to say any thing to the contrarie c. In fine the pure seruice of God maintained so long a time vnder the Primitiue Church becommeth heresie and from hence forwarde no man speaketh of them which will not worship Images by any other name or trtle then heretikes the worshipping of them on the contrarie is accounted for sound and good to bee belieued yea and is reckoned vp amongst the markes and principal signes of the Church In the meane time to bring about the worshipping of Images in the French and Germaine Churches Friuolous â—â—fling distinctions the Church of Rome was forced from the beginning to bring into them some certaine distinctions and limitations carrying some more plausible construction and consideration as that of Dulia and Latria from the thing representing to the thing represented howbeit they are not of anie force or worth either in Grammer or Diuinitie but onelie as certaine vizardes seruing in the time of shamefast bashfulnes to couer the follie of the second Councel of Nice For as for the first such as are any thing acquainted with the Scripture do know that Dulia and Latria are ordinarilie vsed to signifie one and the same thing Gen. 9. Exod. 2 Esa 14. vbi Septuaginta Deuter â—8 34 Rom. 1. Ephes Coloss vbi Occumenius Matth. 6. Eustath in Homer Suidos August l. 8. c. 28 27. de ciuit Dei Idem de verb. Domini Secundum Mat. Serm. 6. Idem cont Faustum Manich. l. 15. c 9. contra Arrian Serm. 5. c. 17. IdeÌ„ ad Quod vult Deum L. 3. de Tradit 9. consider and those likewise that vnderstand the Greeke tongue doe know that Dulia is a more strict kinde of seruice then Latria because that to speake properlie Dulia is the seruice performed by a slaue who is altogether at the checke controll and commaund of his Maister and Latria the seruice which the mercenarie and hireling taketh himself bound to perform who vpoÌ„ the offer of the wages or the reward doth waigh with himselfe what it may be vnto him and accordinglie vndertaketh some such peece of seruice as his pay shall counteruaile And thus the best learned in the Greeke do interprete and take it what reason is there then that the lesse part should bee giuen to God and the greater vnto men And who can thinke that S. Augustine who first brought vp this dinstinction did vnderstand it after that manner who shutteth the deceased Saints Martyrs out of al Temples and froÌ„ hauing any Altars sacrifices or seruices done vnto them And that yet our aduersaries should giue them the same vnder the colour of this word Dulia And in verie deede S. Augustine hath no such intent or scope in that place namelie to giue vs free libertie to serue creatures but rather to detaine and draw vs backe from the same shewing vs what is the true seruice of God that so we may not giue it vnto anie creature For he that
and bastardly writings against the canonicall and manifest bookes of the scriptures As for example a certaine pamphlet of the peregrination of S. Paul Tecla made by a priest the contents therof are that S. Paule hauing found this young maid betrothed to a certain man named Themirus in Iconium Tertul. de baptism Ambros de virginit Hieronym de script Eccesiast did so ouercome her by the praises of virginity as that hee should take her away from her espoused husband drawing and leading her after him throughout the world that he had put a vaile vpon her and giuen her power to do the like to others as also to teach and baptise Now thinke with your selues how answerable this is to the scope of S. Paul his doctrine who teacheth that wiues should cleaue to their husbands who will not haue them to speak in the Church c. S. Iohn who was as yet aliue saw the book caused the priest to come before him coÌ„uinced him of hauing forged it deposed him from his ministerie and for the instruction of the posterity to come condemned the booke which booke notwithstanding the Monks of our time haue absolued set at liberty againe vnder the name of the legend of Tecla for the founding of their Monkery although it haue beene reiected put downe again since the first time by Pope Gelasius And therby we learne how to esteeme think of the traditions which they thrust vpoÌ„ vs vnder the name of the Apostles also of those goodly books wherupon they so build stay theÌ„selues the ProtoeuaÌ„gelion Abdias the Babilonian such like After false and counterfeit scriptures what remained but a forged and false holy Ghost Montanus And here behold starteth out Montanus his Comforter about the yeare 230. who buckleth himselfe with speare and shield to bid mariage the combate He maketh Tertullian holding a hot and fierie pen Tertul. de Monogam his champion especially after that being turned about vpon a certain conceiued spight and stomack he had embraced the heresie of Montanus but yet not being able to purchase the establishing of a single life to be obserued by the Priestes he standeth and striueth that they may not be permitted any moe then one single mariage he presseth I say and vrgeth that against the sincere and Orthodoxe Church falling vpon the same in plaine tearmes with bitter reproaches for the practising of the contrary And in as much as he was a man of great reputatioÌ„ he caused to fall away a great number after him wherby we may see that some thinke that they haue neuer sufficiently praised virginitie if they reproach not and speake euill of the married estate and life others make scruple that maried persons should administer holy thinges Euseb in l. 9. de monst c. 9. Opinions which at the first were amongst some few the seedes whereof we haue in Eusebius Origen vttered in some dumbe and muttering manner and defended as yet in very faint and feeble sorte That it seemeth to them that it would doe better so that the Bishops might bee at more leasure to receiue this great multitude of people which flocke in so fast vnto Christianitie c. And which notwithstanding within a while after had so farre prospered and preuailed Prouincial Synodes c. 10. 2. c. 19. Concil Elibert c. 33. Concil Arelat c. 2. D. 16. Concil Ancyr c. 10. as that in the Prouinciall Synode held at Neocaesarea it is said That the Priest that is married shall bee deposed and hee that shall commit adulterie shall bee reiected of the Church And in the Synode assembled at Rome That he that shall bee married shall bee depriued and put from his charge for tenne or twelue yeares And in that of Elibert in Spaine That Church men shall abstaine from their wiues vppon paine of being degraded And in that of Arles the second somewhat more mildly That married men shall bee no more receiued or admitted vnto the same and all these were held vnder Pope Syluester the first before the Councell of Nice which fell to bee in the time of Pope Iulius the first And in that of Ancyra That the Deacons which shall protest that they cannot contain themselues may marie but with the licence of the Bishop Thus the presumption of man runneth on headlong when once it hath taken liberty to it selfe further then the word of God doth graunt it In the end The generall Councell of Nâ—ce D. 31. C Nicena Synodus the question alreadie forestalled by these Prouinciall Synodes commeth to be debated and examined in the Councell of Nice The writ giuen out the parties heard the holy scripture sitting as Iudge by the report of Paphnutius an old man who had beene alwaies maried and suffered much for the testimony of the truth setting before them the pollutions manifold vncleannes which might spring vp in the Church by this inforcement vnto a single and vnmaried life it falleth out that the libertie of mariage as wee haue seene remaineth whole and entire vnto the Church men And yet so great is the subtiltie and wilinesse of the Deuill and of such power with fraile weak men is a preiudicate opinion when it hath once taken further libertie theÌ„ euer the word of God did giue it as that rather then all shold be lost they wold be content with small pay so they obtain That those which shal haue beene receiued into the ecclesiasticall orders vnmaried shall not be permitted to marry because of the tradition of the Church Euen as it fell out with Montanus his Spirite of Comfort who not being able to obtaine a lawe for the cutting off of second mariages in the laitie did forciblie and violently wrest it out against ecclesiasticall persons Now this generall Councell became a bridle vnto superstition for some time and held backe the execution of the Canons of these Prouinciall Synodes in as much as the most famous notable Bbs. from out of all the nations and prouinces of Christendome were found to be present at the same Hosius Bb. of Corduba did subscribe thereunto for Spaine Mantuan de Hilario Non nocuit tibi progenies non obstitit vxor legitimo coniuncta thoro who carried away with him from thence instructions for the correcting of the Canon of Elibert Hillarius Bb. of Poitiers so renowned much spoken of in auncient writers who without all contradiction was married testifieth likewise that it was obserued and kept amongst the Frenchmen notwithstanding the Synode of Arles And so likewise of other prouinces as appeareth by Oceanus Numidicus Seuerius Restitutus Cheremon Philogonius Apollinaris and Synesius all of all them Bbs. or famous priestes who liued and exercised their charges with great commendation yet were maried Whereunto for an ouerplus we will adde Gregorie Nazianzene his father S. Basil his father and Gregorius Nyssenus his brother Greg. Nazian in Monach. Niceph. de Basil Mantuanus Praesule
condemned the Epistle of S. Vlrich vnto Pope Nicholas the first concerning the marriage of Priestes as also the chapter in Paphnutius intreating of the same matter But the effect fell out to bee that vntill the time of Pope Gregorie the seauenth that is 200. yeares after the forced single life was not admitted and allowed in Germanie insomuch as that the Canons of the Bishopricke of Auspurge were married yea and the Monkes themselues of the famous Abbye of Fulda about the yeare 950. Bruschius in the time of the Abbot Hadamarius whereupon it holdeth and continueth as yet in many Nunries in Germany and in the Low-countries that the inferiour Nuns do take vnto them husbands when they find an honest man but not the Abbesse or chiefe of the Sisters The former reasons being found too weake to giue heade and entrance vnto the forced single life New reasons for the establishing of the forced single life Pet. Damian in Ep ad Petr. Lateranensem Anselm in Ep. ad Heb. 7. After the yeare 1000. the doctrine of Transubstantiation as one deceipt doth further and helpe forward an other as it grew strong and of authoritie did furnish them with new store Euen as say they our Lord would be conceiued in the wombe of a virgin so would hee bee receiued at the Altar with impolluted and virgins hands And from hence Petrus Damianus and Anselmus doe conclude that Bishoppes Priestes Deacons cannot in any wise bee married and that this sacrament cannot bee administred by married persons And what shall then become and what can our aduersaries annswere in this point of so many holy Bishoppes and Priestes that were married who haue administred the same in that estate and to all those faithfull people which haue receiued the same sacrament at their handes shall the sacrament haue beene vnto them in all nations and for so manie ages an abhomination and notorious sacriledge As therefore their reasons seemed to grow stronger so likewise they added more force vnto their Canons and fiercenes to the execution of the same Leo the ninth a Germaine by nation helde a Synode at Mentz the Emperour being there present to ratifie the execution of his Decree Nicetas de coniugio Sacerdotum with 40. other Bbs. but therein he mended his matter nothing at all for at that time one Nicetas surnamed Pectoratus a Grecian Abbot but resident and ruling in the West Church made heade against him saying That that was not the doctrine of the Apostles neither yet anie of their Traditions and that if it had been any of the Apostles their Traditions that then it had behoued Pope Agatho to haue alleadged it in the sixt generall Councell where this Edict was so solemnly discoursed and debated and sentence giuen against the forced single life and notwithstanding he rested satisfied in the same as we shall see hereafter in further processe as knowing in his conscience that these were base begotten Traditions deuised and surmised Canons proceeding from the spirite of error Humber cont Nicetam spoken of before by the Apostle c. And Pope Nicholas the second who succeeded Leo caused an aunswere to bee shaped by one Cardinall Humberte Bishoppe of Sylua Candida who in this his aunswere cast in his teeth that to maintaine the marriage of Priestes is the heresie of the Nicolaitanes and he goeth about to proue it out of Epiphanius deuising a place that is not there to bee founde neither anie thing comming neare vnto it whereas wee haue shewed indeed out of the verie same Epiphanius that Nicholas beganne the error of single life superstitiously deuorcing himselfe from his wife hee did also corrupt and depraue the Can on of the Apostles That a Bb. Priest or Deacon should not forsake leaue his wife vnder the colour of religion adding thereto these wordes as concerning to make prouision for her food and apparrell and not otherwise And in the end he groweth to presume that by his sole authoritie hee may cut the throat of Nicetas his reasons the same Pope Nicholas did likewise commaund Petrus Damianus Bb. of Hostia to aunswere Nicetas whose book pincht him at the heart and that so much the more because that Auxentius Bb. of Millaine did holde with Nicetas his opinion And then it was that Petrus Damianus found out this new reason That our Lord conceiued of a virgin could not be receiued or handled but with chaste and virgins hands c. But Gregorie the seauenth called Hildebrand about the yeare 1074. the whole seruice of the Church being almost turned at that time to a onelie hearing or seeing of Masse by reason of the ignorance which had seazed vpon all Christian people in the end frameth and squareth out a Decree by which he forbiddeth al vnder paine of excommunication to heare Masse of such as were married or to paye them any Tenthes Vincent l. 26. c 146. and he caused the same to passe in a Synode at Rome By a new example saieth Vincentius and by a preiudicate vnaduisednes contrarie to the Decrees and sentences of the holy Fathers c. And this Decree seemed to carrie the execution of the same alwaies about it insomuch as that the people which could not liue without Masses tyed their priests to abstaine from marriage except they would be willing to loose their Tenthes which were due vnto them But here it was that the great conflictes and contentions began in Germanie for Hildebrand commaunded all Bishoppes that they should cause his Decree to bee obeyed in these pointes Epist Hildebr ad Constantiens Naucl. 1. 2. p. 140. Auent p 603. Cranâ—ius in Metropol That the married Clearkes shoulde forsake their wiues that the vnmarried should not take anie that none should be admitted to the Priesthoode who had not bound himselfe to leade a single life that the Masses of the married were as an infectious plague vnto them c. whereas wee haue shewed in the Epistle of S. Vlrich that this vow was free euen in his time But Otho Bishoppe of Constance and Rathold Bishoppe of Strausbourg did alledge the scriptures against him as also the auncient custome of the Germane Church against whome hee bestirreth himselfe to cause them of their Diocesse to rise vp in a mutinie as appeareth by his letters to theÌ„ of Constance And not contented therewith hee summoneth Princes and Princesses Ep. Gregor ad Constantiens Clearks and Laitie to put to their helping hand he forbiddeth them all manner of conuersation and all manner of speech with married Priestes vpon paine of the most extreame censures Auent 564. Fasciculus rerum sciendar impress Colon 1553. and vpon paine to be accounted heretikes of the sect of the Nicolaitans c. absolueth the subiectes from the rule and gouernment of their Princes the Diocesians and Parishioners from the obedience of their Bishoppes and Curates he apprehendeth and layeth hold vpon the Emperour Henrie the fourth his own person And as his
dutie that is according to this sence That when God afflicteth vs it commeth well to passe for vs to haue bee it an Angell or be it a Prophet that may cause vs to vnderstand that it is for our sinnes and may exhort vs to repentance and newnesse of life to the ende that God may deale mercifully with vs. Which thing Elihu also may seeme to speake of purpose concerning himselfe and his companions to the end that Iob may take in good part their admonitions make his profit of them But in as much as they bee more freely giuen to belieue the old writers S. Ierome alleadgeth for an example of this place Esay praying vnto God for Ezechias when he was sicke For as concerning his coÌ„mentaries vpon Iob men are of opinion that they are not his And S. Gregorie expoundeth it of the Angell of the great Councel Iesus Christ the Mediator God man like vnto vs in consideration of whoÌ„ God became fauourable vnto men Where it is to be noted that in stead of Millibus both the one the other hath read it Similibus which could not be of S. Ieromes doing who vnderstood the Hebrew tong and was sufficient to trip find out the weaknes of their exposition The Glose saith This Angel it is Christ that speaketh vnto the father for vs shewing himself to him to be like vnto vs in one onely thing of a thousand that is in his humanity And his speech that is to shew himselfe a man vnto God besides whom ther is not one which is found iust Hugo in Ioh. c. 33. 2. Sam. 14. which being without sin may make intercessto for sinners c Cardinal Hugo expoundeth it after the same maner Absalom say they reconciled vnto his father Dauid might not yet come to see his face but by the meanes intercession of Ioab wherefore wee must haue a Ioab a saint of authority in heauen to draw neere vnto God for vs. And what saint wil they haue of more authoritie then the Son himselfe Eph. 5. Rom. 5. seeing by faith in him we haue accesse vnto the father to his throne of grace with all assurance boldnes Adonias also to obtain Abisaeg to wife of Salomon commendeth his sute to Bathseba Salomons mother saying with himselfe he cannot denie her any thing And so now must wee vnto the virgine Marie c. But where find they that our Lord hath diuided and giuen away any part of his royall dignitie with her And let them not run or rather rush any further forward in their Allegorie for Salomon refused to make any graunt and was also moued to wrath and indignation and that so far as that it cost his brother Adonias his life But in these things how far more sure is it for to hold our selues to Christ Heb. 7. Rom. 8. Whosaueth saith the Apostle those which come vnto God by him which maketh intercession for vs that so effectually as that none shal haue whereof to accuse much lesse to condemne vs. Ieremie Though Moyses Samuel stood before me Ieremie 15.1 yet should not my affection be moued toward this people Now in deed they might haue better a great deale drawne the contrarie consequence But the summe is that God hath forbidden Ieremie to pray for the people as hauing resolued to lay his rods vpon them their wickednesse being growne to the height And thus S. Ierome expoundeth it And to the end saith Theodoret that hee might not trke at it as though it were done by reason of him Though saith he these two were in thy roome and place yet should they not any more moue or pretaile with me Hieronym in Ietem c. 15. l. 3 in Ezech. l 5. c. 20. Theodor. in Ierem. Gregor l. 9. c. 9. Chrysost ad Thess 1. c. 1. hom 1 â—zech 14. These two saith Saint Ierome and Gregorie Who sundrie times had beene intercessors betwixt the wrath of God and the sinne of his people yea and betwixt God and his open enemies Pharao Saule c. at such times as his iudgementes were ripe and readie to fall vpon them And Hugo the Glose in like maner adding moreouer these words This is the true proper sence of this place And in deed Chrysost gathereth a cleane contrary conclusion out of this place That we are not to trust or leane vnto the praiers of Saintes but rather to finish and make sure our saluation with feare and trembling c. In Ezechieâ— there is the like place If these three men Noe Daniel and Ioab were in the midst of the Citie they should in their righteousnesse escape with their owne liues c. but as for the land it shall surely become desolate and lie wast Hee speaketh then as though they were still liuing in the world and euerie one of them in his former state and condition And so in Ieremie of Moyses and Samuel as also Saint Ierome Chrysostome and Thomas of Aquine doe expound the same vpon Ieremie and vpon Ezechiel Theodoret in these wordes Though these three persons Noe Daniel and Iob were found altogether in the midst of them c. that is that God speaketh according to the state wherein Moyses and Samuel were in this life Otherwise if they will vrge it as vnderstood of the other then I woulde haue them once againe to remember and thinke vppon their Limbe Of the same nature is that which followeth in Ezechiel Ezech. 22. I haue sought a man saith the Lord that should make vp the hedge and stand in the gappe against me for this land to the end I might not destroy it but J haue not found him that is as it is saide of Dauid a man according to mine owne heart which might stand betwixt mine anger and this people as Abraham for Sodome and Moyses for Israel Saint Ierome I haue searched for a man amongst them which could resist and withstand mine anger as Moyses Aaron and Samuel Note by the way these wordes from amongst them And yet Theodoret dealeth more plainly who expoundeth it by the place of Ieremie aboue expounded c. 5. Looke about you in your places and see if there bee any that executeth iudgement and seeketh after faith c. and I will be fauourable vnto him that is to say saith he amongst your princes your priests c. But what is there in all this that hath any thing to doe with the inuocation of Saints deceased For want of matter and proofe in the Canonicall scriptures 2. Macha c. 15. they runne in the end vnto the Apocrypha bookes Onias and Ieremie saith Iudas Machabeus appeared vnto him in a dreame praying for the estate of the people of the Iewes And seeing that they praied they may be praied vnto notwithstanding they see that in this hard distresse of theirs the Israelites did no such thing And as for the strength of this argument wee shall better examine the same elsewhere but the
is meete and conuenient therefore that Christians doe pray vnto them And did the Church of his time the same Nay but cleane contrarie Celsus a Pagan obiecteth vnto him That it cannot be displeasing to the high God that men should make vowes and supplications vnto the Gods as vnto his louing friendes which helpe men forward in the thinges which they pray vnto him for c. He answereth him that he acknowledgeth no such Gods but rather the holy Angels the seruants of God and the blessed ones whom hee vouchsafeth to call his friendes And the drift of the disputation required that if he had belieued any such thing that he should haue added To whome God is well pleased that men should make their vowes and praiers and not to your Gods But what saith he We offer saith hee and speaketh no more there as hee was Origen but as a Syndicke of the Church of his time in all humilitie our vowes vnto God who sitteth as chiefe Iudge and gouernour ouer all by his one onely Sonne Iesus Christ in whom we put vp our supplications in as much as he is the propitiation for our sinnes and that as a high priest hee offereth our praiers vnto God c. For God saith he afterward must alone be worshipped and the word his one onely Sonne and first borne of euerie creature must be alone praied vnto as the head and chiefe to the end that he may commend vnto God our praiers which shal be come vnto him c. But if wee desire saith he furthermore that the companie of Angels should helpe vs in procuring his further fauour and readie inclination to doe vs good and here should he take his oportunitie to counsell vs to pray vnto them let vs know that the Angels will loue and affect those whom they shall know to loue God to serue him and hartily to call vpon him euen as they themselues doe pray vnto and worship him c. For is it not better addeth hee to commit ones selfe and to trust to God which ruleth ouer all thinges which bringeth this doctrine vnto vs by Iesus Christ and to aske of him such assistance and protection as may bee ministred vnto vs both from Saintes and Angels c. But if Celsus or rather our aduersaries taught by Celsus should replie vpon him But doth it not well to haue friendes in the Court And why then also should it not doe as well to haue friendes with God in paradise c. Verily saith he although this life bee full of examples how to winne the great and mightie afterward by them the kings themselues yet notwithstanding we haue but one God to pacifie and appease and he is pacified with godlinesse and vertue And as the shadow doth follow the mouing of the bodie so in like manner doe all the inferiors attend and waite vppon him which is the superior For who so hath God his friend hath also by consequent all those friendly to him that are Gods friendes whether they bee Saintes or Angels which without being praied vnto do pray with him and for him and assist him euery manner of way that they are able c. And herewithall as when the Canonical scriptures do faile them they are accustomed to haue recourse vnto the Apocrypha so likewise the true books of Origen not contenting or satisfying them they betake themselues to such as are falsely attributed vnto him Origen say they praied vnto the Saints You Saints of God saith he I pray you that you would prostrate your selues before the seat of Gods mercie for me a miserable wretch But herewithall I could haue wisht them not to haue concealed how that this booke called the lamentations Gelas Decret 15. or penitential worke of Origen are declared by pope Gelasius to be counterfeit fained Vpon Iob likewise they say that he saith O Saint Iob pray for vs miserable sinners to the end that the mercy of God may deliuer vs c. But it were to be wished that they had the shame to blush for fathering this shamefull thing vpon Origen for attributing to him this whole booke which is not his in the least tittle thereof being stained with Arrianisme and that in such deep horrible manner as that it calleth the holy Trinitie a sect an heresie infidelitie the three persons the three hornes of the Deuill And in deed it was attributed to the Bishop of the Arrians called Maximinus against whom S. Augustine hath written And let them remember also that he speaketh therein of the Manichies of Lucian the Martyr of the heretikes Homousioi all which rose sprung vp a long time after him which is also confessed by themselues as likewise the Homilies of the said author in diuersos Let them also learne of S. Origen that he would haue his works read as the works of a man and not of an Angell Consider and take good aduise saith he that so thou maist be able to iudge if that which we say may be made to agree with the scripture I suspect it it is my coniecture but trie and see if it may be so c. But so it is that he hath onely said this nothing further namely that it is credible that the saints retaining as yet their charitable and louing affections do hartily desire all maner of good vnto men And now let vs see how far he was off from looking to enter into Paradice by the merites of the Saintes Origen hom 17. in Luc. What thinke we then saith he that all the Apostles were offended in our Lord and that not so much as his mother was exempted Yea saith he if she had not beene offended at the death of our Lord Iesus had not beene dead for her sinnes But if all haue sinned and stand in need of the grace of God and are iustified and set at libertie by his grace verily Mary her selfe for a time was offended And it is the same which Simeon prophesieth when he saith Behold a sword shall pearce through thy soule euen thine who knowest thy selfe to haue brought forth a childe without the companie of man yea euen thee who hast hearde of Gabriel The holy Ghost shall come vppon thee and the power of the highest shall ouershadow thee shall the sword of in fidelitie wound with doubtfulnesse and vncertaintie as with a pricke for that diuers thoughtes shall distract and teare thee in peeces when thou shalt see him crucified and put to death whom thou hast heard called the Sonne of God Saint Cyprian passeth on a little further Cypr. l. 1. ep 1. aâ— Cornel. and yet not to a flat inuocation or calling vpon Saintes deceased but rather to the stirring of vs vppe to pray vnto them whiles they bee aliue that they would remember vs when they be in heauen And it is in this sence that he saith Let vs bee mindfull one of another let vs pray one for another euerie where And those of which
me in the beginning of his waies Prouerb 8. before euer he created any thing I was ordainea euerlastingly c. And it is read in this sence in the Romish Missall vpon the day of the Natiuitie Leo 10. in ep 17. Anno 15 4. And Pope Leo the tenth in his Epistles written by Cardinall Bembo his Secretarie for them calleth her Deam Goddesse a title neuer heard of in any of the former ages thereby to adde vnto all this masse and huge heape this one thing which was wanting vz. the weathercocks And these are the goodly doctrines contained in these goodly bookes whereof all maner of Couents were full Marialia Rosaria Hortulus animae Promptuarium discipul c. Let vs come vnto the Saintes Alexander Halez and Bonaduenture haue taught That they are Mediators of our saluation that although they be sufficiently rewarded for their merites and not any more in case to merite yet for the manifold workes of Supererogation which they haue done they haue purchased so great a place as that they haue not onely merited blessednesse and glorie for themselues but also are able to relieue and make supplie for others in such sort as that they which before were vnworthie are likewise verie speedily made worthy by their intercession Now what is it that they haue builded vpon this foundation Verily the verie daughter and full representation of all Paganisme if so be it be not some worse thing Euerie nation towne village and familie is come to haue his Saint euerie estate condition craft and diâ—ease is become beholden and bound vnto one or other Thereby also they are come to the canonizing of their Saintes imitating therein the Pagans by so doing as much as lyeth in them they go about to make Gods of men to deifie them deifie I say for they are their owne phrases They canonize them whom they vnderstand to be worshipped and praied vnto Anton part 5. Summ. t 12. c. 8 This is the definition that they make of their Saintes Againe There belong seuen things to a canonized Saint The first to bee publikely held for a Saint The second to be inuocated in the praiers of the Church The third to haue Churches and Altars The fourth an office and sacrifice in honour of him The fist a fest iuall day The sixt an image with lightes in signe of glorie The seuenth relikes and shrines Adde also that they pray vnto them directly by the Lords prayer it selfe being directed and framed for God the Father And yet they say that this is not idolatrie That this is nothing els but Doulia and thus they thinke to pay God with their distinctions But I could wish them that they would at the least bethinke themselues and call to mind at the least that which is said vnto them by their Pope Innocentius Innocent l. 5. c. 4. Gulielm Durand epist Mimatens That there are two sortes of worship Latria and Doulia the former proper vnto God the Creator the latter for the creatures but that to the first do belong Churches Altars sacrifices feastes and ceremonies c. And Durand hath said the same wherefore by their owne reckning it must needes be idolatrie And what shall wee say in the end of their Frauncis and Dominicke Francis Anno 1200. in whose persons they haue delighted and pleased themselues to abolish and vtterly extinguish so much as lyeth in them both the merite and the name of Christ Barthol de Pisis l. conformit Frauncis say they in their booke of Conformities is a more worthy person then Iohn Baptist Iohn was a preacher of repentance Frauncis both a preacher and an ordainer of the order of Penitents Iohn a forerunner of Christ Frauncis both a forerunner and a standerd bearer Iohn receiued the word of repentance of Christ Frauncis both of Christ and of the Pope quod est plus which is more Iohn his father had reuelation from God by an Angell concerning him euen what he should be but of Frauncis it was declared both to his mother and his seruantes by Iesus Christ himselfe what he should be Iohn was the friend of the bridegroome but Frauncis like vnto the bridegroome himselfe Iohn a rare and singular man in sanctimonie and Frauncis in conformitie Iohn lifted vp and set amongst the Seraphins Fol. 39. Frauncis in the same order and manner with Iohn but set moreouer in the place from which Lucifer was throwne c. Againe hee is better then all the Apostles for they forsooke nothing for Christs sake saue some little ship Fol. 66. but hee left and forsooke all euen to his hosen The virgine Marie and the other Saintes in heauen go in procession euery one in his order but this man is lodged within the side of Christ He commeth forth by his wound with the banner of the crosse in his hand for to conduct guide them This man is a Iesus typicus a figuratiue Sauior a crucifixus singularis a singular crucified man who in sight hath receiued the verie same wounds that Christ suffered the same pains This is he that is via vitae the way of life abusing that which our Lord said of himselfe I am the way the truth and the life This man is the image of Christ as Christ is the image of his Father c. And what more Christus orauit Franciscus exorauit Christ did but pray but Frauncis prated and obtained Happie is he that dieth in Domino in Christ yea he that dieth say they in the habite of S. Frauncis yea if he haue but his hand in the sleene of it he is happie Baptisme doth wash away originall sinne the hood of S. Frauncis much more as oft as you shall resolue to continue the wearing of it it is worth as much vnto you as a new baptizing yea rather it is a new abolishment not of original sin onely but of all manner of actuall sinnes In a word we haue seene written ouer the gates of the gray friers of Bloys Quaeretur peccatum illius non inuenietur his sinnes shall be sought for but they shall not bee found The same that the Apostle hath said of one onely Christ and that the Prophete hath said of the abolishment of sinnes in his blood Neither can they excuse these matters in saying that they are but some particular mans opinions and not approued of the whole Church of Rome For the Popes Gregorie the ninth Alexander the fourth and Nicolas the third doe ordaine to bee belieued of all the faithfull vpon paine of being condemned as heretickes the scars and printes of S. Frauncis And Pope Benedict the twelft ordained that the day whereupon he receiued them should be kept holy And Alexander the fourth in particular Anton Archiep tit 24. S. 10 Math. Paris Monach. Albanens in hist Anglic. in Henric. 3. doth take into the protection of the Church of Rome and his Montem Aluerniae the mountaine wherein this