which likenes it appeareth that he wold say that as in Christ remain two natures diuine and humane So in the same maner are the two natures preserued in the Sacrament That of the bread which is seene and that of the body of Christ which is not seene In the second booke and third epistle he also sayeth So that the body of Christ cannot be floure onely Nor water only But both doe meete and couple together and with the meeting togither and vnion of one bread become firme with which and the same sacrament our People is shewed to be coupled Athanasius expounding these words If any man shall speake a word against the Sonne of man it shall be forgiuen him but he which speaketh against the holy spirit c. saith And how great is the body that all the world is to eate of And concludeth that this is spiritually to be vnderstood and hereby that in this place the Lord speaketh of his ascention against the Capernaits Basil in his Liturgie calleth the bread of the sacrament Antitypon of the body of Christ to wit an example or patterne of the like forme And after the consecration he calleth it so also Dionysius de Ecclesiastica Hierarchia cap. 3. saith The Bishop vncouereth the couered and vndiuided bread and parting it in peeces c. Saint Ambrose vpon the first epistle to the Corinthians saith When it is said that this is done in memorie of Christ and of his death we by eating and drinking do signifie the flesh and bloud of Christ which haue bene offered In the same place also he saith We receiue the mysticall cup in type or figure of the bloud of Christ Also in the fourth booke De Sacramentis and fourth chap. where he setteth downe the change of the symbols he handleth also our change into Christ but for all this those that receiue the Sacrament are not transubstantiated into Christ Also in the same chapter he saith So that we affirme How can that which is bread be the body of Christ by consecration And then If the word of the Lord haue so much power that the things which were not begin to be how much more powerfull shall it be to cause that these things remaine which haue their being and be changed into another thing Saint Ierome vpon Saint Matthew saith clearely that in the bread and the wine is represented the body and bloud of Christ Chrysostome vppon the second to the Corinthians sayth Not onely that which is set before vs vppon the table but the poore also is the body of Christ to whom wee are bound to doe good for he that sayd this is my body with his mouth sayd also that he it was which receiued the benefite and that hee in the poore was in necessitie Also in the eleuenth Homily vppon Matth. In opere imperfecto he saith In the holy vessels is neither the bodie of Christ nor his bloud but the mystery of the bodie and bloud of Christ Also vpon the twelfth chapter of the second epistle to the Corinthians Hom. 27. he saih So that Christ in the bread and wine sayd Doe this in remembrance of me In declaring also these wordes vppon the twentie third Psalme Thou hast prepared a table before me saith So that the bread and the wine in the Sacrament is shewed vnto vs in the similitude of the bodie and bloud of Christ c. Also writing to Cesarius against Apollinarius and others which confounded the diuinitie and humanitie of Christ this Epistle is found in the Librarie of Florence he saith For euen so the bread before it bee sanctified wee call bread but the diuine grace signifying this the bread by meanes of the Priest is freed from the name of bread and is found worthy to be called the bodie of the Lord albeit the nature of bread remaine stil in it In verie manie places is Saint Augustine wholly for vs and roundly confirmeth our doctrine Vppon the fourescore and second Psalme hee saith Thou art not to eate that which thou seest nor art thou to drinke this bloud which they haue to poure out That which I say is a mysterie which will quicken being spiritually vnderstood Also in the Treatise De Fide ad Petrum chap. 19. hee calleth it the Sacrament of bread and wine Also against Faustus the twentith booke and twentie first chapter he sayth In the old Testament vnder the similitude of the sacrifices to wit of the beastes sacrificed the flesh and bloud of Christ was promised vnto vs vpon the crosse was it really giuen but in the Sacrament for a memoriall it is celebrated Let vs well consider these three times noted by Saint Augustine and the great difference there is After one sort gaue Christ himselfe in the olde Testament after another vpon the crosse and after another in the Sacrament of the Supper Also De Ciuitate Dei the 21. booke and the twentie fift chapter he clearelie affirmeth that the wicked eate not the matter of the Sacrament to wit the bodie of Christ And so saith he It is not to be thought that hee which is not in the bodie of Christ and in whom Christ is not nor he in Christ eateth the body of Christ Also in the twentith Treatise vppon Saint Iohn hee saith the same Against Adimantus also a Manachie chap. 12. he saith The Lord doubted not to say This is my body when he gaue notwithstanding the signe of his body In this sheweth Saint Augustine the words of Christ This is my body ought not to bee fully vnderstood according as they sound but by trope or figure and so saith hee that this manner of speech is like to that alleaged out of the twelfth chapter of Deuteronomie verse 23. The bloud is the life Also De doctrina Christiana lib. 3. cap. 16. Hee sheweth that which Christ in the sixt chapter of Iohn vseth Except ye eat the flesh of the Sonne of man c. to bee a figuratiue maner of speech the reason which hee giueth is because it seemeth to commaund a great wickednesse For to eate the flesh of a man is a greater crueltie then to kill him and to drinke his bloud then to shed it And therefore saith Saint Augustine that it is a figure which commaundeth vs sweetely and profitably to remember that the flesh of Christ was crucified and wounded for vs. Also in the Epistle to Boniface sayth The Sacramentes take their names of those thinges whereof they are Sacraments These wordes as wee haue noted tooke Saint Augustine from Saint Cyprian and excellently nameth the Sacrament of the bodie of Christ in a certaine manner to bee the bodie of Christ and then sayth The Sacrament of the bloud of Christ is the bloud of Christ Vpon the eight Psalme he also saith Christ receiued Iudas vnto his banquet when hee commended the figure of his bodie Let that which wee haue already sayd of this glorious Doctor suffice Leo
negligence forgetfulnes of the things which concern our saluation that we shuld not forget the benefit of his death passion did institute the most holy sacrament of his precious body which he gaue vpon the crosse of his precious bloud which he shed in his passion which sacramēt he wold shuld be vnto vs a memoriall of al that which he suffred for vs of the benefit we receiue by his death passion As often as ye shal do this to wit as ye shall celebrate the holy Supper ye shal do it saith Christ in remembrance of me One only time was Christ offered and by this only offering he obtained for vs a generall pardon of all our sinnes But hee would we should alwayes remember this benefit And to help our memorie did he institute this sacrament and willeth wee not once but many times in our life receiue it The institution of this Sacrament the Euangelists Matthew Marke and Luke do declare but most largely Saint Paul in 1. Cor. chap. 11. and in the tenth chap. he beginneth also to intreate thereof He are wee then Saint Peul declare how Christ celebrated his holy supper wherein hee instituted the Sacrament of his body and of his bloud I receiued of the Lord saith Saint Paul that which I also deliuered vnto you to wit that the Lord Iesus the same night that he was betrayed tooke bread and when he had giuen thanks he brake it and said Take eate This is my body which is broken for you Do this in remembrance of mee Likewise also after supper he tooke the cup saying This is the new testament in my bloud Do this as often as you shall drinke it in remembrance of me For as often as you shall eate this bread and drinke of this cup ye shall shew forth the Lords death vntill his comming Whosoeuer therefore shall eate this bread and drinke of this cup vnworthily shall be guiltie of the body and bloud of the Lord. Let then a man proue himselfe and so eate of that bread and drinke of that cup. For who so eateth and drinketh the same vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation not considering the Lords body We haue heard how the Lord did celebrate his holy supper and instituted therein the most holy sacrament of his body and bloud The same order that Iesus Christ vsed in celebrating of it held his Apostles as often as they celebrated the same This selfe same order as we haue before shewed was for a thousand yeares space obserued in the Church Albeit true it is that before the thousand yeares were accomplished Sathan enuying the great benefite and comfort which we receiue with this sacrament began to alter it adding thereto many thinges touching rites and ceremonies But the thousand yeares passed the whole sacrament with furie hee cast to the earth and in place thereof aduaunced an idoll made of dough made betweene two irons which they adore and sacrifice vnto neither more nor lesse then if it were God himselfe that created heauen and earth But in all this time of so great ignoraunce and Idolatrie The Lord as we haue said did neuer vtterly forsake his Church For euer he raised vp some true prophet some holy man or men that with zeale of the Lordes house and nor accompting of the daunger whereunto they thrust their liues reproued the world Because through the Church of God was sold this so horrible idolatry But particularly in these our times hath the Lord shewed mercy raysing vp very many learned godly men Which being simple poore men haue with great zeale opposed them selues to the tyranny of Antichrist and to all the power of the world which was inchanted bewitched with the false Doctrine of Antichrist And so hath God blessed the labour of these men As he blessed in times past the labour of the Apostles meane simple people that they haue cast to the earth the Missa or Masse the breaden God which our aduersaries haue raysed vp and haue eftsoones restored the holy supper which the Lord Iesus the night before he should suffer celebrated with his disciples They that haue eyes to see Let them see and they that haue eares to heare Let them heare That seeing and hearing All the world may iudge if that be true which we say I will here set downe the order holden in our Churches which God by the meanes of these holy men hath in our time reformed when the holy supper is celebrated Hearken then O Spaine what in thine owne Language I speake that small and great learned and vnlearned may vnderstand me The forme which is holden in the reformed Churches of celebration of the holie supper of the Lord. It is to be noted That the Lords day before the supper is celebratae The minister doth warne the people that each one dispose and prepare himselfe to receiue it worthily and with such reuerence as is meete The second thing which is done is that youthes which haue now attayned to yeares of discretion doe not present themselues to receiue it before they he well instructed and taught in the Christian Doctrine and have made profession of their faith in the Church Thirdly if therebe any straungers or newe commers which be as yet rude and ignorant in religion that they come present themselues to be taught particularly in that which is meete for them to know the day on which they celebrate the same the minister at the end of the sermon toucheth somewhat concerning the misteries Or if neede require his whole sermon treateth of the Doctrine of the supper to declare to the people what the Lord by this mistery will say giue to vnderstand And how we ought to receiue it After that the minister hath publiquely prayed he saith the generall confession after the confession of faith made to witnes in the name of the people that they all wil liue die in the doctrin Christian religion The table being prepared the bread wine vpō it he thus aloud speaketh The institution of the holy supper of the Lord Let vs heare how Iesus Christ did institute vnto vs his holy supper according to that which S. Paule in the 11. chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians declareth I receiued of the Lord c. As we haue before recited The forme of excomunication and excluding from the holy supper of the Lord these which be not worthy to receiue it We haue heard brethren how the Lord celebrated the supper with his disciples and in that which he did he sheweth vnto vs that straungers to wit those which be not of the fellowship of his faithfull ought not to be admitted vnto it Following therefore this rule in the name by the authoritie of our Lord Iesus Christ I excommunicate all Idolaters blasphemers contempners of God heretiques all Schismatiques which make sects a part to break the vnity of the Church all periured persons all that be
beautifull who not contented to be Lutherans were teachers of that cursed doctrin c. And alittle after Al the prisoners were of Valladolid Seuill and Toledo persons sufficiently qualified c. And so many such they were that it was thought if they had two or three moneths more slacked to remedy this mischiefe all Spaine would haue burned and we should haue come to the most bitter mischaunce that euer was seene therein Hitherto D. Illescas Whereof we will conclude that God hath reuealed the light of his Gospel in Spaine to learned people and people of renowne famous noble He will shew like mercy when he pleaseth to the vulgar and common sort When they see in Spaine a man well lettered and learned then say they Que es tan docto que està en peligro de ser Luthrano he is so learned that he is in danger to become a Lutheran And there is not almost any noble house in Spaine that hath not had in it some one or more of the reformed religioÌ„ His maiestie for his Christs sake our redeemer increase the nomber for his glory the confusion of Antichrist But returning to Paul 4. In August and the 1559. yeare after he had poped 4 yeres and almost three moneths he died The seat was voyd 4 moneths 7 dayes Don Phillip 2. being king of Spaine Pius 4. a Millanist was not much liked nor loued of his predecessor Paul 4. which Paul in the consistorie did publish openly speake against him saying that by euill meanes he had procured the Archbishoprick of Milan Then Pius knowing the dislike of Paule 4. against him departed from Rome thence was absent all the time that Paule the fourth Poped But when Paule was dead and he chosen after great discord and foure moneths 7 dayes that the sea was vacant he reuenged himselfe of him For many things which Paul had commanded did Pius countermaund so pronouncing Don Charles the Emperour Don Phillip his son kings of Spaine innocent and faultlesse he absouled them of all whatsoeuer Paule 4. had obiected against them He confirmed the resignement of the Empire made by Don Charles to FerdinaÌ„do his brother which Paul whiles he liued neither would approue nor coÌ„firme To master Antonius Columna he restored his patrimony whereof Paul had depriued him many otherlike thinges he did in despite of his predecessor Paul 4. by Panuinus vpon his life recited The same Panuinus of Pius 4. saith that when he was Bishop he became another man entertaining other customes maners not better but worse For he which till then was holden curteous pacient a well doer gentle and not couetous suddaynely seemed to haue changed his nature Such is the seat papall that he which once sitteth therein albeit before he were not euill becometh euill And if he were euill becometh worse and in the end most euill as to this Pius 4. it happened The same Panuinus saith that Pius had no grauitie either in countenance gate or gestures that more scoffing he was then beseemed the maiestie which he represented of him saith he that whiles he liued without charge he was of good life reputation and whiles also he had charge vnder the high bishops his predecessors When he was Pope great shewes he gaue of a good Bishop insomuch that he held the Councell of Trent note the hypocrisie whiles the Councell continewed he fayned to be good but the Councell once ended Pius vsing great libertie did many thinges that pleased not all men And a little lower Pius was a glutton and swillar but chiefly in eating for at supper he exceeded Giuen he was to delights and pleasure he was openly collerique enuious he was but in secret impatient to heare In his answeres sometime hard and bitter ambitious to commaund crafty a fayner and distembler When he saâ—â—e it needefull fearefull but bould in dissembling his feare and ill be loued Panuinus his friend all this and yet much more saith of him Albeit true it is that as a Parasite of the Popes much good he saith of him also But what vertues could possesse a man subiect to such manifest and enormious sinnes He had saith he a singular memorie and so could aptly and suddenly recite the whole volume of the auncient lawyers Poets and Historians but not of the Bible which I suppose he neuer read for by his profession he was not a diuine but a lawyer of him saith he also that at the handes of Cardinall Borromeo his nephewe and sisters sonne with great deuotion he receiued all the Sacraments of the Church the which to my knowledge we doe not read saith the same Panuinus to haue happened to any of the chiefe Bishops Doctour Illeâ—cas speaking of Pascall 2. saith That hauing first receiued the holy sacraments he died Of the other Popes I doe not remember that he saith any such thing The reason is as saith Sanazaro speaking of Leo 10. that the Popes being great Simonists haue sould the Sacraments and so not kept them for themselues Or to speake better the cause is that the Popes hold and say in their harts there is no God and so in the time of sicknes and at poynt to die they make no esteeme of the sacraments or Christian religion but die like swine This Pope Pius 4. ordeyned a confession of faith which all they should make that were to be Bishops the which in his life Panuinus placeth This confession is a summary of all the ignorances supersticions and Idolatries of the Antichristianisme or papisme This Popes whole study was by right or wrong to get money and whereof he had store which vpon his kindred friends buyldings Whereunto he was much inclined he wasted In the 1565. yeare after he had Poped almost six yeares he dyed as in Rome went the common voyce and fame in the armes of his minion which is not much out of square sith Panuinus his friend of him saith that he was giuen to delightes and pleasures and as saith the same Panuinus he procured his owne death Morbo ex victus intemperancia hausto to wit by disorder in eating and glutting whose belly was his God our king Don Phillip 2. then reigning in Spaine In the time of this Pius 4. and the 1563. yeare a thing very strange happened in Seuill the which had it proceeded further the Inquisitors bene a little more carelesse so likely it had brought the whole papasie to the ground else should it at the least haue receiued some notable damage The matter is this In Seuill where some more curious then was mete for the papasie which of the priests and Friars complained bitterly to the Inquisitors because they abused confession as others also afore time had abused it in courting and making loue to honest matrons and damsels and for such end moreouer as such beginnings accustomably succeede The holy office thought meete that such confessors should be
eate this is my bodie And when he gaue the wine he said Drinke ye all of this This is my blood In giuing the wine he addeth that not without great mistery this word all for with this word All doth the Lord preuent arme vs against the heretikes which were afterwardes to arise saying Drinke not all of the wine Our aduersaries cannot deny the Lord to haue said Drinke yee all of this They cannot deny that all those which haue receaued the bread haue not drunke of the wine And so saith S. Marke And they all dranke thereof As litle also can they deny that they themselues coÌ„mand contrary to the coÌ„mandement of God that all do not drinke thereof What shall we hereupon conclude That they be heretikes Albeit they deny it because they falsify and clip the most holy sacrament which Christ did institute If the lawes commaund that he which falsifieth or clippeth the coyne bearing the figure of the king or the Lord of the land shal die What punishment shal he deserue that falsifieth clippeth the sacrament which hath not only the figure of Christ but his proper body bloud As in bread wine Iesus Christ did celebrate his supper Euen so did his Apostles celebrate it afterwards Read the 11. chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthes where S. Paule intreateth of the celebration of the holie supper But the space of one thousand yeares was the selfe same order touching the substaÌ„ce of the supper obserued in the Church vntil false prophets arose that brake this good order which Christ did institute and his Apostles the Church did long time after obserue These would shew theÌ„se lues to be more wise theÌ„ Christ so coÌ„maÌ„ded they that no Christian were he not a priest shuld receiue wheÌ„ they coÌ„municated the coÌ„secrated wine And their reasons they yeeld but very friuolous ridiculous why they so commaund The first is because there is no difference betwene the priest and the people Great pride arrogancy is this euer haue they pretended to keepe Christian people in subiection So are they called the Clergie for being as they say The Lot of the Lord. As though the people for whom Christ died were the lot of the diuell The second cause is the danger of shedding the bloud by the beardes if the people should drink it If this bee the cause why giue they it not to womeÌ„ seeing they haue no beards why giue they it not to many which either by nature or shauing or cutting haue no beards Why command they not that all Christians should be beard shauen Why permit they the Pope and many Cardinals Bishops in Italie to nourish their beards and so no danger should be The third say they that receiuing the forme of the bread they receiue the body of Christ and by consequence as they call it receaue they the bloud And thus say they that vnder one forme they receaue both thinges the bodie and bloud of Christ Oh learned men Oh great wits The Lord commandeth that all shuld drink They countermaÌ„d saying That all shal not drinke that to receaue one kind is sufficient And a faire thing is this that they coÌ„demne those for heretikes which receiue the supper in both kinds As Christ did celebrate as the Apostles all the Church for more then a thousand so many yeares celebrated the same They see not that in condemning vs they condemne Christ his Apostles all the Church for so many yeares Let theÌ„ shew me one Church that comunicated in one kind for the space of 1000. yeres after the death of Christ Tehâ—s reasons all whatsoeuer they can imagine and in their fantasie forge wil not suffice to diminish nor defeat the order which Christ ordayned in his Church In bread aud wine did Christ institute this sacrament so distributed it to his Apostles and commanded them so to doe the same S. Paul as a good disciple obedient to his maister did so celebrate the holy supper distributing the bread which is the sacrament of the body and the wine which is the sacrament of the bloud Ye saith he cannot drinke the cup of the Lord the cup of diuels c. And a little before by the cup he had made mention of the coÌ„munion of the bloud of the participation of his bodie by the bread Also as often as ye shal eate this bread drinke this cup c. So that whosoeuer shall eate this bread and drink this cup of the Lord vnworthyly c. Let euery one therefore proue himselfe so eate of that bread and drinke of that cup. Also for he that eateth and drinketh vnworthyly c. Of all those that did communicate spake S. Paul and not of the priests alone This selfe same order of communicating in both kindes was for many yeares obserued in the Church As in the ecclesiastical histories writings of the fathers some of whom I wil here alleage appeareth Our flesh saith Tertullian is fed with the flesh bloud of Iesus Christ that the soule may be nourished of God Oftentimes doth S. Cyprian make mention of this coÌ„munion in both kinds in bread wine Read his sermon intituled Delapsis In which not once but 5 or 6 times he maketh mention thereof Also he saith that those which did coÌ„municate receiued the sacrament with the hand giueth a reason why we ought to coÌ„municate in both kinds the which is of other touch then those which our aduersaries giue why we should not in both kindes coÌ„municate How shal we exhort saith S. Cyprian the people to shed their bloud for the confesion of Christ if when they enter the combate we deny them the bloud of Christ Or how shall we make theÌ„ capable to drink the cup of martirdome If we admit theÌ„ not first to drink the cup of the Lord Also that which we said of the same S. Cyprian coÌ„cerning the young Infant wheÌ„ we spake of the miracles that in both kinds receiued the sacrament Chrisostome saith We are not as in the olde lawe where the priest toke his portion and the people had the rest but one selfe same body is here giuen to all and one selfe same cup and all whatsoeuer is in the Eucharist is common both to priest and people Chrisostome in this sacrament putteth not the difference that our aduersaries doe betweene the priest the people That the priest in both kindes communicate and the people only in one But we will shew for greater confusion of our aduersaries all those foure Doctors As they call them of the Church to bee for vs. As great credit giue they to the Doctrine which these foure Doctours with one common consent doe teach As they giue to the Gospell it selfe Saint Ambrose As Theodoret lib. 5. cap. 17. reporteth speaking with the Emperour Theodosius 1. a naturall Spaniarde of Italica which we now call olde Siuill one
meant a Church which is in Rome called the holy Crosse in Ierusalem And so with the Masse of Ierusalē the diuel mocked the Pope as in his life we haue declared About the yeare of the Lord 1540. not much more nor lesse the inquisitors of Cordeua condemned but not to be burned one Magdelena de la Cruz Abbesse of the Monasterie of the Franciscan Nunnes for enormious offences dealings and couenants which she had made with the diuell As the Inquisitors themselues in their sentence doe say She with the ayd of the diuell to whom shee had giuen her selfe making with him this pact and couenant when she was nine yeares old became so notable an hypocrite that shee was holden in most great worship and admiration and so by meanes of her Paramour the diuell wrought great miracles but of those which we haue sayd the diuell Antichrist and false Prophets to do Mat. 25. 24. 2. Thes 2. 9. Here will I recite some for to reckon all would require another as great a time as had the Inquisitors when they drew her into the Act in the great Church of Cordoua which Act was in the spring time and lasted from sixe of the clocke in the morning till foure in the euening In all this time was no other thing read but the abominations and false miracles of this cursed woman Of her it was sayd that the mariners in a storme did pray vnto her and she being inuocated appeared vnto them and so the storme ceased Of her also it is sayd that she burned in liuely flames like the Seraphin this very well agreeth with her she being of the order of Seraphicall Saint Francis and so inflamed was lift on high in a trance wrapped vp in spirit and heard wonders which mortall man could not vtter In this last was she made another Saint Paul who was wrapped vp into the third heauen where he hard c. Of her also is it sayd that when she did communicate she lifted vp an elle to measure the height of the ground and so being lifted vp into the aire she receiued the Sacrament which visibly went out of the hands of the Priest that sayd the Masse and visibly went through the aire and entred into the mouth of Magdalen de la Cruz. And all this by the arte of the diuell In the same maner did the Nunne of Lisbon whom they called holy receiue the Sacrament whose life we will declare in the end of this Treatise What shall we say of this Sacrament If it were God how was he carried through the ayre to confirme the hypocrisie of Magdalen de la Cruz and that of Maria de la Annutiada and the opinion that was holden of them and this by the arte of the diuell The priest which said the Masse counted his fourmes according to the nomber of the Nunnes that were to communicate being counted did consecrate them And consecrated found so many others as before he had counted and none hee wanted but that onely which he saw go into the ayre and entred into the mouth of Magdalene and of Marie Also it is said of Magdalen de la Cruz that when she was in the garden and the sacrament by chaunce passed by the streete the wall of the garden opened and that then shee did worshippe it Of her it is also sayd that shee fayned not to haue eaten in so many dayes togither but that shee was nourished onely with the sacrament which he receaued So great was the opinion of her holinesse that great Ladies of Spaine seeing themselues at point of childe birth sent to Magdalen de la Cruz their mantle and swadling clothes wherein the creature should be wrapped that he should blesse them supposing the creatures should thus be holy blessed The Empresse her selfe ready to be deliuered frō Valladolid a very long way sent mantles to Cordoua By reason of the holines of Magdalen de la Cruz ' many Ladies and Nobles of Cordoua and of the land about Cordoua put themselues Nunnes of the order of Saint Frauncis And many Gentlemen became Franciscan Fryers Of this abhominable woman it is sayd That she gaue to her beloued Hee and shee friendes some droppes of her menstruous blood making them beleeue it was the blood of Christ The Dominicks euer haters of the Franciscanes raysed vp in Toledo another shee possessed which sayd that shee had the Innocencie of Adam c. But so shamelesse and manifest were her whooredomes that shee was by and by discouered A few yeares since arose there vp in Lisbon another Franciscan woman which say they had the fiue wounds of Christ As had S. Frauncis and many things else they say of her But I testifie that in time she as the rest shall bewray her hypocrisie In the meane time beleeue not euery spirit But as Saint Iohn doth warne vs proue the spirits whether they bee of God for many false Prophets As he himselfe doth aduise vs are gone out into the world c. Saint Paule 1. Thessa chap. 5. verse 21. saith proue all things hold that which is good As did the people of Berea Concerning this holie Nunne her hypocriticall life her false myracles and illusions of the diuell wherewith shee deceiued very many how shee was discouered and condemned Read the swarme of false myracles c. Which thou shalt finde at the end of this Treatise The which I haue added in this second impression Returning then to Magdalen de la Cruze for such haynous offences and false miracles ' contempts and slaunders of Christian Religion was she condemned yet not to be burned but certaine penaunces and close imprisonment Should a faithfull and catholique Christian say As saith Saint Paule that a man is iustified by faith and not by workes because the most iust and perfect workes which wee doe are saith Esaias as stayned clothes Should he say that God and no other ought to bee worshipped and serued As Christ answered the diuell when he tempted him Should he say that Anitchrist is set in the Temple of God Who causeth himselfe to bee worshipped as God As saith Saint Paule and that Antichrists residence is in the Citie which hath seuen mountaines or heades which is Rome as Saint Iohn saith Should hee say That there is but one onely sacrifice to obtayne remission of sinnes which is the death and passion of Iesus Christ As faith the Epistle to the Ebrewes chapter 7. Such a one would they burne But Magdalen de la Cruz a terrible Hypocrite which fayned that shee did not eate in so many dayes and beeing demaunded how she was sustayned said with the only sacrament which she receiued who wrought myracles by the arte of the diuell and caused her selfe to be inuocated adored and that besides which we haue said such a one shall not die Arise Lord Iudge thine owne cause About the 1536. yeare somewhat more or lesse were foure Augustine Fryars
Transubstantiation among our aduersaries that they hold him not a Christian but an heretike anathematized accursed and excommunicated that doth not beleeue it Wherein to the Councell of Florence held in the time of Eugenius the fourth in the yeare of our Lord 1439. do they great iniurie In this Councell were present the Emperour of Grecia the Patriarke of Constantinople and many Easterne Bishops The Greekes and Latines agreed in this Councell in the difference which they held touching the holy Spirit and in some other things they also agreed but as touching Transubstantiation albeit the Pope did labour them to allow of it yet could they neuer effect it with them And great heed tooke the Greekes that in the letter of vnitie no mention were made of Transubstantiation the which was done to the good liking of the Greeks as in the Bull of Eugenius which beginneth Exultent coeli laetetur terra appeareth wherin he giueth for good to all Christendome that the Greeke and Latine Church had once againe accorded And I surely know had their Transubstantiation bene an article of faith without which there is no saluation the Romane Church did wickedly to admit the Greeks for brothers seeing they openly denyed Transubstantiatiō That which our aduersaries say of the mutual cōsent of the Church touching the article of Transubstātiation here appeareth to be false For neither the Greek nor Eastern church euer beleeued it nor now at this day beleeueth it nor yet did the Latine Church for a thousand yeares space beleeue it Of all this which we haue spoken touching Transubstantiation we conclude that which we say to be truth that he which heareth the Masse is a great Idolater and he which sayth it is a greater The fift Domage which the Masse causeth is that besides the sayd foure domages it maintaineth many abuses as is Purgatorie Concerning Purgatorie say we there is no other purgatorie but the bloud of Christ which purgeth our sinnes By which purgation wee are reconciled with the euerlasting Father The other purgatorie say we which our aduersaries haue forged without the word of God is the head of a wolfe as Doctor Constantine did call it who for the cause of religion of infirmitie age and hard imprisonment among those cruell Canibals and eaters of mans flesh the defilers of the faith in the castle of Traiana died Purgatorie is a common cutpurse that without shame or correction stealeth robbeth and catcheth all what it can to fill the paunches of these idle bellies priests and friers all the ecclesiasticall order For whence haue they so enriched themselues whence is it that they haue builded so many sumptuous Monasteries which seeme rather Castles and pallaces of most rich kings and Princes then houses of begging Friers and poore Monkes who in times past gained their liuing with the labour of their hands Whence haue they founded so many Chappels so manie Trentals so many Masses prayed and sung which they called de requiem but of the foolish perswasion of Purgatorie As the Masse entertayneth Purgatorie so also doth Purgatorie entertaine the Masse The Masse and Purgatorie are euen as two Mules the one rubbing the other The false prophets made an old simple woman beleeue that the soule of her father mother husband daughter or other person whō she deerely loued was suffering most grieuous torments and paines in Purgatory and demanded some reliefe by the Masse or Masses which should be said for it Then the poore old woman taking it from their mouth ioyned peece to peece 68 Blancas which is a ryall went to a Priest and giuing him the tyall for Masses are sold for money besought him to say a Masse with great deuotion for the soule of her father or some other person whom she loued And were the old woman so much more superstitions then went she to a monasterie holding it for certaine that the Fryers liued a more religious and holy life then the Priestes and being come to the monasterie besought the Sextan or potter to cause a Masse with all speede to be sayd The Sextan or porter sayd it should presently bee done Then went out a Father to say the Masse and tooke money of her to whom better had it beene to haue giuen then taken it from her for God knoweth the pouertie that remayned in the house of this old woman and the riches and superfluity that was in the monasterie And a faire thing it was that they sayd it not for her for oftentimes it happeneth that more Masses are receiued for in one day then all the Priestes of the monastery can say in a moneth And this is the cause why they cannot say all the Masses they receiue for But thou wilt say vnto mee Why do these reuerend men take of them more money for Masses then they well can say Me seemeth they rob in doing this which thou sayest Hereunto I answer that they reckon not of this nor make they any conscience thus to rob and deceiue And that which is worse this their theft and robberie do they sanctifie saying that is very well done and that necessity so requireth that the deuotion of the people be not despised Ad the Pope for the cause aforesayd a proueth and maketh good this theft and commandeth them to say two Masses at euery moneths end one for the quicke another for the dead which two Masses saith he are as auayleable as all those how many soeuer they haue omitted to say Did the Magistrates their dutie they would seeke and in the chests of their Monasteries should find such Bulles such mockeries and such licenses to steale Purgatorie haue they made a new article of faith so that he which beleeueth it not is therefore an heretike If it be heresie not to beleeue that which neither in the doctrine of the old or new Testament is confirmed Nor is in any of the three Creedes of the Apostles the Nicen nor of Athanasius being a Summarie token out of the scripture which a Christian ought to beleeue conteyned The 6. domage is that suppose the sacrifice of the Masse or sacrament of the altar As they call it had bene such As they paint it out Yet should it not be wel administred sith the Christian people are defrauded and depriued of the one halfe of the sacrament because they giue them not the sacramentall wine which is the sacrament of the bloud of Christ shed for vs vpon the Crosse when the other halfe is receiued they giue it seldome once in the yeare wickedly with so many superstitions and Idolatries As we haue already proued In bread and wine did Iesus Christ institute this sacrament for the high signification and allusion which the bread and wine holde with his bodie and with his bloud and commaunded his Apostles in the selfe same maner As they had seene him celebrate the supper in memoriall of his death to celebrate it When he gaue thē the bread he said Take
addeth So famous and so admirable was this miracle that the fame thereof hath stretched throughout all the kingdome c. Then was it a true miracle But of those which Sathan worketh to deceiue men and not a fiction of the Prioresse Why make their Lordships no mention in their sentence how the Prioresse had made Sathan to appeare in the figure of Christ crucified And how that litle so deuout a crosse was made and how the sicke persons were healed The principall passed they ouer least they should 〈…〉 superstitions and Idolatries That which they demanded of her is How sayd she that she had oftentimes seene the mother of God wherof in the Letters were made little mention O great subtiltie herewith they haue stopped the mouth of the people All these things was the iust iudgment and punishment of God wherewith he punisheth those that beeleue not the word of God reuealed in the holy Scripture but beleeue lies confirmed with false miracles illusions of the diuel The principall resteth for me yet to demaund What was I demaund of them that consecrate forme as saith the Prouinciall or hoste consecrated as saith Friar Lewes de Granada which the wednesday in the holy weeke issued out of the little casket wherein the most holy sacrament lay which casket of it selfe opened and out of it issued the said host without any visible ministery was presented to the mouth of the Religious and she receiued it with most great deuotion c. The Prouinciall addeth that another time vpon Innocents day another such like miracle happened Friar Lewes de Granada saith That the Masse being ended which Saint Iohn Euangelist did celebrate a consecrated host came from the Altar and was put into the mouth of this most holy Nunne Of Magâ—alen de la Cruz was it said that when shee communicated she lifted vp a rod to measure the hight of the ground as in the Treatise of the Masse we haue noted The host which Magâ—alen the Franciscan hipocrite and that which Mary the Dominican hypocrite receiued albeit the ordained Masse-Friars and with intention to consecrate did consecrate them murmuring ouer them their words of consecration Hoc est enim Corpus meum were not the body of Iesus Christ whose glorious body sits at the right hand of the Father and is not to descend thence vntill hee come to iudge the quicke and the dead As witnesseth S. Peter Act. 3. 21. Whom meaning Christ the heauens must containe vntill the day of restauration of all things And so doe we holde it for an article of faith and confesse the same in the Creed Were there no other proofe to proue their consecrated hostes their sacrament of the aultar not to be the body of Christ this in good reason should suffice that the diuell vseth his consecrated hostes he carrieth them into the aire and putteth them into the mouth of his he and she deuoted that men may holde them for holy As these two domestical exaÌ„ples of the Franciscan Magdalen de la Cruz and of the Dominican Mary de la visitation doe confirme the same But for as much as many other proofes they are taken out of the holy scripture out of the ancieÌ„t doctors which we haue noted in the Treatise of the Masse there maist thou read the same This opening of the casket this issuing out of the consecrated host and visible comming through the aire without any visible mystery and putting it in to the mouth of Magdalen of Mary and other such like was by the arte of the deuill he came betweene and was inuocated Open then thy eies O Spaine and vnderstand Suffer not thy selfe to be deceiued in the first article of christian religion Remember it is the first coÌ„mandement which our great God whose name is Iehona coÌ„maÌ„deth vs to keep Thou shalt haue no other Gods before me How can that be God how can that be a creator which the diuell vseth to cause the people to commit idolatry to entertaine the fained holinesse hypocrisy of Magdalen Mary and of other such both hee and shee Holy and blessed is our God he abhorreth wickednes hipocrisy superstition idolatry Therfore conclude that he which entertaineth these abhominations is not the true but a false God made by the inuention of men and Sathan their father which gouerneth them And this is the iust iudgment and punishment of God that they which neither read nor heare nor yet giue credit to the word of God registred by the holy prophets and Apostles without which there is no saluation may beleeue lies wherwith Antichrist and his father the diuil deceiued them to carry them with him into hell These things which we haue spoken of done by these Ladies I confesse are miracles and they caused that which our aduersaries hold for the sacrament and for the body of Christ truely to come But of these they are which the false prophets Antichrist and their father the diuell doe as our redeemer forewarneth vs Math. 2â— 24. and his Apostle 2. Thess 2. 9. wherewith they that are founded vpon the firme rocke which is Christ they that be taught by the word of God shal not be deceiued But they that be founded vpon the sand they that confirme their opinion with dreames imaginations and humane tradititions these shall beleeue them and hold them for true miracles which God hath wrought so beleeuing them shall perish except God hauing mercie vpon them doe before they depart this world conuert them With their Lordships fauour conclude we theÌ„ saying that Mary de la visitation did her miracles by the help and inuoâ—ation of the diuel for otherwise could she not doe them I vehemently suspect the cause of their so saying they feare to giue occasion lest some begin to think that their Sacrament which they sell for the body of Christ is not the body of Christ nor his Sacrament which in his holy Suppeâ— he instituted but their prophanation thereof This if our Spaniardes begin once to vnderstand the pontificall kingdom will wholly fall the kitchin of the Preists and Friars which is the Masse and Purgatory will bee cold and so superstition ignonorance heresy and Idolatry as a new thing which hath no foundation in the word of God but in dreames with false miracles and illusions of the diuell shall likewise fall and the ancient doctrine of the Gospell of Christ crucified written in the holy scripture maugre Antichrist shall flourish through the worlde Blessed and euer glorified be the holy name of the Lord who by his great mercie freed vs from such ignorance errors and superstitions heresies Idolatries where we were nourished who deliuered vs I say from the power of darknes and translated vs into the true kingdome of his beloued sonne in whom we haue redemption by his bloud and forgiuenes of sinnes What shall we render speaking as doth the Prophet vnto the Lord for all his benefites bestowed vppon vs we will take the cuppe
of our Saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord. No other willeth God for all his benefites but that we be thankfull and call vpon his name Thus shall the number of those whom God hath elected to life eternall encrease and so the kingdome of sinne death the diuell which is the kingdome of lies of false new doctrine confirmed with dreames false miracles and illusions of the diuell shal be destroied and that of grace life and of Christ which is the kingdome of truth the true and old doctrin confirmed with the word of God shal abide for euer To whom which is one God Father Sonne and holy Spirit who liueth and raigneth be perpetuall honâ—â— and glory Amen An Addition I In the moneth of Aprill 1588. Philip the second of that name king of Spaine pretending to send his inuincible fleet for the Conquest of England made choise by the aduise of the Prioresse of the monastery of the Anunciada whose name was Mary of the Visitacion as most worthie for her holinesse to blesse his Standard royall the which she did with vsing diuers other câ—remonies in the deliuery thereof to the Duke of Medina Sedonia who was appointed chiefe Generall she did pronounce openlie good successe and victory to the Duke in saying he should return a victorious Prince This standard was carried in procession by Don Francisco de Cordoua who was a Spaniard the tallest Gentl. that could be found he being on horse backe to the end it might be the better seen at the solemnzing wherof there was such a number of people assembled that diuers of them perished with the throng There was present the Archduke Albertus which then was Cardinall and Gouernor of the kingdom of Portugal the Popes Nuncio the Archbishop who was head inquisitor with diuers other Nobles Prelates Gentlemen This solemnization dured so long that Albertus fainted with fasting and this holy Nunne to comfort him caused a messe of the broth which was for her owne diet to be brought presenting it to him which he accepted most willingly coÌ„ming from the handes of so holy a Nun as then she was holden to be but about the beginning of DeceÌ„ber next after all her holines false miracles and great dissimulations was then found out and she condemned punished for the same according as is râ—bersed in this booke About the end of this yeare 1588 that this holy Nun was discouered in Lisbon there was also discouered in Seuil one father â—yon who was counted to be a most deuour and religious man but by his owne fellowes of his profession he was discouered to be a great hypocrite and a most vicious 〈◊〉 giuen to carnall lustes and for this and diuers other causes he was committed to the prison which is in the Cardinals house of 〈◊〉 A Table wherein by certaine Antitheses is declared the difference and contrarietie which is betweene the ancient doctrine of God contained in the holy scripture and taught in the reformed Churches and the new doctrine of men â—aught and maintained in the Roman or Popish Church Ierem. 6. 16. Thus saith the Lord stand in the wayes and behold and aske for the old way which is the good way and walke therein ye shall find rest for your soules THe ancient doctrine of God doth teach that the holy Scripture being the word of God diuinely inspired hath most sufficient authority of it selfe containeth all necessary doctrin to pietie and our saluation as S. Paul clearly teacheth 2. Tim. 3. 15. 16. 17. The new doctrin of meâ— teacheth that the holy Scripture although it be the word of God should haue no authority were it not for the approbation of the Church and that it is an vnperfect and maimed doctrine which containeth not doctrine sufficient to pietie nor our saluation but that this defect must be supplied by vnwritteÌ„ traditions Belar de verb. Deâ— noÌ„ scrip l. 4. The ancient doctrin of God doth teach that ignorance of the holy scriptures is the cause and mother of errors as Iesus Christ our Lord doth witnesse Mat 22. 19. saying to the Sadduces Ye erre because yee know not the Scriptures nor the power of God and therefore the duty of euerie faithfull Christian is to reade meditate and search the holy scripture as God commandeth his people Deut. 6. 7. chap. 12. 32. chap. 17. 19. Iosua 18. Esa 8. 20. And Christ our Lord in the new Testament Ioh. 5. 39. And as did the faithfull in the time of the Apostles Act 17. 11. 2 Tim. 3. 15. The new doctrin of men doth teach that ignorance is the mother of deuotion and that to keepe religion safe it is needful to forbid the lay or secular men the reading of the holy scriptures seeing it is the cause of many heresies Bellarm. de verbo Dei lib. 2 cap. 15 16. cens col f. 19. The ancient doctrin of God doth teach that many deceiuers and false Prophets are gone out into the world and that the faithfull therfore are to proue the spirits whether they be of God 1. Io. 4. 1. And that the holy scripture is the touch whereby this proofe and examination ought to be made Ioh. 5. 39. Act 17. 11. So that all doctrine contrary and repugnant to holy Scripture be it of Councels Fathers Doctors old or new and that as saith the Apostle of himselfe or of an Angel from heauen ought not to be receiued nor taught in the Christian Church Gal. 1. 8. 1. Tim. 1. 3. chap. 6. 3. 1. Pet. 4. 11. 2. Ioh. 10. The new doctrin of men doth teach that whosoeuer coÌ„tradict the Pope his decrees human traditions be false teachers that the Pope hath authority to iudge of all controuersies and of the true sense of holy Scriptures and that from his iudgment it is not lawfull to appeale Bellar. de verbo Dâ—â— interp lib. 3. cap. 3. c. The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that we ought to serue God alone which is the Creator and gouernour of all the world following the doctrin of Christ which saith Matt. 4. 10. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God him only shalt thou serue The new doctrine of men doth teach that we ought not to serue God alone but also the Saints that they hold them for patrons of kingdoms people cities societies and infirmities Bellarm. de Sanct. beat lib. 1. cap 12. Cens Col. fol. 230. The ancient doctrine of God doth teach that the lawful worship of God is to be founded vpon the holy Scripture that God will be serued according to his will and word in spirit and truth Ioh. 4. 24. and not after the opinion nor by the traditions nor customes of men as God by his prophet Eze. 20. 18. doth very expresly teach vs saying Walk not in the ordinances of your fathers nor obserue their lawes nor defile your selues with their idols I am the Lord your God Walke in mine ordinances and