pleasur by wth drawing tithes or tribut or otherwayes sess 8. against his 27. art Indeed the opinion is a way to all rebellion and disorder in church and state XVI Finally that no degree may scape the Waldenses and Luther inveighed bitterly against religious orders as the invention of the devill affirming that the founders of them were damnd for it if they repented not and that none could be saved in them wch desperate madness was censurd also in the said councell of Constance Sess 8. And strongly confuted by Chlitoveus Roffensis Albertus Thomas Waldensis a Carmelit and before them by S. Thomas and S. Chrysostome XVII To prevent all danger on any hand for any heresy or disorder the Waldenses spread abroad that no judg can condemn any man to punishment But they either forgat or simple souls never knew that S. Paul saith if ye do evill fear for the magistrat bears not the Sword in vain XVIII There were others who taught that no hereticks were to be punisht but left to Gods judgment 19. The Rhetorii saies Philaster affirmed that al hereticks thought aright XX. Nicolaus Eimericus reports of others in the time of Pape Gregory the eleaventh who affirmed that any one that commits a mortall sin is an heretick XXI S. Austin testifies of the hereticks called Ophitae that they worshipt the Serpent that beguiled Eve and the Caiani respected Judas for a Saint for that he was cause of our redemption These be some extravagant opinions of sectarys concerning severall persons in the church kings and subjects religious men clargy men priests students byshops the Senate of prelates popes Saints Christ and what not so sensles so wild so inconsistent so contradictory that the wisedom and integrity of the Church of God were not able to suffer much lesse approve them being contrary many of them to common honesty others to right reason all of them to Christian faith How shall the immaculate spous comply heaven and hell may sooner come together I think VIC T is a marvellous thing Sr Harry you can have all thes opinions in your head and hold none of them What difference is ther betwixt having and holding If I should ever think of them they would mingle wth my creed I can beleev any thing if it be not popery and take all that coms as I did my Husband to have and to hold for better and for wors as it is written MIN. Com you speak like one of the foolish women VIC How did you speak when you took me wth the very same words and said wth a blith and bucksom countenance I Iohn You have been a year or two at a pagan university where you learnt to worship Judas for a Saint you are so proud upon it deny if you dare that I understand the bible wch is the highest book in the world wherin then can you exceed mee T is true you are a parson but is it not written I have more understanding than my teachers Psa 119.99 You would fain com in wth your few texts against Sr Harry that you have been scribling out of a concordance being out of all patience that his Discours keeps you back Pray be content t is as pleasing to me to hear talk of these men as of my owne father and mother that begat mee expect your kue good sweet Husband Your hour is not yet come as t is written LA. T is agreed upon Sr Harry that you proceed in your discours Mr Doctour in the end will I beleev make use of it all to his owne advantage KN. I have declared som severall odd conceptions of men concerning sundry persons in the church Others there be concerning places as the temple or place of worship purgatory after life hell and heaven wch opinions maintained wth pertinacy caused the authours thereof to be cast out of the Catholik body of Gods church wherin they had been members I. Eustachius derided all Saints temples The Waldenses afterward would have all churches taken away as too much straitning the majesty of God whose temple is the wide world The Pseudapostoli added that a consecrated church is no more worth than a swine sty as also Zisca the German who wth his companions whom he called Taborites from mount Tabor where Christ was transfigured spoild and defaced all holy places they came neare The councell of Gangres defined against this madnesse c. 5. decret II. The same Waldenses would not endure that time should be spent in saying the canonicall hours in the church and their ape Wicleph gave his reasō for it becaus forsooth it is not fit that Christians should be tied to prayer at any time This reason if it wer worth any thing would destroy the Sabboth But all singing in the church they scofft at as nois made to Baal The Arrians before them disprooud singing in Catholik churches but their reason was becaus of so many Hymns and anthems made in the honour of Christ against their impious opinion Against al thes is the councel of Gangres c. 30. decret III. That all images are to be taken out of churches was stifly maintained both by the said Waldenses and their squire Wicleph For wch heresy long before their time Leo the third emperour in Constantinople was excomunicated by Pape Gregory the third yet notwthstanding the emperour Constantin the fift and emperour Leo the fourth his son adhered still to it but after his death Irene his wife ruling the empire in the name of the Infant Constantin the sixt obtained the second Nicen counsell to be called where by three hundred and fifty Byshops the heresy was condemnd though Constantin the sixt being of age would not submit to the councell wch was one of the mainest causes of the dislike and grudg between the Latin Greek emperours The errour was afterward condemnd in the councell of Frankford under pape Adrian the first IV. The adoration given in Catholik temples unto the cross and crucifix the above named Iohn Wicleph an english Priest who lived about the yeare 1380. would by all means have taken away But Thomas Waldensis his country man almost contemporary still confuted him and his blind Lugdunian guides who were also judgd condemnd by all the Prelats in Constance V. There also was censurd another errour of theirs that preaching in temples should be lawfull for any although prohibited by superiours VI. The said Wicleph denied tiths to be due to Priests serving at the Altar preaching and praysing God wch errour was also condemnd in the 18 place at Constance But this opinion he had from the Pseudapostoli whose ringleader was Gerardus Sagarellus of Parma who was burnt in the yeare 1260. VII Both the Waldenses and Wiclevits blasphemd all benedictions of water candls palms altars challices churches forgetting or not beleeving that every creature is sanctified by the Word of God and Prayer 1. Tim. 4. VIII No less peremptory was Wicleph Huss and Luther against excomunications from church and altar inflicted on
not to consecrat wth the usuall words of the Church but wth seaven Pater Nosters IV. That in this Sacrament is not really contained the true body of Christ severall Hereticks at times have avoucht it yet disagreeing in their manner and reasons for it Nestorius putting two persons in Christ said in the Eucharist was indeed the true flesh not of God but of pure man Berengarius placed the flesh of Christ the Son of God there not really but onely significativly He was the first that broched this wicked fansy in the church he was by nation a French man deacon in the church of S. Maurice a captious logician otherwise wise of small learning in comparison of his great pride and turbulency wch proceeded so far that pope Leo the ninth to prevent the fall of Catholiks called a councell at Vercelles wher Berengarius not appearing was anathematised Victor the second succeeding Leo celebrated another councell at Tyrone by Hisdebrand a Roman Cardinal President therin wherin Berengarius appearing was confuted by many learned men especially Lanfrank our byshop of Canterbury but he returnd afterwards to his vomite for wch cause pape Nicolas the second succeeding Victor congregated a councell at Rome of a hundred and thirteen Byshops where Berengarius being present recanted and died penitentially About a hundred yeares after one Almaricus raised up the heresy againe A hundred yeares after him Wicleph revived it in this last age Oecolampadius followed by Suinglius and Calvin But Luther curst all these Sacramentaries wth a bitter curs as perverters of the last will and Testament of the Son of God V. Luther admitted the reall presence of our Lords body in the Eucharist but the substance of the bread to remain also This companation is rejected as not conformable to Catholik tradition by the councell of Lateran under Innocent the third the councell of Trent under Iulius Sess 3. c. 4. VI. The Aquariâ— would not consecrat wine but water VII The Armenians on the other side put no water at al in the challice as Catholiks have ever done even from the first beginnings of the church as witnesseth S. Cyprian VIII The Messalians Euchetae or Enthusiasts said that the Sacrament of the Eucharist was of no worth They attributed so much to praier as the Flagellantes did to their bloody discipline that neither of them esteemd of any other observance But the excellency of this Sacrament is maintaind by the councell of Florence under Eugenius and the Tridentine under Julius Sess 3. c. 2. IX Some Greeks are said to hold that this Sacrament consecrated in caena Domini is of more worth than any other day X. Luther would that examination discussion of sins and confession is no preparatory to this Sacrament but onely faith Expresly against Scriptur Let a man examine himself c. 1 Cor. 11. XI Magister sententiarum makes mention of some that held men comunicating in sin receiv not our Lords body But Judas it may easily appear received the same thing as the rest of the Apostles though not to the same effect Joh. 13. XII Many Lutherans have taught that the body of our Lord is onely present in the use and therfore not to be kept yet this opinion is not to be found in Luthers work though it be in Bucer XIII The Bohemians said that comunion is necessary to be given under both kinds though they had not this conceit from John Huss their prophet but one Petrus Dresensis a German who being driven out of his countrey for the Waldensian heresy wherwith he was infected went to Prague in Boemia where having perverted one Jacobellus Misnensis a notable preacher by his means he drew after him great multituds of people from the Catholik body Something more than a hundred years after Luther infected Germany wth the same errour But the church hath ever taught us that Christ is wholly under any species for comunion though she commands consecration to be made in both for although whole Christ be under either either kind quoad continentiam yet not quoad significationem the consecration or immolation must signify the effusion of blood but comunion is of the thing contaiend XIV The Quatradecimans would have the Christian Pask or Easter when this Sacrament was instituted and first celebrated to be kept expresly on the fourteenth day of the first moon This raised a controversy in the time of Pape Anicetus between the Orientall and Occidentall Byshops those standing for the 14 day these for the Sunday following and the contention lasted till the time of Pape Victor the first who would have excomunicated al the Byshops of the East for their contumacy had not Ireneus strongly wthstood it It was raised again after Victor but quite ended in the councell of Nice where it was decreed to be kept on the Sunday XV. That Mass was not instituted by Christ was the wicked beleef of Wicleph condemnd in the councell of Constance And its institution by Christ clear enough in Gospell This do ye is expresly asserted by most venerable and ancient fathers Rabanus Isiderus S. Ambrose Eusebius S. Chrysostome S. Cyprian Pope Alexander the first and sixt from S. Peter Martialis one of the 70 disciples and companion of S. Peter and Telesphorus That mass is neither sacrifice nor yet good work is blasphemously maintaind by Luther and Calvin But this venerable Liturgy is ratified by the first Toletan councell c. 5. By the councell of Lateran under Innocent the third c. 1. decr by the sixt generall Synod and the Ephesine councell c. 32. decr Me thinks these men should not be ignorant that the translation of the law infers translation of priesthood and where is a peculiar priesthood is a peculiar sacrifice as the Apostle discourses Heb. 7. Now Melchisedek is the only figure of Christ his priesthood as it is there affirmed by the Apostle els wher by the prophet stiling our Lord a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedek Psal 109. And yet that Priest of the most high God offered nothing to him but bread and wine as Fathers Scriptur testify Gen. 14.18 This very function of Melchisedek did Christ our Lord exercise when he offered up to God his body and blood telling his Apostles present what he did and what he would have done hereafter what he did when he said This is my body wch is given not wch shal be given for you on the cross but wch is immolated and offerd now This is my blood wch is shed He showed what he would have done when he said Hoc facite This do ye Here is the order of the new priestood according to Melchisedek set up I would to God our Countrymen would seriously ponder these things and not so slightly pass over a thing of such importance saying that Melchisedek did but bring forth that bread and wine only to refresh Abram and his Souldiers If that were all why should the Scriptur add presently for he was
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in fractione panis in his breaking of bread Luk. 24.35 For that religious work they knew was done by none but Christ himself or his Priests This discours upon the words of Scriptur I hav somwt inlarged beyond my custom not to teach Catholiks for altho the Greek should be rendred by them in templo they know well enough that every place where that most sacred rite is done is a temple and so t is indifferent to them to translate it either in templo or in sacro but to let others who be not Catholik understand that more is implied in such expressions than they do ordinarily think of and that the religion of the primitiv Christians was not preaching wherof here is no mention at all but prayers supplications sacrifice or fraction of bread Wch religious emploiment is in another place of the sam chapter yet more fully exprest They were saith he firmly persisting in the doctrin of the Apostles and in comunion and in fraction of bread and supplications v. 42. They firmly persisted both in the Apostles doctrin unanimously united in faith wthout schisme division or any singularity of opinions wch might separat them from the main body into particular conventicles and also in comunion one wth another both by fraternal charity Ecclesiasticall obedience and Christian Sacraments in Fraction of bread wch was the great Cardinall capitall work of their faith and the very quintessence of Christianity and in supplications in the plurall number both for living and dead both for pastour and people for every degree for every necessity This was a right Catholik body and the right exercise of their Catholik faith And such and no other is the faith religion of all Catholiks to this day those I meane who are traduced by frivolous people under the notion name of Papists wch is a barbarous word and neither Latin Greek or Hebrew nor yet good English and if it signify any thing it is as much as to say Fatherists because they persist unanimously and firmely in the doctrine of Apostolical pastours and fathers in comunion with them in fraction of bread and supplications day by day persevering in sacro and breaking the bread at their houses wch they take together in exultation and singlnes of heart praysing God and having grace towards al good people Pray God bless thē all To make themselvs worthy of this Holy comunion our Catholiks do frequently examin and clens their consciences as P. Paul advises to do wch clensing and examining of conscience none but Catholiks know wt it means This sacred Action and venerable service of God was by the first Christians named Missah a notion they had out of the old Testament where the Sacrifice of the Messias peculiar onely to his people and religion by way of constitution distinction from all others is so named and the Latin and western part of the church did ever keep the name as well agreeing to the Latin tongue But the Eastern and Greek churches called it ordinarily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Liturgy wch was their own language and o word wherby that sacred action was exprest in the new Testament In the Acts of the Apostles t is frequently called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 breaking of bread The primitiv Christians gave it severall names the Eucharist the Synaxy the Dominicum and the like changing the word as souldiers do the watchword that uncircumcised paynims should not know wt they meant as our Catholiks now in England use some by-expressions therof for concealment And the antient doctours of the church wrote very cautiously of it especially in such books as they thought might haply fall into the hands of pagans as may be seen in severall places of Origen S. Austin and others I observed the last time I read over S. Austin de civitate Dei a very notable passage to this purpose tho I have not now the book to turn to it where speaking accidentally of the venerable bread of Christians he presently recalls himself saying they know wt I mean whose bread this is and in whose cause I write And a certain Roman prelat in antient times denied to send by writing an answer of som doubts propounded by ultra-marin Christians concerning some circunstances of the mass least the pagans intercepting his letters should therby discover the mystery of Christian Religion but he promist to send a messenger to the petitioners who should inform them by word of mouth So carfull they were not to cast this pearl before swine Yet as soon as Paganism was subdued their writings came abroad copiously and gave ample testimonies therof S. Ambrose was in the third age of the church and yet he began to be bold and writ not onely of the substance of the thing but betrayed the very name wherby it was generally known and called namely missa or mass But they all frequently spake of the Altar and Priests the Sacrifice and service of the most high God performd in Christian Religion and the like And the writers of the last twelv hundred years speak so amply and so plainly therof that the very citation of their evidences would fill a volume For this divine service were all our churches in England erected by Catholiks in the form of a cross the high Altar now called the Chancell being placed in the head of the church and the Tabernacle over it for the body of our Lord to repose on for Christian mens solace wth candles and lamps before it below it was the quire for the clargy to sing prayses night and day before their redeemer on both sides of the church lesser Altars for other priests to celebrate in at their devotion and the nave or body of the church kept clenly and vacant for the people to kneel in continue wth one accord in their supplication and prayer according as it is written My hous is the hous of prayer If churches had been onely buylt for preaching and hearing Sermons they would not have been made in the form of a cross as they be but of a theater or amphitheater rather wth scaffolds about for that purpose and such stalls or pews below as now all our churches are pesterd wth in Catholik times utterly unknown And if a man look into the places of devotion the Christians resorted unto in times of paganism before they had any churches erected wch were for the most part in dens and caves bottoms of mountains wherof many are still to be found in all Kingdoms of Europ he shall easily discern what their busines was there I once saw one of them in a hill neare Paris cald mount Dammartin wch descended as I remember three score steps into the hill at the bottom there is a place of the bignes of a chamber and an Altar stone at the head of it in part still remaining and a hole in the same rock over the Altar for the Priests chalice to stand in And generally wher ever such