repraesentet totam ecclesiam vniuersalem tamen in veritate ibi non est vera ecclesia vniuersalis sed repraesentatiue quia vniuersalis ecclesia coÌ„stituitur ex collectione omnium fidelium Vnde omnes fideles orbis constituunt istam ecclesiam vniuersalem cuius caput sponsus est ipse Christus Papa auteÌ„ est vicarius Christi non verè caput ecclesiae vt notat glossa in Clem. Ne Romani de elect quae notabiliter dicit quòd mortuo papâ ecclesia non est sine capite ista est illa ecclesia quae errare non potest Vnde possibile est quòd vera fides Christi remaneret in vno solo ita quod verum est dicere quod fides non deficit in ecclesia Sequitur Christus ante passionem orauerat pro Perro vt noÌ„ deficeret fides sua ergo non dicitur deficere nec etiam errare si remanet vera fides in vno solo For concerning matters of faith euen the iudgement of one that is a meere lay man ought to be preferred before the sentence of the pope if that lay person could bring better reasons out of the old and new testament then did the pope And it skilleth not if one say that a councel cannot erre because Christ praied for his church that it should not faile For I say that although a general councel represent the whole vniuersall church yet in trueth there is not truely the vniuersall Church but representatiuely For the vniuersall church consisteth of the collection of all the faithful Whereupon all the faithfull in the world make this church vniuersall wherof Christ himself is the head The pope is the vicar of Christ but not truely the head of the church as noteth the glosse vpon the Clementines which saith notably that when the pope is dead the Church wanteth not an head and this is that Church which cannot erre Whereupon it is possible that the true faith of Christ might remaine in one alone and so it may truely be said y t the faith faileth not in the church Christ before his passion praied for Peter that his faith should not faile therefore the church is not said to faile neither to erre so long as the true faith abideth in one onely Out of these wordes I note first that by the opinion of the great Papist Panormitan a meere lay mans iudgement euen in matters of faith ought to be accepted and receiued before the popes constitution if the lay man bring better reasons out of the scriptures then the pope doth Which saying doubtlesse is the foundation of the doctrine this day established in the church of England in all other reformed churches throughout the world Neither doe we craue more of the papistes then their owne doctors will affoord vs. I note secondly that a generall councell may erre because it is not the catholike or vniuersall church indeed I note thirdly that that church which cannot erre is not the visible companie of pastors and doctors but the inuisible societie of all the faithfull in the worlde Where by inuisible I meane not that any of the elect is inuisible in his corporal consistence but that the vniuersall congregation of the faithfull as vniuersall is inuisible that is to say that no one mortall man seeth or knoweth all true beleeuers in the church In which sense is truely verified the saying of Elias when hee cried out that he only was left alone For albeit it be true that there was a visible church in Iudea vnder the good kinges Asa and Iosaphat euen when Elias made his complaint that he was left alone and although also that Abdias had told Elias that hee had hid an C. prophets by L. in a caue so as Elias could not be ignoraunt of a visible church in the worlde yet is it most true with all this that the vniuersall church as vniuersall was inuisible to Elias and that there were many thousandes of true beleeuers euen then in Samaria whom â—lias neither saw nor knew And therefore did God answere him saying I haue reserued to my selfe seuen thousand men which haue not bowed the knee to Baall I note fourthly that howsoeuer the visible bishops and pastors erre yet doth not the vniuersal church erre so long as the faith remaineth in any one whosoeuer I note fiftly that as in the time of Elias there were seuen thousand faithfull persons whom he knew not euen so were there in those daies when Martin Luther began his reformation many thousandes among the papists that sincerely beleeued the gospel whom hee neither saw nor knew The 6 replie The scripture telleth vs that the church cannot erre For as the Apostle saith it is the house of the liuing God the pillar and ground of trueth Therefore either Gods apostle teacheth false doctrine or els doubtlesse the trueth must euer be in the church The answere I answere that the true church of God which is the mysticall body of Christ doth neuer erre wholly and generally in the fundamentall pointes of religion and such as are necessary for our saluation I say first the true church of God because the societie of the visible pastors are not euer the mysticall members of Christ. I say secondly wholly and generally because albeit the trueth may faile for a time in the pastors of the church yet shall it neuer perish in the elect and true members thereof For though particular churches may erre in particular pointes yet shall the whole church neuer erre in the articles of necessary doctrine Though the elect may erre in part and at sometime yet shal they neuer erre either all generally or any one finally For whom and in respect of whom the church is rightly called the pillar of trueth This my exposition is made good by the testimonie of S. Austen whose words be these SecundaÌ„ ergo Sabbathi non debemus intelligere nisi ecclesiaÌ„ Christi sed ecclesiaÌ„ Christi in sanctis ecclesiam Christi in his qui scripti sunt in coelo ecclesiaÌ„ Christi in â—is qui mundi huius tentationibus non cedunt Ipsi enim digni sunt nomine firmameÌ„ti ergo ecclesia Christi in his qui firmi sunt appellata est firmamentum quae est in quit ecclesia dei viui columna firmamentum veritatis Therefore we may not vnderstand the second of the sabboth to bee any other then the church of Christ yet the church of Christ in the saints the church of Christ in those which are not ouercome with the tentations of this wicked world for they are worthy the name of firmament therefore the church of Christ is called the firmament in those that are firme which is saith hee the church of the liuing God the piller and firmament of truth The like saying hath S. Augustine in many other places but especially where he writeth against the Donatists Saint Chrysostome expoundeth this place of the veritie it selfe
altaria in quibus sacrificemus martyribus sed vni Deo martyrum nostro sacrificium immolamus ad quod sacrificium sicut homines Dei qui mundum in eius confessione vicerunt suo loco ordine nominantur non tamen à sacerdote qui sacrificat inuocantur We build not churches to our Martirs as to gods but we make memories as to dead men whose soules liue with God neither doe we reare vp altars there in which we may offer sacrifice of laud to the martyres but we offer sacrifice of thanksgiuing to one God the God of martyres and ours at which sacrifice they are named in their place and order as the men of God that haue ouercome the world in their confession neuerthelesse they are not inuocated or prayed vnto by the priest that offereth the sacrifice Of honour and reuerence due to Saints Eusebius Caesariensis maketh sufficient relation in these words Neque ChristuÌ„ aliquando possumus derelinquere qui mortem pro totius mundi salute sustinuit neque alium quenquam colere quoniam verum Deum qui solus colendus sit nouerimus martyres vero tanquam discipulos domini dâ—ligamus veneremur quasi integrè fidem magistro seruantes domino quorum nos quoque in fide perseuerantia charitatis optamus esse participes We can neither forsake Christ at any time who suffred death for y e saluatioÌ„ of the whole world neither can we worship any other but him because wee knowe him to be the tru God him that only is to be worshipped yet let vs loue and honor martires as the disciples of our Lord as those that keep their faith vndefiled to their master lord with whom also our selues desire to be partakers in faith and perseuerance of charitie What need more Christ himselfe saith Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God him onely shalt thou serue And saint Iohn was forbidden to worship the angell The first obiection God honoureth his saints and reputeth them for his deare friends Ergo it is our duetie also to honour them The answer We honour them with that honor which God hath appointed we acknowledge their faith their humilitie their patience their constancie and all their gratious gifts and wee desire to imitate the same and this is al the honor that saint Austen wil affoord them as you haue heard The second obiection The saints in heauen pray for vs and therefore it is meete that we inuocate and call vpon them For the angell saide O Lord of hostes how long wilt thou be vnmercifull to Ierusalem and to the cities of Iudah with whom thou hast bin displeased now these threescore and ten yeeres Baruch witnesseth that the dead pray for vs when he saith O Lord almightie heare now the prayer of the dead Israelites and of their children which haue sinned before thee Iudas Machabeus had a vision in which he saw Onias holding vp his handes toward heauen and praying for the whole people of the Iewes And saint Iohn saw 24. Elders fall downe before the lambe hauing euery one of them harpes and golden vialles full of odours which are the prayers of saints The answere I say first that although we grant both angels and saints in heauen to pray for the liuing on earth as they doe indeede in some cases for some respects yet doth it not follow that wee must inuocate and pray to them as shortly shall bee proued I say secondly that there is not the same reason in the saints and angels for the charge and defence of the church in this life is committed vnto the angels Besides this the angell in Zacharie praieth onely for the particular calamities of Iuda which were apparant aswell to men as to angels I say thirdly that Baruch speaketh of the prayers of the Israelites that were yet liuing but as dead for their manifold sins I say fourthly that the booke of Machabees is not canonical as I haue proued in my Motiues at large I adde that albeit Onâ—as prayed for the liuing yet must not the liuing inuocate or call vpon him as is alreadie said I say fiftly that the 24. Elders wherof S. Iohn speaketh do represent the church militant heere on earth and consequently the prayers there mentioned are of the liuing on earth not of the Saints raigning in heauen which interpretation must needes be sound and authenticall because the holy ghost doth confirme the same in the tenth verse following For among other thanks to God one is this that he hath made the elders to raigne on earth S. Irenaeus agreeth hereunto neither is any ancient approued writer of the contrarie opinion The third obiection Yee bewray your ignorance not knowing the difference betwene Latria and Dulia and so wrest the scriptures against the lawful worshipping of saints for the worship prohibited in the gospel and in the Reuelation is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that worship which is proper to God alone The answere I say first that though Saint Augustine made difference betweene Latria and Dulia in ecclesiasticall signification which was the cause of great superstition afterwarde in the Romish church yet did hee ascribe and giue all religious worship to God alone no other then ciuil worship to any creature whatsoeuer Which thing I haue proued out of Saint Austen already and shall more at large hereafter I say secondly that though saint Austen say that Latria is alway or almost alway taken in the scripture for diuine worship yet doeth Lodouicus Viues a learned papist oppose himselfe against saint Austen therein alledging sundry texts of the olde testament for his probation Yet the same Viues addeth that he is coÌ„tent with the distinctioÌ„s inuented by the popish schoole men so they will likewise allow him and others to vse wordes in their proper and natiue significations But heere I can not omit the taunt which hee by the way giueth to his scholasticall masters these are his wordes Obiter tamen admonebo eos duliam latriam penultimam habere longam ne breuem faciant sed has leges ipsi conteÌ„nere se dicunt quia nesciunt Yet must I saith he admonish them by the way that Latria and Dulia haue the last syllable saue one long lest they make it short But they say they care not for these rules because they know not what they meane Which checke doubtlesse were a bloodie word if any but a papist had giuen the same I say thirdly that Valla Suidas and Zenophon all three very skilfull in the greeke tongue affirme Latria and Dulia to haue one and the selfe same signification and that Latria is taken for that common seruice which one creature doth to another Thus writeth Zenophon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But I O Cyrus would redeeme euen with my life that she should not serue Suidas also affirmes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Latria is seruice for hire I say fourthly that if this
confession or once vrge the penitent to do the same For so much the selfe same popish lawe teacheth no learned papist can denie The replie That confession which Nectarius did abrogate at Constantinople was priuate and not publike as Rhenanus thinketh For Sozomenus Cassiodorus and Nicephorus doe all three affirme iointly that that priest was designed ouer the penitents in euerie church who was knowen to bee a discreete person and a keeper of secrecie But doubtles in vaine was a keeper of secrecy chosen where euery thing was to be published The answere The true intelligence of this storie will bring great light to the whole matter of confession For which respect I will proceede so methodically in answering this obiection as possibly I can I therfore say first that Nectarius the B. of Constantinople vtterly abolished the law made for confession that to auoide the great vices which ensued thereupon Which being so it must folow of necessity that confessioÌ„ was not commanded by the law of God For otherwise it shuld be in mans power which no wise man will grant to disanull the law of God Againe neither the holy B. Nectarius would euer haue attempted so to abolish gods ordinance neither would so many famous bishops haue imitated his fact And yet is it certaine that all the bishops of the east church did follow his opinion yea euen S. Chrysostome who succeeded Nectarius at Constantinople that goodly patriarchall seat of the world So saith Nicephorus Now for the proofe of the principal point to wit that Nectarius abandoned confession simply and wholy which is the point that the papists do and must denie or els forsake their popery I proue the same first by Thomas Waldensis a papist highly renowmed among them who affirmeth the story so absolutely as our Iesuite Bellarmine caÌ„not deny the same his reasons to the contrarie are ridiculous and childish For first he saith that pope Nicholas calleth Nectarius y e mighty aduersarie of heretikes and the defender of the church Secondly he saith that saint Chrysostome and many other bishops approued Nectarius his opinion Ergo saith our Iesuite he could neuer take away auricular confession S. Chrysostome and all the bishops of the East practised the same that Nectarius appointed and Thomas Waldensis a zealous papist vnderstandeth it of confession generally and yet Nectarius because he was a godly man could not abolish popish confession saith our Iesuite But I weene I may better conclude that because Nectarius was an holy man and sawe great knauerie vsed by reason of confession to wit whoredom between the deacon and the confessionist therefore hee iustly abolished that lawe which was only made by the power of man For our Iesuite taketh that as graunted that is in controuersie which is a great fault in the Schooles called Petitio principij For I am so far from granting his auricular confession to be of God that I haue copiously disproued the same already I prooue it secondly by the manifold testimonie of S. Chrysostome who was the next successor to this holy Nectarius In one place he hath these words Peccata tua dicito vt deleas illa Si confunderis alicui dicere quia peccasti dicito quotidie in anima tua Non dico vt confitearis conseruo tuo vt exprobret Dicito Deo qui curat ea Tell thy sins that thou maiest blot them out If thou be ashamed to confesse them to any man because thou hast sinned confesse theÌ„ dayly in thy mind I say not this to cause thee to confesse them to thy fellow seruaunt that hee may vpbraid thee Confesse them to God that cureth them Againe in another place he saith thus Condemnasti peccatuÌ„ tuum deposuisti sarcinam Quis haec dicit ipse iudex tuus Dic tu peccata tua prior vt iustificeris cur igitur te quaeso pudescis erubescis dicere peccata tua caue enim homini dixeris ne tibi opprobret Neque enim conseruo confiteris vt in publicum proferat sed ei qui Dominus est ei qui tui curam gerit ei qui humanus est ei qui medicus est ostendis vulnera Neque enim ignorat etiamsi tu non dixeris qui sciebat etiam antequaÌ„ perpetrares Quidigitur causae est quo mâ—nus dicas non enim ex accusatione fit grauius peccatum imò mitius magis ac leuius ob hoc ipsuÌ„ Deus vult te dicere non vt puniaris sed vt relaxeris non vt ipse sciat peccatum cur enim id postulet quum iam sciat sed vt tuscias quantum tibi debitum remittatur Ideo verò vult te scire beneficii magnitudinem vt perpetuò gratias agas vt segnior fias ad peccandum vt ad virtutem promptior Nisi dixeris debiti magnitudinem non agnosces donationis eminentiam Non inquit cogote in medium prodire theatrum ac multos adhibere testes Mihi soli dic peccatum priuatim vt sanem vlcus teque dolore liberabo Hast thou condemned thy sin then hast thou discharged thy selfe of thy load Who saith so euen thine owne iudge Tel thou thy sins first that thou maiest be iustified Why therefore I pray thee art thou bashfull and ashamed to tell thy sins beware to tel them to man least he vpbraid thee For thou doest not confesse them to thy fellow seruant that hee may tell them abroad but to him that is thy Lord to him that hath care of thee to him that is gentle to him that is the phisicion doest thou shew thy woundes For neither is he ignorant of them although thou tell them not who knew them before thou diddest them What then is the cause that thou maiest not tel them For the sin is not made greater for coÌ„fessing it but rather more light and easie And for this cause will God haue thee to tell it not for to punish thee but for to acquite thee not that he may know thy sin for why should he require it since he knoweth it already but that thou maiest know how much debt is forgiuen thee therefore will he haue thee to know the greatnesse of the benefite that thou maiest alway giue thankes and be more slow to sinne and more propense to vertue Vnlesse thou tell the greatnesse of the debt thou shalt not know the excellencie of the gift I doe not saith he compell thee to come forth into the middest of the theatre and to bring many witnesses Tell thy sinne to mee alone priuately that I may heale thy disease and I will deliuer thee from thy griefe Againe in another place hee writeth thus Non tibi dico vt te prodas in publicum neque apud alios te accuses sed obedire te volo prophetae dicenti reuela Domino viam tuam Ante Deum ergo tua confitere peccata apud verum iudicem cum oratione delicta tua
he became seruant to the king of Babel 2. King 23. verse 34 and 36. 2. King 24. verse 1. The second obiection The scripture calleth Sedechias the brother of Iechonias therefore it is not consonant to the trueth to say hee was his vncle The answer I answer with saint Austen and saint Hierome that the custome of the scripture is to terme kinsemen by the name of brothers and therefore Sedechias is indifferently called vncle 2. King 24. verse 17. or brother 2. Par. 36. verse 10. 37 17 3 41 25 8 1 7 40 29 52 16 16 29 55 2 31 11 11 11 1 443 Make addition and the summe will be found 443. To the which adde three monethes for the raigne of Ioâ—chas The sixt age The sixt age from the beginning of the captiuitie till the sacred passion of Christ Iesus conteineth 660. yeares whereof let this be the demonstration The captiuitie in which are inuolued the eleuen yeares of Sedechias continued the space of 70. yeeres Ierem. 25. vers 11. and 29. Daniel 9. vers 2. Esdr. 1. verse 1. 2. Paralip 36 verse 22. This is confirmed by the raigne of the Monarchs for Nebuchad-nezzer from the beginning of whose eight yeare the second and chiefe captiuitie beganne reigned 45. yeeres Euilmerodach his sonne reigned 30. yeres And Balthazar reigned 3. yeares Al which put together make the 70. yeeres of the Iewish captiuitie For in the first yeare of king Cyrus who succeeded Balthazar the Iewes were set at libertie Esdr. 1 verse 1. S. Clement Eusebius and all approoued writers do constantly affirme the same The seuentie weekes in Daniel make iust 490. yeares as al writers do affirme Concerning which weeks because there is verie great varietie amongest historiographers I will here suppose that which by Gods grace I shal proue effectually when I come to the fourth chapter of the third booke of this first part whither I referre the Reader for his full resolution in this intricate and important controuersie In the meane season remember that the 490. yeares are but 475. yeares after the course of the Moone From the ende of the captiuitie vntill the twentieth yeare of Artaxerxes Longimanus inclusiuè where I hold that the 70. weekes doe beginne are iust 115. yeares and two moneths all which put together do make iust 660. yeres For the weeks make no more but 475. yeares after the course of the sunne which must be marked attentiuely and which shall be prooued hereafter accordingly 70 475 115 in al 660 Thus wee haue it perspicuously prooued euen by the testimonie of holy Writ that from the beginning of the world vntil the time that Christ suffered on the crosse for our sinnes be iust â—ure thousand foure score and seuenteene yeares three monethâ— and sixteene dayes The first age 1656 The second 353 The third 505 The fourth 480 The fift 428 The sixt 660 in all 4082. Now because the exact knowledge of the raigne of the kings of Iudah dependeth more then a little of the raigne of the kings of Israel I purpose in God to adioyne hereunto a manifest declaration of the same specially because without the knowledge thereof the bookes of the Kings and Chronicles can neuer be rightly vnderstoode The Kings of Israel Ieroboam raigned 21. yeares which I prooue thus Asa king of Iudah beganne to raigne in the twentieth yeere of Ieroboam 1. King chapter 15 verse 9. and Nadab the sonne of Ieroboam beganne to raigne ouer Israel in the second yere of Asa 1. King chapter 15 verse 25 therefore Ieroboam his father whom he succeeded in the kingdome raigned before his death 21. yeares Nadab raigned 2. yeares 1. King 15. verse 25. Baasha raigned 24. yeares 1. King 15. verse 33. Elah or Hela raigned 2. yeares 1. King 16.8 Zimri raigned 7. dayes 1. King 16. verses 15 and 16. daye 7 Amri or Omri raigned 12. yeares 1. King 16.23 Achab or Ahab reigned 22. yeeres 1. King 16.29 Ochozias or Ahaziah reigned 2. yeeres 1. King 22.51 Ioram or Iehoram raigned 12. yeeres 2. King 3. verse 1. both these two to wit Ochozias and Ioram were the sonnes of Achab. Iehu reigned 28. yeeres 2. King 10. verse 36. Ioachas or Iehoahaz reigned 17. yeeres 2. Kin. 13. ve 1. Ioas or Iehoash reigned 16. yeeres 2. King 13. verse 10. Ieroboam the sonne of Ioas or Ioash reigned 41. yeeres 4. King 14. verse 23. where we must note well by the way that the other Ieroboam was the sonne of Nebat 1. King 12.2 We must heere obserue as a necessarie rule that betweene Ieroboam and Zachariah was an inter-reigne of 23. yeeres I prooue it because we reade 2. Kin. 15.1 8. that Azariah king of Iudah beganne his raigne in the seuen and twentieth yeere of Ieroboam as also that Zacharias beganne his raigne in the eight and thirtieth yere of Azariah to which we must adde that Ieroboam raigned 41. yeeres and so the kingdome perforce was voide 23. yeres For if we make abstraction of 14. from 37. the remainder will be 23. yeres for the inter-reigne moneths 6 Zachariah reigned 6. moneths 2. King 15.8 moneth 1 Sellum or Shallum reigned 1 moneth 2. King 15.13 yeeres 10 Menahem or Manahen reigned 10. yeeres 2. King 15.17 Pekahiah or Phaceas reigned 2. yeeres 2. King 15.23 Pekah or Phasee raigned 20. yeeres 2. King 15.27 Osee or Hosheah reigned 9. yeeres 2. King 17. verse 1. In the dayes of this king about the yeare of the worlde 3304. beganne the captiuitie Of the ten Tribes whereof see more at large in the eight chapter next following in the sixt Section CHAP. III. Of the state of the Hebrewes The people of y e Iews the elect people of God liued vnder the protection and empire of Patriarkes Chiefetaines or Gouernours Iudges Kings againe Chiefetaines after the captiuitie Priests before the captiuity and Priests after the captiuity had to doe with the kings of the Persians Egyptians Syrians strangers and with the emperors of Rome The Israelites were gouerned 3. wayes by Iudges from Iosue to Saul Kings from Saul to the captiuitie Priests from the captiuitie to Christ. For exact vnderstanding of this chapter it is expedient to note well the fift booke of this first part from the second chapter to the end of the same booke CHAP. IIII. Of the Patriarkes â—he Patriâ—â—kes of the â—ebrewes were Abraham Isaac liued yeeres one hundred begat Isaac Ge. 21.5 threescore and begat Iacob Ge. 25.26 Iacob caled also Israel Ge. 35.10 he had 12 children with Lea Ruben Ge. 35.22 these were the heads of the twelue Tribes Simeon Ge. 35.22 these were the heads of the twelue Tribes Leui Ge. 35.22 these were the heads of the twelue Tribes Iudah Ge. 35.22 these were the heads of the twelue Tribes Isachar Ge. 35.22 these were the heads of the twelue Tribes Zabulon Ge. 35.22 these were the heads of the twelue Tribes Zilpha the handmaid of Lea Gad Ge. 35.22 these were the heads of the twelue Tribes Aser Ge. 35.22 these
thinke that these 72. Iewish priests sent by Eleazarus the hie priest brother to Symon Priscus into Egypt to king Ptolomeus to translate the old testament out of their vulgar tongue that is the Hebrew into Greeke did translate the same seuerally being placed in 72. distinct celles so as no one coulde know what another did without diuine inspiration This notwithstanding they all agreed so perfectly when their interpretations were compared together as if they had beene all in one place and one acquainted with anothers act Which if it were true the decision whereof I leaue in suspence to the iudgement of the reader it coulde not but prâ—ceede of the holyghost Others as saint Ierome Aristeas Iosephus and all the Iewish Rabbins hold the flat contrarie opinion and auouch boldly that the report of the 72. celles and of the translation accomplished in so many seueral places is nothing else but a fable Which latter opinion seemeth more probable though not certaine because the Iewes could best tel the case of whom S. Hierome receiued his opinion Howsoeuer it was two things are certaine first that the Hebrew text is the foundation and originall and onely to be stoode vpon so often as any difficultie ariseth in the olde testament Secondly that howsoeuer they did translate yet was there such corruption of their translation euen in saint Hieromes time and before his dayes as it was found in very many places to swarue wholly from the Hebrew Which thing not only Saint Hieerome but Origen and other writers do witnesse for which cause Saint Hierome and Saint Augustine do verie wisely and grauely exhort to haue recourse to the Hebrew in the old Testament and to the Greeke in the new Testament so often as any varietie doth appeare And here wee must note two things first that those priests which Eleazar sent to Ptolomee were 72. in number as sundrie thinke albeit the two odde persons be omitted of others for breuitie sake Secondly that they translated onely the Pentateuche as writeth Iosephus in his first booke of antiquities Adde heereunto with the same Iosephus that they were sent to his librarie at Alexandria where if wee will beleeue Genebrardus were 54. thousand and 800. bookes CHAP. VI. Of Esdras Zorobabel and Nehemias God albeit hee doth often afflict and exercise his people with the crosse of temporall punishment for their good that so they may beholde their owne vnworthienesse and appeale to his mercie and wholly depend vppon his holy prouidence yet for his mercie sake hee doth in all ages and at all times excite worthie persons for their great commoditie and solace For after that he had visited the Iewes and kept them in bondage seauentie yeares in a strange countrey among infidels and idolaters hee raised vp diuers excellent men for their preseruation to wit Zorobabel Esdras and Nehemias Zorobabel was the captaine that brought them home and caused the temple to be builded Nehemias builded vp the walles of the citie deliuered the people from oppression and prouided that the law of God was put in execution among them This Nehemias was in great fauour and authoritie with king Artaxerxes and so obtained most honourable and ample letter patents for the accomplishment of whatsoeuer he did desire Esdras descended of the kinred of Aaron hee was a priest well learned in the law of Moses Hee was called Esdras the scribe that is one who had authoritie to write the lawe and to expound it Saint marke calleth such a one a Scribe Saint Mathew tearmeth such persons Lawyers and doctours of the lawe which is a point well worthie the obseruation This Esdras performed the office of a true priest indeed for he collected the bookes of holy scripture which were dispersed after the destruction of Hierusalem in time of the captiuitie without which bookes pure and sincere religion could not consist Yea so soone as the temple was builded againe vnder Zorobabell he is noted as Hierome recordeth to haue found out the Hebrew letters we now vse whereas vntil that time both the Samaritans and the Hebrewes had the selfe same characters Eusebius Caesariensis a man as well of great antiquitie as of learning calleth Esdras the most excellent diuine and skilfull doctour among the Iewes affirming that hee changed the Hebrew letters for this ende and purpose lest the Iewes should conuerse with the Samaritans He addeth further that his memorie was so great as he could recite the scriptures without the booke Some write that he inuented the prickes annexed to the text but others hold the contrarie The fift booke of the Monarchie of the Greekes from the Machabees vntill Christ. CHAP. I. Of the partition of the Monarchie and the reason of the same THe former part of the Monarchy of the Greekes which is from King Alexander the great vnto the Machabees conteineth 155. yeares and may be proued exactly by the chronographie of holy Writ The latter part of the Monarchie which is from the Machabees vnto Christ or if yee will from Antiochus Epiphanes to Herodes Magnus which is al one contayneth 173. yeares but cannot be proued out of the holy scriptures as the former part which is the cause of this my partition for perspicuitie sake yet may it bee gathered sufficiently out of the bookes of the Machabees Iosephus Iulius Africanus and Egesippus The obseruation As Alexander began this monarchie in the seuenth yeare of his raigne in the age of the world 3641. so did Antiochus Epiphanes sonne to Antiochus Magnus the sixt king of Syria beginne the time of this partition that is the second part of the Monarchie in the age of the world 3749. He was hostage at Rome from whence he fled and vsurped the kingdome of Syria from his brothers sonne he pretended to protect his sisters sonne Philometor the yong king of Egypt by that meanes sought craftily to get the kingdome of Egypt into his hands For better expedition of his wicked purpose he procured certain cities to be yeelded into his hands In his returne from Egypt he tooke Ierusalem and spoyled it The Agyptians peruing his craftie dealing receiued their cities againe in regard whereof hee entred Egypt with a strong armie but had the repulse by aide of the Romans after which repulse he retured in great rage and tyrannically bent his force against Hierusalem he constrained the Iewes for the space of two yeares vtterly to forsake the law Machabeus therefore and his sonnes being priests rose vp in armes against his brutish crueltie and deliuered the people CHAP. II. Of the gouernment of the Iewes after the captiuitie A triple gouernment was among the Iewes betweene the captiuitie the aduent of our sauior Christ Iesus for they were gouerned first by princes of the tribe of Iuda and royall stocke of Dauid from the captiuitie vntill Antiochus After that they were gouerned by priests who were not of the royal petegree of Iuda but of the tribe of Leui.
be slaughtered and as a theefe to be hanged yet neither did he shew any impatience nor sought any reuenge albeit hee could haue caused a legion of Angels to haue attended him at his only word he was bound as a theefe accused as a theefe condemned as a theefe he was crowned with a crowne of thornes among theeues as if hee had beene the master theefe of all theeues the iudge was iudged the King was derided the Lord of all lords was turmoyled And yet behold the wisedome of our heauenly Salomon for as Adam trespassed on Fryday so did he suffer on Fryday as mans saluation seemed to require Where we haue to consider his patience who was led as a lambe to be slaine his humilitie who was condemned with theeues his charitie who died for his enemies his pouertie who was borne in a manger and this done wee may worthily exclaime O captaine where is thine ensigne O prince where is thy palace O bishop where is thy myâ—er O king where is thy diademe After the consideration hereof we must acknowledge that Iesus Christ our sweete redeemer suffered all these pangs tortures torments and villanies for the sinnes and loue of man and therfore that mans part and dutie is to abhorre detest and eschew sinne and that for his sake and loue who hath first so tenderly beloued vs. CHAP. V. Of the houre of Christs death and the circumstances of the same CHrist was led out of the walles of the earthly Ierusalem into Golgotha a foule place of dead mens carkases so to declare vncleannesse indeede not of himselfe who was most holy most pure most innocent but of vs most wretched sinners whose sins he willingly tooke vpon him to the ende that we by faith in him being made cleane through his bloud and passion might bee brought into the heauenly Ierusalem the ioy of all ioyes the kingdome of heauen Christ suffered his bitter and healthfull passion without the walles of the citie a little before the sixt houre and gaue vppe his blessed ghost at the ninth houre so as hee was about three houres in most cruell torments vpon the crosse In which time from the sixt houre to the ninth darknesse arose ouer al the land Whereby wee may sensibly perceiue how angrie God was against our sinnes which hee so seuerely punished in his onely sonne For euen at the feast of the Passeouer and in the full Moone when the sunne shined ouer all the rest of the world and at midday that corner of the world wherein so wicked an act was committed was couered with extreame darknesse three houres together Christ hanged naked vpon the crosse and was vilainously reproued as if he had beene the most wicked caitife that euer was in the world to the ende that we being clothed with his righteousnesse and blessed with his curses and sanctified by his onely oblation may be clensed from our sinnes and exalted vppe to heauen But here it is expedent that I answere to an important doubt The doubt Saint Iohn saith that Christ suffered about the sixt houre but Saint Marke affirmeth expressely that he was crucified the third houre The answere For the exact explication of this graue obiection wee must diligently obserue three things First that the Iewes deuided as well the night as the day into foure equall parts Secondly that they tearmed the foure parts of the night vigils and the foure parts of the day houres Thirdly that the names of y e foure houres were these the first the third the sixt and the ninth so that all the morning to nine of the clocke with vs was called the first houre with them from nine to twelue the third houre from twelue to three the sixt houre from three to night the ninth houre I therefore answere to the obiection that S. Iohn and saint Marke do well agree neither is the one dissonant to the other for when S. Marke saith that Christ was crucified the third houre he meaneth in the end thereof which was about noone or almost the sixt houre as S. Iohn declareth it for euerie one of their houres contained three of our houres as is alreadie said And euery day with them both began and ended at sixe of the clocke with vs. Where I note by the way that these houres are sometimes dilated made foure threes like to our houres for so we reade in S. Mathew at the hyring of the labourers into the vineyard But howsoeuer the supputation was made the midday euer iumped with the sixt houre either in the ende or in the beginning thereof Which obseruations anâ— distinction well remembred many obscure places in the scriptures will be euident CHAP. VI. Of Christs resurrection and the adiuncts thereof AT such time as Christ the sonne of the euerliuing God suffered his passion wonderfull and strange sights happened The Sunne was darkened the Moone being in the full gaue no light a thing so repugnant to nature that Dionysius Areopagita pronounced boldely though then an Ethnicke that either the sonne of God was tormented or else the worlde woulde bee dissolued the vaile of the Temple was rent in twaine earthquakes were seene the rockes were clouen asunder the graues were opened and such as slept arose with Christ to life againe Christ after his resurrection appeared sundry times first to Marie Magdalen when she taried still at the sepulchre to see Christ after his disciples were gone away to their owne home Christ appeared the second time the selfe same day to two of his disciples as they went to a towne called Emaus which was distant from Ierusalem about three score furlongs The cause of the second apparition was this because the saide disciples would not beleeue that which Mary Magdalen and Ioanna and Mary the mother of Iames and other women told them of Christs resurrection Christ appeared the third time to all the Disciples Thomas onely excepted who was then absent which apparition was done the first day of the weeke and when the doores were shut where the Disciples were assembled for feare of the Iewes and then Iesus stoode in the middes of them and bestowed his peace vpon them Christ after eight dayes appeared the fourth time to his disciples comming into the middest of them euen when the doores were shut and bidding Thomas to see his hands and to put forth his hand into his side and to be no longer incredulous but faithful Christ appeared the fift time to his Disciples at the sea of Tiberias where they were fishing at whose word they casting out their net were not able to draw it at all for the multitude of fishes By these and other his apparitions he made his resurrection manifest vnto the world Sixtly hee appeared to the eleuen Disciples in the mount of Galile But from hence arise doubts very worthie the examination The first doubt Christ saith in Iohn that hee appeared but thrise after his resurrection To this I answere
same day at Rome and S. Philip that blessed disciple of Christ was about the same time crucified at Hierapolis a citie in Asia Of Andrew and Bartholomew S. Andrew preached the gospel in Scythia Thracia Macedonia Thessalia and Achaia At the length the proconsul Aegaeas caused him to be crucified because he perswaded Maximilla his wife and Stantocles his brother to detest his vnchristian impietie and to embrace the faith of Christ Iesus Hee was buried in Achaia with his auncestors S. Bartholomew after he had preached the gospel to the Indians was at length rewarded with the cruell torture of the crosse and buried in Armenia the great Of Iames the sonne of Zebedee S. Iames the sonne of Zebedeus preached the gospel to the twelue tribes which were in dispersion and for his paines was at the length beheaded of Herod the Tetrarch who was also called Agrippa He was buried in the citie Marmarica and king Herod who beheaded him was eaten vp with wormes Of Iohn S. Iohn his brother preached the gospel in Asia and being driuen into exile in the Ile Pathmos by Domitian the emperour he there both wrote the gospel and had his reuelation He died at Ephesus in the time of Traianus the Emperour Where note by the way to auoid the varietie which seemeth in some of the auncient fathers and historiographers that albeit Domitian banished S. Iohn into Pathmos yet did S. Iohn suruiue Domitian and died in the daies and reigne of Traian Of Thomas S. Thomas called also Didymus after he had preached to the Parthians Medes Persians and Indians was wounded with dartes in his sides and so being buried in Calamina a citie in India came to him whose sides he before had felt Christ Iesus Of Mathew S. Mathew of a publican became an Apostle preached the gospel of Christ zealously and conuerted many to the christian faith Hee wrote the gospel in the Hebrew tongue and was buried in Hierapolis Where note by the way that although many of the old writers affirme S. Mathew to haue written in Hebrew yet some learned do think that he wrote in greeke which opinion I preferre as more probable but how soeuer that be it skilleth not much for the Greeke which now is only exstant is admitted of all as authenticall Yea as Theophilactus recordeth they that holde saint Mathew to haue written in hebrew do not denie but Saint Iohn translated it into greeke and consequently since S. Iohn was no lesse inspired with the holy ghost then Saint Mathew it must needes follow that the greeke copie is as authenticall as the Hebrew if any such could be found Of Iames the sonne of Alphee Saint Iames the son of Alpheus the brother of our Lord surnamed Iustus after he had preached at Gaza Eleutheropolis and other countreyes adiacent was made the Bishop of Hierusalem where he was stoned to death of the Iewes and buried in the temple Of Iudas Thaddaeus Saint Iudas Thaddeus called also Lebbeus preached in Iudea Galilea Samaria Idumea Arabia Syria and Mesopotamia at the length he came to Edessa where preaching the gospel of peace he died in peace Of Symon Zelotes Saint Symon surnamed Zelotes for his great zeale towards his master Christ Iesus called also Cananeus bicause he was borne in Cana Galilea after he had preached the gospell in Egypt Africa Mauritania Lybia and in the occidentall parts and had confirmed the same with many myracles he was crucified vnder Traianus being 120. yeares of age Of Matthias Saint Matthias one of the 70. disciples was reckoned with the eleuen in stead of Iudas Iscarioth He preached in Ethiopia where he suffered many tortures was almost stoned to death and then beheaded An addition for the complement of this chapter Saint Iames the Great and Saint Iohn the Euangelist were the sonnes of Zebedeus the husband of Salome Saint Iames the lesse surnamed Iustus and the brother of our Lord Saint Iudas Thaddeus and Symon Zelotes were the sons of Cleophas the husband of Mary who was sister to the blessed virgin Mary CHAP. IX Of the three sonnes of Constantine COnstantine when he had raigned 38. yeares appointed by his last will and testament that his three sonnes Constantinus Constantius and Constans should rule the Empire in seuerall parts seuerally to wit Constantinus in France Spaine and Germanie Constantius in the East Constans in Italie and Illyricum Constantinus was not content with partiall assigned gouernment but desired to haue the sole and onely administration of the Empire for which cause hauing too much confidence in the power of man specially in an euil cause he made warres against his brother Constans in Italie but by that occasion he was slaine and so his brother Constans possessed al the West Empire CHAP. X Of Iulianus apostata IVlianus Apostata was nephew to Constantius and brother to Gallus he was so excellent wel learned that in his youth he read the scriptures publikely in the church of Nicomedia afterwards he went to the famous vniuersitie of Athens and studied there but after the death of his brother Gallus Constantius sent him into France and Germanie Not farre from Argentoratum hee put to flight 30 thousand Almains for which cause by the fauour of the souldiers he was sodainely at Argentoratum designed Emperour At such time as great dissention arose among christians through diuersitie of opinions in Religion in so much that some dispaired and other some fell to Idolatrie then the new Emperour Iulianus preferring his owne sonne before the true worship of God and thinking that to abandon the christian religion was to aduance his royall and imperiall estate forsooke the Christian faith denied Christ openly and became an Apostata He inhibited christians to serue in warres amongst the Romaines he ouerthrew the schooles of learning and spoyled the churches of their treasures Which thing hee did in derision telling the Christians that hee fauoured them in so doing because through pouertie they might sooner come to heauen CHAP. XI Of the Manichees THe Manichees began their heresie in the dayes of Aurelianus Emperor of Rome whose grand-master was Manes a Persian borne This Manes dispersed his poyson in very large circuits First in Arabia after that in Africa This heresie increased so mightily as it coulde not be quenched by the space of two hundred yeares this was the fundamentall ground of their false and hereticall doctrine that there are two Gods the one good and the other bad and yet both to be eternall This doctrine seemed plausible to mans reason at the first publishing thereof for since God is good of his owne nature and yet euill aboundeth in the worlde it seemeth to followe necessarily that as there is a good God so there must also bee a peculiar euill God equall to the good God in power and eternitie The Manichees will neither eate flesh neither egges neither milke neither doe they drinke wine albeit they will
that that vow which for the obedieÌ„ce of mans law is preiudicial to Gods law is wicked and damnable but such is the vowe annexed in popish priests marke well my words therefore the vow imposed to popish priests is wicked and damnable I say first the vow annexed because the priests do not formally vow single life but the Pope hath annexed it to their orders by his wicked decree I say secondly the vowe imposed because the priestes indeede woulde willingly retaine their libertie stil. I say thirdly that gods law doth not onely graunt libertie to marrie but also chargeth euerie one that hath not the gift of continencie to take a wife to vse holy wedlocke for the auoiding of sinne I say fourthly that mans law onely hath prohibited the marriage of priests which being once proued this fourth assertion wilbe manifest Thus therfore writeth their deare Gratian in expresse words Copula namque sacerdotalis vel consanguineorum nec legali nec euangelica vel apostolica auctoritate prohibetur ecclesiastica tamen lege penitus interdicitur For the marriage of priests or kinsfolks is neither forbiddeÌ„ by the law of Moses nor by the lawe of the gospell nor by the law of the apostles yet is it vtterly interdicted by the lawe of the church of Rome Marke well these wordes for Christes sake gentle christian reader for they are able to confound al obstinate papists in the world Obserue therefore first that this Gratian who vttereth these words was a verie famous popish Canonist brother to Peter Lombard surnamed for his supposed deserts the Maister of Sentences who was sometime bishop of Paris and of such renowme in the popish church as his bookes are this day read publiquely in the diuinitie schooles Obserue secondly that this great learned papist Gratian liued with his brother Lombard about 400. yeeres agoe euen then when the pope was in his greatest pompe and tyrannie Obserue thirdly that this Gratian being so learned and so renowmed among the papists did euen in the altitude of popedome commit that to the publique view of the world which vtterly ouerthroweth al papistrie Obserue fourthly that the pope and his vassalles being iustly infatuated for their manifold sinnes had not power to hinder and keepe backe from the print such bookes as vtterly disclose their tyranny falshood and paltrie dealing Oh sweete Iesus great is thy mercy wonderfull is thy iustice infinite is thy wisedome vnsearchable are thy iudgements Truly saith the Psalmograph Vnles the Lord defend the citie in vaine do they labour that keepe the same Thou O God who causest the red sea to giue place to the Israelites thou who causest Balaams asse to speake thou who causest the fire to suspend it force in the burning furnace thou who causest yron to swimme vpon the water thou who causest lockes and brasen gates to open voluntarily thou thou O mightie God of Israel hast enforced Gratian that learned famous and zealous papist to confesse openly for the battering downe of al popery that the marriage of priests which the Pope enforceth vppon them vnder paine of damnation euerlasting is neither forbidden by the law of Moses nor by the lawe of thy holy gospel nor yet by the law of thine apostles Caietanus their owne deare Cardinall and learned schooleman confirmeth that which Gratian hath already said These are his wordes Nec ratione nec authoritate probari potest quod absolute loquendo sacerdos peccet contrahendo matrimonium Nam nec ordo in quantum ordo nec ordo in quantum sacer est impeditiuus matrimonij siquidem sacerâ—otium non dirimit matrimonium contractum siue ante siue post seclusis omnibus legibus ecclesiasticis stando tantum â—is quae habemus à Christo apostolis It can neither bee proued by reason nor yet by authoritie if we will speake absolutely that a Priest sinneth by marrying a wife For neither the order of priesthood in that it is order neither order in that it is holy is any hindrance vnto matrimonie for priesthood breaketh not marriage whether it be contracted before priesthood or afterward setting al ecclesiastical lawes aparte and standing onely to those things which wee haue of Christ and his Apostles Antoninus is consonant vnto Caietane and writeth in this manner Episcopatus ex natura sua non habet opponi ad matrimonium the office of a bishoppe of his owne nature is not opposite vnto marriage Saint Clement telleth it as a wonder that the Apostle giuing so many rules and precepts touching matrimonie should say nothing of the marriage of Priests if it had beene a thing necessarie these are his words Omnes Apostoli Epistolae quae moderationem docent continentiam cum de matrimonio de liberorum procreatione de domus administratione innumerabilia praecepta contineant nusquam honestum moderatumque matrimonium prohibuerunt All the Epistles of the Apostle which teach sobrietie and continent life whereas they containe innumerable precepts touching matrimonie bringing vp of children and gouernment of house yet did they no where forbidde honest and sober marriage I say fiftly that to take away the christian libertie from man which God hath granted to man is a wicked and damnable sinne and therefore doth the holy vessell of God bid vs to perseuer constantly therein For after that hee hath exhorted euerie one to continue as God hath appointed and withal hath shewed the freedome of marriage to bee granted to all hee forthwith addeth these words Ye are bought with a price be not the seruants of men as if he had said to marrie or not to marrie is in your owne election let therefore neither Iew nor Gentile ouerrule your libertie let none entangle your consciences let none bring you into faithlesse bondage let none impose that heauie yoke vpon your necks which yee are no way able to beare Nowe by due application heereof the vow of single life at the least the vow annexed to priesthood which by the law of man spoileth vs of our christian libertie must needs be a wicked and damnable vowe For as the learned papist Victoria hath wel obserued the gospell is called the law of libertie because christians after the promulgation of the gospel are onely bound to the law of nature And yet our late popes haue made our case more intollerable then euer was the heauie yoke of the Iewes For Saint Paul chargeth vs to stand fast in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made vs free and not to be intangled againe with the yoke of bondage I say sixtly that to abandon Gods holy ordinance is a wicked and damnable sinne and yet is this done as the Pope bluntishly auoucheth by his tyrannically extorted vowes for matrimonie contracted after priesthood is by Gods law true and perfect matrimonie as is alreadie proued by popish grant and yet is such matrimonie become no matrimonie by popish vow as the Pope would enforce vs
and Aquinas saw the force of this reason and grauely vrged the same Yea the holy virgin renounceth flatly their hereticall and hypocriticall doctrine in her humble thankes to God for her saluation My soule saith she doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit reioyceth in God my sauiour For this cause Bernard cryeth out in these words Non est hoc virginem honorare sed honori detrahere The virgin is not this way honored but greatly dishonored Secondly because as Bernard saieth Where lust is there must needs be sinne and therefore since the virgin was conceiued with lust or else as they dare not say by the holy ghost it followeth that she was conceiued in sinne Other reasons the same Bernard hath but these may suffice The second reply But saint Austen saith that hee will alway except the holy virgine Mary when he disputeth or reasoneth of sinners or sinne The answer I say first that saint Austen confesseth flatly as you haue heard that the blessed virgin was vndoubtedly conceiued in original sin I say secondly that originall sin is of infinite deformitie as is already proued and consequently that the blessed virgin being polluted therewith was neuer able to yeeld condigne compensation for the same howe great soeuer her holinesse was afterward the reason is afore yeelded for that the infinit malice of sin surmounteth the value of the finite actions of all creatures And if she were not able to satisfie for her own sinnes much lesse had shee any surplussage of satisfaction left which may serue to binde vp the popes pardons for the sins of others I say thirdly that albeit S. Austen would not for the honor of our Sauior as he saith call the blessed virgin into question touching sin yet doth he not affirm her to haue bin void of all actual sinne but seemeth rather to hold the contrary For he addeth these words Vnde enim scimus quod ei plus gratiae colla tum fuerit ad vincendum omni ex parte peccatum quae concipere ac parere meruit quem constat nullum habuisse peccatum For how know we that she had more grace giuen her to ouercome all sinne who did conceiue and beare him that certainely was free from al sin In which words S. Austen sheweth plainly that he can not tell whether the blessed virgin was voide of all actuall sinne or no yet is he vnwilling to call her into question for the honour of our Lord Iesus whose mother she was according to the flesh Yea Saint Austen in his questions vpon the new testament if it be his worke confesseth freely that she sinned for want of faith These are his expresse words Hoc vtique significauit quia etiam Maria per quam gestum est mysterium incarnationis saluatoris in morte domini dubitaret ita tamen vt in resurrectione firmaretur This verily is signified that Marie by whome was accomplished the misterie of the incarnation of our Sauiour doubted in the death of our Lord yet so as she was confirmed in his resurrection Thus hee writeth and yet knoweth euerie child that to doubt in matters of faith is no little sinne S. Basil dissenteth nothing from Saint Augustine when hee telleth vs that the blessed virgin standing by the crosse wauered and was doubtfull in her minde while shee behelde on one side what miserie hee suffered on the other side what wonders he had done Saint Chrysostome affirmeth so expressely that the blessed virgin sinned that their angelicall doctour Aquinas is enforced to vse this sillie shift for a colorable answere to his words to wit that hee was excessiue in his words But who wil not rather thinke that hee was presumptuous in his answere These are S. Chrysostomes expresse words Quae estmater mea fratres mei aiebat siquidem nō adhuc debitam de ipso opinionem habebant sed more matrum Maria iure omnia filio se praecepturam censebat cum tanquam dominum colere reuereri licebat ideo in hunc modum respondit who is my mother my brethren said Christ for they had not yet a right opiniō of him but Mary after the maner of mothers thought she might command her sonne to do all things albeit she might well haue honored him as her Lord therfore did he answer in this maner Againe he saith thus Optabat enim vt tam hominum gratiam conciliaret ipsa clarior filij gratia efficeretur fortasse aliquo humano afficiebatur affectu For she wished that now he would win the fauor of men that she might be more famous for his sake and perhappes she was touched with some humane affection Againe in another place he saith thus Ambitione quadam ac ostentatione commoti foris eum in praesentia omnium euocarunt vt viderentur facile ac magna cum potestate Christo imperare Infra vnde patet inani quadam gloria illos commotos fuisse nihil adhuc magni de ipso cogitantes quod apertius Ioannes significauit dicens quia neque fratres eius credebant in eum They being tickled with ambition and vaine glorie called him out in the presence of all that they might seeme to command Christ at their pleasure and with authoritie Whervpon it is cleare that they were tickled with vaine glorie hauing no great opinion on him as yet which Iohn signified euidently when he saide For neither did his brethren beleeue in him Saint Hierome shall conclude this point which I haue handled more at large because many stumble at it and fewe seeme to vnderstand it well these are his expresse words Conclusit Deus omnes sub peccato vt omnium misereatur absque eo solo qui peccatum non fecit nec inuentus est dolus in ore eius God hath shut vp all vnder sinne that he may shew mercie vnto all him onely excepting that sinned not neither was there guile found in his mouth The third replie She was Christs mother and therefore was more blessed then al other women The answere I confesse willingly that shee was blessed aboue all women and yet that shee was a sinner and had Christ not onely for her sonne but euen for her Lorde and Sauiour neither was it so great a grace simplie and barely to beare Christ as the Papists faine it to be but the holy fathers S. Austen and S. Chrysostome shal tel vs what they thinke therof S. Austen hath these expresse words Hoc in ea magnificauit dominus quia fecit voluntatem patris non quia caro genuit carnē Propterea cum dominus in turba admirabilis videretur faciens signa prodigia ostendens quid lateret in carne admiratae quaedam animae dixerunt foelix venter qui te portauit ille imò foelices qui audiunt verbum Dei custodiūt illud hoc est dicere mater mea quam appellatis foelicem inde foelix quia verbum
deteriores non remisit nobis supplicium sed vidit hoc manifeste quod peccatis ipsis non mâ—nus damnosum sit non puniri propter hoc imponit poenam non exigens supplicium de peccatis sed ad futura nos corrigens For lest we our selues should be made worse if wee should not be punished when we offend God forgaue vs not the punishment for that he saw euidently that it was no lesse hurtfull to sinne it selfe if it should not be punished For which cause he imposeth paine vpon vs not requiring satisfaction for the sinnes but correcting vs for that which is to come Out of these wordes I note first that if we should escape vnpunished when we sin we would be more prone to sin again I note secondly that the punishment which God laâ—eth on vs is not any part of satisfaction for our sinne committed but a fatherly correction to keepe vs from sinning so againe I note thirdly that saint Chrysostome was not acquainted with popish pardons wherewith the world is this day so pestered I note fourthly that whosoeuer disliketh this my answer must reprooue saint Chrysostome for the same as from whom I receiued it And yet indeede hee saith nothing which holy writ hath not taught vs long before For as wise Salomon saith He that spareth the rodde hateth the childe but he that loueth him chasteneth him betime I blesse thee saith Tobie O Lord God of Israel because thou hast scourged me Thou hast corrected me saith Ephraim and I was chastised as an vntamed heiffer Whom the Lord loueth saith saint Paul him he chasteneth and he scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth As many as I loue saith God I rebuke and chasten be zealous therefore and amend Marke these wordes well gentle Reader God correcteth vs not in way of satisfaction which we are neuer able to performe as I haue prooued more at large in my booke of Motiues but that we may repent turne to him and amend our sinfull liues For this cause saieth the Psalmograph Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest O Lord and teachest him in thy lawe that thou mayest giue him rest from the dayes of euill while the pit is digged for the wicked For as saint Paul saieth If we would iudge our selues by true faith and repentance wee should not be iudged But when we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord that wee should not be condemned with the world which Christ himselfe confirmed when he willed the adultresse to goe and to sinne no more The sixt obiection S. Paul exhorted the Corinthians who abounded in goods but wanted merites to bestow money largely on the saints at Ierusalem that so they might be partakers of their merites Therefore it is very lawful to procure pardon with our mony by the application of godly mens merites vnto vs. The answere S. Paul meaneth nothing lesse then that the Hierosolymitains should sell spirituall things for money For when Symon the sorcerer euen after his baptisme would haue bought the distribution of holy things with money then saide saint Peter to him Thy money perish with thee because thou thinkest that the gift of God may be gotten with money But the apostle exhorteth the richer sort at Corinth to minister competently to the faithfull at Ierusalem for their necessarie releefe and sustentation and this to do the rather for that heretofore they receiued the gospel from thence so that there may bee an analogicall or proportionable equalitie betweene them For liberalitie ought to be mutuall among christians and as the apostle saith in another place It is no great thing for them that haue sowen to vs spirituall things to reape part of our carnall things Thus seemeth Chrysostome to vnderstand this place whose wordes are these Haec autem dicebat etiam diuitum superbiam deprimens ostendens quod post hanc vitam in maiori dignitate spirituales futuri sint He spake these things to abate the pride of rich men shewing that after this life the godly shal be in greater dignitie as if he had saide esteeme not better of your selues because ye haue more worldly wealth but distribute such things liberally and seeke to abound in spirituall things that so there may be an equalitie The seuenth obiection The article of our creed I beleeue the communioÌ„ of saints doth plainely shew that ones satisfaction may be applied to an other which is that application that the pope maketh when he giues pardons The answer I answer that the duties of charitie are ought to be common among the faithfull in that they are the mysticall members of one mysticall body which saint Paul proueth to be so by the example of the members in mans body And this is that communion of saints whereof mention is made in the Creede apostolike But of popish pardons and merits of supererrogation this article maketh no relation at all Yea as the apostle saith al righteousnes remission of sins and eternall life is ministred to the members of the church by Christ the head Of whose fulnes we haue all receiued euen grace for grace CHAP. VI. Of Popish purgatorie OF popish purgatorie I haue spoken sufficiently in the seuenth chapter of the second booke of my Motiues It will therefore here be sufficient to declare the originall thereof and to solue the obiections against the same The superstitious fond fantasies of purgatorie came from the old heathen Romanes for as saint Austen recordeth they had a purgatorie sacrifice these are his words Ideo terminalia eodem mense Februario celebrari dicunt cum fit sacrum purgatorium quod vocant Februm vnde mensis nomen accepit Therfore men say that the ends of things are celebrated in the same moneth of Februarie when the purgatorie sacrifice is made which they call Februs whereupon the month tooke the name Afterward Origen being too much addicted to his allegoricall speculation fained many odde things touching purgatorie as the ethnicke Plato whom he much imitateth had done before him After Origen others began to cal the matter into question others rashly to beleeue it others to adde many things to Origens conceit Thus by little and little it encreased till the late bishops of Rome made it an article of popish faith But of what credite Origen ought to be in this point his owne opinion will declare sufficiently as who held that the diuels should all be purged at the latter day For of Origen thus writeth S. Austen Qua in re misericordior profecto fuit Origenes qui ipsum diabolum atque angelos eius post grauiora pro meritis diuturniora supplicia ex illis cruciatibus eruendos atque sociandos sanctis angelis credidit Wherein Origen doubtles was more compassionable who beleeued that the deuill himselfe his angels after great long punishment for their demerites should be deliuered from their torments and placed with the
to eate their owne bread but also to weare their owne clothes that so they be no way burdenous to him And yet as our Iesuite Bellarmine and other papists woulde haue it vnderstood in Genesis the text must yeeld this sense Wee will eate our owne bread and weare our own garments and desire onely that wee may inuocate thy name and make our prayers to thee when thou art dead Which sense is most absurd as euerie childe may perceiue for first if this had beene the meaning of the women in vaine had they made mention of eating their owne bread and wearing their owne garments as which coulde neither profite nor disprofite the man Secondly these women knew not whether the man should be a saued soule in heauen or a damned spirit in hel and therefore would they neuer make such a request to him Thirdly praying to him being dead could not take away their reproch on earth Fourthly the man might suruiue and liue after them all and so their desire was in vaine Fiftly Saint Hierome expoundeth this text euen as I haue saide For these are his words Tantùm ne absque marito esse videantur subâ—acere illi maledicto quod scriptum est maledicta sterilis quae non facit semen in Israel Onelie least they seeme to bee without an husband and to bee subiect vnto the curse which is written Accursed be the barren which bringeth not foorth seede in Israel In sundry places of the Scripture the selfe same phrase is found which can not possibly yeelde any other sense and therefore most impudent are the papists who blush not to father their praying to Saints vpon this fact of Iacob Peruse the ninth chapter of Daniel the eighteene and nineteene verses where it is thus written Beholde the citie wherevpon thy name is called For thy name is called vpon thy citie and vpon thy people That is to say it is named thy citie and they are called thy people Ponder well these words of Saint Iames the second chapter 7. verse Doe not they blaspheme the good name that is inuocated vpon you that is you that of Christ are called Christians The like phrases are in Ieremie the seuenth in Esay the 44. chapter in the booke of kinges and in other places But our Iesuite thinketh the wordes aforegoing in Genesis to prooue his purpose effectually For Ioseph praied to the angel to blesse the sonnes of Ioseph But I answere that that angel whereof Iacob spake is Christ himselfe And I prooue it by other places of the same booke where Iacob calleth God an angell The angel of God saith Iacob said to me in a dreame Yet in y e verse following the angel calleth himself the God of Bethel Which God was the angel that deliuered Iacob from all euill Which God was that Christ in whom Iacob and his seed are blessed And so by conferring place with place it is euident that Iacob praied to God not to the angel Our Iesuites vrge yet another Scripture to prooue inuocation of saintes Call now if anie wil answere thee and turne thee to some of the saintes I say first that these be the wordes of Elyphas the Themanite one of Iobes frindes and therefore not a sufficient warrantize for an article of our faith I say secondly that he speaketh not of the saints departed but of the godly then liuing Whose behauiour he willeth Iob to consider if any of the godly rage against God as he did I say thirdly that our Iesuite confesseth elswhere as I haue prooued that before Christes ascension praying to saintes was not vsed The second conclusion To pray to Saintes departed is a thing at the least vaine and needles I prooue it because God is most able and most willing to helpe vs. Most able for that hee is omnipotent the fountaine of all grace and the giuer of euery good gift Most willing in that he hath not onely mercifully inuited vs to call vpon him but withall faithfully promised to heare and graunt our petitions If any man lacke wisedome saith S. Iames let him aske of God which giueth to all men liberally and reprocheth no man and it shalbe giuen him If any man sinne saith S. Iohn we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the iust and hee is the reconciliation for our sinnes euen for the sinnes of the whole world Call vpon me in the day of trouble saith God by his prophet and I will deliuer thee The scripture telleth vs in many places that whosoeuer asketh any thing of God shall receiue and whosoeuer seeketh shall finde and to euery one that knocketh the dore shall be opened And that whatsoeuer we shall aske in Christes name we shall attaine the same vndoubtedly The 1. obiection God will often accept the praiers of others for vs when hee will not heare our selues For when his wrath was kindled against Eliphaz the Themanite and his two friendes he would not heare them but yet accepted Iobs praiers for them The answere I answere that God meant not vtterly to reiect Eliphaz his friends for if he had so determined he would neuer haue accepted Iobs praiers for them But because they had contemned Iob and preferred their owne righteousnesse God to giue a testimonie of Iobs innocencie true faith and patience and to confound the proud conceites of Eliphas and his fellowes sent them to Iob and said that hee woulde accept his praiers for them Which my exposition is grounded on these words my wrath is kindled against thee and against thy two friendes for yee haue not spoken of me the thing that is right like my seruaunt Iob. As if God had saide yee haue offended much more then my seruaunt Iob in that yee condemned him by his outward afflictions and did not comfort and solace him with my mercies And therefore doe I send you vnto him that you may know that he hath greater fauour in my sight Thus God shewed the faith of Abraham praying for the Sodomites of Moses for the Israelites and of Paule for the 276. persons in the ship with him The replie If it were true that because God is most willing and most able to helpe vs therefore it is needles and vaine to inuocate or call vpon saintes departed by the same reason it is needlesse to inuocate and call vpon the saintes liuing which yet the scripture commandeth vs to doe The answere I say first that in proper kind of speech inuocation is a speciall part of diuine worship comprehending the affection of the minde that appealeth to his grace help and aid whom it doth inuocate and so it is proper to God alone yet in a large acception it may bee giuen to the liuing I say secondly that the one is vaine and needlesse not so the other The reason is this because we haue commaundement and promise for the one not so for the other For that is neuer to be deemed vaine or
intercession before God it shal not be a thing inconuenient Out of which sayinges of Origen I note first that he speaketh only of the praiers which saintes in heauen make for vs and not one word of our praying to them I note secondly that to holde that the saintes in heauen doe pray for vs is not a constant position in Origens doctrine but only an opinion and disputable question I proue it because he saith arbitror I think Again because he saith non erit inconueniens it shal not be incoÌ„uenient Thirdly because he saith audiuâ— ita dicentem I heard one say so The fiâ—st obiection Origen in his book de paenitentia saith y t he will fall prostrate on his knees and inuocate all the saintes in heauen that they will helpe him because he dare not pray to God for himselfe The answere I say first that this assertion fathered vpon Origen will confute it selfe for how could Origen or anie faithfull christian be in feare humbly to inuocate our most mercifull God who willeth all to come to him that are in distresse who promiseth to heare all those that in their trouble call vpon him Who graunteth to vs whatsoeuer we aske in his sonnes name who hath appointed his sonne to make intercession for vs. I say secondly that this booke alledged in the obiection is not Origens but a plaine counterfeit And I prooue it effectually because their owne pope Gelasius hath so resolued The 2. obiection Origen saith that the fathers of the churche appointed the feast day of the holy Innocentes and that by the will of God that so their intercession might profite their parentes The answere I say first that if all this were graunted it could but at the most proue that the saints pray for vs which in a good sense may be admitted For I willingly graunt that the saintes in heauen doe in generall maner and termes pray for vs that is that they wishe vs to perseuere in the true faith and feare of God and y t in the end we may be partakers with theÌ„ of eternal glory I say secondly that sundry learned men doe thinke these homilies from whence this obiection is taken not to be any part of Origens workes I say thirdly that if Origen doe make that a constant doctrine in one place which he graunteth to be a disputable question in another place what remaineth but to thinke his opinion therein to be of no force I say fourthly that the papistes as their Ruffinus recordeth will admit nothing in Origen which disliketh them but reiect all such stuffe as infarsed into his workes by the heretickes Let them therefore giue vs leaue also to reiect in Origen if in any place he seeme to approoue inuocation of saintes as that which is infarsed by the heretickes specially because in other places he teacheth the contrary doctrine The fift Canon About 20. yeares after that Origen had doubtfully disputed the praying of saintes for vs S. Cyprian and S. Cornelius set down that point resolutely as standing no longer in doubt therof to wit that the saintes in heauen doe pray for the liuing here on earth For they made this couenaut that whether of them soeuer should die the first should pray for his brethren and sisters yet liuing These are S. Cyprians owne wordes Et si quis istinc nostrum prior diuinae dignationis celeritate praecesserit perseueret apud dominum nostra dilectio pro fratribus sororib apud misericordiam patris noncesset oratio And if either of vs shall through Gods mercie die before the other let our loue continue still in Gods sight let vs not cease to desire the fauour of God for our brethren and sisters yet liuing Thus saith S. Cyprian Out of whose wordes I note first that to be established in his time which was but in opinion and doubtfull case in the daies of Origen To wit that the saintes in heauen pray for vs here on earth I note secondly that the inuocation of saintes in heauen was neither established in saint Cyprians time neither once called into question I note thirdly that popish inuocation of Saintes sprung vp by little and little from one degree to another The sixt Canon About an hundreth yeares after S. Cyprian which was about 350. yeares after Christ some of the fathers by rhetoricall apostrophees did applie their orations to the dead as if they had been liuing Of which sort were S. Basill and saint Gregory Nazianzene who though they did but inuocate the saints figuratiuely and of a certain excessiue zeale yet did such their inuocations minister occasion to the papistes of all their superstition in that behalfe These are the wordes of S. Gregory Nazianzene Audite populi tribus linguae homines omnes cuâ—usuis generis aetaetis quicunque nunc estis existetis Infra audiat quoque Constantini magni anima si quis mortuis sensus est omnesque eorum qui ante eum imperium tenuerunt piae Christique amantes animae Heare O people kinreds tongues nations ages whosoeuer are now liuing or shalbe borne hereafter Let also the soule of Constantine the Great heare all the christian godly soules of the Emperors before him if the dead perceiue any thing at all And againe in another place he thus writeth At ô pascha magnum inquam sacro sanctum pascha totiusque mundi piaculum te enim quasi vita praeditum alloquor But O Passeouer the great I say and sacred Passeouer and the purgation of the whole world For I call vpon thee as if thou hadst life Thus writeth Nazianzene by whose wordes we may measure both the rest of his sayings and of the other fathers First therefore I note that hee doth inuocate aswell senselesse thinges as reasonable soules Secondly hee calleth vpon the soules of all the people in the world whereof some were damned in the bottome of hell and so could not heare as euery learned papist will admit Thirdly he inuocateth those that are yet vnborne Vpon these sandie foundations are built all popish superstitious inuocations The 7. Canon Catholique doctrine is that as Vincentius Lyrinensis who liued aboue a thousand yeares agoe defineth it which hath been receiued constantly of al the faithful at al times and in all places Which Vincentius is and euer was of great reputation with and amongst al learned papists and consequently since popish inuocation of Saintes neither was constantly receiued of all the faithfull neither in all places neither at al times as which was not heard of for many hundreth yeares after Christ it cannot be deemed catholicke doctrine no not by popishe proceeding This Canon ought to be well remembred as which of it selfe ouerthroweth al Romish religion An obiection S Chrysostomes Masse which was generally vsed in the Greeke church maketh expresse mention of the inuocation of Saintes and the same doctrine is taught in sundry places of his workes The
answere I say first that in S. Chrysostomes time which was more then 400. yeres after Christ this superstitious inuocation had gotten deepe roote in the heartes of the vulgar sort For which cause S. Chrysostome did zealously in many sermons induce them wholly and solie to inuocate the liuing God One or two places I will alledge for the better satisfaction of the Reader thus therefore doth hee write Dic mihi mulier quemadinodum ausa es cum sis peccatrix iniqua accedere ad eum ego inquit noui quid agam Vide prudentiam mulieris non rogat Iacobum non obsecrat Ioannem neque pergit ad Petrum nec intendit Apostolorum chorum non quaesiuit mediatorem sed pro omnibus illis paenitentiam accepit comitem quae aduocati locum impleuit sic ad summum fontem perrexit Propterea inquit descendit propterea carnem assumpsit homo factus est vt ego ei audeâ—m loqui Tell mee O woman howe thou being a great sinner darest come vnto God I saieth she know what I haue to doe Behold the wisdome of the woman she desires not Iames she praies not Iohn shee goes not to Peter shee neither respected the companie of the Apostles nor sought for a mediatour but in steed of them all shee tooke true repentance for her fellowe which supplied the place of an aduocate and so she came to the chiefe fountaine For this end saith shee did Christ descend for this end did hee take our nature vpon him and was made man that I may boldly speak vnto him Againe in another place the same S. Chrysostome saith thus Sin vero sobrie agemus etiam per nosmetipsos istud valeamus efficere multo magis per nos quam per alios Nam Deus gratiam non tam aliis rogantibus pro nobis quam nobis vult donare quo fruamur libertate Deum compellandi emendemur dum ipsi studemus deum reconciliare sic Chananaeam illam aliquando miseratus est sic etiam meretrici donauit salutem sic latronem nullo patrono nullo mediatore intercedente But if we will deale soberly wee may dispatche that by our owne selues and a great deale better by our selues then by others For God will giue vs his grace not so muche for the praiers of others as for our owne sake that so wee may haue libertie to call vpon God and to amend our liues while wee seeke to bee reconciled to him So had hee mercie on the woman of Chanaan so gaue hee remission of sinnes to the adulteresse so did hee saue the theefe without any patrone without any mediatour Thus saith Saint Chrysostome Out of whose wordes I note first that hee greatly commendeth those who will immediately call vpon God and neither seeke to Peter nor to Paule nor to anie mediatour but Christ Iesus I note secondly that hee greatly reprooueth all such as are afraid to call vpon God by reason of their sins teâ—lâ—â—g theÌ„ that a penitent heart is the chief patron before God Thirdly that Christ Iesus tooke our nature vpon him for this end that sinners may boldly call vpon him I note fourthly that God wil sooner heare our selues theÌ„ other for vs. I note fiftly that wheÌ„ we cal vpon god immediatly we confirm our christian libertie I say secondly that the masse which goeth abroad vnder the name of S. Chrysostome is a meere counterfeit for first there be diuers copies and diuerse translations whereof neuer one agreeth with another Againe if S. Chrysostome had written any such masse he should be contrarie to himselfe in sundrie places of his works Thirdly because if S. Iames S. Basil S. Chrysostome shoulde euerie one of them haue made a masse as popish printed bookes tel vs it must needes follow which the papists will not wel like of that the bishop of Rome hadde in those dayes smal authoritie For now a dayes nothing may be done without the popes consent but then bishops made masses at their pleasure and the pope made none at all Fourthly because in this supposed S. Chrysost. masse there is often repeated this blasphemous prayer Saue vs by the prayers of thy saints Fiftly because prayer is there made for pope Nicholas and for the Empereur Alexius who both liued long after S. Chrysostomes death the one 500. yeares the other 800. yeares I say thirdly that the other places of S. Chrysostom are euen like to his masse and whosoeuer thinketh otherwise must say that he is contrarie to himselfe as is alreadie proued CHAP. VIII Of Popish Pilgrimage GOds people of late yeres haue beene wonderfully seduced and that by the sinister and false perswasion of the papists who taught them to merite their saluation by gadding on pilgrimage to visit stocks stones and dead mens bones The whole summe whereof for perspicuitie sake I shall reduce to certaine briefe conclusions The first conclusion The common people about the yeare of our Lord 420. were so addicted to sundry kinds of superstition partly by the instinct of Satan partly by the negligence of some Bishops and partly by the vndiscreet doctrine of othersome that S. Austen was at his wits end not knowing which way to turne him or what to do because he vtterly condemned many things in his heart which he durst not freely reprooue speake against This conclusion will seeme strange to many a one but S. Austen doth himselfe deliuer it to vs whose expresse words are these Quod autem instituitur praeter consuetudinem vt quasi obseruatto sacramenti sit approbare non possum etiamsi multa huiusmodi propter nonnullarum vel sanctarum vel turbulentarum personarum scandala vitanda liberius improbare non audeo Sed hoc nimis doleo quòd multa quae in diuinis libris saluberrima praecepta sunt minus curantur tam multis praesumptionibus sic plena sunt omnia vt grauius corripiatur qui per octauas suas terram nudo pede tetigerit quam qui mentem vinolentia sepelierit Omnia itaque talia quae neque sanctarum scripturarum authoritatibus contineÌ„tur nec in concilijs episcoporum statuta inueniuntur nec consuetudine vniuersae ecclesiae roborata sunt sed diuersorum locorum diuersis moribus innumerabiliter variantur ita vt vix aut omnino nunquam inueniri possint causae quas in eis instituendis homines secuti sunt vbi facultas tribuitur sine vlla dubitatione resecanda existimo Quamuis enim neque hoc inueniri possit quomodo contra fidem fint ipsam tamen religionem quam paucissimis manifestissimis celebrationum sacramentis misericordia dei esse liberam voluit seruilibus oneribus premunt vt tolerabilior sit conditio Iudaeorum qui etiamsi tempus libertatis non agnouerint legalibus tamen sarcinis non humanis praesumptionibus subijciuntur I can not approue that which beside custome is ordeyned to be obserued as an holy thing albeit
reprobate and not of the elect and godly sort but after he had pondered the text deeply he altered his opinion This is confirmed in these words of the selfe same chapter but I see another law in my meÌ„bers rebelling against the law of my mind leading me captiue vnto the law of sin which is in my members By these words of Paul it is euident that albeit he were the childe of God yet could he not merite any thing in Gods sight but rather in rigor of iustice prouoke his heauy displeasure against him For where or what could be his merite who was prisoner to the law of sinne Againe it is confirmed in these words For I doe not the good thing which I would but the euill which I would not that doe I. Thus saiâ—h saint Paul and doubtlesse since hee did the euill which he would not he sinned though he were regenerate and because he sinned he was worthie of condemnation for that death is the stipend of sinne Againe it is confirmed in these words For the law is spirituall but I am carnal sould vnder sinne Thus saith S. Paul of himselfe and yet is it true that one vnder sin can merit nothing saue hel fire and eternal paine Againe it is confirmed in these words Nowe if I do that I would not it is no more I that doe it but the sinne that dwelleth in mee Thus saith Saint Paul of himselfe and yet because sin abode in him and did that that was offensiue in gods sight he could neither merite grace nor eternal life as is already proued Further then this no man liueth without sinne as the papists grant and yet is euerie sinne mortall as I haue prooued elsewhere The first obiection Saint Paul speaketh of originall concupiscence which remaineth euen in the regenerate after baptisme but is no sinne at all For he onely calleth it sinne because it prouoketh a man to sin as a mans writing is called his hand for that it is written with his hand which exposition S. Austen approueth in sundrie places of his works The answere I say first that to say against the flat text of scripture without scripture is no reason at all I say secondly that S. Paul doth not onely call concupiscence sin but he proueth it by many reasons For first it striueth against the law of the minde Againe it leadeth one captiue into the law of sinne thirdly it doth that which is not good but euil I say thirdly that Saint Austen doth vndoubtedly iudge it to be sin neither shal any papist in the world euer be able to proue the contrarie howsoeuer they bare the world in hand I wil onely alleage a few places out of S. Austen make effectuall application of the same to which when anie either Rhemist or Romist shall answere sufficiently I promise to become his bondman The first place of Austen Concupiscentia carnis aduersus quam bonus concupiscit spiritus peccatum est quia inest illi inobedientia contra dominatum mentis poena peccati est quia reddita est meritis inobedientis causa peccata est defectione consentientis vel contagione nascentis The concupiscence of the flesh against which the good spirit striueth is sinne because it is disobedient against the dominion of the mind and it is the punishmeÌ„t of sin bicause it is inflicted for the deserts of disobedient Adam and it is the cause of sinne either by the default of him that consenteth or by the contagion of the child that is borne Thus saith S. Austen In which words he expresseth three things precisely first that concupiscence in the regenerate is the paine or punishment of sinne secondly that it is the cause of sinne thirdly that it is sin it selfe which three he doth not only distinguish but withall hee yeeldeth seueral reasons for the same And therfore most impudent are the papists who auouch with open mouthes that saint Austen onely calleth it sin because it is the cause of sinne The second place of Saint Austen Neque enim nulla est iniquitas cum in vno homine vel superiora inferioribus tur piter seruiunt vel inferiora superioribus contumaciter reluctantur etiamsi vincere non sinantur For it is some iniquitie when in one man either the superiour parts shamefully serue the inferiour or the inferiour parts stubbornly striue against the superiour although they be not suffered to preuaile Thus saith S. Austen whose words are so plaine as the papists can not possibly inuent any euasion at all For hee saith in expresse tearmes that the rebellion which is betweene the flesh and the spirit is sinne euen when it is resisted and cannot preuaile at which time and in which respect the papists wil haue it to be merite and no sinne at all The third place of Saint Austen Virtus est charitas qua id quod diligendum est diligitur haec in alijs maior in alijs minor in alijs nulla est plenissima vero quae iam non possit augeri quamdiu hic homo viuit est in nemine quamdiu autem augeri potest profecto illud quod minus est quam debet ex vitio est Ex quo vitio non est iustus in terra qui faciat bonum non peccet Ex quo vitio non iustificabitur in conspectu Dei omnis viuens Propter quod vitium si dixerimus quia peccatum non habemus nosmetipsos seducimus veretas in nobis non est Propter quodetiam quantumlibet profecerimus necessarium est nobis dicere dimitte nobis debita nostra cum iam omnia in baptismo dicta facta cogitata dimissa sint Charitie is a vertue with which we loue that that ought to be loued This in some is more in other lesse in others none at all but the perfect charitie which can not bee increased while a man here liueth is found in none so long as it can be increased that doubtlesse which is lesse then it shoulde bee proceedeth of sinne by reason of which sin there is not one iust vpon earth that doth good and sinneth not by reason of which vice none liuing can be iustified in Gods sight by reason of which vice if we say we haue no sin we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs by reason of which sin how much soeuer we profit yet must we say of necessitie Forgiue vs our trespasses euen after that al our thoughts words and works are forgiuen in baptisme Thus saith saint Austen Out of whose most golden words I note sundrie things to the euerlasting confusion of all impenitent papists For first Saint Austen saith that no man can haue charity in that perfite degree which the law requireth Secondly that the want thereof proceedeth of this concupiscence Thirdly that by reason of this concupiscence euerie man is a sinner Fourthly that by reason therof none liuing can be iustified in Gods sight
in his hands at his last supper that selfe same body that was borne of the virgine Mary and suffered the next day after And yet if the valure of the sacrifice of the mâ—sse be finite then doubtlesse that sacrifice can not be the sonne of God for he is of infinite power of infinite glorie of infinite maiestie of infinite valure Yea whosoeuer denieth Christes body bloud subsisting in the person of God by hypostaticall vnion to be of infinite valure hee is become a flat Arrian beleeuing Christ to bee pure man and not God And consequently howsoeuer the papistes thinke or speake of their masse yet in making it a sacrifice they are blasphemous and that must needs followe though it were freelie graunted them that Christes body were present really in the Sacrament I prooue it tenthly because our Iesuite cannot denie but that a reall destruction is necessarily required in euery true reall sacrifice Wherefore since Christ dieth not in the popish masse it cannot be that he is truly sacrificed in the same For as Bellarmine truely saith Abraham did not truely sacrifice his sonne Isaac because he was not really slain Now that this discourse may be made more manifest I will propound the strongest obiecâ—ions for the aduerse part and adde briefe solutions to the same The first obiection S. Paul saith that Christ is a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech and Melchisedech offered bread and wine as he was Gods priest saith holy Moses To which we must adde that the thing figured is more excellent then the figure that Christ truely offered sacrifice in bread and wine otherwise hee shuld not haue exactly fulfilled y e figure of Melchisedech For al the fathers graunt that he was a true figure of Christ euen as he was a priest The answere I say first that Melchisedech did not sacrifice bread wine but as the Hebrew text saith brought forth bread wine that is sufficient victuals for the refection of Abraham and his souldiers after their returne from the slaughter of Chedor-laomer and the other kings For the whole course of y e scripture telleth vs that bread by Synecdoche signifieth meate So Moses saith that the Egyptians might not eate bread with the Hebrewes that is meate In Esay 7. women say we will eate our owne bread that is our owne meat King Dauid promised Mephibosheth that he should eate bread alwaies at his own table which had been a very small reward of a king if by bread were not signified all kinde of meat King Iehoiachim ate bread at the table of Euil-merodach the king of Babel that is al delicate fare So it is called bread that Iobs friendes ate in his house when it is certaine that they had right sumptuous cheere The like examples are in S. Mathew sundry other places of scripture This I note against the papistes who fondly vse to answere that bread was a slender refection for all Abrahams companie I say secondly that Christes priesthood is after the order of Melchisedech not in any sacrifice of bread and wine which Melchisedech can neuer be prooued to haue offered but in y t as man he was without father wonderfully coÌ„ceiued as God without beginning without ending without mother woonderfully begotten for which cause the prophet demaundeth who shall declare his generation in these points Christes priesthood differeth not from Melchisedech who as S. Paule saith was without father without mother without kinred without beginning of his daies without end of his life likened to the son of God and a priest for euer Yet in the oblation of bread and wine the priesthood of Melchisedech was not perfitly distinguished from the priesthood of Aaron as the scripture witnesseth S. Paul therfore describeth the priesthood of Melchisedech without the mention of bread and wine in such sort as it is perfitly distinguished from the priesthood of Aaron So Eusebius Caesariensis comparing the priesthoode of Christ with the priesthood of Melchisedech doth not say that it consisteth in the sacrifice of bread and wine but in the vnction the diuine similitude the eternitie and want of succession These are his expresse words Tu es sacerdos in aeternum secundum ordinem Melchisedech Hic auteÌ„ Melchisedech in diuinis voluminib sacerdos fuisse Dei summi refertur sed qui non oleo communi perunctus sit neque qui ex successione generis suscepit sacerdotium sicut apud Hebraeos fieri mos erat ideo secundum ordinem ipsius sacerdos futurus dicitur Christus qui non olei liquore sed virtute coelestis spiritus consecretur Thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech And this Melchisedech is called in the holy scriptures the priest of God most high but one which was not annointed with common oyle neither yet receiued his priesthood by the succession of kinred as the manner was among the Hebrews and therfore Christ is called a priest after his order who is consecrate not with the liquor of oyle but with the vertue of the holy ghost I say thirdly that Melchisedech in his action towards Abraham shewed himself both to be a priest and a king a priest in that he blessed Abraham a king in that he releeued Abraham and his souldiers with bread wine that is with al competent corporall sustenance I say fourthly that if there had bin any force in the oblation of Melchisedech touching Christs priesthoode S. Paul who handled euery least thing exactly in that comparison would neuer haue omitted his sacrifice in bread and wine and yet he passed it ouer as a thing of no importance I say fiftly that Christ offering himselfe vpon the crosse for the sinnes of the world was not a priest after the order of Aaron but properly and truely after the order of Melchisedech I proue the former part First because perfection could not come by the priesthood of the Leuites as the apostle beareth witnes Againe because our Lord Iesus was of the tribe of Iuda of which tribe Moses spake nothing at al touching the priesthood Thirdly because the sacrifice of the crosse was the most perfit sacrifice of all other as which did coÌ„summate them that are sanctified for euer I proue the latter part first because it must be after some order but not after the order of Aaron as is proued ergo after the order of Melchisedech Secondly because the apostle doth in expresse terms cal Christ a priest euen after the order of Melchisedech These are his words And being consummate was made the cause of eternall life to all them that obey him and is called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedech Lo Saint Paule ioyneth the order of Melchisedech with the sacrifice of the crosse offered for mans redemption as if he had said Christ is therefore called a priest after the order of Melchisedech because he
body and bloud either the Lords supper or the Eucharist or the coÌ„munion or the liturgie or the blessed sacrament or the masse if we vnderstand rightly the thing signified by the same For all these words I know are rightly vsed by the ancient holy learned fathers Where I note this by the way that whether the word Masse be latin or hebrew or what it doth properly signifie the papists cannot yet agree among themselues I say secondly that the fathers indeede doe often call the Eucharist Christs body and bloud the sacrifice of the mediator the vnbloudy sacrifice and whatsoeuer else is due to the sacrifice of the crosse neuerthelesse they haue alwaies a godly sense and meaning in such kind of appollations that is to say they ascribe such names to the Eucharist not because it is properly the selfe same thing that the word importeth but for that it is y e sacrament the signe the memorial thereof or else bicause it is spiritually the sacrifice of laude and thanksgiuing for the proofe hereof it were enough to call to minde that sacraments in the scripture haue the names of those things whereof they â—e the sacraments For Moses saith of the paschal lamb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the Lords passeouer yet most certain it is by the very text it selfe that the lambe was not the passeouer it selfe but only the signe and signification thereof like as al sacraments be signes of the things which they do represent but not the things which are signified by the same And this I hope to make so plaine euen by the expresse testimonies of the holy fathers wherein the papists vse to glory beyond al mesure as no papist in y t the christian world shal euer be able to answer me therein S Austen hath these expresse words Sacrificium ergo visibile inuisibilis sacrificij sacramentum i sacrum signum est Therfore the visible sacrifice is the sacrament of the inuisible sacrifice that is an holy signe And a little after hee addeth these words Illud quod ab hominibus appellatur sacrificium signum est veri sacrificij that which men cal a sacrifice is the signe of y e true sacrifice In another place he hath these words with many other to the like effect Cuius rei sacramentum quotidianum esse voluit ecclesiae sacrificium Wherof he would haue the sacrifice of the church to be a daily sacrament In another place he hath these words huius sacrificij caro et sanguis ante aduentuÌ„ Christi per victimas similitudinuÌ„ prrmittebatur in passione Christi per ipsam veritatem reddebatur post ascensum Christi per sacramentum memoriae celebratur Before the comming of Christ the flesh and bloud of this sacrifice was promised by the sacrifices of similitudes in the passion of Christ it was restored by the verity after the ascension of Christ it is celebrated by the sacrament of memorie In all these places S. Austen saith expressely that though the Eucharist be called a sacrifice yet is it not a sacrifice properly and indeede but onely a sacrament signe and representation of Christs sacrifice vpon the crosse For first he saith it is a signe of the true sacrifice as if he hadde said it is not the true sacrifice but a representation therof Secondly he saith it is a daily sacrament of the true sacrifice as if he had said it is not y e thing but a signe of the thing Thirdly he saith it is the sacrament of memory as if hee had saide it is but a commemoration of the true sacrifice indeede Fourthly he saith that that which men call a sacrifice is nothing els but a signe of the true sacrifice as if he had said though many vse to tearme the Eucharist a sacrifice yet is it but the signe of the true sacrifice indeede Greg. Nazianz. who was Hieromes schoolmaister for his singular knowledge in y e holy scriptures surnamed Theologus expresseth this matter very liuely in these brief pithy words Quo tandeÌ„ modo externuÌ„ illud sacrificiuÌ„ illud magnoruÌ„ mysteri oruÌ„ exeÌ„plar praefidenti animo ipsi offerrem How shuld I offer to him with a confident mind that externall sacrifice which is the example or signe of the great mystery Lo so soone as hee hath tearmed it a sacrifice by and by he interpreteth himselfe calleth it the signe and representation of the sacrifice as if hee had said we vse to tearme it by the name of sacrifice because it is the image signe sacrament and representation of the true and onely sacrifice S. Dionysius Areopagita S. Pauls disciple in his ecclesiastical Hierarchy which worke the Papists wil needs haue to be his hath these words Ad eorundem sacrificium quod signis continetur venit atque id quod à deo proditum sit facit The B. commeth to the sacrifice of those things which is contained in signes doth that which God hath appointed to be done Lo he calleth the eucharist a sacrifice as the other fathers do and yet for a plaine testimony of his right meaning he addeth that it only consisteth in signes As if he had said it is nothing else but a significatiue or commemoratiue sacrifice Saint Chrysostome hath these words Offerimus quidem sed ad recordationem facientes mortis eius Sequitur hoc autem quod facimus in commemorationem quidem fit eius quod factum est Hoc enim facite inquit in meam commemorationem NoÌ„ aliud sacrificiuÌ„ sicut pontifex sed idipsum semper facimus magis autem recordationem sacrificij operamur Wee offer I grant but we do it for the remembrance of Christs death And that which wee doe we doe it for the commemoration of that which is already done For hee saieth Doe yee this in the remembrance of me There is not another sacrifice as there is an other Bishop but we doe alwaies the same thing yea rather we worke the remembrance of the sacrifice Out of these wordes I note first that the Eucharist or christian masse if any list so to call it is nothing else but a commemoration of Christes death vppon the crosse I note secondly and it is a point of importance that the sacrifice is euer the same thogh the priest or bishoppe bee changed I note thirdly that where the priest is changed there can not bee that reall sacrifice which was offered vppon the crosse the reason is euident because wheresoeuer that sacrifice is there the priest is not chaunged but is one and the same euen with the sacrifice it selfe S. Basil hath these expresse wordes Fac nos idoneos vt tibi offeramus sacrificium laudis tu es enim operans omnia in omnibus Make vs meete to offer to thee the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiuing thou that workest all in all To these and the like testimonies the Papistes can not possibly frame any true answer The reply True it
his vertue as he is spiritually present How can he tel vs more plainely that Christs body is spiritually in the Eucharist but not corporally It is not possible for any man to yeelde a more sensible declaration which if the gentle reader wil obserue attentiuely it will minister to him a great light for the perfect vnderstanding of the whole mysterie My second proofe is grounded in the figures of the old testament for first circumcision was called Gods couenant and yet was it not the couenant indeede but a signe and signification thereof For it is common to all sacraments to haue the name of the thing that they signifie That it was called the couenant it is cleere in these wordes This is my couenant which yee shall keepe betweene me and you and thy seede after thee Let euerie man child among you bee circumcised And neuerthelesse that it was not the couenant but the signe of the couenant it is euident by these words Ye shal circumcise the foreskinne of your flesh and it shal be a signe of the couenant betweene mee and you The couenant indeede was this To be Abrahams God and the God of his seede after him so saith the text Secondly the Lambe was called the Lords passeouer and yet was it not the passeouer indeede but the signe and representation thereof That it was called the passeouer it is cleare by these words of Moses For it is the Lords passeouer And also by these words of the Euangelist Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eate the passeouer that is the Lambe which was the signe of the passeouer Againe in these wordes I wil keep y e passeouer at thine house Again in these words And they made readie the passeouer In all which places the scripture speaketh onely of the signe that is of the lambe and giueth it the name of the thing that is of the passing ouer Now that it was not the passeouer indeede but the signe or figure thereof it is euident by these words of holy Writ And the bloud shal bee a token for you vpon the houses where yee are so when I see the blood I will passe ouer you and the plague shal not be vppon you to destruction when I smite the land of Egypt Lo the lambe was but a token and signe of y e angels passing ouer them And this lambe was a figure of our passeouer Iesus Christ as he was really sacrificed vpon the crosse so saith the holy apostle For Christ our passeouer is sacrificed for vs. This S. Iohn confirmed when hee willed the Pharisees to behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world And in the Reuelation this lambe is saide to be slaine from the beginning of the world Since therefore the scripture telleth vs so plainly that the paschall Lamb was the type and figure of the true Messias who was sacrificed to his father for the sins of the world it shall not bee vnprofitable to the Reader to consider the allegorie of the rites which God appointed to be obserued therein The Type Exod. 12 Â The thing signified 1 The lambe was a memoriall of the deliuerance out of Egypt That is to say 1 Christ deliuered vs from hell sin death and satan Gal. 3.13 2 The lambe was a sacrifice distinguishing the Israelites from other nations 2 Christ is the eternall sacrifice who being eaten spiritually by faith distinguâ—sheth gods faith full people from infidels Ioh. 6.56 3 The lambe was a true lambe of the flocke 3 Christ was a true man borne of the blessed virgin Ioh. 1.14 4 The lambe was truely slaine 4 Christ was truely crucified 1. Corinth 5.7 Iohn 19.30 5 The lambe was not boyled in water but rosted drie 5 Christs body was inclosed in a new tombe that had no water in it Matth. 27.60 6 The lambe was killed at euen 6 Christ was killed in the ende of the world Hebr. 1.2 7 The Angell beholding the doores sprinckled with the lambes bloud passed ouer the Israelites 7 God beholding our soules sprinckeled with the bloud of Christ doeth not impute our sinnes to vs Rom. 3.34 8 The lambs bloud saued the Israelites from common death 8 The bloud of Christ deliuered vs from eternal death He. 2.9 9 All the Israelites did eate of the lambe 9 All the faithfull shall eate of Christ spiritually Iohn 6. 10 Euery part of the lambe was eaten 10 Euery mysterie of Christes incarnation must be beleeued 2. Timoth. 3. 11 The lambe was eaten without leauen 11 Christ is eaten by faith with out hypocrisie 1. Corint 5.8 12 The lambe was eaten wyth sowre hearbes 12 We must eate Christ in bearing his crosse Matth. 10.38 13 The lambe was appointed to be eaten with speede 13 Wee must embrace Christes Gospell with all expedition Matth. 6.33 14 The lambe was eaten of the circumcised onely 14 Christ is onely eaten by faith of the regenerat 1. Cor. 11.29 15 The lambe was without blemish 15 Christ was free from sinne 1. Pet. 2.22 THis passeouer of the olde law with other sacrifices and figures which were but shadows of y e Messias to come are al wholy abolished by Christs sacred aduent For Christ now readie to die and to offer vp himselfe as the true passeouer and veritie of all figures made an end of the olde passeouer with a solemne banket and instituting the Eucharist in stead therof commanded the faithfull to obserue the same for a memorie of his death and passion vntil his second aduent which shall be in maiestie and glorie My third proofe is grounded in the phrases of the new testament For Christ himselfe saide that he would not henceforth drinke of the fruit of the vine vntill he rose againe S. Paul in like manner calleth it bread verie often euen after the consecration But if it had beene Christs natural bloud and his naturall body neither would he haue called it the fruit of the vine nor Saint Paul haue tearmed it bread Which Saint Paule maketh plaine in another place where hee hath these words The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ for we that are many are one bread and one body because we all are partakers of one bread Out of which words I note first that Saint Paule tearmeth it bread after the consecration or Christs blessing or after the wordes of Christes institution which is all one in a right and godly sense I note secondly that he calleth it not Christs body but the participation of his body I note thirdly that the bread he speaketh of is broken I note fourthly that wee are all one bread and one body which annotations beeing ioyned together I inferre first that the bread is Christs body spiritually and by faith but not corporally as the papists say For Christs naturall body cannot be broken as their own learned Canus granteth and as verie
and then vttered the wordes of drinking the fruit of the vine For the papists would gladly haue Saint Luke to tell the storie out of order and that Christ spoke these wordes before the deliuerie of the sacrament that is before the consecration of the cuppe which Saint Crysostome and other fathers doe denie Saint Cyprian hath these words Dico vobis non bibam amodò ex ista creatura vitis vsque in diem illum quo vobiscum bibam nouum vinum in regno patris mei Qua in parte inuenimus calicem mixtum fuisse quem Dominus obtulit vinum fuisse quod sanguinem suum dixit I say to you I will not drinke henceforth of this creature of the vine vntill that day in which I wil drinke new wine with you in the kingdome of my father Wherein we find that the cup was mingled with our Lord offered and that it was wine which he called his body Out of these words I note first that Saint Luke spoke of the consecrate cup when hee tearmed it the fruit of the vine as is proued already out of Saint Clement and S. Chrysostome I note secondly that the consecrate cup contained naturall wine and not Christs corporall bloud indeed This testimonie doth conuince and so effectually confuteth transubstantiation and the popish reall presence as if S. Cyprian were this day liuing and knew the blasphemous doctrine of the papists yet coulde hee not decide more plainely the controuersie betweene them and vs. Yea this testimonie of saint Cyprian may bee a generall rule for vs as well to expounde himselfe in other places as also the rest of the holy fathers For when they tearme the holy communion or Eucharist Christs bodie and blood the bloud that issued out of his side the body that was nayled on the crosse the flesh that was borne of the virgin the price of our redemption all this is truely saide in their godly meaning that is to say all this is truely verified sacramentally mystically spiritually but not corporally as the Papistes teach For all the Fathers admitte this doctrine of Saint Cyprian that euen after consecration remayneth still the true nature of bread and wine Sixtly Tertullian being consonant to the other fathers hath these wordes Acceptum panem distributum discipulis corpus suum illum fecit hoc est corpus meum dicendo id est figura corporis mei Figura autem non fuisset nisi veritatis esset corpus Caeterum vacua res quod est phantasma figuram capere non potest Hee made that bread which hee tooke and gaue to his disciples to bee his bodie saying this is my body that is to say the figure of my bodie and there shoulde not haue beene a figure vnlesse there had been a true body indeed for a vain thing which is but a falâ—â— imagination cannot receiue a figure Out of these wordes I note first that y â— which Christ gaue to his disciples was bread I note secondly that it was the figure of his body I note thirdly that to be Christes body as Christ himselfe and the fathers speake is nothing els but to be the figure or signe of his body For so doth this learned father declare the very phrase I note fourthly that the thing figured is much different from the figure and consequently that Christes body cannot be the figure of it selfe Seuenthly S. Theodoret hath these words Neque enim signa mystica post sanctificationeÌ„ recedunt à sua natura Manent enim in priore substantia figura forma videri tangi possunt sicut prius The mysticall signes after the sanctification depart not froÌ„ their nature but they abide in their former substance and figure and forme and may be seen and touched euen as before Out of these most golden wordes of this auncient and learned father I note first that hee writeth against certaine heretickes who held that Christes body was chaunged into his deitie after his ascension And they prooued it because as the bread and wine after consecration were changed into the body and bloud of Christ euen so was his body changed into his deitie after his ascension This note is plainly set downe in the wordes aforegoing I note secondly that S. Theodoret confuteth the heretickes euen by their own reason For the mysticall signes saith hee remaine still in their former substance and nature euen after the sanctification therof As if he had said ye lay not a good foundation your supposall is false ye take that as graunted which is flatly denied For although the creatures of bread and wine be sanctified by Gods word and accidentally changed into the mysticall signes of his body and bloud yet doe they still retaine their former nature and substance yet doe they still remaine truely bread and truely wine I note thirdly that though the bread and wine haue gotten by sanctification a new diuine qualitie yet haue they lost nothing that they had before for they haue the same nature the same substance the same figure the same forme they may be seene tasted and touched euen as they might before All the papistes in Europe cannot answere this reason For Theodoret prooueth against the heretickes that as bread and wine are as truly bread and truely wine after consecration as they were before consecration euen so is Christes body as truely a body now after his ascension as it was afore heere on earth So as the papistes cannot now say that the bread and wine haue lost their true natures in y e eucharist vnlesse they wil also say y t Christ hath lost y e nature of a true body now in heaueÌ„ Eightly S. Austen a worthy pillar of Christes Church as the papistes themselues doe graunt hath these wordes Nisi manducaueritis inquit carnem filij hominis sanguinem biberitis non habebitis vitam in vobis Facinus vel flagitium videtur iubere Figura est ergo praecipiens passioni domini esse communicandum suauiter atque vtiliter recondendum in memoria quod pro nobis caro eius crucifixa vulnerata sit Vnlesse saith Christ ye shall eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye shall haue no life in you Hee seemeth by these wordes to commaund to doe an heinous offence It is therefore a figure commanding vs to be partakers of Christes passion and sweetly and profitably to lay vp in our mindes that his flesh was crucified and wounded for our sakes In another place hee hath these words Cum videritis filium hominis ascendentem vbi erat prius certe vel tunc videbitis quia non eo modo quo putatis erogat corpus suum certe vel tunc intelligetis quia gratia eius non consumitur morsibus When yee shall see the sonne of man ascending thither where hee was before then doubtlesse shall ye see that hee giueth not his body in such sorte as ye imagine then
and not of the pastors as you papists doe these are his expresse words quippe veritas ecclesiae columna firmamentum est for the veritie of the church is both the piller and the firmament And Anselmus holdeth flatly the opinion of Saint Austen expounding the words of Saint Paul so plainly of the elect as no papist is able to auoide the same vnlesse they will reiect Anselmus because they cannot answere him and yet they cannot so do without blushing because they haue hitherto reputed him for their owne these therefore are his expresse words Domus in qua Deus habitat ecclesia est ex multis collecta fidelibus qui variis modis sunt docendi ipsa eius ecclesia est in perfectis columna id est sublimis recta inconcussibilis sustentans iuniores atque sustollens in eisdem perfectis est ipsa firmamentum veritatis quia verbis exemplis firmat in cordibus infirmorum veritatem fidei mandatorum Dei. The house in which God dwelleth is the whole congregation of the faithfull who are to be taught diuersly and the same church is in the perfect a piller that is sublime straight inconcussible supporting and lifting vp the yonger sort and in the same perfect it is the firmament of truth because both by words and examples it confirmeth in the hearts of the weake the veritie of faith and Gods commandements Out of these words I gather first that the house of God whereof the Apostle writeth to Timothy is not the rable of Popes and popish prelates but the congregation of the faithfull I gather secondly that it is meant as well of the laytie as of the clergy and my reason is founded in these words of Anselmus who are to be taught for the pastors ex officio must teach the flocke and not bee taught of the flocke I gather thirdly that it is meant specially of the elect my ground is this because Anselmus saith it is a piller in the perfect For if there be anie perfection it is doubtlesse in the elect and none else The Popes owne Doctours Panormitanus and Syluester doe tell vs in plaine and manifest tearmes that it is the whole congregation of the faithfull that cannot erre these are Syluesters words Et sic intellige glossam dicentem quòd ecclesia quae errare non potest dicitur non papa sed congregatio fidelium quae scilicet tenet fidem quam Petrus cum aliis populis docuit And thus must the glosse be vnderstood which saith that the church which cannot erre is not the pope but the congregation of the faithfull that is such as hold firmely that doctrine which Saint Peter with other godly people taught Panormitan writeth thus Ecclesia vniuersitatis errare non potest scilicet in fide vel articulis fidei pro hac tantum Christus in Euangelio orauit ad patrem in aliis autem non solum ecclesia particularis verum etiam vniuersalis id est collectiâ— fidelium seu concilium generale errare potest The church vniuersall cannot erre that is to say in the faith or in the articles of our beliefe and for this church onely was Christs praier when he prayed to his father in the gospel yet in other things not onely the particular church but the vniuersal likewise may erre that is to say the collection of the faithfull or a generall councell Yea the Popes own decrees affirme so much to wit that the church is catholicorum collectio the congregation of the faithfull catholickes And the popes own deare glosse vppon his own decrees doth most liuely describe that church which cannot erre to be the congregation of the faithful thus is it there written in expresse tearmes Quaero de qua ecclesia intelligas quod hic dicitur quod non possit errare si de ipso papa certum est quod papa errare potest respondeo ipsa congregatio fidelium hic dicitur ecclesia talis ecclesia non potest non esse I aske thee O Pope Luci of what church thou vnderstandest that which thou tellest vs in this place to wit that the church cannot erre For if thou vnderstandest it of the Pope himselfe it is verie certaine that the Pope may erre I answere therefore that the church is heere taken for the congregation of the faithfull and such a church can neuer erre indeede Out of these words of Pope Lucius I note first that when the Pope affirmeth that the church cannot erre then his own deere and faithful interpreter answereth roundly that that priuiledge is not granted to the Pope but to the whole congregation of the faithfull I note secondly that the saide glosse proueth by sundrie chapters of the Popes owne cannon-law that the Pope both may erre and hath alreadie erred de facto I note thirdly that that church in which the truth alwaies abideth is the multitude of the faithfull I therefore conclude with S. Paul S. Augustine Saint Chrysostome Anselmus Syluester Panormitanus the Popes owne canon-law and popish interpreters vpon the same that the congregation of the faithfull is the piller and ground of truth and that church which cannot erre The seauenth replie Christ promiseth to bee with his disciples vntill the worlds end but the Apostles departed hence long sithence therfore as the fathers truely gather he meaneth of being with the catholike byshops the true successours of the Apostles The answere I say first that your popish Bishoppes of late yeares are neither catholike bishops nor successours of the Apostles as I haue alreadie proued I say secondly that Christ promiseth his spirituall and inuisible presence not onely to the Apostles for their time but also to the congregation of the faithful til the worlds ende and I proue it by the testimonie of the holy fathers Saint Chrysostome and Saint Augustine Saint Chrysostome hath these expresse words Nam cum dicit ecce ego vobiscum sum omnibus diebus vsque ad consummationem seculi noÌ„ ad eos tantummodo loquitur sed per eos ad vniuersum prorsus orbem For when he saith behold I am with you alwaies vntil the ende of the world hee speaketh not onely to them but to all doubtlesse that are in the whole worldâ— which assertion he hath in many other places of his works Saint Augustine hath words so important for this end and scope as more shall not neede to be alleaged Thus doth hee write in flat tearmes Non itaque fiâ— dictum est apostolis eritis mihi testes in Hierusalem in tota Iudaea Samaria vsque in extremum terrae tanquam ipsi foli quibus tunc loquebatur tantum munus fuerint impleturi sed sicut eis solis videtur dixisse quod dixit ecce ego vobiscum sum vsque in consummationem seculi quod tamen eum vniuersa ecclesiae promisisse quae aliis mortentibus aliis nasâ—eâ—tibus hic vsque in
reason teacheth I inferre secondly that we are no otherwise partakers of Christs bodie then we are all one bodie and one bread And yet is it certaine yea no Papist can denie it that we are but one bodye and one bread mystically and sacramentally Ergo wee are no otherwise partakers of Christes bodie then mystically and sacramentally that is to say while we eate the sacrament of Christes body wee are vnited spiritually to Christ by faith and mystically one to another My fourth proofe is grounded in the vniforme consent of the ancient doctours of the church For first S. Clemens Alexandrinus hath these words Nam ipse quoque homo vinum benedixit cum dixit accipite bibite hoc est sanguis meus sanguis vitis verbum quod pro multis effunditur in remissionem peccatorum sanctum laetitiae fluentum allegorice significat Sequitur quod autem vinum esset quod benedictum est ostendit rursus dicens discipulis non bibam ex fructu vitis huius donec bibero ipsum vobiscum in regno patris mei For our Lord being also man blessed wine when he saide Take drinke this is my blood the blood of the vine the word which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes doth signifie allegorically the holie riuer of gladnesse And that it was wine which is blessed he sheweth againe when he saith thus to his disciples I wil not drinke of the fruit of this vine vntil I drinke it with you in the kingdome of my father Out of these words of this holy and ancient father who liued aboue one thousand three hundred and eightie yeeres ago I note first that that which Christ called his bloud at his supper was naturally wine though his bloud sacramentally for it was sanguis vitis such bloud as the vine doth affoord I note secondly that these words which is shed for many are allegoricall that is they sound one thing in bare wordes and signifie another thing indeede as if hee had saide The wine or liquor in the cup is not shed indeede for many but is a sacrament or figure of Christs naturall bloud which is indeede shed for our sinnes I note thirdly that these words of Christ I wil not drinke of the fruite of the vine were spoken after the consecration of the wine and are to be vnderstoode litterally and consequently that that which the Apostles dranke was naturall wine not naturall bloud Although I admit willingly that it was bloud in a sacrament and mysterie or to vse S. Clements phrase allegorically which I wish the reader euer to obserue as a generall rule Secondly S. Hilarie writeth thus Nos verè sub mysterio carnem corporis sui sumimus per hoc vnuÌ„ erimus quia pater in eo est ille in nobis We truely receiue the flesh of Christs body in a mysterie and by it we shall be one because the Father is in him and he in vs. Out of these words I note first that to receiue Christs body in a sacrament or mysterie is to receiue it truely which I wish the reader to obserue carefully for we do not terme the holy Eucharist or Lords Supper bare bakers bread as the Papists slaunder vs but we affirme it to be sanctified bread to be sacramentall bread to be diuine bread yea to be Christs true body in deede but sacramentally but spiritually but mystically as S. Hilarie truely sayth And this answere will solue a thousand captious cauilles which the Papists vse to make I note secondly that such as is our vnion by eating this bread such is the eating thereof And consequently since euery child knoweth that we are but mystically vnited as we are the mysticall members of one body it followeth that we do but mystically eate Christs bodie And S. Hilaries reason maketh it plaine when hee addeth because the father is in him and he in vs for neither doth the father dwell in him corporally who is corpslesse neither corporally in vs. Thirdly S. Irenaeus hath these words Qui est è terra panis percipiâ—ns vocationem Dei iam non communis panis est sed eucharistia ex duabus rebus constans terrena coelesti The bread which is of the earth after it hath receiued gods blessing is no longer common bread but the eucharist And it consisteth of two things the one earthly the other heauenly Out of which words I note first that our communion bread is still bread after consecration though it be not common bread but sacramentall and heauenly bread for otherwise he would haue saide it is not bread but the eucharist He would I say haue reiected the name of bread and not haue kept it still I note secondly that Christ is not present corporally in the Eucharist because his naturall bodie is but one thing which yet should be the whole eucharist if it were present as the Papists grossely dreame Besides this his bodie hencefoorth is not terrestriall but celestiall glorious immortall spirituall yet withall it still reteineth all essentiall properties of a true body euen as our bodies shall do after the resurrection It is still circumscriptible sensible visible tangible quantitatiue dimensiue locall none of which can possibly be found in popish carnall reall presence Fourthly Saint Chrysostome hath these words Nam quando dicunt vnde patet immolatum Christum fuisse alia multa mysteria haec afferentes ora ipsorum consuimus Si enim mortuus Iesus non est cuius symbolum ac signum hoc sacrificium est Infra ita per sacratissimam istam mensam saluat docet hoc enim caput bonorum omnium est quare hoc Paulus voluit ac repetit sed tradito iam mysterio non bibam ait de hoc genimine vitis vsque in illam diem cum illud bibam nouum vobiscum in regno patris mei Sequitur ex genimine autem ait vitis quae certe vinum non aquam producit For when they say how do we know that Christ suffered and many other mysteries wee bringing these things â—owe vp their mouthes For if Iesus were not dead of whome is this sacrifice a marke and signe So hee both saueth and teacheth by this most sacred table for this is the head of al good things wherefore Saint Paul meant this and hee repeateth it But after hee had deliuered the mysterie I will not drinke saith hee of this fruite of the vine vntill that day when I shall drinke it newe with you in the kingdome of my father And hee saith of the fruit of the vine which doubtlesse bringeth forth wine and not water Out of these words I note first that the Eucharist is but a symbole signe or figure of Christs body I note secondly that that which Christ gaue to his disciples and which he called his bloud was true wine the naturall fruit of the vine I note thirdly that Christ first had deliuered the mysterie