these expresse words Mens namque fuit Apostolorum non de diebus sancire festiuitatum sed conuersationem rectam dei praedicare culturam mihi ergo videtur quod sicut multa alia per prouincias ad consuetudinem venerunt sic Paschae festiuitas tradita sit eó quod nullus Apostolorum aliquid huic sanxisset For the meaning of the Apostles was not to make lawes for keeping holidaies but to preach the word of God and holy conuersation I therefore thinke that as many other things grew to a custome in diuerse countries so did also the keeping of Easter because none of the apostles made any lawe for the same Out of whose wordes I do note first that the scope of Christs apostles was this to preach the word of God not to appoint holidays Secondly that the keeping of Easter which is our sabbaoth was after the custome of the countrey Thirdly that the apostles made no lawe for the same Yea the first man in the world that made any positiue lawe for the christian sabbaoth was Constantine surnamed the Great who within three hundred and thirtie yeres after Christ about the 20. yere of his reigne to take away all contention in the church made a flatte Edict for the keeping of Friday and Sunday throughout the yeere Of this none can stand in doubt that shall pervse that fine Oration which Eusebius made de Laudibus Constantini the three and thirtieth yeere of his happy raigne This controuersie by the Emperours appointment was handled in the councill of Nice and immediatly after his decree which thing is euident by the saide Eusebius in his third booke de vitae Constantini and in his fourth booke hee affirmeth plainely that all subiect to the Romane empire were commaunded to abstaine from all bodily labour vppon the sundayes and fridayes Cassiodorus doeth prooue the same out of Sozomenus in these expresse wordes Die verò qui Dominicus vocatur quem Hebraei primam vocant Graeci autem soli distribuunt qui ante septimum est sanctuit à iudicijs aliÃsque causis vniuersis habere vacationem in eo tantum orationibus occupari The Emperour Constantine decreed that all people should cease from al sutes and other ciuil causes and consecrate themselues wholy vnto prayer vppon the Lordes day which the Iewes doe call the first day of the weeke and the Greekes doe terme Sunday as also vpon the friday The learned diuines in Germanie affirme directly that the Sunday may be altered These are their words Nam qui iudicant ecclesiae authoritate pro sabbato institutam esse diei Dominici obseruationem tanquam necessariam longè errant for they that thinke the church appointed the sunday to be kept for the sabbaoth of necessitie are deceiued grossely My third proofe is this Philippus Melancton Erasmus Roterodamus Iohannes Caluinus Petrus Martir Bullingerus and Vrsinus do all with vniforme consent yeelde so manifest testimonie to mine assertion as none doubtlesse that reade them attentiuely can without blushing deny the same Petrus Martir hath these words Quòd vnus dies certus in hebdomada cultui diuino mancipetur stabile firmum est an vero hic vel alius constituatur temporarium est ac mutabile That one day in the weeke must be assigned for diuine seruice it is constant firme and perpetuall but whether this or that day ought to be appointed for that purpose it is a thing that respects the time and may be changed Caluin in his Institutions after he hath commended the alteration of the saboth in the primitiue church affirmeth flatly that the day may yet be changed these be his wordes Neque sic tamen septenarium numerum morâ—r vt eius seruituti ecclesiam astringam neque enim ecclesias damnauero quae alios conuentibus suis solemnes dies habeant modò à superstitione absint Quod erit si ad solam obseruationem disciplinae ordinis bene compositi referantur Neyther do I for all that make such accompt of the seuenth day that I will haue the church tyed to keepe the same for I will not condemne churches which appoint other solemne dayes for their meetings so they be voide of superstition Which shal bee done if they appoint such tdayes onely for discipline and for comely order sake Vrsinus hath these words Summa est alligati sumus sabbato moraliter ceremonialiter in genere sed non in specie Hoc est ad aliquod ministerii publicè exercendi tempus sed non ad septimum vel aliquem alium certum diem This is the effect we are tied to the saboth morally and ceremonially in generall but not in speciall that is to say we are bound sometime to exercise the publike ministerie but wee are neither tied to the seauenth nor to any other certaine day And againe hee saith that all ceremonies appointed by the church may be altred againe by the counsell of the church Againe in another place he hath these expresse words Ecclesia christiana primum vel aliumdiem tribuit ministerio salua sua libertate the church of Christ hath libertie to appoint either the first day or some other day for Gods seruice To what end shoulde I alleage moe authorities for nothing can be more plainely spoken And as the church hath authoritie to alter the sabboth day so hath it power also which Bâ—llinger hath well obserued to appoint for the seruice of God certaine other festiuall dayes as the feast of the birth of our Lord of his incarnation circumcision passion resurrecâ—ion ascension and such like All which is this day verie prudently and laudably practised in the church of England An obiection If this your doctrine were true as you beare the world in hand it is then would it follow necessarily that there shoulde be no difference betweene the ordinance of God and man the reason seemeth euident because they both should be of like authoritie The answere I answere that they are not of like authoritie and I yeeld a double disparitie thereof for first the sabboth day is de iure diuino in generall albeit the determination thereof to this or that day in speciall be de iure humano but the other holidayes are both in generall and in speciall de iure humano Secondly because other holydaies are as well generally as specially appointed by man and therefore may be wholly abolished by the power of man But the sabboth day is generally appointed by God although the limitation thereof be reserued to his church and therefore notwithstanding that the church can limit the obseruation to this or that day yet can no power vpon earth wholly abolishe the same The fourth booke conteineth the description of the third Monarchie that is of the Greekes from Alexander vntill the Machabees CHAP. I. Of the originall of the monarchie and the circumstances of the same ALexander king of the Macedonians for his martiall
be slaughtered and as a theefe to be hanged yet neither did he shew any impatience nor sought any reuenge albeit hee could haue caused a legion of Angels to haue attended him at his only word he was bound as a theefe accused as a theefe condemned as a theefe he was crowned with a crowne of thornes among theeues as if hee had beene the master theefe of all theeues the iudge was iudged the King was derided the Lord of all lords was turmoyled And yet behold the wisedome of our heauenly Salomon for as Adam trespassed on Fryday so did he suffer on Fryday as mans saluation seemed to require Where we haue to consider his patience who was led as a lambe to be slaine his humilitie who was condemned with theeues his charitie who died for his enemies his pouertie who was borne in a manger and this done wee may worthily exclaime O captaine where is thine ensigne O prince where is thy palace O bishop where is thy myâ—er O king where is thy diademe After the consideration hereof we must acknowledge that Iesus Christ our sweete redeemer suffered all these pangs tortures torments and villanies for the sinnes and loue of man and therfore that mans part and dutie is to abhorre detest and eschew sinne and that for his sake and loue who hath first so tenderly beloued vs. CHAP. V. Of the houre of Christs death and the circumstances of the same CHrist was led out of the walles of the earthly Ierusalem into Golgotha a foule place of dead mens carkases so to declare vncleannesse indeede not of himselfe who was most holy most pure most innocent but of vs most wretched sinners whose sins he willingly tooke vpon him to the ende that we by faith in him being made cleane through his bloud and passion might bee brought into the heauenly Ierusalem the ioy of all ioyes the kingdome of heauen Christ suffered his bitter and healthfull passion without the walles of the citie a little before the sixt houre and gaue vppe his blessed ghost at the ninth houre so as hee was about three houres in most cruell torments vpon the crosse In which time from the sixt houre to the ninth darknesse arose ouer al the land Whereby wee may sensibly perceiue how angrie God was against our sinnes which hee so seuerely punished in his onely sonne For euen at the feast of the Passeouer and in the full Moone when the sunne shined ouer all the rest of the world and at midday that corner of the world wherein so wicked an act was committed was couered with extreame darknesse three houres together Christ hanged naked vpon the crosse and was vilainously reproued as if he had beene the most wicked caitife that euer was in the world to the ende that we being clothed with his righteousnesse and blessed with his curses and sanctified by his onely oblation may be clensed from our sinnes and exalted vppe to heauen But here it is expedent that I answere to an important doubt The doubt Saint Iohn saith that Christ suffered about the sixt houre but Saint Marke affirmeth expressely that he was crucified the third houre The answere For the exact explication of this graue obiection wee must diligently obserue three things First that the Iewes deuided as well the night as the day into foure equall parts Secondly that they tearmed the foure parts of the night vigils and the foure parts of the day houres Thirdly that the names of y e foure houres were these the first the third the sixt and the ninth so that all the morning to nine of the clocke with vs was called the first houre with them from nine to twelue the third houre from twelue to three the sixt houre from three to night the ninth houre I therefore answere to the obiection that S. Iohn and saint Marke do well agree neither is the one dissonant to the other for when S. Marke saith that Christ was crucified the third houre he meaneth in the end thereof which was about noone or almost the sixt houre as S. Iohn declareth it for euerie one of their houres contained three of our houres as is alreadie said And euery day with them both began and ended at sixe of the clocke with vs. Where I note by the way that these houres are sometimes dilated made foure threes like to our houres for so we reade in S. Mathew at the hyring of the labourers into the vineyard But howsoeuer the supputation was made the midday euer iumped with the sixt houre either in the ende or in the beginning thereof Which obseruations anâ— distinction well remembred many obscure places in the scriptures will be euident CHAP. VI. Of Christs resurrection and the adiuncts thereof AT such time as Christ the sonne of the euerliuing God suffered his passion wonderfull and strange sights happened The Sunne was darkened the Moone being in the full gaue no light a thing so repugnant to nature that Dionysius Areopagita pronounced boldely though then an Ethnicke that either the sonne of God was tormented or else the worlde woulde bee dissolued the vaile of the Temple was rent in twaine earthquakes were seene the rockes were clouen asunder the graues were opened and such as slept arose with Christ to life againe Christ after his resurrection appeared sundry times first to Marie Magdalen when she taried still at the sepulchre to see Christ after his disciples were gone away to their owne home Christ appeared the second time the selfe same day to two of his disciples as they went to a towne called Emaus which was distant from Ierusalem about three score furlongs The cause of the second apparition was this because the saide disciples would not beleeue that which Mary Magdalen and Ioanna and Mary the mother of Iames and other women told them of Christs resurrection Christ appeared the third time to all the Disciples Thomas onely excepted who was then absent which apparition was done the first day of the weeke and when the doores were shut where the Disciples were assembled for feare of the Iewes and then Iesus stoode in the middes of them and bestowed his peace vpon them Christ after eight dayes appeared the fourth time to his disciples comming into the middest of them euen when the doores were shut and bidding Thomas to see his hands and to put forth his hand into his side and to be no longer incredulous but faithful Christ appeared the fift time to his Disciples at the sea of Tiberias where they were fishing at whose word they casting out their net were not able to draw it at all for the multitude of fishes By these and other his apparitions he made his resurrection manifest vnto the world Sixtly hee appeared to the eleuen Disciples in the mount of Galile But from hence arise doubts very worthie the examination The first doubt Christ saith in Iohn that hee appeared but thrise after his resurrection To this I answere
deteriores non remisit nobis supplicium sed vidit hoc manifeste quod peccatis ipsis non mâ—nus damnosum sit non puniri propter hoc imponit poenam non exigens supplicium de peccatis sed ad futura nos corrigens For lest we our selues should be made worse if wee should not be punished when we offend God forgaue vs not the punishment for that he saw euidently that it was no lesse hurtfull to sinne it selfe if it should not be punished For which cause he imposeth paine vpon vs not requiring satisfaction for the sinnes but correcting vs for that which is to come Out of these wordes I note first that if we should escape vnpunished when we sin we would be more prone to sin again I note secondly that the punishment which God laâ—eth on vs is not any part of satisfaction for our sinne committed but a fatherly correction to keepe vs from sinning so againe I note thirdly that saint Chrysostome was not acquainted with popish pardons wherewith the world is this day so pestered I note fourthly that whosoeuer disliketh this my answer must reprooue saint Chrysostome for the same as from whom I receiued it And yet indeede hee saith nothing which holy writ hath not taught vs long before For as wise Salomon saith He that spareth the rodde hateth the childe but he that loueth him chasteneth him betime I blesse thee saith Tobie O Lord God of Israel because thou hast scourged me Thou hast corrected me saith Ephraim and I was chastised as an vntamed heiffer Whom the Lord loueth saith saint Paul him he chasteneth and he scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth As many as I loue saith God I rebuke and chasten be zealous therefore and amend Marke these wordes well gentle Reader God correcteth vs not in way of satisfaction which we are neuer able to performe as I haue prooued more at large in my booke of Motiues but that we may repent turne to him and amend our sinfull liues For this cause saieth the Psalmograph Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest O Lord and teachest him in thy lawe that thou mayest giue him rest from the dayes of euill while the pit is digged for the wicked For as saint Paul saieth If we would iudge our selues by true faith and repentance wee should not be iudged But when we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord that wee should not be condemned with the world which Christ himselfe confirmed when he willed the adultresse to goe and to sinne no more The sixt obiection S. Paul exhorted the Corinthians who abounded in goods but wanted merites to bestow money largely on the saints at Ierusalem that so they might be partakers of their merites Therefore it is very lawful to procure pardon with our mony by the application of godly mens merites vnto vs. The answere S. Paul meaneth nothing lesse then that the Hierosolymitains should sell spirituall things for money For when Symon the sorcerer euen after his baptisme would haue bought the distribution of holy things with money then saide saint Peter to him Thy money perish with thee because thou thinkest that the gift of God may be gotten with money But the apostle exhorteth the richer sort at Corinth to minister competently to the faithfull at Ierusalem for their necessarie releefe and sustentation and this to do the rather for that heretofore they receiued the gospel from thence so that there may bee an analogicall or proportionable equalitie betweene them For liberalitie ought to be mutuall among christians and as the apostle saith in another place It is no great thing for them that haue sowen to vs spirituall things to reape part of our carnall things Thus seemeth Chrysostome to vnderstand this place whose wordes are these Haec autem dicebat etiam diuitum superbiam deprimens ostendens quod post hanc vitam in maiori dignitate spirituales futuri sint He spake these things to abate the pride of rich men shewing that after this life the godly shal be in greater dignitie as if he had saide esteeme not better of your selues because ye haue more worldly wealth but distribute such things liberally and seeke to abound in spirituall things that so there may be an equalitie The seuenth obiection The article of our creed I beleeue the communioÌ„ of saints doth plainely shew that ones satisfaction may be applied to an other which is that application that the pope maketh when he giues pardons The answer I answer that the duties of charitie are ought to be common among the faithfull in that they are the mysticall members of one mysticall body which saint Paul proueth to be so by the example of the members in mans body And this is that communion of saints whereof mention is made in the Creede apostolike But of popish pardons and merits of supererrogation this article maketh no relation at all Yea as the apostle saith al righteousnes remission of sins and eternall life is ministred to the members of the church by Christ the head Of whose fulnes we haue all receiued euen grace for grace CHAP. VI. Of Popish purgatorie OF popish purgatorie I haue spoken sufficiently in the seuenth chapter of the second booke of my Motiues It will therefore here be sufficient to declare the originall thereof and to solue the obiections against the same The superstitious fond fantasies of purgatorie came from the old heathen Romanes for as saint Austen recordeth they had a purgatorie sacrifice these are his words Ideo terminalia eodem mense Februario celebrari dicunt cum fit sacrum purgatorium quod vocant Februm vnde mensis nomen accepit Therfore men say that the ends of things are celebrated in the same moneth of Februarie when the purgatorie sacrifice is made which they call Februs whereupon the month tooke the name Afterward Origen being too much addicted to his allegoricall speculation fained many odde things touching purgatorie as the ethnicke Plato whom he much imitateth had done before him After Origen others began to cal the matter into question others rashly to beleeue it others to adde many things to Origens conceit Thus by little and little it encreased till the late bishops of Rome made it an article of popish faith But of what credite Origen ought to be in this point his owne opinion will declare sufficiently as who held that the diuels should all be purged at the latter day For of Origen thus writeth S. Austen Qua in re misericordior profecto fuit Origenes qui ipsum diabolum atque angelos eius post grauiora pro meritis diuturniora supplicia ex illis cruciatibus eruendos atque sociandos sanctis angelis credidit Wherein Origen doubtles was more compassionable who beleeued that the deuill himselfe his angels after great long punishment for their demerites should be deliuered from their torments and placed with the
alledged by Gratianus in the popes owne Decrees Solent plures qui se ieiunare putant in quadragesima mox vt signum audierint ad horam nonam comedere qui nullatenus ieiunare credendi sunt fi ante manducauerint quam vespertinum celebretur offâ—cium Many who thinke they fast in Lent vse to eate so soone as they heare the bell at the ninth houre who by no meanes can be thought to fast if they eate before the euening praier Out of which wordes of the auncient holy councill I note this constant decree to wit that whosoeuer eate before the ninth houre cannot truely fast And consequently that no papists fast in their holy Lent howsoeuer they bragge or boast thereof The reason hereof is euident because all papistes vsually dine at noone that is three houres at the least before the time appointed by the councill I say at the least because they vse to anticipate noone some more some lesse For better explication whereof wee must obserue two thinges the one concerning noone the other concerning the euening praier I say therefore that by the ninth houre the councell with all antiquitie vnderstandeth three of the clocke at afternoone for in the time of the Apostles and long after them the day was deuided into twelue houres which day was againe distributed into foure Vigils whereof euery Vigil contained three houres so that their ninth houre was with vs three of the clocke in the after noone Now for the obscuring of this euident confutation of the popish supposed fasting the papistes of latter dayes haue deuised this miserable shift a fit inuention of their newly hatched Romishe religion The Pope forsooth hath dispenced with his greedy religious godlesse people who will needes be thought deuout fathers albeit they fast not one day in the whole yeare that they may huddle vp their vespertine houres or euening praier at anie time before twelue of the clocke and then at their pleasures to eate drinke and make good cheere And if it please your worships this done with full panches to beginne their discontinued disholy fast againe The ninth proposition Of fastinges some are priuate and some publicke Priuate fastes may be vsed of ones owne accord when and so often as shall seeme conuenient so they be referred to the glory of God and true mortification of the bodie or bee vsed for the good of our neighbour Thus fasted king Dauid all the time his childe was sicke After the death whereof hee surceased from praier and fasting and ate meate 2. King 12. Thus fasted Nehemiah when he vnderstood the affliction of the Iewes he sate downe wept and mourned certaine dayes hee fasted and prayed before the Lord of heauen Nehem. 1.4 Thus fasted Daniel when hee perceiued the captiuitie of his countriemen spoken of by the prophet Ieremie He confessed his owne sinnes and the sinnes of the people and turned to the Lord in fasting heartie prayer Dan. 9. vers 2 3 4 5. Publique fasts are appointed either by God in his holy word or by the magistrate hauing his authoritie Thus did Samuel appoint the Israelites to fast at such time as the Philistims did greeuously afflict them 1. Kin. 7. ver 3 6. Thus king Iosaphat proclamed a fast throughout all Iuda when the Ammonites Moabites and Idumeans oppressed them 2. Par. 20.3 10 22. Thus did queene Hester appoint a publique fast to all the Iewes by the mouth of Mardocheus Hest. 4. v. 16. Thus did the king of Niniueh command a publike fast after he vnderstood Gods wrath by his prophet Ionas 3. verse 7. Here endeth the first Booke containing yeeres 3426. The second book containeth the description of the first Monarchie that is of the Assyrians or Babylonians The first chapter of the originall and continuance of the monarchie The first Section of the reason of the inscription ALbeit this first Monarchie was either wholy or in effect expired before the accomplishment of the captiuitie of the two tribes Iuda and Beniamin yet haue I thought good to had le it in a seuerall tract after the saide captiuitie so to auoide confusion and for perspicuitie sake The second section of the originall of the monarchie King Ninus the sonne of Belus was the first king of Asia except the Indians whome the Assyrians named their god he reigned 52. yeeres and in the 43. yeere of his raigne was Abraham borne He builded the citie Ninum in Assyria nowe called Niniueh Euseb. in chronico When Ninus was dead Semiramis his wife raigned she feared lest for the tender yeres of her sonne Nunas and for hir feminine sex the people should reuolt from their due loyaltie For which cause she clad her selfe in mans apparel and fained her selfe to be the kings sonne She excelled in heroicall feats and raigned 42. yeeres in great felicitie She fortified the citie of Babylon which Ninus had conquered from the Chaldeans with rampires ditches and walles After her death Zameis aliâs Ninias reigned 30. yeres in all peace and tranquilitie Euseb. Carion The kings of the Assyrians Ninus Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 52 Kings 36 Semiramis Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 42 Kings 36 Ninias Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 â—8 Kings 36 Arius Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 30 Kings 36 Arelius Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 40 Kings 36 Xerxes Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 30 Kings 36 Armametres Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 38 Kings 36 Belochus Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 35 Kings 36 Baleus Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 52 Kings 36 Altadas Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 32 Kings 36 Mamitus Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 30 Kings 36 Mancaleus Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 30 Kings 36 Ipheréus Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 20 Kings 36 Mamylas Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 30 Kings 36 Spaâ—êtus Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 40 Kings 36 Ascades Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 40 Kings 36 Amyntas Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 45 Kings 36 Belothus Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 25 Kings 36 Bellepares Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 30 Kings 36 Lamprides Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 32 Kings 36 Sosares Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 20 Kings 36 Lampares Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 30 Kings 36 Pannias Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 45 Kings 36 Sosarmus Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 19 Kings 36 Mitreus Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 27 Kings 36 Tantanes Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres
This state was by the Machabees in time of Antiochus and his successors the kings of Syria vntill Aristobulus the first king among the Iewes after their captiuitie They were gouerned thirdly by kings being partly of their owne bloud and partly strangers This state continued from Aristobulus vntil king Agrippa albeit the birth of our sauiour befell in the 32. yeare of king Herod which quadruple variety I will set down in foure seuerall sections for perspicuitie sake The first Section of the gouernours of the Iewes from the captiuitie to the Machabees The names of the gouernors or rulers of the Iewes Zorobabel Anno mun 3425 the time of their rule Anno mun 3610 67 yeeres Rhesa Miseolana alià s Mensonla Anno mun 3425 the time of their rule Anno mun 3610 66 Ioanna ben Resa Anno mun 3425 the time of their rule Anno mun 3610 52 Iudas Hircanus the first Anno mun 3425 the time of their rule Anno mun 3610 30 yeeres Note here that these foure gouernours were before the monarchy of Alexander the great whereof Zorobabel was he that conducted the Iewes from the captiuitie and encouraged them to build the temple These other eleuen were after Alexander The names of the gouernours or ruâ—ers of the Iews after King Alexâ—nder Ioseph the first An. mundi 3641 The time of their gouernment An. mundi 3788 7 yeeres Abner Semei An. mundi 3641 The time of their gouernment An. mundi 3788 11 Eli Matathia An. mundi 3641 The time of their gouernment An. mundi 3788 12 Asar Mahat An. mundi 3641 The time of their gouernment An. mundi 3788 9 yeres Nagid Artaxat An. mundi 3641 The time of their gouernment An. mundi 3788 10 Haggai Eli An. mundi 3641 The time of their gouernment An. mundi 3788 8 Maslot Nahum An. mundi 3641 The time of their gouernment An. mundi 3788 7 yeeres Amos Syrach An. mundi 3641 The time of their gouernment An. mundi 3788 13 Matathia Siloah An. mundi 3641 The time of their gouernment An. mundi 3788 10 Ioseph the second An. mundi 3641 The time of their gouernment An. mundi 3788 60 yeeres Ianna Hircanus the second An. mundi 3641 The time of their gouernment An. mundi 3788 16 yeeres This Hircanus was the last prince of the Iewes that descended of the blood royall and posteritie of king Dauid The catalogue of the priests who executed priestly function amongest the Iewes after the captiuitie shall be set downe in the chapter following The second Section of the Machabees The names of the Machabees Iudas Machabeus Anno mun 3805 the time of their rule Anno mun 3837 6 yeeres Ionathas Anno mun 3805 the time of their rule Anno mun 3837 18 Simon brother to Iudas Anno mun 3805 the time of their rule Anno mun 3837 8 yeeres Io. Hircanus the sonne of Simon Anno mun 3805 the time of their rule Anno mun 3837 31 yeeres These foure were priests of the tribe of Leui not of Iuda or the blood royall which ought euer to be kept in memorie as hereafter better shall appeare The third Section of the Kings of the Iewes that descended of the Leuiticall tribe The names of the kings who were Iewes Aristobulus the sonne of Hircanus An mundi 3868 The time they ruled An. mundi 3909 1 yeere Alexander the second son of Hircanus alias Ianneê° An mundi 3868 The time they ruled An. mundi 3909 27 yeeres Alexandra the wife of Alexander An mundi 3868 The time they ruled An. mundi 3909 9 yeeres Aristobulus An mundi 3868 The time they ruled An. mundi 3909 4 yeeres Hircanus An mundi 3868 The time they ruled An. mundi 3909 22 yeeres The fourth Section of the Kings that were strangers The names of the kings Herodes magnus An. mundi 3937 The time of their raigne An. mundi 4014 37 yeeres Archelaus dux An. mundi 3937 The time of their raigne An. mundi 4014 9 Herodes Tetrarcha qui Antipas An. mundi 3937 The time of their raigne An. mundi 4014 24 Agrippa Herodis filius An. mundi 3937 The time of their raigne An. mundi 4014 7 Agrippa rex Agrippae filius An. mundi 3937 The time of their raigne An. mundi 4014 26 yeeres As there is great varietie in Historiographers and Chronographers in other matters so is there no where more obscure difficulties to be found among them then about the contents of this present chapter The exact knowledge whereof is neuerthelesse so necessary as without which sundry places of the new testament can neuer be rightly vnderstoode which obscuritie together with the difficultie shall I hope be manifest by the obseruations annexed thereunto The first obseruation No gouernor amongst the Iewes would after the captiuitie weare the diademe and be called King vntill Aristobulus the son of Hircanus a vertuous priest did aduance himselfe to royall dignitie and put the crowne vpon his head But alas godly children do not alwayes succeede godly parents For not onely Hircanus his father but Symon also his grandfather were very vertuous priests gouernours of great fortitude and zealous fauorers of the common weale yet was this Aristobulus a wicked and cruell man hee made no account of religion he put his owne mother and brethren in prison and because hee feared that his vertuous brother Antigonus would take the kingdome from him hee slew him sodainely as Cain did his brother Abell The second obseruation Seleucus surnamed Nicanor the first king of Syria after the diuision of the Empire began his raigne that is the kingdome of the Greekes in the 14. yeare from the death of Alexander which was the second yeare of the 117. Olympiade and in the 3660. yeare of the age of the world Heere beginneth the authour of the first booke of the Machabees his supputation calling the kingdome of Syria the kingdome of the Greeks which must be well remembred or else many things will remaine both confuse and obscure The Empire of king Alexander was deuided as is already said into foure parts according to the prophesie of Daniel Ptolomeus had Egypt Antigonus Asia Seleucus Syria and Philippus Arideus had Macedonia and Grecia which is the cause that Chronographers begin these kingdomes in the first yeere of the 114. Olympiade immediatly after the death of Alexander Yet the trueth is that Antigonus and Seleucus began not so soone to raigne For mortal warres amongst the gouernours continued 12 or 13. yeares and then they began to beare rule indeede not before The third obseruation Hircanus had three sons Aristobulus Antigonus and Alexander Aristobulus would needes be called and crowned king and slew his brother Antigonus lest he shuld get the kingdome from him Alexander had two sonnes Hircanus and Aristobulus this Aristob was brother to Mariamne who was married to K. Herod for which cause Herod about two yeres after the death of Antigonus his vncle made him hie priest shortly after this Aristobulus was drowned and so the family
of 30. dais This persecution indured sundry yeres to which the faithful soules seemed to allude in the Reuelatiō when they desire God the iust iudge to auenge their innocent blood Dioclesianus restored Egypt to the empire and when hee perceiued his authoritie to be weakened by reason of tumults and dissentious he sought to strengthen himselfe by ioyning Maximianus vnto him whome he made equall to himselfe in imperiall regiment These two Dioclesianus and Maximianus being nowe equall in authoritie were called Augusti they both afterward gaue ouer the administration of the empire and betooke themselues to the quiet state of a priuate life Dioclesianus chose Galerius to supply his place and Maximianus appointed Constantius in his stead Galerius and Constantius were not equal in power and authoritie but as viceroyes and substitutes and therefore they were not called Augusti but onely Cesars Maximianus would afterward haue returned to the administration of the empire to the end that he might haue aduanced his sonne Maxentius to the imperial regiment for which cause Constantius his sonne in law caused him to be slaine Dioclesianus hauing liued many yeares as a priuate man at length slew himselfe so to auoid the displeasure of Constantius and Licinius to whom hee was suspected to take part with Maxentius their enemie Constantinus surnamed the Great succeeded his father Constantius when hee had reigned foure yeares after the death of Dioclesianus This Constantinus was the first christian Emperour a zealous fauourer of Christes gospel and the onely patrone of Christianitie CHAP. IIII. Of the siege of Hierusalem by Titus Titus the sonne of Vespasianus the Emperour of Rome was a man of such valure prudence and humanitie so beautified with all kinde of heroicall vertues that he was commonly named in the mouth of euery man Amor delitiae humani generis the onely delight of mankinde In the second yeare of Vespasianus in the moneth of Aprill when the Iewes did celebrate their Passeouer at which time great concourse of people was assembled from euery coast hee besieged the citie of Hierusalem and the eight day of September he conquered the same by force and assault Although the citie of Hierusalem was fiue times taken and destroied before by Nabuchodonozor Asocheus Antiochus Pompeius and Herodes yet was there in the siege made by Titus such famine sedition and domesticall desolation as the like hath not been knowne in any citie The mothers murthered their owne naturall children and that done boiled them so to saturate their insatiable hunger This seemeth incredible but holy writ reporteth no lesse as I haue prooued in the first book and the eight chapter of the former part The wiues snatched meate out of the mouthes of their husbandes the children from their parentes and the mothers plucked it out of the mouthes of their infantes When they killed their children and one another for want of foode they could not doe the fact so secretly but it was espied taken from thē by others of greater force for so soone as their doores were shut others suspecting that they were eating meate came violently vpon them and tooke from them the meat alreadie chewed in their mouth Yea it is incredible to be tolde saith Iosephus what tortures and afflictions many suffered to enforce them to disclose where they had hid but one loafe of bread Iosephus being a Iew himselfe and greatly fauouring his countrey men being taken prisoner of the Romaines long before and at that time in great credite both with Titus and Vespasianus his father laboured by all meanes possible to perswade the Iewes that they well considering their own distresse and the mightie force of the aduerse part woulde in time while there remained place for mercie yeeld themselues to Titus and giue vp their citie into his hands But in vain was his oration he had not eloquence to perswade them From king Dauid to the siege made by Titus were 1179 yeares from the building of the city to the destruction therof 2177. yeres Yet such was the deformity of their sins and their ingratitude in Gods sight as neither the antiquitie of their Citie neither their wōderful riches neither their renown throughout the world nor the glorie of their religion was able to defend it from vtter desolation A noble woman Marie by name daughter to Eleazer dwelling beyond Iordan and flying to Hierusalem for aide was there besieged with others In the time of the great famine she killed her own son and when she had eaten part she reserued the rest Others perceiuing that shee had gotten some meate did manace death vnto her vnlesse shee woulde tell where it was hidde Which shee doing for feare they were all astonied at the sight thereof It is my sonne saith the woman eate thereof for I haue eaten before you I woulde neither haue you more effeminate then a woman nor more pitifull then a mother O horrible monster of the worlde What can bee more vnnaturall then the fact What more cruell then the wordes Ouer and besides those that were slaine in the famine plague and the sworde sixteene thousand were sent by Titus to Alexandria there to doe seruile workes as bondmen Two thousand hee carried with him for a triumph whom in publicke spectacles hee proposed to be deuoured of wilde beastes CHAP. V. Of Constantinus surnamed the Great COnstantinus for his pietie and heroicall vertues surnamed the Great was the first Cesar that professed Christ and christianitie He was a right christian in deed as who for a manifest signe of his true zeale in religion had the gospel of Christ Iesus caried publickly before him He commanded the holy Bibles to be copied out of his owne priuate charges and to bee sent into all partes of Christendome He called togither the learned men from all partes of the world to consult and giue their opinions concerning controuersies in religion During which time of disputation as also for their iournies to and fro hee graunted them free allowance of all necessarie prouision He withstoode the tyrannie of Maxentius and restored peace vnto the Church He builded the citie of Constantinople terming it by his owne name where was before a goodly mart towne then called Bizantium Thither was the empire translated and the citie called new Rome For he enuironed it with large walles and added magnificall building thereunto The obseruation The papistes here babling after their woonted maner tell vs a tale of Robin hoode and little Iohn that forsooth Constantine was baptized in Rome of Siluester that the very font in which he was christened is this day to be seene there and many other fabulous illations grounded thereupon To which I answere first with their owne deare frier and learned schooleman Victoria that such doctrine was first inuented by their flattering and beggerly Canonistes I say secondly that their owne canon law in the 96. distinction termeth this kinde of doctrine false counterfeite and not worthy of any
power that otherwise it is of no force at all For this cause the vowes that children made were of no force in the law of Moses so long as they were vnder the gouernment of their parents In like case were the vows of wiues of seruants without the consent of their husbands and masters yea all vowes of monks other religious persons so called which are made without consent of their abbots generals are for this cause voide of no force at all so write Aquinas Caietanus Couarruuias Nauarrus Syluester Fumus Antoninus and the rest And yet is it euident that Chastitie is not in the power of man for so Christ himself hath taught vs. And it is a friuolous euasion to say that by prayer it may be obtained For who knoweth that God will grant his prayer for single life to whom hath God so promised Certes the holy Apostle praied instantly three times that the pricke of the flesh might be taken from him and yet could not attaine the same Neuerthelesse euerie idle Monke Frier and Nunne when they haue presumptuously entangled themselues in the snare and that without Gods appointment nay contrary to his commaundement will enforce God to yeeld to their desire In this their impious doctrine our papistes doubtlesse become flat Pelagians and either for their pride will not or for their iust blindnesse cannot see it For Iulianus the Pelagian taught the selfe same doctrine and for that was christianly confuted by S. Augustine These are S. Austens expresse wordes Dicis enim quod dominum continentiae gloriam libertate electionis honorauerit dicens qui potest capere capiat tanquam hoc capiatur non dei munere sed arbitrij libertate taces quod supra dixerit non omnes capiunt verbum hoc sed quibus datum est Vide quae taceas quae dicas Puto quod te pungat conscientia sed vincit rectum timorem cum ingerit peruersum pudorem quoquo modo iam defendenda praecipitata sententia For thou saiest that our Lord hath honoured the glorie of continencie with the freedome of election saying He that can take let him take as if this were taken not by Gods gift but by y e free will of man thou concealest that which Christ said before al men doe not receiue this word but they to whom it is giuen Consider well what thou concealest and what thou saiest I verily thinke that thine own conscience pricketh thee but when a rash sentence must be defended it bringeth in peruerse shame which ouercommeth godly feare Thus saith S. Austen Out of these wordes I gather first that Iulianus held this opinion that euery one might liue a chaste single life at his pleasure I gather secondly that for this end hee wrested the holy scripture I gather thirdly that Iulians owne conscience condemned him for this his foolishe opinion as S. Austen thought and so gentle reader thou seest euidently that late poperie is become flat Pelagianisme But our papists in great furie exclaime bitterly against vs say y t God denieth vs nothing that is necessary for our saluation which I willingly admit telling them withall that we may attaine eternall saluation aswell by marriage as by single life And heereunto I adde that matrimonie is ordained for the saluation of al such as cannot liue a continent single life and therfore saith the Apostle if they cannot absteine let them marry for it is better to marry then to burne Againe albeit God should graunt their requestes for a time yet would it not follow that they shuld so continue to the end of their liues For as S. Paul aduiseth hee that seemeth to stand ought to take good heed least he fall I say ninthly that vowes which are not voluntary and free from all coaction are not only wicked but of no force at all So write the best popish doctors Aquinas Lombardus Antoninus Nauarrus Syluester Angelus Fumus and the rest And who knoweth not that Romish priestes moonkes and others of that irreligious crew doe yeeld to the perpetuall vow of single life by coaction and reluctante conscientia it is manifest doubtlesse in all such as want the supernaturall gift For since they can neither freely be admitted to the ecclesiasticall ministerie nor yet professed in the monasterie and so enioy the expected commodities thereof at length they condescend by popish restraint to admit the vowe of single life For howsoeuer God shal bestowe his gift of continent single life it is decreed before hand that the yonger brothers of the house of Farnesus Columna Vrsinus and such like shalbe cardinals bound to single life So is it commonly intended by gentle men otherwise vertuous and of good worship that their yonger sonnes shalbe the parsons of such and such fat liuings wherof themselues are the patrones although they be as vnfit for the popish annexed vow as euer was Sardanapalus that effeminate wanton I say tenthly that al vowes are wicked and vnlawful which are either of things indifferēt or of vnlawful things or against any commandement So write Antoninus Fumus Vignerius and other approoued papistes All which neuerthelesse are truly verified of the popish vowes of single life For first virginitie is a thing meere indifferent and no vertue till it be rightly laboured by the workman as I haue prooued out of S. Gregorie Nazianzene Secondly the vowe of virginitie or single life in such as want the gift is against Gods holy commandement expressed not onely in S. Paul but also in his holy gospel For when Christ saith he y t can take let him take he saith also consequently virtually he y t cannot take let him not take as if he had said whosoeuer can with a good conscience absteine from wedlocke let him so doe but he that cannot let him marry a wife because that is expedient for his saluation S Paul doth so interpret Christ in other wordes equiualent I say vnto the vnmarried and vnto the widowes it is good for them if they abide euen as I doe but if they cannot abstein let them marry for it is better to marry then to burn Thirdly virginitie vowed as a worke of supererogation of merite and perfection is a wicked and superstitious thing and yet is this the popishe maner of vowing the same for thus writeth Viguerius their learned professor of diuinitie and Dominican frier Dicitur melius bonum quia est supererogationis quia iuducit ad perfectionē vt castitas paupertas obedientia It is called the better good for that it is a worke of supererogation and because it bringeth vs to perfection as chastitie pouertie and obedience Now that none of our workes be perfect or rightly termed workes of supererogation I haue prooued copiously in the fift conclusion of the second chapter of my Motiues I therfore conclude that perpetuall vowes of single life in the Romish Church are vaine
righteous or right His rectitude consisted in this that his reason was subiect to God his inferiour powers to his superiour his body to his soule There was no rebellion to be found in any part of the whole man For otherwise it would follow hereupon y t God were vniust which yet to auouch were y e greatest blasphemie in the world The reason is euident because if it had not been in Adams power to haue auoided al sin God should haue charged him with an impossibilitie and withall haue condemned him for not performing the same But our Lord is a iust iudge as witnesseth his apostle This whole processe S. Austen sheweth both pithily briefly in these right golden wordes Posteaquam praecepti facta est transgressio confestim gratia deserente diuina de corporum suorum nuditate confusi sunt Senserunt enim nouum motâ—m inobedientis carnis suae tanquam reciprocam poenam inobedientiae suae quia superiorem Dominum suo arbitrio deseruerat inferiorem famulum ad suum arbitrium non tenebat non omnino habebat subditam carnem sicut semper habere potuisset si Deo subdita ipsa mansisset After that Gods lawe was transgressed Gods grace did incontinently forsake them and they beholding their owne nakednesse were confounded For they felt a new motion in their disobedient flesh a punishment correspondent to their disobedient heartes And because he voluntarily disobeied his superiour Lord hee coulde not haue his inferiour seruaunt subiect to his word Neither was his flesh in subiection as he might haue had it for euer if it had remained obedient to Gods lawes The condition of mans free will from the creation of the protoplaste Adam vntil our regeneration Christ himselfe seemeth to set down most liuely in that parable which he propounded to the lawyer A certaine man saith Christ went downe from Hierusalem to Iericho and fell among theeues who robbed him of his raiment and wounded him and departed leauing him halfe dead Which is to say allegorically as y e fathers write that mankinde went out from the paradise of peace to the mutabilitie of misery fell among the powers of darknes who robbed him of his supernatural gifts of innocency and immortalitie wounded him in his naturall giftes of will and reason and departed leauing him halfe dead that is dead in respect of Gods fauour though liuing to the eyes of the world Semiuiuus inquit Augustinus habet vitalem motum id est liberum arbitrium vulneratuÌ„ quod ad aeternam quam perdiderat vitam non sufficiebat Et ideo iacebat quia vires ei propriae ad surgendum non sufficiebant vt ad sanandum medicum .i. deum requireret In that he was halfe aliue saith S. Austen he had vitall motion that is free will so wounded as it could not returne to eternall life which it had lost And therefore did he lie because he wanted proper strength to seeke God the phisition that could cure his maladie Ludolphus alluding to mans creation setteth downe this matter verie finely in these wordes Fecerat Deus hominem ad imaginem suam secundum rationem ad similitudinem secundum dilectioneÌ„ vt per vtrumque Deo adhaereret in haerendo beatus esset Sed diabolus humanae beatitudini inuidens contra duo bona praedicta duo homini in originali intulit praecipua mala In eo namque quod factus erat ad imaginem Dei secundum rationem vulnerauit eum per ignorantiam boni in eo verò quod factus est ad similitudinem Dei secundum dilectionem vulnerauit eum per concupiscentiam mali God made man after his own image according to reason after his owne similitude according to loue that by them both hee might adhere to God and by adhering to him attaine eternall beatitude But the deuill enuying mans felicitie bestowed on him in steede of these two blessings the double mischiefe of originall sinne For in that man was made after Gods image in reason he wounded him with the ignorance of good and in that he was made after his similitude in loue he wounded him with the concupiscence of euill Al this is liuely comprehended in the essence nature and definition of free will which after Saint Austen is this Liberum arbitrium est facultas rationis voluntatis qua bonum eligitur gratia assistente malum eâ desistente Free will is the facultie of reason and will by which good is chosen when grace is present and euill when grace is wanting For this cause saith the apostle that we are not able to think any good thought of our selues as of our selues neither yet to say that Iesus is the Lord but in the holy ghost For it is God saith he that worketh in vs both to do wel and to wil wel This verity was defined aboue a thousand and one hundred yeers ago by the ancient holy and learned councel of Aransica in these words Haeretico fallitur spiritu non intelligens vocem Dei dicentis in Euangelio Sine me nihil potestis facere whosoeuer saieth the holy synode thinketh he can do any act which pleaseth god or perteineth to eternal life by force of his free will that man is deceiued with an heretical spirit not vnderstanding the voice of god wheÌ„ he saith in his gospel Without me ye can do nothing that is good Out of this discourse two things are cleare euideÌ„t the one that our first parent Adam before his fal might by force of his free-wil holpen with supernaturall grace make free election aswel of good as of euil withal put that his free choise in execution thother that y e posterity of Adam hath free wil to nothing saue to sin only vntill the time of regeneration The first obiection There is no consultation as saith the Philosopher but of things which are in our owne power and yet doth euery one vse consultations in those things which he goeth about Againe there must be some immediate cause of euery act and that can not be God because God is not the cause of any euill Neither can the cause thereof be ascribed either to nature or to destinie or to fortune because humane actions are variable and with the intention of the doer Therefore the best course that can be taken with him that denieth mans freewill after the fall of Adam is this to wit to beate him like a stockfish vntill he confesse those that beate him to haue free will either still to beate him or to cease from beating For if one should deny the fire to be hote the best reason against him were to cast him into an hot ouen or burning furnace Thus reasoneth Veguerius The answere I say first that I willingly graunt both Papists and other reasonable creatures to haue free will in morall or ciuill acts neither do I thinke him vnworthy of strokes that will obstinately deny
reprobate and not of the elect and godly sort but after he had pondered the text deeply he altered his opinion This is confirmed in these words of the selfe same chapter but I see another law in my meÌ„bers rebelling against the law of my mind leading me captiue vnto the law of sin which is in my members By these words of Paul it is euident that albeit he were the childe of God yet could he not merite any thing in Gods sight but rather in rigor of iustice prouoke his heauy displeasure against him For where or what could be his merite who was prisoner to the law of sinne Againe it is confirmed in these words For I doe not the good thing which I would but the euill which I would not that doe I. Thus saiâ—h saint Paul and doubtlesse since hee did the euill which he would not he sinned though he were regenerate and because he sinned he was worthie of condemnation for that death is the stipend of sinne Againe it is confirmed in these words For the law is spirituall but I am carnal sould vnder sinne Thus saith S. Paul of himselfe and yet is it true that one vnder sin can merit nothing saue hel fire and eternal paine Againe it is confirmed in these words Nowe if I do that I would not it is no more I that doe it but the sinne that dwelleth in mee Thus saith Saint Paul of himselfe and yet because sin abode in him and did that that was offensiue in gods sight he could neither merite grace nor eternal life as is already proued Further then this no man liueth without sinne as the papists grant and yet is euerie sinne mortall as I haue prooued elsewhere The first obiection Saint Paul speaketh of originall concupiscence which remaineth euen in the regenerate after baptisme but is no sinne at all For he onely calleth it sinne because it prouoketh a man to sin as a mans writing is called his hand for that it is written with his hand which exposition S. Austen approueth in sundrie places of his works The answere I say first that to say against the flat text of scripture without scripture is no reason at all I say secondly that S. Paul doth not onely call concupiscence sin but he proueth it by many reasons For first it striueth against the law of the minde Againe it leadeth one captiue into the law of sinne thirdly it doth that which is not good but euil I say thirdly that Saint Austen doth vndoubtedly iudge it to be sin neither shal any papist in the world euer be able to proue the contrarie howsoeuer they bare the world in hand I wil onely alleage a few places out of S. Austen make effectuall application of the same to which when anie either Rhemist or Romist shall answere sufficiently I promise to become his bondman The first place of Austen Concupiscentia carnis aduersus quam bonus concupiscit spiritus peccatum est quia inest illi inobedientia contra dominatum mentis poena peccati est quia reddita est meritis inobedientis causa peccata est defectione consentientis vel contagione nascentis The concupiscence of the flesh against which the good spirit striueth is sinne because it is disobedient against the dominion of the mind and it is the punishmeÌ„t of sin bicause it is inflicted for the deserts of disobedient Adam and it is the cause of sinne either by the default of him that consenteth or by the contagion of the child that is borne Thus saith S. Austen In which words he expresseth three things precisely first that concupiscence in the regenerate is the paine or punishment of sinne secondly that it is the cause of sinne thirdly that it is sin it selfe which three he doth not only distinguish but withall hee yeeldeth seueral reasons for the same And therfore most impudent are the papists who auouch with open mouthes that saint Austen onely calleth it sin because it is the cause of sinne The second place of Saint Austen Neque enim nulla est iniquitas cum in vno homine vel superiora inferioribus tur piter seruiunt vel inferiora superioribus contumaciter reluctantur etiamsi vincere non sinantur For it is some iniquitie when in one man either the superiour parts shamefully serue the inferiour or the inferiour parts stubbornly striue against the superiour although they be not suffered to preuaile Thus saith S. Austen whose words are so plaine as the papists can not possibly inuent any euasion at all For hee saith in expresse tearmes that the rebellion which is betweene the flesh and the spirit is sinne euen when it is resisted and cannot preuaile at which time and in which respect the papists wil haue it to be merite and no sinne at all The third place of Saint Austen Virtus est charitas qua id quod diligendum est diligitur haec in alijs maior in alijs minor in alijs nulla est plenissima vero quae iam non possit augeri quamdiu hic homo viuit est in nemine quamdiu autem augeri potest profecto illud quod minus est quam debet ex vitio est Ex quo vitio non est iustus in terra qui faciat bonum non peccet Ex quo vitio non iustificabitur in conspectu Dei omnis viuens Propter quod vitium si dixerimus quia peccatum non habemus nosmetipsos seducimus veretas in nobis non est Propter quodetiam quantumlibet profecerimus necessarium est nobis dicere dimitte nobis debita nostra cum iam omnia in baptismo dicta facta cogitata dimissa sint Charitie is a vertue with which we loue that that ought to be loued This in some is more in other lesse in others none at all but the perfect charitie which can not bee increased while a man here liueth is found in none so long as it can be increased that doubtlesse which is lesse then it shoulde bee proceedeth of sinne by reason of which sin there is not one iust vpon earth that doth good and sinneth not by reason of which vice none liuing can be iustified in Gods sight by reason of which vice if we say we haue no sin we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs by reason of which sin how much soeuer we profit yet must we say of necessitie Forgiue vs our trespasses euen after that al our thoughts words and works are forgiuen in baptisme Thus saith saint Austen Out of whose most golden words I note sundrie things to the euerlasting confusion of all impenitent papists For first Saint Austen saith that no man can haue charity in that perfite degree which the law requireth Secondly that the want thereof proceedeth of this concupiscence Thirdly that by reason of this concupiscence euerie man is a sinner Fourthly that by reason therof none liuing can be iustified in Gods sight
manifest if wee ponder deepely what famous popish doctours haue written herein Bernard hath these expresse wordes Sic non est quod iam quaeras quibus meritis speremus bona praesertim cum audias apud prophetam non propter vos sed propter me ego faciam dicit dominus sufficit ad meritum scire quod non sufficiant merita So there is no cause that thou shouldest nowe aske by what merites we hope for glorie especially since thou hearest the prophet say I will doe it saieth the Lorde not for your sake but for mine owne It is sufficient to merite to know that our merites are not sufficient Thus saith deuout Bernard who though hee liued in the greatest mist of poperie and so was carried away with some errours of his time yet did hee teach most christian doctrine almost in all his workes and because hee was reputed a great papist with the papists his testimonie is euer most forcible against them and their proceedings Aquinas hath these expresse words Manifestum est autem quòd inter Deum hominem est maxima inaequalitas in infinitum enim distant totum quod est hominis bonum est à Deo Vnde non potest hominis à Deo esse iustitia secundum absolutam aequalitatem sed secundum proportionem quandam in quantum scilicet vterque operatur secundum modum suum Modus autem mensura humanae virtutis homini est à Deo ideo meritum hominis apud Deum esse non potest nisi secundum praesuppositionem diuinae ordinationis ita scilicet vt id homo consequatur à Deo per suam operationem quasi mercedem ad quod Deus ei virtutem operandi destinauit And it is manifest that betweene God man there is exceeding great inequalitie for they differ in infinit all the good that man hath is of God Wherefore mans iustice receiued of God cannot be according to absolute equalitie but after a certain proportion to wit in as much as either worketh according to his condition Now man hath the measure and condition of his vertue from God and therefore mans merite cannot be with God saue onely according to the supposal of Gods holy ordinance so to wit that man may attaine that at Gods hand by his working as reward to which God hath appointed his power of working Thus writeth the master papist Aquinas who vtterly ouerthroweth all popish merite as it is this day defended in the church of Rome For first marke well gentle Reader for this is a weightie point Aquinas telleth vs that where there is not perfert equalitie there can be no merite properlie Secondly hee graunteth that there is infinite inequalitie betweene God and man Thirdly hee confesseth that mans iustice is not absolute but imperfect Fourthly he granteth that maÌ„ doth merite nothing in Gods sight saue only by way of his free acceptation Fiftly he confesseth that eternall life is not properly hyre but as it were hyre by reason of the same acceptation Durandus their owne schooleman denieth euery mans works how iust or holie soeuer he be to be simply and properly meritorious but onely to merite in an vnproper and large kinde of speech Meritum inquit propriè de condigno est cui simpliciter debetur aequale virtute operis nullum autem opus nostrum aequale potest esse vitae aeternae neque illam largitur nobis Deus ex iustitia sed ex quadam liberalitate sane quia gratìs acceptat nostra opera Merite saith Durand is properly of the worthy to which that is simply due which is equall by the vertue of the worke but no worke of ours can be equall to eternall life neither doth God giue it vs of iustice but of meere liberalitie in that he freely accepteth our workes Gregorius Ariminensis Marsilius Thomas Waldensis Paulus Burgensis and Io. Eckius all being zealous papists doe for al that denie mans workes to be meritorious of eternal life how holy soeuer the man be And gentle Reader that thou mayest fully knowe howe the papists haue of late yeeres bewitched the world and vnder pretence of holy zeale seduced simple soules call to minde that they vse to wrest the scriptures as I haue already proued out of their owne doctors and to come new no distinctions to make their false doctrine good Which for thy better satisfaction I will prooue concerning this present controuersie of the merite of works out of Iosephus Angles a grey frier and learned popish bishop who euen in that booke which he dedicated to the pope himselfe so mightie is the truth writeth in these expresse words Diuus Chrysostomus ait Etsi millies moriamur etsi omnes virtutes animae expleamus nihil dignum gerâ—mus ad ea quae ipsi à Deo percipimus Eodem etiam modo coÌ„siderantes omnes alij doctores sancti naturalem solummodo bonorum operum valorem illum à valore iusta vitae aeternae aestimatione longissime distare perpendentes prudenter dixerunt opera nostra non esse meritoria aut digna vita aterna Ex lege tamen siue conuentione siue promissione facta nobiscum opera bona hominis cum adiutorio gratiae Dei fiunt aeternae vitae digna illi aequalia quae seclusa illa dei promissione quae passim in sacris literis repetitur fuissent tanto praemio prorsus indigna Saint Chrysostome sayeth though wee dye a thousand times and accomplish all vertue of the minde yet doe wee nothing worthie of those things which wee receiue of God And all other holy doctors considering after the same manner the naturall valure only of good words and perceiuing that it is exceeding farre distant from the valure and iust estimation of eternall life sayd wisely that our works are not meritorious nor worthie of eternall life Yet for the couenant and promise made with vs the good works of man with the help of Gods grace are worthy of eternall life and equall with it which for all that that promise of God which is frequent in the scriptures set aside were altogether vnworthie of so great reward Thus sayth our Popish Bishoppe and holy Frier who though he bestirre himselfe more then a little to establish the condigne merite of works yet doth he in his owne kind of reasoning vtterly confute and confound himselfe For first he graunteth that not onely S. Chrysostome but all the rest of the holy Fathers with him affyrme good workes neyther to be meritorious nor worthy of eternall life Agayne he graunteth that workes considered in their naturall kinde are vnworthie of eternall life Thirdly he graunteth that good works euen as they proceede of grace and assistance of the holy Ghost are for all that vnworthy of eternall life if Gods promise and free acceptation be set apart Which three poynts doubtlesse are all that we desire to be graunted concerning the doctrine of good works And so though the Papists
The cause without which the latter shall not haue effect For as vocation iustification regeneration and glorification are the effectes of predestination euen so by Gods holy ordinance being predestinate wee are called by the hearing of his word vnto â—aith which faith is the cause of our iustification by apprehending the righteousnesse of Christ Iesus after wee be iustified of our iustification proceedes regeneration as who hauing remission of our sinnes and being ingraffed in Christ by faith are indued with more aboundant grace of his holy spirite thorough which we are dayly more and more regenerate and made new creatures after we be regenerate out of our regeneration spring good workes aswel internall as externall as who being made good trees begin to bring forth good fruits and so continuing are brought at the length of Gods free mercie to the possession of eternall life For as y e apostle saith we are created vnto good workes which God hath ordained that wee shoulde walke in them and continuing in them we shall at the dreadful day of doome heare this ioyfull sentence pronounced to our vnspeakable comfort Come yee blessed of my father take the inheritance of the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world For I was an hungred and ye gaue me meate I was thirsty and ye gaue me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in vnto you I was naked and ye clothed me I I was sicke and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came to me And with this it is true yet y t the apostle saith Not by the workes of righteousnesse which we had done but according to his mercie he saued vs by the washing of the new birth and by renuing of the holy Ghost which hee shed on vs aboundantly through Iesus Christ our sauiour that wee being iustified by his grace should be made heires according to the hope of eternall life This is a true saying and these thinges I will thou shouldest affirme that they which haue beleeued God might be carefull to shew forth good workes These things are good and profitable vnto men Thus saith S. Paule and therefore I thinke this a profitable conclusion By it rightly vnderstood many places of holy Scripture may easily be answered which seeme to ascribe iustification or glorification to good workes The 10. conclusion This popish assertion that workes doe iustifie and merite eternall life de condigno was for the space of a thousand and eightie yeares vnknowne to the church of God About which time Petrus Lombardus and his fellowes began their scholasticall theologie and disputed such matters doubtfully About the yeare of our Lord 1545. the late councell of Trent defined the same for an article of christian beliefe solemnely accursing al such as hold the contrary opinion This is the originall and antiquitie of this impudently defended heresie It is sufficiently confuted throughout the whole chapter CHAP. X. Of the popish idololatricall masse The 1. conclusion TO withhold from the vulgar and laycall sort of people the one part of the holy communion is a diabolical hereticall and sacrilegious fact I prooue it sundry waies First because it is flatly against the expresse scripture and Christes holy institution For Christ himselfe instituted and ministred the Sacrament in both kindes saying drinke yee all of it as Saint Mathew recordeth and they all dranke of it as witnesseth Saint Marke Saint Paule also taught all the Corinthians to communicate in both kindes protesting that hee deliuered the forme and maner of the holy communion euen as he had in spirite receiued it from the Lord. Secondly because the auncient fathers shew euidently that in their time it was the generall practise of the church to deliuer the holy communion to the lay people vnder both kindes Neither was the cup taken from the vulgar sort by any setled law vntill the late councell of Constance which was in the yere of our Lord God 1414. Origen hath these words Quis est iste populus qui in vsu habet sanguinem bibere haec erant quae in euangelio audientes ij qui ex Iudaeis dominum sequebantur scandalizati sunt dixerunt Quis potest manducare carnem sanguinem bibere sed populus Christianus populus fidelis audit haec amplectitur sequitur eum qui dicit nisi manducaueritis carnem meam biberitis sanguinem meum non habebitis vitam in vobis ipsis quia caro mea verè est cibus sanguis meus verè potus est Who is that people that hath in custome to drinke bloud these were the thinges which the Iewes that followed Christ heard in the gospel and were scandalized and said Who can eate flesh and drinke bloud but the christian people the faithfull people heare these thinges and embrace them and follow him that sayth vnlesse ye shall eate my flesh drink my bloud ye shall haue no life in your selues because my fleshe is meate indeed and my bloud drinke indeed S. Hierome hath these words Sacerdotes quoque qui eucharistiae seruiunt sanguinem domini populis eius diuidunt impiè agunt in legem Christi The Priestes also that administer the eucharist and diuide the Lordes bloud to his people transgresse the law of Christ heynously Saint Cyprian with fourtie learned bishops in their ioynt Epistle to Cornelius write in this expresse maner Quo modo docemus aut prouocamus eos in confessione nominis sanguinem suum fundere si eis militaturis Christi sanguinem denegamus aut quo modo ad martyrij poculum idoâ—â—os facimus si non eis priùs ad bibendum in ecclesia poculum domini iure communicationis admittimus Howe doe we teache 〈◊〉 them to shed their bloud for the name of Christ if wee denie them the bloud of Christ when they go to warre or how doe we make them fit for the cuppe of martyrdome if wee doe not first admit them to drinke the Lordes cuppe in the Churche and that by the right of communion where I wishe the reader to note well that the lay people haue right to both kindes and consequently that the Romish church is become the whore of Babylon in that shee robbeth vs of our christian right which wee haue de iure diuino Saint Chrysostome hath these wordes Est vbi nihil differt sacerdos à subdito vt quando fruendum est honorandis mysteriis Similiter enim omnes vt illa percipiamus digni habemur Non sicut in veteri lege partem quidem sacerdos comedebat partem autem populus non licebat populo participem esse eorum quorum particeps erat sacerdos Sed nunc non sic verum omnibus vnum corpus proponitur poculum vnum There is a place where there is no difference betweene the priest the lay person as when we are to communicate in the holy mysteries for we are all in
like worthie for that communion not as it was in the olde lawe where the priest ate one part and the people another neither coulde the people be permitted to take part of that that the priest ate For nowe it is not so but to all is proposed one bodie and one cuppe Out of these golden words I note first that the difference in communion is a Iudaicall ceremonie from which Christs death deliuered vs. I note secondly that in the christian communion the common people ought to be as free as the minister I note thirdly that it was so in Saint Chrysostomes time when the people receiued vnder both kinds I note fourthly that the pope hath brought vs into greater bondage then euer were the Iewes S. Ignatius hath these wordes Vna est caro domini Iesu vnus eius sanguis qui pro nobis effusus est vnus etiam panis pro omnibus confractus vnus calix totius ecclesiae There is one flesh of our Lord Iesus one blood which was shed for vs one bread also broken for all and one cuppe of the whole church Saint Iustine hath these wordes Praesidens vero postquam gratiarum actionem perfecit populus vniuersus apprecatione laeta eum comprobauit qui apud nos vocantur diaconi atquo ministri distribuunt vnicuique praesentium vt participet eum in quo gratiae actae sunt panem vinum aquam After the chiefe pastour hath finished the giuing of thankes and all the people haue with ioyfull prayer approoued the same they that we cal Deacons and Ministers do distribute to euery one that is present the sanctified bread wine and water to be partaker thereof Yea the said Iustinus a little after addeth these important wordes Nam apostoli in commentarijs à se scriptis quae euangelia vocantur ita tradiderunt praecepisse sibi Iesum For the apostles in their commentaries that is in the gospelles haue taught vs that Iesus so commaunded them to minister the holie communion Where note by the way that Christ did not onelie ordaine both kindes but he also gaue commaundement to retaine the same in the church For which cause saint Paul teaching the Corinthians to communicate vnder both kinds said that he receiued that form maner from the Lord. S. Austen hath these words Cum Dom. dicat nisi manducaueritis carnem meam biberitis meum sanguinem non habebitis vitam in vobis quid sibi vult quod à sanguine sacrificiorum quae pro peccatis offerebantur tantopere populus prohibetur si illis sacrificijs vnum hoc sacrificium significabatur in quo vera sit remissio peccatorum à cuius tamen sacrificij sanguine in alimentum sumendo noÌ„ solum nemo prohibetur sed ad bibendum potius omnes exhortaÌ„tur qui volunt habere vitam When our Lord saith vnles ye shal eate my flesh and drinke my blood ye shal haue no life in you what meaneth it that the people is so greatly forbidden the blood of sacrifices which was offered for sins if in those sacrifices this onely sacrifice was signified in which there is true remission of sins From y e blood of which sacrifice for al that to be takeÌ„ for nourishment not only none is prohibited but al rather are exhorted to drinke it that desire to haue life S. Ambrose at such time as the emperour Theodosius after his great slaughter of men at Thessalonica desired to enter into the church at Millan and there to be partaker of the holie eucharist spoke these words vnto him Quî quaeso manus iniusta caede sanguine respersas extendere audes eisdem sacrosanctum corpus domini accipere aut quomodo venerandum eius sanguinem ori admouebis qui furore irae iubente tantum sanguinis tam iniquè effudisti How I pray thee darest thou stretch out thy hands sprinckled with vniust slaughter and blood and to take the holie bodie of our Lord in the same Or how wilt thou touch thy mouth with his venerable blood who to satisfy thy fury hast shed so much bloud so vnworthily Gregorius magnus their owne bishop of Rome confirmeth this veritie in these words Eius quippe ibi corpus sumitur eius caro in populi salutem partitur eius sanguis non iam in manus infidelium sed in ora fidelium funditur For his bodie is there receiued his flesh is diuided for the saluation of the people his bloud is now powred not into the handes of infidels but into the mouthes of the faithfull What need many words Their owne Gelasius in their owne canon law condemneth their fact as flat sacrilege These be his words Aut integra sacramenta percipiant aut ab integris arceaÌ„tur quia diuisio vnius eiusdeÌ„que mysterij sine grandi sacrilegio non potest peruenire Either let them participate the whole sacraments or els let them abstain from the whole bicause the diuision of one and the same sacrament cannot be done without great sacrilege The first obiection The commaundement to receiue in both kinds was onelie giuen to the twelue apostles and in them to all priestes for they onely were present when Christ spâ—ke these wordes Drinke ye all of this The answer I say first that if the commaundement pertained onelie to the apostles then are priests aswell as clarkes free from the same I say secondly that the commandement was giuen of both kindes in one and the selfe same maner and therefore the lay people are as free from the one as the from the other I say thirdly that by the common opinion of the papists they were lay people that receiued the communion at Christs handes in his supper For the apostles were vnpriested vntil after his resurrection when hee saide Receiue ye the holy ghost I say fourthly with S. Bernard that the participation of both kinds was commaunded by Christ in the first institution thereof for thus doth he write Nam de sacramento quidem corporis sanguinis sui nemo est qui nesciat hanc quoque tantam tam singularem alimoniam eâ primùm die exhibitam eâ die commendatam mandatam deinceps frequentari For concerning the sacrament of his body and bloud euery one knoweth that this such and so singular nourishment was exhibited that day the first that day commended and commaunded afterward to be frequented This commandement S. Cyprian and saint Iustine vrge for both kindes their words already are set downe I say fiftly that S. Paul who knew Christs minde aswell as any papist did communicate the vnpriested Corinthians vnder both kinds and told them that Christ had so appointed The replie S. Paul only recited Christs institution saith our Iesuite Bellarmine but gaue no commaundement for both kindes but left it as he found it indifferent and in the free choise of the Corinthians to communicate in both or in one only kind The answere I say
in his hands at his last supper that selfe same body that was borne of the virgine Mary and suffered the next day after And yet if the valure of the sacrifice of the mâ—sse be finite then doubtlesse that sacrifice can not be the sonne of God for he is of infinite power of infinite glorie of infinite maiestie of infinite valure Yea whosoeuer denieth Christes body bloud subsisting in the person of God by hypostaticall vnion to be of infinite valure hee is become a flat Arrian beleeuing Christ to bee pure man and not God And consequently howsoeuer the papistes thinke or speake of their masse yet in making it a sacrifice they are blasphemous and that must needs followe though it were freelie graunted them that Christes body were present really in the Sacrament I prooue it tenthly because our Iesuite cannot denie but that a reall destruction is necessarily required in euery true reall sacrifice Wherefore since Christ dieth not in the popish masse it cannot be that he is truly sacrificed in the same For as Bellarmine truely saith Abraham did not truely sacrifice his sonne Isaac because he was not really slain Now that this discourse may be made more manifest I will propound the strongest obiecâ—ions for the aduerse part and adde briefe solutions to the same The first obiection S. Paul saith that Christ is a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech and Melchisedech offered bread and wine as he was Gods priest saith holy Moses To which we must adde that the thing figured is more excellent then the figure that Christ truely offered sacrifice in bread and wine otherwise hee shuld not haue exactly fulfilled y e figure of Melchisedech For al the fathers graunt that he was a true figure of Christ euen as he was a priest The answere I say first that Melchisedech did not sacrifice bread wine but as the Hebrew text saith brought forth bread wine that is sufficient victuals for the refection of Abraham and his souldiers after their returne from the slaughter of Chedor-laomer and the other kings For the whole course of y e scripture telleth vs that bread by Synecdoche signifieth meate So Moses saith that the Egyptians might not eate bread with the Hebrewes that is meate In Esay 7. women say we will eate our owne bread that is our owne meat King Dauid promised Mephibosheth that he should eate bread alwaies at his own table which had been a very small reward of a king if by bread were not signified all kinde of meat King Iehoiachim ate bread at the table of Euil-merodach the king of Babel that is al delicate fare So it is called bread that Iobs friendes ate in his house when it is certaine that they had right sumptuous cheere The like examples are in S. Mathew sundry other places of scripture This I note against the papistes who fondly vse to answere that bread was a slender refection for all Abrahams companie I say secondly that Christes priesthood is after the order of Melchisedech not in any sacrifice of bread and wine which Melchisedech can neuer be prooued to haue offered but in y t as man he was without father wonderfully coÌ„ceiued as God without beginning without ending without mother woonderfully begotten for which cause the prophet demaundeth who shall declare his generation in these points Christes priesthood differeth not from Melchisedech who as S. Paule saith was without father without mother without kinred without beginning of his daies without end of his life likened to the son of God and a priest for euer Yet in the oblation of bread and wine the priesthood of Melchisedech was not perfitly distinguished from the priesthood of Aaron as the scripture witnesseth S. Paul therfore describeth the priesthood of Melchisedech without the mention of bread and wine in such sort as it is perfitly distinguished from the priesthood of Aaron So Eusebius Caesariensis comparing the priesthoode of Christ with the priesthood of Melchisedech doth not say that it consisteth in the sacrifice of bread and wine but in the vnction the diuine similitude the eternitie and want of succession These are his expresse words Tu es sacerdos in aeternum secundum ordinem Melchisedech Hic auteÌ„ Melchisedech in diuinis voluminib sacerdos fuisse Dei summi refertur sed qui non oleo communi perunctus sit neque qui ex successione generis suscepit sacerdotium sicut apud Hebraeos fieri mos erat ideo secundum ordinem ipsius sacerdos futurus dicitur Christus qui non olei liquore sed virtute coelestis spiritus consecretur Thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech And this Melchisedech is called in the holy scriptures the priest of God most high but one which was not annointed with common oyle neither yet receiued his priesthood by the succession of kinred as the manner was among the Hebrews and therfore Christ is called a priest after his order who is consecrate not with the liquor of oyle but with the vertue of the holy ghost I say thirdly that Melchisedech in his action towards Abraham shewed himself both to be a priest and a king a priest in that he blessed Abraham a king in that he releeued Abraham and his souldiers with bread wine that is with al competent corporall sustenance I say fourthly that if there had bin any force in the oblation of Melchisedech touching Christs priesthoode S. Paul who handled euery least thing exactly in that comparison would neuer haue omitted his sacrifice in bread and wine and yet he passed it ouer as a thing of no importance I say fiftly that Christ offering himselfe vpon the crosse for the sinnes of the world was not a priest after the order of Aaron but properly and truely after the order of Melchisedech I proue the former part First because perfection could not come by the priesthood of the Leuites as the apostle beareth witnes Againe because our Lord Iesus was of the tribe of Iuda of which tribe Moses spake nothing at al touching the priesthood Thirdly because the sacrifice of the crosse was the most perfit sacrifice of all other as which did coÌ„summate them that are sanctified for euer I proue the latter part first because it must be after some order but not after the order of Aaron as is proued ergo after the order of Melchisedech Secondly because the apostle doth in expresse terms cal Christ a priest euen after the order of Melchisedech These are his words And being consummate was made the cause of eternall life to all them that obey him and is called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedech Lo Saint Paule ioyneth the order of Melchisedech with the sacrifice of the crosse offered for mans redemption as if he had said Christ is therefore called a priest after the order of Melchisedech because he
that by writing which he doth approue at least so farre forth as mans iudgement can haue place The fyft Paragraph That the holy Eucharist is a figure and signe of Christes body and bloud not the thing it selfe that is thereby signified corporally but in a diuine and spirituall sort FOr the perspicuous explication of this Paragraph I will vse certaine effectuall and distinct proofes and that done I will succinctly aunswere to such obiections as may be made against the same My first proofe is grounded in the analogie of our christian faith for first Christ tooke our nature vpon him and that so really and truly as it was like vnto ours in euery thing sinne only excepted The former part saint Paul prooueth in these wordes who being in the forme of God thought it no robberie to be equall with God but he made himselfe of no reputation and tooke on him the forme of a seruant and was made like vnto men and was found in shape as a man The latter part S. Peter proueth in these words for Christ suffered for you leauing you an ensample that ye should follow his steps who did no sinne neither was there guile found in his mouth And S. Paule sayth for he hath made him to be sinne for vs who knew no sinne that we should be made the righteousnes of God in him Now our bodies are such as they can not with one act be made to be in two places at one time ergo the priests words can not make Christs body in a thousand places at once for if he could so do Christs body should be of an other nature then ours contrary to the holy scripture Secondly Christ sayth Ye worship that which ye know not God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth Thus doth our faith tel vs but the Papists say that we must worship God in a round cake that we must worship for God that which neither we nor they know to be God for if the priest either want intention to consecrate which often chaunceth by reason of wandring imaginations or of purpose meaneth not to consecrate or of negligence omitteth any one word of consecration then by popish religion the thing adored is but pure bread and yet do they worship it for the euerliuing God It is therefore truely said to them that they worship they know not what Thirdly Christ must so be eaten of vs as he abideth in vs for to that end do we eate him that he may dwell in vs and yet is it certaine that he dwelleth not in vs corporally but spiritualy by faith The former part is not only euident in it selfe but verified by Christ himselfe in these words he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud dwelleth in me and I in him the latter part S. Paule proueth in these words that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith Fourthly Christ ascended vp visibly into heauen and there must remaine til the day of generall doome as our faith telleth vs therefore we must feede on him in heauen by faith and not on earth with our teeth For which cause the auncient Church exhorted y e people before the communion to lift vp their hearts vnto the Lord as if it had beene said ye must not affixe your mindes to these visible creatures but meditate on heauenly things which are promised by y e reuereÌ„t faithfull vse thereof Fiftly S. Paul saith plainly that the faithfull in the old testament did all eate drinke Christs body bloud which they could not do but by faith because Christ was not then incarnate and euen so do we eate Christ spiritually by faith not corporally with our teeth To which effect grauely said S. Austen vt quid paras ventrem dentem crede manducasti Credere enim in eum hoc est panem vinum manducare qui credit in eum manducat eum Wherefore preparest thou a belly and a tooth beleeue thou hast eaten for to beleeue in him is to eate bread wine he that beleeueth in him eateth him Thus saith S Austen euen as their owne Gratian hath alledged him Sixtly S. Paule saith that so often as we eate and drinke of Christs cup so often do we shew his death till he come but doubtles if he be corporally present vnder the accidents of bread and wine then is he already come nay more truely is it said that he was neuer gone For as S. Austen saith donec seculum finiatur sursum est dominus sed tamen etiam hic nobiscuÌ„ est veritas domini corpus enim in quo resurrexit in vno loco esse oportet veritas autem eius vbique diffâ—sa est Our Lord is aboue vntill the worlds end but yet his truth is with vs heere for the body of our Lord wherein he rose againe must needes be in one place but his truth is diffused euery where Againe the same S. Austen writing against Faustus the Manichee hath these expresse words Secundum praesentiam quippe spiritualem nullo modo illa pati posset secundum praesentiam vero corporalem simul in sole in luna in cruce esse non posset For his flesh could no way suffer according to his spirituall presence and according to his corporall presence it was not possible for him to be both in the sunne and in the moone and on the crosse at one and the same time Againe he saith in another place after this manner Videte ascendentem credite in absentem sperate venientem sed tamen per misericordiam occultam etiam sentite praesentem Ille enim qui ascendit in coelum vt tolleretur ab oculis vestris promisit vobis dicens ecce ego vovestris promisit vobis dicens ecce ego vobiscum sum vsque in consummationem seculi Beholde Christ ascending beleeue in him absent trust in him that is comming and for all that feele him also present by his secret mercie Thus ye see the flat opinion of this graue writer of this ancient father of this holy learned doctour his resolution is so euident and so free from all obscuritie as none can pretend ignorance that once read his words For first he telleth vs that Christs naturall body must needes be in one onely place at one time Secondly hee telleth vs that Christs naturall body can not bee at one and the same time both in the Sunne and in the Moone and on the crosse Thirdly he maketh the same assertion plain by comparing his corporall presence with his spirituall For he saith that the one may be in many places but the other cannot as if he had saide Christs body may be spiritually in the sacrament but corporally it cannot be there Fourthly he proueth Christs corporal absence by the veritie of his ascension exhorting vs to beleeue in him that is corporally absent and withal to feele
amongst the holy popes of Rome This was done in the yeare 900. Pope Sergius the 3. caused Formosus who now had bin dead almost ten yeares to be taken out of his tombe to be set in a chaire with pontifical attire vpon his backe that done he commāded his head to be cut off to be cast into Tyber And what offence trow ye had this Formosus done doubtlesse because Formosus had kept him from the Popedom This was done in the yeare of our Lord 907. Iohn the 10. the sonne of Sergius the third sometime bishop of Rauennas came to the popedome by violent meanes and for that respect the people shortly after deposed him Ann. 917. Pope Iohn the 12. was made pope by violent means for his father Albericus being a man of great power might enforced the nobles to take an oth that after the death of pope Agapitus they would promote his son Octauianus to the popedome Which othe was accomplished and he was named Iohn He was a great hunter and a man of licentious life He kept women openly to the notorious scandall of the church Insomuch that some of the cardinals wrote to Otto king of the Saxons to come and besiege Rome Which the pope perceiuing commāded that Cardinals nose to be cut off that gaue the counsell and his hand that wrote the letters This pope being often admonished by the Emperor and clergie and neuer giuing any signe of amendement was deposed in the presence of the Emperor and pope Leo chosen in his stead in the yere of our Lord 968. The Romains chose another pope in the time of this Leo who named himselfe Benedictus the fift for which cause when the Emperour Otto besieged Rome Benedictus was deliuered to him whom hee banished and restored Leo to the popedome This Benedictus died in Saxony the place of his exile and was buried in Hamburge But Pope Iohn delighted still with adulterie died without repentance sodainely Pope Iohn the 13. was apprehended by Peter the Prefect of the city imprisoned in Pont-Angelo and after that driuen into exile into Campania 10. monethes and eighteene dayes being expired he returned to Rome by the assistance of the emperour and auenged himself of his persecuters wherof he slew some hanged other some and banished the rest into the confines of Saxonie in the yeare of our Lord 970. Pope Benedictus the sixt after he had been pope one yere 6. monthes was strangled with wormwood in Pont-angelo in the yere of our Lord 978. Pope Bonifacius the 7. was made pope by the Romanes after they had thratled Benedictus the sixt Who afterward not able to tarry in the citie robbed S. Peters church of al the treasure in it and fled to Constantinople At length he returned to Rome with a great summe of money and when hee coulde not preuaile he pluckt out a Cardinal-deacons eies in the yeare of our Lord 980. And here note by the way that some Cardinals are deacons some priestes some bishops neuerthelesse he that is but a deacon is of greater authoritie then any bishop or archbishop whosoeuer in the popish sect Pope Syluester the second was first a monke a Frenchman borne Gilbertus by name He promised homage to the deuill so long as he did accomplish his desires Who being very ambitious did so often expresse his desire to the deuill as he made homage vnto him He was first made archbishop of Rhemes then at Rauennas at the last pope of Rome For the diuel knowing his ambitious minde brought him to honour by degrees Being made pope hee must needes know of the diuell howe long he should liue in his pontificall glory The diuell answered him so long as he did not say masse in Hierusalem The pope receiuing that answere was verie ioyfull within himself hoping to be so farre from dying as he was farre in mind from going to say masse in Hierusalem beyond the sea It chaunced that in Lent the pope said masse in the church Sanctae crucis which they call in Hierusalem my self know the place It seemeth that the pope infatuated with pride and honour had quite forgot the name While he was at masse O holy sacrifice he heard a great noise of diuels and so both remembred the place and his death to be at hand Wherefore he wept although before most wicked disclosing his offence to all the companie and nothing doubting of Gods mercie Withal he commanded to cut away from his bodie all the members with which he had done sacrifice to the diuell He was buried in Lateran church in the yeare of our Lord 1007. Pope Benedictus the 8. was seene after his death as it were corporally riding vpon a blacke horse The bishop that saw him spake thus vnto him Art not thou pope Benedict whom wee know to be lately dead I am saith hee that vnfortunate Benedict But how is it with thee father saith the bishop I am now in great torment saith the pope and therefore woulde I haue some money to be giuen to the poore because all that I gaue the poore aforetime was gotten by robbery and extortion This was done in the yeare of our Lord 1032. Pope Benedictus the 9. was depriued of his popedome one Syluester placed in his roome This Syluester was deposed and Benedictus recouered the popedome againe Yet this Benedict was cast out again and another put in his place Which other was so ignorant that he could not say masse but as one did instruct him For which cause he was put out and another placed in his roome in the yeare of our Lord 1042. Pope Clemens the second came to his popedome by violent meanes in the yeare of our Lord 1058. Pope Damasus the second inuaded the popedome and had a sodaine death in the yeare of our Lord 1060. About the yeare of our Lord 1072. one Mathildis a moste mightie and rich countesse gaue all her landes goods and possessions to S. Peter which is by interpretatiō to the pope and it is this day called S. Peters patrimonie Such oblations as these made the pope so mightie as he is Pope Anastasius the 4. made a new pallace in Sancta Maria rotunda and gaue to the Lateran church a chalice of curious works abbut the weight of twentie markes in the yeare 1162. Thus popes wickednesse mischiefe and tyrannie I finde euery where but that any one pope since Bonifacius claimed the primacie which is more then 900. yeares since made any one sermon in all his life I cannot reade I might here speake of the vanitie of Romish cardinals as that one cardinall bestoweth yerely 4000. crownes for the keeping and vpbolding of his most curious garden at Tyuola It is foureteene English miles from Rome my selfe haue seene the same Free accesse is granted to all sortes of people such is his glory to