as by which he may readily finde such places soundly answered as the Papists vse to wrest against the trueth The Texts of the Old Testament GEnesis chapter 3. verse 22. And now leâ—t he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life and eate and liue for euer Page 1 Ge. 4.7 And thou shalt haue power ouer thy sin 361 Ge. 14.18 Melchisedech offred bread wine 419 Ge. 48.16 And let my name be named vpon them the name of my fathers Abraham Isaac 311 2. Sam. 12.14 Howbeit because by this deede thou hast caused the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme the child that is borne to thee shal surely die 292 Iob 42.8 And my seruant Iob shal pray for you for I wil accept him lest I should put you to shame 315 Psal 99.5 Adore ye his footstoole for it is holy 326 Psal. 110.4 Thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech 419 Psal. 66.12 We went into fire and water and thou hast brought vs into a place of comfort 298 Psal. 107.13 14 He bâ—ake their bonds asunder ib Ierem. 35.6 Ionadab the sonne of Rechâ—b our father commaunded vs saying Yeâ— shal dâ—iâ—ke no wine neither you nor your sonnes for euer 59 Dan. 4.24 â—edeeme thy sinnes with righteousnes 392 Dan. 9.24 Seuenty weeks are determined vpon thy people 99 Dan. 8.14 Vnto the euening and the morning two thousand and three hundred then shall the sanctuary beâ—â—â—ansed 98 Zach. 9.11 I haue loosed thy prisoners c. 297 Mal. 1.11 And a pure oblation shall be offered euery where 468 Mal. 3.3 He shal fine the sonnes of Leui. 299 Texts of the New Testament MAtth. chap. 5 verse â—6 Thou shalt not depart thence vntill thou hast payed the vtmost farthing 300 Mat 12.32 He that sinneth against the holy ghost shal neither be forgiuen in this world neither in the world to come 299 Matt. 16 19. And whatsoeuer thou shalt binde on earth c. 272 Matth. 28.20 And beholde I am with you till the worldes end 208 Luke 18.25 It is easier for a camel to go through a needles eie then c. 472 Luke 22.36 The saâ—nts are equall to the angels in heauen 338 Luke 22.31 I haue prayed for thee that thy faith neuer faile 212 Iohn 16.13 He will leade you into all truth 210 Ioh. 21.16 Feede my sheepe 215 Ioh. 21.26 Then came Iesus when the doores were shut and stoode in the middes 270 Actes 2.24 Whom God hath â—aâ—â—ed vp and loosed the sorowes of hell 305 1. Cor. 3.12 13. And the fire shall trie euery mans worke of what sort it is 301 1. Cor. 15 29. What shall they do that are baptized for the dead 302 2. Cor. 2.10 To whom ye pardon any thing I also pardon 277 2. Cor. 8.13 14. That also their abundance may be for your lacke that there may be equalitie 295 Ephes. 4.11 He hath put pastors and doctors in his church vntil the worlds end 193 Philip. 2.10 That at the name of Iesus euery knee should bow 301 1. Corinth 9 5. Haue we not power to leade about a sister a wife 220 Coloss. 1.24 And fulfil the rest of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the church 281 1. Timo 3.2 A bishop must be the husband of one wife 217 1. Timot. 3.15 The church is the ground of trueth 207 1. Timot. 4.3 Forbidding to marry and to abstaiâ—e from meates 226 1. Timot. 5.11 12. Hauing damnation bicause they haue broken their first faith 241 Hebr. 13 4. Marriage is honorable in all 225 1. Ioan. 5.16 If any man see his brother sinne a sin not to death 310 Apoc. 5 13. And all the creatures which are in heauen and on earth and vnder the earth and in the sea c. 304 Apoc. 19.10 See thou do it not I am thy fellow-seruant 321 A Table Alphabeticall A Abels death folio 46 Abraâ—â—mâ— birth and acts 49 Popish Abstinence 59 Adam created on friday 46 Adam though hee were mortall might haue liued foreuer 1 Adams age death and buriall 46 Ages of the world 2 Agnus Dei and the superstition thereof 492 Agrippa king of the Iewes 137 Allegeance taken away by the Pope 528 Alexandra the wife of Alexander 137 Angels if they heare our prayers 337 Antichrist See Supremacie and Priests marriage Antichristian tyranny 200 Antiochus his linage 147 The Apostles when and where they preached 172 Aristobulus king Herods sonne 139 Arrius and his heresie 178 Arrius thought to deceiue Constantine 179 Augustus the name of euery emperor 151 Auricular confession 493 B The tower of Babel 48 Babylon the place of the captiuitie 26 Praying vpon beades 487 Bernard condemneth merite of workes 389 Bernard affirmeth concupiscence to be sinne ibid. Bernard affirmeth the virgin M. to be a sinner 287 The Bookes of the scripture burnt and restored by Esdras 133 The Booke of Ieremie burnt by Ioachim and written againe 34 The Bookes of the Prophets 36 c. Bread remaineth in the eucharist 335 Popish Bulles 492 The building of the Temple 28 All Bishops erre by popish grant 204 C A Camel may passe through a needles eie 472 Candlemas day 491 The Captiuitie of the ten tribes 29 The Captiuitie of the two tribes 2â— The Cardinalles hat 488 The popish Carni-uale 492 Ceremonies of the Romish Church intollerable 486 Christs resurrection 168 Christs ascension and being in heauen 171 Christs body cannot be in two places at once 436 and 169 Christs body not carnally in the eucharist 466 Christs body truely eaten in the eucharist 464 Christs body not eaten by the wicked 452 Christs passion and the houre thereof 167 Christs resurrection 168 The Church cannot erre and how it is to be vnderstoode 207 The Church inuisible and how 206 The Church visible and how ibid. The visible Church among the Papists how ibi Church-seruice ought to be in the vulgar tongue 476 Circumcision a signe onely of the couenant 52 Concupiscence sinne in the regenerate 389 Confession in popish maner when it began 509 c Confession first instituted 515 Confession in popish manner impossible by grant of learned Papists 5â—6 Confession not knowne in Tertullians time 505 Confession abolished by Nectarius 509.510 The Communion of infants 186 Communion vnder one kinde 402 Communion of priests alone 415 Consecration in the popish masse and the forme thereof 432 The signe of the Crosse 157 Councelles summoned by the Emperour 518 D Dayes 2300. expounded 140 Dayes of popish abstinence 59 Daniel preached in Babylon 36 Daniel expoundeth the seuentie weekes 101 Darius king of the Medes 93 Dauid and other kings of the Hebrewes 24 The generall Deluge 27 The Departure of Israel out of Egypt 56 The Disciples of Christ 172 The Duration of the world 2 E Eli the priest Iudge of Israel 12 Elias at what time he liued 23 Elias the Cabalist his prophecie 2 Elias knew not the 7000. faithfull reserued in Samaria 206 The elect
Iapheth was the eldest sonne of Noah borne in the 500. yeere of his age Cham or Ham his second sonne borne in the 501. yeere of his age Sem his third and yongest sonne borne in the 502. yeere of his age Which tradition is very probable though not altogether certaine and vndoubted for Sem is said to be but 100 yeares olde 2. yeeres after the floud Genes 11. verse 10. yet is Sem named first in the scripture because the historie of the church is continued in his line Noah liued after the floud 350. yeares and when he was 950. yeeres old he died Gen. 9. verse 28. in the yeere of the world 2006. From Adam to the birth of Noah are 1056. yeres Gen. 5.3 from Adam vntill the death of Noah are 2606. yeeres The fourth section of the tower of Babel The tower of Babel was built about 130. yeeres after the floud in the yeere of the world 1788. The place where the tower stoode is now called Babylon that is to say confusion because from thence came the confusion of tongues Ioseph antiq lib. 1. cap. 4. Nimrod was a mightie hunter and the beginning of his kingdome was Babel in the land of Shinar for there was an other citie in Egypt called also Babel Gen. 10. verse 10. Nimrod was a cruell oppressor of the people and a very tyrant so as his tyranny came into a Prouerbe as Nimrod the mightie hunter before the Lord. Gen. 10. verse 9. Before the building of Babel the whole earth was of one language but they were puffed vp with pride and sought to build a tower to reach vp to heauen that so their name might be magnified and their power vnited on earth Yet sodainely such diuision of their vniforme language was made as one of them vnderstoode not another they were scattered abroade and the tower left vnperfect Genes 11. verse 4 7 8. Nimrod was the nephew of Cham who was son to Chus or Cush who first affected empire and beganne the forme of a kingdone in Chaldea his pallace was Babel Hee was the first that exercised hunting after Noahs floud Gen. 10. verse 7.10 About this time beganne a new kingdome amongst the Assyrians by Ashur the sonne of Sem his chiefe citie was Niniueh but he builded also Rehoboth and Calah Genes 10. verse 11. Genebr The fift section of Abraham Abraham was borne 352. yeares after the floud in the yeare of the world 2008. the promise was made to Abraham 427. yeeres after the floud which was 75. yeares after his birth hee was commanded to goe out of his countrey 423. yeares after the floud Abrahams father Terah died when Abraham was but 75. yeares olde Terah was 205. yeares old when he died Genes 11 verse 32. Abraham died when hee was 175 yeares olde Genesis 25. verse 7. At the death of his father Terah he was but 75. yeeres old Genesis 12.4 Gen. 11. verse 26 32. In which age of 75. yeeres Abraham departed out of Haran Genesis 12. verse 4. The first difficultie It seemeth by the twelfth chapter of Genesis that GOD spake to Abraham after the death of his father Thare or Terah when he was in Haran And it is euident by Genes 11. that God spake vnto him when hee was in Chaldea I answere that God spake to Abraham when he was in Chaldea his natiue countrey from whence hee went with his father to Haran where he abode by reason of his fathers infirmitie vntill his death After the death of his father hee went from Haran with Sarai his wife to Canaan the land of promise accordingly as God had commanded him which resolution will be cleare if we ioyne the beginning of the 12. chapter with the latter end of the eleuenth The second difficultie Saint Steuen saith in the seauenth of the Actes that Mesopotamia was Abrahams natiue country from whence he went to Charran Therefore it cannot be that Chaldea was his countrey I answere that Chaldea was his country and that his countrey was indifferently called either Mesopotamia or Chaldea Which I prooue by two reasons First because Plinius lib. 6. cap 26. saith that Chaldea is a citie in Mesopotamia Secondly because S. Steuen Acts 7. verse 4. confirmeth the same neither doth any graue writer denie but that Mesopotamia ioyneth to Chaldea and so Chaldea being in the confines of Mesopotamia may not vnfitly bee taken for the same The third difficultie It is said in the 11. of Genesis that when Abraham went from Vr of the Chaldees he dwelt in Haran but in the 7. of the Acts it is said that when he went out of Chaldea he dwelt in Charran so it seemeth that either holy Moses or S. Steuen must vtter an vntruth I answere that that word which Moses in Genesis calleth Charran is also called Charran by S. Steuen in the Acts although the Latine vulgata editio and other vulgar translations tearme it Haran The reason hereof is this because the first letter of that worde in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of diuers pronounced diuersly See the second chapter aforegoing in the end of the second age The fourth difficultie This is a great difficultie and worthie to be well obserued The doubt standeth thus Moses saith Genes 11. verse 26. that Terah begat Abraham when he was 70. yeeres olde In the same place he saith that Terah died when he was 205. yeeres old in the twelfth of Genesis hee saith that Abraham was 75. yeeres old when he departed out of Haran or Charran for all is one as is already saide so that by this reckoning we must want 60. yeares of Terahs age for albeit the scripture say that Terah liued 205. yeeres yet by the computation already made we cannot finde more then 145. yeeres I answer first that this difficultie hath troubled many learned men Some thinke that God would conceale the 60. yeeres that so the end of the world might be kept secret from vs. Others thinke that Abraham stayed those 60. yeeres with his father at Charran I answere secondly that Terah was 105 yeeres olde when he begat Abraham Neither is holy writ repugnant to this my answere For although it say that Terah was 70. yeeres old when he begat Abraham Nachor and Haran yet doth it not deny him to haue beene more but doth connotate the lesse by the more by the vsuall figure synechdoche very frequent in the holy scriptures See the second chapter aforegoing and the obiection made in the second age The sixt section of Isaac When Izhak was borne Abraham was 100. yeeres old Gen. 21. verse 5. Isaac was circumcised when he was eight daies old Gene. 21. verse 4. in the age of the world 2108. Circumcision of euerie man childe was appointed by God Genes 17. verse 10. in the age of the world 2107. Sodome about this time was destroyed with brimstone and fire descending from heauen Genes 19. verse 24. The promise was made to Abraham in Izhak his sonne Genesis 17. verse 21.
that a riche man may dine when he list a poore man when he can get meate The religious fast is abstinence with a penitent heart and true faith not onely from all meates and drinkes but euen from all thinges whatsoeuer that may any way nourishe or delite the bodie The forme of which fast is abstinence the matter is meate drinke and whatsoeuer bringeth corporall oblectation the efficient cause is faith and repentance for our sinnes the end is to appease Gods wrath and either to procure deliuerance from our miseries or some mitigation thereof For which cause fasting in the Scriptures is continually ioyned with praier and being vsed as is said God doth accept it for the merites of Christ Iesus not for anie worthinesse in it selfe The third proposition To fast rightly and christianly is to absteine from al meates all drinkes and from all corporall pleasures vntill the end of the fast and to bestowe the whole time in praying in lamenting our sinnes and in hearing the worde of God especially godly sermons For the externall affliction of our bodies by abstaining from meates and drinkes hath no other end effect or vse but to dispose prepare vs as is already said This proposition is prooued by the vsuall practise of holy people in all ages recorded in holy writ for our instruction holy king Dauid so soone as he vnderstood that his childe shoulde die for his sinnes gaue himselfe to fasting and praier and neuer ate while the childe was aliue 2. Sam. 12.5.17 The Niniuites vnderstanding Gods commynations and wrath for their sinnes sate in ashes put on sackcloth gaue themselues to earnest praier and absteined from all meates and drinkes vntill God shewed mercy towardes them Ion. 3.5.7 Holy queene Hester when she ioyned fasting with praier neither ate nor dranke at all vntil the end of her fast Ester 4. verse 16. Neither can it euer bee prooued by the authoritie of holy writ or by the practise of the primitiue Church or by the testimonie of the auncient fathers that Gods people did in any age at any time in any place or countrey vse either to eate or to drinke before the end of their fast whereby appeareth the absurditie of all popishe fasting which thing is most euident by the story of S. Spiridion handled in the next proposition The fourth proposition Popish choice of meates in their late inuented fastes is wicked and intollerable I say first popish choice because to put merite or religion in abstaining from one meate more then another is the peculiar badge of papistes or at least common to them with the Eucratites with the Tatians with the Catherans with the Manichies or like heretiques I prooue it because the Apostle saith plainly that all thinges are pure to the pure but the papistes and other olde heretiques tell vs that certaine meates at certaine times as in Lent in the imber dayes and Fridaies are vnpure and polluted yea so vnpure that they pollute all the eaters thereof and make them guiltie of eternal death Yet the Apostle auoucheth boldly and expresly that euery creature of God is good and that nothing ought to be refused if it bee receiued with thankesgiuing In the first verse of the same chapter he telleth vs that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith and giue heede to the doctrine of diuels In the third verse he sheweth what doctrine of deuils he meaneth To wit prohibition to abstaine from meates which God hath created to bee receiued with giuing of thankes Out of which wordes I note first that no creature of God is impure at anie time which is appointed for the nourishment of man I note secondly that no meate ought to bee refused in Lent or at other times if it be receiued with thankesgiuing I note thirdly that prohibition from certaine meates was not in the apostles time but inuented by heretiques of latter daies I note fourthly that such prohibition is of the diuell I say secondly late inuented fastes because Spiridion who was not only a bishop but also a man so holy that he wrought myracles and was in his life time reputed a Saint did not refuse to eate flesh in the time of Lent and that in his owne house yea he did not only eate fleshe himselfe but withall he intreated a stranger that lodged with him to doe the same And when the straunger refused to eate fleshe with him saying that hee was a christian and so prohibited to eate flesh at that time S. Spiridion replied vpon him and said that the rather he ought to eat flesh because he was a christian for all thinges were pure to the pure Thus did the blessed bishop and man of God renowmed for his rare gift of working miracles Whom the pope would burne for an hereticke with fire and fagot if he were this day liuing in Rome and woulde not retract his opinion For first hee eate fleshe himselfe contrary to popish doctrine Secondly he vrged the stranger to do the same Thirdly he auouched his fact to be the part of a christian Fourthly he signified y t to make conscience in choice of meates was the badge of an infidell Which fourth obseruation I gather out of the word rather Fiftly the fact of Spiridion prooueth that to make choice of meates was deemed superstitious not onely in the Apostles time but many hundred yeares after their departure hence I say thirdly wicked and intollerable first because popishe choise of meates taketh away christian libertie and maketh christian slaues to mans traditions For to the pure all thinges are pure by the libertie of Christes gospel I am perswaded saith the Apostle that no meate is vncleane And he addeth the reason because the kingdome of God is neither meat nor drinke Wherefore we ought not to destroy the worke of God for meates sake In another place he saith that if he should please men he were not the seruant of Christ. To please men is good and godly so long as their pleasure is measured with the holy will of God but when men would spoile vs of our christian libertie then must we fight against their wicked pleasures So S. Paul expoundeth himselfe in these wordes The false brethren creâ—t in priuily to spy out our liberty which we haue in Christ Iesus y t they might bring vs into bondage And why ye are bought with a price be not the seruauntes of men Christ himself forewarned vs to beware of the hypocriticall doctrine of the Pharisies because they corrupted the pure word of God with the mixture of their owne foolish traditions Secondly because the apostle teacheth vs that nothing ought to be refused if it be receiued with giuing of thankes Thirdly because no power on earth can alter the word of God Which worde telleth vs that all meates are alike lawfull Fourthly because to commaund the choice of meates for religion sake is to appoint a newe God For
deliuer man from the curse of the lawe The 13. day after Christs natiuitie certaine wise men came a long iourney out of the East to adore the Sauiour of the world And albeit Epiphanius affirmeth constantly that this comming was the second yere after Christs birth yet S. Hierome S. Augustine and other learned writers receiue the former opinion as most authenticall and they haue great reason so to do because the scripture seemeth to say no lesse For first the wisemen or astronomers are said to come when Christ was borne Which phrase can not be fitly verified but of a thing present or lately done Againe the wisemen found the babe in Bethlehem and consequently they came before the day of the purification for after that time Christ is not knowne to haue bin in Bethlehem And though the papists hold by a vain tradition that these wise men were three kings of Cullen Gaspar Melchiâ—r and Baltasar yet is it neither certaine that they were kings neither yet that they were no more but three And their owne reason thereof is very friuolous because their bodies are chalenged to be as well at Millaine as at Colen But here I must answer to some obiections which seeme to fortifie Epiphanius his opinion The first doubt The parents of Christ were so poore at the day of purification that they were not able to offer a lambe according to the law for rich men but were enforced to offer a paire of Turtle doues or two yong pigeons and therfore doubtlesse they had not receiued the rich treasures which the wise men brought to Christ. I answer that the blessed and humble virgin as shee was free from all pride and ostentation so was she not willing to change her poore state and condition which she knew well pleased her sonne the sonne of God The second doubt King Herod slew all the male children in Bethlehem and in all the coasts thereof from 2. yeeres old and vnder according to the time which he had diligently learned of the wisemen Among the rest he slew his owne sonne as writeth Macrobius who therefore wished rather to be Herodes hog then his child which certes he would neuer haue done if there had bene but 13. daies betweene the apparition of the starre and the comming of the wisemen I answer which is the opinion of saint Austen and saint Chrysostome that the starre appeared so long before the natiuitie of Christ as was sufficient for the wise men to dispatch their iourney and to adore Christ shortelie after he was borne Neither is it of force to obiect as some do that the wise men could not come so farre in so short a space for first whether these wise men were of the posteritie of Balaam and so came from Mesopotamia as saint Chrysostome saint Ierome and saint Ambrose thinke or they came out of Arabia which is the constant position of Iustinus or they were Persians or Chaldeans which the very name seemeth to prognosticate yet might they haue dispatched their iourney in lesse then tenne dayes For Hierusalem is distant from Aram from whence Balak brought Balaam but 72. miles from Vr of the Chaldees 212. miles Againe the starre appeared long before Christs birth so that they might be there in time conuenient Thirdly in those countries they haue plentie of dromedaries one of which wil carie a man as writeth Philostratur 1000. furlongs in one day that is 125. English miles CHAP. III. Of the perfect age of Christ. IEsus Christ when he was 30. yeeres of age left Galilee and came to the floud Iordan where he was baptized of saint Iohn his precursor By which act he sanctified our baptisme in himselfe the outward signe whereof putteth vs in minde that we must change our liues and become better assuring vs as by a seale that we are ingraffed into Christ whereby our old man dieth and the new man riseth vp againe So soone as Christ was baptized a voice came downe from heauen saying This is my beloued sonne in whom I am wel pleased This done he was teÌ„pted in the wildernes of y e deuill Christ hauing fasted 40. daies and being tempted of the deuil returned by the power of God into Galile after that a great fame was spread abroad of him in all the region hee came to Nazareth where he had beene brought vp and as his custome was went into the synagogue on the sabbaoth day to expound the scriptures Christ the third day after he came to Cana a towne in Galile was present at a marriage where he made water wine the first myracle that euer he wrought After Christ was baptised he began to preach the Gospell being 30. yeares of age as is already saide Which holy exercise hee practised almost three yeares before his passion his preaching was in the yeare of Iubilee because he preached the glad tidings of the gospell the remission of sinnes the saluation of his people CHAP. IIII. Of Christs death and passion CHrist called twelue vnto him whom hee named Apostles and sent them into the whole world to preach the gospel to al nations that so they might be witnesses of his doctrine confirmed with many myrracles Which doctrine being accomplished hee offered vp himselfe an vnspotted sacrifice vpon the altar of the crosse for the expiation of the sinnes of the worlde And this he did the 18. yeare of Tiberius Cesar in the eight Calends of Aprill if wee follow Tertullians supputation against the Iewes Christs passion began not onely in his taking and deliuerie vnto death but euen from the verie instant of his conception and continued vntill hee yeelded vp the ghost For as Ludolphus writes learnedly when Christ as God foresaw in his diuine wisedome the cruell and bitter torments which hee was to suffer infallibly hee coulde not but naturally sorrow for the same as which were throughout all his body throughout all the members of his body and throughout all the inferior powers of his soule He suffered in all his time in all his body in all his works In time of his infancie basenesse of his mothers womb pouertie asperitie vilitie in the manger persecution of y e aduersarie flight into Egypt In time of his adolescencie frequent disputations painful peregrinations lothsome precipitations In his iuuenile age most bitter cruell death for in his whole body he sustained paines intollerable in his eies the effusion of teÌ„der teares in his delicate eares the hearing of contumelies and execrable blasphemies in his eie-lids the pangs of buffetting in his nostrils the stinch of vglie spitting in his sweete mouth the bitternesse of vineger and gall in his hands the prints of the nailes whipping and oft scourging throughout his blessed bodie What he sustained in his works cannot easily be expressed by the tongue of man For they reuiled his diuine preaching his most sacred conuersation his miraculous operation He was led as a lambe to
that the ternarie number doth not determine the apparitions in themselues but the diuersitie of dayes and times in which they were made for al apparitions made in one the same day are reputed named one The second doubt It is saide in these apparitions that Christ came into the middes of his Disciples and stoode among them euen when they were within the house the doores closely shut Wherby it appeareth euidently that Christs body may be both in heauen and in the sacrament at one and the same time for it no more repugneth for one bodie to bee in diuers places at once then for diuers bodies to be in one place at once Which latter is here verified of Christs body and the doore or walles of the house The answere I answere that God cannot by his absolute power make Christes body to be in diuers places at once not because there is any defect in God who is omnipotent but because contradiction is implied in the thing which should be done Which point I haue prooued euidently in the 12. preamble of my Booke of Motiues For the reasons there alleadged are effectuall if they be applied to this purpose In like maner I say that two bodies cannot be in one place at once because to haue parts without parts and to occupie place is of the formall and intrinsecall conceit of euery organicall and quantitatiue bodie such as Christes true body is Whereupon S. Augustine said truely and learnedly that if occupation or spaces of places be taken away from bodies they shall lose their essence and be no bodies at all So then the entrance of Christ into the house when the doors were shut and also his comming out of the sepulchre when the stone was vnrolled away neither doth nor can prooue that two bodies were in one place at once but that the doore and the stone gaue place for the time to Christes mightie power like as the red Sea gaue place to the Israelites and they passed through the middest thereof And as S. Peters chaines gaue place to his handes and as the Iron gate opened to him of it owne accord Furthermore if Christes bodie can be in ten thousand places at once as the papistes impudently auouch it must also follow that it may be in infinite places at once which is the heresie of the Vbiquitaries For after this maner did S. Hierome reason against Iohn the Bishop of Hierusalem when hee laboured to prooue that our bodies may liue without meate after the resurrection If a man may liue fourty daies without meate saith S. Hierome as Moses and Elias did by the power of God then doubtles may he liue eternally by the same power of God In fine this veritie is made euident by that argument which Gods angel made to Mary Magdalen and the other Mary comming to see the sepulchre And because the argument is of force to confound all papistes in the world if it be well vrged I will alledge the argument as it is in the originall and then make effectuall application thereof These are the expresse wordes of the holy Euangelist Saint Matthew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee is not heere for he is risen as he saide Where I obserue first the assertion simplie in it selfe Secondly the cause and reason of the same assertion The assertion is this Christ is not in the sepulchre the reason heereof is this because Christ is risen Nowe then since Christ cannot be in the Sepulchre because he is risen it followeth of necessitie that either the angel of God inspired with Gods holy spirite made a very foolish and friuolous argument which to affirme is void of all christianitie or els that Christes body cannot be in two places at once which is that that I intend to proue For if it were not as I say the women might haue replied effectually against the angel thus albeit Christ be risen as you say yet may he be in the sepulchre also because his body may be in two places at once but the angel reputing it a thing cleere and euident that Christes body could not be in two places at one the selfe same time concluded directly and forcibly as hee thought Christes absence in the sepulchre bicause he was risen againe See the 3. part 10. chapter 4. conclusion and 3. paragraphe CHAP. VII Of Christes ascension and being in heauen CHrist hauing presented himselfe by many infallible tokens after that hee had suffered his passion conuersing visibly with his disciples by the space of fourtie daies in which time he spoke of thâ—nges pertaining to the kingdome of God told them that they should be his witnesses in Hierusalem al Iudea in Samaria and vnto the vttermost part of the earth he commanded them that they should not depart from HierusaleÌ„ but shuld wait for the promise of the father which things when he had spoken hee was taken vp in a cloud out of their sight While they looked stedfastly toward heaueÌ„ two men stood by them in white apparel said to them ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing into heauen this Iesus which is taken vp fro you into heuen shal so come as ye haue seen him go into heuen Then y e disciples returned to Hierusalem froÌ„ the mount Oliuet which is neer to HierusaleÌ„ being froÌ„ it a sabaoths dayes iorny which is about 2000. paces or two English miles While the Apostles whose names are Peter Iames the son of Zebedeus Iohn Andrew Philip Thomas Bartholomew Mathew Iames the sonne of Alpheus Symon Zelotes and Iudas Thaddeus expected the comming downe of the holy ghost at Hierusalem there abode with them certain women and Mary the mother of Iesus and his brethren that is his kinsfolkes For it was as well behooueable to haue the wiues confirmed as the husbandes because they were afterward to be partakers of the daungers with them All which praied with one accord not onely for the sending of the holy ghost but also for deliuerance from present daungers wherewith they were beset Christ ascended vp into heauen must there remaine vntill his second aduent the day of doome general And so he neither is nor can be in the round cake as papistes impudently contend After Christes ascension and comming of the holy Ghost his apostles went abroad preaching the gospel to all nations whose limites actes and death the next chapter in particular maner shall describe CHAP. VIII Of the seuerall precinctes liues and deathes of the Apostles taken out of Epiphanius Tertullian Optatus Eusebius Oecumenius Nicephorus and others Of Peter and Philip. S. Peter after that hee had preached the gospell of Iesus Christ in PoÌ„tus Galatia Cappadocia Bithyma Italy was crucified at Rome with his had downward vnder the emperour Nero and buried there the third Calendes of Iulie S. Paul the chosen vessel of God omnipotent and the immoueable piller of his church was beheaded the same yere the
were married to wit that they would be louing diligent carefull obedient to their husbands and aboue all the rest keep their coniugall faith The third faith was that which these widowes made to the bishop the whole church to wit that they would execute their deaconship honestly faithfully constantly perseuer therein to the end The yonger widowes waxing wanton against Christ did not only breake their last promise forsaking the ministery of the church but their first and most holy promis made in baptisme while they departing from the purity of honest life and religion consecrated themselues to paganisme and infidelitie and so purchased to themselues Gods wrath eternal damnation Therefore the apostle maketh no mention of any vow but only reproueth vnconstant women who being relieued a long time by the common tresure of the congregation to minister to the sicke persons did afterward both forsake their promise Christ too and became heathens running after satan For this is euident by the words of the 15. verse of the 5. chapter from whence the obiection is taken where the apostle saith that some widowes are already turned back from Christ their guide to whom they had dedicated theÌ„selues in baptisme folowed after satan It wil not serue the papists to say after their wonted maner that marriage breaketh not our promise made in baptisme For albeit the faith of baptisme be not brokeÌ„ by marrying absolutely and simply yet is it indeede broken by marrieng against Christ that is by marrying in such maner as they renounce christianitie And this my answer is confirmed because if the apostle had meant otherwise he would haue called it the last faith and not the first I say fiftly that these words for when they shall wax wanton against Christ they wil marry do euidently proue that S. Paul meaneth the promise made in baptisme and I desire the gentle reader to marke my discourse attentiuely for this obiection is the bulwarke to defend this article of poperie I therefore note first that these foure things are really distinguished in S. Paul to wit the waxing wanton of the widows the marriage of the widowes the damnation of the widowes and the breach of their faith I note secondly that the wantonnes of the widows was before their marriage for so the apostle saith expresly I note thirdly that the widowes promised in their baptisme to keepe Gods holy commaundements among which one is this Non concupisces Thou shalt not lust I note fourthly y t the breach of euery commandement deserueth eternal death For so saith the apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for y e reward of sin is death And another scripture saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Accursed be he that confirmeth not the words of this lawe in doing them for as saint Iames saith though a man keep all the residue of the law yet if he offend in any one point he becommeth guiltie of all I note fiftly that by Gods law we are bound to refer all our workes all our words and al our thoughts to his honour and glory for so teacheth his apostle and consequently that the wantonnes of the yonger widowes was a breach of Gods holy laws These points obserued I conclude that the yonger widows had damnation not for marrying but for being wanton before their marriage For in being wanton against Christ they brake their first faith made in baptisme that is they performed not that obedience they promised in baptisme in not performing that obedience they deserued eternal death and so they had damnation bicause they were wanton against Christ. S. Paul saith not that they had damnation bicause they married which must be wel marked but bicause they made voide their first faith in breaking Gods coÌ„mandements as ye haue heard I say sixtly that saint Paul is so far from condemning marriage in the yonger widowes after their promise or vow which the papists would most willingly father vpon him as he exhorteth them to marry euen after such their promise or vowe I prooue it note wel what I say because so soone as hee hath willed the yonger widowes to marry in the 14. verse foorthwith in the 15. verse he yeeldeth the reason of that his aduise to wit because certaine are already turned backe after Satan Now in the 15. verse he must needs speake of such widowes as were receiued into the ministerie of the church because none could be turned backe from that to which they neuer were admitted he therfore speaketh likewise of the betrothed widows in the next verse before which I make euident three wayes first because otherwise his illation in the 15. verse shoulde be foolish friuolous foolish because it could haue no connexion with the 14. verse friuolous for that it could not conclude his purpose secondly because he had already in the 11. verse charged the bishop Timothy not to receiue any widow vnder the age of 60. yeeres This conclusion therefore being made touching the widowes not yet admitted he goeth forward and giueth his aduise for the yonger widowes then receiued of the church as if he had saide for as much as some of the yonger sort haue alreadie beene wanton and followed sathan and there is also danger in the rest I decree that hereafter none vnder 60. yeares be receiued and I exhort the yonger alreadie receiued and desirous to marrie to betake themselues to holie wedlocke to bring forth children to be housewiues and so to giue no occasion to the aduersarie to speake euill Thirdly because otherwise Saint Paul should equiuocate verie grossely in one and the selfe same reason giuing one signification to the same word in the premisses an other in the consecution Thus much of this obiection in special and of the mariages of Bishops priests deacons and religious persons in generall as also of the first â—rohibition against the same It nowe remaineth for the complement of this discourse that I solue certaine obiections made generally against this doctrine for which shalbe assigned the next chapter CHAP. IIII. Of certaine generall obiections against the marriages of Priests with briefe solutions of the same The first obiection BE sanctified therefore and be holy for I am holy your lord and God I answer that al the Israelits were commanded to be sanctified to be holy aswel as were the priests and so if this argument were of force in popish sence al people aswel as priestes shoulde abstaine from the vse of holy wedlocke yea the priests were euen then married as is already proued The second obiection I would haue you without care the vnmarried careth for the things of the lord how he may please the Lord but he that is married careth for the things of the world how hee may please his wife therefore priests ought not to be married The answere I say first that S. Paul preferreth the state of the vnmarried before the
they iterate their sinne in performing the same Who neuerthelesse shoulde haue sinned but once if after the making of their vngodly vowes they had ceased from the performance thereof For which cause holy Bernard aduiseth his sister grauely not to keepe and performe any ill vow Thus doth he write Rescinde fidem in malis promissis In turpi voto muta decretum Malum quod promisisti non facias Quod incautè vouisti nō impleas Impia est promissio quae scelere adimpletur Breake thy faith in euill promises chaunge thy purpose in vnhonest vowes doe not that euill which thou hast promised performe not that which thou hast rashly vowed That promise is wicked which is performed with wickednesse S. Isidorus hath the selfe same resolution concerning ill vowes as hee is alledged by Gratian. S. Bede after he had largely discoursed vpon euil promises and withall shewed that it is better euen to be periured then to performe naughtie and wicked promises alledged for the confirmation of his opinion the fact of holy Dauid in the death of Nabal These are his wordes Denique iurauit Dauid per Deum occidere Nabal virum stultum impium atque omnia quae ad eum pertinebant demoliri sed ad primam intercessionem Abigail foeminae prudentis mox remisit minas reuocauit ensemin vaginam neque aliquid culpae se pro taliperiurio contraxisse doluit Finally Dauid sware by God that he would kill Nabal a foolish wicked man that he would destroy all his both smal great yet so soon as Abigail Nabals wife a wife woman made her petition to him he abated his anger put vp his sword and nothing lamented the breach of his othe S. Ambrose hauing at large prooued by many golden testimonies that it was sinne to breake ill vows then to performe the same at length alleageth the ensample of Christ himselfe for that only purpose these are his words Non semper igitur promissa soluenda omnia sunt denique ipse dominus frequenter suam mutat sententiam sicut scriptura indicat Therefore all promises ought not to be kept at all times for euen our Lord God himselfe doeth oftentimes change his purpose as holie Writ beareth record S. Austen reputeth it a great point of wisedome not to do that which a man hath rashly spoken thus doth he write Magnae sapientiae est reuocare hominem quod male locutus est It is great wisedome for a man to call backe and not performe that which he hath spoken vnaduisedly Soter who himselfe was the bishop of Rome teacheth expresly that rash promises ought not to be kept these are his words Si aliquid incautius aliquem iurasse contigerit quod obseruatum in peiorem vergat exitum illud salubri consilio mutandum nouerimus magis instante necessitate periurandum nobis quam pro facto iuramento in aliud crimen maius diuertendum If any man shall sweare vnaduisedly which if it be performed bringeth greater harme that ought to be changed by prudent aduise for we must rather be periured if neede so require then for performance of our othe to commit a greater sinne so then it is euident that vngodly and vnlawfull vowes ought not to be kept But such is not the vow of single life say the papists This therefore must be examined The vow of single life is a godly vow and so liked of Saint Paul as he reputed them damned that kept not the same I answer that it is a wicked and vngodly vow to tie our selues from marriage al the daies of our life and I wil proue the same by the best approued popish doctours and by the doctrine established in the Romish church and that because the replie containeth such matters as is no lesse intricate then important I therefore say first that it is a verie wicked and vngodly act for a man to expose himselfe to sinne Thus much is granted by the vniforme consent of all learned Papists insomuch as all the Summists agree in this that those arts which can seldome or neuer be vsed without sin are altogether vnlawfull Gregorie surnamed the Great as hee was vertuous and learned so was he the bishop of Rome and for that respect of great account among the Papists though he were no papist in deede as now a daies papists are so knowne and called thus doth he write Sunt enim pleraque negotia quae sine peccatis exhiberi aut vix aut nullatenus possunt quae ergo ad peccatum implicant ad haec necesse est vt post conuersionem animus non recurrat For there be sundrie arts which can hardly or not at all bee practised without sinne therefore after our conuersion wee may not haue recourse to such as anie way draw vs to sinne Nowe let vs applie this to the matter in hand for it is most certaine that he exposeth himselfe to sinne that bindeth himselfe neuer to vse the remedie against sinne for example if a man should vow that hee would neuer vse the helpe of surgerie or phisicke that man shoulde doubtlesse expose himselfe to the perill of death none but senselesse bodies will or can this denie So in our case of single life because God hath appointed matrimonie for a remedie against sinne so saith the Apostle to auoide fornication let euerie one haue his wife and let euerie woman haue her husband For which respect Saint Gregorie Nazianzene saith that marriage is not so subiect to perill as single life I say secondly that it is a great sinne to debarre and stop the course of naturall propension yea this is a thing so certaine as their angelicall doctour Aquinas proueth thereby the murdering of ones selfe to be sinne bicause it is against the inclination of nature Nowe let vs make application heereof for the propension to beget children is naturall as which was before sinne in the state of innocencie and so hee that maketh a perpetuall vow of chastitie feeling in himselfe this propension committeth a greeuous sinne I say thirdly that it is a damnable sinne to tempt God for it is written in Gods booke yee shall not tempt the Lorde your God Vppon which words the glosse receiued of all papists saith thus Deum tentat qui habens quid faciat sine ratione committit se periculo hee tempteth God who hauing ordinarie meanes committeth himselfe to daunger without cause This exposition is so agreeable to the text as Aquinas willingly admitteth the same Nowe let vs applie it to the matter in hande He that refuseth ordinarie meanes and so committeth himselfe to perill tempts God grieuously as both the popish glosse and Aquinas grant but the ordinarie meanes to auoide fornication is marriage saith the Apostle therefore he that voweth neuer to marrie exposeth himselfe to the danger of fornication thereby tempteth god grieuously and consequently his vow is wicked and damnable I say fourthly
thy footstoole he meaneth not that Christ shall sit no longer on his right hand No no God auert The 7. obiection If any man build on this foundation golde siluer pretious stones timber hay or stubble euery mans worke shalbe made manifest for the day shall declare it because it shalbe reuealed by the fire and the fire shall trie euery mans work of what sort it is This fire the holy fathers doe vnderstand of purgatorie Ergo it ought not to be denied The answere I say first that all the fathers as well old as latter writers confesse that S. Paules discourse is altogither metaphoricall consequently y t no doctrine of faith can be grounded thereupon I say secondly that the old writers dissent one from another in the exposition of his text For S. Chrysostome vnderstandeth it of hell fire S. Hierome of Gods examination in the day of general iudgment S. Gregorie of the fire of tribulation in this life S. Ambrose and S. Theodoret of the fire of Gods iudgemēt others otherwise Gregorius Magnus hath these expresse words Quamuis hoc de igne tribulationis in hac vita nobis adhibito possit intelligi albeit this place may be vnderstood of the fire of tribulation which we suffer in this life Out of which words I note that although this Gregory thought there was a purgatory of small sins after this life yet did he confesse y t this place could proue no such thing Hereunto I adde that if either this text or any other had been a sufficient warrantize for purgatory aswel the Greekes as the ancient fathers would haue receiued it both which their own Roffensis denieth as is already proued I say thirdly that it cānot possibly be vnderstood of purgatory and I proue it effectually First because al martyrs go straight to heauen as al papists confesse Secondly because al such as haue plenary pardons frō the pope escape purgatory go the ready way to heauē Thirdly because Ieremy Iob. Ioh. Baptist the blessed virgine sundry others in whose passions of supererogation they build the treasure of the church and popish pardons could neuer come in purgatory and yet doth the text say that all aswel good as bad must be tried by that fire whereof the apostle speaketh in this place I say fourthly y t the apostle here speaketh of y e fire of probation but not of purgation as y e papists would haue him to doe These are y e words vniuscuiusque opus quale sit ignis probabit the fire shal trie euery ones worke of what sorte it is Which S. Austen well obserued when he wrote in this maner Ignis de quo locutus est eo loco apostolus Paulus talis debet intelligi vt ambo per eum transeant id est qui aedificat supra hoc fundamentum aurum argentum lapides pretiosos qui aedificat ligna foenum stipulam The fire whereof the apostle Paul speaketh in that place must be vnderstood to be such an one that both sorts may passe through it that is aswel he that buildeth vpon this foundation gold siluer or pretious stones as he that buildeth wood hay or stubble I say fiftly that all thinges spoken of in this text are taken metaphorically gold siluer and pretious stones doe signifie sound doctrine timber hay and stubble signifie false doctrine the builders are such as teach that doctrine the day signifieth time the daughter of trueth and the fire signifieth Gods spirit which reuealeth all trueths maketh false doctrine knowen This exposition is gathered out of the circumstances of the text it selfe out of S. Ambrose and S. Austen and out of late popish writers For their owne Hofmeisterus if my memory faile me not and their Gagnaeius also haue this interpretation in flat and expresse termes It is long since I read them and I haue not now their bookes at hand otherwise I would haue alledged their wordes I say sixtly that al such as would ground popish purgatory vpon this text are enforced to confesse and admit manifold absurdities And for triall hereof togither with that which is already said these wordes of our Iesuite Bellarmine may suffice Respondeo nos cogi ab ipso textu ad aequiuocationem non vnam sed duas admittendas I answere that the very text doth compell vs to admit more then one equiuocation The 8. obiection What shall they do which are baptised for dead if the dead rise not at all Why are they then baptised for the dead out of this place as our Iesuite Bellarmine supposeth nay as hee braggingly boasteth is popish purgatorie prooued vndoubtedly The answer I say first that great is the impudencie of our Iesuit who glorieth so much in his late Romish exposition which neither any one of the ancient fathers approueth neither yet sundrie of his owne fellowes will admit For Epiphanius Theodoretus Chrysostomus Tertullianus Ambrose Sedulius Anselmus Oecumenius Haymo and Theophilactus do expound it flatly against our Romish Iesuite and so doe also his owne deare fellowes Aquinas and Caietanus I say secondly that S. Paul vnderstandeth by those that are baptised for dead such as are at the point of death and are reputed as dead or for dead this saith S. Epiphanius is the true meaning of the Apostle and that he saith truely I appeale to the true iudgement of the indifferent reader These are the words of Epiphanius Alii rectè hoc dictum interpretantes dicunt quod morti vicini si fuerint in pietatis doctrina instructi ob hanc spem ante obitum lavacro digni fiunt ostendentes quod qui mortuus est etiam resurget ob id indiget remissione peccatorū per lauacrū Others interpret this saying of the apostle truly say that such as are at the point of death if they be instructed christiāly are for this hope worthie of baptising before they die thereby signifying that he which is dead shall rise againe and for that ende hath need of remission of his sins by baptisme This then is the true meaning of S. Paul in this place what shall they do which are baptised for dead that is which are rather reputed for dead then for liuing Wherefore are they baptised if the dead rise not againe for since they cannot be baptised for anie commoditie of this life which presently they must forsake being so extreamely sicke their baptisme prooueth the resurrection of the dead And where our Iesuit listeth to wrangle vpon the words pro illis for them it shall suffice to tell him that their latin so magnified edition is false and that in the originall and Greeke copies it is thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the dead and so his cauill is not worth a figge The ninth obiection S. Paul saith that in the name of Iesus euery knee voweth both of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth but the
the reward of eternal life I say fourthly that to inuocate saints departed beleeuing that they can do heare our praiers is to make them gods And euen so shuld we make the liuing gods if we did in that maner cal on thē in their absence I may therfore wel conclude that though the one kind of praying be godly and imitable yet is the other damnable and flat idololatricall for God is zealous and wil not giue his glorie to another The second obiection The soule of the rich man in hel knew where Abraham was as also the state of Lazarus and of his brethren then liuing therfore much more do the saints in heauen know our state on earth The answere I say first that parables and allegories are not sufficient to establish any new kind of doctrine for by this parable as Irenaeus recordeth Christ meant nothing els but to declare the cogitations torments state of the wicked after this life Iustinus is of the same opinion hereupon flatly denieth purgatory I say secondly that if this were granted to be a true history no parable yet would it not follow therupon that the saints in heauen knew our thoughts and praiers here on earth for as S. Austen grauely writeth though the dead knowe not what is done here on earth while wee doe it yet may they afterwarde know what is done either by the dead that go from hence or by the angels that are present when the things are done and this knowledge had Abraham by the relation of the dead and no otherwise as witnesseth the same S. Austen in the same booke The third obiection S. Austen Ambrose Gregory Cyprian and the ancient fathers generally vsed to inuocate and to pray vnto the saints and therfore it is neither any new thing nor any vnlawful act The answere Better answer cannot be giuen to the fathers then that which is truely gathered out of the works of the same fathers I therfore say first with Cyprian that we must heare attend what Christ alone saith in whom God is wel pleased We must not regard what others think shuld be done but what Christ who was before al wold haue to be done for we must not folow the custom of man but the truth of god so saith holy Cyprian To which I may adde with S. Ierome that y e multitude of them that erre bring no patronage to the error it self with Augustine that neither what I say nor what thou saiest but what Christ saith ought to be regarded with Tertullian that that is tru whatsoeuer was first that coūterfeit whatsoeuer came after I say secondly that thogh the papists glorie greatly of y e fathers in this point yet when their sayings are duly considered they wil make litle or nothing for their purpose And that the reader may with perspicuitie behold the force of their doctrine in this point which hath kept my selfe long in suspence I purpose in God to deliuer the sum thereof by these plaine and briefe canons The first Canon The visible Church as writeth Egesippus remained a virgin free from all heresies and corruptions during the life of the Apostles that is about one hundred yeeres after Christ to which time S. Iohn the euangelist was liuing But after the death of the apostles errors by litle and little crept into the church as into a voide and desart house Which assertion is doleful inough but yet profitable against the papists as who are not ashamed impudently to auouch that after so many hundred yeres from Christs ascension there hath been no errour at all in their whorish Babylon And a great cause of these errors is this for that many without due examination receiued the doctrine of him that went before them So writeth Eusebius that Papias a man of no sound iudgement was the Author of the Chiliastes as who first grossely inuented that there should be 1000. yeres after the resurrection To which error though most palpable Irenaeus and others otherwise wel learned gaue place onely for antiquitie sake This imitation without time or reason was is and wil bee the cause of many errors which sundrie of the learned papists haue profoundly considered For this cause did Canus oppose himselfe against al the Thomists Scotists the old and latter papists for this cause did Caietanus in his literall exposition of Genesis and other bookes condemne the multitude of former commentaries for this cause said their learned Victoria that he reputed nothing certaine albeit al writers agreed thereunto vnlesse he could finde it in the holy scriptures for this cause their sound canonist Nauarre did roundly reiect the common opinion when it seemed not grounded vpon right reason for this cause grauely said Saint Austen that he reputed no mans writings free from errours but onely the writers of the holy scriptures for this cause said their owne Roffensis that it is lawful to appeale from Austen Cyprian Hierome and al the rest because they are men and do not want their imperfections I saith S. Austen do not repute S. Cyprians writings as canonical but iudge them by the canonicall and whatsoeuer doth not agree with the scriptures that by his leaue do I refuse The second Canon Many of the ancient fathers haue not only many waies erred but withall committed to the view of the worlde in printed bookes that which this day is reputed and generally confessed of al as wel papists as good christians to be a notorious heresie The heresie is this to wit that the soules of the faithful departed out of this life doe not see God clearely till the day of doome This opinion held Iustinus Martyr Irenaeus Origenes Chrysost. Theodoritus Hilarius Ambrosius Augustinus Lactantius yea these latter writers were of the selfesame resolution Theophilactus Oecumenius Euthymius Arethas and others And to the great comfort of our Iesuits and other papists their owne sweete S. Barnard singeth the same song these are his words Aduertistis ni fallor tres esse sanctarum status animarum primum videlicet in corpore corruptibili secundum sine corpore tertium in beatitudine consummata primū in tabernaculis secundū inatriis tertium in domo dei Infra in illam beatissimam domum nec sine nobis intrabunt nec sine corporibus id est nec sancti fine plebe nec spiritus sine carne Ye vnderstand I weene that there be three states of holy soules to wit the first in the corruptible body the second without the body the third in perfect blisse the first in tabernacles the second in courts the third in the house of God Into that most blessed house they shall neither enter without vs nor yet without their bodies that is neither the saints without the common multitude nor the soules without the flesh Again in another place the same Bernard hath these words Interim sub Christi
Fiftly that by reason thereof whosoeuer saith he hath no sinne is a flat lyer Sixtly that how vertuously soeuer we liue yet must we desire God to forgiue vs our sinnes by reason of this concupiscence Seauenthly that wee must thus pray euen after all sinnes be forgiuen vs in our baptisme The fourth place of Saint Austen Si in parente baptizato potest esse peccatum non esse cur eadem ipsa in prole peccatum est Adhaec respondetur dimitti concupisceÌ„tiam carnis in baptismo non vt non sit sed vt in peccatum non imputetur If it be demanded how concupiscence can be without sinne in the parent that is baptised and yet be sinne in the childe I answere that concupiscence is forgiuen in baptisme yet not so that it remaineth not still but that it be not imputed for sinne Thus saith Saint Austen in which words he sheweth plainely that concupiscence remaineth as well in the baptised parent as in the vnbaptised childe yet with this difference that it is sinne in the parent though not for sinne imputed but in the child it is both sinne and so reputed The fift place of Saint Austen Ideo apostolus non ait facere bonuÌ„ sibi non adiacere sed perficere Multumâ—n boni facit qui facit quod scriptuÌ„ est postconcupiscentias tuas non eas sed non perficit quia non implet quod scriptum est non concupisces The Apostle therefore saith not that he hath not power to do good but that he can not perfect that which is good For he doth great good who doth that which is written follow not thy lustes but he doth not perfect his well doing because he fulfilleth not that which is written Thou shalt not lust Thus saith S. Austen Out of whose words I note first that S. Austen speaketh these words of the regenerate for they onely can do good as is already prooued I note secondly that though the regenerate can do good and striue against lust yet can they not do that good so perfectly but it is alwayes annexed to sinne and chayned with it as with an heauie yokefellow I note thirdly and I wish the reader to marke well my words that the tenth commaundement which is thou shalt not lust prohibiteth not onely actuall lust done with consent but also originall lust without consent and consequently that concupiscence remayning in the regenerate is sinne properly and formally I prooue it because S. Paule could not performe this precept as S. Austen truely and learnedly obserued and yet concerning actuall consent S. Paule was free and innocent as who fought mightely against his concupiscence and would in no wise yeeld vnto the same He was therefore guiltie by reason of originall concupiscence which abode in him against his will To will is present with me sayth S. Paule but I finde no meanes to perfourme that which is good for I do not the good thing which I would but the euill which I would not that do I. Now if I do that I would not it is no more I that do it but the sinne that dwelleth in me Loe the holy Apostle confesseth plainely that he sinneth against his will and that by reason of originall concupiscence which remayned in him after Baptisme S. Austen singeth the same song and yet our Papists will not haue it sinne and why because forsooth it ouerthroweth their holy iustifications their inherent purities their condigne merites their mutuall satisfactions and their pharisaicall supererogations And yet Petrus Lombardus their worthie maister of Sentences whose booke to this day is publikely read in their schooles of Diuinity vtterly condemneth their hereticall doctrine in this point these are his expresse words Secundum animas vero iam redempti sumus ex parte non ex toto à culpa non à poena nec omninò à culpa non enim ab ea sic redempti sumus vt non sit sed vt noÌ„ dominetur But touching our soules we are redeemed in part not wholy from the fault not from the paine neither wholy from the sinne or fault For we are not so redeemed from it that it be not in vs but that it rule not ouer vs. Thus writeth the venerable popish master our reuerend father Lombarde out of whose words wee may gather with facility so much as wil serue our turn against al papists For first he saith y t we are redemed in part but not in al. SecoÌ„dly that we are not wholy redeemed froÌ„ sin Thirdly he telleth vs how and in what maner we be redeemed from sin to wit that albeit sin stil remaine in vs yet hath it not such dominion ouer vs as it can enforce vs to consent thereunto The second obiection If concupiscence were sinne in the regenerate it would make them guiltie of eternall death and yet are they free from all condemnation as witnesseth the Apostle The answer I answere that concupiscence as wel as other sinnes is apt of it owne nature to condemne vs but God of his mercie doth neither impute it nor other sinnes of humane frailtie vnto the faithfull for the merits of Christ Iesus The first replie Euery thing as the Philosophers truely say hath the denomination of the formalitie thereof but doubtlesse the formalitie of original sinne is taken away in baptisme other else in vaine were infants baptised and so there onely remaineth the materialitie as the schooles tearme it that is a certaine rebellion and inclination to sinne-ward The answere I answere that the formalitie of original sin is of two sorts or double to wit the guilte and the deordination The former by which the partie that sinneth is bound to paine temporal eternall is remitted by grace and baptisme in this life The latter which is a certaine disorder and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the mind wil and actions of man continueth stil euen to the last houre The second replie Naturall things neither make vs worthie of praise nor of dispraise as the Philosophers all grant but certes concupiscence in man is natural and so can it not be sinne The answere I answere that concupiscence as it is naturall indeede and giuen to man as man in the state of innocencie is ordinate agreeable to reason and altogether without sinne but concupiscence as it is connatural to corrupt man is inordinate rebellious against the spirit and altogether sinful in Gods sight The third replie S. Austen in one place saith plainely that originall concupiscence is no sinne vnlesse wee consent vnto it These are the words Quanto magis absque culpa est in corpore non consentientis si absque culpa est in corpore dormientis Howe much more is it without sin in the bodie of him that consenteth not if it be without sinne in his body that is a sleepe The answere I answer that S. Austen meaneth nothing lesse then to denie concupiscence to be sin for
otherwise he should be contrarie to himselfe who affirmeth it to bee sinne in many places of his works as is alreadie prooued but hee onely laboureth to perswade the reader that it is neuer imputed to the faithfull that stoutly striue against it And that this is the true meaning of S. Austen I proue it by the iudgement of S. Ambrose concerning the selfe same matter Thus doth hee write Caro contra spiritum contra carnem spiritus concupiscit â—ec inuenitur in vllo hominum tanta concordia vt legi mentis lex quae membris est insita non repugnet Propter quod ex omnium sanctorum persona accipitur quod Ioannes apostolus ait si dixerimus quoniam peccatum non habemus nosipsos seducimus veritas in nobis non est cum tamen idem ipse dicat qui natus est ex Deo peccatum non facit qoniam semen ipsius in eo manet non potest peccare quoniaÌ„ ex Deo natus est Vtrumque ergo verum est quia nemo sine peccato est in eo quod nemo est fine lege peccati qui natus est ex Deo peccatum non facit quia per legem mentis id est per charitatem quae Dei semen est peccatum non facit Charitas enim operit multitudineÌ„ peccatoruÌ„ the flesh lusteth against the spirit the spirit against the flesh neither is there found in any man such concord but that the lawe of concupiscence which is ingrafted in the members fighteth against the law of the mind And for that cause Saint Iohns words are taken as spoken in the person of all saints If we say we haue no sin we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs when for al that the same apostle saith He that is borne of God sinneth not because his seed abideth in him and he cannot sinne because he is of God Therfore both are true because no man is without sinne for that no man is without the law of sinne that is concupiscence and he that is borne of God sinneth not bicause he sinneth not by the law of his mind that is by charitie which is Gods seede for charitie couereth the multitude of sinnes Out of these words I note first that concupiscence moueth rebellion against the spirit in the holyest man vpon earth I note secondly that this rebellion of concupiscence is sinne in euerie one because S. Iohn speaketh of sinne indeede whose words saint Ambrose applieth heere to concupiscence I note thirdly that hee speaketh of originall concupiscence because he speaketh of that concupiscence which is in the saints that is in those that are borne of God I note fourthly that the faithfull sinne not because charitie couereth their sins So then S. Austen meaneth as S. Ambrose doth that they are without sin to whom sinne is not imputed Yea Aquinas himselfe granteth which is to be admired that the inordinate motion of sensualitie euen which goeth before the deliberation of reason is sinne though in a lowe degree These are his expresse wordes Dicendum quòd illud quod homo facit sine deliberatione rationis non perfectè ipse facit quia nihil operatur ibi id quod est principale in homine vnde non est perfectè actus humanus per consequens non potestesse perfectè actus virtutis vel peccati sed aliquid imperfectum in genere horum Vnde talis motus sensualitatis rationem praeueniens est peccatum veniale quod est quiddam imperfectum in genere peccati I answere that that which man doth without the deliberation of reason he doth it not perfectly because that which is the chiefe in man worketh nothing there wherefore it is not perfectly mans act and consequently it cannot be perfectly the act of vertue or of sinne but some imperfect thing in this kinde Whereupon such a motion of sensuality preuenting reason is a venial sinne which is a certaine imperfect thing in the nature of sinne The fourth replie Concupiscence at the most is but a little venial sinne as S. Thomas Aquinas truely saith therefore it cannot bring a man to hell neither debarre him of heauen The answere I answere that euerie sin is mortall vndoubtedly as which is flatly against Gods holy commaundements For that the transgression of Gods commandements is a grieuous mortal sinne no man euer did or will denie Cursed is euery one saith the apostle that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the law to doe them Againe in another place The reward or wage of sinne is death And S. Iames saith Whosoeuer shall keepe the whole lawe and yet faileth in one point he is guiltie of all Nowe that euerie sinne aswel great as small is against Gods holy lawe I prooue sundrie waies First because the Apostle saith that al our thoughts words and works ought to be referred to the glorie of God for most certaine it is that no sinne at al is referred to Gods glorie For no sin no not the least of al is referrible to god but is of it own nature repugnant to his glorie Secondly because wee must yeelde an account to God for euerie idle word as Christ himselfe telleth vs and yet as euerie child can perceiue God most merciful and most iust wil neuer lay that to our charge which is not against his holy law Thirdly because the apostle saith of sin generally that the punishment thereof is death Fourthly because sinne in generall is defined by the fathers to bee the transgression of Gods law which definition could not bee true if anie little sinne could stand with his commaundement Fiftly because famous popish writers as Ioannes Gerson Michael Baius Almayn and our owne Bishop of Rochester doe all freely graunt that euerie sinne is mortall of it owne nature and deserueth eternall death their words I haue alleaged in my booke of Motiues Sixtly because Durandus and Iosephus Angles to whom the Schooles of the papistes this day accord doe sharpely impugne Aquinas his doctrine in that he teacheth Venials not to be against Gods law The 7. conclusion Although good works do not iustifie yet are they pretious in Gods sight and neuer want their reward Christ himselfe prooueth this conclusion when he promiseth that not so much as a cup of colde water giuen in his name shall passe without reward And in another place hee saith That whosoeuer shall leaue house parents brethren wife or children for his sake shal receiue much more in this world and in the world to come life euerlasting And in another place Christ telleth vs that when the sonne of man commeth in his glory and al his holy angels with him then will he pronounce them blessed that haue done the works of charitie to their poore neighbours God saith S. Paul will reward euery man according to his workes The Lord rewarded me saith holy
first that howsoeuer sundry of you admire your Iesuites whom I willingly confesse to be learned wishing they would vse their learning to Gods glorie yet cannot wise men be carried away with ipse dixit as if they were become disciples of Pythagoras I say secoÌ„dly that S. Pauls own words confute your Iesuite sufficiently For first he saith that he deliuered euen that which he receiued Againe he reciteth the precept aswel after the cup as after the bread which must bee wel obserued For hereupon doth it follow that both kinds be of like force the one not more commanded then y e other Thirdly he applieth aswel the drinking of the cup as the eating of y e bread to al the faithful in generall Fourthly he applieth the examination to euery one of the faithful Fiftly he willeth the examination to be made aswel in drinking of the cup as in eating of the bread Sixtly he wrote spake aswel to the lay people as to the priests as the beginning of the epistle declareth And in this sense doth their owne Haymo so reputed expound S. Paul for these are his words Ego nâ— accepi à domino quod et tradidi vobis .i. mysterâ—uÌ„ corporis sanguinis Dom. quomodo debeatis sumere Sicut mihi reuelauit ita tradidi vobis For I haue receiued of the Lord that which I deliuered to you that is the mysterie of our Lords body and bloud in what manner ye ought to receiue it Euen as he reuealed it to me so haue I deliuered it to you The reply S. Marke maketh it plaine that it was onely spoken to the apostles Drinke ye all of it For he addeth And they all dranke of it For it is cleare that al they dranke thereof who were commaunded to drinke The answere I say first that it was spoken to al the faithfull aswell as to the apostles For Paul exhorted the whole church at Corinth to vse both the kinds saying that God had so appointed As if he had said not I but the Lord coÌ„mandeth you thus to do for he reuealed to me euen as I haue deliuered vnto you Therefore if ye do it not you transgresse his holy commaundement Yea S. Paul declared expressely in the very beginning of his epistle that commandement of receiuing the holy Eucharist in both kindes concerned all the faithfull in the world as well to come as theÌ„ liuing For these words Ye shal shew the Lords death till he come doe euidently prooue that the forme prescribed by the apostle must continue after the death of the Corinthians euen till the day of doome I say secondly that since Christ himselfe instituted both kinds since the apostle deliuered both kinds euen to the lay people since the church communicated to the faithful laycall people in both kinds euerie where for many hundred yeres together as the papists themselues cannot denie since they confesse that both kinds may lawfully be vsed since no scripture teacheth vs that one kind is sufficient since no father did euer exhort to vse one only kind since no councell till the late synode of Constance did euer commaund one only kind in fine since the church for more then a thousand yeeres together did euer vse both kinds how impudent howe vnchristian nay how tyrannicall and bloud-thirstie is the Pope of Rome and his Iesuits that incense and excite him thereunto who labor this day with fire and fagot to enforce the faithful to the contrary I say thirdly that this obiection maketh against the papists for in that they al dranke therof it cannot folow that none else may drinke thereof otherwise the practise of the church hitherto should haue beene wicked and the apostles themselues haue sinned grieuously but that all present ought to drinke thereof For which cause their owne canon-law commaundeth all to bee putte out of the church that will not communicate when the consecration is ended Yea their own Pope Iulius doth condemne their grosse illation as who vnderstoode Christes wordes of all the faithfull Thus doth he write Illud vero quod pro complemento communionis intinctam tradunt eucharistiam populis nec hoc prolatum ex euangelio testimonium receperunt vbi apostolis corpus suum commendauit sanguinem seorsum enim panis seorsum calicit coÌ„mendatio memoratur Nam intinctum panem alijs ChristuÌ„ praebuisse non legimus excepto illo discipulo tantuÌ„ queÌ„ intincta buccella magistri proditorem ostenderet But where they giue y e dipped eucharist to the people for the complement of the communion they found not this witnessed in the gospel where Christ coÌ„mended his bodie and blood to his disciples For the bread is commended apart and the cuppe also apart For we reade not that Christ gaue dipped bread to any others saue onelie to the disciple whom the dipped morsell declared to be the betrayer of his maister The replie The councill of Constance commaunded no new thing but onelie made a law for the continual performance of that which the church had practised long before The answer I say first that thogh it were so practised before in some places yet was that practise neither generall nor approued by anie setled lawe vntil the late councill of Constance I say secondly that the great pillar of the popish church Thomas Aquinas honestly confesseth so much in this behalf as is enough for the euerlasting confusion of all Romish hypocrites And because I couet to deale faithfully in this point as in al other I will alleage the expresse wordes of Aquinas as himselfe hath deliuered them thus doth he write Ex parte quidem ipsius sacramenti conuenit quòd vtrumque sumatur scilicet corpus sanguis quia in vtroque consistit perfectio sacramenti Et ideo quia ad sacerdotem pertinet hoc sacramentum consecrare perficere nullo modo debet corpus Christi sumere sine sanguine ex parte autem sumentium requiritur summa reuerentia cautela ne aliquid accidat quod vergat ad iniuriam tanti mysterij quod praecipuè posset accidere in sanguinis sumptione qui quidem si incautè sumeretur de facili posset effundi Et quia creuit multitudo populi christiani in quâ continentur senes iuuenes paruuli quorum quidâ—m non sunt tantae discretionis vt cautelam debitam circa vsum huius sacramenti adhibeant ideo prouidè in quibusdam ecclesiis obseruatur vt populo sanguis sumendus non detur sed solûm à sacerdote sumatur In the behalfe of the sacrament it is meete that both be receiued to wit both the bodie and the blood bicause in both consisteth the perfection of the sacrament and therefore because it belongeth to the priest to consecrate and to perfite this sacrament he may in no case receiue the bodie of Christ without the blood In the behalfe of the receiuers great reuerence and circumspection is required left any thing