for feare saith he that veritas abeat in errorē the truth be turned and changed into error that is for as much as that which is performed duely vnto God can not chuse but be misplaced vnduely bestowed when it is performed vnto creatures Now these honors such as is adoration as also inuocation are parts of that which he calleth Latria For so he expresseth his meaning to be by the examples which he mentioneth of them in Ieremie that honour the hoasts Queene of heauen of Noe giuing thanks for his deliuerance by a sacrifice of Iacob crauing aide of the Lord in his necessity in powring the oile vpon the stone c. And whereas the abuse did grow more plausible by reason of the name of the virgine Marie There are some saith he which do not honor her sufficiently there are some that glorifie her too much The Deuil vnder the colour of doing good entreth into the spirits of men deifieth the nature of man to cause thē to worship the dead c. But although the bodie of Marie were holy yet notwithstanding it was not God she was a virgin to be honored and reuerenced but not to be adored worshipped she her selfe falling downe worshipping him that was borne of her according to the flesh whereupon he saith vnto her What haue I to doe with thee O woman for feare that any man admiring too much her excellencie might fall into heresie These are the reasons hee vseth in all this disputation In the first place It is not spoken of in the scriptures Where is saith he the scripture where is the Prophet that hath spoken it And for the second Rom. 1. It is an old error which must not rule ouer vs to forsake the liuing and to worship that which he hath made according to that which is written They haue worshipped the creature more then the Creator c. And therefore neither Helias nor S. Iohn nor Thecla nor Marie For if it be denied the Angels why should it be granted to the daughter of Hanna that is to say Mary And afterward also whole pages to the like purpose Let Ieremie saith he hold in these sillie simple women that they may not trouble the whole world that they may not haue any more to say we honor the Queene of heauen c. What other thing should he heare at this day in the deuotions of the Church of Rome Then he concludeth And this wee haue written for their sakes that are desirous to attaine the truth of the scriptures But if there bee any man that liketh better to heare the contrarie for this superstition did not want Monkes to support it he that heareth let him heare he that is disobedient let him be disobedient c. Chrysostome may seeme to haue taken to taske the pulling downe subuersion of this abuse he taketh such paines by all maner of meanes to vndermine the very foundations thereof Hee saw that the people were more inclined to receiue helpe from the suffrages of another then to amend their owne liues Therefore hee impugneth this opinion Nay saith he We are a great deale more assured certified Chrysost hom 5. in Matth. by our owne suffrages thē by the suffrages of an other neither doth God so soon grant our saluation at the praiers of another as at our owne For by that meanes was he moued to pittie the Cananitish woman by that meanes also he gaue the harlot to belieue thus also did the thief obtaine paradise there being neither aduocate nor mediator to moue him to any of these by intercession But Idem hom 12. in Matth. Thou saist I haue no good works I cannot trust to my good life hereupon it is that we are to betake our selues to his mercie the calme and quiet hauen of sinners where iudgement ceaseth wherein consisteth vnspeakable safety according to the example of the Cananitish woman who neither went to Iames nor Iohn nor Peter c. But in stead of all these she embraced as her dearest companion vnfained and hearty repentance and it was also vnto her as her aduocate going on her behalfe directly vnto the soueraigne head and fountaine And wherefore said she is he come downe to take humane flesh vpon him why is he made man but that I may speake vnto him In another place Idem hom de prof Euang. Wilt thou see saith he what more we do for our selues by our owne praters then by those of an other◠when the Apostles pray for the Cananitish woman they are repelled I am not sent but to the lost sheepe of Israel c. But when shee pleadeth her owne cause by prayer how great a sinner soeuer shee were euen then it was that shee obtained grace euen then it was that the Lord did graunt her petition Yea but the scripture commandeth vs to pray one for another Other mens praiers therefore are not vnprofitable Admit it yet it must be by the Saints that are aliue and not by them that are dead And of this intercession of the Saints it is that he speaketh and not of that of the Church of Rome When we offer saith he altogether vnto God Idem hom 44 in Genes 1. Idem hom 5. in Mat. Idem hom in 1. ad Thes Genes 18. Ierem. 7.16.11.14 that which commeth from our selues and the intercession of the Saints is ioyned therewith it doth greatly profite vs. For saith he in another place the praiers and supplications of the Saints are of great force power on our behalfe and therefore let vs not neglect them but rather let vs pray them to pray for vs and to lend vs their helping hand But what Saintes euen those that are liuing and wee know them by the examples and patternes that he giueth vs of them As of Abraham making intercession for Lot and of Ieremie whom God forbiddeth to pray for the people and many other Where in the meane time wee haue to obserue and note the faithfull and good dealing of the Doctors of the Church of Rome who alleadge the same of the Saints deceased and not of the faithfull liuing which are in all the scipture commonly called Saintes As concerning the Saints deceased he sometimes speaketh of them according to the common opinion Idem in Basil Martyr especially in his Panegyricks That the magnanimitie and vndaunted boldnesse of the Martyrs is a terrour vnto the tyrantes the deuils and the Prince of the deuils That they pray to God with confidence as soldiers are wont to shew their wounds vnto their Prince Idem in Iuuent Maxim That if S. Paule haue loued men here below he hath also in heauen a more feruent loue towards them but that this neuer reacheth either to praying vnto Saintes or vnto Martyrs on the contrarie in all his praiers we doe not heare of any other but onely God But haue they not purchased Paradise by their sufferings and merites
vs I cannot but meruaile how against all both Euangelical Apostolicall doctrine men dare to offer in some places water in the cup c. Afterward he addeth For they should aske counsell at those whom they follow wherefore if in the sacrifice which is Christ wee are not to follow any other then Christ it must of necessitie follow and be laid vpon vs that we ought to obey and doe as Christ hath done and also commanded vs to doe seeing hee telleth vs in his Gospell If you doe the things which I command you I call you no more seruantes but friendes For that Christ ought onely to be heard saith he God the father himselfe hath witnessed it from heauen saying This is my welbeloued Sonne c. heare him Whereupon then it must follow that we are not to regard what euery one before vs hath iudged meet and conuenient to be done but vnto that which Iesus Christ hath done which is before all because wee are not to apply our selues to follow and imitate the custome of man but the truth and veritie of God But and if thy conscience checke or trouble thee by reason of the life and doinges of thy predecessors who haue so and so liued and which haue followed such and such traditions he putteth into thy mouth what to answere vnto thy selfe in that case likewise For saith he if any of our Predecessors either through ignorance or foolish simplicitie haue held otherwise then the Lord hath taught vs eyther by his precept or by his example God will pardon such his simplicitie through his rich and aboundant mercie but vnto vs forewarned taught the contrarie by himselfe it cannot be pardoned and forgiuen Now in deede it were meet that we should write out all the whole treatise because it driueth onely and aymeth at the annihilating of all manner of mens traditions that so nothing might bee embraced but the pure institution of Christ contained in the Gospell and in the Apostle But that wee may come to the particular and speciall pointes of this diuine seruice we haue alreadie seene and heard what he hath said of the generall confession which the Minister or Priest made of the sinnes of the people and his owne There was also at this time in the Christian assemblies a mounted or raised place out of which the reader appointed for the same vsed to reade the scriptures as also the Bb. to make his sermons vpon the same so read Cyprian de operib Cardinal Christi Conciliū Laodic Canon 19. Which said place Cyprian calleth Tribunal ecclesiae but others Suggestum pulpitum c. And the sermon or Homelie was made after the reading of the Gospell and before the celebration of the Sacrament as appeareth by the Councell of Laodicea that is to say before the going out of those which were to be instructed and catechised in Christianitie to the end that they might bee receiued into the Christian Church This reading is likewise apparant Cypr. lib. 2. Epist 5. where Saint Cyprian ordained for the reader a Confessor of the name of Christ He was worthie saith he not for his age but for his deserts of some higher roome in the church but it seemed good vnto vs that he should begin at the office of reading because nothing soundeth better in that mouth which hath confessed Christ by a glorious professing and witnessing of him then the sound of the celebrating of the diuine lectures To reade saith he the Gospel of Christ which maketh the Martyrs to come from the stockes to the pulpit c. and because such ioy loueth not any lingring delay Dominico legit Hee began to reade vpon the day of the holy Supper c. And as for the sermon Eusebius maketh mention that it was ordinarily and commonly vsed in the holy assemblies of the African Churches Euseb lib. 7. cap. 22. and wee haue many places also to that effect out of Saint Cyprian Wee learne also of Origene that it was the custome that the Reader should reade the scripture Socrat. lib. 5. cap. 12. Cipri serm in orat Doinic and the Pastor expound it And Socrates maketh mention that in the Church of Alexandria this was Origene his professed practise And as concerning prayers Our praying saith Saint Ciprian is publike and common not for one man alone but for all the people for that likewise all this people is but as one And to the end that all carnall cogitation may bee far from vs the Minister before praier prepareth the hearts of the brethren by this preface Sursum corda which is lift vp your harts on high to the end that the people which answere Habemus ad Dominū that is we lift them vp vnto the Lord may be forewarned not to think of any thing but him onely And consequently the celebration of the Lordes Supper followed the insticution whereof was read for the blessing of the sacraments and after that a generall prayer as appeareth in a historie of one possessed of a Deuill of whom he saith Cypr. in serm de lapsis that she was impatient during the time of this prayer Precis orationisque nostra impatiens c. But that solennibus adimpletis the holy things being accomplished that is to say Et accipientibus caeteris locus eius aduenit Cypr. de Caena Dominic the blessing of the sacraments the Deacon beginning to giue the cup she would haue taken it in her place howbeit very quickly by a secret instnct and motion from God she began to turne away her face At which time likewise all the faithfull indifferently without exception of any did communicate practising the same that he speaketh of elsewhere saying The Priests are not admitted alone to the communicating of this foode but the whole church euery one receiueth his portion equally c. Hitherto you see the simple and sincere manner of diuine seruice continued and vsed in the Church but let vs see what thinges they were that in this meane time are reported to haue beene added thereunto by the Bishops of Rome Some attribute to Pope Alexander the first this clause Qui pridie quam pateretur c. that is who in the day before his passion tooke the bread in his precious hands and lifting vp his eyes vnto thee O God his father most mightie and yeelding thee thankes blessed it brake it and gaue it to his disciples saying take eate ye all c. Whereby appeareth that in former times by their owne testimony these words Hoc est corpus meum was pronounced without any Canon and without any preface Iustin Apol. 2. Plat. in Sixt. 1. as we may reade them all naked and by themselues in Iustine his second Apologie Do this in remembrance of me This is my bodie This is my bloud c. To Sixtus 1. is attributed Sanctus c. Holy holy holy Lorde God of hostes the heauens and earth are ful of thy glorie And this which Platina did set
as it is to this day vsed in the Greeke Churches But about this time the zeale of Christians waxing cold they began in the Church of Rome to deuide them into certaine peeces or pawses which were called partes to the end that seruice might be made the shorter as we reade in Optatus who citeth the 2. part of the nine and fortieth Psalme And alth ought this diuiding of Psalmes into partes may seeme to haue beene in the time of S. Hillarie yet it was not receined into the Church Epiphanius calleth them distinctions S. Ambrose in his Lithurgie Psalmulos or little Psalmes which are nothing else but verses and they were sung within a certaine time after countervoicewise one side singing one verse and an other an other Of the Institution Theodoret reporteth of Flauianus and Diodorus in Antioch Theodor lib. 2 cap. 24. that they caused them to be thus sung about the sepulchers of Martyrs but in the Latine Church Paulinus reporteth it to be by the appointment of Saint Ambrose in his Dioces which was afterward about the yeare 430. spread abroad euerie where and that by the authoritie of Pope Celestine who by name did practise it at the first beginning and entrance into ecclesiasticall or diuine seruice Of reading S. Chrysostome reporteth ordinarily When it is told thee in the church Of reading Chrysost hom 36. in 1. ad Cor. hom 3. in 2. ad Thessal Concil Laodi cap. 17. Cut diuided readings or lessons Ambr. in praefat in Psalm De Offic. lib. 1 cap. 11. 44. Seuer Sulpit. de vita S. Mart. l. 3. De Offi. l. 1. c. 8 De Virg. l. 3. ad Gratian. l. 4. c. S. Agust tract 9 in Ioann serm 236. de temp serm 7. 10. de verb. Apostol c. Beloth c. 57. Berno Radulphus The Sermon Ambr. epist 33 post tractatū S. Basil in psal 14. 114. S. August in 1. Epist S. Ioh. Amb. epist 33. S. August de ciuit l. 22. c. 8 August de doctrina Christia the Lord saith so and that the Deacon doth bid all the world to be silent and still thinke not that it is not to the ende that thou shouldest honour the reader but rather him that speaketh by his mouth Againe when thou hearest the Prophete which telleth thee the Lord saith this Remoue thy solfe O earth and rise thou higher O heauen thinke within thy selfe who it is from whom the Prophet speaketh vnto thee If these readinges had beene such as are now a daies in the Masse to what end should those exhortations of S. Chrysostome serue But the Councell of Laodicea is likewise plaine and pregnant in this point Let the Canonical scriptures be read in the church not any others S. Ambrose oftentimes What seueritie of punishment haue we established in the Church to the end that silence may bee kept whiles the scriptures are reading whereas notwithstanding the Psalmes doe keepe silence of themselues And these readinges or lessons were aswell out of the law as out of the Gospell and Apostle as appeareth in infinite places of S. Ambrose S. Augustine and others and that throughout whole books vntill such time as S. Ierome by the commandement of Pope Damascene because the lithurgy seemed as then to be too long did make an extract of certain lessons out of the Prophets Epistles Gospels wherevpon he composed the booke called Comes or the booke of lessons from which time they began to be in vse in the Church Now the Bishop or Pastor of the Church was wont to take the place whereof he wold make his sermō ordinarily out of those lessons as appeareth by those wordes of S. Ambrose S. Augustine and others so oftentimes vsed We haue heard in the lesson that hath beene read c. and vpon the same we must deliuer and speake as the Lord shall vouchsafe to enable vs c. And sometime out of the Psalme that had beene sung as may be seene in S. Basill vpon Psalme 114. Or else they tooke a whole booke as S. Augustine in his treatise vpon S. Iohn saue that vpon the daies of great feastes as the feast of the Natiuitie Easter and Pentecost they chose out picked places from thence to intreate of the historie and misterie And the sermon was called Tractatus Sermo and from thence grew these speeches Homilia tractare de superiori loco dicere siue de exedra And it was the custome of the Pastor before he began to speake to the people to pray vnto God that hee woulde shew him the fauor and mercie to teach them well and to giue them well and throughly to apprehend that which hee should teach them according to Saint Augustine his precept Before he speake let him pray vnto God for himselfe and for them to whom he is to preach and let him be saith hee Orator antequà m dictor which is let him pray before hee preach And this sermon did continue as wee learne out of Saint Basill about an houre in the ende likewise concluding the same with prayer In Saint Augustine Conuersi rursus ad Dominum c. we betake our selues againe vnto God c. And furthermore as this is the principall charge of the Ministers to preach the worde as those vnto whom our Lord deliuering his commission spake in these expresse wordes Go preach the Gospell vnto all creatures c. So haue we from these great and worthie men infinite sermons as by name from Saint Cyprian Saint Ambrose Saint Augustine S. Chrysostome S. Basill c. but not from any one of these any booke of rites or ceremonies neyther yet any patterne of any sacrifice And they let not to take great paine to prescribe and point out vnto vs the qualities of a preacher and the partes and conditions of a Bishoppe that is worthy the roome and place of teaching the people especially Saint Augustine in his bookes of Christian doctrine but for teaching of him howe many diuers wayes and with howe many ceremonies hee should say Masse or offer his pretended sacrifice they trouble not themselues at all Now after the sermon That the holy Supper was frequented at that time of al the faithful it was ordinarily the custome to beginne with the administration of the holy Supper especially during the time of their first loue and zeale when as the Christians for the most part did communicate euerie weeke yea and some euerie day the Sacramentes being neuer set vpon the Table of the Lorde but that there would bee a number of faithfull Christians to communicate thereof And furthermore S. August ad Ianuar. ep 119 Saint Augustine exhorteth the faithfull to communicate euery Lordes day Prouided saith hee that thy soule be not set vpon sinne Saint Ambrose giueth warning and admonisheth them to celebrate the memorie of the Lord euerie day rebuking certaine of the East Churches which did not communicate oftener then once a yeare And Eusebius saith that the same
came to passe Synod Agath c. 18. that there was not any one ordinarily to cōmunicate saue the ministers of the church whom they call Clearkes or the Cleargie And what came vppon this The Priestes notwithstanding would not leaue taking of offerings and to the end that the people might not quaile or let fall their deuotion that way they make them belieue that the worke which they doe doth not cease to profit them being but onely present But by little and little these offeringes were not any longer brought from the table to the Altar or from the bodie of the Church into the Quire for to bee consecrated by the priest as also in deed it had beene vndecent seeing they were of such things as the Canons did forbid that is to say consisting of siluer wooll cattell c onely that part which consisted of bread wine and was to serue in the Sacrament continued his former course And yet whereas they were wont to consecrate many loaues for the seruice of the whole assemblie being cut into peeces distributed now the Priest contenteth himselfe with the blessing of so much as he thought would bee requisite and needfull for the number of communicantes and that was verie small In so much as that ordinarily hee needed not to consecrate aboue one loafe which in Gregorie his time was great large and round kneaded after the manner of common bread and of no other substance or matter then the ordinarie bread then vsed was he calleth it Coronam or Corollam and this loafe grew lesser Greg. l. dial 4. euen as deuotion it selfe diminished in so much as that within a little after it became nothing as the Canon testifieth which saith That the Priest cannot celebrate the Communion with fewer then three to communicate with him And thereupon also it came vp for a custome to breake the bread made so small and thin into three peeces whereupon afterward as we shall see in place conuenient diuers and sundry allegories haue beene framed and made Now we come by these steps and degrees The change alteration which was ab oblatis ad oblatam falling out in this time to passe ab oblatis ad oblatam that is from all such thinges in generall as were offered vnto this small pettie parte reserued for the Sacrament which by corruption came to bee called a Wafer cake from such breads and loaues as were vsually brought for offeringes as Saint Gregorie teacheth vs to one onely bread without leauen which also the priest himselfe within a small time after tooke vpon him to prouide for the seruice of the Sacrament Gregor in dialogis And so also the praiers and supplications which were wont to be said and made in the consecration of these first offrings came to be transferd applyed vnto the bread and wine appointed and put apart for the priest and that small companie that was to communicate with him And here it was that they found themselues incumbred whether it were Scholasticus or Gregorie whē as the question was of reforming these praiers that made vp a part of the Canon for in deed these words Vt accepta habeas benedicas haec dona haec munera haec sancta sacrificia illibata that is that thou woldest accept these gifts these offerings these holy and whole sacrifices Againe Qui tibi offerunt hoc sacrificium laudis that is which offer vnto thee this sacrifice of praise Againe Supra quae propitio vultu ac sereno respicere digneris accepta habere sicuti dignatus es munera pueri iusti tui Abel c that is that it would please thee to behold them with a mercifull and fauourable countenance and accept of them as thou didst of the offerings of thy righteous Sonne Abel c Againe Iube haec perferri per manus Angeli tui in sublime Altare tuum c that is Command that these may be conueyed by the handes of thine Angell vpon thine high Altar c I say all these wordes cannot be soundly vnderstood but of these offeringes nor without folly be turned to the blessing of the sacraments which wee receiue from God in stead whereof it pleaseth him to receiue againe at our hands the sacrifice of praise No not without blasphemie can they be wrested to the oblation which the Priest pretendeth to make of the Sonne of God seeing likewise that it is said Qui tibi offerunt they which offer vnto thee for this must needes bee meant of the people that are present and not of the priest alone And yet notwithstanding all this they skip me at one iumpe in their Canon ab oblatis ad oblatam from the oblations and offeringes to the Wafer cake without any manner of agreement coherence or consequence from a sacrifice of praise to a Sacrament and from a Sacrament to a sacrifice propitiatorie from the signe to the thing signified from the remembrance of the death of Christ to the pretended real sacrificing offering vp of himself And they will haue it that all this which hath beene spoken and said of these offeringes should bee spoken of Christ whom they pretend to offer and sacrifice vp vnto God notwithstanding whatsoeuer absurdities in construction and diuinitie vtterly conuincing and ouerthrowing them in their fond and blinde assertions As namely in Diuinitie these That he would be intreated to vouchsafe to accept of the sacrifice of his onely begotten sonne as he did of that of Abel That his Angels should offer him vp vnto him vpon his Altar and a thousand such impertinent thinges which shal be better examined in their place And notwithstanding after certaine praiers which stand indifferent betwixt both they cannot looke to themselues to goe on with the course which they are fallen into but they returne againe vnto these offringes yea and that after the consecration Per quem say they haec omnia Domine semper bona creas sanctificas viuificas benedicis praestas nobis by whom thou O Lord doest alwaies create sanctifie quicken blesse and giue vs all these good thinges c. which is most euidently and directly applyed to dona munera sacrificia illibata to the giftes offerings and whole sacrifices and was wrested by them first to the Sacraments and afterwards to the sacrifice of Christ himselfe which by such their accompt and reckoning they did acknowledge for a creature that was to be created sanctified quickened and blessed day by day And in deede in the lithurgie which they attribute to Clement yea and that after the consecration they pray Pro dono oblato for the gift offered but in no such sence or meaning as the Romish Masse that is to say after this manner That it wold please that our good God to receiue it vppon his holy Altar by the intercession of Christ for a sweete sauour which cannot by consequent bee spoken of Christ himselfe In the Seruices going before there was mention made of
man did offend against the Apostle who accompteth it amongst the vertues of a Bishop that he be the husband of one wife onely And all the world saith he is full not of priestes nor of inferior persons but of Bishops so that the number would become greater then that which was found in the Councell of Rimini c. Tertullian himselfe Pertull de Monogam although he were a Montanist alleadging these places of Timothie and Titus is of iudgement that Bishops and Priestes should be maried onely he standeth vpon the disalowing of second mariages for which hee is reproued by Saint Ierome in the place aboue named But this point should not bee to our purpose In the meane time we are not to belieue as some would go about to wrangle out the matter against vs by this place of Saint Ierome disagreeing with himselfe whiles he was caried away with the streame of contention that we should nourish this opinion that the Bishop had beene maried but that he may not bee so derogating and detracting the credite due to other places wherein he handleth the question that of purpose and void of all passionate affections Let vs say then for it followeth by like reason from the coherence and scope of the text that the Apostle doth likewise vnderstand that the Bb. hath beene vigilant sober of good report giuen to hospitalitie apt to teach c. but that he may not be so any more But the holy Ghost hath preuented such wrangling and false assertions who saith In the present time Let the Priest be established Tit. 1. 1. Timoth. 3. let him be the husband of one onely wife let the Deacons also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be the husbandes of one onely wife c. And Saint Paule doth describe afterward vnto vs what manner of women the wiues of Bishops Priestes and Deacons should bee And thus you may see whither a blind passion had almost led vs against the cleare and euident light Chrysost in ep ad Tit. hom 2. In ep ad Heb. hom 7. Chrysostome therefore saith better There are some that affirme that S. Paule his purpose is to speake of one that hath beene maried but that he may not bee so any more But saith hee although hee shall bee so still yet he may demeane carrie himselfe honestly therein Vse saith he mariage soberly and thou shalt be the chiefe in the kingdome of heauen Ambros D. 26. C. Qui sine Likewise Saint Ambrose saith Who so otherwise blamelesse is the husband of one onely wife is beld by the law to bee capable of the office of the Priesthoode Saint Augustine August in quest ex vtroque testam Hug. Card. in 1. Tim. 3. Caiet in 1. Timoth. 3. ad Tit. 1. The Apostle saith that hee which hath a wife may and ought to bee made Sacerdos a priest a Minister a Bishop Cardinall Hugo saith At that time it was lawfull for Priestes to haue wiues And Cardinall Caietan after him This estate and condition must bee vnderstood negatiuely that is to say Non plurium vxorum virum not a husband of many wiues But Pope Calixtus the second about the yeare 1100. did turne make it into an other maner of sence The husband of one onely wife that is consecrate and put apart for one onely Church for one onely Bishoprick that to be taken so as that he was not to haue any moe then one or that he was not greedily or proudly to labour to be translated and remoued from one to another And in S. Ierome his time this Allegorie was begotten and borne and by some preferred and better liked then that which was according to the letter and Carterius his aduersaries themselues saith he did finde that interpretation to be violently forced and very harsh To whome hee answereth thereupon Restore them to the scripture his simple sence and meaning that so we may not reason against you from the constitutions and conclusions of your owne lawes that is to say that wee may not oppose allegorie against allegorie and iudgement against iudgement but may hold and keepe our selues simplie to the wordes of the Apostle Otherwise what will become of S. Paule his argument If he know not to gouerne his owne children how shall hee be able to direct and guide the Church of God As also when the Apostle shall tel vs of widowes that choise must be made of such as haue beene the wiues of one onely husband shal we vnderstand it of Bishopricks or Diocesses that haue had but one only Bishop But to draw to an end what should hinder the Apostle that be could not more plainly say It behoueth that the Bb. to the end he may be without blame abide vnmaried or at the least be a widdower c. But shame maketh them mingle these absurdities with a blasphemie as that during the weaknes of the church these mariages were permitted but prohibited and forbidden when it came to bee strong And what will they say to Chrysostome who saith plainely That S. Paul gaue this law to Timothie not for himselfe onely but for all them which were to come Or rather vnto Egesippus who endeth the flower and virginitie of the Church at the death of the Apostles Euseb l. 3. c. 32 And presently after there followed saith he an infinite number of impurities and corruptions They labour further to proue the matter in controuersie against S. Paul by himself 1. Cor. 7.5 for say they he telleth vs in another place That they must abstaine from women to attend vpon fasting and praier And what shall they doe then who are to pray euery day let them with conscience carefully reade this place they shall see that which Chrysostome obserueth in the same that he speaketh not there of an ordinary praier but of an extraordinarie made with rare singular attending thereunto by fasting And therefore he saith Defraude not one another except it bee by mutuall consent and that for a time Againe And come together againe to the end that Sathan doe not tempt you because of your incontinencie And Chrysostome saith expresly If he said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the maried which lie together could not pray how should that which he commandeth all Christians in another place agree therewith Pray without ceasing wherefore hee speaketh of an extraordinarie prayer saith he which requireth an exact attention not that the societie betwixt the married doth conuay or carrie about it any impuritie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but rather businesse and affaires 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whereupon also Saint Ambrose saith Ambr. in ep 1. Cor. 7. We must pray without ceasing but this is spoken Vt orationi insistatur by courses and distances of time saith hee to strengthen and increase meditation And Theodoret For to sanctifie the fast And likewise hee saith in another place That the Apostle hath deemed him worthy of a bishopricke that liueth and dwelleth
owne sonnes as in deed they drew lots for two But and if they belieue not vs yet let them at the least belieue their owne writers Cardinall Hugo saith To the end they might haue tribes as the sonnes of Iacob had And in the same sence hee expoundeth this word Esay 4. Lyranus Et inuocetur c. quia vocati sunt because they are called the adopted sonnes of Iacob and are become heades of two tribes after the manner of his owne children The annotation also of their Fonseca vpon Caietan This is a phrase of speech familiarly vsed of the Hebrewes that the name of this man is called vppon by that man when their meaning is that that man is called by this mans name And thereupon he alleadgeth the fourth of Esay and Daniel 9. Let them also remember themselues of their owne doctrine How that the fathers were in the Limbes that in the Limbes they did not see God neither by consequent know the affaires of men whereupon it followeth by their owne sayings that they could not be called vpon And yet notwithstanding Bellarmine in the time of the cleare light of learning is not ashamed to alleadge this place Eliphaz saith to Iob Iob 5. Call now and see if there be any that will answere thee and turne thy selfe vnto some one of the Saintes c. Which place other expositors doe reade with an interrogatiue point And the summe of the text is That no man when he is chastised of God can say that it is any wrong or iniustice seeing hee hath found as hath beene said before matter of reprehension euen in his Angels And how much more saith hee in them which dwell in these houses of clay c. And thereupon hee addeth Cast thine eies round about and see if thou canst find any amongst the most holy who hath beene punished causelesse But and if they will haue it that by Saintes the Angels are vnderstoode besides that it standeth not with the scope and purpose of the text it is as quickly denied as affirmed and such figures doe not proue or conclude any thing But and if they simplie take it to bee vnderstoode of the Sainte then so much the lesse seeing that they in the Limbes could neither heare norse according to their owne doctrine And certainly S. Ierome if he be the author of those commentaries was not aduised of this doctrine notwithstanding that he three handle this verse by name In the Psalmes saith Cocleus it is said Psal 32. Pro hac orab ad te omnis sanctus The Hebrew saith For this shall euerie holy man pray vnto thee c. The Chaldie For this shall euery good man pray vnto thee in time conuenient that is Because thou art readie to forgiue them which confesse their faultes And so S. Paul hir selfe doth expound it Romaines 4. But in euerie place where they find the name Saiâ—t there they will find inuocation or intercession of the Saints August Hieronym Theodor. in Psal 32. But without any longer staying vpon the matter Sant Augustine intreating vpon this place saith Euery holy man shall pray vnto thee because of impietie and for the remission of sinnes because thou fâ—â—giuest them and otherwise no holy man would pray vnto thee And when In due and conenient time when the new Testament shall be come when the grace of Christ shall be manifeted when in the fulnes of time God shal haue sent his Sonne to redeeme them which were vnder the law c. And this is spoken saith he of all Christians of Saint Paule himselfe who being prickt with the sting of the law cryeth vnto God wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from the bodie of this death Saint Ierome saith The Saintes doe pray in this life for the remission of their sinnes seeing the most holy are not exempted now is the conuenient time for to obtaine Theodoret in like manner I will not pray vnto thee alone for mine impietie but all those that shall haue the knowledge of thee shall make the same prayers vnto thee Seeing saith he that vnder the new Testament Haimo in Psal 32. Bernard serm 73. in Cant. the faithfull by sea and by land shall praise God by the singing of the Psalmes of Dauid c. Haimo The remission of iniquitie is good and for the obtaining thereof euerie holy man will pray vnto thee in a time conuenient that is to say in this life in which alone prayer can obtaine the same Saint Bernard For this saith he c. Seeing saith he that the Saintes haue need to pray to God for their owne sinnes to bee saued by his mercie they being nothing able to trust and leane to their owne righteousnesse c. And againe Pro hac orabit O misericors c. Idem in ep ad Henric. Senens Archiep. Euerie Saint whosoeuer saith hee shall pray vnto thee O most mercifull father for his iniquitie becomming a humble suter for the sence and feeling of his sinne and miserie and yet notwithstanding a Saint for that he consenteth not vnto it in that be delighteth and taketh pleasure in the law according to the inward man c. And Cardinall Hugo saith For all the Saints and holy men haue need to pray vnto God for the remission of their owne sins c. And in a couenient time that is to say in this present life according to that which is said labour whiles it is day c. Farre enough off then from the exposition of our aduersaries That the saintes deceased doe pray for vs. And Lyranus followeth Saint Ierome Cardinall Caietanus and Arias Montanus translate it Super hac not Pro hac that is saith Caietanus That euerie Saint shall pray vnto God for to obtaine the blessed fauour of his diuine righteousnesse c. Here is no question then of praying for another in an other life And as little proofe is there to bee gathered out of Psalme 121. Psalm 121. I haue lifted saith Dauid mine eies towardes the mountaines from whence succour shall come vnto me c. By the hils they will vnderstand the Saintes This is a figure And by these hils some vnderstood the scriptures as Saint Augustine others the heauens as Euthymius some the Saintes as Caâ—siodorus Of such sortes of speaking there followeth no good argument But let vs take them in whatsoeuer sence they will If it bee to the Saintes they were according to their owne doctrine in the Limbes and therefore in vaine for that purpose they had more need to haue cast downe then to haue lifted vp their eyes But they should at the least haue considered what followeth My succour commeth from the Lord who hath made heauen and earth And then not from all or any of these creatures bee they neuer so high and eminent And this is that which Saint Augustine saith No man can vnderstand by these mountaines great personages August in psal 121.
storie is That Iudas to incourage his soldiers being vppon the point of entering into a great fight acquainted them with this vision that had appeared vnto him But either it was a reall action or a likenesse and representation onely If it were reall and in deed where is then their Limbes become For they all agree that in the Limbes they can make no intercession neither be inuocated If representatiue or figuratiue then let them heare the exposition of their owne Doctors Gloss in 2. Machab. c. 15. That in Onias is represented the order of the priesthood and in Ieremias the Propheticall order and in the one and the other Iesus Christ the high priest and Prophet of whom Moyses hath said I will raise vp vnto you a Prophet like vnto mee of whom S. Iohn likewise saith If we haue sinned we haue an aduocate with God Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes Baruch Baruch 3.14 3. It is said Lord heare now the prayer of the dead of Israel and of their children which haue sinned before thee Now it is to be known whether this word dead be taken for such as were dead in deed or else for a people brought vnto such an extremity as did threaten death vnto them euery moment Now the verse going before seemeth to make for the latter For it saith we perish are destroied for euer But let vs take it according to their own sence Lyranus giueth them the repulse ouerthrow He speaketh saith he of the praiers which the Patriarkes the Prophets had made whiles they liued for the good estate of their posteritie And their opinion also of the Limbes doth debarre them of the benefit of the place in their owne sence But what agreement hath this praier and intercession of the liuing Saints with that of the dead Those being commanded with promise to be heard these not mentioned in the Scripture but subiect vnto that great Woe so oftentimes repeated Woe to them which adde therunto Saint Paul prayeth for them that were in the same Shippe he praieth also the Romaines to pray for him But did he allow them to call vpon or to pray for aide vnto him or did hee himselfe inuocate the Romaines And therefore if we from these mutuall praiers of the faithfull that are liuing rise vp to the inuocation of the Saints that are dead what shall let vs then but that from the inuocation of the dead wee shall descend by consequent to the inuocating and adoring of those that be aliue to make vowes and offer vp our oblations vnto them to erect and build Churches and Altars in honour of them to burne sacrifices and incense vnto them and finally to reuiue the whole Masse of Paganisme for them which are as yet vppon earth as wee haue alreadie done for them which are in heauen And thus much for that which they can say as well for the inuocation as for the intercession of the olde Testament CHAP. XII That the inuocation of Saints hath not any foundation in the holy Scriptures of the new Testament IN the new Testament they alleadge that S. Paul ordained 1. Tim. 2. Rom. 15. Collos 4. that intercession shuld be made in the Church for all men that he praieth the Romaines and Colossians to pray for him that he hoped to be offered in the praiers of the Saints that S. Iames saith Pray yee one for an other to the ende that yee may bee saued c. What are all these places but the praiers of the Saints liuing and not of the Saints deceased whereupon there is not any thing further to bee inferred then what concerneth the dutie of charitie amongst the liuing and from which there wil not any old writer be found to gather the inuocating of Saints which are in heauen But we see that the rich man in the other life Luk. 16. praieth Abraham that his punishment may be mitigated and why not as wel here below What maner of argument is this concluding that what is done in Hel may be done here on earth And that what the damned doe the same also may the faithfull doe And what Diuinitie is this borrowed from the damned from the damned feeling in themselues the vnappeasible wrath and anger of God as not being able to comprehend him otherwise then as an angrie iudge for vs which haue accesse vnto his throne by Christ which is both the Porter and the gate which are led vnto the throne of his grace by the hand of his Sonne And what wilfull blindnesse is it to oppose vnto the cleare light of the Scriptures outward darknesse to the intercession of our Lord full of power and efficacie a parabolicall praier of a wicked rich man repelled and cast off by Abraham for the impertinencie thereof And no lesse impertinent and farre from the purpose are those places elsewhere Math. 27.47 as that of the crie of our Lord vpon the Crosse Eli Eli my God my God c. The souldiers had thought that he had called for Elias Let vs see say they if he will come This was then say they a familiar thing to call vpon the Saints But I should bee ashamed to confute it if they had any shame to alleadge it For what is this To learne the faith of the Church of Pilats souldiers the faith of Israel at the hands of the Gentils which are in garrison in Ierusalem which haue heard speech amongst the Iewes of one Elias that should come at that time which were trained vp in Paganisme to praie vnto as many Gods as they could dreame of or deuise to hold for Gods all those from whom they expected any good or feared any euill Which by reason of the ignorance of the tongue did suppose that our Lord called for Elias S. Ierome vpon this place I thinke that they were the Romane Souldiers who vnderstood not the propertie of the Hebrew tongue and thereupon did thinke that he had inuocated or called Elias But if we vnderstand and take them to haue beene Iewes then it was nothing but their ordinarie practise to speake reprochfully of the Lord accusing him of weaknesse and infirmitie and therby driuen to pray vnto Elias And the Glose and Caietanus haue vnderstoode it of the Romaines and of the Gentiles In S. Iohn 5. Thanke not saith our Lord vnto the Pharisies that I am to accuse you vnto my father Iohn 5.45 Moyses in whom you haue your hope he it is that will accuse you Thereupon they conclude that it was a doctrine amongst the Iewes that Moyses tooke the matter vppon him before God whether it were to accuse or defend them And still they forget that this dutie could not be exercised in the Limbes Wheras the text is plaine enough to those that haue any eyes Moyses that is to say the lawe and doctrine of Moses doth accuse vs is the sentence of condemnation against vs when we infringe and breake it when
shall first be called away hence let them continue their amitie and loue without ceasing in the presence of God let their prayers neuer cease for their brethren and sisters crauing in their behalfe the manifolde mercies of the father That is Saynt Cyprian extending and stretching the care that the Saintes deceased should haue not vnto the Church in generall onely but by a continuance of holy affection vnto them whome they had loued in Christ here vppon earth And this although it haue no example in the scripture yet it is far off from our aduersaries their doctrine for he prayeth to the liuing and not to the dead Now the controuersie or question betwixt vs is not if they pray and to what end but if wee ought to pray vnto them at all I know well what they haue to alleadge out of the sermon of the starre and the wisemen of the East As that the infantes slaine by Herode are made Senators in Paradice and obtaine grace for them which doe not merite it c. But they are not ignorant that this sermon hath by themselues beene alwaies numbred amongst the deuised and faigned ones As likewise that which they bring out of the booke of S. Cyprian his penitentnes How that he had beene a Magician and that by the help of the Deuils hee would haue assailed the chastitie of a maide and that she calling vpon Iesus Christ her husband and afterward the virgine Marie was deliuered and thereupon also S. Cyprian conuerted But with what face seeing S. Ierome telleth vs that S. Cyprian was a Rhetorician and wonne vnto Christ Hieronym in epist ad Paul in Comment in Ionam c. 3. Cyp l. 2. ep 2. Gelas D. 15. c. Sancta Rom. partly by the familiaritie he had with Caecilius whereupon he was surnamed the Cecilian and partly by the reading of the Prophete Ionas And seeing that S. Cyprian in setting downe his owne conuersion saith not a worde of all this And as little is that which commeth to light by Pontianus his Deacon who hath written his life But which is more seeing that Pope Gelasius at the verie same time when the inuocation of Saints had rooted it selfe verie deeply did pronounce and affirme vnto them that this booke was Apocrypha And yet they are still abusing the common people with the name of the fathers For as concerning the sermon of Gregorie Nazianzene Marulla hath very well obserued that he hath made Cyprian of Damascus and Cyprian the Carthaginian all one whereas the first suffered in the time of Valerian and the second vnder Dioclesian And it hath beene noted by many others before and after him We are now in this place to bring in Dionysius the pretended Areopagite for hee cannot be so auncient as we haue proued as they would make him Dionvs eccles Hierarch c. 3. and this we say and affirme by the way that we need not doubt that the miracles which God wrought vppon the establishment of the Church at the sepulchers of the Martyrs made many to looke downe and to fixe their eyes vppon the Martyrs whereas they ought to haue lifted them vp and to haue caused them to looke vpon God alone and that so much the more because it was called and accompted to be the honouring of God in his Saintes as also for that it seemed to bee an instigation and pricking of men forward to suffer for the name of Christ Whereunto also you may adde as another cause the want of a Paule or Barnabas at the corner of euerie fielde to represse these disordered and vnruly deuotions of the people Actes 14. and to cause them to leaue the creature to betake themselues to the liuing God But so it is that this Denys rehearsing the causes for which he made mention of the Saintes in the seruice speaketh not but of those that follow To the end saith he that those that liue may learne by these examples to liue and die well in God and that they might bee admonished and taught that those that die in him doe liue out of this life in a better That God hath them in his remembrance according to that which is said God knoweth those that are his The death of the Saintes is precious before God That they are also one with Christ by an indissoluble vnion and bond that can not bee broken which are the causes saith he that this mention or rehearsall is made at the time of the celebrating of the Sacrament the Sacrament of the coniunction and vnion of Christ and his members That is to shew vnto vs that those that bee not the greatest parte in this world that yet they cease not to be a part of the Church The contention raised about the Arrians was a cause that for a certaine time men did speake without fault The Christians reasoned Christ is truely God for we are all agreed to pray vnto him but we pray not vnto neither call vppon any but God This argument had beene of no force if the Church at that time had vsed the inuocation of Saintes for the reply had beene verie readie But tell mee how many Saintes doe you pray vnto Hillar in psal 129. which you know to be no Gods And although S. Hillarie doe playe the Philosopher as others before him vppon the mediation of Angelles the protection of the Patriarkes and Apostles c. yet he reserueth inuocation for Christ alone Idem in Psal 123. Because saith he that he belieueth that he is very God that he is present by his nature when he is faithfully called vpon and for that he is present with him that belieueth in him c. Idem c. 27. in Matth. Athanas orat 2. cont Arrian Idem de incarnat verb. But in regard of the Saintes The virgines saith he doe answere that they cannot giue any oile because it behoueth euerie one to buy for themselues and that none doe expect trust to be helped by the merites and workes of another c. Athanasius in like manner The Saintes saith he doe not craue any helpe of the creatures but they crie and call vnto Christ in their necessities He is not therefore a creature hee is verie God Againe If thou worship saith he Christ as he is man because the word dwelleth in him then worship the Saintes because that God hath a little house or dwelling place in them c. which thing hee proueth to bee absurd What force should such a reason haue had if the sermon intituled of the virgine the mother of God were his wherein he praieth vnto her for succour by the names of Ladie Mistresse Queene c. But the learned know that the greatest part of the third and fourth Tome of Athanasius are suspected of vntruth as Nannius likewise hath confessed being publike professor in the vniuersitie of Louaine and hee that did translate them And this is one speciall marke thereof for that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was not
worshipped God a child with the wise men The virgine Marie hath no other honor but when he is by good right and for iust cause honoured who hath vouchsafed to be begotten and borne of her c. S. Augustine taketh great paines against the abuses of his time and doth oftentimes complaine of the presumptuousnes preiudicate opinions that had taken so deep root in men but yet he striueth so much as his naturall modesty will well agree and stand withal against the streame of superstitions August ep ad lanuar um It is great pittie saith he to see how presumptuousnes doth eurey where ouerflow that is to say preiudicate opinions threatning the oppression of the truth it selfe I see many things that I dare not so freely reproue for auoiding of giuing of offence to some persons wherof some are holy and other some troublesome contentious As if hee should say that the good deuotion and holy intention of some may craue pardon for their errour whereas the same is supported by pride and insolencie in others Againe to the end he may manifest his iudgement vnto vs that so we may discerne the sincernesse of his opinion It is one thing saith hee which we teach and an other thing which wee maintaine and support one thing which we are commaunded to teach Idem contr Faust and an other thing which we are taught to amend and constrained notwithstanding to tolerate vntill that we haue amended it Now these rules should serue to cleare our sight in distinguishing of his doctrine But more particularly it seemeth that hee would point out vnto vs with his finger this abuse here in question when he saith Many things Idem de Ciuit. Dei l. 10. c. 4. which are properly belonging to the seruice of God haue beene vsurped and transferred to serue to set out the honour of men either by too much humblenesse of mind or else by the pestilent botch of flatterie but yet in such sort a that they haue euermore beene taken but for men but why doe we say that we must worship then that we must honour them adde neuer so little more to it and then say also we must adore them So farre as that the Councell of Carthage where hee was present for the repressing of the multitude of Altars that were builded vnder the colour of Martyrs and their apparitions ordained verie well that those where the Martyrs had not beene buried should bee pulled downe but it was with this clause Concil Carthag 5. c. 14. If there be no daunger toinsue by any vprore or insurrection of the people So far had the rage of Idolatrie preuailed that it began to shake the Councels with feare To come therefore vnto the point August Ep. 121. ad Probam viduam let vs see the Maxims and generall rules which he giueth for to direct vs in the way of praying well Whosoeuer saith hee saith in his praier any thing that is not contained in the praier of the Gospell that is to say in the Lords prayer either he prayeth carnally or else vnlawfully Psal 24. Wherefore we must pray vnto one onely God for thereis no mention made of Saints But Dauid said I haue lifted vp mine eyes vnto the hils And Origen and S. Hillarie did differ and varie thereupon vnderstanding it sometimes for the Propheticall bookes and sometimes for the Angels whose ministerie God vseth for the safetie of his children On the contrarie you will say that he hath vndertaken the rooting vp of that August l. de Pasto Looke then saith he that thy hope be not in the hils and mountaines for Dauid saith my helpe is of the Lord who hath made heauen and carth And thinke not for all this that thou doest iniurie vnto those holy hils for these are the hils themselues which sing of him vnto thee S. Paul which is one of these hils and which crieth vnto thee I vnderstand that there are schismes amongst you I am of Paul and J of Apollos and J of Cephas and I of Christ lift vp thine eyes vnto this mountaine heare what it will say vnto thee and there stay thee Was Paul crucified for you So when thou shalt haue lift vp thine eyes vnto the mountaines from whence thy helpe is to come that is to say towards the writers of the holy Scriptures heare them attentiuely which crie vnto thee from the depth of their bones from the bottomes and innermost parts of their marrow O Lord who is like vnto thee c. To the end that without all feare of doing iniurie vnto these bils thou doe freely say My helpe is of God which hath made heauen and earth And then feare not that they should or would doe thee any harme Nay they doe loue thee so much the more nay they will become the more fauourable vnto thee if on the contrarie thou put thy trust in them thou makest them heauie and sad An Angell that hath shewed vnto a man marueilous great and diuine things is worshipped and adored of this man from this hill whether he lifted his eyes he calleth him backe vnto God farre bee it from thee saith he that thou shouldest euer doe it worship God and adore him for J am thy fellow seruant and one of thy brethren c. And in an other place When thou shalt find a holy man Idem in Psal 95.96 Colere aseruant of God and that thou wouldest worship or adore him for God hee will staie and keepe thee from doing it for he will not be vnto thee in stead of God but rather with thee vnder God And thus did Paul and Barnabas c. And feare not saith he least thou shouldest grieue them if thou dost not honour them for it is their whole and hartie desire that the one only God be worshipped that he alone be serued and adored Thus doe all the Saints and Angels desire and wish they seeke the glorie of this one onely God whome they loue they studie not any other thing but to increase our loue and Zeale and to draw vs as by force to serue him to call vppon him Ad eius oratio nem and to looke vp vnto and behold him And note these words to call vpon him for hee maketh it a part of adoration They are as much mooued to anger when they are honored as the diuels are when they are not honored for they preach God vnto men and not themselues and so are the Angels that is to say messengers the Diuels on the contrarie seeke their owne glory They answere We do not worship the Diuels but the Angels the powers and Officers of the great God I would to God that you did serue them for so you should soone learne of themselues not to worship them Will you heare an Angell for your teacher who sought nothing but the glorie of his God Arise saith hee what doest thou I am thy fellow seruant c. When as therefore thou
spoken of in the song of the three children in the furnace Daniel 3. ex Graeco Ye spirits and soules of the righteous blesse ye the Lord c. All these false couers and colourings notwithstanding being euident testimonies not so much of an vnwillingnesse to come to reformation as of a shamefastnesse to be ouertaken and detected of this spirituall whoredome Cassander therfore and Hofmeisterus more freely if so be they had but practised it in the Church as they belieued held it in their harts Cassander verily who after hee had excused the Church of Rome to Maximilian the Emperour as much as he could euen vpon this article that Orate was as much as Vtinam oretis Pray ye that is I wish and desire that you would pray saith notwithstanding That he maketh not in his owne behalfe any praier but vnto God by Iesus Christ and that he accompteth that the most infallible way Hofmeister who after he had gathered whatsoeuer hee could out of the old writers August de visâ—tâ—t infirmotu si eius est l. 1. c. 2. concludeth with these words of Saint Augustine I shall speake more boldly and ioyfully to my Iesus then vnto anie one of the holy spirits of God c. But what do our fathers of Trent say here after the long looking wherewith they haue made vs to looke for reformation Do they allow at the least these expositions these mitigations or do they bring some better of their owne Neither but on the contrarie they institute and ordaine that we should call vpon the Saintes by praier to help vs Suppliciter humblie beseeching them vpon our knees and that we should betake our selues not to their praiers onely but to their helpe and succour declaring all such as haue any other opinion to be wicked impious And the Catechisme made by the authoritie of the said Councell saith plainly Christians worship Angels but not as God is worshipped we must pray vnto the Saints in as much as by the grace and merit purchased by them God doth deale wel with vs c. And Cardinal Hosius a man approued of them Rom. 8. to such as alleadge S. Paul That we cannot call vpon any but him in whom we belieue answereth lustily That we must also credere in Sanctos belieue in Saints What reformation can there be from theÌ„ who after such enormous faults laid open discouered by the light of Christendome doe wilfully make themselues blind and yet will not haue themselues accompted of as hauing failed in any point And yet furthermore they ioyne thereunto another notorious pranke of maliciousnesse which is their causing to bee raced out in good bookes Index pag. 8.10.24 25.30.31.36.38.47.49.50 whatsoeuer might checke or controll their proceedings for so they haue resolued and set it downe as appeareth by their Index Expurgatorius As for examples The place where S. Augustine distinguisheth betwixt the honour due vnto God and that of Saints the interpreter hath giuen this note This that is to say that which is to be reserued to God alone is now giuen to all the Saintes Deleatur let it be raced and put out In the Tables of S. Augustine S. Chrysostome and S. Ierome their works there were many places noted which directed vs vnto such sayings in their works all speaking against the inuocation of Saints vpon the heads whereof were set Deleantur In Erasmus and Faber Stapulensis famous worthy men in their profession when they say Deum solum omnis oratio adoratio decet Vnto God alone belongeth all praier and worship is it not written Torcular calcaui solus Index pag. 49.50.55.59.61.255 I haue troden the wine presse alone All the Saints are nothing if the question bee once of true worship all our owne workes and those of our fathers from the beginning of the world are no better c. Deleantur And Cassander likewise where he sheweth how the old father did vse the words Merite and to merite That When they said Orate this was as if they had said Vtinam oretis c. Deleatur But what reasons will there satisfie these men if they need not any other answer to them but the racing and vtter blotting of them out or what witnesses if there be nothing but away with them to burning CHAP. XVI That man cannot merite eternall life for himselfe much lesse for another where the consideration is first of mans state before regeneration OVr aduersaries as they say do pray vnto Saints because they make intercession for them vnto God but we haue alreadie destroied this foundation And they make intercession for them say they by the power of their merites and that not onely for the procuring of them gifts and graces in this life but also eternall happines in that to come For which cause wee haue next to shew vnto them that so we may not leaue any thing doubtfull That no man can merite with God not eternal life or rather not the least grace of this fraile transitorie life not for any other man no not for himselfe And this we will deale in according to the three estates of man Man in his first estate could not merite Genes 1. Ephes 4. Colos 3. Psalme 19. his integritie or innocencie his fall or transgression and his regeneration Of his integritie it is said That God had created him according to his own image and S. Paul expoundeth it to consist in righteousnesse holinesse and the knoweldge of God c. That he had placed him in Paradise in a place abounding with all felicitie which Dauid calleth placed in honor In so much that he held had both his being his graces and his glorie at the good pleasure of his Creator of his meere free and vndescrued goodnes The abilitie to merite might haue beene great the good deeds only considered but then what abilitie or power can there be to merite of him of whom he holdeth all of him for whom a man can do nothing Let vs admit then that our first father had vsed all these graces perfectly well that he had possessed them in such feare 〈◊〉 awe as he should yea and that he had fulfilled the law as naturally he might yet had he beene able to say after all this but with the same pride which cast him down from his high glorious estate it selfe alone I haue deserued that God should yet further giue me this yea that he should continue vnto me what he hath alreadie giuen mee If we do not wrongfully name and call our merit that pleasure which it pleaseth God to take in adding and bestowing graces vpon his euen grace for grace and glory for glorie to deserue well of vs if I may so say and that so exceeding bountifully and liberallie as that we are not able to merite any thing of him So then here is place for that Iob. 41.1 which God saith in Iob Who is it that gaue me first I wil
there members owe yea what doe they not owe one to an other Seeing also that this head most liuely feeling all that which these members doe or suffer doe not disdaine to declare and manifest vnto vs that what is done or denied vnto the least is done or denied vnto himselfe and from him hath either reward or punishment And this is the cause why the Fathers haue called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an assemblie a Communion And this second fruit and effect is also wanting in the Masse where there is no Communion betwixt the members nor any signification of this coniunction of Christ with vs of our selues together all men vsing of so many cornes to make but one Loafe and one wine and al of vs sucking life out of the same death nourishment from the same meate of the fleshe and bloud of our Lord But particularly in respect of our selues we being members of Christ and quickned by Christ are there nourished and strengthned both in Christ and of Christ And it is not more sure that the Minister doth giue vs the bread and wine that wee take them with our hands that we eate and drinke them that they are conuerted into our substance and become nourishment for our bodies to maintaine and strengthen this life then it ought to be sure and certaine to euerie Christian that our Lord in the holy Supper celebrated according to his institution dooth giue vnto vs at the same instant his flesh and bloud That we take them by faith that we eate and drinke them that they are turned into the life and substance of our soules becomming the foode of the same to maintaine and strengthen vs vnto eternall life Yea and which more is that by the predominant and ouer-ruling power that they haue they turne our soules both to Christ and into Christ vniting them vnto him and making them one with him and our bodies consequently and proportionablie after the manner of our soules doe make vs bones of his bones flesh of his flesh members of that head gouerned by his spirit and one with him to raise againe one day our bodies and soules to be glorified and raigne with him And this fruit also of the holy Supper is lacking in the Masse of the Church of Rome wherein there is not any thing at all representing this straite and neere coniunction with Christ or that true eating by the which it is cherished and maintained wherein such as are present doe neither eate nor drinke corporally nor spiritually wherein they become all together idle gasers and starers vpon the Priest which eateth and drinketh and vpon a pretended mysterie both deafe and dumbe and wherein in a word there is not any one action which stirreth vp their consciences nor any manner of instruction to helpe forward and ad vnto their knowledge These are the principall ends for which our Lord instituted his holy Supper and whereof wee haue beene altogether destitute vnder the Church of Rome which in steed of this sacred meate which we were wont to eate at our Fathers table hath fed vs with huskes apish toyes and mummeries intertaining in stead of all that which was the old fashion of Rome the poore people with vaine pompes and ceremonies and therefore famished with the want of the grace of God From that farre countrie whether our humane fancies had transported and led vs wee are put in mind of our Fathers table and become resolued to returne againe home vnto him from these abuses and deceits so farre differing from his institution to his truth and from our sinnes to his grace and that by his grace Father haue we said We haue sinned against heauen and against thee we are not worthie any more to be called thy children And hee hath according to the same euen his wonted mercie put a ring vpon our finger cloathed vs with Christ and caused vs to eate his flesh and his bloud They were dead hath hee said but they are returned to life they were lost and they are found againe c. To God bee praise and glorie for euer by the same his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Let vs now runne ouer and briefely rehearse againe all that which we haue handled and intreated of in this whole worke In the first Booke we haue handled the rearing and raising vp of the Masse A briefe rehearsal of the whole worke from time to time and from parcel to parcell we haue shewed that the old seruice did consist of a publike confession of sinnes in the reading of the old new Testament and that of whole bookes of the same in singing of Psalmes by the whole Congregation in a Sermon vnto the people which was made by the Bishop or Pastor expounding either some place that had beene read or some such other as hee iudged fit for the edifying of the Church in offerings which were offered by the people for the poore and other vses of the same in a generall praier for all the necessities of the Church state in the institution of the holy Supper taken out of the Gospell or the Apostle in a witnessing of the sincere loue of the faithfull one towards an other before they should draw neere vnto the holy Table and in a denunciation vnto such as were not of this number to the wishing of them to abstaine in the distribution of the holy Supper vnto all the people vnder both kindes during the time of which action they ceased not to sing Psalmes or to read the Scriptures and finally in a solemne thankesgiuing for the benefit receiued as well in the death and Passion of our Lord as in the Communion of his body and bloud in the holy supper Which done the Bishop or Pastor sent the people away with a holy blessing And it is not to be forgotten as we haue seene that all this was done in an vnderstood and knowne tongue As for prayers for the dead praying vnto Saints the Canon of the pretended sacrifice and all the parts whereof it is framed wee haue seene them brought in many ages after and that at seuerall times and great distaunces betwixt one and an other and still impairing and growing worse from time to time Retaining therfore for our seruice that which we well perceiue to bee truely auncient and reiecting that which is notoriously new what shall such seruice bee to speake according to a good conscience but the same that is now vsed in the reformed Churches In the second Booke we haue compared the circumstances of the old seruice and those of the Masse First we haue found the Church vnder persecution without publike places to call vpon the name of God in Afterward wee did see Churches built for the same but without any manner of Images with tables let vs call them if you will Altars for the communicating of the holy supper but without Lampes burning of Incense Consecrations Dedications c. We haue obserued the lawfull election and calling of
handled in the first booke Of the Second Booke 1 OF Churches and Altars their first beginning and proceeding 2 Of Images that olde and auncient Christians had not anie 3 VVhat manner of increase and proceeding Images had amongst Christians and of the licentious abuse thereof after they were once brought into the Church of Rome 4 Of vnleauened bread wine mixt with water and of such thinges as serued in the administration of the Sacraments 5 That the old worship and auncient manner of seruing God was altogether performed done in such a language as the common people knew and vnderstood and by what degrees it was altered and changed 6 That in the Primitiue Church and a long time after the holie Scriptures were read amongst the people in all tongues and languages 7 Wherein is intreated of the Ministers of the Church and of their charge and vocation in the same 8 That the Bishops and Ministers of the old Christian Church were maried 9 How a sole and vnmaried estate of life grew and got increase and strength in the church of Rome vnto the publishing of the decree made by Calixtus 10 The reestablishing of abstinencie from mariage and the continuing of the same euen vnto our dayes A briefe rehearsall of the matters handled in the second booke Of the Third Booke 1 THat the propitatorie Sacrifice of Christ is not reiterated in the holie Supper and in what sence the old Church did vse this phrase and manner of speech 2 Answeres vnto the aduersaries their obiections which they pretend to draw from the holie Scriptures for the prouing of their sacrifice 3 That the pretended propitiatorie sacrifice of the Masse hath no ground or foundation in the new Testament 4 That the olde VVriters haue not â—â—knowledged anie other propitiatory sacrifice then that onelie one made vpon the crosse 5 How and by what degrees the Sacrament of the holie Supper was turned into a propitiatorie Sacrifice 6 That there is not anie Purgatorie the foundation and ground pillar of their Masses for the dead and first how that it was not knowne vnto the Church of Israell or vnto those that liued vnder the olde Testament 7 That Purgatorie hath no ground or foundation in the new Testament 8 That neither the Primitiue Church nor the Fathers liuing in the same for the space of many ages did euer acknowledge the Purgatorie of the Church of Rome 9 Wherein are answered the aduersaries their obiections endeuouring to proue their Purgatorie by the olde VVriters 10 In what manner Purgatorie hath proceeded in the Church of Rome and by what degrees 11 That praying vnto Saintes hath no foundation in the holie Scriptures of the olde Testament 12 That praying vnto Saintes hath no ground in the holie Scriptures of the newe Testament 13 That praying vnto Saintes was not taught in the Primitiue Church and how it sprung vp and grew 14 The continuing of the puritie of doctrine in the matter of Inuocation and of the springing vp of the corruption of the same in the Latine Church 15 The springing vp of the corruption of inuocation aswell in the Greeke as in the Latine Church 16 That a man eannot merite or deserue eternall life for himselfe and much lesse for an other wherein he is considered first as he is before his regeneration 17 That a man regenerate cannot merite eternall life for himselfe or for any other 18 That the law was giuen vnto man to conuince him of sinne and to cause him to looke for his saluation from grace through faith in Christ according to the Scriptures and the Fathers 19 That good workes are the gift of God and therefore cannot merite and to what vse they serue according to the holy Scriptures and fathers 20 How the doctrine of merite first set foote into the Church how it proceeded and how it hath beene oppugned and set against in all ages yea euen vnto S. Bernard his time 21 How merite proceeded and went on euer since S. Bernard his time vntill thâ—se our daies and what oppositions haue beene made against it euen vnto the time of the full light of the Gospell breaking forth againe A Recapitulation of the third Booke Of the fourth Booke 1 WHat a Sacrament is and wherein it consisteth and of the difference of the Sacraments of the old and new testament where are likewise laide downe certaine rules by the old writers for the better vnderstanding of their writings 2 That the doctrine of the holy Supper must be examined by the rules before deliuered as all other doctrine whatsoeuer touching any other Sacraments eyther of the old or of the new Testament 3 That the exposition which our aduersaries giue vpon the wordes of the holy Supper destroyeth all the foundations of the Christian faith as also the nature of Christ and of his sacramentes 4 That the fathers knew not Transubstantiation nor the reall presence in the signes and that which is touched of the times euen to the first Nicene Councell is also included therein 5 The continuing of the beliefe and faith of the fathers of the Church in the matter of the holy Supper from the first Nicene Councell vnto the time of Gregorie the great 6 Likewise that a long time after Gregorie Transubstantiation was not knowne and in like manner that all the most famous Liturgies amongst our aduersaries are repugnant to the same 7 That the old Church did not belieue nor teach Transubstantiation seeing it neither did nor obserued in respect of the kindes or Sacramentes that which is done and practised at this day 8 In what manner the opinion of Transubstantiation was begun increased and finished vntill the yeare 1215. and that it was ratified and confirmed by a Decree made in the Councell of Lateran 9 What manner of increase and proceeding befell the opinion of Transubstantiation from the Councell of Lateran vntill the Councell of Trent and the absurdities and contradictions rising from the same A comparing of the holy Supper with the Masse A briefe rehearsall of the chiefe matters contained in the whole worke THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE MASSE AND of the partes thereof CHAP. I. After what manner the Supper of the Lord was first instituted and ordained and that the Masse hath no good ground eyther from the Scriptures or from the practise of the Apostles OVr aduersaries for the laying of a surer foundation for the Masse out of the holy Scriptures haue attempted to driue and draw the same from the institution of the holy Supper of our Lord ordinarily now a daies do vse to set downe as a note and marke of the same vppon all such places as concerne the holy Supper Heere is the institution of the Masse whereas their predecessors namely the ordinary Glose was wont to note such places thus Heere is the institution of the Supper or Eucharist Wherefore the better to know how like and how vnlike they be as likewise to see so much the more cleerely how farre the one
Neither yet that S. Paule became a Iew and obserued the law but to the end that hee might draw them from their rudiments or that in like manner by becomming a Gentile hee held not any thing of their vnknowne God but rather preached vnto them the sonne of God come into the worlde that is to say without the annihilating of the crosse of Christ without preiudicing yea to the aduauncing of the veritie simplicitie and puritie of doctrine But as yet the substance of the truth ceased not to swimme and flote a long time vpon the face of these humane inuentions being the good seed husbanded by the care and industry of good teachers who suffered not the same to be choked ouerrun with the darnell at the first blow vntill the ouerflowing streame of barbarous and rude men which happened some ages after did vtterly ouerwhelme it and make an end of the same by occasion whereof the darke and palpable thicke cloudes of ignoraunce did burie and swallow vp Christianitie The Pastors being partly ignorant and partly negligent suffered the darnell to grow so that the darnell occupied the place of the corne euen the incorruptible seed of the word in so much as that the greatest part of Christendome suffered the famine of the true breade that is of the true preaching of the Gospell becomming drunken opprest in the meane time with the excessiuenesse of mens inuentions the proper darnell-bread thrust vpon them vnder the name of traditions And this is that which we haue now to verifie concerning the matter of the Masse going forward with the handling of the growth and proceeding thereof from age to age And here let vs call to mind in what estate condition we left the diuine seruice in the former Chapter It consisted of a general confession of sinnes in singing of whole Psalms in the reading of the holy scriptures in the Pastor his preaching vpō the same after that in a generall prayer for the whole world in the blessing and distributing of the Sacraments to all the faithfull vnder both kindes in a thankesgiuing for the benefite receiued of God in Christ renewed in the action of the Sacrament and how that all this was vttered in a knowne tongue and a language vnderstood of all the people which answered thereunto from time to time the vessels and apparrell being such as were commonly vsed euery thing done in simplicity without vaine ostentation void of all manner of wauering ceremonies and all these thinges continued vnto the times and ages that we are now to speake of being the substantiall partes of the true and lawfull diuine seruice Euseb lib. 10. cap. 2. 3. Eusebius speaking of the ordinarie actions of the true diuine seruice maketh mention of prayers psalmes lessons sermons the blessing communicating of the Sacraments Euseb lib. 4. of the life of Constantine S. Hilarie psal 65. S. August in epist 119. of thankesgiuing c. Likewise saith he Constantine the Emperour praied with the congregation sung himselfe heard the sermon reuerently and that standing saith he not thinking it seemly for him to sit downe in that place S. Hillarie If any man stay without the church he shall heare the voice of the people which prayeth he shall vnderstand the solemne tunes of the Psalmes and in the offices of the holy Sacramentes the aunswere of a denout confession Saint Augustine in as many wordes Jt is not to the purpose saith he to sing Psalmes in the Church when the scripture is in reading or when it is in handling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the same that he meaneth by these words Quando disputatur when the chiefe the Pastors or the Bishops doe pray aloude or when warning is giuen by the Deacons that wee must giue our selues vnto the generall prayer But these meane whiles excepted what can the assemblies of the faithfull bee better occupied about what more holy thing is there which they may exercise themselues in then in singing of Psalmes Hesychius vpon Leuit. lib. 7 cap. 24. Dionys in Hicratch lib. 3. Hesichius Prayer is holy the reading of the scriptures is holy the hearing of the expounding of the same is holy yea and holy it is whatsoeuer is said or done in the church of God according to his law c. This in briefe is the summe of the whole seruice as is testified likewise in the Hierarchie of Saint Denis for it must needes bee referred vnto this time describing the manner of the celebrating of the holy Supper for he affordeth and graunteth place vnto euerie one of these partes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 making it to begin with the harmonious singing of Psalmes the whole ordinance of the Church singing with the Bishop Afterward hee causeth the reading of the holy scriptures to follow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Ministers of the Church and from thence to draw out exhortations vnto the people after which hee giueth leaue to those which were not admitted to the sacramentes to go forth of the Church and temple as namely those that were catechised the penitents and the possessed Then the holy sacraments are set vpon the table and are blessed and sanctified by holy prayer the which are first receiued and taken by him that is the chiefe in these holy actions as the Minister or Bishop and after giuen to all that are by after that they haue testified their spirituall vnitie by a holy kisse Which done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith hee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is hauing participated and distributed the Sacramentes that is the breade and the wine hee closeth vppe the whole action with a holy Eucharist that is a publique than kesgiuing for the benefite receiued from our God in the receiuing of his holy Supper Let vs now follow on The Psalmes Chryso in his eight hom vpō the Heb. Chrysost in hom 6. de paenitent and go forwarde through euerie one of these partes Chrysostome saith of the Psalmes Euerie weeke the Psalmes are read twise or thrice Againe Wherefore haue the Christians the Psalmes alwayes in their mouthes seeing wee reade the Gospell but once or twice neither yet the writinges of the Apostle and why also doe wee sing those with our owne mouthes doing nothing but lending our eares to these Saint Augustine recommendeth them vnto vs by the example of Christ and his Apostles for the profit comming of the precepts contained therein for the edge which they set vpon our zeale Againe he taketh vpon him the protection thereof against such as blamed the Church of Carthage because it did sing them S. Augustine li. 2. retract ca. 2◠whether it were before the offering or in the time of the distributing thereof vnto the people that is to say the Lordes Supper Now it was the auncient custome to sing them and that altogether all throughout The Psalmes cut in sunder diuided into parts Optat. lib. 4. Epiph. haer 64.
the Pastor hereupon couetousnes and other abuses companions of the same was first bred and brought into the Church to the infecting of the Ministers of the same S. Ierome sayeth Clerici de altari viuunt altari seruientes altaris oblatione sustentantur c. The Cleargie liue of the Altar those which serue at the Altar are fed and maintained of the oblations of the Altar c. And as Walafridus Berno and others haue told vs that the Offertorie came to bee in the Diuine seruice by reason of such a custome practised amongst the Iewes so indeed wee finde manie of the steppes threof by obseruing and marking of the same For the bookes of the Hebrewes doe teach vs that there are seauen thinges to bee obserued in the oblations and offringes of the first fruits The first that the chiefe and gouernours of the house did bring them themselues vnto the Church porch and hauing them vpon their shoulders did euerie of them say these wordes of Deuteronomye ch 26. verese 3. vnto the Priest I giue you to vnderstand this day before God c. that I am come into the land which hee had promised vnto our Fathers c. The second that the Priest receiued the basket of euery one from his owne hand and put it before the Altar The third that this excellent place of Deuteronomie where this thankefulnes is ordained with such a liuelie representation of the miseries of the people and of the mercifulnes of the Lord should bee read vnto them all along Of the eleuation Exod. 29.24 27. Leuit. 23.11 c. The fourth that to the offring of the first fruites there was ordinarily ioyned the Sacrifice of thankesgiuing The fift that there was an ordinarie singing of Psalmes without which say they there did not passe anie Sacrifice The sixt that the offring of those first fruits was lifted vp on high by the Priest which wee read commaunded in verie manie places of the Scripture and whereof we will speake hereafter in place conuenient they adde thereto the seuenth that they which offred were inioyned to passe the night in the Citie to shew that they came not thether eyther for fashion sake or in hast but for to render thankes vnto the Lord vpon good deliberation Here now beginneth the seruice of the faithfull Generall prayer The Letanie with a generall prayer for the whole world for the estate of the Church for publike and particular necessities which the Grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saye supplication 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say prayers for peace because that therein they vsed to pray vnto God for the peace and prosperitie of euerie particular person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an vniuersall Collect because it contained an abridgement of all prayers wherof it may seeme that there abide some notes and markes in the Prosne so called because that euerie one did fall downe flat vpon his face the Minister of the Church for to say prayers and the people for the better ioyning of themselues in deuotion with him and thereupon it is as yet called prayers in some places the forme thereof continued as we haue seene it since the time of the Primitiue Church is to bee found and read in the writers of that time S. Ambrose Oratio praemittitur prayer for the people for kinges and all others goeth before c. S. Ambrose cont relat Sym mach Epist 29. l. 4. de Sacr. cap. 4. in 1. ad Tim. cap. 2. S. Ambrose de vocatione gentium August Ep. 119. ad Ianuar. serm de temp 237. Ep. 59. ad Paulin q. 5. Epist 106. de bon perseu cap. 22. haeres 88. Chrysost hom 79. ad Pope Antioch 72. in Matth. The Lithurgie attributed vnto S. Basill Chrysost in Epist 2. ad Cor. hom 18. The blessing of the Sacraments and this rule is deliuered and giuen vnto vs and our Ministers by the Maister of the Gentiles c. that is by S. Paule Insomuch sayeth he as that it became a rule and patterne obserued and followed in all the Churches it became a rule obserued in all the Churches to pray not onelie for the Saintes and regenerate in Christ but also for the Infidels and enemies of his Crosse for the Idolaters persecutors Iewes Heretikes and Schismatikes S. Augustine after the lessons and sermon addeth Aut cum Antistites clara voce deprecantur that is when the Pastors doe pray with aloude voice Againe After the sermon those which are catechised haue leaue to depart the faithfull stay behinde then they shall come to the place of prayer c. And for the form maner for all men for kings for them which are in authoritie c. for those that are catechised for the vnbeleeuers and for the infidels Chrysostome Wee pray for the whole world for the Church spread and dispersed euerie where for the vnitie of the same for them which gouerne it and are the chiefe in the same c. Againe for the possessed for the pentients for sinners for the afflicted and for our selues S. Basill for the uire and weather for the fruits of the earth for peace for Trauellers Saylers sicke persons Prisoners and Captiues for the troubles the forgiuenes of sinnes the Church the Bbs. and the Emperours c. And this is it which S. Denys calleth the holie prayers others the Letanie that is Supplication made and offred to one onlie God by Iesus Christ and that euerie where and for all things And that they were made properlie in that place appeareth by S. Chrysostome After sayeth hee that wee haue put forth them which may not bee partakers of the holie Table we haue an other praier to make and then we are altogether after one manner cast flat vpon the ground both the Pastor and the people and do all of vs rise againe after one and the same manner c. This prayer thus ended which was verie long but deuided into Articles to euerie one whereof the people that they might be kept the more attentiue were bounde to aunswere Amen they came to set the bread and the wine appointed for the holie Sacramentes vpon the holie Table and that with reuerence and deuotion and certain forespeeches which might stir vp the people to come also after the same maner then the Pastor said Dominus vobiscum a Salutation vsed amongst the Hebrewes that is The Lord be with you and the people answered him saying Et cum spiritu tuo and with thy spirit The Minister saide Sursum Corda 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is â—ft vp your heartes on high 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doe not imagine here or thinke vpon anie terrestriall or earthlie thing the people aunswered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Habemus ad Dominum we haue them fixt and bent vpon the Lord. Againe the Minister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Gratias agamus Let vs giue thankes vnto our
also to be of the same mind with S. Augustine when he saith in the very same places That the catechised in a certain maner were sanctified by the sign of Christ That the signe of the crosse is a Sacrament which is receiued in the forhead as the others are in the mouth and in the bodie improper speeches as well the one as the other haue begotten and hatched sutable like opinions Els what will they say to Thomas Aquinas who maintaineth and defendeth that the signe of the crosse is not necessarie in the sacraments And how much better had it beene to the purpose for them to haue kept themselues to the serious meditation of the true crosse the death and passion of our Lord But all that they thus struggle and striue for Thomas 3. p. Summae qu. 84. artic 42. add 3. is to be able to approue and make good the signes of the Crosse which are so often in the Masse but yet they cannot tell how to become friends with S. Denis who amongst so many ceremonies reckoned vp in his lithurgie hath not made any mention at all thereof But they tell vs The lithurgies of this time that all these ceremonies are found in the lithurgies or offices of this time as that of S. Basil S. Chrysost c. as likewise many doctrines which we approue not I auouch confesse the same most freely and reserue the doctrines to handle them in their place but I aunswere here in a word that I will not let to indorse write vp the title of false and counterfeite against all these lithurgies and that by prouing either that they were neuer written nor made by them or that if they did ordaine any prescript forme of the administration of the sacrament in their diocesses as there is some apparance and likelihood that they did that according to the measure of abuses that haue beene brought in they were corrupted and depraued afterward And first he that shal compare that which the Syrians vse vnder the name of Basil with that which we haue shall find most notable differences therein Then againe of that which we haue there is one patterne and copie which the old interpreter did vse and another which the latter new interpreter did vse so likewise it standeth with it in the matters of substance Secondly for that that which is attributed vnto Chrysostome is not agreed vpon by the copies of Leo Thuscanus Erasmus and Pelargus one of the making mention of the dead of the inuocating of the virgin there being nothing in the other concerning the same one of them also being printed at Rome and the other at Paris where may also be obserued the forward readinesse and zeale of one place to corrupt and falsifie a thing more then another which is a matter of no small moment to cause men to doubt of the truth of them both And furthermore the Doctor of Espence noteth Claud. Espenc de Missa priuata That this Leo went about to alter and change that which Chrysostome had said of the priuate Masse into an ill fauoured sence and that far from the purpose for which he had deliuered it fitting and applying it to the fashion of the Latine Church in his time into which as then they had brought the same for he was Secretarie to Emanuel Emperour of Greece about the yeare 1170. and did interprete vnto him the writinges of Trithemius the Abbot Which notwithstanding saith hee I doe not stand vppon eyther to make it suspicious or to bee thought vnworthie of Chrysostome and the Greeke Church but rather to cause that it might bee receyued and certainly knowne that as it was begunne by Saint Chrysostome so it had beene amplified and inlarged by others in succession of time The same likewise for the same reasons may bee saide of Saint Basill Thirdly wee haue the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both in the one and in the other And wee haue shewed before that it was not receiued till about a hundred yeares after them by Proclus Archbishoppe of Constantinople and in both of them there is mention of Confessors after the Martyrs Now it is confessed by our aduersaries themselues that their name was not receiued into the seruice of the Church till a long time after and yet also a great deale later into the Latine Church Wee find also in both of them the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mother of God speaking of the holy virgin the doctrine concerning the same is as old and was borne with the Church but the heresie of Nestorius gaue occasion of the worde first receiued in the Councels of Ephesus which were after them In both of them wee find the offring vp of incense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the remission of sinnes a ceremonie altogether vnknowne vnto these auncient fathers and a blasphemous doctrine not tollerable amongst Christians In that of Basil particularly wee finde the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Panis Catechumenorum the holy bread to bee distributed after seruice vnto them which had not communicated not knowne at this time in the Church of the Grecians neither yet mentioned in Basil Nazianzene nor Chrysostome againe in that of Chrysostome by it selfe the Priest adoreth the image of our Sauiour crucified and of the holy virgine a thing not heard of in the Greekish Church for 300. yeares after neither made mention of in any one of all his bookes though he writ verie many volumes and that amongst the rest he was giuen very diligently to write of the ceremonies of the holy supper yea and which is more condemned by himselfe in expresse tearmes Is not this saith he a shame that those whome God hath indued with reason Chsysost in hom 57. in Genes c. 31. doe honour wood and stone that those vpon whom he hath bestowed a voice and speech should bee caried away to the worship of dumbe thinges yea doe we thinke that such brutish and beastly Apostasie can be within the compasse of mercie Fourthly ioyne to the former that there is mention made not of Chrysostome only who is inuocated and prayed vnto therein in certaine copies but of many moe Saintes who liued after Chrysostome and that therein is prayer made for the Emperour Alexius and for the Pope Nicholas by the name of Oecumenius or vniuersall Now it is well knowne that the Greeke Church did neuer take any acknowledgement of the Bb. of Rome by this name and title but that euer since the yeare 1054. the Greekes haue degraded him and set vp in his place the Patriarch of Constantinople that is to say more then 30. years before Alexius came to the Empire And from other places it is to be proued that the first of this name fell to be in the yeare 855. that is to say more then 200. yeares before Alexius in somuch as that this must needs be Nicholas the Patriarch of Constantinople of whom Zonarus maketh mention as liuing in
somewhat but destroyed no good thing for it was by him ordained that there should be sung in the Christian assemblies this hymne Paul Diac. lib. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Thou sonne of God thou diuine worde who being immortall didst vouchsafe for our saluation to take vpon thee humaine flesh of the holy virgine the mother of God and alwaies a virgine dead risen againe c. saue vs. This may seeme to haue beene by the authoritie of the generall Synode of Constantinople for the repressing of the Samosatenians Arrians Monothelites c. And this was to honour the holy virgine according to the intent and purpose of the Councell of Ephesus being without all preiudicing of the honour due vnto God and denied to all manner of creatures At this time also the Letanies or supplications were hatched and that first of all in the Easterne Churches and then afterward in the westerne not without some imitatation of the Pagans their Ambaruales or Gangweeke and the occasion therof did first rise from Constantinople by reason of a plague then from Lyons by reason of an earthquake from whence they tooke their flight all ouer the East and West The forme and manner thereof was this They contriued and drewe into certaine articles the publike necessities and calamities that did presse them or threaten them vnto euerie one whereof as it was vttered and spoken by the Priest or Bishop which went before the people answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord haue mercy vpon vs Lord heare vs. Praying vnto Saintes or yet vnto the virgine Marie was not admitted till a long time after saue onely where as Anastasius the Emperour an Eutychian fauourite of Petrus Gnapheus his opinions and an innouator in this behalfe did vndertake to set them a foote and giue them force to stand But let vs come to the church of Rome where we shal find a great deale more matter Alterations chaunges in the Romish Church Alcuinus Berno Rabanus Walafridus c. Symmachus the Bb. of Rome about the yeare 506. ordained that euery Lords day as also vpon euery festiual day there shold be sung Gloria in excelsis but this is attributed to Telesphorus by others Other some distinguish betwixt both say that this man did not ordaine it at all but onely vpon the day of Christ his natiuitie So farre is it off that the Grecians should haue it any sooner for this is the same which they doe call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He added in the Councell of Rome held vnder him That no Priest in the Church of Rome shal say any Masse without his priuitie Now let men iudge hereof if this bee not to come backe to that which we reade and speake of in other places That there was not any moe then one Christian assemblie in euerie parish in which the faithfull did pray vnto God heard the Gospell and communicated together in the Sacramentes Agapetus the first did institute the processions Petr. de Natalibus at the first before the Masse at Easter because saith Durandus that the Angels said to the women Tell the disciples that he will be before them in Galile And of these processions did spring those which were afterward said vppon the Lordes daies This was about the yeare 535. Vigilius ordained about the yeare 536 That those which were to celebrate the Masse should looke into the East Petr. de Natal and euer since the most part of the altars were set and turned to serue for the purpose Also That the festiuall daies should haue their particular readinges and lessons and yet notwithstanding he would haue the giftes oblata munera Vigil ep 3. to bee consecrated vnto God euery day after one and the same order of prayers Wherein wee see that the Canon was not then growne to a rule and set thing as wee see it was afterward and in an other place that the praiers whereof he is vnderstood to haue spoken are referred ad oblata munera to the giftes which were offered by the people and not to the sacrifice of Christ the Sonne of God that pretended oblation made by the Priest vnto his father The feast also of Candlemas is attributed to him and there is a reason giuen vs for the same The Pagans Rhenan in Tertul. de corona milit saith Rhenanus in the entraunce of Februarie did celebrate the feast of Proserpina with burning tapers Now that their wilfull obstinacie might not bee incensed or prouoked to discontentment it was ordained that the same day there should be the like burning of them vnto the virgine Marie Iacob de Vorag serm 82. de Sanctis and Iacobus de Voragine speaketh of the same thing after the same manner Pelagius the second about the yeare 580. ordained that mention should bee made of the deade in euery Masse after the eleuation of the host whether he meant it of all the offrings which after the manner of the old Testament were wont to be eleuated or lifted vp for a presenting of them vnto God or of that parte which was put apart for the Sacrament for so speaketh Hermanus Gigas Hermanus Gigas vsing the tearmes currant in his time to expresse what was then practised in this point not being as then growne to that head and height of corruptnesse Whereby appeareth the truth of that which wee said a little before namely that that which was done for the dead was a custome fetcht and deriued from the Paganes and not grounded vppon any Christian law a sufferaunce and not an ordinance of the Church And thus behold wee are come to Gregorie the first who of all these ingredientes thus dispenced and many moe maketh one Masse which hee calleth the Romish order or Gregorie his Masse And this is the point whereuppon wee are nowe to insist Gregory then as Historiographers do tell vs being come to the Archbishopricke The notable change and alteration vnder Gregorie his time purposed to reforme the whole order of the church in al the parts therof so far forth as that after that Platina had specified the masses songs letanies stations processions feastes Plat. in Grego magno c. What shall I say more saith he seeing all the whole order and institution of the ecclesiasticall office especially of the old and auncient one is inuented and approued by him which would to God we had kept and not receiued this barbarousnes which so much distasteth all the learned men that are liuing at this day c. But of a certaintie vnder the shadow of redressing the order and discipline which had sustained great iniuries by the barbarous inuaders and spoilers he did not a little damnifie the truth and sinceritie of doctrine wherein yet those which came after and succeeded him as saith Platina did worse The Introit For the lithurgie It had no Introit in the beginning and after that Celestine had made one Gregorie would haue it doubled
Saintes and Martyrs The Praiers of the Saints the names wherof as sayth S. Denys were read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of a certain register or catalogue partlie to shew vs that they did liue and make vppe one part of the Church and partlie to encourage vs to follow their example and afterwarde the deuotions or rather superstitions of some particular people had brought it so aboute as that they were prayed vnto But in this Canon they are a great deale more forward namelie to pray vnto God that hee would receiue their merites and intercessions for the liuing And it was in this time that Gregorie would haue it put into the Letanies for the virgin Marie Ora pro nobis Deum pray vnto God for vs. And this in tract of time became common and was not thought vnmeet or vnworthie of anie one of the Saints And indeed it is most cleare that in the time of S. Augustin not the Saints but God alone was prayed vnto in the prescript forme of the celebrating of the Lords Supper The place is plaine and euident They are named sayeth hee as men of God August de Ciuit. Dei l 22. c. 10. which by standing vnto their confession haue ouercome the worlde but they are not prayed vnto by the Priest which sacrificeth that is which performeth the holie office c. Afterward there was taken vp a custome that they which died Prayer for the dead should bestow some giftes vpon the Church and their kinsfolke for them that they might be distributed vnto the poore and these gifts were wont to be blessed as the other giftes offrings were but by this meanes men fell into the fowle errors of the Pagans as namelie either to pray for the dead or to moue it themselues that they might be prayed for after death And this is it which we haue before obserued to haue in expresse wordes been ordained by Pelagius the second As then offringes grew to come in place of sacrifices so these giftes in their place did grow to bee sacrifices for the dead and therevpon we read those wordes in S. Gregorie Gregor in Dial 4. passim To offer a wholesome and sauing host for euerie one vnknowne to the a ges going before and after which a certaine time sprung vp the Masses for the dead And thus this parte is receyued againe into the Canon in more forcible tearmes then before although as yet not receyued and practised euery where for there are as yet some Masse bookes to bee found The old Masse booke of Zurich Bullinger de origine erroris c. 8. and those verie auncient and authentike where prayer for the dead is not any thing specified at all Againe if we waigh and consider well the wordes of the Canon Pro his qui dormiunt in somno pacis for such as sleepe the sleepe of peace they may seeme rather to concerne the memoriall of such whose saluation is sure and certaine or the opinion of men as it was then most commonly receyued of a place of refreshment or rest where they wait attend the fulnes of glorie to be inioyed after the resurrection then anie opinion of Purgatorie full of tormentes or else the forme of prayer vsed at this day for the deliuering setting at libertie of the dead For the liuing For the liuing Gregorie bringeth in the custome of making mention of them in the place of the mysteries as wee see hee writeth vnto Constantius Bb. of Millaine Gregor l. 3. Epist 37. l. 6. Ep. 71. that it is done by name of Iohn Bb. of Rauenna although before the ordinance and appointment of Innocent the first there was nothing spoken of any in that place saue such as had offred whose names were wont to bee read in the place of the consecration And thus wee see clearelie that all that which is said and done in the Canon for the liuing and for the dead is traduced and wrung from the Sacrifices of praise that is from the offringes which the Christians offred whether they were as tokens of their plentifull increase or for to impart and bestow vpon the poore to this pretended propitiatorie sacrifice of the Priest Now Gregorie telleth vs that the author be it of the Canon Who shoulde bee the author of the Canon Gregor l. 7. Ep. 63. or be it of the praier of the Canon was one Scholasticus and of him we finde not a iot in Eusebius S. Ierome Sophronius yea nor in Gimodius though he haue drawne a catalogue of ecclesiasticall writers about the yeare 500. insomuch as that hee cannot bee eyther anie ancient author or worthy personage as may also be easilie gathered of his work And as for them who to acquite themselues somewhat the better say that it was Pope Gelasius called by Gregorie by the name of Scholasticus as willing by this title to signifie the worthy account and name which he had obtained before hee came to the Popedome it is answered them that it appeareth by other places of S. Gregorie that this Scholasticus was a proper name and verie vsuall for a Iudge of Champagnie in Italie Gregor lib. 2. Ep. 54. l. 6. Ep. 14. and an other who stoode out for a defender of the Church are both of them called by that name But wee know from else where by the historie of the Church all whatsoeuer is attributed to Gelasius who therein is neuer called nor qualified by the name of Scholasticus besides that it is most plaine that Gregorie had rather haue adorned and marked it with his proper name which carried so great honour with it then with a borrowed name which wee know not whether euer it were bestowed vpon him or no. Againe it is not the phrase or custome to call men yea and those greate personages by the first and least offices which they haue borne but by the last as being ordinarilie the most worthy and excellent But whosoeuer it was that was the author The three petitions S. Gregorie doth not let to take it in hand againe after him as is very apparant vnto vs and indeed it is agreede vpon that hee did adde thereunto Diesque nostros in tua pace disponas c. which they call the three petitions issuing and proceeding euermore from that spirite which wresteth the offringes of the faithfull vnto the sacrifice offred by the Priest For the praier of Leo the first which was called as yet the Masse is called Super oblata vppon the giftes and oblations it did onely carrie and containe That it would please thee O Lord to receiue and take in good part these giftes of our bounden dutie and of all thy family And after some Authors And dispose of our dayes in peace that is to continue vnto vs of thy fauour and mercie thy holy blessinges according to the praier of the Israelites But Gregorie which sticketh fast to the pretended offring of the bodie of Christ goeth further
them from Images hee expoundeth himselfe in plaine tearmes saying S. Iohn crieth aloude Little children keepe your selues from Jdols not so much saith hee from Idolatrie that is from yeelding anie dutie or reuerence towardes them as from the Idols that is euen from the verie shapes and images For saith he it is a great indignitie that the Image of the liuing God shold be translated into the Image of an Idol or of a thing that is dead Now there is no cause for thē to obiect against these plain and expresse words of the old Father Tertul. lib. de pudicitia that in his book of shamefastnes he maketh mention of a certaine cup whereupon was painted the historie of a good Pastor going about to gaine and get againe his stray sheep for what agreement is there betwixt the painting of a cup and the worshipping of an Image the workmanship of a glasier with the iudgement of the Church Origen against Celsus handleth the question throughly Origen cont Celsum l. 7. This Pagan did obiect against him That the Christians were worse then the Barbarians yea worse then Atheistes who would not see or looke vpon saith he eyther Altars Images or representation of any thing c. The aunswere whereto if hee had belieued or taught as our aduersaries do had beene easie and readie vz. It is not our intent or desire to haue anie Idols but rather Images we will not honour the resemblances of your Gods but of our Saintes c. But what sayeth hee The Christians abhorre Images saith he but not for the same reason that the Persians doe whome thou callest Barbarians For they verily doe not suffer anie worshipping of Iesus Christ in Temples in Altars in images c. but it is because it is written Thou shalt haue no other Gods but mee Thou shalt not make to thy selfe anie likenes Thou shalt not worshippe them nor serue them Then the question in this place is of the Images of Christ and not of the Gods which notwithstanding hee taketh to bee no lesse forbidden in this place then those of the Gods themselues Heraclitus saide It is a follie to pray vnto Images that do not know the Gods Origen goeth further saying Yea rather wee know God wee know his onelie begotten Sonne wee know the Saintes Statuis Simulachra but wee doe much more confidentlie affirme that it is impossible for to know God and to kneele downe to Images and it is not onely follie to fall down before them but euen to make a semblance or similitude of them and therefore wee worshippe not Images for feare least any man should thinke that we attribute vnto them anie manner of Deitie What doth Origen here in this place leaue vs to conclude but that hee setteth the Images of the Sonne of God and of the Saintes in the same rowe and ranke with the olde Idols Furthermore hee sayeth that hee knoweth verie well to put difference betwixt the true God and the false and counterfeite the Sonne of God and the Saintes and betwixt Sathan and his Angels But if Celsus replie as others doe against vs who is so ignorant but he knoweth that Images are not Gods c hee taketh not this excuse for good payment For sayeth hee You cannot acquite your selues from being in fault seeing that you honour them The poore idiote seeing what you do taketh them to bee Gods though wee do not so which know that they cannot bee so much as Images seeing that God cannot be represented by any Image seeing likewise that man is not his Image but inasmuch as regard and consideration is had of his reasonable soule which he hath inspired into him and not in any respect of his outward forme and shape In briefe if Celsus say You abhorre our Images Origen l. 8. hee saith not It is to set vppe others in their places But rather We haue others in our selues fashioned according to the word of God the examples and patternes of vertues in our Soules drawn and fashioned according to the patterne of our Lorde the first borne of euerie creature And if hee say againe why set you them not vppon Altars No rather We will lodge them in our spirits the true Temples of God wherein he vouchsafeth to dwell by his holy spirit c. Now there is no cause that any should after so many plain pregnant proofes alledge vnto vs the distinctiō that he maketh vpon Exodus betwixt an Idol Idem hom 8. in Exod. the likenes of a thing Inasmuch saith he as that the Jdoll is a fantasticall picture of some thing which is not in nature but a likenes is a representation and shadowing out of a thing that is For besides that the Hebrew will not beare it what skilleth it vs how or by what names hee calleth them seeing hee condemneth both the one and the other and seeing he declareth and manifestlie sheweth by the law of God that both the one and the other sort is disallowed and condemned So farre as that they are not to bee honoured either in affection inwardly or by anie outwarde appearance And this to be meant of all those which eyther are not but in our fantasies and imaginations as well as of those which haue a bodilie substance in some one place or other aswel of those which are of the true God as those which are of the false Gods aswel of those which are of his only Son God and man and therefore representable in the humaine nature as of that of the eternall God which is not able to be comprehended of vs either by our inward spirites or outward sences And this suteth with that of S. August cont Faustum l. 20. c. 3. Augustine vttered by him in a word Pagani ea colunt quae sunt the Pagās worship the things which are and therfore not fansies and yet such things as are not to be worshipped for Gods Sed quae pro Diis colenda non sunt Wherin resteth the effect and worke of Idolatrie And hereby likewise is taken from them that which they alleadge out of S. Paule An Idoll is nothing Sunt quidem Idola saith Chrysostome sed nihil possunt 1. Cor. 8.4 Chrysost in 1. ad Cor. hom 20. Theoph. ibid. August cont Foust l. 20 c. 5. Beda Bruno Hugo victor Dionys Carth. Faber Stapul Genebrard in Psal 65. 96. Arnob l 2. aduers Gent. Lactan. l. 2. c. ◠4.18 Idoles saith he are something but they can do nothing And S. Augustine They are but they are nothing vnto saluation And their own Doctors Formaliter sunt efficaciter non sunt if you look vpon them outwardlie you shal perceiue them to haue a forme and shape but and if you looke vpon them as effectuall and powerfull then they are nothing at all Arnobius and Minutius Felix say We haue neither Altars nor Images and they do defēd and answere for themselues against the Pagans who reproched them therewithall
Trinity Of Idolatry for feare that we shold worship the Image for so goeth the case saith he that God doth not forbid onlie to worship Images but likewise to worship him in Images Of heresie also least that by such meanes wee should attribute to God a corporall and bodilie Masse or essentiall difference such as we may obserue to be giuen vnto him in these three figures and shapes And thus much be saide by the way of the pictures of the Trinitie And in another place S. Augustine sheweth the daunger generally of all Images in these wordes saying When men see them set in places appointed to honour in the resemblance which they haue with our members toucheth and striketh the spirites of the infirme and weake with some affection of praying and sacrificing vnto them especiallie at such time as the multitude is seene to runne and flocke thether August l 1. de consens Euang. c. 10. And in an other place speaking of such as deuised Epistles letters from Iesus Christ to S. Peter and S. Paule Can it bee sayeth hee because they had seene them pictured together And thus deserue they to bee mocked which haue sought Christ and his Apostles on painted wals and not in the holy scriptures Chrysostome vpon Genesis Chrysost in Gen. c. 31. ho. 57. mocketh at Labans Gods Wherefore saieth Laban vnto Iacob hast thou stolne away my God A deepe dotage And thy Gods sayeth hee are they such as that one may steale them from thee Again You know that when you were Gentiles you were turned aside vnto dumbe Idols euen you who speake see and heare vnto insensible thinges and is it possible that this thing should bee pardoned But and if in the Temples of Constantinople any such abuse had beene how had hee beene able to haue spoken these things and not to haue become ridiculous But yet sayeth hee to the ende that it might be known that these rules reached to the Images of the Christians We haue not to deale but with the Images of our Saintes for wee doe not inioy their presence by their bodilie Images but by the Images of their soules which wee haue in asmuch as that which they spake Litur Chrysost was the Image of their soules Now there is no cause why any shoulde obiect that in the Lithurgie attributed to him there is mention made of the Image of the Crucifixe for how can that be Chrysostomes seeing therein is prayer made eyther for Pope Nicholas the first neere hand 500. yeares after him or for Nicholas the Patriarke of Constantinople who was more then 700. yeares after likewise for the Emperour Alexius the first more then 700. yeares after for who cannot perceiue see that it was made 400. Hieronym in Esa c. 2. Idem in Iere. Idem in Danicl c. 3. yeares or thereabout after his death a long time also after the second Councell of Nice which established Images S. Ierome sayeth Man a liuing and reasonable creature doth worship copper and stone c. And againe This error hath ouertaken vs euen to place and put religion in riches And in another place notwithstanding that he entreat of the matter of the three children in the bote fierie furnace yet he giueth this generall rule The seruantes of God must not worshiâ—â—e Images And vpon the 113. psalme hee dealeth no better with them then S. Augustine did before But amongst the rest of his Epistles there is one of the famous man â—piphanius Bb. of Salamine in Cipres writing vnto Iohn Patriarke of Ierusalem which S Ierome hath not disdained to translate by which it appeareth manifestlie vnto vs what opinion the Church had conceiued of Images euen vnto this time Epist Epipha ad Ioh. Hiero although as hetherto it neuer came in their mindes to worshippe them but onlie to haue them as remembrances As I was come sayeth hee into a village called Anablatha had espied as J went along a burning lampe and therewithall learned after some enquirie made that it was a Church I went in to pray and found at the entrance into the same a vaile hanging dyed and painted hauing the Image as it were of Christ or of some Saint for I doe not perfectlie call to mind of whome it was Then when I had seene this thing that in the church of Christ against the authoritie of the Scriptures was hung vp the image of a man I cut in pieces the vaile furthermore gaue counsell to the keepers of the place to burie some poor dead persoÌ„ therin c. And now also I am to entreat you that you wold giue in charge by straight commandement that there be not any moe such vailes hung vp in the church of Christ as do stand against our religion for it is more seemlie to take away this disquieter of a tender and soft conscience being vnworthie of the church of Christ of the people which are committed vnto thee They labour themselues fall into a great pusle about this place some one way some an other way some disputing against Athanasius and indeed these are they that haue vndertaken the waight and burtheÌ„ of the strife and contention others in most solemn and deep sort auouching that this Epistle was but lent him which notwithstaÌ„ding is alleadged vnder his name in the famous Synod of Paris whereof we shall speake by by But whome may we better belieue then himselfe if he teach the same in his works Epiphanius tom â— cont haereses l. 3. In the second tome against heresies hee maketh a beade-roule of the traditions then obserued in the Church and our aduersaries would make vs belieue that images come in by Apostolike tradition but of images notwithstanding not one word What is there of more honor in the Church of Rome then the image of the holy virgine and yet you shall see what he saith euen of her selfe We vnderstand saith he that there are some which would bring her in for a God and which doe sacrifice vnto her Collyridem this was a certaine kind of tarte or cake and which assemble and come together in her name but this is a blasphemous worke contrarie to the preaching of the holy spirite a diuelish worke and the doctrine of the vncleane spirit And herein are accomplished the wordes of the holy Ghost Some shall depart from the faith giuing themselues to fables and the instructions of deuils c. And let it be then saith he that she be dead and buried admit that shee were taken vp or suppose that she abideth and liueth still let vs take out this lesson that we may not in any case honour the Saints further then is decent and becommeth but rather the maister of the Saintes our Lord. And let this errour broached by these seducers vanish and cease for Marie is no God let no man offer in her name for hee that doeth it destroyeth his owne soule c. Who will belieue that hee which spake these
bee helde at Constantinople Anno 870. which they call ordinarilie the eight generall Councell whose Actes and decrees wee cannot finde extant in the volumes of the Councels and but a verie fewe of them else where in histories And Bartholomeus Caranza sayeth that hee met with them so depraued and falsified as that he durst not coppie them out Onelie the Popes fauourites doe affirme that therein should bee confirmed the worshipping of Images and the curses of the second Councell of Nice repeated So that wee neede not doubt if we consider the proceeding such as it is set downe in the Pontificall booke it selfe Lib. Pontificalis that is to say that Adrian the Pope gaue vnto his Legates a little booke containing all that hee would haue to be belieued of the supremacie of the Pope and of the worshipping of Images with this charge that they should not receiue or admit any man into counsel or consultation with them before they had first signed the same but that by this meanes hee preuailed in the cause hauing no aduerse partie to stand against the same Againe that which is left remaining with vs is such stuffe as that it would make a man quake and tremble to reade it the Emperour Basill vttering these speeches therein Now are you out of the Diuelles clouches true Christians worthy of eternall life for if you had not abandoned this heresie Christ could haue profited you nothing How manie heresies yea and how many blasphemies be there in these few wordes Christ saith the Apostle doth profite vs nothing if we bring in againe the ceremonies of the law But what manner of conclusion is this If we obserue and keepe this Commaundement being one of the ten Thou shalt not make any grauen Image Thou shalt not worshippe them c. Christ doth profite vs nothing An other Canon sayth We ordaine that Images be worshipped as the holie Gospell The reason hereof is worth the noting for say they As men are saued by the sillables of these bookes euen so are both the wise and foolish mightily helped by Images And notwithstanding these their beetle headed reasons Nicaetas and Zonara do write that from that time forwarde all such were accounted Heretikes as did not adore and worshippe Images And yet so as that this kinde of superstition did neuer proceede or prosper in the Churches of Greece as it did amongst the Latines for besides the Greeke Churches had but a few and those painted pictures onelie and not any grauen or carued Images the difference betwixt them in the maner of worshipping them is so great that Emericus in the volume of his inquisitions rehearsing the errors of the Greekes setteth down these That they may not pray vnto Saintes no not vnto the holy virgin Marie That they hold that to offer vnto them is to offer sacrifice vnto the Diuell as also that to worship or kisse the Crosse is meere impietie senceles sottishnes But this must be distinguished of according to the times and countries But from hence forward let vs lanch forth into the depth of Idolatrie We make our selues offensiue to the Iewes in giuing them matter to stumble at and as loathsome as any stench vnto the Turks whome it had beene our duties rather to haue wonne and drawne to haue beene one with vs by the puritie of doctrine and the holines of our ceremonies The more contradiction we find the more care and industrie doe wee bring with vs for the propagating and spreading abroad of the same the more authoritie for to establish it and the greater rage and furie for to warrant and make good the same withall The Princes working the same sometimes in despight sometimes vpon enuie and malice which they beare one against an other but all of them to gratifie and pleasure the Bishoppe of Rome The Pope by his Decrees censures and curses by degrading and putting down of Emperours by absoluing their subiects of their oaths by rooting out and burning of all whosoeuer shall dare to say any thing to the contrarie c. In fine the pure seruice of God maintained so long a time vnder the Primitiue Church becommeth heresie and from hence forwarde no man speaketh of them which will not worship Images by any other name or trtle then heretikes the worshipping of them on the contrarie is accounted for sound and good to bee belieued yea and is reckoned vp amongst the markes and principal signes of the Church In the meane time to bring about the worshipping of Images in the French and Germaine Churches Friuolous â—â—fling distinctions the Church of Rome was forced from the beginning to bring into them some certaine distinctions and limitations carrying some more plausible construction and consideration as that of Dulia and Latria from the thing representing to the thing represented howbeit they are not of anie force or worth either in Grammer or Diuinitie but onelie as certaine vizardes seruing in the time of shamefast bashfulnes to couer the follie of the second Councel of Nice For as for the first such as are any thing acquainted with the Scripture do know that Dulia and Latria are ordinarilie vsed to signifie one and the same thing Gen. 9. Exod. 2 Esa 14. vbi Septuaginta Deuter â—8 34 Rom. 1. Ephes Coloss vbi Occumenius Matth. 6. Eustath in Homer Suidos August l. 8. c. 28 27. de ciuit Dei Idem de verb. Domini Secundum Mat. Serm. 6. Idem cont Faustum Manich. l. 15. c 9. contra Arrian Serm. 5. c. 17. IdeÌ„ ad Quod vult Deum L. 3. de Tradit 9. consider and those likewise that vnderstand the Greeke tongue doe know that Dulia is a more strict kinde of seruice then Latria because that to speake properlie Dulia is the seruice performed by a slaue who is altogether at the checke controll and commaund of his Maister and Latria the seruice which the mercenarie and hireling taketh himself bound to perform who vpoÌ„ the offer of the wages or the reward doth waigh with himselfe what it may be vnto him and accordinglie vndertaketh some such peece of seruice as his pay shall counteruaile And thus the best learned in the Greeke do interprete and take it what reason is there then that the lesse part should bee giuen to God and the greater vnto men And who can thinke that S. Augustine who first brought vp this dinstinction did vnderstand it after that manner who shutteth the deceased Saints Martyrs out of al Temples and froÌ„ hauing any Altars sacrifices or seruices done vnto them And that yet our aduersaries should giue them the same vnder the colour of this word Dulia And in verie deede S. Augustine hath no such intent or scope in that place namelie to giue vs free libertie to serue creatures but rather to detaine and draw vs backe from the same shewing vs what is the true seruice of God that so we may not giue it vnto anie creature For he that
is to come it is meete that hee should throughly weigh and consider of the same c. Cardinall Hugo likewise dooth obiect the same doubts about the same that Saint Augustine doth vpon Purgatorie and so keepeth himselfe to the taking of it for the fire of tribulation and the losse of temporall things And in deede Erasmus of our time hath declared in his Commentaries that this place affordeth not any thing that may belong either to Purgatorie or to the veniall sinnes Index Expurg as they pretend For which his plaine dealing they haue commanded the place to bee raced and blotted out In the 1. Corinthians 15. The Apostle speaking of the resurrection saith 1. Cor. 15 29. Else what shall they doe which are baptised for the dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if the dead rise not againe To bee baptised say they for the dead that is to afflict themselues for them that is to doe all such things as may seeme to serue for the satisfying and purging of their sinnes Wherefore they are yet in some place where they may bee relieued and succoured Therefore in Purgatorie Now this is nothing else but to make themselues continuall breakers of that Rule which saith That a man ought not to reason or gather any arguments from the places which are darke and doubtfull Now they dare not denie that there is any place in all the new Testament more obscure euen for the litterall sence then this And notwithstanding they will presuppose and set downe any Exposition thereof after their owne fantasies whereas all the Diuines that were for the space of fifteene hundred yeares were to seeke therein And hardly are there as yet any found that can satisfie themselues therein For one saith that the Apostle speaketh of them who seeing some die without Baptisme caused others that were aliue to bee baptised for them so well assured they were of the resurrection Epiphan ad ucrs haeres l. 1. tom 2. Haimo in Ep. ad Cor. c 5. August de Ciuit Dei l. 20. ca. 9. Chrysost Ambr. in 1. Cor. c. 15. Cypr. l. 4. Ep. 7 Tertull. de Resurr carn Chrysost in 1. Cor. c. 15. in 1. Cor. hom 23 Epiphanius reciteth this opinion And Saint Ambrose vnderstandeth it after the same manner and after him Haimo saith And yet such a custome as the Apostle onely alleadgeth without approuing it and that onely to shame the Corinthians with their incredulitie and vnbeliefe And the ordinarie Glose dooth note the same An other saith that this is to bee vnderstood of such as were bed-rid or sicke in their beds and could not arise or such as were baptised lying vppon their death bed or in extreame perill of their life An other of those which were dead and after baptised to shew that Baptisme was not onely a signe of the resurrection of the body but also of the soule And thus Tertullian may seeme to vnderstand it in his Booke of the Resurrection Chrysostome referreth it to the words of Baptisme saying If there be no resurrection then all that wee doe in Baptisme is but a play Namely because in it is contained the figure and resemblance both of death and of the resurrection together And Theodoret after the same manner that he which is baptised is buried with the Lord In vaine saith hee if the body be not to rise againe with him And Saint Thomas is not farre off from the taking of it in the same sence In a word there are some which referre it to the custome of celebrating of Baptismes in Church-yardes wherein the ordinarie exercises of the first Christians were wont to be kept Out of which of these old and auncient Expositions is it that they collect and gather this Purgatorie Or by which of the olde writers doe they approoue their owne these men are they whome I aske which make such accompt of the Fathers which thinke them all to bee on their side So that it will suffice vs onely to denie their interpretation Namely that to be baptised is to bee afflicted is to pray for the dead and in steade thereof we will hold and affirme that to be baptised in the text of the Gospell which they pretend is to die for the name of Christ and to suffer Martyrdome Chrisostome vpon these words Luk. 12. Mark 10. Chrysost in Math. hom 66 You may saith the Lord be baptised with the Baptisme wherewith I am baptised c. Here saith he I promise you many good things you shall purchase the Crowne of Martyrdome and by a violent death you shall depart out of this life as I myselfe c. The ordinarie Glose He speaketh here of the Baptisme of his passion And yet notwithstanding this is the place from whence they would drawe their Exposition What shamelesse and impudent dealing is this to expound to be baptised to signifie to be afflicted and that to bee afflicted should signifie to pray for the dead and that for those dead which are in Purgatorie Let them tell me if this manner of reasoning can bee vsed in any good Schoole without shame But yet after all to what end had it beene for Saint Paul to haue attempted the prouing of the resurrection of bodies by the soules tormented in Purgatorie And what would his argument haue beene in the end And why at the least did they not hold themselues either to Cardinall Hugo who saith Pro mortuis that is to say for their sinnes although verie darkly or yet for the better Caietan in 1. Cor. c. 15. to the Exposition of Cardinall Caietan For saith hee in that that they which are baptised are dipt into the water it is to bee vnderstood that they are dead vnto the world And whereas they professe to die vnto the same that so they may enter into newnesse of life they represent the resurrection of the dead The Apostle saith to the Philippians Philip. 2.10 To the end that euerie knee may bowe of those which are in heauen and in earth and vnder the earth These last are they which liue in Purgatorie for the Diuels say they doe not worship The sence is cleare That our Lord hauing humbled and abased himselfe to the taking of the forme not of man onely but euen of a seruant God hath lifted him vp on high and giuen him a name about all names these are the words going before that is to say an absolute power and Soueraigntie ouer all creatures acccording to that which he saith himselfe elsewhere All power is giuen vnto me in heauen and in earth And in the Apocalips he addeth thereto Math. 28. Apocal. 5. The creatures which are in the Sea c. Now the question is not here of an adoration but of a subiection not of the confessing or acknowledging of a Father but of a Iudge Hebr. 1. according to that which is said And hee hath made him Iudge of all things They make a great matter of the bowing of the knee
and that is it which galleth them most S. Paul to the Romaines alleadgeth Esay I liue saith the Lord that euerie knee shall bow before me Rom. 14. Esay 45.13 and euerie tongue shall giue praise vnto God There was greater show why it should be vnderstood of worshipping and adoration and yet he expoundeth it of the iudiciall throne of Christ Tertull. ca 17 1. de Trinit Thom in Ep. ad Philip. c. 2. and of his last iudgement And indeed Tertullian vnderstandeth it of subiection and not of adoration The ordinarie Glose saith here As well the Angels as men and the Diuell Thomas likewise The Angels willingly and freely the Diuels will they nill they That is saith hee according to that which S. Iames saith that euen the Diuels themselues doe tremble Rom. 9. S. Ambrose interpreteth it by this place of the Epistle to the Romaines Which is God blessed aboue all things c. For saith he there is nothing in the world but heauenly earthly or infernall things and referreth it to the authoritie that Christ holdeth of the Father Chrysost ad Philip. c. 2. Haimo Caict in Ep. ad Philip. c. Chrysostome to the glorie of Christ vnder which both men and Angels and Diuels doe bow and stoupe euen all both iust and righteous as also the sinners and rebellious And Haimo Hugo and Caietan after the same manner And in deed Bellarmine dare not vrge this place neither yet that of the Apocalips but confesseth that they proue not the matter Neither hath it beene alleadged by any certaine Monkes onely of this time and age excepted who make vp their Purgatorie of whatsoeuer commeth to their hands euen as franticke men who sansie euerie thing that is said vnto them For how was it possible for the old writers to find it here vnder the earth when as Saint Gregorie sought it in hotte waters in bathes and in the shadowes of trees When Alcuinus seated it in the ayre betwixt heauen and earth When the certaine place where it was was vncertaine vnto them vntill the time of Beda to whome I know not what spirit did reueale it to bee vnder the earth In the first of S. Peter Christ saith he hath suffered once for sinnes 1 Pet 3.18 c. being mortified in the flesh but quickned by the spirit by the which he also went and preached to the spirits that were in prison This prison say they is Purgatorie Let them reade that which followeth and then they will vnsay it againe Hauing beene disobedient in times past when as the patience of God did once attend and waite in the daies of Noe c. The question then is about matters happening in the daies of Noe Now they are not yet resolued that there was any Purgatorie in the time of the olde Testament And in deed they haue euermore expounded this place of the limbes so that by building their Purgatory vpon this place they haue broken downe the partition wall Againe the Gospell is preached to be heard vnderstood and receiued in faith And they themselues doe affirme that faith is not begotten or to be come by in Purgatorie To what end or vse then should this preaching serue in Purgatorie Againe to the vnbelieuing disobedient for whome according to their owne doctrine purgatorie was neuer builded Now in deed the true sence and meaning is that the spirit of Christ at all times hath called men to repentance yea euen in the daies of Noe those rebellious persons who abused the patience and long suffering of God and who notwithstanding standing out disobedient vnto the same are therefore holden captiues in prison that is to say in eternall punishment And the Greeke article leadeth vs hereunto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as also the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prison when the question is of spirites is ordinarily taken for here In the Apocalyps Sathan shal be let loose from his prison and elsewhere Apoc. 20. 2. Pet. 2. Iude 1. The Deuils are tyed vp in chaines of darknesse in euerlasting bondes c. But seeing they will not accept of our expositions yet at the least I would haue them to stand to the fathers Clement Alexandrine saith Clem. l. 6 that Christ and the Apostles did preach the Gospell vnto the damned but this hee taketh out of certaine Apocrypha writinges attributed vnto Saint Peter and S. Paule who had corruptly vnderstood this place In ep ad Epict. Athanasius saith that during the time that the bodie was in the graue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word went to preach to the spirites that were in hell that is to say saith Damascene Damasc l. 3. de Orthod fid c 6. Not for to conuert them to the faith but to conuince them of their vnbeliefe this preaching being no other thing but a manifesting of his deitie vnto the infernall powers by the descending of Christ into hell S. Augustine ad Euodium handleth this verie place August ad Euod epist 99. and turneth it into all the waies that it may bee taken and vnderstood that so hee might come by the true sence and yet hath not remembred Purgatorie in any one small word in the end he concludeth thus That to the end that hee may auoide the inconueniences that follow other expositions it must bee vnderstood not of any going downe into hell but of the operation and powerfull working of his deitie which he exercised from the beginning of the world that is to say that he preached vnto them which liued here below imprisoned in this mortall bodie by the spirit of his diuine nature sometimes by inward and secret inspirations and sometimes by outward admonitions proceeding from the mouth of the iust And thus it is to bee seene how that for Purgatorie hee vnderstandeth this present life Thom. 3. p. ◠62. art 2. And Thomas doeth likewise approue the same handling this question of purpose To bee shorte Cardinall Hugo saith In carcere in the prison of sinne and vnbeliefe c. And their Glosse Of the darknesse of infidelitie or of carnall desires c. And Lyranus bound and chained with the common custome of sinne And as concerning the whole place they vnderstand it Of the preaching of Noe which he practised amongst the infidels of his time Heb. 13. to draw them to repentance by the spirit of Christ for saith he Christ is yesterday and to day the same and for euer and euer what maketh all this then for Purgatorie In the first of S. Iohn If any man see his brother sinne a sinne that is not to death 1. Iohn 5.16 let him aske of God and he will gine him life to all them I say which doe not sinne vnto death There is a sinne vnto death I doe not say that thou shouldest pray for it c. From hence they inferre those which sinne vnto death Are those that persist in infidelitie saith Saint Augustine euen vnto
but Obseruationem consuetudo roborauit There is no Scripture saith he that can here be pretended but custome hath giuen force and strength to obseruation And this custome taken and raised from the good intents of some faithfull persons and not from the Apostles For saith hee dost thou not thinke that it is lawfull for euerie faithfull person to conceiue and set downe for a Law what he thinketh to be agreeable vnto God conuenient for discipline or furthering vnto saluation c. And by the like proposition entred the heresie of Montanus both into his head and after into the Church And to be short he setteth this custome in the ranke of many others which he reckoneth vp there As to dip the child thrise in Baptisme to take a tast of Milke and Honie before hand which they called Infantation to offer for birth dayes not to kneele or bow downe vpon the Lords dayes c. All which are long since abolished out of the Church of Christ and so also should this giue place by vertue of the same abolishment as made of the same stuffe and so also by consequent their Purgatorie In S. Cyprian who followeth him close at the heele Cypr. Ep. 9. l. 1 Ep. 5. l. 4. we haue Sportulas and Sportulantes Thus they called that which was giuen for the reliefe of the poore either by commaundement or in remembrance of the dead in stead of the feast which the Gentiles accustomed to prepare and bring out to set vppon the graue And this was continued by certaine Christians in the time of S. Augustine not without great offence taken thereat and this he complaineth of as likewise August Ep. 64 that he cannot remedie or redresse it but by force Such is the tyrannie that custome practiseth vppon men And of these offerings or rather testamentarie Legacies the Canon speaketh C. Qui Oblationes xiii q. 2. Such as denie the Church the offerings of the dead ought to be held as murtherers of the poore in as much as they rob them of their foode and nourishment c. Now these feasts made for the poore were qualified with the name of sacrifices and oblations as it may bee seene in many places of Tertuilian Tertull. de monog de cor milit August Ep. 64 de Ciuit. Dei l. 8. c. 27. Chrysost de Martyr S. Augustine and Chrysostome But what maketh all this either for Masses for the dead or else for Purgatorie And what will this prooue to on the contrarie side if we show that they which offered these oblations and praiers or to speake more fitly these memorials and remembrances in the seruice of the Church did the same for such persons as they belieued to be already in rest and euerlasting felicitie so farre off were they from presupposing them to be in Purgatorie Tertullian saith that the wife offereth for the husband and the husband for the wife Annuis diebus dormitionis eius c. From yeare to yeare vpon the day of his death And this is done in their dwelling house with their kinsfolkes as their owne mouthes confesse And what hath this that is common with the Priest his pretended sacrifice Hee saith also that they doe craue the one for the other betwixt the time of death and the resurrection refrigerium and consortium in the same that is to say That it would please God to giue rest vnto the fore deceased Tertull. l. 4. cont Marcion l. de Anima and to both to meete in the resurrection Who knoweth not that Tertullian calleth Refrigerium the place of refreshment the bosome of Abraham the place of the righteous where they abide waiting the day of the resurrection Wherein saith hee they are from their death vnto the finall end and consummation of all things And so by consequent that this their practise is nothing else but a continuing of this naturall affection which cannot bee staied and which according to the measure and quantitie wherein it calleth them to mind whome it loueth can not but lay open and shew foorth it selfe by making vowes for the procuring of their prosperitie and will not suffer it selfe to be perswaded thereof howsoeuer in deed it bee neither in a manner would haue it so to the end it may not lacke matter to doe them good wherein possibly it can And then what argreement is there betwixt this refreshment and the fire of Purgatorie betwixt Abrahams bosome from whence the rich man craued to be cooled refreâ—â—ed by Lazarus and this fire nothing differing say they from that fire wherein the rich man burned as concerning the feruent and tormenting heate thereof Cypr. l. 1. Ep. 9. but onely in durablenesse S. Cyprian seemeth to speake rawly To offer saith he for the dead to celebrate a sacrifice Pro dormitione corum for their falling a sleepe l. 3. Ep. 14. 6 But he expoundeth himself when he calleth these oblations Liueries and contributions these sacrifices memorials and remembrances of the dead in the praiers of the Church And in deed these oblations these legacies these sacrifices are celebrated for the Martyrs in ripping vp and renuing of their glorious death and their constant suffering If this were any thing tending vnto propitiation how could it fit with that sentence of S. Augustine August de verb. A post Serm. 17. Innoc. C. cum Marth de celebrat Miss l. 4. Ep. 5. Who so prayeth for a Martyr doth offer him iniurie Which Pope Innocent the third applieth vnto all Saints Thus S. Cyprian saith vnto vs Wee offer sacrifices speaking of Celerinus his kinred all which almost was honoured with the crowne of Martyrdome whome notwithstanding he affirmeth to bee crowned in heauen And on the contrarie hee will not haue any mention made at the Altar that is to say in the publike prayers Pro dormitione for the rest of a certaine man named Victor because he had contrarie to the receiued Discipline and gouernment caused a Priest to be charged with the keeping of a child in his nonage Whereby we see that these prayers and commemorations were but to put vs in mind of the vertuous liues of the Saints and not for the making of any fatisfaction for sinnes And this is that which Rhenanus saith B. Rhenanus in l. ad Martyr Sacrificia pro Martyribus offerri sic accipiendum ni fallor vt pro eis idem valeat quod commemoratione corum c. The same which Cyprian saith to offer sacrifices for the Martyrs that is to say for the renuing of their memories in at much as the calling to mind of their death and suffering did offer matter of offering oblations And therefore these were rather gratulatorie and ioyfull prayers as by the which thankes was giuen to God for that he had shewed such fauour vnto the Martyr and thereupon they prayed vnto him with one consent and voice that hee would continue to shew the like vnto his faithfull seruants that
for but approue O Lord and heare witnesse with Voluntariaoris mei the free offerings of my mouth Epiphan cont Aerium l. 3. t. 1 haeres 75. c. This argument was more throughly canuased and hotly dealt in about the yeare 500. in the time of Epiphanius who concealeth not or hideth the same from vs but setteth downe the verie same wordes That this is no commaundement of the father but an instruction and lesson taught by the mother that is to say by the Church Aerius found himselfe offended at these prayers for the dead which passed measure He put foorth this question Wherefore are the names of the deceased repeated and recited after their death And to what end doe praiers serue for those that are taken out of this life If it be to the end that they may not suffer for their sinnes c. Heere verily were a place to answere him that there is a Purgatorie That those that are departed hence without hauing satisfied for their sinnes are relieued by such suffrages c. But on the contrarie what dooth Epiphanius presuppose and set downe for the foundation of the matter in question Verily euen the quite contrarie That such as the liuing pray for are and liue in the presence of the Lord and that by these prayers such as are as yet trauelling this worldly pilgrimage doe witnesse their hope S. Chrysostome hath spoken of these prayers for the dead with greater aduantage then any others For that which Tertullian hath called Custome Epiphanius a Decree or Tradition of the Fathers he hath called an Apostolicall Tradition But he is confuted in one word by S. Ierome and S. Gregorie who saith that the Apostles vsed no other prayer in the celebration of seruice then the Lords prayer But yet for all that shall we thinke that hee praied for soules in Purgatorie when as hee belieued not any such thing Nay verily but rather for them which are with Christ Chrysost hom 3 ad Philip. Idem hom 4. ad Hebr. They are saith he with their king not any more beholding him as in a mirrour no longer loking vp vnto him by the eyes of faith but face to face For else what shuld be the meaning of these flaming Lamps but that we beare these glorious Champions companie home to their houses after their combat finished and accomplished As also what should bee the meaning of these Hymnes but that we glorifie God and giue him thankes for that hee hath crowned the deceased That he hath set him at libertie from all griefe and anguish and that he keepeth him now euen with himselfe These then are all of them nothing else but actions of ioy and reioycing And if thou marke what thou singest at that time it is Conuertere anima mea in requiem tuam Flie O my soule into thy rest for the Lord hath dealt graciously with thee And againe I wil not feare the euil wicked persons because that thou art with me c. Idem hom 70 ad Antioch in Math. hom 32 in Ioh. 61. In an other place The faithfull dying saith he shal take his flight vp into the habitation of the Angels so that he shal not be to be found euen at the time of his funerall And in deed the Liturgies which they obiect so much vnto vs should so much the more confirme them in this point That of Saint Basil Remember those O Lord which sleepe in hope of the resurrection Would he in their conscience call Purgatorie a sleepe And when hee prayeth for the liuing he saith For their saluation for the remission of their sinnes But for the dead For their rest and ease of their soule in a cleare and light place farre and free from weeping and wayling c. And thus Chrysostome The office of Millaine attributed to Saint Ambrose For them saith it which haue gone before vs with the ensigne of faith and which sleepe the sleepe of peace c. And that which they attribute vnto Saint Iames in the same sence For all such as haue embraced the true faith from Abell for the Patriarkes Apostles Prophets Martyrs as also for the Virgine Marie whome he calleth the mother of God most holy and pure c. And which amongst them is hee that would say that shee is in Purgatorie But after all Saint Ierome in the place before alleadged cutteth off all quite and cleane That out of this world we receiue no helpe aide or comfort either by the counsailes or prayers one of another And this is cited to the same end and purpose in the Decree And what shall wee say of the Masse vsed at this day Hierony apud Grat. c 20. in praesenti 13. q 2. which on the contrarie praieth not for the deliuerie of soules out of Purgatorie but out of Hell from the darke lake from the iawes of the Lyon and from eternall paines And that not for the time present but in respect of the iudgement to come as likewise that that which is read of the memorie of those which sleepe the sleepe of peace and which rest in Christ is not to bee read in the old Masse bookes of Rome which are written with hand but added onely after that the Masse hath beene applied to the vse of the dead So hard a thing it is and alwayes hath beene to vpholde and maintaine a lie against the truth They replie And what then was the end of praying for the dead In what sence they praied for the dead Orig. l. 3. in Iob We cannot better sound the reason of this then by the line of the Fathers themselues which did practise it Origen alleadgeth two reasons We celebrate saith hee the memorie of their rest partly to reioyce for that they are placed in Refrigerio at their ease partly for to pray vnto God that he would giue vs euen vs that are still liuing a good ende by faith c. This then is properly for the instruction of the liuing and not for the comfort of the dead Saint Denis Wherefore saith hee doth the Minister pray vnto God that he will pardon the dead Dionys c. 7. Eccles Hierar and place him in the region of the liuing For seeing that euerie man is there handled according to his life and that he hath now ended the same what can such prayers preuaile and helpe him Heere was to bee aunswered according to the doctrine receiued and taught by the Church of Rome That this was to free him out of the paines of Purgatorie But in deed what is his answere That the praiers of good and vertuous men doe neuer faile of their fruit That God rendreth to the faithfull according to their workes but in such sort notwithstanding as that he blotteth out their spots and imperfections for his mercie sake then it is not by the rigour and seueritie of Purgatorie That although the promises of God made vnto the faithfull be alreadie effected and fulfilled that yet the Minister doth
craue the same of God for three reasons First to shew himselfe desirous according to Christian vnitie that gifts and good things might be bestowed vpon others euen as hee would wish or desire them for himselfe Secondly to confirme and assure the hearts of such as are present of the performance of those good things which God promiseth in the Scriptures to those that fall a sleepe that is to say die in him And thirdly to declare vnto them the iudgement of God according to the charge which is giuen him from God to bind and to loose in admitting and receiuing of some and reiecting of other some by his testimonie as if he conueyed and carried them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by this his praier out of this life into that blessed and happie estate for this praier was wont of old time to bee saide at the laying of them into the earth S. Ambrose giueth vs other reasons Griefe and sorrow saith he is oftentimes the comfort of the grieuing And in good affections there is likewise a certaine pleasure in weeping but we content and satisfie our selues in some manner by speaking of him whome we haue lost c. What other thing could he say of such as he witnessed to bee dead in Christ and by consequent liuing and raigning with him Nilus de Purgatorio Chrysost hom 4. ad Hebr. hom 70. ad Antioch hom 22. in Act. hom 33. in Math. Saint Chrysostome maketh two orders of the dead the one dying in a true faith and the other not so and hee findeth it good to praie both for the one and for the other but for the one at the Altar but not so for the other And these prayers saith hee are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any fained thing or counterfaite Pageant but full of efficacie Let vs see what manner of efficacie Is it a Purgatorie or purging efficacie Nay not so for the Grecians say that hee neuer beleeued it Neither yet the Greeke Churches But saith hee thou callest the Priestes and the Singers to the ende they may comfort thee and honour the deceased Idem hom 3. ad Philip. hom 69. ad Antioc hom 41. ad Corinth 61. in Ioh. 21. in Act. Greg. contr l. 4 Dialog c. 44. Bonauentur in 4. Sen. 46. D Epiphan haeres 75. Idem aduers Acrium Wee come and discourse like Phylosophers of the resurrection instructing all such as haue not as yet beene ouertaken by the death of their kinsfolkes to beare out the same stoutly and vndauntedly when it shall happen vnto them But if one presse him further These prayers and almes saith he serue for them that are saued as an increase of their glorie and for the damned to the mittigating of their paine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea in a certaine place to the working of a full deliuerance Now I would know if Saint Gregorie the Schoolemen or our aduersaries doe approoue this Epiphanius dooth what he can against Aerius to rid him out of doubt and to leare his intangled mind and the doctrine of Purgatorie had beene a fit replie and for his purpose to haue fully satisfied Aerius who did so presse and vrge him For said he if these pruiers profit a wicked man that he shall not vndergoe the punishment deserued after death is there any euill and wicked thing that a man will let to doe either against God or man being assured that hee shall not faile to haue certaine prayers offered for him after his death But Epiphanius saith rather The end and scope of these prayers is not that but first that those that are liuing may be admonished that those that depart hence well are not dead but liue with the Lord that is to say Paul ad Cor. 2.3.5 Nazianz. in hom de Caesario quem vocat primitias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rest confirmed in the resurrection Secondly that they which pray for their brethren reape this consolation that they are away from them as it were for the time of a iourney 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but following that which Saint Paul saith and Nazianzene hath learned of him to soiourne with the Lord. For they that expound this pilgrimage of Purgatorie cannot shift themselues from the words that goe before That the Church doth praie for them by name which are alreadie receiued vp to be with Christ Thirdly They praie also saith hee for the Patriarkes Prophets Apostles Martyrs c. To the ende that thereby the faith full might dayly learne to make difference betwixt Christ a man and all other men because he possesseth eternall ioy of himselfe but al other by him how iust and righteous so euer they be And to conclude withall vppon the inconuenience and absurditie that Aerius did alleadge Epiphan cont Acrium l. 3. c. 1 haeres 75. What should this prooue to bee if thereby all faultes and offences were abolished He aunswereth him That wee must not thinke notwithstanding that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the totall summe of crimes is blotted out without any further declaring how farre this abolishment dooth stretch Our aduersaries doe here take vppon them to gesse what hee would say That small sinnes and not great and haynous crimes are there blotted out and we tell them that the Schoolemen will not allow it them And we also doe thinke that it is more seemely to rest and stay our selues where hee hath rested seeing hee would not say any more but conceale the rest And in deede Cassander in his aduise to the Emperour Maximilian Cassand in consult c. de iterat Missae though holding parties with our aduersaries doth freely confesse That vntill this day it was neuer agreed vpon in the old Church after what manner these prayers did profit those which were dead neither yet what was the state and condition of the Soules for which they prayed but that it was a meere testimonie of charitie towards the deceased and a profession of that Article of the faith concerning the immortalitie of the soule and of that also of the resurrection to come Saint Augustine remaineth who seemeth to them to bee more fauourable then all the rest and behold the reasons that hee yeeldeth He prayeth for his mother though presupposing her to bee alreadie in heauen Prayer then for the dead being vsed in the same sence that hee vseth it dooth not presuppose any Purgatorie Of the calling to memorie and rehersall of the dead which was made at the Altar that is to say August de Ciuit Dci l. c. 9. in the seruice of the Church he deliuereth this as an occasion That it was to shew the Communion that euen the dead haue in the Church who cease not to bee members of the same though they raigne already with Christ and be absent from this life Againe that the friends of the deceased may receiue this consolation that they which are asleepe in Christ how infirme and weake so euer are not excluded and shut out from his kingdom but
open soeuer they be laid The doctrine of purgatory the marke of Antichrist to the sight and view of the world In this point also he beareth a speciall marke and note of Antichrist namely in the stealing away of the merite of our redemption so much as in him lyeth from Iesus Christ our Lord Howbeit that the Churches of the Abyssines Armenians Muscouites and Grecians do not acknowledge this Purgatorie For whereas they would make vs belieue that the Greeke Church doth auouch allow of the same in a Councell held at Florence in the time of Pope Eugenius Anno 1439. when as the Emperor Paleologus pressed of the Turke came for succour and aide to the Princes of the West it is all in vaine false and nothing worth seeing that the Bishop of Ephesus principall deputed did protest and openly disclaime the same before the whole Councell assembled and for that the Greeke Churches disauowed that which had beene done by the others whom they affirmed to be manifestly wonne by the Pope as in deed part of them did continue and abide with him And thus we haue no Purgatorie and by consequent no Masses or sacrifices for the dead Purgatorie in his fall drawing the Masse after it into an vnauoidable ouerthrow according to our aduersaries their owne doctrine But it is now high time to passe to some other matter CHAP. XI That the inuocating of Saintes hath no ground in the holy Scriptures of the olde Testament IT may seeme to the purpose that together with the considering of the Masse in the nature and qualitie of a sacrifice we should consequently examine that which it teacheth vs of the Saintes deceased and enioying eternal life inasmuch as they are there inuocated and praied vnto in as much as they are acknowledged there to be intercessors vnto God in that their merits and sufferings are presented set before him for a satisfaction for our faults and likewise because that this pretended sacrifice is made in their names c. For after that wee haue handled that which they pretend that we haue to performe for the dead what can better follow then to take a viewe and consideration of that which they vnderstand and hold that the Saintes deceased doe for those that are aliue Now this is a cleare and euident doctrine throughout the whole scriptures of the old and new Testament That God alone will be inuocated and praied vnto prayed vnto through one onely Iesus Christ his welbeloued and in the vertue and power of his only sacrifice accomplished vpon the tree of the crosse If this doctrine stand all the Masses which are made in honour of the Saintes for the liuing do fall to the ground euen as likewise in quenching and putting out of purgatorie all those are extinct and made nothing worth which are performed and practised by the carefull diligence of the liuing for the dead God onely will be praied vnto God alone wil be praied vnto Psal 50. Esay 42.8 for he hath said it and whom shal we belieue concerning that which is his will besides himselfe Call vpon me in thine aduersitie J will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me c. I am the Lord saith he I will not giue my glory vnto another There is not say the Prophetes saluation in any other but in him Esa 45. Osce 13 4. 2. Paral. 20. Ezech. 14. There is no God that can saue but he c. When wee know what to doe there remaineth nothing for vs but to haue recourse vnto him for we haue no other aid or succour but him c. And therefore Dauid in so many his prayers in so manifold and diuers his matters and affaires betaketh not himselfe to any saue onely him His refuge saith he and his force Psal 46.13.14 3.36.6 c. his protector and his defender his peace and his warre his counsell and his armie Because saith he that power is of him and of him also is mercie that is to say the desire and the abilitie the authoritie to commaund and the practise of the commandement Againe because that his Maiestie descendeth mercifully in his bountiful kindnes for to heare vs and graunt our petitions and to doe vs good c. And S. Paule striketh the matter dead at one blow How saith he shall they call vpon him on whom they do not belieue But doe we onely belieue in God the father the Sonne and the holy Ghost then must we onely pray vnto him as well as onely belieue in him that is as well as put our trust and affiance in him with what boldnesse then for it cannot be any point of humilitie shall we dare to giue vnto Saints that which appeartaineth vnto God euen that homage which he hath required of vs his creatures and which he hath manifestly reserued to himselfe alone And as he will be praied vnto alone so he will haue it to be by one onely And by one onely The father by the Sonne God and man mediator betwixt God men the high and onely priest betwixt the iustice of the eternall father and the sinnes of his people And we know him for the father hath annointed him for the onely and one alone priest hath made him as such a one to sitte in the throne of his maiestie to intreate and sue for vs hath said vnto him Thou art my sonne to day haue I begotten thee Heb. 8. in whom I am wel pleased c. The Sonne also No man commeth to the father but by mee whatsoeuer you shall aske of my father in my name I tell you verily he will giue it you And I will do it to the end that the father may be glorified in the Sonne c. Therefore Mat. 12. Come vnto me all ye that be oppressed and troden downe and I will ease you And the holy Ghost in like manner by the mouth of the Apostles There is but one God 1. Timoth 2. and one mediatour of God and men Iesus Christ our Lord. If any man haue sinned we haue an Aduocate with the father 1. Ioh. 1. Hebr. 7. Iesus Christ the righteous In belieuing on him we haue libertie accesse vnto the father in all confidence Accesse I say in all confidence vnto the throne of grace to obtaine mercie and find grace c. And it is his will and pleasure For this Bishop Heb. 4. this high priest is such a one as is touched with the sence and feeling of our infirmities hath beene tempted as we in all things sinne excepted And he is of power and abilitie Hebr 4. 8. For he is set at the right hand of the throne of the maiestie of God mightie to saue them which come neere vnto God by him euerliuing for to make intercession for them with him After these so expresse commandementes Rom. 8. what excuse remaineth for vs that we should betake and commend our selues to the Creator by the
our aduersaries for we praise and honor the Lord in his saints glorifying his name for the singular graces which he hath bestowed vpon thē for the edifying of his Church acknowledging the meruailes that hee hath wrought by his power in the weaknesse of their ministerie hauing chosen them base and vile that they were for instruments of his power of his wisedome of his goodnes to carrie his name amongst the people hauing assisted them in their trauels deliuered them from infinite tribulations and in the end of their course crowned them with glorie And afterward wee praise and magnifie themselues in the gifts which it hath pleased God to distribute vnto them of his grace and fauour and specially that hee hath shewed them this fauour to vse them for the setting forth of his glory Math 25. Heb. 3. for that hauing well imployed their talentes giuen them of the Lord they are entered into his ioy for that they haue beene faithfull in the house so that they haue not loued or spared their owne liues Apocal. 12. euen vnto the death whereby they haue receiued of his liberall mercie the white garment c. And from thence wee are led along to a third honour that is to set them before vs as patternes of our life to pray to God to vouchsafe vs the fauour that wee may follow their vertuous steppes their holinesse their humilitie zeale and constancie following the exhortation of the Apostles Bee ye followers of me Rom. 15. Hebr. 12. as you haue vs for a pats terne and example And in another place Be ye not slothfull but followers of them which by faith patience haue receiued the inheritance of the promises After this fashion say I honor we the Saints praising God in them praising them in God and conforming our selues vnto thē by his grace And all this according to the precepts examples which we haue in the scriptures wherein their liues their deathes haue beene set out vnto vs to those endes whereas our aduersaries haue made them ridiculous by their deuised and faigned legendes and still doe make the name of Christ in stead of being glorified to be blasphemed by these their fooleries which they deliuer to the poore people for their principall instructions whereas for fiue hundred yeares after our Lorde they were condemned to be false Gratian. D. 15. ex Gelasio and by the Bishops of Rome themselues reiected as thinges inuented by such men as were either heretickes or infidels suborned thereunto by the malice of the Deuill himselfe to discredite the name and faith of Iesus Christ But rather wee denie with the scriptures that we ought either to flie vnto them for succour or els worship them For these seruices are due vnto God alone and to take them as intercessors betwixt God and vs is not belonging to them it is the office of our onely Mediator Iesus Christ our Lord Neither yet ought we to make any imployment of their merites or workes of supererrogation eyther to appease the wrath of God or to supply our vnworthinesse or else the passion of our Lorde for this were to annihilate and make of no effect his perfect sacrifice And this is that which wee haue to condemne in the Masse in this place wherein the Priest contrarie to that which hath beene tolde vs so oft namely that God is the onely searcher of heartes doth confesse his sinnes to the Angelles to the virgine Marie to the Saintes and Saintesses and prayeth them to bee intercessors for him vnto God wherein hee prayeth God to pardon his sinnes not by the merite of Christ nor by his blood but by the merite of all the Saintes and specially Of those whose relickes are vnder the Altar c. And wherein the sacrifice as they pretend of Christ is offered to God in the honour of the virgine Marie and of the men saintes and women saintes c. And these thinges we affirme to be directly against the word of God against the analogie of faith and against the vnitie of the auncient Church Now let vs consequently heare if our aduersaries haue any thing to say to the contrarie In Genesis 41. Iacob blessing the children of Ioseph vttereth these wordes Gen. 18.15.16 The God that fedde mee euer since I was vnto this day the Angell which hath beene my protection from all euill blesse these children And my name and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac bee called vppon or cryed lowde vppon by them c. Out of this place they gather that the Angels and Saintes ought to bee called vpon and praied vnto But as concerning the Angell whereof hee speaketh it appeareth that it was no created spirit for then Iacob would not haue ranked him and made him equall with God neither had hee praied vnto him or done other like thinges and vsed the verie same tearmes which are belonging to the Lord This Angell then is he of whom the Prophet Malachie speaketh Malach. 3. the Angell of the couenant the Sonne of God himselfe the Mediator of the old and new couenant in the beholding of whom the Patriarkes found grace with the Lord Eoxd 10.19.13 21 14.24 That Angell which is sometimes by Moses in Exodus called an Angell sometimes Iehouah that in like tearmes of speech alluding vnto these that is then when there is any speech of the conduct and guiding of Iacob that is to say of the people of Israel of his Church And thus haue the olde writers spoken Tertul. de Trinit c. 15. Tertullian expounding this place saith As hee hath not doubted or made any scruple in calling Christ an Angell so let no man be afraid or sticke to call him God seeing hee vnderstandeth here that in the blessing of his children hee is God and called vppon and likewise an Angell But and if that any hereticke shoulde obstinately sette himselfe against the truth that here is properly spoken of an Angell in this let him bee conuinced by the force and power of the truth c. Saint Hillarie alleadgeth it in the same sence vpon Psalme 123. Hilar. in psal 123. Chrisost in Genes c. 48. That wee ought to owe and ascribe all our graces prosperitie and deliuerances vnto the one onely God And after the same manner Chrysostome And as for that which is said of the name of Abraham being called vpon by his children it is a common and accustomed speech of the Hebrews vsed when they will speake of those men or women which are ingrafted into a familie Esay 4. as in Esay seuen women desire of one man that his name may bee called vppon by them that is to say that they may bee called by his name or held for his c. And in this place is plainly deliuered the adopting of the two sonnes of Ioseph which Iacob reputeth and holdeth to bee by place and right as capable of inheritance in the parting of the land as his
is meete and conuenient therefore that Christians doe pray vnto them And did the Church of his time the same Nay but cleane contrarie Celsus a Pagan obiecteth vnto him That it cannot be displeasing to the high God that men should make vowes and supplications vnto the Gods as vnto his louing friendes which helpe men forward in the thinges which they pray vnto him for c. He answereth him that he acknowledgeth no such Gods but rather the holy Angels the seruants of God and the blessed ones whom hee vouchsafeth to call his friendes And the drift of the disputation required that if he had belieued any such thing that he should haue added To whome God is well pleased that men should make their vowes and praiers and not to your Gods But what saith he We offer saith hee and speaketh no more there as hee was Origen but as a Syndicke of the Church of his time in all humilitie our vowes vnto God who sitteth as chiefe Iudge and gouernour ouer all by his one onely Sonne Iesus Christ in whom we put vp our supplications in as much as he is the propitiation for our sinnes and that as a high priest hee offereth our praiers vnto God c. For God saith he afterward must alone be worshipped and the word his one onely Sonne and first borne of euerie creature must be alone praied vnto as the head and chiefe to the end that he may commend vnto God our praiers which shal be come vnto him c. But if wee desire saith he furthermore that the companie of Angels should helpe vs in procuring his further fauour and readie inclination to doe vs good and here should he take his oportunitie to counsell vs to pray vnto them let vs know that the Angels will loue and affect those whom they shall know to loue God to serue him and hartily to call vpon him euen as they themselues doe pray vnto and worship him c. For is it not better addeth hee to commit ones selfe and to trust to God which ruleth ouer all thinges which bringeth this doctrine vnto vs by Iesus Christ and to aske of him such assistance and protection as may bee ministred vnto vs both from Saintes and Angels c. But if Celsus or rather our aduersaries taught by Celsus should replie vpon him But doth it not well to haue friendes in the Court And why then also should it not doe as well to haue friendes with God in paradise c. Verily saith he although this life bee full of examples how to winne the great and mightie afterward by them the kings themselues yet notwithstanding we haue but one God to pacifie and appease and he is pacified with godlinesse and vertue And as the shadow doth follow the mouing of the bodie so in like manner doe all the inferiors attend and waite vppon him which is the superior For who so hath God his friend hath also by consequent all those friendly to him that are Gods friendes whether they bee Saintes or Angels which without being praied vnto do pray with him and for him and assist him euery manner of way that they are able c. And herewithall as when the Canonical scriptures do faile them they are accustomed to haue recourse vnto the Apocrypha so likewise the true books of Origen not contenting or satisfying them they betake themselues to such as are falsely attributed vnto him Origen say they praied vnto the Saints You Saints of God saith he I pray you that you would prostrate your selues before the seat of Gods mercie for me a miserable wretch But herewithall I could haue wisht them not to haue concealed how that this booke called the lamentations Gelas Decret 15. or penitential worke of Origen are declared by pope Gelasius to be counterfeit fained Vpon Iob likewise they say that he saith O Saint Iob pray for vs miserable sinners to the end that the mercy of God may deliuer vs c. But it were to be wished that they had the shame to blush for fathering this shamefull thing vpon Origen for attributing to him this whole booke which is not his in the least tittle thereof being stained with Arrianisme and that in such deep horrible manner as that it calleth the holy Trinitie a sect an heresie infidelitie the three persons the three hornes of the Deuill And in deed it was attributed to the Bishop of the Arrians called Maximinus against whom S. Augustine hath written And let them remember also that he speaketh therein of the Manichies of Lucian the Martyr of the heretikes Homousioi all which rose sprung vp a long time after him which is also confessed by themselues as likewise the Homilies of the said author in diuersos Let them also learne of S. Origen that he would haue his works read as the works of a man and not of an Angell Consider and take good aduise saith he that so thou maist be able to iudge if that which we say may be made to agree with the scripture I suspect it it is my coniecture but trie and see if it may be so c. But so it is that he hath onely said this nothing further namely that it is credible that the saints retaining as yet their charitable and louing affections do hartily desire all maner of good vnto men And now let vs see how far he was off from looking to enter into Paradice by the merites of the Saintes Origen hom 17. in Luc. What thinke we then saith he that all the Apostles were offended in our Lord and that not so much as his mother was exempted Yea saith he if she had not beene offended at the death of our Lord Iesus had not beene dead for her sinnes But if all haue sinned and stand in need of the grace of God and are iustified and set at libertie by his grace verily Mary her selfe for a time was offended And it is the same which Simeon prophesieth when he saith Behold a sword shall pearce through thy soule euen thine who knowest thy selfe to haue brought forth a childe without the companie of man yea euen thee who hast hearde of Gabriel The holy Ghost shall come vppon thee and the power of the highest shall ouershadow thee shall the sword of in fidelitie wound with doubtfulnesse and vncertaintie as with a pricke for that diuers thoughtes shall distract and teare thee in peeces when thou shalt see him crucified and put to death whom thou hast heard called the Sonne of God Saint Cyprian passeth on a little further Cypr. l. 1. ep 1. aâ— Cornel. and yet not to a flat inuocation or calling vpon Saintes deceased but rather to the stirring of vs vppe to pray vnto them whiles they bee aliue that they would remember vs when they be in heauen And it is in this sence that he saith Let vs bee mindfull one of another let vs pray one for another euerie where And those of which
and not for themselues onely but for those also that call vpon them Not so for they are farre off from that On the contrarie saith he God alone is without sinne Idem hom 40. in Genes 49. Idem in hom 45. in Mat. Idem hom 20 in Iohan. and to the end that he might bee without sinne he permitted Abraham to sinne by infidelitie Moises by ingratitude the virgine likewise the mother of Christ in his passion by doubting Animum matris gladius dubitationis pertransijt c. The sword said hee of doubting or diffidencie pearced her soule Likewise saith hee Sometimes by ambition by vanitie and by the forgetting of the diuinitie of the Son c. As if of purpose he would preuent or represse the abuse which sprung vp then and grew stronger afterward by the inuention and industrie of the Monkes about the infinite merites of the holy Virgine What haue they to oppose and set against this The Liturgie of Chrysostome but we haue heretofore auouched for a certaine truth that it was compiled made more then 500. yeares after him An homelie of the natiuity of S. Peter and S. Paule wherein they make him say Peter and Paule pray for vs without ceasing for you haue promised so to do And where You Paule when you said Venite mecum bonis ne deficiamur and you Peter Studebo post meum obitum c. But the best learned haue beene ashamed to giue it place amongst his workes Idem in hom post reditum ab exilio But doe they make no conscience to make him to alleadge the scripture so falslie In that which he made returning from exile I haue inuited and bid you to supper saith he with the Apostles let vs come to Timothie to Andrew c. Therefore hee teacheth them say they to haue recourse vnto saints Whereas he rather discourseth in that place to what persecutions the saintes are subiect and sendeth them to consider the examples of those aboue named to the end that they might not be strange or vnacquainted with any thing that they should find Idem hom 5. in Mat. Neither is that worthie better to be trusted which they alleadge out of the fift homelie vpon S. Mathew That which we say is not to be denied that we ought not to pray vnto the Saintes For his wordes are And we say well not that we denie that the Saintes ought to pray for sinners that is as we haue before shewed the saints aliue And likewise all this homelie maketh for the contrarie And in deed Bellarmine hath beene ashamed to alleadge the places aboue named holding himselfe to one onely in the threescore and sixt homelie vnto the people of Antioch The Emperour for so they make him to say is there himselfe with his purple to beseech the Saintes to make intercession vnto God for him He praieth vnto a maker of tabernacles and a fisher as his protectors But it is to be noted that the same words are read in a sermon attributed vnto S. Augustine De Sancto Paulo and the Canon Garet doth alleadge them of one Theodoret Daphnoipatus of farre latter time So little certaintie is there whether it be S. Augustines or S. Chrysostomes being also directly contrarie to the whole bodie and scope of their doctrine And thus we see how Epiphanius and Chrysostome do agree together in this truth notwithstanding the sharpe contentions which were in other places betwixt them Cyrill Patriarke of Alexandria followeth them neere by both for the time and doctrine His Maxims are None commeth to the father but by Christ The Sonne was made the dore and the way to reconcile men vnto the father and he himselfe doth distribute and giue grace together with him c. He is the Mediator the high Priest the Comforter that is to say the Aduocate Iohn 2. Hee giueth entrance and accesse for our praiers vnto the father He giueth vs free libertie and boldnes with him c. Yea saith he in as much as God granteth the praiers of such as doe worship him that is to say of such as call vpon him for with whom doth it agree better to graunt vnto holy men their earnest requestes then with him who alone is naturallie and truely God But as concerning the Saints as much honour as you will but without all manner of adoration and worship without any inuocating of them which are the chiefe and principall part although that in his time the priuate superstitions of men had preuailed euen so farre Iulianus the Emperour reprocheth him you Christians ye worship a man Yea Cyril ad Reg. de rect fid saith he but such a man as we acknowledge and confesse to bee both man and God together But at the least the Martyrs Nay not so saith he as that we hold them for Gods we doe not adore or worship them wee praise their constancie in hauing hated their lines for the truth c. And he telleth vs wherein this honor consisteth In a remembrance saith he which withereth not euen of their excellent and exceeding fortitude He forgetteth not in the meane time to describe how many waies the Greekes honoured their Gods euen betaking themselues vnto them as protectors and gardiantes of such as were aliue And this was the place here the oportunitie for him to haue said And what you do vnseasonablie and without any proofe of dutie vnto them the same doe wee duely and of required dutie vnto our Saintes Cultores but hee is flatte to the contrarie But we saith he doe not any thing at all Not therefore as the Grecians the proper worshippers of men who without consideration haue attributed the glorie of God to whom they please c. For the scripture saith hee doeth not preach vnto or teach vs any moe Gods then one neither haue we any custome to worship any other besides him And the Saintes saith hee in another place haue also obtained the gift of God by his grace Idem in Thesaur l. 4. c. 2. and the mutuall praiers of others but they cannot imparte it vnto others at their pleasures whereas the Sonne as the fountaine of holinesse doth sanctifie his disciples by his owne power Receiue saith he the holie Ghost c. The Conclusion of Cyrill in the end after all this disputation is Therefore we must praie in the name of the Sauiour if we will be heard of the father And notwithstanding some are growne to that impudencie contrarie to the opinion of all ancient writers as to impute and ascribe vnto him a little booke imprinted in times past in Paris The liturgie and houres of the virgine Marie As for Theodoret we haue seene heretofore what he said vnto vs of the Councell of Laodicea and yet further we must not forget what he saith vnto vs of the wordes of Saint Paule to Timothie One Mediator of God and men c. Theod. 1. Tim. c. 2. If saith he as saith Arrius and
we are onely made acquainted with so much as Saint Ierome maketh mention of It is manifest likewise that the Church of Fraunce did not allow of this superstition in as much as that French Bishoppe of whome Saint Ierome speaketh vnto Ripacius a holy and reuerent man did hold the opinion of Vigilantius according to that which Ireneus saith That the French men and Germaines held and kept so fast what they had first receiued of the Apostolike faith as that they shutte their eares vnto whatsoeuer departed and swarued from the same Vigilantius saith by the report of Saint Ierome That wee must not worship or adore the Martyrs nor the deceased Saintes And who can denie that which hee saith of worship and adoration But for the honour due and of right to bee giuen in the remembring of the Martyrs and Saintes by the acknowledging of the giftes of God in them and the imitation of their constancie who is hee that would contend or striue against it But you say that in this honour inuocation is included which thing Vigilantius denyed Let them shew vs then in all this disputation how hot soeuer S. Ierome be any one word of the inuocation of saints or of Martyrs or any one proofe or allegation that he maketh for the same either out of the scriptures or the fathers the Councels or the Liturgies Greeke or Latine Howsoeuer notwithstanding the case so standeth as that he could not bee ignorant of that goodly Masse of S. Iames at Ierusalem if so be it were at that time for to haue proued thereby the intercession of the virgine Marie and of the Saintes For as concerning that which he saith If any man come to pray ad memorias Martyrum it is well knowne that that was for no other thing but to point the place where had beene accustomed for a long time the meetinges of the Christian assemblies to stirre vp thereby those which were present to the like constancie Origen was the first that said though doubtfully and ambiguously That the blessed soules do pray in the other world for the Church Vpon this stone men haue laboured by degrees to found and settle this inuocation Vigilantius doth take occasion by this foundation and denieth it adding that here we ought to pray one for another that there is not any place for this action elswhere S. Ierome striueth for this proposition of Origens as for an article of faith Vigilant gainsaith it as contrary vnto faith but of them passing beyond their bounds seeing that this proposition if a man stay there and go no further is indifferently to be borne with of the Church But S. Ierome gathereth therevpon this conclusion The Saintes pray vnto God in heauen for the Church therefore the Church here vppon earth must not onely pray vnto God but vnto the Saints also Superstition said But wherefore shal we not pray vnto them seeing that they pray for vs For is there not appearance that they ioyne their praiers vnto ours when we pray vnto them at their graues c. Vigilantius aunswereth No for they doe not meddle any more with humane affaires So far is it off that their soules should keepe about these graues Apocal. 14. S. Ierome thereupon cryeth out Wilt thou chaine vp the Apostles wilt thon make a law for God to keepe Do they not follow the lambe wheresoeuer he goeth c. But the question is not here of the power of God but of the nature which he hath giuen for a law to all thinges Tertullian had said vnto him That it was no good diuinitie Chrysost hom 20. in Mat. Idem de Lazat Diuite August de cu ra pro mort â—erend Idem de G. Virg c. 27. Hieronym in Epitaph Nepotian To reason from the power of God to his will or to the effect And S. Chrysosostome That the soules seperated from the bodies haue not their abode in these regions That the soules of the iust are in the hand of God And S. Augustine had proued it vnto him by scripture That they are not any more dealers in the thinges of this world That in the same place To follow the Lambe is to follow the footsteps of Christ Not saith he in respect that he is the Sonne of God by whom all things were made but the sonne of man who hath shewed vs in himselfe what we ought to doe But S. Ierome doth he say the same vnto vs that they of the Church of Rome say That they know all thinges in the seeing of God Then they reade in God that which is in our hearts in our thoughtes c. No but cleane contrarie In the Epitaph of Nepotian All whatsoeuer I can say to him seemeth to mee to be no more then a dumbe shew because that he heareth not Againe Let vs not wearie our selues with speaking to him with whom we cannot speake any more But he ceaseth not to vse his Rhetoricall figures his Apostrophes as the others do in the Epitaph of Paula whom he had so entirely loued and in his speech of the death of Blessilla wherein hee speaketh vnto them and causeth them to make answere the dead and deceased daughter to comfort her mournefull and sorrowing mother c. But in his Commentaries his choller and languishing mind is laid aside Idem in Ezech. l. 4. c. 14. tom 5 If we be to put our confidence in any let vs trust in the one only God For cursed is the man that putteth his confidence in man though they were Saintes yea and though they were Prophets We must not trust in Principibus ecclesiarum in those which are the chiefe and principall of the Churches who how vpright and righteous soeuer they be shall not deliuer any but their owne soules not so much as the soules of their owne children And to the end wee may not conceiue him to haue spoken of any but such as were liuing writing vpon the Epistle to the Galathians vpon these words Euerte man shal beare his owne burthen Idem in ep ad Galat. l. 2. c. 6. see what he saith vnto vs Wee learne though somewhat darklie by this little sentence a new doctrine which is hid and secrete that so long as wee are in this present world we may be helped by the praiers and counsels one of another but when as we shall be come before the iudgement seat of Christ neither Iob nor Daniel nor Noe can pray for any man but euerie one shall beare his owne burthen c. Which may seeme to bee a retractation of that which he had stifly maintained against Vigilantius For out of this text are gathered two propositions together Gra. Câ—in praesenti 13. q. 2. Hieronym de Assumpt Mariae virg tom 4 that is That the prayers of the liuing serue not to any vse for the dead neither the praiers of the dead for the liuing and this place is inserted into the Decree Of the virgine Mary likewise hee sayeth Thou hast
goest about to worship them then it is that the good Angell is displeased with thee c. And in an other place That which the greatest of the Angels doth worship Colere Idem de Vera relig c. 55. tom 10. the same is that which is to bee worshipped of the most base and meanest of all men for because of fayling toworship it the nature of men is become the last and worst For the Angels are not become either wise and vnderstanding or true and iust by any other then man but euen from one and the same wisedome and from that one and the same immutable veritie Euen the truth and wisedome of God of the same substance with the Father which hath thought good to take vpon him the nature of man to teach vs thereby that man hath no other to worship and adore then him which is adored and worshipped by euerie creature indewed with vnderstanding and reason Seruitute And leâ— vs know and belieue that the good Angels are also of the same mind that wee should worship with them one and the same God and therefore we doe honour them with brotherly loue but not with diuine worship or seruice neither doe we build any Churches vnto them and that because that Religon doth bind and restraine vs to the one onely Almightie God c. And thus you may see one of the foundations of Inuocation irrecouerably vndermined by this that we are not to adore any but the one only God that the Angels and Saints take it for offered iniurie when we doe otherwise That Inuocation hath an interest in Adoration as apart thereof c. And now behold here an other Idem in Psal 29. That there is not any mediatour but one onely that this one onely God will not bee called vpon and praied vnto but by this mediator If thou consider saith he the Diuinitie of our Lord Jesus Christ wee find not in it either matter place or affection for praier For in the beginning was the word c. But hearken to that which followeth after The word became flesh thou hast herein a Maiestie wherunto to pray and an humanitie that praieth for thee For this was spoken by the Apostle and that after the resurrection Who sitteth saith hee at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for vs. In as much as he hath vouchsafed to be a mediatour betwixt God and men And what is this God The Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost And what are men Sinners wicked and vngodly mortall Betwixt this Trinitie and the iniquitie and infirmitie of men was a mediatour made euen a man But it may be that this man is not placed ordained al alone for the executing of this charge office Non est quo eas nisi ad me Non est qua cas nisi per me In Iohan. tract 22. Idem de Relig. Serm. 55. tract 10. Praeteripsum Idem in Psal 109. but heare yet further Behold what thy Sauiour saith vnto thee Thou hast not whether else to goe besides me thou hast not whereby to goe thither but by me Walke by Christ so thou commest to God thou goest by him thou goest to him Seeke not wherby thou maiest come to him otherwise then by him He was made the way by which thou hast to come I say not vnto thee seeke the way he that is the way is come vnto thee arise walke walk by good manners walke on foote Whosoeuer runneth out of this way the more hee runneth the more he waÌ„dreth because that he draweth the more backward out of his way And for as much as praier is the meane by which man approcheth vnto God he explaneth himself the more carfully Ther is not saith he any righteous praier but by Christ Again that praier that is not made by Christ is sin Let his praier saith he be turned into sin And wherefore Because it was not made by the mediatour of God men Iesus Christ the man What then the Saints Martyrs Apostls angels cannot they be mediators cannot they be our aduocates Let vs heare him Idemâ—ontra Parmen l. 2. c. 8 S. Iohn saith not saith he you haue an Aduocate as seperating himselfe from amongst sinners as though forsooth hee had had no more need of the propitiation which is made by the Mediator sitting at the right hand of the father making intercession for vs for then he had spoken arrogantly and falsely And if he had said you haue me for a mediator with the father I obtaine pardon for your sinne as Parmenian who set the Bishop in the place of the mediator betwixt the people and God it had beene yet worse Exoro Who would haue taken him for an Apostle of Christ Yea who wold not on the contrarie haue taken him for Antichrist To the end therfore that Christians may keepe the vnitie of the spirit in al their praiers let theÌ„ be assuredly perswaded of one onely mediatour For Christians doe recommend one an other in their praiers but he alone is the true mediator which maketh intercession for all and for whome no man praieth So Paul though a principall member vnder the head but yet notwithstanding a member recommendeth himselfe to the praiers of the faithfull he maketh not himselfe any mediatour betwixt the people and God but he praieth that all the members of the body of Christ would praie for him c. For if Paul were a mediatour then all his fellow Apostles should be so likewise Non constaret ei ratio Idem in 1. Ep. Ioh. And if that there should be any mediatour then Paul himselfe should misse in his accompt when as hee saith one God one mediatour of God and of men c. In an other place We haue an aduocate c. Behold and marke Iohn the same that dranke vpon the Lords breast c. He saith not you haue but we haue and he saith not you haue me for an aduocate but you haue Christ. And he chused rather said hee to put himselfe in the number of the sinners that he might haue Christ an aduocate then to set himselfe downe for the aduocate in the place of Christ and to be found condemned amongst the proud and arrogant He that hath held this hath not spotted himselfe with heresie hath not fallen into schisme For hence it is that schismes arise when men say we are iust and righteous we sanctifie the vncleane we iustifie the wicked we praie we obtaine c. And the Saints then saith hee doe they not pray for vs And the Bishops doe not they pray for the people Read but the Scriptures and you shall see that the Bishops doe recommend themselues vnto the people The Apostle saith praying alwaies for vs the Apostle for the people the people for the Apostle you for vs wee for you all the members one for another the head for all c. And then the Saints liuing and not the dead for
but for memorials as vnto men that are dead whose soules liue with God Neither doe we prepare any Altars to sacrifice vpon vnto our Martyrs but we offer a sacrifice vnto the one onely God both our God and the God of the Martyrs in which sacrifice the Martyrs are named in order for the number is read ex diptychis as men of God which haue ouercome the world in confessing of him but they are not praied vnto by the Minister which saith seruice for hee sacrificeth to God and not to them notwithstanding that hee doe it In memoria corum non in memoriam in the place of their Graues or Sepulchers and not for their Sepulcher or Graue Where it is to be noted that he plainely opposeth vnto their particular deuotions Precem Canonicam the forme of praier vsed in the Church An euident testimonie that in the seruice of his time the Commemoration of the Saints had not as yet proceeded vnto inuocation and by consequent ought to cause vs to suspect a place alleadged of our Aduersaries out of Cyrill the Bishop of Ierusalem his instructions concerning the interpretation of mysteries Gesner in Bib lioth August de Ciuit Dei l. 8. c. 27. wherin are these words When we offer the sacrifice we make mention of the Saints which are deceased before vs to the end that God by their praiers may receiue our praiers c. And indeed these bookes are found in Greeke written by hand in some Libraries vnder the name of one Iohn who liued not till many yeares after In an other place Saint Augustine Wee honour the memortes of the Martyrs as well to bee thankefull to the true God in these solemne Assemblies for their victories as for to bee exhorted thereby by the renuing of their memories to imitate them in praying vnto the same God for our aide and succour And by this meanes ad Sepulchrum aut memoriam Petri supplicare Idem Ep. 42. is not to praie vnto Saint Peter but to praie vnto God in remembring our selues of the place of the Martyrdome of Peter and that it would please him to giue vs the like constancle that hee gaue vnto his Apostle Peter And this is the cause why in the time of Saint Augustine in the third Councell of Carthage and in the Mileuitaine there were Canons made of purpose forbidding that any thing should bee rashly chaunged in the praiers of the Church Concil Carthag 3. c. 23. but obserue and marke notwithstanding what followed The former saith When a man is at the Altar let his praier be directed euermore vnto the father and to whatsoeuer praiers a man betaketh himselfe let him not vse them before he haue first conferred with the best instructed of his brethren The latter Concil Mileuit c. 12. That no praiers petitions or Masses that is to say Collects Prefaces or recommendations bee made in the Church except they haue beene approued in the Councell for feare saith it that there bee mixt something amongst them that is contrarie to the soundnesse of faith either by ignoraunce or else by vnaduisednesse And S. Augustine by name did sit in this Councell August Ep. 43.44 The Gentiles obiected vnto the Christians and a certaine man named Madaurensis vnto S. Augustine And well VVhat doe you lesse then we Wee call vppon the powers of God vnder many names we make our supplications vnto them after diuers sorts Piis precibus adoramus We adore and worship them by our holy praiers for it is to bee noted that inuocation alwaies in the old writers is taken for a part of Adoration And wherein are the Christians behind the Pagans when in stead of Iupiter Iuno Minerua and Venus habent colunt they haue and worship the Martyrs of Africke as Mygdor Sananes Naupsion and Lucitas c. But doth S. Augustine confesse it On the contrarie Nullum eoli mortuorum how doth he take it in the matter of honour Be it knowne vnto you saith he that no Christian Catholike doth worship or adore any of the dead that nothing is worshipped with the worship of the Deitie that hath beene created of God but the onely God that hath created all things To Faustus the Manichee in like manner You haue said he chaunged the Idols into Martyrs Quos votis similibus colitis which you worship with like vowes Where the word of Vowes is taken as in the Greeke for Praiers And the Gentiles knewe well inough to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they did not worship their Idols as Gods but as mediatours vnto God Nay saith he We honour the Martyrs with the honour of loue and fellowship August contr Faust l. 20. c. 22. as we shall doe to the people that are good and vertuous here in this world saue that we performe that we doe to them with greater deuotion as being alreadie become conquerours But with that manner of worship which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not for any to be worshipped but the one onely God and because that oblations and Sacrifices belong vnto him alone we teach that neither they nor any other such thing can bee giuen to Martyr or Angell Let our Aduersaries who are continually saying of Masses their pretended sacrificings of the Sonne of God in honour of the Saints and Angels wash their hands of this place Let them answere vs also how they may pray vnto them seing that they cannot sacrifice vnto them and that because that praiers are the sacrifices of Christians as wee haue shewed at large both by the Scriptures as also by all the old Fathers and themselues cannot denie it Idem de Vera religione But how much better should they doe if they would conclude with S. Augustine Non sit nobis Religio cultus mortuorum Let vs not make a Religion of the worshipping of the dead The honour that is to be giuen to them consisteth in imitating of them and not in a deuout adoring of them If they liued godly they doe nothing affect any such honour but their desire is that wee should honour the one onely God and so doe likewise the Angels Now it is sufficiently apparant by that which goeth before what S. Augustine his opinion was concerning this Article and we need not doubt but that if he had had but a little the vpper hand and aduantage against the streame of the time hee would haue made it seene In the meane time as false doctrin cannot stand but by falsehood Serm. 2. de Annunt Assumpt our Aduersaries haue mingled with Saint Augustine certaine Homelies of Fulberts Bishop of Charters who liued not till almost sixe hundred yeares after S. Augustine wherein hee saith Sancta Maria succurre miseris c. Sentiant omnes tuum leuamen c. The Chanon Garet hath dealt more faithfully for hee alleadgeth them vnder the name of Fulbert And after the same manner they alleadge the bookes of Meditations which
they know likewise not to bee his c. But S. Augustine did neuer thinke to winne heauen by any other meanes then the merite of the onely Christ for his Maxim is vniuersall August ad Hieronym de natura origi animarum Idem in quaest veter Nou. test q 73. That there is not any one soule in all mankind thus hee writ vnto S. Ierome for the deliuerance whereof the Mediator of God and men Iesus Christ the man is not requisite and necessarie Not so much as the Virgine Marie excepted seeing that he saith after many of the fathers going before That the Virgine in whome was wrought the mysterie of the incarnation of Christ did doubt as much in the death of our Sauiour Christ as shee was confirmed by his resurrection What doe we get by this discourse Verily that vnto the time of S. Chrysostome and S. Augustine that is to say neere hand fine hundred yeares after the death of our Lord there was no Inuocation of Saints in the Christian Church nor any mention of the same in the seruice of the Church that it was practised onely by the particular deuotions of some few which they had learned for the most part out of the Schoole of the Gentiles and that there were great personages at those times that laboured to represse them by the opposing and setting of the pure doctrine against them as wee haue seene by their disputations And if that they did speake so at such time as those myracles which it pleased God to worke for the confirmation of the faith and the approuing of his Martyrs were most fresh and new what would they haue said of that which we see at this day when wee pray not vnto God as then in the burying places of the Martyrs but vnto the Martyrs themselues yea and to all the sorts of pretended Saints both directly as the authors of good things and without any mention made of God and in their images And whereas they scrape together here and there some places that seeme to make for them some of them being true but ill translated some manifestly fained and deuised and some drawne from Rhetoricke to make proofes and reasons in Diuinitie what other thing may they seeme to be hereby but Spiders which out of most wholesome hearbs doe sucke poyson whereas the Bees doe gather sweetnesse out of the most bitter And here withall let vs not forget to obserue and note that at this time and manie ages after it was indifferent in the Church whether the faithfull departing out of this world were by and by gathered vnto God and inioyed his presence or else that they continued expecting the day of the resurrection in the bosome of Abraham in a place of most blessed rest from thence to bee receiued into heauen all together Which is more Ireneus Iustine Tertullian Origen Saint Ambrose Saint Augustine Saint Chrysostome Bernard Serm. 4. in sest omnium Sanct. Idem Serm. 3. Theodoret c. yea Saint Barnard no lesse then all the rest doe incline to belieue rather that they are reserued vnto the resurrection without the inioying of the presence of God Now the case so standeth that the Inuocation of Saints is grounded vpon intercession and their intercession vpon the sight and presence of God according to our Aduersaries their owne doctrine Whereupon it followeth that the Inuocation of Saints could not haue any ground to grow vpon in the Church all this time neither yet shall hereafter in any sure or certaine sort according to Saint Barnard his iudgement who liued not aboue three hundred yeares since seeing he stood more vppon this opinion then any other the Inuocation of Saints beeing such as could not match with this doctrine CHAP. XV. Of the growth and proceeding of the corruption of Inuocation both in the Greeke and Latine Churches NOw when these great lights of the Church S. Ierome S. Augustine S. Chrysostome Epiphanius and such like were put out there is no cause why we should maruaile if the Prince of darknesse The proceeding of the abuse in the Greeke church did thriue prosper mightily in a short time as also by the assistance of the ignorance which was brought into Europe at such time as the barbarous nations did ouerrunne and swarme in the same In the East Church they had beene drencht with the Apostrophes of Basill Nazianzene Ephrem and others but the Inuocation of Saints was not yet entred into their seruice onely they had receiued the Commemoration of them the prints and footesteps whereof remaine to be seene in these words In Liturg. Iacobo Basilio Chrysost attribut In calling to our minds the holy Virgine Patriarkes Prophets Apostles Martyrs c. We recommend them and our selues and our whole life vnto God c. Speeches so farre from bearing any inuocating of them as that they comprehend and include them in the same recommendation as also in the same worke of the grace of God with our selues following that opinion which they had currant amongst them that they were not as yet receiued into perfect blisse Likewise we haue a Church rule in S. Basill Basil in asceti c. 40. free from the fierie heate of his boyling Rehetoricke When saith he the Christians come to the Sepulchers of the Martyrs or into the adioyning places it must be looked vnto that it bee to no other end but to pray Idem hom 19 and to bee stirred vp to the imitating of their constancie by the recording and calling of them to mind For saith he in an other place by the calling to mind of their good deedes there ariseth profit vnto vs as of the vsing of an excellent parfume a good smel Anno. 500. Niceph. l. 15. c 18. But now one Petrus Gnapheus Bishop of Antioch ordaineth that in all publike praiers in his Church and note that his Patriarchall prerogatiue extended verie farre the inuocating of the Virgine Marie should bee vsed And this Peter was a most pernicious hereticke condemned in the fift generall Councell held at Constantinople for the heresie of the Theopaschites whereof hee was the Author teaching that God himselfe euen as hee was God was crucified and did suffer vppon the Crosse The mischiefe whose nature is neuer to bee idle went forward with speed The second Councell of Nice about the yeare eight hundred establishing the worshipping of Images ordained the Inuocation of Saints And it is likewise much about the same time that Euagrius the Monke brought in the King of Persia praying vnto Saint Sergius in these words That he and Syra his loue did hope in his power and belieue in him Damascen about the yeare eight hundred praieth himselfe vnto the Virgine Marie I shall saith he be saued by hoping in thee and hauing thee for my defence J will not feare any thing In thy Almightie helpe I shall put mine enemies to flight thou art the saluation of mankind open vs the doore of mercie c. And
thus the puritie and sinceritie of Religion was carried awaie downe the water by the streame of superstition there being neuer any other Epiphanius or Chrysostome to set his shoulder to for the supporting of the same And yet notwithstanding in the inquisitions of Emericke he quoteth amongst the errours of the Grecians which they hold That we must not pray vnto the Saints neither yet vnto the Virgine Marie but one onely Christ the mediator That to offer oblations vnto them is to sacrifice vnto the diuell c. Which he shuld haue said of certaine nations of the East church whether this abuse was not as yet come But in the West Church according to the speciall priuiledge thereof The manner of the growth of this abuse in the Latine Church Cyrill l. 6. contr Iul. it grew yet worse for to the Rhetoricke of vaine declaimors was ioyned the loose licentiousnesse of Poets One Prudentius an elegant Poet but an ill Diuine applieth to the Saints that which prophane nations had wont to applie to their Gods following the saying of Cyrill Patriarke of Alexandria That this yearely setting foorth of the Martyrs their praises Theodoret. l. 8. de Martyr Concil Aftic c. 28. was after the manner of that which the Grecians had ordained for them which were dead in the battaile of Marathon As also Theodoret and the Councell of Afrike cease not to lay open and to shew that all their solemnities which they obserued therein did spring from Paganisme He saith therefore of the Virgine Marie Seruat salutem virgo Quiritium Shee continueth and conserueth the safetie of the Romanes and of the Saints Poscunt litantur iudicant They are required sacrificed vnto and made acquainted with the euils that haunt and hang about men and no man returneth frustrate of his expectation c. Pontius Paulinus in like manner speaking of Saint Faelix Petat omne quod audet Let him aske by so good an Aduocate whatsoeuer he dare by his good merites hee exceedeth and goeth farre beyond our misdeedes c. And marke the mans good Diuinitie That the Epistles of Saint Paul applied to diseases doe heale them Fortunatus speaking of Saint Martin Dulcis adorande mihi pectore voce colende whome I must worship whome I must honour both with heart and voice Againe Inter me Dominum Mediator adesto benigne Hieronym ad Ripa Pres bit Idem contr Vigil Be thou a Mediatour betwixt God and me Directly against Saint Ierome That we must not colere neque adorare Worship nor adore the Cherubins nor Seraphins Angels Archangels nor any name that is named least we should worship the creature and not the Creator And what sottish and sencelesse fellow is this saith hee likewise against Vigilantius Which neuer hath worshipped the Martyrs nor any of their relickes c. And what haue they left now either for God or Iesus Christ And who seeth not that they plaied if we may so speake the opinions of the common people in verse And what may we thinke that Epiphanius Chrysostome and Saint Augustine would haue iudged hereof c. The Monkes come after and turne the same into prose namely Maximus Gregor Magn. l. 12. Ep. 22. Leo Euthymius Fulgentius and Gregorie and that so farre as to say We hope in God his power and might and in the helpe of Saint Peter c. And yet notwithstanding there was not any thing of all this that was practised otherwise then in priuate prayers and this may appeare to bee true by the eldest Collects gathered out of the most auncient Liturgies in these words Graunt vs grace to be inflamed with the examples of such and such Saints in such sort as our hearts are reioyced and delighted with their vertues to vtter their Faith with our tongues to expresse their liues in our manners and to profit in the example of their constaneie c. Speaking of the Martyrs and Saints in generall particularly in the remembrance of Saint Laurence As thou hast giuen vnto him to ouercome the flames of the torments so giue vnto vs to ouercome the heate of our vices Of Saint Steuen Let vs learne to loue our enemies as he hath praied for them that persecuted him Of S. Iohn Baptist As thou makest his birth day honourable vnto vs so graunt vnto thy people the grace of spirituall ioyes and direct the spirites of all thy faithfull seruants into and in the way of eternall life by thy Christ Of the Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul Graunt to thy Church to follow in all things their instructions by whose ministerie it hath taken his beginning by Iesus Christ our Lord c. All them being praiers directed to God the Father by his Sonne tending to the obtaining of grace to imitate and follow them not any one of them directed vnto them nor from them not any one of them for to attaine to any grace by their grace But now behold commeth Gregorie to the Bishoppricke of the See of Rome Gregorie taketh them out of priuate prayers and mingleth them amongst the publike Gregorie changeth Commemoration into Inuocation who casteth all the formes of the seruice vsed in the Church into new moulds as the publike praiers the Letanies yea and the Masse also He findeth the people all readie tilled husbanded fit for the receiuing of such seed throughly prepared by their customes taken from Paganisme and by the instructing of the Monkes to approue this change and alteration He then turned the Commemoration of the Saints in the Masse into Inuocation and put by name into the Letanie Sancta Maria ora pro nobis Saint Marie pray for vs he ordained and caused the Masse to bee celebrated vpon the bodies of S. Peter and S. Paul and finally openeth the Sluce to all manner of superstitions which therupon flowed in at once and that with a ful streame whereas the Fathers that were before him had taken great paines to turne them away and keepe them backe This before deliuered appeareth true by the Liturgies which they alleadge themselues Of S. Iames where the Priest confesseth himselfe to none but God and craucth pardon of him by his Sonne Of S. Clement wherein one onely God is prayed vnto by one onely Iesus Christ without any mention at all made therein either of praying to the Virgine Marie or to the Saints Of that which was vnder S. Augustine by the allegation which he made himselfe that the Martyrs are mentioned therin but not praied vnto and that of S. Ambrose could not be any other at that time seeing hee was before S. Augustine August de Ciuit l. 22. c. 10. and thereby likewise it appeareth that it was corrupted afterward Likewise he that shal well consider the Communicants of the Romane Liturgie will confesse that the clause which is in the ende Quorum meritis precibus concedas Vnto whose praiers may it please thee to graunt c. is a praier translated thither not
hauing beene from the beginning belonging thereunto For hauing said In communicating and worshipping the memoriall of the holy Virgine of such men Saints and women Saints c. it followed that the Priest said some thing and he cut it off al too short leauing the sentence imperfect and hanging in suspence for this cause consideration that he might make an end with a praier which he linked thereunto and it is attributed by some to Pope Siricius by others to Gregory Of the Letanie altogether after the like manner for it was a generall praier which was made into Articles for all the necessities of the body of the Church and of the members therof yea for the estate of the world c. And at the end of euerie Article the Cleargy and the people were wont to answere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord haue mercy vpon vs a thing as yet practised in the reformed Churches of England And in al the Liturgies aboue named all these Articles are craued of one onely God by Iesus Christ Likewise that of Clement the Pope Pro superna pace Deum oremus pro salute animarum nostrarum pro prosperitate sanctarum ecclesiarum pro clero populo pro magistratibus totius mundi Let vs pray for the peace that is on high for the saluation of our soules for the prosperitie of the holy Churches for the Cleargie for the Cominaltie for the Princes of the world c. And to euery Article that the Deacon pronounced the people and the Cleargie answered Lord haue mercy vpon vs. But for as much as the third Councell of Carthage had said that all praiers should be directed made to God those who had resolued to thrust in the Inuocation of Saints began indirectly O Lord heare vs by the intercession of the Virgin Lord doe thou prepare and guide our waies pathes by the praiers of thy Saints c. But Gregorie proceedeth further euen to a direct praier Saint Mary pray for vt c. And to the end that this might find a more gracious intertainment welcome it was said that there were some that had heard the Angels in the celebration of a certaine solemne Letanie crying Regina coeli laetare Reioyce thou Queene of heauen c. Gregor l. 12. Comment in Iob. c. 13. As also to establish this doctrine vpon a more durable and firme foundation Gregorie laboured to race and blot out as much as hee could that which had gone before For S. Augustine had said proued by the Scriptures that the Saints did not intermeddle with humane affaires Gregorie to the contrarie Those that see saith he the charitie and tender loue of Almightie God it is not possible that they should be ignorant of any thing And this fell about the yeare 600. Towards the yeare 680. the sixt generall Councel was held at Constantinople wherein was condemned the heresie of the Monothelits They cite against vs out of this Councell these words After the worshipping of the one onely God let men pray vnto the Saints to become intercessors vnto his Maiestie The East and West Churches were already become corrupt inough euen in their being come to that state But when we bring that Councell against them in an other instance then they haue learned to say that there were no Canons made in it and that those nine which stand in the Tomes of the Councels are fained Damasc l. 4. de Oithod fid Damascen about the yere 800. mult plied enlarged this opinion and that so far as that he taught that we ought to adore worship the holy Virgin calling her the Queene of al creatures and the Saints the friends of God to the erecting of Churches vnto theÌ„ directly against S. Augustine Beda his fellow in time did the same For how could it be that the Saints should be lesse priâ—ed when as the second Councell of Nice had ordained at the same time that their Images shuld be worshiped But behold at the same time Claudius B. The doctrine of Inuocation of Sainth opposed first of Auxer afterward of Turin the same with Adalbert the Scot reestablished the vniuersity of Paris in the time of Charls the great did oppose himself therunto Return hee you that are so blind vnto the light Claudius Taurinens aduers Theod. Abba which inlightneth euerie man that commeth into the world to that light that shineth in darknesse and so as that the darknesse cannot comprehend or put it out What is the meaning of this though Noe and Daniell and Iob were in the midst of you but to the end that no man shuld trust either to the merit or to the intercession of the Saints Because that if we haue not the faith the truth and the righteousnesse that they had we cannot please God Heare then O you which are so foolish amongst the people which runne to Rome which seeke at Rome the intercession of the Apostle heare I say that which S. Augustine hath so often pronounced against you c. But Ionas Bishop of Orleance answered him after his death neither in deed haue we any part almost of the writings of this Claudius of Turin more then is by him alleadged But so it is that it was not growne to any worse condition either with Charles the great nor with the Emperour Lewes the Gentle his Son neither yet with the French Church of his time A manifest testimonie thereof appeareth in that the holding of the contrarie to the Inuocation of Saints was not accompted heresie Synod Paris sub Lothar And in deed this Synode of Paris which wee haue alleadged here aboue hauing to proue that Images Non sunt colendae neque adorandae ought not to be worshipped or adored prooued by the Ancient Fathers that the Angels and Saints are not to be worshipped or adored Now Inuocation is a principal of the true Adoration of the true worship In like manner the Letanie was not then come to the point that it is now but comprehended and contained more of the calling to remembrance then of the inuocating of the Saints For there is a Letanie to bee read in an old booke in the Abbey of Corbee vpon Weser in Germanie which is of the yere 900. or there about as it seemeth by the mention which it maketh of the Emperor Arnulph and of Pope Steuen Bauo Abbas Corbiensis sub Arnulph apud Krantzium in Metto l. 2. c. 10 that should bee the seuenth Wherein the Deacon contenteth himselfe with the naming of the Saints and the people and the Cleargie in stead of answering Ora or Orate pro nobis that is to say Pray thou or Pray yee for vs doth answere throughout Exaudi Christe Heare vs O Christ O thou the redeemer of the World help them c. For example the Deacon said Arnulpho regi vita victoria God giue life and victorie to Arnulph the king The people answereth O Sauiour of the world aide and
me in the beginning of his waies Prouerb 8. before euer he created any thing I was ordainea euerlastingly c. And it is read in this sence in the Romish Missall vpon the day of the Natiuitie Leo 10. in ep 17. Anno 15 4. And Pope Leo the tenth in his Epistles written by Cardinall Bembo his Secretarie for them calleth her Deam Goddesse a title neuer heard of in any of the former ages thereby to adde vnto all this masse and huge heape this one thing which was wanting vz. the weathercocks And these are the goodly doctrines contained in these goodly bookes whereof all maner of Couents were full Marialia Rosaria Hortulus animae Promptuarium discipul c. Let vs come vnto the Saintes Alexander Halez and Bonaduenture haue taught That they are Mediators of our saluation that although they be sufficiently rewarded for their merites and not any more in case to merite yet for the manifold workes of Supererogation which they haue done they haue purchased so great a place as that they haue not onely merited blessednesse and glorie for themselues but also are able to relieue and make supplie for others in such sort as that they which before were vnworthie are likewise verie speedily made worthy by their intercession Now what is it that they haue builded vpon this foundation Verily the verie daughter and full representation of all Paganisme if so be it be not some worse thing Euerie nation towne village and familie is come to haue his Saint euerie estate condition craft and diâ—ease is become beholden and bound vnto one or other Thereby also they are come to the canonizing of their Saintes imitating therein the Pagans by so doing as much as lyeth in them they go about to make Gods of men to deifie them deifie I say for they are their owne phrases They canonize them whom they vnderstand to be worshipped and praied vnto Anton part 5. Summ. t 12. c. 8 This is the definition that they make of their Saintes Againe There belong seuen things to a canonized Saint The first to bee publikely held for a Saint The second to be inuocated in the praiers of the Church The third to haue Churches and Altars The fourth an office and sacrifice in honour of him The fist a fest iuall day The sixt an image with lightes in signe of glorie The seuenth relikes and shrines Adde also that they pray vnto them directly by the Lords prayer it selfe being directed and framed for God the Father And yet they say that this is not idolatrie That this is nothing els but Doulia and thus they thinke to pay God with their distinctions But I could wish them that they would at the least bethinke themselues and call to mind at the least that which is said vnto them by their Pope Innocentius Innocent l. 5. c. 4. Gulielm Durand epist Mimatens That there are two sortes of worship Latria and Doulia the former proper vnto God the Creator the latter for the creatures but that to the first do belong Churches Altars sacrifices feastes and ceremonies c. And Durand hath said the same wherefore by their owne reckning it must needes be idolatrie And what shall wee say in the end of their Frauncis and Dominicke Francis Anno 1200. in whose persons they haue delighted and pleased themselues to abolish and vtterly extinguish so much as lyeth in them both the merite and the name of Christ Barthol de Pisis l. conformit Frauncis say they in their booke of Conformities is a more worthy person then Iohn Baptist Iohn was a preacher of repentance Frauncis both a preacher and an ordainer of the order of Penitents Iohn a forerunner of Christ Frauncis both a forerunner and a standerd bearer Iohn receiued the word of repentance of Christ Frauncis both of Christ and of the Pope quod est plus which is more Iohn his father had reuelation from God by an Angell concerning him euen what he should be but of Frauncis it was declared both to his mother and his seruantes by Iesus Christ himselfe what he should be Iohn was the friend of the bridegroome but Frauncis like vnto the bridegroome himselfe Iohn a rare and singular man in sanctimonie and Frauncis in conformitie Iohn lifted vp and set amongst the Seraphins Fol. 39. Frauncis in the same order and manner with Iohn but set moreouer in the place from which Lucifer was throwne c. Againe hee is better then all the Apostles for they forsooke nothing for Christs sake saue some little ship Fol. 66. but hee left and forsooke all euen to his hosen The virgine Marie and the other Saintes in heauen go in procession euery one in his order but this man is lodged within the side of Christ He commeth forth by his wound with the banner of the crosse in his hand for to conduct guide them This man is a Iesus typicus a figuratiue Sauior a crucifixus singularis a singular crucified man who in sight hath receiued the verie same wounds that Christ suffered the same pains This is he that is via vitae the way of life abusing that which our Lord said of himselfe I am the way the truth and the life This man is the image of Christ as Christ is the image of his Father c. And what more Christus orauit Franciscus exorauit Christ did but pray but Frauncis prated and obtained Happie is he that dieth in Domino in Christ yea he that dieth say they in the habite of S. Frauncis yea if he haue but his hand in the sleene of it he is happie Baptisme doth wash away originall sinne the hood of S. Frauncis much more as oft as you shall resolue to continue the wearing of it it is worth as much vnto you as a new baptizing yea rather it is a new abolishment not of original sin onely but of all manner of actuall sinnes In a word we haue seene written ouer the gates of the gray friers of Bloys Quaeretur peccatum illius non inuenietur his sinnes shall be sought for but they shall not bee found The same that the Apostle hath said of one onely Christ and that the Prophete hath said of the abolishment of sinnes in his blood Neither can they excuse these matters in saying that they are but some particular mans opinions and not approued of the whole Church of Rome For the Popes Gregorie the ninth Alexander the fourth and Nicolas the third doe ordaine to bee belieued of all the faithfull vpon paine of being condemned as heretickes the scars and printes of S. Frauncis And Pope Benedict the twelft ordained that the day whereupon he receiued them should be kept holy And Alexander the fourth in particular Anton Archiep tit 24. S. 10 Math. Paris Monach. Albanens in hist Anglic. in Henric. 3. doth take into the protection of the Church of Rome and his Montem Aluerniae the mountaine wherein this
Francise Dominic To euerie one that would ioyne themselues not with the Couent but to be of the fraternitie onely of S. Francis or S. Dominicke c. For to merite the kingdome of heauen for to be able to ransome redeeme their owne soules and the soulet of their friends for these are the expresse tearmes of the Bull There are Bulles of fraternitie giuen vnto the Prouinces by which they are made capable as well in life as in death of the merites of the whole Couent and of all the friers in the prouince purchased by their Masses praiers sermons fastinges contemplations vigiles abstinences Cloister disciplines deuotions singinges lessons labours c. About this time also there was in England one Thomas Becket who was slaine for hauing traiterously attempted to haue withdrawne the Cleargie from their obedience vnto the king It was concluded by the full Colledge of Sorbone at Paris that he was worthie of eternall death the Cleargie notwithstanding caused him to be canonized by Alexander the third And in derision of the blood of Christ he was there praied vnto in these words Tu per Thomae sanguinem quem pro te impendit Fac nos Christe scandere quo Thomas ascendit That by the grace fauour purchased by the blood of Thomas hee would make vs ascend whither Thomas is ascended c. this was about the yere 1220. And who can then but be ashamed for their sakes for that as yet in the time of so great light they are not ashamed themselues verily it is not to be concealed or hidden that there haue been some that might seeme to haue blusht in their souls as being able to haue taught better things if they durst Alex. Halez q. 91. Alexander Halez Bonauenture likewise after all their wandrings turne backe againe to our Maxims Alexander We must not inuocate or adore any but one God onely c. The Saints ought rather to be reckned ex parte orantiū quà m illius qui oratur as assisting our praiers by their owne not to be praied vnto themselues Bonauent in l. 3. Sentent Anno 1360. Bonauēture likewise We must be warie in our large setting forth and commending of the excellency of the mother that is of the holy virgin least we impaire and diminish the glorie of the Son and by so doing prouoke her to anger seeing she delighteth more to haue her son praised and magnified then her self she being but a creature and he the creator And whereas there were some that replied vpon him that the honor of the mother returned to the honor of the Son But therefore saith he we ought not to giue vnto the mother all that which is due vnto the son c. And this was much spoken of both in his time in the Couent of S. Francis Wicklif apud Thom. Waldens tom 3. tit 12. c. 121. 124. Iohn Wicklife shortly after went further for amongst many abuses of the Church of Rome he condemned this openly by the scriptures and maintained the same with the peril of his life against all those of the facultie of diuinity in England His wordes are This is and seemeth to be a sottishnesse to leaue the fountaine which is more ready to our handes to seeke the troubled brookes and those further from vs c. Againe Who would make I know not what Scurram knaue that is the Latine of the time his Mediator when hee may freely speake vnto the King And yet notwithstanding his thus writing he ceast not to be verie well intreated of king Edward the third and after some small time of his liuing an exile in Bohemia to die an old man in his owne house leauing behind him a number of disciples of euerie estate condition in England Anno 1416. in whom his doctrine liued after him vntill such time as things grew to that extremitie wherein they now stand We may say the same of Iohn Hus and Ierome of Prage put to death contrary to the promise made them of safe conduct by the Councell of Constance wherein the good fathers in stead of being inuited and won to the reformation of the Church both by the truth of their doctrine and the constancie of their faith did thinke it better to haue them the heraldes of their condemnation by the iust iudgement of God then of their repentance before men And further as if they would worke a further despite they turned in the same Councell that goodly hymne which the Christian Church had made for the holy Ghost to the virgine Marie and in stead of Veni sancte spiritus c. they made it Veni mater gratiae c. wherein they call her the fountaine of mercie the light of the Church the saluation of those that call vpon her the Mediatrix betwixt God men the port of S. Peters ship the death and destruction of heresies c. But in the meane time as in this age wherein we liue men begin willingly and wittingly to cast out this dung and filthines with others such like the stinke whereof groweth so strong euen vnto themselues that haue made it as that they are constrained to stop their nose and to endeuour themselues to couer it as much as lyeth in them Viues in August de ciuit Dei l. 8. c. vit Viues that famous Spaniard had rather to cause them to be detested then couered and smoothed ouer in saying That he could find no difference betwixt the opinion that the Christians haue of their saintes and that which the Pagans haue of their Gods when as they giue them the same honour that is giuen vnto God himselfe And if there had beene any number found of the same zeale with him at that time he could haue hoped wel to haue obtained a remedie against idolatrie But certainly the greater part had rather against their owne consciences of a carnall wisedome runne and betake themselues to disguise and smooth ouer the matter Some saying that we ought not to pray vnto saints to obtaine any help of them or yet any mercie but onely to bee assisted by their praiers to obtaine them of God And this was in one worde to ouerturne all their Howres Psalters Letanies and praiers before alleadged which were directly made vnto the virgine Marie and that that she might not onely procure but giue the things praied for Wicelius Other some more boldly That wee ought not at all to pray vnto them inuocation being an honour due vnto God alone but onely Compellare to solicite them that they would remember vs vnto him as wee vse to stirre vp the liuing to succour and help vs with their praiers And other some do yet go further That this inuocation was nothing but a figure of Rhetoricke by which wee were admonished that the saintes deceased as triumphant members of the Catholicke Church haue care in heauen on the members which are as yet warfaring here below after the manner
to be innocent and redeemed they frustrate and make of no value the redemption in them But saith he in another place Notwithstanding that the soule of the holy man do wander out of the way of righteousnes yet if it lay fast hold by faith on him which iustifieth the sinner and bewaile vncessantly the sinnes committed in the time of this faith by such his continual washings it retaineth and kepeth stil his righteousnes And of faith he hath these Maxims verie ordinarie and samiliar Idem in Ezec. l. 1. hom 9. 7. In Ezec. hom 19. In Euang. hom 29. l. 3 indict 12. Ep. 27. All the Saints before the comming of Christ were saued by faith let vs not put our confidence in our teares and mourning neither yet in our deedes but in the intercession of our Aduocate faith goeth before brotherly loue and charitie It must bee first preached and taught thereby to raise vs vp vnto good workes vertues bring vs not to beleeue but faith bringeth vs to a vertuous life True faith is that which saith it and harboreth not any conditions or manners contrarie vnto the same we hold fast the faith and therewithall wee exercise it in good workes What is all this but the same which we affirme and say That the iust man liueth by faith that his faith sheweth it selfe aliue by his workes In the same sence dooth also Cassiodorus Olympiodorus Orgelitanus and others of the same time verie often speake although not altogether so properly in certaine places The ages following hold of the night shut in Anno 700. The proceeding of the abuse and yet so as that there shined forth some little glimces of star light Then in stead of the teaching of one onely remission of sinnes in the onely bloud of Christ and that in such sort as that it was famous and reuerently receiued throughout al the time that the purer antiquitie continued Gregorie and Cassiodorus had begun to teach that sins were remitted and forgiuen by martyrdome almes deedes forgiuing of our brethren reclaiming of a sinner c. acknowledging notwithstanding that nothing of all this stood good otherwise then in faith but contrarily that it was continually euill and against true and liuely faith Such as followed after as Cesarius Adelhelmus and others doe reckon vnto vs twelue deedes which do iustifie vs Baptisme Charitie Almes-deedes Teares and lamentation confession affliction correction intercession of the Saints mercie the conuerting of a sinner the forgiuing of our brethren and the suffering of martyrdome But as for faith which is the onely and alone meanes they negligently cast it behinde them This was the remainder of Pelagius his opinion which as our aduersaries they thought that they had well and sufficiently qualified when they said That the first grace was of God the first remission and forgiuenesse of Baptisme and as for all the rest Anno. 800. we ought to seeke and search for it in our selues by our works Now the inuocating and praying vnto Saints iumping and falling in togither with the same about this time did fortifie and adde more force to the error And it is to be noted that as in the change of the winds we see the cloudes in doubtfull sort to wauer and as it were stagger before they resolue vpon and take the direct course before the winde euen so it fared with the ancient writing of those times Beda in Psal 24. 31. before that they wholy and altogither inclined vnto this corruption For Beda doth cleane and wholie cleare and free the whole matter Forgiue me my sinnes not for my merits but for thy goodnes sake for there is no merit that is a sufficient price or raunsome for eternall blessednesse there is nothing but the meere grace of God that bringeth saluation yea grace freely giuen no regarde had either to merit precedent or such as may after insue And by faith by the alone righteousnesse saith hee of faith Idem in Psa 77 Idem l. â— in Marc. c. 2. 4. Idem l. 1. in Luc. c. 1. 2. Idem l. 4. in Luc. c. 11. Idem in Ioh. c. 6. Albin l. 3. de Trinit c 1. 7 Idem in Psal 4 20. paenit in 7. In Ioh. l. 1. c. 1. Bed l. 3. in Iob. c. 1. Anno 900. Haimo in Ep. ad Rom. c. 1. 4. Impertiendo Idem in Ps 84. Idem in Ps 26 Idem in Mich. c. 6. Idem in Zach. c. 3. Idem in Cantic Cant. c. 4. Consortium Diuum Idem in Epist ad Rom. c. 10. Idem in Ep. ad Heb. c. 5. 9. Idem in Ep. ad Rom. c. 6. Adelbert in altercat Theophil in Ep. ad Tim. c. 1 Anselm in Ep. ad Rom. passim which onely healeth the inwarde man which onelie forgiueth sinnes which onelie saued them which liued in the time of Circumcision and that without their offerings and sacrifices and which alone adopteth vs the children of God c. which is the life of our soule yea which sheweth forth his life by good workes c. And Albinus writeth in like manner Wash mee O Lorde from the spottes of mine vnrighteousnesse by the gift of thy mercie I am verie able to pollute and defile my selfe but I haue no power to cleanse my selfe there is no man iustified in thy sight but by thy grace by thy mercie in the name of the Sauiour and not by his merits And this grace is distributed and giuen vnto vs by the meanes of faith in Iesus Christ c. and the same the gift of God c. Neither yet haue these famous men so written but that withall there haue escaped and slipped from them some places verie different and vnlike such was the contagion of the time as that we are iustified by humilitie patience virginitie c. Notwithstanding that they euermore ioyne faith therewithall Haimo Archbishop of Halberstat saith The righteousnesse of God that is to say the iustification by which hee iustifieth them that belieue in him is manifested in the Gospell when the Lord saith He that shal belieue be baptised shal be saued that is to say shall be righteous This is that righteousnesse by which all those that belieue are iustified by the gift of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost which is called the righteousnesse of God because that hee in making the faithfull partakers of the same maketh them righteous c. and it is called the righteousnesse of faith by which Abraham was iustified c. And Christ is the Author of this righteousnesse vnto vs For before the world was framed saith hee God decreed with his Sonne to saue mankind without any precedent merites for euen man was not as yet c. This Sonne which hath giuen remission of sinnes and all other benefites of his onely and meere mercie Which is vnto vs the foundation of all righteousnesse In whose onely bloud it resteth for vs to be saued in as much
Serm. de verit mater 27. by the same grace the meanes to cause it to become and prooue such And therefore saith he Man is not onely said to haue the grace of God because he is beloued of God vnto eternall life but also because he giueth him a gift by the which he maketh him wore thie of eternall life which we cal gratiam gratum facientem Grace which maketh a man acceptable that is to wit this faith infused by the holie Ghost into our hearts by the which saith he all the fathers of the olde Testament became acceptable to God and iustified and whereby wee also are deliuered from sinne and death And this fayth saith hee quickeneth the soule by grace Galat. 2. It purgeth it from sinnes Actes 17. c. It giueth righteousnesse vnto the soule Rom. 3. It betrotheth and affianceth vs vnto God Osee 2. Iden in 1.2 q. 102 art 5 Idem in expos 1. Decret In offic de corp Christ In Hymno Tert. summ q. 4.49 arr 1. AEgid Fom c. 12. l. Examer l. 2. c. 4. It adopteth men to be the sonnes of God 1. Iohn 2. It causeth vs to approch and draw neere vnto God Heb. 11. Finally by it men attaine the hire of eternall life Iohn 6. c. Againe To establish and strengthen a sincere heart onelie faith sufficeth c. By faith the passion of Christ is applied vnto vs that so wee may be able to receiue the fruits thereof Rom. 3. It is vnto vs both the beginning and cause of righteousnesse Rom. 8. That righteousnesse which is by the faith of Christ c. Yea and yet Aegidius saith further That all our good workes are the workes of God Thou hast O Lord saith Esai wrought and brought to passe our workes And wee are not sufficient saith the Apostle to thinke anie good of our selues it is he which maketh vs righteous and which effecteth in vs the workes of righteousnesse Nowe were it not better to holde him to these Maximes and to the conclusions necessarily insuing heereof as that wee owe vnto the infinite grace of God our iustification to the perfect and absolute righteousnesse of Christ our righteousnesse to God by Iesus Christ the beginning middest and ende of our saluation according to the Scriptures then according to the curious Meditations which happen vnto the most excellent wittes when the drie and barren veine ouertaketh them to seeke our saluation in our selues in whome there is nothing to bee found but destruction or for any thing wherewith we may pay God or wherewith we may purchase eternall life both for our selues and others out of our owne stocks and prouision In the meane time wee see howe the succeeding ages learned to build vpon these strawie and stubblie foundations Thomas had said That free-will mooued by the grace of God proceeded vnto good workes and became fellow-worker with his grace These men say That free-will of his owne nature dooth such workes as that they merit that God should illuminate the worker with his grace giue him faith c. In such sort as that the vnbeleeuers doe merit of God by their workes not any more the gift of faith and righteousnesse but faith and righteousnesse for a hire which they call Meritum de congruo as a man would say of well beseeming meaning thereby that if not for righteousnesse yet at the least for seemlinesse sake God is bound to giue them his grace See I pray you how this matter agreeth with the Scripture Whatsoeuer is done without faith cannot please God With Saint Augustine The workes of all vnbeleeuers considered in them are sinnes As also with Thomas Whereas God is mooued to distribute his grace it is not in consideration of ante merits gone before or to come but of his free grace and good will sed ex mera gratia And this is the same likewise which the Schoole-men say in their dunsicall doctrine That man by his naturall power doing that which is in himselfe without faith and without the holy Ghost is able to merit de congruo that God should giue him grace And Gabriel Biel expoundeth these woordes Gab. Biel. in 3. sent d. 27. In 4. Sent. d. 14 q. 1. d. 14 l. 3. q. 2. That which is in himselfe louing God saith he aboue all things And this he affirmeth that Man may doe of his owne naturall power Whereas notwithstanding in deed the case standeth thus that loue proceedeth from knowledge and that imperfect knowledge cannot beget perfect loue Yea hee passeth further for saith he as no subiect receiueth anie forme except it be prepared and fitted thereunto euen so it is requisite that our soule should bee prepared for the infusion of grace which is our formall righteousnesse before God and this it commeth to be by the meanes of free-will which maketh a man to know his sinne and to be displeased with himselfe for the same which he calleth dispositionem praeuiam after which he resolueth to loue God aboue all which he calleth dispositionem concomitantem which maketh the soule apt to receiue the stampe and marke namely the infusion of his grace by this act so meriting the same euen so farre foorth as that grace of necessitie and that verie speedilie is infused into it Neither more nor lesse saith hee then in naturall things vltima immediata dispositio necessitat ad formam Which is as much to say in plaine English as that our free-will dooth not onely merit grace at Gods hande for seemelinesse sake but euen of necessitie and perforce Quite contrarie to that which Saint Paule repeateth so often times By grace Thomas likewise Mera liberalitate meragratia c. As also cleane contrarie to that that hee maketh Grace the beginning of our saluation in intention and the effectiue in the execution c. Thomas againe had saide That free-will deliuereth by the grace of God and worketh certaine actions auailable to the purging and taking away of veniall sinnes as also to the stirring vp of the increase of grace But such as come after staie not there For this infused grace of God by the merit of the free-will of man is turned by them into a state and disposition of the spirit made conformable to the Law and will of God by which Man saith this Gabriell also is not onely deliuered from bond of damnation but also is made worthie of life and eternall glorie And the soule saith he informed and taught by this grace by an action drawne partly from this grace and partly from a mans owne will doth merit eternall life not any more de congruo that is to say of congruitie or for seemelinesse sake but de condig no for hauing done a deed worthie of the same that is to say by righteousnesse For euen so doe they define it That the workes of the regenerate done in charitie in this life deserue eternall life in as much as it is to be rendred and giuen to good workes
beene deriued and drawne Masses for the deade through such an abuse much like to that which is condemned by diuers auncient Councels namely the giuing of the Eucharist vnto the dead Withall wee haue shewed that there is no Purgatorie that the old and new Testament did neuer acknowledge it as neither the first and most auncient antiquitie if so bee they take it not from the heathen as also that those which haue spoken of it did not meane the same which our aduersaries embrace maintaine but rather that this is an opinion which cannot by any meanes stand and agree with that of theirs and how that hereby Masses and Suffrages for the dead swarme vpon the face of the earth From this pretended sacrifice likewise haue proceeded and sprung the Masses said in honour of Saints in which they were both praied vnto and worshipped yea euen to the offering vp in sacrifice in honor of them of the Sonne of God himselfe if one would belieue them Further wee haue shewed that the inuocation and worshipping of Saints is condemned throughout the whole Scripture old and new and by all true antiquitie that the beginning of this doting madnesse was taken vp by the imitating of the heathens in their Paganisme shewing further the manifold contradictions that were maintained against the same for a long time and thus the whole seruice of Saints a great portion of the Papists doctrine falleth downe to the ground And for as much as Inuocation is grounded vppon the merit of Saints and this Merite oftentimes alleadged in the Masse and that euen in their speaking to God for the remission of sinnes wee haue verified and auoucht it that there is not any maner of meriting at Gods hand allowed or taught either in the Scriptures or in the auncient writers neither yet in the purer sort of the new latter writers except such as they themselues are at this day ashamed of In summe that there is neither sacrifice name nor merit which euer saued the dead or which euer was able to preserue the liuing but the onely name merit and sacrifice of one onely Iesus Christ God and man dead for our sinnes and risen for our iustification To whome with the Father and the holy Ghost be honour and glorie for the riches of his grace eternally and euerlastingly Amen The end of the third Booke The fourth Booke Wherein the holy Supper of our Lord is handled and intreated of as a Sacrament and consequently of the Masse and it is a treatise of Transubstantiation CHAPTER I. What a Sacrament is and wherein it consisteth And of the difference betwixt the Sacraments of the old and of the new Testament where are set downe certaine rules of the old writers for the vnderstanding of them HItherto wee haue intreated of the Masse as it is a corrupting of the holy Supper of our Lord in the qualitie or vnder the name and nature of a sacrifice it followeth now that we examine it as a counterfeit of the same in the qualitie of a Sacrament a matter intreated of so exactly by many great personages of this time as that it may seeme a verie vnaduised and needlesse thing after them to enter into the same matter not treading the steps wherein they haue gone before Notwithstanding because this worke would remaine lame vnperfect if it should want this part I will deale therevpon but so briefely as possibly may bee standing not so much vpon the matter of dispute as the course of the storie to the end that that which seemeth at the least to haue his stay and maintenance from auncient writers may be confessed and acknowledged not to haue any manner of recommendation at all more then that which it reapeth from the verie newest and latest writers that haue sprung vp in the Church of Rome The Lawe was no sooner giuen to man but sinne insued thereupon neither was sinne so soone hatched but that presently thereupon man receiued the writ of condemnation and sencibly felt the punishment thereof whereupon likewise the Gospell was preached vnto him Gene. 3. by Gods owne mouth namely in the promise of the holy seede which should bruise the head of the Serpent and in the incarnation of the Sonne of God for the redemption of mankind for the remission of our sinnes And this Gospell is the reconciliation of God with men by the bloud of our Lord shed effectually before the foundation of the world in as much as from the same he hath wrought the saluation and redemption of the Patriarkes and Prophets and to bee short of al them which haue bene saued either without the Law or vnder the law shed notwithstanding naturally in his appointed and determined time euen when our Sauiour hauing taken our flesh was stretched vpon the tree of the Crosse for vs. Man in the meane time in his blindnesse and peruerse nature became vnable either to see or belieue this excellent mysterie if God had not reuealed it vnto him The necessity of the sacraments but able on the contrarie quickly to forget it according to our ordinarie negligence and carelesnesse in heauenly things if it had not beene represented and set before his eyes continually And afterward what apparance or likely-hood could there be conceiued of sinfull man vnthankfull to God and condemned and cast away in his owne conscience that God would vouchsafe to be his God that hee would reconcile himselfe vnto a vile and vnprofitable creature that hee would make a league with dust giue himselfe to him for a perpetuall inheritance and deliuer his onely Sonne to suffer a shamefull and ignominious death for him All of them beeing workes of a bottomelesse depth of mercie towards a most miserable creature who waited and looked for nothing else in the guiltinesse of his owne conscience but a bottomlesse Sea of wrath and indignation This therefore was the cause why God our Creator the beginning middle and end of our saluation not content to haue promised and giuen his Sonne to our first parents vnto reconciliation and redemption and in their persons vnto their true posteritie which is the Church doth renue from time to time this Gospell vnto his children this glad tidings of the league and couenaunt made with his faithfull ones for their saluation giuing them sometimes Prophetes to preach his Christ that was to come and sometimes Apostles to testifie and beare witnesse vnto him alreadie come in the flesh dead and risen for vs. This is the ministerie of his holy word euermore continued in his Church He furthermore ordaineth for them Sacraments of this couenant made and accomplished earnest pence and palpable pledges of the certaintie of his promises testimonies of his faithfulnes and remedies of their distrust and diffidencie which speake and testifie outwardly both vnto their eares and eyes by the analogie and agreement of their nature and inwardly to their vnderstandings and hearts by the working of the holy Ghost accompanying them namely that this
we reiect and cast of that which it offereth vs and particularly it condemneth the Pharisies for that they denie Christ promised in the law Moyses on the contrarie that is to say this same doctrine dooth iustifie vs worketh with vs vnto saluation when we embrace Christ at whome it altogether aimeth according to that which is said afterward If you belieue Moyses you will also belieue me for it is written of me Iohn 5.39 And the Pharisies hoped in him that is to say in this doctrine according to that which hee said in former times Search the Scriptures for you thinke to haue eternall life by them c. And in the same sence Abraham aunswered the rich man They haue Moyses and the Prophets Not Moyses in the flesh not Moyses in the soule but Moyses as likewise the Prophets in the doctrine What should then the question of the intercession of Moses doe here Origen To belieue Moyses that is to say the writings and workes of Moses Orig in Ep. ad Fom l. 4 c. 4. Basill de Spir Sanct c. 14. Cirill in Ioh. l 3. c. 8. And by consequent to be accused by Moses that is to say by the law giuen by the Ministers of Moses S. Basill It is the custome of the Scripture to vnderstand vnder the name of Moyses the Law as when it is said they haue Moses and the Prophets Cyril more clearely intreating vpon this place When as saith he all others did hold their peace the Lord said that Moyses law alone did suffice to condemne the incredulitie of the Iewes Cardinal Hugo Moyses that is to say the Scripture or Law giuen by Moses Caietanus goeth yet further Caiet in Ioh. c. 5. The Iewes are accused by Moyses for that his writings declare them worthie of punishment in not belieuing in Iesus the Iewes also are said to hope in Moses because they generally hoped in the promises contained in the said writings but they acknowledged not the fulfilling of the same Iesus In the 2. Peter 1.15 I am saith he shortly to goe out of this my Tabernacle as our Lord himselfe hath declared vnto me 2. Pet. 1.15 but I will doe my indeuour that after my departure also you may continually call to mind these things that is pietie charitie brotherly loue c. Here they affirme that this shall be by his intercession in heauen But we that this shall bee by his diligence in instructing them well before that he goe out of this world that is as he hath said in the former verses By continually bringing it to their remembrance And the text is verie cleare and plaine for the same for he doth not say Dabo operam post obitum meum vt possitis but Vt possitis post obitum meum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say I wil haue care that after my death you may remember your selues and not I will haue care after â—y death c. That which followeth teacheth it For we haue not taught you the power and comming of our Lord in the deceitfulnesse of fables c. The Glose saith Jnterim dum venio dabo operam c. As long as I liue I will giue order or I will doe my endeuour c. And as for the alleadging of Oecumenius saying that certaine would collect heereof by the figure called Hyperbaton that is to say a long draught of words the intercession of Saints it had beene their dutie in like maner for the discharge of a good conscience to haue added that which followeth That others which handle the same more simply do vnderstand it thus That wheras he so carefully laboureth to imprint this doctrine in them it is not for that he doubteth them to be egnorant but to the end that they might abide the more firme after his death Caiet 2. Pet. 1. At the least they should haue held themselues to Caietanus I wil giue order that is in my life time that you may haue after my death books which may put you in remebrance of this doctrin In the Apocalips 5. Apocal. 1.8 the foure beasts and the foure and twentie Elders haue harps in their hands and Viols of gold full of perfumes Which are saith S. Iohn the prayers of the Saints therefore they must be imployed as intercessors for vs. Now it is not called in question whether they pray or praise God or no but if they make intercession to God for the things which wee particularly and by name pray vnto them for and againe if we may and ought to imploy them for intercessors with God for vs. And this cannot be gathered out of this place but rather that they praise God and pray vnto him And this praier without any further gessing of it doth follow in the next verse Thou art worthie to take the booke and to open the Seales thereof c. for thou hast bought and purchased vs to God by thy bloud out of euerie tribe and language c. And then not to imploy their merits with God for vs in stead of that of the Lambe but rather to acknowledge the bloud of the Lambe imployed for themselues And that maketh yet lesse for them Apocal. 8.3 which they further alleadge out of the fore part of the eight Chapter where the Angell standeth before the Altar with a Censor of gold wherein there were many perfumes giuen vnto him either to offer vp with the praiers of all the Saints or rather according to the Greeke to adde it to the praiers of the Saints vpon the Altar of gold which is before the throne For this Angell saith their Glose is Christ himselfe offering vnto God his father the petitions of the faithfull which are acceptable and well pleasing to him for his sake S. Ambros Aug. Primas Andraeas Caes in Apocal. Ambrose expoundeth this whole place of the teachers of the Church euerie man in his age That Christ openeth then the booke when by his holy spirit hee manifesteth vnto them the sence of the Scriptures that they fall downe before the Lambe when they are raised to the meditation of his mysteries and by consequent are humbled in themselues that these odors are their praiers whereof the Psalmist speaketh Let my praier ascend vp vnto thee as the perfume of incense c. And vpon the eight Chapter he taketh Christ for the Angell Ambros in Apocal c 8. the Church for the Altar c. and maketh many sorts of incensings praiers of the Saints For saith he the faithfull pray when they aske forgiuenesse of their sinnes when they giue almes when they forgiue their neighbours when they obserue and keepe the commaundements of God c. August Primas Andr. Caesar Thom. Aquin. in Apoc. c. 5. l. 8 And not a word of the praiers of the Saints that are dead for vs or of vs praying to them And as little in S. Augustine Primasius Andreas Bb. of Caesarea Thomas
Aquinas and all the rest And these are in summe all the places that I know whereby they would proue and allow the intercession of Saints If this were not that wee haue to adde thereto the blasphemie of the Archbishop Antonine Let vs drawe neere saith the Apostle vnto the Hebrewes vnto the throne of grace c. That is to say of the Virgine Marie which is the throne of Christ wherein he hath rested to the end wee may obtaine mercie and find grace for the obtaining of helpe in due time c. Which is manifestly spoken of Iesus Christ our Bishop And therefore it is no maruaile though Eckius doe freely and boldly say That the holy Ghost Eckius in Ench hath not appointed or ordained by the expresse Scriptures the inuocation of Saints either in the old or new Testament And Petrus a Soto That it is not manifestly taught there but onely insinuated and the Iesuites themselues that it is not clearely giuen vs there but as in a mysterie and by a certaine consequence And on the contrarie a great maruaile that a doctrine amongst them of such moment should not bee contained in the holy Scriptures but by the way of a lame and pretended consequence As in deed the Councell of Trent hath not found it in the Scripture but in auncient vse and custome in the consent of the Fathers and in the Decrees of the Councels Which we will examine hereafter A third point remaineth That the morite of the Saints hath no ground in the Scripture that they are as weakly and slenderly grounded in the Masse for the offering vp of the merits and passions of the Saints vnto God for the satisfying of their sinnes in stead of the infinite merite of that one onely sacrifice that the Sonne of God hath offered vpon the Crosse whether we consider the sufficiencie of that only one or the insufficiencie of all the rest how many and whatsoeuer they be The sufficiencie for it is the Sonne of God eternal and infinite the sacrificer and the sacrifice whose sacrifice hath by consequent an infinite and eternall efficacie as the Apostle doth largely handle the same in the Epistle to the Hebrewes The insufficiencie of al other because that they are the works of the creatures by consequent finite and imperfect and of men and by consequent subiect to sinne and sinners and those the most who presume not to bee at all according to that which is said vnto vs in S. Iohn Jf we say he putteth himselfe in the number that we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. That then that all the Saints haue not beene condemned it was in the mercie of God by Iesus Christ the holy Virgine her selfe whom hee hath vouchsafed to regard in her base and low estate being so much the more bound by how much the more shee hath receiued and so much the further off from meriting by how much the more it hath pleased him the Almightie and soueraigne Lord if it be lawfull so to speake to merite at her hands That they are raigning in heauen a botomlesse depth of his goodnesse an inheritance of the children and not any pledge or badge of seruants in as much as in his welbeloued sonne it hath pleased him according to the riches of his grace of vnprofitable and peruerse seruants to adopt them Sons yea coheires with his Christ according to that which is said in so many places Ephes 2. You are saued by grace by faith in Christ and not of your selues For this is the gift of God not by workes to the end that no man may boast Againe We are iustified by grace that we may bee his heires Tit. 3. in hope of eternall life And of grace For we are all conceiued in originall sinnes And all the water of humane merits cannot wash them away though they should amount vnto the measure of a mightie floud it must of necessitie bee the worke of the bloud of Christ washed likewise by that bloud yet the remnants of that naturall corruption doe continually abide and dwell with vs that so we may acknowledge his grace in our infirmitie whereas our first father lost the same by a pretended incorruption and impossibilitie for his nature to sinne And therefore wee haue to say with Dauid If thou enter into iudgement with thy seruant who may abide it With Salomon Psal 143. Ecclesiast 6. Iob. 15. There is not a righteous man vpon the earth that doth good nay which doth not sinne With Iob The heauens are not pure in his sight no not the Angels how much lesse man vnprofitable and abheminable which drinketh iniquitie like water Whereupon it followeth likewise that if God should haue giuen vnto man euen him that is the holiest of all the rest a thousand Paradises if it could bee done for an inheritance yet so gracelesse he is as that he should not be able to keepe one of them without his grace for quickly would hee loose them by reason of his sinnes and transgressions the rigour and seueritie of his iustice taking the balance once in hand And how should he purchase it then by his own power And yet further how shuld he leaue a remainder to be husbanded for others Some say if they haue lost them by their falles as Saint Peter by hauing denied Christ and S. Paul by persecuting of his Church yet they haue recouered them by the confession and Martyrdome which they haue made and suffered for his name and that so aboundantly as that they haue left an ouerplus But O horrible blasphemie 1. Cor. l. 30. S. Paul and S. Peter say not so They doe not glorie in any thing but in the Crosse of Christ but in his sufferings but in his stripes not in their owne righteousnesse not in their owne holinesse but in him which was vnto them from God wisedome righteousnesse sanctification redemption c. So farre off are they from being of that mind that in respect of them he hath suffered in vaine Likewise the bloud of the creature hath no part in making of the recompence or paimēt with or in stead of the bloud of the Sonne of God of the Creatour of the world to whom as he is the Creator we are alreadie indebted euen to the summe of our liues to whome as a iust iudge we stand bound for our sinnes in the summe of a thousand deaths And therefore as vnto our redeemer and that in the price of his bloud Our redeemer not to ransome vs but for to crowne vs not to draw vs from euill but to draw vs to all goodnesse not to deliuer vs from the tyrannie of hell but to cause vs to raigne and triumph eternally with him Here let vs enter into our owne consciences how shall our bloud and life be able to ascend vp thither And therefore the Apostle said All accompts cast the sufferings of this present world Rom. 8.18 are