that is outwardly nothing is changed but all the change is inwardly Augustin saith The bread doth not loose his first nature after the consecration but it receiveth another quality wherby it differeth from common bread And against Maximinus hee saith Sacraments are figures Anno 400. August lib. 3 cont Maxins being one thing indeed yet shewing forth another thing And in another place he saith There are no other sacrifices then prayer praises and thanksgiving Gelasius saith The Sacraments which we receive Anno 492. are divine things yet ceasse they not to be bread and wine in nature Beda writing on the 21 th Psalme hath these words Anno 730. Poore men despisers of the world shall eate indeed really if it be referred to the Sacraments and shal be filled eternally because they shall understand in bread in wine being visible before him a thing invisible to wit the true body blood of Christ are true meat and true drink which filleth not the belly but the minde is nourished Haymo about 850. taught the same Doctrine Now to observe the Article of our Faith He ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God Augustin saith Aug. supper lean tract 30. tract 50. The Lord is above even to the end of the world and yet the verity of the Lord is here also for this body wherin he rose againe must needs bee in one place but his verity is spread abroad every where Elsewhere he saith Let the godly receive also that Sacrament but let them not be carefull for the presence of his body for as concerning his Majesty his providence is invisible unspeakable graces for these words are fullfilled which hee spake I am with you to the end of the world But according to the flesh which he took upon him when hee was born of the Virgin and was apprehended of the Iewes and was fastened to a tree taken down again from the Crosse lapped in linnen clothes was buried rose again appeared after his resurrection so ye shall not have me alwaies with you why Because as concerning his flesh The conclusion of Doctor Ridlye He was couversant with his Disciples 40. daies and they accompanied him seeing him but not following him for he went up to Heaven and is not here for he sitteth at the right hand of God his Father yet hee is here Math. 28. because hee is not departed hence as concerning the presence of his Diuine Majesty Mark well what Augustine saith he is aseended into heaven and is not here saith hee therefore beleeve not them which say hee is here still upon the earth Also hee saith doubt not but that Iesus Christ as concerning the nature of his manhood is there from whence hee shall come remember well beleeve the profession of a Christian man Aug. Ep. 57 that he rose from the dead and ascended into Heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God his Father and from that place and none other not from the altars shall hee come to judge the quick and and the dead and he shall come as the Angell said as he was seen to goe up into heaven that is to say in the same form and substance unto which hee gave immortality but changed not nature after this form meaning his humane nature wee may not think that it is every where And in the same Epistle he saith take away froÌ„ the bodyes the limitation of places and they shal be no where and because they are no where they shall not be at all Vigilius saith Vigil contra Vryche lib. 4 If the word the flesh be both of one nature seeing that the word is every where why then is not the flesh also euery where for when it was on earth then verely it was not in heaven And now when it is in heaven it is not surely in earth and it is so certaine that it is not on earth that as concerning the same wee looke for him from heaven whom as concerning the word wee beleeve to be with us in earth These few testimonies I have produced to shew that in the maine differences of our Religion betwixt the Papâ—sts and us we have proofs not onely from the Scriptures and authentick Fathers but also froÌ„ the confession of the Popish writers themselves and that for one thousand yeares since the Ascention of our Lord. And for these points I have related I could produce as many more but I hasten to be breefe In the next place I will shew the Fathers Iudgment concerning our Iustification by the free grace of God That we are justified freely by tho grace of God apprehended by Faith is a Doctrine taught by the Apostles testified by the ancient Fathers And now this Doctrine was opposed by the Pelagians Anno 420. against which Augustine wrote snndry large volumes And twelue yeares after his death Comentary on the Proverbs of Salomen wrote Salomus Bishop of Viennen who used these words No man is chosen to Salvavation of God for any foreseene goodnes hee did see in him nor any man is chosen of God for his good works but onely by his grace and mercy and of his meere love See of him Sidonius in an Epistle on Salloman lib. 7. and Providentia Prosper his Cronicle And the yeare following there was a councell houlden in the City Arragon against the Pelagians which denied this doctrine and maintained freewill and it was condemned in this Synode Venerable Beda departed this life when he was 72. Anno 734. yeares ould in his time he wrote much And on the 21. Psalm hee affirmeth Wee are justified by the grace of God and not by works He dissalowed Images praying to Saints He translated the Gospell of S. Iohn into English This Doctrine was maintained by sundry other Fathers Anno 776. as Falcanus a man of great learning Anno 780. the Patriarcke of Aquilla and Haymo Anno 850. At a Councell houlden at Ments against Godsaeldius Anno 848. a Priest of Belgica where he was charged by the Bishop of that place Rabinus to hould Erroneous doctrine in that hee affirmed That no man is chosen of God for any foreseene goodnes hee saw in man but wee are saved freely by the grace of God Which doctrine hee did maintaine very learnedly there did dispute against him fowr and because they could not pervert him for to give over they did banish him See the Counsell of Anelaus Apetheajedict frodurdes lib. 3. cap. 13. And it doth appeare this Doctrine was not yet established For there was a Counsell houlden at Valence in France Anno 855. concerning this Doctrine Which certaine Scottishmen did defend this Doctrine in the said Counsell the whith Godsaldun had defended before and was banished Yet wee find not there was any proceeding against them neither did they conclude any thing there against this Doctrine but there they decreed that none should be
signes to approve the better of their obedience to wit trees planted in the middest of the Orchard earthly Paradise which although they were not of any other qualitie then the other plants yet notwithstanding being dedicated cōsecrated of God for Sacraments or Sacred Signes their qualitie was then for to serve as Seales for the Testimonie and approbation of his divine will and pleasure which was effected by the infinite goodnesse bounty of God to make appeare and knowne that the Association Confederation and alliance contracted with man his Creature was ordained from time to time yea from the beginning of all times Thus I say were exteriour and Corporall Signes which man could see and contemplate with his Corporall Eyes constituted to serve for an assurance pledge and hostage of the Divine Covenant These Trees and substantiall Fruits ordained for our first and common Father were committed and given unto him to keepe without wasting either or eating of the one upon paine of eternall death Wherefore wee must in faith beleeve that they were not vaine Signes and Sacraments or as a meere simple Picture but whereas life or death depended on them they comprehended both the signes and thing signified wherein consisted the knowledge and wisedom to feare God Prov. 7.2.3 and obey him And therefore they were called the Fruits of the knowledge of good and ill the Trees of life For in the carefull keeping of these sacred fruits and obeying God there was promised eternall life whereas on the contrary by abusing the Sacraments and opposing the will of God there was intimated to us by exteriour signes that eternall death and damnation was purchased For other exercises required of man towards God Sacrifices before the written Law concerning the reverence honor and adoration of him many divers Sacrifices were celebrated even before the Law written by Moses And though God Almighty Creatour of Heaven and Earth needs not any humane workes or to bee nourished with the bloud of beasts or with terrestriall fruits Psal 50. yet hee had allwayes a desire to draw man unto him in an externall obedience and feare by Signes Sacrifices and Sacraments so as the Sacrifice of Lambes offered by Abel were agreable and pleasing to God Noah in like manner after the inundation of waters past in signe of his recognition and obedience towards God erected an Altar Genes 4. Hebr. 11. Gen. 6.7.5 immolated and offered sacrifices of unspotted sheepe birds whereof hee made a reall Holocaust acceptable to the Lord. By which examples we may easily discerne that Sacrifices tooke not their beginning in Moses time but that Innocent and Iust Lambe was prefigured in Abels Sacrifice as a type of Iesus Christ slaine and offered from the beginning of the world Apoc. 13. After the rigor and justice of the deluge was appeased The Rainbow that hapned for a punishment of Tyrants offences on earth in signe of a reconciliation and Covenant renewed our God ordained the signe of the Rainbow for a pledge assurance of his Divine mercie This signe and celestiall Bowe Genes 9. though it formerly appeared in thicke cloudes being a notice of raine to ensue notwithstanding it was not as yet constituted nor appointed to serve man for a signe or Sacrament untill the time that it was by God ordained for an assurance of the Covenant contracted with the good Father Noah and his successors After this with the faithfull Patriarch Abraham Circumcision in the yeere of the world 2048. there was another confederation alliance contracted by the wisedome of God who for a pledge and assurance to him and his posterity constituted the externall signe of Circumcision to serve him for a Sacrament a perpetuall notice of Gods holy will and pleasure and so he was enjoyned to circumcise the male infants within the eighth day of their nativitie upon paine of being rejected from the number of those people whom God had adopted Gen. 17. Then followed to his posterity afterward called the people of Israel the sacrifice of the immaculate Lambe which was ordain'd by the shedding of bloud to preserve them from the appointed slaughter in Egypt Exod. 12. As also the flesh thereof was appointed to bee eaten and celebrated festivally every yeere on the day called The Pascha or Easter for a signe commemoration of their Deliverance from Pharaohs servitude and to the participation of the flesh of this Paschall Lambe was annexed the unleavened bread for seven dayes on paine of Death Exod. 22. Other sacred signes were sent by God to his Elect people to winne them continually to his feare and obedience as the signe of the Cloud The Cloud The Pillar of fire Exod. 13. to conduct the people by day and the flaming and fierie Pillar for their guide direction by night and all to deliver them out of the hands of the Tyrant Pharaoh Then followed the signe of the division of the Arabicke Red Sea The division of the Arabick red sea in the yeere of the world 2403. over which the elect people of God passed By all which admirable signes it pleased God to institute Sacraments having an analogie to the holy Sacrament of Baptisme instituted afterwards by the elementall signe of water which is the washing of Regeneration and the renovation of the Holy Ghost Now during the time that this elect people of God were detained in the Arabian Desarts 1. Cor. 10. Titus 3. and barren Wildernes they had provision of heavenly bread wherewith they were nourished for fortie yeeres which was also an holy Sacrament instituted by the power and will of God Heavenly Manna Exod. 16. 1. Cor. 10. and held in so high an admiration that each one amongst the people said Man-hu what a wonderfull thing is this They saw celestiall Manna exhibited to them without travell a Figure of the Bread of Life which came downe from Heaven giving life to all the faithfull Another wonderfull signe there was ordained by God of the Rocke gushing out with cleere water in Mount Horeb Iohn 6. to quench the peoples thirst who were very dry and almost stifled with heat This was a signe and figure of the true Rocke Iesus Christ out of whom came bloud water to quench perpetually the thirst of sinners and refresh our soules CHAP. II. Of Sacrifices BEsides these signes and Sacraments above-mentioned Divers sacrifices ordained by God in the yeere of the world 2455 Holocausts which were onely by God ordain'd there was also a Law enacted and published for sacrificers by Moses as Signes Figures and Shadowes of that absolute Sacrifice consummated by Iesus Christ so that Sacrifices were either publike or private generall or particular Some were Holocausts being Sacrifices that were wholly consumed with fire Others consisted of beasts slaine and immolated to eate there were earthly and ayerie Creatures Amongst those terrestriall Division of sacrifices extracted out of Exedus
take it that was the cause they did not suppresse it as they did others For Mr. Fox doth shew there how they have rased out of some of the Latin sermons which are to be seen in those of the Saxon tongue and thence he doth shew that they were such words as made against their superstition So it is manifest that this doctrine of Transubstantion was not received in the Churches of England for fifty years after for this book of constitutions was in use till Langfrank was Archbishop it doth appeare that sermon was read in those Churches untill William the Conquerour came into England had raigned there some years in likely hood till the year 1070. Capgrave and William Mamsbery who were History writers doe both of them affirm that this Alfricus was Archbishop of Canterbury about the year 996. And by the rehearsed booke of Canons constitutions it doth appear that this Alfricus was holden for a man of found judgment and a Catholike writer and this booke of constitutions was given unto the Church of Worcester by William Bishop of Worcester for an especiall treasure as doth appeare in the same booke Besides this book there is another booke given to the Church of Exeter by Leofrious the first and famous Bishop of that Sea which hath those two Epistles before rehearsed Manie other proofes ye may see in Mr. Fox for the truth of this Authour And it doth appear that Langfrank did alter this doctrine for before hee came into England I doe finde that hee was one of the four Henry Bulling de ongine erroris cap. 10. Counsell Vercellense doe say manie French stood with him WilliaÌ„ Mauâ—â—usbury affirme the same which did dispute against one Beringarius Archdeacon of Angreas in France who was turmoiled persecuted by four Popes for defending in the Lords Supper Bread and Wine did remain and that the faithfull received Christ spiritually and not with their carnall mouths his last recantation hee made under Pope Hildebrand named Gregory the 7. Anno 1079. Vpon which hee with griefe and sorrow did give away his living and all his goods to the poore and wrought for his living in his old age after hee had been persecated thirty years one Authour doth say hee did repent his forsaking of the truth before his death These with manie other testimonies are to be seen in the answere to the 6. Articles recorded by Mr. Fox And Osbon who did write an History at the appointment of Langfrank Archbishop of Canterbury doth say that at that time certain of the Priests and Clergy were deluded and seduced by wicked errour did hold and maintain that bread and wine which are sett upon the Altar after the consecration doe remain in their former substances and are but a figure of the body and blood of Christ Thus was the manner of the Popish Priests thus to deprave wher it is certain by that before rehearsed this herafter testified that this was the judgment of the Church the reasons he used to shew what made them alter their mindes are certain false miracles which are common in their Legendaries may be read in the forenamed History which if I should rehearse would be thought lying for the Whetstone Whilst this abhominable doctrine was in hatching See how many thousand witnesses the Lord did stirre up to maintain his truth even by their own Authors confessed See rerum Francicarum scriptores about the yeare 1283. Hee saith the heresye of the Waldenses spread throughout Europe Look a Rayling Booke written against Mr. Fox his Booke printed 1603. in the 528. Section he saith the doctrine of the Waldenses was spread in more then a thousand Cityes speaking of the yeare 1200. There is a Cronicle of Lambertus a Monk of Hersfield Anno 1078. hee writt from the beginning of the World to this yeare in which hee doth much complain of the Clergy but most of the Monks hee affirmeth them to be proud and ambitious destroyers of the Lords Vineyard by their ungodly life and great iniquityes by which they have polluted the whole Church The Bishop of Florence did teach and preach that Antichrist was then manifested as Gabellicus testifyeth Anno 1101. Vpon this Pope Pascalos called a counsell and putt him to silence condemned his books And Blondus Platina testifieth he also disalowed of many Ceremonies for which the Pope deprived him of all his goods See the two former testmonies A counsell holden at Rome Anno 1124. where was assembled one thousane Bishops Abbotts there they did ordaine that this transubstantion should be put for an Article of faith yet it doth appeare that it was opposed for Innocent the 3 did 86 years after enact it in a counsell but here by this connsel the Pope sent his Cardinall to the Monks of Caslam that they should acknowledge the Church of Rome had received power from St. Peter and hee had delivered it from the mouth of Christ that all Churches and Cloysters are to be planted and established by the Sea of Rome and all ought in conscience to be obedient to that Sea and to acknowledge that he hath received power to open the gates of Heaven to whom he would and also to shurt them against any and that the Romain Church was builded on the Sone of God which all ought to beleeve and this is builded on the faith of Peter that Peter and Paul did plant the Church at Rome with their blood and that it was the Mother church of all other Churches and those which did oppose that Church did oppose the Word of God See the counsell of Cissinences At this time was Arnulphus Bishop of Ludom Anno 1127 a zealous man he rebuked the wicked life of the clergy their much pride and he exhorted all to follow Christe in poverty as his Apostles did in holynes of life This man for his holy life and godly preaching was well accepted of the Nobility and of the Cittizens but the Cardinall and clergy hated him and sought to make him away privately But he having a revelation before what death he should dye he declared unto them in his teaching that he knew the clergy would murther him privately because he told them the truth in blaming their pride and wicked living and therefore they were offended with him he protested he was commanded of God to cry out against their great sins It doth follow that the clergy murthered him there is a book of his doth inveigh against many superstitions printed at Collen The Archbishop of Ments Anno 1131. Hildebertus a man of great learning did earnestly preach and write against the Sea of Rome against the abhominable wickednes He affirmed them to be Tyrants the sink of all iniquity that they banished away all goodnes out of the Church for this doctrine hee is sent up to Rome and there cruelly handled and imprisonned See Rainul in poli Chrocit Peter Blesensis
Archdeacon Anno 1167 he wrote a book very learnedly in which he proved Rome was that Babylon St. Iohn wrote of in the Apocalypse and that all their clergy were adversaries to the Gospell of Iesus Christ and the very Calvs of Bethell and Dan and Baals Priests and Egyptian Idolaters they selling all things for monie S e Trethinius Gesnerus Peter Conster a Priest at Troyes a man of great learning Anno 1182. and an eloquent Oratour he wrote 20. books and sundry Sermons in which he doth prove the clergy neglect the Word of God and feed the people with their own inventions and that the Church goods which belong to the poore they consume wickedly he affirmeth them to be false brethren for which the wrath of God shall fall on them See Trethemius Vensâ—nttus I will now sett down some testimonies of some of those Of those which were banished suffered death Anno 1105. which did testify the Lords truth the time this idolatry was in hatching Before there was any generall Lawe to maintain this Transubstantiation I finde under the Bishop of Trare four persons banished and accompted hereticks for that they affirmed the bread and wine doe remain in their former substance at the Lords Supper after the words of consecration They denyed the Pope to have authority over other Churches See the Catologue of the Bishop of Trare Doctour Fulck in his answere to the Rhemish Testament See Reve 17.4 doth say that the church of Leedium before this was under great persecution under Pope Pascus for affirming him Antichrist Two Preachers in France one named Peter Breves Anno 1135. the other is called Hendrick van de Tollhouse they were well known in France and of good estimation for their great learning and they did much bewaile the Apostacy of the church and they spared no man of any degree whatsoever they were affirming that they were fallen from the estate of grace and from Christ and they affirmed the Pope to be the Prince of Sodom and the Citty of Rome to be the Mother of all abhomination that all the Bishops were cruel Wolves they detested the doctrine of Transubstantiation and affirmed the Masse prayer for the dead was Idolatrie before God and that Images the Crosse might not be prayed unto nor suffred in the Churches That the Priests manner of singing was mockery before God that praying to Saincts and vowing of Chastity and their manner of building Temples and observing of Holydayes were superstitious and wicked and all humane inventions in Gods worship wicked Idolatrie These men continued in their preaching twenty years and having great refort coming to their preaching of all sorts and estates at last they were apprehended by the Popes commaund by a Legate of his and Peter Brise was burned a St. Ioyls the other was apprehended committed to prison but what came of him we finde not but the followed great persecution many of their Disciples went to their death joyfully Look the 65. and 66. Letters of Barnod to the Earle of St. Ioylls There wrote against them Peter Abbott of Clugnam which Barnod did record and in likelyhood with envy See the Cronicle of Paulus Meriam Ilyricus in his boock Detesbus Anno 1158. speaketh of two called Gurhardus and Dulcinus who did preach diligently against the Church of Rome affirming that prayer was no better in one place then another and that the Pope was Antichrist and the Prelates and Clergy of Rome were rejected and the very whore of Babylon prefigured in the Apocalyps These two Preachers came into England and brougt with them thirty in the raigne of King Henry the Second and by means of the Prelats they were imprisoned and branded in the cheeck and banished the land and after putt to death by the Pope This yeare was Peter Waldus called in question Anno 1160. for that hee taught the truth of the Gospel against the Popes superstition The meanes of his conversion was this He being a rich merchant of Lions some say he was a Magistrate sundry of the Merchants being together merry suddenly one of them was strucken dead and so the rest being strucken with great feare he gave himselfe to prayer and reading the Scriptures good bookes and instructed his Familie in the grounds of Christian Religion shewing them the great superstition of the Romish Church so that they had forsaken the Heavenly Truth which the Apostles planted in steade thereof they did burdeÌ„ their consciences with superstition And hee being very rich gave much goods weekely to the poore instructed them well in the grounds of religion so that many came to his godly exhortations and to conferre with him concerning the truth of the Gospell He kept sundry learned men in his house he caused good bookes to be translated in the French language He himselfe was learned as doth appeare by a parchment writing of his owne hand in which he had collected the Fathers into a good forme as that writing sheweth First the Bishops and Priests sent unto him and forbad him to have any mo such meetings in his house upon payne of excommunication to which he gave this answer That it was his dutie to teach his houshould the grounds of religion wheras his neighbours came to heare him he did not find wher that he ought to forbid them but he was assured it was his dutye to teach his houshould he would obey the voice of Christ when he was called into question that which they layd to his charge was that hee affirmed that the Masse was abominable before God and that hee denyed any more Sacraments then Baptisme and the Lords Supper and that it was an abomination to offer for the dead and that Purgatory was the invention of men that there was no ground in the Scripture for it for the Faithfull go presently to joy after this life that honouring of Images praying to Saincts was idolatrie that the Church of Rome was the Whore of Babylon that Christians ought not to obey the Pope or the Bishops because they were no better then Wolves to destroy the Church and that they ought not to meddle with the temporall sword and that their additions of mo Sacraments then two was wicked Item that the Vowe of chastity was found to be Sodomitrie that the many orders of the Monks was the marke of the Beast abominable against Christ For friers were not then hatched that celebrated dayes for dead men all inventions of men in Gods worship were ungodly And because the Popes champion Bernard who is saincted for his worke Peter of Clumin write so spightfully of them charging them with sundry heresies and that they denie childrens baptisme I will set downe the testimonie of one who was a bloody persecutor of them as it is in a little booke that he wrote against the Waldenses about the yeare 1270. wherein when hee hath spoken all
the evill of them he could yet God who opened the mouth of Balaams Asse caused him to write these words of them They are saith he more pernitious against the Romane Church then all other hereticks for three causes The first is because they have bene of longer continuance for some say they have bene since Silvester others say they have bene since the Apostles time The second cause is because they are more generall for there is almost no land in which this sect doth not creepe The third cause is because all other sects do bring a horrour with the haynousnesse of their blasphemies against God but this secte of the Lioneses hath a great shewe of godlynes because they live justly before men and they beleeve all things well concerning God they beleeve all the Articles which are contayned in the Creede They blaspheme and hate only the Church of Rome This is to be found in a little Treatise of Renerius imprinted neere a hundred yeares since Who was a bloody Inquisitour and gave sentence of death against sundry of them The Iesuite saith that one Cesarius writes that the Doctrine of these Waldenses was spread in more then a thousand cities In a booke against Foxe 535. fol. and that they had an army of 70000. that were destroyed by Simon of Momford with a small armie but there is no mention of an armie which they had in the Cronicles Now we will shewe what the heresie was for which they were persecuted as Langfrank saith That the sacrifice of the Church consisteth of two things the one visible the other invisible that is of the Sacrament the the thing or matter of the Sacrament which is the body of Christ if it were here present before our eyes it were a thing visible and to be seene but being lift up to Heaven and sitting on the right hand of his Father to the time of restoring of all things as Peter saith It can not be called downe froÌ„ thence for the person of Christ consisteth of God and man The Sacrament of the Lords Table consisteth of bread and wine which being consecrated are not changed but remaine in their substances having a resemblance or similitude of those things whereof they be Sacraments See Langfrank The adversaries did teach this Faith following I beleeve the earthly substances The Popâ—â—â— Faith which upon the Lords Table are divinely sanctified through the ministratioÌ„ of the Priest to be converted unspeakably incomprehensibly and miraculously by the operation of Gods mighty power into the essence of the Lords body the outward formes only of the things themselves and certaine qualities reserved that for two respects The one lest the sight of the raw bloody flesh might otherwise make man to abhorre from eating thereof that they which beleeve things which they see not might have the greater merit for their beleefe The conversion of which earthly substances into the essence of the Lords body notwithstanding yet is the selfe same body of the Lord in Heaven there hath his essentiall being at the right hand of his Father immortall inviolate perfect undiminished and uncorrupted so that truely it may be affirmed the selfe same body both to be received of us and yet not the selfe same I meane as touching the essence propertie and vertue of his true nature So much of Langfrank Archbishop of Canterb. and yet not the selfe same as touching the formes of bread and wine other outward qualities occurring to our outward senses The Doctrine of Guimundus Archbishop of Aversam Those who will see further let the read the answer to the 6. Articl is as grosse as appeares by a Booke printed at Lovan which saith That the body of Christ is pressed and torne with teeth even like as it was feit and touched with the hands of Thomas And further he answereth an objection putt forth that it is not lawful for Christ to be torn in peeces with teeth he doubteth not to pronounce that whether we take tearing for bare biting it is not repugnant nor disagreeing but that by the will of God agreeing thereunto the body of Christ may be bâ—tten with mouth crushed yea divided in peeces with hard or soft pressing of the teeth that as he was brursed upon the crosse according to the Prophets laying hee was bruised for our iniquityes so the same body for the health of the faithfull may devoutly be torn tent with their teeth any thing to the contrary notwithstanding Cuimundus lib. Sacrament fol. 30. Let all which fear God observ now these doe oppose the word of God Exod. 12.46 which saith They shall not break a bone of him Thus I have shewed how this abhominable doctrine of TransubstantiatioÌ„ crept into the church that it was hatched by the Monks by the Histories wee may see how they confirmed it with miracles and their holy bishop Duaston did triumph over the Divell when hee would have enticed him to lust after a young Woman Hee got the Divell by the nose with a pair of red not tongs Such like miracles are to be read in their Legend Another miracle of a lewish Boy For which testimonie he was putt into the fire to be burned of his Father but the fire had no power to touch him for a beautifull woman whose the Child was kept the sire from him with her gown And this was the virgine Marie that said hee saw in the Church of the Christians a Child broken and divided And seeing the Papists do affirme that the Church of Christ did in all ages teach Transubstantiation to be a Catholike doctrine We will examine one of their Historie-writers who wrote in the time this idole was a hatching called Osbon who did write the lives of three Archbishops of Canterbury about the yeare 1076. in which Historie hee saith In the dayes of Odo certaine of the Clergy being seduced by wicked error did hould and maintaine that the bread and wine which are set upon the Altar after the consecration do remaine in their former substance are but only a figure of the body blood of Christ But saith hee that holy Father Odo did convert them which was about the yeare 951. Hee reciteth the means which Odo did use to convert them by a certaine miracle Hee saith These Clergie Men being before him hee perswaded them seeing they could not be convicted by argument yet he requested them to stay and see him say Masse to communicate which they did seeing after consecration breaking of the Hoste over the chalice the blood dropped out of the Hoste into the chalice Odo saith hee wept for joy to see his petition accomplished which hee so carnestly prayed for On the sight thereof he saith these clergie men behoulding and seeing were converted and blessed the Archbishop thanking God that he was borne to manifest his truth to them and thus they were converted to beleeve Transubstantiation and blessed
admitted to the ministry before they did dispute and could defend their ordinances and that they must take their oath to teach no Doctrine contrary to the Romish Church Remegus Anno 884. Bishop of Attexerre in France was accounted of great learning in sundry languages in his writeings he proveth that no man is made righteous by his owne workes but onely by laying hould on Iesus Christ by a lively faith He doth affirme no man since Adams transgression have freewill to doe good Faith if we take the word amply and largely signifieth a certaine knowledg and resolving of the assurance of witnesses which cannot deceive Iustifying faith is a knowledge which a man doth firmly assent to every word God hath revealed unto him resolveth that the promises of Gods graces through Christ belongeth unto him and he hath a full perswasion and confidence in the favour of God towards him so he overcomming all fâ—are and pensivenes For the confidence of justifying faith is a motion of the will and heart consisting of a joy conceived for the certainly of the present grace of God toward him and of the Hope of our future delivery from all evils There is no faith but that which resteth on the will of God revealed in his word All true faith is wrought in man by the Holy Ghost either by the voice of Gods heavenly Doctrine or by his imediate revelation and seeing God will kindle frame and confirme ordinary faith in us by the Doctrine of the Church all are bound to heare it and meditate theron Faith alwayes in the ellect is imperfect in this life sometime languisheth yet howsoever he feeleth in his heart an earnestnes against doubts which arise in his minde yet he doth certainly resolve hee is indued with true faith This true faith being once kindled in our hearts although often it languisheth and is darkened for a time yet it is never wholy extinguished for by faith onely we apply the promises of grace and we obtaine the promises of grace receiving righteousnes before God and the participation or communion of Christ with all his benefits Soe true faith is the perswasion of the heart whereby the soule is truely assured of redemption and remission of sinnes and imputation of righteousnes through Iesus Christ Let us hereto observe what our Saviour saith Mat. 7.22 Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven but he which doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven And hereto saith the Apostle Make an end of your salvation with feare and trembling And therefore saith the Apostle Iames What availeth it my Brethren if a man saith he have faith when he hath no works Phil. 2.12 Iemes 2.14 can that faith save him That is it cannot save him All which have this true faith doe daily judge examine themselves of those sinnes they have fallen into and they are truely sorye for them they doe humbly beseech the Lord not onely for pardon but they doe instantly begge of him for streÌ„gth of his grace that he may subdue his naturall corruptioÌ„s which is an especiall worke of true faith therefore Christ saith Come unto me all ye which labour and are laden Mat. 1â— 29 and I will ease you For all which have the spirit of regeneration doe not allow that which they doe for they labour to doe that which they are unable to performe therefore they doe as little Children doe who wheÌ„ their Father bids bring them somthing they are unable to doe and performe yet if the Child doe his best to doe it his father doth accept it as well if he had performed it So is it betwixt us and the Lord if we subdue our corruptions and be sory for our faults and be earnestly sueing to the throne of grace for strength of his Spirit that we may subdue them then are we those Christ speake of Blessed are those which mourne for they shal be comforted If wee have these effects then are we those the Apostle speaketh of saying He which is borne of God 1. Iohn 3.9 sinneth not The consideration of this caused the Apostle to charge the servants of God to mortify their lusts because the time is come that judgement doth begin at the house of God And he saith If it doe beginne with us what shall the end be of those which obey not the Gospell of God for if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the wicked and ungodly appeare For if Christ raigne not in our hearts then hee is not our Lord Luk. 19.27 therefore hee saith Those mine enimies which will not have me raigne over them bring them hither and slay them before me For every tree which bringeth not forth good fruite shal be hewen downe and cast into the fire Thus I have pointed at the true justifying faith which the ancient Church did maintaine But if I should explicate it it would require a quyer of paper to manifest it But I hasten to other things The Iesuite saith in 484. folio That wrote against Mr. Fox that the true Church is universall and perfect and doth hault in no one point of beleâ—fe From his owne affirmation I conclude their Church is false by reason their faith was not knowne the first thousand years nay nor till Jnnocent the 3. who was the first Father of it although there were sundry Popes before him in hatching it 250. yeares yet was it not brought forth till the Counsell of Latteran Aº 1215. where there was decreed sundry other superstitions and as I have before shewed a new faith was inacted which Langfrank Archbishop of Canterbury did hatch and bring forth against Baringaris The Iesuite doth vaunt that Rome is the Mother-Church that she had converted Brittaine before Paul came to Rome which is very false by the testimony of records for St. Luke doth tell us that at the persecution of Steven there was great persecution Bâ—nardus Precoris faith there was put to death 200â— and the Church was all scattered except the Apostles And some write that there fled out of Ierusalem 15000 upon this persecution some of them fled into many nations preaching the Gospell And that this persecution was very great Paul saith He went into every house drew out both men and women and put them in prison and thus he did even in strange Cityes And to this end I will shew what three of the Fathers have written Tertullian who lived about one hundreth yeares after saith That the faith of Christ was received in the raigne of Tiberius of the Medes Persians Messapotanians Iurie Cappadocia See his booke contra Ildos Pontus Asia Egypt Pamphilia Morians Spaine France Brittaine Denmarke Germany Suhia Hee saith in all these Countryes Christ is received And Gildas saith The faith of Christ was received in Brittaine the raigne of Tiberius Gregory speaking of the multitude which fled out of Ierusalem upon the persecution when
Steven was put to death saith That the faith of Christ did spread over all the world by the multitude of them which fled And St. Paul wrote to the Church at Rome about 21. years after hee saith The faith of Christ was published throughout all the world which was before Peter came at Rome Act. 28.22 Rom. 1.8 16.26 And it doth appeare that those which planted the Gospell in Brittaine came not from the Romaine Church because they did so much dissent in ceremonies for the observation of Easter day which is one of the ancientest traditions they did dissent from Rome 700. yeares and although Austine the Monk did corrupt the Church with the Romane superstitions yet hee was opposed by many learned Brittaines and they sent unto Augustine to confer with him concerning their differences they did agree to have a meeting where Austine came with his learned men and the Brittaine Churches sent thither one Donatus with 7. Bishops where they met at a place called Austines oake there it doth appeare that they could not agree on which Austine did threaten them with warre if they would not receive his superstitions And as Segebertus saith Beda Baleus Galfridus and others Beda lib. 2. Austine would have them to receive Altars and Gregorius Masse-bookē and the Crucifix and Procession observation of Easter-day as the Romanes did which they did oppose that they did so contend and strive in this contention that there was blood-shed in this assembly upon which Austine did threaten to stirre up warres against them the which wee find hee did and caused many to be murthered and although hee prevailed against them Fox in folio 131. Anno 798. yet Mr. Fox doth shew that when Charles the Great did send into England to the King Bishops and Nobility for to receive the Romane ceremonies Images in the Churches they appointed Albinus to answer it which hee did when he had answered it they did well approve of it sent it with the booke to Charles King of France and appointed this Albinus to go to him with it And howsoever it hath since prevailed See the Chronicle of Panlus Meriall Anno 794. yet there was the same yeare a Counsell houlden at Franckford of 205. Bishops which did condemne the worshipping of Images and the second Counsell of Nice for establishing of them But it is objected Foxes booke is a booke of lyes therefore not to be credited I know the Papists doe so charge it but wee say how comes it then that they have wrote two Bookes against it and instanced sundry of those stories affirming them to be lyes unto which hee hath made answer in great modesty and so cleared their objections that all men of indifferent judgment may see they are meere calumniations He being a Noble Man and suffered so many arraignments and imprisonments and at last death itself and false charges one I will instance by reason it is allmost as rare as a black Swan and that is of the Lord Cobham whom these blasphemous men say was a rebell and that hee came against the King with an army of men to St. Gyles feildes the which doth very evidently appeare to be false as all may see in his answer imprinted in both his last impressions and yet for all this they have wrote a third booke after his death and never answered any thing unto his shewing them their false accusations Tit. 3.10.11 2. Thes 2.12 1. Tim. 4.2 but scoffing and wondering at his number of sheetes written yet a great part of his booke is in answer to their slanders Therefore I conclude they are such as the Apostle speakes of which have their conscience seared with an hot iron Anno 600. And thereto Galfridus Monumentisis in his center 6. Epistle saith That before Anstine the Monk came to Brittaine they had the profession of Christ more purely then he brought from Rome And Dagonus Bishop in London cōming as he travelled to an Inne where Austine was when hee understood that hee was in the house refused to stay there or so much as to drinke in the house by reason hee had so corrupted the worship of Christ And like as the Popes champions dealt in our land Anno 752. so we doe finde they did in other countries as here in the country now under the States Boniface Bishop of Vtrecht accompanied with 52. of which one was a Bishop and ten Priests and Monks travailed to Doekum in Friesland about 60. miles and there sent for the Officers of the Churches of Lewarden and thereabouts and they would compell them to receive the Romane ceremonies which they refused to doe and thereupon they fell at so great contention that the Bishops with all their train were killed Thus they were rewarded for their paines Looke Joan. Baka Lupus Frerariensis epist. 5. on Carolus Magnus Many Preachers or Bishops in Bavaria did much dislike the Bishop of Ments Anno 735. because hee brought in the Romane Ceremonies and they told him it was contrary to all truth equity for to stand with the Pope in disinheriting the right heire of the Crown of France and that hee did great evill in bringing-in Images teaching purgatory praying for the dead forbidding marriage to the Ministers and that hee himself had an evill report in that hee had women come in such manner to his house upon which this Bishop Boniface was very angry and he went to Gregory the Pope and complained of them the Pope sent for them and condemned them for hereticks for 14. years before hee banished fowr Preachers the land for refusing to observ his traditions Look Aventanus lib. 3 Kilinus Bishop of Whitzburgh a Schotsman travailled thorow France England and Dutchland Anno 687. for to perswade the Clergy to observe the Romane ceremonies which hee could not accomplish then hee caused to be sent unto him two other Messengers from the Pope Look Otthe Frisingenses lib. 5. cap. 13. and then they theatened them that they should bee forced to receive them for which the people sett upon them and beat them so sore that those three died of it And their Histories doe shew thus they dealt in moste parts of Christendom between the years 610. and 800. And then they doe write they were converted to the faith of the Roman Church whereas it is certain they perverted the faith for by the testimonie of Histories the faith of Christ was professed in those Countryes long before as I have partly related I have alledged some Fathers here to shew how it doth appeare that they have given testimony unto the truth we cōfesse not that I doe build my faith upon their writings or upon any man on earth I doe reverence the graces of God I find in them but my faith I build upon the word of God as the Apostle saith 2. Pet. 1.19 Wee have a sure word of the Prophets to