admitted to the ministry before they did dispute and could defend their ordinances and that they must take their oath to teach no Doctrine contrary to the Romish Church Remegus Anno 884. Bishop of Attexerre in France was accounted of great learning in sundry languages in his writeings he proveth that no man is made righteous by his owne workes but onely by laying hould on Iesus Christ by a lively faith He doth affirme no man since Adams transgression have freewill to doe good Faith if we take the word amply and largely signifieth a certaine knowledg and resolving of the assurance of witnesses which cannot deceive Iustifying faith is a knowledge which a man doth firmly assent to every word God hath revealed unto him resolveth that the promises of Gods graces through Christ belongeth unto him and he hath a full perswasion and confidence in the favour of God towards him so he overcomming all fâ—are and pensivenes For the confidence of justifying faith is a motion of the will and heart consisting of a joy conceived for the certainly of the present grace of God toward him and of the Hope of our future delivery from all evils There is no faith but that which resteth on the will of God revealed in his word All true faith is wrought in man by the Holy Ghost either by the voice of Gods heavenly Doctrine or by his imediate revelation and seeing God will kindle frame and confirme ordinary faith in us by the Doctrine of the Church all are bound to heare it and meditate theron Faith alwayes in the ellect is imperfect in this life sometime languisheth yet howsoever he feeleth in his heart an earnestnes against doubts which arise in his minde yet he doth certainly resolve hee is indued with true faith This true faith being once kindled in our hearts although often it languisheth and is darkened for a time yet it is never wholy extinguished for by faith onely we apply the promises of grace and we obtaine the promises of grace receiving righteousnes before God and the participation or communion of Christ with all his benefits Soe true faith is the perswasion of the heart whereby the soule is truely assured of redemption and remission of sinnes and imputation of righteousnes through Iesus Christ Let us hereto observe what our Saviour saith Mat. 7.22 Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven but he which doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven And hereto saith the Apostle Make an end of your salvation with feare and trembling And therefore saith the Apostle Iames What availeth it my Brethren if a man saith he have faith when he hath no works Phil. 2.12 Iemes 2.14 can that faith save him That is it cannot save him All which have this true faith doe daily judge examine themselves of those sinnes they have fallen into and they are truely sorye for them they doe humbly beseech the Lord not onely for pardon but they doe instantly begge of him for streÌ„gth of his grace that he may subdue his naturall corruptioÌ„s which is an especiall worke of true faith therefore Christ saith Come unto me all ye which labour and are laden Mat. 1â— 29 and I will ease you For all which have the spirit of regeneration doe not allow that which they doe for they labour to doe that which they are unable to performe therefore they doe as little Children doe who wheÌ„ their Father bids bring them somthing they are unable to doe and performe yet if the Child doe his best to doe it his father doth accept it as well if he had performed it So is it betwixt us and the Lord if we subdue our corruptions and be sory for our faults and be earnestly sueing to the throne of grace for strength of his Spirit that we may subdue them then are we those Christ speake of Blessed are those which mourne for they shal be comforted If wee have these effects then are we those the Apostle speaketh of saying He which is borne of God 1. Iohn 3.9 sinneth not The consideration of this caused the Apostle to charge the servants of God to mortify their lusts because the time is come that judgement doth begin at the house of God And he saith If it doe beginne with us what shall the end be of those which obey not the Gospell of God for if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the wicked and ungodly appeare For if Christ raigne not in our hearts then hee is not our Lord Luk. 19.27 therefore hee saith Those mine enimies which will not have me raigne over them bring them hither and slay them before me For every tree which bringeth not forth good fruite shal be hewen downe and cast into the fire Thus I have pointed at the true justifying faith which the ancient Church did maintaine But if I should explicate it it would require a quyer of paper to manifest it But I hasten to other things The Iesuite saith in 484. folio That wrote against Mr. Fox that the true Church is universall and perfect and doth hault in no one point of beleâ—fe From his owne affirmation I conclude their Church is false by reason their faith was not knowne the first thousand years nay nor till Jnnocent the 3. who was the first Father of it although there were sundry Popes before him in hatching it 250. yeares yet was it not brought forth till the Counsell of Latteran Aº 1215. where there was decreed sundry other superstitions and as I have before shewed a new faith was inacted which Langfrank Archbishop of Canterbury did hatch and bring forth against Baringaris The Iesuite doth vaunt that Rome is the mother-Mother-Church that she had converted Brittaine before Paul came to Rome which is very false by the testimony of records for St. Luke doth tell us that at the persecution of Steven there was great persecution Bâ—nardus Precoris faith there was put to death 200â— and the Church was all scattered except the Apostles And some write that there fled out of Ierusalem 15000 upon this persecution some of them fled into many nations preaching the Gospell And that this persecution was very great Paul saith He went into every house drew out both men and women and put them in prison and thus he did even in strange Cityes And to this end I will shew what three of the Fathers have written Tertullian who lived about one hundreth yeares after saith That the faith of Christ was received in the raigne of Tiberius of the Medes Persians Messapotanians Iurie Cappadocia See his booke contra Ildos Pontus Asia Egypt Pamphilia Morians Spaine France Brittaine Denmarke Germany Suhia Hee saith in all these Countryes Christ is received And Gildas saith The faith of Christ was received in Brittaine the raigne of Tiberius Gregory speaking of the multitude which fled out of Ierusalem upon the persecution when
which wee shall doe well to take heed as to a light that shineth in a darke place untill the day starre arise in our hearts Seing the Lord hath charged us Deut. 4.2 not to adde any thing unto his word which hee commands us neither may wee take any thing from it which hee hath appointed or commanded and hee hath protested that all which shall adde unto his word hee will adde unto him those plagues Revel 22.18.19 which are written in his books and if any shall take away or diminish any thing of his word then will take away his part from the booke of life and from the holy City of God For the Fathers themselvs doe desire not to be followed but as they follow Christ Therefore when the Donatists alledged Ciprian Augustine for to prove a doctrine against Augustine Hee answered thus Wee doe Ciprian no wrong when wee distinguish any of his writings from the Canonicall Scriptures and therefore was the Ecclesiasticall Canon of the Scriptures soe carefully appointed contrary to which wee dare not judge according unto which wee may freely judg all other writings August cont Crescon lib. 2. cap. 31. And hee saith I am not hound to the authority of Cyprians Epistles for I esteeme not it as Canonicail but hexamine him by the Canonicall as it agreeth with the authority of the Divine Scriptures I receive with his praise and what accordeth not with it I refuse with his leave Ibid. cap. 32. And when hee disputed against an Arian hee saith Now must not I alledge the Councell of Nice nor you the Councell of Arimine as to prejudice either for I am not bound to the authority of the one nor you of the other Wee are bound to the authority of the Scriptures which are wittnesses not peculiar unto any but common to us both Let the matter cause and question betweene us be discussed Contra Maxim lib. 3. cap. 14. Also hee saith Let us not bring deceiptfull waights by which wee may weigh what we will as wee will at our pleasure but let us bring the Divine Ballances out of the holy Scripture as out of the Lords treasure Yea let us not weigh but let us acknowledg the things already weighed of the Lord. D. baptist contra Donat. lib. 2. cap. 6. Also he saith Whether it be concerning Christ or the Church or any other matter which belongs to our faith and life there we may find what wee ought to doe if an Angell from Heaven should teach otherwise then wee have received from the Scriptures let him be accursed Contra Petil. lib. 3. cap. 6. Chrifostome saith When the wicked heresy which is the army of Antichrist hath prevailed in the Churches there can be no proofe of the Christian Religion nor any other refuge for Christians that would know the true faith but the Divine Scriptures Whosoever would know which is the true church of Christ how shall he know it but by the Scripture onely Whereupon the Lord knowing that there should come such confusion of things in the last dayes doth injoyne the Christans which would have assurance of the true faith Chrisest on Matth. 24. Homil. 49. they must cleave to nothing but the Scriptures otherwise if they looke to any other thing they shal be offended and perish And having written on Iohn the 10. hee saith On Iohn 50 Homdis The Scriptures will not suffer us to go astray By this doore must both the Pastors and all others of us enter in for whosoever useth not the holy Scriptures but climeth up other waies that is by a way not appointed hee is a theefe and those are false Christs and Antichrist And in another place hee saith It is not absurd to tell mony and count it after another hath told it to us and yet for matters farre greater some are so simple to follow the opinions of others which hee doth note for great folly seeing we have an exact ballance rule out of the Scriptures wherefore I entreat beseech you to leave of what this man or that man thinketh and enquire all out of the Scriptures Chris on the 2. Corin. 13. homil Hierom saith many Fathers both Greek and Latins have erred Hieron in an Epist Dammach whose names I need not mention Now seeing I doe simply acknowledge their erring I will so read them as the rest because they erred as the rest After hee saith Why dost thou bring forth that which Peter and Paul would not deliver Again whatsoever things brought in by any although otherwise holy and learned since the Apostles let it be cutt of and have no place on the 86. Psalm Tertullian saith Tertul. None can prejudice the truth not the continuance of times nor the superiority of persons nor the priviledges of Countryes for by means of these is custome made commonly of ignorance and succession of time made strong to be used against the truth Christ our Lord calleth himselfe Truth not custome If then Christ be allwaies and before all the Truth then it is a thing perpetuall and ancient Let them therefore looke unto it to whom that is new which to him is old Lib. de Virgin Veland Again he saith As for us we may not please ourselvs in any thing of our own cōceits neither may we choose that which others bring in of their own Will The Apostles of the Lord we have for Authours who did not themselvs choose to bring-in any thing of their own will but did faithfully assigne to the Nations the discipline they received of Christ therefore although an Angell from Heaven should speak otherwise wee should say he were accursed Ibid. cap. 6. FINIS A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS BOOKE CHap. 1. Of Sacred Signes Fol. 1 Chap. 2. Of Sacrifices Fol. 5 Chap. 3. Of Corruptions Fol. 9 Chap. 4. Corruptions punished Fol. 16 Chap. 5. The ceremoniall Law accomplished by Iesus Christ Fol. 18 Chap. 6. Of Sacraments ordained by Iesus Christ himselfe Fol. 20 Chap. 7. Of the corruption of the Sacrament of Baptisme Fol. 23 Chap. 8. Of the corruption of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Fol. 25 Chap. 9. The ancient religiō of the Roman Empire Fol. 31 Chap. 10. How the Bishops of Rome began their corruptions in the Church Fol. 34 Chap. 11. The first greatnesse of Popes proving Antichrists bringing in the sacrifice of the Masse Fol. 38 Chap. 12. Of the Masse in particular with her true originall from whence it came first Fol. 41 Chap. 13. The Masse divided with the true nature of holy Water derived from the heathens Fol. 47 Chap. 14. The Procession of the Masse Fol. 50 Chap. 15. The third part of the Masse that is the Altars and Candles lighted Fol. 53 Chap. 16. Of Incense and Offertories with other parts of the Masse Fol. 57 Chap. 17. Of the round Hoste with the consecration of the same Fol. 61 Chap. 18. Of divers parts and sundry ceremonies belonging to the Masse Fol. 63 Chap. 19. Against Idolaters antiquity and long possession of the Masse as also what times the Masse was by peeces brought into the Church Fol. 67 Chap. 20. Against the Idolatrie of the round Hoste Fol. 70 Chap. 21. The invention of Transubstantiation with confutation of that Labyrinth of Idolatry Fol. 73 Chap. 22. Comparison berween the two H. Sacram. Fol. 85 Vndeniable proofes that the church of God rejected Transubstantiation for 1000. years after Christ Fol. 95 All the faithfull did oppose it the time it was in hatching Fol. 97 What their bloody Persecutors confessed on thē Fol. 102 A new Faith invented Fol. 103 A Popish Writer examined and found false Fol. 104 It is confessed of Popish Writers that Transubstantiation was concluded but of late yeares Fol. 106. A new Gospell Fol. 107 That great Idolatrie was then brought into the church Fol. 108 The Prophecy of Hildegardus Fol. 109 The great murthering of the Faithfull Fol. 112 What Faith the true Church did maintaine Fol. 114 The Roman Church got dominion over other lands by tyranny Fol. 122 Christian Reader impute not Literall faultes FINIS
Zone wherewith the Aube is trussed and this signifies the band of Gods charity The Stole put over the Amict at the Missalians necke in forme of a Crosse deciphers Christs obedience even to the death of the Crosse The Maniple worne on the left hand signifies the reward of Christs eternall felicitie Other sophistries there are upon the Amict as that it represents faith the Stole humility and obedience the Maniple the vigilancie and hearty devotion of the Missalian Priest Tittilman hath another subtle devise for the Maniple worne on the Priests left hand which as he saies doth expresse the battaile and power of Christ against all visible and invisible dominations being as a buckler against all temptations and the Buttons of the Maniple portend finall perseverance He also further sophisticates that by the left hand is understood the humane infirmity of Christ which being tyed with the Maniple that Christ is tyed and bound by his divinitie like a mad man Brunus another Missalian Doctor fantasticates that by the Maniple is inferred the Missalian Priests speciall care to drive away bad affections or else that it figures the Cord Tit. Liv. lib. 1. Decad. wherewith Christ was bound by the Iewes and that the Stole is a figure of the Lords yoake which the Masse-priest must weare garnished with the Armes of Iustice on the right and on the left hand The other painted Ornament instituted formerly by the Magitian Numa they disguise by the name of a Planet as an errant Vestment otherwise called a Cap or Chaâ—uble Tit. Liv. Fenest Pompo Lett. which they say resembles the Purple Robe presented to Christ in Pilates Hall when they mocked called him King of the Iewes There is another sophistrie how this Vestment implies the Nature of Christ Aube Alex. ab Alex. lib. 4. cap. 17. wherein the Deity was couched Philo the Iew immitating Plato interprets this Vestment so adorned with colours to be a Figure of the signes coelestiall Starres Now these Masse-Priest being roabed Super tuniceÌ„ aneam pectu regumen 1. Decad. 1. with his Aube Amict Zone Maniple Stole and his Chasuble or Cap of divers colours he must stretch out his armes to play two parts at an instant represented by the Chasuble whose quarter before is lesse then that behinde figuring herein the Primative Church from Abel till Christ and by the after part more ample and enricht with the signe of the Crosse Christian people are signified This Chasuble must be joyned to the Amict which was in the beginning in the head to represent the conjunction of Christ with his Church The Aâ— be also must be correspondent to the Chasuble to intimate how Christ applied himselfe to our infirmities Besides the above mentioned Vesiments Philo the Iew addes a Myter Phi'o in lib. de prosug to declare the Messalians royall Diadem who must have their heads annointed with Creame or sacred Oyle to signifie the Priests dignitie which Mytrall Ornament is only preserved for eminent and higher Priests CHAP. XIII The Masse divided with the true nature of Holy Water NOw we must discend to the description of severall parts of the Masse Apul lib. 11. de la no anri whose head originall we will particularly set down according to the truth First of all in those which are called high Masses celebrated on Sundayes the Missalian Priests retaine somewhat of the Pompilian Religion Procl in lib. de sacrafâ— Gag procl Plat. Catul. Eâ—us aquae aspersione peccata praesertim perjuria mendati aquae dilui credebant Blond lib. de Rom. trium O vid. lib. Fast 3. Fonts of two sorts Dijs superis sacra faclurus corporis ablutione purgabaetur cum verâ— inferis lijamdum erat sola aspersio sussicicbat Blond lib. 2. de Rom. trium Macr lib. 3. Satu. chap. 3 as to exercise a lustrall water called holy Water wherewith to besprinckle the assistants or beholders at the Sacrifice The conjuration and exorcisme instituted by Numa was of Sea or salt water because said he salt did participate of the fierie Nature or of Fire very proper to purifie For this reason the Ancient Romane Idolaters besprinckled this salt exorcised water as a Mercuriall expiatorie Purgatory water for popular offences especially for perjurie and lying To preserve this consecrated and exorciz'd salt Water they had two sorts of Holy water Fonts One was large not moveable but placed at the entrie of their Temples where they adored their Images that so they might sprinckle those which entred into the same Temples The other was a portable Font to conveigh therein Lustrall water into any part of their Temples or houses that they might be watered with it for their expiations and purifications They that were to celebrate Masse if it were to the inferiour gods it was enough for the sacrificing Priest to sprinckle himselfe with that Lustrall water But if the Priest celebrated Masse to the superiour gods hee must bathe his whole body and wash all his members therewith Furthermore he was prohibited not to use this Lustrall water for any other purpose but for expiations purgations Conformable to which Pompilian constitution In Delij Apollinis templo praecipua erat aqua sacrificantium ujui accommoda quam ad alios uâ—us hausisse magni criminis instar eras Alex. ab Alox lib. 4. cap. 17. Platino Si crvis vitula aspersus populum ludaeorum mundabat multo magis aqua sale conspersa populum sanctificat iÌ„nsidias Diaboh avertit ea à quam de consecrat distmct 1. The Law of God corrupted Numb 19 4. King 2. Exod 15. Numb 19. Alexander the first of that name next successor to the Apostles of Iesus Christ and one of the first corrupters of the holy Sacraments ordained by God continued this Idolatrie of consecrating exercising Lustrall water with salt to repell devils Neverthelesse the better to maske Pompilian Magicke he framed this comparison so it is said Alexander that the ashes of an inviolated red Cow for sacrifice mingled with Fountaine water purified the people of the Iewes and therefore by a more prevalent reason water exorzed with salt must needs purifie Christians and drive away devils Was not this a violating and corrupting of the holy Law of God to content and please the Romaines tainted with the auncient religion of Numa Pompilius the Magician If Alexander had not yeelded to the use of salt instituted by the auncient Idolaters for lustrall water he would rather have followed the Iewish ceremonie and ordained Ashes to consecrate the water of expiation For if he thought to disguise it by the Miracle of Elizeus that purified the water with salt Moyses also did the like with the wood which was brought him when the people of Israel were distressed for sweet water to drinke But in these miracles no mention is made that Elizeus or Moses instituted any lustrall water to purifie the people of the Iewes And we cannot finde that there was
that they might eate and communicate of the flesh of victimes in their sacrifices especially the sheepe Blond lib. 1. de Rom. triumph the Sow the Goate and the Oxe which was first instituted by Evander King of Arcadia Wherefore that the Missalians might not degenerate from the idolatry of their predecessors they must needs follow this coÌ„munion of flesh they are not content with their little round azimall hosts consecrated and printed with images Hosts made of flower transubstantiated into flesh the wine into blood but with time they have invented a new magicke to transubstantiate their little hosts of flower into flesh and bones the bread being no more bread but an accident without substance and by this meanes to convert the round host of flower into a carnall sanguinolent host The wine also offered in their Missall Chalices to bee transubstantiated into blood the wine being no more wine but an accident without substance Detestable Heresie Was there ever a more abominable magicke or a more detestable Heresie then this Missaline transubstantiation When the people of Israel murmured against God because they were weary of eating Manna and celestiall bread calling for flesh was the Manna transubstantiated into flesh An. Christ. 1062. in Chronol Io. Volateran bones and blood When the ancient Romane Idolaters meant to change their round hosts of flower or meale and grew to eate flesh in their facrifices did they use this magicke of transubstantiation Wherefore I freely averre that this Missall addition was lately invented by the Missalians more then a thousand yeares after the Incarnation of Iesus Christ This Heresie began to spread very much of a Nicholaiâ—an Antichrist climbing up to the Romane Pontificacie by the monopoly suggestions of Hildebrand expelling by force the other elected Pope Lanfrac de sat which was Benedict the second of that name in the yeare of Iesus Christ 1062. Afterwards by a Monopoly held in Saint Iohn Lateran in Rome it was advanced during the ecclesiasticall tyranny of Innocent the third of that name about two hundred years after the Palinodie canonized by Berengarius Deane of S. Maurice in Angiers Against which abominable magick and heresie we must briefly by forme of a recapitulation compare the institutions of the Sacraments ordained by God First of all Against Transubstantion Tree of life the fruits of the knowledge of good and ill forbidden to our first father Adam as sacred signes and sacraments of feare and obedience whereon depended life or death were they transubstantiated or converted into knowledge or into death to leave their nature of beeing trees or fruits reduced to an accident without substance The celestiall Manna Celestiall Manna The Rocke flowing out water and the Rocke gushing out lively water sacraments that had reference to the holy Sacrament of the supper were they transubstantiated into an accident without substance The unspotted Lambs immolated by Abel Lambs immolated by Abel in his acceptable sacrifice to God were they transubstantiated into any other nature The Fore-skinne circumcised for a note marke of covenant to the good Patriarche Abraham and his posterity Circumcision was it converted into an accident without substance The blood of the Paschall Lamb Paschall Lamb. for an assurance of Israels salvation was that converted into any other substance The flesh of the immaculate Lambe to bee eaten on the day of the Passeover having reference to the holy Sacrament of the supper was it transubstantiated into an accident wiâ—hout substance The brazen Serpent which being only beheld Brazen serpent health was granted to the sicke did it not continue a Serpent of brasse was that transubstantiated being ordained for a Sacrament sacred signe to the people of Israel Victiâ—nes offered in sacrifice both of beasts of the earth Victimes sacrificed azimall loaves with other sacred signes ordained by God for holy signes sacraments of expiation salvation for the people of Israel were they ever transubstantiated into accidents without substance All sacred signes ordained by God in the Israelitish Church though they sacramently represented that which was by them figured and not as a simple picture without reall effect yet did there never live so detestable an heretique which invented or added thereunto this Magicke of transubstantiation And neverthelesse O Missalians you must needs coÌ„fesse that the good and holy Fathers of Israel were adopted engrafted and regenerated by faith in Iesus Christ begotten before all ages that they were nourished purchased eternall life by Iesus Christ that they and we have but one God one onely Iesus Christ one Mediator and Redeemer That by faith they sacramentally communicated and participated spiritually of the blood of Iesus Christ for their salvation and eternall life Comparison of the faith of the ancient fathers of Israell with ours That there is no difference touching God betweene them who did precede the incarnation of Iesus Christ and us that were since his incarnation but both they and wee are equally the Church of God redeemed by the blood of the just and unspotted Lambe Christ Iesus For the rest they had a faith of the future promise and observed the holy Sacraments and sacred Symboles of the Sacrifice which should be consummated by Iesus Christ D. Aug. contra Faust 20. cap. 21. cap. 14. l. 19. contra Petilian li. 2. ca. 37.77 1. Cor. 10. August in Psal and wee in the new law celebrate the memoriall and remembrance of the sacrifice now finished by Iesus Christ having a fruition of the promise accomplished If then the Israelites eate the same celest all bread drunke the same saving drinke which we doe by faith in one onely Iesus Christ If they had sacred signes to represent actually and really the future death of Iesus Christ even as we retaine sacred signes of his present or past death they for the future we for that which is past why did the Missalians invent this new magicke to convert an holy Sacrament ordained by God into a magicke of transubstantiation and into an accident without substance Against miracles alleaged by the Missalians Exod. 7. Exod. 8. Exod. 14. If God to approve his power and to manifest the hardnesse obstinacy of Pharaoh was pleased to performe wonderfull things by Moses and Aaron by converting a Rod into a Serpent water of the river into blood and into frogs the dust of the earth into lice and then to make the navigable sea dry performing many other miracles can we by this infer a transubstantiation of the little round azimall host printed with images into an accident without a substance In what place of the holy Scriptures when mention is made of sacred signes and Sacraments or sacrifices ordained by God is it said that the signe or sacrament was transubstantiated But on the contrary Gods will accommodating it selfe to mans infirmity he ordained from time to time common signes for notes
and places of the holy Scripture is said to bee the water the Stone also to bee Christ Even so the bread is said to bee his body which three places must be understood interpreted to bee sacred signes figures then when this very author said Christ Iesus uttered these words Hoc est Corpus meum this is my Body in presenting and breaking bread to his Disciples hee gave them the signe of his body for otherwise it should seeme to bee a thing both inhumane and unlawfull to devoure the pretious flesh blood of Iesus Christ if there were not the figure of the bread and wine for to keepe in memory his flesh and blood the body of Christ having beene sacrificed to God his Father for our life and eternall nourishment Againe the same Author used this interpretation Lib. 10. de Caut. des cap. 5. ea sacrificium de coÌ„sc dist 2 Tertul. lib. 1 3.4 Etiquid paras dentem ventrem crede maÌ„ducaâ—â— ea ut quid de consec dict 2 Aug. in lib. demmed paeniteud in Ioan. tra 25. cap. 6. The Sacrament visible is the new Testament that is to say The sacred signe of the invisible sacrifice the like interpretations are described by Tertullian against that hereticke Marcion Christus acceptum PanuÌ„ Corpus suum fecit dicendo Hoc est Corpus meum id est figura Corporis mei Wherefore then O Missalians have you not followed the authority of these holy Doctors of the Church which would not blaspheme against God by the Magick of transubstantiatioÌ„ bat have freelly and vertuously acknowledged the Sacrament to be a visible signe or sacred figure signifying by faith spirit that which is invisible Wherefore do you prepare the mouth the belly for to devoure the body and blood of Christ corporally really and carnally Why offer you not your selfes by true and lively faith for to eate worthily Christ Iesus Why have you not understood the manducation of the body of Christ by the notable distinction of that loarned Doctor St. Ierome saying S. Hieron in Epist ad Ephes Ca. dupliciter eadem distinct The flesh of Christ Iesus is to be understood carnally when it is spoken of the shedding his blood and crucifying of his body for our salvation but spiritually when it is said that his flesh is the meat for us to eate For another proofe S. Gelase against Entychius and Nestorius I will alledge that learned Prelate Gelase Bishop of Rome the which disputing against the heretickes Eutichines and Nestorians doth afirme the bread and wine consecrated and made Sacraments are neverthelesse in substance bread and wine but to be signes of the body and blood of Christ Iesus by the mystery of the Sacrament And if ye desire larger testimonies S. Ambrose in the book of Sacraments cap. 1. 11. S. Ambrosius upon the Epistle of S. Paul to the Corhintians hath explicated and made manifest that the eating of the bread and the drinking of the wine doth signifie the flesh and the blood of Christ Iesus offered for us Origen likewise in his Homilies Origen in Lev hem 7. teacheth the Sacraments to bee figures which wee ought to examine really and not carnally Because saith hee that those words Hoc est Corpus meum not understood spiritually kils the soule when he writes to eate the flesh of Christ Wherefore St. Chrysostome admonished the people to honour that holy Sacrament in offring himselfe his soule to God S. Chrysost hom 31. cap. 15. tont 1. for the which Christ Iesus was crucified and that by that holy Sacrament of bread and wine is signified to us the similitude of the body and blood of Iesus Christ For the resolution wee must follow and be ruled according to the instruction and interpretation of our holy Saviour Christ Iesus and his Apostles to honour and reverence his holy Sacraments instituted of him by extorior signes to lift up our hearts and raise our spirits and minds to Heaven Psa 12. for to comprehend that which by those signes is represented to us and not to esteeme hold and account them a vaine picture or apparitions but endevour to receive them worthily by lively faith and vertue of the Holy Ghost to the end to be fed and nourished with celestiall bread to the salvation of our soules thereby to attaine life eternall Let us then be assured in Christ Iesus as members of his body 1. Cor. 10. 1. Cor. 12. that wee may be reduced and brought all into one unity for to communicate and eate the same bread drink the same wine compounded of many graines united together to the end that wee may say with the holy Apostle All wee faithfull are the body of Christ Iesus saved redeemed by his holy body crucified and pretious blood shed for us and so remaining permanent in faith in Christ Iesus in eating his body and drinking his blood to beleeve firmely to have beene crucified and risen from the dead D. August in Ioan. tract 30. Art 1. 3. ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God his Father untill that hee returnes as hee is ascended with his humanity and neverthelesse his Almighty power and Divinity to be distributed to us and diffused in earth and in all places especially in his holy Sacraments which hee hath left us for a pledge and exteriour approbation of our faith for memory and recordation of the death and passion of our Saviour IESVS CHRIST FINIS Invincible proofes that Transubstantiation is but of late yeares gathered out of authentick Authours and confessed by the most learned of the Papists NOw to manifest that the Church of Christ taught none other doctrine coÌ„cerning the Lord Supper then the reformed Churches doe teach for one thousend years since Christ here I doe produce undenyable testimonies First the Book of Alfricus Archbishop of Canterbury Anno 996. in the raigne of Etheldred King of England which book doth remain in the Library at Exeter and a coppy of part of it dedicated to King Henry the 8. by Doctor Cranmer And by the same booke Alfricus having translated So. Sermons out of Latin into the Saxon tongue of which hee made two bookes and hee was of such learning and eloquence and of such worthy esteem in the Churches of England that wheras they made a book of Canons after his death to govern the clergy they did collect out of some generall counsells other ancient Fathers in which they did insert two of the Sermons in that book of Alfrieus his translation into the Saxon language the one was read in the church on Easterday before they received the Lords Supper and there anie may read it in the Saxon language or in English recorded by Mr. Fox and there are two of these books extant and one of them is to be seen in the Library at Exeter and the Italians and French did not understand the Saxon language I
take it that was the cause they did not suppresse it as they did others For Mr. Fox doth shew there how they have rased out of some of the Latin sermons which are to be seen in those of the Saxon tongue and thence he doth shew that they were such words as made against their superstition So it is manifest that this doctrine of Transubstantion was not received in the Churches of England for fifty years after for this book of constitutions was in use till Langfrank was Archbishop it doth appeare that sermon was read in those Churches untill William the Conquerour came into England had raigned there some years in likely hood till the year 1070. Capgrave and William Mamsbery who were History writers doe both of them affirm that this Alfricus was Archbishop of Canterbury about the year 996. And by the rehearsed booke of Canons constitutions it doth appear that this Alfricus was holden for a man of found judgment and a Catholike writer and this booke of constitutions was given unto the Church of Worcester by William Bishop of Worcester for an especiall treasure as doth appeare in the same booke Besides this book there is another booke given to the Church of Exeter by Leofrious the first and famous Bishop of that Sea which hath those two Epistles before rehearsed Manie other proofes ye may see in Mr. Fox for the truth of this Authour And it doth appear that Langfrank did alter this doctrine for before hee came into England I doe finde that hee was one of the four Henry Bulling de ongine erroris cap. 10. Counsell Vercellense doe say manie French stood with him WilliaÌ„ Mauâ—â—usbury affirme the same which did dispute against one Beringarius Archdeacon of Angreas in France who was turmoiled persecuted by four Popes for defending in the Lords Supper Bread and Wine did remain and that the faithfull received Christ spiritually and not with their carnall mouths his last recantation hee made under Pope Hildebrand named Gregory the 7. Anno 1079. Vpon which hee with griefe and sorrow did give away his living and all his goods to the poore and wrought for his living in his old age after hee had been persecated thirty years one Authour doth say hee did repent his forsaking of the truth before his death These with manie other testimonies are to be seen in the answere to the 6. Articles recorded by Mr. Fox And Osbon who did write an History at the appointment of Langfrank Archbishop of Canterbury doth say that at that time certain of the Priests and Clergy were deluded and seduced by wicked errour did hold and maintain that bread and wine which are sett upon the Altar after the consecration doe remain in their former substances and are but a figure of the body and blood of Christ Thus was the manner of the Popish Priests thus to deprave wher it is certain by that before rehearsed this herafter testified that this was the judgment of the Church the reasons he used to shew what made them alter their mindes are certain false miracles which are common in their Legendaries may be read in the forenamed History which if I should rehearse would be thought lying for the Whetstone Whilst this abhominable doctrine was in hatching See how many thousand witnesses the Lord did stirre up to maintain his truth even by their own Authors confessed See rerum Francicarum scriptores about the yeare 1283. Hee saith the heresye of the Waldenses spread throughout Europe Look a Rayling Booke written against Mr. Fox his Booke printed 1603. in the 528. Section he saith the doctrine of the Waldenses was spread in more then a thousand Cityes speaking of the yeare 1200. There is a Cronicle of Lambertus a Monk of Hersfield Anno 1078. hee writt from the beginning of the World to this yeare in which hee doth much complain of the Clergy but most of the Monks hee affirmeth them to be proud and ambitious destroyers of the Lords Vineyard by their ungodly life and great iniquityes by which they have polluted the whole Church The Bishop of Florence did teach and preach that Antichrist was then manifested as Gabellicus testifyeth Anno 1101. Vpon this Pope Pascalos called a counsell and putt him to silence condemned his books And Blondus Platina testifieth he also disalowed of many Ceremonies for which the Pope deprived him of all his goods See the two former testmonies A counsell holden at Rome Anno 1124. where was assembled one thousane Bishops Abbotts there they did ordaine that this transubstantion should be put for an Article of faith yet it doth appeare that it was opposed for Innocent the 3 did 86 years after enact it in a counsell but here by this connsel the Pope sent his Cardinall to the Monks of Caslam that they should acknowledge the Church of Rome had received power from St. Peter and hee had delivered it from the mouth of Christ that all Churches and Cloysters are to be planted and established by the Sea of Rome and all ought in conscience to be obedient to that Sea and to acknowledge that he hath received power to open the gates of Heaven to whom he would and also to shurt them against any and that the Romain Church was builded on the Sone of God which all ought to beleeve and this is builded on the faith of Peter that Peter and Paul did plant the Church at Rome with their blood and that it was the Mother church of all other Churches and those which did oppose that Church did oppose the Word of God See the counsell of Cissinences At this time was Arnulphus Bishop of Ludom Anno 1127 a zealous man he rebuked the wicked life of the clergy their much pride and he exhorted all to follow Christe in poverty as his Apostles did in holynes of life This man for his holy life and godly preaching was well accepted of the Nobility and of the Cittizens but the Cardinall and clergy hated him and sought to make him away privately But he having a revelation before what death he should dye he declared unto them in his teaching that he knew the clergy would murther him privately because he told them the truth in blaming their pride and wicked living and therefore they were offended with him he protested he was commanded of God to cry out against their great sins It doth follow that the clergy murthered him there is a book of his doth inveigh against many superstitions printed at Collen The Archbishop of Ments Anno 1131. Hildebertus a man of great learning did earnestly preach and write against the Sea of Rome against the abhominable wickednes He affirmed them to be Tyrants the sink of all iniquity that they banished away all goodnes out of the Church for this doctrine hee is sent up to Rome and there cruelly handled and imprisonned See Rainul in poli Chrocit Peter Blesensis
Steven was put to death saith That the faith of Christ did spread over all the world by the multitude of them which fled And St. Paul wrote to the Church at Rome about 21. years after hee saith The faith of Christ was published throughout all the world which was before Peter came at Rome Act. 28.22 Rom. 1.8 16.26 And it doth appeare that those which planted the Gospell in Brittaine came not from the Romaine Church because they did so much dissent in ceremonies for the observation of Easter day which is one of the ancientest traditions they did dissent from Rome 700. yeares and although Austine the Monk did corrupt the Church with the Romane superstitions yet hee was opposed by many learned Brittaines and they sent unto Augustine to confer with him concerning their differences they did agree to have a meeting where Austine came with his learned men and the Brittaine Churches sent thither one Donatus with 7. Bishops where they met at a place called Austines oake there it doth appeare that they could not agree on which Austine did threaten them with warre if they would not receive his superstitions And as Segebertus saith Beda Baleus Galfridus and others Beda lib. 2. Austine would have them to receive Altars and Gregorius Masse-bookē and the Crucifix and Procession observation of Easter-day as the Romanes did which they did oppose that they did so contend and strive in this contention that there was blood-shed in this assembly upon which Austine did threaten to stirre up warres against them the which wee find hee did and caused many to be murthered and although hee prevailed against them Fox in folio 131. Anno 798. yet Mr. Fox doth shew that when Charles the Great did send into England to the King Bishops and Nobility for to receive the Romane ceremonies Images in the Churches they appointed Albinus to answer it which hee did when he had answered it they did well approve of it sent it with the booke to Charles King of France and appointed this Albinus to go to him with it And howsoever it hath since prevailed See the Chronicle of Panlus Meriall Anno 794. yet there was the same yeare a Counsell houlden at Franckford of 205. Bishops which did condemne the worshipping of Images and the second Counsell of Nice for establishing of them But it is objected Foxes booke is a booke of lyes therefore not to be credited I know the Papists doe so charge it but wee say how comes it then that they have wrote two Bookes against it and instanced sundry of those stories affirming them to be lyes unto which hee hath made answer in great modesty and so cleared their objections that all men of indifferent judgment may see they are meere calumniations He being a Noble Man and suffered so many arraignments and imprisonments and at last death itself and false charges one I will instance by reason it is allmost as rare as a black Swan and that is of the Lord Cobham whom these blasphemous men say was a rebell and that hee came against the King with an army of men to St. Gyles feildes the which doth very evidently appeare to be false as all may see in his answer imprinted in both his last impressions and yet for all this they have wrote a third booke after his death and never answered any thing unto his shewing them their false accusations Tit. 3.10.11 2. Thes 2.12 1. Tim. 4.2 but scoffing and wondering at his number of sheetes written yet a great part of his booke is in answer to their slanders Therefore I conclude they are such as the Apostle speakes of which have their conscience seared with an hot iron Anno 600. And thereto Galfridus Monumentisis in his center 6. Epistle saith That before Anstine the Monk came to Brittaine they had the profession of Christ more purely then he brought from Rome And Dagonus Bishop in London cōming as he travelled to an Inne where Austine was when hee understood that hee was in the house refused to stay there or so much as to drinke in the house by reason hee had so corrupted the worship of Christ And like as the Popes champions dealt in our land Anno 752. so we doe finde they did in other countries as here in the country now under the States Boniface Bishop of Vtrecht accompanied with 52. of which one was a Bishop and ten Priests and Monks travailed to Doekum in Friesland about 60. miles and there sent for the Officers of the Churches of Lewarden and thereabouts and they would compell them to receive the Romane ceremonies which they refused to doe and thereupon they fell at so great contention that the Bishops with all their train were killed Thus they were rewarded for their paines Looke Joan. Baka Lupus Frerariensis epist. 5. on Carolus Magnus Many Preachers or Bishops in Bavaria did much dislike the Bishop of Ments Anno 735. because hee brought in the Romane Ceremonies and they told him it was contrary to all truth equity for to stand with the Pope in disinheriting the right heire of the Crown of France and that hee did great evill in bringing-in Images teaching purgatory praying for the dead forbidding marriage to the Ministers and that hee himself had an evill report in that hee had women come in such manner to his house upon which this Bishop Boniface was very angry and he went to Gregory the Pope and complained of them the Pope sent for them and condemned them for hereticks for 14. years before hee banished fowr Preachers the land for refusing to observ his traditions Look Aventanus lib. 3 Kilinus Bishop of Whitzburgh a Schotsman travailled thorow France England and Dutchland Anno 687. for to perswade the Clergy to observe the Romane ceremonies which hee could not accomplish then hee caused to be sent unto him two other Messengers from the Pope Look Otthe Frisingenses lib. 5. cap. 13. and then they theatened them that they should bee forced to receive them for which the people sett upon them and beat them so sore that those three died of it And their Histories doe shew thus they dealt in moste parts of Christendom between the years 610. and 800. And then they doe write they were converted to the faith of the Roman Church whereas it is certain they perverted the faith for by the testimonie of Histories the faith of Christ was professed in those Countryes long before as I have partly related I have alledged some Fathers here to shew how it doth appeare that they have given testimony unto the truth we cōfesse not that I doe build my faith upon their writings or upon any man on earth I doe reverence the graces of God I find in them but my faith I build upon the word of God as the Apostle saith 2. Pet. 1.19 Wee have a sure word of the Prophets to