from the Gospel the same is not ioyned to the Church for this is all one saith he after the maner whereby Antichrist was brought in vnder the name of Christ by counterfetting things likely thereby subtilly to frustrate the truth where as it had behooued him to haue returned to the originall of truth haue hasted back to the spring-head to see at what place the pipes conueying the water vnto vs were broken by this meanes to haue lent his eare vnto the doctrine of the heauenly Master For saith Nazianzene vnto the Arrians The church is not defined by multitude if they haue the people we haue the faith if they haue the golde and siluer we haue the true doctrine succession must be valued by pietie and not by Sea or seate Who so retaineth the same doctrine of faith hee possesseth the same Sea as he that retaineth the contrarie in the same Sea is to be helde as an enemy Because saith Saint Chrysostome The Church consisteth not in walles but in faith so that where faith is there the Church is where faith is not there the Church is not This is the true Ierusalem whose foundations are placed vpon the mountaines of the Scriptures As also saith he he goeth not out from the Church that goeth out from the bodie but rather he that forsaketh the spirit the foundation of the ecclesiasticall truth We then saith he are gone out from them in respect of the place but they froÌ„ vs in respect of faith we haue left with them the foundations of the walles but they haue left with vs the foundations of the Scriptures Saint Ambrose Christ alone is he whom no man ought to forsake or change away to whom it is by good right said Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the wordes of life It is then giuen vs in charge aboue all things to seeke out the faith of the Church in which if Christ dwell howe that then wee must make choise thereof namely for our habitation but if wee finde therein either an vnfaithfull people or an hereticall teacher that spoileth the dwelling such Synagogue is to be auoided And if to be briefe a Church forsake the faith it behooueth vs to forsake and abandon it c. And he yeeldeth a reason Christ saith he is the rocke Petra non Petrus S. Ambr. l. 1 de paenit c. 9. the foundation of the Church that is faith if thou be in the rocke thou art also in the church But to the end we may not take one rocke for another Know saith he that they which haue not Peters faith can neither haue Peters portion and inheritance Saint Ierome expounding the Creede He hath not said I beleeue in the holie catholike church but I beleeue the holie church The holie church is that which keepeth the faith of Christ in the integritie and soundnesse thereof It consisteth not of walles but vpon the veritie of doctrine VVhere faith is there is it also and there it was at such time as heretikes possessed all these churches In Psal 133. VVouldst thou enter into this church and that by the right way In Psal 5. It is the reading of the Scriptures Do thou O Lord so lay out and fit my way as that I may not fall or take offence in these Scriptures seeing that by them I desire to enter into thy church Yea saith he these Scriptures they are the kingdome of God himselfe In S. Mat c. 21. And when it is said that the Lord hath translated the kingdom of heauen from the Iewes vnto vs it is as much as to say that he hath taken the Scriptures from them to giue them vnto vs. In them saith Saint Augustine we finde Christ in them wee are to seeke and search for the Church in them and by them it is shewed vnto vs. Aug de vnit Eccles And let vs not once imagine that we haue and hold the church because we are in that wherein Ambrosius or Optatus haue beene before vs no nor yet because there are miracles wrought therein for euen our Lord himselfe woulde that his disciples should be confirmed by the Scriptures more then by any other meanes and of that nature are the titles precepts and foundations of our cause Cont. Petil. l. 3. c. 6. in Psalm 69. If then saith he there be any question either of Christ or of the church or of any thing whatsoeuer that belongeth either to life or faith cursed bee hee that goeth out of the Scriptures To the ende that thou maist not be deceiued and that no man may cause thee to take him for Christ that is not Christ that for the church which should not be the church hearken vnto the voice of the shepheard he hath shewed himselfe vnto thee he hath shewed thee the church In Ioh. ser 131 My sheepe heare my voyce c. The church is the house of God but it is not God wee beleeue the church but we beleeue not in the church It is the mother In Epist Ioh. tract 3. In Psal 103. Obpubilatur Epist 48. Sâ—rm 237. de Temp. ad Lucernam Ber. in conuer S. Paul ser 1. but the two testaments are her teates from them we must sucke the milke of all the mysteries of our saluation The Bishops may erre there haue beene of them authours both of schismes and heresies The church in like maner is sometimes eclipsed and marred with wet and tempestuous weather The surest course is to make the Scriptures our looking-glasse as also for vs to walke in the torch-light of the scriptures O Lord our good God said Saint Bernard such as seeme to holde the Primacie in the church Iâ— Cant. ser 76 are the formost most forward to persecute thee It is not inough for such as should be our guard and watchmen to giue ouer their care of protection and vigilancie except they further worke our spoile At the least saith he elsewhere let him abound in his sense vnderstanding that will Epist 77. but as for vs I could wish that they would let vs abound in the sense of the Scriptures In the meane time Durand appellat mensuram fidei in prefat Sentent Thomas regulam intel ectus in â— ad Tim. cap. 6 lect 1. Scot. mensur Theol. in l. 1. Sent. q. 1 Gerson regulaÌ„ fid de coÌ„munic sub vtraque against these Scriptures the law of the Church the measure of faith the rule and bridle of all maner of vnderstanding I speake according to the Schoolemen themselues Thomas Durand Scotus Gerson c. These miserable Doctors and teachers either of this world or of the Prince of this world enemies of the true light children of darknesse seeing they please themselues so greatly therein doe not cease to furnish vs with appeales being imployed euer and anon more in making of such then of any other bookes So that if we had nothing else against them but that we might iustly suspect
in the law when he vnderstandeth not by reason of his time either some exquisite Latin or some Greeke word alledged by the lawier And yet the Councell of Trent who set it downe for their position to make errours authentike will haue this translation to be authentike and that in lectures disputations Sermons and Expositions it be vsed ordinarily yea and that before that of Pagnines or Arias Montanus who haue kept themselues nearer vnto the Hebrew And why Not for any other cause then that ignorance may continue so as that errour vnder the darknesse thereof may hide it selfe seeing it cannot stand before the truth true vnderstanding or the light The third is Scripture is expounded by Scripture That we expound Scripture by Scripture one place by another one by manie obscure and darke ones by cleare and plaine ones or one darke one by many plaine ones In which attempt we haue a farre greater facilitie then they who should assay the like in prophane authours because that we are assured that there is no contrarietie therein because also that there is a perpetuall correspondencie betwixt the new Testament and the old and both in the one and the other in it selfe betwixt the new Sacraments and the old and in the olde and new in themselues c. And finally because that in obscure places wee are not to search for or gesse out any thing that is new yea on the contrarie not any thing said Saint Augustine which is not clearely apparant in such places as are most cleare This is the order Nehem. 8.8 which we reade to haue beene practised by Esdras who saith Nehemiah read in the booke of the law of God and therewith gaue the meaning causing it to be vnderstood by the Scripture it selfe The question at that time was about the purging and casting out of certaine abuses Actes 17.11 which were crept into the Church during the time of the captiuitie by being mingled amongst the Gentiles And hence are they of Berea commended as conferring the Scriptures most diligently one with another to see if it were so as Saint Paule preached vnto them The question was of the resoluing of themselues by them against the opinion of the Pharisies and Doctors of the Law by the Scriptures Whether Iesus crucified were that Christ or not And this also is the precept which the Fathers teach vs. Irenâ—us The demonstrations which are in the Scriptures Iren. cont Haeres 1.2 c. 46. 67. Basil in asceticis 267 Chrysost hom 13. in Gen. in Psalm 147. Aug. de verb. dom serm 2. 11. Tho. 1. p. sum q. 1. art 9. Aegid l. 2. Dist 37. cannot bee shewed but by the Scriptures Againe The exposition which is according to the Scriptures is that legitimate and safe c. Saint Basil That which seemeth darke and ambiguous in one place of Scripture is cleare and plaine in another Chrysostome The Scripture is expounded by it selfe this is ourarmorie against the Diuell c. Saint Augustine The wordes of the Gospel doe carrie their interpretation with them Againe VVe vnderstand the darke places by the cleare what is darkly deliuered in one place is clearly set downe in another c. S. Thomas That which is spoken metaphorically in one place is spoken simplie in another Aegidius Romanus Of manie expositions we must take that which agreeth with the other scriptures and not that which hurteth any part of them Following also that which is said by the Canon Relatum Can Relat. That we must not seeke out a sense at our pleasure from the purpose to confirme it any maner of way by the authoritie of the Scriptures but take the meaning of the truth from the Scriptures themselues if the place may be drawne into diuerse senses The fourth is In all expositions the analogie of faith must be kept That we see that the exposition which we giue or take do alwaies retaine and keepe the analogie of faith that it be proportionable and correspondent to the bodie of Christian doctrine which some of the olde fathers haue called the rule of faith I say not to establish any new principles or articles of Christianitie but to conforme and referre themselues to those which haue beene receiued therein from all times For the holy Scripture is the vniuersall principle of our faith and it is well said That there are as many articles of faith as sillables in it because it is said of the least iota that it shall not passe and by consequent that we must most firmely beleeue it all But notwithstanding as this said Aegidius saith All the Scripture is resolued into certaine articles of faith to which all the doctrine therein is to be referred and those as principles abide firme in themselues and are not resolued into others And from these principles we deduct our Theoremes and answere our Problemes no lesse then the Mathematicians doe their Maxims 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Axiomes and demaunds but so much the more firmely by howe much wee are the faster founded vpon the Creator then vpon the creature vpon the Law-giuer to the whole world then vpon the law which he hath giuen it which is Nature Thom. in Sum. q. 1. art 5.6 8. And this is it which Thomas saith That the holy doctrine taketh not his principles from any humane science but from the wisdome of God from which as from the most soueraigne wisedome all our knowledge must take his direction and ordering and that this skill commeth not vnto vs from naturall reason but by reuelation that is from the Scripture diuinely inspired and therefore that it iudgeth of all Verie farre differing from them who dispute of diuinitie according to the principles of Philosophie or other sciences against the law of Logicke which saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That we must not leape out of one science into another but rather from a true vse of Logicke discourse of reason from principles of one science to draw the propositions and consequences that belong to the same Our principles then are articles of faith against which we must beware that our expositions doe not strike and dash themselues but one the contrarie it is necessarie that they become conformable thereto To strike thereupon that is amongest the Mathematicians Deduci 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be brought to an impossibilitie that is to say froÌ„ out of the bounds of reason of Nature of true diuinitie this is according to the lawes of combate to rub against the bands or ropes that pale in their ground that is to bee ouercame to be conuinced of falshood Now the primitiue Church hath gathered them for vs into a briefe collection al those which the Councels put forth afterward are nothing but Commentaries thereupon and it is the same which Tertul. calleth RegulaÌ„ fidei Vnder which Tertul. de vela viâ—g de praes aduers Praxeam August de Symbol Beda in S. Ioh. l 1.
concealed and kept backe Concil Tolet. 1. c. 14. Concil Caesar August c. 3. Liturg. PraesanctificatoruÌ„ Interprete Genebrardo that they were condemned by the Councels The first of Toledo saith If any man do receiue the Eucharist of the Minister and doe not eate it let him be put backe and excommunicate as a Church robber And that of Saragosa If hee doe not eate it in the Church that is in the verie place let him be accursed for euer Whereas Bellarmine alleadgeth the lithurgie of the presanctified amongst the Grecians which was said in Lent pretending that therin they did not consecrate or take any moe then one kind for certaine the lithurgie saith expressly that after that the Minister hath sanctified the bread he powred out the wine and water into the cup pronounced the accustomed words And the praier of the faithfull saith For behold his bodie without spot and his quickning blood c. which are set vpon this table And in the Post-communion they giue thankes vnto God for the receiuing of the one and the other That which is more speciall proper herein is that they consecrate for many in one day whereof they alleadge some one or other tradition But these are their cold and friuolous arguments vpon this point and in deed how can they be otherwise against the expresse word of God But we against these particular deuotions so endles and bottomles doe set this Maxime and generall rule In vaine do you serue me after your owne fancies being properly called in the scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will worship And against that custome Tertul. de virg veland Cypr. ad Quin. ad Iubaâ—â—num August lib. 2. contra Donatist c. 6. de Bapt. cont Donat. lib. 2. c. 14. that euerie man frameth and fashioneth to himselfe whether new or old as best pleaseth him let vs set the true antiquitie Iesus Christ saith Tertullian and S. Cyprian hath said I am the Truth and not Custome And whereas Custome hath preuailed against the law let vs say with S. Augustine We must waigh and ponder the doctrines in the right balance of the scriptures and not in the false and deceiptfull scales of Custome But let vs draw all vnto a conclusion and let vs not be ashamed with S. Cyprian his saying That what others before vs haue erred in and done amisse let vs correct at the admonition and warning of the Lord and where doth he speake lowder and more clearely then in his word to the end that when he shall come in his glorie and heauenly Maiestie he may find vs holding fast such admonitions as hee hath giuen vs obseruing that which he hath taught vs and doing that which he hath done So be it And now by this time wee haue looked into all the partes thereof A Recapitulation how and by what degrees the holy Supper of our Lord is degenerate and turned into the Masse how of the corrupting of the one the other was first begotten then nourished and afterward brought vp to that state wherein it hath stood for these certaine ages and that so long as vntill it hath vtterly brought the other to nothing in the Church of Rome So straunge an alteration as that in the whole frame and booke of nature there is not the like to bee met withall seeing the Masse now retaineth no more of the holy Supper either in his outward or inward partes seeing that the best sighted hauing considered the one could not obserue or find so much as one step or note of the other because also it is to go against and exceede the lawes of nature to passe from one extremitie to another a thing not credible not possible to be acknowledged if the diligent obseruation of histories did not point out vnto vs both the first proceedings and also the growing of the same till it came at the midst The holy supper was an assemblie a bodie of the faithfull vnited and knit together in one spirite strengthning the faith stirring vp the charity and kindling the zeale one of another in one common manner of celebrating of the seruice of God The Masse what containeth it being said by a priest in some corner of the church shuffled vp by a cleark who vnderstandeth not for the most part of the time one word that he speaketh The holy supper did resound with songs to the praise of God sung indifferently by all the people it taught them by the reading expounding of the holy scriptures it lifted them vp vnto God raised them out of themselues by feruent ardent praier But what impression can the Masse make in the heartes of men being a certaine kind of muttering noise posted ouer by one man alone not vnderstood of those which are present yea hardly vnderstood of himselfe where the scriptures are read of purpose so as they may not be vnderstood the praiers vttered with a low voice in an vnknown tongue that so they may not be heard with attention and lesse followed deuoutly by the people where by consequent they abide fixt vpoÌ„ that which they see not minding any higher matters it hath signes without any signification it hath pretended mysteries without any thing misticall in them except it be the muttered hums artificially affected by him that consecrateth and the carefull regard of a premeditated ignorance to be wrought and effected by such meanes vpon and in the poore silly people In the holy Supper was celebrated the memory of the death and passion of our Lord by a plaine and open rehearsall of the cause manner and benefites of the same and thereby the faithfull were taught to acknowledge and call to minde the greatnesse of their sinnes and to admire and magnifie the great and vnspeakeable mercies of God stirred vp consequently to renounce and forsake themselues to giue themselues vnto God to die vnto their lusts and concupiscences to liue vnto Christ to Christ I say who hauing once deliuered himselfe to the death of the Crosse for to giue them life did yet further vouchsafe to giue himselfe to them in his sacramentes euerie day as meate and drinke vnto their soules to the feeding of them vp vnto eternall life In the Masse I appeale vnto the consciences of all those that eyther say or see the same who of them it is that can say by being at the same euerie daye that hee can learne or carrie away any of all this that the infidell can thence playe the diuine that thence hee can receiue any instruction either of the deadly fall of Adam or of the quickning death of Christ that the Christian can profit therby any thing be it neuer so little in the true acknowledging of the mercies of God or in the knowledge of himselfe or in briefe that he can therein perceiue his transgressions that so he may run to seeke the remedie or this drynes alteration of the soule and mind which our Lord calleth the thirst of righteousnes
fire purged from the earth refinedeuen seuen times And what gold is that whereof the Prophet speaketh verily such as is hid from the outward sences of the Saints but in the inward closet of their hearts is bright and shineth with the light of God according to that which the Apostle saith that some build vpon gold others on siluer and others on precious stones c. And thus behold how that faith true doctrine is the true building of the Church And againe Many people do build walles and raise pillars c. but where is the choise that is made of the Ministers of the church And let not any man alleadge here vnto me the temple of the Iewes the table the lampes the censors c. These thinges were good when the priestes did sacrifice beastes when their blood was the ransome for sinnes c. Idem in c. 7. Ierem. But now that our Lorde poore though he were hath dedicated the pouertie of his house let vs not thinke vppon any thing but his crosse let vs make lesse accompt of riches then of durt let vs not be in loue with this Mammon which our Lord hath called vnrighteous let vs not loue that whereof Saint Peter confesseth so freely and cheerefully that he hath none let not vs say of our goodly marble stones as the Iewes did The temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord for the temple of the Lord is there where a true faith a holy conuersation and the societie of all manner of vertues doe dwell That is to say if wee belieue S. Ierome that the temple of God is that place Chorus what manner of one soeuer it be where pure doctrine is preached by good Ministers and where it is receiued by the faithfull vnto obedience of faith and charitie c. Whereby we also see that after that Christians had these gorgeous temples they now and then forsooke and cast them off to retaine and hold fast the pure seruice of God Victor l. 1. 3 Vnder the time of the persecution by the Vandals Victor maketh mention that they came again to celebrate diuine seruice without making any difference of place euen wheresoeuer they could further that because of the furious outrage of the Arrians they assembled in priuate houses And at Constantinople we reade Sozom. l. 8. c. 21. 27. that the Orthodoxes for the vniust exile of Chrysostome did forsake the temples to come together in priuate First at Constantine his cestern thē without the citie in a kind of old theatre finally during the sharpnes rage of the persecution Socrat. l. 6. c. 18 Chrysost ho. 46. in Math. sometimes vnder close walks in the suburbs somtimes in the fields Wherupon Chrysost saith in certain places We haue retained the fundamental points of doctrine howsoeuer we haue left for them the foundations groundworks of the temples wals thereof Now the places of Christian assemblies according to the diuersitie of the time and manner of building had diuers names In Actes 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a high hall in other places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 houses then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 places or houses of praier Dominica the Lords places Martyria because they met in the places of the Martyrs their sepulchers for the kindling of their zeale As they grew in the faith about the time of Constantine they called them Basilicae borrowing their names from the pallaces where Princes were wont to sit and hold their assises Then Temples at such time as Christendome fell to gratifie and temporize with Paganisme as is to bee seene in the time of Saint Augustine S. Ierome c. And in the end the thing containing taking the name of the contained they were called Churches because that the Church was there assembled as prophane authors doe say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lueia in Dial. Merc. Maiae to make cleane the Church or assemblie or banquet that is the place where these things should be done In this first antiquitie it is not read that they were built or dedicate to any other then God onely To whom they were built Sozomen l. 2. c. 3. Euseb l. 3. de vit Constant l. 5. c. 2. Sozom. l. 2. c. 26. Socrat. l. 1. c. 16 and therefore were called Dominica 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and from thence came the name Kirke as yet in vse amongst the Germains And Constantine did not vse to doe any otherwise and therein they had a purpose to differ from the Paganes In the place of Christes sepulcher he builded a stately Church Eusebius calleth it Martyrium magnum because saith hee it was consecrate to Iesus Christ the great and faithfull Martyr c. At Constantinople hee named one Irenen by reason of the peace of the Gospell and another the Church of the Apostles because of their doctrine but both of them dedicated vnto the Sonne of God For as concerning that which is read in Nicephorus that Constantine did dedicate the citie of Constantinople 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Mother of God Langus although a Romanist hath verie well noted and proued from Eusebius that the accent is abused taking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dei genitricem for Deo genitum that is the mother of God for the Sonne of God where there is nothing to make the difference but onely the accent And Nicephorus in another place acknowledgeth the same Niceph. l. 8. c. 49. l. 7. c. 49. Athan. in lib. de passione Domini August aduersus Maxim In Athanasius but this little booke cannot be his the Iewes of Beryta being conuerted did dedicate their Sinagogue vnto the Sauiour of the world and many others afterward by their example And Saint Augustine also reasoneth from thence against Maximinus the Arrian If we build saith he a temple of stone and of wood vnto any holy Angell be he neuer so excellent should we not be accursed of the truth of Christ and of the church of God seeing that thereby wee shoulde giue vnto the creature the seruice which is due vnto none but vnto God onely Idem de ciuitat Dei l. 8. c. 27. l. 22. c. 10. August in Psalm 94. As likewise he teacheth in euerie other place that the temples the pastors the sacrifices are not belonging or due to any but to God Vni magno debentur And that there was not any temples or altars built vnto the Martyrs Because saith he they are no Gods but haue the same God that wee haue but although there bee sepulchers built for them memorias sicut hominibus mortuis they are but as memorials of dead men whose soules notwithstanding liue in the presence of God Whereby we learne that if we reade yea though it were in his time or somewhat after as abuses crept in that there were places of prayer as chappels chauncels or temples called by the names of Martyrs or
had no calling to doe it There the first booke stayeth without speaking of any sacrifice or praier for the deade The second book goeth further Iuda saith it hauing beaten Gorgias came to carry away the bodies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his countrimen which had beene slaine before for to burie them who found vnder the garmentes of euery one of them which had beene slaine things sacrificed to idols Euery man iudged them worthily punished and gaue glory vnto God praying him that he would blot out this sinne or rather as it is in the best copies that they might not bee quite raced out that is to say that they might not bee vtterly rooted out for this sinne But Iuda did openly make knowne vnto the people this notable iudgement to the end they might beware and keepe themselues from sinne c. he maketh a collection of twelue thousand groates or rather according to the Greeke of two thousand which he sendeth into Ierusalem for to offer in sacrifices for the sinne For the sinne simply that is to say of the people to the end that it might not be as that of Achan namely imputed to all in generall and not for the sinnes of the dead Biblia impressa madatu Concil Trident â—ub Sixt. 5. Clem. 8. Missal in anniuersariis defunctorum triginta Missale reformatum Pii 5. as our aduersaries haue corruptly falsly turned the same in certaine of their Bibles and those imprinted by the authoritie of the Councell of Trent and as they reade it as yet vnto this day in their Masse bookes Hitherto according to the law Iosua 7. Deuteronomie 21. That which followeth goeth further that is that it pretendeth also that the oblation of these groates did serue for the purging away and blotting out of the prouocation of that sinne committed by the dead But now we are to see how farre this may make for purgatorie It appeareth that Iuda ought not to belieue or doe this either by reason of the law or in respect of any example of the fathers or yet by reason of any custome receiued in the church for it is not spoken of in all the scripture And in deed the Author himselfe giuing his iudgement theron sheweth sufficiently that he doth it by way of a particular discourse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dealing verie honestly and ciuillie saith he in discoursing vppon the resurrection And it is likewise as apparant that it was not in any consideration of Purgatorie but rather saith he of the last resurrection In so much as that the intention and drift of this prayer properly was that this sinne might not be imputed vnto them in the day of the iudgement of the Lord which shall bee at the generall resurrection a praier which conueieth not either good or euil vnto the dead no more then that of Paul for Onesiphorus when hee was aliue 2. Tim. 1. Ingolstadienses The Lord giue him to find mercie with the Lord in that day For as for that which certaine Iesuites say that hee speaketh of the mysticall resurrection from sinne and not of the actuall there needes no more but the reading of the text to refute them It appeareth likewise by our aduersaries their doctrine that this praier and sacrifice could not be to draw them out of Purgatory For the sinne according to their owne distinction was mortall being idolatrie which is treason against the Maiestie of God that in the highest degree Now purgatorie is not for mortall sinnes Againe God say they doth neuer punish one and the same thing twise But it was saith the Author for this sinne that they had beene slaine and that euerie man did iudge it so wherefore they were not to haue inflicted vpon them any more temporall punishment that is to say any purgatorie Againe purgatorie say they doth not satisfie for the fault but for the punishment and notwithstanding Iudas doeth there offer a sacrifice for sinne which was neuer offred in the law for the punishment onely but for the fault wherefore it followeth that in that his action hee had no mind of purgatory so much as to thinke once thereof so farre was he from the thing For the Author addeth He considered that those which were dead in a true godly sort could not faile to find grace and fauour which is saith he by a parenthesis a sound and wholesome thought And so it is in the Greeke text far differing from that which they pretend namely that all lesse or more may bee supposed to stand in need to bee freed from purgatorie But say they yet he praid for the dead let it be so How beit we shal see by and by that it is but an euill argument to go about to proue purgatory because of such praiers And on the contrary we haue reason to belieue seeing that according to the doctrine of the Church of Rome it selfe this place cannot stand with purgatory that this sacrifice hath no other end as may appeare by the text but to pray vnto God that in the last resurrection he wold be fauorable vnto theÌ„ But there is more in the matter Iudas did it say they therefore it is wel done That we deny How many actions do we reade of in the scriptures of famous men which notwithstanding are not to be imitated In the church of God men liue by his lawes not by our owne examples neither do we see in deed since the time of the Machabees vnto the comming of Christ that this example was euer followed in the Church The mourning also and lamentation made for Lazarus is contrarie hereunto Ioh. 11. And as concerning that the author of this booke doth approue it so hee did the fact of Razias who murthered himselfe And this is the cause why S. Augustine sayeth to the Donatistes which woulde haue made it a good consequent That these bookes ought to be read soberlie and the same libertie haue wee to aunswere our aduersaries after the same sort in a different and diuerse cause but about the same author To bee short this seconde booke of the Machabees doth approue prayer for the dead but to bring them to bee allowed by the Church it is requisite that they should first bee allowed of by the word and all this notwithstanding as wee haue seene doth not make any thing for Purgatorie Insomuch as that of so manie textes alleadged out of the olde Testament wee haue seene them by the confession of Perion to haue not so much as one left them besides this same as being put besides all holde and proofe in the Canonicall and tyed to one onelie Apocrypha text and that such a one as is the most Apocrypha of all the rest and yet euen that cannot stand match with Purgatorie Whereupon wee conclude here That Purgatorie hath not anie one foundation or ground in all the olde Testament not anie one in all the Church of Israel where notwithstanding it seemed to haue beene most
Hell by all the old writers But yet they fall to worke vpon the words contained in the same Chapter Luk. 16.9 Make you friends of the vnrighteous Mammon to the end that when you shallwant they may receiue you into euerlasting tabernacles In so much as that here Bellarmine taketh vppon him to crie victorie on their side because that Peter Martyr hath past this place without answere Our Lord warneth vs by the example of the vniust Steward to make vs friends of our riches to the end that as hee did make him friends that did receiue him when he was out of office and credite so likewise we should doe the same by our Almes that so when we shall be called from our stewardship for wee are no better then Stewards they may receiue vs into euerlasting Tabernacles And this is according to that which is said in an other place That euen a cup of cold water giuen in the name of Christ is not without his reward These friends they are the poore but together therewithall honest and vertuous These Tabernacles are eternall life These friends they themselues doe vnderstand that they are to die before vs and there is not any one of the Fathers that haue expounded it otherwise this is verie farre from staying behind to helpe vs with their suffrages Or that it resteth for them to gather vs to heauen and therefore also farre enough off from being able to draw vs out of Purgatorie But and if we must allegorize to whome shall we cleaue and sticke Tertullian saith Tertull. de fuga in persecut that our Lord exhorted the Iewes who had not plaid the good Stewards with the goods that God had committed vnto them to make them friends therewithall De Mammonae hominibus with the men of Mammon that is of the Gentiles saith he by raysing them from the debt of sinne that so grace wasting they should receiue them into the Christian faith S. Augustine and S. Ambrose doe vnderstand it Ambros in Luc. August de Ciuit Dei l. 21. cap. 27. That wee must giue vnto the Saints in this world that they maey pray for vs in the other Who doubteth of their charitie who liue with him that is charitie it selfe or that they doe desire the kingdome of God and the saluation of the elect and chosen But what is there of all this that hath bene said Hieronim ad Algas quaest 6 that agreeth with Purgatorie As for S. Ierome who handleth this question of purpose in writing vnto Algasia after that he hath examined all the words in particular he alleadgeth likewise a certaine Allegorie of Theophilus Bb. of Antiochia who of this steward maketh S. Paul begetting and winning Christians with the learning which he had got vnder the Law that they might receiue him into their houses c. that is to say into heauen And in the end he commeth to this point That wee must make vs friends of our goods and those not of all sorts of poore but such as may receiue vs into heauen that is such as are honest and godly to the end that hauing giuen them a little we may receiue much and giuing to an other may enioy the things that are ours sowing blessedly and bountifully Chrysost in Ep. ad Hebr. Bernard in de clam Ecce nos rellquimus omnia that wee may also reape blessedly and bountifully c. Chrisostome also who toucheth this place sundrie times doth likewise expound it at large vpon the Epistle to the Hebrewes but draweth no other doctrine from it And as for Purgatorie not a word of it Neither yet Saint Bernard Cardinall Hugo Cardinall Caietan nor Ferus himselfe Bellarmine saith Remember me O Lord when thou commest into thy kingdome this good man saith he had neuer spoken this Luk. 23. if he had not belieued that sinnes were forgiuen after this life But yet what maketh this to Purgatorie Seeing it cannot stand with the doctrine of the Schoolemen who affirme that Purgatorie is for such as whose sinnes are alreadie remitted But Bellarmine dooth except the small and pettie sinnes But in this place the question is of the greatest And of whome would he desire to be better assured in that respect then of the good theefe himselfe Who saith Remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome Or of our Sauiour himselfe who aunswereth him To day thou art not in Purgatorie but in Paradice with me And is hee able to name any one of the Fathers euen of the latest who hath gathered this doctrine hence In the Actes 2. Acts. 2.24 Whome God hath raysed againe hauing vnloosed the paines of hell or of death because it was impossible that he should be held of it From hence Bellarmine frameth this conclusion Christ after his death could not suffer paines therefore this place is not to bee vnderstood of his paines but of those of the Fathers and not of those which were in Hell for out of Hell there is no redemption Neither of those in the Lymbes for they suffered not it remaineth then that it must needes bee spoken of those that were in Purgatorie The truth is that this text may bee read two manner of waies in the most part of the Copies there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the paines of death not of hell Epiphan in anchorat in anacephal And if Epiphanius whome Bellarmine alleadgeth haue read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in one place in an other he hath read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now this being so he will neuer bee able to find his Purgatorie in this hell Let vs graunt them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifieth both the Graue and Hell but without all doubt in this place the Graue for it is alleadged for the resurrection of our Lord together with the place of Dauid alleadged by Saint Peter Thou wilt not leaue my soule in Graue And whereas he saith that it cannot bee vnderstood of Christ for that he indured no paines after his death I answere that it cannot be vnderstood but of him because it was said that it was not possible for him to bee held either of death or of the Graue which cannot bee said of the Fathers which cannot be spoken but of our Sauiour God and man Seeing also that which followeth For Dauid saith of him I saw the Lord alwates c. But Dauid neuer said this of any of the Fathers So that to deliuer our selues from the doubt and difficultie that is in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may receiue a good Exposition wee fall into such a sence and signification as cannot by any meanes be raised or drawne from it And as concerning that we say that the paines of death are vnloosed not onely in that our Sauiour is risen againe but also in as much as in his resurrection the rule and dominion of death is destroyed and laide waste And here it is not lightly to bee
Hell and Purgatorie That all whatsoeuer miserie all the men in this world had indured from Adam vnto that time did not come any thing neere vnto the paines and punishment that is therein c. And that had not Saint Ierome come in the meane time they had beene neere to haue receiued the sentence of condemnation for not hauing belieued it c. Thus we may see a thing then which nothing is more naturall the doctrine of lyes maintained and nourished by a lie it selfe CHAP. X. What prosperous proceeding Purgatorie attained vnto in the Church of Rome and by what degrees IN the ende after that our aduersaries cannot all this while make choyse of any one of the Fathers to whose opinion they may trust and hold themselues in this matter of Purgatorie for wee freely permit and allow them their choyse out of them all notwithstanding that wee haue runne through the space of those fiue hundred yeares next after our Lord Purgatorie affirmed and avouched by Gregorie Anno. 600. Deut. 18.11 Esay 8.19 August de cura pro mortuis gerend Vpon what foundation he buildeth his doctrine Gregor Magn. in Dialog they are constrained to haue recourse to Gregorie Bb. of Rome liuing about the yeare 600 euen vnto that Gregorie which of the custome of the Gentiles made a Law in the Church of Christ of Origen his curiosities a necessarie deuotion of the speculations of the olde Fathers who had gone before him a grounded principle and firme Maxim and of S. Augustines doubt an affirmatiue doctrine but grounded also altogether vpon other raasons then had bene alleadged by the former as reuelations apparitions of spirits and others such like delusions directly contrarie to that which is said in the Law Who so goeth to aske counsell of the dead is an abhomination vnto the Lord as also against the Maxim which S. Augustine is so carefull for to proue That the soules of the dead intermeddle not with the affaires of those that are aliue The doctrin then of S. Gregorie in brief is That as at the breake of the day and in a browne colour the darke is mingled with the light is called the twylight so the neerer we come to the day of iudgement so much the more inter-course and communitie shall there bee betwixt spirits and men What solide or sound stuffe can hee picke out of this foundation seeing hee presupposeth and setteth downe the end of the world to bee as then And this is the cause why saith hee that men doe attaine speaking of his owne time to know the estate and condition of Soules a thing lesse knowne to such as went before Of Paschasius his soule he learneth how that it indured his Purgatorie amidst the scaldings of hotte waters because that in a certaine schisme falling out amongst the Popes he tooke part with Laurence not with Symmachus And thereupon he inferreth that good soules which halt and come short be it neuer so little in the workes of righteousnesse are detained kept backe for a like proportion of time from the inioying of heauen From the soule of a certaine Lord how that it serued at the bathes to pull off the hose and shoes of all such as came to them vntill the time that a certain Priest to whom it made it selfe knowne had offered two loaues such as had beene accustomed to bee offered for it As also from the soule of a Monke who died hauing in store the summe of three Crownes how when there was a holy day kept in his name it receiued the Communion in Purgatorie c. Hee inferreth that when the trespasses are not vnpardonable there is meanes to procure a remedy and helpe for the same by the offering of a sacrifice c. And his Dialogues are full of such friuolous tales Howsoeuer that Schoolemen doe not admit into Purgatorie any faults or sinnes how sleight so euer but the paines and punishment only he concludeth notwithstanding that there is no way to be followed but to do well so long as we are here without trusting to that which may be done afterward But what manner of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what steadfastnes of faith is there in all this Or rather what hath it but it may giue vs to belieue that these were spirits of deceipt watchfull and painefull in their craft and occupation euen in perswading the world to that which might deceiue them Tertullian saith Tertull. de Anima c. 5.7 These apparitions are but the mockeries and deceits of the euill spirit who carrieth himselfe priuily vnder the shapes of liuing men or masked and disguised after the manner of men deceased c. God hath sufficiently declared vnto vs in the parable of the poore and rich man that Hell is not open for any to come forth c. no not to winne credite to Moyses and the Prophets c. To be short all manner of representation or apparition of soules that is without body is nothing else but a delusion nothing else but witchcraft Chrysostome after the same manner Chrysost hom 29. in Math. hom 13. Idem de Lazaro hom 4. The possessed with Diuels will crie sometimes vnto thee and say I am the soule of such a one but wilt thou belieue it No not so saith hee for this speech commeth of the fraud and deceipt of the Diuell It is not the soule of any dead person that speaketh so but it is the Diuell that counterfeiteth the deepelier to deceiue and abuse the people For of a certaintie the soule seperated from the body goeth not vp and down wandring in these lower regions the soules of the righteous are in the hand of God those of the sinners after this life are quickly by force carried away The historie of Lazarus and the rich man doth proue the same vnto vs. And againe Wouldest thousee that the doctrine of the Scriptures and of the Prophets is of an other manner of weight then that of the dead which rise againe consider and know that whosoeuer the dead partie may be yet he is a seruant but as for the Scriptures it is the Lord which speaketh in them And therefore though a dead man reuine and liue againe though an Angell come downe from heauen yet let vs principally belieue the Scriptures For the Author of them is as wel the Lord of the dead as of the liuing of men and of Angels And therefore what the Scriptures teach vs most clearely let vs not goe about to learne of the dead c. And there is an Article in the auncient Synodes That such visions vnder the colour of soules are of the Diuell But what then may we thinke that Tertullian or Chrysostome would haue said to Gregorie Verily that these visions had beene of the Diuell Verily and his Purgatorie also a doctrine of Diuels And againe some haue doubted of these Dialogues that they were not his because that in the rest of his bookes hee seemeth to be more graue And
we reiect and cast of that which it offereth vs and particularly it condemneth the Pharisies for that they denie Christ promised in the law Moyses on the contrarie that is to say this same doctrine dooth iustifie vs worketh with vs vnto saluation when we embrace Christ at whome it altogether aimeth according to that which is said afterward If you belieue Moyses you will also belieue me for it is written of me Iohn 5.39 And the Pharisies hoped in him that is to say in this doctrine according to that which hee said in former times Search the Scriptures for you thinke to haue eternall life by them c. And in the same sence Abraham aunswered the rich man They haue Moyses and the Prophets Not Moyses in the flesh not Moyses in the soule but Moyses as likewise the Prophets in the doctrine What should then the question of the intercession of Moses doe here Origen To belieue Moyses that is to say the writings and workes of Moses Orig in Ep. ad Fom l. 4 c. 4. Basill de Spir Sanct c. 14. Cirill in Ioh. l 3. c. 8. And by consequent to be accused by Moses that is to say by the law giuen by the Ministers of Moses S. Basill It is the custome of the Scripture to vnderstand vnder the name of Moyses the Law as when it is said they haue Moses and the Prophets Cyril more clearely intreating vpon this place When as saith he all others did hold their peace the Lord said that Moyses law alone did suffice to condemne the incredulitie of the Iewes Cardinal Hugo Moyses that is to say the Scripture or Law giuen by Moses Caietanus goeth yet further Caiet in Ioh. c. 5. The Iewes are accused by Moyses for that his writings declare them worthie of punishment in not belieuing in Iesus the Iewes also are said to hope in Moses because they generally hoped in the promises contained in the said writings but they acknowledged not the fulfilling of the same Iesus In the 2. Peter 1.15 I am saith he shortly to goe out of this my Tabernacle as our Lord himselfe hath declared vnto me 2. Pet. 1.15 but I will doe my indeuour that after my departure also you may continually call to mind these things that is pietie charitie brotherly loue c. Here they affirme that this shall be by his intercession in heauen But we that this shall bee by his diligence in instructing them well before that he goe out of this world that is as he hath said in the former verses By continually bringing it to their remembrance And the text is verie cleare and plaine for the same for he doth not say Dabo operam post obitum meum vt possitis but Vt possitis post obitum meum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say I wil haue care that after my death you may remember your selues and not I will haue care after â—y death c. That which followeth teacheth it For we haue not taught you the power and comming of our Lord in the deceitfulnesse of fables c. The Glose saith Jnterim dum venio dabo operam c. As long as I liue I will giue order or I will doe my endeuour c. And as for the alleadging of Oecumenius saying that certaine would collect heereof by the figure called Hyperbaton that is to say a long draught of words the intercession of Saints it had beene their dutie in like maner for the discharge of a good conscience to haue added that which followeth That others which handle the same more simply do vnderstand it thus That wheras he so carefully laboureth to imprint this doctrine in them it is not for that he doubteth them to be egnorant but to the end that they might abide the more firme after his death Caiet 2. Pet. 1. At the least they should haue held themselues to Caietanus I wil giue order that is in my life time that you may haue after my death books which may put you in remebrance of this doctrin In the Apocalips 5. Apocal. 1.8 the foure beasts and the foure and twentie Elders haue harps in their hands and Viols of gold full of perfumes Which are saith S. Iohn the prayers of the Saints therefore they must be imployed as intercessors for vs. Now it is not called in question whether they pray or praise God or no but if they make intercession to God for the things which wee particularly and by name pray vnto them for and againe if we may and ought to imploy them for intercessors with God for vs. And this cannot be gathered out of this place but rather that they praise God and pray vnto him And this praier without any further gessing of it doth follow in the next verse Thou art worthie to take the booke and to open the Seales thereof c. for thou hast bought and purchased vs to God by thy bloud out of euerie tribe and language c. And then not to imploy their merits with God for vs in stead of that of the Lambe but rather to acknowledge the bloud of the Lambe imployed for themselues And that maketh yet lesse for them Apocal. 8.3 which they further alleadge out of the fore part of the eight Chapter where the Angell standeth before the Altar with a Censor of gold wherein there were many perfumes giuen vnto him either to offer vp with the praiers of all the Saints or rather according to the Greeke to adde it to the praiers of the Saints vpon the Altar of gold which is before the throne For this Angell saith their Glose is Christ himselfe offering vnto God his father the petitions of the faithfull which are acceptable and well pleasing to him for his sake S. Ambros Aug. Primas Andraeas Caes in Apocal. Ambrose expoundeth this whole place of the teachers of the Church euerie man in his age That Christ openeth then the booke when by his holy spirit hee manifesteth vnto them the sence of the Scriptures that they fall downe before the Lambe when they are raised to the meditation of his mysteries and by consequent are humbled in themselues that these odors are their praiers whereof the Psalmist speaketh Let my praier ascend vp vnto thee as the perfume of incense c. And vpon the eight Chapter he taketh Christ for the Angell Ambros in Apocal c 8. the Church for the Altar c. and maketh many sorts of incensings praiers of the Saints For saith he the faithfull pray when they aske forgiuenesse of their sinnes when they giue almes when they forgiue their neighbours when they obserue and keepe the commaundements of God c. August Primas Andr. Caesar Thom. Aquin. in Apoc. c. 5. l. 8 And not a word of the praiers of the Saints that are dead for vs or of vs praying to them And as little in S. Augustine Primasius Andreas Bb. of Caesarea Thomas
they know likewise not to bee his c. But S. Augustine did neuer thinke to winne heauen by any other meanes then the merite of the onely Christ for his Maxim is vniuersall August ad Hieronym de natura origi animarum Idem in quaest veter Nou. test q 73. That there is not any one soule in all mankind thus hee writ vnto S. Ierome for the deliuerance whereof the Mediator of God and men Iesus Christ the man is not requisite and necessarie Not so much as the Virgine Marie excepted seeing that he saith after many of the fathers going before That the Virgine in whome was wrought the mysterie of the incarnation of Christ did doubt as much in the death of our Sauiour Christ as shee was confirmed by his resurrection What doe we get by this discourse Verily that vnto the time of S. Chrysostome and S. Augustine that is to say neere hand fine hundred yeares after the death of our Lord there was no Inuocation of Saints in the Christian Church nor any mention of the same in the seruice of the Church that it was practised onely by the particular deuotions of some few which they had learned for the most part out of the Schoole of the Gentiles and that there were great personages at those times that laboured to represse them by the opposing and setting of the pure doctrine against them as wee haue seene by their disputations And if that they did speake so at such time as those myracles which it pleased God to worke for the confirmation of the faith and the approuing of his Martyrs were most fresh and new what would they haue said of that which we see at this day when wee pray not vnto God as then in the burying places of the Martyrs but vnto the Martyrs themselues yea and to all the sorts of pretended Saints both directly as the authors of good things and without any mention made of God and in their images And whereas they scrape together here and there some places that seeme to make for them some of them being true but ill translated some manifestly fained and deuised and some drawne from Rhetoricke to make proofes and reasons in Diuinitie what other thing may they seeme to be hereby but Spiders which out of most wholesome hearbs doe sucke poyson whereas the Bees doe gather sweetnesse out of the most bitter And here withall let vs not forget to obserue and note that at this time and manie ages after it was indifferent in the Church whether the faithfull departing out of this world were by and by gathered vnto God and inioyed his presence or else that they continued expecting the day of the resurrection in the bosome of Abraham in a place of most blessed rest from thence to bee receiued into heauen all together Which is more Ireneus Iustine Tertullian Origen Saint Ambrose Saint Augustine Saint Chrysostome Bernard Serm. 4. in sest omnium Sanct. Idem Serm. 3. Theodoret c. yea Saint Barnard no lesse then all the rest doe incline to belieue rather that they are reserued vnto the resurrection without the inioying of the presence of God Now the case so standeth that the Inuocation of Saints is grounded vpon intercession and their intercession vpon the sight and presence of God according to our Aduersaries their owne doctrine Whereupon it followeth that the Inuocation of Saints could not haue any ground to grow vpon in the Church all this time neither yet shall hereafter in any sure or certaine sort according to Saint Barnard his iudgement who liued not aboue three hundred yeares since seeing he stood more vppon this opinion then any other the Inuocation of Saints beeing such as could not match with this doctrine CHAP. XV. Of the growth and proceeding of the corruption of Inuocation both in the Greeke and Latine Churches NOw when these great lights of the Church S. Ierome S. Augustine S. Chrysostome Epiphanius and such like were put out there is no cause why we should maruaile if the Prince of darknesse The proceeding of the abuse in the Greeke church did thriue prosper mightily in a short time as also by the assistance of the ignorance which was brought into Europe at such time as the barbarous nations did ouerrunne and swarme in the same In the East Church they had beene drencht with the Apostrophes of Basill Nazianzene Ephrem and others but the Inuocation of Saints was not yet entred into their seruice onely they had receiued the Commemoration of them the prints and footesteps whereof remaine to be seene in these words In Liturg. Iacobo Basilio Chrysost attribut In calling to our minds the holy Virgine Patriarkes Prophets Apostles Martyrs c. We recommend them and our selues and our whole life vnto God c. Speeches so farre from bearing any inuocating of them as that they comprehend and include them in the same recommendation as also in the same worke of the grace of God with our selues following that opinion which they had currant amongst them that they were not as yet receiued into perfect blisse Likewise we haue a Church rule in S. Basill Basil in asceti c. 40. free from the fierie heate of his boyling Rehetoricke When saith he the Christians come to the Sepulchers of the Martyrs or into the adioyning places it must be looked vnto that it bee to no other end but to pray Idem hom 19 and to bee stirred vp to the imitating of their constancie by the recording and calling of them to mind For saith he in an other place by the calling to mind of their good deedes there ariseth profit vnto vs as of the vsing of an excellent parfume a good smel Anno. 500. Niceph. l. 15. c 18. But now one Petrus Gnapheus Bishop of Antioch ordaineth that in all publike praiers in his Church and note that his Patriarchall prerogatiue extended verie farre the inuocating of the Virgine Marie should bee vsed And this Peter was a most pernicious hereticke condemned in the fift generall Councell held at Constantinople for the heresie of the Theopaschites whereof hee was the Author teaching that God himselfe euen as hee was God was crucified and did suffer vppon the Crosse The mischiefe whose nature is neuer to bee idle went forward with speed The second Councell of Nice about the yeare eight hundred establishing the worshipping of Images ordained the Inuocation of Saints And it is likewise much about the same time that Euagrius the Monke brought in the King of Persia praying vnto Saint Sergius in these words That he and Syra his loue did hope in his power and belieue in him Damascen about the yeare eight hundred praieth himselfe vnto the Virgine Marie I shall saith he be saued by hoping in thee and hauing thee for my defence J will not feare any thing In thy Almightie helpe I shall put mine enemies to flight thou art the saluation of mankind open vs the doore of mercie c. And