was in her integritie saue that in the state of integrity it was repressed by a supernaturall gift of originall righteousnes which did represse keep it vnder which God hath taken away in the first man so from all other men in him as a punishment of his sinne in such sort as that this concupiscence is not sinne in men because it is not against any law of God or if it be that it is the least of all other sinnes in as much as it is onely some small disorder in nature But how can this fancie agree with Saint Paule with this law of the members which maketh vs seruants of sinne Sinne whose wages is no other then eternall death But there is some pleasure in respect of these different opinions to heare what the olde fathers say handling this question against the hereticks of their times as those who are by so much the lesse to be suspected in this cause by how much they haue beene the more renowned testified of for their godlinesse and yet haue not ceased to acknowledge the infirmities of their humane nature Testimonies out of the fathers Ambr. in epist ad Rom c. 5. tom 5. Idem de vocat Gent. l. 1. c. 3. tom 2. Idem in Apol. Dauid c. 11. Notet Pighius S. Ambrose It is most plaine and manifest that all haue sinned in Adam as in the Masse by him therefore we all become sinners euen as we do all come of him He hath lost the benefite and priuiledge by sinne c. Againe Before we be borne we are defiled by contagion before we enioy the light we receiue the losse of our original goodnesse in as much as we be conceiued in sin c. And if the child that is but one day old be not without sin much lesse the daies of the mothers conception We are all therefore conceiued in sin of our fathers and mothers we are borne in their trespasses and euen the very infant beareth about it his pollutions And if thou doubtest from whence this commeth so to passe he maketh it manifest Hence it is saith he that wee are mortall from hence springeth not so much the multitude of our miseries as of our hainous sinnes and crimes our faith to bee lost our hope farre remoued our vnderstanding blinded and our will captiuated And what becommeth then of the power and vertues of the not regenerate of such as continue still and dwell in the corruption of their nature Without the worship of the true God saith he euen that which seemeth vertue is vice without God it is not possible for any man to please God And he that pleaseth not God whom can he please but the Deuill But to come as neere to the quick as may be is there any remainder of goodnesse abiding in man whereby hee may relieue and raise vp himselfe againe Idem Ambros de vocat Gent. l. 1. c. 5. Opere suo opus suum reparat Nay nay but on the contrarie No man saith he is found hauing any thing in himselfe whereby he may recouer his former place and excellencie Man will neuer be able to turne backe againe to God if God himselfe doe not turne and conuert him The grace of our Lord by his worke that is to say by the operation thereof repaireth his worke The will of man hath nothing left of all the powers thereof saue only a power and readie inchnation to destroy it selfe periculi facilitatem c. Gregorius Nyssenus Grâ—â— Nyss l. de oâ—at Man forsooke and reuolted from him who had made him and betooke himselfe to the enemies side that is to say to the Deuil whereupon his freedome and power changed of themselues and his wicked and vngodly will into a grieuous and dangerous seruitude and thraldome vnto sinne Then insued the abolishing of the image and figure of God which was before imprinted euen from our first creation in vs Adde hereto the losse of the groat By which the scripture doth teach vs that there is not of all the men that are so much as one to bee found that liueth one onely daie without spot And this is the cause why wee pray forgiue vs our trespasses although he were a Moises or a Samuel seeing that the same speech of repentance that agreed with Adam is common to all to the end that the Lord may saue vs by grace in graunting vnto vs the blotting out and abolishment of our sinnes And we need not for the finding out of the same enter into the consideration of nature in generall for euerie man entring into his owne censcience may find how needfull a thing it is to craue merciâ— Chrysostome Chrysost in Genel hom 29. tom 1. The first man by the decree of God by his sinne did incurre and draw vpon himselfe the sentence of death and hath past it ouer and conueighed it to his whole posteritie c. The second man is come downe from heauen he alone abiding without sinne and not owing any thing to death that so he might be free amongst the dead and that death might be condemned in his death Againe The nature of this pestilence tooke his beginning from one bodie hath now spread it selfe all ouer into euerie man Idem in Mâ—â—â— â—om 33. tom 2 And if thou demande what manner of plague it is When sinne entred saith he then came the downefall of our libertie for it corrupted the power giuen vs by nature it brought in seruitude and bondage c. Euen such a pestiâ—ence as that such as are infected therewith are not able to doe any thing that is ought worth â—em â—â—â—m 6. 〈…〉 â—â—a 〈◊〉 Fla. 〈…〉 de 〈…〉 Idem l. de natur grat c. 3 de â—id ad Petâ—um c. 23. Idem paâ—sim Iâ—eâ— cp 107. Idem contr Iul. Pelag. l 4. For saith hee in another place The heathen though they wrought good workes yet they wrought them not truely good because they did them not in anie consideration that they had of God but for to be reputed or because that goodnes is good or for the conseruing of hâ—mane societie c. But Saint Augustine against the Pelagians hath handled this matter and ript it vp to the bottome as the thing saith he wherein consisteth the summe of all Christian religion Hold fast saith he that euerie man which is conceiued by the carnall comunction of man woman together is borne in original sinne subiect to wickednes villanic and subiect to death and by this nature the child of wâ—ath c. And therefore this nature of man from the time of his birth hath need of a Phisition because it is nothing sound c. But mortally pestered as is to bee seene in the beadroll of euils which he attributeth vnto it That is the losse of free will thraldome by sinne ignorance and maliciousnesse banishment from the kingdome of heauen and the decree of eternall death Whereupon he saith We â—annot be
counteruaile eternal life and of too shallow and short a measure in respect of infinite blessednesse yea though it were the merite of the holy Virgine and that conceiued or not conceiued be it as you will in originall sinne For if shee were conceiued in originall sinne shee is freely redeemed as well as any other and regenerate and borne againe of meere grace as well as any other But and if shee were not which yet the holy Scripture denieth that was also of the worke and operation of the same grace and furthermore the greater shee is the deepelier is shee bound vnto God and the further off from merite as also from hauing any occasion to be proud beeing on the contrarie so much the more to carrie her selfe in a greater measure of dutifulnesse and humilitie in respect of so rich and aboundant mercies bestowed vpon her so freely and vndeseruedly by the high and mightie God According to that which is said Vnto whome much is giuen and committed Luk 12.24 of him shall so much the more bee required againe c. CHAP. XVII That the Regenerate man cannot merite eternall life either for himselfe or for anie other LEt vs come to the condition of the regenerate man to the state of grace Proofes out of the holy Scripture as it is called and let vs see if any one standing in that state before God can merite of him by his workes either his owne saluation or an other mans The Scripture speaketh verie highly of mans Regeneration it setteth him before vs as a man new moulded and cast by the effectuall power and working of the holy Ghost in all and euerie one of his parts and members Now what better way to comprehend and conceiue the fall and ruine then by the reedified repaired parts Coloss 1.3 Acts. 15. Ephe. 1. Coloss 2.13 Gala. 5. Rom. 6. Coloss 7. Rom. 8.14 For the spirit of Christ deliuereth vs from the power of darknesse being dead as we were in sinne he quickneth and maketh vs aliue he purgeth our hearts by faith he inlightneth the eyes of our vnderstanding by the knowledge of God He destroyeth the bodie of sinne He mortifieth yea crucifieth the old man with all the diseases concupiscences and affections of the flesh He maketh vs the children of God and as we are such to crie Abba that is to say father But dooth it follow of all this that after Regeneration we are either cleane from all sinne or that we can attaine vnto it in this world Such as doe flatter themselues in making their sinne small should therewithall thinke that a small thing should repaire and make vp the breach But what then will they say when as of necessitie for the sauing of this miserable flesh the word must be made flesh When for the deliuering of vs from the seruitude of sinne hee must needes become sinne himselfe who had neuer knowne any sinne Or will they thinke that the flesh bee it neuer so wholly and throughly regenerate will bee able to doe all things Or would they flie vp with their owne wings to heauen without Iacobs Ladder the helpe of the Lord or his merite More readie as yet by their pride to loose the benefit of Regeneration then our Father was to loose the excellent gifts he had by his Creation at the suggestion of the woman But let vs heare how the Scripture speaketh J am saith S. Paul crucified with Christ I liue Gala. 2.16 no more I but Christ in me and the life that I liue now in the flesh I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God who hath loued me and who hath giuen himselfe for me What could he haue spoken of more excellencie And where is that regenerate man that can vtter any thing more boldly then hee hath done this And yet therewithall heare him comming from the setting foorth of the praises of the grace receiued by God to the consideration of his owne infirmitie I see saith hee an other Law in my members Rom. 7. fighting against the Law of my vnderstanding and making me captiue to the law of sinne which is in my members c. That is to say I feele concupiscence the bud of the flesh c. And this Lawe this concupiscence if thou be in doubt doe not thinke that it is good For I know saith he that in me that is to say in my flesh there dwelleth no good thing To will well is readie with me but J doe not find the meanes to performe or doe it Nay this concupiscence is euil for he addeth thee hereunto The euill is readie with me and fast sticking vnto me I doe the euil that I would not euen the euill that I hate that is to say which I condemne in my mind and such euill as is repugnant vnto the Law of God which cannot be called any thing but sinne according to that which S. Iohn saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All whatsoeuer is against the Lawe is sinne euen to the obeying of my flesh and not the Law of my God which J consent vnto and agree to be good but vnto the Law of sinne which I condemne and dislike of in my spirit And againe This sinne is sinne in such a manner and degree as that it forceth me to confesse that it is sinne in deed For if the Law had not said Thou shalt not lust I had not knowne sinne but now I knowe it And it hath such a deepe roote in me as that I am constrained to crie Miserable man that J am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death Yea and it hath fruit also which it beareth and bringeth forth in me Sinne dwelleth in me euen the sinne which begetteth death which hath no other wages but death which also in stead of being brought vnder by the Law of God is lifted vp by the nature thereof and armed to rebell against it taking occasion from the same to multiplie and increase Rom. 8. Gala. 5. Coloss 3. Ephe. 4. It is prouoked and enraged like a maligne Vlcer against the salue Thus speaketh S. Paul of this sinne and not as it is in the Infidels but as it is in the regenerate and those not of the weakest sort of the regenerate but as it was in himselfe concluding generally and euerie where that he hath need to spoyle destroy kill and crucifie the same and that yet notwithstanding all this doe what he can 2. Cor. 4.10 it will not all be vanquisht and subdued at one blow For Howbeit saith he that our outward man be decaied and cast downe yet our inward is renued euerie day And yet notwithstanding not in any such measure of perfection as that any man can vaunt or boast himselfe to haue wholy put on the one and put off the other in this world For In this world wee shall neuer grow vp together and become perfect men Ephe. 4 13. according to the measure of the perfect stature of Christ
bee that pure righteousnesse when transgression and some default cannot bee shut out from it But it seemeth to vs that the iust and righteous dealing of men may be vpright and honest when it yeeldeth not so farre vnto sinne as to suffer it to raigne in the bodie c. Againe The Lord is hee that iudgeth me Idem de verbo Originis for I cannot auoide his righteous sentence yea and if I were iust yet would I not lift vp my head because that all my righteous actions are as a stained cloth seeing that before God no man can be iustified no not one CHAP. XVIII That the Law was giuen man to conuince him of sinne and to cause him to looke for his saluation in that grace which is by faith in Christ according both to the Scriptures and the fathers FOr what vse then will some say doth the Law of God serue vs The end of the law according to the holy Scriptures if we cannot fulfill the same Verily that by it thou maist know the difference that is betwixt the righteousnesse of God and that pretended righteousnesse of thine owne and that thou maist knowe that thou art not able to doe it As certainely also that thou maiest bee conuinced in thy pride condemned in thy righteousnesse and bound and beholden to his mercies And all the Pedagogie thereof Deut. 9. all the discipline and instruction contained in the same if thou consider it is no other thing Moyses saith Say not in thine heart O Israell This is because of my righteousnesse that God hath brought me into this land it is not by reason of the vprightnesse of thy heart for thou art a stif-necked people c. And then how much lesse into the true land Into the heauenly Chanaan The whole seruice of the Lawe consisteth altogether in washings altogether in bloud and in killing which aunswere fitly to our vncleannesse sinnes crimes accidents and happes yea to our verie ignorances to our faults known and vnknowne vnto vs and they were renued Euening and Morning and were continued perpetually and therefore also both an ordinarie and continuall charge and accusation of our whole liues and of all that which is within vs Psalme or that commeth out of vs. Whereupon Dauid saith If thou markest our iniquities O Lord who shall abide it who shall indure thy stroke And whereas he speaketh of his righteous workes he saith Thou art the Lord my goodnesse reacheth not vnto thee The Prophets likewise doe neuer speake vnto vs but of a circumcised heart of a new heart of a hart of flesh in stead of our vncircumcised and stonie harts to the end that wee may know where the disease holdeth vs euen in our most noble part and that it lyeth not in vs to reforme the same that it hath need to be quite framed anew by the operation of the Creator himself by his holy spirit and in the fountaine or spring head are all the waters issuing from thence condemned in the tree all the fruites thereof In the originall of motion all our motions and in the workman all the workes which he hath wrought Whereupon S. Paul also the true interpreter of the Law leadeth vs continually from workes vnto faith and from the Law to grace The Law saith hee giueth knowledge of sinne Rom. 3. the Law maketh it to abound the Law worketh wrath the Law is the ministerie of death by the workes of the Law no man is iustified for no man can fulfill it And yet in the meane time Cursed are they that abide not in all the words of the same And what shall we doe then But saith he the iust shall liue by faith he shall be iustified by faith without the workes of the Law iustified freely by the grace of God by the redemption made in Iesus Christ Rom. 4 That grace which superaboundeth whereas sinne hath abounded That faith which applieth vnto vs this grace which is imputed vnto vs for righteousnesse in as much as we belieue in him that hath raised Christ from the dead slaine for our sinnes and raised for our iustification Rom. 11.5 c. And If it bee of grace saith the Apostle then it is no more by workes otherwise grace were no more grace otherwise workes were no more workes And yet in the meane time faith the gift of God Faith the gift of God and grace that is to say the remission of sinnes the gift also of God and the hand to receiue the bountifull kindnesse and free liberalitie of our God in Christ this free mercy also the gift of God Faith Ephes 2.8 Rom. 5. for you are saued saith the Apostle by grace through faith and that not of your selues it is of God Grace the remission of sinnes in like manner For saith hee also if by the offence of one many die much more the grace of God and the gift by grace c. hath abounded on many Rom. 6. Againe The wages of sinne is death Our aduersaries would say and the wages of good workes is eternall life Nay saith our Apostle But the the gift of God that is to say Rom. 5 the gift of righteousnesse the aboundance of grace is eternall life by Iesus Christ And this gift notwithstanding is called an inheritance the inheritance of Children and not the wages of seruants And yet an inheritance which wee although adopted for children doe loose and forfait euerie day as much as in vs lyeth by our sinnes if God euerie houre in the obedience of his Sonne did not restore it vnto vs againe and that of his free gift Ioh. 1. Rom. 8. For saith Saint Iohn He hath vouchsafed vs the honour to be made the children of God And If saith Saint Paul you bee Sonnes you are also heires yea fellow heires with Christ Such is the paines that the Apostle taketh to weede and destroy out of vs this roote of Pharisaisme of pretended merite sometimes making vs heires sometimes Donatories or rather heires Donatories in as much as it is giuen vnto vs to be children which naturally we were not But what child is hee that can be indured or thought worthie to be maintained if hee say that he deserueth and meriteth at his fathers hands and that of his father of whome hee holdeth and inioyeth but this mortall life and that rather but as the instrument then the author thereof Some in like maner asked the auncient fathers The end and scope of the law according to the olde writers wherefore serueth the law of God if we cannot performe it And behold now what was their answere Saint Ambrose The Law worketh and causeth wrath Adam fell to offend by disobedience and to commit a fault by insolencie But in as much as pride was the cause of the fall and the prerogatiue of innocencie the cause of his pride there was iust cause giuen for the making of a Law which might make him subiect vnto God
euer since the foundation of the worlde Now if it bee of this antiquitie then it will bee found mentioned spoken of and that in plaine tearmes in the olde church and the remedie also of this fire cannot but bee reuealed by God and practised amongst his people And so much the more in that the mercifulnes of God in Iesus Christ lesse shining in the first times and ages of the worlde the onelie satisfaction for our sinnes being couered vnder the vailes of the law made by all likelyhoode the remedy of Purgatory to be the more haunted and practised vnder the olde Testament as being at that time most needfull and necessarie Heere our aduersaries make vs this answere whence commeth it then that in all the writinges of Moses and the Prophetes there is nothing spoken of it that amongst so manie threatninges which are made against the transgressors of the law this should not bee so much as once touched That amongst so manie sacrifices ordained for voluntarie and willinglie committed sinnes as also for sinnes committed vnwillingly and of ignorance as likewise that in the middest of so manie expiatorie and purging sacrifices for all manner of pollutions whether they came of sicknes infirmitie sinne or of the defiling comming by touching of the dead c. there should not bee found anie thing appointed for sinnes after death not anie sacrifice not anie offering And yet notwithstanding they died euery daye and how deepelie engaged in sinne There is likewise nothing founde to bee practised in the Church in the behalfe of the dead whereuppon a man hath not any ground either from literall or figuratiue interpretation to proue this Purgatorie The Patriarkes did burie their wiues and children they were carefull of buying sepulchres of mourning and of conueying of their bones from one place to an other Where was their pietie if it may bee tearmed pietie to pray for the deade Dauid wept for Ionathan his verie true and trustie friende and Salomon for Dauid his predecessor and Father If these did practise no such thing what may wee coniecture thereof more But and if they did practise such a thing then whereby shall it become apparant vnto vs by anie one worde And that notwithstanding that Dauid haue made so manie prayers vppon so many occasions and those both of ioye and also of mourning and so manie kinges of Israell and Iuda haue beene honourably buried as also so manie Prophetes left vnto vs behinde them their open protestations against impieties and vngodlines and in the commendation of pietie and godlines euerie one in his time none of them recōmending this deuotion vnto vs for pietie or accusing of impietie those that haue omitted and neglected it yea no one of them authorising the same either by precept or example And it auaileth not to say That there was not in the Church of the Iewes any sacrifice for the deade because that according to the doctrine of the Church of Rome Paradice was not opened to the Fathers vnto the death of our Lord. For woulde not this haue beene a refreshment and comforte vnto them to haue beene translated from Purgatorie into the limbes from a place of dolour and paine and that such as they describe it to bee into a place of rest And againe what apparance is there that they shoulde haue remained there without remedie for the space of some three or foure thousande yeares what inequalitie had there beene in such punishment in respect of that which is inflicted at this daye when as they come forth now from day to daye whether it bee through the absolute authoritie of the Pope by his Indulgences or by the diligence of their kinsfolkes not neglecting to contribute and bestowe these suffrages vppon them In conclusion if there bee anie such thing it is as old as the creation and that more clearelie appearing vnder the olde Testament then vnder the newe and if it bee vnder the olde then it ought to haue had sacrifices for the deade and that a great deale more requisite at that time then vnder the new but and if the lawe had no such sacrifices neither then was there as it followeth by consequent anie Purgatorie neither indeede is there at this daye Now therefore let vs see if the olde Testament say anie thing of it yea if it speake of it in plaine tearmes as the importance of the thing doth require if I say in such sorte as it is saide to agree and stand with the iustice and mercie of God the instruction of the Church and the rest and consolation of poore distressed soules Now it is most certaine That Purgatorie cannot bee found in the olde Testamēt Deutr. 30. Psal 34. 116 Esay 57. that the olde Testament traceth out vnto vs onelie two waies Blessing or cursing Saluation or Condemnation the death of the Saintes as precious before the Lorde or the death of the wicked condemned of him as also the verie remembrance of them And theruppon it is that without leauing any thing coniecturall vnto vs betwixt those two the Prophete sayeth The iust man dyeth and departeth hence in peace lying himselfe down to rest in his bed In peace that is to saye to speake after the manner of the Hebrewes in all prosperitie verie farre from the pretended horrible paines of Purgatorie But yet let vs heare them speake to see what they can alleadge and let vs withall beare it continuallie in minde that our aduersaries doe make it an Article of their faith and so by consequent the lawe of the auncient Fathers ought here to take place as that of Saint Ierome That vpon obscure doubtfull darke and allegoricall places of the Scripture wee ought not to grounde anie pointe of doctrine That of Saint Augustine That in the controuersie of religion darke and figuratiue places must bee set aside and those onelie helde which are cleare of themselues And that of the Schoolemen likewise That allegoricall Diuinitie doth not proue c. It is saide in Leuiticus 12. Leuiticus 12. wee will take the places in order Shee shall not touch anie holie thing neither enter into the sanctuarie vntill that the daies of her purgation be accomplished Luke 2. Hee speaketh of her that is deliuered of her first borne according to the lawe practised likewise by the holy virgin as wee reade in Saint Luke and the literall sence is so cleare as that wee neede not seeke anie allegorie therein The Glose saieth Shee shall not come within the Court of the sanctuarie And in like manner Cardinall Hugo Hugo Cardinall in Leuit. c. 12. What is there now in this place that will afforde vs a Purgatory or that the sanctuarie is Paradice whereinto none can enter till after they bee deliuered out of Purgatorie If this bee saide generallie of all what shall become of the exception concerning Martyrs who doe not passe the same and if the allegorie bee good in the wordes Sanctuarie and Purgation how will they
repay him againe The same also which S. Paul saith What is it that thou hast which thou hast not receiued And if thou hast receiued it 1. Cor. 4.7 why boastest thou thy selfe as if thou hadst not receiued it c. And the second Councel of Orange held about the yeare 450. doth conclude in these words Mans nature Concil Arans c. Can. 19. Man a great deale lesseable after his fall euen in his integritie could not keep his integritie without the help of God c. But after he had fallen and corrupted his waies being the second state that our first father fell into we became in farre worse and harder case Man euen in his integrity could not in respect of God merite or deserue any good thing but now in the daies of his corruption hee cannot chuse but merite yea he cannot merite any thing but the wrath of God his curse and eternall death For being become sinne and transgression it hath corrupted the most noble partes both of his humane bodie and diuine soule making the will to bee the slaue of vnbridled appetite vnderstanding of imagination vnto all euill and both of them faultie and corrupted in themselues the will estranged from the loue of God and the vnderstanding from the hauing of the knowledge of him both the one and the other carried from their naturall and one onely good state to the contrarie with all their power and abilitie euen to will and know that which is displeasing vnto him and hurtfull to themselues Man now in this estate what can he doe what can he but do amisse And notwithstanding this is the state of all men in themselues since the fall no man to be excepted God pronounceth this generall sentence in Genesis Genel 6. Iob. 14. Psal 51. All the thoughtes of the heart of man are set vpon euill continually The most holy do most freely confesse it Iob Who can draw any thing that is pure from that which is defiled Not one Dauid Behold I was begotten in iniquitie and my mother hath conceiued me in sinne and therefore he prayeth vnto God to create in him a new hart Ioh. 3.6 Christ in the Gospell That which is begotten of flesh is flesh and that which is begotten of the spirit is spirit If a man be not borne againe hee cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Rom. 7.18 2. Cor. 3.5 Ephes 1. And Saint Paule expoundeth it Because that in the flesh dwelleth no good seeing that the naturall man doth not comprehend that which is of the spirite of God And because That we are naturally deadin sinnes our workes then are both dead and deadly and to bring vs to bring out any other it cannot bee without the working of a miracle Ephes 2.5 Rom. 6.8 it is requisite that wee should bee raised againe And it is God onely that must doe this Because saith he moreouer that We are children of wrath That All the desires and all the vnderstanding also of our flesh which we make so much of is enmitie against God Prou. 10. And without exception For There is no man saith Salomon that can say Rom. 5.17 1. Cor. 15. My heart is cleane I am without sinne And the Apostle more expresly All men haue sinned and are dead in Adam By a man sinne entred into the world into all men and by sinne death c. Yea into Moyses the meekest of all other men Thou hast sette before thy face Absconditum nostrum our sinne that was hidden from vs. This naturall viciousnesse which like vnto a naturall disease is hidden from vs is lesse perceiued or felt of vs. Pâ— l. 51. Psal 116. Rom. 7. 14. reâ—â— 23. And into Dauid a man according to Gods owne hearte Create saith hee in mee a new heart Because the hearte of man is altogether peruerted Ab occultis meis mundame Cleanse mee from that which is hidden from mee And into S. Paule an elect vessell of God The law saith he is spirituall and I am carnall sold vnder sinne I see a law in my members fighting against the law of my vnderstanding and leading me captiue to the law of sinne which is in my members Wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death c. Into S. Iohn Baptist Luke 2. the greatest amongst them that are borne of women who saith vnto our Lord I haue need to be baptized of thee that is to say to be washed to be regenerate by thy spirit c. And into the holy virgin likewise for she acknowledged her low and base estate she magnified nothing but the onely mercy of God she placed her selfe amongst them that being hungrie are filled with good things she reioyceth in God which is her Sauiour so farre is she off from disclaiming her parte in the saluation promised in Iesus Christ the author of the saluation which is in her And in deed the Apostle to the Hebr. Hebr. 7. hath not seperated or excepted from sin any besides Iesus Christ alone The holy virgine likewise was subiect to the law of purification ordained in the Church a signe of the inward purification which God requireth in all our actions Rom. 11.32 to the end that this word may abide true That God hath shut vp all vnder sinne That no man also should thinke to be excluded from that which followeth That he hath notwithstanding shewed mercie vnto all That this that all the Saints haue beene saued euen the virgin Marie her selfe commeth of his free grace of the riches and bountifulnesse of his great mercies Now our aduersaries that will not be called Pelagians How the aduersaries do extenuate originall sinne doe agree in outward shew vnto this corruption of mankind but when we come to lay the sore open and naked they are as it were afraid of taking some harme they make the maladie as light and little as they can fearing to be too much bound vnto God not considering how that for a man to lay open his wounds before him is to heale them to confesse our sinnes freely and franckly to him is to haue them quit forgiuen whereas the hiding and couering of them doth make them mortall to denie conceale or smooth them ouer is to cast himselfe prisoner and captiue into hell and eternall fire vntill hee haue paid the vttermost farthing Pighius therefore letteth not shamelesly to say Albert Pigh de peccat orig that the punishment of Adam seized vpon all his posteritie as one bond man begetteth another but that his sinne was not transfused and conueighed into his children What is there more contrarie vnto the whole scripture then this Yea how is it possible that this man should haue so little profited in the knowledge of himselfe Andradius a true interpreter of the ambiguities and doubtes arising in the Councell of Trent teacheth That concupiscence is in nature corrupted altogether such as it was when nature
Wee shall haue euermore need to say Forgiue vs our trespasses And the Apostle himselfe hath a pricke dwelling still in his flesh for to humble him withall 1. Cor. 12.7 because that The grace of God is sufficient for vs his power is perfected in our weaknesse What is then the priuiledge or what is the prerogatiue of the regenerate Great verily euerie manner of way for sinne dwelleth but raigneth not in them for that the old man liueth yet in them but cannot kill them but himselfe rather is mortified and slaine euerie day for that they haue an assurance against the reward of sinne for their sinnes are forgiuen them in Christ and therefore blessed and assured of eternal life For there is no condemnation to them which are in Iesus Christ which walke not after the flesh Rom. 8.2 but after the spirit in as much as the Law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus hath freed them from the Law sinne death c. Saint Augustine intreating vppon this question of purpose Testimonies out of the Fathers August de peccat merit remiss l. 2. c. 7. hath not said any otherwise Let vs not thinke saith he that presently vpon the baptising of any man that all his old and accustomed infirmities are wasted and vanished seeing his renuing or Regeneration beginneth at the remission of all his sinnes c. Otherwise saith hee the Apostle would not haue said although that the outward man die the inward is renued day by day But it may be that this concupiscence after Baptisme is indifferent either to couet good or euill This is it which Iulianus the Pelagian did so vehemently auouch vnto him Idem l. 6. c. 6. contr Iulian. Nay saith he if I had thought so much I had not said vnto thee that it is euill and wicked but that it had henâ— for thou speakest as those that would say that it should haue beene sanctified in Baptisme But wee say that it is wicked and that it ceaseth not so to continue in those that haue beene baptised But saith Iulian Reatus eius his sinne is absolued and forgiuen Not his sinne saith S. Augustine for it is no person but rather sinne as it made man originally guiltie is remitted and made voide of all such force As when any man is absolued of manslaughter thou saist not that the crime of manslaughter is absolued but the man from the crime But it is not it may be so bad as men report it to be and that there is a heauier punishment laid vppon it then the fault deserueth Idem contr eundem l 6. c. 5 Nay saith he againe This is so great a mischiefe as that it would hold vs in death and draw vs into the last death if the bonds thereof were not vnloosed or broken in the generall pardon of all our sinnes which is sealed and assured in Baptisme And although that sometimes according to the common custome hee call sinne Non ipsum concupiscere sed post concupiscentias ire Not the blossome or bud but the fruite that commeth therof Rom. 7. yet the saying of S. Paul doth alwaies remaine out of all doubt I had not knowne lust to haue beene sinne if the Lawe had not said Thou shalt not lust c. And in deede S. Augustine proueth it to Iulian August contr Iulian. l. 2. by all them which haue gone before By S. Ambrose who calleth it iniquitie Because saith he it is vnrighteous which the flesh lusteth after against the spirit Malitiam per conditionem originis Againe A delight contrarie to the Law of God By S. Hillarie who calleth our bodies the matter of vices and the euils within vs an originall malice inherent euen from our first framing c. Whereupon saith hee we doe not retaine any thing that is cleane vndefiled or harmelesse No not the Apostles themselues in whome saith he after they were washed sanctified by the word there remained as yet a malice Per conditionem communis originis By the condition of the common beginning Which thing our Lord teacheth vs saying Idem contr eundem l 5. c. 4.5 l. 2. If you which yet are euill c. And as consequently following of all that hath gone before S. Augustine teacheth That concupiscence is an euill not such a one as men are to suffer and beare by patience but such a one as those are which men must bridle and suppresse by abstayning from committing of them that is to say an euill of fault and not of punishment that it is a vice that must be fought against by vertue which is remitted and pardoned but not finished not extinguished by Baptisme Idem de pecc merit l. 1. c. 3. tract in Ioh 4. Not in such sort saith he as that it should not be any longer inherent in man for the rest of the time that he liueth but to the end that it should not hurt him after his death that it is an infirmitie that is troden downe by the Lawe of God a griefe and wearing disease that striueth against our saluation In a word That it is both a punishment of sinne as also a cause of sinne a punishment saith he in as much as it is repaid for the merites of disobedience Idem contr eundem l. 5 c. 3 Aut defuncti one consentientis aut contagione nascentis Idem in Iohn 4. Criminibus querela a cause for that man is either polluted with it in his conception or else is drawne to consent to sinne by the default thereof Yea a verie sinne it selfe in as much as it is a disobedience rebelling against the rule and gouernment of the vnderstanding a desire against which the good spirite coueteth and desireth that is to say the spirit of man regenerate by the spirit of God But in one place after many solemne protestations he handleth the whole question The regenerate saith he are deliuered from sinne But how They are deliuered saith hee in as much as they are both without crime and sorrow but this is a libertie onely begun and not accomplished not altogether absolute not as yet pure and vnspotted because that I see an other Law in my members c. Againe All our sinnes and trespasses are blotted out in Baptisme and yet is it said that if iniquitie bee defaced there remaineth no infirmitie Verily if there were no remnants of it behinde we should liue without sinne If therefore thou serue with thy flesh the Lawe of sinne doe that which the Apostle saith Let not sinne raigne in our mortall bodies It is not said let it not be there at all but let it not raigne because that as long as thou liuest there must of necessitie be sinne in thy members but at the least let it haue his kingdome taken awaie that so it may not bee obeyed in that which it commaundeth Yea such a sinne as is hated of God abiding still in the regenerate and
neither Canon nor beginning nor any note or marke of any part of this Office and seruice which now they vse more then the bare words of the institution which are repeated in the same Howsoeuer that Hugo de S. Victor Hugo de Sacram altaris Gabr. Biel. lectione 36 Innoc. 3. de celeb missae c. cū Marth et ib. glossae be not ashamed to say that the Canon of the Masse is of like authoritie with the Gospell and that Gabriell Biell haue much enhaunced the same saying That that onely worde Enim which they haue added to the wordes of our Sauiour Christ cannot be left out in that place by the Priest without committing of mortall sinne CHAP. II. That the Masses fathered vpon the Apostles and Disciples of Christ are notorious and meere suppositions WHat shall become then will you say of the Masses or Lithurgies which are so confidently builded founded vpon S. Peter S. Iames S. Mathew S. Andrew S. Marke S. Denis Areopagite S. Clement c. all Apostles Euangelistes or disciples I answere that we will in this Chapter take away whatsoeuer scruple of doubtfulnes or cloude of darknes that may arise to the troubling of any mans minde about the same Onely let the readers beare about them such care and diligent watch and attention as they would do in the receiuing of some paiment least they should be deceiued with false money or as they would vse in some suit for the auoiding of counterfeit writing or false euidence yea rather a great deale more because the sonne is much greater the inheritance of a far higher nature as containing in it our title and interest vnto eternall life Assuredly if these Masses rise from such authors as are the Apostles and Euangelists there is cause for vs to yeeld stoope for they were gouerned by the holy Ghost and the holy Ghost is alwaies like himselfe and so by consequent it must follow that wee giue vnto them the honour which wee vse to giue vnto their Epistles and Gospels But if on the contrarie it will be proued very clearely that they cannot be of the Apostles or Euangelistes then let vs confesse that that which they teach is worthily to be suspected of vs to be the meere seed tares of the enuious man which bestirred himselfe in the night yea and that in most abhominable manner For as there is none so hardie as to falsifie and counterfeit the coine of the Prince but such as in whom the spirit of lying and rebellion raigneth so there cannot any be found so bold and impudent as to counterfeit the spirit of Christ the style hand of his Apostles saue such as in whom the spirit of Sathan beareth rule and sway But I speake not this vpon any conceit of these pretended Masses which can nothing preuaile against vs seeing that our aduersaries themselues dare not auouch them for authentike seeing also that there is neuer a Priest of them all amongst the Latine Churches which can perswade himself to haue made a good consecration by following of their rules seeing also that we can fortifie and strengthen our owne cause diuers sorts of waies by them seeing the confession therein is not made vnto any but vnto God alone seeing the Communion is therein administred vnto all the people and vnder both kindes and for that also that the Canon thereof is farre differing from that of the Latine and finally for that they are said in a language that is commonly vnderstood of all and for many other reasons which shall be handled in their place And that the rather in good sooth for that it is our dutie for that testimonie sake which we do owe vnto the truth to make our selues parties against them and that the more by reason of the horrible hugenes of deceiuing lies so impudently broached in the matters concerning our saluation Then let vs enter into the listes The lithurgie of S. Iames. and trie the strength of that which they pretend make shew of to haue beene done by S. Iames. S. Iames the iust say they the brother of our Lord did first set downe the Masse in writing he hath offred sacrifice after the manner of the Iewes as also after the manner of the Christians and to him alone before all or any one of the rest of the Apostles it was permitted by the Iewes because of his tribe holines of life to go into the most holy place Iudge what apparance of truth is in these assertions when as S. Iames who had seene and learned yea did teach that the onely sacrifice of our Lord Sauior Christ did put an end to all the sacrifices of the law should not yet giue ouer but continue to offer sacrifices according to the Iewish fashion and manner that the Iewes who did abhorre and detest nothing so much as the Apostles persecuting S. Iames vnto the death and Ananias still holding the place of the high Priest wold euer permit suffer him to do any such thing that as they add with the garments of the high priests but principally in cōsideration of his stock and lineage a thing making him to be so much the more suspected of the Romaines who had the gouernment ouer Iudea But still they continue their claime and say Concil Constant 2. in Trul. Canon 32. that it was alleadged in the second Councell of Constantinople against thē who did not mingle water in the Sacrament of the holy Supper Let vs adde then that this was neere vpon seuen hundred years after that Christ was ascended that of all that time it had neuer a tongue to speake Whereas of a truth if it had beene true and known so to be from of old it wold not haue beene forgotten of the former councels seeing the power and authority thereof comming from so great an Apostle would haue beene able to haue put downe and made nothing worth all the controuersies though neuer so great that were moued and raised in the same In the Councels of Ephesus the first and the second where the controuersie was handled against Eutiches and Nestorius and where the Fathers produced no proofe of antiquitie besides a certaine place out of Eusebius and Origene in which the holy virgin is called the mother of God Iudge you and thinke what aduantage they had got against Nestorius if they had had forth comming this Lithurgie wherein fiue or sixe seuerall times she is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the virgine that did beare and bring forth God namely all that which may growe from the saying and testimonie of an Apostle yea all that which the testimonie of the spirite of God is able to afforde to the establishing of the truth of a doctrine of such importance and weight as also to the authorizing of the first and principall Canon of those Councelles And yet notwithstanding some holde that Proclus Archbishop of Constantinople was present at the first and disputed against
Lord God The people It is meete and conuenient c. And then the Minister did handle in manner of a briefe preface the causes why they gaue thankes as namely for that he had created man after his owne image for that he hauing reuolted and forsaken him it pleased him to recouer and recall him in Iesus Christ for the giuing of his Law vnto him for hauing admonished him by his Prophets for hauing sent them his onely begotten Sonne in the fulnes of time to fulfill the law in his owne person for quickning by his death those that were dead in Adam to make them capable of eternall life and for that to this ende hee had dyed risen againe and ascended into heauen and for that also hee gaue himselfe freene to the death readie to deliuer vp his life for the life of the world and for hauing left vs a liuelie representation of this so great a benefite and for that he had taken the bread in his holie handes blessing sanctifying breaking and distributing it vnto his Disciples and Apostles saying Take eate This is my bodie c. and for hauing done in like manner with the cuppe saying Drinke yee all This is the cup of the new Testament in my blood c. And in this place in the processe of this goodlie Preface was read in a briefe manner the institution of the holie Supper as it is to be seene also in all the Lithurgies The Lithurgie of S. Basill The Lithurgie of S. Denys and this action was shut vp and ended with the answere of the people in these wordes Lord wee remember herein thy death and passion and do emfesse thy resurrection vntil the time of thy comming or as it is read in S. Denys with a protestation Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou hast said Do this in remembrance of me which done the bread and the wine were held consecrate sanctified and for sacraments by vertue of the institution of our Lord which is alwaies powerfull and hath his efficacie and not by vertue of certaine wordes spoken ouer the elementes Of which thing as shall bee declared in his place the purest old Churches neuer dreamed Then there followed a praier that it would please God to shew them all the mercie as that they may communicate the bodie and blood of his Sonne by a true and liuelie faith and not to their condemnation and iudgement as also that it would please him to knitte them altogether in true charity and loue in the communion of his Sonne by his holy spirit euen in so effectuall a manner as they did certainely eate and drinke all of the same bread and cuppe then the conclusion followed with the ioyning thereunto of the Lordes Prayer and after that for a signe of this holy vnion of their spirites and wils in Christ a mutuall kisse the signe and testimonie eyther of true and vnuiolate amitie or else of an vnfained reconciliation and that they had not vainely and for a fashion spoken The kisse of peace Forgiue vs our sinnes as wee forgiue them c. and thereupon also it was called Osculum pacis the kisse of peace as also further to signifie that this knot of the vnitie of the faithfull did not end in this world After this peace there was mention made of them who either had liued wel or which were dead in Christ especially of the Martyrs whose names were read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is out of a certaine register or catalogue partlie sayeth S. Denys to signifie that they were not dead but verilie liuing and therefore the Primitiue Church called the death of man by the name of birth natiuitie and partly to stirre vs vp to the same constancie by their example Now when this was finished the Pastors and Deacons which were to distribute the holie Supper did first communicate themselues and after deliuered the bread and the cuppe to the faithfull and gaue it them in their hands speaking the significatiue wordes of this holy Mysterie but so as that they did not all binde themselues to vtter them in the same tearmes And during this whole action Psalmes were sung by the people and that such as concerned the thing in hand and the same in the end was shut vppe with a solemne thankesgiuing and before that it was not lawfull for anie man to depart and goe away and all this was alwaies done in a tongue which the people vnderstoode and with so loude a voice as might be that so the people might bee able to say Amen And this order will wee runne ouer againe particularlie according to euery parte of same Of the Preface speaketh Chrysostome saying when we beginne to say The Lord bee with you Of the Preface Chrysost in 1. ad Corint hom 36. in 2. hom 18. Chrysost hom de Eucharist ad Heb. hom 22. the people doth aunswere And with thy spirite Againe In the holie and reuerende Misteries the Pastor praieth for the people and the people for the Pastor for these wordes and with thy spirit can not tell vs or giue vs to vnderstand any other thing The councell of Nice 1. sayth Let vs not rest our selues in the bread and wine which are set vpon the Table but let vs lift vp our heartes on high that is Sursum Corda namelie to the Lambe of God c. Chrysostome Hast not thou promised to the Priest who saieth Lift vâ—â—o your hâ—artes and mindes on high we haue them fixed and setled in the Lord This table is altogether furnished with mysteries the Lambe of God is offred for thee c. And in an other place Wee lift vp our mindes on high This is a table for Eagles and not for Crowes to feede at c. S. Augustine August de bono perseuer cap. 13. de vera elig c. 3. de bono vid. cap. 16. Epist 15. in Psalm 85. c. Chrysost in hom 26. in Genes That which is saide in the sacrament of the faithfull namely that wee should haue our heartes raysed vppe to God on high Vt sursum corda habeamus ad Dominum sheweth that it is a gift of God as also in asmuch as the Pastor saieth vnto vs afterwarde that we are to yeelde him thankes and that wee make answere that it is meete and right that we should so doe c. And these wordes are repeated in an infinite sort of places And yet sayeth Chrysostome not because hee hath neede of our thankes doe wee say vnto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c for who is able sufficientlie and worthilie to performe such a seruice seeing the Cherubius cannot attaine vnto it but he willeth it to the end that the gaine may redound to our selues c. And the reasons of this thankesgiuing laid downe by the Minister of the Church in the short abridgement of the historie of the redemption of mankinde or rather of the Church are no lesse to bee noted and marked of vs. Chrysostome We
man did offend against the Apostle who accompteth it amongst the vertues of a Bishop that he be the husband of one wife onely And all the world saith he is full not of priestes nor of inferior persons but of Bishops so that the number would become greater then that which was found in the Councell of Rimini c. Tertullian himselfe Pertull de Monogam although he were a Montanist alleadging these places of Timothie and Titus is of iudgement that Bishops and Priestes should be maried onely he standeth vpon the disalowing of second mariages for which hee is reproued by Saint Ierome in the place aboue named But this point should not bee to our purpose In the meane time we are not to belieue as some would go about to wrangle out the matter against vs by this place of Saint Ierome disagreeing with himselfe whiles he was caried away with the streame of contention that we should nourish this opinion that the Bishop had beene maried but that he may not bee so derogating and detracting the credite due to other places wherein he handleth the question that of purpose and void of all passionate affections Let vs say then for it followeth by like reason from the coherence and scope of the text that the Apostle doth likewise vnderstand that the Bb. hath beene vigilant sober of good report giuen to hospitalitie apt to teach c. but that he may not be so any more But the holy Ghost hath preuented such wrangling and false assertions who saith In the present time Let the Priest be established Tit. 1. 1. Timoth. 3. let him be the husband of one onely wife let the Deacons also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be the husbandes of one onely wife c. And Saint Paule doth describe afterward vnto vs what manner of women the wiues of Bishops Priestes and Deacons should bee And thus you may see whither a blind passion had almost led vs against the cleare and euident light Chrysost in ep ad Tit. hom 2. In ep ad Heb. hom 7. Chrysostome therefore saith better There are some that affirme that S. Paule his purpose is to speake of one that hath beene maried but that he may not bee so any more But saith hee although hee shall bee so still yet he may demeane carrie himselfe honestly therein Vse saith he mariage soberly and thou shalt be the chiefe in the kingdome of heauen Ambros D. 26. C. Qui sine Likewise Saint Ambrose saith Who so otherwise blamelesse is the husband of one onely wife is beld by the law to bee capable of the office of the Priesthoode Saint Augustine August in quest ex vtroque testam Hug. Card. in 1. Tim. 3. Caiet in 1. Timoth. 3. ad Tit. 1. The Apostle saith that hee which hath a wife may and ought to bee made Sacerdos a priest a Minister a Bishop Cardinall Hugo saith At that time it was lawfull for Priestes to haue wiues And Cardinall Caietan after him This estate and condition must bee vnderstood negatiuely that is to say Non plurium vxorum virum not a husband of many wiues But Pope Calixtus the second about the yeare 1100. did turne make it into an other maner of sence The husband of one onely wife that is consecrate and put apart for one onely Church for one onely Bishoprick that to be taken so as that he was not to haue any moe then one or that he was not greedily or proudly to labour to be translated and remoued from one to another And in S. Ierome his time this Allegorie was begotten and borne and by some preferred and better liked then that which was according to the letter and Carterius his aduersaries themselues saith he did finde that interpretation to be violently forced and very harsh To whome hee answereth thereupon Restore them to the scripture his simple sence and meaning that so we may not reason against you from the constitutions and conclusions of your owne lawes that is to say that wee may not oppose allegorie against allegorie and iudgement against iudgement but may hold and keepe our selues simplie to the wordes of the Apostle Otherwise what will become of S. Paule his argument If he know not to gouerne his owne children how shall hee be able to direct and guide the Church of God As also when the Apostle shall tel vs of widowes that choise must be made of such as haue beene the wiues of one onely husband shal we vnderstand it of Bishopricks or Diocesses that haue had but one only Bishop But to draw to an end what should hinder the Apostle that be could not more plainly say It behoueth that the Bb. to the end he may be without blame abide vnmaried or at the least be a widdower c. But shame maketh them mingle these absurdities with a blasphemie as that during the weaknes of the church these mariages were permitted but prohibited and forbidden when it came to bee strong And what will they say to Chrysostome who saith plainely That S. Paul gaue this law to Timothie not for himselfe onely but for all them which were to come Or rather vnto Egesippus who endeth the flower and virginitie of the Church at the death of the Apostles Euseb l. 3. c. 32 And presently after there followed saith he an infinite number of impurities and corruptions They labour further to proue the matter in controuersie against S. Paul by himself 1. Cor. 7.5 for say they he telleth vs in another place That they must abstaine from women to attend vpon fasting and praier And what shall they doe then who are to pray euery day let them with conscience carefully reade this place they shall see that which Chrysostome obserueth in the same that he speaketh not there of an ordinary praier but of an extraordinarie made with rare singular attending thereunto by fasting And therefore he saith Defraude not one another except it bee by mutuall consent and that for a time Againe And come together againe to the end that Sathan doe not tempt you because of your incontinencie And Chrysostome saith expresly If he said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the maried which lie together could not pray how should that which he commandeth all Christians in another place agree therewith Pray without ceasing wherefore hee speaketh of an extraordinarie prayer saith he which requireth an exact attention not that the societie betwixt the married doth conuay or carrie about it any impuritie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but rather businesse and affaires 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whereupon also Saint Ambrose saith Ambr. in ep 1. Cor. 7. We must pray without ceasing but this is spoken Vt orationi insistatur by courses and distances of time saith hee to strengthen and increase meditation And Theodoret For to sanctifie the fast And likewise hee saith in another place That the Apostle hath deemed him worthy of a bishopricke that liueth and dwelleth
in the Councell of Basill Wherefore doe our Doctors vse all this disputation whether a married man chosen to bee Pope bee not bound to giue vnto his wife all due beneuolence but that because a married man may bee receyued and taken into that place For was there neuer anie Popes married Aen. Syl. in Ep. 307. was not Saint Peter himselfe And in his Epistle vnto Iohn Freund who asked his counsell vppon the same he saith It had beene more meete and conuenient that thou haddest thought vpon this matter before thy taking of Orders but seeing thou hast proceeded so far know now that it is better for thee to marrie then to burne But as for the present seeing the Pope will not giue thee anie dispensation being setled and throughlie resolued to continue the strict and seuere course which hee hath begunne thou must stay till some other doe inioye the Apostolike See whome thou maiest finde more tractable and easie to bee wonne Ad Panorm O Cum olim de Cleric coning The authoritie of Panormus first an Abbot and afterwarde an Archbishoppe was great in the Councell of Basill which propounded a question If the Church could not make a statute that the Clearkes might bee married And hee aunswered that it could and his reasons are Because abstinencie is not anie branch of Gods lawe neither yet anie parte of the substance of Orders and that otherwise the Grecians should sin Yea saieth hee I am perswaded that in respect of the saluation of soules it ought to bee made and so much the rather because that wee see that there hath followed vppon it a cleane contrarie effect to that which was pretended for now they let not the greatest parte to pollute themselues with vnlawfull copulation whereas their lying with their owne wiues according to the Councell of Nice is chastitie And would it might please God sayeth hee that there might be a course taken with all those positiue lawes that are so multiplied as that there are not many liuing whome they haue not caused to corrupt their waies And many other Canonistes were of the same iudgement after Panormus Stephan Aufrer Francisâ—n decisionib saying that this Decree serued for no other thing but to intrappe weake soules in the snares of sinne and that they had good hope that the Church would discharge the Cleargie thereof for their saluation And thereuppon it went as it were in a Prouerbe mentioned by Platina and Sabellicus which attribute it vnto Pius the second Marriage was suppressed and put down for certaine reasons it must be restored vpon more waightie and necessarie considerations Polydor. l 6. Index Expurg pag. 2 c 3. Erasm de laud. matrim Idem in 1. Timoth. 3. Index Expurg p. 249. 255. Item 210.211.227 Mantuan l. 1. Fastor de Hilatio Stan. Orich de lege Syricii ad Iul. 3. Oricho Episc Russiens de Celibatu Polydore Virgil after he hath alleadged some reasons and authorities concludeth that it should be restored The Councell of Trent ordained that that should bee raced out and so in like manner of Munster Erasmus also in his booke of marriage did giue aduise that it might not onely bee allowed vnto Priestes but vnto Monkes also for to matrie For sayeth hee let them extoll their single and vnmarried life as much as they please there is no life more holie then a married life chastlie obserued Againe he noteth that this single condition of life was not so much as knowne by his name in the most auncient Fathers But the foresaide Councell hath decreede that this whole treatise and all other places wherein hee speaketh of the same should bee defaced and left out And we neede not to doubt but that they will doe the same by those verses of Mantuan in the life of S. Hillarie Bishoppe of Potiers who was married To bee shorte Stanislaus Orichonius a Bishoppe of Russia put vppe a petition to Pope Iulius the thirde in the yeare 1551. to the ende that it might bee permitted him to bee married shewing vnto him the iniuriousnes of Syricius his law as being contrarie to the whole law of God alleadging vnto him further that Pope Paule the second had condemned it secretlie amongst his friendes hardlie disgesting it that a daughter of his which by Gods law hee knew to bee lawfullie giuen vnto him should bee accounted for a bastarde and that in such sort as that hee was resolued to haue reuoked it if death had not preuented him and reproching him with the children of Paule the thirde worthy sayeth hee of a loyall marriage and not sparing to tell him of his owne dissolute loosenes And Lindanus who elsewhere defendeth the most grosse abuses in Poperie doth yeeld in this point and concludeth with Paphnutius And in the Councell of Trent the greatest parte of the Embassadors for the princes doe require the libertie of marriage as likewise the Emperour Ferdinand by his articles how entirelie affected soeuer he stoode vnto the Church of Rome alleadging the pollutions and vncleannes that alreadie insued thereuppon and the great inconueniences that were yet to come and doe we not iustlie then maruaile at shamelesnes it selfe as also at the mother of fornications why Turrian l. 2. de Dogmatic Character notwithstanding all these warning peales she still persisteth so busilie to bestirre herselfe for the hatching of whoredoms For the Councell of Trent doth pronounce them accursed which say that those of the Cleargie may lawfullie be married and likewise executeth the same with like rigor euen to this day in euerie place where their power and authoritie may extend And as for the Iesuites they are not ashamed since then to teach that continencie is of the essence of the Priesthoode and that the Pope may aswell murder or robbe a man without sinning as dispense with a Priest in the matter of marriage and not sinne thereby condemning all the westerne and Easterne Churches in all ages In the East Church this doctrine was likewise assailed Of the East Church and wee haue heretofore seene how farre Epiphanius his opinion went but it neuer came so farre as to bee made a law but rather gaue an occasion of a law to the contrarie Doubtlesse these two Churches before the diuision of the Empire or rather before the distraction renting away of that of the West remaining as yet vndeuided by the faction of the Popes it could hardlie bee that the euill which had infected the one should not likewise fasten it selfe vpon the other And therefore we reade Iustinian in auth de â—â—nttissima cor 9. col 6. 9. that Iustinian ordained made a law about the yeare 530. that there should not be any Clearkes made which had had concubines or bastardes but either such as had neuer beene maried or els such as had beene and were not or such as yet were with a lawfull wife And hitherto hee was in a good way and went not besides the word of God And
making intercession to God for vs. Ambros ad Hebr. c. 8. S. Ambrose saith It is necessary that our sauior in the daies of his flesh should haue something that he might offer for vs therfore he took vpon him our flesh Theodor. ibid. Haimo ibid. that he might offer the same And Theodoret This is the cause why the only begotten Son of God hauing takē our nature did offer it to God for vs. Haimo He took of vs that which he hath offered for vs namely mans flesh euē himselfe whom he hath offered vpon the altar of the crosse Hugo ibid. Thom. ibid. c. being himselfe both the sacrifice sacrificer And thus also write Cardinal Hugo and Thomas For it behoued that Christ haberet quod offerret might haue something that he might offer hee offered himselfe c. all of them hauing relation to the thing done and not to do Caietan That is himselfe who is offered the Saints which are made such by heauenly grace But what need was there of any other expositor then the Apostle himself when he setteth downe how that he doth not offer himselfe oftentimes And againe For by one onely oblation he hath consecrated for euer those which are sanctified They go forward Hebr. 9. The Apostle saith It is necessarie that the patternes or figures of heauenly things shold be cleansed by these things but the heauenly things themselues be better oblations and sacrifices then these are He speaketh say they in the plural number wherefore it argueth that there are many oblations many sacrifices and those are our Masses But let vs alwaies carrie in minde that the Apostle hath infinite times said That there is but one sacrifice that is Christ and that there is but one oblation offered vppon the Crosse by Christ And let vs also distinguish Hostiam seu victimam from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the thing sacrificed from the oblation that is to say from the action of sacrificing Now the Apostle vseth in this place the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of sacrifice not of offering of the thing not of the action And what will they then inferre or conclude that the Christian Church here opposed and set against the Iewish Church ought to bee cleansed by many sacrifices will they dare to bee so bold and that seeing it is such a blasphemie or by many offerings of this verie same sacrifice And is not this to come all to one thing and directly contrarie to so many places of the Apostle And againe it is not said in this place Oblations but Sacrifices But say they it is spoken in the plurall number Sacrifices but this is because the Apostle had spoken in the plurall number of those of the law so in setting downe the opposite part doth retaine likewise the plurall number Non quia victimae plures sed quia in vna plures vel potius illae omnes because that in this onely one sacrifice all others are contained And in deed to the end they may not find any starting holes Thom. ad Heb. c. 9. we will not giue credite vnto any others in this point but vnto their owne Doctors S. Thomas Hostus in plurali he saith sacrifices in the plurall number and contrarily he saith afterward that there is but one sacrifice euen that of Christ for by one onely offering he hath accomplished for euer all those which are holy and sanctified Hebr. 10. I answere that though it were one in it selfe yet it was shadowed out by many sacrifices vnder the old law The interlineall Glosse Meliores hostiae better sacrifices namely Christ all those of the old law in as much as it was signified by them all Hugo the Cardinall that is the sacrifice of Christ Anselm ad Heb. c. 9. Caietan by which all those of the law were signified and sanctified Anselme These better sacrifices are but one that is Christ Caietan Christ crucified is here called the better sacrifices because that virtualiter that is in effect and operation it hath the power of all the rest But in the end they say the priesthood being translated it must needes follow that the law is translated also Et vicissim wherefore it must needs follow that there must be a priesthood in the new Testament And who goeth about to denie it them Hebr. 7. for otherwise it should fall out that to haue one which liueth for euer should bee to be without a priest and that to haue an euerlasting sacrifice should be to bee without one And on the other side are we not saith the Apostle all priests in as much as we haue all accesse to the father through him euen to offer vp vnto him through him our sacrifices euen for to offer vnto him himselfe in our praiers a sacrifice for vs But we deny that there is in the new Testament any order of people appointed ordained to sacrifice him a new and we on the contrarie affirme that throughout the whole scriptures there is not one word spoken of any such as likewise there is not of the reiterating of the sacrifice of Christ neither haue any of the fathers interpreted it as our aduersaries doe at this day We affirme also that in all the holy scripture speaking of the Ministers of the Church of Christ they are neuer entitled priestes in whatsoeuer language that a man shall take them And that if the same holy scriptures of the new Testament doe make any mention of sacrifices that they entitle and call them presently for the preuenting and taking away of errour sacrifices of the preaching of the Gospell sacrifices of praise and thankesgiuing spirituall sacrifices the calues of our lips the works of charitie c. offered partly by the Ministers of the holy Gospel who hold their particular place and ranke in the Church to dispense vnto vs the word of God sacraments to shew forth vnto vs our destruction in our owne nature our condemnation by the law our grace and fauour purchased in the death of our Lord the greatnes by consequent of our sinne and of the mercy of God in the greatnesse of this remedie whereupon there followeth in vs a loue towardes God a hatred towardes our selues c. Partly likewise by all the Christians in whom this loue bringeth forth spirituall sacrifices peace offeringes in as much as we haue by this meanes peace with God sacrifices of thanksgiuing for that we giue him thanks in euery kind of seruice whether of the heart the mouth or hands for so great a benefite receiued of his meere mercie and let vs also say propitiatorie in some sort by a great deale better right then in the Masse in as much as wee confesse vnto him our sinnes with a contrite and humble heart intreating him that the blood of our Lord Iesus Christ his onely Sonne may procure vs fauour and mercie by the true and onely propitiation purchased by
writers haue condemned for turning the scriptures from their naturall sence by his allegories But I appeale vnto their owne consciences whether this place make any thing for purgatorie And why do they not rather hold themselues to S. August S. Ierome Theodoret who do not acknowledge any other thing in that place but Dauid his humiliatiō for his sins being cast vnder the mighty hand of God The glose saith Thou hast instructed my soule in infirmity and humilitie that so it might not presume through any strength or pride and hee compareth it to a spiders web because there is nothing more rotten then it Saint Ierome Hieronym in psal 38. The soule melteth when the concupiscences of the flesh are repressed and snubd when sinne is so worne away as the threed which hath not any substance left in it either to make it hard or thicke S. August ibid. Augustine Thou hast dried it vp through the insatiable thirst it hath after vertue and knowledge thou hast caused the iniquity thereof to be pressed and wrung out of my heart Theodor. ibid. as are the entrailes of a spider Theodoret In pressing and rubbing vpon the most hidden and secret corners of my exulcerated parts and inward sores thou hast healed me like a good phisition rather then with great paine and griefe Halmo This falleth out when as man by Gods chastisements and corrections being vpon him doth humble himselfe and turne vnto God Lyranus Thou hast made my life vile and abhominable vnto me Caietan The moth fretteth through and destroyeth the thing whereof she is bred and so we are pearced and fret away through our owne concupiscences and desires And thus he referreth this to the punishment of all mankind in the person of Adam Of all the translations they haue made choice of that which is furthest from the sence of the text and of so many expositions that which is furthest from the purpose and yet they can come by nothing for their purgatorie In the Psalme 49. God will redeeme my soule out of the hand of the graue or out of hell Psal 49.16 for the word signifieth both the one and the other when hee shall take mee vnto himselfe The shot is by their reckning he will deliuer mee from purgatorie whereas they should haue noted that in the verse going before it is spoken of the men of this worlde That death shall feed vpon them in the graue and that the vpright men shall haue dominion rule ouer them c. Where the selfe same word is vsed If the men of this world bee not threatned with any greater punishment then purgatorie then what priuiledge or preferment haue Dauid and others the workers of righteousnesse in whose persons he speaketh more then they If it do signifie hell in the one verse and in the other purgatory then let them shew vs some reason of such diuers construing of it that so wee may admit it The Chaldee Paraphrast God will deliuer my soule from hell because he will teach me his law and will take me to be partaker with him of the life to come But what will they then say to all the old fathers S. Ierome saith God being made man made himselfe of no reputation euen to death that thereby hee might repaire the ruines of mankind that is it which hee would say Cum acceperit me S. Augustine God will redeeme and deliuer my soule shall it be out of prison from oppression from the waues of the sea c. Nay rather saith he from hell and this is that redemption which hee hath shewed and set forth in himselfe Chrysost t. 1. de Dauidicis Cant. What wee haue seene in the bead the same shall we find in the members he descended into hell and ascended vp into heauen c. Chrysostome And that there is a freeing from eternall death he teacheth thee it in these wordes God hath deliuered my soule out of the power of hell c. Theodoret dealeth more plainely This certifieth and assureth vs that God doth giue counsell consolation to the poore which are oppressed of the mightie Haimo Out of the power of hell that is to say out of the power of the deuill when he shall haue taken me Caictan in psal 49. Psal 66.11 12. that is to say put vpon him my humanitie and so Cardinall Hugo Caietan in like maner He wil deliuer my life from the power of hell when he shall draw mee from out of this life into eternall into Abrahams bosome c. In the Psalme 66. We were saith Dauid entred into fire water Et eduxisti nos in refrigerium and thou hast brought vs forth into a place where wee find reliefe Otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into a plentifull and fruitfull place Yet once againe here is purgatorie and that with an imagination that it worketh vpon men by casting them out of an extreme heat into an extreame cold c. From the fansying and good liking of an allusion in Origen Orig. hom 25. in Numer who yet medleth not any thing at all with this text which besides euen with the bare reading is easily refuted seeing therein he speaketh simply of diuers crosses and aduersities out of which God had extraordinarily deliuered Dauid The old writers haue vnderstood it cleane otherwise then they The Paraphrast Thou hast made the oppressor to go ouer my head Thou hast condemned vs to the rage of the flaming furnace and deuouring water and afterward hast set vs at libertie herein alluding very strongly vnto the seruitude of the people of Israell in the land of Egypt Lyranus Through the fire made to burne brickes through the water which we caried to temper the matter and make it fitte for the forme And if wee may lawfully moralize S. Augustine saith Through aduersitie and prosperitie through the scorching heat of tribulation the filthie puddle stinking waters of noysome corruption that which seemeth the least saith he being no lesse to be feared thē the other Hugo in psal 65. Hieronym in psal 65. And Hugo the Cardinall followeth his collection and interpretation S. Ierome Thus haue the Martyrs passed and come ad refrigerium to Christ who is their true reliefe and rest by the crosse by stripes by fire by water and diuers punishments and by them they haue become acceptable well pleasing sacrifices Hillar ibid. Chrysost t. 2. in c. 4. Mat. no. 5. Theod. in psal 66. Haimo in psal 66. Bernard de transitu S. Malachiae c. And S. Hilarie writeth thereupon after the same manner Chrisost Theodoret do deale somewhat more simply plainly take it to be vnderstood of the ordinary afflictions of the faithful Haimo Of Martyrs that haue passed through fire water of trauellers that haue indured the heat and cold yet giue not ouer their iourney Saint Bernard Such as die in the Lord fellow citizens with the Saintes and are of the
creature The creature whatsoeuer or whosoeuer it be that cannot moue him liuing here below saue onely to wrath otherwise then in that he hath beene vouchsafed grace in Iesus Christ and who likewise when he is exalted and taken vp into heauen acknowledging no glorie due to him saue in that that God is glorified cannot but take it an iniurie doue vnto him when any thing is attributed vnto him and cannot but bee readie to say as the Angell said vnto S. Iohn Apocal. 19. 22. Beware and looke well to thy selfe I am thy fellow seruant pointing also out vnto vs with Iohn Baptist the greatest that euer was borne amongst the sonnes of men and saying Behold the lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world the propitiation for our sinnes is onely in his blood turne and betake your selues to him And moreouer our God will be praied vnto in his onely begotten In that grace and fauour purchased through that sacrifice of the Crosse in the vertue and power of his one onely sacrifice made vpon the Crosse for as much as it is hee onely that may and hath power to be both the sacrifice and the sacrificer together all the sacrifices washings purifying of the law hauing relation to no other but this of his which was without spot or blemish all their blood to his blood and all their deathes to that one death and passion of his who likewise alone could as being God and man suffer and ouercome cast downe himselfe into the center of the earth and raise vp himselfe againe farre aboue the heauens be a curse and a blessing and finally laid prostrate by death and raised vp to life all at once And therefore is it said by the Prophet Esay 53. Esa 53. He hath offered his soule an oblation for sinne The good will and pleasure of the Lord shall prosper preuaile in his hand He was pearced for our misdeedes Esa 63. He hath taken vppon him our iniquities c. Againe He alone hath trod vppon all our enemies in his wrath No one of the people hath helped him he was alone to treade the wine-presse Heb. 10. Hebr. 9. 2. Ioh. 1. c. And he did it saith the Apostle When in the fulnesse of time he abolished sinne by the offering vp of himselfe He was made a propitiation for our sinnes Hee hath sanctified vs by the oblation of his bodie once offered and hath consecrated for euer those whom he hath sanctified Which thing all the blood of all the Saints from righteous Abell vnto the last Martyr could neuer haue accomplished No not though it had beene but for the sinnes of one onely man no not for the least sinne of that man not although this bloode had risen to the hugenesse of a great floode seeing there is no remission but in the blood of the Sonne of God and to seeke it any where else is to shed his blood againe Act 4.12 is to hold the same shed in vaine and this is to be guilty of it For S. Peter saith There is no saluation in any other There is not any other name giuen vnto men by which they may be saued That the fathers of the old Testament neuer sought for helpe or succour by praier but at the hands of the one onely God Eckius in Enchird And therefore we see proportionablie to this doctrine that the fathers of the old Testament did neuer offer vp or direct their prayers vnto any but to one God alone And this our aduersaries subscribe vnto for so also was it held for a point of sound diuinitie amongst them that seeking of helpe at God by prayer was a part of his seruice and worship due vnto himselfe alone They say that this was for feare that the people who otherwise were readie and apt enough of themselues therevnto should turne aside vnto idolatrie but this is to gesse and not to answere But at the least they confesse that this is the way to slippe into idolatrie The rest say That the fathers prayed not vnto the Patriarkes and Prophetes because they were as yet in the Limbes But this is a thing to bee disputed and debated by vs if here were any place But at the least there were Angels and those oftentimes conuersing and keeping companie with men and hauing therewithall the charge of countries and nations Henoch and Elias also had beene rapt and caried aliue vp into heauen and the latter of them in the sight of Elizeus And yet notwithstanding we do not reade that any people or particular man in so many ages did euer pray vnto any Angel or made choise of any to make intercession to God for him No more then euer Noe or his Sonnes did to Enoch or Eliseus to Elias the sonnes to the father or the disciples to their maister albeit as we know Eliseus were zealously affected to Elias My father the chariot and horsemen of Israel In the new Testament God alone is prayed vnto In the new Testament likewise as little notwithstanding that they hold That the fathers by the descending of Christ into hell were deliuered out of the limbes and caried vppe into heauen Fit matter for the children of Abraham the father of the faithfull to flie vnto him to call vpon him for aide and succour and so of the rest Notwithstanding also that many of the Apostles and disciples suffered presently after for our Lord as Iames Steuen c. during the life time of Saint Peter Saint Paul and Saint Iohn Matter sufficient to serue that it should not bee kept close from vs that besides Iesus Christ wee haue them for our aduocates with God and for intercessors by vertue of their sufferinges and merites And the same may bee said of the holy virgine whome Saint Iohn ouerliued many yeares the aduocate at this day if wee will belieue them of the Church of Rome who at the least should haue beene excepted from these generall rules And here againe they say that the Apostles feared that this might be held for arrogancie in them And why on the behalfe of the Saintes of the old Testament and of the holy virgine Againe That they stoode in doubt least the Gentils should returne againe to their idols But that there might not so many duties of deuotion be lost and let slip could they not make some maner of dispatch or dispensation could they not deuise some way to cure and remedie the same And would they that these babish excuses should passe for currant reasons with vs and that against so expresse textes of the scripture What then say they doe you make no more accompt of the saints of those which haue suffered here on earth for the name of Christ and which now are ascended triumphantly with him vp on high c The honour that is due vnto the Saints 1. Cor. 12. Gal. 2. 2 Cor. 3. Act 9. 14. Tim. 4. Yes verily we honour them more then
owne sonnes as in deed they drew lots for two But and if they belieue not vs yet let them at the least belieue their owne writers Cardinall Hugo saith To the end they might haue tribes as the sonnes of Iacob had And in the same sence hee expoundeth this word Esay 4. Lyranus Et inuocetur c. quia vocati sunt because they are called the adopted sonnes of Iacob and are become heades of two tribes after the manner of his owne children The annotation also of their Fonseca vpon Caietan This is a phrase of speech familiarly vsed of the Hebrewes that the name of this man is called vppon by that man when their meaning is that that man is called by this mans name And thereupon he alleadgeth the fourth of Esay and Daniel 9. Let them also remember themselues of their owne doctrine How that the fathers were in the Limbes that in the Limbes they did not see God neither by consequent know the affaires of men whereupon it followeth by their owne sayings that they could not be called vpon And yet notwithstanding Bellarmine in the time of the cleare light of learning is not ashamed to alleadge this place Eliphaz saith to Iob Iob 5. Call now and see if there be any that will answere thee and turne thy selfe vnto some one of the Saintes c. Which place other expositors doe reade with an interrogatiue point And the summe of the text is That no man when he is chastised of God can say that it is any wrong or iniustice seeing hee hath found as hath beene said before matter of reprehension euen in his Angels And how much more saith hee in them which dwell in these houses of clay c. And thereupon hee addeth Cast thine eies round about and see if thou canst find any amongst the most holy who hath beene punished causelesse But and if they will haue it that by Saintes the Angels are vnderstoode besides that it standeth not with the scope and purpose of the text it is as quickly denied as affirmed and such figures doe not proue or conclude any thing But and if they simplie take it to bee vnderstoode of the Sainte then so much the lesse seeing that they in the Limbes could neither heare norse according to their owne doctrine And certainly S. Ierome if he be the author of those commentaries was not aduised of this doctrine notwithstanding that he three handle this verse by name In the Psalmes saith Cocleus it is said Psal 32. Pro hac orab ad te omnis sanctus The Hebrew saith For this shall euerie holy man pray vnto thee c. The Chaldie For this shall euery good man pray vnto thee in time conuenient that is Because thou art readie to forgiue them which confesse their faultes And so S. Paul hir selfe doth expound it Romaines 4. But in euerie place where they find the name Saiâ—t there they will find inuocation or intercession of the Saints August Hieronym Theodor. in Psal 32. But without any longer staying vpon the matter Sant Augustine intreating vpon this place saith Euery holy man shall pray vnto thee because of impietie and for the remission of sinnes because thou fâ—â—giuest them and otherwise no holy man would pray vnto thee And when In due and conenient time when the new Testament shall be come when the grace of Christ shall be manifeted when in the fulnes of time God shal haue sent his Sonne to redeeme them which were vnder the law c. And this is spoken saith he of all Christians of Saint Paule himselfe who being prickt with the sting of the law cryeth vnto God wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from the bodie of this death Saint Ierome saith The Saintes doe pray in this life for the remission of their sinnes seeing the most holy are not exempted now is the conuenient time for to obtaine Theodoret in like manner I will not pray vnto thee alone for mine impietie but all those that shall haue the knowledge of thee shall make the same prayers vnto thee Seeing saith he that vnder the new Testament Haimo in Psal 32. Bernard serm 73. in Cant. the faithfull by sea and by land shall praise God by the singing of the Psalmes of Dauid c. Haimo The remission of iniquitie is good and for the obtaining thereof euerie holy man will pray vnto thee in a time conuenient that is to say in this life in which alone prayer can obtaine the same Saint Bernard For this saith he c. Seeing saith he that the Saintes haue need to pray to God for their owne sinnes to bee saued by his mercie they being nothing able to trust and leane to their owne righteousnesse c. And againe Pro hac orabit O misericors c. Idem in ep ad Henric. Senens Archiep. Euerie Saint whosoeuer saith hee shall pray vnto thee O most mercifull father for his iniquitie becomming a humble suter for the sence and feeling of his sinne and miserie and yet notwithstanding a Saint for that he consenteth not vnto it in that be delighteth and taketh pleasure in the law according to the inward man c. And Cardinall Hugo saith For all the Saints and holy men haue need to pray vnto God for the remission of their owne sins c. And in a couenient time that is to say in this present life according to that which is said labour whiles it is day c. Farre enough off then from the exposition of our aduersaries That the saintes deceased doe pray for vs. And Lyranus followeth Saint Ierome Cardinall Caietanus and Arias Montanus translate it Super hac not Pro hac that is saith Caietanus That euerie Saint shall pray vnto God for to obtaine the blessed fauour of his diuine righteousnesse c. Here is no question then of praying for another in an other life And as little proofe is there to bee gathered out of Psalme 121. Psalm 121. I haue lifted saith Dauid mine eies towardes the mountaines from whence succour shall come vnto me c. By the hils they will vnderstand the Saintes This is a figure And by these hils some vnderstood the scriptures as Saint Augustine others the heauens as Euthymius some the Saintes as Caâ—siodorus Of such sortes of speaking there followeth no good argument But let vs take them in whatsoeuer sence they will If it bee to the Saintes they were according to their owne doctrine in the Limbes and therefore in vaine for that purpose they had more need to haue cast downe then to haue lifted vp their eyes But they should at the least haue considered what followeth My succour commeth from the Lord who hath made heauen and earth And then not from all or any of these creatures bee they neuer so high and eminent And this is that which Saint Augustine saith No man can vnderstand by these mountaines great personages August in psal 121.
not able to counteruaile the glorie that is to come and which is to be reuealed in vs. But in the meane time they are not ashamed to oppose vnto so cleare a doctrine so plainly handled by all the Apostles by Saint Paul in all his Epistles a place of Saint Paul himselfe I reioyce saith he now in my sufferings for you Coloss 1.24 and fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body which is the Church Whereupon it followeth say they that men by their afflictions and sufferings may satisfie for the sinnes of others And we will obserue by the way that it is in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tertul. aduers Marcion l. ◠c. 19. Timo. ◠15 which Tertullian and S. Ambrose translate with vs Reliqua the rest and not that which lacketh But here againe what will they dare to say vnto vs That S. Paul by his afflictions hath satisfied for himselfe Not so For it is a sure thing saith he that Iesus Christ is come into the world to saue sinners whereof I am the chiefest Againe To shew in me the chiefest all manner of clemencie for an example to them which shall belieue in him vnto eternall life c. I doe saith he the ill I would not but the good that I would that I doe not Philip. 3.6 Notwithstanding that I find not my selfe guiltie of any thing yet know I that I am not iustified thereby Howbeit that according to the righteousnesse which is in the Law J am vnreproueable yet I haue accounted all this to be losse vnto me I haue accompted it as dung for the loue of Christ that is to be found in him not according to mine owne righteousnesse which is of the Law 1. Cor. 2.2 but according to that which is of the faith of Christ. And of Christ saith he elsewhere crucified What hath hee in these speeches that may sauour of pharisaicall righteousnesse That dooth holde any thing of the doctrine of our Masters concerning supererogation Againe the words of the place it selfe are repugnant thereunto For it saith In my sufferings for you in mine afflictions for the body of Christ which is the Church What then Shall he haue satisfied for an other For the temporall punishments of the Colossians For the Church of Christ And how should he possbly doe it for an other when he findeth not himselfe able and sufficient to pay his owne debt And that not in the way or words of Christian modestie or humilitie but in good sooth earnest Philip. 3. 1. Cor. 15. ◠Who haue whereupon to boast saith he in the flesh more then any other circumcised the eight day of the race of Israell of the Tribe of Beniamin an Hebrew borne of the Hebrewes a Pharisie in Religion vpright according to the Law and after all this called of Christ to bee an Apostle and yet notwithstanding as one borne out of time and notwithstanding an vnprofitable seruant And how then for the Colossians Reconciled on the contrarie saith he in the body of the flesh of Christ by his death Coloss 1. 2. when they were enemies and straungers redeemed by his bloud for the remission of their sinnes quickned by his grace when they were dead in their iniquities by the blotting out of the Obligation of eternall death which was betweene them fastning it with him vnto his Crosse But how in the end for the body of Christ which is the Church Which God saith he in an other place hath purchased vnto himself by his own bloud reconciling to himselfe the world in Christ Acts. 20.28 2. Cor. 5. in not imputing vnto it her sinnes making the Church one bodie wherof he is the head gathering and ioyning together into this bodie vnto God many nations by his Crosse c. If they say that the sufferings of S. Paul do supply the want of that of Christs but dare they say it And what shal that be I pray you that shall fulfil become a sufficient supply of that which of it selfe is infinite Shal man become the supply to the Son of God Ephes 2. Falsehood vntruth vnto verity sin vnto iustice mans infirmitie vnto the power might of God vnto saluation c. Nay verily not so S. Paul did neuer thinke of that but saith he I am a Minister of this Gospel by which you are reconciled vnto God And notwithstanding that I must suffer much in my ministerie for you yet I reioyce neuertheles in my sufferings Philip. 2. partly because that I suffer for the name of Christ. As he saith in an other place If it be requisite that I be offered vp a sprinkling vpon the sacrifice I reioyce together with you c. Partly because he himselfe suffreth in me who vouchsafeth to allow our afflictions as his own for that we are his members And therfore he saith in an other place Ambros in Epist ad Colo. As the sufferings of Christ abound in vs so likewise our consolation by Christ c. And this is it likewise which the old writers haue deliuered vpon this place altogether otherwise then our late writers Saint Ambrose He confesseth saith he that he reloyceth in his sufferings because he seeth the belieuers profiting in faith c And these sufferings saith hee he saith that they are Christs Hieronym in Ep ad Colos Chrysost in Ep. ad Coloss c. 1. in 2. ad Cor c. 1. ho. 1. because it is his doctrine which they persecute And S. Ierome by the sufferings of Christ vnderstandeth the sufferings for Christ c. Chrysostome The Apostle saith hee seemeth to haue spoken something arrogantly but it is nothing else but an exceeding great measure of good will that he beareth towards Christ. That which I suffer saith he to the Collossians J suffer it for him and therefore it is not to me that you owe any thankes but vnto himselfe Theodoret Because that hee suffereth for the preaching of the Gospell vnto the Gentiles Occumen ex Photio procuring their life by the same c. Oecumenius All that we suffer saith he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a rest or remnant farre differing from the sufferings of Christ For how should it possibly bee matched and fulfilled A master his suffering for his seruant by a seruant his suffering for his master What equalitie is there therein Or any thing neere thereunto He who is without sinne suffering for sinners And those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obstinately set against him How will it bee made vp by a sinfull people suffering for their benefactor and the same without sinne c Far differing from the arrogancie of our aduersaries who will that S. Paul did merite by his sufferings and that both for himselfe and an other and for the Church also c. It is sufficient therefore that hitherto we plainely and clearely see that inuocation intercession and the imployment of the merits of the Saints
relieued if by grace we bee not borne againe in Christ. What then and what shall become of so many goodly vertues of the Pagans Let it neuer be imagined saith he that there can be any true vertue in him that is not iust let it neuer bee imagined that there is any truely iust if he liue not ex fide by faith Fabricius his torments shall be more easie then Catilines not because he was a good man but because he was not so wicked Without faith it is impossible to please God but they haue not expressed anie faith in their workes neither therefore had they anie in their heartes c. The man saith he in another place must first be changed before his workes be changed Antequà m iustificetur impius quid est nisi impius Idem serm 12. de verb. Dom. Idem cp 106. Before the wicked man bee iustified what is hee but a wicked and vngodly man c. Can there then be any thing in man whereby he may help himselfe to come vnto God except he bee first changed and regenerate by his spirite And where becommeth then our free will Hearken Man saith he abusing his free will Idem in Enchilid c. 30. hath lost both himselfe and his free will for as he which killeth himselfe in killing of himselfe liueth no more nor hath any power to raise himselfe to life againe hauing once slaine himselfe so man in sinning by his free wil and sinne becomming conqueror hath lost his free will For of whom a man is ouercome his seruant hee is and therefore man cannot be free and at libertie to worke iustly if he bee not deliuered from the thraldome of sinne and made the seruant of righteousnesse But how shall this libertie be purchased and restored to man againe being solde giuen vp and captiuated c. if he be not ransomed by him who hath said If the Sonne deliuer and set you free you shall be truely free that is to say if he cast you not in a new mould by his grace to be new creatures in Christ Idem de spirit liter tom 3. Tu non poâ—uâ—sti in te nâ—si perdere te Idem ad Bonif l. 1. c. 3. Idem de fide ad Petr. Diaco c. And therefore these are his ordinarie Maxims Free will auaileth vs nothing neyther standeth it vs in any stead it hath no power at all except it be to sinne Thou hast nothing resting in thee but the meanes of destroying thy selfe neither doest thou know to finde thy selfe except hee that made thee doe seeke thee vp Yea saith hee if he doe not draw thee that is to say if he giue thee not to belieue in Christ a power that hath no iotte of free will a power which is not but from God alone For hee concludeth in another place Euerie man is borne in originall sinnne by consequent the child of wrath and from that wrath no man can be saued but by the faith of the Mediator And no man can repent himselfe here if God doe not inlighten him if by his free and vndeserued mercy he do not conuert and turne him vnto him Prosp Aquit ad Capitul Vincent Prosper Aquitanus By the wound of originall sinne the nature of all men was corrupted and killed in Adam whence is sprung out the disease of all concupiscences and lustes and against the which there is no other remedie but the death of Christ c. Yea saith he a disease that he would needes haue and which by him was needfull for vs. For saith hee to him not to sinne was no other thing then not to be willing to sinne Idem de vita contemplat c. 2. but it is not enough for vs to be willing to liue without reprehension our will being vicious and hindered by our feeble and faint possibilitie that which was in him of pleasure choise is become to vs a necessitie euen to sinne And if you say any thing to him of the workes of infidelles hee aunswereth you in these verses Idem in epigram 81. in l. de ingrat passim Per omnes calles errat sapientia mundi Et tenebris addit quae sine luce gerit This light which he calleth faith when he saith in another place Omne etenim probitatis opus nisi semine verae Exoritur fidei peccatum est nique reatum Vertitur stirilis cumulat sibi gloria poenam Cyrillus Alexandrinus He that is become thrall to the seruitude and slauerie of sinne although that he haue cast himself of his owne free wil into this miserable slauerie cannot notwithstanding shake off this yoke when he pleaseth he must seeke deliuerance in another that is in the Sonne of God Let vs neuer make triall of or attempt any other way for the recouering of our libertie for by him alone is graunted our full freedome from sinne to the ende that sinne may not rule or raigne anie more in our mortall bodies and that in the world to come it may not find any place in vs. From whence in two wordes wee gather thus much That in our owne nature we are the seruants of sinne That it raigneth in vs without any gainsay to the procuring of the punishments that are after this life if we bee not renewed in Christ Petr. Diac. c. Episc Orient ad Fulgen. c. Episc Afric Damnatur mortis paena Petrus Diaconus ad Fulgentium Adam hauing willingly transgressed the law of God is by his iust iudgement condemned to suffer the punishment of death and is allâ— holly throughâ—ut that is to say both in bodie and soule changed into worse and hauing lost his owne freedome is become a slaue to serue the filthie drudgerie of sinne Thereupon it is that no man commeth into this worlde free from the bondes of sinne except hee who for the vnloosing of these bondes was begotten after a new kinde of conception the Mediator of God and men Iesus Christ. For what can base and vile man beget but that which is base and vile And therefore as euerie man is of Adam â—oret Pighius so by Adam euerie man is the seruant of sinne Rom. 5. c. And such deceiue themselues as say that death but not sinne hath passed throughout mankind when as there is not one of all the sonnes of men which is deliuered from this damnation death but by the grace of the redeemer c. without this grace a man might think and desire humane things but he could not either thinke of or haue any will vnto the things concerning God For the first principall foundation thereof is to belieue in the Lord of glorie crucified This commeth not from the libertie of our free will or naturall will for flesh and blood doe not reueale the same but the heauenly father to whom he will drawing him vnto this true libertie not by a violent necessitie but by a gentle infusing of his holy
of the Law The law leadeth to faith and the iustice of God to his grace cannot possibly faile by consequent to explaine and lay open vnto vs the benefite of grace leading vs from Moyses to Christ from workes to faith and from death wherein wee stand naturally euen from the time of our conception and whereinto also euen after the time of our regeneration we runne and cast our selues continually by our faults and offences vnto our life and righteousnesse which is hid in Christ We cannot liue by the Law for we cannot fulfill it wherefore we must haue recourse vnto his grace His grace that is to say the mercie of God freely exhibited in Iesus Christ who hath fulfilled the Law by his obedience and which hath borne our transgressions vppon the Crosse but for such as to whome God hath giuen by the same grace to feele the sentence of condemnation due in themselues and assuredly to belieue their saluation in him And this is the cause why these two points are ordinarily conioyned and coupled together both in the Scriptures and holy Fathers euen grace and faith opposed to the Law and workes namely that grace that is to say that gift which God hath bestowed vppon vs by the righteousnesse of his onely begotten Sonne yea of his Sonne and all that which hee possesseth for the abolishing of our sinnes that faith that is to say that abilitie and power which hee giueth vs by his holy spirite to receiue in humilitie and yet with all assurednesse and certaintie that incomparable good thing which hee bestoweth vpon vs here below as a pledge and earnest pennie of those which hee will consequently giue vs to possesse with him in the highest heauens Origen expounding these words of the Apostle Orig. in Ep. ad Rom. l 3. c. 3. Where is thy glorying it is shut out c. He saith saith he that the iustification which is of faith onely doth suffice although that the belieuer haue not wrought any worke And for an example wee haue the theefe for whose onely faith Jesus said vnto him This day thou shalt be with me in Paradice c. And so likewise the woman in the Gospell Luke the seuenth The Pharisie said Jf he were a Prophet he would know what shee is but for her faith onely Iesus said vnto her Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee c. And for this cause the Apostle doth not boast himselfe of his owne righteousnesse chastitie wisedome c. But of the Crosse of Christ in the Lawe of faith which is in Iesus Christ c. Saint Ambrose saith Ambros de Virgin l. 3. Christ hath not redeemed thee with siluer nor gold haue thy siluer readie thou art not arrested euerie day though thou be in debt He hath paid his bloud for thee thou art indebted vnto him this bloud for we lay pawned in the hands of a wicked Creditor We haue beene the cause of the bill of our owne blame and guiltinesse by our sinnes Idem de fide l. 3. c. 3. wee owe for the punishment of the same our bloud the Lord Iesus is come hee hath paid his bloud for vs c. Againe Our redemption is by the bloud of Christ our forgiuenesse and pardon by his power and our life by his grace Idem de bono mort c. 2. Ep. 72.73 Againe Eternall life that is the forgiuenesse of sinnes and the Lord Iesus is come to fasten our sufferings to his Crosse to forgiue vs our sinnes to nayle to the crosse our obligation and to wash all the world in his blood Otherwise Idem de Iacob beat vita l. 1. c. 5. Psalme 118. saith he wherefore should the Prophet haue said Haue mercie on mee if he had trusted vnto his owne righteousness if there be any thing but mercie which deliuereth from sin But hee that hath need of mercie is a sinner and therefore what soeuer good commeth to vs let vs impute it to the righteousnesse of Christ It is the mercie of the Lord that remission of sinnes is freely and liberally giuen vnto vs Let no man glorie or boast himselfe that he hath a chast hart c. Againe Idem de fide l. 3. c. 3. My wisedome that is to saie the crosse of Christ My redemption the death of Christ Again By the disobedience of one man many are made sinners by the obedience of one man many are made righteous Againe God hath taken vpon him our flesh to abolish the curse of our sinfull flesh Idem de fuga saecul c. 7. Iudicato he was made a curse for vs to the end that the blessing might swallow vppe the curse integritie sinne grace the sentence of death and life death it selfe for he likewise hath vndergone death to fulfill the sentence of death and to satisfie the iudge for the curse lying vppon sinfull flesh Faith receiueth and taketh hold of grace Idem de paenit l. 2. Ex Syngrapha Idem in ep ad Rom. c. 3. 4 euen to the death c. And here behold the poole of grace the fountaine of life freely set open who shall put vs into the poole who shall draw for vs out of that fountaine verily verily no other helping hand saith the Apostle but faith yea Onely faith saith Saint Ambrose Let vs hope and looke for saith he the pardoning of sinnes by faith and not as by debt or merite faith will obtaine it for vs as by vertue of couenant vnder writing that is to say of the promises of God by the which he hath bound himselfe vnto vs Praesumptio propior est arroganti quà m roganti c. Presumption that is that ouer high couceipt we haue of our workes is more incident to such as arrogate and challenge for their owne eternall life by their desertes then to such as acknowledging themselues to haue no parte therein as of themselues doe humblie craue the same by praier c. Againe They are iustified freely because they are iustified without doing or working for the same and because they giue not any thing in exchange for the same they are iustified by faith alone by the gift of God c. The wicked man impius is iustified before God by faith alone c. For Idem devocat Gen. l. 2. c. 8. He that dare saith he preach that the grace of God is giuen according to mens merites preacheth against the catholike faith c. Let no man therefore glorie in his workes for no man shall be iustified by them He that is iust he hath it of gift Tertullian calleth it Donatiuum for hee is iustified by being washed It is faith that deliuereth vs by the blood of Christ Idem ep 71. Blessed is he whose sinnes are remitted and hath his pardon granted c. Againe By the sinne of one all haue deserued to bee condemned sinning alike for in the righteousnesse of one all shall be iustified credentes that belieue If hee
to say which haue not any thing to doe with any carnall thing but bring eternall life And if then with the consent of all the fathers this place of S. Iohn do expound make plaine the doctrine of the holy supper and must be vnderstood spiritually then also must those wordes of the institution be so vnderstood if we mind not to cause the scriptures to disagree and fight against scriptures and one place thereof against many places yea and that one against it selfe if wee will not violently go about to establish quite against all analogy of scripture the matter of transubstantiation which yet is not of bread into a bodie but of I know not what as that which hath no name into a bodie not of wine into bloud but of wine or rather of the cup into bloud or rather into the new testament in bloud If likewise wee will not haue the bread and wine abased or turned into nothing in S. Mathew in S. Marke and in S. Luke after the wordes and yet continue in their sound and perfect natures in S. Paule after the verie same that is to say If wee will not ouerthrow for the retaining of the litterall sence of one only word the spirit diffused throughout the whole scriptures and make the sacraments of the Church of Christ by the hardnes of our expositions more rawe and carnall then all those of the Iewish Church These are the absurdities which accompanie the expositions of our transubstantiators whereas ours doth retaine the nature of all the sacraments the agreement of the old with the new of holy baptisme with the holy supper of the supper of the Apostles with that of the Christian Church and aboue all the principal end of the same which is the nourishment of the soule vnto eternall life by that consunction of the faithfull with Christ as also of the faithfull amongst themselues which it fostereth and cherisheth c. It conserueth in like manner the truth of the humane bodie of our Lord which the other destroyeth the excellent dignitie of his diuine nature which that abaseth and all this by keeping the Analogie of the faith of Christ and the harmony of the holy scriptures CHAP. IIII. That the Fathers knew not Transubstantiation nor the reall presence in the signes And this is prosecuted vnto the time of the first Nicene Councell the same contayned therein NOw it is also very certaine that such as hath beene the doctrine of the Church not Primitiue onely but also for a long time after euen when corruption had entered this noble and worthie parte of the Church not hauing beene touched or defiled by the first which thing wee shall bee able to proue from time to time by the Fathers saue that we will not repeate diuers places before alleadged as the course of our treatise hath caused vs to produce and cite the same Saint Clement Bishop of Rome Clem. Rom. constit l. 6. c. 6. in the mysticall thanksgiuing that followeth the consecration Father we giue thee thanks for the precious blood of Iesus Christ which is shed for vs and for his precious bodie whereof we make vp and finish these counterfeites and resemblances l. 8. c. 17. Marke this word counterfeits that is to say correspondent figures and that after the consecration Himselfe hauing ordained it for vs to the end that wee might shew forth his death c. Againe in his liturgie after the consecration We offer vnto thee O king and God according to thine ordinance this bread and this cup l. 5. c. 61. c. And in another place The counterfeites saith he and mysteries of his bodie and blood at which say the Apostles as the report is set downe by Clement Iudas was not present with vs. l. 2. c. 61. And yet notwithstanding such because of the holy mystery whereunto they are consecrated That he exhorteth men to come vnto them as into the presence of a king If this had beene the reall bodie of our Lord would he haue made any other comparison then from himselfe would he not haue said that it was requisite to worship it as God Ignatius Ignat. in ep ad Philadel There is one flesh of our Lord and one bloud shed for vs one bread also broken for all and one cup for the whole Church How was it possible for him better to distinguish betwixt the signes and the things then by these foure wordes flesh and bloud on the one part and bread and cuppe on the other Bellarmine would haue him to signifie by these wordes flesh and bloud his bodie stretched out and his bloud shedde vpon the crosse and by the bread and cup his bodie broken his bloud shed in the holy Supper But do we then eate in the holy supper an other body then that which was stretched and drinke we another blood then that which was shed vpon the crosse for vs What other thing is this then to take from vs all our consolation all our glorie And did not then the Apostles communicate Iesus Christ crucified And what becommeth of the glorie of that great Apostle who would not know or glorie in any other thing but him crucified And what other thing els is this but in most outragious manner to abuse the scripture That he did not speake in the supper of his bodie broken with griefes vpon the crosse but of his bodie broken vnder the Accidents of bread not of his blood shed for our sinnes but taken and powred out of the cuppe vnder the Accidents of wine which notwithstanding to be so is proued for that whereas it is said in S. Luke shed for you it is in S. Mathew shed for many for this cannot bee referred to the breaking or powring out which is in the celebration of the holy Supper but to that which was really made vpon the crosse The same father also vndermineth and ouerturneth the very foundation of transubstantiation by the nature of Christ Ignat. cp 8. ad Polycarp Here below saith he is the race but the crowne is laid vp in heauē Christ the son of God euen he who is not temporarie that is to say not subiect to any time in time inuisible by nature visible in the flesh impalpable and such as cannot be felt with handes and yet notwithstanding for the loue of vs become corporall and palpable c. Iustinus Martyr compareth the bread of the Eucharist Iustin in dial cum Tryphon to the cow which was sacrificed in the old law for them which were purged of the leprosie He hath giuen vs saith he to celebrate the Eucharist in remembrance of his death note remembrance which he suffered for them whose spirits are purged from sin to the end that we should render thanks vnto God Again He hath giuen the bread saith he to the end that we should beare in remēbrance that he was made a bodie for such as do belieue in him the cup to the end that we shold