little water sithe that he hath the chief and principall that is to saie a true iustifiyng faithe else the water shoulde haue more vertue and efficacie then the blood of oure Sauiour Iesu Christ or at least as muche and the Priest that should minister the outwarde baptisme should be of as much power as Iesus Christe hym selfe For as the water and the Minister can doe nothyng without the spirite and blood of our Sauiour Christe so it should followe that Iesus Christe his spirite and blood shoulde be able to doe nothyng without the water and minister And so by this meane our sauiour Christ and his spirite should be as subiect vnto the Minister water as the water the Minister should be subiect vnto Christ and his holy spirite and so consequently his grace mercie shoulde be alligated and bounde vnto corruptible elimentes and made subiect vnto men Wherby it should come to passe that Iesus Christ shoulde be no more true God nor yet true Sauiour Here may be a question demaunded of those elimentaries and children damners whether we are saued by water or by Christe or els by both if thei saie by both as so they holde opinion then it foloweth that the water died for our synnes and so muste wee saie that the water hath life and yet beyng our seruaunt and created for vs is our Sauiour we woulde then iudge easely that suche doctrine came not of God sith that it doeth so euidently repugne vnto his grace and vnto the iustification of faith ouerthrowing altogether the whole misterie of our redemption purchased vnto vs by our Sauiour Iesu Christe And bicause it shall not be thought that I doe take and expounde the Scriptures at myne owne pleasure and as I liste Ye shall heare the meanyng not only of the auncient writers but also of the schole doctours and namely of the maister of the Sentences who doth proue by good reasons and also by the aucthorities of the fathers of the auncieÌ„t catholike church that some are iustified and saued without baptisme among whom Sainct Augustine doeth comprehende al those that be dead and haue suffered martyrdome for the confession of Iesu Christ. Likewise the aucthoritie of sainct Cyprian is set forth by the maister of the Sentences wherby he doeth testifie and proue that saith repentaunce and the conuersion or tourning of the harte are in steede of baptisme vnto them that had neither tyme nor place for to receiue it callyng it the baptisme of deuotion and for a better confirmation of this he doeth bryng the example of the theefe that hong by christ who as he saith was not nayled on the Crosse for the name of Iesu christ but for his owne merites and wicked doinges nor yet suffered bicause that he did beleeue but as he was suffring he did beléeue and came vnto the faithe It is then declared in the same theefe how faith is auaileable vnto saluation without the Sacrament of the visible baptisme as sainct Paule saith The belief of the harte iustifieth and to confesse or acknowledge with the mouth maketh a maÌ„ safe But this is fulfilled and performed inuisiblye when the necessitie doth exclude or keepe of the sacrament of baptisme and not the contempte of religion There may bee some baptisme without conuersion or turnyng of the hearte And conuersion or tournyng of the hearte can be in some without hauyng receiued baptisme But it can not be where baptisme is despised nor we ought in any wise to caâ— it conuersion or tournyng of the hearte vnto God when the Sacrament of God is despised This is the aucthority that Gratianus doth alledge vppon this matter in the boke of the decrees and also the maister of sentences beyng taken out of Cyprian wherunto is added the saiyng of S. Ambrose who speakyng of the death of Valenâ—â—tianus the Emperour without baptisme did saie I haue loâ—â—e hym whom I should haue regenerated or begotten a newe but he hath not loste the grace which he did require Likewise Chanesius who hath written of the Sacramentes in verses being of the same opinion doth bryng a Iewe for an example who beyng conuerted vnto our sauiour Iesu Christ doth with all haste runne vnto the Church for to be baptized and yet for lacke of water and of a Prieste doth die without Baptisme He doeth conclude that neuerthelesse he shal be saued if he doe stedfastly beléeue in our Sauiour Christe Now if wee ought to haue such a confidence and truste of the saluation of those that beyng of age and of yeres could not be baptized howe muche more ought we to beléeue and trust that the litle infantes that die afore that they can come vnto baptisme are saued by the vertue of the Testament and of the blood of the onely begotten sonne of God which is shed for vs and for our seede to washe awaie all our synnes both originall and other For if they be of the elect and chosen of God it lieth in his power to baptize them in the mothers wombe by his holy spirite and to to sanctifie them as it is written of Iob of Ieremie of Iohn Baptiste and of Paul. And as for the saiyng of our sauiour Christ which they say is generall and doth excepte no man if they will vnderstande it of the sacramente of baptisme as many of the olde and late writers haue doen and goe to the rigour of the letter we may saie the like of that which he hath saide of his fleshe and of his blood in the sixt of Iohn speakyng on this maner verely verely I saie vnto you Except ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man and drynke his blood ye shall not haue life in you which is as muche as if he shoulde saie whosoeuer doth not eate my fleshe nor drinke my blood he shall not haue life euerlastyng This no man is able to denie It foloweth then that all litle children with all those that haue not receiued the sacrament oâ— the body and blood of christ are damned if it be true that Christe our Sauiour is really substauncially naturally fleshe blood and bones in the sacraâ—ent and we must eate his fleshe and drinke his bloud after the same maner and sorte that they doe teache vs Therefore it shall be as requisite necessarie and needefull that the sacrament of the boâ—â— and blood 〈◊〉 Christe bee ministred vnto the litle infantes and children 〈◊〉 the sacrament of baptisme And here 's it doth â—ome that euen in Chaâ—â—lemagnes time they did kepe the Sacrament for to giue it vnto the litle children when they were sicke thinking it to be a thing very necessarie And yet nowe a dayes euen at this present the Iacobites and Greekes as some do write do minister thâ— Sacrament vnder both kindes vnto yong babes that are suckyng on the mothers breast We doe reade in a maner the like of the Bohemians and of the
to him in our willes and vnited in our affections If we shoulde say thei againe minister the mysticall cup to the laye people we shoulde be fayne to keepe the sacramentall wine as well as the sacramentall bread But the wine can not be kept long but it waxeth eger so that it can not be drunken for egernesse Therefore the Churche of Rome hath thought good that the cup shoulde be cleane taken away from the laye people Who woulde not laugh at this balde reason of theirs do not your holy cakes in the pixe if thei be to long kept moulde also and finnie yea and runne full of maggottes and wormes too so that ye be fayne many tymes to burne that blessed body of the Lorde that ye your selues haue made and to burye the ashes in some blinde and darke corner Let the cautels of your Masse beare witnes of the thing How chaunceth it that your whorishe mother the Churche of antechriste did not for the same cause put the laye people from the sacramentall bread too Doeth not the one stande with as good a reason as the other For if ye can finde a remedie that the bread shall not waxe out of fashion by often chaunging of your holye cakes that is to say by often taking away of the olde and putting in of newe may not the same remedie be vsed in the wine Whereas they say the wine can not be kept or reserued for causes before expressed Herein they shewe them selues most miserable blasphemers From where and from whence haue they this aucthoritie to reserue and locke vp their consecrated bread as thei call it scriptures thei can shewe none and the learned are against them yea and some of their owne proctours and doctours Gabriell Biell a greate stickeler in your Transubstantiation saieth Non dedit discipulis vt ipsum honorificè conseruarent sed dedit in sui vsum dicens accipito manducate Christ gaue not the sacrament to his disciples that they should reuerently reserue it but he gaue it for their vse sayng take and eate Saincte Ciprian an olde auncient Father saieth Panis iste recipitur non includitur This bread is receaued and not shut vp Clemens likewise saieth Tanta in altario Holocâ—usta offèrantur quanta populo sufficere debeant quod â—i remanserint in crastinum non reseruentur Let there be so many Hostes or so muche bread offered at the aulter as maie bee sufficient for the people if any thyng remaine let it not be kepte vntil the mornyng Origene and Cirill saie also verie plainely Dominus panâ—m quem discipulis suis dabat non distulit nec iussit seruari in crastinum The bread that our Lorde gaue to his disciples he lengred it not nor â—ad it to be kepte vntill the mornyng Sainct Hierome shewyng the order of the Churche of Corinth saieth After the Communion was doen whatsoeuer portion of the Sacrifices remained they spent it there together in the Churche eatyng their common supper Hesichius sheweth the order in his tyme of that that was left of the sacrament and saieth that the remanentes of the Sacramente were burnt immediatly in the fire Nicephorus also saieth of the order in his tyme of that was lefte after the people had communicated together that the remanentes of the same in some places were geuen to the children that went to schole to be eaten by them presently in the Churche These testimonies are sufficient to disproue all that they haue or can alledge for their reseruation and if they woulde vse this order as thei haue declared they should neuer doubte of â—nowing moulding and sowring of the sacramentall bread and wine but yet a little more to reason with these fellowes of Rome aboute the sowryng of the wine for the which cause it can not be reserued saie they If it be the blood of christ how can it corrupte or chaunge or if it doeth corrupt and chaunge how can it be the blood of Christe Is not the blood of Christ vncorruptible and no more subiect to alteration Your owne reasons whatsoeuer ye can imagine and prate of your accidentes without substaunce or of your substaunce without accidentes doe quite ouerthrowe your false and erronious doctrine of Transubstantiation But that I should be somewhat shorter you haue no commaundement in all the scriptures to doe as you doe Is not this that ye doe in keepyng any parte of the Sacrament one of your beggerly traditions Doe ye not moste vngodly contemne despise and breake the holy commaundementes of the lorde that so ye maie maintaine vpholde your lousie inuentions The wisdome of the father our sauiour Iesu Christ doth saie drinke ye all of this diuide this among you whiche thyng the holy apostles whom we ought most chiefly to folowe next vnto Christe did performe immediatly For they dranke all of it But this wholsome commaundement of our Sauiour is cleane put downe that your wise traditions maie stande and take place When we do reproue your false shamefull and detestable abuses wherwith ye haue filled the Churche of Christ ye crie out still againste vs The Fathers The Fathers and nothyng haue ye in your mouthes but the Fathers Heare then what Sainct Ciprian who is one of the moste auncient writers of the true Churche doeth saie if in the sacrifice whiche is Christe saieth he Christe onely ought to be folowed truely we must heare and doe the same that Christe our Sauiour did and commaunded to be doen. For he saieth in his gospell if ye doe the thinges that I commaunde you I wil no more cal you seruauntes but frendes And that christ alone ought to be hearde the father doeth also testifie from heauen saiyng This is my welbeloued sonne in whom I am pleased heare hym If Christe onely must be hearde we ought not to care what any man hath thought good to be doen afore vs but what Christe first who is before all hath doen. For we ought not to folowe mans custome but the trueth of god Sith that the Lorde doeth crie out by Esay saiyng They worship mée in vaine teachyng the doctrines and commaundementes of men And he saieth a litle after whosoeuer breaketh one of the least of these commaundementes and teacheth men so to doe he shal be called the least in the kyngdome of heauen If it be not lawfull saieth he to breake the least of the lordes commaundementes How much lesse ought wee to breake or transgresse those greate and weightie commaundementes and that do so muche pertaine to the Sacrament of the Lordes death and of our redemption or to chaunge them into any other thyng than it hath been instituted or ordained of God Sainct Ambrose also hath a notable saiyng Nos noua omnia quâ— christus non docuit iure damnamus quia christus fidelibus via est Si igitur christus non docuit quod
all in Gods worde Therfore we may well conclude that it is an abhominable synne And therefore Sainct Augustine saieth full well Non est iusta oratio nisi per Christum Oratio autem que non fit per Christum non solùm non potest delere peccatum sed etià m ipsa fit in peccatum there is no iust or right praier but that that is made by Christ that praier that is not made vnto God by Christe not onely doeth not put awaie sinne but also is turned into sinne And no marueile for what greater blasphemie can there be in the world then to robbe the only begotten sonne of God of his glory and to geue it vnto dead creatures but as the glorie of Christe doth consist in this that he is our omnisufficient Sauiour for none other name vnder heauen is there geuen vnto men wherby thei must be saued so it doth consist in this that he is an omnisufficient and most perfect mediatour able to obteine at his fathers hande all maner of thynges that are necessarie for the saluation both of our bodies and soules They therfore that seeke any other mediatours besides hym doe robbe hym of his glory and so commit a most detestable sacriledge Is it then marueile that the more that they praie after this maner the more the wrath of God is kindeled against them Againe in what case must they néedes stande that seeke other wayes for to come vnto God vnto the seat of his mercie than he himselfe hath appoynted in his sacred worde But his heauenly and eternall wisedome saith vnto vs that he is the way the trueth and the life and that none commeth vnto the father but by him It can not be then but that they must be farre out of the way that seke to come vnto God by any other meane or way then by Christe and that in stéede of commyng vnto God they go the plaine dunstable high way vnto the deuyll and that most deseruingly sith that they will not go that plaine and sure way that God him selfe appointed vnto them saying This is the way walke in the same Why do they not sith that they wyll alwayes séeme to be such folowers of the auncient fathers of the primitiue church print in their mindes that golden saying of Saint Ambrose where he saith on this maner Christe is our mouth whereby we speake vnto the father our eye wherewith we sée the father our right hande whereby we offer our selues vnto the father without whose intercession neither we nor all the saintes haue ought to do with god Do they not learne by the wordes of this auncient writer and father of the Church that if we wyll speake vnto the father Christe must be our mouth If we wyll see the father he must be our eye Or if we wil offer our selues vnto the father he must be our right hande It is so farre of that he shoulde appoynt any of the saintes to be either our mouth our eye or our right hande that rather he doeth boldly affirme that except Christe doeth make intercession all the saintes haue nothing to do with god For why Saint Paul saieth That as there is but one God of all so there is but one mediatour betwixt God and man These be his wordes For there is one God and one mediatour betwixt God and man which is that man Christ Iesus who gaue himselfe a raunsome for all men Here we doe both sée and learne that as there is but one God so there is but one mediatour betwixt God and men which is our sauiour Iesus Christ the only begotten sonne of God who was made man for to set God and man at one and for to make attonement betwixt them For when we wyll ioyne two thinges together which do differ or be of contrary natures there must be some third thing that doth approche holde of the nature of them both or else there can be none attonement no agréement nor true coniunction betwixt them specially if the natures be repugnaunt and contrary one vnto another But what agréement can there be betwixt God and man looke what agréement there can be betwene consuming fire and thornes betweene light and darkenesse betweene righteousnesse and vnrighteousnesse betwéene blessyng and cursyng betweene death and life Paradise and Hell euen the same can be betwixt God and man if we doe consider man in his corrupted nature Therefore it was most necessarie that we should haue a mediatour for to make this agreement and coniunction which mediatour shoulde bee partaker of both the natures but yet without sinne and whiche should be both perfect God and perfect man for to make this coniunction and alliaunce betwixt God and man But there is no such sauyng onely our sauiour Iesus Christ. Therefore it doeth necessarily folow that none other can be our mediatour aduocate and intercessour but he alone Whiche thyng hath been sufficiently proued already by the wordes that haue been aleaged nowe out of Sainct Paule For they signifie asmuche as if he should haue saide after this maner As there is but one God whiche neuerthelesse is sufficient for all creatures as one only Sunne serueth for all the whole worlde so there is but one mediatour whiche is Iesus Christe who alone hath paide our raunsome and is meete for this office The same thyng doeth that blessed Euangelist sainct Iohn meane when he saieth that we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ which is righteous Upon whiche place S. Augustine writeth on this wise He beyng such a man did not saie ye haue an aduocate with the father but if any man doth synne we haue saieth he an aduocate with the father He said not ye haue mée for your aduocate But brethren we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christe the righteous and he is the satisfaction for our synnes Hoc qui tenuit haeresim non fecit hoc qui tenuit schisma non fecit He that holdeth this committed no heresie he that hath holden this hath committed no schisme These are Sainct Augustines wordes wherby we maie gather that it is neither heresie nor schisme to cleaue vnto Christe alone as vnto an omnisufficient mediatour aduocate and intercessour as our Popecatholikes doe make it nowe persecutyng them with fire and sworde that will haue none other mediatour nor intercessour but hym onely whom the Scriptures and worde of God doeth appointe The .xxvj. Chapiter ¶ Christe is both our mediatour of saluation and also of intercession NOW ye shall haue the trickes of the deuilles sophistrie We doe not denie saie they but that Christe is the onely mediatour betwixt God and man But howe ought this to be vnderstanded Christe is onely the mediatour of redemption saie they for it is he onely that hath redéemed vs and by his death and bloodshedding hath made attonement betwéene god and vs but the blessed virgin Marie and other sainctes in heauen are
middest of this peruerse and crooked generation whiche contenting themselues with the heauenly doctrine of the holy ghoste which is conteined in the canonicall bookes of the olde and newe Testament The .xxxv. Chapiter ¶ Christe is the heade of his Churche and not the Pope I DOE acknowledge none other head then our Sauiour Christ as it is written that God hath made him aboue al thinges the head of the congregation whiche is his body and the fulnesse of hym that filleth all in all thynges Wherby all the faithfull doe gather that he onely can be the head of the Churche whose body the Churche is But the Churche is the body of Christe onely therefore Christe onely can be the head of the Churche Againe in a nother place it is written And he is the head of the body of the congregation which is the beginnyng and firste begotten of the dead but who is the beginning and first begotten of the dead sauyng onely our sauiour Christe We may well say then that he onely is the head of the Church Moreouer sainct Paul saieth that as the husband is the head of the wife so Christe is the heade of the Churche beyng the sauiour of the body These wordes are plaine and do manifestly declare that he onely whiche is the sauiour of the bodie can be the head of the congregation and Church but it perteineth only to christ to be the sauiour of his body Therefore Christ onely can bee the head of the faithfull congregation and Church Moreouer who woulde not iudge that woman to be an aduoutresse that had twoo heades that is to saie twoo husbandes All men woulde counte that woman to be a moste filthy and stinkyng harlot Sainct Hierome therfore saieth these wordes Ego nullum primum nisi Christum sequens beatitudini tuae idest Cathedrae Petri communione consoâ—ior I followyng no firste nor chief man but onely Christe am ioyned as a fellowe in communion vnto the blessed that is to saie to Peters chaire Marke here S. Hierome saieth he knoweth no firste no chief heade no not the Pope hym self but onely christ Againe he saieth not I am bounde to thy commaundementes but I am ioyned as a fellowe in communion vnto the blessednesse Sainct Gregorie also saieth Quid tu Christo vniuersalis ecclesiae capiti in extremi iudicij responsurus es examine qui cuncta eius membra tibimet conaris vniuersalis appellationae supponere What aunswere wilte thou make vnto Christe the head of the vniuersall Churche when thou shalt be examined at the last iudgement that thus goest about by the name of vniuersall bishop to make all his members subiect vnto thee Sainct Chrisostome to pull downe the pride of suche as will exalte theim selues aboue their heade Christ saith whosoeuer desireth primacie in earth in heauen he shall finde confusion Neither shall he be accounted among the seruauntes of Christ that will once intreate of primacie What shall we saie then of that whorishe Churche that besides Christe the onely heade and husbande of the faithfull congregation dooeth acknowledge that Antichriste of Rome to bee her heade preferryng his lawes decrees statutes and durtie traditions before the wholesome doctrine of our Sauiour Christe As for the argumentes that the Popes dearlynges are wont to bryng in for to proue their fleshly Idoll to be the supreme heade of the Churche thei are so childishe that I marueile that thei be not ashamed to alledge them First for a foundation of their doctrine they bryng these wordes of Christe Thou arte Peter and vpon this rocke will I builde my churche And I wil giue to thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen Doeth not Christe promise here plainly saie thei that he will bothe builde his Churche vpon Peter and also giue hym the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen Againe be not these the woordes of Christe Thou art Symon the sonne of Ionas thou shalte be called Cephas Here maie we see that Christe did appoinct Peter whose successours all the holy Popes and Bishoppes of Rome are to bee the supreme heade of his congregation and Churche For what should be his meanyng els when he saith And thou shalt be called Cephas Did not he also say that he would builde his Church vpon him In déede I maie saie of you as Barnarde saieth Successores omnes cupiunt esse imitatores pauci Euery one couetteth to bee successours of the Apostles but fewe are followers of them ¶ The .xxxvj. Chapiter ¶ All the Apostles had equall power to bynde and to loose with Peter and the keyes were equally deliuered to them all BEcause no man shall thinke that this our doctrine is a newe founde doctrine as the enemies of all truthe are wont liyngly to call it I will bring certaine aucthorities of the faithfull Fathers of the auncient Catholike Churche whiche shall make this matter so plaine that any man excepte he will obstinately be blinde still shal be able to espie out all their knauerie First I will bryng Sainct Cyprian vpon these woordes And I will giue thee the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen who writeth after this maner In the persone of one man the Lorde did giue the keyes vnto all the Apostles for to signifie the vnitie of theim all For truely the other Apostles were euen the same that Peter was they were indued with like felowship of honour and power but he did beginne with vnitie that is to saie with one that thereby it might bee signified that there is but one Churche of Christe wee learne by this that the keyes were giuen to all the Apostles as well as vnto Peter Sainct Origene saieth Hoc dictum tibi dabo claues regni coelorum caeteris quoque commune est Et quae sequuntur velut ad PetruÌ„ dicta sunt omniae communia This saiyng to thee will I giue the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen is common to the reste of the Apostles and the woordes that followe as spoken vnto Peter are common vnto all Saincte Hierome also saieth Dices super Petrum fundatur ecclesia licet ad ipsum in alio loco super omnes Apostolos fiat cuncti clauis regni caelorum accipiant ex aequo super eos ecclesiae fortitudâ— solidetur Ye wil saie the Churche is founded vpon Peter Notwithstandyng in an other place the same thyng is doen vpon all the Apostles and all receiue the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen and the strength of the Churche is founded equally vpon them all Saincte Ambrose to the same purpose saieth Our Lorde saied vnto Peter Féede my sheepe Whiche shéepe and flocke not onely blessed Peter then receiued but he receiueth the same together with vs And all we haue receiued the same together with hym Saincte Augustine hath these woordes Cum Petro dicitur omnibus dicitur amas me Pasce oues meas These words of christ louest thou me Feede my sheepe when thei
iudgement euen as the vnfaithfull and reprobate can geue no iudgement of the worde of God nor yet alowe it Whereby we maie then conclude that the certitude veritie and infalliblenesse of Gods worde doeth not depende or hang vpon the opinion and iudgement of men but that it doth altogether depende of the holy spirite of God whiche by his owne force vertue and strength doth verifie it and constraineth the faithfull to alowe and receaue it as the bright and cleare beames of the Sunne doe compell the eyes to confesse that the Sunne is cleare and bright For the shéepe of our Sauiour christ doe both heare and vnderstande the voice of their shephearde and not the voice of a straunger And all the Prophetes haue prophecied and taught and the apostles also haue been verified and aucthorized by the vertue of hym that spake in theâ— so that all the whole worlde could not withstande it It is nowe easie to see that the true catholique Churche of God though she knoweth which is the true worde of god and which is not and that by the inspiration of the same holy spirite that they were inspired withall whiche did leaue vnto vs by writyng the holy and sacred Scriptures that be conteined in the olde and newe testament I meane the canonical bokes of them both for as Sainct Chrisostome saieth Ergò suam erga homines amicitiam innouare volens quasâ— longè absentibus literas mittit conciliaturus sibi vniuersam hominum naturam Therefore god mindyng to renewe his fauour towardes man sent his holie Scriptures as it were his letters thereby to reconcile to him selfe all mankynde â–ª Ireneus saieth Apostoli tunc euangelium praeconiauerunt Postea verò per dei voluntatem illud in scripturis nobis tradiderunt fundamentum columnam fidei nostrae futurum Then the Apostles preached the Gospell and afterwardes by Gods will thei deliuered the same to vs in writyng to be a foundation and a piller vnto our faith But here to speake of the Papistes obiections howe that the Churche was before the worde it shal be superfluous to waste paper and Inke in so fruictlesse a question For we say generally the worde was before the church for Moyses wrote the worde of God that he spake to Adam of the séede to come So saieth Sainct Paul God spake in olde tymes many waies and in sundrie sortes vnto the fathers And saint Chrisostome saieth God the creatour of mankynde from the beginnyng spake vnto men by hym selfe in his owne person We speake not so precisely and nicely of Gods worde written in Paper For so it is a creature corruptible and shall consume and perishe as other corruptible creatures doe But the worde of God whiche we speake of endureth for euer Saincte Hierome thereto agreyng saieth these wordes Quomodo aeternae erunt scripturae diuinae si mundus certo fine est terminandus Verum est quidem quod librorum pelliculae cum ipsis literis abolandae sunt Sod quià subiungit dominus verba mea verò noÌ„ praeteribunt proculdubio quod illiâ— apicibus pollicetur erit aeternuÌ„ That is to saie in englishe thus How shall the holy scriptures be euerlastyng seeyng the worlde shall haue an ende True it is that the Parchement or leaues of the bookes with the letters and all shal be abolished But forasmuche as our Lorde addeth my wordes shall neuer passe doubtlesse the thynges that are promised by the same letters shall laste for euer ¶ The .xxxviij. Chapiter ¶ The true Churche is knowen by the worde of God. SO that the woorde of GOD enduring for euer is it that the holy catholike and true Church is knowen by and euer hath been Therefore sainct Augustine saith Exore veritatis ecclesiam agnosâ—o participem veritatis By the mouthe of the truthe I knowe the churche that is partaker of the truth And againe he saieth I would the Churche should be shewed not by the decrees of men but by the heaueÌ„ly oracles or wordes of God Wée muste seeke the Churche in the woordes of Christ whiche is the truthe and beste knoweth his owne bodie The holie Scripture sheweth vs the Churche without doubtyng In the holie scriptures the Churche is plainly knowen We muste knowe the Churche by the holie Canonicall scriptures as we knowe the heade Sainct Chrisostome also saieth Nullo modo cognoscituÌ„r quae sit vera ecclesia nisi tantuÌ„modo per scripturas It is not any wayes knowen which is the true Churche of Christ but only by the scriptures S. Augustine saith Non audiamus haec dico haec dicis sed audiamus haec dicit dominus Ibi quaeramus ecclesiam ibi discutiamus causam nostram Let vs not heare these wordes this saie I this saiest thou But let vs heare these woordes thus saieth the Lorde There lette vs seeke the Churche there let vs discusse our cause I will not haue the holy Churche to bee shewed by mans iudgement but by Goddes woorde Saincte Ambrose also doeth saie these wordes Ecclesia fulget non suo sed Christi lumine The Churche shineth or is knowen not by her owne light but by the light of Christ which is by the worde of God. These testimonies of the godlie fathers of the Catholike Churche dooe flatly declare that the Churche is knowen onely by the worde of God and not by mans decrees nor statutes therefore the true Churche doeth not take vpon her to adde any thing vnto it or to take ought away from it she doth not presume to forge newe articles of our faithe and to sette forthe news lawes and decrees for Goddes holie woorde but she contenteth her self with the worde lawes and ordinaunces of her true husbande and heade Iesus Christe Therefore that whorishe churche of Rome whiche moste presumpteously forgeth daiely newe lawes and Articles of our faithe settyng forthe euen with fire and sworde the fonde doctrines and inuentions of men for the true and infallible woorde of the liuyng GOD mainteinyng openly that their Churche is aboue the woorde of GOD and that it is of more force and greater aucthoritie for these are their owne woordes set out in their owne bookes A doctrina Romanae ecclesia Romani pontificis sacra scriptura robur trahit authoritatem The holie scripture taketh strength and aucthoritie of the doctrine of the Romain Churche and of the Bishoppe of Rome Againe in the same booke he saieth I meane Siluester Prierias maister of the Popes palaice Indulgentiae authoritatae scripturae non innotuere nobis sed authoritate Romanae ecclesiae Romanoâ—umque pontificum quae maior est Pardones are not knowen to vs by the aucthoritie of the Scriptures but by the aucthoritie of the Romaine Churche and of the Bishoppes of Rome whiche is greater then the aucthoritie of the scriptures These I saie boldely can in nowise bee the true spouse of our sauiour Iesu Christe but the abhominable
with his grace that was not due founde all men synners beyng hymself onely frée from synne and a deliuerer of synners And againe in a nother place he hath these words Opera manuum mearum non commendo Timeo enim ne cum inspexeris plura inuenias peccata quà m merita Lorde I commende not the workes of my handes For I am afraide least when thou shalt beholde them thou shalt finde mo synnes then good deseruynges So saith sainct Hierome Si consideremus nostra merita desperandum est If we beholde our owne merites we must be driuen to desperation Origene also affirmeth the same saiyng Ego vix mihi persuadeo vllum opus esse posse quod ex debito remunerationem deposcat I doe scarcely beleue that there can be any woorke that maie of duetie require rewarde Againe hee saieth Quia omniae conclusae sunt sub peccata nunc non in meritis sed in misericordia dei salus humana consistit For as much as all men are shut vp and cloased vnder sinne now the saluation of man standeth not in mans merites but in Gods mercie Barnarde saieth Non est quo gratia intret vbi iam meritum occupauit That is There is no meanes for grace to enter where merite doth keepe place VValdensis one of the Popes owne Doctours saieth these wordes Quid dignum facimus vt participes caelestibus fieri inuencamur Apostâ—lo dicenâ—e existimo quod non sunt condignae passiones huius temporis ad futuram gloriam quae reuelabitur in nobis Reputo igitur saniorem Theologum fideliorem catholicam scripturis sanctis magis concordem qui â—alâ— meritum simpliciter abnegat That is to saie what worthy thing doe we that we may be faunde in the felowship of the heauenly spirites the Apostle saieth I iudge that the afflictions of this tyme are not worthy of that glorie that shal be reueiled in vs Therfore I take hym to be the souÌ„der deuine the faithfuller catholike and more agreable to the holy scriptures that vtterlie denieth all such kynde of merite These testimonies are plaine against all the meritmongers of Rome Louane Let vs take heede therefore of their daungerous and heriticall doctrine leaste while we go aboute to stablishe our owne righteousnesse beyng ignoraunt of the righteousnesse of God and haue not submitted our selues to the righteousnesse of god And thereby shall heape to our selues wrath in the daie of trouble For Christe saieth Saincte Paule is the ende of the Lawe for righteousnesse vnto euerie one that beléeueth The .xlj. Chapiter ¶ Faith onelie iustifieth vs before God. YET these Papistes and Iustiâ—iaries will saie stil that although we finde in holy scripture that faith iustifieth yet we fynde not quod soâ—â—fides iustificat that faith onely iustifieth so that this worde onely or alone hath been newly added by heretiques whoÌ„ they doe commonly call Solifidians These iooly felowes doe nothyng but seeke a knotte in a Rushe as the prouerbe is for although we haue not expressie this worde sola only or alone yet haue we many other wordes that are equiuolent or equiualent that is of the same importaunce and force For when the holy ghost saieth that we are iustified fréely by the grace of God through the redemption whiche is in Christe Iesu whom God hath set foorth to be a purchaser of mercie through faith in his blood doeth he not exclude al maner of workes deseruinges or merites from our iustification attributyng it onely vnto faith â–ª whereby we doe apprehende and take holde on the grace and mercie of God so surely fealed vp vnto vs with the blood of that immaculat lambe our Sauiour Iesu Christe in the selfe same Chapiter he saieth againe we conclude that a man is iustified by faithe without the workes of the lawe Who doeth not see that he doeth here also put awaie all maner of thinges from our iustification faith onely excepted But the Papistes in this pointe are like vnto the Arians which bicause those wordes â–ª â—omoâ—fias consubstantialis be not founde in the Scriptures will in no wise admitte nor alowe them although the thinges signified by them are moste infalliblie and certainely conteyned and set out in the booke of god And therfore the Apostle writyng to Titus saieth Not by the workes of righteousnes whiche we had doen but accordyng to his mercie he saued vs that wee beyng iustified by his grace should be made heires accordyng to the hope of eternall life Againe he saieth God hath saued vs and called vs with an holy callyng not accordyng to our workes but accordyng to his owne purpose grace which was geueÌ„ vnto vs through Iesus Christe afore the worlde was Truely whersoeuer this purpose of God is their woorkes merites and deseruinges can take no place in the iustification or saluatioÌ„ of man Whereby we may gather that by the frée mercie and goodnes of God apprehended and taken holde vpon by faith we are deliuered froÌ„ euerlastyng damnation and made felowe heyres with his sonne Iesus Christ our Sauiour whose righteousnes he doth impute vnto vs making vâ—heires of his eternal euerlasting kingdome of heauen All these things I say and beleue do we obtaine only by faith without any merites goyng before Let vs see nowe what the holy learned Fathers of the Churche so many hundred yeres ago haue taught vs thereof Saint Ambrose saieth Iustificati sunâ— gratis quia nihil operantes neque vicem reddentes sola fide iustificati sunt dono deâ— They are iustified freely bicause workyng nothyng nor making any recompence they are iustified through faith onely by the gifte of god Againe in the same place these be his wordes Sic decretum dicit à deo vt cessante lege solam fidem gratia dei posceret ad â—alutem This was Gods determination that the lawe beyng at an ende the grace of God shoulde require faith onely vnto saluation Againe Sola fides posita est ad salutem Onely faith is laide or appointed vnto saluation Theodoretus saieth Non vllis operibus nostris sed per solam fidem mystica bona consequuti sumuâ— â–ª Not by any workes of ours but by only faith we haue gotten the mistical good things S. Basile saith Haec est nostra integra perfecta gloriatio in deo quando propriae iustitiae nos inopes agnoscimus Sola autem fide in christum iustificati This is our ful perfect reioysing in God when we acknowledge that we are voyde of any our owne righteousnesse and are iustified by only faith in Christe Nazianzenus saieth Credere solum est iusticia Only beléeuyng is righteousnes Origene also saieth these wordes â–ª where nowe is thy boastyng it is shut out Paule saieth that the iustification of only faith is sufficient So that a man onely beleuyng may be iustified although he haue doen no good workes
third is when any man forgiueth his brother which offendeth hym as Christ saieth If you doe forgiue vnto men your father shall forgiue you yours And saincte Paule saieth Forgiue one and other if any man haue a quarel to an other euen as Christe forgaue you euen so dooe ye But as concernyng that forgiuenesse of synnes whiche is necessarie to our saluation doeth depende onely vppon the grace mercie and loue of God without any our merites or worthinesse And that our synnes are clearely taken awaie by Christes death and passion and that he will cast them into the bottome of the Sea or els remoue them as farre from hym as the Easte is from the Weste and the Northe parte of the worlde from the Southe part of the same We must beleeue this without any doubtyng or waueryng tremblyng or fearyng mostâ— constantly and assuredly ¶ The .xlij. Chapiter ¶ It is no presumption to bee sure and certaine of our Saluation HEre the Papistes raue and saie wee are presumteous so to affirme the certaintie of grace and saluation for saie they Paule biddeth and counsaileth vs with feare and tremblyng to worke our saluation I aunswere This feare riseth in consideration of our owne weakenesse and vnworthinesse not of any distruste or doubte of Goddes mercie But rather the lesse cause we finde to trust in our selues the more cause we haue to truste in God. Now concernyng the assuraunce or certaintie of our saluation the scriptures are full Sainct Paule saieth There is no dampnation to them that be in Christe Iesu the spirite of God beareth witnesse to our spirite that we are the children of God I knowe that neither death nor life nor Angelles nor powers nor principalities nor thynges present nor thynges to come nor height nor deapth nor any creature els shall be able to remoue me from that loue that God beareth towardes me in Christ Iesu our Lorde Iob also saieth Although he kill me yet will I put my truste in him Notwithstandyng I will reproue my waies before his sight Againe he shall bee my saluation Againe I am sure that my redeemer liueth and he shall stande the last on the earth whom I my selfe shal sée and my eyes shall beholde and see God in my fleshe Dauid also saith In thée O Lorde haue I trusted I will neuer be confounded Tertulian saith Vt câ—rtum esset nos esse filiâ—s dei misit spiritum suum in corda nostra clamantem Abba pater That we might bee certified that we be the children of God he hath sent the holy ghoste into our hartes criyng Abba father Saincte Cyprian hath these wordes Et tu dubitas fluctuas Hoc est deum omnino non nâ—sse Hoc est Christum credentium magistrum peccato incredulitatis offendere â–ª Hoc est in ecclesia constitutum fidem in domo fidei non habere And doest thou stagger and stande in doubte of thy Saluation that were as muche as not to knowe God That were as much as with the sinne of vnbeliefe to offend Christ the maister of beleuers That were as muche as beyng in the Churche in the house of faithe to haue no faith Prosper saith Securi diem iudicij expectant quibus in cruce domini gloriantibus muÌ„dus crucifixus est ipsi muâ—do Thei vnto whom the worlde is crucified and are crucified vnto the worlde waite for the daie of iudgemente without feare Saincte Augustine also saieth Praesume non de operatione tua sed de Christi gratia gratia enim saluati estis inquit Apostolus Non hic arrogantiae est sed fides Praedicare quod acceperis non est superbia sed deuotîo Presume thou not of thy owne workyng but of the grace of Christ for the Apostle saieth Ye are saued by grace Here therefore is not presumption but faithe To proclaime that thou hast receiued it is no pride it is deuotion Againe he saieth Non mea praesumtione sed ipsius promissione in iudicium non venio It is not of my presumption but of his promise that I shal not come into iudgemente Sainct Basile also saieth Paule boasteth and presumeth of the contempte of his owne righteousnesse Saincte Ambrose plainly saieth I will not glorie for that I am a iust man but for that I am redeemed therfore will I glorie Not for that I am voide of synne But for that my synnes bee forgiuen me I will not glorie for that I haue dooen good to any man nor for that any man hath dooen good vnto me but for that Christ is my aduocate with the father and for that Christes blood was shedde for me To ende sainct Barnarde saieth What safe reste or suretie can the weake soule finde but in the woundes of our sauiour As he is mightier to saue so dwel I there with safetie c. I haue committed a greate synne my conscience is troubled yet shall it not bee shaken downe because I will remember my Lordes woundes For he was wounded for our synnes This is our presumpteous doctrine that we teache agreyng to the scriptures and with the holie and auncient fathers of the catholike Churche But their whole Papisticall doctrine of truste in mens workes and merites leadeth directly to the goulfe of desperation and dampnation and therefore saincte Cyprian saied of them verie well and truely Asserunt noctem pro die interitum pro salute desperationem sub obtentu spei porfidiem sub praetextu fidei Antichristum sub vocabulo Christi That is thei teache vs night in steede of daie destruction in stéede of health desperation vnder the colour of hope Infidelitie vnder the pretence of faith Antichriste vnder the name of Christe The .xliij. Chapiter ¶ Of free will. AS touchyng frée will whiche is so much extolled of the Pelagian Papistes that wyll make vs to beleue that we are able to deserue and that we are of power and streÌ„gth as of our selues to fulfill kéepe the lawes of God to beleue and repent and so consequently to obtaine life and saluation I saie it is a most detestable heresie and robbyng of Christes power â–ª to whom all power is geuen and also abolishyng of his precious death merites and goodnes towardes vs and a robbing of God to geue to mans will that is onely the giftes of god As sainct Iames saith Euery good and pefecte gifte is from aboue and coÌ„meth downe from the father of light as it is manifest in all the whole Scriptures to be proued For if there were suche abilitie power and strength in vs and suche a libertie of wil as the papistes affirme Why doeth not all men beleue the ghospell call vpon God repent praie confesse their synnes doe good workes kéepe the lawe enter into life receiue Christ keepe them selues from euill thoughtes wordes workes synnes sickenesse troubles aduersities famine thirste pouertie and such like But the Scripture telleth vs another
leape dice carde sweare fight runne abrode in the night breakyng vp dores and windowes and burne mens houses one of his Cardinals he gelded he put out anothers eies whiche was his Godfather he cut of ones hande of a nother a tongue of others a finger a nose an eare in his dice plaiyng he woulde call vpon euil spirites and drinke to the deuil beyng thus Pope and an vnholy father nine yeres three monethes and fiue daies was striken of the deuill as they saie as he was a bed with a nother mans wife and so died within eight daies after most miserablie So of this fathers godly life came that prouerbe vp as merie as Pope Iohn VVhat was Pope Sergius â–ª not a man without al vertue and learnyng kept not he a whore in the tyme of his Popedome called Morozia and had by her a bastarde whiche was Pope long after hym called Pope Iohn the .11 This filthy tyraunt did many villanous actes VVhat was Pope Marcellinus not a greate Idolater what was Syluester the .2 not a greate coniurer and gaue hymselfe body and soule to the deuill and by the deuils procurement was made Pope was not Pope Liberius an Arrian heritique was not Pope Leo likewise an Arrian Pope Caelestinus was he not a Nestorian heretique was not Pope Honorius a Monothelite heretique Pope Iohn the .22 was not he reproued as an heretique at Paris concernyng the soule of man I praie you what was Pope Hyldebrande was he not an aduouterer a Churche robber a peâ—iured man a murtherer who poysoned sixe other Popes his predecessours to make hym selfe roome to the holy seate was he not a greate Sorcerer and a reneger of the faith was not Pope Vrbanus a tyrannous murtherer that tooke fiue of his Cardinals aliue and put them into Sackes and threwe them into the Sea I coulde speake of Pope Stephen of his handlyng of Formosus his predecessour in cuttyng of his fingers and heade and threwe his carkasse into Tyber and of many others of them but that I should occupie and consume muche ynke and paper about a sorte of filthie liuers therefore Pope Adrian the .4 was wont to say Succedimus noÌ„ Petro in pascendo sed Romulo in parricidio VVhat should I speake of their holy Cardinals are thei not Ruffians tosse pottes whore maisters and buggerers with yong boies like vnto the Sodomites al the world knoweth it VVhat should I saie of others their Priestes how shamefully thei liued in their holy orders were not a nomber of them theeues periurers murtherers buggerers with boyes Mares and Sowe pigges some of them haue been arained at the Barre for it in Excester and els where as the recordes can testifie some of them were no small chickens in the Popes Coube what saie you to those holie Fathers at the last councell of Trydent whiche were solemply gathered together as thei saide to reforme matters of religion and suppressyng of vice was not two of those holy fathers taken at that tyme in whordome the one was striken downe with a Club the other taken with the maner by the husbande and hanged by the necke out of a greate Lucane window in the streete VVhat shoulde I saie not long agone of one in VVinchester a great D. of the Papistes who would drinke nothing but water thrise a weeke who vnder the colour of virginity of wearing a shurte of heere and hanging his shrowde at his beddes feete and mortifiyng his body with straightnes of life kepte three whores at once in his Chamber to serue him and his fellowes at neede whiche whores were fetched out by certaine Iustices of peace This is as true as men vse to eate meate vpon a Boarde To conclude and leaue troublyng of your Lordeships chaste and Godly eares we will saie of their whole Cleargie as some of their owne doctours haue written Venalitate Curiae Romane inanitèr praeficiuntur Lenones Coqui Stabularij equorum pueri Through the briberie of the Courte of Rome Bawdes Cookes Hostlers Horsekepers and children are placed in offices to gouerne the Churche Thus I haue rather geuen an inkelyng hereof then opened the particuler secretes of the matter for as saint Barnarde saith Quâ— in occulâ—â— fiunt ab Episcopis turpe est vel dicere The third cause is for that of late one IhoÌ„ Blackeal borne in Excester did open penaunce at Powles Crosse And then and there before all the congregation openly for that I detected his horible vices and manifested theÌ„ to certaine of my friendes to the ende that he might be better reclaimed from his lewde and wanton life and so to satisfie the whole congregation with open repentaunce crauyng their praiers vnto god for him cried and breathyng out against me many foule and sclaunderous reportes to the greate griefe of the godly and ioye of the wicked Papistes But hereby easely appeareth the nature of the wicked malicious For when any coÌ„uersion is made through gods spirite by any sinner they will enuy and vse railyng words againste that conuert as the wicked Scribes and Pharisees did And will speake euill of them bicause saieth Peter they runne not with them vnto the same excesse of riote therefore speake thei euill of you If I had been altogether as wicked as he declared openly yet he and all other enuious men ought not to haue sorrowed but ioyed not to haue enuied â–ª but loued Gods good workyng in mee with the aungels of heauen This wicked man will not light a Candle to seeke a sinner but rather will bryng a fier brande to consume his brother with his flamyng wordes but as Dauid saieth whoâ— burning Coales shall consume that same tongue that will bee the portion for euer for all suche lyers and sclaunderers A sclaunderer is worse then a Rauen who eateth men beyng dead but a wicked slaunderer eateth men beyng a liue But let vs examine Reuerend Father howe this lewde man followeth the Counsell of Salomon that saieth Despise not a man that turneth hym selfe awaie from synne nor cast hym not in the teeth with all but remember that we are all worthy blame the like doctrine Paule teacheth Brethren if a man be fallen by occasâ—ion into any faulte ye which are spirituall restore suche one with the spirite of meekenesse considering thy selfe lest thou be tempted also The Lorde saith by his prophet that he will not remember nor make mention of the former life of a sinner after his conuersion But this enuious and sclaunderous man will haue in remembraunce thinges past and make mention of that was neuer doen spoken noâ— saide to the greate infamie of the Gospell bicause I am called although vnworthy to be a preacher thereof Vpon which reportes and manifest sclaunders spoken the Queenes maiesties commissioners immediatly sent for mee to come before them and vppon my apparaunce he then beyng in the Marshal see a prisoner founde suche subtill and craftie meanes
or Hell. That christes soule should not néede to goe downe thither to fetch them out And also declared that Christ vsed the like woordes vpon the Crosse by whiche is declared that his soule departyng from his bodie wente straight into heauen and not into hell the place of the dampned But that the efficacie vertue and power of his death and passion did pearce through and into the verie hell it self by his diuine power and Godheade that all the damned soules felt their full paine and iuste damnation for their infidelitie And Sathan hym self felt all the power and strength of his tyrannie and darkenesse was weakened vanquished and fallen to ruine and vtter decaie c. And that the soules of all them that died in the faithe of Christe beyng in heauen felte the fulnesse of their redemption how it was now fullie perfected and ended for them c. This beyng by me taught it was noysed abroade in the peoples eares and that by no meane men that I hadde denied an article of the Creede and that I was an open heretique and suche a one as was not worthie of life but cruell death When those reportes and false rumours came vnto mine eares I besought God to strengthen me in his faith and giue me pacience knowyng well that after the waie which they call heresie so worship I and teache the God of my fathers beleuyng all thynges whiche are written in the lawe and the Prophetes I also considered with my self what will this people saie and reporte when as thei shall happen to reade my booke wherein this article of Christes deseension into hell is handeled that thus beginne to condemne and iudge me before they haue knowen or heard the trueth opened vpon the occasion whereof I cleane altered my former preface to the reader that I had made before made this as an apologie or defence thereof against suche as will or shall carpe against it Wherefore I beseche thee frendly reader to lende me thy eares to heare me thy eyes to see me thy tongue to reade me thy mynde and harte to iudge me with an vpright iudgemente accordyng to the truthe of Goddes woorde whiche as Dauid saith is a Lanterne vnto our féete and a light vnto our pathes that is it that giueth wisedome vnto the simple it is that that giueth lighte vnto the eyes by it the seruaunte of God is made circumspecte our Sauiour Christe willeth vs to searche the scriptures for those are thei that beare witnesse of hym For the mynde muste bee taught and instructed of the will of God by the woorde like as the eyes are taughte and instructed by outwarde thynges For as Augustine saieth Titubat fides si diuinarum scripturarum vacillat authoritas If the aucthoritie of the holie scriptures wauer then dooeth faithe stumble I will nowe accordyng to my small skill saie of this matter somewhat more largely then I haue saied alreadie in my booke whether sufficient or insufficient I shall praie thee to stand an indifferent iudge To thee it is dedicated and for thy sake it is written Here must I saie vnto thée euen as S. Hierome somtime said to his reader in the like case Quaeso lector vt memor Tribunalis domini de iuditio tuo te intelligeÌ„s iudicanduÌ„ nec mihi nec aduersario meo faueas neue personas loquentiuÌ„ sed causam consideres That is I beseche thee good reader that remeÌ„bryng the iudgement seate of the Lorde and vnderstandyng that as thou iudgest so thou shalt bee iudged thou fauour neither me nor myne aduersarie And that thou regarde not the persons but the cause onely Firste thou shalte vnderstande gentle reader that this Article of Christes descendyng into helle is not reade as Rofinus saith in the Romaine Crede nor yet in the Nicen Crede the Easte Churche had it not the Counsaile of Ephesus and Constantinople left it out For wee maie reade by the writynges of the olde Fathers that that parte whiche is reade in the Crede was not in olde tyme so muche vsed in the Churches yet I doe confesse it is a necessarie article meete to haue a place in the Crede as a thyng that conteineth a verie profitable misterie of a waightie matter Sainct Cyprian vnto this saieth Sciendum sane est quod in Ecclesia Romana Symbolo non habetur addituÌ„ descendit ad inferna Sed neque in Orientis ecclesiis habetur hic sermo Knowe ye for certaintie that the Churche of Rome hath not added this in the Crede he descended into hel No neither yet the Easte Churches hath added this kynde of speache in the Crede Unto this Erasmus fullie agreeth saiyng Atque adeo quum Symbolum Nicenae sine Constantinopolitanae Synodi nihil aliud sit quam huius Symboli explanatio ne illic quidem quicquam est quod huic particulae respondeat Ipsa denique inconcintas sermonis arguit ab alio quopiam intertextum emblema That is Moreouer although the Simbole or Crede of the Sinode holden at Nice or the Sinode holden at Constantinople is none other thyng then a declaration of this Simbole or Crede called the Apostles Crede yet there is not so much as any thyng that is correspondent to this particle Finallie the verie incoÌ„cinnitie and vnhandsome ioyning or hanging together of the speache and oration is an euident argumente that this parcell or particle he descended into hell was put in among the other Articles by some other man As is supposed by Thomas of Aquine and immediately after he sheweth the cause why the auncient fathers put not this Article into the Crede he descended into hel Quia vetustissimi patres magna Religionâ— cauebant ne quid asseuerarent duntaxat in Symbolo quod non esset euidenter expressum in sacris literis vtriusque testimenti Talâ—â— sunt articuli omnes hoc vno excepto That is because the fathers of auncientest tyme with great Religion toke heede were warâ— that thei would not affirme any thyng namely in the Crede whiche was not expressed in the Scriptures of bothe Testamentes Suche maner Articles are all the other onely this one he descended into hell excepted Thus farre Erasmus Sainct Augustine in his booke de Fide Symbolo expoundyng the Crede of the Apostles comming to the Article of Christes sufferynges declareth of his pacience and humilitie in sufferyng death euen the death of the Crosse to take awaie the horror of death from vs and that he was crucified and buried vnder Pontius Pilate addyng Pilates name for the certaintie of the tyme and that he laie in a graue and before that in the wombe of his mother in whiche graue and bellie neuer none laie before nor after c. But of this article of Christes descention into hell he neuer speaketh worde of it nor yet reciteth it for if it had been an Article putte in the Crede at the
Morauians Both Origene and also Cyprian were wonte to minister the Communion vnto the litle children that were brought in the armes of thâ— Parentes when thei came to receiue the sacrament geuyng vnto them not onely the misticall bread but also the misticall Cup. And in Saint Augustines tyme they did commonly minister the Sacrament in both kyndes vnto the young infantes and children when they were baptized And all this did come to passe bicause the auncient fathers and great learned men did take the saiynges of our Sauiour Christe after the rigour of the letter Whereof it did come also that some did thinke that if a man after that he was baptized had once receiued the sacrament he could neuer be damned or at least he should once be deliuered from damnation bicause that our Sauiour Iesus Christe did saie I am the bread of life whiche is come downe from heauen he that shall eate of this bread shall liue for euer They did alwaies sticke vnto the bare letter saiyng that our Sauiour Christ who had promised the same could not lie But Saint Augustine doth both reproue and also confute that errour These men are like to the person of Trumpington who readyng the .27 Chapiter of Mathew on Passion sonday as they call it and when he came to these wordes Eli Eli â—ama-sabacthani called the Churche wardens to hym and saide truely this booke doth appertaine to the Bishop of Ely for his name is here I will scrape out his name and put in our owne parishes name and so he did then he began to reade againe Trumpington Trumpington Lama-sabacthani Thus wee may see what absurdities men be wonte to fall into for lacke that they do not examine throughly the meanyng of the scriptures but will goe still to the rigour of the letter Saint Hierome saieth very notablie Non in verbis scripturarum est euangelium sed in sensu The gospell standeth not in the bare wordes of the Scriptures but in the meaning Therfore we maie saie vnto them as Saint Ciprian once saide to the Nouatian heretiques Andite Nouatiani apud quos scripture câ—lestes leguntur potiùs quam intelliguntur Hearken hereto ye Nouatian heretiques amongest whom the heauenly Scriptures are read rather theÌ„ well perceiued or vnderstanded For if folowyng the doctrine and opinion of the Papistes touching the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ we would take after the rigour of the letter the same that our Sauiour Christ doth speake of the eatyng of his fleshe and of the drinkyng of his bloud without all doubt wee shal be faine to confesse that all thei that haue once receiued the Sacrament shal be saued and that all they that neuer receiued it and so die shal be damned for euer Whereby it must needes folowe that it is no lesse necessary to minister the Sacrament of the body and blood of christ vnto the children then to baptize or christen them Wherfore I should thinke good that they should aswell geue aucthoritie vnto the Midwiues to minister the Lordes supper vnto the infantes in time of necessitie as thei geue them aucthority to minister baptisme whiche is a Sacrament of no lesse efficacie and dignitie then the other is yea rather by their doctrine it is of more vertue and strength For I haue not yet read that euer they condemned any bicause that they had not receiued the Sacrament of the Euchariste wheras they doe sende all them to the deuil that die without the receiuing of baptisme thought they would neuer so faine haue come to it But wheras we spake before of Midwiues how they baptized by the aucthoritie of the papistes in tyme of necessitie I speake it not so as that I doe allowe their doynges for I am of a cleane contrary mynde and doe saie with sainct Paule that none ought to take aucthoritie vppon them in the Churche to vse any ministration vnlesse they are called lawfully as Aaron was Christe gaue aucthoritie to his Apostles onely to baptize and to preach Sainct Paul in no wise would haue a woman to speake in the congregation muche lesse to minister a Sacrament whiche must be alwaies doen with doctrine for they must go both together Therefore was it rightly condemned flatly forbidden in the councell of Carthage without any maner of exception that women should once presume to baptize any at all And where they hang so much of necessitie if the childe be readie to dye that then she may and ought to do it Saint Augustine doubteth whether it be lawfull or no for them to do it at that instant of necessitie for his wordes are these Et si laicus necessitate compulsus baptismum dederit nescis an pie quisquaÌ„ dixerit esse repetendum Although a laye man compelled by necessitie do geue baptisme I can not tell whether a man may godly say that it ought to be iterated Howe the custome was before that Augustine was borne is gathered of Tertullian that it is not permitted to a woman to speake in the Church nor teache nor to baptize nor to offer that she shoulde not clayme to her self the execution of any mans office much lesse of the priestes Of the same thing Epiphanius is a substantiall witnesse where he reproueth Martion that he gaue women libertie to baptize Many foolishe women and men do say if the infantes dye without baptisme they are depriued of Gods grace and of their saluation Not so God pronounceth that he adopteth our infantes to be his owne before they be borne when as he promiseth that he wyll be a God to vs and to our séede after vs In this worde is conteyned their saluation for the first foundation of our saluation is neither faith hope loue nor feare of God but the election of GOD by whiche are saued not only they which of full yeres of vnderstanding do beleue hope loue feare call vpon heare and obey god c But also infantes albeit that they be taken out of this life without baptisme wherfore let vs not hang so much vpon creatures that we exclude and doubt of our creatour and for our foolishe good intentes sake will suffer sacramentes to be ministred by women cleane and besides the expresse worde of god Wherefore I do holde and beleue that it is no more méete and lawfull for a Midwife to baptize children in tyme of necessitie then it is for her to preache publikely and minister the Euchariste openly or otherwise But let vs come againe to the saying of our sauiour Christ â–ª that they haue alwayes in their mouthes for to condemne and cast away the poore séely infantes and children of the christians which dye without baptisme It is to be vnderstanded yea they that will consider diligently and weigh the absurdities that do ensue and followe of the exposition of them that do vnderstande it of baptisme going thus to the rigour of the letter shall
did ouerthrowe that cruell tyraunt Pharao and also raised vp his sonne Iesu Christe from death exaltyng hym aboue all creatures If we shoulde saie that our Sauiour Christe touching his manhoode doeth sit on the right hande of God beyng taken in that sence and signification and that therefore his glorified bodie can be euery where and in all places euen as farre foorthe as the almighty power of God doeth stretche or extende then shoulde we be faine to confesse with that heretique Eutiches that the body of Christ is deified or tourned into the godhead For it is against the propertie of any creature to bee euery where or in mo places then in one at once As we may gather of the argument that Didimus doeth make for to proue the holy ghoste to be true and naturall god equall with the father and the sonne and also a Creatour and not a creature If the holy Ghoste saieth he were one of the creatures he should haue a circumscribed or limitted substance as all other thynges that be made For although the inuisible creatures are not comprehended within bondes and limittes yet by the propertie of their substaunce they are limitted but the holy ghoste though he be in many yet hath he no comprehensible subaunce And Saint Basill writeth thus The Angell that stoode by Cornelius was not all that present houre with Philip nor the angel that spake to Zacharie froÌ„ the alter did at the selfe same tyme fill his standyng or seate in heauen But we beléeue that the holy ghoste was all at one tyme with Baruch in Iurie and with Daniell in Babilon and also that he was with Ieremie in the mierie doungeon and with Ezechiel in Chobar Whervpon he doth conclude that the holy ghost is true and naturall God equal with the father and the sonne in deitie power and godhead We may sée then that it parteineth onely vnto God and to no creature whether it be in heauen or in earth to be euery where or in mo places then in one at once But I beleeue certainely that the body of Christe is a creature not onely before his death and passion but also after his ascendyng vp into heauen and that it shall continue so for euer Therefore it can bee but in one place at once And verely I do marueile that the Popecatholikes dot not see that thei do by their doctrine vpholde maintaine that abhominable herisie of Eutiches who did affirme that the maÌ„hoode of Christe was courned into his godhead so that he was no more both God and man but onely pure and perfect God his humanitie beyng cleane swalowed vp and consumed with his Godhead Whiche thyng will they nyll they they muste graunt to be true if they will haue the body of Christe to bee euery where or in mo places then in one at once whiche is against the propertie of any creature But an obiection will thei now make here thinkyng therwith to blinde all the simple and ignoraunt in the world The Godhead and manhoode of Christe saie they be so ioyntly ioyned together that thei cannot be separated one from an other but that wheresoeuer the one is there the other must be also But the godhead of Christ can be euery where and in mo places then one at once Ergo the manhoode of christ can be euery where and in mo places then one at once This cupstantiall argumente haue they alwaies in their mouthes in so muche that they be not ashamed to saie that these wordes of our sauiour Christ beholde I am with you alwaies vnto the worlds ende ought not only to be vnderstanded of his godhead but also of his manhoode though any childe in the streete may easely see that they speake directly against the meanyng of Christe and against all the olde doctours of the auncient catholike churche Of whom Saint Augustine saieth When Christ did saie ye shall not haue mée alwaies with you hee did speake of the presence of his bodie for touchyng his maiestie touchyng his power touchyng his prouidence touchyng his vnspeakeable and inuisible grace that is fulfilled which was spoken of him beholde I am with you alwaies vnto the worldes ende But touchyng his fleshe that the worde did take touchyng that that he was borne of a virgine touchyng that that he was taken of the Iewes that he was crucified that he was taken downe that he was wouÌ„de in a shéete that he was laide in the graue that he was manifested in the resurrection his saiyng is fulfilled where he saith ye shal not haue mée alwaies with you Wherfore for he was .40 daies touching the presence of his fleshe conuersaunt with his disciples and as thei accompanied him with séeyng and not with folowyng be ascended vp into heauen and is not here For there he sitteth on the right hande of the Father And yet he is here For he is not gone awaie touchyng the presence of his maiestie Otherwise wee haue alwaies Christe present with vs touching his maiestie but touchyng the presence of his fleshe it is well saide ye shall not haue mee alwaies with you For the Churche had hym fewe daies touchyng the presence of his flesh now she holdeth hym fast with faith she séeth him not with her eyes Thus farre hee What could be spoken more plainely then this is Is there any childe in the worlde that is not able to perceaue by these plaine wordes of saincte Augustine that all that they doe is a méere ingling and a manifest and open castyng of mist before the eyes of the poore ignoraunt and vnlearned people but we will heare also that good auncient Father Vigilius Martyr who writyng againste that abhominable heretike Eutiches whose disciples the Popecatholikes will bee in despite of all mens heartes doeth saie after this maner This was to goe vnto the Father and to departe awaie from vs to take awaie out of this worlde the humane nature that he had taken of vs Beholde the miracle Beholde the miâ—terie of both the properties the sonne of God touchyng his fleshe doth goe awaie from vs but touching his diuinitie hee saith vnto vs behold I am with you alwaies vnto the worlds ende Then by and by after it foloweth he is with vs and he is not with vs for whom he hath left and from whom he is gone by his manhoode them hath he not left nor forsaken touchyng his diuinitie and godhead For touchyng the shape of a seruaunt whiche he tooke awaie from vs into heauen he is absent from vs but touchyng the shape of God wherby he departeth not awaie from vs he is in the earth present vnto vs yet notwithstandyng both present and absent he is one christ and the same vnto vs. Here might I alledge Ciryll with many other of the auncient fathers that doe agree with vs in this point But these two aucthours shal suffice for to proue that these words of our Sauiour Christe beholde
the onely foundation of the Christian faithe and of all godly doctrine and yet in an other place he saieth Ye are citizens with the Sainctes and of the housholde of God and are builte vpon the foundation of the Prophetes and Apostles And in the Apocalipse of Iohn we reade that the wall of the newe citie hath twelue foundations and in them the names of the twelue Apostles Here doe we see saie thei that Christ is called the light of the worlde and yet notwithstandyng the Apostles are called the light of the worlde also Likewise we see that christ is called the foundation yet notwithstanding the Apostles are called foundations also why should not then the virgine Marie and the sainctes be called Aduocates Mediatours and intercessours as well as our Sauiour Christe though it be not after one sorte and maner Why ought men to bee offended if folowyng the phrase of the scriptures wee doe attribute vnto the blessed virgine Marie and vnto the other Sainctes the office of mediation and intercession As for the first it is to bee vnderstanded that our heauenly father and his sonne Christe Iesus our Lorde haue many tymes of their speciall grace communicated or giuen that name vnto men that did not properly pertaine vnto them not for to saie that thei were so in very deede and of their owne nature but by reason of some office and dignitie that God did putte theim in also to the ende that thei should haue their office in greater estimation as it dooeth manifestely appeare by the example of Christe and of his Apostles whiche thei do commonly alledge For our sauiour Christ is the true and natural light of the worlde but the Apostles are the light of the worlde onely by the denomination or communication that is to saie the Apostles were not called the light but onely because that thei were lightened and deliuered from darknesse by the light of our sauiour Christ. And for this cause the holy Apostle doeth call the Christians light when he saieth Ye were in tymes paste darkenes but now ye are light in the Lorde Now our sauiour Christ lighteneth no man but onely to this ende that he should shine vnto other with good workes as he him self sufficiently declareth saiyng Let your light so shine before men that thei maie see your good workes and glorifie your father whiche is in heauen Also Christe doeth geue this name to his Apostles because of the office that he called them vnto whiche was the preachyng of his holy Gospell and of the worde of God which in the scriptures is called light After the same maner Magistrates Kynges and rulers are in the Scriptures called gods not bicause they are so in deede or that suche a name doeth properlye pertaine vnto them but bicause of the dignitie that GOD hath placed them in and also to the ende that the subictes shoulde haue their princes in greater reuerence beyng obedient vnto them as vnto god But when god doth take awaie this office from them he doth also take awaie the name In like maner now the apostles are no more light For they be no more in place where thei can shine vnto men by good workes they be no more in the office of preachyng I would faine that these greate learned doctours shoulde shewe mee a place in all the scriptures wherein the wisdome of the Father our sauiour Christe or the angelles and apostles dyd euer geue either vnto the virgine Marye or vnto anye of the sainctes the name or office of mediatour intercessour ▪ and aduocate then would I saie that their distinction might take place but no suche place can they shewe though they shoulde breake their heartes As for the place that they doe aleadge out of the Epistle to the Ephesians it is plaine enough and néedeth no exposition at all For if we looke narowly vpon the wordes of Sainct Paul we shall finde that he doth not saie Ye are built vppon the Prophetes and Apostles but are builte vpon the foundation of the Prophetes and Apostles The Apostles then and Prophetes were not the foundation but they had all one foundation whiche is our Sauiour Iesus Christ vpon whom as vppon a sure and strong rocke they both builded the Churche of God. And in the Reuelation of Iohn by the twelue foundations wherein the names of the Apostles are written are all the Sermons that the twelue Apostles did make vnto the twelue tribes of Israell to be vnderstanded And they be called foundations bicause that by them Christ our sauiour who is the onely foundation of the Churche of GOD was preached vnto them bicause I saie that by them the true and only foundation whiche is our sauiour Christe was layde Saint Iohn doth not saie that the Apostles are foundations but that their names be written in the foundations Whereby it appeareth plainely enough that al that our Louanian papistes go aboute is to paruerte the true saiynges and meanyng of the sacred scriptures and worde of god Yea though it were so that they could prone by the places by them alledged that the Apostles were called foundations yet it woulde helpe them nothyng For as it hath been saide alreadie before we doe not finde in all the whole body of the Scriptures that either God our sauiour Christe or his Apostles did euer call the Sainctes intercessours aduocates or mediatours betwene God and men Therefore I saie againe that we neede no suche distinctions as they doe make to the vtter blasphemyng of the onely begotten Sonne of God our sauiour Iesus Christ whom I do stedfastly beléeue to bee the onely mediatour betweene God and vs as the Scriptures doe plainely testifie vnto vs in euerie place Some there be among them whiche beyng compelled by the Scriptures to confesse that our Sauiour Christ is the only mediatour betweene God and men are woont to replye on this maner and to saie that although christ our sauiour is an omnisufficient mediatour betwéene God and man yet wee must haue some intercessours aduocates and mediatours betweene hym and vs For howe durste we els beyng synners come before his presence or direct our praiers vnto hym Is it not written that God heareth not synners Moreouer when we haue a matter before any earthly Prince muste wee not haue mediatours for to bryng vs vnto his person And also to speake and intreate for vs Who of vs all durst be so bolde to come vnto an earthly kyng without suche meanes that is to saie not beyng brought to him either by some of his Counsell or by some of his Chaumber or else by some of his Lordes or Gentlemen How dare we then to bee so bolde to come without intercessours aduocates and mediatours vnto him that is Kyng of all Kynges Prince of all Princes and Lorde of all Lordes In comparison of whom all the Princes of the world are nothyng But who can be more meete for to bryng vs
infirmities how muche more are thâ—â— now hearde beyng in glorie with God How muche better did the blessed Apostle Saincte Iames reason when he did saie Helias was a man mortall euen as we are and he praied in his praier that it might not raine and it rained not on the earth by the space of three yeres and sixe monethes And he praied againe and the heauens gaue raine Doe we not rather learne by their example to praie boldely vnto God though we be compassed about with infirmitie as they were then otherwise The holy prophete Dauid doeth not saie that the fathers were hearde bicause that they praied to any of the Patriarches that were before them but bicause that they praied vnto God and trusted in him The same selfe lesson doth Iames geue vnto vs. Let vs therefore â–ª folowe their examples and we shal be hearde as they were As the arme of God is not shortened since so his mercie is not waxen lesse He is as readie nowe to heare them that call vppon hym in truth and veritie as he was then Haue we not besides al this a mediatour an aduocate that appeareth continually in the sight of God for vs It is vnpossible then but that we shal be hearde whensoeuer we call faithfully vpon our heauenly Father through our onely Mediatour and Aduocate Iesu Christ our Lorde ¶ The .xxviij. Chapiter ¶ How and wherein wee ought to honour the Sainctes NOwe when thei haue nothyng to saie for their inuocations to deade sainctes beyng conuinced by the holie scriptures thei crie out and saie beholde these newe preachers dishonoureth defaceth spoileth maketh none accompt of the holie and blessed sainctes in heauen and especially thei dishonor the blessed virgine Marie the sweete mother of Christe Iesus to whom was more grace giuen then to any other creature and maketh no more of her then of another woman c. Belie vs not ye papistes for we giue to them that honour as we are commaunded in the holie scriptures to giue them And therefore sainct Cyrill saieth very truely At sanctos Martyres neque deos èsse dicimus neque adorare consueuimus laudamus autem eos potius summis honoribus quod pro veritate straenue certarunt fidei synceritatem seruarunt that is to saie in Englishe But neither we saie that the holie Martyres are Gods neither haue we vsed to worshippe or honour them but wee rather praise them with greate reuerence for that thei haue striued earnestly for the truthe and haue kepte the sinceritie of the faithe of Christe And Saincte Augustine sheweth also howe we must honour them saiyng Honorandi ergosunt propter imitationem non adorandi propter religionem The sainctes are to bee reuerenced and worshipped for imitation that is to followe their godly doinges and conuersation and not to honour them for any religion to make them our Gods or aduocates and to haue our confidence in them this kinde of honour wée giue to the sainctes and none other And wheras you saie there was more grace giuen to Marie then to any other creature because she was the mother of Christe You maie also learne in the booke of God to bee the childe of God is a greate deale greater grace then to bee the mother of Christe Therefore sainct Augustine saieth Beatior ergo Maria fuit Percipiendo fidem Christi quam concipiendo carne Christi Materna propinquitas nihil Mariâ— profuisseâ— nisi faelicius Christum corde quà m carne gestasset Marie was more blessed in that she receiued the faithe of Christ then in that she conceiued the fleshe of Christe Motherly kindrede could haue doest Marie no good vnlesse she had borne Christ more blessedly in her hart then she bare him in her fleshe And in an other place he saieth Mater mea quam appellastis faelicem inde felix est quiâ— verbum dei custodiuit non quia in illa verbum caro factum est My mother whom ye haue called blessed therefore is blessed because she hath kepte the worde of God not because the worde in her was made fleshe Therefore Epiphanius saieth Christe saied vnto his mother woman what haue I to doe with thee My houre is not yet come Lest any man shoulde thinke our Ladie was of greater excellencie he called her woman as it were prophesiyng of the kindes and sectes of heresies that were to come in the worlde lest any man hauyng to greate opinion of that holie Saincte should fall into this heresie and into the dotage of the same For in deede the whole matter is but a mockerie and an olde wiues tale and sothely to saie nothyng els but the handelyng of an heresie Therefore Origene saieth Si mensuram transcenderit charitatis qui diligit qui diligitur in peccato est If loue passe the measure of charitie aswell he that loueth as also he that is loued is in synne The saied Epyphanius saieth further Let no man eate saieth he of this errour touching saint Marie for though the tree bee faire yet is not this fruite to be eaten Although Marie bee beautifull and holie and honourable yet is not she to bee adoured But these women worshippyng Saincte Marie renue againe the Sacrifice of wine mingled in the honour of the Goddes Fortuna and prepare a table for the deuill and not for God as it is written in the Scriptures thei are fedde with the meate of wickednesse And againe their women boult flower and their childreÌ„ gather stickes to make fine cakes in the honour of the Queene of heauen Therefore let suche women bee rebuked by the Prophete Hieremie and let them no more trouble the worlde And let them not saie we worship the Queene of heauen Thus he applied the wordes of the Prophete vnto the virgine Marie beyng Idolatrously abused by the heretiques called Collyridiani as she and other Sainctes are by the Papistes abused now in these daies This shall now suffice for to proue that Christ our Sauiour touchyng his manhoode whiche he did take of vs is and shal be vnto the worldes ende in heauen on the right hande of the father that is to saie in felicitie ioye and glorie beyng exalted aboue the heauens made lorde ouer all creatures bothe in heauen and in earth and hauyng receiued a name that passeth all the glorie that man can reporte And that as heauen muste holde hym vnto the tyme of the restitution of all thynges that God hath spoken by the mouthe of his holie Prophetes since the worlde began beyng neuerthelesse here among vs touchyng his diuinitie and godheade and feedyng vs by his eternall spirite and by the veritie of his holie institution and ordinaunce with the heauenly foode of his precious bodie and blood so he doth appeare alwaies in the sight of God for vs beyng an omnisufficiente intercessour aduocate and mediatour betwixte God and man so that we neede not to goe vnto
are spoken vnto Peter thei are spoken vnto all Priestes or Ministers Beda plainly saieth these wordes Potestas ligandi soluendi quamuis soli Petro a domino data videatur tamen absque vlla dubietate noscendum est quod caeteris Apostolis datae est The power of bindyng and loosyng notwithstandyng it séeme to bee giuen onely vnto Peter yet without all doubte wee muste vnderstande that it was giuen also to the reste of the Apostles Sainct Augustine saith Petrus quando accepit claues ecclesiam sanctam significauit Peter when he receiued the keyes signified the holy Churche Therefore saieth he when thei were all asked Peter alone doeth make an aunswere and it is saied vnto him And I will giue thée the keyes of heauen as though he alone had receiued aucthoritie to binde and to loose whereas he had spoken that for theim all and receiued this as bearyng in hym self the persone of vnitie with them all The meanyng is this when our Sauiour Christe did aske his Apostles whom thei thought hym to bee Peter alone did make aunswere whiche did serue for theim all For though one alone had aunswered yet Christ tooke it as if thei had all aunswered like to a Iurie of twelue men one maketh aunswere for all and the Iudge accepteth it as though euery one had spoken And as the aunswere of one did serue for them al so the promise that was made vnto one was made vnto them all Whiche thyng is moste true For looke what he did promise to one the same doeth he performe vnto them all saiyng these wordes As my father hath sent me so doe I sende you And when he had spoken these words he did blowe vpon thē saiyng Receiue the holy ghoste whose synnes soeuer ye dooe forgiue shal bee forgiuen vnto hym and whose synnes soeuer ye doe retaine thei shal be retained vnto hym Whiche doeth plainly agree with the woordes that he speaketh vnto them in the .xviij. Chapiter of Sainct Matthewe But I thinke it expediente and necessary for the instruction of the vnlearned and ignoraunte people to shewe what our sauiour doeth vnderstande by the keyes And here will I bryng nothing of mine owne but Chrisostome an auncient writer of the Greke churche shall discusse all the whole matter The keye saieth he is the knowledge of the worde of the scriptures whereby the gate of the truthe is opened vnto men And the kepers of the keyes are the ministers vnto whom charge is giuen to expounde and declare the scriptures Saincte Tertulian also saieth Quam clauem habebant doctores nisi interpretationem legis What key had the doctours of the lawe sauyng the exposition of the lawe Sainct Hierome also hath these wordes Duces ecclesiae habent claues scientiae vt aperiant scripturas creditis sibi populis Vnde praecipitur vt magistri aperiant discipuli ingrediantur The capitaines of the Churche haue the keyes of knowledge to open the scriptures vnto the people to them committed Therefore commaundemente is giuen that the Maisters should open and the Scholers should enter Sainct Ambrose saieth Remittuntur peccata per dei verbum cuius leuites est interpres Synnes bee forgiuen by the worde of God the expounder whereof is the priest Saint Augustine agreyng with them all saieth Claues est dicenda qua ad fidem pectorum dura reserantur That ought to bee called the keye wherewith the hardnesse of mens heartes is opened vnto faithe Here maie wee see that all the true preachers of Goddes worde are the kepers of those keyes and not the Bishoppe of Rome onely for of hym Christes woordes maie bee verified when he saieth Ye haue taken awaie the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen and neither dooe you enter your selues nor will you suffer others that would enter Of the Popes keyes it is well saied of Veselus Claues Pape praelatorum non aperiunt regnum dei sed claudunt potius The Popes and the prelates keyes dooe not open the kyngdome of God but rather shutte it It was saied generally vnto theim all Go ye into the vniuersall worlde and preache the Gospell vnto euery creature he that beleueth and is Baptized shall bee saued and he that beleueth not shal be condemned In these fewe wordes of our Sauiour Christe twoo thinges are to be considered and marked Firste we doe learne by them that the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen that is to saie the preachyng of the Gospell is committed vnto them all I meane vnto all the Apostles and not to one more then an other Secondly wee learne by theim that to loose is none other thyng but to certifie by Gods woorde the consciences of the true beleuers that their synnes are freely forgiuen thorowe faithe in our Sauiour Christe iesu Whiche thyng beyng doen by the true and faithfull ministers of the Churche here vpon the earth taketh no lesse effecte in all true repentaunte synners then if it were dooen in heauen in the sacred counsaile of the holy and blessed Trinitie And for this cause doeth Christ our sauiour saie What soeuer ye loose here vppon the earth is loosed in heauen Therefore saincte Hierome accordeth herewith saiyng Quaecunque solueritis super terram erunt soluta in caelo Soluant autem eos Apostoli sermone dei testimonijs scripturarum exhortatione virtutum What soeuer thynges ye loose vppon earth thei shall bee loosed in heauen but the Apostles loose them by the woorde of God and by the testimonies of the scriptures and by exhortation vnto vertue Sainct Augustine also saieth Now are you cleane bicause of the worde that I haue spoken vnto you Quare non ait mundi estis propter Baptismum quo loti estis Nisi quia in aqua verbum mundat non quia dicitur sed quia creditur Wherefore saieth he not you are cleane because of the baptisme wherewith ye are washed Sauing that euen in the water it is the worde that maketh cleane Not because it is spoken but because it is beleued Againe he saieth Fides nostra est clauis regni coelorum Our faithe is the key of the kyngdome of heauen Ambrose saieth these woordes Remittuntur peccaeta per verbum dei cuius leuites est interpres Sinnes be forgiuen by the worde of God the expounder whereof is the Leuite or Prieste Therefore S. Paule calleth it Verbum reconciliationis the worde whereby we be reconciled to God. Againe he called it Potentia dei ad salutem omni credenti The power of God vnto saluation to euery one that doeth beleue And on the contrary parte to binde here vpon the earth it is none other thyng but to certifie by the same worde the vnfaithfull synners whiche will giue no eares vnto the glad tidynges of the kyngdome of heauen their synnes are stil in remembraunce before God vnto euerlastyng condemnation because thei will
not beleue on the name of the onely begotten sonne of god And this beyng duely and rightly dooen accordyng to the institution and ordinaunce of Christe our sauiour is of no lesse efficacie and strength then if the father the sonne and the holy ghoste had dooen it as the heauenlie wisedome of the father dooeth testifie in the self same place saiyng What so euer ye shall binde here vpon earth shall be bounde in heauen If it parteineth onely to the Bishop of Rome who moste liyngly doeth boaste hymselfe to bee the successour of Peter to preache the frée remission of synnes vnto the true repentaunt synners and eternall condemnation vnto the vnrepentaunt and vnfaithfull then hath he alone the keyes of the kingdome of heauen but any childe may learne by the wordes of our sauiour Christe that this office doeth parteine generally vnto all the faithfull preachers and ministers of Gods worde Sainct Augustines wordes therefore are plaine Si autem in Petro non esset ecclesiae misterium non ei diceret Dominus tibi dabâ— claues si autem hoc Petro dictum est non habet ecclesia si autem ecclesia habet quando claues accepit ecclesiam toâ—am designauit If in Peter were not a misterie of the Churche the Lorde would not haue saide to hym I will geue to thee the keyes of the kyngdome of Heauen If this were spoken onely vnto Peter the Churche then hath them not if the Churche hath them then when Peter receiued the keyes he signified the whole church Sainct Ciprian also saieth Christus eandem dedit Apostolis omnibus potestatem Christe gaue to all his Apostles like power Wee maie then right well conclude that this saiyng of Christe And I will geue thee the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen c. Doth make nothyng for the mainteinaunce of the Popes supremacie no more then the saiyng that goeth before where it is saide Thou arte Peter and vpon this Rocke I will builde my Chuche For as Saincte Augustine writeth I deò quippe ait dominus super hanc petram edificabo ecclesiam meam quià dixerat Petrus tu es Christus filius Dei viui Super hanc ergò inquit Petram quam confessus es edificabo ecclesiam meam Petra enim erat Christus super quod fundamentum etià m ipse edificatus est Petrus Fundamentum quippe aliud nemo potest ponere paerter id quod positum est quod est christus Iesus Therfore the lorde did saie Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I builde my Churche bicause that Peter had saide thou art Christe the sonne of the liuyng god Therefore saieth he vpon this Rocke that thou hast confessed I will builde my Churche And the Rocke was Christe vpon whiche foundation Peter also is builded For none other foundation can any man laye besides that whiche is laide alreadie whiche is our Sauiour Iesus Christe Againe in a nother place he saieth these wordes Tues ergò inquit Petrus super hanc petram quam confessuses super hanc petram quam cognouisti dicens Tu es Christus filius dei viui edificabo ecclesiam meam Super meipsum filium dei viui edificabo ecclesiam meam Super me edificabo te non me super te Nà m volentes homines edificari super homines dicebant Ego quidèm sum Pauli Ego autem Appollo Ego verò Caephe ipse est Petrus Et alij qui nolebant edificari super Petrum sed super petram Ego autem sum Christi Thou art Peter saieth he and vpon this Rocke which thou hast confessed and vpon this Rocke whom thou hast acknowledged saiyng thou art Christ the sonne of the liuyng God I will build my Church Upon my selfe â–ª being the sonne of the liuing God I will builde my Churche I will builde thee vppon mee not mee vpon thee When men would builde vpon men thei did saie I holde of Paul I holde of Apollo I hold of Cephas which is Peter And other whiche would not be builded vpon Peter but vpon the Rocke saide I am Christes Which verie wordes also Bede hath as it were verbatim worde for worde writyng vpon the Corinthians Sainct Ambrose saieth likewise Dicit Dominus ad Petrum Super istam petram edificabo ecclesiamâ— meam hoc est in hac catholicae fidei confessione statuo fideles ad vitam The Lorde saide to Peter Upon this Rocke will I builde my Churche that is in this confession of the catholique faith I appointe all the faithfull to liue Sainct Hierome hath these wordes Secundum autem metaphoram petrae rectè dicitur ei edificabo ecclesiam meam super te That is by a metaphoricall speach of the Rocke it is well saide to Peter I wil builde my Church vpon thee These holy Fathers of the auncient catholique Churche doe manifestly proue by the scriptures that the Rocke which the true Churche is builded vpon is our Sauiour Christ hym selfe the sonne of the liuyng god Here might I bring Chrisostome Cirill Hilarie which all by the rocke that the Church is builded vppon do vnderstande a strong stedfast faith in our Sauiour Christ and a true confessyng of his name but I haue alreadie alledged them Nowe will I come to the other saiyng of Christe where he saieth vnto Peter Thou art Symon the Sonne of Ionas and thou shalte be called Cephas whiche saieth the Euangeliste is by interpretation a Stone If all the Popes of Rome then with all their smoth shauen faced greacelinges shoulde affirme vnto mee that this worde Cephas doeth betoken a heade I would accompte them as accursed Ye may see howe they are not ashamed to wreast the Scriptures and to geue them a cleane contrarie interpretation that so they maie mainteine and vpholde stil their vsurped supremacie power The holy ghoste saieth that Cephas by interpretation is a â—tone The Bishop of Rome saieth that Cephas doeth betoâ—â—n and signifie a heade and therefore sithe that he is the successour of Peter he ought to be the supreme head of the church Whether of these twoo ought we to beleeue If an angell from heauen should preache any other Gospell vnto vs then we haue receaued alreadie S. Paul biddeth vs to count it accursed Cursed be they then that dare expounde the scriptures otherwise then the holy Ghoste hath expounded them yea euerlastyng damnation hangeth ouer their heades in what estimation soeuer they bee in this wicked worlde though the worlde I saie do estéeme them as Gods yet before the liuing God and his sonne Christe our Lorde are they accursed Why will these good felowes saie is not Peter alwaies named first whensoeuer the apostles are rehearsed by name doth not this sufficiently declare that he is appointed of God to be the supreme head of his Churche I aunswere againe that if to be named first doeth purchase or get any preheminence then Caesar must be preferred before
and stinckyng harlotte of Antichriste Thei haue alwaies in their mouthes this saiyng of saincte Augustine non crederem Euangeli◠nisi me ecclesiae catholicae authoritas commoueret I would not beleue the Gospell excepte the aucthoritie of the Catholike Churche moued me These fewe words haue thei tossed to and fro to presse out of them that is not in theim and would seme to goe aboute to proue the creature aboue the creatour that made all thynges But as S. Augustine saieth he beleued the Gospell because of the Church so likewise he hath said Exore veritatis ecclesiam agnosco participem veritatis By the mouthe of the truthe I knowe the churche that is partaker of the truthe But whereas thei would seme to goe aboute to proue by Augustines woordes that the Churche is aboue the worde of God their folie herein is easily espied if wée consider the cause that moued Augustine so to speake The Manichees would needes goe about to proue and make men to beleue that the Epistle of Fundamētus was of as good aucthoritie as the Epistles of Paule Peter Iames or Ihon. And that their Manicheus was the Apostle of Christe Augustine aunswereth theim and saieth he can not bee so easily perswaded by the same reason to receiue the Epistle of Manicheus as the Epistles of Peter and Paule c. He giueth a reason why for because saieth he in receiuyng of them thei had the aucthoritie testimonie and commendation of the Catholike Churche but Fundamentus Epistle hath no aucthoritie nor testimonie but onely of the Manichees theim selues whiche were openly shutte out from the Churche whiche by no meanes can be in equall aucthoritie with the aucthoritie of the Churche So if wée marke Augustines woordes well wée shall easily perceiue that he maketh not the Churche iudge of the scriptures nor yet graunteth any aucthoritie to the church ouer the scriptures but onely as witnesses and testimonies whiche bee the true canonicall scriptures from the Apochriphes and counterfecte Scriptures as this Epistle of the Manichees And that this is the true meaning of sainct Augustine one of their owne doctours and a Papiste for his life saieth vpon these woordes of sainct Augustine before recited Errare cos qui ijs dem Augustini verbis abutuntur ad probandum quod Papae vel cōcilium vel ecclesia possit immutare quae ab Euangelistis Apostolis sunt tradita That is to saie they do erre whiche vse the same wordes of sainct Augustine to proue that the Pope or Counsaile or the churche maie alter or chaunge what so euer haue been deliuered by the Euangelistes and Apostles No◠wee maie not gather herevpon that the aucthoritie of the churche is greater then the aucthoritie of the scriptures because that there bee many founde whiche dooe take the holy scriptures for authenticall as moued by the aucthoritie of the Churche In deede to them the Churche séemeth better then the holie scriptures but thei bee farre otherwise of them selues Els Moyses should by the same reason bee of greater aucthoritie then Christe because that many beleued in Christe moued by the aucthoritie of the scripture of Moyses as Christ saith If you would beleue Moyses ye would beleue me also We reade in Iohn thus And of that citie many of the Samaritans beleued in Christe vppon the woorde of the woman whiche bare witnesse and saied For he tolde me all thynges that I haue doen. Accordyng vnto this argument the aucthoritie of the synfull woman was more then of Christe and so it was in deede at the firste of more reputation with the people of the citie to whom Christe was yet vnknowen But of it self it was not so nor afterwardes whē thei hearyng the doctrine of saluation of Christe hym self thei saied vnto the woman Now we doe not beleue because of thy woordes for we haue heard knowen that this is verely the sauiour of the worlde Sainct Ihon shewed Christe vnto the people yet he was not greater then Christe In sainct Peter we doe reade in this wise Likewise ye women also bee subiecte vnto your husbandes that thei also whiche dooe not beléeue the woorde maie be wonne without the worde through the conuersation of the woman c. Ergo whereas the vnfaithfull husbande is stirred vnto the faithe of Christe by the regarde of the conuersation of his wife whiche he seeth is honeste chaste faithfull and obediente whereas he coulde not bee moued by the preachyng of the Gospell maie we gather that the conuersation of the woman is better or greater then the Gospell In deede so it appeareth but it is to hym whiche is still vnfaithfull not vnto hym which doeth acknowedge the trueth of the Gospell and the aucthoritie of God. The Churche had in tymes paste greate estimation of holy conuersation whereby many were brought vnto the faithe of Christ and the aucthoritie of the church did them good But yet it was not of it selfe better then the truth of the Gospell ¶ The xxxlx Chapiter ¶ Of the office and aucthoritie of the Churche and how i◠maie erre and how it cannot erre THE Churche we graunt as part we touched before hath three offices touchyng the worde of god The first and formoste of them is that as a witnesse she keepeth the holie bookes of the Canonicall scriptures But thereby it can not be proued that it is lefull for her to peruerte or alter any thyng in the saied holie bookes As publique and priuate writynges are committed to Scriueners or Notaries to be laied vp and kepte of them And yet none will saie he maie alter any thyng of those writynges The seconde office is to preache and publishe the wordes committed vnto it by God but it maie publishe nothyng but what is taught by the worde to them deliuered as a common crier who although he publishe the decrees of Princes and Magistrates yet he is not aboue the decrees of Princes and Magistrates but his whole office is faithfully to pronounce all thynges as he hath receiued them of the Prince addyng nothyng to it nor takyng ought awaie The thirde office is sithe that she is indued with the spirite of God it must therefore discerne and trie the sincere and vncorrupte bookes of holie scriptures from the counterfecte and Apochriphas So many can descerne the true and proper writynges of Plato and Aristotle So we can descerne God from the deuill and yet are we not to be compted equall with God much lesse can we thinke that we doe excell hym Now we haue saied somewhat of the office of the Churche I will also declare the whole aucthoritie that she hath by the woorde of GOD. The aucthoritie then of the true Churche of our Sauiour Christe doeth moste chiefly consiste in fower thynges First this true and faithfull Churche hath aucthoritie to choose and ordeīne ministers as wee learne by the example of the Apostles and of the Churches that bee spoken
of in the booke of the Actes but this must bee doen accordyng to the rules and canons of the Apostles If they be blamelesse the husbande of one wife vigilante sober and apte to teache c. Secondlie it hath aucthoritie to teache by the lawfull ministers I meane by these ministers that are lawfully chosen with the laiyng on of handes accordyng to the rule and Cannons of the Apostles And these ministers ought to teache and set foorthe none other thyng then thei haue receiued of the Lorde hauyng alwaies before their eyes the saiyng of Christ our Sauiour Docete eos obseruare quaecunque precepi vobis Teache them to keepe and obserue all thynges what soeuer I commaunde you And the same it is that we call Potestatem clauium The power of the keyes which as it hath been sufficientlye declared before consisteth in preachyng free remission of synnes vnto the faithfull and true repentaunte synners and eternall condemnation vnto the vnfaithfull and vnrepentaunte Whiche thyng if it bee duely dooen accordyng to the institution and ordinaunce of our Sauiour Christe taketh no lesse effecte then if it were doen in heauen And vnder this doe we comprehende the aucthoritie that the churche hath to excommunicate open synners and to receiue them again if thei shewe true tokens of repentaunce and of amendemeÌ„t of life Thirdely the true and faithfull Churche hath aucthoritie to minister the sacramentes by the ministers thervnto lawfully appoincted so that it bee doen accordyng to the institution and ordinaunce of our sauiour Iesu Christe vsyng suche tymes and seasons as thei shall thinke moste expediente for the same Fourthly and laste of all it hath full aucthoritie and power to examine the doctrines and to trie the spirites whether thei bee of God or not as it is manifeste and plaine by these saiynges Lette twoo or three Prophetes speake in the Churche and let other iudge Againe Proue all thynges and holde that whiche is good Saincte Ihon saieth Dearely beloued try the spirites whether thei bee of God or not But this triall muste bee doen with the touchestone of Gods woorde whiche with the holie ghoste ought to be the chiefe president in all Sinodes and Counsailes So saincte Augustine saieth againste Maximinus these woordes Nowe neither ought I to alledge the Counsaile of Nice nor thou the counsaile of Ariminum to take aduauâ—tage thereby for I am not bounde to the aucthoritie of the one nor thou restrained to the determination of the other Sed scripturarum authoritatibus non quorumque proprijs sed vtrisque communibus testibus res cumre causa cum causa ratio cum ratione concertet But by the aucthorities of the Scriptures not peculiar witnesses vnto either of vs but common and indifferent vnto vs bothe let one matter with an other cause with cause and reason coÌ„tende with reason Saincte Hierome therefore saieth Omni studio legende nobis sunt scripturae in lege domini meditandum die ac nocte vt probati trapezite sciamus the scriptures are to be read of vs with all diligence and to meditate daie and night in the lawe of the lorde that we maie become perfecte exchaungers to knowe the false counterfecte doctrine froÌ„ the true doctrine of Christe Sainct Origene also hath these woordes Sensus nofiri enarrationes sine scripturis testibus non fidem habet Our iudgemente and expositions without witnesse of the holie scripres haue no credite Thus wee maie plainly see that all our matters muste bee tried by the Canonicall bookes of the holy Scriptures So farre foorth doth the aucthoritie of the true Churche extend which as it can not erre as long as she taketh gods word the holy ghost for her guide so assoone as she forsaketh Gods worde and the guidyng of the holie ghoste she falleth into all kinde of errours at length doeth become the Synagogue of Satan the Church of the malignaunt the stinckyng haâ—lot of antichriste Howbeit the whole vniuersal Church doth neuer so fall awaie from the truthe of Goddes woorde but that God dooeth alwaies preserue vnto hym selfe a certaine number whiche will neuer agree nor consente vnto vngodlinesse and from whom the spirite of trueth is not taken awaie And because that these bee vnknowen of the worlde as thei that lacke the outwarde tokens and signes of the true Churche of Christe whiche are the preachyng of Gods worde and the ministration of the sacramentes and the vse of true discipline accordyng to the institution and ordinaunces of the Lorde are commonly called the inuisible Churche not bicause that men are inuisible whiche thyng can not be as long as they bee here conuersaunt vpon the earth but bicause that thei be only knowen and seen of God who knoweth onely who be his who be not And this faithfull congregation whether it hath the outwarde signes of the true Churche of Christ or not as long as it beareth aboute this body of synne is subiect to many infirmities but for Christes sake thei are not imputed for when it is saide that it is without spot or wrinkle that is to be vnderstanded by imputation through Iesus Christ our sauiour And therefore it is called the glorious congregation And I doe also beleue with sainct Augustine that this catholique Churche is the Barne floore of the Lorde and that in it vntill the daie of iudgement Chaffe shal be mixed still with the Wheate My meanyng is this that in the Church both good and badde true beleuers and hypocrites are conteined together in the felowship of the sacramentes and that it shall be so vnto the worlds ende Whiche thyng we doe learne by the parable of the good seede and of the Darnell and of the Nette that is cast into the Sea and whiche doeth drawe of all kynde of fishes vnto the shore But we must in the meane while beware that we do not because of the Chaffe Darnell and rotten fishes seuere and diuide our selues from the Churche as the wicked Anabaptistes doe which for euery triflyng matter do diuide them selues from the Churche though the worde of God bee neuer so finely nor sincerely preached and the Sacramentes moste rightly ministred according to the institution and ordinaunce of the Lorde Why do we not rather folowe the godly counsell of the blessed Martyr of God S. Cyprian that he geueth vnto vs Although saith he Darnel Tares are seen to be in the church yet our faith and charitie ought not to be letted that bicause we do sée Tares and Darnell to be in the Church we shoulde therfore forsake the Church but rather we ought to endeuour our selues that we may be good corne that when the good corne is gathered into the Garners of the Lorde we maie receaue a rewarde of our labour and worke Also in a great house there be many vessels not only of Golde and Siluer but
also tréene vessels and earthen vessels and some to honour and some to dishonour Let vs geue diligence and labour as muche as it lieth in vs that we maie be a vessell of Golde or of syluer And truely this doctrine is moste necessarie to be marked and also to be folowed For as all the benefites that God doth of his méere mercie and goodnesse graunt vnto his Churche doe parteine vnto all bicause the Communion and felowship that is betwixt the members of Christes bodye So without this Communion and felowship of the sainctes there is no remission or forgeuenesse of sinnes but eternall and euerlasting condemnation For how coulde it be that they shoulde enioy the priuiledge of the true members of Christ that doe by a self willl deuide themselues from his body as the Papistes dooe now in these dayes Shoulde not that braunche deserue to be dried vp and to be caste into the fire that woulde wilfully deuide it selfe from the true vine The .xl. Chapiter ¶ Our offences and synnes are forgeuen vs by faith through Christe and not by our workes and merites ALso my beléefe is that in this church sinnes are freely forgeuen through faithe in the mercie of God obteined and purchased vnto vs by the merites of the death passion bloodsheddyng of our sauiour Iesu Christ wihout any of our owne deseruynges or merites or without any matter of satisfaction that we be able to make though wee were able to liue as long as euer any man did liue vpoÌ„ the earth For if any amendes coulde haue beene made for synnes or if any iustification could haue been gotten by the workes of the lawe Christ needed not to haue dyed And therefore the lorde saide right well I am he I am he that taketh awaie thy wickednesse and that for mine owne sake and thy sinnes wil I remember no more Here haue we a promise that God will put awaie our wickednesse and synnes not for our deseruinges or merites but for his owne sake that is to say of his frée mercie and goodnes as saieth sainct Paule Iustificamur gratis ex gratia ipsius Wee be iustified fréely of his grace Againe we iudge that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the lawe And for this cause his only begotten sonne our sauiour was by the angell called Iesus bicause that he should saue his people from their synnes If our good workes merites and deseruinges could saue vs from our synnes why should they not be called by that name For there is none other name vnder heauen geuen vnto vs whereby we must or can be saued Therefore I doe thinke it moste conuenient and méete that we saie with Barnarde Mèritum meum miserationes domini Non sum ego inops meriti quam diuille non est inops miserationum Si miserationes eius multe multis ego sum in meritis Hoc totum est hominis meritum si totam spem suam ponat in domino That is to saie My merite is the mercie of god So long as god is not poore of mercy so long cannot I be poore of merites If his mercies be great then am I greate in merites This is the whole merite of man if he put his whole affiaunce and trust in the Lorde I marueile much of the papistes and meritmongers that are so bold to set vp their owne righteousnes and merites But before we seeme to speake any thyng to their obiections I thinke it best to declare in what signification this word to iustifie ought to be taken This worde iustificare to iustifie hath been of S. Paul borowed of the common vse of the lawe for in iudgement to iustifie a man it is to assoyle or quite him of the crime that is laide to his charge or that he is accused of and to pronounce him righteous iust innocent and guiltlesse After the same maner when we saie that God doeth iustifie vs our meanyng is that God doeth assoyle and quite vs of all crimes offences and trespasses that can bee layde to our charge or that we can be accused of that he doth pronounce vs iuste and righteous in his sight that is to saie that firste he doeth pardone and forgeue vs our synnes he couereth them and doeth in no wise impute them vnto vs but imputeth vnto vs righteousnes not our owne whiche is none at all but the righteousnes of his Sonne our Sauiour and so through his righteousnes doeth both saue vs and make vs blessed so doth the Apostle expounde this our iustification saiyng As Dauid doth set foorth the blessedfulnes of the man vnto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without woorkes where he saieth Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgeuen and whose sinnes are couâ—red Blessed is the man vnto whom the Lorde imputeth no synne As for the places of sainct Iames where he saith Was not our father Abraham iustified through workes when he offered Isaac his sonne vpon the aulter And a little after ye see then how that of workes a man is iustified and not of faithe onely It maketh little for their purpose if it be well considered We reade that Abraham beleeued the Lorde it was accompted vnto hym for righteousnesse whiche text is of Paule alledged after this sorte If Abraham were iustified by woorkes he hath wherein to reioyce or glorie but not with God for what saieth the Scripture Abraham beleued God and it was imputed vnto hym for righteousnesse Whereby the Apostle proueth strongly that Abraham was iustified by faith But this that saincte Iames doeth speake of whiche is the offeryng of Isaac was doen thirtie yeres after that the scriptures did pronounce Abraham iustified or that his faithe was compted vnto hym for rigteousnesse Uerely sithe that fifteene yeres afore that Isaac was borne Abrahams faith was imputed vnto hym for righteousnesse it was impossible that he should be iustified by the offryng of his sonne Isaac whiche was as I sayd before thirtie yeres after That that the Apostle goeth aboute here is onely to shewe that the faith which Abraham was iustified by was no idle or deade faithe but suche a faithe as made hym obedient vnto God as it is plainely set foorth to the Hebrewes Therefore if the circumstaunces bee considered there is no repugnaunce or coÌ„trarietie in the doctrine of the Apostles at all For what contrarietie or repugnaunce could there bee in their doctrine sithe that they were bothe led by one spirite Therefore we shall marke that the holie Apostle saincte Paule in his Epistle to the Romaines and to the Galathians did dispute and reason against them which did attribute iustification to workes But saincte Iames did write againste them which did vtterly contempne and despise good workes And therefore Paule sheweth the causes of our iustification Iames sheweth theffectes and fruites of the same Paul declareth how we are iustified Iames declareth how wee are knowen to bee iustified Paule excludeth
August de vnitate eccle cap. 1. August cont Crâ—â—co Gâ—am lib. 1 cap 33. Be vnitate ecclesiae cap. 16. Chrisost. in Mat. Ho. 49. August de Vnitate eccle cap. 3. In eodem capi Ambro. Hexameron lib. 4. cap. 8. Ephe. 5. Beholde proude Lucifer of Rome Syluester priâ—rias cont Lutherum August cont EpistolaÌ„ fundament cap. 5. August in psal 57. The cause that moued S. August to say hee would not beleue the gospell without the church â—erson lib. de spirituali vita anima lectione 2. Iohn 4. Iohn 1. 1. Peter 3. The true Church hath three offices as touching the worde of God. First 〈◊〉 Seconde office Matth. 28. Third office The aucthotie of the true church doth consist in fourâ— thinges Actes 6. Tim. 3. Titus 1. Hebre. 5. Actes 6. 2. Cor. 11. Matth. 28. 2. Cor. 2. Matth. 18. 1. Cor. 5. 2. Cor. 2. 1. Cor. 14. 1. Thess. 5. 1. Iohn 4. Actes 15. August cont â–ª Maxim. lib. 3. cap. 14. Hieroni. in Epist. ad Ephe. lib. 3. cap. 5. Origen in Episto ad Rom. lib. 10. cap. 16. When the Church can not erre When the Churche can and doth erre The whole vniuersall Church doth neuer fall away from God. Markes of the true Church Why it is called the inuisible Church Iohn 10. â— Tim. 2. 2. Cor. 5. Ephe. 2. Ephâ— 5. August de fiâ—e ad PetruÌ„ cap. 43. Matth. 1â— We must not diuide our selues from the Church because the wicked are among vs The opinion of the Anabaptistes Cyprian de simplicitatâ— praelatoruÌ„ Matth. 3. 2. Tim. 2. Communion of saintes Iohn 15. The forgeuenes of sinnes Galat. 2. Esai 43. Rom. 3. Matth. 1. Actes 4. Barnarde supâ—â— canti Ser. 61. Whence this woord iustificare hath ben borowed and what it signifieth Rom. 4â— â–ª Psal. 32. Iames. 2. Obiection Aunswere Gen. 15. Rom. 4. Hebre. 11. Note this diligently August in lib. 83. questionuÌ„ questio 76. Thomas de Aquino in epist. Iacobi cap. 5. Rom. 4. Psal. 51 â–ª This worde iustificare is taken of S. Paul in one sence and of S. Iames in another Iames. 2. Actes 13. Rom. 3. Ephe. 2. Ephe. 2. Reuel 22. Ambro. de vocatio Gent. lib. 1. cap. 5. Iob. 9. Esai 64. Luk. 17. Origen in Matth. tract â— August in Psal. 94. August Epist. 52. ad Macedon Rom. 5. August in Psal. 137. Hieroni in Esai cap. 64. Origen ad Rom. lib. 4. cap. 4. Origen ad Rom. lib. 9. cap. 10. Barnard super cant Serm. 67. Walden cont Wiclesium Rom. 8. Rom. 10. Obiection Rom. 8. Papistes do call vs Solifidians Aunswere This worde gratis is of as great force as this word â—ola Rom. 3. 1. Peter 1. Rom. 3. Papistes like to Arian heretikes Titus 3. Ephe. 2. The purpose of god doth exclude all â—â—erites from the iustification of man. Rom. 8. Galaâ— 4. Ambro. in epist. ad Rom. cap. 4. Eodem loco In Epist. ad Rom. cap. 9. Theo. de curaÌ„dis graecoruÌ„ affectibus lib. 7. Basil de humilitate Nazianzenus Origen in Epi. ad Rom. cap. 3. lib. 3. Hesychi in Leuiti lib. 4. Chrisost. in Epist. ad Galat. cap. 3. Hieroni. in Epist. ad Rom. cap. 10. Hylari canonâ— nono in Maâ— Obiecttion â–ª Reuel 14. Matth. 10. 1. Cor. 15. Matth. 5. Hebre. 6. Aunswere Gregor Nazi de sancto baptismaâ—e Luk. 17. Hylar in psal â—18 Basil in psal 32. August confession 10. Good works of the papists Esai 1. Good works that god doth require of vs. 1. Peter 2. Matth. 5. Galat. 5. Matth. 25 â–ª Galat. 5. Ephe. 2. Why God doth crowne his giftes in vs August in Psal. 109. August in Psal. 32. â— Cor. 4. Rom. 11. August in quinquagintis Hom. Ho. 14. August in psal 98. psal 70. August in Psal. 107. Barnard super cant Serm. 61. 1. Tim. 6. Psal. 16. A similitude A rewarde neuer stirreth vp the godly to seeke for righteousnesse Gods promises very neâ—ssary to vs all What the nature of merite is Rom. 8. Rom. 3. Phil. 2. Ephe. 2. August in psal 32. The imperfection of our â—wâ— workes Esai 64. August lib. 9. confessione Barnard in Serm. omniuÌ„ sanctoruÌ„ 1. Esai 64. Psal. 14.3 A similitude Marke this well August â–ª in psal 31 â–ª Luk. 18. A sylogisme Iohn 15. Matth. 9. Iohn 7. August in tract 33. Iohn 1. Obiection Iohn 20. Aunswere Three maner of powers to forgiue sinne Esai 43. â—zech 18. Luk. 5. Hieroni. in Matth. cap. 16. Senten 4. distinct 18. nec ideo August in psal 101. Hieroni. in Matth. cap. 16. Actes 3. Beatus Reuanus in argum libelli Tertul. de poenitentia Distinct. 1. de poenitentia in Gloss. Petr. Sâ—ten 4. dist 17. quid ergo â–ª De poenit dist 1. quidam Chrisost. in psal 50. Hom. 2. Hom. de praenit confessione Matth. 6. Coloâ—s 3. Psal. 103. Obiection Phil. 3. Aunswere Certaintie of our saluation Rom. 8. Iob. 13. Iob. 19. Psal. 70. Tertul. cont Martio lib. 5. Cypr. de mortalit Sermo 4. Prosper de promiss praedictio dei par 1. cap. 16. August de verbis Dorm Serm. 28. August in Io. tract 22. Basil. de humilitate Ambro. de Iaco. vita beatâ— Barn. in canti cantico Ser. 61. Cypr. de simpli praelato Matth. 28. Iames. 1. Gen. â— Deut. 29. Eeze. 36. 11. Psal. 51. Iere. 32. Iere. 31. Iere. 10. Prou. 21. Psal. 119. Iohn 3. Iohn 6. Matth. 16. Iohn 6. 1. Cor. 2. 2. Cor. 3. Phil. 2. Rom. 9. 2. Cor. 3. Iohn 8. What we are as long as we are without the spirite of god 2. Cor. 3. The definition of free wyl after S. August 1. Cor. 15. Galat. 2. Obiection Eccle. 15. Gen. 1. Iere. 1. Aunswere What this worde Apocrypha is Canon is a Greke word and signifieth a rule to do any thing by or to trye any matter or proue the spirites by to leade our lyues by Iohn 3. August de canâ—ico none â–ª cap. 8. Cont. fortu disput 11. Lib. de perfect iusticiae In enâ—heridioÌ„ ad Laur. ca. 30 August de verbis apost Serm. 2. Loke for mo â–ª aucthorities in my booke called the poore mans Garden for this matter De eccl. dogm cap. 32. Enchirid. ad Lauren. ca. 30. The fathers speake of mans free-will before the fall whensoeuer they speake or write of freewyll in man. August ad Valen. Epi. 46. August lib. 2. cap. 18. de libero arbitrio in lib. 1. Retract Hieroni. in Iere. cap. 23. Obiection Aunswere Rom. 8. Two things to be learned in s. Pâ—ules sayinges A similitude Matth. 18. Deut. 6. Rom. 8. The lawe hath mo ends then one Galat. .3 Galat. 3. Rom. 10. Galat. 3. Epist. 200. aâ— AsellicuÌ„ August de correptione gratia cap. 3. Epist. 157. ad OptatuÌ„ August iâ— psal 11â— Commaundements and exhortations proue not the libertie of wyll Actes 15. Ephe. 6. Ephe. 4. 1. Thess. 1. 2. Cor. â— Actes 17. Matth. 9. August in solutionibus quest Hylaâ—iâ— quest 1. in Epist. 89. Libro 10. confeâ—sion ca.
teache Moyses another lesson For wheÌ„ he was comming to the fierie bushe he did bid him to put of his shoes because that he stoode in a holy place whereby we are admonished of two thinges First howe that God doth preferre our bare skinne which he hath sanctified with the blood of his sonne before the skinne of dead beastes which shall neuer rise againe nor be partakers of the glory that the children of God shall haue at the general resurrection of all fleshe both in their bodies and in their soules Secondly howe that we ought to put away all dead workes from vs if we will truely and as we shoulde do handle holy thinges or if we loke for to obteyne true holynesse at Gods hande These godly lessons should thei teache the people when thei come to the Communion and as true and faithfull Pastours thei should endeuour themselues to deliuer them from the abominable superstition of these false apostles whiche according to the doctrines and preceptes of men be woont to say Touche not eate not handle not ¶ The .xvij. Chapiter ¶ Againste woâ—shippyng of the Sacrament NOw to speake of the detestable Idolatrie that they doe with all tyranny and crueltie compell men to commit making them to worship a péece of bread in steede of the liuyng God creatour of all thynges it will be necessarie for whereas the Sacrament of the body and blood of christe was instituted and ordeined for to put vs in remembraunce of the death passion and bloodsheddyng of our sauiour christ and that we should in it being duely ministred and worthely receiued be made partakers of all the merites thereof that is to â—aie be put in full possession of all that he did purchase by the death of his bodie and by the sheddyng of his blood thei make of it a plaine ydoll causing the simple ignoraunte people to geue godly honour to the corruptible elements of bread and wine which thyng they can not deny but to be directly against all the scriptures which doe alwaies teache vs to lifte vp our heartes and mindes vnto the Lorde that is to saie vnto the thynges that by the Sacraments are signified vnto vs and not vnto the visible elementes and signes of them For as sainct Chrisostome saieth The Infidell when he heareth of the water of baptisme thinketh it to be onely plaine water but I that beléeue in Christe doe not onely see water but also the cleansyng of the soule by the spirite of god I consider christes buriall his resurrection our sanctification righteousnes and the fulnes of the spirite the thing that I see I iudge not with my bodily eies but with the eyes of my minde Thus farre he Sainct Augustine therefore plainely saieth to them that hang so vppon the visible signes Ea demum est miserabilis animae seruitus signa pro rebus accipere This is a miserable bondage of the soule to take the signes in steede of the thynges that be signified And for this cause were they wonte to saie Lift vp your heartes all the people or congregation aunswered We haue lifte them vp vnto the Lorde To be shorte Christe our sauiour who sayeth that he hath shewed and declared vnto vs all that he hearde of his father maketh no mention at all of this worshippyng but sayeth onlye Take eate c. The blessed Apostle S. Paule who doeth sette forth at large the whole institution of his master Christ saieth not Let a man fall downe on his knees and worship the bread and wyne But let a man examine him selfe that is to saye descend into his owne conscience and trye his owne hart and so let him eate of this breade and drinke of this cuppe If any suche worshippyng had ben requisite and necessarie both Christ our Sauiour himselfe and also his Apostle woulde not haue left it out vnspoken of Whereby we may conclude that all that thei do in the honouring of the misticall bread and wine is a méere inuention of theirs and a most detestable idolatrie which ought in no wise to be suffered in the church of christ For by it the honour that is due vnto the liuing God only the creatour and maker of all thinges and vnto his sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde and Sauiour is geuen vnto the dumbe and insensible creatures and corruptible elementes of bread and wine That they are corruptible creatures Saint Augustine saith If we beholde the visible creatures as the bread and the wine wherein the sacramentes are ministred who seeth not that thei be corruptible But if we consider the thinges that are wrought thereby who séeth not that thei can not be corrupted Saint Origene saith The meate that is sanctified by the word of God by prayer according to the materiall part that is in it passeth into the belly and so foorth into the priuie c. Therefore let vs folowe S. Chrisostomes councell where he saieth Nolimus creatorem cum creatura confundere ne illud audiamus seruierunt creature potius quà m creatori Let vs not confounde the creature and the creatour both together lest it be saide of vs they haue honoured a creature more then their creatour For saith he in a nother place creatures are to worship the creatour to be worshipped But here thei will say that thei worshippe not the bread and the wine but the body and blood of Christe that be there really present vnder the formes of bread and wine for to be receaued of the faithfull communicantes Be not these Saint Augustines wordes say they No man doth eate the fleshe of christ except he worship it first not only we do not sinne if we worship it but rather we do sinne if we worship it not They can neither proue by this place of Saint Augustine that the body and blood of Christe be really present vnder the formes of bread and wine nor yet mainteine their idolatrous worshipping of the Sacrament by it For all faithfull christians being commaunded to lift vp their heartes do worshippe the fleshe of Christe in his Godhead sitting in glorie on the right hande of the father before that thei feede vpon it by faith through the mightie operation of the eternall spirite of god And that this is the meaning of Saint Augustine it may easyly appeare by that that foloweth For by and by after he saith that wee ought not to sticke long in the fleshe but to clyme vp higher vnto the godhead of christ And verely their very wordes that they do vse afore that thei go about or euen when thei go about their holy misteries saying vnto the people Lift vp your heartes do vtterly condemne them For by them folowing in this point the custome of the auncient Catholique Churche thei doe exhort the people that thei sticke not vnto the visible elementes and signes of bread and wine but that thei lift vp their heartes and mindes
vnto him that is signified by them Saint Ciprian therefore saieth full well Before prayer the priest with a preface prepareth the hartes of the brethren saying vnto them Lift vp your heartes that when the people aunswereth We lift them vp vnto the Lorde thei may be put in minde to thinke of nothing else but of the Lorde Chrisostome also saith Clamamus in conspectu sacrificij Sursum corda We crie a loude in the sight of the oblation Lift vp your hearts S. Augustine vpon the Psalmes saith Let vs lift vp our heartes if ye be risen againe with christ he saieth vnto the faithfull he saieth vnto them that receaue the body and blood of our Lorde If ye be risen againe with Christ sauour those thynges that are aboue where Christe is at the right hande of God seeke for the thinges that bee aboue not for the things that be in earth Their owne manipulus curatorum saith thus Before the Canon the Priest saith Lift vp your hartes As if he woulde saie who so will receaue this Sacramente ought to haue his hearte lifted vp vnto God. But lette vs graunt vnto them by waie of disputation that the naturall body and blood of Christe bee really present vnder the formes of bread and wine yet we shall alwaies bee in feare to commit Idolatrie if at least their doctrine be true For they saie excepte the Priestes doe pronounce the wordes of consecration which words they be in doubt of them selues and cannot wel tel which they be vpon the creatures of bread and wine Cum intentione consecrandi That is with an intent and mynde to consecrate they be not made the body and blood of Christe but remaine still nude nude and bare creatures of bread and wine Therefore Holtcot saieth vpon the maister of sentences Laicus adorat hostiam non consecratam The laie people saith he worshippeth a wafer that is not coÌ„secrated And therfore that perill and daunger of Idolatrie may be auoyded at all tymes Thomas de Aquino in a certaine booke geueth vs counsell that we worship it with a condition saiyng Lorde if thou be there I doe worship thee if thou be not there I worship thee not Is not this a sure and certaine doctrine thinke ye and most worthy to be mainteined with fire and sworde and with suche sheddyng of innnocent blood Repeâ—t then ye Magistrates and rulers of the people and be sorie in your heartes that euer ye consented to the death of so many Martyrs that in these our daies haue been most cruelly put to death for the truethes sake and crie God mercie betimes lest ye with the beaste and hir false Prophetes whose slaues ye are now become though some of you perceaue it not be cast for euer into the lake that burneth with fire and Brimstone which is the seconde death There be some in the world that alledge Saincte Ciprian to proue that the Sacrament must be worshipped And these wordes of his doe they bryng foorthe The Sacramentes as muche as in them is can neuer be without the proper vertue nor the diuine maiestie can in any wise absent it self from the misteries It foloweth then saie they that they must be worshipped sith that the diuine maiestie is neuer absent from them I would faine aske these greate doctours of diuinitie why they doe not then worship the water of baptisme wherin we are apparelled with Christ renewed with the holy ghost and receiue free remission of our synnes I am sure that the diuine maiestie of God is no more absent from the Sacrament of baptisme then from the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christe And yet none of them all will graunt that the water of baptisme should be worshipped Christ our sauiour who is the trueth hymselfe and can not lie doth saie in his Gospell He that loueth me keepeth my worde and my father shal loue hym and we will come to hym and dwell with hym Againe He that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my blood dwelleth in mée and I in hym These also are sainct Iohns wordes whosoeuer confesseth that Iesus is the sonne of god God dwelleth in hym and he in God. By these textes we doe learne that God the father God the sonne and God the holy Ghoste dwelleth in all the faithfull beléeuers yea I dare saie a thousande tymes more effectuously then in the inuisible elementes of water or bread or of wine And yet no godly honour ought to be doen vnto them for that were a plaine Idolatrie Christe our Sauiour saiyng Thou shalt honour the Lorde thy God and hym onely shalte thou serue and worship Now all men maie see that the saiyng of Saincte Ciprian helpeth them nothyng for to maintaine their Idolatrous worshippyng of the sacrament excepte they will also graunte that the water of Baptisme and euery true christian man must be worshipped also But peraduenture some man wil aske will ye haue no maner of honour to be doen vnto the Sacramentes I doe aunswere that we doe sufficient honour vnto them when we doe receaue them with an vnfained faith and as Christ hath instituted them submitting our selues obediently vnto his holy institution and ordinaunce If we doe otherwise we receaue them vnworthely â–ª to our vtter vndoing and condemnation If then S. Ambroses saiyng after they receaue the Sacrament vnworthely that handle the misteries otherwise than Christ hath instituted If they be also guiltie of the body and blood of the Lorde that come to this holy Supper not obseruyng the institution of hym that is the aucthour of it where shall our Pope catholiques become How shall they escape damnation For none in all the whole worlde if we consider well what hath been saide before doe more abhominably and shamefully breake the ordinaunce of God then they doe Can they therefore haue a deuout mynde towardes hym that saieth Ye shal not doe euery thing as ye thynke best but that whiche I commaunde you that shall ye doe onely I am the Lorde your god Adde nothyng vnto it nor take ought awaie from it but leauing them to the righteous iudgement of hym that with the fire of his wrath did consume Nadab and Abihu in the sight of all the people bicause that thei had offered straunge fire which the lorde had not commaunded them I will goe through by the helpe of God with the rest of their obiection We saide before that thei eate the bread of the Lorde and drinke his Cup vnworthely that come to the holy misteries not hauing truly examined themselues or that come to them without true faithe in the merites of the deathe passion and blood shedding of our Sauiour Iesu Christe and that presume to take or receaue them without true repentaunce vnfeyned confession of their synnes and without amendement of their owne liues I saide also that after the saiyng of Saincte Ambrose thei