malecontent went his way This minister you see in his action declared what their communion bread is nothing but bare bakers bread in deede speake they neuer so gloriouslye of it to deceaue the simple and so bad that it is not worth the taking vp vvheras I haue proued to you before by most sure authority that the Blessed Sacrament that Christ left vs is no more bread but his very body and bloud in deed But they say you must receiue it in faith spirit how in faith spirit they speak a thing that neither they themselus nor any man els vnderstaÌ„deth for to say the truth there Communion is such a minion that they know not what to define or make of it or what to affirme such is the blindnes of heretikes when they haue once lost the high way for was there euer any that hard how a maÌ„ could eat Christ in a peece of bread nothing but breade or may we thinke them so strong in faith and spirit that with S. Paul they bee alwaies rauished when they come to their comunioÌ„ to the third heauen that so they may â—ate Christ at his fathers right hande but these slender â—uasioÌ„s be shifts for simple babes ouer childishe sauing that they wante not malice to bee answered Truthe it is the holye Catholicke Church teacheth two kinds of receauing the one is Sacramentall that is wheÌ„ we receiue the body bloud of Christ not with hart only earnest desire but also really truly and substantially in the B. Sacrament Christ god maÌ„ which euery christiaÌ„ is bound to do at due times when he can come to it Another manner of receiuing is with spirit feruent desire wheÌ„ a man caÌ„not or is not prepared sacramentally to receiue of this kind of receiuing S. Aust saith Crede manducasti beleiue thou hast eaten Now heretikes coÌ„found both these maÌ„ners of receiuing sacramental spirituall together so that when the holy Fathers speake of spirituall receiuing by ChristiaÌ„ charitable faith desire which euery good christiaÌ„ maÌ„ as oft as he think eth of this B. Sacrament or is present at it ought to haue that so more morâ— he may be fast lincked vnited and incorporate with Christ then do they either ignorantlye or maliciouslye vnderstand and peruert the holye Fathers as though they speake of Sacramentall receiuing and so in brabling of receiuing Christ by faith alone would exclude him out of the holy Sacrament contrary to his institution and so in that Sacrament by denying of Christ wherein our faith is cheifly excercised they lost both Christ therein yea faith deuotion religion and all But the holy Fathers which heretikes seldome reade or if they doe little vnderstand or not beleiue them when these blessed men I say spake of spirituall receauing as oft they doe they not onlye teach vs the great and stedfast faith earnest desire we ought to haue to this blessed Sacrament but the due preparation we ought to make worthely to receiue the same which is by innocent life and pure conscience remaining in Christ by feruent loue charity which is spiritually to receiue Christ that so he may remaine in vs we in him with this preparation if a man could not come to receiue sacrameÌ„tally the blessed Sacrament al the dayes of his life yet no doubt he should be saued for that thus spiritually he eateth Christ In like maner the holy Doctors namely Saint Augustine tearme this B Sacrament a signe or figure which we deny not for euery Sacrament is a figure of signe otherwise it could not be a Sacrament but in that the heretikes call it a bare signe as it were or an only figure and signe that by the holy Fathers doctrine we vtterlie denye and by Gods worde proue the contrary For the Sacrament of the Altar is both a signe or figure and yet the thing it selfe also which it signifieth or figureth as for example you see a loafe of bread stand before the bakers shopp to be sould it is both a signe that bread is there to be sould and yet very bread it selfe so the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar is a signe of Christes body and yet his very body it selfe How a signe of Christs body will you say Marry a figure and signe of Christes body dead broken crucified in an other quality then we receiue him in the blessed Sacrament For in the blessed Sacrament wee receiue Christes bodye though a very true and naturall bodye yet not subiect to those alterations and qualities our bodies bee and therfore wee receiue him with al if I might so tearme it which is verelie naturall a supernaturall bodye an impassible bodye a glorified body though in very deede before his Passion also hee gaue to his Disciples the very same bodye we nowe in the same Sacrament receiue giuing his owne body in his owne handes to his Disciples by his mighty diuine power vnited to that body to which power nothing is impossible So that as saith a late famous writer wee verely teach beleene the figure and the truth to stand together the supper of our Lord to bee the signe of Christs body and to bee his owne bodye the weaker parte is the signe the greater is the truth but both doth not only stand together in one Sacrament but furthermore the true nature of euery Sacrament of Christ is to haue both that is to say to haue one certaine truth and one certaine signe of the same truth the truth is hidden vnder the signe the signe is witnesse of the truth which once being declared you shall se the vaine doctrine of the Protestants The signes and miracles Christ wrought outwardly were tokens of his Godhead hidden from our eyes likewise the supper of Christ is both a signe of his body also his true body a signe outwardly and the true bodye inwardly a signe by the sound of words when it is first made and a truth by the inwarde working of the holy Ghost by consecration So that Christ intending to leaue certaine holy misteries vn to his Church thereby to conuey vnto her the fruit of his Passion and death as well for regard of his owne self in whose person two natures were vnited as for regard of vs who consist of bodye and soule made the said holy Sacraments to bee of a double sorte and nature so that the one parte thereof might appeare to the sences the other should lye priuye and onlie bee seene by faith Saint Chrisostome in an Homely of the treason of Iudas saith Sacerdotis ore c. that is The wordes are spoken with the Priestes mouth and by the vertue and grace of God the thinges set before our eyes are consecrated This is saith he my Body by this worde the thinges proposed be consecrated It is to be noted that how many Fathers soeuer call the Sacrament a Figure yet none of them all teacheth these words This is my Body and This is my
is a soolishe dreame to talke howe his deedes be set before our eies by bread wine the apparance of bread is the token that Châ—istes bodye is here to be eaten and the similitude of wine doth shew that his bloud is here to be druncken but the true shewing of his death life and resurrection ariseth of that truth vvhich is vnder those formes When I eate that body that died I shewe the death of it because no sacrisiced fleshe was euer eaten before the Host was ofrâ—d but we eate really the body of christ therefore our facte crieth that Chirst is dead we eate the body aliue hauing the bloud and soule in it therefore our fact cryeth he is risen againe Thus the Catholickes reason let him that hath common sence iudge who goeth nearer the truth of the Gospell in presenting and shewing Christes death the Protestant that hath but bread or the Catholicke that hath the very body So that as you may partly gather by that which I haue already said the necessary meane of necessary remembrance of his death consisteth in the reall presence of him that died For who caÌ„forget his death whose body is daily made worshiped and eaten to the end the death may be remeÌ„bred but I may right well eate bread drinke wine not yet remembring thereby that Christ is dead for me S. Iohn Chrysostome Homil. 52. vpon S. Mathew saith We receiue Christ as well in our hand as in our hart Vide saith he quid manu capias This blessed Sacrament then Aug. de ciuit Dei lib. 10. ca. 6. lib. 9. con ca. 13. was not called bare bread or figuratiue bread of olde but the Sacrament of the Altar because of Christs table by Malachy called rightly an Altar the pure Sacrifice of his body is prepared for vs. Parasti in conspectu meo mensam Thou hast prepared a table in my sight sayeth that deuine Psalmist and in the ninth of the Prouerbes it is written Wisedome hath proposed a table and the tenth of the first Epistle to the Corinthians S. Paul saieth You cannot bee pertakers of the table of our Lorde and the table of Diuells So that wee receiue Christ of his table to our mouthes as into our hartes prepared by him not by the baker which can giue nothing but bread S. Cyrill said Christes body eaten shall raise our bodie Lib. 10. Cap. 13. in Iohn Tertullian confessed that not only our soule Tertul. lib de resurr carn but also our body feedeth vpon the Bodye and Bloud of Christ to the intent our soules may be made fatte of God Likewise Ireneus writeth our flesh is nourished of the Ireneus aduers heres lib. 4 cap. 34. Bodâ—e and Bloud of our Lorde Wee may see nowe by this what error they fall into who call Christes supper only a figure of his bodye yea who assigne the bodye and bloud of Christ to our soules and bread and wine to our bodies whereas there is no substance left of bread and wine but euen our bodies feede vpon Christes body as Ireneus Cyrillus and Tertullian haue said that as our soules be fed with grace so by eating Christes flesh our bodies may rise to glorie Hauing then such firme authorities of Christ the Apostles and the most auncient and learned Fathers wee litle acount of the wordes of Protestants who haue rather brought Christs supper in contempt by bare tearmes theÌ„ by any sound authority or aleadging of scriptures As for Caluins supper nothing is wrought therein because bread and wine in it remaineth still neither is any newe thing wrought in Christ impassible or possibly can be whom they say they eate by faith therefore their supper is nothing but bread In Christs supper wee teach the substance of bread and wine to be made the substance of Christs Body Bloud and that is the true worke made in the supper of Christ where the mutable creatures are turned into the immutable substance of Christ Which worke since the Protestants deny babble what they will they teach nothing to be wrought in the supper of Christ yet this shift the Protestants haue to couer their falshood because they see the Scriptures Fathers and Councels so plaine for Christs reall presence therefore they vse tearmes very smooth of putting on Christ in Baptisme and of eating his body bloud to the ende their deniall of the thing it self may be lesse of the vnlearned espied For it is to be noted that to make it euident to vs that Christ gaue vs his very body not a figure therof or the effect of the grace of his godhead only he said not I giue my owne selfe as Protestants say we receiue him which may be vnderstood of his diuinity as well as humanity in one person and so selfe maketh for the receiuing of Christ by grace spirit only But Iesus foreseing the drifts of Satan what heresies woulde arise named expreslie how he gaue his body couered vnder the formes of bread wine which wheÌ„ we touch we touch his very body for euen as kissing the hose vnder which the Kings knee is conteyned we are said to kisse the kings knee eueÌ„ so in touching the accidents of bread wine we touch the body bloud of Christ vnder theÌ„ For as I said as S. Tho. touching Christs flesh confessed him to be God because the godhead lay hid in that flesh right so wheÌ„ we touch with teeth mouth the forme of bread in the holy misteries we confes that we touch therby the flesh that lieth hid vnder that forme Therfore to speak of his B. body nowe risen againe which after a spiritual supernatural maner sort though really truly the very body of Christ we receiue in the B. Sacrament it is I say both the true very body of Christ yet the figure signe of his body once in an other quality conditioÌ„ theÌ„ now it is in that is a most liuely representatioÌ„ to our seules memories that the very body we receiue once suffred shed his bloud vpoÌ„ the Crosse it is also a signe of the vnion coniunctioÌ„ betwixt him Christ our head giueÌ„ vs therin vs his meÌ„bers the holy Cath. Church which by means of this sacrameÌ„t are vnited incorporate knit togither or made one body with Christ therefore the B. SacrameÌ„t is consecrated of such matter giuen vs vnder such formes likenes of such things that is bread wine which doe not only represent vnto vs most liuely the shedding of Christs bloud and offering of his body vpon the Crosse but also signifie vnto vs the vnion of Christ and his Church For euen as you see of many cornes one loafe is made So of many members in Christ knit togither in perfect loue and charity by meanes of this most B. Sacrament the most perfect pleadge of Christs infinite loue all we thereby be made one body in and with him our head and in
whole is incorporated by Baptisme the whole redeemed by death and the whole shall be crowned with glory therefore the true eating is to eate that meate which of it selfe consisteth of body soule and Godhead to eate it I say in body soule and spirite and not by faith only Chap. XXVI of the blessed Sacrament of the Altar shewing how conueniently it was ordained for our reparation and what preparation we ought to make to the same BVT it is not my purpose here to recount the shifts of our aduersaries or rather deceipts of the Diuell speaking by them his instruments to delude the simple to their damnation but rather for our instruction and comfort Let vs note here the prouidence of God sweete disposition in the ordinance of this most diuine mistery Our first parents by pride in coueting to bee as Gods and in incredulity beleeuing the serpent and mistrusting God fell from God contraâ—◠〈…〉 vs like God in deede and to recall vs 〈…〉 heauenly Paradise which our parents lost by eating the forbiddeÌ„ fruit Christ hath ordeyned a remedy quite contrary giuing vs in this B. Sacrament himselfe the fruit of the B. Virgin that bread that came downe from heauen that so with humility beleeuing Christs worde and promise far aboue our reason forsaking our selues submitting our reason to faith in Christ wee may receaue him his B. body that happy fruit of endlesse life and by vertue thereof recouer the possession Eue lost by her vnbeleeuing and tasting the forbidden fruit Leaue vaine disputes then of this blessed Sacrament and with steedfast faith imbrace the truth for this high mistery farre exceedeth mans reason For of all the workes that euer God wrought this is * So S. Thomas calleth it miraculoruÌ„ maximuÌ„ if any can finde a greter vnusquisque abuÌ„det in sensu suo Psal 100. most wonderfull and miraculous insomuch that herein God sheweth as it were the periode summe and perfection of all his workes as he spake before by his holy Prophet Memoriam secit mirabilium suorum miserator et misericors Dominus escam dedit timentibus se GOD herein hath made a memorye of his wonderfull vvorkes hee hath giuen meate to those that feare him So that this heauenly food is giuen to the saluation of those only that with reuerent loue with perfect faith come vnto this diuine banquet for what a wonderfull and mitaculous worke of Christ is this to feed man with the food of Angels for that Christ whose glory is the repast dainty and satiety of Angells in heauen is the foode of poore pilgrimes in this B. Sacrament here in earth nay herein God hath exalted man aboue Angels giuing the Preist power by his mighty word to consecrate his body so that that which before was bread nowe is no more breade but his body which power he neuer graunted to Angell Againe as God is all in all and in euery place in heauen and earth and yet not deuided but whole perfect God and as saith the Apostle In ipso viuimus mouemur sumus In him wee liue be moued and are Euen so though the Blessed body of Christ be not in all places at once where his God-head is as the Lutherane Vbiquitary Heretickes that so they might coarcte the mistery of this Blessed Sacrament in their reasons do dreame yet it is most certaine according to our beliefe and Godes truth that Christ euer sits at the right hand of his father most glorious and yet is here sacramentally and in a mistery in the B. Sacrament and as fullye Christ here perfect God and man as hee is in heauen and in many places and diuers Altars in all coastes of the worlde at once and yet not many but one and the same Christ indiuisible Yea in euery litle parte or particle of the holye Host and B. Sacrament is as whole and perfect Christ as in the vvhole host and looke where the Blessed body of Christ is there is his bloud and where his body and bloud is there is his God-head by vertue of that vnion of the diuine and humane nature in one person therefore it followeth that where the holye Sacrament is there is God the sonne And because the workes of the Trinity be indiuisible though no person but the second â—erson in Godheade was incarnate anâ— tooke vpon him our nature yet there 〈◊〉 present the Father and the holy Ghost three persons and one GOD in Trinity by vertue of the concomitance as wee tearme it and hypostaticall vnyon whome all creatures doe worshippe to whome Angells singe out perpetuall prayses and before whome heauen and earth doe tremble and quake O vnspeakable and dreadfull mistery An other miracle in this B. Sacrament is that though it be daily eaten yet is it neuer consumed nor any thing impaired though manye vncleane persons and traytors like Iudas doe ofte vnworthely receaue the same yet in it self it is euer vndefiled As you see the cleare sonne that shineth vpon the foule clay is nothing darkned but still remaineth pure in it self which as it is noysome to the watrye and euill disposed eye so is it comfort to the cleare and vvell disposed euen so Christ the sonne of righttuousnes giuen vs in this B. Sacrament is comfort health and saluation to the well disposed but euerlasting death damnation to those that come with vncleane consciences â—oaden with mortall sin without cleansing their soules before that is without contrition and lowly confession for the same not because the fault is in Christ but because the thing that receaueth him is impure and vncleane yet Christ alwayes perfect glorious in himselfe without defect and no meruaile for if he suffred himselfe to bee abused and shed his bloud with wonderfull blasphemies against him by those traiterous villaines hanging vpon the Crosse passibly no meruaile I say though in this B. Sacrament impassible he suffereth himself to be vnworthely receaued of hypocrites and wicked men whereof some will not sticke to stab their daggers in this By stab vnderstand pricke thrust or strike Blessed Sacrament and tread it vnder feet al which he suffreth wicked men to worke not with-drawing his diuine presence that the good bee not defrauded of so vnspeakeable a benefit for by this their abuse they hurte and soile themselues but not him who is immortall impassible Hereby we may answere the sond obiections of heretiks that say what if cat or rat should eatiet no doubt whatsoeuer taketh or abuseth it it is neuertheles the very body of Christ still but when the outward species or forme of the Sacrament passeth away from that vnseemly vessell then Christs B. Body and Bloud also passeth can be there no more abused An other wonderfull miracle we see and by daily experience proue in this B. Sacrament that is that whereas Christ hath ordeyned this B. Sacrament vnder the formes and liknes of those things that be most vsuall and familier to vs that is vnder the formes
Witches haue openly and secretly calling vpon the Diuell but by the worde of God and authority giuen him by the Church The fourth of the lesser orders is called an Acolite that may bring in cruets wine water to the altar to serue the Priest cloathes candels incense lights and other things necessary And these 4. orders be degrees toward the 3. higher orders of Priesthood which declare what a soueraigne thing it is and that no mā ought rashly or presumptuously to ascend to so high a dignity without due consideration preparation and by degrees For if in the olde lawe the Priests had their Leuits and other inferior ministers to serue them in their bloudy sacrifice how much more conuenient is it in this lawe of grace that Priestes which serue the liuing God with the pure vnbloudy sacrifice of Christ at the Altar haue due Ministers seruitors which none but they so authorized can properly exercise These inferiour orders in the Primitiue church it seemeth were better knowne practised with more solemnity then nowe they bee though in Cathedrall Churches to this day in Catholicke countries they be solemnly vsed neither without them can any take Priesthoode without sinne Chap. XXXII Of the higher orders and howe necessary by Gods ordinance one head is ouer the rest THree higher orders there bee that binde to chastity yea the lowest of them which when any taketh ipso facto he is bound to perpetuall chastity The first is called Subdeacōship which is a degree vnder a Deacon hath authority giuen him by the Bishop solemnly to read the Epistle as the Deacō hath authority likewise so emnly to read and sing the Gospell and so to prepare the Chalice with other thinges about the Priest at Masse Likewise the order of Deacōship was in the primitiue Church of great authority as appeareth by S. Stephen who was a Deacon and others The highest order is Priesthood which office and function is giuen by the Bishop when hee giueth the Pattyn and Chalice with bread wine vsing the wordes whereby hee giueth authoritye from Christ to consecrate the very body and bloud of Christ and to remitt sinnes when he said Receaue ye the holy Iohn 20. Math 18. ghost Whose sinnes you remit they be remitted and whose sinnes you retayne they be retayned This Sacrament of order is one of the three Sacraments whereof Baptime and Confirmation be the other two that imprinteth in mans soule a charecter that is a note or signe distinctiue for euer from all other persons 1. Tim. 4. 2. Tim. 1. that haue not receaued those sacramēts which three sacramēts cannot be itterated that is one person cannot take them twice For be a mā neuer so euil if he be baptised hee is euer a Christian though he forsake his faith and shal be so iudged of Christ at the last daye from others that are infidells and hee that is once a Priest become he neuer so euill let him take a strumpet and doe what he will yea though he were degraded yet hath he still that note in his soule of Priest-hood and if hee would attempt to consecrate in neuer so euill state of life he doth it as verily as anye good Priest though to his owne damnation For the dignity of the Sacrament dependeth not of the power of man but of God yet if we know the Priest to be a Schismaticke Hereticke or openly excommunicate wee ought then in no case to bee present at his Masse The Bishop hath jurisdiction ouer the Priest and the Archbishop ouer many Bishoppes and the Patriarche ouer manye prouinces and the Pope as much to say Father of fathers is the highe Priest of God Vicegerent here of Christ in earth Bishop of Bishops Head and chiefe ruler in spiritual matters ouer all Princes Priests Bishops and ouer the whole Church vnder Christ her head and who so gainesaith this obstinately is a proud rebellious heretike and traytor to Iesus our chiefe head Lord and King and the sweete spouse his Church and deserueth seuere punishment of bodye also as by such obstinacy as long as he continueth therein hee is already damned in soule yea in the olde lawe before Christ it was death to disobey the high Priest He that is proud saith holy Scripture Deut. ca. 17. and will not obey the commandement of the Preist let that man die the death that so mischiefe may bee taken out of the people of God For none bee so pernitious members to Christian religion as those that goe about to breake the peace of the Church and breake vnity and concorde which all those doe that barke against the Pope Godes Lieuetenant Christes Vicar here on earth yea and as the holy Fathers of olde doe record it hath euer beene the custome of heretikes to barke against the rock of S. Peter that Apostolike Sea the Pope because that against that rock heresie neuer hath nor can possibly preuaile but falling vpon it is burst asunder yea and sayeth S. Ierome Christ chose one Head amongst the rest that a head being made and so ordained ouer the rest all occasion of Schisme or diuision might be taken a way for we see yea in very policy that no kingdome no common weale or house with out one head can stand much lesse it is fit that Gods house so well ordered and sure that it may not bee moued should be without her head or steward But to bee head in spirituall matters belongeth neither to king nor temporall Prince to no temporall man much lesse to a woman to whome it is Mulieres in Ecclesia dei taceant 1. Cor. 14. 34. not lawfull to speake in the Church as by Gods word I could proue at large much lesseto gouerne in the Church This power was chiefly giuen to S. Peter and his successors and to the rest of the Apostles in their degrees whereunto other Bishops succeede Peter and his successors and as a secondary rocke chiefe piller head vnder Christ gouerne the whole Church and others his brethren and fellowe workemen be gouernours of particuler Churches as he is of the vniuersal Church chiefe Pastor Father hauing thereof the chiefest charge For vnto S. Peter after christ had asked him thrice whether he loued him he gaue charge to feed his vniuer sall flocke young olde seed my lambes Iohn 21. Math. 16. 18. saith he feede my sheepe Vpon S. Peter likewise as the rocke most sure vnder next vnto himselfe he laid the foundation of his Church promising his faith should neuer faile which neuer hath done to this day neither in S. Peter nor his successors or euer shall to the end of the worlde Let any heretike if he dare auouch this of any of their Patriarkes at Geneua or else where if any would be so impudent as in deed they be shameles all the world may know him for a liar as knowing their beginning euil proceding which will haue a worse ende But we dare
charity with vs That offer open hostility against vs in word deede and in euery libell they make or paltry sermon they preach Fye vpon such hipocrisy fye vpon such fained charity Iesu preserue all true beleeuers froÌ„ such a châ—rch as heretiks haue now deuised from such a peace or pacification which they pretend Qui enim paris fideli cum infideli qut qâ—â— conuentio Christi ad Belial aut quis consensus templi Dei cum Idolis and peace is to those only that beleeue truly in God to those that haue stedfast trust in him to those that louing him aboue all things liue in vnity peace by perfect charity with their neighbors all which firme bonds to tie themselues with vs because heretikes want therefore as long as they contyneu in this state they can haue no portion with vs nor in the lande of the liuing nam non est pax impâ—is dicit Dominus would GOD therefore they would truly and vnfaynedly seeke to be one with vs which to our griefe vnspeakeable losse to them selues they haue first â—orsaken that so we might be one with them most ioyfully should they be imbraced of vs yea to winne them to this we would aduenture our liues spare no labour perrill nor paynes yea with many heauy sighes teares câ—ying to our sweete blessed Lord Iesus that he would moue their harts to come now at length least it wil be to late we beseech them for the loue of Christ with the holy Apostle to be reconciled to God by doing true penance without which alas they shall certaynlie perrish euermore We humbly beseech them to be sorry for their enormious crymes to recant abiure their heresies and so with al humility of hart minde sweetely to imbrace the crosse of Christ which so long they haue bene professed enimies of And this is the ordinarie meaÌ„es they must vse if euer they wil be members of one Church with vs or bee saued in the vnity of which church our blessed Lorde speedely in graffe them I humbly beseech him though it were with the effusion of my bloud to their endles good and glory of his name And here now finally I instaÌ„tly beseech all good Catholiks with due thanks giuing to be ioyfull in God and constant in that true faith and Catholike Church out of which to our coÌ„fort and confirmation wee see our very aduersaries confesse none caÌ„ be saued in which true Church of ours I say though our enemies by force of truth confes we may be saued yet alas they liuing and dying out of the same we know most certainly they shal be damned yea by their owne judgmeÌ„t confessioÌ„ O how happy had they bin if neuer they had brokeÌ„ downe the wall by forsaking that vnity vnto which vnles they returne againe they caÌ„ neuer imbrace charity nor enjoy grace nor glory O Lord then open their eies that they may see for without thee they may and haue fallen but without thee they can neuer see nor finde the meanes to arise againe grant vs al grace theÌ„ we beseech thee most bountifull Sauiour that we that by thy special grace be called of thee froÌ„ amongst many lost sheepe to be of thy flock seruants in thy house workmen in thy vineyard meÌ„bers of thy misticall body the Cath Church may euer be so thankfull to thee in souÌ„d vertue pure life conuersation for our state and gratious vocation that hauing no other thing as of our selues to rejoyce and glory in but that wee are thy meÌ„bers O B. Iesu which thou hast redeemed with thy pretious bloud that I say we are thy flesh bloud meÌ„bers of that body whereof thou art the head we may so answere by thy grace to this high and heauenly vocation happy state that being worthy fruitful meÌ„bers of thy body here in earth wee may for euer after this life see thy face in glory Amen Laus Deâ— I. ✚ R. Finis THE CONTENTS OF THE CHAPTERS CONTEYned in this Booke CHap. 1. Of thâ— truâ— way to Saluation pag. 1. chap. 2. Of th◠〈◊〉 certaine note of the true Church pag. 17. chap. 3. Of the second certaine note of the true Church pag. 27. chap. 4. Of the third certaine note of the true Church pag. 33. chap. 5. Of the fourth certaine note of the true Church pag. 45. chap. 6. Of some other signes and tokens of the true Catholicke Church c. how without it none can be saued pag. 52. chap. 7. Of the SacrameÌ„ts in general p. 68. chap. 8. What a Sacrament is of the effects of tho Sacraments and why they were ordeyned pag. 71. chap. 9. Of the holy SacrameÌ„t of Baptisme and of the necessity thereof pag. 75. chap. 10. How necessary fâ—uitful Christs passioÌ„ is to al that follow him in patieÌ„ce good works how by Baptâ—sme the vertue therof is appliâ—d to cur soules pag. 81 chap. 11. Declaring what Baptisme is that Baptisme remitteth all sinnes hoâ— it truly iustifieth vs. pag. 84. chap. 12. Of the impiety and abuse of heretikes about Baptisme pag. 90. chap. 13. Of the holy Sacrament of Confirmation pag. 95. chap. 14. Of the holy Sacrament of Penance and of the three parts thâ—reof of the necessity thereof to all sinners aftâ—r Baptisme pag. 100. chap. 15. That Confession of our sinnes to a lawfull Priest is necessary pag. 107. chap. 16. Of Confâ—ssion more in particulâ—r and of some sinnes against the first second commandement pag. 113. chap. 17. Of the rest of the commandemeÌ„ts and of some sinnes against them to be coÌ„fesled to the Priest pag. 118. chap. 18. Declaring what sinne is and how grieuous in the sight of God and how seuerely it is and shall bee punished for euer pag. 124. chap. 19. Of the great ingratitude of man to God by sinne and that there is a difference of sins with an exhortatiâ— to Confession amâ—dment by penance p. 131. chap. 20. Of whome tâ—e Saâ—rament of Penance was ordeyned and that Priestes haue authority giuen them by Christ to forgiue sinnes and of the matter forme and effect of Penance pag. 136. chap. 21. Of the most blessed Sacrament and sacrifice of Christs body and Bloud substantially really and truly vpon the Altar pag. 142. chap. 22. That Heretikes which deny Christs body in the Sacrament â—uacuate the fruits of Christs death and Passion in mens soules and prepare the way to Antechrist pag. 148. chap. 23. Wherein is declared that wee ought as really as truly to receaue his Body with our mouthes to health saluatioÌ„ as Adam did eate the forbideÌ„ apple to death and damnation pag. 152. chap. 24. Of the excellencie of the most blessed Sacrament and in what respect it is called a sacrament signe or figure yet is the very thing it selfe which it beto keneth pag. 181. chap. 25. Declaring how it implieth not contradiction that Christ is in heauen and in the Sacrament in many places
opinion be properly termed Heretikes Now lett vs see to which Church this marke Catholike is proper and agreeth and you shall find it to belong to no other but only to that church which Heretikes call the Popish or papistical church but she it is which they so scornefully miscall which is in deed the true Catholike church For our church and true Catholike faith and religion which they terme Papistry is common to all countries wheresoeuer heretikes be but yet Protestants or to speake more plainly heretikes be not in euery place where catholikes be as â—or example heretikes as Lutherans Caluinists or Protestants Puritans Anabaptists and the like sectaries deuided from the Catholike church be here openly in England Scotland Ireland Denmarke Switzerland Iseland partlie in Bohemeland yea in some corners of France Polony Hungary and in some prouinces free states rebells to their lawfull Princes in the inferior and higher Germany For in very few places else in all Europe saue these by me reckoned shall you find any hereticall estate To omitt then that all these countries many hundred years togither before they euer hard of these new heresies were al catholike yet at this day be they neuer so heretical you shall finde amongst theÌ„ some opeÌ„ church of the catholiks such as stick not to profes their faith with losse of liberty goods liues as here in England though Gods church be opressed by heretiks with taxes impri sonments death more then any christians be in the world yea worse thaÌ„ vnder that open professed enimie of Christ the Turke who permiteth Christians to liue with liberty of coÌ„scieÌ„ce to haue their churches Masse opeÌ„ly wheras you see how Catholiks here for their faith lose al their goods two partes of their lands cannot enioy that quietly neither but pilledwith euery apparitor purseuant cast in prison restrained of their liberty and susteining the like notable iniu stices disgraces knowne vnto you already to long to speake yet notwithstanding be they neuer so sore opressed beggered or consumed yet they liue after their death new arise in their places so that you wante not at euerye assises and sessions in euery shiere towne in England Catholikes that there be openly called vpon and ready to professe their faith besides many hundreds that lye this day in prison as in Yorke Hull Norwitch Wisbitch where be aboue thirty priests together most learned and reuerend men whereof some haue beene prisoners thirty yeares and aboue an hundred Priests or there-abouts haue beene within the same time hanged drawen quartered for the same cause though it is giueÌ„ out to the people it is for treason wherof they be most innocent as may appear by their milde death where they euer pray for conuersion of the Queene and Realme for recouery only whereof to the Catholike Faith Religion they be trained vp in virtue and learning in other countries and sent hither backe againe besides many lay men and weomen yong and olde of all degrees most noble personages and of interiour sort and condition haue and doe suffer to the open testimony of the world imprisonment and death for the Catholike cause So that you see here for example in England though neuer so poore and persecuted yet by Gods gratious mercy and prouidence be Catholikes and an open professant Catholike congregation The like might be saied of Scotland Ireland Germany and other countries that looke wheresoeuer heretikes be yet Catholikes be amongst them openly I say knowne to the world But yet the church of Christ is in farre more large noble worthy countries wher no heretike dare openly shew his head no nor at all or rarely be found as in the greatest countries of Europe the corpes of Christendome as in those most noble Countries In france god he blessed though the state publike be Catholicke yet both publikly and priuatly I graunt heretikes chiefly Italy Spaine Sicily and for the most part in the chiefe and famous cities of Fraunce Portugall and the like prouinces Kingdomes and dominions adioyning by North and South of those Countries where God be blessed the Catholike faith and Church hath free liberty vse for preaching Sacraments and ceremonies but very few heretikes or none to account in respect in the most of those mighty Regions that dare opeÌ„ly avouch their absurd monstrous heresies which they deceaue the simple souls with al here in EnglaÌ„d other obscure corners of the world like lurking theeus that be ashamed to shew their faces before men In somuch that at the last generall councel of Christendome holden at Trent where the most of all the learned Bishopps and Doctors of Chistendome were gathered together to dispute and appease controuersies in religion the heretikes of this country and of all others in the world being sommoned to appeare and hauing free liberty giuen them to say what they could for themselues with sufficient securitie of their saufe conduct to and fro they like men of cancred and guilty consciences knowing the naughtines of their own cause durst not appeare nor shew their faces before the lawfull Iudge graue Senate and councell of Christendome but like subtill foxes in their dens kept theÌ„selus at home so by the consent of all christendome were iustly condemned for obstinate Heretikes Ouer and besides al these couÌ„tries abouenamed where you see by Gods grace the Catholike church is openly persecuted or free and in peace there be other countries in the world neuer heard of but of later yeares which now be of late with wonderfull :: For miracles vidâ— OsoriuÌ„ dâ— LusitanoruÌ„ gestis IteÌ„ MaffeuÌ„ maxiâ—e Epistolas Indicas Iaponicas ver bi gratia The Reuâ— rende Father Franc. Zâ—uier his body was found vncorrupte sweet and of an odoriferous sauour some months after his death I omit the report how he raysed a dead maÌ„ This holy Zauier first in our age preached Christ in Iaponia The Iaponians though they be as faâ—re or rather farther distant from the Roâ—anes theÌ„ the Anâ—ipodes yet they be not properly Antipodes but in â—ome sort Antiesi or quasi Antiesi for that part of the world which is directly oppositâ—â—o Rome is partly it seemeth Sea partly terra incognita miracles conuerted to Christs faith religion both in the East and West Indians insomuch as about 9. yeares past in the latter end of the time of Gregory the thirteene of blessed memory I my self saw there three young Princes come to Rome that came from the vttermost coasts of the earth out of a Country called Iaponia who bee Antipodes to the Romanes that is their feete contrary to theirs they were 3. yeares in comming and all to visit the bodies of the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul to acknowledge their dutifull obedience to the Apostolike Sea and to worship Christ his Vicar here on earth they were as worthy receaued with great applause of all Christian states and Princes in Christendome
right truly said that holy father Extra ecclesiam non est salus without the Church there is no Saluation and that you may better perceaue this reason the holy Apostle S. Paul 1. Cor. 12. compareth Christs misticall body the church in some sort vnto a natural body wherein euery member you se hath his office and function the eye seeth the eare heareth the hand helpeth the legg and the legge carieth hand the whole bodye euery member is necessary one to the other and euery member is ruled by the head receiueth life froÌ„ the body but deuide but a member cutt but a leg or an arme from the body it dieth you see the reason is because it is not of the body euen so it is in Christs mistical body his spouse the holy Catholike Church whereof hee our good Lorde Sauiour that tooke vpon him our seruile nature for vs is the true head for all catholike Christians that beleue as hee teacheth and liue in vnitiy vnder his Vicar the true cheife Pastor of our Soules worthely frequenting his sacraments abstaining from all other sectes in their prayers Sacramentes and Ceremonies these bee truely called members of his visible Catholike Church and receiue grace and mercie from Christ the head yea that which is more because there is as we beleeue a commuion of Saintes euerye one is partaker according to his good disposition and due desertes of anothers good prayers workes and actions yea in each of the praiers and good deedes not only of those in earth so we be in state of grace but also of the merits praiers Promodulo nostro of the Blessed Saintes in Heauen as both they we with praiers good deeds helpe the faithfull departed in that cleansing fire of Godes iustice called Purgatorie But if one bee deuided from this common companye of Christes Church either by Heresie or Schisme as but onely going to the Church there to praye or to be present or praye with Heretikes then loe is he deuided from the body of Christ the Catholike Church for no maÌ„ can serue two Masters and so hee hath not the fruit of life and grace in him as long as he remaineth so deuided in that state the reason is because being deuided from the body he cannot haue influence of grace from christ which is the head thereupon it commeth that what fasting prayer almesededs soeuer a man doth without Gods Church it nothing auaileth to eternal saluation the reason is because our works if they be not seasoned or imbrued with the blood of Christ and watred with the deaw of his grace caÌ„not be meritorious nor acceptable in his sight For by christ our lord and head perfect God and man by his grace in his passion our workes be meritorious beyng as he is God the principal and efficient cause of our iustification and merittes as hee is man the mediation for our sinnes and onlye Christ is the cheife cause of our merit though Tit. 3. Ephes. 1. 2 Conc. Trid. ses 6. cap. 7. we once preuented with Gods grace bee workemen with him to our own meritt and saluation and the Sacraments be instrumental causes of our iustification so that by heresie or schisme wee be deuided froÌ„ the Church his body theÌ„ consequently we be deuided from him our head and so void of his grace without which our doings be nothing till we return backe to him in becoming true meÌ„bers of his body the Church Yet in what soeuer state a man be it is far better to do vertuous actions deeds thaÌ„ otherwise as by Fasting Praier Almes-deeds the like because in so doing ones damnation is the lesse and because it is a disposition to better that in the end God wil powre downe more pleÌ„tifully his grace bring him to perfection who worketh his gifts commonly in matter disposed yet first preuenteth or disposeth that a man may so dispose himself but yet as I said how so euer let him worke neuer so much yet if he be not in the ende a member of Gods Church he cannot be saued for the reasons aboue-saide And therefore a man ought to feare nothing more than separation from Christs Church suffer his soule rather to be separated from his body yea loose many liues if he had them than euer be deuided from Christs Catholike Church without which no true life of grace nor saluation can be found and when a man is once within the vnity of the Church then Celum ruat though the worlde turne vp-side downe if he sticke to thâ— rocke and liue accordingly to the rules thereof he needes not be afraide God is of his side he shall lay such a sure foundation of the rocke that hee needes not feare to bee caried away nor be wauering with euery blast of new doctrine Wherefore if you desire to knowe the trueth to be guided with trueth not to erre from the trueth then presently become a member of Christes body that you may be guided by the spirit of trueth that proceedeth from the heade Let no loue of the worlde riches nor worldlye promotions no loue of your selfe wife kins-folkes or children no feare of imprisonment persecution or death separate you from tâ—e knot of vnity and charity in Christ Iesus and in his blessed sweet spouse the Church inseparably ioyned together Then in al doubts you mâ—y be resolued to perfect quietnesse in God in heart conscience When you haue thus founde out and thus ioyned your selfe to the Catholike Church you neede not then staggar or stande wauering vngrounded neuer resolute in your selfe what to beleeue or doe by reason of this opinion or that nor neede not to leane vpon this man or that but vpon the infallible trueth that can neuer faile and without all doubt in all perplexities say and firmelye protest the Article of the Creede I beleeue the Holye Catholike Church See the goodnesse of God in prouiding our saluation for no man vnlearned is so simple but he maye doe this and be saued and none so learned and wise but if he exceed this limitte trusting to himselfe hee shall erre and be damned Wherefore thus we must with humility beginne to beleeue subiecting our iudgement and our reason vnto Faith and all our repose next to Christ in the holy Catholike Church and then we shall vnderstande otherwise we shoulde be as wauering reedes â—uer vnconstant for Nisi credideritis non First beleeue and after vnderstand Esaias intelligetis Vnlesse you beleeue saiâ—th God by his holy Prophet you shall not vnderstande wherefore perfectelye to vnderstande the trueth you must first learne to beleeue and followe the holy Catholike faith and Church otherwise you shal neuer be certaine nor at a-stay if you seeke for saluation For shee euer directed with the holy Ghost as Christ promised is a strong fortresse for great ones and a quiet repose for little ones and a Nurse and Mother for al. Chap. VII Of the
same they be praised by most ancient Fathers and manye of them practised in the Apostles time and by experience we find stirre vp reuerence and deuoton in mennes heartes and therefore may not be left off for heretikes scoffing who in so doing not onlye shew themselues ridiculous but of all graue and good men rather to be lamented than with tauntes aunswered Chap. IX Of the holy Sacrament of Baptisme and of the necessity thereof NOwe in disposition of these Sacraments in number seauen Godes prouydence wisedome is cheifly declared whereby he gouerneth nourish eth and confirmeth the best ordered common-weale his holy Church for as you see in a temporall common wealthe first for the encrease thereof be required procreation of Children euen so in Christes common-weale the Church is required a Spirituall regeneration or newe-birth as it were of Children wherby we be made Christians and heires of God and this is performed by the first Sacrament which is Baptisme whereby we be all borne againe in Christ For euen as vnlesse we were borne of Adam wee should not haue original sinne euen so vnlesse we by Baptisme at least in will and desire bee borne agayne in Christ we cannot be iustified which Sacrament is of such necessitye that none without it can be saued at leastwise if he cannot come to it in will and affection or in bloode with the Innocents and this is plainly Christs own wordes who taught vs Vnles we be borne again of Mat. 28. Mar. 16. Ioh. 3. Water and the Holy Ghost we cannot enter into the kingdom of God Aud therefore because it is so needfull that none but in that sort as I said before without it can be saued therefore see the goodnesse of Christ our Sauiour that did ordaine the matter thereof in no other liquor but in water only which is common to all and most easily may be had yet besids that though none but a Priest is the ordinary minister of the Sacrament yet if a Priest cannot be had rather than the Childe or Person should die without Baptisme so be lost for euer god hath ordained that either Man or Woman Turke or Iewe or Heretike in time of neede when no other person can be had may baptise yea and it is truely Christened and cannot be Christened againe so they haue intent to doe that the holy Church doth vse the same wordes with Water together which the Church doth which is most easie as I Baptise thee in the name of the Father and of the Sonne of the Holy Ghost Amen And the reason why Baptisme is of such necessitye that none can be saued without it is this because al we by the trespasse of our first Parents Adam and Eue are all borne in Originall sinne sonnes of wrath perdition for as I said before we all sinned in Adams fal as taking body of him which being corrupted in him who of God was created good but sinned of himselfe as in the root and being begotten of the same masse wherof he was the In this place I woulde imitate S. Austen in his Enchiridion alibi first Father next to God the creator man but not of sin we be all by Gods iust iudgement borne thral to the same damnation that he was in that he disobeyed God in token whereof we feele in our selues the very same infirmity in our bodies and mindes that hee incurred by sinne For such was the state of our first Parentes that were created in Originall iustice that in keeping GODS holy Commaundement they shoulde without death of bodye freelye haue passed without labour and paine through this transitorye life to euerlasting life But as soone as man hadde disobaied GOD he and all his issue fell into infinite miseries as GOD threatned hym he shoulde doe saying if hee broke his Commaundement he shoulde dye as being subiecte to the death of bodye and soule whereas before Adams fall mans Free-will was of such valewe and force that his bodye was altogether if the faulte were not in himselfe through GODS grace subiecte to reason and his vvill But novve by loosing of that first iustice quite contrarye mans Free-wil though not quite lost as Heretikes lye yet it is so much enfeebled that without Gods speaciall grace and assistance it can doe nothing good in his sight to the obtaining of Saluation Hereuppon it commeth to passe that the holye Apostle complaineth that he felt a Lawe in his members repugnant to the Lawe of his minde leading him captiue and subiecte vvhether hee vvoulde not that is as much to saye a kinde of rebellion that by Adams trespasse we his poore children feele in our bodies vvhich is concupiscence that reigneth in vs and prouoketh vs to euill contrarye to right reason vvhich if it be not resisted it leadeth vs to sinne and damnation Our good Lord then full of mercie and pittye seeyng vve could fall without him but not rise without him sent his only begotten sonne the Seconde Adam to take vpon him our fraile nature and to be made like vnto vs in all thinges sauing sinne and some such infirmities and defectes as doe proceede of sinne VVherefore that vessell of God that most pure immaculate blessed Virgine conceiued him without sinne of the holy Ghost without knowledge of man which Sauiour though he is God yet is hee perfect man also in one person that is Christ God and man vvho beecause he being God tooke vpon him our nature without al spot of sin therefore Some other causes likwise be why christ was not subiect to death of duty except only the wil ordinance of his father who of his one good will gaue his life for vs. he was not subiect to death of duty necessity which other men be for sin Wherefore the Diuel who had all mankind subiect to death for sinne yet him he had not in that thraldome Christ was only except which that old wily serpent not perfectly knowing to bee Christ the wisdome of God intrapped him in his own snare For the Diuell enuying our Sauiour by his holy life and preaching drawing such multitudes frō sin euill life was affraid the whole world woulde haue followed him and his kingdome haue decaied Wherefore hee stirred vp his ministers the Iewes to make a ready dispatch and put him to death which malice of the Diuell and his ministers Christ turned to the saluation of the whole worlde for whereas thereby the Diuell thought to haue wonne many he lost all for putting our Sauiour to death vniustlye hee lost those whome he possessed before in some sort iustly Chap. X How necessarie and fruitfull Christs passion is to all that follow him in pacience good workes and how by Baptisme the vertue thereof is applied to our soules BVt you must vnderstand though Christ died to saue the whole worlde yea one drop of his precious blood in that sort as it was euer after the Incarnation vnited to his diuinity
had beene and is sufficient if need were for the ransome of many worlds yet shall his passion saue none but those onlye that beleeue in him and keepe his holye commandemeÌ„ts which euery one by his grace may do for God commaundeth nothing impossible But to make this more plaine by a homely familiar example There is a poticaries shop in some Citty full of medicines for all deseases none you know bee they neuer so sicke can be cured or haue any benefit therby but such as will buy send for those medicines and apply them to their fores and diseases so the passion of Christ is sufficient for infinite worldes if neede were but effectuall profitable to none but such as by themselues or others applye it to their soules by such wayes and meanes as he hath ordained that is by faith good workes and worthy receiuyng of his Sacramentes and such like other good meanes This originall sinne theÌ„ that we tooke all of our first parents is cleansed taken away by Baptisme the first and most necessary Sacrament though not most excellente which as the rest of the Sacramentes doth take vertu of Christs PassioÌ„ which sacraments as conduite pipes from that well of mercy the tree of the Crosse conferre grace to our souls so we put no obstacle of our parts so necessary by such like meanes is the Passion of Christ to be aplied vnto vs that in no sort without it we can appease gods wrath for our sinns nor be saued neither Abraham Moises Dauid Elias if hee had died nor any of the holy Prophets could satisfie Godes wrath for their own sinnes muchlesse for the sinnes of the whole world till Christs comming nor since but by him but they all and the rest of the Saints of the old testament and holy Fathers were shut from the kingdome of God and his sight in darknesse till Christ opened by his death the gate of Saluation discended into Hell and deliuered out those holy Fathers that so many thousandes yeares there with many heauy sighes and feruent desires expected his comming for their deliuery so that as wee Christians beleeuing the Passion of Christ be saued by it now past so those afore Christes time were saued by hope and true beliefe in him the true Messias to come yet this is the difference in saluation betwixt vs since Christ and they before his comming that wee presently after death if wee die in state of grace or be not detained for a time in Purgatory to cleanse some lesser sinnes or the * By reliks vnderstand lesser defects or paine due to great sins viz. satisfactoryâ— paines relikes of sinne do enter into the kingdome of Heauen inioy the sight of God which they before Christs time vvere they neuer so holy coulde not attaine to till he had opened the gate of Paradise shut for Adams trespasse and kept by the Angells Chap. XI declaring what Baptisme is that Baptisme remiâ—teth all sinnes and how it truly iustifieth vs. You see now by this that is saied the state of mankinde for sinne and the necessity of Baptisme to release him from sinne which Sacrament is ordained by Christ to take away that sinne wherein especially we be conceiued and borne of our fore-fathers yea and all other sinnes too if perhapes a man be not christned till he be olde as some coÌ„uerted from Iewes and infidells now bee But you will say perhapps if this sin wee take of our first Parents by Baptisme in Christ be forgiuen vs that after Baptisme we are no more the sons of Adam but of Christ not of death but of life why then after christning doe wee feele in vs and haue the same rebellion and infirmities in our bodies stil which proceede of olde Adam as well as those haue that be not christened as for example we haue stil remaining in vs that olde rebellion of our flesh with many passions corrupt motions be-fraught with ignorance forgetfulnesse yea and subiecte to sicknesse and death with manye mo inconueniences all which defects infirmities the like we take of Adam Eue our first Parents which if they had not trespassed we in theÌ„ we had neuer suffered How happeneth it theÌ„ if by Christ their and our trespasse together is forgiuen that as you will saye wee still sustaine the paine thervnto due I aunswere true it is indeed we beare still our insirmities suffer still hunger colde shame nakednes and the like which be left in vs for sinne by God therefore iustly inflicted But that you may better know why these stil remaine in vs you are to vnderstand that in god which is al good ther be two thinges espeatially that is his mercy iustice whose mercy though it exceed all his workes yet we may not attribute so much to his mercy that we take away his iustice for so we should derogate from Gods honor his most pure and simple nature which is al good wherein â—uer mercy and iustice be ioyned together First theÌ„ doth not God shew his infinit mercy towardes vs in that we ofding his Maiesty which is infinit which in no sort could be appeased but by the death of his only begotteÌ„ sonne though otherwise if it had bin his good pleasure he could haue redeemed the worlde in that I say by Baptisme that taketh vertue of Christes Passion the dore of grace in this life of heauen after death is opened to vs so we be free froÌ„ euerlasting death damnation in hell which before Baptism we were subiect vnto doth not God therin shew towards vs his vnspeakeable mercy making Christ pay for our sinnes Yet it standeth with hys iustice that if Christ our head that payed for al would not enter into his glory but by pains death then we his members must of iustice be content to suffer some thing with him to be pertakers of the worke of our redemptioÌ„ so enter with him into his glory For as saith S. August Qui fecit te sine te non saluabit te sine tâ— he that made thee without thee wil not saue thee without thy selfe Besides this those infirmities of concupisceÌ„ce of our fleash rebellion in our minds as long as they bee but in the inferiour part of our soule that is when reason ruleth them by vertue of this holye Baptisme be so fare from sinne that if wee resist them and yeeld not to them they bee so farre from sin I say that they greatlye increase our merite and bee left in vs to wrestle against that our victory may be more glorious and our reward greater in that we infirme and weake vessels of our selues hauing to fight stil against so many strong enimies as not only the world diuel but also against the fleash that is our selues yet by the grace of Christ giuen vs in Baptisme we may ouercome them all To be briefe then Baptisme is a Sacrament instituted by Christ whereby we be cleansed from sinne doe
forsake the Diuell are vnited and made one body with Christ in his holy Church and so thereby are deliuered from euerlasting death and are made heires of the heauenly kingdome without which Sacament in deed or in will and affection at least that is if a man in no sort can possibly come vnto it none can be saued as saide our Sauiour Nisi quis natus fuerit denuo non potest Ioh. 3. Mat. 28. Mar. 16. videre regnum Dei Vnlesse a man be borne againe that is by Baptisme he cannot enter into the kingdome of God and againe Nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua spiritu Sancto non potest intrare in regnum Dei and againe Christ bad his Disciples goe and baptise in the name of the Father and of the c. Vnlesse a man be borne againe of water and the holy Ghost saith Christ he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Christ you see saieth that without water the holy ghost we cannot be saued The Protestants your ministers a nuÌ„ber of theÌ„ teach you that christian mens children without Baptisme may be saued wherein they be contrary to Christ the Gospell and the common receiued saith of the holy Catholike Church of all ages who with all speede euer hastened her children in danger of death to be baptised knowing for certaine that if they departed without Baptisme they shoulde be damned not to so great a damnation as those shall haue that after Baptisme dye in deadly sinne but yet those vnchristened children shall be shutt from the sight of God for-euermore who is the full ioy delight of the soule which is an vnspeakeable losse Whereby you see the vnmercifull dealing of the heretikes of this time who hinder poore infants from Baptisme so vtterly cast them away The heretikes of this time especially Protestants * I meane the Puritanes especially who in their opinions leaue almost no Sacrament at all This as I remember I haue hard reported of the Anabaptistes Puritanes and Anabaptists haue lest with them but one Sacrament amongst seauen that is Baptisme only and yet good Lorde how many damnable heresies holde they about that The * Anabaptists would haue folkes to be christned often which is against the scriptures and as much as in them lieth is to naile Christ to the Crosse againe for by Baptisme we be buried with him in his death to true mortification and once for al washed in his blood I meane in Baptisme which can not be itterated as once for al he died so that I say to be rebaptisede is to deny that vertue of Christs passion once giuen for al in Baptisme For there is but one God as saith the Apostle one Faith one Baptisme and all Protestants and other heretikes of this time commonlye holde that Baptisme doth not quitt vs from our sinnes and make vs iust indeede as Christ and his Church teacheth but say that it but raseth as it were our sinnes that they be not imputed to vs and that God as it were wincketh at them but yet neuerthelesse the blott remaineth in soule still which be two most damnable opinions the one derogating cheifely from the Passion of Christ the other from his honor and perfection of his worke who cleanseth mens souls in deede by his Sacraments that they may be fit vessells to be replenished with his glorye and made pure in his sight may see him for euer Chap. XII Of the impiety abuse of heretikes about Baptisme MOreouer many as I said be fore of your ministers teach that if they haue Baptisme it is wel if they haue it not it is no matter some will scarsely sprinckle water vpoÌ„ theÌ„ but make a preaching some care not whether they vse Christs words in Baptisme or no as for the signe of the Crosse as beeing enemies indeede to the Crosse of Christ and not deseruing the name of Christians that be ashamed of Christe our Masters ensigne and banner they thinke and account it but a papisticall and supersticious ceremony though in deed it is a most auncient and Apostolâ—â—â— tradition neither doe they shew them-selues Christianes I say but rather Turkishe and members of Satan that be afraide and ashamed of their Masters badge the Crosse of Christ wherby you see how litle reckoning they make of Baptisme without which we be Infidells and heathenishe Turkes as it were bee a man borne neuer so much of Christian parents For we receiue our souls from God aboue not of our parents that which we take of our pareÌ„ts is a peece of fleash only conceiued brought out in sinne in our selues I meane soiled with that generall fault and blott wee all take of Adam For though our fathers sinnes be to their soules forgiuen by Baptisme yet in their bodies stil remaine the same infirmities they contracted by originall sinne before Baptisme though those infirmities pacientlye borne and resisted be not as I saide before in our Parents sinne but rather cause of merite yet we being conceaued of their bodyes rebellious by concupiscence bearing Yet I meane not that concupiscâ—nce in the regenerate is sin so we consent â—ot to it those infirmities receiue flesh body of them with the same infirmities and defects in vs that they of olde Adam sustained and bore before Baptisme so that spirituall substance creature which is our soule being by God newly created and infused or put into our bodies newlye formed laden with infirmities of Adam then presentlye by GODS secret iustice and iudgmente contracteth the same originall sinne is soiled with the same blott Adam our first father was till it bee washed away by Baptisme The heretikes that see not this shew themselues either very ignorant or els most malicious that deceiue the ignorante people and damne many poore soules who because they be borne in that sinne of Adam in some sorte without their owne free wil therefore God ordained most present remedies to saue them by and that without their owne procuring if they be infants the matter as water being so common the wordes so easie to be spoken and that any reasonable person whosoeuer may bee minister of it when a lawfull Priest cannot be had that is I mean in necessity when the child or person to be christned is in danger if death for otherwise it ought not in any wise to be sent to your new Ministers to be christned nor Schismatike preists nether if any Catholike Christian can be had til you caÌ„ meet with a Catholike priest tâ—ough the child of whomsoeuer may be truly christned nether ought to be christned againe being once baptised the parents do offend that send their children to be christned of such woolues vnlawfull ministers which be most vnfit of al christian men to christen children as holding teaching so many monstrous heresies about that holy Sacrament and with al so litle reckoning of it vsing it so vnreuerently as scoffing at it contemning many
ful authority to forgiue sin as they had For euen as the lawful heire vpoÌ„ his fathers death hath the same power authority ouer his land people if he be a king that his father had EueÌ„ so to the worlds end the words of the holy Prophet be fulfilled in the Catholike Church the true inheritance land of the liuing Pro Psal 44. patribus tuis nati sunt tibi filii To these true sonnes and heires of the Apostles in the house of God which shall continew to the worldes end be giuen Apostolike power and authoritye to the same end which the Apostles had it Ad consummation Ephes 4. 12. sanctorum in opus ministerii To the edifying perfectioÌ„ of the Church of God which shall not wante her pastores and gouernours to the end As therefore God said once Increase and Gen. 1. multiply all things haue done so since as he said once to his Apost Go teach Mat. 28. 19. all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost and by those wordes Priestes to this daye haue had authoritye to teach and Baptize Euen so saying to his Apostles Whose sinnes you forgiue they be forgiuen hee gaue in those wordes authority to lawful Priestes to the worldes end to doe the same Thus you see by the plaine wordes of the holye Gospell Preists haue power giuen them to forgiue sinne by vertue of the Sacrament of Penance but they cannot knowe as lawfull Iudges in Gods stead what sins to forgiue and what penance to enioyne vnlesse the sinner confesse his sinne For no maÌ„ knoweth the secrets of mans hart but God alone therefore that a mans sins may be forgiueÌ„ he must confesse theÌ„ plainly to the Preist The minister then of this sacrament is a lawfull Preist with iurisdiction the forme is I absolue thee the matter called Remotior or the out ward matter belonging to this sacrameÌ„t be sins as wood is matter to the fire the matter of this Sacrament called Vicinâ—or or the inward matter is the sorowe of the penitent Contrition Confession and Satisfaction manye other thinges appertaine to this holye Sacrament of Confession that I cannot stand to reckon the fruites whereof bee many and vnspeakeable as that thereby wee be deliuered from damnation and to vs therby is opened the gates of Saluation thereby followeth purenes and ioye of soule and hart and to be briefe whereas before by sinne a man was the limme of the Diuell now by Penaunce he is made a member of Christ and childe of Saluation Those that bee Masters and haue charge of house-hold and children by experience know what the want of Confession bringeth a number vnto For in times past when the discipline of holy Church in Confession tooke place here in our countrey seruants children were affraid to offend God and that for confcience-sake did their labours as for God Hard it was to heare of a fellon executed a foure-score yeares ago at an Assise but now a number for want of due instruction feare of God make conscience of nothing so they may escape the halter Chap. XXI Of the most Blessed Sacrament and Sacrifice of Christs Bodie Blood substantially really truly vpon the Altar THe fourth Sacrament which is in the middest of the seauen Sacraments is the most high noble most excellent and worthy Sacrament that is the Sacrament of the Alter and as the sonne in the middest of the Plannets giueth light to the other starres and plannets and exceedeth the same in glorie So the blessed Eucharist wherin is Christ himself the fountaine of all grace excelleth the other Sacraments in dignity and is farre more excellent then any other Sacrament by how much the fountain exceedeth any litle riuer that proceedeth from it for in this most blessed Sacrament I say is contained the fountaine and wellspring of all grace and goodnes our Lorde Sauiour Christ Iesus himselfe his Blessed Body and Bloud who at his last supper when he was to depart this worlde the night before his Death Passion deuised the wayes meanes according to his promise to remain with vs stil leauing vs vnder the forme or likenesse of bread wine his very Body Blood in perfect memorie of his death and Passion Protestants other heretikes o monstrous blasphemous heresy holde teach you that this Sacrament is but only a bare signe figure remembrance of Christs Body and his death But we most stedfastly according to Christs words the gospel do holde beleeue as sure as Gods worde and the trueth cannot fail that the very selfe same Body Blood which was borne of the B Virgin Mary suffered death vpoÌ„ the Crosse is giuen vs in this B. Sacrament that it is not a bare peece of bread as it seemeth to the eye outwardly or is in the mouth by tast but far aboue reason contrary to our sensuall feeling wheÌ„ the preist in Christs persoÌ„ hath once spoken Christs words ouer that creature which before was bread it is theÌ„ wholy really substaÌ„tially turned into the very body blood of our redeemer christ by his mighty vvorde vvhich made all thinges of nothing and to vvhome nothing is impossible and this vvhosoeuer vvill bee saued barke the heretikes neuer so much to the contrary must stedfastly beleeue for vve proue it by Gods vvorde that cannot faile the Apostolike doctrine so to be First theÌ„ the foure Euangelists be plaine The sixt Chapter of S. Iohn hath so many plaine places vvhereby this holy Sacrament was promised that I cannot haue time to reckon them as in one place Christ there saith The bread which I will giue is my flesh for the health of the worlde for my flesh is verily meat my bloode is verily drinke he that eateth my fleshe drinketh my blood dwelleth in me I in him I will raise him vp againe at the last day vnlesse you eate the flesh of the sonne of man drinke his blood you shall not haue life in you Lo heare no figure or remembrance only is named as heretikes say I know not truly how our Sauiour coulde vse any plainer vvords againe in the other three Euangelists in as plain Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22. vvordes is mention made hovve our Sauiour instituted or ordained this holy Sacrament in this manner the night before he suffred after he had made anend of the Paschal lamb and olde Testament hee tooke bread blessed and gaue to his desciples saying Take and eate for 1. Cor. 11. this is my Body likewise when he had blessed the Chalice he said This is my Blood Likewise Saint Paul affirmeth that that which he receiued of our Lorde heâ— gaue to the Corinthians for our Lorde Iesus saieth hee the same night hee was betraied tooke breade and giuing thankes brake and gaue to his disciples saying This is my
Body which shal be betrayed or deliuered vp for you so likewise he spake of the cup calling it his blood And both the Euangelists Saint Paul doe agree that Christ bad his Apostles sacrifice or doe that which he had donne in memorie of his death and Passion not to offer a peece of bread in memorie of his death and Passion for that should be to base and slender a memorie as the heretikes your ministers be-lie the truth but to consecrate sacrifice and receiue after an vnbloody maner the very self-same body that the day after was bloudely once for all offered on the Crosse there as a full price of our redemption and here as a mean to make vs pertakers of that high price and ransome there once bloudely offered here the very selfe same flesh and bloude that there once bloudely was offred but here after an vnbloudy maner not deuided or not cut in peeces as the Iewes vnderstoode and the heretikes doe blaspheme but whole Christ though reallye and substanciallye here present yet after a spirituall and deuine maner that cannot be sufficiently expressed in wordes not one Christ here other there or in heauen not one to day a nother to morow but one and the self same which was offred vpon the Crosse and now sitteth at the right hand of his father is daily offred vp here in the Church in diuers places at once that by the mighty power of his Godhead which is al in al * In saying vnited to his sacred Body Videtur praeposte ra locutio For his sacred Body is vnited to his Godhead not confounded but knit and ioyned together o insigne miraculum two natures in one person vnited to his sacred body to whome nothing is impossible Wee doe not substitute then or ordeyne many * There is but one Sacrifice though daily yea oft euerie day in the Catholike Church renued by the ministrie of Preists .. 1. Cor. 11. 26. Sacrifices of Christ as the heretikes be-ly vs for so we might be iniurious to his Passion but one and the selfe same sacrifice though different in the maner with that vpon the Crosse is daily here offered vnto God there once bloudely here vnbloudely by the ministrye of Preistes heere in earth to appease Gods wrath renue in vs the fruit of his death and Passion wrought by that sacrifice once all bloudy vpon the Crosse for all Doe this that I haue donne saith Christ in memorie of me that is you shal represet or shew by this sacrifice the death of our Lord as sayeth S. Paul to his comming againe By which wordes of Christ Doe this that I haue donne he gaue his Apostles and Priests authority to consecrate his Body by vertue of his holy word For what did Christ He tooke bread blessed gaue to his Disciples said This is my Body and wine saying This is my Bloud And bad them doe that he had donne that is by power of his mightye worde to consecrate his blessed Body So by those verye wordes that heretickes abuse when hee saide Doe this in memorie of mee to make the holye Sacrament to bee but a bare figure and remembrance of Christ by those verye wordes I saye you see by uery reason and as holye doctors euer vnderstood Christ gaue authority to the Apostles and to all Preists and Bishopps their lawfull successors to offer vp daily that pure and vnbloodye sacrifice in consecrating his body and blood to represent and renue in vs his death and Passion till his comming to Iudgement againe And therefore at the holy Sacrifice of the Masse euery ornament and action of the Preist reduceth to our memory some thing Christ said or did during his life bitter death and Passion Chap. XXII That heretickes which deny Christs body in the Sacrament euacuate the fruites of Christs death and Passion in mens soules and prepare the way to Antechrist THe heretiks therfore that do blasphem haue abolished the holy most blessed dread full pure most honorable Sacrament sacrifice of the Masse doe as much as lieth in them to put out of mens minds the Passion of Christ and make voide in our soules the fruit thereof wherefore they in deed be very forerunners of Antechrist that shall denye Christ and all and yet like shamelesse blasphemous wolues and deceiuers are not affraid to call the high Preist of God Christes Vicar here in earth the Pope Antechrist who is in deede the cheife piller head of the Church here next to Christ spreading and vphoulding Christs faith against Turkes Iewes Heretickes and all Infidles throughout the whole worlde But these impostors call the Vicar of Christ Antechrist that they Antechristians and their Master Antechrist the vessell of Satan when hee commeth may be the lesse suspected so pull downe Christianity But Gods Church Christes kingdome shall not faile though we are to feare now in the later ende of the worlde Antechriste is neare hand as these certainlie bee his forerunners whoe at his comming shall raise a greater persecution against the Church then euer was before For hee shall deny Christ and God and also exalt himselfe aboue God with such false deceits and wordes that if it were possible the very elect should be deceaued and the holye and continuall sacrifice of the Masse shall in his time cease to be offered openly as the holy prophet Daniell foretould What other thing then Dan. 12. Heb. 7. 12 The turks though perhaps sometimes they baue some voluntary externall superstitious sacrifice yet no ordinarye set sacrifice-publike for as much as euer I red or heard do these hereticks but prepare a way for Antechrist whoe denying the blessed Masse ordained and first said or celebrated by christ at his last supper would leaue vs neuer an externall Sacrifice to worship God withall like very Turkes to whome being without externall sacrifice they bee most like Translato enim according to the Apostles doctrine Sacerdotio necesse est vt legis translatio fiat So that take away Preisthood take a waye sacrifice and so consequentlye God and all For that by externall sacrifice God is chiefely knowne and worshipped the want and honor most due vnto which sacrifice maketh vs you se so many Atheists that now a daies make a scoffing against Christ God to But Lorde be mercifull vnto this Countrey whether is it fallen for sinne and blinde heresy the worste weede that euer was sowne To be briefe you see here how in an eleuen plaine places in the fower Euangelistes and Saint Paul Christ calleth that most blessed Sacrament he ordained at his last supper his very bodye and blood Caluin Beza and the Protestantes and other heretickes of this time say it is but a figure shadowe or bare remembrance In a peece of bread of his body and blood must we beleeue Christes and Saint Paul then or your wise ministers and new vpstart heretikes of this time O Christ if I should forsake
thee the euerlasting truth and beleeue or followe any brainsicke hereticke in the worlde what shoulde I aunswere or howe durst I appeare before thy face I confesse then it is most certaine and sure which thou hast saide of this blessed Sacrament This is my Bodie This is my Bloud And that euery heretike that saieth This is a figureof thy Body This is a figure of thy Bloud is a most blasphemous and impudent hereticke and lyar Chap. XXIII Wherin is declared that we ought as really and truely to receaue his Body with our mouthes to health saluation as Adam did eate the forbidden apple to death and damnation BVt it is a woonder what shiftes these false Prophets the heretickes haue to couer their lyes vnder some shewe of trueth as though we were to eate Christ at his Fathers right-hand and so to delude the simple for as a learned man of our time writeth of this matter in this sorte Concerning that Caluin willeth vs to goe into heauen by faith to eate Christes body know you not because our nature was not able to clime vp to the seat of God in heauen therfore the sonne of God came downe from heauen to earth to lead and lift vs vp to the fruition of his father Know you not that because our body more quickly draweth our soules downwarde then our spirite is able to drawe our body vpward therfore Christ toke not only the soule but also the body of man giuing vs in his last supper that body of his to the intent that our bodies taking holde in the Sacrament of the Alter of his bodye might be caried into heauen to haue the sight of God because faith without the Incarnation of Christ cannot lifte vp our bodies therefore Christ fulfilled faith with trueth and hauing taken of the Virgin our nature gaue his body in deede to our bodies and soules that we againe might in body and soule be lifted vp with it It is not then sufficient to eate Christ by faith only but to arise againe in Christ the second Adam we must eate him in this blessed Sacramente as reallye and verily as our first father Adam wherein we all fell did eate the forbidden fruit The fruite of the tree forbiden entred into the mouth and damned the fruit of the blessed Virgin of the tree of the Crosse must enter into our mouths and spiritually worke effect in our soules and thereby wee shal be saued For as a man that is cast into a deepe pitt calleth by the meane of his tongue for helpe but when a cord is lett down to him for the ayde and succour of him it is not then sufficient to vse his tongue still to let his hands alone Euen so our faith called for Christ to come from heauen to helpe vs to let downe the corde of his humanity and of his fleshe and bloud and shall we nowe when it is let downe to be fastened in our bodies and in the bottome of our hearts by eating it really shall we nowe refuse it and say we will goe into heauen by faith our selues and there take holde of Christ whereby we may be saued and deliuered out of the deepe vale of misery As though neede were that the corde shoulde haue beene let downe if we coulde haue fastned our bodies to any thing in heauen and yet our bodies are they which weigh downe our soules cheifly Authorities to proue the vndoubted trueth of this most blessed Sacrament bee almost inumerable For if I should reckon vp all holy Saints and blessed Fathers that haue written of the trueth of this B. Sacrament I should neuer make an ende S. Ambrose saith Lib. 4. de Sacram. This bread is bread before the words of the Sacrament but when Consecration commeth to it of bread is made the body of Christ and howe at Masse the Priest prayeth for Kings Princes and the people but when he commeth to the most venerable renowmed Sacrament then he vseth not his owne wordes saith he but the worde of our Lord Iesus God commaunded saith he and heauen was made earth was made all creatures were made thou seest then saith he of what vertue the worde of Christ is If then God made thinges before of nothing that were not how much-more able is he to make things to be that were before and to change them into another As for example to make that which before was bread wine by consecration his Body and Bloud and before the wordes of Christ saith he the Chalice is full of wine and water but when the wordes of Christ come thereunto there is then the Bloud that redeemed the people All the holy Doctours as Saint Chrysostome Saint Cyrill Saint Ciprian both the holy Gregories Saint Hierome Saint Augustine Saint Barnarde bee full of the like testimonies for this matter many of them recording woonderfull miracles that haue beene wrought by vertue of this Sacrament Saint Augustine amongst De. ciu Dei the rest recordeth howe a place beeing troubled with euill spirits One of his bretheren a. religious mā that was a frier or a moncke went and offred there the healthfull Sacrifice as much to say as he said Masse and so the euill spirites were driuen away Hard you euer anye such miracle wrought by their Communion all this time I haue probably hard how the Diuell hath appeared in some of their Churches of late and in the beginning of this Queenes time when Paules steeple was burnt the very communion table from all other thinges about it was burnt in token of Godes wrath and indignation against that venemous bread of theirs whereby they poyson the souls of the simple people In the four general Councels that S. Gregorie did honour as the fouer Gospells you shall finde the blessed Sacrament of the Altar spoken of in most reuerent sort as called An honorable Sacrament called a most pure and vnbloody sacrifice of Christs body blood a pure and vndefiled host the lambe of God and the like by vertue whereof as wee read in Saint Gregories dialogues and other holy Fathers the deaffe haue beene made to heare the dumme to speake the lame to walke many other cured of incurable diseases Being abused by Iewes Heretickes and Infidles it hath issued out of blood and sometimes bin seene with streames of glorious lighte proceeding from the same as auncient histories doe recorde and blessed Saints in their writings doe witnes To be breife then this blessed Sacrament and our pure and most blessed vnbloody Sacrifice being so plainlye declared to bee Christes blessed bodye and blood by Christes owne words the holy Apostles and Euangelistes and all good men that euer writte since Christes time by the generall practize of the Church by generall Councells that cannot erre because Christ hath promised his holy spirite to assist them and his Church in all truth and by so many and wonderfull miracles we may firmely conclude with that holy Father Saint Hillary I am de
in against them When Protestantes to couer their heresies about the Sacrament giue it honorable tearms we may say to them Lib. 8. de Trim. as Saint Hillarye saied to the Arrians who called Christ Lord Dominum licet nuncupes c. Albeit you name him Lord Yet you meane him not to bee the Lord because he is a Lord to you rather by a common kinde and familiar name then by nature Euen so pretende what honorable opinion or doctrine the Protestants list of Christs supper yet as long as by nature and substance they thinke not that externall gifte to be his body which himselfe called so they rather sooth it by a better name than meane it to be any better thing than a bare signe or figure Ebion although he denied Christs Godhead Epiphan Her 30. yet as Epiphanius telleth he affirmed him to rule Angells and all that euer was made by God and his scholers called him a Prophet and the Sonne of God which notwithstāding forsomuch as they beleeued him not to be God by nature the Catholikes neuer doubted to say that they taught him to be Nudum hominem A naked bare man Right so whatsoever holinesse bee annexed to bread and wine be it the signe of neuer so great a vertue and efficacy be it neuer so much called the body and bloud of Christ yet if it remaine still in the former substance if the trueth which it is appointed to signifie be absent it is bare bread and bare wine and a bare token of Christs Body and Bloud Some signes containe the trueth they signifie as a loaf set out that bread is there is to be solde another kind of signes signify the trueth absent as the Iuy-bushe doth wine The latter signe is a bare signe but not the first The Catholickes say the best and richest kinde of seales is in the sacrament because there is Christs body really present to signifie and as it were by seale to witnesse his owne death and Passion The bloudy sacrifices of the olde Lawe did better signifie Christs Passion than Protestants bread wine beeing but a bare signe Melchisedeche likewise had besides his bread wine the reall body of Abraham present whō he offered to God in him Iesus Christ his seede and so that also farre more excellent than bakers bread The body of Christ vnder the forme of bread is of it selfe both the thing and also a figure of the mystical vnity of the Church Res Sacramenti that is the thing of the Sacrament is the grace of God The substance of Christ vnder the forme of bread is the signe For Christ commeth in his own corporall presence to seaze and to endue vs with his grace Hence it commeth that S. Augustine so ofte calleth this Sacrament a figure because the body it selfe is heere not for it selfe but to put vs in possesion of so great a grace as the vnion with God is Moreouer those that say the bodye of Christ is eaten by faith only and no otherwise bee against the Gospell that affirmed Christ gaue his bodye with his owne handes beeing present and not at his fathers right hand But faith is Heb. 11. an argument of thinges to bee hoped for not appearing If in S. Iohn spirituall eating by faith bee only spoken of why is it said Dabo I will giue wheras sprituall eating was already giuen to all that euer beleued and therfore it was not to come but the bread which Christ will giue is his flesh and the guift therof is to come therfore it is more then a spirtuall eating by faith which was both past and present Note that the place in S. Iohn which Ioh. 6. heretiks take to make most for them in very deede maketh most against them What saith Christ If you see the Sonne of man ascending c. Whereby is declared the power of our Sauiours Godhead whereby onlye hee ascended which if the Capharnaits and heretikes woulde perfectly beleeue they woulde then neuer doubt of Christes reall presence in the Sacrament which through the omnipotencie of his godhead hee is able to performe Consider also against the heretikes these figure makers that it standeth well together the Eucharist to be a signe the truth as Christ is the Image of God and yet also God the higher euery signe or Image is the lesse it differeth from the truth and therefore the figure of Christs bodye and bloud differeth in forme but not in substance from Christ him selfe and so although the Sacrament be a figure yet the words This is my Body be not tropicall or vnproper Hoc that is the word This signifieth not bread but that is contained vnder bread Hoc facite doe this the making of the sacrificed substāce also must needes be a Sacrifice not only suffering himselfe to be seene of those that desire him as saith S. Chrysostome but also to In Iohn hom 45. be toucht eatē teeth to be fastned in his flesh al to be filled with desire of him Besides the reall presence sacrifice Christes body also hath a locall being in vs in respect that the substance of Christ occupieth the same place vnder the forme of bread which the substance of bread did occupie before when we haue that kinde of bread in vs euen so Christs beeing is locall in vs. Moreouer as Christ at his Incarnation came not from heauen by forsaking his glorie but by asumpting fleshe of the Virgin so nowe at the time of the Consecration his bodye commeth not downe from heauen but the bread is changed into his body by that meane his body is present with vs. And as after his resurrection hee ascended into heauen so after the communion the formes of bread and wine being consumed Christ ceasseth to be corporally with vs to the end wee should againe desire his presence well knowe these Note wel two cheife points of our beleife the one that the ende of the conioyning consisteth in spirit rather thā in flesh the other that the flesh of Christ really eaten is the means whereby we haue accesse to the spirite of God with trust confidence Now Christ cannot bee better present in spirite and grace then if hee bee present in his selfe therein to conuert to vs his spirite and grace for the cause of his taking flesh was to make his flesh an instrument to deliuer his spirite grace to our flesh to the end that no meane of prouiding for our saluation might be omitted by so louing a father In consideration wherof S. Ambrose saith Thou that Lib. 6. de Sacram. Cap. 1. takest his flesh art made pertaker of his diuine substance in that foode Note that the spirite and substance of God commeth to vs by taking Christes flesh Chap. XXIIII Of the excellency of the most blessed Sacrament and in what respect it is called a Sacrament signe or figure and yet is the very thing it selfe which it betokeneth IT
in Christ which are in the Heauens and which are in the earth in him Al those eatings drinkings which were in the law of nature in the law of Moises in faith spirit are so far behind the supper of Christ after his manhood really assuÌ„pted as the faith of Christs Incarnation is behind the IncarnatioÌ„ it self mark for being deceiued with fals doctrin Christ by his incarnatioÌ„ gaue a real truth to the faith of the fathers and not a newe spirit So in his last Supper he giueth the same spirituall gifte to vs that he gaue to Abell Noe Abraham c. but he giueth vs another kind of trueth than euer he gaue them The trueth made by Christ is the true fleshe bloud which he tooke of his Mother the giuing of that trueth to be eateÌ„ is the giuing of that fleshe bloud vnder the formes of bread wine Therfore they that nowe say Christ giueth bread wine with spirituall giftes wherin our soule eateth drinketh Christs flesh bloud they graunt a good thing one way but another way they take away the greatest goodnes that euer was giueÌ„ to maÌ„ Their spiritual eating is not euil but it lacketh some trueth how so Because the whole man is not fed for faith feedeth but the soule yet the name of feeding is proper to the body thence is transferred to the soule that feeding therefore is not fully true which eateth not in mouth which it eateth in harte wheras the true supper of Christ is meat in deed and drinck in deed and must be the eating of that in our body which our mind soul doth eate The meaning of all those suppers sacrifices feastes in the olde time eaten with mouth were to shew that in time to come the same Messias that they looked for and in whome they beleeued should so truely come for our sakes into earth that he should come also into our bodies to dwell by his flesh eaten in vs that we might dwell in him The whole man in Paradise was ouercome by eating with mouthe of the forbidden fruite Thus then Christ cured the whole man against the Diuell perswading Eue to disobey God hee sent the Archangell Gabriell to perswade the B. virgin Marye to consent to his will against the Apple-tree hee planted the Crosse of our redemption For the disobedience of Adam hee himselfe the second Adam came to be obedient to his father euen to death For the apple of the forbidden tree vnlawfully eaten he gaue himselfe the fruite apple of that Crosse which is the tree of grace lawfully and needfully to bee eaten and his bloud to be droncken As therefore the apple that Adam did really eate against the coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„t of God doth make vs al that were in his body at that time guilty of disobedience the childreÌ„ of wrath so the real eating of Christs flesh according to the worthy eating therof which Christ coÌ„manded doth make vs all free froÌ„ the paine of euerlasting death the children of grace glory But as euery man did not eate the prohibited apple in his own person by his own act but by the act of our father mother as being in them of them so it is not needfull that euery man in his owne person eate the flesh of Christ which is giuen vs in the Sacrament to be eateÌ„ But it is absolutely needful that some or other eat it as really to saluation as euer the apple was eateÌ„ to daÌ„nation that al the rest who by Baptisme enter into the same body may be one perfectly with Christ whilst they are one mystically with theÌ„ who really eate the substance of Christs flesh being the substance of our true sacrifice trulye rosted vpoÌ„ the crosse truely â—ising froÌ„ death to the intent it might be truly eateÌ„ of vs without any corruptioÌ„ or perishing therof So that the B. Sacrament of the Altar is a medicine against that poison which Adam first in him al we toke by tasting the apple against the coÌ„mandemeÌ„t of god It is not only profitable but necessary that as the poisoned apple entred in at Adams mouth was not only receiued by faith spirit vnder staÌ„ding but by hand tongue iawes was digested into his bowels poisned Vnderstand our flesh greatly infirme and sore infected though as the creature of God still good but pestilent through our owne fault al his flesh wherby the flesh that we took of AdaÌ„ was also pestileÌ„t poisoned our soules vnited to that infected flesh were also infected Euen so the medicine which is the body and blood of Christ made of bread wine must not only be receiued by spirit faith vnderstaÌ„ding neither only the figure of it must be receiued in at our mouthes so conuaid in to our bowels but the body of Christ it selfe must come to our bodies it must be receiued as reallye into them by our mouthes as euer the apple came into the mouth of AdaÌ„ Who euer hard that wheÌ„ a mans body was really poysoned it should be sufficieÌ„t to think of a certaine true medicine to receiue with all the figure or signe thereof into his body not at al touching and receiuing reallye the medicine it selfe yet such is Caluines doctrine But he vrgeth how the holy Fathers call the blessed Sacrament a figure yea true but not a figure alone or a bare figure but such a figure as Christ is a figure of his fathers substance and yet his substance in deed so the sacrament is a figure of Christ and yet Christ in deede Ther can be no more grosse or blasphemous conceipt then to thinke the word of God like the worde of man Looke what oddes is betwixte God and man So much betwene his naming figures of the olde testament all other figures But some will say will Christ giue his body to be eaten and swallowed vp of drunckeardes whore-mongers blasphemours and euill persons Yea without doubt for Christ thought it lesse euill that euill men should eate his body then that his Sacramentes by any our infidelity shoulde be made voide or the gifte of his grace shoude be vncertaine But heretickes that seeme to stand so much vpon scripture I would gladly here of them where they find in holy scripture the body of Christ in the sacrament called a figure Truly from the beginning of Genesis to the latter end of the Apocalipes we finde not our Lordes supper termed a signe figure or token of the body and bloud of Christ Christ the sixe of S. Iohn calleth it the meate which perisheth not but tarrieth into life euerlasting He saith his bread which he will giue is his flesh which hee will giue for the life of the world Hee calleth it the flesh and the blood of the sonne of man meate in deede and drin ke in deed his flesh and his bloud the eating of him the bread which who so eateth shal
liue for euer In S. Mathew the 26. and S. Marke 14 Chap. His body his bloud of the new Testament In S. Luke the 22 Chap. His body which is giuen for vs and the Chalice which is the new Testament in his blood which is shed for vs. In S. Paul the first epistle to the Corinth and 11 Chap. The bread which we break is the communicating of our Lordes body the Chalice of blessing which we blesse is the communicating or pertaking of Christes bloud The newe Gospellers that saye they sticke only to Gods worde yet cannot finde one Apostle one Euangelist one Prophet or Patriarch that taught our Lordes supper to be a signe S. Paul 1. Cor. 11. threatheth damnation to him that vnworthily eateth it and he calleth vnworthy eating not only the contempt therof or lacke of faith but euen the omitting to proue or examine him himselfe before he eate our Lords body and that because hee maketh no difference betwixte it and common meates yet come the protestants with a newe doctrine affirming that we receiue not our Lordes body into our bodies but an euident signe and token thereof They admit no authority no rule no triall of matters belonging to faith but onlie the holye Scriptures immediately they breake their owne rule In so much as the holy Scriptures calling the Supper of our Lord his body and bloud they teache it to be an euident token of his body bloud if they keepe not their owne rule who can they binde to keepe the same But the Protestants will aske me perhaps whether the Lordes Supper bee not a Sacrament if a Sacranient then also a signe or token I aunswere they that prescribe rules of bleeuing to the worlde they that will haue all thinges prooued by the touch-stone of Gods worde they that for pretence of following the Gospell haue stirred vp so great strife through all Christendome must not talke with vs vvith if and and vvith conditions and peraduentures but they must bring forth the vvorde of God for that they saye So that although the Supper of our Lord were neuer so much a Sacrament surely to them it vvere none because they cannot proue out of the vvorde of God vvhere it is so named to vs it is both a Sacrament and a Sacrifice a Sacrament because vve are so taught by tradition from the Apostles a Sacrifice because Malachie the Mal. Cap. 1. Prophet in the person of God expressely saieth In omni loco sacrificatur offertur nomini meo oblatio munda quia mag num est nomen meum in gentibus In euery place a pure oblation is sacrificed offered to my name because my name is great among the Gentiles There is absolutely no cleane pure oblatioÌ„ but the sacrifice of Christs body bloud which was offered to death not in euery place but without the gate of Hierusalem alone the same is at this day vnbloudely offered in the Masse in euery place wheresoeuer amongst the gentiles the name of God is rightly called vpon Thus both they and we may proue the supper of our Lord to be a Sacrifice by Scripture but that it is a Sacrament we can proue because our forefathers deliuered such a Doctrine to vs they cannot proue the same seeing they will not be bounde to vnwritten Traditions If they flie to the Church for naming it it is a Sacrament the same Church teacheth them ther be seauen Sacraments but the Protestants say they find but two sanctified and deliuered by Christ allowed of the olde fathers Ambrose Augustine but concerning the deliuery of Sacraments by Christ they might haue founde it in the worde of God Confirmation in the 8. cap. of the Acts of the Apostles Penance Iohn 20. Extreame-Vnction Iac. 5. Preisthood Luc. 22. Matrymony Ephes 5. And not onely Baptisme and the Eucharist But what talke is this to say S. Ambrose S. Augustinâ— allowe the workes of Christ Was not the deliuery and consecration of Christ of sufficient authority except Ambrose and Augustine had proued it I thought Ambrose Augustine should haue beene allowed by Scripture and not Scripture by them I stande with them vpon the authority of the worde of God Proue me thence these two Sacraments alone yea proue that they are so named at all what Gospell called Baptisme a sacrament What holy write nameth the Supper of our Lord a sacrament Daâ—e they giue these thinges a name that which is not in the worde of God What warrant haue they for that deede They will say Ambrâ—se and Aâ—gustine call them so I replye Peter and Paul call them not so at other times and with other men I will stay vpon the authoritye of Ambrose and Augustine whom as I ought to doe I reuerence for men of excellent vertue learning but they were men as they were woont to say they might erre and be deceiued heare first the Scriptures to whom Protestantes appeale onely and afterwardes you shall heare what the Fathers say But first I say that neither the olde Testament nor the new calleth the Supper of our Lorde a Sacrament therefore the Protestantes that so call it goe from the assurance of the word of God to the good and laudable inuentions and Traditions of men which themselues condemne wheÌ„ they list And yet they so cal it a Sacrament that vpoÌ„ that only word the authors thereof ground all their doctrin thence it hath to be a signe to be a tokeÌ„ to be a badge a seale a patterne a counterpaine thence all the figuratiue doctrine riseth thence it commeth that the reall body and bloud of Christ is denied to bee vnder the formes of bread and wine Shall now so much as Christ hath plainlye spoken of his bodye and bloud so much as his Apostles and disciples haue preached and written in that behaulf shall now all this be ouerthrowne by an vnwritten veritye are these the men of God who flie from S. Mathew S. Marke S. Luke Saint Iohn Saint Paul to Augustine and Ambrose If none but Prophets and Apostles had written where had they found two Sacraments Where had they read that the supper of our Lord is a signe and token they make much a-doe about the worde of God vntill they haue gotten credite among the ignorant and then they quite leade them from al the worde of God I speake to such good Christians as haue the true loue of the worde of God lefte in their heartes to them I speake giue not ouer S. Mathew S. Iohn Saint Paul for Ambrose and Augustine giue not ouer Christ who is God and man to haue the opinion of whatsoeuer Doctor and Father in causes of beleife Some men in comparison of others be of great authoritye but in comparison of God all men be nothing at al God saieth This is my body nowe whatsoeuer man or Angell from heauen tell you this is not the bodye of Christ but onely a figure of it beleeue him not but
Bloud to be wordes figuratiue For when they call it a Figure they meane not a Figure of Rhetoricke but a misticall Figure and calling it a signe they meane not a naturall signe or token but a misticall signe that is to say a secret and miraculous kinde or token such as the state of the newe Testament requireth the nature whereof is to doe that which it sayeth because Christ the speaker performeth all that by his diuine power and substance which his worde spoken by the mouth of his manhoode in holy Sacraments doth vtter and signifie Now he that woulde the Sacrament of Christ so to be a signe that he shoulde not make that thing to be his Body in deede whereof in worde he saith This is my Body he most wickedly denyeth the godhead of Christ This blessed Sacrament of the Altar is such a signe as is withall a secret miracle for it is a miracle not shewed to Infidels but onlie to the faithfull For as the birth of CHRIST is a signe to the faithfull only who beleeue Christ being God and man trulie to haue beene borne of a Virgin without seede of man by the almighty power of the holy Ghost according to that Ipse Deus dabit vobis signum Esa 7. ecce virgo â—oncipiet pariet c. Right so the supper of Christ is a signe of his Body and Bloud to the faithfull only who beleeue the nature of bread and wine to be turned into his body and bloud without generation or corruption by the only power of the word of Christ who said after bread taken and blessing made This is my Body This is my Bloud doe this thing for the remembrance of me Beholde the making of Christs Body and Bloud for the remembrance of his death that is the signe we speake of this was the memory or the remembrance whereof Dauid said Memoriam Psal 110. fecit mirabilium suorum Our Lorde hath made a remembrance of his meruailous workes c. And thinke we that a remeÌ„brance of meruailous things is made of God without a miracle S. Cyprian Cipr. de Cena do saith the bread to be made fleshe Omnipotentia verbi By the Almightie power of the worde S. Augustine calleth it Aug. manu ca. 11. Chris de Sacerd. Lib. 3. Mirabile Sacrificium S. Chrysostome cryeth out O miracle o the goodnesse of God he that sitteth aboue with the father in the selse-same moment of time is touched with the handes of all men If thou aske howe it is made saith Damascene it is enough Damas de orthod fid Lib. 4 Cap. 14. for thee to heare that it is made by the holy Ghost euen as our Lord made for himselfe and in himselfe a body out of the Virgine Mother of God we knowe no more but that the worde of God is true strengthfull Eus lib. 5. demonst cap. 3. Beda in hom Vidit Iesus Basil in Liturg. Greg. Niss in orat de Pascat Hiero. in Leuit. Niceph. lib. 1. cap. 28. Almighty Eusebius calleth it Admiralem exitum oraculi A meruailous euent of the Oracle S. Bede nameth it A sanstification of the holy Ghost that cannot be vttered by speache The like wordes haue Saint Basil Saint Gregory Nissenus Saint Hierome Nicephorns Thus much I thought good briefly to say concerning the manner howe the blessed Sacrament of the Altar is a signe token mysterie or remembrance euerie worde whereof expounded according to the Gospell and to the state of the newe Testament doth proue the reall presence of Christes bodye and bloud vnder the formes of bread and wine It is a Sacrament which outwardlye signifieth that which is inwardly wrought it is a figure containing the trueth figured it is a signe meete for the inslitution of Christ whose signes are miraculous it is a secret token knowne onlie to those that beleeue it is the remembrance of Christes death by the presence of the body which died what shall I say more It is the body bloud of Christ couered from our eies reuealed to our faith feeding presently our bodies and soules to life euerlasting When Tertullian and S. Augustine say Christ gaue a figure or signe of his body the Protestant Grammarians vnderstand a Rhetoricall figure as Metonymia or Synechdoche or such a figure as it is set vp at an Ale-house or Wine-tauerne but the Doctors meane a peculiar signe and token miraculously instituted by Christ which conteyneth and giueth to the faithfull the truth which it betokeneth Signes and figures in the Sacraments consist of words and the matter as of Water and I Baptise c. Bread and Hoc est c. of Oyle c. Christs wordes make that which they signifie otherwise neither body nor figure thereof Againe which of the holy Fathers teacheth that Body standeth to signifie the figure of body Many Fathers say the wordes of Christ are plaine manifest true and effectuall but no man telleth of such a strainge taking of the wordes Body Bloud no man witnesseth them to be taken for the figures of body and bloud and no maruell for no man knewe that interpretation They Note well knowe that the true body of Christ giuen after such a sort vnder the formes of bread and wine was a figure of the selfe same body either walking visibly vpon earth or suffering vpon the Crosse or sitting nowe at the right hand of his Father or intending to come to iudgement They coulde tel that a thing present in a secret manner is a token signe and a watch-worde to all the faithfull of an open manner either past or to come in the same thing by this meanes they confessed the Sacrament to be the signe of Christes body and bloud but they knewe no such figure as the SacrameÌ„taries haue deuised they neuer could tell of Synecdoche or Metonymia they knewe sacramentall and not rhetoricall figures mysticall not poeticall holy and not prophane Lâ—t him therfore that wil haue any thing made at al of Christs wordes acknowledge them to be proper to signify somewhat and to make that they signifie which is the true body bloud of Christ vnder those outward ryndes or visible formes of bread and wine For as vnder the visible fleshe of Christ his Godhead lay priuy but yet was truely present and had assumpted his flesh into one person euen so vnder the visible forme of bread the fleshe of Christ is really present in the holy mysteries and therefore we touch that flesh when wee touch the forme of bread as S. Thomas did touch the Godhead wheÌ„ he touched the fleshe of Christ for in each place we touch not either the godhead or the fleshe visibly but by the meane of that thing wherein it is truely present that thing I say receiued of vs doth make his death resurrection to be remembred Hath he not al that euer Christ did presently before his eies who hath Christ himselfe present But take Christ away and afterward it
effecte Carnem sic c. They so vnderstande flesh as it is torne in a carcas or solde in the shambles and not as it is quickned with the spirite or Godhead Here is reported wherein the Iewes did â—rre they tooke the worde flesh amisse not coÌ„cerning the substance of it which must be really eaten but coÌ„cerning the maner of eating it is not modo Latin for the maner Is not quomodo as much to say as by what maner the Iewes vnderstood the name of flesh Quomodo dilaniatur non quomodo vegetatur that is by what maner it is torne a peeces and not by what maner it is quickened doe not these wordes import that the Iewes erred in the maner of eating Christes fleshe Doth not hee that findeth fault only with the maner of eating Christes fleshe sufficiently allowe the eating of the fleshe it selfe if it be donne after a good maner It is the Passion of Christ and the spirituall maner of eating in respect whereof Christs speech is called of S. Augustine figuratiue For if Christes flesh were eaten only to fill the bellie without further accompt of spirituall grace and life then were the eating of that fleshe naturall sensible accustomable and without all figure should be eaten by cutting tearing and wasting it but in that case fleshe profiteth nothing the flesh we speak of must be eaten as a figure as a misterie as a SacrameÌ„t as a holy signe of a higher truth wrought in the soule then that bodelie eating doth work So likewise in Baptisme wee are washed in a figure because the washing hath a farther and higher end theÌ„ only to clense the body That speach therefore wherein Christ commandeth his flesh to be eaten is figuratiue not that we should deny the true eating of his flesh but because that eating is referred to a greater purpose then to the feding of the body for Christs flesh is meate in deed that is to say is eatten in deede as I could proue vpon that place but it is not eaten only that it shoulde be corporally receiued but to the end wee should pertake of the spirit Godhead which is in it and so by merite of that Hill de Trinit Lib. 8. flesh really present in vs obtaine life euerlasting with it Wherevpon Saint Hillarie disputing against the Arrians that Christ is not only of one will but also of one substance with his father saieth De naturali in nobis Christi veritate c. That we say concerning the naturall truth of Christ being in vs except wee learne it of him we say it foolishly vngodly for himselfe saith my flesh is meate in deed he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud tarieth in me I in him there is no place of doubting left concerning the truth of flâ—sh and bloud for now both by the profession of our Lord and by our ownâ— faith it is truly flesh and truly bloud and these things taken and swallowed are the cause that we tarry in Christ and Christ in vs is not this thing the truth it may well chance not to bee true to them who deny Iesus Christ to bâ— true God So that Christ as truly as he is God so verely really is he in the B. SacrameÌ„t though in an inexplicable miraculous maner sort inuisible and hidden from our corporall senses For as after the resurrection the spirituall being which our bodies shall haue doth not deminish the truth of their nature but declareth a wonderfull abettering of them in that they be made in maner equal to spirituall substance euen so the body of Christ in his supper is spiritual not for any lack of his true substaÌ„ce vnder the formes of bread wine but because it is fully possessed replenished with the Godhead and is present after the maner of a spirit as being neither seene or felt nor tasted but only belâ—ued therefore this B. SacrameÌ„t is worthely called of the church at the consecratioÌ„ thereof yea of S. Paul 1. Tim. 3. misterium fidei a mistery of faith So that you see we must vnderstaÌ„d that though in the B. SacrameÌ„t we truly wheÌ„ we sacrameÌ„tally receiue doe receiue in very deed his B. body bloud yet we do not receiue eate Christs B. body after such a carnal sort as the Caphernaits Iewish Heretikes vnderstood blaspheme For the lexes when they heard Christ promise his body to be eaten of vs thought Christ would hane giueÌ„ his body to haue bin cut in peces rosted â—â—teÌ„ as I said before as the dead carcas of an oxe is wherevpon some of his disciples so vnderstaÌ„ding departed thinking it a hard saying of Christ that hee would giue his body to be so eaten but he answered theÌ„ right worthely the spirit Ioh. 6. 63. it is that quickneth but the flesh it profiteth nothing How doth the flesh of Christ profit nothing what doth that flesh profitte nothing that redeemed the whole world God forbid any christian should so imagin how theÌ„ must we vnderstand Christs wordes the flesh profiteth nothing but according to S. Augustins interpretatioÌ„ that is the carnall or fleshly vnderstaÌ„ding of Christs words profiteth nothing but hurteth much but put a spiritual diuine vnderstaÌ„ding to Christs flesh according to his promise worde giuen vs in the B. Sacrament theÌ„ the flesh profiteth much as for example the wicked Iewish heretikes of this time thus blaspheme What dost thou say they eat the very body of Christ indeed in the Sacrament how chaunceth it thou feelest not rawe flesh what can so great a substaÌ„ce be vnder the liknes of so litle a pece of bread How canst thou swallowe his bones o blasphemous heretike Lo here you see these mens vnderstanding that thus with the Iewes so grosly conceiue of Christs body in the Sacrament the flesh profiteth nothing but hurteth much But if they would vnderstand as Christ taught and the Church beleeueth that we receiue Christs Body verely in the Sacrament not after such a grosse manner but after a spirituall sort and in an vnspeakeable mistery that is though a true and naturall body yea the very flesh and bloud that was borne of the B. Virgin Mary and suffred death vpon the Crosse yet with all a supernaturall miraculous diuine glorified and impassible body Such a body as was conceiued by the holy ghost without know ledge of man and that was borne of the B. Virgin without in any sort opening or violating her sacred wombe Such a body as by his diuine power therein with his B. handes multiplyed fiue loaues of bread to the feeding of many thousands Such a body as being attempted to bee stoned of the Iews passed through them and was not seene Such a body finally that arose from death the sepulchre fast shut and such a body that after his Resurrection likwise appeared to his disciples the gates fast shut without deuiding asunder or opening the same Such a body that declared himselfe
to S. Paul on earth and yet at that present sat at his fathers right hand in heauen To be briefe such a glorified deficate body to whome by power of his diuinity vnited thereunto nothing is impossible this I say if Heretickes woulde beleeue with vs then to them the flesh of Christ would profit much This is my Body this is my Bloud said Christ the pronounâ— This pointeth to body or bloud and not to bread and wine as appeareth by the genders contrary God prouided of purpose that the article This therefore shoulde neither agree with bread nor with wine but only with body bloud or with the Chalice wherin the bloud is conteyned and therefore this to be true that Christs very body and bloud is in the B. Sacrament of the Altar as being most expresse and plaine by the very words of christ we are bound to beleue though to declare the maner how excedeth mans reason because he said it to whom nothing is impossible And therefore for ignorant vnlearned meÌ„ especially when heretikes aske the reason how it is possible for Christ to be here there in many places at once it is not fit for theÌ„ to reasoÌ„ but to haue recourse to faith which is aboue reason plainly say I beleeue Christ that said This is my body to whose power nothing is impossible and let the heretike demand scof or flout neuer so much go you nofurder with him but leaue him to the more lerned that caÌ„handle him better For with his whyes how 's he deceueth the simple souls as the serpent did Eue who begaÌ„ first with the woman the weaker vessell whereby diuines vnderstand the sensual part or inferior part to reason proposed things that seemed delectable reasonable and good and so in the end drew reason and all awry making her to consent by answering first doubtfully and so made her doe the things vnlawfull but if shee neuer had stood to haue reasoned or answered the wily serpeÌ„t but had fled him at first she had neuer bin ouercome The diuel theÌ„ in like maner against the simple childreÌ„ of Gods Church taketh the bodies of heretiks his members speaketh in theÌ„ as in paradise he spake in the body of the serpent so poore simple soules listning to his wily crafts he deceiueth vnder pretence of good casteth them out of paradise Christs kingdome that is his holy Church wherefore flie you alwaies the whispering of that olde serpent in heretikes that you be not deceiued with theÌ„ For heresy creepeth as a canker and the diuels deceipts be diuers many somtimes he armeth hiÌ„ selfe against the people of God with the word of God euill vnderstood to ouerthrow the truth of Gods word in this SacrameÌ„t other misteries of our redeÌ„ption as wheÌ„ Christ saith poore men shal you Ioh. 12. 8. alwaies hauâ— c. meaning passible in forme of pouerty but not by withdrawing himself from vs by his corporal preseÌ„ce in this B. Sacram. as wheÌ„ it is said he is risen asceÌ„ded into heaueÌ„ we must vn derstand he is neuerthelesse in his sacred flesh meat indeed in this miraculous mistery and so in spirit truth with vs all daies euen to the end of the worlde For Christ ascended into heaueÌ„ there sitting at the right hand of his father and leauing vs the beliefe thereof as a chiefe article of our faith Christ made his owne supper saying This is my Bodye and commaunded his Apostles and their successors to make the same saying doe and make this thing for the rememberance of me Therfore neither the making of Christs bodye neither the beleefe thereof can be contrary to the sitting of Christ at the right hand of his father Againe sith nothing is impossible to God albeit that which implieth contradiction in it selfe be therefore impossible because it repugneth to the truth it felfe which is God is it not possible to God Christ shoulde both be in heauen after one visible sort and in the Sacrament after a misticall sort It were impossible for the body of Christ both to be in heauen and not in heauen or to be in the Sacrament and not to bee there in the same respect but to bee in heauen and in the Sacrament or to bee in many places at once that maketh no contradiction but only sheweth an allmighty infinite power in him who worketh it In somuch as Christ is allmighty to sitt at the right hand of God he is able to performe his owne word gift in the Sacrament of the Altar and therefore in the sixt of S. Iohn when hee spake of eating his flesh and drinking his bloud which he would giue he also declared that he would go vp into heauen in his man-hoode where hee was before in his god-head And that thing hee spake as S. Cirillus hath noted to declared that he was God and therfore able to worke that which hee spake of in so much as his wordes were Spirit and Chris de sacerdotiâ— lib. 3. Life For this cause S. Chrysostome crieth out O miraculum O dei benignitatem O miracle O goodnes of God hee that sitteth aboue with the Father in the same very momente of time is touched with the handes of men and deliuereth himselfe to those that will receaue and imbrace him seeme these thinges worthy to bee despised and neglected thou shalt perceaue our holye things not only to bee wonderfull but also exceed all wondring and astonying of the mind Thus saith S. Chrisostome This Blessed Sacrament then thus miraculously instituted by Christ for a perfect memorye of his death and pleadge of his infinite loue with all reuerence and honor is to bee vvorshipped and vvith gratefull memories and pure hartes to bee receaued of vs seeing hee coulde shevv vs no greater token of vnmeasurable loue then this by giuing himselfe wholy vnto vs nor deuise any more excellent way to declare the same For as a man that in fight is wounded with a scarre in his face for his friendes sake comming with that in his face putteth his frend in more perfect memorye of his loue then if hee left or sent him an hundreth other tokens so Christ for our loue taking a deepe vvounde to death coulde leaue vs no more perfect memory thereof then his ovvne bodye in an vnspeakable mistery whereby his death is shewed vntill hee come to iudgment at the end of the vvorlde For euen as the noble actes vvhich other men haue donne bee written vpon their sepulchers so in this memorie of Christ his actes are daylie shewed and rehearsed Then his Incarnation is beâ—okened most mistically vvhen breade is made fleshe as the vvorde was before made fleshe and that Incarnation is represented in outvvarde shevv also by singing of the Angells hymne Glory bee to God in the highest Then See here how in the B. Sacrament at Masse the whole life death and resurrection of Christ is represented the going before of
shewed him by most graue authoritie which was said to be Christ if such thing had beene taught him he for his part was so obedient to beleeue so willing to adore Christ that he woulde haue done any thing which had beene commaunded him vnder the name of Christ or of his religion Is this a fault why the poore man should be condemned no surelye seeing the prophet Dauid saith Vt iumentum Psal 62. factus sum apudte I am become as it were a beast before thee It is laudable saith Enthymius that in the sight of God we take our selues as beasts which being so I can deuise no fault in this poore and simple man who if he be deceaued he is deciued by Christ by his forefathers by diuers Catholicke and vertuous preachers by the vertue of humility of obedience and of pure loue towardes God But on the other side if Christ call one of them before him who denieth his reall presence and aske him why hee did not beleeue the Sacrament of the Altar to bee the body of Christ what will he answere for himselfe will he say Sir I beleeued your body to sitt at the right hand of God the father and therefore that your body was not in the Priests hande Why then thinkest thou that I am not able to make the same which is at the right hand of my father to be also present vnder the forme of bread Sir whether you are able or no I can not say But I haue heard many preachers tell that one bodye cannot be at one time in diuers places O how dreadfully would Christ answere in this case Did not those preachers whome thou pretendest to follow say alwayes they preached to thee the sincere worde of God did they not by that colour ouerthrow Monastaries Churches Altars Images of Saints and mine owne Image and Crosse Did they not deny the sacrifice of the Masse Praying for the dead such like auncient vsages only for pretence of the word of God nowe se how inexcusable they and thou art I saide Take eate This is my Bodye I said this to twelue men I gaue each of them my body bad make that thing as it is written in the Gospell I shewed at Capharnaum that I was signed of my father and equall with him in power they them selues beleue that I made all creatures places times of nothing nowe is it doubted how I am able to make my body present vnder the forme of bread in diuers paâ—ces Yea to mainteine the better the argumeÌ„t against my almighty power they say I entred not into my Disciples the dores being shutt but either preuented the shutting of them contrary to the wordes of my Gospell or came in by the windowe as theeues do or by some hole as creepers do yea any thing is sooner beleeued theÌ„ my diuine strength and working thou Hypocrite seeing the worde of God hath it written fower times in the newe Testament This is my body how coÌ„mest thou to talke with me of my sitting in heaueÌ„ as though one of my workes were contrary to the other if in deed thou hadst bin humbly perswaded that I were god thou wouldest not measure my almighty power by thy simple witt Thou art twice condemned first for deniall of a truth and againe for denying it against my expresse worde which thou pretendest to esteeme and pronouncest it false If the poore man say he knewe not so much nor sawe not the falsehood of that argument and begin to accuse the false preachers who deceaued him Christ may well say that he was not deceaued for before these false preachers began their false doctrine he had said This is my Bodye and This is my Bloud and all the world beleeued and taught the reall presence of Christs body and bloud fiftene hundred yeares togither what cause now hadst thou to beleeue a newe Gospel and newe preachers thereof forsooth Sir they said the Bishop of Rome had deceaued vs. If in this case Christ tell him that the Bishop of Rome were the successor of Saint Peter and so his Vicar hauing promise by him not to erre in faith and yet that he alone taught not that Doctrine but that all the Bishoppes Doctors and Preachers of the whole Church taught the same from the beginning and that Christ himselfe had said the same that all the Euangelists and the Apostle Saint Paul had written the same that all faithfull men beleeued the same what excuse can hee haue who forsooke CHRIST the Apostles the Bishopps the Fathers the Preachers and the whole Church to follow an vpstart renegate Frier who began his doctrine so ambitiously and proudly who liued so euill and died so terribly that his very abhominable dealing with great princes his shamefull incest and horrible death might make any good man weary to thinke vpon him much lesse shoulde any haue followed him To be short answere the poore man for himselfe what he may yet he cannot deny but that both Christ said This is my body and the Church taught the same yet beleeued he not this to be the body of Christ and therefore is one of them who beleeue not and without faith which is but one there is no saluation no pleasing of God no part in the kingdome of heauen which thing if they that be aliue will consider they may returne againe to the Catholicke faith and Church and so be made liuely members of Christs body whereof Christ is the Sauiour O but the Hereticke still vrgeth if I eate Christ really then I feede not of him spiritually I answere it is the fondest kinde of reasoning in the worlde by one truth to deny an other seeing both stande togither Is my faith the lesse because Christ was bodely seene in earth howe is then my spirituall feeding the worse because the foode of life is in my mouth Doth not Tertullian say the flesh is fedde De resurrect cor with the body and bloud of Christ to the ende the soule may be made fat with God and yet will the Heretickes say Christ in his last supper left vs but a figure of his body Except yee eate the flesh of the sonne of man is in deede a figure and the speaking thereof is figuratiue because it was not meant that a man should be visibly eaten as flesh is at common tables but yet that he shoulde be really eaten albeit the maner of eating be figuratiue as we knowe S. Augustine then as I said before calling those wordes except yee eate my flesh figuratiue referreth the figure to the manner of eating but not to the substance which is to be eaten for else if by no meane the flesh of Christ might be eaten it shoulde not be eaten by faith but if it may so be eaten it may be eaten by mouth also in that pure manner as it is giuen vs. The whole man must eate as well in body as in soule because the whole is taken and assumpted of Christ the
mighty power to whome nothing is impossible But o how happy was the time when men beleeued stedfastly and doubted nothing of Godes promise in this his so vnspeakable a gift and so worthelye receaued the fruites thereof whereas miscreantes now both deny the truth and shewe themselues most ingratfull in not only denying the truth but thinking most basely of his diuine ordinance O horrible ingratitude in steed of the Prince and king of heauen and earth left vs in this Sacrament to feed men with a peece of beead like to the vncleane hogg that refuseth the precious pearle and feeddeth of the pease shaling in the clay O vvhat coulde CHRIST haue done more for vs then he did and how more vnthankfull can these men shew themselues to him then they doe which most displeaseth him and hindreth his bountye towardes vs for this vnthankfullnes is a vice that drieth vp the fountaine of Gods grace in mans soule Flie then such lying Masters I saye and their wicked deuises taste no more of their baite that draweth to death but beleeue and prepare your selues with al purity of body and soule to receaue in the blessed Sacrament Christ the food of life and so you shall reape the wonderfull fruites thereof which bee many infinit First by worthy receauing of this most venerable Sacrament manie sinnes we could not remember in confession bee forgiuen vs so hot is the fire of GODS loue towardes vs herein if wee receaue him with feruour that it againe boileth and consumeth in vs al defects and imperfections with the relikes of sinne as fire purifieth mettalls from drosse and corruption which was signified by the Pascall lambe rosted and those holocausts or whole burnt sacrifices of the lawe Besides this it giueth most plentifully of grace to the well disposed it infeebleth our passions and inordinate motions maketh lesse and weaker all tentations bodely and ghostly giueth strength that wee consent not to them but to our great merit may ouercome them Wherefore saith a blessed Father If thou feele not so ofte violent tentations of the fleash thanke Christ for the grace that this holy Sacrament worketh in thee Moreouer in this B. Sacrament we cheifly exercise faith to our greatest merit beleeuing Christ aboue reason and not our sences and that right worthely For if as we reade of a sort of Phylosophers they would câ—edit what their Masters said and neuer reason the matter but say Ipse dixit our Master said it accounting it a sure ground great reason then haue we Christians to giue credit to our Master Christ the truth whose wordes cannot faile reasoning no farther but say Ipse dixit Christ our Master said This is my body that hee saide it this is a sure grounde Likewise in worthy offering receauing this B. Sacrament we giue due thankes to God for his wonderfull benefits which of our selues we coulde neuer be able whereupon the holy Prophet in spirit long before considering the wonderfull benefits of God bestowed herein which of himselfe man could neuer be able to requite burst our into these wordes Quid retribuam Domino Psal 115. c. O what shall I requite to my Lord God for all his goodnesse bestowed on me I will saith he take the Cup of our Lord call vpon his holy name See the mercy of God who bestoweth such benefits vpon vs that none is able to requite and yet we in receauing these pretious gifts and offering his benefits to him againe he accepteth it for a sufficient requitall Also in this B. Sacrament as I saide before we represent mostliuely Christs Passion before our eyes and imitate him therein This is a sacrifice propitiatory both for the quicke and the deade which with the three Sages we ought to honour with all diuine honour and worship prostrate both in body and minde as the holie Prophet foretolde saying All the families of nations shoulde worshippe in his sight Psal 21. And in an other place Adorabunr scaâ—ellum c. they shall worshippe his footestoole that is as S. Augustnie vnderstandeth his body or humanity the seate or his footestoole as vnited to his diuinity By this Sacrament and sacrifice we worshippe God and chiefly acknowledge there is a true God by this sacrifice Gods wrath is chiefly auerted yea and sufficiently appeased for our I meane it is sufficient of it self as the example of that vpon the Crosse but to vs according to our disposition sinnes which sacrifice euer acceptable in his sight he neuer denieth as being most glorified thereby which is his only most deare sonne So that it is ioyfull to Angels in heauen comfortable to men in earth and healthfull to the faithfull departed and the chiefe honour to God here on earth neither is there any thing so sufficient a remedy to release the faithfull departed speedely of their paines and bring them to the glory of God as this Sacrament and sacrifice To be briefe this blessed Sacrament and our pure and vubloudy sacrifice Christs very body and bloud in deede is the very body and bloud that was borne of the B. Virgin and suffered death vpon the Crosse by meanes vvhereof vve be incorporate vnited or knit vnto Christ our head made one flesh of his saered flesh and bloud by meanes vvhereof we receiue herein a pleadge most soueraigne to appeare glorious vvith him at the last day Who is it then but for to be worthely partaker of so great a benefit if he well consider but woulde vvillingly loose two hundred markes for that paine besides imprisonment O dolefull daies English statutes set downe for hearing one Masse For so long as vve remaine in the knot of peace vnity and charity that is be members of Christs misticall body the Church by worthely receauing this venerable Sacrament his very body so long we be the very flesh and body of Christ flesh of his sacred flesh and bloud and may say with a reuerent Father to our vnspeakable comfort we are thy flesh and bloud O Iudge of the liuing and the dead we are thy members how vnworthy soeuer yet thy members haue we neuer left off or ceased to be we neuer from thy body by heresy or schisme deuided our selues thy flesh good Lord then wilt thou not despise thy fleshe thou wilt not hate thy flesh thou wilt neuer condemne we haue no hope no trust no other glory but that thou art our flesh and we thy flesh Chap. XXX Containing a breife recapitulation of things touched in the treatise of this Sacrament and declaring that lay persons be not desrauded of the bloud of Christ nor healthfull fruite of the Sacrament in receauing vnder one kinde O The infinit loue of Christ to mankinde that with such sweet pure and vndefiled kisses imbracings of loue and charity knits and tieth vs fast togither vnto him O Lorde it is meruaile that oâ—r harts doe not for loue as it were burst asonder when we consider the most deare and tender loue of
Diuel and all his members and to our vnspeakable comfort and endlesse ioy in heauen that whereas here vvee nowe truly receaue CHRIST in this vnspeakeable misterie there wee may bee fedde and enioy his presence in that endlesse glorie vvhich hee onr LORD IESVS graunt who bee blessed for euer But yet moreouer one thing is to bee considered touching the manner of receauing this blessed Sacrament vvhich is that although CHRIST gaue this blessed Sacrament vnto his Apostles vnder both kindes that is his body and bloud apart and although both Bishops and Priests as oft as they celebrate Masse according to Christs institution are to receaue vnder both kinds yet the holy Church vpon most weighty consideration giueth the lay people but only one kind that is the holy Host Christs body and that which the Priest or Clarke giueth them after in the Chalice or in a glasse is but wine to washe their mouthes lest any of the holy Host shoulde be left behinde or sticke in the mouth neither are lay persons in this receauing vnder one kinde defrauded of the bloude of Christ nay they receaue in that one kinde as fully and perfectly Christ as the Priest that may liuely represent Christs Passion and shedding of his bloud as the publicke Minister of the Church receaueth both For though his body be consecrated apart and his bloud apart in mistery to signifie the effusion thereof and his death in his Passion yet Christ is not deuided and therefore whosoeuer receaueth his bodye likewise receaueth hys bloud as being nowe inseperably ioyned together For although through the force of the words of the Sacrament by consecration the body and bloud be seuerally present vpon the Altar yet by the concommitance naturall and inseparable vnion betwixt them it necessarily followeth that where the body is there also is the bloud and where the bloud there likewise the body Yet sor feare of inconueniences that might chaunce if the common people should receaue vnder both kindes yea and for conseruation of vniformity in receauing this B. Sacrament the knot of peace in all persons and places of the worlde and for other iust causes the holy Church who hath to dispose of this B. Sacrament as of the rest according to time and place for the most edifying of the people giueth it them vnder one kinde only knowing that Christ hath promised as much grace and saluation to the one kinde as to both For he that said the 6. of S. Iohn Vnlesse you eate the flesh of the sonne of man drink his bloud you shall not haue life in you hee likewise in the same chapter saide He that eateth this bread shall liue for euer yea he our Sauiour likewise as appeareth the 24. Chap. of S. Luke gaue it two of his disciples vnder one kind when he tooke bread blessed and gaue to them and their eyes were opened and they knewe him which was that bread as manye learned fathers vnderstand that bread of life I saye that came downe from heauen Christ himself his blessed body which would GOD the heretickes in true faith and charitye would dispose them selues with vs yea and the Disciples of Christes to receaue then no doubt their eyes would bee opened to see and bee partakers of the truthe whose eyes alas infidelity pride and other sins haue so blinded that whereas at first some of them began to contend for the cup the bloud of our Lord in breaking vnity charity in departing from the church they haue of Gods hea uy iustice and iudgement who in obstinat sinners suffereth one sinne to bee the punishment of an other lost both body bloud the price of their redemption al. Likwise as it appeareth in the acts of the Apostles they also themselus Act. 2. 42. ca. 20. 7 sometimes gaue it the people vnder one kinde as the Church now vniuersally doth through the whole world practise and vse and of most auncient time the people receaued vnder one kind as by many testimonies miraculous examples when in the Primatiue Church this B. Sacrament vnder one kinde as now was reserued caried about and giuen to the lay people if leasure and time would permit me I could shewe most euidently proue The Arke of God also carried about the wales of Hierico with solemnity of trumpets whereby the munitions of the impious fell downe betokening this B. Sacrament the Arke of the liuing God with all honour solemnly carried in Procession with all jubely of harts melody of voyces grauity of the Ecclesiasticall and noble personages adorned with most precious attire and riche ornaments assisted vvith troupes of the deuout people of both sectes euerye one occupied in their degree some hanging the streetes and wales with cloath of their best Tapestrie and Aurice like the true Israelites that furnished the tabernacle and adorned Salomons temple with their riches and Iewells others with the deuout companies of the Iewes spread their garments in the waies and strew the streats with rushes herbes flowers palme boughs and fragment blossomes others like valiant souldiers of that worthye Gedeon carry vvith exultations torches and lightes in their handes and sound out with great solemnity and pleasant harmony the sacred bells materiall trumpets of Christ his Church and other musicall instruments others with holy Ioseph Nichodemus and those deuout woemen couer as is meete the most maiesticall and venerable Sacrament the most blessed bodye of our Lorde with their white and finest sindons and most precious Iewells others with all or with the greatest parte of their riches and posessions chiefly in the honour hereof haue erected Altars of the best marble siluer golde and precious sâ—ones and haue builded most magnificent temples in diuers nations of the world litle inferour to Salomons temple in greatnes but farre excceding it in true honor and glory by the pure gratfull and sincere worship of God in that healthfull Sacrisice In temples this diuine mistery is reserued in guilt tabernacle with lampe and light to the comfort of the faithfull and health of the sicke from hence in solemne procession it is caried in holye vessell and sacred hands through Church princely street and couered path young olde of all states degrees prostrating themselues in body and mind singing with ioyfull harts sweet coÌ„sent in voice with those deuout children of God Hosanna filio Ioh. 12. 13. Dauid blessed be he that commeth in the name of our Lord. And so the deuout army of God carying the banners displaied with the triumphant ensigne and standerd of the Crosse beseech him for Christ his sonnes sake there present al of one hart and accord that the rocks of sinne and walles of Satan may be pulled down that the people of God may haue true libertye the weedes of iniquitye may be rooted out true vertue may be exalted iustice executed God chieflye honoured and gloryfied in his people that so Christ resting in his sacred tabernacle remayning in his holy
diuine honor yet honorably to conserue and keepe them deuoutly to beholde or kisse them and to shew certaine reuerence towards them in that they be reliques and tokens left vs by such deere seruantes and friends of God we be taught both by the holy Scriptures practize of Gods Church from Christs time and the testimony of all good men which declare that by the reliques of Saints that is deade mens bones as the heretikes tearme them many great miracles haue been wrought Bid your Ministers looke in the 4. booke of Kinges and in the 13. chapter and see whether they cannot finde there in holy Scripture how when certaine men cast a dead body into the graue of Elizeus the Prophet as soone as the body touched the holy Prophets bones it rose vp aliue againe and stood vpon his feete Can heretickes blame vs for keeping vestments and cloathes of Saints departed when wee reade in holy Scripture that Elizeus by 4. Reg. 2. keeping his Master Elias his cloake receaued with all his double spirit and comming to the riuer Iordan striking it with that cloake the riuer deuided and by vertue thereof gaue him passage Mar. 5. 28. 29. Act. 19. 12. Act. 5. 15. ouer What did not the very hemme of Christs garment napkins and little cloathes taken from S. Paules body and the shadowe of S. Peter heale and cure the sicke lame and diseased with incurable diseases what need we goe farther for Reliques of Saints then to plaine Scripture itselfe were not all the Patriarkes buried with great honour did not Ioseph according to his father Iacobs cōmandemēt carry his body dead into the land of promise And were not Iosephs bones 400. yeares after his death with great honour by the children of Israell carried into the land of promise also and dare heretickes burne the bones sacred bodies of Martirs Saints and cast their ashes into the winde and waters rent teare their vestments asunder yea most vilanously breake downe and abuse the Image and sacred Crosse of CHRIST the verye ensigne of our redemption and yet saye they haue Scripture for it But these bodies of Saints bee they neuer so much abused by them shall appeare glorious in the resurrection vvhen Infidelles and Heretickes that teare CHRISTS misticall bodye his Church and his coate asunder shall vvithout all doubt frie for it in Hell I coulde shewe diuers miracles likevvise since CHRISTS time but time serueth mee not vvhich haue beene vvrought at the bodies of Saints As Saint Augustine maketh mention Aug. lib. 22. de ciu Dei cap. 8 of the Reliques of Saint Stephen whereby vvere cured diseases Yea by the very flowers that touched the Cophin vvherein his Reliques vvere put miraculous thinges vvere vvrought Wee reade also how that by the vaile of a certaine blessed Virgine and Martyr the outragious and furious flames of fire which threatned ruyne to some whole Citty haue beene quenched by Saintes bodies the Diuels expelled to the blinde their sight restored and the lame made to vvalke Howe miraculouslye vvere the two Chaynes that at Ierusalem and Rome bounde Saint Peter of them-selues knitte togither and the like vvhereby it appeareth how mightye and high their Lorde is howe good and gratious that so highlye honoureth the verye bones or reliques of his deare friendes that trulye serued and loued him here giuing other thereby encouragement to follovve their example Which honoure giuen by GOD to his friendes and seruantes when the Holye Prophete considered hee wondered at sayng Thy friendes O God bee Psal 138. 17. too too much honoured But the heretikes that not onlye denye prayer for the soules departed but withall burne and so dishonour the reliques of Saintes both which the honourable reliques of Saintes and prayer for the soules departed bee great hopes and comfortes of the resurrection truly in my simple judgement doe shoote fast to deny another article of our Creed that is the resurrection of the body and all with which denyall as I doe not alltogither charge them yet to confesse the truth I iustye suspecte them and let them not say but they haue beene forewarned Chap. LII Of honour and inuocation of Saints and how Saints pray for vs and may heare releeue vs by their praiers as also that our praiers to Saints and their intercession for vs is no iniury but glory to Christ our Mediator TOuching the Saints in Heauē our prayers and honour vvee doe to them such honour and prayers bee by farre and by many degrees inferiour to those that we doe to God naye what honour vvee doe to Saintes it tendeth chieflye to Godes honour who is honoured in his Saintes vvho accepteth the least seruice wee doe to any of his friends as done vnto him Novve you must vnderstand their be diuers kindes of vvorshippes and honours according to the worthines of the persons we shew it to as one kind of honour is due to father and mother another kinde of worship or honor to gentlemen our betters another higher honour to temporall Lordes Princes Bishops and the like and yet when wee doe this honour to them which by Godes Commaundement is due because they take power of him there is no reasonable man that can say wee dishonour God therein but rather honour him in so doing So likewise wee honour Saints as great friendes of God Princes and Senators in that heauenly court with an honour due vnto them which kinde of honour the Greekes call Dulia and wee right worthely worshippe and honour our blessed Lady as being neerest Christ with another kind of honour cal led Hyperdulia higher then that againe but wee honour GOD alone with that most high honour and seruice called Latria vvhich honour is due to none but to God only to whome finally and alone in this high seruic◠is due all honour and glory and with this most high seruice vvhich is Sacrifice vvee only vvorshippe God and no Saint For we say not we offer to thee Peter or Paul Sed offerrimus tibi domine deus Wee offer and doe Sacrifice to thee O Lord for in this manner of honour that is Sacrifice he will giue his honour to no other Heretikes nowe confound all these honours together making no distinction or difference betweene them whereby they deceaue them selues and others vvee then neither honour our Lady Saints nor Angels vvith that honour due vnto God but with such honour as is meete for his friendes and most noble creatures in whome God is chiefly honoured and praysed but touching Sacrifice which is proper to God that diuine worship I say consisting in external sacrifice and in acknowledging the parties worshiped to be Gods is it which may bee done to no man nor creature and therefore the Apostles refused it with all possible diligence and all the Angels and Saints in heauen refuse that adoration by Sacrifice The Catholicke Church suffereth no Priest nor other so to worshippe any Saints in heauen or in earth shee hath