refused if it be receiued with thanks giuing for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer Yea it was a common vse in the primitiue Church to bring Bread to the priests to be hallowed Author oper imp hom 14. in Mat. and being blessed to sēd it for sacred presents from one Christian to another as S. Aug. witnesseth ep 31 34.35.36 Mat. 23.17 Yee fooles blind whether is greater the gold or the temple that sanctifieth the gold Mat. 23.19 Yee fooles and blind whether is greater the gift or the Altar that sanctifieth the gift Lo how plainly our Lord affirmeth in both these places that the Temple sanctifieth the Gold and Altar the Gift generally all creatures seuered from common and profane vse to religion and worship of God are therby made sacred and holy Are not they therfore much to be blamed who keep such a scoffing at holy water holy ashes and the like See more 2. Reg. 2. we 4.2 where the Prophet Eliseus applied salt to the healing and purifying of the waters Toby 6.8 where the Angell Raphaell vsed the liuer of a fish to driue away the diuel 1. Samuel we 1. Kinges 16. where Dauids Harpe and Psalmody kept the euill spirit away from Saul ¶ See S. Greg. l. 1. dial cap. 4. S. Aug. lib. 18. de ciuit Dei S. Hierom. in the life of Hilarion post medium S. Bede lib. 1. cap. 30. hist Anglic. XXXVII That children may be saued by their Parents fayth without the Sacrament of holy Baptisme COntrary to the expresse wordes both of truth it selfe and also of their owne Bible Iohn 3. 5. Verily verily I say vnto thee except a man be borne of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Therfore they cannot be saued without Baptisme Titus 3.5 Not by workes of righteousnes which we haue done but according to his mercy he saued vs by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost Marc. 16.16 He that belieueth and is baptized shall be saued but he that belieueth not shall be damned Seing infants therfore cannot belieue they must at the least be baptized or els they cannot be saued Heere they will obiect against vs that of S. Paul 1. Cor. 7.14 That the children of the faythful are sanctified But if they vnderstand by their sanctification that they are borne without sinnes they do directly oppugne S. Paul who affirmeth Ephes 1. that we are all borne the sonnes of wrath Yea S. Paul in the selfe same place sayth the vnbelieuing woman is sanctified by the belieuing man and yet I hope they will not say that she obtaines therby the full remission of her sinnes Gen. 17.14 The vncircumcised man-child whose flesh of his fore-skin is not circumcised that soule shal be cut off from his people But Circumcision was not more necessary to the Israelites then Baptisme to the Christians Therefore c. ¶ See S. Aug. lib. 1. de peccat merit and remiss cap. 30. and epist 90.92 S. Leo. epist 80. ad Episcop Campaniae S. Irenaeus lib. 3. cap. 19 S. Cyp. lib. 3. ep 8. ad Fidum XXXVIII That the Sacrament of Confirmation is not necessary nor to be vsed COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible Acts 8.14 Peter and Iohn prayed for them that they might receiue the holy Ghost for as yet he was fallen vpon none of them only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Iesus Then laid they their handes on them and they receiued the holy Ghost Lo the holy Ghost is giuen in Confirmation which was not giuen in Baptisme how then is it not necessary nor to be vsed Heb. 6.1 Therfore leauing the principles of the doctrine of Christ let vs goe on vnto perfection not laying againe the foundation of repentance from dead workes and of fayth towards God of the doctrine of Baptisme and of laying on of handes Lo Confirmation is heere called one of the Principles of the doctrine of Christ and a foundation of repentance How then not necessary nor to be vsed ¶ See the Fathers that affirme the same Tertul. lib. de Resur carnis S. Pacianus lib. de Baptismo S. Ambr. lib. de Sacram. S. Hierom contra Lucifer And lastly S. Cypr. lib. 2. epist 1. speaking both of Baptisme and Confirmation sayth Then they may be sanctifyed and be the sonnes of God if they be borne in both Sacramēts XXXIX That the bread of the supper of our Lord was but a figure or remembrāce of the body of Christ receiued by fayth and not his true and very body COntrary both to the expresse wordes and truth of their owne Bible Luc. 22.15 With desire I haue desired to eate this pass-ouer with you before I suffer Now to refer these wordes to a figuratiue eating only by fayth were most absurd for we cannot say that Iesus Christ could receyue or eate himselfe in this sense sith all Diuinity forbids vs to admit fayth in the Son of God Therefore that Pasche which he so greatly desired to eate with his Disciples before he suffered was the Pasche of his owne true body Luc 22.16 For I say vnto you I wil not any more drinke of the fruite of the vine vntill it be fulfilled in the Kingdome of God Wordes of wonderfull force and which cannot be vnderstood figuratiuely no more then the former it being a thing as cleare as the Sunne that of material bread and drinke there is no vse at all aboue in heauen Iohn 6.51 I am the liuing bread which came downe from heauen if any man eate of this bread he shall liue for euer And the bread that I wil giue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the world Beza is very angry when we ask him If the bread that came downe from heauen be liuing or life-giuing bread He willingly granteth vs the later but cannot endure to heare tell of the former and therefore translateth life-giuing insteed of liuing But this is absurd or the Sunne is life-giuing but is not liuing and being granted to be liuing what else is it then his body And note withall that thus our Lord spake of this blessed bread before he gaue it Mat. 26.26 Take eate this is my body And Luc. 22.19 This is my body which is giuin for you What I pray can be spoken more plaine Notwithstanding they wil needes mantaine and affirme that what he gaue and they receiued was nothing else but bare bread Note also that our Lord spake this at the very giuing thereof 1. Cor. 10.16 The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the bloud of Christ The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ And 1. Cor. 11. he addeth He that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himselfe not discerning the Lords body Loe how both before our Lord gaue it at the very giuing of it and his Apostles and disciples after he had giuen
he will Where the Apostle in expresse words opposeth refelleth this vnsauory doctrine teaching that the gift of prophecying or truly to interpret the holy Scripture is not giuen to all the faithfull but to some only in particular yea he presupposeth that one may haue the gift euen to worke miracles and yet may want the gift truly to interpret the word of God Therfore a man by his owne priuat spirit cannot righly interprete Scripture 2. Pet. 1.20 Knowing this first that no Prophesy of the Scripture is of any priuat interpretation for the Prophesy came not in old time in the margent or at any time by the will of man but holy men of God speake as they were moued by the holy Ghost Loc how clearly the Apostle taketh this faculty authority from a priuate and prophane man restrayning the same to a company and society of men and those also of some speciall note for their sanctity and holines assuring vs that they spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost 1. Iohn 4. Beloued belieue not euery spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God By which wordes we are taught that the spirits of others are to be examined whether they proceed from God or not but this Caueat cannot be vnderstood of the spirit of the whole Church sith then it would follow that there should be none left to try the said spirit of the Church euery particular man being included therin If then it be to be meant of priuate men as needes it must it followeth that a priuat spirit cānot be this Iudge sith it selfe is to vndergoe the iudgment and examination of some other ¶ The Fathers that affirme the same are S. Aug. epist 162. l. de Baptismo cap. 18. ad Epictetum S. Basil epist 78. S. Amb. epist 32. S. Leo epist 53. S. Hier. lib. cont Luciferianos Vincent Lyr. cont prophan heres nouitates Yea Martin Luther himselfe the Protestants great Grand-Father saith lib. de potest Papae We are not certaine of any priuat person whether he hath the reuelation of the Father or no but that the Church hath it we ought not to doubt VI. That S. Peters faith hath fayled COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible Luc. 22.31.32 Simon behould Sathan hath desired to haue you that he may sift you as wheate but I haue prayed for thee that thy faith fayle not Loe Sathan required to sift them all the Apostles but our Lord heere prayed for Peter only that his faith principally might not fayle Therfore S. Peters faith hath not failed Mat. 16.18 And I say vnto thee that thou art Peter and vpon this rock I will build my Church and the gats of hell shall not preuayle against it But had S. Peters faith fayled the gates of hell had long ago no doubt preuailed Mat. 23.2 The Scribes and the Pharisies sit in Moyses seat all therfore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and do How could Christ bid the people of the old law do all whatsoeuer he should bid them by those that sate in Moyses Chaire if they could erre But God hath no lesse preserued the truth of Christian Religion in the chaire of S. Peter which is in the new Law answerable to that of Moyses in the old Therfore neither S. Peters Fayth nor Chayre hath fayled Iohn 11.49.51 speaking of Caiphas the High Priest saith And this be spake not of himselfe but being High Priest that yeare he prophesied that Iesus should die for that nation Lo how in this most wicked time of the Sinagogue the very Dregges and outcast of that disobedient people yet speaking forth of that Chaire which Christ had commanded to be heard and obeyed touching mattters of fayth they answere truly and their chiefe Bishops prophesy ¶ S. Leo ser 3. de assump sua affirmeth the same The danger was common to all the Apostles but our Lord tooke speciall care of Peter that the state of all the rest might be more sure if the Head were inuincible VII That the Church can erre and hath erred COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible Isa 59 21. As for me this is my Couenant vnto them saith the Lord. My spirit that is vpon thee and my wordes which I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seede nor out of the mouth of thy seedes seed from hence forth and for euer Therfore the Church cannot erre Ioan. 14.16 I will pray the Father and he shall giue you another Comforter that he may abide with you for euer euen the spirit of truth But the Apostles themselues aboad not for euer therfore this is to be vnderstood of the perpetuall aboad of the spirit of Truch with their Successors Mat. 18.17 And if he neglect to heare the Church let him be vnto thee as an heathen man and a Publican Whence is clearly to be gathered that the Church in her Censure cannot erre Isa 35.8 And a high way shal be there and a way and it shall be called the way of Holines the vncleane shall not passe ouer it but it shall be for those the way faring men though fooles shall not erre ther in How far deceiued then are many simple soules who do affirme that the whole Church and all holy men that euer haue bene therein for these thousand yeares how wise soeuer haue all erred Ephes 5.27 That he might present it to himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinkle or any such thinge but that it should be holy and without blemish Note well these wordes without spot wrinkle any blemish and tell me now if it be possible that reading this thou canst euer belieue that she hath euer taught such horrible blasphemies abhominations as at this day she is charged with See more Iohn 16.13 Ephes 5.27 Isay 9.7 Ezech 37.26 Luc. 22.32 Mat. 23.3 1. Pet. 2.9 Iohn 17.17 1. Cor. 11.25 Psal 101.23.29 Ephes 2.10 Ihon 10.16 Acts. 4.32 Ephes 4.5.11 Luc. 10.16 Deut. 17.8 Ierem. 3.15 Malac. 2.7 Mat. 16.18 Acts. 15.28 2. Cor. 13.8 1. Tim. 3.15 ¶ The Fathers affirme the same expressely S. Aug. cont Crescon lib. 1. cap. 3. Also vpon the 1◠8. Psal the place beginneth Ne auferas de ore meo verbum veritatis vsquequaque S. Cypr. epist. 55. ad Cornel. num 3. S. Ireneus lib. 3. cap. 4. with many others VIII That the Church hath bene bidden and inuisible COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible Mat. 5.14.15 Yee are the light of the world a Citty that is set on a hill cannot be hid Neither do men light a candle and put it vnder a bushell but on a candlestick and it giueth light to all that are in the house But the Catholique Church is such a light such a candle and such a Citty built vpon Christ as vpon a mountaine therfore hath not nor cannot be hidden nor is inuisible Mat. 18.17 Tell the Church
it was a Symbole of admirable and supernatural vertue And had he not reason so to say For oyle of it selfe could not be naturally the Antidote of all diseases and albeit it were yet the Apostles were not sent to practice phisick but to preach the ghospell Yea it were a thing both ridiculous and impious to make them Triaclers Druggers or Paracelsians Marc. 16.18 They shall lay handes on the sicke and they shall recouer But first our Reformers are no true Priests Secondly they lay not their handes vpon the sick Thirdly they annoint them not with oyle in the name of the Lord as S. Iames willeth Let them say the truth then and shame the diuell are not they sick in their wits who will oppose so plaine Scriptures ¶ See the Fathers that affirme the same Origen hom 2. in Leuit. S. Chrysost lib. 3. de sacerd S. Aug. in Speculo serm 215. de temp Venerable Bede in 6. Marc. 5. Iac. with many others XLIII That no interiour Grace is giuen by imposition of handes in holy Orders And that ordinary Vocation and Mission of Pastours is not necessary in the Church COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible 1. Tim. 4.14 Neglect not the gift we read grace that is in thee which was giuen thee by Prophesy with the laying on the hands of the Presbitery Loe how playne it is that holy Orders doe giue grace Doctour Kellison handling this question touching the mission of the Reformers proueth learnedly in his Reply pag. 7. 44. that this foundation being disproued the whole frame of their Church and Religion falleth yea that they haue neither true faith nor worship of God and his reason is this If faith depend of hearing hearing of preaching preaching and administration of Sacraments of ministers and preachers and preachers ministers of their mission where there is no mission as they haue none there can be no true fayth nor lawfull administration of Sacraments and consequently no Religion Therfore vocation is necessary in the Church 1. Tim. 1.6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir vp the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands Loe how playne the holy Scripture is against them But they reply that laying on of hands is not needfull to them who haue already in them the spirit of God and inward annointing of the holy Ghost To which very question Theodoret maketh answere that God commanded Moyses Numb 27. to lay his hands vpon Iosue wheras by the testimony of God himselfe Iosue had already in him the spirit of God S. Paul althogh he were called immediatly from heauen yet was afterward sent with laying on of hands Acts 13.3 Heb. 5.4 And no man taketh this honour vnto himselfe but he that is called of God as was Aaron Heere our Aduersaries reply agayne that Aaron had no externall vocation But this is easily solued for Aaron was the first of his Order and therefore could not haue his calling by succession and whose case is farre vnlike to our Reformers vnles they will confesse also that they are the first or their order wherein they shall be easily belieued See more Act. 13.2 Tim. 1.6.1 Tim. 5.22.2 Tim. 1.8 Nūb. 27.23 ¶ See also the Fathers S. Aug. lib. 4. quaest super Num. S. Cypr. ep ad Magnum Optat. Mileuit the place beginneth Ne quis miretur Tertull. in praescript The place beginneth Edant origines XLVI That Priests and other Religious persons who haue vowed their chastity to God may freely marry notwithstanding their vow COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible Deut. 23.22 When thou shalt vow a vow vnto the Lord thy God thou shalt not slack to pay it for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee and it would be sinne in thee but if thou shalt forbeare to vow it shall be no sinne in thee Out of which wordes two thinges are clearly proued The one that it is both lawfull and laudable to make vowes The other that Vowes being once made do bind where otherwise there was no oblagation before Therfore such as haue vowed Chastity may not nor ought not afterwards attempt to marry which if they do they break their Vow 1. Tim. 5.11.12 But the younger widdowes refuse for when they haue begun to wax wanton against Christ they will marry hauing damnation because they haue cast off their first fayth All the auncient Fathers that write vpon this place expound these words of the Apostle of the vow of Chastity or of the faith and promise made to Christ to liue continently as is abundantly proued in the Rhemes Testament vpon this place 1. Tim. 5.15 For some are already turned aside after Sathan Loe to marry after the vow of chastity once made is heere termed by the Apostle himselfe turning aside after Sathan And herupon it is that we call the Religious that after marry as Luther Bucher Peter Martyr and the rest of that lasciuious rabble Apostata's Gods adulterers incestuous sacrilegious and like See more Psal 66.16 Numb 6.2.18 Iosue 21.26 Ierem. 35.18 Eccles 5.3 Act. 21.23 ¶ See also the Fathers in confirmation heerof S. Aug. lib. de bono viduit cap. 9. S. Athanasius lib. de virginitat S. Epiphanius haeref 48. S. Hier. cont Iouin lib. 1. cap. 7. What is it to breake their first faith saith S. Aug They vowed and performed not in Psal 75. The place beginneth Quid est primam fidem c. XLV That fasting and abstinence from certaine meates is not grounded on holy Scripture nor causeth any spirituall good COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible Ierem 35.5 And I set before the sonnes of the house of the Rechabits pots full of wine and wine-cups and I said vnto them drinke yee wine But they said we will drinke no wine for Ionadab the sonne of Rechab our Father commanded vs saying Yee shall drinke no wine neither yee nor your sonnes for euer Thus haue we obeyed Ionadab our Father in all that he hath charged vs. Therfore fasting is grounded in holy scripture Luc. 1.15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord and shall drinke neither wine nor stronge drinke Loe abstinence not only foretould but also prescribed by the Angell which plainly proueth that it was both a worthy thing and also an act of Religion in S. Iohn Baptist as it was in the Nazarites and Rechabits afore-mentioned Actes 13.3 And when they had fasted and prayed and laid their handes on them they sent them away Hence the Church of God hath sufficient ground and warrant for the vsing and prescribing of publique fastes which was not fasting from sinne as our Reformers forsooth pretend for such fasting they were euer bound to keep and that at such times or seasons as the Church pleased to prescribe as in Lent or the like and not when euery man lists or the toy takes him in the head as Aerius and other Hereticks did teach testified
whatsoeuer giuing vs thereby to vnderstand that not onely the bondes of sins but as well all other knots and difficulties in matters of fayth are to be loosed by S. Peter and by the Pastours that succeed in the Church See more Deut. 17.8 Aggeus 2.11 2. Chron. 19.8 vnto the end 2. Thes 2.15 ¶ The holy Fathers that affirme the same are S. Gregory Naz. in orat excusat Tertul. lib. de praescrip aduersus haer S. Cyprian lib. 1. epist 3. S. Aug. lib. 1. cont Cresc cap. 33. lib. cont Fund cap. 5. Vincent Lyr. in suo commonit And S. Anselme lib. de incar c. 1. writing to Pope Vrban saith thus vnto him Vnto no other is more rightly referred to be corrected whatsoeuer ariseth in the Church against the Catholique fayth c. They affirme III. That the Scriptures are easy to be vnderstood and that therefore none ought to be restrayned from reading of them COntrary to the expresse words of their owne Bible 2. Pet. 3.16 where S. Peter speaking of S. Pauls Epistles saith In which are some thinges hard to be vnderstood which they that are vnlearned and vnstable wrest as they do also the other Scriptures vnto their owne destruction But all vnlearned Reformers do both read and are allowed to read those hard thinges yea the Booke of Apocalyps also yet harder without any restraint to man or woman which yet they vnderstand not therefore they wrest them as also other Scriptures to their owne destruction Actes 8.30 And Philip said Vnderstandest thou what thou readest And be said How can I except some man should guide me Where first may be noted that this Noble Eunuch freely confessed he could not vnderstand the Scriptures without an interpreter to expound them albeit he was a great and serious student in them and withall a holy and humble man as S. Hierome noteth of him Epist ad Paulin. de stud Scrip. and next that he sayth Except some man guide me So as he fled not to his priuate spirit nor yet to conferring of place with place as our Aduersaries do Therfore the Scriptures are not easy Luc. 24.25 27. Christ called two of his Disciples fooles and slow of hart c. And beginning at Moyses and all the Prophets he expounded vnto them in all the Scriptures the thinges concerning himselfe How then are the Scriptures so easily to be vnderstood of the vnlearned when Christs Disciples themselues could not vnderstand them till first they were expounded to them Reuelat. 5.1 c. The Angell speaking of the Booke sealed with seauen seales wept much because no man in heauen nor in earth was able to open the booke nether to looke theron A strange case to read in Scripture it selfe that the booke of Scripture should be shut with so many seales but much more strange that euen in S. Iohns and the Apostles time none could be found nether in heauen nor earth able to open the same nor to looke theron which euery Apprentice now a dayes without any difficulty will vndertake to doe See more 2. Pet. 1.20 Mat. 13.11 36. Luc. 24.45 1. Cor. 12.10 Luc. 8.10 54. Luc. 2. 50.2 Tim. 3.7 1. Iohn 4.6 Iohn 5.35 Psal 119.18 34 Reuel 51. c. ¶ The Holy Fathers that affirme the same are S. Irenaeus l. 2. cap. 47. Origen l. cont Cels S. Amb. epist 44. ad Constant where he calleth it A sea and depth of propheticall riddles S. Hier. in praefat comment in Ephes 5. And S. Aug. epist. 119. cap. 21. saith The thinges of holy Scripture that I know not are many more then those that I know So S. Greg. hom 6. in Ezech. and many other Fathers confesse the same of themselues S. Denis Bishop of Corinth cited by Eusebius lib. 7. hist Ec. 20. saith Of this Booke of Scripture to wit this is my opinion that the matter therof is far more profoūd then my wit can reach vnto They affirme IV. That Apostolicall Traditions and ancient Customes of the Church not found in the written word are not to be receiued nor do oblige vs. COntrary to the expresse wordes of their owne Bible 2. Thes 2.15 Therfore Brethren stand fast and hold the Traditions which yee haue bene taught whether by word or by our Epistle Hence it is cleere that some Traditiōs were deliuered to the Thessalonians by word of mouth and those of equal authority with what was written if not of more for the holy Ghost doth name them first as they were indeed the first in being yea it is certaine that before the new Testament was written the Apostles deliuered all by Tradition and word of mouth Therfore Apostolicall Traditions are to be receiued and do oblige vs. 2. Thes 3.6 Now I command you bretheren in the name of our Lord Iesus-Christ that yee withdraw your selues from euery brother that walketh disorderly and not after the Tradition which he receiued of vs. Lo he saith not I counsell you but I command you But these men reiecting all Traditions walke disorderly therfore they breake the Apostles cōmandment Yea they stand not but are fallen they let goe what the word it selfe doth will them to hould and therfore in the name of our Lord Iesus-Christ let all good men withdraw themselues from them 1. Cor. 11.2 Now I praise you brethren that you remember me in all thinges and keepe the Traditions as I haue deliuered them vnto you But these reiect all Traditions therfore needes must S. Paul speake thus vnto them Now none of my brethren I dispraise you for that you forget me in all thinges and keepe not the Traditions as I haue deliuered them vnto you Lastly If nothing at all be to be belieued but only that which is left vs written wherein should the Church haue exercised herselfe from Adam to Moyses the space of two thousand six hundred yeares See more 1. Tim. 6.3.20 2. Tim. 1.13.2 Tim. 2.2 Iohn 20.30 21.25 16.12.1 Cor. 11.16.34.2 ep Iohn 12. 3. ep of S. Iohn 13. Actes 16.4 15.28 ¶ The Fathers that affirme the same are S. Irenaeus l. 3. c. 4. Origen in cap. 6. ad Rom. S. Damas l. 4. c. 17. S. Chrysost in 2. Thes 2. And S. Basil de Spiritu sancto saith Some thinges we haue from Scripture other thinges from the Apostles both which haue like force vnto Godlines S. Chrysost hom 4. in 2. Thes sayth If is a Tradition seeke thou no further They affirme V. That a man by his owne vnderstanding or Priuate spirit may rightly iudge interprete Scripture COntrary to the expersse wordes of their owne Bible 1. Cor. 12.8 c. To one is giuen by the spirit the word of wisdome to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit to another the working of miracles to another Prophesie to another discerning of spirits to another kindes of tongues to another the interpretation of tongues but all these worketh that one and the selfe same spirit deuiding to euery man seuerally as