man did offend against the Apostle who accompteth it amongst the vertues of a Bishop that he be the husband of one wife onely And all the world saith he is full not of priestes nor of inferior persons but of Bishops so that the number would become greater then that which was found in the Councell of Rimini c. Tertullian himselfe Pertull de Monogam although he were a Montanist alleadging these places of Timothie and Titus is of iudgement that Bishops and Priestes should be maried onely he standeth vpon the disalowing of second mariages for which hee is reproued by Saint Ierome in the place aboue named But this point should not bee to our purpose In the meane time we are not to belieue as some would go about to wrangle out the matter against vs by this place of Saint Ierome disagreeing with himselfe whiles he was caried away with the streame of contention that we should nourish this opinion that the Bishop had beene maried but that he may not bee so derogating and detracting the credite due to other places wherein he handleth the question that of purpose and void of all passionate affections Let vs say then for it followeth by like reason from the coherence and scope of the text that the Apostle doth likewise vnderstand that the Bb. hath beene vigilant sober of good report giuen to hospitalitie apt to teach c. but that he may not be so any more But the holy Ghost hath preuented such wrangling and false assertions who saith In the present time Let the Priest be established Tit. 1. 1. Timoth. 3. let him be the husband of one onely wife let the Deacons also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be the husbandes of one onely wife c. And Saint Paule doth describe afterward vnto vs what manner of women the wiues of Bishops Priestes and Deacons should bee And thus you may see whither a blind passion had almost led vs against the cleare and euident light Chrysost in ep ad Tit. hom 2. In ep ad Heb. hom 7. Chrysostome therefore saith better There are some that affirme that S. Paule his purpose is to speake of one that hath beene maried but that he may not bee so any more But saith hee although hee shall bee so still yet he may demeane carrie himselfe honestly therein Vse saith he mariage soberly and thou shalt be the chiefe in the kingdome of heauen Ambros D. 26. C. Qui sine Likewise Saint Ambrose saith Who so otherwise blamelesse is the husband of one onely wife is beld by the law to bee capable of the office of the Priesthoode Saint Augustine August in quest ex vtroque testam Hug. Card. in 1. Tim. 3. Caiet in 1. Timoth. 3. ad Tit. 1. The Apostle saith that hee which hath a wife may and ought to bee made Sacerdos a priest a Minister a Bishop Cardinall Hugo saith At that time it was lawfull for Priestes to haue wiues And Cardinall Caietan after him This estate and condition must bee vnderstood negatiuely that is to say Non plurium vxorum virum not a husband of many wiues But Pope Calixtus the second about the yeare 1100. did turne make it into an other maner of sence The husband of one onely wife that is consecrate and put apart for one onely Church for one onely Bishoprick that to be taken so as that he was not to haue any moe then one or that he was not greedily or proudly to labour to be translated and remoued from one to another And in S. Ierome his time this Allegorie was begotten and borne and by some preferred and better liked then that which was according to the letter and Carterius his aduersaries themselues saith he did finde that interpretation to be violently forced and very harsh To whome hee answereth thereupon Restore them to the scripture his simple sence and meaning that so we may not reason against you from the constitutions and conclusions of your owne lawes that is to say that wee may not oppose allegorie against allegorie and iudgement against iudgement but may hold and keepe our selues simplie to the wordes of the Apostle Otherwise what will become of S. Paule his argument If he know not to gouerne his owne children how shall hee be able to direct and guide the Church of God As also when the Apostle shall tel vs of widowes that choise must be made of such as haue beene the wiues of one onely husband shal we vnderstand it of Bishopricks or Diocesses that haue had but one only Bishop But to draw to an end what should hinder the Apostle that be could not more plainly say It behoueth that the Bb. to the end he may be without blame abide vnmaried or at the least be a widdower c. But shame maketh them mingle these absurdities with a blasphemie as that during the weaknes of the church these mariages were permitted but prohibited and forbidden when it came to bee strong And what will they say to Chrysostome who saith plainely That S. Paul gaue this law to Timothie not for himselfe onely but for all them which were to come Or rather vnto Egesippus who endeth the flower and virginitie of the Church at the death of the Apostles Euseb l. 3. c. 32 And presently after there followed saith he an infinite number of impurities and corruptions They labour further to proue the matter in controuersie against S. Paul by himself 1. Cor. 7.5 for say they he telleth vs in another place That they must abstaine from women to attend vpon fasting and praier And what shall they doe then who are to pray euery day let them with conscience carefully reade this place they shall see that which Chrysostome obserueth in the same that he speaketh not there of an ordinary praier but of an extraordinarie made with rare singular attending thereunto by fasting And therefore he saith Defraude not one another except it bee by mutuall consent and that for a time Againe And come together againe to the end that Sathan doe not tempt you because of your incontinencie And Chrysostome saith expresly If he said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the maried which lie together could not pray how should that which he commandeth all Christians in another place agree therewith Pray without ceasing wherefore hee speaketh of an extraordinarie prayer saith he which requireth an exact attention not that the societie betwixt the married doth conuay or carrie about it any impuritie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but rather businesse and affaires 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whereupon also Saint Ambrose saith Ambr. in ep 1. Cor. 7. We must pray without ceasing but this is spoken Vt orationi insistatur by courses and distances of time saith hee to strengthen and increase meditation And Theodoret For to sanctifie the fast And likewise hee saith in another place That the Apostle hath deemed him worthy of a bishopricke that liueth and dwelleth
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
it in the Nicene Councel against those that wold forbid Church-men to marrie and this place decideth the whole controuersie by the clearnes therof notwithstanding whatsoeuer cauillations that may be brought to the contrarie insomuch as that this manner of expounding and taking of it is ratified by this famous Councell And yet the spirit of lyes doth take an exception against it saying In omnibus continere non valentibus amongst all them that haue not the gift of continency What ground can this exception find in this text which is so wouen set together as that this exception doth cut away the whole strength of the Apostle his argument which is such God wil iudge al fornicators adulterers so much the more seuerely for that he hath giuen them a remedy against the concupiscence of the flesh euen mariage which is honorable amongst al of what condition soeuer they may be namely saith Chrysostome Against the pollution of wandring pleasures the bed vndefiled Chrysost in ep Heb. in Marn 15 hom 52. 1. Cor. 7.2 1. Timoth. 3. Caretan ibid. ad Hebr. Haimo ibid. following herein the same which the Apostle saith in an other place For the auoiding of temptation let euery man haue his wife and euery woman her husband c. And this is also the verie same that Cardinall Caietanus saith In omnibus that is to say non in aliquibus sic in aliquibus non that is not in some yea and in other some no. And Haimo Bishop of Halberstat addeth That a man riseth from the mariage bed vndefiled in vsing it according to the institution of the Lord. Saint Paule presseth the matter further saying A Bishop must be vnblameable 1. Tim. 3. Titus l. 6. the husband of one onely woman The same also is deliuered of priestes and that in the same wordes Wherefore to be married is a thing for which they cannot be blamed seeing that one and the same man may be vnblameable the husband of one woman both together Againe he saith It is meete and requisite 1. Tim. 3. 5. Tit. l. 2. 3. 1. Timmoth 3.4.5.6 that hee hold the mysterie of faith and wholesome doctrine that is that he be able to teach Let him pray for himselfe and for the Church let him know to gouerne it with a holy wisedome in all the parts thereof to establish the ministerie to conuince the aduersaries to censure the offendors and to bee earnest for the reliefe of the poore that he do all this with a good conscience exercising himselfe in godlinesse and charitie in faith and in holines giuing all manner of vertuous example auoiding all contrarie vices euen so as he may make the enemies of the truth to blush with shame c. And yet notwithstanding it is meete and conuenient that he should be married that hee should haue children that he bring them vp in the feare of God that in the trayning vp and instructing of them he expresse the scantlin of that care which he hath ouer the Church Then it must needes follow that all these vertues may agree together with mariage seeing that S. Paule will that Bishops and Priestes may be maried and yet all these vertues looked for at their handes and which is more euen chastitie shamefastnesse and honestie of life This place needeth no clearing and notwithstanding against the sonues of darknes wee will not find fault with the light of the Doctors if it shine thereupon Chrysostome saith Thou demandest why S. Chrysost in ep ad Tit. 1. in 1. Timoth. 3. Paule doth here lay out vnto vs that a Bishop should bee the husband of one onely wife doest thou know wherefore It is to shut up all beâ—etickes monthes which giue out and teach abroad that mariage is impure thereby shewing them to the contrarie that it is so honourable and precious as that a married man may notwithstanding be admitted and aduanced to the great and honorable place of a Bishop And yet that there may bee obserued a modest and commendable measure he saith but of one onely that so they may not vnlawfully take vnto themselues libertie to inioy two together after the manner of the Iewes Theodoret. in 1. ad Tim. 3. ad Tit. 1. And Theodoret saith the same vppon these places confuting such in expresse wordes as would abuse them against the second mariages of Churchmen Chrysostome also saith the same The Apostle saith if he know not to gouerne his family c. seeing that he which is a good house keeper becommeth quickly wife and skilfull in matters concerning a common weale and he that hath attained to keep and containe within the compasse of dutie a wife children and seruants is so much the more able to gouerne all sortes of people in the Church as if mariage were an introduction and way of direction teaching him to become fit for the degree and dignitie of the gouernment of the Church so farre is it off that hee should hold it as a meanes to cause him to stumble and fall S. Ierome Hieronym in 1. Tim. 3. ad Titum 1. though sometime not very fauourable to mariage expounding this place vnto Timothie doth not find therein any argument to disproue the mariage of Ministers vpon the place to Titus he doubteth whether he should vnderstand it that a Bishop cannot haue but one wife as who say that therby their second mariages should be excluded or els that he may not haue two at one time as the ancient Patriarkes whose example the Iewes following tooke it for a dispensation for them to doe the like yet he preferreth maketh more accompt of a modest and chaste second mariage then of one sole and onely mariage wantonly lasciuiously entertained Idem aduersn-Iouinianum Being ouercome of choler as he oftentimes was against Iouinian hee cutteth off all saying that the Apostle meaneth that hee hath beene maried Idem ad Oceanum ep 83. but not that he may be But his heate being quencht and passion ouerpast writing to Oceanus he pleadeth the cause of Carterius Bishop of Spain who had had one wife before his baptisme and one afterward saying For him it is written Mariage is honourable the bed vndefiled but for thee who findest fault with him he speaketh of his aduersaries God will iudge the fornicators and adulterers Againe The Apostle was amongst the Iewes and the first Church of Christ was of the residue and remainder of Israel he knew that it was permitted by law and accustomed amongst the people by the example of the Patriarkes and of Moyses to beget and multiply children by diuers women yea and this libertie extended euen to the priestes wherefore he ordained that the priestes Sacerdotes of the Christian Church should not giue themselues such licence as that they should haue two or three wiues vno tempore at one time c. Comming againe afterward to Carterius And doest thou thinke therefore that this good
de illo Clerico except the Readers of the lessons and the Song-men and for that also the saide Nicholas the first went about to presse the execution therof in the highest degree and that euerie where euen in Germanie And certainelie this Epistle deserueth to bee throughlie read Vlrich Episc August ad Nicol. 1. both for the zeale and doctrine of this Vlrich but wee will onelie touch the principall pointes Reading sayeth hee thy decrees vppon the continencie and single life inioyned the Clearkes I was taken with great feare and sadnes both at once with feare because the sentence of a mans Pastor be it iust or vniust is to be feared and withall I feared least they who hardlie obey iust and vpright sentences should trample and tread vnder their feete the vniust and wrongfull their Pastor going about to lay vppon them an vnsupportable charge and commaundement with heauie pensiuenes or rather with compassion for how can the members fare well when the head is so grieuously diseased for what more grieuous maladie what more to be pittied of the whole Church then to bee out of the way of holie discretion Wherein you are not lightlie ouertaken in going about to compell and imperiously to force them to leade a single life whome you ought with all gentlenes to exhorte when against the institution of the Gospell and that which is spoken by the holie Ghost you will notwithstanding that your priuate decrees bee executed Of manie sayeth hee I will tell you of some God in the old lawe permitted the marriage of Priestes and it is not read that he forbad the same afterward at anie time in the Gospell there is mention made of Eunuches who gelded themselues for the kingdome of heauen but euerie man saith our Lord cannot learne this manner of speech The Apostle saith as concerning virgins I haue no commaundement from the Lord I aduise c. And you ought further to consider that all men are not fit to receiue this counsell And whereas they say that this place concerneth the Laitie onelie they lie like hypocrites in going about to wring the tender teates of the scripture they haue sucked blood in steade of milke That which the Apostle saith Let euerie man haue his wife hath not I assure you anie exception to bee taken against it in respect of anie man except it bee of such as haue vowed chastitie whereunto they are not to bee constrained But the Apostle saith It behoueth that the Bishoppe should bee vnblameable the husband of one onely wife and hee saith the same also of Deacons And to the end that they may not say that this is ment of the church hee addeth hee that cannot guide and gouerne his house well c. Again you know verie well that by the decrees of Pope Siluester it is saide that the wiues of Deacons must be blessed by the Priest And this by the way is to bee noted that this Decree of Syluesters hath beene raced out of the Decretall and Councels There hee alleadgeth Isidore in the rule of Clearkes and that entire and whole not maimed and mangled as in the Councell of Mentz the Canon of Gangres the storie of Paphnutius c. And whereas they alledge furthermore That without chastitie no man shall see God hee aunswereth Truth but chastitie consisteth not onelie in the flower of virginitie but also in the bond and knot of marriage And whereas they holde forth S. Gregorie as a strong bulwarke for their defence I cannot but laugh at sayeth hee their rashnes and I pittie their ignorance for hee earnestlie repented himself of this dangerous heresie Therupon also hee taketh occasion to make mention how that S. Gregorie hauing sent to fish his pond there were brought vnto him more then sixe thousande heads of yong children which drewe deep sighes from the bottom of his soule caused him to confesse that this was the iust fruite of his forced single life and to flie from his Decree to the good aduise and counsell of the Apostle It is better to marrie then to burne and he added thereunto it is better to marrie then to giue occasion of death He passeth on forward to adulteries incestes and buggeries wherewith this Decree which was made in his time made the earth to stinke and further sheweth that it was growne to a conclusion amongst men that it was better secretlie to defile themselues with whoredome with manie then in a good conscience to liue openlie and in the sight of men with one lawfull wife c. And that in a worde to forbid marriage vnto ecclesiastical persons is a plague a Pharisaicall doctrine a peruerse sect a daungerous heresie and intollerable offence and scandall to the whole Church the fulfilling of that which was threatned by S. Paule That there should rise a people that should giue eare to spirites of error c. forbidding marriage And there upon adiureth him to leaue off and forsake it euen as he loueth the spouse of Christ and desireth the vndefilednes of the same and that he would take this reproof in good part and remember himself that though a Bishop be more then a Priest yet S. Augustine may be lesse and come behind S. Ierome that is may be taught by one of lesse accompt and dignitie For otherwise he feareth that his Holines by this priuate decree for so hee calleth it will bee founde to oppose and set himselfe against the olde and new Testament c. That which is here further to bee noted for the proceeding and growth of this abuse is that there were certaine Bishoppes that being vnmarried despised others and to those he saith Presume not neither be proud of your giftes iudge not another mans seruant beware that vnder this faire cloake of continencie there lye not hid manie infamous delightes and pleasures As also that in his time they obtained and got their wils rather by the franke and voluntarie accord of men then by the swaye and force of anie lawe and that the Clearkes whom they admitted did promise by word of mouth or by the giuing of them their hand that they would continue to liue a single life From which S. Vlrich freeth himselfe as putting in a caution That there be no necessitie constraint to be vrged Now this Vlrich was a great personage of the house of the Conties of Riburg and Dillingen in Sueuia afterward canonized for the holines of his life But to the end that no man may thinke that this Epistle was made by some other to pleasure and gratifie any bodie although the stile it selfe do sufficientlie resolue all such doubt Pope Pius the second in his Germany alleadgeth it and reciteth the argument thereof againe it hath been seen in famous Libraries before the controuersies of this time And Bertold Priest of Constance Berthold in appendice ad Herman cont act Chronic. who writ in the yeare 1079. alleadgeth it in these wordes Gregorie helde a Synode at Rome wherein he
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
Alexandria All that the Lord hath done is not written but rather so much as the pen-men thought to be sufficient both for maners and doctrine of faith to the end that shining through a right faith manners and the truth we may come to the kingdom of Christ Now those pen-men of whom he speaketh were they not inspired of God Is it not his holy spirit himselfe Againe Lib. 5. in Leui. whether it were he or Origen vpon Leuiticus In the two Testaments we may finde out and discusse whatsoeuer matter concerning God from the same gather whatsoeuer knowledge of things in so much as that if any thing remaine not determined by these Scriptures there is not any third which we are to receiue and admit of for the authorising of such knowledge Cyrill Bishop of Ierusalem Beleeue me not Cyril Hierosolim Catec 4. if I shew it thee not by the Scriptures for the saluation of our faith is not bolted out by the meanes of any disputation but plainly demonstrated by them Thom. 1. part Sum. q. 1. art 3. Supra omne debitum creaturae Et q. 147 art 4 p. 3. in add q. 6 art 6. And what will they say more when as Thomas one of their side saith That the things that proceede of the onely will of God besides whatsoeuer is due vnto the creature cannot be made knowne vnto vs otherwise then in that they are deliuered vnto vs in the Scripture That the doctrine of faith and the Sacraments cannot bee but of Christ That the ordinances and statutes of the church are not of themselues of the necessitie of saluation When also expounding the place in controuersie at this day of the second to Timothie chapter the third he vseth these wordes That the Scriptures teach the truth In 2. ad Tim. c. 3. â— reproue falshood perswade vnto that which is good and draw backe from that which is euill Not saith he after any faint or feeble maner but to the perfecting of the worke of saluation yea saith he euen in the highest degree c. And Scotus after him That the holy scripture is sufficient for the Pilgrime that is to say for the Christian trauailing heere below to come to the end of his purposed voiage that is to say vnto saluation That this way is not doubtfull but most certaine that in the same likewise is founde sufficiently laid open whatsoeuer is to be beleeued hoped for or done And Cardinall Caietan vpon the place afore named To the making saith he of the man wise vnto eternall saluation and furnished with all those partes requisite for the making of the man of God perfect Admit will some say vnto vs that it is sufficient The scripture is cleare and plaine vnto saluation Lactan l. 5. c. 1. but yet notwithstanding obscure difficult ambiguous by consequent daungerous This is all that which can be said against a wicked maÌ„ making his will taking pleasure to set his heires togither by the eares through sutes in the law And what would they say then to the Gentiles to Celsus to Iulian to all the Philosophers who tooke occasion by reason of the facilitie and simplicitie of the same to account thereof as base and contemptible He that is the light of lights and together therewith all goodnes it selfe shall he delight himselfe in becomming obscure and darke vnto vs This light that lightneth euerie man that commeth into the world shall he be come downe here vpon earth to blind the world euen them whom he hath chosen and set apart from the world Shall not the essentiall almightie word of God haue power or knowledge or will to expresse and make plaine his meaning in his worde when as he is come from heauen vnto vs from the bosome of the father amongst men to expresse and manifest himselfe The holy Ghost sent downe from the father and the sonne to teach the Apostles the things concerning saluation and in them vs comming downe vpon them in tongues of fire to interpret himselfe in all maner of languages shall he be no better then barbarisme and darknesse shall he not be prouided of wordes cleare and plaine inough to make himselfe to be vnderstood in the Scriptures Verily we learne not this lesson in the Prophets if they be not able to auouch vnto vs in that they speake their own cause Thy word saith Dauid is a torch vnto my feete Psal 119. 19 12. that is to say a light causing our eies to see They that speake not according to this word saith Esai it is because they haue no light in them Neither yet of S. Peter Esai 8.2 Pet. 1.19 who in his iudgement hath thought it to be so far off from obscuritie as that he hath commaunded vs to hearken to the Propheticall worde as vnto a light that shineth in darknesse And what then shall be the brightnesse of the Gospel which is the light of this light the Sunne in respect of the lampe and declared vnto vs by the Sonne the brightnesse of the glorie of the father Afterward the Apostle saith that he hath spoken diuerse wayes to the Fathers and to the Prophets c. And to whom then shall he be obscure to whom shall he bee hidden except as Saint Paule saith vnto vs vnto them which perish 2. Cor. 44. to them whose vnderstaÌ„ding the God of this world hath blinded to the end that the light of the Gospel of the glorie of Christ might not shine vnto them Likewise the Fathers they speake not according to our aduersaries According to the fathers for when they aunswere the Pagans they go not about to excuse the simplicitie and clearnesse thereof by denying them but rather say they it behoued them to be such to the ende that that which was for the saluation of euerie particular partie might be vnderstoode of all Irenaeus saith Iren. cont hae res l. 2. c. 42 67. Iust in Tryph. Tertul. de resurrect All the Scripture both Propheticall and Euangelicall is manifest and without ambiguitie and may likewise be vnderstoode of all Iustine Let vs haue recourse vnto the Scripture that therein we may find where to be safe and sure Tertullian The heretikes shun the light of the Scripture So farre is it off that they should be able to shrowde themselues vnder the darknesse of the same Athanasius Athan. in Epi. ad Iouinian True faith in Christ is cleare by the Scriptures Let vs set saith he against the Arrians this candle vpon the Candlesticke and it is sufficient Saint Hillarie to the same purpose Hillar de vnit patris filâ—i The Lord hath set forth the faith of the Gospel in the greatest simplicitie that possibly can be and hath fitted his wordes for our capacitie so farre forth as our infirmitie is able to beare it Constantine the Emperour likewise in the same cause Constant in Concil Nicen. Socrat. l. 1. Chrysost in 2.
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
c. 4. l. 3 c 5. saith Saint Augustine hath beene gathered togither whatsoeuer was dispersed throughout the diuine Scriptures to the end that the memorie of the most dull and slow of conceipt might not be ouerlaboured And whereof Beda after him leaueth vs this lesson That we must beware that Secundum fidem fit Sacramenti diuini expositio That the exposition of the diuine mysteries be according to faith In such sort as that we haue two Canons but the one neuerthelesse an abridgement of the other the Canonicall Scripture and the Canon of faith that is the Creede that to stay our spirits so that they may not search for in substance any thing in faith Tertul. de praescript saith Tertullian anie where else then in the doctrines of faith This to direct them in the expounding of that that is of the Scriptures and doctrines of faith to the ende that they may not admit of any sense how plausible soeuer it might be which is gone be it neuer so little from the articles of faith For example 〈◊〉 wee haue to deale with an Arrian we shall say vnto him after the maner of Saint Augustine let vs pitch our selues without any shifting vpon the Canonicall Scriptures we haue no other titles whereby we may learne the right but them But if from these Scriptures he alledge vnto vs The father is greater then I c. we shall call to mind that it is also written I and the father are one and the Scripture cannot be contrarie To the ende then that the one and the other may proue true we shall distinguish referring the first vnto the humane nature and the other vnto his diuine that so we may not conclude against that which is said I beleeue in Iesus Christ for Cursed be hee that putteth his cōfidence in any thing but God c. And let vs further obserue here that as hath bin said there is no societie since that of the Apostles that can make that Canonicall Scripture which is not as in like maner there is not any that can make an article of the faith of that which of it selfe is not one This power saith the Cardinall Caietan himselfe did ende there and there is not any either succession or discent which can attribute it vnto it selfe or which can pretend the same What then How we are to receiue and intertaine the Fathers And shall the Fathers that haue so highly deserued of the Church that haue so much and so well trauelled in the Scriptures serue vs for no vse Yes but marke the place due vnto them and the which no other can bee attributed vnto them they could not be called any sooner It is for God in his word to giue vs his law he is our onely Lawgiuer to whom alone it appertaineth saith the Apostle to saue and to destroy Iames. 4.12 Expounders not lawgiuers The greatest honour that man can haue giuen him in the Church is to be an expounder To take vpon him to make any lawes therein of himselfe this is to coine money this is to incroch vpon the Prince he cannot doe it without committing of treason yea without the incurring of blasphemie Here therefore we admit of the Fathers as expounders of the law word and diuine Scriptures we receiue their interpretations with reuerence admiring their pietie doctrine and zeale but alwayes with this exception most reasonable That they be but expounders not law-giuers dispensers of the mysteries of godlinesse and not authours In whom we must consider what they haue said not in that they haue said it but in that they haue said it by the way of expounding of the Scripture not speaking of their owne heades but according to their capacitie of the sense and meaning thereof As for example we reason of purgatorie The question here is not to know if it be to be found in Origen Augustine or S. Gregorie this rule abideth alwayes firme That if there be one it must needes bee that God hath made it for there is not any Doctor that hath power abilitie to make it If it belong to vs to know it let God haue reuealed and disclosed it vnto vs for it is not to be learned at the gesse of any of the Fathers let vs then haue found it in the Church her treasurie the Scripture Now there will be some to shew vs some places out of it from which they would collect and gather it and accordingly they will that they should be vnderstood on this sort and we on the contrarie In this controuersie we shall reade ouer the Text verie carefully as also that which goeth before and that which followeth we shall examine it to see if it be faithfully translated we shall make comparison of the like places All this hitherto is nothing else but to call vpon the Spirit of God to be our aide so much the more to inlarge and open our spirits according to that which the Apostle saith vnto vs. 1. Cor. 14◠Let the spirits of the Prophets that is of such as haue the gift of interpretation be subiect to the Prophets We shall here consult with the olde Fathers we shall compare their expositions both with the Text and amongst themselues we shall marke if they haue vsed a good translation whether they handle the place by the way or of set purpose affirmatiuelie or doubtfully and where they differ as ordinarily it falleth out we shall weigh them both according to the age wherein they shal haue liued for it importeth infinitely and according to the testimonie that the Church shall haue giuen of their doctrine for they are not all of one weight And in the ende caeteris paribus We shall not despise the consent and agreement of many against a few But God forbid that we should receiue them for Law-giuers or yet for Authours of opinions in the Church either contrarie vnto or without the scriptures And as farre off must it be that we should make them correctors or iudges ouer that ballance which iudgeth them and wherin themselues will be weighed For this should be blasphemie against God treason against the Church and an iniurie to themselues We wholie yeeld vnto them in thus doing the honour which they haue giuen to their predecessours as whereby they haue set a law and giuen an example for their successors practised by them against those by these against themselues If they had done otherwise where had we beene long agoe Seeing there is not so much as one of them that hath not erred in some thing many of them in the points of faith and certaine of them so farre as that they haue fallen into heresie Verily wee had beene Chiliasts with Irenaeus Montanists with Tertullian Anabaptists with Saint Cyprian Arrians with Theophilus Pelagians with Faustus the originals of all errours yea euen of Arrianisme with Origen we should wound the bodie of Christ not being subiect to paine Zonar de Ori. in Constant S. Hie
falshood is as also the right and naturall interpretation of such places as are in controuersie as well as the peruerted and bastardly Yea the Gentile himselfe said Chrysostome will learne by our controuersies Chrysost hom 33. in Acta to what Church he ought to cleaue howbeit that both the one and the other do pretend Scriptures seeing we say not that we belieue in humane reasons that might be able to trouble him but in the Scriptures that are simple and true And how much the rather then the Christian who as one would say should be borne fed and made by the language of the Scriptures And in deed I hope that in this discourse which wee haue vndertaken of the historie and doctrine of the Masse it will appeare from place to place that it is altogether in vaine for the most part that our aduersaries fortifie them selues with the fathers who verily if they were to come amongst 〈◊〉 againe would neuer acknowledge for their children the deceits and abuses that are authorised vnder their names But as S. Augustine said August Epist 166. We haue learned Christ in the Scriptures as also wee haue there learned the Church I dare also here say vnto you my masters therein wee shall take knowledge of Antichrist therein shall we obserue the corruption that hee hath brought into the Church The corruption for it serueth not any more either for seed graine or grasse as sometimes The darnell good Corne alike perhaps vntil the time of earing would be able to deceiue vs a little but growne into flower and being come to their perfection that filleth with the stench of the smell and poysoneth with his vapour all such as should stand a farre off And euen so Antichrist for there is no more any question of a starre to conduct and guide vs to him of seeking of him in a Manger in his swathing band or in his first infancie As at such rime saith S. Paul as iniquitie began but to worke For to make vs all inexcusable the day of the Lord is come to his full height He is seated vpon seuen mountaines incamped in the Temple of God extolling himselfe aboue God extolling himselfe against God working with all the efficacie of Sathan in all powerfulnesse and myracles of lying making drunke with his Cup the Kings and Princes of the earth opening his mouth in blasphemies against the highest against his Christ and vnder the name of Christ All his properties all his circumstances are therein so liuely painted out vnto vs as that there is nothing wanting but the putting to of his name and yet that is also therein giuen vs in Cyphers in a mysterie which succession of time and the euident plainnesse of his effectes hath sith then deciphered To you then my Masters vpon whome the last times are come it belongeth to take knowledge of him either by the pourtraiture which yee haue of him in the Scripture or by his working which you see in the Church or by his words or by his workes For then you shall not haue to say vnto vs any more Who are you that declare him vnto vs Where are your Commissions Where are your Bulles These are the pettifoggeries of the Court of Rome It is said that the Sonne of perdition shall cause a great Apostasie Either we must turne with those of the Apostasie or protest against it But you should giue him thankes that shall haue counsailed you to flie from the plague into your towne from the Wolfe into your sheepefold and from fire into your barne You should ring the alarum Bell your selues to the end that men might runne thereto that men might seeke to succour you Apoc. 18.4 You should come forth for it is said Come out of Babilon my people with great haste and without looking backe for this is the spirituall Sodome And it is said 1. Iohn 5. Apoc. 18. 19 My little children flie from Idols And we all together will goe crying Shee is fallen shee is fallen Yea we shall goe singing Saluation and glorie and honour and power be giuen to our Lord God His iudgements are true and iust He hath reuenged the bloud of his seruants He hath executed iustice vpon her which hath corrupted the whole earth The smoake thereof shall ascend for euer AMEN THE END AND DRIFT OF THE Author in the writing of this Booke IEsus Christ our Lord who is the Truth Ignatius Cyprian Tertullian euerie where Math. 19.8 as auncient writers declare vnto vs not Custome aunswered to the Pharisies and Doctors of the Law In the beginning that is to say at such time as God accomplished the worke of Creation It was not so The question was aboute the law of diuorcement a lawe ordayned by Moses by authoritie giuen him by God a law practised amongst the people for the space of sixteene hundred yeares and more without any checke or controlement euen amongst the people of Israell and Church of God and yet notwithstanding the Sonne of God not waighing eyther the prescription or the continuance of toleration calleth them backe to the consideration of the estate and condition of the thing at the creation and to the first institution of the same God saieth hee made them male and female what God hath ioyned together let not man put asunder Thus likewise let vs learne to aunswere according to the example and commaundement of our Lord but vpon much more vrgent occasion whensoeuer the inuentions and deuises of men shall bee set before vs to the defacing of Gods ordinance and institution yea when any shall goe aboute to foist in humaine fansies to the abrogating and thrusting out of his holie word It was not so from the beginning not from the creation of Christes Church not from the institution of Christ not from his Apostles not from their Disciples not from the obseruation of the Primitiue Church not from any decree or determination concluded by the saide Church her first councels what God hath once appointed and ordayned let not vs cast off and reiect what the Son hath spoken vnto vs by his owne mouth Iohn 14.26 what hee hath taught vs by his Apostles that sonne concerning whome the Father hath giuen this charge heare him Those Apostles of whome the Sonne hath thus saide vnto vs I will sende the holy Ghost which shall teach you all thinges Him let not vs forsake for anie other thing that may come for anie faire goodlie shew or appearance that possibly it can haue for anie authoritie prerogatiue or prescription of time that it may pretend By thus framing our selues we shal be able easilie to agree with euery soule that hath anie taste of godlines and which hath in reuerence God his holy word and ordinances But the question shall bee at this time whether there bee not abuses brought into the Church of Rome to the preiudice of his holie seruice and worshippe and of his holy ordinances contained in his worde
as also that wee shall bee able to deriue it from the first and purest ages wherein the sacred fountaine of mans saluation continued and stood in his vnspotted puritie and exquisite bringhtnes not hauing beene as yet troubled with our humaine inuentions not hauing been as yet defiled with the superstitions which the preposterous imitarion of Iudaisme or the vnaduised skill of fashioning themselues after the manner of the Gentiles did together with the time draw in huge and massie heapes vpon them For otherwise certainely if we can neither become acquainted with it by the holie Scriptures nor finde out anie markes or tokens of the same to haue beene vsed in all that space of pure and vncorrupted Antiquitie but rather that not so much as the name thereof is therein specified and that any other seruice was then offered vp to God let vs bee bolde to say that then the misterie and price of our Saluation lyeth not therein seeing that Saluation it self hath not instituted or ordayned the same as also that the Seruice to be performed by the church doth not consist therein seeing the Primitiue church did neuer know it But then may we well see and perceiue that it is some bastardly broode and intire and vniuersall corrupting of Christ his institution and of the first and auncient manner of seruing of God transformed and changed by little little from an abuse of words into an abuse of matter and substance from a Sacrament to a sacrifice and from a sacrifice eucharisticall to a propitiatorie sacrifice and from the commemoration or remembrance of the onely sacrifice of Christ into a pretended reall and dayly killing and offering vp of himselfe as also that this saide Masse which we see now a dayes is nothing else but a collection and patched thing of many ages a composition incorporated by many Popes for the more precisenes whereof there haue not beene admitted thereunto anie other ingredientes from time to time then the abuses which Sathan men and the iniquitie of time haue beene able to bring in eyther of pretended malice or through carelesse negligence or through ignorance into the church In so much as that finallie the holie Supper of our Lord cannot there retaine anie thing to be knowne by neyther hath it anie thing so contrarie opposite or repugnant as the Masse which from this lawfull and legitimate issue as some of the old Writers haue called it is changed into an illegitimare and bastardly thing from a publique into a priuate from the communion of the faithfull in the same Sacramentes into a particular celebration by one priest and to be briefe from a serious meditation of the death of our Lord into a colde and ridiculous representation of the same from a real and effectual participation of that flesh giuen for the life of the world and of that bloode shed for the remission of our sinnes into a dumbe and doltish ceremonie and that to be therewithall such a ceremonie as which assisting aiding vs a thing neuer heard of in any of the former times there is more hope and helpe to be expected I say not then from the holie supper of the Lord administred according to his institution nor then from all the Sacramentes of the Church of Christ but then from the verie sacrifice which the Lord hath once offered vppon the tree of the Crosse for the saluation of mankinde Now therefore for the clearer handling of this matter I will diuide this treatise into foure partes The first shall bee of the originall and proceeding of the Masse according to all the partes thereof and the second of the circumstances whatsoeuer is depending thereupon which is all that which properlie concerneth the historie thereof The third shall declare how it is to be considered and tried according to the nature and quality of a sacrifice and the fourth how in the nature and qualitie of a sacrament being that which commeth neerest to the touching of the doctrine thereof And I beseech all those that loue the truth and are feruentlie touched with an earnest care of their owne saluation that they would open their eyes and bring them to the sight and view of this matter clean and purged from all manner of preiudice of whatsoeuer forestalled opinion as likewise I pray God that he would giue me the grace of comming vnto this work with a true and sincere affection and vnfained defire to see the church of Christe reformed according vnto true antiquitie in these our daies purged from al nouelties which degenerate from the same reformed according vnto that antiquitie I say which hath for his foundation the doctrine of the Sonne of God the practise of his Apostles gouerned by his spirite but purged from that noueltie which can alledge nothing for his maintenance but the dreams of men those such as are alwaies younglings and babes in things concerning God yea rather alwaies brutish as sayeth S. Paul in that which concerneth his seruice The Contentes of the Chapters of the first Booke 1 AFter what manner the Supper of the Lord was first instituted and ordayned and that the Masse hath no ground or foundation eyther in the Scriptures or in the practise of the Apostles 2 That the Masses fathered vpon the Apostles and Disciples of Christ are notorious and meere suppositions 3 In what manner God was serued in the Christian Church in the time of the Apostles and their Disciples 4 What manner of diuine seruice was vsed in the Church vntill the time of S. Gregory or thereabout and namelie what manner of Masse that was which was so called by those that were catechised 5 What manner of diuine seruice there was vsed namelie in that which was called the Masse of the faithfull 6 Answeres vnto certain obiections and what maner of diuine seruice is most conformable vnto that which antiquitie indeed commendeth vnto vs as whether that of the church of Rome as it standeth at this day or that of the reformed Church 7 VVhat change and alteration was admitted in the celebration of the Supper about the time of Gregorie the great which falleth out to be in the sixt age of the Church 8 VVhat manner of growth and proceeding the Masse had from Gregorie the great vntill about the time of Charles the great 9 VVhat manner of proceeding aswell concerning the framing and rearing of the Masse as also about the vse therof was after the time of Charles the great and particularly of the dismembring of the Sacrament by the taking away of the Cup of the Lord from it 10 That the Communion vnder both kindes hath beene practized of all the auncient Churches 11 VVhat manner of effect and working the taking away of the Cuppe of the Lorde had amongst the faithfull and vnder what colour and pretext 12 VVherin are answered the pretēded reasons of the aduersaries both by the holie Scriptures and by the fathers A recapitulation or briefe rehearsall of the matters
that the former word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was vsed and gaue it to them from hand to hand saying Drinke ye all This cuppe which the Iewes call Chos halel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the cup of blessing the cup of prayse or thankesgiuing which they did blesse in these words Blessed be thou O Lord our God King of eternitie c. which hast created and made the fruit of the vine c. And in distributing it they did sing one of the Psalmes of Dauid which beginneth Halle-lu-iah Praise ye the Lord. But to the end that from thenceforth it might continue the Sacrament of the new Testament our Lord addeth thereunto these wordes For this is my blood the blood of the new Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes And according to the Apostle to the end that it might be henceforth a perpetuall institution and ordinance in the Church of Christ And euermore and as oft as you shall eate of this bread and drinke of this cuppe you shall declare and shew forth the Lords death vntill his comming In the end it is said that our Lord and his Apostles did sing a Psalme and afterward went vp into the mountaine of Oliues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Munster vppon S. Marke Paulus Fagius vpon Deut. c. 8. Scaliger de Emendat temp lib. 6. Cassander in his Liturgies The Psalme I say which was wont to bee sung of the Iewes in the closing and shutting vp of this solemne feast of vnleauened bread after Supper and is recorded in their bookes of rytes to be the 114. Psalme when Israel came out of Egypt But Burgensis is of opinion that it was a Psalme composed of many Psalmes that is to say of all the Psalmes from the 113. vnto the 119. which thing is more at large to bee seene in Munster Fagius others but yet better in the Lord of Escalles his booke of the reformation of time for it goeth farre beyond all the rest in the clearing of this matter And now we haue to consider what it is that the Masse hath common and what it hath like with this holy Supper at this day this holy Supper I say wherein wee see that our Lord the Lord of the Sabbath the Lord of all the ceremonies the Lord of the law it selfe did not disdaine exactly to obserue all the circumstances of the celebrating of the same as they are ordained in the law as namely the day the houre and the manner and forme there prescribed referring the same to his true and proper vse onely and to the onely end it respected which was himselfe pointed out prefigured in the same Whereas they of the Church of Rome men sinners as all the kind of man is haue not beene ashamed to dispense with the institution of this holy Sacrament and to cut and clip it change and alter it after all after their owne best liking fashion Our Lord distributed the bread and the cup vnto his Apostles the maister of the houshold vnto his children where is there any one step or marke of this communion of this communicating in the Masse It is his will and pleasure that this holy Sacrament should be a remembrance of his death and passion vntill he come that we should comfort and strengthen our selues in this faith combine and knit our selues in mutuall loue and charity waiting for the participation of his glory that so wee might make vp perfect his body in the heauens Where is this remembrance in the Masse where euerie thing is vttered in an vnknowne language where all is done by signes whisperings mumbled vp not vnderstood the expositions whereupon are so ridiculous fantastical ful of controuersies amongst their Doctors And furthermore who euer hauing seene the celebration of the holy Supper in the first ages could once dreame of finding the same in the Masse Or who is he who giuing good and attentiue eare vnto the true institution of the Lordes Supper read as it is set downe by the Euangelists that can proue himselfe so quicke sighted as soundly from the same to gather the doctrine of the Masse But say they th'Apostles haue not set downe euerie thing there are many more ceremonies belonging thereunto Of the place Other things when I come c. 1. Cor. 11. for S. Paule himselfe saith Caetera cum venero disponam other thinges I will set in order when I come But doe they not make any conscience to comprise vnder one Et caetera the doctrine either of the sacrifice or of transubstantiation the whole force and marrow of their Masse Is it credible that S. Paul would vse such delaies in things so important and so necessary as wherein according to their owne saying resteth their saluation as without which the same cannot stand Neyther are they yet ashamed to set before vs the foundation of the Masse so huge and massie a building vpon a meere gesse supposall that hath no ground or foundation at all to rest it selfe vpon Ambros in 1. Cor. c. 11. Nay then let vs heare what the fathers say S. Ambrose He teacheth vs that we must first handle for order sake the head principall thinges concerning our saluation as wherein one cannot erre without committing of some grieuous offence Caetera but as concerning other thinges which are for the edification of the Church he passeth them ouer till his comming Chrisostome vpon this place S. Chrisost vpon the 1. Cor. c. 11. hom 28. Theod. vpon the 1. Cor. c. 11. Oecum in 1. Cor. c. 11. Gloss ordin vpon the 1. Cor. c. 11. Thomas 3. parte sum q. 64 art 2. in 1. ad Cor. where he speaketh saith he of the same thing or of some other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not verie vrgent or necessarie thereby to make them carefull to reforme their faults when they shall thinke of his comming Theodoret He could not set in order all things but hauing written of the most necessarie he reserueth the lesse necessarie till he come in person Oecumenius Either hee speaketh of the same thing as if the holy supper of our Lord had neede amongst the Corinthians to bee reformed in other pointes or else hee speaketh of some other thing which hath neede of his owne presence The ordinarie Glosse Of the same but by your selues you cannot wade any further therein Saint Thomas He speaketh vpon some slight and familiar traditions he speaketh of thinges containing no matter of waight that is to say indifferent thinges And in another place But as concerning thinges which are necessarie in the Sacrament Christ himselfe hath appointed them In like manner Caietanus Caetera inquit praenarrata that is to say the things before spoken of as that one came drunken an other hungrie that there were contentions amongst them these are the other thinges which he promiseth to redresse at his comming If then these other thinges whereof Saint Paule would speake bee not the
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
Neither yet that S. Paule became a Iew and obserued the law but to the end that hee might draw them from their rudiments or that in like manner by becomming a Gentile hee held not any thing of their vnknowne God but rather preached vnto them the sonne of God come into the worlde that is to say without the annihilating of the crosse of Christ without preiudicing yea to the aduauncing of the veritie simplicitie and puritie of doctrine But as yet the substance of the truth ceased not to swimme and flote a long time vpon the face of these humane inuentions being the good seed husbanded by the care and industry of good teachers who suffered not the same to be choked ouerrun with the darnell at the first blow vntill the ouerflowing streame of barbarous and rude men which happened some ages after did vtterly ouerwhelme it and make an end of the same by occasion whereof the darke and palpable thicke cloudes of ignoraunce did burie and swallow vp Christianitie The Pastors being partly ignorant and partly negligent suffered the darnell to grow so that the darnell occupied the place of the corne euen the incorruptible seed of the word in so much as that the greatest part of Christendome suffered the famine of the true breade that is of the true preaching of the Gospell becomming drunken opprest in the meane time with the excessiuenesse of mens inuentions the proper darnell-bread thrust vpon them vnder the name of traditions And this is that which we haue now to verifie concerning the matter of the Masse going forward with the handling of the growth and proceeding thereof from age to age And here let vs call to mind in what estate condition we left the diuine seruice in the former Chapter It consisted of a general confession of sinnes in singing of whole Psalms in the reading of the holy scriptures in the Pastor his preaching vpō the same after that in a generall prayer for the whole world in the blessing and distributing of the Sacraments to all the faithfull vnder both kindes in a thankesgiuing for the benefite receiued of God in Christ renewed in the action of the Sacrament and how that all this was vttered in a knowne tongue and a language vnderstood of all the people which answered thereunto from time to time the vessels and apparrell being such as were commonly vsed euery thing done in simplicity without vaine ostentation void of all manner of wauering ceremonies and all these thinges continued vnto the times and ages that we are now to speake of being the substantiall partes of the true and lawfull diuine seruice Euseb lib. 10. cap. 2. 3. Eusebius speaking of the ordinarie actions of the true diuine seruice maketh mention of prayers psalmes lessons sermons the blessing communicating of the Sacraments Euseb lib. 4. of the life of Constantine S. Hilarie psal 65. S. August in epist 119. of thankesgiuing c. Likewise saith he Constantine the Emperour praied with the congregation sung himselfe heard the sermon reuerently and that standing saith he not thinking it seemly for him to sit downe in that place S. Hillarie If any man stay without the church he shall heare the voice of the people which prayeth he shall vnderstand the solemne tunes of the Psalmes and in the offices of the holy Sacramentes the aunswere of a denout confession Saint Augustine in as many wordes Jt is not to the purpose saith he to sing Psalmes in the Church when the scripture is in reading or when it is in handling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the same that he meaneth by these words Quando disputatur when the chiefe the Pastors or the Bishops doe pray aloude or when warning is giuen by the Deacons that wee must giue our selues vnto the generall prayer But these meane whiles excepted what can the assemblies of the faithfull bee better occupied about what more holy thing is there which they may exercise themselues in then in singing of Psalmes Hesychius vpon Leuit. lib. 7 cap. 24. Dionys in Hicratch lib. 3. Hesichius Prayer is holy the reading of the scriptures is holy the hearing of the expounding of the same is holy yea and holy it is whatsoeuer is said or done in the church of God according to his law c. This in briefe is the summe of the whole seruice as is testified likewise in the Hierarchie of Saint Denis for it must needes bee referred vnto this time describing the manner of the celebrating of the holy Supper for he affordeth and graunteth place vnto euerie one of these partes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 making it to begin with the harmonious singing of Psalmes the whole ordinance of the Church singing with the Bishop Afterward hee causeth the reading of the holy scriptures to follow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Ministers of the Church and from thence to draw out exhortations vnto the people after which hee giueth leaue to those which were not admitted to the sacramentes to go forth of the Church and temple as namely those that were catechised the penitents and the possessed Then the holy sacraments are set vpon the table and are blessed and sanctified by holy prayer the which are first receiued and taken by him that is the chiefe in these holy actions as the Minister or Bishop and after giuen to all that are by after that they haue testified their spirituall vnitie by a holy kisse Which done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith hee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is hauing participated and distributed the Sacramentes that is the breade and the wine hee closeth vppe the whole action with a holy Eucharist that is a publique than kesgiuing for the benefite receiued from our God in the receiuing of his holy Supper Let vs now follow on The Psalmes Chryso in his eight hom vpō the Heb. Chrysost in hom 6. de paenitent and go forwarde through euerie one of these partes Chrysostome saith of the Psalmes Euerie weeke the Psalmes are read twise or thrice Againe Wherefore haue the Christians the Psalmes alwayes in their mouthes seeing wee reade the Gospell but once or twice neither yet the writinges of the Apostle and why also doe wee sing those with our owne mouthes doing nothing but lending our eares to these Saint Augustine recommendeth them vnto vs by the example of Christ and his Apostles for the profit comming of the precepts contained therein for the edge which they set vpon our zeale Againe he taketh vpon him the protection thereof against such as blamed the Church of Carthage because it did sing them S. Augustine li. 2. retract ca. 2◠whether it were before the offering or in the time of the distributing thereof vnto the people that is to say the Lordes Supper Now it was the auncient custome to sing them and that altogether all throughout The Psalmes cut in sunder diuided into parts Optat. lib. 4. Epiph. haer 64.
To deliuer vs from eternall damnation and to ingraft vs into the number of thine elect Now after this consecration the Priest and Ministers of the Church were wonte to communicate That the Communion is the most part of it supprest Iohn Diac. l. 2. c. 41. as wee haue said and consequenthe the people to whome the Sacraments were distributed euen yet in the time of Gregorie with these wordes The bodie of our Lord Iesus Christ preserue thy soule vnto eternall life The blood of our Lord c. that is to say so oft as they did present themselues at the same But as the people became carelesse and negligent in the communicating of the sacramentes and the Priestes verie eager and forward in hauing them still to continue their offringes they beginne to giue them to vnderstand that it is sufficient for them to heare the Masse without anie communicating in the same Whereupon within some time after there beganne to grow vp this manner of speaking to heare the Masse and to sing the Masse which was vnknown neuer had been heard of in al the former ancient times in summe that if they did not cōmunicate in the Sacrament that yet they had their part in the sacrifice c. And so from hence by little and little crept in the priuate Masses especiallie in the Monasteries at which the people would bee present but the Priest alone or with him some certain number of Monkes or Clearks did onely communicate And then these wordes Corpus Domini c. Sanguis Domini c. custodiat animam tuam in vitam aeternam The bodie or the blood of our Lord preserue thy soule vnto eternall life which were wont to bee spoken to all manner of persons and to eyther sexe and who aunswered thereunto Amen tooke vppe their habitation in the Masse at the first for those few persons which did communicate with the Priest and in the end for himself alone And yet notwithstanding to continue and hold on alwaies in their contradictories although hee tell them that they are for himselfe and accordingly do take them himselfe yet in the Prayers following afterward hee speaketh fondlie of al Quod ore sumpsimus Domine fac pura mente capiamus Grant Lord that what wee haue taken in at our mouthes we may receiue with pure and cleane minds c. Which is the cause that some olde expounders of the Canon helde opinion that it could not be read but in publike Masses such as in which the people was wont to receiue the Sacramentes that is to say according to the Canons of this time in any case at the feast of the Natiuitie at Easter and at Pentecost because it is altogether set down in tearmes of the plurall number And yet S. Gregorie had this one good thing in him namelie that he alwaies left it in the libertie of the Churches Gregory doth not presse others to receiue his Masse Gregor in Ep. ad August Anglic. Episc Change of speech Sabel En. 8. l. 5. eyther to receiue the order which hee had newlie set vppe at Rome or else to retaine their owne For in the Epistle likewise which hee writ vnto Augustine a Bishoppe in England who would haue brought it into England hee vseth these wordes The Churches haue diuerse formes of celebrating the misteries It is left in the libertie of euerie one of them to follow that which shall like them best In euerie Church take and retaine that which thou shalt finde the best Let vs yet furthermore adde two other verie great changes and alteratiōs in this time the rather because they are in thinges that are sensible and to bee conceiued of euerie one The one is that about the yeare sixe hundred as wee reade in Sabellicus the swarmes of barbarous people continued in Italie France and Spaine for a long time where the Latine tongue was receiued and by consequent the seruice of the Church in Latine but by little and little it was found in such sorte to bee corrupted and chaunged into Italian Spanish and French as that it was not anie longer to bee vnderstoode of the common sort and further in space of time from age to age it still became more obscure and intricate Whereuppon insued though not by anie decreed ordinance but eyther by too much tolleration and sufferance or else by negligence that the seruice continuing in Latine the people growing to vnderstand it nothing at all euerie thing was done in the Church contrarie to the institution of the Apostles the vse of the auncient Churches Iustin Nouel 123. yea and the verie ordinaunces of the Emperours in a language that was not vnderstoode and by consequent without edification and the meanes for the people to come by instruction The other is that in steade of the Christian simplicitie Alteration in apparrell which was easie to bee seene and obserued in the habites apparell and garmentes of the Pastours that celebrated the Sacramentes and other holy exercises Gregorie brought in the pontificall and statelie garmentes imitating therein Raban l. 1. Institut c. 14. as sayeth Rabanus the Iewish Church the Priestes and Leuites as also their consecrations annointinges and purifyinges yea and that in the matter of Temples Altars garmentes vessels and euerie thing that is of vse in the Church thinges altogether vnknowne vnto his time and not finding anie manner of grounde or foundation in anie of the olde Writers except one weake and reeling Canon which appointeth for the Readers Laeuam lino tectam the left hand couered with some linnen and some Surplisse made of them for the Priestes And yet this riseth from hence onelie namely that Innocent the third maintained that the ceremonies of the law were not abolished Innoc. 3. lib. 4. de Sacr. Altar cap. 4. And yet it was too great a worke notwithstanding that the foundation of abuses and superstitions were deepelie laide in the time of Gregorie for the vpper building and top-frame to be finished therewithall at a trice For both in his time and afterwarde that law remained in the Church That the faithfull did communicate after the consecration of the Sacramentes and the good Pastors did blame and finde faulte with all carelesse negligence therein as they espied and founde it out exhorting and stirring vppe their Parishioners to continue their zeale and forwardnes in the participating of the same they continued also to administer it vnder both kindes yea and it was ratified and confirmed by the ordinances of the state Politique now and then as wee shall see hereafter CHAP. VIII In what sort the Masse prospered and grew greater from the time of Gregorie the great vntill about the time of Charles the great GRegorie was no sooner dead but that Sabinian his successor caused his bookes to bee burnt Platin. in Sabinian either for hatred and enuie or for some other sinister opinion that hee had conceiued Insomuch as that whatsoeuer wee haue of his at
Christianitie by their dispearsinges and scatteringes according to the purenes and sinceritie of the Gospell did teach at this time that the Masse did retaine and hold nothing of the institution of Christ neither for the liuing nor for the dead that the consecration was not tyed to the wordes of the Canon but to the Lordes institution that the holy Supper ought to be celebrated according to that institution or else that it is no supper that all other ceremonies therein are vnprofitable and the vulgar or naturall tongue of euery people necessary for the instruction of the people c. If also the king S. Lewes although caried away with the streames of custome did exhort Henrie king of England to heare sermons taken out of the word of God rather then to frequent Masses Matth. Paris addit Because saith he the one will bee much more auaileable vnto you to saluation then the other But because we haue handled it before how that the priestes had got so much by their daies labors that they had in the end cut off and taken away the cup of the Lord from the people it concerneth vs now consequently to looke about vs and see by what proceedings they attained thereto being no change or alteration but a meere dismembring and violent rent vndertaken in so deepe a degree of presumption and performed with so high and horrible an enterprise of sacriledge CHAP. X. That the Communion vnder both kindes was practised all in the old Church SEeing for certaintie that our Lord Iesus Christ hath once said The communion vnder both kindes Take drinke ye all this is the cuppe of the new Testament in my blood which is shed for you where shall be found such a priest as dare vnder the name of the church refuse deny to giue the same vnto the faithfull and what faithfull person should he be that should not be so bold as to vrge and importune the priest if he denie the cup the blood and the saluation in the blood of our Lord shed for vs the cup of the couenant if we will not willingly bee excluded and shut out from it the cup of the new Testament if wee will not by too open and euident a contempt frustrate and make of no effect our inheritance if wee will not be blotted out of the booke of children And yet such are excommunicate as require that they may haue the communion in the blood of Christ and which do stifly hold and contend that the one halfe of the legacies bequeathed them by their Lord and Maister his last will and testament is stolne from them those are called Sacramentarie Heretickes which complaine that the Sacrament of the bloode of Christ is taken from them And it is nothing but noueltie newfanglednes and innouation to haue recourse to this will and testament whose title is so auncient and authentike or to sue by force and vertue of the couenantes and conditions contained and agreed vpon therein It is antiquitie to eiect disseise and dispossesse vs by a new ordinance which hath no ground nor foundation but meere fansies no reason but presumption an antiquitie which cannot but verie hardly and with great difficultie deriue his pedegree further then one generation But now let vs looke into the stately march and proceeding of this great abuse The holy Supper of our Lord is cut off as we haue seene close by the ground and vpon the ruines thereof is built the Romish Masse By this meanes the people hath beene frustrate of the ordinarie vse of the bodie and blood of Christ From weekes it hath beene reiourned and put off to monethes from monethes to quarters and finally from quarters to once a yeare In stead of the bread of the Eucharist there is giuen the holy bread when they go out from the Masse In stead of the cuppe of the Lord in the communion they are now vouchsafed as much as will wash their mouthes and all this from time to time couered with the glorious name of the Church And what shall wee then say if all the olde Church be cleane contrarie thereunto If of all the deformities and corruptions of the same there bee not one that is newer or later then this Let vs trace ouer therefore the ages of the worlde and the workes of the fathers for I am willingly diposed to take the paines to make it plaine vnto the readers though they might enuy me for the same and though this matter be of the nature of those whereof S. Augustine hath giuen this rule Valeat ad sui demonstrationem ipsa rei ouidentia let the euidence and clearnes of the thing it selfe deale and speake for the proofe thereof Saint Paule in the first to the Corinthians beginneth at that end 1. Cor. 11. I haue receiued of the Lord that which I haue also giuen vnto you he is not so bold as these fellowes which giue cleane contrarie euen that which they haue neuer receiued and that which hee had receiued and that which he gaue that is the communion vnder both kinds Let vs vse this word kindes for the signes or Sacraments that so we may the better apply and fit our selues vnto them As oft saith he as you shal eate this bread drink this cup c. Let euerie man proue himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup c. The man saith he and not the Apostle nor the disciple nor the Priest nor the Clearke but euerie Christian for so he writeth vnto the Church of God which is in Corinth to the sanctified in Iesus Christ to them which are called Saintes Yea and vnto all them saith hee which call vppon the name of our Lord in what place soeuer they be Ignatius writing to the whole Church of Philadelpha The consent of the fathers Ignatius ad Philadelph Anno salutis 100. Iren. lib. 4. c. 32 33.34 I exhort you saith he that you vse all one faith one publike ministerie and preaching of the word and one Eucharist for there is but one flesh of Iesus Christ and one blood shed for vs one bread broken for all and one cup distributed to all He saith to all and not to the priestes onely for euen in the same epistle before these words he had made mention of the Bb. Elder Deacons and people Irenaeus ioyneth and coupleth both of them together continually The Lord hath commanded saith he vnto his disciples to offer vnto God the first fruits of his creatures the bread to be his body and the cup to be his blood c and we neuer find them seperated the one from the other in him Saint Cyprian writing vnto Cornelius the Pope Epist 2. Anno 200. How saith he doe we teach how doe we incite and stirre vp the faithfull to shedde their blood for the confession of the name of Christ if we denie vnto them his blood vnto them who haue to fight for him How shall wee fit
them for the cuppe of Martirdome if wee haue not first receiued them into the Church to drinke the cup of the Lord by the right of communicating And in an other place making mention of the historie of a Deacon which gaue the Sacrament of the wine vnto a young maid possessed of a Deuill Serm. 5. de lapsis As saith he after the solemne consecration accomplished the Deacon began to giue the cup to those that were present and that the rest hauing receiued the same it came to the young maid her turne to take it she began to turne her face away by the instinct and motion of his diuine Maiestie c. Loe here the distributing thereof vnto the laitie both men and women and not vpon speciall priuiledge but by common right for he calleth it Vis communicationis Besides that all the rest of the dispute which hee maintaineth against them that tooke nothing but water Contra Aquarios may bee brought into this purpose in as much as his scope and drift is to bring them continually to vse both kindes Gabr. Biel. lect 84. litera R. commanded in the holy Supper Whereupon Gabriel Biel saith He spake saith he according to the manner of the Church which he gouerned in which it may bee that in his time the communion was administred vnder both kindes And in like sort Ecchius De sumptione Eucharistia hom 33. Both these notwithstanding great schoolemen in our time Tertullian saith Lib. 5. aduersus Marcionem Tertul. ad vxorem lib. 2. By the Sacrament of bread and of the cup we haue proued in the Gospell the veritie of the bodie of the blood of our Lord against the fantasticall dreames of Marcion And in an other place speaking of the woman which was maried to an infidell At whose hand shall she desire vz. the sacrament of bread With whome shall she participate of the cup that is the sacrament of wine Origen neuer otherwise The faithfull saith he doe eate in the bread the bodie of Christ they drinke in the wine his blood For so said our Lord vnto his disciples Take and eate take and drinke c and he would not that either the one or the other should be reserued for the next day c. Iustinus Martyr is yet more plaine After the Pastor hath giuen thankes Iust Mart. Apol. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the blessing of all the people the Deacons gaue vnto euerie one of those that were present a piece of bread of the cup delaied with water by which is administred the Eucharist or Sacrament of Thankesgiuing likewise they left off the carrying of it vnto those which were absent And this is it which we call the Eucharist c. And this place is so much more forcible because therin is described the whole forme of the holy supper in the Primitiue church And as for S. Denis I can produce him as a witnesse in this point in his Lithurgie where he speaketh orderly of the communicating and distributing of both kinds but I let it alone for a fitter place in as much as I haue sufficiently shewed that this restraint of the cup could not be either in the first or second age In the same manner the lithurgies attributed vnto S. Iames and S. Clement besides that in this latter by name speaking of them which communicate in the bodie and blood by the distribution of the Bb. and Deacon he vseth these wordes After that let the Bishop take the Eucharist then let the Elders Deacons Subdeacons Readers Chanters and Ascets and of women the Deaconnesses maides and widowes in the end the children all the people euerie one in his order and place with reuerence and without any tumult c. The Article of the Councell of Nice which is found in the librarie of Vatican Anno 300 saith thus At this diuine table let vs not abase or bow our selues before the bread cup which are there set before vs but lifting vp our minds let vs by faith thinke and consider how that the lambe of God taking away the sinnes of the world lyeth in this table offered by the priests without being sacrificed and how that we receiuing in truth his precious bodie do belieue these things to be the signes of our resurrection This is the cause why we take not much but a little to the end that we may know that we take them not to fill vs but to sanctifie vs. Now wee cannot doubt of whom he speaketh for there the question is of all the faithfull S. Hillarie The bodie and bloud of our Lord taken and drunke doe cause vs to be in Christ Accepta hausta Hillar l. 8. de Trinit Hillar de consecrat D. 2. C. Si non and Christ in vs. These two tearmes are vsed respectiuely and haue relation to the two kinds And in another place If that a mans sinnes be not so great as that they let and hinder him from the Communion then let him not in any case seperate and keep away himselfe from the phisicke of the bodie and blood of our Lord. And as there were at this time that is to say about the yeare 340. some which would not altogether cut off the vse of the cup but giue bread dipped in wine which they called Intinctam vnder the colour Euseb l. 6. c. 44. Cyprian serm 4. de lapsis Prosper de promis c. 6.26 q. 6. C. Is in Decret Iulius Papa de Consecratione dist 2. Canon Cum omne paragr illud Anno 400. Ambr. l. 2. Offic c. 41. Ambr. l. 4. c. 6. de Sacram. l. 5. c. 3. l. 5 c 1 2.3 that in extraordinarie cases it had beene practised in the behalfe of children and those which were sicke as may be seene in the hystorie of Serapio in S. Cyprian de lapsis and in Prosper de Promis c. So Iulius the Bb. of Rome maintained the contrarie and that very roughly namely that it was against the institution of Christ against the doctrine of the Apostles Euangelists against the custom of the Church And that for to decide the controuersie there was no other course to be taken but to repaire to the head fountain of truth frō whence the mysteries of the Sacraments do proceed Where saith he hath our Lord-ordained the bread by it selfe the cup by it selfe c. And what would he say then if he should see his successors cutting the cup off altogether condemning of heresie those which demand it Or what can they aunswere vnto vs when we are able to proue against them both by authoritie as also by the very same reasons that their predecessors vsed In S. Ambrose Laurence the Deacon saith that the Bb. Sixtus had committed to him the dispensing and administring of the blood of our Lord and so in deed this was the ordinarie Office of the Deacons and he called it Consummationem Sacramentorum the accomplishing of
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
whom will they haue to be their expositor S. Paul But he giueth saith he that which he hath receiued 1. Cor. 11. He giueth to the Church of Corinth both the kindes then he had receiued them for it And indeed Lyranus saieth vppon this place That is because the faithfull in the primitiue Church did communicate vnder both kinds Doe they beleeue the primitiue Church the old doctours we cannot possibly iudge better of their expounding of the word then by their practise which wee haue seene and by their condemning of them which did abstaine from the one kinde would they heare the Councels That of Constance guided as they say by the holy ghost publisheth and proclaimeth with a loude voice That although Iesus Christ haue instituted the Sacraments vnder both kinds when he gaue it to his disciples although the Primitiue Church hath so distributed it vnto the faithfull c. In briefe Iesus Christ did either speake vnto his Apostles alone or else in their persons to all the faithful or to the Priestes onely To his Apostles alone it cannot be auouched for it is written Doe yee this in remembrance of me Declare the death of the Lord vntill his comming Vnto the Priests alone vnder the names of the Apostles but what apparant shew or likelyhood is there of that For the Apostles in this action Non erant conficientes sed sumentes they did not occupie the places of Priests but of the faithfull not of Pastors but of sheepe And to take it then at the hardest Iesus Christ hauing spoken vnto them whom they call non conficientes and hauing commaunded them to take the cup it should follow that the commaundement of God doeth of necessitie charge them to communicate vnder both kindes which is directly contrarie to the Article of the Councel of Trent which saieth Clericos non conficientes non obligari ad viramque speciem c. That Clarks themselues not consecrating the host are not bound to receiue vnder both kinds It remaineth then that those wordes are spoken vnto them as being faithful and so representers of al other Christian people that is to say that Iesus Christ as the housholder and maister or Pastour of the church hath dispensed distributed the Eucharist vnto his disciples and ordained and instituted it for them which did beleeue their word that is his owne and that hee did appoint them to distribute vnto them euery one in his place that which they had receiued at his hands Gerard. Lorichius in lib. de priuata Missa abroganda And indeed Gerardus Lorichius howsoeuer he be a great patron of Transubstantiation and the Masse is ashamed of this starting hole in these words There are saith hee false and counterfeit Catholickes which make no conscience of hindering the reformation of the Church by all manner of meanes They to the end that the other kind maey not be giuen to the laitie spare not to vtter blasphemies for they say that Iesus Christ said vnto his Apostles onely Drinke yee all and therein doe nothing consider the proper words of the Canon Take eate yee all Let them now therefore I pray them tell vs if these wordes also should be intended and ment onely to the Apostles for then also the laitie must needs abstaine from the bread which would prooue an heresie and a pestilent and execrable blasphemie Wherefore we must conclude saith hee that both the one and the other word was intended and ment vnto the whole Church It is said S. Luke ch 22. Doe this in remembrance of me sooth indeed say they but this commeth onely after that the bread is distributed and therefore this commandement doeth not binde the Pastours to distribute the cup. But assuredly the Euangelist doth shew it plainly enough in the words that follow likewise also he tooke the cup c. that if these words Doe this c. haue relation to the bread that then by the same proportion they are to be vnderstood of the cup. 1. Cor. 11. But Saint Paul doth resolue vs in this difficult point for after that he hath said This is my bodie which is broken for you doe this c. he addeth thereupon This cup is the new couenant in my blood doe this euer and as oft as you shall drinke it in remembrnnce of me that is you Pastours administer the bread and the wine you that are the faithfull receiue them at their hands being the Sacraments of my bodie and my bloud manifesting my death vntill my comming And this also is the opinion of Iohn of Louaine taken out of the old writers What shall we say Luke 24. if they will not onely make vs beleeue that our Lord hath not onely not commaunded it but that he hath done the contrarie S. Luke in his 24. chapter maketh mention that our Lord after his resurrection being at table in Emaus tooke breade gaue thankes brake it and gaue it to two disciples whome hee had met withall and that then their eies were opened and that they knew him c. They would that this should be the bread of the supper administred by consequent vnder one kinde vnto his disciples The frame and scope of the historie is cleane contrarie for he had said before that they had trauailed farre that they came neere vnto a village that the night beganne to come on c. all which is as much as to say that it was time to eate and refresh themselues Esa 58.41 Lament ler. And the word of breaking of bread is ordinary amongst the Hebricians in this sence But heere againe whom shall we cleaue or giue credit vnto in this controuersie The Syrian Interpreter saith They knew and perceiued who hee was as hee broke the bread Saint Ambrose Theophilact and other old writers in their commentaries at large make mention of no such thing Hugo The bread that is the word of God which the Pastour must blesse by praier breake by expounding of it giue vnto the hearers by preaching of it c. Lyranus They seeing him breake it saith hee as smooth and eauen as if he had a knife according as he was wont before his passion that is whiles he abode with them And the Cardinall Caietanus in like sorte and Dionysius Carthusianus vpon this place Caietanus in Luc. Dionysius Carthus Gulielm Widef contra Wicklef Alph. de Castro lib. 6. August de consensu Euangel l. 3. Not as in the supper but according to the ordinarie manner of blessing of meat And the great Postill as he was ordinarily wont before his passion Gulielmus Widefordensis writing against Wickliffe goeth further It cannot be gathered saieth he neither from the text nor from the glose nor from the olde Doctours that the breaking of bread spoken of by Saint Luke was the breaking of consecrated bread And Alphonsus de Castro would not define or say any thing thereof by way of expounding of the same And indeed the Councels of
broken it he began to eate Exhortationis verbo saith it operis exemplo in the word of exhortation and example of worke c. The same which Oecumenius saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Chrysostome that he perswaded them to eate for feare that after so long fasting they should die with hunger and the Cardinall Caietan likewise did not vnderstand it otherwise In this place then there is nothing that toucheth the Supper and in deed the foresaid Councels durst not alleadge it But the great word remaineth behind Oecumenius in Acta Chrysost in Act. Cardinal Caietan in Act. Caetera cum venero disponam I will set in order the rest at my comming We haue answered therunto before vnder one Et caetera they would make S. Paule the father of all that which they haue chaunged added and taken away from the holy supper They will haue to dispose and set in order to be to ouerturne what all the old writers haue vnderstood as wee haue shewed heretofore to be meant of certaine circumstances they would stretch to the substance They would to speake in a word that by vertue of this word euerie thing might bee lawfull for them But how much more commendablie soundly dealeth Durandus de S. Portiano Durandus de S. Port. d. 7. q. 3 art 10. 11. he whom they cal in Sorbone by the name of the most resolute Doctor intreating of this matter We must hold and keepe fast saith he according to the common doctrine that nothing which is of the substance and essence of the sacraments or els of the things belonging vnto them being instituted by Iesus Christ may be chaunged by any man whosoeuer for in such thinges Christ hath not giuen commission to any man no not to the Pope himselfe further then for the simple administring of the same and that which is more the church hath very small authoritie to change take away or diminish any thing about the order and manner of the administration Lib. 4. Act. 10. c. And in another place The matter saith he and the forme are of the perfection of euery sacrament that is it can not be kept sound and entire except they bee kept sound and entire But I aske of them euen in their consciences if the bread and the cup bee not the matter if they bee not Sacramenta neither yet Sacramentalia And what will follow hereof then but that all manner of men all the Popes and all the Councels in the world cannot touch the same Finally they renounce the Canonicall scriptures and flie for refuge vnto the Apocrypha they let go sound and authentike histories to take hold of fabulous tales It is read say they in the Gospell according to the Hebrewes that our Lord after his resurrection gaue the Eucharist vnto Iames the Iust vnder one kind In the Legend of S. Denys Roffensis that our Lord administred nothing vnto him but onely bread What itching fingers these fellowes haue to cut off and pare away this sacrament seeing that al the holy scriptures elswhere cannot satisfie them and that here they shold content themselues with such writings And of how contrarie sorts of spirites are they composed and made when as in the forme of this Sacrament they do so presse the letter and in the matter of the same they build so much vpon figures and allegories The aduersaries their contradictions that they which haue taken so great paines and labour in the kind of bread by heaping additions of their owne â—hereupon should please themselues so greatly in paring cutting away of the kind of wine But let not vs forget their manifold contradictions the ordinarie traine attending vpon false doctrine For sometimes they say that the Iewes did not drinke in their sacrifices from thence would draw a consequence for the holy Supper Sometimes they alleadge this place of Exodus how that after that the people had sacrificed to the golden calfe they sate downe to eat to drink Also it was say they left indifferent in the primitiue Churches Verga de Euch to communicate the sacrament vnder one onely kind or vnder both and as it were with one breath they by and by againe auouch the contrary As that two were ordained for the Gentiles Idem Verga and but one for the Iewes as being a people that loathed wine in their sacrifices neither the one nor the other grounded vpon the scriptures Againe the two kinds were instituted for the Gentiles and yet in the turning of a hand they go and exclude the laitie and allow them vnto the priests onely Againe sometimes they say Verg. Bellarm that the vse of the one kinde is come from the Apostles and a little after they say that the Church did ordaine it against the Nestorians who did not confesse or admit of concomitancie where of notwithstanding the ecclesiasticall histories doe not speake a word In briefe in one place they say that Hoc facite do this in remembrance of mee respecteth both the kindes and in another that properly it must bee restrained vnto the bread as meant thereof onely for it say they was giuen a long time before yea and was disgested before that our Lord had distributed the cup. And thus you may see how in parting the kinds of the sacrament or rather the signes and pulling them a sunder they are rent and diuided one from another and euery man in himselfe And as for the practise of the old Church when they are not able to deny it yet they will not cease to extenuate and diminish the same The Councell of Trent especially in these wordes Licet in Primitiua ecclesia vtriusque speciei vsus non infrequens fuerit although that in the Primitiue church the vse of both kindes was not seldome vsed whereas the Councell of Constance had declared with an open mouth Licet in Primitiua ecclesia hoc sacramentum à fidelibus reciperetur sub vtraque c although that in the Primitiue church the faithfull receiued this sacrament vnder both kindes Now we haue seene that for the space of 1200. yeares the holy supper was not otherwise distributed throughout all Christendome and that when it began to be administred otherwise it came to passe but by sufferance and not by any law Latomus vntill the time of the Councel of Constance Others say that the Primitiue Church being as yet rude and dull of conceit Latomus did obserue most religiously the institution of Christ but that afterward she learned of the fathers that the two kindes were for the priestes and not for the laitie Bellarminus a learned ignoraunce and eloquent rudenes to keepe themselues to the law of their maister but an ignorant learning and rude vnderstanding to depart from the same and leaue it Others say that the course was good whiles there were but a few Christians but that after there grew to be such great
fire purged from the earth refinedeuen seuen times And what gold is that whereof the Prophet speaketh verily such as is hid from the outward sences of the Saints but in the inward closet of their hearts is bright and shineth with the light of God according to that which the Apostle saith that some build vpon gold others on siluer and others on precious stones c. And thus behold how that faith true doctrine is the true building of the Church And againe Many people do build walles and raise pillars c. but where is the choise that is made of the Ministers of the church And let not any man alleadge here vnto me the temple of the Iewes the table the lampes the censors c. These thinges were good when the priestes did sacrifice beastes when their blood was the ransome for sinnes c. Idem in c. 7. Ierem. But now that our Lorde poore though he were hath dedicated the pouertie of his house let vs not thinke vppon any thing but his crosse let vs make lesse accompt of riches then of durt let vs not be in loue with this Mammon which our Lord hath called vnrighteous let vs not loue that whereof Saint Peter confesseth so freely and cheerefully that he hath none let not vs say of our goodly marble stones as the Iewes did The temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord for the temple of the Lord is there where a true faith a holy conuersation and the societie of all manner of vertues doe dwell That is to say if wee belieue S. Ierome that the temple of God is that place Chorus what manner of one soeuer it be where pure doctrine is preached by good Ministers and where it is receiued by the faithfull vnto obedience of faith and charitie c. Whereby we also see that after that Christians had these gorgeous temples they now and then forsooke and cast them off to retaine and hold fast the pure seruice of God Victor l. 1. 3 Vnder the time of the persecution by the Vandals Victor maketh mention that they came again to celebrate diuine seruice without making any difference of place euen wheresoeuer they could further that because of the furious outrage of the Arrians they assembled in priuate houses And at Constantinople we reade Sozom. l. 8. c. 21. 27. that the Orthodoxes for the vniust exile of Chrysostome did forsake the temples to come together in priuate First at Constantine his cestern thē without the citie in a kind of old theatre finally during the sharpnes rage of the persecution Socrat. l. 6. c. 18 Chrysost ho. 46. in Math. sometimes vnder close walks in the suburbs somtimes in the fields Wherupon Chrysost saith in certain places We haue retained the fundamental points of doctrine howsoeuer we haue left for them the foundations groundworks of the temples wals thereof Now the places of Christian assemblies according to the diuersitie of the time and manner of building had diuers names In Actes 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a high hall in other places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 houses then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 places or houses of praier Dominica the Lords places Martyria because they met in the places of the Martyrs their sepulchers for the kindling of their zeale As they grew in the faith about the time of Constantine they called them Basilicae borrowing their names from the pallaces where Princes were wont to sit and hold their assises Then Temples at such time as Christendome fell to gratifie and temporize with Paganisme as is to bee seene in the time of Saint Augustine S. Ierome c. And in the end the thing containing taking the name of the contained they were called Churches because that the Church was there assembled as prophane authors doe say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lueia in Dial. Merc. Maiae to make cleane the Church or assemblie or banquet that is the place where these things should be done In this first antiquitie it is not read that they were built or dedicate to any other then God onely To whom they were built Sozomen l. 2. c. 3. Euseb l. 3. de vit Constant l. 5. c. 2. Sozom. l. 2. c. 26. Socrat. l. 1. c. 16 and therefore were called Dominica 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and from thence came the name Kirke as yet in vse amongst the Germains And Constantine did not vse to doe any otherwise and therein they had a purpose to differ from the Paganes In the place of Christes sepulcher he builded a stately Church Eusebius calleth it Martyrium magnum because saith hee it was consecrate to Iesus Christ the great and faithfull Martyr c. At Constantinople hee named one Irenen by reason of the peace of the Gospell and another the Church of the Apostles because of their doctrine but both of them dedicated vnto the Sonne of God For as concerning that which is read in Nicephorus that Constantine did dedicate the citie of Constantinople 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Mother of God Langus although a Romanist hath verie well noted and proued from Eusebius that the accent is abused taking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dei genitricem for Deo genitum that is the mother of God for the Sonne of God where there is nothing to make the difference but onely the accent And Nicephorus in another place acknowledgeth the same Niceph. l. 8. c. 49. l. 7. c. 49. Athan. in lib. de passione Domini August aduersus Maxim In Athanasius but this little booke cannot be his the Iewes of Beryta being conuerted did dedicate their Sinagogue vnto the Sauiour of the world and many others afterward by their example And Saint Augustine also reasoneth from thence against Maximinus the Arrian If we build saith he a temple of stone and of wood vnto any holy Angell be he neuer so excellent should we not be accursed of the truth of Christ and of the church of God seeing that thereby wee shoulde giue vnto the creature the seruice which is due vnto none but vnto God onely Idem de ciuitat Dei l. 8. c. 27. l. 22. c. 10. August in Psalm 94. As likewise he teacheth in euerie other place that the temples the pastors the sacrifices are not belonging or due to any but to God Vni magno debentur And that there was not any temples or altars built vnto the Martyrs Because saith he they are no Gods but haue the same God that wee haue but although there bee sepulchers built for them memorias sicut hominibus mortuis they are but as memorials of dead men whose soules notwithstanding liue in the presence of God Whereby we learne that if we reade yea though it were in his time or somewhat after as abuses crept in that there were places of prayer as chappels chauncels or temples called by the names of Martyrs or
but as monuments and remembrances in the nature of histories by the keeping out of Images so consequently and in the next course wee shall see how by little and little it was brought in by the carelesse negligence of their successors and vnder their receiuing and admitting of the same which Sathan deuised to be by a gentle kind of secrete creeping from priuate houses to publike houses from a prophane historicall vse to the abuse of worship adoration and that altogether vpon meere deuotion Chrysost invita S. Meletri Niceph. l. 12. c. 14. We reade of Meletius of Antiochia who died in the second Oecumenicall Councell that he left behind him such a desire in the people to haue him as that euerie man was willing to haue his picture vpon his walles vessell ringes c. This came partly of too much curiositie partly of the seeking of humaine comfort In as much also as there were celebrated and solemnely kept the yearely memorials of the most famous Martyrs as namely the Panegyricks in their praise and commendation the day of their martyrdome thereby to kindle the zeale of the Christians that they might bee the more constant in holding out after their example It was to be seene that in certaine temples histories containing such matter were painted the better to reuiue and keepe aliue what memorie might let slip and fall away As that of Martyr Barlaam in S. Basill Basilius in orat de Barlaam saying Better painted vpon the wall then described in his oration and speech and that of Theodorus in Gregorius Nissenus saying Where the Mason hath polished the stone as if it had beene siluer and where the painter hath not spared any thing of his arte c. And lastly the histories of the old and new testament vpon the walles of the temple of Nola which Pontius Paulinus about the yeare 430. caused to be painted for to keepe occupied with the consideration of those tablets those that came to the feast which was made in the honour of S. Felix the Martyr who otherwise as saith Trithemius suffered themselues to be carried away and wholly giuen to their wine and good cheare But how farre off is all this from worshipping and adoring of them There is one onely place alleadged against vs vnder the name of Saint Basill wherewith they go about to dazell the eyes of the world I honour saith hee the images of the Apostles and I honour them publiquely for they haue left vs the same by tradition and therefore it is not to be gainsaid or forbidden and thereupon also we erect and set vp in all our Churches their memorialles and histories But vpon their owne consciences let them speake if euer they haue found any such word in all S. Basill his workes and in deed what likelihood is there thereof that he should at the same time call that an Apostolicall tradition which Epiphanius holdeth to be a Diuelish inuention And further how can this word Adoration stand and agree with his time which was heard but little spoken of for many ages after yea in the most idolatrous and which is as yet to this daye dissembled and caried onely vnder hand Concil Nic. 2. And in deede this is onely the allegation of Pope Adrian the first writing to the Empresse Irene from the second Councell of Nice 400. yeares after S. Basill his time and when as the power and heat of Images did most furiously rage Now Images were scarse any sooner receiued into the Churches Temples The beginning of the worshipping of images then that the people which had lately left and cast off their paganisme thinking to haue found in those of the Apostles and Saints that which they had lost in their images of their owne Gods began at their pleasure to yeeld them the very same honor And this abuse was spread and propagated in diuers places diuersly according to the ignorance or capacitie negligence or diligence of the Bishops but still so as that it gayned in all mens sight great and large countries at that time when barbarousnesse had ouerrunned the whole Romaine Empire by the inuasion of such infinite multitudes of fierce and barbarouse nations and that in such sort as that being once admitted and receiued there was not any meanes left to cast them out againe the most part of the Bishops thinking they had done sufficient seruice in letting the worshipping of them But how much more prouident were they that had vtterly cast them out And how much more wisely had they dealt if they had taken heed to S. Augustine his admonition August in psal 113. That they are more mighty to deceiue soules in as much as they haue eyes then to reforme and amend them in as much as these their eies see not at all Therefore Serenus Bishop of Marseillis in the time of S. Gregorie Oppositions withstandings of the worshipping of Images about the yeare 600. was offended that his people did worship them he is moued with a holy zeale according to the example of king Ezechias and breaketh them Alphonsus of Castres reckoneth him amongst the heretickes for doing so Bellarmin notwithstanding saith that he did him iniurie therein Gregor l. 7. Epist 109. But what saith the foresaid Pope Gregorie vnto him notwithstanding that for the most part he was the father of all the superstitions wherewith the Church was corrupted It hath beene giuen vs to vnderstand that your brotherhood seeing certain adorations of images hath broken cast thē out And certainly we haue commended your zeale in that you would not suffer that any of all the thinges that are wrought by the hand of man should be worshipped Ne quid manufactum Gregor l. 9. Ep. 9. but therewithall likewise we iudge that you ought not to haue broken them which thing he speaketh of more at large in an Epistle to Serenus And addeth afterward It is one thing to adore a picture another to conceiue and apprehend by the picture that which is to be worshipped for the picture is for idiots that which is written for them which can reade Hee did not not then acknowledge them for any other thing then remembrances and stories and thereby doubtlesse in great daunger to haue beene condemned of heresie if he had beene at Trent And in the end to hold the mid way he saith It is needfull and requisite that thou shouldest call the children of the church that is those of thy diocesse and that thou let them see vnderstand by the testimony of the scripture that it is not lawfull to adore or worship any of the workes of mens hands because it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God him onely shalt thou serue And that thou shouldest after this then signifie vnto them that thou wast offended with them for that they had abused themselues by adoring worshipping of such pictures as were not made but only to teach the histories
in looking vppon the image of Simeon and that an other found a Well by causing the image of Theodosius the Abbot to be brought her An image of the virgine Mary kept the candle of a certaine Abbot from going out a long way and an other helpeth to conueigh water from the cesterne to the house And how a woman was tempted of the Deuill by forsaking and leauing to vse the image of the virgin whereupon the Abbot Theodorus sheweth her that it were better to go to the stewes and brothell-house a thousand times then to leaue and forsake the worshipping and adoring thereof What baggage are these to oppose set against the holy law of God Giuen as saith the Apostle by the ministery of Angels and vttered by his owne mouth Thou shalt not worship images Now let vs heare on the contrarie the foundations of the Councell of Francford We must not saith it worship images seeing we must not worship any besides one onely God one onely Iesus Christ who with the father the holy Ghost raigneth eternally Because likewise there is neither commandement nor example either of the Apostles Patriarkes or prophetes or of the fathers of the primitiue Church for the same And on the contrary that if any man haue images for remembrances and monumentes that yet notwithstanding it ought not to be any president for the trimming decking vp of the Church that such ornamentes and courses are nothing els but the waies of the Gentils that the good fathers Antonius Hilarius and others who loued well the beautie of the house of God did yet verie well leaue off to haue any dealing with them And as little for the instruction of the people That God hath giuen them the holy scriptures to this end the law whereby to come to the knowledge of Christ and not by Images And not any more for imitation or example sake to bee followed That the vertues of the Saintes as faith hope and charitie are inuisible and that we must therefore seeke them in their workes and not in their painted pictures It further proueth that whatsoeuer the patrons of images alleadge of scripture it is eyther to no end or contrarie to the end for which they alleadge it that their tales of the image of Christ are Apocrypha their authorities out of the fathers meerely imaginarie and their pretended miracles no better then either doubtfull or notoriously false or els diuelish Yea and although saith it that they were true because that God appeared to Moyses in a bush shall we therefore worship all bushes or vnder the colour of Aarons rod shall we worship all rods And so for Sampson his iaw-bone all other iaw-bones Or from the shaddow of S. Peter all other shadowes c. That this assertion of the Nicene Councell is damnable I adore and worship the image with the same worship wherewith I worship the Trinitie it selfe and do curse those that say otherwise The word being so plaine and euident Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and that exclusiuely meant say they of all other maner of worship besides that which is due vnto God alone not excluding onely that of images but of whatsoeuer other creatures be they neuer so excellent In like manner that their other reason is as weake which they would draw from the nature of relation and reference which the image hath with the thing whereof it is the image seeing that Christ said not He that receiueth Images but he that receiueth you receiueth me Nor that which you haue done to images you haue done to me but rather what you haue done to one of these little ones And therefore that whosoeuer doth say of a picture This is Christ sinneth lyeth and committeth villanous wickednesse instead that the second Nicene Councel hath by name said and affirmed that a man may speake it in godly religious maner And all these things with such grauitie learning and religiousnesse together with such reasons drawne so to the purpose from the scriptures fathers S. Ierome S. Augustine S. Gregorie c and pressed with such good consequence and so necessarily as that all the Dagons of the Philistines bee they neuer so firmely vnderpropped shal not be able possiblie to stand before them And yet furthermore this booke is approued by Hincmarus Archbishop of Rheimes who alleadgeth a whole Chapter out of the same against Hincmarus Bishop of Laon who liued in the time of Charles the great and as for Ecchius himselfe hee doeth not once call it in question Let vs go forward with the effectes and successe insuing vppon these two Councels The effect of these Councels It appeareth that that of Franckford did stay the course of idolatrie for a time in the Churches of France and Germanie which is gathered hereby namely for that Haimo and Rabanus who followed shortly after do not speake a word of the worshipping of images and in that Walfridus Strabo liuing at the same time continueth all one phrase and manner of speech Walfrid Strabo c. 8. That it is not lawfull either to worship them or els to banish and cast them out And because likewise that Claudius a famous Priest brought vp in the Court of Charles the Great was no sooner made Bishop of Turin in the time of Lewes the Gentle then that hee pulled downe and defaced the images when as hee founde the people of his Diocesse giuen to worship them by reason of the Romish superstition which had gained and preuailed so farre amongst them Claud. Taurinens de adorat imaginum An Abbot called Theodomirus set himselfe against his proceedings wherevpon this Claudius writte a booke vnto him against the worshipping of Images which hee was not afraide to send to the Emperour Lewes who committed the same to Ionas of Orleance to examine But hee neuer vouchsafed to vtter his iudgement of it till after that both Lewes and Claudius were deade neither is it found that Claudius was disturbed or troubled by the French Church vppon this occasion Anno. 840. Ionas Aurelian aduers Claud. Taurinens a signe that the doctrine of images was gouerned by the Councell of Franckford Now of this booke of Claudius Bishoppe of Turin there is no parte to come by more then that which Ionas his booke wherein hee goeth about the confutation of the same doeth afford vs and that after his death It may iustlie bee doubted whether hee haue dealt faithfullie with it in alleadging and setting downe the whole but onely that his owne aunsweres do sufficiently witnes that Idolatrie as yet was verie young and tender in the Churches of France Claudius reproueth the worshipping of Images according to the Councell of Francford Ionas doth not maintaine the same for hee aunswereth onlie as Gregory aunswereth Serenus that they may bee had for instruction sake to the people and not for to bee worshipped proceeding euen to the cursing of them who do worshippe them Claudius maintaineth and proueth by Origen
vnder the colour of certain words which their familiaritie with the Chaldeans had dropped into their language Ioh. 5.39 Act. 17 11. the truth may easily appeare for wherefore then should our Sauiour haue said vnto the people Search the scriptures And how should the Iewes of Berea haue otherwise done as they did And what will they say to that in the Actes that S. Act. 21.40.22.2.21 Paule made an oration vnto the people in the Hebrew tong that the people hearing him speake vnto them in that language made the more silence And if they did not vnderstand whence commeth it that when he spake of going to the Gentiles the people should be in a mutinie crie out Away with such a fellow let him be taken from off the earth it is not meete that he should liue Now therefore we stand resolued and firme That it was not otherwise vnder the new Testament that in the time of the old testament the seruice of God was practised and exercised in a language vnderstood of the people and who can belieue that it was otherwise in the time of the newe who will belieue that the light should be more darke then the shadow the fulnesse of knowledge more barbarous and rude then the rudiments without all peraduenture our Lord is come to dismaske the mystery concealed kept close from before all worlds to vnfold them and lay them broade open to the Iewes to the Gentiles to all nations and to all languages Gal. 3. And before him saith the Apostle there is no distinction or difference betwixt the Iew the Grecian nor yet betwixt the Grecian and Barbarian Therefore let vs conclude that whatsoeuer hath serued for the better clearing and manifestation of his holy mysteries or for the instruction of Christians hath likewise beene acceptable and well pleasing vnto him But let vs not once imagine that any thing tending to the darkning and dimming of that which is light and bright can proceed from any example giuen by him and then much lesse from his lawes and commandementes He instituted his holy Supper amongst his disciples who doubteth but that all the words thereof were vttered in the same tongue language by him which he ordinarily was wont to speake in vnto them It is his will that it should bee celebrated after his example in his Church that so we may therein shew forth his death vntill his comming What manner of shewing forth declaration doth he require to vtter it in a language which the people doth not vnderstand Now in deed in asmuch as it was decreed that his Gospell death resurrection should be preached vnto all nations and that it was hindered by reason of the manifold variety of languages that possessed men he sent his spirit in tongues of fire vnto his Apostles he graunted and continued the gift of tongues a long time vnto his Church Such as affirme that vpon the same day of Pentecost the Masse was instituted and will notwithstanding that throughout all Christendome the same should be said in Latine let them tell me I pray them in what language it was deliuered if it were deliuered but in one or what tong was excepted if it were deliuered in all There are some that come after and do abuse this gift vnto vanitie and ostentation in the Church What saith S. Paule vnto them 1. Cor. 14. Languages are for signes not to the belieuers but to the vnbelieuers they are giuen vnto vs for the gracious worke of edification and not for our ouerthrow and confusion If you vtter a language that is not vnderstood you speake in the aire you are as Barbarians one vnto an other vnprofitable as the trumpet which giueth a sound that no man vnderstandeth If thou blesse with thy spirit and not with thy vnderstanding the simple and vulgar sort of people that are there how shall they be able to answere Amen to thy thanksgiuing how can they possibly be edified by thee And the Conclusion is after all these generall propositions the least whereof all the rabble of our aduersaries are not able to auoid I loue it better to speake fiue wordes in the Church in my vnderstanding that is that are vnderstood then ten thousand in a language that is not vnderstood c. And a little after I teach so in all Churches if any man be spirituall let him vnderstand and know that what I write vnto you are the commandements of God Hieronim in 1. Cor c. 14. If they doubt of the interpretation and meaning of this place let vs heare the Doctors what they haue deliuered vpon the same S. Ierome expounding it in plaine and expresse termes Euerie word which is not vnderstood must be iudged and thought barbarons Againe The spirit signifieth in this place the tongue as when he hath said he that speaketh tongues that is to say an vnknowne speech He maketh no question whether Greeke or Latine Ambr. in 1. Cor. S. Ambrose This is spoken because of the Iewes who in their sermons and oblations did vse amongst the Greekes sometimes the Hebrew tongue And yet this was the holy tongue the language of the Patriarkes and he saith in their oblations by name that is in the administration of the Sacraments as in deed it seemeth that in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Paule would speake of the holy Supper Againe he saith If thou blesse with the spirit he speaketh of such a one as speaketh vnto himselfe in a language which he knoweth and saith that he giueth thankes well in as much as he knoweth what hee saith but another saith the Apostle is not edified so that if you come together to edifie the Church you must speake such thinges there as the hearers do vnderstand For to what end is it that a man should speake in it a language that he himselfe doth onely vnderstand and whereby the hearer doth not profit a dodkin but rather he should hold his peace in the Church to the end that such may speake as can profit the hearers And his conclusion is So the ignorant which doth not vnderstand cannot say Amen for he knoweth not the end of the prayer to answer thereto with this word Basil in reg contract which is the confirming and sealing vp of the blessing in his place S. Basill maketh this question intreating vpon this place How can the spirite of any man pray when his vnderstanding is idle and vnfruitfull This saith he must by name be meant of them which make their prayers in a tongue vnknowne vnto the hearers For when the words of prayer are not vnderstood of those that are present his vnderstanding that prayeth is vnfruitfull Chrysost in 1. Cor. 14. in as much as no man reapeth profit thereby Chrysostome S. Paul would say if I speake not the things which you may easily and plainly vnderstand but that I go about as it were no other thing but to shew that
I vnderstand tongues you cannot chuse but go away without profiting any thing for what good can there come of a word not vnderstood you altogether in like manner if you speake but not with such wordes are as significant and sensible doe speake to the wind that is to no bodie Againe Idem in ho. 36 If the vnlearned do not vnderstand that which thou prayest he is not edified he cannot giue his consent vnto thy praiers thou speakest to the wind and by consequent in vaine Againe Thou who speakest an vnknowne language if there be not any that can interpret expound it hold thy peace for in the church there is no place to do any thing that is superfluous or tending to ostentation Let such a man speake vnto God himself that is Theodor. in 1. Cor. 14. in his spirit without making any noise by himselfe Theodoret The Apostle cōmandeth that euery thing may tend to edification in the church and therefore he saith hee that hath the gift of tongs let him pray vnto God that he may also haue added thereunto the gift of interpretation that so he may be able to do some seruice in the church for the fruitfulnes of the speaker consisteth in the profiting of the hearers and this cannot he possiblie haue that speaketh in an vnknowne language He therefore calleth the spirit the gift of tongs but the vnderstanding the interpretation or giuing of the sence of that which is said c. Oecumenius who hath made a collection out of all the Greeke fathers I call the spirit the spirituall gift of tongs the vnderstanding the facultie and abilitie to interprete expound that well which is said To pray then with the spirit doth no good to any but himselfe that so prayeth but to pray with vndetstanding is auaileable vnto the edifying of thy neighbour And therefore when he saith If thou blesse with the spirit it is as much as to say that thou thy selfe doost onely vnderstand and art not vnderstood of others c. Whereunto Chrysost added And there is as much difference betwixt the one and the other as there is betwixt the whole Church and one man and as there is betwixt the edifying of the whole Church and himselfe onely Iustin Nouel 123. S. interdicimus Iustinian the Emperour in his Nouelle wherein he commandeth the Ministers of the Church to doe the diuine seruice in a language that is plaine vnderstood hath not otherwise expounded this place for he saith Thus the diuine Apostle teacheth vs in these wordes If thou blesse with the spirit alone how shall the simple people be able to say Amen vnto thy blessing seeing that they vnderstand not what thou sayest And this he cōmanded with such earnestnesse as that he proceeded against them to the death which did the contrarie And yet no more then the Councell of Aix doth the Chapter which Councell saith The speech and the vnderstanding of those that sing vnto God must accord that so it may be fulfilled which the Apostle saith I will sing with the spirit I will sing with the vnderstanding also Haimo Bb. of Halberstat in the time of Lewes the son of Charlemaine saith Haimo in 1. Cor. 14. I am a Grecian and thou an Hebrew if I speake Greeke vnto thee I shal seeme to be a Barbarian I pronounce the Creed in Greeke because I haue found it so written I am a Latine I am a Barbarian vnto thee c. If then saith he an idiot be with thee a man that knoweth no more thē his mothers tong thou sayest thy Masse in a tong not vnderstood how shall he answer thee Amen when he knoweth not what thou sayest c. I had rather therefore saith he to speak fiue words in the assembly of the faithfull that are vnderstood by them then ten thousand otherwise which will do no good And Cardinall Hugo in like manner In a word Hog Cardin. 1. Cor. 14. Lyranus expounding this scripture in his place The Apostle speaketh here of publike prayer wherein if so be that the people do vnderstand the Minister his giuing of thanks he is a great deale the better stirred vp to God made the more deuout ready to say Amen And Thomas after him That in the Primitiue church seruice was celebrated solemnly done in a language that was vnderstood And S. Augustine his generall rule tendeth to the same end August l. 12. de Genes ad lit c. 8. The practise of The old church That no man can be edified by hearing that which he vnderstandeth not Now next after the institution of our Sauiour Christ his Apostles it followeth that we look into the practise of the ancient Church And first it is to be noted that the practise of the publike seruice was such as that the people did answer the Pastor whereupon it must needes follow as saith the Apostle that they did vnderstand him but which is more that all of thē did answere to all the people doing their part in the office and seruice no lesse then the cleargie which could not wel conueniently be done without vnderstanding S. Paul saith how can he qui supplet locū idiotae that occupieth the room of the vnlerned say Amē Theodor. in 1. Cor. 14. l. 7. stromat Iostin in Apol 2. S. Ierome He speaketh of the laitie not of the cleargie Chryso Oecumenius after the same sort Theodoret He calleth him an idiot which is of the order of the laitie as we likewise call them idiots which are void of subtiltie craftines And all the old writers doe testifie this custome vse Clemens Alexādrinus In their praiers they haue but one cōm on speech as likewise one spirit Hieronym in 2. procem in Galat. Chrysost in 2. Cor. hom 18. Iustinus in the description of the holy Supper saith All the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speake aloude in signe of approbation Amen And the pretended Dionisius Areopagita vseth the same words And S. Ierome All the Church like a thunder soundeth out Amen Chrysostome The prayers are common both to Pastor and people they say prayer together the people pray for the Pastor and the Pastor for the people c. Againe All that which is vsed about the Eucharist is common to both all the whole bodie of the sacred liturgie is common vnto them why doest thou maruell then to see them speaking together in their prayers Basil in exa hom 4. Idem epist 63. S. Basill Men women and children cast forth their prayers vnto God you would say that they were floods beating against the shore In another place hee describeth how they sing Psalmes diuided in the halfes and intermingled with prayers meditating deeply and with a feruent zeale vpon that which they did sing And can any man in his conscience affirme this of those who vnderstand nothing of all that which they say And now what followeth
we say of the Bbs. Bishoppes and Priestes in olde time were all one Paul in Ep. ad Philippens Acts. 20. Tit. 1. 1. Peter 5. 1. Timoth. 4. Hieronym in Ep. ad Titum in Ep. ad Euag. in the old church the same we say also of Priests and that by a much more stronger and more forcible reason first because there is no likelihoode that the Priest should haue power by his orders to sacrifice the Son of God and that it shold be denied vnto the Bb. secondlie because as we haue already said the minister or priest and the Bb. in ancient accompt were but one And indeed S. Ierome intreating of this matter proueth the same by many plain and expresse texts out of S. Paul as may be seene in the place and therupon he also inferreth that they were diuerse names of one and the same person the one hauing relation to the age of the partie the other to the dignitie of his office and that the Priestes had power in the olde time to laye their handes vppon such as were to bee ordained and that whereas the Priests did chuse one from amongst themselues to be Bb. it was not because indeede one was greater then an other but onely for the continuing of vnitie and cutting off of schisme and that by the law of God the Bb. could not assume or chalenge any more to himselfe then the Priestes and that the Priest or Elder did nothing which the Bb. did not Ambros in Ep. ad Eph. c. 4. Chrysost in 1. Timoth. Isidor D. 12. c. Clâ—ros Beda ad Philip. Sedul Scotus in Epist ad Titum Anselm Cantuar ad Titum and so on the contrarie that in his time Ordination giuing of Orders was allotted to the Bb. for the reasons abouesaid hee handleth this matter of purpose not by the way and that euen to the very bottom S. Ambrose S. Chrysostom Beda Isidore affirme the same concluding in fine that the Bb. had not any more to doe to giue Orders then the Priest wherupon it should come to passe that the controuersie would remaine alwaies vndetermined amongst the Schoolemen the Doctors of the Canon law the Schoolemen striuing to place the Bbs. in the Order of the Priests and the Doctors lobouring to make a seuerall Order for the Bbs. And of al this we conclude seeing that the office and charge of the Bb. and Priest was but one and that the Bbs. did not consist in anie thing as we haue seene but in the dispensation of the word and sacraments and in the conferring and exercising of discipline and ecclesiasticall policie that there were not besides these any Priestes sacrificing for the quick and the dead in the Primitiue Church In like manner we shall find as little of the Priestlie annointing in S. Of Vnction Dionys Hierar c. 5. Ambros de dignit Sacer. 5. Denys himselfe though he may seem to be wholie composed and compact of ceremonies for althogh he say that the Bb. did vse vnction or annointing in manie of his offices and functioÌ„s yet it is not mentioned that he euer vsed it about Ordination And from the practise of Bbs. we conclude the same of Priests S. Ambrose saith Man layeth on his hands but God giueth the grace Sacerdos the Priest laieth on Supplicem dextraÌ„ his right hand making request to God for him and God blesseth with his powerfull right hand So then this was his place for in this booke he intreateth expresly of the Priestly dignitie The very same is set down in the Councell of Africke which was helde in the time of S. Augustine Concil African c. 2.3.4 c from whence we haue heretofore brought and alleadged the Canons concerning Ordination yet all the ceremonies vsed thereabout are handled throughout the same In a word amongst so manie elections and promotions of Bbs. to be found in the ecclesiasticall historie there is not anie manner of mention made thereof except we wil belieue the Legends of one Simeon Metaphrastes who taught in the Colledge at CoÌ„stantinople about some 150. yeares agoe They obiect vnto vs S. Cyprian Cyp. de vnct Chrysin but Bellarmine himselfe is of iudgement that the booke of Chrisme is not his worke and for any place elsewhere he speaketh of the ordination of a Bb. not one word On the contrarie he maketh the true vnction or annointing coÌ„mon not onelie to all the Cleargie but vnto all Christians They themselues are ashamed of Anacletus his Epistle To be short the first that speaketh plainelie thereof is Gregorie the Great Gregor 1. Reg. 9. in the sixt age in his Commentaries vpon the Kings who asmuch as laye in him did cast vppon the Christian Church all the Iewish ceremonies for the abolishing whereof the Apostles tooke so great care and paine saying Now wee annoint them which are in Culmine that is which haue the principall charge in the Church as though the thing had but sprung vppe in his time The Greeke Church did not vse it as is confessed by Pope Innocent the 3. Innoc. 3. de vnct sacr in his time that is about the year 1200. neither in the ordination of Priests nor in the consecration of Bbs. He addeth moreouer that for this cause the Church of Rome was taxed of certain ancient Writers for hauing fashioned themselues to the Iewish Traditions Wee alleadge the text his proper wordes howsoeuer Bellarmine doe change it after his own fansie and wil that it should haue Aliqui Duran in Rational l. 2. c. 10 and not Antiqui And Lombarde saith by name that it is borrowed from the olde law Durand also saith that it was deriued from the Priesthood of Aaron commaunded by Moses Leuit. 8. Now therefore what may we iudge of the audacious boldnes of the Councel of Trent in pronouncing such accursed as should not thinke vnction to bee necessarie that is against the whole auncient Church We haue heretofore toucht the matter of garments The Priestlie garmentes but this place craueth that we shold say somewhat more thereof The simplicitie plainnes of the old Fathers made no difference thereof saue onely in respect of modestie and not of the fashion insomuch as that the habites or apparrell of a Minister when hee was to bee occupied in discharging his place did not differ from his ordinary garments Walafridus Strabo Walafr Strabo who hath written of the time of Charlemaine and since doth speake it verie plainely That in the Primitiue Church they used no other apparrell in the action of their Ministerie then their ordinarie and that likewise in his time in many places of the East they liued as then after that sort and maner The Councell of Gangres likewise held neere the time Concil Gangr when the Nicene Councell was doth excommunicate them which iudged that one garment was more holy then an other as our Monkes do at this day And Erasmus noteth vppon S. Ierome that the apparrell
chastly with one onely wife Nowe I am not ignorant that Origen who gelded himselfe against the expresse Canon C Apostol cap. 21.22 which they attribute to the Apostles which declareth him to be a man-slayer hath badly expounded those words Qui potest capere capiat that he was reproued of the church for the same as hauing therin gone about to conclude from this place that it appertaineth not to any but such as are chast to offer a continual sacrifice vnto God although notwithstanding that he speake it simply It seemeth so vnto me which hee would not haue done if it had beene an ecclesiastical determination wherein he was imitated of S. Ambrose in a certain place whereas in good sooth they should both haue learned of S. Paul that the bed vndefiled is not at debate with chastity neither yet by consequent with the sacrifice And the Councell of Gangres Concil Gangrens 4. D. 28. c. Si quis discernit held about the time of that of Nice for the repressing of such superstitions doeth remedie this ill throwne exposition by an expresse Canon saying If any man make a difference of a maried Priest as though by reason of his mariage he ought not to offer do for that cause keepe away from this oblation let him be accursed But it is further said 1. Cor. 7.33 that maried folkes haue care of the thinges of this world and the vnmarried of the pleasing of the Lord c. Graunt that to be true but let them consider therewithall that which Chrysostome obserueth against the superstitious of his time that Saint Paule speaketh not there of Churchmen but generally of all Christians And what is it then that can follow thereupon but that all Christians indifferently and without exception should abstaine from mariage whereas hee that hath ordained the Bishoppe will that hee shoulde haue care of the Church the house of God and his owne together And as for his owne to the end hee might receiue comforts for the cares which this worlde might minister hee hath assisted and seconded him with a wife such a one saith Nazianzene as was his mother to his father Nazianzen de matre who helped him much yea so much as that thereby he had a great deale the more leasure time to his Ministerie And Chrysostome would haue a Bb. to be a good housekeeper before that hee come to be a good politician And our Bbs. at this day who haue no wiues do nothing slack their desire to haue the gouernment of all the world But O man who art thou which iudgest another mans seruant who wouldest teach God how by whom he must be serued who controulest the state and gouernment of his house the rule of his seruice after that he hath giuen published it in such plaine and expresse tearmes and which knowest better then he what is agreeable for his seruice when as that which thou addest of thine owne inuention what is it but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a seruice framed according to thine owne will and pleasure condemned by his spirit because it proceedeth from thine And againe who knoweth better then he how deepe man may plunge himselfe That the vnmaried sole life doth stand onely by the positiue law D. 23.28 c. or how high he may rise by the power which he giueth him But furthermore they haue been constrained to acknowledge after all their shifts turning wiles that there is not any place in the holy scripture which bindeth ecclesiasticall persons to a sole and vnmarried life Gratian saith absolutely The mariage of Priestes is not forbidden either by the authoritie of the law or Gospell neither yet by the Apostles but rather by an ecclesiasticall law Hereafter wee shall see what manner of one and from whence it is D. 84. vbi Gl. Thom. in 2. secundae q. 88. art 11. And the Glosse vpon the decree saith in another place That before the Pope Syricius marriage was permitted vnto priestes Thomas Aquinas That the vow of continencie is not essentially tyed to the order but onely by way of accident and by occasion of ecclesiasticall constitution And of this opinion were many of the most famous schoolemen Caietan in opusc tit 1. tract 27. Cardinall Caietan of our time It cannot bee shewed either by reason or authoritie that a priest sinneth in being maried neither can his order in that it is an order neither yet in that it is a holy order hinder or let him either before or after the taking thereof he abiding within the boundes prescribed by Christ and his Apostles c. The Cardinall Cusan writing to the Bohemians Thom. in summa quae incipit Commiserationes Domini c. 165. Posthac dicendum Durand sent 4 D. 38. q. 2. Innocent 4.1 de conuers coniug C. Placet doth likewise hold the same Thomas of Aquin also goeth as farre saying But and if an ecclesiasticall person make knowne to his Confessor that bee cannot containe himselfe the Confessor shall not commit any great sinne to counsell him to marrie secretly without the knowledge of his bishop And who cannot gather hereby what he would haue said if he had not feared the censure Durand the author of the worke called Speculum Iuris speaketh more boldly That the Councell should restore the libertie of hauing wiues to the priestes againe seeing that it is but in vain by the strictnesse of a number of Canons to go about to force them to chastitie And yet neuerthelesse he holdeth that the Councell can doe nothing contrarie to the expresse word Pope Innocent the fourth who liued about the yeare 1250. saith Mariage by the lawe of nature doth not hinder any man from being receiued into orders and he which should bee ordained may enioy and vse a married estate being alreadie contracted as it is practised in the East Church as also contract a new mariage if the ecclesiasticall constitutions did not hinder the same Now as a sole and vnmarried life hath no law in the scripture That abstinence from mariage was not obserued in the old Church Ambr. in 2. Cor. 11. ◠Cor. 9.5 Clem. l. 4. 7. strom August in quaest ex vir iest nor yet constitution from the Apostles so likewise hath it no maintenance or defence from any practise of the Apostles or from any of their disciples Saint Ambrose vpon the 2. Corinth holdeth that all the Apostles except Saint Iohn were married and all of them but that some writers doe except Saint Iohn notwithstanding Martyrs The Gospell maketh mention of S. Peter his mother in law S. Paule saith Haue not I power to leade with me a wife a sister as well as Cephas And Clemens Alexandrinus doth expound it of a woman in the state of mariage from thence reasoneth against such as were giuen to boast brag of the goodlines of an vnmaried life S. Augustine saith that S. Peter did not cease to be the
the same no widow neither yet diuorced or put away And this also rise of the doubtfull interpretation of the place But afterward he goeth further In Auth. Quâ—modo Opâ—â—ter Concil 6. Occumen Constantin in Trullo D. 32. C. Quoniam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Familiaritatem Cohabitatione Let such as amongst the maried doe abstaine from their wines he preforred But the East Church about the yeare 680. to stay the further course of that streame decided the controuersie in the sixt generall Councell held at the pallace of Iustinian the second called Trulla there being assembled to the number of 227 Bishops For in the thirteenth canon recorded by Gratian we reade these words In as much as we haue knowne that it is ordained in the Canon of the order of Rome that such as should be ordained priests and Deacons should declare that they would abstaine from the keeping of company with their wiues we following the ancient canon of the Apostles special care diligence and the constitutions of the fathers do decree that loyall and faithfull mariages take place from this time forward and that the knot of coniunction of priestes with their wiues be not dissolued as also that they shall not be depriued of hauing familiaritie with them in due time Wherefore whosoeuer shall be found worthy to bee ordained Subdeacon Deacon or Priest shall not be drawne back by reason of his company keeping with his loyal wife neither bound in his ordaining to promise to abstaine from hauing due familiaritie with her In like maner it behoueth them which serue at the Altar at the time of the offering of holy thinges to bee continent in all thinges c. And therefore If any man presume contrary to the authoritie of the Apostolicall Canons to bereaue the abouenamed persons of the inioying of their lawfull wiues let him be deposed and as for those who vnder the colour of religion doe cast off their wiues let them be excommunicated and if after the same they continue obstinate let them be deposed Where is to bee noted that these fathers opposed against the Canon of Rome the Canons of the Apostles and the decrees of the Fathers But in as much as this Canon did torment them as if they had beene cast into some scorching furnace D. 16. C. Habeo they haue taken vppon them to maintaine notwithstanding their champion Gratian be against them that it was not made and decreed for one of the Canons in the sixt Councell making the world belieue that this Councell was held at two seuerall times and that at the first time they did not make any Canons but at the second onely the fathers begunne therewith saying That after the manner of other generall councels going before it behooued them to ordaine and make some And Peter the Bishop mentioned by Gratian saith vnto the Bishop of Nicomedia that he had a booke containing 102. And Nicaetas Studensis citeth this same for the thirteenth Nilus likewise Archbishop of Thessalonica saue that he leaueth out this part of it Likewise it behoueth them that serue at the Altar c. because it seemeth not to hang well together with that which goeth before But we haue thsi Canon all whole in Photius his Canon law in such tearmes as do giue much light to that of Gratian and being further expounded by Gentian Heruet and Perion in so much as that it hath not stood them in any stead to haue cut it out of the volumes of the Councels And that wee may not make any moe repetitions thereof we will onely obserue that in stead of this clause Likewise it behoueth them c. there is set down in the Greek Canon Sed vicis suae tempore abstinebunt That they should abstaine from their wiues when their course was to do seruice Againe the words are much more proper forcible throughout the whole tenor of the Greeke text then they are in the Latine translation whether it came that Gratian in fauour of the Romaine Church did of purpose weaken the same or of the vnsufficiencie of one tongue at all times to expresse an other And it is furthermore not to be forgotten that Pope Agatho was presented in this Councell by George of Constantinople and Theophanes of Antioch which thing Nicaetas being assured of did not let to obiect the same against Cardinall Humbert who writ against him by the commandement of the Pope and in particular of this matter Whereupon ensued that which is ordinarily happening in contentions namely for peace sake to remitte and lose somewhat both of the one side and the other that so they may accord in a middle opinion For the third Canon debarreth such as haue beene twise maried from taking of orders the twelfth doth except from the general libertie of ecclesiasticall persons the Bishops and some make the reason there of to be that the goods of the Church might not bee wasted and spent and yet this not to bee vnderstood saue onely of those who should marrie after they were called to the Bishopricke for the sixth doth excommunicate such Bishop whosoeuer as vnder the colour of religion should forsake his wife as also the sixth doth counsell them who would be emploied in any ecclesiasticall function to take a wife before hand esteeming it not so conuenient to do it afterward and according to this law it is to be seene practised in Greece at this day But in deed the most certaine course is to cleaue fast vnto the law of the Lord the Apostles Canon for after that we begin to make the decree of God to bee arbitrarie it is not possible for vs to keep within any measure And againe all the Churches professing the name of Christ those excepted which are vnder the gouernment of the Bishop of Rome haue retained their married Priestes as the A byssines Syrians Armenians Russians Muscouites c. And that in so much saith Aluares as that amongst the Abyssines the Canons and Priestes haue wiues and children amongst the Greekes Muscouites saith the Baron of Herbestein according to the Councell of the Canon of Constantinople it is oftentimes seene that Priestes and Deacons are oftentimes maried and called to their charges in one and the same day to the end that amongst so many other markes of Antichrist which doe so fitly and properly paint out the Church of Rome as also amongst so many liuely representations of the spirit of errour working by hypocrisie it hath yet ouer and aboue this one peculiar and speciall from all other Churches namely the forbidding of mariage forespoken by the Apostle and intitled by the spirit of God by the expresse name Of the doctrine of Deuils Thus farre then haue we alreadie discoursed of The summe of the second booke and examined the dependances circumstances of the auncient diuine seruice and of the Masse which hath intruded it selfe into the place thereof in the Church of Rome examining what manner of ones they
either his offering vp againe by the handes of the Iewes or els any daily sacrificing of him by any action of the priestes The Apostle saith The law which had a shadow of good things to come That the sacrifice of Christ cannot be reâ—terated Heb. 8.9.10 and not the expresse forme of things by the sacrifices which were offered euery yeare could neuer sanctifie those which approached thereunto c. What doth the Apostle conclude out of this proposition He setteth the law against the Gospell the priestes of the same against our soueraigne priest Iesus Christ their sacrifices repeated and oftentimes renewed against his sacrifice which hath no need to be renewed their weaknes and disabilitie to sanctifie against the holinesse and effectuall sanctifying power which was in his And afterward he concludeth He taketh away the former for to establish the latter the sacrifices of the law for to establish this onely Sacrifice Now how could this conclusion be good if this sacrifice were againe to bee reiterated And that not yearely as vnder the law but daily yea hourely nay which is yet more euery moment and in euerie moment of a thousand thousand times Whereuppon it is said the sacrifices of the lawe are abolished in the sacrifice of Iesus Christ but it is not saide that hee himselfe cannot bee sacrificed againe let vs heare the Apostle Heb. 9. v. 12.24 Christ being come to bee our high priest of good thinges to come c. not by the blood of goates or of calues but by his owne blood is entred once into the holy places hauing obtained an euerlasting redemption Is entred saith hee into the holy places euen into heauen that nowe hee may appeare for vs before the face of God but not to the ende to offer vp himselfe oftentimes in such sorte as the high Priest who entreth into the holy places euerie yeare with other bloode for then it should haue behoued him to haue suffered oftentimes since the foundation of the worlde But nowe in the fulnesse of time hee hath appeared once for the putting away of sinne by the sacrificing of himselfe And as it is appointed for all men to die once and after that followeth iudgement euen so likewise Christ hauing beene offered once for to take away the sins of many will appeare the second time without sinne to those which attende vnto saluation Where wee are to obserue that the Apostle goeth ouer it sundry times That Christ hath offered himselfe once Where is now their pretended reiterating seeing that by his one onely oblation hee hath purchased euerlasting redemption that is hath wholly accomplished and fulfilled the worke of the redemption of the Church and that sufficiently as the schoolemen speake for the whole worlde but effectually for his elect onely And therefore what neede is there of a new propitiation That he did appeare in heauen before the father that is to bestow by his intercession the efficacie of this sacrifice vpon his faithfull ones himselfe making the application of his owne sacrifice That by this onely appearing this onely sacrifice once offered hee hath abolished sinne I say not the sinnes of some fewe but sinne that is destroyed the kingdome of sinne it selfe in such sorte as that euerie other propitiatorie sacrifice is from hencefoorth vnprofitable euen vnto his seconde appearing that is vnto the end and consummation of the worlde And no man is here to say that in deed hee hath offered himselfe once but that others are to offer him hereafter for in that he hath shewed the sufficiencie of this sacrifice he hath annihilated and disanulled in one word Heb. 10. all others whatsoeuer Others saith he which are not reiterated but because of their imperfectnesse in as much as it is impossible that the blood of Bulles and Goates though they should bee a thousand times reiterated should take away sinnes For which cause saith hee there is a yearely remembrance of sinnes reiterated whereas our Lord by one onely oblation hath consecrated for euer those which are sanctified Whereuppon it followeth that where blood is of sufficient effectualnesse there is no neede of any reiteration Now wee are of iudgement that this effectualnesse is absolute and perfect in the precious blood of our Lord that so wee may stay and content our selues with this onely Sacrifice And as by the sufficiencie thereof being opposed and set against the insufficiencie of all others the reiterating thereof is excluded so by the perfectnesse of the Priest opposed and set against the vnperfectnesse of those before him all others are excluded and we tyed vnto one onely and him resident and sitting in the heauens at the right hand of the father in whose sacrifice as all sacrifices haue an end so in his person euerie priesthood is both fully finished and accomplished One priest according to the order of Melchisedech without father without mother without stocke or kindred without beginning of daies and without end of life that is which hath not had any such like predecessors neither yet shall haue any such like successors in the line and tribe of Leui an euerlasting priest and therefore one onely and therefore also not succeeded of any other sacrificing Priestes and much lesse of any other priestes which should bee imployed in the sacrificing of him For saith hee the cause why there were many priestes was because they were mortall because that death would not let them indure But this priest abideth for euer and God hath witnessed the same of him by an oath and therefore he hath an euerlasting and eternall priesthoode in himselfe and in the Church A priest which is able to be both the Sacrificer and Sacrifice together and at once a holy Priest which hath no neede to offer daily both for his owne sinnes and for the sinnes of the people and such a one is Iesus Christ the sonne of the eternall God and God himselfe A Sacrifice also perfect and sufficient which thing cannot possiblie be found in the blood of all the creatures that are liuing no not in the offering vp of all men and the whole worlde therewithall and such a one againe is Iesus Christ God and man but man without sinne seperated and set apart from sinners the lambe without spotte Hebr. 7. Who saith the Apostle offered himselfe once for the sinnes of the people ordained by the worde of the oath to bee consecrated for euer alwaies liuing that so hee might alwaies bee our intercessor alwaies mightie and powerfull that so hee might perfectly saue those which draw neere vnto God by him that is to say continually offering vp the prayers of his brethren sanctified and authorised by his owne continually applying the merite of the sacrifice of his obedience by his intercession Hebr. 10. by this sacrifice by this oblation of which it is said That by one onely oblation hee hath perfected for euer them which are sanctified that hee was once offered to abolish the sinnes of many that
making intercession to God for vs. Ambros ad Hebr. c. 8. S. Ambrose saith It is necessary that our sauior in the daies of his flesh should haue something that he might offer for vs therfore he took vpon him our flesh Theodor. ibid. Haimo ibid. that he might offer the same And Theodoret This is the cause why the only begotten Son of God hauing takē our nature did offer it to God for vs. Haimo He took of vs that which he hath offered for vs namely mans flesh euē himselfe whom he hath offered vpon the altar of the crosse Hugo ibid. Thom. ibid. c. being himselfe both the sacrifice sacrificer And thus also write Cardinal Hugo and Thomas For it behoued that Christ haberet quod offerret might haue something that he might offer hee offered himselfe c. all of them hauing relation to the thing done and not to do Caietan That is himselfe who is offered the Saints which are made such by heauenly grace But what need was there of any other expositor then the Apostle himself when he setteth downe how that he doth not offer himselfe oftentimes And againe For by one onely oblation he hath consecrated for euer those which are sanctified They go forward Hebr. 9. The Apostle saith It is necessarie that the patternes or figures of heauenly things shold be cleansed by these things but the heauenly things themselues be better oblations and sacrifices then these are He speaketh say they in the plural number wherefore it argueth that there are many oblations many sacrifices and those are our Masses But let vs alwaies carrie in minde that the Apostle hath infinite times said That there is but one sacrifice that is Christ and that there is but one oblation offered vppon the Crosse by Christ And let vs also distinguish Hostiam seu victimam from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the thing sacrificed from the oblation that is to say from the action of sacrificing Now the Apostle vseth in this place the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of sacrifice not of offering of the thing not of the action And what will they then inferre or conclude that the Christian Church here opposed and set against the Iewish Church ought to bee cleansed by many sacrifices will they dare to bee so bold and that seeing it is such a blasphemie or by many offerings of this verie same sacrifice And is not this to come all to one thing and directly contrarie to so many places of the Apostle And againe it is not said in this place Oblations but Sacrifices But say they it is spoken in the plurall number Sacrifices but this is because the Apostle had spoken in the plurall number of those of the law so in setting downe the opposite part doth retaine likewise the plurall number Non quia victimae plures sed quia in vna plures vel potius illae omnes because that in this onely one sacrifice all others are contained And in deed to the end they may not find any starting holes Thom. ad Heb. c. 9. we will not giue credite vnto any others in this point but vnto their owne Doctors S. Thomas Hostus in plurali he saith sacrifices in the plurall number and contrarily he saith afterward that there is but one sacrifice euen that of Christ for by one onely offering he hath accomplished for euer all those which are holy and sanctified Hebr. 10. I answere that though it were one in it selfe yet it was shadowed out by many sacrifices vnder the old law The interlineall Glosse Meliores hostiae better sacrifices namely Christ all those of the old law in as much as it was signified by them all Hugo the Cardinall that is the sacrifice of Christ Anselm ad Heb. c. 9. Caietan by which all those of the law were signified and sanctified Anselme These better sacrifices are but one that is Christ Caietan Christ crucified is here called the better sacrifices because that virtualiter that is in effect and operation it hath the power of all the rest But in the end they say the priesthood being translated it must needes follow that the law is translated also Et vicissim wherefore it must needs follow that there must be a priesthood in the new Testament And who goeth about to denie it them Hebr. 7. for otherwise it should fall out that to haue one which liueth for euer should bee to be without a priest and that to haue an euerlasting sacrifice should be to bee without one And on the other side are we not saith the Apostle all priests in as much as we haue all accesse to the father through him euen to offer vp vnto him through him our sacrifices euen for to offer vnto him himselfe in our praiers a sacrifice for vs But we deny that there is in the new Testament any order of people appointed ordained to sacrifice him a new and we on the contrarie affirme that throughout the whole scriptures there is not one word spoken of any such as likewise there is not of the reiterating of the sacrifice of Christ neither haue any of the fathers interpreted it as our aduersaries doe at this day We affirme also that in all the holy scripture speaking of the Ministers of the Church of Christ they are neuer entitled priestes in whatsoeuer language that a man shall take them And that if the same holy scriptures of the new Testament doe make any mention of sacrifices that they entitle and call them presently for the preuenting and taking away of errour sacrifices of the preaching of the Gospell sacrifices of praise and thankesgiuing spirituall sacrifices the calues of our lips the works of charitie c. offered partly by the Ministers of the holy Gospel who hold their particular place and ranke in the Church to dispense vnto vs the word of God sacraments to shew forth vnto vs our destruction in our owne nature our condemnation by the law our grace and fauour purchased in the death of our Lord the greatnes by consequent of our sinne and of the mercy of God in the greatnesse of this remedie whereupon there followeth in vs a loue towardes God a hatred towardes our selues c. Partly likewise by all the Christians in whom this loue bringeth forth spirituall sacrifices peace offeringes in as much as we haue by this meanes peace with God sacrifices of thanksgiuing for that we giue him thanks in euery kind of seruice whether of the heart the mouth or hands for so great a benefite receiued of his meere mercie and let vs also say propitiatorie in some sort by a great deale better right then in the Masse in as much as wee confesse vnto him our sinnes with a contrite and humble heart intreating him that the blood of our Lord Iesus Christ his onely Sonne may procure vs fauour and mercie by the true and onely propitiation purchased by
receiued into eternal happines because of the Son of God made a sacrifice for vs whome they haue participated in the Eucharist But as hee was vrged drawne by the strife contention of the time for there was then much to do about this Article whereas al the former haue made but two orders of the deceased August de cura pro mortuis ad Paul Nol. c. 1.4.18 Ad Dulcit q 2. De Ciuit. Dei l. 21. c. 13. 14 Idem de verb Domini Serm. 32. he hath made three The good saith hee who haue nothing to doe but to make prayers and supplications and these are they whome by name they dayly vsed so to praie for The wicked for whome no prayers or supplications could serue if it be not it may be saith he for the damned for the diminishing and lessening of their punishment And Chrysostome said also that they did ease their paines And the middlemost or those betwist the other two who haue need and accordingly ayde and succour there by whether it bee saith hee that God may not deale with them according to their sinnes or that their soules may be purged before the day of iudgement by temporall punishment that so they may not fall into the eternall Finally the prayers which are made for the good are thankesgiuings for the wicked such as whereby the liuing may be comforted and for those which are betwixt both such as are propitiatorie Now this is the first man that hath set open this way and passage contrarie to all auncient writers and more then foure hundred yeares after our Sauiour Christ there hauing not beene any man before time that had so much as read any thing of prayer for the dead or of a third place which they call Purgatorie and this Purgatorie notwithstanding wherof he saith elswhere in other places That there is some apparance that it is That it may be that there is one That no part of the Scripture speaketh of it That there is not any at all Doubtfull therefore are these prayers and oblations euen for the middle order of the deceased as is also his Purgatorie Or rather none at all absolutely as neither his Purgatorie seeing that by his confession there is none in the Scriptures What doe wee gather out of all this discourse Verily first That these prayers haue no foundation or ground either in the olde or new Testament Secondly that they are proceeded partly from humane affections and partly from the imitation of the Pagans Thirdly that the old Fathers vsed them for those whome they belieued alreadie to enioy eternall life as the Apostles Prophets Martyrs the holy Virgine c. Or we may say better according to the manner wherin they prayed in the Councell of Trent for the Soules of the Popes Paul the third and Iulius the third For those which liue and die in a most holy manner can they possibly according to their owne doctrine abide so long in Purgatorie Fourthly that it was then in regard of their soules a holy desire and to be taken in like sence as when we say liue O Christ liue O God c. whome wee know to raigne eternally In regard of their bodies a prayer vnto God that it would please him to glorifie them in the resurrection c. Fiftly that they were made rather in consideration of the liuing then of the dead to ease them of their griefe and confirme them in their faith instructions that may bee taken at a better hand and warrant from the Apostle Torment not your selues about them which are a sleepe c. Sixtly that they made them not vpon any consideration of Purgatorie seeing that amongst so many reasons of so many Doctors liuing in diuers ages and places not any one before Saint Augustine hath alleadged Purgatorie Seuenthly that these obseruations and reasons so diuers and manifold doe witnesse vnto vs that it was at that time held as an indifferent doctrine as also how that the greater sort doe call it a Custome a Decree an Institution c. Eightly that Saint Augustine himselfe who alone after many other better reasons alleadgeth Purgatorie cannot make any good proofe of the same seeing he himselfe doth not couer or conceale what doubt hee was in whether there were a Purgatorie or not Likewise he deliuereth contrarie assertions whereby there is great apparance and likelyhood that he did not reuoke or vnsay any thing but so farre as hee was wonne and ouerswayed by the headstrong conceipt of men seming in the light of nature to know that which they had neuer heard or seene Finally that the prayers for the dead which haue no foundation in the world ought not to haue any more authoritie in the Church then Baptisme for the dead practised say the ancients but not approued from the time of the Apostles or the Eucharist giuen into the mouth of the dead the one and the other proceeding from the same naturall affections and yet both the one and the other abolished and banished out of the Church Now it is not to be forgotten that that which was to be seene very weake and feeble in S. Augustine for to strengthen this new building withall hath beene since that time vnderpropped by counterfait and fained writings by men willing that way to imploy their vttermost indeauour thus labouring by vntruth to establish a lie and mans deuice and inuention by notorious and hainous crimes And to that end some haue attributed vnto him the Bookes August de ver fals paenit c. 71. De vera falsa paenitentia made in deede by Monkes though they be commonly cited in his name where he saith Let him that deferreth to conuert and turne too long passe through the fire of Purgatorie which is more painefull and grieuous then all the punishment that man can indure in this life A Sermon also of the day of the dead or of the remembrance of all the deceased where they haue made him speake in the same tearmes and manner of speach A booke notwithstanding wherein the Author himselfe alleadged S. Augustine as also the feast not being as yet receiued into the Church in his time but instituted by Odilo Abbot of Clugni more then 500. yeares after And yet which is more there are some that haue deuised an Epistle written from S. Cyril Bb. of Ierusalem to S. Augustine for to confirme him in the opinion of Purgatorie Cyril I say whose life S. Ierome did write whiles he liued writing to S. Augustine of the myracles of Saint Ierome after his death In which Epistle there is mention made How that S. Ierome appeared vnto a certaine man named Eusebius and commaunded him to cast his sacke ouer three dead bodies which should presently therupon rise therby confounding the heresie which denied Purgatory That these three men thus raised againe made their abode amongst men for the space of twentie dayes declared how that S. Ierome had beene the meanes of their seeing of
not able to counteruaile the glorie that is to come and which is to be reuealed in vs. But in the meane time they are not ashamed to oppose vnto so cleare a doctrine so plainly handled by all the Apostles by Saint Paul in all his Epistles a place of Saint Paul himselfe I reioyce saith he now in my sufferings for you Coloss 1.24 and fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body which is the Church Whereupon it followeth say they that men by their afflictions and sufferings may satisfie for the sinnes of others And we will obserue by the way that it is in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tertul. aduers Marcion l. ◠c. 19. Timo. ◠15 which Tertullian and S. Ambrose translate with vs Reliqua the rest and not that which lacketh But here againe what will they dare to say vnto vs That S. Paul by his afflictions hath satisfied for himselfe Not so For it is a sure thing saith he that Iesus Christ is come into the world to saue sinners whereof I am the chiefest Againe To shew in me the chiefest all manner of clemencie for an example to them which shall belieue in him vnto eternall life c. I doe saith he the ill I would not but the good that I would that I doe not Philip. 3.6 Notwithstanding that I find not my selfe guiltie of any thing yet know I that I am not iustified thereby Howbeit that according to the righteousnesse which is in the Law J am vnreproueable yet I haue accounted all this to be losse vnto me I haue accompted it as dung for the loue of Christ that is to be found in him not according to mine owne righteousnesse which is of the Law 1. Cor. 2.2 but according to that which is of the faith of Christ. And of Christ saith he elsewhere crucified What hath hee in these speeches that may sauour of pharisaicall righteousnesse That dooth holde any thing of the doctrine of our Masters concerning supererogation Againe the words of the place it selfe are repugnant thereunto For it saith In my sufferings for you in mine afflictions for the body of Christ which is the Church What then Shall he haue satisfied for an other For the temporall punishments of the Colossians For the Church of Christ And how should he possbly doe it for an other when he findeth not himselfe able and sufficient to pay his owne debt And that not in the way or words of Christian modestie or humilitie but in good sooth earnest Philip. 3. 1. Cor. 15. ◠Who haue whereupon to boast saith he in the flesh more then any other circumcised the eight day of the race of Israell of the Tribe of Beniamin an Hebrew borne of the Hebrewes a Pharisie in Religion vpright according to the Law and after all this called of Christ to bee an Apostle and yet notwithstanding as one borne out of time and notwithstanding an vnprofitable seruant And how then for the Colossians Reconciled on the contrarie saith he in the body of the flesh of Christ by his death Coloss 1. 2. when they were enemies and straungers redeemed by his bloud for the remission of their sinnes quickned by his grace when they were dead in their iniquities by the blotting out of the Obligation of eternall death which was betweene them fastning it with him vnto his Crosse But how in the end for the body of Christ which is the Church Which God saith he in an other place hath purchased vnto himself by his own bloud reconciling to himselfe the world in Christ Acts. 20.28 2. Cor. 5. in not imputing vnto it her sinnes making the Church one bodie wherof he is the head gathering and ioyning together into this bodie vnto God many nations by his Crosse c. If they say that the sufferings of S. Paul do supply the want of that of Christs but dare they say it And what shal that be I pray you that shall fulfil become a sufficient supply of that which of it selfe is infinite Shal man become the supply to the Son of God Ephes 2. Falsehood vntruth vnto verity sin vnto iustice mans infirmitie vnto the power might of God vnto saluation c. Nay verily not so S. Paul did neuer thinke of that but saith he I am a Minister of this Gospel by which you are reconciled vnto God And notwithstanding that I must suffer much in my ministerie for you yet I reioyce neuertheles in my sufferings Philip. 2. partly because that I suffer for the name of Christ. As he saith in an other place If it be requisite that I be offered vp a sprinkling vpon the sacrifice I reioyce together with you c. Partly because he himselfe suffreth in me who vouchsafeth to allow our afflictions as his own for that we are his members And therfore he saith in an other place Ambros in Epist ad Colo. As the sufferings of Christ abound in vs so likewise our consolation by Christ c. And this is it likewise which the old writers haue deliuered vpon this place altogether otherwise then our late writers Saint Ambrose He confesseth saith he that he reloyceth in his sufferings because he seeth the belieuers profiting in faith c And these sufferings saith hee he saith that they are Christs Hieronym in Ep ad Colos Chrysost in Ep. ad Coloss c. 1. in 2. ad Cor c. 1. ho. 1. because it is his doctrine which they persecute And S. Ierome by the sufferings of Christ vnderstandeth the sufferings for Christ c. Chrysostome The Apostle saith hee seemeth to haue spoken something arrogantly but it is nothing else but an exceeding great measure of good will that he beareth towards Christ. That which I suffer saith he to the Collossians J suffer it for him and therefore it is not to me that you owe any thankes but vnto himselfe Theodoret Because that hee suffereth for the preaching of the Gospell vnto the Gentiles Occumen ex Photio procuring their life by the same c. Oecumenius All that we suffer saith he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a rest or remnant farre differing from the sufferings of Christ For how should it possibly bee matched and fulfilled A master his suffering for his seruant by a seruant his suffering for his master What equalitie is there therein Or any thing neere thereunto He who is without sinne suffering for sinners And those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obstinately set against him How will it bee made vp by a sinfull people suffering for their benefactor and the same without sinne c Far differing from the arrogancie of our aduersaries who will that S. Paul did merite by his sufferings and that both for himselfe and an other and for the Church also c. It is sufficient therefore that hitherto we plainely and clearely see that inuocation intercession and the imployment of the merits of the Saints
Let vs approch with boldnes vnto the throne of grace c. And no cause is there why his being lifted vp in Maiestie should either make thee ashamed or cause thee to be cast off and to take the repulse For in that he is exalted it is to draw thee vnto him and after him that he is at the right hand of the Father saith the Apostle Rom. 8. it is to make intercession for thee that he sitteth vpon the throne of Maiestie it is for to make thee to raigne The obiection that new honours vse to make men to bee hardly drawne to easinesse or familiaritie what grosse and friuolous toyes cannot bee alleadged against this partie for to speake properly hee hath not receiued any increase nothing more then his owne is growne due or come vnto him from before all eternitie hee is glorious yea and by that same glorie which he inioyed eternally with the father Father saith he glorifie me with thine owne selfe with the glorie which I haue had with thee before the world was made And that such a glorie as did not hinder him Ioh. 17.5 Philip. 2. from making him selfe of no reputation nor from taking the shape of a seruant nor from humbling him selfe for our saluation euen to the death of the Crosse a glorie likewise for certaine that cannot hinder him from graunting the things necessarie for our infirmities neither yet from inclining his eares in most bountifull manner vnto our requests that so he may carrie and faithfully report them to the Father For for that cause hath hee humbled himselfe euen to be like vnto vs To the end saith the Apostle that hee might be mercifull and faithfull in that which is to be done with God for vs. CHAP. XIII That the inuocation of Saints was not taught in the Primitiue Church and of the growth and proceeding thereof HOw then did this doctrine enter into the Church of Christ and how came it to be made a law Verily euen as all other humane inuentions by many steps and by tract of time after many ages Day by day errour was increased whiles men pleased themselues in their inuentions whereas knowledge should haue abounded if they had kept themselues to the word of Christ Many ages passed and were expired without any inuocation of Saints seeing it slipt in amongst the multitude of Gentiles in such maner as that no man regarded the same to marke and obserue it in the beginning and it hath caused some to wonder exceedingly how it should already be come to haue a party so throghly wonne vnto it amongst the people by the blunt blind aide of the ouertaken with forestalled embracing of Paganisme seing the most sincere vncorrupted Doctors did their whole indeuor to driue it out But this shal be made to appeare more clearely in the handling of the maner of the growth proceeding thereof howbeit for the better vnderstanding of the same we must here set before our eyes how they practise this article at this day in the Church of Rome in Inuocation Adoration Pilgrimages Temples Altars Sacrifices and in all the rest of the duties seruices honours that belong vnto God and are not to be giuen vnto any other and how they would gladly couer and colour the same vnder the shadow of some Apostrophe or Prosopopie framed and applied vnto some Saint or of some Panegyricke deuised in the honour of some Martyr or from some priuate opinion left free and indifferent not of the Church onely but of euerie Christian As for the holy Scriptures wee haue seene that it hath no foundation in them on the contrarie that part or portion therin which speaketh so honourably of the Saints whether liuing or dead of Angels likewise of their ministerie which they performe for our saluation commeth short Rom. 1. when once we goe beyond our bounds and limits They haue saith S. Paul speaking of the Gentiles honoured and serued the creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more then the Creator and therefore God hath giuen them ouer to their brutish affections c. And when as men doe goe beyond their compasse bee it neuer so little in that the honour due vnto man for Similitie sake may not proceed by little and little vnto that which is due to God onely the Saints and Angels doe vse to restraine them and plucke them backe yea euen before they be come so farre as they lawfully might S. Act. 10.26 Act. 14.15 Apocal. 19.22 Peter saith to Cornelius who fell downe at his feete Rise vp for I am a man and the Angell vnto S. Iohn too well instructed and taught of the Sonne of God to worship any creature Refraine thy selfe doe not so for I am thy fellow seruant and one of thy brethren which haue the testimonie of Iesus And the Disciples of the Apostles and their first successors had not forgot these admonitions It would be too long and tedious a thing here to recite all those places of the first Fathers prouing the inuocation of one onely God by one onely Iesus Christ besides that in the praiers of the Christian Church Clement strom l. 7. Iust Martyr Apol. 2. Tertull. in Apol. whereof we haue the patterns in Clemens Alexandrinus Iustinus Martyr Tertullian c. God is onely called vppon through his Sonne without any mention at al made therein either of Angels or of Saints Againe the ordinarie disputations that these of the first age had with the Gentiles were vpon this point for that they called vpon the Gods and others who for their excellencie in vertue were held for halfe Gods tearming it by the name of Idolatrie Whereas the subiect or matter it selfe did carie thē on rather to say vnto them that it was much better for them to giue this honour vnto Saints and Angels as our patrons and aduocates vnto God in heauen and yet not a word thereof On the contrarie Polycarpus the Disciple of S. Euseb l 4 c. 15 Iohn in his last praier which he made vnto God being now fastned to the stake to be burned aliue calleth vpon God feruently and calleth him The God of Angels the God of all the righteous that liue before his face This was enough and the rather being in that his perplexitie distresse to haue put him in mind of these patrons if he had so reputed them but he remembreth not neither yet maketh mention of any but one Bishop and mediator Iesus Christ Irene l. 2. c. 58. And Ireneus the Disciple of this Polycarpus saith Those which are the true Disciples of Christ receiuing grace from him accomplish and fulfill in his name the benefits which they doe vnto others according as euerie man hath receiued the gift from him From him they haue power ouer diuels from him the knowledge of foretelling things to come as also their visions and prophesies as well as the gifts of healing c. In all this there is not a word of
but for memorials as vnto men that are dead whose soules liue with God Neither doe we prepare any Altars to sacrifice vpon vnto our Martyrs but we offer a sacrifice vnto the one onely God both our God and the God of the Martyrs in which sacrifice the Martyrs are named in order for the number is read ex diptychis as men of God which haue ouercome the world in confessing of him but they are not praied vnto by the Minister which saith seruice for hee sacrificeth to God and not to them notwithstanding that hee doe it In memoria corum non in memoriam in the place of their Graues or Sepulchers and not for their Sepulcher or Graue Where it is to be noted that he plainely opposeth vnto their particular deuotions Precem Canonicam the forme of praier vsed in the Church An euident testimonie that in the seruice of his time the Commemoration of the Saints had not as yet proceeded vnto inuocation and by consequent ought to cause vs to suspect a place alleadged of our Aduersaries out of Cyrill the Bishop of Ierusalem his instructions concerning the interpretation of mysteries Gesner in Bib lioth August de Ciuit Dei l. 8. c. 27. wherin are these words When we offer the sacrifice we make mention of the Saints which are deceased before vs to the end that God by their praiers may receiue our praiers c. And indeed these bookes are found in Greeke written by hand in some Libraries vnder the name of one Iohn who liued not till many yeares after In an other place Saint Augustine Wee honour the memortes of the Martyrs as well to bee thankefull to the true God in these solemne Assemblies for their victories as for to bee exhorted thereby by the renuing of their memories to imitate them in praying vnto the same God for our aide and succour And by this meanes ad Sepulchrum aut memoriam Petri supplicare Idem Ep. 42. is not to praie vnto Saint Peter but to praie vnto God in remembring our selues of the place of the Martyrdome of Peter and that it would please him to giue vs the like constancle that hee gaue vnto his Apostle Peter And this is the cause why in the time of Saint Augustine in the third Councell of Carthage and in the Mileuitaine there were Canons made of purpose forbidding that any thing should bee rashly chaunged in the praiers of the Church Concil Carthag 3. c. 23. but obserue and marke notwithstanding what followed The former saith When a man is at the Altar let his praier be directed euermore vnto the father and to whatsoeuer praiers a man betaketh himselfe let him not vse them before he haue first conferred with the best instructed of his brethren The latter Concil Mileuit c. 12. That no praiers petitions or Masses that is to say Collects Prefaces or recommendations bee made in the Church except they haue beene approued in the Councell for feare saith it that there bee mixt something amongst them that is contrarie to the soundnesse of faith either by ignoraunce or else by vnaduisednesse And S. Augustine by name did sit in this Councell August Ep. 43.44 The Gentiles obiected vnto the Christians and a certaine man named Madaurensis vnto S. Augustine And well VVhat doe you lesse then we Wee call vppon the powers of God vnder many names we make our supplications vnto them after diuers sorts Piis precibus adoramus We adore and worship them by our holy praiers for it is to bee noted that inuocation alwaies in the old writers is taken for a part of Adoration And wherein are the Christians behind the Pagans when in stead of Iupiter Iuno Minerua and Venus habent colunt they haue and worship the Martyrs of Africke as Mygdor Sananes Naupsion and Lucitas c. But doth S. Augustine confesse it On the contrarie Nullum eoli mortuorum how doth he take it in the matter of honour Be it knowne vnto you saith he that no Christian Catholike doth worship or adore any of the dead that nothing is worshipped with the worship of the Deitie that hath beene created of God but the onely God that hath created all things To Faustus the Manichee in like manner You haue said he chaunged the Idols into Martyrs Quos votis similibus colitis which you worship with like vowes Where the word of Vowes is taken as in the Greeke for Praiers And the Gentiles knewe well inough to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they did not worship their Idols as Gods but as mediatours vnto God Nay saith he We honour the Martyrs with the honour of loue and fellowship August contr Faust l. 20. c. 22. as we shall doe to the people that are good and vertuous here in this world saue that we performe that we doe to them with greater deuotion as being alreadie become conquerours But with that manner of worship which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not for any to be worshipped but the one onely God and because that oblations and Sacrifices belong vnto him alone we teach that neither they nor any other such thing can bee giuen to Martyr or Angell Let our Aduersaries who are continually saying of Masses their pretended sacrificings of the Sonne of God in honour of the Saints and Angels wash their hands of this place Let them answere vs also how they may pray vnto them seing that they cannot sacrifice vnto them and that because that praiers are the sacrifices of Christians as wee haue shewed at large both by the Scriptures as also by all the old Fathers and themselues cannot denie it Idem de Vera religione But how much better should they doe if they would conclude with S. Augustine Non sit nobis Religio cultus mortuorum Let vs not make a Religion of the worshipping of the dead The honour that is to be giuen to them consisteth in imitating of them and not in a deuout adoring of them If they liued godly they doe nothing affect any such honour but their desire is that wee should honour the one onely God and so doe likewise the Angels Now it is sufficiently apparant by that which goeth before what S. Augustine his opinion was concerning this Article and we need not doubt but that if he had had but a little the vpper hand and aduantage against the streame of the time hee would haue made it seene In the meane time as false doctrin cannot stand but by falsehood Serm. 2. de Annunt Assumpt our Aduersaries haue mingled with Saint Augustine certaine Homelies of Fulberts Bishop of Charters who liued not till almost sixe hundred yeares after S. Augustine wherein hee saith Sancta Maria succurre miseris c. Sentiant omnes tuum leuamen c. The Chanon Garet hath dealt more faithfully for hee alleadgeth them vnder the name of Fulbert And after the same manner they alleadge the bookes of Meditations which
thus the puritie and sinceritie of Religion was carried awaie downe the water by the streame of superstition there being neuer any other Epiphanius or Chrysostome to set his shoulder to for the supporting of the same And yet notwithstanding in the inquisitions of Emericke he quoteth amongst the errours of the Grecians which they hold That we must not pray vnto the Saints neither yet vnto the Virgine Marie but one onely Christ the mediator That to offer oblations vnto them is to sacrifice vnto the diuell c. Which he shuld haue said of certaine nations of the East church whether this abuse was not as yet come But in the West Church according to the speciall priuiledge thereof The manner of the growth of this abuse in the Latine Church Cyrill l. 6. contr Iul. it grew yet worse for to the Rhetoricke of vaine declaimors was ioyned the loose licentiousnesse of Poets One Prudentius an elegant Poet but an ill Diuine applieth to the Saints that which prophane nations had wont to applie to their Gods following the saying of Cyrill Patriarke of Alexandria That this yearely setting foorth of the Martyrs their praises Theodoret. l. 8. de Martyr Concil Aftic c. 28. was after the manner of that which the Grecians had ordained for them which were dead in the battaile of Marathon As also Theodoret and the Councell of Afrike cease not to lay open and to shew that all their solemnities which they obserued therein did spring from Paganisme He saith therefore of the Virgine Marie Seruat salutem virgo Quiritium Shee continueth and conserueth the safetie of the Romanes and of the Saints Poscunt litantur iudicant They are required sacrificed vnto and made acquainted with the euils that haunt and hang about men and no man returneth frustrate of his expectation c. Pontius Paulinus in like manner speaking of Saint Faelix Petat omne quod audet Let him aske by so good an Aduocate whatsoeuer he dare by his good merites hee exceedeth and goeth farre beyond our misdeedes c. And marke the mans good Diuinitie That the Epistles of Saint Paul applied to diseases doe heale them Fortunatus speaking of Saint Martin Dulcis adorande mihi pectore voce colende whome I must worship whome I must honour both with heart and voice Againe Inter me Dominum Mediator adesto benigne Hieronym ad Ripa Pres bit Idem contr Vigil Be thou a Mediatour betwixt God and me Directly against Saint Ierome That we must not colere neque adorare Worship nor adore the Cherubins nor Seraphins Angels Archangels nor any name that is named least we should worship the creature and not the Creator And what sottish and sencelesse fellow is this saith hee likewise against Vigilantius Which neuer hath worshipped the Martyrs nor any of their relickes c. And what haue they left now either for God or Iesus Christ And who seeth not that they plaied if we may so speake the opinions of the common people in verse And what may we thinke that Epiphanius Chrysostome and Saint Augustine would haue iudged hereof c. The Monkes come after and turne the same into prose namely Maximus Gregor Magn. l. 12. Ep. 22. Leo Euthymius Fulgentius and Gregorie and that so farre as to say We hope in God his power and might and in the helpe of Saint Peter c. And yet notwithstanding there was not any thing of all this that was practised otherwise then in priuate prayers and this may appeare to bee true by the eldest Collects gathered out of the most auncient Liturgies in these words Graunt vs grace to be inflamed with the examples of such and such Saints in such sort as our hearts are reioyced and delighted with their vertues to vtter their Faith with our tongues to expresse their liues in our manners and to profit in the example of their constaneie c. Speaking of the Martyrs and Saints in generall particularly in the remembrance of Saint Laurence As thou hast giuen vnto him to ouercome the flames of the torments so giue vnto vs to ouercome the heate of our vices Of Saint Steuen Let vs learne to loue our enemies as he hath praied for them that persecuted him Of S. Iohn Baptist As thou makest his birth day honourable vnto vs so graunt vnto thy people the grace of spirituall ioyes and direct the spirites of all thy faithfull seruants into and in the way of eternall life by thy Christ Of the Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul Graunt to thy Church to follow in all things their instructions by whose ministerie it hath taken his beginning by Iesus Christ our Lord c. All them being praiers directed to God the Father by his Sonne tending to the obtaining of grace to imitate and follow them not any one of them directed vnto them nor from them not any one of them for to attaine to any grace by their grace But now behold commeth Gregorie to the Bishoppricke of the See of Rome Gregorie taketh them out of priuate prayers and mingleth them amongst the publike Gregorie changeth Commemoration into Inuocation who casteth all the formes of the seruice vsed in the Church into new moulds as the publike praiers the Letanies yea and the Masse also He findeth the people all readie tilled husbanded fit for the receiuing of such seed throughly prepared by their customes taken from Paganisme and by the instructing of the Monkes to approue this change and alteration He then turned the Commemoration of the Saints in the Masse into Inuocation and put by name into the Letanie Sancta Maria ora pro nobis Saint Marie pray for vs he ordained and caused the Masse to bee celebrated vpon the bodies of S. Peter and S. Paul and finally openeth the Sluce to all manner of superstitions which therupon flowed in at once and that with a ful streame whereas the Fathers that were before him had taken great paines to turne them away and keepe them backe This before deliuered appeareth true by the Liturgies which they alleadge themselues Of S. Iames where the Priest confesseth himselfe to none but God and craucth pardon of him by his Sonne Of S. Clement wherein one onely God is prayed vnto by one onely Iesus Christ without any mention at all made therein either of praying to the Virgine Marie or to the Saints Of that which was vnder S. Augustine by the allegation which he made himselfe that the Martyrs are mentioned therin but not praied vnto and that of S. Ambrose could not be any other at that time seeing hee was before S. Augustine August de Ciuit l. 22. c. 10. and thereby likewise it appeareth that it was corrupted afterward Likewise he that shal well consider the Communicants of the Romane Liturgie will confesse that the clause which is in the ende Quorum meritis precibus concedas Vnto whose praiers may it please thee to graunt c. is a praier translated thither not
of my God The Breuiarie of Premonster And likewise we reade furthermorein the Breuiarie of the order of Premonster which was instituted in his time these Latine rimes in the Liturgie vpon all Saints day Adiuuent nos corum merita Quos propria impediunt scelera Excuset eorum intercessio Quos propria accusat actio At tu qui eis tribuisti Caele stis palmam triumphi Nobis veniam ne deneges peccati Shall we saith hee be helped by their merits which are hindered by their owne grieuous crimes Excused by their intercession who are accused of their owne actions and workes But thou O Lord which hast giuen them the ensigne of celestiall triumph denie not vnto vs the pardon of our sinnes The Valesians opposing themselues c. But whiles the abuse in the meane time was master of the plaine and open field there was raised new forces by the Waldenses and Albigenses which gaue a sharpe assault with great heate incountering the same euen to the drawing of the matter to such a dispute and parle as required for an indifferent hearing of the same an assembly of many graue and learned men in an open Councell and not staying there proceeded euen to the filling of a great part of France so far with the fauoring and good liking of their matter as that til all maner of fraud and force did ioyne and couple it selfe together they could neuer be perswaded to abandon and banish it out from amongst them yea which more is to the giuing of it such deepe roote as the Histories of that time as well as the enemies themselues doe witnesse as that it ouerspread and flourished in all the nations of Christendome Therefore amongst their Articles we reade this for one That there is but one mediator and that all inuocating and worshipping of men is but Idolatrie And the foresaid histories doe further adde that the doctrine of the Waldenses was no new thing but such as had continued euer since the time of the Apostles at the least euer since the time of Pope Syluester the first that is to say that the chaunge beeing come by succession of time into the Christian Church they should haue retained the puritie of the same amongst them Histor Vetus de Waldensib And in deed a certaine booke of this date saith That it was for three respects more daungerous then any other sect The first quia diuturnior because saith it it was of longer time for some are of iudgement that it hath continued euer since the time of Pope Syluester some there are likewise that say euer since the time of the Apostles The second because it is more generall Quia generalior for there is not almost any Countrie or nation wherin it hath not seated it selfe The third because that others by being blasphemous against God doe make men afraid of them whereas this hath great apparance that it proceedeth of pietie in as much as the fauourers thereof liue iustly before men doe easily belieue that which concerneth God and the whole Creed cleauing fast only to the Church of Rome c. And thus spake their enemies also and this being once said I would haue to serue without any further repetitions Now it is not credible how this abuse holding by open force the vpper hand of the truth Lombard l. 4. d. 55. did in short time become horrible fearefull Lombard from hence forth doth put it downe for a sentence That the Saints make intercession for vs and that both by their merits because they fulfill wherein wee come short as also by their affection because they ioyne themselues vnto our vowes This hitherto had not beene vttered in any sort so hardly to be disgested And furthermore from henceforth al the Schoolemen doe not only follow and approue what he hath said but doe labour to make it to be valewed still at more more As Alexander Hales Bonauenture Thomas c. And their reason is That Vltima reducuntur in Deum per media That the extreames cannot come to God but by meanes things of a midle qualitie The very same reason that the Platonists did alleadge for the intercession of their Gods Semi-gods As concerning the question whether the Saints do know the affaires of men or no that also they take vpon them to determine That they know all things in as perfect sort as the Angels in the beholding seing of God The same that S. Gregorie had said as it were by the way But what will they doe with S. Barnard who maintaineth that the Saints are not receiued to inioy the presence of God vntil the resurrection And to Pope Iohn the 22. whom W. Occam saith to haue so resolued him Thom. Sum. q. 57. art 5. 12 art 8. as also to haue laboured to cause him to sweare therunto at Sorbone And finally to S. Thomas who teacheth That the Angels by naturall knowledge doe not vnderstand the mysteries of grace and that by that which they haue in the seeing of God they do not know any more then it pleaseth him to reueale vnto them that for other matters they know not either those that are contingent neither yet the thoughts of harts Being notwithstanding the ordinarie subiects according to the doctrine of our aduersaries both of the inuocation of men and of the intercession of Angels But seing they haue brought vs to speak in their tearmes ab extremo ad supremum per media behold see the extremities whervnto they lead vs. Antoninus Archb. of Florence teacheth Anton. part 3. Sum t. 3. 12. Idem part 4. t. 15. 1. Ioh. 2. That Saints must be both inuocated adored of all that all those vpon whom the Virgine Mary casteth her eyes are necessarily iustified saued that Christ is ouer rough in as much as he is both aduocate iudge together for that God hath prouided vs of an aduocatesse in whō there is nothing but mildnes So that what is said in S. Iohn If we haue sinned we haue an Aduocate c. he turneth it in plaine words to be vnderstood of the Virgin Mary Heb. 4. and that which the Apostle to the Hebrews saith vnto vs of Christ the high priest Let vs draw neere vnto the throne of grace c. he will haue it to be vnderstood of her For Marie saith he is the throne of Christ Genes 2. c. What shall I say more The Seraphins say they would haue retained Marie as shee ascended vp to heauen No saith she it is not good that man should be alone speaking of the eternall sonne sitting at the right hand of the father I am giuen vnto him for a help in the worke of redemption by suffering with him and in the worke of glorification by making intercession to the end that if he should threaten to drowne the world as in the deluge I may appeare before him as the rainebow to the end that hee
me in the beginning of his waies Prouerb 8. before euer he created any thing I was ordainea euerlastingly c. And it is read in this sence in the Romish Missall vpon the day of the Natiuitie Leo 10. in ep 17. Anno 15 4. And Pope Leo the tenth in his Epistles written by Cardinall Bembo his Secretarie for them calleth her Deam Goddesse a title neuer heard of in any of the former ages thereby to adde vnto all this masse and huge heape this one thing which was wanting vz. the weathercocks And these are the goodly doctrines contained in these goodly bookes whereof all maner of Couents were full Marialia Rosaria Hortulus animae Promptuarium discipul c. Let vs come vnto the Saintes Alexander Halez and Bonaduenture haue taught That they are Mediators of our saluation that although they be sufficiently rewarded for their merites and not any more in case to merite yet for the manifold workes of Supererogation which they haue done they haue purchased so great a place as that they haue not onely merited blessednesse and glorie for themselues but also are able to relieue and make supplie for others in such sort as that they which before were vnworthie are likewise verie speedily made worthy by their intercession Now what is it that they haue builded vpon this foundation Verily the verie daughter and full representation of all Paganisme if so be it be not some worse thing Euerie nation towne village and familie is come to haue his Saint euerie estate condition craft and diâ—ease is become beholden and bound vnto one or other Thereby also they are come to the canonizing of their Saintes imitating therein the Pagans by so doing as much as lyeth in them they go about to make Gods of men to deifie them deifie I say for they are their owne phrases They canonize them whom they vnderstand to be worshipped and praied vnto Anton part 5. Summ. t 12. c. 8 This is the definition that they make of their Saintes Againe There belong seuen things to a canonized Saint The first to bee publikely held for a Saint The second to be inuocated in the praiers of the Church The third to haue Churches and Altars The fourth an office and sacrifice in honour of him The fist a fest iuall day The sixt an image with lightes in signe of glorie The seuenth relikes and shrines Adde also that they pray vnto them directly by the Lords prayer it selfe being directed and framed for God the Father And yet they say that this is not idolatrie That this is nothing els but Doulia and thus they thinke to pay God with their distinctions But I could wish them that they would at the least bethinke themselues and call to mind at the least that which is said vnto them by their Pope Innocentius Innocent l. 5. c. 4. Gulielm Durand epist Mimatens That there are two sortes of worship Latria and Doulia the former proper vnto God the Creator the latter for the creatures but that to the first do belong Churches Altars sacrifices feastes and ceremonies c. And Durand hath said the same wherefore by their owne reckning it must needes be idolatrie And what shall wee say in the end of their Frauncis and Dominicke Francis Anno 1200. in whose persons they haue delighted and pleased themselues to abolish and vtterly extinguish so much as lyeth in them both the merite and the name of Christ Barthol de Pisis l. conformit Frauncis say they in their booke of Conformities is a more worthy person then Iohn Baptist Iohn was a preacher of repentance Frauncis both a preacher and an ordainer of the order of Penitents Iohn a forerunner of Christ Frauncis both a forerunner and a standerd bearer Iohn receiued the word of repentance of Christ Frauncis both of Christ and of the Pope quod est plus which is more Iohn his father had reuelation from God by an Angell concerning him euen what he should be but of Frauncis it was declared both to his mother and his seruantes by Iesus Christ himselfe what he should be Iohn was the friend of the bridegroome but Frauncis like vnto the bridegroome himselfe Iohn a rare and singular man in sanctimonie and Frauncis in conformitie Iohn lifted vp and set amongst the Seraphins Fol. 39. Frauncis in the same order and manner with Iohn but set moreouer in the place from which Lucifer was throwne c. Againe hee is better then all the Apostles for they forsooke nothing for Christs sake saue some little ship Fol. 66. but hee left and forsooke all euen to his hosen The virgine Marie and the other Saintes in heauen go in procession euery one in his order but this man is lodged within the side of Christ He commeth forth by his wound with the banner of the crosse in his hand for to conduct guide them This man is a Iesus typicus a figuratiue Sauior a crucifixus singularis a singular crucified man who in sight hath receiued the verie same wounds that Christ suffered the same pains This is he that is via vitae the way of life abusing that which our Lord said of himselfe I am the way the truth and the life This man is the image of Christ as Christ is the image of his Father c. And what more Christus orauit Franciscus exorauit Christ did but pray but Frauncis prated and obtained Happie is he that dieth in Domino in Christ yea he that dieth say they in the habite of S. Frauncis yea if he haue but his hand in the sleene of it he is happie Baptisme doth wash away originall sinne the hood of S. Frauncis much more as oft as you shall resolue to continue the wearing of it it is worth as much vnto you as a new baptizing yea rather it is a new abolishment not of original sin onely but of all manner of actuall sinnes In a word we haue seene written ouer the gates of the gray friers of Bloys Quaeretur peccatum illius non inuenietur his sinnes shall be sought for but they shall not bee found The same that the Apostle hath said of one onely Christ and that the Prophete hath said of the abolishment of sinnes in his blood Neither can they excuse these matters in saying that they are but some particular mans opinions and not approued of the whole Church of Rome For the Popes Gregorie the ninth Alexander the fourth and Nicolas the third doe ordaine to bee belieued of all the faithfull vpon paine of being condemned as heretickes the scars and printes of S. Frauncis And Pope Benedict the twelft ordained that the day whereupon he receiued them should be kept holy And Alexander the fourth in particular Anton Archiep tit 24. S. 10 Math. Paris Monach. Albanens in hist Anglic. in Henric. 3. doth take into the protection of the Church of Rome and his Montem Aluerniae the mountaine wherein this
repay him againe The same also which S. Paul saith What is it that thou hast which thou hast not receiued And if thou hast receiued it 1. Cor. 4.7 why boastest thou thy selfe as if thou hadst not receiued it c. And the second Councel of Orange held about the yeare 450. doth conclude in these words Mans nature Concil Arans c. Can. 19. Man a great deale lesseable after his fall euen in his integritie could not keep his integritie without the help of God c. But after he had fallen and corrupted his waies being the second state that our first father fell into we became in farre worse and harder case Man euen in his integrity could not in respect of God merite or deserue any good thing but now in the daies of his corruption hee cannot chuse but merite yea he cannot merite any thing but the wrath of God his curse and eternall death For being become sinne and transgression it hath corrupted the most noble partes both of his humane bodie and diuine soule making the will to bee the slaue of vnbridled appetite vnderstanding of imagination vnto all euill and both of them faultie and corrupted in themselues the will estranged from the loue of God and the vnderstanding from the hauing of the knowledge of him both the one and the other carried from their naturall and one onely good state to the contrarie with all their power and abilitie euen to will and know that which is displeasing vnto him and hurtfull to themselues Man now in this estate what can he doe what can he but do amisse And notwithstanding this is the state of all men in themselues since the fall no man to be excepted God pronounceth this generall sentence in Genesis Genel 6. Iob. 14. Psal 51. All the thoughtes of the heart of man are set vpon euill continually The most holy do most freely confesse it Iob Who can draw any thing that is pure from that which is defiled Not one Dauid Behold I was begotten in iniquitie and my mother hath conceiued me in sinne and therefore he prayeth vnto God to create in him a new hart Ioh. 3.6 Christ in the Gospell That which is begotten of flesh is flesh and that which is begotten of the spirit is spirit If a man be not borne againe hee cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Rom. 7.18 2. Cor. 3.5 Ephes 1. And Saint Paule expoundeth it Because that in the flesh dwelleth no good seeing that the naturall man doth not comprehend that which is of the spirite of God And because That we are naturally deadin sinnes our workes then are both dead and deadly and to bring vs to bring out any other it cannot bee without the working of a miracle Ephes 2.5 Rom. 6.8 it is requisite that wee should bee raised againe And it is God onely that must doe this Because saith he moreouer that We are children of wrath That All the desires and all the vnderstanding also of our flesh which we make so much of is enmitie against God Prou. 10. And without exception For There is no man saith Salomon that can say Rom. 5.17 1. Cor. 15. My heart is cleane I am without sinne And the Apostle more expresly All men haue sinned and are dead in Adam By a man sinne entred into the world into all men and by sinne death c. Yea into Moyses the meekest of all other men Thou hast sette before thy face Absconditum nostrum our sinne that was hidden from vs. This naturall viciousnesse which like vnto a naturall disease is hidden from vs is lesse perceiued or felt of vs. Pâ— l. 51. Psal 116. Rom. 7. 14. reâ—â— 23. And into Dauid a man according to Gods owne hearte Create saith hee in mee a new heart Because the hearte of man is altogether peruerted Ab occultis meis mundame Cleanse mee from that which is hidden from mee And into S. Paule an elect vessell of God The law saith he is spirituall and I am carnall sold vnder sinne I see a law in my members fighting against the law of my vnderstanding and leading me captiue to the law of sinne which is in my members Wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death c. Into S. Iohn Baptist Luke 2. the greatest amongst them that are borne of women who saith vnto our Lord I haue need to be baptized of thee that is to say to be washed to be regenerate by thy spirit c. And into the holy virgin likewise for she acknowledged her low and base estate she magnified nothing but the onely mercy of God she placed her selfe amongst them that being hungrie are filled with good things she reioyceth in God which is her Sauiour so farre is she off from disclaiming her parte in the saluation promised in Iesus Christ the author of the saluation which is in her And in deed the Apostle to the Hebr. Hebr. 7. hath not seperated or excepted from sin any besides Iesus Christ alone The holy virgine likewise was subiect to the law of purification ordained in the Church a signe of the inward purification which God requireth in all our actions Rom. 11.32 to the end that this word may abide true That God hath shut vp all vnder sinne That no man also should thinke to be excluded from that which followeth That he hath notwithstanding shewed mercie vnto all That this that all the Saints haue beene saued euen the virgin Marie her selfe commeth of his free grace of the riches and bountifulnesse of his great mercies Now our aduersaries that will not be called Pelagians How the aduersaries do extenuate originall sinne doe agree in outward shew vnto this corruption of mankind but when we come to lay the sore open and naked they are as it were afraid of taking some harme they make the maladie as light and little as they can fearing to be too much bound vnto God not considering how that for a man to lay open his wounds before him is to heale them to confesse our sinnes freely and franckly to him is to haue them quit forgiuen whereas the hiding and couering of them doth make them mortall to denie conceale or smooth them ouer is to cast himselfe prisoner and captiue into hell and eternall fire vntill hee haue paid the vttermost farthing Pighius therefore letteth not shamelesly to say Albert Pigh de peccat orig that the punishment of Adam seized vpon all his posteritie as one bond man begetteth another but that his sinne was not transfused and conueighed into his children What is there more contrarie vnto the whole scripture then this Yea how is it possible that this man should haue so little profited in the knowledge of himselfe Andradius a true interpreter of the ambiguities and doubtes arising in the Councell of Trent teacheth That concupiscence is in nature corrupted altogether such as it was when nature
is the fountaine and welspring of iustification And in an other place Magniloqui dicuntur c. Such saith he are rightly called the greatest brauers who put their trust in themselues as being righteous and thereupon presume of the workes of the Law As on the contrarie those are called and are truely poore which know themselues sinners and perceiue that they can no way be iustified but by the faith of Christ. And therefore saith he it is requisite that this conceitednesse of thinking to be saued by workes should be laid downe Idem in Soph. l. 2. c. 3. Idem l. 2. in Genes c. 3. Idem in Esa c. 8. Without faith it is impossible to please God it is in like manner impossible but by faith Abraham Isaac and Iacob c. were not saued any otherwise For righteousnesse is Ex fide in fidem of faith and vnto faith Of faith that is of him who hath promised who hath sworne Vnto faith that is of him who hath belieued in him that promised and giuen credite to him that swore c. But as for such as are not true Israelites they haue no such faith for in seeking and searching after their owne righteousnesse they could not stoope vnto or vndergoe this of faith but haue toyled themselues by seeking the same from workes to workes as if Abraham had beene iustified by workes when as the Scripture testifieth of him Idem de Victor verb. Dei l. 4. c. 21. that he belieued and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse c. Verie excellently therefore is it said From faith to faith for in that the Sonne of God is come c. this proceedeth of the faith fulnesse of God of whome it is written God is faithfull c. Namely herein that Dauid and others moe haue not pearced him through with their sinnes and that he accomplisheth by his exceeding great faithfulnesse what hee had promised of his exceeding great grace And this righteousnesse tendeth in fidem vnto an other faith because it is not possible that any man should be iustified before him by his workes but by faith Idem in reg l. 2. c. 39. According to that which is said If thou obserue and marke mine iniquities O Lord c. And to be briefe he oftentimes vttereth these words The onely faith of Iesus Christ is able to iustifie c. Lombard likewise Loâ—bard l. 3 d. 19. 25. We are iustified by the death of Christ that is to say cleansed from our sinnes by faith in his death Beholding him by faith after the manner of the brazen Serpent we are deliuered from the bands of sinne and the Diuell in so much as that he is not to demaunde or looke for any thing at our hands Without faith in this Mediatour no man hath beene saued either before or since no man was euer deliuered from that condemnation that came by Adam otherwise then by faith Idem l. 3. d. 26. Rupert in Ioh. c. 1. Impraegnatam mentem Lombard l. 3. d. 23 Honor. in Specul Eccles Richard in Apocal. l. 1. c. And this faith saith he is of God according to that which Saint Augustine saith The mercie of God shall preuent me the mercie of God shall follow me c. That is saith Rupertus Because that to belieue is to haue conceiued the seed of the word of God with loue in his heart as also to haue his mind and spirit conceiued and laden with the same And Lombard To loue God is by belieuing in him to cleaue vnto him and to be incorporated into him by such faith the wicked is iustified inso much as that from thence forward faith worketh in him by loue for there are no good workes but those which are done by the loue of God and this loue is the worke of faith Honorius He is most happie in deede that belieueth rightly and that together with this beliefe liueth well but faith is the foundation and the loue of God and our neighbours is grounded vpon the same And Richard Of faith proceedeth charitie and of charitie doe good workes spring and growe And what is all this but the same which we affirme daily that faith cannot stand without charitie any more then fire can without heate That the life of faith euen as that of trees is knowne because it bringeth forth fruit In a word that wee are iustified by faith onely And yet such a faith as is neuer alone but which containeth in it a certaine heate which is naturall vnto it alwayes acting somewhat neuer idle continually bringing foorth as a fountaine of water the effects of loue which it beareth towards God and the good works it performeth vnto neighbours But Saint Bernard whome we haue so oft heretofore cited goeth further then all the rest For there was in his time a certaine man named Petrus Abailardus a verie Pelagian who durst say That whereas Christ had abased and humbled himselfe euen vnto the death c. that it had not beene but to haue left vs a patterne of liuing well and that our saluation consisteth not in his death and passion but in the growth and proceeding of our good conuersation Whereupon he is not content to giue him to vnderstand that this his assertion is the same which the Apostle calleth the making of the Crosse of Christ of none effect but taketh his occasion and proceedeth further and hauing taken the beasome once into his hand he sweepeth not onely this filth out of the Church that caused him to take it into his hand but withall he applieth himselfe all vnder one to sweepe away whatsoeuer the Iew Gentile Philosopher or superstitious Monke had brought and shuffled thereinto with their vncleane feete or else was negligently looked vnto or tolerated by the sorenamed it hauing fallen out then as it doth oftentimes vnto vs now who are not moued or stirred vp to remoue put away the thing that is euill be it neuer so great And therefore reprouing the waies that S. Augustine did walke in hee dealeth vpon the true iustification in the bloud of Christ by faith more exactly then all the rest Our master saith he knew well that the Law did require more then was in our power Bernard in Serm. 50. super Cant. Idem Serm de verb orig Idem Serm 38 super Cantic Idem Serm. 11 in Annunciat Mariae Idem de milit templ c. 11. Idem Ep. 99. Idem Serm 22 super Can. fusissime but notwithstanding he would giue it vnto vs that we might be admonished of our insufficiencie and that such and so great saith he as that we are neuer able to render vnto God that which we owe him in such sort as that if we should teare and pull our skinnes from off our backes yet are we neuer able to satisfie for our sinnes But wee haue recourse vnto the voice of the bloud of Christ which hath cried farre lowder then the bloud of Abell which proclaimeth in
beene deriued and drawne Masses for the deade through such an abuse much like to that which is condemned by diuers auncient Councels namely the giuing of the Eucharist vnto the dead Withall wee haue shewed that there is no Purgatorie that the old and new Testament did neuer acknowledge it as neither the first and most auncient antiquitie if so bee they take it not from the heathen as also that those which haue spoken of it did not meane the same which our aduersaries embrace maintaine but rather that this is an opinion which cannot by any meanes stand and agree with that of theirs and how that hereby Masses and Suffrages for the dead swarme vpon the face of the earth From this pretended sacrifice likewise haue proceeded and sprung the Masses said in honour of Saints in which they were both praied vnto and worshipped yea euen to the offering vp in sacrifice in honor of them of the Sonne of God himselfe if one would belieue them Further wee haue shewed that the inuocation and worshipping of Saints is condemned throughout the whole Scripture old and new and by all true antiquitie that the beginning of this doting madnesse was taken vp by the imitating of the heathens in their Paganisme shewing further the manifold contradictions that were maintained against the same for a long time and thus the whole seruice of Saints a great portion of the Papists doctrine falleth downe to the ground And for as much as Inuocation is grounded vppon the merit of Saints and this Merite oftentimes alleadged in the Masse and that euen in their speaking to God for the remission of sinnes wee haue verified and auoucht it that there is not any maner of meriting at Gods hand allowed or taught either in the Scriptures or in the auncient writers neither yet in the purer sort of the new latter writers except such as they themselues are at this day ashamed of In summe that there is neither sacrifice name nor merit which euer saued the dead or which euer was able to preserue the liuing but the onely name merit and sacrifice of one onely Iesus Christ God and man dead for our sinnes and risen for our iustification To whome with the Father and the holy Ghost be honour and glorie for the riches of his grace eternally and euerlastingly Amen The end of the third Booke The fourth Booke Wherein the holy Supper of our Lord is handled and intreated of as a Sacrament and consequently of the Masse and it is a treatise of Transubstantiation CHAPTER I. What a Sacrament is and wherein it consisteth And of the difference betwixt the Sacraments of the old and of the new Testament where are set downe certaine rules of the old writers for the vnderstanding of them HItherto wee haue intreated of the Masse as it is a corrupting of the holy Supper of our Lord in the qualitie or vnder the name and nature of a sacrifice it followeth now that we examine it as a counterfeit of the same in the qualitie of a Sacrament a matter intreated of so exactly by many great personages of this time as that it may seeme a verie vnaduised and needlesse thing after them to enter into the same matter not treading the steps wherein they haue gone before Notwithstanding because this worke would remaine lame vnperfect if it should want this part I will deale therevpon but so briefely as possibly may bee standing not so much vpon the matter of dispute as the course of the storie to the end that that which seemeth at the least to haue his stay and maintenance from auncient writers may be confessed and acknowledged not to haue any manner of recommendation at all more then that which it reapeth from the verie newest and latest writers that haue sprung vp in the Church of Rome The Lawe was no sooner giuen to man but sinne insued thereupon neither was sinne so soone hatched but that presently thereupon man receiued the writ of condemnation and sencibly felt the punishment thereof whereupon likewise the Gospell was preached vnto him Gene. 3. by Gods owne mouth namely in the promise of the holy seede which should bruise the head of the Serpent and in the incarnation of the Sonne of God for the redemption of mankind for the remission of our sinnes And this Gospell is the reconciliation of God with men by the bloud of our Lord shed effectually before the foundation of the world in as much as from the same he hath wrought the saluation and redemption of the Patriarkes and Prophets and to bee short of al them which haue bene saued either without the Law or vnder the law shed notwithstanding naturally in his appointed and determined time euen when our Sauiour hauing taken our flesh was stretched vpon the tree of the Crosse for vs. Man in the meane time in his blindnesse and peruerse nature became vnable either to see or belieue this excellent mysterie if God had not reuealed it vnto him The necessity of the sacraments but able on the contrarie quickly to forget it according to our ordinarie negligence and carelesnesse in heauenly things if it had not beene represented and set before his eyes continually And afterward what apparance or likely-hood could there be conceiued of sinfull man vnthankfull to God and condemned and cast away in his owne conscience that God would vouchsafe to be his God that hee would reconcile himselfe vnto a vile and vnprofitable creature that hee would make a league with dust giue himselfe to him for a perpetuall inheritance and deliuer his onely Sonne to suffer a shamefull and ignominious death for him All of them beeing workes of a bottomelesse depth of mercie towards a most miserable creature who waited and looked for nothing else in the guiltinesse of his owne conscience but a bottomlesse Sea of wrath and indignation This therefore was the cause why God our Creator the beginning middle and end of our saluation not content to haue promised and giuen his Sonne to our first parents vnto reconciliation and redemption and in their persons vnto their true posteritie which is the Church doth renue from time to time this Gospell vnto his children this glad tidings of the league and couenaunt made with his faithfull ones for their saluation giuing them sometimes Prophetes to preach his Christ that was to come and sometimes Apostles to testifie and beare witnesse vnto him alreadie come in the flesh dead and risen for vs. This is the ministerie of his holy word euermore continued in his Church He furthermore ordaineth for them Sacraments of this couenant made and accomplished earnest pence and palpable pledges of the certaintie of his promises testimonies of his faithfulnes and remedies of their distrust and diffidencie which speake and testifie outwardly both vnto their eares and eyes by the analogie and agreement of their nature and inwardly to their vnderstandings and hearts by the working of the holy Ghost accompanying them namely that this
consider and beholde therein the diuine power which is hid in these waters full of sanctification full of diuine fire that is to say full of the holie Ghost full of his effectuall working and yet not changed into fire nor into the holie Ghost and verily euen as little the bread and wine in the holy table either into accidents or any other substances whereof the same Councell saith That we must vnderstand by faith that wee do truly and verilie receiue the bodie and bloud of our Lord and that they are tokens and pledges vnto vs of our resurrection vnto eternall life Ambros de lit qui mistie init c. 3 de spir Sanct. l. 3 Saint Ambrose also is farre of from admitting anie change or alteration of the water in Baptisme and therefore ceaseth not to say Thou seest water and doubtest thou of the mysterie Thou beleeuest the operation and wilt thou not beleeue the presence of the diuinitie and Godhead From whence should the operation effectual working of the same proceed if it were not by vertue of the diuine presence Againe Beleeue not alone the eies of the bodie that which is not seene at all is most apparant clearly seene in asmuch as that is temporall but this is eternall c. And therefore S. Augustine saith not Take away this water August tract 80. in Ioh. that the bloud of Christ may take the place and enter in steade thereof but rather Take away the worde of God from the water and then there remaineth nothing but common water adde the worde thereunto and it will become a Sacrament And in like manner Tertullian The holie Ghost commeth downe and sanctifieth the water Saint Basill The kingdome of heauen is there opened Saint Chrysostome I beleeue in baptising the purgation of the soule Answere to the obiection of omnipotenty by the working of the spirit c. And all these notwithstanding without any the least presupposing of the changing of the water In the meane time these fellowes haue nothing to obiect or cast in our way but the omnipotencie of God and that when as the question properly is not of his Almightinesse in a miracle but of his will and pleasure in a mysterie Thus said Praxeas vnto Tertullian Wherfore could not God be father and sonne also Tertul. cont Pra◠Is it not said I and the father are but one c Vnto whome hee answered The mightie power of God is no other thing then his will and the vnabilitie of God his vnwillingnesse he could haue made and framed man to flie after the maner of a Kite but hee hath not done it c. And this his will we come to vnderstand by his worde whereof it is said Heauen and earth shall passe but the word of God endureth for euer Our Lord hath said That of stones he is able to raise vp children vnto Abraham And who can doubt hereof And yet notwithstanding I wil not therefore belieue if it appeare not vnto me out of his will that such or such are raised vp or begotten of stones Neither yet if thou shouldest shew me a stone that it is any child of Abrahams whē as I see not any other thing in it then the naturall shape figure thereof neither yet by touching it feele any thing but the hardnes heauinesse and coldnesse of a stone For saith S. Augustine August in Ench. ad Laurent c. q. de ciuit Dei l. c. 10. God is properly called Almightie because he doth whatsoeuer he will and because that his wil is not crossed either by the will or power of any other whosoeuer But the will of our Lord manifested in his word is to feede the faithfull with his flesh bloud in his holy supper I will firmely and steadfastly belieue that he doth it and will not thereupon goe about to remoue or alter either the predicables or predicaments but will be readie with all humilitie to subiect applie my reason to his promise by an obedience of faith Our aduersaries cannot conceiue how he should feede their soules if he come not nie vnto their bodies if he be not in their mouthes And how doth the Sunne which is a creature bring forth quicken heat and inlighten things and that so far off And he which feedeth vs in S. Iohn without Sacraments without signes Ioh. 6. why should he come short in the signes Sacraments Seeing they afford reliefe helpe for the vnderpropping of our infirmity not diminishing or any thing impairing his power and he that dwelleth continually in the hearts of his children why should he not manifest the same on some one day more plainely and plentifully Seeing it is hee for certaine which hath ordained it seeing also that his lodging is therein the better prepared by our faith by our zeale and by our repentance It is a point of deepe incredulitie vnbeliefe in vs not to trust him any longer thē he is at hand and neere vnto vs and that he should not bee able to doe it but by being neere and at hand should argue a certaine kind of impotencie weaknesse in God And this is that which S. Augustine saith August in Ioh. tract 10. To the ende that no man should deceiue himselfe in going about to adore the Head in heauen and to trample vpon his feet here on earth he hath declared and told where his members be The Head being to ascend vp into heauen hath recommended vnto vs his members here on earth and so is departed and gone hence c. He said from on high vnto Saule Wherefore persecutest thou me I ascended vp vnto heauen notwithstanding I am yet vpō earth here I sit at the right hand of my Father there I doe as yet indure and sustaine hunger and thirst I am a stranger c. The head although it be not in the feete doth yet minister vnto them the power of mouing and the Sonne of God the Head of the Church shal he not bestow as much vpon his members Fourthly Transubstantiation taketh frō vs this consolation Transubstantiation depriueth vs of the meanes of doing that which the Lord hath done that our Lord vouchsafeth to continue vnto vs in his Church the same misterie which he celebrated with his Apostles according to that which he said in expresse and plaine tearmes Doe this in remembrance of me The efficacie of which words must be perpetuall in the Church That is that celebrating the same action and in the same sort wee communicate likewise are partakers of the same grace in the same manner But if a contrary course be taken and that to the obtaining of an other kind of grace and after an other manner in stead of comfort and consolation we fall into a doubtfull labirinth for where is there any institutiō besides And where is the word where is the promise And what maketh the Sacrament but the word Wherby are we made partakers of
the fruit and effect but by the promise If we receiue not the same thing that the Apostles receiued after the same maner to what end then shold these words of the Lord Doe this c. as also those of the Apostle I haue receiued of the Lord that which I haue giuen vnto you serue And what other places are there whence we ought to learne take knowledge of the same But if it be the very same thing performed in the same maner then let vs cal to mind that it is a spiritual thing not a carnall and to be done after a spiritual not a carnal sort by faith and not by the mouth for he speaketh to them of a body broken for theÌ„ which yet was not broken and of bloud shed for them August in Psa 33. De Consecr d. 2. C. hoc est vbi Glosa which was as yet in his veines and therfore they did eate drink as the Patriarks and Prophets had done before theÌ„ spiritualy by faith And this is it which S. August saith That â—e sus Christ giuing the Sacraments of his body bloud vnto his Disciples did carie quodammodo after a certaine maner himselfe If he had done it really the quodammodo had serued to no vse for quodammodo say the Schooles is terminus diminuens a word of restraint denying the truth of the reall presence August Ep. 23 ad Bonifac. And then if this be quodammodo it is that which he saith in another place secundum quendam modum that is saith he By the similitude that the signes haue with the things not in very deede saith the canon but in signification not verily truely saith the Glose but improperly that is to say sacramentally And indeede that which he saith in one place He caried himselfe after a certaine manner in his handes hee speaketh thus in another place Idem de verb. Dom. in Euang Mat. Serm. 33. Hug. Cardin. in Mat. c. 26. in Marc. c. 14. He caried the bread in his handes in as much as he exhihibited and offered himselfe vnder these Sacraments for a spirituall meate and drinke vnto his disciples c. And the Glose expounding the wordes of the Supper saith Accipite comedite Take eate Intelligite fide comedite vnderstand eate by faith c. Cardinal Hugo likewise Take that is to say belieue with your harts and confesse with your mouthes c. In the mean time they goe about to graunt vs a larger priuilege then euer the Apostles had as though wee should receiue the body of Christ glorified and immortall whereas they receiued it as it was subiect to the death and passion But wee verily content our selues to receiue it as the Apostles did not aspiring after any more high and excellent manner that is therein to receiue the body broken and the bloud shed for vs for the Sonne of God properly doth quicken vs in that he is eternall but in that he hath made himselfe mortall neither doth he glorifie vs in that he himselfe is glorious but in that he hath abased himselfe taking vppon him the forme of a seruant and being made subiect vnto the ignominious death of the Crosse Therein I say to receiue it after the same maner the bread for a signe and certaine pledge of his body and yet notwithstanding at the very same instant also to receiue his body the wine a signe and infallible token of his bloude and notwithstanding at the very same instant to receiue his bloud by the inward efficacie of the holy Ghost and both the one and the other for the remission of sins and vnto the resurrection to life seeing that Christ is dead for our sinnes and risen againe for our iustification c. And in verie deed the auncient Fathers haue not otherwise vnderstood the holy supper of Christ with his Apostles Tertul aduer Marc. l. 5. c. 40. l. 1. c 14. Ambr. de iis qui myster init c 9. de Sacr. l. 4 c. 5. Hieronym l. 2. aduers Iouini an in Mat. c. 26. August contr Adaman c. 12 Idem in Prolog super ps 3. Macar hom 27 Theodor. in Polymorph seu Euarist Dial. 1. Tertullian He made the bread which he tooke and gaue to his disciples his body that is to say the figure of his bodie And in another place The bread by which he represented his body S. Ambrose The Lord himselfe crieth This is my body Before the blessing of heauenly words an other kind is named after the consecration the body of Christ is signified And in an other place more clearely The same which is saith hee the figure of the body and bloud of our Lord. S. Ierome He offered not water but wine for the figure of his bloud And in another place speaking of bread and wine Representing saith he the truth of his body and of his bloud S. Augustine The Lord doubted not to say This is my body when he gaue the signe of his body Againe He hath recommended and giuen to his Disciples the figure of his bloud Antitypes saith S. Macaire an Aegyptian Exhibiting the flesh and bloud of Christ Theodoret He that hath called his naturall body wheat and bread and which hath named himself a vine hath honoured the markes and signes which are to be seene with the name of his body and bloud not in changing the nature it self but in adding grace vnto nature Eusebius Emissenus Seing that our Lord must carrie vp into heauen the body which he had taken vpon him it was needfull that in the day of the supper he should consecrate for vs the Sacrament of his body and bloud to the end that that which was once offered vp for a ransom might continually be honored by misterie And here we must shun the confounding of these two words Truly carnally or really the one with the other being such as the old writers accompted of as much differing Cyril l. 3. c 24. in Ioh. Orig. in Gen. hom 1. c. 1. Hieronym ad Gal. c. 4. and carefully to be distinguished For Iesus Christ calleth himselfe the true Vine And Cyrill calleth him the true Manna And Origen the Apostles The true very heauens And S. Ierome the faithfull one true bread Whome it had beene verie hard to haue made to belieue that Christ had beene really the Vine or the Manna the Apostles the heauens or the faithful one loafe c. And thus you see what manner of holy supper it was that was celebrated kept of the Apostles and I verily belieue that there is not any true Christian that wisheth or desireth any other Fiftly Transubstantiation destroy eth the humaine nature of Christ Heb. 2 it destroyeth the humane nature of Christ for the truth whereof all the old Church hath so mightily striuen against the heretickes of that time and in the truth whereof likewise resteth the consolation of mankind the onely meanes of our saluation In as
midst of you c. Yea to frustrate and disapoint them euerie manner of way whether his purpose and intention stand good or not For if he be nothing bent that way then according to their doctrine hee consecrateth not neither is the Sonne of God communicated And neuerthelesse if he do consecrate yet they doe not communicate therein for they are alwaies subiect to doubt whether hee had any purpose and intention or not And whereas there is doubting there is no faith and where there is no faith there is nothing but sinne Now themselues are of this iudgement that hee cannot receiue the bodie of Christ which doth not belieue in him Now then what priuiledge hath the vertuous and godly man more then the wicked seeing that the intention or not intention of the Priest transubstantiateth or leaueth vntransubstantiated seeing that both the one the other are subiect to doubt of the intention therefore of the effect seeing that both the one and the other whether doubting or assured thereof do equally receiue or not receiue Likewise what shall become of their doctrine De opere operato That the thing profiteth and is auaileable in asmuch as it is onely performed and done not in regard of the person which doth it seeing that this whole mysterie dependeth now Ex opere operantis of the working and operation of the sacrificer Moreouer where shall the excellencie of this Sacrament aboue all other Sacraments bee found if the rest depend vppon the grace of God without any such necessitie of the intention of him that consecrateth as the greatest part of them doth hold of baptisme and of that pretended Sacrament of mariage c. On God I say whose intention and purpose neuer halteth or faileth neither yet by consequent the obiect of our faith the same not to speake any thing more sharpely and grieuously of the infirmity of man being subiect to faile euerie moment But further I would know what shal become of their priuate Masses Bonauent in Comp. Sacr. Theol. rubr 11. l. 8. Gabr. Biel. lect 6. lit C. seeing that Bonauenture Biel hold That besides the intent of him that consicrateth there is required the intent and purpose of him that instituteth and ordaineth that it is not sufficient for the Priest to haue an intent to consecrate if hee follow not the intent of Christ in this sacrament But Hugo and Biel the most part of the schoolmen are they not of iudgement that priuate Masse wherein there is no publike remembrance made of the death of Christ doth nothing at all agree with the mind of the institutor what consolation then can they of the Church of Rome haue in the Sacrament when in stead of nourishing of their faith they maintaine and feed doubt and vncertaintie when as after they haue beene well prepared they know not what they receiue the efficacie of the consecration being vnable to penetrate and pearce according to their doctrine in the Sacrament without this intention and purpose the man likewise not being able to pearce and see into the intent of the consecrating Priest by any meanes Thus in seeking to giue too much to the worthinesse of the Priest they haue taken away the effect of the Sacrament from God who onely worketh the same and from the people the profit and fruit which should come to them thereby Stella clericoruÌ„ and for which it was ordained And all this that they might be honoured in the dispensation of the mysteries of God more then God himselfe more then the Creator whose Creators and makers since the time of the entring of the doctrine of transubstantiation they haue not beene ashamed to professe themselues to be Now the old Church had neuer any such doctrine they did not at any time once thinke of calling of Christ out of heauen by multitude of wordes What is meant by consecrating they did attribute the communion of the bodie of Christ to the institution of our Lord to the operation of the holy Ghost and to the faith of the faithfull To consecrate in their language was to sanctifie that is to blesse that is to change a thing from the common vse to a holy and from a profane to a sacred which is accomplished by the word that is to say by the institution of the Lord which giueth it his efficacie Thus speaketh Saint Cyprian ordinarily That the bread and the wine of the holy Supper are sanctified by the word And S. Augustine expoundeth it saying Not for that it is spoken but for that it is belieued not the sound that flâ—eth away but the permanent and abiding power that is to say the operation of the spirit of God c. After the same manner haue all the ancient fathers written as S. Hillarie Isidor l. 6. Ambrose Ierome Gregorie c. Isidore in like sort By the commandement of Christ we call his bodie and his bloud that which is sanctified of the fruites of the earth and made a Sacrament by the inuisible operation of the spirit of God c. In which sence the prophane Authors vsed also the word Consecration Promiscui vsus Cornelius Fronto saith Consecrated that is that which is made holy or turned to a holy vse being before prophane that is to say of a common vse But God forbid that our Lord should make the communion of his bodie which he offereth vnto vs subiect either to the sound of words or to the intent mind of him that vttereth them The ministers as were also the Apostles are made for the church not the church for them yea they are the ministers and not the Lords thereof they are not dispensers of their owne mysteries but of Christs yet which is more not of Christes mysteries but of the signes of his mysteries onely 1. Cor. 13. no more then they are of faith which commeth of the hearing of the worde notwithstanding that they minister the word to vs God hauing reserued vnto himselfe the gift of faith to worke the same by the effectuall power of his spirit as a dispensation only from his grace being no more depending on him that ministreth then tied to the signes which hee ministreth c. God verily saith to Moses And thou shalt sanctifie it c. Leuit 3. August in quaest in Leui. But he saith also in another place I am the Lord which do sanctifie it S. Augustine demandeth thereupon How can it be that both the Lord and Moses should do it Verily saith he Moses by the visible sacraments by his ministerie but the Lord by his inuisible grace by his spirit as that wherein lieth all the fruit and benefit of the visible sacraments So Iohn Baptist the greatest amongst those that are borne of women saith the Lord baptised with water but the gift of the spirit was of Christ And by the ministerie of Paul and Apollos many belieued but the gift of faith by which man belieueth
to say which haue not any thing to doe with any carnall thing but bring eternall life And if then with the consent of all the fathers this place of S. Iohn do expound make plaine the doctrine of the holy supper and must be vnderstood spiritually then also must those wordes of the institution be so vnderstood if we mind not to cause the scriptures to disagree and fight against scriptures and one place thereof against many places yea and that one against it selfe if wee will not violently go about to establish quite against all analogy of scripture the matter of transubstantiation which yet is not of bread into a bodie but of I know not what as that which hath no name into a bodie not of wine into bloud but of wine or rather of the cup into bloud or rather into the new testament in bloud If likewise wee will not haue the bread and wine abased or turned into nothing in S. Mathew in S. Marke and in S. Luke after the wordes and yet continue in their sound and perfect natures in S. Paule after the verie same that is to say If wee will not ouerthrow for the retaining of the litterall sence of one only word the spirit diffused throughout the whole scriptures and make the sacraments of the Church of Christ by the hardnes of our expositions more rawe and carnall then all those of the Iewish Church These are the absurdities which accompanie the expositions of our transubstantiators whereas ours doth retaine the nature of all the sacraments the agreement of the old with the new of holy baptisme with the holy supper of the supper of the Apostles with that of the Christian Church and aboue all the principal end of the same which is the nourishment of the soule vnto eternall life by that consunction of the faithfull with Christ as also of the faithfull amongst themselues which it fostereth and cherisheth c. It conserueth in like manner the truth of the humane bodie of our Lord which the other destroyeth the excellent dignitie of his diuine nature which that abaseth and all this by keeping the Analogie of the faith of Christ and the harmony of the holy scriptures CHAP. IIII. That the Fathers knew not Transubstantiation nor the reall presence in the signes And this is prosecuted vnto the time of the first Nicene Councell the same contayned therein NOw it is also very certaine that such as hath beene the doctrine of the Church not Primitiue onely but also for a long time after euen when corruption had entered this noble and worthie parte of the Church not hauing beene touched or defiled by the first which thing wee shall bee able to proue from time to time by the Fathers saue that we will not repeate diuers places before alleadged as the course of our treatise hath caused vs to produce and cite the same Saint Clement Bishop of Rome Clem. Rom. constit l. 6. c. 6. in the mysticall thanksgiuing that followeth the consecration Father we giue thee thanks for the precious blood of Iesus Christ which is shed for vs and for his precious bodie whereof we make vp and finish these counterfeites and resemblances l. 8. c. 17. Marke this word counterfeits that is to say correspondent figures and that after the consecration Himselfe hauing ordained it for vs to the end that wee might shew forth his death c. Againe in his liturgie after the consecration We offer vnto thee O king and God according to thine ordinance this bread and this cup l. 5. c. 61. c. And in another place The counterfeites saith he and mysteries of his bodie and blood at which say the Apostles as the report is set downe by Clement Iudas was not present with vs. l. 2. c. 61. And yet notwithstanding such because of the holy mystery whereunto they are consecrated That he exhorteth men to come vnto them as into the presence of a king If this had beene the reall bodie of our Lord would he haue made any other comparison then from himselfe would he not haue said that it was requisite to worship it as God Ignatius Ignat. in ep ad Philadel There is one flesh of our Lord and one bloud shed for vs one bread also broken for all and one cup for the whole Church How was it possible for him better to distinguish betwixt the signes and the things then by these foure wordes flesh and bloud on the one part and bread and cuppe on the other Bellarmine would haue him to signifie by these wordes flesh and bloud his bodie stretched out and his bloud shedde vpon the crosse and by the bread and cup his bodie broken his bloud shed in the holy Supper But do we then eate in the holy supper an other body then that which was stretched and drinke we another blood then that which was shed vpon the crosse for vs What other thing is this then to take from vs all our consolation all our glorie And did not then the Apostles communicate Iesus Christ crucified And what becommeth of the glorie of that great Apostle who would not know or glorie in any other thing but him crucified And what other thing els is this but in most outragious manner to abuse the scripture That he did not speake in the supper of his bodie broken with griefes vpon the crosse but of his bodie broken vnder the Accidents of bread not of his blood shed for our sinnes but taken and powred out of the cuppe vnder the Accidents of wine which notwithstanding to be so is proued for that whereas it is said in S. Luke shed for you it is in S. Mathew shed for many for this cannot bee referred to the breaking or powring out which is in the celebration of the holy Supper but to that which was really made vpon the crosse The same father also vndermineth and ouerturneth the very foundation of transubstantiation by the nature of Christ Ignat. cp 8. ad Polycarp Here below saith he is the race but the crowne is laid vp in heauē Christ the son of God euen he who is not temporarie that is to say not subiect to any time in time inuisible by nature visible in the flesh impalpable and such as cannot be felt with handes and yet notwithstanding for the loue of vs become corporall and palpable c. Iustinus Martyr compareth the bread of the Eucharist Iustin in dial cum Tryphon to the cow which was sacrificed in the old law for them which were purged of the leprosie He hath giuen vs saith he to celebrate the Eucharist in remembrance of his death note remembrance which he suffered for them whose spirits are purged from sin to the end that we should render thanks vnto God Again He hath giuen the bread saith he to the end that we should beare in remēbrance that he was made a bodie for such as do belieue in him the cup to the end that we shold
Againe that which followeth Thy bodie is broken O Christ thy cup is blessed let thy blood be to vs vnto eternall life Can this be spoken and that in their owne iudgementes but of the bread and not of the bodie seeing that in the bodie they do not allow of any breaking And in deed he calleth the kinds after the consecration Creatures in these words Per quem haec omnia Domine semper bona creas sanctificas viuificas c. By whom O Lord thou createst all these thinges as also sanctifiest and quickenest them c. But the praiers which are said after the communion which they call Post-communions will witnesse with vs of the intent of the Church We which receiue the pledge of eternall life doe humblie beseech thee that this which we haue toucht by the image of the sacrament may be receiued of vs by a manifest receiuing c. Againe Hauing beene refreshed with celestial meat drinke we pray thee that we may be made strong through this prayers in remembrance of whom we haue receiued these things Again That we may receiue the sauing effect the pledge whereof we haue receiued by these mysteries Note Pledge Image of the Sacrament communication mysteries c. which they also commonly call Commercia sacrosancta redemptionis nostrae The sacred trafficke of our redemption Celestiall gifts the celestiall Table celestiall sacraments spirituall nourishmentes which are receiued by the spirit in visible mysteries but by an inuisible effect c. Now followeth that which is attributed vnto Chrysostome S. Chrysostomes liturgie but with what apparance of truth we haue shewed before for it cannot bee of fiue hundred yeares after The prefaces therein are customarie There is something said of change but by the inuocating of the name of God and by the power of the holy Ghost not by the pronunciation of wordes and not in the nature of the elementes but in the vse for likewise after the blessing there is a prayer For the precious giftes sanctified And the bread is called Holy bread which is distributed vnto those that are present in these wordes The Lambe of God the Sonne of the father is distributed and not diuided daily eaten and neuer consumed but he sanctifieth them which are partakers thereof Can this be any otherwise spoken then figuratiuely They obiect vnto vs that it is there said That Christ is present there That he is there toucht with the hand and seene with the eye c. And would they haue all this vnderstood according to the letter How then is it said both before and all with one breath Christ is there inuisiblie It is not incident for him to bee discerned there by our sight c. And how will these contradictions in one the same Periode agree stand together but only thus by vnderstanding the signe to be spoken of in the one the thing in the other Can they any way relieue themselues still holding their opinions without falling as saith the Canon into greater more dangerous heresies then euer did Berengarius But verily Chrysost hath spokē thus elswhere Christ is crucified before your eyes his bloud runneth downe from his side c. And S. Paul likewise to the Galathians Christ is crucified before your eies As in S. Ierome Hyeronym in Psal 85. Tertul. de baptism Our faces in baptisme are marked with the bloud of Christ In Tertullian We are washed in the passion of our Lord c. In S. Barnard Washed in his bloud in Baptisme c. And all this without any reall transmutation in the elements In the Masse also vsed at this day The liturgie of the Latines although that it haue beene ouertrimmed againe and againe wee may find sorne traces and footinges thereof for the bread and the wine are there called Dona Munera giftes offerings and the same gifts after consecration are called Creatures Per quem haec omnia semper bona creas c. Whereas the massing Priestes would haue vs belieue that after they haue once gone ouer them that they become the Creator himselfe And they pray vnto God That he would vouchsafe to accept them as the offeringes of Abell c. If it were Christ himselfe with what face could this be done Furthermore there are as yet many Post-communions carrying S. Ambrose his stile As this Pignus vitae eternae c. the pledge of eternall life Again Quod specie gerimus rerū veritare capiamus Lord let thy Sacraments accomplish in vs that which they containe to the end we may receiue in truth that which we handle in figure Otherwise how wil they expound this without a figure That the bodie that I haue taken and the bloud that I haue drunke cleaueth vnto my entralles if we vnderstand it not of the entralles of the soule and by consequent of the mouth of the same according to the words which follow That so there may not remaine any spot of mine iniquities in me c. They think themselues to haue done a great act against al these so euident proofes Obiection when they can but obiect against vs That our Lord had told his disciples that hee would not speake any more vnto them in similitudes and that the question is here about a Testament wherein euerie thing must be plainely set downe But is there any that do both wittingly and willingly make the same more obscure and intricate then they doe which of them or vs doth admit therein both moe figures more strange figures But we say that there is something to be said betwixt parables and figures and that figures are giuen to make cleare and plaine not to make obscure darke And that more is there is not any place in the scripture without speaking either of their figures That the whole discourse of the holy supper is full of figures or our owne wherein there are so many figures to be found Father let this cup passe from me Let a man sell that he hath to buy him a sword This cup is the new Testament c. I will not drinke any more of this fruit Behold thy mother c. Are these figures And is there not also both before and after the passion not onely figuratiue speeches but also figured deeds The washing of the feet of the Apostles The sop giuen to Iudas c. The breathing vpon the Apostles c. in these words Receiue the holy Ghost c. And yet these figures whether those concerning actions or those concerning wordes such as both expressely signifie as also giue much light to that which is intended to bee deliuered yea more then many other wordes would haue done For what store number would haue sufficed to lay open the duetie that our Lord would that S. Iohn should performe to the virgine or the humilitie which hee recommended to the Apostles or to haue set forth the presence of the spirite which he was as certainely to send vnto
them as they had sensiblie felt the breath which went out of his mouth CHAP. VII That the old Church did not belieue or teach Transubstantiation seeing it neither did nor obserued in respect of the kinds or Sacraments that which is practised at this day BVt doe we desire to bee yet more fully satisfied in this point If the olde Church had belieued or taught transubstantiation it wanted not either knowledge to discerne that which is meete and conuenient for the seruice of God nor yet conscience to practise it nor zeale or deuotion to procure it and then would it haue put in practise that which the Church of Rome did afterward and which it ceaseth not as yet to doe Now it did not forbid the touching of the sacraments it did not heaue them it did not worship them it did not make any store or resecruation of them that the people might worship them it called them not My Lord and my God as they doe at this day And therefore it did not belieue then as they doe at this day and therefore also it did not acknowledge them for any other thing then instruments of the grace of God c. And all this hath beene alreadie sufficiently proued before or els may very easilie bee proued by the testimonie of all antiquitie The sacrameÌ„ts were handled in the old time Tertul. ad vxorem Gregor Nazianz de Gorgon Euagrius Concil Altisiod c 35.37 All the faithfull did touch the Sacraments yea the women The truth thereof is manifest for we haue seene it giuen into their hands That it hath beene said vnto them accipite take That the women in Tertullian and Nazianznee are said to locke it vp to carie it away with them That the remainder was wont to be giuen to children that went to schoole That the forbidding of women to touch them with their bare hands was not till about the yeare 700. and that but by a prouinciall Councell holden at Auxerre And the custome of giuing it them into their mouthes was but two hundred yeares after that Likewise the wine was caried about in glasses the bread in ordinarie chestes as it is read of Exuperius Bishop of Tholosa The feare of shedding them was not entred before that time because they were reputed and taken but for Sacraments that is to say signes and which more is they were not any longer so reputed and taken then the verie time of their vsing They were not heaued or eleuated to make the people admire wonder at them That they were not heâ—ued They were not shauen at all ouer the head but on the contrarie men lifted vp their eyes and harts on high being taught thereunto by this notable preface Sursum corda Men were pluckt from off the earth by the Canon of the Councell of Nice Fixe not your eyes on the things here below c. Where as if there had beene any Deitie betwixt the handes of the Minister men would haue addressed themselues thereunto Dionys Hierar c. 3. men would haue learned to content and rest themselues there They bring forth a place out of Saint Denis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he bringeth into open view the giftes which bad beene couered and wrapped together till then And this is that which Pachymeres expoundeth in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he setteth in sight Let them not then forget that this is after that they haue sundry times called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say signes representing say I the body and bloud of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made conformable to our nature Againe That where he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee setteth in open sight hee addeth without any interruption or breache 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the thinges signified by the signes that is to say but carefully expounding them vnto those that are present But the custome was That the giftes and offeringes were brought and offered by the people And that of those offerings there was bread and wine taken for the Sacramentes That they stoode couered with a white linnen cloth till such time as they came to the communion and then they were vncouered And this he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. This is that which the expositors of Saint Denys doe say Pachymeres After prayers the holy giftes are vncouered and vnwrapped hauing stoode couered vnto the time of the communion Maximus addeth That the cuppe was also couered but he saith that it was not obserued in his time It is further to be noted that it was a great loafe that was cut into many peeces whereupon Saint Denys saith And opening the loafe that is couered and vndiuided and diuiding it into many peeces and distributing vnto all the vnitie of the cuppe that is to say one onely cuppe He accomplisheth symbolicallie or figuratiuely the vnitie that is to say hee teacheth them that they are all one in Christ one amongst themselues nourished with the verie same bread quickned with the verie same spirite This was not then any bread eleuated and held to bee seene ouer the head that it might bee worshipped but to aduertise the people to the ende they might prepare themselues to the communion in these wordes which were then vttered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holy things to them that are holy by which they were put in mind not to worship the Sacraments but rather to refraine to come thereto except they came with faith and repentance resolued to liue according to Christian vnitie and charitie c. This is that which S. Chrysostome saith The Minister speaketh these words to the end Chrysost in cp ad Hebr. hom 17. that if any man be not holy hee may not approach or come neere the same And in the liturgie attributed to him Approach saith hee in the feare of God faith and loue Cabasilas Draw neere that ye may communicate behold here is the bread of life but not except ye be holy And yet saith he not that it is required that wee should bee perfect but tending and striuing to perfection c. And as the Christian Church beganne to multiply they had a vaile in their Churches which made a partition betweene the holy table and the bodie of the Church and this was drawne at what time the people came vp to the communion whereof wee haue spoken heretofore And whereof we reade in Chrysostome Cum vela diducuntur Chrys in ep ad Ephes hom 3 when the vailes are drawne together c. Apuleius also maketh mention thereof in the mysteries of the Gentiles But they stand vppon this worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee lifteth it vp on high which Maximus a late Greeke writer doeth vse and they will not see that in the same Liturgies the Minister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lifteth vp the Gospell that is to say sheweth it vnto the people Was this then to the ende that they should wrrship it Was this as though there had beene a God really in