needes be a monstrous mishapen thing in ioyning the Christians of these later daies with the Apostles without any betwixt and fosâ—â—ating as it were the feete of the body hard to the eares without any other members betwixt the one and the other And thus hauing framed this mery conceit in your owne heade you call vpon your frendes to laugh at it with you and so you proceede in telling vs that whiles we take this course we fly without wings and climbe without a ladder and despise the counsell of Salomon which after your maner you interpret that we should reckon by succession the pastours that haue succeeded in continuance of one kinde of doctrine the which you say you haue shewed you haue done To what purpose now is all this seeing in trueth neither we doe thus cut of all Christians betwixt them and vs neither haue you shewed any such succession of pastours downe from them to you continuing in your doctrine Truely to no other purpose can they serue but to expresse your owne ridiculous vanity Howbeit because you called in the former Chapter for the names of those that haue caught vs to deny your real presence in the sacrament and vpon a conceit in your owne fansie that you haue posed vs you haue growen to bee thus full of these swelling wordes of vanity and because I feare neither you nor many of your disciples will vouchsafe to peruse those books that I sent you vnto for answere in that point yet haue hope that for your sake some of you may chauÌ„ce vouchsafe to reade this I will not sticke with you particulerly to satisfie your request a little further First therefore vnderstand that we haue learned to deny your kinde of reall presence of Christ himselfe the institutour of this Sacrament because he hath flatly and vehemently affirmed without exception Iohn 6.54 that whosoeuer eateth his flesh drinketh his bloud hath eternall life Whereas by the meanes of your doctrine it followeth because all that receiue this sacrament haue not faith but manie lacke it that it shall bee eaten of manie that shal be neuer the better by it but the worse We haue also further learned it of him in that in the same Chapter speaking of the eating of his body drinking of his bloud he drew his hearers from a grosse conceit of eating drinking him by their bodily mouthes by vsing of the word beleeueth in stead of eateth and drinketh ver 40.47 and cap. 7.38 by mentioning vnto them his ascention Iohn 6.62 lattly by saying vnto theÌ„ It is the Spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speake vnto you are spirit life ver 63. This finally we haue learned of him saying If any shall say vnto you Lo here is Christ there is Christ beleeue it not Math. 24.23 by his continuing at the table when he first instituted and ministred it vnto his Apostles without alteration either of his place or forme Mat. 26. Mar. 12. Luke 22.1 Cor. 11. The Apostles euaÌ„gelists haue also taught vs to deny it in that they teach vs that he visibly asceÌ„ded into heauen that he shall so also come againe wheÌ„ he coÌ„meth froÌ„ thence c. Act. 1.11 especially seeing his comming to iudgement is called his secoÌ„d comming Heb 9.28 and vntil the restitutioÌ„ of all things it is saied by Peter the heaueÌ„s must coÌ„taine him Act. 3.21 The EuaÌ„gelists in laying downe vnto vs the story of his natiuity life death so prouing vnto vs that he was is a true and perfect maÌ„ encourage vs also least we should with the Marcionites other heretiques denie the trueth of his maÌ„hood coÌ„tantly to â—â—â—y your reall preseÌ„ce for the maintenance whereof you are driueÌ„ to fansy a nuÌ„ber of things quite contrary to the nature trueth of his maÌ„hood And lastly in that reciting the words of the institution they tel vs that Christ commanded that to be done in remeÌ„brance of him Luke 22.19 1. Cor. 11.24 there Paul saith v. 26. As often as ye shall eate this bread drink this cup ye shew the lords death till he coÌ„e which words plainly argu that though the sacrameÌ„t be both rightly ministresâ— receiued yet it inferreth not any such real preseÌ„ce as you ther imagâ—â— Now betwixt them vs we finde infinite places in writers of all ages that teach vs still to denie your reall presence but amongst many marke these for example TertulliaÌ„ in his 4. booke against MarcioÌ„ interpreteth these words Hoc est corpus meum thus that is to say This is a figure of my body Augustine against AdamaÌ„tus the Manichee c. 12. writeth that christ doubted not to say This is my body wheÌ„ he gaue a signe of his body vpoÌ„ the 3. Ps he saieth that Christ admitted Iudas to a baÌ„quet where he coÌ„meÌ„ded a figure of his body to his disciples vpoÌ„ the 98. Ps he saith yee shal not eat this body that yee see neither shall yee drinke that bloud which they shall shed that crucify me I haue coÌ„mended vnto you a certaine sacrament it being spiritually vnderstoode will giue you life In his 3. booke therfore of Christian doctrine he writeth thus This saying of Christ Except yee eate the flesh of the son of maÌ„ c. seemeth to coÌ„mand an heinous thing a wicked therefore it is a figure coÌ„maÌ„ding vs to be partakers of Christs passioÌ„ keeping in our minds to our great profit coÌ„fort that his flesh was crucified wouÌ„ded for vs. c. 16. he saith It is a miserable slauery of the soule to take the signes for the things signified in the same booke c. 5. And therefore in his 23. epistle he telleth vs that the similitude betwixt the signe the thing signified is the cause why the one beareth the name of the other in sacrameÌ„ts in his 57. questioÌ„ vpoÌ„ Leuitic he giueth vs this rule The thing that signifieth is woÌ„t to bear the name of the thing which it signifieth as Paul said The rock was Christ not it signified Christ but eueÌ„ as it had bene indeed which neuertheles was not Christ by substaÌ„ce but by signification So that his vsual doctrine is to teach vs in this sacrament to seeke christ in heaueÌ„ by faith thereby to make him present which otherwise is absent as you may read in his 50. tract vpon Iohn els where very often And with Augustine the rest of the fathers consent in this matter therefore nothing is more coÌ„moÌ„ with them then to call the outward part in this sacrament a signe figure similitude resemblance or representatioÌ„ as it appeareth in these places Chrysostom in his 83. Homil vpon Mat. Hierom in his 2. booke against IouiniaÌ„ Ambr. in his 4. booke of the sacraments c. 5. Basil in his lyturgy Ephr in his 4. booke against the impugners of Christs manhood by humane reason And Origen vpoÌ„ Leuit hom 7. teacheth vs that the letter
common with you to al the solemnity of ceremonies that you vse now To trauell no further for the matter let vs but take a view of your rites and ceremonies in this case as they are set downe in your late Catechisme by the decree of the councell of Trent and Pius the fift Bishop of Rome writen and published for the instructioÌ„ of your parish Priests what and how to teach their people and we shall finde that these places doe not mention the one halfe of them by farre There first they are deuided in three rankes or sortes the first is of them that you by authority of that councell vnder paine of being anathematized must vse before the partie to be baptised come to the font the second is of such as be vsed in the baptizing of him and the third is of such as be vsed after Of the first stampe be these consecrating of the water with the oile of misticall vnction of Easter day and Whitsonday that shall serue for the whole yeare after as there shal be occasion to vse it the staying of the party without the Church dore vntill he either by himselfe or his Godfather for him promise the forsaking of the seruice of Sathan and his yeelding to enter into Gods seruice and family and being asked what he would haue answere be giuen that he would haue baptisme which being knowen theÌ„ it is saied further that he is to be instructed in the Cathecisme and is to answere it by himselfe or his godfather which done then in religious words and praiers exorcisme or adiuration to expell the deuil and to weaken and ouerthrow his power in him must be vsed a little salt must be put into his mouth the signe of the Crosse is to be made vpon his forehead eies brest shoulders and eares and lastly with the priests spettle his nostrels and eares must be anointed Now these things thus finished then he is admitted or brought to the font where next follow the rites of the second order which there are thus set downe then is he thrise asked whither he doe abreâ—ounce the deuill c. And thrise he or his godfather make answere abrenuÌ„tio I doe abrenouÌ„ce and then likewise he is asked whither he doe beleeue the twelue articles of the Christian faith whereunto answere is made credo I beleeue and lastly whither he will be baptized is demaunded wherunto answere being made volo I will he is baptized in the water in the font in the name of the father the sonne and holy Ghost either being dipt into the water or by hauing water poured or sprinkled vpon him according to the maner and fashion of the Church in that countrey where the party is baptized Where is also further shewed that it was the minde of that holy councel that at the most there should be but one godfather and one godmother thus to answere and vndertake for the baptized both because the order of discipline and instruction thorough a multitude of masters might be troubled and also because it was meet so to prouide least otherwise betwixt too many such spirituall affinities should grow as might hinder mariadge amongst men too much For as the writer of that booke further saieth most wisely by the Church it was decreed that there should grow such affinity not onely betwixt the baptized and baptizer but also betweene the baptized and the sureties and the baptized his true parents that thenceforth none of them might marry togither That also may not be forgotten that there also it is shewed that the naturall parentes of the party to bee baptized may not so promise answere for him that so that rather it weâ— appeare how farre this spirituall education differs froÌ„ the carnall Belike the authour of this Catechisme the councell Pope that set him a worke coÌ„maÌ„ded the publishing of his booke had quite forgotteÌ„ that S. Paul saieth to naturall pareÌ„ts yee fathers bring vp your childreÌ„ in instructioÌ„ informatioÌ„ of the Lord Ephes 6. ver 4. or else they were at a flat point they cared not whatsoeuer hee had taught Now your Ceremonies of the lust sort as he setteth theÌ„ out are these baptisme ministred finished the baptizeds crowne of the head is to be annointed with the holy chrisme a white garment or at least a white sudarioluÌ„ that is handkerchiefe or cloth to wipe away sweat withall is to be giuen him a burning waxe candle is to be put into his hand lastly his name must be giueÌ„ him Now I pray you what are the 5. things aforesaied mentioned in these places to such a nuÌ„ber as these And yet the Tridentine couÌ„cel whose mind this authour plainly set out thought al these so necessary can 13. de SacrameÌ„tis that it pronouÌ„ceth him accursed that shall coÌ„teÌ„ne omit or take vpoÌ„ him to alter any of these And the more is as it is euideÌ„t by your own doctors DuraÌ„d Dorbel Herolt others you obserue not these rites ceremonies with the opinioÌ„ that ecclesiasticall coÌ„stitutions of such matters ought only to be obserued wtal that is in hâ—lding stilfast the doctrine of ChristiaÌ„ liberty in your coÌ„scieÌ„ces obseruing theÌ„ for deceÌ„cy coÌ„lines edification wtout opinion of holines necessity merit therin for the better maintenaÌ„ce of order peace in the church but most grosly superstitiously idolatrously haue you taught meÌ„ to impute to a nuÌ„ber of them as naÌ„ely to your exorcism annointing crossing such force efficacy as that not only you haue made theÌ„ to encroch far vpoÌ„ the vse effect of baptism it self but also you haue do attribute so great so many spiritual graces effects to theÌ„ that litle or nothing is left as speciall to baptisme Nay who is so simple but that he seeth that these such other rites ceremonies amoÌ„gst you though it be neuer so euident that they be but of humane deuise inuentioÌ„ are more carefully vrged obserued theÌ„ that very order that expreslie it set downe in the scriptures theÌ„selues about concerning the administratioÌ„ of the sacrameÌ„ts if it were not thus you durst not so coÌ„trary to the doctrine order of S. Paul 1. cor 14. appoint vse rather as you do an vnknown tongue in the ministring of theÌ„ then a laÌ„guage that the people might vnderstaÌ„d be edified by so say ameÌ„ with vnderstaÌ„ding to your praiers thaÌ„ksgiuing Nether durst you thus to ad to the lords ordinaÌ„ces accurse theÌ„ that omit any of your additioÌ„s in the mean time take vpoÌ„ you quite coÌ„trary to the words of Christ drink ye al of this to bereaue the coÌ„moÌ„ people of the cup to the sacrameÌ„t of Christs body bloud wtall by your new found tearme and doctrine of concomitance peruerting quite the vse end of the sacrament in making it a sacrament of the life glory of Christ whereas by his ordinance it is a sacrament of his death and abasement for
for it as you would make men beleeue your prayers for the dead be For that had beene then furiously for a trifle to rage against the dead But alas master Albine both you and your fellowes are wonderfully deceaued in thinking that Cyprian meant here by oblation sacrifice and prayer as you doe For questionles by oblation and sacrifice he meant but the sacrifice of praise and thankesgiuing and therefore he saied not pro peccatis eius for his sins but pro dormitione eius for his sleeping and by praier not praier for to ease him of his sinnes but the publique and ordinary praier wherein then they vsed to make commemoration or remembrance of the godly brother departed the better to prouoke others thereby to imitate him which you might perceaue by his saying he deserueth not to be naÌ„ed in the praier of the Priest All which you might the better haue learned thus to vnderstande if you had remembred that the same Cyprian in his fourth booke of epistles epist 5. hauing spoken of certaine famous Martyrs Celerin Laurence and Ignatius addeth for these alwaies you remember wee offer sacrifices as oft as wee solemnize the passions and dayes of the Martyrs anniuersariâ commemoratione with a yearely commemoration For I am sure you holde that these were not in purgatory and that therefore these stoode in no neede to haue an oblation and sacrifice of the masse offered for them or praiers in your sence to be made for them Yea how can these otherwise be vnderstoode then of the oblation and sacrifice of thankesgiuing in the memorial or remembring the godly life and constant Christian death of such And so we neither dislike the practise of such thankful coÌ„memorations of the godly departed now nor deny that of ancient time for the comfort and instruction of them that were aliue that it hath beene vsed And of this offering of the oblation of praise and thankesgiuing for the faithfull departed very well may and must that be vnderstoode which vsually you alleadge so much out of the Lyturgies which you father vpoÌ„ Basil and Chrysostome For you know in offering it they teach you to offer it to God for those that are at rest in faith their elders their fathers patriarchs Prophets Apostles Euangelists Martyrs and for Mary the blessed Virgin her selfe For I hope you thinke not all these staÌ„d in neede to be offered praied for to be eased in purgatory And yet your praying for the dead your purgatory are right Hypocrates twins they must laugh and weepe togither they must stand and fal beginne and ende both at once I am sure you haue heard of Augustines saying Qui orat pro martyre iniuriam facit martyri he that prayeth for a martyr iniureth a martyr And therefore long after the councell of Bracchar in Spaine mentioneth onely a coÌ„memoration of the dead that die in the Lorde with Psalmes of thankesgiuing which it forbiddeth to be vsed for those that kill themselues or for their faults are put to death can 34. Indeede in that councell which was in the yeare of the Lorde 630. in the time of Honorius the first for I speake of the first held there I finde mentioÌ„ in the 39. Canon which is the last thereof not onely of a commemoration of the dead but of some offering when that was or when the feasts of martyrs in their memories were kept of mony or some other thing for the reliefe of the needy where order is taken for the receauing of it and bestowing of it which either were the free will offerings of the liuing to testifie their thankfulnesse to God for the good departure of the dead or bequests and legacies of the dead to the reliefe of the poore other holy vses against the staying detaining whereof the fourth Councell of Carthage and the second of Vase sharplie decreed And it appeareth in Iustinus martyrs second apologie that euen so long ago after the communion there was an oblation of almes giuen for such vses but he in neither of his apologies though therein hee shewe what the forme and maner of the Christians seruing of GOD then was of purpose once remembreth so much as any commemoration then made of the dead in their assemblies Of such offerings and oblations at the commemorations of the dead I noted before what the authour of the tractes vpon Iob commonly fathered vpon Origen hath saied Other oblation sacrifice or offering then these two of thanksegiuing and almes I cannot finde in any ancient and sound writer allowed The more are you to blame Master Albine that thorow the ambiguity of the wordes not vnderstoode of your simple Reader will make him beleeue that yet because Cyprian hath these words that therefore thereby he alloweth of your kinde of offerings oblations and sacrifice of the â—asse for the sinnes of the dead If there had beene aâ—â—â—â—ch vse of the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ why haue none of the Apostles or Euangelists made any mention of it Or neither Christ nor they hauing spoken one word of anie such vse of it what reason is there that if there aftercoÌ„mers should without all warraÌ„t from any of them that we should be leeue them therein Surely whosoeuer he be that should especially also seeing we cannot finde how many kinde of sacrifices soeuer God for diuerse occasions in the old testament appointed that euer he appointed any or made any mention of any for the dead we would learne of Chrysostome euen therefore to say vnto him you see into what great absurdities men fall when they will not follow the Canon of the Scripture Homil 58. in Genesin and with Augustine though he were an Angel because of a matter of so great importance he speaketh without warraÌ„t either out of the old testameÌ„t or new he would boldly hold him accursed Contra literas petiliani lib. 3. cap. 6. But to auoide this I know because in a cause so gainefull for you you will not seeme to bee altogither destitute of Scripture the bookes of the Machabees euen to help you at a pinch in this case in spite of all good antiquity and trueth shall be Canonicall Scripture and Iudas Machabeus fact 2. Mach. 12. must be vrged not onely as a lawfull fact but as a president to warrant your offering and sacrificing to relieue soules in purgatorie And yet in very deede when you haue alleadged this fact of his neuer so much you shall finde your dealing herein as voide of credit out of the Scriptures of God as before For first certaine it is that these bookes are none of the Canon of the old testament as you know well enough Origen apud Eusebium lib. 6. c. 24. Athanasius in Synopsi Cyril Hierosolymitanus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazianzene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hierom. in prologo Galeato Gregorius magnus libro 19. Cap. 17. vpon Iob the councell of Laodicea and diuerse others haue determined whose iudgements are inuincibly confirmed by the