and so left not that we should seéke for forgeuenes of Sinnes out of the same but that these outward signes deliuered vnto vs to Eate might putt vs in remembraunce of that euerlasting remission of sinnes which Christ should purchase for vs by the shedding of his precious bloud And for this cause he doth call it the upp in his bloud which shall be shedd for many sayth he into the remission of sinnes not transitory remission I suppose Osorius but into euerlasting forgeuenes of sinnes For other wise if it be a forgeuenes Temporall how will that saying of Ieremy be true And I will make with them an euerlasting couenaunt that I may not remember their sinnes any more If it be an euerlasting Release what neéde we then any further Sacrifices or what shall be sayd of that your holynes of Religion which doth make that thing transitory to vs that God hath vouchsafed for vs to be vnremoueable and to continue beyond all ages To be briefe that we may now knitt vp the matter by that that hath bene spoken before Behold here in few wordes the trueth and substaunce of this Sacrament Iustified with most true and approued Argumēts Whereunto if you will aunswere in your next letters to the Queénes Maiestie at your conuenient leasure you shall do vs a great pleasure 1. The Lord departing from hence did carry away with him out of the earth the substaunce of his body Ergo. He did not leaue the same substaunce behinde him 2. Christ did deliuer vnto vs a Mistery of his body onely Ergo. He did not deliuer his very naturall body 3. Christ did institute a Mistery of his body to be eaten onely Ergo. Not to be sacrificed In the remembraunce of forgeuenes of sinnes onely Ergo. Not a Sacrifice of cleansing and forgeuing of Sinnes 4 Saluation and remission of Sinnes is promised to them onely that beleue in Christ. Ergo not to them that doe sacrifice Christ. 5 Remission of Sinnes is not geuen without shedding of bloud Heb. 9 In the vnbloudy Sacrifice of the Masse there is no effusion of bloud Ergo. In the Sacrifice of the Masse is no Remission of sinnes 6. Saluation and free Remission of Sinnes doth consist of the promise through fayth The Sacrifice of the Masse is not free but meritorious nor cōsisteth of fayth but of merite Meritorious Ergo. The Sacrifice of the Masse is vneffectuall to Saluation and to the Reconciling of God 7. There is no Materiall cause of forgeuenes of Sinnes but the onely shedding of Christes bloud and no formall cause but fayth The vnbloudy Sacrifice of the Masse is neither fayth neither hath in it any effusion of bloud Ergo in the Sacrifice of the Masse there is neither Materiall nor Formall cause of Remission of Sinnes 8. The Sacrifices that doe not cease to be offred for Sinnes doe not satisfie for Sinnes Heb. 10. The oblatiōs of the Lawe can neuer make the receauers thereof perfect for if they could they would neuer haue ceased to be offred c. The Sacrifices of the Altar doe not cease to be offred doth name it a Sacramentall ministration In Clement it is called a representation of the kingly body of Christ. Others doe call it a signe of a true Sacrifice sometymes it is called the Sacrifice of prayer and thankesgeuyng by a certein mysticall figure of speakyng As in a certein place Ambrose doth call our Soules Altares Where writyng of virgines I dare boldly affirme sayth he that your Soules are Altares In the which Christ is dayly offred for the redemption of the body Not bycause our Soules be Altares or that the flesh of Christ is naturally or materially offered of vs but these sayinges are to be taken in the same sence as many other like sayings of the old writers are to be vnderstanded As where Ierome writeth on this wise That which was borne of the Virgine is dayly borne vnto vs Christ is Crucified vnto vs dayly c. After the same maner also doth Augustine speake Then is Christ dayly slayne to euery of vs whē we beleeue in him that he was slayne And the same Augustine in an other place vpon the wordes of the Lord. Christ doth ryse agayne dayly vnto thee And in his 10. booke De Ciuit ate Dei Cap. 5. God is not delighted in the Sacrifices of slayne beastes but of a slayne hart Euen as Chrisostome speaketh likewise In the holy mysteries the death of Christ is executed Besides this also as Gregory de Consecrat Dist. 2. Christ doth dye agayne in this mystery c. And yet is there no man so senselesse to say that Christ is borne euery day or is Crucified ryseth agayne oftentymes or that his death is executed in the mysteries accordyng to the very substaunce thereof But these be figuratiue and vnproper kyndes of speaches wherein is celebrated a certein mysticall execution of those thynges for a Remembraunce so that the thyngs them selues be not present properly which were long sithence finished but are representations by certein applyable resemblaūces of thinges signified onely whereby our fayth may as it were from hād to hand be admonished by the application of these outward signes what was accomplished before spiritually for vs in that most excellent Sacrifice of Christ. Euē as the Natiō of the Hebrues were sometyme fedd with the visible Manna as our bodyes are at this present strenghthened with dayly food of nourishyng sustenaunce which would otherwise perish through want Semblably bycause there can be no saluation for our forlorne nature besides the bloud of Christ Christ is therfore worthely called the bread of our lyfe and the foode of the world whereby the bodies are not fed for a few yeares but the soules are nourished to euerlastyng lyfe And for this cause Christ takyng an occasion of their communication which were cōferryng together of Manna and the eatyng of his flesh not vnaptly alluding to that heauenly banquett in Moyses which dyd refresh the hunger of the body for a tyme did call him selfe bread in deéde and spake the same also truly And why truly bycause he is truly and in deéde the bread and foode of lyfe not onely of this trāsitory and temporall lyfe but of euerlastyng lyfe not this lyfe onely which we doe now enioy in this world but which we shall lyue much more truly in the world to come And for this cause purposing euen then to suffer death for vs he did note vnto vs his body and bloud vnder the names of bread wyne This is my body sayth he This is the cuppe of my bloud Not bycause that bread and that cuppe were chaunged into his body and his bloud naturally substauncially and in deéde but bycause he could not before his death represent vnto vs the force and efficacy of that euerlastyng and spirituall Sacrifice by any more apt similitude or application of any other likenes which might continually preserue the remembraunce of him in
Asscention day and Whitsonday and the Feast of all Saintes be passed ouer with no lesse brauery if besides this outward shew vayne glorious pompe nothing be ministred els to rayse vppe Fayth to the contemplation of matters of farre greater importaunce For what may we thinke when Christ was first Circumcized when he was first named A Sauiour wheÌ„ in floud Iordan he was Baptized of Iohn and manifested agayne to be the Sonne of God by a most excellent voyce from heauen when as he was tempted of the Deuill after sixe weékes fasting whenas hauyng finished that triumphe of his Resurrection asscended into heauen he powred vpon his Apostles clouen fiery tounges may we thinke I say that all these were done to none other end but that we should in remembrauÌ„ce of them keépe idle holy dayes in pastyme play And yet we do not much finde fault with the memorials of those thyngs in godly affected myndes wheÌ„as they be rightly taught vnto them as certeine helpes and aydes of godly exercizes eueÌ„ so also we do not vtterly reiect those holy dayes approued of auÌ„cient tyme by vse and custome yea rather we do in many places reteigne and keépe the same Holy dayes as they doe albeit not with like ceremony as farre as we may without reproche of superstition For euen we also do assemble our selues together and come to the Church celebratyng the memory of the byrth of Christ his Resurrection and Ascention and the Feast of Peâ—therost also but not as a memoriall alone whereof we ought to be myndefull euery day and euery houre but seékyng an occasion of the day to heare somewhat that may conduce to sounde and pure Religion and the edifieng of our fayth vnto saluation And therfore we doe not simply deny and reiect these holy dayes but the maner of solemnizyng the same the stinking abuses superstitious worshyppyng the multitude of holy dayes your soâ—ges and sonnettes for the most part idolatrous your prayers and inuocations most manifestly repugnaunt and iniurious to the glory of Christ those we do vtterly abolish and not without cause The Iewes had their solemne holy dayes in tymes past though in nomber not so many yet prescribed by God him selfe They had also their bloud offringes and Sacrifices Fastynges Easter Solemnities and the brasen Serpent wherof as loÌ„g as they folowed the lawfull vse as beyng certeine signes and meane instruments shadowes leadyng to the endes whereunto they were instituted they were acceptable enough vnto God But after that by turnyng catte in the panne they placed the chief worshyppyng of God and principall marke of true Religion in those thynges which of their owne nature were the last and of least valew how horrible and execrable they became in the sight of God no man can tell you better then Esay yâ— Prophet What haue I to do with the multitude of your sacrifices ' I am full of them the Burnt offring of your Rammes and fatte of your fattlinges the bloud of your Calues of your Lambes and of your Goates I would not haue when you come before my presence who sought for these thinges at your handes to walke so in my Courtes offer no more any Sacrifice in vayne your Incense is abhominable in my fight your new Moones and Sabbathes and other holy dayes I will not away with your assemblies are wicked my soule hateth you Kalendes and solemne Feastes I am greeued with these things and ouerladen with them And when you stretche forth your hands vnto me I will turne away my face from you and when you multiplie your prayers I will not heare you c. And yet God him selfe ordeined all these thynges in his owne law What then Doth God condemne the thynges which he commaunded No truly but bycause they wrested forced those thynges to an other end then they were instituted for bycause they were fastened wholy to those and had settled the chief foundation of ReligioÌ„ in these Rites neglecting in the meane tyme the greater and high matters of the Law this now was it that the Lord could not away withall Go to Le ts vs also now take a through view of your notable Feastes and solemne worshyppynges and let vs compare your ordinaunces who liue now vnder the Spirituall law with that people that liued vnder the carnall Law For they neither worshypped their Sacrifices nor burnt offringes at any tyme they neuer painted the resemblaunce or counterfaite of Gods couÌ„tenauÌ„ce in table or picture they neuer bedecke their TeÌ„ples with Images they did neuer set downe any visible signes or portraictes of Patriarches or Saints to be gazed vpoÌ„ neither did they euer gadde on Pilgrimage to visite theÌ„ to their Psalmes Prayers they had nothyng patched els nothyng intermixt froÌ„ els where they made no intercessioÌ„ to Saintes Sainctesses they neuer made inuocation to the dead In their Lessons was neuer any thyng heard but Gods scripture onely nor any thyng pronounced out of the Scriptures that was not in their mother toung intelligible enough of all sortes young and old indifferently Briefly there was nothyng exercized but by the expresse prescript and commaundement of Gods law so that the state and condition of the Iewish Feastes may seéme to be farre more â—afie and tollerable then yours if we haue respect to the onely outward forme superstition of myndes And yet as I sayd before I do not stand so much in this point but that ChristiaÌ„s may haue their holy dayes and solemne Feastes wherein they may refresh them selues be raysed to the remembraunce of Gods benefites and manifold mercyes bestowed vpon vs so that the same be obserued wtout preiudice of fayth in simplicitie of vnfayned piety Neither am I so curious to haue that comely traditions of our elders to be abolished so the true ReligioÌ„ remaine meane whiles vndeffled the vse wherof coÌ„sisteth not in outwards ceremonies nor in corporall exercises nor in places and times but in spirit truth so that false preposterous hipocriticall deuotion be abandoned wherewith God waxed wroth and was highly displeased For how many christiaÌ„s may a man seé which do measure the chiefe worshyppyng of God by any other endes almost then by their dayly frequenting churches often hearyng of Masses keéping the euens and holydayes orderly fasting the Ember dayes carefully reiterating their Paternosters and Aues often and solemnely powring out their Synnes into theyr priestes bosomes in Lent treatably croochyng and kneélyng to the Crucifixe barefooted and barelegged humbly Receiuyng the very body and bloud of Christ vnder the formes of bread wyne once a yeare yea euen in their death beddes deuoutly and that besides there remayneth nought to be superadded to attain perfect saluation beleuing stedfastly nor that they be ought indepted to Christ vdoubtedly but suppose vnfaynedly that they ought forthwith for these causes receiue heauen for theyr meéd of very duety I besech you If Esay the Prophet liued now
forgeuen but through the merites of Iesu Christ. What then doth not Paul affirme truly that Iewes and Gētiles are all cōcluded vnder sinne Doth not the Propheticall kyng Dauid likewise lōg before him pronoūce truly There is not one righteous person no not one there is not one that will vnderstand not one that will seeke after god All are gone out of the way they are all together become vnprofitable there is not one that doth good no not one If there be not one righteous mā no not so much as one what shal be come of the worthynes of your workes then yea euen amōgest the most perfect and godly If there bee no man that will vnderstand then also the best workes of the godly are of no value If no mā seéke after God what can be duly performed of any person If all haue declined out of the way where be they that haue walked perfectly in the right way Lastly if there be no person that doth good whether then are all your excellent workemaisters vanished a Gods name if all I say all as well Iewes as Gētiles that is to say if all generally are concluded vnder sinne where can those pretie holy men bee founde of whom ye will neédes haue some but Paule vtterly none at all Through the sinne of one man sinne is poured vpon all fleshe to condemnation These be the expresse wordes of Paule which will not admitte any startyng hole yet your Mastershyp notwithstandyng will vrge a certeine perfection of our workes contrary to the manifest authoritie of sacred Scriptures But this Prelate doth make more accompt of the wordes of Christ our Sauiour saying Not he that sayth Lord Lord but he that doth the will of my Father shal enter into the kingdome of heauen And then hee demaundeth If the yoke of sinne bee so alwayes fastened vnto our shoulders that it can by no meanes be remoued how we may then obteine the state of righteousnesse through the grace and goodnesse of Christ Your selfe haue told it wise man truely euen through the very same grace and goodnes of Christ which you haue named And therfore Dauid being full of the holy Ghost lifting his hādes vp vnto God cryeth out in this maner Wash me throughly from my wickednes and clense me frō my sinne for I knowledge my faultes and my sinne is euer before me Why should we desire to bee washed if we did not welter in the filthy puddle of sinnes and why should we require to bee clensed and throughly purified if we were not corrupted wholy defiled with the stinckyng dregges of sinne As by the fall of one mā sayth Paule sinne is deriued by way of propaganaciō vpon all men vnto condēnation euen so by the righteousnesse of one good is extended vnto all men to iustification of life Agayne The same Paule God hath shut vp all men vnder vnbelief that he might haue mercy vpon all Frō our selues therfore proceédeth euill vnto damnatiō And from God commeth Iustification vnto lyfe Of our selues riseth vnbelief but mercy issueth from God But let vs heare our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ him selfe most sweétely cōfortyng vs with these wordes Come vnto me all ye that doe trauaile and be heauy laden and I will refresh you And therfore all anguish and grief of sinne all burden of trespasses wherewith we are ouerladen and haled down not onely to the groūde but euen to hell gates spryng out from our owne selues euen so the asswagyng of all sorrowes and ease of all our importable burdens come from Iesu Christ onely If you bee ignorant of these sentences good Syr wherewith the holy scriptures doe euery where swarme so plentyfully what is it I pray you that you vnderstand in the Gospell if you doe know them why doe ye so maliciously inueighe agaynst those learned men and singular seruauntes of God without cause especially being as now departed this life agaynst whom if they could speake for them selues ye durst not mutter one worde For what are you beyng compared with them But to let them passe whom I did not vndertake to defend what extreme amazednesse is this in you to rehearse my wordes and cull them out of purpose to carpe at them and from them to glaūce away to Luther and Caluin if your quarell be to me why do you not let them alone if ye liste to striue with them then also cauill not with me Doth not reason require this and is not my request allowable Surely it is extreme maddenesse to challenge me vnto the Barriers and then to sckyppe ouer away to others and to pursue them with your venymous toung You say further that it seemeth by my maisters doctrine for so it pleaseth you to tearme thē that the force of sinne is not as yet extinguished in vs through the bloud of Christ. Truely you and I both may acknowledge those men whose names you did recite before to be our maisters not in Diuinitie onely but in practize of pietie also But whereas ye would haue them to teache that the force of sinne is not as yet extinguised through the bloud of Christ I doe expresse here your owne wordes This is onely your horrible and most shamelesse slaūder agaynst them For vnto this marke alwayes they bent their whole endeuour to expresse vnto you Iesu Christ liuely before your eyes the same also crucified to emprint throughly in the very bowels of your soules the most precious bloud of Iesu Christ shed for vs vpon the Crosse to preach vnto vs remission of sinnes through his bitter death and passion to beate into the blind and deafe eares of the world this glad tydyngs of the Gospell beyng ouerwhelmed oppressed by your couled generatiō massemongers confessours and mens traditions altogether choaked buried vnder grounde through the silence of holy Scriptures and to disclose agayne abroad into the open light and put miserable captiues in remembraunce of the sayd doctrine beyng vtterly subuerted by the tyrannous trechery of your gallauntes And therfore in all their sermons lessons and writynges they vsed these and such like speaches The bloud of Iesu Christ doth clense vs frō all sinne You do know that you were redemed from your vayne conuersation which you receaued by the traditiō of your forefathers not with transitorie thyngs as gold and siluer but with most precious bloud as of an vndefiled lambe c. neither whoremōgers nor worshippers of images nor adulterers c. shall inherite the kingdome of God And such ye were but you are clensed but you are sanctified but you are iustified through the name of Iesu Christ and through the spirite of our God You heare men clensed from all sinne redeémed from their vayne conuersation washed sanctified and iustified through the bloud of Iesu Christ Ye know likewise that these men did take vpon them alwayes infinite labours and trauaile about the establishyng and enlargyng of the Gospell of Christ
with examples of such as haue runne headlong into vtter dispayre which haue gaynesayd or withdrawen them selues from the doctrine of Luther As touchyng Frauncisce Spira who reuolted from the participation of the doctrine whiche he had once receaued by Luthers preachyng bycause the Recorde thereof is somewhat old I will for this present omit what remaineth in history of him I will more willyngly vse fresher examples of our later age and yet not all ingenerall for it neédeth not neither is any one man able so to doe But I will rehearse some of the most notable And first of all a certeine mā called Iacobus Latomus a man sometymes wellbe seéne amongest the Deuines of Louayne I can not tell whether you your selfe knew him Osorius when he liued This mā mainteinyng the same quarell wherein you do now turmoyle your selfe agaynst Luther is reported to departe this life in the selfe same Desperatiō whereof you make mention who at his very last gaspes brayeng out most horrible and feareful roaring noyse vttered none other sounde in the eares of all men that heard him but that he was vtterly damned and forsaken of God and had no hope of Saluation layed vp in store for him bycause hee did wilfully resiste the manifest truth which he knew before to be most true I will couple two others with hym of the same fraternitie Guarlacke Reader of Diuinitie Lecture amōgest the Gertrudianes and Arnolde Bomelye Scholer to Tilman of the first of whō it is sayd that euen in the last panges before his death he spake in this maner that he had liued desperately could not endure the Iudgemēt of God bycause he did acknowledge his sinnes to be greater then that they could obteyne for geuenesse The other hauyng fully gorged him selfe with the doctrine of Desperatiō wherein he was instructed by his Schoolemaister of distrust surprised at lēgth with intollerable gnawyng of conscience practised first to kill him selfe with his owne Dagger at the last beyng wholy swallowed vp of Desperation dyd cut his owne bowelles out of his body with an other mans knife It shall not be amisse to ioyne vnto those Sadolet Cardinall of Rome who after sondry disputations mainteined agaynst Luther gaue vp the ghost not without horrible trembling and torment of conscience I suppose also that you are not ignoraunt of the like that happened to Cardinall Crescentius Legate of the Apostolique Seé and President of the Tridentine Councell beyng astonyed with sodeine horrour and troublesome abashement of mynde in the same Citie 1552. of whom Iohn Sledan hath made relation in his Commentaries What shall I speake of Castellane Archbyshop of Aurelia of Ponchere Archbyshop of Turone who procured to them selues Gods indignation and vengeaunce as appeared by the wonderfull fearefull passiōs wherewith they were oppressed at the tyme of their death not bicause they did heare Luther and read his bookes but bycause they did cruelly persecute his doctrine In the same Beadroll may be reckoned the remēbraūce of Iohn Eckius whose whole course of lyfe as was nothyng els but a continuall mortall combate agaynst Luther so his yeldyng to nature was so altogether voyde of spirituall consolation that euen in the last gaspes hee vttered no other wordes but of money and certeine thousand of crownes And what neéde I here rehearse out of the Recordes of aūcient Chronicles Minerius Cassianus Renestenses Martinus that miserable Mōcke called Romanus Prattes Lysettes Rusius Morines who beyng horribly plagued by the seuere Iustice of God may be sufficiēt Presidentes to teach you what it is insolently to kicke agaynst the pricke of Gods vnsearcheable prouidence The History of the French kyng Henry the second is yet but freshe in memory and deépely emprinted not in the myndes onely but in the eyes also of all men who extremely boylyng with inward hatred agaynst the same doctrine receaued his deathes wounde in the selfe same eyes wherewith he was determined to view the execution of others and was forced him selfe to become a manifest spectacle of Gods Iustice to all the world before he could bathe his eyes in the bloud of the innocēt And not long after the sayd Henry followed also the kyng of Nauarre who procured vnto him selfe most iust cause not onely of Desperation but of death also through none other occasion but by persecutyng this doctrine which you doe slaunderously reproche to be the doctrine of Desperation I could here make a Register of an infinite nōber not in Englād onely but of other Regions also which after they had receaued wonderfull cōfort out of the sweéte iuyce of this doctrine which you call Lutherane fell headlong into miserable anguishe and gnawyng of conscience by reuoltyng from this doctrine who could neuer attayne one sparckle of quyet mynde before they had reclaymed them selues from their first Apostasie Last of all how many thousandes of men wemen and children young and old can this our age truely recorde who haue shewed them selues more willyng to yeld their carcasses to fier fagottes sword rackyngs and all maner of horrible Torture rather then they would recante and renounce that comfortable doctrine where with they were enstructed which I suppose they would neuer haue done if they had suspected neuer so small embres of Desperation to haue lurked therein But I perceaue what Osorius doth meane by this word Desperation If he could either expresse his mynde aptly and distinctly or were willyng to deale simply and playnly To the ende therefore I may frame myne aūswere hauing regarde to the meanyng of the man rather then to his speach I will examine the maner of his disputyng somewhat more aduisedly Luther doth teach sayth he that no mā ought to place affiaunce of his righteousnes in merites and good workes Goe to and what is concluded hereof Therfore Luther doth teach the doctrine of Desperation A very new founde and straūge maner of Argument framed perhappes after the rule which concludeth from the staffe to the corner I suppose men of Syluane vse this kynde of arguyng in their wooddy forrests But I make this aunswere to the Argument If God had determined that our Saluation should haue bene purchased through godly actions and vertuous endeuour of mans life it were not altogether without reason that Osorius doth speake But for as much as our hope and confidence is limited within the boundes of the fayth of Christ and the foundation thereof builded vpon this Rocke onely I suppose surely that the person which doth allure vs home vnto Christ from confidence of workes and teacheth vs to repose our whole trust in him as in the onely Sanctuary and shoteanker of our Saluation doth declare rather the true way to assured hope then abolishe the same Neither doth he by and by rende in sunder the sinewes of mans endeuour who doth but embace and disable that part from mās power which doth properly apperteine to the sonne of God I thinke that he discouereth rather the well
publique offences only Euē so and in such wise Releases Pardōs were esteémed not to be in any respect valuable to clense the sinnes of guiltye consciences in the sight of God simply but should be as pledges and witnesses of a full releasing their penaunce enioyned vnto thē by the Church or of mitigating the same with some gentle quallification As appeareth by a Transcript drawen out of the Penitentiall of Rome vp Burchard treating much of those exchaunges of satisfactions namely that in stead of this penaunce where a man was enioyned to fast one whole day with bread and water heé should be released thereof and say fifty psalmes or Lxx. psalmes kneéling relieue some one begger with food If he were a rich man and vnlettered he should redeéme one dayes penaunce by paying iij. pence if he were poore and vnlettered he should paye one peny or feéd threé poore folke The penaūce of a whole weékes fast was redeémed with CCC Psalmes a whole mouethes fast by saying xij hundred Psalmes for one yeares fast he shoulde geue in almes to the poore xxij shillinges c. Many other like exchaunges of penaunces are mentioned in Burchard all which respected none other end but that they might quallify the rigor of the olde Canons touching publique penaunce ministred to this end not as necessary instrumentes to obtayne remission of sinnes and to pacify the wrath of God but instituted for exāples sake that they might be speciall prickes and prouokementes to sturre vpp such as were fallen and allurementes to earnest amendement of life On the contrary part the custome of our time and of our Popes hath so farre degendred from the auncient ordinaunces of the Elders in dispensing with Pardons and Satisfactions that it may seéme to haue ouerwhelmed not onely all discipline of the auncient Church but also almost ouerthrowen the whole force and efficacy of Christian fayth For whereas the Summe and Substaunce of all our Religion consisteth in the cleansing and purging of Sinnes and the same comprehended also in the onely obedience and passion of Christ these new vpstart Popes haue translated all this Release and satisfaction for our sinnes from the merite of Christ to I know not what newfangled absolutions and Pardons And whereas the olde penitentiall Canons were onely mens constitutions wherein men might dyspence with men according to the necessity of the tyme hereupon our Popes taking hart of grasse are become so shamelesse impudent that with theyr Pardons they dare presume to dispense with mens sinnes yea and theyr consciences also and to make their satisfactory merites by merite meritorious as it were worthye and able to encounter the wrath and iudgement of God And now behold how many pumples and fretts lurke vnder this one skabbe of the popish doctrine First they do so ouerlade mens consciences with a commaundement of confession without all authority of scripture and contrary to all the presidents of the primitiue Church they force all persons to render an account of theyr sinnes whether they be contrite or not contrite and this also vpon payne of eternall damnation As for Absolution they leaue cleane naked of all effectualnesse denying it to be auayleable without workes precedent ouer and besides thys also they do clogge them that are confessed with an vnauoydable necessity of doing penaūce they do thrust in Pardō of sinnes graunted by mans authority which they call Satisfaction for sinnes to deserue freé release from that punishment payne which the iustice of God may duely exact Out of which Syncke proceéd many vntimely and vyperous birthes full of lyes sacrilege and blasphemy agaynst God Namely Mounckes vowes The Sacrifice of the Masse for the quick and the dead Pilgrimages to stockes and stoanes Iubiles Pardons and Purgatory and out of that Purgatory sprang forth that momish maxime of Scotus Scottish and crabbed enough to this effect That Sinners after absolution ar either turned ouer to pardones or to Purgatory I do not here complayne or expostulate for those portesales and crafty conueyaunces of Pardōs Let Pardōs be as francke and freé as they would seéme to be for me But this is the thyng that I do demaund by what title by what scripture by what example finally by what I do not say authority but by what honest colour the Pope of Rome may presume so much vpon hys authority as to challenge to himselfe an interest and as it were an inheritable possessiō of those things wh Gods owne mouth and the promises of the whole scripture doe geue franckely and freély vnto all them that repent and beleue euen by theyr fayth in Christ Iesu and how he dare also affirme that such men are not otherwise to be dispēsed withall then by his Bulles of Pardons and his deputary Cōmissaryes Saynt Peter cryeth out with a loud voyce and confirmeth his saying with the authority of all the Prophets that shall receiue forgeuenesse of Synnes as many as do beleue in Christ. So doth also the Apostle Paule proclayme boldly that all thinges are pacified by the bloud of Christ both in heauen and in earth and addeth moreouer And in him sayth he you are made perfect And because no man shall be of opinion here after that there wanteth any thing to the full accomplishment of our saluation read in Iohn The bloud of Christ doth clense vs from all Sinne. And immediatly after He is the propitiation for our sinnes not our sinnes onely but for the sinnes of the whole world And Iohn Baptist poynting to Christ with his finger doth affirme Christ to be the Lambe appoynted by God to take away the sinnes of the world And Paule to the Hebrues By one onely oblation Christ made perfect for euer them that were sanctified And in an other place we are taught that our hartes are purified by fayth To conclude The whole meaning and intent of the scripture being nothing els but a certayn neuer interrupted course of recomfortable refreshyng in Christ it doth so allure vs all vnto hym that it leaueth none other medicine or restoratiue for our ouerladen and encombred consciences but the onely bloud of the Sonne of God And therefore if the onely death of Christ once offred for all be a full Raūsome for our Sinnes and the full price of our Redemption If Christes onely death and Passion be imputed to the faythfull beleuer for righteousnesse What neéde then any other Pardōs If Christ pacified all thinges in heauē in earth why could he not aswell pacifie all thynges in Purgatory When full power was geuen vnto him ouer all thinges in heauen and in earth what shall Christ haue nothyng to doe in Purgatory but that the Pope must be onely Prince of that Region The bloud of Christ say they did Raunsome vs from guilt and euerlasting punishment But there remaineth yet a Temporall punishment to be endured partely in this lyfe partly in Purgatory out of the which
dead how is the safetie of all men and the state of the Churche preserued thereby To make this matter good Iustifiable S. Paule him selfe is forced maugre his beard to become wittnesse agaynst him self beyng charged with his one wordes spoken once or twise in his Epistle written to the Corinthes as when he sayth I do dye dayly through the reioysing that I haue of you in Christ Iesu our Lord. c. And agayne writyng to the Collo Now I do Reioyse sayth he ouer my afflictions for you and I do fill vpp that which wanteth in the afflictions of Christ in my fleshe for his body which is the Church c. Out of these wordes of Paule well spoken not well vnderstanded and wickedly wrested it is a wonder to seé what horrible doctrine and monstruous blasphemies these false Apostles doe inferr and thrust in place For whereas the Apostles meanyng doth note onely the confirmation of doctrine and the afflictiōs and agonyes that he endured for the enlargyng of the Fayth of Christ onely the same doe these praters most horribly mistourne force to the satisfaction for Sinnes yea to the very price of our Redemption not without manifest Sacriledge agaynst the bloud of Christ As though the Death and Passion of the onely Sonne of God Iesu Christ could not otherwise suffice to the absolute accomplishment of the whole action of our Redemption vnlesse meritorious afflictions of Sainctes were annexed besides which beyng mingled together with the bloud of Christ should counterpeise in equall ballaunce the iust and true proportion of the Iudgement of God and with full measure as it were fill vpp that euer flowyng founteyne which doth purge and washe cleane away the Sinnes and filthe of the quicke and the deadd Which mingle mangle they call by the name of the Treasure of the Churche which of all the rest is most vayne foolishe And this Treasure of the Church they dare not committe to the custody of Christ onely nor to euery of the Ministers nor yet to laye men nor to Priestes not to poore Prelates not to Abbottes or Priours not to Prouostes and Wardens of Colledges nor to simple Preachers as they call thē but to Byshoppes onely and amongest them also chiefly to the high and superexcellent Byshoppe the Pope which is of all the rest most absurd And yet least you shall thinke that these be not their own proper Assertions we will heare what holy Saynct Bonauenture and such like doctours of the same Schoole doe speake of theyr owne mouth For on this wise doe those profounde Deuynes frame theyr Argumentes out of the wordes of holye Scripture Because according to the Law say they he that doth marry his Brothers wise to rayse vpp seede to his brother that is dead ought to enioy the possession of his brothers goods that appertayne to the education of the Children Ruth 4. Therefore the dispensation of this treasure of the Church belongeth to the Byshoppes onelye which be the husbandes of the Church haue power to beget sonnes daughters that is to say perfect vnperfect and amōgest all these principally the high Byshopp which is husband gouernour of the whole Church vniuersall Ha Ha gentle Reader haue you not heard a mynyon mariage worthy for a Popes puppett grounded vpō the very vnpenetrable Rocke of the profundity of all Scriptures by which ye may first perceiue that Christ was once the husband of this spowse Now because he departed this lyfe dyed without issue of his body lawfully begottē his next brethrē the Byshops do succeéd him who marrying their Brothers wife may rayse vpp issue to their Brother vpon her and may begett Children perfect and vnperfect And because all this shall not wāt creditt they do proue it by the authority of the scripture to witt in the 4. Chapiter of Ruth and other testimonies of the Law But by the way whereas we find that by the same law it was lawfull for one husband to haue many wiues or concubines I do not yet remember any such liberty geuen by the law that one wife should be married to manye husbandes Wherein truely they doe describe a very hard and miserable estate and condition of the Church if one wife shal be constrayned to be buxonne and bonaire to so many husbandes as there be Byshoppes in Christendome But let vs harken yet what followeth more For he proceédeth on this manner And therefore all Byshoppes sayth be that haue issue may graūt pardones but especially aboue all other our most holy Father the Byshopp of Rome as to whom belongeth the dispensation of the whole spirituall treasory because he hath the charge of all the whole Church and of all her Children whereupon all be his Children and he is the Father of all c. Thus much doth preach vnto vs our holy Saynt Bonauenture Behold here gentle Reader the summe of this most excellent mysticall interpretation of the Schole doctrine where in bethinke aduisedly with your selfe how many fowle horrible errors blasphemies are scatrered abroad by this pestilent dogg and recken them vpon your fingers if you will whiles I sett thē downe in order vnto you First an vtter disability and a worne out Emptymes in the bloud of Christ his most comfortable death is here set downe wherein is manifest blasphemy Then followeth an Eclipse of Christes passion That is to say whatsoeuer wanteth in his passion to the full satisfaction of our Redemption must be supplied and recompenced with the afflictions of Martirs and Sainctes Next vpon this minglemangle of the merytes of Christ and his Martirs they gather together a certayne treasury of most precious and aboundant Satisfactiō which they call the Treasure of the Church Now whereas out of this treasury all Remission and pardō of Sinnes is dawen forth then yet must not all be Stewards and distributers of this great riches nor any other then the Bishoppes and the chiefe Byshopp of all other the Pope of Rome which is of all other a most pestiferous error Moreouer as is most meét out of this Romish Budgett and dispensation of Romish treasure are begotten Bulles and Pardons which is a most horrible fraud and liegerdemayne Lastly out of these Pardons is framed at the lēgth the skalding house of Purgatory by this argument forsooth Because otherwise these pardons and prayers of the Church and merites of Sayntes should not be worth a Rush vnlesse the soules of the faythfull did frye and broyle in this skalding house of Purgatorye for ease of whom these qualificatiōs are proued by the Church I haue reckened vpp orderly and briefly the chiefe of all their errours monstruous horrible enough I thinke which being directly agaynst manifestly repugnaunt and contrary to the true meaning and naturall sense of the scripture will not require any long aunswere in the confutation of them First where as they do affirme that
the death of Christ is not of sufficient efficacy and power to accomplish the misterye and pryce of our redemptiō vnlesse a supply of Sayntes afflictions be annexed to make vpp the full measure herein they do eyther moustruously lye or els it is false that Saynt Paule doth affirme that we are all made absolutely perfect and complete in Christ Iesu for asmuch as it is vndoughted true that the thing that is most perfect and fully absolute can want nothing to fyll vpp the measure of perfect perfection And so also is the saying of Saynt Paule to the Hebrues in ech respect as false where it is sayd that Christ did by one onely oblation consummate or make perfect them that be sanctified Surely if one onely oblation doe fully accomplish all the partes of our satisfaction then all other oblatiōs whatsoeuer be not onely not profitable but wicked also and execrable Moreouer whereas that Typicall Lambe in the olde law did represent vnto vs the perfect patterne and Image of the true and immaculate Lambe which was slayne from the beginning of the world what shoulde be the cause that the redemption which is of the bloud of the sonne of God should in any respect not be as fully perfect vnto vs as was that deliueraunce of the people full and absolute that went before but in a Type or representation And whereas they dare be so shamelesly Impudent as to make a mingle māgle of the merites and afflictiōs of Sayncts with the passion and bloud of Iesu Christ I do wonder that they are not ashamed hereof howbeit I can not deny but that the death of his Saynctes is precious in the sight of the Lord yet is not this to be taken so as though the price of theyr death were of as great value as that it ought or can be able to counteruayle the wrath of God by any meanes Neither are they therfore sayncts because they do dye and suffer persequution but because they that do suffer persequution be holy therefore is theyr death called precious in the sight of the Lord. And the cause why they are Sainctes and be called Sainctes commeth not of any vertue of theyr death but of the onely power efficacye of the death of the sonne of God in whō they do beleue which dignity they do receiue by theyr owne fayth onely not for any their afflictions sake so that now to be Sainctes is not of any merite of their own but of the merite of the onely sonne Iesu Christ who is onelye righteous and doth make others righteous as Augustine doth both wisely and learnedly testify Christ sayth he was that one onelye man which could both haue the fleshe of man and could also not haue any Sinne. Euen that onely he and alone which is himselfe iust and doth instifie others the man Iesus Christ. And therefore sayth he we can not be compared with Christ although we suffer Martyrdome for his sake euen to the sheading of our bloud And immediatly after making a comparison betwixt the afflictions of Christ and the afflictions of the godly Martyrs Christ sayth he had no need of any our helpe to worke our saluation but we cann do nothing at all without him he gaue himselfe vnto vs his braunches a liuely vine and we without him can not haue so much as any breath to preserue life withall Finally although brethren do suffer death for brethren yet is not the bloud of any Martyr shedd for the remission of his brothers offences which thing Christ did in his owne person for vs. Neither did he by this exāple as by any speciall patterne direct vs to immitate him but onelye that for this example we should become thankefull and reioyce in him c. 3. So that by this testimony of S. Augustine now I doe suppose no man doth dought how he ought to determine of the other threé namely the Treasory of the Church Pardons and Purgatory For if it be true that the same Augustine doth say that the most holy ones of all others are not able to cure the woundes of their brethren being themselues daylye and incessaunt beggers in theyr dayly prayers for remission of theyr owne Sinnes What shall become then I pray you of the merites of Sayntes 4. But if the merites of all holy Martyrs and Apostles be nothing auayleable with what reason then can this gaye treasory of the Church be mayntayned of whose Iewelles they brag so gloriously or what shall become of that office of Stewardship and dispensation of Pardons 5 Moreouer if those ragged skrappes of pelting Pardōs be throwen out to the dounghill I neéde not drawe forth any long discourse to tell theé gentle Reader what shall become of that rydiculous Relique and bable of Purgatory For as much as the matter it selfe being so easely discernable will quickly enduce theé to perceaue that this fable which these catholick Fathers haue forged of Purgatory doth no more emporte any trueth or lykelyhood of trueth then this lye and peéuish pracing of Pardons doth differr from manifest falshood foxlye fraude then which toye neuer crept into the Church any one trinckett more ridiculous or worthy lesse credit All which notwithstanding our Portingall Rhetorician must yet proceéde forward and shoulder out his puppett Purgatory with all the strength that he can and demaundeth a question Whether there may be any tyme for Christians to abstayne lawfully from Carity whose chiefe and principall poynte of Religion doth consist in Caryty If you speake of Dearth Osorius It is true that you speake that the principall groundworke of all your Religion is Dearth For she maketh most on your side And hereof commeth it that all ecclesiasticall matters are sould so dearely with you yea the Churches themselues Byshopprickes Prouostshippes Priestehoodes Myters Palles Consecrations Immunityes Priuiledges Dispensations Indulgences Monasteryes Temples Altars Colledges Emongest all which the highest degreé of Papacy it selfe what a price it beareth and what a Dearth hath growenouer all these thinges is skarse credible to be beleued or able to be expressed with pen or tongue But you meane Charitie a word deryued from out the grace loue and mercy of God I doe aunswere you that in all your Religion is either so no Charity at all or surely so litle as that all thinges with you are full of skarsitye and dearth But our Osorius Tullianisme doth not distinguish Caritatem Dearth from Charitatem Loue by any speciall difference And therefore lett vs heare the questiō that he propoundeth himselfe of this his Caritas dearth What can there be any exercise of caritas imagined greter then this wherein we do pray with most earnest prayers vnto God for the saluation of our Brethren No surely I thinke And therefore for the great affection and loue that I doe beare vnto you I doe pray most humbly and hartely vnto God for your sauety that pardoning this your lewdnes of wryting he may
but honoring the visible signes by the name and caling it his body and bloud whereby he might more liuely expresse to our sences the vertue and efficacy of his death and passion ensuing For it commeth to passe I know not how that as often as we are minded to expresse the excellency of any notable matter we doe not accustome our selues altogether to the naturall proprieties of speéches but apply sometimes vnproper and borowed speéches to make the matter seéme more Emphaticall which thing is vsually frequented not in sacred Scriptures onely but very often and much also in the continuall practizes of humaine actions ciuill societye Such as haue vsually called Money the very Synowes of warres such as haue named Scipio the sword of the Romaines he that sayd that Quintus Maximus was the shield of the Romaines It is not to be doughted but by these figuratiue speéches they did meane to expresse more then the wordes did emport The Parents of Tobias when they named their Sonne the staffe of their age did they forthwith chaunge their sonne into a staffe of wood or did they vnderstand him rather to be their comfort of their lyfe vnder the lykenes of a staffe to leane vnto Paul commaundeth vs to take the sword of the spirite which he doth call the word of God In lyke maner when Christ commaundeth vs to receaue into out mouthes that which he named to be his body why doe we not as truely and in deéde transubstantiate the sword of God into a materiall sword as the Eucharist into the naturall fleshe of Christ If we shall speake after the proper phrase of speéch it appeareth playnely that the same death of our Lord which he dyed for our sakes did purchase for our soules euerlasting sauetye fulnes of lyfe And it is not to be doughted by that the Lord himselfe at his maundy before he suffered foreseéing what was comming vpō him did long before certyfy his disciples thereof by some significant token But to thend his wordes should be more deépely engrauen into their hartes he vouchsafed to enstruct them with some similitude of sensible thinges rather then with wordes by demonstration rather then by speculation setting before their eyes not onely a denomination of bread and wine alone but also a visible example of a material eating to enstruct thereby not our mindes onely vut to endure our senses to perseueraunce much more effectually And hereof both the cause and the originall of the Sacrament begann to spring at the first Doe ye this sayth he in remembraunce of me Go to then let vs aduisedly consider what our Lord did in that Supper and what the Apostles lykewise and what we also ought to doe Christ tooke bread in his handes he brake the same bread which bread being broken he offred not to his Father but to his disciples not for a Sacrifice but for a Remembraunce not to satisfy for Sinnes which could not be accomplished without shedding of bloud but in Remembraunce onely of that bloud which was to be shedd Doe ye this sayth he in Remembraunce of me And this was the whole order of Christ his action at that Supper what did the Apostles they receaued the Sacrament of the body deliuered vnto them when they had taken it they did eate it eating it in a thankfull remembraunce of their Redeémer they gaue thankes Now if we following their example herein doe not doe the lyke accuse vs if we doe the same accordingly tell vs Diogines what is it whereat you snarle Now agayne for your partes what you Catholickes doe in corners either vouchsafe to declare your selfe Osorius or harken a litle whiles I doe expresse it First the Priest doth take the bread sett downe vpon a stony Altar taking it doth consecrate it the bread being consecrated he doth himselfe worshipp first afterwardes he lifteth it vpp aboue his head as high as he can betwixt his handes as it were betwixt two theéues to the gaze to be worshipped of others and withall offring the same bread to God the Father in steade of a Mediator maketh intercession betwixt the Sonne and the Father beseéching the Father that he would vouchsafe benignely to accept these oblations of the body and bloud of his owne sonne And this doth the Priest forsooth aswell for the quick as for the poore prisoners in Purgatory Hauyng offred the Sonne on this wise the Priest doth reteigne him thus offred vnto him selfe doth deliuer him to no body but breaketh him to him selfe into threé small peéces if I be not deceiued two partes whereof he placeth vnder his handes one ouer an other after the maner of a crosse the third he drowneth downe in the Challice O wondrous and vnspeakeable mystery of the Pope These thinges being on this wise ordered this Christemaker taking vpp at the last this hoste deuided so into threé peéces two partes he deuoureth vpp and the third he suppeth out of the Challice in such wise neuertheles as that not so much as a croome of this supper or apish Enterlude rather cann come to the peoples share who must be contented to haue their eyes only fedd as it were in playes and Enterludes whiles this whipstart alone haue played all the partes of the Pageaunt and at the last throwing out a blessing from out the bottome of this Chalice commaundeth his gazers euery one to departe whither they will For as much as those things are dayly and euery where practized by you with bigge lookes supported to the hard hedg may I be so bold to learne of you by what right by what title of antitiquitie by what grounde of Scripture or by what example at the last ye be able to defende this your deuouryng of fleshe and breadworshypp by any example of Christ or his Apostles but where did Christ euer institute in the Supper a Sacrifice of his body where did he consecrate bread into his body or where did he transforme bread into his flesh where did he lift vpp any hoste vnto his Father with outstretched armes towardes heauen to pacifie his Father or where did he make a shewe thereof to the people to be gazed vpon what did the Apostles where did they euer worshypp the bread that they did eate in the Supper or in their Communiōs where did they euer inuyte others to any Adoration of this Sacrament and not rather to the eatyng thereof onely where did they Sacrifice it for the quicke and the deadd where did they euer carry abroad the Eucharist in Procession and open assemblies or where did they reserue it for stoare where did they euer defraude the lay people of one part of the Sacrament Briefly how all the proceédinges of this your iugglyng Enterlude doth varry from the first Institution of the Apostles how it hath not any partakyng or acquaintaunce with the Communion of Christ nor any resemblaunce or affinitie with his holy Supper Let whole Christendome be Iudge
word of God Ergo They are worthy to be accursed whosoeuer will spurne agaynst this Catholicke doctrine And because they may seéme to speake this not without some good ground they haue scraped together a few shreddes out of Auncient Fathers namely Cyprian Hesychius Ierome Ambrose Irene Oecumenicus wherewith they may bolster vpp not their credytt but their false packyng shuffled in among to delude the simple people withall Out of Cyprian is vouched first this sentence in an Epistle of hys For why rather sayth he the priest of the high God then our Lord Iesus Christ who did offer a sacrifice vnto God the Father and did offer the selfe same that Melchizedech did namely bread and wine to witt his body and bloud c. And immediately after As therefore it is sayd in Genesis that the representatiō of the sacrifice did goe before by Melchizedech consisting of bread and wine which thing the Lord performing and accomplishing did offer the bread and the cupp mingled with wine and he that it fulnesse it selfe hath fulfilled the verity of the prefigured representation Whereupon groweth this Argument We are commaunded to do the same that Christ did Christ did at his supper offer the Sacrifyce of his bodye and bloud Ergo We also ought to do the same if we beleeue Cyprian I do acknowledge the wordes of Cyprian I doe allow the authority neyther doe I sist out ouer narrowly how he doth agreé herein with the trueth of the hebrue letter because he sayth that Melchizedech did offer bread and wine and that vpon this offring hys Pryesthood was grounded because he did offer bread and wine As though Melchizedech were not a Pryest before he offered bread and wine Neyther doe I presume to take vpon me to aunswere herein as Augustine did aūswere Crescentius I am not bound to the authority of this Epistle because I doe not accompt the Epistles of Cyprian as canonicall but I do measure thē by the Canonicall scriptures And whatsoeuer I finde in him agreable with the authority of Gods word I doe allow of it and cōmend him therefore but whatsoeuer is contrary to Gods word I do by his patience refuse it c. And therefore lett those sayinges of Cyprian be true and autentick for me Goe to then and what aduantage hereof may be gathered for the ratyfiyng of the popish sacrifice wherein they do say that they do offer the sonne of God really for a propitiatory sacrifice which is auayleable not to the Receauer onely but to the quicke and dead also We are commaunded sayth he to do the same that Christ did at his last supper But he did not offer sacrifice for himselfe at his last supper as I suppose And how then doth the Pryest do the same thing that Chryst did yet neuerthelesse he did offer at his supper his owne body and bloud Did he offer it for sinnes yea or nay If you say yea The Apostle will deny it who did acknowledge none other sacrifice of Christ but onely one and doth likewise affirme that Christ was offered once onely to purge and wype away the sinnes of many If you say nay how then doe the Priestes the selfe same who do sacrifyce for sinnes as they say But I returne agayne to Cyprian Christ sayth he accomplishing in effect and trueth that which went before in a shadow dyd offer his owne body and bloud This is true in deéd But where did he offer it at his supper surely so say the Papistes But Cypriā doth not say so For whereas he speaketh of bread and wyne mixt together what he meaneth thereby he doth imediately declare in the same Epistle very playnely and doth interpret himselfe openly that it may appeare that this was not done at the tyme of hys supper but doth confesse that the same was performed at the passion and death of our Lord which was foreshewed and prefigured before And agayn a whiles after he shall wash sayth he his garment in wyne and his vesture in the blood of the grape Now when it is named the blood of the grape what els is declared then the wine of the cupp of the blood of the Lord And thus much Cyprian not meaning the supper surely but the crosse of Christ which doth appeare euidently by this that he annexeth forthwith in the same place denying that we are able to drinke the blood of Christ vnlesse Christ had bene troden and prest in the wine presse first and had dronken of the Cupp before of which Cupp he should haue tasted first to the beleeuers Which speéch of Cyprian forasmuch as can not be aptly applied to any other thyng then to the sacrifyce of the Crosse it may easily appeare hereby what aunswere ought to be framed to the Argument The same which Christ did must be imitated of vs. Christ did offer at his supper hys bodye and his bloud according to the Testimony of Cyprian But this is false For Cyprian throughout all that whole Epistle did neuer affirme that Christ dyd offer his bodye and bloud at hys supper but vpon the Crosse. If an Argument must neédes be framed from out the wordes of Cyprian we shall argue much more probably on thys wyse The same that Christ did offer we must offer also Christ did offer the same that Melchizedech did Ergo We must offer the same that Melchizedech did But Melchizedech did offer bread wine according as Cyprian doth witnesse Ergo We also must offer bread and wine Is there any sillable here that may helpe the Papistes cause or vtterly ouerthrow it rather Here is an other boane to pycke vpon raked out of Ierome where he sayth Melchizedech in the Type of Chryst dyd offer bread and wyne and dyd dedycate a Christian Mystery in the bloud and body of our sauiour c. This knott also is cleane cutt away with the very same two-edged Axe for I am not ignoraunt that the Ecclesiasticall writers doe make comparison now and then betwixt the presentes of Melchizedech which he gaue to Abraham and the sacrifice of Christ vpon the Crosse to witte that one figuratiuely this other truely and in veryty Be it now as they say Yet is thys no good proofe notwithstandyng to iustify that the Priest doth forth with offer the Sonne of GOD in the mysticall Supper really to God the Father in full remyssion of sinnes And yet here also do not all the holy Doctours agreé amongest themselues in all poyntes whereas some do compare the oblation of Melchyzedech with the Sacrifice of the Crosse Agayne other do compare it with the Celebrating of the holy communion yea and do make it equiualent therewyth Some do neyther agreé with thēselues applying the Allegory now this way now that way and many times both waies Finally though they should be vniforme in theyr Allegory yet how true that Argument is that is deriued from an Allegory accordyng to that saying which is commōly frequēted in
an infallible assuraunce of Saluation and eternall lyfe there cā be nothyng more false and more damnable for as much as the same is not obteyned by our owne merites and deseruynges but is freély geauen to the vnworthy and vndeserued and is thē also geauen whenas we are founde Sinners so that in this whole worke the mercy of the Lord doth beare the whole and full prayse and palme not our workes which do but folow Gods reconciliation as fruites and not make attonement with God None otherwise then as Osorius whenas he doth Consecrate when he doth geaue orders when he doth weare his Myter he doth not all these to the ende he would be made a Byshopp but bycause he was made a Byshopp before therefore he doth execute the duties apperteignyng to a Byshopp And as the Seruauntes of noble men are knowen by their seuerall Badges but do not weare noble mēs badges bycause they shall become those noble mēs seruauntes In semblable wise Christian Fayth albeit it worke allwayes by loue and doth shew a speciall demonstration of pure and true Fayth doth not therefore procure Saluation bycause it worketh but bycause it doth beleéue in Christ Iesu who beyng able alone to geaue that absolute integritie which is required for this cause therefore onely Fayth in Christ Iesu doth obteyne our Saluation not our perfection and integritie So that all the whole felicitie of our happy lyfe doth not proceéde from any efficacy or force of our owne worke but by consideration of the Obiect onely which is receaued thorough Fayth Neither are the endeuours and actions of loue charitie and pietie excluded in this course of transitory obedience as I haue often declared before as though by this meanes they should be of any lesse necessitie not to accompany or not to attend vpon Fayth Agayne neither are workes so ioyned with Fayth as though they should exclude Fayth from her dignitie and her proper operation nor enfeéble or abase the wonderfull riches of the grace of God which is in Christ Iesu nor that they should extinguish the Glory of Christes Crosse nor dispoyle afflicted consciences of their heauenly cōsolation nor should destroy the synceritie of sounde doctrine which the Apostles haue left vnto vs which for as much as ascribeth the whole estate of our Saluatiō to no one thyng els then to the onely freé liberalitie and mercy of Christ Iesu I doe appeale to the secrett Iudgementes of all the godly whether the opinion of them be better which doe establish their sauetie in Fayth onely or of Osorius which doth measure all our assuraunce and confidence of Saluation by the onely Rule of our owne righteousnes and who doth affirme that Fayth onely is onely rash temeritie Truely if the Spirite of the Lord could not disgest those Laodiceans which beyng droūken with vayne persuasion of their owne righteousnesse hadd not any feélyng or perseueraunce of their owne vgly deformitie and filthy barraynesse It may easily be coniectured what we may determine of the hawty spirite of this Portingall Deuine and of all his Diuinitie Wherefore in that you seéme so inwardly carefull for our sauety Osorius as herein your honest inclination of gentle courtesie towardes vs may not vnthankefully be neglected of vs altogether Euen so we also in requitall of our good will towardes you do earnestly exhort and hartely desire you that either you will vouchsafe to instruct vs in the true doctrine of Saluation more wholesomely and purely hereafter or els that you reteigne still with your selfe this your safety which you do wish vnto vs if you can wishe vs no better and enioy the same to your great comfort as much and as long as you will for euer and euer world without end Amen ¶ Lett vs pray OSorius I do hartely pray and beseech the hygh and eternall Lord Iesu Christ for the loue of his most precious bloud which was shedd for the Saluation of all mankynde for his woundes for his bitter passion for his death wherewith he dyd vanquish death for his victory wherein he triumphed ouer the kyngdome of Sathā that he would vouchsafe to enlighten with the bright beames of his coūtenaunce and deliuer frō all errours this kyngdome which was once a Receptacle of all vertue Religiō wisedome and Iustice disquieted now by the wicked practises of naughty packes woulde also vouchsafe to reclayme it to the Fayth and vniforme consent of most sacred Religiō into the aūcient boundes of the Churche defend the same with the assistaūce of his holy Spirite that whereas we are now disagreeyng in opinions we may be conformed together at the length in vnitie of one Fayth and one vniforme mynde of most vndoughted Religion and may attayne together that euerlastyng glory to the vnspeakeable ioy and Reioysing of all the holy Citizens in heauen At the Feast of Easter Alleluya Alleluya In recompence of this your solemne collect Right Reuerend Father what remayneth at the length but that we all and euery of vs doe with one mouth one spirite and one voyce sing as lowd as we can vnto you Amen which being but one word wanting onely to the knitting vpp of the prayer I doe not a little maruaile why was forgotten of you vnlesse perhappes because it was skarse a good Latyne word and neuer foūd in the bookes of Cicero therefore it was vnworthy to be inserted in this place as not meéte for your fine phrase of Ciceroes Eloquence Neuerthelesse it is right well yet that making intercession for vs poore outcast Englishmen you skippe ouer all other pelting and petty mediatours and aduocates and haue thought good to call vpon the helpe of the most mightye mercyfull Lord Iesus Christ without calling for or inuocating the helpe of any other Gods Which deuise how well will agreé with the rest of your discourse I can not well conceaue for you seéme to pray one way and to dispute an other way quite contrary You doe pray as a Lutherane but you dispute as a Papist What a contradiction is this I pray you where the Pyper playeth the hornepype and you daunce the Antyck For if this be true as we are taught by your example that we ought to fleé for succour to Christe onely as the most chiefe and highest Soueraigne and in him onely alone to repose all our whole shoote ancker of prayer inuocation without praying to all other perry Saincts what neéde we then of any other Sollicitours Patrones and Aduocates But if the estate of our necessitye be such as may not want their ayde and assistaunce how chaunceth it that renouncing the necessary helpes of pettygodds and pettygoodesses intercession is made here onely vnto Christ Afterwardes you doe proceade in your whott zealous prayer doe make intercessiō For his bloods sake that was shed for the saluation of all mankynde for his woundes sake for his most bitter passion sake for his death sake wherewith he vanquished
agayne amoÌ„gst ChristiaÌ„s or S. Paule the Apostle and should behold these our serions and toylesome triflinges in our temples these cunnyng counterfaytes Images Alters bread worshippinges and the whole face of Christian Religion so transformed into Apishe ceremonies should seé how prety holy you will shew your selues in trinckets and toyes and how retchles and vnmindefull of the principall poyntes of doctrine how niggardly skraping from relieuing the poore how vnmeasurably prodigall in buildyng of Temples in decking of Monasteries in enriching of churches in costly coapes in Iewels and plate in dawbing of walles in glyding of postes how excessiuely sumptuous In corporall exercises which are of small value how foreward and couragious but in the exercise of true pietye whiche is profitable for all things how litle or no care at all employed as that it may seéme we haue either forlorne all mercy and compassion or that pitty and mercye haue forsaken their owne intralles and vowelles Moreouer in iudging our brethren how frowardly headstrong in burning and killing how â—ooâ—cherly cruell and Sauadge If Esay the Prophet and the Apostle Paule I say did behold these thinges and withall did seé before their eyes such and so much christian blood sucked out spilt by your meanes so many thowsandes of martires murthered and sent vnder the Altar would not he most rightfully or woulde not God by the mouth of his Prophet in much more fiercenes and vehemeÌ„cy of stomack redubble the saying agaynst you more iustly then he did sometimes agaynst the Iewes I will not accept your holidayes your sabbaothes soleÌ„ne feastinges your asseÌ„blies are wicked my soule hateth your kaleÌ„ds soleÌ„nities I am greued with theÌ„ am ouerladeÌ„ with theÌ„ Why haue we fasted and thou hast not beholden vs Behold in the day of your fasting your mindes are enclined to wickednes You fast to contention and strife and oppresse your brethren cruelly wrongfully and without cause Be your washed be ye clensed remoue away the euill imaginations of your hartes out of my sight What would Paule haue added moreouer who endued you at the first with a farre other manner of doctrine if he should now behold your doctrines your rites inuocations decreés masses multitude of holidayes your ceremonies worshippinges croochings and kneélinges and the disorderous abuses of all your religion if heé should note that the coÌ„fideÌ„ce affyaunce wh he taught to be placed in Christ onely were by you transposed translated into an infinite heap of aduocates proctors rent euen in sunder by you Would he acknowledge you for ChristiaÌ„s I pray you or at least standing in great feare of you would he not exclaim agayn vpon you You obserue dayes and monethes I am afrayd of you c. But it is well Osorius doth now at length beginne to speak somewhat to the matter I do confesse in deed saith he that al those things wherof I haue made meÌ„cioÌ„ all others of the same sort which I haue omitted for I think it not needfull to rehearse al by name are not of any such great perfectioÌ„ for they be certayne principles certayne â—ecessary helpes for vs where with as yet our weake and mortall estate hath some familiarity and acquayntaunce and of this we haue good proof by dayly experience c. The loÌ„g processe therfore that you made of state feasts and other gadding holydayes in the yeare belike are of the quality then as you haue said Osor. of that wh though you seéme to haue rehearsed very many yet haue you not remembred all In deéde in this you speake the trueth For you haue ouerskipt almost an innumerable multitude besides these to witte the feastes of the Sayncts and she Saynts And first of Saynct Iohn Baptist the feastes of the Apostles Martyrs moreouer of Confessours Uirgyns Byshoppes and Abbots of the inuention and exaltation of the holy crosse of hallowing of Ashes of Gangeweéke and procession of Saincte Michael of Sainct Peters chayre Sainct George Sainct Nicholas Sainct Katherine Sainct Thomas of the assumption coÌ„ception natiuity and Annnuciation and visitation of our blessed Uirgine Mary of the patrone of the church dedication day and Relicksonday And who is able wich toung to expresse all which in such clusters are crepte into the Kalender that it might iustly haue bene feared least if the popes holines had coÌ„tinued a while longer in good credite all working dayes should haue bene turned into holydayes or euerlasting Iubilees But forasmuch as Osorius is contented to pare away these skrappes as not altogether so necessary for his commentaries we will be contented also to make as litle account of them and to returne agayne to Osor. description wherein the same also which he doth very fittely deny is not altogether true namely that the things which he rehearsed are not valuable as perfect but are certayne principles and necessarye helpes prouided for such as groaning yet vnder the burden of flesh and blood are not throughly huÌ„bled in spirite But I beseéch you good honest man what maner of speache is this what kynde of helpes be these wherof you treat is it euen so Syr to carry candles burning at hygh noone in the eyes and gaze of all men call you this a helpe for weake memoryes or rather a playne president of ridiculous superstition to worshippe the crucifixe barefooted and barelegged to fall groueling before Images to sette vp tapers and caÌ„dles burning before them to part stakes of the honour due vnto God with he Sayntes and sheé Sayntes to make vowes vnto them to craue their helpe in mishappes and misfortunes to 〈◊〉 as much to theyr merites as to Chryst himselfe to nourish thâ—â—â—norauÌ„ce of the vnlettered in an vnknowne touÌ„g to remoue the vnlearned multitude from the reading of scriptures to carry them with dumme and colde ceremonies where ye list to feéde the eares with musicke and song whose soules you ought to haue fed with the word of God and enstructed vnto fayth finally to make a greater brable and sturre for the breach of these holy dayes and neglecting those ceremonies yea to hate your brethren more deadly rack them to more tortures for these peéuish Bables more spightfully then for not performing the lawe of the Lord Will you perswade vs to account these to be principles of piety or shall we boldly call them rather mysteries of iniquity and playne blockes and lettes of true Religion What shall we thinke of this that not contented yet to haue so largely debated of the celebrating of holy daies and the manifold Fruit of the same he proceédeth further beateth the naile to this issue that he maketh now of the very same principles a very necessitie which earst he vouchsafed no place towardes the attayning of perfection So that now these shadowes and signes of holy thinges though of themselues vnperfect doe yet yeélde great helpes to perfect pietye not onely in these that are weak but seéme also very necessary
our hartes after his death And therefore gaue vs in commaundement that we should celebrate the same perpetually receaue those elemētes for an euerlastyng memoriall of that Sacrifice and not to be sacrificed for the expiation of Sinnes Take sayth he Eate ye all of this In which wordes he doth call vpon not the Priests onely but inuiteth all the faythfull ingenerall without exceptiō as it were to a generall banquett alluryng all men to follow his example herein Which thyng we do diligently and carefully obserue at this present accordyng to his prescript commaundement and our dutyfull obedience not in corners mumblyng vpp priuate Masses but in our publique Congregatiōs assemblyes We do eate we do not Sacrifice we do drinke we do not purge by Sacrifice Moreouer we do not eate with our teéth onely but much more effectually with our harts not the body but with the body that so we be nourished both wayes With our bodies we do receaue the outwarde elementes in deéde in a thankefull memoriall of the Lordes body offred But with our fayth harts we do receaue and embrace not the visible signes and elements onely but the truth of the body and bloud of Christ the whole vertue and efficacy of the same Sacrament And this is the order of our Communions Osorius In the which we do neither eate the Sacramētall bread without Christ nor Christ wtout the Sacramentall bread For we do not rende these in peéces after your guise but we do ioyne both together the one with the other though we receaue them not both after one maner That which the soule doth feéde vpon is not bread but Christ That which is receaued into the mouth and passeth downe into the bowels is not the naturall reall body of Christ but bread And yet in respect of the signifieng mysterie it is not bread nor do we eate it for bread but for the body of Christ And therefore this mystery doth reteigne in deéde the name of the body but in substaunce the nature of bread and not of the body For what man hath bene euer of so Sauadge a nature as could not perceaue that mans flesh is no conuenient foode for mans body what Nation hath bene euer so cruell barbarous as to be serued at his table with mans bloud were it neuer so delicately roasted and spiced And what shall we say that Scripture it selfe doth not permitt this by any meanes that men shall feede vpon mens flesh and bloud Gene. 9. And in an other place you shall not feede vpon the flesh of all beastes as well foule as foure footed cattell Leuit. 7. And agayne No soule emōgest you nor of the Straūgers that doe soiourne emongest you shall eate bloud If the will of God were such that it might not be lawfull for his people to feéde vpon the bloud of beastes how much rather do ye suppose that we are restrayned by the same cōmaundement frō eating of mās flesh Moreouer whereas Christ him selfe doth confesse that he was sent downe into the earth for that end that he should dissolue no ioate of all that the law commaunded but should accomplish euery title thereof to the vttermost by what reason could he geue an oblation of his body and bloud at his Supper for a Sacrifice to be eaten and dronken without breache of the commaūdement of that law which is expressed in the 6. Chap. of Leuit. in these wordes The oblation that is geuen for sinne sayth he the bloud whereof is brought into the Tabernacle of wittnesse to make satisfaction in the Sanctuarye shall not be eaten but be burnt and consumed with fryer c. But here I suppose myne opposed aduersary will seeke after a knott in a Bullrush as the Prouerbe is Whereas Christ was able to doe all thinges by the assent and word of his omnipotency And whereas the same Christ also did affirme the same to be his body and bloud then must one of these two be graūnted of very necessitye that either we must discreditt Christ his wordes and abase the omnipotency of God or els we must needes establishe a true oblation of the body and bloud of Christ in the Supper If all the sayings of Christ howsoeuer vttered and spoken by the Lord must be done and performed in the selfe same order and effectualnesse that he spake them and if all thinges must be drawen to the killing letter you haue then woonn the Spurres But then what shall become of that spirite and lyfe of the Letter where vnto the commaundement of the Gospel doth require vs to apply Iohn 6 whereunto shall Augustines rule serue which willing vs to leaue the Letter doth force vs to a deeper consideration as often as an absurditie can not auoyded without a necessary Allegory if you be of this mynde that we ought to be driuen from such lyke Allegoricall and figuratiue speéches of lyke significatiōs But what is this els then to noozell vpp a Grammarian not a Deuine And by this meanes withall into how many senslesse absurdityes shall you force vs horrible and abhominable to be spoken with toungue We doe in a certein place heare the Lord speakyng playnely and sensibly enough I haue sayd you are Gods and are all the Sonnes of the highest If you regard the wordes onely what can be spoken more playnely I haue sayd sayth he If the outward sence of the Letter doe force such an inuiolable creditt what remaineth but that we say the men must forthw t degēder frō naturall mē into Gods Agayne where we heare Peter in an other place called by the name of Sathan Math. 16. which wordes of Christ if we will interpret after this maner we must neédes conclude hereupon that the Pope of Rome is not the Successor of Peter but of Sathan Wherby I suppose your Diuinitye is well enough certified how much it skilleth to attend and geue eare vnto not onely what is read in the bare letter of the holy scriptures but also to marke diligently the sence and meaning of the Scripture In Gene. We heare the Lord speaking as is before mencioned Let vs make light and light was made If after the same maner Christ had spoken ouer the bread the matter had bene out of all question Now whoso affirmeth that some one thing is an other thing doth not forthwith commaund the same thing to be made that other thing which he noteth It is one thing to make and an other thing to speake and pronounce Whereof th one is a chaunge of substaunces thother is a chaunge of names onely But Christ now taking here the bread the cupp in his handes doth not commaund that they shonld be made his body bloud but doth dignify the bread and cupp which he tooke in his hāds by the name of his body onely not chaunging the nature as Theodoret reporteth nor casting away the substaunce of bread and wine as Gelasius affirmeth