how the Papists do place others in his roome Now shew me also why he is called Christ what that title signifieth M. Christ signifieth Anointed which title setteth forth his office namely that he is our only true Prophet Priest King C. Doe they teach any thing contrary hereunto M. They doe euen deny this Office of his and so consequently deny the fruits of his comming in the flesh 1. Iob. 4.3 C. Shew me wherein they deny his Office M. Christ is a Prophet to teach his Church and to reueale the will of God vnto vs to whom all are to hearken Mat. 17.5 Ioh. 10.27 Act. 3.22 23. And this hee hath perfectly done in the Scriptures They preferre their owne blinde traditions before the Scriptures they lay aside the Scriptures accounting and calling them dumbe Iudges A nose of Waxe The blacke Gospell Inken diuinitie c. Piggius Contr. 3. de Eccl. Hierarch lib. 3. cap. 3. A certaine popish Doctor reasoning with M. Tindal was not ashamed to say that we were better to be without Gods Law then the Popes They likewise set vp Images to be Lay-mens bookes and so in all this they deny by consequence his Propheticall office Christ is also a Priest and that for euer after the order of Melchsedech Heb. 7.24 And in this his office he hath none to succeede him Theâ— acknowledge not this but maintaine still an outward anâ— corporall Priesthood to offer vp an outward sacrifice eueâ— Christ himselfe Rhem. on Heb. chap. 7.7 Sect. 7.8 C. If this were true why then the Priest were become a Mediator betweene God and Christ the which is most absurd to thinke that any creature should be such a one M. It is indeed most absurd and yet in the very Canon of the Masse they intimate thus much when they request God to accept their gifts and offerings namely Christ himselfe offered as he did the sacrifices of Abel and Noah And which is more absurd than this yea blasphemy for any to affirme they by their former doctrine doe make the Priest to be more worthy in some respect then Christ for the person that doth offer a sacrifice is of more worth honour then the thing which he offereth but the Priest as they say offereth vp Christ to God his Father therefore the Priest that offereth him is of more worth and honour then Christ whom he offereth As Christ is a Priest so he alone and that but once for all offered himselfe and by his one offering once offered hath made a full and perfect satisfaction for all our sinnes so that now there remaineth no more offering for sinnes Heb. 9.12 14 26 10 14 18. They teach that in the Masse there is dayly a sacrifice offered for the sinnes both of the quick and the dead and so they make Christs sacrifice not to bee the perfect and onely sacrifice of the New Testament but set vp another in stead thereof C. They say that their sacrifice is not a new sacrifice or another from Christs but that it is the same M. The Author to the Hebrewes teacheth that Christs sacrifice neither may nor ought to bee reiterated repeated for as it is but one so it was but once offered And this word Once he vseth fiue seuerall times Heb. 7.27 9 12 26 28 30. C. They say that Christ indeed was offered but once after a bloudy manner but he is often offered after an vnbloudy manner M. This distinction of theirs hath no warrant out of Gods Word nay rather it is directly against the Word for Heb. 9. â—2 it is said Almost all things are by the Law purged with bloud and without shedding of bloud is no remission From whence we may thus reason Without shedding of bloud is no remission but in the Masse is no shedding of bloud therefore no remission And therefore it is no sacrifice for sinne C. Though this their distinction bee not to bee found in the Scriptures yet it is in the writings of the Fathers M. The Fathers indeed make mention of vnbloudy Sacrifices but they hereby vnderstand not outward and bodily Sacrifices for sinne but the Spiritual Sacrifices of Christians and they so call them in comparing them with the bloudy sacrifices of the Law with Christs bloudy sacrifice C. The Papists doe not say that the sacrifice of the Masse is an expiatorie but an applicatorie sacrifice that is it serues not properly to make any satisfaction to God but rather to apply vnto vs the satisfaction of Christ already made M. Their doctrine is that it is a sacrifice propitiatory that is auaileable to obtaine ex opere operato by the very work wrought remission pardon of all their sinnes yea that it is auailable to obtaine all other benefits as peace health and such like Concil Trid. Sess 22. Can. 3. Bellar. lib. 1. de Miss cap. 25. lib. 2. cap. 3. But let it be as you say that they account it but an applicatory sacrifice yet this maketh nothing for them The Sacrifices of the Law did serue to apply the vertue of Christs Crosse and yet the Apostle excludeth them by this reason that where there is remission of sinnes there is no more Sacrifice Heb. 10.18 Wherefore if the Apostles reason be good it concludeth also against their Sacrifice applicatory Againe the Apostle teacheth that therefore the Sacrifices of the Law are abolished by the death of Christ because they were but shadowes of good things to come and could not make the offerers perfect c. Heb. 10.1 2 3. And therefore this kinde of applying sacrifice which they faine themselues hath ceased We need not now a Sacrifice for the application of Christs death for Christ to that end hath appointed the preaching of the Word and hath instituted Sacraments whereby his death with all the benefits thereof are most fruitfully applied vnto vs Gal. 3.1 1. Cor. 11.26 Againe this their applying sacrifice is against the nature of a Sacrament in which God giues Christ vnto vs whereas in a sacrifice God receiues from man and man giues something to God C. The ancient Fathers vsed to call the Supper of the Lord a Sacrifice it should seeme therefore that there is some sacrifice offered therein to God M. It is true that they called it so not that Christ is therein offered a Sacrifice to God but in other respects First because that therein there was an offering and giuing of almes bread wine c. which are a Spirituall Sacrifice Secondly they called the Sacrament a Sacrifice not properly but figuratiuely because there was therein a representation of that Sacrifice which was offered vpon the Crosse and because it is a commemoration of Christs body which he offered for vs and of his bloud which he shed for vs. Thirdly It is called a sacrifice because it is an application of the Sacrifice offered vpon the Crosse vnto our selues Fourthly It is so called because of the sacrifice of prayers thanksgiuings and because in the Lords
follow him fall vpon him and therfore he flies abroad in the night and then he is quiet If the Scriptures should be suffered to be expounded and read of all Nations in their owne language then that Owle of Rome the Pope I meane with all his fooleries and abominations would be discerned and discouered and then the world would hate him follow after him persecute him euen as the small birds doe the Owle and therefore they cannot abide the Scriptures in the vulgar tongue but loue darknes rather then light because their deedes are euill Iohn 3.19 C. What say you then to their good works as building of Churches giuing of Almes c M. These and such like workes required in the Law of God in themselues are good and to be practised of all but to them they are as the Fathers called the vertues of the Heathen but splendida peccata glittering drosse and beautifull deformities C. Doe they teach any thing contrarie to the morall Law and to the doctrine of good workes M. Yes they doe both teach and practise many things directly contrarie to Gods Commandements They reach for good workes such things as are not commanded but rather forbidden in the Law of God as namely to goe on Pilgrimage to vow single life to fast forty dayes and forty nights c. First concerning set Pilgrimages vnto certaine Images there was none of the Fathers did so much as dreame of thâ— for 600. yeeres after Christ at the least Perkins 2. Vol. p 141 542. Secondly the necessitie of the vowe of continencie was established first and annexed vnto Orders about 380. yeeres after Christ and that by Pope Siricius But it had no vniuersall admission vntill the time of Pope Hildebrand in the yeere 1070. Perkins 1. Vol. 583. to 587. 2. Volume 575 576. Acts and Monuments 1151. Thirdly their doctrine of single life was neuer commanded of God nor knowne in the Primitiue Church but hath sprung vp since and is indeede the very doctrine of Diuels 1. Tim. 4.13 So is also their forbidding of meates for religions sake They teach also that a man may fulfill the Lawe yea doe workes of Supererogation that is more then the Lawe doth require and that men of their abundance may allot to others such workes of Supererogation Rhem. on 1. Cor. 9. sect 6. 2. Cor. 8. sect 3. This doctrine of theirs makes the Law of God to be vnperfect and is directly contrary to the words of Christ Luke 17.10 And it was not knowne of the ancient Fathers They spake indeed sometimes of Supererogation but in a farre other sence then Papists doe There are no such workes to be found in the person of any meere man or Angell but onely in the person of Christ God and man Perk. 1. vol. 598. 599. 2. vol. 540. 541. DIALOGVE 8. C. Shew me I pray you in particular what things they teach contrary to the commandements M. I could plainely proue vnto you that they doe both teach and practise many things contrary to euery one of the Commandements but I will onely set downe the chiefest and such as most men know to be true The first Commandement concernes the inward worship of God the ground of which worship is the true knowledge of God and without which none can truely worship and serue him for such as our knowledge is such is our worship â— Chron. 28.9 Psal 9.10 Ier. 9.24 The Papists teach that â—gnorance is the mother of deuotion but the truth is it is â—he mother of superstition and idolatry Gal. 4.8 The Papists therefore being ignorant and without the true knowledge of God cannot truely worship him but must needs bee Idolaters worshipping they know not what The first Commandement requireth that wee haue the true Iehoua for our onely God They make Christs body to be God because they hold that it may be in many places at once which thing is proper only to God They make the Pope to be God that in plaine words Christopher Marcellus said to the Pope Thou art another God vpon earth and the Pope tooke it to himselfe Concil Later Sess 4. They giue the power to the Pope which is proper to God and so make him to be God As that he can make holy that which is vnholy pardon sinnes c. Perkins 1. vol. 400. 1. and they giue diuine worship to creatures and so make theÌ„ their Gods The second Commandement concerneth the outward worship of God or the forme manner of his worship This Commandement they haue cleane put out of the Decalogue and to fill vp the number they diuide the last into two The scope of this Commandement is that no Image is to be made of God nor any worship performed to him in an Image Deut. 4.15 16. But they teach it lawfull to make Images of the true God and to worship him in them and that there is a religious worship due to them Belarm 〈◊〉 imag sanct lib. 2. cap. 21. And in the second Nicen Councell it it was decreed that the Image of God should be worshipped with the same worship that is due vnto God Their practice is answerable to their doctrine for they worship the Images of God of Christ the Saints the woodden Crosse yea a piece of bread C. They say that they doe not worship the images but God Christ and the Saints in the image M. Suppose that this were true yet in so doing they commit grosse idolatry and the same that the people of Israeâ— did for which God plagued them greatly Exod. 32.5 28. 〈◊〉 thinke there is none so very a Calfe as to thinke that they did worship the Calfe it selfe The Calfe was but a representation of God and yet they sinned greatly in making it and worshipping God in it The Heathen in times past could say as much for themselues concerning their worshipping of Images as the Papists now doe and yet as they were Idolaters so are the Papists for as touching their superstition and idolatry bloud caÌ„not be more like to bloud or an egge to an egge then the one of them is to another The Heathen had for euery Nation and Prouince some peculiar god Among them the Elements had their seueral gods to rule ouer them The Heathen had a certain god assigned to their cattell The Heathen had peculiar gods for learning and learned men and for handi-crafts men And all these haue the Papists likewise The Heathen erected Altars ordained Priests to offer sacrifices fell downe before their idols c. So the Papists deck and adorne their images goe on Pilgrimage to them fall downe vpon their knees before them and make their prayers vnto them And what is all this but to worship the very images themselues the which is most grosse idolatry Musculus on Psa 16. ver 4. page 139. 140 Virels grounds pag. 87. to 92. Attersoll on Philemon pag. 63. 64. C. They say that there be degrees of religious worship the highest is latria and this is
Supper we offered our selues vnto God to be consecrated vnto him and serue him in body and soule C. What is then your opinion of the Popish Masse M. It is an abbridgement of all superstition and idolatry there is in it adoration directed to bread there is as they say the body of Christ offered really in a sacrifice of propitiation which was neuer offered but once with shedding of bloud There is adoration of stocks stones inuocation of dead men saying of Masses to the honour of Saints Angels worshipping of dead mens bones such like abominations C. If the Masse be such an idoll and so contrarie to Christs sacrifice whence had it then its first beginning M. The Masse had this originall First the Lords Supper was celebrated in most simple plaine manner Secondly it â—egan to admit some increase of ceremonies especially the offrings for the dead which was but a thanksgiuing for them vntill more then two hundred yeeres after Christ Thirdly prayers for the dead got entrance into the Lords Supper about the yeere foure hundred and then came in Purgatory and the redemption of soules from thence by Masses M. Perkins 2. Vol. 554. 1. D. Againe you are to know that the Masse is like a beggers cloake patcht vp with many pieces whereof some were put in at one time some at another One Pope puts in one patch another Pope puts in another and it was not fully patcht vp as now it is till twelue hundred yeeres after Christ Acts and Monuments pag. 1274. c. And in the Canon of the Masse there are to bee found a full halfe hundred of errours and blasphemies Synopsis Papismi the 13. generall controuersie quest 8. C. But how can the Masse bee so late and now seeing that the Fathers in their writings make mention of it M. The word Missa which is now called the Masse in the Fathers signifieth a publike meeting to the communion and to prayers or the solemne dismission of that meeting or euen the forme of their religious worship And the Phrase Missam facere vsed in some of the Fathers doth not signifie to say the Popish Masse but to dismisse some out of the assembly After the Sermon the Catechumenists that is such as learned the Catechisme and were not yet admitted to the Lords Supper are dismissed And hereupon the Communion was called Missa figuratiuely because when it began there was a dismission of some Perkins 2. Vol. 552. 2. D. 553. Synopsis Papismi the 13. generall Controuersie Quest 2. C. I am satisfied touching the Sacrifice of the Masse by which as I doe now plainely perceiue they doe euen deny the Priesthood and the onely sacrifice of Christ I pray you now to shew me wherein else they deny his Priesthood M. Christs Priesthood consisteth of two parts Satisfaction and Intercession As by his owne Sacrifice once offered he hath made a perfect satisfaction for our sinnes so he now continually maketh intercession to God for vs Rom. 8.34 Heb. 7.25 The Papists teach that the Saints in Heauen doâ— make intercession to God for particular men according to their seuerall wants and that hauing receiued particular mens prayers they present them vnto God And so herein they doe also deny the Office of Christs Priest hood Rhem. on Luke 16. Sect. 4. on 2. Cor. 1. Sect. 3. on 2. Pet. 1. Sect. 3. and in many other places C. They say that Christ indeed is the onely Mediator of Redemptions but the Saints are also Mediatours of Intercession M. This is but an idle distinction for Christ onely is the Mediatour as well of the one as the other For in a true and sufficient Mediatour there must be these properties first of all the Word of God must reueale and propound him vnto the Church Secondly he must be perfectly iust and such a one as in whom was no sinne euer found Thirdly hee must be a Propitiator that is bring some thing to God that may appease and satisfie his wrath iustice for our sinnes Now these three properties are not to be found in any creature but in Christ alone and therefore he is the onely Mediator of Intercession as well as of Redemption Perkins 1. Volume 603. 604. C. Do they teach any thing contrary to the Kingly office of Christ M. Yes they teach that the Pope is Christs Vicar head of the Church that hee can make Lawes to binde the Conscience that he can make new Articles and abolish the old that he can dispense with al the precepts both of the old and new Testament And so herein and in many other such like things they deny the Kingly Office of Christ C. It seemeth then to me by this which you haue said that though in words they confesse Christ yet in deed and in truth they deny him M. They doe so indeed for whosoeuer denyeth the office of Christ for the performance whereof he came in the flesh denyeth in effect Christ to be come in the flesh but the Papists deny his office therefore they deny him to be come in â—he flesh so they are no good Catholikes but rather Hereâ—ikes C. What should mooue the Church of Rome in words to acknowledge CHRIST and yet to deny his office M. It makes much for her profit and by this meanes they doe the more easily deceiue people That their profit and aduantage is the onely end they aime at appeareth by a most blasphemous speech of a Pope of Rome Leo the 10 who being somewhat moued against one of his Cardinals for alleadging a place against him out of the Gospell concerning Christ answered him thus Quantum nobis profuit ista fabula de Christo O what aduantage hath this fable of Christ brought vs Sleydan de statu Relig. c. Reip. lib. 1. They are herein much like to a Fowler who spreading his net to catch Larkes hath tyed to his net an artificiall Larke a Larke in shew but not indeede This hee causeth to moue and stirre the which the Larkes perceiuing and thinking it to be a Larke indeede they fall downe by him and so are caught in the net So they haue a Christ in their mouthes to draw people to them but it is a counterfeit Chirst Or if it be the true Christ yet they doe it but as the Larke-catcher doth who many times hath in his net a true and liuing Larke indeede but it is to deceiue the Larkes and the more easily to catch them in his net So they professe Christ haue his Word and Sacraments among them but it is onely to deceiue simple people and to make a prey of them DIALOGVE 4. C. Doe they teach any other thing contrary to any other article of the Creede M. Yes diuers things In the Article we professe to beleeue that Christ was conceiued by the Holy Ghost and so he and he onely was conceiued without originall sinneâ— They teach that the Virgin Mary was also conceiued withouâ— origin all sinne and that by