condemned them as appeareth by these vvords of his reâ—ocation set dovvne in M. Fox I desyre my lord god of pardon and forgeuenes And now againe â—s before also I do reuoke and make retractation most humbly submitting my self vnder the correction of our holy mother the church c. the yere 1377. After vvhich time he made yet againe an other reuocation the yere 138â— as in the same author appeareth Albeit al this notvvithstanding M. Fox reciteth as a verie great argument of the gospel that VViclefs sect increased priuily and daily grew to greater force truly so great that they made traiterous conspiracies against the king him self as is recorded in the Acts of Parlament and common stories and in part â—auntingly noted by M. Fox vvho vvriteth that king Henry â— decreed most cruel punishement against such as should hereafter solow VViclefâ— doctrine against whom he held a Parlament at Leâ—ester the which peraduenture saith theâ— had noâ— bene so wel holden at London because of the fauourers of the Lord Cobham and other VViclefs solovvers But to returne to my purpose of VViclef and to end his storie although most Protestant vvriters as I haue said recken him for one of their chief most reuerend Apostles namely M. Fox vvho placâ—th him in redd letters first in his Calender Ihon wiclef preacher martyr though he dyed in his bed searce an honest man yet some other ProtestaÌ„t vvriters there are of a more sincere vpright iudgement vvho for the reasons aboâ—e noted recken him as he deserued in the number of ranke heretikes Amongest vvhom Ioachimus Vadianus of Zurich a right Zuinglian vvriteth of him that albeit he saw somwhat in matter of the gospel yet in nounullâ—s foe le lapâ—us est in sundry points of religion he vvas fowly ouerseen much more geuen to scoâ—fing prating then became a sober Diuiâ—e And Pantaleon a sacramentarie likevvise in his Chronologie accounteth him for an heretike as he doth also his scholer Ihon Husse though canonized by M Fox for a martir as likevvise he is in the Scottish Calender of vvhom he saith further that by vvarrant of that great Apostle Martin Luther that quibusdam bonis multa pestifera admiscuit amongest a few good things he mingled a number of wicked pestiferous And these are the principal vvhich since Berengarius time haue bene publishers of the Zuinglian faith touching Christ not present in the sacrament ¶ Out of al vvhich before I conclude this chapiter one general infallible rule I vvil sett dovvne coÌ„monly geuen by al Diuines to proue any sect or opinion heretical and the rule is that VVhensoeuer there ariseth any preaching or doctrine in the church to the Christian people nevv and straunge and vvhich the Pastors and Bishops of the church reproue and disallovv as false such preaching doctrine certainly is heretical This proposition is iustified by the vniuersal tenor and drift of the vvhole testament old nevv in al places vvhere it entreateth of the Catholike church of the nevv Testament for so much as of that church it vvas of old prophecied by Christ performed that it should be put in possession of al truth and by the meanes of Bishops Prelates and Pastors held in the same truth by vertue of the holy ghost and continued vvithout error vntil the end of the vvorld The knovvledge of truth in this Church shal be abundant as the waters of the sea God shal be therein a perpetual teacher God shal make vvith that church such an eternal couenant that the truth once deliuered to it shal be continued from one to an other from seed to seed from generation to generation for euer so long as the vvorld endureth god shal set vpon the vvals of this church right true vigilant pastors and vvatchmen which neuer at any time day nor night shal cease from preaching the truth Thus the prophetes foretold For performance of vvhich Christ promised to be vvith them for euer al daies vntil the end of the world He promised them the holy ghost the spirit of truth to abide with them and their successors for euer to teach them and leade them in to al truth vvhich spirite he sent at the time appointed in the day of Pentecost finally for this purpose before his departure out of this vvorld he placed in his church Apostles prophetes pastors doctors to rule gouerne maynteine preserue in truth that his church so dearly purchased vvith his blud vntil his second comming to iudgement Thus much for the profe of this first proposition Ioyne thereto for a second But the doctrine of BereÌ„garius vvas nevv and strange to Christian people and condemned generally by al Bishops and Pastors then liuing in vnitie of Christs church ouer the vvhole face of Christendome The proofe of this is gathered out of al historiographers liuing about those tymes and out of the practise of the church For as before is noted a number of Councels some general many particular vvere essembled against it and condemned it at Rome at Vercellis at Tours in Italie in France in Germanie and other parts of Christendome as the Histories record Berengario illiuâ— temporis Theologi bellum omnes indixere The Diuines of that time euery one bad warre and defiance to Berengarius so soone as be durst publish his new opinion of the Eucharist Here of the conclusion folovveth plaine and most assured that Berengarius opinion vvas heretical therefore the contrary that is the Catholike opinion vvhich holdeth against Berengarius is the true doctrine of Christ and his Apostles deliuered by theÌ„ to the church in the church conserued and continued in al ages in al times in al Catholike countries and realmes vntil our age VVherefore to end the argument of this chapiter vvithal to stoppe the vvrangling of certain English Diuines vvho more like Grammarians and sophisters then vvise or learned men very childishly thinke to auoid vvhat so euer is alleaged for Christs presence in the Sacrament by conâ—erring together certaine vvords and phrases by vvhich kind of Diuinitie they may and some of their brethern do inferre Christs presence on the crosse to be tropical and figuratiue no lesse then in the sacrament to proue I say that the church and al auncient fathers according to the scriptures vvrote and meant as I haue before declared I vvil shut vp this matter vvith Erasmus vvords vvherein also I vvil comprise the summe in a maner of al that hitherto hath bene declared vvhose authoritie I vse the rather for that the Protestants somtimes much extolle him as a great profound Diuine deepely seene in the Fathers and no enemy to their side to vvhom among others the chief proctor of the English church M. Ievvel yeldeth such high praise as that he calleth him a man of famous memorie whose name for learning and
fideles is ecclesiae sacrificio sciunt al which the faithful know how it is performed in the sacrifice of the church of which church sacrifice al the sacrifices of the old testameÌ„t were shadowes VVhich sacrifice of praise and thankes-geuing he in a number of places expresly calleth the sacrifice of Christs body and that it was offered not by al Christians a like but by a certaine order of priesthod as he plainly declareth in the same booke and proveth out of the scriptures ¶ VVhere M. B. saith that the name Masse came in vvhen the sacrament began to be perverted the Latin kirk to decay the Romane kirk to fal by this vve learne vvhen according to M. B. censure the Romane church fel. For euerie Protestant allovveth it a time of puritie integritie according to his ovvne humor fansie some 300. yeres some 400. some 500. And thus far our English Ievvel extended the puritie florishing estate of the Latine especially the Romane church some allovv it 200. yeres more But for the first 400 or 500. yeres fevv of the learned Protestant make any doubt but that the Romane church vvas pure and sincere in al parts of religion So taught one of our English Pâ—otomartyâ—s Ridley prelate of London in these vvords The patriarch of Râ—me in the Apostles time and long after was a great maynteiner and setter forth of Christs glorie and above al other countries regions there especially was preached the true gospel the sacraments were most duly ministred And as before Christs coming it was a citie so valiant that al the world was subiect to it and after Christs passion divers of the Apostles there suffered persecution for Christs gospel so after that the Emperors became Christians the Gospel there florished most S. Austin saith our M. Ievvel and other godly fathers rightly and wel in old time yelded great reverence to the see of Rome as for diuers other reasons so also for the puritie of religion which was there preserued a long time 600. yeres after Christ without spot For which puritie and constancie in the same that church was most famous aboue al others and might be a standard vnto them And Iohn Calvin vvriteth Because it was a thing notoriously knowen true without al questioÌ„ that from the Apostles age vntil theirs there was no alteratioÌ„ of doctrine nether in the church of Rome nor in other places the fathers tooke this for a principle and sure ground able to overthrovv al errors vvhich nevvly sprong vp that they gainsayd the truth vvhich had bene constantly preserued and maynteined by common consent from the time of the Apostles VVhich iudgement of Calvin and those other learned Zuinglians I note to control M. B. rash sentence in deputing the fal and decay of the Romane church to that time vvhen by these mens more sound more learned verdit that church vvas most pure perfit and withal hereby I can plainly convince him of falshod and heresie in preaching as he doth Touching the first the sacrament saith he began to be peruerted and turned in to a sacrifice with the falling estate of the Rom. kirke and them comes in this peruerse name of the Masse VVhen was this About 400. yeres after Christ For then vve find this name masse in the Councels Doctors vvritings applied more commonly to such signification as vve novv vse it S. Ambrose in Milan testifieth of him self that he said Masse missam facere caepi Ambros lib. 5. epist 33. â— Leo maketh mention of the same epist 81. ad Dioscorum 88. ad Episcopos Germaniae Galliae S. Austin sermo 91. de tempore 237. 251. Cassian lib. 2. Canon orat noctur ca. 7 lib. 3. canon diurn oral cap. 5. 6. 11. lib. 11. ca. 15. Yea some bishops martyrs of the Romane see far more auncieÌ„t then any of these vvriters vse the vvord though seeldoÌ„ as appeareth by S. Damasus in Pontificali in Alexandro 1. by Papirius Massonus de Episcop vrbis lib. 1. fol. 11. in Pio. 1. As for Councels in sundry very auncient as in Concilio Rom. sub Sil vestro 1. Concil Carthag 2. can 3. Carthag 4. ca. 84. Concil Agathensi ca. 21. 47. Concil 3. Arelaten cap. 3. Concil â— Aâ—â—â—lianenâ— ca. 28. Concil Milevit cap. 12. both the masse is plainly named and the distinction of masses vsed in the primitiue church is described the one called missa catechumenorum the other missa fidelium the masse of learners or novices in the faith to vvhich al indifferently vvere admitted Heretikes Iewes Paganes the masse of peâ—â—â—â—e baptized Christians from the presence and sight of vvhich masse not only the forenamed Heretikes Iewes and Pagans but also the vnchristened though otherwise favoring Christianitie yet for reverence of these dreadful mysteries vvere excluded Thus vve find that long vvithin 500. yeres after Christ the name of Masse vvas very frequent in the Romaine and Latin church vvhen as yet that church vvas far from decay and faâ— nay vvhen according to Calvin and those other famous Superintendents the church of Rome was most pure and had altered nothing of the doctrine received from the Apostles but for her constancie in reteyning the â—aâ—e might serue for a Standard and light to al other churches of Christendome ¶ By vvhich ground also and graunt of these excellent men I condemne secondly M. B. his preaching of heresie vvhereas he saith that when the sacrament was turned in to a sacrifice it was idolatrie and that forsooth began vvith the name of Masse For vvith this perverse name Masse the sacrament began to be perverted This collection I say is very foolish vvicked heretical For if in collecting the 4. names vvhich out of the auÌ„cient fathers he attributeth to the sacrament he had faithfully told his auditorie vvhat he had found he could not haue so blindly stumbled as to vvring idolatrie out of a sacrifice or preach that the sacrifice began vvith the name of Masse vvhereas the more auncient fathers cal the sacrament a true sacrifice some hundreds of yeres before the decaying and falling time of the church vvhich he signifieth that is before the name of Masse vvas practised And vvhen the name Masse began to grovv in vse even then they stil reteyned that other more auncient terme and caled it stil sacrifice both in preaching vvriting ten yea tvventie times for one more oft then Masse And therefore to make the name Masse any occasion of the sacrifice vvhich name and beleef of sacrifice vvas vniversal at lest 200. or 300. yeres before the name of Masse grevv in vse is as poore and peevish a devise as lightly might fall in to a sicke mans brayne This is to set the cart before the horse to make the river cause of his fountayne to make the child beget his father as much as to charge M. B. vvith the invention of heresies published
me seemeth if partly to avoid superstitioÌ„ partly to correct their ovvne error principally for truthes sake they vvould from hence forth cal their coÌ„mumons rather breakefasts then Suppers For so should men thinke of them as divinely as they deserve and whereas the Protestants cal it a supper imitating that vvord in the Apostle where certainly he calleth not the sacrament but other feasts by the name of our lords Supper they should amend that oversight and vvithal speake more soundly and according to truth as P. Martyr hath very discreetly noted vvriting vpon that same place of the Apostle For in respect of the time and our emptie stomake it were saith he more reason to cal it a breakfast or dinner then a supper And this is the true right issue of the nevv vvord devised by Iohn Caluin and approved by M. B. of that word which they require to the essence of their sacrament a vvord which maketh al singular their communions and sacraments to be of a cleane different nature from that sacrament vvhich Christ instituted for that their sacrament is framed in an other mould hath though not always an other matter yet ever an other forme which geveth the essence to every thing then that of Christs institution theirs receiving al life sovvle perfection and integritie from the ministers cleere voyce and sermon or the receivers faith whereas Christs sacrament receiued his integritie and perfection other ways not by such meanes Again this word of theirs maketh not only their sacrament no sacrament being compared vvith Christs Institution but maketh it also nothing els but common bread for the most part being examined even by this very word which them selues haue inuented as hath bene now declared and the learned reader shal doubtles find most true if he examine the communions and suppers vsed in England France Geneua Zurick ZuizzerlaÌ„d c. by this vvord here appointed as necessarie to separate their sacramental supper from vulgar prophane And if their supper be no sacrament of Christ according to Christs order nor yet according to their owne rules and Theologie vvhat regard would they haue vs to make of it How shal vve esteeme of it as diuine sacred and celestial vvhen as them selues conclude and proue that it is nothing but a common peece of bread an earthly creature voyd of al grace and spirite a dead element not worth â— straa fitter for Pagans then Christians more meet for dogs then men M. B. contradictions The Scottish Supper is no sacrament of Christ The Argument M. B. very notably contradicteth him self in this first serâ—â—â—â— touching the lords Supper as is shewed by sundry examples As before cap. 10. it is proved that they haue no sacrament for want of the word which is the formal part of the sacrameÌ„t so here by a brief repetition of sundry things wanting in the material part which things M. B. consesseth to be of the substance of the sacrament it is manifestly concluded that their supper is no sacrament of Christs institution in respect of the matter no lesse then of the forme CHP. 11. And thus much concerning the word the formal part of the sacrament by vvhich as the more principal vve see proved that their Scottish Supper is no sacrament of Christ Novv for a conclusion of this first Sermon I vvil gather proue as much by the other part vvhich is the matter of the supper according to M. B. his ovvne division out of both vvhich the Christian reader shal be able to gather a most strong and sure resolution that it possibly can not be any sacrament vvhich saulteth both in the one part and in the other vvhich nether hath right matter nor right forme Only first of al I vvil in fevv vvords put the reader in remembrance of M. B. notorious contradictions vsed in this short sermon vvhich I vvisn the rather to be marked partly for that they shew this man to be a right scholer of Iohn Caluin whom he so narowly folovveth eveÌ„ in this blind kind of vvriting and preaching partly for that the original cause of this such opposite doctrine in them both is one that is to say an ambitious affectation vvith high ample and maiestical vvords to vvin some good opinion to their single bread and drinke among their simple auditors vvhom by such glorious speach as it vvere by a baite and pleasant allurement they vvould gladly dravv to some honest opinion of their late devised fantasie These contradictions albeit they be scattered thorough out this vvhole treatise yet the 7. chapiter and 8. and 9. yelde better store of them as for example The bread not only signifieth the body of Christ but hath it also truly conioyned with it For if it signified only a picture were as good And yet the bread is so far from having this coniunction that it vvanteth the signification of a picture I say it signifieth not so much as doth the picture vvhich repre'enteth Christ vnto our remembrance of it self and by it self and so doth not the bread and vvine vvithout a sermon yea and then also it representeth him very doubtfully Againe the bread and wine truly and really deliver the substance of Christ vnto vs For except first we receiue the substance we can haue no participation of the fruit and merits And therefore the bread wine are a very hand which delivereth vs that substance and with that hand is Christs fiesh verely conioyned as a medicine in the boâ—e of the Apotecaries shop And yet the bread doth no wayes deliver or exhibite the body of Christ but only signifie the same For it is a sacrament and ye must looke for no other coniunction then sacramental that is for no other coniunction then significatiue and figuratiue For that is al that a sacrament valueth with these men Again that which we receiue in the sacrament is signified by the bread and vvine is not the benefites of Christ or vertue which fleweth from him only but the very substance of Christ him self For it is not possible that I be partaker of the iuyce which floweth out of any substance except I first get the substance it self And yet the blud of Christ vvhich vve receiue is not the substance of Christ nor any part of his substance For it is no other thing but the quickening vertue and power that fâ—wes from Christ and the merites of his death And we drinke of that blud when we drinke of the lively power vertue that flowes cut of that blud Again there is a wonderful high and mystical yet very true and real coniunction betvvene the bread Christs body yet for al that the bread is no more coÌ„iovned there vvith then Christ is â—oyned with the devil For there is no other coniunction then is betvvene the vvord spoken and the thing vvhich the vvord signifieth and so vvhen Christ commaunded the devils out of
men by the very light of nature and natural conscience though out of grace therefore not availeable to glory as the Apostle and true Theologie assureth And therefore vvhereas M. B. against al reason against â—l Theologie against the Apostle and al Apostles and Euangelists of Christ that ever vvere telleth his auditors and biddeth them locke vp this as a sure conclusion that if they once had any of these vertues they before they dye shal have them againe if ever they had any one of them then had they faith vvhereof that vvas a suie certain argumeÌ„t vvhich faith is proper to the elect therefore they are Gods elect perpetually then they can not possibly perish vvhereas he maketh thus far such linking together coÌ„nexioÌ„ of his Theological or rather diabological propositions vvhat one of his auditors or disciples is so simple but he can deduce one farther conclusion out of these premisses that he may live how he vvil he may do vvhat he please he may freely folow the lusts of his flesh in al catnalitie and sensualitie having assurance before hand from this preacher that he shal never be damned for it that if ever he vvere inclined to any good since his infancie he shal be surely as good again before he die and if once he felt any grace of God any good effect of his grace al his life time he shal find God gracious merciful to him for ever for that his gifts favour are irrevocable vvhom he once loved him vvil he love eternally This is the coÌ„clusion consequence of that former preaching this is not to preach God but Epicure not Christ but Antichrist not civil and moral honestie as becometh an honest civil man much lesse as becometh an Euangelist and preacher of Christian pietie and religion but rather this is to set open the schole of Sardanapalus of Lucian and Diagoras to make a mocke of religion to extinguish and eradicare honest life and al vertue other ciuil or Christian and briefly in â—â—eed of making preparation to the vvorthy receiuing of their lords supper except Satan be their lord this is to prepare men to celebrate the Supper and feasts of Bacchus and Venus of Lupercalia and Bacchanalia to set a man headlong in to al filthines villanie al dissolution both bodily and ghostly The conclusion conteyning certaine general reasons vvhy the Calvinian Gospel novv preached in Scotland can not be accounted the Gospel of Christ The Argument The conclusion drawen out of the precedent discourse preaching of M. B. sheweth that whereas al religion especially Christian coÌ„sisteth principally of two partes 1. faith towards God 2. honest charitable behavicur towards men both these the Calvinists vtterly destroy by their preaching of only and special faith and therefore their gospel hath no shew or face of any religion These 2. partes are proued severally first touching good life next touching necessarie points of ChristiaÌ„ saith For which cause euer since the beginning this Calvinian gospel hath bene abherred and condemned not only by al Catholikes but also by very many Protestants and those of most same and learning The Caluinian gospel is nothing so coloured with probable shew of Christianitie as were many old heresies The preachers of it are much more variable mutable contrarie to them selues and therefore the shame miserie and condemnation of men is greater who have departed from the Catholike and Apostolike faith of al ages vnto it The nature of the Caluinian and Sacramentarie Gospel is never to be constant but to be always chaunging the solowers whereof are neuer setled in any one certain faith For which reason and also for that in many chief articles it dissenteth from the Gospel of Christ and his Apostles as most Scottish and English detest it so al Christians haue iust causeâ— hate it and returne from it to Christs Catholike church and Gospel The Conclusion AND now to leave M. B. and turne my talke to thee my deare countryman vvhose benefit I most entend whose eternal good I vvish and daily pray for as thow regardest thy owne saluation and hopest to have part vvith Christ thy Saviour in heaven and to avoid eternal torment vvth Luciser and the damned in hel consider vvith thy self advisedly as the vveight of the case requireth vvhether in coÌ„mon sense and probabilitie in reason humane or divine the vvay to attayne the one and avoid the other be this vvhich these late ragged and scattered Apostataes divided against them selves al Christendome besides Luther and Zvinglius Caluin Beza vvhom M. B. more exactly foloweth have of late inveted or rather that vvhich al thy forefathers for these 13. or 14. hundred yeres in vnitie vvith them selves and al other Christian provinces and countries ouer the vvhole vvorld have taught by vvord and vvorke and in such an vniuersal Catholike faith have happely offered their blessed sowles to God CoÌ„sider vvith thy self omitting al other inferior and secondarie controuersies vvith vvhich the Christian vvorld is now by these new Evangelists so pestered that the nature of every religion in general much more the Christian vvhich only in truth and by vvay of excellency is called religion is built vpon 2. vniversal pillers faith and charitie to beleeve vvel and to live wel as Christ and his Apostles every vvhere teach And leauing to thy private remembrance knowlege if thow be of age if not to thy information by bookes or other better learned how our Catholike religion hath evermore framed her childreÌ„ to both these to right faith and godly charitable life vvhereof the daily discipline and practise of the church is the best proofe and the very face of our realmes Scotland and England adorned vvith such a number of goodly hospitals of colleges of monasteries built first to the honor of God next to the benefit of the realme of the poore of impotent of orphans of al sorts of men in the realme ech in their degree and order ruinated now by these caterpillers and false ministers yeldeth abundant confirmation to leaue this and to behold a litle the other part the religion brought in by these ministers which they intitle by the name of their Gospel consider vvhich thow maist do vvithout any great learning as being a thing evident to the eye vvhether it plucke not vp even by the rootes as it vvere al faith and good life For demonstration vvhereof I vvil not trouble thee vvith any new discourse but only 〈◊〉 vpon that vvhich touching ether of these hath bene said already in the last chapter or at the farthest in this present treatise And concerning good life vvhen men are taught that vvhat so ever they do is sinne and that mortal deseruing damnation that thus they sinne when they studie to do best vvho vvil labour vvho vvil studie to auoid sinne vvhich he beleeveth to be a thing vnpossible VVhen men are taught that if ever