Selected quad for the lemma: christian_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
christian_n	body_n	church_n	mystical_a	1,148	5	10.4023	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69038	The theatre of Catolique and Protestant religion diuided into twelue bookes. Wherein the zealous Catholike may plainelie see, the manifest truth, perspicuitie, euident foundations and demonstrations of the Catholique religion; together with the motiues and causes, why he should perseuer therin. ... Written by I.C. student in diuinitie.	I. C., student in divinity.; Copinger, John, b. 1571 or 2, attributed name.; Colleton, John, 1548-1635, attributed name.	1620 (1620)	STC 4284; ESTC S115632	314,600	666

be vsed but that and this he did to mantayne his opinion Also when his children kinge Edward and Elizabeth came to the Crowne and held contrarie opinions they caused contrarie translations to be published Fox ibid. Vulgar translations of scriptures profitts nothinge vnlesse wee knowe the true sense of them as for the true sense the protestantes giue vs no rule at all for the same For in England they cannott iudge of the controuersie of religion by the scriptures because they are boūd by their ●awes to beleue according to the will and decree of the parleament howse and of the kinge And in other protestant countries where the parleament or the wil of a prince is not of force there are so many sects and heresies as they cannot be reclaymed euerie one wreasting the scriptures to his owne priuate and fantasticall opinions for the Protestants doe not care for the vulgare translation vnles they may peruert the sense thereof according to their owne turbulent braines 8. Neither is there any people that doe reuerence and honor the scriptures more then those of the Catholick religion Which as S. Paule saith 2. Cor. 4. doth renounce the adulterating of the word of God wicked constructions deceitfull interpretations and sinister application thereof which is common to heretiques as Luther affirmeth that the roote of all heresies hath bene the scriptures yea he added that the scriptures ought to be called the booke of heretiques There is neither iott nor sillable in the scripture but the catholique church doth imbrace allowe the same as written and sett downe by the holie ghoast and although the priuate spiritt of some haue thought some bookes of the sacred scriptures not to be canonicall yet the whole catholique church hath receaued them hath taken awaie that doubte Touchinge the bookes of the old testament videlicet Iudith Tobyas the booke of wisdome Ecclesiastes the two first bookes of the Machabees and of Baruch as alsoe of the newe as the Apocalips the Epistle of S. Paul to the Hebreues the Epistle of S. Iames the 2. of S. Peter the 2. and 3. of S. Iohn and therfore the heretiques of this time doe not allowe those for that some in tymes paste haue doubted thereof Did not S. Tho doubt also of Christs resurrection and therfore ought he or wee doubt thereof still Christ hauing manifested his scarres and his woundes vnto him Euen soe though some learned men haue doubted of those bookes yet by the vniuersall consent of the church these bookes were made knowen to be Canonical scripture As concerninge the booke of Iudith the councell of Carthage vnder Aurelius Bishopp thereof Innocentius the first Ge●asius with 70. Bishoppes the councell of Florence vnder Eugenius the 4. haue pronounced it to be canonicall as also of the booke of Tobie Ecclesiastes and wisdome As for the two bookes of Machabes the Canons of the Apostles the author whereof is said to be S. Clemēt in the ende thereof the two bookes of the Machabees are inserted as Canonicall those two bookes are confirmed by Innocentius the first and by the councell of Carthage and confirmed by the 6. Generall councell in such like manner the said 2. bookes are cōfirmed both by the two generall councells of Florence Aug. li. 18 de ciuit Dei c. 16. con Gaud. epist lib. 2. cap. 23. and Trentt and as S. Augustine saith that the Churche and not the Iewes doth allowe the Machabees for canonicall and not onlie S. Augustine doth produce wittnesse out of them but also Ireneus Tertul. Cyprian Chrysost and others soe as to doubte of these bookes is rather the infidelitie of the Iewes then the faith of the Christians especially when the Church hath once decreede the same and soe are all the rest of the said bookes made Canonicall by the Church and by her determination which is of greater force to allowe or disalowe of them as also of the true interpretation of them then all the priuate spirittes in the world vnto whome all priuate mens iudgment ought to submit themselues Basill the greate and S. Gregorie Naz. being the cheefest diuines amoungest the Grecians and hauinge cast awaie all other bookes they recollected themselues to studie the holie scriptures the true meaninge and interpretation thereof as Ruffinus testifieth Ruff. lib 2. cap 9. in Eccl hist they gathered out of the authoritie and comentaries of their predecessors not of their owne priuate presumption or proper imagination Gal 2. Aug. lib. 28 in Faust c. 4. 9. Did not S. Paule beinge an Apostle before he preached the Ghospell goe vpp to Hierusalem that he might confer with S. Peter Lucc 22. Iames and Iohn and especiallie with Peter touching the preaching and expoundinge of the Ghospell for that our Sauiour did praie particulerlie for S. Peter that he should not faile in his faith vnto whome he promised the assistance of his holie spiritt If this soe great a doctor beinge illuminated by Christe and receauinge his ghospell frō him did neuerthelesse conferr the same with S. Peter the foundation of the ecclesiasticall Hierarchy the Pastor of Christs sheepe the captaine of his armie the sonne that shineth in this hemispher of christendome and heade of the misticall bodie of Christe which is his church how much ought others to doe the like which haue not so much securitie nor soe good a warrant to be fauored and inspired of God as he had Howe can wee thinke or beleeue that heretiques can vnderstand the scriptures who haue not the spiritt of God to instruct them in the knowledge thereof For as no member of the bodie hath the spiritt of the bodie vnlesse it be vnited and ioyned to the bodie soe noe member of the misticall bodie of Christ which is his church hath the spirite thereof that is separated frō the same Wherevpon S. Augustine saith nihil magis debet christianus formidare c. there is nothinge that a christian ought to feare more Aug trac ●7 in Iohn then to be separated from the bodie of Christe for if he be separated and disunited from the bodie of the church he is not a member thereof and if he be not a member of the same he is not quickned by her spiritt and whosoeuer hath not the spiritt of Christe as the Apostle saith he is not his it is the spiritt that quickneth the flesh auaileth nothinge Therfore you beinge not in the Church vnto whome the spiritt of God is promised to direct her in all trueth and to guide her from all errors and heresies wee ought not to beleue that you haue the knowledge of the scriptures or the true vnderstandinge or interpretation thereof for it cannot stande with any reason or rule that this spiritt of trueth can be in turbulent mindes or malicious heades as hetiquees be Esa 66. qui non requiescit nisi super humilem mansuetum trementem sermones suos neuer resteth but vpon the humble and meeke

the body in which it is norished a certaine disease that doth penetrate the intralles and doth corrupt and infest the soules of Christians and not only doth kill with her touche as the Viper doth or with her sighte as the Basilike or with her belching as the dragon but after all these fashions and many more doth destroy confounde and cast away all that approache it neither is there any other remedie but to flie nor any other refuge then to departe from such a one as is intangled with it no other security then to be far from such an infernall and contagious mischeefe which with the name of Christe destroieth Christ in our hartes and vnder the pretence of faith destroyeth faith And S. Augustine saith let euery Catholike flie and abhor them with whom the Church communicateth not for we ought not saieth he to haue parte with them that haue no participation with themselues and which are not vnited to the body of the whole Church and to conclude with our Sauiour one should neuer otherwise accompte of them then as of heathens and publicans and his holy Euangelist S. Iohn forbiddeth vs to salute them 11. Therfore gentle Reader these be sufficiēt reasons wherfore we should be loath to dispute with Protestantes which through their fall from godes Church are voide of all humility intoxicated with pride and are so blinded with malice that they cannot learne or imbrace the trueth or haue any trewe wisdome For as the holly scripture saith into a malicious soule wisdome shall not enter For in all ciuill conuersation or disputation especially in matters of religion we should intend nothinge els but the consolation of our soules and the edification of our neighbours and as the Apostle saith Non nosmetipsos sed Iesum Christum praedicamus not our selues or our owne glory should we ayme at but that of Christ Iesu whose cote without seame is rente in peeces by so many wilfull inuēted opinions of protestāts whose mysticall body I meane his Church is despised forsaken persecuted the fruite of whose doctrine and the proiect of their strange deuises tendes to nothinge els then to shake the very pillars stroungest foundations and fortresses of all Christianity and at lenght to bringe in all coldnes and doubtfulnesse in our beleefe and misbeleefe in the principaleste misteries in our Catholike religion plaine Athesime and confusion of all Christian piety a gate for all disorders and dissolution of life and manners a shipwreacke of Conscience and other marckable and sutable effectes to their doctrine and behauiour which are practised by them daily in all places where they beare sway And although euery man as S. Naz. saith may thinke of God but not euery man dispute of him so euery man ought not to dispute or doubte of the cheefest misteries of Catholike religion but beleeue them simply with the vniuersall Church which is accordinge the Apostle the firmamente and foundation of trueth and therfore can not in any sorte deceaue vs. Lib. I. CHAPTER I. WHether the Religiō which Protestants professe be a newe Religion or whether the Romish Religion be new and that of the Protestants be ancient and ould CHAPTER II. The occasion of Luthers and of other heretiques fal from the Catholike Church fol. 13 CHAPTER III. By what deceite hypocrisie and dissimulation this heresie crept in to other Countries by what periurie and forgerie they were deluded by it and what destruction and desolation it brought with it fol. 21 CHAPTER IV. That heresies are the cause of Reuolutiō of Countries and destruction of state fol. 30 CHAPTER V. A prosecution of the laste Chapter that heresies are the causes of troubles and disquiettnes fol. 49 CHAPTER VI. That God doth extende the rodde of his wrath vpon Princes and common welthes infected with heresies fol. 43 CHAPTER VII Of the miserable death and endes of such as deuised and defended the protestant Religion as also other heresies fol. 61 Lib. II. CHAPTER I. Whether there be nothing that the Protestantes affirmatiuely beleeue confesse and professe but the Church of Rome doth beleeue the same and cannot be denied by Catholiques but that they are most auncient and consonant to the word of God fol. 71 CHAPTER II. A further Confirmation that these new ghospellers tende directly to Turcisme f. 83 CHAPTER III. Whether Papist Priestes do amisse in taking any thinge for their Masses fol. 86 CHAPTER IV. Of prayinge vnto Saints And whether the Church doth offend in praying vnto them fol. 91 CHAPTER V. Whether Papistes doe err in worshipping and adorning the reliques of Saints whether they sell their Masse and praiers for tēporall gaine fol. 102 CHAPTER VI. Whether Papists do commit Idolatrie in worshipping the Crosse of Iesus Christ f. 129. Lib. III. CHAPTER I. Whether Papistes blaspheme against God in sayinge that any man can merite fol. 150 CHAPTER II. Protestants say that a Christian though neuer so vertuous or so acceptable to God hath no grace or vertue inherent in him because they would haue no good acte to come from man by reason of that grace fol. 157 CHAP. III. In that heretiques reprehend the Catholique Church yea cōdemne her of great folly for endeuouring her selfe to receaue godes graces they by this meane take away free will from man and all due preparation and disposition to receaue godes grace and diuine influence fol. 161 CHAP. IV. Whether we derogate from the merites of Christ in making our merites partakers of his merits fol. 169 CHAP. V. The absurdity of this doctrine that euerie one should assure himselfe that he it predestinated vnto life euerlasting and that we ought to be as certaine thereof as we should not once feare the contrary or to misdoubt the same is discussed fol. 186 Lib. 4. CHAP. I. Whether the holy scriptures be for Protestantes and not for Papistes and whether we rely vpon traditions not warranted by holy Scripture fol. 193 CHAP. II. Whether euery man ought to be iudge of the scripture and rely altogether vpon his owne iudgement touching the interpretation therof being inspired by the holly ghost concerning the same fol. 208 CHAP. III. How heretiques would faine take away all tradition alleadging for their purpose that of S. Math. 15. In vaine you worship me teaching for doctrine mens precepts fol. 213 CHAP. IV. Certaine obiections answered against traditions taken out of the first Chapter of S. Paule to the Galathians fol. 231 CHAP. V. Whether we prohibit the scriptures to be translated into the vulgar tounge fol. 234 CHAP. VI. Whether we forbid the ignorante to pray in a languadge which they vnderstand f. 240 CHAP. VII Whether a man ought not to pray either by himselfe or by another but in a language he vnderstandeth fol. 251 Lib. V. CHAP. I. Whether the Church vniuersall can be charged with errors contrary to the first institution of the blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist fol. 259 CHAP. II. Whether the Catholique Church doth add to this Sacrament in making it

as God almightie comanded Moyses when he would deliuer his people from the seruile yoke of Aegipte Exod. 4. to take into his handes a peece of wood that is to say his rodd by which he was to worke all those miracles that he wrought Exod. 7.8.9 so when our Sauiour was to deliuer mākind from the thraldome of the deuill he tooke this wood which is his crosse of which Moyses rodde was a figure by which our Sauiour hath redeemed vs and by which both he and his spouse the Church doe worke miracles of which the spouse in the Canticles saith Cant. 7. Ascendam in altum apprehendam fructum eius I will climbe vpp into the toppe thereof and I will take some of the fruicte The fruit of this noble crosse is the mortifications of our passions the bridlinge of our filthie concupiscense the crucifie●g● of our luxurious carcase the restraint of our vnsatiable appetites The fruitt thre●●of are all the vertues both morall and supernaturall The fruicte thereof is a chast bodie a contrite hart an instant prayer a feruent spiritt a sounde religion a quiett conscience a perfect life a pure intention and a contemplatiue mind the foundatiō of all these vertues is true humilitie which was neuer knowen in the worlde before the crosse was exalted in worlde which as the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 1. as vnto the Iewes ●ertes a scandall vnto the gentiles foolishnes so now adayes vnto the heretiques of this tyme is Idolatrie but glorie and saluation vnto the vertuous catholiques who doe learne daily by this signe of the holy crosse the principall misteries of our faith which are two 12. First the misterie of the vnitie and trinitie of God secondlie the incarnation and passion of our Sauiour Wee make the signe of the crosse in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost and in this forme Puttinge the right hand vnder the foread when wee say in the name of the Father then vnder the breast when wee say and of the sonne lastly from the left shoulder vnto the right when wee say and of the holie ghoast And saying in the name and not in the names doth shew the vnitie of God and the diuine power and authoritie which is one onlie in all the three persons these woordes of the father of the sonne and of the holy Ghoast doe shewe vnto vs the trinitie of persons the signinge in forme of a crosse representeth vnto vs the passion and consequentlie the incarnation of the sonne of God the passinge from the left shoulder to the right signifieth that by that passion of our Sauiour wee were transferred from sinne vnto grace from transitorie thinges vnto eternall from death to life and wee that for our demeritts were to be placed with goates vpon the lefte hand he transferred vs with his sheepe vnto the right where wee may heare that blessed voice Matt. 15. Come yee blessed of my Father possesse the kingdome prepared for you c. 13. This signe also is made to shewe that wee are Christians to witt soldiors of Christ because this signe is as it were an ensigne or liuerie which distinguisheth the souldiors of Christ from all the enemies of the holie Church videl Gentiles Iewes Turckes and Heretiques besides this signe is made to call for Godes helpe in all our woorkes because with this signe the most holie Trinity is called to helpe by meanes of the passion of our Sauiour and therfore good Christians vse to make this signe when they arise from bed when they goe to sleepe and in the beginninge of all other thinges Finally this signe is made to arme vs against all temptations of the diuill because the diuill is afraide of this signe and flieth from it as malefactours doe when they see the signe of the Officers of iustice and many tymes by meanes of this signe of the holy crosse a man escapeth many dangers 14. S. Gregor Nazianzen Naz. in oratione priore quā scripsit aduers Iulianum writeth of Iulian the Apostate Ad crucem confugit ac ob timore●● signatur adiutorem facit quem persequebatur c. He flieth vnto the crosse he signes himselfe therwith he doth aske his helpe whome he persecuted the signe of the crosse did preuaile the diuills are ouercome Theodoretus most famous amoungest the Grecians saith also of him Theod. li. 3. hist eccle Apparentibus demonibus c. When the diuills did appeare vnto him he was compelled to signe his fore-head with the signe of the crosse and presentlie the diuills at the sight of the signe of Christs ensigne remembringe their ouerthrowe they presentlie vanished away And Zozomenus saith of him th●s Ex consuetudine pristina symbolo se Christ● clanculum obsignauit spectra illi subito euanuerunt Accordinge the old custome he did signe himselfe secrerlie with the badge of Christ and the ghoastes forthwith disappeared 15. Tertulian also wisheth euerie true soldiear of Christ Tert. de corona militis to defend and arme himselfe with the signe of the crosse Quamobrem ad omnem progressum c. Wherfore it was vsed that euerie one should make the signe of the crosse in his fore-head at his progresse and promotion at his goinge in and cominge forth in apparellinge himselfe in puttinge on his shoes in washinge himselfe at the table at the lightes at his goinge to bed at his rest in all his actions and conuersations Vnto which agreeth S. Chrisostome saying Neque sic regia corona ornatur caput Chrys in demonstr aduersus Gentiles quod Christus sit Deus to 3. vt Cruce subinde omnes ea se signant c. The crosse is a better ornament for the head of a Christian then the Diademe or crowne of a kinge when as all men do signe themselues therwith in their cheefest and principalest member which is the fore-head beinge the piller in which the same is engraued soe it is vsed in the Eucharist and in the holy Orders of priesthood likewise it shineth at Christs bodie at his misticall supper at home and abroade 〈◊〉 and in companie in your iourney at sea in the shipp in your apparell in your weapons and armes in the bodies of beastes ill at ease in the bodies of men possessed by the diuills so as all men ought to be greedie of this maruailous and pretious good of which they ought to be verie carfull thus fare S. Chrisostome of this noble crosse of which none that is a good Christian is ashamed but the Heretique is confounded therwith 16. The same also S. Augustine insinuated saying Aug. in Psal 141. Let him delude and tryumph ouer Christ crucified insultat ille Christo crucifixo c. I may behold the crosse of Christ in the fore-head of kinges that which he despiseth is a saluation to me none is so prowde as the diseased man that scornes his owne cure if he will not scorne it he should himselfe receaue

but forasmuch as they imbrace the wicked doctrine of Caluine Cal. lib. 1. instit cap. 28. that it is a sinne for a man not to sinne and in another place that to restraine any desire that comes vnto a man is to resist God and to sinne for that God is the efficient cause of all euill woorks this mortification and punishinge of the fleash cannot sounde well in their eares whose doctrine life is repugnant to mortification religion discipline all woorks of pennaunce Whether wee ought to confesse our sinnes to priests and whether that priests cannot remitt or for giue them CHAPTER IV. THe opinion of protestants is disproued by learned S. Augustine sayinge Let no man make doubt of the priestes right in remission of sinnes seinge the holie ghoast is purposely giuen them to doe the same it is not absurde saith S. Cyrill lib. 52. that they forgiue sinnes which haue the holie ghoaste Cyril lib. 52. c. 56. in Ioan. for when they remitt and retaine the holy ghoast remitteth and retaineth in them the which they doe two wayes first in baptisme and afterwardes in pennaunce I doe not wonder when Sathan by his members labours to destroie all religion that he should goe about also to abolish the cheefest piller therof which is this Sacrament of confession instituted by our Sauiour for the cheefest consolation of our troubled soules For when the Apostles were gathered together in one place after Christs resurrectiō he said vnto thē All power in heauen and earthe is giuen vnto me as my father did send me soe I send yow he breathed vppon them and he saied vnto them receaue yow the holie ghoaste whose sinnes you shall forgiue they are forgiuen them and whose you shall retaine they are retained And when our Lord gaue power and authoritie to priests to remitt and retaine sinnes it is manifest that he made them iudges of our soules as may appeare when Lazarus was raised from death to life Ioh. 11. Cyril li 7 cap. vlt. Aug. trac 49. in Ioannem Luc 17. Aug. de vera falsa poenit c. 19. ser 8. de verbis Domini and beinge tied hand and foote in the graue he said to his Apostles loose him and let him goe S. Cyrill and S. Augustine applie this to the Apostles and the priests authoritie of absoluinge sinners affirming Christ to receaue none into the churche but by the priests ministrie and soe he comaunded the lepers to shewe themselues to the priests and to submitt themselues vnto their iudgment 2 This is declared also by the actes of many of them that beleeued and came confessinge and declaringe their deeds Act. 19. Marci 1. also by S. Marcke when all the countrie of Iurie went vnto S. Iohn confessinge their sinnes which was not don by a generall confession but by a perticuler confession of them S. Iames also doth proue the same saying Is any man sicke amounge you let him bringe in the priestes of the church and if he be in sinnes they shal be forgiuen him Your owne comunion booke hath the plaine wordes of absolution the wordes be these Our Lord Iesus which hath left power to his church to absolue all sinners which trulie repent and beleue in him of his great mercie forgiue thee thine offences and by his authoritie comitted vnto me I absolue thee from all thy sinnes In the name of the father the sonne and the holy Ghost Aug lib. 2. de visitatione infirmorū cap. 4. lib. 1. c. 2 S. Aug. saith Some thinckes that it is enough for them to confesse their sinnes only vnto God which knowes the secreattes of euerie ones harte because either for shame or for some other cause they would not vnfould their offēces vnto the priestes vnto whome God haue giuen sufficient authoritie to discerne betwixt leper and leper but I would not haue yow be deceaued or confounded for confessinge thy sinnes before the viccar of our Lord. Aug. lib 50. homil 49. The same he confirmed further saying Let no man say I confesse before God secreatlie God knowes my harte who will pardone me if that be soe saith he in vaine it is said whose sinnes soeuer yow forgiue they shal be forgiuen in vaine also the keies of the kingdome of heauen are giuen to the churche Amb. li. 1. de poena cap. 2. S. Ambrose also refellinge the heresie of the Nouatians which taught that God neuer gaue power to any to remit sinnes saith God bid vs to obey his ministers and by doinge soe wee honour God c. Chrysost homil ●9 ad populum 3. This is also proued by S. Chrisostome who said that trewe pennaunce doth cause a poore sinner to suffer all thinges willinglie in his harte perfect contrition in his mouthe confession in his workes all humanitie for saith he this is a most fruictfull pennaunce for by what meanes wee haue offended God by that meanes also wee should be reconsiled vnto him vid. by our harte by contrition by our mouthe by confession by our acte throughe satisfaction Holy councells also as the councell of Florence haue determined this truth and all the fathers of the church as S. Cyprian Epistola 10. Epistola 15. Epistola 1.62 cap. 52. Hugo aduersus luciferanos Cyp. lib. de lapsis 15. Orig. in leuit homil 2. psal 32 Aug. Epistola 54. Socrates lib. 5. cap. 19. Zozo lib. 7. 4. Againe by takinge away from the christians the only bridle which is this sacramentall confession that should curbe and restraine them from their wickednes they giue occasiō that they runn headlong to all dissolution wanton exercise which the protestantes of Germanie perceauing by experience to be true they requested the Emperor Charles the 5. being then at Nor●mberge in 4. d. 18. q. 1. ar 1. that by his imperiall authoritie he would cause cōfession againe to be brought ●n wherat Sotus a learned diuine beinge with the Emperor did aunswere laughing and said if by the lawe of God men are not bound to vnfould their sinnes to a prieste ●or by that lawe the priest can absolue as they said how can they be compelled therunto by the precept of man for by humaine precept noe man will reueale his secreat sinnes to any man 5. Pacianus answereth the heretiques that say God only remitteth sinnes Sed quod per sacerdotes suos facit ipsius potestas est and a little after he saith that as not only the Apostles doe baptize but also their successors soe not only they remitt sinnes but also their successors Paulinus in vita Ambro. S. Ambrose hearinge confessions wept as the penitentes confessed their sinnes and by weepinge moued them to contrition Tertulian tells how the christians in his time kneeled to the priests for remission S. Hieronimus epist ad Heliodorum God forbid that that I should speake ill of priests who succeedinge to the Apostles by their holy mouth doe make the body of Christe by whome wee also

are christians who hauing the keies of the kingdome of heauen doe in some sorte iudge vs before the day of iudgment Vict. 2. pers Vand. recounteth how whē the priests were banished by the Arriās the catholique people cried out moste lamentably to whome doe yow leaue vs miserable whiles you goe to your crownes who shall baptise these little ones with the fountaines of euerlastinge water who shall giue vs the guift of pennaunce and free vs from the baundes of sinne by the indulgence of reconsiliation because to yow it is said Whatsoeuer yow shall loose vpon earth shall be loosed in heauen Our Sauiour gaue to his Apostles consequentlie to S. Peter power to remitte sinnes whose sinnes yow forgiue c. and seinge the Pope is the lawfull successor of S. Peter it followeth that he succeded to him in his authoritie And although the heretiques doe aunswere that this power was giuen them by baptisme and preachinge yet it sufficeth not because this pouer was giuen them in distinct places from the place alleadged to witt in the last place of S. Mathewe and S. Marcke his ghospell and although by baptisme preachinge the Prieste in some sorte remitteth sinnes yet he cannot remitt the sinnes comitted after baptisme which cannot be reiterated and neither by baptisme or preachinge can he be said to retaine sinnes Whether fastinge from one sorte of meate more then from another or for to vse any obseruation therin be superstitious accordinge as protestants doe affirme CHAPTER V. AErius the heretique Aug lib. de heres cap. 33. Epiph. heres as S. Augustine and S. Epipha say defended this doctrine against the catholique churche as Luther and his followers doe now a daies for that say they they would not submitt themselues to any thinge that the churche comaunded Matt. 15. Mar. 7. They alleadge scriptures for themselues as the wordes of our Sauiour not that which entreth into the mouth defileth a man c. Aso they alleadge for themselues for breakinge of fasts the 14 chapter of S. Paule also S. Paule to Timothy In the last tymes men shall departe from the faith attendinge to spiritts of error and doctrine of deuills speakinge lies in hipocrisie forbiddinge to marrie and abstaine from meates which God created c. Aug. lib. de morib Ecc. Cath. cap. 33. To all which I aunswere with S. Augustine that catholiques doe not abstaine from certaine meates for that they esteeme any meat vncleane either by creation or by iudaicall obseruation but they abstaine for chastisinge of their concupiscence It is sinne only which properly defileth man and meates of themselues or of their owne nature doe not defile but by accident they make a man to sinne as the disobedience of Gods comaundements or of our superiors who forbidd some meates for certaine times and causes is a sinne as the apple which our first parents did eate though of it selfe it did not defile them yet beinge eaten against the precepte it did defile for neither flesh nor fish of it selfe doth defile Genes 3. Chrys homil 12. in 1. Timoth. but the breach of the churches precept is it which defileth And as for S. Paule he speaketh as S. Chrsostome said of the Manichees Eucratites and Marcionistes Epiph. here 45 26.6● Hier. contra Iouin cap. Aug heres 25. and S. Ambrose addeth vppon this place the Patritians also S. Epiphanius S. Hierom S. Augustine and generally all antiquitie affirme the same both of them and also of the heretiques called Apostolici Ebiointes and the like whose heresie about marriadge was that to vse the act of matrimonie was of Sathan 2. Touching the prohibition of meates or vse of certaine creatures made to be eaten there were many opinions the first was of Philosophers Pithagoras Empedocles Apollinaris Porphirius and others who condemned the vse of meates as of beastes for that they thought that al beastes had reasonable soules and that they passed from bodie to bodie The second was of heretiques which condemned the vse of these meates for that they said they were c●eated of the diuill and not of God as Marcion Tatian and Manichees against whome S. Paule his meaninge is to be const●ued in the said place of Timothy 1. Tim. 4. as it is declared in the Canons of the Apostles and in the councells of Ancira Gangrensis Epiph. heres 42.47 the f●rst of Toledo and Braga as also by Epipha The third opinion touchinge prohibition of meates was of certaine christians in the beginninge of the churche and after the publishinge of the ghospell who thought that christians were bound to abstaine from such meates as were prohibited by the old lawe of which opinion S. Paule speakes in the 14. chapter to the Romaines which he disproues aswell there as in the Actes of the Apostles Act. 10.15 Soe that by these places of scripture misaplied they goe about to abolish all fastinge which our Sauiour and all holie people as many as euer were in this world did obserue Matt. 4. and begon and finished their heroicall workes withall for our Sauiour fasted 40. dayes S. Iohn did abstaine from all delicate meates and drinckes Mat 3.11 Mar. 1. Num 6. Iere. 35.14 Iona 3. Mat. 9.14 the Recabites and Nazaretts are comended in holy scripture for their fastinge also the Niniuites for their fastinge were pardoned S. Iohns disciples fasted and Christ said to his disciples that they should obserue the same after his departure from them 3. Now the difference of the fast of the churche of God Aug. li. 5. contra Faustum cap. 5. Theod. in Epito diuinorum decretorū c. de abst and of heretiques Saint Augustine declareth and Theodoretus also S. Bernard supra Cant. ser 66. Epipha in lib. de compend doctrinae catholicae for he saith that in the church there was great difference of fastinge accordinge either to the vowe or mortification of euerie one some fasted frō all kinde of fleash some fasted from eggs and all white meates some from any thing that should be fodd and from all kinde of fruictes for before the flood noe wine was droncken noe fleash was eaten And all the poore people either in the old lawe or in the lawe of grace did obserue this faste Moises and Elias fasted 40. dayes ether of them Samuell was comaunded he should drincke noe wine All the priestes that were imploied in the misteries of the church were forbidden to drinke any wine or any thinge else that should distemper them Iudith Hester Daniell and the Machabees by their fastinge haue atcheeued and perfourmed those worthie exploites which are registred in holie scriptures Againe wee are bid by Ioell to turne to God by fastinge Ioel. 1. Psal 68. Dauid said that he couered his soule with fastinge The iustification of a christian in this life as S. Augustine saith is fastinge Aug. in Psal 4.2 prayers and almesdeedes and therfore the catholique church as she ordained certaine times of