in Christ which are in the Heauens and which are in the earth in him Al those eatings drinkings which were in the law of nature in the law of Moises in faith spirit are so far behind the supper of Christ after his manhood really assuÌ„pted as the faith of Christs Incarnation is behind the IncarnatioÌ„ it self mark for being deceiued with fals doctrin Christ by his incarnatioÌ„ gaue a real truth to the faith of the fathers and not a newe spirit So in his last Supper he giueth the same spirituall gifte to vs that he gaue to Abell Noe Abraham c. but he giueth vs another kind of trueth than euer he gaue them The trueth made by Christ is the true fleshe bloud which he tooke of his Mother the giuing of that trueth to be eateÌ„ is the giuing of that fleshe bloud vnder the formes of bread wine Therfore they that nowe say Christ giueth bread wine with spirituall giftes wherin our soule eateth drinketh Christs flesh bloud they graunt a good thing one way but another way they take away the greatest goodnes that euer was giueÌ„ to maÌ„ Their spiritual eating is not euil but it lacketh some trueth how so Because the whole man is not fed for faith feedeth but the soule yet the name of feeding is proper to the body thence is transferred to the soule that feeding therefore is not fully true which eateth not in mouth which it eateth in harte wheras the true supper of Christ is meat in deed and drinck in deed and must be the eating of that in our body which our mind soul doth eate The meaning of all those suppers sacrifices feastes in the olde time eaten with mouth were to shew that in time to come the same Messias that they looked for and in whome they beleeued should so truely come for our sakes into earth that he should come also into our bodies to dwell by his flesh eaten in vs that we might dwell in him The whole man in Paradise was ouercome by eating with mouthe of the forbidden fruite Thus then Christ cured the whole man against the Diuell perswading Eue to disobey God hee sent the Archangell Gabriell to perswade the B. virgin Marye to consent to his will against the Apple-tree hee planted the Crosse of our redemption For the disobedience of Adam hee himselfe the second Adam came to be obedient to his father euen to death For the apple of the forbidden tree vnlawfully eaten he gaue himselfe the fruite apple of that Crosse which is the tree of grace lawfully and needfully to bee eaten and his bloud to be droncken As therefore the apple that Adam did really eate against the coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„t of God doth make vs al that were in his body at that time guilty of disobedience the childreÌ„ of wrath so the real eating of Christs flesh according to the worthy eating therof which Christ coÌ„manded doth make vs all free froÌ„ the paine of euerlasting death the children of grace glory But as euery man did not eate the prohibited apple in his own person by his own act but by the act of our father mother as being in them of them so it is not needfull that euery man in his owne person eate the flesh of Christ which is giuen vs in the Sacrament to be eateÌ„ But it is absolutely needful that some or other eat it as really to saluation as euer the apple was eateÌ„ to daÌ„nation that al the rest who by Baptisme enter into the same body may be one perfectly with Christ whilst they are one mystically with theÌ„ who really eate the substance of Christs flesh being the substance of our true sacrifice trulye rosted vpoÌ„ the crosse truely â—ising froÌ„ death to the intent it might be truly eateÌ„ of vs without any corruptioÌ„ or perishing therof So that the B. Sacrament of the Altar is a medicine against that poison which Adam first in him al we toke by tasting the apple against the coÌ„mandemeÌ„t of god It is not only profitable but necessary that as the poisoned apple entred in at Adams mouth was not only receiued by faith spirit vnder staÌ„ding but by hand tongue iawes was digested into his bowels poisned Vnderstand our flesh greatly infirme and sore infected though as the creature of God still good but pestilent through our owne fault al his flesh wherby the flesh that we took of AdaÌ„ was also pestileÌ„t poisoned our soules vnited to that infected flesh were also infected Euen so the medicine which is the body and blood of Christ made of bread wine must not only be receiued by spirit faith vnderstaÌ„ding neither only the figure of it must be receiued in at our mouthes so conuaid in to our bowels but the body of Christ it selfe must come to our bodies it must be receiued as reallye into them by our mouthes as euer the apple came into the mouth of AdaÌ„ Who euer hard that wheÌ„ a mans body was really poysoned it should be sufficieÌ„t to think of a certaine true medicine to receiue with all the figure or signe thereof into his body not at al touching and receiuing reallye the medicine it selfe yet such is Caluines doctrine But he vrgeth how the holy Fathers call the blessed Sacrament a figure yea true but not a figure alone or a bare figure but such a figure as Christ is a figure of his fathers substance and yet his substance in deed so the sacrament is a figure of Christ and yet Christ in deede Ther can be no more grosse or blasphemous conceipt then to thinke the word of God like the worde of man Looke what oddes is betwixte God and man So much betwene his naming figures of the olde testament all other figures But some will say will Christ giue his body to be eaten and swallowed vp of drunckeardes whore-mongers blasphemours and euill persons Yea without doubt for Christ thought it lesse euill that euill men should eate his body then that his Sacramentes by any our infidelity shoulde be made voide or the gifte of his grace shoude be vncertaine But heretickes that seeme to stand so much vpon scripture I would gladly here of them where they find in holy scripture the body of Christ in the sacrament called a figure Truly from the beginning of Genesis to the latter end of the Apocalipes we finde not our Lordes supper termed a signe figure or token of the body and bloud of Christ Christ the sixe of S. Iohn calleth it the meate which perisheth not but tarrieth into life euerlasting He saith his bread which he will giue is his flesh which hee will giue for the life of the world Hee calleth it the flesh and the blood of the sonne of man meate in deede and drin ke in deed his flesh and his bloud the eating of him the bread which who so eateth shal
that by the helpe counsell of the Diuell that often in the night by his own confession vsed familiar speach with him giuing greater reasons against the Masse then he was able to disolue But howe did his Schollars and followers thinke you accorde with their master and amongest themselues but like to Vipers that burst their Parentes bowells For though in the beginnig hee had followers that greedely followed his opinion as heauenly oracles yet the schollars being as proud as their master they presentlye inuented new opinions of their own condemning their master in most bitter writings and he them insomuch that about one article of our faith and beleefe the Blessed Sacrament a Learned man hath noted aboue fourescore sundry heresies opinions amongst them Thus they disagree in most waighty matters erring sending others into error the Lutherans fighting against the Caluinists the Caluinists against the Lutherans the Swinglians Protestants Anabaptists Arrians Puritanes Celestians Brethren of loue the like too many to recken al braunches of that vnsauery tree Luther all and euerie discenting from one another comdemning one another and that in the highest pointes of our Faith and beleefe and yet euery one braggeth of the word of God the Lord the Gospell that the truth is of his side agreing together for the most parte certainly in no one thing sauing that all conspire against the Church of God taking vpon them to defend God when they most of all offende him as S. Gregorie vnder the person of the friends In lib. moral in Iob. of Iob notably and oft describeth all heretikes This disention you se amongst themselues argueth they haue not the spirite of God for where vnitie and concorde is wanting ther can be no charity so that the heritikes wanting the knott of peace vnity concord and charity cannot be of God who is not author dissentionis sed pacis for want of this knot of peace charity brag they neuer so much of the word of the Lord vse they neuer so sweet blessings yet it is not the word of God but the very worde of the diuell who when hee tempted Christ vsed wordes of Seripture but euill vnderstoode wherefore they were his owne being so euilly applied and expounded but none of Gods as all heretiks words be which be members of their father the Deuill for they with him bringe Scriptures but wrested so that not the Scripture but the sence and euel vnderstanding is blamed the heritikes bring Scriptures and we that be Catholikes alleadge Scriptures aboundantly of both sides but quite contrarye one to the other some iudge thē must needs be to try decide thē who those be that rightly vnderstand the Scriptures we aske them how they will be iudged whether by the holy Fathers of old Yea say they as long as they accorde with the Scriptures but whē as men they erred frō the true sence of Scripture then we refuse them we answere though with more reuerence euen so doe we but yet heretiks want a certain Iudge to know whē as men they erred when they spake the truth which certain stay of iudgement withoutal doubt Christ which so deerelye beloueth his people hath prouided who promised his assistance to direct vs in all trueth especially in this Lawe of grace to the worlds end He after so deere a price hath not left vs in worse case than the Iewes amongst whom before Christ was a place of iudgement to try certainly al doubts as appeareth in the olde law in Deuteronomium That the high Priest and spirituall congregation assisting him was to iudge decide determine all doubtful matters in Religion and Conscience whose answere the people were to accept as the oracle of the holy ghost hereupon in Deut. seuenteene cap. is written Si deficile ambiguum apud te iudicium esse prospexeris c. if thou perceaue iudgdement to be doubtfull with thee and after if thou perceaue the words or sentēces of the Iudge to vary Ascende ad locum quem elegerit dominus c. veniesque ad Sacerdotes Leuitici generis c. queresque ab iis qui indicabunt tibi iudicii veritatem Lo you se here how in the old law matters were to be in all doubtes determined iudgement by the high Preist to be giuen in that place God had chosen they were in spiritual causes to shew truth of iudgemēt not the law or scriptures written but the high Preist his assistance the Leuiticall Preistes were to interprete the law and iudge of the scriptures as Malachie foretold how the lippes of the Priest do keep the law How much more now thē in this law of grace whē Christ had made a more firme pact with vs for the assistāce of his holy spirit saying Alium Paracletum dabo vobis spritum veritatis I wil giue you another cōfor ter the spirit of truth he shall teach you all truth now after he hath cōfirmed the new testamēt with his own blud hath he not left vs a more sure stay in al doubts Yes doubtles he hath promised his spirit you see to his holy church the cheife pastors of the same whoe promised to Peter and all his successors in him that his faith should neuer faile To this church this high preist vicar of christ in aldoubtful matters of faith as the only place cheife iudge whome God hath chosen we safely as to the true lawful iudge must haue recourse The fathers of old as men may erre but in those things they conspire and agree generally altogether they cānot erre especialy whē the authority of the Church cōfirmeth their Doctryne to bee according to the Scriptures The Heretikes who refuse to bee tried by the Church they affirme the blessed fathers of the church to erre men in vertue and learning no doubte farre beyond any in these daies but they themselus now a daies like gods cannot erre they would be iudges not only of Doctors Scriptures but ouer general councells Saint Peters successor christs vicegerent and vnder Christ here in earth the high Priest and pastour generall ouer our Soules to whom in S. Peter Christ promised his faith shoulde neuer faile yea also ouer the Church and al like vnto lurking robbers flying euer the tribunall iudgement seate of the lawfull iudge but we that by Gods grace be Catholikes members of Christes Misticall body the Church as we haue receiued the holy scriptures from the Church neither doe we certainly know them to be scriptures but that the holy Church telleth vs so we expounde and vnderstand the scriptures that be hard to bee vnderstood yea bee an vnspeakeable depth not by our inuentions and phantasticall opinons as euery heretike doth which maketh so many damnable heresies amongst them but by the rule and authority of Christes holy Catholike Church who bicause she is the spouse of Christ wherof he is head guided with his holy spirite according to his promise can neuer erre
Sacraments in generall BVt because perhaps you desire Vnderstand here that in course of diuinity many thinges besides the Trinity and Incarnation be taught before the Sacraments though in matters of controuersie to speake of them nowe next seemeth fittest for my purpose I call the Sacraments conduits wel-springs because they being ordained by Christ ishuing proceding from that open bloody side of his on the Crosse conuey and conferre grace to our soules as vessels of mercy though God himselfe as the fountaine of life is the chiefe original and principall cause of al grace to bee informed of some moe thinges in particular to knowe howe this true Catholike Church teacheth vs to beleeue touching the high mysteries of our faith especially the holy Sacrameuts First then it is to be vnderstood that next after the mistery of the blessed Trinity threâ— persons of one substance eternity equall power and authority and one god from whome all good thinges proceede to whome all good things be referred and without whome all thinges be nothing next vnto this high and vnspeakable mistery as also the mistery of the second person in god-head Christs incarnation which both most deepe and profound articles or pointes I suppose you already beleeue we be also taught that God the author of all grace and goodnes hath of his infinite wisedome ordained the wayes and meanes whereby we may be pertakers of his grace and that chiefely by meanes of his Sacramentes conduits and wel-springs of grace which in number be seauen Which in these wordes of holy scripture in som sort were foretould or insinuated vnto vs. Sapientia edificauit sibi domum excidit columnas septem that wisedome increate that is the sonne of god the second person in trinity the eternall wisedome of his father who disposeth all things in weight number and measure and in vnspeakeable wisedome but espeacially in ordinance gouernment of his holy Church hath cut out Cut out that is hath ordained or made out of himself that is by his grace Note that this place of holy scripture may signifie many other guâ—fts and graces of God besides the Sacraments for such is the Maiesty of holy scripture that it oft admitteth many senâ—es in one place al according to the spirit of God seauen pillars seauen Sacraments fountains wel-springs of grace out of him selfe that is the liuely fountain of grace the sure rocke corner-stone which Daniell in spirit fore-savve that without handes was cutt out and fell from the mountaine that filled the whole worlde These Sacramentes then I saye Christ ordained as vessels of his grace and they take vertue from that fruite of the tree of the Crosse from and of his precious bloode and passion For euen as of our first Father Adam of a ribbe of his side Eue was formed wherby the world vvas multiplyed euen so of the second Adam Christ our Sauiour a sleepe by death vppon the Crosse whereby we rise againe of that water blood plentifully running out of his side and blessed body the holy Sacramentes of the church proceeded as taking force virtue theroff Whereby wee all bee regenerate and borne newe men againe in Christ whereby wee be repaired fostered and fedd in soule and whereby wee receiue here a token of Godes grace to appeare with him in his glory Chap. VIII What a Sacrament is of the effectes of the Sacraments and why they were ordained A Sacrament then is a visible signe of an inuisible grace not onely signifiyng grace as the heretikes would haue them like Iewes to be but only bare figures but these Sacraments doe contein in them and confer grace to the worthy receiuer Though Christ is the author of his Sacraments neither is God so bound to his sacraments but he can bestow his grace without them yet because hee ordained that by meanes of his sacraments wee aâ—e to obteyne his grace wee neither with contempt of them nor without will and affection vvhen necessitie offereth it selfe and iust opportunity is gyuen to receyue them can be partakers of his grace neither is man to expostulate or argue with God why he vseth sacraments as instruments of his grace when as without them hee can bestow it For God that hath created man knoweth in his diuine wisedome the fittest meanes for his reparatioÌ„ yet some reason or conuenience of Gods dispotion herein may be assigned First because a man consisteth not onlye of spirit but of body therefore he doth noâ— only invisiblelye powre in vs his grace immediatlye fâ—om him-selfe but vseth these visible and corporall signes of his invisible grace and that by such meanes and in such matters as be most fitt to signifie the effect of his grace in vs by them inwardly wrought as sor example in baptisme the matter of the Sacrament is water which as it outwardly washeth the body so the word with the intent of the lawfull minister ioyned thereunto vvhich thinges bee required in euery Sacrament the soule therby is Eccept Matrimony in some sort wher in the consent of the parties is chiefly necessarie wherunto only signs tokens of the parties prâ—sent maye suffice in persons that be mute c inwardly with Gods grace giueÌ„ therin purged and washed from al sinne Moreouer it is the iust iudgment of God we be tied to visible Sacraments to obtaine his grace therby to exercise our humility bring vs in more subiection For whereas we not only in the fall of our first parents wherein we al fell froÌ„ God but also dayly of our selues in transgressing his commaÌ„dementes haue and doe therein preferre our selues mortall creatures yea and the thinges here that be earthly before God himselfe and the thinges that be spirituall heauenly therfore it is his iustice iudgement and yet most of sweet disposition that we now contrary wise for our greater humility obedience be tied to receiue these Sacraments vnder corporal formes whereby we may be partakers of spiritual invisible graces To be briefe the Sacraments depend not touching their dignity of the worthines or vnworthines of the Preist but of god eueâ— good the author of the same And they bee ordained first to the honor glory of God and increase of grace and as present remedies and medicines against sinne in persons well disposed and also as certaine effectuall signes and tokens yea and in struements of Gods good will grace and mercy towardes vs moouing as well both the outward and inward man Lastly When tho Sacraments moue the outward man I meane that is but sometimes accidentaliter they be badges os true Christian men whereby they be not only knitte together in Religion and vniformity of Gods seruice but also be discerned and knowne from Infidels and mis-beleeuers farre more excellent than the Sacramentes of the Lawe of Moyses by howe much the trueth exceedeth the shadowe or figure As for the laudable Ceremonies the holy Church vseth in administration of the
let him bee accursed to you Shall wee not bee well occupied if we leaue the plaine vvorde of God to come and see whether Ambrose and Augustine teach two Sacramentes or moe Saint Paule teacheth Matrimonye to bee a Sacrament and shall we goe from him to Ambrose and Augustine to se whether it be one or no was euer such a practize hearde of as to brag of Scriptures to bost of holy writt to crie vpon vs for coming to the word of God and now that we are comen thither to call vs from all Prophets and Apostles yea from Christ himselfe to Ambrose and Augustine is this the way to the holy Scriptures can this fault bee excused can this hypocrisie be tollerated To winne the itching eares of the inconstant multitude to gett them the applause of licentious libertines in the pulpit they call to the worde of God and when they haue gotten them within their netts they teach them out of Ambrose and Augustine yea woulde God they did so at the least but what if wee proue they deceiue the people in fathering that vpon Ambrose and Augustine which they neuer wrote nor taught The Protestants say Saint Augustme nameth but two sacraments but besides twaine I will bring other two named of him as plainly as possibly may bee in his booke de bono coniugali Cap. 24. these be his wordes The good saith S. Augustine which riseth of mariage through all nations and men consisteth in the cause of begetting children and in the faith of chastity And in so much as appertaineth to the people of God it consisteth allso in the holnes of the Sacrament through which it is vnlawful yea though diuorce come between to mary an other whilest her husband liueth not so much as for the very cause of bringing forth of children Which though alone it be the cause why marriages are made yet band of marriage is not loosed vnlesse the husband dye albeit that thing followe not for the which marriage is made Much-like as if to bring the people together some of the Cleargie should be ordered or consecrated with holy orders for although the meeting of the people doe not ensue Yet Sacramentum ordinationis the Sacrament of giuing orders abideth in them that be ordered and if for any faulte any man be remoued from the office he shall not lacke the Sacrament of our Lord which is once put vpon him although it remame to his damnation Thus farre S. Augustione in which wordes he declareth that amonge Christian men there are other two Sacramentes of Preisthood and of Matrimony beside Baptisme and the Euchraist and each of them so great and so strong that they cannot bee loosed and taken away but only by death of the party although the chiefest cause ceasse why the Sacrament was giuen In another place S. Augustine Cont. Donat. Lib. 5. Cap. 2. speaketh plainly of the water of Baptisme Oyle the Eucharist the Imposition of hands al signed with the seale of the Crosse S. Ambroso likewise confesseth moe Sacraments then Baptisme and the Fucharist lib. 1 de penitentia cap. 7. these bee his wordes Cur baptizaris si per hominem peccata dimittinon licot c. why art thou Baptised if it be not lawfull sinnes to be forgiuenes by man truly in Baptisme ther is forgiuenes of all sin what skilleth it whether Preists chalenge this right of forgiving sinnes to be given them by Penance or by Baptisme the mistery or Sacrament is one in both But thou wilt say that in Baptisme the grace of the misteries worketh what in Penance doth not the grace of God work Here is the same vertue and name of a mistery or Sacrament giuen to Penance which is giuen to Baptisme vvhereby Saint Ambrose taught there was as well a Sacrament of Penance as of Baptisme These few placeshaue I brought out of S. Ambrose and Augustine to shew as it were to your eyes if you will not be willfully blinded how the Protestantes crie out vppon the worde of God till they haue with sweete wordes wonne fauour amonge the miserable number of these vnstable men that alwaies harken for newes but wheÌ„ they haue them fast then is the word of God cleane forgotten and in stead thereof Ambrose and Augustine are I am vrged to speake it falselye alleadged For the truth is they that sett naught by the word of God cannot long esteeme Ambrose Augustine who with al their harts imbraced the word of God and expounded the same according to the auncient Tradition of the Church To what end then doe our new masters runne truly to sett vp an Idoll of their owne making in place of the word of God to set vp I say a phantastical religion of their owne deuising But if they should crie to the people come come bow downe to the I doll that wee haue deuised for you the people would not come as being feared with the infamous name of an Idoll therefore they saye come to the worde of God come to the holy Scriptures come to the true Gospell of Iesus Christ they say exceeding well you see we are come and it quitâ— hath and will ouerthrowe them S. Dionisius and Hierotheus disciples of Christ Dionis de Hierarch â—ccle cap. 3. and S. Paul call the Eucharist the sacrament of Sacraments which they neuer woulde if there had beene no more but two See S. Dionis Chap. 4. 5. 6. Dâ— Ecclesiast Hierarch howe he teacheth moe Sacraments But to returne to my purpose I wil not omit to opeÌ„ one subtil shift of the heretike whereby like a bugge or fox with a mans visard of his face he oft deceiueth the simple and vnwarye with faire blessings and gaye tearmes which vnlearned men cannot iudge of nor descerne He will tell you their communion is a holy sacrament and that therby you â—ate Christ as he sitts at his fathers right hand in faith spirit and that you must â—ate that heauenly bread sorsooth that they giue you as the body and bloud of Christ and then no doubt you receiue Christ and the like But aske the heretike whether that bread he giueth to the people be the very body of Christ or no and that properly it can be no more called bread in that it is called transubstantiate and verily turned into the very body and bloud of Christ in deed then you shall perceiue the foxe pull of his maske and shew his eares as I hard of a good fellowe a minister did who giuing to a gentleman bread from their communion table and said The body of our Lorde Iesu c. by chaunce he let a peece fall the gentleman esteeming it to be some holy thing aboue other bread sanctified by Godes word would haue taken it vp againe no no said the minister Sir lett it alone here is more enough yea said the gentleman is it not worth the taking vp trulye quoth heâ— then none of it at all shall come into my belly and so