after his Death into Hell and there was tormented and that Lazarus's Soul he being Dead was carried into Abraham's Bosome a place of Joy and Comfort To the Thief which was Executed with Christ at his Passion and believed in him Jesus Christ answered This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Which shews that the Souls of the Faithful never come into Purgatory-fire to be burnt and tormented for all their Sins are forgiven and consequently the Punish ment incident to the same is forgiven also and their Souls pass from Death to Life that is they go to Heaven Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord from henceforth they rest from their labors and their works follow them If from the time of their Death they have Blessedness and Rest then they are not in any Purgatory-fire to be burnt and tormented The first place saith St. Austin Hyp. L. 5. the Faith of the Catholicks doth by divine Authority believe is the Kingdom of Heaven the second is Hell a third place we are utterly ignorant of neither can we find such a one in the holy Scriptures And in his Enchiridion ad Laur. c. 67. He saith That those that believe a Purgatory-fire are much deceived and that through a humane Conceit Know ye saith he de van secul 1. c. That when the Soul is separated from its Body she is immediately placed in Paradise for her good Works or cast into Hell because of her Sins Object The Primitive Church say they did pray for the Dead as Tertullian de Corona Militis doth confess Therefore it is a good proof that she believed a Purgatory I Answer That when the Primitive Church did pray for the Dead she did not believe they were in any place of Torments nor that there was a Purgatory She only believed that the Souls of the Faithful should only enjoy the sight of God after the day of Resurrection She prayed then for the filling up of their Glory she prayed to be joyned with them and be partakers of the Resurrection of the Faithful She prayed that Jesus Christ would hasten their Resurrection and she prayed also for the Patriarchs the Prophets the Apostles and Martyrs that God would be pleased to increase their Glory but she did not implore their assistance nor believe a Purgatory as it is related by Justin Martyr 9. 60. and 76. Iren. L. 5. Tertul. Cont. Marc. L. 4. c 13. The Origine of Purgatory is Virgil in the sixth Book of his Eneids wherein he saith that the Souls before they enjoy Blessedness are differently purged in different places as you may see in these following Verses Ergo exercentur poenis veterumque malorum Supplicia expendunt aliae panduntur inanes Suspensae ad ventos aliis sub gurgite vasto Infectum eluitur Scelus aut exuritur igni c. Thirdly I shew that the Church of Rome adds to the Word of God when she teaches that the general Councils and Popes are Infallible that the latter have Authority or Pre-eminence over all other Bishops that they have power to Depose Kings and Princes from their Thrones and are above them for this Doctrine is not found in the holy Scriptures 1. I say that their general Councils and Popes are not Infallible for St. Austin Tom. 6. l. 2. cont Donat. plainly teaches that God alone and the holy Scriptures are Infallible or cannot Err. The general Councils saith he which are gathered of all the Christian World are often corrected the former by the latter when by any tryal of things that is opened which was shut and that is known which was hidden If a general Council may be corrected as saith St. Austin therefore it may err Wherefore he speaks thus to Maximian Bishop of the Arians Neither ought I to alledge the Council of Nice nor thou the Council of Arimini to take advantage thereby for neither am I bound nor held by the Authority of this nor thou of that Set Matter with Matter Cause with Cause or Reason with Reason try the Matter by the Authority of the Scriptures l. 3. c. 4. The Council of Constantinople condemned the setting up Images in the Churches and the Council of Nice Act. 4. ordered afterwards they should be set up One of these Councils being contrary to the other must needs be Erroneous And that is granted by it self when in a set Form of Prayer which is appointed to be said after the conclusion of every Council they pray that God would spare their Ignorance and pardon their Errors de ord celeb conc The Pope himself may Err for Pope Innocentius doth teach lib. ad Bonif. cont Epist Pelag. c. 4. That young Children cannot be saved except they receive the Baptism of Christ and also the Communion of his Body and Blood And Pope Gelasius Comperimus Consecra de distinct 2. did decree That all they should be Excommunicated which would receive the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper but in one kind But this Doctrine is now taxed for an Error by all Papists and the Council of Trent Sess 21. Can 1. made a Decree contrary to the Doctrine of the Pope Gelasius If any body saith this Council assures that all and every Faithful are obliged by God's Commandment to receive one and the other species in the holy Sacrament of the Lord's Supper let him be Anathema Therefore it is evident that the Popes may Err And this may be seen in their own Decrees wherein it is written That they are to be judged of none except they be found erring from the Faith part 1. cap. dist 40. cap. si Papa Whereby it appears that they thought their Popes might Err in matter of Faith or else that exception was put in vain For all Men are subject to Error all Men are worse in their Words and Sinners in their Works There is none True and Infallible but God and his holy Scriptures because they are inspired of him He is the God of Truth he cannot Lie Tit. 1 2. 2. I say that the Popes have no Authority or Pre-eminence over the other Bishops though those of the Church of Rome stifly holding the contrary give them the Title of Universal Bishops and call them Gods on Earth Kings of Kings and Lords of Lords as saith Albanus de potest pap part 1. n. 22. And Antonius part 3. n. 22. And upon the Triumphant Arch Erected in the honour of Sixte the Fourth it was written Oratio vocis Mundi moderaris hâ—â— henas Et meritò in Terris diceris esse Deus But this Doctrine being not found in the holy Scriptures it is consequently manifest they do add to the Word of God Objection The Popes say they have Authority or Pre-eminence over all other Bishops because they are Successors to St. Peter and St. Peter had such a Pre-eminence and Authority over the rest of the Apostles because Jesus Christ told him Thou art Peter and upon this Rock I will build my Church I grant that Christ said to
changed into Christ's Body For when the Church of Rome would oblige me to believe that what my Senses behold is not Bread and Wine but the true Body and Blood of Christ it is clear that it is contrary to them for my Eyes see them to be Bread and Wine I smell nothing but Bread and Wine I taste nothing but Bread and Wine and my Hands feel nothing but Bread and Wine Object We confess say they that it is contrary to Senses but Senses ought not to be Judges in the Mysteries of Faith I Answer That Jesus Christ made use of the Senses to prove to his Apostles that he was not a Spirit but a Body when he said unto them Handle me and see for a spirit has not flesh and bones as ye see me have Luke 24. 32. And if the Fathers disputing against the Marcionites and Euthicheens the former of which believed that Jesus Christ had not a true Body but only the appearance and the latter that the Substance of his Body was changed into the Godhead after his Resurrection they made use of the very words of Jesus Christ Handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have I may after their Example make use of my Senses in the Sacrament of the Eucharist and say to let the Church of Rome know that what they believe to be the true Body and Blood of Jesus Christ is true Bread and Wine Handle and see Object The reason say they why Christ's Body is not seen in the Sacrament is because he is there miraculously I Answer That if the Bread be turned into the very Body of Christ by a Miracle then should it appear visibly so For the Nature of every Miracle is to be visibly to the outward Eyes and Senses As when Jesus Christ turned Water into Wine it was visibly Wine when Moses Rod was turned into a Serpent it was visibly a Serpent And so if the Bread were turned into the very Body of Christ it should be visibly a Body if they will hold a Miracle in this Sacrament But St. Austin answereth that there is no Miracle in the Sacraments Honorem saith he tanquam Religiosa possunt habere stuporem tanquam mira non possunt Tom. 1. 8. c. 12. Thirdly I say that this Doctrine is contrary to Reason 1. Because it supposes the same Body in several places at one time A Body may be considered objectively at one time in several places but that it should be really or substantially in many places at one time altogether as the Church of Rome would have which teaches and obliges to believe that the Body of Jesus Christ is Substantially in Heaven and Earth and in every place where the Priest pleases to Consecrate or pronounce these words This is my Body this is my Blood and in every part of the Consecrated Bread so that if you divide it into a thousand Parts no bigger than the Point of a Needle he is there in every part wholly that is contrary to Reason For according to Reason a Body of six Foot in Dimension cannot occupy no more place than the Circumference of six Foot and though it may be successively in several places yet it cannot at the same time And these words of St. Peter Acts 3. 22. Whom the Heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things Prove my saying evidently for though he has a glorified Body yet he retains the Nature and Property of a true Body still which cannot be but in one place at once And so saith St. Austin in Joan. Tract 3. Corpus Domini in quo resurrexit uno tantùm loco esse potest 2. This Doctrine is contrary to Reason because it makes Accidents exist without any Subject It is the Nature of Accidents to be joyned to their Subject As for Example It is the nature of the whiteness of a Stone to be joyned to the Stone so that if you destroy the Nature or Substance of this Stone you must of necessity destroy its Whiteness and other its Accidents And according to the Opinion of Modern Philosophers who say that Accidents are nothing else than Matter modified that is to say as it is disposed to this or that Fashion it follows that Matter cannot be destroyed without its Accidents being destroyed likewise with it It is the Opinion of Iraeneus who saith That we cannot consider Water without its Humidity nor Fire without Heat nor a Stone without Hardness these things being so United that the one cannot be without the other but that they must exist together Nevertheless those of the Church of Rome teach the contrary for in their Mystery of Transubstantiation they put Accidents without any Subject they put Colour and Quantity without Matter Smell and Taste without Substance Hardness and Humidity without there being any thing that is hard and moist I may then very well say and affirm that this Doctrin is contrary to Reason Fourthly I say that it is contrary to the Holy Fathers for St. Chrysostome Epist ad Caesar saith That the mystical Symbols do not lose their proper Nature but remain in their first Substance as the Body of Christ has preserved the true Substance of a Body when it was Glorified And Writing to the People of Antioch Hom. 6. he saith That God gives us things Spiritual under things Visible and Natural and that Bread being Sanctified is delivered from the Name of Bread and 〈◊〉 exalted to the Name of the Lord's Body although the nature of the Bread still remains Origines in Matth. 15. speaks thus The Bread that is Sanctified with the Word of God as touching the material Substance thereof goes into the Belly and forth again like other Meats Justin Martyr and Iraeneus Bishop of Lyon say That our Flesh is nourished with the Cup which is the Blood of Christ and is increased with the Bread which is the Body of Christ These words do destroy those of the Roman Church who because they believe that the Bread and Wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ are forced to say that our Body is not nourished with the Bread and Wine but with their Accidents or by some Substance that God Createth Tertullian L. 4. Advers Marci c 40. saith that Jesus Christ took the Bread and giving it to his Disciples made it his Body saying this is my Body That is to say as Tertullian himself explains it the Figure of my Body St. Austin Cont. Adam c. 12. is of that Opinion The Lord saith he doubted not to say this is my Body when he gave but the Signs of his Body And in Psal 8. He saith That the admirable Patience of Christ admitted Judas to the Banquet wherein he delivered to his Disciples the Figure of his Body and Blood And in the third Book of the Christian Doctrine he speaks thus When the Lord saith if ye do not eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood you
ROME TYRANNICAL Idolatrous and Heretical The Origine of Her Errors WITH An Answer to Her Objections Also Three short Sermons of Repentance against Swearing and Drunkenness Preached to the Ships Company before Admiral Aylmer and several Captains By Peter Berault Chaplain in His Majesty's Ships the Kent and Victory in the Late War Gal. 3. 1. O Foolish who has bewitched you that ye should not obey the Truth London Printed by W. Redmayne for the Author 1698. TO His Excellency The Right Honourable John L. Summers Lord Baron of Evesham High Chancellor of England one of the Lords of His Majesty's most Honourable Privy Council and one of the Lords Justices of England during the Absence of His Majesty May it Please your Excellency ROME who in former Ages was both Holy and Orthodox â—s now corrupted not only in Her Manners but also in Her Doctrine Yet She is so Confident as to accuse of Impiety and Heresie all the Protestant Churches of England Holland Germany and other Countries and peremptorily affirm unless they be of Her Communion they must never expect to be sav'd And so I may say without any passion that She is like those Lewd and Naughty Women who quarrelling with those that are Honest do immediately call them infamous and opprobrious Names lest the same should be justly retorted upon Themselves I do not here intend to speak of the Vices of the Church of Rome since most of 'em to our Shame are too frequently found amongst us I will only make mention of Her Tyrannies Idolatries and Heresies which thanks be to God are not yet seen in Reformed Churches and were the true Reasons why I left my Native Country and came hither to live and end my days I know a different Construction will be made by the Papists as also by some Protestants for as St. Paul being newly converted to the Christian Religion was not only hated by the Jews some of them making an Oath they would neither eat nor drink till they had kill'd him but even was suspected by the Apostles themselves who were for some time afraid to converse with him So when a Man leaves the Errors of the Church of Rome and embraces the Truths of the Protestant Religion then all the Zealots of his former Opinion do presently Anathematize him and those who were his most intimate Friends become his greatest Enemies And that which most aggravates his Trouble is that the Protestants amongst whom he came to secure himself do commonly doubt of the Sincerity of his Conversion and are very shy of putting Confidence in him He that has powerful Enemies stands in need of a mighty Protection and this is the reason My Lord why I do here under God implore yours which I do not in the least question since you are an Enemy to the Romish Errors and have a great Love for the Truth of the Reformed Religion and no less Tenderness and Affection for them that couragiously defend it The Three Sermons I have lately presented to your Excellency were so kindly receiv'd that I thought I was obliged upon the first opportunity to make some acknowledgment to your Excellency by dedicating this small Treatise I should not offer you a Present of so little value had I not this to encourage me that it is not the Gift but the Intention in giving which finds acceptance with Great and Generous Minds I do not here intend to attempt an enumeration of all your excellent Qualities I will only say that every one admires your solid Judgment extraordinary Prudence and wise Conduct in the high Places you are in as well as in all the Affairs you undertake either Publick or Private that England doth find in you both Equity and Integrity in the Administration of Justice and that our very Prudent and most Generous King William having chosen you amongst so many Learned Lawyers to be Chancellor of England one of the Lords of his most Honourable Privy-Council and one of the Lords Justices of England during his Absence is a certain Proof of your Merits and the best Commendation of your eminent Virtues These Virtues My Lord will render your Name Immortal to Posterity and will leave a lively Idea of your Renown which will serve to influence your Example to all succeeding Ages I abhor Flattery but I love Justice and in all that I have said here to your Excellency every body is obliged to declare or with Silence give their Consent that I only give Honour to whom Honour is due I ask your Excellency's Pardon for the Liberty I have taken I pray God Almighty that you may live long and healthful in the high Places wherein you so worthily acquit yourself I wish you every thing that may contribute to make you intirely Happy in this World and when in the other you are call'd at the Judgment-Seat of our Lord Jesus Christ you may hear these comfortable words Come you Blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World It is and shall be as long as I live the earnest Prayer of him that is with Sincerity and Respect Your Excellency's Most Humble Most Obedient and Most Affectionate Servant P. Berault A MON SEIGNEUR SUMMERS CHANCELIER D'ANGLETERRE EPIGRAMME SAge Juste Summers ta profonde Science Jointe à ta grande Probité Demande que par Equité Châcun par tout te rende Homage Reverence On dit que la Justice que la Verité Ne sont plus icy sur la Terre Il est Faux car dans l'Angleterre Summers par un beau Don de la Divinité Possede l'une l'autre en leur Integrité P. Berault ROME Tyrannous Idolater and Heretick THE Church of Rome may be now compared to the Image of Nebuchadnezzar for as his Head was of fine Gold his Breast and Arms of Silver his Belly and his Thighs of Brass his Legs of Iron and his Feet part of Iron and part of Clay So when we look upon the Ancient Church of Rome She was then as pure as Gold But when we come to the following Ages we do find in her so notable a change that we do now see in her an Iron-Age and quite different from the former I do not here intend to imitate several Authors who even when they compose but a small Book are wont to make a long Preface They build as the Proverb saith the Door bigger than the House They do promise much and perform but little That I may not be guilty of the fault which I do here impute to others I immediatly enter into my Subject and prove per Argumentum ad Hominem that is by the very Principles of the Church of Rome that She is Tyrannous Idolater and Heretick 1. I shew that She is Cruel and Tyrannous for all those that contrary to the Doctrine of Jesus Christ and Law of Nature do persecute Men and cause them to die meerly because they are not of their Opinion and
shall have no life in you He seems to command a Wickedness and a great Crime therefore it is a Figure whereby it is injoyned unto us to think upon our Lord's Passion and remember that his Flesh was Crucified and Wounded for us He saith also in an Epistâ—â— to Boniface That the Sacraments are called by the name of the things they represent The Sacrament then of the Lord's Supper may be taken either conjunctively with what it represents and in this Sense it is said to be the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ or separately from the things which it signifies and in this Sense it is the Type the Symbole or Figure of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ and that is to be seen in the Affairs of the World as when we say that the Letters which are brought wherein is contained the Pardon which the King gives to a Criminal are the King's Pardon Theodoret Dial. 2. saith That the mystical Signs after Consecration do not depart from their Nature but they abide still in their former Substance Figure and Form and may be both seen and felt as before And Dial. 1. he saith That Jesus Christ has honoured the visible Symbols with the Name of his Body and Blood not in changing their Nature but in adding Grace to it The Pope Gelasius in lib. de duab nat advers nest Eutich saith That the substance or nature of Bread doth not cease and verily there is the Image and Similitude of the Body and Blood of Christ celebrated in the action of the Mysteries of the Body of Christ Baronius An. 648. N. 15. and 869. N. 3. saith That Theodorus Bishop of Rome for the Condemnation of Pyrrhus and that the Council held at Constantinople for the Condemnation of Photius took the Consecrated Cup and poured Ink into it and having dipp'd their Pens into these two mixt Liquors they subscribed the depositions of these Men. If they had believ'd that the Consecrated Wine was the Blood of Jesus Christ as now the Church of Rome believes is it credible that they would have mixt Ink with it and dipp'd their Pens with it No it is not to be believed for the Church of Rome would not do so now but would believe they should commit an horrible Sacrilege Moreover if the holy Fathers had believed Transubstantiation that is the conversion of Bread and Wine into the true Body and Blood of Jesus Christ they would not have failed to instruct us that a Body is under a point that it has Accidents without any Subject and that it is after the manner of a Spirit They would have taught us what nourishes our Bodies in receiving of this Sacrament and from whence come the worms which are ingendred in the Bread They would have told us what kind of action it is which makes Christ Exist under the Species of Bread and Wine whether it was a Reproduction or Adduction or Ubification I say they would have taught us all these things since the Church of Rome gives now a particular instruction in it Now since they were as Learned as the present Doctors of the Church of Rome are at this time and since they said nothing of it it is a certain sign that this Doctrin was contrary to their Opinion And for the confirmation of what I say is that when the Fathers disputed against Idolaters they confuted them with these words Why do you adore what your Hands have made and which has neither Speech nor Motion but is subject to Fire and to Corruption and to be stolen away by Thieves This was the Argument they made use of to prove that they were Idolaters If at that time they had believed Transubstantiation the Idolaters would not have failed to retort their Argument and since we find they have not retorted it it is a certain sign that this Doctrin was contrary to the holy Fathers The Origine of Transubstantiation was a Dream of Paschasius a Monk of Corbis and Innocent the Third in the Year of our Lord 1215. set it up amongst the Articles of Faith in the Council of Latran So many years were past before Transubstantiation was named Then the Pope set it on foot and so it came out from Rome and for want of the holy Scripture of Reason and holy Fathers to maintain it they have since defended and do still defend it at this day with Sword and Fire It is then manifest that the Bread Consecrated by the Popish Priests is not really changed into the Body of Jesus Christ and therefore that the Church of Rome is Idolater since in Worshiping a bit of Bread baked upon the Fire in Praying to it in carrying it in Procession in shewing it to the People in their Mass in offering Frankincense unto it in bowing before it at the Ringing of a small Bell or Cymbal as the People did before the Image of Nebuchadnezzar and taking it for their God She Worships the Creature for the Creator Object We believe that what we do Worship is God and that therefore hinders us from being Idolaters I Answer If this Reason were good and sufficient the Heathens which did Worship Jupiter had not been Idolaters because they believed him to be the true God And yet the Church of Rome maintains that all those who did Worship Jupiter were Idolaters It is then true that to Worship as a God that which is not God tho' it be taken for a God is a gross and flat Idolatry and therefore that the Church of Rome is Idolater because she Worships for her God a bit of Bread which is not God although she believe and take it for her God 2dly I say that she is Idolater because she makes graven Images of the Godhead and bows before them and because she kneels down before those of Saints prays to them kisses and serves them offers Frankincense unto them Crowns them with Flowers Cloaths them with Fine Garments and Orders as it may be seen in the II. Council of Nice that they shall not only be placed in Churches Chappels and Oratories where the Divine Majesty is Worshiped but shall be also Honoured and Worshiped Which is directly contrary to these words of Samuel Prepare your hearts to the Lord and serve him only and to those of Christ in St. Matthew Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve as also to those of God in the XX Chapter of Exodus Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven Image nor any likeness of any thing that is in Heaven above or that is in Earth beneath or that is in the Waters under the Earth Thou shalt not bow down thy self to them nor serve them Objection This forbidding say they is against Idols and not against Images and when we bow to them and serve them we do not render them a Worship of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only First I Answer That these words Nor any likeness of any thing
as it is usual amongst Conquerors had introduced and impos'd their own Language upon those they had subdued and made their Slaves So they have to the uttermost of their Power established their Liturgies Ceremonies and Language in all Churches that they might serve afterwards as a Monument of their Jurisdiction and Authority upon others 2. I say that the Roman Church doth diminish from the Word of God when she forbids the Reading of the Holy Scriptures to the common People For this forbiding of hers is wholly contrary to the Commandment of Jesus Christ who in the 5th chapter of St. John 39 Verse speaks thus Search the scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testifie of me And quite contrary to this Ordinance of St. Paul who writing both to the Bishops and all his Brethren either Men or Women either young or old speaks thus in his first Epistle to the Thessalonians 5. 27. I charge you by the Lord that this Epistle be read unto all holy Brethren And writing to the Colossians 4. 16. he saith When this Epistle is read among you cause that it be read also in the Church of the Laodiceans and that ye likewise read the Epistle from Laodicea However as if the Church of Rome were wiser than Jesus Christ St. John St. Paul and all other Apostles and holy Fathers who did so much and so often recommend it she forbids it to the common People stifly affirming that it is dangerous that it causes Schisms several Sects and Heresies For in the Council of Trent it is written that if the Reading of the Holy Scripture be permitted in a known Tongue amongst all People it will be more hurtful than profitable The abuse some make of the Holy Scripture ought not generally to condemn the use of it otherwise the best things would be taken away from us because they are sometimes misused The use of Wine would be forbidden because many are Drunk with it and is the cause of several Disorders It is enough to forbid what is essentially bad without forbidding that which is essentially good Jesus Christ doth not only permit the Reading of the Holy Scripture to some particular Jews but he enjoyns it unto all â—earch saith he the Scriptuâ—â—â— And that he may the better 〈◊〉 them he makes them remember That in them they think they have eternal Life He seems in another place to attribute all their Errors to the Ignorance of that Sacred Book when he said to the Saducees Matth. 22. 29. Ye do err not knowing the Scriptures Had not the Eunuch read the Prophet Isaiah he should never have understood him And it was by this Reading he began to be a Christian as it may be seen in the Acts 8. 30. The People of Berea as it appears in the 17th Chapter of the Acts were highly commended that they searched the Scriptures to see whether those things were true or no which Paul did Teach For whosoever he be though he were an Angel from Heaven if he Teach Matters contrary to the Doctrine of the Holy Scriptures we are to hold him accursed as saith St. Paul Gal. 1. 8. All Scripture saith the same Apostle 2 Tim. 3. 16. is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works Nevertheless the Church of Rome doth forbid to the common People so good a Book so useful to Piety and so necessary to Salvation Is it not then a great Cruelty to forbid Children to see and read the Testament of their Fathers Is it not an excess of rigour to deprive them of that which nourishes their Souls for an Eternal Life And is it not an extreme Tyranny to hinder them from seeing that which they are to be judged upon 3. I say that the Church of Rome diminishes from the Word of God when in the Lord's Supper she takes away the Cup from the common People and from the Clerks that are not Priests For we read in St. Matthew 26. 27. that in the Institution of this Sacrament Jesus Christ took the Cup and gave it all his Disciples saying drink ye all of it Objection When Jesus Christ said to his Disciples Drink ye all of it He spake to the Priests only saith the Roman Church and therefore the Priests only ought to drink of the Cup. I Answer that St. Paul writing to the Corinthians amongst whom were more Laics than Priests doth evidently shew the contrary for speaking to every one he saith 1. Cor. 11. 28. Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. St. Ignatius Bishop of Antioch and Disciple of the Apostles in the 69th Year of our Lord Jesus Christ Epist 9. ad Philadelph saith That one and the same Bread was broken to all and one and the same Cup distributed to all Justin Marty tells us That the consecrated Bread and Wine were in his time distributed to every Communicant And St. Chrysostome Hom. 18. upon the second Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians speaks thus There is a time where there is no difference between Priests and thâ—se that preside over as when we receive the holy Mysteries for we are all equally admitted to them It is not now as it was under the Old Testament where the Priest did eat particular things and the People others where it was not lawful to the People to eat that which the High Priest was then eating It is not so now for one and the same Body and one and the same Cup is given to all The Pope Gelasius in the Year 490. 2. Distinct 2. Can. Comperimus did Decree that all they should be Excommunicated which would receive the Lord's Supper but in one kind and his Predecessor Leo did call those Sacrilegious that did refuse to take the Cup. And tho' in the general Council of Constance Sess 13. the Roman Church do confess this holy Sacrament was receiv'd in the Primitive Church with the Bread and the Cup yet in the general Council of Trent she speaks thus If any man say that the Catholick Church had not just Reasons to give the Communion to the Laics and Clerks who did not say Mass under the accidents of Bread only and that she Erred in this let him be Anathema The Reasons saith the Roman Church why they took the Cup from them are many Inconveniencies and several Absurdities I Answer that besides there is no Inconveniency though there should be any it ought not to be above the Commandment of Jesus Christ and St. Paul Christ the Primitive Church and the Apostles were very Wise and Wiser than shall ever be the Church of Rome and since they have commanded and given the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper with the Cup the Roman Church ought to follow their example and obey them The Inconveniencies which they suppose at
this day as that the Flies may fall into the Cup or that the Communicant's Beard may touch the Blood were in the time of Jesus Christ and his Apostles Had there been any Inconveniency Jesus Christ and his Apostles should have certainly remedy'd it Therefore since they have not forbidden the Cup to the common People who did then receive the Communion the Church of Rome ought not now to forbid it The Origine of taking the Cup from the common People proceeds from Transubstantiation which being believed produces Concomitancy and from this Concomitancy followed this conclusion that the Laics ought to be contented with the consecrated Bread because the Blood of Christ was therein contained as well as in the Cup. But I have already prov'd that there is no Transubstantiation in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper And though there were any the Roman Church ought not to take away the Cup from the People because Jesus Christ his Apostles and the Primitive Church did not take it from them and because St. Paul orders every one to take it when he saith Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. 4. I say that the Roman Church diminishes from the Word of God when she forbids every one to Eat Flesh in certain times and days and all Priests Monks and Nuns to Marry For St. Paul writing to the Colossians 2. 16. speaks thus Let no man judge you in meat and drink And in his first Epistle to the Corinthians 10. 24. c. whatsoever saith he is sold in the Shambles that eat asking no question for Conscience sake If any of them that believe not bid you to a Feast and ye be disposed to go whatsoever is set before you eat And writing to Timothy he saith That every creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving And concerning Marriage 1 Cor. 9. 6. he speaks thus Have we not power to lead about a sister a wife as well as other Apostles and as the Brethren of the Lord and Cephas And in the 1 to Timothy 3. 2. he saith That a Bishop can be the husband of one wife And in the 13 to the Hebrews that Marriage is honourable to all and the bed undefiled but whâ—â—â—mâ—â—gers and adulterers God 〈◊〉 judge And in the 〈◊〉 to Timothy 4. 3. he tells us that forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meats is a doctrine of Devils And Jesus Christ himself honoured so much the Marriage of the Priests that he did chuse the Son of the High Priest Zacharias to be his Fore-runner To avoid Fornication saith St. Paul 1 Cor. 7. 2. Let every man have his own wife and let every woman have her own husband And notwithstanding all these Texts of the holy Scripture the Roman Church commands under the pain of Sin unto Death and consequently of Damnation to abstain from Flesh in certain times and days and forbids all Bishops Priests and Clerks to marry And though in the Council of Nice of which the Ecclesiastical Historian speaks thus It pleased some Bishops to introduce a new Law in the Church that those who were dedicated to holy Ministry namely the Bishops Priests Elders and Deacons should lie no more with their Wives But Paâ—hautius an Egyptian Bishop and who had one of his Eyes pluckt out for the Confession of Jesus Christ rose up and opposed them saying That they ought not to impose so heavy a Yoke because Marriage was honourable in all and the Bed undefiled and that this Prohibition would be hurtful to the Church because all men had not the Gift of Continence which did so much prevail that the Council consented to his opinion Hist tripart l. 2. c. 14. Yet Gregory the VII th with cruel Decrees of Excommunication deprived Ministers of their Wives and forced the Clergy to the Vow of Continence And the Council of Trent Sess 23. Can. 11. forbids Marriage to all Clerks that are in Orders and to all Regulers or Monks that have made a solemn Vow of Chastity and thundereth Anathema against those that say they may marry notwithstanding they feel they have not the Gift of Chastity And so this Council doth not only oppose the Primitive Church and the Apostles but even the Law which God himself has pronounced For when he said Thou shalt not commit Adultery thou shalt not be a Whoremonger it is as if he should say Thou shalt make use of Marriage which is a proper means to avoid these two great Sins It is an implicit Commandment of God made to all Men and Women that have not the Gift of Continence in what state and condition soever they be Objection The Monks and Nuns have made a solemn Vow of perpetual Chasttiy therefore they cannot marry I Answer that they cannot and ought not to make such a Vow For every Vow to be good according to the very Principles of the Church of Rome ought to have two Conditions It ought to be of a good thing and ought to be in our Power When the Jews made a Vow that they would neither Eat nor Drink till they had kill'd Paul that Vow was void and they were not obliged by it For had it been in their Power yet it was of a bad thing And when Jacob did Vow unto God if he could return in peace into his Father's House the Lord should be his God and would offer unto him the Tenth part of his Goods Gen. 28. 20. That Vow was good because it contained the two required Conditions for a good Vow It was of a good thing and in his Power When Monks and Nuns at sixteen years old Vow unto God Almighty to keep a perpetual Chasttiy that Vow doth not bind them because it is made of a thing which is not in their Power For Continence is a Gift of God He dâ—â—h not grant it to every body but to whom he pleases Matth. 19. 11. Therefore those only that are indeed with it are bound to keep it Therefore when he that has Vowed a perpetual Chastity finds by experience he is often troubl'd with the Lusts of the Flesh and though he has several times called upon God they still continue to torment him it is a certain sign that God has not granted him the Gift of Continence and therefore will have him to make use of Marriage which is honourable amongst all and which he has appointed as a means to keep Mankind and as a remedy to pacifie our inordinate Passions For when he made Man he speaks thus It is not good for a man to be alone I will give him a companion Gen. 2. 18. He made them male and female and for this cause he said that man shall forsake Father and Mother and cleave to his wife Matth. 19. And St. Paul saith That to avoid fornication every man ought to have his own wife and every woman her own husband for it is 〈◊〉 to marry than
first are the Words of my Text Above all things my brethren swear not neither by heaven neither by the earth neither by any other oath but let your yea be yea and your nay nay lest you fall into condemnation Consider this Text seriously I think it should be like the Fingers that came forth and wrote upon the Wall that dreadful Sentence that changed the Countenance of a King and made his Knees smite together Above all things that is above all other Vices avoid Swearing but let your yea be yea and your nay nay that is accustom your selves to short and plain Affirmations and Negations lest you fall into condemnation that is lest for these things the Judge of Heaven and Earth should pass a Sentence of Condemnation to Hell upon you O Men dare ye then from henceforth commit such a hainous Sin as Swearing seeing it will bring you under God's Judgment and Condemnation Did you never see a poor Malefactor Tryed at the Assizes and observe how his Face grows pale how his Legs Tremble and how Death displayes his Colours in his Cheeks when Sentence is given upon him But what is that to God's Condemnation What is a Gallows to Hell The other Text is this the Lord will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain Now what does God mean when he saith he will not hold him guiltless The meaning is plain that is his Swearings and prophane Oaths shall be reckoned to him and he shall be bound to Answer God for them The last Reason which obliges you to avoid Swearing and prophane Oaths is that the custom of vain and prophane Oaths is as plain a discovery of an unregenerate Soul as any in the World This is a sure sign ye are none of God's Children nor have any thing to do with his Heavenly Promises For by this the Scripture distinguishes the State of Saints and Sinners This Fruit of the Tongue plainly shews what the Tree is that bears it The vile Person saith the Prophet Isaiah will speak of villany and out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks Loquere ut te videam speak that I may see what you are What is in the Heart is vented by the Tongue when the Treasures of Grace are in the Hearts then good and Holy Words will be in the Lips The Mouth of the Righteous saith David speaks Wisdom By thy words saith Christ thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be Condemned We use to say such Witnesses Hanged a Man the meaning is the Evidence they gave did Cast and Condemn him If the words do Evidence the State of the Soul what a wofull State these Souls must needs be in whose Mouths overflow with Swearing profane Words and Curses How many Witnesses will be brought in to cast them in the great day Wherefore that ye may not fall into such a misfortune avoid vain Swearing and Profane Oaths whereby God is so highly offended which he has punish'd with both temporal and spiritual Plagues which are a plain discovery of an unregenerate Soul and which God will bring to condemnation And that ye may leave that bad and ugly custom wherein there is neither profit nor pleasure consider that if every idle word that Men shall speak they shall give an account thereof in the day of judgment how much more then for immodest obscene filthy Words profane Oaths and Bloody Blasphemies Before ye speak weigh and ponder your words beg of God to guide your Tongues and every day say with David set a watch O Lord before my mouth and keep thou the door of my lips Labour to get your hearts cleansed and purified make the tree good and then his fruit will be good also A holy heart will produce holy words Consider also that no Man is the better lookt upon for his filthy words and vain bloody profane Oaths but on the contrary loses his esteem among all them that have any sense or virtue and even among them that are wicked and great Swearers too If there was any punishment put in Execution upon them that Swear and take the Sacred Name of God in vain they would certainly forbear that horrid and unprofitable Sin For I observed when I was in Holland that because there was so much Mony to be payed by every one that did Swear I never heard there any Man taking the Name of God in vain though I were several times in the Company of above Forty Men together drinking in Taverns and Coffee-houses And I took notice also in the Ships where I have served that when the Captain ordered the Collar which is a piece of wood of about Fifty Pounds weight to be worn by the Sea-men that were heard Swearing then no Profane Oath was scarce heard that day If a small parcel of Mony to be put in a box and given to the Poor in Holland and if the pain and shame of wearing a Collar in the Ships be able to make Men abstain from Swearing why shall not the punishment of Hell and of an eternal Damnation threatned to them that take God's Name in vain have such a Power over them Certainly they do not believe such a thing For if they were convinced of that Truth or that there is an avenging God or that their Souls are Immortal or that the Holy Scripture was certainly revealed of God and the Threatnings therein contained against Swearers shall be put in Execution in the great and fearful day of Judgment without doubt they would hereafter forbear from Swearing and taking God's Name in vain And that they may be perswaded of these Truths I intend to publish three other Sermons the first to God's Existence the second of the Immortality of our Souls and the third of the certainty of the holy Scriptures for the Reason why Men do continue in their Sins is because they are not utterly and fully convinced of these important and necessary Truths Above all things my Brethren swear not neither by Heaven neither by the Earth neither by any other Oath but let your yea be yea and your nay nay lest you fall into condemnation The End of the Second Sermon Third Sermon against Drunkeness Be not drunk with wine wherein is excess Ephes 5. 16. THE Sparthans brought their Children to loath Wine by shewing them a Drunkard whom they gazed at as a Monster and Tertullian saith of the Primitive Christians they drank no more than was sufficient for temperate Men they did so eat and drink as those that remembred they ought to pray afterwards But now amongst those that profess Christianity how ordinarily is this Sin committed but especially by Sea-men Some of them have gone aboard drunk and laid the foundation of their Voyage in that Sin and though they knew not whether they should ever see again the Land of their Nativity yet this was the farewel they took this was their preparation and so in their return notwithstanding the terrible and astonishing works of the