them into his true and proper flesh that the body of life may be in vs as a certaine quickening seed Eusebius Emissenus The inuisible Euseb Emiss ser de cor Domi. Cyp. de coens Dom. Priest Christ Iesus turneth by his word with a secret power the visible creatures into the substance of his body and bloud saying Take and eate for this is my body S. Cyprian who liued before any of these This bread which our Lord gaue to his Disciples not in outward apparence but in nature changed by the omnipotency of the word is made flesh The like he hath in other places In so much as a famous * Vrsin in commonef cuiusdam Theol. de sacra Coen Aug. ser citato à Bedain c. 10. â— Cor. Humfrey Iesu pâ— 2â— ca. 5. pag. 626. Matth. 4. v. â— ProtestaÌ„t confesseth That in Cyprian are many sayings which seeme to conforme TraÌ„substantiation S. Augustine and sundry others euidently also graunt our Reall mutation or Transubstantiation of the elements Which doctrine Gregory the Great and Augustin our Apostle brought into England as D. Humphrey teacheth and the Diuell himselfe acknowledged to be possible when he sayd vnto Christ Dic vt lapides isti panes fiant Commande that these stones be made bread 18. Secondly if we respect the conueniency it was meet we should really eate and really drinke of the reall victime truly slaine and offered for vs. It was meet that he who became our companion in the manger our teacher in the Temple our Priest at the Altar our price sacrifice and ransome on the Crosse should likewise be our food and sustenance at the table It was most meet that he who imparted his owne diuine person and all the riches of his Godhead by Hypostaticall vnion to the flesh and bloud of a pure and vnspotted man should also coÌ„municate the same flesh and bloud and all the treasures of his diuine and human nature to the soules and bodyes of As our first Parents were not infected by a Metaphoricall but by a true eating of the accursed Tree so we cannot be healed by a Metaphoricall but by a tru eating of the Tree of life NisseÌ„ orat catech ca. 37. Ignatius Ep. ad Ephes Athan. de huâ—â—atur suscep Cyril in Io. â—p ad Calosy â—re 1. 4. c. â—4 l. 5. c. 2 alibi Cyr. Alex. 1. 10. in â—o c. 13. Spaâ—kes in his answer to M. Iohn d'Albins pag. no. 257. his faithfull seruants The wisedome of God requireth that as our Forefathers and we were first impoisoned not by the desire but by the true and real eating of the forbidden apple so we should be cured by the true and substanciall feeding of this blessed fruit For S. Gregory Nissen proueth After the manner of the poyson so likewise the medicine must enter into our bowells the vertue therof be traÌ„sfused into all partes of the body 19. Againe the poyson which Adam receaued was a venemous fountaine of a double contagion ioyntly infecting both body and soule two wounds it inflicted it defiled our soule with sinne our body it enthralled to death and corruption What could be more behoofull for our Redeemer then to prepare a medicine against both these wounds A medicine to wash our soules from sin and rayse our body from dust to beautify the one with grace and cloath the other with incorruptioÌ„ And what could sooner worke this admirable cure then the glorious flesh of this holy Sacrament Which is not only the Ocean of Grace but the medicine of immortality the preseruatiue as S. Ignatius calleth it against death The first fruites of glory as Athanasius writeth The liuely and reuiuing seed of our bodyes as S. Cyrill sayth The pledge the earnest the hope or expectation of Immortall life as Irenaeus affirmeth According to that of Christ He that eateth my flesh drinketh my bloud hath life euerlasting and I will rayse him at the later day The body then must eate his flesh and drinke his bloud that it may partake the benefit of Resurrection our soule by fayth might enioy the dowryes of blisse But this terrestriall nature of our body cannot as S. Cyrill of Alexandria teacheth be aduanced to immortality except the body of naturall life be conioyned vnto it 20. Yet D. Sparkes maugre S. Cyril or whosoeuer els obstinatly persisteth that the body of Christ cannot be really conioyned with ours Because Christ is ascended into heauen sitting at the right hand of his Father and the heauens must Bils 4. par pag. 788. 789. c. Ioan. 20. Read S. Aug. ep 3. ad Volus Amb. l. 10. in cap. 24. Luc. Hila. l. 3 de Tri. Iustin q. 117. Cyril l. 12. in Io. c. 53. Bede Theoph. Euthym. Ruper boc loco whoproue Christs entrance the dores being shut containe him vntill the restitution of all thinges As though good Syr he could not be at the same tyme in diuers places to wit in heauen sitting on the right hand of his Father and heere vpon earth in euery consecrated hoast not naturally as the Fathers copiously quoted by M. Bilson constantly teach but supernaturally by the power of him vnto whome nothing is impossible For so he hath wrought many wonderfull workes aboue the course of nature He came forth of the Virgins wombe preseruing her virginity rose out of the sepulcher not remouing the stone entred into his Disciples the dore being shut ascended to his Father not deuiding the heauens when he penetrated them But as in these examples diuers bodyes were supernaturally in one place so by the same supernaturall power one body may likewise be at the same tyme in diuers places for it is a common Axiome approued by Philosophers that Contrariorum eadem est ratio Amongst contraryes the same reason holdeth on both sides Moreouer we are instructed by fayth that the single person of Christ is vnited to most distinct diuers natures to the nature of God and to the nature of man that the sole essence of God is in three persons really distinct that one and the selfe same moment of eternity is answerable correspondent to most different and contrary tymes to tyme past tyme present and tyme to come But as one person sustaineth diuers natures one nature is communicated to diuers persons one moment coexisteth to diuers Amb. orat in Auxen Aeges l. 3. de exid vrbis Hieros cap. 2. â—o Dams orat de B. Virgine tymes why cannot one body be resident in diuers places 21. Els how could our Sauiour after his Ascension haue met S. Peter flying the persecution of Rome as S. Ambrose and Aegesippus record How could he haue descended to honour the funeralls of our B. Lady as S. Iohn Damascen and Nicephorus witnesse How could he appeare to S. Paul as in the 9. Chap. of the Actes of the Apostles in the 22. and 23. For in none of these apparitions could he Calu. in c. 9. act l. 4. Instit c. 17. §.
for euer He that belieueth and is baptized shall be saued Euery one that shall inuocate the name of the Lord shal be saued to wit if he inuocate and call vpon him in fayth and charity as he ought if he belieue aright and doth not finally loose his fayth nor the grace of Baptisme and water of the holy Ghost once receaued as I shall proue heereafter he may Therefore this argument of theirs maketh no more against the corporal then spirituall feeding for as euerlasting life is promised to the faythfull and pious belieuer so to the reall and worthy Receauer and as the one may fall from his worthy dignity so the other make shipwracke of his liuely fayth and eternally perish Perchance you will obiect that this answere suteth not with the prerogatiue which our Sauiour giueth to the holy Eucharist aboue Manna That Ioan. 6. v. 49. 50. the Fathers did eate Manna in the desert and they dyed this is the bread that descendeth froÌ„ heauen that if any man eat of it he dye not For whosoeuer did worthily feed on that dainty Manna and continued in the same state neuer tasted the bitternes of spirituall death therefore according to this construction it is not inferiour to the blessed Sacrament I answere first that such as then liued for euer enioyed not the priuiledges of life by the vertue and force of Manna but by their loue of God and fayth in Christ their true Messias and yet they that worthily receaue the Eucharist truely liue by the vertue power and efficacy of Christs reall presence the spring of life and fountaine of grace therein contained 9. Secondly I reply that Christ doth not only compare the Eucharist with Manna in respect of the life and death of the soule but of the body also after this sort Manna could not affoard to your Fathers life of body much lesse of soule during their short passage through the desert This bread affoardeth life to the soule much more to the body during the length of all eternity They that eate Manna dyed in body a temporall death they that eate this bread shall not dye the eternall death neither of the body nor soule And heerein consisteth as Maldonate commenteth vpon this text the singular grace elegancy of our Sauiours comparison in passing from Maldonatâ— in hunc loeum Matt. 8. v. 22. Ioan. 4. v. 13. one kind of life and death to another which plesant digression he often vseth as the same Author discourseth in other places In S. Matthew Let the dead bury the dead The first he calleth dead in soule the next in body In S. Iohn Euery one that drinketh of this water shall thirst againe but he that shall drinke of the water that I will giue him shall not thirst for euer First he speaketh of the corporall Matt. 26. v. 29. water and thirst of the body then of the spirituall water and thirst of the soule Likewise I wil not drinke from hence forth of this fruit of the vine vntill that day when I shall drinke it with you new in the kingdome of my Father Heere he first mentioneth the naturall wine of the grape then the metaphoricall wine of celestiall ioyes So now he first speaketh of the corporall then of the spirituall and euerlasting life which our Blessed Sacrament of his owne nature yeildeth to all such as daily receaue it although Manna yielded not as much as the corporall if they doe not after by sinne willfully destroy the quickening grace and liuely seed it imparteth vnto them And thus the wordes are of more emphasy the comparison more pithy and the preheminence of the Eucharist aboue Manna more remarkable then if our Sauiour had spoken in both places only of the spirituall Lastly if our Sectaryes expound S. Iohn of the eating by fayth how vncongruously will they make S. Paul to speake writing of the same matter and saying He that eatech vnworthily which 1. Cor. 11. v. 27. cannot be properly attributed to the belieuer because he that belieueth not as he ought doth either falsly or fainedly belieue we cannot with any congruity of speach say that he belieueth vnworthily therefore as S. Paul so likewise S. Iohn ought to be vnderstood not of the spirituall but of the corporall eating of Christs sacred flesh 10. That which M. Bilson alleadgeth out of Gelasius S. Leo condemning the Communion vnder one kind Bils 4. par pag. 684. 685. Gelas can Comperiâ—ê° dist 2. Leo. ser 4. de quadra is of no force at all For they condemne the dry Communion not of the Catholiks but of the Manichees who teaching that Christ brought into this world and walked vpon earth with a meere empty and phantasticall body deuoyd of true and natural bloud they in testimony of this errour abstained from the bloud with great sacriledge as Gelâ—sius writeth deuided one and the selfe same mistery which all Catholikes had iust cause to reprehend in them no Protestant any cause to obiect against vs who neither deuide the mistery nor abstaine from the bloud but constantly teach that by fequele concomitance we receaue it wholy and entirely contained in the body we inioy the full participation of Christ Fulke loco â—itato Bils 4. par pag. 682. as M. Fulke requireth 11. At last both he and D. Bilson ioyntly oppose the Practise of the vniuersall Church which for many ages togeather ministred the Sacrament vnder both kinds euen to the Laity I grant that the Church vsed it as a thing lawfull not as a Aug. epist 23. ad Bonif Tolet. Con. cap. 11. Tho. 3. p. q. 80. art 9. ad 3. Cypr. serm de lapsis thing prescribed or decreed by God or vniuersally without exception in all times and places practised Which manner of receauing the Church might after change when her Communicaâ—ts were so many as wine sufficient could not be fitly consecrated nor without eminent perill of shedding or danger of abusing be conueniently ministred It was an vsuall custome both in the Greeke and Latine Church for many ages to communicate with the Chalice young sucking babes of which S. Augustine the x j. Toletan Councell and S. Thomas make mention And S. Cyprian writeth of the consecrated Bloud powred into the mouth of an Infant But as the Church vpon iust cause abrogated that custome leauing the children the benefit of neither kind without any wrong vnto them and Protestants allow hereof why write they so bitterly against debarring the people vpon as many important reasons from the vse of the Chalice where notwithstanding the whole fruit and benefit thereof to their comfort remayneth 12. Besides in many things you your selues who count it in vs a crime so damnable stray from that which Christ practised in the institution of the Sacramenâ— for example Christ communicated only men you women also he in a priuate house you in a publike Temple he at night you in the morning he with * For
all kind of sinne another guilty of mortall the third only spotted with some veniall fault The first whither goeth he To Heauen immediatly The second whither goeth lie To Hell no doubt The third whither goeth he Not to Hell because he is departed in the grace and fauour of God Not to heauen immediatly Apoc. 21. v. vlt. because Nothing defiled can enter that kingdome Therfore to some purging place where his soule may be cleansed froÌ„ the staines of infection 22. No such place is necessary sayth M. Field for Field in appen 1. p. fo 65. 66. by the dolours of death at the moment of dissolution all impurity of sinne is purged forth But how can this be so Death is the punishment of Originall and not any remedy against actuall sinne It is the state and condition of our corruptible nature inflicted on the Reprobate as well as on the Elect. And so neither by it selfe nor by the ordinance of God hath force and vertue to scoure out of our souls all the rust of sinne a prerogatiue denyed by you to the holy Sacraments of God And such a prerogatiue as is proper indeed to the excellency of Martyrdome and not common to the departure of euery faythful sinner whose panges are often more short and farre lesse painefull then the grieuous dolours of the cleane and vnspotted 23. Besides to procure this abolishment of sinne Field ibid. fol. 60. M. Field requireth Charity and sorrow in such perfection as may worke our perfect reconciliation to God And may not thousands or some at least with the spot of veniall or remainder of mortall crime be taken out of this world either in their sleep or vnawares before they arriue to that depth of sorrow It being so hard a thing in perfect health much harder in the agony of death impossible in tyme of sleep to attaine vnto it Or if you pretend the prouidence of God to be so carefull of his elect as they cannot be surprised vpon a sudden to what effect I pray are those exhortations of Christ so often repeated in Scripture Matt. 24. Matt. 25. That we pray and be watchfull least death preuent vs before we are aware To what effect the Parable of the foolish Virgins the Parable of Death stealing vpon vs like a thiefe To what effect are the labours and works of Pennance many zealous followers of Christ vndertake to expiate the faults of their former life when euery faythfull belieuer let him be neuer so slouthfull in this behalfe shal be sure in the last houre to haue grace inough to redeeme the debt and cancell the obligation of his sinnes This is a doctrine I graunt sutable to Protestant professioÌ„ it tendeth to the restraint of vertue it tendeth to all vitious and Epicurean liberty it ministreth occasion of slouth to Christian people and maketh God tooto indulgent to their idle sluggishnes But they that make him authour of the horrible iniquityes of the Reprobate what meruaile though they would haue him a fauourer of the smal imperfections and negligences of his Elect And rather then they will iniury as they fondly surmise the bloud of Christ they iniuriously blaspheme and truly wrong heerin the Iustice of God 24. To be briefe Caluin and Plessy Mornay affirme The hereditary naughtines and corruption of Originall sinne drowneth Calu. lib. 2. Iâ—st cap. 1. §. 8. 9. l. 3. inst cap. 15. §. â— Plessy l. 3. de Eucbar cap. 2â— as it were with a deluge the whole nature of man so that no part remayneth free from this filthy contagion Secondly they auouch No worke proceedeth from man be he neuer so perfect but is defiled with the staines of sinne Graunt these assertions true which commonly all Protestants defend how can there be either charity or sorrow in such perfection as is able to purge out all impurity of sinne When the most perfect Charity it selfe is impure and stayned how shall these staynes be taken forth By some other act of charity or worke of repentance But this worke also issuing from the inward rottenes of mans corrupted nature shall still be putrifyed with Originall infection 25. For this cause D. Field is so vnconstant in resoluing Field in append 1. part p. 66. p. 65. ibid. in appeâ— 1. par p. 4. p. â—4 65. how or when the whole vncleanes of sinne is washed from the soule as he wauereth and reeleth vp and downe not knowing where to take hold One while he sayth It is purged out by Charity and sorrow of sinning otherwhile by the dolours of death then by the very separation of soule and body wrought by death but when he dareth not auouch and therefore stammeringly vttereth It is in or immediatly vpon the dissolution of soule and body in the first entraÌ„ce of the soule into the state of the other world What giddines is heere If by the dolours of death al sinnefullnes be expelled how in the moment of dissolution If in that moment how immediatly vpon it How in the first entrance into the next life Or if in that entrance how doth Charity then worke or sorrow procure it Read his wordes Field in append 1. part p. 4. 26. The vtter deletion and full remission of their sinnes the perfect purging out of sinne being in or immediatly vpon the dissolution in the last instant of this life and first of the next and not while the body and soule remaine conioyned Pitty it is great pitty to see vnto what distresse a man of wit and learning may be driuen by the weaknesse of his cause For heere M. Field in these few wordes maketh either two instances immediatly togeather the last of this life and first of the next and so composeth diuisible tymes of indiuisible moments against the principles of Philosophy or he supposeth the instant in which sinne is remitted to be intrinsecall to this life and extrinsecall to the next and so crosseth himselfe in his owne speach affirming this full remission of sinne both to be and not to be while the body and soule remaine conioyned Or he taketh the instant of Purgation to be extrinsecall to this life and intrinsecall to the next And contrary to the whole stream of Sectaryes he alloweth with vs a remission or Purgation of sinne and Purgatory-place after this life at least for a moment For that which is done must be done in some place or els it is not done at all To which of these inconueniences he will yield I know not to one he is constrained And if I may gesse at the meaning of his variable and vnconstant speaches seeing he will not haue the perfect purging out of sinne c. while the body and soule remaine conioyned he alloweth it after the dissolution and so admitteth a remission and purgation of sinne in the next life which his fellowes renounce he himselfe would seeme to impugne 27. But when I pray is this perfect purging out of of sinne
the diseases of the body famine sicknes and death it selfe 5. And although Original sinne be now the cause of all these euils yet it doth not properly consist in them all but in the priuation of that prime grace by which the soule of Adam was enriched adorned and conuerted vnto God For as Originall righteousnes included these three prerogatiues or triple rectitude to speake in S. Thomas language first the vnion of the mind with soueraigne goodnes secondly the subiection of the inferiour powers of the soule to reason thirdly the like subordination of all the members of the body to the soule yet it did truely and principally reside in the former and contayned S. Thom. 1. p. q 95. â—â—t 1. the later two as accessaryes or dependants thereof So Originall sinne which is only knowne by his contrary habit is truly formally nothing els then the voluntary priuation of the same Originall iustice which ought to be in vs as it maketh the soule deformed blemished Feild in his 3. booke c. 26. and auerted from God Wherefore seing this want and priuation is taken away by Baptisme and the whole grace as it cloathed beautifyed and adorned the soule entierly restored the whole guilt of sinne is forgiuen the formall cause or true essence of Originall iustice recouered againe by the passion of Christ and the other deordinations the remaynder of concupiscence are only the effects or punishments of the precedent fault and not any true and proper fault For if man had beene created in the state of pure nature as the Philosophers thought he was and many Deuines against M. Feild teach he might be because it inuolueth no contradiction neither in respect of the creature nor Creatour Then I say he should haue beene pestered with the same inordinate concupiscence and rebellion of the inferiour parts as now he is but then it had been a meere infirmity langour or fayntnes of nature growing out of the matter whereof man is compounded and not any wound or punishment also of sinne as in our case it is The reason appeareth for as man in the state of pure nature must haue been coÌ„pacted of two diuers and repugnant natures of soule body flesh and spirit and consequently of a corporall and reasonable of asensuall and spirituall appetite which could not chuse but maintaine a perpetuall warre of contrary and repugnant desires it being naturall to euery thing according to Philosophy to couet that which is conuenient and sutable to it selfe so the sense euen then would hunt after sensible pleasant delight-some obiects and the spirit would seeke for spirituall the spirit would often checke restrayne and bridle the pursuit of Aug. de pec merit remis l. 2. cap 4 de nuptijs concup l. 1. c. 27. l. 13. de Triâ— c. 10. contra Iul. Pelag. l. â— 1. retract c. 15. sense and sense would likewise hinder weaken and repine at the heroicall workes and endeauours of the spirit Thus the winds of diuers opposite passions the fluds of contrary inclinations would naturally striue and resist one the other yet as in that case this contrariety had beene no sinne but a sequele a disease a feeblenes of nature so now the same abiding in the regenerate from whome the dregs of all impurity are cleansed it is only according to S. Augustine left as an exercise of vertue to wrastle against or as a punishment of sinne and not as any true or proper sinne Which by two irrefragable arguments I conuince in this manner Ezech. 36. v. 25. Mich. 7. v. 19. â—01 lasâ— v. 12. Ioan. 1. v. 29. Psal 50 v. 6. Whatsoeuer filth or vncleanes our soules contracted by the sinne of Adam is wholy washed away in Baptisme by the grace of Christ But the filth or guilt of concupiscence descended from Adam therefore it is clean abolished by the vertue of Christ The Maior or first proposition is euery where testifyed in holy Writ by the Prophets and Apostles who often witnes that there shal be left no sinne in vs after we are once new borne in Christ for he shall cleanse vs from all our iniquityes he shall drowne our sinnes in the bottome of the sea he shall discoast them from vs as far as he East is distant from the West he taketh away sinnes blotteth them out wipeth them away dissolueth them like a clowd he shall forgiue the iniquity to the house of Iacob and this is all the fruit that the sinne thereof be taken away But none Isa 44. v. 22. Isa 27. v. 9. Ad Rom. 8. v. 1. Hier. in Com. in hunc locuÌ„ Ad Rom. 5. v. 19. of these Prophesyes not one of these assertions were true if the guilt of concupiscence still lurked in the soule of the regenerate It were not true which S. Paul teacheth There is no damnation to them that are in Christ Iesus to wit Nihil damnatione dignum nothing worthy damnation as S. Hierome commenteth vpon that place if any damnable sinne remayned in them Not true which the same Apostle auoucheth As by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners so also by the obedience of one many shall be made iust if we be not as truely iustifyed and purged from the drosse of sinne Psal 50. v. 9. Ad Ephes 1. v. 4. ad Collos 1. v. 22. ad Ephes 4. v. 22. 24. ad Colos 3. v. 9. ad Rom. 6. ad Ephes 5. 2. ad Corinth 6. Chrys ho. 40. in 15. 1. Cor. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the merits of Christ as by the fall of Adam we were infected therewith 7. Secondly King Dauid speaking of the purity of the soule cleansed by grace sayd Thou shalt wash me and I shall be made more white then snow S. Paul writeth that the iustifyed are holy and immaculate that they cast off the old man and put on the new that they liue in Christ are light in our Lord temples of the liuing God Therefore free from the darknes free from the impurity death and idolatry of sinne for what participation hath iustice with iniquity what society is there betweene light and darknes what part hath Christ with Beliall what agreement hath the temple of God with Idolls Only God sayth S. Chrysostome can deliuer from sinne which in this lauer of regeneration he effecteth he toucheth the soule it selfe with grace and plucketh from thence the rooted sinne he who by the fauour of the King is pardoned his cryme hath his soule still defiled whome Baptisme washeth not so but he hath his mind more pure then the beames of the Sunne and such as it was when it was first created Which testimony of his so euidently discouereth the spot of Originall guilt to be quite abolished as the Magdeburgian Protestants censuring this place doubt not to say Chrysostome speaketh of the efficacy of Baptisme very dangerously And yet he speaketh no otherwise then the word of God and generall voyce of
who are charged to make a sensible memory of our Blessed Redeemer should be as our Protestants are farre short of the Iewes it is needfull by some publike rite we set forth his Passion in a more excellent sort then they As indeed we Aug. l. 26. cont Faust cap. 18. do in this most holy and mysticall Oblation where not only the action done but the substance of the thing as I shall hereafter declare and manner of doing more neerly and liuely represent the death of our Sauiour then all the Iudaicall or figuratiue Hosts In so much as S. Augustine might wel say That Christians now celebrate the memory of the accomplished Sacrifice with a most holy Oblation and Act. 133. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Syriake participle Meâ—b chaschipin signifieth as Soderiê° in Lexico Syri A Sacrificing â—ction Mart. Ep. ad Burdeg cap. 3. Hesyeb l. 1. cap. 4. Cyp. l. 2. Epist. 3. Amb. c. 10 Ep. ad Heb. Primasius in idem c. Anselm in comment c. 11. 1. Cor. Paul ad heb c. 13 1. Cor. c. 10. Reyn. c. 8. diuis 4. p. 476. Aug. l. 10. de Ciu. Dei c 20 q 57. in Leut. l. 9. conf c. 12. Greg. Nazi orat 3. 4. in Iulia. Cyr. Alex. in Con. Ephes aâ—not 11. Ifido d. 3 ep 75. participation of the Body of Christ With that holy Oblation which Christ enacted promulgated and commanded when he sayd Do this for a commemoration of me 10. Which the Apostles practised when in the Actes they sacrificed to our Lord as the Greeke and Syriak or exercised some publike ministery vnto him as the Latin text importeth Which their scholer S. Martial taught followed We offer his Body and Bloud to obtaine euerlasting life c. That which the Iewes through malice immolated we for our saluation exhibite vpon the hallowed Altar for this our Lord charged vs to do for a comemoration of him Hesichius saith Christ preuenting his death offered himselfe vp in Sacrifice in the Supper of the Apostles S. Cyprian likewise Iesus Christ our Lord and God he is the High-Priest of God the Father and he first offered himselfe a Sacrifice to his Father and the same he commanded to be done in his remembrance S. Ambrose Primasius S. Anselme I I omit because I hasten to other proofes 11. S. Paul sayth We haue an Altar and an Altar to Sacrifice on both the Greeke and Hebrew word implieth as M. Reynolds accordeth with vs whereof they haue no power to eate which serue the tabernacle And in another place You cannot drinke the Chalice of our Lord and Chalice of Diuells Where he discourseth of the Sacrifices of Iewes Gentills Idolatours and in all outward and reall points matcheth ours with theirs our Hosts with theirs our Chalice with theirs our immolation with theirs the participation which we make of our victime with the participation which they make of theirs Wherby it ensueth that as theirs were true Sacrifices true Hosts true Victimes true Altars so likewise ours or els the comparisons were to no purpose Hereupon S. Augustine tearmeth the holy Eucharist A most true Sacrifice by which true remission of sinnes is purchased The Sacrifice of our price or ransome S. Gregory Nazianzen An vnbloudy Sacrifice S. Cyril of Alexandria A quikening holy Sacrifice Isidorus The Sacrifice of an vnbloudy victime S. Cyril of Ierusalem An holy and dreafull Sacrifice Cyr. Hier. â—ate 5. Tert. l. de velo Virgin c. 7. 9. Concil Nice Câ—â— 14. Chrys hom 17. in 9. ad Heb. Amb. exhor ad virg Cyr. Hier. cate 5. Leo. ser 8. de Psal Iran l. 4. â—a 32. Ieron in Com. cap. â— ad Tit. Aug. l. 9. Conf. c. 13. Optat. l. â— â—on Par. Gre. Naziâ—n orat 2. in Iulian. Aug. ser de San. 19. S. Gre. Niss oratbap Euseb l. 1. Demonst c. 6. 9. Nys de Virg. c. vlâ— Orig. bo 23 in l. Num. Amb. l. 2. of â—â—c c. vlt. Chrys bo 2. de pa. Iob. Reyn. c. 8. diuis 4. p. 472. profiting the soules of the departed Tertullian A Sacrifice which no woman can be permitted to offer no nor Deacons according to the Councel of Nice We haue not then a spirituall sacrifice only which women and Deacons may offer but a true Sacrifice in the Church of God A true Host which cannot be coÌ„sumed as S. Chrysostome sayth Which offered on the Altar as S. Ambrose teacheth abolisheth the sinne of the word Which is a Propitinion as S. Cyrill of Hierusalem calleth it for all that need help A true oblation which being only one fullfilleth according to S. Leo the variety of al carnall sacrifices Being new yet receaued from the Apostles is offered vnto God according to Ireneaeus in the vniuersall world A true victime vndefyled which the Bishop dayly offering for his own the peoples sins ought to abstaine as S Hierome writeth from the company of his wife An holy victime which dispensed from the Altar as S. Augustine confesseth cancelleth the hand-writing which was contrary vnto vs. True Chalices which containe the Bloud of Christ which to breake or prophane is hainous sacriledge Optatus against Parmenian True Altars such as take their name of the most pure vnbloudy sacrifice S. Gregory Nazianzen Such as are consecrated with the character of the Crosse S. Augustine Such as by nature being common stones by blessing are made holy immaculate no longer to be handled by all sorts of people but only of Priests S. Gregory Nissen Such as Moyses inhibited to be made in any Land but in Iury only and that in one Citty thereof Eusebius Which cannot be vnderstood of the Spirituall Altars of our harts as our Aduersaryes would shift of the matter True Priests annointed to this end S. Gregory Nissen Wedded to perpetuall continency because it only belongeth to them to offer this sacrifice Origen Whose immaculate ministery cannot be violated with carnall mariage S. Ambrose Who ought to shine with all kind of Chastity S. Chrysostome Rare priuiledges not appertaining to any Protestant much lesse to all Christians whome M. Reynolds installeth in Priestly dignity least of all to the Ministers of his Ghospel to whome he attributeth not the true name of a Sacrifycing Priest which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greeke Sacerdos in Latin but improperly only yet S. Augustine the most Aug. l. 20. deciu. Dei c. 10. Caluin l. 3. Insti c. 3. §. 10. ad Heb. 5. v. 1. Reâ— p 477 Psal 109. 4 ad Heb. 7. Bils 4. par pag. 702. Sparks locis citatis Cyp. l 3. ep 2. Prima in com c. 5. ad Heb. Gen. 14. Bils 4. par pag. 702. Clem. Alex l. 4. strom Amb. l. 5. de Sacram. cap. 1. Cypr. l. 2. epist 3. Aug. ep 95. ad Innocen â—fido l. de voc Gen. cap. 26. Iero. ep ad Marcel ad Euag. faythfull witnes of all antiquity as Caluin reporteth him purposely sayth The Priests and Bishops of our Church are not
the Iewes had no other then vnleaâ—ened bread at that tyme. Exod. 12. Ther shall not be found leanened in your houses Luc. 24. Aug. l. 3. de consen Euang. c. 25. Chry. hom 17. oper imperfect in Matth. Theoph. in eumlocum Beda in iâ— loc Luc. Act. 2. v. 42. 20. v. 7. vnleauened you with leauened bread his Communicants receaued sitting yours kneeling his after yours before meat may you in these points vary from Christ and may not we by the ineriable warrant of his Church alter that which he hath left indifferent vnto her Especially seeing she followeth herein the president of Christ who ministred the Sacrament vnder one kind only to the two Disciples at Emaus as S. Augustine S. Chrysostome Theophilact and Venerable Bede auouch the example of the Apostles who did often the like the practise of S. Paul who at Troiâ—s before he fell into danger of Ship-wracke as S. Chrysostome teacheth performed the same the prescription of Chry. hom 17. oper imperf Tertul. l. 2. â—â—vâ—or Cypr. serm de lapsis Amb. or â—â— de obitu Satyâ—i Basil ep ad Casar Euse lib. 6. bist c. 36. Pauliâ—us in vita Ambros Amphilo in vi Basil Fulke in c. 6. 10 sect 11. Conc. Tol. 2. cap. 11. August serm 252. detemp Conc. Anâ—ifiod cap. 3â— 38. Ambr. in orat de obitu Satyrifratris sui Basil ep ad Caesar am Patric Alâ—uinus l. de Offi. Eccles c. de Parasâ—eue Inno. â— ep 1. cap. 4. Euseb loc citato Fulke vbi suprâ— the ancient Church which ministred to Children only the bloud reserued most commonly the body alone both in priuate houses and in Wildernesses for the Ermites as Tertullian S. Cyprian S. Ambrose and S. Basil testifie housled the sicke often vnder one kind after which manner Serapion S. Ambrose S. Basill receiued their Viaticum lying on their death beds witnesse Eusebius Paulinus and Amphilochius 13. M. Fulke laboureth to auoid the authorities of these Fathers by two Sophisticall shifts First by the figure of Synecdoche which taketh the part for the whole secondly by disgracing the practise S. Tertullian S. Cyprian S. Basil S. Chrysostome Eusebius and others record with the note of a superstitious custome Where on the one side he ouerthroweth himselfe he contradicteth on the other those learned writers He ouerthroweth himselfe calling it a superstitious custome which must consequently sauour of some point of Popery conformable to our ancient prescription and wholy disagreable to his new inuented doctrine He contradicteth those learned Fathers who expresly speake of the sole infusioÌ„ of the bloud into the mouthes of yong sucking babes or into the mouths of the sicke who could not for drinesse receaue the body as it was decreed in the second Toletan Councell Of fine Linnen clothes called Dominicaâ—â—a prouided by deuout women to in wrap the body vnfit to infold the bloud Of a sole particle of the body which S. Ambrose his brother inclosed in a Pix and hanged for safegard about his necke Of keeping the body so long in Alexandriâ— Aegypt those hoat Countries where the wine without corruption could not be reserued nor carried with safty nor kept with decency Of the Custome of the Roman Church whose Priest vpon Good-friday many yeares agoe communicated only vnder one kind as Alcuinus and Innocentius the first â—elate Of the moysture which was vsed for the better swallowing downe of the Host mentioned by Eusebius altogeather needlesse if the Cup had beene exhibited Where I desire the Reader to register the folly of M. Fulke who affirmeth the moistned Sacrament whereof Eusebius speaketh To be the Cup dropped into the mouth of â—erapion whereas it was the body dipped in some prophane liquor the easier to swallow downe that diuine food But any Common liquor faithfully receaued is wholy as good as the wine of their Table therefore he may wel entitle it the Cup of his Communion 14. Not the Fathers only our Sectaries also Vrbanus Vrbanus Regius in li. de locis com 69. Luther ep ad Bohemoâ— christus inquit hac in re nihil tâ—quaÌ„ necessarium praecepit Melanct. in Centu. ep thâ—o pag. 252. Bucer in Colloq Raâ—isbon Iewel in his Reply p. 110. 106. Regius a Lutheran Doctour confesseth the Sacramont in one kind to haue beene ordained in the first Councell at Ephesus about a thousand yeares before the Synode of Basill or Constance for extinguishing Nestorious heresie who held the Body without the Bloud in the one the Bloud without the Body in the other kind comprised Yea M. Luther the Protestants first Progenitour and chiefest Patriarch affirmeth That Christ commanded nothing as necessary touching Communion vnder one or both kinds And Melancthon his scholler and Bucer with him accounteth it as a matter of indifferency as many other Protestants doe whom M. Iewell in his Reply neither reproueth or gaine-sayth And it is strange the Sacramentaries should begin to plead for the necessity of both who beleeue their bread and wine to be nothing els but outward tokens to stirre vp their faith memory and deuotion which may be farre better excited by the sight and view of the seuerall Hosts which our Priests doe offer then by the participation of the signes their Ministers exhibit Or if they will needs tast of the Cup we allow our faithfull Communicants whatsoeuer they for their Sect-mates prouide and the same for which they contend We minister to our Laity the wine of the Grape the dayntiest Nectar of their Communion Table we affoard them besides the precious food of Christs Body and Bloud a Celestiall banquet infinitely surpassing their poore prophane and hungry feast 15. Goe then M. Bilson goe M. Fulke goe you Sectaries reuile and vpbraid vs as transgressors of Christs commandement goe you their fauoruits declaime in your Oratories and crie out in the Pulpits that we defraud the people of the Cup of their saluation of the Communion of Christs Bloud Whereas you are they who rob them indeed of the sacred Bloud and Body also bereaue them of their spirituall life and of all the heauenly delights and treasures of their soule yeelding bare signes vaine figures in lieu of the diuine verities and reall substances our Blessed Sauiour bequeathed vnto them And we fensed by Christ by his Apostles by the Church the neuer-erring Spouse of our Lord refreshing all with the maine fountaine of life performe it in that manner as is most behoofull for time for place for Priests and People THE SIXTH CONTROVERSY CONVINCETH The Necessity of Confession against D. Sparkes and D. Fulke CHAP. 1. I May fitly compare the Sectaries of our tyme as S. Gregory NazianzeÌ„ doth that enemy of God Iulian the Apostata Nazian orat 1. in Iulianum Sparkes in his answer to M. Iohn de Albins pag. 3. 6. 337. Eu. ke in cap. 20. 10. sect 5. Kemnitius in Censu ad c. 5. Conâ—ilâ— Trident. to the Camclion For as he changeth himselfe into all variety
blisse and happynes requireth it vvhich is a mayne Ocean of ioyes a full and plentifull repast of vvhatsoeuer the hart can vvish or desire For Psal â—6 King Dauid sayd I shall be satisfyed when thy glory shall appeare Novv euery Saint nature being not abolished but perfected by grace hath a naturall invvard appetite to knovv the estate of their friendes to vnderstand the suits they make vnto theÌ„ therefore to fulfill the measure of their felicity they must haue notice of them 15. Thirdly the excellency of their beatificall and happy vision of God challengeth no lesse For if many holy-men euen in this life eyther by the gift of Prophesy or by the extraordinary fauour of God haue disclosed the hidden thoughts of hart thinges to come and thinges done farre distant from them as Elizaeus knevv the bribe which Geizi tooke S. Peter the sacriledges of 4. Reg. 5. Act. 5. Ananias and Saphira Daniel Ezechiel many secrets to come depending on the free choyce and will of man Why should not the Saints vvhome the highest Soueraygne hath admitted into his heauenly consistory with vvhome he communicateth his hidden counsayles why should not they by the preheminence of glory vvhich farre surpasseth the giftes of prophesy the prerogatiues of grace more truly decipher and perspicuously see what is often reuealed by inferiour meanes Which reason Aug. l. 2â— de Ciu. Dei cap. 29. Basil l. de vera Virg Athanas quaest 32. Esa 63. Hier. vpon that place S. Augustine profoundly prosecuteth saying If the Prophet Elizaeus absent in body did see the bribe his seruant Geizi receaued of Naaman Syrus c. how much more in that Spirituall body shall Saints see all thinges c. When God shall be all in all vnto vs I might adioyne hereunto the suffrage of Saint Basil and S. Athanasius vnlesse our Aduersaryes thought to wipe them all away with one misconstrued place of the Prophet Esay 16. Abraham knoweth vs not and Israel is ignorant of vs. I answere with Saint Hierome That they knew not the Iewes with the knowledge of approbation or liking because they had abandoned before the Lavv of Aug. l. de cura pro. mort c. 13. Iob. 14. Eccles 9. Orig. l. 2. in Ep. ad Ro. Aug. l. de vera relig cap. 55. Naz. orat in Athan. Field l. 3. c. â—â— fol. 109. God Or they knew them not by their owne power and vertue by humane conuersation with them as Saint Augustine seemeth to interprete it and of vvhich Iob King Salomon Origen Saint Augustine meane when they doubt or deny the Saints to know our actions S. Gregory Nazianzen is so farre from staggering in this point as he sayth of Athanasius Rectè noui c. I truly know he vieweth our doings And therefore M. Field might easily haue perceaued had he not beene wilfull that in the sentence of S. Gregory at which he carpeth If the Blessed soules haue that priuiledge from God to know these thinges c. If the dead haue sense c. the particle if is not taken conditionally but causually by way of asseueration as learned Maldonate literally expoundeth it in his notable commentaryes Maldonat in Io. c. 15. c. 13. Ioan. 15. Ioan. 13. vpon the New Testament in S. Iohn If they haue persecuted me c. Agayne If God be glorifyed in him c. The like I affirme of S. Hierome and the rest when they vse any such conditionall speaches For although some Fathers doubted of the manner of knowledge the Saints haue of inferiour things yet none euer made question but that they vnderstand by reuelation from God not generally All our inward actions and secret thoughts vvhich Field loco citato fol. 114. M. Field whether of ignorance or malice I diuine not iniuriously tearmeth An impious counceit of Papistes but such as we of deuotion or they of piety desire to know Howbeit it could inuolue no impiety if they did see all not of themselues but by the Diuine illumination and fauour of God 17. So as our Protestants can deuise no semblance or shew of reason why mortall men may be prayed vnto and not immortall Saintes Vnlesse they imagine that being vnited to Christ they be more estranged from vs that their charity is more cold or ability Bern. in vigil Petri Pauli ser de S. Victore Aug. ser â—9 infest SS Petri Pauli lesse able to comfort vs. Of their charity S. Bernard writeth That Blessed Countrey doth not change but augment it The latitude or breadth of heauen restrayneth not but dilateth hartes Of their power and ability Saint Augustine speaking of the miracle S. Peter wrought with his shadow sayth If then the shadow of his body could affoard help how much more now the fulnes of his power And if then a certayne little wind of him passing by did perfect them that humbly asked how much more the grace of him now permanent and remayning And S. Hierome Hier. aduers Vigi If the Apostles and Martyrs dwelling in corruptible flesh could pray for others when they ought to be carefull for themselues how much more after their crownes victory and triumphes When Secure as S. Cyprian noteth of their owne felicity they remayne sollicitous only of our safety 18. Lastly the wicked fiendes and diuells of Cyp. de mortal â— hell heare the Southsayers Witches and Magitians when they eyther coniure or call vpon them they contriue and accomplish many mischiefs at their appointment by Gods permission as you may reade in the fourth Martinuâ— del Rio Magica disquisitionum l. 4. booke of Matinus Del Rio his magicall Disquisitions And shall we thinke the triumphant Saints and Angells of heauen deafe Shall we thinke their handes fettered or power restrayned when we deuoutly pray and suplicate vnto them O yee heauens be astonished and stand amazed yee immortall spirits at this cursed generation vvhich graunteth to the diuellish and damned spirits what it impiously gainsayeth and denyeth to you For â— Reg. 28. Basil ep 80. ad Eustac Amb. l. 1. in Luc. 1. Ieron Isa 7. Aug. de cura pro mort ger cap. 15. which S. Augustine wrot after that to SimpliciaÌ„ where he seemeth to doubt whether it was Samuels soule or no. Eccles 46. Tertul. l. de anima Procop. Euche in 〈◊〉 locuÌ„ what can any Protestant say to that apparition of Samuel mentioned in the first of Kinges Will he graunt with S. Basil S. Ambrose S. Hierome S. Augustine which is also most agreeable to the wordes there recorded and confirmed by Ecclesiasticus that the soule of Samuel truly appeared vnto Saul and foretold him of his death of King Dauid his successour of the slaughter of his sonnes and other Israelites which was to ensue the very next day after Then he must perforce acknowledge that soules departed do know our affayres and what good or euill doth heere betide vs as S. Augustine by this example inuincibly proueth Or will
are not imputed but pardoned in Christ all Mortall in the Reprobate M. Fulke conformably deliuereth Allsinnes are pardonable to the Penitent and faythfull and without fayth and repentance euen the least and ligh est sinne are damnable and deadly Against whom I reason thus 2. If there be any sinnes which euen then wheÌ„ they are voluntarily committed without repentance can stand with grace and Iustice the life of our soules they are of their owne nature neyther damnable nor deadly but there are some suchsinnes Therefore there are some sinnes which neyther of their owne nature Prou. 24. v. 16. cause the spirituall death of our soules in this life nor damnation in the next That there are some such sinnes I proue out of Scripture out of the Prouerbes Seauen tymes doth the Iust man fall and rise againe If he be Iust how falleth he into sinne If a sinner how is he called Iust vnlesse some sinne may consist with Iustice Out of Ecclesiast There is not a Iust man vpon earth who doth good and doth not sinne Out of S. Iohn If we shall say we haue no sinne we seduce Eccles 7. v. 21. 1. Iohn 1. Aug. l. dâ— natu gra c. 36. Haeb. 5. our selues and the truth is not in vs. Where S. Augustine expoundeth S. Iohn of the sinnes of the Iust and speaking of our Blessed Lady absolutly pronounceth This Virgin excepted if all holy Persons whilest heere they liued were assembled togeather with how great sanctity soeuer they shined c. they would all crie out If we say we haue no sinne we seduceour selues Out of S. Paul Euery Bishop ought as for the people so also for himselfe to offer for sinnes Whence S. Hierome collecteth He Hier. apud Panigarol part 2. lect 12. Iaco. 3. v. 2. lacob 1. v. 14 Hier. in CoÌ„menta c. 5. Mat. Psal 31. Math. 5. 1. Cor. 3. Orig. bo 5. In Leuit. Amb. in Psalm 118. Naz. or at 2. Iulia. in Cbrys bo 24. in Mat. Hier. l. 2. con Pelag. Aug. l. de natura gra ca. 38. in Enchir c. 22. 71. ser 41. de Sanct. Fulke in c. 1. Iaco. sect 6. Ezech. 18. 4. Rom. 6. 23. Iacob 2. 10. Aug. Ep 29. Cbrys bo 35. in Mat. should neuer be commanded to offer for others vnlesse he were Iust nor for himselfe if he wanted sinnes Out of S. Iames In many things we all offend And in his first Chapter Euery one is tempted of his owne concupiscence abstracted and allured afterward concupiscence when it hath conceaued bringeth forth sin but sinne when it is consummate engendreth death Behold three things in man Concupiscence the ground or entisement to sinne Conception the first and imperfect motion which yeeldeth therunto ConsuÌ„mation the absolute deliberate consent Concupiscence is no sinne Conception is a sinne but not damnable not deadly ConsuÌ„mation or full consent is only that which engendreth death S. Hierom agreable heereunto maketh a great difference betweene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Desire with Consent and withous Consent Many other places I omit cited out of King Dauid S. Mathew and S. Paul I omit the Fathers who acknowledge this diuersity of Veniall and Mortall sinnes Origen S. Ambrose S. Gregory Nazianzen S. Chrysostome S. Hierome S. Augustine c. 3. M. Fulke obiecteth by Ezechiel and S. Paul Of all sinnes in generall it is sayd The soule which sinneth shal die And The wages of sinne is death I answere They speake of haynous sinnes not of euery small offence For God were too seuere his leagne of friendship intollerable if for the least idle word or sleight default he would depriue his Friends of grace and persecute them to death S. Iames also writeth of grieuous sinne the breach of Gods Commandment in the place you commonly alleadg against vs He that offeudeth in one is made guilty of all For S. Augustine teacheth that he is made guilty of all because he breaketh the band of Charity which is the totall summe and perfection of the law Or can no lesse escape the sentence of death and damnation who transgresseth one commandement then if he were guilty of all as the Authour vpon the imperfect worke vpon S. Matthew singularly well expoundeth S. Basil and S. Augustine I grant make great account of Veniall sinnes in that they diminish the feruour of Charity are somewhat contrary to the Easil in quaest q. 4. q. 293. Aug. Con. 3. super Ps 118. tract 12. in Ioan. law and now and then dispose to the transgreslion of it in that they truly offend the infinite maiesty of God yet in a matter so light and with such imperfect apprehension as it diminisheth the indignity and wholy altereth the quality of the fault For if the want of all knowledge and all consent in children and mad men vtterly taketh away the guilt of sinne then imperfect knowledge imperfect consent must needs cause imperfect sinnes Not such as absolutly violate the law of God or throughly incurre his high displeasure but such as are to be shunned notwithstanding as dangerous infirmities and diseases of our soule Which is all that S. Augustine and the rest of the Fathers intend when they exaggerate the enormity of small offences Thus much in confutation of our Aduersaries second ground Concerning the third 4. We stand not vpon the name but vphold the thing that is a certaine penall estate or cleansing of some soules after this life which cleansing we call as Suarez Tom. 4. in 3. par disp 45. sect 1. Esay 4. Malach. 3. Suarez well noteth Purgation and the place where it is made Purgatory which the ancient Fathers themselues haue constantly gathered out of sundry texts of holy Write In the old Testament S. Augustine teacheth it from the mouth of Isay Our Lord shall purge the dregs of the daughters of Syon and shall wash the bloud of Hierusalem out of the middest therof in the Spirit of iudgment and in the Spirit of Aug. l. 20. de â—iuit Dei c. 25. Hiero. in hunc locuÌ„ Amb. in Psalm 36. Orig. ho. 6. in Exod. combustion or as the English Protestant translation readeth By the spirit of burning He teacheth it likewise from the mouth of Malachy Our Lord is like a purging fire and like fullers sope he shall sit downe to trye and fine the siluer he shall euen fine the Sonnes of Leui and purify them as gold and siluer Where S. Augustine addeth That these wordes cannot signify a separation only of the polluted from the pure in the last penall iudgment c. but must intimate a purgation of the good who haue need thereof With whome S. Hierome S. Ambrose Origen consent in the interpretation of that place The same S. Augustine and Venerable Bede deduce out of that passage of Aug. in Ps 7. Beda in Psal 37. Psalm 65. Amb. in Psal 36. ser in Psal 118. Orig. hom 25. in Numer the
Psalme Lord rebuke me not in thy fury nor do thou chastise me in thy wrath Where by his fury they vnderstand the furious flames of Hell by his wrath the chastising correcting fire of Purgatory S. Augustine sayth Purge me in this life and make me such a one as shall not need the amending fire S. Ambrose and Origen proue the like out of that verse of the Psalme We haue passed through fire and water thou hast translated vs into rest to wit through water of Baptisme in this life through fire of Purgatory in the next Heere sayth S. Ambrose by water there by fire By Ambr. in Psal 118. ser 3 20. Rup l. 3 comm in Gen. c. 32. 33. Gen. 3. Pererius l. 6. quaest 4. in c. 3. Gen. explicando vers 24. Field in his Appendix fol. 50. Esay 4. Aug. Ambr. locis citat Aug. l. 21. de ci Dei c. 23. 24. l de cura pro mort c. 1. de 8. quaest q. 2. Origen Cypr. vbi supra water that our sinnes may be washed by fire that they may be burned And the same S. Ambrose togeather with Rupertus testify this to haue beene Allegorically noted by the Prophet Moyses in the fiery sword which our Lord placed before the gates of Paradise to shew that the passage and entrance to the gates of Heauen was now by fire to such as were not wholy purifyed and refined before as Pererius notably declareth in his exquisite Commentaryes vpon Genesis 5. And least some Protestants should weaken the strength of these former testimonyes as M. Field heere doth the authorityes of S. Ambrose S. Hilary expoūding them of the fiery triall of Gods iudgment Isay expresly distinguisheth the one from the other and sayth That God shall purge vs both in the spirit of Iudgment and in the spirit of combustion S. Augustine and S. Ambrose do the like For albeit S. Ambrose as M. Field obserueth doth sometime take the fire mentioned in Scripture for the fiery triall of Gods iudgment yet he purposely also interpreteth it of the fire of Purgatory in the places before cyted and in his exposition vpon the third Chapter to the Corinthians where he teacheth that some of the Iust suffer such pains of fire as the perfidious and damned suffer not which cannot be vnderstood of the examination or triall of Gods Iudgment which the Reprobate suffer as well as the Iust The same I say of S. Augustine when he distinguisheth three sorts of men al tryed by Gods Iudgement and one only that needeth the amending fire The same of Origen S. Cyprian and the rest 6. The last place I will alleadge out of the old law omitting many for breuityes sake is that of Zachary Thou also in the bloud of thy Testamēt hast deliuered thy Prisoners out of Zach. 9. v. 12. the Lake in which there is no water And what lake was this out of which Christ after his death and Passion enfranchised his Captiues but either Limbus Patrum as some hold or rather according to others the Lake of Purgatory Aug. l. 12. de Gen. ad lit c. 33. ep 99. ad Euod In which there is indeed no water of Comfort as there is in Limbo and out of which S. Augustine affirmeth Christ deliuered many when he descended into Hell for so in the new Testament Purgatory is sometim called by the name of Hell 7. In the Acts of the Apostles S. Luke writeth of Christ Whome God hath raysed vp loosing the sorrowes of hell Of Hell Of whom in hell Not of Christ For it was impossible as M. Fulke agreeth with vs he should be Act. 2. v. 24. Fulke vpon this place Aug. l. 12. de Gen. ad lit c. 33. touched with any after death Not the dolours of the damned in the lowest Hell of whome there is no redēption Therefore not without cause I vse the wordes of S. Augustine whome M. Fulke impudently heere auoucheth to haue nothing at all to this purpose it is beleeued the soule of Christ to haue descended to the place where sinners are punished to release them of their torments who me he in his hidden Iustice thought worthy to be released Otherwise I see not how to expound that text c. For neither Abraham nor the Poore man in his hosome that is in the secret of his quiet rest was restrained in sorrowes Phil. 2. v. 10. Thus S. Augustine there where he applyeth to the same end that saying of S. Paul In the name of Iesus let euery knee bow of thinges celestiall terrestriall and infernall and le◠euery tongue confesse c. Which cannot be meant of the Psal 113. damned in Hell of whome the Psalmist sayth The dead shall not praise thee O Lord nor all those that descend into Hell 8. Neither of them can that be meant which was Apoc. 3. v. 3. reuealed to S. Iohn No man was able to open the booke sealed with seauen seales neither in heauen nor vnder the earth For it is not probable the infernall spirits were priuiledged Psal 73. Apoc. 5. v. 13. Suarez tom 4. diso 45. sect 2. in 3. part D. Thom. ◠Mat. 5. v. 26. Luc. 12. v. 58. Tertul. l. de anim c. 35. 58. Cyp l. 4. epist 2. vide Amb. in c. 12. Luc◠Hier. in c. 5. Matt. Eus Emis hom 3. de Epiph. Matt. 12. v. 32. 1. Reg. 28. Aug. l. 21. de cin Dei c. 24. Greg. l. 4. dial c. 39. Fulke in c. 12. Matt. sect 6. Field in appead par 1. pag. 40. Bern. ser 66. in Cant so much as to trye whether they could open that heauenly booke or that they whose pride doth alwayes ascend were comprehended in the number of them whome S. Iohn heard saying To him that sitteth in the throne and to the Lambe benediction and honour and glory and power for euer euer It is likely then S. Iohn spake before only of the Iust as Suarez heereupon inferreth and by them in heauen vnderstandeth the Church Triumphant by them in earth the Militant by them vnder earth the Patient or Church in Purgatory For that is a place vnder the earth a Lake or prison as S. Matthew nameth it saying Be at agreement with thy Aduersary betymes whilest thou art in the way with him least perhaps the Aduersary deliuer thee to the Iudge the Iudge deliuer thee to the Officer and thou be cast into prison Where by the prison Tertullian and S. Cyprian and Eusebius Emissenus expound the prison of Purgatory Againe it is confirmed more strongly by S. Matthew where he sayth He that shall speake against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiuen him neither in this world nor in the world to come The ancient Doctours gather from hence that some sinnes may be remitted in the next life For whereas it is written in the first of the Kinges He answered him not neither by dreames nor by the
Priests nor by the Prophets it is euidently deduced that God was accustomed to make answer al these wayes or els it were an impertineÌ„t partition so in this present S. Augustine affirmeth It could not be truly sayd that they should not be forgiuen neither in this world nor in the world to come except there were some who although not in this world yet in the next might be forgiuen And S. Gregory is so plaine in our behalfe as M. Fulke confesseth Purgatory is holden by him for the least and lightest offences Howsoeuer his Pew-fellow M. Field seeme to outface the contrary against Theophilus Higgons S. Bernard also thought so well of the pregnancy of this text as thereby alone he refuteth the heresy of the Apostolikes Who belieued not sayth he any purging fire to remaine after death but the soule as soone as it is diuorced from the body to be translated to rest or to damnation I omit Venerable Bede Rabanus and others who follow their stepes heerin Bed in 3. Mar. Rabanus l. 2. de inst Câ—er c. 44. 1. Cor 3. v. 12. Psal 96. 1. Cor. 3. 13. lbidem 1. Cor. 3. 15. Ambr. Sedul in hunc locuÌ„ Aug. l. de fide oper c. 16â— Greg. l. 4. dial c. 39. 9. With S. Matthew S. Paul accordeth in his first Epistle to the Corinthians If any man build vpon this foundation gold siluer pretious stones wood hay stuble c. where for the manifestation of these works he assigneth three kinds of fires The generall fire which goeth before the face of our Lord to deuoure his enemyes in the day of doom saying It shal be reuealed in fire Then the fiery triall of Gods Iudgement of which he addeth The worke of euery one of what kind it is the fire shaltrye Lastly he concludeth of the fire of Purgatory If any mans worke burne he shall suffer detriment but himselfe shal be saued yet so as by fire Now whether we vnderstand by wood hay and stubble the curious and vnprofitable doctrine of good and faythful Preachers with S. Ambrose and Sedulius vpon this place Or the veniall sinnes and fraile imperfections of al true Christians with S. Augustine S. Gregory and others yet the fire by which the builders of these workes are punished and saued cannot be wel interpreted but of the purging fire of the next life Fulk in â— 3. 1. ad Cor sess 6. Basi de spiritu Sanct. c. 15. Chrys Theod. in hunc locuÌ„ Stapleton in Anti. Apost in 1. ad Cor. c. 3. 10. Not of the fire of temptation heere vpon earth as M. Fulke surmiseth because S. Paul expresly treateth of a fire immediatly ensuing the day of our Lord or that day as the Greeke readeth which is also taken for the day of Iudgment often in Scripture and so interpreted heer by the Grecians themselues by S. Basil S. Chrysostome and Theodoret. Besides the fire of temptation doth not refine and purify the vncleane only but tryeth the iust and perfect seruants of God generally more then the vnperfect Neither can it be expounded of the triall and examination of Gods iudgment after death as others insinuate For of that he spake before through that all must passe be they neuer so defiled be they neuer so pure through this only such as are either stayned with the spots or obnoxious to the punishment of their offences past 11. By the tryall of Gods iudgment no paine is inflicted but an approbation is made or a redargution of workes by this sauing fire besides the redargution or burning of the worke the worker also suffereth detriment or paine and penalty as the Greeke explaineth The triall of Gods Iudgment is swift and momentany not lengthned by our offences the triall of fire is shorter or longer according to the mixture of sinnefull drosse with our gold or pretious metall as Origen S. Cyprian S. Ambrose S. Augustine excellently teach who conformably Orig. hom â— in Exo. Cypr. l. 4. ep 2. ad Anton. Ambr. in hunc locuÌ„ Aug. in Psal 37. Tertul. l. 5. cont Marc. c. 6. Hier. in Amos 4. Greg. l. 4. dial c. 39. August in Psal 37. expound this place of S. Paul of the fire of Purgatory with whome all the Greeke and Latin Fathers with the Armenian Embassadours after long disputation agreed in the generall Councell of Florence and before them Tertullian S. Hierome S. Gregory and others Tertullian sayth He shal be saued by fire S. Augustine demanding why some are sayd to be saued by fire replyeth because they build vpon the foundation haye wood stubble but if they would build gold siluer and pretious stones they might be secure from both fires Not only from that euerlasting which shall torment the impious eternally but from that which shall amend them who shal be saued by fire c. and then Ita planè c. Euen so truely although they be saued by fire yet that fire wil be more paynefull or grieuous then any thing that can be suffered in this life Which sentence is so cleare in our behalfe as M. Fulke could find no colour to gloze it but peremptorily answereth To the authority of S. Augustine I oppose his owne Iudgment vpon better Fulke in c. 3. 1. Cor. sect 6. aduise and examination of the text As though S. Augustine euer retracted that exposition yea he often repeateth and inculcateth the same in sundry places as I shall declare heereafter 12. But what opposition I pray doth M. Fulke find in his writings He obiecteth that S. Austine in his Enchiridion Fulke ibid. to Laurence interpreteth that fire of the fire of temptation in this life And what then Shall one place preiudicate the truth of others and of so many so often ratified and neuer repealed Shall we not rather imbrace them both Aug. l. 1 de Trin cap. vlt. l. 12. CoÌ„fes c. 31. Fulke in c. 31 ad Cor. sect 5. Gen. cap. 3. vers 7. and admire the fruitfulnes of Gods sacred word which out of the same text as S. Augustine himselfe teacheth sometyme begetteth diuers literall senses not repugnant one to the other But heere sayth M. Fulke the text will not beare the former construction The Apostle taketh fire Allegorically as all the rest of the words foundation gold siluer c. wood hay stubble I answere it is an idle collection because some words are vsed Metaphorically therefore all Almighty God spake figuratiuely in the history of our Gen. 3. v. 6. Fore-fathers sinne saying And the eyes of both were opened for they were not blind before Did he therefore vse Field lib. 3. pag. 99. Fulke in c. 3. 1. ad Cor. sect 6. a figuratiue speach in the same place when he sayd The woman sawe that the tree was good to eate c. And she eate and gaue her husband c. So albeit a Metaphore be vsed in the words wood hay stubble you cannot heereupon conclude the same of the sauing
cut his garments with the rest of his company which he likewise did for Abner 4. Yea this praier for the Dead hath beene a thing so generally receaued so inuiolaby practised amongst the Iewes euen then when they were Gods chosen people as when Iudas Machabaeus appointed publique Sacrifices 1. Reg. 3. 2. Reg. 1. 2. Reg. 1. 2. Machab. cap. 12. Ioseph de Bello Iudaic c. 19. Baruch c. 3. vers 5. Vrbanus Regius baec verba Baruch to be offered for them not one was found amongst the huge number of souldiers not one amongst the Priests and Leuits of Hierusalem not one amongst the Patriarches and Prophets of God most vigilant alwaies in checking Superstuion who euer reprehended that charitable deed But Iosephus the Historiographer plainly alloweth it And Baruch the Prophet as Vrbanus Regius a Protestant of no small account beareth witnesse made supplication himselfe for his Predecessours soules saying O Lord omnipotent remember not the iniquities of our forefathers And now at this present time the Iewes aboue all other Nations peculiarly wedded to the Traditions of their ancestours obserue by prescription a solemne praier for the Dead called * Paulus Fagius in c. 14. Deut. Genebrard in fine Chronol VVbitak cont Duraeum p. 85. See Caluino-turcis l. 4. c. 8. and Hilalar deca 4. feria 5. post dominicam 4. Quadrag Luc. 16. Haskaba pronounced by their Hazan or publike Minister of which M. Wnitaker auerreth I know the Iewes haue Rituall books which they read in their Synagogues and I am not ignorant that euen now they are wont to vse certaine praiers for the Dead 5. Neither was it any Ceremoniall Rite proper to the Iewes but a generall law or print of nature stamped in the hearts of all both sauage ciuill Nations In Grecians Indians Moscouites Aethiopians Turkes Persians Mores Arabians c. Who with a dissonant and disagreeing manner yet with one and the same hope of relieuing the departed offered their Praiers and Sacrifices vnto God To leaue Iewes and Gentiles and come to Christians 6. Our blessed Sauiour seemeth to exhort hereuÌ„to saying Make your selues friends of the Mammon of iniquity that when you faile they may receiue you into the eternall tabernacles Where by friendes S. Augustine and S. Gregory vnderstand the Saints in heauen whose necessities we once succoured heer vpon earth and who when we faile that is depart this life not so pure from the reliques of sinne as we may by our good deeds presently enter the kindgdome of heauen then they supplying our wants as we once relieued theirs receaue vs by their praiers and merits into the Mansions of euerlasting rest By their merit saith S. Austen charitable men obtaine mercy and pardon and Aug. ser 35. de verb. Domini l. 21. de ciuit Dei cap. 27. Greg. l. 21. moral c. 14. 1. Cor. 15 S. Gregory If by their friendship we gaine eternall Tabernacles we ought to consider when we bestow vpon them that we rather offer presents to Patrons then giue almes to the Poore 7. Secondly S. Paul sayth What shall they do that are Baptized for the dead if the Dead rise not againe at all Heere the Apostle argueth not from the erroneous practise which long after his tyme was broached by the Montanists Marcionists and Cerinthians who ministred true Baptisme to the liuing as profiting the departed for whose sake it was receaued but he taketh Baptisme heere Metaphorically for punishment and affliction as Christ vseth Luc. 12. Marc. 10. the word I haue a Baptisme to be baptized withall And Can you drinke the Chalice which I drinke or be baptized with the Baptisme wherewith I am baptized After which manner S. Nazian orat in SS lumina Cypr. ser de Coena Domini Gregory Nazianzen acknowledgeth a Baptisme of teares and Pennance And S. Cyprian sayth He baptizeth himselfe in tears Therefore the force of S. Pauls argument is to this effect What doth it auaile the faythfull people to punnish fast pray and afflict themselues for the soules departed if the Dead rise not againe and receaue the fruit and benefite of their prayers 8. Thirdly S. Iohn writeth There is a sinne to death 1. Ioan. 5. for that I say not that any man aske This sinne to death is not euery mortall sinne which killeth the soule but that Aug. v infra Aug. l. 21. de ciu Dei cap. 24. 1. Ioan. c. 5. v. 16. only as S. Augustine teacheth In which a man dyeth without repentance because the Apostle dehorteth not to pray for remission of any mans sin during life And the customâ— of the Church is to pray for Heretikes Schismatikes Apostataes or whosoeuer while they liue But If there be any sayth S. Augustine that persist till death in impenitency of hart doth the Church now pray for them that is for the soules of them that are so departed For these the Apostle exhorteth vs not to pray but if we know our Brother to sinne a sinne not to death that is in which he dyeth not with finall impenitence for him he perswadeth and willeth vs after his departure To aske with confidence to obtaine pardon saying And life shall be giuen him sinning not to death Which Burchar l. 19. de poenit decret Vas c. 2. 4. Carth. vide Burchard Cabilon cap. 39. Florâ—â— in initio Dionys Areo. de Eccl. hier cap. 7. Cypr. l. 1. epist 9. Tertul. l. de Corona militis Greg. Nazian orat in CaesariuÌ„ reliq Field in append x. part p. 13 Ibid. p. 4. Chrys hom 69. ad Populâ—um Fulke against Purg. pag. 303. Fulke in c. 21. â— ad Cor sect 22. is a most forcible argument and a great encouragement vnto vs to pray for such as depart not this life in state of deadly sinne Agreeable heereunto it was defined in the Councell of Brachara as the learned Bishop Burchardus who liued about 600. yeares ago recordeth that for such as should cast violent hands vpon themselues no mention should be made in the oblation for them yet for others oblations and prayers were offered as the Councel of Vase of Carthage of Cabilo of Florence and many more haue decreed 9. All our forefathers with vniforme consent absolutly teach and confirme this doctrine their wordes I need not rehearse because the Protestants freely graunt they taught defended and commonly vsed Prayer for the dead Only D. Field to file their sayings to his purpose affirmeth first That the ancients commemorated the departed by rehearsing their names Secondly They offered the Sacrifice of the Eucharist that is of prayse and thankesgiuing for them Thirdly They prayed for men in their passage hence entrance into the other world Fourthly They prayed for the ResurrectioÌ„ publike acquitall in the day of Iudgment and perfect consumation of the departed All which customes obseruations I allow sayth M. Field and approue But he vtterly denyeth That the ancient Catholike Church did generally intend in her prayers and
sort Cardinall Tolet out of Origen and S Augustine notably expoundeth the words of the Psalmist Blessed are they whose iniquit yes are forgiuen and whose sinnes be couered blessed is the man to whome our Lord hath not imputed sinne the chiefest place Protestants alleadge to bolster their fancy of Gods pardoning of sin by not imputing it such an idle fancy as the very tyme may seeme idly spent in disproofe thereof for what is it you account not imputed to the regenerate or other pardoned offendour 11. In Originall as in euery actuall sinne there be S. Tbom. 1. 2. q. 86. 87. Vasq ibid. disp 206. c. 2. Valent. ibid. q. 16. 17. three thinges First there is macula culpae the spot or blemish of the fault because euery sinne defileth the soule with some base and vgly deformity Secondly there is that which is termed by some reatus poenae by others meritum seu condignit as poenae that is the condignity or deseruing of punishment for whosoeuer offendeth doth condignely deserue to be punished for his offence The third is obligatio seu destinatio ad poenam to wit an actuall destination bynding over to punishment which is the ordinance and decree of God appoynting due chastisement to them that deserue it Now which of these is not imputed in your remission of sinnes Is the vgly spot remayning are you not deemed to be defiled by him who cannot erre or be deceaued in his doome Or is not the deseruing or lyablenes to punishment imputed to this inherent fault of your spotted soule It cannot chuse they are inseparable they necessarily accompany the one the other and as it is impossible for the relation of fatherhood not to arise and follow him who beggetteth a child or risibility the power of laughing not to flow from the nature of man so likewise impossible the condignity of punishment should not alwayes attend on the faultines of sinne It resteth then that the actuall destination and binding ouer to punishment is not imputed to the pardoned sinner that to pardon sinne according to your new Diuinity is nothing els then not to punish it which flatly destroyeth a maine article of our fayth the forgiuenes of sinnes defeateth the merits of Christs bountifull passion and disanulleth the benefit of our redemption For to exempt our persons from the paine of hesl is not to redeeme our Psal 7◠v. 14. soules from their iniquity of which King Dauid nor deliuer vs out of the power of darknes of which the Apostle speaketh The delinquent or malefactour who is freed from the Ad Colos ◠v. 13. sentence of death pronounced against him is not therby either loosed of his chaines or bayled out of prison no more are we assoyled of the bandes of vice or bayled out of the iayle of sinne by immunity from the paine or exemption from the horrour of euerlasting death 12. Besides as long as the nature of sinne truly harboureth in the harts of Protestants by infection adhereth and contaminateth their soule it maketh it hatefull detestable to God for his infinit purity cannot but abhone the defiled sinner of whome King Salomon sayth Sap. 14. v. 9. Psal 44. v. 8. To God the impious and his impiety are odious alike And the Psalmist Thou hast loued Iustice and hast hated iniquity but whatsoeuer he hateth he ordeyneth to punishment therfore euery Protestant who is inherently polluted with the deformity of vice how beautifull soeuer he may seem without by the iust censure of the Highest is bound ouer to the paine which is due vnto him for as the loue of God is nothing els then velle bonum to procure good to whatsoeuer he loueth so his hatred is velle malum to wreak euill to that which he hateth and because he cannot will the euill of fault the euill of punishment must he needes inflict on euery vitious and hatefull transgressour 13. In fine this binding ouer to punishment which you dream not imputed may be two wayes vnderstood First it may be taken for the eternall will of the first and supreme cause ordayning iust punishment to such as deserue it Secondly for his exteriour law promulgated vnto vs either absolutly or conditionally declaring the same in the former acception it is the will of God vnchangeable immutable and cannot be altered in the later it is a signe or declaration vnto vs of his inward will which if it be absolute it shal be infallibly executed according to his word if conditionall or comminatory only it may be altered or suspended supposing a change and alteration on our part yet being good of God and for our repentance proclaymed it cannot possible be the sault not imputed vnto vs. 14. Their second quirke or guilefull deceit that guiltines is remoued from the person not frō the sinne in the person or from vs not the sinne in vs is a palpable contradiction because if guiltines still cleaue to the sinne and the sinne abide Perkins in his refor Cath p. 56. Abbot in his defence cap. 2. Bell in his down-fall in vs we must of necessity remaine subiect and obnoxious to that guilty sinne Or if the guilt of Originall sin be remoued from the person it is also remoued from the sinne in the person For enquire of S. Augustine that Miracle of Wit enquire of him how sins aboad in sinners he wil answere no otherwise then by their guilt then demand what it is to be free from sinne he will tell you this it is not to haue sinne not to be guilty of sinne So that sinne guilt are Aug. l. 1. de nupt concup c. 26. according to him two inseparable thinges leaue sinne in the regenerate and the guilt therof remayneth extinguish the guilt and the sinne is abolished 15. Notwithstanding M. Robert Abbot taketh vpon him the defence of the former brainsicke and fanaticall Abbot in the place aboue cyted f. 17 speach that guiltines is remoued from the person not from the sinne in the person thus interpreteth the meaning thereof That sinne is pardoned to the man regenerate and therfore cannot mak him guilty but yet in it selfe and in it owne nature it continueth such as that setting aside the pardon it were sufficient still to make him guilty and to condemne him A fit glosse for such a deformed Text which runneth into more contrarietyes then the contrariety it selfe he seeketh to reconcile For wil you consider the regenerate pardoned of their sinnes and set aside their pardon Will you make them not guilty of sinne as you say by one and guilty by the other at one and the selfe same tyme Is it possible your tongue should discourse of men endued with fayth and abstract from fayth Speake of soules adorned with grace and bereft of grace with one and the selfe same breath Our question is whether the regenerate supposing they be pardoned by the lauer of Baptisme be endued with fayth
Creatour there is in it disobedience from the dominion of the mind as Feild presseth out of S. Augustine It is a transgression from the rule of reason a defection sayth Abobt from rightetousnes a swaruing from the law of God but whatsoeuer swarueth or declineth from the prescript of his law is sinne Therefore concupiscence is not only a languor wound or fayntnes but the true sin of Nature Our answere is ready It is a sinne either materially or formally formally if it be a free and voluntary transgression materially if it want deliberation or consent of will as in fooles children and mad men it doth But as in them the actuall lusts or desires of concupiscence are materiall disorders or swaruings from the will of the highest but not properly sinnes so neither in the regenerate if as S. Augustine often auoweth they yield not vnto them For which cause we deny that whatsoeuer declyneth from the law of God is sinne euery vniust law euery hereticall interpretation euery booke which Protestants set forth in defence of their errours is a declyning and swaruing from his law and albeit they damnably sinne in disgorging such poyson yet the books themselues are not properly sinnes but so far forth sin is committed as they are any way diuulged imbraced or allowed no more are the sinnefull motions of concupiscence vnles by voluntary consent they be yielded vnto especially such as are seated in the flesh which is not capable of sinne 8. Secondly they presse the authority of the Apostle and testimony of the Fathers as that S. Paul tearmeth Rom. 6. v. â— ad Rom. 7. v. 24. concupiscence sin the body of sinne the body of death S. Augustine iniquity vice a great euill Methodius death and destruction it selfe S. Ambrose the defilement of nature the seed root or seminary of sinne S. Cyprian a domesticall euill Origen sinne which is the cause of death I answere it is named sinne death destruction c. for many reasons which S. Augustine himselfe assigneth First for that it is the effect Aug la. de â—uptijs concup c. 23. of sin as our speach is called our tongue or hand writing our hand because our tongue or hand frameth it The second for which it is so intitled he noteth to be because it inclineth prouoketh and if it ouercome is the cause of sin death defilement c. So cold is sayd to be sluggish and heauy for that it maketh men heauy wyne merry by reason it stirreth vp to mirth And so concupiscence for as much as it continually suggesteth allureth often induceth to all kind of wickednes S. Cyprian besides the S. Cypr. de ratio circumcis S. Bernard de sex triâ—ul precedent names calleth it a raging beast of stincking breath S. Bernard A contagion a pestilent poyson a manifold pestilence the cherishment of all naughtinesse a furnace strongly burning with the affections of ambition auarice enuy willfullnes lewdnes and all vices 9. Thirdly it is tearmed a great euill because it is indeed an vntoward and euill propension a hindrance from good a want of due subiection in the inferiour powers therefore truly called a sicknes or euill quality though not a sinne for harken what the same S. Augustine writeth to Iulian the Pelagian Thou think est that if concupiscence Aug. l. 6. cont Iul. c. 5. prope finem Rom. 7. v. 15. 19. were euill the baptized should want it thou art much deceaued for he wanteth all euil In this sort S. Paul calleth it the euill which he hateth and the euill which I will not that I doe Fourthly it doth beare the name of sinne because it was the materiall part of sinne or that which the formall guilt of our capitall infection materially included after which maÌ„ner it may be improperly sayd to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iniquity the name for which Iohn Caluin and his Ghospellers so eagerly striue yet if you take the word iniquity in August tract 41. in Ioan. his proper signification it is wholy cancelled in S. Augustines iudgment saying because all iniquity is blotted out hath no infirmity remayned 10. Lastly it doth sometyme truly vndergo that name because in the irregenerate the auersion from God Aug. l. 5. contra Iul. c. 3. which is the forme and essence of Originall sinne is annexed vnto it This is the meaning of S. Augustine when in his fift booke against Iulian he first calleth it sinne then the cause also and punishment of sinne for so it is properly sinne not in it selfe alone but as it is combined with the aforesayd auersion to make one complete and vitious habite So there is in it disobedience against the dominioÌ„ of the mind because it is in them vnbridled and vntamed VVhitak l. 8. aduers Duraeum fol. 576. lust so it is that sinnefull concupiscence against which the good spirit according to S. Augustine doth striue and couet Howbeit by these words Whitaker taketh occasion to cauill that he speaketh of concupiscence in the regenerate because in them only is the good spirit which warreth against it But he is much deceaued for S. Augustine meaneth not by the good spirit the spirit of righteousnes but the naturall propension to good the right Synderesis or light of Gods countenance which he hath stamped in the hartes of the wicked this often fighteth and biddeth war to that concupiscence which is true sinne by reason of the formall guilt conioyned vnto it notwithstanding if that formall guilt be once forgiuen the materiall part that is concupiscence of it selfe inhabiting in vs against which we wrastle is no more sinne then a dead carcasse bereft of life is a true and proper man 11. One scruple yet may trouble my Reader why Vlpid tit de edilitio edict lege prima Tul. ep Papirio Paeto ep â— in fine S. Augustine should call this concupiscence vicious or a vice for heereon we may vndoubtedly argue that it is likewise sinnefull or a sinne I answere that the word Vitium vice if we sift the natiue signification and property thereof may be taken for any thing that is diseased or defectiue either in nature or art as Vlpianus in the ciuill law vseth the word and Pliny stileth the falling sicknes by the name of Vice Tully likewise giueth the name of vice to whatsoeuer is broken or out of reparation in the roote or walles of a house Thus S. Augustine taketh the word vice for that which is maymed and diseased and not for that which is sinnefull when he speaketh of the woundes of sinne abyding in the regenerate wherein I appeale to no other sentence then his owne which I heere insert as a seale and obligation of his beliefe concerning this matter Iam Aug. l. 2. contra Iul. prope init ne discernis iam ne perspicis c. Dost thou now discerne dost thou now perceane dost thou now behould the remission of all sins to be made in Baptisme and as
when he tearmeth it The state of dissimilitude with God And the Councel of TreÌ„t calling it the death of our soules which is only caused by the defect and absence of grace the true life of them If you aske with Pelagius how this death seizeth on the harts of infants by what chinke it passeth into their soule I answere with S. Augustin What dost thou seeke for a hidden â—hinke whereas thou hast a wyde open gate By one man sayth the Apostle sinne hath entred into the world Behold a wyde gate Adam transgressed and in him we all fell into the curse malediction of sinne for he receauing from God the mantle of Originall righteousnes with this expresse pact and condition that if he perseuered loyal we should all be cloathed therewith if he reuolted we should be disrobed of the same hence it was that in respect of this we were all vnited in him all one and the same in him as in the head of mankind or first origen from whom not only our nature but togeather with it the fruit of his obedience or fault of his treachery was to ensue therefore he willingly sinning we all offended he disobeying we all violated the Commandment of God After which manner the Apostle as S. Augustine witnesseth declared the Aug. l. 3. de peccat merit c. 7. propagation of original infection when he auouched by one man sinne hath entred into the world c. in whom all haue sinned All sayth S. Augustine sinned in him because in that first planted nature which could engender all adhuc omnes vnus Aug. ibid. l. 3. cap. 7. ille homo fuerunt all were as yet that one man But if all the posterity of Adam were in him and if all as S. Paul testifyeth Ambr. in c. 15. Luc. Ansel l. de concep vir gin c. 27. Vasq in 1. 2. disp 131. â— 2. sinned in him in him also were the children of the faythfull in him they likewise sinned To which purpose S. Ambrose writeth Adam was in him we are all Adam perished and in him haue perished all Which default of ours S. Ansâ—lme and a great Deuine seemeth to describe by the example of a subiect and his wife aduanced to great preferment by the meere fauour of their Prâ—nce and being after depriued of their dignity and brought into slauery for some treacherous conspiracy complotted against him their children partake of the same misery they are thrall to the subiection and seruitude of their parents The ancient Rabbins amongst the Iewes vvere vvont to expresse it as Galatinus reporteth by this pretty similitude There Galat. de c. fidei Cath. l. 6. c. 10. vvas a vvoman great vvith child cast into prison vvho there in captiuity fell in labour and brought forth a Son vvhome there she nursed there she vveaned there she cherished and there leauing it she dyed a fevv dayes after the King passed by the gates of the prison vvhome the Sonne of this vvoman seeing began to call out and expostulate vvith him in this manner My Lord and Soueraigne loe heere I haue beene borne heere I haue beene nursed and I knovv not for vvhose offence I am heer desained To vvhome the King maketh ansvvere for the â—espasse of thy Mother she vvas iustly committed to this iayle where she was deliuered of thee a prisoner borne and a prisoner after bred by her Some men are all born in the house of captiuity all conceaued in the thraldom of sinne 14. But you may reply that this example â—itteth not my purpose because faythfull parents are redeemed Manâ— soule is created pure by God his flesh not the subiect of sin by what chinkes then en treth Originall infection by Christ from that captiuity of their birth-sinne therfore their children cannot be enthralled in that miserable bondage Or to display the forces of this argument presse it to the vttermost two parts there be in man his soule and his body his soule he immediatly receaueth from God no way stayned by the benefite of creation his body or flesh which is deriued from Adam is not properly capable of any sinne By what conduits then by what secret conueyances is that hatefull bane transfused from him to his ofspring so farre distant and through the channels also of such as are regenerate and pure themselues from originall guilt I answere and must often repeate that similitudes neuer consort in all points but only in some one for which they are alleadged Secondly I say that Christians baptized in respect of their owne priuate persons are cleansed and purifyed yet the common nature which is conueyed vnto others is stil contaminated with vitious corruption that remayneth still captiued in the iayle of sinne from which all A particular and full answere to euery part of the former demaund men descending must needs be borne in vnhappy seruitude Lastly I answere more clearely and in particuler to euery branch of the former argument the soule I grant is created most pure by the hands of the highest the flesh is not properly taynted with the guilt of sinne yet by the vnion of the soule and body the child becommeth the Sonne of Adam a member of mankind a branch of that vyne which dyed in the stocke yea he becommeth one of them who in their roote and origen trespassed and Augu. â— 1. retract c. 13. infringed the law of the Almighty and so is iustly depriued of the ornament of Grace and is borne in disfauour of him when he by the will of another as S. Augustine writeth voluÌ„tarily offeÌ„ded before he was borne Wherfore although the Parents be free froÌ„ the staine of sinneful contagion yet making their children by generation the Sonnes of Adam they necessarily inwrap them in the bondes of his captiuity 15. Notwithstanding if any wrangling Caluinist should further contend and say that as infants draw poyson from Adam from whome they deriue the succession of their pedigree so they should sucke the dew of grace from their baptized parents because they more immediately issue and spring from them You may well deny his illation and assigne this difference because the couenant of transfusing either sinne or righteousnes God made with Adam and not with other parents the will of all mankind was only included in him and not in other progenitours therfore as we partake not the dregs of any of their proper faults so neither the dowryes of their heauenly grace And yet how the guiltines of Adams Aug. l. 3. de peccat merit remis cap. 8. 9. fall is distilled vnto vs how regenerated parents breed vnregenerated children S. Augustine maketh manifest by these similituds by the example of the circumcised Iew who begetteth infants vncircumcised of the grayne of wheate purged from chaffe and so sowed in the ground yet growing vp againe with reed chaffe and eares likewise of Christian parents who bring forth vnchristned babes of consecrated or annoynted persons who glory
quite contrary also to the Apostle who acknowledgeth Charity only to be the fountaine nurse or mother of vertues saying Charity is patient is benigne c. Charity 1. Cor. 13. v. 4. v. â— suffereth all things beleeueth all thinges hopeth all thinges beareth all things But how is it patieÌ„t How benigne c. not formally for that were to make it a monstrous vertue compounded of diuers speciall formes Causally then because it is the Mother that begetteth the nurse that cherisheth the soule that giueth life of grace vigour of iustice preheminence of merit to the whole army of vertues 4. How inexcusable now are our seduced Protestants how wretchedly inchaunted with their Ministers charms who engrosse all to fayth which the Secretaryes of the Holy Ghost ascribe to Charity How entitle they fayth alone to the possession of life which S. Iames affirmeth to be dead without the workes of Charity How enthrone they fayth in the highest chaire of eminent dignity when S. Paul defineth Charity to be greater then it Marry a veile they haue to maske themselues vnder For Fulk in c. 13. 1. Cor. sect 3. Abbot cap. 4. sect 22. fol. 478. Ephes 3. v. 17. Charity sayth M. Fulke and M. Abbot with him is the greater in regard of continuance because fayth is but for a time Charity abydeth for euer Then it is the greatest also quoth M. Abbot if we respect latitude of vse for Charity is extended euery way to God to Angells to Men c. But if we consider man priuatly in himselfe and for his owne vse Fayth is more excellent then Charity as wherein our communion and fellowship with God by which Christ dwelleth in our harts into which as a hand God putteth all the riches of his grace for our saluation and by which whatsoeuer els Abbot fol. 479. in vs is commended vnto God Therefore he concludeth that to saue and iustify fayth is the greater So he It is true that Charity continueth when Fayth is euacuated but one truth ought not to impeach another that cannot derogat from the excellency of Charity in many other pointes wherein both Scriptures and Fathers giue her the preheminence But as for latitude of vse as you there take it Bern. serm â— in vigil nat Christ Fides veluti quoddaÌ„ aeternitatis exemplar praeterita simul praesentia ac futura â—iâ—u suo vastissimo coÌ„prehendit for the materiall obiects which they respect very false it is that Charity extendeth to more thinges then Fayth because fayth mounteth to God to Angells to men c. it descendeth to hell to the Diuels to their perpetuall torments it stretcheth it selfe to the fall of Adam to the deluge past to the future iudgment and many other obiects which Charity imbraceth not it reacheth besides to all tymes which either are haue beene or shall be heerafter Therefore S. Bernard calleth it The image or paterne of eternity which in her wide and vast bosome comprehendeth all thinges both past present and to come 5. Howbeit let this goe on the score of other the Authors rash and inconsiderate speaches The marke I shoot at is that Charity is preferred before fayth euen in the worke of iustificatioÌ„ and saluation of our soules in all these particulers in which M. Abbot giueth the first Abbot vbi supra 1. Cor. 13. Ioan. 1. c. 4. v. 12. Rom. 5. Ephes 3. 17. Aug. de spir lit cap. 17. Charitas lex est fidei spiritus viuificans dilectorem August tract 9. in ep Ioan. Chrys de incoÌ„p Dei nat hom 1. Leo ser 8. de Epipha Basil in proem de vera pia fide Prosp l. 3. de vita coÌ„temp c. 13. Ambr. in c. 13. Cor. Berna ser 24. super Cant. Idem serm 2. de resur chiefest place to fayth for when the Apostle defineth we are nothing without Charity he meaneth surely that we are nothing in the fauour of God nothing in the way of grace in the way of iustice and saluation S. Iames and S. Augustine meane the like whome I cyted aboue Moreouer haue I not already shewed that Charity adopteth vs to be the children of God that by Charity we are regenerated and new borne in Christ that by Charity the Holy Ghost by Charity God himselfe is harboured in our soules If we loue one another God abydeth in vs and his Charity in vs is perfected Also The Charity of God is powred forth into our harts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vs And if M. Abbot had not vsed his dexterity leauing out the wordes which maketh against him he might haue read in that very place which he quoteth for his purpose that not in Fayth but in Charity originally standeth our communion and fellowship with God for after these wordes By fayth Christ dwelleth in our hartes it immediatly followeth rooted and grounded in Charity Therefore Charity is the roote the origen or first beginning of Christs viuificall presence for as the tree draweth from the roote the sap of life so fayth from charity the liuely inhabitatioÌ„ of God in our harts For which cause S. Augustine sayth Charity it selfe diffused in the hart of the beleeuers is the law of Fayth and the spirit that giueth life to the loâ—er He calleth it otherwhere The health the beauty of the soule S. Chrysostome The chiefe good and head of all good thinges S. Leo The mother of all vertues S. Basil The proper budge or ensigne of a Christian man S. Prosper A Summary and abridgment of all good doings of the which euery good worke taketh his life S. Ambrose The head of Religion is Charity and he that had not the head hath not life c. Immediatly after Charity is the foundation of Religion S. Bernard sayth The separation of Charity is the death of fayth and he that deuideth them is tearmed by him Fideicida The murtherer of Fayth then he testifyeth with S. Augustine That Fayth taketh her life or soule from Charity Aug. l. de cognit verae vitae c. 37. 6. Further they affirme of Charity that it vniteth a Aug. de subst l. diâ—ect amoris and knitteth vs to God Marryeth b Bern. serm 83. in Cant. our soule to the word Marketh c Amb. l. 2. ep ep 7. man a friend to God Imparteth d Chrys in psal 132. heauen and vnspeakable good thinges to vs. He e Basil in institut Monach. that hath Charity hath God And f Idem in constit Monast c. 35. he that is depriued of Charity wanteth diuin grace By g Aug. l. de mor. Eccles cap. 13. Charity only it is wrought that we be not auerted from God and that we conforme our selues rather to him then to this world Moreouer say they Charity h Hilar. comment in Matth. ca. 4. couereth the multitude of sinnes By i Orig. hom 3. in c. 3. Leuit the aboundance of Charity remission of sinnes is made The