in the church VVherefore the ministerie of the word is not coÌ„mon to them al Christians Here vnto he answereth I confesse that it is not permitted to women to speake as nether to men that be dumbe For I beleeue that albeit this right is common to al yet no man can nor ought to practise it but only he who is fitter then other to him other are bound to yeld place that order comlynes may be kept And to speake in publike assembly besides the spirite there is required a good voyce eloquence memorie other natural gifts which who so wanteth he must yeld his right to an other So Paule forbiddeth wemen to speake not altogether but in the church that is to say where are men able to speake that for order honesties sake For a man is more fit then a woman and the spirite doth more inspire men then women this is the meaning of Paules place Otherwise how should Paule alone withstand the holy ghost who saith Ioel 2. your daughters shal prophecie and Act. 21. Philip had 4. daughters that prophecied Out of al vvhich much more to like effect he draweth this conclusion Order therefore honestie requireth that men speaking wemen should hold their peace But where men speake not there it is necessarie that wemen speake By al which we see that the word of god forbiddeth not wemen to prophecie that is in the new gospel to preach no not amongst men much lesse amongst wemen which is the highest office consequently nether to minister the communion baptisme which is a great deale lesse if so be that they haue better learning vtterance then men haue as oft tymes it chaunceth or if the minister through negligence and ignorance be not able to preach the word which perhaps in Scotland England is very common And of this same opinion with Luther are Pèter Martyr and Huldrike Zuinglius Of the same opinion were the first reformers of our English church M. Horne bishop so called of VVinchester others who of this matter write thus There is so much required in a spiritual minister that al men be not meete for the office therefore with good reason wemen be debarred from it Albeit at some time it pleaseth god to vse their Ministerie VVherefore me thinke euen in this point we must vse a certain moderation not absolutely in euery wise to debar them herein as it shal please god to serue Christ I pray yow what more vehemency vseth S. Paule in forbidding wemen to preach then in forbidding them to vncouer their heads And yet yow know in the best reformed churches of al Germanie al the maydes be barehedded which the preachers learned men make no great accompt of As much to say that it is a thing indifferent for wemen to preach minister the Sacraments may wel be suffered no lesse then it is that maydes go with their heads vncouered which S. Paule forbiddeth with like vehemencie as he doth their preaching yet the best reformed churches of al Germanie with the learned men ministers there make no great accompt of it It were very easie to proue this by a number of other Protestant writers authorities especially English where a womaÌ„ being supreme head of the church from whence al ecclesiastical power authoritie is deriued to bishops and ministers who hauing in her as writeth my I. Archbishop of Canterbury the supreme gouernemeÌ„t in al causes ouer al persons as she doth exercise the one apperteyning to matters ciuil temporal by the Lord Chauncellor so doth she the other concerning the church religion by the Archbishops what reasonable man can deny or doubt but that a woman in whom is the fulnes of al ecclesiastical gouernement may geue vnto a woman some inferior peece thereof no lesse then she geueth the excercise of many parts vnto the Archbishop who receiueth al his order power from her And whereas king Harry imparted the exercise of his like supreme ecclesiastical regiment to my L. Crumwel Erle of Essex his subhead in the church of England and vicegerent for and concerning al his iurisdiction ecclesiastical who can with any probabilitie of reason yea without incurring manifest treason deny but that as K. Harry a man gaue vnto my Lord of Essex so the Quene a woman may geue vnto my Lady of Essex or any other al her iurisdiction ecclesiastical especially for that it is by supreme authoritie so precisely defined that the Quene may assigne name and authorise whom so euer she shal thinke meete and conuenient and for such so long time such persons being naturally borne subiect as Ladies vvemen are to vse and execute vnder her al maner of iurisdiction spiritual or ecclesiastical And if the pattie thus assigned named authorised be also vvel spoken and learned then not only mans lavv but also gods as Luther and the English doctors haue before taught iustifieth such wemens both preaching al other ministring For if they may haue the greater authoritie to preach and yet to be supreme head of the church is much more then al inferior offices belonging to the edification of the church aâ— baptizing ministring the coÌ„munion binding losing calling Synodes c. may much more be exercised by them as Luther disputeth manifest reason convinceth and our English Iewel together vvith the Qâ—ea ler of this new Divinitie in Cambridge teacheth VVho by authoritie of S. Fabianus an auncient Pope and Martyr 1400 yeres sithence and also of S. Bernard vvil needs proue against D. Harding that in the Primitiue church wemen no lesse then men made the sacrifice of the altar and that of bread wine after the order of Melchisedech VVherefore to returne to our matter of making vp an euangelical communion hereof it appeareth I suppose sufficiently that 3. or 4. Euangelical gossips meeting together and eating and drinking in such â—oâ—t as hath bene said make a very true real perfect and absolute coÌ„munion touching al substance required by the Protestant doctrine And therefore I vvish them selues to iudge vvhether Martin Luther that reuerend Father as M. Fox calleth him vnderstanding throughly their meaning and sense had not some cause to say that Christ had bene very vnwise he vseth a more vvicked terme vvhich I vvil nor English to haue instituted a peculier supper whereas otherwise the world is ful of such suppers quum caenarum huiusmodi totus mundus alioqui plenus sit vvhich after they haue turned and tossed so many vvaies as they can vvil proue nothing but as Luther affirmeth it a poore and vulgar banquet or rather a rustical compotation For if 3. or 4. vvemen so meeting and gossiping make such a coÌ„munion then 3. or 4. men vvemen consequently as many men boyes may serue to do the like so there is no rustical cortage where there is
A TREATISE CONTEYNING THE TRVE CATHOLIKE AND APOSTOLIKE FAITH OF THE HOLY SACRIFICE AND SACRAMENT ORDEYNED by Christ at his last Supper VVith a declaration of the Berengarian heresie renewed in our age and an Answere to certain Sermons made by M. Robert Bruce Minister of Edinburgh concerning this matter By VVilliam Reynolde Priest Ioan. 6. 51. The bread vvhich I vvil give is my flesh the same vvhich I vvil give for the life of the vvorld AT ANTVVERPE Imprinted by Ioachim Trognesius M. D. XCIII TO THE RIGHT EXCELLENT AND MIGHTIE PRINCE IAMES THE SIXT BY THE GRACE OF GOD KING OF SCOTLAND HAVING of late perused examined answered certain Sermons preached in Edinburgh by one who entitleth him self Minister of Christs Euangel there for sundry causes most excellent and gratious Prince I haue ben induced of that my smale labour to make a present vnto your royal Maiestie First for that the Author of those Sermons published them vnder the name of your Highnes it seemed to me conuenieÌ„t that the Answere also should be offered vnto the same personage by conference whereof he might be able better with indiffereÌ„cy to iudge of both Next whereas those Sermons conteyne false doctrine against the sacraments against the eternal Testament of Christ ordeyned in his last Supper against the peculiar sacrifice and worship of God evermore and vniuersally practised in the Gospel and new law since the first preaching thereof by Christ and his Apostles and not only this but also they manifestly imply the foundation and ground of plain infidelitie of discrediting al the old new Testment of denying the chief and souerain articles of Christian faith who can blame me if where I perceiue so great daunger intended there I study to repel the same if where poison is addressed to infect the very hart of religion and head of the common welth there I oppose a counterpoison against that infection if I couet to preserue sound that which others endeuour to corrupt and desire by right argument of true Theologie to conâ—â—rme and establish that which the aduersarie by sleight Sophistrie and heretical cauils laboureth to ruinate ouerthrâ—w And thus to do as Christian dutie requireth for any article of our Christian beleef for the benefite of any Christian sowle like otherwise to perish so much greater is the obligation wherewith my self and al other English Catholikes acknowlege our seluâ—s bouÌ„d to our Countrymen the inhabitants of England and Scotland but especially in a singular degree vnto your royal person Vnto whom as the lawes of both â—eâ—lmes descent of blud custom inheritance drawen from the auncient kings of the one and other nation in ciuil respect geueth right to succede in gouernment of both crownes with al their dependences so is it the continual prayer of Christian Catholikes not only in both those nations but also in al prouinces of Europe that it wil please God so to inspire and direct your Ma. tus hart that yew may gouerne them in such Christian sort touching faith matter of eternal saluation as your most noble progenitors haue done froÌ„ the first Christened Prince to the last from Donaldus vnto Quene Marie your Graces most honorable most renoumed most constant religious mother who hauing so many yeres susteyned hard impri sonment and finally cruel death and martyrdom for profession of that first auncient Apostolike faith hath thereby left a glorious and immortal president to al her aftercoÌ„mers who clayme teÌ„poral right from succession of her blud to make the like or greater accompt of that right which cometh by succession to her in faith for which she with Heroical fortitude neglected her blud her libertie her crownes and what so euer is most deere to Princes in this world and for which neglect her name is more honorable before God his Angels her memorie more famous among Christians of this age and so wil be to al posteritie then if with refusal of that faith that is with refusal of Christ eternal blisse she had gayned as many teÌ„poral crownes realmes as they haue liued dayes howres who were occasioners of that so straunge woÌ„derful execution Now if it shal please your Grace to bestow some voyd tyme in overrunning this smale booke I nothing doubt but touching the argumeÌ„t here intreated that is touching the external seruice honour done to God by sacrifice and sacrament in his church your Grace shal easely see the manifest cleere euidece of our Catholike cause the truth thereof set downe in the most plain scriptures of God the coÌ„tinuaÌ„ce thereof testified by vniforme consent of al Antiquitie the first original roote of the coÌ„trarie heresie which now beareth greatest sway in your realme of ScotlaÌ„d as also in England from what fountaine it sprang by what Apostles it was spread by what Sophistrie malice dissimulatioÌ„ it hath encreased by what wickednes ignoraÌ„ce impietie it is maynteyned finally to what plain Atheisme or Paganisme it teÌ„deth For which cause many potent kings princes although otherwise circumuented by false ministers or seduced by evil counsailers vpon some humane reasons colourable coÌ„modities craftely obiected they departed from the vnitie of Christs church intangled them selues with other heresies of this tyme yet could they never be induced to approue or so much as to permit within their realmes this ZuingliaÌ„ or CalviniaÌ„ heresie because they were thoroughly resolved that it was the very bane pest of wel ordered coÌ„mon welthes for that it breadeth in her Sectaries a licentious libertie to beleeve what they fist against God his church and to live how they please against the magistrate his civil lawes to which it preacheth that no obedience is due for conscience sake Among which Princes for exaÌ„ples sake to name one lest I seeme to charge theÌ„ vniustly Christianus 3. king of Denmarke a Prince of great wisdom and experience grand-father to that vertuous Princesse whom your Highnes hath chosen for your spouse and Queene when as the congrègatioÌ„ of such kind of Protestants expelled from England by Queene Mary sought laboured by al meanes possible to obteyne harbour in his realme only for a few dayes vntil the extremitie of winter were somwhat passed over if not in regard of their religion which they said was purely Euangelical yet in consideratioÌ„ of many feble old men and wemen many infants yong children which were in the company vnable without certain hazard of their liues to abide any more trauail on the seas in that extreme season this notwithstanding that king otherwise of nature clemeÌ„t and mercyful and professing the Gospel as they cal it would by no meanes condescend that they should remayne any time within his dominions except they forthwith without farther disputes abandoned and condemned their Sacramentarie heresie which he iudged to be directly against the Gospel of Christ against the Articles of the Christian beleef against the publike quietnes
so taught the new sacrifice of the new testament which the church receiuing from the Apostles doth offer to god through the whole world Of which sacrifice the prophete Malachie foreprophecied thus I haue no liking in yow saith our lord almightie nether wil I take sacrifice of your hand o ye Iewes because from the rising of the Sunne to the going doune of the same my name is glorified among the Gentils incense is offered to my name in euerie place and a pure sacrifice The same argument and dedustion I haue noted before out of S. Cyprianâ— First that Christ our lord and god him selfe was high priest of god the father and he first of al offered him selfe a sacrifice to his father â—â—â—â—s last supper and commaunded the same to be done in commemoration of him Next that such priests occupie the place of Chist truly who do that which Christ did and then in the church offer they to god the father true ful sacrifice if they so offer as they see Christ him selfe to haue offered About some 100. yeres after S. Cyprian vvas gathered the first general Councel of Nice and about a hundreth yeres after that of Nice vvas the first general Councel of Ephesus in vvhich the bishops there assembled thus vtter their faith that is the faith of the vniuersal catholike church in this matter The vvoids of that most auncient Apostolical Councel of Nice are On the diuine table let vs not basely regard the bread and cup set there but lifting vp our myndeâ— let vs by faith vnderstand that on that holy table is placed the lamb of god which taketh away the sinnes of the world who there is without effusion of blud sacrificed by the priests and that we truly receiue his preticus body and blud beleeuing these to be the pledges of our resurrection The vvords of the other general Councel of Ephesus are to the same effect thus VVe confessing the death of Christ according to his flesh his resurrection and ascension into heauen confesse withal and celebrate in the church the holy liâ—eâ—â—uing and vnbluddy sacrifice beleeuing that which is set before vs not to be the body of a common man like to vs as nether is that pretious blud but rather we receiue that as the proper body blud of the word which geueth life For common flesh can not geue life as him selfe witnesseth saying flesh profiteth nothing it is the spirite that geueth life For because it is made the proper flesh of the word for this reason it is lifegeuing according to that our Sauiour him selfe â—aith As my liuing father hath sent me I liue by the father he that eateth me he shal liue by me This faith I say of Sacrament sacrifice in al sinceritie simplicitie thus passed on so vniuersally knovven beleeued that as vvriteth S. Leo in Italie S. Augustin in Africa very children vvere taught to acknovvledge the true flesh and blud of Christ to be offered in the sacrifice of the masse Tovvards 800. yeres after Christ one Bertram a litle before him one Scot â—s vvrote darkly of the truth of this sacrament Of the vvritings of the one of these nothing I thinke remayneth of the other a litle doth but the same vttered so doubtfully that as the Zuinglians vse his authoritie against the Catholikes so the Lutherans vse him to the contrarie yea they in maner reproue him as fauoring to much the faith of the Catholikes For of him Illyricus vvith his bretherne say that he hath in that his litle booke semina transubstantiationis the seedes original ground of transubstantiation But vvhat soeuer his priuate opinion vvere his publike speaches and vvriting â—ounded soâ—il in the eares of the Catholiks of that age that Paschasius an Abbat in France made a verie learned booke in refutation of him And al vvriters vvho about that age vvrote of this mysterie vsed more expresly to denâ—e the sacrament to be a signe trope figure image symbole c. in such sort as vvhereby the veritie of the real presence might be excluded as appeareth in the seuenth general Councel in Alcuinus scholemaister to Charles the great in Rabaâ—â—â— archbishop of Ments lib. de diuinis officijs Theophilact in Matth. 26. Marc. 14. Ioan. 6. Aâ—alarius Arch-bishop of â—reuirs lib. de mysterijs missae cap. 24. 25. Haymo bishop of Halberstat in 1. ad Corinth ca. 10. Remigâ—ê° bishop of Antissiodorum in Canonem missae Fulbertus bisshop of Chartres in epistola ad Adelman episcopum in lib. Paschasij Stephanus bishop in high Buâ—gundie Tom. 4. bibliothâ—cae Sanctorum patrâ—m and briefely al other that vvrote betvvene the time of Bertram Berengarius ¶ For after Bertram the next that appeared in fauour of this heresie vvas Berengarius vvho put forth him self a little after the yere of our lord 1000. vvhen as S. Ihon vvriteth in his Apocalyps the deuil was let lose to trouble the church This man as vvitnesseth our martyr-maker M. Fox like to those first heretiks in the Apostles tymes toke away the veritie of the body blud of Christ from the sacrament For vvhich cause he coÌ„mendeth him as a singular instrument whom the holy ghost raised vp in the church to ouerthrow great errors VVhat instrument he vvas vvhom he serued shal best appeare by his ovvne behauiour confession In the meane season this old heresie he published vvith greater industrie shevv of learning then his predecessors countenanced it with more credit assistance of many vnstable sowles and sinful persons as is noted by the godly and learned writerâ— of that tyme vvhich only kind of men ioyned them selues to him and that because his doctrine seemed to yeld them some quietnes securitie in their sinne from vvhich they vvere much withdravven by a reuerend feare and dread vvhich they had of Christs presence in the sacrament to the receauing vvhereof they vvere by order of the church at certaine times induced But as the heresie of this man spread farther then any of that kind in any age before so the church vsed more diligence in repressing the same by sundry publike disputations had vvith the same Berengarius by a number of most excellent vvriters against him among vvhom Lanfâ—ancus archbishop of Canterbury in England Guitmundus bisshop of Auersa in the kingdom of Naples Algerus a monke in Fraunce in that verie time excelled the supreme pastors of the church assembled sundry great synodes meetings of byshops and other doctors to discusse that opinion instruct those that erred after him first at Tours in Fraunce next at Vercellis in Italie then againe at Tours vvhere Berengariê° him selfe being manifestly conuicted 〈…〉 a solemne oth neuer to maintaine his former heresie VVhich oth vvhen as yet he performed not but returned to his former filth an other Councel vvas gathered in Rome of 113.
iudgement hath at al times among the learned bene much esteemed with whom the Catholike writers D. Allen Cardinal D. Harding D. Sanders D. Stapleton c. vvhom he termeth the yonge Louâ—nian Clergy may not wel compare in the profound knowledge of the Doctors without blushing VVherefore this man so wel esteemed among the learned of so profound knowledge in the Doctors concerning this matter vvriteth thus Protesting his ovvne faith vz that he had rather be drawen in peeces then to become of Berengarius opinion and thinke of the sacrament as the Zuinglians do that he vvold rather susteine al miserie then to defile his conscience vvith so fowle a sinne therein depart out of this life the reasons of this his constant persuasion thus he yeldeth I could neuer be induced to beleeue otherwise then that the true body of Christ was in the sacrament for that the writings of the gospel Apostles expresse so plainly The body which is geuen The blud which is shed for that this thing so wonderful wel agreeth with the infinite loue of God towards mankind that whom he redeemed with the body and blud of his sonne those after an inexplicable maner he should also feed with the body blud of the same his sonne and by this secrete presence of him at is were with a sure pawne or pledge comfort them vntil he shal returne manifest and glorious in the sight of al. Thus for the scriptures the gospels and S. Paule and the cleare euidence of this faith touching the sacrament vttered by them vvhich vvas to him as he vvriteth an vnmoueable foundation to ground vpon Novv for the auncient fathers Councels of the church thus he procedeth Seing then we haue so manifest warrant from Christ and S. Paule whereas besides it is most evidently proued that the auncient writers vnto whom not without cause the church yeldeth so great credit beleeued with one consent that in the Eucharist is the true substance of Christs body blud whereas vnto al this is ioyned the constant authoritie of Councels and so great consent of Christian people let vs also be of the same mynd concerning this heauenly misterie and let vs in a darke sort feed of that bread and cup of our lord vntil we come to eate and drinke it after another sort in the kingdome of God And I wish with al my hart that they who haue folowed Berengarius in his error wold also folow him in his repentance Thus Erasmus a man of profound knowledge in the auncient Doctors vvith vvhom if the yonge Doctors of the Catholike Clergie may not wel compare without blushing much lesse may the yonge scholers preachers of the Scottish and English congregations vvho for sound learning substance of Diuinitie so long as they liue I suppose vvil not be vvorthy to carie the books after those former And therefore being content that on both sides such great peerles authoritie be geuen to Erasmê° as M. Ievvel chalengeth for him thereof I coÌ„clude that the auncient fathers according to the plaine scriptures alvvaies thought and taught that in the holy Eucharist is the substance of Christs body and blud that a Christian man vvere better to suffer any torment and most cruel kind of death then to be of an other opinion And vvith Erasmus I vvish and our Lord of his mercy graunt that those of our poore Iland both English and Scottish who haue folowed Berengarius in his impudent error for so Erasmus termeth it may also foloâ— him in his repentance execration of the same impudent error whereunto Erasmus persuadeth them OF BERENGARIVS HERESIE RENEVVED IN THIS AGE The Argument Luther is to be accompted in some sort the very original ground and cause of the Berengarian heresie renewed in our time But more precisely directly Carolostadius a wicked man and very familiar with the devil and altogether possessed of him To whom succeded Zuinglius and after him Oecolampadi agreing with Carolostadius in substance of denying Christs presence but differing in particular interpretation of Christs words touching the institution of the sacrament Diuers other interpretations of Christs words one against an other al which are iustified by Zuinglius for that they al concurre to remoue from the sacrament the real presence and establish in steed thereof a mere priuatiue absence As the auncient fathers both Greeke and Latine in the primitiue church attribute the real presence of Christ in the sacrament to the vertue force of Christs words vsed in the consecration so the Sacramentaries by a contrarie opinioÌ„ account such consecration magical and therefore remoue the words of Christ teaching their Sacrament to be made as wel without them as with them Examples of the sacramentarie Communion practised without the words of Christ by the Protestants of England Scotland Zuizzerland and els where which they both by their practise writing iustifie as a very ful and perfite communion The resolution of the church of Geneua that the supper may be ministred in any kind of meate drinke as wel as in bread and wyne VVhereof is inferred that according to the Protestant doctrine that 2. or 3. Euangelical gossips meeting together to refresh them selues eating such vitails as they bring with them haue as true perfite a Communion as the Sacramentaries haue any both touching matter forme also a lawful Minister which ministerie or priesthod euen to preach minister their sacraments the Protestant-gospel alloweth to wemen no lesse then to men CHAP. 2. HAuing novv declared the truth of the Catholike beleef touching the blessed sacrament hovv the faith thereof vvas continued from the first primitiue church of Christ and his Apostles vvith very smale gainsaying in the first thousand yeres somvvhat more in the next 500 vntil the time of our fathers vvherein Luther certaine other vvith him began that vvhich novv is called the Gospel by the Protestants but an vniuersal gulph of heresie and Apostasie by Catholiks it resteth that I plainly sett forth hovv that heresie of Berengarius novv maynteyned in England Scotland began first vvhen Luther broched this nevv Gospel ¶ The original hereof is to be referred to Luther him self noâ— only in general for that he brake al order discipline of the church refusing the obedience vvhich by Christs ovvne precise ordinance vvas due vnto it the gouernors thereof so gaue free libertie by his ovvne craÌ„ple by vvriting arguing disputing to interpret the scripture as ech man listed vvithout regard to antiquitie vniuersalitie consent of al Christendom besides of al fathers Bishops auncient Councels vvhich example and behauiour vvas in general the cause and founteyne of al heresie Apostasie and Atheisme vvhich from such contempt self liking arrogancie must needs arise as vve see by experience but also in special the first origin and spring of this Berengarian
vsed by Caluin Beza Martyr Musculus and lightly euerie other sacramentarie that the Iewish Manna vvater out of the rocke their passing ouer the sea and baptisme in the cloud vvas as good and effectual as our sacraments of baptisme the Eucharist and that the Ievves in those figures receiued the self same foode in the one spiritual benefite in the other as vve do in these sacrameÌ„ts of ours the ansvvere is that they al sovvly corrupt and peruert the Apostles vvords and sense The Apostle saith not that the Ievves had the self same spiritual foode which Christians baâ—â— as though he compared Ievves and Christians together but that the Ievves amonge them selues good bad iust and vniust receiued those benefites there mentioned For the Ievves al alike passed the redde seaâ— they vvere al directed alike by the cloud they al alike did eate of Manna vvherein the evil men had as great preeminence as the good they did al alike so did their beasts drinkâ— of the water which issued out of the rocke albeit most of them were wicked men in whom god was not pleased This is al that the Apostle saith These vvere temporal benefites bestowed vpon the Iewes which in no place of the Scripture haue annexed vnto them spiritual grace or remission of sinnes as haue the Christian sacraments wherevnto they are impiously opposed And therefore S. Basil with great zeale mueâ—gheth against them which make such odious comparison as men who vtterly disgrace and extenuate the maiestie of the nevv testament For saith he what remission of sinnes what regeneration or renouation of life was geuen by the sea what spiritual gift was geueÌ„ by Moyses what mortificatioÌ„ of sinne was wrought by his ceremonies or sacraments As for the vvord spiritual applied by S. Paule to Manna the vvater he calleth it spiritual partly because it proceeded from a spiritual diuine miraculous cause as in the storie is noted partly because it signified as did almost al things in the old lavv euen the very stones and timber of Salomons temple spiritual things which vvere to be exhibited in the nevv testament in Christ and his church For that of it self it vvas not ordeyned for a spiritual foode but for a corporal the very text proueth which assigneth the vse of it to al indifferently no lesse to euil men then to good yea no lesse to beasts then to men and our Sauiour him self vvho plainlie separateth it from the diuine Manna of the nevv testameÌ„t directly affirmeth it to haue bene geuen for a corporal foode to differ as much from his diuine body geuen in the sacrament of the nevv testament as doth any vulgar bread or flesh And thus do the auncient fathers agreably to Christs words expound it acknovvleging it for his proper and peculiar vse to haue bene an earthly foode though besides it vvere a signe a figure an image a shadovv and signification of Christ the spiritual Manna and heauenly bread vvhich in deed came from heauen in vvhich first vvord of the definition of our sacraments for every sacrament is a signe that Manna and water of the rocke agree with our sacraments and therefore some times so far forth they are by S. Austin compared together but touching the effect of grace never made equal And now if it shal please the reader to conferre these last 6. rules or obseruatons gathered out of the doctrine of Caluin and the Caluinists with that his first magnifiing of Christs real presence in the Sacrament of the Supper he shal very easely discouer him to be a vvicked hipocrite and also find everie parcel point of that whole paragraph gainsayd and refuted by ech one of these 6. obseruations ensuing vvhich if a man vvould gather in to a table after the example before shevved he should fil a great deale of paper and find at the lest so many contradictions in these later against that first as be sentences perhaps lines in that first He shal vvithal be able to frame to him selfe some certaine and sure knovvledge to sure at lâ—st as may be gathered out of the vvritings of such vvethercockes vvho according to the Apostles vvords are tossed vp and dovvne vvith everie nevv conceite as a light clovvde is caried here there vvith every puffe of vvind vvhat the Caluinian supper is to vvit after his ovvne description bread and vvine or some like nutriment voyd of Christs body and blud or any vertue thereof or any other grace instituted for this only purpose to put vs in remembrance of Christ in no respect or comparison better then the significatiue bread or sheeps flesh vsed by the Iewes in their Paschal suppers ¶ And thus much touching the equalitie of their sacrament with the Ievves as they graunt vve accept so herevpon a litle farther we proue vvhich perhaps they vvil deny that the Ievvish sacraments vvere better then thens not only for that the Ievvish had their Institution from god and his holy prophets vvhereas this supper proceedeth directly from the deuil his Ministers but also for that comparing the sacraments thus by them described in them selues the Ievvish much excelled VVhereof this only reason in their diuinitie is a most sure demonstration The preper vse institution and end of the sacrament is this and in this confuteth the benefite thereof that it stiriâ—th vp our â—aith moveth ouâ— external and internal 〈…〉 to consideration of the thing signified that is Christ his death VVhereof â—â—â—â—lâ—vvâ—th that where this 〈…〉 is most â—ound where a signe is most lâ—â—â—â—y 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 to moue ouâ— senses 〈…〉 iy to quicken ouâ—â—aith and excite our mynds to the consideration of Christ his death that â—gâ—e hath in it so much the more singularly and in a more high and excellent degree the nature of a sacrament But this was saâ— better and more effâ—â—â—â—ally wrought by 〈…〉 ng a lamb by pâ—wâ—â—g out the â—lud thereof then by 〈…〉 bread and drinking beare 〈…〉 or wine I or both the lamb is a more noble câ—eatuâ—e then is bread therefore more apt to â—gâ—â—â—â—c Christs body the noblest creature that euer was the innocency of a lamb to signifie Christs innocencie that lamb killed that flesh that blud was a more lâ—â—â—ly signe or this lamb of god killed for â—s of his body of his blud giuen for â—s then breaking of bread drinking of any wine or beare be it neuer so strong Therefore in that wherein consiâ—â—eâ—â— the proper nature of a sacrament the â—ewâ—â—h excelled ours Againe an other saâ—â—â—mental signification and the same very principal 〈…〉 they in this that as the bread and wine nourisheth our bodies corporally so Christ caâ—e by faith nourisheth our sâ—wâ—es spiritually But that Iewish supper hauing in it yong tender nourishing flesh of a lamb together with bread and vvine nourished corporally and so signified Christ body nourishing
against any sacrament of the church of Christ mentioned in the gospel and practised among Christians but only against the inventions of that pernitious Apostata vvhich hovv soeuer he terme by the honorable name of the church sacraments as likevvise he every other heretike calleth his proper devised heresie by the name of Christs gospel yet I esteeme them no othervvise then the devises of the poorest carter in Scotland then the devises of Robin Hood and litle Iohn auncient rank riders in the borders of Scotland and England yea much vvorse for that their deuises ended only in robbing mens purses and at the farthest in killing temporally their bodies vvhereas these SacrameÌ„tarie devises tende to robbe men of their Christian faith and to kil eternally vvith their bodies their soules also And therefore vvhereas I esteeme them such as such also vvil I speake of them and vvith gods assistance by the gospel of Christ and doctrine of Christs Catholike church refel them And for distinction sake and to separate their toyes from the true sacraments I vvil so far as commodiously I can cal them by the names vvhich M. B. and the Sacramentaries better allovv that is signes and seales not sacraments vvhich is the churches word and not so meete to be applied to the signes and seales of their congregations albeit oftentimes especially in this first Sermon I shal be constreyned to cal them sacraments as they do His definition of sacraments taken from Caluin is this The sacrament is a holy signe and seale that is annexed to the preached word of god to seale and confirme the truth contayned in the same word This definition thus he more at large declareth I cal not only the seale separated from the word a sacrament For as there can not be a seale but that which is the seale of an evidence and if the seale be separated from the evidence it is not a seale but what it is by nature no more so there can not be a sacrameÌ„t except it be hung to the evidence of the word But looke what the sacrament was by nature it is no more VVas it a common peece of bread it remaines a common peece of bread except it be hung to the evidence of the word Therefore the word only caÌ„ not be a sacrameÌ„t nor the elemeÌ„t only can not be a sacrament but the word the element coniunctly That to the making of a sacrament is required the word is out of controversie among al Catholikes But vvhat meane yovv by the word not that vvord of god vvhich the Catholikes do For that is in these mens Theologie magical but they meane by the word the vvord of a minister a sermon preached by him For so it solovveth By the word I meane the word preached For the word preached distinctly and al the parts of it opened vp must go before the hanging to of the sacrament and the sacrament as a seale must folow and be appended there after Then I cal a sacrament the word and seale coniunctly the one hung to the other But here some vvil perhaps obiect vvhat need such hanging of seales to the vvord vvhereas the vvord of god is by it self of sufficient autoritie and needeth no such seales for confirmation thereof To this M. B. answereth with Calvin that the seales be annexed to the word for our cause For there is no necessitie on gods part but the necessitie cometh of vs. There is sicke a great weakenes in vs and inhabilitie to beleeue that to helpe this wonderful weakenes whereby we are ready to mistrust god in every word he hath hung to his sacraments Thus much for the general nature of sacraments as they are vsed in the Scottish congregation vvherein there is scarce any one vvord vvhich carieth not vvith it very sovvle absurditie even against the first principles of Christian faith For to examine a litle the definition vvhereon dependeth al I demaund hovvamong Christians can bread or wine or vvater vvhich be the signes of baptisme and the Supper confirme the faith of the preached vvord Is it in respect of the vvord it self or of Christians to vvhom the vvord is sent Not of the vvord it self For that vvere iniurie to god vvhose vvord it is therefore of sufficient credit vvithout such confirmation as Caluin first next M. B. here graunteth Then it remayneth to be in respect of Christians and here againe I must demaund in respect of vvhat sort of Christians strong or vveake perfit or vnperfit â—â—r so vve find them in scripture and in the church generally divided Truly of nether sort if they be right Christians and setled in their Christian faith For is there any true Christian a Christian I say rightly brought vp in the faith of Christ that beleeveth in one god almighty maker of heauen and earth a god vvhom every peece and parcel of his faith teacheth to be most iust most potent most true yea truth it self vvho possibly can not vtter any salsitie is there any Christian thus beleeving and thus he beleeveth or els he is no Christian for vvhom only the sacraments are appointed vvho beleeveth the vvord of god any thing the more for that he seeth bread and vvine and vvater in the ministers hands The Apostles first disciples Martyrs of the Primitiue church replenished vvith the holy ghost vvho being most assured of every vvord and sillable that Christ had taught them vpon confidence and warrant of such invincible and vnmoveable faith ventered them selues in a thousand dangers and perils of death perils on the land perils on the sea perils among Iewes perils among Gentiles c. vvho 300. yeres space together suffered al kind of prisons of miseries of banishments of torments of rackings of fier of being torne in peeces cast to beasts devoured of Lyons c. of vvhom it is vvritten that some thus vvished and prayed Come fier come gallowes come wild and savage beasts breaking of my bones renting in sunder of my quarters come on me al the torments of the devil so that at length I may enioy Christ they who being condemned to be devoured of beasts vvhen they heard the Lyons and Tigres roring for greedines of their pray exclamed VVe are gods wheate let vs willingly be grinded with the teeth of these beasts that we may be made cleane flower these men vvho as S. Paule speaketh died every day for Christs gospel and the truth thereof vvhen they resorted to the sacrament resorted they for this end that vvhereas othervvise they mistrusted god by receiuing these seales of bread and vvine they might confirme their faith towards him vvhich vvas alredy a thousand tymes better confirmed then it could be by any such vveake seales Doubtles as Calvin saith of them that they are signes memorials to helpe weake memories if a maÌ„ were otherwise myndful inough of Christs death this helpe of the supper
because the veritie thereof hangeth not vpon mens eâ—ting or not eating the sacrameÌ„t not vpon any mans action or table service as M. B. thinketh but vpon the povver of Christ and his vvord it self vvhich is eternal omnipotent and insallible And therefore vvhat hast so ever the minister maketh home to see his vvise or to his ovvne dinner and table service and for such cause maketh perhaps quicke dispatch of the table service in the church the sacrament of Christ leeseth not his holynes sooner or later vpon any such occasion This is a question betvvene the Catholikes Caluinists as also betvvene the Caluinists Lutherans Caluin and the Caluinists and such as are of that side supposing as here M. B. teacheth vs therevpon barre al sending of the sacrament out of the church to sick persoâ—â— and improue al private communions in church oâ— hovvse the Lutherans being of contrarie opinion allovving both the one the other The resolutioÌ„ vvhereof dependeth principally vpon a former question of the real presence vvhereof I vvil enter no nevv dispute here Only for contentation of the Christian reader I vvil say thus much that the most auncient primitiue church of Christ thought as the Catholiks do touching coÌ„tinuance of holines in the sacrament against M. B. therefore belike had such opinion of the real presence thereof as the Catholikes haue That the primitiue church thought as vve do and condemned M. B. for the first it is knovven and proved by a number of plain testimonies taken out of the most auncient vvriters S I 〈…〉 the martyr Apologia 2. prope finem S. Ireneus apud Eâ—â—â— Histor lib. 5. ca. 24. Dionys Alexandrinus ibid. lib. 6. â—â— 36. Tertul. lib. 2. ad vxorem and S Cyprian sermo 5. de lâ—â—sis c. By al vvhich it is evident that after the solemne sacrifice and participation of the sacrament in the church the same vvas privately sent to those that vvere absent or reserved communicated by several persons in private hovvses in the first and most pure age of Christs church and the grace or holines of the sacrament not vvithstanding vvas beleeved to continue stil and the sacrament stil to remaine a ful perfit sacrament VVhich custom aftervvards was in like maner reteyned vvith â—â—probation of the most learned fathers as appeareth by the practise of the church many vvayes in the first general Councel of Nice cap. 14. in S. Basil epistola ad Casaram Patritâ—am in S. Ambrose oratio de obitu Satyri fratâ—â— cap 7. in S. Gregorie Nazianzene oratio de Gorgonia sor 〈…〉 and others vvith vvhose authorities though cleer a 〈…〉 manifest for this purpose I vvil not charge this place because I vvil not stand long on that vvhich is but b 〈…〉 ly resolved by M. B. Yet for example assurance to hiâ— that such vvas the faith and practise of that most aunâ—enâ— and Apostolike church I vvil vvrite dovvne the â—â—â—fession of a learned Calvinist our first false Apostle 〈…〉 Oxford touching this matter Bishop Gardiner obiâ—â—â—â—th to Peter Martyr that S. Cyril bishop of Alexandria acknovvledged first the true presence of Christ in the sacrament thereon inferred that the sacrament being reserved after the communion in the church vvas ended remained stil a sacrament indued vvith Christs presence as in the time of the sacrifice or coÌ„munioÌ„ S. Cyrils words as I find them rehearsed by Martir are these Cast no doubt whether that which I affirme of Christs real presence in the sacrameÌ„t be true whereas Christ him self speaketh very plainly This is my body but rather receiue thow and embrace our Saviours words with faith For he being truth it self lyeth not Hereof thus he inferreth Insaniunt ergo qui dicunt mysticam benedictionem a sanctificatione cessare c. Therefore they are mad men out of their wits who say as M. B. doth that the mystical blessing that is the sacrament leeseth his sanctification or is vnavailable to sanctifie if any portion of it remayne vntil the day after For Christs holy body is nothing chaunged thereby but the vertue of benediction and lyfegeving grace vivificatiua gratia continueth stil in it For better vnderstanding of vvhich place that may be noted by the vvay vvhich I find in OEcolampadius concerning the cause vvhy S. Cyril vvrote thus The cause vvas as OEcolamp telleth it for that even then some began to cast doubt vvhether the sacrament or any portion of it if it vvere reserved vntil the next day after remayned as true a sacrament had like vertue of sanctification as vvhen it vvas first consecrated For certaine grosse heretikes named Anthropomorphitae thought the contrarie and were iust of M. B. the Calvinists opinion whom S. Cyril reproveth And here vpon in his epistle to Calosirius bishop of Arsinoe in Aegipt writeth as before is cited Vnto vvhom P. Martyr frameth this ansvvere VVhereas Cyril saith that a portion of the Eucharist reserved vntil a day after leeseth not his sanctification he as I suppose speaketh therein according to a certaine custom received amoÌ„g the auncieÌ„t fathers For as we may easely gather out of S. Cyprian Tertullian and Ambrose men were then wont when in the church the Lords supper was ended to cary home with them some portion of the Symboles and receiue it the next day before their meates thinking thereby to get some sanctification eâ—her to them selues or the sicke persons to whom they gaue it This custom all â—iâ— it was somwhat superstitious yet Cyril and other fathers approved it For even streightwayes from the Apostles time men began to degenerate from the old simplicitie of worshipping god Here is a plain confession that in the most auncient church for Tertullian and S. Cyprian are of the most auncient it was received and approved as a veritie that the holynes of the sacrament continued somwhat lâ—nger then the time of the table serviceâ— and therefore that M. B. is much deceived vvhen he resolveth the contratie ¶ â—ut against this â—aith of the Primitiue church and namely against sending or ministring the sacrament to private persons M. B. hath certaine obiections which â—e seemeth to account of as very strong therefore I may not omit them The first is If the sacrament be ministred to one privately it is not a sacrament And why Because the Apostle cals the sacrament a communion of Christs body therefore if ye minister it to one ye tyne the communion if ye minister it privately ye tyne the sacrament The second is for they are al of one qualitie and forme therefore they shal iun al together This sacrament meâ— be publikely ministred why Because Christ IESVS who is the thing signified in the sacrament perteynes not to any man alone but is a common thing apperteyning to every faithful man and woman Thirdly which is the last this sacrameÌ„t is counted a thanke gering to God Now it