Surplesse and the stole about his necke sang a collect of martyrs so after his maner canonising a rebellious subiect for a saint Such is the seditious impudencie of newly hatched Romish Iesuites And least any other Iesuite or papist shall denie that they ascribe their saluation to saintes for they vse to say that they make them but mediatours of intercession and not of saluation and redemption I will prooue it flatly out of their owne bookes and church seruice which I wish the reader to marke attentiuely In the praier which the church of Rome readeth publickly vpon Thomas Beckets day sometime the Bishop of Canturburie I finde these wordes Deus pro cuius ecclesia gloriosus poÌ„tifex Thomas gladiis impiorum occubuit praesia quaesumus vt omnes qui eius implorant auxilium petitionis suae salutarem consequantur effectum O God for whose church the glorious bishop Thomas was put to death by the swordes of the wicked graunt wee beseech thee that all which desire his helpe may attaine the effect of their petition to saluation Out of these wordes I note first that Thomas Becket is pronounced a glorious martyr albeit the disobedience of his lawfull prince was the cause of his death I note secondly that the Romish church seeketh for saluation euen through his merites I note thirdly that the papistes make him a Sauiour yea such a Sauiour as is equall with Christ and consequently that they make him another Christ. For as S. Paule truely recordeth Christ redeemed the church with his owne bloud And yet doth the Romish church teache as yee see that Thomas Becket shed his bloud for the church of God Since therefore the proper and onely badge of Christes mediatorship is giuen to Thomas Becket what remaineth for him to be if not another Christ And least we should not fully vnderstand how our redemption is wrought in the bloud of Thomas they deliuer this mysterie more cleerely in another place in these wordes Tuper Tho. sanguineÌ„ queÌ„ pro te impendit fac nos Christe scandere quò Thomas ascendit Thou O Christ cause vs to come thither where Thomas is euen by the bloud which hee shedde for thy sake Loe Thomas Becket died for vs and shed his bloud to bring vs to heaueÌ„ as the papists teach vs therfore by their doctrine hee is our redeemer and mediatour not only of intercession but also of redemption In their praier bookes deliuered to the vulgar people which God wote they vnderstoode not they teache the people thus to inuocate their proper Aungels Angele Dei quicustos es mei pietate superna me tibi commissum salua defende guberna O Aungell of God who art my keeper by supernall pietie defend mee gouerne mee and saue my soule To S. Paule they teache vs to pray in this maner O beate Paule apostole te deprecor vt ab angelo Sathanae me eripias à ventura ira liberes in coelum introducas O blessed Apostle Paul I pray thee that thou wilt take me from the angel of Satan and deliuer me from wrathe to come and bring me into heauen To Saint Iames in this maner O foelix Apostole magne martyr Iacobe te colentes adiuua peregrinos vndique tuos clemens protege ducens ad coelestia O happy Apostle and mightie martyr Iames helpe thy worshippers defend courteously thy pilgrimes on euery side and bring them to heauenly ioyes To Saint Martin thus Caecis das viam mutisque loquelam tu nos adiuua mundans immunda qui fugas daemâ—nia nos hic libera O Martin thou causest the blinde to see and the dumbe to speake Helpe vs and purge the vncleane thou that castest out diuels deliuer vs here But for breuitis sake I wil wittingly and willingly superseade many particular praiers made to meaner saintes and come to the blessed Virgine The Papistes teache vs to inuocate the holy virgine Mary thus O Maria gloriosa in delitiis delitiosa praepara nobis gloriam O Mary glorious in dainties delicious prepare thou glory for vs. Againe in another place thus Maria mater Domini aeterni patris filij fer opem nobis omnibus ad teconfugientibus O Mary the mother of our Lord the sonne of the eternall God helpe vs all that flie for helpe vnto thee Againe in another place thus Maria mater gratiae mater misericordiae tu nos ab hoste protege hora mortis suscipe O Mary the mother of grace the mother of mercie defend thou vs from our ghostly enemie and receiue vs at the houre of death Againe in another place thus Solue vincla reis profer lumen caecis mala nostra pelle bona cunctae posce Monstra te esse matrem sumat per te preces qui pro nobis natus tulit esse tuus Loose the bandes of the guiltie bring light to the blinde driue away our euils require all good thinges for vs shew thy selfe to be a mother let him receiue thy praiers that was borne for vs and suffered to be thine Againe in another place thus Veni regina gentium dele flammas reatuum dele quod cunque deuium da vitam innocentium Come O Queene of the Gentiles extinguishe the firie heate of our sinnes blot out whatsoeuer is amisse and cause vs to leade an innocent life Againe in their olde Latine primers the people are thus taught to pray In extremis diebus meis esto mihi auxiliatrix saluatrix animam meam animam patris mei matris meae fratrum sororum parentum amicorum benefactorum meorum omnium fidelium defunctorum ac viuorum ab aeterna mortis caligine libera ipso auxiliante quem portasti Domino nostro Iesu Christo filio tuo O glorious Virgine Mary bee thou my helper and Sauiour in my last dayes and deliuer from the mist of eternall death both mine owne soule and my fathers soule and the soules of my mother brethren sisters parents friends benefactors and of all the faithfull liuing and dead by his help whom thou didst beare our Lord Iesus Christ thy sonne Againe after two or three leaues in this maner Vt in tuo sancto tremendo ac terribili iudicio in conspectu vnigeniti filii tui cui pater dedit omne iudicium me liberes protegas a paenis inferni participem me facias coelestium gaudiorum I beseech thee most mercifull and chaste virgine Mary that in thine holy fearefull and terrible iudgement in the sight of thine only sonne thou wilt deliuer and defend me from the paines of hell and make me partaker of heauenly ioyes These praiers if they be well marked will prooue my conclusion effectually as which conteine euery iote of power right maiestie glorie and soueraignty whatsoeuer is or ought to be yeelded vnto our Lord Iesus Christ. Yea these two last praiers make the virgine Mary not onely equall with Christ but farre
inuocation The multitude of Romish patrons The saintes are made mediators of redemption and saluation In Rom. breniâ—â— in festo Tho. Bâ—cket In hymno Tho. Cant. Oratio ad angel propâ—ium Oratio ad S. Paul doct gent. Oratio ad S. Iâ—c In translat S. Mart. In antiph B. Virg. In natiu B. Virg. In concept B. Virg. In annuntiar B. Virg. In visitat B. Virg. Deuotissimâ— oratio ad B. Vir Mariam fol. 118. Ibid. fol. 111. Note wel what is here saide Aqu. p. 1. q. 45. â— 5. Aq. p. 1. q. 7. 〈…〉 3. Reg. 14.5 4. Reg. 5.26 Act. 5.3 9. Reg. 4.27 Act. 1.24 Act. 15.8 â— Par. 6. ver 30. Rom 8.27 Ier. 21. â—0 Aqu. p. 1. q. 52. ar 2. Corp. Damasc. l. 2. cap. â— Hebr. 1.14 Gen. 28.12 Da. 10.13 20 2â— Luc. 2â— 36 Luc. 15.10 Esai 63.16 Rom. 15. Colos. 4. Iac. 5. 1. Tim. 2. Iob. 42. Gen. 20. vers 7. Polanchus de modo aâ—d confess Esa. 42.8 Luc. 16.25 Iren. lib. 4. cap. â— Iust. q. 60. ad orthodox August de cura pro mort cap. 14 15. tom 4. Cypr. lib. 2. ep 3. Epist. 63. apud Pa. Hier. in 9. câ— Ier. Aug. de vnit eccles cap. 3. Tertull. adu praâ— in initio Egesippus apud Euseb. hist. lib. 3 cap. 32. â—usebius hist. lib. 3. cap. vlt. Can. de locis lib. â— c. 5. Caieta in Gen. 5. â— br Mos. Victor de Sacramen Nau. in enchir August epist. ad Hier. 19. Roffen Ac. 32. aduers. Luth August cont Crensc lib. 2. cap. 32. Iust. q. 60. Iren. lib. 5 cap. vlt. Orig. hom in Leâ—uit Chrys. in 1. Cor. hom 39. c. The margent canâ—not containe thâ— quotations of alâ— Bernard in serm 3. de omnibus sanctis Serm. 4. vbi supâ— The old fathers shew themselues to be men 〈◊〉 not Gods The heresie of Pope Iohn Euery truth must be tried by the scripture 230. yeares after Christ. Irenaeus lib. 5. c. 1 Irenae lib. 5. c. 1. in fine Irenae lib. 3. c. 33 Concil Constantinop 6. Can 32 Carranza in annot 6. conc Constant Anno Dom. 233 Orig hom 16. in cap. 13. Iosue Idem â—n cantic hom 3. circa med Mat. 11. v. 28. Psal. 49. v. 15. Ioan. 14. v. 13.14 Hebr. 7.25 Gelasiuâ— dist 15. cap. sanct Ro. Origen hom 3. in diueâ—sos The maner of praying of saints for vs. Ruffin in apolog pro Orig. in fine Anno Dom. 250 Cypr. Epist. 57. lib. 1. ep 1. Anno Dom. 350 Naâ—ianz orat 1. â—n Iulian in initio tom 2. Nazianz. orat 2. in Pascha in ipso â—â—ne Vincent Lyrin aduers. haeres The Romish religion not catholicke Anno. Dom. 400. Chrysost. hom 16 ex var. in Mat. locis tom 2. col 1181. Chrysost. hom 5. in cap. 1. Mat. tom 2. col 56. I haue these three masseâ— iâ— print Anno Dom. 420 August epist. 119 ad Ianuâ—â— in fine tom 2. Saint Austen for feare dissembled many things This is a graue saying worthy to be written in golden letters Psal. 115.15 Psal. 33.19 Apoc. 14.13 Psal. 15.9 Gen. 50.2 7 8. Epiphan in vitis prophetarum Ecclesiast cap. â—6 vers 12. August de ciuit libr. 1. cap. 13. The pilgrimage of Christ Iesus Mat. 2.1 13 23 Mat. 3.13 Mat. 4.1 5. Ioan. 2.2 9. 〈◊〉 4. vers 13. Luc. 4.31 Ioan. 6.1 2. Mar. 5.1 13 14 17. Ioan. 5.1 Mat. 13. vers 2. Mat. 10.5 Luc. 10.1 Mat. 15. verse 39. Mat 16. verse 13 Mar. 9. verse 3. â— Pet. 1.18 Luc. 17.12 Mar. 6.7 Ioan. 12.2 Ioan. 10.22 23. Ioan. 11.43 44. Lu. 19.29.30.45 Matth 26.6 18. Ioan. 18. verse 1. Mat. 26.36 Luc. 22. ver 44 47 48 54. Mat. 26.57 Mar 15. v. 18 15 Ioan. 19. vers 1 6 16 30. Act. 9. ver 1 2 20 22. Galat. 1.17 18 Act. 9. ver 22 23 24 25 26. Act. 21. ve 15 27 Act. 23. vers 24. Act. 11. vers 26. Act. 11. vers 28 29 30 Act. 13. ver 4 5 6 7. Act. 13. ve 13.14 Act. 14. verse 5 6 Act. 15.36 41. Act. 16. v. 6 5 11 1â— Act. 24. vers 24. Act. 25. vers 9 1â— Act 26. vers 1. Act. 28. v. 16 19 Mat 2.1 2. â— Reg. 10.1 2. â— Par. 9.1 2 3. Mat. 12. vers 42. â—uc 11.31 In all superstitious adoration one imitateth an other without time or reason Platina in 8. Bonifac Ludou in comm de ciuit Coloss. 2.23 Canus de locis lib. 5. ca. 5. p 17â— Gen 50 v. 25. Exod. 13. v. 19. Heb. 11. v. 22. 1. Sam. 1. v. 3. Ioan. 12. v. 20. Act. 8. vers 27. Act 20. v. 16. Deut. 16. v. 1.10.13 Pilgrimage appointed by God is to be approoued Matth. 5.17 Euseb. hist. lib. 6. cap 9. Pilgrimage is no satisfaction for sinne Ioan. 4. v 23. Bernard Epist. 5. ad Adam monach tom 2. Ambr. serm 91. Aug. de ciuit Deâ— lib. 22. c. 8. 4. Reg. 13. v. 20. 4. Reg. 18. v. 4. Iustin. q. 2â— Gen. 2. v. 17. Gen. 3. v. 19. August de ciuit dei lib. 13. cap. 3. Bernard serm ad milit cap. 11. de caena domini ser. 10. Chrysos hom 16. in Gen. Chryso hom 12. ad Rom. Ecclesiast 7. v. 31 Aug. de lib. arbit lib. 2. cap. 1. 2. Tim. 4. v. â— August de ciuit libr 13. cap. 13. Luc. 10. v. 30. Aug. ap Ludolp Ludolph de vita Christi The double euill of ignorance anâ— concupiscence Aug. apud Luâ—â—â— 2. Cor. 3.5 1. Cor. 12. â— Philip. 2.13 Conâ— Araâ— can 7. Ioan. 155. Ethiâ— 3. cap. 5. â—egâ—eâ— de voâ—â—â—â—tate humanâ— cap. 3. â— 1. 〈◊〉 â— Bernard de 〈◊〉 lib. 〈◊〉 The formalitiâ— of free-will Heb. 11. â— Rom. 1â— 2 Naâ—arr i◠〈◊〉 Caietan ibâ—â— 1. Cor. 10. â—â— Coloâ— 3. August contr Iuâ—ian lib. 4. cap. 3. â—om 7. p. 705. August contr 〈…〉 4. cap. 〈…〉 pâ—ope 〈◊〉 All in hell haue not the same to ments Genes 4.7 Chrysost. in 4. cap. Ge. hom 1 Conc. 〈…〉 19. Can. 7. vbi sup Aug. epist. 1â—â— Luc. 17.10 Gen. 6. â— â—â—ilip 2.13 Cor. 3.5 Cor. 2.14 â—om 8.7 â—an 6.44 â—an 15.5 The attribute of Gods iustice The attribute of Gods mercie The attribute of Gods wisedome The attribute of Gods loue Ioan. 3.16 Rom 3.23 24. Rom. 5.18 19. Act. 4.11 1. Io. 2.1 2. Gal. 3.13 Col. 1.14 Heb. 1.2 3. 2. Cor. 5.21 Apoc. 7.14 â— Io. 1.8 â—sa 43.55 â—sa 53.5 August serm 141 de temp tom 10. 〈◊〉 3.5 Rom. 2.23 24. Rom. 4.24 Ioan. 3.16 Eph. 1. â— â— Cor. 10.31 Esa. 43.25 Esa. 48.11 Prou. 16. â— Conc. Trid. seâ—â— 6. can 7. Aquinas 12. q. 111. ar 1. ad primum Vulgata editio Coloss. 1.12 Their owne linguist is againâ—â— them The 1. argument The 2. argument Rom. 3. v. 24. The 3. argument Rom. 5. v. 1. The 4. argument Phil. 3. v. 9. The 5 argument 2. Cor. 5. v. 21. The 6. argument Rom. 10. v. 3.4 The true meaning of this sentence sole faith doth iustifie â—om 4. v. ◠◠〈◊〉 4. v. 3. Rom. 3. v. 28.
humanitate foeliciter sancti quiescunt in quam nimirum desiderant etiam sancti angeli prospicere donec veniat tempus quando iam non sub altare collocentur sed exaltentur super altare In the meane season the saints rest happily vnder Christs humanitie which doubtlesse the holy angels desire to behold vntil the time come wheÌ„ they shalbe no longer hid vnder the altar but exalted aboue the altar So then not only the ancient fathers but holy and deuout Bernard with others of late yeres were and continued in this grosse error to wit that y e souls of the faithful dying in the Lord shal not be admitted to the vision and fruition of God to the sight of his diuine essence clearely to behold his deity vntil the general resurrection of our bodies Further theÌ„ this which is a scourge to the papists Pope Iohn the 22. of that name professed this heretical doctrine and commanded al the diuines in Paris to teach the same His wordes with all the due circumstances thereof are cited at large in my booke of Motiues These two Canons well marked will serue for many good purposes and especially at this time to prooue that the opinion of the fathers are of no more force for the inuocation of saints theÌ„ for these other important matters already in these Canons named For as we ouerrule them in these pointes by Gods sacred word so must we still ouerrule them by the same word if at any time they swarue from it either for the inuocation of saints or for praying for the dead or for marriage of priestes or for whatsoeuer els And so to ouerrule them is consonant to their owne doctrine as is already prooued The third Canon The primitiue church for the space of two hundreth thirty yeares after Christ liued vtterly destitute and vnacquainted with the merites suffrages intercession and inuocation of the saintes in heauen after which time this cacozeale by degrees proceeded till it became perfect and consummate idolatry as this day is seene in the church of Rome For before this time the papistes cannot alledge any one authenticall writer for the inuocation of saintes in heauen The first obiection Irenaeus who liued within one hundreth and nintie yeares after Christ affirmeth expressely that the virgin Mary was the aduocate of the virgin Eue. The answere I answere that S. Irenaeus had a farre other meaning then such popish friuolous collection would enforce vpon him which I prooue first indirectly because the virgin Mary was not born or conceiued much lesse a saint in heauen for the space almost of foure thousand yeares after the virginitie of Eue and so doubtlesse Eue neither did nor possibly could inuocate the holy virgin Mary Neither will it helpe to say that though Eue could not then inuocate the holy virgin Mary yet did the holie virgin pray for her and so became her aduocate For besides that the virgin Marie is there said to be Eues aduocate when she was a virgin at which time Marie the virgin was not born the same Eue was either a Saint in heauen as soone as the virgin Mary or a damned soule in hell Againe I prooue it directly because Irenaeus compareth the virgin Mary with the virgin Eue to insinuate vnto vs that we receiue no lesse good by the virgin Mary in that she bare Christ then euill by the virgin Eue in that she transgressed Gods holy lawes For thus doth Irenaeus interpret himselfe in another place in these words Sicut Eua inobaudiens facta et sibi vniuerso generi humano causa facta est mortis sic Maria habens praedestinatum virum tameÌ„ virgo obaudiens sibi vniuerso generi humano causa facta est salutis As Eue being disobedient was the cause of deathed her selfe and to all mankinde so Mary hauing a predestinate husband and withal an obedient virgin was the cause of saluation both to her selfe and to all mankinde in that shee bare Christ the true and only sauiour of the world The second obiection S. Iames in his Masse which the sixt general councel holden at Constantinople admitteth teacheth vs to inuocate the virgin Mary and all Saintes and to hope for mercie by their praiers and intercessions The answere I say first that that councell of Constantinople saith indeed that S. Iames did deâ—iuer a certain form of the masse in which hee shewed the custome of mingling water with the wine but of praying to Peter or to Paule it hath not one worde at all I say secondly that pope Gregorie who liued well neere an hundred yeares before that councell either knewe no such masse deliuered by S. Iames or at least reputed it for a counterfait and forged thing For the same Gregory auoucheth as shalbe prooued when I come to speake of the Masse that the Apostles did celebrate the holy communion onely with the Lordes praier and their owne deere frier Carranza witnesseth the same while he confesseth that there is no such tradition extant as that whereof the councell speaketh Whereby it well appeareth with what intolerable burdens and counterfaite bookes the papistes doe this day oppresse and seduce the simple people For this disholy Masse is currant euery where and my selfe haue one of the bookes The fourth Canon In the daies of Origen who liued about the yeare of our Lord 233. the first seede of the inuocation of Saintes began to be sowen Which seed so sowen by Origen was but a step or degree to popish inuocation For besides that Origen onely taught this that saintes in heauen doe pray for vs and not that we on earth should pray to them this his doctrine was not definitiue and resolute but doubtfull opinatiue and disputable This Canon Origen himselfe hath deliuered to vs whose expresse words are these Sed requiris qui sunt isti qui pugnant quae est illa pugna quam illi gerunt Ego sic arbitror quod omnes illi qui dormierunt ante nos patres pugnent nobiscum adiuuent nos orationibus suis. Ita namque etiam quendam de senioribus magistris audiui dicentem But thou requirest who they are that fight and what that battaile is which they fight I am of this opinion that all the fathers which are before vs and are dead doe fight with vs and doe helpe vs with their praiers for so I heard one of our old maisters say Againe in another place thus Sed omnes sancti qui de hac vita decesserunt habentes adhuc charitatem erga eos qui in hoc mundo sunt si dicantur curaÌ„ gerere salutis eorum iuuare eos precibus suis atque interuentu suo apud deum non erit inconueniens But also all saints which are departed hence and haue still charitie towards them which are in this world if wee say they haue care of their saluation and help them with their praiers and
intercession before God it shal not be a thing inconuenient Out of which sayinges of Origen I note first that he speaketh only of the praiers which saintes in heauen make for vs and not one word of our praying to them I note secondly that to holde that the saintes in heauen doe pray for vs is not a constant position in Origens doctrine but only an opinion and disputable question I proue it because he saith arbitror I think Again because he saith non erit inconueniens it shal not be incoÌ„uenient Thirdly because he saith audiuâ— ita dicentem I heard one say so The fiâ—st obiection Origen in his book de paenitentia saith y t he will fall prostrate on his knees and inuocate all the saintes in heauen that they will helpe him because he dare not pray to God for himselfe The answere I say first that this assertion fathered vpon Origen will confute it selfe for how could Origen or anie faithfull christian be in feare humbly to inuocate our most mercifull God who willeth all to come to him that are in distresse who promiseth to heare all those that in their trouble call vpon him Who graunteth to vs whatsoeuer we aske in his sonnes name who hath appointed his sonne to make intercession for vs. I say secondly that this booke alledged in the obiection is not Origens but a plaine counterfeit And I prooue it effectually because their owne pope Gelasius hath so resolued The 2. obiection Origen saith that the fathers of the churche appointed the feast day of the holy Innocentes and that by the will of God that so their intercession might profite their parentes The answere I say first that if all this were graunted it could but at the most proue that the saints pray for vs which in a good sense may be admitted For I willingly graunt that the saintes in heauen doe in generall maner and termes pray for vs that is that they wishe vs to perseuere in the true faith and feare of God and y t in the end we may be partakers with theÌ„ of eternal glory I say secondly that sundry learned men doe thinke these homilies from whence this obiection is taken not to be any part of Origens workes I say thirdly that if Origen doe make that a constant doctrine in one place which he graunteth to be a disputable question in another place what remaineth but to thinke his opinion therein to be of no force I say fourthly that the papistes as their Ruffinus recordeth will admit nothing in Origen which disliketh them but reiect all such stuffe as infarsed into his workes by the heretickes Let them therefore giue vs leaue also to reiect in Origen if in any place he seeme to approoue inuocation of saintes as that which is infarsed by the heretickes specially because in other places he teacheth the contrary doctrine The fift Canon About 20. yeares after that Origen had doubtfully disputed the praying of saintes for vs S. Cyprian and S. Cornelius set down that point resolutely as standing no longer in doubt therof to wit that the saintes in heauen doe pray for the liuing here on earth For they made this couenaut that whether of them soeuer should die the first should pray for his brethren and sisters yet liuing These are S. Cyprians owne wordes Et si quis istinc nostrum prior diuinae dignationis celeritate praecesserit perseueret apud dominum nostra dilectio pro fratribus sororib apud misericordiam patris noncesset oratio And if either of vs shall through Gods mercie die before the other let our loue continue still in Gods sight let vs not cease to desire the fauour of God for our brethren and sisters yet liuing Thus saith S. Cyprian Out of whose wordes I note first that to be established in his time which was but in opinion and doubtfull case in the daies of Origen To wit that the saintes in heauen pray for vs here on earth I note secondly that the inuocation of saintes in heauen was neither established in saint Cyprians time neither once called into question I note thirdly that popish inuocation of Saintes sprung vp by little and little from one degree to another The sixt Canon About an hundreth yeares after S. Cyprian which was about 350. yeares after Christ some of the fathers by rhetoricall apostrophees did applie their orations to the dead as if they had been liuing Of which sort were S. Basill and saint Gregory Nazianzene who though they did but inuocate the saints figuratiuely and of a certain excessiue zeale yet did such their inuocations minister occasion to the papistes of all their superstition in that behalfe These are the wordes of S. Gregory Nazianzene Audite populi tribus linguae homines omnes cuâ—usuis generis aetaetis quicunque nunc estis existetis Infra audiat quoque Constantini magni anima si quis mortuis sensus est omnesque eorum qui ante eum imperium tenuerunt piae Christique amantes animae Heare O people kinreds tongues nations ages whosoeuer are now liuing or shalbe borne hereafter Let also the soule of Constantine the Great heare all the christian godly soules of the Emperors before him if the dead perceiue any thing at all And againe in another place he thus writeth At ô pascha magnum inquam sacro sanctum pascha totiusque mundi piaculum te enim quasi vita praeditum alloquor But O Passeouer the great I say and sacred Passeouer and the purgation of the whole world For I call vpon thee as if thou hadst life Thus writeth Nazianzene by whose wordes we may measure both the rest of his sayings and of the other fathers First therefore I note that hee doth inuocate aswell senselesse thinges as reasonable soules Secondly hee calleth vpon the soules of all the people in the world whereof some were damned in the bottome of hell and so could not heare as euery learned papist will admit Thirdly he inuocateth those that are yet vnborne Vpon these sandie foundations are built all popish superstitious inuocations The 7. Canon Catholique doctrine is that as Vincentius Lyrinensis who liued aboue a thousand yeares agoe defineth it which hath been receiued constantly of al the faithful at al times and in all places Which Vincentius is and euer was of great reputation with and amongst al learned papists and consequently since popish inuocation of Saintes neither was constantly receiued of all the faithfull neither in all places neither at al times as which was not heard of for many hundreth yeares after Christ it cannot be deemed catholicke doctrine no not by popishe proceeding This Canon ought to be well remembred as which of it selfe ouerthroweth al Romish religion An obiection S Chrysostomes Masse which was generally vsed in the Greeke church maketh expresse mention of the inuocation of Saintes and the same doctrine is taught in sundry places of his workes The
Againe in an other place Without me can ye doe nothing By which testimonies it is clear y t man before he be regenerate hath not power force efficacy or faculty to do good or once to coÌ„sent to any spiritual act The third conclusion The meritorious cause as wel of saluation as of iustification is Christ Iesus and none els This conclusion wilbe manifest if we seriously reuolue in our minds the wonderful mystery of mans redemption In which kind of holy meditation whosoeuer shal deuoutly exercise himselfe that man doubtlesse wil espie with facilitie these foure most excellent attributes of our most sweete redeemer to wit his iustice his mercie his wisedome his loue For first as the worthines of the person increaseth so doth also the offence against the saide person committed Wherupon it commeth that a reprochful word spoken against a meane priuate person is in respect a small offence when it is spoken against a magistrate it is greatâ—r when against our soueraigne the greatest of all and consequently when we offend God whose person is of infinite worthienes our offence must needes be infinite howsoeuer our late papists flatter themselues in their venials and so man vncapable of euerie infinite action cannot possibly yeeld any condigne compensation and yet god of his iustice cannot pardon sin without condigne compensatioÌ„ for the same Behold here Gods iustice Secondly in rigor of iustice the partie that offendeth is bound to make satisfaction for the fault neither is the partie offended bound to accept the satisfaction of any other and conseqently God was not bound to accept his sonnes satisfaction for our sinnes though it were most sufficient and of infinite dignitie In this Gods mercie shewed it selfe Thirdly on the one side pure God could not satisfie though he were of infinit dignitie because pure God is impassible on the other side pure man was not able because euerie his action was insufficient as of which no one amongst al could be infinite God therefore appointed his onely sonne to be incarnate to ioyne humanitie with diuinity in hypostatical vnion and so to make attonement for our sinnes For as man hee was passible and as God he was able to giue infinite dignitie to his passion Wherein we may beholde Gods diuine wisedome Fourthly God seeing man in the chaines and bondage and thraldome of the deuill through sin and hauing tender compassion of him in such his distresse sent his owne deare sonne to set him at libertie again and this he did of meere loue without all merits and deserts of man For as Christ himselfe saith God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting All saith the apostle haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God and are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus Againe in another place As by the offence of one the fault came on al men to condemnation so by the iustifying of one the benefit abounded towarde all men to the iustification of life For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one many shall be made righteous This is the stone saith Saint Peter which the builders refused which is become the head of the corner neither is there saluation in any other for among men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen whereby wee must be saued Wee haue an aduocate with the father saith Saint Iohn euen Iesus Christ the iust and he is the reconciliation for our sinnes Christ redeemed vs saith Saint Paul from the curse of the lawe while hee was made a curse for vs. Againe in another place In whome wee haue redemption through his bloud that is the forgiuenesse of our sinnes Againe Who did by himselfe purge our sinnes and sitteth on the right hand of maiestie on high Againe For he hath made him to be sinne for vs that knew no sinne that we should be made the righteousnes of God in him These saith S. Iohn are they which came from great tribulatioÌ„ washed their stoales and made them white in the bloud of the Lambe Again in another place The bloud of Iesus Christ doth purge vs from all sin I euen I am hee saith God by his Prophet that blotteth out thine infirmities not for thy deserts but for mine owne sake Againe in another place He was wounded for our iniquities hee was torne in peeces for our offences S. Austen shal conclude this point who writeth in this maner Dominus noster Iesus Christus mori venit peccare non venit communicando nobiscum sine culpa poenam culpam soluit poenam Our Lord came to die he came not to sin communicating paine with vs without sinne he loosed both sinne and the paine of sinne The fourth conclusion The mercie of God is the efficient cause of mans iustification and Gods glorie the finall cause of the same Of the former speaketh S. Paul when he saith Not by the works of righteousnesse which we haue done but according to his mercie hath he saued vs by the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the holy ghost Againe in another place the same Apostle saith that al haue sinned are freely iustified by his grace Againe he saith Which beleeue in him that raised vp Iesus our Lord from the dead And S. Iohn saith that God of his meere mercy and loue gaue his only son for the redemption of the world Of the latter speaketh the apostle when he saith that God hath made vs accepted in his beloued to the praise of his glory Again in another place whether therfore ye eate or drink or whatsoeuer ye do do all to the glory of God As if he had said ye must referre al your thoughts words and workes to Gods glorie because ye were created to that end The prophet also saith I euen I am he that putteth away thine iniquities for mine own sake wil not remember thy sins Againe in an other place Surely I wil not giue my glory to any other But doubtlesse if God shoulde iustifie man for any other end then for his owne glory it would follow thereupon that his glorie were giuen to another Yet as Salomon saith God hath made al things for his own sake yea euen y e wicked for y e day of euil The formall cause of mans iustification is not mans owne inherent iustice but the iustice righteousnes of Christ Iesus This conclusion containeth the maine point of a mighty controuersie betweene the papists vs for which respect I wish the reader to marke attentiuely my discourse The late councel holden at Trent setteth downe the opinion of the papists in these words DemuÌ„ vnica formalis causa est iustitiâ— dei noÌ„ qua ipse iustus est sed qua nos
in his hands at his last supper that selfe same body that was borne of the virgine Mary and suffered the next day after And yet if the valure of the sacrifice of the mâ—sse be finite then doubtlesse that sacrifice can not be the sonne of God for he is of infinite power of infinite glorie of infinite maiestie of infinite valure Yea whosoeuer denieth Christes body bloud subsisting in the person of God by hypostaticall vnion to be of infinite valure hee is become a flat Arrian beleeuing Christ to bee pure man and not God And consequently howsoeuer the papistes thinke or speake of their masse yet in making it a sacrifice they are blasphemous and that must needs followe though it were freelie graunted them that Christes body were present really in the Sacrament I prooue it tenthly because our Iesuite cannot denie but that a reall destruction is necessarily required in euery true reall sacrifice Wherefore since Christ dieth not in the popish masse it cannot be that he is truly sacrificed in the same For as Bellarmine truely saith Abraham did not truely sacrifice his sonne Isaac because he was not really slain Now that this discourse may be made more manifest I will propound the strongest obiecâ—ions for the aduerse part and adde briefe solutions to the same The first obiection S. Paul saith that Christ is a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech and Melchisedech offered bread and wine as he was Gods priest saith holy Moses To which we must adde that the thing figured is more excellent then the figure that Christ truely offered sacrifice in bread and wine otherwise hee shuld not haue exactly fulfilled y e figure of Melchisedech For al the fathers graunt that he was a true figure of Christ euen as he was a priest The answere I say first that Melchisedech did not sacrifice bread wine but as the Hebrew text saith brought forth bread wine that is sufficient victuals for the refection of Abraham and his souldiers after their returne from the slaughter of Chedor-laomer and the other kings For the whole course of y e scripture telleth vs that bread by Synecdoche signifieth meate So Moses saith that the Egyptians might not eate bread with the Hebrewes that is meate In Esay 7. women say we will eate our owne bread that is our owne meat King Dauid promised Mephibosheth that he should eate bread alwaies at his own table which had been a very small reward of a king if by bread were not signified all kinde of meat King Iehoiachim ate bread at the table of Euil-merodach the king of Babel that is al delicate fare So it is called bread that Iobs friendes ate in his house when it is certaine that they had right sumptuous cheere The like examples are in S. Mathew sundry other places of scripture This I note against the papistes who fondly vse to answere that bread was a slender refection for all Abrahams companie I say secondly that Christes priesthood is after the order of Melchisedech not in any sacrifice of bread and wine which Melchisedech can neuer be prooued to haue offered but in y t as man he was without father wonderfully coÌ„ceiued as God without beginning without ending without mother woonderfully begotten for which cause the prophet demaundeth who shall declare his generation in these points Christes priesthood differeth not from Melchisedech who as S. Paule saith was without father without mother without kinred without beginning of his daies without end of his life likened to the son of God and a priest for euer Yet in the oblation of bread and wine the priesthood of Melchisedech was not perfitly distinguished from the priesthood of Aaron as the scripture witnesseth S. Paul therfore describeth the priesthood of Melchisedech without the mention of bread and wine in such sort as it is perfitly distinguished from the priesthood of Aaron So Eusebius Caesariensis comparing the priesthoode of Christ with the priesthood of Melchisedech doth not say that it consisteth in the sacrifice of bread and wine but in the vnction the diuine similitude the eternitie and want of succession These are his expresse words Tu es sacerdos in aeternum secundum ordinem Melchisedech Hic auteÌ„ Melchisedech in diuinis voluminib sacerdos fuisse Dei summi refertur sed qui non oleo communi perunctus sit neque qui ex successione generis suscepit sacerdotium sicut apud Hebraeos fieri mos erat ideo secundum ordinem ipsius sacerdos futurus dicitur Christus qui non olei liquore sed virtute coelestis spiritus consecretur Thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech And this Melchisedech is called in the holy scriptures the priest of God most high but one which was not annointed with common oyle neither yet receiued his priesthood by the succession of kinred as the manner was among the Hebrews and therfore Christ is called a priest after his order who is consecrate not with the liquor of oyle but with the vertue of the holy ghost I say thirdly that Melchisedech in his action towards Abraham shewed himself both to be a priest and a king a priest in that he blessed Abraham a king in that he releeued Abraham and his souldiers with bread wine that is with al competent corporall sustenance I say fourthly that if there had bin any force in the oblation of Melchisedech touching Christs priesthoode S. Paul who handled euery least thing exactly in that comparison would neuer haue omitted his sacrifice in bread and wine and yet he passed it ouer as a thing of no importance I say fiftly that Christ offering himselfe vpon the crosse for the sinnes of the world was not a priest after the order of Aaron but properly and truely after the order of Melchisedech I proue the former part First because perfection could not come by the priesthood of the Leuites as the apostle beareth witnes Againe because our Lord Iesus was of the tribe of Iuda of which tribe Moses spake nothing at al touching the priesthood Thirdly because the sacrifice of the crosse was the most perfit sacrifice of all other as which did coÌ„summate them that are sanctified for euer I proue the latter part first because it must be after some order but not after the order of Aaron as is proued ergo after the order of Melchisedech Secondly because the apostle doth in expresse terms cal Christ a priest euen after the order of Melchisedech These are his words And being consummate was made the cause of eternall life to all them that obey him and is called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedech Lo Saint Paule ioyneth the order of Melchisedech with the sacrifice of the crosse offered for mans redemption as if he had said Christ is therefore called a priest after the order of Melchisedech because he