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
Lord God The people It is meete and conuenient c. And then the Minister did handle in manner of a briefe preface the causes why they gaue thankes as namely for that he had created man after his owne image for that he hauing reuolted and forsaken him it pleased him to recouer and recall him in Iesus Christ for the giuing of his Law vnto him for hauing admonished him by his Prophets for hauing sent them his onely begotten Sonne in the fulnes of time to fulfill the law in his owne person for quickning by his death those that were dead in Adam to make them capable of eternall life and for that to this ende hee had dyed risen againe and ascended into heauen and for that also hee gaue himselfe freene to the death readie to deliuer vp his life for the life of the world and for hauing left vs a liuelie representation of this so great a benefite and for that he had taken the bread in his holie handes blessing sanctifying breaking and distributing it vnto his Disciples and Apostles saying Take eate This is my bodie c. and for hauing done in like manner with the cuppe saying Drinke yee all This is the cup of the new Testament in my blood c. And in this place in the processe of this goodlie Preface was read in a briefe manner the institution of the holie Supper as it is to be seene also in all the Lithurgies The Lithurgie of S. Basill The Lithurgie of S. Denys and this action was shut vp and ended with the answere of the people in these wordes Lord wee remember herein thy death and passion and do emfesse thy resurrection vntil the time of thy comming or as it is read in S. Denys with a protestation Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou hast said Do this in remembrance of me which done the bread and the wine were held consecrate sanctified and for sacraments by vertue of the institution of our Lord which is alwaies powerfull and hath his efficacie and not by vertue of certaine wordes spoken ouer the elementes Of which thing as shall bee declared in his place the purest old Churches neuer dreamed Then there followed a praier that it would please God to shew them all the mercie as that they may communicate the bodie and blood of his Sonne by a true and liuelie faith and not to their condemnation and iudgement as also that it would please him to knitte them altogether in true charity and loue in the communion of his Sonne by his holy spirit euen in so effectuall a manner as they did certainely eate and drinke all of the same bread and cuppe then the conclusion followed with the ioyning thereunto of the Lordes Prayer and after that for a signe of this holy vnion of their spirites and wils in Christ a mutuall kisse the signe and testimonie eyther of true and vnuiolate amitie or else of an vnfained reconciliation and that they had not vainely and for a fashion spoken The kisse of peace Forgiue vs our sinnes as wee forgiue them c. and thereupon also it was called Osculum pacis the kisse of peace as also further to signifie that this knot of the vnitie of the faithfull did not end in this world After this peace there was mention made of them who either had liued wel or which were dead in Christ especially of the Martyrs whose names were read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is out of a certaine register or catalogue partlie sayeth S. Denys to signifie that they were not dead but verilie liuing and therefore the Primitiue Church called the death of man by the name of birth natiuitie and partly to stirre vs vp to the same constancie by their example Now when this was finished the Pastors and Deacons which were to distribute the holie Supper did first communicate themselues and after deliuered the bread and the cuppe to the faithfull and gaue it them in their hands speaking the significatiue wordes of this holy Mysterie but so as that they did not all binde themselues to vtter them in the same tearmes And during this whole action Psalmes were sung by the people and that such as concerned the thing in hand and the same in the end was shut vppe with a solemne thankesgiuing and before that it was not lawfull for anie man to depart and goe away and all this was alwaies done in a tongue which the people vnderstoode and with so loude a voice as might be that so the people might bee able to say Amen And this order will wee runne ouer againe particularlie according to euery parte of same Of the Preface speaketh Chrysostome saying when we beginne to say The Lord bee with you Of the Preface Chrysost in 1. ad Corint hom 36. in 2. hom 18. Chrysost hom de Eucharist ad Heb. hom 22. the people doth aunswere And with thy spirite Againe In the holie and reuerende Misteries the Pastor praieth for the people and the people for the Pastor for these wordes and with thy spirit can not tell vs or giue vs to vnderstand any other thing The councell of Nice 1. sayth Let vs not rest our selues in the bread and wine which are set vpon the Table but let vs lift vp our heartes on high that is Sursum Corda namelie to the Lambe of God c. Chrysostome Hast not thou promised to the Priest who saieth Lift vâ—â—o your hâ—artes and mindes on high we haue them fixed and setled in the Lord This table is altogether furnished with mysteries the Lambe of God is offred for thee c. And in an other place Wee lift vp our mindes on high This is a table for Eagles and not for Crowes to feede at c. S. Augustine August de bono perseuer cap. 13. de vera elig c. 3. de bono vid. cap. 16. Epist 15. in Psalm 85. c. Chrysost in hom 26. in Genes That which is saide in the sacrament of the faithfull namely that wee should haue our heartes raysed vppe to God on high Vt sursum corda habeamus ad Dominum sheweth that it is a gift of God as also in asmuch as the Pastor saieth vnto vs afterwarde that we are to yeelde him thankes and that wee make answere that it is meete and right that we should so doe c. And these wordes are repeated in an infinite sort of places And yet sayeth Chrysostome not because hee hath neede of our thankes doe wee say vnto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c for who is able sufficientlie and worthilie to performe such a seruice seeing the Cherubius cannot attaine vnto it but he willeth it to the end that the gaine may redound to our selues c. And the reasons of this thankesgiuing laid downe by the Minister of the Church in the short abridgement of the historie of the redemption of mankinde or rather of the Church are no lesse to bee noted and marked of vs. Chrysostome We
relieued if by grace we bee not borne againe in Christ. What then and what shall become of so many goodly vertues of the Pagans Let it neuer be imagined saith he that there can be any true vertue in him that is not iust let it neuer bee imagined that there is any truely iust if he liue not ex fide by faith Fabricius his torments shall be more easie then Catilines not because he was a good man but because he was not so wicked Without faith it is impossible to please God but they haue not expressed anie faith in their workes neither therefore had they anie in their heartes c. The man saith he in another place must first be changed before his workes be changed Antequà m iustificetur impius quid est nisi impius Idem serm 12. de verb. Dom. Idem cp 106. Before the wicked man bee iustified what is hee but a wicked and vngodly man c. Can there then be any thing in man whereby he may help himselfe to come vnto God except he bee first changed and regenerate by his spirite And where becommeth then our free will Hearken Man saith he abusing his free will Idem in Enchilid c. 30. hath lost both himselfe and his free will for as he which killeth himselfe in killing of himselfe liueth no more nor hath any power to raise himselfe to life againe hauing once slaine himselfe so man in sinning by his free wil and sinne becomming conqueror hath lost his free will For of whom a man is ouercome his seruant hee is and therefore man cannot be free and at libertie to worke iustly if he bee not deliuered from the thraldome of sinne and made the seruant of righteousnesse But how shall this libertie be purchased and restored to man againe being solde giuen vp and captiuated c. if he be not ransomed by him who hath said If the Sonne deliuer and set you free you shall be truely free that is to say if he cast you not in a new mould by his grace to be new creatures in Christ Idem de spirit liter tom 3. Tu non poâ—uâ—sti in te nâ—si perdere te Idem ad Bonif l. 1. c. 3. Idem de fide ad Petr. Diaco c. And therefore these are his ordinarie Maxims Free will auaileth vs nothing neyther standeth it vs in any stead it hath no power at all except it be to sinne Thou hast nothing resting in thee but the meanes of destroying thy selfe neither doest thou know to finde thy selfe except hee that made thee doe seeke thee vp Yea saith hee if he doe not draw thee that is to say if he giue thee not to belieue in Christ a power that hath no iotte of free will a power which is not but from God alone For hee concludeth in another place Euerie man is borne in originall sinnne by consequent the child of wrath and from that wrath no man can be saued but by the faith of the Mediator And no man can repent himselfe here if God doe not inlighten him if by his free and vndeserued mercy he do not conuert and turne him vnto him Prosp Aquit ad Capitul Vincent Prosper Aquitanus By the wound of originall sinne the nature of all men was corrupted and killed in Adam whence is sprung out the disease of all concupiscences and lustes and against the which there is no other remedie but the death of Christ c. Yea saith he a disease that he would needes haue and which by him was needfull for vs. For saith hee to him not to sinne was no other thing then not to be willing to sinne Idem de vita contemplat c. 2. but it is not enough for vs to be willing to liue without reprehension our will being vicious and hindered by our feeble and faint possibilitie that which was in him of pleasure choise is become to vs a necessitie euen to sinne And if you say any thing to him of the workes of infidelles hee aunswereth you in these verses Idem in epigram 81. in l. de ingrat passim Per omnes calles errat sapientia mundi Et tenebris addit quae sine luce gerit This light which he calleth faith when he saith in another place Omne etenim probitatis opus nisi semine verae Exoritur fidei peccatum est nique reatum Vertitur stirilis cumulat sibi gloria poenam Cyrillus Alexandrinus He that is become thrall to the seruitude and slauerie of sinne although that he haue cast himself of his owne free wil into this miserable slauerie cannot notwithstanding shake off this yoke when he pleaseth he must seeke deliuerance in another that is in the Sonne of God Let vs neuer make triall of or attempt any other way for the recouering of our libertie for by him alone is graunted our full freedome from sinne to the ende that sinne may not rule or raigne anie more in our mortall bodies and that in the world to come it may not find any place in vs. From whence in two wordes wee gather thus much That in our owne nature we are the seruants of sinne That it raigneth in vs without any gainsay to the procuring of the punishments that are after this life if we bee not renewed in Christ Petr. Diac. c. Episc Orient ad Fulgen. c. Episc Afric Damnatur mortis paena Petrus Diaconus ad Fulgentium Adam hauing willingly transgressed the law of God is by his iust iudgement condemned to suffer the punishment of death and is allâ— holly throughâ—ut that is to say both in bodie and soule changed into worse and hauing lost his owne freedome is become a slaue to serue the filthie drudgerie of sinne Thereupon it is that no man commeth into this worlde free from the bondes of sinne except hee who for the vnloosing of these bondes was begotten after a new kinde of conception the Mediator of God and men Iesus Christ. For what can base and vile man beget but that which is base and vile And therefore as euerie man is of Adam â—oret Pighius so by Adam euerie man is the seruant of sinne Rom. 5. c. And such deceiue themselues as say that death but not sinne hath passed throughout mankind when as there is not one of all the sonnes of men which is deliuered from this damnation death but by the grace of the redeemer c. without this grace a man might think and desire humane things but he could not either thinke of or haue any will vnto the things concerning God For the first principall foundation thereof is to belieue in the Lord of glorie crucified This commeth not from the libertie of our free will or naturall will for flesh and blood doe not reueale the same but the heauenly father to whom he will drawing him vnto this true libertie not by a violent necessitie but by a gentle infusing of his holy
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
custome was vsed in his time And the same thing is witnessed by Saint Ierome Euseb l. 1. de Demonst S. Hieron ad Lucinium Chrysost in epist ad Ephe. especially of the Church of Rome and those of Spaine Whereupon we see likewise that Chrysostome cryeth out most vehemently as complaining of the frosennes of his age as being such as that though the supper of the Lord were celebrated dayly yet there came but a very few people to the holy table yea of so great accompt it was held as that it appeareth vnto vs by a law made by the Church and set downe in the ancient Canons that the sacraments being blessed all the faithfull that is all those which were admitted to bee of the communion fellowship of the Church for so they called them should stay in the assemblie The difference betwixt the faithfull and those that were catechised and should be exhorted euen as they would auoide the punishment for doing otherwise to communicate But on the contrarie such as could not bee receiued thereunto namely such as were catechised as not hauing as yet beene sufficiently instructed Penitents which had not as yet giuen sufficient cleare and manifest signes of their repentance as also the possessed for being vexed of the euill spirit should be aduertised to withdraw themselues and to leaue the place cleane for the faithfull Concil Antioch c. 2. C. peracta D. 2. de consecrat And this is it which the Canons say As for such as enter into the Church of God and heare the scriptures but communicate not in prayer with the people but rather by some intemperancie doe keepe backe themselues from the holy communion let them bee excommunicate and cast out of the Church c. Againe The consecration ended let euerie man giue himselfe to receiue the communion if they will not bee cast out of the Church Hiero. in 1. ad Cor. c 11. Chrysost in 2. ad Cor. ho. 18. for so it was ordayned by the Apostles c. Whereuppon Saint Ierome telleth vs The supper of the Lord must bee common to all for hee hath giuen the Sacramentes vnto all his disciples equally And Chrysostome In some thing the Minister differeth not from the common people Nihil differt sacerdos à Subdito as when the participating of the holy mysteries is in hande For wee are all alike thought worthie to receiue them Not as in the olde law where the high Priest tooke his certaine portion and the people theirs and so as that the people could not haue any thing of that which was the sacrificers part for vnto euery one there present is deliuered one and the same bodie and one and the same cuppe And therefore hee was greatly offended with those who stayed behind with the faithfull after those which were catechised were put forth Chrysost in epist ad Ephe. hom 3. and yet woulde not communicate as offering iniurie vnto the Lordes table and feast Thou art come hither saith hee and hast sung Psalmes in the place with all the rest and in that thou hast not departed hast acknowledged thy selfe to bee of the number of those which are worthy to bee admitted thereunto howe commeth it therefore to passe that thou hauing stayed doest not receiue the Lords Supper And if thou aunswere that thou art vnworthy art thou not so likewise by consequent of the communion which is in prayers c. As for those which were catechised put to do pennance and possessed Of the catechised which had leaue to depart the Deacon after the sermon made knowne and signified vnto them in plaine wordes that they were to depart and go away which thing might bee practised with lesse adoe at this day when as there is not almost one to bee seene possessed of the euill spirit and for that the rigor and seueritie of doing of pennaunce is much abated as thirdly in that there come into our Churches none but the children of Christians And this leaue which was declared and openly told them was called Mittere vel dimittere vnde Missio Missa in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From whence the name of the Masse grew hence was the first originall of this worde Masse in the Church because as Bellarmin himselfe confesseth that this leaue was deliuered in these wordes Ite Missa est as amongst the Pagans was wont to be said I licet c. And by little and little as abuse is apt to seaze vpon wordes that are most familiar and well knowne vnto vs it came to passe that that part of the seruice which endured vnto the sermon Raban l. 1. c. 32. Innocen l. 6. de Sacr. Hugo l. 2. part 8. cap. 14. Tertul. de praescript corona and inclusiuely vnto the rehearsing of the Creede was called the Masse of those that were catechised and that which was afterwarde that is to say the celebrating of the holy Supper had appropriated and giuen vnto it the name of the Masse of the faithfull according to the olde and auncient distinction made in the Church betwixt those which were called the faithfull and those which were catechised And this is likewise testified by Tertullian in many places and the Masse of the faithfull began where that of the catechised ended But admit that this sending away was practised in the Church Rabbi Leui. in Leuit. cap. 5. after the manner of the Iewish Church which would not suffer that any leprouse or other infected persons shoulde bee admitted vnto their sacrifices or els according to the Pagans themselues who woulde chase the prophane from their misteries and holy thinges with these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is leaue for the people to depart so farre it hath preuailed as that without all doubt it hath brought forth a name for the Masse a name which was neuer read in any Hebrew Greeke or Latine Authour before this time that is to say till foure hundred yeares after the death of our Lord and yet so new in that age of the worlde as that Saint Ierome the Pastor of Rome and one who hath written so many great volumes hath neuer so much as once made any mention of it yea and Saint Ambrose who vttereth it once and Saint Augustine onely twise did yet neuer take it in that sence and signification that we vse it for neither the one nor the other doth speak of it in touching or deliuering the matter and doctrine of the Sacrament although that Saint Ambrose haue written thereof sixe bookes and that S. Augustine haue handled the matter more amply and largely and more often then any other both vpon S. Iohn and in other places But both of them in a signification farre differing from that wherein it is vsed at this day that is to say not meaning or vnderstanding by this worde either sacrifice or sacrament Furthermore the place alleadged out of S. Augustine his sermons are of small force because the best
concealed and kept backe Concil Tolet. 1. c. 14. Concil Caesar August c. 3. Liturg. PraesanctificatoruÌ„ Interprete Genebrardo that they were condemned by the Councels The first of Toledo saith If any man do receiue the Eucharist of the Minister and doe not eate it let him be put backe and excommunicate as a Church robber And that of Saragosa If hee doe not eate it in the Church that is in the verie place let him be accursed for euer Whereas Bellarmine alleadgeth the lithurgie of the presanctified amongst the Grecians which was said in Lent pretending that therin they did not consecrate or take any moe then one kind for certaine the lithurgie saith expressly that after that the Minister hath sanctified the bread he powred out the wine and water into the cup pronounced the accustomed words And the praier of the faithfull saith For behold his bodie without spot and his quickning blood c. which are set vpon this table And in the Post-communion they giue thankes vnto God for the receiuing of the one and the other That which is more speciall proper herein is that they consecrate for many in one day whereof they alleadge some one or other tradition But these are their cold and friuolous arguments vpon this point and in deed how can they be otherwise against the expresse word of God But we against these particular deuotions so endles and bottomles doe set this Maxime and generall rule In vaine do you serue me after your owne fancies being properly called in the scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will worship And against that custome Tertul. de virg veland Cypr. ad Quin. ad Iubaâ—â—num August lib. 2. contra Donatist c. 6. de Bapt. cont Donat. lib. 2. c. 14. that euerie man frameth and fashioneth to himselfe whether new or old as best pleaseth him let vs set the true antiquitie Iesus Christ saith Tertullian and S. Cyprian hath said I am the Truth and not Custome And whereas Custome hath preuailed against the law let vs say with S. Augustine We must waigh and ponder the doctrines in the right balance of the scriptures and not in the false and deceiptfull scales of Custome But let vs draw all vnto a conclusion and let vs not be ashamed with S. Cyprian his saying That what others before vs haue erred in and done amisse let vs correct at the admonition and warning of the Lord and where doth he speake lowder and more clearely then in his word to the end that when he shall come in his glorie and heauenly Maiestie he may find vs holding fast such admonitions as hee hath giuen vs obseruing that which he hath taught vs and doing that which he hath done So be it And now by this time wee haue looked into all the partes thereof A Recapitulation how and by what degrees the holy Supper of our Lord is degenerate and turned into the Masse how of the corrupting of the one the other was first begotten then nourished and afterward brought vp to that state wherein it hath stood for these certaine ages and that so long as vntill it hath vtterly brought the other to nothing in the Church of Rome So straunge an alteration as that in the whole frame and booke of nature there is not the like to bee met withall seeing the Masse now retaineth no more of the holy Supper either in his outward or inward partes seeing that the best sighted hauing considered the one could not obserue or find so much as one step or note of the other because also it is to go against and exceede the lawes of nature to passe from one extremitie to another a thing not credible not possible to be acknowledged if the diligent obseruation of histories did not point out vnto vs both the first proceedings and also the growing of the same till it came at the midst The holy supper was an assemblie a bodie of the faithfull vnited and knit together in one spirite strengthning the faith stirring vp the charity and kindling the zeale one of another in one common manner of celebrating of the seruice of God The Masse what containeth it being said by a priest in some corner of the church shuffled vp by a cleark who vnderstandeth not for the most part of the time one word that he speaketh The holy supper did resound with songs to the praise of God sung indifferently by all the people it taught them by the reading expounding of the holy scriptures it lifted them vp vnto God raised them out of themselues by feruent ardent praier But what impression can the Masse make in the heartes of men being a certaine kind of muttering noise posted ouer by one man alone not vnderstood of those which are present yea hardly vnderstood of himselfe where the scriptures are read of purpose so as they may not be vnderstood the praiers vttered with a low voice in an vnknown tongue that so they may not be heard with attention and lesse followed deuoutly by the people where by consequent they abide fixt vpoÌ„ that which they see not minding any higher matters it hath signes without any signification it hath pretended mysteries without any thing misticall in them except it be the muttered hums artificially affected by him that consecrateth and the carefull regard of a premeditated ignorance to be wrought and effected by such meanes vpon and in the poore silly people In the holy Supper was celebrated the memory of the death and passion of our Lord by a plaine and open rehearsall of the cause manner and benefites of the same and thereby the faithfull were taught to acknowledge and call to minde the greatnesse of their sinnes and to admire and magnifie the great and vnspeakeable mercies of God stirred vp consequently to renounce and forsake themselues to giue themselues vnto God to die vnto their lusts and concupiscences to liue vnto Christ to Christ I say who hauing once deliuered himselfe to the death of the Crosse for to giue them life did yet further vouchsafe to giue himselfe to them in his sacramentes euerie day as meate and drinke vnto their soules to the feeding of them vp vnto eternall life In the Masse I appeale vnto the consciences of all those that eyther say or see the same who of them it is that can say by being at the same euerie daye that hee can learne or carrie away any of all this that the infidell can thence playe the diuine that thence hee can receiue any instruction either of the deadly fall of Adam or of the quickning death of Christ that the Christian can profit therby any thing be it neuer so little in the true acknowledging of the mercies of God or in the knowledge of himselfe or in briefe that he can therein perceiue his transgressions that so he may run to seeke the remedie or this drynes alteration of the soule and mind which our Lord calleth the thirst of righteousnes
heard in their seruice Sursum Corda 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lift vp your heartes on hie and when their currant speech and common talke was but of one Altar and one celestiall sacrifice when in their entrance into the celebration of the sacrament it was saide vnto the people Shew yee forth the death of the Son of man and confesse his resurrection vntill his comming But there were two doctrines especiallie which springing vppe in those ages Transubstantiation and Purgatorie concuning and conspiring together establish this sacrifice and prospering and growing together at that time and that by equall degrees did aduance and set aloft this pretended sacrifice The one Transubstantiation for after such time as it was taught that the bread and the wine were chaunged that they were reallie the body and blood of our Lord then what honour was too great to giue vnto this sacrifice Who can then doubt that it should bee propitiatorie for the sinnes of all that were liuing this sacrifice offered in the Masse being the same in flesh and blood which was hanged vppon the Crosse for the sinnes of the world The other was that of Purgatorie for if we haue saide they both our friendes departing passing out of this worlde to abide the scorching flames of Purgatorie and that our owne sinnes also must bee purged there then let vs prouide a remedie let vs goe to this Masse which is so soueraigne and full of saluation let vs laye good foundations and powre out largelie for our selues and our parentes let vs leaue grounds goods with charge of hauing the same saide after vs. And hereto belong the lawes aboue mentioned to bee made in the time of Charles the Great and then euery day thinges grew from ill to worse The ignorance then of the age the coldnes of the people in deuotion the couetousnes of the Priestes the carelesnes of the Bishoppes and the barbarousnes of the speech of men begot fostered and maintained this abuse in the Church which hauing once taken roote and growne vppe to strength could not bee beaten downe againe but by the spirite of God which thing also manie men of good spirits did perceiue verie well Arnoldus de villa noua one of the great men of that time About the yeare 1200. helde in his positions That the sacrifice of the Masse was a manifest abuse and a plaine starting aside from the pure doctrine of Christ The Waldenses and Albigenses in France That Masses whether they were for the liuing or for the dead were directlie against the institution of the Lord. And these resistances and contradictions did so assaulte the maintainers of this abuse as that all Christendome was in an vprore and not without fruite for the spreading of them throughout all the nations of the west Church proued a good seed sowne by God to cause the truth to spring vp there againe in his time but what shall wee say if their greatest and grauest Doctors carried away notwithstanding with the streame do likewise speake against their doctrine Peter Lumbard saith the Maister of the sentences Distinct 12. l. 4. De Consec D. 2. Can. handleth this question aboute the yeare 1150. saying It is demaunded of some if that which the Priest doth bee properlie called a sacrifice and oblation and if Christ be sacrificed euery day or whether hee was onely once offered Whereunto this short aunswere may be shaped That that which is consecrated and offered by the Priest is called a sacrifice and oblation because it is the renuing of the memorie and representation of the true sacrifice and of the holy oblation made vpon the Altar of the Crosse And this hee proueth by manie places out of S. Augustine and of S. Ambrose c. Note here how well hee agreede with the Councell of Trent which pronounceth If any man say that the verie and proper body of Christ is not offered in the Masse let him be accursed The Schoolemen which came after him haue beene so bold as to rob the Crosse of Christ to hang the Iewels euen the power thereof about the necke of their Masse so that sometimes they break out into these speeches That the bodie of our Lord was offered for originall sinne but that hee is continuallie offered by them vpon the Altar for actuall sins A cursed blasphemie by which the Crosse of Christ is made of none effect by which there is lesse attributed vnto it then vnto the Table of their Altar directlie also against the expresse Scripture which sayeth comparing the fall of Adam with the benefite of Christ his death That the fault was through one offence vnto condemnation but the gift is of manie offences vnto iustification Againe after hee had spoken of all manner of sinners And such saith S. Paule were you but you haue beene washed you haue beene sanctified but you haue beene iustified by the name of Iesus Christ Rom. 5. 1. Iohn 3.8 c. And to bee briefe That the Sonne of God hath appeared to destroy the workes of the Diuell c. But so the case standeth as that Thomas their chief Champiō Thom. in Ep. ad Heb. 6. doth again in an other place agree with himself saying Christ was wounded for our iniquities Esa 53. and that not oftentimes but onely once 1. Pet. 3 Christ hath died once for our sinnes and his onely oblation sufficeth to drie vp the fountaine of the sinnes of all mankinde Idem in sūma part 3. q. 83. And as concerning the sacrament It is but the representation sayeth hee of the passion of our Lord for S. Augustine sayeth as oft as wee celebrate the Passeouer is Christ slaine euerie time yea rather this is but a yearelie renuing of the memory of that which was done otherwise thereby setting before vs such notable and famous monumentes thereof as if by them wee were brought to the verie beholding of his hanging vppon the Crosse Idem part 13.3 q. 73. art 6. And elsewhere It behoued that euermore there should remaine some representation of the passion of our Lord In the old Testament this principall sacrament was the Paschall Lambe Whereuppon the Apostle sayeth Christ our Paschall Lambe was offered And in place thereof hath succeeded in the new Testament the Eucharist which is a memoriall of his passion past and suffered as the other was a prefigurer and foreshewer of his passion to come Petrus Alphonsus at the same time Petr. Alph. l. 2. Ep. did not acknowledge either the Eucharist or the Masse for any other thing then a sacrifice of praise and this was at that time one of the questions disputed by the Albigenses and Petrus Brutis who was burnt aliue at Tholosa where he taught publikelie that it was not propitiatorie All these sacrifices sayeth hee which were offered vnder the lawe were nothing but signes of this great sacrifice Idem in Dialog tit 12. which was to destroy sinne But since the comming of Christ we vse
bee able to make it to serue in the distinction that followeth of her that had brought forth a sonne or a daughter and how in the number of dayes of the one or of the other But the point is that they haue neither Greeke nor Hebrew Paraphrast neither Iewish nor yet Christian Commentarie which euer could finde out Purgatorie by this text Origen who hath made an expresse Homily vpon this verse notwithstanding he be greatlie delighted in allegorizing Orig. hom 9. in Leuit. Ieronym in Ezech. c. 49.47 Theod. in Leuit c. 12. could not perceiue anie such matter therein And as farre off was Saint Ierome expounding the same in his Commentarie vpon Ezechiel Theodoret likewise who handleth this question Wherefore there is appointed a double time for the purging of her that hath brought forth a daughter in respect of her which hath brought forth a sonne Caietan sayeth verie well From all these lawes this instruction and point of pietie Caietan in Leuit c. 12. 1. Sam. 2.6 may verie well bee drawne That wee were borne from our mothers wombe subiect to sinne c. In the first of Samuell Hanna sayeth in her song The Lord is he which destroyeth and raiseth to life which throweth downe into the graue and raiseth vppe againe from thence which giueth pouertie and riches which humbleth and exalteth And because that this worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie a graue and hell they wil haue it to signifie hel in that place and notwithstanding that it may bee vnderstoode for Purgatorie But this place is expounded by it selfe for these wordes Which throweth downe to the graue and bringeth backe againe are no other thing but according to the manner of the Hebrewes the expositors of the former which killeth and bringeth to life againe as in the verse following which humbleth and exalteth is contained the exposition of the wordes going before Who maketh poore and filleth with riches c. Psal 30. Psal 71. But Dauid himselfe without any other will expound it vnto vs The Lord hath lift vp my soule out of the graue or out of hell And in another place Thou hast shewed me manifold troubles but afterward thou turnedst vnto me and hast quickened me and brought me from the depth of the earth But this did no man euer vnderstand to be meant of purgatorie and the Chaldie Paraphrast whom they alleadge is against them God saith he carieth to the graue and bringeth backe againe Ad vitam saeculi to the life of this world that is to say to the life present as appeareth by this word Rursus And Lyranus saith There is not hell in Hebrew but the pit that is to say the graue And that it is his purpose to declare how that he oftentimes giueth life vnto them whom men are giuen to iudge past recouerie as it was with Ezechias But if wee should allegorize their Glosse saith Hee bringeth the obstinate Iewes to hell in as much as he suffreth them to bee led into the condemnation thereof He bringeth backe from thence the Gentiles who did deserue it in calling them backe from idolatrie Tertullian maketh this kind of argument Tertul. l. de resurre carn 28. Contr. Marcion l. 4. c. 34. Cyril Catech. 6 de Monarch Dei Sophron. in serm de Natiuit Dom. August de ciuit Dei l. 17.6.4 That seeing it is the flesh properly which is mortified that is to say which suffereth death that it followeth likewise that it shall bee quickned namely by the resurrection And againe against Marcion That one and the same Christ hath in his power the sentence of eternall death as also of eternall life Cyrillus Hierosolymitanus reasoneth after the same manner against Manes Sophronius Bishop of Constantinople proueth the greatnesse of our redeemer who hath turned the curse by Adam into a blessing his death into life and his fall into a rising againe But S. Augustine standeth more amply vpon it and in better sort saying The Lord killeth and quickneth againe c. and this is nothing els but that which he repeateth againe when he saith He bringeth to the gates of hell and bringeth backe againe He killeth saith he according to that which the Apostle saith If you be dead with Christ seeke the things which are aboue c. For you are dead c. And afterward he addeth And our life is hid with Christ behold how he killeth them holesomely behold how he reuiueth and quickneth them againe But hee bringeth them likewise saith he to hell and bringeth them backe againe Without doubt saith he this was accomplished in our head in whom our life is hid For he that hath not spared his owne Sonne hath slaine him for vs and in that he hath raised him vp againe he hath also quickened him brought him to hell and backe againe according to that which hath beene said Thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell and of his pouertie we are made rich c. By their accompt it should follow holding the exposition of Saint Augustine that our Lord had beene in purgatorie Saint Gregorie God slayeth and bringeth backe againe to life Gregor in 1. Reg. c. 1. and behold saith he the order in as much as hee bringeth to hell and bringeth backe againe For in respect of God to bring downe to the gates of hell that is to strike amased the hartes of sinners with the apprehension of eternall torments and to bring them backe from thence that is to relieue their astonished hearts sorrowing and bewailing their faultes by the hope of eternall life c. And yet euerie one knoweth if hee fauour purgatorie or no. Hugo the Cardinall This is a metaphoricall speech He bringeth Phenenna euen into extreame affliction taking her children from her hee bringeth againe Hanna making her fruitfull when she was barren And so saith he by hell in many places is vnderstood great affliction Caietan in l. 1. Reg. c. 2. Cardinall Caietan in like manner In Hebrew saith he it is He bringeth downe into the pit and causeth to rise vp againe And for that he vseth a verbe of the Preter-tense and not of the future I am constrained by the name of pit to vnderstand in this place neither hell nor graue but rather a prison For from the creation vnto the time of Hanna there was not any that rise out of hell none that rise againe from the dead but God hath often caused many free and innocent persons to be put in prison and hath brought many out from thence againe In the last of the first of Samuel it is said That the valiant men of Israel 1. Sam. the last Chapt. ver the last 2. Sam. 1.12 after the ouerthrow of Saule did burie the bodie of Saule and of his children burned them in Iabes tooke their bones buried them and fasted seuen daies And in the 2. Sam. 1.12 that Dauid mourned wept and fasted And thereupon Bellarmine reasoneth thus He fasted therefore
writers haue condemned for turning the scriptures from their naturall sence by his allegories But I appeale vnto their owne consciences whether this place make any thing for purgatorie And why do they not rather hold themselues to S. August S. Ierome Theodoret who do not acknowledge any other thing in that place but Dauid his humiliatiō for his sins being cast vnder the mighty hand of God The glose saith Thou hast instructed my soule in infirmity and humilitie that so it might not presume through any strength or pride and hee compareth it to a spiders web because there is nothing more rotten then it Saint Ierome Hieronym in psal 38. The soule melteth when the concupiscences of the flesh are repressed and snubd when sinne is so worne away as the threed which hath not any substance left in it either to make it hard or thicke S. August ibid. Augustine Thou hast dried it vp through the insatiable thirst it hath after vertue and knowledge thou hast caused the iniquity thereof to be pressed and wrung out of my heart Theodor. ibid. as are the entrailes of a spider Theodoret In pressing and rubbing vpon the most hidden and secret corners of my exulcerated parts and inward sores thou hast healed me like a good phisition rather then with great paine and griefe Halmo This falleth out when as man by Gods chastisements and corrections being vpon him doth humble himselfe and turne vnto God Lyranus Thou hast made my life vile and abhominable vnto me Caietan The moth fretteth through and destroyeth the thing whereof she is bred and so we are pearced and fret away through our owne concupiscences and desires And thus he referreth this to the punishment of all mankind in the person of Adam Of all the translations they haue made choice of that which is furthest from the sence of the text and of so many expositions that which is furthest from the purpose and yet they can come by nothing for their purgatorie In the Psalme 49. God will redeeme my soule out of the hand of the graue or out of hell Psal 49.16 for the word signifieth both the one and the other when hee shall take mee vnto himselfe The shot is by their reckning he will deliuer mee from purgatorie whereas they should haue noted that in the verse going before it is spoken of the men of this worlde That death shall feed vpon them in the graue and that the vpright men shall haue dominion rule ouer them c. Where the selfe same word is vsed If the men of this world bee not threatned with any greater punishment then purgatorie then what priuiledge or preferment haue Dauid and others the workers of righteousnesse in whose persons he speaketh more then they If it do signifie hell in the one verse and in the other purgatory then let them shew vs some reason of such diuers construing of it that so wee may admit it The Chaldee Paraphrast God will deliuer my soule from hell because he will teach me his law and will take me to be partaker with him of the life to come But what will they then say to all the old fathers S. Ierome saith God being made man made himselfe of no reputation euen to death that thereby hee might repaire the ruines of mankind that is it which hee would say Cum acceperit me S. Augustine God will redeeme and deliuer my soule shall it be out of prison from oppression from the waues of the sea c. Nay rather saith he from hell and this is that redemption which hee hath shewed and set forth in himselfe Chrysost t. 1. de Dauidicis Cant. What wee haue seene in the bead the same shall we find in the members he descended into hell and ascended vp into heauen c. Chrysostome And that there is a freeing from eternall death he teacheth thee it in these wordes God hath deliuered my soule out of the power of hell c. Theodoret dealeth more plainely This certifieth and assureth vs that God doth giue counsell consolation to the poore which are oppressed of the mightie Haimo Out of the power of hell that is to say out of the power of the deuill when he shall haue taken me Caictan in psal 49. Psal 66.11 12. that is to say put vpon him my humanitie and so Cardinall Hugo Caietan in like maner He wil deliuer my life from the power of hell when he shall draw mee from out of this life into eternall into Abrahams bosome c. In the Psalme 66. We were saith Dauid entred into fire water Et eduxisti nos in refrigerium and thou hast brought vs forth into a place where wee find reliefe Otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into a plentifull and fruitfull place Yet once againe here is purgatorie and that with an imagination that it worketh vpon men by casting them out of an extreme heat into an extreame cold c. From the fansying and good liking of an allusion in Origen Orig. hom 25. in Numer who yet medleth not any thing at all with this text which besides euen with the bare reading is easily refuted seeing therein he speaketh simply of diuers crosses and aduersities out of which God had extraordinarily deliuered Dauid The old writers haue vnderstood it cleane otherwise then they The Paraphrast Thou hast made the oppressor to go ouer my head Thou hast condemned vs to the rage of the flaming furnace and deuouring water and afterward hast set vs at libertie herein alluding very strongly vnto the seruitude of the people of Israell in the land of Egypt Lyranus Through the fire made to burne brickes through the water which we caried to temper the matter and make it fitte for the forme And if wee may lawfully moralize S. Augustine saith Through aduersitie and prosperitie through the scorching heat of tribulation the filthie puddle stinking waters of noysome corruption that which seemeth the least saith he being no lesse to be feared thē the other Hugo in psal 65. Hieronym in psal 65. And Hugo the Cardinall followeth his collection and interpretation S. Ierome Thus haue the Martyrs passed and come ad refrigerium to Christ who is their true reliefe and rest by the crosse by stripes by fire by water and diuers punishments and by them they haue become acceptable well pleasing sacrifices Hillar ibid. Chrysost t. 2. in c. 4. Mat. no. 5. Theod. in psal 66. Haimo in psal 66. Bernard de transitu S. Malachiae c. And S. Hilarie writeth thereupon after the same manner Chrisost Theodoret do deale somewhat more simply plainly take it to be vnderstood of the ordinary afflictions of the faithful Haimo Of Martyrs that haue passed through fire water of trauellers that haue indured the heat and cold yet giue not ouer their iourney Saint Bernard Such as die in the Lord fellow citizens with the Saintes and are of the
houshold of God doe sing in their psalmes of thankesgiuing we haue passed by fire and by water c. meaning that the hard measure of aduersitie hath not beene able to breake their course by causing them to faint neither the soft bedde of prosperitie make them to become slacke cold through delicacie c and he speaketh by name of the blessed death of S. Malachie Archbishop of Ireland Cassiodorus Because a vessell saith he well hardned and baked in the fire doth hold water better Another saith As S. Laurence passed through fire S. Clement and others through water And let this be set as a brand vpon our aduersaries that they alwaies take hold of the expositions that are least receiued and of all others the worst Caiet in psal 66. I could haue wished that they would at the least haue satisfied themselues in Caietanus his exposition saying He comprehendeth vnder these words of fire and water in briefe all the tribulations of Israel from their comming out of Egypt vnto Iordan that is we haue endured all manner of miseries and in the end thou hast made vs to come ad irriguam to a well watered soile that is to say into the land of promise Neither doth it auaile them Amb. in psal 118. serm 3. that Bellarmine to dasle the eies of the world doeth here alleadge S. Ambrose For this baptisme of fire whereof he speaketh setting the same at the entrance of Paradise allegorizing vpon the Cherubin that kept the passage in is but an appendance and limme of that ancient opinion that the world in that day when the end and consummation thereof commeth and all the creatures therein euen men and of them the most holy and sanctified should bee purged by fire and not in that space of time which shal be betwixt their death and resurrection It appeareth by these words This baptisme saith he shall bee after the end and consummation of the world when hee shall send his Angels to seperate the good from the euill Then shall the fierie furnace feed vpon iniquitie and burne it vp to the end that the iust may shine in the kingdome of God as the Sonne in the kingdome of his father And in deed saith he if that Peter and Iohn be there they shall haue their part in that baptisme Now in deed the truth is that Bellarmine doth not hold or meane that the Apostles haue passed or at any time must passe the fire of purgatorie In the Psalme 107. They cried vnto the Lord in their distresses Psal 107. v. 13. and hee deliuered them from their necessities from darknesse and from the shadow of death Thus wheresoeuer they reade darknesse the graue fire or the shadow of death there alwaies purgatorie must bee summoned to appeare This text is cleare and plaine wherein Dauid maketh a long catalogue or repetition of all the perils whereunto the life of man is subiect the deliuerances that God giueth vnto them that call vppon him although they should bee within two fingers breadth of death But they wil not belieue vs. Lyranus therfore telleth them They were stricken with remorce and sorrow in their afflictions called vpon God who deliuered them And these words frō the shadow of death August Hieron Theodor in psal 106. he expoundeth them by the psalme 23. the daunger of death As Caietan simplie vnderstandeth the same of the inconueniences of the prison S. Ierome did not acknowledge any such like thing to be contained therein but let it passe as he declareth by that which goeth before Et eduxit eos in viam rectam Neither yet S. Augustine who vnderstandeth it of the difficulties lets and impediments that the regenerate find when they should go about to do good and that after such time as God hath opened their knowledge Prosp in psal 107. Haim in psal and enlightned their vnderstanding except himselfe doe worke in them And thus doeth Prosper Aquitanicus also take it Neither Theodoret who vnderstandeth it of the darknes of ignorance and of the seruitude of sinne Haimo In darknesse that is in ignorance out of which no man can free himselfe in the shadow of death that is to say in the villanous and loose course of life which leadeth vnto death And Hugo the Cardinal taketh it in the same sence Darknes that is of ignorance the shadow of death that is faults transgressions bound that is the punishment c. Some others thus Of such as are inwrapped in heresie and are reclaimed by wholesome instruction But and if they wil cleaue to the plaine literall sence it is said There was no man to help them Where were then become the Masses and Suffrages Againe he speaketh of such as had beene rebellious vnto the word of God which had despised the counsell of the most high a mortall sinne and one of the most hainous ones that can be Now purgatorie by their owne speech is not but for veniall ones And yet furthermore if wee will credite the expositions of the old writers Dauid was but a simple fellow and knew nothing in the matter of purgatorie In the booke of the Preacher Ecclesiast 4.14 There is such a one saith Salomon which commeth out of prison for to raigne that is to say according to their vnderstanding out of purgatorie to go into the kingdome of heauen In this whole booke he discourseth of the courses alterations and changes of things happening in mans life and that which followeth in the same verse doth ouerthrow their mistaking And in like manner saith he there is such a man as of a king becommeth poore Now this should fall out contrarie to their owne doctrine that those which are once glorified do neuer fall away If this be not sufficient yet Hugo the Cardinall will help and afford vs some aid This is saith he Christ who from the prison of Pilate the graue and his handes is gone vp to receiue his kingdome Lyranus alleadgeth for an example of the one Ioseph taken out of prison to gouerne Egypt and Sedechias pulled downe from his throne of Maiestie to to be cast into the dungeon for the other I am ashamed to stand vpon the refuting of these fooleries Esay 4. yet notwithstanding we must go through to the end of them In Esay When the Lord shall haue washed away the filthinesse of the daughters of Sion and wiped the blood of Ierusalem from out of the midst of her by the spirit of iudgement and of zeale This iudgement and zeale are purgatorie Let them reade that which goeth before and that which followeth they shall perceiue that the prophet speaketh of the desolation of Ierusalem and of the restoring of the same in Iesus Christ But the Paraphrast saith By the word of iudgement and by the word of consummation He felt no smell of fire And the Glosse In the spirit of iudgement the lightest and least sinnes and in the spirit of zeale the more
of executing of a iudgement or sentence but in these speeches is contained nothing but the iudgement or sentence Againe Purgatorie is but one place and here be two named So that we are first to know of them which they will chuse and then what they will vnderstand by the other But S. Ierome Saint Chrysostome Theophylact and all the Fathers which haue expounded this place in whole Homelies had neuer any thought comming into their minds of finding Purgatorie here Lyranus also who would moralize the same saith Our Lord made here three degrees of anger in the heart Whosoeuer saith he is angrie and a two-fold in the mouth when it proceedeth to a confused and ouer whelmed plight in offering of iniuries such as men are in when they fal to rayling and calling of their brother Racha or else in a formall iniurie as he that saith vnto him foole c. and these three degrees haue their punishments Iudgement when men are conuented before the seate of iudgement A Councell when it commeth to many mens voices to determine and giue sentence c. And therefore the Glose saith Reus est iudicio that is to say Dignus accusatione worthie to be accused Reus consilio that is to say worthie to haue sentence pronounced against him by the generall consent of the Iudges Dignus consensu iudicum de danda sententia in eum c. And Caietan commeth verie neere vnto the same But what maketh all this for Purgatorie Yea which is more though some haue vnderstood it of punishment after this life as Augustine yet neuer any man of Purgatorie In S. Math. 12.31 Mathew 12. Whosoeuer shall haue spoken against the holy Ghost it shall not bee forgiuen him either in this world or in the world to come Then there are sinnes which are pardoned in the other world and therefore this is in Purgatorie c. This text cannot be better vnderstood then by the other Euangelists and by S. Mathew himselfe Saint Marke saith He shall neuer be forgiuen Whereupon S. Augustine saith Saint Marke hath said the same in other words Mark 3.28 Luk. 12.10 S. Luke It shall not bee forgiuen him S. Mathew in the verse going before It shall not be forgiuen And if any man bee desirous or inquisitiue yet to know some further meaning then this Not in this world where God iudgeth the sinnes of his Church by the ministerie and order established in the same nor in the world to come when as hee will sit himselfe in person to iudge them and this is all that can rightly be drawne out of this place And indeed the old writers are of one accord Damasc de Orthod fid li. 2. ca. 1. holding that these words The world to come doe either signifie euerlasting punishment or euerlasting blessednesse and must bee taken and vnderstoode of that which followeth after the resurrection and not before Afterward they offend against their owne generall rules for their Schoolemen say that there is no forgiuenesse of sinnes but in this world how so euer satisfaction for sin is made according to their doctrine in the world to come But the question here is of the remission of sinnes and not of their temporall punishment And it is not to be stoode vppon or said that small and veniall sinnes are forgiuen there for the comparison is made here of the sinne against the holy Ghost with other the most grieuous sinnes that are And againe how can that proue a good reason or Argument which is taken from a particular negatiue to an vniuersall affirmatiue The sinne against the holy Ghost is not forgiuen in this world nor in that to come therefore the temporall punishments of all manner of sinnes not paid and discharged here shall bee exacted and paid in the world to come A than in tract Omnis blasph Hieronym Hâ—ar in Math. that is to say in Purgatorie But Bellarmine doth here freely confesse that there is no good Art or Logicke in this conclusion But it is certaine that the old writers did not vnderstand this place thus S. Athanasius hath made a speciall treatise vpon this verse and made no mention of Purgatorie And S. Ierome and S. Hillarie also expounding this verie place haue done as little Ambros de paenit li 2. c. 4. de spir 5. c. â— August de Ciuit Dei l. 21. c. 24. Gregor l. 4. Dial. c. 39. Neither hath S. Ambrose done any more though he haue touched it in two places S. Augustine hath begunne and S. Gregorie hath followed him But if S. Augustine had thought this place so strong hee would not haue written so doubtfully of Purgatorie in other places and which more is he vnderstandeth it of the day of the resurrection and not of that space of time which is betwixt death and the resurrection according to the opinion which was held then That is that at the resurrection the soules bespotted and stained with sinnes should be purified with a kind of fire as it shall be seene hereafter And in deed The world to come as saith Damascene signifieth eternall life or eternall punishment Damasc de Orth. fid l. 2. ca. 1. Chrysost in Math. ca. 12. hom 43. But after all how farre a sunder do these propositions stand There are sinnes which are forgiuen in the world to come and there are flames of fire in the world to come which exact the temporall punishments of sinnes remitted in this world Chrysostome therefore saith better Some men shall be punished both in this world and in the world to come as those of Sodome others in this world onely as the Incestuous of Corinth others in the world to come onely as the wicked rich man others neither here nor in the world to come as the Prophets and Apostles And as concerning the sinne against the holy Ghost it shall bee punished both in this world and in the world to come c. And Thcophilact dooth trace him word for word Cardinall Hugo saith In aeternum for euer And maketh a comparison betwixt it and the sinne of the Diuell Let vs adde also their owne writer Ferus who contenteth himselfe in a long Commentarie to vse these words without any other thing In saying lesse hee vnderstandeth more namely that this sinne shall not onely bepunished in the life to come but euen in this life and accordingly giueth examples thereof Of the historie of the wicked rich man thâ—â— cannot make their market Luk. 16.23 Abraham saith That this gulfe is so great that there is no passage from the one to the other Now they will haue it that men after satisfaction made doe passe out of Purgatorie into Paradice Againe the message which he would haue sent vnto his brethren sheweth that he died without repentance that he beggeth a little water to coole himselfe withall argueth that hee is in a place voide of all comfort and consolation And also it hath alwaies beene taken and expounded for
death and for such wee ought not to pray either whiles they liue August de cor grat c. 12. or when they are dead For such then as haue shewed some repentance or which haue sinned venially wee must pray both whiles they liue and when they be dead But how can this be gathered out of this text wherein the Apostle speaketh directly of them with whom we liue Idem in Enchir ad Laurent c. 82. Idem de scrm Domini in Monte. Tertul. l. de pudicitia and whose workes we see of the dead not so much as one word They alleadge vnto vs S. Augustine who expoundeth it of perpetuall impenitencie let them not then dissemble how that in another place hee expoundeth it of certaine kindes of sinnes as also doth Tertullian Neither would I haue them to conceale it how that the most parte of the old writers doe dissent from Saint Augustine as Saint Ierome Athanasius Chrysostome Saint Basill Saint Ambrose c. all which though they vnderstand by this sinne vnto death the sinne against the holy Ghost yet therewithall they vnderstande that this is not a finall impenitencie which is not discerned but at the time of death but an obstinate sinne which is committed in the life time and in the course of the same Saint Mathew saith That this sinne is not pardoned either in this world or in the world to come In this world that is to say in this life and in this sence our aduersaries doe alledge it against vs but they doe not remember themselues of any thing els The Apostle to the Hebrewes saith It is impossible that such persons should bee renewed by repentance Hebr. 6. Then they may bee impenitent yea sinne vnto death before death But what manner of conclusion will there follow hereof in the end Wee must not pray for such as sinne vnto death therefore wee must pray for the deade which sinne not vnto death Againe wee must pray to the ende that life may bee giuen them that is to say to the ende that their sinnes may bee pardoned Now is it not a point of their doctrine that sinnes do not come in purgatorie but that there is onely the punishment of sins but and if any sinnes yet none but those that are sleight ones But in their conclusion they except not any sinne saue that which is vnto death To be short to such as well consider the text it will appeare that they are so farre off from reasoning according to it as that in deed they reason directly to the contrarie And furthermore not one of the old writers neither yet of the newe doeth alleadge it to this purpose although the greatest part do handle and expound the same and that to another end Now these are all the places of the new Testament from which they go about to proue their purgatorie places that are obscure and hard and diuersly interpreted by the Doctors but either in a farre other sence then our aduersaries take them or else mystically and metaphorically for the most part and therefore not to be alleadged in any controuersie of diuinitie no more then in anie other for controuersies cannot bee discussed by textes in controuersie And this is the reason why the good man Perion said That in all the canonical scripture he knew not any place eyther prouing purgatorie Roffensis or praier for the dead And the Bishop of Rochester That of a truth there is not any place for the prouing of the same except it bee some such as is very intricate And Petrus a Soto after him That there is not any cleare euidence and testimony in the scripture for Purgatorie but that many other thinge ought to bee belieued which are not contained therein To what end therefore serueth all this shamelesse dealing thus to tumble tosse the scripture vpside downe thus to racke and torment all the textes one after another seeing they know in their consciences that the scripture knoweth not any purgatorie But for certaine that text which knoweth not to agree any whit with their exposition doeth know well enough to admit and receiue ours It doeth not know theirs Mark 16. being alwaies for the proofe of that third pretended place for it saith Who so shall belieue and be baptised shall be saued but hee that shall not haue belieued shal be condemned Iohn 3 c. Againe God hath sent his onely Sonne into the world to the ende that hee that shall belieue in him might not perish but haue euerlasting life Hee that belieueth in him is not iudged but he that belieueth not in him is alreadie iudged c. Againe He that belieueth in him which hath sent me hath eternal life he cometh not into iudgement he is already past froÌ„ death tâ—olife And so passed the theefe into Paradice the same houre Againe Blessed are they that die in the Lord Rom. 4. for from that time saith the spirit they rest from their labours blessed are they whose sinnes are forgiuen But according to their owne sayings the sins of those which are in their Purgatory are they not remitted are they not dead in the Lord And yet what time must they indure in the burning and flaming fire of this purgatorie And thus sayeth Saint Paule That there is no condemnation to them that are in Iesus Christ And thus said our Lord to that man Let the dead burie the dead who would not haue hindred him from performing any worke of charitie And S. Paule againe Take no care for those which sleepe All these places of scripture cannot stande with Purgatorie But they haue very well knowne ours euen Christ the eternall Son of God who by himselfe hath wrought the purging away of our sinnes Apocal. 14. Heb 1. Hebr. 9. Tit. 2. Ephes 5. 1. Iohn 1. whose blood cleanseth our consciences from the workes of death who hath giuen himselfe for to purge a people peculiar to himselfe to cleanse a Church for himselfe by the washing of water in the word who purgeth and cleanseth vs by his blood from all sin In so much as that through that confidence which we haue in this our so sufficient Purgatorie we are able to say without fearing any other I desire to bee loosed and to depart from hence and to bee with Christ Because likewise that wee know that if the tabernacle of this our house of earth be dissolued Philip. 1.2 Cor. 5. we shall haue abuilding with God and that not such a building as is made with hands but eternally abiding in the heauens And that not after some intermission of time but presently and forthwith hodié inquam to day euen from the houre in which hee shall call vs out of this world because that we belieue in him And therefore also wee haue alreadie attained life yea we are alreadie passed from death to life CHAP. VIII That neither the Primitiue Church nor the fathers of the same for the space of many
are aliue that so the Church may sing Gaudeamus in Domino c. Let vs reioyce and be glad in the Lord c. In this sence hath the greatest part of the auncient Fathers prayed Dionysi de Ecclesi Hierat c. 7. and that will be the more clearely vnderstood by themselues S. Denis speaketh not of Oblations neither yet of yearely feasts but how that they kisse the dead and poure Oyle vppon his head These diuers fashions taken from the customes of diuers Countries doe shew the indifferencie The prayer followeth That it might please God to pardon him his sinnes and to place him in the light and region of the liuing in the place from which griefe sadnesse and sighing are banished and vtterly excluded c. Was this because he doubted No for on the contrarie hee maketh but two rankes and so consequently but two places of abode after this life one for the prophane who die and depart out of this life desperate and without all hope in as much as they goe hence vnto miserie and an other for the Saints who haue liued well who in their death doe shew themselues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full of good hope and dying doe require of God pardon for their sinnes These men saith hee depart out of this life full of ioy perceiuing themselues now to bee come to the end of all their fights and conflicts and drawing neerer vnto the crowne of glorie They possesse in hope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a rest conformable to that of Christs Prayers doe call them blessed and offer thankes vnto him who hath giuen them the victorie The high Priest prayseth God who hath ouerthrowne the rule and soueraigntie of death The Ministers read in the assembly in the Scriptures the promises of the resurrection to the end they may serue for an exhortation to stirre vp those that are liuing to the like vertues they recite them in the end amongst the Saints in the commemoration which is made in the Church as those that are alreadie partakers of the same glorie with them c. Is it possible that a man should belieue them that all this is spoken of a Soule in Purgatorie or of any of whom the least doubt that is may be made Origen We doe not celebrate saith he the birth day Orig. l. 3. in Iob. for that it is an entrance into paine and griefe and manifold temptations but the day of death as the day of the laying downe and ending of all griefe c. And this is the cause why we vse the renuing of the memorie of the Saints and of our kins folkes dying in the faith as well to reioyce our selues for their ease as for to become humble sutors for a holy finishing and knitting vp of our end in faith Note well and obserue the end of griefes ease and rest the giuing of thankes for their rest and ease c. Againe Wee celebrate the memorie of the dead feasting Religious persons together with the Priestes the faithfull with the Cleargie feeding the poore the fatherlesse and the widdowes to the end that our feast may be for a memoriall of the rest of the Soules that are deceased whose memorie wee solemnize therein Note here also The distributing of almes the memoriall of their rest c. Then this cannot be a sacrifice to purchase vnto them ease or rest and yet notwithstanding this is that which first brought in Purgatorie but such a one as is not able to stand with these propitiations seeing that it taketh no hold but at the howre of iudgement So vnsound and vnsure it is to reason either from Purgatorie to the making of prayers for the dead or from these to goe about to proue their Purgatorie Greg. Nazian hom 7. Gregorie Nazianzene in his seuenth Homily O thou which art the Lord of life and of death saith he receiue Caesarius for we commit and commend him now vnto that course and order by which thou gouernest the world whereunto likewise we recommend as laid vp with thee both our owne Soules and theirs which haue gone before vs. Now hee had said before That he did alreadie enioy saluation that his soule receiued the fruit c. S. Ambrose commeth in with these words Blessed saith he are you both Ambros de Obitu Valent. he speaketh of the Emperour Valentinian and his brother If my prayers saith he be any thing worth for there shall not one passe from me wherin I will not haue an honorable remembrance of you Omnibus vos oblationibus frequent abo I will make mention of you in all my offerings that is to say in all my seruices Againe speaking of Theodosius Graunt rest O Lord saith he to Theodosious thy seruant let his soule enter into the place Ambros de Obitu Theod. where there is not any sence or feeling of the sting of death I loue this man and will not giue ouer the following of him into the land of the liuing I will not leaue him vntill my teares and my prayers haue brought him into the place whither his merits doe call him Namely into the mountaine of the Lord where there is euerlasting life without any sighing heauinesse or griefe c. And doe you tel vs still that they were in Purgatorie Yea rather saith he of Valentinian in the same place wee belieue and that by the testimonie of Angels that hee is ascended and gone vp into heauen washed from the defilements of sinne that his faith hath washed him c. that hee inioyeth the ioyes of eternall life Yea and this he saith of that Valentinian who was as yet but learning the principles of Religon that is to say as yet vnbaptised in which case Purgatorie was meetest to haue had place And in like manner of Theodosius He is deliuered from this doubtfull fight and warfare he inioyeth an euerlasting light eternall tranquilitie c. Hee is glorified amongst the companie of Saints there he embraceth Gratian he beholdeth in the kingdome of Christ the temple of Christ c. And he speaketh saith he full assuredly and confidently For as much as they are dead in the faith of Christ seeing the Lord was made sinne to the end that he might take away the sinne of the world to the end that wee might be all in him the righteousnesse of God no more saith he the slaues of sinne but sealed vp for the reward of righteousnesse In like manner his prayers could not possibly be vnderstood of his Purgatorie in as much as we haue seene as he gaue it no place vntill the day of iudgement With the same intent and mind S. Augustine praied for his mother saying I pray thee O Lord for her sinnes heare me by the medicine of his wounds which was hanged vpon the Crosse and sitteth at thy right hand making intercession for vs Pardon her and enter not into iudgement with her And I doe verily belieue that thou hast done this which I haue prayed thee
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
Aquitanus moueth a question to this purpose wherefore the iust are called sinners for if they bee iust how are they sinners And if sinners how are they iust Not one of them saith he that liue in this mortall bodie can say that hee is without the contagion of sinne no not those excellent leaders of the flockes of Christes sheepe seèing that he hath enioyned euen them to say Idem in Epigra 46. in Psalme 129. Forgiue vs our trespasses c. Not any one of the Saints how well and commendably so euer hee liue in this world But saith hee in an other place those are called iust because that sinne is dayly taken away and diminished in them that is by the growth and proceeding of regeneration but these are called sinners because that it increaseth in them dayly that is by the increase of the proceeding of their corruption c. As also we alleadged heretofore out of Saint Chrysostome That God to shew that he is only iust and all the rest of the iust and righteous sinners suffered euen the best and most approued to fall c. as Dauid Abraham Peter c. In so much as that the exception would not extend vnto the Virgine Marie Orig. hom in Luc. 17. whome sometimes hee taxeth for her ambition and sometimes for weakenesse of faith c. And Origen goeth further If saith hee shee had not taken offence at the passion of the Lord the Lord hath not died for her sinnes And if all haue sinned and stand in need of the grace of God being iustified and redeemed by his grace then Marie also as who for a time was also offended c. We cease here to repeate many other for that they are before alleadged Wherefore without exception wee are all sinners but from these sinners hauing sinne proceeding and springing from them to the meriting of condemnation can there also proceed workes meriting life and saluation Let vs heare them yet further Origen expounding these words of Saint Paul To him that worketh the reward is not accompted for grace but for a debt c. But I saith he cannot be perswaded that there is any worke that can craue recompence or reward of God as a dew debt c. And hee rendreth a reason Idem in Ep. ad Rom. 4.4 August de verb. Apost Serm. 31. Idem Ep. 54. ad Maced Idem in psalm 142. For the wages of sinne is death but grace is eternall life Saint Augustine Wee are not in this world without sinne but wee shall goe foorth of it without sinne Againe Who so saith that he is without sinne is not in the truth and who so saith that in any worke that is verie well done he is without sinne he deceiueth himselfe For saith hee Neuer did man any good worke with that charitie that he might and ought and therefore euerie man remaineth vniust now the vniust and vnrighteous cannot but sinne in a iust and righteous worke And to be short saith he Charitie is a vertue whereby we loue that which ought to be beloued In some greater in some lesse and in some not at all and in no man growne to such perfection but that it may increase and grow in him as long as he liueth And that lesse measure that any man hath then he should euen that is a vice and such a vice as that it causeth that there is not a iust or righteous man on the earth not one that doth good nay which sinneth not Such a vice as that man whiles he liueth cannot be iustified before God A vice whereof it is said if we say that we haue no sin c. by reason whereof we are to say how well so euer we haue profited Forgiue vs our sins c. Where we see that S. Augustine maintaineth that the want of charity continueth alwaies here being of it selfe sufficient to make insufficient that which we take to be the most sufficient of all our workes Idem Ep. 30. ad Hieronym In a word he cleane cutteth off all Who are they that are blessed Not those in whome God findeth no sinne for hee findeth sinne in all c. Not those that doe good workes for all thy workes saith he are viewed and found to bee wicked And if there should bee giuen and rendred to thee according to that which is due to thy workes without doubt hee should condemne thee for the reward of sinne is death And what is due vnto wicked workes but condemnation But they are blessed whose sinnes are remitted God heapeth not vpon thee the punishment that is due but bestoweth grace fauor vpon thee which is not due or deserued Saint Ambrose saith I hold it for good and sound Ambros de Iacob that we are not iustified by the workes of the Lawe then it must follow that J haue nothing wherefore I should boast my selfe in my workes but rather in Christ. J will not glorifie or boast my selfe as though I were iust but because J am redeemed because I am disburdened and deliuered from sinne but because that my sinnes are forgiuen me not because that I haue helped my selfe therein or yet any other for me Quia profui Idem de vocatione Gent. l. 5. c. 5. but because I haue an aduocate with the Father c. Againe As there is no action so wicked as that it can hinder the gift of grace so there are no workes so excellent as that they may challenge as their due recompence that which is freely giuen For otherwise the redemption of Christ should grow base and contemptible and the prerogatiue of the workes of man should not yeelde and humble it selfe vnder the mercie of God if the iustification which is wrought by his grace were due vnto precedent merites For so it should not be any more the gift of one that giueth but the wages of one which laboureth c. To bee briefe mans merites whether past or to come are not to make vp any part of the price in this purchase Saint Ierome saith What vprightnesse Hieronym in Prou. 20. in Eccle. c. 7. Gregor Nyss l. de orat Bernard Serm. 50. what cleannesse can there be in the liues of the righteous The workes that wee discharge by the ministerie of our bodies are alwayes mingled with some errour Againe We are saith Gregorius Nyssenus taught by the Scripture that there is not any one amongst men to bee found which can passe ouer one day without spot or staine But Saint Barnard though hee liued in an age full of all humane presumptions did notwithstanding hold fast this puritie of doctrine If there be saith hee any righteousnesse in vs it may bee vpright and honest but it can neuer be pure If so be that we will not thinke better of our selues then wee doe of our forefathers all which haue confessed no lesse truely then humbly That all our righteousnesse is as the menstruous clothes of a woman c. For where shall
c. Which the second Councell of Orange resolued vpon in these speeches If any man say that the verie beginnings of faith Et ipse credulitatis affectus by which we belieue in him which iustifieth the wicked and not the growth and increase onely are not the gift of grace by the inspiration of the holy Ghost calling and reclaiming vs from infidelitie to faith from impietie and vngodlinesse to pietie and godlinesse c. Let him bee accompted of as an enemie of the doctrine of the Apostles c. Thus Prosper handled the matter reasoning and arguing the same amongst our Frenchmen and this same controuersie or the like was stirred againe by one Abailardus a long time after against our Countrie man S. Barnard Barnar Dom. Serm. 1. for the vnreclaimable pride of man when all other things yeeld will still stand out and bee last in the field who though he be of the last and newest yet is hee not the least worth or comming behinde the rest for the well handling of this matter God saith he hath washed with the water of an other those who had beene defiled by the sin of an other And yet not in such sort altogether an other mans but that it was our owne withall for otherwise it had not polluted and defiled vs but thus an other mans for that wee haue all sinned in Adam ours because that we our selues also haue sinned And howbeit that wee haue sinned in an other yet it was imputed vnto vs by the iudgement of God a iust iudgement and sentence though secret and hidden And yet notwithstanding O man thou hast no cause to complaine thy selfe for in stead of Adam his disobedience thou hast the obedience of Christ freely giuen vnto thee c. Idem Serm. 4. in fer hebdo Of Christ saith he who is come freely to iustifie sinners to make seruants his brethren and slaues fellow-heires with him and banished men kings He hath said Consummatum est All is fulfilled and finished there is nothing left vndone that ought to bee done c. And how was this done Jn this saith hee that he was made sinne all manner of sinne as well originall as personall hath beene defaced yea euerie single and particular sinne hath beene banished and cast out shall mans miseries then ouercome Gods mercies or rather the mercies the miseries And he hath not onely taken vpon him the forme of a seruant to be made subiect but of an euill seruant to bee beaten and of a seruant of sinne to pay the punishment he himselfe notwithstanding being the partie in whome there was no fault c. Let not therefore the name of holinesse astonish thee Idem Serm. 3. ad fratres Propositum Idem in fest Sanctor For God calleth not Saints according to merite but according to his owne ordinance and decree that is to say according to his purpose not according to their affections but according to his owne intention And he rendreth a reason in an other place For saith he What can our righteousnesse bee before God but a menstruous cloth as the Prophet saith All our righteousnesse to be short but vnrighteousnesse And then by a stronger reason what shall our sinnes be And therefore let vs haue recourse with the Prophet vnto mercie alone for it is that alone that is able to saue our soules and only that mercie extended and exhibited in Iesus Christ alone Idem de sepulchro ad milites In Christ alone saith he who taking vpon him the burden of the punishment but being nothing possessed of the fault hath merited life and righteousnesse for vs with God In Christ alone who dying for sinners hath remitted the sinne whereby it commeth to passe that there saith hee remaineth no more place for merite and yet notwithstanding our debt is paid In Christ alone in whose death death is hunted and chased away and his righteousnesse imputed vnto vs. But VVhat a peece of Iustice is it wilt thou say that the innocent and guiltlesse should die for the transgressor and guiltie person Yes And not iustice onely but a worke of mercie also c. But againe How may the gutltie be iustified by this death Nay why may or should hee not One shall haue sinned and all shall be guiltie Now then should the innocencie of one extend and bee imputed but to one The sinne of one hath brought death vpon all And the righteousnesse of one should it restore life but to one The sinne of Adam shall bee imputed vnto me and shall not the righteousnesse of Christ appertaine vnto me The disobedience of one hath spoyled me and shall not the obedience of the other doe me any seruice Multo germanius Idem in Psal 91. Serm. 14. Idem in Cant. Serm. 13.14.22.23 Illibata c Nay rather saith hee we are borne of God according to the spirite both more naturally and lawfully then of Adam according to the fleshe c. And therefore saith hee Iesus Christ hath power to forgiue sinnes as God and to die as man and in dying to acquit the debt of death in that hee was iust and himselfe to bee sufficient for vs all both vnto righteousnesse and vnto life c. Jn this righteousnesse saith hee thou art saued gratis and for nothing in respect of thy selfe but in respect of him not altogedound without any touch or stroke of man therein as hauing alone triumphed ouer the enemie alone deliuered the sillic captiues alone encountred and alone ouercome c. For such as will establish their owne righteousnesse which iustifieth not but accuseth there can no better fall out vnto them then that they should be giuen ouer to their owne righteousnesse which will ouerset and ouerwhelme them in stead of iustifying of them c. But on the contrarie O Lord the sweete smell of thy righteousnesse is so large and farre and wide spread euerie where throughout as that thou art knowne not onely to bee iust and righteous but iustice and righteousnesse it selfe euen that righteousnesse which iustifieth the sinner c. And it is saith hee in this righteousnesse that I am iustified and made righteous For inlighten thou mine eyes and I become prudent and of good vnderstanding remember not the sinnes of my youth and then I become iust guide me in the way and then I become holy but if thy bloud doe not sue for me I doe not attaine saluation But blessed and not iust alone is hee to whome sinne is not imputed c. It is sufficient therefore for me and in stead of all righteousnesse Indulgen Dei Idem Serm. 61 to haue him fauourable and mercifull vnto me against whome alone I haue sinned All that whatsoeuer he hath appointed not to bee imputed vnto me is as if it neuer had beene The righteousnesse of God is not to sinne the righteousnesse of man is Gods pardon Hitherto we see how this holy person cannot satisfie himselfe or thinke that he hath
in all the seuerall tearmes and times of the same whether before the Lawe vnder the Law or vnder the time of grace that hee is figured in all the sacrifices and exhibited in all the Sacraments as well old as new as they which are at all times vnprofitable without Christ and which cannot be fruitfull but in Christ who onely is both the foundation and the substance Saint Paul said to the Corinthians J would not saith he that you should be ignorant c. that our Fathers haue all eaten of the same spirituall meate and all drunke of the same spirituall drinke 1. Cor. 10. for they drunke of the spirituall rocke which followed them and that rocke was Christ The Apostle expressing by the words of eating and drinking the communion which they had in Christ euen Christ slaine sacrificed crucified who otherwise did not profit either them or vs. But some make answere that S. Paul meaneth that they did verily eate amongst themselues of one the same meate c. but not of the verie same that we This is the thing that wee must see and trie Certainely the scope and drift of the Apostle is plaine as to shew vnto the Corinthians that they deceiued themselues to put their trust in the vse of the Sacraments not ceasing in the meane time to prouoke God by their abuses But saith hee our Fathers had Sacraments as well as we they eate and drunke the same meate and drinke and notwithstanding such of them as prouoked God could not put off or avoide their destruction If S. Paul had not meant it by way of comparing of the Christians with the Iewes what should the force of his argument haue bene And had they not libertie to haue replied they did not eate Christ as we doe c. But the old writers shall decide vs this controuersie Tertullian This water saith he which distilled and ranne from the rocke Tertul. de Bapt aduer Marcion l. 0. which followed the people was Baptisme for if the rocke were Christ vndoubtedly we see that Baptisme is blessed through the water in Christ. Againe Marcion hath striken himselfe against the rocke whereof our fathers drunke in the wildernesse c. Origen The same which the Iewes call the way and passage through the Sea S. Paul calleth Baptisme and that which they call the cloud Orig. in Exod. c. 7. hom 5. he taketh for the holy Ghost and would haue it to be vnderstood according to that which our Lord saith in the Gospell If a man be not borne againe of water and of the holy Ghost he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Againe the Manna which the Jewes tooke for carnall meate is called by him a spirituall meate c. And he goeth ouer it againe a litle after in the same Homely S. August in Iohannem tract 45. Augustine The times are changed but not the faith in diuers signes is signified one and the same faith as in diuers words they belieue the same things to come afterward which we belieue to be alreadie come and therfore saith the Apostle they haue drunke one the same spiritual drinke yea spiritual not corporal for they drunke of the spirituall rocke and the same was Christ thus you may behold one self-same faith but diuers signes There Christ is the rocke vnto vs Christ is that which is set vpon the Altar And they for a great Sacrament of the said Christ did drinke the water that ran from the rocke But as for vs the faithfull know what we drinke if thou regard looke vpon the outward forme which is visible it is an other thing but if thou looke vpon the inuisible signification they haue drunke the same spiritual drink c. And in another place They haue eaten the same spiritual meate What is this same but that which we our selues do also eate Idem de vtilit paenit c. Certainely I know not what should be the meaning of the same meate if it be not that which we our selues do eate For there were some that tasted Christ in their harts more then the Manna in their mouthes which made a spirituall construction of this visible meate c. and did hunger and thirst after it c. Againe expounding this place of S. Iohn This is the bread that came downe from heauen c. The Manna saith he the Altar of God c. Idem in Ioh. tract 26. in Psal 77. Epiph. l. 1.3 haue signified this bread These things were Sacraments diuers and dislike in the signes but like and the very same as concerning the thing signified Giue eare to the Apostle now brethren I would not haue you ignorant c. Epiphanius reasoneth after the same manner that Tertullian dooth against Marcion They did eate saith he the same meate and drunke the same drinke euen Christ and in truth saith the Apostle and not in shew or appearance onely They obiect and alleadge against vs in this point Saint Chrysostome who in truth speaketh of the Manna and water as figures of our Sacraments But so as that he addeth these words Chrysost in 1. Cor. 10. Idem in Homil. Nolite ignorate fratres Howsoeuer these things were sensible yet in deede the truth is that they ministred vnto vs the apprehension of spirituall matters not by the consequence of nature but by the grace of the gift and nourished the soule with the bodie inducing and perswading them vnto faith c. Likewise expounding this place elsewhere in an Homely for the purpose he findeth therein in diuers considerations an equalitie and in deed the argument of the Apostle dooth otherwise lose his force Likwise the similitude that Chrysostome vseth in the same homely That one and the same king is delineated and drawne with a former and sleighter draught and afterward set forth in liuely colours and yet is euermore the same king So Christ in the two Testaments Bed in 1. Cor. 10. and in their Sacraments c. Beda vpon this place vseth the verie words of S. Augustine without changing any thing therein at all Bertram a Priest in the time of Charles the bald Thou askest saith hee what same meate Verily Bertram in l. de corp sang Dom. that same which the belieuing people of these dayes doe eate and drinke in the Church for it may not be permitted that diuers things should be meant and vnderstood seeing it is the same Christ that in the desart fed at that time with his flesh and gaue his bloud to drinke vnto the people baptised in the cloud and in the Sea and which now feedeth in the Church the beleeuing people with the bread of his bodie and giueth them to drinke of the water of his bloud c. And if thou obiect vnto him But how Seing he had not as yet taken vpon him mans flesh and seeing that as yet he had not tasted of death for the saluation of the world
c. which could not be both the signes and the things at one and the same time August ad Bonisacium Ep. 23. And therefore saith Saint Augustine The Sacraments that is to say the signes for the similitude and likenesse which they haue with the things doe take the names of the things themselues And he giueth this example To morrow shall be the passion of our Lord to day Christ is risen againe we are buried with Christ by Baptisme c. In like maner he saith not saith he we signifie the buriall but plainly and absolutely we are buried calling the Sacrament of the thing that is to say the signe by the name of the thing it selfe Againe Idem in Leuit. l. 3. q. 7. cōt Adimant c. 12 Ep. 102. The thing which signifieth hath bin accustomed to be named by the name of that which it signifieth As the seuen eares are seuen yeares hee saith not signifie the rocke was Christ hee saith not signifieth Christ as though it were that in substance which it is not but in signification c. Which thing Theodoret calleth a commutation of names of the signe or Symbole to the thing Seeing saith he that God would that those which receiue the diuine mysteries should not rest and content themselues with the things which they see but that they should beleeue through the change of names the transmutation that is made of grace Not saith he that the nature is changed but that grace is added thereunto That which is brought in as said by Saint Gregorie Gregor in Dial l. 4. may we also say together with him That in the celebration of the Sacrament the high and heauenly things are ioyned to the low and earthly and the visible to the inuisible c. But Saint Augustine giueth vs a rule which wee are not to exceede or passe August in doct Christ l. 3 c. 5. It is saith he a miserable seruitude and slauerie of the soule to take the signes for the things This is Carnaliter sapere not to taste any thing but flesh to be carnally wise which is the verie death of the soule c. The Iewes did obstinately pitch and rest themselues vpon the signes Christian libertie reuerenceth not a profitable signe instituted of God but that whereunto such signes are to be referred c. that is to say for that the signe and the thing are Correlatiues And as saith he it is a slauish weakenesse and a point of seruile infirmitie to take the signes for the things signified Idem de Trin. l. 9. quaest ex Nou. Test c. 59. Idem cont Maxim l 3. c. 22. Idem in 1. Cor. c. 10. Idem in 2. Cor. 3. Tho. in tract de differ verb. diuin Lum Summ. q. 1. art 6. vbi allegat Petra erat Christus so it is a verie deepe deceipt and errour to interpret them vnprofitably And by name he taketh for an example the Sacraments of the Christian Church especially Baptisme in an other place We see therein saith he water but the spirit which is not seene worketh therein which washeth away the sinnes of the soule and as visible things becom profitable to such as are able to see so the spirit to the spirituall c. And in another place In the Sacraments we are to regard not that which they are but that which they signifie sunt enim signa rerum saith he aliud existentia aliud significantia for they are signes of things which are another maner of thing in themselues then that which they signifie And Anselme in the same sense The holie Scriptures call the things signifying as the signified for that the signes seeme to make representation of the things they signifie whereupon it is said The rocke was Christ which was onely by the way of signification and not of substance And in another place It must bee carefully anoyded that a figuratiue speech be not expounded and taken according to the letter for this were carnaliter sapere to haue a carnall taste c. and Thomas in like maner And indeed the difference betwixt them is so great as that they cannot be made one For Saint Augustine saith oftentimes God onely giueth the thing but both the good and the euill may giue the signe And Chrysostome When thou art baptised August contr Maxim l. 3. c. 22 in Ioh. tract 5. con liter Petil. l. 3. c. 4.9 Chrysost in Mat. hom 51. Le◠de Natiuit serm 4. it is not the Minister which baptiseth thee it is God himselfe who holdeth thy head by an inuisible power neither Angell nor Archangell durst once touch thee therein And Leo the first Christ gaue to the water the same which hee gaue to his mother the same that made her to conceiue the Sauiour namely the operation of the holy Ghost giueth the power of the regenerating of man vnto the water c. And Anselme who is not one of the oldest writers Wherefore dooth God alone saith hee giue the thing and men the signe Verily because that without the mediation of his worde the signe is a meere naked and bare signe yea it ought to loose and forgoe the name of signe in as much as the thing whereof it is the signe cannot bee ioyned thereto So the Circumcision of the Turkes is nothing for it is without the institution of the Lord and as little is that of the Moores worth notwithstanding they be Christians and yet the signe is there intire the ceremonie intire And so although that Manna should raine downe to morowe yea and albeit water should gush out of the rocke yet this should be but Manna and water this should not likewise bee to Christians the participating of Christ it was that vnto the Iewes In the apple which Adam did eate in the Garden there was no venime and notwithstanding it was deadly vnto him for that the transgressing of the word of the Lord doth beget and bring forth death In these Sacraments how precious so euer they be there is no gaine or good to bee got without the institution of God for his word is the life therof And this is that which S. Augustine saith The signes of diuine things are visible wherein we honour the inuisible things Signacula August de Catech. rud c 26 and yet notwithstanding we must not hold the kind which is sanctified by the blessing thereof as that which is of common vse for there must regard and consideration be had what the word doth signifie which hath beene pronounced vpon it as also that which lieth hidden in the same and wherof it beareth the similitude likenesse Iren. likewise Iren. l. 4. c. 34. The bread hauing receiued his stile of the word of God is not any more common bread but it becommeth an Eucharist which consisteth in two things the one earthly and the other heauenly And the same had beene said by him of all the Sacraments S. Ambrose What hast thou seene
bread shall liue for euer And in S. Augustines time there were that taught hereupon that if a man had communicated at the Lords supper how be it he should afterward renounce the Christian profession yet hee could not possibly perish and fall away for euer Wherefore as oft as euer wee shall reade such places we ought alwayes to remember and call to mind these rules The good and prudent Reader saith Saint Hillarius doth looke for the vnderstanding of that which is said Hilat. de Trin. l. 1. Hieronym in Mat. not by fetching it from any preiudicate opinion of his owne but from the cause of that which is said And S. Ierome The discreete Reader is verie carefull to keepe himselfe euermore from all manner of superstitious vnderstanding he frameth and squareth his sence and vnderstanding according to the Scriptures August cont aduers leg Prophet l. 2. c. 9. and not the Scriptures according to it And Saint Augustine handling this same matter One peece of Scripture must be expounded by an other and all the holy Scriptures according to the soundnesse of faith if we expound any thing done or spoken figuratiuely it standeth vs vpon to see that such expositions be drawne wisely and not negligently from other things and words which are contained in the holy writings But aboue all wee haue to consider in the matter of the Sacramentes what a Sacrament is and in the matter of the holy supper that therein is handled the most excellent of all the rest that is to say a great mysterie a profound and high secret and that so soone as wee heare the word Sacrament wee must lift vp our spirits from the beholding of these outward things to the apprehending of inward things from the skin to the marrow and from of the earth vp vnto heauen obseruing the nature of the misterie the signification of the word and what the thing doth permit suffer what the letter saith and what the meaning of the spirit is Thus These words This is my body cannot bee interpreted without a figure This is my bodie according to their sence and construction what shall it signifie Hoc this If it be meant of the bread then it must be thus taken This bread is my bodie But this is not their meaning for they confesse that it cannot bee two substances at one and the same instant And when two chiefe and primarie substances that is to say two Iudiuidua as the Logicians call them are called the one by the name of the other there must of necessitie be included a figure but this they wil not yeeld vnto Furthermore they doe not pretend that it is the body vntill the last word be vttered and wee are as yet but in the verie first And in the meane time then shall it not be the same which our Lord tooke blessed brake and gaue to his Disciples that is to say bread What shall then this hoc make The accidents of bread without the subiect namely whitenesse roundnesse c And what manner of speech were it to say The accidents of bread are my body which is giuen for you or else their Indiuiduum vagum and vage determinatum This I cannot tell what in the ayre which they can neither name nor point out so as that it may be comprehended How it may bee bread in the beginning of the vttering of the words and his body in the end What a number of obscure and straunge figures to how many contradictorie designments and deuises are they driuen and all to auoide one cleare and manifest figure and that such a one as is verie often and familiarly vsed in the Sacraments Afterward This is my bloud What shal be the meaning of this Hoc in this place It is said that taking the cup he blessed it and said Drinke ye all Bibite ex hoc omnes This Hoc then is the cup whereof he saith This is my bloud But can it possibly be that the cup should be called blood without a figure seeing that according to their owne assertions it is the wine and not the cup It followeth Est This is say they a verbe substantiue Let it bee granted but is it therefore a verbe transubstantiue This is my bodie that is to say This is made my bodie It is substantially turned it is transubstantiated into my bodie and bloud This is their meaning and they call this word in their affected tearmes and gibberidge an operatiue and practicke Est But if it be vnderstood of the bread then what figure is it And how will their fond deuised fantasie stand sith they hold that the bread is not changed or turned but becommeth nothing to the end it may giue place to the bodie And what shew of any figure will there then be here Hoc est that is to say this Vagum Indiuiduum which hath no name is transubstantiated into his bodie And if it bee wandring and vnstable it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it hath not any substance Or els This bread is become nothing to giue place to the bodie c. But this word Est may it bee expounded by the word Fit factum est conuertitur transubstantiatur it is made turned transubstantiated Yea and also by Fiat conuertatur transubstantiatur that it may be made turned transubstantiated without a figure yea and which is more without any contradiction And of the cup particularly without acknowledging that it is transubstantiated But this they do not admit Let vs proceed Take eate but what Accidents but they are no proper obiects for the teeth to be occupied about The bodie of Christ then But as they say themselues it is not as yet there And then it is not chewed there it is not there broken What shall then the meaning bee of this word eate But to endeuour to eate to make semblance of eating c. But how much better had it been to haue expounded this place by the nature of other Sacraments whereof it is said This is my couenant as here This cup is the new Testament in my blood This is the blood of the new Testament c. all comming to the same sence Againe The rocke was Christ I am the bread of life as here The bread is my bodie the cup is my blood To expound it I say by Iesus Christ in S. Iohn My flesh is meate in deede and my bloud is drinke in deede Where in plaine tearmes he referreth vs vnto his death when hee saith Which I will giue for the life of the world As also here Which is giuen which is shed for you But saith he to the Capernaites The words that J say vnto you are spirite and life And therefore some are of iudgement that this whole speech of his was nothing else but a resolued and purposed Commentarie and a preparatiue to the right vnderstanding of the holy supper And finally to haue expounded it by Saint Paule Who giueth vnto vs that which he