Christian religion should be perfectly established he would haue no restrainte made but that euery one should be borne vvithal in his ovvne sense yet so that they should not condemne one an other nor make necessitie of saluation in the obseruation of the Iudaical rites of meates daies c. 17. Not meate and drinke The substance of religion or the kingdom of God standeth not in meate or drinke and therfore the better might they vse indifferencie and toleration in that point for a time for peace sake and to auoid scandal but if the precept of Moyses Lavv had bound still as before then not for the meates sake but for the disobedience it had been damnable to haue eaten the vncleane meates 22. Haue it vvith thy self Thou that art perfect and bleeuest or knovvest certainely that thou art free from the Lavv concerning meates and festiuities yet to the trouble and hinderance of the feeble that can not yet be brought so far be discrete vtter not thy self out of season 23. He that discerneth If the vveake haue a conscience and should be driuen to eate the things vvhich in his ovvne hart he thinketh he should not doe he committeth deadly sinne because he doth against his conscience or against his ovvne pretensed knovvledge â—â— Al this is not of faith The proper sense of this speach is that euery thing that a man doeth against his knovvledge or conscience is a sinne for so by the circumstance of the letter faith must here be taken though S. Augustine sometimes applieth it also to proue that al the actions of infidels meaning those vvorkes vvhich directly procede of their lacke of faith be sinnes But in any vvise take heede of the Heretikes commentarie vvho hereby vvould proue that the infidel sinneth in honouring his parents fighting for his countrie tilling his ground and in al other vvorkes And no maruel that they so hold of infidels vvho maintaine * that Christian men also offend deadly in euery good deede CHAP. XV. He procedeth to make peace betvvene the Christian Gentils and Ievves 8 vvith this resolution that the Ievves vocation is of promis in deede but the Gentils also of mercie and foretold by the Scriptures 14 Then dravving to his ende he excuseth him self to the Romanes for vvriting thus vnto them 21 hoping novv at length to see them after that he hath been at Hierusalem â—9 vvherevnto also he requesteth their praiers verse 1 AND vve that are the stroÌ„ger must susteine the infirmities of the vveake not please our selues ✠verse 2 Let euery one of you please his neighbour vnto good to edification ✠verse 3 For Christ did not please him self but as it is vvritten The reproches of them that reproched thee fel vpon me ✠verse 4 For vvhat things soeuer haue been vvritten to our learning they are vvritten that by the patience and consolation of the Scriptures vve may haue hope ✠verse 5 And the God of patience and of comfort giue you to be of one minde one tovvard an other according to IESVS Christ ✠verse 6 that of one minde vvith one mouth you may glorifie God and the Father of our Lord IESVS Christ ✠verse 7 For the vvhich cause receiue one an other as Christ also hath receiued you vnto the honour of God ✠verse 8 For I say Christ IESVS to haue been minister of the circumcision for the veritie of God to confirme the promisses of the fathers ✠verse 9 But the Gentils to honour God for his mercie as it is vvritten Therfore vvil I confesse to thee in the Gentils ô Lord and vvil sing to thy name ✠verse 10 And againe he saith Reioyce ye GeÌ„tils vvith his people ✠verse 11 And againe Praise al ye Gentils our Lord and magnifie him al ye peoples ✠verse 12 And againe Esaie saith There shal be the roote of Iesse and he that shal rise vp to rule the Gentils in him the Gentils shal hope ✠verse 13 And the God of hope replenish you vvith al ioy and peace in beleeuing that you may abound in hope and in the vertue of the holy Ghost ⊢ ✠verse 14 And I my self also my brethren am assured of you that you also are ful of loue replenished vvith al knowledge so that you are able to admonish one an other ✠verse 15 But I haue vvritten to you brethren more boldly in part as it were putting you in remembrance for the grace vvhich is giuen me of God ✠verse 16 to be the minister of Christ IESVS in the GeÌ„tils sanctifying the Gospel of God that the oblation of the Gentils may be made acceptable and sanctified in the holy Ghost ✠verse 17 I haue therfore glorie in Christ IESVS tovvard God ✠verse 18 For I dare not speake any of those things vvhich Christ vvorketh not by me for the obedience of the Gentils by vvord and deedes ✠verse 19 in the vertue of signes and vvoÌ„ders in the vertue of the holy Ghost so that from Hierusalem round about vnto Illyâ—icum I haue replenished the Gospel of Christ ✠verse 20 And I haue so preached this Gospel not vvhere Christ vvas named lest I should build vpon an other mans foundation ✠verse 21 but as it is vvritten They to vvhom it hath not been preached of him shall see and they that haue not heard shal vnderstand ✠verse 22 For the vvhich cause also I vvas hindred very much from comming vnto you ✠verse 23 But novv hauing no longer place in these 〈◊〉 and hauing a desire to come vnto you these many yeares novv passed ✠verse 24 vvhen I shal begin to take my iourney into a paine I hope that as I passe I shal see you and be brought thither of you if first in part I shal haue enioyed you ✠verse 25 Novv therfore I vvil goe vnto Hierusalem to minster to the saincts ✠verse 26 For Macedonia and Achaia haue liked vvel to make some contribution vpon the poore saincts that are in Hierusalem ✠verse 27 For it hath pleased them and they are their detters For if the Gentiles be made partakers of their spiritual things they ought also in carnal things to minister vnto them ✠verse 28 This therfore vvhen I shal haue accoÌ„plished and signed them this fruite I vvil goe by you into Spaine ✠verse 29 And I knovv that comming to you I shal come in aboundance of the blessing of Christ ✠verse 30 I beseeche you therfore brethren by our Lord IESVS Christ and by the charitie of the holy Ghost that you helpe me in your praiers for me to God ✠verse 31 that I may be deliuered from the infidels that are in Ievvrie and the oblation of my seruice may become acceptable in Hierusalem to the saincts ✠verse 32 that I may come to you in ioy by the vvil of God that I may be refreshed vvith you ✠verse 33
be ynough to saluation vvithout saith Baptisme c. 19. But the obseruation Neither to be Ievv nor Gentil bond or free maried or single nor the faith it self vvhich is proper to Christian men vvil serue to saluation vvithout good vvorkes and keeping the commaundements S. Hierom adu Iouin li. 1 c. 16. 25. Counsel I giue A counsel is one thing a commaundement is an other To doe that vvhich is counseled is not necessarie because one may be saued notvvithstanding but he that vvil doe that vvhich he is counseled vnto shal haue a higher degree of glorie He that fulfilleth not a cōmaundement except he doe penance can not escape punishment August li. de virg c. 13. 14. 28. If a virgin marrie He speaketh not of that virgin vvhich hath dedicated her self to God for if any such mary she shal be damned for breaking her first vow but onely of yong maides vnmaried in the vvorld Hiero. adu Iouin li. 1 c. 7. Chrys ho 20. Theodorete Photius and the other Greeke Doctors vpon this place apud Oecum Epiph. hares 61. 28. Tribulation of the flesh They are matuelously deceiued saith S. Augustine li. de virg c. 1◠that thinke the Apostle counseleth virginitie rather then mariage onely for that mariage hath many miseries and molestations ioyned vnto it which by virginitie shal be auoided not in respect of the greater reward in heauen for the Apostles prouident counseling to virginitie is for the next life and he alleageth these troubles of mariage in that sense specially as they be a hinderance from the seruice of God here and therfore an impediment to vs toward the next life and the more ample ioyes thereof 29. As though they had not He exhorteth that such as haue vviues should not vvholy bestovv them selues in the vaine transitorie pleasure and voluptuousnes of their flesh but liue in such moderation that their mariage hinder them as litle as may be from spiritual cogitatiōs Vvhich is best fulfilled of them that by mutual consent do vvholy conteine vvhether they haue had children or none contemning carnal issue for the ioyes of heauen And these mariages be more blessed then any other saith S. Augustine de Ser. Do. in monte li. 1 cap. 14. 32. Careful for the things of our Lord. The Protestants might here learne if they list first that virginitie is not onely preferred before mariage for that it is a more quiet state of life in this world but for that it is more conuenient for the seruice of God Secondly that virginitie hath a grateful puritie and sanctitie both of body soule vvhich mariage hath not Thirdly they may learne the cause why the Church of God requireth chastitie in the clergie and forbiddeth not onely fornication but al carnal copulation euen in lavvful vvedlocke Vvhich is not onely to the end that Gods Priests be not diuided from him by the clogges of mariage but also that they be cleane and pure from the fleshly actes of copulation CHAP. VIII He rebuketh the learned vvho in pride of their knovvledge did eate Idolothyta that is things offered to Idols vsing as they said their libertie but not considering that the ignorant tooke their doing as an example for them to frequent such meates so as they did before in their Paganisme vvith opinion that they did sanctifie the eaters verse 1 AND concerning those things that are sacrificed to Idols vve knovv that ″ vve al haue knovvledge Knovvledge puffeth vp but charitie edifieth ✠verse 2 And if any man thinke that he knoweth something he hath not yet knovven as he ought to knovv ✠verse 3 But if any man loue God the same is knovven of him ✠verse 4 But as for the meates that are immolated to Idols vve knovv that an Idol is nothing in the vvorld and that there is no God but one ✠verse 5 For although there be that are called gods either in heauen or in earth for there are many gods and many lordes ✠verse 6 yet to vs there is one God the Father of vvhom al things and vve vnto him and one Lord IESVS Christ by vvhom al things and vve by him ✠verse 7 But there is not knovvledge in al. For ″ some vntil this present vvith a conscience of the Idol eate as a thing sacrificed to Idols and their conscience being vveake is polluted ✠verse 8 But meate doth not commend vs to God For neither if vve eate shal vve abound nor if vve eate not shal vve lacke ✠verse 9 But take heede lest perhaps this your libertie be an offense to the vveake ✠verse 10 For if a man see him that hath knovvledge sit at table ″ in the Idols temple shal not his conscience being vveake be edified to eate things sacrificed to Idols ✠verse 11 And through thy knovvledge shal the * vveake brother perish for whom Christ hath died ✠verse 12 But sinning thus against the brethren and striking their vveake conscience you sinne against Christ ✠verse 13 Vvherfore if * meate scandalize my brother I vvil neuer eate flesh lest I scandalize my brother ANNOTATIONS CHAP. VIII 1. Vve al haue knovvledge The spiritual and perfectly instructed Christians knevv no meates novv to be vncleane neither for signification as in the Lavv of Moyses nor alwaies by nature and creation as the Manichees thought nor by any other pollution as in that they vvere offered to Idols and therefore they did eate boldly of such meates as vvere sacrificed contemning and condemning their Idols as mere nothing and the vvorship of them as the honour of things imaginarie vvhich their facte for their vvant of discretion and charitie and for the vse of that their libertie to the offense and scandal of the vveake the Apostle doth here reprehend 7. Some vvith a conscience The perfecter mans fault vvas that they gaue offense by their eating to the vveaker Christians Who seeing them vvhom they reputed vvise and learned to eate the meates offered to Idols conceiued that there vvas some vertue and sanctificatiō in those meates from the Idol to which they vvere offered and though that such things were or might be eaten vvith the same conscience and deuotion as before their conuersion Therfore the case standing thus and the Apostles discourse of eating or not eating meates being so as is declared a thing so euident that it admitteth no other interpretation if the Protestants apply any of this admonition against our fastes in the Cath. Church they be to to ridiculous 10. In the Idols temple Like as novv some Catholikes haue said they knovv that Caluins communion is but as other bread and vvine But yet the ignorant seing such goe to the Communion thinke that it is a good act of Religion Yea vvhatsoeuer they pretend it must needes seeme an honour to Caluins Communion when they are seen in the Idols temple solemly sitting or communicating at the
prone to their old lavv and voluntarily after the knovvledge and profession of the Christian faith by Baptisme commit this sinne of incredulitie and apostasie they can neuer haue that aboundant remission applied vnto them by Baptisme vvhich can neuer be ministred to them againe And that general full pardon he calleth here oblation and aftervvard in the 26 verse hostiam pro peccato an host for sinne 26. If vve sinne vvillingly As the Caluinists abuse other like places against the holy sacrifice of the Masse so they abuse this as the Nouatians did before them to proue that an Heretike Apostata or any that vvilfully forsaketh the truth can neuer be forgiuen Vvhich as is before declared in the 6 chapter is most vvicked blasphemie the meaning hereof being as is there said onely to terrifie the Hebrues that falling from Christ they can nor so easily haue the host of Christes death applied vnto them because they can not be baptized any more but must passe by sacramental penance and satisfaction and other hard remedies vvhich Christ hath prescribed after Baptisme in the Churches discipline Therfore S. Cyril saith li. 5 in Io. cap. 17. Penanâ—e is not excluded by these vvordes of Paul but the renevving by the lauer of regeneration He doth not here take avvay the second or third remission of sinnes for he is not such an enemy to our saluation but the host vvhich is Christ he denieth that it is to be offered againe vpon the Crosse So saith this holy Doctor And by this place the like you see hovv perilous a thing it is for Heretikes ignorant persons to read the Scriptures Vvhich by folovving their ovvne fantasie * they peruert to their damnation 29. The bloud of the Testament Vvhosoeuer maketh no more account of the bloud of Christes sacrifice either as shed vpon the Crosse or as in the holy Chalice of the altar for our Sauiour calleth that also * the bloud of the nevv Testament then he doth of the bloud of calues and goates or of other common drinkes is vvorthy death and God vvil in the next life if it be not punished here reuenge it vvith greuous punishment 31. It is horrible Let al Christian people do satisfaction and penance for their sinnes in this life for the iudgemeÌ„ts of God in the next life done by God him self of vvhat sort soeuer vvhether temporall as in Purgatorie or eternal as in Hell be exceding greuous 34. You had compassion To be merciful to the afflicted for religion to be partakers of their miseries is a very meritorious vvorke and giueth great confidence before God in the day of repaiment or remuneration for the same 34. With ioy If all Christian men vvould consider this they vvould not thinke it so great a matter to lose their land or goods for defense of the Catholike faith 38. Liueth of faith Faithful men afflicted in this life haue their comfort in their assured faith and hope of Christes comming to deliuer them once from all these miseries so by that faith and comfort they liue vvhereas othervvise this miserable life vvere a death CHAP. XI He exhorteth them by the definition of faith to sticke vnto God though they see not yet his revvard shevving that all the Saincts aforetime did the like being all constant in faith though not one of them receiued the promis that is the inheritance in heauen but they and vve novv after the comming of Christ receiue it together verse 1 AND ″ faith is the substance of things to be hoped for the argument of things ″ not appearing ✠verse 2 For in this the old men obtained testimonie ✠verse 3 * By faith vve vnderstand that the vvorldes vvere framed by the vvord of God that of inuisible things visible things might be made ✠verse 4 * By faith Abel offered a greater hoste to God theÌ„ Cain * by vvhich he obtained testimonie that he vvas iâ—st God giuing testimonie to his giftes by it he being dead yet speaketh ✠verse 5 * By faith Henoch vvas translated that he should not see death and he vvas not found because God translated him for before his translation he had testimonie that he had pleased God ✠verse 6 But vvithout faith it is impossible to please God For ″ he that commeth to God must beleeue that he is and is a revvarder to them that seeke him ✠verse 7 * By faith Noë hauing receiued an ansvver concerning those things vvhich as yet vvere not seen seating framed the arke for the sauing of his house by the vvhich he condemned the vvorld and vvas instituted heire of the iustice vvhich is by faith ✠verse 8 * By faith he that is called Abraham obeied to goe forth into the place vvhich he vvas to receiue for inheritaÌ„ce and he vvent forth not knovving vvhither he vvent ✠verse 9 By faith he abode in the land of promise as in a straÌ„ge laÌ„d dvvelling in cottages vvith Isaac Iacob the coheires of the same promise ✠verse 10 For he expected the citie that hath foundations vvhose artificer and maker is God ✠verse 11 * By faith Sara also her self being barren receiued vertue in conceauing of seede yea past the time of age because she beleeued that he vvas faithful which had promised ✠verse 12 For the vvhich cause euen of one and him quite dead there rose as the starres of heauen in multitude as the sand that is by the sea shore innumerable ✠verse 13 According to faith died al these not hauing receiued the promises but beholding them a farre of and saluting them and coÌ„fessing that they are pilgrimes strangers vpon the earth ✠verse 14 for they that say these things doe signifie that they seeke a countrie ✠verse 15 And in deede if they had been mindeful of the same from vvhence they came forth they had time verely to returne ✠verse 16 but novv they desire a better that is to say a heauenly Therfore God is not confounded to be called their God for he hath prepared them a citie ✠verse 17 * By faith Abraham offered Isaac vvhen he vvas tempted and his onlie-begotten did he offer vvho had receiued the promises ✠verse 18 to vvhom it vvas said That in Isaac shal seede be called to thee ✠verse 19 accounting that God is able to raise vp euen from the dead wherevpoÌ„ he receiued him also for a parable ✠verse 20 * By faith also of things to come Isaac blessed Iacob and Esau ✠verse 21 * BY faith Iacob dying blessed euery one of the sonnes of Ioseph * and ″ adored the toppe of his roddo ✠verse 22 * By faith Ioseph dying made mention of the going forth of the children of Israël and gaue commaundement concerning his bones ✠verse 23 * By faith Moyses being borne vvas
much vnfaithfulnes by rules of place to embarte Christ of his wil or wisedom to be in the Sacrament how him self list and on as many altars or places as he liketh We detest for al that the wicked heresie of certaine Protestants holding quite contrarie to the Zuinglians that Christ according to his Humanitie is in euery place where the Diuinitie is which is both against faith and the common rules of nature and diuinitie 21. As my Father As when he gaue them commission to preach and baptize through the world he made mention to his owne power therein so here before he institute the Sacrament of Penance and giue them authoritie to remitte sinnes lest the wicked should aske afterward by what right they do such great functions he sheweth his Fathers commission giuen to him self and then in plaine termes most amply imparteth the same to his Apostle that whosoeuer deny the Apostles their successors the Priests of Gods Church to haue right to remitte sinnes should deny consequently Christ as man to haue authoritie to doe the same 22. He breathed He giueth the Holy Ghost in and by an external signe to his Apostles not visibly and to al such purposes as afterward at whitsuntide but for the grace of the Sacrament of Orders as S. Augustine saith and that none make doubt of the Priests right in remission of sinnes seing the Holy Ghost is purposly giuen them to doe this same In which case if any be yet coÌ„tentious he must deny the Holy Ghost to be God and not to haue power to remitte sinnes It is not absurd saith S. Cyril that they forgiue sinnes vvhich haue the Holy Ghost For vvhen they remitte or reteine the Holy Ghost remitteth reteineth in them and that they doe tvvo vvaies first in Baptisme and then in Penance As S. Ambrose also li. 1 c. 7â— de poenitentia restlling the Nouatians a Sect of old Heretikes which pretending Gods glorie as our new Sectaries do denied that Priests could remitte sinnes in the Sacrament of Penance asketh vvhy it should be more dishonour to God or more impossible or inconuenient for men to forgiue sinnes by Penance then by Baptisme seing it is the Holy Ghost that doeth it by the Priests office and ministerie in both 23. Whose sinnes Power to offer Sacrifice which is the principal function and acte of Priesthod was giuen them at the institution of the B. Sacrament the second and next special facultie of Priesthod consisting in remitting sinnes is here bestowed on them And withal the holy Sacrament of Penance implying Contrition Confession and Satisfaction in the Penitent and absolution on the Priests part is instituted for in that that expresse power and commission is giuen to Priests to remitte or reteine al sinnes and in that that Christ promiseth whose sinnes soeuer they forgiue they be of God forgiuen also and vvhose sinne they reteine they be reteined before God it folovveth necessarily that vve be bound to submit our selues to their iudgment for release of our sinnes For this vvonderful povver vvere giuen them in vaine if none vvere bound to seeke for absolution at their handes Neither can any rightly seeke for absolution of them vnles they confesse particularly at least al their mortal offences vvhether they be coÌ„mitted in minde hart vvil and congitation onely or in vvord and vvorke for Gods priests being in this Sacrament of Penauce coÌ„stituted in Christs steede as iudges in causes of our conscience can not rightly rule our cases vvithout ful and exacte cognition and knovvledge of al our sinnes and the necessarie circumstances and differences of the same which can not othervvise be had of them being mortal men then by our simple sincere and distincte vtterance to them of our sinnes vvith humble contrite hart ready to take and to doe penance according to theire iniunction For that authoritie to reteine sinnes consisteth specially in enioyning satisfaction and penitential vvorkes of praying fasting almes and such like Al vvhich Gods ordinance whosoeuer condemneth or contemneth as Heretikes doe or neglecteth as some carelesse Catholikes may perhaps doe let them be assured they can not be saued Neither must any such Christian man pretend or looke to haue his sinnes after Baptisme remitted by God onely without this Sacrament which was the old Heresie of the Nouatians Ambr. li. 1. de poâ—nit c. 2. Socrat. li. 7 Ec. hist c. 25. more then any may hope to be saued or haue his original or other sinnes before Baptisme forgiuen by God without the same SacrameÌ„t Let no man deceiue himself this is the second table or borde after shipvvrackâ— as S. Hierom calleth it Whosoeuer take not hold of it shal perish without al doubt because they contemne Gods counsel and order for their saluation And therfore S. Augustine ep 180 ioyning both together saith it is a pitiful case when by the absence of Gods Priests men depart this life aut non regenerati aut ligati that is either not regenerated by Baptisme or fast bound and not absolued by the Sacrament of penance and reconciliation ⸬ because they shal be excluded from eternal life and destruction folovveth them And S. Victor li. 2 de persecut Vandalica telleth the miserable lameÌ„tation of the people when their Priests were banished by the Arian Heretikes Who say they shal baptize these infants Who shal minister penaÌ„ce vnto vs loose vs from the bandes of sinnes c And therfore S. Cyprian very often namely ep 54 calleth it great cruelty such as Priests shal answer for at the later day to suffer any man that is poenitent of his sinnes to depart this life without this reconciliation and absolution because saith he the Lavvmaker him self Christ hath graunted that things bound in earth should also be bound in heauen and that those things might there be loosed vvhich vvere loosed before here in the Church And it is a world to see how the Heretikes wrastle with this so plaine a commission of remitting sinnes referring it to preaching to denouncing Gods threates vpon sinners and to we can not tel what els though to our English Protestants this authoritie seemeth so cleere that in their order of visiting the sicke their Ministers acknowledge chalenge the same vsing a formal absolution according to the Churches order after the special coÌ„fession of the partie But to conclude the matter let euery one that list to see the true meaning of Christs wordes and the Priests great power and dignitie giuen them by the same wordes and other marke wel these wordes of S. Chrysostome For saith he they that dvvel on the earth and conucrsein it to them is commission giuen to dispense those things that are in heauen to them is it giuen to haue the povver vvhich God vvould not to be giuen neither to Angels nor Archangels for neither to them vvas it said whatsoeuer you shal binde in earth
barbarous Yea and the Seruice of our ovvne language vvithin a fevv hundreth yeres or rather euery age shal vvholy become barbarous and vnknovven to our selues our tongue as al vulgar doth so often change And for edification that is for increase of faith true knovvledge and good life the experience of a fevv yeres hath giuen al the vvorld a ful demonstration vvhether our forefathers vvere not as vvise as faithful as deuout as fearful to breake Gods lavves and as likely to be saued as vve are in al our tongues translations and English praiers Much vanitie curiositie contempt of Superiors disputes emulations contentions Schismes horrible errors profenation and diuulgation of the secrete Mysteries of the dreadful Sacraments * vvhich of purpose vvere hidden from the vulgar as S. Denys Eccl. Hier. c. 1. and S. Basil de Sp. Sanct. c. 27. testifie are fallen by the same but vertue or sound knovvledge none at al. Vvherein this also is a grosse illusion and vntruth that the force and efficacie of the Sacraments Sacrifice and common praier dependeth vpon the peoples vnderstanding hearing or knovvledge the principal efficacie of such thinges and of the vvhole ministerie of the Church consisting specially of the very vertue of the vvorke and the publike office of the Priests who be appointed in Christes behalfe to dispose these Mysteries to our most good the infant innocent idiote and vnlearned taking no lesse fruite of Baptisme and al other diuine offices meete for euery ones condition then the learnedst Clerke in the Realme and more if they be more humble charitable deuour and obedient then the other hauing lesse of these qualities and more learning Vvhich vve say not as though it were inconuenient for the people to be vvel instructed in the meaning of the Sacraments and holy ceremonies and Seruice of the Church for that to their comfort and necessarie knovvledge both by preaching Catechizing and reading of good Catholike bookes Christian people do learne in al Nations much more in those countries vvhere the Seruice is in Latin then in our Nation God knovveth But we say that there be other wales to instruct them and the same lesse subiect to danger and disorder then to turne it into vulgar tongues Vve say the simple people and many one that thinke them selues some body vnderstand as litle of the sense of diuers Psalmes Lessons and Oraisons in the vulgar tongue as if they vvere in Latin yea and often take them in a vvrong peruerse and pernitious sense vvhich lightly they could not haue done in Latin Vve say that such as vvould learne in deuotion and humilitie may and must rather vvith diligence learne the tongue that such Diuine things be vvritten in or vse other diligence in hearing sermons and instructions then for a fevv mens not necessarie knovvledge the holy vniuersal order of Gods Church should be altered For if in the kingdom of England onely it be not conuenient necessarie nor almost possible to accommodate their Seruice booke to euery prouince and people of diuers tongues hovv much lesse should the vvhole Church so do consisting of so many differences Neither doth the Apostle in al this Chapter appoint any such thing to be done but admonisheth them to pray and labour for the grace of vnderstanding and interpretation or to get others to interprete or expound vnto them And that much more may vve doe concerning the Seruice in Latin vvhich is no strange nor miraculously gotten or vnderstood tongue but common to the most and cheefe churches of the vvorld and hath bene since the Apostles time daily vvith al diligence through out al these partes of Christendom expounded in euery house schole church and pulpit and is so vvel knovven for euery necessarie part of the diuine Seruice that by the diligence of parents Maisters and Curates euery Catholike of age almost can tel the sense of euery ceremonie of the Masse vvhat to ansvver vvhen to say Amen at the Priestes benediction vvhen to confesse vvhen to adore vvhen to stand vvhen to kneele when to receiue vvhat to receiue vvhen to come vvhen to depart and al other dueties of praying and seruing sufficient to saluation And thus is it euident that S. Paul speaketh not of the common tonges of the Churches Seruice Secondly it is as certaine that he meaneth not nor vvriteth any vvord in this place of the Churches publike Seruice praier or ministration of the holy Sacrament vvherein the Office of the Church specially consisteth but onely of a certaine exercise of mutual conference wherein one did open to an other and to the assemblie miraculous giftes and graces of the Holy Ghost and such Canticles Psalmes secrete Mysteries sorts of Languages and other Reuelations as it pleased God to giue vnto certaine both men and vvomen in that first beginning of his Church In doing of this the Corinthians cōmitted many disorders turning Gods gifts to pride and vanitie and namely that gift of tonges vvhich being in deede the least of al giftes yet most puffed vp the hauers and novv also doth commonly puffe vp the professors of such knovvledge according as S. Augustine vvriteth thereof This exercise and the disorder thereof vvas not in the Church for any thing we can reade in antiquitie these fourtene hundreth yeres and therfore neither the vse nor abuse nor S. Paules reprehēsion or redressing thereof can concerne any vvhit the Seruice of the Church Furthermore this is euident that the Corinthians had their Seruice in Greeke at this same time and it vvas not done in these miraculous tonges Nothing is meant then of the Church Seruice Againe the publike Seruice had but one language in this exercise they spake in many tonges In the publike Seruice euery man had not his ovvne special tongue his special Interpretation special Reuelation proper Psalmes but in this they had Againe the publike Seruice had in it the ministration of the holy Sacrament principally vvhich vvas not done in this time of conference For into this exercise vvere admitted Catechumens and Infidels and vvhosoeuer vvould in this vvomen before S. Paules order did speake and prophecie so did they neuer in the Ministration of the Sacrament vvith many other plaine differences that by no meanes the Apostles vvordes can be rightly and truely applied to the Corinthians Seruice then or ours novv Therfore it is either great ignorance of the Protestants or great guilfulnes so vntruely and peruersly to apply them Neither is here any thing meant of the priuate praiers vvhich deuout persons of al sortes and sexes haue euer vsed specially in Latin as vvel vpon their Primars as Beades For the priuate praiers here spoken of vvere psalmes or hymnes and sonnets nevvly inspired to them by God and in this conference or prophecying vttered to one an others comfort or to them selues and God onely But the praiers psalmes and holy vvordes of the Christian people vsed priuately are not composed by them nor diuersely inspired
place it is euident that all hostes and sacrifices be not taken avvay by Christ as the Heretikes folishly conceiue but that the old hostes of brute beastes be abrogated to giue place to that vvhich is the proper host of the nevv lavv that is Christes ovvne body 1â— Often offering the same hostes As S. Paul is forced often to inculcate that one principle of the efficacâ—e and sufficiencie of Christes death because of the Hebrues to much attributing to their legal sacrifices and for that they did not 〈◊〉 them to Christes onely oblation so vve through the intolerable ignorance and importunity of the Heretikes of this time abusing the vvordes of the Apostle spoken in the devve defence and declaration of the valure and efficacie of Christes Passion aboue the sacrifices of the Lavv are forced to repeat often that the Apostles reason of many Priests and often repetition of the self same sacrifices concerneth the sacrifices of the Lavv onely vnto vvhich he opposeth Christes sacrifice and Priesthod and speaketh no vvord of or against the Sacrifice of the nevv Testament vvhich is the sacrifice of Christes ovvne Priesthod Lavv and institution yea the same sacrifice done daily vnblouddily that once vvas done blouddily made by the same Priest Christ Iesus though by his ministers hands and not many hostes as those of the old lavv vvere but the very self same in number euen Christes ovvne body that vvas crucified And that you may see that this is the iudgement of all antiquity and their exposition of these and the like vvordes of this Epistle and that they seeing the very same arguments that the Protestants novv make so much a doe vvithall among the simple and vnlearned yet vvel perceiued that they made nothing against the daily oblation or sacrifice of the altar and therfore ansvvered them before the Protestants vvere extant 1200 yeres vve vvil set dovvne some of their vvordes vvhose authoritie and exposition of the Scriptures must preuaile in all that haue vvisedom or the feare of God aboue the false and vaine gloses of Caluin and his folovvers Thus then first saith S. Ambrose Quid 〈◊〉 c. What vve then do not vve offer euery day vve offer surely but this sacrifice is an exampler of that for vve offer alvvaies the self same and not novv one lambe to morovv an other but alvvaies the self same thing therfore it is one sacrifice othervvise by this reason because it is offered in many places there should be many Christes not so but it is one Christ in euery place here vvhole and there vvhole one body But 〈◊〉 vvhich vve doe is done for a commemoratieâ— of that vvhich vvas done for vve offer not an other sacrifice as the high Priest of the old lavv but alvvaies the self same c. Primaâ—ius S. Augustines scholer doth also preoccupate these Protestants obiections thus What shal vve say then I do not our Priests daily offer sacrifice they offer surely because vve sinne daily and daily haue neede to be cleansed and because he can not die he hath giuen vs the sacrament of his body and bloud that as his Passion vvas the redemption and absolution of the vvorld so also this oblation may be redemption and cleansing to all that offer it in truth and veritie So saith this holy father to vvitte that as the sacrifice of the Crosse vvas a general redemption so this of the altar is to all that vse it a particular redemption or application of Christes redemption to them In vvhich sense also V. Bede calleth the holy Masse redemptionâ—â— corporis anima 〈◊〉 the euerlasting redemption of body and soul li. 4 c. 22. histor Againe the same Primasius The diuinity of the Word of God vvhich is euery vvhere maketh that there are not many sacrifices but one although it be offered of many and that as it is one body vvhich he tooke of the Virgins vvombe not many bodies euen so also one sacrifice not diuers as those of the Ievves vvere S. Chrysostom also and after him Theophylacte and Oecumenius and of the Latines Haimo Paschasius Remigius and others obiect to them selues thus Do not vve also offer euery day vve offer surely but this sacrifice is an exampler of that for vve offer alvvaies the self same and not novv one lambe to morrovv an other but the self same therfore this is one sacrifice Othervvise because it is offered in many places there should be many Christes And a litle after Not an other sacrifice as the high Priest of the old Lavv but the self same vve do alvvaies offer rather vvorking a remembrance or commemoration of the sacrifice See the Annotation Luke 22 19. vpon these vvordes A commemoration Thus did al the auncient fathers Greeke and Latin treate of these matters and so they said Masse and offered daily and many of them made such formes of celebrating the diuine sacrifice as the Greekes and Latines do vse in their Liturgies and Masses and yet they lavv these places of the Apostle and made commentaries vpon them and vnderstood them I trovv as vvel as the Protestants He that for his further confirmation or comfort list see vvhat the auÌ„cient Councels and Doctors beleeued taught and practised in this thing let him read the first holy Councel of Nice cap. 14 in fine Conc. ex Grace the Councel of Ephesus Anathematis 11. the Chalcedon Councel act 3. pag. 112. Conc. Aneyran c. 1. 4. 5. Neocaesar can 13. Laodic can 19. Carthag 2 cap. â— Carthag 3 cap. 24. Carthag 4 cap. 33. c. 41. S. Denys cap. 3 Eccl. hier S. Andrevve in historia Passiones S. Ignatius ep ad Smyrnonses S. Martialis ep ad Burdegalenses S. Iustine Dialog cum Triphone S. Irencus li. 4 cap. 32. 34. Tertullian de cultu forminarum de corona milis Origen homil 〈◊〉 in Leuit. S. Cyprian ep ad Cecilium nu 2. de Cana Domini nu 14. Eusebius demonst Euang. li. 1 cap. 10. and the rest vvhich vve haue cited by occasion before might cite but for rediousnes a truth most knovven and agreed vpon in the Christian religion 18. Novv there is not Christes death can not be applied vnto vs in that full and ample sort as it is in baptisme but once Christ appointing that large remission and application to be made but once in euery man as Christ died but once for it is not meant that all sinne shal cease after Christes sacrifice vpon the Crosse nor that there should be no oblation for sinnes committed after Baptisme or that a man could not sinne at al after Baptisme or that if he sinned aftervvard he could haue no remedie or remission by Gods ordinance in the Church vvhich diuers falsehods sundrie Heretikes gather of this and such like places but onely the Apostle telleth the Hebrues as he did before chap. 6 and as he doth straight aftervvard that if they fall novv vvherevnto they seemed very