Carth. called the Doctor of trances said vpon the same place In the primitiue church the sacramēt was giuē vnder both kinds to al the faithful afterward the church did forbid the distributing of the kind of wine vnto the people propter periculum effusionis And now wee are come to the notable opposition that Iohn Hus and Ierome of Prage made against this abuse about the yeare of our Lord 1400. At the same time I say that the taking away of the cup gained and got entrance in Church after Church throughout Christendome by the practises of the ingrossers amongst the Cleargie And it is to be noted that this Iohn Hus as Pope Pius the 2. Aeneas Syluius hist Bohem. c. 23. maketh mētion in his historie of Bohemia was a mā Lingua potēs mūdioris vitae opinione clarus mighty powerfull in speech as also in being reputed to liue a holy life and which is more one that was called to the function of the ministrie for besides that he was principall of the Colledge erected at Prage by the king Wenceslaus according to the foundation of that of Paris hee was called to preach the worde of God in the vulgare language in the Church of Bethelem as they call it This man then began to preach against the abuses of the Romish Church and namely against the profaning of the holy supper and the taking away of the cup contrarie to the institution of Christ and practise of the Primitiue Church and he was seconded herein by Ierome of Prage and followed of many But whereas the Romish Church should haue reformed what was past and returned into the olde and auncient way repenting her selfe and correcting her by-waies and doctrines by the originall of all wholesome and sound doctrine the holy Scriptures she calleth a generall Councell at Constance at the instant request of the Emperour Sigismund and summoneth or calleth to appeare there before them vpon warrantize of being equally and vprightly heard by the pawning of their faith and faithfull promise thereupon the said Iohn Hus and Ierome of Prage they against the publike and sacred oath and promise passed both by the Emperour and Pope did condemne them before they had heard them the one of them forthwith and the other after long imprisonment to be burned quicke leauing in the end a writ for the posteritie succeeding to learn hold that there is no faith or promise to be kept with pretended heretickes to the end that from thence forward all hope of reforming the Church or curing and reconciling of the pretended schismes by that Councell might be cut off Wee haue not any to beleeue or giue credite vnto concerning the matter of their martyrdome saue Pope Pius or his Secretarie Poggius who in their owne persons did sit iudicially vpon them in the same Councell Pertulerunt saith he ambo constanti animo necem quasi ad epulas inuitati ad incendium properarunt nullā emittentes vocem quae miseri animi possit facere indicium Vbi ardere caeperunt hymnum cecinere quem vix flamma fragor ignis intercipere potuit Nemo philosophorum tam forti animo mortem pertulit quà m isti incendium Poggius Florentinus aetatis nostrae nobilis scriptor de morte Hieronymi ad Nicholaum Nicol conciuem suum elegantem scripsit epistolam c. Both of them suffered death very couragiously and went as merrily to the fire as if they had been inuited vnto some great feast or banquet without vttering of any one word that might argue a sorrowfull heart when they began to burne they sung a hymne which could hardly by flame or noise of fire be kept from being heard Neuer did any Philosopher suffer his death so constantly as they indured the fire Poggius in Epist ad Leonard Aretinū Fasciculus rerurn expetendarum Poggius a Florentine a worthie Secretarie of our age hath written an excellent epistle vnto Nicolas Nicol his fellow cittizen of the death of Ierome c. And as for this Poggius alleadged by Pope Pius the second who was Secretarie to the Councell writing to Leonardus Aretinus his Epistle deserueth to be read vpō that place or els to be here set downe at large It is not credible saieth hee how hee defended himselfe by arguments how well he was furnished both with scriptures and Doctours c. He neuer vttered one word misbeseeming a good man If he beleeued as he spake he was so farre from being worthie of death by iust desert as that indeed there was not any cause of offering him the least discourtesie that may be Euery man tooke his case heauilie in bewailing him euery man desired that he might be saued but he desired rather to die than to vnsay any thing that he had deliuered Was there neuer Cate Scaeuola or Stoike that inaured with such courage and patience the losse of one member as he did of his life nor that so went to his death as he to the fire But this saith he deserueth a more large discourse c. But the Councell kicking against the pricke and hardning their hearts of a custome brought in by sufferance made a law and in stead of restoring the communion excommunicated all those which were vrgent and earnest suters for the same The very words are let euery man iudge whether the spirit of Christ or Antichrist did speake in this Councel Seeing we are giuen to vnderstand that in many Churches there is continued the administration of the Sacrament vnder both kinds vnto the laitie wee pronounce and declare that although Iesus Christ hauing supped did institute and minister this reuerend sacrament vnto his disciples vnder both kinds and that since then it hath been receiued a conficientibus by those which haue administred it that is by the Priests vnder both and by the laitie vnder that onely of bread yet notwithstanding all this the laudable authoritie of the holy Canons and the commendable custome of the Church hath obserued and doth obserue that for the avoiding of certaine daungers and scandals this sacrament shall be onely administred vnder one kind Thus then you may see the Pope his Canons opposed to the institution of Christ the onely Canon and rule of all sacraments the Church of this time opposed to the Primitiue howsoeuer it be the patterne by which all others ought to square fashion themselues throughout all ages And therefore he addeth wee commaund vnder paine of excommunication that no Priest doe administer the communion vnto the people vnder both the kinds of bread and of wine contrarie to that hee had reserued and kept in the power of the Church and Pastors to iudge of the discretion of them to whom they were to administer as wee haue alreadie seene out of Thomas Waldensis who writ at this very same time yea and it is a worke of this time which our maister Gerson drew into a treatise against the heresie of the cōmunion vnder both kinds therby condēning of
owne saluation of the participating and communicating of the bodie and blood of our Lord vnder the Sacramentes of bread and wine distributed and deliuered into the handes of the faithfull during which action the Christian assemblie was occupied in singing of Psalmes and finally there was the dissoluing or breaking vppe of the whole assemblie concluded and finished by a post-communion that is by a solemne thanksgiuing for the benefites receiued in Christ and recorded and sealed in the holy Supper All this seruice was in a language vnderstood of all common both to the Ministers of the Church whom they call Clearkes and also to the rest of the people whom they call lay men or the layetie all and euery one of which euen to the simplest amongst them did aunswere Amen that is to say did ratifie all the whole action so much as lay in them and put to their vowes and requestes vnto all that which was said and done as vnto thinges by them well vnderstood Now let vs in order looke vpon see that which was added thereunto afterward and let vs iudge without all partialitie of affection whether this seruice be amended or impaired by such addition and inlargement Certainly if the Mileuitane and Africane Councels had beene well obayed The chaunge and cause thereof wee should not haue had this trouble for the auncient godly learned fathers that were present thereat seeing the licentious scope and libertie that euerie one gaue vnto his owne conceite and fancie one sort vnder the shadow of tradition and an other vnder the colour of good intention had verie excellently ordained prouided that no man should dare to take vpon him the placing or putting in of any thing without the aduise of the most graue-wise and the authority of the Councels But bold ignorance which is neuer without presumption did quickly ouerskip all these boundes and that so much the more daungerously by how much it was ioyned with preuayling authoritie which then grew vp to his height the authoritie I say of the Romish Church which then succeeded the authoritie of the Emperours and by little and little inthronised her selfe in their seates of more then royall estate thereby growing mightie in power and credite nothing lesse or inferior in being followed in euery thing as a most perfect patterne and example Then the Gothes the Hunnes and the Vandales c more then a whole hundred yeares spoiled and made hauocke of the Westerne Empire and the Persians and Parthians of the Easterne whereupon it followed that all good literature lay raked vp in the dust and in no lesse wise did they weaken the flourishing estates of all good and naturall policie The great and worthie personages both in the East and Westerne partes were taken away by death hauing beene in their life time the lightes of the Church and the scourges of heretikes and hereticall opinions their successors borne and brought vp in barbarousnesse did go before them in power and authoritie but they did not succeed them in like measure of sufficiencie And this caused that the seedes of Pelagianisme and other heresies hauing laine a long time rather couered then quenched did reuiue and found more carefull husbanding then the good plantes because they had more affinitie with common sence and the proud aspiring driftes of our corrupt nature So then those which could not so well make their part good by sound learning would yet beare the bell away with setting a good face on it such as could not feed their flocke with the worde of God would fill them full with superstitions ceremonies and for want of milke like vnto drie nurses they would serue them with the first licour that they met withall and for lacke of bread they would set before them huskes So then in this time and age we see all these nouelties and innouations to flow in with full streame without any barre without any manner of let or bridle Now became the computation of the shepheards Calender to be accompted of for a worthie peece of historie and the dreame of men for sacred Gospell And the Church likewise doth then come forth vpon the stage all masked and disguised with the Pagane and Iewish guise and that in a moment and that not by shifting her robes onely but which is the worst of all the rest by shaking off all the commendable parts of gesture and matter Let vs begin at the Greeke Church Additions in the Churches of the Grecians We haue spoken heretofore of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 brought in by Proclus a Patriarch of Constantinople and receiued into the Church vpon the naked report of a certaine child who being extraordinarily rapt and caried vp into heauen said that hee heard it sung there We haue likewise handled the point how in the Councell of Ephesus as a thing following vpon the disallowing condemning of the heresies held by Nestorius and Eutyches it was said That the holy virgine might bee called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the mother of God And now further behold a certaine man Petrus Gnapheus who started vp in Antioch and thought to make his aduantage thereof for the establishing of heresie and superstition this fellow was a priest of Chalcedonie and of the secte of Eutyches who through the fauour of Zeno Isaurus afterward Emperour shufled himselfe into the Bishopricke of Antiochia by discarding Martyrius the true and lawfull Bishop of the same and being receiued then it was ordained in his Church which was of very large precinctes Theodor. Anagnostes in Collecta that at the end of Trisagium the hymne so called because it contained these wordes Sanctus Deus sanctus fortis sanctus immortalis miserere nobis there was added Qui crucifixus es pro nobis which wast crucified for vs applying the same to God the father whom in the vnsoundnesse of his hereticall assertions hee held to haue suffered for mankind confounding both the persons and the natures and Nycephorus saith Nyceph lib. 16 that the same continued euen vntill his time And moreouer that in all the prayers made in his church the name of the virgine the mother of God was called vpon with an intent and purpose to make this doctrine plausible and well liked of the Councell of Ephesus and as a baite for the giuing of free passage to the swallow of the rest of his heresies Now it followed presently hereupon that the Emperour Leo the great being aduertised of these nouelties condemned him into banishment vntill such time as he promised to disclaime and giue them ouer which in deed he did and made not shew to the contrarie vntill such time as that false and forsworne Basilicus went about to seize vpon the Empire by the meanes whereof he recouered his libertie and licence to worke mischiefe both at one time his doctrine likewise being afterward supported and borne out by Anastasius the Emperor being himselfe an Eutychian Iustinian the Emperour added
whom will they haue to be their expositor S. Paul But he giueth saith he that which he hath receiued 1. Cor. 11. He giueth to the Church of Corinth both the kindes then he had receiued them for it And indeed Lyranus saieth vppon this place That is because the faithfull in the primitiue Church did communicate vnder both kinds Doe they beleeue the primitiue Church the old doctours we cannot possibly iudge better of their expounding of the word then by their practise which wee haue seene and by their condemning of them which did abstaine from the one kinde would they heare the Councels That of Constance guided as they say by the holy ghost publisheth and proclaimeth with a loude voice That although Iesus Christ haue instituted the Sacraments vnder both kinds when he gaue it to his disciples although the Primitiue Church hath so distributed it vnto the faithfull c. In briefe Iesus Christ did either speake vnto his Apostles alone or else in their persons to all the faithful or to the Priestes onely To his Apostles alone it cannot be auouched for it is written Doe yee this in remembrance of me Declare the death of the Lord vntill his comming Vnto the Priests alone vnder the names of the Apostles but what apparant shew or likelyhood is there of that For the Apostles in this action Non erant conficientes sed sumentes they did not occupie the places of Priests but of the faithfull not of Pastors but of sheepe And to take it then at the hardest Iesus Christ hauing spoken vnto them whom they call non conficientes and hauing commaunded them to take the cup it should follow that the commaundement of God doeth of necessitie charge them to communicate vnder both kindes which is directly contrarie to the Article of the Councel of Trent which saieth Clericos non conficientes non obligari ad viramque speciem c. That Clarks themselues not consecrating the host are not bound to receiue vnder both kinds It remaineth then that those wordes are spoken vnto them as being faithful and so representers of al other Christian people that is to say that Iesus Christ as the housholder and maister or Pastour of the church hath dispensed distributed the Eucharist vnto his disciples and ordained and instituted it for them which did beleeue their word that is his owne and that hee did appoint them to distribute vnto them euery one in his place that which they had receiued at his hands Gerard. Lorichius in lib. de priuata Missa abroganda And indeed Gerardus Lorichius howsoeuer he be a great patron of Transubstantiation and the Masse is ashamed of this starting hole in these words There are saith hee false and counterfeit Catholickes which make no conscience of hindering the reformation of the Church by all manner of meanes They to the end that the other kind maey not be giuen to the laitie spare not to vtter blasphemies for they say that Iesus Christ said vnto his Apostles onely Drinke yee all and therein doe nothing consider the proper words of the Canon Take eate yee all Let them now therefore I pray them tell vs if these wordes also should be intended and ment onely to the Apostles for then also the laitie must needs abstaine from the bread which would prooue an heresie and a pestilent and execrable blasphemie Wherefore we must conclude saith hee that both the one and the other word was intended and ment vnto the whole Church It is said S. Luke ch 22. Doe this in remembrance of me sooth indeed say they but this commeth onely after that the bread is distributed and therefore this commandement doeth not binde the Pastours to distribute the cup. But assuredly the Euangelist doth shew it plainly enough in the words that follow likewise also he tooke the cup c. that if these words Doe this c. haue relation to the bread that then by the same proportion they are to be vnderstood of the cup. 1. Cor. 11. But Saint Paul doth resolue vs in this difficult point for after that he hath said This is my bodie which is broken for you doe this c. he addeth thereupon This cup is the new couenant in my blood doe this euer and as oft as you shall drinke it in remembrnnce of me that is you Pastours administer the bread and the wine you that are the faithfull receiue them at their hands being the Sacraments of my bodie and my bloud manifesting my death vntill my comming And this also is the opinion of Iohn of Louaine taken out of the old writers What shall we say Luke 24. if they will not onely make vs beleeue that our Lord hath not onely not commaunded it but that he hath done the contrarie S. Luke in his 24. chapter maketh mention that our Lord after his resurrection being at table in Emaus tooke breade gaue thankes brake it and gaue it to two disciples whome hee had met withall and that then their eies were opened and that they knew him c. They would that this should be the bread of the supper administred by consequent vnder one kinde vnto his disciples The frame and scope of the historie is cleane contrarie for he had said before that they had trauailed farre that they came neere vnto a village that the night beganne to come on c. all which is as much as to say that it was time to eate and refresh themselues Esa 58.41 Lament ler. And the word of breaking of bread is ordinary amongst the Hebricians in this sence But heere againe whom shall we cleaue or giue credit vnto in this controuersie The Syrian Interpreter saith They knew and perceiued who hee was as hee broke the bread Saint Ambrose Theophilact and other old writers in their commentaries at large make mention of no such thing Hugo The bread that is the word of God which the Pastour must blesse by praier breake by expounding of it giue vnto the hearers by preaching of it c. Lyranus They seeing him breake it saith hee as smooth and eauen as if he had a knife according as he was wont before his passion that is whiles he abode with them And the Cardinall Caietanus in like sorte and Dionysius Carthusianus vpon this place Caietanus in Luc. Dionysius Carthus Gulielm Widef contra Wicklef Alph. de Castro lib. 6. August de consensu Euangel l. 3. Not as in the supper but according to the ordinarie manner of blessing of meat And the great Postill as he was ordinarily wont before his passion Gulielmus Widefordensis writing against Wickliffe goeth further It cannot be gathered saieth he neither from the text nor from the glose nor from the olde Doctours that the breaking of bread spoken of by Saint Luke was the breaking of consecrated bread And Alphonsus de Castro would not define or say any thing thereof by way of expounding of the same And indeed the Councels of
them whom they iudged worthie of honour and whom they acknowledged for Sauiours Whereupon also Beatus Rhenanus saith vpon Tertullian Beat. Rhenan in Tertul. de Coron Milit. Niceph. l. 20. c. 30. That the Gentiles which receiued the Christian religion in their old age did very hardly forsake the fashions which they had beene accustomed vnto all their life long But that it was but for a monument or remembrance and not for any religious vse appeareth by Nicephorus likewise though the most superstitious of all other the ecclesiasticall writers For besides that we see that this image is not in any Church but in a streete there were not for whole 300. yeares any eyther Altars sacrifices perfumes praiers or pilgrimages made vnto it Hee speaketh properly as of an old one when he saith That processe of time had worne out all remembrance of it concerning wherefore it was there and whose it should be that the dropping of water slime and mosse had so rot it that there was not any of the letters about it to bee knowne and that this miraculous hearbe within some short time after was not any more to bee found c. Assuredly if images deserued either reuerence or worship then that more then any other being the image of Christ authorized by a miracle c. And therefore if that were so vtterly neglected by the old Church we cannot excuse it of a most notorious contempt yea and of an vnauoidable error Or else certainly seeing that it made no greater accompt thereof being that Church which we follow set before vs for our patterne let vs say that it was because they then belieued as it now behooueth vs to belieue that there is not due to speake according to the termes of religion eyther worship or reuerence vnto any image whatsoeuer And if not at those times when images might haue beene kept in some true proportion of resembling them for whom they were made how much lesse at this day when euerie man painteth as his humour and fansie perswadeth him c. We say the same of the crosse Of the Crosse August de verb. apost serm 8. Galath 3. Tertul. in Apol. and we haue also said it before in another place In the beginning it was nothing els but a signe which was made with the fingers in the ayre as we reade in Tertullian And S. Augustine giueth a reason thereof saying To the end that men may not imagine that we are ashamed of the crucified How farre better had it beene to haue had him grauen to haue had him crucified saith the Apostle before our eyes Thereuppon the Paganes called the Christians as saith Tertullian Religiosos crucis the religious of the crosse in way of derision but truely for as much as as the Apostle saith this crosse was a stumbling blocke vnto the Iewes to bee offended at and foolishnes vnto the Gentiles it was acknowledged of them for a misterie of the vnspeakeable wisedome of the eternall God Arnob. siue Minutius lib. ◠contra Gentes But when the Pagans obiect vnto the old Christians that they adore and worship it how doe they take it in the question of honour Arnobius telleth how saying Wee doe not wish for neither yet do wee worship the Crosse but rather you who consecrate Gods of wood doe worship also it may be the crosses of wood as partes of your Gods For what are your banners of armes but gilded crosses And what are your Trophies and Monumentes of victorie but men fastned to the crosse nothing but crosses Constantine to shew to whom he gaue the honour of his victories namely to Christ altered the Labarum that is to say his oriflam or imperiall banner causing the name of Christ briefly written and abbreauiated to be set therein after he had had the vision for the confirming vnto him of his calling and vocation to the deliuerance of the Church For as for the Crosse wee haue seene in Arnobius that from the times of the Pagans the staues of their Ensignes were crosse-wise made and fashioned But what communion is there betwixt a temple and a campe a warlike banner or standard and a banner of procession an ensigne ordained for the attonement and keeping together of an armie with a tablet carried about to bee worshipped And againe where will they find that Constantine did euer worship it Cyril lib. 6. cōtra Iulianum or cause it to be worshipped And what will they say of Cyrillus the Patriarke of Alexandria who answered the Emperor Iulian a long time after the death of Constantine reproching him for the honour giuen vnto the Crosse that the Christians did not giue any worship or honour vnto the signe of the Crosse Petr. Crinit l. 9. de Honest discipl Or vnto the Emperours Theodosius Valens which yet after that did forbid Crosses by expresse edictes saying In as much as wee haue not any greater care for any thing then for the seruice of God wee forbidde all manner of persons to make the signe of our Sauiour Iesus Christ either in colours or in stone or in any other matter or to graue him paint or carue him but on the contrarie we will and command that in what place soeuer any such bee found that it bee taken away vpon paine of being grieuously punished for withstanding and doing to the contrarie Whom notwithstanding we see not to bee reprehended by the great and famous Doctors of that time Saint Augustine Saint Ambrose c. men like enough not to haue concealed or kept backe any good admonition or instruction from them which they were to know or to bee admonished of much lesse by the Councels of the Church which at this time were more vsuall then in all the former And as for the Poet Prudentius his wordes they are not any barre or stop against the soundnesse of this matter Crux pellit omne malum The Crosse driueth away all euill and mischieuous thinges c. For this is a poeticall phrase and their ordinarie manner of speaking attributing to the signe the properties of the thing signified as vnto the Crosse the effectes of the shamefull and reprochfull death which the Sonne of God suffered thereuppon for vs. As in deede it is very plaine and manifest in that treatise of Saint Cyprians called Lignum vitae and hath beene obserued by the best learned that the olde writers by the Crosse did not vnderstande the woode but the Lorde himselfe fastned vnto it fastning thereunto by his death the hand writing of eternall death wherein we stood obliged and bound In so much as that the Councell of Trent hath decreed Index expurg pag. 28. 30. that this should bee raced out of the bookes of Georgius Fabricius touching his censure vpon the workes of Christian poets Now as wee haue seene the diligent endeuoure and industrie of the first Pastors of the Church to remoue and put farre away all idolatrie That images were first vsed
small touch remorce of it self that can promise or perswade it selfe of the grace of God how good and merciful soeuer he conceiue it to be yea which on the contrarie doth not tremble quake before his iust anger or doeth not thereby condemne it selfe saue that it pleaseth this Mediator to take it by the hand and to leade it before the iudge not so much to beg or craue any thing for it as to seale vp vnto and graft in it his grace to say vnto it in full assurance and confidence Father this is one of them which thou hast giuen me by the merite of my obedience or rather one of those whom I purchased with mine owne blood Now of them I will not lose one take them vnto thy grace Ioh. 17. it is for them Father that I pray and intreate thee Keepe them in thy name let them be one as we are let my ioy be fulfilled in them c. Now these holy ceremonies are of two sorts such as are offered by man to God Sacrifice and Sacraments are properly called sacrifices and those which are giuen by God to man sacraments In so much as that to speake properly we may say that in the sacrifices man as much as he could was admonished to renounce himselfe and to giue himselfe vnto God in the Sacraments hee was aduertised and assured that God putting off his iustice to cloath himselfe with mercy did vouchsafe to giue himselfe vnto him the people in their sacrifices and euery faithfull man making protestation to endeuor themselues to become the people and children of God God in the Sacraments bearing witnes vnto them that he vouchsafed to be their God in Iesus Christ according to his free promises as also their father To be short a sacrifice is an acte or worke by which we acknowledge in the knowledge of the true God the whole homage which we owe vnto him and the faults which in our infirmitie we commit therein A sacrament is a holy ceremony instituted of God in which the faithfull are confirmed by signes exhibiting that which they represent of the grace of God promised vnto the faithful in the couenant which it hath pleased him to make with them Now on Gods behalfe the couenant halteth not he is faithfull farre more readie to offer himselfe and to deliuer himselfe to vs with all his good things then we are to hold out our handes to receiue them But on our behalfe all our actions are maimed this fleshlie hart giuen to the flesh cleauing fast to it selfe cannot offer it selfe to him of or by it selfe he must violently draw and pull it vnto him when he will haue it And there remaineth nothing in vs of all that which we owe vnto God besides the manifesting and declaring of our knowing of it and the testifying of the sorrow and griefe which we haue for that we are not able to render him the same as also to acknowledge in our sacrifices that all our good things that all our prosperitie and good successe are of God alone of his blessing and of his fauour and that all that which hee can receiue of vs in stead of recompence are nothing els then our new trespasses that is in stead of his bountifulnes our ingratitude and of his benefites our misdeedes Psal 16. 19. in saying with Dauid a man notwithstanding according to Gods owne heart My soule thou hast said vnto the Lord thou art my Lord my goodnesse reacheth not vnto thee And againe Who knoweth O Lord the faults and errours of his life O cleanse me from my secret sinnes And this was the cause why the old Church had two principall sortes of sacrifices peace-offerings by which all euerie one did protest according to the measure of increase which they inioyed that all that whatsoeuer they had was of God the propitiatory sacrifices by the which they did testifie all euery one that in stead of so many good thinges which they did receiue they could not render vnto God any thing but vncleannes and transgressions which by the bloud of beasts shed therein they testified and declared to be worthie of death and by the ordinarie reiterating of the killing of so many innocent beasts they did giue to vnderstand that they could not be forgiuen or pardoned but in the blood of that immaculate lambe and of the true onely eternall and perpetuall propitiatory sacrifice of the Church Iesus Christ our Lord. And notwithstanding it is here to be noted That the holy Supper may be considered both as a sacrifice a sacrament that although it hath beene already shewed that there is a difference betwixt a sacrifice and a Sacrament that yet there are some ceremonies in the Church which may bee considered in diuers respectes both as sacrifices and sacraments The Paschall lambe in the Church of the Iewes is taken for a Sacrament and that in as much as it is giuen of God for a certaine signe of saluation promised vnto the Church and to euery faithful member in the same as also in that that this blood of the lamb wherewith the dore posts are sprinkled doth represent vnto vs the blood of Iesus Christ which sprinkleth our soules and remoue farre from vs and our Christian families the destroying Angell and therfore it is saide This blood shall be for a signe vppon your houses that so when as I shall see it I may passe ouer And yet notwithstanding it may bee taken for a sacrifice of thanksgiuing in as much as it is commaunded to bee continued for euer for a remembrance and thanksgiuing for the preseruation of the first borne of Israel out of the midst of all the sorrow and griefe which they suffered in Egypt as also it is a signe of the preseruation of the elect of God in the Church from out of the midst of the condemnation of this peruerse and wicked world And therefore it is said This day shall bee a memoriall vnto you you shall keepe the same holy in your generations c. As also in some sorte for a propitiatorie Sacrifice in that it was a figure of the true and onely propitiatorie Sacrifice offered by the Sonne of God our high Priest for our sinnes to God his father vppon the altar of the Crosse according to the Euangelist his exposition You shall not breake a bone of him And the Apostle Saint Paule Our Passeouer that is Iesus Christ slaine or crucified The same may bee said of the holy Supper of our Lord It is instituted for a Sacrament of the new Testament in as much as it is the reall receiuing and communicating of the bodie and blood of Christ truely God and truely man deliuered to be put to death vpon the Crosse for our sinnes raised againe for our iustification giuen in the vse of the holy Supper according to his owne institution for the nourishing of our soules vnto eternall life And therefore it is said Take eate this is
death and for such wee ought not to pray either whiles they liue August de cor grat c. 12. or when they are dead For such then as haue shewed some repentance or which haue sinned venially wee must pray both whiles they liue and when they be dead But how can this be gathered out of this text wherein the Apostle speaketh directly of them with whom we liue Idem in Enchir ad Laurent c. 82. Idem de scrm Domini in Monte. Tertul. l. de pudicitia and whose workes we see of the dead not so much as one word They alleadge vnto vs S. Augustine who expoundeth it of perpetuall impenitencie let them not then dissemble how that in another place hee expoundeth it of certaine kindes of sinnes as also doth Tertullian Neither would I haue them to conceale it how that the most parte of the old writers doe dissent from Saint Augustine as Saint Ierome Athanasius Chrysostome Saint Basill Saint Ambrose c. all which though they vnderstand by this sinne vnto death the sinne against the holy Ghost yet therewithall they vnderstande that this is not a finall impenitencie which is not discerned but at the time of death but an obstinate sinne which is committed in the life time and in the course of the same Saint Mathew saith That this sinne is not pardoned either in this world or in the world to come In this world that is to say in this life and in this sence our aduersaries doe alledge it against vs but they doe not remember themselues of any thing els The Apostle to the Hebrewes saith It is impossible that such persons should bee renewed by repentance Hebr. 6. Then they may bee impenitent yea sinne vnto death before death But what manner of conclusion will there follow hereof in the end Wee must not pray for such as sinne vnto death therefore wee must pray for the deade which sinne not vnto death Againe wee must pray to the ende that life may bee giuen them that is to say to the ende that their sinnes may bee pardoned Now is it not a point of their doctrine that sinnes do not come in purgatorie but that there is onely the punishment of sins but and if any sinnes yet none but those that are sleight ones But in their conclusion they except not any sinne saue that which is vnto death To be short to such as well consider the text it will appeare that they are so farre off from reasoning according to it as that in deed they reason directly to the contrarie And furthermore not one of the old writers neither yet of the newe doeth alleadge it to this purpose although the greatest part do handle and expound the same and that to another end Now these are all the places of the new Testament from which they go about to proue their purgatorie places that are obscure and hard and diuersly interpreted by the Doctors but either in a farre other sence then our aduersaries take them or else mystically and metaphorically for the most part and therefore not to be alleadged in any controuersie of diuinitie no more then in anie other for controuersies cannot bee discussed by textes in controuersie And this is the reason why the good man Perion said That in all the canonical scripture he knew not any place eyther prouing purgatorie Roffensis or praier for the dead And the Bishop of Rochester That of a truth there is not any place for the prouing of the same except it bee some such as is very intricate And Petrus a Soto after him That there is not any cleare euidence and testimony in the scripture for Purgatorie but that many other thinge ought to bee belieued which are not contained therein To what end therefore serueth all this shamelesse dealing thus to tumble tosse the scripture vpside downe thus to racke and torment all the textes one after another seeing they know in their consciences that the scripture knoweth not any purgatorie But for certaine that text which knoweth not to agree any whit with their exposition doeth know well enough to admit and receiue ours It doeth not know theirs Mark 16. being alwaies for the proofe of that third pretended place for it saith Who so shall belieue and be baptised shall be saued but hee that shall not haue belieued shal be condemned Iohn 3 c. Againe God hath sent his onely Sonne into the world to the ende that hee that shall belieue in him might not perish but haue euerlasting life Hee that belieueth in him is not iudged but he that belieueth not in him is alreadie iudged c. Againe He that belieueth in him which hath sent me hath eternal life he cometh not into iudgement he is already past froÌ„ death tâ—olife And so passed the theefe into Paradice the same houre Againe Blessed are they that die in the Lord Rom. 4. for from that time saith the spirit they rest from their labours blessed are they whose sinnes are forgiuen But according to their owne sayings the sins of those which are in their Purgatory are they not remitted are they not dead in the Lord And yet what time must they indure in the burning and flaming fire of this purgatorie And thus sayeth Saint Paule That there is no condemnation to them that are in Iesus Christ And thus said our Lord to that man Let the dead burie the dead who would not haue hindred him from performing any worke of charitie And S. Paule againe Take no care for those which sleepe All these places of scripture cannot stande with Purgatorie But they haue very well knowne ours euen Christ the eternall Son of God who by himselfe hath wrought the purging away of our sinnes Apocal. 14. Heb 1. Hebr. 9. Tit. 2. Ephes 5. 1. Iohn 1. whose blood cleanseth our consciences from the workes of death who hath giuen himselfe for to purge a people peculiar to himselfe to cleanse a Church for himselfe by the washing of water in the word who purgeth and cleanseth vs by his blood from all sin In so much as that through that confidence which we haue in this our so sufficient Purgatorie we are able to say without fearing any other I desire to bee loosed and to depart from hence and to bee with Christ Because likewise that wee know that if the tabernacle of this our house of earth be dissolued Philip. 1.2 Cor. 5. we shall haue abuilding with God and that not such a building as is made with hands but eternally abiding in the heauens And that not after some intermission of time but presently and forthwith hodié inquam to day euen from the houre in which hee shall call vs out of this world because that we belieue in him And therefore also wee haue alreadie attained life yea we are alreadie passed from death to life CHAP. VIII That neither the Primitiue Church nor the fathers of the same for the space of many
assist him Afterward the Deacon nameth The holy mother of God S. Michael S. Gabriel S. Raphael and S. Iohn The people answereth O Christ heare them Anno. 1000. c. In the yeare 1000 wheras it had beene accustomed to denounce their Excommunications in the Church in the power and authoritie of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost they began to mingle therewithal the Virgine Marie and the Saints And this is apparant by the Councell of Rhemes C. 12. By the authoritie saith he of the Almightie God Concil Rhemens c. 12. c. and by the mediation of the Virgine Mary c. We Excommunicate curse condemn c. In Germanie notwithstanding this forme was not as yet receiued as is to bee seene in that which Barnard Bishop of Halberstat pronounceth against the Emperour Otho neither yet in the other agends of the same age and time But afterward all the Saints were put into it and so it passeth for the common and ordinarie forme The absoluing likewise of penitents by the loosing key as they cal it Anno. 1100. Anselm in lib. de excellent Virg Mar. was conceiued and vttered in these tearmes to wards the yere 1000. The passion of our Lord Iesus Christ the merits of the blessed Virgine of S. Peter of S. Paul and of all the Saints and furthermore whatsoeuer good thou shalt doe or whatsoeuer ill thou shalt suffer worke and procure the remission of thy sinnes About the yeare 1100 Anselme reasoned strongly in a treatise made of purpose of the excellencie of the Virgine Mary Christ saith the Apostle is the power and wisedome of God in him are all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge but Christ is in Mary therefore all the treasures c. are in Marie And by the same argument may be concluded the verie same of all the faithfull for hee is said to dwell in the belieuers In the meane time it is from hence that hee gathereth all these goodly consequences Quòd Domina quòd Mediatrix quòd Saluatrix That shee is the Ladie of heauen and earth in the right of a mother Queene of Angels the repairer of mankind and by consequent the Mother as God is the Creator by consequent the Father And it was at this time also that Hermanus Contractus Conte of Vringhē in Germanie did make the Salue Regina which notwithstanding was not receiued into the church of Rome Anno. 1250. til about 150. years after in the time of Pope Gregory the ninth But would we see in the meane time a memorable example The Inuocating of God alone by Iesus Christ retained in the cōforting of the sicke and neere vnto death Anselm in Epist manuscript shewing that these abuses came not in all at a blow how this Inuocation of the Saints insinuated and crept into the Masse was not as yet growne to the corrupting of that consolation which men had that were in the extremitie of death and how God mercifully sparing his people after all these impieties reserued and kept vntoucht their consolation in their saluation by one onely Iesus Christ to be soundly taught and deliuered vnto them at the howre of their death It is found in the Epistles of this Anselme that there was a forme of comforting the sicke which I haue thought worthie to bee set downe here euen whole and intire such as it was Doest thou reioyce and cheare vp thy selfe saith the Priest to the sicke partie that thou diest in the faith of Christ The aunswere yea Doest thou confesse that thou hast liued so wickedly as that nothing is due to thy deserts but euerlasting punishment A. yea Art thou hartily sorie and grieued for the same A. yea Doest thou belieue that our Lord Jesus Christ died for thee A. yea Doest thou giue him thankes for the same A. yea Doest thou belieue that thou canst not bee saued but by his death A. yea Wherefore then whiles thou possessest thy soule repose thy whole saluation in this his only death put not thy trust and confidence in any other thing trust and commit thy selfe wholly to this death couer thy selfe with it onely with it onely wrap thy selfe all ouer And if the Lord God would iudge thee say vnto him Lord I set the death of Jesus Christ our Lord betwixt thee and my demerits I offer and tender vnto thee his merites in stead of that which ought to bee in me and is not If hee yet further replie vpon thee saying that he is angrie with thee say vnto him Lord I set the death of our Lord Jesus Christ betwixt me and thine anger And this being ended let the sicke partie say three times Lord I commend my spirit into thy hands Of the same veine is the difference which we obserue betweene the life Bernard in paruis Ser. 23. Idem Serm. 15. Psal 91. the extreame sicknesse of S. Barnard He saith verie excellently well sometimes He that will come let him come after me let him come by me let him come to me After me saith the Lord for I am the truth by me for I am the way vnto me for I am the life c. Againe I will deliuer him because he hath trusted in me Not saith hee in Sentinels or Nightwatches not in man not in any Angell but in me expecting good from none but me onely For preseruation and deliuerance must not onely be of me but from me And of the Virgine Marie hee saith Idem Ep. 174. She hath no need of false and counterfeit honour being as shee is in the midst and vpheaped measure of true and sound honour It is not to honour her but to take her honour from her The feast of the Conception was neuer well instituted c. But it is as true that in other places hee helpeth forward and setteth vp this abuse euen so farre as to say Thou hast O man a sure accesse to God where the Mother is before the Sonne the Sonne before the Father the Mother shewing vnto the Sonne her bosome and her brests the Sonne shewing to his Father his fide and his wounds Vpon the point of death notwithstanding seeing himselfe drawne before the iudgement seate of God and Sathan before him his accuser he remembreth not any thing but the wounds of the Sonne hee hath quite forgotten the bosome of the mother Gothfrid in vita Berr ard l. 5. I confesse saith he that I am not worthie by my merites to obtaine the kingdome of heauen but my Lord doth hold it by a double title both as his inheritance from his Father and as his purchase by the price and merite of his death and passion he will content himselfe with the one and bestow the other vpon me And so by vertue of this gift I giue it to my selfe I am not confounded As likewise he hath said verie excellently in an other place I seeke my salue in the wounds and stripes of my Lord my merites in the mercies
Francise Dominic To euerie one that would ioyne themselues not with the Couent but to be of the fraternitie onely of S. Francis or S. Dominicke c. For to merite the kingdome of heauen for to be able to ransome redeeme their owne soules and the soulet of their friends for these are the expresse tearmes of the Bull There are Bulles of fraternitie giuen vnto the Prouinces by which they are made capable as well in life as in death of the merites of the whole Couent and of all the friers in the prouince purchased by their Masses praiers sermons fastinges contemplations vigiles abstinences Cloister disciplines deuotions singinges lessons labours c. About this time also there was in England one Thomas Becket who was slaine for hauing traiterously attempted to haue withdrawne the Cleargie from their obedience vnto the king It was concluded by the full Colledge of Sorbone at Paris that he was worthie of eternall death the Cleargie notwithstanding caused him to be canonized by Alexander the third And in derision of the blood of Christ he was there praied vnto in these words Tu per Thomae sanguinem quem pro te impendit Fac nos Christe scandere quo Thomas ascendit That by the grace fauour purchased by the blood of Thomas hee would make vs ascend whither Thomas is ascended c. this was about the yere 1220. And who can then but be ashamed for their sakes for that as yet in the time of so great light they are not ashamed themselues verily it is not to be concealed or hidden that there haue been some that might seeme to haue blusht in their souls as being able to haue taught better things if they durst Alex. Halez q. 91. Alexander Halez Bonauenture likewise after all their wandrings turne backe againe to our Maxims Alexander We must not inuocate or adore any but one God onely c. The Saints ought rather to be reckned ex parte orantiū quà m illius qui oratur as assisting our praiers by their owne not to be praied vnto themselues Bonauent in l. 3. Sentent Anno 1360. Bonauēture likewise We must be warie in our large setting forth and commending of the excellency of the mother that is of the holy virgin least we impaire and diminish the glorie of the Son and by so doing prouoke her to anger seeing she delighteth more to haue her son praised and magnified then her self she being but a creature and he the creator And whereas there were some that replied vpon him that the honor of the mother returned to the honor of the Son But therefore saith he we ought not to giue vnto the mother all that which is due vnto the son c. And this was much spoken of both in his time in the Couent of S. Francis Wicklif apud Thom. Waldens tom 3. tit 12. c. 121. 124. Iohn Wicklife shortly after went further for amongst many abuses of the Church of Rome he condemned this openly by the scriptures and maintained the same with the peril of his life against all those of the facultie of diuinity in England His wordes are This is and seemeth to be a sottishnesse to leaue the fountaine which is more ready to our handes to seeke the troubled brookes and those further from vs c. Againe Who would make I know not what Scurram knaue that is the Latine of the time his Mediator when hee may freely speake vnto the King And yet notwithstanding his thus writing he ceast not to be verie well intreated of king Edward the third and after some small time of his liuing an exile in Bohemia to die an old man in his owne house leauing behind him a number of disciples of euerie estate condition in England Anno 1416. in whom his doctrine liued after him vntill such time as things grew to that extremitie wherein they now stand We may say the same of Iohn Hus and Ierome of Prage put to death contrary to the promise made them of safe conduct by the Councell of Constance wherein the good fathers in stead of being inuited and won to the reformation of the Church both by the truth of their doctrine and the constancie of their faith did thinke it better to haue them the heraldes of their condemnation by the iust iudgement of God then of their repentance before men And further as if they would worke a further despite they turned in the same Councell that goodly hymne which the Christian Church had made for the holy Ghost to the virgine Marie and in stead of Veni sancte spiritus c. they made it Veni mater gratiae c. wherein they call her the fountaine of mercie the light of the Church the saluation of those that call vpon her the Mediatrix betwixt God men the port of S. Peters ship the death and destruction of heresies c. But in the meane time as in this age wherein we liue men begin willingly and wittingly to cast out this dung and filthines with others such like the stinke whereof groweth so strong euen vnto themselues that haue made it as that they are constrained to stop their nose and to endeuour themselues to couer it as much as lyeth in them Viues in August de ciuit Dei l. 8. c. vit Viues that famous Spaniard had rather to cause them to be detested then couered and smoothed ouer in saying That he could find no difference betwixt the opinion that the Christians haue of their saintes and that which the Pagans haue of their Gods when as they giue them the same honour that is giuen vnto God himselfe And if there had beene any number found of the same zeale with him at that time he could haue hoped wel to haue obtained a remedie against idolatrie But certainly the greater part had rather against their owne consciences of a carnall wisedome runne and betake themselues to disguise and smooth ouer the matter Some saying that we ought not to pray vnto saints to obtaine any help of them or yet any mercie but onely to bee assisted by their praiers to obtaine them of God And this was in one worde to ouerturne all their Howres Psalters Letanies and praiers before alleadged which were directly made vnto the virgine Marie and that that she might not onely procure but giue the things praied for Wicelius Other some more boldly That wee ought not at all to pray vnto them inuocation being an honour due vnto God alone but onely Compellare to solicite them that they would remember vs vnto him as wee vse to stirre vp the liuing to succour and help vs with their praiers And other some do yet go further That this inuocation was nothing but a figure of Rhetoricke by which wee were admonished that the saintes deceased as triumphant members of the Catholicke Church haue care in heauen on the members which are as yet warfaring here below after the manner
couenant is certaine that they in particular are comprehended and contained in the same c. And which more is they worke within a faith of the free promises of the Creator of the remission of sinne in his Sonne c. a confirmation of that most neere coniunction that is betwixt the faithfull and God an vnion with Christ by the bond of his holy spirit such as the members haue with the head from which they draw saluation and life Whereupon it followeth that they are made new men for so much as the power and efficacie of the spirit of Christ dooth conuert and turne them into his nature draw them from their owne regenerate and cast them anew by little and little and that both in their affections as also in their actions to put their trust in God through Iesus Christ to renounce and forsake themselues for the loue of him and to wish well and doe well vnto their neighbours but especially to the members of the same bodie both in him and for him Now therefore this is the office and part of the Sacraments What a sacrament is and thereupon a Sacrament to define it properly is a holy ceremonie instituted of God added to the promise of grace made in Iesus Christ to be an earnest penie and certaine testimonie vnto all the faithfull that this promise of grace expounded explaned in the word of God is particularly exhibited ratified applied to him vnto saluation And such were amongst the old people from the time of Abraham and Moyses vnto the comming of our Lord Circumcision and the Passe-ouer instituted of God to such end in stead wherof there were ordained for vs by our Lord holy Baptisme and the holy supper to continue to the end of the world It consisteth of a signe a thing and the word Genes 17.10 13. Rom. 4. Of these Sacraments the Scripture speaketh after this sort Of Circumcision It shall be vnto you saith the Lord for a signe of the couenant betwixt me and you and my couenant shall be in your flesh for an euerlasting couenant Thus of the signe And S. Paul Abraham saith he receiued the signe of the Circumcision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the seale of the righteousnesse of faith And we know that the righteousnesse of faith is that which is freely promised giuen in Iesus Christ our Lord. Now behold the effect and so by consequent a perfect Sacrament Deutr. 10. â—oâ— 2 28. Exod. 12. according to that which Moyses saith Circumcise the foreskinne of your heart And S. Paul Circumcision is not that which is made in the flesh but of the heart in the spirit Of the Passe-ouer The bloud of the Lambe is vnto you for a signe in the houses wherein you shall be 1. Corinth 5. I will see this bloud and passe ouer But this bloud saith the Apostle is the bloud of Christ Christ our Passe-ouer was slaine for vs c. Behold here againe both the signe and the thing and both the one and the other by the word that is to say by the institution of Christ who hath ordained the signe for the thing and giuen the thing with the signe otherwise naked and vnprofitable not answering the effect that is expected thereof This word in the Circumcision is this I am the Lord Almightie c. I will set my couenant betwixt thee and me Genes 17. Exodus 12. c. In the Passe-ouer The tenth day of the month let euerie man take a Lambe c. In which places God instituteth and ordaineth these Sacraments and giueth them by his institution perpetuall power in his Church as by these words once spoken Increase and multiplie he hath giuen for euer his blessing vnto holy marriage The same is that of the Sacraments of the new Testament Baptisme receiueth vs into the couenant of God in stead of Circumcision the holy Supper in stead of the Passe-ouer dooth nourish and maintaine vs therein whereupon the one is properly called Regeneration as a man would say a new birth and the other The communion of the bodie and bloud of our Lord to our nourishing vnto eternall life In Baptisme water is the signe the bloud of Christ is the thing signified water which washeth away the spots of the body bloud which cleanseth and wipeth away the sinnes of the soule namely by the mediation of the word or institution of God accompanied with his holy spirit which giueth efficacie and power vnto the Sacrament Of the signe S. Iohn Baptist saith Mat. 5. Act 1. 1 Cor. 12.13 Coloss 2.11 Rom. 3. â— Galat. 3.27 Tit. 3 5. I baptise you with water but as concerning the thing Hee will baptise you with the holy Ghost namely the Lord. Of both together the Apostle saith Wee are baptised into one spirit buried in baptisme into the death of Christ and raised againe into his resurrection and saued by the washing of regeneration and of the renewing of the holy Ghost In so much as that the word that is to say the institution of the Lord added to the element of water worketh supernaturally in our soules by the holy Ghost the same that water doth in our bodies by his naturall propertie Baptise yee in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost c. And we shall say the same hereafter but more largely of the holy Supper The new Testament of the Lord in his bloud Which being instituted to the same end is also of the same nature with the other Sacraments the bread wine for signes and tokens most fitly agreeing with the true and perfect nourishment of the faithfull that is in Christ a foode and nourishment that cannot better be expressed then by that of our bodies which turne into their substance that which they eate and drinke saue onely that the communion of the body and bloud of Christ hath this ouer and aboue because of his power which is infinitely more mightie then that of ours namely that it conuerteth and chaungeth vs into his substance maketh vs flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones and causeth vs to liue in him and by him c. Whereas our bodies being stronger then the thing which they eate doe cause and make the same to liue after a certaine manner in them turning it into their substance The signes therefore are bread and wine and by that name they are continually called of S. Paul and that euen after the words as they cal them of consecration The thing that is the Communion of the bodie of Christ broken for vs and of his bloud shed for our sins 1 Cor. 10. 11. The word that is the institution of the Lord which commeth thereunto Doe this in remembrance of me shew forth the death of the Lord vnto his comming c. This is the same that the old writers say that Christ is the onely saluation of the Church The Israelites were partakers of one and tâ—e same thing with vs.