skinne of a shepheard And againe among manie other thinges to this purpose he saith Hildebrandns ante annos centum septuaginta primus specie religionis Anti. christi imperij fundamentum iocit Hildebrande an hundred and seuentie yeres ago vnder the show cullor of religion did first lay the foundation of Antichristes Empire or kingdome And againe he saithe Pontifices Babilonis soli regnari cupiunt ferre parem non possunt credite experte non cessahunt donec imperatore in ordinem redacto Romani imperij honore soluto pastoribus veris oppressis per hune morem omnia extinguant omnia pedibut suis conculcent atque tui templo Dei sedeant extollanturque super omnia id quod colitur 2. Thess 2. Apoc. 9. The Bishops of Babilon desire to reigne alone they can abide no peere beleeue him that hath made a triall of them they vvill neuer haue done vntill they haue broughte th'Emper our vnto their bowe dissolued the honor or maiestie of th'Emper and oppressed the true pastors of Christ that in this sorte they maie extinguish all thinges and tread al things vnder their feete and that they maie sitte in the Church of God exalting the' selues aboue euerie thing that is vvorshipped To these maie be added Ioachim Abbas Franciscus Petrarcha Marsilius Patiuinus Michael Cecenus Baptista Mantuanus Laurentius Valla Hieronimus Sauonarola and before these foure hundred yeeres the Waldenses with manie other that shewe howe the Pope inuaded the church and oppresled the true ministers and pastors of the same whereby vvithout resistaunce bee might do vvhat he listed But these fewe out of manie haue I noted bicause the propounder of these questions vvould beare the vvorlde in hand that his Romish church euen from the Apostles time haue holden their faith or articles of religion vvithout contradiction or gainsaying of anie except those that he hath named that the Reader maie vvell perceiue when the resistance of errors vvaxed faint by vvhat meanes the Churche grewe vnto great decaie and also vvhat litle credite the papists deserue in their sayings and vvritings Thus also from the time of the Machabees vntill the comming of Iohn Baptist did the hipocriticall Pharisees vvithout controlement corrupte the lawes of God and yet I thinke no man vvill saie that they had the trueth bicause before the comming of Iohn Baptist and our sauiour Christ no man did controll them No more maie any saie that popishe errors be no errors because no man vvas able to vvithstand theÌ„ in these last fiue hundred yeres THE OBIECTION IT is not possible that all the vvhole Church which to that daie had bolieued the misteries to be consecrated vpon the altar to be no more but onelie bread and vvine to be onelie tokens of Christes bodilie absence in substance to be neither asacrifice propitiatorie nor the real bodie and bloud of Christ should sodenlie thoroughout all nations change their catholike and vniuersall beliefe vvithout anie trouble or tumult at all vvithout anie contradiction or disputation yea vvithout any man knowen or euer heard of vvhich should first commend vnto them the newe opinion of nine hundred yeres old Is it credible that so manie millions of Christian men as vvere in the Church at the ende of the first sixe hundred yeres belieuing the one yeere those halowed thinges vpon the altar to be stil bread and vvme should the next yere after altogether in al countries languages fal down prostrate or kneele or at the least bowe to the vorie same things as to the true bodie of their maker sauiour which before they had bin taught to be vnreasonable vnsensible creatures And did they al this without anie guide or preacher vvho mighte vvill them to do this Or did all the preachers in Christendome at one moment chaunge their mindes and bid the people do so Or did some fewe go through the partes of the vvorld and vvithout resistance of anie man preach that newe doctrine Were all the pennes of vvriters of histories so tied that none of them all was able to vvrite anie one mans name vvho after the sixe hundred yeres past taught first seconde third or at anie time that chaunge of beliefe throughout Christendome Was that Heretike so almightie that no man durst vvrite his name neither vvhilest he liued nor vvhen he was departed out of this vvorld If the man vvere vnknowen at the least vvhy had his sect no proper name Was not there one learned man in the Church of God either vvilling or able to resist the furie of nevve doctrine in the matter of Christes Supper THE ANSVVERE FIrst the true Churche of God did neuer thinke so singly of the reuerent mysteries as to saic they vvere no more but onlie bread and vvine onlie tokens of Christes body a bsent in substaÌ„ce but belieueh them and receiueth them to be holie misteries vvherby the Lords death is laide before out remembrance all the righteousnes and benefites of his death passion are offered vnto vs the vvhiche things being of vs by a liuelie faith receiued bring vvith theÌ„ remission of our sinnes renuing and feeding of our inwarde man to euerlasting life And thus after the bread and vvine beeing once altered from prophane vses vnto the nature of a Sacrament are no more saide to be onelie bread and vvine onlio tokens of Christes absence in his substance but they are the sacramentes of the Lordes death the bread of the Lorde and the cuppe of thankes giuing Corinth 10. 11. Aug. ep st 26. vvherein the vvorthie receiuer is made partaker of the Lordes bodie and of the Lordes bloud to his great ioy and comfort As concerning the Lordes presence absence there is sufficiently saide before neuerthelesse the first Church neuer acknowledged anie other presence in this sacrament then they acknowledged in the sacrament of baptisine Suche a presence as agreeth with the veritie of Christes body being in heauen and with the nature of a sacrameÌ„t Both the sacraments althogh they admit no real or naturall presence yet do they admit witnes such a preseÌ„ce as being spiritual and heauenlie is also most comfortable effectuall For as in baptisme Christ by the power of his spirite is present to washe away our sinnes to regenerate vs make vs members of his misticall boide Iâ—dom Eshel 5 Coloss 2. yea bones of his bones and fleshe of his fleshe and yet is there in this worke of our regeneration no reall persence of Christ or change of anie substance imagined Super Ioan homnilic 50. Gallst 3. but al is spirituall supernaturall and heauenlle Habes Christurrs in presentiper baptismaties sacriameÌ„tim saith S. Augustine thou haste Christ present by the sacrament of Baptisme We are saith Chrisostome in baptisme made flesh of Christes flesh Super epise ad Pip. chom 20. Ephes 5. bones of his bones And againe speaking of Christes presence in the bucharist Sic in baptismo Elien so is he present
they whose sinnes are forgiuen and therefore not by workes If any works might be iâ—ined with faith to iustification then the workes of the Law Rom. 1.4 Gâ—lâ—â— 3.4 Phâ—â—â— 1. â—om 3 4. Gâ—lâ—â— 3. â— But iustificamur fide sine operibus Legis We are iustified by faith without the woorkes of the Lawe therefore without all other whatsoeuer If euer any was or might bee iustifyed with the helpe of workes before God then Abraham but Abraham was not therefore none other can be Also Rom. 2. Rom. 4. 1. Pet. 3. the faithful are iustifyed as theire father AbrahaÌ„ was iustifyed but Abraham was iustifyed before God by faith without workes by faith therefore without workes are all the faithfull iustifyed And thus the godly learned did alwaies thinke of our iustification Iustificati sunt gratis saith S. Ambrose quia nihil operantes Ambros super Rom. cap. 4. neque vicem reddentes sola fide iustificati sunt dono Dei They are iustifyed freelye because they worke nothing nor geue anye thing in exchange but are iustified by faith onely through the gifte of God Againe Ambrosâ— ibidâ—â— Obâ—deâ—â— Sic decretum dieit a Deo vt cessant Lege solam fidem gratia Dei posceret ad salutem So saith the Apostle it is decreed that the law geuing place the grace of God might require only faith to saluation Hoc ipsum monet exemplo prophetae vt sine labore aliqua obseruatione sola fide iustificantur apud ipsum This self same thing doth hee admonish by the Prophets example that without labour and any obseruation or ceremonie they may be iustifyed through onely faith before God Ambros super Rom. cap. 9 And in another place Sola fides inquit posita est ad salutem onely faith saith the Apostle is set downe to saluation Ambros super Rom. â— Manifesto beati sunt c. They are apparaâ—â—tlye blessed saith the Apostle vnto whom without any labor or worke their sinnes be conered and their sinnes remitted No workes of râ—pentaunce required of them but Faith onely And Hilarius Sola Fides iustificat Cano. 9 Faith only iustifyeth Origen also prooueth by the example of the thiefe Of Mary Magdalene Origen in Româ— cap. 4. And of the Publicane And by many other reasons that onely Faith doth iustifie The same doth Athanasius Basil homil de fidâ— Athen. in Galat. cap. 3. Basill Chrisostome and other of their time euidently prooue whome because I woulde bee shorte here I doe omitte That this iustifying Fayth in Adam Noe Abraham Piâ— de sule iustificatione fol. 85. or any other of Gods Elect respected or doth respect the Creation of the worlde the making of the Arke the multiplying of the posterity or any other promis whatsoeuer as the papists imagin it doth but onely yâ— promise of christ made vnto Adam Gen. 3 and stil renued vnto his Posteritie shal euidently appeare The righteousnes no doubt of God which is good before god commeth by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto al and vpon al that doe beleeue Rom. 3. Iustificantur autem gratis eius gratia per redemptioneÌ„ factam per Iesum Christum quem proposuit Deus placamen per fidem in sanguine suo For they are iustifyed freely by his grace throgh the redemption that is in Christ Iesu whom god hath made our pacification through faith in his bloud according as it was promised vnto Adam Et semen mulieris ipsum conteret caput serpentis â—en 3. Apocalip 12. The seede of the woman namely Christ shall breake the serpentes head And vnto Abraham Gâ—n 12.17 〈◊〉 3. Act. 3. In semine tuo benedicentur omnes gentes non dicitur in seminibus sed devno qui est Christus In thy seede shal all nations be blessed He saide not in sedes as of many Mat. 3. but of one which is Christ Hic est filius meus dilectus in quo mihi complacuit This is my beloued sonne in whoÌ„ I am well pleased Thus we see we are iustified in no other promises but onely in the promise of Iesu Christ that in the promise of his death and resurrection and therto the holy ghost referreth our faith Coloss 1.2 Heb. 1.2.3.4 Rom. 4. as ye plainly see He dyed for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification We are regenerated into the hope of life 1. Pet. 1. per resur rectionem Iesu Christi ex mortuis by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ from death Coloss 1. For it pleased the father that in him should all fulnes dwell and by him to reconcile all thinges vnto himselfe 2. Cor. 5 c. Neque sub coelo aliud datur nomen hominibus in quo opor tet nos saluos fieri Neither is there any other name or mean vnder heauen geuen vnto men wherein we must be saued Now what shall we thinke of these Papistes Act. 4. Pâ—ghi de side eâ— iusti sol 88. that tell vs Intelligis in iustificationis nostrae negotio vt nihil plus euergiae tribuat Fidei promissae iustificationis in Christo quà m fidei alterius cuiuscunque rei proditae aut promiâ—laâ— a Deo Thou vnderstandest therfore saith Pigh ius that in the matter of Iustifycation she Apostle may attribute no more vnto the faith of Iustification promised in Christ then vnto the faith of any other promise whatsoeuer foreshewed or promised by God Do they good reader make any other thing of Christ and the promises in him then of Legall transitorie Nay doe they not in effect say that whichis reported to be dissolutely vttered of Pope Leo 10. vnto BeÌ„bo his cardinall In vâ—ta Pâ—nâ— Quantum nobis ac nostro cetui profuerit ea de Christo fabula satis est seculis omnibus notum Lâ—o esteemed the gospel of Christ but a fable of small profite They shouâ—ll it among other Legall and temporall promises These men account the scriptures of the gospel as a nose of waxe Pig Hosâ—â—epres verbo but the holy Ghost accountes thereof as of the mightie power of God to saluation as of the word of life the immortal seed of our regeneratioÌ„ as of a two edged sword Hâ—â— â— Mâ—t. 8. that deuideth the marow and the sinewes in respect whereof they account al other things as drosse These felowes therfore though they couÌ„terfette the resemblance of the Lambe Apoc. 4.9.13 yet in deede they come out of the bottomles pit speake with the mouth of the Dragon and are led by the spirit of error â— Tim. 4. speaking great lyes in hipocrisie â— Tim. 3 but the Lorde will not suffer them to preuaile any longer But vnto vs that beleue the Apostle teacheth this faith to be of the promises of Christ his death and therefore he calleth the gospel not the word of creation of the flood of the goinge out of Charran of posterity or of any such thinge but hee
in the sacrament of Baptisme And the renerent father Beda Bida super 1. Cor Cap. 10. Auguen formone ad disantes Nulli aliquatenus ambigendum est tunc vnumquenqse fidelium corporis sangumis Christi participem fieri quando in Baptismate membnum Christl efficitur No man may doubt bt that euerie faithfull man is then made partake of the bodic and bloud of Christ vvhen he is made a member of Christ To these might manie mo fathers be added but these are sufticient to proue the selfe and the same presences of Christ to be in the sacrament of Baptisime that is in the Eucharist For when we acknowledge our birth to be altogether spiritual and nothing materiall naturall or corporall and to be vvrought vvithout the real or naturall presence of Christ by vvhom yet neuerthelesse vve are regenerated and made the sonnes of God it were not onelie foolishe but a monster to imagine the feeding and nourishing of this life vvhich commeth by this birth to be otherwise then according to the nature of the birth The birth is altogether spirituall the nourishment therefore is altogether spirituall Christ is effectuallie in regneration bestowed vpon vs Origen in lib. 4. homil 4. super Exnd. hornil 13. super lib. 4. hum 9.1 Tertral de carnis resurrectione so is he effectuallie offered and bestowed in his vvord and yet doth no man imagine that Christ is included in the vvater or in the letter of his vvorde Christus auditu deuorandus est intellectu ruminaÌ„dus side digerendus Christ must be eaten by hearing chowed vpon againe by vnderstanding throghly digested by faith De creua domiui in medio Aud S. Cyprian Esus huius carms est quadam auiditas quoddaÌ„ desiderium manendi in Christo quod est esca carni hoc est animae fides non dentes ad mordendum acuimus sed side sineera panem sanctum frangimus The eating of this flesh of Christ is a greedie appetite a lÌ„oging desire to dwelin Christ Loke vvhat meate is nvto the body eueÌ„ the same is saith vnto the soule We whette not our teeth to bite with but vvith a true faith vvee breake this holie bread Christe is not reallie saide to be present either in the letter or in the vvorde vvhy then should not vve thinke the saine in the supper when we see and vnderstande that his presence bothe in baptisme and in his vvorde is certaine and effectuall and yet neither real nor corporall Moreouer this presence of Christ in his word and sactaments is so far beyond the reche of our sinple vnderstanding that vve be not able to comprehende it by wit and reason and therefore beleeue it by faith asluring our selues that God is most true in his promises Wee therefore rather feele the benefite and comfort of his presence in our hartes and minds by a liuely faith then are able to expresse it by our owne vvitte and tongues The fearch after this ineffable maner of Christes presence in this sacrament hath broght a number into a dangerous Laberinth and in the ende brought foorth this absurde monstrous and blasphemous opinion of the real presence by the vvaie of transubstaÌ„tiation ful of al idolatrie and superstltion taking the outwarde signes in this sacrament for Christ therby signified and th' action vvhich duelie performed doth call Christes death to our remembrance which to do is the principal end of this facrameÌ„t for the sacrifice of Christes death Malb 26. 1. Cer. 11. Aug. de ciuita de lib. 10. cap. 5. Cryso super Heb hoil 17. vvhereof this sacrament is as saith Augustine Chrisostome but a remembrance And so by this meanes that thing vvhich vvas ordeined to shew forth Christes death effectuallie did they abuse to the hiding and drkening of the force and effect of Christes death and passion vvhiche is the onelie sacrifice propiciatorie for sinne Iebr. 9. 10. for beseides this there neither is nor euer was anie other The first Church therfore as they knew the death of Christ inseperably ioyned with the sacrifice propiciatorie for sinne that no propiciatorie sacrifice could bee made for sinne vvithout the death of Christe so did they neuer teache this sacrament to be a sacrifice propiciatorie for sinne That sometimes in the fathers this sacrament is called a sacrifice Aug. ad Bcnifa lny so super Heb. â—omilia itis because it doth represent the sacrifice of Christes death and so it according to the nature of Sacraments obteineth the name of the thing that it signifieth as is aforesaid â—rene contra heraâ—â—s lib. 4. cap. 32. As also that in receiuing of this sacrament the vvorthie receiuers offer vnto God their prayers yea them selues vvhiche is an acceptable seruice and sacrifice to God not for sinne but of thankes giuing In this sence is it called a sacrifice Aug. de Trinit lib. 10. cap. 5. Aag ad Ianuaâ— Epist 32. 1. Coren 10. 11 Iguasi ad Suyâ—â— Epiph. ad Faw Epipi Havcs not that it is so as S. Augustine saith but that it doth signifie and in this sence and meaning both in scriptures and fathers it hath sundrie names and callinges as the Lords bodie and blood Ganes 17. Excd. 12. the bread of the Lorde the cup of thankefgiuing the communion the holie gathering loue the Lordes supper c. Yet it is not all these whose names it beareth but signifieth these and therefore is so called But the papistes neither regarding the vse nor signification of sacraments haue driuen them selues as I said into such a Laberinth that vvhat to saie therof they can finde no certentie or ground for vvhere a sacrament is a visible signe seale or testimonie of an inuisible grace Ciuisate dei li. 10. cap. 4. 5. Petrus Lombard sent li. 4. dist 10. thus S. Augustine out of the scripture doth define a sacrament saying Sacramentum est visibilis forma inuisibilis gratiae A sacrament is a visible sible forme shape or shew of an in uisible grace Againe he calleth it visibile signum a visible signe The Papistes define this sacrament of the Lordes bodie to be an inuisible signe of a visible bodie Thus do they define it Caro Christi inuisibilis est sacramentum carnis visibilis The inuisible flesh of Christ is the sacrament of his visible flesh Thus both contrarie to Scripture Fathers the veritie and trueth of Christes humane substance reason common sence yea contrarie vnto theÌ„selues they saie they knowe not what and againe reuiue vvith Marcion and other suche heretikes a fantasticall opinion of Christes humanitie to the vtter ouerthrow of the ground and substance of christian religion which chieflie standeth in the certentie of Christes humaine bodie and nature 1. Iohn 4. They sometime saie the accidentes of bread and vvine as vvhitenes roundnes c. are the sacraments of the bodie of Christ now thinuisible bodie say they is the sacrameÌ„t of
saide not my workes of coÌ„digne or stirred vp by the firste grace as doe these Iesuites but he saide I thank God thorough Iesus Christ our Loid which dyed yea rather which is raysed againe which also is at the right hande of God making intercessioÌ„ for vs vnto his Father who is stil in Christ reconciling vs vnto him self thorough the remitting of our sins in Christ therefore is remission of sinnes continually preached vnto vs aswell after our regeneration as before els were it in vaine that euery where in the Scripture remission of sins freely in Christ is inforced as the very matter of our saluation and reconcilement to God 1. Iohn â— â— Mat. 3. Esai 35. If any man sinne saith Saint Iohn wee haue an aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the pacification or Propitiation for our sinnes and this not in the beginning but continuallye all our life long and therefore hee saide of himselfe and others already iustifyed If we walk in light c. The bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from al our sinnes If we acknowledge our sinnes God is faithfull and iust to forgeue vs our sinnes Philip. 3. 1. Cor. 4. And S. Paule fled vtterly from his own righteousnesse yea from that he might any way chaleÌ„ge either by obseruing the Law or by his painful trauell or labour in the gospell and claue only so the righteousnes of God that coÌ„meth through the onely faith of Christ And our sauiour Christ himselfe calleth sinners vnto him Rom. 1.7 Eze. 18. Mat. 11.18 promising continually remissioÌ„ and forgeuenes of sinnes so often as they repent yea to seueÌ„tie times seuen times that is continually Wee ought therefore at all times confidentlye through Christe to come vnto the seate of grace Esai 1.55 Apoc. 22. Heb. 4. assuring our selues to finde helpe in time of neede We saye to these Iesuites therefore with S. Augustine Aug. de circit de Bar. in cant can serm 23. and S. Barnard Iusticia sanctorum c. The righteousnesse of Saintes in this worlde standeth rather in the forgiuenes of sinne then in the perfection of vertue Ambro. de Iacâ—â— lib. 2. And with S. Ambrose as Iacob in the coate of his brother Esau was accepted vnto Isaac his father so we in that righteousnes of Christ are accepted before God And further with Austine we say Aug. ad Bonis lib. 3. cap. 5. we must still depend vpon the onely merite of Christ and this being our onely hope where is then confidence of workes Ber. super caâ—â— serm 16. And againe with Barnard we say Our merite is the Lordes taking of mercye this is the whole merite of man if he put his whole trust in him that saueth the whole man There is no cause why thou shouldest aske by what merite we shuld hope for good things when thou hearest in the prophet I will do it not for your sakes but for mine owne saith the Lord. Barnard in ps 91. Super. Cant. ser 23. And againe O solus vere beatus qui non imputauerit dominus peccatuÌ„ Ezech. 22.32.36 c. Sufficit mihi ad omneÌ„ iustitiaÌ„ solum habere propitium cui soli peccaui Barn super Cant. ser 23. O truely happy vnto whom god wil not impute sinne c. It suffiseth me vnto all righteousnes to haue him merciful whoÌ„ I haue only offended Idem ser 61 Ego fidenter quod ex me mihi deest exurpo mihi ex visceribus domini mei quoniam misericordiae effluunt nec desunt foramina per quae effluant I doe confidently take vnto my selfe that which wanteth vnto me of my self froÌ„ the bowels of my Lord for his mercies flow out abundantly neither do the conduites want wherby they may stil flow out And againe with Austen we say Aug. in confess Vae hominum vitaâ— quantumuis laudabili si remota misericordia indicetur Wo vnto the life of man be it neuer so laudable if it shal receiue iudgment without mercie Therefore propter illud imperfectionis vicium si dixerimus quia peccatum non habemus Aug. epist 26. ad Hieron 1. Iohn 1. c. propter illud etiaÌ„ vitium quantumlibet profecerimus necessarium est nobis dicere dimitte nobis debita nostra Because of that imperfection of ours if we shall saye we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues there is no trueth in vs yea for that imperfection of ours how much soeuer we go forward in vertue and godlines it is necessary for vs to say forgiue vs our trespases But these Iesuites herein deceiue theÌ„ selues also â—â—ncil trident sess 〈◊〉 sess 7 â—â—llen in his booke 〈◊〉 purgatorie as in their first second iustice that they imagine vnto themselues a ful and perfect regeneration or renouation in their first conuersion by the receiuing of the sacrament of Baptisme thervpon grounde this false principle of the second iustification For so long as the most perfectest liueth in this world so loÌ„g carieth he both in soule body â—â—ne lib. 4 â—abri byel â—urand in sent â—â—b 4. Mat. 5 â—â— Rom. 6 7.12. â—oloss the sinne and corruption of the olde man which the Apostle tearmeth earthly members which are daily more and more to be mortified that our regenerated part or inwarde man may increase to further renouation euen vnto a perfect man and therefore are we exhorted stil to this further mortifying of the olde man Ephe. 4.5 Psal 51.103 and pray earnestly to god that hee will by clensing vs more and more from our sinnes performe the same Esai 6. 1. Cor. 15. 2. Cor. 5. Galat. 2.5 2. Tim. 2. And thus Dauid S. Paule Esaie and all the godly continually expected knowing ' that when this body of sinne by death should be put of it shuld be performed through Christ Iesu by whom in the meane time they liued by a liuely faith in the worke of this newe birth in continuall mortification and renouation The performance whereof is the dailye remitting of sinne throgh the bloud of Christ For the last enimy that herein must be destroyed is death or mortalitie S. Paule confesseth Hebr. 9. that after his new birth and conuersion there still remayned a resistance which he called the law of his members 2. Ioh. 2.1 which although it did not raign in him yet did it marueilously vexe Apo. 1.7.8.14.12 let hinder him so that he coÌ„fessed he had not then already attained Rom. 7.6 either was alredy perfect 2. Cor. 12. but still followed the prefixed marke in Christ Philip. 3. throgh whom as he was in him comprehended 2. Tim. 4. so he fought a good fight fulfilled his course 2. Cor. 9. and kept yâ— faith Luk. 16. to the receiuing of that crowne of righteousnes 2. Cor. 2.5 which the Lorde the righteous iudge did giue vnto him at the day of his dissolution