are dead in sinne without the exception of any as in the place aboue they haue added Dempta virgine Maria Except the Virgine Marie And Petrus de Natalibus hath beene as impudent in daring to attribute vnto her the feast of the Conception S. Barnard speaking of S. Iohn Baptist Bernard de excel sanctir Ioan Bapt. Serm. 75. in Cantic in the Sermon of his holinesse All we which come into the world doe bring with vs a great band of originall sinne be onely that hath not done any sinne is excepted Againe intreating of the Conception of the holy Virgine Christ the man onely excepted that which a certaine man humbly confesseth of himselfe that is to say Dauid respecteth all men in generall I am conceiued in iniquities and my mother hath conceiued me in sinne Yea and he goeth further euen to the kindling and mouing of his choler Idem Ep. 174 ad fratres Lugdun Potho Prunien Presbyter l. 5. de statu Domus Dei The virgine Marie which is vp heaped with true honours needeth not any false and counterfetted ones for that is not to honour but to dishonour her The seast of the Conception ought not to bee instituted it is neither according to the custome of the Church nor according to reason nor yet from any tradition there was none but our Lord onely that was conceiued without sinne wherefore shee will willingly forgoe this honour whereby we either honour a sinne or falsifie and belie a holinesse c. And Potho about the yeare 1200. doth speake of the same Lombard said It may be said and belieued Lombard l. 3. d 3. according to the attestations and testimonies of the Saints that the verie flesh of the word should haue in times past beene subiect to sinne as all the flesh of the holy Virgine but that it was kept pure and cleane by the operation of the holy Ghost in such sort as that it was vnited and ioyned to the word free from all manner of contagion And thus you may see the opinion of the Church vnto the yeare 1200. and more As for that which may follow after what authoritie or what credite is it worthie to haue Lombard vpon a good intent began to say That it was to be belieued that shee was purged from originall sinne when shee conceiued our Lord. Some others would adde thereunto that she should haue beene conceiued in originall sinne but that shee should be borne without sinne hauing beene sanctified in the wombe of her mother But Occam restraineth the matter to this head Occam l. 3. sentent q. 2. as that shee should not bee able to sinne but venially Scotus more boldly that shee should be conceiued without originall sinne contrarie to him are Thomas Bonauenture Gregorie de Rimini c. And for want of proofe out of the Scripture they caused the Proteuangile of S. Iames an Apocripha booke to make the supplie and for want of the reuealed will of God in his word his Almightines and in stead of the truth a likelyhood in so much as that the Councell of Basil determined Concil-Basil Sess Anno. 1439. that euerie good Catholike ought to belieue that shee was conceiued without originall sinne and that hee ought not to preach or teach to the contrarie In the end Pope Sixtus the fourth seing that the contentions and controuersies would not be appeased Anno. 1483. tooke vpon him by his authoritie to ordaine That the opinions both affirmatiue and negatiue should passe as indifferent what became then of the authoritie of this Councell And that without the staine of heresie to be imputed to either of the sides Anno. 1466. because the holy See had not as yet determined the controuersie Shewing notwithstanding that he inclined more vnto the affirmatiue for that a litle before he had ordained the Office of the feast of the Conception and for that hee graced it with as many and as great priuiledges as the feast of the Sacrament and the Councell of Trent rested thereupon Now hereby wee see how in a short time abuses grow to an extremitie after that the word of God is once cast behinde vs and our owne carnall and corrupt sence set in the throne and Chaire of gouernment But this is our conclusion in the end of the consideration of our estate after the fall and that with the consent and agreement of all the old Church that this fall was mortall both according to the first and second death That it corrupted all mankind in such sort as that blindnesse and peruersnesse seased vpon the vnderstanding Ephe 4.5 Ephe. 2. according to that which S. Paul saith You haue your vnderstanding ouershadowed with the clouds of darknesse you were also darknesse And brutishnesse and concupiscence vppon the will Rom. 8. following that which is said Doing the will of the flesh and of their fantasies c. So long as that all their wisedome became enmitie against God That abiding in the state of nature our condemnation was certaine from which condition and estate it is not notwithstanding in the power of nature to deliuer her selfe neither yet as it followeth by consequent from eternall condemnation in as much as it is not so much a fire which beeing blowne vp breedeth to such a diâ—ease as it is not able to cure vs of againe as a heape of dead ashes a soule in respect of spirituall parts without a soule that is to say which hath lost all whatsoeuer it inioyed of the spirituall life and seperated from God which is the life and spirite thereof and which hath therefore by consequent more need of the powerfull hand and soueraigne grace of the Creator then Lazarus who had beene foure dayes dead for at the least hee resisted not or yet that confused Chaos before that things were reduced and set in good order that is to say of a new fire which he kindleth euen whether it will or no in it and of a newe spirit which by a new grace hee sheddeth abroad into our hearts Whereupon Saint Paul saith When you were dead in your sinnes hee hath quickned you by Christ Ephe. 1. Coloss 2. â—3 Againe You were darknesse but now you are light in the Lord c. And we may see hereupon how that there is not any one creature able to recouer himselfe of his fall without a new infusion of the grace of God and the same beeing of his meere grace that no creature what goodnesse so euer hee practise after this grace can boast himselfe before God neither yet alleadge any merite either for himselfe or for any other it being no other then that pretended merite whereof the Apostle will alwayes bee saying vnto him Ephe. 4. 5. What hast thou that thou hast not receiued c. And which likewise is not able to be an equall match for proportion much lesse in comparison for the reward it challengeth seing it is of too short a time to
by his grace with him And thus haue both the holy Scriptures as also the olde writers spoken and written Our Lord saith According to the holy scriptures He that commeth to me he that beleeueth in me he that eateth me be that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him he hath eternal life he liueth through me I will raise him vp againe at the last day c. This maner of communication participation ceaseth not spiritually to be performed and effected without the Sacrament but our Lorde as helpes vnto vs against our infirmitie hath prouided and appointed these Sacraments for vs in the eating and drinking whereof it pleaseth him to set out vnto vs the certaintie of this spirituall life which is in his bodie and bloud and that as verely as the corporall consisteth in the bread and wine And as for the bread he hath saide of it Iohn 6. This is my bodie But my bodie saith he which is giuen for you That bodie whereof hee had saide in Saint Iohn My flesh is meate in deed That flesh whereof he had saide The bread which I will giue you is my flesh and this I will giue for the life of the worlde For this bodie this flesh doe nothing auaile vs saue in that they are giuen and deliuered for vs for the remission of our sinnes and for the redemption of our soules And therfore he expoundeth himselfe vnto the Capernaites The flesh profiteth nothing the wordes which I speake vnto you are spirit and life Of the Cuppe also hee hath saide This is my bloud the bloud of the newe Testament c. And in another place This Cup is the new Testament in my bloud Not of his bloud onely but also of the Cup to the ende wee should not stay our selues or rest in the elements of this Cuppe in deede which he was to drinke for vs euen in the elements of that bitter death whereof hee had saide Let this Cup passe from me For this Cup this Passion is the newe Testament the newe couenant of God with vs. And in my bloud saith hee which is shed for you For the bloud of our Lorde entereth not into our stomackes neither yet is it shed or powred into our bowels and entrailes for to what ende should there bee any such thing done and acted in this Sacrament where the question is of the nourishment of our soules and of a feeding vnto eternall life This bloud likewise simplie considered maketh not for the profite of our soules neither as it is bloud neither as yet in that it is the bloud of Christ but herein onely for that it is the bloud of Christ crucified for vs the bloud of the sonne of God shed for the remission of our sinnes and for the saluation of our soules To eate this flesh to drinke this bloud is to draw by faith our spirituall life out of the fountaine of his flesh broken for vs of his blood shed for vs of Christ the sonne of God crucified for vs. This is to liue by him this is to liue in him this is to be with him that is to say to liue by his righteouâ—nesse whereas wee die by our owne sinne by the redemption which hee hath wrought where as wee lay in bondage and thraldome and finallie to bee iustified by him and sanctified in him that so wee may bee quickened and glorified also in him Neither haue the ancient fathers otherwise vnderstoode this communicating of Christ Saint Cyprian Our coniunction with Christ doth not make any mixture of persons According to the old writers Cypr. de Caen. Dom. it vniteth not substances but it effecteth a fellowship and correspondencie in affections it bindeth the willes togither by a firme and faithfull league c. He had said that if wee eate not his flesh c. we shall not haue life in him Teaching vs by a spirituall instruction and opening vnto vs the spirit to the conceyuing of so hidde and secret a thing to the ende that wee might know that our abiding in him is an eating of him and our incorporating into him a drinking of him And all this is wrought by our submitting of our selues in obedience ioyning of our selues vnto him in will and vniting of our selues vnto him in our affections Wherefore the eating of this flesh is a greedinesse or a feruent desire to abide and dwell in him As by eating and drinking the substaunce of the bodie liueth and is nourished euen so the life of the spirit is nourished by this proper nourishment For looke what eating is vnto the bodie the same is faith vnto the soule And looke what meate is vnto the bodie the same is the worde vnto the spirit accomplishing and working for euer and that by a more excellent power and efficacie that which carnall nourishment woorketh but for a time c. And again In the celebrating of these Sacraments wee are taught to haue the Pascion alwayes in our remembrance Again Wee are made of this bodie that is to say of the bodie of Christ in asmuch as by the Sacrament and the thing of the Sacrament wee are ioyned and knit vnto our head Nowe it is most certaine and true that such doe liue as touch the bodie of Christ Saint Hillarie These thinges taken and drunke Hylar de Trinit that is to say the bread and wine doe cause and bring to passe that Christ is in vs and wee in him Not verilie as he there teacheth that his bodie entereth into ours but by a similitude drawne from nature for that wee are ioyned together as members to the heade to his humaine bodie holie and glorious And this vnion is wrought by the faith of the death and passion of the Lorde in his spirit Saint Augustine August Ep. ad Iren. De Consecr D. 2. Christ is the bread whereof who so eateth liueth eternally and whereof hee hath saide And the bread which I will giue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the worlde Hee determineth and setteth downe howe hee is bread not onely according to the worde by the which all thinges liue but according to the flesh taken for the life of the worlde For man which was dead in sinne being vnited and made one with the fleshe which is pure and vndefiled and incorporated into the same doth liue by the spirit of Christ as a bodie liueth by his soule but he that is not of the body of Christ doth not liue by his spirit c. Of this body Christ is the head Idem Ep. 57. ad Dardan the vnitie of this bodie is recommended vnto vs by this sacrifice c. By our head we are reconciled vnto God because that in it is the Diuinitie of the onely begotten Sonne made partaker of our mortalitie to the end that we might also become partakers of his immortalitie Again Idem de ciuit Dei l. 21. c 25. Compage He that
such sort as that they are not apparant or to bee discerned notwithstanding that they be there neither yet any manner of distinction to bee made of them by reason of their incorporation euen so are we all incorporate both amongst our selues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as also with Christ for wee are not nourished and fed this man of one bodie and that man of an other but all ioyntly of one and the same These are then the two principall endes of the Sacrament euen the growth and helping forwarde of our vnitie with Christ our head and of our vnitie with the brethren which with vs doe make one body in him which cannot bee accomplished more effectually then by the remembrance of the death of Christ which stirreth vp in vs a loue towards him who hath loued vs so much as to giue himselfe to death for vs euen that death which was due and iustly belonging to sinners c. So that wee not being able either to liue or die for any his emolument or profit for what good can there arise from vs to him we are incited and stirred vp to liue and die for his body which is the Church and not to spare any thing that is in vs no not our owne bloud for the edifying of the same or for the good and saluation of our brethren either begotten of Basil de Baptis in Moral or redeemed by the same bloud And this is the cause why Saint Basill saith What profit is there in these words Take this is my body To the end that drinking and eating we may euermore bee mindfull of him which is dead and risen againe for vs Who so calleth not to mind this remembrance is said to eate vnworthily c. And in another place What is the dutie of such as eate the bread and drinke the Cup of Christ Verily saith he to keep the remembrance of him which is dead and risen againe for vs perpetually c. Seeing saith likewise S. Ambrose Ambros de iis qui myst intiantur c. 3. That the Sacrament serueth not for any vse vnto saluation without the preaching that is to say the remembrance and commemoration of the crosse of Christ. And hitherto it may be that both wee and our aduersaries are of one mind in as much as we both the one and the other say That the bodie and bloud of Christ are in the Supper celebrated according to his institution and are truly and verily drunken and eaten in the same by the faithfull members of Christ in assurance of remission of sinnes and eternall life But the difference and disagreement betwixt vs is Wherein the maine difference lyeth for that wee say that they are receiued in the supper of the Lord with the Sacraments of the bread and wine They vnder the accidents of the whitenes roundnesse c. of the bread and vnder the rednesse and moysture c. of the wine the substance therof being at the verie instant of the vttering of the words by the Priest quite vanished and become nothing that so there may be place made for the bodie and bloud yea conuerted and turned into the bodie and bloud of Christ which they call Transubstantiation Againe that wee say that the bodie and bloud of Christ the nourishment of our soule which is spirituall are communicated with vs by the efficacie and power of the spirit of God and receiued of vs in like manner spiritually and by faith They that they are giuen by the hand of the Priest vnder the accidents of bread and wine and conuerted into flesh bloud by the pronouncing of the words which they call Sacramentall receiued into the mouth and swallowed downe into the stomack corporally and really c. and that not of the faithfull onely but of all both good and bad which receiue them c. So that the question or controuersie betwixt vs is not Whether there be a communicating of the body and bloud of Christ in the holy supper but How And this How is not raised by vs It proceedeth of the curiosity of our aduersaries neither yet by our incredulitie or curiositie but by our aduersaries who in stead of resting themselues in the simplicitie of the old writers haue so curiously pried into the same as that they haue wrapt themselues in an infinite sort of absurdities thereby causing doubts to arise yea and doubting themselues also of If in stead of making it plaine vnto themselues and others of the manner How Verily Saint Cyprian saith That it is an Apostolike thing and appertaining to the sinceritie of the truth to declare how the bread wine are the flesh bloud of our Lord. Saint Augustine likewise feareth not to demaund How the bread is made the bodie of Christ seeing that our Lord in the day of the Ascention caried vp his bodie into heauen But he hath also giuen vs rules by which these kinds of speeches ought to be expounded But this holy scanning and sifting out of the truth is verie farre from the prophane curiositie of our aduersaries they seeke the deciding of the matter in the nature of the Sacraments by comparing of Scripture with Scripture and by the analogie of faith and of the Creed according to the true and vndoubted rules of Diuinitie but these our aduersaries by destroying of the Sacraments the nature of Christ and the Articles of our faith our onely Diuinitie by destroying also the Lawes which God hath set in nature by a false kind of Philosophie So deeply haue they delighted and rooted themselues in an opinion contrarie to faith in the flesh which profiteth nothing contrarie to the word which is spirit and life and in the letter which is dead and killeth contrarie to the spirit which is liuing and quickning They say The literall sence neither can nor ought to be followed alwayes what is there any thing more cleare or plaine This is my bodie this is my bloud But againe is there any thing more plaine The rocke was Christ And of circumcision This is my couenant Againe The Lambe is the Passeouer These bones are the house of Israell Iohn is Elias I am the true Vine I am the bread of life which came downe from heauen c. And if the plainnesse and clearenesse of places should bee tied vnto the words and not to the sence and meaning then what clearer places can there possibly be then these Let vs make man according to our owne image and similitude And the Anthropomorphites haue heereupon concluded that God hath the shape of a man Genes 1. Luke 22 Who so hath not a sword let him sell his Coate and buy one And what then saith Origen Shall the Bishops put their hand to the sword thereupon I and my Father are one And Sabellius hath concluded thereupon that the Father hath suffered in the flesh I am the bread of life August de ciuit Dei l. 21. c. 25. he that shall eate this
saith S. Paule himselfe is of the Lord. 1. Cor. 3. Canon vtrum de consecr d. 2 Which thing the Canon also concludeth in expresse words That the sacrament is not of the merite of him that consecrateth but of the word of the Creator of the power of the holy Ghost bringing all things to passe c. Seuenthly It destroyeth the analogie coherence of the holy scriptures It destroyeth the analogic of the scriptures faith for how can it come to passe by taking that course that after the example of Esdras we should come to expound scripture by scripture by that key which S. Augustine giueth vnto vs to open the same as to expound one place by many and not in such a sence as is contrary to many one obscure and dark place by many cleare ones whereas the sticking to the words of one place do ouerthrow the cleare doctrine of many others and from this one also do gather nothing but contradiction and darknes He that giueth vs his body giueth vs also his bloud the body and bloud alike precious both the one and the other the price and ransome for our sins and therefore the one the other giuen in the same sence Now the truth is that it is thus said of the bloud Luk. 22. This cup is the new testament in my bloud and this cannot be vnderstood of the cuppe but of the wine namely as S. Mathew reporteth and setteth it downe This is my blood Mat. 26. the blood of the new Testament c. If then there be a most apparant figure in the one it cannot be excluded from the other And as the one is resolued into these words This that is to say this wine is my blood So the other in these This that is to say This bread is my bodie And as it is said of the wine or cup This cup is the new testament in my blood So it may be said of the bread This bread is the new testament in my body And seeing again that according to their own sayings the bread canot be the body nor the wine the blood really because they are two Jndiuidua as the Logicians speake predicated and spokeÌ„ the one on the other we wil expresse them by the words of S. Paul who hath not giuen any other thing vnto vs then that which hee hath receiued neither yet taught vs any thing but that which himselfe had first learned of the Son of God 1. Cor. 10. This bread is my body which is broken for you that is to say This bread which I breake is the coÌ„munion of my bodie this cup or this wine which I blesse is the coÌ„munion of my blood c. And if we yet doubt but what maner of coÌ„munion is this and how is it brought to passe how is this eating and drinking c. we must haue recourse to our Lord for answer and resolution Ioh. 6.50 This is the bread that came down from heaueÌ„ to the end that if any man eat thereon he might not die a liuing bread a quickning bread a bread of God which bringeth eternal life My flesh saith he my blood are truly meat truly drinke which I haue giueÌ„ for the life of the world be it is that eateth drinketh therof that coÌ„meth to me which belieueth in me which dwelleth in me c. If this should offend you as it did the Capernaits then learne vnderstand That it is the spirit that quickneth that the flesh prositeth nothing that my words are spirit life c. Neither is there any cause why it should be obiected here that S. Iohn speaketh of the spiritual eating How S. Ioh. c. 6 must be vnderstood not of the sacramental For notwithstanding that he speake here of the spirituall yet he ceaseth not to declare vnto vs the maner of the sacramentall to wit vnder the Sacraments the obiectes of our sences the helpes of our faith yet spiritual And thus haue the ancient fathers euermore vnderstood it haue serued themselues with this place of S. Iohn as a Commentarie vpon the rest of the Euangelists which haue collected and gathered the necessitie of the expounding thereof siguratiuely also that the faithfull alone are partakers of the thing of the Sacrament and not the wicked and vngodly But as the authors of transubstantiation did afterward more and more embrace the carnall presence consequently that the wicked and vngodly did eate Christ so began they lesse and lesse to admit in this matter and question the authoritie of this sermon made by our Lorde a sermon verily made some yeare or thereabout before the institution of the Supper but as is manifest an intended preparatiue vnto the same euen as the talke and communication which our Lord had with Nicodemus concerning baptisme was a preparatiue to Baptisme There our Lord said Iohn 3. If a man be not regenerate that is to say borne againe hee cannot enter into the kingdome of God And here Jf a man eate not my flesh and drinke my bloud hee can not haue life in him c. There Nicodemus was offended And how can a man that is old be borne againe can he enter into his mothers bellie c. And here the Capernaites This is a harsh speech who can endure to heare it And how can this man giue vs his flesh to eate And many of his disciples alâ—o and that so greatly as that they went from him therefore And there hee expoundeth his meaning to Nicodemus Man must bee borne againe of water and of the spirite That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the spirit is spirit c. And here in like manner to the Capernaites It is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing c. Now Baptisme was formally instituted after the speech had by Christ with Nicodemus the signe added to the thing the water to the spirit c. and yet notwithstanding the water did not change his nature This text likewise serueth not a little to the plaine laying out of the doctrine of baptisme And in like manner after the sermon of our Lord to the Capernaites the holy supper was instituted the elements of corporall nourishment ordained for Sacraments of the spiritual c. And then why should these signes change their natures And why shall it not be lawful to alleadge this place as well in the matter of the Lords supper for the cleerer vnderstanding of the same that so we may be enlightned and made to discerne where our spirituall nourishment lyeth And seeing that the institution of baptisme comming after hath not at all made regeneration to be carnall by the adding of the element therunto why should the putting of the element to the eating and spirituall communicating of Christ haue made it carnall Saint Augustine demandeth The fathers August de consen euang l. 3. c. 1. Seeing that S.
Idem in Psal 33.1 2. Ierm And how was he carried in his own hands Because that recommending his body his bloud he took into his hands that which the faithful know that is to say the bread and the cup and so he carried himselfe after a certaine maner saying This is my body c. Now let them expound vnto vs what is the meaning of this Quodammodo C. Hocest quod De Consecr D 2. Idem Ep. 118. c. 3 after a certaine sort except it be Sacramentally Or as the Canon saith Improperly not in truth but in a misterie To the end saith he that the sence may bee It is called the body of Christ that is to say it signifieth it He compareth say they the deuotion wherwith it ought to be honoured to that of the Centurion who said vnto our Lord I am not worthie that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe c. But to what purpose if we receiue but the signe Where as we take the thing by faith and the signe with the hand As the Centurion receiued the Lord corporally vnder this roofe and spiritually and by faith in his soule and corporally without faith vnto condemnation spiritually by faith vnto saluation according to that which Saint Augustine saith in an other place That the Virgine is not vnâ—happy Idem in ps 98. because shee did conceiue and beare our Lord in her wombe but by faith in her soule But he hath said say they Worship his footstoole and thereby he meaneth his flesh And of his flesh he saith That no man doth eate it that hath not first worshipped it This is not then the bread And who doubteth that wee ought not to worship the flesh of Christ vnited hypostatically to the Deitie And that no man can eate it which doth not belieue it and that no man can belieue it which doth not worship it and that no man can truely worship it except that hee belieue it And is not this same against our transubstantiators which teach that the wicked eate it Of those I speake which can neither worship nor belieue it But to worship it is to worship it in heauen and not in the bread lifting vp our spirits on high and not casting downe our eyes vpon the earth And this is it that wee dispute Not saith S. Augustine the signe that is seene Idem de doctr Christ l. 3. c. 9. and which goeth away but that whereunto it ought to bee referred But let them blush and bee ashamed that they haue not added there to that which followeth Vpon what ground so euer thou fallest downe to worship looke not down vnto the earth but vp to the holy one whose foot stoole it is Idem in Psal 98. that is to say the humanitie of Christ And when thou worshippest him let not thy thoughts rest in the flesh and without being quickned by the spirit for it is the spirite that quickneth c. And this is the cause why our Lord said to the twelue c. Vnderstand sptritually that which I haue said you shall not eate this body which you see neither shall you drinke this my bloud which they shall shed that shall crucifie me I haue inioyned you by commandement to vse a certaine Sacrament which spiritually vnderstood will giue you life c. Had it not therfore beene better for them that they had left this place vnremembred They cite an other place That which is taken from the fruits of the earth saith hee consecrated by misticall prayer let vs take for the spirituall saluation in remembrance of the passion of our Lord Idem de Trin. l. 3. c. 4. c. it is not sanctified to be so great a Sacrament but by the inuisible operation of the holy Ghost And what is there heere for any man to doubt of As though there were no other operation of the holy Ghost but Transubstantiation For is not regeneration in Baptisme a marueilous worke also of the holy Ghost Wherein notwithstanding the water in his substance receiued not any chaunge But as for that which hee saith of the fruites of the earth and that they are made a great Sacrament they should haue learned that for to continue Sacraments they also continued fruites of the earth and for to continue fruites of the earth they did also continue Sacraments that is to say sacred signes of the grace of God And such like and lesse forcible to proue any thing are these places following It is one Passeouer which the Iewes celebrate as yet with a lamb idem contr li. Pet. l. 2. c. 37. It is an other which we receiue of the body bloud of our Lord. And who denieth it euen since the true Lamb which hath caused to cease the tipical or figuratiue and which hath take froÌ„ it both the thing and also the Sacrament Againe In stead of all the old sacrifices the body of Christ Idem de ciuit Dei l. 17. c. 20 is offered and administred to them which are partakers thereof Or who doubteth of this point And how oft hath it beene told them that the question is of the manner And in the end Idem apud Yuon Carnut Serm. ad Neophyt Idem de doct Christ l. 3. c. 16 they would find it in a place cited by Yuon Bishop of Charters Take and receiuean the bread that which was hanged vpon the Crosse and in the Cup that which issued out of the body of Christ And what is this but the same that he said to the children as here hee speaketh vnto Nouices or new conuerted Christians These things are called Sacraments because that therein one thing is seene and an other vnderstood Communicate in the passion of our Lord and keepe fast in your memories that his flesh was crucified and pearced through for you And yet this place is not found in his workes but alleadged by the said Yuon of Chartres Let onely the sound Reader iudge here what swaie or force these places can afford amongst so manie others by which they are most clearely and planely expounded Cyrill Patriarke of Alexandria giueth vs these Maximes Cyril Anâ—t 12 Our Misterie is not an Anthropophagie that is to say consisteth not in eating of mans flesh we must not set the spirits of the faithfull in the scrole of these grosse conceites beeing occupied in things that are receiued by a pure exquisite and onely faith c. Christ entreth into vs by faith and dwelleth in vs by the holy Ghost for the holy Ghost is not separated from the Sonne c. Cyril 3. c. 24. l. 11. in Ioh. Idem in Leuit. l. 7. Idem in Ioh. l. 3. c. 24. If thou stand perswaded according to the letter in that which is said If you eate not the flesh c. this letter dooth slate thee but if thou be perswaded to vnderstand it spiritually there is the spirit of life to bee found therein c. The only begotten Sonne
let him know that tendeth any other course that he shall not attaine vnto the light of the truth which he shal grope after in darknes To be short saith he what soeuer is said since the apostles times is cut off it beareth no authority with it c. Hieronym in Psal 87. how holie prudent soeuer the Authors thereof might be S. August The Canonicall Scripture is set vpon a throne and euerie faithfull vnderstanding must be subiect thereunto If we yea if an Angel from heauen August contr Faust l. 11. c. 5. cont lit ras Petil. 6 lib. 2. contr Donatist c. 6. tract 2 in Ep. S. Iohan do teach any thing more then that which is contained in the Scriptures the Law or the Gospel let him be accursed In our cōtrouersies let vs bring this ballance these gold waights as out of the closet of God to iudge that of weight from that which is light Let vs there iudge of errors for God hath placed in the Scriptures a bright and cleare shining firmament to discouer confute them The Councels for saith he vnto the Arrians I alledge not vnto thee the Councell of Nice Cont. Maxim Episc Arrian l. 3. c. 14. De Ciuit. Dei l. 11. c. 1. Epist 166. De vnit eccles c. 1. 3. 4. 5. 6. 16. neither therefore doe thou alledge vnto me the councel of Rimini but let vs trie the maistry by the Scriptures which both you and I my selfe doe well approue c. The Church likewise for The citie of God doth beleeue in the Scriptures and by them is faith conceiued In the Scriptures saith he we haue learned Christ therein also haue we learned to know the Church we haue knowne the head and therefore cannot misknow the bodie thereof VVhether we or the Donatists be the Church the Scriptures alone will teach and instruct vs. Saint Chrysostome The ignoraunce of the Scriptures hath begotten heresies c. Though the dead should liue again or an Angel descend frō heauen Chrysost in hom de Laza. yet we must principally and before them beleeue the Scripture The Angels are but seruants ministring spirits but the Scripture is the Lord maister In Epi. ad Gal. hom 1. In 5. Mat. hom 43. 49. In 1. ad Thess homil 7. In 2. ad Corin. homil 33. In Psal 5.95.142.147 In at this gate doe both the sheepe and shepheard enter they driue away heretikes who so entreth not by them is a theefe The Scripture is the kingdome of heauen it is inclosed therein and fastned thereunto The gate of this kingdome is the vnderstanding of the Scriptures Setting our course and sailing after them wee haue the sonne of God for our patron and protector they are our rule and our squire As the light is vnto the eies so is the law of God vnto our spirits without it all our senses halt An heire doth willingly possesse himselfe of his fathers will and testament and so should we no lesse of the Scriptures the furniture and prouision for our warre against sinne and Sathan himselfe c. In which saith he in another place wee must either denie Christ or blot out the Scriptures or else become the obedient seruants of the Scriptures And if he said this then against the heretikes of his time then much more against Antichrist to come and vpon farre more iust causes and considerations For saith he when this cursed heresie the armie of Antichrist shall possesse the Churches there will not bee found any proofe or maner of helpe to trie and know Christendome by but the holy Scriptures By them alone a man shall know where and who shall bee the true church In this confusion and hurlie burlie there will bee no want of broching and blasing abrode of miracles for euen alreadie the counterfet Christians haue most but and if a man looke any other way then to the Scriptures hee cannot but bee offended perish and fall into the abhomination of desolation which shall bee in the holie places of the Church And therefore our sauiour Christ knowing afore hand that such confusion should follow in the latter daies will that we flie vnto the Scriptures And now also this is the cause why according to the aduertisement of Saint Chrysostome we call you thereunto we which thus alledge and contend with the hazard of our liues and for the working of your saluation and our owne that that Antichrist is alreadie come and seated in your Church and all this according to the Scriptures and by the Scriptures Hereto you replie If his Scriptures alone take place in this controuersie then what shall become of so many goodly traditions What becommeth them of the traditions 1. Cor. 11. What shall become of our Church Verely if you speake of diuine traditions such as whereof Saint Paule saith I haue receiued of the Lord Quod tradidi vobis whatsoeuer I haue deliuered vnto you of those which haue their foundation in the Scriptures and whereof Irenaeus saith vnto vs Looke what Gospel the Apostles preached the same they deliuered vnto vs tradiderunt inquit nobis in the Scriptures Of them saith Saint Cyprian which descend from the authoritie of the Gospel Cypri in Epi. 74. ad Pomp. and the writing of the Apostles Verelie we will be readie to defend them if you will beleeue vs with common armour we shall be both the one and the other quit and freed from all our paines and trouble for the Scriptures and they wil mutuallie acknowledge one another as doe the little riuers and their heads or springs being touched with the touchstone of the Scripture they will hold their value But if by Traditions you meane mans inuentions and doctrines that are without and out of the Scriptures then we tell you that Christ hath giuen definitiue sentence thereof In vaine do you serue me Matth. 15 9 teaching for doctrines the commaundements of men And thus spake he to the Pharisies who wholy rested themselues in the Church in the Sorbone of that time which said as you do of yours at Trent that it was no lesse grieuous an offence to commit against or omit any thing contained in their traditions In Thal. ord 4. tract 4. dist 10 Esay 29 13. then and if such commission or omission had beene in respect of any point of the law it selfe And there is great like lihoode that it is come vpon you which was forespoken by the Prophets They haue serued mee according to the ordinances of men Ierem. 8 8. and therefore wisedome shall perish from their wise men They haue cast behind them the worde of the Lord and there is no wisdome in them But if you suspect the soundnesse of the Scripture Iust in Tryph or rather the vprightnesse of God in his owne cause then let vs heare the fathers Iustine We must giue credite to God and his ordinances alone and not vnto humane traditions And that he ruleth them
Epistle which he writ vnto the Gnosians about the yeare 170. disswadeth Pynitus who laboured to bring in the condition of a single life amongst his brethren that is amongst his fellow ministers That he would not impose the heauie yoke of a single life vpon his brethren as of necessitie to be obserued but rather that he would haue regard vnto the infirmitie of many And it is to be noted that in the Index expurgatorius Ind. Expurg pag. 76. the Councell of Trent ordained that Langus should be raced which had noted the same in his annotations vpon Nicephorus And Spiridion vsed the like custome Sozomen l. 1. c. 11. Eccles histor l. 10. c. 5. Tripart l. 1. c. 10. who being ordained Bishop of Cypres was reported by Sozomene to haue beene neither worse in that which concerned pietie nor lesse diligent in his charge and whom the story calleth a person of the order of the prophets hauing a daughter whose name was Irene And so likewise in Dionisius Faustinian Syluerus Cecilius Sergius Hormysdas Talatus Valerius Tertullian Leo and Felix all Bishoppes and Priestes and confessed by our aduersaries themselues to bee maried Athan. in ep ad Dracont and in many others of these first ages of whome Athanasius reporteth that hee knew in his time many Bishoppes yea many Monkes that had children and this continued for many ages after To be briefe the determination of the Synode is expresly for the same as it was set downe in the first generall Councell of Nice about the yeare 330. where it hauing argued by many that from that time forward Bishops priestes Deacons and Subdeacons should not lie with their wiues Paphnutius a Confessor rose vp and said Mariage is honourable and the companie of a lawful wife is chastitie as we shall declare more at large hereafter Whereupon all the Councell being moued Socrat. l. 1. c. 8. Sozom. l. 1. c. 22. it was left to the libertie of ecclesiasticall persons to continue maried c. Neither will the lie or double dealing which Bellarmine chargeth vpon Socrates and Sozomene the ecclesiasticall historiographers in this place bee sufficient to salue the sore CHAP. IX What bath beene the manner of growth and proceeding of the ordinance of abstaining from mariage in the Romish Church vntill the time of Calixtus his decree ANd thus behold we are come to the first councel of Nice a notable Period of the Christian Church ended shut vp with a law containing great fauour to the cause which we defend But notwithstanding let vs not perswade our selues that this spirit of lying 1. Timoth. 4.2 wherewith the Apostle hath threatned vs was asleepe all this while but rather that vnder the shape of an Angell of light he was sowing the doctrine of the Deuill vnder the hypocriticall maske of chastitie he set vp the standart of shamefastnesse and honestie but in deed bringing in all lasciuiousnesse foolish loue adulteries and yet worse then all these into the world Abstinente from mariage proceeded from the Gentils Hieronym l. 2. contr Ioum. Clem. Alex l. 3 The Christian Church was compounded of Iewes and Gentils and was not wel at ease till it had brought their leauen into it Now the spirite of fornication had so blasoned marriage amongst the Gentiles as that it was forbidden to many of their Priestes namely to their Hierophantes who as we reade did make themselues chast with the vse of hemlocke to those which were consecrate to the Mother of the Gods and to those of Egypt c. And of them saith Clement the first heretickes learned to condemne marriage And the heretickes called Essaei about the time of the wearing away and declining of the Iewish religion had likewise learned of the Gentiles but especially of the Pythagoreans as saith Iosephus to contemne and dispise marriage Ioseph Antiquit l. 15. c. 13. l. 18. de bell Iudaic. c. 2. Philo apud Eus l. 8. Epiphan l. 1. t. 1. and those are they of whom Philo speaketh and not any Christian Monkes as wee haue obserued before Likewise Epiphanius teacheth vs that this superstition passed on euen to the Scribes and Pharisies whereby we need not doubt but that by the husbandrie of the spirit of lying it glided forward very smoothly First amongst the heretikes called Marcionites and Gnostikes who by Irenaeus and Epiphanius are reported to abhorre and detest mariage altogether grounding themselues vpon an vncertaine Gospell written as Clement saith by the Egiptians The Manichies also who defended the same at the least in their elect and chosen and finally by contagion into the Church of Christ The dispute which is in S. Paule affordeth a liuely round testimony as the thing is 1. Cor. 7. For let vs not thinke that Saint Paul fighteth there with his shadow but that he maketh way for his entrance into the matter namely that to liue and leade a single life is not fitting all men that hee hath no commandement from God for virgines that hee would not put a snare about their necke that he that cannot containe himselfe should marrie And in another place he stretcheth this generalitie vnto the seuerall kindes and sorts of people as meaning thereby to represse and beate downe the lightnesse of young widowes counselling them to marrie and to keepe the Bishops in the way of giuing good example to direct them in expresse and plaine tearmes euen so farre as to say Ehiphan l. 1. c. 2. haeres 25. that the forbidding of mariage is the doctrine of Deuils c. Then it infected Nicholas one of the seuen Deacons Epiphanius reporteth that he seeing that many were admired and highly accompted of by reason of the leading of a single life resolued and renounced his wife notwithstanding that she was a faire and beautifull woman then not being able to contain himself neither for shame to returne vnto her again he gaue himselfe as did likewise all his sect followers to all kind of vncleannes euen to the committing of Sodomitrie perswading himselfe that all was holy vnto him or at the least tollerable prouided that he came not neare his wife to touch her And as there is not any sect so infamous but it hath his followers so there was no wast of these kind of people in Asia being a delicious pleasant country who of their captaine were called Nicolaitanes But S. Iohn who taught in the cities of Asia did oppose and set himself in his holy and godly zeale against this seducing deceiuer and shut the Church dores against him The Apostles for the most part being dead Apocal. 2. and thereby the great lights wholy and for euer eclipsed the spirit of darknes assured himself the better to work his feats but the holy scriptures which they had in this point left so cleare and bright Apocripha bookes did stand in his way to his great trouble Wherevpon he opposeth and deuiseth others against theirs namely Apocripha
and that is it which galleth them most S. Paul to the Romaines alleadgeth Esay I liue saith the Lord that euerie knee shall bow before me Rom. 14. Esay 45.13 and euerie tongue shall giue praise vnto God There was greater show why it should be vnderstood of worshipping and adoration and yet he expoundeth it of the iudiciall throne of Christ Tertull. ca 17 1. de Trinit Thom in Ep. ad Philip. c. 2. and of his last iudgement And indeed Tertullian vnderstandeth it of subiection and not of adoration The ordinarie Glose saith here As well the Angels as men and the Diuell Thomas likewise The Angels willingly and freely the Diuels will they nill they That is saith hee according to that which S. Iames saith that euen the Diuels themselues doe tremble Rom. 9. S. Ambrose interpreteth it by this place of the Epistle to the Romaines Which is God blessed aboue all things c. For saith he there is nothing in the world but heauenly earthly or infernall things and referreth it to the authoritie that Christ holdeth of the Father Chrysost ad Philip. c. 2. Haimo Caict in Ep. ad Philip. c. Chrysostome to the glorie of Christ vnder which both men and Angels and Diuels doe bow and stoupe euen all both iust and righteous as also the sinners and rebellious And Haimo Hugo and Caietan after the same manner And in deed Bellarmine dare not vrge this place neither yet that of the Apocalips but confesseth that they proue not the matter Neither hath it beene alleadged by any certaine Monkes onely of this time and age excepted who make vp their Purgatorie of whatsoeuer commeth to their hands euen as franticke men who sansie euerie thing that is said vnto them For how was it possible for the old writers to find it here vnder the earth when as Saint Gregorie sought it in hotte waters in bathes and in the shadowes of trees When Alcuinus seated it in the ayre betwixt heauen and earth When the certaine place where it was was vncertaine vnto them vntill the time of Beda to whome I know not what spirit did reueale it to bee vnder the earth In the first of S. Peter Christ saith he hath suffered once for sinnes 1 Pet 3.18 c. being mortified in the flesh but quickned by the spirit by the which he also went and preached to the spirits that were in prison This prison say they is Purgatorie Let them reade that which followeth and then they will vnsay it againe Hauing beene disobedient in times past when as the patience of God did once attend and waite in the daies of Noe c. The question then is about matters happening in the daies of Noe Now they are not yet resolued that there was any Purgatorie in the time of the olde Testament And in deed they haue euermore expounded this place of the limbes so that by building their Purgatory vpon this place they haue broken downe the partition wall Againe the Gospell is preached to be heard vnderstood and receiued in faith And they themselues doe affirme that faith is not begotten or to be come by in Purgatorie To what end or vse then should this preaching serue in Purgatorie Againe to the vnbelieuing disobedient for whome according to their owne doctrine purgatorie was neuer builded Now in deed the true sence and meaning is that the spirit of Christ at all times hath called men to repentance yea euen in the daies of Noe those rebellious persons who abused the patience and long suffering of God and who notwithstanding standing out disobedient vnto the same are therefore holden captiues in prison that is to say in eternall punishment And the Greeke article leadeth vs hereunto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as also the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prison when the question is of spirites is ordinarily taken for here In the Apocalyps Sathan shal be let loose from his prison and elsewhere Apoc. 20. 2. Pet. 2. Iude 1. The Deuils are tyed vp in chaines of darknesse in euerlasting bondes c. But seeing they will not accept of our expositions yet at the least I would haue them to stand to the fathers Clement Alexandrine saith Clem. l. 6 that Christ and the Apostles did preach the Gospell vnto the damned but this hee taketh out of certaine Apocrypha writinges attributed vnto Saint Peter and S. Paule who had corruptly vnderstood this place In ep ad Epict. Athanasius saith that during the time that the bodie was in the graue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word went to preach to the spirites that were in hell that is to say saith Damascene Damasc l. 3. de Orthod fid c 6. Not for to conuert them to the faith but to conuince them of their vnbeliefe this preaching being no other thing but a manifesting of his deitie vnto the infernall powers by the descending of Christ into hell S. Augustine ad Euodium handleth this verie place August ad Euod epist 99. and turneth it into all the waies that it may bee taken and vnderstood that so hee might come by the true sence and yet hath not remembred Purgatorie in any one small word in the end he concludeth thus That to the end that hee may auoide the inconueniences that follow other expositions it must bee vnderstood not of any going downe into hell but of the operation and powerfull working of his deitie which he exercised from the beginning of the world that is to say that he preached vnto them which liued here below imprisoned in this mortall bodie by the spirit of his diuine nature sometimes by inward and secret inspirations and sometimes by outward admonitions proceeding from the mouth of the iust And thus it is to bee seene how that for Purgatorie hee vnderstandeth this present life Thom. 3. p. ◠62. art 2. And Thomas doeth likewise approue the same handling this question of purpose To bee shorte Cardinall Hugo saith In carcere in the prison of sinne and vnbeliefe c. And their Glosse Of the darknesse of infidelitie or of carnall desires c. And Lyranus bound and chained with the common custome of sinne And as concerning the whole place they vnderstand it Of the preaching of Noe which he practised amongst the infidels of his time Heb. 13. to draw them to repentance by the spirit of Christ for saith he Christ is yesterday and to day the same and for euer and euer what maketh all this then for Purgatorie In the first of S. Iohn If any man see his brother sinne a sinne that is not to death 1. Iohn 5.16 let him aske of God and he will gine him life to all them I say which doe not sinne vnto death There is a sinne vnto death I doe not say that thou shouldest pray for it c. From hence they inferre those which sinne vnto death Are those that persist in infidelitie saith Saint Augustine euen vnto
counteruaile eternal life and of too shallow and short a measure in respect of infinite blessednesse yea though it were the merite of the holy Virgine and that conceiued or not conceiued be it as you will in originall sinne For if shee were conceiued in originall sinne shee is freely redeemed as well as any other and regenerate and borne againe of meere grace as well as any other But and if shee were not which yet the holy Scripture denieth that was also of the worke and operation of the same grace and furthermore the greater shee is the deepelier is shee bound vnto God and the further off from merite as also from hauing any occasion to be proud beeing on the contrarie so much the more to carrie her selfe in a greater measure of dutifulnesse and humilitie in respect of so rich and aboundant mercies bestowed vpon her so freely and vndeseruedly by the high and mightie God According to that which is said Vnto whome much is giuen and committed Luk 12.24 of him shall so much the more bee required againe c. CHAP. XVII That the Regenerate man cannot merite eternall life either for himselfe or for anie other LEt vs come to the condition of the regenerate man to the state of grace Proofes out of the holy Scripture as it is called and let vs see if any one standing in that state before God can merite of him by his workes either his owne saluation or an other mans The Scripture speaketh verie highly of mans Regeneration it setteth him before vs as a man new moulded and cast by the effectuall power and working of the holy Ghost in all and euerie one of his parts and members Now what better way to comprehend and conceiue the fall and ruine then by the reedified repaired parts Coloss 1.3 Acts. 15. Ephe. 1. Coloss 2.13 Gala. 5. Rom. 6. Coloss 7. Rom. 8.14 For the spirit of Christ deliuereth vs from the power of darknesse being dead as we were in sinne he quickneth and maketh vs aliue he purgeth our hearts by faith he inlightneth the eyes of our vnderstanding by the knowledge of God He destroyeth the bodie of sinne He mortifieth yea crucifieth the old man with all the diseases concupiscences and affections of the flesh He maketh vs the children of God and as we are such to crie Abba that is to say father But dooth it follow of all this that after Regeneration we are either cleane from all sinne or that we can attaine vnto it in this world Such as doe flatter themselues in making their sinne small should therewithall thinke that a small thing should repaire and make vp the breach But what then will they say when as of necessitie for the sauing of this miserable flesh the word must be made flesh When for the deliuering of vs from the seruitude of sinne hee must needes become sinne himselfe who had neuer knowne any sinne Or will they thinke that the flesh bee it neuer so wholly and throughly regenerate will bee able to doe all things Or would they flie vp with their owne wings to heauen without Iacobs Ladder the helpe of the Lord or his merite More readie as yet by their pride to loose the benefit of Regeneration then our Father was to loose the excellent gifts he had by his Creation at the suggestion of the woman But let vs heare how the Scripture speaketh J am saith S. Paul crucified with Christ I liue Gala. 2.16 no more I but Christ in me and the life that I liue now in the flesh I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God who hath loued me and who hath giuen himselfe for me What could he haue spoken of more excellencie And where is that regenerate man that can vtter any thing more boldly then hee hath done this And yet therewithall heare him comming from the setting foorth of the praises of the grace receiued by God to the consideration of his owne infirmitie I see saith hee an other Law in my members Rom. 7. fighting against the Law of my vnderstanding and making me captiue to the law of sinne which is in my members c. That is to say I feele concupiscence the bud of the flesh c. And this Lawe this concupiscence if thou be in doubt doe not thinke that it is good For I know saith he that in me that is to say in my flesh there dwelleth no good thing To will well is readie with me but J doe not find the meanes to performe or doe it Nay this concupiscence is euil for he addeth thee hereunto The euill is readie with me and fast sticking vnto me I doe the euil that I would not euen the euill that I hate that is to say which I condemne in my mind and such euill as is repugnant vnto the Law of God which cannot be called any thing but sinne according to that which S. Iohn saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All whatsoeuer is against the Lawe is sinne euen to the obeying of my flesh and not the Law of my God which J consent vnto and agree to be good but vnto the Law of sinne which I condemne and dislike of in my spirit And againe This sinne is sinne in such a manner and degree as that it forceth me to confesse that it is sinne in deed For if the Law had not said Thou shalt not lust I had not knowne sinne but now I knowe it And it hath such a deepe roote in me as that I am constrained to crie Miserable man that J am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death Yea and it hath fruit also which it beareth and bringeth forth in me Sinne dwelleth in me euen the sinne which begetteth death which hath no other wages but death which also in stead of being brought vnder by the Law of God is lifted vp by the nature thereof and armed to rebell against it taking occasion from the same to multiplie and increase Rom. 8. Gala. 5. Coloss 3. Ephe. 4. It is prouoked and enraged like a maligne Vlcer against the salue Thus speaketh S. Paul of this sinne and not as it is in the Infidels but as it is in the regenerate and those not of the weakest sort of the regenerate but as it was in himselfe concluding generally and euerie where that he hath need to spoyle destroy kill and crucifie the same and that yet notwithstanding all this doe what he can 2. Cor. 4.10 it will not all be vanquisht and subdued at one blow For Howbeit saith he that our outward man be decaied and cast downe yet our inward is renued euerie day And yet notwithstanding not in any such measure of perfection as that any man can vaunt or boast himselfe to haue wholy put on the one and put off the other in this world For In this world wee shall neuer grow vp together and become perfect men Ephe. 4 13. according to the measure of the perfect stature of Christ
sufficiently set out this doctrine My merite saith he is no other thing then the mercie of God I am not poore or spare of merites vntill such time as mercies begin to faile I will sing eternally And what Of mine owne righteous workes Nay O Lord I will call to mind thy righteousnesse alone for euen it also is mine For thou art become and made righteousnesse vnto me from God Should J feare that it will not be sufficient for both Nay this is no short cloake Idem Serm. 67.68 that is not able to couer two Thy righteousnesse is righteousnesse and indureth to all eternities This large and long lasting righteousnesse shall couer both thee and me for euer and in me a multitude of sinnes Idem Ep. 190. contr A bailar c. On the contrarie saith he Whereas merite hath forestalled and setled it selfe grace cannot find so much as a doore or any other place to enter at All that thou attributest to merites belongeth vnto the grace of God c. The children new borne stand not in need of merites for they haue the merites of Christ c. For saith he where as man wanted righteousnesse of his owne Aliunde the righteousnesse of an other was assigned vnto him Man was indebted and man paid the debt the satisfaction of one is imputed vnto all the head hath satisfied for the members Colossians 2. c. And what reason should there bee why our righteousnesse should not come from elswhere then from our selues seeing that our sinne came from elsewhere And should sinne be inherent in the seede of the sinner and righteousnesse separated from the bloud of our Sauiour Nay but as they died in Adam so they shall be quickned in Christ J am defiled of the one by the flesh but I take hold of the other by faith And if thou obiect vnto me the sinfulnesse of my birth and generation I set against it my regeneration my spiritual birth against my carnall birth Idem de Caenaâ—â—cmâ—ni Idem l. degrat liber arâ—it He that hath taken pittie vpon the sinner will not condemne the iust And righteous I may be bold to call my selfe but by the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ And what manner of righteousnesse The end of the Law is Christ in righteousnesse to all them that belieue seeing he is made righteousnesse vnto vs from God the father Now if hee haue beene made righteousnesse vnto me is not it mine The righteousnesse then of man consisteth in the bloud of the redeemer c. So farre forth as That it is impossible saith he that the least sinnes should be washed away otherwise then of Christ and by Christ c. And who is he that iustifieth himselfe but he that presumeth of other merites then his grace Incentura And this also is properly to be said to be he that knoweth not the righteousnesse of God it is hee onely that doth meritortous workes which hath made them vpon whome he may bestow them That which we call merites Via regni sed non causa regnandi is the nurcerie of hope the matches and matter to make charitie shine out the signes of a secret predestination the forerunners of a future felicitie and the way whereby to enter into the kingdome but not the cause of raigning c. In as much verily as the kingdome of heauen is an inheritance but the way to come thither is the feare of God manifested saith the Apostle in good workes which God hath prepared to the end that we should walke in them c. Whereby wee may iudge how farre Saint Barnard his doctrine is off from that of our Aduersaries in this point and yet it is not passing three hundred yeares since he writ when as he acknowledgeth no righteousnesse able to iustifie a sinner but the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to the sinner continually vsing this word of imputation whereat they stumble and whereto they oppose and set themselues so much He acknowledgeth not I say any merit but the merit of Christ nor any satisfaction but that which he made for vs vppon the Crosse And he maketh al this to be ours by faith alone Idem in Psal 91. Serm 9. Idem Serm. 10 15. as appeareth by that which followeth Let him saith hee that will pretend his merit it is good for me to put my hope in God God will saue them saith the Psalmist By what merits Heare what coÌ„meth after Because they haue hoped in him Hereby then consider their righteousnesse euen that which is of faith and not that which is of the Law Faith saith Great good things are prepared for the faithfull Hope These good things are reserued for me Charitie I runne thither ward as fast as I can c. In a word all the merit of man is that he haue his hope fixed in him which hath saued euery man c. Idem in Cantic Serm. 24. Epist 190. Whosoeuer findeth in himselfe remorce and compunction for his sinnes hungreth and thirsteth after righteousnesse Let him belieue in thee O Lord which iustifiest the wicked and he shall haue peace with God Being iustified saith he by faith onely For saith he the end of the Law is Christ vnto righteousnesse saith the Apostle vnto euerie belieuer c. CHAP. XIX That good workes are the gift of God and therefore cannot merit and to what vse or ende they serue according to the holy Scriptures and the fathers WHat then Are our workes vnprositable God forbid Whereunto good workes serue They are vnprofitable to iustifie thee before God and yet no doubt profitable to iustifie that is to say to testifie thy faith before the Church vnprofitable to make thee a Sonne to make thee an heyre but profitable liuely to set forth and truely to point out a Sonne a child of the promise in as much as thou liuest according to God in that thou indeuorest to edifie his elect and chosen For saith the Apostle wee are created in Christ vnto good workes which God hath prepared Eph. 2 2. Cor. 5. 1. Pet 2. to the end that we might walke in them He is dead he is risen againe for vs but it is to that end that wee may liue vnto him that we may die vnto sinne and liue vnto righteousnesse Hee hath deliuered vs from the seruitude of sinne and from the power of darknesse Rom 13. Iam. 2. 1. Timoth. 5. Rom. 8. but to the end that we might serue vnto righteousnesse that we might renounce the workes of darknesse and put on the armour of light Be cause that Faith without workes is dead Because that Who so saith that he knoweth God and doth not his commaundements is a lyer And because that Wee are debters to liue according to the spirit and not according to the flesh And therefore if we haue not loue The loue wee beare to God must not consider thereward but our obedience and dutiful regard Iohn 3.
man as that we destroy and take away the veritie of the body For it is no good consequent that all that which is in God Idem in Iohn tract 78. is euerie where as God is c. And in an other place vppon these words Vado Venio ad vos He went saith he as man he staied behind in as much as he was God hee went in as much as he was but in one place he staied and abode still in as much as he was euerie where Againe Idem de verb. Dom. Serm. 60. de Tem. Serm. 40. It is expedient for you that I goe although saith he that he bee alwaies with vs by his Diainitie But and if hee had not gone away from vs corporally we should haue seene him daily with these carnall eyes and should neuer haue belieued in him spiritually c. And for this cause hee hath absented himselfe in body from all the Church to the end that faith might bee edified and builded vp Cyril Alex. in Ioh. 9. c. 21. l. 10. c. 39. S. Cyrill It is meete that all the faithfull belieue that howsoeuer our Lord bee absent in body yet he is present by his power to all them that loue him c. And reciprocally no man doubteth seeing he is ascended into heauen but that he is absent in the flesh though present in body c. What is this then I will not leaue you comfortlesse That is how that after he is ascended into heauen risen from the dead Idem l. 6. dial de Trinit he is in vs by his spirit c. And againe what is the meaning of this I am in the midst of two or three assembled in my name Verily saith he when as man he was conuersant here vpon earth he filled notwithstanding the heauens not leauing therfore the companie of the Angels And on the otherside likewise where as now he is in hraue Idem l. 11. c. 3. li. de Incarn c. 21. Fulgent ad Thrasimund l 2. he ceaseth not to fil the earth with his power c. He appeared for vs on high before the father and he ceaseth not to dwel here below in the Saints by his spirit c. being absent according to his humanitie but present according to his Diuinitie Fulgentius One and the same Christ saith he is a locall man that is to say tied to one place in as much as he was borne a man that is to say of the Virgine and notwithstanding God infinite that is to say without limitation of place measure or bounds in as much as he is of the Father according to his humane nature absent from heauen when he was vpon earth and leauing the earth when he ascended into heauen according to his diuine nature notwithstanding not leauing the heauens when hee descended nor the earth when he ascended into heauen Vigil l. 1. cont Eutych c. Vigilius B. of Trent It is expedient for you saith he that I goe c. And how will he goe saith he vnto the father who neuer is from him He which is all in all with the father and of whome all things are full c. But saith he This is because he caried out of this world his humane nature which he had taken of vs c. He is then gone from vs according to this humanitie but in respect of his Diuinitie hee saith vnto vs I am with you vnto the end of the world Idem l. 4. But againe now the daies will come that you shall desire to see the Sonne of man and shall not see him c. Verily because he is after a certaine manner both absent from vs and present with vs By the forme of a seruant which he carried from vs into heauen he is absent from vs and by the forme of God which remoueth not from vs here on earth hee is present with vs Circumscribi loco and so by this meanes he but one the same becommeth present with vs and absent from vs c. But seeing saith he that the word is euery where wherefore is not the flesh also euery where These certainly are things very diuers different to be limited bounded within one place and to be euery where The Son of God had a beginning as cōcerning the nature of his flesh but he had not any if you consider the nature of his diuinitie In regard of that he is a creature but in regard of this the Creator In respect of that he is a subiect to be contained in one place but in respect of this it is not possible for him to be contained in any place c. And this is the Catholike faith fession which the Apostles haue deliuered vnto vs which the Martyrs haue confirmed and ratified and which the faithfull haue conserued and maintained euen vnto this present c. And that in such sort that although the founders of Transubstantiation haue laide such doctrines as are contrarie to the succeeding ages Bed in hom Paschah Bernard in 1◠Serm. de Caen. Dom. serm 6.9.10 Hugo part 8. c 13. memit theol Cyril 9. in Io. c. 21. yet this foundation hath alwaies remained firme In Beda Christ ascending vp to heauen after the resurrection left his Disciples corporally how be it the presence of his diuine maiestie did neuer leaue them In S. Bernard I goe from you saith the Lord according to my humanitie but I do not goe away from you according to my Diuinitie I leaue you without my corporall presence but J arde and assist you with the presence of my spirit And thus haue all the old Schoolemen spoken so farre as that he which hath said otherwise hath beene reputed for an Eutichian or Nestorian according to the saying of S. Cyrill Ne quis in duos filios Christum diuidere auderet To the end that no man might be so bold as to diuide Christ into two Sonnes c. And of such like places a man might make vp a whole volume But followeth it that to the end it may retaine the humane nature that the bodie of Christ must needes bee bounded and made subiect to one certaine place What other thing is it that all these Doctors haue said in their making of it a locall and circumscriptible bodie and subiect to locall motions c. S. Ambrose saith Ambros Ep. 22. l. de Incarn Domini de spir sanct There was in Christ the same truth of body that is in vs. Againe Euerie creature is bounded within certaine limits of his nature and that that hath not a bounded and limited power cannot be called a creature If then thou consider the Son of man as man why doest thou not leaue him that which belongeth vnto man If as a creature for so we call him according to the phrase of antiquitie in as much as hee is man what doest thou cal in question his circumscriptiblenes if thou be not purposely minded to
Mathew S. Marke and S. Luke doe all of them make mention how our Lord tooke the bread blessed it gaue it to his disciples saying vnto them Take eate this is my bodie how commeth it that S. Iohn maketh no mention thereof in this place that is to say in the rehearsing of that which goeth before the passion of our Lord Verily saith he It is a testimonie that our Lord hath spoken of that point a great deale more largely elswhere and where then but in this sermon of Capernaum Chrysost in Mat. hom 83. And Chrysostome saith How came it to passe that his disciples were not much troubled when they heard this Namely these words This is my bodie c. Verily saith he Because he had handled the great and waightie points of this thing before hand he laboured not to confirme that which they did alreadie vnderstand c. And againe And he drurke saith he himselfe least the hearing these words should haue said what then Doe we drinke blood and eate we flesh c. For when he first spake of these things manie were offended onely for the wordes sake to the end therefore that this might not come to passe againe he first performed the action himselfe that so he might take away whatsoeuer might trouble their spirits or perplexe their mindes in the communicating of the misteries Whereby it appeareth that those excellent olde fathers haue referred the place of S. Iohn to the interpretation of the holy supper instituted afterward that is to say that the eating which is ordained in the vse of the sacrament in the holy supper is the same that without the sacrament is declared in that place If then it bee spirituall here let it bee so likewise there And therefore let vs heare what the fathers say vpon the same Tertullian Notwithstanding that he saith That the flesh profiteth nothing Tertul. de resurrect carn wee must gather the sence from the matter of that which is spoken For in as much as they accounted his speeches to be harsh and intollerable as if he had determined in deed to haue giuen them his flesh to eate to direct and bring the state of their saluation to the spirite hee did set downe aforehand It is the spirit that quickeneth Marke that he saith Verily which cannot be expounded and taken there for Visiblie but for Carnally c. Athanasius â—pon this place Whosoeuer shal haue spoken a word against the Son of man De peccat contr spirit whereunto by consequent we haue to oppose Spirituallie Athanasius The Lord disputing in S. Iohn of the eating of his bodie and seeing that many were offended said vnto them what will this bee then if you see the Sonne of man ascend and go where he was before c. It is the spirit which quickneth c. For be hath spoken there both of the one and the other of the flesh and of the spirit and hath distinguished the spirit from the flesh to the end that belieuing not in that onely which appeareth to the eyes but also in the inuisible nature wee may learne that those thinges which hee spake are not carnall but spirituall For to how many men should his bodie bee able to be sufficient meate that so it might bee the foode and nourishment of the whole worlde But to draw them from vnderst anding of him carnally he made mention of his ascention and to make them to vnderstand afterward that the flesh whereof he had spoken was a spirituall meate and heauenly food that he was to giue it them from aboue For the thinges saith he which I haue told you are spirit and life As if he said My bodie which is shewed and giuen for the world is giuen for meate to the ende that it may be giuen spiritually to euerie one and that it may become a defensatiue and preseruatiue to all in the resurrection vnto eternall life S. Augustine expounding these wordes August in psal 98. The wordes which I speake vnto you are spirit and life bringeth in our Lord expounding those of the holy Supper in these tearmes Vnderstand saith he spiritually that which J haue said You shal not eate this bodie which you see you shall not drinke that blood which they shall shed that shall crucifie mee I haue recommended vnto you a certaine Sacrament which spiritually vnderstood will quicken and make you aliue Idem tract 27. in Ioh. and if necessitie require that it be visiblie celebrated yet it must be vnderstood inuisiblie Againe What meaneth this saying They are spirite and life that wee may vnderstande them spirituallie they are spirite and life hast thou vnderstoode them carnally they are notwithstanding spirite and life but not to thee And spiritually that is to say figuratiuely mistically Carnally is as much as to say literally really For saith he Thou hast to obserue this rule Idem de doct Christ l. 3. c. 16 If in the scripture a word or phrase of speech doe for bid thee some vile and wicked thing or command thee some honest and good worke that then it is not figuratiue but if on the contrarie c. thou must then make account of it to be figuratiue If you eate not the flesh c. it may seeme to command a trespasse c. it must needes then be a figuratiue speech a phrase and manner of speech commanding vs to be partakers of the death and passion of our Lord Cyril Cateches mystag Idem in Leuit. l. 7. and sweetly and profitablie to call to our remembrance that his flesh was crucified and pearced through for vs. S. Cyril Bishop of Ierusalem If you eate not c. Not vnderstanding these things according to the spirit they went away offended supposing that he had inuited them to a banket of mans flesh Saint Cyrill Bishop of Alexandria If you eate not c. But if you bee the children of the Church and instructed in the mysteries of the Gospell If the word which is made flesh dwell in you c. know that the thinges which are written in diuine bookes are figures c. For there is also in the new Testament and Gospels the killing letter c. as he shall find that doth not spiritually apprehend the thinges that are there spoken c. and hee bringeth forth this place for an example Theoph. in Ioh. c. 6. Whereupon also Theophilact though he were of that time wherein transubstantiation was set vp saith vpon this place In as much as we vnderstand it spiritually wee are no prophane deuourers of flesh but rather we are sanctified by this meate Againe For that they vnderstood it carnally he saith vnto them That which I tell you must be vnderstood spiritually and that is the way to profite thereby But to expound and take them carnally that profiteth nothing but turneth into matter of grosse offence Therefore he addeth The words that I say are spirit that is to say spirituall and life that is
the figure of his bodie in bread c. In breadâ— saith he elsewhere Quo ipsum corpus suum representat whereby he representeth his owne bodie And not In quo as Bellarmine woulde haue it which shoulde bee after his sence Idem de resurrect carn Wherein he giueth his bodie present He obiecteth a place like to that of Ireneus The flesh is nourished of the bodie and blood of Christ to the end that the soule may bee fedde or fatted of God An ordinarie argument amongst the fathers to proue the resurrection That God hath euidently shewed that hee woulde saue the soule and the bodie when as in the principall ceremonies of the Church hee hath alwayes ioyned them together as in the Eucharist giuing the Sacrament to the bodie the grace to the soule and sometimes they speake hyperbolicallie But let him here againe call to minde that which he lately said That to take it so would make a maruellous grosse error And then that he must vnderstande it sacramentally which is as much as to say expounding Tertullian by himselfe by these words contained in the same booke Idem ibid. c. 37. Although our Lorde saide that the flesh profiteth nothing yet wee must bee carefull to make the sence answerable to the matter there spoken of for they accompted his wordes hard as if hee had verily determined to haue giuen them his flesh to eate To the end therefore that he might settle the estate of saluation in the spirit he hath mentioned before how that it is the spirite that quickeneth c. Verily saith Pamelius that is to say rawlie From what place may not a man bee able to escape and defend himselfe from if such figures be receiued in disputations Origen giueth vs these Maximes which doe quite ouerturne transubstantiation Orig. in Mat. c. 15. That which is sanctified by the word of God and prayer doth not sanctifie of it owne nature him that vseth it Againe This meate also thus sanctified as concerning his materiall portion goeth downe into the bellie and from thence into the draught according to that which our Lord hath said That which entreth in at the mouth goeth downe into the bellie and is cast out into the draught c. What can a man imagine that may be spoken more clearely If as some doe a man would say that hee speaketh not of the Eucharist it appeareth to the contrarie by these words taken out of Saint Paule handling this matter against them which did abuse it And therefore many are weake amongst you c. 1. Cor. 11. If any man say with Bellarmine that by the matter which goeth into the draught is vnderstood the accidents what Grammer or what Rhetoricke did euer teach this figure which taketh the matter for the accidents What is it then saith hee that profiteth in this meate Verily not the matter of bread but the word spoken ouer the same to him that eateth it worthily And these thinges are spoken of his figuratiue and symbolicall bodie c. Of this meate which whosoeuer shall eate he shall liue for euer which no wicked man can eate c. Againe Wee drinke the blood of Christ not onely in the ceremonie of the Sacramentes Orig. in Numer hom 16. In Mat. c. 26. but also when we receiue his wordes wherein life consisteth according to that which himselfe hath said The wordes that I haue said vnto you are spirite and life c. And expounding the same wordes of the holy Supper This bread which the worde of God confesseth to bee his bodie is the nursing worde of our soules c. But saith Bellarmine Idem in Exod. hom 13. Idem hom 5. in diuers euang loc So that wee take heede saith he that wee let not any part of the consecrated gift to fall And what is that which wee doe not our selues for the reuerence due vnto the Sacramentes And that receiuing the breade of life and the cuppe wee ought humblie to cast downe our selues and say with the Centurion Lord I am not worthie that thou shouldest enter vnder my roofe c. This roofe I aske them in conscience what it is whether it be our bellie or our soule seeing it is our soule and not our bellie that must be humbled Saint Cyprian The Lord calleth his bodie bread made vp of many cornes and his blood Cypr. l. 1. ep 5. wine pressed out of manie grapes Then Hoc that is to say This bread this wine against our aduersaries And in another place he yeeldeth the reason Idem de vnct Chrismat Idem l. 2. cp 3. Because that in the table of the Lord the thinges signifying and the signified are called by the same name He saith not because that the signe is transformed into the thing or that the thing taketh the place of the signe Againe The bloud of him by whome we are redeemed and quickned can not bee seene seeing the wine is not in the cuppe by the which the blood of Christ ostenditur is shewed A little after he saith Exprimitur is expressed which is declared by the testimony and sacrament of all scriptures Hee disputeth against them which vsed not anie thing but water in the Sacrament contesting and solemnely affirming the necessarie and vnauoidable vse of wine because that the proportion of the life and corporall sustentation compared with the spirituall is not otherwise well signified and represented therein And how then shall the argument bee able to maintaine it selfe if there bee nothing but Accidentes In his sermon of the Supper yet some doubt that it was not his Before these wordes this meate was not commodious for anie other thing then to nourish the bodie but after that the Lorde had sayde Doe this in remembrance of me This is my flesh this is my bloud As oft as it is celebrated with this forme of wordes and substance of faith this substantiall bread and this cup consecrated by a solemne blessing profiteth vnto life and to the saluation of euerie man the whole together being a medicine to heale infirmities and a burnt sacrifice to purge iniquities Note first that he attributeth not the consecration to the fiue wordes but to the institution Secondly That the wordes themselues which they call Sacramentall are not those which they determine of and affirme to bee but Haec est caro mea hic est sanguis meus In the third place That faith is necessarie thereunto Fourthly That it euer continueth to bee bread and the cuppe blessed and consecrated not transubstantiated And fiftly That they doe not chaunge their nature the signes still continuing their power and vertue to nourish the bodie and grace accompanying the same by the operation of the worde to nourish the soule This is that which hee vnfoldeth and layeth open in the same treatise in other wordes which they faine would but can not abuse to make for their purpose The bread saith he which the Lorde set before his
vnderstanding by faith that is to say not to see but to belieue That the lambe which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde is there offered is there eaten Offered saith he without being offered that is to say as the Canon expoundeth it selfe mystically for the Table is mysticall C. iteratur C. Hoc est D. 2. de consecr Non rei veritate sed significante mysterio And therefore eaten without being eaten and yet truely sacrificed and truely eaten in asmuch as wee beleeue and call to minde there that hee hath beene sacrificed for vs in as much also as we are certaine that we are partakers of this sacrifice which is ours that his flesh is our meate vnto our resurrection vnto eternall life for he hath said vnto vs that he hath giuen it for vs. The Councell therefore hath saide truely because there is nothing more true then the promise of God nothing more certaine then his effect when it is receiued in faith and notiwthstanding that the bread and the wine are but tokens or signes to the ende that following the exhortation accustomed in the olde liturgies Sursum corda 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Life vp your harts on high c. We may waite and looke for the receiuing of our spirituall food at the hand of God and not at the hand of man yea we lift them vp verie high and farre aboue these signes and this table before which if the doctrine of our aduersaries at that time had had any place the Councel should haue said vnto vs as they say at this day Cast your selues downe before this table settle and fixe your eyes vpon your God that descendeth commeth downe vpon it see that you kneele downe vnto and worship him there Saint Athanasius which was of this time Athanas de verbo quicunque dixcrit c. will manifest and make cleare the purpose of this Councell I haue seene saith hee the like Character in the Gospell of Saint Iohn where the Lorde entreating of the cating of his bodie and seeing that manie were offended thereat speake in this sorte Doth this thing offend you what will you say then if you see the Sonne of man ascend and go vp to the place where he was afore time It is the spirite which quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing c. For hee hath spoken here of the one and the other of his flesh and of his spirite and hath distinguished the spirite from the flesh to the and that beleeuing not onely that which appeareth vnto the eyes but the inuisible nature also wee might learne that the thinges which hee spoke are not carnall but spirituall Where wee shall marke that hee expoundeth these wordes of the Councell Let vs not settle our minds vpon the signes set before vs but let vs vnderstand and know by faith c. By these That we beleeue not that onely which appeareth vnto the eies c. Hee addeth For to what an infinit multitude of men should his bodie haue become sufficient meate being ordained to bee the foode of all the world shewing thereby that wee must alwaies iudge and make accompt of the bodie of Christ as of a true bodie And in this sence the Councell said This is the cause why wee receiue in a small quantitie c. Seeing the scope and drift of the action is the sanctification of the spirite and not the filling of the bodie And afterward And therefore he made mention of his ascention into heauen thereby to draw them backe from vnderstanding of him corporally and to the end that from thence forwarde they might learne that the flesh whereof he had spoken was a heauenly and spirituall meate which hee must giâ—e them from aboue Whereby wee learne that this eating must in such sorte bee vnderstoode as that it euermore include the truth of Christes bodie and of his locall ascention For saith he that which I haue spoken vnto you is spirit and life as if he said This bodie which is shewed and giuen for the world shall bee giuen for meate to bee attributed to euerie one spiritually and to be made vnto them a defensatiue and preseruatiue vnto the resurrection of eternall life Setting against the badges and notes which the Councell had spoken of the spirituall distribution of this celestiall meate that is to say the thing it selfe And this is the cause why in another place he calleth it The mysticall table as the Councell The holy Table At which saith he Who so is partaker doth enter into the companie of God that is such as receiue the thing signified by the Sacrament that is to say the inward grace The thing then contrarie to the doctrine of our aduersaries is not receiued by the wicked and vngodly as those that neuer come in the company of God neither then is it receiued by the hand either of the faithfull or of the minister incorporated with the signe c. For as concerning the place that Bellarmine alleadgeth of Athanasius Thedor dial 2 ex orat Athan. de fide cited by Theodoret where he saith That it is saide of the true bodie Sit thou at my right hande Likewise This is my bodie which is deliuered for you and that by this bodie he was made our high priest c. It is to good purpose against those hereticks that denie the truth of the humane nature of our Lord but not against vs as also it is still to this day against the maisters of transubstantiation which destroy the same S. Hillarie In C. Corpus Christi de consecrat d. 2. Bishop of Poictiers of the same time cited by Gratian The bodie of Christ which is taken from the Altar is a figure in that the bread and wine are seene outwardly but truth in that the bodie and blood of Christ are receiued inwardly in truth Others attribute this to Hillarie Bishop of Rome Againe We doe verily receiue vnder a mysterie the flesh of his bodie and therefore we shall be one with him And To the end that he may be belieued to be in vs by the mysterie of the Sacraments And againe There is no place to doubt of the truth of the bodie and blood of Christ for both by the profession of our Lorde himselfe and by our faith it is truelie flesh and truely blood which being eaten and drunken doe bring to passe that Christ is in vs and we in him Now wee are to note the figure opposed and set against the truth the mysterie against the reall presence the profession of our Lord ioyntly with our own faith for the making of vs partakers of this truth being the effect which followeth of the coniunction of the partakers of this truth with Christ from which coniunction the wicked are excluded and therefore also from the receiuing of this truth Hilar. in Mat. c. 30. l. 8. de Trinitate which is accomplished by faith therefore the reall chaunge can take no place there And in
deed elsewhere he saith plainly That Iudas did not sup with our Lord For saith he he could not drink there with him which should not drinke with him in his kingdome seeing that he promised to al theÌ„ that drunk then of the fruit of this vine that they should drinke afterward with him The same that S. Clement hath said vnto vs before from the report of the Apostles Note of the fruit of this Vine not of the accidents of wine not of the bloud of Christ really but Sacramentally But they obiect a place vnto vs wherein I heartily wish more conscience in them and vnto the Reader that he would take the pains to reade it through for the better obseruing of the rule of this same Doctor therein That the things which are said must bee vnderstood by the causes that moued and procured such things to be said So saith he the word was truely made flesh Idem ibid. and we as verily and truly doe receiue the word flesh by the meate of the Lord How can we but iudge that he abideth naturally in vs Where they vnderstand by Cibum Dominiâ— The meate of the Lord the Eucharist and by abiding or dwelling naturally in vs to receiue the bodie of Christ really at our mouthes And these are the points which we are to examine Saint Hillarie dealeth here against the Arrians The Father saith S. Hillarie and the Sonne are one Euen so said they but yet so one as we are one with Christ Now that we are one with Christ it is of his free will not of our nature and in will not in nature the Father and the Sonne are also one Saint Hillarie then to proue vnto them that the Father and the Sonne were one in nature proueth vnto them that we are one in nature with Christ and he handleth it after this sort First that there is the same humane nature in Christ and in vs by the incarnation of the Sonne of God which he calleth the Sacrament of perfect vnitie the Sacrament of flesh and bloud and by which Naturalis communionis propriet as nobis indulgetur The propertie of the naturall communion is giuen vnto vs by our Lord Vsing the word Sacrament for the Mysterie in the worke of the incarnation as it is his ordinarie vse to doe a manner of speech verie familiar at that time as we reade in the conference betwixt the Catholiks and Donatists where Marcelline who did sit as President and chiefe Iudge for the Emperour Honorius doth sweare By the misterie of the Trinitie and by the Sacrament of the Lords incarnation c. In the second place that besides this nature which the faithfull and vnfaithfull are alike partakers of with our Lord there is a special and more particular coniunction which is wrought by the spirit of Christ dwelling in the faithfull which regenerateth quickneth sanctifieth maketh them conformable vnto him and transformeth them into him for proofe whereof he alleadgeth the 6.14 and 17. of S. Iohn which our aduersaries will not denie to belong to the spirituall eating of the faithfull onely And this he maketh more cleare when hee addeth that the cause of our life is by Christ dwelling naturally in vs by his fleshe vniting vs vnto himselfe and by himselfe vnto God the father That Christ is in vs by the truth of his nature that hee dwelleth in vs naturally we being made by this most strait bond of vnion flesh of his flesh sucking our life from his spirit And this he further declareth by sundrie sorts of speeches tending all to one sence and meaning That we communicate his flesh To mingle in vs the nature of his flesh To be naturally in vs and we in him And this our aduersaries themselues wil confesse that it cannot be said of the vngodly and by consequent that it cannot appertaine to the Sacramentall or orall eating that is to say to the eating of the mouth Ad hereunto that he which saith that he is naturally in vs saith also Hilar. de Trinit l. 8. That we are naturally in him But naturally we are not in him as being in him carnally or really but as grafted by faith into his body so neither is Christ by this argument carnally and corporally in vs. Thirdly he alleadgeth vnto vs as a testimonie of his holy vnion the supper of our Lord when he saith that we receiue verily and truely the word flesh Cibo Dominico By the meate of the Lord that is to say the flesh of the word the word incarnate the flesh of the Sonne of God by the instrument of the bread of the Eucharist that is because it is a Sacrament exhibiting this flesh exhibiting the grace represented by the signe which consisteth in this vniting of vs with Christ The same which he calleth Sub mysterio Christi carnem sumere To receiue the flesh of Christ in a misterie that is to say signified in this misticall pledge And thus all this maketh nothing for the matter of bread or the Indiuiduum vagum transubstantiated into the body For otherwise it would fall out that throughout all Saint Hillarie his discourse Christ should be auouched and taught to abide in the bread naturally and corporally And if corporally and naturally then verily contrarie to the nature and properties of a body yea contrarie to the coÌ„dition of those which S. Hillarie acknowledgeth to be in the body of Christ For saith he in an other place He taketh away the foolish sottish rashnesse of some who contend that our Lord was seene in the flesh Idem in Psal 137. in the shape of a counterfeit body c. Not remembring themselues that after the Resurrection of the body it was said to the Apostles who thought it had beene a spirit See my hands my feet c. And by a false or counterfeit body he meaneth one that hath not all the ordinarie conditions of a body For in an other place expounding these words The Sonne of man which is in heauen c. hee euidently putteth difference betwixt the natures in Christ Idem de Trinit l. 10. Idem in Psal 1â—4 l. 8. de Trinit by finite and infinite being in one place and being euerie where c. That he is the Sonne of man saith he it is of the birth and bringing forth of that flesh which he tooke of the Virgine That he is in heauen and yet neuerthelesse vpon earth it is through the power of that nature which abideth for euer Againe Hee is present to them which call vpon him faithfully but by his diuine nature and spirit that pearceth and containeth all things He is in vs but we haue to vnderstand that this is by the holy Ghost c. And after the same manner hee expoundeth the place I am with you vnto the end of the world c. And thus wee are come without any Transubstantiation or doctrine comming neere therunto euen to the time of the first generall
of God is the true bread which giueth life to euerie thing As the earthly bread sustaineth the weaknesse of our flesh so he quickneth our spirits by the holy Ghost and deliuereth the body from corruption that is to say according to that which hath beene said so oft to make vs partakers of the resurrection of life Againe This flesh Idem l. 4. c. 14. 16.17 or this body is made aliue because it is by a certaine vnspeakable maner ioyned to the Sonne of God by whom al things are quickned made aliue And hereupon when we eate this flesh we haue life in vs in as much as we be ioyned vnto him in that we are the body and members of Christ in that by the blessing of the misterie we receiue the Sonne of God himselfe And it is necessarie if any man receiue the flesh and bloud of Christ that he bee so coupled to him as that Christ be found in him and hee in Christ c. To eate then the flesh of Christ with S. Cyril is to belieue in Christ it is to haue him dwelling in him liuing in him by his spirit to bee a member of Christ and one with Christ c. And he that hath not Christ in him doth not eate his flesh neither yet drink his bloud c. How can this agree with the pretended eating of the mouth They obiect vnto vs that he saith vpon S. Iohn Idem in Ioh. l. 11. Wee are vnited and made one with God the Father by the mediation of our Sautour for wee receiue corporally and substantially the Sonne of God naturally vnited to the Father and thus we are glorified beeing made partakers of the supreme nature c. which is properly spoken of the incarnation which he calleth a misterie as S. Hillarie a Sacrament And withall let them not dissemble and passe ouer S. Cyril his Exposition vpon this sentence I am the Vine and you are the braunches which is in such sort as S. Hillarie hath expounded it before and to the same sence That the drift that Cyril shoteth at is very cleare and euident to them that will reade the place And that as to be vnited to Christ according to the spirit is to haue the spirit of Christ regenerating his so to be corporally vnited vnto him or according to the body is to bee ioyned to his body and to become members of his body made conformable to him in this life by the beginning of sanctification and spirituall life waiting and attending till we bee perfected in him that is to say glorified in the celestiall life Now saith hee this vnion is made by faith and cherished and strengthned by the eating of his flesh and drinking of his bloud and that he that eateth and drinketh them is in Christ and Christ in him c. Hee vnderstandeth then that this corporall and substantiall vnion is wrought by a spirituall eating by that pure and exquisite faith which he requireth and not by the corporall which is common to vs with many drie rotten members euen the vngodly infidels of whom it cannot be said that Christ is in theÌ„ or they in Christ And in deed he hath ther to deale against heretiks which pretended Christ was not called a Vine according to his humanitie but according to his deitie He holding on the contrarie that the faithfull are made partakers of the nature of Christ as the braunches doe communicate with the Vine by the participation of his spirit Affiâ—i c. And this is that which he saith That they are fastned to Christ as the braunches to the Vine firmely and substantially ioyned and glued to him by his spirit That they are made braunches in as much as they are regenerate and in as much as the roote doth impart vnto them his qualities They bring foorth fruit in as much as they hang vppon the Vine ioyned to the same by faith and holinesse Idem in Ioh. l. 10. c. 13. and nourished and fed vp to eueâ—ie vertue by his holy spirit c. In a word altogether as he saith That Christ is corporally in vs in like manner saith he as wee are corporally in Christ Now our bodies are not corporally in Christ but wee are grafted thereinto by faith neither then is the body of Christ corporally in vs but spiritually receiued by faith Now of conscience can this be vnderstood of an eating which is made by the mouth or that can be done but by those that are truely faithfull So that in Cyrill to be corporally ioyned is not after the manner as they are wont vsually to take it in the Schooles Ratione modi sed ratione obiecti that is to say to bee conioyned by the meanes of the body but to be ioyned to the body And in deed he declareth this coniunction by a place in the Corinthians where the faithfull are called the members of Christ that is to say inseparably ioyned to the body of Christ and not verily by the body but saith he by the mediation of his spirit As also by that place of Saint Iohn where wee agree and are of iudgement that it is spoken of the spirituall eating and not of the corporall But I would intreate the Reader to reade the whole place that hee may the better iudge of counterfeited and cloaked dealing They obiect in the meane time the Synod of Ephesus wherein Cyrill was president We come saith hee vnto the misticall blessings and are sanctified being made partakers of the holy body and precious bloud of Christ c. not receiuing it as a common flesh which God forbid neither yet as the flesh of a sanctified man c. but as that which is become the verie flesh of the word or eternall Sonne of God And who would haue them to doubt of this But the question is not of the obiect of our Communion but of the manner And behold thus he expoundeth it When saith hee they had heard If you eate not my flesh c. they were troubled c. Because saith he they had not as yet bene made acquainted with the forme and most goodly administration of this misterie Idem in Ioh. l. 12. c 58. That is as he saith to Euoptius That we must not handle or deale with that which is not gotten but by pure and onely faith according to the conceipts of mans braine That the bodie of our Lord is not common although the nature of the diuine word bee not eaten That the participation of this misterie is a true confession and remembrance that the Lord is dead for the loue of vs and that he is risen againe for vs and that by occasion thereof he filleth vs with his diuine blessings Finally that the operation of the Sacrament is not wrought in the bread Idem in Leuit. 15. or wine but in vs but in our soules For saith hee in an other place the Lord saith Take eate and not keepe it reserue it till
and drinking the bloud of Christ in the holy Supper Sine conuersione panis in corpus Christi vel paneitatis adnihilatione without chaunging of the bread into the bodie and the reducing of the bread into nothing that is saith hee in as much as God can quamcunque creaturam suppositare chaunge or vnite himselfe hypostatically vnto any creature whatsoeuer c. In which meane time saith hee The breade shoulde continue breade and the bodie should bee with the bread c. And yet notwithstanding this his Chymera and monstrous broode hee was not published an hereticke Card. Caiet t. 2. tr 2 c. 3. 5 because that euerie one was as yet admitted and suffered to bring his determination and conclusion concerning the same The Cardinall Caietan clearely and plainely It is a most manifest and notorious vntruth that the bodie of Christ may bee taken corporally but in deede Diuines teach that hee is taken or receiued spiritually and yet not by taking or receiuing but by belieuing Fisher Bishop of Rochester otherwise called Roffensis writing against Luther Ioh. Fisher cont Captiuit Babilonie Hitherto saith hee S. Mathew speaketh who alone hath spoken of the new Testament Neither hath he therein any one word by which it may bee proued that in our Masse there is wrought a true presence of the flesh and bloud of Christ. Nay saith he a little after It cannot bee proued by any part in all the Scripture The Cardinall Contaron in the Colloque of Ratisbone in the yeare 1541. vpon this that the place of Pope Gelasius was alleadged vnto him That the nature and substance of bread and wine continue in the Sacrament was not able to answere any thing to the contrarie In the Colloque of Poissi in this Realme holden in the yeare 1561. betwixt the Bishops and the Doctors of the Church of Rome and the Ministers of the reformed Churches it was agreed vpon in these words We confesse that Iesus Christ in his holy supper dooth set before giue and exhibite vnto vs verily and truely the substance of his bodie and bloud by the operation of his holy spirit and that wee receiue and eate Sacramentally spiritually and by faith that verie body which aied for vs to bee bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh to the end we may be quickned and apprehend all that which shall bee requisite for our saluation And for as much as faith resting it selfe vpon the word of God effecteth and maketh present the things that are promised and that by this faith truely and in deed wee take the true naturall body and bloud of Iesus Christ by the power of the holy Ghost In this respect we confesse the presence of the body and bloud of the same Iesus Christ in the holy supper But the Vniuersitie of Sorbone at the Cardinall of Tournon his prouoking and pricking of them forward did disclaime and disauow such as did speake for them onely to the end that they might not giue this aduantage namely to haue failed by any maner of meanes Notwithstanding that those which had beene chosen for the conference and which had giuen their consent to vndertake this incounter were the most famous and notable men of the Cleargie as Charles Cardinall of Lorraine Cass in co nsult the Bishops of Valence and Sees and the Doctors Salignac Bouteiller and Despense Cassander in his consultation to the Emperour Maximilian the second vpon the controuersies of this time acknowledgeth That Transubstantiation both in name and effect is new and that it had beene better to haue held the auncient tearmes of the fathers And that also the abuses therein were come to that head as that they were verie neere vnto Idolatrie And in other of his writings hee deliuereth his mind to the like effect Index expurg p 36 37. 38. It is verie true that the fathers of Trent did appoint that all such should be raced out and defaced as did displease them To be short the Popes Legates from the time of Luther his first protestations being sent at sundrie times into Almainie Campegius Contaren and Caietan did make open profession of their dislike of this doctrine both to the Emperour and to the Princes as also in their conferences saying That things were miscaried both in this Article and in many others Onely the Councell of Trent that is to say the Pope in that Councell to make quicke dispatch and to the ende that there might not be any thing found that stood in need to be reformed would not haue it that there was any thing therein amis doing herein as in al other things cleane contrarie to Saint Peter who knowing acknowledged his fault and shewing himselfe most euidently thereby to bee the Sonne of perdition as one that in the brauerie of his mind would himselfe become a reprobate and draw all the world after him vnto destruction knowing it in the eminent and high place wherein he is The Doctors of this time do not agree amongst themselues Bellarm. l. 1 de sacr c. 18. l. 1 de Euchar. c. 10 11. Turrian sibi ipsi contrar 1 c 22. tract but not acknowledging it What then From the time of the holding of this Councell haue they agreed together and haue beene of one iudgement The Iesuites the stighlers of this doctrine yea amongst themselues This is the only thing which remaineth for vs now to looke vnto They stand exceedingly vpon these words Hoc est corpus meum and yet they are not agreed either amongst themselues nor euerie man in himselfe Bellarmine in one place calleth them Principtum productinum the producing principle Namely the body of Christ of bread And in an other place hee will not that Hoc should signifie the bread but the body of Christ by an identical proposition by a fond and foolish consequent But how can this thing be if he bee not hatcht but by the vertue of these words And not as he saith by the beginning but by the end of them Againe Hoc est Bellarme l. 1 de Euch. c. 11. is a word operatiue It followeth then that Hoe est is as much as to say hoc fiat this is that is to say This may bee made my bodie And yet for all this they will not graunt that it is any figuratiue speech neither yet will they that Est dooth signifie fiat but Est simply Who seeth not then that it must be a simple Enunciatiue and not a practicke as they speake or operatiue any longer Againe who saith that Hoc doth signifie the bread or the Cup Scarg l. 1. c. 5. pro sacrat Euchar Veget. de Miss f. 13. thes 23. fol. 7 thes 11. Bellarm l 3 Euchar. c 18 Veg. de re ali praesent thes 133. Scarg art 7. Turr. tr 1. c 22 Bellarm. l. 3. de Euch c 15 l. 1 c. 2 l 3. c 20. l 3 c. 6. Turr tr i. c. 18. who on the