and 23. Chapters of the sayd Councell of Toledo And likewise standes allowed in the Decretals of Gratian. I Panormitanus Cardinall of Rome will not oppose my selfe against the Papale Ordinanees Neuerthelesse in matters that doe concerne Faith the saying of a Laye man ought to bee preferred both with the Popes saying and before it If it be more probable and by better authoritie both of the old and new Testament it then goes beyond the Popes opinion and iudgement According as I haue written vpon the Chapter Significasti extra de elect And as in other places and Canons the very same is to be seene OF CONFESSION VNTO GOD ONELY I haue acknowledged my sin vnto thee and haue not hid mine iniquitie I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto thee Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne Psal 32. 5. Against thee onely haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight Psal 51. 4. O God be mercifull to me a sinner This man departed to his house iustified Luke 18. 13. 14. The Apostles and Gods Church THE holy Scripture teacheth vs very euidently that for a man to confesse his sinne to man is not any way necessarie and consequently that such kinde of confession is meerely inuented ouer and aboue Gods commandement To whom onely our sinnes ought to bee confessed because against him onely and his holy commandements we haue offended S. Iames saith Acknowledge your faultes one to another But how not to the Popes Priests they are not called by the name of one another They that are not wilfully blinded may well perceiue that Saint Iames in that place speaketh of reconcilation with our neighbour As Saint Paul in like maner well vnderstood the same saying Forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any man haue a quarrell to another Euen as Christ forgaue you euen so doe yee Moreouer we are not ignorant that Auricular confession being only brought in by men without any warrant out of Gods word was put in vse at Constantinople vntill such time as it gaue occasion of committing whoredome which made it to be abolished And afterward it was renewed againe by Nectarius Bishop of the same place Likewise the Hystories doe declare before Pope Innocent the third no body was bound to confesse in the eare of a Priest Therefore without building vppon mens inuentions we will make no Confession of our sinnes but vnto God onely For the Apostles and the whole Church after them did neuer doe any otherwise as many holy Doctours doe render sounde testemonie Especily Saint Augustine speaking thus What haue I then to doe with men that they should heare my confessions as if they could helpe mee of my afflictions It is a curious case to know another mans life and be carelesse in correcting our owne Wherefore should they demaund to know what I am when they will not bee willing to heare what they are themselues Saint Chrysostome likewise was not forgetfull to aduertise vs herein verie amply to the ende that wee should not subiect our consciences vnto such a seruitude as God himselfe would neuer haue vs bound in and thus speakes he Confesse thy sinnes to the ende that thou maist deface them If thou be confounded or ashamed to tell an other man that thou hast sinned tell it dayly then to thine owne soule I doe not say that thou shouldest confesse to a seruant like vnto thy selfe that so he may reproch thee but tell them to God onely that onely can helpe them It sufficeth that God alone sees and heares thee I would not haue thee confesse thy sinnes to a man who afterward may disgrace and defame thee by publishing thy faultes But shewe thy woundes and soares to God who is the onely good Phisition You see what these good Fathers haue taught vs yeelding themselues obedient and conformable to the doctrine of the Apostles whome onely and none else beside them will we beleeue allowe or imitate For they haue giuen vs the worde of God holily and purely which being no way imperfect enstructeth vs suificiently in all things necessarie for our saluation Therefore all men else bee they neuer so holy or wise Nay were they Angels of heauen they can declare nor command vs any thing but what is diuinely written in the authenticall Bookes of the holy Prophets and Apostles The Pope and his Church OVr holy father the Pope enioyneth and commandeth it to euery one beeing of yeares and discretion to confesse himselfe to God and to man Priest his Lieutenant all his secret and manifest sinnes with good deuotion repentance and contrition and that at the least once a yeare Otherwise our said holy father declareth thē all to be heretiques verie pernicious wholy rebellious and disobedient to this his present ordinance For hereby he hath reserued to his holy and Apostolicall seate diuers great and enormous sinnes and knoweth and absolueth them by his sole authoritie and power more then all other Bishops can doe And to those Bishops hee hath reserued and giuen more might to know discerne and absolue sinnes then to other simple priestes who are much lesse in authoritie and potencie then the Bishops are As more amplie is contained and recited in the holy Canons and decrees but especially in the Chapter Omnis vtriusque sexus de poenitentia remissione extra Moreouer euery Bishop and Curate ought to constraine and compell euerie one euerie yeare at Easter at the least throughout their Diocesses and Parishes to present themselues before them or their Lieutenants and vicars to make a full intire and generall confession of all their sinnes secret and manifest And then are they to enioyne them such penance and satisfaction as they shall thinke meet to be expedient and necessarie for the saluation of their soules If it shall happen otherwise that the Parishioners wil not be herein obedient to their Prelates Our Mother holy church then straitly commaundeth that they be chased out and excommunicated like to Iudas Because they will not performe the commaundement of God declared vnto vs by Saint Iames sayding Confesse your sinnes one to another OF THE CHVRCH The house of the liuing GOD that is the Church the pillar and ground of truth 2. Tim 3. 15. The Apostles and Gods Church WE beleeue one holy Church Catholike and vniuersall the house of the liuing God washed and cleansed in his precious blood hee being the onely head and spouse thereof euen Iesus Christ Nor doe we beleeue any other head but him onely for all other that are founded on him are members incorporated into his Church Now by his iust iudgement he hath permitted that Antechrist should intrude himself and sit in the Temple of God as God shewing himselfe that he is God For he exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God and will be worshipped for God This is the reason why by the craft of Sathan he
No Parliament POWDER BVT SHOT AND POWDER for the Pope AND For all his Cardinalles Bishops Abbots Fryers Monkes the Maisters and great Doctours of Sorbonne Sent to his Vn-Holynesse and them all for a Newe-yeares gift 1609. AT LONDON †Printed by Thomas Purfoot for Ieffrey Chorleton and are to be sold at the great North dore of Paules Church An. Dom. 1609. * ⎠* TO MAISTER RObert Harryson and Maister Edward Paltocke Gentlemen Two of his Maiesties Cursisters of his high Court of Chauncerie THAT this may be reputed a great boldnes in me Gentlemen not hauing so much as seene either of you to stampe your names in the fore head of sopoore a Pamphlet I deny not and craue fauour for this presumption offending but in an error of curtesie and honest affection not any wilfull or peremptory pride impudently to preiudice your worth or any way to procure your misconstruction Because this faulte if a fault it may be tearmed in former times hath been desired of the best and thought to be the purest golde that beautified the richest Diadems in the world Schollers to honor Princes with their painefull labours and Princes honouring Schollers with respect and thankefull acceptation Beside that learned saying of diuine Saint Augustine speaks sufficiently vnto you both in my iust excuse Inuisa diligere possumus incognita nequaqam Vnseene men may bee beloued but vnknowne very hardly And yet men haue been very familiarly knowen to them that neuer had any sight of them by the splendor of their vertues renowne of their actions their learned writings and such like noat-worthye qualities Which as Sir Thomas Moore was wont to say Doe make men that are sundered by many miles to haue dispute conference and louing entercourse together euen as hee seemed to haue with Cornelius Agrippa And that you both woorthy Gentlemen although as yet vnseene are not vnknowne to mee let me resolue you by this morall ensuing example which was the first motiue to this presumption and is the only argument to plead your much better merite A yong Grafte growing sometime in an vnkindlye ground where it neither had the Sunnes warmth or the least fauour of any weather but by the enuious Maister of the ground was not onely vnrespected but throwne out by his will to haue prosperitie in no place First by one of you the poore though not vnpittied Plant was kindly respected and admitted to haue fresh groweth in his Garden Vntill such time as finding an other soyle I will not saye more fertile but of answerable fruitfulnesse with his owne hand it was thither trans-planted and there by the other of you so carefully husbanded as I knowe not which of you I should most commend for humanitie courtesie and louing affabilitie Now in regard that though not at the first but since those tempestuous times that Grafte hath by some peculyer proprietie appertayned vnto mee and dooth still enioye the fruition of both your woonted fauours In such maner as I could best deuise to cleare my selfe of ingratitude and in some measure to answere your great merit I haue sent you a sillye New-yeeres gift better in proofe than outward apparance and more woorth in regarding then in the bare reading It hath no other sute vnto you or further expectation but that God may blesse the continuaunce of your kindnesse where already it hath beene liberallye bestowed And the poore Plant to thriue no otherwise but as it may daylye prosper in your good opinions Then you both to measure my loue equally towards you in the euen Scale of your friendlie construction Which I will further studie to deserue though abilitie can therein no way comprehend my earnest desire Yours in all affection PHILAGATHVS TO THE RELIGIOVS deuout and godly Pastors Elders and Brethren of the French and Dutch Churches in London Grace mercie and peace in our Lord Iesus Christ HAuing had some small experience of your zealous loue to Gods truth and dayly care for preseruing the same in most Christian and religious maner among you I could not but expresse some fruit of mine vnfained affection towards you And as a true testimonie thereof I send you this learned and worthy labour as a poore New-yeares gift which was first written by a brother of yours in our Lord Iesus and by mee instructed to speake our natiue English tongue For I did account it as a wrong or iniurie done to you that a worke of such worth receiuing his originall from Gods reformed Cburch among you should here bee made publique and you to haue no acquaintance at all therewith or interest therein To preuent which inconuenience in the bonds of Christian loue and amitie I dutifully haue directed it vnto you desiring according to the high deseruing merit therof that it may not onely haue acceptation among you but that it may likewise finde fauour in your houses and families where it may doe more good then easly can bee imagined So entreating your best construction of this my verie sudden yet honest boldnesse I commit you all my selfe and this my poore paynes to that measure of blessednesse which it shall please our Lord God in mercie to bestowe vpon vs. Your louing well-willer PHILAGATHVS To King Abgarus and to his worthy Confederates the Lords GAMALIEL and IAYRVS most excellent gracious Princes faithfull friendes to our soueraigne Messias and Reedemer our Lord Iesus Christ. IF at this instant wee consider well the estate and condition of Gods Church wee may euidently perceiue that what our Lord Iesus hath foretold promised is most truely fulfilled and accomplished For hauing warned vs of the afflictions troubles of his Church yet afterward he promised to be alwayes with her euen to the consummation of the world As for her afflictions wrapped vp in so many seuerall persecutions troubles and diuisions there is no mā but doth perfectly know them that our Lord God in his mercy hath assisted her preseruing her euen in the midst of all her enemies Wherby we plainely see that his promise is truely kept especially since he neuer leaues her vnprouided of his seconding aydes and good means to the end she may not be deuoured of Lyons and rauenous Wolues whom in his iust iudgement he hath permitted to rush in vpon her as representing those persons which heretofore haue hated maligned and persecuted her Doe we not at this day behold many successours to Pilate Others that are Lieutenants to Iudas Others Vizegerents to Cayphas And others the meere Vicars to Simon the Sorcerer All which together as it were doe yet torment and persecute the Church of God intending to exterminate it wholely to the end there might bee no more memorie thereof But the Lord our God against whom there is no wisedome counsell or prouidence knowes how to winke for a while at the impudence of such fooles And to the ende his Church should not stagger in the midst of the way hee
hath raised vp in our time many liuely figures of those auncient friends to his Gospell I will not compare you to any of the Apostles although it cannot be denied But that God hath giuen vs vessels of honour into whose mouthes he hath put his sword that cuts on both-sides Concerning the excellencie of your selues I dare boldly say that one of you doth liuely represent the good king Abgarus who being desirous to expresse his loue to Iesus Christ offered him all assistance and fauour when so graciously he inuited him into his house The second hath done the dutie and office of good Gamaliell a Prince and Doctor of the Law also a secret disciple of Iesus Christ euermore fauouring and furthering his cause The third is nothing inferiour to prince Iayrus on whom euen as Iesus bestowed the raysing of his daughter from death to life so hath hee raysed vp you most miraculously preseruing your life from the blood-thirstie throates of wolues Now most renowned and worthy personages altogether hauing collected a briefe disputation of the faith touching the principall Articles thereof the more gladly I vndertooke this Argument to the ende that thereby might clearely be discerned the difference on both sides and which of them holds the iustest cause before God who craues no approbation by mens inuentions let them be shadowed and coloured by whatsoeuer shewes of sanctitie and good intention For his word will not endure addition change or diminution nay the very Angels of heauen are to bee suspected in that cause Wherefore according to the example of S. Luke writing his Gospell to to the beloued Theophilus I dedicate and present vnto you this small Christian resolution most humbly beseeching you that you would embrace and defend the same as already you haue most religiously begun to doe For the Lord God hath chosen you as his vessels of honour and principall members of his Church to be serued by you to his honour and glory to the end that his name may be sanctified and his kingdome euery where to come as we pray dayly it may bee increased and we to liue vnder obedience and protection thereof I likewise pray from the bottome of my heart that you all may prosper in felicitic and most happy contentment From Egypt neere the red Sea in expectation of the yeere 666. against Babilon Your very meanest most humble and obedient Seruant for euer Dena Kol borne blind but recouering sight by Iesus To the most magnanimous Lord and Christian Knight his most humble and obedient Seruant wisheth grace peace and all blessednesse in our Lord Iesus Christ. HAuing a long time considred the contentious difference betweene the true eternal light and the foule horrid darknesse of Beliall by grace and assistance of him that giueth wisedome to the simplest I boldly vndertooke summarily to gather a Christian warlike encounter with the proud Romane Praelate that so audaciously lifts vp himselfe against Iesus Christ. Which when I had accomplished after I had imparted the same to diuers of good knowledge and learning to whom I am vnworthy to be tearmed a Scholler their aduise ouer-ruled me not to hide or burie this poore tallent in the earth Vpon further consideration to decorate and adorne the labour with some honorable title and fauour I dedicated and presented it to three most illustrious Personages very great and excellent vessels of honour and endeared seruants to our Lord Iesus Now because I am not ignorant that you are to them all a most auncient loyall firme friend my humble supplication to you is to receiue likewise this poore penny into your protection to note with what coyne it is stamped on both sides and to try which of them is false or counterfeit and whether of them is pure mettall and acceptable in the sight of God On whose part I pray you may long continue as his Champion and I to remaine in your fauour and good regard according as the Apostle requireth in good seruants toward their masters From Egypt neere to the red Sea expecting the yeere 666. against Babylon Your most humble and obedient Seruant for euer Dena Kol borne blind but illumined by Iesus An aduertisement to the Christian Reader how to make vse of these defensiue Armes against Poperie how to imploy this Powder and Shot against the Pope his Cardinals Byshops Abbots Monkes and Masters of Sorbone c. FRiendly Reader although wee may to our griefe behold that in many places of Christendom the buildings and labours of the Apostles are much demolished and ruined yet to comfort vs againe our Lord God hath raised many good Masons and excellent worke-men to reestablish the same in the former forme and estate Whose paines God bee praysed therefore we may dayly see by the plentie of good bookes and learned endeuours that shew themselues in this cleare light of the Gospell each man labouring about the building according to the gift and measure he hath receiued of our Lorde I am not ignorant likewise that diuers men of great reading and experience haue very amply discoursed on the difference betweene the Pope of Rome and our Lord Iesus Christ deliuering the true title and right of the one and as apparantly reproouing the shamefull insolence of the other wherefore my paines imployed in the same argument may appeare but as a repetition of their former actions But when this small trauaile of mine with iugement and aduise shall be considered on those former labours perhaps may be found not so apt and commodious for diuers Neophytes yong Schollers newly instructed in matters of faith that as children feeding on milke most vsually can cry but Pa Pa. As much to say as that they will defend themselues alwayes by the faith of their Fathers and Predecessors not hauing any other warant or buckler But thus did our fathers being vtterly ignorant both how they were instructed and who were their true Fathers and guiders in the faith In regard whereof as the weakest and most vnworthe labourer to trauile in the businesse of Gods building I haue collected this little Volume principally applying the same to such as are not for strong meates but as children are to be fed with spirituall milke for their better digesting the word of God hereafter But if they will not forget their childish custome or cease from Infants behauiour crying yet Pa Pa why then they shall finde their true fathers and lawfull Seniors not only the Apostles themselues but likewise the auncient Fathers and Doctours of Gods Church from whom their bad Nurses had good hope to hide and hood-wincke them still in their old Popish wolues skinnes but that God bee thanked the truth in them hath clearely appeared euen to beate these pretenders with their owne staues and weapons as wee vse it for a common Prouerbe And this is the maine reason of publishing
this Shot and Powder against the Pope by way of Antithesis or comparison in opposition for better distinguishing the right of either part And because in iustice the Apostles doe deserue the cheefe and eminent place wee preferre them to lead the way in euery cause and then the Pope followes with his allegations vprightly and without any partialtie Commend both me and this worke to God in thy praiers and desire his blessing on it for generall benefit From Egypt neere the red Sea this yeere of grace 1608. Attending the yeerre 666. against Babylon Sentences extracted out of the sacred Scriptures which are especially to be noted for more iustly iudging the cause on both parties HE that refuseth mee and receiueth not my wordes hath one that iudgeth him the word the I haue spoken it shall iudge him in the last day Though that wee or an Angel from heauen preache vnto you otherwise then that which we haue preached vnto you let him be accursed Receiue with meekenesse the word that is grafted in you which is able to saue your soules Striue not about wordes which is to no profit but to the peruerting of the hearers Stay also prophane and vaine babling Put away foolish and vnlearned questions knowing that they ingender strifes You shall put nothing vnto the word which I haue commanded you neither shall you take ought there from You shall not do after all these things that we do heare this day that is euery man whatsoeuer seemeth him good in his owne eyes Whatsoeuer I command you take heed you do it thou shalt put nothing thereto nor take ought therefrom The Prophet that shall presume to speake a word in my name which I haue not commanded him to speake or that speaketh in the name of other Gods euen the same Prophet shall die Walke not in the ordinances of your Fathers neither obserue their manners nor defile your selues with their Idols I am the Lord your God walke in my statutes and keepe my iudgements and doe them There is a way that seemeth right to man but the issues thereof are the wayes of death The way of a foole is right in his owne eyes but hee that heareth councell is wise Other notable and important Sentences collected out of the holy doctours and auncient Fathers of the Church which doe both admonish and instruct all men of sound iudgement and vnderstanding how to censure in the cause betweene these parties as also which of them ought to be embraced and defended as the infallible best and most certaine testimonie before God Saint Hierome vpon the Prophet Micheas Chap. 7. Tom. 6. CHrist is the head of all men and Christ is head of the Church They that are reputed to be in his house that is to say in the Church fall out often times to be his enemies And though they part not from the head yet they will speake ill of their head because both without the Master and without the Lords grace they dare promise in their owne iudgement knowledge of the Scriptures Whereas indeed they are but only puft vp vnderstanding nothing but doe languish about questions contentions and strifes of words who if they bee truely in the house are yet meere enemies to truth and the house S. Cyprian ad Magnum Lib. 1. Epist 6. THis ought to be admired yea and greiued at with an holy indignation that Christans should giue assistance to Antichrists and that preuaricatours and betrayers of the Church should hold firme abiding in the Church against the Church S. Chrysostome vpon S. Matth. Chap. 24 Hom. 49. ALl heresies are the army or band of Antichrist especially those that get place in the Church and presumeth to be in the holy place where it would seeme to bee held in reckoning as if it were the word of truth But it is the abhomination of desolation euen the battalion of Antichrist which hath yeelded vp the soules of many men very desolate of God S. Hierome agaiust Pelagius VVIse Phylosophers Patriarckes of Heretiques haue polluted the puritie of the Church by peruerse doctrine S. Chrysostome in his imperfect worke on S. Matth. Cap. 23. IT is a matter behoouefull that the people should goe to all Doctors and teachers and enquire of them where pure truth is to be had and where it is corrupted For it is not prohibited to know that which all men do confesse and to elect the best And the Apostle saith Try all things and keepe that which is good S. Hierome his Prediction accomplished in our time as it is written in his sixt Tome on the Prophecie of Nahum Chap. 3. vpon these words O King of Assur thy shepheards do sleepe AT the comming of Iesus Christ and of the word of God and in the comming of Niniuies consummation heeretofore the faire strompet the people shall arise and walke that before had slept vnder their Masters And they shall goe to the Mountaines of the Scriptures and there they shall finde the hilles to wit Moses and Iosua the sonne of Nun. The hilles which are the Prophets the mountaines of the new Testament namely the Apostles and the Euangelists And when they shall bee fled to such hilles and haue conuersed in reading with such maner of hilles there will bee found none to teach for the haruest truely is great and the labourers very few in number then shall their studie bee praysed because they fled vnto the hilles And the sloth and ignorance of the other Masters shall be repooued The same S. Hierome on the 86. Psal Tome 8. ALthough any one should be holy after the Apostles albeit he should be learned yet hath he no authoritie because that the Lord is declared in the Scriptures of the people and of Princes that haue been and not by that which is in themselues The same vpon Ieremie Chap. 6. Tome 9 THe errour of our Fore-fathers nor of the greatest is to bee followed but the authoritie of the Scriptures ought to be followed and the commandements of God which only do instruct The same on the Prophet Micheas Chap. 6. Tome 6. TRueth begetteth pouertie and lying engendereth riches The seuerall Arguments handled in this small Volume Of the Lords Supper Of one only Mediatour Of Purgatorie Of Confession Of the Church Of Freewill Of Mariage and of Vowes Of Fasting and of Meates Of Images A Declaration of the great graces vertues and properties of the Masse which being well considered on is much more woorth then an vnualuable treasure The Sentence of interruption or stay of proceeding betweene both sides An Antithesis of Gods Commandements and the Popes The Approbation of the Popes Commandements against God and his holy word The Generation of Antichrist the Desolator and Sonne of the Deuill The Baptisme of Antichrist c. OF THE LORDS SVPPER Iesus Christ Iudge and PRESIDENT Where two or three are gathered
together in my Name there am I in the midst of them Matth. 18. 20. And as they did eate Iesus tooke the bread and when hee had giuen thankes hee brake it and gaue it to his Disciples and sayd Take eate this is my body Also hee tooke the Cup and when hee had giuen thanks he gaue it them saying Drinke yee all of it For this is my blood of the New Testament that is shed for many for the remission of sinnes Matth. 26. Mark 14. Luke 22. The APOSTLES of our LORD IESVS CHRIST and his CHVRCH AS our Lord IESVS hath done so will we doe without altering any thing of his holy Institution For the Disciples are not wiser then their Master Wherefore as we haue receiued the holy Supper of our Lord euen so doe we beleeue and teach and in the selfe-same manner will wee receiue and administer the same As for your Masse it is vnknowne to vs because it is your Sacrament and sacrifice and not that which was instituted by our Lord. For wee are well assured that Iesus Christ hath consecrated for euer them that are sanctified by one sole sacrifice and onely oblation of his body The Pope and his Church Ovr holy Masse is the same Sacrament which is one Sacrifice for the redemption of the liuing and the dead For of all sacrifices this is the best and most excellent wherein at the voyce of the Priest heauen openeth and thence Iesus Christ with his Angels descendeth downe who are all there assistant The Apostles and Gods Church OVr Lord Iesus hath long since admonished vs not to listen vnto such as say Behold here is Christ and there is Christ And although an Angel from heauen should proclaime your newly forged Transubstantion to vs we would hold him for accursed For by faith truely and onely do we eate the bodie of Iesus Christ and drinke his blood in spirit which quickeneth for the flesh profiteth nothing Thus do we receiue these words of our Lord which hee hath said to be spirit and life The Pope and his Church IT ought to bee beleeued vpon paine of euerlasting damnation that very suddenly the bread and wine are transubstantiated and conuerted into the true body naturall and precious blood of Iesus Christ euen as great as grosse and as large as it was in the wombe of his mother and on the Crosse The holy Doctors and Fathers of Gods Church S. Augustine Ambrose Hierome Chrysostome Epiphanius Cyprian Ireneus Origen Hillarius Athanasius Tertulian and many others The Lords Signeurs and masters of the Popes Church Gratian with his Decretals Gregorie with his Decretals the graund master of the Sentences S. Thomas of Aquine Iohn Bonaduenture Raymondus Petrus Comestor Iohannes Scotus and many others The Apostles and Gods Church AS the holy Apostles did receiue it from our Lord Iesus Christ Euen so haue they deliuered it vnto vs. Wherefore we will not demolish or cast downe their building wee are ignorant of your Transubstantiation being certaine that ignorance thereof is knowledge agreeable vnto GOD. Nor haue wee any want of testimonie concerning the Apostles doctrine which the Doctours of the Church receiued from them as is easily discerned by that which they haue written Saint Augustine an ancient and faithfull Doctour both vnderstood beleeued this holy Sacrament as you may perceiue by his owne Exposition speaking thus I can interprete that this commandement consisteth in a signe for our Lord made no difficultie in his saying This is my body when he gaue the signe of his bodie He instructeth these things to be sayd euen as he spake by figure in signe by signification For the thing which is signified of Custome is to be called by the name of the thing signified Saint Ambrose also saith Thou receiuest the Sacrament for the similitude of the flesh and of the blood of Christ But thou obtainest the grace of his true nature and by receiuing the bread in this kinde thou doest participate of his diuine substance And euen as in Baptisme thou hast receaued the similitude of death in like manner doest thou drinke in the Sacrament the similitude of the precious blood of Christ Saint Hierome saith Like as Melchisedech the soueraigne Sacrificer of God performed in the figure hereof offering the bread and wine euen so Iesus Christ representeth the veritie of his body and of his blood The Pope and his Church ANd such is the alteration that the bread is no longer bread nor is the wine any longer wine or do containe any thing of their owne nature For they are really conuerted into the substance of the natural bodie of Iesus Christ As more amply and diuinely is written in our holy Decretals and Canons and specially by the venerable Father S. Thomas of Aquine In tertia parte summae in quarto sententiarum Toto titu de Celebrat Missar extra Et de concrat Distin 2. Et in Clement de reliq venerat Sanct. And in many other places I Thomas of Aquine am constrained to speake this trueth as I haue written in my Summe pars 3. in the 46. addition Article 6. in this maner Because that the Church is founded vpon Faith and the Sacraments it appertaineth not to the masters of the Church to make any newe Articles of Faith or create any new Sacraments or remooue or take away them that are made For therein is the excellencie and power which appertaineth onely to Iesus Christ who is the foundation of the Church The Apostles and Gods Church D OVR Lord Iesus Christ did neuer teach vs any such fables but flatly hath forbidden vs to giue any credite to them And S. Augustine well instructed in Gods owne Schoole Saith Vntill such time as the world shal be finished our Lord Iesus shall continually remaine aboue but his trueth abideth heere with vs. For it behoueth that the body wherewith he is risen should be in a certaine place but his trueth is euery where spread abroad For wee must not imagine that Iesus Christ is euery where dispersed according to the forme and substance of his body And wee ought in such sort to maintaine his diuinitie that we doe not destroy his humane nature It ensueth not therefore that all that is in God is God For to take and eate his very body may seem that he commanded a thing vnlawfull or an offence It is then by a figure commanded vs how to communicate in the Passion of our Lord and louingly and profitably to preserue in our memorie that his flesh was wounded and crucified for vs And the wordes of Iesus Christ are spirit and life as if he should say vnderstand spiritually what I haue said vnto you You shall not eate this bodie which you behold nor shall you drinke the blood which shall be shed by them that must crucifie me I haue commanded you a Sacrament
breaking downe an infinite number of Idols and Images as very manfully in Gods cause hee did in the Cittie of Bethell According as himselfe writeth in an Epistle to Iohn Bishop of Ierusalem his words are these And when I entred to pray I found there a sayle or great cloth hanging at the doore figured and painted hauing an Image as of Iesus Christ or some other Saint for I could not bethinke me well whose Image it should bee But when I beheld in the Church of Iesus Christ an Image of a man hanging against the authoritie of the sacred Scriptures Trent it in pieces and gaue councell to the keepers of the place rather to bestow the same cloth on some poore dead body for buriall then to let it so offend the consciences of any What now can your pontificall high Priest of Rome alleadge against so many excellent persons as flourished in those dayes in the Church of God S. Augustine did not forbeare to affirme it constantly that it was an execrable herefie to giue any honour to the Images of Iesus Christ or of the Saints For as hee himselfe sayth In looking vppon Images no man can pray or worshippe as hee ought to doe but hee will bee touched as if his thoughts were carryed thence where his hope is to bee heard and his sute granted All these things beeing duely and religiously considered to the ouerture of your Romane Priests pride wee doe and will conclude with the whole Church of God That according to his commādement we ought to honour and worship him in spirit and trueth and not by any inuented visible things commanded without authoritie of his holy word the which wee know and beleeue shall remaine for euer And wee hope shortly to see that thereby the great man of sinne shall be smitten and ouerthrowne euen hee that exalteth himself against God in his Temple Which wee humbly desire for the honour and great glory of his name to the end it may be sanctified and his Kingdome come that so all men on earth may learne the way to life euerlasting which is by knowing and confessing one onely God and him whom hee hath sent his onely Sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde and Sauiour And concerning that false couerture alleadged by our aduersaries that Christ reuealed not all things needfull for our saluation to his Apostles This was true before they had receiued the sanctified Spirit on the day of Pentecost But after they were filled with the holy Ghost and instructed of him the promise of Iesus Christ was accomplished that the holy Spirite should reueale vnto them whatsoeuer hee had sayd and should leade them into all trueth This being done and accomplished they wrote the word of God and haue left the same vnto vs cleane holy and pure sufficient to guide and direct vs to euerlasting life We are not bound then to heare any other but the Apostles For all men else whatsoeuer bee they holy wise or very Angels of heauen they may not declare or command vs any other Gospell but that which is diuinely written in the authenticall Bookes of the holy Prophets and Apostles And no man how wise or learned soeuer he be hath any authoritie after the Apostles as Saint Hierome saith Moreouer albeit wee should bee vniustly reprooued persecuted condemned yea and murdered of men in the quarrell of God yet notwithstanding hauing our onely hope in him who hath called vs to that honour We are to reioyce and be glad when wee are persecuted and hated for his Names sake Not doubting but in his good time and when hee pleaseth his strong and powerfull arme shall free and deliuer vs from all seruitude of our aduersaries As alwayes hitherto hee hath done in fulfilling his promise to his holy Prophets and Apostles Therefore to that euerliuing Lord God bee giuen all honour and glory praise and power world without end Amen Si hoc consilium out opus ex hominibus est dissoluentur Si vero ex Deo est non poteritis dissoluere If this counsell or this worke be of men it will come to nought But if it be of God you cannot destroy it The Pope and his Church Now we haue good and great occasion to render thankes to God who hath made vs victorious ouer our aduersaries whom we doe excommunicate and curse as pernitious and damnable Heretiques because they will not be obedient to our holy ordinances but doe fondly cleaue to and stand vpon the Gospels and the doctrine of the Apostles who are not able to be vnderstood of any man without our holy Glosses and expositions For the rest let vs not forget to speake somewhat in the behalfe of our holy Masse That looke how much our hereticall aduersaries doe labour to confound and ouerthrowit So much the more powerfully will we striue to defend and maintaine it euen vnto blood and death For which cause we haue commanded to publish abroad the great graces vertues and properties of the most holy Masse According to the testimonie of that reuerende man Master Iaques of Spaine solemne Doctour in diuinitie The Copie whereof we will haue exhibited and giuen to euery one that shall continually haue good deuotion to the most holy Masse and shall liue and die in the true faith thereof Amen M. IAQVES OF SPAINE A Copie containing the great graces vertues and properties of the most holy Masse which being well contemplated and considered on are more worthie to be esteemed then an vnualuable treasure MAster Iaques of Spaine solemne doctor in Diuinitie recounteth in his workes that Saint Augustine and other Doctors doe hold this conclusion That if he which heareth Masse deuoutly hath either bought or taken money for so much land as may be walked on during the time a Masse is saying and shall giue that money to the poore yet hee shall not merit so much thereby as by his deuout hearing of that Masse Secondly he that as this day heareth Masse deuoutly and hopeth to heare another to morrow with the same deuotion looke what sinnes hee committeth betweene those two Masses are pardoned him by true confession which our Lord will graunt him before his death Thirdly after a man hath heard Masse his feeding yeeldeth the greater benefit to his bodie nor can he want ought all that whole day but shall be filled with all things needfull to nature Fourthly All veniall sinnes newly committed and false oathes sworne in haste or thorow ignorance hauing a purpose to confesse them they are blotted quite out by the merit of hearing a Masse deuoutly Fiftly euery pace or steppe a man takes in going to heare a Masse are counted and numbred by his good Angell to be rewarded before God Saint Bernard saith that our chiefest Christian vertue is to heare Masse deuoutly For it is of such great efficacie and dignitie as the verie hearing of a Masse is much more worth