they erred Christ himselfe sheweth Verse 64. and the manner wherein they failed hee declared in the 64. verse was because they did not eate him spiritually by faith For said he But there are some of you which beleeue not 4 Thus then we may be fully resolued that the manner of eating which Christ meant was spiritually by faith which hee made plaine vnto them not onely in that 64. verse but almost throughout the whole Chapter for wee may there see that whensoeuer he spake of eating still hee added beleeuing onely to manifest vnto them that by eating Eating and beleeuing is both but one thing he meant beleeuing Also that they might the more plainely haue vnderstood that by eating and beleeuing he meant but one and one onely thing he expounded it vnto them by that one onely effect which he declared both eating and beleeuing hath For as in the 54. verse he said Whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day So in the 40. verse he said This is the will of him that sent me that whosoeuer seeth the Sonne and beleeueth in him should haue euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last day Wherefore seeing he shewed them so plainely that the effect of eating and beleeuing was but one and the same thing they might the more easily haue vnderstood that by eating and beleeuing he meant but onely one and the same thing and so consequently that they should eate him spiritually by faith and not after a carnall and corporall manner 5 And thus Christian Reader haue we found out the true meaning of those words of Christ touching the eating and feeding on him euen by conferring place with place and verse with verse which is doubtlesse the most surest way for the bringing the truth to light euen by expounding one Scripture by another For as Saint Chrisostome saith a Chrisost in his 12. Hom. Genesis The holy Scripture expoundeth it selfe and suffereth not the Reader to erre And as Saint Augustine saith b August in his Bocke of questions 83. the 69. quest The circumstances of the Scriptures is wont to giue light and to open the meaning As also in another place c 3. Booke 29. Chap. of Christian doctrine Darke places are to be expounded by more plaine places The surest way of expounding the Scripture is to expound one Scripture by another But the Papists refusing to take this course haue most grossely erred in the true vnderstanding of Christ and also most ignorantly charged vs to hold that heresie of those obstinate and blind Capernaites whereas indeede themselues hold the heresie For their heresie was as we see that Christ meant a corporall kinde of eating euen as they hold but we hold cleane contrary and therefore not we but they are of the fellowship of those first Authors of that heresie who as the Text declareth did therein so fall from Christ as that they forsooke his company Wherefore all that will wilfully fall away from Christ let them with those cauilling Capernaites hypocriticall Disciples and our counterfait Catholiques hold that heresie 6 But now forasmuch as it is an vsuall thing with them whensoeuer they see themselues conuicted by Scripture to tell vs that no Scripture is of any priuate interpretation and therefore vnlesse we can shew them that the same Scripture is so expounded by the ancient Fathers they will not admit it be the sense made neuer so plaine Let them therefore heare how the ancient Fathers testimonies doe expound those words of Christ 7 Saint Origine writing vpon those words Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye haue no life in you saith d Origen in his 7. Hom. vpon Leuiticus Consider that these things written in Gods Booke are figures and therefore examine and vnderstand them as spirituall and not as carnall men for if you vnderstand them as carnall men they hurt you for euen in the Gospell there is found a letter that killeth for if you follow the letter or words of this that Christ said Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud this letter killeth Againe Origine vpon the same words saith e Orig. in his 7. Booke vpon Leuiticus This letter killeth but if thou take it spiritually it killeth not but in it is a quickning spirit vnderstand therefore spiritually those things that be spoken Also Saint Augustine vpon the same words saith f Augustine in his 3. Booke of Christian doctrine Now this saying of Christ Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye haue no life in you seemeth to command a haynous and a wicked thing therefore it is a figure Againe writing vpon those words It is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing thus he expoundeth them g Vpon the 98. Psalme Ye shall not eate this body that ye see neither shall ye drinke that bloud that they shall shed which crucifie me I haue commended vnto you a certaine Sacrament being spiritually vnderstood it will giue you life Againe h In his 27. Treatise vpon Iohn When you shall see the Sonne of man ascend vp where he was before then shall you vnderstand that he giueth not his body in such sort as ye imagine neither that he is to be consumed by bits and morsels Also fully to resolue all true Christians that Christ meant that none could eate him effectually vnto saluation but such onely as eate him spiritually he saith i In his 26 treatise vpon Iohn He that eateth inwardly not that eateth outwardly he that eateth in heart not that presseth with the teeth to beleeue in Christ that is the eating the bread of life prepare not your mouthes prepare your hearts And againe he saith k In his 26 treatise vpon Iohn Our Lord called himselfe the bread that came downe from heanen exhorting vs to beleeue in him for to beleeue in him that is the eating the bread of life he eateth that beleeueth in him Also in reprouing all those in particular that would eate Christ carnally he saith l In his Booke against the Iewes 9 cap. Why doest thou prepare thy belly and thy teeth beleeue and thou hast eaten Therefore saith Saint Chrisostome m Chrisostome in his 46. Hom. vpon Iohn If any man vnderstand those words of Christ carnally he shall surely profit nothing thereby for what meane these words The flesh profiteth nothing he meant not his flesh God forbid but hee meant of all these that fleshly and carnally vnderstand those things which Christ spake and what is carnall vnderstanding else but to vnderstand them as they be spoken And therefore it is which in another place he saith n In his 14. Hom. vpon Iohn God will not that we vnderstand the words of holy Scripture simply and plainely as they lie but with great
in their proper shape and true likenesse And this was also at the time of the rising of Luther when as there was neither sound doctrine true faith nor religion to be found in all the Romish iurisdiction according to that Prophecie of their S. Hildegard a Nunne which saith In the Apostolike order to wit in the Roman Sea no religion shall be found Truely Christian Reader it seemeth very apparent that God hath made speciall choyse of England aboue all the Nations in the world to be the chiefe for the recouering and reducing of that part of his Church the Romish iurisdiction and the ouerthrow of Antichrists kingdome and religion For whereas in the 17. chapter of the Reuelation the tenne hornes are declared to be the maine strength of the seauen-hilled Citie to wit Rome and that the text declareth also those hornes to be so many kingdomes and that the learned expound them to be these tenne head kingdomes of the Romish iurisdiction England Scotland Denmarke c. the first whereof that withdrew her power from Rome was England it is manifest England is the chiefe I know Christian Reader it would be thought strange to say that that which was done by King Henry was foretold in the booke of the Reuelation Neuerthelesse a very learned man writing vpon these words in the 13. verse of the 11. chap. And the tenth part of the Citie shall fall saith plainely It is a thousand to one but that it is meant of King Henry meaning his withdrawing his power from Rome And indeed it is tenne thousand to one but that it is meant of him For plaine experience doth euidently demonstrate England to be the chiefe of those tenne Kingdomes also which the 16. verse of the 17. chap. declareth shall be the meanes of the finall fall of the Citie of Rome and power of Antichrist for that after this worke was set abroach by King Henry we saw it so greatly to preuaile vnder the raigne of that famous Queene his Daughter Elizabeth that at her decease the Pope had scarce three of those Kingdomes signified by those hornes left to adhere with him intirely And I doe finde also by diuers of the olde Romish Predictions that as God made King Henry the maine beginner of the ruine and decay of the strength of Romish Babylon so he hath ordained a most worthy King of the name of Iacob to second him in that worke And as touching that which shall be further effected by him thus hath their Robertus a Dominican Frier written long agoe in his second Sermon But Iacob flying from the Serpents face which Serpent in his third vision hee affirmeth the spirit told him was Antichrist the Pope is ioyned to those that doe praise my name For which cause hee declareth the Pope whom in the same Sermon hee compareth to Esau should put in practise the destruction of the spirituall Iacob as also for refusing to ioyne with him and to be of his societie For there hee bringeth in the Pope speaking in this manner to his spirituall sonnes Goe to my Sonnes and enter into a consultation among your selues how I may bring him vnder for by his destruction my treasure shall bee exceedingly increased I haue neede of much because the name of my house is great vpon the face of the earth Deglutiamus eum virum Come therefore let vs swallow him vp aliue Which Prophecie albeit wee saw fulfilled in the Powder-treason yet as the same Frier sheweth that all the Pope could doe should nothing at all preuaile so thankes be to our good God we saw it did not Againe the same Frier in his sixeteenth Sermon fore-sheweth that it shall come to passe that the same Iacob whom there hee calleth the Lyon King shall visite the Emperour and the rest of the Roman and other Catholique Princes of Christendome by his Christian and royall exhortations to helpe to subdue the Pope and to bring the Church of Rome into the same state of primitiue puritie as it was in the happy dayes of Constantine the Great Theodosius Valentinian c. Whereby he declareth not onely how greatly the Church of Rome is fallen from her primitiue purity in religion but also that shee shall be reformed by the speciall meanes of our Nation of England And to the like effect are these words of their Saint Bridgit cannonized for a Saint by Pope Boniface the ninth in her sixt booke of Reuelations 26. chap. where she bringeth in Christ complayning of the decaied state of the Church of Rome shewing him to exhort all Christian Kings what course to take for the perfect reformation thereof saying Wherefore the King for whom thou dost pray ought to call and assemble a Councell of Spirituall men such as are wise through my wisedome and he ought to enquire diligently of those that haue my spirite and aske their aduice how and by what meanes the wall of my Church may be built againe amongst Christians how God may be restored to his honour true Religion made to flourish anew godly charity made more feruent my passion more deepely imprinted in the hearts and mindes of men and my Commaundements loued with greater zeale and respect Let him therefore gather together the vpright and true kinde of Christians that hee together with them may repaire the spirituall breaches of my Church the which verily hath departed too farre from mee By which wee see shee giueth all true Christian Princes to vnderstand that God requireth of them that they ioyne together and vse all meanes by godly and learned instructers to reclayme the Romish Church and to reduce her to that most auncient Catholique faith and religion which Saint Paul so commended her for at the first which albeit at the first or on the sodaine shee will not receiue but as their Abbot Ioachim vpon the 22. chapter of Ieremy sayth Will stoppe her eares lest shee should heare the charming of the inchaunter the voyce of him that admonisheth her yet vpon the 15.17.18.21 and 22. chapters he showeth that those admonitions shall in short time so worke that not onely the Germaine Empire shall forsake the Church of Rome but the Church it selfe with her Colledge of Cardinalls shal be diuided and fall into discord among themselues And vpon the 50. and 51. of Ieremy he sheweth by the effect that those admonitions shall so greatly preuaile that the Pope and the whole order of his Clergie his Consistorie and State shall be exceedingly impaired For saith he The Nobles of the Romaine Church shall perish the Monasteries shall be diminished the High Priest shall be purified and Christian Religion shall be winnowed as with a fanne And the same also did their Saint Katharine of Sienne foresee as may appeare by these her words written in a prayer of hers But what shall the Lord doe to these euill husband men he shall come and destroy them and let out his Vineyard vnto others c. By tribulations and afflictions and in such a manner
euen Christ himselfe seemeth to giue place to these and these mens rules and orders be preferred aboue the Gospell Dominike say they h Anth. bishop of Florence in hiâ—â— Par. 3. tit 23. 24. shead his bloud daily both for those that were conuersant in earth and for those that are in Purgatory and therefore it is that they also say their church singeth thus of Dominike i Pag 187. O wonderfull hope that thou hast giuen Of Frances thus k Conformities Frances whom typicall Iesus wee call the Captaine and Ruler of Minorities all graunt vs in heauen places perpetuall And they say that whereas Christ endured the torment of nayles in hands and feete but a few houres hee endured nailes in his hands and feete for vs full two yeares Of Becket thus l Becket in a prayer booke By the blood of Thomas which for thee he did spend make vs O Christ to climbe whither Thomas did ascend Of Swithen they say m In Liturgy By him our sinnes are done away 12 Thus doe they make many mediatours of Redemption vnto whom may be added their faith in the Pope and his pardons For he whosoeuer for the time being is in the second ranke or order of whom they write and beleeue that he is a Sauiour as Simon Begnius Bishop of Modrusia sayd thus to Pope Leo n Concil Later Sect. 6. pag. 601. O blessed Leo we haue looked for thee to be our Sauiour Neither is this pressed vpon him but willingly receiued as his due as may appeare in that the Pope himselfe suffered the Ambassador of Cicilia to lie prostrate on the ground before him and to pray o Paulus Aemilius lib. 7. O thou that takest away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vpon vs Thou that takest away the sinnes of the world giue vs peace And to proue that the Pope is of sufficient power to saue an other writeth thus p Bull of Clement the 6. and Anthon. of Fleâ— The Pope hath so great power both in Purgatory and also in Hell that hee may deliuer by his Indulgences and place in heauen as many soules as he will Thus they avowe not onely that euery soule must be saued vnder the Pope but that the Pope must be their Sauiour Neither hee himselfe alone but those also that he will authorize For as one saith q Cardinall Allen in Fulby answere to a false catholike p. 71. The chiefe and principall Pastors by their soueraigne authority may wholly discharge offenders from all paines to come And yet further that Christ might bee quite shut out and there might be many Aberrations they haue set vp for Mediatours and helpers vnto saluation Images prayers to Images Dirges Almes-deedes and Purgatory Vnto the Image of the Crosse thus they pray Å¿ In a prayer booke All haile O Crosse our onely hope in this time of thy passion in faithfull people grace increase and graunt of sinne remission 13 Also notwithstanding hee whom they faine to be their Founder 1. Pet. 1.18 Saint Peter sayth Wee are not redeemed with corruptible things as siluer and gold but with the pretious blood of Christ Directly contrary they teach and say t Allen in Fulke pa. 202. 174. By almes we may redeeme our sinnes and theirs that are in Purgatory also And againe u In thâ— same booke pa. 239. Good workes cleanseth before hand deliuereth the soule from death and lifteth it vp to eternall life And lastly * Ibidem Regard not the iangler that will say good works do not purge sin and winne heauen 14 Last of all to the intent that we should finde more sufficiencie else-where then in Christ they further write x Allen in Fulke pag. 202. The Sacrifices done by vs that are aliue do wipe away the sins of those that be dead Againe y The Popish Doctors The sacrifice of the Masse doth take away the sinnes of the quicke and dead And againe z Allen in Fulke 92. Purgatory paynes doth not onely serue Gods iustice for the punishment of sinne but also cleanseth and quallifieth the soule of man defiled Moreouer a Allen pag. 133 In Purgatory we must be holden from life and libertie till we haue payed the vtmost farthing the toleration of which bonds shall recompence the debt And to knit vp all in a word to the Image of Christ they haue intituled a prayer beginning thus b In a prayer booke O Maker of heauen and earth King of Kings and Lord of Lords which of nothing diddest make mee to thine owne similitude and likenesse and diddest redeeme mee with thy owne bloud whom I a sinner am not worthy to call vpon I desire thee c. And so forwards for all things needefull both for soule and body 15 Wherefore then if the doctrine of the Church of Rome be true namely that Christ by his death and bloudshedding saued vs but from the guilt of that one sinne of Adam and that wee are saued from the malediction of the multitude of all our transgressions by the Popes and their principall Pastours and by the infinite number of true and false Saints and so many names of other means How doe they truely hold that which Saint Peter saith Acts 4.12 Acts 4.12 That among men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen whereby we must be saued but onely by the name of Iesus Or which the Prophet Esay in the person of Christ saith 63.3 Esay 63.3 I haue troden the Wine-presse alone and of all people there is none with me Or if Christ cannot or doth not saue without all other or other helpes why then said the Authour to the Hebrews 1.3 Hee hath purged our sinnes by himselfe Hebr. 1.3 Acts 13.39 Or why said Saint Paul thus of Christ Acts 13.39 By him euery one that beleeueth is iustified Or why did the Angell commaund the Virgine to call her Sonne Iesus but because as he said Math. 1.21 Matth. 1.21 He should saue his people from their sinnes If he then he alone and why then should wee seeke for so many he and she Sauiours Wherefore howsoeuer they seeme in the outward letter of the Scriptures to confesse Christ to be the onely Sauiour yet wee see it is none otherwise then they confesse God to bee the onely God which is instead of one to haue many To conclude it is a true consequent that so many Sauiours so many Christs so many Christs so many faiths so many faiths so many baptismes Therefore whether professing one God one Lord Iesus Christ one Faith and one Baptisme after this Antichristian manner be to hold the foundation sound or not soundly and vtterly to ouerthrow the foundation let the Christian Reader iudge as also whether there bee so neere a coniunction in our profession that they and we may be combined and conioyned together to make one and the same true Church of Christ as also whether this be
during those fiery fiue moneths mentioned in the 5. Reuelat. 9.5 verse of the 9. chap. of the Reuelation which some of the learned doe interpret to be those last 500. yeeres before Luthers time in which Antichrist was growne vp to his full height and power and euen then did God stirre vp a great company of corragious Champions to withstand the Pope and openly and boldly to write speake and preach against him and his proceedings till well towards the rising of Luther a great part of which we will now produce as they thus follow in particular 3 About the yeare of our Lord 1158. which was almost foure hundred yeares before Luthers daies Garhardus and Dulcinus Nauarenses did earnestly preach against the Church of Rome and taught that the Pope is Antichrist that the Clergie and Prelates of Rome were reiected and were become the very whore of Babylon prefigured in the booke of the Reuelation These as the histories doe testifie came into England The two witnesses as they follow are sayd to be two because thâ—y bear witnesse to the two TestameÌ„ts and brought certaine others with them who were by the King and the Prelaetes burned in the foreheads and sent out of the Realme and afterwards were put to death by the Pope In the yeare 1160. * Waldus Waldus one of the chiefe Magistrates of the Citie of Lyons in Fraunce was terrified at the sight of one that fell downe dead suddenly he shewed great fruits of repentance both by exercising the workes of mercie in relieuing the poore and also by instructing himselfe and his family in the word of God and in exhorting all that resorted vnto him to the same and by translating certaine places of Scriptures into the French tongue which he declared vnto many He and a great number that receiued instructions by him maintained the same doctrine drawne out of the holy Scriptures which we doe now condemning the Masse to be wicked the Pope to bee Antichrist and Rome to be Babylon c. They were threatned and by violence of persecution scattered into many places and some of them remained long in Bohemia In the yeare 1212. An hundred burned in one day the Pope caused an hundred persons in the Country of Alsatia whereof diuers of them were Noble men to be burned in one day for maintaining doctrine against the Romish Church About the yeare of Christ 1230. The Graecians renounced the Church of Rome almost all the Church of the Graeciaens renounced the Church of Rome because of their execrable Simony and such like abominable wickednesse In the time of the Emperour Frederike the second about the yeare 1240. there was in the Countrey of Sweuia many Preachers which preached freely against the Pope and his Prelates affirming that they were Heretiques Simonackes and such like About the yeare 1250. rose vp Arnoldus de nona villa a Spaniard Arnoldus a man famously learned and a great Writer hee impugned the errours of the Popish Church and taught Guilielmus that the Pope led the people to hell About the same time Guilielmus de sancto Amore a maister of Paris and chiefe ruler of that Vniuersitie applied all the testimonies of Scripture which are touching Antichrist against the Popish Clergie About the yeare 1290. Laurence an Englishman Laurence and a maister of Paris mightily proued the Pope to be Antichrist and the Synagogue of Rome to be Babylon the Pope after his death caused his bones to bee taken vp and burned Robert Gallus At the same time Robert Gallus a man of noble parentage impugned the Pope of Rome and his Clergie calling the Pope an idol Robert Grostid Also about the same time Robert Grostid Bishop of Lincolne a man famously learned in three tongues wrote diuers Inuectiues against the Pope prouing him to be an heretike after his death the Pope would haue had his bones digged vp but was terrified by a Vision About the yeare 1350 the Lord raised vp diuers learned men Gregory Arminensis which openly and boldly impugned the Pope and the Church of Rome Gregory Arminensis who layed open the abuses of the Romish Synagogue and confuted the Popish doctrine of free-will In Germany a Preacher taught likewise Petracha Franciscus Petracha at the same time called Rome The whoore of Babylon the Sanctuary of heresie and Schoole of errour Johannes derupe Scissa And a little before that Iohannes derupe Scissa was cast into prison for rebuking the Popish Prelates for their detestable enormities and for that hee called the Church of Rome The Whoore of Babylon the Pope the Minister of Antichrist and the Cardinalls false Prophets And being in prison hee wrote a booke prophecying of the afflictions which hanged ouer the heads of the Romish Clergie Couradus Hager Also there was maister Conradus Hager who taught more then twenty yeares against the Masse hee was afterwards shut vp in prison Gerardus Ridder Michael Cesenas Petrus de Carbona Iohannes de Poliaco Also one Gerardus Ridder wrote a booke against the Monkes and Friers which he entituled Lachrime ecclesiae About the same time Michaell Cesenas and Petrus de Corbona and Iohannes de Poliace were condemned by the Pope and his adherents The said Michaell wrote a booke against the pride tyrannie and primacie of the Pope accusing him to be Antichrist and the Church of Rome Babylon That whoore drunke with the blood of the Saints He left behind him many followers of whom a great part were slaine by the Pope and some of them were burned Two Friers About the same time two Friers were put to death in Auinion for matters which they had against the Pope one of them was called Iohannes Rochetailiada who did preach that the Church of Rome is Babylon the Pope and Cardinalls Antichrist About the yeare 1360. was set forth a writing against the Pope and his Clergie The Plowmans complaint Armachanus called the Complaint of the plow man About the same time Armachanus an Archbishop in Ireland was raised vp against Antichrist he was a man of great learning and godlinesse his troubles were many and his deliuerances great by Gods prouidence In the yeare of Christ 1364. Nicolas Orme Nicolas Orme preached a Sermon before the Pope and his Cardinalls in which he rebuked the Popish Prelates and affirmed their destruction not to be farre off About the yeare 1370. liued Mathew Parisiensis a Bohemian Math. Parisiensis who wrote a large booke of Antichrist and noteth the Pope to be the same About the yeare 1384. Nilus Bishop of Thessalonica Nilus wrote also a large booke against the Romaine Church About the yeare 1390. many were put to death for the Gospell refusing the doctrine and worship of the Church of Rome as at Bringa there were burned sixe and thirty Citizens of Maguntia Many put to death for refusing the Romish religion In the prouince of Narbone there
Paul and Saint Augustine vpon his words Now let vs heare some others vpon this point 5 Theophilact writing vpon the same words of Paul saith thus l Theophi vpon 1 Tim. 2. Chap. That the Mediatour should be the Sonne of God it was requisite for he should be the reconciliation and perfect mediatour for he is a mediatour of two for hee put himselfe as a meane or middle thing to ioyne contrary things together Therefore he is the Sonne of God and Mediatour of men for he is partaker of both natures And hereof it is which Saint Chrisostome saith m Chrisost vpon 1 Tim. a Chap. The Mediatour ought to be ioyned by society of them both of whom he is Mediatour for it is the part of a Mediatour to be partaker of them both of whom he is Mediatour And a little after he concludeth thus For it was requisite that such a Mediatour should speake with God Also hereof it is which Saint Cyrill saith n Cyrill in his 12 Booke 10. Chap. of Treasure Christ Iesus is Mediatour betweene God and man not onely because he hath reconciled man vnto God but also because hee is naturally and substantially both God and man in one person And after this manner saith he God hath reconciled vs vnto him for otherwise how could Saint Paul say that there is one Mediatour Christ Iesus Wherefore then seeing that none can be Mediatour betweene God and man but hee that is both God and man no Saint can be Mediatour And thus much of Saint Paul now let vs heare what Saint Iohn saith and the ancient Fathers vpon his words 6 Saint Iohn in his 1. Epistle 2. Chapter saith 1 Iohn 2 Cha. 2 verse If any man sinne we haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the Iust and he is the reconciliation for our sinnes Vpon which words Saint Augustine saith o August in his first Treatise vpon the Epistle of S. Iohn He did not say ye haue an Aduocate with the Father but we haue Neither did he say ye haue me for your Aduocate But brethren we haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and hee is the reconciliation for our sinnes He that hath holden this saith he hath holden no heresie he that hath holden this hath committed no schisme And a little after speaking of Saint Iohn hee saith thus He had rather put himselfe in the number of sinners that he might haue Christ his Aduocate then put himselfe an Aduocate whereas Christ should be his Aduocate and be found among the proud men that shall be damned And for conclusion of Saint Iohns words thus he saith in another place p August in his 2. Booke 8. Ch. against Parmenian If Saint Iohn would say this haue I written vnto you that ye sinne not and if you sinne ye haue me your Aduocate before God and I will entreate for you what good and faithfull Christian could abide him as the Apostle of Christ or rather not thinke him to be Antichrist And thus Christian Reader thou seest that to allow any other then Christ to be an Aduocate Mediatour or Intercessour betweene God and man is to allow hereticall Antichristian and damnable doctrine And to affirme the Saints in heauen to take this office of Christ vpon them is a part of that blasphemie mentioned Reuel 13.6 euen to blaspheme them that dwell in heauen 7 That ancient Father Epiphanius describing the alone and true Mediatour saith q Epiphanius fol. 433. For the Mediatour of God and man is thus being God and made man not hauing changed his nature but according to both of them hee is Mediatour But what should wee stand to cite any more testimonies out of the Fathers seeing some of their great Doctors and canonized Saints affirme the same Their Abbot Saint Bernard saith thus r Bernard in his 3. Serm. of the Annuntiation of the Virgin Mary This Christ Iesus is the true and faithfull Mediatour as in one person of God and man Also their Saint Thomas of Aquine saith Å¿ Thomas of Aquine vpon the 1. Tim. 2 Chap. It may be said that Christ is a Mediatour according to both natures that is to say as touching his God-head and man-hood inasmuch as he is God and man for because that he that is a Mediatour ought to take part of both natures and these are God and man Now therefore if there had beene no one ancient Father to haue proued our assertion yet these two their canonized Saints had been sufficient Wherefore we see how vaine the Papists are to pray to Saints and to make them their Mediatours to God 8 It is a world to see that men so wise and learned should be so besotted in their senses as to imagine that Christ himselfe should not be all and altogether fully sufficient by his onely intercession to reconcile men vnto God seeing the Authour to the Hebrewes saith Chapter 7. Hebrewes 7.25 He is able also perfectly to saue them that come to God by him seeing hee liueth euer to make intercession for them Doubtlesse if Christ had not knowne himselfe wholly sufficient he would not haue said Iohn 14. No man commeth to the Father but by me Iohn 14.6 Iohn 16.23 Neither would he haue said Iohn 16. Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he will giue it you Wherefore seeing Christ is sufficiently able to saue by his intercession those that come to God by him and that none can come to God but by him and that those things which we aske in his name wee shall obtaine why should we delude our selues in seeking reconciliation by the intercession of others Nay we now see plainely that those are deceiued which hold not Christ all-sufficient but will therefore goe to God by others and that seeke to obtaine their requests in the names of others But I maruell what hope they can haue to obtaine their Petitions which pray to God in the name of others seeing Christ commanded them to pray in his name Saint Cyrill saith t Cyrill in hâ—e Book vpon the r. of Esay We must pray in the name of our Sauiour if wee will looke to be heard of the Father And in another place he rendereth his reason saying u In his Booke of right faith For why is it more meete to giue Saints their asking and grant them their petitions then for him which is onely by his owne nature and truly God Saint Augustine saith * August in 108. Psalme All prayers that are not made vnto God by Christ not onely doth not put away sinne but also are turned into sinne So then if to pray in the name of any but Christ be to cause our prayers to be turned into sinne and so to prouoke God to wrath why should we nay how dare wee pray in the name of others Yea and why will wee be made such fooles as to aske any thing of the dead Saints which can
but saue his life For if Saint Paul should haue spoken those words to haue maintained a place of purging sinne then should hee haue vtterly confounded all his owne doctrine throughout all his Epistles where he so laboureth to proue that our sins are wholly purged by the bloud of Christ onely For first in the third Chapter to the Romans he saith thus of Christ Whom God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his bloud Rom. 3.25 Rom. 5.9 And in his 5. Chapter thus Being now iustified by his bloud we shall be saued from wrath through him And in the first to the Colossians thus Colos 1.13 Who hath deliuered vs from the power of darkenesse and hath translated vs into the Kingdome of his deare Sonne in whom wee haue redemption through his bloud that is the forgiuenesse of sinnes And in the same Chapter Verse 19.20 For it pleased the Father that in him all fulnesse should dwell and by him to reconcile all things vnto himselfe and to set at peace through the bloud of his Crosse both the things in earth and the things in Heauen And for a full conclusion of this point namely that wee are absolutely made perfect by Christs death and bloud he saith verse 22. In the body of his flesh Verse 22. through death he made vs vnblameable and without fault in the sight of God Now then this being true to wit that we are fully and wholly reconciled to God by faith in the bloud of Christ and our sinnes cleane washed away thereby so as that we are made vnblameable and without fault in Gods sight how absurd had it beene for Saint Paul to haue taught any other kinde of purgation Therefore it is cleare that those his words in the third Chapter to the Corinthians cannot be vnderstood of Purgatory 9 Furthermore as touching the truth of this doctrine namely that our sinnes are washed and cleansed onely by the bloud of Christ Saint Paul is not singular in this point for as we heard before out of the seauenth Chapter of the Reuelation that it was confirmed to Saint Iohn by the Angell of God from Heauen so likewise whosoeuer will reade the first Chapter of that Booke shall finde these words set downe concerning Christ Vnto him that loued vs Reuel 1.5.6 and washed vs from our sinnes in his bloud and made vs Kings and Priests vnto God euen his Father be glory and dominion for euermore Amen And in the 1 Chapter to the Hebrewes thus Heb. 1.3 Who being the brightnesse of the glory and the ingraued forme of his person and bearing vp all things by his mighty Word hath by himselfe purged our sinnes And in the first Epistle and the first Chapter of Saint Iohn thus Iohn 1. Epist 1. chap. 7. The bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all sinne Wherefore then seeing that of the bond slaues of Sathan we are made Kings and Priests to God by the bloud of Christ and that Christ of himselfe and by himselfe hath so purged our sinnes as whereby wee are made vnblameable and without fault in Gods sight why should we nay rather how dare we beleeue it is done by Purgatory Againe seeing the holy Ghost saith By the bloud of Christ Verse 9. wee are cleansed from all sinne and in the verses following From all vnrighteousnesse And that Saint Paul saith Titus 2. Titus 2.14 He redeemed vs from all iniquitie why should we suffer our selues to be so deluded to thinke that there is any sinne vnrighteousnesse or iniquity at all left to be purged by their imagined Purgatorie or that there can be any vse at all thereof or be any such place 10 Saint Cyprian speaking of the matter of our purging saith thus m Cyprian of Christs passion Thy bloud O Lord seeketh no reuenge thy bloud washeth our sinnes and pardoneth our trespasses Also to shew that there can be none other purgation nor any place for the purging of sinne after this life he saith else-where n In his first Treatise against Demetrian After we be once departed out of this life there is no more place of repentance there is no more effect or working of satisfaction life is here either lost or wonne Also to the very same effect are those words of Saint Augustine o August vpon the 25. Psalme Let onely the price of the bloud of my Lord auaile me to the perfection of my deliuery And in another place thus p In his 10. Booke 22 Ch. of the City of God The victory is gotten in his name that hath taken man vpon him and that hath liued without sinne that in him and through him being both the Priest and the sacrifice remission and forgiuenesse of sinnes should be obtained and giuen that is to say saith he by the Mediatour of God and man that man Iesus Christ by whom the purging of our sinnes being made we are reconciled vnto God Well then if onely the bloud of Christ be auaileable to the perfection of our deliuerance from sinne and that the purgation thereof be so effectually made thereby as that our sinnes are washed away and all our trespasses pardoned and wee reconciled vnto God in this life and that here in this life euerlasting life is either lost or wonne and that after this life repentance comes too late and no satisfaction can be made to what end should God prouide a place after this life for the better perfecting of our saluation But therefore it is which Saint Augustine in another place saith q In his 54. Epistle to Macidonius There is no other place to correct our manners and conditions but onely in this life euery man shall haue that which he hath purchased vnto himselfe in this World And what vse then can there be of Purgatory Saint Ignatius saith r Ignatius in his 6. Epistle Alwayes reason requireth that whiles we haue space and time we should amend and correct our faults whiles in this life wee haue occasion giuen of repentance for it is truly said after death there is neither time nor place to confesse our sinnes And why then should wee beleeue that there is both place and time Saint Ambrose saith s Ambrose vpon good death He that here in this life receiueth not remission of his sinnes shall not be there in the life to come meaning Heauen Also Saint Hierome speaking of the same point saith thus t Hierome in his Booke vpon the 95. of Esay He that doth not obtaine remission of his sinnes whiles he yet liueth in the body doth perish to God and abideth to himselfe vnto euerlasting damnation And what auaileth Purgatory after this life then Saint Chrisostome likewise speaking of the same point saith u Chrisost in his 2. Sermon of Lazarus Whiles we be yet here we haue a godly hope but as soone as we are departed hence it lieth no more in vs for to repent nor
those that will be perfect by the workes of the Law God will condemne for vnperfect for not fulfilling the whole Law And for this cause it was that Saint Paul concludeth hereof thus By the workes of the Law shall no flesh be iustified in the sight of God Romans 3. And thus much by proofe of Scripture concerning this point now let vs heare the ancient Fathers 6 Saint Augustine writing against the Pelagian heretikes saith a August in his first Booke against the Pelagians Who will grant you that any man can doe that thing that no man was euer able to doe Againe he saith b Against that 2. Epistle It is impossible that the Law should be fulfilled by flesh Saint Hierome also against the same heretiques wrote thus c Hier. to Cresiphontus against the Pelag. Ye will say Gods Commandements be easie yet you are not able to shew vs any man that euer fulfilled them altogether And these Pelagians Saint Augustine called the new heretiques whereby it seemeth that they were the first Authors of this heresie And notwithstanding their great Doctor Saint Thomas of Aquine proueth it an heresie by saying d Thomas of Aquin 3. Galat. It is impossible for flesh and bloud to fulfill the Law yet commeth their Master Harding and saith e M. Hard. Apolog chap. 19. Diuis 1. We beleeue that God commandeth vs nothing vnpossible to vs otherwise how could he iustly punish for not doing that Commandement which by no meanes we are able to fulfill Wee are sure that God punisheth no man vniustly for there is none iniquity in God To which we answere 7 God is iust and perfect in nature and therefore he gaue a iust and perfect Law and such a one as man might haue kept had he kept himselfe in that perfect estate wherin God created him but if through his owne default hee hath lost the freedome both of power and will so as that he cannot now but breake his Law God is not vniust in punishing him for it And it is most certaine that to the intent man might see what a miserable estate he had brought himselfe into Gal. 3.19 Rom. 3.20 this iust Law was giuen For as Saint Paul saith Galat. 3. It was added because of transgression and Rom. 3. By the Law commeth the knowledge of sinne And this is it which Saint Augustine saith f August in his Preface to the Galathians The Lord gaue a iust Law to vniust men to make manifest their sinnes and not to take them away Againe he saith g Vpon the 118 Psal To this purpose was the Law giuen that of great it might make little that it might shew vnto thee that thou hast no strength of thy selfe to fulfill the Law And so being needy vnworthy and poore might flee vnto grace and cry Haue mercie on me O God for I am weake The Pelagians saith he h In his booke of Grace and Free-will cap. 4. thinke themselues cunning men when they say as we heard right now Master Harding said God would not commaund the thing that he knoweth a man is not able to doe To which Saint Augustine answereth thus h In his booke of Grace and Free-will cap. 4. God commaundeth vs to doe some things that we are not able to doe that we might vnderstand what we ought to craue of him Also their Saint Bernard speaking of that which God in his Law requireth of vs to be performed saith i Bernard vpon the Canticles the 53. Sermon In commaunding impossible things God made not men transgressours but humble that euery mouth might be stopped and all the world in danger vnto God because no flesh shall be iustified in his sight And thus much for the answering that sort of Papists which hold that men are iustified and saued by their good workes Now let vs see what wee can say to the other sort 8 Another sort there are which hold that wee are iustified by faith and workes together And they ground their opinion vpon the words of Saint Iames. chap 2. Iames chap. 2.24 where hee saith Ye see how that of workes a man is iustified and not of faith onely And hereupon they conclude that in the sight of God we are iustified by faith and workes together whereas it is euident by the words doing before Saint Iames had no such meaning and therefore their mis-vnderstanding him hath caused them to erre For they not considering that there be two manners of iustifications the one before God the other before men Mat. 23. Mat. 23. suppose that Saint Iames speaketh there of iustification before God but how can this possibly be seeing as we heard before hee said in the same chap. He that faileth in one point of the Law Iames 2. chap. 10. and 3.2 is guiltie of all And in the chap. following in many things we sinne all Now seeing he saith that in many things wee sinne all and hee that breaketh one point is guilty of all it is cleare he did not meane iustification before God but before men And this appeareth also most euidently from the beginning of the 2 chap. to the 17. verse of the same Where he hauing to deale with the Atheists of his time such as of whom there are too many euery where in whom albeit there appeare no fruit of a true and iustifying faith but the contrarie yet let any well disposed man reproue them for the same streight way they breake forth into these speeches and say I hope I haue as good a faith as you and I hope to be saued as well as the best of you all To such said Saint Iames Iames chap. 2.18 Thou hast the faith and I haue workes shew me thy faith out of thy workes and I will shew thee my faith by my workes Now in that he saith shew me and I will shew thee it is without all contradiction he speaketh of the outward iustification before men and not that by workes neither by faith and workes together we are iustified before God 9 Againe whereas against those Athiests hee opposed that outward signe of Abrahams faith by offering to sacrifice his sonne Isaac at the commandement of God yet although his faith thereby was manifested to the World to be a true faith hee was neither iustified before God by that worke neither by it and faith together but euen by the faith alone Rom. 4.2.3.4.5.6.7 For as the Apostle Saint Paul saith Rom. 4. If Abraham were iustified by workes he hath wherein to reioyce but not with God For what saith the Scriptures Abraham beleeued God and it was accounted to him for righteousnesse Now to him that worketh the wages is not counted by fauour but by debt but to him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is accounted for righteous Euen as Dauid declareth the blessednesse of the man vnto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without workes saying Blessed are they
whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne So that hereby we see it most manifest that iustification before God consisteth in faith alone without workes euen as he also proueth as apparantly where he absolutely and vtterly excludeth all kinde of workes for being wholly or any part of the cause of iustification in that he saith Rom. 11. If it be of grace it is no more of workes If it be of workes it is no more of grace That is to say it is of the one but not of both And therefore in the third Chapter of the same Booke he closeth vp the doctrine of iustification thus Rom. 3.28 We conclude that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Law And thus much by proofe of Scripture touching this point also Now let vs heare the iudgement of the Fathers 10 Saint Augustine saith k August in â—â—s 83. qâ—â—stioâ—s Quest 76. Glossa ordinaria Abrahrns was iustified by faith without works Saint Hilary saith l Hila. 9. Can. Ma. 8. It moued the Scribes that sinnes was forgiuen by man for they onely beheld man in Christ Iesu and that to be forgiuen of him which the Law could not release fides enim sola iustificat for faith onely iustifieth Saint Hierome saith m Hier. 10. cap. Rom. They not knowing that God iustifieth sola fide by faith onely supposed themselues to be iust by the workes of the Law which they neuer obserued Theophilact saith n Theop. 3 cap. Gal. Because no man is iustified by the Law c. Now he doth plainly shew that fidem ipsam vel solâ—m faith it selfe yea euen alone hath power to iustifie Saint Chrisostome saith o Christost 4. Hom vpon the 1. to Tim. chap. 1. Who could hardly beleeue that enemies that sinners that such as were not iustified in the Law nor by workes that they by and by haue ex sola fide by faith onely obtayned the chiefe merite It seemed to the Iewes said heâ— an incredible thing that a man that had spent all his former life vainely and disorderly hauing passed the same in wicked workes that afterwards hee should be said to be saued sola fide by faith onely Againe he saith thus of them p In his Hom. vpon th 3. chap. to the Gala. They said who so stayeth himselfe sola fide by faith onely is accursed Contrariwise Saint Paul proueth who so stayeth sota fide by faith onely is blessed Moreouer he saith q Vpon the 4. chap. to the Rom. the 8. Ser. That a man destitute of workes should be iustified by faith that peraduenture may seeme to be well but that a man beautified with vertue and good workes should neuerthelesse by them not be iustified sed sola fide but by faith onely truely this is wonderfull And hereof it is that their Doctor Maister Harding is compelled thus to confesse r D. Har. in his booke A detection of sundry foule errours liâ—s c. in fol. 357. Wee are iustified freely without workes that may deserue the grace that God giueth To conclude Saint Origen saith Å¿ Origen 3. Bâ—â—â—ke 3. chap. Rom. Rom. 4 5. If we require an example who was iustified sola fide by faith onely without workes I suppose that the same theefe doth suffice And indeed this iâ— that remedyâ— whereby God doth saue his elect which hee calleth at the last houre whether on their death bedde or on the gallows-tree And this it is which Saint Paul saith Rom. Rom. 4.5 4. By faith God doth iustifie the vngodly And as hee sheweth that faith is the onely meanes whereby God doth saue the vngodly Gal. 3.11 Hab. 2.4 whom he vouchsafeth to call so Galla. 3. aluding to these words of the Prophet Habakkuk chapter 2. The iust shall liue by his faith hee proueth that the most righteous shall be saued by their faith onely or else they shall neuer be saued And thus much for the answering the other sort of Papists also which will haue men to be saued by faith and workes together 11 But now Christian Reader what shall wee say shal we conclude that we are iustified by such a faith as the Papists charge vs with which is generall with all the wicked which not onely is without the fruits of a true and liuely faith but hath the contrary God forbid But wee say that we are iustified by faith that is by such a faith as Saint Paul saith 2. Thess 3.2 1 Cor. 13. chap. All men haue not 2 Thess 3. Yea by that faith which hee saith worketh by loue and which Saint Iames saith James 3.17 Is full of mercie and good fruits chapter 3. Euen by the same faith which is manifested vnto men and approued of God to be a true faith which at the day of iudgement shall be tried by the fruits thereof and all iudged thereby at which time euery one that is found to haue had it shall as the Apostle Saint Peter saith 1. Ep. 1. chap. Receiue the end of his faith euen the saluation of his soule The rest that had not this fruitfull faith shall be damned as appeareth in the 25. Chapter of Saint Matthew 12 True it is that the generall sort because they beleeue Christ to be the Sauiour of the world and haue their names deriued from him to be called Christians thinke verily they shall all be saued Yea though many of them liue worse then the very Infidells But what reason haue they so to delude themselues seeing that not a few but many which preach Christ and the Christian faith shall be damned because howsoeuer they preach well and teach the truth their liues are not correspondent Our Sauiour Christ speaking of Christians and the time of triall who be true Christians indeed Matth. 7. saith Matth. 7.22.23 Not euery one that saith vnto mee Lord. Lord shall outer into the Kingdome of heauen but he that doth my fathers will which is in heauen Many will say vnto mee in that day Lord Lord haue we not by thy name prophecied and by thy name cast out Deuills and by thy name done many great workes and then saith Christ I will professe vnto them I neuer knew you Depart from mee yee that worke iniquitie And here wee see those miracle-mongers the Papists specially included who as we proued in our second Chapter worke their miracles in the name of Christ to draw men to Antichrist And as touching their conuersation of life their Saint Bridgit bringeth Christ thus reproaching them for the vilenesse thereof saying t Bridgit in her sixt Booke of Reuelation 15. chap. Their conuersation and life stinketh like a Where in my sight So that as she saith in another place v In her first Booke chap. 50. The simple sort by their bad example they hurle downe headlongs 13 But now haply they will obiect and say are wee singular
a manner to beare the persons of the things themselues that they signifie So the Apostle saith The Rocke was Christ for that the Rocke whereof it was spoken signified Christ And thus we see the matter made as cleare as the Sunne that shineth at noone day that those words of Christ in calling bread his body and wine his bloud were onely but figuratiue speeches and therefore the bread and wine are onely but figures of his body and bloud But yet forasmuch as the Antichristians haue so besotted the multitude in making them to beleeue that after the words of consecration the bread and wine is transubstantiated into the naturall body and bloud of Christ let vs heare a little further what the Fathers say more fully to this point 10 Saint Ambrose hereof saith thus z Ambrose in his Booke of those things that are declared by the mist ries the last Chap. Before consecration another kinde is named but after consecration the body of Christ is signified Theodoret saith a Thâ—odo in his 1. Dialogue Christ did honour the visible tokens with the names of his body and bloud not changing the nature but adding grace vnto nature Againe he saith b In his 2. Dialogue The sacramentall signes goe not from their owne nature after sanctification Also Saint Chrisostome saith c Chrisost ad Caesatium Monachum The bread before it be sanctified is called bread but when it is sanctified by the meanes of the Priest it is deliuered from the name of bread and is exalted to the name of the Lords body yet the nature of bread doth still remaine And therefore in another place he saith plainly thus d In his 11. Hom. vpon Mathew The very body of Christ it selfe is not in the holy vessels but the mistery or sacrament thereof is there contained But that which is more then all this the Pope himselfe saith euen Gelasius by name e Gelasius against Eutiches There leaueth not to be the substance of bread and wine or the nature of wine and indeed the image or representation of the body and bloud and the likenesse thereof is published in the ministration of the misteries Therefore it is which their Bishop Fisher saith f Fisher against Luther No man shall be able to proue by the very words of the Gospell that there is the true presence of Christs flesh and bloud in our Masse To conclude Saint Augustine saith g August in his Booke of profit of repentance It is a dangerous matter and a seruitude of the soule to take the signe instead of the thing that is signified And here haue we sufficient experience in the Papists who by taking the signe for the thing it selfe commit most horrible idolatry in adoring the bread for Christ CHAP. XI Tending to resolue all men that wee ought not to pray to Saints but to God onely neither to worship Saints but God alone And that it is Sacriledge to doe either 1. A Great part of the World Christian Reader hath of long time been carried away with the multitude of Popish delusions amongst which this is one Namely to say We must goe to God by the mediation of Saints as by noble men we goe vnto a King Hereby haue they drawne the people to impart the glory of the Creator to the creature euen to pray to Saints whereas they should pray onely to God For so hath the Lord commanded vs saying Psalme 50. Psalme 50.15 Call vpon me in the day of thy trouble and I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie me Now therefore seeing the Lord commandeth vs to come vnto him why should we goe first to any other yea first or last Againe seeing the Lord accounteth it a part of his glory to be prayed vnto is it not a stealing from him a chiefe part of his glory to pray vnto others yea verily And therefore all those that make any intercessioÌ„ to Saints can no more look to obtaine any good at the hand of God then theeues can looke to obtaine good at the hands of those from whom they robbe and steale 2 Our Sauiour saith Matthew 23. One is your Doctor Matthew 23.8 Acts 3.22 1 Cor. 1.30 euen Christ Saint Luke saith Chap. 3. Him must wee heare in all things Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 1. He is our wisedome Now if Christ be our Doctor and Teacher and him whom wee must heare in all things and also our wisedome by which we are to be directed then ought we to learne of him both to whom we should pray and also the manner how to pray And hereof haue we a plaine example in the Apostles who knowing that the whole World was to be taught by him desired him to teach them how to pray Luke 11. â— Master said they teach vs to pray as Iohn also taught his Disciples and Christ being as willing to teach them as they were to learne began thus to instruct them not onely in the manner how but also to whom they ought to pray When ye pray said he pray vnto your Father which is in secret and he shall reward you openly Againe said he After this manner pray ye Matthew 6.9 Our Father which art in Heauen c. Now if Christ were wise enough to teach his Apostles then are wee to learne by his directions not onely not first to goe to Saints but not at all but onely to God the Father of Heauen Wherefore then this vtterly condemneth the Papists of most wretched impiety that will teach men first to goe to Saints Also it flatly condemneth them of arrogancy in taking vpon them to be wiser then Christ who in his heauenly wisedome knew best how to instruct Gods children in the right way for the most speedy and surest obtaining their petitions 3 It was not without great cause Christian Reader that St Paul said Christ is our wisedome For had â—e sent vs to the Saints departed yea had hee picked out of all the Patriarks and Prophets Abraham the Father of the faithfull to haue prayed vnto that by his mediation we might haue come to God what had it auayled seeing the Prophet Esay saith Chap. Esay 63.16 63. Abraham is ignorant of vs and Israel knoweth vs not Yea seeing Salomon the wise saith The dead know nothing at all But therefore wee see Christ did it not otherwise hee should haue condemned himselfe of Popish ignorance in sending vs to seeke helpe at their hands who are ignorant of vs and knoweth not how to doe vs any good Saint Augustine reprouing those heretikes of his time which sought for helpe of the dead declared plainely vnto them that they did but delude themselues and spend their labour in vaine for said he a August in his Book of the spirit soule 29. The soules of them that be dead are there where they doe not see nor heare what things are done or chance in this life Such is the care they haue for the
liuing that they know not what we doe euen as our care is for the dead that wee know not what they doe And therefore it is which in another place he saith b In his Booke of free-will We are not commanded to goe to any creature that we might be made blessed but to the Creator and maker of all things of whom if wee be perswaded otherwise then the truth is we are deceiued with a damnable errour Saint Chrisostome likewise hauing to deale with the same kinde of heretikes that supposed they could not come to GOD but by the meanes and mediation of Saints thus reproued their errour saying c Chrysost in his Serm. of going forward of the Gospell There is no neede of a Porter or Mediatour say onely Lord haue mercy vpon me we haue no neede of an Aduocate with God nor of any running or gadding about for to speake saire vnto others for although thou be alone and without an Aduocate and pray vnto God by thy selfe thou shalt obtaine thy petition For God doth not so easily heare vs when others pray for vs as when wee pray our selues although we be full of much euill and vnrighteousnesse And yet to proue that we are indeede sooner heard when we pray our selues then when others pray for vs he bringeth the example of the woman of Canaan of whom he saith vnto vs thus d In his 2. Hom. of the woman of Canaan Thou seest how Christ denied and put her backe when other men prayed for her meaning the Apostles but as soone as shee cried for her boone and gift he granted it Behold saith he the wisedome of the woman shee prayeth not to Iames shee intreateth not Iohn shee goeth not to Peter shee did not get her selfe to the company of the Apostles shee sought for no Mediatour By which he giueth vs to vnderstand that the most surest way for the obtaining our requests is to pray to God our selues and not to trust to spokesmen for as Saint Ambrose saith e Ambrose in his Book vpon the 1. Chap. t. the Romans To obtaine Gods fauour from whom nothing is secret as knowing what euery man is meete to haue we neede no spokesman but a deuout minde for wheresoeuer such a man speaketh to God God will heare him By which we see how vaine a thing it is to say We cannot come to God but by the mediation of Saints Yea the same Father in the words going before doth proue such speeches but vaine and to proceede out of the mouthes not onely of vaine men but of a peruerse Sect past shame For saith he f Ibidem Men through shame vse accustomably euery where this miserable excuse why they neglect to come to God saying that by them we goe to God as by Noble men we goe vnto a King Ambrose accounted it treason to God to make Saints intercessours vnto him for vs. And then flouting them for their foolery he thus finisheth vp his speech saying Well said is there any man so mad or so vnmindfull of his health to giue vnto a Noble man the honour due vnto a King onely for that if any in such sort behaue themselues they are iustly condemned as guilty of treason And saith he shall these men not thinke themselues guilty which giue the honour of the name of God vnto a creature and forsaking their Lord doe worship their fellow seruant as though there were any thing greater then God to whom a man might doe seruice For therefore saith he doe we goe to a King by tribunes and Noble men because the King is a man and knoweth not whom he may be sure to trust And indeed for diuers causes it is not meete that euery man should haue free accesse into the Kings priuy Chamber and chiefly for feare of treason against his person as experience doth plainely teach vs and as no doubt it would soone be seene if our inuocators of Saints might haue free passage Neuerthelesse where is there any such decree made that no man may speake to the King but by some Noble man Doth not the King allow any man or woman to deliuer their Petitions vnto him with their owne hands wheresoeuer they meete him and is there any other decree made by God to debar any from deliuering their Petitions vnto him by their mouth Therefore what ground of truth haue they to debarre men from going to God without hauing some one Saint or other to be their Aduocate Mediatour or intercessour 4 All the Principles of Popish Religion Christian Reader they say they hold by antiquity The antiquity of this heresie of which this is one for we see it was sprung vp twelue hundred yeeres agoe and therefore no maruell though they claime it by antiquity Neuerthelesse it was not so ancient but that as we see it was as anciently confuted and condemned for sacriledge and treason to Gods owne person both by the Scriptures and Fathers No Patriarke Prophet or Apostle euer prayed one to another Neither yet was it so ancient as that they can proue that any one Patriarke Prophet or Apostle euer prayed one to another which if they had done we see they had beene condemned by the ancient Fathers for theeues and traytors to God as they condemned those heretikes of their time and the counterfet Catholiques of our time who most peruersely withstand the manifest truth of the Scriptures which allow no more Aduocates Mediatours or Intercessours then there are Gods which is but one and hee onely which is partaker of the natures both of God and man as we shall now see euidently proued Saint Paul 1 Timothie 1 Tim. 2.5 2 Chapter saith For there is one God and one Mediatour between God and man the Man Christ Iesus Vpon which words Saint Augustine wrote thus g August lib. 2. cap. 8. to Paermeni Paul saith he maketh not himselfe a mediatour betweene God and the people but willeth them to pray one for another Also in another place to shew that none can be Mediatour betweene God and man but he that is both God and man he saith h Vpon the 134. Psalm Thou O man couldest not come to God vntill God became man that thou being a man mayest come to God and he was made Mediatour of God and man the man Christ Iesus Againe in another place he faith i In his Hom. of Sheepe the 12. Chap. One Mediatour betweene God and man c. and he was God with the Father and was man with men The manhood is no Mediatour without the God-head And in another place thus k In his Enchiridion to Laurence the 108 Chap. We could neuer haue beene deliuered by that onely mediatour of God and man the Man Christ Iesus vnlesse he had beene God also So that who seeth not but that he that is not both God and man is not allowed to be Mediatour betweene God and man And thus much out of the words of Saint