him Thirdly wee must vnderstand that those legall impure things were not so all of them in their owne nature but so layd apart by Gods lawe as vncleane to signifie the inward puritie that God required in the soules and spirites of them that approached vnto him for there is no other reason of worth why a Conie Leuit. cap. 11. or a Hare should be more vncleane than a Bull or a Cow or why a Duck or a Goose should be more pure than a Swan or a Hernshaw And this appeareth by the generalitie of Gods graunt or Patent giuen to Noah Genes 9.3 and his Sonnes in the ninth of Genesis Now this outward bodily puritie was requisite in all that medled with Gods mysteries both priest and people 1. Sam. 21 4. Exod. 19.15 as that noble priest Abimelech teacheth who would not suffer Dauid and his men to eat of the hallowed bread of God vnlesse they had beene cleere before for some good time from the companie of their wiues Here-hence then we learne three things first that as meat so marriage of it selfe polluted not no not in time of the law but because the ceremonial law which then had place had so appointed Secondly that if it were to bee obserued still in this point of companying with wiues then not onely the Priest that ministreth but the people that receiueth should bee subiect vnto it nay rather the people than the priest because the priest hath no such particular commaundement And thirdly that outward cleanesse appointed in the law Lib. 1. Epist 4. signified inward puritie and so Cyprian applyeth it in one of his Epistles Now those outward shadowes hauing serued out their prentiship are now made free and may not still be counted shadowes vnder the Gospel wherin the thing signified by them is required of God with open face without any ceremoniall obscuritie Imagines transeunt admipletae Tertul. de Monog definitiones permanent adimplendae imagines prophetant definitiones gubernant the figures passe away being fulfilled or definitions remaine to be fulfilled that figures prophecie but the definitions gouerne Cap. 21 17. c. There be a number of blemishes reckoned vp in Leuiticus whereby the seed of Aaron was made vncapable of offering the bread of his God yet haue they no place in the ministerie of the Gospell further than to signifie how free it should be from the blemishes of the soule But to send Ambrose away with his quietus est 1. Cor. 23 24 c. Exod. 30.7 8. wee must vnderstand that before Dauid in the end of his raigne appointed the courses and orders of the Priests and Leuites the high Priest himselfe was to offer incense morning and euening and otherwise to minister in the tabernacle yet is it cleere that hee abstained not from his wiues companie Quest 82. but begate Sonnes and Daughrers and this doth Austine acknowledge vpon Leuiticus where hee demaundeth how the high Priest could offer incense dayly morning and euening which by reason of sicknesse incident and the duetie of marriage hee must intermit and then he answereth that God might preserue him in health for his seruice and that the high Priest might haue prerogatiue aboue other men not to bee defiled by the act of matrimonie yet this last answere pleased him not Retract lib. 2. and therefore in his retractations he saith that the high Priest after morning Sacrifice might vse his wife and then wash his clothes and purifie himselfe against the euening which vtterly defaceth Ambroses argument for if the Priests vnder the law had such a prerogatiue as the act of matrimonie could not make them vncleane or being made vncleane in the morning might so hastily purifie themselues before euening then verily their example yeeldeth no reason against the marriage either of popish Priests or our Ministers The Dialogue Sectio XXI SAint a This Chrysostome was neuer Bishop of Constantinople Chrysostome Honorabiles inquit sunt nuptiae cubile thorum immaculatum c. Marriage is honourable saith he and the marriage bed vndefiled but fornicators and adulterers God will iudge but now the priuiledge of mariage cannot excuse thée for he that hath once ioyned himselfe in the b All true Christians haue so ioyned thēselues Hebr. 12.22 fellowship of Angels if hée shall forsake the same and intangle himselfe in the c Marriage is not a snare but a meane to saue vs from the snares of Satan snares of mariage he shall defile himselfe with the d It cannot be adultery and worse than adulterie too sinne of adulterie and although thou doest oftentimes call it by the name of mariage yet I doe pronounce that it is so much e That is to say Epist 6. worse than adulterie by how much an Angel is greater and better than a mortall man f Id est nulla Tom. 6. ad Theodorum monachum homilia 21. The Answere CHrysostome is next but it is not an Homilie but an Epistle to Theodorus which is here fathered vpon Chrysostome howbeit supposing that Chrysostome is the true author founder of that counterfeit Epistle I answere that hee is so hot in his amplifications that hee forgets himselfe for if the marryage of one that hath vowed chastitie bee the sinne of adulterie how can it bee so farre worse than adulterie as he saith it is and if it be so farre worse than adulterie as an Angell is greater and better than a mortall man then why may not we pronounce likewise that it is not the sin of adulterie but I beseech you consider what fellowship of Angels the promise of chastitie ioyneth vs into doth not the holy Ghost say as much and more a great deale of all the faithfull children of God married and vnmarried Yee are come vnto Mount Sion Hebr. 12.22 and to the Citie of the liuing God the celestiall Ierusalem and to the fellowship of innumerable Angels to the companie of the first borne which are written in heauen and to God the Iudge of all and to the spirites of the iust and perfect men and to Iesus the mediator of the new testament and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel c. We see here that a true Christian is ioyned in fellowship with innumerable Angels and farre more than that comes to yet I would reckon him for a hastie disputer that durst not venter thereof to conclude that euerie man or woman taking a wife or a husband after profession of Christianitie defileth himselfe with the sinne of adulterie and farre worse too Howbeit it may bee Chrysostome had respect to that place where our Sauiour saith Math 22.30 c. Mar. 112.25 that in the resurrection they neither marrie nor are married but are as the Angels of God in heauen if it be so then his votaries wait till the resurrection be past and then lay claime to the fellowship of Angels for
off the forepart of Ambroses testimony which speakes of substance and merite and euill doctrine and alledgeth onely these last words Cum Paulus dicit sic tamen quasi per ignem ostendit quidem illum saluum futurum sed poenas ignis passurum vt per ignem purgatus fiat saluus non sicut perfidi aeterno igne in perpetuum torqueatur When Paul saith yet so as it were by fire he sheweth indeed that he shal be saued but shall suffer the paynes of fire that being purged by fire he may be saued and not tormented perpetually in euerlasting fire as the obstinate c. Wherefore I like your popish fellowes simplicitie a great deale better who cites Ambrose by whole sale substance accident merite euill doctrine and all for though in so doing he haue lesse wit then Bellarmine yet I will beare him witnesse he hath more honesty but to wind vp all in a word if you be desirous to know Ambroses meaning I thinke you may easily picke it out of these words of S. Austine De ciuit Dei lib. 21. cap. 13. Nos etiam in hac quidē mortali vita esse quasdam paenas purgatorias confitemur Wee also confesse that there are in this mortall life certaine purgatory paynes The Dialogue Sectio XIII GRegorius Magnus The a The trueth giueth you no such thing to vnderstand looke the answere truth hath sayd if any man shall blaspheme the holy Ghost he shall not be forgiuen in this world nor in the world to come whereby he giueth vs to vnderstand that some sinnes shall be forgiuen in this world and some in the world to come for proofe whereof he vseth also the place b Hee saith it may be vnderstood de igne tribulationis in hac vita of Saint Paul before cited by Saint Austine and Saint Ambrose to the same effect Dialog lib. 4. cap. 39. The Answere POpe Gregorie is heere brought in with his great title to fray vs and yet God wote hee pleads but simply for Purgatorie for touching the place of Saint Paul thus hee writes Quamuis hoc de igne tribulationis in hac vita nobis adhibitae possit intelligi tamen si quis hoc de igne futurae purgationis accipiat c. Although this may be vnderstood of the fire of tribulation which wee feele in this life yet if any take it of the purgation of fire to come c. As if hee should say though I be of opinion that Paul speakes of the fire of affliction whereby God examineth his children in this life yet if any take it otherwise I will not stand against it this is but a silly proofe and touching the other place of Saint Matthew out of which hee concludeth that some sins are forgiuen in this world and some in the world to come Cap. 12.32 his conclusion is cleane contrarie to all Logicke for no reason will lead vs to reason thus this one sinne is not forgiuen Ergo some sins are forgiuē in the world to come this is a plain Non sequitur and so saith Bellarmine De purg lib. 1 cap. 4. Non sequitur secundum regulas dialecticorum It followeth not according to the rules of Logicke but will you know now how it followeth then hearken what the Iesuite saith further Sequitur secundum regulam prudentiae It followeth according to the rule of wisedome So you see howe it followeth and how it followeth not it followeth by the rule of wit it followeth not by the rules of Logicke belike Wit is a Papist and Logicke a Protestant but consider I beseech you how farre this Popish wit would goe if it might hee suffered Dominus ineptissimè loquitur saith Bellarmine si in futuro saeculo nullum peccatum remittitur The Lord speaketh most foolishly if no sinne be forgiuen in the world to come See how this sawcie Iesuite thinks it not inough to say Dominus non loquitur secundum regulam prudentiae c. The Lord speakes not according to the rule of wit which hath some little shew of modestie but Dominus ineptissimè loquitur c. The Lord speakes most foolishly if his Iesuiticall conceit of remitting sinnes in another world be not admitted this is the desperatenesse of Popish Diuinitie but tell mee I beseech you is not the speech still alike foolish if no great sinnes be remitted in the world to come yes verily for thus must it be conceiued the great sinne against the holy Ghost shall neuer bee forgiuen neither there where great sinnes are forgiuen that is in this world nor there where no great sinnes are forgiuen that is in the world to come Is not this speech thinke you as farre from Bellarmines regula prudentiae rule of wit as the other yet is it propounded according to the Popish conceit for as wee thinke no sinne so they think no great sin is remitted in seculo futuro in the world to come Gregory in this very Dialogue saith Dial. lib. 4. ca. 39. Serm. 41. that peccata maiora greater sinnes be tunciam insolubilia be impardonable and counterfeit Austine saith as much in his sermons De Sanctis Now then whereas the Pope thinkes that our Sauiour in Mathew giueth vs to vnderstand that some sinnes shall be forgiuen in the world to come let him tell vs what sinnes those be great or small great sinnes be tunc iam irremissibile as he saith himselfe and if he meane small sinnes then is our Sauiours speech as farre out of square as if a man should say This great heape of corne cannot bee contained neither in this bushell nor in a fleeting dish But why should the speech of Christ bee most foolish if no sinne at all be remitted in the world to come might not our Sauiour speake so by exaggeration that the speech might the better pierce the vncircumcised hearts and eares of the Pharises No saith the Iesuite Exaggeratio non debet esse inepta qualis est cum fit partitio vni membro nihil respondet An exaggeration ought not to bee foolish as for example when a partition is made and nothing agreeth to one of the parts Is this the folly hee talkes of why it is easie to see that not to remit the sin against the holy Ghost is answerable alike both to this world and the world to come which bee the members of our Sauiours partition for that great sin is neuer remitted neither in the one nor the other 1. Cor. 13.1 Galat. 1.8 Apoc. 5.3 yet notwithstanding we haue examples of such foolish partitions in the word of God Paul saith Though I speake with the tongues of men and Angels whereas Angels haue no tongues to speake And in another place though we or an Angell from heauen speake otherwise c. Yet Angels be no Preachers so likewise the spirite of God saith No man is able to open read or looke vpon the Booke neither in heauen nor in earth nor vnder the earth yet
1. ibid. saith Theodoret. I lle Symbola signa quae videntur appellatione corporis sanguinis honorauit Hee that called himselfe the vine did honor the signes which are seene with the name of his bodie and blood And againe Seruator noster commutauit nomina corpori quidem symboli nomen de dit symbolo verò nomen corporis Our Sauiour changed the names and gaue to the bodie the name of the symbole and to the symbole the name of the bodie Chrysostome Ad Caesar Monach ad Bonis Epist 23. Contr. Adim cap. 12. Panis sanctificatus dignus est dominici corporis appellatione The sanctified bread is dignified with the name of Christs bodie Austine Sacramenta plerunque rerum ipsarum nomina accipiunt Sacraments doe often take the names of the things themselues And againe Non dubitauit Dominus dicere Contr. Marcion lib. 4. In 1. Cor. 11. De his qui init myst cap. vlt. hoc est corpus meum cum daret signum corporis sui The Lord did not sticke to say this is my bodie when hee gaue the signe of his bodie And againe facinus vel flagitium videtur inbere figura ergo est praecipiens passioni domini esse communicādū suauiter atque vtiliter recondendū in memoria quod pro nobis caro eius crucifixa vulnerata sit He seemeth to cōmand a heinous or horrible wickednes therfore it is a figure instructing vs to communicate of the passion of the Lord and pleasantly and profitably to keepe in memorie that his flesh was crucified and wounded for vs. Tertullian Hoc est corpus meum hoc est figura corporis mei This is my bodie that is to say this is a figure of my bodie Ambrose Quia morte domini liberati sumus huiusrei memores in edendo potando carnem sanguinem quae pro nobis oblata sunt significamus Because wee are deliuered by the death of the Lord being mindefull thereof in eating and drinking we doe signifie his flesh and his blood which were offered for vs. And againe Post consecrationem corpus Christi significatur After consecration the bodie of Christ is signified Such places as these be so common in the writings of the ancient Fathers that it is vtterly needlesse to rehearse any more of them Thus is your Papist preuented for our cause you see is cleerely determined Yet notwithstanding it is pittie the poore mans tale should not be heard if this Doctor sayth he should answere that God is omnipotent and able to doe what he will that he was able to make heauen and earth to doe great wonders and miracles in Aegipt were not the matter cleerely determined on the Papists side No verily were it not neither would any man euer thinke so if he knew the vertue and power of a Sacrament Pope Leo speaking of the water in baptisme though it be not transubstantiate saith thus Christus dedit aquae quod dedit matri De Natiuit serm 4. virtus enim altissimi obumbratio spiritus sancti quae fecit vt Maria pareret saluatorem eadē fecit vtregeneraret vnda credentem Christ gaue that to the water which he gaue to his mother for the power of the most high and the ouershadowing of the holy spirite which caused Marie to bring foorth the Sauiour made the water to regenerate a beleeuer So Austine Cont liter pet tan lib. 3. cap. 49. Nec iam baptizare cessauit Dominus sed adhuc id agit non ministerio corporis sed inuisibili opere maiestatis Neither hath the Lord now ceased to baptize but he doth it still not by the ministerie of his bodie but by the inuisible worke of his maiestie So Chrysostome Angeli qui adfuerunt in baptismo iam inenarrabilis operis modum non possunt enarrare adfuerunt tantum viderunt In Ioh. ho. 24. nihil tamen operati sunt sed pater tantum filius spiritus sanctus The Angels which were present in baptisme were not able to declare the manner of that vnspeakable worke onely they were present and beheld but wrought nothing but the father onely and the Sonne and holy spirite This verie power of the most high and ouershadowing of the holy Ghost this verie worke of the Maiestie of God is it and onely it that maketh these outward elements Rom. 4.11 Eph. 4 15 16. Ephe. 5 30. seales of the righteousnesse of faith and effectuall signes and meanes of our regeneration and growing vp into him which is the head euen Christ so as we be made flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones Immortalitatis alimonia datur à communibus cibis differens Cypr. de caena domini corporalis substantiae retinens speciem sed virtutis diuinae inuisibili efficientia probans adesse praesentiam A food of immortality is giuen differing from common meats retaining the forme of a bodily substance but proouing that a diuine power is present by the inuisible efficacie of it You see now I trow that Gods omnipotencie hath somewhat else to doe than to transubstantiate bread and wine and to vphold emptie accidents that haue no subiect And touching the words of Saint Ambrose which bee counted so pregnant for transubstantiation as we are here willed to read them in his Booke De ijs qui initiantur mysterijs So you may read them obiected by Steph. Gardiner and Chedsey and so answered by Peter Martyr that few Papists or none at al frō that day to this euer durst propound them Ambrose doth not say that the substance of bread and wine is abolished for he flatly auoucheth the contrarie when he saith sunt quae erant they are the same they were but that the nature of them is changed that whereas before they were common creatures and prophane by nature now by consecration they be holy signes such as doe not onely represent but exhibite the bodie and blood of Christ to the faithfull receiuer and bee effectuall and powerfull instruments whereby life and immortalitie is conuayed into vs and this exposition doth Ambrose himselfe confirme where he saith toward the end of the Chapter that this is a Sacrament of the true flesh of Christ and that after consecration the bodie of Christ is signified Nowe to make light of so wonderfull a change which passeth the capacitie of Angels as Chrysostome saith and to make it inferiour to the wonders of Aegypt whereof most were done by sorcerers as well as by Moses argueth an vnderstanding darkened with deepe ignorance and too much addicted to Popish deuises I could adde that this place of Ambrose is obiected also by Harding and answered by Bishop Iuell Art 10 diuis 3. and that this Booke is thought by many wise and learned men to bee falsely fathered vpon Ambrose but this that I haue sayd alreadie is sufficient to beat downe the fond bragges of our Papist and to shew him cleerely that Ambrose is wrested