verie things themselues For he did not shape a sharpe aunswere to their cruelty neyther doth he by any meanes contende but he doth indeuor more then once to print in their mindes the quickning knowledge of this mysterie But after what maner he will giue his owne fleshe to be eaten he doth not declare bicause they could not vnderstande it But howe great good things they shall obtayne if they shall with faith eate it he doth oftentimes declare that by the desire of eternall lyfe they might be compelled to imbrace fayth by the meane wherof they might the more easily be taught For thus hath Esay sayde If ye will not beléeue ye shall not vnderstande It behoued therefore first to cast the rootes of fayth in the minde and afterwarde to séeke those things that man should séeke But those men did before they beléeued out of season seeke for those things For this cause therfore the Lorde did not declare how that thing might be done but he doth encourage them to séeke it by fayth In lyke maner vnto his Disciples which beléeued he gaue the péeces of bread saying take and eate this is my bodye The cup also he did in like maner beare about saying drinke ye all of this this is the Cup of my bloud which shall be shed for many for the remission of sinnes Thou séest that he opened not the maner of the mysterie to them that sought it without fayth but to such as beléeued he did expound it before they asked any question Nowe let the indifferent Reader iudge howe faythfully you haue handled the wordes of Cyrill and so he may haue the lesse cause to credite you in your large affirmation wherein you saye Watsons store is but small that all the good auncient Writers doe with one consent expound this place of Iohn as you doe Whereas when your store shall be sought there shall not one that lyued within .600 yeres after Christ be founde of your minde in thys point Wherfore we may well conclude that Christes fleshe is not in the sacrament in such sort as ye teach and that Christ ment not by those wordes that you cite out of Iohn to promise that he would giue his bodye in such sort to be eaten as ye haue affirmed that he did But that he ment to teache that he himselfe is that heauenly foode that the father giueth for the lyfe of the world The meaning of Christ in the 6. of Iohn and that he would giue them none other foode from heauen but onely that which at the time appointed he would yéelde vp for the lyfe of the worlde And that not to be eaten after a fleshly sort but after such a spirituall sort as the fathers that lyued afore he was incarnated had and did eate it Your exposition of saint Iohns wordes therefore is but a vayne and fayned glosse for that text WATSON Diuision 17 The time also is to be considered that he spake these wordes the night before hee suffered death at which time and the next day after he ended and fulfilled al figures saying on the crosse Consummatum est All figures and shadowes be ended and expired which was no time then to institute and begin new figures Is it lykely or probable that our sauiour Christ then entring into his Agony and beginning his passion accustoming commonly before to teach his Disciples in playne wordes without Parables or figuratiue speeches would then so lightly behaue himselfe as to delude his chosen and entirely beloued Disciples in calling those things his bodye that is giuen for them and his bloud that is shed for them which were neither his body nor his bloud but bare bread and wyne Or is there any religion in oure christen fayth in nicknaming thinges or calling them otherwise then they be If any man thinke himselfe able to aunswere that bycause Christ sayde he was a Vine he was a dore being neyther Vine nor dore that man seemeth to mee not substantially to way the wordes and speeches of scripture For let him consider thorowout all the scripture whersoeuer he shall finde that Christ spake any thing of himselfe by wordes of our common speeche for the God head and the properties of the Godhead be ineffable and cannot be expressed to our capacitie but by wordes and names of wordly and naturall things here among vs. He shall alwaies finde that Christ was a better and more singular thing then the worde did properly signifie that was attribute vnto him and to make this matter more playne by examples Where Christ sayde I am the waye he ment not that he was the way that leadeth to the Citie or to some other place but that he was a more excellent waye A way that leadeth to the father to heauen to euerlasting lyfe When he sayde he was the dore he ment not Iohn 10. that he was the dore of the sheepefold here in earth but a farre better dore the dore of the Church the spirituall sheepefold by the which dore whosoeuer entereth shall be saued Also calling himselfe a Vine Iohn 15. hee ment that he was the spirituall Vine whereof all christen men be braunches and better then such a Vine as groweth in the fieldes And lykewise by that he calleth himselfe the light we vnderstand that he was not the sensible light of this world but the heauenly light that neither by course is chaunged nor by shadowe is darkened So that it maye be obserued for a rule when Christ doth attribute the name of any sensible creature to himselfe euer the vnderstanding exceedeth and excelleth the worde in dignitie And if this be true in all kinde of teaching and doctrine shall we nowe in the highe mysteries and sacraments of God come from the Hall to the Kitchin from the better to the worst that where Christ sayth This is my bodye we shall vnderstande it is bread a worse thing then his body This is my bloud that is to say wine a worse thing then his bloud This be fond and false gloses neyther true nor lykely nor yet tolerable Wherfore leauing out a great many other circumstaunces that would serue verye well Math. 26. to set foorth the truth of this doctrine I shall conclude thus seing saint Mathewe sayth in plaine termes it is my body it is my bloud Saint Marke sayth it is my body Mar. 14. Luc. 22. 1. Cor. 11. Iohn 9. Saint Luke sayth it is my body Saint Paule sayth it is my bodye Saint Iohn sayth it is my fleshe shall we nowe fiftene hundreth yeare after them handle the matter so finely and waye the scripture so substantially that we shall affirme the contradictory to be the true sense saying this is not my body this is not my bloud but a figure and a signe of my bodye and bloud These euident scriptures moue me to continue still stedfast in that fayth I was borne in and not to be moued with vaine words and reasons without probabilitie
Domini participes esse mensae Demoniorum I would not sayeth saint Paule that you should be made companions of Deuilles You can not or you may not drinke the Lordes cup and the cup of the Deuils You may not be partakers of the Lords table and of the table of the Deuils By which wordes it is manifest that saint Paule did purpose to perswade the Corinthes that such as would be christians must withdrawe themselues from all Idolatrie and kéepe the religion of Christ pure and vnspotted with the mixture of any heathenish Gods seruice But you M. Watson will make vs beléeue that saint Paule meaneth to teach that our knitting togither into one body with Christ is the effect of your sacrament of the aultar For so you doe expound the words that you cite out of Paule Nonne communicatio c. That is to say say you doth it not ioyne and knit vs in the vnitie of one bodye in Christ Sauing that I doe know it to be your common custome thus to handle both the scriptures and the wrytings of the auncient fathers I would wonder that euer you could for shame make such interpretation of these wordes But nothing may be wondered at which custome hath made common Chrysost in 1. Cor. 10. But you haue Chrysostome to take your part you say who noteth vpon this place that Paule sayth not it is the participation but the communion of one bodye First I must note here that you haue done you wot not what For you haue founde out for your maisters of the newe learning that which some of your fort haue sayde could not be founde in any part of the scripture That is that the sacrament of Christs body is called a communion But let vs sée what Chrysostome hath sayde For it were not wisedome to trust you when you cite his sentence without his wordes as you doe here His wordes therefore are these Quare non dixit participatio Quia amplius quiddam significare voluit multam inter haec conuenientiam ostendere Non enim participatione tantum acceptione sed vnitate communicamus Quemadmodum enim corpus illud vnitum est Christo ita nos per hunc panem vnione coniungimur Why did he not call it a participation Bicause he was wylling to signifie a greater matter and to shew that there is great agréement betwéene these things For we doe not communicate in taking and receyuing onely but in vnitie also For euen as that body is vnited vnto Christ euen so are we by this bread ioyned togither in vnion Now let the Reader compare these words of Chrysostome with those that you haue vsed in your Sermon as though they were Chrysostomes And so shall he be able to iudge how faythfully you haue dealt therin Chrysostome sayth that Paule doth not call it a participation but a communion bicause he would by that worde signifie a greater matter then he could by the other and shewe that the things vsed in the communion doe verie much agrée with those that doe cōmunicate As though he should haue sayde it is a greater matter to communicate with Christ and christians then only to be partaker of those creatures which be vsed in communicating For such as doe communicate with Christ and christians are become members of that body wherof Christ is the head and doe receyue from Christ spirituall lyfe strength and comfort as naturall partes of a naturall body doe receyue naturall lyfe strength and comfort from their naturall head And such as doe communicate with Christians are coupled togither in the felowship of members of one body not onely with these christians that are nowe lyuing but with those that haue bene before and those that shall be after also And the creatures bread and wine doe serue verie well to signifie this communion both with Christ and christians And therefore Paule would vse the worde Communion rather then participation And that this is Chrysostomes meaning in that place is playne by the wordes that folow and I haue set downe in wryting Non enim participatione c. For we doe not communicate c. Where in the last sensence he sayth Euen as that body meaning the Church that communicateth in vnitie is vnited vnto Christ so are we that be members of that body or Church ioyned togither in vnion by the vse of this sacramentall bread And here is another thing that maketh verie well for your purpose M. Watson Chrysostome sayth Per hunc Panem By this bread The matter or substaunce that he speaketh of Chrysostome is no man for Watson doth he call bread but you and your sort will none of that Wherefore Chrysostome is no man for you But Cyrillus must helpe out with this matter Cyrillus li. 12. Capit. 32. He sayth say you that Gods sonne going into euery man as it were by deuision of himselfe yet remaineth whole c. But hauing little cause to trust your report I will cite his wordes as he wrote them He sayth thus In singulos enim partibiliter transiens vnigenitus animam atque corpus eorum per carnem suam sanctificans impartibiliter atque integrè in omnibus est cùm vnus vbique sit nullo modo diuisus For the onely begotten sonne passing into euerye one particularly and sanctifying both their soules and bodies through his owne fleshe is after an impartible maner wholy in euery one seing that he being but one is in euery place and is by no meanes deuided If there were nothing else to be gathered of the circumstaunce of this place the verie wordes are open ynough to declare the meaning of the writer to be farre other then you would haue it séeme to be For he sayth Cùm vnus vbique sit nullo modo diuisus Seing he being but one is in euery place and not deuided by any meanes By which wordes it is manifest Christes manhoode can be but in one place at once that he speaketh there of the deuine nature of our Sauiour Christ which is present in euery place and absent in none But his bodily presence neither is nor can be in many places at once as S. Austen teacheth wryting to Dardanus But besides this the words that go immediatly before doe shew that Cyrill maketh this a mistical signification of that which was done by the souldiours at the passion of Christ when they did cast lots for the coate of his that was without seame And he sayth Nam quatuor orbis partes ad salutem reductae indumentum verbi id est carnem eius impartibiliter inter se partitisunt In singulos enim c. For the foure partes of the worlde being brought to saluation did after an inpartible maner deuide among themselues the garment of the sonne of God that is his fleshe For the onely begotten sonne c. By which wordes it is playne that Cyrill meaneth of that partaking of the fleshe of Christ which is amongst the faythfull by
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
some part of the sacrament was reserued to be giuen them in such case Shall thys prooue that your Massing priestes doe communicate when they delyuer no part of the sacrament to any other but consume the whole themselues I thinke no wise man will thinke it This hystorie might well haue bene left amongst that great number of other that you say make for this purpose for it doth make more against the highest matter of all then for that which you alledge it for What opinion thinke you had that priest of the sacrament when he would delyuer it to Serapion his boy bid him dip it and giue it to the olde man Did he thinke that it was the very reall body and bloud of Christ and that there remayned in it neyther bread nor wine The Cautiles of your Masse doe not allowe such handling of your sacrifice The stuffe that you bring to builde vp one part of your buylding withall To builde vp a cottage you pull downe a palace doth cast downe the greatest bewtie of the hole Reseruation in some case is by this hystorie proued and adoration vtterly denied And priestly prerogatiue is shrewdly shaken also For Serapion hys boy was neyther priest nor Deacon and yet he is put in trust to carie and minister the sacrament WATSON Diuision 41 Well some will say here be doctors vpon doctor of sentences of authors ynough But what scripture haue you that the priest did or may take it alone shewe mee that and then will I yeelde vnto you I shall bee content to alledge Scripture as it seemeth to me let euery man wey it as he thinketh good to me it is plaine inough for this purpose and although there were no scripture yet in this matter which is but a ceremonie concerning the number of the receyuers the custome and vse of Christs Church is a sufficient rule for a christen man to stay himselfe by The scripture is written in the .27 Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles where saint Paule comforting all the companie Actes 27. that were with him in the ship who then were in extreeme daunger of drowning promising them all their lyues and exhorting them to take meate that had fasted fourtene dayes before receyued the sacrament before them all alone as I take it The wordes be these Et cùm haec dixisset sumens panem gratias egit dâ—o in conspectu omnium cum fregisset coepit manducare Anime quiâ—res autem facti omnes ipsi sumpserunt cibum And when he had said thus taking bread he gaue thankes to God in the sight of them al and when he had broken it he began to eate and they all being much comforted tooke meate also Chrysostome expoundeth this place of the sacrament Chrysost in Math. hom 17. where he hath this saying that it is not onely a thing sanctified but sanctification it selfe Here is no mention that he gaue it to any other and if it had beene a thing necessarie of the institution of christ belike he would haue expressed it Well though it be not expressed in wordes say they yet it is not a necessary argument to conclude that no man receyued it with him I graunt it is not a good argument but yet this is the common maner of their reasoning it is not expressed in scripture ergo it is not to bee beleued But I can say more for this place for the scripture calleth that saint Paule eate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche is a woorde whereby the Sacrament is commonly expressed and that all the other did eate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth common meates and the scripture sayeth omnes all the other tooke their meat amonges whome there were manye infidels and it saith afterward saciati cibo that they were saciate and full with meat But the blessed Sacrament non est cibus satietatis Concilium Nicenum sed sanctimoniae as Concilium Nicenum sayth is not meat of sacietie but of sanctimonie Therefore where it sayth that saint Paule did eate the bread which is the sacrament and that all the other did fill them with their common meate I may conclude that saint Paule did receyue alone whereby is proued our purpose of the priuate Masse as they terme it O Lorde howe would they haue glorified if they had such a like place agaynst vs You perswade your selfe CROWLEY Doctors dregs vpon Doctors dirt that all men maruell at the multitude of Doctors and sentences of Authors that you haue alledged for your purpose and therefore you ymagine that some men will say here be doctors vpon doctors c. What other men will say I know not but this I do say Here are the dregges of the doctors vpon the dirt of the doctors shamelesse sayings ynough but not one scripture or sentence of any sound Authour to proue that the priest may celebrate the Lords supper which you cal the Masse and minister to himselfe alone Yea I do not onely say it but I haue also proued it in this aunswere alreadie and will also proue it by Gods helpe in aunswering that which remayneth One scripture you say you haue which séemeth to you plain enough and yet you thinke it not néedefull to alledge any scripture because the custome of the Church is a sufficient rule for such a matter But I haue proued before that the common participation is of the institution of Christ and therefore can not be ruled by the custome of the Church But let vs sée your scripture Act. 27. Saint Luke wryteth that after a long and daungerous storme on the sea and fourtéene dayes continuall fasting by the meanes thereof Saint Paule exhorted them that were in the Ship with him to take meate And in the presence of them all he tooke breade and gaue thankes to God and when he had broken it he began to eate c. Of this you gather that saint Paule did there and then say Masse and receyue the sacrament alone And least it should séeme that this is but your owne ymagination you say that Chrysostome doth expound this place of the sacrament euen in that place where he sayth that the sacrament is not onely a thing sanctified but sanctification it selfe Of what authoritie those Homilies be whereof this that you alledge here is the seuententh I haue sufficiently noted in mine aunswere to the .13 diuision of your former sermon So that the Chrysostome that wrote them may be as well credited as your selfe But let vs sée how faythfully and friendly you handle him He hath sayd thus Et Paulus nauigans non solum benedixit panem sed de manu sua porrexit Lucae Chrysost in Math. ho. 17. opere imperfecto caeteris discipulis suis And Paule when he sayled did not onely blesse the bread but he did reach it from his hande to Luke and to his other Disciples You say that all the rest did eate common meate and were satisfied and Paule
be confessed to receyue the bodye and bloud of Christ also euen into his bodye But that is not true Ergo. c. The Maior of this argument is your owne wordes and the Minor must be prooued by Scriptures and Doctours which is easie ynough to be done First our Sauiour Christ sayth Whatsoeuer entreth by the mouth Math. 15. goeth into the belly and is cast out into the draught Which thing I thinke you will not confesse to be true of the body and bloud of Christ Ergo. c. Iohn 6. Agayne Christ sayth he that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my bloude doth dwell in mée and hath mée dwelling in hym but not euerye one that receyueth the Sacrament dwelleth in Christ and hath Christ dwelling in him Ergo. c. Actes 3. Agayne Peter sayth that heauen must holde him vntill that tyme come wherein all things that the prophets haue spoken be fulfilled The Scripture ouerthroweth Watsons foundation Wherefore I conclude that by the Scriptures it is manifest that the body and bloud of Christ are not receyued into the bodyes of men by the receyuing of the Sacrament thereof And consequently that it is not really and essentially present in the Sacrament But you are not wont to credite the Scriptures vnlesse you haue the sayings of the Doctours to confirme the same vsing their wrytings as a touchstone to trie the Scriptures by where as they themselues do desire to haue their wryting tryed by the scriptures refusing to haue credit further then they shal be found consonant to the Scriptures We might therefore say that it is more then néedeth to go about to trie the touchstone by that mettall that should be tried by it Neuerthelesse to let them whose eyes ye haue bleared sée how you haue deceyued their sight I wil not stick to cite some sayings out of such among the Doctours as be most auncient and sounde in opinion wherby it may appeare that they thought not as you haue taught Basilius Magnus although not wryting of this matter Basilius De Spiritu sanct Cap. 22. yet going about to proue the holy ghost to be God sayth thus Angelus qui astitit Cornelio non erat in eodem tempore etiam apud Philippum Neque qui ab altari Zachariam alloquebatur eodem tempore etiam in coelo propriam sedem ac stationem implebat At vero Spiritus simul in Abacuc in Daniele in Babilonia operari creditus est in Cataracta cum Hieremia esse dictus est cum Ezechele in Chobar The Aungell that stood before Cornelius was not at the same time with Philip also Neyther did he that from the Altar spake vnto Zachary at the same time occupie his owne place and order in heauen But we beleue that the holy ghost did at one time worke in Abacuc and in Daniell beyng in Babilon And it is sayde that he was with Hieremie in the Dongion and with Ezechiell in Chobar Basill thinketh this to be a sufficient reason to proue the holy ghost to be God And so will all godly men confesse For no creature can occupie moe places at one time than one onely But you affirming Christs body to be really present in the sacrament doe teache that it is present in a multitude of places at once Ergo Watsons doctrine denieth the manhood of Christ you affirme it to be God and so doe yée destroy the mans nature in Christ in that ye confounde it with the deuine contrarie to that Catholike fayth that you would séeme to defende wherein we confesse with Athanasius that God man is but one Christ not by confusion of substaunce but by the vnitie of person This Basill is no newe writer as you know M. Watson for he lyued about .320 yeres after Christes ascension Origin also somewhat more auncient Origin in Math. 25. for he lyued about 200 yeres after Christ wryting vpon the .25 Chapter of Math sayth thus Quod si semper omnibus suis est presens quomodo introducunt cum Parabolae eius peregrinantem Vide vt possumus soluere hoc modo quod quaeritur Qui enim dicit Discipulis suis ecce vobiscum sum vsque ad consummationem saeculi Et item vbi fuerint duo vel tres congregati in nomine meo ibi sum in medio eorum c. Et qui in medio etiam noscientium se consistit Vnigenitus Dei est Deus verbum sapicutia iustitia veritas qui non est corporeo ambitu circumclusus Secundum hanc diuinitatis suae naturam non peregrinatur sed peregrinatur secundum dispensationem corporis quod suscepit Secundum quod turbatus est tristis factus est dicens Nunc anima mea turbatur Et iterum Tristis est anima mea vsque ad mortem Haec autem dicentes non soluimus suscepti corporis hominem cum sit scriptum apud Iohannem Omnis spiritus qui soluit Iesum non est ex Deo sed vnicuique substantiae proprietatem reseruamus If so be that he be alwayes present with all them that be his Howe doe his Parables bring him in as one that is gone into a straunge Country Marke how we may answere the questiō that is now moued Certes he that sayth to his Disciples behold I am with you to the end of the world also where two or thrée shal be gathered togither in my name there am I in the midst of them c. And he also which standeth in the midst of them that knowe him not the same is the onely begotten sonne of God God the sonne and the wisdome that iustice and that truth that is not closed in with bodily compassing According to the nature of this his diuinitie he is not gone into a straunge Country But as touching his body which he hath receyued he is gone into a straunge Country According to the which he was troubled and made heauie when he sayde Now is my soule troubled And againe My soule is sorowfull euen vnto death When we speake thus we doe not lose in sunder the manhood of the bodye which he hath receyued bicause it is written in Iohn euery spirite that dissolueth the sauiour is not of God but we doe reserue to eche substaunce the propertie thereof In these wordes of Origin it is manifest that he thought the presence of Christ with his Origin against Maister Watson to be vnderstanded of his diuine nature his absence from them of his mans nature Whervpon I conclude that Origin was not of your minde in that you say that Christs body is really essentially present in the Sacramēt August ad Dardanū Saint Austen also who lyued about .400 yeres after Christs ascension wryteth thus vnto Dardanus Noli itaque dubitare ibi nunc esse hominem Christum Iesum vnde venturus est Memoriterque recole fideliter tene Christianam confessionem quoniam resurrexit à mortuis ascendit in coelum sedet
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
apparell of sheepe but within they be rauenous Wolfes that in their mouths haue the worde of God the truth the Gospell and such gaye wordes but the pitte and effect of their teaching is olde rotten heresies confuted and condemned of all Christendome before and not Gods worde the name whereof they abuse to the maintenaunce of all vice errour beastly lyuing adulterie disobedience sacrilege and open conspiracie to the subuersion of themselues and of that state vnder which they liue The scripture cryeth Nolite omni spiritui credere 1. Iohn 4. beleue not euery spirite but trye and proue the spirites if they be of God or no for many false Prophets are abroad in the world One way to trie them is to marke the ende of their conuersation and the example and fruit of their liues as saint Paule sayth Quorum exitum conuersationis intuentes Hebr. 1. eorum imitamini fidem folow their fayth the ende of whose conuersation ye haue seene We haue seene what is the ende of this newe teaching carnall and detestable lyuing conspiracie and treason The other fathers of whome we learned our faith were men whome the corrupt worlde was not worthy to haue these Authors of this new opinion were men that were not worthy to haue and enioy the worlde Pet. 28. of whom saint Peter writeth Magistri mendaces and so forth Lying maisters that bring in sectes of perdicion denie that Lord that bought them as they doe in this matter of the sacrament bringing vpon them a speedie perdition and many shall folow their wayes through whome the way of truth shall be slaundered and blasphemed and in couetousnesse by feyned words they shall make marchaundise of you to whome iudgement ceaseth not and their destruction sleepeth not We be also warned by saint Iohn of this matter saying 2. Iohn 1. he that remaineth abideth in the doctrine that the Apostles taught he hath the father and the sonne If any come to you not bringing thys doctrine doe not receyue him into your houses Here he doth teache vs to auoyde them that professe any other doctrine then such as all faithfull men vniuersally thorowout the world haue receyued and professe which is not the doctrine that the Sacramentaries preach Finally considering the promises of Christ to his church that he will be with them to the worldes ende Math. 28. and that the holy ghost shall lead them into all truth Iohn 16. then may we iustly say that if this our fayth be an errour it hath preuailed vniuersally not one hundreth yeare but two three foure yea a thousand yeare and more then that euen to the ascension of Christ as appeareth by the testimonies of all holy wryters and then may we say Lorde if we be deceaued thou hast deceaued vs we haue beleeued thy worde wee haue folowed the tradition of the vniuersall Church we haue obeyed the determinations and teachings of those Bishops and Pastors whome thou hast placed in the Church to staye vs in vnitie of fayth that we be not caried awaye with euery winde of false doctrine Therefore if we be deceyued it commeth of thee O Lord our error is inuincible But good people we are sure God deceaueth no man let vs all beware we doe not deceaue oure selues as Saint Iames sayth CROWLEY As touching the scriptures that you haue alledged and the effectes that you haue affirmed to be the effects of the sacrament you are already sufficiently aunswered And for the substaunce of the sacrament also We teach not that the worthy receyuer doth receyue none other thing but bread and wine for we hold as the scriptures the auncient fathers haue taught that the worthy receiuer doth receiue after a spiritual maner sacramentally very Christ God and man that bread of lyfe that came downe from heauen But with S. Austen we teach that the vnworthy receiuer doth not receyue Panem Dominum sed panem Domini contra Dominum August in Iohn Tract 59. The bread which is the Lorde but the bread of the Lord against the Lorde And where you cite certaine scriptures that warne you and all christians to beware of false prophets c. you your selfe are one of those false Prophets And the Prelates of your Antichristian and Babilonicall Church of Rome are those rauening Woolfes that saint Paule did prophecie of Act. 21. that should not spare the flock The hauock that you made of Christes silly Lambes in Quéene Maries dayes 1. Iohn 4. doth declare what you are Saint Iohn doth very well warne vs not to beléeue euery spirite but to trie whether they be of God or not And shall we thinke that your spirite is of God which moueth you to set vp the Pope aboue al that is called God that is aboue all Princes 2. Thes 2. which in the scripture are called Gods and to maintaine him in the temple of God that is in the Church of Christ boasting himselfe as though he were God No surely we can not thinke that your spirite is of God for it is an arrogant spirite And as for the way that you haue found to trie spirites by let it be considered And if your spirite may be by that triall founde to be of Christ then will we credite you But if oures be found so by the same then why should not you credit vs. Mementote praepositorum vestrorum sayth saint Paule qui vobis locuti sunt verbum Dei quorum intuentes exitum conuersationis imitamini fidem Hebr. 13. Remember those that are your gouernors and haue spoken vnto you the worde of God and considering the ende of their conuersation yée doe imitate or folow their faith Chrysostome wryting vpon this place sayth thus In hoc loco etiam de adiutorio in fratres eum existimo dicere hoc enim est quod dicit Qui vobis locuti sunt verbum Dei Quorum contemplantes exitum conuersationis imitamini fidem Quid est contemplantes Sepius animo versantes apud vosmetipsos examinantes consyderantes subtiliter discutientes inquit exitum conuersationis Hoc est perseuerantiam vsque in finem quoniam finem bonum habuit eorum conuersatio c. In this place saith Chrysostome I suppose that he speaketh of the helpe that the brethren should haue at their handes This is it that he meaneth when he sayth which haue spoken the worde of God to you the ende of whose conuersation when ye doe behold you follow their fayth What meaneth he when he sayth when you doe beholde He sayth as much as if he had sayde When you doe tosse it and tumble it in your mindes and doe examine it with your selues considering and discussing it thorowly The ende of their conuersation that is their perseueraunce to the ende bicause their conuersation had a good ende c. It is manifest that Chrysostome doth vnderstande saint Paules purpose in this place to be chiefely to put the Hebrues in remembraunce of
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