it to be great disaduantage to him and on the contrary to aduantage himselfe by St. Austins authority he sticketh not most wilfully and absurdly to belie him calling him in the meane time the Eagle-eyed Doctor after the manner of the i Mat. 23. 30. Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites who garnished the Sepulchres of the Prophets but their doctrine they could not abide First he setteth downe St. Austins ground in the Apostles wordes k 1. Cor. 13. 9. We know in part and we prophesie in part but when that which is perfect is come then that which is vnperfect shall be done away And againe l Vers 12. Wee see now by a glasse in a darke sort but then face to face Hereof he saith that St. Austin doth deduce that the knowledge of the heauenly Cittizens is without comparison farre more perfect and cleare then euer any mortall mans was of things absent and to come Yea he alleageth these as the very words of Austin If then the Prophets being mortall men had particular vnderstanding of things farre distant from them and done in other Countries much more doe those immortall soules replenished with the glorious light of heauen perfectly know that which is done on earth though neuer so farre from them For this hee quoteth August de ciuit Dei lib. 22. cap. 29. Now would not a man maruell that M. Bishop should dare to cite such a sentence as out of Austin when Austin hath no such And yet he doth so most folsly and vnhonestly St. Austin saying nothing in that place of the immortall soules now in heauen but only of the body and soule conioyned after the resurrection The very thing that he propoundeth to speake of in the beginning of the Chapter is this l August de Ciu. Dei l. 12. c. 29. Nunc iam quid actari sint in corporibus immortalibus atque spiritualibus fancti non adhuc eâ—rum carne carnaliter sed spiritualitèr iam viuente quantum Dominus dignatur adiuuare videamus What the Saints shall doe in their immortall and spirituall bodies the flesh now liuing no longer carnally but spiritually To set forth the sight and knowledge of things which the Saints shall then haue he taketh a coniecture from the example of Elizeus m Ibid. Si Propheta Helizeus pucrum â—uum Gâ—eziabsens câ—rpore vidâ—t accipientem munera quae dedit et Naaman Syrus c. quantò magis in illo corpore spirituali videbunt sancti omnia non solum sioculos claudaÌ„t verumâ—tiam vnde sunt corpore absentes Tunc enim erit perfectum illud de quo loquens Apostolus Ex parte inquit scimus c. Itane cum venerit quod perfectum est nec iam corpus corruptibile aggrauabit animam sed incorruptibile nihil impediet illi sancti ad ea quae videnda sunt â—culis corporeis quibus Helisaeus absensad seruum suum videndum non indiguit indigebunt who being absent yet saw his seruant Gehezi taking gifts of Naaman the Syrian How much more saith he shall the Saints in that spirituall body see all things not only though they shut their eies but also where in body they are absent fir then shall be the perfection saith he whereof the Apostle speaketh citing the wordes which are before set downe and then inferring againe When that is come which is perfect and the corruptible body shall no longer clogge the soule but being incorruptible shall nothing hinder it shall the Saints neede bodily eyes for the seeing of things which Elizeus needed not for the seeing of his seruant I will not stand here to dispute of the strength of this collection nor of St. Austins application of those words of the Apostle but wee see that here is no such matter as M. Bishop pretendeth but by his collecting head hee bath meerely coined a sentence of his owne St. Austin in the one place denyeth that the Saints now are acquainted with our matters and in the other place saith nothing to the contrary but speaketh only vncertainly of the state that shall be after the resurrection from the dead and is not M. Bishop in the meane time a trusty man thus to bolster a false matter with a forged proofe I conclude with a briefe answere to his ground that our crauing of ech others prayers liuing is a request of mutuall loue but Popish prayers to Saints are prayers of adoration and religion performed to them In the one we pray only as fellow members in compassion in the other the Saints are made to pray as Patrones by mediation The one therefore hath no fellowship or agreement with the other and very deceiptfully doth M. Bishop deale to bring the pretence of the one for the colouring of the other W. BISHOP §. 6. NOw to the Masse The same profound diuine Saint Aug. Epist 59. ad Paulinum Ambros Chrysost in hunc locum Augustine with other holy Fathers who were not wont so lightly to skimme ouer the Scriptures as our late new Masters doe but seriously searched them and most deeply pierced into them did also finde all the parts of the Masse touched by the Apostle S. Paul in these wordes I desire that obsecrations prayers postulations 2. Tim. 2. vers 1. thanks-giuings be made for all men c. declaring how by these foure wordes of the Apostles are expressed the foure different sorts of prayers vsed in the celebration of the holy Mysteries By Obsecrations those prayers that the Priest saith before consecration By Prayers such as be said at and after the consecration vnto the end of the Pater noster By postulations those that are said at the Communion vnto the blessing of the people Finally By Thanks-giuing such as are said after by both Priest and People to giue God thanks for so great a gift receiued He that knoweth what the Masse is may by these wordes of the Apostle see all the parts of it very liuely paintedout in this discourse of S. Augustine who though he calleth not that celebration of the Sacrament by the name of Masse yet doth he giue it a name equiualent Sacri Altaris oblatio the oblation or sacrifice â—pistola 59. of the holy Altar in the solution of the fift question at the exposition of these wordes Orationes As for the principall part of the Masse which is the Reall presence of Christs body in the blessed Sacrament S. Paul deliuereth it in as expresse termes as may be euen as he had receiued it from our Lord This is my body which shall be deliuered 1. Cor. 11. v. 23. for you c. and addeth that he that eateth and drinketh it vnworthily eateth and drinketh iudgement to himselfe not discerning the body of our Lord. And in the Chapter before maketh this demaund The Chalice or cup of benediction which we blesse is it not the communication of the bloud of Christ and the bread which we breake is it not the participation of
of the Valentinian Heretikes and Heracleonites as I haue z Answere to the Preface of the second part sect 20. before shewed St. Iames doth not say Is any man in extremity of sicknesse past hope of life and now departing out of the world as M. Bishop in part speaketh and as they wholly vse that new deuised Sacrament but he saith absolutely Is any man sicke Againe St. Iames maketh the effect of that annointing to be bodily health saying that the Lord shall raise him vp or giue him ease which is the sauing or preseruing of which he speaketh namely from the perill and danger of sicknesse as a Bellarm. de Extr. vnct c. 8. Incipit à sanitate corporali cum ait Oratio fidei saluabit infir 〈…〉 Bellarmine himselfe expoundeth it whereas the effect of Sacraments is no corporall benefit but only inward and spirituall grace For albeit the water of Baptisme haue an effect to cleanse the body and bread and wine in the Lords Supper to nourish and feede the same yet these are no Sacramentall but only naturall effects belonging to these creatures without any Sacrament whereas the proper effect of that whereof St. Iames speaketh is bodily recouery and therefore by b OEcumen in Iac. 5. Hoc etiam Domino adhuc inter homines conuersante Apostoli sacrebant vngentes aegrotos olâ—o sanantes OEcumenius is made all one with that which the Apostles did as I haue alleaged whereof health is noted to haue ensued His last text is to proue that we must confesse our sinnes not to God only but also to men because the same St. Iames saith Confesse your sinnes one to another And who denyeth this who gainsayeth it when as our Sauiour Christ so plainly instructeth him that hath c Luke 17. 4. sinned against his brother to returne to him and say It repenteth me that so there may be reconciliation and peace betwixt them We make no question of confessing repentantly and charitably one to another but we question the necessity of confessing auricularly to the Priest by particular enumeration of all our sinnes and so farre is the text which M. Bishop citeth from deliuering expresly this as that his Masters of Rhemes doe plainly tell him that d Rhem. Testam Annotat. Iam. 1. 16. it is not certaine that St. Iames speaketh here of sacrament all confession who notwithstanding would haue bin glad if they could haue had any ground wherupon to affirme that he did so Now what did he then meane thus to heape together such a number of places as wherein their Roman doctrine is deliuered in expresse termes when as there is not one of them that doth iustifie their Roman doctrine and his owne fellowes doe confesse so much of sundry of them What neede we to ransacke all the corners of our wits to deuise odde shifts to auoide the â—uidence as he calleth it of such places which without any shifts at all are so easily and plainly cleared as these are Yet according to his wonted and wise manner he concludeth that the Protestants doe not receiue all the written word who notwithstanding receiue all these places reade them cite them expound them acquaint the people vsually with them which they by no meanes dare to doe Yea but the Scriptures are not in reading but in vnderstanding and we doe not take them in the right sense Silly fellow what hindereth but that we should be thought able to vnderstand the Scriptures as well as he Forsooth we receiue not the Scriptures he saith according to the most ancient and best learned Doctors exposition But be thou Iudge gentle Reader whether in this whole worke to goe no further I haue not brought the most ancient and best learned Doctors exposition more frequently and firmely then he hath done He talketh of the Doctors for shew to blinde simple men but the true cause of their griefe is that wee receiue not the Romish exposition nor bee content to submit the whole Scriptures to the Popes will But because we finde no such rule amongst the most ancient and best learned Doctors that the Popes mouth should be any oracle of Scripture-sense we leaue his babling of the exposition of Scripture as partiall and idle and doe wish him to learne more wit then to take Scriptures in such sort as they that are at Rome are faine to doe W. BISHOP §. 8. NOw to draw towards the end of this clause not only neuer a one of M. Abbots assertions whereby hee went about to proue themselues and their Church to bee Catholike is true as hath beene shewed before but ouer and besides his very conclusion conuinceth himselfe euen by the verdict of himselfe to fall into the foule fault and errour of the Donatists Our faith saith he because it is that which the Apostles committed to writing is the Apostolike faith and our Church by consanguinity and agreement of doctrine is proued to bee an Apostolicall Church c. and is the only true Catholike Church c. see you not how he is come at length to proue their Church to be Catholike Ex perfectione Page 16. lin 5. doctrinae By perfectnesse of their doctrine which was as he himselfe in this very assertion noted a plaine Donatâ—sticall tricke reproued by S. Augustine whom in that point he then approued What doating folly is this in the same short discourse so to forget himselfe as to take that for a sound proofe which he himselfe had before confuted as hereticall We like well of Tertullians obseruation That our faith ought to haue consanguinity and perfect agreement with the Apostles doctrine but that is not the question at this time but whether our doctrine or the Protestant be truly called Catholike that is whether of them hath beene receiued and beleeued in all nations ouer the world that is to be proued in this place M. Abbot if he had meant to deale plainly and soundly should not haue gone so about the bush and haue fetched such wide and wilde windlesses from old father Abrahams dayes but should haue demonstrated by good testimony of the Ecclesiasticall Histories or of ancient Fathers who were in the pure times of the Church the most Godly and approued Pastors thereof that the Protestants religion had flourished since the Apostles dayes ouer all Europe Afrike and Asia or at least had beene visibly extant in some one Country or other naming some certaine Churches in particular which had held in all points their faith and religion which he seeing impossible for any man to doe fell into that extrauagant and rouing discourse which you haue heard concluding without any premises sauing his owne bare word that in the written word There is no mention made of the Pope or his Supremacy nor of his Pardons c. Belike there is no mention made of S Peter nor ought said of his singular prerogatiues It hath not peraduenture That whatsoeuer hee should loose on earth should bee loosed in
proprietas Ecclesia ea est vt Catholica nempe vniuersalis vocetur The third property of the Church is that it is called Catholike that is vniuersall or might the Catechisme say without absurdity that Catholike is Vniuersall and must I be absurd because I say The Catholike Church is the Vniuersall Church Surely when words of one language are borrowed to speciall vse in another the reddition of them in the tongue to which they are borrowed is taken with the learned as supplying the place of a definition and it is thereby made to appeare whether they be properly and rightly vsed or vnproperly abused M. Bishop and his fellowes abuse the name of Catholikes and of the Catholike Church which English men doe not so readily vnderstand Let them giue the signification of the word and call themselues vniuersals their Church the vniuersall Church and then all that haue will to vnderstand can easily see their foolery and are ready to deride them But this they hide vnder the veile and couer of a Greeke word and wee that the truth may be the better seene are necessarily to discouer and therefore iust cause had I to say The Catholike Church is the vniuersall Church and he is an absurd man to taxe it as a thing absurd Yet notwithstanding I wish the Reader duly to obserue how that taxation stand 〈…〉 with the other that the same proposition of mine is captious For why is it captious Marry because the Catholike Church doth signifiâ— both the whole body of the Church compacted of all the particular members in which sense no one pâ—rticular Church can be called the Catholike Church because it is not the whole body and secondly the Catholike Church doth also designe and note very properly euery particular Church that embraceth the true Christian faith Where we may wonder that within the compasse of so few lines the mans wits should so extremely faile him For if the Catholike Church and the vniuersall Church be one and the same thing as he hath already told vs and vniuersall be no distinct thing but the very signification of the word Catholike then how can it be which here he telleth vs that the Catholike Church signifieth both the whole body of the Church which is the vniuersall Church and doth also very properly designe and note euery particular true Christian Church If the Catholike Church be no distinct thing from the vniuersall Church then it cannot properly note or designe euery particular Church or if it doe properly designe euery particular Church then it is distinct from the vniuersall Church Tell vs M. Bishop how these things hang togither for if the vniuersall Church be the very signification of the Catholike Church then we cannot see how a particular Church can bee properly called the Catholike Church because no particular Church can properly be called the vniuersall Church As for the exception that here lyeth against vs that the Fathers in pointing to a particular assembly doubt not sometimes to vse the name of the Catholike Church I shewed it before to be no whit preiudiciall to that that wee say because they minded not in so doing to limit themselues to that particular assembly but in a particular assembly to demonstrate the vniuersall Church For to say in any Citty for distinction sake this is the Catholike Church what was it else but to say this is that Church which is vniuersally dispersed through the whole world euen as when a man to demonstrate the elements saith This is the aire this is the earth pointing to the aire or earth whereat he is present but therein intending to demonstrate the whole body of the aire or earth hauing continuation with that whereto he pointeth For as the Apostle directing his speech to the Church of Ephesus nameth l Act. 20. 28. The Church of God which he hath purchased with his owne bloud and againe m 1. Tim. 3. 15. the house of God which is the Church of the liuing God the pillar and ground of truth so speaking of a part as to conioyne it with the whole euen so no otherwise was it that in noting any particular Church it was said This is the Catholike Church the whole Church being totum similare as I said before and the whole being subiect to be designed in any part But M. Bishop here saith that this was not only because the Church is totum similare but because each of the said particular Churches hath the same faith the same Sacraments and order of gouernment Which is as wisely and discreetly spoken as if he had said that this was not only because the Church in all parts thereof hath the same faith and sacraments but because the said particular Churches haue all the same faith and Sacraments For why is the Church said to be totum homogeneum or similare a body whose parts are all of the same nature kinde and being but because in all parts thereof there are the same faith and Sacraments or to vse the wordes of the Apostle n Ephes 4. 4. One body one spirit one hope of calling one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and Father of all who is aboue all and through all and in vs all Surely either M. Bishop was sleepy or else his wits were a wooll-gathering when he put in this exception Now then it was not said that the word Catholike is not or may not bee directed to any particular M. Bishop doth therein but meerely calumniate but I said and shewed that it is neuer rightly applied any way or to any particular but with implication of the vniuersall Church The faith is called Catholike because it is the faith of the vniuersall Church propagated and spred by the Apostles ouer the whole world Particular Churches are called Catholike and particular persons are called Catholikes as a man would say Vniuersalists for maintayning communion and fellowship of this faith with the Church of the whole world And as the name of the aire or the earth being absolutely vsed importeth that whole element whereof we speake but yet according to distinction of places we say The aire of London the aire of Oxford the aire of Winchester c. without restraining the name of the aire to any one place more then other and only meaning that part of the aire that is in such or such a place euen so whereas the name of the Catholike Church simply and absolutely vsed importeth the whole vniuersall Church the same notwithstanding is found to be distinguished by diuersity of places the Catholike Church of such a place or the Catholike Church of such a place not limiting the name of the Catholike Church to any one place more then other and in true propriety of speech meaning nothing else but that part of the Catholike Church that is in this or that place And therefore I formerly noted and thinke not vnfit here to be repeated that as Leo wrote himselfe o Leo. epist 12. Leo
vnto the children of Israel and as it were confined within the limits of one land and countrey wherefore it could not be called Catholike and Vniuersall R. ABBOT MAster Bishop is fouly ouerseene to make it a question here what time it was that the Church beganne to be called Catholike it being sufficient to my purpose that the Church before the time of Christ albeit it were not then called Catholike yet was a part of that Church which hath beene so called since the time of Christ euen as the arme which comming first out of the wombe beareth not the name of the child and yet is a part of the child which is afterwards called by that name Therefore St. Austin diuiding mankinde into a Aug. in psal 61. Vna ciuitas vna ciuitas Babylonia vna Hierusalem vna Illa rege Diabolo ista rege Christo c. Illa incepit à Cain haec ab Abel two Cities the one vnder the Diuell as King thereof the other vnder Christ the one Babylon the other Ierusalem b Heb. 12. 22. the heauenly Ierusalem c Gal. 4. 26. Ierusalem which is aboue which is the Mother of vs all beginneth Ierusalem at Abel as he doth Babylon at Cain and maketh d Aug. in psal 86. Ciuis inde Propheta ciuis inde Apostolus the Prophets as well as the Apostles cittizens thereof and by another similitude calleth the Christian Church e Idem in psal 79. Quid est expectandii secundae vincae in mò eidem vineae ipsa est enim non enim altera est one and the same vineyard with the Church of the Iewes And if M. Bishop will not learne this of Austin let him learne it of Gregory Bishop of Rome saying that God f Gregor in Euang hom 19. Habet vineam vniuersalem scilicet Ecclesiam quae ab Abel â—usto vsque ad vltimum electum qui in fine mundi nasciturus est quot sanctos pretulit quasi tot palmitâ—s misit hath his vineyard euen the vniuersall Church which yeeldeth so many branches as it bringeth forth Saints from righteous Abel vnto the last Elect that shall be borne in the end of the world and againe that g Idem in Ezech hom 15. Vna est Ecclesia electorum praecedentium atque sequentium there is but one Church of the Elect both before and since the time of Christ Or if he be loth to turne so great a volume as Gregories workes let him looke into their owne Roman Catechisme where he shall finde that it is one cause why the Church is called h Catechism Roman part 1. cap. 10. sect 16. Praeterea omnes fideles qui ab Adam in hunc vsque diem suerant quiâ—e futuri sunt quamdiu mundus durabit veram fiâ—em profitentes ad eandem Ecclâ—siam pertinent Catholike because all the faithfull who haue beene from Adam till this day and shall be to the worlds end professing the true faith doe belong vnto it What hath M. Bishop beene so long a Doctor of Diuinity and yet doth he not know that the Catholike Church though it were not called Catholike till after the comming of Christ yet now is vnderstood to contayne all the faithfull from the beginning to the end Vndoubtedly he knew it well enough but my collection galled him and he saw there was no way but by cauilling to make shew to shift it of But if he did not let him haue wit to learne it now and let him take my words accordingly that as of the Catholike Church from the beginning to the end there is but one body euen as one Lord one God and Father of all so there is also but one spirit which quickneth that one body and i Ephes 4. 4. one faith whereby we are all partakers of that spirit both which the Apostle ioyneth togither when of the faithfull both of the old and new Testament he saith that they haue k 2. Cor. 4. 13. the same spirit of faith Of this one spirit Gregory saith that l Greg. in psal 5. Poenitent Sicut est vna anima quae diuersa corporis membra viuisicat ita totam simul EcclesiaÌ„ vnus spiritus sanctus vegetat illustrat as it is but one soule which quickneth the diuers members of the body so one holy spirit giueth life and light to the whole Church Whether we respect them that were before the incarnation of Christ or them that come after they both make but one body and therefore the holy Ghost as the soule is but one and the same to both So of faith Gregory telleth vs that m Gregor in Ezech. hom 16 â—adé sides â—pes charitas in antiquis patribus quae in nouis Doctoribus fuit in the old Fathers was the same faith hope and charity as in the new teachers namely the Apostles and the rest So likewise Leo Bishop of Rome saith that n Leo in Natluit Dom. ser 3. Fides qua viuimus nulla fuit aetate diuersa the faith whereby we liue was neuer different in any age but o IdeÌ„ de Pass Dom. serm 14. Vna fides iustificat vniuersoruÌ„ temporuÌ„ sanctos one faith saith he iustifieth the Saints of all times p Aug in Ioan. tract 45. Tempora variata sut non fides c. In diuersis signis eadem fides There is difference of the times saith Austin but not of the faith in diuersity of signes there is the same faith q Idem Epist 89. Sacramenta variata sunt vt alia essent in veteri Testamento alia in nouo cùm fides varia non sit sed vna sit The Sacraments are altered one sort in the old Testament other in the new whereas faith is not diuers but one still Now though the signes and Sacraments were diuers yet because there was the same faith and the same spirit therefore the effects of faith and of the spirit were the same so that what we receiue spiritually in Baptisme and the Lords Supper they also though in other Sacraments receiued the same so that they were spiritually baptized they did eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his bloud as well as we as was before intimated in my answere and M. Bishop giueth occasion to declare further in the next section Of the originall of the name Catholike and Catholikes I haue spoken before that that may suffice and though M. Bishop haue drawen it in it is impertinent here to stand vpon it W. BISHOP §. 2. ANd M. Abbot was greatly deceiued or else goeth about to deceiue others when for proofe of communicating with the Catholike Church hee recoileth backe vnto the beginning of the world Why did he not rather shew that their new Gospell flourished in all Countries assoone as the Christian faith was planted and that it hath continued in all ages since the Apostles dayes vntill our time that had beene to haue spoken directly to the purpose
the Catholike Church as well as we what tergiuersation doe I vse or how doe I leape backe from the point in question when by affirming our communion with them I affirme consequently our communion with the Catholike Church Forsooth the Church was not then Catholike Bee it so but it was then the same Church which was afterward to become Catholike a part of the Catholike Church and in com 〈…〉 nicating with a part of the Catholike Church we communicate with the whole because of the whole there is but one and the same saith Secondly if they were Christians by the same faith whereby we are so what absurdity do I commit in saying that they beleeued all the articles of faith that we beleeue so clearly I doe not say because they beleeued them not in those particular circumstances which by the story of the Gospell are knowen to vs but yet all the same and as clearly as wee beleeue those points of faith which are of those things that are yet to come And if they did so what hindereth but that we rightly conclude that those branches of the Roman faith which were not then sprung vp are only Romish additions and not any parts of the true Catholike faith Against this M. Bishop excepteth But good Sir did they beleeue that all their children were to be baptized and that all persons of riper yeares among them were to receiue the holy Sacrament of Christs body I haue answered him before that as touching outward signes and Sacraments there is difference betwixt them and vs and I now answere him further that as touching the power and effect of Sacraments they were in their Sacraments spiritually baptized as well as we and spiritually partakers of Christs body and bloud as well as we For u Leo in Natiu Christi ser 3. Verbi incaâ—natio haec contulit facienda quae facta c. Hoc magna pietatis Sacramentum quo totus iam mundus impletus est tam potens etiam in suis significationibus fuit vt non minùs adepti sine qui in illud credidere promissum quà m qui suscepere donatum the incarnation of Christ being yet to come saith Leo yeelded the same that it doth now being done and the great mysterie of godlinesse whereof now the whole world is full was so powerfull in the significations of it as that they attamed no lesse who beleeued therein being promised then they did who haue receiued it now giuen and performed And againe x IdeÌ„ de Pass Dom. ser 13. Sanguis vnius iusâ—â— quem nobis pater donauitqui â—um pro reconciliatione mundi credimus fusum hoc contulit patribus qui similitèr credidere fundâ—â—dum The bloud of one iust one which the father hath giuen vnto vs who beleeue the same to haue beene shed for the reconciliation of the world yeelded the same benefit to the Fathers who did beleeue that it should be shed Therefore we see that the Apostle as on the one side he saith of vs that we are y Col. 2. 11. circumcised because the effect of circumcision is with vs so saith of them also that they were z 1. Cor. 10. â— baptised because the grace and effect of baptisme was with them And thus Gregory saith that a Greg. Mor. l 4. c. 3. Quod apud nos valet aqua baptâ—matis hoc eâ—â—t apud veteres vel pro paruulis sola fides vel pro maioribus virtus sacrificij vel pro his qâ—i ex Abrahae stiâ—pe prodierant mysterium circumcisionis what the water of baptisme auaileth with vs the same with 〈◊〉 old Fathers did either faith only for infants or for them of elâ—â—â— yeares the power of Sacrifice or for them that came of the stocke of Abraham the Sacrament of circumcision And thus of their Sacraments whereto now answereth our Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ the Apostle saith that therein b 1 Cor. 10. 4. they did eate the same spirituall meate and drinke the same spirituall drinke For their Sacraments and ours c August in Ioan. tract 26. Sacramenta illa fuâ—runt in signis diuersa sunt sed in re quae significatur pariâ— sunt in signes are diuers faith St. Austin but in the thing signified they are both alike They that did eate Manna aright d Idem de vtil poâ—â—it cap. 1. Quicunque in Manna ChristuÌ„ intellexerunt â—undem quem nos cibum spirituilem manducauerunt did vnderstand Christ therein and thereby did eate the same spirituall meate that we doe euen the flesh of Christ and they that did drinke of the Rocke aright did therein also drinke of Christ euen the bloud of Christ for the Rocke was Christ that is e IdeÌ„ de TeÌ„p sor 108. Petra illa typum habuit corporis Christi c. Quod vtique non ad dâ—uinâ—tatem 〈◊〉 sed ad caraâ—m relatum est quae siticntium corda populorum perenni riuâ— sangâ—â—nis sui inundauit was the type or figure of the body of Christ saith Austin againe the same not being referred to his Deity but to the flesh which watered the hearts of the thirsty people by the euer-flowing riuer of his bloud f Idem de vtilit Poenit. cap. 1. Eundem â—rgò cibum eundem pâ—tum sed intelligentibus credentibus Non intelligentibus autem illud solum Manna illa sola aqua ille cibus esurienti potus iste sitienti nec ille net iste credenti credenti autem â—dem qui â—â—â—c There was saith he the same meat and the same drinke to them that had vnderstanding and faith but to them that vnderstood not the one was only Manna the other was only Water the one foode for the hungry the other drinke for the thirsty neither the one nor the other meate or drinke for the beleeuer but he that beleeued had the same that we haue now And if they had so if by Manna they did eate the body of Christ and by the Water of the Rocke they did drinke the bloud of Christ what hindereth then but that wee may say that though not by outward signe yet as touching inward grace and effect they were partakers of the Lords Supper Whereas he further asketh Can M. Abbot demonstrate that they had perfect faith of the Trinity beleeuing distinctly in three persons and one God I answere him that it may bee to him in â—ade of a demonstration that they did so because sundry Heathen Philosophers as g Cyril cont lulian lib. 1. Ex Hermete Orpâ—â—â— Porphyrio c. Vide Phil. Morn Plessi de verit Christ relig cap. 6. Cyril at large sheweth were not ignorant of this secret of the diuine nature who had no otherwise knowledge thereof but by some kinde of Tradition from the Fathers who had beene so instructed from God himselfe For can we thinke that it could be knowen to Philosophers and Pagans and that it was vnknowen to the Patriarchs
from that imputation Well and what of that Marry Chrysostome and Hierome do argue saith he that euen so in the law of grace men infected with the soules leprosie are either to be bound and declared obstinate by the Priest if they will not repent or repenting and confessing the same are to be cleansed therefrom by the Priests absolution First Chrysostome in the place by him alleaged saith nothing either of confession or absolution but noting by occasion what grace is administred by Priests in baptisme that u Chrysost de Sacerdot lib. 3. Authores nobis sunt natiuitatis eius quam à Deo habemus c. atque adeò adoptionis eius qua nos per gratiam silij Dei sumus effecti Corporiâ— lepram purgare seu verius dicam haud purgare quidem sed purgatos probaâ—e Iudaeorum Sacerdotibus solis licebat c. At verò nostris Sacerdotibus non corporis lepram verum animae sordes non dico purgatas probare sed purgare prorsus concessum est they are as he speaketh authours of our new birth and of that adoption whereby we are made the sonnes of God he addeth further thereof thus Only the Priests of the Iewes might purge the leprosie of the body or so speake more truly not purge it but giue warrant of them that were purged but to our Priests it is granted I will not say to approue such as are purged but to purge not the leprosie of the body but the vncleannesse of the soule This the Priest doth sacramentally and ministerially in baptisme when he x Acts 2. 38. baptizeth in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ to the remission of sinnes and what is this to M. Bishops turne As little is there in the words of Hierome who saith that y Hieron in Mat. c. 16. Quomodo ibi Sacerdoâ— facit leprosum mundâ— vel immundum non quò Sacerdotes leprosos faciant immundos sed quò habeant notitiam leprosi vel non leprosi possint discernere qui mundus quiuè immundus fit sic hic alligat vel soluit Episcopus Presbyter noÌ„â—os qui insontes sunt vel nâ—xij sed pro â—fficio suo cum peccatorum audierit varietates scit qui ligandus sit qui soluendus as the Priest in Moses law did make the leaper cleane or vncleane not for that he did so indeede but only tooke notice who was a leaper and who was not and did discerne betwixt the cleanâ— and the vncleane so here the Bishop or Priest doth binde or loose not binde them which are innocent or loose the guilty but when according to his office he heareth the variety of sinnes he knoweth who is to be bound and who to be loosed We see here the office and duty of the Priest to discerne betwixt man and man to acquit the innocent to bind the guilty by the publike censure of the Church to decide who is to be holden for loosed with God who for bound all which belong to the outward and publike discipline and gouernement of the Church but as for auricular confession or priuate absolution and pâ—nance thereto appertayning there is not so much as one word spoken thereof It is plainly here to be seene why M. Bishop quoted the authours only but did not set downe their wordes because the Reader would haue discerned his folly that would set downe such impertinent stuffe nothing at all concerning the point in hand Yet he hopeth that he hath said that that may suffice for answere to my particulars whereas he hath brought no tollerable proofe or probability for any one particular and therefore leaueth vs to resolue that none of those points of religion by me mentioned were euer knowen to the old Fathers W. BISHOP §. 4. I Might easily adde how the Sacrifice of the body and bloud of Christ vnder the formes of bread and wine were both prefigured by Melchisedechs Host in bread and Genes 14. wine and fore-told by the Prophet Malachy and what a Malach. 1. liuely type Manna that Angelicall and delicate foode was of Christs body in the Sacrament And how the supreme authority of one headouer all the whole Church and that to belong to a Bishop and not to the lay Magistrate was not obscurely shadowed but liuely represented by the Soueraigne power that the high Priest of the old Testament had ouer all the rest To determine and end all doubts Deuter. 17. and controuersies arising about any hard point of the law As for consecrating of Priests and hallowing of Churches and Altars with all Vestiments and Ornaments thereunto appertaining and for the seuerall feasts and fasts there is so great resemblance betweene them and vs that Protestants commonly cry out against vs for the ouer great affinity that is betwixt the old law and our religion But as they are to be reproued of indiscreet zeale against the rites of Moyses law which were of God and good for the time and most of them figures and types of the law of grace according to that of the Apostle All 1. Cor. 10. things chanced to them in figure and were written for our correction and instruction so on the other side some strange defluxion and dâ—stillation of corrupt humours maruailously darkned M. Abbots sore eyes that he could not discerne nor find in the whole law of Moises any one shadow of that which we now practise May not these worthy words which S. Paul pronounced of the blinded Iewes in his time be verified of him Their senses 2. Cor. 3. were dulled vntill this day when Moyses is read a veile is put vpon their heart that is they reading and hearing the law of Moyses doe no more vnderstand it then doth a man hoodded or that hath a veile before his eyes see what is before him or else M. Abbot reading the old Testament could not choose but haue seene much of our religion and many articles of our faith there recorded And albeit we teach most mysteries of our faith to haue beene in the law of Moyses prefigured and foretold yet is it very absurd to say as M. Abbot doth that we beleeue no more articles of faith then they did for we were by the Sonne of God our blessed Sauiour giuen to vnderstand many high points of beliefe which were not reueiled vnto them as hath beene before declared R. ABBOT ANd I might as easily answere that the Popish Sacrifice of the body and bloud of Christ as they call it vnder the formes of bread and wine is an absurd nouelty neither prefigured by Melchizedecke nor fore-told by Malachy the Prophet nor euer knowen to any ancient Father of the Christian Church Strange it is that a reall propitiatory sacrifice of Christs body and bloud vnder the formes of bread and wine should bee deriued from Melchizedecke with whom we see no token or semblance thereof of whom it is not said that he offered bread and wine but only that
worthy to be noted how M. Bishop trippeth and crosseth himselfe who hauing first told vs that the whole value of our merits whereby we deserue eternall life proceedeth of the dignity of Gods grace in vs presently altereth the case and saith that we must concurre with grace to the effecting of good works and this our working with the grace of God deserues heauen Surely if the whole value of our merits doe proceede of the dignity of Gods grace then the desert of heauen ariseth not of our working with grace or if the desert of heauen doe arise of our working with grace then it doth not wholly arise from the dignity of grace But hereby wee may see that all the wordes which they vse as touching grace are but hypocrisie and deceipt and that their true resolution is that the desert of heauen issueth out of the free will of man vsing grace as a toole or instrument for the doing of workes whereby to deserue the same Thus of gift they make no gift and turne all wholly into merit and by the free will of man doe vtterly ouerthrow the grace of God carrying notwithstanding in the meane time a conscience of shame of that they teach and colouring all with good workes as Pelagius the Heretike and his followers in the same case were wont to doe But M. Bishop will proue all that he saith by another sentence of the same Epistle to the Romans r Rom. 2. 6. God will render to euery man according to his workes c. where he saith we may see in expresse termes eternall life to be rendered and repaid for good works Where wee rather see his pertinacy in errour who rather chooseth to make the Apostle to contradict himselfe then to yeeld to the truth plainly deliuered by the Apostle But nothing can be deuised more fit for answere to him or more effectuall to stoppe his mouth then that which Gregory Bishop of Rome hath purposely set downe for satisfaction to those wordes f Gregor in Psalm Poeâ—itent 7. Quòd si illa Sanctorâ— soelicitas miserecordia est nö meritis acquiritur vbi erit quod scriptum est Et tu reddes vnicuique secundum opera sua si secundum opera redditur quomodo miserecordia a stimabitur sed aliud est secundum opera reddere aliud propter ipsa opera reddere In co enim quod secundum opera dicitur ipsa operum qualitas intelligitur vt cuiâ—s apparuerint bona opera eius sit retribut o gloriosa Illi namque beatae vitae in qua cum Deo de Deo viuitur nullus potâ—st aquari labor nulla opera comparari praesertim cùm Apostolus dicat Non sunt condignae passiones c. If the felicity of the Saints bee mercy saith he and be not obtained by merits how shall it stand which is written Thou shalt render vnto euery man according to his workes If it be rendered according to workes how shall it be esteemed mercy But it is one thing saith he to render according to workes and another thing to render for the works themselues For in that it is said according to workes the very quality of the workes is vnderstood so as that whose good works shall appeare his reward shall be glorious For to that blessed life wherein we shall liue with God and of God no labour can be equalled no workes can be compared for that the Apostle telleth vs The sufferings of this time are not comparable in worth to the glory to come that shall be reueiled on vs. Where we see how he setteth it downe as a thing without question to be confessed that eternall life is mercy only and is not to be purchased or gained by merits and that the Scripture in saying that God rendereth to euery man according to his workes doth not import that God in giuing reward vnto good workes doth any thing for the workes sake as if he regarded the merit or value thereof but respecteth only the quality of our workes as vsing the same for a marke only wherby he will take knowledge of them to whom he intendeth to shew mercy At these wordes of Gregory me thinks I see how M. Bishop biteth the lippe and chafeth in his minde to heare him thus distinguishing like a Protestant and seriously approuing that which he with scorne hath reiected being spoken by M. Perkins t Of Merits sect 17. O sharpe and ouer-fine wit saith he doth God render according to the workes and doth he not render for the workes What M. Bishop will you mocke Gregory in the same sort and twite him with a sharpe and ouer-fine wit He hath taught vs to distinguish thus he telleth vs that it is one thing to render for workes another thing to render according to workes which sith you admit not why doe you dâ—ale so impudently in chalenging to your selues a full and perfect agreement with the ancient Church of Rome I might further enlarge this matter out of Gregory by sundry speeches tending to the disabling of all humane works but that it followeth more properly to speake thereof in the thirteenth Chapter CHAP. XI That concupiscence or lust is sinne euen in the very habit and first motions of it ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE HE telleth vs againe and againe that concupiscence is sinne to lust is to sinne c. to S. Paul saith of the spirit of adoption c. W. BISHOP THe Apostle telleth vs againe and againe that our Sauiour Christ Iesus was made 2. Cor. 5. v. 21. sinne and yet no Christian is so simple as to take him to be properly sinne but the host or satisfaction for sinne so when the Rom. 8. vers 3. Apostle calleth concupiscence sinne wee vnderstand him with S. Augustine that it is not sinne properly yet so called not vnaptly both because it is the effect L. b. 1. cont duas Epist Pelag. cap. 10. Lib. 1. de Nupt Concupisc cap. 23. and remnant of originall sinne and doth also pricke vs forward to actuall sinne but if by helpe of the grace of God we represse it we are deliuered from the infection and guilt of it Which S. Paul in the very same Chapter declareth when he demandeth Who shall deliuer me Ibid. vers 25. from this body of death he answereth presently the grace of God by Iesus Christ our Lord. And againe that profound Doctor S. Augustine argueth very soundly out of the same sentence where concupiscence is called sinne but now not I worke it any more but the sinne that is in me that the Apostle could not meane sinne properly which cannot saith he be committed Lib. 6. cont Iulian. c. 23. without the consent of our minde but that had no consent of the minde to it because it was not the Apostle that did worke it Now how can that be the euill worke of a man if the man himselfe doe not worke it as the Apostle saith expresly not I doe
worke it Lastly the same Apostle teacheth that sinne hath no dominion ouer them that are vnder grace which were false if concupiscence were properly sinne for that hath such dominion ouer euery good body that they cannot auoid the motion and sting of it No not S. Paul could be clearely deliuered 2. Cor. 12. vers 8. from that pricke of the flesh though he praied most earnestly for it wherefore by the testimony of S. Paul himselfe concupiscence is not properly sinne no more is it to lust if lust be taken for the first motions of concupiscence But concupiscence when it hath conceiued Iacob 1. vers 15. as S. Iames speaketh that is by our liking beginneth to take hold on vs bringeth forth sinne yet but veniall marry when it is consummate by our consent or long lingring in it then it engendreth death that is mortall sinne R. ABBOT EVen so might the adulterer pleade for himselfe that as Christ is said to haue been made sinne and yet is not properly sinne so adultery though it be called sinne yet is not so called because it is indeede and properly sinne but only because it is an effect of sinne and draweth on to many sinnes Surely in what manner the Apostle saith that adultery is sinne in the same manner doth he say that concupiscence is sinne and very vntowardly and shamefully doth M. Bishop bring that as a speech of the like kinde whereby it is said that a 2. Cor. 5. 2â— Christ for vs was made sinne As for that which he citeth out of St. Austin I haue b Of Original sinne after Baptisme sect 9. elsewhere before examined the places and haue shewed at large how falsly and wickedly they abuse him St. Austin neuer denying concupiscence in the regenerate to be sinne but only as sinne implieth a guilt of punishment which to the faithfull is remitted and therefore the condition of sinne in that respect abolished If we consider the nature of sinne in the corruption and vncleannesse of it St. Austin acknowledgeth concupiscence to be such an euill quality as maketh vs euill which nothing can doe but sinne yea he saith that it is c August coÌ„t Iulian. l. 6. c. 5. Tale ac tammagnum malum tantum quia inest quomodo non tenerâ—t in morte c. so great an euill as that only for that it is in vs it should hold vs in death and bring vs to euerlasting death but that the bond that is the guilt thereof is loosed in baptisme by the remission of all our sinnes I note these things but briefly because I choose rather to referre the Reader to the treaty hereof at large And thereby he shall perceiue how vntruly M. Bishop here saith as by the doctrine of St. Austin that if by the helpe of Gods grace we represse concupiscence we are deliuered from the infection and guilt of it Indeede St. Austin saith so much of the guilt but neuer did he say or thinke that we are or shal be deliuerâ—â—â— from the infection and vncleannesse of it d Aug. Epist 54. Malos diâ—it propter vitia infirmitatis humanae donec totum quo constamus ab omni vitiositate sanatum transeat in eam vitam vbi nihil omninò peccabitur vntill all whereof we consist healed from all corruption shall passe into that life where there shall be no sinne But if St. Austin will not take his part he will proue that which he saith by St. Paul himselfe in the same Chapter He demandeth saith he Who shall deliuer me from this body of death and answereth presently The grace of God by Iesus Christ our Lord. Where we see how according to his vsuall manner he setteth downe the wordes as to haue his Reader thinke that he tendereth him a proofe of that which he saith but neuer goeth about to shew how that which he saith is to be deduced therfrom And here his falshood is the greater for that hee alleageth the Apostles wordes for that which he saith whereas that which he saith is vtterly ouerthrowen by the wordes which he alleageth For let me aske him doth the Apostle by deliuerance from this body of death meane a deliuerance from the infection of originall sinne He will say yes because for proofe thereof he citeth the Apostles wordes Well but tell vs then doe you not beleeue that St. Paul was a partaker of the grace of God and did thereby represse and resist the motions of concupiscence Neither will he here dare to say nay and if he should what Christian man would not spit at him But then we will aske him againe if the Apostle by the grace of Christ did resist concupiscence and euery one that so doth be deliuered from the infection thereof how standeth it that the Apostle did yet remaine in case to be deliuered from this infection Marke I pray thee gentle Reader the Apostle saith who shall deliuer me giuing thereby to vnderstand that he was not as yet deliuered He saith the grace of God shall deliuer me but he doth not say it hath deliuered me from the infection of concupiscence Here M Bishop is mute he hath taken a fall in his owne trippe and knoweth not which way to recouer himselfe The Apostle St. Paul though by the grace of God he resisted the motions of concupiscence yet was not as yet deliuered from the infection of it It is false therefore which M. Bishop saith that if by the helpe of the grace of God we represse it we are deliuered from the infection of it I haue e Of Original sinne sect 4. before shewed that the Apostle in naming this body of death hath reference to this infection meaning thereby f Rom. 6. 6. the body of sinne as he hath termed it in the former Chapter g August de Temp. â—er 45. Per concupiscentiam dâ—ctum est hoc nostrummortis corpus which is to be destroyed and to which by and for concupiscence belongeth death It is true then which M. Bishop saith that the Apostle in desiring to be deliuered from this body of death did thereby intend a release from the infection of concupiscence but where was his vnderstanding that could not see that this maketh directly against himselfe and plainly sheweth that this release and deliuerance is yet to come and befalleth not vnto vs so long as we continue clothed with mortality and corruption But he telleth vs yet further that St. Austin out of the same sentence where concupiscence is called sinne Now not I worke it any more but sinne that dwelleth in me argueth very soundly that the Apostle could not meane sinne properly which cannot saith he be committed without consent of the minde He quoteth for this Lib. 6. cont Iulian. cap. 23. whereas in that sixt booke there are but thirteene Chapters But the place which he meaneth I take to be in the eleuenth Chapter of the same booke where St. Austin hauing mentioned those words of the Apostle goeth
be The Apostle doth not say yee shall be the sonnes of God vpon such a condition but he saith Yee are sonnes euen as St. Iohn saith d 1. Iohn 3. 2. Now are we the sonnes of God yea and because yee are sonnes saith he therefore is it that God hath sent the spirit of his sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father which spirit yee could not be partakers of but that yee are sonnes This then being already certaine M. Bishop committeth a manifest errour to tie it to a future condition which he saith is not certaine Albeit in annexing this condition to the testimony of the spirit hee doth wilfully and manifestly falsifle the text For the Apostle doth not say as he pretendeth that the spirit beareth witnesse that we are the sonnes of God if we suffer with him but saith affirmatiuely This spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the sonnes of God And hauing so said he goeth on to shew what dignity we receiue by being the sonnes of God And if we be sonnes then are we also heires euen heires of God and ioynt-inheritours with Christ Now to declare how we be conioyned vnto Christ to be inheritours with him he addeth those wordes if so be we suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him not as to make a doubt of the witnesse of the spirit but only to signifie what way God hath appointed to bring them to their inheritance to whom the spirit giueth witnesse that they are the sonnes of God namely by the c Phil. 3. 10. fellowship of his afflictions to be made thereby conformable to his death by f 2. Cor. 4. 10. bearing out about in our bodies the dying of the Lord Iesus by g Col. 1. 24. fulfilling in our flesh the remainder of his afflictions And yet neither is this condition being taken so to be any vncertaine thing because what God hath determined and appointed he himselfe will effect and bring to passe and therefore the Apostle saying of them to whom that witnesse of the spirit is giuen h Rom. 8. 29. God hath predestinated vs to be made like vnto the image of his sonne we cannot in that case doubt but that the same God i Phil. 1. 29. for Christs sake doth giue vnto vs not only to beleeue in him but also if neede be and when time is to suffer for his sake We know not assuredly saith M. Bishop whether we shall suffer with him and constantly to the end beare out all persecutions But the faithfull doe beleeue and know that k 1. Cor. 10. 13. God is faithfull and will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strength but together with the temptation will giue the issue that we may able to beare it l Greg. Moral l. 28. cap. 7. Inter hâ—c etiam qui redemit non relinquit c. Nouit enim conditor noster quando exurgere persecutionis procellam sinat quando exurgenteÌ„ reprimat Nouit pro custodia nostra restringe e quod contra nos egredi pro nostra excitatione permittit vt saeuiens nos diluat procella non mergat Amidst persecutions saith Gregory hereupon he that hath redeemed vs doth not forsake vs our Creatour knoweth when to suffer the storme to arise and when to stay it from rising He knoweth how to restraine that for the custody of vs which for the exercising of vs he suffereth to goe forth against vs that the raging storme may wash vs and not drowne vs. And in another place by occasion of the same wordes m Ibid. lib. 29. c. 12. Etiam tentationes aduersary dispensando modificat vt aut multae simul non veniant aut ipsae tatummodo quae ferri possunt illustratam tam à Deo anima tangant vt cum tactus sui ardore nos cruciant perfectionis incendio non exurant He so dispenseth and ordereth saith he the temptations of the aduersary as that they come not too many at once or that those only which may be borne doe touch the soule which God hath enlightened that albeit by the heate of the touch thereof they torment vs yet they may not by burning wast and consume vs. Vpon this therefore the children of God build themselues securely standing alwaies fully perswaded that n Rom. 8. 38. neither life nor death neither things present nor things to come shall separate them from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord and bold to say with Dauid o Psal 118. 6. Heb. 13. 7. The Lord is on my side I will not feare what man can doe vnto me and with St. Paul p 2. Tim. 4. 18. The Lord will deliuer me from euery euill worke and will preserue me vnto his heauenly Kingdome And of this resolution St. Austin notably instructeth vs where saying that q August in Psal 32. Conc. 2. Secura expectans miserecorditèr promitteâ—tem miserecorditer veracitèr exhibentem Et donec exhibeat quid agamus Anima nostra patiens crit Domino Sed quid si in ipsa paticntia non durabimus Immò planè durabimus quoniam adiutor protector noster est the soule securely expecteth the Lord promising in mercy and performing in mercy and truth he further questioneth and answereth himselfe in this sort But till he performe his promise what shall we doe Our soule shall be patient to wait vpon the Lord. But what if we shall not endure or continue in our patience Yes verily we shall endure because he is our helper and defender M. Bishop teacheth the faithfull to say We cannot tell whether we shall endure or not but St. Austin instructeth them to another resolution by faith and trust in God Yes verily we shall endure because God is our helper and defender But against this he giueth instance by the wordes of Christ that there be some that for a time beleeue and in time of temptation goe away Concerning which wordes I haue answered him r Of the certainty of saluation sect 8. before and to answere him againe neede goe no further then to the very text whence he alleageth them He chargeth me with a tricke of a false merchant as if I strooke off the one halfe of the Apostles sentence that the other might seeme currant for me whether I haue so done or not the Reader is to iudge by that that hath beene said but here is a false tricke indeede committed by him in leauing out the words by which he saw and was aduertised before that his exception is made nothing worth By the seede sowen in stony ground our Sauiour describeth them Å¿ Luke 8. 13. who when they heare receiue the word with ioy but they haue no roote which for a while beleeue and in time of temptation fall away Where note first that Christ speaketh not this of the good ground but only of the stony ground and therefore it cannot be taken to appertaine to
blindeth his Reader by compounding those things which for the discerning of the truth are to be diuided For he will not say that single life in it selfe is a caring to please the Lord and to bee holy in body and spirit for then the Vestall Virgins of the Romans and the Hierophantaes of the Athenians and all single persons of all sorts shall be pleasers of the Lord and all holy both in body and spirit If in it selfe it be not so then for it selfe it is not acceptable in Gods sight but the thing which God accepteth is our care to please him and to bee holy and vndefiled before him Now if marriage equall single life in holinesse and care of pleasing God what hindereth in this case but that marriage is as acceptable to God as single life But the Apostle noteth this to be the preferment of single life that wee are thereby for the most part better opportuned to attend the things of God and to doe him seruice being thereby freed from many burdens of cares and troubles wherwith the husband and the wife are commonly much distracted Which notwithstanding must be vnderstood where the gift of continency is had because the fire of an incontinent minde causeth much more entangling of the thoughts and withdrawing of the heart from God then doe any troubles that belong to married estate But doth it follow that because single life giueth greater liberty to serue God therefore single life it selfe is a matter of great merit with God the vow thereof the merit of heauen a worke of great perfection a satisfaction for sinnes both for a mans owne sinnes and for the sinnes of other men This is the merit of single life whereof I spake and which Popery maintaineth and will this foule taile hang to the wordes of the Apostle Are you not ashamed M. Bishop thus to dally and to tell vs one thing when you should proue another It is true that the care of pleasing God and being holy in body and spirit is much more acceptable vnto God then carking for this world and caring how to please a wife but will you hereof conclude a merit of single life Is not single life many times more carefull of the things of the world then marriage and is not the vnmarried often more busied to please his harlot then the husband is to please his wife And will you then argue so absurdly and thus wilfully delude them that are not able to vnderstand you From thence he commeth to Monkish vowes of which he saith that if I were a good Abbot I would speake more respectiuely But an Abbot whether to him good or badde I yeeld them no other respect but to say of them that as Popery hath framed and practised them they are full of sacriledge impiety blasphemie hypocrisie and one of those monstrous abhominations wherewith Antichrist hath defiled the Church of God And what hath he now to say for them Somewhat forsooth St. Paul hath of the vow of chastity which is one of their principall vowes Well let the other vowes sinke or swimme he careth not but being a chast man he will giue vs a proofe for the vow of chastity and that shall be a sure one St. Paul auoueheth saith he certaine widdowes worthy of damnation because they broke the same firmer vow of chastity But what will he thus wilfully belye the Apostle Will he set downe wordes of his owne and make the Reader beleeue that they are the Apostles wordes The Apostle speaketh of some hauing damnation because they had broken the first faith and vvill he dare to turne the first faith into the former vow of chastity As touching this place I haue giuen him such answere b Of vowes sect 7. before as that it is vnpossible for him with any good colour to reply I haue shewed that the first faith here spoken of is the faith and profession of Baptisme and that Athanasius Hierome and Vincentius Lyrinensis by allusion to this place doe so giue vs to vnderstand Moreouer that those young widowes of which the Apostle spake did by liuing in idlenesse fall to wantonnesse and in their new marriages did wholly forsake the faith of Christ I declared further by Chrysostome Ambrose Theophylact that the Apostle seeing such mischiefe to grow of choosing young vvomen to be Church-widomes did wholly disclaime all choise of such and willed that those vvho were already chosen though they had promised to continue single and vnmarried yet for eschewing all danger of the like inconuenience should betake themselues to marriage I haue shewed by Cyprian by Austin Hierome and Epiphanius tha◠they who haue vowed single life if afterwards they cannot or will not containe that it is much better for them to marry then to continue vnmarried What doth hee meane thus to alleage this text againe vvhen it so plainly appeareth by the testimony of so many Fathers that that is false vvhich they vvould gather thereby He vvould hereby proue their Popish vow of single life binding men simply and perpetually from marriage vvhich it appeareth is hereby condemned as a vvicked tyrannie and a cruell vsurpation vpon the consciences of fraile and vnstable men In the next citation hee playeth his prize For proofe of their vowes hee alleageth c Acts 18. 18. that St. Paul shore his head in Cenchris because hee had a vow As well might he alleage the Iewes sacrifices of Buls and Goates to proue their sacrifice of the Masse As well might the Turkes and Saracens alleage d Acts 16. 3. Pauls circumcising of Timothy to proue that it is still lawfull for them to circumcise As well might hee proue that euery woman after her child-birth is to offer a paire of turtle Doues or of young Pidgeons because e Luke 2. 24. the Virgin Mary did so He saith the vow of the Apostle was the vow of a Nazarite and the vow of the Nazarites vvas wholly a ceremony of the law of Moses and will hee goe about to bring the ceremonies of Moses law into the Church of Christ Hath hee not read what Tertullian saith f Tertul. de Praescript sub finem Quis nesciat quoniam Luangelica gratia euacuatur si ad legem Christū redigit Who knoweth not that the grace of the Gospell is made frustrate and voide if it bring Christ vnto the law What doth euery man know this and doth not M. Bishop know it Did he neuer reade that which St. Hierome saith and Austin confirmeth g Aug. Hieron Epist 19. Pronuncias ceremonias Iudaeorum quicunque obseru◠uerit siue ex Judaeis siue ex Gentibus eum in barathrum Diaboli deuolutum Ego hanc vocem tuam omnin◠confirmo Whosoeuer either of the Iewes or Gentiles obserueth the ceremonies of the Iewes he tumbleth himselfe into the Diuels mouth What haue wee then to doe with the vow of the Nazarites that it should bee any confirmation of vowes to be vsed amongst vs But to shew
himselfe notable in his art he telleth his Reader that that vow was not much vnlike to the vow of religious persons and biddeth him thereof to see the sixt Chapter of the booke of Numbers as if looking there he should finde it so to be Now for their pupils and scholers who must yeeld to enlarge their throats to swallow all their Masters googeons hee knew well enough that they would neuer nay they dare not looke the Chapter and as for others though they finde him a lyar what cares he for that He that looketh into that Chapter or any other what shall he finde that may giue him cause to thinke the vow of the Nazarites like to the vow of religious persons The vow of religious persons is a vow of perpetual pouerty chastity and obedience and what is there in the vow of the Nazarites that carryeth any semblance of these things h Num. 6. 2. 3. c. He was to forbeare wine and strong drinke and all things of the grape to suffer no razour to come vpon his head but to let the locks of his haire to grow to come at no dead body not his father his mother his brother or sister and by these ceremonies to separate himselfe to the Lord but of giuing away all his goods to liue in pouerty of forbearing marriage or the company of a wife of liuing vnder obedience to any mans rules or lawes there is nothing I say nothing to bee found Now who can thinke it safe to trust M. Bishop that is not ashamed thus wilfully to falsifie that which is so plainly reported by the holy Ghost As for Saint Pauls taking vpon him that vow of a Nazarite which Saint Luke recordeth it was but a yeelding for the time to the infirmity of the Iewes becomming i 1. Cor. 9. 20. 21 to the Iewes a Iew that he might winne the Iewes as he professeth otherwhere For although in the death and resurrection of Iesus Christ the ceremoniall law of Moses were at an end and now to be abolished yet there was a time to be yeelded for instruction and teaching of the Iewes thereby to withdraw them from the opinion of those things which so long and by so great authority euen from God himselfe both they and their fathers had obserued that the sodaine relinquishing thereof might be no scandall or offence vnto them St. Austin saith notably hereof that k Aug. Epist 19. Cum venisset fides qua priùs illis obseruationibus praenunciata post morte resurrectione Domini reuelata est amiserant tanquam vitam officij sui veruntamen sicut defuncta corpora necessarioruÌ„ officijs deducendae â—â—ant quodammodo ad sepuituram nec simulatè sed religiosâ— non autem deserenda continuò vel inimicorum obtrectationibus tanquam canum morsibus proijcienda when the faith fore-shewed by those ceremonies was after the death and resurrection of Christ reueiled they lost as it were the life of their office or vse but yet as the dead bodies of friends they were by the office or seruice of friends religiously to be brought to their buriall and not to be presently forsaken or cast to the slanders of enemies as to the bitings or gnawings of dogs But though l Ibid. Illo teÌ„pore quo primùm gratia fidei reuelata est hoc noÌ„ crat pernicioâ—â— progressu verò temporis perniciosum erat nisi obseruationes illae ab omnibus Christ aniâ— desererentur it were not hurtfull as he there saith againe that these ceremonies at the first preaching of the faith were for a while obserued yet in processe of time it had beene pernicious that they should not haue beene forsaken of all Christians yea it should haue been impious to retaine them And hath not M. Bishop then for proofe of their vowes made good choise of an example which it were pernicious and impious to retaine in the Church of Christ But hee found there the name of vow and that he thought was enough to soppe them who he knew would take any thing that he should tell them From vowes he â—larteth to praier for the dead and saith that it is not true that in St. Paul there is nothing for prayer for the dead And what is there I pray for it He teacheth saith he that some of the faithfull who haue m 1. Cor. 3. 13. built vpon the right foundation hay stubble and such like trash shall notwithstanding at the day of the Lord be saued yet so as through fire But what is this to prayer for the dead Marry the ancient Doctors doe take this to be the fire of Purgatory and if many while the drosse of their works is purged do lie in fire it will easily follow that euery good soule will pray for the release of them Thus he telleth vs what some Doctors doe thinke and what he himselfe gathereth thereof but otherwise of St. Paul himselfe he can tell vs nothing It appeareth not by St. Paul himselfe that that fire is Purgatory fire it appeareth not by St. Paul himselfe that we are to pray for the dead therfore in all this M. Bishop hath said nothing because it is not the question what some haue gathered of an obscure sentence of St. Paul but what St. Paul himselfe hath deliuered and that in the Epistle to the Romans where Theodoret witnesseth as I haue said all doctrines of faith to be contained But he dealeth here after the very manner of Heretikes who are wont to make choise of some figuratiue and allegoricall and darke speeches of Scripture which they may construe at their owne pleasure and alleage them according to their owne construction to proue their falshoods and heresies by them when as notwithstanding the plaine and euident testimonies of Scripture doe make against them St. Paul speaketh of purpose to giue instruction of our carriage towards the dead where of Purgatory or praier for the dead he teacheth nothing n 1. Thess 4. 13. I would not brâ—thren haue you ignorant saith he concerning them which are asleepe that yee sorrow not as other which haue no hope for if we beleeue that Iesus is dead and is risen euen so them which sleep in Iesus wil God bring with him And then shewing in what sort God will bring them with Iesus he concludeth Wherefore comfort your selues one another with these words Is it possible that the Apostle should here omit to giue charge of praying for the dead if it were religion to pray for them Nay he telleth vs of the faithfull departed that they sleepe in Iesus and of them that sleepe in Iesus o Apoc. 14. 13. the spirit saith Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord which sleepe in Iesus for they rest from their labours and if they be blessed and at rest then they are not labouring in the restlesse fire of Purgatory and therefore neede none of our prayers for release Albeit if vve grant M. Bishop his Purgatory yet
stubble and hay is thereby consumed and brought to nought And thus Cyril saith as Aquinas alleageth him o Cyril apud Tho. Aquin. in Luc. 12. Ignem veni mittere c. Mos est sacrae Scripturâ— ignem quandoque dicere sacros diuinos sermones that it is the manner of the holy Scripture to call the sacred wordes of God by the name fire and Chrysostome one where alluding to the wordes here handled expoundeth p Chrysost de PoeniteÌ„t hom 8. Igne examinemus verbo scilicet doctrinae fire to be the word of doctrine who though they both make the application of that construction to reformation of manners yet considering what hath beene said doe both iustifie the same construction to our vse Now all these things being well waighed it well appeareth how little hold Popish Purgatory hath in those wordes of the Apostle and because in the fall of Purgatory is the fall of prayer for the dead therefore M. Bishop hath yet said nothing out of St. Paul for prayer for the dead W. BISHOP §. 4. I Come now to Images and Relikes of which he affirmeth that S. Paul saith nothing where was the goodmans memory when he wrote this or remembring the matter well enough was he so fiercely bent to deceiue others that he cared not what vntruth he vttered The Apostle maketh honourable mention of the Images of Heb. 9. v. 4. 5. the Cherubins placed gloriously in the vppermost part of the Israelites Tabernacle which for the holynesse thereof was called Sancta Sanctorum Further that within the Arke of the Testament standing in the same place were reserued pretious Relikes as the rodde of Aaron that blossomed a golden pot full of that Angelicall foode Manna which God rained from heauen and the Tables of the Testament to which if you ioyne the sentence of the same Apostle That all hapned to them in figure and were written 1. Cor. 10. v. 11. for our instruction may not we then gather thereby that Images are to be placed in Churches and holy Relikes in golden shrines And the same Apostle in the same Epistle declaring that Iacob by faith adored the Heb. 11. ver 21. toppe of Iosephs rodde which was a signe of his power doth he not giue all iudicious men to vnderstand that the Images of Saints for their holy representation ought to be respected and worshipped R. ABBOT THou maiest not wonder gentle Reader if it grow wearisome to me to follow the sent of this Fox who only casteth dust in mine eyes to stoppe me from pursuing him too fast as being afraide to be otherwise sodainly griped to death Obserue I pray thee what proofes hee hath here brought for Images and Relikes Hee doth not only omit wholly the Epistle to the Romans whence hee was required the proofe but bringeth arguments so ridiculous so idle so impertinent as that euen hereby it is easily to bee discerned that it is a desperate cause which hee hath in hand For Images hee saith that St. Paul maketh honourable mention of the Images of the Cherubims where hee putteth in the Images as thinking it should bee some grace to him that the Reader not looking the place should beleeue that the Apostle had named Images But see further how hee stuffeth this skar-crow with his litteâ— of idle wordâ—s Hee maketh honourable mention of the Images of the Cherubins placed gloriously in the vppermost part of the Israelites Tabernacle which for the holynesse thereof was called Sancta Sanctorum A simple man would thinke that this strowting tale should certainly import some speciall matter but it is like the picture of Beuis that makes a great shew and strikes neuer a stroke a Heb. 9. 5. Ouer the Arke saith the Apostle were the glorious Cherubins shadowing the mercy seate but what is this to M. Bishops purpose Marry saith he the same Apostle saith b 1. Cor. 10. 11. that all things happened to them in figure and were written for our instruction Be it so and what then May not wee then gather thereby saith hee that Images are to be placed in Churches You may indeede M. Bishop but it shall bee no otherwise then as Spiders doe which gather poison of sweet flowers It is true though it bee not proued by the wordes which hee vnduely citeth that all things happened to the Israelites in figure but did the Cherubins prefigure the hauing of Images in our Churches If they did wee desire that he make it appeare to vs which I thinke hee hath not so little wit as to vndertake If they did not what a foolish conclusion hath hee made that because there were the Cherubins in the Iewish Tabernacle figuring something for our instruction therefore wee may set vp Images in Churches c Heb. 9. 11. The Tabernacle as the Apostle teacheth vs prefigured the body of our Lord IESVS Christ The Arke was the place where God yeelded d Exod. 25. 22. Numb 7. 89. his presence to his people to dwell amongst them and from which hee spake and declared his will vnto them The Cherubins as e Of Images sect 8. M. Bishop himselfe acknowledgeth betokened the Angels prest and ready in the presence of God to doe his will What shall now the thing figured be but that God in Iesus Christ is alwaies present with vs and his Angels still assisting in his presence to receiue commandements for our behoofe being f Heb. 1. 24. ministring spirits as the Apostle saith sent forth to minister for their sakes which shall be heires of saluation And must we now let this truth goe that ministreth strength and comfort to our faith that wee may giue M. Bishop roome for his blinde Idols But see withall how handsomely this matter is peeced together The Cherubins did represent the Angels What the shape or fashion of those Cherubins was neither M. Bishop can tell nor any man else as I haue g Of Images sect 8. before shewed They were set in the Sancta Sanctorum as he confesseth where they were wholly out of sight and whither no man came but h Heb. 9. 7. the high Priest only once euery yearâ— And doth not hee then very fitly and substantially alleage the example of these Cherubins for their Images of Men and Women to bee set vp openly in Churches not only that the people may behold them but that they may also fall downe to them worship them pray to them offer and burne incense to them according to all the abhominations of the Heathen accustomed to their Idols Doth hee finde that the Iewes tooke thereby warrant to set vp in the Temple the Images of Abraham and Isaac and Iacob and other holy Fathers to doe the like to them Doth he not know that he abuseth his Reader hereby and will hee yet goe forward so to doe But for an expresse and briefe answere to him I cannot say any thing more fitly then that which Tertullian of old answered to them
the body of our Lord Moreouer he speaketh of the Church of Rome being then but in her cradle most honourably saying Your faith is Rom. 1. vers 8. renowmed in the whole world and after Your obedience Rom. 16. ver 19. is published into euery place But no maruaile to the wise though he did not then make mention of her Supremacie for that did not belong to the Church or people of Rome but to S. Peter who when S. Paul wrote that Epistle was scarse well setled there neither did that appertaine to the matter he treated of R. ABBOT NOw to the Masse sâ—ith M. Bishop but there is no wise man that readeth what he hath here written but would thinke that hee had done much more wisely to keepe him from the Masse I cannot tell whether more to pitty his folly or to detest his wilfulnesse See with what a graue preface he entreth to a most ridiculous and childish proofe The same profound diuine St. Austin with other holy Fathers who were not wont so lightly to skimme ouer the Scriptures as our late new Masters doe but seriously searched them and most deeply pierced into them did also finde all the parts of the Masse touched by the Apostle St. Paul in these wordes I desire that obsecrations prayers postulations thanks-giuings be made for all men This phrase of skimming ouer the Scriptures he learned of his Masters of Rhemes who vpon those words of St. Paul alleaging by that place of Austin and some other Fathers that all those kinds of prayers were publikely vsed in the Lyturgie of the Church conclude thus a Rhem. Testam Annot. 1. Tim. 2. 1. So exactly doth the practise of the Church agree with the precepts of the Apostle and the Scriptures and so profoundly doe the holy Fathers seeke out the proper sense of the Scriptures which our Protestants doe so prophanely popularly and lightly skimme ouer that they can neither see nor endure the truth So then it seemeth we must diue very deepe to finde the Masse in the Scriptures but wee are in doubt that they which goe about to diue so deepe will certainly bee drowned and neuer finde that that they seeke for And tell vs in good sooth M. Bishop did St. Austin in your opinion finde in those wordes all the parts of your Masse Nay did he finde that at all to which the name of the Masse is by you properly referred You hold the Masse to be a proper reall sacrifice of the very naturall body and bloud of Christ offered to God for propitiation of the sinnes both of quicke and dead and doth St. Austin speake any thing to that effect or could he finde all the parts of the Masse without finding this Yea that the impudency of him and his Rhemish Masters may the better appeare doth St. Austin say any thing there but what properly belongeth to our Communion and not to their Masse Thou shalt vnderstand good Reader that Paulinus wrote to Austin to be instructed by him of the difference of those sorts of prayers which St. Paul commendeth to Timothy in the wordes aforesaid St. Austin answereth him that b Aug. Epist 59. Illa planè difficillimè discernuntur c. Aliqua singulorum istorum proprietas inquirenda est sed ad â—a liquidò peruenire difficile est Multa quippe hinc dici possunt quae improbandâ— non sint sed eligo in his verbis hoc intelligere quod omnis vel penè omnis frequentat Ecclesia vt precationes accipiamus dictas quas facimus in celebratione Sacramentorum antequam illud quod est in Domini mensa incipiat benedici orationes cum benedicitur sanctificatur ad distribuendum coÌ„minuitur quam totam petitionem ferè omnis Ecclesia Dominica oratione coÌ„cludit Interpellationes siue postulationes fiunt cum populus benedicitur Tunc enim antistites velut aduocati susceptos suos per manus impositionem miserecordissimae offerunt potestati Quibus peractis participato tanto Sacramento gratiarum actio câ—ncta concludit they are very hardly discerned that there is some propriety of euery of them to be enquired of but very hard it is certainly to attaine vnto it For many things saith he may be said hereof which are not to be disliked but I make choise to vnderstand in these wordes that which the whole Church or almost the whole accustometh to take those to be called precations obsecrations as M. Bishop termeth them out of their vulgar Latin which we make in the celebration of the Sacraments before that which is vpon the Lords table beginne to be blessed Prayers those which are vsed when the same is blessed and sanctified and broken to be distributed all which petition almost the whole church concludeth with the Lords prayer Intercessions or postulations which are made when the people is blessed for then the Priests as aduocates doe offer to the most mercifull power them whom they haue receiued by imposition of hands All which being done and after the participation of so great a Sacrament thanks-giuing concludeth all Now what is there in all this that doth concerne the Masse M. Bishop telleth vs that St. Austin findeth all the parts of the Masse here touched by the Apostle and see saith he all the parts of it very liuely painted out but can any man but thinke that he was scant sober when he looked vpon the place and therefore his eyes being troubled thought hee saw that which hee saw not Here is the celebration of a Sacrament the setting of bread and wine vpon the table of the Lord the blessing and sanctifying thereof the breaking of it to be distributed to the people the peoples participating of the Sacrament and in the meane while prayers supplications intercessions giuing of thanks the very true description of our Communion but who seeth any thing here appertaining to the Masse What M. Bishop is there no end of your trifling will yee still goe on to play the wiseman in this sort But to helpe the matter he telleth vs that though he calleth not that celebration of the Sacrament by the name of Masse yet he doth giue it a name equiualent Sacri Altaris oblatio the oblation or sacrifice of the holy Altar It is true indeede that St. Austin nameth the oblation of the holy Altar but nothing at all to M. Bishops vse For willing to giue a reason why the prayers vsed in the very act of the administration of the Sacrament are termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he taketh the same from the composition of the word and because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is often vsed to signifie a vow therefore he saith that c Ibid. Ea propriè intelligenda est oratio quam facimus ad votum c. Vouentur autem omnia quae offeruntur Deo maximè sancti Altaris oblatio quo Sacramento praedicatur aliud nostrum votum maximum quo nos vouimus in Christo esse mansuros id est
is therein approued by the Councell of Ephesus n Cyril Epist 10. ad Nestor Nec praeter ipsum alteri cuipid homini siue sacerdotij nomen siue rem ipsam ascribimus We ascribe not the name of Priesthood or the thing it selfe to any other but to Christ only o August coÌ„t Faust l. 22. c. 17 Vnus verus Sacerdos Mediator Dei hominum c. The only true Priest as St. Austin calleth him p Ibid. l. 20. c. 18. Verum sacrificium c. quo eius Altare solus Christus impleuit Who only saith he hath filled Gods Altar with true sacrifice Whilest he limiteth the sacrifice of Christ to his q Heb. 7. 27. 10. 10. once offering of himselfe r Heb. 9. 12. by the shedding of his bloud and denyeth plainly his Å¿ Heb. 7. 27. 9. 1. 25. often offering he disclaimeth the Popish sacrifice which is often offered not from yeare to yeare only but from day to day after the manner of the Leuiticall sacrifice which is therefore argued not to haue taken away sinnes t Heb. 10. 1. 2. because it was often offered For u Vers 18. where there is remission of sinnes there is no more offering for sinne Where there is therefore still offering for sinne there is a deniall of the purchase of remission of sinnes But in the x Mat. 26. 28. shedding of the bloud of Christ who doubteth but that there is remission of sinnes Who then can doubt but that after the shedding of the bloud of Christ there is no more offering or sacrifice for sinne Therefore St. Austin saith y Aug. cont aduersar leg proph lib. 1. cap. 18. Singulari solo vero sacrificio Christi pro nobis sanguis effususest For the soueraigne and only true sacrifice the bloud of Christ was shed for vs. If the shedding of the bloud of Christ be the only true sacrifice then is there no true sacrifice in the Popish Masse and therefore St. Austin neuer vnderstood the Apostles words of any Popish sacrifice Well though the Apostle say nothing for the sacrifice yet he saith somewhat M. Bishop telleth vs for the principall part of the Masse which is the Reall presence But what is the Reall presence now the principall part of the Masse They will haue vs by the Masse to vnderstand a sacrifice and the Reall presence may stand without any sacrifice and so by this meanes wee shall haue a Masse without a Masse But what saith the Apostle for the Reall presence Forsooth he deliuereth it in as expresse termes as may be euen as he had receiued it from our Lord This is my body which shall be deliuered for you c. and addeth that he that eateth and drinketh it vnworthily eateth and drinketh iudgement to himselfe not discerning the body of our Lord. Wee see the wordes we reade them daylie but we cannot see in them the Reall presence Christ saith there This is my body but he doth not say This is my body really present He telleth vs that the vnworthy receiuer incurreth iudgement for not discerning the Lords body but he doth not tell vs that this is for not discerning his body really present M. Bishop should here haue giuen vs a sound reason that these wordes doe necessarily enforce a reall presence and cannot be verified but by the granting thereof For if there may be another interpretation of these wordes standing well with Scriptures approued by Fathers confonant and agreeable to the nature of all Sacraments then how childishly how vainly doth he deale only to set downe the place and to say it is a proofe for the reall presence Nay see how by alleaging places in this sort he circumuenteth himselfe and destroyeth by one place that which he seeketh to fortifie by another For whereas Transubstantiation is the foundation and ground of Reall presence the latter place which he citeth is the bane of Transubstantiation and giueth vs a conuenient and true exposition of the former wordes without any necessity of Reall presence For how can it stand which the Apostle saith z 1. Cor. 10. 16. The bread which we breake is the coÌ„munion of the body of Christ if the Popish doctrine of transubstantiation be true that there is no bread to breake It is true which St. Paul saith that it is bread which we breake therefore it is false which the Papists say that the bread by consecration is substantially turned into the body of Christ and ceaseth thenceforth to be bread And this the Apostle inculcateth againe and againe in the former place a 1. Cor. 11. 26. 27. 28. As oft as yee shall eate of this bread c. Whosoeuer shall eate of this bread c. Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread c. and yet notwithstanding all this it must be denyed to be bread But of this bread he telleth vs that it is the communion or participation of the body of Christ and thereby giueth vs a true and certaine exposition of the wordes of Christ This is my body that is this bread is the communion or participation of my body signifying that though in naturall substance and being it be but bread yet by sacramentall vnderstanding and effect it is to the due and faithfull receiuer the communion of the body of Christ. For by Gods institution and ordinance b Cypr. serm de Resurrect Christi Quod videtur nomine virtute Christi corpus censetur the visible element as Cyprian saith is accounted both in name and power the body of Christ and therefore in the due receiuing of the Sacrament is the participating of Christs body as on the other side the not discerning of the Sacrament is the not discerning of the body of Christ which to vs the Sacrament is though in it selfe it be not so Now the body of Christ is here vnderstood as giuen for vs and his bloud as shedde for vs and therefore the communion of the body and bloud of Christ is the participation of his Passion Death and Resurrection so that the Sacrament is to vs as Optatus saith c Optat. cont Parmen lib. 6. Pignus salutis aeternae tutela sidei spes resurrectionis the pledge of eternall life the protection of our faith the hope of our resurrection There was cause therefore why our Sauiour Christ should say of the Sacrament This is my body because to vs it is in effect the body of Christ though really it be not so but d Tertuâ—l coÌ„t Marc. lib. 4 Hoc est corpus mâ—um id est figura corporis mei the figure of his body as Tertullian expoundeth e August coÌ„t Adima â—t c. 12. Non dubitauit Dominus dicere Hoc est corpus meum cum daret signum corporis sui the signe of his body as St. Austin speaketh f Hieron in Mat 16. Vt veritatem corporis sangâ—â—is sui