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
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
Epistle which he writ vnto the Gnosians about the yeare 170. disswadeth Pynitus who laboured to bring in the condition of a single life amongst his brethren that is amongst his fellow ministers That he would not impose the heauie yoke of a single life vpon his brethren as of necessitie to be obserued but rather that he would haue regard vnto the infirmitie of many And it is to be noted that in the Index expurgatorius Ind. Expurg pag. 76. the Councell of Trent ordained that Langus should be raced which had noted the same in his annotations vpon Nicephorus And Spiridion vsed the like custome Sozomen l. 1. c. 11. Eccles histor l. 10. c. 5. Tripart l. 1. c. 10. who being ordained Bishop of Cypres was reported by Sozomene to haue beene neither worse in that which concerned pietie nor lesse diligent in his charge and whom the story calleth a person of the order of the prophets hauing a daughter whose name was Irene And so likewise in Dionisius Faustinian Syluerus Cecilius Sergius Hormysdas Talatus Valerius Tertullian Leo and Felix all Bishoppes and Priestes and confessed by our aduersaries themselues to bee maried Athan. in ep ad Dracont and in many others of these first ages of whome Athanasius reporteth that hee knew in his time many Bishoppes yea many Monkes that had children and this continued for many ages after To be briefe the determination of the Synode is expresly for the same as it was set downe in the first generall Councell of Nice about the yeare 330. where it hauing argued by many that from that time forward Bishops priestes Deacons and Subdeacons should not lie with their wiues Paphnutius a Confessor rose vp and said Mariage is honourable and the companie of a lawful wife is chastitie as we shall declare more at large hereafter Whereupon all the Councell being moued Socrat. l. 1. c. 8. Sozom. l. 1. c. 22. it was left to the libertie of ecclesiasticall persons to continue maried c. Neither will the lie or double dealing which Bellarmine chargeth vpon Socrates and Sozomene the ecclesiasticall historiographers in this place bee sufficient to salue the sore CHAP. IX What bath beene the manner of growth and proceeding of the ordinance of abstaining from mariage in the Romish Church vntill the time of Calixtus his decree ANd thus behold we are come to the first councel of Nice a notable Period of the Christian Church ended shut vp with a law containing great fauour to the cause which we defend But notwithstanding let vs not perswade our selues that this spirit of lying 1. Timoth. 4.2 wherewith the Apostle hath threatned vs was asleepe all this while but rather that vnder the shape of an Angell of light he was sowing the doctrine of the Deuill vnder the hypocriticall maske of chastitie he set vp the standart of shamefastnesse and honestie but in deed bringing in all lasciuiousnesse foolish loue adulteries and yet worse then all these into the world Abstinente from mariage proceeded from the Gentils Hieronym l. 2. contr Ioum. Clem. Alex l. 3 The Christian Church was compounded of Iewes and Gentils and was not wel at ease till it had brought their leauen into it Now the spirite of fornication had so blasoned marriage amongst the Gentiles as that it was forbidden to many of their Priestes namely to their Hierophantes who as we reade did make themselues chast with the vse of hemlocke to those which were consecrate to the Mother of the Gods and to those of Egypt c. And of them saith Clement the first heretickes learned to condemne marriage And the heretickes called Essaei about the time of the wearing away and declining of the Iewish religion had likewise learned of the Gentiles but especially of the Pythagoreans as saith Iosephus to contemne and dispise marriage Ioseph Antiquit l. 15. c. 13. l. 18. de bell Iudaic. c. 2. Philo apud Eus l. 8. Epiphan l. 1. t. 1. and those are they of whom Philo speaketh and not any Christian Monkes as wee haue obserued before Likewise Epiphanius teacheth vs that this superstition passed on euen to the Scribes and Pharisies whereby we need not doubt but that by the husbandrie of the spirit of lying it glided forward very smoothly First amongst the heretikes called Marcionites and Gnostikes who by Irenaeus and Epiphanius are reported to abhorre and detest mariage altogether grounding themselues vpon an vncertaine Gospell written as Clement saith by the Egiptians The Manichies also who defended the same at the least in their elect and chosen and finally by contagion into the Church of Christ The dispute which is in S. Paule affordeth a liuely round testimony as the thing is 1. Cor. 7. For let vs not thinke that Saint Paul fighteth there with his shadow but that he maketh way for his entrance into the matter namely that to liue and leade a single life is not fitting all men that hee hath no commandement from God for virgines that hee would not put a snare about their necke that he that cannot containe himselfe should marrie And in another place he stretcheth this generalitie vnto the seuerall kindes and sorts of people as meaning thereby to represse and beate downe the lightnesse of young widowes counselling them to marrie and to keepe the Bishops in the way of giuing good example to direct them in expresse and plaine tearmes euen so farre as to say Ehiphan l. 1. c. 2. haeres 25. that the forbidding of mariage is the doctrine of Deuils c. Then it infected Nicholas one of the seuen Deacons Epiphanius reporteth that he seeing that many were admired and highly accompted of by reason of the leading of a single life resolued and renounced his wife notwithstanding that she was a faire and beautifull woman then not being able to contain himself neither for shame to returne vnto her again he gaue himselfe as did likewise all his sect followers to all kind of vncleannes euen to the committing of Sodomitrie perswading himselfe that all was holy vnto him or at the least tollerable prouided that he came not neare his wife to touch her And as there is not any sect so infamous but it hath his followers so there was no wast of these kind of people in Asia being a delicious pleasant country who of their captaine were called Nicolaitanes But S. Iohn who taught in the cities of Asia did oppose and set himself in his holy and godly zeale against this seducing deceiuer and shut the Church dores against him The Apostles for the most part being dead Apocal. 2. and thereby the great lights wholy and for euer eclipsed the spirit of darknes assured himself the better to work his feats but the holy scriptures which they had in this point left so cleare and bright Apocripha bookes did stand in his way to his great trouble Wherevpon he opposeth and deuiseth others against theirs namely Apocripha and bastardly writings against the canonicall and manifest bookes of the scriptures As
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
handled in the first booke Of the Second Booke 1 OF Churches and Altars their first beginning and proceeding 2 Of Images that olde and auncient Christians had not anie 3 VVhat manner of increase and proceeding Images had amongst Christians and of the licentious abuse thereof after they were once brought into the Church of Rome 4 Of vnleauened bread wine mixt with water and of such thinges as serued in the administration of the Sacraments 5 That the old worship and auncient manner of seruing God was altogether performed done in such a language as the common people knew and vnderstood and by what degrees it was altered and changed 6 That in the Primitiue Church and a long time after the holie Scriptures were read amongst the people in all tongues and languages 7 Wherein is intreated of the Ministers of the Church and of their charge and vocation in the same 8 That the Bishops and Ministers of the old Christian Church were maried 9 How a sole and vnmaried estate of life grew and got increase and strength in the church of Rome vnto the publishing of the decree made by Calixtus 10 The reestablishing of abstinencie from mariage and the continuing of the same euen vnto our dayes A briefe rehearsall of the matters handled in the second booke Of the Third Booke 1 THat the propitatorie Sacrifice of Christ is not reiterated in the holie Supper and in what sence the old Church did vse this phrase and manner of speech 2 Answeres vnto the aduersaries their obiections which they pretend to draw from the holie Scriptures for the prouing of their sacrifice 3 That the pretended propitiatorie sacrifice of the Masse hath no ground or foundation in the new Testament 4 That the olde VVriters haue not â—â—knowledged anie other propitiatory sacrifice then that onelie one made vpon the crosse 5 How and by what degrees the Sacrament of the holie Supper was turned into a propitiatorie Sacrifice 6 That there is not anie Purgatorie the foundation and ground pillar of their Masses for the dead and first how that it was not knowne vnto the Church of Israell or vnto those that liued vnder the olde Testament 7 That Purgatorie hath no ground or foundation in the new Testament 8 That neither the Primitiue Church nor the Fathers liuing in the same for the space of many ages did euer acknowledge the Purgatorie of the Church of Rome 9 Wherein are answered the aduersaries their obiections endeuouring to proue their Purgatorie by the olde VVriters 10 In what manner Purgatorie hath proceeded in the Church of Rome and by what degrees 11 That praying vnto Saintes hath no foundation in the holie Scriptures of the olde Testament 12 That praying vnto Saintes hath no ground in the holie Scriptures of the newe Testament 13 That praying vnto Saintes was not taught in the Primitiue Church and how it sprung vp and grew 14 The continuing of the puritie of doctrine in the matter of Inuocation and of the springing vp of the corruption of the same in the Latine Church 15 The springing vp of the corruption of inuocation aswell in the Greeke as in the Latine Church 16 That a man eannot merite or deserue eternall life for himselfe and much lesse for an other wherein he is considered first as he is before his regeneration 17 That a man regenerate cannot merite eternall life for himselfe or for any other 18 That the law was giuen vnto man to conuince him of sinne and to cause him to looke for his saluation from grace through faith in Christ according to the Scriptures and the Fathers 19 That good workes are the gift of God and therefore cannot merite and to what vse they serue according to the holy Scriptures and fathers 20 How the doctrine of merite first set foote into the Church how it proceeded and how it hath beene oppugned and set against in all ages yea euen vnto S. Bernard his time 21 How merite proceeded and went on euer since S. Bernard his time vntill thâ—se our daies and what oppositions haue beene made against it euen vnto the time of the full light of the Gospell breaking forth againe A Recapitulation of the third Booke Of the fourth Booke 1 WHat a Sacrament is and wherein it consisteth and of the difference of the Sacraments of the old and new testament where are likewise laide downe certaine rules by the old writers for the better vnderstanding of their writings 2 That the doctrine of the holy Supper must be examined by the rules before deliuered as all other doctrine whatsoeuer touching any other Sacraments eyther of the old or of the new Testament 3 That the exposition which our aduersaries giue vpon the wordes of the holy Supper destroyeth all the foundations of the Christian faith as also the nature of Christ and of his sacramentes 4 That the fathers knew not Transubstantiation nor the reall presence in the signes and that which is touched of the times euen to the first Nicene Councell is also included therein 5 The continuing of the beliefe and faith of the fathers of the Church in the matter of the holy Supper from the first Nicene Councell vnto the time of Gregorie the great 6 Likewise that a long time after Gregorie Transubstantiation was not knowne and in like manner that all the most famous Liturgies amongst our aduersaries are repugnant to the same 7 That the old Church did not belieue nor teach Transubstantiation seeing it neither did nor obserued in respect of the kindes or Sacramentes that which is done and practised at this day 8 In what manner the opinion of Transubstantiation was begun increased and finished vntill the yeare 1215. and that it was ratified and confirmed by a Decree made in the Councell of Lateran 9 What manner of increase and proceeding befell the opinion of Transubstantiation from the Councell of Lateran vntill the Councell of Trent and the absurdities and contradictions rising from the same A comparing of the holy Supper with the Masse A briefe rehearsall of the chiefe matters contained in the whole worke THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE MASSE AND of the partes thereof CHAP. I. After what manner the Supper of the Lord was first instituted and ordained and that the Masse hath no good ground eyther from the Scriptures or from the practise of the Apostles OVr aduersaries for the laying of a surer foundation for the Masse out of the holy Scriptures haue attempted to driue and draw the same from the institution of the holy Supper of our Lord ordinarily now a daies do vse to set downe as a note and marke of the same vppon all such places as concerne the holy Supper Heere is the institution of the Masse whereas their predecessors namely the ordinary Glose was wont to note such places thus Heere is the institution of the Supper or Eucharist Wherefore the better to know how like and how vnlike they be as likewise to see so much the more cleerely how farre the one
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
we reiect and cast of that which it offereth vs and particularly it condemneth the Pharisies for that they denie Christ promised in the law Moyses on the contrarie that is to say this same doctrine dooth iustifie vs worketh with vs vnto saluation when we embrace Christ at whome it altogether aimeth according to that which is said afterward If you belieue Moyses you will also belieue me for it is written of me Iohn 5.39 And the Pharisies hoped in him that is to say in this doctrine according to that which hee said in former times Search the Scriptures for you thinke to haue eternall life by them c. And in the same sence Abraham aunswered the rich man They haue Moyses and the Prophets Not Moyses in the flesh not Moyses in the soule but Moyses as likewise the Prophets in the doctrine What should then the question of the intercession of Moses doe here Origen To belieue Moyses that is to say the writings and workes of Moses Orig in Ep. ad Fom l. 4 c. 4. Basill de Spir Sanct c. 14. Cirill in Ioh. l 3. c. 8. And by consequent to be accused by Moses that is to say by the law giuen by the Ministers of Moses S. Basill It is the custome of the Scripture to vnderstand vnder the name of Moyses the Law as when it is said they haue Moses and the Prophets Cyril more clearely intreating vpon this place When as saith he all others did hold their peace the Lord said that Moyses law alone did suffice to condemne the incredulitie of the Iewes Cardinal Hugo Moyses that is to say the Scripture or Law giuen by Moses Caietanus goeth yet further Caiet in Ioh. c. 5. The Iewes are accused by Moyses for that his writings declare them worthie of punishment in not belieuing in Iesus the Iewes also are said to hope in Moses because they generally hoped in the promises contained in the said writings but they acknowledged not the fulfilling of the same Iesus In the 2. Peter 1.15 I am saith he shortly to goe out of this my Tabernacle as our Lord himselfe hath declared vnto me 2. Pet. 1.15 but I will doe my indeuour that after my departure also you may continually call to mind these things that is pietie charitie brotherly loue c. Here they affirme that this shall be by his intercession in heauen But we that this shall bee by his diligence in instructing them well before that he goe out of this world that is as he hath said in the former verses By continually bringing it to their remembrance And the text is verie cleare and plaine for the same for he doth not say Dabo operam post obitum meum vt possitis but Vt possitis post obitum meum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say I wil haue care that after my death you may remember your selues and not I will haue care after â—y death c. That which followeth teacheth it For we haue not taught you the power and comming of our Lord in the deceitfulnesse of fables c. The Glose saith Jnterim dum venio dabo operam c. As long as I liue I will giue order or I will doe my endeuour c. And as for the alleadging of Oecumenius saying that certaine would collect heereof by the figure called Hyperbaton that is to say a long draught of words the intercession of Saints it had beene their dutie in like maner for the discharge of a good conscience to haue added that which followeth That others which handle the same more simply do vnderstand it thus That wheras he so carefully laboureth to imprint this doctrine in them it is not for that he doubteth them to be egnorant but to the end that they might abide the more firme after his death Caiet 2. Pet. 1. At the least they should haue held themselues to Caietanus I wil giue order that is in my life time that you may haue after my death books which may put you in remebrance of this doctrin In the Apocalips 5. Apocal. 1.8 the foure beasts and the foure and twentie Elders haue harps in their hands and Viols of gold full of perfumes Which are saith S. Iohn the prayers of the Saints therefore they must be imployed as intercessors for vs. Now it is not called in question whether they pray or praise God or no but if they make intercession to God for the things which wee particularly and by name pray vnto them for and againe if we may and ought to imploy them for intercessors with God for vs. And this cannot be gathered out of this place but rather that they praise God and pray vnto him And this praier without any further gessing of it doth follow in the next verse Thou art worthie to take the booke and to open the Seales thereof c. for thou hast bought and purchased vs to God by thy bloud out of euerie tribe and language c. And then not to imploy their merits with God for vs in stead of that of the Lambe but rather to acknowledge the bloud of the Lambe imployed for themselues And that maketh yet lesse for them Apocal. 8.3 which they further alleadge out of the fore part of the eight Chapter where the Angell standeth before the Altar with a Censor of gold wherein there were many perfumes giuen vnto him either to offer vp with the praiers of all the Saints or rather according to the Greeke to adde it to the praiers of the Saints vpon the Altar of gold which is before the throne For this Angell saith their Glose is Christ himselfe offering vnto God his father the petitions of the faithfull which are acceptable and well pleasing to him for his sake S. Ambros Aug. Primas Andraeas Caes in Apocal. Ambrose expoundeth this whole place of the teachers of the Church euerie man in his age That Christ openeth then the booke when by his holy spirit hee manifesteth vnto them the sence of the Scriptures that they fall downe before the Lambe when they are raised to the meditation of his mysteries and by consequent are humbled in themselues that these odors are their praiers whereof the Psalmist speaketh Let my praier ascend vp vnto thee as the perfume of incense c. And vpon the eight Chapter he taketh Christ for the Angell Ambros in Apocal c 8. the Church for the Altar c. and maketh many sorts of incensings praiers of the Saints For saith he the faithfull pray when they aske forgiuenesse of their sinnes when they giue almes when they forgiue their neighbours when they obserue and keepe the commaundements of God c. August Primas Andr. Caesar Thom. Aquin. in Apoc. c. 5. l. 8 And not a word of the praiers of the Saints that are dead for vs or of vs praying to them And as little in S. Augustine Primasius Andreas Bb. of Caesarea Thomas
was forbidden in the Councell of Laodicea Can. 14. And therefore there was but a little kept because that in the feruent zeale of those times the holy supper was celebrated almost euerie day and that a great deale lesse then the water of the Fonts which for all that was neither transubstantiated nor worshipped And this was the custome of the Church Some of superstition carried it into their houses and some women would wrap it vp in their handkerchefs lockt it vp in their Coffers and eate it at their owne houses c. Now let men iudge if the first ages of the Church did euer take the Sacrament to be God if it would haue suffered these prophanations But these examples are worthie to be as much accompted of in the Church as theirs that vsed to put it in childrens mouthes abusing this place If any man eate my flesh c. or of others who would put it in the mouthes of those that were dead c. being practises that haue beene condemned by many Councels And they are happily vanished and worne away of themselues howsoeuer they were grounded vppon verie auncient tradition euen since the time of Tertullian and S. Cyprian as also by the ordinance of Charlemaine That the Ministers should haue the Eucharist consecrated euerte day L. 1. c. 161. for children Because they had no other staie or foundation then the Scripture misunderstood The custome likewise being not of keeping it but of giuing it to them which were in extremitie grew hereupon that many sinking and shrinking away vnder the heate of persecution they were excluded and put from the Sacraments by the seueritie of this first discipline and that euen to the hower of death whereto the famous storie of Serapio is to bee referred And then that they might be comforted by their being receiued into the peace and Communion of the Church hauing giuen tokens of repentaunce the Ministers of the Church accompanied with their friendes did communicate vnto them the holy Supper and oftentimes also did communicate with them Againe wee reade not in all those 800. yeares The questions moued in these latter ages were not heard of in the first no not of 800. yeares after Christ which fall into the time of Charlemaine in any of the bookes of those graue and holy Doctors any of the questions wherewith the Schooles were afterward filled The people which read and heard the word of God and his seruice in their owne language was wonted to the phrases and manners of speeches vsed in the Scriptures the sheepe of the Lord did heare and vnderstand his voice and rested contented and satisfied therewith Barbarisme brought into the Church did beget these barbarous Expositions and consequently these blasphemous questions not as they are barbarous If our Lord do leaue heauē to come into the place of bread If in comming thither he passe through the ayre If he doe forsake the same againe so soone as the kind is striken vpon with the tooth or else if he goe downe into the stomacke and being in the stomacke whether he rest therin altogether and how long staying in the stomack whether he waite and attend there till the forme of the bread at the least bee disgested whether he chaunge himselfe at such time into the soule or body of the Communicant or whether he vanish into nothing or else returne to heauen Whether the accidents of bread and wine doe cleaue vnto him or else abide hanging in the ayre Whether the Priest in remouing the host doe remoue the body of Christ or the accidents onely Or rather whether the Priest remouing the accidents God do fit and accommodate the bodie of Christ to this mouing Againe Whether the thing nourished or rather poysoned as it is to be seene become a new substance which God createth in the stomacke and whereunto they fasten themselues Whether the body of Christ bee whole and all in euerie part of the host or at the least in those parts which are to be seene by an indifferent and meane sight as also the bloud in any the least drop Whether he be there alwaies standing his head turned toward the Priest c. Or else after the same manner of position and placing that he is in heauen set or otherwise and whether hee be there clothed or naked Whether the Priest be able to consecrate all the bread and wine of the world or that onely which is before him And whether that which he seeth onely or that also which he seeth not prouided that hee be equally distant from the one and the other Whether the words become of sufficient power being spoken once or many times to consecrate many hosts And what the words must bee whether those that our Lord spoke when he blessed the signes which we know not or those fower Hoc est corpus meum Or whether Enim bee requisite and necessarie thereto or not Or else Quod pro vobis datur c. Whether the intent of the Priest bee requisite if not actuall yet at the least habituall or inclining or disposed Whether that Christ bee entred into the bread after this word Hoc is spoken or after Est or the whole fiue words Whether he enter into the same seeing hearing speaking doing all that which he seeth heareth c. in heauen or else blind deafe dumbe c. and a thousand such like which we shall see hereafter Questions such as we shall not find any step or trace of in all the writings of the reuerend old Fathers as neither of their doctrine Whereat these good fathers would bee afraid and ashamed if they should liue againe and which verily I should haue made conscience to haue vttered if conscience did not bind me to discouer and vnfold the absurdities whereinto one falschood once receiued hath cast and plunged vs beeing also such as Dame impudencie her selfe would blush at howsoeuer that strumpet clothed with Scarlet died in the bloud of the Martyrs of Christ doe not blush thereat at all CHAP. VIII What hath beene the originall proceeding and increase of the opinion of Transubstantiation vnto the yeare 1215. And how it was ratisied and established by a decree in the Councell of Laterane THus then we see what the opinion was not onely of the first old writers but of all almost the later concerning the holy supper and how far off it was from that which is receiued at this day And now it onely remaineth that we see how it is transubstantiated by what degrees manner of proceeding The originall of Transubstantiation which worke wee will frame and applie our sclues in these our next labours to set downe Now it is a fresh to bee set before our eyes that the first zeale of Christendome beeing decaied and dead Christians came but fewe and seldome to the receiuing of the holy Sacrament in so much as that we haue heard those good Fathers complaining of the same in their Sermons and forced to
ad Thess hom 3. in Gen. hom 13. in S Iohn hom â—6 in Esay c. 1. in proaem in Ep. ad Rom. in S. Mat. hom 49. in S. Ioh. hom 58. in S. Mat. hom 22. The Euangelicall Apostolicall and Propheticall bookes do plainly teach vs what we are to beleeue concerning diuine things Saint Chrysostome All things are cleare in the scriptures they declare themselues not suffering any man to erre The truth lieth not hidden or obscure therein except it be vnto such as will not search for it As the light is to the eie so is the law of God vnto our spirits such as looke not therto doe walke in darknesse Our whole mischiefe is for that we reade it not that same which is a doore by which doe enter both the sheepe and the shepheardâ— more necessarie for the simple idiot then for the learned doctor To be short in that confusion which shall happen vnder Antichrist we shall not be able to tell whither to haue recourse but to the Scriptures and there are none but those which are of a peruerse heart that doe not vnderstand the mysteries being such as in whom the spirit of truth resteth not There might a whole volume be compiled of the like places Epiphanius All things are cleare and euident in the Scriptures to such as with a holie discourse according to reason will heare the worde of God Epipha haeres 69. 70. Hieronym in Matt c. 22. In Esay c. 8. Saint Ierome They erre because they know not the Scriptures and seeing they are ignorant in them they know not the power of God c. If we follow not the testimonies conteined in them darknesse will oppresse vs and ouerrun our doctrine c. Saint Augustine against the Donatists Augu. de vnit eccles c. 5. Let vs make choise of the plaine and manifest places for if they should not be found such in the Scriptures in vain should it be said that wee shall finde in them to lay open the things shut vp to make cleare such as are dark and obscure Again Epist 3. There is not any such great difficultie in the Scriptures to come by the things necessarie vnto saluation the making likewise whereby they are wouen set togither is to be come by of all There is matter fitting all sorts of spirits as to correct the peruerse Praua parua to nourish the weake and yong nouices and to delight such as are growne old and great In the things that are manifestlie apparant in the Scriptures De peccat melitis l. 2. c. vit are clearlie founde to be all those which concern faith maners When we reason of any thing that is verie obscure if wee bee not helped by the cleare testimonie of the Scriptures man must be curbed and kept short for presuming too farre De doct Christian l. 2. c. 6. The holie Ghost hath in such sort qualified them as that in the cleare places they feede our hungrie appetite and in the obscure they sharpen our dull taste wee are refreshed with the things that are cleare and set on worke by the obscure and darke The profoundnesse of this worde sharpneth De verb. dom serm 11. de verb. Apost serm 13. and setteth an edge vpon our indeuours neither doth it for all that denie vs the vnderstanding thereof c. Now if thou thinke to inferre hereupon then there is obscuritie therein and of this obscuritie to conclude either an impossibilitie of vnderstanding of them or else a secking of something therein that is not there to be found De verb. Apo. Serm. 13. To the one he answereth thee The euill spirit hateth vnderstanding for feare that by vnderstanding he should be forced to do and practise according thereunto Planissime De doct Christian l. 2. c. 6. And to the other That out of all these obscurities there is not almost any thing gathered that is not elsewhere deliuered in verie plaine and cleare sort In briefe to the ende thou maist not bring in any distinction betwixt the word written and vnwritten where as the Psalmist saith Thy worde is a torch vnto my feete c. This is saith he that worde which is contained in the holy Scriptures And againe The faithful that cleaueth to them cannot be dazeled with the iniquitie of the world no more then the starres fixed and set in the firmament which cannot haue their light put out by the night So farre is it from him as our aduersaries doe to terrifie the fathfull with going about to make them afraid of it by reason of the obscuritie that is therein Yet so it is But there are darke places 2. Pet. 3. will you say as that there are difficult things in the Scripture for S. Peter likewise saith That in the Epistles of Saint Paule there are c. And what booke is there in any maner of facultie whatsoeuer which hath not some yea and many moe But if thou hadst diligently read this text and well weighed the Relatiue it would haue appeared that he saith not that the Epistles of Saint Paul are difficult but cortaine things in certaine points which he handleth in them And indeed what higher thing is there then the mysterie of our saluation or more profoundly expounded What thing more obscure then that of the Trinitie or more clearlie vttered But thou shouldest therewithall haue added that which followeth That the ignorant and vnstable doe wrest them as they also doe other places of Scripture to their owne destruction Verilie for these obscurities the Fathers did not driue Christians from the Scriptures but rather encouraged them to labour therein so much the more Iren. l. 3. c. 12. contr haeres You haue say they vnto vs this furtherance that there is not anie contrarietie therein and further that one place may expound but not make more intricate an other If we could but say as much of the Bookes of other sciences wherein so many contradictions as also antinomies doe encounter and crosse one another how manie difficulties should we auoide how much of our way and trauaile might we thinke our selues to haue gained Lib. 2. c. 46. contr hâ—res Irenaeus saith The whole Scripture which God hath giuen vs will be found to agree togither the things spoken manifestly do expound the parables therein Ambr. in psal 119. serm 8. c. Saint Ambrose There is much obscuritie in the Scriptures but if thou knocke with the hande of thy Spirit at their gate thou shalt begin to gather the reason of that which is there said and it will be set open vnto thee not by any other means then the word it selfe Augu. de doct Christian l. 2. c. 25. Iren. l. 2. c. 46. contr haeres Basil in Aseeticis 267. Aug Ep. 48 de doctrina Christiana l 2. c. 6. S. August To illustrate the obscure maners of speaking let vs take our paternes from the manifest ones
in the law when he vnderstandeth not by reason of his time either some exquisite Latin or some Greeke word alledged by the lawier And yet the Councell of Trent who set it downe for their position to make errours authentike will haue this translation to be authentike and that in lectures disputations Sermons and Expositions it be vsed ordinarily yea and that before that of Pagnines or Arias Montanus who haue kept themselues nearer vnto the Hebrew And why Not for any other cause then that ignorance may continue so as that errour vnder the darknesse thereof may hide it selfe seeing it cannot stand before the truth true vnderstanding or the light The third is Scripture is expounded by Scripture That we expound Scripture by Scripture one place by another one by manie obscure and darke ones by cleare and plaine ones or one darke one by many plaine ones In which attempt we haue a farre greater facilitie then they who should assay the like in prophane authours because that we are assured that there is no contrarietie therein because also that there is a perpetuall correspondencie betwixt the new Testament and the old and both in the one and the other in it selfe betwixt the new Sacraments and the old and in the olde and new in themselues c. And finally because that in obscure places wee are not to search for or gesse out any thing that is new yea on the contrarie not any thing said Saint Augustine which is not clearely apparant in such places as are most cleare This is the order Nehem. 8.8 which we reade to haue beene practised by Esdras who saith Nehemiah read in the booke of the law of God and therewith gaue the meaning causing it to be vnderstood by the Scripture it selfe The question at that time was about the purging and casting out of certaine abuses Actes 17.11 which were crept into the Church during the time of the captiuitie by being mingled amongst the Gentiles And hence are they of Berea commended as conferring the Scriptures most diligently one with another to see if it were so as Saint Paule preached vnto them The question was of the resoluing of themselues by them against the opinion of the Pharisies and Doctors of the Law by the Scriptures Whether Iesus crucified were that Christ or not And this also is the precept which the Fathers teach vs. Irenâ—us The demonstrations which are in the Scriptures Iren. cont Haeres 1.2 c. 46. 67. Basil in asceticis 267 Chrysost hom 13. in Gen. in Psalm 147. Aug. de verb. dom serm 2. 11. Tho. 1. p. sum q. 1. art 9. Aegid l. 2. Dist 37. cannot bee shewed but by the Scriptures Againe The exposition which is according to the Scriptures is that legitimate and safe c. Saint Basil That which seemeth darke and ambiguous in one place of Scripture is cleare and plaine in another Chrysostome The Scripture is expounded by it selfe this is ourarmorie against the Diuell c. Saint Augustine The wordes of the Gospel doe carrie their interpretation with them Againe VVe vnderstand the darke places by the cleare what is darkly deliuered in one place is clearly set downe in another c. S. Thomas That which is spoken metaphorically in one place is spoken simplie in another Aegidius Romanus Of manie expositions we must take that which agreeth with the other scriptures and not that which hurteth any part of them Following also that which is said by the Canon Relatum Can Relat. That we must not seeke out a sense at our pleasure from the purpose to confirme it any maner of way by the authoritie of the Scriptures but take the meaning of the truth from the Scriptures themselues if the place may be drawne into diuerse senses The fourth is In all expositions the analogie of faith must be kept That we see that the exposition which we giue or take do alwaies retaine and keepe the analogie of faith that it be proportionable and correspondent to the bodie of Christian doctrine which some of the olde fathers haue called the rule of faith I say not to establish any new principles or articles of Christianitie but to conforme and referre themselues to those which haue beene receiued therein from all times For the holy Scripture is the vniuersall principle of our faith and it is well said That there are as many articles of faith as sillables in it because it is said of the least iota that it shall not passe and by consequent that we must most firmely beleeue it all But notwithstanding as this said Aegidius saith All the Scripture is resolued into certaine articles of faith to which all the doctrine therein is to be referred and those as principles abide firme in themselues and are not resolued into others And from these principles we deduct our Theoremes and answere our Problemes no lesse then the Mathematicians doe their Maxims 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Axiomes and demaunds but so much the more firmely by howe much wee are the faster founded vpon the Creator then vpon the creature vpon the Law-giuer to the whole world then vpon the law which he hath giuen it which is Nature Thom. in Sum. q. 1. art 5.6 8. And this is it which Thomas saith That the holy doctrine taketh not his principles from any humane science but from the wisdome of God from which as from the most soueraigne wisedome all our knowledge must take his direction and ordering and that this skill commeth not vnto vs from naturall reason but by reuelation that is from the Scripture diuinely inspired and therefore that it iudgeth of all Verie farre differing from them who dispute of diuinitie according to the principles of Philosophie or other sciences against the law of Logicke which saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That we must not leape out of one science into another but rather from a true vse of Logicke discourse of reason from principles of one science to draw the propositions and consequences that belong to the same Our principles then are articles of faith against which we must beware that our expositions doe not strike and dash themselues but one the contrarie it is necessarie that they become conformable thereto To strike thereupon that is amongest the Mathematicians Deduci 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be brought to an impossibilitie that is to say froÌ„ out of the bounds of reason of Nature of true diuinitie this is according to the lawes of combate to rub against the bands or ropes that pale in their ground that is to bee ouercame to be conuinced of falshood Now the primitiue Church hath gathered them for vs into a briefe collection al those which the Councels put forth afterward are nothing but Commentaries thereupon and it is the same which Tertul. calleth RegulaÌ„ fidei Vnder which Tertul. de vela viâ—g de praes aduers Praxeam August de Symbol Beda in S. Ioh. l 1.
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
and qualitie that their doctrine and pure life hath aduaunced them vnto in the Church for there is some such a one that is worth manie according to their times according I say as they haue beene nearer or further off from the true light seeing that Saint Ierome complaineth himselfe S. August ad Ianuarium Bed l. 4. in Sam. c. 2. that he was in his time come vnto the lees Saint Augustine That all was now become full of presumptions preiudicate opinions and more then Iudaicall Ceremonies Beda likewise That it was a lamentable thing and not to bee vttered without teares how that in his time the Church grewe worse and worse euery day And this will proue true in counting cleane contrarie to our Iesuites for they to cast dust in the eyes of the world doe tell vs Such a one who liued 800. or 1000. yeares since hath said this or that whereas they should say such a one who liued 200. 300. or 400. yeares next after the Apostles hath spoken thus c. For our question is not how long time a lie hath indured The diuell saith the Lord is a liar from the beginning but what manner of doctrine that was which was first that is according to Tertullian the truth then when how by what degrees falsehood and lying sprung vp increased and grew great aduaunced it selfe against Vincent Lyrinens c. 39. and aboue this truth c. And this is that which Lyrinensis saith For the expounding of the Canonicall Scripture we must summon and call togither the aduises of the fathers but preferre that euermore which they haue spoken either all or the greatest part of them and that verie manifestly often constantly assuredly c. what hath beene otherwise deliuered what Saint Martyr or Teacher soeuer he hath beene let vs hold it inter proprias occultas priuatas opiniunculas for Apocrypha and priuate opinions Furthermore we are euer to proceed forward to the fifth that they are to be read as great personages That we must reade them in such sort as they will be read but neuerthelesse as men whose writings cannot be equall with the Scripture as little as their spirits can match the holy Ghost yea such on the contrarie as must be iudged by the scripture examined one by another euen the old with those which in regard of them are new as they haue sufficiently learned in some places to reproue them of whom they had beene instructed in many things Cyrâ—l in Leuit. l 5. according to the rule which S. Cyril giueth vs. If there be any thing in the scripture to be decided besides the two Testaments let vs know that we haue not any third the authoritie whereof we are bound to receiue This also is the same that the Fathers say vnto vs. S. Ierome Let euery thing that shall haue bin spoken after the Apostles time be cut off Hieronym in Psal 86. let it not carrie any authoritie with it how holy or eloquent soeuer the Author may bee Saint Augustine Augu. de vnit eccles c. 6. Reade to me of the Law Prophets Psalms Gospel and Epistles reade we wil beleeue c. Al others saith he how holy or learned soeuer they be I read them not to belieue that which they affirme to bee true because they say it but in as much as they proue it vnto me by these canonical Authors Ep. 19. ad S. Hieronym Ep. 111. 112 c. For how Catholike so euer they may be there is alwaies something in their writings which their honour reserued it is lawfull for vs to reproue if it doe not agree with the truth Thus am I affected in other mens writings and such wish I them to be in mine c. And if you would know of what manner of men hee purposeth to speake he speaketh of his owne bookes Rest not thy selfe saith he in my books Lib. 3. de Trinit contr Crescon l. 2. c 21 Ep. 112. but correct them by the reading of the Scriptures Of those of Saint Cyprian I doe not hold them for Canonicall but I examine them by the Canonicall Wherein I find them conformable I praise him where otherwise there with his good leaue I reiect and forsake him Of these namely Saint Ambrose and Saint Ierome Contr. Faust l. 11. c. 5. l. 2. Contr. Donat. c. I purposed not saith he to intermingle their opinions that so thou maiest not thinke that wee should follow the sence of any man as the authoritie of the Scripture Of all them in generall that haue written since the time of the Apostles In them all saith be the reader or hearer hath free iudgement to approue or disprouethem not being bound of necessitie to belieue them but with libertie of iudging c. Yea saith he elswhere All the letters of Bishops without any exception to those of the Bishops of Rome which haue beene written or are written after the Canon of the Scriptures may be reprehended by the Councels and the prouinciall Councels giue place to the generall and the first generall are oftentimes amended by the latter Sine vllo typo sacrilegae superbiae without any swelling of wicked pride In like manner saith hee to Maximinus Bishop of the Arrians August contr Maxim l. 3 c. 14. I alleadge not vnto thee the Councell of Nice though the worthiest that euer was by way of preiudice neither alleadge thou against me that of Rimini For as I hold not my selfe bound to the authoritie of the one so neither doe I take thee to be bound to the authoritie of the other wherefore let vs reason the matter together by the authoritie of the Scriptures c. Of which onely saith hee against the Donatists by a speciall priuiledge denied to all others that come after it is not lawfull to doubt And in the meane time Peter Abbot of Clugnt Petr. Cluniac l 2. amongst the pretended errours for which Peter Bruits who read the Diuinitie Lecture at Tholosa was burned about the yeare 1200. obserued this That hee belieued in the Canonicall Scripture only and would not consent that the Fathers had the same authoritie with it And that this was the errour of that time appeareth in Gratian who liuing at this time maketh the Decretall Epistles of the Popes equall with the Epistles of Saint Paul and falsifieth Saint Augustine to fortifie his owne saying How farre better dealt Gerson and the Count Picus of Mirandula who doe more accompt of a lay man an idiot an olde man a child with a place of Scripture then a Pope or vniuersall Councell without Scripture Now who so shall read the Scriptures and the Fathers vpon the Scriptures furnished with these rules calling vpon the name of God and bringing a right zeale to the searching out of the truth let vs not doubt but that hee may easily discerne of the controuersies of this time as to know on which side truth or
as also that wee shall bee able to deriue it from the first and purest ages wherein the sacred fountaine of mans saluation continued and stood in his vnspotted puritie and exquisite bringhtnes not hauing beene as yet troubled with our humaine inuentions not hauing been as yet defiled with the superstitions which the preposterous imitarion of Iudaisme or the vnaduised skill of fashioning themselues after the manner of the Gentiles did together with the time draw in huge and massie heapes vpon them For otherwise certainely if we can neither become acquainted with it by the holie Scriptures nor finde out anie markes or tokens of the same to haue beene vsed in all that space of pure and vncorrupted Antiquitie but rather that not so much as the name thereof is therein specified and that any other seruice was then offered vp to God let vs bee bolde to say that then the misterie and price of our Saluation lyeth not therein seeing that Saluation it self hath not instituted or ordayned the same as also that the Seruice to be performed by the church doth not consist therein seeing the Primitiue church did neuer know it But then may we well see and perceiue that it is some bastardly broode and intire and vniuersall corrupting of Christ his institution and of the first and auncient manner of seruing of God transformed and changed by little little from an abuse of words into an abuse of matter and substance from a Sacrament to a sacrifice and from a sacrifice eucharisticall to a propitiatorie sacrifice and from the commemoration or remembrance of the onely sacrifice of Christ into a pretended reall and dayly killing and offering vp of himselfe as also that this saide Masse which we see now a dayes is nothing else but a collection and patched thing of many ages a composition incorporated by many Popes for the more precisenes whereof there haue not beene admitted thereunto anie other ingredientes from time to time then the abuses which Sathan men and the iniquitie of time haue beene able to bring in eyther of pretended malice or through carelesse negligence or through ignorance into the church In so much as that finallie the holie Supper of our Lord cannot there retaine anie thing to be knowne by neyther hath it anie thing so contrarie opposite or repugnant as the Masse which from this lawfull and legitimate issue as some of the old Writers haue called it is changed into an illegitimare and bastardly thing from a publique into a priuate from the communion of the faithfull in the same Sacramentes into a particular celebration by one priest and to be briefe from a serious meditation of the death of our Lord into a colde and ridiculous representation of the same from a real and effectual participation of that flesh giuen for the life of the world and of that bloode shed for the remission of our sinnes into a dumbe and doltish ceremonie and that to be therewithall such a ceremonie as which assisting aiding vs a thing neuer heard of in any of the former times there is more hope and helpe to be expected I say not then from the holie supper of the Lord administred according to his institution nor then from all the Sacramentes of the Church of Christ but then from the verie sacrifice which the Lord hath once offered vppon the tree of the Crosse for the saluation of mankinde Now therefore for the clearer handling of this matter I will diuide this treatise into foure partes The first shall bee of the originall and proceeding of the Masse according to all the partes thereof and the second of the circumstances whatsoeuer is depending thereupon which is all that which properlie concerneth the historie thereof The third shall declare how it is to be considered and tried according to the nature and quality of a sacrifice and the fourth how in the nature and qualitie of a sacrament being that which commeth neerest to the touching of the doctrine thereof And I beseech all those that loue the truth and are feruentlie touched with an earnest care of their owne saluation that they would open their eyes and bring them to the sight and view of this matter clean and purged from all manner of preiudice of whatsoeuer forestalled opinion as likewise I pray God that he would giue me the grace of comming vnto this work with a true and sincere affection and vnfained defire to see the church of Christe reformed according vnto true antiquitie in these our daies purged from al nouelties which degenerate from the same reformed according vnto that antiquitie I say which hath for his foundation the doctrine of the Sonne of God the practise of his Apostles gouerned by his spirite but purged from that noueltie which can alledge nothing for his maintenance but the dreams of men those such as are alwaies younglings and babes in things concerning God yea rather alwaies brutish as sayeth S. Paul in that which concerneth his seruice The Contentes of the Chapters of the first Booke 1 AFter what manner the Supper of the Lord was first instituted and ordayned and that the Masse hath no ground or foundation eyther in the Scriptures or in the practise of the Apostles 2 That the Masses fathered vpon the Apostles and Disciples of Christ are notorious and meere suppositions 3 In what manner God was serued in the Christian Church in the time of the Apostles and their Disciples 4 What manner of diuine seruice was vsed in the Church vntill the time of S. Gregory or thereabout and namelie what manner of Masse that was which was so called by those that were catechised 5 What manner of diuine seruice there was vsed namelie in that which was called the Masse of the faithfull 6 Answeres vnto certain obiections and what maner of diuine seruice is most conformable vnto that which antiquitie indeed commendeth vnto vs as whether that of the church of Rome as it standeth at this day or that of the reformed Church 7 VVhat change and alteration was admitted in the celebration of the Supper about the time of Gregorie the great which falleth out to be in the sixt age of the Church 8 VVhat manner of growth and proceeding the Masse had from Gregorie the great vntill about the time of Charles the great 9 VVhat manner of proceeding aswell concerning the framing and rearing of the Masse as also about the vse therof was after the time of Charles the great and particularly of the dismembring of the Sacrament by the taking away of the Cup of the Lord from it 10 That the Communion vnder both kindes hath beene practized of all the auncient Churches 11 VVhat manner of effect and working the taking away of the Cuppe of the Lorde had amongst the faithfull and vnder what colour and pretext 12 VVherin are answered the pretēded reasons of the aduersaries both by the holie Scriptures and by the fathers A recapitulation or briefe rehearsall of the matters
then for the Monks it is so much the more your sinne to thinke that one ought not to reade them then not to reade them your selues Such speeches cannot but come from a diuelish meditation We are assaulted by the weapons and fierie darts of the Diuell how shall we shun or quench them surelie by the reading of the scriptures for I tell thee and tell thee againe Idem in hom 3. de Lazaro that without the continuall reading of the scriptures no man can come to eternall life Euery artificer is furnished with such tooles and instruments as serue for his mysterie and occupation as are necessarie for his work and I tell thee O thou Christian that the bookes of the Prophetes and Apostles are the instruments of a Christian to amend his soule to redresse what is amisse and to renew that which is growne old in vs c. But thou wilt say happy is euery simple soule he that walketh simplie walketh surelie But S. Idem hom 16. in Ioh. Prouerb 10.9 1. Pet. 5.15 Colos 3.16 Peter hath saide vnto thee Be yee alwaies readie to render a reason to any whosoeuer shall aske you anie question of the hope that is in you And S. Paule let the word of Christ dwell plentifully in you c. The cause of all euill is that for the most part there is not any that know how to alledge anie places of scripture to the purpose for that which they speake for the simple is not there to be taken or vnderstoode of one that is a sot or an ignorant person but for that man which is not giuen to wickednes which is not giuen to guile deceitfulnes c. For otherwise how should our Lord haue saide Be wise as Serpentes but simple as Doues Chrysost hom 3. de Lazaro But I haue an occupation or office to attend vpon in the kinges Court or in some of the Courtes of the law I haue a trade I haue a wife yea but is it not the property of those that haue forsaken the worlde to reade the scripture Is it not the property of those which sit vppon the tops of the mountaines O man sayeth hee what wilt thou here say vnto vs hast thou nothing else to doe but to turne ouer the bookes of the scriptures and certainelie that a great deale rather then they for they being freed of these worldlie cares are as it were in a hauen But thou who art tossed continually amidst the waues of this worlde hast thou not so much the more neede to take vnto thee these same to bee thy consolation But certainelie they who shall vse such speeches I knowe not how they should bee worthie to liue and breath how they should not bee ashamed to looke vppon the Sunne But we cannot all haue bookes wee are too poore to buye them I pray thee tell me Idem hom 10. in Iohan. hast thou not as poor as thou art the tooles and instruments of thy craft occupation and wilt thou excuse thy selfe of pouertie when thou shouldest prouide thee instrumentes of thy professed Christianitie these implementes and tooles whereby there groweth so great commoditie But in the ende for hee stoppeth as it were by the way of prophesying of these latter times all the holes that our aduersaries doe set open Wee shall not it may be vnderstand that which we shall reade in the holie scriptures But sayeth hee will you doe well At the least vpon the sabath daye bee diligent to reade the Gospell Idem ibid. And before that you goe to heare the sermon repeate mee it oft at home take paine and diligentlie endeuour thyselfe for to finde out the sence Idem hom de Lazaro which will shew it selfe to be either plaine or obscure and darke or will seem to hang and agree well together or to disagree marke mee these thinges well and then prepare thy selfe to heare the sermon with all attention I tell thee moreouer that although thou doe not vnderstand the thinges which lie therein hidden and secret that yet there doth not cease to rise and come vnto thee a great measure of sanctimonie and holines Notwithstanding it is impossible that thou shouldest be euerie where alike ignorant in them seeing that the holie Ghost hath in such sort tempered them as that the Publicanes Fishers Dyers Shepheardes his simple Apostles and in a worde the vnlearned were saued by the same And that to the end that the most ignorant may not excuse themselues in that sort to the ende that it may appeare that the thinges which are there spoken of may appeare vnto all to be most easie to be knowne and finallie to the end that the artificer the seruant the widow the sillie woman and the most rude and barbarous may take profite by the reading of the same seeing they are not written vppon anie vaine glorie of them that were the Pen-men thereof as the bookes of the Pagans were but for the saluation of the hearers For it was the course of the Philosophers that although they deliuered that which was profitable yet they would folde it vppe in obscure tearmes the rather to be admired the Prophetes and Apostles their course was contrarie for they deliuered all thinges plaine and cleare they made them manifest and euident to all men as they which were the common Doctors of the vniuersall world insomuch as that euerie man may learne by the onely reading thereof the things that are deliuered therein Idem hom 3. in 2. Thessal Learne sayeth hee againe in an other place without a Preacher For saith he in that we haue Preachers it is but as the remidie of our negligence All thinges are cleare and plaine in the holie Scriptures all the necessarie doctrines therein are manifest And as for you which are otherwise addicted to bee hearers rather then readers you become delicate and giuen to seeke forth such Preachers as will please and flatter your cares But Thou aunswerest againe and sayest I vnderstand not the scriptures And tell mee why Are they written in Hebrew are they in Latine are they in any strange and vnknowne tongue hast thou not them in Greeke But thou aunswerest so in Greeke as that therein abideth much obscuritie From whence should this obscuritie come are they not stories which thou vnderstandest clearelie and dost thou speake vnto vs of obscuritie These are but excuses and vaine wordes Idem hom 12 in Genes Idem in Psal 95. 49. The scripture sayeth hee in an other place expoundeth it selfe it suffereth not him that giueth his eare thereto to erre So soone as the testimonie thereof is produced it confirmeth both his worde that speaketh and his spirite which heareth And that so farre as that the common people by them may bee able to iudge of Antichrist If you haue not sayeth hee recourse to the scriptures if your affections runne after other matters you will stumble and take offence you will perish you will not bee
able to discerne which is the true Church you will fall into the abhomination of desolation Idem opere impers hom 29. Idem in Ep. ad Coloss hom 9. which is in the holy places of the Church c. Because sayeth hee in another place that wee must not belieue the Churches if they say not and doe the things which are agreeable to the Scriptures Now then what is there further to be expected after so many reasons but that we shold crie out with him Looke about you you of the secular sort yee Laitie which haue wiues and children how you are here commaunded to reade the scriptures and hee taketh this his exhortation from the Coloss 3.16 not simplie nor sleightlie but diligentlie Coloss 3.16 looke about you I say and consider well of the matter buye yee Bibles the medicines of your soules at the least the new Testament the Actes of the Apostles the Gospels c. And here you haue no neede of Logicke the pesant and the simple women vnderstande them the husbande may talke thereof with his wife the father with his sonne c. The hereticall Priestes doe shut the dores of truth vppon you Chrysost hom 1. in Ioh. Idem in opere imperf hom 44. Sixt. Senens l. 6 annot 152. because they knowe that you forsake their Church and that they shall come from the Priestlie dignitie wherein they are to be no better then popular persons and of the common sorte But what doe our aduersaries aunswere hereunto There was a time say they when the faithfull receiued the Sacrament with their handes which custome was afterwarde as hauing been an vnworthie maner of vsing of it corrected and an ordinance made by the church that they shold not touch it any more the same hath shee thought good of the holie Scriptures Is this in conscience to vnloose and dissolue the hard tied knots or else to cut them in pieces to answere or to wrangle And hath not the Councel of Trent yet dealt more francklie who haue appointed in their Index expurgatorius Ind. Expurgatorius pag. 27 That wheresoeuer these words Scripturae omnibus necessariae the Scriptures are necessarie for all persons are found in the Tables of the workes of the holie Fathers that they should bee raced out and that to the intent that the Tables thus wiped there might not remaine anie direction to guide a man to the places in their works where this doctrine is handled And how much rather would they haue raced the verie places thēselues out of the bookes if there had been but one or two copies of them Epiphanius was not altogether agreeing and of one minde with Chrysostome and yet the truth hath conioyned and knit them together in this point for hee saith Epiphan cont Anomantas All thinges are cleare and manifest in the scriptures no contradictions or contrarieties no deadly traps laide in them For such sayeth hee elsewhere as with the vpright sway of sound reason haue to do with the same not comming thereunto with a diuelish conscience to throw themselues downe headlong into the bottomles pit of destruction And wherefore saith Lactantius Lacta l. 6. c. 26 He that hath made the vnderstanding the tongue and the voice was not he able to speake so as that he may bee vnderstoode Yea on the contrarie hee would in his singular prouidence ordain that the diuine thinges which he spake for all should be without all painted and deceitfull colouring to the end that they might bee vnderstoode of all Whereupon also Theodoret saith Theodor. de natura hom Wee see commonlie that the points of Christian doctrine are not onelie vnderstoode of them which are the chiefe in the Church and teach the people but euen of Shoemakers Lock-Smithes and those that worke in woole and of all other sortes of Artificers yea and which more is of al sorts of women as Semsters Chamber-maides and others which get their liuing with their handie worke aswell hauing no learning as those which haue learning if any such be Againe they which dwell and keepe in the citties are not onelie become skilfull therein but in verie good sort those also that are labourers in the fieldes as neatheardes and setters of plantes whome thou shalt finde disputing of the holy Trinitie and of the creation of all thinges yea and those more skilfull in the nature of man then euer was Plato or Aristotle Now let it bee iudged by this place if this people had been thus instructed and taught by that manner of instruction which is deliuered and taught in the Church of Rome Now it remaineth that after wee haue done with these good Fathers The answere of the Councel of Trent Index lib. prohib Reg. 4. that wee take a view of that which the Fathers of the Councell of Trent shall say vnto vs. Inasmuch say they as if the Bibles should remaine in the vulgar tongue men through their rashnes would take more harme then good thereby we forbid them to haue any without the leaue and license of the Bb. or Inquisitor and that vnder their hand writing who will be readie to grant thē the same vpon the certificate or witnes of their Curate or Confessor If any man haue anie otherwise we declare and make knowne vnto him that he cannot haue absolution from his sinnes vntill he haue giuen vp his Bible vnto his Curate or Ordinarie And as for the Printers they shall loose the valew of such bookes to be bestowed vpon the poore Likewise it is our meaning that the Regulars shall not read or buye them without the permission of their Prelates What shall wee say here or rather what shall we not haue to say The old Writers did chide the Laitie as culpable of a notorious crime for not hauing of Bibles and here the Pope and his shauelinges do punish the Laitie for hauing of them they do confiscate the Bibles they forbid them not as a sinne onelie but vpon the penaltie of not hauing their sinnes forgiuen yea and which is more the Regulars themselues vowed by their institution and ordaining to the studie of holie Scripture are likewise subiect to the penaltie I pray you is it possible that one and the same spirite can say and vnsay And what will follow hereupon then but that those good Fathers being assured of the soundnes of their doctrine did take pleasure that it might be viewed and looked vpon in the light and that these which auoide and shun the same who can doubte but that they do doubt of theirs as conuinced in their consciences of abuse superstition and heresie Now they are not satisfied with hauing their seruice in an vnknowne language The secret of the Masse as if the strangenes of the language did make it so much the more to bee reuerenced euen as it falleth out in the receipts of coniurations and witchcraft whereof we read in Cato Trallianus Scribonius c. But further they haue added thereunto
And amongst men who was more great then Iohn Baptist of whom the Lord saith amongst those that are borne of women c. Thou seest then this great mountaine to shine but heare his confession We haue saith he all receiued of his fulnes It is then from him of whom they haue receiued that we must looke for our succour and not from these mountaines from Christ the Sonne of the most high and soueraigne father c. And if thou lift not vppe thine eyes by the scripture thou shalt not bee admonished and taught how to bee enlightened of him Saint Ierome haue lifted mine eyes Hieronym in psal 121. the eies of my spirite vnto the toppe of the bookes that is of the laâ— and the Prophetes from whence I see comming vnto mee my Lord my aide and my helpe that is Christ and so Saint Augustine vpon S. Iohn doth expound it of the scriptures I an other place Saint Ierome ioyneth these two places together to the same end August tract 1 in Iohan. Hieronym in Esa c. 52 l. 14. I â—â—ue lifted mine eyes vnto the hils and I haue lifted mine eyes vnto thee which dwellest in the â—â—auens opposing and setting them against the ordinarie intention and drift of the â—â—euill who would curbe and keepe in our soules vnder the slauerie of these inferior pâ—wers Theodoret Being compassed and set about with calamities say the captiues of Baâ—lon Theod. in psal 120. we haue cast our eyes on euery side but we know that there is no help of man that can do 〈◊〉 good we rest in the good pleasure and will of God c. Saint Bernard likewise speaking of Christ persecuted in the Church and in his members saith Who is hee that without teares can see the teares of Christ Bernard in ep ad Simonem Abbatem S. Nicol. lifting his eyes from the deepe pitte of mire and elay vnto the mountaines from whence help and succour is to come vnto him c. And surely then not from the Saintes for they know themselues to stand in neede to bee helped of Christ but rather saith he From the Lord which hath made heauen and earth Caietan also most fitly and for the purpose saith This is here as a dialogue betwixt the people and the Prophet shall I here stand and waite for my helpe from the mountaines from the princes and potentates of the earth nay rather from the Lord c. In the Psalme 134. it is said Iudicabit Dominus populum suum in seruis suis deprecabitur Psal 134.14 Of a bad and naughtie Grammar construction they make a bad piece of diuinitie He shall bee prayed vnto say they in his seruants But the Hebrew saith Hee shall repent himselfe or he shall be appeased towarde his seruantes And so haue Caietanus Pagnin and Arias Montanus their interpretors translated the same And the Chaldie Paraphrast in like manner that is That God according to his mercie will be appeased towards to his people At the least they should haue kept themselues vnto their Glose which from a badde translation hath notwithstanding gathered a good doctrine Deprecabilis saith it efficietur seruis suis exaudiendo seruis suis placabilis fiet hee will bee intreated at the prayers of his seruantes and in the same manner Haimo But let vs heare the fathers Haimo in psal 134. Saint Augustine hath read it Et in seruis suis adorabitur and expoundeth this place of the casting off of the Iewes and calling of the Gentils comming into the Church on euerie side Saint Ierome Consolabitur and gathereth the former sence thereof also That the Lord shall bee comforted in the incredulitie of the Iewes and in the faith and beliefe of the Gentiles But Theodoret commeth more neere vnto the purpose and scope of the Prophet For saith he Thou O Lord seeing vs assailed by enemies wilt not cast vs off neither wilt thou chasten vs according to our sinnes And thus likewise Caietanus But say they doth not intercession presuppose inuocation Now the fathers of the olde Testament haue caused the names of the Patriarkes to steppe in to helpe their prayers If intercession presuppose innocation Genes 32. Exod. 32. Deutr. 9. Psal 131. Exod. 6.5 32.13 Leuit. 26.42 Dan. 3. Deut. 8.26.34 1. Kings 8. Psal 89. Iacob said The God of my father Abraham and Isaac deliuer mee c. Moyses Call to minde thy seruantes Abraham Isaac and Iacob Call to mind thy seruant Dauid and his afflictions c. But assuredly they do plainly enough expound themselues in the same places To whome saith Moyses thou hast sworne by thine owne selfe I will multiply their seede and giue vnto them this lande And Salomon Performe vnto thy seruant Dauid that which thou hast said the couenant that thou hast assured and confirmed vnto him c. And the Lord himselfe I haue remembred my couenant made with your fathers and not your fathers not their merites to witte they all alleadging to God and God vnto them the whole cause and reason of the graces and deliuerances that they craued at his hand or that hee performed vnto them to be the free promise which hee vouchsafed to make to the Patriarkes to Dauid to his people c. and not their merites which as wee shall see hereafter are none at all at Gods hand And this is the same which the Glose saith in the like places Firmiter promisisti non licet mutari Thou hast infalliblie promised and it is not lawfull for thee to reuoke or change thy promise But whereas they go about to deriue and find the originall of intercession these places cannot serue for an example For by their owne coafessions those that were in the limbes could not be intercessors And that wee may not need to bee still repeating the same thing let this which hath beene saide serue and be vnderstood of all such like places In Iob 33. Iob. 33.23 Elihu after he had shewed by how diuers sortes and waies God chastiseth men for their amendment hee addeth these wordes according to the old translation If there bee an Angell speaking for him one of a thousand to declare of the equitie of this man Then will he haue mercie vpon him and say deliuer him for I haue found wherefore to bee reconciled vnto him c. Thereupon they infer that Angels do make intercession for vs. But according to the Hebrew the truth of the word translated Angell is ambiguous and may be taken for a messenger and seemeth also presently after that it ought to be vnderstood for a prophet or interpreter of the will of God as in the booke of Iudges 2. Chap. And that because of the worde which followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say an Interpreter And hee saith not for him but with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him make God acquainted with the vprightnesse of the man but vnto man 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
tooke bread blessed it c. and said Take eate for the remission of your sinnes This is my bodie c. Doe this in remembrance of me as not hauing there any other kind that hee had made choise of neither yet figure wherein his incarnation might be represented Behold then the Image of his quickning bodie which is honourably and gloriously exhibited c. But this Councell was afterward condemned by the second Nicene Councell which established the adoration of images And without all doubt not without the shaking by that meanes of the truth of this Article as it will be seene in that which Theophilact writeth But that second of Nice was also condemned by that of Francford and of Paris as we haue seene before held vnder the authoritie of Charles the great Lewes and Lotharius which may bee the cause that our French Doctors should as yet hold the same firmely Anno 900. Theoph. in Marc. c. 14. in Mat. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for true and sound doctrine Theophilact therefore about the yeare 900. to sute Damascen The bread is not the figure or any kind of paterne of the bodie of our Lord but the bodie of Christ is turned into it Or else in an other place In Ioh. c. 6. The bread 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is turned into the body Againe It is not onely a certaine figure of the flesh of our Lord but the verie flesh of our Lord c. Verily no more constant or assured then Damascen seeing that he saith in the same places God stooping downe and applying himselfe to our infirmitie doeth keepe the figure of bread and wine He saith not the accidents 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He transformeth and chaungeth them into the power and vertue of the flesh and bloud He saith not into thy flesh and bloud And it is not here to be forgotten that in diuers Copies these words are not to be found Againe Wee celebrate an oblation without bloud the remembrance of an oblation which he hath once made c. The remembrance how can that agree with the real presence But when he saith Transformeth or chaungeth from one element to an other who shall better interpret him then Saint Augustine that it is chaunged from an element to a Sacrament by the power of the word that is to say by the institution of Christ Otherwise if a man should goe about to take it literally our aduersaries who allow not of this proposition The bread is or is made the bodie of Christ could they admit of this of Theophilacts The bodie of Christ is turned to vs into bread The bread of the Altar is transformed and chaunged into the bodie of Christ And what exposition will they giue then thereunto except this he is become our spirituall foode and nourishment Seeing that he saith in an other place That there is not any carnall thing In a word that the bread as we say with all the ancient writers is Sacramentally the body of Christ Now in the life time of Charles the great Iohannes Eryngerus Scotus a Monke of the order of Saint Bennet companion to Alcuinus and Schoolemaster to Charles the great had written a booke of the holy Supper wherein hee dealeth against this abuse touching it euen from the conception thereof a certaine argument and proofe of that which the worthie Beda had taught for as much as hee was his Disciple The occasion of which my speech ariseth vpon certaine places in Beda his works which some haue corrupted in like manner vpon Saint Mathew which Auentinus witnesseth that he found out by comparing together the old Copies which are kept in the auncient Monasteries of Germanie In Biblioth Passaulensi Waltfacrens to haue beene falsified by some such like faithfull and vpright Catholike dealing as our fathers of Trent haue vsed in their Index Expurgatorius deuised and ordained in that Councell against all the most notable writers that haue written since the yeare 100. But of this Scotus his workes wee haue nothing for his booke was burnt in the Councell holden at Verseillis by Pope Leo the ninth more then two hundred yeares after his death at such time as Berengarius was there condemned But so it is that we haue Bertram his booke who was a Priest and writ the same to king Charles the bald brother to the Emperour Lotharius how this controuersie grew hotter and hotter in Fraunce and how there were two questions consulted vpon by the said Charles The first was Whether the bread and wine taken by the mouthes of the faithfull be the bodie and bloud of Christ in deed verily or mistically and Sacramentally The second Whether it be the same bodie that was borne of the Virgine Marie c. sitting at the right hand of the father c. And of this booke there is mention made by the Abbot Trithemius Trithem de doctorib eccle Chron. Hirtsaugien who calleth it Opus commendabile a laudable worke As also of his person whose rare gift both in diuine and humane learning as also in soundnesse of life hee much praiseth and commendeth And his resolution which hee gaue to King Charles debated and argued from the testimonies of all the old writers it was this in summe S August S. Hieronym S. Ambros c. That the Fathers vnder the Law in their Sacraments did eate the flesh and drinke the bloud of Christ as wee doe That the eating in the holy supper is accomplished after the same way and maner that regeneration in Baptisme that the visible elements are Sacraments signes mysteries and similitudes or resemblances which are taken by the mouth and hand That the inuisible things that is the flesh and bloud of Christ are receiued into the soule and taken by faith That the sanctified Elements continue and abide still in their first substance and yet exhibite vnto vs by the institution of the Lord that which hee hath promised by his word The fruit whereof is to be ioyned to Christ and made fellow sufferers with him in his sufferings the image and remembrance whereof is celebrated in this mysterie I would intreate the Reader not not to grieue to reade this book because it is learned and setteth forth in verie liuely sort the opinions of the Fathers pressing and vrging the places of Scripture and of the fathers and as it were foreseeing all the cauils of the masters of Transubstantiation But let him that buyeth or readeth it see that it be of those that were Imprinted before the Councell of Trent because that in signe of their perseuering in their honest and faithfull course they ordaine and appoint in their Index Index pag. 11 that whatsoeuer it containeth to their dislike should bee either chaunged or quite raced out that is to say the greatest part of the booke Their maner of correcting and interpreting is no grosser but to turne the affirmatiue into a negatiue so on the contrarie as for example For