and yet remaine still in heauen with many such strange interrogations which wee knowe rather by diuine faith supernaturallie infused vnto vs then by any naturall reason conceiued by our grosse vnderstandinge which according to Aristotle in his metaphisickes is as ignorante of naturall knowledge in respecte of thinges naturall as the owle is of the sunne in the middell of the daie So as this holie doctor impugneth these interrogations as arguments of incredulitie and lacke of faith which are interrogations of the Iewes and protestāts both which as they agree by two sundrie extreames in this infidelitie of discreditinge Gods omnipotencie soe if yow compare both those extreamities together you shall finde also that these mens extreame madnes deserueth more blame and farr exceedeth that of the Iewes 3. But the catholique church vseth a meane betweene both for it vseth none of those incredulous questions which Saincte Chrisostome cōdemneth but simply beleeueth that to be trewe which Christe affirmeth shee holdeth not with the capharnits whoe thought because he said his fleash was meate indeede they should eate him visibly nor yet with the sacramētaries who thincke because he said it is the spiritt that giueth life therfore this fleash is to be eaten by faith onlye But contrarie to them both and in the righte meane and trewe meaninge betweene both ioyninge all Christs woordes together it concludeth that vnder the forme of bread Christes trewe flesh is realy and substantially receaued by sayinge vnder the forme of bread it taketh away the Capharnits grosse and carnall imagination by affirming trewe flesh realy and substantially to be presente it condemneth the protestants spirituall and faithlesse figuratiue intention in all which the Catholique church is sufficientlie grounded and instructed by the plaine authoritie of Christs owne words touchinge the truth of their pretended difficultie For in the 6. chapter of S. Iohn are thies woordes I am the liuely bread which came downe from heauen if any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer And the bread which I shall giue is my fleshe which I shall giue for the life of the world And where the Iewes fell at variance amoungest themselues saying How can this man giue vs his flesh to eate Iesus said vnto them Verilie verilie I say vnto yow vnles yow eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drincke his blood yow shall not haue life in yow he that eateth my flesh and drincketh my blood hathe life euerlastinge and I shall raise him vpp at the latter day for my flesh is verilie meate and my bloode is verilie drinke he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him c. 4. This comunication our Lord had with the Iewes teachinge in the sinagoge at Capharnaum Mat. 26. Marc. 14. Luc. 22. and a twelmoneth after at his last supper when he instituted the same blessed Sacramente and performed his foresaid promise as they were at supper as the Euangelist saith Iesus tooke bread gaue thancks and blessed and brake it and gaue it to his disciples sayinge Take and eate this is my bodie which is giuen for yow this doe in the remembrance of me likewise takinge the challice after he had supped he gaue thanckes and gaue it them sayinge Take and diuide it amounge yow and drinke all of this this is my blood of the newe testamente S. Paule writeth thus much to the Corinthians saying For I haue receaued of our Lord that which I haue deliuered vnto yow for our Lord Iesus the same nighte he was betrayed tooke bread and giuinge thancks brake and said take and eate this is my body which shal be deliuered for yow doe this in remembrāce of me likewise the chalice also after he had supped sayinge This chalice is the newe testament in my blood doe this soe often as yee shall drinke in the remembrance of me for soe often as yow shall eate this bread and drinke this chalice yea shal shewe forth our Lords death vntill he come wherfore whosoeuer shall eate the bread and drincke of the challice of our Lord vnworthilie shal be guiltie of the bodie and blood of our Lord. But lett a man examine himselfe and soe let him eate of the bread and drinke of the chalice for he that eateth and drinketh vnworthilie eateth and drinketh his owne iudgmente not discerning the body of our Lord. Yow see plainlie the beleefe of the catholique church to be noe forged beleefe but moste firmelie builded vppon Christs plaine wordes as the 4. Euangelists and S. Paule doe wittnesse by which the vndoubted doctrine of this highe misterie of the blessed Sacramente of the alter is substancially and most certainly confirmed Chrys in Math ho. 83. 5. But to confirme the same by the testimonies of the fathers S. Chrisostome saith Sicut in veteri c. Euen as in the olde testamente soe likewise in the newe Christe hath for our benefitt lefte behinde him and gathered together the memorie of his misteries bridlinge therby the mouthes of heretiques for when they aske how it is proued that Christe was sacrificed and put to death besides many other thinges to musell and shutt vpp their mouthes with all wee shewe thē these misteries for if Christ died not whereof is this sacrifice a pledge and token Thus yow see how diligente Christe was and desirous that wee should haue continually his death in remembrance For whereas these heretiques Marcion Valentinus Manicheus and their disciples did denie this dispensation and worke of God in flesh Christe by this misterie soe bringeth vs allwayes in minde of his passion that no man vnlesse he be madde can be seduced By which woordes of S. Chrisostome the certeintie of Christs bodie in the Sacrament is proued for by the truthe thereof beleeued therein Marcion a foresaid and Valentinus and other like heretiques were confounded who said Christe had noe true bodie in which he mighte suffer on the crosse but if the church should haue holden in the tyme of S. Chrisostome that Christe was presente only in the Sacramente by a figure nothinge could haue bene concluded against those heretiques for they denied not but it was figuratiuely also present one the crosse Wee must also vnderstand that this Sacrament is a pleadge or token not as the sacramentaries would wreaste it vid. a pleadge or token of his passion which is liuelie there represented and brought to remembrance by the trewe presence of that selfe same body that suffred And therfore Christe at the institution of this Sacrament after he had said take eate this is my body adioyned therunto those other woordes Doe this in the remembrance of me which woordes Sainct Paule expoundeth verie plainly sayinge Soe often as yow shall eate this bread and drinke of this chalice yee shall shewe forth our Lordes death vntill he come 6. The said S. Chrisostome in the foresaid homilie vppon this texte hoc est corpus meum saith lett vs haue noe doubte but beleeue and
decreede and the sentence of Anathema was pronounced against all those that should hould the contrarie And whosoeuer will not obey these generall councells assembled together by the vertue of the holie ghoast whose asistance was promised vnto the church in such occasions doth iniurie not onlie to the church but also vnto that holy spirite of these kind of people is said vos durae ceruicis spiritui sancto resistitis you stiffnecked people yow resist the holy ghoaste None ought to prefer his priuat opinion before the generall definition of a generall councell Therfore the Emperor Marcianus after the definition and ordinaunces of the councell of Chalcedon said he is a wicked and sacrilegious person that would oppose his owne priuate opinion against the authoritie of the whole churche in such a generall assemblie and this is the cause that S. Aug. defended S. Cyprian from heresie for that it was not decreede by any generall councell that such as were baptized by heretiques should be rebaptized againe as the said S. Cyprian helde and because the Donatistes did persiste in this doctrine after the definition of the generall councell they were condemned of the churche for heretiques as S. Aug. doth testifie and therfore those dogmatistes of our time because they defende not onlie this doctrine but also many other peruerse and damnable opinions not onlie against the definition of these generall councells but also against godes ordinances ought to be reputed for heretiques 11. S. Thomas doth saie D. Thom. in 6. Iohn lect 7. that it was the custome of the churche for danger of sheddinge that the priest at the alter should receaue vnder both kindes the laytie vnder one kinde for this said he is not against Christs institution for whosoeuer receaues the bodie receaues the blood alsoe because that Christe is vnder both kindes aswell in respecte of his bodie as his bloode Exod. 16. Genes 14. For all sacrifices did appertaine vnto the priestes the Manna the paschall lambe was eaten of the people which were figures of this Sacramente and they were not comaunded to drincke after it And although you vrge that Melchisedec did offer bread and wyne in token of this Sacrament I aunswere that he was a prieste for so the scripture saith Erat enim sacerdos Dei altissimi for he was a priest of the highe God In our Lordes prayer wee aske our dailie bread without wyne Tertul. in orat Dom. Ambr. l. 5 de sacra Hier. c. 6. Matt. homil 9. Aug. l. 50. which petition many holy doctors doe interprete to be mente of the Eucharist and when our Lord had fedd soe many thowsands there is noe mention made either of water or of wine that feedinge beinge a figure or token of the holy bread of the alter by which the faithfull Christians are releeued For our Lord makes mention of the Chalice but thrice of the eatinge of the bread he makes mention fifteene tymes soe as wee may perceaue that the churche may vse both the kindes seuerallie Qui manducat hunc panem viuet in aeternum Theophil in eadem verba Aug. li. de consensu Euangeli c. 25. ser in seria 2. illius diei Beda lib Comment in Lucam Petr. Damianus Card lib. de diuinis officijs 12. Christ also goinge to Emaus sittinge at the table did feede only the twoe disciples with breade alone and being perceaued in the breakinge of the bread did vanish awaye by which fraction or breakinge many holy fathers did vnderstande the Euchariste wherby wee may gather that the Euchariste was giuen vnto the laytie vnder one kinde vppon easter daye that is to say to Cleophas and to Lucke as many saie And although they were the disciples of Christe yet they were not priestes For at his last supper he did not saie to others then to the twelue Apostles these wordes Doe this in remembrance of me and vnto those disciples that went to Emaus he gaue onlie the bread without wine so vanished awaye Epistola Ephesios 13. S. Ignatius made mention but of one kinde to be giuen to the laytie Eruditi à paracleto c. Yow beinge instructed of the holly ghoast remaininge in true obedience to the Bishops priests which breake the bread vnto yow with due respecte and perfect deuotioÌ„ which is the medicine of mortalitie the onelie preseruatiue of life against death by Iesus Christ The blessed Sainte did not speake any thinge of the Chalice when the Pope goeth in any pilgrimadge or iourney he carries with him the blessed Sacramente but vnder one kinde Hier. in Apolog. pro libris contra IouinianuÌ„ S. Hierom doth reporte that it was the custome of the faithfull at Rome to haue our Lordes body at home in their houses because they did not presume to goe to the church beinge letted by coniugall societie which saith he I doe not commend or discommend S. Ambrose also doth reporte Ambr in orat funebrii de obitu fratris sui Satyr that his brother carried with him this dreadfull hoaste to sea and hauing suffred shipwreacke did by vertue of this blessed Sacrament escape drowninge the blood he did not carry beinge not soe conueniente for carriadge The Christians did in tyme past vse to carrie with them the Sacrament vnder one kinde least in their greatest danger of death they should not be releued of their greatest liuely â—oode S. Ambrose in the houre of his death did receaue the blessed Sacramente of the Bishopp of Vercell vnder one kinde Paulinus in vita eius as Paulinus doth reporte The like is also reported of S. Patronilla S. Hierome S. Martyn S. Benedict S. Lucia S. Francis of whome the histories make mention that in the time of their death they did communicate vnder one kinde Amphilogius wrote that when S. Basill did celebrate in the church a Iewe went to gaze and to behoulde the christians as they receaued the blessed hoast In vita S. Basil he ioyning himselfe with them sawe an infante diuidinge the hoast in the handes of S. Basill and soe came to all the communicantes as also to the said Iewe which wheÌ„ he receaued the blessed bread was forthwith tourned into fleash and beinge astonished at this miracle he himselfe with his wife and children were made Christians 14. Euagrius a greeke historiographer and Nichephorus doe deliuer vnto vs that it was the aunciente custome in the church of Constantinople to giue vnto children such as went to schoole the relickes and fragments of the blessed hoaste if any were left after the comunicantes but it were great absurditie to giue the relickes of the chalice vnto them their tender age and weake disposition being not capable thereof soe it should be a great indecencie so keepe the same being in a short time subiect to corruption With these children vpoÌ„ a certaine daie went a boy the sonne of a glass-maker who beinge asked of his father what he did with the
Cyprianus Clemens Alexandrinus Athanasius Eusebius Epiphanius Arnobius Hieronymus Ambrosius Augustinus Theodoretus Theophilactus Damascenus and others affirme For Christ offeringe himselfe vnto his Father nowe in heauen before vpon the Crosse cannot be saide that he is a prieste according the order of Melchisedec but rather accordinge to that of Arron as S. Thomas teacheth when he did offer himself in a bloody fashion vpon the Crosse whose oblation was but once and not foreuer as S. Paule saieth for besides that Christ instituted a churche and ordained sacramentes he offered two sacrifices the one on the crosse the other at his last supper both of them but one sacrifice in substance yet differ in forme and manner by that of the crosse Christe was a priest but not an eternall priest nor accordinge to Melchisedech because that was once only offered and being bloodie resembleth not the vnbloodie sacrifice of Melchisedech but by that he offered at his last supper for he by his priestes offeringe still that sacrifice in the Masse is a priest accordinge to Melchisedech whose sacrifice consisted of bread and wine And therfore euen as accordinge to S. Paule Melchisedech was a figure of Christe accordinge to his priest-hoode so was he a figure accordinge to his sacrifice for sacrifice and priest-hoode haue a speciall connexion and relation one with an other but his order can not be said to be in a bloodie manner For wee doe not read that euer Melchisedech did offer any bloodie sacrifice therfore this order must needes consist in an oblation of an vnbloodlie sacrifice And although wee shoulde graunt that he offred himselfe accordinge to both the oblation accordinge the order of Melchisedech and the oblation of the crosse yet the sense of the oblation of the crosse ought not to take awaie the sense of the oblation of the other 7. The third place to proue that it is a sacrifice is by the institution of the Euchariste for when he made an ende of the supper of the lambe that was to be sacrificed it is said our Lord tooke bread for this was the manner that the priest did vse in sacrifice and hauinge lifted vpp his eies as if he woulde offer vpp to his father that holie breade into which as Hierem. saith the Iewes did cast their wodde Hier. 2. and as the Masse or Liturgie of the Greekes hath Liturg. graecor in missa D. Iacobi Accipiens panem in sanctas immaculatas manus c. Takinge the breade into his holie vnspotted innocente immortall handes liftinge vpp his eies and shewinge vnto yow God the Father c. And in the Masse both of the Latines and Greekes it is said Gratias agens giuinge thanks for the redemption of the worlde offeringe therfore vnto his father a sacrifice of thanks giuinge benedixit he blessed neither did he sooner offer then he cōsecrated and consecratinge he offered himselfe willinge to be sacrificed He said also accipite c. Matt. 26. Luc. 22. 2. Cor. 11. Take and eate this is my bodie wherto S. Luke doth add Quod pro vobis datur which is giuen for yow or which is broken for yow as S. Paule hath Quod pro vobis offertur as S. Augustine doth interprete and also it is said of the bloode in the present tense of the four Euangelistes Funditur not because that presentlie out of hande he should be offered vpon the crosse takinge the tyme present for the tyme to come but at this instante he offered himselfe in that heauenlie misterie vnto his father for dare frangere tradere fundere and facere are wordes belonginge vnto a sacrifice for it is said Iohn 3. that God loued the worlde that he should giue his only begotten sonne vid. in sacrifice for vs he did not spare his only sonne sed tradidit but he deliuered him for vs. Rom. 8. Moreouer he was a prieste accordinge to the order of Melchisedech therfore he was to offer in bread and wine as he did 8. Againe he said I desire to eate this Pasche with yow for Pasche is a sacrifice and as euerie man is a liuinge creature so euerie Pasche is a sacrifice which is confirmed in the 6 of S. Iohn Argumentū à specie ad genus affirmatiuum valet Iohn 6. the bread that I shall giue is my fleash for the life of the worlde therfore the bread giuen in the supper doth conteine the fleash giuen for the life of the worlde vppon the crosse for sacrifice so that neither in the supper nor vppon the crosse was it a sacrifice or els in both it was a sacrifice for the worde giuen was repeted twise And although it should be once repeted yet it hath the force of a sacrifice Panis quem ego dabo caro mea est pro mundi vita the bread that I shall giue is my fleash for the life of the worlde For the Eucharist in asmuch as it is a Sacrament profiteth onlie him that receaues it but forasmuch as it is a sacrifice it is the soule of the church and the life of the worlde therfore the bread giuen by Christe and containinge his fleashe necessarily was immolated and sacrificed and also offered vnto his Father Moreouer our Lord saied when he deliuered this bread Rupert D. Thom. Luc. 22. 1. Cor. 11. Do this in remembrance of me by which wordes he shewed the nature of a sacrifice saying as it were hitherto yow haue offered the figuratiue and Paschall lambe nowe I doe not take away the oblation of a sacrifice but I doe transfer and change the same vnto a more worthie oblation of offeringe my bodie and bloode Therfore Pope Leo saieth lett the shadowe giue place to the bodie let Images giue place to the trewe patterne Antiqua obseruatio nouo tollitur Sacramento lett the old custome giue place to the newe sacrament hostia in hostiam transit sanguis sanguinem excludit legalis festiuitas vt mutatur expletur Lett one hoaste passe vnto another one blood doth expell another the accomplishinge of the legall festiuitie doth importe a change thereof 9. This is the cause that Christ that nighte did offer thrise first in a pure figure secondlie he offered his bodie and blood vnder both kindes of bread and wyne which was both the thinge it selfe and a figure last of all he offered himselfe beinge the thinge it selfe vnto death when he went vnto the place where he was taken This is declared in the forme of the cannon of the Masse which S. Ambr. vsed in the church of Millā vid. S. Ambr. Masse Qui sacrificij perennis formam instituens primus omnium hostiam Deo obtulit primus omnium illam docuit offerri who institutinge the forme of the euerlastinge sacrifice as the first of all that offred an hoste vnto God the first that taughte the same to offered The masse of Aethiopia The Church of Aethiopia hath these wordes in the Canon of the Masse related here by
Theophilactus who liued in the yeare of our Lord 800. saying hoc est corpus meum c. this is my bodie he sheweth that the selfe same bodie is bread which is sanctified vpon the alter and not answering a figure for he did not saie this is a figure but this is my body 15. In the life of most sacred diuines I I cannot forgett the worthie and holye Saincte one of the best preachers that was in the worlde since the Apostles tyme I meane Sainct Vincent Ferrer who thus writeth Vincent sermone de institutione Sacrament Eucharist Deus à principio mundi voluit adorari sub aliqua forma God from the beginninge of the world would be adored vnder some forme or visible figure because God accordinge to his substance or essence cannot be perceiued or beholden of any And soe the Patriarches as Adam Abraham and others did behould him vnder an other forme which was not God and soe they adored not the forme or figure but God in the forme or figure Afterwardes in the tyme of the prophetts amoungest whome Moyses was the first vnto whome God appeared in the forme of fire in a burninge flame and Moyses did not adore neither the fire nor the flame but God in that figure Exod. 29. In Exodus God gaue the lawe in Mont Sinai and God discended there in the forme of fire and Moyses and the people did adore God and not the fire but in the forme of the fire Exod. 20. In another place he comaunded Moyses to make the Arck both within and without gilded with gould and soe all the Iewes did adore not the woode thereof or the gould but God which would be adored vnder that forme and soe saith this Father the Iewes doe scorne vs because wee adore God in the forme of bread 3. Reg 8. Soe in the booke of kinges when by gods comaundement Salomon made the Temple and the Arch soe secreetly kepte in Sancta Sanctorum as none could behold it God would be adored vnder the forme of a cloude soe Salamon and all the people did adore not the cloude but God vnder the cloude Afterwardes God came vnder the shape of a man vnder which shape he was also adored of the faithfull and so when he was to passe out of this world he ordayned an other shape vnder which he should be adored which is not the terrible fire neither the Arck or the cloude but the bread which is better then all these formes or figures which giues life because that the life of man principally consisteth in bread and soe wee doe not adore the bread neither that whitenesse which representeth the diuine puritie neither the roundnes thereof which representeth the diuine eternitie which hath neither beginninge nor ende but God vnder the forme of bread as he was honored of the faithfull before his passion as of the Magi of the Leper of the Chananean of the Hemorissa of the blinde borne and of many others and after his passion beinge risen from death he was honnored of the Apostles and of the deuoute women according to Sainct Mathewe And now beinge glorified in heauen wee behoulde him also in the Eucharist and although he discendes daylie therin yett he forsakes not heauen euen as the son giuing light to al the world forsakes not his owne spheare and the voice although it resoundeth in the eares of manny yett it remaines with vs. And if the corruptible or transitorie word or the created lighte can doe this much more the eternall word which was from the beginninge the sunne of Iustice which is Christe Iesus can doe more beinge nowe made flesh and sufferinge for flesh Genes 41. came to feede flesh And as Ioseph was adored in all Egipt because he preuented dearth by prouidinge corne whie should not Christe be adored of the Church in this blessed Sacrament which gaue bread from heauen vnto vs in great aboundance thus he 16. Let vs therfore awake out of sleepe I meane out of the drowsie and slumbering sleepe of sinne and heresie with Elias to eate as the prophet Dauid saith of the bread of Angells 3. Reg. 19. for wee haue a longe iourney in this persecution of the church where already the dreadfull proclamations doe souÌ„d the alarum in all the corners of poore IrelaÌ„d wee ought therfore euerie one to awake and gett vpp oute of the quaikmeere and pit of our former misdeamenors and to prepare our selues with a cleane harte against the thundringe threatnings of this bloody battaile Serm. de Euchar. This is the counsell of S. Cyprian in the persecution of the faithfull that euery one prepare and dispose himselfe to receiue this blessed Sacrament This was done in our dayes by the constant priests at Rochell in those tragicall garboiles of the Hugonitâ—s the cheefe of them beinge called the Abott of S. Bartholomew and the towne beinge surprised by the instigation of one Northe a minister sent thither by Caluine for that purpose And the poore Abbot to fortifie the poore priests did vse vppon the sudden the woordes of consecration vpon comon bread for that he durst not celebrate or reserue the holy hoasts in sacrario for feare they should be cast vnto the doggs or otherwise be irreuerentlie handled as those Hugonotts were accustomed to doe in other places of France and gaue it vnto those constant Martirs to the number of 24. and euerie one of theÌ„ beinge resolued rather to suffer any death then to make shippwracke of their faith were cast headlonge with a great stone about their neckes from the highe steeple that standeth ouer the keye The kinges mother also that constant Martyr receiued this blessed Sacrament before her execution which shee reserued in a sacred pix beinge secreatly sent vnto her Soe as euerie constant Martyr ought to applie to himselfe in his greatest extremitie this soueraigne medicine which is of greater force to animate and fortifie weake fainted harts then all the amber greece in the world and euerie vertuous Christian ought to saie with the Apostle In fide viuo filij Dei Galat 2. I liue in the faith of the sonne of God which loued me and yelded himselfe for me Ephes 2. and soe the same Apostle said in aÌ„ other place which loued his church and yealded himselfe for her and for whose clensinge and purifienge from sinne and saÌ„ctifienge hir with grace as the said Apostle saith 1. Cor. 1. Factus est nobis iustitia sanctificatio redemptio he is sanctification and redemption leuinge vnto vs continually a blessed Iewell which is his sacred flesh to worke those wonderfull effects which noe other flesh could euer bringe to passe for God doth make an instrument of those thinges for our saluation by his grace which otherwise were moste offensiue and hurtfull vnto vs. By the tree wee were made slaues by the noble tree of the crosse wee are made free By the vniuersall diluge of water the whole world
was ouerthrowen by the water of baptisme the same was restored By a dreame Ioseph was made a slaue and abused by a dreame he was sett free and aduaunced to the highest dignitie of Egipt By a woman the whole stock of Adam fell by a wooman the same was raised vpp againe By meat the whole world suffred death as it is written In quacunque die comederis ex ea c. Whatsoeuer houre you shall eat thereof you shall die the death by meate the same obteined life himselfe pronouncinge the same qui manducat hunc panem viuet in aeternum whosoeuer shal eate this bread which he plainly affirmeth to be his fleshe shall liue for euer which fleshe is the only remedie vnto Virgins against the frailtie and raginge concupiscence of fleshly desires although matrimony after the fall of Adam was secondarily ordained against the furious passions therof beinge a secondarie effecte of the same yet in the lawe of grace when a sacred Virgin brought foorth a Virgin withoute the carnall operation of voluptuous sensualitie this virginall immaculate and vnspotted fleash brings foorth soe many millions of Virgins which haue bene and shal be in his church vnto the worldes ende and because you tast not of this fleash makinge it but a bare figure yow cannot liue either chaste or continent much lesse Virgins for it is a cheefe paradox in your doctrine that noe man can liue chaste 17. Lastly this is proued by the infallible trueth of Christs promise Iohn 6. who performed whatsoeuer he promised but he promised plainlie and euidentlie to giue his trewe flesh truely therfore he did performe the same The maior is knowen vnlesse yow will charge Christe with a lie The minor is proued in the 6. chapter of S. Iohn The bread that I shall giue is my fleshe for the life of the world and soe he performed it when he said Hoc est corpus meum And in that place he saith Caro mea verè est cibus sanguis meus verè est potus and also he saith vnto the Iewes vnlesse yow eate of the fleash of the sonn of man yow shall not haue life in yow And when he said trulie he did exclude figuratiuely for the one taketh awaie the force of the other But here perhaps an heretique will obiect that if wee adore the Euchariste for beinge the bodie of Christe the people adoringe the same beinge not consecrated by the iniquitie of the prieste should comitt idolatrie Wherto I aunswere that as Laban causinge Lia to lie with Iacob insteede of Rachell was not any imputation to the saide Iacob he beinge ignorant thereof for that he thoughte her to be his proper wyfe soe it should not be idolatrie for the people ignorantly adoringe Christe in an hoaste not consecrated euen as it is not an offence before God if one should reuerence a false brother for a supposed or pretended vertue though otherwise he were a dissembler for he doth not honnor the impietie of hypocrisie of the said dissembler but the religion and sanctitie that is thought to be in him Or as if a blinde man should saie vnto S. Peter Iesu the sonne of Dauid haue mercie vpon me thincking him to be Christ should not comitt Idolatrie Euen soe the Church should not be deceiued or be conuinced of Idolatrie if a wicked priest would not consecrate through his malicious intent for the catholique faith holdeth it for an assured beleefe that Christe is not in anny hoaste but in that which is rightlie consecrated nor euerie one lawfully regenerated or with God reconsiled that is not lawfully baptised and orderlie and rightlie reconsiled That there is a purgatorie which is proued aswell by Scriptures and auncient Fathers as also euen by the testimonies of Protestant theÌ„selues CHAPTER I. 1. THis is proued by reason for if you grant that God is merciful and iust as indeed he is yow must alsoe proue purgatorie For if a man doe liue most wickedlie all his life without any remorse of conscience or any other pennaunce and at his death doth aske for mercy I thinck yow will not saye he shal be condemned vnto the euerlastinge paines of hell because he sought for godes mercie nor yet shall he enioye presentlie euerlastinge blisse for that God is iust in punishinge the sinnes of wicked people for as S. Gregorie sayes as the shadowe doth followe the bodie soe pennaltie and paines doth followe sinne but he shall not haue euerlastinge paines therfore he must be lyable to a temporall which was not inflicted vppon him in this life tyme therfore in some other place which is purgatorie 2. Although God doth remitt sinne quantum ad reatum culpae which is the guilt of sinne yet he doth not remitt temporall paines as may appeare by Dauid who although his sinnes were remitted vnto him yet he suffred temporall punishment as likewise Ezechias the Niniuites and others who notwithstandinge their sinnes were forgiuen them yet they suffred temporall paines and pennalties in this life as the Israelits whose pennance was that they should not enter into the lande of promise S. August tract c. 24. in Iohn saith productior est pâ—ena quam culpa and therfore the church imposed pennaunce after the absolution as wee may see in Conc. Nyce cap. 12. Laodic c. 1. Dionys Areop de eccl Hier. ca. 5. Tertull. lib. de poena qua nihil prodest de poenitentia d. 3. Hieron epist ad Ocea Amb. lib. 5. ca. 10. Orig. homil 15. in Leuit. August epist 54. Bulleng decad 4. serm 10. Bullenger a great protestant doth acknowledge the old doctors of the Church to haue prayed for the dead I knowe saith he that the great Doctors of the Churche S. Augustine as also S. Chrysostome Aug. ser 32. de verbis Apostoli and other great and emâ—nent doctors haue written of this matter I knowe saith he that the fathers doe say that to pray for the dead is an apostolique tradition alsoe that S. Aug. did say that to offer sacrifice for the dead was obserued in the vniuersall Church And Aerius was condemed for reprouinge prayers for the dead thus farre Bullenger This Aerius for beinge refused of a Bishopricke as S. Augustine said Aug to 6. de haeresibus ad quod vult Deum haeres 53. Musc cap. de orat pag. 515. Zuing. to 1. Epicheresis caminusae Caluinist li. 3. ca. 2. tomo 5. Conr. in TobiaÌ„ c. 4 Vrba in Baruch 3. Brent in apol conf VVitteÌ„b cap. 5. de bapt 1. parte fell to Arianisme and reproued prayers for the dead Musculus also another Protestant doth testifie the same Zuinglius said that the Apostles did vse the same Caluine saith that this was vsed in the church aboue 1300. yeares a goe Also Conradus Pellicanus the cheefe protestant at Tigur did alleadge that Tobias did allowe the auncient custome to sacrifice for the dead Vrbanus Regius another great protestant saith that Baruch the prophett did praye for the dead Brentius
whether shee would forgoe her faith and religion and marrie with a soldior shee most constantlie denied and was cast into the riuer and there was drowned This religious Nunne had a sister that was married and because shee lamented the death of her father and kinsmen her head was brocken by one of the soldiors and that so sorelie that the braines came foorth Other farr more detestable wickednesses were comitted by these tyrannicall reprobates in other prouinces of Flanders Holland Zeland Brabant Gelderland and Frisland which you may read in the histories of Flaunders but this I ought not to omitt that they were soe tormented with such an insatiable thirst to shedd innocent blood that in their detestable conuenticle at the towne of saint Trudan in a vaulte vnder the grounde they purposed and decreed to make a massacre of ecclesiasticall persons in all places of the 17. Prouinces in one night which God preuented afterwardes vnto whome all honnor and glorie Mense Iulij 1566. for his prouident mercie shewed therin 5. And although the hugonottes of France sought diuers times to practise their tragicall plottes in that countrie as in the times of Frauncis the first in whose raigne they nayled a libell at the court gate of Parris of their damnable doctrine printed in the yeare 1534. which being brought vnto his maiestie and perusinge part of the contenâ—es thereof he said Did I knowe my right haâ—de to be infected with that venemous doctrine I would presentlie cut it off from my bodie Henrie the second and Frauncis the second yet they could neuer performe their desigmentes vntill the beginninge of Charles the 9. his raigne who being but a childe of 12. yeares of age and soe abusinge his minoritie they watched their time and oportunitie in the yeare of our Lord 1562. when euerie one that was wickedly disposed and irreligiouslie addicted and as it were forsaken of God began openly to shewe himselfe vpon the theater wheron this wofull tragedie was plaied For first they crowned their captaine generall Prince of Condie kinge of Fraunce and called him by the name of Lodouicke the 13. and the first Christian kinge of Fraunce The cheefest rage of all their malice was practized vpon those thinges which were most sacred and holy as vpon the blessed Euchariste by treadinge the same vnder their feete and castinge it vnto their dogges and vsed that sacred and dreadfull hoast together with the holy chrisme to cleanse their tayles withall and called Christ vnder the veile of bread Iohn le Blanch White Iohn The like outrage they extended vppon Churches Monasteries Alters Chapples Oratories Images Reliques and Sepulchers which they spoiled ransacked destroied burned Vpon Priests Mounckes and religious persons which they put to the vildest and cruelest death that they could imagine vppon sacred virgins and consecrated Nunnes which they rauished and defloured vppon challices and sanctified vessells and hallowed ornaments which they prophaned and defiled 6. Of 12. that shewed themselues the ringleaders vpon this bloodie theater there were 9. of them Apostate Mounckes which Christ vomitted out of his sacred mouth the captaine and leader of them all was Beza who sould his benefice for 700. crownes and then cast forth his venime amongest the licentious courtiers whome he perswaded with his doctrine vid. that it was noe offence before God to coÌ„mit sacriledge to spoile churches to cogge deceaue lye sweare and forsweare whose doctrine herein being the religion of these newe sectaries was most plausible and pleasinge to all miscreantes and malefactors who aboundantlie resorted vnto him from all partes of Fraunce and by which he determined to robb and spoile all the churches and monafteries of that kingdome in one night in the moneth of Ianuarie and appointed people for that purpose in all places of the kingdom which was first put in execution in the Prouince of Aquitaine had not the Duke of Gays come the sooner to Parris they had not only surprised the churches monasteries there but also the cittie court kinge Thus frustrated of their expectation they fled vnto Orlians where before they were lett in by the Cittizens Vide Sur. they did solemnlie swere that they came thither by the comaundement of the kinge to keepe that cittie and that they would offer violence to none either in his person conscience or goodes and that euerie one should haue the benefitt of the edict diuulged the last of Ianuarie wherein it was decreede that the hugonotts should not spoile churches or monasteries but they noe sooner entred the cittie but they spoiled the churches and monasteries burned Images cast downe alters yea cast downe the verie walls of the churches and shewed more execrable wickednes towards all sacred thinges then the verie Turckes for they in takinge any cittie or towne from the Christians doe only vse to cast downe the Images and Alters and not destroy the churches also 7. All the holy Reliques which those hugonotts could gett they burned them they burned the reliques of S. Damianus religiouslie reserued in that place as they also did S. Hillaries reliques at Poytiers S. Ireneus at Lyons S. Iustus and S. Bonauentur and the reliques of S. Martyn At towers they burned the image of Christ in another place they trayled the same through the dirte They spared the image of the diuill burned the Corpes of S. Frauncis the second which was buried in the Chapple of the holly crosse as they did burne the bones of Lodouick the 11. The churches which they broake not downe they turned into stables and storehowses Moreouer Beza comaunded all the Priests to be murthered of whome receauing monny for their redeÌ„ption yet violated the faith and promise which he had formerly sworne and broake the oath and peace which he had before vowed most religiouslie to obserue Soe as it is manifest there were cruelly put to death fiue thousand priests of whom some were flayed aliue others were rackte till they were dead Aboue six hundreth monasteries razed to the verie earth manny others were burned they burned alsoe the holie auncient Bybles which were kept in Fraunce for rare monuments many citties were exhausted with continuall siege their citizens were murthered all the countrie was spoiled and ruinated soe as these ciuill warres of the hugonotts soe often renewed did more consume and oppresse France with greater miseries and calamities then all former warres it euer had abroade For there was no trueth respected or oath performed if any garrison did yeld themselues vnto theÌ„ vpon hope of their oathes which they neuer accomplished to saue their liues as in steede of many examples that of Petraforte alone will serue neuerthelesse contrarie to the lawes of armes to the number of two hunderth were cast downe head longe from the toppe of a mightie high Rocke all which perished with that headlong and violent fall Such crueltie as this more then Turkish they exercised vppon euerie other place where they did carrie anny sway but
ecclesiasticall persons and religious people of all others felt the greatest smarte some whereof I will particularize in the next Chapter Certaine cruell and bloodie factes comitted in Fraunce against the Catholicks by those that the vulgar sorie doe cal Hugonottes from the tyme that they stirred rebellion against the kinge Anno 1562. CHAPTER II. 1. WHen the cittie of Engolisme in Fraunce was besiedged of the hugonottes it was yelded into their handes vpon condition ratified with promises and oathes that it should be lawfull for the catholickes aswell ecclesiasticall as others to continue there without anny molestations or inquisition The heretiques neuerthelesse not respectinge the religious obseruation of a solemne oath entring the cittie gathered together all the selected catholiques and cast them in to prison amoungest whome was Michaell Grellett of saint Francis order and guardian of the monasterie of saint Frauncis in that cittie who the next daie after the cittie was yealded was hanged vpon a tree by the cittie wall in presence of Iaspar Calligne then Admirall of Fraunce and generall of those rebells which death he suffred most constantlie and prophesied of the said Admiralls ruyne and who when he was cast from the rope al that wicked crue cried out God prosper our Gospell 2. Iohn Virolea of that order and reader to that monasterie after that his preuie members were cutt off was also murthered by them Iohn Aurell also of that order a maâ— 80. yeares of age his head beinge cutt with a twibill was cast into a priuie Peter Bonnen doctor of diuinitie after eight mounthes imprisonment was hanged at the wall of the cittie In the house of one of the Cittizens of that cittie of Engolisme they shutt vpp 30. catholiques which they cruelly put to death by diuers kindes of tormentes They deuided them by couples whom they soe chained and lincked together that sufferinge noe food to be giuen vnto them they were compelled to eate one another and soe with extreame languor they perished with hunger Some of them were diuided and out asuÌ„der in two partes by mighty ropes which were thruste through their bodies Some of them also were tied vnto postes and fire put to their backes by which they were tormented more by the torment of a prolix death then by the agonie of a violent flame 3. The hugonitt garrison that kept the cittie of Vnstorne though they were diuers times courteouslie entertayned of a most noble woman called the ladie of Marendatt yet they tooke her within her owne house and tyed her to hott glowinge gaddes of Iron and leauinge her in that torment they departed withall the spoile of the house with them The chiefe Iudge of the cittie of Engolisme after they had cut away his priuie members was hanged at his owne house They tooke a vertuous priest also called Lodouicke Fiard of a village neere Engolisme a verie vertuous man and of an exemplar life by the testimonie of all men whome they compelled to hould his handes in a cauldron full of hoat scaulinge oyle vntill the flesh was consumed and nothinge lefte but the bare bones and cast the burninge oyle into his mouth and soe shott him with bullets and killed him They tooke alsoe another priest called Colinus Ginlebantius the vicare of S. Auzann and when they had cutt off his priuie members they cast him afterwardes into a sisterne full of burninge hoat oyle where he ended his life They killed alsoe two other priests the one was of the parrish of Riniers who after they had cut out his tounge then they murthered him the other master Iohn Bachelon his foote beinge burned by a hoat burninge Iron they strangled him 4. Maister Simon Sicott viccar of saint Hillarie of Montierind beinge a man of 60. yeares of age and replenished withall vertues was betrayed by a hugonot whome he â—upposed to be verie faithfull vnto him and was brought captiue into Engolisme but his life and libertie was restored vnto him for a great some of monny that his friâ—des did procure for his ransome yet departinge from the cittie he was pursued his tonge was cut off and his eies were pulled out of his heade Two other priests were hanged by one of their heeles with the other hee le free and their heades downwardes one of them was left in that miserable torment and the other was kild outright Another priest called maister Peter of the parrish of ReulineÌ„d was burried quicke Maister Arnold Durande and viccar of Fleacen was cast in the riuer being of 80. yeares of age A Franciscan Friar of that age alsoe was cast headlonge from the walles of the cittie Maister Octauianus Ronier viccar of S. Cybard after sundrie tormentes was fastened to a tree and soe shott to death Maister Frauncis Robaleon in the parrish of Foncobrune viccar was tyed vnto a yoke of Oxen that drewe a cart and after manny strâ—pes and terrible torments gaue vpp the ghoast so that in the diocesse or Engolisme in lesse then in two yeares space 120. did there suffer martyrdome priests noblemen gentlemen and others 5. In the village called Floran a little distant from S. Monehond they tooke a priest whose priuie members beinge cutt off by the Surgean of Bethan he bragged that he was the 17 priest that he had murthered after that manner and was afterwardes scourged vnto death In the cittie of Hande in the diocesse of Carnutensis they caused a poore priest to say masse only to scorne that blessed sacrifice which Christ instituted for the quicke and the dead and at the eleuation they snatched awaie the sacred hoast which they stabbed with their daggers and then murthered the poore priest In a certaine Hamlett 7. miles distant from OrliaÌ„s called Patt they tooke 25. catholiques who fled vnto the church which they burned by puttinge fire to the doores thereof they carried with them many priests bounde at their horse railes After spoiling of the church of Clerins they burned the reliques and bones of the kinge of Fraunce called Lodouick the 11. as also the bones of the kinge of Nauar somtimes their owne generall 6. Att saint Mucarie in Gasconie they cutt open the bellies of many priests and made a deuise to draw out their bowells in rhis cittie they buried many priests quick In the cittie of Ancina they tooke an ould prieste whose preuie members after they had cutt off they roasted them and caused him to eat them In the cittie of Vasett in Gasconie when Frauncis Cassius was Lewetenant vnder the king of Nauare two souldiers of that garrison rauished a widdowe and theÌ„ put gun ponder into her priuie partes and gaue fire to the powlder and soe her bellie burst her bowells came foorth The Lord of saint Columba the gouernor Go has and a great number of nobilitie being besâ—edged by the Earle Mount Gomerie yelded themselues vnto him vpon certaine condicions yet neuerthelesse they were kept in prison 9. mounthes and paid their ransome and being inuited to supper by the said Earle
For although the written law lightneth our vnderstanding with many instructions and fownd doctrine directing our vnderstanding to follow and embrace vertue and to discerne the good from the euill yet it disposeth nor prepareth not our hartes with the loue of the one nor our affection with the hatred of the other it giueth light to the vnderstanding but it healeth not the infirmitie and disease of our appetites The lawe teatcheth the way to heauen but giueth no force to our weake soules to trauaile thither which saint Iohn auerreth The law was giuen by Moyses but grace and trueth was giuen by Christ which is conferred by the sacramentes and which are instrumentes to conuay the same vnto vs. 2. As there are many maladies disseases and necessities so there ar also many sacramentes which are as it were conduits that do deriue manny remedies and receipts to ech of them And as the Humane body is first borne and so encreaseth is fedd and receaueth diuers alterations Ephe. 5. Mar. 16. in Clemen ex summa trinitate fidei Cath. ca. 1 Ezech. 36 Clemens epist 4. Vrba ep ad omnes fideles Melch ad epis Hisp Ioh. 6. 1. Cor. 11. Iohn 2. so there are many such varietie of alterations of the soule which is borne and regenerated by water and the holy ghoast which is baptisme and the grace and vertues which are giuen in baptisme are againe confirmed by the Sacrament of confirmation which maketh the soule stoute and constant in the profession of his faith which faith and grace hath neeede to be nourished and augmented which is don by the holie Sacrament of the Eucharist which is the body of Christ which is the foode of our languished soule which through many infirmities and diseases incident therunto hath great need of a spirituall phisition to heale the same by contrition confession and satisfaction And for that after long and prolix sicknesse and disseases there are many dregges of the old sicknesse stil left Ia. 5. cont Flore for the healing and curing wherof the Sacrament of extreame vnction is ordained as also that a christian in his cheefest agony of his spirituall extremitâ—e should be releued and refreshed 3. The other 2. Sacramentes are inioyned for the 2. states of people Matt. 19. Ephes 5. the one for such as be married the other for such as be ecclesiasticall and seruing in godes church But the new religion hath no Sacrament althoughe for some shew of litle deuotion they do not reiect the Sacramentes of Baptisme and Eucharist yett they handle them without any deuotion or reuerence at all as for Baptisme some or most of them doe holde that it is not necessarie to our saluation for they thincke that the childe is saued by the faith of his parents As for the Eucharist with they call the Lords supper they make no more accompt of it then of anny common bread whose effect is nothinge els ten to remember Christ his death which may be don aswell by the one as by the other The 4. Excellencie is to fauor the good and to punish the wicked CHAPTER V. 1. WHen the end of euery lawe is to take away vice and wickednesse and the occasions therof and to make meÌ„ sober honest and vertuous it is meete that the good should haue many priuiledges fauors and rewards and the wicked should be punished Deut. 28. Ezech. 5. 6. as we may read in Deutrono wher god almightie threatneth death and destruction against the transgressors of his lawes and comandementes The like also we may read in Ezech. But the new religion taketh away both merits and rewards from the iust and paine and punishmentes from the wicked saying the more wicked you are the neerer you are to Gods fauor and grace as Luther affirmeth The 5. Excellencie is the conuersion of all nations vnto Christe and driuing Idolatrie out of the world CHAPTER VI. THe more that princes persecuted christian religion the more the same encreased as Pliny the 2. being a Pagan withnesseth For when he saw such a multitude of christians to be put to death he wrott to the emperor Traian aduertizing him that there were thowsands of christians executed by exquisitt tormentes for no kind of offence but for being Christians and the more they were tormented and afflicted the more they encreased and florished and the more the reuerence of the Idols decreased But the new religion neuer conuerted the gentles from Idolatrie to Christian religion whose only imployment and drift is to corrupt and confound the faithfull and neuer to reforme themselues charging the church with Idolatrie as old heretiques haue done Athanasius witnessing the same The 6. Excellencie of the Catholique Religion is that the same is proued and auerred by so many good witnesses as sacred and learned doctors blessed saincts martyrs and generall counsells CAPTER VII 1. ARistotle saith that a man is beleeued for three causes and ought to be presupposed that he telles the trueth 1. If he be wise 2. If he be vertuous 3. If he be oure frind For wee thincke that a wise man should not be deceaued a good man should not lie a frind should not deceaue his frind Such therfore as did beare witnesse of our catholique religion were wisemen eminent and exquisitt in all sciences and faculties most holy and religious in their liues as Dionisius Areopagita disciple to S. Paule saint Ignatius Policarpus Origines saint Basill the great and his brother saint Gregorie Nissenus saint Iohn Chrisostom Theodoretus saint Nazianzenus saint Gregorie saint Aug. saint Hierom saint Ambrosse saint Hillarius saint Cyprian Lactantius Firmianus S. Vincentius Lirinensis Arnobius saint Bernard saint Bonauenture Scotus Alexander de Halles with diuers others for they had no cause but to tell the trueth being honest vertuous free from all inordinat affection that should otherwise restraine theÌ„ to declare the trueth therof being people that were altogether addicted to the seruice of God and most zealous of his glory and honor which they preferred before all worldly designements and promotions 2. Vnto these are annexed for confirmation of the trueth all generall counsells of the world which were 20. with the aprobation of Christs viccar generall in earth together with all the blessed martyrs that euer were in all the persecutions and tempestuous stormes and agonies of the church which she suffred vnder 14. Kinge and Emperors according to S. Aug. accompt lib. 18. de ciuitate Dei The first was of Nero who was so infestuous to the Christians that he caused Rome to be sett on fire in diuers places and laid the imputation of that infamie vppon them wherby the Romanes should insult vppon them and should destroy and massacre them euerie one the Tirant himselfe commanding the same The 2. was of Domitian who caused S. Iohn the Euangelist to be cast into a Tunn of hoat burnâ—nge oyle which caused also by his edict published that all the bookes of Christians should be burned