matter that you go about to proue is not resolued at all either by the institution of Christ or by the figure of Melchisedech You must therefore alledge other Scriptures and authorities before your matter can be sufficiently proued Other Scriptures there be though not so plaine WATSON Diuision 2◠yet they conteyne an argument to proue the same as this of Saint Paule Non potestis participes esse mensae domini mensae demoniorum 1. Cor. 10. Ye can not bee partakers of our Lordes table and the table of deuils The worde table here is taken for the meate of the table For men be not partakers of the materiall borde but of the meate that is ministred vpon the bord Now the table of deuils is taken for that meat that is offered to Idols in which diuels did reigne and therefore that meat was called in Greeke Idolothyton meat offered to Idols Now this is certain by al good learning that in euery cōparison there must nedes be a proportion similitude wherin the things compared must agree then whereas these two tables be compared in offering and eating it must needes folow that if the table of deuils be a verie sacrifice made to deuils in dede the table of our Lorde likewise must bee a sacrifice offered to our Lorde in deede And if our Lordes table be a very sacrifice made to him by vs then haue wee our purpose proued and confessed The like argument may be made of the worde aultare in saint Paule Habemus altare de quo edere non habent potestatem Hebr. 13. qui tabernaculo de seruiunt We haue an aultare of which they may not eate that serue the tabernacle If aultare and sacrifice be so annexed togither that the one cannot bee without the other then when saint Paule sayeth wee haue an aultare speaking also of the eating of that aultare he must nedes meane the sacrifice made vpon the aultare so that our sacrament before we eate it is also a sacrifice For so doth Theophilactus take this place Theophilact ad Heb. Capit. 13. Et nos inquit obseruationem habemus haudtamen in esculentes hisce sed in ara siue in hostia illa incruenta corpore vitam clargiente And we also haue an obseruation yet not in these common meates but in our aultare or vnbloudye sacrifice whiche giueth life to our bodyes Here we may see that he meaneth by the aultare the vnbloudie sacrifice of Christes bodie which being eaten of vs corporally in the sacrament giueth life to our bodyes Moreouer if tyme would serue me I could make an argument of Daniels prophecie of the cōming of Antichrist bicause he sayth Dani. 12. that in that tyme the continuall sacrifice shall be by Antichrist taken away per tempus tempora dimidium temporis by the space of three yeres and an halfe as many take it Whether this shall bee done all Christendome ouer at one time or in euery particular region at diuers tymes it is not certainely knowen to vs and therfore I will not certeynly determine it But this is certaine that Antichrist can not take away the sacrifice of Christ vpon the crosse which was but once made and shall neuer be iterate nor frustrate Nor he can not take away the inward spirituall sacrifice of mans heart which then shal florish most of al in the elect For why should they then flie to the mountaines as the booke saith but that for the vehemencie of the persecution they might more feruently doe spirituall sacrifice to almightie God Therefore it foloweth that the sacrifice of Christen men is such an one as may be taken away by Antichrist which in my iudgement can be nothing else but the sacrifice of the Masse or else let them tell what other sacrifice it is beside the Masse Ye se nowe what Scriptures I haue brought to proue the oblation of Christes bodie in the Masse to be the sacrifice of the Church and newe Testament which hath beene assaulted many wayes of many men But to the oppugnation of it they neuer yet to this houre alledged any one direct scripture nor doctor nor good reason They haue gone about it and by tyranny in some places they haue preuailed for a tyme but alwayes truth the daughter of tyme hath ouercommed For lack of plaine scriptures CROWLEY you alledge such as you say doe containe argumentes to prooue the popishe Masse to be a sacrifice c. And first you begin with saint Paule where he sayth Non potestis c. The Argument that you finde in this scripture 1. Cor. 10. is thus If the table of deuils be a sacrifice made to deuils in dede then must the table of the Lord be a sacrifice offered to the Lorde in déede But the table of the deuils is so Ergo the Lordes table must néedes be so And so is your purpose proued and confessed If you were in the diuinitie schoole and should in disputation be put to proue the maior proposition of this Argument Watsons maior is not currant in the scholes it woulde not slip away so smoothly as it did when you spake it in your sermon For it would be made plaine to you that you build this reason vpon a false supposition For where you suppose the table of Deuils and the table of the Lorde to be compared in offering and eating it would be proued to you by the sayings of auncient wryters that the comparison is in the societie of the eaters with them at whose tables they eate Theophilactus whose iudgement you should trust in this place for you make him you onely stay Theophi in 1. Cor. 10. in that which you cite out of saint Paule to the Hebrues vpon these wordes of Paule Nolo autem vos participes fieri Demoniorum I woulde not that you should be made partakers of the deuils sayth thus Si enim mysticam mēsam participantes Christo communicant eique vniuntur Daemonum mensam participantes Daemonibus haud dubiè communicant If they that be partakers of the mysticall table do communicate with Christ and be ioyned into one with him without doubt such as be partakers of the table of Deuils do communicate with deuils And vpon the words that you cite he sayth Ex solis nominibus probat non esse comedenda Idolis immolata He doth by the names alone proue that we should not eate those things that be offered to Idolles Here it is manifest Wherein the tables be compared that Theophilactus vnderstandeth saint Paule to make comparison betwéene the table of Deuils and the Lordes table in the societie of the partakers with them at whose tables they be partakers As they which be partakers at the Lordes table do shewe themselues thereby to be ioyned to the Lorde in societie and vnitie so they that be partakers at the Idols table doe shew themselues to be in societie and vnitie with the Idols Chrysostome wryting
speaking of the communion table there springeth a Fountayne of spirituall commodities and thou leauing this table doest forthwith runne to the water and doest beholde women swymming and the very marke of their sexe set out to the eyes of all that be present that thou mayest beholde this thing I say thou leauest Chryst sitting by the Fountayne of heauenly giftes For euen now also he doth sit vpon the Fountaine not speaking to one Samaritish woman but to the hole Citie For euen nowe also there is none that attendeth vpon him sauing that some be present with their bodies but without doubt some other not so much as with their bodyes Yet for all that he departeth not but he taryeth still and requireth drink of vs not water but sanctimonie or holynesse of lyfe For Christ doth giue holy things to them that be holy He doth not giue vs water out of this Fountayne but lyuing bloud which though it be receyued to testifie the Lordes death yet it is made vnto vs a cause of lyfe But thou doest leaue the Fountayne of this bloud and the cup that is to be had in reuerence and wyth spéede thou renuest to that deuillish Fountayne that thou mayest sée an Harlot swim and suffer shipwrack of thine owne soule c. Thus farre Chrysostome You should proue that the Masse is no derogation to the passion of Christ but you haue concluded that we receyue lyfe by receyuing of that which is offered in the Masse If this be no derogation to Christes passion then is there no derogation of it at all in any thing that can be done For what other thing is the fruite of Christes death but our euerlasting lyfe You had forgotten your selfe bylike when you alledged thys place for if Chrysostome ment so grossely as you vnderstand him he did set vp the Masse as much to the derogation of Christes passion as possibly he could Watson wold not see Chrisostomes meaning But Chrysostome had another meaning then you woulde sée when you read his wordes He teacheth the christians of Antioche that those holy things that Christ giueth to them that be holy are made vnto them instrumentall causes of euerlasting lyfe yea euen that mysticall bloud that is receyued to be a testimonie of the death of him that is Lorde of lyfe Thys meaning might you haue séene in the wordes of Chrysostome if affection had not blinded you But I marueile where you found in Chrysostomes words offered in commemoration for euen in the Latine text that you your selfe cite it is Sumitur is receyued But you might at that time say what you would to the aduauncement of that Idole of Rome and all Romishe Idolatrie To those two places of Gregory that you alledge I must aunswere as I haue learned of saint Hierome Hiero. in Math. 23. Hoc quia de scripturis c. Because this thing hath none authority of the scripture it is as easily contemned as allowed And least you should think that not being able otherwise to aunswere I doe reiect the authoritie of so auncient and godly a father I will shewe you the reasons that mooue me to thinke that these workes that are extant vnder the name of Gregorius Magnus were neuer of his writing Gregories bookes burned First Sabinianus that succéeded him next in the Papacie caused all his bookes to be burned And it is not to be thought that there were many copies in so short tyme when there was no way to encrease them but by hande wryting Another thing is the fond fables that in those workes are vsed in the probation of weightie assertions and no proufe made eyther by scriptures or authoritie of such as had before his dayes written of those matters Three reasons to proue Gregories workes coūterfaite but bare assertions contrarie to the scriptures and fathers that had bene before him And last of all the straunge maner of finding out the copie of his morral exposition of the history of Iob which is to ridiculous to haue any credite with such as haue any knowledge in christian religion and haue séene the hystories that make report of the liues and doings of those that had béene Byshops of Rome before the time of the finding out of that booke These authorities therefore doe not proue that the Masse is no derogation to the passion of Christ but rather the contrarie For if all these authorities that you haue alledged were as good as you make them and were so ment by the authors as you haue applied them what other thing should they teach but that the Masse is a derogation to the passion of Christ For what greater derogation can there be to Christs passion then to make it a matter of so small power that it could not of it selfe be effectuall to any vnlesse it be applyed by the mediation of some sacrificeing priest And that it must néedes be effectuall to such as it shall by such mediation be applyed vnto eyther in this lyfe or after Wée haue learned both by the scriptures and auncient fathers that the passion of Christ is of effect to take away the sinnes of the whole world The way to apply Christes passion and that it doth take away the sinnes of all that repent and beléeue the Gospell And that there is none other way to apply the passion of Christ to any but only the faith of those to whome it is applyed Furthermore they say we make our owne workes meaning the Masse a sauiour beside Christ WATSON Diuision 30 which is nothing so but by this sacrifice of the Masse we declare that we beleue there is no sauiour but onely Christ For what doe we in the Masse We confesse our sinnes our vnworthinesse our vnkindnes our manifold transgresions of his eternal law we graunt that we be not able to satisfie for the least offence we haue done therfore we run to his passion which after this sort as he hath ordayned we renew and represent We besech our most mercifull father to looke vpon Christes merites and to pardon our offences to loke vpon Christes passion and to releue our affection We knowledge that whatsoeuer we haue done is vnperfite and vnpure and as it is our worke doth more offend his maiestie then please him therefore we offer vnto hym his welbeloued sonne Iesus in whome we knowe he is well pleased most humbly praying him to accept him for vs in whome onely we trust accompting him all our righteousnesse by whome onely we conceiue hope of saluation And therefore in the ende of the canon of the Masse we say thus Non aestimator meriti sed veniae quaesumus largitor admitte per Christum dominum nostrum O Lord we besech thee to admit vs into the companie of thy saintes not waying our merites but graūting vs pardon by Christ our Lord. Also whatsoeuer thing we lacke all plagues all misfortunes all aduersitie both ghostly and temporall we require to be released of them not through our
instituted and commaunded to be offered in remembrance of thy charitie that is to say of thy death and passion for our health and saluation for the dayly reparation of our fraile weakenesse Doth he not here shewe the ende of the oblation to saue vs and to repayre our frayltie Saint Hierome writeth Si laicis imperatur vt propter orationem abstineant ab vxoribus Hierony in Cap. 1. ad Titum quid de episcopo sentiendū est qui quotidie pro suis populique peccatis illibatas deo oblaturus est victimas If it be commaunded to the lay men that for prayers cause they should absteyne from their wyues what should we thinke of a Byshop that must offer daylie pure sacrifices for his owne sinnes and the peoples Of this place though I might prooue you the chast lyfe of a Byshop yet I bring it in now onely to showe that the office of a Byshop is to offer daylie pure sacrifice for hys owne sinnes and the peoples sinnes as saint Basill sayth in the booke of his Masse Da domine vt pro nostris peccatis populi ignorantij acceptum sit sacrificium nostrum Graunt O Lorde that for our sinne Basilius in Missa and the ignoraunce of the people our sacrifice may be accepted of thee Thus ye perceaue that I haue shewed you and proued that the oblation of the priest in the Masse is a sacrifice propitiatorie for the sinnes of them that be aliue that is to say moouing and prouoking God to pardon the sinnes of the priest and of the people A little is to be sayde concerning them that be departed and then an ende of that matter Tertull. eorum millit Tertullian sayth Oblationes pro defunctis pro natalitijs annua die facimus We make euery yere oblations for the dead and for the birth dayes of Martyrs which be the dayes they suffered their martyrdome Athanasius sayth Intelligimus animas peccatorum participare aliqua beneficentia abexangui immolatione Athanasius ad antiochiū quest 34. We vnderstande that the soules of sinners doe receyue some benefite of the vnbloudy oblation and of almose done for them as he onely hath ordeyned and commaunded that hath power both of quick and dead Our God Ambros de obitis Valen. And saint Ambrose exhorteth the people to pray for the soule of Valentinian the Emperour for whome he did offer the sacrifice of Christes body Chrysostome sayth Non frustra sancitum est ab apostolis vt in celebratione venerandorum mysteriorum memoria fiat eorum Chrysost ho. 3. ad philippenses qui hinc discesserunt noucrunt illis multum hinc emolumenti fieri c. It was not in vaine ordeyned of the Apostles that in the celebration of the honorable misteries there should memory be made of them that were departed hence For they knewe much profite much commoditie to come to them thereby Chrysost hom 41. in 1. Cor. 15. And in an other Homily he sayth in this maner in Englishe A sinner is departed surely it becommeth vs to bee glad that his sinnes be stopped and not increased and to labour as much as we can to release him not with weping but with prayer In Act. ho. 21. supplications almose and sacrifices For that was not ordeyned in vaine nor we doe not in vayne in our holy misteries celebrate the memory of the dead and make intercession for them to the Lambe that lyeth there which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde but that some comfort may thereby come to them Is not this very playne and that it is not a thing newe inuented but a doctrine taught and vsed in the Church euer since Christ and ordeyned so to be done by the Apostles themselues August con li. 4. cap. 12. Saint Augustine sayth in his booke of confessions that the sacrifice of our price which is Christes owne naturall body was offered for his mothers soule after she was dead And he sayth also De cura pro mortuis ca. 1. In Machabeorum libris legimus oblatum pro mortuis sacraficium Sed si nunquà m in scripturis veteribus omnino legeretur non parua hac consuetudine claret authoritas vbi in praecibus Sacerdotis quae Domino Deo ad eius altare funduntur locum suum habet etiam commendatio mortuorum In the Bookes of the Machabes we read that there was sacrifice offred for the dead But although in the olde scriptures there were no such thing read yet there appereth no small authoritie in this custome that amongs the prayers of the priest which are made to our Lorde God at his aultar the commendation and prayer for the dead hath also his place Marke well that he sayth it was an olde custome in the Church for priests in their Masse to pray for the dead in his time which is aboue .1130 yere ago And that the custome of the Church in this point is of sufficient authoritie to proue this matter though there were no scripture for it at al and yet he himselfe alledgeth the booke of Machabes for it the place is knowne well ynough He teacheth vs the same thing wryting vppon saint Iohn August in Ioan. Tract 84. Ideo ad ipsam mensam non sic cos commemoramus quemadmodum alios qui in pace requiescunt vt etiam pro eis oremus sed magis vt orent ipsi pro nobis vt eorum vestigijs inhereamus c. talia enim suis fratribus exhibuerunt qualia de Domini mensa acceperunt Therefore at the very table of the aultare we doe not so remember the martyrs as we doe other other that rest in peace that we pray for them But rather that they should pray for vs that we might folow their footesteps For they haue giuē such things for their brethren as they haue receiued from our Lords table Here is both prayer to saints and for the dead in the Masse Thus ye see how Christes body is offered for the dead after what maner it auayleth them Saint Augustine also teacheth saying thus When the sacrifices eyther of the aultare or of any almose be offered for the deade that were baptised for the verye good men August Euchirid Cap. 109. they bee gyuing of thankes for not verye euill men they bee propitiations for verye euill men although they be no reliefe of the dead yet they be certaine comforts of them that be aliue And to them they profite they profite to this ende eyther that they should haue full remission or at least that they should haue more tolerable damnation In this authoritie is expressed the plaine worde of propitiatory how that the sacrifice of the aultar is a propitiation for such soules as be not very euill or very good towarde that teyning of full remission or of more tolerable damnation If I should recite as much as I coulde bring in for this point at large it is not one or two houres that would
abhorre as detestable and damnable wyshing you and all other to doe the same Embraceing now at the last the knowne truth which hath bene long time hid by ignoraunce from the greatest number that bare the name of Christians and is nowe by the knowledge of the holye worde of God made knowne to as many as will knowe it and be not wilfull blinde Such truth as you haue taught I doe wyllingly embrace and doe not any thing at all mislike with any thing for the Authors sake But my misliking is with the matter that is not to be lyked And when I doe at any time seme to mislike with the Author it is for that his words haue no grounde in the holy worde of God which is as the touchstone to trie all mens writings by Let vs both pray for the spirite of Humilitie that we may thereby be made meete to receyue and retaine the knowledge of the truth which God will neuer giue to the prowde and such as thinke themselues peerelesse and therefore disdaine the brotherly admonitions of such as in their sight are to simple to be teachers of such as they be The Lorde Iesus graunt that spirite to as many as professe his name that we may once be of one minde in the house of the Lorde to his glorie and the confusion of Satan Amen FINIS To the Christian Readers HAuing occasion oftentymes to be in place where suche as are not yet perswaded that the Popes Church can erre haue bene bolde to vtter their minds fréely affirming that the doctrine which the Protestants teache is erronious and false especially concerning the presence of Christ in the Sacrament of his body and bloud and the sacrifice of the Masse I haue perceyued that the same haue bene chiefely perswaded stayed by these two Sermons made by Doctor Watson in the first yere of Quéene Maries reigne I haue therefore wyshed that some man of lyke learning would haue published in print an answere to those Sermons that thereby such as haue bene disceyued by the subtiltie thereof might by the plaine and simple aunswere be brought to the knowledge of the truth which no doubt the greatest number of them would embrace if they might once be brought to sée it Yea I know some of them doe hunger and thirst to sée what may be sayde to the contrarie of that which they are yet perswaded in by that which séemeth to them vnaunswerable But whiles I thus wyshed with my selfe many yeares are passed by and I feare me manye soules haue perished being blinded by the subtilty of these Sermons And hitherto I can not vnderstand that any man hath once purposed to aunswere them Although therefore I be of many the most vnméete and of some most dispised accounted and reported to be none of the learned yet rather then the prowde Philistine should still blaspheme the God of Israell and defie his whole armie no man being so hardie as to buckle with him I haue in the courage and confidence of dispised Dauid taken in hande to fight the combat with him and doe not doubt by the helpe of Dauids God eyther to cause him to yéelde or to lye headlesse dispised and forsaken euen of his owne sort and folowers Some man will say peraduenture that it is but a vayne bragge to make such a chalenge knowing that the aduerse party may not without lycence encounter with mée and if he shall obtayne lycence yet shall not his doings be suffered to come to light vnlesse the same shall be lyked by such as fauour my cause For my part I wishe that it were as frée for him to replye to thys mine aunswere and to publishe the same as it is for mée to aunswere his Sermons and I know that if he be able and wylling to replie he can neyther lack libertie so to doe nor meanes to publish it when it is done This obiection therfore is but vaine But that you may haue some vnderstanding of that which I haue done in this aunswere deare Christians and with better will read it thorowe and weigh it I will in fewe wordes declare the effect of my doing therein First I haue faythfully reported the Sermons as they are to be séene in his printed Copie altering or chaunging no one sillable or letter but such onely as doe manifestly appéere to be faultes escaped by the ignoraunce or negligence of the Printer Secondly I haue weighed and considered the Authorities that he hath alledged with their circumstances setting downe the same in wryting to be séene that you may in the feare of God weigh the same also and iudge whether he haue applied them aright or not And thirdly I haue aunswered by the lyke or greater Authoritie all that he hath laboured to confirme by Authoritie eyther of the scriptures or auncient fathers The Lorde Iesus direct you all in the reading of these Sermons and aunswere that you may vnderstande and embrace the truth of the matters in controuersie in life and conuersation glorifie him that hath with his spirite of comfort caused mée to go thorow wyth this aunswere notwithstanding the manifold waies that Sathan hath sought to cause me to cast it aside Fare you well Yours in Christ Robert Crowley ¶ The Table for the notes of the first Sermon in order of letter A. B. C. c. A AMbrose ouerthroweth watsons foundation Folio 18. A rule to bee folowed in reading of fathers Fol. 27. Against priuate Masse Fol. 29. Austen expounded by hymselfe 33. Against whom Ireneus wrote 54 A straunge signification of Symbolum 99. Auncient writers must bee reade with fauour 101. A note for vniuersall signes 118. An oration without a Nominatiue case 141. An argument lyke watsons argument 160. A worthy promotion 174. A homely shift 177. Another is not the same 182. A foule ouersight in one that would be a Catholike Bishop Ibidem All thinges reconed more is loste then wonne 207. B BErnarde was the floure of his tyme. 9. Bernard was deceiued in some things 12. By Watsons doctrine no Infants can be saued 72. C CYprians wordes in the same Epistle 25. Chrysostomes and Basilles iudgement 28. Chrysostomes meaning 31. Cyprians meaning 41. Cluniacensis a corrupter of scriptures 42. Christes purpose in speaking 54. Contradiction in watsons words Folio 70. Christs incarnation is the cause of our resurrection 88. Chrysostome is no man for Watson 115. Christes manhood can bee but in one place 116. Cyprians meaning was farre other then Watsons 119. Christ must be in the minde before the sacrament c. 138. Craftie handling of the fathers sayings 139. Christ is no charmer 176. Chrysostome vseth the figure Hyperbole 189. D DEgrees of holynesse 177. Descant without good playne song 187. E EQualitie of Byshops by Cyprians iudgement 26. Erasmus his iudgement vpon the thirde Tome 29. Election in Christ maketh men worthy c. 69. Effects doe spring out of efficient causes 97. G GErson against Mayster watson 47. God is the efficient cause
you selfe M. Watson Coloss 1. He is not ashamed to saye thus grounding his wordes vpon Saint Paule to the Colossians Vbi est secundum Apostolum ministerium quod absconditum fuit a saeculis c. Where is according to the saying of the Apostle the ministerie that hath bene hid since the beginning of generations and is nowe opened to his saintes vnto whome God would make knowne the ryches of the glorie of this sacrament among the Gentiles which sacrament is Christ the hope of glorie Where saint Paule hath sayde Mysterium the misterie or hid secret Cluniacensis sayth Ministerium the ministerie And where Paule sayth Qui est Christus Cluniacensis sayth Quod est Christus which sacrament is Christ For immediatly before he had sayde Sacramentum in place of Mysterium The sacrament in place of the mistery And all this is to make men beléeue that saint Paule wryting to the Colossians had taught them that the sacrament of Christes body is Christ himselfe Much such matter is manifest in your Cluniacensis I estéeme his aucthoritie therefore euen as I estéeme youres And so I doe estéeme those notable wryters which at this daye doe terme our Religion by the name of Mahumets sect For whatsoeuer they or you say or wryte we are well able to proue that we hold the true and catholike fayth which was taught by the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ being the foundation thereof With the Prophets we beleue the promise of God concerning the sending of his sonne in the similitude of sinfull fleshe that in the fleshe he might satisfie for the sinnes of all his elected and chosen children And with the Apostles we beleue that he is come and hath by one sacrifice once offered satisfied for al their sinnes that be of that number And that there remayneth no more sacrifice for sinne Hebr. 10. And that the Church of Christ is bound continually to offer vnto God a sacrifice of thanks for this so great and frée redemption by the sacrifice of his owne onely begotten sonne And that this sacrifice of thankes is our obedience in walking in those good workes that God hath prepared for vs to walke in This is not to prepare a way for the Turkes to ouerunne all as you say it is But this is to be at defiaunce both with Turke and Pope But for the auoyding of these absurdities WATSON Diuision 11. and for suche causes as I shal God wylling declare hereafter I presuppose this foundation of christes body to be really present in the blessed sacrament to be stedfastly beleeued of vs all vpon the which I builde all that remayneth now to be sayde Which foundation although it hath beene vndermined of many men and many wayes therfore requireth a full and perfite treatise to be made of it alone yet as I intende not to occupie all this time in that so I maye not well so slenderly leaue it that hath bene so much and often assaulted but shall declare the summe of that moueth me to continue still in that truth I was borne in to keepe still that fayth I was baptised in and put on Christ which fayth seing it is vniuersall if I should leaue it I should forsake Christ and be an heretike not folowing that forme of doctrine I receyued of my fathers and they of theirs from the beginning but chosing my selfe a newe waye and newe maysters that please me being so condemned by mine owne conscience and iudgement which is the very propertie and definition of an heretike CROWLEY The obsurdities ye speake of we haue something touched alreadie The other causes that moue you we minde by Gods help to saye somewhat to when you shall declare them But in the meane while let vs sée the summe of that which moueth you to continue still in that fayth you were baptised in c. WATSON Diuision 12. There be three things that holde mee in this faith the manifest and plaine scripture the vniforme aucthorities of holy men and the consent of the vniuersall Church These three be the argumentes that a christen man may stick vnto and neuer be deceaued specially if they be knit and ioyned togither concerning one matter but if they be seperate then some of them be but weake staffes to leane vnto As for example the scripture without the consent of the church is a weapon as meete for an heretike as for a catholike for Arius Nestorius and such other Heretikes did alledge the scripture for their opinions as the catholikes did but their alledging was but the abusing of the letter which is indifferent to good and euill and deprauing of the true sense which is onely knowne by the tradition and consent of the catholike church so that the one without the other is not a direction but a seduction to a simple man bicause the very scripture in deede is not the bare letter as it lyeth to be taken of euery man but the true sense as it is delyuered by the vniuersall consent of christes church Lykewise the writings and sayings of the fathers if they be but the minde of one man without the consent of other were he neuer so well learned and vertuous otherwise yet his wrytings I say in that point be not a confirmation for an ignoraunt man to holde him in the truth but a temptation to seduce him and pull him from the truth The consent of the Church is alwayes a sure staffe the verie piller of truth whether it bee in things expressed in the letter of the scripture or in things deliuered vnto vs by tradition of the Apostles He that holdeth him by this staffe can not fall in faith but stande in truth The thrée staues that you saye you leane vnto CROWLEY are very good stayes such as a man may be bold to trust vnto especially as you haue wel said when they be knit and ioyned togither concerning one matter But if they be seuered then some of them be but weake staues to leane vnto Hitherto you haue said very wel But when amōgst these thrée staues you make the consent of the Church onely to be the sure staffe and the scriptures and sayings of learned and godly fathers without the consent of the Church to be but a seduction or tentation to seduce the simple and ignoraunt man me thinketh you shewe your selfe to beastly blinde Where was this sure staffe of yours when all the Apostles were so farre from the hope of the resurrection of their maister that they could not beleue the report of them that had séene him after he was risen againe Marc. 16. Had this consent of theirs in vnbeliefe bene a sure staye for men to leane vnto And was the prophecie of Dauid at that time a seduction or tentation Psalm 16. Act. 2. to seduce a simple ignoraunt man bicause it was not ioyned with the consent of the Church Did Christ go about to seduce the Iewes when hée bad them search
the scriptures Iohn 5. When all the Apostles had consented that none should go in vnto the heathen to preache the Gospell vnto them Act. 11. and Christ had sayde go and teache all Nations where was then the sure staffe to leane to What staffe was it that the worshipfull of Berrhaea leaned vnto when they had heard Paule preach there Act. 17. Was it the consent of the Church No saint Luke sayth Scrutabantur scripturas They searched the scriptures That was then the sure staffe to leane to Saint Austen woulde haue no credite further then hys wordes might be confirmed De Trinitat libr. 3. by Scripture and sounde reason His wordes are these Noli meis literis quasi scripturis canonicis inseruire sed in illis quod non credebas eum inueneris incunctanter crede in istis autem quod certum non habebas nisi certum intellexeris noli firmiter credere Be thou not bound to my wrytings as to the canonicall scriptures but in the scriptures beléeue without feare whatsoeuer thou shalt finde therein which thou didst not beleue before But in my wrytings doe not firmely beléeue that which thou wast not sure of before vnlesse thou mayst certainly vnderstand it Doe not correct my wrytings by thine owne opinion or contention but by that thou readest in holye Scripture or vnshaken reason c. Contr. Petiliani Epist Cap. 12. Agayne the same Austen sayth Nemo mihi dicat O quid dixit Donatus Aut quid dixit Parmenianus aut Pontius aut quilibet illorum Quia ne Catholicis Episcopis consentiendum est sicubi sorte falluntur vt contra canonicas scripturas aliquid sentiant Let no man say vnto me Oh what hath Donatus saide Or what hath Parmenian sayde Or Pontius Or any of those men For we maye not consent to the Catholike Byshops if they be at any time deceyued so that they holde anye thing contrarie to the canonicall Scriptures Here it is manifest that saint Austen supposed the scriptures to be the sure staffe that we should stay vpon And the consent of the Byshops or other learned men to be but a weake stay and such as no man maye trust to when it is seuered from the other contrarie to the opinion that you holde M. Watson And yet more playnely the same saint Augustine sayth in an other place Cedamus igitur consentiamus autoritati scripturae sanctae Libr. De Peccat merit Remissi Cap. 22. quae nescit falli nec fallere Let vs therfore consent to the aucthority of the holy scripture which can neither be deceiued nor deceiue Gerson also sayth thus Dicto autoris autoritate canonica munito plus quam declarationi Papae credendum est We must giue more credite to the saying of an Author Gerson against maister Watson that is confirmed with the aucthoritie of the canonicall scripture then to the declaration of the Pope himselfe And agayne he sayth In sacris litteris excellenter erudito atque autoritatem catholicam proferenti plus est credendum quam generali concilio More credite is to be giuen to a man that is excellenly learned in the holy scriptures and bringeth forth a catholike aucthoritie then to the generall counsell All this considered I thinke it better to leane to the staffe of the scripture with Austen Gerson and other auncient fathers then with you and such as you are to trust to that broken staffe that maye and often times hath deceyued such as haue stayed themselues thereon I doe reuerence the wrytings and sayings of Fathers Chrysost in Galat. 1. so doe I the consent of the Church but the worde of God aboue both and neither of both without it For as Chrysostome saith Paulus verò etiam Angelis è coelo descendentibus praeponit scripturas idque valde congruenter Siquidem Angeli quamlibit magni tamen serui sunt ac ministri Caeterū omnes scripturae non à seruis sed ab vniuersorum Domino Deo venerūt ad nos Paule doth preferre the scriptures before the Aungels that come downe from heauen and that verie orderly For although the Aungels be great yet are they seruaunts and ministers But all the scriptures are commen vnto vs from him that is Lorde and God of all creatures I allowe therefore all your thrée staues and I lyke them all well so long as they be fast tyed togither But if you doe once pluck them in sunder then I am well pleased that you take to your selfe the two latter and leaue me the first to stay vpon Now concerning this matter of the presence WATSON Diuision 13. I am able by Gods helpe to shewe all these three thinges ioyned and knit togither so that we can not be deceyued in this point except we will deceaue our selues as many wilfully doe The scripture by playne and manifest words against the which hell gates shall neuer preuayle doth testifie and confirme our fayth in many places but specially in the wordes of our sauiour Christ himselfe in his last supper saying to his Disciples Math. 26. Take eate this is my bodye which is giuen for you This is my bloud of the newe Testament which is shed for many and for you in remission of sinnes which most plaine scriptures many haue gone about to delude to reduce them to a base vnderstanding by figuratiue speeches contending these words This is my body This is my bloud to be spoken figuratiuely and not as the words purport bicause other like sayinges in the scripture be taken figuratiuely as these I am the waye I am the dore The stone is Christ and such other wherein they haue declared their deuilishe and detestable sophistrie to their owne damnation and the subuersion of a great many other They professe themselues to be learned men but who heard euer tell of any such kinde of learning as to prooue one singuler by an other as if one should reason thus Thomas is an honest man ergo Iohn is an honest man The Swan is whyte ergo the Crow is white Which arguments be like this I am the waye is a figuratiue speeche ergo likewise This is my body is a figuratiue speech With such fond folies sophismes is the truth assaulted against all good learning and the rules of all true reasoning God open their eyes to see and followe his heauenly wisedome CROWLEY For the matter of the presence of Christ in the sacrament you haue manifest Scripture as you saye thys is my body this is my bloud c. Which Scriptures some haue gone about to delude with fonde follies and sophismes such as it pleaseth your selfe to frame I am sure you did neuer reade in any of their writings that you speake of any argument so framed as you haue set forth in your Sermon We doe know that one méere particuler cannot be proued by another And therfore we vse not to conclude as you would make your Auditorie beléeue that we doe
Priests onely Make thée no grauen Image sayth he yes say you we will haue our Churches full c. Wherefore if God haue disceyued you it is not bicause you haue beléeued his worde but bicause you haue loued lyes more then truth and therefore God hath iustly giuen you ouer In efficaciam erroris euen to the force and strength of error 2. Thess 2. as saint Paule wryteth And so is your error a iust punishment for the credite that you gaue vnto lyes And although God neyther doth nor can disceyue any man in such sort as you doe meane yet he sayth that in such meaning as I haue written Ezech. 14. he doth disceyue such as you are for the wickednesse of such people as you haue instructed Thus hauing spoken something of the scriptures WATSON Diuision 29 as this short time would permit there remayneth also the second thing which I sayde moued mee to continue in thys fayth which is the authorities of auncient fathers that haue flourished in the preaching of Gods truth in all ages with authorities I thinke verily in no age haue bene so curiously sought so diligent founde out and so substantially wayed as in this our time And all this is bicause the oppugnation of the truth in this matter hath extend it selfe not onely to the scriptures but also to the doctors to euery particle and title of the doctors whose wrytings haue bene so scanned tried that if any thing could haue bene gathered piked out of their books eyther by liberal writing before this mistery came in contention or by misconstruction of their words or by deprauatiō of their meaning that could seme to make against our fayth herein it was not omitted of some but stoutly alledged amplified inforced and set forth to the vttermost that their wittes coulde conceaue which if God hath not infatuat leauing them to speake so as neyther fayth nor reason could allow lyke as they haue with their vanities seduced a great sort the more pittie so they should haue vndermined and subuerted the fayth of a great many mo that were doubting and falling but not cleane ouerthrowne thankes be to almightie God Of these authorities although with a little studie and lesse labour I could at this time alledge a great number yet cōsidering the shortnesse of the time which is almost spent I shall be content to picke out a fewe which doe not onely declare the minde of the author but also conteyne an argument to proue and conuince the truth of our fayth and such an argument as neyther figuratiue speeche nor deprauation of the wordes or meaning can delude And first I shall begin with the weakest that is with the suspition of the Gentils Tertullian in his Apologie teacheth howe the Gentiles did accuse the Christen men for kylling of yong children ertul. apol Capit. 7. and eating of their fleshe he sayth thus Dicimur sceleratissimi de Sacramento infanticidij pabulo inde We are reported and accused as most mischeuous and wicked men for the sacrament of kylling of children and eating their fleshe and drincking their bloud Historia Ecclesiast lib. 5. Capit. 3. Eusebius also in this historie of the Church wryteth of one Attalus a martyr who being roasted in an yron Cradell with fyre put vnderneath when the sauour of his burnt fleshe came to the smelling of the people that looked on he cryed with a lowde voyce to the people Lo this is to eate men which you doe which fault ye make inquisition of as secretly done of vs which you commit openly in the mid daye By this accusation we may vnderstand that our sacramentes and misteries in the beginning of the Church were kept very secret both from the sight and knowledge of the Paganes that mocked and scorned them and also of those that were Catechumini learners of our fayth and not yet baptized for many great causes which I shall not neede to rehearse nowe And yet for all the secret keping of them being so many Christen men and women as there was they could not be kept so secret but that some ynkeling of them came to the eares of those that were Infidels and vnchristened insomuch that where as in deede and verie truth by the rules of our religion we did eate the fleshe of Iesus Christ our Lorde and drinke hys bloud ministred vnto vs in the sacrament the Gentiles as they were curious to know new things so they came to knowledge of the rumour of our doings eyther by the bewraying of some false brethrē or else by the simplicity of other that of zeale without knowledge would haue conuerted the vnfaythfull to our fayth heard secretly that wee christen men in our misteries did eate mans flesh and drinke mans bloud which they for lack of faith and further instruction began to compasse in their wittes how it was possible so to doe and therefore some of them blinded by their owne foolishe suspicion conceaued and published amongst other as it was most likely vnto them that we in our secret misterie did kill yong children eating their flesh and drinking their bloud and therevpon accused certayne before the Magistrates of thys heynous crime which they coulde neuer trie out to be true as they did accuse But for our purpose it appeareth plainly that we would neuer haue kept our misteries so secret if they had beene but ceremonies of eating of bread wine nor they would neuer haue accused vs of such beastly and vnnatural crimes being men of such reason learning and equity as they were if there had not bene some truth in their accusation which in deede was true for the substaunce of that they alledged but not for the maner of the thing for it was and is true that we in our misteries eate fleshe and drinke bloud but yet we doe not kill and murder yong children and eate their flesh and drinke their bloud And therfore I alledge the sayings of Tertullian and Eusebius the which is also in Origen the sixt booke contra Celsum to declare the accusation of the Gentils against vs concerning the eating of fleshe and drinking of bloud which could neuer haue commed into their heads so to haue done if there had not bene a truth in that matter which they by their reason could neuer see otherwise then they alleged which we by our faith do plainly see and know as it was ordeined by Christ our Lord. And for that cause Tertullian did cast in a vaine worde saying that we were accused of the sacrament of kylling of children which worde Sacrament standeth there for no purpose but to declare vnto vs that this their accusation did rise for lack of the true and precise knowledge of our Sacrament which is true concerning the eating of fleshe and drinking of bloud but not true concerning the kylling and murdering of children CROWLEY After you haue something spoken of the scriptures how much to the purpose let the readers
sacrifices were proper to the olde lawe so there must of necessitie be one sacrifice proper to the newe testament seing there is but one God c. I haue sufficiently aunswered in mine aunswere to the tenth deuision of your former Sermon where you haue touched it as you say here And when you say that to the vnperfect lawe there succéedeth a perfect lawe c. it séemeth that you haue forgotten that which you sayde before in the .xx. Watson forgetteth hys last sayings deuision of this Sermon where you affirme that the sacraments of the olde lawe did conferre grace Ex opere operando by the worke that was then to be wrought and nowe you say that they were but figuratiue and not effectuall working sacraments and therfore such must succéede them When you shall proue that Moses his lawe and the sacraments thereof be an vnperfect lawe and vnperfect sacraments then will I allowe your similitude But so long as you shall not be able to proue any imperfection in eyther of them I wil reiect your similitude as foolishe and vayne Galath 3. I knowe that the lawe could bring nothing to perfection because it was not ordeyned to that ende to bring things to perfection Rom. 10. Christ is the perfection of the lawe but as saint Paule wryteth to leade vnto Christ And Christ is the perfection and end of the law That is to say Christ maketh those perfect whome the lawe with the sacraments and ceremonies thereof doe bring vnto him And so that sacrifice that Christ offered once for all is the ende and perfection of all the sacrifices of the olde lawe which is no more all one in substaunce with the sacrifices of the olde lawe that you speake of then the shadowe of any bodye is one in substaunce with the body it selfe Law sacrifice priesthood c. be relatiues and as saint Paule sayth when the priesthood is translated the lawe must also be translated But what maketh this to your purpose to proue that there must néedes be in the new lawe such a sacrifice priesthood and altar as you imagine Is it not sufficient that we haue such a sacrifice Rom. 12. 1. Peter 2. Apoc. 6. priesthood and altar as Paule Peter and Iohn speak of Must we néedes haue such a priesthood sacrifice and altar as the Popes Antichristian Church hath deuised and maintaineth You must proue it more substantially before any that is eyther learned in the scriptures or godly wise will beleue you A perfect and contynuall lawe requireth a perfect and continuall sacrifice as you say and shall not that reasonable seruing of God that saint Paule speaketh of in the place that you haue taken for your theme be as perfect and contynuing a sacrifice Rom. 12. Rom. 3. as the lawe of fayth is a perfect and contynuall lawe I thinke there is none that vnderstandeth what christian religion is but the same will consent to that which I haue saide hereof For this cause say you our sauiour Christ did in his last supper institute c. you tell vs here of two seuerall vses of the sacrament of Christs body and bloud One is that it should be receyued of vs. c. This you confirme with a note in the mergine 1. Cor. 11. It is true that Paule teacheth that doctrine there Paules doctrine not so grosse as Watsons euen as he himselfe had learned of the Lorde but not in such grosse maner as you doe teach in these two fine Sermons He teacheth there that our sauiour christ did ordain that this holy sacrament should be receiued of christians in the remembrance of his death passion that being so receiued of vs it is a foode that doth nourish vs in spiritual life Otherwise it is a cōdēnation to the receiuers As for the other vse which you say is to be offered in remembraunce of Christes passion you go about to proue by doe this in my remembrance And then very well you say that you haue but simply declared it without euident proofe It had bene good that you had delt simply not so subtilly as to cite the words of Christ in such sort that it might séeme Watson dealeth not simplie that he had giuen commaundement that the sacrament of his body should be offered in sacrifice where as it is manifest by the circumstaunce of the place that he commaunded the sacrament to be receiued in the remembraunce of his death and passion But your onely assertion without proofe is sufficient to perswade an obedient Catholike c. Watsons obedient Catholikes You accompt for obedient Catholikes such onely as will captiuate all their senses and beléeue all that you say and doe to be good and godly and folow you whether soeuer you leade them though they sée plainely that you go before them into the bottomlesse pit of hell Wel let vs sée nowe how you can conuince by arguments those that will not obediently say white is black light darkenesse and good euill for such you call heretikes that denie the Church and impugne the doctrine and determination of the same WATSON Diuision 22 But to our purpose that the oblation of Christes body and bloud in the Masse is the sacrifice of the Church and proper to the new testament I shall proue it you by the best arguments that we haue in our schole of diuinity that is to say first by the institution of our sauiour Christ then by the prophecy of Malachy the prophet thirdly by the figure of Melchisedech in the olde law and this shall I doe not expounding the scriptures after mine owne head but as they haue bene taken from the beginning of the most auncient and Catholike fathers in all ages 1. Cor. 11. This sacrifice was instituted by the commaundement of Christ saying to his Apostles do this in my remembrance Our new men laugh at vs where we say that this commaundement of Christ doth proue the oblation of the sacrament But we pittie them that set so light by that they are bounden to beleue and can not disprooue seeming euidently not to regarde and way the fact of Christ and their obedience to his commaundement When Christ sayde doe this by this worde this must needes be vnderstanded all that he did concerning the institution of this sacrament Let vs now see what Christ did First he did cōsecrate his precious body bloud by blessing the bread saying this is my body this is my bloud for if this consecration be not comprehended vnder this worde Hoc this then haue we no commaundement nor authoritie to consecrate this sacrament so should we be vsurpers to doe that thing we haue no warrant to shewe for vs in holy scripture But without doubt this is so plaine that we nede say no more of it except we should vtterly denie this sacrament and the whole ministration of it which I think no man doth Secondarily Christ did offer that he did consecrate which appeareth
secret bringing in of a greater hope which is giuen vs hath set vs in this hope But this sacrifice doth note vnto vs that hope which is called the greater hope whereby we do alwaies approch to serue God And why is this Ramme nowe named the second Ramme Forsooth bicause the Lorde supping with his Apostles did first offer the figuratiue Lambe and afterwarde he did offer his owne sacrifice and did secondarily kill himselfe euen as a shéepe which thing the wordes that followe doe declare And Aaron and his sonnes did put their hands vpon the head of that Ramme Which when Moses had offered the sonnes of Aaron did of necessity set their hands vpon the head of the Ramme with Aaron bicause Christ did celebrate a common supper of the feast of Easter with his Disciples c. Now let the reader consider how faithfully you handle this place of Isychius He expounding the eyght Chapter of Leuiticus What is ment by the second Ram. doth when he commeth to those words Obtulit Arietem secundum c. declare that that second Ramme did signifie our Sauiour Christ Who after he had with his disciples celebrated a common supper of the solemnization of the passouer eating with them the figuratiue Lambe did as it were kyll and offer vp himselfe vpon the crosse bicause he gaue himselfe into the handes of his enimies that fastined him to the crosse which Isychius calleth our sauiour Christes owne sacrifice And you M. Watson will néedes haue vs thinke that our Sauiour did after the offering and eating of the passouer offer his owne sacrifice in bread and wine and afterward offer himselfe on the crosse and that Isychius meaneth so to teach in the words that you cite And to cause the words the better to séeme to serue for your purpose you doe in the place of the Aduerbe Secundo vse Deinde which all wise and learned men doe know to be but homely dealing But that Isychius was not of your minde concerning the sacrifice of the Church the reader may well sée Isychius li. 1. Capit. 1. by that which he wryteth in his first booke and first Chapter His wordes be these Quia sacrificia Deus à nobis pro nostra salute vult non ipse ea opus habens satis nos Paulus commonefacit Ait enim Obsècro itaque vos fratres per misericor diam Dei vt exhibeatis corpora vestra hostiam viuam sanctam Deo placentem racionabile obsequium vestrum Ergo placens sacrificium Deo corporum nostrorum mortificatio est simul enim in eo lucramur quod à peccato abstineamus quod virtutes acquirimus Paule doth sufficiently certifie vs that God hauing no néede thereof will haue sacrifices of vs for the health we haue receyued For he sayth I beseech you therefore brethren euen by the mercie of God that you would giue your bodyes a sacrifice quick holy and acceptable to God which is your reasonable seruing of God The mortification of our bodies therefore is the sacrifice that pleaseth God For we doe therein both winne that we may abstaine from sinne and also that we obtaine vertues By these wordes it is most manifest Isychius doth not agree with Watson that Isychius vnderstood not that place that you haue taken for your theme as you do shewe your selfe to vnderstand it And that therefore he was not of such minde in the other place that you cite out of him for your purpose as you would faine haue men thinke that he was He knewe no mo sacrifices of Christ but one which was offered on the Crosse once for al wherof the Passouer lambe was a figure and our sacrament is a remembraunce And the mortification of our bodies is the sacrifice of thankesgiuing that God doth continually require at our handes As for your Damascenus although Iohn Tritemius Tritem de Eccles scrip Damasc li. 4. Capit. 14. would faine haue him séeme more auncient yet Iohn Patriarcha Hierosolomitanus writing his life sayth that he liued in the dayes of Leo Isaurius which was .720 yeares after Christ His authoritie therefore can not be so waightie that it might enforce vs to graunt that all that he writeth is true though he dissent both from the writinges of other more auncient fathers and scriptures also As in that Chapter out of which you cite his wordes and in many other places of his writings he doth most manifestly But let vs sée howe honestly you applie his wordes that you cite Marke say you that he saith he offered himselfe in the night c. I would gladly be short in these your vnhansome handlings of that which you cite for your purpose but I can not suffer the Reader to lacke those wordes that do giue light to that which you do so subtilly cite Damascenus sayth thus Cibus vero ipse panis vitae Dominus noster Iesus Christus qui ex Coelo discendit Nam suscepturus voluntariam pro nobis mortem in nocte in qua seipsum obtulit testamentum nouum disposuit sanctis Discipulis Apostolis per ipsos omnibus alijs in seipsum credentibus c. Certes that foode which is the bread of life is our Lorde Iesus Christ which came downe from heauen For when he would for our sakes take vpon him a voluntarie death He did in the night wherein he offered himselfe dispose to his holy Disciples and Apostles and by them to all other that beleue in him a newe testament Watsons fallace opened He offered himselfe in the night say you but the oblation on the Crosse was in the mid day Ergo they be distinct oblations All that doe vnderstand what Logicke meaneth do know wherin the fallace of this Argument is he offered himselfe to death and he offered himselfe in death Howe the first can be called a sacrifice I would gladly learne otherwise then the obedience of a Christen man to do the will of God may be called a sacrifice But that will not serue your purpose here For you must haue thys first offering to be a Massing sacrifice propiciatorie both for the quicke and the deade Whether Damascenus can iustly be taken to meane so here I referre to the iudgement of the indifferent Reader But this I must tell you that in the same place he fighteth agaynst your opinion of Datur it is giuen for he sayth Frangetur it shall be broken Wherby it is manifest that he meaneth there of the sacrifice that was made on the Crosse and not of a sacrifice then presently offred as you would haue vs think that he ment Theophilact in Mat. 28. Theophilactus a writer of like antiquitie and integritie of iudgement with Damascenus hath sayd say you Tunc immolauit c. The Reader shall sée the wordes that go before and then let him iudge howe these serue your purpose He sayth thus Possum tibi aliam causam dicere quomodo tres dies tres noctes
Melchisedech brought forth bread and wine to refreshe Abraham and his seruauntes in their returne from the slaughter of the kinges Yea and for this matter that you make so light of he citeth the Hebrue text translating the Hebrue verbe Hotzi Protulit not obtulit thereby making his iudgement of that place manifest If you can proue that Hierome or any other wryter haue in this place vsed obtulit in any other sense then protulit is here vsed in the plaine text I must be bolde to vse Hieroms owne wordes against himselfe and the rest In his Commentarie vpon Math he sayth Hoc quia de scripturis non habet authoritatem In Math. 23. eadem facilitate contemnitur qua probatur Because this thing hath none authoritie of the scripture it is as easily contemned as alowed And in his Apologie of his bookes against Iouinian he sayeth Apolog. lib. aduers Ioui Commentatoris officium est non quid ipse velit sed quid sentiat ille quem interpretatur exponere Alioqui si contraria dixerit non tam interpres erit quam aduersarius eius quem nititur explanare Certe vbicunque scripturas non interpretor libere de meo sensu loquor The dutie of a good interpreter arguat me cui libet durum quid dixisse contra nuptias It is the duetie of one that doth comment vpon the wrytings of other to expound not what he himselfe lusteth but what the meaning of him is whome he doth enterpret Otherwise if he shall say contrarie he shall rather be an aduersarie then an interpretour of him whome he would explane Truely whensoeuer I doe not interpret the scriptures but doe fréely vtter mine owne meaning let him that lusteth reprehend me as one that hath vttred some hard saying against mariage Yet one other place you cite out of Hierome Hiero. quest in Genesim to vnderprop your Popishe priesthood withall Mysterium nostrum c. By thys worde order he did signifie c. If you had bene disposed to deale plainely you would haue ioyned the former part of the Oration with the latter and not haue picked out the latter to serue your purpose leauing out the first Melchisedechs blessing declared Saint Hierome sayth that the Apostle saint Paule in his Epistle to the Hebrues making mention of Melchisedechs being without father and mother doth referre it vnto Christ and by Christ to the Church of the Gentiles For sayth he the glorie of euery head is referred to the members bicause one that was not circumcised did blesse Abraham that was circumcised and in Abraham he blessed Leui and by Leui he blessed Aaron of whome the priesthood did afterwarde come Whereof he would haue vs gather that the priesthood of that Church that was not circumcised did blesse the circumcised priesthood of the Synagoge And then folow the wordes that you should haue cyted Quod autem ait Tu es sacerdos in aeternum secundum ordinem Melchisedech Mysterium nostrum in verbo ordinis significatur c as you haue cyted Our mysterie is signified sayth saint Hierome but you tell not vpon what occasion he sayde so Where as the Apostle sayth sayde saint Hierome thou art a priest after the order of Melchisedech our mysterie is signified in the worde order Not by Aaron in offering vp sacrifices of vnreasonable beastes but by bread and wine that was offered that is the bodye and bloud of the Lorde Iesus Thus farre saint Hierome You must néedes graunt that our mysterie is our coupling togither into members of one body in Christ wherof saint Paule speaketh to the Ephesians When he sayth Mysterium hoc magnum est Ephes 5. ego autem dico in Christo Ecclesia This mysterie is great sayth Saint Paule but I speake it of Christ and the congregation Of the same speaketh saint Austen in his Sermon Ad Infantes Where he sayth thus Vos estis corpus Christi membra Si ergo vos estis corpus Christi membra mysterium vestrum in mensa Domini positum est Citatur à Beda in collect mysterium Domini accipitis Ad id quod estis amen respondetis c. You are the body and members of Christ If you therefore be the body and members of Christ your mysterie is set vpon the Lordes table you receyue the Lordes mysterie To the thing that you your selues are you aunswere Amen And in aunswering you doe subscribe This mysterie was not signified by Aarons sacrifices sayth saint Hierome but by the bread and wine that Melchisedech brought forth to refreshe Abraham and his Souldiours withall 1. Cor. 10. August in Ioh. Tract 26. Which bread and wine was the body and bloud of the Lord Iesus euen as the Manna that fell from heauen and the water that issued out of the rock were the same Your application of this place of Hierome might well haue bene spared therfore if you had dealt plainly with your auditory For it is now manifest to the reader that saint Hierome ment nothing lesse then to teache that Christ offered himselfe once at two times and after two orders The order of Melchisedech declared but he buyldeth vpon saint Paules wordes who sayth that Christ was not a priest to offer after Aarons order but after the order of Melchisedech an eternall and euerlasting sacrifice Now must Austen help you to patch out this matter August in Psal 33. De Ciuit. Dei li. 17. cap. 20. Vpon the tytle of .33 Psalme he sayth thus Coram Regno Patris sui c. And vpon this sentence of Ecclesiastes Non est bonum homini c he sayth thus Quid credibilius dicere c. If saint Austen should in these two places teach as in your application you doe beare your Auditorie in hande that he doth teache Watson would haue Austen teach false doctrine then were his doctrine most false and contrarie to the Euangelicall hystorie For where as the Gospell sayth that Christ did institute the sacrament of his body and bloud the night before he suffered saint Austen must say if you apply his words aright that he did first suffer and then institute the sacrament of his body and bloud afterward But I will not for your pleasure conceyue such an opinion of Austen for I know he was farre from that shamefull errour and open falshood He taught truely that in the time of the olde lawe among the people of the Iewes Christ was a sacrifice after the order of Aaron for by euery bloudy sacrifice was the death of Christ plainely set forth to as many as had eyes to looke and se thorow the shadow of the law But after al those sacrifices that were offered in the shadow of a thing to come he prepared a sacrifice after the order of Melchisedech that is euerlasting and that of his owne body and bloud which is the foode that féedeth into euerlasting lyfe And that this is saint Austens meaning is
not offer him really and corporally and so set you against your selfe For you haue sayd oftentimes in these your two sermons that you receiue and offer christ in your Masse really corporally and naturally But you wil vnderstand by mystically as you doe by sacramentally and saye that mystically is verily and really For you haue learned of Gracians glose to say Statuimus id est Abrogamus We decrée Distinction Mysticall can not be reall c. that is we do abrogate you may giue to wordes what signification you lust But such as be learned in the tongues doe knowe that mysticall can not signifie reall naturall and corporall A number of things you say are done in your Masse That is to say Christ is by his omnipotent power presented to you and of you to his and your father His passion is renewed and the remission that was purchased and deserued thereby humbly prayed for to God that the same may be applyed vnto you by Christ c. Because all this is but your bare assertion without proofe either by authoritie or reason It shall suffice that I aunswere as saint Hierome doth in like case Hiero. in Mat. 23. Hoc quia de scripturis c Because this thing hath none authoritie of the scripture it is as easily contemned as allowed But here I must tell you that in one point you discent from many of your sort which say that the massing priest doth by his masse apply the passion of Christ to them that he sayth Masse for And you do but ioyne it with your fayth and deuotion in making humble prayer to God that it would please him to applye to you the remission that Christ hath deserued by his passion 1. Peter 2. To proue the third way that men offer Christ which is say you by the meditation of the minde c. You alledge the saying of Peter Sacerdotium Sanctum c. How well these wordes of Peter do serue to proue your offering of Christ onely by meditation of minde shal easily appeare to such as will reade the rest of that Chapter Spirituall sacrifices They shall finde that the spirituall sacrifices that Peter speaketh of there are a godly and honest lyfe full of good workes and not such idle meditations as you ymagine Now séeing that you haue deuided the offering vp of Christ into so many members and haue proued but one shall it not be a good argument to inculcate one reiect the rest This is the peculiar maner of the Papists the professed enimies of Christ euen as they doe in teaching the reall and corporall eating of Christes bodie in the sacrament so in this matter of the sacrificeing and offering of Christ to imagine a multitude of members where in déede there is but one And by such subtile shiftes they do seduce the vnlearned But when they be espyed and detected they appeare as these of yours do euen as they be deuilish and pernicious Sophistrie WATSON Furthermore if any man as yet doth stand in doubt whether men lawfully offer Christ to the father or no Diuision 28 let him call to remembraunce what I haue sayde before out of Dionisius Areopagita Dionisius Areopa speculat cap. 3. where the Bishop as he sayth doth excuse himselfe that he offereth the host of our saluation alledging that Christ did so commaund to be done saying do this in my remembrance Let him also remember the saying of the counsell at Nece Concilium Nicenum That the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the worlde is offered of the Priestes not after a bloudy maner Saint Augustine sayth Per hoc sacrificium in sorma serui sacerdos est ipse offerens ipse oblatio cuius rei sacramentum August de ciuit libro 10. Capit. 20. quotidianum esse voluit ecclesiae sacrificium cum ipsius corporis ipse sic caput ipsius capitis ipsa sit corpus tam ipsa per ipsum quam ipse per ipsam suetus offerri By this sacrifice in the forme of a seruaunt Christ is a priest being himselfe both the offerer and the oblation of which oblation hee woulde the daylye sacrifice of the Church should be a sacrament and seeyng he is the heade of that body and the Church is the body of that head aswell the Church by Christ as Christ by the Church is accustomed to be offered A notable place resoluing diuerse doubtes declaring that the dayly sacrifice of the Church which is the Masse is a sacrament of Christes passion representing the same and further that Christ offering himselfe vpon the Crosse did also in himselfe offer his misticall bodie the Church and thirdly that the church Christs body doth not only once or twise but is accustomed to offer Christ hir head to God in hir dayly sacrifice Heare yet a place of Saint Augustine as plaine as this Heberi in victimis pecorum prophetiam celebrabant futurae victimae quam Christus obtulit vnde iam Christiani peracti eiusdem sacrificij August contra Faustum lib. 20. cap. 18. memoriam celebrant sacro sancta oblatione perticipatione corporis sanguinis Christi The Iewes in their sacrifices of beastes did celebrate the prophecie of the sacrifice to come which Christ offred The Christen men nowe doe celebrate the memorie of the same sacrifice of Christ that is past by the most holy oblation and perticipation of Christes body and bloud Marke howe that he sayeth christen men celebrate the memory of Christes passion wherewithall euen by the offeryng of the same body that suffered passion I nede saye no more for this poynt that men doe and did vse from the beginning to offer Christ to the father CROWLEY August de Ciuitate Dei Lib. 10 cap. 20. The wordes that you cite out of Dionisius and the Councell at Nice are sufficiently answered in the places where you alledged them Concerning the place that you cite out of Austen you know how much those bookes De Ciuitate Dei haue bene corrupted and what great trauaile and paynes Lodouicus Viues tooke in conferring of diuers copies that thereby he might as much as it was possible set forth the worke of Austen in such sort as he wrote it Vpon these wordes Cum ipsius corporis ipse sit caput he noteth that in the bookes that he found in Colene and Bruges it is written thus Quae cum ipsius capitis corpus sit se ipsam per ipsum dicit offerre Which Church being the bodie of that head sayth that she doth through him offer vp hir selfe And in another Copie also he found it euen so sauing that in the place of dicit it was written discit so that the sentence is thus Which Church being the body of that head Watson will folow the most vnlikely doth learne by him to offer vp hir selfe Whatsoeuer you thinke of this diuersitie of readings I thinke that all the learned and wise that be trauayled in
te in conspectu Domini video c. As often as I doe sée thée sighing in the sight of the Lorde I doe not doubt but the holy ghost doth breath vpon thée And when I doe behold thée wéeping then I doe perceyue him pardoning thy sinnes If thou doe defile the temple of the holy ghost if thou defile and make filthy Gods sanctuarie that is within thée if thou doe communicate of the cup of Deuilles with the cup of Christ it is a contumely and not a religion an iniurie not a deuotion It is Idole seruice and horible abhomination to be wylling to serue Baall and Christ togither Stand back with thine Idole chapels thou that gapest after gaines and folowest rewards c. I referre it to the iudgement of all indifferent readers whether these wordes may maintayne your Popishe Masse or not Is not your Masse such a money matter that it is growne into a Prouerb No penie no Pater noster Such places doe you pick to maintaine your Masse But in Chrysostome you haue found other maner places In his third Homily vpon the Acts you say he hath these words In illa hora. c. In the houre c. In that hole Homily is not one word that maye be wrested to that sense but thus I finde it written there Chrisost in Act. hom 3. Non arbitror inter sacerdotes multos esse qui saluifiant sed multò plures qui pereant I doe not suppose that there be many among the priestes that can be saued but verie many moe that must perish And least any man should thinke that he had spoken these words rashely he sayth before Non temerè dico sed vt affectus sum ac sentio I speake not this rashely but euen as I am affected and doe thinke Mo priestes damned than saued It should séeme by these wordes that Chrysostome did not thinke that prayers made at the Masse time should be so effectuall as you boast of For if they were moe priests should be saued then perishe For who should so soone be partakers of those prayers as they that make them But in the .21 Homily vpon that booke Chrysost in Act. hom 21. you finde other maner wordes For there he sayeth In manibus est hostia adsunt Angeli c. The host of our sacrifice is in the priestes handes the Aungels be present c. And peraduenture the wordes that you sayde are in the thirde Homily doe folow in this place For he sayth thus Quid putas pro martyribus offerri quod vocantur in illa hora licet martyres sint Etiam pro martyribus magnus honor nominari Domino praesente dum mors illa perficitur horrendum sacrificium ineffabilia sacramenta Nam quasi sedente Rege quaecunque voluerit perficit vt autem surrexerit quaecunque dicit frustra dicit ita tunc quandiu posita fuerint mysteria omnibus honor maximus in memoria haberi What doest thou thinke is offered for the Martyrs in that they are named in that houre notwithstanding they be Martyrs Yea it is a great honor for the Martyrs to be named in the presence of the Lorde whiles that death and the horrible sacrifice and the vnspeakable sacraments are performed For euen as when the king sitteth in iudgement he finisheth whatsoeuer matters he lusteth but so soone as he is risen whatsoeuer he sayth is in vayne euen so is it then also so long as the mysteries shall be set forth it is the greatest honor to euery man to be had in memorie If these were the words that you ment of before Shamefull chaunging of wordes then haue you shamefully chaunged some of them For where find you Quaecunque volueris perficies Whatsoeuer thou wilt thou shalt bring to passe The words would not otherwise serue your purpose so wel and therfore you must haue liberty to chaunge the third person into the second leaue out the rest that should declare the wryters meaning But what néede I to trouble the reader with any moe words about the meaning of thys wryter seing Erasmus the translatour doth in his short Epistle set before the translation giue all wise men to vnderstande that the worke was neuer of Chrysostomes wrytings but of some one that lyke an Ape went about to counterfait Chrysostomes doings To the place that you cite out of the thirde Homily vpon the Epistle to the Philippians Hiero in Math. 23. I must aunswere with Hierome Hoc quia de scripturis c. Because this hath none authoritie of the scriptures it is as easily reiected as allowed And the rather to be reiected because that in all Chrysostomes workes where he had by the text greater occasion to vtter such doctrine there is none such founde But in this and certaine other places where he had none or verie small occasion to speake any thing of the state of the dead he playeth or some other in his name the Purgatorie Proctor euen as though he had bene a Purgatory Chaplayne or soule Masse priest Chrisost de incomprehens Dei natura homil 3. Fourthly Chrysostome hath sayde Vt homines ramos olearum gerentes c. Like as men bearing branches of Oliue trées c. He séemeth to haue marked but a little the maner of Chrysostomes teaching that vnderstandeth his wordes in this place as you séeme to doe He findeth great fault with his Auditorie because they vsed to depart out of the Church immediatly after his sermons were ended and did not tarie to be partakers of the holy communion of the body and bloud of Christ and the common prayers that were made in the ministration therof And as his maner was he laboureth to moue their affections and to that ende he vseth those maner of spéeches that you alledge But what maketh this for your Masse Wherein such as be present are not partakers of the mysteries nor yet doe vnderstande the wordes much lesse the sentences of the prayers that are made This place may serue verye well to proue that the prayer that is made by the Minister and the hole congregation in the time of the ministration of the holy communion is most effectuall and euen as much as if all the Aungels in heauen did as Chrysostome would haue his hearers imagine that they doe As for that which you alledge out of the twentie sixt Homily vpon Mathew Chrysost in Mat ho. 26. could haue no colour of proouing your purpose were it not that you helpe it a little in Englishing the Latine of that which foloweth those wordes that you cite in Latine Bearing your hearers and readers in hand that Chrysostome hath said that Christ euen by the very nature of the sacrifice which is his bodie doth stirre vs vp to continuall giuing of thanks where as Chrysostome maketh no mention at all of Christes bodie in that place The sacrament of christes body and bloud called our table but of a kinde of sacrifice
diuision of this sermon And for aunswere to that which you alledge out of saint Austens Confessions Libro Con. 9. Capit. 12. I referre you to that which I haue written for aunswere to the .9 diuision of your former sermon also De Cura pro mortuis cap. 1. In Iob. Tract 84. Euchirid Cap. 109. To the other thrée places that you alledge out of Austen I must aunswere thus It appeareth by these thrée and certaine other places of saint Austens workes that he supposed that praiers made and almose déedes done for such as departed this lyfe in the fayth of Christ and felowship of the members of his body might be propitiatorie for them in such sort as you haue sayde that your Masse is when it is taken for the worke of the priest And that the reason that perswaded him so to thinke was the custome of the Church in his dayes which was to make mention of the dead in their prayers when according to Christes institution they did celebrate the holye Communion of the bodie and bloud of Christ But shall this be a sufficient warrant for vs to thinke and to teache that the Masse which as it is vsed in the Popes church is but an heape of dumble ceremonies is a sacrifice propiciatorie for the sinnes both of the quicke and the dead The same Austen willeth vs not to stand vpon his warrandice but to be sure that we haue the scripture for our discharge For he knewe himselfe to be a man and that as a man he might erre In his thirde booke De trinitate In Prooemio li. 3. de Trinit he sayth thus Noli meis litteris quasi scripturis canonicis enseruire sed in illis quod non credebas cum inueneris incunctanter crede in istis autem quod certum non habebas nisi certum intellexeris noli firmiter retenere Be not bound to my wrytings as to the Canonicall scriptures but when thou shalt finde in them that which thou diddest not beleue before beleue it without any staying or staggering but when thou shalt finde that in my wrytings that thou didst not surely know before do not firmely holde it vnlesse thou mayst vnderstand it Againe in one of those bookes that you alledge he sayth Euchiridio Capit. 4. Quae autem nec corporeo sensu experti sumus nec mente assequi valuimus aut valemus eis sine vlla dubitatione credenda sunt testibus à quibus ea quae diuina vocari iam meruit scriptura confecta est But those thinges which we neither haue proued by bodily sense nor haue béene or are able to attaine vnto by reason must without any doubting be beleued for those witnesses of whom that scripture that is nowe worthily called diuine was perfectly made And in another place he sayth De Peccatorum merit li. 1. Capit. 22. Cedamus igitur consentiamus authoritati scripturae sanctae quae nescit falli nec fallere Let vs therefore giue place and consent to the authoritie of the holy scripture which neyther can be disceyued nor disceyue Ambrose also hath sayd Nos noua omnia quae Christus non docuit iure damnamus quia fidelibus via Christus est Ambros de Virginibus Si igitur Christus non docuit quod docemus etiam nos id detestabile iudicamus We doe worthily condemne al new things which christ hath not taught for to the faythfull Christ is the way If Christ therefore haue not taught that which we teach euen we our selues doe iudge it detestable These sentences and such like whereof there be many in the auncient fathers wrytings do cause me not to consent to that which Austen wryteth in those places that you alledge and certaine other of his workes Although the same be nothing to proue that which you would proue by his authoritie He maketh the oblation whereof he speaketh there of no greater worthinesse then the almose that is giuen to the poore and the prayers made for the dead wherefore he can not meane there of such a sacrifice as you make your Masse when you say it is Christ himselfe There is great oddes betwéene Christ himselfe offering himselfe to his father and a loafe of bread giuen to an hungrie man It is manifest therefore that he vnderstandeth that oblation that he speaketh of to be but a meane to mooue God to applie the merites of his sonne to such as whiles they liued here did by repentaunce and fayth make themselues méete to be partakers of mercie For so he teacheth in plaine wordes in the same place that you cite saying Sed eis haec prosunt que cum viuerent vt haec sibi postea prodessè possent meruerunt But these things are profitable to such persons as whilst they liued here deserued that these things might afterward be profitable to them Yea if all be Austens that goeth in his name there is no propiciation to be had for capitall sinnes after this life His wordes be these Sermone 41. de sanct Non capitalia sed minuta paccata purgantur Not the capitall or damnable sinnes are purged but the small sinnes Such as the Italians call Peccadulians little pretie sinnes Yea and those little sinnes sayth he if the fardell of them be great will weigh you downe and drowne you And to giue men occasion to thinke that he had no great deuotion to this doctrine of helping the soules departed he writeth thus Lucae 16. August in Psalm 48. by the occasion of the historie or parable of the rich man and Lazarus Ventri suo seruiunt homines non spiritibus suorum Ad spiritus mortuorum suorum non peruenit nisi quod secum viui fecerunt Men sayth he meaning such as offer sacrifice for the deade doe not serue the spirites of their friends but their owne bellies To the spirites of their friends departed there commeth nothing more then that which they did whilst they liued here with them Here you may sée how little help you haue by saint Austens words when they be better weighed then you would weigh them whē you did vse them And when his wordes in other partes of his workes be weighed also Yea you may sée by this place of Austen that your purgatory priests which are hyred to sing for soules doe not serue the soules that they sing for but their owne bellies And therefore the cost that is bestowed that way is but cast away The scripture that neyther is deceyued nor doth deceyue hath told vs that we shall all stand before the iudgement seate of Christ 2. Cor. 5. Eccles 14. and receyue according to those works that we haue done in our owne bodies whether the same be good or badde And the scripture hath willed vs to worke righteousnesse before we depart hence for in the graue there can no foode be founde I conclude therefore that though you could spend .22 houres in rehearsing of the places that you could bring in