and bookes Nay rather how can we receiue and admit of them seeing they belie themselues or build our selues vpon them seeing they plucke downe themselues hauing receyued the black sentence by the Primitiue Church and being confounded by their owne mouthes wordes And in all this who goeth away with the losse our aduersaries for producing false witnes or we for charging them therewithall they for offering to make vp theyr payment of counterfeyte coyne and that in a bargaine of merchandize of such prices and worth or we for touching and making an assay thereof But what is the greatest gaine that riseth by such faining and counterfeyting of bookes Certes euen such as ordinarilie attendeth Sathan in all the trauell and paine hee putteth himselfe vnto namelie to drawe and allure and afterwarde to keepe man kinde in the snares of ignorance or errour by his counterfeyte and fained deuises The same which fel vpon those deceyuing Spirits in the first ages of the christian Churches for foisting in the goodlie Gospells of Nicodemus S. Iames S. Bartholomew S. Thomas and others which was a derogating from the authoritie of the holy true Scriptures so much as in them laye by the bringing in of those which were false What did the Manichies pretend sayeth S. Augustine by their false Actes of the Apostles Euen nothing else but to weaken the truth of the holie historie and to strengthen the arme of falshoode which suteth verie well with that which Leo the first saide That these pretended writinges of the Apostles which vnder this faire name contained the seedes of manie false doctrines ought not onelie to bee forbidden in the church but quite banished yea burned Againe it is most certaine that one of the hotest persecutions that euer the Primitiue Church endured and whereof it so grieuously complayneth was that which was kindled with the bellowes of false and counterfeyte writinges and those proceeding so farre as euen to shrowde themselues vnder the name of Iesus Christ of the truth it selfe so ragingly did the spirite of lying ouerflow and so licentiouslie did he run loose at his libertie in these first ages as there was not to be found a more deadly wound then that against the puritie of the Gospell so the ancient Fathers did fortifie and arme themselues to the vttermost of their might for the keeping out of the same as Ireneus Iustine Origene Melito and others by distinguishing the Canonicall bookes from the Apocrypha whereas our aduersaries now a dayes that they may haue the better meanes to support and beare out their lies are nothing so carefull for or so zealously and earnestlie set vppon anie thing as to shake and weaken the authoritie of the holie Canonicall Scriptures and that partlie by slipping in amongst thē such books as the Primitiue Church had cut off as dead vnprofitable members partlie by reuiuing yea by new coining such store of such manner of fables such store of such such fooleries as possiblie they could deuise al to that end that amongst so much filthie and durtie stuffe as they brought and as had beene of olde swept and cast out of the Church by the auncient Fathers they might at the leaste finde out some scantlins more or lesse of the stuffe wherewith they did infect and corrupt their Church CHAP. III. What manner of diuine Seruice was vsed in the Christian Church in the time of the Apostles and their Disciples NOw it may not content vs to know that the Masse which is vsed at this day was no parte of the diuine seruice of God in the Christians Church in the time of the Apostles and their Disciples nor yet anie other thing comming neare vnto the same but wee must goe further and search what manner of seruice it was though wee bee put to fish and finde out the truth from the botomles lake of lying deceitfulnes a thing become very hard and difficult for vs to atchieue by reason of the piled heaps of ceremonies and the mighty multiplying of Nouelties for men to play and sport themselues withall throughout the whole continuance of so manie ages and because also that besides all such we shall bee forced to vndertake the clearing of this so intricate and intangled a matter by the darke and dimme traces as they may be found which are apparant in the bookes that are left vs and which our aduersaries themselues doe approue to the ende that on the one side we may bee able to discerne of Superstition from which we must depart and that on the other side we may not hang in suspence what is the true seruice of God wherunto we are to cleaue and according whereunto we ought as neere as may bee to desire and labour for the reformation of the Church Now this ought to suffice vs 1. Cor. 11. that S. Paule hath tolde vs that he hath not taught the Churches anie thing but that which he had receyued from the Lord and which also he hath declared vnto vs and againe that S. Peter by the bookes of our verie aduersaries is sayed to haue tyed and kepte himselfe to his institution And who is hee that would receiue or belieue otherwise of anie one or al the rest but yet notwithstanding men will not be content herewithall wee must be forced for their satisfaction to handle the matter in a more large and ample manner And here first we are to consider what S. Angustine telleth vs that is What the seruice was amongst the Christians that the church of God yea of Christ had his beginning in Adam shall end in this world by the last Christian which is asmuch to say as that there is but one Church euer since the beginning euen vnto the worlds end howsoeuer it haue his diuerse periods amongst all which that was the chief and principall which happened vpon the change of Iudaisme into Christianitie for to speake properlie a good Iewe was no other thing then a Christian by faith looking and waiting for the Messias which is Christ as in like manner a Christian is a true and naturall Iew of the true seed of Abraham in asmuch as by the same faith he hath receiued Iesus for the Christ The diuine seruice likewise amongst the Iewes notwithstanding that they were darkened in their opinions by the peruerse glosses of the Pharisies was abiding sincere and pure purged and free from all Idolatrie in as great measure as euer at any time before when our Sauiour Christ came into the world whereupon wee see he made it not straunge neither yet his Disciples to be conuersant in their Temple and Synagogues But on the contrary there was the place where our Lord did chuse oftentimes to take occasion to teach instruct the people to interprete the Scriptures which were therein diligentlie read as in like manner his Apostles did after his example Iohn 18. Actes 15. and to this end we haue infinite store of plaine and manifest places both
catechised NOw in the time of Constantine his rule and gouernment in the Empire A notable alteration vnder Constantine afterward we see and behold the estate of the Christian Church to change from persecution to peace from seruitude and slauerie to principality rule and dominion by remouing out of the deserts to dwell in Citties and from keeping in caues and holes to sit in faire and stately palaces Here we see it imbraced of the multitude entertained of Emperors and those the most famous and worthiest of all the rest namely the Emperours of Rome and receiued of whole nations and those such as bare away the pricke and price from the whole world for pride and riotousnes Let vs not find it strange if in this great change we see it altogether changed euen at one blow if the Church embracing the world into her lappe become sweld and puffed vp with the same in a moment if the worlde enter into the Church with the worlde being brought thereinto by the entrance it obtained I meane the vanities superfluities affections and imperfections together with all the rest of the infections of the world The Church had beene nourished in mountaines and deserts she came forth of such places clothed with Camels haire in all so brietie simplicitie and innocencie The Bishops for the most part bringing her forth into the world were ashamed to shew her in such sort vnto the Gentils to them which newly came or else were willing to come out of Paganisme These good Emperours likewise desirous to haue her receiued of these people becomming more curious in setting out of the vtter partes then of the inner of the shew and appearance then of the truth and of the ceremonie then of the substance did not make conscience or spare to decke her vp after the manner of Paganisme to prepare her the glorious ornaments vsed amongst the Gentiles and to accommodate and fit thereunto as farre as they thought possiblie they might without preiudicing of their holy faith the seruice and ceremonies of the Christians to those vsed amongst the Pagans And this their course and manner of proceeding was called amongst them zeale and prudencie which Tertullian a precise and seuere obseruer and challenger of the first puritie had called sacriledge Wherein againe they thought it meet to keep such a tempering because that hauing at the same time to care for the satisfying of them of the circumcision euen the Iewes which embraced Christianitie furthered and helped forward thereto for the most part vpon a conceited opinion that they had dreamed of of the greatnes of the Messias they thought they might thereby be able to shew them the accomplishment of their expected hope in the outward gorgeousnes of the Christian Church and where they thought they ought to beautifie her simplicitie and nakednesse there they borrowed willingly all they could either of wordes or ceremonies from the Iewes Seeing then the whole outward seruice both of the Iewes and Gentiles did consist principally in sacrifices those of the Gentiles hauing no certaine scope or marke to ayme at and those of the Iewes looking all forward vnto Iesus Christ vpon and in whom they were all founded and finished it seemed hard and harsh vnto them and like to giue much offence if they should wholly abolish all sacrifices because these proselites newly conuerted to Christianitie did not belieue that religion could stande without sacrifices not conceiuing the truth how that all sacrifices are nothing further then they are applied vnto the onely true sacrifice of the Son of God fulfilled vpon the crosse Least therefore they might exasperate and prouoke either the one or the other the Christians applyed themselues to heare and speake both of altars and sacrifices And because that the Apostles had taken paine to beate it into their heads and harts that all sacrifices tooke their end in Christ they tooke pleasure in calling their seruices offeringes and oblations sacrifices the table of the Lord his Altar the remembrance of his death in his holy supper the sacrifice of the Altar a holy host the Bishops and Pastors Sacrificers and the Deacons Leuites c. These kindes of speeches being easily to bee vnderstoode of euerie one amongst them and such as at that time were not hurtfull howsoeuer in the ages following falling out to bee fuller of ignoraunce and further swaruing from the clearenes of the light they became causes of great abuses because they would aduenture further go from the figure and signe to the thing from the spirit to the letter from an improper manner of speech into an errour of doctrine The Gentiles likewise had a multitude of Gods vnto euery one of which they had builded churches raysed altars and made sacrifices Now to restraine such a people at once to the seruice of one onely God and that God altogether a spirit to a seruice altogether spirituall being a carnall people a people brutishly enamoured with their pompous manner and ceremonies with their images of wood and stone the wisedome of man found to be scandalous full of offence and without the bounds of discretion and therefore would haue regard of the saide Gentiles in such sort as that they might build them vp and not pull them downe and feede them first with milke as they called it and afterwarde with strong meate for so this place was then abused 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereas then the first ages had sharpely and couragiously contested that to haue many Gods was not to haue any at all It was found pleasing and plausible to turne their Gods into Saintes and their Goddesses into she saintes and to place our Apostles and Martyrs in their roomes to dedicate vnto them their temples and Altars to allow them sacrificing priestes and high priestes to ordaine feastes and seruices in honour of them But this matter is handled hereafter more at large Where before that we come thereto let vs consider seeing the spirite of man is blinde in the thinges belonging to God how that these good men vnder a shadowe of drawing Iewes and Gentiles vnto Christ in course of time did faire and softly bring into the Church both Iudaisme and Paganisme I meane their ceremonies and outwarde pompes superstitions and vanities yea and that is worse many of their presumptions and preiudicate opinions in the matter of doctrine and how also it followed thereupon that the people did euerie day apply and ioyne themselues more more to the outwarde parte and put vs in daunger to bee rather Iewes and Gentiles then true Christians abusing the example of Saint Paule who became as hee saith a Iew to the Iewes a Gentile vnto the Gentiles and euery thing to euerie man to winne them vnto Christ and that without any manner of consideration how that the spirit of God is not giuen to all in one measure or how that euerie man is not capable to stand fast and keepe his hold in such tickle and slipperie places
hauing these giftes either of Saints or Angels but on the contrarie this doctrine was then noted to be the doctrine of heretickes as of the Basilidians and Ophites c. Who praied vnto Angels in their workes and that by set formes of praier Idem l. 1. c. 23. 35. which Ireneus rehearseth O tu Angele ab a te or opere tuo c. And these had likewise their pretended Saints Iudas Cain c. Against whom Ireneus doth not oppose either Abell or S. Peter but onely Iesus Christ our Lord. But in the Epistle of the Church of Smyrna Idem in Ep. ad Sâ—â—yâ—nens apud Euseb l. 4. c. 15. we haue this whole question handled the Martyrs were much honoured in the Church and they deeply condemned that did not honour them and not without cause being vessels chosen of God to seale and assure by their testimonie the resurrection of the Lord. But how far did this honour extend They were buried with great regard and there is made yearely a rehersall of their martyrdome vppon a certaine day the day of their death is celebrated and solemnized by the name of the day of their natiuitie in stead of the Paynims their Genethliacks or birth-daies the Church commeth together into the common place of buriall there to praie vnto God that by the sight of their bones they may be stirred vp to the like constancie for at that time they had not yet any Churches Now in respect of any of al this may they iustly be said to haue either worshipped or praied vnto them Nay rather saith this Epistle The Iewes and the Gentiles came to intrcate the gouernour that the body of Polycarpus might not be deliuered to the Christians least they should honour it in stead of Christ. But how doth the Church defend it selfe They are abused through ignorance saith it for we can neuer forsake Christ who hath suffered for the saluation of all them which are to bee saued in the whole world neither can we euer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 colere honour any other And note how it vseth the word which coÌ„prehendeth the seruice which was accustomed according to godlines to be giuen vnto Christ that is to say the seruing of him in calling vpon him seeking of our saluation in him But some said vnto them so greatly do you honour your Martyrs Yea saith the Church of Smyrna but we worship Christ as the true and naturall Sonne of God and we loue the Martyrs as his Disciples and followers and not without good cause for the incomparable loue which they haue borne to their king Schoolemaster we our selues greatly longing and earnestly desiring to become their companions and Schoole fellowes c. Finally We celebrate the natiuitie that is to say the day of the death and Martyrdome of Polycarpus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in remembrance of them that haue finished the combat before vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for the preparing and exercising of them which are to come thereto that is to say to stirre vp such as are present to the like constancie for the name of Christ Who giueth vs the grace say they and not the Martyrs to bee partakers of the like crowne Tertull. in Apol. c. And this Epistle was written about the yeare 160. Tertullian saith J pray not to any but him of whome I know that I may obtaine because it is hee onely which doth and giueth all things and I am one that haue need to beg and craue his seruant to honour him alone and to offer vnto him the best fattest sacrifice as he hath commanded euen a praier and supplication which proceedeth from a chast body an innocent soule and a holy spirit c. And in the booke of the Trinitie he yeeldeth a reason why hee praieth vnto him alone It is not proper or pertinent to any but God to know our secrets but Christ knoweth the secrets of our harts Jt belongeth not to any but God to forgiue sins but Christ forgiueth sinnes Reasoning from his all-seeing knowledge and from his Almightie power to proue his Deitie Godhead and froÌ„ the Godhead to the seruice of inuocation Againe Else how should a man be sought sued vnto in our praiers as our mediator seing that the inuocating of one only man is without any power or efficacie to saluation seeing also it is said cursed is that coÌ„fidence that is put in man c. To that aboue said they oppose and bring a place of Ireneus Obiections where there is comparison made betwixt Eue and the Virgine Marie As Eue saith he was seduced by the words of an Angell that is a wicked Angell to runne from God by transgressing of his word so the Virgine Marie receiued ioyfull tidings by the word of an Angell that is a good Angell to heare God by obeying vnto his word And as the first was seduced and drawne away to runne and flie from God so the second was perswaded to obey him to the end that of the Virgine Eue the Virgin Mary fieret aduocata might become say they the aduocate Here saith Belarmine what can be more cleare Yea rather say we vnto him what can be more obscure That the Virgine Marie should be Eue her aduocate with God being borne 4000. yeares after Eue and receiued likewise a long time after her into heauen when as likewise we shall haue regard to their opinion of the Limbes But in deed that which goeth before as also that which followeth sheweth clearely that Ireneus had no other drift but to oppose the good that came to mankind by the meanes ministerie of Marie to the maladie and mischiefe wherwith the same became infected by that transgression of Eue. And as for the word Aduocate some are of iudgement that Ireneus was translated out of Greeke into Latine for we haue great peeces of him as yet in Greeke and further it cannot possibly bee that euer any Latine writer would haue written in such a stile 2. Cor. 7. passim Ioh. 16 And in other places also hee is verie absurdly translated by his interpreter Now the case so standeth that in the Greeke one and the same word dooth signifie both an aduocate and a comforter that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and one and the same Verbe to comfort and to exhort as is often and commonly to be seene in the Scriptures So in S. Iohn that which is translated in the Gospell Comforter according to the old translation speaking of the holy Ghost the comforter of our soules is interpreted Aduocate in the Epistle of S. Iohn 1. Ioh. 2.11 Tertul. de Trinit c. 29. speaking of Christ the mediatour Likewise Tertullian where he speaketh of the holy Ghost translateth it Aduocatum so indifferently hath it beene taken either for the one or for the other And so the sence is as if Ireneus should say that as Eue was the ruine and ouerthrow of mankind so the
let him know that tendeth any other course that he shall not attaine vnto the light of the truth which he shal grope after in darknes To be short saith he what soeuer is said since the apostles times is cut off it beareth no authority with it c. Hieronym in Psal 87. how holie prudent soeuer the Authors thereof might be S. August The Canonicall Scripture is set vpon a throne and euerie faithfull vnderstanding must be subiect thereunto If we yea if an Angel from heauen August contr Faust l. 11. c. 5. cont lit ras Petil. 6 lib. 2. contr Donatist c. 6. tract 2 in Ep. S. Iohan do teach any thing more then that which is contained in the Scriptures the Law or the Gospel let him be accursed In our cōtrouersies let vs bring this ballance these gold waights as out of the closet of God to iudge that of weight from that which is light Let vs there iudge of errors for God hath placed in the Scriptures a bright and cleare shining firmament to discouer confute them The Councels for saith he vnto the Arrians I alledge not vnto thee the Councell of Nice Cont. Maxim Episc Arrian l. 3. c. 14. De Ciuit. Dei l. 11. c. 1. Epist 166. De vnit eccles c. 1. 3. 4. 5. 6. 16. neither therefore doe thou alledge vnto me the councel of Rimini but let vs trie the maistry by the Scriptures which both you and I my selfe doe well approue c. The Church likewise for The citie of God doth beleeue in the Scriptures and by them is faith conceiued In the Scriptures saith he we haue learned Christ therein also haue we learned to know the Church we haue knowne the head and therefore cannot misknow the bodie thereof VVhether we or the Donatists be the Church the Scriptures alone will teach and instruct vs. Saint Chrysostome The ignoraunce of the Scriptures hath begotten heresies c. Though the dead should liue again or an Angel descend frō heauen Chrysost in hom de Laza. yet we must principally and before them beleeue the Scripture The Angels are but seruants ministring spirits but the Scripture is the Lord maister In Epi. ad Gal. hom 1. In 5. Mat. hom 43. 49. In 1. ad Thess homil 7. In 2. ad Corin. homil 33. In Psal 5.95.142.147 In at this gate doe both the sheepe and shepheard enter they driue away heretikes who so entreth not by them is a theefe The Scripture is the kingdome of heauen it is inclosed therein and fastned thereunto The gate of this kingdome is the vnderstanding of the Scriptures Setting our course and sailing after them wee haue the sonne of God for our patron and protector they are our rule and our squire As the light is vnto the eies so is the law of God vnto our spirits without it all our senses halt An heire doth willingly possesse himselfe of his fathers will and testament and so should we no lesse of the Scriptures the furniture and prouision for our warre against sinne and Sathan himselfe c. In which saith he in another place wee must either denie Christ or blot out the Scriptures or else become the obedient seruants of the Scriptures And if he said this then against the heretikes of his time then much more against Antichrist to come and vpon farre more iust causes and considerations For saith he when this cursed heresie the armie of Antichrist shall possesse the Churches there will not bee found any proofe or maner of helpe to trie and know Christendome by but the holy Scriptures By them alone a man shall know where and who shall bee the true church In this confusion and hurlie burlie there will bee no want of broching and blasing abrode of miracles for euen alreadie the counterfet Christians haue most but and if a man looke any other way then to the Scriptures hee cannot but bee offended perish and fall into the abhomination of desolation which shall bee in the holie places of the Church And therefore our sauiour Christ knowing afore hand that such confusion should follow in the latter daies will that we flie vnto the Scriptures And now also this is the cause why according to the aduertisement of Saint Chrysostome we call you thereunto we which thus alledge and contend with the hazard of our liues and for the working of your saluation and our owne that that Antichrist is alreadie come and seated in your Church and all this according to the Scriptures and by the Scriptures Hereto you replie If his Scriptures alone take place in this controuersie then what shall become of so many goodly traditions What becommeth them of the traditions 1. Cor. 11. What shall become of our Church Verely if you speake of diuine traditions such as whereof Saint Paule saith I haue receiued of the Lord Quod tradidi vobis whatsoeuer I haue deliuered vnto you of those which haue their foundation in the Scriptures and whereof Irenaeus saith vnto vs Looke what Gospel the Apostles preached the same they deliuered vnto vs tradiderunt inquit nobis in the Scriptures Of them saith Saint Cyprian which descend from the authoritie of the Gospel Cypri in Epi. 74. ad Pomp. and the writing of the Apostles Verelie we will be readie to defend them if you will beleeue vs with common armour we shall be both the one and the other quit and freed from all our paines and trouble for the Scriptures and they wil mutuallie acknowledge one another as doe the little riuers and their heads or springs being touched with the touchstone of the Scripture they will hold their value But if by Traditions you meane mans inuentions and doctrines that are without and out of the Scriptures then we tell you that Christ hath giuen definitiue sentence thereof In vaine do you serue me Matth. 15 9 teaching for doctrines the commaundements of men And thus spake he to the Pharisies who wholy rested themselues in the Church in the Sorbone of that time which said as you do of yours at Trent that it was no lesse grieuous an offence to commit against or omit any thing contained in their traditions In Thal. ord 4. tract 4. dist 10 Esay 29 13. then and if such commission or omission had beene in respect of any point of the law it selfe And there is great like lihoode that it is come vpon you which was forespoken by the Prophets They haue serued mee according to the ordinances of men Ierem. 8 8. and therefore wisedome shall perish from their wise men They haue cast behind them the worde of the Lord and there is no wisdome in them But if you suspect the soundnesse of the Scripture Iust in Tryph or rather the vprightnesse of God in his owne cause then let vs heare the fathers Iustine We must giue credite to God and his ordinances alone and not vnto humane traditions And that he ruleth them
according to the Scriptures appeareth by that which he said before That Dauid that the Euangelists that the Apostles doe teach vs c. Cyp. in Epi. 74 Saint Cyprian If it be commaunded in the Gospel if it be contained in the Epistles or acts of the Apostles let vs obserue it as diuine and holie But if it be not there then what followeth but the contrarie Saint Basil VVe must learne the Scriptures Basil regul 95 as concerning that which is to be practised in them as well to replenish our spirit with pietie as to leaue of to accustome humane constitutions Saint Ierome Hiero. in Esas It is no maruell saith he speaking of the Iewes if you follow your traditions seeing that euerie country goeth to seeke counsaile at their Idols but God verely hath giuen vs his scriptures and darknesse shall ouerwhelme you if you follow them not As also vnto Christians for euen in his time saith he it was come to the lees In. Matth. 23. VVo be vnto you wretched Christians to whom the sinnes of the Pharisies are translated and come euen that damnable tradition of theirs c. wee swallow downe against the commaundement of God the things that are great and hunt after the opinion of religion in the small and little ones c. And once for all The sworde Ad Laetam saith he of the Lord striketh at all those doctrines which are found bearing the shewe of Apostolicall traditions without the authoritie and testimonie of the Scriptures And this is the verie thing whereof Saint Augustine so greatly complained himselfe in his time that in the Church euery thing was full of presumption S. August in Epi. ad Iouin In S. Ioha tract 96.97 and preiudicate opinion that contrarie to the expresse worde of Christ the yoke of Christians was become more heauie and greeuous then that of the Iewes That men made lesse conscience of the law of God then of the least humane ordinances or rather fansies All this or the most part thereof comming from heretikes and certaine Apocripha bookes vnder the shadow saith he of this worde From the Lord I haue yet many things to say insomuch as that there is not the veriest foole that is that dareth not to abuse the same A place that some obiect against vs euen vnto this day about the same matter But saith he when the Lord hath kept any thing hidden from vs who is he that is so vaine as to goe about to gesse at it or so rash and foole-hardie as to take vpon him to reueale it And this is the cause why Saint Bernard wearie of those insupportable traditions Bern. Epist 91 ad Abba Suissioni congreg said I desire with all my hart to present my selfe as a partie in that Councel wherin traditioÌ„s are not obstinately defended nor suspersticiously obserued but rather the good and perfect will of God with all humilitie and diligence searched after and sought for And againe De precepto dispensat If there be any such as charitie hath beene the inuenter of it is iust that by the same charitie they bee ceased and giuen ouer if it bee so found expedient Againe The precepts which are of the ordinances of God are necessarie but those which are of humane constitution arbitrarie and at discretion c. And in deed the Ecclesiasticall historie doth witnesse vnto vs that the ancient fathers did leaue such things as were meere obseruations indifferent both vnto whole Churches and particular persons not inforcing any thing but what was of the pure and vndefiled commaundement of God as is to be read in Socrates Nicephorus c. Can not the Church then ordaine any thing Socrates Niceph. l. 12. c 14. Wherein or how far the authority of the Church stretcheth And wherein shall the authoritie thereof consist Nay let vs not feare that it hath ouer little to doe It is not a small thing in the blindnesse wherewith man is blinded and in the darknesse of this worlde to keepe it selfe from straying and wandring out of the way of life to keepe it selfe from loosing the heauenlie light through the sight of the eyes and to guide it selfe and others by the same And would to God it would haue contented it selfe to haue knowne this onely and to haue beene ignorant in all the rest Where as hauing toucht the forbidden tree and hauing transgressed this worde Deute 4. 12 Cursed be they which adde thereunto shee hath opened her eyes to these false and deceyuing fiers but shut them at the light and so consequentlie lost her puritie loyaltie and innocencie and leauing the truth of God is further become left vnto herselfe The ancient fathers verily The Fathers made faith the limits of the Church and the Scriptures the bounds limits of faith Colos 2.8 1. Cor. 4.6 Iohn 8.13 Not by succession Iren. l. 3. con heres c. 11. l. 4. c. 43. 44. Tertul. de prescript de pudicit Id verius quod prius Tertul. de virg â—â—land Con. Praxeam Tertul. de prescript Cypr. Ep. 55. De lapsis In tract de simplicit pontif in ep 74. Gregor Nazianz in orat habit ad laudem S. Athanas cont Arrian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haue not thought it any thing dishonoured when they tyed it to the obedience of her Spouse for they bounded it by faith and faith by the Scriptures And it would haue beene on the contrarie a verie strange doctrine vnto them that it shoulde haue spoken or heard any other language then her owne seeing it is said vnto her by the Apostle See that none spoile you through Philosophie or vaine deceitfulnesse according to the traditions of men Againe Learne of vs not to be wise aboue that which is written And in vs saith the Apostle that is to say by our example And by her Spouse himselfe If you abide in my worde you shall be truly my disciples Irenaeus saith The Gospel is the pillar and foundation of the Church It behoueth it to flie from all those which flie from and forsake the principal succession and cleaue vnto theÌ„ that keepe the doctrine of the Apostles Tertul. The Church is knowne to be apostolical not by nuber not by succession of Bishops but by the consanguinitie of doctrine And this doctrine again In this saith he in that the most ancientis most true that is most ancient which was from the beginning and that which is from the beginning is that which is froÌ„ the Apostles from the Apostles saith he who left the Scriptures for vs vpon whom are come the last ages the Scriptures by which the truth is defended and not by tradition or custome For how saith he could a man be able to speake of the things of faith but by the writings of faith Saint Cyprian Those are the Church saith he which dwell in the house of God But how Verily saith he who so is separated diuided
the first workes of the Apostolike and Primitiue Church to seale vp vnto vs the Canon of theese bookes by the same spirit which had inspired them and so called them Canonicall as if a man should say Reguler because they are ordained the rule of Christian doctrines and stand as a law to guide all our discourses And to this first number it belongeth not neither hath belonged since then to any either man or Church to chop in or to adde other bookes without the violating of the iudgement of the Apostolike Primitiue Church For what other thing were it but to say that it had excluded the bookes which it should haue admitted Wherefore we may thinke that what they haue said of such as at this day leade vs to Iewish fables Tit. 1.14 and to the commaundements of men which Saint Paule so earnestly warneth vs of to the pretended Gospels of Saint Iames Saint Bartholmew Nicodemus Ioseph of Aremathia c. yea and to the verie bookes which the Church both Christian and Iewish haue pronounced Apocrypha was not done to teach vs to draw from thence anie patternes of good manners as sometimes the olde fathers do but pretended articles of faith not to strengthen any poynt of Canonicall doctrine but to lay a foundation of a new inuented one such as neuer came in the Canon Euen as Saint Augustine after his modest maner would tell them the same that he said to the Donatists These men wanting examples of their wickednesse do boast themselues to haue found in the booke of the Machabees August cont Gaudent l 2 c. 23. one Razias to imitate who slue himselfe but the Iewes make no such account of these bookes as they doe of the Law the Prophets and the Psalmes to which God hath giuen testimonie as to his witnesses They haue beene receiued not vnprofitablie of the Church if so be they be soberly read principallie in respect of these brethren the Machabees who laboured and tooke paines for the law of God c. Could he haue spoken thus of the diuine bookes inspired of God without blasphemie Caletan in 1. ad Cor. c. 12. v 28. Not vnprofitablie if they be read soberlie c. And this is the same that in our time Cardinall Caietan hath acknowledged laying out the difference betwixt the Apostles and all others in the Church The vniuersall gouernment of the church saith he belongeth onely to the Apostles not onely by worde and action but also by writing and therefore the onely writings of the Apostles or those which haue beene approued by them must haue the authoritie of holy writ The second rule is That for the vnderstanding of these Canonicall bookes To haue recourse to the originals Hebrew and Greeke Ambros de S. Spir. l. 2. c. 6. de incarna c. 8 or any place in them that is in controuersie we haue recourse for the olde Testament to the truth of the Hebrew and for the New to the Greeke seeing there is neuer a translation by whom soeuer it may haue beene performed which can be called either Canonicall or Authenticall Seeing also that as from false premisses or propositions there cannot follow but a false conclusion so from false Grammar there cannot proceede true Diuinitie And this is that which the Fathers say vnto vs If any man striue about the diuersitie of Latin copies that some vnfaithfull persons haue falsified them let him in such case looke vpon the Greeke c. Againe We haue found it so in the Greeke copies Hillar in Psal 11◠the authoritie whereof is farre more to be preferred Saint Hillarie We haue oftentimes tolde you that we cannot be satisfied in the vnderstanding of the Scriptures by the Latine translation And this Saint Ierome spoke to him that was ignoraunt in the Hebrew tongue Saint Ierome also whose translation some men doe so highly esteeme howbeit that the best learned doe doubt if it be his and all agree that all of it is not S. Hier. in Epi. ad Paulin. Marcel ad Suniam ad Damas in Prefat in 4. Euang. in Zac. c. 4. 8. ad Lucin. Augu. de doct Christ l. 2. c. 11 Epist 59. 19 De doct christ l. 2. c. 10 15 in Decret D. 9 c. in veterum Genes 3. It behooueth vs to haue recourse to the originall of the Hebrew for the Olde testament and to the Greeke for the New For saith he there are so manie diuerse Latine copies as there are bookes and by these originals wee must alter and correct that which hath beene ill translated by the Interpretors Saint Augustine The Latins to attain to the knowledge of the Scriptures haue neede of two wings of the Hebrew and Greeke tongues let the Latines haue recourse vnto the Hebrew and Greeke copies c. Againe For to correct the Latins let vs vse the Grecians c. Let vs rather beleeue the tongue from whence the Expositors haue translated the Scriptures into other tongues c. Saint Augustine I say who knew nothing in the Hebrew And that they had iust cause to say so may be made to appeare vnto vs by infinite examples In Genesis it is said That the seed shall breake the head of the Serpent that is to say Christ The Vulgar translation saith Ipsa she◠not Ipsum that is to say semen and so by that means it is referred vnto the virgin Marie◠and so a Sauioresse set vp in stead of a Sauiour At this stone good S. Barnard stūbled as Burgensis Caietanus Canusius do acknowledge c. And still they would that wee should leaue it in the way to the ende that euerie man may stumble thereat S. Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrewes saith Hebr. 13. That God is well pleased with charitie and well doing The Interpreter hath translated it That by them men merit at Gods bands See you not therefore say some vnto vs Merit proued in the Scripture Yes were it not that euerie man knoweth what the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meaneth nemely that God taketh pleasure c. Melchisedech brought forth bread and wine to Abraham In stead of Protulit he hath translated it Obtulit Genes 18. and see you not how thereupon also the sacrifice of the Masse◠But Vatablus and Pagnine and Caietan also doe acknowledge the sooth and therefore reforme the translation and withall you wipe out the Masse So vpon the Psal 68. For To sleepe amongst pots or Andirons he translateth it Inter Cleros amongst the clergie The lots or heritages ex lapidibus sacculi is made lapides saeculi stones of the ballance that is of weights are made eternall stones and fiue hundred such like Where is the Doctor how holie or great soeuer he may be who resting and relying vpon any such translation shall be able to gather any true sense Who shall not be forced thereby to deceiue both himselfe and others No lesse then Accursius
handled in the first booke Of the Second Booke 1 OF Churches and Altars their first beginning and proceeding 2 Of Images that olde and auncient Christians had not anie 3 VVhat manner of increase and proceeding Images had amongst Christians and of the licentious abuse thereof after they were once brought into the Church of Rome 4 Of vnleauened bread wine mixt with water and of such thinges as serued in the administration of the Sacraments 5 That the old worship and auncient manner of seruing God was altogether performed done in such a language as the common people knew and vnderstood and by what degrees it was altered and changed 6 That in the Primitiue Church and a long time after the holie Scriptures were read amongst the people in all tongues and languages 7 Wherein is intreated of the Ministers of the Church and of their charge and vocation in the same 8 That the Bishops and Ministers of the old Christian Church were maried 9 How a sole and vnmaried estate of life grew and got increase and strength in the church of Rome vnto the publishing of the decree made by Calixtus 10 The reestablishing of abstinencie from mariage and the continuing of the same euen vnto our dayes A briefe rehearsall of the matters handled in the second booke Of the Third Booke 1 THat the propitatorie Sacrifice of Christ is not reiterated in the holie Supper and in what sence the old Church did vse this phrase and manner of speech 2 Answeres vnto the aduersaries their obiections which they pretend to draw from the holie Scriptures for the prouing of their sacrifice 3 That the pretended propitiatorie sacrifice of the Masse hath no ground or foundation in the new Testament 4 That the olde VVriters haue not â—â—knowledged anie other propitiatory sacrifice then that onelie one made vpon the crosse 5 How and by what degrees the Sacrament of the holie Supper was turned into a propitiatorie Sacrifice 6 That there is not anie Purgatorie the foundation and ground pillar of their Masses for the dead and first how that it was not knowne vnto the Church of Israell or vnto those that liued vnder the olde Testament 7 That Purgatorie hath no ground or foundation in the new Testament 8 That neither the Primitiue Church nor the Fathers liuing in the same for the space of many ages did euer acknowledge the Purgatorie of the Church of Rome 9 Wherein are answered the aduersaries their obiections endeuouring to proue their Purgatorie by the olde VVriters 10 In what manner Purgatorie hath proceeded in the Church of Rome and by what degrees 11 That praying vnto Saintes hath no foundation in the holie Scriptures of the olde Testament 12 That praying vnto Saintes hath no ground in the holie Scriptures of the newe Testament 13 That praying vnto Saintes was not taught in the Primitiue Church and how it sprung vp and grew 14 The continuing of the puritie of doctrine in the matter of Inuocation and of the springing vp of the corruption of the same in the Latine Church 15 The springing vp of the corruption of inuocation aswell in the Greeke as in the Latine Church 16 That a man eannot merite or deserue eternall life for himselfe and much lesse for an other wherein he is considered first as he is before his regeneration 17 That a man regenerate cannot merite eternall life for himselfe or for any other 18 That the law was giuen vnto man to conuince him of sinne and to cause him to looke for his saluation from grace through faith in Christ according to the Scriptures and the Fathers 19 That good workes are the gift of God and therefore cannot merite and to what vse they serue according to the holy Scriptures and fathers 20 How the doctrine of merite first set foote into the Church how it proceeded and how it hath beene oppugned and set against in all ages yea euen vnto S. Bernard his time 21 How merite proceeded and went on euer since S. Bernard his time vntill thâ—se our daies and what oppositions haue beene made against it euen vnto the time of the full light of the Gospell breaking forth againe A Recapitulation of the third Booke Of the fourth Booke 1 WHat a Sacrament is and wherein it consisteth and of the difference of the Sacraments of the old and new testament where are likewise laide downe certaine rules by the old writers for the better vnderstanding of their writings 2 That the doctrine of the holy Supper must be examined by the rules before deliuered as all other doctrine whatsoeuer touching any other Sacraments eyther of the old or of the new Testament 3 That the exposition which our aduersaries giue vpon the wordes of the holy Supper destroyeth all the foundations of the Christian faith as also the nature of Christ and of his sacramentes 4 That the fathers knew not Transubstantiation nor the reall presence in the signes and that which is touched of the times euen to the first Nicene Councell is also included therein 5 The continuing of the beliefe and faith of the fathers of the Church in the matter of the holy Supper from the first Nicene Councell vnto the time of Gregorie the great 6 Likewise that a long time after Gregorie Transubstantiation was not knowne and in like manner that all the most famous Liturgies amongst our aduersaries are repugnant to the same 7 That the old Church did not belieue nor teach Transubstantiation seeing it neither did nor obserued in respect of the kindes or Sacramentes that which is done and practised at this day 8 In what manner the opinion of Transubstantiation was begun increased and finished vntill the yeare 1215. and that it was ratified and confirmed by a Decree made in the Councell of Lateran 9 What manner of increase and proceeding befell the opinion of Transubstantiation from the Councell of Lateran vntill the Councell of Trent and the absurdities and contradictions rising from the same A comparing of the holy Supper with the Masse A briefe rehearsall of the chiefe matters contained in the whole worke THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE MASSE AND of the partes thereof CHAP. I. After what manner the Supper of the Lord was first instituted and ordained and that the Masse hath no good ground eyther from the Scriptures or from the practise of the Apostles OVr aduersaries for the laying of a surer foundation for the Masse out of the holy Scriptures haue attempted to driue and draw the same from the institution of the holy Supper of our Lord ordinarily now a daies do vse to set downe as a note and marke of the same vppon all such places as concerne the holy Supper Heere is the institution of the Masse whereas their predecessors namely the ordinary Glose was wont to note such places thus Heere is the institution of the Supper or Eucharist Wherefore the better to know how like and how vnlike they be as likewise to see so much the more cleerely how farre the one
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirits which serue God his children Heb. 1. as his officers c. But let vs further grant vnto them that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place doth signifie how that they celebrated the holy Sacrament what can they gather from thence if so be that they haue not first proued that the supper is the Masse yea further let it be granted theÌ„ that it doth signifie to sacrifice what other thing wil this proue to be Epiphan haeres 79. against the Collyridians theÌ„ as Epiphanius saith that they sacrificed the Gospell throughout the whole world speaking especially by name of Paule Barnabas and others mentioned in that place According as S. Paule likewise calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sacrifice the Gospell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 15.16 And yet in the meane time they doe nothing but play vpon the ignorance of the world which with shamelesse faces they go about to make belieue that the Masse is found in such writers as in deede neuer thought of it translating out of the old writers these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into this sence namely to say Masses to celebrate Masses c. whereas in deed they signifie no other thing then to preach to assemble to celebrate the supper to administer c. I am ashamed to refute the inuention of one of this time Genebr in the Lithurgie of Denis which hath perswaded himselfe that the Apostles did sing their first Masse vpon the day of Pentecost and that he could find it in the old Testament seeing himselfe put out of the new And his reason is most excellent for so it pleaseth them to sport themselues with the scriptures It must needes be saith he that this was the day of the comming downe of the holy Ghost vpon the Apostles following that which our Sauiour Christ said in S. Iohn The words that I tel you are spirit life Act. 2.42 There is some question moued about that place in the Acts where it is said That they did perseuere in the doctrine of the Apostles in communicating in breaking of bread and prayers from whence he deriueth the whole matter at one iumpe namely that this day S. Iames began to say Masse And his proofe is that in the old Testament God had ordained that on the day of Pentecost there should be offred vp vnto him a new cake for an oblation which is called in Leuiticus Minha Hadascha In Deut. saith he Missath Nidbath Leuit. 23.16 Minha Hadascha Deuter. 16.10 Missath Nidbath Of this word therefore he will make the Masse to take his original as ordained instituted in this place by way of prophecie and fulfilled and accomplished on the day of Pentecost by Saint Iames. Vnto this he ioyneth a graue and weightie coniecture For saith he before it was onely said that they perseuered in praier and not in the communion and breaking of bread c. In stead that he should haue considered that this word perseuere cannot properly be referred to any thing which is but in beginning to be done and yet how in that place it is equally and indifferently affirmed both of the communion and breaking of bread as also of their praiers But let vs come to the foundation thereof In the place which he alleadgeth these words are contained Missath nidbath iadecha Thou shalt keepe saith he a solemne feast of weekes vnto the Lord thy God in bringing the free will offrings of thy hand The Greeke saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to thy power Which thou shalt offer according as the Lord thy God hath blessed thee Who seeth not that this ordinance extendeth it selfe vnto all and euery one of the people to offer their first fruits vnto the Lord according to that blessing which hath been receiued And who is it that hath any smattering in the Hebrew which knoweth not that Nibdath is to be vnderstood to signifie a thing which is freely willingly giuen by euery one according as he is touched in his conscience by the due consideration of his power abilitie as for example is to bee seene in that contribution which was made for the building of the Tabernacle in which place this word is ordinarily vsed And what is there then in common betwixt the Masse the offering of one onely priest and a contribution rising from euerie particular man amongst the people betwixt his host and the first fruits betwixt the Son of God whom they make men belieue to be there offred vp these new fruits But if he thinke to strengthen his cause make it good only by reason of the name how coÌ„meth it to passe then that so many expositors both old new yea and diuers who cannot please themselues but by running much into allegories haue not once so much as pointed at the Masse As Origen Origen in homil 13. in Leuit. S. Hieronim in Aggeum notwithstanding that he translated the institutioÌ„ of the shew-bread in this place vnto the holy Supper S. Ierome although he expound this feast very particularly citing expounding this same place vpon Haggee But much more how commeth it to passe that this word once indowed by S. Iames if we belieue this inuentioÌ„ with this sence signification hath not still retained it and passed it along from church to church as it befell vnto many Christians first broached and springing vp in Antioch How lyeth it buried foure hundred yeares after in deep and deadly silence not any old either Grecian or Latinist so much as once renewing the memory of the same And what should be the happy influence of this time that should reuiue set it vp againe Why was it not preserued amongst the Orientall Lithurgies which they beare vs in hand to bee of so high a price and valewe aswell as many other Hebrew wordes namely Amen Hosanna Hallelu-iah Sabaoth Pascha and others At the least why was it not retained in that Lithurgie of Ierusalem in the Syriacke tongue if it were vsed vttered in this sence out of the mouth of so great and famous an Apostle vpon so solemne a feast day in so honourable and reuerend an action and that but once Againe I cannot perceiue that any other man hath gone about to seeke or search for that either in that place of the Acts Gloss ordinaria in Leuit. Deut. or in that other of Deu. or Leui. which this fellow there findeth The Glosse saith A new sacrifice because it is made with new fruits not with corn as at easter but with breads therfore he addeth the breads of the first fruits c. And again A free will offring because that God loueth those which giue cheerfully those which adde more more vnto their good wâ—rks In azymis sinceritatis veritatis that is to say in the vnleuened bread of sinceritie and veritie And as for the place of the Acts They perseuered saith S. Luke
manner of seruice That the seruice of Christians was deriued from thence excepted one that after they had with all honourable reuerence and tender compassion buried the olde Synagogue they prayed vpon the Lords day that is to say vpon the first daye of the weeke in remembrance of the resurrection in stead of the Sabath and brought in the reading of the Euangelists the Epistles of the Apostles with that of the law the Prophets out of which the Bb. or Pastor did expound somewhat vnto them then after these lectures the holie supper was celebrated amongst the faithfull by the reciting of the institution of the same and the distributing of the bread and cup vnto the people the which for the most part were taken from their owne offrings for the vse of the holy Sacraments which done there followed certain Psalmes of thanksgiuing for the spiritual good things receiued of God at this holie table after which the assembly brake vp and all this was done and said euen till all was ended in great simplicity and singlenes and in a lauguage vnderstood and in such garmentes as all the people did weare as it shall bee certainelie proued hereafter from point to point Of the Confession of sins the first profession that euery Christiā must make Matth 3. Mar. 1 we haue some prints marks in S. Iohn Baptist for such as came vnto him cōfessed their sins were baptized for without the knowledge of sin no man can come to the acknowledgement of grace Acts 13. the shutting vp of Paul his sermō to the Iewes in the Synagogue at Antioch standeth vpon these words Be it known vnto you that by Iesus Christ remission of sins is preached vnto you c. wherby likewise we see that they which were cōuerted by the preaching of the Apostles were touched with compunction of heart confessed their sins hence cōmeth that which Lyranus telleth vs vpō those words in Leuiticus And the high Priest laying both his handes vppon the Goate Leuit. 16. shall confesse the iniquities of the children of Israell c. Not sayeth hee declaring all their particular sinnes for that were impossible but in generall as wee doe in the confession vsuallie made in the beginning of the Masse And yet notwithstanding now a dayes the Priest hath neuer a word that waye saue onelie for himselfe whereas the Pastor holding the place of the high Priest that is which is the mouth of the people in the Church ought to confesse vnto God the iniquities of that people in setting before them for the remission thereof the benefite of the Sacrifice of his onelie begotten sonne Iesus Christ our Lord which should make vs belieue together with other signes and marks which we shall see hereafter that this parte of seruice was of good praise and commendation as for reading it was ordinarie as we haue seene in the Synagogues whereinto the Apostles came for to instruct and teach the Iewes Acts 20. and for the publike assemblies wee haue a manifest example thereof in the Actes where S. Paule the Disciples being come together for to breake bread that is to celebrate the Lordes Supper handleth the word of God amongst them and continueth his speech vnto midnight that is he did not only reade vnto them but expounded it vnto them also and drew out from thence doctrines for their vse after the manner vsed in preaching and likewise hee ordinarilie calleth his office and function the Ministerie or administration of the word And as for prayers to be made for the aduancement of the glorie of God for the necessitie of the Church and state politique the heads and members of the same and for our owne saluation we haue both precept and prescript forme deliuered vs by our Lord Mat. 6. c. Mat. 6. 1. Tim 2. the admonition of S. Paul to make intercessions prayers supplications c. for all men for kinges for men set in authoritie c. and the example of the Apostles perseuering in prayer and in the breaking of bread c. and S. Augustine doth by name expound that place of S. Paule of solemne prayers of the Lordes Supper and as for the administration thereof we haue the forme set downe in the 1. to the Corinthians 10. 1. Cor. 10. 11. and 11. vnder the signes of bread wine which were wont to be brought to the common feastes of Christians they were blessed according to the institution of the Lord as it is there set downe for the communicating of his bodie and blood and in remembrance of his death which he suffered for our sinnes And this whole action was intermingled with Psalmes and spirituall giuinges of thankes taken and deriued from the example of our Lord who after the holie Supper sung a Psalme with his Apostles according to the exhortation likewise of S. Paule speaking thus vnto vs Be yee filled with the spirit speaking amongst your selues in Psalms and Hymnes and spiritual songs c. Ephes 5.18.19 Colos 3. giuing thankes alwaies for all thinges in the name of our Lord Iesus vnto our God and Father vpon a solemne or festiuall day it is cleare and euident by these wordes in the Actes Acts 20. And the first day of the weeke the Disciples being assembled c. that is to say vpon the Lordes day confirmed likewise 1. Cor. 11. where these assemblies may seeme to bee appointed properlie for the holie Supper of our Lord. 1. Cor. 11. To bee briefe that all was done in a knowne tongue 1. Cor. 14. we need no other witnes then S. Paule I esteem more sayeth hee of fiue wordes in the Church spoken to my vnderstanding then often thousand in an vnknowne tongue c. And againe this verilie was the scope and drift of the Spirit of God in the gift of tongues Now concerning all that hath gone before especiallie that of the more often celebrating of the holie Supper by the faithfull exercising themselues therein during the continuance of the first loue and zeale then they did afterward it is confirmed by all them that haue written anie thing of sacred functions but wee will insist vpon and presse them onelie who are of most authoritie and best allowance For Confession Lyranus hath told vs that they had a generall confession of the sinnes of the people in the beginning of their seruice imitating therein the manner of the Iewes in their prayers and sacrifices And to him let vs ioyne S. Ciprian as next The holy Hierarchie saieth hee that is the Minister of the Church whome the holie Ghost toucheth with compunction Ciprianus siue quis alius de card operib Christi let him watch thereto let him dwell therein and keepe holie the same c. and let him pray boldlie and confidentlie for his own ignorances and those of the peoples by making a confession from a wounded hearte c. Of Psalmes and reading of lessons out of
downe of him is in the historie of his life Plat. in Telesph That in the Apostles time all thinges were done nakedly plainely and simply in the action of this misterie c. To Telesphorus or according to others to Symmachus liuing a long time after the song of the Angels to bee sung before the holy supper that is to say Gloria in excelsis c. But how many thinges are there in the Masse and those of the most substantiall pointes thereof which haue their seuerall distances and distinctions of the time of their first being and entrance as the same is said at this day And it shall be further noted here by the way that the Sanctus and the Gloria are in the Lithurgies attributed vnto the Apostles and disciples and before by vs confuted as nothing else but the counterfeites of antiquitie To Marke 1. in the end the song of the Creede in that manner that it was drawne agreed vpon in the first Nicene Councell about the yeare three hundred thirtie fiue or according to some to Iulius the first to bee sung by and by after the Gospell by the Cleargie and the people D. l. ◠vasa c. vt Calix de conseer And as for the circumstances Zepherine ordained that the wine should be put in glasse vessels but Vrbanus the first that it should bee put into vessels of mettall Siluester the first that the priestes should not weare any silke nor coloured cloth but onely linnen but not a worde all this while of the pompe of Rome For I pray you what likenesse is there betwixt all that which wee haue here said and that which may be said of that which is vsed at this day whereof all the Authors going before vntill this time how many soeuer haue written in Latine haue not seemed to bee acquainted so much as with the name That the name of the Masse was vnknowne at this time For where as some would make vs belieue that the Masse was written of at this time I do here once again giue you to vnderstand for all that that this is a manifest fraude and tricke of deceipt and that it is found in the Greeke authours translated in these latter ages into Latine onely by the imagination of the translators who were disposed to finde it where it neuer came Ignatius in an epistle to the Church of Smyrna Thus it is founde in Saint Ignatius in Saint Denis in the Tripartite historie c. in such places as where these Authours haue written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say to administer the Supper to say seruice to preach and to call the Church together c. they haue not beene ashamed to translate to doe say sing and celebrate the Masse Dionis lib. 3. Hier. Hist trip lib. 3. cap. 11. lib. 4 cap. 13. lib. 7 cap. 31. lib. 9 cap. 9. c. That the Decretall epistles are ridiculous And from the fountaine of a like good conscience are sprung those glorious Decretall epistles of Zepherinus Calixtus the first Pontianus Sother and such like wherein indeede the same name of Masse is read but to the iust making of those to blush who counterfeited them For who will euer belieue that at such time as there was a Tertullian a Ciprian which did write so eloquently exactly and learnedly of the deepest and waightiest pointes of our faith and that in Afrike where the Latine tongue was not so pure and neat the Bishops of Rome in the midst of the palace of the world should euer busie their heades to make and write lawes of such childish and fond things and that in such childish fond and barbarous manner Persecutiones patienter portandae sunt Praesentē fraternam syllabam exposuimus Modernis temporibus Christianitatem suscepistis Habent potestatem ordinare regulariter and these goodly words Intronizare praetextatus modus charitatiue conuenire I appeale vnto their owne consciences if these be eyther Latine wordes or phrases Is it possible that they should bee hatcht or euer heard of before the ouerrunning made by the Gothes And againe what ancient old writer did euer make mention of these Epistles Eusebius Ierome Damascene or others who neuer forgot any one of the writings and workes of those men which yet were not any whit so earnestly recommended vnto them And who is hee furthermore but and if he bring his eyes with him will say and well perceiue that some craftie forger hath framed these lies for the aduancing of their See and iurisdiction As likewise the most and best learned do hold that they were all made after the time of Syricius that is neere fiue hundred yeares after our Sauiour Christ And then from what spirit can they come but from the father of lies Thus we haue coasted along till we are ariued at the great and famous Councell of Nice where were come together about the yeare 328. from all the partes of Christendome 318. Bishops That the Masse was vnknowne at the time when the Councell of Nice was holden all of them vtterly without any knowledge of the Masse vsed at this day eyther by name or deede for any thing they could gather out of any antiquities yea or out of the Romaine Church it selfe Neither hauing any Canon inuocation of Saints or any such other things as are now become the principall partes of the same and yet the Masse the most formall part of seruice that the Church of Rome hath the Canon the soule and life of the Masse without the which a man cannot possibly seeme to them to bee a Christian and without the which it could not keepe the name it hath yea whereof if there be but the least word left out it becommeth all and altogether vnprofitable and vnperfect But well we haue found the administration of the holy Supper of the Lord celebrated with publique praiers singing of Psalmes of all the people reading of the scriptures and the interpreting of the same blessing of the sacraments according to the Lord his institution and the distributing of the same simply in their whole and sole nature vnto all the people and all this in a knowne tongue which euerie one present vnderstoode and aunswered accordingly from time to time Amen without any superstitious affecting of garments curiositie in vessels or other vaine ceremonies And all this vnder the name of Coetus Dominicus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caena Dominica Epulum Dominicum or Dominicum simply and by it selfe that is to say of the assemblie congregation holy supper or banquet of the Lord. Wherefore let the readers iudge both of the one and the other as namely which of them approcheth and commeth neerest vnto the true antiquitie the Church of Rome or the reformed Church CHAP. IIII. What manner of seruice was vsed in the Church vnto the time of S. Gregorie or thereabout and namely what manner of thing that was that is called the Masse of those that are
as it is to this day vsed in the Greeke Churches But about this time the zeale of Christians waxing cold they began in the Church of Rome to deuide them into certaine peeces or pawses which were called partes to the end that seruice might be made the shorter as we reade in Optatus who citeth the 2. part of the nine and fortieth Psalme And alth ought this diuiding of Psalmes into partes may seeme to haue beene in the time of S. Hillarie yet it was not receined into the Church Epiphanius calleth them distinctions S. Ambrose in his Lithurgie Psalmulos or little Psalmes which are nothing else but verses and they were sung within a certaine time after countervoicewise one side singing one verse and an other an other Of the Institution Theodoret reporteth of Flauianus and Diodorus in Antioch Theodor lib. 2 cap. 24. that they caused them to be thus sung about the sepulchers of Martyrs but in the Latine Church Paulinus reporteth it to be by the appointment of Saint Ambrose in his Dioces which was afterward about the yeare 430. spread abroad euerie where and that by the authoritie of Pope Celestine who by name did practise it at the first beginning and entrance into ecclesiasticall or diuine seruice Of reading S. Chrysostome reporteth ordinarily When it is told thee in the church Of reading Chrysost hom 36. in 1. ad Cor. hom 3. in 2. ad Thessal Concil Laodi cap. 17. Cut diuided readings or lessons Ambr. in praefat in Psalm De Offic. lib. 1 cap. 11. 44. Seuer Sulpit. de vita S. Mart. l. 3. De Offi. l. 1. c. 8 De Virg. l. 3. ad Gratian. l. 4. c. S. Agust tract 9 in Ioann serm 236. de temp serm 7. 10. de verb. Apostol c. Beloth c. 57. Berno Radulphus The Sermon Ambr. epist 33 post tractatū S. Basil in psal 14. 114. S. August in 1. Epist S. Ioh. Amb. epist 33. S. August de ciuit l. 22. c. 8 August de doctrina Christia the Lord saith so and that the Deacon doth bid all the world to be silent and still thinke not that it is not to the ende that thou shouldest honour the reader but rather him that speaketh by his mouth Againe when thou hearest the Prophete which telleth thee the Lord saith this Remoue thy solfe O earth and rise thou higher O heauen thinke within thy selfe who it is from whom the Prophet speaketh vnto thee If these readinges had beene such as are now a daies in the Masse to what end should those exhortations of S. Chrysostome serue But the Councell of Laodicea is likewise plaine and pregnant in this point Let the Canonical scriptures be read in the church not any others S. Ambrose oftentimes What seueritie of punishment haue we established in the Church to the end that silence may bee kept whiles the scriptures are reading whereas notwithstanding the Psalmes doe keepe silence of themselues And these readinges or lessons were aswell out of the law as out of the Gospell and Apostle as appeareth in infinite places of S. Ambrose S. Augustine and others and that throughout whole books vntill such time as S. Ierome by the commandement of Pope Damascene because the lithurgy seemed as then to be too long did make an extract of certain lessons out of the Prophets Epistles Gospels wherevpon he composed the booke called Comes or the booke of lessons from which time they began to be in vse in the Church Now the Bishop or Pastor of the Church was wont to take the place whereof he wold make his sermō ordinarily out of those lessons as appeareth by those wordes of S. Ambrose S. Augustine and others so oftentimes vsed We haue heard in the lesson that hath beene read c. and vpon the same we must deliuer and speake as the Lord shall vouchsafe to enable vs c. And sometime out of the Psalme that had beene sung as may be seene in S. Basill vpon Psalme 114. Or else they tooke a whole booke as S. Augustine in his treatise vpon S. Iohn saue that vpon the daies of great feastes as the feast of the Natiuitie Easter and Pentecost they chose out picked places from thence to intreate of the historie and misterie And the sermon was called Tractatus Sermo and from thence grew these speeches Homilia tractare de superiori loco dicere siue de exedra And it was the custome of the Pastor before he began to speake to the people to pray vnto God that hee woulde shew him the fauor and mercie to teach them well and to giue them well and throughly to apprehend that which hee should teach them according to Saint Augustine his precept Before he speake let him pray vnto God for himselfe and for them to whom he is to preach and let him be saith hee Orator antequà m dictor which is let him pray before hee preach And this sermon did continue as wee learne out of Saint Basill about an houre in the ende likewise concluding the same with prayer In Saint Augustine Conuersi rursus ad Dominum c. we betake our selues againe vnto God c. And furthermore as this is the principall charge of the Ministers to preach the worde as those vnto whom our Lord deliuering his commission spake in these expresse wordes Go preach the Gospell vnto all creatures c. So haue we from these great and worthie men infinite sermons as by name from Saint Cyprian Saint Ambrose Saint Augustine S. Chrysostome S. Basill c. but not from any one of these any booke of rites or ceremonies neyther yet any patterne of any sacrifice And they let not to take great paine to prescribe and point out vnto vs the qualities of a preacher and the partes and conditions of a Bishoppe that is worthy the roome and place of teaching the people especially Saint Augustine in his bookes of Christian doctrine but for teaching of him howe many diuers wayes and with howe many ceremonies hee should say Masse or offer his pretended sacrifice they trouble not themselues at all Now after the sermon That the holy Supper was frequented at that time of al the faithful it was ordinarily the custome to beginne with the administration of the holy Supper especially during the time of their first loue and zeale when as the Christians for the most part did communicate euerie weeke yea and some euerie day the Sacramentes being neuer set vpon the Table of the Lorde but that there would bee a number of faithfull Christians to communicate thereof And furthermore S. August ad Ianuar. ep 119 Saint Augustine exhorteth the faithfull to communicate euery Lordes day Prouided saith hee that thy soule be not set vpon sinne Saint Ambrose giueth warning and admonisheth them to celebrate the memorie of the Lord euerie day rebuking certaine of the East Churches which did not communicate oftener then once a yeare And Eusebius saith that the same
custome was vsed in his time And the same thing is witnessed by Saint Ierome Euseb l. 1. de Demonst S. Hieron ad Lucinium Chrysost in epist ad Ephe. especially of the Church of Rome and those of Spaine Whereupon we see likewise that Chrysostome cryeth out most vehemently as complaining of the frosennes of his age as being such as that though the supper of the Lord were celebrated dayly yet there came but a very few people to the holy table yea of so great accompt it was held as that it appeareth vnto vs by a law made by the Church and set downe in the ancient Canons that the sacraments being blessed all the faithfull that is all those which were admitted to bee of the communion fellowship of the Church for so they called them should stay in the assemblie The difference betwixt the faithfull and those that were catechised and should be exhorted euen as they would auoide the punishment for doing otherwise to communicate But on the contrarie such as could not bee receiued thereunto namely such as were catechised as not hauing as yet beene sufficiently instructed Penitents which had not as yet giuen sufficient cleare and manifest signes of their repentance as also the possessed for being vexed of the euill spirit should be aduertised to withdraw themselues and to leaue the place cleane for the faithfull Concil Antioch c. 2. C. peracta D. 2. de consecrat And this is it which the Canons say As for such as enter into the Church of God and heare the scriptures but communicate not in prayer with the people but rather by some intemperancie doe keepe backe themselues from the holy communion let them bee excommunicate and cast out of the Church c. Againe The consecration ended let euerie man giue himselfe to receiue the communion if they will not bee cast out of the Church Hiero. in 1. ad Cor. c 11. Chrysost in 2. ad Cor. ho. 18. for so it was ordayned by the Apostles c. Whereuppon Saint Ierome telleth vs The supper of the Lord must bee common to all for hee hath giuen the Sacramentes vnto all his disciples equally And Chrysostome In some thing the Minister differeth not from the common people Nihil differt sacerdos à Subdito as when the participating of the holy mysteries is in hande For wee are all alike thought worthie to receiue them Not as in the olde law where the high Priest tooke his certaine portion and the people theirs and so as that the people could not haue any thing of that which was the sacrificers part for vnto euery one there present is deliuered one and the same bodie and one and the same cuppe And therefore hee was greatly offended with those who stayed behind with the faithfull after those which were catechised were put forth Chrysost in epist ad Ephe. hom 3. and yet woulde not communicate as offering iniurie vnto the Lordes table and feast Thou art come hither saith hee and hast sung Psalmes in the place with all the rest and in that thou hast not departed hast acknowledged thy selfe to bee of the number of those which are worthy to bee admitted thereunto howe commeth it therefore to passe that thou hauing stayed doest not receiue the Lords Supper And if thou aunswere that thou art vnworthy art thou not so likewise by consequent of the communion which is in prayers c. As for those which were catechised put to do pennance and possessed Of the catechised which had leaue to depart the Deacon after the sermon made knowne and signified vnto them in plaine wordes that they were to depart and go away which thing might bee practised with lesse adoe at this day when as there is not almost one to bee seene possessed of the euill spirit and for that the rigor and seueritie of doing of pennaunce is much abated as thirdly in that there come into our Churches none but the children of Christians And this leaue which was declared and openly told them was called Mittere vel dimittere vnde Missio Missa in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From whence the name of the Masse grew hence was the first originall of this worde Masse in the Church because as Bellarmin himselfe confesseth that this leaue was deliuered in these wordes Ite Missa est as amongst the Pagans was wont to be said I licet c. And by little and little as abuse is apt to seaze vpon wordes that are most familiar and well knowne vnto vs it came to passe that that part of the seruice which endured vnto the sermon Raban l. 1. c. 32. Innocen l. 6. de Sacr. Hugo l. 2. part 8. cap. 14. Tertul. de praescript corona and inclusiuely vnto the rehearsing of the Creede was called the Masse of those that were catechised and that which was afterwarde that is to say the celebrating of the holy Supper had appropriated and giuen vnto it the name of the Masse of the faithfull according to the olde and auncient distinction made in the Church betwixt those which were called the faithfull and those which were catechised And this is likewise testified by Tertullian in many places and the Masse of the faithfull began where that of the catechised ended But admit that this sending away was practised in the Church Rabbi Leui. in Leuit. cap. 5. after the manner of the Iewish Church which would not suffer that any leprouse or other infected persons shoulde bee admitted vnto their sacrifices or els according to the Pagans themselues who woulde chase the prophane from their misteries and holy thinges with these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is leaue for the people to depart so farre it hath preuailed as that without all doubt it hath brought forth a name for the Masse a name which was neuer read in any Hebrew Greeke or Latine Authour before this time that is to say till foure hundred yeares after the death of our Lord and yet so new in that age of the worlde as that Saint Ierome the Pastor of Rome and one who hath written so many great volumes hath neuer so much as once made any mention of it yea and Saint Ambrose who vttereth it once and Saint Augustine onely twise did yet neuer take it in that sence and signification that we vse it for neither the one nor the other doth speak of it in touching or deliuering the matter and doctrine of the Sacrament although that Saint Ambrose haue written thereof sixe bookes and that S. Augustine haue handled the matter more amply and largely and more often then any other both vpon S. Iohn and in other places But both of them in a signification farre differing from that wherein it is vsed at this day that is to say not meaning or vnderstanding by this worde either sacrifice or sacrament Furthermore the place alleadged out of S. Augustine his sermons are of small force because the best
it is that antiquitie resteth and in which it is that noueltie hath built her selfe a nest as namely whether antiquitie dwell with the Church of Rome which of the old and auncient seruice retaineth onelie the sleight and vnprofitable rind or with our reformed Church which hath restored and reestablished both all the parts as also the substance thereof vnto his former estate and whole right But here it is obiected against vs Obiections for ceremonies yet you cannot deny but that many ceremonies were now already brought into the Church and into the seruice and ministerie of the same which you allow not of in your Churches And who doubteth but that in the space of fiue hundred years containing more then one hundred thousand nights the aduersarie Sathan who vseth to rise in the night had sowen mo then a few tares And who can find it strange that in these fieldes before time both possessed and husbanded by the Gentiles as also by the Iewes there should remaine of their seed And on the contrarie who is he that will not wonder where the dore is once set open to licentious liberty traditions and mans inuentions if there should anie thing abide continue sound and sincere But who will not rather finde occasion with vs to praise God who in despight of Sathan and all the malice of the Diuell the tyrannie of Custome the licentiousnes of Tradition the slipperie nature of Superstition the presumption of mans spirit and the darkenes of ignorance ouershadowing and couering all toward the end of this time hath vouchsafed so long to conserue the principall part of his seruice at least so much as was of the substance Or who will not yet more admire his goodnes for causing as it were a new creation of the Sun of truth in these our dayes after so horrible a confusion and after such an eternall and euerlasting night S. Augustine writing of the ceremonies and Traditions of his time said vnto Ianuarius Before all other thinges I would that thou shouldest know the great maine point of this disputation August Ep. 118. ad Ianuar that is that Iesus Christ our Lord is willing to subiect al his to bring them to beare his sweete yoke and light burthen as hee calleth it himselfe in the Gospell and thereupon also it is that he hath ioyned and coupled together the societies and companies of his new people by the Sacramentes which are verie few in number verie easie to obserue and keepe and yet notwithstanding most excellent in signification c And what is it that he sayeth vnto vs therewithall in the Epistle following August Ep. 119. Cortainelie sayeth hee it displeaseth mee that there is no more care and regarde had of thinges that are most safe and wholesome and commaunded in the sacred bookes whereas in the meane time euerie thing is full of presumptions that is of forestalled opinions in such sorte as that a man is more reproued for hauing touched the ground with his bare foote these holie dayes then if hee had made himselfe drunke with wine c. So that the state and condition of the Iewes is more tollerable then that of the Christians who as they haue not knowne anie time of libertie so neyther haue they beene charged with anie other burthens then those of the Law which was of God and not with the presumptions of vaine man for hereby the Church of God seated in the middest of great heaps of chaffe darnell vndergoeth and is made to beare manie burthensome things c. And this S. Augustine said vpon the speeches of certain Christiās which were giuen in such sort to abstaine from eating of flesh as that they iudged those vnclean who did eate the same And this thing saith he is most plainely against the rule of faith of holesome doctrine Now then let vs shoule away this chaffe and darnell 2. Cor. 3. laid vpon a golden and siluer foundation sowen in the field of Christ and notwithstanding adiudged worthie to bee burned with fire by the word of the Lord and by the writ of the Apostle Let vs praise God onely that these good Doctors haue to deale with him a Lord full of mildnes a Maister full of clemencie but and if their workes and inuentions burne before the fire of his spirit yet at the least they are saued as concerning themselues because of the foundation through his mercie in Iesus Christ They alleadge against vs for the first that which they call holy water Holy water Basil 〈◊〉 S. Spiritu ad Amphilochium c. 27. Ambros l. 2. de Sacr. c. 5. going about to proue it vnto vs out of Basile in his booke of the holy Ghost written to Amphilochius where he saith We consecrate the water of baptisme c. And out of S. Ambrose That in the Westerne Churches there was a prayer made to God that it would please him to blesse the water c. I aunswere that this argument is not well framed being from the water of baptisme to the holy water from a prayer by which the vse of creatures is blessed according to the nature and right vse of euerie one of them to the exorcising of a creature turned quite an other way from his right vse And as for S. Basil you may adde an other answere with Erasmus that this booke from the midst thereof containeth nothing that is Basils Gregor Nazianz hom 3. de Sancto Ianuario And Gregorie Nazianzene his brother had aunswered him that baptisme may indifferently be administred with any water And if the vse of their holy water were at that time in the Church it had but S. Bafill his particular approbation and how commeth it then to passe that it is not found in the Liturgie which they attribute vnto him For whereas some would impute it to Alexander 1. let vs not go about to offer the Church of Rome that iniurie De consecr D. 3. Aquam either by word or beliefe as that at that time when S. Iohn said in his Epistles The bloud of the sonne of God doth purge vs from all iniquitie there should bee a Bishop at Rome that should say in his That water besprinkled with salt and consecrated by prayer doth sanctifie and make cleane the people after the manner of the ashes of the redde cow c. But the verie truth is that this water was brought in a long while after and that by the imitating of the Gentiles their purging or expiatorie water who vsed it at this time and with the verie same ceremonie Iustine saith The Gentiles when they enter into their temples Iustinus Martyr Apol. 2. doe sprinckle themselues with water and then they go and offer sacrifice vnto their Gods Valentinian a Tribune of warre vnder Iulian the Apostate following him to the temple of Fortune the Churchwardens which were at the dore cast water vpon all those that went in in so much as that there lighted one drop
vpon his cap he then turning himselfe about gaue one of them a blow with his fist Theodor. l. 3. c. 15.16 esteeming himselfe as saith Theodoret defiled and not cleansed thereby because he was a Christian And furthermore he saith the like elie where as namely that Iulian caused all that which was sold in the market to be sprinckled to the ende that the Christians might not buy any thing at all there And that by this sprinkling they held that sinnes were defaced appeareth by these wordes of Hippocrates himselfe de morbo sacro Hippocr de morb sacro that I may haue nothing to doe here with the alleadging of Poets In going in saith hee wee sprinkle our selues with this water to the end that if we haue any sinne we may bee purified and made cleane And Proclus saith That it was not onely made of fresh water but of Sea water also Proc. de sacrif Magia Turneb in Aduers l. 13. c. 21. Athenaeus l. 9. because that salt is detersiue And they sprinckle Aspergillum either of Rosemarie or of the boughes of the Bay tree or of the Oliue tree and not onely for the purging and cleansing of men but Citties Temples and other things without life as also is practised at this day in the Romish Church To be short as they had amongst the Gentiles a peculiar and proper forme of sanctifying it dipping therein as Athenaeus telleth vs a fire brand taken from off the Altar whereupon they offered their sacrifices Durand l. 4. c. 4. so likewise haue they a peculiar manner of making this exorcising the salt first and then the water and after that them both being mixt together which being done both they and the Gentiles do thinke that it purgeth away sinnes Of burning of incense it was so common a custome amongst the Gentiles Of burning of incense Theod. l. 3. c. 16. Sozom. l. 5. c. 17. as that Iulian the Apostate that hee might cunningly binde the Christians to the same ordained that when anie came vnto him according to the custome to receiue anie gifts at his hands they should burne incense before him whereupon certain notable Christians hauing vnderstanding of his purposed intent came and brought them backe againe vnto him that so they might not be polluted and but for a little he had caused them to haue beene put to death Ruffin lib. 1. C. 36. To be briefe Thurificantes that is such as burnt and offered incense vnto creatures no otherwise then to idols were in old time accompted amongst them which had turned aside from the puritie of Christianitie But whether it come from the Gentiles or from the Iewes amongst whom incense represented the sweet smell of the holy praiers of the faithfull in Gods nostrels by the same maner of peruerse lewd imitation it came to passe that in the end it was brought into the Christian Churches but yet not so soone as some would haue vs to belieue For S. August S. Ambr. S. Basil S. Chrysost and other ancient fathers do not speake one word of it in any of all the books they haue written if onely certain Lithurgies alleadged out of them be excepted which yet hereafter wee will confute proue to be false and counterfeit stuffe S. August in Psal 49. 50. S. Augustine to the contrarie Behold saith he we are out of care we go not any more to seeke incense in Arabia God requireth of vs a sacrifice of praise and such a sacrifice had Zacheus in his patrimony c. Againe shal we not then offer any thing vnto him shall we come before God in such sort How then shal we appease his wrath Offer thou hast whereof to offer in thy selfe go not about to take any farre iourney to buy incense Plat. in vit Sixt. 1. Polyd. l. 5. but saie Thy vowes are vpon me O Lord which I will render vnto thee in singing of praises vnto thee c. The onely man wherein it is found is S. Denis an Author better stuft with vaine ceremonies then with solide and sound doctrine And a long time after about the yeare 800. wee reade that Leo 3. ordained that it should be vsed in the Masse For Tapers waxe-candles lights in the Church it is to be noted that the greatest part of Christians their diuine seruice was done in the beginning in priuate Lightes and secretly before day as we may reade in Plinie the second and in all the ecclesiasticall writers and thereupon they could not be without light Now this custome of comming together in the night because of persecution did likewise continue and hold on in the times of peace Euseb l. 4. de vit Constant whereupon it commeth that wee reade that Constantine continued in holy watch vntill it was day and caused to bee lighted for his going to the place and comming backe againe great waxe candles Tapers and verie great torches throughout the whole Citie and lampes in the place of prayer to giue light to them that were present Epiphanius calleth them thereupon Psalmos orationes lucernales Epiph. l. 3. t. 2. that is Psalmes and praiers which were said by a lampe and this was the office of the Acoluthes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to light them after cleare day we do not see that euer the Primitiue Church did euer vse them Tertull. in Apol. Tertullian on the contrarie Wherefore saith he do we not deck the posts with baies vpon the daies of ioy and why breake we not off the day-light by lighting torches Againe Who forceth the Philosopher to sacrifice to play the malecontent Lanct l. 6. c. 2. and to light fond and vaine torches at high noone because the Gentiles constrained the Christians to do it And Lactantius after he perceiued that he had beene a long time mocked of the Pagans at length concludeth in these wordes Who can esteeme or make account of him to bee wise which offereth candles and lampes for giftes vnto him who hath created and giuen the light a reproch which had beene vnfitly charged vpon the Pagans if then it might haue beene cast backe vpon and obiected against the Christians To be briefe the Elibertine Councell forbiddeth them vpon paine of the curse to light any in the places of the buriall of the Martyrs being the places where the Christians vsed to assemble and come together for hee called it The troubling of the Ghostes and spirites of the Saintes and holy ones But as a great number of others did this ceremony tooke his passage from the Gentiles to the Christians in the time of S. Ierome that is more then 400. yeares after the death of our Lorde And Vigilantius the Pastor of Barcelonia writ against the same Conc. Elibert c. 34. complaining of it that he should see the superstition of the Pagans drawne into religion and deriued fetcht from the Gods of Paganisme to bee bestowed vppon the Christian Martyrs Saint Ierome did
Thom. in 1. ad Cor. 11. lect 5. But vpon the Epistle to the Corinthians This Sacrament sayeth hee is giuen vnder a double kinde for three reasons The first for the perfection therof for seeing it is a spirituall sustenance it must needes haue a spirituall meate as also a sprituall drinke wherefore it is saide in the tenth Chapter that all haue eaten one spirituall meate and all haue drunke one and the same spirituall drinke The second by reason of the signification thereof for this is a remembrance of the death and passion of our Lord wherein the blood was separated from the bodie and therefore is giuen alone and by it selfe in this Sacrament And the third reason is this because of the sauing effect that is in this Sacrament for it serueth to the saluation of the bodie therefore the bodie is giuen it serueth to the saluation of the soule and therefore the blood is giuen But tell mee I pray you how farre more fit these three reasons are for to proue that it ought to bee giuen then the other three are to proue that it ought to bee taken away And what followeth hereof then but that to cut off the same is to depriue men of their spirituall food to weaken the remembrance of the passion of our Lord yea and to frustrate his people so much as in them lyeth of their saluation But see how time carrieth thinges away Thom. in Summa par 3. q. 8. art 12. for after that hee had saide To the perfection of this Sacrament there is required manducatio potatio eating of the bodie and drinking of the blood by consequent he that shall take the bodie without the blood shoulde haue but a lame and imperfect Sacrament hee addeth vnto this truth the error of the time carrying him away Notwithstanding there had great care reuerence need to bee vsed of them which receiue the same that so nothing may bee committed which might turne to the misprision contempt of so great a mystery which is most chiefly like to happen by shedding of the bloode if it should bee vndiscreetlie handled this is that which they call periculum effusionis because the Christians encreasing in number that there are amongst them old men young men children all which cannot bring such discretion as were requisite to so bolie a Sacrament it is obserued in some Churches not to offer the blood vnto the people to bee taken of them but the Priest taketh it himselfe alone hee sayeth that it is obserued wherein wee way well picke out this construction Thom. Opusc 58. c. 13. vz. that it is not a law but a custome in some churches that is that as yet in his time this custome had not preuailed euerie where And his reason of the great number of Christians is not to the purpose for the question is not of the daunger of spilling or of the number of Christians but of the number of Communicantes Now wee haue shewed before that the zeale of the Primitiue Church in frequenting the Sacramentes did farre exceede and goe beyonde the zeale of this time In brief for the vpholding of this opinion it is resolued vppon and concluded by him that the blood vnder the signe of bread is ioyned with the bodie per connexienem Scotus in Rep. dist 10. q. 3. as all the rest of the humors which is one branch of his Transubstantiation But Scotus disputeth against him both in the stocke and in the branches in these wordes Non est certum nam vtrumque potest sustineri noutrum probari This is not certaine for the one and the other may bee argued and reasoned but neyther the one nor the other can be proued Richardus de Media villa and Petrus de Tarentasia who liued since Innocent the fourth doe witnes that in their time the Sacrament was distributed vnder both kindes not onely to the ministers of the Altar but also to the best of the parish being such as by reason of their discretion were not to be feared of committing this matter of daunger Petrus de Palude sayeth Petrus de Palude in 4 Sent. d. 11. q. 1. That in certaine Churches this was done vnto all manner of persons in his time by the good order that was taken to auoide shedding also It is meete and of necessitie that there should be a twofold matter in this Sacrament meate and drinke D. 11. art 1. because the effect of the Sacrament must be perfectly represented by the figure now the effect of the sacrament is the perfect nourishing of the soule c. Cassander out of Gulielmus de Monte-landuno Idem in 4. Sent. d. 11. q. 12. art 1. q. 1. Qui recipit corpus Christi totam veritatem recipit sed non totum sacramentum ideo multis in locis cōmunicatur pane vino i. toto sacramento He that receiueth the bodie of Christ receiueth the whole truth but not the whole sacrament and therfore in many places they communicate with bread and wine that is to say in the whole sacrament c. Bonauentura a gray Frier famous amongst the schoolemen In the sacrament two things are to be considered the efficacie the signification Bonauent in lib. 4. Ser. t. d. 11. and therefore to be of the perfection or soundnesse of the sacrament is ment two manner of waies either according to the efficacie and power fuluesse thereof and so euery part is the whole or as concerning the signification and in this sort and manner the two kinds are of the perfection and intirenesse of the sacrament in as much as this sacrament is not sufficient in one of them but in both Also Of the two signes there riseth a perfect sacrament of the integritie and perfection whereof the dispositiue reason riseth naturally because neither the bread nor the wine doe either of them apart refresh and feede mā but rather both together The reason completiue riseth also of the holy institution which hath ordained these two signs to represent a perfect nourishment And he neuer speaketh otherwise In so much as that yet euen in these latter ages and times men were not come so farre as to denie that the Communion vnder both kinds was the institution of Christ or the obseruation of the auncient Church Lyran. in 1. ad Cor. c. 11. Proucrb 9. Sup. haec verba bibite vinum quod miscui vobis Dionys in 1. ad Cor. c. 11. 2. part serm In die caenae Dom. or else to alleadge any other cause of the taking away of the cup then the daunger of shedding for Lyranus saith plainly expounding the place of the first to the Corinthians He speaketh here of two kinds because that in the primitiue Church they were both giuen vnto the faithfull but for feare of spilling there is nothing giuen now a daies vnto the laitie but onely the kind of bread And a long time after him Dionys
heresie both Iesus Christ the author of the sacrament and the whole Primitiue Church but hee was intreated to doe it by the fathers of this Councell two yeares after this decree for the iustifying and confirming of the same after the best manner that hee was able And this he performed to the vttermost that hee could as may appeare by the proude arrogant and presumptuous clauses hee inserted into the same to the offending of all Christendome therewithall Licet Christus aliter instituerit licet Primitiua ecclesia aliter obseruauit howbeit that Christ haue otherwise instituted it The foolish reasons of the Councell Can. Interrogo vos D. de Consecrat 6. and the Primitiue Church otherwise obserued it c. and that with this Notwithstanding following vpon the said clauses and a little more grounded vpon the reasons of these good fathers alleadged in the saide Councell which are those that follow The first That a licour may be shed S. Augustine in like manner saith that the bread may fall and is hee therefore of iudgement that it ought to be cut off and not at any time to be vsed in the sacrament Secondly That it cannot be carried without daunger neither indeed was it euer ordained to bee carried and the Churches which carried the same to the sicke did neuer busie or trouble their mindes with this inconuenience Thirdly That it might be frosen in winter and that it might turne and become tart in summer And thus it was subiect to do during those 1200. yeares wherein it was vsed and yet not a word in all the old fathers to bee seene concerning these questions Quid siacescat quid si congelescat aut computrescat c. Fourthly That it may hurt and annoy the heart after that so many people haue drunke of it but in the Primitiue Church they vsed to communicate as oft and oftner and in greater multitude Fifthly That in some countries wine is not to be come by but either at a very deare rate or otherwise very hardly Neither was it lesse deare or scarce amongst the Christians in the Primitiue Church Sixtly That whiles it was practised the laitie did touch the cuppe Where are they forbidden to touch it seeing they are bidden to take it Seuenthly That some haue ouer long beards and that other some haue the Palsey c. How much more tollerable were it to cut off the beard then the cup and to supplie the infirmities of such as haue the Palsey rather then to cut off the perfection of the sacrament And who seeth not that all these reasons are hatcht vnder the hen of Transubstantiation vnknowne vnto the whole Church for euer before The eight That the dignitie of the Priests and of the laitie by this should be all alike where haue they euer read that our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles did make any distinction or difference in the sacrament The ninth Men would then co nceiue that the sacrament consisted more in taking of it then in consecrating of it in receiuing of it then in seeing of it and thus we should come back again from our pretended sacrifice vnto the sacrament And who can doubt hereof seeing our Lorde hath said Take eate drinke c. The tenth Euerie man will iudge if it shall be giuen to the people that then it will be alwaies necessary and needfull And what more vrgent and vnavoidable necessitie can there bee then for the disciples of Christ to fulfil the wil of their maister Lastly That then the Church of Rome should haue failed in the sacraments and the Councell of Constance in the matter of faith and manners whereuppon would followe a contemning of the Church and consequently a schisme in Christendome Now heere indeed is the sore and pinching griefe and it is for nothing else but for the top of honour that all this contention falleth out But how much better had it beene to haue bewailed and wept for the fault committed when they heard the cocke crow And doe we not see how God hath cursed all these reasons bent vpon the setting vppe of a pompe and statelinesse and not to the establishing of the Church when as vnder pretence of auoiding of a pretended schisme they haue made themselues odious and abhominable vnto the greatest part of Christendome But our worthie maister Gerson doeth take the checke and is offended at this clause of Notwithstanding and therefore setteth his wits vpon the racke to find out some others but no lesse blasphemous then those alleadged by the good foresaide fathers were sottish and ridiculous That the cup had no ground in the word of God and that it was not of the necessitie of the sacrament That it was not appointed or ordained for any but the Apostles and in them for the Priests That men must not hold so much of the scripture as they must of the traditions of the Church that is as Cardinall Cusanus saith in his second epistle to the Bohemians That the institution of the scripture doeth change in time and apply it selfe vnto the ceremonie that is currant and receiued in the church Secundum currentem ritum ecclesiae But the strongest of all the rest and that which alreadie hath beene practised in that place is that in this point Viendum est sayeth hee brachio seculari contra refragantes that is there must the secular power bee stretched out and punishment with all hote pursute bee executed vpon those that will not obeye vnto this Canon neuer trobling the braine with disputing and arguing aboute the matter and that the Emperour must bee exhorted to put his helping hand thereto freelie and willinglie But it is not to bee belieued how much blood hath beene shed in Bohemia Morauia and other Prouinces for the taking away of the blood of Christ from the faithfull The Pope will haue obedience what price soeuer it cost the people to keepe this pretious pledge of the blood of Iesus Christ freelie exposing themselues to losse of goods and life In fine the affaires of Christendome so vrging in respect of the Turke The Councell of Basill there was held some twentie yeares after the Councell of Basill where the Pope whose custome it is to stretch out and shrinke vp his constitutions and ordinances at his pleasure according to the length of businesses which he hath in hand did decree cleane otherwise The faithfull sayeth hee whether they bee of the Laitie or of the Cleargie are not bound by the commaundement of the Lord to receiue the holy Sacrament of the Eucharist vnder both kindes but the Church gouerned by the spirite of truth must ordaine how the Communicantes Conficientes and not those which consecrate it ought to receiue the same according as it shall seeme expedient in respect of that reuerence which is due vnto the Sacrament whether therfore a man cōmunicate vnder one kind or vnder two according to the ordinance obseruation of the church it auaileth vnto saluation vnto such
the cōmunion of the laie people no not vnto the death which is likewise affirmed afterward of all haynous crimes for the seueritie of the old Church did excommunicate all such as had committed any criminall trespasse from the holy supper Concil Sardic c. 1. for the reuerence they had of the sacrament and detestation of malefactors according to the qualitie of their offences for ten yeares for twentie yeares for the whole time of life and sometimes so as that they would not giue it them no not to the death Whereupon at this time riseth that practise which wee see of not giuing it to such as are conuicted of any enormous crimes nor vnto those which are going to execution But in the meane time they lay amongst the penitentes in a place seperated both from the Cleargie and laitie And of them if they bee laye people speake the Councels Ne in fine quidem iis communionem dandam that they should not haue the communion no not to their dying day If they were Clearkes then there is added no not the Communion amongst the laitie Ne laicam quidem for tenne twentie thirtie yeares yea not to death And when they did graunt it vppon the manifestation of their repentance and shedding of their aboundant store of teares yet it was not to any other effect but to accompt and take them as laye men without any inabling of them to their former places of dignitie that so the Ministers of the Church might bee the better brideled and kept in the doing of their duties For as for that which Bellarmine sayeth That there was nothing giuen them but bread because they durst not touch the cuppe what appearance of truth is there in it that they should take the bread in their hand a thing that some doe agree vnto and durst not touch the cuppe that they durst not touch the vessell and yet touched the Sacrament Againe what punishment had it beene to giue the bodie and not the blood and the bodie according to their concomitancie which extendeth to the containing of the blood And had not this rather beene an iniurie to the sacrament then a punishment to the crime In briefe it is apparant by many examples that both the one and the other was giuen to the sicke Iustinus saith Iust in Apol. that the one and the other was carried to those that were absent Saint Ierome speaking of Exuperius Bishop of Tholosa saith De canistro vimineo de vase vitreo out of a wicker basket for the bread and out of a glasse for the wine The historie of Serapio vseth these words to runne and to poure into the mouth which cannot be vnderstood but of licor But euen as we haue said before that wheresoeuer they find Eucharist Iustia Apol. 2. they haue translated it Masse so now they will vnderstand by this word Eucharist nothing but the sacrament of bread against all antiquitie which speaketh it both of the one of the other And this food we call the Eucharist Againe When the word commeth to the wine mingled the bread broken they are made the Eucharist of the bodie blood of our Lord. And as for the sicke the old fathers did not carrie it indifferently vnto all Irenaeus lib. 5. but vnto them which were neare vnto death hauing beene suspended from the Sacraments as may bee seene in the historie of Serapio that so there might effectually be declared vnto them their reconciliation with God and their peace with the Church to the establishing of their consciences vpon their departure out of this life into another which otherwise should haue beene diuersly tossed and perplexed in this agonie dying vnder the censure of the Church To this purpose S. Cyprian saith In the extreame perill of death the excommunicate must not stay till he be reconciled by the Bishop but let him testifie his vnfained repentance before the Deacon August ep 180 and so depart in peace Saint Augustine When it is come to that point say they they runne to the Church some desire to bee baptized others to bee reconciled others the testisying of their repentance c. And if the Ministers faile into what daunger do they cast them which depart from the church either not baptised or bound with the censures ecclesiasticall But the historie of Serapio cleareth this matter In the time of persecution he had sacrificed to an Idoll the Church had excommunicated him deliuering him vp vnto Sathā then he was as a heathen idolater shut out not only from the communion of the sacraments but from the societie of Christians Hauing in the end beseeched his brethren with teares hee fell sicke through sorrow and heauines of heart losing his speech within three daies which he recouered againe vpon the fourth and said How long will ye hold me in this case bring me hither a minister that I may be reconciled vnto God and restored vnto the church before I die And then the sacraments were administred vnto him in token that the Church was at peace with him againe Against the ordinarie vse of the Church which we propound and stand vpon they continue to oppose the extraordinarie abuses of certaine women or priuate persons There are found say they such as did take the cup in the Church and notwithstanding carried home to their houses the sacrament of bread And thereupon they alleadge vnto vs the example of Gorgonia the sister of Nazianzene Tertul. lib. 2. ad vxorem Ieronym aduer◠Iouinian Nazianz. in funere Gorgoniae of Satyrus the brother of S. Ambrose c. of a certain infidel woman who stole the bread from Chrysostom c. as also of S. Ambrose himself who died after he had taken the sacrament of bread c. what can the authoritie of these priuate examples doe against a publike law and custome these examples of poore sillie women of infirme and weake persons or such as had beene slenderly taught against the institution of the Sonne of God And if these examples be so infalliblie certain why then did they not rather depraue them of the bread seeing they all agree that they caried it home with them tooke the cup in the Church And afterward why did they not call to mind what is said of Gorgonia that shee kept both the one and the other kind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Nazianzene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the signes of the precious bodie and blood And that in the historie of Satyrus there is mention made Haustionis fusionis in viscera of the shedding and poowring of them into the entrailes which cannot be vnderstood but of licour And that this pretended Paulinus which hath written of S. Ambrose is he as saith Erasmus Which hath marred all S. Ierome and S. Augustine borne saith he onely to spoile good writers But as we do not denie vnto them that these superstitions tooke place at the least amongst some particular persons so they should not haue
them from Images hee expoundeth himselfe in plaine tearmes saying S. Iohn crieth aloude Little children keepe your selues from Jdols not so much saith hee from Idolatrie that is from yeelding anie dutie or reuerence towardes them as from the Idols that is euen from the verie shapes and images For saith he it is a great indignitie that the Image of the liuing God shold be translated into the Image of an Idol or of a thing that is dead Now there is no cause for thē to obiect against these plain and expresse words of the old Father Tertul. lib. de pudicitia that in his book of shamefastnes he maketh mention of a certaine cup whereupon was painted the historie of a good Pastor going about to gaine and get againe his stray sheep for what agreement is there betwixt the painting of a cup and the worshipping of an Image the workmanship of a glasier with the iudgement of the Church Origen against Celsus handleth the question throughly Origen cont Celsum l. 7. This Pagan did obiect against him That the Christians were worse then the Barbarians yea worse then Atheistes who would not see or looke vpon saith he eyther Altars Images or representation of any thing c. The aunswere whereto if hee had belieued or taught as our aduersaries do had beene easie and readie vz. It is not our intent or desire to haue anie Idols but rather Images we will not honour the resemblances of your Gods but of our Saintes c. But what sayeth hee The Christians abhorre Images saith he but not for the same reason that the Persians doe whome thou callest Barbarians For they verily doe not suffer anie worshipping of Iesus Christ in Temples in Altars in images c. but it is because it is written Thou shalt haue no other Gods but mee Thou shalt not make to thy selfe anie likenes Thou shalt not worshippe them nor serue them Then the question in this place is of the Images of Christ and not of the Gods which notwithstanding hee taketh to bee no lesse forbidden in this place then those of the Gods themselues Heraclitus saide It is a follie to pray vnto Images that do not know the Gods Origen goeth further saying Yea rather wee know God wee know his onelie begotten Sonne wee know the Saintes Statuis Simulachra but wee doe much more confidentlie affirme that it is impossible for to know God and to kneele downe to Images and it is not onely follie to fall down before them but euen to make a semblance or similitude of them and therefore wee worshippe not Images for feare least any man should thinke that we attribute vnto them anie manner of Deitie What doth Origen here in this place leaue vs to conclude but that hee setteth the Images of the Sonne of God and of the Saintes in the same rowe and ranke with the olde Idols Furthermore hee sayeth that hee knoweth verie well to put difference betwixt the true God and the false and counterfeite the Sonne of God and the Saintes and betwixt Sathan and his Angels But if Celsus replie as others doe against vs who is so ignorant but he knoweth that Images are not Gods c hee taketh not this excuse for good payment For sayeth hee You cannot acquite your selues from being in fault seeing that you honour them The poore idiote seeing what you do taketh them to bee Gods though wee do not so which know that they cannot bee so much as Images seeing that God cannot be represented by any Image seeing likewise that man is not his Image but inasmuch as regard and consideration is had of his reasonable soule which he hath inspired into him and not in any respect of his outward forme and shape In briefe if Celsus say You abhorre our Images Origen l. 8. hee saith not It is to set vppe others in their places But rather We haue others in our selues fashioned according to the word of God the examples and patternes of vertues in our Soules drawn and fashioned according to the patterne of our Lorde the first borne of euerie creature And if hee say againe why set you them not vppon Altars No rather We will lodge them in our spirits the true Temples of God wherein he vouchsafeth to dwell by his holy spirit c. Now there is no cause that any should after so many plain pregnant proofes alledge vnto vs the distinctiō that he maketh vpon Exodus betwixt an Idol Idem hom 8. in Exod. the likenes of a thing Inasmuch saith he as that the Jdoll is a fantasticall picture of some thing which is not in nature but a likenes is a representation and shadowing out of a thing that is For besides that the Hebrew will not beare it what skilleth it vs how or by what names hee calleth them seeing hee condemneth both the one and the other and seeing he declareth and manifestlie sheweth by the law of God that both the one and the other sort is disallowed and condemned So farre as that they are not to bee honoured either in affection inwardly or by anie outwarde appearance And this to be meant of all those which eyther are not but in our fantasies and imaginations as well as of those which haue a bodilie substance in some one place or other aswel of those which are of the true God as those which are of the false Gods aswel of those which are of his only Son God and man and therefore representable in the humaine nature as of that of the eternall God which is not able to be comprehended of vs either by our inward spirites or outward sences And this suteth with that of S. August cont Faustum l. 20. c. 3. Augustine vttered by him in a word Pagani ea colunt quae sunt the Pagās worship the things which are and therfore not fansies and yet such things as are not to be worshipped for Gods Sed quae pro Diis colenda non sunt Wherin resteth the effect and worke of Idolatrie And hereby likewise is taken from them that which they alleadge out of S. Paule An Idoll is nothing Sunt quidem Idola saith Chrysostome sed nihil possunt 1. Cor. 8.4 Chrysost in 1. ad Cor. hom 20. Theoph. ibid. August cont Foust l. 20 c. 5. Beda Bruno Hugo victor Dionys Carth. Faber Stapul Genebrard in Psal 65. 96. Arnob l 2. aduers Gent. Lactan. l. 2. c. ◠4.18 Idoles saith he are something but they can do nothing And S. Augustine They are but they are nothing vnto saluation And their own Doctors Formaliter sunt efficaciter non sunt if you look vpon them outwardlie you shal perceiue them to haue a forme and shape but and if you looke vpon them as effectuall and powerfull then they are nothing at all Arnobius and Minutius Felix say We haue neither Altars nor Images and they do defēd and answere for themselues against the Pagans who reproched them therewithall
that so far as that Arnobius telleth them that they can haue no religion wheras there are Images he saith Simulachra not Idola How far was this man from being of their minds who can finde no religion if they see no Images But Lactantius his Disciple Schoolemaister to Constantine the Great doth lay open this matter at large in these generall rules That Images Imagines inquam were not taken vp for any other cause then for such as were absent that the Image of God is alwayes superfluous because he is present euery where That man is the truest Image that can be made of him as represēting him in the actions of the soule That it is a meer foolerie to paint such things as one hath and after to fal down and worship them seeing that the Images to the cōtrary if they had vnderstāding haue iust cause to fal down and worship man who hath made them It is likewise a great blockishnes for them which haue sence to worshippe senceles thinges and for those which haue reason the vnreasonable as it is for them which are heauenly borne to worship the earthlie That Images are nothing else but the shapes and similitudes of dead men or the works of mortall men In the end concluding after the maner of his Maister in these words Nō dubium est quin religio nulla sit vbi simulachrū est It is most certain that there is no maner of religion whereas Images are But with what face could he say this if in his time that is in the time of Constantine the very time wherein was held the famous Councell of Nice the Christians had Images seeing that all the reasons which he alledgeth against the Pagans are aswell to be applied to the Christians in asmuch as they may equally and as indifferentlie be spoken against their Images And indeed the Councell of Elibert held at that time Concil Elibert c. 36. deliuereth vnto vs this writ in expresse tearmes Placuit picturas in ecclesia esse non deberi ne quod colitur aut adoratur in parietibus depingatur It hath seemde good vnto vs that is it is decreede that there should be no pictures in the Church for feare that what men do honour and worshippe should be painted vpon the walles Yuo in decret l. 2. Therefore not the three persons of the Trinitie for wee worship them but so do we not the Angels neither the Saintes in the same sence with our aduersaries who worship and adore them Neither is that to bee taken for an aunswere which some men alledge namely that this was in the time of persecution for the reason serueth indifferently for all times As that that which is worshipped shold not be painted c. But on the contrarie it may seem that this Decree was made for feare that the rest which then the church inioyed should minister occasiō to the Christians to follow the lewd maners of the Pagans it hauing bin freely confessed before by the Pagans that the Christians did not vse thē at all as may bee gathered as well by the reproches wherewith they were ordinarily giuen to reproach them Lampridius in Adriano as also by the testimony of the Historiographer Lampridius as That the Emperour Adrian willing to receiue Iesus Christ into the number of the Gods caused to be prepared for him many Temples without Jmages which were well remembred vnto the time of Constantine and called the Temples of Adrian c. Athanas cont Gentes Athanasius sayth The inuention of Images is not good it sprung from that euill one and that which hath an euill beginning cannot bee iudged good but altogether and wholy naught for how I pray you can God bee knowne by Images If it bee by the matter then what needeth any forme And doth not his glorie appeare in all thinges If by the forme what neede is there then of colours painting and might hee not be better known in reasonable creatures And otherwise what a pittifull and lamentable thing is it that the seeing should worship the blind the hearing pray vnto those which cannot heare for where is there any creature that can saue an other c Reasons altogether alledged against the Pagans but so as that they haue the same force against the Christians and as for that little treatise of the Image of Christ slipt in amongst the workes of this great and worthy man let it bee farre from any man to obiect it against vs there is indeed recorded therein that Nicodemus did make one and that it fell into the hands of Gamaleel Zacheus and others after that into the handes of the Bbs. of Ierusalem and that after the destruction thereof it was carried into Barutus a Citty of Syria where being pierced and thrust through by a Iew there issued out of it blood that by it likewise were miracles done c. For besides that this fable may seeme to come out of the Legends budget and for that also it is not confirmed by any Author Nannius in praef in Athanas Nannius a Doctor of Louaine who hath reduced the workes of Athanasius into tomes doth not let to put it in the number of the bookes imagined falsly to bee his and Bellarmine himselfe for shame cannot deny it whereunto you may also adde the testimonie of Sigibert who sayeth that that accident in the City of Barut happened in the yeare 765. Sigibert in Chronic. Legend 30. and the historie of Lombardie in the yeare 750. that is neare 400. yeares after the death of Athanasius as indeed this Treatise is neuer found to be alledged before the second Councell of Nice about the yeare 800. and thus you see how vpon this and other such vntruthes this doctrine of lyes is founded and built And indeed we read these words in Athanasius He that worshippeth the Image of the king worshippeth in it the king himself And this our aduersaries vse to serue their turn withall against vs but they do willingly let passe to speake what image it is that hee meaneth Serm. 4. cont Arrian for indeed he meaneth not that made by Nicodemus seeing it would haue serued his purpose for the maintaining of the worshipping of the Sonne of God against the Arrians but the substantiall Image of the Father Iesus Christ our Lord whome hee concludeth to bee worthy to bee worshipped in himselfe August Epist 119. and the Father in him as S. Augustine sayeth by the same reason That whereas it is forbidden in the law of God to honour his similitude or likenes it was not as though there were not an Image of God but because hee had but one which ought to be worshipped euen that which is himselfe namely the Sonne of God and that not for him and his sake but with him not Christ himselfe considered as a man how glorious soeuer he be seeing that the holy Fathers do call the Arrians Idolaters because they honoured Christ as
wordes should euer approue of images Yea on the contrarie who doubteth but that hee would haue thundred against them in the fierie flames of his holie zeale if hee had seene these couents of Friers other fraternities these vowes hanging tablets these gorgeous garments of cloth of gold and siluer renewed and repaired according as the fashions alter and chaunge And all the idolatries of the Pagans of all ages heaped together in these our daies and bestowed vpon the image of the holy virgine But let vs heare what he saith of her image in expresse tearmes This loue and longing lust to make images Haeres 79. what is it but the vttermost endeuour and whole strength of the Deuill who vnder a colour of iustice conueieth himselfe into the vnderstanding part of man seeking to set vp and aduaunce to the place and dignitie of God mankind that is mortall making Gods of them by pictures images bearing the shapes of men But those whome they worship are dead but not content therewith they set vp their images to bee worshipped which in deed cannot possiblie die because they were neuer aliue And thus man goeth a whoring from the true and onely God as a common harlot prostituting her selfe to euerie mans couch and companie c. In deed the bodie of Marie was holy but not a God and as certainly she was a virgine and an honorable virgine but not giuen vnto vs that we should fall downe and worship her but rather she worshipped him who according to the flesh was begotten of her but yet descended of heauenly nature by the father-side And therefore the Gospell armeth you against this errour when hee saith What haue I to do with thee O woman as it were thereby prophesying of the sectes and heresies which should rise thereupon in the world least that any doting vpon or too deepe falling in loue with her holines might be plunged into the pit of this rauing and senceles madnes of foule and filthie heresie c. But she is honourable and renowned as Elias as Iohn the Euangelist c. yea and more renowned by reason of the dispensation of the mysterie for which she was thought to be a fit and worthy instrument but yet not so worthy as to bee worshipped and adored no more then the other For farre be it from vs that we should euer be ouertaken with that old errour of leauing and forsaking of the liuing God to fal a worshipping of the things which he hath made For if he will not haue any man to worship the Angels how much lesse her that was borne of Anna which was giuen by Ioachim to Anna begotten of the seed of man and woman after the ordinarie course of all other men and women c. Let not Marie then go without her due honour but let vs bow before and worship the Father the Son and the holy Ghost let no person whether man or woman worship and bow before Marie This mysterie is due vnto the one onely God the Angels looke not for any such glorie let vs blot out all such abuses as haue beene cursedly carued and written in our hearts let vs take from before our eyes the coueting of wood and let euery creature turne and apply themselues to him which hath made them Now he which speaketh thus of the Virgine Marie herselfe what would he then haue said of the Saints what would he haue said of her image and theirs He that condemneth the idolatrie that was committed in respect of her which was but then in sproute and as it were in the huske Epiphan tom 1. l. 3. contr Anom haeres 76. l. 2. tom 1. haeres 55. contr Melchised in Amir what would he haue said at this day if he should come and see it in the floure yea if he should come and see it in the heape He letteth not to say the same in other places of those which worship the image of Moyses in Arabia and that of Iephtha his daughter in Samaria c. But that which is alleadged of him in the seuenth Councell of Constantinople is more notable Beware saith he and take heede to the obseruing of the traditions which you haue receiued decline not either to the right hand or to the left Remember your selues my deare children and go not about to bring any images into the church nor into the places of the burying of the Saintes but beare you alwaies God in your hearts likewise suffer them not in your priuate houses for it is not lawful that a Christian should be tyed by the eyes Alphons de Castro in verb. Imago Theodor. epis Ancyrae but rather that he should be intentiue in the spirit To be briefe Alphonsus of Casters vppon this occasion intreating of heresies imputeth the same to Epiphanius namely the condemning of images Theodore Bishop of Ancyra neere about Epiphanius his time and somewhat treading Epiphanius his steps saith We do not iudge it to the purpose to make the pictures or images of Saints of materiall colours but rather now and then to renew the vertues which wee reade of them as of liuing images for by that meanes wee may come to the imitating of them And as for such people as doe set vp their images what profite I pray you can they report vnto vs that they reape thereby Is it because they would after a certaine manner and sorte bee put in mind of them by looking vpon them But that is verie apparant to be nothing but a vaine cogitation and an inuention of diuelish deceipt And Theodoret of the same time vpon the 113. Theodor. in Psal 113. Psalme saith God maketh what it pleaseth him but images are made such as it pleaseth men to make them they haue the receptacles of sence but they are sencelesse and that in this thing more then flies or fleas or any other vermine and it is iust that such as worship them should lose both reason and sence Nowe this is to come to that which Erasmus saith in his Catechisme Erasm in Cateches in ecclesiast l. 2. that vnto the time of Saint Ierome and as wee see somewhat later images were not approued of them which were of the best approued religion no not the image of Christ himselfe And therefore after he hath turned himselfe round that he might applie himselfe vnto the time yet notwithstanding hee commeth to conclude That there is neyther law of God nor man which ordaineth images in Temples And that it is both more easie and more sure to take them all away then to go about to deale with the people that they would vse them sparingly or to preuent that superstition do not mingle it selfe therewithall And that although otherwise the spirit were very free and void from all superstition yet herein it is intangled and inwrapped with a certaine kinde thereof by kneeling before an image of woode by hauing his eyes bent thereupon by framing his speech thereto by
kissing the same and in a worde in holding it vnmeete to pray in any other place but before an image Likewise the good Fathers of Trent proceeding in good earnest Index expurg pag. 255. as they are wont in all their matters haue not forgotten to appoint that in printing the workes of Erasmus againe this place should very diligently be looked vnto and razed out Now if the Church haue beene 500. yeares those in her chiefest flourishing without setting vp or harbouring of any images in her temples what profite could there be in receiuing of them or what perill can there now be in taking of them away what conscience in persecuting of such as remoue them what audacious and impudent boldnesse in calling such heretickes when as the first fathers called it heresie to haue any of them and a diuelish inuention to bring them in and what would they haue said of the worshipping of them But least they should be accompted as dumbe as their images The aduersaries their obiections Damas l. 4. c. 17. Niceph. l. 2. c. 7. they wil not be without some thing to reply Abgarus say they king of Edessa sent a painter to take the proportion and portraiture of Iesus Christ They reade this in Damascene and Nicephorus who writ after the yeare 800. How commeth it then to passe that Eusebius a writer both more ancient and autentike saith rather that he hath read in the records and Monuments of the commonweale of Edessa that Abgarus sent vnto our Lord to bee healed of him and speaketh not a word at all of the drawing of his portraiture And what is there in that which is common and equally fitting our question if wee must haue images in the Church to worship them and if the Primitiue Church haue had them For there is nothing to be gathered but the curiositie of a Prince strangely affecting a portraiture and that of a prince which was no Christian so that here can nothing be concluded for Christians And why do they not remember themselues at the least that Pope Gelasius in his decree as also Isidore do place this historie amongst the Apocrypha whose originall is vnknowne They charge vs a fresh with the Veronique that is the liuely picture that hath no manner of testimonie or approbation saue onely in their Legenda Aurea What will they say to Viues where he saith The golden Legend consisteth for the most part of Iron or Lead so as the authour thereof could not but haue a hart of leade or a mouth of Iron And then with that of Nicodemus But how will they answere the vntruthes clearely proued freely confessed euen by themselues of the pretended treatise of Athanasius which onely maketh mention thereof yea rather for all these images of Christ how will they salue themselues of the Epistle written by Eusebius to Constance the Empres saying Seeing thou hast commanded me to send thee the image of Christ Euseb in Epist ad Constant Augustam I desire to know which it is that thou meanest whether the true vnchaungeable one which carrieth with it the characters ingrauen formes of his diuine nature or rather that which he tooke vpon him for vs clothing himselfe in the shape and habite of a seruant that is the humaine nature c. But without all peraduenture thou desirest the image of this carnall bodie which he tooke for vs and yet notwithstanding the same ioyned with the glorie of his deitie rather then subiect to passions and mortalitie But who shall be found able to expresse in painting with dead and liuelesse colours the shining brightnes of so great an excellencie of so great a glorie But and if they were not in the time of Eusebius Bishop of Cesarea in Palestina vnder Constantine the Great where were they then found out afterward And further what a vanitie is it to go about by false and counterfet images to proue the truth of images The like is that of the image of the virgine Marie painted say they by S. Luke And this is told them by one Theodorus Anagnostes who writ after all the rest one Simon Metaphrastes the compiler and gatherer together of the Legendes Maister of the schoole at Constantinople and a verie late writer But the Apostle S. Paule telleth vs that S. Coloss 4. Luke was a Phisition and not a painter and being a Iew what likelihood is there that it should be he if you do but marke that Origen saith that the Iewes did not suffer any amongst them But certainly as the Iewes heretofore in conuersing and keeping company with the Gentiles had taken vp their images euen so the Proselite or conuerted Gentiles affecting to become Christians brought them with them the Christians also thereupon became verie easie and readie to apply themselues vnto their fashions in thinges especially indifferent to haue them as recordes and remembraunces not for to worship them and so those which followed after went somewhat further as mans nature in thinges tending to superstition cannot keepe any measure But this point shall be handled in the Chapter following CHAP. III. What manner of proceeding Images had amongst Christians and of the most licentious abuse thereof after they once came into the Church of Rome IT is certainly agreed vpon by all the Christian Doctors The Gentiles the inuentors of images Ambr. in psal 118. Concil Nic. 2. Act. 6. Cypr. de Idol Vanic That images were brought in amongst the Christians by the Gentils Euseb l 7 c. 18 that the Gentiles were the first inuentors of images S. Ambrose The Gentiles worship wood as the image of God Gregory Bishop of Neocaesarea The religion of the Pagans did inuent giue entrance to images S. Cyprian They were made at the first for to retaine the countenances of the dead but after that which was brought in for the comfort and consolation of the liuing turned to a religious carriage toward the dead That the Gentiles brought them in amongst the Christians also still keeping and cleauing fast vnto some of this their old leauen Eusebius beareth vs witnesse for speaking of her picture whom our Lord healed of a fluxe of blood in Cesarea Philippi of that which she had erected vnto him of brasse neer vnto that of her owne he saith There is no cause why we should maruell that those which had belieued amongst the Gentils for the benefites which they had receiued of our Sauiour should offer vnto him such a thing as it were in manner of a present seeing that we do behold euen yet to this day the pictures which were intended and drawne for the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul yea and our Sauior himselfe and the tablets which are made of them as likewise certain old ones which haue beene kept And this seemeth to me to haue beene retained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the chaunging of the fashion according to the custome of the Gentiles which were wont so to honour
mysterie as indeed there is neuer any mention made but of bread simplie And all the offringes from amongst which the breade of the holie supper was taken was such bread as was ordinarilie vsed to bee eaten in houses which as al men might see was not without leauen seeing that the old church did communicate euerie day except wee will not belieue that the Christians likewise did not eate any other bread at their owne houses but vnleauened bread Chrysost 1. Cor. c. 5. Chrysostome saieth Take no care hereafter about this leauen for now likewise thou hast an other lumpe the shadowes are past And Gregorie the Great maketh not mention of anie other bread in the holie supper then the common and vsuall such as they kneaded and baked at the Bakers house and was solde in the market at Rome Gregor in Registio Likewise in his Register we haue these wordes When wee take the breade whether it be leauened or vnleauened wee are made a bodie of the Lord our Sauiour Againe expounding the Passeouer vnto the Christians he saith Hee eateth vnleauened bread which doth good works and when they are done doth not marre them with vain glorie and hee that doth the workes of mercie without the mingling of sinne with them c. To be brief Niceph. l. 8. c. 53. 54. Nicephorus intreating of the heresie of the Theopaschites and Monophysites so called because they taught that the Godheade it selfe did suffer doth obserue and note for our behoofe that in the supper they vsed vnleauened bread and not common and ordinarie bread And this they affirmed that they held from Gregorie the great Bb. of Armenia so far was it off to be held at that time either for an heresie or for an error to vse common bread in the celebrating of the holy supper And this was after the year 700. Insomuch as that it may seem that this custom entred into the Latine Church about the same time that the popes delighted themselues to trim vp their churches with al maner of Iewish ceremonies after they had once spoild and robd it of al her principal and goodly ornaments indeed as humilitie simplicitie purity c. And indeed the Decretal of Clement the third about the yeare 1188. against the Priests which vsed cups of wood leauened bread sheweth that this ordinance was not as yet throughlie established De celebrat Miss cont lit We reade that about the year 1100. there began a schisme betwixt the Greeke and Latine Church about this matter and that the reasons were handled on the one parte and on the other by Nicaetas Monke of Constantinople standing for the partie of Michael the Patriarke and Humbert Bb. of Sylua Candida standing for the side of Leo the 9. the one and the other shewing himselfe but weake in that they striue to make that necessarie which the Church had helde indifferent The worst was that vppon this question and controuersie these two Bishoppes fell into an other namely the Primacie or supremacie Durand l. 4. c. 41. Extrauag de celebr Miss C. finali Thom Aquin. op 1. cont error Grec c. 32. Hildebert Ceneman Ep. 44. which caused that neither of them to auoide the impeachment and weakening of his authority would yeeld a haires bredth from his conceiued opinion For about this time Durandus wrote that the Masse might bee celebrated with leauened bread and brought in to proue his purpose the Extrauagantes de Celeb Miss And Thomas Aquinas after him That of a truth it agreeth better with the puritie of the mysticall bodie to vse vnleauened bread in this sacrament but not saith hee as though it coulde not bee well administred with leauened bread And the Epistle of Hildebert Bb. of Mans which censureth the Priest that had offered common bread vseth these wordes Therein hee swarueth from the rule of custome but not of faith and it behoueth thee to correct the fact Concil Ferrar. as a scandall and offence rather then as a sinne and that thou carrie thy selfe rather like a Father towardes him then like a Judge And this thing was afterward decided by a Councell held at Ferrara for the agreeing and reuniting of the Greeke and Latine Churches That it was indifferent to celebrate the holy Supper either with leauened or vnleauened breade And therefore why shoulde such differing and disagreeing affections continue so long for thinges so reasonable and indifferent Of the wine The like hath beene about the wine of the Lordes Supper Some vnder the colour of sobrietie would vse water and not wine Of such S. Augustine and Epiphanius make mention amongst the Heretikes and not without cause seeing they abolished one part of the substance of the Sacrament But S. Cyprian doth refute them sharpelie and bringeth them backe to the institution of Christ who onely must bee heard in all thinges concerning them And hereupon it is that he hath it so oft in his writings That in this sacrament which is Christ no man is to be heard but Christ himselfe Others would haue the wine delaied with water and the most auncient Christians did so vse it and that not without apparant shew inasmuch as the people of the Easte did not ordinarilie vse wine without water as the Hebrew and Greeke phrases of speech do proue howsoeuer they alledge other reasons for thus their vsing of it as that there came out of our Lord his side water and blood That this is a signe of the two natures in Christ or rather of the vnion of Christ with his church allegorizing vppon euerie thing according to their accustomed maner Howsoeuer it bee notwithstanding it may bee that the course of the text would not shew vs in this particular point of the blood and water anie thing but the true and vndoubted death of the Lord in this that the wound had pierced the case of his heart because also that if wee should fall to allegorizing then with the greatest part of the Fathers we shold thence collect and gather the two sacraments of the Church that is Baptisme from the water and the Eucharist from the blood c. Onely let vs not finde fault with this obseruation prouided that it bee voide of superstition that is free from condemning of those which do not administer anie thing but onely wine as also without any preiudice to the libertie which Christ hath left vnto his children which will not admit any manner of necessitie but that which is grounded vpon the holy word If any doe contrarywise bring in any other necessitie wee affirme that it is not without an error because as they themselues do say to make that to bee a matter of faith which is not is to sinne and erre in the faith And therefore wee condemne the Canons of the church of Rome which say absolutelie that the wine cannot bee administred without water Canon Oportet C. in sacrament D. 2. de Consâ— seeing there is nothing saide or
is the cause also that S. Ambrose would haue men to be throughlie intentiue Ambros 1. Cor. 83. Chrysost in 2. Cor. hom 8. To the end sayeth hee that this oblation which is of many may be celebrated together And Chrysostome seteth it downe vnto vs for a general rule That in the mysteries that is in this sacrament the Pastor differeth not from the Parishioner c. In like manner the forme and ceremonie of ordaining and instituting of Ministers in the Apostolike Church is most cleare and euident The maner of the laying on of hands vsed of the olde Church The Church prayed God that it would please him to be present by his holie spirit at the election to blesse it And to the end that they might be the more feruent in praier they vsed to fast before after which those which were elect by the Church receiued the imposition of hands in the beginning by the Apostles and afterward by the Pastors Bishops but neuer without a perfect knowledge and triall of their doctrine and life It is also to bee obserued that whereas our Lord breathed vppon his Apostles saying vnto them Receiue the holie Ghost the Primitiue Church notwithstanding did not practise the same because such signes haue no other power then that which God hath giuen vnto them and therefore must not presumptuously be conceiued to haue anie such except there appeare the expresse institution and ordinance of the Lord for the warrant of the same In the election of the Bb. Fabian Eusâ—b l. 6. c. 29 wee see the simplicitie that was in the olde Church The Church came together aswell the Elders and Deacons as the other people manie were propounded as thought worthy to vndertake the charge in the end Fabian by the common consent and voice of the whole Church is named Bb. and sometimes wee see the common people make the election and after to present the elected to the Presbyterie that is to the ecclesiasticall assemblie and other sometimes wee see the Presbyterie to propound them vnto the people for to approue them if there bee no man that can say anie thing against them onelie it was alwaies vsed that before they were ordained and installed in their Ministerie there was a generall agreement and consent of the people and ecclesiasticall order that is of the whole Church as concerning the soundnes of his doctrine and vnspottednes of his life which was to bee chosen Bishoppe or Elder And this wee coulde proue through all ages successiuelie if so be it were anie controuersie amongst vs. For the present the questioÌ„ is first of the charge of the Minister of the church whether Bishop or Priest for the first were intituled by the Ancientes with the name of Ministers the old Episcopall bookes doe yet make mention thereof secondlie of the ceremonie which was obserued in the ordaining of the same And seeing that these two pointes doe one of them cleare and make plaine the other wee purpose to insist and stand vppon them The charge of such a one I say was to preach the Gospell and administer the Sacramentes not to say Masses not to sacrifice the bodie of Christ for the liuing and for the dead The forme of giuing of orders in the ancient time Theodoret l. 4 c. 23. Concil Carth. 4. c. 1. 2. Epiphan l. 1. tom 2. Sozom. l. 4. c. 24. Iust Nouel 123 de eccles diuer The auncient forme and manner also say wee had not any ceremonie that did shew anie thing eyther of Priestes or sacrifices And this wee must proue by taking the search and view of the auncient recordes of antiquitie Theodoret teacheth vs in the election of one that was to succeede Meletius the Great that it was the custome in ordaining of a Bb. that all the Bbs. of the Prouince should be present therat at the least three or fowre Where hee was examined of his doctrine and sometimes called to make confession of his faith and in his life so farre foorth as that hee was to aunswere therein to whatsoeuer hee could bee accused of or charged withall whereuppon wee haue a most expresse lawe made by Iustinian the Emperour Afterwarde it was agreede that the Metropolitane or in his absence the most auncient Bishoppe should lay his hand vppon him and blesse him and all the others likewise laide to their handes in signe of consent And to the end that he might bee aduertised and put in minde of his dutie by an eye signe two Bishoppes helde the holie Gospels ouer his head to the end hee might know that his calling tyed him to the preaching of the Gospel And this ceremonie was ordinarily done before the holie Table where the Sacraments were wont to bee administred Nazian in leudem Basil In some places likewise it was obserued that the Bishoppe passed through all the degrees of the Church before that hee came to that place and roome S. Denys describing this ceremonie sayeth The Bishoppe is kneeling before the Altar hee hath the bookes giuen of God helde ouer his head and the hand of the Bishoppe that is his who layeth his handes vppon him and is blessed of him by most holie praiers the consecrating Bishoppe doth set vpon him the signe of the Crosse c. but of the Masse or any sacrifice or yet any other ceremonie hee speaketh not at all August l. 3. cont Crescon c. 21. 22. Sozom. c. 19. l. 8. Chrysost 2. Cor. 8. hom 18 Volaterr l. 22. Herman Gigas Concil Aquisgran c. 9. The same forme and manner was practised in the person of Cresconius Maximilianus Theophilus Alexandrinus c. and these alwaies with publike praiers and fasting going before And from thence the Romaine Church retaineth as yet the fastes of the fowre times because that Pope Gelasius did ordaine that Orders should be giuen onelie fowre times a yeare vpon a Saturday the dayes going before being spent in examining their liues and manners The ages following added therto the staffe and the ring saying The staffe as a shepheardes crooke to reforme and call the stragling into the way as also to vpholde the infirme and weake and the ring in signe of the honour due vnto Bishoppes and for to seale their secrets withall But the truth is that this was after that they were become Lordes of great Lordshippes that the Popes and Emperours would receiue fealty and homage from them inuesting them with these ensignes and badges as Knightes and Squiers are wont to bee noted out by the speare the sword and shield c. But what get wee hereby but that the Bb. both in his election and examination as also in the whole forme and maner obserued in his ordination was charged onelie to teach the word of God well and faithfullie and to administer his holy sacraments purelie and sincerely to correct his people by his prescribed form of discipline and his church with such a gouernment as is truly ChristiaÌ„ And look what
hath the Greeke translated it The Chaldie Paraphrast in like manner Your praier shall bee vnto me as a cleane sacrifice c. But the Prophet his purpose is to oppose and set the Gentiles against the Iewes the Leuiticall Sacrifices which they had defiled to the puritie of the seruice which shal be at the comming of Christ not of one people but amongst all manner and sortes of people If incense be taken according to the bare letter will they say that incense and the Masse are both one will they bring vs backe againe to the Iewish ceremonies or rather to the ceremonies of the Gentiles but if it bee taken figuratiuely who shall better interprete the figure then Dauid My praier commeth vnto thee O Lord as incense Then S. Iohn There was offered vp vnto him saith hee much incense to the end that hee might offer vp the praiers of all the Saintes vpon the golden Altar which is before the throne Againe The smoake of incense rise vppe from the praiers of the Saintes the golden viols were full of perfume which were the prayers of the Saintes c. Let vs adde that they are of iudgement that incense carrieth not with it anie propitiation Genebrard in Lithurg Dionâ—s And if this worde Oblation or Offering bee taken literallie can they denie that Minha the word which the Prophete vseth here doth not signifie in the whole booke of Leuiticus anie other thing then the offeringes of fruites and other thinges without life peace-offeringes and sacrifices of praise and thankesgiuing And what analogie or correspondencie can it then haue with a sacrifice for sin And if it bee thus what shall follow then but that in the Masse there is nothing offered but bread and for a thankesgiuing But and if it bee taken figuratiuelie what better interpreter can there bee found then the spirite of God and that in the newe Testament which speaketh not to vs but of spirituall sacrifices of the preaching of the worde of thankesgiuing and of the consecrating of our selues Tertul. a duer Marcion l. 4. aduersâ—ud c Tertullian saith expounding this place In euerie place shal be offered a pure sacrifice that is to say sayeth hee a simple and single hearted praier from a pure conscience Againe Hee addeth saith hee speaking of spirituall sacrifices and in euerie place there shall bee offered in my name pure and vndefiled sacrifices Aduers Marcion l 3. Againe Bring vnto God O yee nations of the Gentiles because that vndoubtedly the preaching of the Apostles was to passe throughout the whole world Againe Euerie where there shal be offered pure sacrifices vnto my name And what manner of ones Hieronym in 1. Malach. Gloriae scilicet relatio the yeelding of glorie blessing praises and hymnes and not a worde of the Masse S. Ierome vpon this place Let the Iewes knowe that they are not to offer anie more goates and bulles but incense the praiers of the Saints and that not in anie one prouince of Iudea as in the onelie Cittie of Ierusalem but throughout the whole worlde a cleane sacrifice as is to bee seene in the ceremonies of Christians And again The sounde of the Apostles is gone throughout all the endes of the worlde Idem in Esa c. 52. Euerie where there is sacrifice offered to God And herein is accomplished the word of the Prophet namelie in that that God is purelie preached and purelie called vpon in euerie place And Chrysostome after the same manner Chrysost t. 2. hom 16. ex varus in Matth. Euseb l. 1. Demonst Euang. c. 6. 10. Eusebius in expounding this place We sacrifice therefore and burne the memoriall of this great sacrifice according to the mysteries which haue beene taught vs yeelding thankes to God for our saluation offering vnto him religious hymnes and holy praiers We sacrifice vnto the high God the sacrifice of praise a sacrifice full of sweete smell Wee sacrifice the same after a new fashion according to the new Testament a pure offering and sacrifice But in all this what matter is there concerning propitiation Theodoret doth expounde it of the abolishing of the legall sacrifices Theod. in Malach c. 1. and of the seruing of God in spirite and truth as our Lord himself auouched in the speech which hee made vnto the Samaritanish woman and thus doth the greatest number take and expounde it But here they replie vpon vs all this is olde is there no question of any thing that is newe this may bee aunswered in a word That the Prophet sayeth A pure offering and not a new offering But let vs graunt vnto them this worde new Ireneus will answere them Iren. l. 4. c. 34. Chrysost cont Iud. l. 3. Oblationes hic Oblationes tillic There are sacrifices and here are sacrifices sacrifices in Israel sacrifices in the Christian church the kinde and manner is onely changed inasmuch as then they were offered by seruantes and bondslaues but now by freemen or rather to speake more fitlie by sons and children Chrysostome in like manner sayeth A newe sacrifice because it proceedeth from new hope because it is no more offered by fire and smoke but by the grace and spirite of God But say they there are certaine Doctors that haue vnderstood it of the Eucharist and wee say vnto them againe on the other side that there are other some which haue vnderstoode it otherwise as we haue caused it apparantlie inough to bee seene heretofore But wee contend not in this place about the Eucharist but about the sacrifice of the Masse not about a sacrifice of praise but a sacrifice propitiatorie And therefore let vs not abuse the Fathers vnder the colour of this word seeing there is not anie one to be found Iren. l. 4. c. 32. that hath so much as once thought vpon it Ireneus saith Christ giuing aduice and counsell vnto his Disciples to offer vnto God the first fruites of his creatures not as of anie necessitie in God but that they might not bee vnthankefull and vnfruitfull tooke that which by creation is bread and gaue thanks saying This is my bodie c. teaching that the sacrament of the new Testament is new And hee addeth thereto Which the Church taking from the Apostles offereth throughout the whole world vnto God the first fruites of his giftes to him that giueth whatsoeuer foode and nourishment we haue That is to say because that the auncient Christians were wonte to offer of their fruites vnto God as wee haue seene heretofore by many places out of the same Ireneus and from out of them they tooke the bread and the wine which were distributed in the holy Supper the remainder being giuen to the poore or conuerted to the necessarie vses of the Church The question then that riseth hence is of the sacrifice of thankesgiuing and not of a propitiatorie sacrifice of the sacrifice of fruits and things without life and not of the reall sacrificing of our
contrite heart is a sacrifice vnto God And a sacrifice to God is the sacrifice of praise c. Againe Thy faith hath saued thee because saith he that it hath apprehended and taken for graunted that it must offer his sacrifice vnto the Almightie euen thankesgiuing in the true temple and by his true high priest Iesus Christ c. And againe Wee sacrifice for the health and prosperitie of the Emperour Idem in Apolog but vnto our God and to his Sonne and that according to his commaundement Pura prece by a pure and sincere praier c. Cypr. serm 1. de cleemosyn Saint Cyprian could not learne any other lesson of this his Maister whatsoeuer some would make him to belieue For hee saith Rich Ladie come you in Dominicum to the Lordes banquet without a sacrifice there to take of the sacrifice which some poore person hath offered c. Here sacrifice is vnderstood almes or offering because that of the fruits which were giuen by the faithful there was so much taken as might make a sufficient quantity to distribute in the celebrating of the holy supper amongst the faithful They obiect vnto vs his Epistle vnto Cecilius Idem l. 2. cp ◠wherein he saith Who is the priest of the high God by any greater priuiledge and prerogatiue then our Lord Iesus Christ who hath offered sacrifice vnto God his father hath also offered the same that Melchisedec did offer that is to say bread and wine his bodie and his blood Let vs obserue that here he compareth Iesus Christ with Melchisedec Melchisedec the priest of the highest saith the Apostle but Iesus Christ is preferred for he offered himselfe vnto God in sacrifice Melchisedec offered but bread and wine vnto Abraham but our Lord offered his bodie his blood for the faithful Otherwise this text contrary to the nature of the author should haue no force or power in it But let vs heare him expounding himself in this same Epistle wherein he saith In asmuch as we make mention of the passion and death of Christ in all our sacrifices for it is the death and passion of Christ which we offer wee are not to attempt doe or offer any thing but as he in giuing vs an example hath done before vs. For the scripture saith As oft as ye shall eate this bread c. you shall declare and shew forth the death of the Lord vntill his comming Then wee offer not Iesus Christ but we offer his death and passion we offer him alreadie slain vpon the crosse that is we celebrate the remembrance of his death and passion we offer it vnto God as the meanes of the remission of our sins And he giueth a reason thereof in another place saying Because the sacrifice which the welbeloued Son of God hath offred vpō the crosse is so acceptable and well pleasing vnto the father as that his oblation is as effectuall at this day in the presence of his as it was the verie same day that the blood and water issued out of his side Origen saith The blood of Christ is so precious as that he suffered alone for the redemption of all Origen in cp ad Rom. in hom 2. in Cant. What need then hath the Church of any other sacrifice And as for the whole burnt offerings of Christians Those are their praiers and supplications vnto God c. But yet there is more behind For when Celsus had obiected vnto him you haue neither sacrifice nor altars he answereth not any otherwise but we haue the sacrifice of the Altar c. Or els Our temples are the spirits of good people who breath out a sweet smelling incense Idem l. 8. contra Celsum the vowes praiers of a good and pure conscience To the like obiection made in the time of Arnobius and Minutius Felix by one Cecilius a Pagan there was shaped the like answer This was about the yeare 300. And as for the place of Tertullian Tertul. de paenit c. 9. Aris adgeniculari c. without troubling our selues therewith any further Pamelius as we haue alleadged before hath corrected it by the copie in the Vatican and hath very excellently shewed that it cannot so stand but that it must bee read Caris Dei adgeniculari c. in so much as that we may from hence conclude very strongly cleane against our aduersaries They say there were altars in the Primitiue Church and therefore Sacrifices and therefore the Masse Wherefore wee with the consent of all antiquitie for the space of 300. yeares do reply and crosse them saying there were no altars in the Churches of the Christians neither yet sacrifices neither yet Masses And if we shold repeat that which hath beene said before of altars our proofe would extend it selfe to a farre longer time Athenagoras in his Apologie for the Christians Athenagor in apol pro Christianis hath the verie same obiection to confute and freely vndertaketh to proue that the sacrifice that God demandeth of vs is that we should bee carefull to know him and to acknowledge all the goodnesse that we do receiue at his hands But what haue I to doe saith he to trouble my selfe with thinking vpon and remembring of sacrifices and burnt offeringes wherewith God hath nothing to do God who requireth saith he that men should offer vnto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sacrifice without blood a reasonable soule c. His answere had beene more readie We sacrifice Christ daily c. And let vs marke by the way that he calleth it a sacrifice without blood not to put any distinction or difference betwixt that of the Crosse and that of the altar but to distinguish betwixt the sacrifices of the Iewes and of the Paganes which were materiall and bloodie and the spirituall sacrifices of the Christians Lanctantius Lanctan l. 6. c. 26. Two things saith he must be offered giftes and sacrifices vnto God and they must be offered without bodily substance for the gift the integritie and vprightnesse of the soule for the sacrifice praises and hymnes c. who so doth this sacrificeth vnto God so oft as he doth a good worke c. And therfore vpon the Altar of God which is great in deed and which is placed in the heart of man so that it cannot be defiled with blood it behoueth vs to set patience faith innocence chastitie c. There is not any other holy seruice then this same This man as yet knew nothing what this pretended Sacrifice meant and as little of Altars Eusebius hath beene cited heretofore in the expounding of the place of Malachie We sacrifice therefore saith he and burne he answereth the Paganes Euseb de Demonstra l. 1. c. 6 10. And what sometimes the memorie of this great sacrifice celebrating the mysteries which our God hath giuen vs and rendring vnto him thankes for our saluation as also offering to him religious hymnes and praiers
bee so purged by this fire as that in the end they shall proue and trie the clemencie of God And he alleadgeth Origen thereupon concealing in the meane time the rest of his opinion for that it finally extended vnto the Deuils But what helpeth all this for the prouing of the purgatorie whereof wee speake which is made for the faithfull penitents and not for them which die in their sinne for to fulfil the punishment Sixt. Senens l. 5 and not to cleanse or wipe away the fault where sinnes haue no entrance much lesse merites where the wicked haue no place much lesse the Saints much lesse also the Apostles and much lesse the holy virgine which taketh his beginning so soone as death hath made an end and is imployed about his office euerie day without ceasing and without attending the day of iudgement And notwithstanding they are not ashamed to alleadge vnto vs these places which themselues condemne in their bookes That it was a disputable doctrine and which to be short cannot make any thing for them or against vs. Yea and that furthermore this was but an opinion wherein men were let alone and left to range according to the pregnancie of their wit and capacitie and not any doctrine receiued and admitted into the Church it appeareth clearely for Saint Augustine doth not faine or dissemble the gainsaying and disallowing of it neither yet the publike confutation thereof in his bookes and that not onely without all checke or dislike August de Genes contr Manich l. 2. c. 10 In Psalm 37. but with much praise and to the good liking of men for the same In a certaine place he suffered it to escape according to the opinion then currant As that after this life such as haue not husbanded their ground well are in daunger either of the fire of purgation or of eternall fire notwithstanding that hee vseth these wordes Videri apparere that it seemeth to be apparant and that these purgatorie punishmentes according to his owne iudgement De ciuit Dei l. c. 10.25 De ciuit Dei l. 21. c. 13. l. Cor. 3. are reserued vnto the last iudgement But in the booke of the Citie of God hee reckeneth vp all the opinions of Origen and others depending on him who carried themselues in his time in the Church as those who had founded themselues vppon the mercifull clemencie and fatherly mildnesse of God misexpounded and confuteth them all bringing them backe from their pretended likelihood of truth vnto the truth it selfe and from their conceited fantasie to the infallible scriptures Thou wilt saith he that the wicked Christians may in the end be saued by these pains of purgatorie because that God is mercifull it must then also follow that the Deuils may also bee saued that so hee may bee so much the more mercifull for it is said equally and indifferently to the one and the other 2. Cor 3. Goe into euerlasting fire c. If thou demandest the cause this it is and then the which there is none more iust neither yet more holy namely that the scripture which deceiueth not hath said so Some haue abused the place of the 1. Corinth 3. for Purgatorie but hee sheweth that this fire cannot bee vnderstood of hell because that so it should become common both to the good and euill but rather of tribulations and afflictions August de ciuit Dei l. 21. c. 16. seq Dicuntur which are the exercises by which God maketh cleane his floure in this world that after this iudgement also contrarie to Origen there is not any paines of purgatorie And as concerning those punishmentes and paines which men might imagine to happen betwixt both hee saith If in this distance of time which is betwixt the death of the bodie and the day of iudgement men say that the soules of the deceased doe suffer some such fire Secularia venialia August de fide operibus Quantum arbitror Idem in Enchirid c. 69. Idem in quaest ad Dulcitium and that whether it bee there onely or whether it be here and not there or whether it bee here and there both they find a fire of transitorie tribulation burning the veniall thinges of this world I find no fault with them for such their assertion because it may bee that it is true And in another place hee saith This exposition as I suppose doth not wander farre from the way of truth Againe That some such thing may be after this life it is not incredible Againe writing to Dulcitius after he had handled the question We haue written these thinges but in such forte as that wee would not haue any canonicall authoritie giuen vnto them Whereby wee see in the first place that hee condemneth Origen Saint Ambrose and Hillarie their purgatorie c. Secondly that what hee sayeth of that space betwixt death and the day of iudgement hee speaketh doubtfully and as it were interrogatiuelie affirming And thirdly That by the same hee doeth not vnderstande any materiall fire of the same nature with Hell-fire as our aduersaries doe but a fire of tribulation or temptation such as may fall out and happen in this life And it is not to be omitted how that the good fathers of Trent did not forget to cause to be raced out many good places of Viues Index Expurg pag. 38.39 August de tempore serm 66. De verb. Apostol serm 18. In ep 80. ad Hesich Hypognosticon l. 5. Hieronym in Ecclesiast Olympiod in Prouerb c. 11. intreating of this matter in his commentaries vpon Augustines booke of the Citie of God But in another place wee haue shewed that hee hath made but two places of abode as in heauen or in hell and that hee shutteth out all manner of purgation after this life and that hee cutteth it off quite and cleane As concerning the third place we know not any thing at all thereof we find not any thing at all thereof in the scriptures And what shall we say if S. Ierome speake no lesse resolutely Jn what place soeuer saith he the tree falleth there it lyeth be it towards the South or be it towards the North In like manner looke in what place death doth take thee in the same thou abidest for euer be it that thy last day do find thee cruell and vnappeasable or otherwise courteous and mercifull And Olympiodorus doth cleare him vpon the same place In whatsoeuer place whether light or darke a man is surprised and seazed vppon by death bee hee following after vice or bee hee following after vertue he continueth in the same state and condition and in the same degree for euer For either he resteth in the light of euerlasting happines with the iust and righteous men and Christ our Lord or els he is tormented in darknes with the vnrighteous and the Deuill which is their prince They obiect vnto vs that Saint Ierome saith in his commentaries vpon the Prouerbes That soules
shall first be called away hence let them continue their amitie and loue without ceasing in the presence of God let their prayers neuer cease for their brethren and sisters crauing in their behalfe the manifolde mercies of the father That is Saynt Cyprian extending and stretching the care that the Saintes deceased should haue not vnto the Church in generall onely but by a continuance of holy affection vnto them whome they had loued in Christ here vppon earth And this although it haue no example in the scripture yet it is far off from our aduersaries their doctrine for he prayeth to the liuing and not to the dead Now the controuersie or question betwixt vs is not if they pray and to what end but if wee ought to pray vnto them at all I know well what they haue to alleadge out of the sermon of the starre and the wisemen of the East As that the infantes slaine by Herode are made Senators in Paradice and obtaine grace for them which doe not merite it c. But they are not ignorant that this sermon hath by themselues beene alwaies numbred amongst the deuised and faigned ones As likewise that which they bring out of the booke of S. Cyprian his penitentnes How that he had beene a Magician and that by the help of the Deuils hee would haue assailed the chastitie of a maide and that she calling vpon Iesus Christ her husband and afterward the virgine Marie was deliuered and thereupon also S. Cyprian conuerted But with what face seeing S. Ierome telleth vs that S. Cyprian was a Rhetorician and wonne vnto Christ Hieronym in epist ad Paul in Comment in Ionam c. 3. Cyp l. 2. ep 2. Gelas D. 15. c. Sancta Rom. partly by the familiaritie he had with Caecilius whereupon he was surnamed the Cecilian and partly by the reading of the Prophete Ionas And seeing that S. Cyprian in setting downe his owne conuersion saith not a worde of all this And as little is that which commeth to light by Pontianus his Deacon who hath written his life But which is more seeing that Pope Gelasius at the verie same time when the inuocation of Saints had rooted it selfe verie deeply did pronounce and affirme vnto them that this booke was Apocrypha And yet they are still abusing the common people with the name of the fathers For as concerning the sermon of Gregorie Nazianzene Marulla hath very well obserued that he hath made Cyprian of Damascus and Cyprian the Carthaginian all one whereas the first suffered in the time of Valerian and the second vnder Dioclesian And it hath beene noted by many others before and after him We are now in this place to bring in Dionysius the pretended Areopagite for hee cannot be so auncient as we haue proued as they would make him Dionvs eccles Hierarch c. 3. and this we say and affirme by the way that we need not doubt that the miracles which God wrought vppon the establishment of the Church at the sepulchers of the Martyrs made many to looke downe and to fixe their eyes vppon the Martyrs whereas they ought to haue lifted them vp and to haue caused them to looke vpon God alone and that so much the more because it was called and accompted to be the honouring of God in his Saintes as also for that it seemed to bee an instigation and pricking of men forward to suffer for the name of Christ Whereunto also you may adde as another cause the want of a Paule or Barnabas at the corner of euerie fielde to represse these disordered and vnruly deuotions of the people Actes 14. and to cause them to leaue the creature to betake themselues to the liuing God But so it is that this Denys rehearsing the causes for which he made mention of the Saintes in the seruice speaketh not but of those that follow To the end saith he that those that liue may learne by these examples to liue and die well in God and that they might bee admonished and taught that those that die in him doe liue out of this life in a better That God hath them in his remembrance according to that which is said God knoweth those that are his The death of the Saintes is precious before God That they are also one with Christ by an indissoluble vnion and bond that can not bee broken which are the causes saith he that this mention or rehearsall is made at the time of the celebrating of the Sacrament the Sacrament of the coniunction and vnion of Christ and his members That is to shew vnto vs that those that bee not the greatest parte in this world that yet they cease not to be a part of the Church The contention raised about the Arrians was a cause that for a certaine time men did speake without fault The Christians reasoned Christ is truely God for we are all agreed to pray vnto him but we pray not vnto neither call vppon any but God This argument had beene of no force if the Church at that time had vsed the inuocation of Saintes for the reply had beene verie readie But tell mee how many Saintes doe you pray vnto Hillar in psal 129. which you know to be no Gods And although S. Hillarie doe playe the Philosopher as others before him vppon the mediation of Angelles the protection of the Patriarkes and Apostles c. yet he reserueth inuocation for Christ alone Idem in Psal 123. Because saith he that he belieueth that he is very God that he is present by his nature when he is faithfully called vpon and for that he is present with him that belieueth in him c. Idem c. 27. in Matth. Athanas orat 2. cont Arrian Idem de incarnat verb. But in regard of the Saintes The virgines saith he doe answere that they cannot giue any oile because it behoueth euerie one to buy for themselues and that none doe expect trust to be helped by the merites and workes of another c. Athanasius in like manner The Saintes saith he doe not craue any helpe of the creatures but they crie and call vnto Christ in their necessities He is not therefore a creature hee is verie God Againe If thou worship saith he Christ as he is man because the word dwelleth in him then worship the Saintes because that God hath a little house or dwelling place in them c. which thing hee proueth to bee absurd What force should such a reason haue had if the sermon intituled of the virgine the mother of God were his wherein he praieth vnto her for succour by the names of Ladie Mistresse Queene c. But the learned know that the greatest part of the third and fourth Tome of Athanasius are suspected of vntruth as Nannius likewise hath confessed being publike professor in the vniuersitie of Louaine and hee that did translate them And this is one speciall marke thereof for that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was not
they know likewise not to bee his c. But S. Augustine did neuer thinke to winne heauen by any other meanes then the merite of the onely Christ for his Maxim is vniuersall August ad Hieronym de natura origi animarum Idem in quaest veter Nou. test q 73. That there is not any one soule in all mankind thus hee writ vnto S. Ierome for the deliuerance whereof the Mediator of God and men Iesus Christ the man is not requisite and necessarie Not so much as the Virgine Marie excepted seeing that he saith after many of the fathers going before That the Virgine in whome was wrought the mysterie of the incarnation of Christ did doubt as much in the death of our Sauiour Christ as shee was confirmed by his resurrection What doe we get by this discourse Verily that vnto the time of S. Chrysostome and S. Augustine that is to say neere hand fine hundred yeares after the death of our Lord there was no Inuocation of Saints in the Christian Church nor any mention of the same in the seruice of the Church that it was practised onely by the particular deuotions of some few which they had learned for the most part out of the Schoole of the Gentiles and that there were great personages at those times that laboured to represse them by the opposing and setting of the pure doctrine against them as wee haue seene by their disputations And if that they did speake so at such time as those myracles which it pleased God to worke for the confirmation of the faith and the approuing of his Martyrs were most fresh and new what would they haue said of that which we see at this day when wee pray not vnto God as then in the burying places of the Martyrs but vnto the Martyrs themselues yea and to all the sorts of pretended Saints both directly as the authors of good things and without any mention made of God and in their images And whereas they scrape together here and there some places that seeme to make for them some of them being true but ill translated some manifestly fained and deuised and some drawne from Rhetoricke to make proofes and reasons in Diuinitie what other thing may they seeme to be hereby but Spiders which out of most wholesome hearbs doe sucke poyson whereas the Bees doe gather sweetnesse out of the most bitter And here withall let vs not forget to obserue and note that at this time and manie ages after it was indifferent in the Church whether the faithfull departing out of this world were by and by gathered vnto God and inioyed his presence or else that they continued expecting the day of the resurrection in the bosome of Abraham in a place of most blessed rest from thence to bee receiued into heauen all together Which is more Ireneus Iustine Tertullian Origen Saint Ambrose Saint Augustine Saint Chrysostome Bernard Serm. 4. in sest omnium Sanct. Idem Serm. 3. Theodoret c. yea Saint Barnard no lesse then all the rest doe incline to belieue rather that they are reserued vnto the resurrection without the inioying of the presence of God Now the case so standeth that the Inuocation of Saints is grounded vpon intercession and their intercession vpon the sight and presence of God according to our Aduersaries their owne doctrine Whereupon it followeth that the Inuocation of Saints could not haue any ground to grow vpon in the Church all this time neither yet shall hereafter in any sure or certaine sort according to Saint Barnard his iudgement who liued not aboue three hundred yeares since seeing he stood more vppon this opinion then any other the Inuocation of Saints beeing such as could not match with this doctrine CHAP. XV. Of the growth and proceeding of the corruption of Inuocation both in the Greeke and Latine Churches NOw when these great lights of the Church S. Ierome S. Augustine S. Chrysostome Epiphanius and such like were put out there is no cause why we should maruaile if the Prince of darknesse The proceeding of the abuse in the Greeke church did thriue prosper mightily in a short time as also by the assistance of the ignorance which was brought into Europe at such time as the barbarous nations did ouerrunne and swarme in the same In the East Church they had beene drencht with the Apostrophes of Basill Nazianzene Ephrem and others but the Inuocation of Saints was not yet entred into their seruice onely they had receiued the Commemoration of them the prints and footesteps whereof remaine to be seene in these words In Liturg. Iacobo Basilio Chrysost attribut In calling to our minds the holy Virgine Patriarkes Prophets Apostles Martyrs c. We recommend them and our selues and our whole life vnto God c. Speeches so farre from bearing any inuocating of them as that they comprehend and include them in the same recommendation as also in the same worke of the grace of God with our selues following that opinion which they had currant amongst them that they were not as yet receiued into perfect blisse Likewise we haue a Church rule in S. Basill Basil in asceti c. 40. free from the fierie heate of his boyling Rehetoricke When saith he the Christians come to the Sepulchers of the Martyrs or into the adioyning places it must be looked vnto that it bee to no other end but to pray Idem hom 19 and to bee stirred vp to the imitating of their constancie by the recording and calling of them to mind For saith he in an other place by the calling to mind of their good deedes there ariseth profit vnto vs as of the vsing of an excellent parfume a good smel Anno. 500. Niceph. l. 15. c 18. But now one Petrus Gnapheus Bishop of Antioch ordaineth that in all publike praiers in his Church and note that his Patriarchall prerogatiue extended verie farre the inuocating of the Virgine Marie should bee vsed And this Peter was a most pernicious hereticke condemned in the fift generall Councell held at Constantinople for the heresie of the Theopaschites whereof hee was the Author teaching that God himselfe euen as hee was God was crucified and did suffer vppon the Crosse The mischiefe whose nature is neuer to bee idle went forward with speed The second Councell of Nice about the yeare eight hundred establishing the worshipping of Images ordained the Inuocation of Saints And it is likewise much about the same time that Euagrius the Monke brought in the King of Persia praying vnto Saint Sergius in these words That he and Syra his loue did hope in his power and belieue in him Damascen about the yeare eight hundred praieth himselfe vnto the Virgine Marie I shall saith he be saued by hoping in thee and hauing thee for my defence J will not feare any thing In thy Almightie helpe I shall put mine enemies to flight thou art the saluation of mankind open vs the doore of mercie c. And
in the Euangelistes and in the Actes As then our Lord came not to abolish but to fulfill the law seeing likewise that the Apostles were not sent to change the pure Seruice of God instituted and maintained in the Synagogues but rather to establish and confirme it wee neede not doubt but that they did fashion and conforme themselues according to the patterne which our Lord had shewed them for the performing of this holie seruice seeing it was not any cause to disanul or destroy the comming of our Lord and Sauiour who did by his only sacrifice and offring vp of himself abolish all the Legall Sacrifices which were nothing but in asmuch as they were applied vnto him Now the Iewes had in euerie towne and cittie a Synagogue whereinto they assembled themselues euerie Sabboth day there to pray vnto God all together and there to heare the reading of the law and the expounding of the same againe according to the bignes of the Cittie they had it deuided as is amongst vs into manie parishes so that the Rabbines do reckon in Ierusalem to the number of fiue hundred and they were called in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if one should say Houses for Congregations Bathei Midrascoth Fagius in Leuit Paraph. Chald. cap. 231. Luke 4 18. Acts 15.21 Sermons Expositions c. Of this order we haue the steppes and prints in the Gospell Iesus sayeth S. Luke came into Nazareth where he had beene brought vp and entred into the Synagogue on the Sabboth day according to the custome and stoode vppe for to reade c. and lighting vpon the place of Esay The spirit of the Lord is vpon me because he hath annointed me c. This day sayeth hee is this Scripture accomplished in your hearing c. In the Actes likewise S. Iames sayeth For Moses of olde time hath in euerie Cittie them that preach him seeing hee is read in the Synagogues euerie Sabath day c. And such was the order in those Synagogues that S. Paule went vnto confuting of the Iewes by the Scriptures euerie Sabath day for Paule and Barnabas sayeth Saint Luke being entred into the Synagogue vpon the Sabath day they sate downe and after the lecture of the Lawe and Prophetes the chiefe of the Synagogue sent vnto them saying Men and Brethren If you haue any worde of exhortation which is signified by the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the people speak on then Paule stoode vp and made a signe with his hand c. Where by the way we haue to obserue Acts 15.42 that vpon the other daies of the weeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is on the dayes betwixt Sabath and Sabath they beseeched and intreated the Gentiles to preach the Gospell vnto them and not as some haue deliuered the Sabath following and thus we are come to the reading of the Law and the ordinarie expounding of the same in the Synagogues But this exercise of Pietie which was practised in the holie congregations vnder the Law began with prayers and those prayers according to the opinion which is helde most probable with a generall Confession of the people acknowledging their sinnes a Confession accustomed of olde in all their Sacrifices Leuit. 16.5 the 16. Fagius in Paraph Chald. Leuit. ch 16.16 Numb ch 5. Thalmud in the treatise of Sacrifices which otherwise without this should haue missed of their appointed end and by consequent haue become vnprofitable and besides that the markes and signes thereof are in the law and the patterne platforme thereof in the Prophetes we haue the same particularlie in the bookes of the Iewes in these wordes We haue sinned O Lord wee haue done wickedlie wee haue dealt deceitfullie in thy sight thy people and all the house of Israell we repent our selues thereof and are ashamed for the same And therefore O Lord we beseech thee forgiue vs our sinnes our iniquities and our transgressions as it is written in the booke of Moyses thy seruant c. And this confession is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a verball Confession which brought the Iewes to remember and call to minde the true vse of Sacrifices vz. a witnessing against themselues and condemning of their deserts and merites as vnto Christians the benefite of the death and passion of our Lord without the which both the one and the other should lye dead in their sins Then there followed certaine Psalmes of Dauid and other Prophetes which were sung cleane through and certaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thankesgiuings for the free mercies of God bestowed vpon his Church and are held to haue beene instituted by Esdras at such time as he set downe orders for the people returned out of captiuitie as is to be seene in the prescript forme amongst them afterwarde the reading of the law was deuided into 51. Sedarim or Parsâ—ioth that it is to say Sections and of the Prophets into as manie Haphtaroth that is to say openinges of the booke lessons or as others take it Dismissings because the Seruice ended there to the ende they might bee of proportionable number with the 50. or 51. Sabathes of the common yeare or to the 54. of the Leape yeare Next after this reading and expounding of the Law there followed a generall prayer for the necessities and wantes aswell of the Church as of the state whether publike or priuate and finally the Congregation receiued the blessing pronounced vpoÌ„ the people by the mouth of the Minister or chief of the Synagogue and so they had leaue to depart This was their ordinarie seruice but in the great feasts and especially in the feast of Easter whereunto answereth the ceremonie of the holy Supper there was this ouer aboue namely after the blessings thanksgiuings before mentioned a long praier deliuered by the mouth of the householder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherin thanks was rendred vnto the Lord God of eternitie for that of his sole mercie he feedeth the whole world for that he had deliuered them from Egypt and giuen theÌ„ in possession the promised land for that he had vouchsafed to scale vp the truth of his couenant in their flesh and to declare his law vnto them he did therein likewise humblie intreat him for his onelie goodnes sake to take pitty vpon his Israel on his Ierusalem on his Tabernacle to hasten the comming of the Prophet Elias that is to say of the forerunner and to giue them to see the daies of the Messias the Redemer of Israel c. which done and euery one of those which were present hauing in a praier vttered in a low voice seuerally and apart ratified this generall praier they proceeded to the distributing of bread and of the cup with a prescript forme of wordes and that in remembrance aswell of the miserie they had suffered as of the mercy they had tasted in their deliuerance from Egypt The first Christians then framed themselues after this