Iapheth was the eldest sonne of Noah borne in the 500. yeere of his age Cham or Ham his second sonne borne in the 501. yeere of his age Sem his third and yongest sonne borne in the 502. yeere of his age Which tradition is very probable though not altogether certaine and vndoubted for Sem is said to be but 100 yeares olde 2. yeeres after the floud Genes 11. verse 10. yet is Sem named first in the scripture because the historie of the church is continued in his line Noah liued after the floud 350. yeares and when he was 950. yeeres old he died Gen. 9. verse 28. in the yeere of the world 2006. From Adam to the birth of Noah are 1056. yeres Gen. 5.3 from Adam vntill the death of Noah are 2606. yeeres The fourth section of the tower of Babel The tower of Babel was built about 130. yeeres after the floud in the yeere of the world 1788. The place where the tower stoode is now called Babylon that is to say confusion because from thence came the confusion of tongues Ioseph antiq lib. 1. cap. 4. Nimrod was a mightie hunter and the beginning of his kingdome was Babel in the land of Shinar for there was an other citie in Egypt called also Babel Gen. 10. verse 10. Nimrod was a cruell oppressor of the people and a very tyrant so as his tyranny came into a Prouerbe as Nimrod the mightie hunter before the Lord. Gen. 10. verse 9. Before the building of Babel the whole earth was of one language but they were puffed vp with pride and sought to build a tower to reach vp to heauen that so their name might be magnified and their power vnited on earth Yet sodainely such diuision of their vniforme language was made as one of them vnderstoode not another they were scattered abroade and the tower left vnperfect Genes 11. verse 4 7 8. Nimrod was the nephew of Cham who was son to Chus or Cush who first affected empire and beganne the forme of a kingdone in Chaldea his pallace was Babel Hee was the first that exercised hunting after Noahs floud Gen. 10. verse 7.10 About this time beganne a new kingdome amongst the Assyrians by Ashur the sonne of Sem his chiefe citie was Niniueh but he builded also Rehoboth and Calah Genes 10. verse 11. Genebr The fift section of Abraham Abraham was borne 352. yeares after the floud in the yeare of the world 2008. the promise was made to Abraham 427. yeeres after the floud which was 75. yeares after his birth hee was commanded to goe out of his countrey 423. yeares after the floud Abrahams father Terah died when Abraham was but 75. yeares olde Terah was 205. yeares old when he died Genes 11 verse 32. Abraham died when hee was 175 yeares olde Genesis 25. verse 7. At the death of his father Terah he was but 75. yeeres old Genesis 12.4 Gen. 11. verse 26 32. In which age of 75. yeeres Abraham departed out of Haran Genesis 12. verse 4. The first difficultie It seemeth by the twelfth chapter of Genesis that GOD spake to Abraham after the death of his father Thare or Terah when he was in Haran And it is euident by Genes 11. that God spake vnto him when hee was in Chaldea I answere that God spake to Abraham when he was in Chaldea his natiue countrey from whence hee went with his father to Haran where he abode by reason of his fathers infirmitie vntill his death After the death of his father hee went from Haran with Sarai his wife to Canaan the land of promise accordingly as God had commanded him which resolution will be cleare if we ioyne the beginning of the 12. chapter with the latter end of the eleuenth The second difficultie Saint Steuen saith in the seauenth of the Actes that Mesopotamia was Abrahams natiue country from whence he went to Charran Therefore it cannot be that Chaldea was his countrey I answere that Chaldea was his country and that his countrey was indifferently called either Mesopotamia or Chaldea Which I prooue by two reasons First because Plinius lib. 6. cap 26. saith that Chaldea is a citie in Mesopotamia Secondly because S. Steuen Acts 7. verse 4. confirmeth the same neither doth any graue writer denie but that Mesopotamia ioyneth to Chaldea and so Chaldea being in the confines of Mesopotamia may not vnfitly bee taken for the same The third difficultie It is said in the 11. of Genesis that when Abraham went from Vr of the Chaldees he dwelt in Haran but in the 7. of the Acts it is said that when he went out of Chaldea he dwelt in Charran so it seemeth that either holy Moses or S. Steuen must vtter an vntruth I answere that that word which Moses in Genesis calleth Charran is also called Charran by S. Steuen in the Acts although the Latine vulgata editio and other vulgar translations tearme it Haran The reason hereof is this because the first letter of that worde in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of diuers pronounced diuersly See the second chapter aforegoing in the end of the second age The fourth difficultie This is a great difficultie and worthie to be well obserued The doubt standeth thus Moses saith Genes 11. verse 26. that Terah begat Abraham when he was 70. yeeres olde In the same place he saith that Terah died when he was 205. yeeres old in the twelfth of Genesis hee saith that Abraham was 75. yeeres old when he departed out of Haran or Charran for all is one as is already saide so that by this reckoning we must want 60. yeares of Terahs age for albeit the scripture say that Terah liued 205. yeeres yet by the computation already made we cannot finde more then 145. yeeres I answer first that this difficultie hath troubled many learned men Some thinke that God would conceale the 60. yeeres that so the end of the world might be kept secret from vs. Others thinke that Abraham stayed those 60. yeeres with his father at Charran I answere secondly that Terah was 105 yeeres olde when he begat Abraham Neither is holy writ repugnant to this my answere For although it say that Terah was 70. yeeres old when he begat Abraham Nachor and Haran yet doth it not deny him to haue beene more but doth connotate the lesse by the more by the vsuall figure synechdoche very frequent in the holy scriptures See the second chapter aforegoing and the obiection made in the second age The sixt section of Isaac When Izhak was borne Abraham was 100. yeeres old Gen. 21. verse 5. Isaac was circumcised when he was eight daies old Gene. 21. verse 4. in the age of the world 2108. Circumcision of euerie man childe was appointed by God Genes 17. verse 10. in the age of the world 2107. Sodome about this time was destroyed with brimstone and fire descending from heauen Genes 19. verse 24. The promise was made to Abraham in Izhak his sonne Genesis 17. verse 21.
of the Iews was at an end about 30. yeeres before Christs incarnation Herode the stranger was successor to this Aristobulus in the kingdom and priesthood of the Iewes In the third yeere of the 186. Olympiade and in the age of the world 3937. yeeres then in the 32. yeere of Herod was our Sauiour borne The fourth obseruation Herod the great had many children Aristobulus Alexander Antipater Antipas Philippus and Archelaus Of which Aristobulus and Alexander were his children by his beloued wife Mariamne which Mariamne he put to death causing his children Alexander and Aristobulus to be strangled in Samaria Archelaus Herodes called Antipas Antipater and Philip yet liued amongst whom the kingdome was diuided Herodes the Great designed his sonne Archelaus to be king by his last will and testament but the Emperour Augustus would not confirme Herodes will and so hee was not king at the first yet Augustus was content that he should be Tetrarke and vpon hope of his good regiment to be king afterward This Archelaus saith Rhegino did reigne in Iudea when our Sauiour was brought out of Egypt for feare of which king he returned into Nazareth a towne in Galile where hee abode till his baptisme This was done in the seuenth yere of Christ and in the 15. yeere of his birth Archelaus being accused of treason before Augustus was banished out of Iewrie the kingdome was diuided among his 4. brethren Herod Antipater Lysanias and Philip. Yet this Antipater after Carion was slaine long before The first obseruation Whether Antipater was slaine as writeth Carion or liuing stil with Philip and the rest as saith Eusebius certaine it is that foure only are mentioned in the holy scripture to wit Archelaus who raigned in Iurie after Herod the great Antipas whom S. Luke calleth Herod who was Tetrarke of Galilie Philip who was Tetrarke of Iturea and Trachonitis Lysanias who was the Tetrark of Abilene Pilate being then president in Iewry which Lysanias after Eusebius was one of the brethren albeit other writers affirme no such thing CHAP. III. Of the 2300. daies Daniel had a vision of great persecution that shoulde come vnto the church that the daily sacrifice should cease and Gods trueth be troden vnder foote And that the sinnes of the Iewes were the cause of such horrible afflictions Yet for the solace of Gods children whom he neuer forsaketh finally the time of the desolation is appointed and pronounced in these obscure words Vnto the euening and morning two thousand and three hundreth then shall the sanctuarie be cleansed Sundrie as S. Hierome witnesseth trouble themselues miserably about the exposition of this place Some for 2300 read 2200 least sixe yeares and three monethes abound Other some vnderstand the place of Antichrist and that this shalbe reallie complete in him which was spoken typically of Antiochus And this childish imagination doe our late Iesuites and other papistes imitate whose fantasticall interpretation was confuted by S. Hierome before they were borne But the meaning is plaine and easie that is vntill so many naturall daies be past which in all make sixe yeares three monethes and an halfe For so long was the temple prophaned vnder the wicked king Antiochus And that this is the true sence of the place I prooue by two reasons First because that vnto the morning and to the euening cannot possibly be vnderstood of either yeares or monethes and yet can the same be truely and simply verified in so many natural daies Secondly because the prophet of God doth expound the rest of the vision euen of the kinges of Syria And my reasons are confirmed by S. Hieromes testimonie whose expresse words are these Vespere autem manè successioneÌ„ diei noctÃsque significat The euening and the morning doth signifie the succession of the day and the night And in the very same place hee prooueth by Iosephus and the bookes of the Machabees that the setting vp of Iupiters Image in the Temple and the time of the desolation wrought by Antiochus is correspondent to the 2300. daies CHAP. IIII. Of the priestes of the Iewes after the captiuitie vnto Alexander the Great The names of the priests Iesus Filius Iosedech Anno mun 3427 the time that they liued Anno mun 3645 72 yeares Ioachim Anno mun 3427 the time that they liued Anno mun 3645 30 Eliasib alià s Nechasib Anno mun 3427 the time that they liued Anno mun 3645 40 Ioiada Anno mun 3427 the time that they liued Anno mun 3645 24 Ionathan alià s Ioannan Anno mun 3427 the time that they liued Anno mun 3645 52 Iaddo alià s Iaddua Anno mun 3427 the time that they liued Anno mun 3645 28 yeares Iesus or Ieshua was the high priest in the returne euen as Zorobabel or Zerubbabel was the ciuill gouernour Diuers thinke diuersly of this succession but I deliuer plainly what I iudge most probable CHAP. V. Of the priests of the Iewes from king Alexander vnto the Machabees The names of y e priests Onias Priscus A. M. 3643 the time that they liued A. M. 3805 25 yeares Simon Priscus A. M. 3643 the time that they liued A. M. 3805 13 Eleazar A. M. 3643 the time that they liued A. M. 3805 20 Manasses A. M. 3643 the time that they liued A. M. 3805 27 yeares Simon Iunior A. M. 3643 the time that they liued A. M. 3805 28 Onias Iunior A. M. 3643 the time that they liued A. M. 3805 39 Iason A. M. 3643 the time that they liued A. M. 3805 3 yeares Menelaus A. M. 3643 the time that they liued A. M. 3805 7 yeares This Menelaus was a very wicked priest whom Antiochus put to death at Berytus Antiochus moreouer inhibited Onias his sonne to succeed him and appointed Alcimus aliâs Iacimus the high priest which Alcimus was of the race and petigree of Aaron but not of the same familie Onias therefore sonne to Menelaus went into Egypt and insinuating himselfe into the amitie of Ptolomee Philometor and Cleopaâ—ra his wife perswaded them to build a temple in Heliopolis like to that of Hierusalem and to make him priest in the same place Iacimus after he had been high priest three yeares died leauing no successor behinde him and so the citie of Hierusalem was seuen whole yeares togither without a priest Afterward the gouernment of the Iewes was committed to the familie of the Assamoneans and then they rebelled against the Macedonians and made Ionathan the high priest These points and specially the case of Iacimus or Alcimus ought diligently to be marked against the mangled and fondly commended popish succession whereof by the power of God more shalbe said hereafter From about this time vntill Herod the great Iudas Machabeus and others of his race had the gouernment and priesthood among them From Herode vntill Christ our redeemer were yeares 32. plus minus During which time priests were not made of the line of the Assamoneans
deliuer man from the curse of the lawe The 13. day after Christs natiuitie certaine wise men came a long iourney out of the East to adore the Sauiour of the world And albeit Epiphanius affirmeth constantly that this comming was the second yere after Christs birth yet S. Hierome S. Augustine and other learned writers receiue the former opinion as most authenticall and they haue great reason so to do because the scripture seemeth to say no lesse For first the wisemen or astronomers are said to come when Christ was borne Which phrase can not be fitly verified but of a thing present or lately done Againe the wisemen found the babe in Bethlehem and consequently they came before the day of the purification for after that time Christ is not knowne to haue bin in Bethlehem And though the papists hold by a vain tradition that these wise men were three kings of Cullen Gaspar Melchiâ—r and Baltasar yet is it neither certaine that they were kings neither yet that they were no more but three And their owne reason thereof is very friuolous because their bodies are chalenged to be as well at Millaine as at Colen But here I must answer to some obiections which seeme to fortifie Epiphanius his opinion The first doubt The parents of Christ were so poore at the day of purification that they were not able to offer a lambe according to the law for rich men but were enforced to offer a paire of Turtle doues or two yong pigeons and therfore doubtlesse they had not receiued the rich treasures which the wise men brought to Christ. I answer that the blessed and humble virgin as shee was free from all pride and ostentation so was she not willing to change her poore state and condition which she knew well pleased her sonne the sonne of God The second doubt King Herod slew all the male children in Bethlehem and in all the coasts thereof from 2. yeeres old and vnder according to the time which he had diligently learned of the wisemen Among the rest he slew his owne sonne as writeth Macrobius who therefore wished rather to be Herodes hog then his child which certes he would neuer haue done if there had bene but 13. daies betweene the apparition of the starre and the comming of the wisemen I answer which is the opinion of saint Austen and saint Chrysostome that the starre appeared so long before the natiuitie of Christ as was sufficient for the wise men to dispatch their iourney and to adore Christ shortelie after he was borne Neither is it of force to obiect as some do that the wise men could not come so farre in so short a space for first whether these wise men were of the posteritie of Balaam and so came from Mesopotamia as saint Chrysostome saint Ierome and saint Ambrose thinke or they came out of Arabia which is the constant position of Iustinus or they were Persians or Chaldeans which the very name seemeth to prognosticate yet might they haue dispatched their iourney in lesse then tenne dayes For Hierusalem is distant from Aram from whence Balak brought Balaam but 72. miles from Vr of the Chaldees 212. miles Againe the starre appeared long before Christs birth so that they might be there in time conuenient Thirdly in those countries they haue plentie of dromedaries one of which wil carie a man as writeth Philostratur 1000. furlongs in one day that is 125. English miles CHAP. III. Of the perfect age of Christ. IEsus Christ when he was 30. yeeres of age left Galilee and came to the floud Iordan where he was baptized of saint Iohn his precursor By which act he sanctified our baptisme in himselfe the outward signe whereof putteth vs in minde that we must change our liues and become better assuring vs as by a seale that we are ingraffed into Christ whereby our old man dieth and the new man riseth vp againe So soone as Christ was baptized a voice came downe from heauen saying This is my beloued sonne in whom I am wel pleased This done he was teÌ„pted in the wildernes of y e deuill Christ hauing fasted 40. daies and being tempted of the deuil returned by the power of God into Galile after that a great fame was spread abroad of him in all the region hee came to Nazareth where he had beene brought vp and as his custome was went into the synagogue on the sabbaoth day to expound the scriptures Christ the third day after he came to Cana a towne in Galile was present at a marriage where he made water wine the first myracle that euer he wrought After Christ was baptised he began to preach the Gospell being 30. yeares of age as is already saide Which holy exercise hee practised almost three yeares before his passion his preaching was in the yeare of Iubilee because he preached the glad tidings of the gospell the remission of sinnes the saluation of his people CHAP. IIII. Of Christs death and passion CHrist called twelue vnto him whom hee named Apostles and sent them into the whole world to preach the gospel to al nations that so they might be witnesses of his doctrine confirmed with many myrracles Which doctrine being accomplished hee offered vp himselfe an vnspotted sacrifice vpon the altar of the crosse for the expiation of the sinnes of the worlde And this he did the 18. yeare of Tiberius Cesar in the eight Calends of Aprill if wee follow Tertullians supputation against the Iewes Christs passion began not onely in his taking and deliuerie vnto death but euen from the verie instant of his conception and continued vntill hee yeelded vp the ghost For as Ludolphus writes learnedly when Christ as God foresaw in his diuine wisedome the cruell and bitter torments which hee was to suffer infallibly hee coulde not but naturally sorrow for the same as which were throughout all his body throughout all the members of his body and throughout all the inferior powers of his soule He suffered in all his time in all his body in all his works In time of his infancie basenesse of his mothers womb pouertie asperitie vilitie in the manger persecution of y e aduersarie flight into Egypt In time of his adolescencie frequent disputations painful peregrinations lothsome precipitations In his iuuenile age most bitter cruell death for in his whole body he sustained paines intollerable in his eies the effusion of teÌ„der teares in his delicate eares the hearing of contumelies and execrable blasphemies in his eie-lids the pangs of buffetting in his nostrils the stinch of vglie spitting in his sweete mouth the bitternesse of vineger and gall in his hands the prints of the nailes whipping and oft scourging throughout his blessed bodie What he sustained in his works cannot easily be expressed by the tongue of man For they reuiled his diuine preaching his most sacred conuersation his miraculous operation He was led as a lambe to
of 30. dais This persecution indured sundry yeres to which the faithful soules seemed to allude in the Reuelatiō when they desire God the iust iudge to auenge their innocent blood Dioclesianus restored Egypt to the empire and when hee perceiued his authoritie to be weakened by reason of tumults and dissentious he sought to strengthen himselfe by ioyning Maximianus vnto him whome he made equall to himselfe in imperiall regiment These two Dioclesianus and Maximianus being nowe equall in authoritie were called Augusti they both afterward gaue ouer the administration of the empire and betooke themselues to the quiet state of a priuate life Dioclesianus chose Galerius to supply his place and Maximianus appointed Constantius in his stead Galerius and Constantius were not equal in power and authoritie but as viceroyes and substitutes and therefore they were not called Augusti but onely Cesars Maximianus would afterward haue returned to the administration of the empire to the end that he might haue aduanced his sonne Maxentius to the imperial regiment for which cause Constantius his sonne in law caused him to be slaine Dioclesianus hauing liued many yeares as a priuate man at length slew himselfe so to auoid the displeasure of Constantius and Licinius to whom hee was suspected to take part with Maxentius their enemie Constantinus surnamed the Great succeeded his father Constantius when hee had reigned foure yeares after the death of Dioclesianus This Constantinus was the first christian Emperour a zealous fauourer of Christes gospel and the onely patrone of Christianitie CHAP. IIII. Of the siege of Hierusalem by Titus Titus the sonne of Vespasianus the Emperour of Rome was a man of such valure prudence and humanitie so beautified with all kinde of heroicall vertues that he was commonly named in the mouth of euery man Amor delitiae humani generis the onely delight of mankinde In the second yeare of Vespasianus in the moneth of Aprill when the Iewes did celebrate their Passeouer at which time great concourse of people was assembled from euery coast hee besieged the citie of Hierusalem and the eight day of September he conquered the same by force and assault Although the citie of Hierusalem was fiue times taken and destroied before by Nabuchodonozor Asocheus Antiochus Pompeius and Herodes yet was there in the siege made by Titus such famine sedition and domesticall desolation as the like hath not been knowne in any citie The mothers murthered their owne naturall children and that done boiled them so to saturate their insatiable hunger This seemeth incredible but holy writ reporteth no lesse as I haue prooued in the first book and the eight chapter of the former part The wiues snatched meate out of the mouthes of their husbandes the children from their parentes and the mothers plucked it out of the mouthes of their infantes When they killed their children and one another for want of foode they could not doe the fact so secretly but it was espied taken from thē by others of greater force for so soone as their doores were shut others suspecting that they were eating meate came violently vpon them and tooke from them the meat alreadie chewed in their mouth Yea it is incredible to be tolde saith Iosephus what tortures and afflictions many suffered to enforce them to disclose where they had hid but one loafe of bread Iosephus being a Iew himselfe and greatly fauouring his countrey men being taken prisoner of the Romaines long before and at that time in great credite both with Titus and Vespasianus his father laboured by all meanes possible to perswade the Iewes that they well considering their own distresse and the mightie force of the aduerse part woulde in time while there remained place for mercie yeeld themselues to Titus and giue vp their citie into his hands But in vain was his oration he had not eloquence to perswade them From king Dauid to the siege made by Titus were 1179 yeares from the building of the city to the destruction therof 2177. yeres Yet such was the deformity of their sins and their ingratitude in Gods sight as neither the antiquitie of their Citie neither their wōderful riches neither their renown throughout the world nor the glorie of their religion was able to defend it from vtter desolation A noble woman Marie by name daughter to Eleazer dwelling beyond Iordan and flying to Hierusalem for aide was there besieged with others In the time of the great famine she killed her own son and when she had eaten part she reserued the rest Others perceiuing that shee had gotten some meate did manace death vnto her vnlesse shee woulde tell where it was hidde Which shee doing for feare they were all astonied at the sight thereof It is my sonne saith the woman eate thereof for I haue eaten before you I woulde neither haue you more effeminate then a woman nor more pitifull then a mother O horrible monster of the worlde What can bee more vnnaturall then the fact What more cruell then the wordes Ouer and besides those that were slaine in the famine plague and the sworde sixteene thousand were sent by Titus to Alexandria there to doe seruile workes as bondmen Two thousand hee carried with him for a triumph whom in publicke spectacles hee proposed to be deuoured of wilde beastes CHAP. V. Of Constantinus surnamed the Great COnstantinus for his pietie and heroicall vertues surnamed the Great was the first Cesar that professed Christ and christianitie He was a right christian in deed as who for a manifest signe of his true zeale in religion had the gospel of Christ Iesus caried publickly before him He commanded the holy Bibles to be copied out of his owne priuate charges and to bee sent into all partes of Christendome He called togither the learned men from all partes of the world to consult and giue their opinions concerning controuersies in religion During which time of disputation as also for their iournies to and fro hee graunted them free allowance of all necessarie prouision He withstoode the tyrannie of Maxentius and restored peace vnto the Church He builded the citie of Constantinople terming it by his owne name where was before a goodly mart towne then called Bizantium Thither was the empire translated and the citie called new Rome For he enuironed it with large walles and added magnificall building thereunto The obseruation The papistes here babling after their woonted maner tell vs a tale of Robin hoode and little Iohn that forsooth Constantine was baptized in Rome of Siluester that the very font in which he was christened is this day to be seene there and many other fabulous illations grounded thereupon To which I answere first with their owne deare frier and learned schooleman Victoria that such doctrine was first inuented by their flattering and beggerly Canonistes I say secondly that their owne canon law in the 96. distinction termeth this kinde of doctrine false counterfeite and not worthy of any
seculi consummationem futura est quis non intelligaâ— sicut eis iliud ait quod ad eos omnino non pertinet tamen sic dictum est tanquam ad solos etiam pertineret cum videritis haec omnia scitote quia propé est in ianuâ—â— ad quos enim hoc pertinet nisi ad eos qui in carne tunc erunt eum omnia complebuntur It is not therefore so said to the Apostles ye shalbe my witnesses in Hierusalem and in al Iurie and in Samaria euen to the vtmost parts of the world as if they onely to whom he then spoke should haue accomplished so great a matter but as he seemeth to haue said onely to them that which hee said in these words behold I am with you to the worlds end Which thing neuerthelesse euery one perceiueth that he spoke it to the vniuersal church which by the death of some and by the birth of other some shall continue to the worlds end euen as hee saith that to them which doth nothing at all pertaine to them and yet is it so spoken as if it onely pertained to them to wit when yâ—â— shall see these things come to passe knowe that it is neare 〈◊〉 the doores For to whome doth this pertaine but to those who shall then bee liuing when all thinges shall bee accomplished In these words Saint Austen proueth plainly that this obiection wherin the papists glory so greatly make th◠〈◊〉 for them for saith hee these words alreadie recited one spoken to the whole congregation of the faithfull which are or shall be to the worlds end and this Saint Austen sheweth by two reasons First because not onely the Apostles but others together with them should be his witnesses in Hierusalem and Samaria albeit Christ spoke that of them touching the bearing witnesse of him as he spoke this to them concerning his spiritual presence And therefore as hee spoke the other to all the faithful so did he also this that is promised his inuisible presence not onely to the Apostles or pastors of the church but euen to all the faithful in the world Secondly because Christ spoke that to his Apostles as pertaining onely to them which for al that did nothing at al concerne them as if he had saide it is not a good reason to denie Christs presence to the whole church because hee vttered the words onely to the Apostles For since hee spoke that to the Apostles which pertained nothing to them but onely to others much more might he speake that to them which belonged to them with others The eight replie Christ himselfe saith that the holy ghost shal teach the Apostles al trueth euen many things whereof they were not capable then and therefore did he be serue those things till the comming of the holy ghost The answere I answere that the holy ghost after Christs ascension taught the Apostles al truth euen such things as Christ had reserued and that by reason of their â—uditie and imperfection in conceiâ—â—â—g heauenly doctrine yet those things so reserued and the truth so taught was nothing else but a manifest explication of the selfe same veritie which they in briefe before had heard For the holy ghost did coyne no new doctrine nor reueale anie new articles of faith but onely taught the Apostles the true sâ—nse of Christs words which before for their dulnesse they were not able to perceiue which sense they being directed by the instinct of the holy ghost deliuered to the whole world first by word and afterward by writing Al this I proue by two euident demonstrations first because Christ himself doth so expouÌ„d himself in these words folowing He shal teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance which I haue told you which saying must bee wel noted because the latter words are a plaine declaration of the former as if Christ had said all things which the holy ghost shall teach the apostles after my departure are no newe doctrine but the very same things which they heard before of me and they differ onely in this that the Apostles doe more plainely vnderstand them by the assistance of the holy ghost Secondly because the best learned popish doctors do holde the same opinion For Melchior Canus hath these words Nec vllas in fide nouas reuelationes ecclesia habet for the church hath no new reuelations in matters of faith Thus saith Christ himselfe and thus teacheth their owne doctour and yet would the papists enforce vs daily to admit new doctrines from the church of Rome The ninth replie Peter is the rocke of the church against which hell-gates shall neuer preuaile therfore Saint Peters successors can neuer erre The answere I answere that not Saint Peter but the confession which he made is that rocke of the church against which hell gates shal not preuaile And this is not my opinion onely but Saint Beda Saint Austen Saint Chrysostome Saint Hylarie and sundrie verie learned papists doe teach the same doctrine constantly These are Saint Austens wordes Tu es Petrus super hanc petram quam confessus es super hanc petram quam cognouisti dicens tu es Christus filius Dei viui aedificabo ecclesiam meam Id est super meipsum filium Dei viui aedificabo ecclesiam meam super me edificabo te non me super te thou art Peter saith Christ and vppon this rocke which thou hast confessed vpon this rocke which thou hast acknowledged saying thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God will I build my church that is vpon my selfe the sonne of the liuing God will I build my church vppon my selfe will I build thee not my selfe vpon thee Saint Chrysostome writeth thus Columnae quidem quoniam virtute sua ecclesiae robur sunt fundamentum quòd in confessione insorum fundata est ecclesia dicente domino Tu es Petrus super hanc petram fundabo ecclesiam meam The Apostles are the pillers because by their vertue they are the strength of the Church they are the foundation because the Church is built in their confession when the Lorde saieth thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my church Loe this text vpon which the Papists build their popish primacie is vnderstood of all the Apostles not of Peter alone neither is the church built vpon any of their persons but vpon the ioynt confession of them all for Peter made the confession in the name of them all as Saint Chrysostome truely saith which confoundeth the Papists vtterly S. Hylarie hath these words Haec fides ecclesiae fundamentum est per hanc fidem infirmae aduersus eam sunt portae inferorum haec fides regni caelestis habet claues this faith is the foundation of the church by this faith hell gates shall not preuaile against it this faith hath the keyes of heauen The receiued popish glosse vpon this text doth
being free from sinne no need at all to suffer for her selfe The answere I say first that what the late churche of Rome beleeueth is not much materiall because it is become the whore of Babylon as I haue prooued copiously I say secondly that though the blessed virgin had great grace and sanctification bestowed on her as who was not onely the mother of man but of God also yet was she conceiued in originall sinne vndoubtedly For so the holy scripture doth conuince so the auncient fathers affirme so the best approoued popishe doctors graunt and so right reason doth euidently conclude As by one man saith the apostles sinne entered into the world and death by sinne and so death went ouer all men in whom all men haue sinned Againe as by the offence of one the fault came on all men to condemnation so by the iustifying of one the benefite abounded towarde all men to the iustification of life And in another place there is none righteous no not one Againe in another place the scripture hath concluded al vnder sin y t the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them that beleeue And the holy Psalmographe saith Enter not into iudgement with thy seruaunt for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified All which textes and such like are generally spoken of all no one nor other is exempt S. Ambrose hath a long discourse in which he prooueth that none but onely Iesus Christ is void of sinne These among others are his wordes Omnes intra retia erant imò adhuc intra retia sumus quia nemo sine peccato nisi solus Iesus quem non cognoscentem peccatum peccatum pro nobis fecit pater Infra venit ad laqueos Iesus vt Adam solueret venit liberare quod perierat Omnes retibus tenebamur nullus alium eruere poterat cum seipsum non possit eruere All were in the nettes yea we are yet in the nets because none is without sinne but onely Iesus whom when hee knewe no sinne the father made him a sacrifice for sinne in our behalfe Iesus came to the snare that hee might loose Adam he came to deliuer that which was lost We were al taken in the net we could not deliuer one another when no man could deliuer himselfe S. Augustine teacheth the same veritie in many places of his workes but I wil content my selfe with one or two Thus therfore doth he write vpon the 34. Psalm sic ergo peccatum domini quod factum est de peccato quia inde carnem assumpsit de massa ipsa quae mortem meruerat ex peccato Etenim vt celerius dicam Maria ex Adam mortua propter peccatum Adae Adam mortuus est propter peccatum caro domini ex Maria mortua est propter delenda peccata Euen so therefore is it called the sinne of the Lord which is made of sinne because hee tooke flesh from thence of that masse which had deserued death by reason of sin For to speake more brieflie Mary descending of Adam is dead by reason of Adams sinne Adam is dead for his owne sin and our Lords flesh of Mary is dead to put away sinne S. Augustine in another place hath these wordes Proinde corpus Christi quamuis ex carne foeminae assumptum est quae de illa carnis peccati propagine concepta fuerat tamen quia non sic in ea conceptum est quomodo erat illa concepta nec ipsa erat caro peccati sed similitudo carnis peccati Therefore Christes body although it were assumpted of the flesh of a woman which was conceiued of the stocke of the flesh of sinne yet because it was not so conceiued in it as it was conceiued therefore was it not the flesh of sinne but only the similitude of the flesh of sinne The same S. Augustine in another place writeth in this maner Sine dubio caro Christi non est caro peccati sed similis carni peccati quid restat vt intelligamus nisi ea excepta omnem reliquam humanam carnem esse peccati hinc apparet illam concupiscentiam per quam Christus concipi noluit fecisse in genere humano propaginē mali quia Mariae corpus quamuis inde venerit tamen eam non traiecit in corpus quod non inde concepit Doubtlesse Christes flesh is not the flesh of sinne but only like to the flesh of sinne what therefore must wee vnderstande but that all other mens flesh besides it is the flesh of sinne And heereuppon it is cleare that that concupiscence by which Christ would not be conceiued dispersed sin throughout mankind because the body of Marie though it came from thence yet could it not conuey that into the bodie which was not conceiued thereupon but of the holy ghost These words of S. Austen and Saint Ambrose are so plaine and easie as they neede no declaration Thomas Aquinas albeit hee constantly defendeth that the blessed virgin was neither borne in sinne nor yet sinned actually after hir birth more or lesse graunteth for all that that shee was conceiued in originall sinne and hee prooueth it by two euident reasons whereof this is one Sanctificatio de qua loquimur non est nisi emundatio à peccato originali culpa autem non potest emundari nisi per gratiam cuius subiectum est sola creatura rationalis ideo ante infusionem animae rationalis B. virgo sanctificata non fuit Sanctification whereof we now speake saith the cheefest popish doctour is nothing else but a clensing from originall sinne but sinne cannot bee purged without grace whose subiect can be nothing but a reasonable creature and therefore the blessed virgin could not be sanctified from sin before a reasonable soule was infused into her bodie This argument of Aquinas is so inuincible in popish manner of proceeding as no Iesuite in the world though they all hold the contrarie can inuent a sufficient solution for the same Deuout and holy Bernarde whose authoritie is great with all Papists holdeth the same opinion with Aquinas For albeit hee sharply reproue the practise of the cathedrall church of Lions for keeping the festiuitie of the conception of the blessed virgin calling that practise the noueltie of presumption the mother of temeritie sister of superstition and the daughter of leuitie yet doth he hold that shee was borne without sinne and 〈◊〉 continued all her life All learned men that euer wrote before our seditious lately hatched Iesuites confesse the conception of the blessed virgin to haue beene polluted with sinne and I prooue it by an irrefragable demonstration First because the blessed virgin if she had euer beene free from sinne should haue needed no Sauiour nor had anie Sauior and so Christ should not haue bin her Iesus which to say is both against the scripture and against the honour of that holy virgin Bernardus
Dei custodit non quia in illa verbum caro factum est habitauit in nobis sed quia custodit ipsum verbum Dei per quod facta est quod in illa caro factum est Our Lord magnified this in her for that she did the will of his father not because her flesh bare his flesh Therfore when our Lord seemed admirable to the people working signes and myracles and shewing what was hidde in the flesh the people maruelling saide happie is the bellie that bare thee and hee answered yea happie are they that heare the word of God and keepe it that is to say my mother whom ye cal happie is therefore happie because she keepeth the word of God not because the word was made flesh in her and dwelt in vs but because shee keepeth Gods worde by which she was made and which was made flesh in her Againe in another place he writeth thus Beatior ergo Maria percipiendo fidem Christi quam concipiendo carnem Christi Nam dicenti cuidam beatus venter qui te portauit ipse respondit imo beati quiaudiunt verbum Dei custodiunt denique fratribus eius id est secundum carneÌ„ cognatis qui non in eum credideruÌ„t quid profuit illa cognatio Sic materna propinquitas nihil Mariae pofuisset nisi foelicius Christum corde quam carne gestasset Therefore Marie was more blessed in receiuing the faith of Christ then in conceiuing y e flesh of Christ for he answered to one that said blessed is the wombe that bare thee yea blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it Finally his brethren that is his kinsmen in y e flesh that beleeued not in him what good had they by that kinred And euen so motherly kinred had doone Marie no good vnlesse shee had borne Christ more blessedly in her heart then she bare him in her flesh S. Chrysostome hath these expresse words Ea sententia dictum existima non quod matrem negligeret sed quod nihil vtilitatis ei matris nomeÌ„ allaturuÌ„ osteÌ„deret nisi bonitate fide praestaret Infra Nam si id profuturum erat per se Mariae profuisset etiam Iudaeis quorum consanguineus erat Christus secundum carnem profuisset ciuitati in qua natus est profuisset fraâ—ribus Atqui dum fratres verum suarum curam habuerunt nihil eis propinquitatis nomen profuit sed cum reliquo mundo damnati erant Thinke that Christ spoke that not because he had no care of his mother but because he woulde shew the name of a mother to profit her nothing vnlesse she were better in pietie and faith For if that could haue done Marie good of it selfe it would also haue profited the Iewes it would haue profited the citie in which he was borne it would haue profited his brethren but while our Lords brethren set their hearts vpon their owne worldly matters the name of kinred did them no good at all they were damned with others in the world The fift obiection Nathan the Prophet brought word to Dauid that God had forgiuen him his sinne and that he should not die neuerthelesse because Dauid caused Gods enimies to blaspheme by reason of that his sin God punished him by the death of his child So Dauid being penitent for his sinne in numbring the people obtained remission of the fault and yet suffered three daies pestilence in his people So God forgaue the Israelites their rebellious murmurings against him yet for that fault none of them coulde enter into the lande of promise so in baptisme also our sinnes are freely forgiuen vs and yet do we still suffer temporall paines for the same al the daies of our life Which texts of holy scripture and others of like sort do plainely insinuate that after God hath forgiuen vs our sins and remitted both the fault and the eternall paine there still remaineth some temporall satisfaction to bee done for the same either in this world or in purgatorie which satisfaction is accomplished in the popes pardons while he maketh application of the superaboundant passions of holy men and women locked vp in the treasure of the church of Rome The answere I say first that when God forgiueth vs any sin he freeth vs as wel from the pain as froÌ„ the fault which I proue by many reasons First because otherwise Gods works should be impefect though holy writ hold them most perfect when it saith Dei perfecta sunt opera Gods works are perfect which in the originall and Hebrew is vttered more significantly where God is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a stone or rocke noting vnto vs that his workes are done with power and might and therefore with all exact perfection And doubtles if his act in forgiuing sin be perfect as it is most perfect then after God hath remitted the fault there can remain no satisfactioÌ„ for the same Secondly if mans act should bee a partiall satisfaction for sinne then coulde not Christ be a perfect and absolute redeemer but as it were a ioynt redeemer together with man Thirdly the fault is neuer truly perfectly forgiuen where payment is still required for the same Fourthly God who is faithful in al his promises hath promised to forget all our iniquities when soeuer we truely become penitent for the same yet can be not possiblie forget that for which he requireth our satisfaction Fiftly the papists grant with vniform consent generally that in baptisme martyrdome god remits sins wholly and perfectly aswel in respect of the pain as of the fault and yet can they neuer yeeld any sufficient disparitie betweene the forgiuenes of our sins before after baptisme whereupon they may build their fondly forged satisfaction This is a mighty reason as which troubled me al the while I was a papist because I could neuer reade or inuent anie sufficient solution to the same though at that time I would most willingly haue done it it was one motiue to excite mee against their superstitious and idololatricall doctrine in regard hereof grauely learnedly and christianly saith S. Augustine Christus communicando nobiscum sine culpa poenam culpam soluit poenam Christ while hee tooke part with vs of our paine without sin purged vs both from the sin and from the paine due for sin I say secondly that the punishment which God layeth on vs after he hath remitted and forgiuen vs our sins are not satisfactions for our sins committed but they are fatherly correctious to teach vs our duties to minister to vs fit matter of spiritual exercises and to keep vs and others from sinne to come as also to ingraffe in our hearts how odious a thing sin is in Gods sight This to be so Chrysostome rightly surnamed Os aureum golden mouth vttereth very perspicuously in these golden words Nam ne peccantes inulti manentes nos efficeremur
first that howsoeuer sundry of you admire your Iesuites whom I willingly confesse to be learned wishing they would vse their learning to Gods glorie yet cannot wise men be carried away with ipse dixit as if they were become disciples of Pythagoras I say secoÌ„dly that S. Pauls own words confute your Iesuite sufficiently For first he saith that he deliuered euen that which he receiued Againe he reciteth the precept aswel after the cup as after the bread which must bee wel obserued For hereupon doth it follow that both kinds be of like force the one not more commanded then y e other Thirdly he applieth aswel the drinking of the cup as the eating of y e bread to al the faithful in generall Fourthly he applieth the examination to euery one of the faithful Fiftly he willeth the examination to be made aswel in drinking of the cup as in eating of the bread Sixtly he wrote spake aswel to the lay people as to the priests as the beginning of the epistle declareth And in this sense doth their owne Haymo so reputed expound S. Paul for these are his words Ego nâ— accepi à domino quod et tradidi vobis .i. mysterâ—uÌ„ corporis sanguinis Dom. quomodo debeatis sumere Sicut mihi reuelauit ita tradidi vobis For I haue receiued of the Lord that which I deliuered to you that is the mysterie of our Lords body and bloud in what manner ye ought to receiue it Euen as he reuealed it to me so haue I deliuered it to you The reply S. Marke maketh it plaine that it was onely spoken to the apostles Drinke ye all of it For he addeth And they all dranke of it For it is cleare that al they dranke thereof who were commaunded to drinke The answere I say first that it was spoken to al the faithfull aswell as to the apostles For Paul exhorted the whole church at Corinth to vse both the kinds saying that God had so appointed As if he had said not I but the Lord coÌ„mandeth you thus to do for he reuealed to me euen as I haue deliuered vnto you Therefore if ye do it not you transgresse his holy commaundement Yea S. Paul declared expressely in the very beginning of his epistle that commandement of receiuing the holy Eucharist in both kindes concerned all the faithfull in the world as well to come as theÌ„ liuing For these words Ye shal shew the Lords death till he come doe euidently prooue that the forme prescribed by the apostle must continue after the death of the Corinthians euen till the day of doome I say secondly that since Christ himselfe instituted both kinds since the apostle deliuered both kinds euen to the lay people since the church communicated to the faithful laycall people in both kinds euerie where for many hundred yeres together as the papists themselues cannot denie since they confesse that both kinds may lawfully be vsed since no scripture teacheth vs that one kind is sufficient since no father did euer exhort to vse one only kind since no councell till the late synode of Constance did euer commaund one only kind in fine since the church for more then a thousand yeeres together did euer vse both kinds how impudent howe vnchristian nay how tyrannicall and bloud-thirstie is the Pope of Rome and his Iesuits that incense and excite him thereunto who labor this day with fire and fagot to enforce the faithful to the contrary I say thirdly that this obiection maketh against the papists for in that they al dranke therof it cannot folow that none else may drinke thereof otherwise the practise of the church hitherto should haue beene wicked and the apostles themselues haue sinned grieuously but that all present ought to drinke thereof For which cause their owne canon-law commaundeth all to bee putte out of the church that will not communicate when the consecration is ended Yea their own Pope Iulius doth condemne their grosse illation as who vnderstoode Christes wordes of all the faithfull Thus doth he write Illud vero quod pro complemento communionis intinctam tradunt eucharistiam populis nec hoc prolatum ex euangelio testimonium receperunt vbi apostolis corpus suum commendauit sanguinem seorsum enim panis seorsum calicit coÌ„mendatio memoratur Nam intinctum panem alijs ChristuÌ„ praebuisse non legimus excepto illo discipulo tantuÌ„ queÌ„ intincta buccella magistri proditorem ostenderet But where they giue y e dipped eucharist to the people for the complement of the communion they found not this witnessed in the gospel where Christ coÌ„mended his bodie and blood to his disciples For the bread is commended apart and the cuppe also apart For we reade not that Christ gaue dipped bread to any others saue onelie to the disciple whom the dipped morsell declared to be the betrayer of his maister The replie The councill of Constance commaunded no new thing but onelie made a law for the continual performance of that which the church had practised long before The answer I say first that thogh it were so practised before in some places yet was that practise neither generall nor approued by anie setled lawe vntil the late councill of Constance I say secondly that the great pillar of the popish church Thomas Aquinas honestly confesseth so much in this behalf as is enough for the euerlasting confusion of all Romish hypocrites And because I couet to deale faithfully in this point as in al other I will alleage the expresse wordes of Aquinas as himselfe hath deliuered them thus doth he write Ex parte quidem ipsius sacramenti conuenit quòd vtrumque sumatur scilicet corpus sanguis quia in vtroque consistit perfectio sacramenti Et ideo quia ad sacerdotem pertinet hoc sacramentum consecrare perficere nullo modo debet corpus Christi sumere sine sanguine ex parte autem sumentium requiritur summa reuerentia cautela ne aliquid accidat quod vergat ad iniuriam tanti mysterij quod praecipuè posset accidere in sanguinis sumptione qui quidem si incautè sumeretur de facili posset effundi Et quia creuit multitudo populi christiani in quâ continentur senes iuuenes paruuli quorum quidâ—m non sunt tantae discretionis vt cautelam debitam circa vsum huius sacramenti adhibeant ideo prouidè in quibusdam ecclesiis obseruatur vt populo sanguis sumendus non detur sed solûm à sacerdote sumatur In the behalfe of the sacrament it is meete that both be receiued to wit both the bodie and the blood bicause in both consisteth the perfection of the sacrament and therefore because it belongeth to the priest to consecrate and to perfite this sacrament he may in no case receiue the bodie of Christ without the blood In the behalfe of the receiuers great reuerence and circumspection is required left any thing
his vertue as he is spiritually present How can he tel vs more plainely that Christs body is spiritually in the Eucharist but not corporally It is not possible for any man to yeelde a more sensible declaration which if the gentle reader wil obserue attentiuely it will minister to him a great light for the perfect vnderstanding of the whole mysterie My second proofe is grounded in the figures of the old testament for first circumcision was called Gods couenant and yet was it not the couenant indeede but a signe and signification thereof For it is common to all sacraments to haue the name of the thing that they signifie That it was called the couenant it is cleere in these wordes This is my couenant which yee shall keepe betweene me and you and thy seede after thee Let euerie man child among you bee circumcised And neuerthelesse that it was not the couenant but the signe of the couenant it is euident by these words Ye shal circumcise the foreskinne of your flesh and it shal be a signe of the couenant betweene mee and you The couenant indeede was this To be Abrahams God and the God of his seede after him so saith the text Secondly the Lambe was called the Lords passeouer and yet was it not the passeouer indeede but the signe and representation thereof That it was called the passeouer it is cleare by these words of Moses For it is the Lords passeouer And also by these words of the Euangelist Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eate the passeouer that is the Lambe which was the signe of the passeouer Againe in these wordes I wil keep y e passeouer at thine house Again in these words And they made readie the passeouer In all which places the scripture speaketh onely of the signe that is of the lambe and giueth it the name of the thing that is of the passing ouer Now that it was not the passeouer indeede but the signe or figure thereof it is euident by these words of holy Writ And the bloud shal bee a token for you vpon the houses where yee are so when I see the blood I will passe ouer you and the plague shal not be vppon you to destruction when I smite the land of Egypt Lo the lambe was but a token and signe of y e angels passing ouer them And this lambe was a figure of our passeouer Iesus Christ as he was really sacrificed vpon the crosse so saith the holy apostle For Christ our passeouer is sacrificed for vs. This S. Iohn confirmed when hee willed the Pharisees to behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world And in the Reuelation this lambe is saide to be slaine from the beginning of the world Since therefore the scripture telleth vs so plainly that the paschall Lamb was the type and figure of the true Messias who was sacrificed to his father for the sins of the world it shall not bee vnprofitable to the Reader to consider the allegorie of the rites which God appointed to be obserued therein The Type Exod. 12 Â The thing signified 1 The lambe was a memoriall of the deliuerance out of Egypt That is to say 1 Christ deliuered vs from hell sin death and satan Gal. 3.13 2 The lambe was a sacrifice distinguishing the Israelites from other nations 2 Christ is the eternall sacrifice who being eaten spiritually by faith distinguâ—sheth gods faith full people from infidels Ioh. 6.56 3 The lambe was a true lambe of the flocke 3 Christ was a true man borne of the blessed virgin Ioh. 1.14 4 The lambe was truely slaine 4 Christ was truely crucified 1. Corinth 5.7 Iohn 19.30 5 The lambe was not boyled in water but rosted drie 5 Christs body was inclosed in a new tombe that had no water in it Matth. 27.60 6 The lambe was killed at euen 6 Christ was killed in the ende of the world Hebr. 1.2 7 The Angell beholding the doores sprinckled with the lambes bloud passed ouer the Israelites 7 God beholding our soules sprinckeled with the bloud of Christ doeth not impute our sinnes to vs Rom. 3.34 8 The lambs bloud saued the Israelites from common death 8 The bloud of Christ deliuered vs from eternal death He. 2.9 9 All the Israelites did eate of the lambe 9 All the faithfull shall eate of Christ spiritually Iohn 6. 10 Euery part of the lambe was eaten 10 Euery mysterie of Christes incarnation must be beleeued 2. Timoth. 3. 11 The lambe was eaten without leauen 11 Christ is eaten by faith with out hypocrisie 1. Corint 5.8 12 The lambe was eaten wyth sowre hearbes 12 We must eate Christ in bearing his crosse Matth. 10.38 13 The lambe was appointed to be eaten with speede 13 Wee must embrace Christes Gospell with all expedition Matth. 6.33 14 The lambe was eaten of the circumcised onely 14 Christ is onely eaten by faith of the regenerat 1. Cor. 11.29 15 The lambe was without blemish 15 Christ was free from sinne 1. Pet. 2.22 THis passeouer of the olde law with other sacrifices and figures which were but shadows of y e Messias to come are al wholy abolished by Christs sacred aduent For Christ now readie to die and to offer vp himselfe as the true passeouer and veritie of all figures made an end of the olde passeouer with a solemne banket and instituting the Eucharist in stead therof commanded the faithfull to obserue the same for a memorie of his death and passion vntil his second aduent which shall be in maiestie and glorie My third proofe is grounded in the phrases of the new testament For Christ himselfe saide that he would not henceforth drinke of the fruit of the vine vntill he rose againe S. Paul in like manner calleth it bread verie often euen after the consecration But if it had beene Christs natural bloud and his naturall body neither would he haue called it the fruit of the vine nor Saint Paul haue tearmed it bread Which Saint Paule maketh plaine in another place where hee hath these words The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ for we that are many are one bread and one body because we all are partakers of one bread Out of which words I note first that Saint Paule tearmeth it bread after the consecration or Christs blessing or after the wordes of Christes institution which is all one in a right and godly sense I note secondly that he calleth it not Christs body but the participation of his body I note thirdly that the bread he speaketh of is broken I note fourthly that wee are all one bread and one body which annotations beeing ioyned together I inferre first that the bread is Christs body spiritually and by faith but not corporally as the papists say For Christs naturall body cannot be broken as their own learned Canus granteth and as verie
and in the sixt day in the end of al the works of euerie day are ioyntly commended for very good The seauenth diuision Of mysticall whispering in the Masse THe Papistes thinke the cannon of their masse as it were prophaned if the lay people shoulde but heare one worde thereof for which respect and other mysticall consideration the priest is commanded to whisper al to himself Of this secrecie thus writeth their Durandus Instante memoria dominicae passionis silentium obseruat vsquedum alta voce dicit per omnia secula seculorum illud insinuans quod Iesus post suscitationem Lazari non palam ambulabat apud Iudaeos When the memorie of the passion draweth neere he keepeth silence vntill hee speake a loud per omnia secula seculorum giuing vs to vnderstand thereby that Iesus after he had raised vp Lazarus walked not openly among the Iewes Behold this lerned sermon consider the edification The eight diuision Of the colours of the habits vsed in the Masse THe papists vse foure speciall colours in their masse and this they doe to signifie to the people foure speciall mysteries as if it were by the way of Sermons For their chiefest preaching consisteth in odde mysticall dreaming The first color is white the second red the third blacke the fourth greene They vse white colours to signifie innocencie red colours to signifie martyrdome blacke colours to signifie sorrow and mourning greene to signifie whatsoeuer els The red they vse in the festiuities of the apostles euangelists and martyrs so to declare to y e world that they shed their bloud for Christs sake also in the feast of the crosse and of the innocents staine by K. Herod The black they vse vpon good Friday in y e Rogations and vpon al fasting daies at which time their bellies mourne for lacke of meate at the least among the simple sort The greene they vse vpon workie daies and at other times not proper to the rest The white they vse in the feasts of al cōfessors and virgins which were not martyrs in all the feasts of the blessed virgin in the feast of al saints in the chaire of S. Peter in the conuersion of Saint Paul in the feasts of our Lord throughout the Octaues and in the natiuitie of saint Iohn the baptist And why forsooth to signifie that the persons in whose memories such feasts are celebrated were free from al actuall and originall sinne This is the point of importance marke it wel That this is their doctrine Durand affirmeth it for them These are his words In natiuitate Saluatoris etiam Praecursoris quoniam vterque natus est mundus id est carens originali peccato In the natiuitie of our sauiour and also of his precursor because either of them was borne pure that is free from originall sinne This is the mysterie of Popish colours in which they are not content vainely to flourish like Robin-hood in greene but they must also blaspheme god making the creature equall with the creator For onely the sonne of God was free from sin as is proued in the chapter of mans iustification The 9. diuision Of Candelmas-day THe old Pagan-Romanes in the Calends of Februarie honoured Februa the mother of Mars whom they supposed to be the God of battaile The honour that they did exhibit was this they went vp and downe the streetes with candels and torches burning in their hands In regard hereof Pope Sergius inuented another like ethnicall superstition to wit that the christian Romaines should go in procession with burning candels in their hands and that in the day of the purification of the blessed virgin the second of Februarie By which feast and burning candels the Pope giueth vs to vnderstand that the virgin Mary was pure from sinne and stood no need of purgation Of which point I haue spoken sufficiently in the chapter of mans iustification The 10. diuision Of the Popish Agnus Dei. THe Popes of late time haue vsed euerie seauenth yeare and the first yeare that euerie one is made Pope to consecrate solemnely with prayers chrisme and manifold ceremonimonies certaine round peeces of waxe hauing the print of a Lambe and for that cause so tearmed With this kind of paltery stuffe this world is so bewitched that infinite numbers do ascribe a great part of their saluation thereunto He that hath an Agnus Dei about him beleeueth that he shalbe deliuered by sea and lande from all tempests thunder earthquakes fire haile thunderbolts sodaine death and from all euill If any man will not beleeue me let him reade a little booke printed at Colonia containing the order sodalitatis B. Mariae virginis which is euerie where to be sold in which booke he shall find much more then I haue said The 11. diuision Of the Popes Bulles POpe Adrian the first of that name caused his pardons priuiledges and grants to be sealed with lead which they called the popes bulles These bulles were vnknowen to Christs church for the space of 772. yeares after Christ and if it had beene still so till these our dayes no detriment should we haue sustained thereby Polydore will haue them to bee called bulles of the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by corruption of speech The 12. diuision Of the Popish carni-uale or Shrouetide THe deuout Romaines who whip themselues in Lent for their sinnes till they seeme as pure as Christ all vse a long time before Lent to gadde vp and downe in the streetes and from house to house in visards neither can men be discerned from women nor women from men they are al so disguised by meanes whereof all iniquitie is committed as their owne deare friend Polydore hath witnessed But what skilleth it a little whipping in Lent will make condigne satisfaction for the fault Yea if the rich do hire the poore to be scourged for them the satisfaction is deemed sufficient Polydore saith that in his time they vsed this irreligious madding for the space of two moneths but of late yeares the Pope hath abbridged the time Neuerthelesse the practise is euen this day most execrable heathenish and intollerable CHAP. 12. Of Popish auricular confession COncerning auricular confession I haue spoken sufficiētly in my booke of Motiues It shal now be inough to answer to such obiections as the papists do or may frame against the same The first obiection Christ commanded to confesse our sinnes when he gaue his priests authoritie to loose them for they cannot loose any man vnlesse they first know him to be bound The answere I say first that Christ speaketh in that place not of confession but of excommunication and discipline of the church which Christ promiseth to ratifie and approue in heauen so often as his ministers shall execute the same vppon earth according to his word Which sense may be gathered out of Saint Paules discourse as well to the Corinthians as to the Thessalonians I