with all popish recusants neuer to pay their debts to loyall christian subiects This assertion because it is strange to good christian eares cannot but bee obscure and hardly vnderstood for explication sake wee must note two principles of lately coyned romish religion First that our most gratious soueraigne Queene Elizabeth and al her faithfull subiects are flatte heretiques Secondly that all her maiesties dominions with all the landes and goods of her loyall obedient and christian subiects are the Popes due vnto him from the first day of the profession of their loyall obeysance and of the true ancient christian romain catholike and apostolike faith That these be their principles their best writers doe testifie their Iesuite Bellarminus their Canonists Nauarrus and Couarrunias their Diuines Syluester and Medina their religious friers Fumus and Alphonsus with many others Vppon these rotten principles of their newe no religion they grounde their most execrable dispensation to witte that it is lawfull for all popish recusants by reason of such dispensations to withholde what landes and goods soeuer from all such as wil not yeelde themselues captiues to the brutish bondage of poperie Hereof it commeth first that so many this daie make conscience to bee absent from diuine seruice in the church who haue no conscience at all to pay their debts Hereuppon it commeth secondlie that manie repute it deadlie sinne once to heare a godlie sermon who thinke it no sinne at all to owe great summes of money and neuer to pay the same Heereuppon it commeth thirdlie that sundrie recusants haue so intayled their landes and so fraudulently away their goods and that of late yeares as no law enforceth them to pay their debts to their poore creditors Hereupon it commeth fourthly that her maiesty is defrauded her faithfull subiects impouerished the Popes vassals enriched the lawes of the realme contemned and domestical rebellion fostered It therefore behooueth good Magistrates to haue speciall regarde hereof Good lawes are established but slowly in many places executed God of his mercie either conuert dissembling hypocrites soundly or else for the common good of his church confound them euerlastingly for a greater and more pestilent plague cannot come vnto the Church then to haue such magistrates as pretend publiquely to fauour it and yet are secret enemies to the same qui potest capere capiat this kind of popish pardoning my selfe though then a papist could neuer brooke but so soone as I vnderstood it did sharplie impugne the same The mediate externall sabboth is that which God appointeth mediately by his church in the new Testament to wit the sunday which is our christian sabboth And here obserue that when I say by the church I specially vnderstand the supreme gouernour of the Church much lesse doe I exclude the same which obseruation shall be made manifest before the end of my discourse And because no veritie doth clearely appeare vntill the difficulties and doubts be plainely vnfolded I will propound in order the greatest obiections that can be made against the same framing briefe pithie and euident solutions thereunto The first obiection The Sabbatharies contend with tothe and naile that christians are no lesse bound this day to keepe the legall sabboth then were the Israelites in time of Moses law and they proue it because God blessed the seuenth day and sanctified it which sanctification was nothing else but a commaundement to keep it holy as appeareth by the declaration made by Moses Againe bicause this sanctification was forthwith after the creation and therefore as all nations are bound to make a memoriall of the creation as well as the Israelites so must all nations as well as the Israelites keepe holy the seauenth day that is the day of rest after the creation which is our saturday and vpon which day the Iewes still keepe their sabboth The answere I say first that there is no precept in the olde or new Testament by which either the Gentiles then or christians now are bound to keepe the legall sabboth I say secondly that albeit it could be proued that the fathers before the law had kept it yet would it not follow that wee were bound by their ensample this day to keepe the same for otherwise we shoulde be bound to offer vp bloudy sacrifices as they did both before and after the deluge The second obiection God speaking of the sabboth saide it should be a signe betweene him and the children of Israel for euer and hee added for in sixe dayes the Lorde made heauen and earth and in the seauenth day rested therefore all nations are bound to keepe the sabboth of the seauenth day The answere I say first that the word euer is not taken there simpliciter but secundum quid as the schooles tearme it that is not for eternitie or for the duration of this life but for all the time from Moses vnto Christ which was 1495. yeares I say secondly that though the sabboth be not eternall as it is ceremoniall which I shall prooue by and by yet is it eternall in the thing signified that is ceasing from sin and rest in God which shall be accomplished in heauen for euermore The third obiection The decalogue was before Moses and this day is of force for the Gentiles were bound before the promulgation of the law written in the tables of stone and we christians after the translation of the law to abstaine from blasphemie periurie theft murder whoredome couetousnesse fraudulent dealing and the like as were the Iewes in time of the law The answere I answere that whereas the law of Moses was partly iudiciall partly ceremonial and partly morall the morall part being the verie lawe of nature engrauen in mens hearts in the hour of their natiuities as it was before Moses so shall it endure to the worlds end but all ceremonies which were types and figures of the promises made in Christ Iesus were accomplished and abolished in his sacred aduent such was the circumcision giuen to Abraham the sacrifices commanded to our first fathers and the sabboth in respect of the determination vpon the seauenth day for it was not Gods will to continue shadowes after the things indeede were exhibited The fourth obiection A perpetuall cause requireth a perpetuall lawe and consequentlie since the memorie of the creation and meditation of Gods works is a perpetuall cause of the law of the seauenth day it followeth necessarily that the law of the seauenth day must still abide in force The answere I answer that the memorie of the creation is indeed a perpetuall cause of a perpetuall sabboth but not of a perpetual precise and determinate sabboth the reason hereof is euident because the memorie of our creation may be done as conueniently vpon another day as vpon the seauenth day thus my answere is confirmed because the sabboth which wee now keepe is not the seauenth day but the eight for our sunday is the first day of the weeke
The suruey of Popery Wherein the reader may cleerely behold not onely the originall and daily incrementes of Papistrie with an euident Confutation of the same but also a succinct and profitable enarration of the state of Gods Church from Adam vntill Christs ascension contained in the first and second Part thereof and throughout the third Part Poperie is turned vp-side downe 1. Cor. 13.11 When I was a child I spake as a childe but when I became a man I put away childish things LONDON Printed by Valentine Sims dwelling on Adling hill at the signe of the white Swanne 1596 To the right Honourable Lords Iohn the L. Archbishop of Canterburie his Grace one of her Maiesties most Honourable priuie counsell Matthew the L. Archbishop of Yorke Primate and Metropolitane of England Sir Thomas Egerton Knight the L. Keeper of the great Seale of England and to the right reuerend father in God Tobie the graue and learned Bishop of Durham Grace and peace from God our Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ. IF manie haue laudably emploied much time and studie right honourable and my very good Lordes and that onlie to attain skil in prophane stories much more doubtlesse are their studies commendable who haue spared no time no labour no watchinges no lucubrations to atchieue exact knowledge in the holie scriptures and histories ecclesiasticall verie necessarie for the accomplishment therof In which kind of neuer enough commended exercise sundrie vertuous learned men haue so profited the church of God as their worthie monumentes haue gotten theÌ„ immortal fame before God and al mortal men Yet such is the condition of our state during this pilgrimage of mortalitie that the best learned neither haue said neither can say so much but stil more very fruitfullie may be said therein For which cause very wisely wrote S. Austen that he did learn would learne daily euen to the last houre While I reuolued these matters deeplie with my selfe I found some writers tedious some obscure some confuse some abounding some wanting no one answerable to al desires In regarde whereof albeit I cannot bring gold siluer pearles hyacinths and pretious stones yet am I verie desirous to carrie morter to the building vp of the walles of Gods Sion not for that I thinke I can saie better then is alreadie saide by others as who acknowledge my selfe the meanest of manie thousandes but because I couet to supplie for the measure of my small talent such wantes for the common good of the simple sorte and of others who haue not store of bookes as heretofore I finde omitted in farre more learned workes What varietie what confusion what obscuritie what vncertaintie is amongst historiographers and Chronographers none doth know or can know sufficiently but he that doth studie the same seriously What is more necessary for the vnderstandig of the prophesie of Daniel then the perspicuous and exact enumeration of the 70 weeks theÌ„ the ready explicatioÌ„ of the 2300 daies theÌ„ the liuely purtraâ—te of the foure monarchies what helpeth more for the true vnderstaÌ„ding of the former latter prophets then to know when where of what matter and before whom they did pronounce their prophesâ—es What is more expedient then to know the two captiuities When where by whom and for what causes the Israelites and the Iewes were so afflicted what can yâ—eld greater solace to a christian heart then to behold as in a glasse of christal the original and daily incrementes of poperie liuely discouered before our eies when where and by whom and vpon what occasion al popish errors heresie and superstitions haue crept into the church what shal I saie of the time reignes and acts of the Emperours of Rome of their kings their Consuls their Dictators what of the kings of Babylon Ashur Egypt Macedonia Persia Syria what of the kings of Iuda and of Israel What of the birth of our sauiour Christ of his baptisme of his corporal conuersation among vs what of other infinite memorable actes recorded in the old and new testament what of manie excellent and golden lessons specified in the histories of the church All which and manie other important matters are compendiously and yet sufficientlie handled in this small volume and so contriued I hope as obscure things shal seeme plaine with such breuitie as nothing can be thought tedious with such plentie of matter as no necessarie point will be found wanting and with such methode as euerie childe maie with facilitie beare the same awaie The vsual maner is in al such kinde of exercises to make choise of some worthy personages for the honest and lawful protection of the same You my L. of Canturburie did harbour me a long time in your owne house There I enioyed euerie thing not as a prisoner but as a brother not as a stranger but as a deere friend not as a meane person but as one of farre better accompt then I either was then or yet am indeed You my L. of Yorke for rare curtesies receiued both of old and late daies haue made me greatly bound vnto your grace You my L. Keeper to speake nothing of your great zeale for the free passage of Christes gospel for the sincere preaching of his sacred word and for the common good of this realme haue aswel for your rare honourable fauour towards mine owne seelie selfe as for your late kinde acceptance of my treatise of vsurie deserued a far better thing at my hands You my L of Durham although as yet ye neuer saw my face haue neuerthelesse affoorded me such christian affection and rare benignitie as I haue not often found the like I therefore present vnto you my reuerend fathers and honourable Lordes all foure these fruites of my late studies as an infallible argument of my vnfeined good will for your honourable and manifold courtesies countenances and other benefites receiued at your handes Accept the present my honourable Lordes in good part respect not so much the person that giueth as the thing it selfe that is giuen not the value of the gift so much as the minde of the giuer not so much what is done as what the partie was willing to haue done who if it shal so please the Almightie will hereafter present larger giftes as time place and other circumstances shal affoord God vouchsafe to encrease his manifold good graces in you all and to multiply your daies vpon the earth for the free passage of his holy gospel and the peace of his church From my studie this tenth of August 1595. Your Lordships in all dutifull maner THOMAS BELL. To the Seminarie Priests in Wisbich Castle and else-where dispersed in this Realme TWo yeres are fully complete and expired since my booke of Motiues came abroad and was in your hands In it I promised to subscribe if either any one among you or other Papist in Europe whosoeuer could effectually confute the same Your owne Papists here at home greatly wonder at your silence in that
antecedent or preiacent matter He created man in such state as he neuer needed to haue sinned and consequently as he might haue liued for euer although he were indeede mortall For as by eating of the tree of knowledge hee sinned and consequently died euen so by eating of the tree of life he might haue preserued his life from time to time The meate of other trees yeelded food to man the tree of life as an wholesome medicine defended him from all corruption which vertue was either in the tree by some supernaturall inherent qualitie as sun drie of the auncient fathers holde or els the tree was a sacrament of Gods diuine grace by which man might haue liued eternally if he had neuer sinned as other learned writers think Which latter opinion I preferre for the better as which I iudge to be saint Austens yet the former is probable and can not easily be refeiled The second Section of mans sustentation Meate was necessarie for mans sustentation euen in the state of innocencie and it should euer so haue continued albeit man had neuer sinned for to this end did God plant so many trees in paradise giuing man leaue to eate thereof neither after sinne came any newe necessitie to eate but a speciall modification of eating was annexed thereunto for before sinne man did eate without labour but after sinne he was appointed to eate with the sweate of his browes The third Section of eating flesh Albeit the eating of flesh before the floud was not in vse as not then approued for good yet after the floud to eate flesh was granted vnto man Why it was then prohibited and after the floud granted no infallible reason can be alleaged yet two probable coniectures may be yeelded in that behalfe the one because in the beginning mens bodies were stronger and so needed lesse norishment the other because in those dayes the earth brought foorth better and more wholesome fruits CHAP. II. The first Section of the ages of the world and the duration thereof THe Iewes had a prophecie of Elias not Thesbites but one of their own Rabbins a Cabbalist mentioned in their Talmud or canon-law that the world should continue six thousand yeeres that is to say two thousand yeeres before the written setled law published by Moses two thousand yeeres in the time of circumcision and two thousand yeeres after Christs incarnation Which opinion wanteth not learned patrons for defence of the same albeit in my iudgement it cannot stand as shortly shall appeare The second Section of the ages of the world There be sixe ages of the world designed by all approued antiquitie After saint Austen the first age is from Adam to the floud the second to Abraham the third to Dauid the fourth to the captiuitie the fift to Christ the sixt to the end of the world which sixt and last age saith he cannot be measured with anie number of generations because the Father hath reserued in his owne power the knowledge of the last day This diuision of ages which saint Austen assigneth may wel be holden neuertheles because the diuision of ages into sixe before Christs first sacred aduent bringeth greater perspicuitie to the vnderstanding of the scriptures I will followe that course with other skilfull writers and make a pithie briefe declaration of the same The varietie of writers concerning the yeeres of the world vntil Christs holy incarnation is wonderfull euen so many opinions almost of those that I haue read and I haue read a good many as there be writers that handle the same After Eusebius Caesariensis the duration of the world till Christ is 5199 after the Hebrewes 3962 after the Septuagints 5328 after others 4121 after others 3929 after others 3969 after others more after some lesse This being true as it is most true indeede commendable must that labor be if any such can be found which in such different confusion shal deliuer a plaine manifestation of the trueth And because the trueth ought euer to be embraced by what mouth soeuer it be vttered albeit I seeme to swarue both from old and later writers yet let the gentle Reader affoord me his indifferent censure at least so far foorth as my iust and irrefringible probations shall euidently conuince and deserue Marke therefore my discourse attentiuely gentle Reader and then I trust this great and mighty controuersie will be plaine and easie to thee The first age The first age from the creation of the world to the floud containeth 1656. yeeres whereof for the Readers better satisfaction I put downe this plaine demonstration Adam was made of the dust of the earth in the end of the sixt day Genes 1. vers 27 31. Adam begate Seth when he was 130. yeres old Gen. 5. v. 3 Seth begat Enosh when he was 105. yeres old Gen. 5. v. 6 Enosh begat Kenan when he was 90. yeres old Gen. 5. v. 9 Kenan begat Malaleel being 70. yeeres old Gen. 5. ver 12 Malaleel begat Iared being 65. yeeres old Gen. 5. ver 15 Iared begat Henoch being 162. yeeres old Gen. 5. ver 18 Henoch begat Methusalem being 65. yeres old Ge. 5. v. 21 Methusalem begat Lamech being 187. yeeres olde Gene. 5. verse 25. Lamech begat Noah being 182. yeeres old Gen. 5. ver 28 Noah was 600. yeres old when the floud came Gen. 7. v. 6 The whole summe of yeeres is 1656. and six dayes 130 105 90 70 65 162 65 187 182 600 1656 Make addition and this summe will amount to 1656 to which adde sixe dayes before Adams creation The second age The second age from the deluge to the birth of Abraham containeth 353. yeres and ten dayes whereof this is a plaine demonstration The floud indured one whole yeere and ten dayes Gene. 8. verse 4.13 14. Sem the son of Noah begate Arphaxad two yeeres after the floud when himselfe was 100. yeeres old Gene. 11. verse 10. Arphaxad begat Shale or Shelah when he was 35. yeeres old Gen. 11. verse 12. Shale begate Heber when he was 30. yeres old Gen. 11. verse 14. Heber begat Peleg being 34. yeres old Ge. 11. verse 16. Peleg begat Rehu being 30. yeres old Gen. 11. verse 18. Rehu begat Sarug when he was 32. yeeres old Gen. 11. verse 20. Sarug begat Nahor being 30. yeres old Ge. 11. ver 22. Nahor begat Thare or Terah at 29. yeres Ge. 11. v. 24. Thare begat Abraham when he was 130. yeres old Gen. 11. verse 26. though it seemeth by the text that he was but 70. yeeres old This difficultie shalbe solued by and by The whole summe of yeeres is 315. 1 2 35 30 34 30 32 30 29 130 353 Make addition and this wil be the summe 353. A graue obiection against the supputation last rehearsed It is written Genes 11. verse 26. that Thare begat Abraham when he was but 70. yeeres olde therefore three score yeeres must be substracted from the number abouesaide that is from the
these expresse words Mens namque fuit Apostolorum non de diebus sancire festiuitatum sed conuersationem rectam dei praedicare culturam mihi ergo videtur quod sicut multa alia per prouincias ad consuetudinem venerunt sic Paschae festiuitas tradita sit eó quod nullus Apostolorum aliquid huic sanxisset For the meaning of the Apostles was not to make lawes for keeping holidaies but to preach the word of God and holy conuersation I therefore thinke that as many other things grew to a custome in diuerse countries so did also the keeping of Easter because none of the apostles made any lawe for the same Out of whose wordes I do note first that the scope of Christs apostles was this to preach the word of God not to appoint holidays Secondly that the keeping of Easter which is our sabbaoth was after the custome of the countrey Thirdly that the apostles made no lawe for the same Yea the first man in the world that made any positiue lawe for the christian sabbaoth was Constantine surnamed the Great who within three hundred and thirtie yeres after Christ about the 20. yere of his reigne to take away all contention in the church made a flatte Edict for the keeping of Friday and Sunday throughout the yeere Of this none can stand in doubt that shall pervse that fine Oration which Eusebius made de Laudibus Constantini the three and thirtieth yeere of his happy raigne This controuersie by the Emperours appointment was handled in the councill of Nice and immediatly after his decree which thing is euident by the saide Eusebius in his third booke de vitae Constantini and in his fourth booke hee affirmeth plainely that all subiect to the Romane empire were commaunded to abstaine from all bodily labour vppon the sundayes and fridayes Cassiodorus doeth prooue the same out of Sozomenus in these expresse wordes Die verò qui Dominicus vocatur quem Hebraei primam vocant Graeci autem soli distribuunt qui ante septimum est sanctuit à iudicijs aliÃsque causis vniuersis habere vacationem in eo tantum orationibus occupari The Emperour Constantine decreed that all people should cease from al sutes and other ciuil causes and consecrate themselues wholy vnto prayer vppon the Lordes day which the Iewes doe call the first day of the weeke and the Greekes doe terme Sunday as also vpon the friday The learned diuines in Germanie affirme directly that the Sunday may be altered These are their words Nam qui iudicant ecclesiae authoritate pro sabbato institutam esse diei Dominici obseruationem tanquam necessariam longè errant for they that thinke the church appointed the sunday to be kept for the sabbaoth of necessitie are deceiued grossely My third proofe is this Philippus Melancton Erasmus Roterodamus Iohannes Caluinus Petrus Martir Bullingerus and Vrsinus do all with vniforme consent yeelde so manifest testimonie to mine assertion as none doubtlesse that reade them attentiuely can without blushing deny the same Petrus Martir hath these words Quòd vnus dies certus in hebdomada cultui diuino mancipetur stabile firmum est an vero hic vel alius constituatur temporarium est ac mutabile That one day in the weeke must be assigned for diuine seruice it is constant firme and perpetuall but whether this or that day ought to be appointed for that purpose it is a thing that respects the time and may be changed Caluin in his Institutions after he hath commended the alteration of the saboth in the primitiue church affirmeth flatly that the day may yet be changed these be his wordes Neque sic tamen septenarium numerum morâ—r vt eius seruituti ecclesiam astringam neque enim ecclesias damnauero quae alios conuentibus suis solemnes dies habeant modò à superstitione absint Quod erit si ad solam obseruationem disciplinae ordinis bene compositi referantur Neyther do I for all that make such accompt of the seuenth day that I will haue the church tyed to keepe the same for I will not condemne churches which appoint other solemne dayes for their meetings so they be voide of superstition Which shal bee done if they appoint such tdayes onely for discipline and for comely order sake Vrsinus hath these words Summa est alligati sumus sabbato moraliter ceremonialiter in genere sed non in specie Hoc est ad aliquod ministerii publicè exercendi tempus sed non ad septimum vel aliquem alium certum diem This is the effect we are tied to the saboth morally and ceremonially in generall but not in speciall that is to say we are bound sometime to exercise the publike ministerie but wee are neither tied to the seauenth nor to any other certaine day And againe hee saith that all ceremonies appointed by the church may be altred againe by the counsell of the church Againe in another place he hath these expresse words Ecclesia christiana primum vel aliumdiem tribuit ministerio salua sua libertate the church of Christ hath libertie to appoint either the first day or some other day for Gods seruice To what end shoulde I alleage moe authorities for nothing can be more plainely spoken And as the church hath authoritie to alter the sabboth day so hath it power also which Bâ—llinger hath well obserued to appoint for the seruice of God certaine other festiuall dayes as the feast of the birth of our Lord of his incarnation circumcision passion resurrecâ—ion ascension and such like All which is this day verie prudently and laudably practised in the church of England An obiection If this your doctrine were true as you beare the world in hand it is then would it follow necessarily that there shoulde be no difference betweene the ordinance of God and man the reason seemeth euident because they both should be of like authoritie The answere I answere that they are not of like authoritie and I yeeld a double disparitie thereof for first the sabboth day is de iure diuino in generall albeit the determination thereof to this or that day in speciall be de iure humano but the other holidayes are both in generall and in speciall de iure humano Secondly because other holydaies are as well generally as specially appointed by man and therefore may be wholly abolished by the power of man But the sabboth day is generally appointed by God although the limitation thereof be reserued to his church and therefore notwithstanding that the church can limit the obseruation to this or that day yet can no power vpon earth wholly abolishe the same The fourth booke conteineth the description of the third Monarchie that is of the Greekes from Alexander vntill the Machabees CHAP. I. Of the originall of the monarchie and the circumstances of the same ALexander king of the Macedonians for his martiall
that the ternarie number doth not determine the apparitions in themselues but the diuersitie of dayes and times in which they were made for al apparitions made in one the same day are reputed named one The second doubt It is saide in these apparitions that Christ came into the middes of his Disciples and stoode among them euen when they were within the house the doores closely shut Wherby it appeareth euidently that Christs body may be both in heauen and in the sacrament at one and the same time for it no more repugneth for one bodie to bee in diuers places at once then for diuers bodies to be in one place at once Which latter is here verified of Christs body and the doore or walles of the house The answere I answere that God cannot by his absolute power make Christes body to be in diuers places at once not because there is any defect in God who is omnipotent but because contradiction is implied in the thing which should be done Which point I haue prooued euidently in the 12. preamble of my Booke of Motiues For the reasons there alleadged are effectuall if they be applied to this purpose In like maner I say that two bodies cannot be in one place at once because to haue parts without parts and to occupie place is of the formall and intrinsecall conceit of euery organicall and quantitatiue bodie such as Christes true body is Whereupon S. Augustine said truely and learnedly that if occupation or spaces of places be taken away from bodies they shall lose their essence and be no bodies at all So then the entrance of Christ into the house when the doors were shut and also his comming out of the sepulchre when the stone was vnrolled away neither doth nor can prooue that two bodies were in one place at once but that the doore and the stone gaue place for the time to Christes mightie power like as the red Sea gaue place to the Israelites and they passed through the middest thereof And as S. Peters chaines gaue place to his handes and as the Iron gate opened to him of it owne accord Furthermore if Christes bodie can be in ten thousand places at once as the papistes impudently auouch it must also follow that it may be in infinite places at once which is the heresie of the Vbiquitaries For after this maner did S. Hierome reason against Iohn the Bishop of Hierusalem when hee laboured to prooue that our bodies may liue without meate after the resurrection If a man may liue fourty daies without meate saith S. Hierome as Moses and Elias did by the power of God then doubtles may he liue eternally by the same power of God In fine this veritie is made euident by that argument which Gods angel made to Mary Magdalen and the other Mary comming to see the sepulchre And because the argument is of force to confound all papistes in the world if it be well vrged I will alledge the argument as it is in the originall and then make effectuall application thereof These are the expresse wordes of the holy Euangelist Saint Matthew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee is not heere for he is risen as he saide Where I obserue first the assertion simplie in it selfe Secondly the cause and reason of the same assertion The assertion is this Christ is not in the sepulchre the reason heereof is this because Christ is risen Nowe then since Christ cannot be in the Sepulchre because he is risen it followeth of necessitie that either the angel of God inspired with Gods holy spirite made a very foolish and friuolous argument which to affirme is void of all christianitie or els that Christes body cannot be in two places at once which is that that I intend to proue For if it were not as I say the women might haue replied effectually against the angel thus albeit Christ be risen as you say yet may he be in the sepulchre also because his body may be in two places at once but the angel reputing it a thing cleere and euident that Christes body could not be in two places at one the selfe same time concluded directly and forcibly as hee thought Christes absence in the sepulchre bicause he was risen againe See the 3. part 10. chapter 4. conclusion and 3. paragraphe CHAP. VII Of Christes ascension and being in heauen CHrist hauing presented himselfe by many infallible tokens after that hee had suffered his passion conuersing visibly with his disciples by the space of fourtie daies in which time he spoke of thâ—nges pertaining to the kingdome of God told them that they should be his witnesses in Hierusalem al Iudea in Samaria and vnto the vttermost part of the earth he commanded them that they should not depart from HierusaleÌ„ but shuld wait for the promise of the father which things when he had spoken hee was taken vp in a cloud out of their sight While they looked stedfastly toward heaueÌ„ two men stood by them in white apparel said to them ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing into heauen this Iesus which is taken vp fro you into heuen shal so come as ye haue seen him go into heuen Then y e disciples returned to Hierusalem froÌ„ the mount Oliuet which is neer to HierusaleÌ„ being froÌ„ it a sabaoths dayes iorny which is about 2000. paces or two English miles While the Apostles whose names are Peter Iames the son of Zebedeus Iohn Andrew Philip Thomas Bartholomew Mathew Iames the sonne of Alpheus Symon Zelotes and Iudas Thaddeus expected the comming downe of the holy ghost at Hierusalem there abode with them certain women and Mary the mother of Iesus and his brethren that is his kinsfolkes For it was as well behooueable to haue the wiues confirmed as the husbandes because they were afterward to be partakers of the daungers with them All which praied with one accord not onely for the sending of the holy ghost but also for deliuerance from present daungers wherewith they were beset Christ ascended vp into heauen must there remaine vntill his second aduent the day of doome general And so he neither is nor can be in the round cake as papistes impudently contend After Christes ascension and comming of the holy Ghost his apostles went abroad preaching the gospel to all nations whose limites actes and death the next chapter in particular maner shall describe CHAP. VIII Of the seuerall precinctes liues and deathes of the Apostles taken out of Epiphanius Tertullian Optatus Eusebius Oecumenius Nicephorus and others Of Peter and Philip. S. Peter after that hee had preached the gospell of Iesus Christ in PoÌ„tus Galatia Cappadocia Bithyma Italy was crucified at Rome with his had downward vnder the emperour Nero and buried there the third Calendes of Iulie S. Paul the chosen vessel of God omnipotent and the immoueable piller of his church was beheaded the same yere the
taught to pardon in the Lords praier saying and pardon vs our trespasses as we pardon or forgiue them that offend against vs. I say fourthly that the renowmed popish Thomist Syluester Prierias sometime maister of their so termed sacred pallace confesseth plainely according to right and reason that popish pardons were neither knowne to vs by this place of S. Paul neither yet by any other place of the whole scripture these are his expresse words Indulgentia nobis per scripturam minimè innotuit licet inducatur illud 2. Corin. 2. si quid donaui vobis sed nec per dicta antiquorum doctorum sed modernorum Dicitur enim Gregorius indulgentiam septennem in stationibus Romae posuisse quia ecclesia hoc facit seruat credendum est ita esse quia regitur spiritu sancto The popes pardons saieth frier Syluester their surnamed absolutus theologus were neuer knowne to vs by the Scriptures although some alledge S. Paul to the Corinthians for that purpose neither were they knowne by the ancient fathers but onely by late writers For Gregorie is said to haue appointed seuen yeeres of indulgence in his stations at Rome And because the church of Rome this doth and thus obserueth we must beleeue it to be so for the church is gouerned by y e holy ghost Out of these words I note first that this frier Syluester was a man of great fame among the papists for his singular learning reputed an absolute diuine and therefore that his testimonie must needs be very authenticall among the papists I note secondly that Antoninus a learned papist who was the archbishop of Florence euen in the altitude of popedome holdeth the selfe same opinion and hath the very same wordes now recited out of Syluester I note thirdly that popish pardons can neither be proued by the scriptures nor by the ancient fathers and consequently that pope Boniface the eight of that name was the first founder thereof as is already proued For albeit Syluester seemeth here to ascribe the originall of some kind of pardoning to Gregorie yet doth he onely tel that by heare-say and besides that Gregorie either gaue no pardons in deede which is very probable or at the most he pardoned after saint Paules manner some part of seuerity inioyned by the church I note fourthly that the chiefest ground vppon which Popish pardoning is built is the bare and naked commaundement of the pope For whatsoeuer the church saith that is to say the pope that must be beleeued because forsooth the pope cannot erre but yet that he both may erre and hath alreadie erred de facto I haue prooued aboundantly in my Booke of Motiues where the gentle Reader shall finde the opinions of other popish doctors most fit for this end and purpose Shamelesse and impudent therefore are the papists when they blush not to father their Romish pardons vpon saint Paul The reply In the councell of Laterane which was almost an hundred yeeres before pope Bonifacius mention is made of pardons with good liking of the same yea S. Gregorie appointed stations and granted pardons for frequenting them The answere I say first that in processe of time when sinne increased and the people waxed slow in accomplishing ecclesiasticall satisfaction inioyned redemptions and commutations succeeded in the place thereof and canonicall discipline began to decay as their owne Burchardus writeth about the yeere of Christ 1020. I say secondly that by little and little after such redemptions commutations superstitious opinions were instilled into the minds of the vulgar people as that the fulfilling of the multe inioined by the church was necessarie for saluatioÌ„ able to satisfie the iust iudgement of God that god required much more satisfaction then was so inioyned and that for the same they must either satisfie in this life or afterward in purgatorie if they were not pardoned by the pope I say thirdly that albeit penance satisfaction or canonicall discipline vsed in the olde church and auncient councels which was nothing else but a ciuill multe imposed to publike offenders not to satisfie Gods iudgement but to bridle ill life and to keepe comely order in the church was by little and little changed into superstitious popish satisfaction yet had not that execrable doctrine gotten place in the church in the time of the Lateran councel I proue it because that councel maketh mention onely de poenitentiis iniunctis of penance inioyned which was holden Anno Dom. 2215. I say fourthly that the bishoppe of Rome now called Pope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might haue released or pardoned in his owne churches and iurisdiction as Cornelius and other good bishoppes did such ligaments mults or canonicall corrections as he had inioyned to publike offenders and perhappes Gregorie the Great granted some such pardons indeede but that hee gaue pardons for sinne and to satisfie Gods iustice as Popes this day doe it can neuer be proued out of his works The fourth obiection The blessed virgin Marie holy Iob and manie others haue suffered much more then was needefull for their owne sinnes And saint Paul saith of himselfe that he supplied the wants of Christs passion for his church which super abundant satisfactions of S. Paul and others bicause they were not determined by themselues to this or that particular person it pertaineth to the supreme pastour the popes holines to make application thereof as he seeth cause Which application is termed pardoning for that when the pope applieth twentie degrees of the satisfaction of Christ or of S. Paul or some other saint to one of his nunnes monkes or iesuites then so many degrees of satisfaction are pardoned to such a nunne monke or iesuite which the saide nunne monke or iesuite should otherwise haue done either in this life or else in purgatorie The answer I say first that no saint did or can suffer so much as is sufficient for his sinnes And I prooue it euidently because the best learned papists graunt freely and truely that euery mortall sin hath in it infinite deformitie as which is an auersion from God of infinite maiestie and consequently that God requireth infinite satisfaction for the same yet so it is that pure man is vncapable of euery infinit action for otherwise he should be an other God and consequently mans actions of which no one among all can be infinite can not yeeld condigne compensation for one only mortall sin and yet is euery sin mortall indeed as I haue prooued in my Motiues euen by popish doctrine Pervse the eight article of Dissention in the second Booke of the said Motiues and thou shalt see euidently that not only Gerson Durand Baius Roffensis and Almayn who al were renowmed papists but euen the common schooles of late dayes doe holde the same opinion I say secondly that God hath alreadie rewarded euerie saint in heauen as he will also in time rewarde euerie saint nowe on earth fâ—r aboue their deserts Which I prooue
intercession before God it shal not be a thing inconuenient Out of which sayinges of Origen I note first that he speaketh only of the praiers which saintes in heauen make for vs and not one word of our praying to them I note secondly that to holde that the saintes in heauen doe pray for vs is not a constant position in Origens doctrine but only an opinion and disputable question I proue it because he saith arbitror I think Again because he saith non erit inconueniens it shal not be incoÌ„uenient Thirdly because he saith audiuâ— ita dicentem I heard one say so The fiâ—st obiection Origen in his book de paenitentia saith y t he will fall prostrate on his knees and inuocate all the saintes in heauen that they will helpe him because he dare not pray to God for himselfe The answere I say first that this assertion fathered vpon Origen will confute it selfe for how could Origen or anie faithfull christian be in feare humbly to inuocate our most mercifull God who willeth all to come to him that are in distresse who promiseth to heare all those that in their trouble call vpon him Who graunteth to vs whatsoeuer we aske in his sonnes name who hath appointed his sonne to make intercession for vs. I say secondly that this booke alledged in the obiection is not Origens but a plaine counterfeit And I prooue it effectually because their owne pope Gelasius hath so resolued The 2. obiection Origen saith that the fathers of the churche appointed the feast day of the holy Innocentes and that by the will of God that so their intercession might profite their parentes The answere I say first that if all this were graunted it could but at the most proue that the saints pray for vs which in a good sense may be admitted For I willingly graunt that the saintes in heauen doe in generall maner and termes pray for vs that is that they wishe vs to perseuere in the true faith and feare of God and y t in the end we may be partakers with theÌ„ of eternal glory I say secondly that sundry learned men doe thinke these homilies from whence this obiection is taken not to be any part of Origens workes I say thirdly that if Origen doe make that a constant doctrine in one place which he graunteth to be a disputable question in another place what remaineth but to thinke his opinion therein to be of no force I say fourthly that the papistes as their Ruffinus recordeth will admit nothing in Origen which disliketh them but reiect all such stuffe as infarsed into his workes by the heretickes Let them therefore giue vs leaue also to reiect in Origen if in any place he seeme to approoue inuocation of saintes as that which is infarsed by the heretickes specially because in other places he teacheth the contrary doctrine The fift Canon About 20. yeares after that Origen had doubtfully disputed the praying of saintes for vs S. Cyprian and S. Cornelius set down that point resolutely as standing no longer in doubt therof to wit that the saintes in heauen doe pray for the liuing here on earth For they made this couenaut that whether of them soeuer should die the first should pray for his brethren and sisters yet liuing These are S. Cyprians owne wordes Et si quis istinc nostrum prior diuinae dignationis celeritate praecesserit perseueret apud dominum nostra dilectio pro fratribus sororib apud misericordiam patris noncesset oratio And if either of vs shall through Gods mercie die before the other let our loue continue still in Gods sight let vs not cease to desire the fauour of God for our brethren and sisters yet liuing Thus saith S. Cyprian Out of whose wordes I note first that to be established in his time which was but in opinion and doubtfull case in the daies of Origen To wit that the saintes in heauen pray for vs here on earth I note secondly that the inuocation of saintes in heauen was neither established in saint Cyprians time neither once called into question I note thirdly that popish inuocation of Saintes sprung vp by little and little from one degree to another The sixt Canon About an hundreth yeares after S. Cyprian which was about 350. yeares after Christ some of the fathers by rhetoricall apostrophees did applie their orations to the dead as if they had been liuing Of which sort were S. Basill and saint Gregory Nazianzene who though they did but inuocate the saints figuratiuely and of a certain excessiue zeale yet did such their inuocations minister occasion to the papistes of all their superstition in that behalfe These are the wordes of S. Gregory Nazianzene Audite populi tribus linguae homines omnes cuâ—usuis generis aetaetis quicunque nunc estis existetis Infra audiat quoque Constantini magni anima si quis mortuis sensus est omnesque eorum qui ante eum imperium tenuerunt piae Christique amantes animae Heare O people kinreds tongues nations ages whosoeuer are now liuing or shalbe borne hereafter Let also the soule of Constantine the Great heare all the christian godly soules of the Emperors before him if the dead perceiue any thing at all And againe in another place he thus writeth At ô pascha magnum inquam sacro sanctum pascha totiusque mundi piaculum te enim quasi vita praeditum alloquor But O Passeouer the great I say and sacred Passeouer and the purgation of the whole world For I call vpon thee as if thou hadst life Thus writeth Nazianzene by whose wordes we may measure both the rest of his sayings and of the other fathers First therefore I note that hee doth inuocate aswell senselesse thinges as reasonable soules Secondly hee calleth vpon the soules of all the people in the world whereof some were damned in the bottome of hell and so could not heare as euery learned papist will admit Thirdly he inuocateth those that are yet vnborne Vpon these sandie foundations are built all popish superstitious inuocations The 7. Canon Catholique doctrine is that as Vincentius Lyrinensis who liued aboue a thousand yeares agoe defineth it which hath been receiued constantly of al the faithful at al times and in all places Which Vincentius is and euer was of great reputation with and amongst al learned papists and consequently since popish inuocation of Saintes neither was constantly receiued of all the faithfull neither in all places neither at al times as which was not heard of for many hundreth yeares after Christ it cannot be deemed catholicke doctrine no not by popishe proceeding This Canon ought to be well remembred as which of it selfe ouerthroweth al Romish religion An obiection S Chrysostomes Masse which was generally vsed in the Greeke church maketh expresse mention of the inuocation of Saintes and the same doctrine is taught in sundry places of his workes The
that whosoeuer will worship God truely must worship him neither in the mountaines neither in Hierusalem but in spirite and veritie I say thirdly y t as going on pilgrimage is commendable in some and tolerable in other some so is it necessary to saluation in none and very vnfit for many Which thing their own S. Bernard can tel them whose iudgment I am well assured no papist will refuse I say fourthly that popishe pilgrimage was not knowne in Christes church for the space of manie hundreth yeares after Christes sacred incarnation Neither shall the papistes euer be able to cite anie authenticall writer for the contrary The fift obiection S. Ambrose telleth great miracles done by the bodies of S. Geruasius and Protasius while they were touched lying on the coffin S Austen reciteth like miracles which were wrought by the reliques of S. Steuen S. Chrysostome Eusebius Palladius and diuers others make mention of the like miracles Yea the holy scripture it selfe telleth vs that myracles were done euen by touching the reliques of Elizaeus Why therefore may not the people this day resorte to suche places where such wonderfull miracles haue been done for to get helpe either of corporall diseases or spirituall is the cause of their going thither And for corporall helpes your selues this day go to S. Anne of Buxton and to other like places The answere I say first that the scripture telleth vs of the death of Saint Steuen of S. Ioseph of Moses and others as also of their funerals but not one word of inuocatioÌ„ or adoration done vnto their reliques I say secondly that y e fathers which tel vs of the miracles done by the reliques of saintes doe neither will vs to inuocate nor to adore them I say thirdly that miracles as S. Austen and S. Gregory doe truely write are for infidels and not for the faithfull For which respect they were frequent in the primitiue Church as rare as a white crowe or black swanne in latter daies I say fourthly that God wrought miracles by the reliques of his chosen seruantes aswel to prooue his owne diuine soueraigntie as their true faith in him But not that we should adore dumbe bones and dead ashes or seeke to merite by such pilgrimage I say fiftly that God confirmed the authoritie of Elizaeus by the myracle wrought at the contact of his dead bones that at the sight thereof the people might embrace his doctrine which they contemned in his life time or at least be thereby confounded to their greater condemnation And the same I say of other miracles done by other reliques I say sixtly y t if the good king Ezechias was highly coÌ„mended in the holy scripture because he pulled downe the brasen serpent set vp by Gods appointment so soone as the people committed idolatry by adoring the same worthily are those christian princes commended who prohibite their people from gadding on pilgrimage in popish idolatricall maner albeit y e originall therof was tolerable and a long time free from popish godles superstition I say seuenthly that waters haue natural curatiue qualities in sundrie places as haue also certain herbs stones and metals Which effects some ascribe to the water of Burton though my selfe haue long doubted thereof How soeuer that be to go thither for merite or in way of such satisfaction for our sinnes is flat idolatrie The sixt obiection S. Iustine who liued shortly after the apostles telleth of great honour done vnto reliques as that the bodies of martyrs defended men from the diuels cured many incurable diseases The answere I say first that Iustinus liued more then one hundreth and fiftie yeares after Christ and speaketh nothing at all of adoration Only this he saith that great myracles haue been done at the Sepulchres of martyrs which no learned man can or will denie I say secondly that the questions from whence your obiection came are counterfait and not S. Iustins indeed I prooue it because in the 82. and in the 86. questions I finde mention made of Origen who was borne long after the death of S. Iustinus So likewise in the 127. question mention is made of the Manichees who yet followed long after S. Iustines death CHAP. IX Of Christian righteousnesse or iustification THe Papistes doe not onely dishonour God while they seek to establish their owne righteousnesse but withall they slander good and true christians auouching them to be contemners of good workes but how blasphemous they be on the one side and howe malitious on the other shall sufficiently appeare by these briefe conclusions The first conclusion Man albeit hee was so created as hee might sinne and die which thing the euent it selfe declared yet was he so adorned and beautified with supernaturall giftes and graces aswel external as internal that he might haue liued eternally and haue eschewed all sinne world without end This conclusion I thus proue That man might haue liued euer if he had not sinned is euident by Gods owne wordes when he saith Thou shalt eate freely of euery tree of the garden but of the tree of knowledge of good and euill thou shalt not eate of it for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death And againe in another place after that he had pronounced the earth cursed for Adams sinne he vttered these words For out of it wast thou taken because thou art dust and to dust shalt thou returne By which wordes it appeareth that if hee had not transgressed he should not haue died S. Austen confirmeth the same in these wordes Quapropter fatendum est primos homines ita fuisse institutos vt si non peccassent nullum mortis experirentur genus Wherefore wee must confesse that our first parentes were so created that vnlesse they had sinned they shoulde haue felt no kinde of death neither of soule nor of body Death saith S. Bernard shoulde neuer haue followed if sinne had not gone before S. Chrysostome gathereth this conclusion out of the expresse text of Genesis These are his wordes Factus enim est mortalis propter praeuaricationem vt ex hoc mandato his quae sequuta sunt claret Sequitur itaque ante praeuaricationem immortales erant alioqui post cibum non hoc supâ—licij loco imposuisset For he became mortall by reason of transgression as is euident by this commandement and that which followeth after Therefore they were immortal before the transgression otherwise after the eating thereof this punishment should not haue been imposed vpon them He confirmeth the same in another place where he writeth thus Cum Adam peccasset corpus illius confestim mortale ac passibile factum est plurimosque recepit naturales defectus So soone as Adam had sinned his bodie forthwith became mortall and passible and receiued many natural defects That Adam might haue liued without al kind of sin is likewise manifest by y e scripture which saith that God made man
that by writing which he doth approue at least so farre forth as mans iudgement can haue place The fyft Paragraph That the holy Eucharist is a figure and signe of Christes body and bloud not the thing it selfe that is thereby signified corporally but in a diuine and spirituall sort FOr the perspicuous explication of this Paragraph I will vse certaine effectuall and distinct proofes and that done I will succinctly aunswere to such obiections as may be made against the same My first proofe is grounded in the analogie of our christian faith for first Christ tooke our nature vpon him and that so really and truly as it was like vnto ours in euery thing sinne only excepted The former part saint Paul prooueth in these wordes who being in the forme of God thought it no robberie to be equall with God but he made himselfe of no reputation and tooke on him the forme of a seruant and was made like vnto men and was found in shape as a man The latter part S. Peter proueth in these words for Christ suffered for you leauing you an ensample that ye should follow his steps who did no sinne neither was there guile found in his mouth And S. Paule sayth for he hath made him to be sinne for vs who knew no sinne that we should be made the righteousnes of God in him Now our bodies are such as they can not with one act be made to be in two places at one time ergo the priests words can not make Christs body in a thousand places at once for if he could so do Christs body should be of an other nature then ours contrary to the holy scripture Secondly Christ sayth Ye worship that which ye know not God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth Thus doth our faith tel vs but the Papists say that we must worship God in a round cake that we must worship for God that which neither we nor they know to be God for if the priest either want intention to consecrate which often chaunceth by reason of wandring imaginations or of purpose meaneth not to consecrate or of negligence omitteth any one word of consecration then by popish religion the thing adored is but pure bread and yet do they worship it for the euerliuing God It is therefore truely said to them that they worship they know not what Thirdly Christ must so be eaten of vs as he abideth in vs for to that end do we eate him that he may dwell in vs and yet is it certaine that he dwelleth not in vs corporally but spiritualy by faith The former part is not only euident in it selfe but verified by Christ himselfe in these words he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud dwelleth in me and I in him the latter part S. Paule proueth in these words that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith Fourthly Christ ascended vp visibly into heauen and there must remaine til the day of generall doome as our faith telleth vs therefore we must feede on him in heauen by faith and not on earth with our teeth For which cause the auncient Church exhorted y e people before the communion to lift vp their hearts vnto the Lord as if it had beene said ye must not affixe your mindes to these visible creatures but meditate on heauenly things which are promised by y e reuereÌ„t faithfull vse thereof Fiftly S. Paul saith plainly that the faithfull in the old testament did all eate drinke Christs body bloud which they could not do but by faith because Christ was not then incarnate and euen so do we eate Christ spiritually by faith not corporally with our teeth To which effect grauely said S. Austen vt quid paras ventrem dentem crede manducasti Credere enim in eum hoc est panem vinum manducare qui credit in eum manducat eum Wherefore preparest thou a belly and a tooth beleeue thou hast eaten for to beleeue in him is to eate bread wine he that beleeueth in him eateth him Thus saith S Austen euen as their owne Gratian hath alledged him Sixtly S. Paule saith that so often as we eate and drinke of Christs cup so often do we shew his death till he come but doubtles if he be corporally present vnder the accidents of bread and wine then is he already come nay more truely is it said that he was neuer gone For as S. Austen saith donec seculum finiatur sursum est dominus sed tamen etiam hic nobiscuÌ„ est veritas domini corpus enim in quo resurrexit in vno loco esse oportet veritas autem eius vbique diffâ—sa est Our Lord is aboue vntill the worlds end but yet his truth is with vs heere for the body of our Lord wherein he rose againe must needes be in one place but his truth is diffused euery where Againe the same S. Austen writing against Faustus the Manichee hath these expresse words Secundum praesentiam quippe spiritualem nullo modo illa pati posset secundum praesentiam vero corporalem simul in sole in luna in cruce esse non posset For his flesh could no way suffer according to his spirituall presence and according to his corporall presence it was not possible for him to be both in the sunne and in the moone and on the crosse at one and the same time Againe he saith in another place after this manner Videte ascendentem credite in absentem sperate venientem sed tamen per misericordiam occultam etiam sentite praesentem Ille enim qui ascendit in coelum vt tolleretur ab oculis vestris promisit vobis dicens ecce ego vovestris promisit vobis dicens ecce ego vobiscum sum vsque in consummationem seculi Beholde Christ ascending beleeue in him absent trust in him that is comming and for all that feele him also present by his secret mercie Thus ye see the flat opinion of this graue writer of this ancient father of this holy learned doctour his resolution is so euident and so free from all obscuritie as none can pretend ignorance that once read his words For first he telleth vs that Christs naturall body must needes be in one onely place at one time Secondly hee telleth vs that Christs naturall body can not bee at one and the same time both in the Sunne and in the Moone and on the crosse Thirdly he maketh the same assertion plain by comparing his corporall presence with his spirituall For he saith that the one may be in many places but the other cannot as if he had saide Christs body may be spiritually in the sacrament but corporally it cannot be there Fourthly he proueth Christs corporal absence by the veritie of his ascension exhorting vs to beleeue in him that is corporally absent and withal to feele
and that it is truely receiued by faith and spirite according to this doctrine of our maister Christ. The wordes that I spake vnto you are spirite and life Seuenthly he telleth vs that as Christ is on earth still according to his deitie so is he in heauen til the daie of doome according to his humanitie And that as he is present in his god-head till that time so is hee absent in his manhood For saith S. Austen touching the presence of his fleshe hee was but a fewe daies on earth Yea say the papistes S. Austen lieth and when he thus wrote he was a sleepe and so were the rest of the fathers that hold as he doth We affirme without scriptures fathers rime and reason that hee is carnally present at the priestes appointment in ten thousand pixes at once More absurdly then this we say that a mouse can catch Christes carnall body carry it away into an hole and there deuoure it with her teeth Of which blasphemous doctrine the great papist Petrus Lombard surnamed their master of sentences knoweth not what to say or thinke but being at his wits end what answere to make thus answereth the question without answere for his answere is answerelesse in these wordes Quid ergo sumit mus vel quid manducat Deus nouit hoc What therefore doth a mouse take when shee catcheth the reserued hoast or what doth she eate God knoweth this Lo is not this a graue answere of the grauest father amongst our popish doctors He is tearmed the master of sentences and his bookes are publikely read in their schooles of diuinitie and so of the next authoritie to the holy scriptures And for al this so doubtfull and vncertaine is their faith that when a mouse catcheth their accidents without subiects he knoweth not in the world what is become of their carnall reall presence Eeightly he telleth vs that the sacrament of Christs body is not his body properly but after a sort and that sort he affirmeth to be this to wit as the sacrament of faith is faith Now euerie childe knoweth that baptisme or the sacrament of faith is not faith properly but improperly figuratiuely and by way of signification onely Ninthly Saint Ambrose whom â—he papists thinke to make wholy for their side hath these expresse words Si tanta vis est in sermone Domini Iesu vt inciperent esse quae non erant quanto magis operatorius est vt sint quae erant in aliud commutentur If there be so great power in the word of our Lord Iesus that things beganne to be which were not how much more is it workefull that things bee which were and bee changed into another thing In these words Saint Ambrose declareth the creatures of bread and wine to remaine still in their proper nature and substaunce and withall to bee changed into another thing that is to say into the sacraments of Christs true body and bloud To this our Iesuite Bellarmine answereth in these words Non dixit vt sint id quod erant tunc enim panis manere deberet sed vt sint quae erant id est nâ—n annihilentur sed maneant quamuis mutata Hee saide not that they may bee that which they were for then the bread ought to remaine indeede but that they may stil be which were before that is that they bee not annihilated but abide still though changed To this answere of our Iesuite I say first that Saint Ambrose meaneth no other thing then did Saint Austâ—n when he called baptisme the sacrament of faith For the omnipotencie of Christs word is required of them both in both sacraments And as the water is changed into another thing that is to be a sacrament and â—eaâ—e of Gods fauor which before was but common water euen so bread is chaunged into another thing that is to be the sacrament of Christs body which was before but common bread I say secondly that as a married man is by matrimonie chaâ—ged into another thing and yet keepeth still the nature of a man and as a Bishop by orders is altered into another thing and yet keepeth still his former substance euen so the bread in the Eucharist is changed mystically and still remaineth true bread This is a good argument against the papists who defend matrimonie and orders to be two holy sacraments I say thirdly that if aliud must needes signifie an essentiall change as master Harding our Iesuite and the rest will haue it to doe then either married men haue gotten nothing by their matrimoniall contractes nor Bishoppes by their consecrations or at least all married men and Bishops haue lost the natures of men and are changed into another substance But as the Logicians tel vs these three transcendents ens res aliquid may bee affirmed of whatsoeuer is and for the order of Bishops the papists tell vs that it imprinteth an indeleble character touching matrimonie Christ himselfe telleth vs that it is an indissoluble band Touching the persons themselues experience telleth vs that they are still as truâ—ly men as they were before and consequently the word aliud may as well signifie an accidentall alteration as an essentiall transmutation I say fourthly that euerie thing is truely denominate of it essentiall forme and therefore if the substance and essentiall partes of bread and wine bee cleane gone and the externall accidents thereof onely remaine as Bellarmine woulde gladly glosse Saint Ambrose then doubtlesse may wee truely say that they are gone which were before not that they still remaine vnlesse perhappes the papists will say that the horse remaineth when nothing is left but his skin and that a man liueth after he be dead For in both more remaineth then of their wine and bread I say fiftly that by Bellarmines answere if himselfe were changed into the essentiall nature of an asse and kept still the externall figure of a man yet shoulde hee still be as truely Bellarmine as he was before and so Iesuits may be both Asses and men at once a priuiledge granted to all others of their crew The first obiection S. Austen alluding to the facts and wordes of Dauid by which Christ was prefigured writeth in this maner Manibus aliorum potest portarâ— homo manibus suis nemo portatur quomodo intelligatur in ipso Dauid secundum literam non inuenimus in Christo autem inuenimus Ferebatur enim Christus in manibâ—suâ—s quando coÌ„mendans ipsum corpus suum ait Hoc est corpus meum Ferebat enim illud corpus in manibus suis ipsa est humilitas Dom. nostri Iesu Christi A man may bee carried in the hands of others but no man is carried in his own hands How this may be vnderstoode in Dauid literally we doe not finde but in Christ wee doe it finde For Christ was borne in his owne hands when he commended his owne bodie and saide This is my body For he helde