and seduction And if any of our people loath this Manna because they may gather it from vnder their Feete let not their palates be humourd ic this wanton nauseation They are worthy to fast that are wearie of the Bread of Angels And if herein we bee curious to satisfie their rouing appetite our fauour shall be no better then Iniurious So wee haue seene an vndiscreete Schoole-master whiles he affects the thankes of an ouerweening Parent marre the progresse of a forward Child by raysing him to an higher forme and Author ere he haue wel learned his first rules whence followes an emptie ostentation and a late disappointment Our fidelitie and care of profit must teach vs to driue at the most sure and vniuersall good which shall vndoubtedly bee best attained by these safe and needfull ground-workes From these tender pastures let mee leade you and you others to the still Waters Zeale in the Soule is as naturall heat in the body there is no life of Religion without it but as the kindliest heat if it bee not tempered with a due equalitie of moysture wasts it selfe and the body So doth zeale if it be not moderated with discretion and charitable care of the common good It is hard to bee too vehement in contending for maine and euident truthes but litigious and immateriall verities may soone be ouer-striuen for in the prosecution whereof I haue oft lamented to see how heedlesse too many haue beene of the publike welfare Whiles in seeking for one scruple of truth they haue not cared to spend a whole pound-weight of precious Peace The Church of England in whose motherhood wee haue all iust cause to pride our selues hath in much wisdome and pietie deliuered her iudgment concerning all necessary points of religioÌ„ in so compleat a body of Diuinitie as all hearts may rest in These wee read these we write vnder as professing not their truth onely but their sufficiencie also The voice of God our Father in his Scriptures and out of these the voyce of the Church our Mother in her Articles is that which must both guide and settle our resolutioÌ„s Whatsoeuer is besides these is but either priuate or vnnecessarie and vncertain Oh that whiles we sweat and bleed for the maintenance of these oracular truthes we could be perswaded to remit of our Heat in the pursuit of opinions These these are they that distract the Church violate our peace scandalize the weake aduantage our enemies Fire vpon the Hearth warmes the body but if it be mis-placed burnes the house My brethren let vs bee zealous for our God Euery heartie Christian will powre Oyle and not Water vpon this holy flame But let vs take heed least a blind selfe loue stiffe preiudice and factious partialitie impose vpon vs in stead of the causes of God Let vs be suspicious of all New verities and carelesse of all vnprofitable And let vs hate to thinke our selues either wiser then the Church or better then our superiors And if any man thinke that he sees further then his fellowes in these Theologicall prospects let his tongue keepe the counsel of his eyes Least whiles he affects the fame of deeper learning he embroyle the Church and rayse his glory vpon the publike ruines And ye worthy Christians whose soules God hath entrusted with our spirituall Guardianship be ye alike minded with your teachers The motion of their tongues lyes much in your eares your modest desires of receiuing needfull and wholsome truthes shal auoide their labour after friuolous and quarrelsome curiosities God hath blessed you with the reputation of a wise and knowing people In these diuine matters let a meeke sobrietie set bouÌ„ds to your inquiries Take vp your time and hearts with Christ and Him crucified with those essentiall truthes which are necessarie to saluation Leaue al curious disquisitions to the Schooles and say of those problemes as the Philosopher did of the Athenian shops How many things are here that we haue no need of Take the neerest cut yee can yee shall finde it a side way to heauen yee need not lengthen it with vndue circuitions I am deceiued if as the times are yee shall not find worke enough to beare vp against the oppositions of professed hostility it is not for vs to sqander our thoughts and houres vpon vse-lesse janglings Wherewith if we suffer our selues to be still taken vp Satan shal deale with vs like some craftie cheater who whiles he holds vs at gaze with trickes of iugling pickes our pockets Deare brethren what euer become of these worthlesse driblets bee sure to looke well to the free-hold of your saluation Errour is not more busie then subtile Superstition neuer wanted sweet insinuations make sure worke against these plausible dangers Suffer not your selues to bee drawne into the net by the common stale of the Church Know that outward visibilitie may too well stand with an vtter exclusion from saluation Saluation consists not in a formalitie of profession but in a soundnesse of beliefe A true body may be ful of mortall diseases So is the Romane Church of this day whom we haue long pitied and laboured to cure in vaine If she will not bee healed by vs let not vs be infected by her Let vs bee no lesse ielous of her Contagion then she is of our Remedies Hold fast that precious Truth which hath been long taught you by faithfull Pastors confirmed by cleare euidences of Scriptures euinced by sound reasons sealed vp by the bloud of our blessed Martyrs So whiles no man takes away the Crowne of your constancie yee shall be our Crowne and reioycing in the day of the Lord Iesus To whose all-sufficient grace I commend you al and vow my selfe Your common Seruant in him whom we all reioyce to serue IOS EXON The Contents CHAP. I. THe extent of the differences betwixt the Churches Fol. 1. CHAP. II. The Originall of the differences Fol. 7. CHAP. III. The Reformed vniustly charged with noueltie heresie schisme 14. CHAP. IV. The Roman Church guiltie of this schisme 22 CHAP. V. The newnesse of the Article of Iustification by inherent righteousnesse 27 SECT II This doctrine proued to be against Scripture 36 SECT III. Against reason 42 CHAP. VI. The newnesse of the doctrine of merit 45 SECT II Against Scripture 48. SECT III. Against reason 50 CHAP. VII The newnesse of the doctrine of Transubstantiation 53 SECT II Against Scripture 62 SECT III. Against reason 67 CHAP. VIII The newnesse of the Halfe-Communion 71 SECT II Against Scripture 75 SECT III. Against reason 77 CHAP. IX The newnesse of the Missall Sacrifice 79 SECT II Against Scripture 81 SECT III. Against reason 84 CHAP. X. The newnesse of Image-worship 87 SECT II Against Scripture 94 SECT III. Against reason 98 CHAP. XI The newnesse of Jndulgences and Purgatorie 100 SECT II Against Scripture 108 SECT III. Agaiâ—st reason 112 CHAP. XII The newnesse of Diuine Seruice in an vnknowne tongue 114 SECT II Against Scripture 120 SECT III.
that Church the errors which it holds together with those Principles struggle with that life and threaten an extinction As it is a visible Church then we haue not detrected to hold communion with it though the contemptuous repulse of so many admonitions haue deserued our alienation as Babylon wee can haue nothing to doe with it Like as in the course of our life we freely conuerse with those men in ciuill affaires with whom we hate to partake in wickednesse But will not this seeme to sauour of too much indifferencie What need wee so vehemently labour to draw from either part and triumph in winning Proselytes and giue them for lost on either side and brand them for Apostates that are won away if which way so euer we fall wee cannot light out of a true visible Church of Christ What such necessitie was there of Martyrdome what such danger of relapses if the Church bee with both Let these Sophisters know that true charitie needs not abate any thing of zeale If they bee acquainted with the iust value of truth they shall not enquire so much into the persons as into the cause What euer the Church be if the errours be damnable our bloud is happily spent in their impugnation and wee must rather chuse to vndergoe a thousand deaths then offend the Maiestie of God in yeelding to a knowne falshood in religion neither doth the outward visibilitie of the Church abate ought of the hainousnesse of mis-opinions or the vehemence of our oppositions Were it Saint Peter himselfe if hee halt in Iudaizing Saint Paul must resist him to his face neither is his fault lesse because an Apostles Yea let me say more Were the Church of Rome and ours layd vpon seuerall foundations these errours should not be altogether so detestable since the symbolizing in many truths makes grosse errours more intolerable as the Samaritan Idolatrie was more odious to the Iewes then meerely Paganish If the dearest daughter of God vpon earth should commit spirituall whoredome her vncleannesse is so much more to be hated as her obligations were greater Oh the glorious crownes therfore of those blessed Martyrs of ours who rather gaue their bodies to bee burnt to ashes then they would betray any parcell of diuine truth Oh the wofull and dangerous condition of those soules which shutting their eyes against so cleere a light either willingly sit downe in palpable darknesse or fall backe from the sincerity of the Gospel into these miserable enormities both of practice and doctrine It is not for me to iudge them that I leaue vnto that high and awfull Tribunall before which I shall once appeare with them but this I dare say that if that righteous Iudge shall punish either their obstinacie or relapses with eternall damnation he cannot but bee iustified in his iudgements whiles in the midst of their torments they shall bee forced to say Thou O God art iust in all that is befalne vs For thou hast done right but we haue done wickedly For vs as wee would saue our soules let vs carefully preserue them from the contagion of Romish superstition Let vs neuer feare that our discretion can hate errour too much Let vs awaken our holy zeale to a serious and feruent opposition ioyned with a charitable endeuour of reclamation Shortly let vs hate their opinions striue against their practice pittie their mis-guiding neglect their censures labour their recouerie pray for their saluation FINIS Ioh. 14.27 Adrichoni descr Hiero fol. fig. 19â— Faciunt fauâ— vâ—sâ—e faciunt Ecclesias Marcionitae Ter tull aduer Marcion l. 4. c 5. Ecclesiae nomen consensus concordiaeque est Chrysost com in Ep. ad Gal. Sit inter nes vna fides illico pax sequetur Hier. aduers Ruff. Erasm Epist l. 20. Paulo Decimario 1. Cor. 11. Cantic 2. vlt. Victor Perser Afric l. 5. Spalat de hist Eccles tom vlt. lib. 7. Melanct. Postill de Baptismo Chri. Diog Laert. Hooker Eccles Pol. l 4. §. 3. Comment in Euang. saepe Patres nostri saluberrimam consuetudinem tenuerunt vt quicquid diuinum ac legitimum c. Aug-Neque propter paleam relinquimus aream Domini neque propter pisees malos rumpimus retia domini Aug Epist 48 Sic Anabaptistae accusant Paedobaptismum Papismi Cliston contr Smith Sic Neariani Trinitatem arguunt articulum Papae Probant· Fascic· c. 1. Nos fatemur sub papatu plurimum esse boni Christiani imo omne bonum Christianum dico insuper imo vero verum nucleum Christianitatis Luther in Epist ad 2. pleb de Anabapt citâ—a Cromero de falsa relig Lutheran Aliud est credere quod Papa credit aliud credere quod est Papae Prolaeus ibid. vbi supr Euseb de vita Constantini l. 3. c. 25. Iustin Tit. 1. §. 4. Annot. in leg 12. Tan. Magistris vtentes Ambitione Auaritiá Bern ad Henric Senonensem Quae fuerant vitia mores fiunt Gerâ— de negligentia praeâ—atorum Ex Seuet Grauam Germ. Matth. 13.25 Per disciplinam â—eâ—um nun â—u imsponia â—en Corrigenda â—eformanda est Ecclesiastica disciplina quae iam diu deprauata atque corrup c. Orat. praesid conc Trid ses 11 Prim or dia cuncta Pauida sunt Cassiod Luther offered 95. Conclus to be Disputed at Wittenb Io. Tecelius offers the contrarie Propos at Francfort Vid. hist Conc. Trid. lib. 1. Lutherus c. Ita venio beatissime Pater c. Et adhuc prostratus rogo c. Epi. ad Leonem 10 Ibid. Lut. 1 Eckius Siluester PierÃus write ag Luth. vid. histor Conc Trid. Saepe solutisue repestifera Ser Iames Hogo strata Dominican Inquisitor stirs vp Pope Leo to capitall punishments of Luther and his followers Ibid hist Concil A primordio iustitiam vim patitur statim vt coli Deus coepit inuidiam religio sortita est Tert. Scorpiac aduers Gnostic c. 8. Bapt. Porta Leonis Bulla Anno 1518. Punitis ingenijs gliscit authoritas Erasm Godesch Rosemund Non defuisse magnos Theologos qui non verebantur affirmare nihil esse in Luthero quin per probatos Authores defendi possit Eras lib. Epist 15. Godeschalco Rosemund c. Theod. Bez contr AndreaÌ„ c. vid. histor conc Trid. l. 1. Hulr Zuâ—ngâ—â—us in Eccl. Zurich oponâ—â— se Tratij Sampsoni Mediolan Francis Hugo Constantiens Episcoâ—us opponit se Zuin glio ibid. Bullasecunda Leonis Papae An. 1520. Anna. 1518. Vid. Histor. Concil Trid. l. 1. Tres salui-conductus concessi Protestantibus sed quam frustra vid. Iunij animaduersiones in Bellar. * Vid Epist Epi. Qâ—inque Eccles in histor Concil Trid. Iudicandi potestas apud accusatores erat Ruffin hist l 1. cap. 17. â— q. Muâ—tâ— c. 3. q. 7. Nullus debet Sententia non praesentibus partibus dicta nullius momentâ— est Cassiod de Amicit c 5. Nullus ante rectam cognitionem causae debet priuari suo iure Rodriguez Cas cons c. 241. Cum
Repaired not made new There is not one stone of a new foundation laide by vs Yea the old wals stand still Onely the ouer-casting of those ancient stones which the vntempered morter of new inuentions displeaseth vs. Plainely set aside the corruptions and the Church is the same And what are these corruptions but vnsound adiections to the ancient structure of Religion These we cannot but oppose and are therefore vniustly and imperiously eiected Hence it is that ours is by the opposite stiled an Ablatiue or negatiue Religion for so much as wee ioyne with all true Christians in all affirmatiue positions of ancient faith onely standing vpon the deniall of some late and vndue additaments to the Christian beleefe Or if those additions bee reckoned for ruines It is a sure rule which Durandus giues concerning materiall Churches applyable to the spirituall that if the Wall be decayed not at once but successiuely it is iudged still the same Church and vpon reparation not to bee reconsecrated but onely reconciled Well therefore may those mouthes stop themselues which loudly call for the names of the Professors of our faith in all successions of times till Luther look't forth into the World Had wee gone about to broach any new positiue Truths vnseene vnheard of former times well and iustly might they challenge vs for a deduction of this line of doctrine from a pedigree of Predecessours Now that we only disclayme their superfluous and nouell opinions and practices which haue beene by degrees thrust vpon the Church of God retayning inuiolably all former Articles of Christian faith how idle is this plea how worthy of hissing out Who sees not now that all we need to doe is but to show that all those points which wee cry downe in the Romane Church are such as carrie in them a manifest brand of newnesse and absurditie This proofe will cleerely iustifie our refusall Let them see how they shall once before the awfull Tribunall of our last Iudge iustifie their vncharitablenesse who cease not vpon this our refusall to eiect condemne vs. The Church of Rome is sicke Ingenuous Cassander confesseth so nec inficior c. I deny not saith he that the Romane Church is not a little changed from her ancient beautie and brightnesse and that shee is deformed with many diseases and vicious distempers Bernard tels vs how it must bee dieted profitable though vnpleasing medicines must bee poured into the mouth of it Luther and his associates did this office as Erasmus acknowledgeth Lutherus porrexit Luther saith hee gaue the World a potion violent and bitter what euer it were I wish it may breed some good health in the bodie of Christian people so miserably foule with all kinds of euils Neuer did Luther meane to take away the life of that Church but the sicknesse Wherein as Socrates answered to his Iudges surely he deserued recompence in steed of rage For as Saint Ambrose worthily Dulcior est sweeter is a religious chastisement then a smoothing remission This that was meant to the Churches health proues the Physitians disease so did the bitternesse of our wholsome draughts offend that we are beaten out of doores Neither did wee runne from that Church but are driuen away as our late Soueraigne professeth by Casaubons hand Wee know that of Cyrill is a true word Those which seuer themselues from the Church and communion are the enemies of God and friends of Deuils and that which Dionysius said to Nouatus Any thing must rather be borne then that we should rend the Church of God Farre far was it from our thoughts to teare the seamelesse coate or with this precious Oyle of Truth to breake the Churches head We found iust faults else let vs bee guiltie of this disturbance If now choler vniustly exasperated with an wholsome reprehension haue broken forth into a furious persecution of the gainesayers the sinne is not ours If we haue defended our innocence with blowes the sinne is not ours Let vs neuer prosper in our good cause if all the water of Tyber can wash off the bloud of many thousand Christian soules that hath beene shed in this quarrell from the hands of the Romish Prelacie Surely as it was obserued of olde that none of the Tribe of Leui were the professed followers of our Sauiour so it is too easie to obserue that of late times this Tribe hath exercised the bitterest enmitie vpon the followers of Christ Suppose wee had offended in the vndiscreet managing of a iust reproofe it is a true rule of Erasmus that generous spirits would bee reclaymed by teaching not by compulsion and as Alipius wisely to his Augustine Heed must bee taken least whiles wee labour to redresse a doubtfull complaint wee make greater wounds then we find Oh how happy had it beene for Gods Church if this care had found any place in the hearts of her Gouernours who regarding more the entire preseruation of their own honour then Truth and Peace Were all in the harsh language of warre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 smite kill burne persecute Had they beene but halfe so charitable to their moderne reprouers as they professe they are to the fore-going how had the Church flourished in an vnterrupted vnitie In the old Catholike Writers say they wee beare with many errours wee extenuate and excuse them wee find shifts to put them off and deuise some commodious senses for them Guiltinesse which is the ground of this fauour workes the quite contrarie courses against vs Alas how are our Writings racked and wrested to enuious senses how misconstrued how peruerted and made to speake odiously on purpose to worke distaste to enlarge quarrell to draw on the deepest censures Woe is mee this cruell vncharitablenesse is it that hath brought this miserable calamitie vpon distracted Christendome Surely as the ashes of the burning Mountaine Vesuuius being dispersed farre and wide bred a grieuous Pestilence in the Regions round about so the ashes that flie from these vnkindly flames of discord haue bred a wofull infection and death of soules through the whole Christian World CHAP. IIII. The Church of Rome guiltie of this Schisme IT is confessed by the President of the Tridentine Councell that the deprauation of discipline and manners of the Romane Church was the chiefe cause and originall of these dissensions Let vs cast our eyes vpon the doctrine and wee shall no lesse find the guilt of this fearefull Schisme to fall heauily vpon the same heads For first to lay a sure ground Nothing can be more plaine then that the Romane is a particular Church as the Fathers of Basil well distinguish it not the vniuersall though we take in the Churches of her subordination or correspondence This truth we might make good by authoritie if our very senses did not saue vs the labour Secondly No particular Church to say nothing of the vniuersall since the Apostolike times can haue
but how The 〈◊〉 â—ooke away the Curse saith beâ—â—ost sweetly Faith brought in Righteousnesse and Righteousnesse drew on the Grace of the Spirit Saint Ambrose tels vs that our carnall infirmitie blemisheth our workes but that the vprightnesse of our faith couers ours errours and obtaines our pardon And professeth that hee will glory not for that he is righteous but for that hee is redeemed not for that he is void of sinnes but for that his sinnes are forgiuen him Saint Ierome tels vs then wee are iust when we confesse our selues sinners and that our righteousnesse stands not in any merit of ours but in the meere mercie of God and that the acknowledgement of our imperfection is the imperfect perfection of the Iust Saint Gregorie tels vs that our Iust Aduocate shall defend vs righteous in his iudgement because we know and accuse our selues vnrighteous and that our confidence must not be in our acts but in our Aduocate But the sweete and passionate speeches of Saint Austen and Saint Bernard would fill a Booke alone neither can any reformed Diuine either more disparage our inherent Righteousnesse or more magnifie and challenge the imputed It shall suffice vs to giue a taste of both We haue all therefore Brethren receiued of his fulnesse Of the fulnesse of his mercie of the abundance of his goodnesse haue we receiued What Remission of sinnes that we might be iustified by faith And what more Grace for Grace that is for this Grace wherein we liue by faith we shall receiue another saith that diuinest of the Fathers And soone after All that are from sinfull Adam are sinners all that are iustified by Christ are iust not in themselues but in him for in themselues if ye aske after them they are Adam in him they are Christs And elsewhere Reioyce in the Lord and bee glad O yee righteous O wicked O proud men that reioyce in your selues now beleeuing in him who iustifieth the wicked your faith is imputed to you for righteousnesse Reioyce in the Lord Why Because now yee are iust and whence are yee iust Not by your owne Merits but by his Grace Whence are yee iust because yee are iustified Who shall lay any thing to the â—harge of Gods Elect It sufficeth â—â—ee for all righteousnesse that I haue that God propitious to mee against whom only I haue sinned All that he hath decreed not to impute vnto mee is as if it had not beene Not to sinne is Gods Iustice mans iustice is Gods indulgence saith Deuout Bernard How pregnant is that famous profession of his And if the mercies of the Lord be from euerlasting and to euerlasting I will also sing the mercies of the Lord euerlastingly What shall I sing of my owne righteousnesse No Lord I will remember thy righteousnesse alone for that is mine too Thou art made vnto me of God righteousnesse should I feare that it will not serue vs both It is no short Cloake that it should not couer twaine Thy righteousnesse is a righteousnesse for euer and what is longer then eternitie Behold thy large and euerlasting mercie will largely couer both thee and mee at once In mee it couers a multitude of sinnes in thee Lord what can it couer but the treasures of pittie the riches of bountie Thus he What should I need to draw downe this Truth through the times of Anselme Lombard Bonauenture Gerson The Manuell of Christian Reâ—igion set forth in the Prouinciall Councell of Coleyne shall serue for â—ll Bellarmine himselfe grants them â—erein ours and they are worth â—ur entertayning That Booke is â—ommended by Cassander as marâ—ellously approued by all the learâ—ed Diuines of Italy and France â—s that which notably sets forth the â—umme of the iudgement of the Ancients concerning this and oâ—her points of Christian Religion â— Nos dicimus c. Wee say that a â—an doth then receiue the gift of â—ustification by faith when being â—â—rrified and humbled by repenâ—â—nce hee is againe raysed vp by â—â—ith beleeuing that his sinnes are â—â—rgiuen him for the Merits of Christ who hath promised remission of sinnes to those that beleeue in him and when he feeles in himselfe new desires so as detesting euill and resisting the infirmitie of his flesh he is inwardly inkindled to an indeauour of good although this desire of his be not yet perfect Thus they in the voyce of all Antiquitie and the-then-present Church Only the late Councell of Trent hath created this opinion of Iustification a point of faith SECT II. The errour hereof against Scripture YEt if age were all the quarrelâ— it were but light For thougâ— newnesse in diuine Truths is a iuâ— cause of suspition yet wee doe noâ— so shut the hand of our munificeâ— God that he cannot bestow vpon â—is Church new illuminations in â—ome parcels of formerly-hidden â—erities It is the charge both of â—heir Canus and Caietan that no â—an should detest a new sense of Scripture for this that it differs â—rom the ancient Doctors for God â—ath not say they tyed exposition â—f Scripture to their senses Yea if we may beleeue Salmeâ—on the later Diuines are so much â—ore quick-sighted they like the Dwarfe sitting on the Gyants â—houlder ouer-looke him that is â—arre taller then themselues This â—osition of the Romane Church is â—ot more new then faultie Not â—â— much noueltie as Truth conâ—inceth Heresies as Tertullian We â—ad beene silent if wee had not â—und this point besides the lateâ—esse erroneous Erroneous both â—gainst Scripture and Reason Aâ—â—inst Scripture which euery where â—acheth as on the one side the â—â—perfection of our inherent righteousnesse so on the other our perfect Iustification by the imputed righteousnesse of our Sauiour brought home to vs by faith The former Iob saw from his dung-hill How should a man bee iustified before God If hee will contend with him hee cannot answere one of a thousand Whence it is that wise Salomon askes Who can say My heart is cleane I am pure from sinne And himselfe answers There is not a iust man vpon earth which doth good and sinneth not A truth which besides his experience hee had learned of his Father Dauid who could say Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant though a man after Gods owne heart for in thy sight shalâ— no man liuing bee iustified And iâ— thou Lord shouldst marke iniquities O Lord who shall stand For wee are all as an vncleane thing we saith the Prophet Esay including euen himselfe and all our righteousnesse are as filthy ragges And was it any better with the best Saints vnder the Gospell I see saith the chosen Vessell in my members another law warring against the law of my minde and leading mee captiue to the law of sinne which is in my members So as in many things wee sinne all And if we say that we haue no sinne we doe but deceiue our selues and
his Supper instituted and administred this venerable Sacrament vnder both kinds of Bread and Wine c. Licet in primitiua c. Although in the Primitiue Church this Sacrament were receiued by the faithfull vnder both kindes Non obstante c. Yet this custome for the auoiding of some dangers and scandalls was vpon iust reason brought in that Laickes should receiue only vnder one kind And those that stubbornely oppose themselues against it shal be eiected and punished as Heretickes Now this Councell was but in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand foure hundred fiftie three Yea but these Fathers of Constance how euer they are bold to controule Christs Law by Custome yet they say it was consuetudo diutissimè obseruata a custome very long obserued True but the full age of this Diutissimè is openly and freely calculated by their Cassander Satis constat It is apparent enough that the Westerne or Romane Church for a thousand yeares after Christ in the solemne and ordinary Dispensation of this Sacrament gaue both kinds of Bread and Wine to all the members of the Church A point which is manifest by innumerable ancient Testimonies both of Greekes and Latines and this they were induced to doe by the example of Christs institution Quare non temerè c. It is not therefore saith hee without cause that most of the best Catholickes and most conuersant in the reading of Ecclesiasticall Writers are inflamed with an earnest desire of obtayning the Cup of the Lord that the Sacrament may bee reduced to that ancient custome and vse which hath beene for many Ages perpetuated in the vniuersall Church Thus he Wee need no other Aduocate Yea their Vasquez drawes it yet lower Negare non c. We cannot deny that in the Latin Church there was the vse of both kinds and that it so continued vntill the dayes of Saint Thomas which was about the yeare of God 1260. Thus it was in the Romane Church but as for the Greeke the World knowes it did neuer but communicate vnder both kindes These open Confessions spare vs the labour of quoting the seuerall testimonies of all Ages Else it had beene easie to show how in the Lyturgy of Saint Basil and Chrysostome the Priest was wont to pray Vouchsafe O Lord to giue vs thy bodie and thy bloud and by vs to thy people How in the Order of Rome the Archdeacon taking the Chalice from the Bishops hand confirmeth all the receiuers with the bloud of our Lord. And from Ignatius his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One cup distributed to all to haue descended along through the cleere records of S. Cyprian Hierome Ambrose Augustine Leo Gelasius Paschasius and others to the verie time of Hugo and Lombard and our Halensis And to show how S. Cyprian would not deny the bloud of Christ to those that should shed their bloud for Christ How S. Austen with him makes a comparison betwixt the bloud of the legall sacrifices which might not bee eaten and this bloud of our Sauiours sacrifice which all must drinke But what need allegations to proue a yeelded truth so as this haluing of the Sacrament is a meere noueltie of Rome and such a one as their owne Pope Gelasius stickes not to accuse of no lesse then sacriledge SECT II. Halfe Communion against Scripture NEither shall wee need to vrge Scripture when it is plainely confessed by the late Councels of Lateran and Trent that this practice varies from Christs institution Yet the Tridentine Fathers haue left themselues this euasion that howeuer our Sauiour ordained it in both kindes and so deliuered it to his Apostles notwithstanding hee hath not by any command enioyned it to be so receiued of the Laitie Not considering that the charge of our Sauiour is equally vniuersall in both To whom he sayd Take and eat to the same also he sayd Drinke ye all of this So as by the same reason our Sauiour hath giuen no command at all vnto the Laitie to eat or drinke and so this blessed Sacrament should bee to all Gods people the Priests onely excepted arbitrarie and vnnecessarie But the great Doctor of the Gentiles is the best Commenter vpon his master who writing to the Church of God at Corinth to them that are sanctified in Christ Iesus with all that in euerie place call vpon the name of Iesus Christ so deliuers the institution of Christ as that in the vse of the Cup hee makes no difference Six times conioyning the mention of drinking with eating and fetching it in with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equalitie of the manner and necessitie of both charges all Christians indifferently Probet seipsum Let euerie man examine himselfe c. and so let him eat of that bread and drinke of that cup. SECT III. Halfe Communion against reason IN this practice reason is no lesse their enemie Though it bee but a mans testament yet if it be confirmed no man disanulleth it saith S. Paul How much lesse shall flesh and bloud presume to alter the last will of the Sonne of God and that in so materiall a point as vtterly destroyes the institution For as our learned Bishop of Carlile argues truly Halfe a man is no man Halfe a Sacrament is no Sacrament And as well might they take away the bread as the cup both depend vpon the same ordination It is only the command of Christ that makes the bread necessarie the same command of Christ equally enioynes the cup both doe either stand or fall vpon the same ground The pretence of concomitancie is so poore a shift that it hurts them rather for if by vertue thereof the body of Christ is no lesse in the wine then the bloud is in the bread it will necessarily follow that they might as well hold backe the bread and giue the cup as hold backe the cup and giue the bread And could this mysterie bee hid from the eyes of the blessed Author of this Sacrament Will these men bee wiser then the wisdome of his Father If hee knew this and saw the wine yet vsefull who dares abrogate it and if hee had not seene it vsefull why did hee not then spare the labour and cost of so needlesse an element Lastly the bloud that is here offered vnto vs is that which was shed for vs that which was shed from the body is not in the body in vaine therefore is concomitancie pleaded for a separated bloud Shortly then this mutilation of the Sacrament being both confessedly late and extremely iniurious to God and his people and contrarie to Scripture and reason is iustly abandoned by vs and wee for abandoning it vniustly censured CHAP. IX The newnesse of the Missall Sacrifice IT sounds not more prodigiously that a Priest should euerie day make his God then that hee should sacrifice him Antiquitie would haue as much abhorred the sense as it hath allowed
for vs against the Pride of his following Successours he could not haue set a keener edge vpon his stile Consonant whereto it is yet extant in the very Canon Law as quoted by Gratian out of the Epistle of Pope Pelagius the second Vniuersalis autem nec etiam Romanus Pontifex appelletur Not the Bishop of Rome himselfe may bee called Vniuersall Yet how famously is it knowne to all the World that the same Gregories next Successour saue one Boniface the third obtained this title of vniuersall Bishop from the Emperour Phocas which the said Emperour gaue him in a spleene against Cyriacus Patriarch of Constantinople for deliuering Constantina the Wife of Mauritius and her Children or as some others relate it vpon a worse occasion And accordingly was this haughty title communicated by the same power to the See of Rome and by strong hand euer since maintained This qualification their Register Platina confesses was procured not without great contention And Otho Frisingensis fully and ingenuously writeth thus Gregorie departed hence to the Lord After whom the next saue one Boniface obtained of Phocas that by his authoritie the Romane Church might bee called the head of all Churches For at that time the See of Constantinople I suppose because of the seat of the Empire translated thither wrote her selfe the first Thus their Bishop Otho Now if any man shall think that hence it will yet follow that the See of Rome had formerly enioyed this honour how euer the Constantinopolitan for the present shouldred with her for it Let him know the ground of both their challenges which as it was supposed by Otho So is fully for the satisfaction of any indifferent iudgement layd forth in the Generall Councell of Chalcedon The same say those Fathers we determine of the priuiledges of the most holy Church of Constantinople called New Rome For the Fathers haue iustly heretofore giuen priuiledge to the Throne of old Rome because that Citie was then the Gouernesse of the world and vpon the same consideration were the hundred and fiftie Bishops men beloued of God moued to yeeld equall priuiledges to the Throne of new Rome rightly iudging that this Citie which is honoured with the Empire and Senate and is equally priuiledged with old Rome the then Queene of the world should also in Ecclesiasticall matters bee no lesse extolled and magnified Thus they And this act is subscribed Bonifacius Presbyter Ecclesiae Romanae statui subscripsi I Boniface Presbyter of the Church of Rome haue so determined and subscribed Et caeteri c. And the rest of the Bishops of diuers Prouinces and Cities subscribed What can be more plaine This headship of the Bishop was in regard of the See and this headship of the See was in regard of the preeminence of the Citie which was variable according to the changes of times or choyce of Emperours But Binius wrangleth here Can we blame him when the free-hold of their Great Mistresse is so neerely touched This act saith he was not Synodicall as that which was closely and cunningly done in the absence of the Popes Legates and other Orthodox Bishops at the instance of Anatolius Patriarch of Constantinople an ambitious man by the Easterne Bishops only How can this plea stand with his owne confessed subscription Besides that their Caranza in his Abridgement showes that this point was long and vehemently canuassed in that Councell betweene Lucentius and Boniface Legates of the Romane Church and the rest of the Bishops and at last so concluded as we haue related not indeed without the protestation of the sayd Legates Nobis praesentibus e. The Apostolike See must not in our presence be abased Notwithstanding this act then carried and after this Pope Simplicius succeeding to Hilarius made a decree to the same purpose not without allusion to this contention for precedencie that Rome should take place of Constantinople Yea so vtterly vnthought of was this absolute Primacie and headship of old as that when the Roman Dition was brought downe to a Dukedome and subiected to the Exarchate of Rauenna the Arch-Bishop of Rauenna vpon the verie same grounds stucke not as Blondus tells vs to striue with the Bishop of Rome for prioritie of place So necessarily was the rising or fall of the Episcopall Chaire annexed to the condition of that Citie wherein it was fixed But in all this we well see what it is that was stood vpon an arbitrable precedencie of these Churches in a prioritie of order and according thereunto the Bishop of Rome is determined to be primae sedis Episcopus the Bishop of the first See A style which our late learned Soueraigne professed with Iustinian not to grudge vnto the moderne Bishops of that See But as for a Primacie of Soueraignty ouer all Churches and such an Headship as should enforme and enliue the body and gouerne it with infallible influences it is so new and hatefull as that the Church in all ages hath opposed it to the vtmost neither will it bee endured at this day by the Greeke Church notwithstanding the colourable pretence of subscription hereunto by their dying Patriarch Ioseph of Constantinople in the late Florentine Councell and the letters of vnion subscribed by them Anno 1539. Yea so farre is it from that as that their Emperour Michael Paleologus for yeelding a kinde of subiection of the Easterne Bishops to the Roman would not bee allowed the honour of Christian buriall as Aemilius hath recorded And in our time Basilius the Emperour of Russia which challengeth no small part in the Greeke Church threatned to the Popes Legate as I haue beene informed an infamous death and buriall if hee offered to set foot in his Dominions out of a iealous hate of this vsurpation SECT II. The newnesse of challenged Infallibilitie THe particularities of this new arrogation of Rome are so many that they cannot be pent vp in any strait roome I will only instance in some few The Popes infallibilitie of Iudgement is such a paradoxe as the very Histories of all times and proceedings of the Church doth sufficiently conuince For to what purpose had all Councels beene called euen of the remotest Bishops to what purpose were the agitations of all controuersall causes in those Assemblies as Erasmus iustly obserues if this opinion had then obtained Or how came it about that the sentences of some Bishops of Rome were opposed by other Sees by the Successours of their owne by Christian Academies if this conceit had formerly passed for currant with the World How came it to passe that whole Councels haue censured and condemned some Bishops of Rome for manifest Heresies if they were perswaded before hand of the impossibilitie of those errours Not to speake of Honorius of Liberius and others the Councell of Basil shall be the voyce of common obseruation Multi Pontifices c. Many Popes say they are recorded to haue