they being so plaine pregnant that a cheefe aduersarie was forced to confesse that ther is frequent mention in the ancient writers treaking of the Eucharist of the wordes sacrifice oblation hoaste victim to which may be added that the same Fathers in like manner vse the wordes altar Preist verie commonly all which ar so fit for the purpose of signifiing a true proper sacrifice that no writer either diuine or profane could euer inuent other more significant apte as it vndoubtedly appeares for that their writings manifest that they neuer vsed anie other wordes or phrases when they treated of the nature vse of a proper sacrifice since this I say is so apparently true I ernestly request of my reader to consider how voyde not onely of reason but also of common sense the sectaries of this our present age may iustely be iudged how shamelesly obstinate they be who denie that to be a true proper sacrifice which is as plainely affirmed to be such both by scripture it selfe the true Interpreters ther of as in wordes phrases they possible could declare to humane sense vnderstanding And with this I conclude the proofe of the maior of my sixt last argument framed directly against the English Relion hence I passe to the second parte of my treatise in which I will positiuely demonstrate by six other affirmatiue arguments the truth of the Roman faith nowe professed in the greater parte of the Christian world framing compounding my silogismes of the contradictorie propositions to those which I haue vsed before for the confutation of the English faith in this insuing manner THE SECOND PARTE OF THE CONVICTION CONtaining the defensiue arguments Adhuc excellentiorem viam vobis demonstro 1. Cor. 12.31 ALTHO ' in realitie rigor of truth especially for the more learned sorte of people ther is no necessitie of other proofe of the truth of the Roman Catholike faith then the disproofe which I haue alreadie made of the English Religion in regarde that ther being onely their Religion ours here in question theirs being false as I haue plainely demonstrated ours must by vnauoy dable consequence be true supposing two contradictories cannot be both true in one and the same matter or subiect neuerthelesse for greater satisfaction of the reader more cleare conuincement of the truth I will breefely proceed by positiue affirmatiue arguments in defence of the Roman faith Religion THE HRST PRINCIPAL ARGVMENT I Propounde my first sylogisme in this forme manner That onely Religion is true which is truely Catholike But the Roman Religion onely is truly Catholike Therefore the Roman Religion is the onely true Religion The Maior needs no proofe as being graunted by our aduersaries being once admitted with the Minor the other doth thence necessarily follow according to the rules of Logike which teaches that the premisses being true truely disposed the consequence cannot faile The Minor which our Antagonists denye I prone because the Roman Religion onely hath all the conditions required to true Cathoâ—â—â—â—â—â—e that is it hath vniuersalitie of matter or obiect of faith it hath vniuersallitie of time place persons that professe it also it hath vniuersallitie of the rule or reason which directs the professors in the confession exercise of their faith with all it hath vnitie in the same And first that the Roman Religion hath vniuersallitie in matter it is most manifest for that the aduersaries them selues can not denye but that it conprehendeth by faith beleeueth not onely all that is contained in the scriptures but also what soeuer els is proposed by their Church as matter of faith comprehended either in the written worde of God or diuine traditions which are the vnwritten worde of God which is the most large compleit vniuersallitie of faith that can be imagined to the latitude of which the obiect or matter of the English faith comes not neare as being by them limited to the bare scriptures onely As likewise because they denie points which the Roman Church maintaines for matters of faith As ar Purgatorie prayer to saincts c. Secondly That the Roman Religion hath vniuersallitie in the rule or reason which guideth the professors of it in their true beleefe it is also euident in regarde they neither beleeue nor refuse â—o beleeue anie thing as matter of faith for anie other immediate motiue or cause then for that it is proposed vnto them by the infallible authoritie of their Church to be beleeued or not to be beleeued as the worde of God which is the prime formall obiect of their faith which generallitie or vniuersalitie of rule is so great solid that it is inpossible to imagin anie more ample perfect in that nature Thirdly This most constant vnuariable vniuersallitie of the totall rule of faith as it is but one onely in it selfe so doth one onely agreeable vniforme consent of faith necessarily flowe issue out of it as frome a most cleare fountaine which is vnitie in the same faith among all euerie one of the professors of it supposing that according to true Philosophie where the formall obiect is one the actions tho' neuerso manie must of necessitie be of one the same species or nature that which in supernaturall faith is yet more certaine apparent by reason the obiect of it is exceedingly more vniforme vnuariable then anie naturall obiect is Fourthly Vniuersallitie of tyme place persons is so manifestly founde in the Roman Religion that the aduersaries them selues confesse that ther hath ben euer a visible Roman Religion in the world from the tyme of the Apostles euen to this present day which yet if they were so impudent as to denie all histories all writings all acts monuncents euen the verie stones them selues in manie places would quite conuince confounde them Onely one exception or euasion they haue to wit by alledgeing that altho' the Roman Church for the space of the fiue hundreth first yeares was a true Church yea the mother Church of all the rest of the particular Christian Churches Praesatmon as great King Iames doth ingenuously confesse yet say they hath it since fayled in faith of the Church of Christ is turned in to the seat of Antichrist viz when Phocas the Emperour gaue vnto Boniface the third Pope of that name the title of vniuersall Bishop This therefore is our aduersaries common allegation for proofe of the supposed defection of the Roman Church in matters of faith but so feeble friuolous false that both they themselues if they were not verie bleareyed all others might as it were in a miroir or perspectiue glasse clearely discouer this by the viewe of the successe of times to be but false colors painting whereby to limme their owne inexcusable defection from that faith which they founde vniuersallie established in the Christian world when their first
doctrine or saying of the Iewes Now this being so it is plainely certaine that our aduersaries of all the anciēt Fathers haue not as much as one S. Hierome vndoubtedly in fauor of their Canon but onely the authoritie of the Iewes Secōdly our aduersaries cānot haue recourse to the spirit for the approbatiō of the Canō of the old Testament first because if they relie vpon this they ought to proue it before to be the true spirit of God which moueth them to beleeue their Canon to be of infallible authoritie that either by some other Canonicall scripture or by some other conuincent reason or motiue as by miracles sanctitie or by other externall testimonie otherwise they them selues can neither safely relie vpon it nor we can iustely giue credit vnto it for that it is manifestly declared in the authenticall scriptures them selues that ther be euill spirits as well as good by which men ar moued yea that same spirit which seemes good is often tymes discouered knowne to be the spirit of the common animie who the more easily coulerably to deceiue delude doth transforme him selfe in to an Angell of leight notobstanding he is darkenes it selfe Finally that spirit by which the defenders of the Iudaicall canō for so our aduersaries suppose theirs to bee proue the authoritie of it is contrarie as well in other points of faith as in this to the spirit of the most visible florishing Church in all ages neither is it common generall conformable to the greater parte of Christians but extrauagant singular priuate particular to them selues as I haue shewed in my precedent argument consequently it can not be the spirit of God but an ill spirit a familiar a bee in a box to which who soeuer doth obey followe will doubtlesse be led at the length in to a laberinth of errors wher he will perish without redemption More ouer for as much as concerneth the Canon of the new Testament for our aduersaries to say they haue it from vs is a verie pore shift considering the want of authoritie which they hould to be in our Church as being in their opinion of no credit in other matters of faith yea plainely erroneous Antichristian it doth thence manifestly follow vpon their Principles that their Canon can not possible haue infallible certainetie in regarde that the whole grounde on which such certaintie depende this supposed to be the authoritie of our Church which they neuerthesse peremptorily auerre not onely to besubiect to error but also to haue alreadie erred in diuers points of faith Frome whence from the rest which hath ben inculcated in the proofe of the minor of my second silogisme the consequence both of it my first silogisme doth inauoydably followe to wit that the Religion of England is plainely false as not hauing anie certaine infallible rule wherby to know the true Canonicall scriptures of the old new Testament THE THIRD PRINGIPAL ARGVMENT MY third principall argument against the English Religiō I frame in this manner That Religion is false which hath not the true interpretation sense of scriptures But the English Religion hath not the true interpretation fense of scriptures Ergo the English Religion is a false Religion The maior can not be denyed by our aduersaries The minor in which onely the question consisteth I proue first on t of their translations of the Bible in to the English tongue of which that most famous defender of the new English faith King Iames of great Britanie in the publike assembly had by his authoritie as Hampton Courte the yeare 1604. sitting as President Cathedratically pronoūced that he had neuer yet seene anie Bible qnid adhuc egemus testibus reightly translated into the English tongue And altho' the same King Iames for that reasō caused an other newe translation to be made in which some thing which were in the former editions are amended corrected yet I find by one of them which I haue my selfe printed at london the yeare 1608. that it containeth still diuers of the same errors which were in the first trāslations of which the King himself did cōplaine as appeareth by the second chapter of the Acts. Vers 27. Wher for the wordes non relinques animam meam in inferno that is in plaine English thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell the foresaid Bible hath thou will not leaue my soule in graue vsing also the verie same translation vpon the wordes of the 16. psalme out of which they ar cited by the author of the Acts of the Apostles That which is done by the professors of the English Religion for no other end then that those who please may freely defend their negatiue positiō of the reall discent of Christ in to hell as Beza ingenuonsly confesseth in his annotation vpon this place the affirmatiue of which neuerthelesse the Apostolicall Creed doth expressely teach vs. In which passage our aduersaries shewe both extreame great partiallitie great impudencie in regarde that in the Greeke text which they them selues most superstitiously professe to follow hath the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place which by the septuagint is put commonly for the worde sheol in Hebrew as it is also by them selues translated in other places of scripture as S. Hierome doth in like manner turne the same worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in to infernus in Latin in English hell throu ' the whole Bible And altho' Daniell Chamier in his booke vpon Christs descent in to hell not daring to deme this manner of translatiō to haue ben made by the septuagint S. Hierome Tom. 2. Pantrat l. 5. cap 5. doth somat◠murmure grumble at them for the same as if they did often times detorte the Greeke Latin wordes to the sense of the Hebrew with neglect of the propertie of the language yet this is but one Doctors opinion if he had more to alledge of his owne sect it were no great matter for that by the common iudgement of the whole Christian world those twoe sacred Translaters farre surpasse in knowledge of the scriptures all the Doctors that euer were or will be of his faction tho' they esteeme thēselues neuer so wise learned And suppose the Septuagint S. Hierome doe in deed frequently followe the sense rather then the propertie of the Hebrewe words what offence commit they in that Nay then what commendation doe they not rather deserue in respect it is a generally knowne rule of the best Trāslators not to tye themselues to the wordes but to the sense As on the contrarie what reprehēsion is not due to thē whose cheefe studie is with neglect of that sense which those anciēt expositors who haue gone before them both in time virtue learning to inuent violently drawe newe interpretations of Scripture out of the Etymologies first imposition of wordes according to the verbal sounde
you neither doe I intend to persuade you in a Rhetoricall manner but onely to propose vnto your ingenuous myndes mature iudgements pure trueth pure falsitie in their owne seuerall natiue habits colors as good an euill to the end that by your free election you may stretch your handes to the one leaue the other according as you shall finde your selues moued by diuineinspiration force of reason Yet not so remissely but that if anie one should require further satisfaction let him but obtaine me a safe conduct graunted by competent authoritie I will not refuse to decipher the Gyrogliffe of my name as euer most readie according to Apostolicall aduise to render reason of the faith I professe And althou ' perhaps it will be iudged more sutable to my manner of proceeding deliuerie of my doctrine to haue put it in the latin tongue yet because I coÌ„sidered ther are in our countrye manie pregnant actiue wits which neuerthelesse haue smale knowledge in that language I resolued rather to publish it in the vulgar tongue to the end that all those who ar studious of trueth may be free from impediments in their search of reason Neither is it intended for euerie pedanticall bibleist but for such as in some sorte are instructed in scholastical discipline qui potest caperecapiat And if by the grace assistance of God my arguments shall but make so much impression in the readers as onely to reduce some passionate partiall myndes in matters of Religion to such a point of temper as they shall come to iudge it a thing repugnant to reason conscience that those who haue so much reason so forcible arguments for their cause should be esteemed worthy of contumelie persecution for their profession defence of the same I shall neuer accounte my paines tyme ill employed And thus I comit commende you to the grace protection of Christ our Sauior THE FIRST PARTE OF THE CONVICTION CONTAINING THE IMPVGNATIVE ARGVMENTS THE FIRST PRINCIPAL ARGVMENT AND for confutation of the English Religion which I assume for the firste parte of my disputation beginning with the name Catholike I argue in this manner All Religions which are not Catholike are false Religions But the Religion now publiklie professed in England is not Catholike Ergo the religion nowe publiklie professed in England is a false Religion In the Maior conclusion of this Sylogisme there is no difficultie neither can the aduersaâ—ies denie them The minor onelie is in controuersie it I proue with another Sylogisme in the manner following All Religions which are not vniuersall geâ—erall or common are not Catholike But the Religion now professed in England is not vniuersall generall or common Ergo the Religion now professed in England is not Catholike That the Religion is not Catholike which â—s not vniuersall generall or common is cleaâ—elie demonstrated by the signification of the worde Catholike which importeth vniuersallitie or generallitie according to the vse which euen our aduersaries themselues make of it Who in their Bibles for the Latin wordes â—pistola Catholica translate put in English the generall epistle of Iames Iude c. Not to stand vpon the ancient authoritie of sainct Augustin other Fathers Councels who when they speake of the true Church or faith â—se the name Catholike in that same seÌ„se as after shall appeare And by this the maior propoâ—ition of the second Sylogisme is sufficientlie â—roued to be true Now touching the minor â—o wit that the Religion publiklie professed in England is not generall vniuersall or common 〈◊〉 likewise proue by distinguishing all the diuers kindes of vniuersallitie which according either to Philosophie or moral doctrine can be imagined by conuincing that none of them agree to the Religion of England which I prosecute in this manner All vniuersallitie in Religion is either in the matter or material obiect of faith or in the time place persons that professe it or els in the rule or reason which directs them in the faith profession of it For proofe declaration of all which particulars that none of them be founde in the Religion of England it is to be supposed as certaine that the worde vniuersall signifieth not onelie generallitie but also vnitie so that the thing which is vniuersall must be one in itselfe as well as common to others that which not onelie the vsuall acception of the worde doth shewe which by Aristotle the rest of the Philosophers both ancient moderne is commonly taken for vnum in multis that is one thing in manie or one common to manie but also the verie etymologie sounde of the same word doth plainely declare Yea the ancient Fathers also affirme the same in those places where speaking of the vniuersallitie of the Church in place they say the Church is one and yet dispersed ouer the whole world Lib. 2. c 2. As doth Sâ— Augustin against the epistle of Gaudentius Where vsing the testimonie of sainct Cyprian among â—other words of his he relates these Vnum caâ—ut est origo vna vnamater foecundis successibus copiosa She meaning the Church â—s one head one origen Maieres nâ—stri Catholicam nominarnus vt ex ipso nomine â—stenderent quia per tâ—tum est De vnit Eccl. cap. 2. one mother replemished with frutefull successes And in the second chapter of his booke of the vnitie of the Church he saith that our ancetors called the Church Catholike to the end they might shewe by the name it selfe that she is in whole In like manner Vincentius Lyrinensis in the third ch of his booke to the vniuersallity of the Church ioyneth consent or vnion And Venerable Bede vpon the 6. chap. of the Canticles affirmes that the Church is called Catholike quia per omnes mundi partes in vnapace in vno Domini timore aedificatur That is because it is planted or built in all partes of the world in one peace one feare of God And thus it plainely appeares that the worde Catholike or vniuersall whatsoeuer els it includes yet it must of necessitie haue vnitie in that generallitie which it signifies This being supposed as a trueth which euen our aduersaries cannot resist I proue against them first that there is no vniuersallitie in the matter or obiect of their Religion with this argumentation following All religions which are not one the same in matter or obiect which Christ his Apostles preached waÌ„te vniuersallity in obiect or matter But the Religion professed in England at this present is not one the same in obiect or matter which Christ his Apostles preached Ergo the Religion professed in England at this present wantes vniuersalitie in obiect or matter The maior of this Sylogisme is iucluded in the supposition before declared at the least in parte graunted euen by our aduersaries as I suppose it being nothing else in sense but
hath ben alwayes since the times of Christ so visible as the Romanists hould it to haue ben that is with visible Pastors teachers and a visible flock or congregation of people assignable in all ages and times therefore I will proue it first by plaine texts of Scripture then by authoritie of ancient Fathers first that the true Church is absolutely visible then that it is perpetually visible The absolute visibilitie of the Church is â—aught in all those places of Scripture which speake of the Church as of a knowne congregation or companie of people as S. Math. Die Ecclesiâ— coÌ„firma fratrâ—t tues Pasce oues meas Pascite qui in vobis est gregeÌ„ Dei the â—8 tell the Church S. Luc. 22. confirme thy brothers â—ohn 20. feede my sheepe 1. Pet. 5. feed the flocke 〈◊〉 God which is among you S. Paul 1. Cor. 15. Affirâ—nes that he himselfe did persecute the Church And most commonly his Epistles are directed â—o the Churches as to the Church of Rome Corinth Ephesus And finally ther is scarce â—nie mention of the Church in the whole Bible wher the visibilitie of the same is not plainely signified therefore it is compared to a citie vpon a mountaine Math. 5. In illo moÌ„te est qui impleuit orbeÌ„ terrarum nunquid sic ostend mus Ecclesiaâ— fratres noÌ„ne aperta estâ— nonnâ— manifesta c. Aug. trac 1. in r. ep loan according to the exposition of that place made by S. Augustin in his booke of the vnitie of the Church the â—4 20. Chapter Of which inuisibilitie ther are likewise plaine texts in the second chapter of Isaias the fourth of Micheas where conformable to the cited wordes of S. Math. the â— woe Prophets affirme that ther will be in the latter Dayes a mount aine prepared the house of God Which wordes Sainct Augustin most perspicuously interprets of the Church of Christ Also ther is a verie pregnant place to this putpose the 61. of Isai where speaking of the people of God the Prophet saith all that shall see them shall know them to be the seed which God hath blessed Euangelizare pauperibus mi sit me c. Luc. 18. Which wordes Christ himselfe in the fourth of S. Luke doth plainely insinuate to be meant of his Church in regarde he applies some of the precedent words of the same chapter of Isaie to himselfe the propagatior of the same Church by his preaching And according to these the like phrase of Scripture the ancient Fathers doe commonly speake of the Christian Church S. Augustin in his second Booke against Cresconius Saith thus Extat Ecclesia cuncta clara atque perspicua Cap. 36. quippe ciuitas quae abscondi non potest supra montem constituta The Church is all cleare perspicuous as being a citie which cannot hiden be placed vpon a mountaine And S. Chrysostome in hiâ— fourth homilie vpon the 6. chap. of Isaias hath that memorable sentence Facilius est solem extingui quam Ecclesiam obscurari The sunne mâ— more easily be extinguished then the Church obscured I could alledge most plaine words to thâ— same purpose out of the rest of the ancient Doctors but because those twoe alone are of segreat authoritie that they ought to satisfie aniâ— vnpartiall iudgement in matter of testification of the sense doctrine of ancient time touching this point therefore I esteemed 〈◊〉 supersluous to produce their seuerall sentences Perhaps some of our aduersaries will say the doe not denie but both scriptures and Father doe teach in generall that the Church is visible yet they denie that scriptures Fathers reach that it must necessarily be visible in all ages times but rather that like vnto the noone it suffers Eclypses and defects by perseeution or by other meanes To this which is a miere voluntarie euasion as anie one of iudgement may easily perceiue I answer first that supposing both the sentences of scriptures Fathers of the visibilitie of the Church are generall absolute without limitation it is manifestly conuinced that their meaning could not be that the Church is visible onely for a time or at certaine times and not perpetually by reason that according to â—he common rule of interpretation generall wordes are to be vnderstood properly with â—ll their extension as long as noe inconuenieÌ„ce followes thereof as certaine it is apparent that none can followe of the continuall visibiâ—tie of the Church wheras on the contrarie both manie great in conueniences insue of the want of the same as after shall be declaâ—ed Neither can anie one place either of scripture or Fathers be produced by the opposers of this doctrine in which anie such limitation of the sentences of the Fathers is contained either â—n wordes or sense or in anie other sorte so â—lainely as by the generalitie of the foresaid Phrases of Scripture ancient Doctors all reâ—riction is excluded Secondly I impugne the same euasion for that if it be once graunted that the Church is not alwayes visible then it followes that in the times of the inuisibilitie of the same there are no visible Pastors nor preachers to minister the true word Sacraments to the people yea that there are no such people in the world consequently that thereis noe Church either visible or inuisible by reason that a Church whether we feigne it to be visible or inuisible essentially consists of people which people are in like manner essentially visible as muchas corporall nor can they if they would be visible except it be either by miracle or else by arte magique or some such vnlawfull meanes Nay more if they were once inuisible either by miracles arte or nature how can it be knowne but by ther owne testimonie that they euer were truely extant to which neuerthelesse noe man can prudently giue credit especially in a matter of such importance And thus we see that out of this one absurâ—itie of the want of visibilitie in the Church a thousand others doe followe as that ther are vivisible Pastors vet inuisible that ther are visible people yet inuisible that ther is a Church yet noe Church And if our aduersaâ—ies say ther are true Pastors true faithfull people a true Church that ther wants onely a true profession of faith in the Pastors people Church Then I replie first it is manifest that if ther be no prefession of faith in neither Pastors people nor anie parte of the Church then can it not possible be a true Church or the Church of the Predestinate as they will haue it but a Congregation onely or companie of timerous cowardly people which dare not professe their faith Ore autem confessio fit ad salutim consequently not the Church of Christ in which not faith onely but also profession of faith is necessarie to saluation according to the doctrine of the Apostle saying that with the hart we beleeue
vnto iustice Rom. 10. but with the mouth coufesion is made to saluation And howbeit I conceiue that the defenders of the inuisibilitie may instance say that profession of faith is not required to the essence of the true Church by consequence that it may subsist with internall faith onelie neuerthelesse I reioyne to this that althou ' I should grant profession of faith in metaphisical rigor to be no essentiall parte of the true Church yet is it so necessarilie annexed to the true Church as it neither is nor euer will be founde without professors neither is there anie authority either of scriptures or Fathers whereby it can be proued that anie such true Church euer were or euer will be coÌ„sisting of internall faith onelie But all those places which I haue aboue alledged both of the absolute visibilitie of the Church necessitie of profession of faith to saluation required by the ordinance commaundement of Christ manifestlie convince the contrarie Well may our aduersaries out of their accustomed temeritie spirit of contradiction against the Roman Church because they haue no other meanes to maintaine the subsistance of their owne new Congregation affirme teach that internall faith alone without profession makes a true Church yet no iudicious man will euer be persuaded but that position is assumed by them mierlie for the aduantage of their owne ill cause which without the vse of it or some such other of like nature cannot possible be defended in the controuersie whether the true Church be ours or theirs To omit that if no externall profession of faith be required to the true Church it is impossible to conceiue how anie man could euer come to knowe that such a Church as consisteth of internall faith onely was euer extant in the world any in parte of time since it was once planted established by our Sauior his Apostles And yet admit that it is not wholely impossible to conceiue the possibilitie of a true Church without the attribute of externall profession yet this is but a Metaphisicall case grounded onelie in the discourse of him who so conceiueth it by consequence it is not secure for anie man to venture his saluation vpon it as being either plainelie false in it selfe or at the least verie subiect to error fallibiliâ—itie but euerie prudent man ought rather to followe the tenor of speach of the scripture Fathers in the places before alledged particularlie the sentence of sainct Augustin in the â—1 chapter of his 19. booke against Faustus In nullum nomen religionis seu verum seu falsuuâ— coagulari homines possunt nisi aliquo signaculorum vel Sacramentorum visibilium consortio colligentur Where he affirmes that men cannot be congregated or assembled together vnder one name of Religion vnlesse they be tyed together with some consorte or socictie of visible signes or Sacraments In which wordes althou ' he makes no expresse mention of profession of faith as required to a Church yet doth he in effect affirme the same in other wordes teaching the communication of Sacraments to be necessarie to the constitution of a Church Which communication of Sacraments is profession of faith in one of the highest degrees as no man can denie And now hauing sufficientlie confuted the foresaid euasion of our aduersaties touching the visibilitie I will yet further adde positiue proofes of the perpetuitie of the visible Church First therefore I proue it by those places of scripture which affirme that the Church of Christ shall neuer perish as math the 16. Porta insert non praualibuut aduersunam The Portes of hell shall not preuaile against it Where we see the Prophecie promisse of our Sauior touching the perpetuitie of his Church is generall without limitation of time he speakes here of the same Church of which those places of scripture speach which declare it to be visible which I haue alreadie cited to that purpose for the aduersarie to limit these wordes to the inuisible Church as if Christ had meant that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against his inuisible Church onelie is a miere voluntarie explication of their owne inuention repugnant both to the text itselfe reason to the text in regarde that all the words circumstances of it demonstrate that Christ speakes of his visible Church either onelie or cheefelie as is the gouernement of the Church by sainct Peter which Church was to consist of men whose sinnes the same Peter had power promised him to binde loose that vpon earth all which particularâ— sounde nothing but things visible Now the foresaid explication of our aduerfaries is also contrarie to reason First for that supposing Christ planted such a Church vpon earth in which there were to be alwayes visible pastors preachers to administere the Sacraments Ephes 4. 1. Cor. 12. Act. 20. Luc. 12. teach publish the Gospell as the scriptures testifie And supposing he did not onelie commande vs to haue his faith but also to professe his name before men it is most absurde to imagin that he would or did not vse his prouidence in the conseruation of the same visible Church in all times occasions as well as the inuisible Church if anie such he had established in the world Secondlie the same exposition is against reason in respect that by that limitation of our Sauiors wordes which our aduersaries vse they giue vs to vnderstand that Christ promissed much but performed little or nothing of importance in this particular For if he assisted his Church so weakelie that for the space of manie yeares together the members of it were driuen to conceile their faith which neuerthelesse he himselfe obledgeth them to professe in all occasions surelie he did not onelie come farre shorte of his promisse but also in a certaine manner contradicted himselfe deceiued them And if for the gates of hell to haue so fare much vrged vexed the Church as to haue leâ— all the members thereof with a bare secret dissembling faith onely without anie professing or vse of Sacraments for the space of manie succeeding ages is not absolutelie to haue preuailed against it consequentlie that Christs wordes are falsified then certainelie neither had they ben falsified in case hell gates had so farre preuailed as quite to extinguish euen the professors themselues yea by an impossibilitie to haueleft faith alone hanging vpon the hedges for want of other subiect all which sequels being most absurde yet consequent to our aduersaries glosse vpon the wordes of scriptures aboue cited they euidentlie argue the falsitie of that their construction An other pregnant place for the perpetuall continuation of the visible Church is that of the 4. to the Ephesians where the Apostle saith that Christ appointed Pastors c. Ad consummationem Sanctorum donecâ— occurramus omnes in virum perfectum That is he appointed some Bishops other pastors others
dayes might with farre greater reason haue affirmed the same of the RomaÌ„ church in which then owne bookes manifeste them to haue liued as partes members being nowe much more extended then at that time it was And certainely for the defenders of the Church of England to imagin that althoâ— their Religion hiâ—herto hath not ben vniuersall in the world yet that hereafter it will be vniuersall before the end of the world is both voyde of probabilitie ridiculous First because it is the nature of true Religion to bring zeale feruor with it especially in the begining as appeareth in the Apostles their successors in the first ages who not obstanding all the impediments that the deuill by humane wit malice could contriue yet dâ—d they extend propagate the faith of Christ in diuers nations kingdomes both remote barbarous Wherefore if the Religion of England had ben the true faith of Christ doubtlesse it would by the professors of it haue ben long since so extended dilated that it should not need to be brought to those streits as to fetch their vniuersalitie from the verie end of the world Secondly because the nature of the Religion of England is such that it hath no conuenient meanes for propagation of itselfe in the whole world inregard that those to whome the charge of preaching teach the same is committed are meÌ„ that are all either actually tyed to wiues children posteritie or els liue in expection desire of those temporall or transitorie commodities scarce euer dreame of extending their Religion farther then their owne seuerall Parishes yea their doctrine it selfe teaches them that either they must all marie of necessitie as some of them maintaine or at the least that it is more expedient secure for them to marie then to lead a single life supposing which particulars it is morally vnpossible for them euer to preach their faith to all nations as Christ commaundeth with such clogges at their heeles as are wife children posteritie Thirdlie it is certainelie knowne that since the Religion of England was established in the forme manner that now it is in the professors of it neuer went to ante foren nation purposely to preach their faith much lesse haue they euer taken anie generall course for the conuersion of infidels by anie mission of Ministers or by other meanes Or if anie of them haue trauelled into strange countries which are knowne to be verie fewe in number it hath ben onelie or cheefely for temporall respects as for that they haue ben silenced in their owne countrie for preaching some extrauagant errours or els for some other crime or publike offence committed or perhaps some pore vnbenificed ignorant threedbare fellowes who for want of meanes to maintaine themselues resolue desperatelie to trye their fortune in an other place onelie for that respect not for charitie or zeale of reduceing people to Christian Religion And if perhaps they finde anie pore blackamore or other barbarian that heareing the name of Christians desires to be of their Religion yet these false Apostles proceed so superficiallie with them giue them so smale ill instruction that it is to be feared that after they haue baptized them on their fashion they still remaine as black as they were before both in bodie soule Nay their deuotion is so could in this nature that they themselues are ashamed either to write or to brag of it as experience doth teach for that there is not anie booke extant that eâ—er I could heare of in which it may appeare that they haue performed anie notable matter in this particular The discalced Carmelits at this present hane obtained Bishops for their mission in Persia euen by the Kings permission as I am informed Whereas yet on the contrarie histories are full of the infinit number of Infidels which the professors of the Roman Church haue conuerted dayly conuert to the Christian faith both in the Oriental Occidental Indies other places that with losse of their liues whatsoeuer other comodities they haue in this world as is manifest especiallie in the foure Orders of Mendicants the Iesuits who not obstanding innumerable difficulties still continue their annuall Missions ordained to that same end purpose of propagating Catholike Religion in all countries nations Lastelie I say that for the professors of the English faith to say that their Religion will be extended thro' the whole world before the day of Iudgement is mierlie their owne prediction to which no man of mature iudgement ought to giue credit except they first proue themselues to be true Prophets which in my opinion they can no more performe then they can proue the descent of their pedegree from sainct Michael the Archangell And thus wesee plainelie that the English Religion as now it is professed being destitute of all meanes to propagate it self as hitherto it neither is nor euer was vniuersall in the world so neither can it be imagined with anie probable coulour of reason that euer it can possible in future times come to be spred ouer all the nations of the whole world as according to scriptures Fathers the true Church ought to be the mator of my former Sylogisme doth affirme And not to insiste anie longer in this matter I in like manner proue the minor proposition of the same argument by the same reasons which I haue vsed for the proofe of the foresaid mator which if they be duelie applied to the English Religion they will plainelie demonstrate that the Religion of England neither hath ben is nor euer will be preached published in all partes of the world consequentlie that it hath not vniuersallitie of place which is that which the conclusion of the argument doth containe It is true I further conceiue that the professors of the English faith as men disposed to cauille may yet once againe replie say that in regarde their Religion is the same with the Religion of the Apostles therefore it hath the same vniuersallitie which the Apostolicall Religion hath But to this I reioyne anser firste that I haue shewed before that the Religion now prosessed in England doth differ in diuers points from the faith of the Apostles the particulars of which difference I haue before specified as is that of iustification by faith onelie the deny all of the reall presence the rest Secondlie I say that this replie is that kinde of absurditie in disputation which the LogitiaÌ„s call petitio Principij that is when that is assumed by the disputant for a true certaine Principle which ought to be proued as being the verie matter in question so this is onelie an euasion of the aduersarie which hath no more force them his owne authoritie giues it which is none at all And now by this that more which hath ben sayd touching the vniuersallitie of place persons it is most
in the page following he saith in his owne name in the name of his brother Puritās We hold not fasting to be a worke pleasing to God And yet in his page 609. he grautes that to fast religiously at some time is Gods cōmaundemēt And pag. 611. that lent fast is partely religious ordered by the Church for religious endes bindeth the cōscience mediately which larring positions of this grand Doctor I am not able to recōcile And yet for a parte of twelfe dayes deuotiō he putteth the paymēt of tithes which indeed is a deuotiō far more profitable to himself then pleasing to others All which particulars doe manifestly declare that whatsoeuer apish imitation these fellowes vse in writing some fewe bookes of deuotion prayer yet is their spirit quite contrarie to the common spirit of the vniuersall Church wholely vertigenous extrauagant peculiar to themselues And to this the like may be added of their Church seruice forme of administration of Sacraments as may be seeme in their booke of common prayer which as it manifest to them that read it doth notably differ from all the Lyturgies publike formes of prayers pastorals that euer were vsed in the Church before the preachings of Luther not onely in the manner of administrating the Sacraments and seruice but also in some substantiall points of them both Their being not anie mentiō in the booke of common prayer of either annointing with Chrisme in Baptisme or of extreme vnctiō of the sicke nor of consecrariō of the Eucharist or absolute commaunde to receiue it but onely with condition or rather with expresse order or precept that ther be a whole congregation that is some persons more disposed to communicate with the infirme partie besides himselfe that otherwise he must haue patiēce take his iourney to an other world without his Viaticum Neither is it ther ordained directly that that the Communicants shall vse the homologesis or Sacramēt of Pennance cōsisting of contrition confession satisfaction as a necessarie preparation to the communion except onely in in case they finde their cōsciences troubled with anie weightie matter that when they are at the point of death contenting themselues at all other times of their receiuing the Lords supper with a generall confession onely made either by one of the communicants or by the ministerin the name of the rest The contrarie of all which particulars are neuerthelesse found in all Lythurgies Missals Directories of former times in all places of the Christian world as may be seene in the Ierarchie of Sainct Denis the Roman Order of which euen the newer of the twoe was practiced in the Church at the least 80◠yeares agoe But now to conclude hauing passed throu all the seuerall kindes of vniuersalitie that can be imagined with an exact discussion of the nature properties of the same finding none of them in the Religion now publikely professed in England besides this it being certaine both according to the doctrine of the ancient Doctors of the Church moderne diuines that the worde Catholike is the same that vniuersall Lib. 2. c. 38. generall or cōmon as is apparent by S. Augustins responsion to Petilianus wher he saith that the name Caetholicū signifies secundū totum Lib. 2. c. 2. as also against the epistle of Gaudentius Teacing that the Church therfore is called Catholike of the Greeke worde because it is extēded throu ' the whole world This I say being infallibly true it doth by necessarie conclusion follow of the premisses that the English Relilion is not Catholike but a priuate conuenticle or Congregation in which true faith is not founde in which by consequence no saluation can be hoped or expected for such as obstinately seperating themselues from the vnitie and vniuersalitie of the most vniuersally receiued Religion liue and die in it And this may suffice for the declaration confirmation of my first ptincipall argument or demonstration THE SECOND PRINCIPAL ARGVMENT MY second principal argument which proueth the falsitie of the English Religion is this That Religion is false which hath a false or at the least an vncertaine Canon of scripture But the Religion of England hath a false or at the least an vncertaine Canon of scripture Ergo the Religion of England is a false Religion The Maior doubtlesse is graunted by our aduersaries The minor which they denie I proue And for the proofe of it I suppose that the true Canon of scripture can not be knowne but by some externall authoritie or meanes distinct from it selfe whether it be the iudgement of euerie faithfull person assisted by the diuine spirit as manie of our aduersaries affirme or whether it be the declaration of the Church assisted by diuine inspiration of which it shall be disputed in an other place More ouer these meanes or this authoritie must be infallible otherwise it can ingender no such certainetie in the myndes of the beleeuers touching the matter in question but they would remaine still doubtfull of the same And the reasō for which this externall authoritie is thus required to the knowledge of the iuste quantitie of the written worde of God for the distinguishing of the true partes of the same from the Apochrypha doubtfull is because that as the scriptures doe in no places affirme declare them selues either in totallitie 〈◊〉 parte reflectiuely to be the true worde of God deliuered by Christ his Apostles so they much lesse auerre these determinate bookes or partes of the Bible no other to be the onely true authenticall scriptures This being now supposed as certaine on both sides I proue the foresaie minor to wit that the Church of England hath a false or at least an vncertaine Canon of scripture by an other silogisme in this manner That Canon of scripture is false or at the least vncertaine which disagreeth from all other Canons that euer were in anie Christian Church before the dayes of Luther But the Canon of scripture vsed nowe in England is disagreeable to all other Canons that euer were in anie Christian Church before the dayes of Luther Ergo the Canon of scripture vsed nowe in the Church of England is a false or at the least an vncertaine Canon In the Maior of this silogisme ther is no doubt The minor I proue by comparing the Canon of England with those seuerall Canons which according to the diuersitie of opinions in that point among some of the ancient Fathers in former tymes ar founde to be three in number howbeit of those three ther was one which was euer more commonly receiued then the rest to wit that Canon which in the Councels of Florence Trent was defined to be infallible is that same which at this present the Roman Church vseth reiecting all other for Apochryphall inauthenticall Now the first of those three Canons or Orders of diuine volumes consisteth of those bookes of which
wisedome is alledged by ancient S. Denis the same doe Melito in his epistle to Ones sainct Cyprian Lib. cont Iulian. in his booke of the habit of Virgens sainct Cyrill calles it diuine scripture sainct Augustin also calles it Canonicall in his first booke of Predest the 14. chap. Ecclesiasticus is cited by Clement Alexandrine sainct Cyprian Epiphanius Ambrose as diuine Oracles sainct Augustin calles it diuine scripture produceing those wordes Altiorate ne quaesieris In lib. ad Oros contra Priscil The same Fathers with Gregory Nazianzene cite the Machabies as appeareth by sainct Cyprian in his exhortation to Martyrdome the 11. chapter Nazianzene in his oration of the Machabies sainct Ambrose in his second booke of Iob the 10.11 12. chapters sainct Isidore in his sixt booke First cap. sainct Augustin in two seuerall places alowes of these bookes often times citeth them As in his 18. booke of the cittie of God Chapter 36. in his second booke against the epistles of Gaudentius chapter 2.3 All which is a conuincent argument that those bookes out of which the foresaid places are cited in this manner by these ancient graue renowned Doctors are Canonicall of as great authoritie as the rest how beit they might otherwise haue ben vnknowe for such to the Iewes both in regard that as the lawe of Christ is more perfect then the old lawe was so it ought in reason to haue more perfect knowledge of the worde of God as likewise it hath of diuers other misteries of faith then the professors of that lawe had as also for that as in the lawe of Christ there are other matters of faith manners gouernement then were in the time of the old testament so might it be necessary for the greater confirmation of Christs doctrine discipline that some of those bookes which were not knowne to the Iewes should be declared to Christians for Canonicall scripture Thirdly from tradition of the Church the English Canon could not possible receiue authoritie first because the maintainers of it denie the authoritie of the visible Church to be infallible consequentlie it is cleare the Canon of scripture cannot haue sufficient warrant from it Secondlie It is most apparent that the Primatiue Church was not certaine in some of the first ages whether all the bookes of the old Testament which the English Church houldes for Canonicall were in the Canon of the Iewes which vncertaintie still remained vntill the Councell of Carthage celebrated in S. Austins time determined the matter Against which English Canon are also authenticall witnesses Mileto Cham. lib. 〈◊〉 Camone cap. 14. â— 1. S. Athanasius Nazianzene of which at the least the two latter authors to wit Athanasius Nazianzene euen according to the graunt of Daniell Chamier one of our most peremptorie aduersaries doe omit the booke of Hester in the computation of their Canon of the old testament whome altho' Chamier doth reprehend for the same Cham. lib. 5. de Can. c. 14 n. 1. yet is he so impudent vnâ—nindefull that in another place of the same booke he numbreth both the same Athanasius Nazianzene as defenders of his owne Canon which neuerthelesse includeth Hester as the English CanoÌ„doth Cap. 11. n. 4. So that it remaineth most euident there was no such certaine traditioÌ„ in the Primatiue Church as could make the English Canon as they now vse it infallible the whole Church at that time hauing determined nothing iudicially aboute that particular consequentlie it is manifestlie false for the professors of the English Religion to affirme that they haue the tradition of the Church for proofe of their Canon To which may be added that our aduersaries in maintaining their Canon by tradition they should proceed preposterouslie in respect that whereas in all other points of doctrine they relect the authoritie of traditions as insufficient contratie to the worde of God or at the least as vncertaine yet in this particular of the Canonicall scripture which is one of the most important points of all other vpon which all the rest of Christian faith dependes they would offer to relie vpon the same And altho' our aduersaries particularly Daniell Chamier doe labor eueÌ„ till they sweate in prouing their Canon to be the same with the Canon of the ancient Iewes yet doth not one of the â—â—thors that haue writ since the matter was determined by the Councell of Carthage exclude from the Christian Canon those bookes which the Roman Church did receiue for Canonicall euer since that Councell And how beit S. Hierome is he that of all antiquitie doth fauore our aduersaries in this particular point yet besides that he writ before the matter was determined by Pope InnoceÌ„tius the first the Councell of Carthage neuerthelesse as he doth not soe defend the Canon of the Iewes but that he admitteth of the authoritie of the first Councell of Nyce in receiuing the booke of Hester in to the Canon of the Christian Church so doubtlesse if he had liued in succeeding tymes he would haue done the same touching the rest of the bookes of the old Testament which were afterwardes added by the foresaid Councell of Carthage other since that tyme. To omit that the professors of the pretended reformation neither proceed consequenter to their owne Principles if in establishing of their Canon they follow the authoritie of Fathers whome they make account to be subiect to error deceipt neither doe they deale securely in casting the maine foundation of their faith vpon the authority of one onely man especially considering that S. Hierome out of an inordinate opinion affection he had to Ioseph the Iew not onely in this but also in some other points of doctrinesuffered himselfe to be caried somat ' beyond the limits of reason tho' neuer beyond the limits of the true Catholike faith And yet I here desire the reader to be aduertised that this which I haue vttered touching the agreement of the English Canon of S. Hierome is onely by way of concessiue supposition in fauor of my antagonists with whome I dispute euen vpon termes of this liberall graunt persuading my selfe neuerthelesse that the Canon of the old Testament which S. Hierome rehearseth in his Prologue is not taken by him for the onely true authenticall Canon of the Christian Church but onely his meaning is to relate the number of those bookes of the ancient scripture according to the most common opinion of the Iewes of his tyme. That which is manifestely coÌ„uinced by the authoritie of the same S. Hierome in the like case touching certaine chapters of the Prophet Daniel of which altho' in his preface to that booke he once affirmed them not to be of authenticall authoritie yet afterwardes in his second Apologie against Rufinus he declareth his meaning in the foresaid Prologue was not to signifie his opinion in that particular but onely to relate the
our aduersaries the professâ—rs of the newe Religion of England whoe haue not all this specified in the forme of their ordination canot possible according to diuine institution trueth of the scriptures be iudged to receiue either of the twoe powers when they are created Ministers so they cannot in â—â—is other respect truely be called Preists Bishop but onely by force virtue of that sophisticall ridiculous conseâ—â—ence they haue benefices Bishoprikes therfore they are Preists Bishops And yet besides this I haue one other argument So vrgent forcible against our aduersaries that it alone is sufficient to conuince euen the most obstinate iudgemeÌ„ts that the preâ—â—â—iuereformed clergie of England bath no authoritie power or â—udâ—â—sdiction to preach or reache the Gospell consequently that they ar not true Prâ—â—sts nor Bishops I lay the fouÌ„datioÌ„ of my argument vpon the whole streinth of â—at diuine Principle of S. Paule Quomodopraeâ—â—abum nisi mittantur how shall they preach â—â—cept they be sent which as being an expresse â—â—xt of scripture is receiued by both parties for â—infallible trueth I contriue my silogisme in â—is manner Those who haue no mission want authoritie â—ower or Iurisdiction to preach teach the Gospell But the newe English clergie hath no mission Ergo the newe English clergie wantes â—uthoritie power or Iurisdiction to preach â—ne â—otpell The maior proposition is so plainely conâ—ained in scripture that I am persuaded euen the most pure Caluinist or Caluinian Puritan dares not absolutely denie it For proofe of the minor I suppose agree with my aduersaries that ther are two onely genders or kyndes of mission Viz. Either ordinarie or exterordinarie This agreement so supposed I argue thus If the professors of the English Religion haue mission it is either ordinarie or exterordinarie But the professors of the English Religion haue neither ordinarie nor extraordinarie mission Ergo the professors of the English Religion haue no mission That the professors of the English Religioâ— haue no extraordinarie missioÌ„ I need not laborâ— to proue in regarde I knowe excepting thosâ— of the Puritan faction extraordinarie missioâ— is not maintained by our aduersaries And iâ— anie either Puritan Anabaptist or other sectarie will auerre is mission to beexterordinariâ— theÌ„ for the same reason that he defendes it to bâ— extraordinarie he is bounde to proue it by extraordinarie meanes he must shoue his patenâ— or letters of ordination brought from heaueâ— firmed with the broade seale of miracles prophecie or other manifestly diuine testimonie or else it is to be reiected as counterfeit euidence forged to deceiue cousen simple ignorant people with euident preiudice to their eternal saluation And so leauing this as a fictitions of the founders or inuenters of it voyde of both diuine humanane authoritie neither giueing anie satisfaction to mature solid iudgements I passe to the ordinarie mission which our aduersaties most commoÌ„ly pretend will manifestly proue they ardestitute of it because as exterordinarie mission can not be obtained but by exterordinarie means so neither can ordinarie mission be had but by ordinarie meanes Now this supposed I proceed thus in forme of argument Ordinaâ—â—e nussion can be receiued of those onely who 〈◊〉 by contiâ—â—all succession of Bishops Preists from the Apostles But the professors of the English Religion â—ue not receiued their mission from those â—ho haue continuall succession of Bishops Preists from the Apostles Ergo the professors of the English Religion â—aue no ordinarie mission The minor propositioÌ„ in which alone the difference controuersie may seeme to stand if â—nie ther be I proue because those who succed from the Apostles in the foresaid manner of whome the professors of the English faith against whome I now dispute confesse they receiued their mission if anie they haue ar â—either from the Popes of Rome or such others as deriued their authoritie from that seat But now it is a fact clearer them the cleare light of the clearest day that neither the Pope himselfe nor anie other who deriued his authoritie from him did euer conferre anie mission power inrisdiction or authoritie to preach teache or minister sacraments vpon anie of the professors of the English Religion that which â—demonstrate by this dilemma For all those who can be imagined to haue giuen anie mission to the professors of the English faith at the tyme of change of Religion either they were Roman Catholiks at that present or not if they still remained Roman Catholike then is it infallibly certaine they would neuer haue offered to giue mission are power to them whom they held for heretiks an enimies to their own faith profession yea if they had attempted anie such matter their attempte had be voyde in regarde the Roman Church by virtuâ— of her Ecclesiastical canons anulles all such collation of iurisdictionarie power to heretikes And according to this it is herby apparently concluded that the professors of the English Religion neither one way nor other could possible receiue anie mission power or authoritie to preach the Gospell or minister sacrament after their manner at their first admittance to the ministrie It is true Doctor Cranmer from whome the Bishops and ministers of the English Religion alledge they immediatly had their mission is supposed to haue had the caracter of Episcopall Presbyterall Order yet supposing by reason of his seperation from the faith obedience of the Roman Church from which he receiued all the power of order iurisdiction they pretend he was depriued of iurisdictioÌ„ I ingenuously coÌ„fesse my iudgemeÌ„t is conuinced by force of argument that they cannot possible haue anie ordinarie mission of Episcopal or Preistlie function for the preaching of the worde of God administration of the Sacraments either according to diuine or Ecclesiasticall institution And I know indeed sonne of our aduersaries â—ot manie monethes paste after a long time of deliberation hoping to satisfie their owne restesse mindes an others in this their most important busines produced certaine new founde registers for testimonie of their predecessors ordination But in my iudgement the authoritie of theÌ„ is so suspicious that they ought not to moue anie prudeÌ„t vnderstanding And if they were authenticall why did they conceile them till this present time in which no man vrged them in anie speciall manner to bring them to leight Whereas yet they haue so often since the change of religion demaunded ben to shewe their letters of ordination in other occasions Moreouer suppose their registers were neuer so true authenticall yet since they doe not testifie that their ordination was in matter forme authoritie of the ordinators perpetually vsed in the Catholike Church they neither satisfie vs in our demaunde nor yet are they sufficient warrant either to the conscieÌ„ces of those that vse them or those who relie vpon the effect of them in their reception of the Sacraments Neither surely are those registers of anie
c. In which wordes the entyre tenor of the Masse is breefelie described thou ' soma't obscurelie as the custome of this author is By relation he vnderstandes the Epistle Gospell by benediction the consecration by praise himnes the glorie prayers other spirituall passages contained in that misterie And altho' this author in an other place of this same booke doth affirme the place of Malachie to be vnderstanded of sacrifice of praier in his booke against the Iewes of spirituall not of terrene sacrifices Yet in neither place doth he deny it to be truely interpreted of the Eucharist But in the first place he calleth it a spirituall sacrifice because it was instituted by the diuine spirit not by humane inuention as also for that it is not ministred in that carnall grosse manner in which the Iewish sacrifices were ministred by effusion of bloud by fire knife but by benediction consecration as such a pure oblation ought to be handled celebrated In the second place Tertullian onelie interpreteth one parte of the sentence of Malachie to wit the word incense which is in the Hebrewe text of prayer offered to God But the other wordes oblatio munda he expoundes of the sacrifice of the Masse in the place nowe cited To which if we adde an other place of the same author in which he speaketh of the Eucharisticall sacrifice De Oratione cap. 14. all tergiuersation must necessarily cease in anie indifferent minde touching this authors true meaning For thus he saith Will not thy station be more solemne if thou assiste at Gods Altar Hauing receiued reserued the bodie of our Lord both the one the other is safe the participation of the sacrifice the execution of the office By which wordes it is manifest that ancient Tertullian could neuer denie the Sacrament of the Altar to be a proper oblation who here so absolutelie affirmes it to be a sacrifice celebrated in the Altar S. Cyprian liuing within the third hundreth yeare in like manner cites the same place of Malachie in the 16. chapter of his booke against the Iewes to proue that which he putteth in the title of the same chapter to wit that the ancieÌ„t sacrifice is euacuated a new on celebrated which newe sacrifice can be no other theÌ„ the Eucharist which onely no other is new in respect of the sacrifices of the old Testament The next in Order age is Eusebius who liuing in the beginning of the 400. Lib. 1. demonst Euang. cap. vlt. yeare interprets this place of Malachie in the same sense sayeing We therefore sacrifice vnto the most high God a sacrifice of laude We sacrifice a sacrifice Deo plenum full of God And bringing an odoriferous sent with it a sacred or Sacrosainct sacrifice we sacrifice after a newe manner a pure or cleane sacrifice according to the newe Testament Where it is plaine that Eusebius applies the place of Malachie to the solemne sacrifice of the Masse which is performed by prayer oblation therefore called by his a sacrifice of laude which onelie can be truelie said to be full of God by reason of Christ whome it containeth which onelie can be called truely the sacrifice of the new Testament affirmed to be offered in a newe fashion All which particular speciall circumstances no man of iudgement or common sense can applie to prayer or almes onelie S. Chrysostome in his commentarie of the psalme 95. hauing cited the wordes of Malachie addes his exposition of them saying Behould howe copiouslie clearlie he Malachie hath declared the mysticall table which is the incruent or vnbloudie hoaste furthermore he calleth the sacred prayers which are offered after the hoaste pure Thymiame or odoriferous perfume CoÌ„ment in Malac. Thus S. Chry sostome of the Prophet Malachie S. Hierome altho' by the worde incense he vnderstandes prayer yet the worde pure ohlation he commonlie interpreteth to be the oblation of the Eucharist as also did sainct Irenaeus before him in the place cited Which exposition is as fit for the Romanists as can be imagined supposing the Masse includes both prayer pure oblation or sacrifice And the same I say of sainct Augustin who soeuer els of the Fathers interprets the foresaid worde inâ—ense in the Prophecie of Malachie in that manner Moreouer sainct Augustin both in his 18. Cap. 35. Cap. 23. 19. booke of the Citie vseth the same place of Malachie for proofe of the cessation of the Iewish sacrifices exercise of the Christian sacrifice by the Preists of Christ according to the Order of Melchisadech for thus he discourseth against the Iewes in the first of the two places cited I haue no will in yee nor offering will I receiue at your hand For from the rising of the sunne to the setting my name is great among the Gentils in euerie place shall be sacrificed a pure oblation is offerred to my name This sacrifice since we see it offered in all places from the rising of the sunne to the setting by the sacerdoce or Preist function of Christ according to the Order of Melchisadech but the sacrifice of the Iewes to whome it is said I haue no pleasure in you they cannot denie to haue ceased why doe they yet expect an other Christ since this which they reade prophecied see accomplished could not be fulfilled but by him It is true sainct Augustin speaketh not so plaine in the second place as here he doth neuerthelesse he alludes to the same place in the same sense Theodoret also comments vpon this same place of Malachie in the same sense in most plaine wordes teaching that according to the prediction of Malachie in lieu of irrationall hoastes is now sacrificed an immaculate lambe Lastelie sainct Damacen Rupert agree to Dam. de fide lib. 4. cap. 14. Rupertus in Com. Malach. the rest in the exposition of the place of Malachie whose wordes altho' most plaine I doe not cite because I knowe the Nouellists mâ—st commonlie reiect their authoritie as not being writers of the first fiue hundreth yeares In which how little reason they haue to proceed in that manner with learned graue authors I will not now discusse onelie this I say that I doubt not but anie indifferent reader will absolutelie condemne them of extreame temeritie in offering to resist such an armie of old soldiers as I haue here placed in battill aray to feight against them And hence I passe to the producing of testimonies of the new Testament for proofe of a proper sacrifice in the lawe of Christ Christ in the fourth chapter of the Euangell of sainct Iohn affirmeth that the houre is now come when true adorers shall adore the eternall Father in spirit truth neither in the mountaine of Samaria nor in Ierusalem as he said immediatly before Garizim in which place the worde adore signifies to sacrifice as in diuers
related that the Apostles were ministing to our lord fasting Now to minister to our lord can not consist either in prayer onely or in singing uf psalmes which needed no Kynde of ministration more then opening their mouthes hartes wher as yet the worde ministere doth necessarily include some externall ryte more theÌ„ that as the Greke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth clearely denote signifie And therfore Erasmus a great fauorit of the Nouellists doubted not plainely to translate for the wordes ministantibus Domino sacrificeing to God To the authoritie of scriptures I will here adde such testimonies of ancient Fathers as I haue not yet cited such as being within the compasse of the fiue priuatiue ages clearly testifie the Eucharist to be a sacrifice S. Cyprian saith thus who is more Preist Dei summi of the cheefe God thâ— our Lord Iesus Christ Lib 2. ep 3. who offered sacrifice to God the Father offered that same which Melchisedech offered to wit bread wine that is his bodie bloud Which wordes ar so plaine that they forced the Centurists to confesse of this Father That he affirmed the Preist to performe the office of Christ offer sacrifice to God the Father Now if according to S. Cyprian the Preist performes the office of Christ offers sacrifice as the Centurians confesse of S. Centur. 3. col 83. Cyprian doubtlesse it is no other but the Eucharist which he offereth Vice Christi fungi Magdeburg Centur. 3. or 4. The glorious martyr S. Hypotelicus in his oratioÌ„ of Antichrist introduceth Christ saying to the Prests of he newe Testament in the day of Iudgement come you Rashops Preist who dayly immolatedor facrificed my pretions bodie bloud in the world S. Ambrose vpon the psalme we did se saith he the Paince of Preists coming vnto vs. Wi did se him heare him offering for vs his bloud Let vs Preists followe him that we may offer sacrifice vnto him for altho' we be infirme or weake in merit yet ar we honorable in sacrifice for altho' Christ doth not at the leaste as they conceiue now seeme to offer yet he is offered on earth when Christs boilie is offered Yea he is manifested to offer in vs whose wordedoth sanctifie the sacrifice which is offered S. Gregorie nyssene in his first oration vpon the Resurrection hath these memorable wordes For inthat ineffable secret to men inuisible manner of sacrifice by his diuine ordinance he doth prcoccupate the violent brunt offers him selfe for vs being both victim oblation both Preist lambe of God When did this happen when he exhibited his bodie to be eaten his bloud to be drunken by his familiar freindes S. Chrysostome in his 24. Hom. 2. in postertorem Epist ad Tim. Circa fine homilie vpon the first to the Corinthians speaking of Christ saith that he commaunded himselfe to be offered iusteed of brute beastes And in another place he speaketh thus The sacred oblation it selfe whether Peter or Paul or of what merit soeuer the Preist is who offers it is the same which Christ himselfe gaue to his disciples which now also Preists dâ—e make this hath nothing lesse them that Why so because men doe not sacrifice this but Christ who had consecrated it before S. Augustin in diuers places of his workes but most clearely in his second sermon vpon the psalme 33. of our sauior saith thus in plaine termes He Christ instituted a sacrifice of his bodie bloud according to the order of Melchisadech Nostrum sacrificium non solum Euangelicis sed etiam Propheticis libris demonstratuÌ„ est And conformable to this the same S. Augustin in his 49. epistle affirmes the sacrifice of vs Catholike Christians to be demonstrated not onely by the Euangelicall but also by the Propheticall bookes Also in his 20. chapter of his 17. bookes of the Citie of God he hath most expresse wordes to the same purpose which because they are somat large otherwise well knowne I omit them to be viewed by the reader if he please S. Leo the great also one of the writers of the fift age in his seuenth sermon of the Passion teaches that the sacrifices of the old lawe yealded or gaue place to the sacrifice of the Eucharist as the shadow to the bodie His wordes at these Wherfore to the end that the shadowes should yeald to the bodie images to the presence of veritie or truth the ancient obseruance is taken a way with a newe sacrament one hoaste is changed in to an other bloud doth exclude bloud the legall sestinitie while it is changed is fulfilled And some lines after he addes but Iesus knowing certainely his counsell being vndaunted in the ordinance of has Father did consuÌ„mate the old Testament instituted the newe Pasque for his disciples being set to eate the mysticall supper when in the Courte of Carphas it was consulted how Christ should be put to death he ordaiding the sacrament of his bodie bloud did teach in what manner an hoaste was to be offered to God Epist 81 Ad Discorum And the same Father in an other place ordaining that more Masses then one be celebrated in one the same Church when one doth not serue by reason of the multitude of the pleople saith thus Our will is that when the solemnitie of afeast hath drawne such a multitude of faithfull persons together as the Church can not receiue let then the oblation of the sacrifice be vndoubtedly reiterated or repeated since it is a thing full of pietie reason that so often as the Church is filled with newe people so often an other following sacrifice be offered For it must needs be that some parte of the people be depriued of their deuotioÌ„ if the custome of celebrating one onely Masse obserued they onely that come first may offer the sacrifice Thus this ancient graue Father in whose wordes oblation sacrifice of the Masse ar three seuerall tymes repeated Isichius or Hesichius who liued aboute the same tyme hath these wordes touching the same matter Lib. 2. in Leuit. c. 8. Our lord being at supper with his disciples first with the figuratiue lambe afterwardes offered his owne sacrifice Lib. 2. in Exod c. 6. Rupert in like manner speaketh of the same sacrifice saying Our lord being in the agome of his Passion first immolated or sacrificed him selfe to God the Father with his owne proper bandes taking bread c. Now to coÌ„clude since the testimonies of these Fathers doctors of the primatiue Church ar both most ancient as being all included in the circle of the first fiue hundreth yeares next succeeding to the time of Christ his Apostles Et quidem ipsaÌ„ actioneÌ„ canae Dominica quidem ipsum corpus sanguiÌ„no in cana à veteribuâ— vocari saâ—risicium o blationem hostiam victimam c. Kemnit pag. 788. also