from the Gospel the same is not ioyned to the Church for this is all one saith he after the maner whereby Antichrist was brought in vnder the name of Christ by counterfetting things likely thereby subtilly to frustrate the truth where as it had behooued him to haue returned to the originall of truth haue hasted back to the spring-head to see at what place the pipes conueying the water vnto vs were broken by this meanes to haue lent his eare vnto the doctrine of the heauenly Master For saith Nazianzene vnto the Arrians The church is not defined by multitude if they haue the people we haue the faith if they haue the golde and siluer we haue the true doctrine succession must be valued by pietie and not by Sea or seate Who so retaineth the same doctrine of faith hee possesseth the same Sea as he that retaineth the contrarie in the same Sea is to be helde as an enemy Because saith Saint Chrysostome The Church consisteth not in walles but in faith so that where faith is there the Church is where faith is not there the Church is not This is the true Ierusalem whose foundations are placed vpon the mountaines of the Scriptures As also saith he he goeth not out from the Church that goeth out from the bodie but rather he that forsaketh the spirit the foundation of the ecclesiasticall truth We then saith he are gone out from them in respect of the place but they froÌ„ vs in respect of faith we haue left with them the foundations of the walles but they haue left with vs the foundations of the Scriptures Saint Ambrose Christ alone is he whom no man ought to forsake or change away to whom it is by good right said Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the wordes of life It is then giuen vs in charge aboue all things to seeke out the faith of the Church in which if Christ dwell howe that then wee must make choise thereof namely for our habitation but if wee finde therein either an vnfaithfull people or an hereticall teacher that spoileth the dwelling such Synagogue is to be auoided And if to be briefe a Church forsake the faith it behooueth vs to forsake and abandon it c. And he yeeldeth a reason Christ saith he is the rocke Petra non Petrus S. Ambr. l. 1 de paenit c. 9. the foundation of the Church that is faith if thou be in the rocke thou art also in the church But to the end we may not take one rocke for another Know saith he that they which haue not Peters faith can neither haue Peters portion and inheritance Saint Ierome expounding the Creede He hath not said I beleeue in the holie catholike church but I beleeue the holie church The holie church is that which keepeth the faith of Christ in the integritie and soundnesse thereof It consisteth not of walles but vpon the veritie of doctrine VVhere faith is there is it also and there it was at such time as heretikes possessed all these churches In Psal 133. VVouldst thou enter into this church and that by the right way In Psal 5. It is the reading of the Scriptures Do thou O Lord so lay out and fit my way as that I may not fall or take offence in these Scriptures seeing that by them I desire to enter into thy church Yea saith he these Scriptures they are the kingdome of God himselfe In S. Mat c. 21. And when it is said that the Lord hath translated the kingdom of heauen from the Iewes vnto vs it is as much as to say that he hath taken the Scriptures from them to giue them vnto vs. In them saith Saint Augustine we finde Christ in them wee are to seeke and search for the Church in them and by them it is shewed vnto vs. Aug de vnit Eccles And let vs not once imagine that we haue and hold the church because we are in that wherein Ambrosius or Optatus haue beene before vs no nor yet because there are miracles wrought therein for euen our Lord himselfe woulde that his disciples should be confirmed by the Scriptures more then by any other meanes and of that nature are the titles precepts and foundations of our cause Cont. Petil. l. 3. c. 6. in Psalm 69. If then saith he there be any question either of Christ or of the church or of any thing whatsoeuer that belongeth either to life or faith cursed bee hee that goeth out of the Scriptures To the ende that thou maist not be deceiued and that no man may cause thee to take him for Christ that is not Christ that for the church which should not be the church hearken vnto the voice of the shepheard he hath shewed himselfe vnto thee he hath shewed thee the church In Ioh. ser 131 My sheepe heare my voyce c. The church is the house of God but it is not God wee beleeue the church but we beleeue not in the church It is the mother In Epist Ioh. tract 3. In Psal 103. Obpubilatur Epist 48. Sâ—rm 237. de Temp. ad Lucernam Ber. in conuer S. Paul ser 1. but the two testaments are her teates from them we must sucke the milke of all the mysteries of our saluation The Bishops may erre there haue beene of them authours both of schismes and heresies The church in like maner is sometimes eclipsed and marred with wet and tempestuous weather The surest course is to make the Scriptures our looking-glasse as also for vs to walke in the torch-light of the scriptures O Lord our good God said Saint Bernard such as seeme to holde the Primacie in the church Iâ— Cant. ser 76 are the formost most forward to persecute thee It is not inough for such as should be our guard and watchmen to giue ouer their care of protection and vigilancie except they further worke our spoile At the least saith he elsewhere let him abound in his sense vnderstanding that will Epist 77. but as for vs I could wish that they would let vs abound in the sense of the Scriptures In the meane time Durand appellat mensuram fidei in prefat Sentent Thomas regulam intel ectus in â— ad Tim. cap. 6 lect 1. Scot. mensur Theol. in l. 1. Sent. q. 1 Gerson regulaÌ„ fid de coÌ„munic sub vtraque against these Scriptures the law of the Church the measure of faith the rule and bridle of all maner of vnderstanding I speake according to the Schoolemen themselues Thomas Durand Scotus Gerson c. These miserable Doctors and teachers either of this world or of the Prince of this world enemies of the true light children of darknesse seeing they please themselues so greatly therein doe not cease to furnish vs with appeales being imployed euer and anon more in making of such then of any other bookes So that if we had nothing else against them but that we might iustly suspect
Alexandria All that the Lord hath done is not written but rather so much as the pen-men thought to be sufficient both for maners and doctrine of faith to the end that shining through a right faith manners and the truth we may come to the kingdom of Christ Now those pen-men of whom he speaketh were they not inspired of God Is it not his holy spirit himselfe Againe Lib. 5. in Leui. whether it were he or Origen vpon Leuiticus In the two Testaments we may finde out and discusse whatsoeuer matter concerning God from the same gather whatsoeuer knowledge of things in so much as that if any thing remaine not determined by these Scriptures there is not any third which we are to receiue and admit of for the authorising of such knowledge Cyrill Bishop of Ierusalem Beleeue me not Cyril Hierosolim Catec 4. if I shew it thee not by the Scriptures for the saluation of our faith is not bolted out by the meanes of any disputation but plainly demonstrated by them Thom. 1. part Sum. q. 1. art 3. Supra omne debitum creaturae Et q. 147 art 4 p. 3. in add q. 6 art 6. And what will they say more when as Thomas one of their side saith That the things that proceede of the onely will of God besides whatsoeuer is due vnto the creature cannot be made knowne vnto vs otherwise then in that they are deliuered vnto vs in the Scripture That the doctrine of faith and the Sacraments cannot bee but of Christ That the ordinances and statutes of the church are not of themselues of the necessitie of saluation When also expounding the place in controuersie at this day of the second to Timothie chapter the third he vseth these wordes That the Scriptures teach the truth In 2. ad Tim. c. 3. â— reproue falshood perswade vnto that which is good and draw backe from that which is euill Not saith he after any faint or feeble maner but to the perfecting of the worke of saluation yea saith he euen in the highest degree c. And Scotus after him That the holy scripture is sufficient for the Pilgrime that is to say for the Christian trauailing heere below to come to the end of his purposed voiage that is to say vnto saluation That this way is not doubtfull but most certaine that in the same likewise is founde sufficiently laid open whatsoeuer is to be beleeued hoped for or done And Cardinall Caietan vpon the place afore named To the making saith he of the man wise vnto eternall saluation and furnished with all those partes requisite for the making of the man of God perfect Admit will some say vnto vs that it is sufficient The scripture is cleare and plaine vnto saluation Lactan l. 5. c. 1. but yet notwithstanding obscure difficult ambiguous by consequent daungerous This is all that which can be said against a wicked maÌ„ making his will taking pleasure to set his heires togither by the eares through sutes in the law And what would they say then to the Gentiles to Celsus to Iulian to all the Philosophers who tooke occasion by reason of the facilitie and simplicitie of the same to account thereof as base and contemptible He that is the light of lights and together therewith all goodnes it selfe shall he delight himselfe in becomming obscure and darke vnto vs This light that lightneth euerie man that commeth into the world shall he be come downe here vpon earth to blind the world euen them whom he hath chosen and set apart from the world Shall not the essentiall almightie word of God haue power or knowledge or will to expresse and make plaine his meaning in his worde when as he is come from heauen vnto vs from the bosome of the father amongst men to expresse and manifest himselfe The holy Ghost sent downe from the father and the sonne to teach the Apostles the things concerning saluation and in them vs comming downe vpon them in tongues of fire to interpret himselfe in all maner of languages shall he be no better then barbarisme and darknesse shall he not be prouided of wordes cleare and plaine inough to make himselfe to be vnderstood in the Scriptures Verily we learne not this lesson in the Prophets if they be not able to auouch vnto vs in that they speake their own cause Thy word saith Dauid is a torch vnto my feete Psal 119. 19 12. that is to say a light causing our eies to see They that speake not according to this word saith Esai it is because they haue no light in them Neither yet of S. Peter Esai 8.2 Pet. 1.19 who in his iudgement hath thought it to be so far off from obscuritie as that he hath commaunded vs to hearken to the Propheticall worde as vnto a light that shineth in darknesse And what then shall be the brightnesse of the Gospel which is the light of this light the Sunne in respect of the lampe and declared vnto vs by the Sonne the brightnesse of the glorie of the father Afterward the Apostle saith that he hath spoken diuerse wayes to the Fathers and to the Prophets c. And to whom then shall he be obscure to whom shall he bee hidden except as Saint Paule saith vnto vs vnto them which perish 2. Cor. 44. to them whose vnderstaÌ„ding the God of this world hath blinded to the end that the light of the Gospel of the glorie of Christ might not shine vnto them Likewise the Fathers they speake not according to our aduersaries According to the fathers for when they aunswere the Pagans they go not about to excuse the simplicitie and clearnesse thereof by denying them but rather say they it behoued them to be such to the ende that that which was for the saluation of euerie particular partie might be vnderstoode of all Irenaeus saith Iren. cont hae res l. 2. c. 42 67. Iust in Tryph. Tertul. de resurrect All the Scripture both Propheticall and Euangelicall is manifest and without ambiguitie and may likewise be vnderstoode of all Iustine Let vs haue recourse vnto the Scripture that therein we may find where to be safe and sure Tertullian The heretikes shun the light of the Scripture So farre is it off that they should be able to shrowde themselues vnder the darknesse of the same Athanasius Athan. in Epi. ad Iouinian True faith in Christ is cleare by the Scriptures Let vs set saith he against the Arrians this candle vpon the Candlesticke and it is sufficient Saint Hillarie to the same purpose Hillar de vnit patris filâ—i The Lord hath set forth the faith of the Gospel in the greatest simplicitie that possibly can be and hath fitted his wordes for our capacitie so farre forth as our infirmitie is able to beare it Constantine the Emperour likewise in the same cause Constant in Concil Nicen. Socrat. l. 1. Chrysost in 2.
and so of plaine and euident sentences for the opening of the hidden couert ones But otherwise if vnder the colour of obscuritie thou labor to gather any point of new doctrine Irenaeus will say vnto thee Thou must reason from the cleare places of the Scripture and not from parables Saint Basil The things that may seeme darkly spoken in one place are most cleare in another Saint Augustine Who is so impudent as to expound anie place of Scripture for himselfe by an Allegorie if he haue not an other verie cleare place in the Scripture which may make it plaine Seeing likewise saith he in another place That of all that which is obscure therein Lomb. l. 3. d. 5 there riseth not any thing almost but that which is cleare elsewhere Lombard Tho. in Sum. q. 147. art 10. Pet. de Alliac Where as the Scripture is silent it will be good for vs not to affirme any thing Thomas Thou canst not reason from an Allegoricall sense c. To be briefe the Cardinall Alliaco That the scripture is a lampe that giueth light and that wee must haue recourse thither to haue saluation Gerson That an idiot a woman yea a childe Gers de Script de exa doct Pic. in Quest an Papa sup Concil are better to be beleeued alledging the Scripture then the Pope and a whole Councell And the Counte Iohannes Picus Mirandula after the same manner So farre off were these men who yet were the lights of their time from this darke opinion sprung no doubt out of the pit of vtter darknesse That the Scriptures were not any thing but darknesse But in a word the mischiefe is for that we will finde it difficult because that in the clearnesse thereof it is impossible for vs to finde out our inuentions obscure because that our traditions cannot stand before this light and imperfect because that neither by it nor before it we are able to defend our imperfections Yet so it is that our aduersaries replie that there are controuersies amongst vs that wee cannot agree of the expounding of the places which are alledged respectiuely How they must be expounded and therefore who shall expound them vnto vs who shall cause vs to admit of one exposition more then of another Let vs striue thitherward hauing Gods grace to assist vs let vs come thereto with the Zeale of his glorie the loue of the truth and the desire of saluation and then a meane knowledge ioyned with a good conscience would speedily attaine the ende And for some small taste thereof may it please the reader to examine certaine rules that follow being those which the auncient fathers doe teach vs. The first is That we be agreed vpon the Canonicall Scriptures thereby to auoyde the confounding of them with the Apocrypha that is To agree of the bookes called Canonical of the setting downe of the spirit of God for iudge rightlie discerned and distinguished from euerie spirit of man for humane scripture after the maner of monie is so much the more hurtfull and damnable by how much the coine that it hath counterfeited is the better and hereof the olde Church hath had a speciall regard I call this the first because that by this doore it did perceiue both vanities and heresies to enter into the Church vnder a fained name of our Lord and his Apostles They tell vs that the Scripture is the ballance the rule and the squire c. Hieronym ad Laetam And therefore to render to things their weight measure and streightnesse it is necessarie that it should be iust And this is that which S. Ierome telleth vs Let vs looke vnto our selues to beware of the Apocrypha bookes and if we will reade them c. let vs know that they are not theirs by whose names they are called that many faultie things are mingled there amongst that it craueth a singular prudencie in him that looketh to gather golde out of mud and in a worde that we must not reade them ad dogmatum veritatem for the confirming of doctrines So farre off is he from beeing of iudgement that wee shoulde rake togither the dregges of all manner of such Authours from all parts therewith to defile the Church And in another place In Symb. Ruf. in Praefat in Prou. in Reg. in prolog Galeato Hiberas naemas Certaine peruerse men to strengthen their opinions haue inserted vnder the name of holie personages things that they neuer writ and notwithstanding there are some which preferre these Hiberian fables before the Authētike bookes And this is the cause why S. August doth presse the heretikes continually with the Canonicall Bookes and refuseth the Apocrypha wherin they did their whole indeuour to ground themselues Let vs lay aside both on the one part the other that which we produce frō elswhere then out of the Canonicall bookes let vs shewe forth the holy Church by the holy Oracles let vs search for it in the holie Canonicall Scriptures c. To them I yeeld this honour that their Authour could not erre any maner of way the others I read in such sort how holy or lerned soeuer they might be as that I beleeue them not in that which they say because they say it but because they perswade me either by the Canonicall bookes or else by probable reason c. And therefore he saith further Ep. 19. ad Hieronym l. 2. con Dona. c. 3. con Faust l. 11. c. 5. The aduised searcher of the holy Scriptures shall reade them first all ouer but those onely which are called Canonicall for then he shall be able to reade the others more safely being alreadie instructed in the faith of the truth for feare that otherwise they might forestall and get the aduantage of a weake spirit abuse it with dangerous lies infect it with some preiudicate opinion cōtrarie to sound vnderstanding Lib. de Ciuit. Dei c. 15.23 For although therin be found some truth notwithstanding because of many vntruthes they are vtterly without all Canonicall authoritie And in the meane time what impudencie is it to go about to make him to giue credit to the decree by committing the offence of a most notorious lie D. 9. c. in Canonicis acknowledged also by Alphonsus of Castres to haue said That the Decretall Epistles of the Bishops of Rome are of the same authoritie Cyril Hierosol Catech. 4. that the Canonicall Scriptures Cyrill Patriarke of Ierusalem Studie these Scriptures onely which wee boldly and confidently reade in the Church but haue not any thing to doe with the Apocrypha Nazian de veris Scripturae libris Nazianzene In them wee see the light c. But to the ende that the bookes that are excluded from thence may not deceiue thee learne to know the true and legitimate number c. If you find any other then those holde them for base and bastardlie ones Yea and this was one of
according to the Scriptures appeareth by that which he said before That Dauid that the Euangelists that the Apostles doe teach vs c. Cyp. in Epi. 74 Saint Cyprian If it be commaunded in the Gospel if it be contained in the Epistles or acts of the Apostles let vs obserue it as diuine and holie But if it be not there then what followeth but the contrarie Saint Basil VVe must learne the Scriptures Basil regul 95 as concerning that which is to be practised in them as well to replenish our spirit with pietie as to leaue of to accustome humane constitutions Saint Ierome Hiero. in Esas It is no maruell saith he speaking of the Iewes if you follow your traditions seeing that euerie country goeth to seeke counsaile at their Idols but God verely hath giuen vs his scriptures and darknesse shall ouerwhelme you if you follow them not As also vnto Christians for euen in his time saith he it was come to the lees In. Matth. 23. VVo be vnto you wretched Christians to whom the sinnes of the Pharisies are translated and come euen that damnable tradition of theirs c. wee swallow downe against the commaundement of God the things that are great and hunt after the opinion of religion in the small and little ones c. And once for all The sworde Ad Laetam saith he of the Lord striketh at all those doctrines which are found bearing the shewe of Apostolicall traditions without the authoritie and testimonie of the Scriptures And this is the verie thing whereof Saint Augustine so greatly complained himselfe in his time that in the Church euery thing was full of presumption S. August in Epi. ad Iouin In S. Ioha tract 96.97 and preiudicate opinion that contrarie to the expresse worde of Christ the yoke of Christians was become more heauie and greeuous then that of the Iewes That men made lesse conscience of the law of God then of the least humane ordinances or rather fansies All this or the most part thereof comming from heretikes and certaine Apocripha bookes vnder the shadow saith he of this worde From the Lord I haue yet many things to say insomuch as that there is not the veriest foole that is that dareth not to abuse the same A place that some obiect against vs euen vnto this day about the same matter But saith he when the Lord hath kept any thing hidden from vs who is he that is so vaine as to goe about to gesse at it or so rash and foole-hardie as to take vpon him to reueale it And this is the cause why Saint Bernard wearie of those insupportable traditions Bern. Epist 91 ad Abba Suissioni congreg said I desire with all my hart to present my selfe as a partie in that Councel wherin traditioÌ„s are not obstinately defended nor suspersticiously obserued but rather the good and perfect will of God with all humilitie and diligence searched after and sought for And againe De precepto dispensat If there be any such as charitie hath beene the inuenter of it is iust that by the same charitie they bee ceased and giuen ouer if it bee so found expedient Againe The precepts which are of the ordinances of God are necessarie but those which are of humane constitution arbitrarie and at discretion c. And in deed the Ecclesiasticall historie doth witnesse vnto vs that the ancient fathers did leaue such things as were meere obseruations indifferent both vnto whole Churches and particular persons not inforcing any thing but what was of the pure and vndefiled commaundement of God as is to be read in Socrates Nicephorus c. Can not the Church then ordaine any thing Socrates Niceph. l. 12. c 14. Wherein or how far the authority of the Church stretcheth And wherein shall the authoritie thereof consist Nay let vs not feare that it hath ouer little to doe It is not a small thing in the blindnesse wherewith man is blinded and in the darknesse of this worlde to keepe it selfe from straying and wandring out of the way of life to keepe it selfe from loosing the heauenlie light through the sight of the eyes and to guide it selfe and others by the same And would to God it would haue contented it selfe to haue knowne this onely and to haue beene ignorant in all the rest Where as hauing toucht the forbidden tree and hauing transgressed this worde Deute 4. 12 Cursed be they which adde thereunto shee hath opened her eyes to these false and deceyuing fiers but shut them at the light and so consequentlie lost her puritie loyaltie and innocencie and leauing the truth of God is further become left vnto herselfe The ancient fathers verily The Fathers made faith the limits of the Church and the Scriptures the bounds limits of faith Colos 2.8 1. Cor. 4.6 Iohn 8.13 Not by succession Iren. l. 3. con heres c. 11. l. 4. c. 43. 44. Tertul. de prescript de pudicit Id verius quod prius Tertul. de virg â—â—land Con. Praxeam Tertul. de prescript Cypr. Ep. 55. De lapsis In tract de simplicit pontif in ep 74. Gregor Nazianz in orat habit ad laudem S. Athanas cont Arrian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haue not thought it any thing dishonoured when they tyed it to the obedience of her Spouse for they bounded it by faith and faith by the Scriptures And it would haue beene on the contrarie a verie strange doctrine vnto them that it shoulde haue spoken or heard any other language then her owne seeing it is said vnto her by the Apostle See that none spoile you through Philosophie or vaine deceitfulnesse according to the traditions of men Againe Learne of vs not to be wise aboue that which is written And in vs saith the Apostle that is to say by our example And by her Spouse himselfe If you abide in my worde you shall be truly my disciples Irenaeus saith The Gospel is the pillar and foundation of the Church It behoueth it to flie from all those which flie from and forsake the principal succession and cleaue vnto theÌ„ that keepe the doctrine of the Apostles Tertul. The Church is knowne to be apostolical not by nuber not by succession of Bishops but by the consanguinitie of doctrine And this doctrine again In this saith he in that the most ancientis most true that is most ancient which was from the beginning and that which is from the beginning is that which is froÌ„ the Apostles from the Apostles saith he who left the Scriptures for vs vpon whom are come the last ages the Scriptures by which the truth is defended and not by tradition or custome For how saith he could a man be able to speake of the things of faith but by the writings of faith Saint Cyprian Those are the Church saith he which dwell in the house of God But how Verily saith he who so is separated diuided
of the obseruations of the Primitiue church seeing that a verie strong preiudicate opinion hath seazed the spirites of the greatest part that nothing is done now a dayes in the church of Rome but after that sort maner that to require any reformatiō therin is nothing else but a longing after nouelties and a remouing of the ancients their markes and limittes and lastlie seeing that they which make their aduantage of such abuses are not without store of colours thereby corrupting and disguising the olde and auncient monumentes and writinges and besmoking the new and latter ones that so they may carrie the greater shew of antiquitie amongst which that of making as to receiue the thinges for olde and auncient which haue meerelie regarded the succeeding times of the church is verie newe and latelie hatched This I say is the taske and text which we are now to finish and make plaine by the grace of God that so wee may prouide helpes for the strengthning and supporting of some simple men and preuent the malice of the contrarie minded to the end that antiquitie may shew it selfe antiquitie and noueltie may appeare to bee but noueltie and also to the end that the superstitious and long obseruation of some ill established noueltie may not carrie away the title of antiquitie from olde and auncient veritie That truth which is of all other most ancient may not grow out of date by reason of the antiquitie thereof That the disagreements in religion are for the most parte aboute traditions established without the warrant of the word carelesly and negligentlie looked vnto Ne inquam antiquissima illa veritas vel ipsa antiquitate antiquari videatur Certainelie hee that shall weigh and consider with sound and vpright iudgement the controuersies which are at this day in christian religion shall not finde them to be anie such things for the most part as are founded vpon any doctrine that is trulie auncient vpon anie doctrine I say that is taught or mentioned in the holie Scriptures notwithstanding that the Scriptures bee the true and proper boundes of whatsoeuer may fall into mens fansies and the olde and authentike Registers and Maisters of the church to line and square out whatsoeuer is the proper due and true possession of any one And further we doo freelie declare testifie that whosoeuer shall dare to remoue the same though neuer so little shall worthilie fall into the curse pronounced by the Prophet against them which remoue auncient boundes and markes But the question is of Traditions which haue insinuated themselues and are sprung vppe together with the time by the industrie of men and that to the choaking of the true plantes of Christes fielde Of Traditions which by the reading of Antiquities wee see and behold first in the bare and naked seede then in the bud putting forth growing and rising vp into a stalke bearing fruite ouergrowing in the end the good corne ouerspreading the earth watred with the vanitie and ordinarie curiositie of men manured and fed with the ignorance of the most darke and ouershadowed ages Of Traditions one marke or step whereof for the most part we cannot espie or finde out eyther in the holie Scriptures or in the Primitiue church but which from age to age we finde and see to haue sprung vp of some crosse or ouertwhart word or else of some vnexpected action as hearbes cōming by chance wherof there is no great regard or reckoning made or else to grow by a priuation or negatiuelie in some doubtfull question from thence proceeding into some affirmatiue not well and firmelie grounded and finally ending in a full and absolute conclusion from whence is drawne within some space of time after and so throughout euerie age such strange increase and ouerrunning measure such consequences so far differing from the first steps and footinges as that they which first cast the seede into the grounde not thinking of any such haruest would not bee able as it falleth out with the fowles of the aire letting fall some nut or acorn euer to auouch the same for theirs if they should returne to beholde them yea which would rather haue smothered and stifled them in the birth if they had foreseen anie shew of such monstrousnes to haue eusued And finallie of Traditions which smoothlie conuey themselues vnder the habite of indifferencie and a certaine kinde of pretended seemlines into thercome and place of profite of necessitie of subiection yea and that greater then any Iudaicall seruitude and of the Articles of faith Articles I call them seeing that men now a dayes such as are our aduersaries are farre more tenderlie affected and deeplier doting vpon their owne inuentions then vpon faith it selfe And for the which they let not to stand and contend a great deale more in the church of Rome to maintain the same then they do striue and seeke to root out Atheisme notwithstanding it iet vp and downe like a Lord and spreade it selfe into euerie coast and quarter vnder the name of Philosophie priuilie vndermining and thereupon forciblie ouerturning the foundations of the church of Christ the holie Scriptures and the holie Sacramentes Articles againe for the strengthning whereof they are not ashamed to weaken so much as lieth in them the force and authoritie of Gods word and for the procuring of authority thereunto they defend the sufficiencie integritie and simplicitie of the same they make no conscience to call the ministerie of death the ministery of our life and to pronounce as imperfect and vnsufficient vnto Saluation the Scriptures whereof the essentiall worde did say vnto the Iewes and then by a stronger reason to vs Examine the Scriptures diligentlie and carefullie for you thinke to haue eternall life by them and they are those that beare witnes of me Now it were no hard or difficult matter to demonstrate and shew foorth the same throughout all the Articles which are in controuersie and indeede the matter hath beene performed by diuerse alreadie But I will rest my selfe for this time in shewing the truth thereof in the matter of the Masse and the appendances thereof because at this day it occupieth the principall place of Diuine Seruice in the church of Rome because it seemeth vnto them the badge cognizance to distinguish betwixt the good and euill Christian because that in not going thereunto or in going thereunto is as they hold in their opinion to worke a mans damnation or saluation And lastly because that it containing comprising in it eyther the doctrine or the practise of the principall pointes which are in controuersie betwixt vs it shall stand for a full reuew of the whole bodie of their religion or not want much thereof if it bee throughlie examined and sifted If then it be of such moment and importance vnto saluation as they would make vs belieue we need not to doubt anie thing at all but that we shall finde it so most clearelie and euidentlie by the holy Scriptures
is swaruing and degenerating from the other wee must first consider after what manner the holy Supper was instituted that holy Supper which is the sacrament of the new Testament and succeeded the feast of the Passeouer which was the Sacrament of the olde that holy supper which is the true commemoration and memoriall of the sacrifice of the lambe without spot or blemish slaine for our sinnes the figure and representation whereof had before beene liuely set out in the Paschall lambe For we do altogether agree in this all the sort of vs that as the law was ordained to leade vs to grace Moses and the Prophets to bring vs to Christ euen so all the propitiatorie sacrifices of the law were to fit and to prepare vs for the laying holde vppon that true and onely propitiatorie the very lambe which taketh vpon him the sinnes of the worlde And all the sacrifices of thankesgiuing likewise which were offered for the acknowledgement of temporall benefites serued to stirre vs vp to the consideration of this great and vnspeakeable spirituall benefite which it pleased God according to the riches of his mercie to manifest and lay open in his Sonne And therefore as we must come to the knowledge of the Masse by the holy Supper so to that of the holy Supper by the Passeouer the holy Supper hauing succeeded the Passeouer by the institution of our Lord Iesus Christ and the Masse in the Church of Rome hauing taken vp the place of the holy supper through the corruption which hath beene brought in by the See and gouernment of Antichrist Behold therefore the institution of the Passeouer in Exodus Pharao perseuering in his rebelliousnes Exod. 1◠That the holy Supper came in place of the Passeouer God declared vnto Moses that he would roote out all the first borne of Egypt yet neuerthelesse to the end he might put some difference betwixt the vessels of his wrath and those of his mercie he would spare the first borne of Israell spare them I say not because of any their merites but for his owne compassions sake through the fauour purchased by the lambe slaine for sinne from the foundation of the world Wherefore hee ordained that in euerie familie betwixt two euens a lambe without spot for a type and figure of the true and verie lambe should bee killed and eaten that with the bloode thereof the postes of the houses of his people should be sprinckled to the end that the destroying Angell might passe ouer as an euident warning and admonition that whereas this blood was not sprinkled what familie or person soeuer it might be there was nothing but matter for his wrathfull anger to worke and feede vpon that moreouer this killing of this lambe should bee renewed euery yeare and that for euer to teach and instruct the ages to come as well in the memorie of the benefites alreadie receiued as in the expectation and faithfull looking for of greater that were to come and to be receiued Now in this institution wee haue both a Sacrament and a sacrifice to consider and thinke vpon In the Passeouer is a Sacrament and a sacrifice The Sacrament giuen of God vnto his people for a seale and assurance of his promise and of the fulfilling of the same for to this end are the Sacraments giuen of God vnto his people when he saith And this blood shal be for a signe vnto you in your houses that when I shall see it I will passe-ouer and that there shall not be any deadly stroke amongst you when I shall smite Egypt A sacrifice offred vp to God by his people for as properly are sacrifices offered vp to God by the people as Sacramentes come from God are giuen to the people as is witnessed when he saith And this day shall be for a memoriall vnto you and you shall keepe holy this feast in your generations in as much as God smote Egipt and passed notwithstanding ouer our houses c. Such a Sacrament notwithstanding as leadeth vs from this lambe vnto another lambe from this blood vnto an other bloode and from this temporall effectualnesse vnto a spirituall in as much as it is chosen without spotte it is for a signe of our Redeemer his innocencie and in that it is slaine it serueth vs for a signe of his death and passion in that it is eaten it is a signe to vs of that life and nourishment which wee draw from his death and of our communicating of his flesh and of his bloode as being bone of his bones flesh of his flesh c. And a Sacrifice also which besides that it is truely and verily one of the number of those which were of praise and thankesgiuing ceaseth not neuerthelesse any manner of way to hold the place of a propitiatorie seeing that this lambe offered by the father of the familie doth prefigure vnto vs the lambe which the heauenly father did sacrifice vpon the tree of the crosse for the saluation of such as were of his houshould through faith and our Propitiation in his bloode as it is expounded by S. Iohn the fore-runner Ioh. 1.19 Behold the lambe which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde And by the Euangelist in better forme referring and applying that to the substance and truth which was ordained and decreed of the type and figure To the end saith he that the Scripture might be fulfilled There shall not one of his bones be broken Now our Lord the true and verie lambe The same in the holy Supper to what end which came to fulfill the law and not to destroy it kept the feast of the typicall or figuratiue lambe with his disciples both according to this institution as also according to all the circumstances thereof Hee kept it I say the fourteenth day of the moneth beginning at the euening according to the order of the Hebrewes the first day of vnleauened bread betwixt two euens that is to say betwixt the euening Sacrifice and the Sunne-set Therein hee likewise obserued the accustomed washing excepted onely that hee therewithall endeuoured to draw men euermore from the naked ceremony 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the doctrine contained therin there he taught vs humilitie washing the feet of his disciples whose dutie it was without all doubt to haue washed his Thereat after Supper he distributed and gaue the bread and the cup from hand to hand vnto his Apostles as he was wont to do vpon that day among the Iewes in a certaine kind of collation which they call Aphicomin of the greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 otherwise Kinnuah but in steed of the words which euery housholder did vtter in this distribution which intimated no other thing to those that stood by then the miseries they sustained in Egypt and Gods mercy which had deliuered them from the same our Lord in this action as oftentimes elsewhere raiseth their spirites from the type to the truth from the shadowe to the
vs I cannot but meruaile how against all both Euangelical Apostolicall doctrine men dare to offer in some places water in the cup c. Afterward he addeth For they should aske counsell at those whom they follow wherefore if in the sacrifice which is Christ wee are not to follow any other then Christ it must of necessitie follow and be laid vpon vs that we ought to obey and doe as Christ hath done and also commanded vs to doe seeing hee telleth vs in his Gospell If you doe the things which I command you I call you no more seruantes but friendes For that Christ ought onely to be heard saith he God the father himselfe hath witnessed it from heauen saying This is my welbeloued Sonne c. heare him Whereupon then it must follow that we are not to regard what euery one before vs hath iudged meet and conuenient to be done but vnto that which Iesus Christ hath done which is before all because wee are not to apply our selues to follow and imitate the custome of man but the truth and veritie of God But and if thy conscience checke or trouble thee by reason of the life and doinges of thy predecessors who haue so and so liued and which haue followed such and such traditions he putteth into thy mouth what to answere vnto thy selfe in that case likewise For saith he if any of our Predecessors either through ignorance or foolish simplicitie haue held otherwise then the Lord hath taught vs eyther by his precept or by his example God will pardon such his simplicitie through his rich and aboundant mercie but vnto vs forewarned taught the contrarie by himselfe it cannot be pardoned and forgiuen Now in deede it were meet that we should write out all the whole treatise because it driueth onely and aymeth at the annihilating of all manner of mens traditions that so nothing might bee embraced but the pure institution of Christ contained in the Gospell and in the Apostle But that wee may come to the particular and speciall pointes of this diuine seruice we haue alreadie seene and heard what he hath said of the generall confession which the Minister or Priest made of the sinnes of the people and his owne There was also at this time in the Christian assemblies a mounted or raised place out of which the reader appointed for the same vsed to reade the scriptures as also the Bb. to make his sermons vpon the same so read Cyprian de operib Cardinal Christi Conciliū Laodic Canon 19. Which said place Cyprian calleth Tribunal ecclesiae but others Suggestum pulpitum c. And the sermon or Homelie was made after the reading of the Gospell and before the celebration of the Sacrament as appeareth by the Councell of Laodicea that is to say before the going out of those which were to be instructed and catechised in Christianitie to the end that they might bee receiued into the Christian Church This reading is likewise apparant Cypr. lib. 2. Epist 5. where Saint Cyprian ordained for the reader a Confessor of the name of Christ He was worthie saith he not for his age but for his deserts of some higher roome in the church but it seemed good vnto vs that he should begin at the office of reading because nothing soundeth better in that mouth which hath confessed Christ by a glorious professing and witnessing of him then the sound of the celebrating of the diuine lectures To reade saith he the Gospel of Christ which maketh the Martyrs to come from the stockes to the pulpit c. and because such ioy loueth not any lingring delay Dominico legit Hee began to reade vpon the day of the holy Supper c. And as for the sermon Eusebius maketh mention that it was ordinarily and commonly vsed in the holy assemblies of the African Churches Euseb lib. 7. cap. 22. and wee haue many places also to that effect out of Saint Cyprian Wee learne also of Origene that it was the custome that the Reader should reade the scripture Socrat. lib. 5. cap. 12. Cipri serm in orat Doinic and the Pastor expound it And Socrates maketh mention that in the Church of Alexandria this was Origene his professed practise And as concerning prayers Our praying saith Saint Ciprian is publike and common not for one man alone but for all the people for that likewise all this people is but as one And to the end that all carnall cogitation may bee far from vs the Minister before praier prepareth the hearts of the brethren by this preface Sursum corda which is lift vp your harts on high to the end that the people which answere Habemus ad Dominū that is we lift them vp vnto the Lord may be forewarned not to think of any thing but him onely And consequently the celebration of the Lordes Supper followed the insticution whereof was read for the blessing of the sacraments and after that a generall prayer as appeareth in a historie of one possessed of a Deuill of whom he saith Cypr. in serm de lapsis that she was impatient during the time of this prayer Precis orationisque nostra impatiens c. But that solennibus adimpletis the holy things being accomplished that is to say Et accipientibus caeteris locus eius aduenit Cypr. de Caena Dominic the blessing of the sacraments the Deacon beginning to giue the cup she would haue taken it in her place howbeit very quickly by a secret instnct and motion from God she began to turne away her face At which time likewise all the faithfull indifferently without exception of any did communicate practising the same that he speaketh of elsewhere saying The Priests are not admitted alone to the communicating of this foode but the whole church euery one receiueth his portion equally c. Hitherto you see the simple and sincere manner of diuine seruice continued and vsed in the Church but let vs see what thinges they were that in this meane time are reported to haue beene added thereunto by the Bishops of Rome Some attribute to Pope Alexander the first this clause Qui pridie quam pateretur c. that is who in the day before his passion tooke the bread in his precious hands and lifting vp his eyes vnto thee O God his father most mightie and yeelding thee thankes blessed it brake it and gaue it to his disciples saying take eate ye all c. Whereby appeareth that in former times by their owne testimony these words Hoc est corpus meum was pronounced without any Canon and without any preface Iustin Apol. 2. Plat. in Sixt. 1. as we may reade them all naked and by themselues in Iustine his second Apologie Do this in remembrance of me This is my bodie This is my bloud c. To Sixtus 1. is attributed Sanctus c. Holy holy holy Lorde God of hostes the heauens and earth are ful of thy glorie And this which Platina did set
it is that antiquitie resteth and in which it is that noueltie hath built her selfe a nest as namely whether antiquitie dwell with the Church of Rome which of the old and auncient seruice retaineth onelie the sleight and vnprofitable rind or with our reformed Church which hath restored and reestablished both all the parts as also the substance thereof vnto his former estate and whole right But here it is obiected against vs Obiections for ceremonies yet you cannot deny but that many ceremonies were now already brought into the Church and into the seruice and ministerie of the same which you allow not of in your Churches And who doubteth but that in the space of fiue hundred years containing more then one hundred thousand nights the aduersarie Sathan who vseth to rise in the night had sowen mo then a few tares And who can find it strange that in these fieldes before time both possessed and husbanded by the Gentiles as also by the Iewes there should remaine of their seed And on the contrarie who is he that will not wonder where the dore is once set open to licentious liberty traditions and mans inuentions if there should anie thing abide continue sound and sincere But who will not rather finde occasion with vs to praise God who in despight of Sathan and all the malice of the Diuell the tyrannie of Custome the licentiousnes of Tradition the slipperie nature of Superstition the presumption of mans spirit and the darkenes of ignorance ouershadowing and couering all toward the end of this time hath vouchsafed so long to conserue the principall part of his seruice at least so much as was of the substance Or who will not yet more admire his goodnes for causing as it were a new creation of the Sun of truth in these our dayes after so horrible a confusion and after such an eternall and euerlasting night S. Augustine writing of the ceremonies and Traditions of his time said vnto Ianuarius Before all other thinges I would that thou shouldest know the great maine point of this disputation August Ep. 118. ad Ianuar that is that Iesus Christ our Lord is willing to subiect al his to bring them to beare his sweete yoke and light burthen as hee calleth it himselfe in the Gospell and thereupon also it is that he hath ioyned and coupled together the societies and companies of his new people by the Sacramentes which are verie few in number verie easie to obserue and keepe and yet notwithstanding most excellent in signification c And what is it that he sayeth vnto vs therewithall in the Epistle following August Ep. 119. Cortainelie sayeth hee it displeaseth mee that there is no more care and regarde had of thinges that are most safe and wholesome and commaunded in the sacred bookes whereas in the meane time euerie thing is full of presumptions that is of forestalled opinions in such sorte as that a man is more reproued for hauing touched the ground with his bare foote these holie dayes then if hee had made himselfe drunke with wine c. So that the state and condition of the Iewes is more tollerable then that of the Christians who as they haue not knowne anie time of libertie so neyther haue they beene charged with anie other burthens then those of the Law which was of God and not with the presumptions of vaine man for hereby the Church of God seated in the middest of great heaps of chaffe darnell vndergoeth and is made to beare manie burthensome things c. And this S. Augustine said vpon the speeches of certain Christiās which were giuen in such sort to abstaine from eating of flesh as that they iudged those vnclean who did eate the same And this thing saith he is most plainely against the rule of faith of holesome doctrine Now then let vs shoule away this chaffe and darnell 2. Cor. 3. laid vpon a golden and siluer foundation sowen in the field of Christ and notwithstanding adiudged worthie to bee burned with fire by the word of the Lord and by the writ of the Apostle Let vs praise God onely that these good Doctors haue to deale with him a Lord full of mildnes a Maister full of clemencie but and if their workes and inuentions burne before the fire of his spirit yet at the least they are saued as concerning themselues because of the foundation through his mercie in Iesus Christ They alleadge against vs for the first that which they call holy water Holy water Basil 〈◊〉 S. Spiritu ad Amphilochium c. 27. Ambros l. 2. de Sacr. c. 5. going about to proue it vnto vs out of Basile in his booke of the holy Ghost written to Amphilochius where he saith We consecrate the water of baptisme c. And out of S. Ambrose That in the Westerne Churches there was a prayer made to God that it would please him to blesse the water c. I aunswere that this argument is not well framed being from the water of baptisme to the holy water from a prayer by which the vse of creatures is blessed according to the nature and right vse of euerie one of them to the exorcising of a creature turned quite an other way from his right vse And as for S. Basil you may adde an other answere with Erasmus that this booke from the midst thereof containeth nothing that is Basils Gregor Nazianz hom 3. de Sancto Ianuario And Gregorie Nazianzene his brother had aunswered him that baptisme may indifferently be administred with any water And if the vse of their holy water were at that time in the Church it had but S. Bafill his particular approbation and how commeth it then to passe that it is not found in the Liturgie which they attribute vnto him For whereas some would impute it to Alexander 1. let vs not go about to offer the Church of Rome that iniurie De consecr D. 3. Aquam either by word or beliefe as that at that time when S. Iohn said in his Epistles The bloud of the sonne of God doth purge vs from all iniquitie there should bee a Bishop at Rome that should say in his That water besprinkled with salt and consecrated by prayer doth sanctifie and make cleane the people after the manner of the ashes of the redde cow c. But the verie truth is that this water was brought in a long while after and that by the imitating of the Gentiles their purging or expiatorie water who vsed it at this time and with the verie same ceremonie Iustine saith The Gentiles when they enter into their temples Iustinus Martyr Apol. 2. doe sprinckle themselues with water and then they go and offer sacrifice vnto their Gods Valentinian a Tribune of warre vnder Iulian the Apostate following him to the temple of Fortune the Churchwardens which were at the dore cast water vpon all those that went in in so much as that there lighted one drop
them for the cuppe of Martirdome if wee haue not first receiued them into the Church to drinke the cup of the Lord by the right of communicating And in an other place making mention of the historie of a Deacon which gaue the Sacrament of the wine vnto a young maid possessed of a Deuill Serm. 5. de lapsis As saith he after the solemne consecration accomplished the Deacon began to giue the cup to those that were present and that the rest hauing receiued the same it came to the young maid her turne to take it she began to turne her face away by the instinct and motion of his diuine Maiestie c. Loe here the distributing thereof vnto the laitie both men and women and not vpon speciall priuiledge but by common right for he calleth it Vis communicationis Besides that all the rest of the dispute which hee maintaineth against them that tooke nothing but water Contra Aquarios may bee brought into this purpose in as much as his scope and drift is to bring them continually to vse both kindes Gabr. Biel. lect 84. litera R. commanded in the holy Supper Whereupon Gabriel Biel saith He spake saith he according to the manner of the Church which he gouerned in which it may bee that in his time the communion was administred vnder both kindes And in like sort Ecchius De sumptione Eucharistia hom 33. Both these notwithstanding great schoolemen in our time Tertullian saith Lib. 5. aduersus Marcionem Tertul. ad vxorem lib. 2. By the Sacrament of bread and of the cup we haue proued in the Gospell the veritie of the bodie of the blood of our Lord against the fantasticall dreames of Marcion And in an other place speaking of the woman which was maried to an infidell At whose hand shall she desire vz. the sacrament of bread With whome shall she participate of the cup that is the sacrament of wine Origen neuer otherwise The faithfull saith he doe eate in the bread the bodie of Christ they drinke in the wine his blood For so said our Lord vnto his disciples Take and eate take and drinke c and he would not that either the one or the other should be reserued for the next day c. Iustinus Martyr is yet more plaine After the Pastor hath giuen thankes Iust Mart. Apol. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the blessing of all the people the Deacons gaue vnto euerie one of those that were present a piece of bread of the cup delaied with water by which is administred the Eucharist or Sacrament of Thankesgiuing likewise they left off the carrying of it vnto those which were absent And this is it which we call the Eucharist c. And this place is so much more forcible because therin is described the whole forme of the holy supper in the Primitiue church And as for S. Denis I can produce him as a witnesse in this point in his Lithurgie where he speaketh orderly of the communicating and distributing of both kinds but I let it alone for a fitter place in as much as I haue sufficiently shewed that this restraint of the cup could not be either in the first or second age In the same manner the lithurgies attributed vnto S. Iames and S. Clement besides that in this latter by name speaking of them which communicate in the bodie and blood by the distribution of the Bb. and Deacon he vseth these wordes After that let the Bishop take the Eucharist then let the Elders Deacons Subdeacons Readers Chanters and Ascets and of women the Deaconnesses maides and widowes in the end the children all the people euerie one in his order and place with reuerence and without any tumult c. The Article of the Councell of Nice which is found in the librarie of Vatican Anno 300 saith thus At this diuine table let vs not abase or bow our selues before the bread cup which are there set before vs but lifting vp our minds let vs by faith thinke and consider how that the lambe of God taking away the sinnes of the world lyeth in this table offered by the priests without being sacrificed and how that we receiuing in truth his precious bodie do belieue these things to be the signes of our resurrection This is the cause why we take not much but a little to the end that we may know that we take them not to fill vs but to sanctifie vs. Now wee cannot doubt of whom he speaketh for there the question is of all the faithfull S. Hillarie The bodie and bloud of our Lord taken and drunke doe cause vs to be in Christ Accepta hausta Hillar l. 8. de Trinit Hillar de consecrat D. 2. C. Si non and Christ in vs. These two tearmes are vsed respectiuely and haue relation to the two kinds And in another place If that a mans sinnes be not so great as that they let and hinder him from the Communion then let him not in any case seperate and keep away himselfe from the phisicke of the bodie and blood of our Lord. And as there were at this time that is to say about the yeare 340. some which would not altogether cut off the vse of the cup but giue bread dipped in wine which they called Intinctam vnder the colour Euseb l. 6. c. 44. Cyprian serm 4. de lapsis Prosper de promis c. 6.26 q. 6. C. Is in Decret Iulius Papa de Consecratione dist 2. Canon Cum omne paragr illud Anno 400. Ambr. l. 2. Offic c. 41. Ambr. l. 4. c. 6. de Sacram. l. 5. c. 3. l. 5 c 1 2.3 that in extraordinarie cases it had beene practised in the behalfe of children and those which were sicke as may be seene in the hystorie of Serapio in S. Cyprian de lapsis and in Prosper de Promis c. So Iulius the Bb. of Rome maintained the contrarie and that very roughly namely that it was against the institution of Christ against the doctrine of the Apostles Euangelists against the custom of the Church And that for to decide the controuersie there was no other course to be taken but to repaire to the head fountain of truth frō whence the mysteries of the Sacraments do proceed Where saith he hath our Lord-ordained the bread by it selfe the cup by it selfe c. And what would he say then if he should see his successors cutting the cup off altogether condemning of heresie those which demand it Or what can they aunswere vnto vs when we are able to proue against them both by authoritie as also by the very same reasons that their predecessors vsed In S. Ambrose Laurence the Deacon saith that the Bb. Sixtus had committed to him the dispensing and administring of the blood of our Lord and so in deed this was the ordinarie Office of the Deacons and he called it Consummationem Sacramentorum the accomplishing of
it in the Nicene Councel against those that wold forbid Church-men to marrie and this place decideth the whole controuersie by the clearnes therof notwithstanding whatsoeuer cauillations that may be brought to the contrarie insomuch as that this manner of expounding and taking of it is ratified by this famous Councell And yet the spirit of lyes doth take an exception against it saying In omnibus continere non valentibus amongst all them that haue not the gift of continency What ground can this exception find in this text which is so wouen set together as that this exception doth cut away the whole strength of the Apostle his argument which is such God wil iudge al fornicators adulterers so much the more seuerely for that he hath giuen them a remedy against the concupiscence of the flesh euen mariage which is honorable amongst al of what condition soeuer they may be namely saith Chrysostome Against the pollution of wandring pleasures the bed vndefiled Chrysost in ep Heb. in Marn 15 hom 52. 1. Cor. 7.2 1. Timoth. 3. Caretan ibid. ad Hebr. Haimo ibid. following herein the same which the Apostle saith in an other place For the auoiding of temptation let euery man haue his wife and euery woman her husband c. And this is also the verie same that Cardinall Caietanus saith In omnibus that is to say non in aliquibus sic in aliquibus non that is not in some yea and in other some no. And Haimo Bishop of Halberstat addeth That a man riseth from the mariage bed vndefiled in vsing it according to the institution of the Lord. Saint Paule presseth the matter further saying A Bishop must be vnblameable 1. Tim. 3. Titus l. 6. the husband of one onely woman The same also is deliuered of priestes and that in the same wordes Wherefore to be married is a thing for which they cannot be blamed seeing that one and the same man may be vnblameable the husband of one woman both together Againe he saith It is meete and requisite 1. Tim. 3. 5. Tit. l. 2. 3. 1. Timmoth 3.4.5.6 that hee hold the mysterie of faith and wholesome doctrine that is that he be able to teach Let him pray for himselfe and for the Church let him know to gouerne it with a holy wisedome in all the parts thereof to establish the ministerie to conuince the aduersaries to censure the offendors and to bee earnest for the reliefe of the poore that he do all this with a good conscience exercising himselfe in godlinesse and charitie in faith and in holines giuing all manner of vertuous example auoiding all contrarie vices euen so as he may make the enemies of the truth to blush with shame c. And yet notwithstanding it is meete and conuenient that he should be married that hee should haue children that he bring them vp in the feare of God that in the trayning vp and instructing of them he expresse the scantlin of that care which he hath ouer the Church Then it must needes follow that all these vertues may agree together with mariage seeing that S. Paule will that Bishops and Priestes may be maried and yet all these vertues looked for at their handes and which is more euen chastitie shamefastnesse and honestie of life This place needeth no clearing and notwithstanding against the sonues of darknes wee will not find fault with the light of the Doctors if it shine thereupon Chrysostome saith Thou demandest why S. Chrysost in ep ad Tit. 1. in 1. Timoth. 3. Paule doth here lay out vnto vs that a Bishop should bee the husband of one onely wife doest thou know wherefore It is to shut up all beâ—etickes monthes which giue out and teach abroad that mariage is impure thereby shewing them to the contrarie that it is so honourable and precious as that a married man may notwithstanding be admitted and aduanced to the great and honorable place of a Bishop And yet that there may bee obserued a modest and commendable measure he saith but of one onely that so they may not vnlawfully take vnto themselues libertie to inioy two together after the manner of the Iewes Theodoret. in 1. ad Tim. 3. ad Tit. 1. And Theodoret saith the same vppon these places confuting such in expresse wordes as would abuse them against the second mariages of Churchmen Chrysostome also saith the same The Apostle saith if he know not to gouerne his family c. seeing that he which is a good house keeper becommeth quickly wife and skilfull in matters concerning a common weale and he that hath attained to keep and containe within the compasse of dutie a wife children and seruants is so much the more able to gouerne all sortes of people in the Church as if mariage were an introduction and way of direction teaching him to become fit for the degree and dignitie of the gouernment of the Church so farre is it off that hee should hold it as a meanes to cause him to stumble and fall S. Ierome Hieronym in 1. Tim. 3. ad Titum 1. though sometime not very fauourable to mariage expounding this place vnto Timothie doth not find therein any argument to disproue the mariage of Ministers vpon the place to Titus he doubteth whether he should vnderstand it that a Bishop cannot haue but one wife as who say that therby their second mariages should be excluded or els that he may not haue two at one time as the ancient Patriarkes whose example the Iewes following tooke it for a dispensation for them to doe the like yet he preferreth maketh more accompt of a modest and chaste second mariage then of one sole and onely mariage wantonly lasciuiously entertained Idem aduersn-Iouinianum Being ouercome of choler as he oftentimes was against Iouinian hee cutteth off all saying that the Apostle meaneth that hee hath beene maried Idem ad Oceanum ep 83. but not that he may be But his heate being quencht and passion ouerpast writing to Oceanus he pleadeth the cause of Carterius Bishop of Spain who had had one wife before his baptisme and one afterward saying For him it is written Mariage is honourable the bed vndefiled but for thee who findest fault with him he speaketh of his aduersaries God will iudge the fornicators and adulterers Againe The Apostle was amongst the Iewes and the first Church of Christ was of the residue and remainder of Israel he knew that it was permitted by law and accustomed amongst the people by the example of the Patriarkes and of Moyses to beget and multiply children by diuers women yea and this libertie extended euen to the priestes wherefore he ordained that the priestes Sacerdotes of the Christian Church should not giue themselues such licence as that they should haue two or three wiues vno tempore at one time c. Comming againe afterward to Carterius And doest thou thinke therefore that this good
Testament wherein there remaineth not anie more question of shadowes and figures and wherein if it bee nothing but a sillie sleight representation if it be nothing but an intricate and infolded thing if it bee not altogether plaine and cleare assuredlie wee may bee bolde to say and that without any doubt that it is but an humaine inuention yea and therefore that it is not there to bee found at all CHAP. III. That the pretended propitiatorie sacrifice of the Masse hath no foundation in the newe Testament OVr aduersaries say Our Lord saide to the woman of Samaria The howre is come that you shall not worship the Father anie more Iohn 4. either in this mountaine or in Ierusalem but the true worshippers shal worshippe in spirite and truth And what proue they from thence To adore say they is to sacrifice but if they said that it were to serue God they said somewhat to the purpose But yet what followeth of this Certainelie that the seruing of God shall not bee any more tyed to one place but spread all ouer the worlde according to the saying of Malachie And as assuredlie that in steade of the more carnall manner of seruice wherewith he was serued vnder the law hee shall hereafter bee spirituallie serued and in a worde that after the materiall sacrifices as saye the Fathers the spirituall sacrifices shall succeede Saint Augustine sayeth Doest thou seeke for anie holy place August in Iohan t. 15. make thy selfe in thine inwarde partes a Temple vnto God for the Temple of God is holie and that are you Wouldest thou pray in a Temple Pray within thy selfe c. chaunging all this outward and materiall seruice into an inwarde and spiritual Cyrill Cyrill in Ioan. l. 2. c. 93. He signifieth and setteth forth the time of his comming which chaungeth the figures of the lawe into truth the shadowes into a spirituall seruice according to the doctrine of the Gospell c. And Origen in like manner Chrysost aduers Iud. hom 2. Chrysostome sayeth That is there shall bee no more Sacrifices nor Priesthoode neyther yet kingdome in Iudea that so they may bee wayned from the receiued custome of the necessitie of worshipping in one certaine place and to bring them to a kinde of seruice that is more spirituall and full of Maiestie Idem de cruce de spiritu hom 3. in hom veniet hora c. In like manner expounding this place in an Homilie for the purpose hee coulde not finde anie Sacrifice but that of prayer grounded vppon the doctrine of veritie neither anie worde tending that waye Cardinall Caietan in the same sence In spirite that is to saye not in the Mountaine not at Ierusalem not in anie one certaine place nor with a temporall seruice but with an inwarde and spirituall c. And in faith that is in knowledge c. Ferus likewise In spirite in asmuch as they shall haue receiued the spirite of adoption crying in him Abba Father In truth in asmuch as they shall call vppon him in his Sonne which is Truth it selfe Offering sayeth hee afterwarde no more anie quicke or liue creatures but their owne bodies in Sacrifice a holie oblation and offering and not the Sacrifice of the Masse But how will they possibly now frame themselues to make their conclusions from this place God shall bee adored and serued in spirite no more in one place but euerie where no more in the sacrificing of beastes but in the sacrificing of our selues Therefore the Masse is a sacrifice propitiatorie for the sinnes of men therefore the Masse must bee saide euerie where c. But they come nearer vnto the point and giue an instance from the institution of the holy supper and this is also our proper part and possession It is said Luke 22. 1. Cor. 11. Doe this in remembrance of mee and to doe in the scripture signifieth sometimes to sacrifice Therefore the matter here in hand must needes bee a sacrifice And our Lord had taken the bread and the cup and had saide This is my bodie This is my blood therefore he did sacrifice vnder the kindes of bread and wine his body and his blood vnto God his Father and by vertue of these wordes iuioyneth all succeeding Priestes to doe the like a worlde of errors cauillations and false surmises in a verie few wordes And the long time since they were confuted and ouerthrowne in all these their argumentes might haue bin sufficient to haue caused them to cease from the vsing of thē any more Facere in Latine signifieth to sacrifice but by an abridging of the language to doe some holie thing but that this is more vsuall in the writinges and workes of Poets then of Orators and that seldome not often and onely then when the mater in question doth manifestlie appeare to be about a sacrifice as I say may euidentlie bee seene needeth not to be gessed at And here therefore we stand vppon the quite contrarie As that the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is neuer vsed to sacrifice as far off is faire in the French tongue but the Euangelists and Apostles writ in Greeke So that the controuersie here is about an ordinarie or common and not anie picked or vnwonted phrase the contention is not euidentlie and manifestlie of a sacrifice for it is so farre from apparatiues as that the sharpest sighted Fathers did know nothing therof And further the Hebrew word Asa and how much more the Greeke doth neuer signifie to sacrifice but when a sacrifice or oblation doth follow it as facere haedum agnū c. or facere haedo agno c. to offer a kyd a lambe c. their interlineall Glose is not acquainted with this subtill shift Hoc facite that is saith it At oft as you shal eate this bread and drinke this cup shew forth the death of the Lord vntill his comming But let vs admit that it is so Hoc facite sacrifice this what shall we make then of it To sacrifice the bodie of Christ But Christ saith Which is giuen for you and to giue is not to sacrifice Wherefore it is not the same action which Christ performed for a man to sacrifice if Christ did not sacrifice And afterwarde Which is giuen that is which is now at this present instant giuen and deliuered vp to bee crucified for vs. The olde translation approued by the Councell of Trent hath translated it Dabitur and not Datur referring the same to his suffering vpon the Crosse and not to the holy supper Chrysostome and Origen Dabitur effundetur which shal be giuen which shall bee shedde and offered vppe And Chrysostome addeth the reason how that for the comforte of his Disciples our Lord taught them that his passion was the mysterie of the saluation of mankind the Masse also enemie vnto it selfe in this point hath read it so Let vs say then that these wordes Hoc facite haue relation to the institution of
hauing beene from the beginning belonging thereunto For hauing said In communicating and worshipping the memoriall of the holy Virgine of such men Saints and women Saints c. it followed that the Priest said some thing and he cut it off al too short leauing the sentence imperfect and hanging in suspence for this cause consideration that he might make an end with a praier which he linked thereunto and it is attributed by some to Pope Siricius by others to Gregory Of the Letanie altogether after the like manner for it was a generall praier which was made into Articles for all the necessities of the body of the Church and of the members therof yea for the estate of the world c. And at the end of euerie Article the Cleargy and the people were wont to answere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord haue mercy vpon vs a thing as yet practised in the reformed Churches of England And in al the Liturgies aboue named all these Articles are craued of one onely God by Iesus Christ Likewise that of Clement the Pope Pro superna pace Deum oremus pro salute animarum nostrarum pro prosperitate sanctarum ecclesiarum pro clero populo pro magistratibus totius mundi Let vs pray for the peace that is on high for the saluation of our soules for the prosperitie of the holy Churches for the Cleargie for the Cominaltie for the Princes of the world c. And to euery Article that the Deacon pronounced the people and the Cleargie answered Lord haue mercy vpon vs. But for as much as the third Councell of Carthage had said that all praiers should be directed made to God those who had resolued to thrust in the Inuocation of Saints began indirectly O Lord heare vs by the intercession of the Virgin Lord doe thou prepare and guide our waies pathes by the praiers of thy Saints c. But Gregorie proceedeth further euen to a direct praier Saint Mary pray for vt c. And to the end that this might find a more gracious intertainment welcome it was said that there were some that had heard the Angels in the celebration of a certaine solemne Letanie crying Regina coeli laetare Reioyce thou Queene of heauen c. Gregor l. 12. Comment in Iob. c. 13. As also to establish this doctrine vpon a more durable and firme foundation Gregorie laboured to race and blot out as much as hee could that which had gone before For S. Augustine had said proued by the Scriptures that the Saints did not intermeddle with humane affaires Gregorie to the contrarie Those that see saith he the charitie and tender loue of Almightie God it is not possible that they should be ignorant of any thing And this fell about the yeare 600. Towards the yeare 680. the sixt generall Councel was held at Constantinople wherein was condemned the heresie of the Monothelits They cite against vs out of this Councell these words After the worshipping of the one onely God let men pray vnto the Saints to become intercessors vnto his Maiestie The East and West Churches were already become corrupt inough euen in their being come to that state But when we bring that Councell against them in an other instance then they haue learned to say that there were no Canons made in it and that those nine which stand in the Tomes of the Councels are fained Damasc l. 4. de Oithod fid Damascen about the yere 800. mult plied enlarged this opinion and that so far as that he taught that we ought to adore worship the holy Virgin calling her the Queene of al creatures and the Saints the friends of God to the erecting of Churches vnto theÌ„ directly against S. Augustine Beda his fellow in time did the same For how could it be that the Saints should be lesse priâ—ed when as the second Councell of Nice had ordained at the same time that their Images shuld be worshiped But behold at the same time Claudius B. The doctrine of Inuocation of Sainth opposed first of Auxer afterward of Turin the same with Adalbert the Scot reestablished the vniuersity of Paris in the time of Charls the great did oppose himself therunto Return hee you that are so blind vnto the light Claudius Taurinens aduers Theod. Abba which inlightneth euerie man that commeth into the world to that light that shineth in darknesse and so as that the darknesse cannot comprehend or put it out What is the meaning of this though Noe and Daniell and Iob were in the midst of you but to the end that no man shuld trust either to the merit or to the intercession of the Saints Because that if we haue not the faith the truth and the righteousnesse that they had we cannot please God Heare then O you which are so foolish amongst the people which runne to Rome which seeke at Rome the intercession of the Apostle heare I say that which S. Augustine hath so often pronounced against you c. But Ionas Bishop of Orleance answered him after his death neither in deed haue we any part almost of the writings of this Claudius of Turin more then is by him alleadged But so it is that it was not growne to any worse condition either with Charles the great nor with the Emperour Lewes the Gentle his Son neither yet with the French Church of his time A manifest testimonie thereof appeareth in that the holding of the contrarie to the Inuocation of Saints was not accompted heresie Synod Paris sub Lothar And in deed this Synode of Paris which wee haue alleadged here aboue hauing to proue that Images Non sunt colendae neque adorandae ought not to be worshipped or adored prooued by the Ancient Fathers that the Angels and Saints are not to be worshipped or adored Now Inuocation is a principal of the true Adoration of the true worship In like manner the Letanie was not then come to the point that it is now but comprehended and contained more of the calling to remembrance then of the inuocating of the Saints For there is a Letanie to bee read in an old booke in the Abbey of Corbee vpon Weser in Germanie which is of the yere 900. or there about as it seemeth by the mention which it maketh of the Emperor Arnulph and of Pope Steuen Bauo Abbas Corbiensis sub Arnulph apud Krantzium in Metto l. 2. c. 10 that should bee the seuenth Wherein the Deacon contenteth himselfe with the naming of the Saints and the people and the Cleargie in stead of answering Ora or Orate pro nobis that is to say Pray thou or Pray yee for vs doth answere throughout Exaudi Christe Heare vs O Christ O thou the redeemer of the World help them c. For example the Deacon said Arnulpho regi vita victoria God giue life and victorie to Arnulph the king The people answereth O Sauiour of the world aide and
Christ And he repeateth and goeth ouer the same in many places Idem in sentent 315. in lib. de ingrat And this grace how are we made partakers of it May we attaine it by nature Nay saith he as they which would be iustified by the Law are fallen from grace to whome the Apostle saith If the righteousnesse of the Law then Christ died in vaine so say we vnto them that call nature the grace which the faith of Christ receiueth if righteousnesse bee by nature then Christ is dead in vaine For Christ came to fulfill the Law which man could not fulfill as also to saue and restore nature lost and spoyled in it selfe according to that which is written That he is come to seeke vp that which was wandred and lost and to saue that which was spoyled And in the verie same tearmes speaketh the second Councell of Orange How then And what is the meanes to come by it Let vs confesse saith hee to the Frenchmen Concil Arans 2 Canon 21. Prosper ad Capit. Gall. oâ—uect 8. in â—â—de ingrat Idem deivocat gent. l. 1. c 24. Idem de vocat Gent l. 18. Idem in Ep. ad Demetriad that no man can runne vnto this grace but by grace All that my father giueth me commeth vnto me and they come vnto him by faith Per ipsam nisi curratur non itur ad ipsum c. Vnto God saith he in an other place no man can goe but he that hath his guide and direction from God send downe the light and truth and they shall lead me into thy holy mountaine and into thy holy Tabernacle Yea without any manner of precedent merits or yet without all other precedent cause saue onely the good pleasure saue onely the good wil of God In as much saith hee as the cause in vs for which we receiue and obtaine grace is this good will in which and with which is hidden the reason of our election our merites beginning with this grace which we haue receiued without merites Otherwise it should not be said if man bee not regenerate and borne againe of water and of the spirit hee cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen But well if man be not iust c. And this therefore saith hee in an other place is the mercie of God that maketh vs seeke for his mercie and which draweth vs as it were by maine force vnto this mercie That is because that he calleth vs first and giueth vs to heare and to belieue him he loueth vs first and giueth vs to loue him by the infusing of his spirit into vs c. And this he handleth at large in whole bookes Now this particular grace which fitteth and prepareth vs for the vniuersall Idem de vita contempl c. 21 to the fountaine of grace is called faith Faith saith he the foundation of righteousnesse before which there is not any good workes but from and of which all that are good doe come which purgeth vs from all sinnes illuminateth our vnderstanding reconcileth vs to God associateth and coupleth vs to all them that are partakers of the same nature breatheth into vs the hope of the reward that is to come increaseth in vs holy vertues and confirmeth vs in the possession of the same And the same the meere gift of God contrarie to that which Vincentius obiected That faith to belieue proceeded of man but that though man did thus come by faith that yet it must bee God that should adde thereto his spirit Idem ad obiect Vincent ad Dubium 1.2 â— Idem in Ep ad Euâ—in Otherwise saith he grace should be no more grace if it were preuented by any thing in respect whereof it should be giuen For saith he vnto Rusinus Man did not deale righteously whereupon righteousnesse was added and giuen vnto him and in that hee did not walke with God his course and wayes were strengthned and for that hee did not loue God his loue and charitie was inflamed Nay saith he but he was without faith and by consequent wicked and therefore and thereupon it was giuen him to receiue the spirit of faith and so by it was made righteous he was blind and dead and therefore had it giuen vnto him to receiue both life axd sight Idem in sentent 374. l. de ingrat And therefore he saith in an other place it is not said Euerie man that heareth my voice is of the truth but on the contrarie Euerie man which is of the truth heareth my voice because that man is not of the truth because he heareth the voice but rather he heareth the voice because he is of the truth because he hath receiued this gift of him which is the truth And what other thing is this gift but to belieue in Christ by the grace of Christ by the gift of Christ himselfe Inspirata sides And therefore they are in as great an errour which attribute the infidelitie of the wicked vnto God as they which would haue any other to bee the author of the faith and righteousnesse of good men but God himselfe For he that hath once lost that which he had receiued cannot resume and take againe the same after that he hath lost it but he must seeke to recouer the possession of it againe from whence he first had it hauing now suffered it to be lost To be briefe he saith to be able to haue faith Idem in sent 316. and to be able to haue charitie that is to say to bee capable of these graces is of or in the nature of men but to haue faith or to haue charitie commeth from that grace which is giuen to none but to the faithfull That is God giueth and dealeth freely where it seemeth good vnto him But notwithstanding the Aduersarie obiected vnto him I see S. Paul who praiseth the faith of the Romaines Corinthians Ephesians and Philippians and wherefore should he praise it in them if it bee the gift of God if it be not their owne and of themselues Nay saith hee to the end that thou maiest not imagine that it is an argument that it was not giuen them Idem aduers Collat. c 36. because it is praised in them read somewhat further how hee praiseth God for the grace which was giuen them in Christ how in all things they are made rich in him how hee hath giuen vnto them faith which worketh by loue how he hopeth and trusteth that hee which hath begun the good worke in them will finish the same from the first day vnto the day of Christ And therefore conclude the rather saith hee to them of Genua That faith whether young and newly begun Idem ad except Genuens Idem de vocat l. 1 c. 23. Concil Arans 2. c. 5. or old and growne perfect are both the gift of God That the beginning of faith vnto the consummation and full accomplishment of the perseuerance of the same is of him
committing new sinnes Let vs put off the old man c. But saith he The ransome of the bloud of Christ should bee too much abased Idem de vocat Gent. l. 1. c. 5. if the iustification which is by grace should bee due vnto precedent merits But neither precedent neither yet subsequent ones can come in for any paiment in this accompt But rather saith hee in an other place seeing that we being quickned in Christ are dead vnto the world Idem de suga Secul c. 7. wee are not any longer to serue the world wee are not any longer to liue according to our former liues but according to the life of Christ euen the life of innocencie of chastitie and of all other vertues We are risen againe with Christ let vs liue with him let vs ascend to him let vs ascend and goe vp on high in him And let vs prouide that the Serpent may not henceforth find euer a heele about vs to trip vs vpon or to bruse by not finding vs any more ouertaken and carried away with these earthly things Now what is all this but the same which Saint Paul said That faith causeth loue that hauing receiued life by the faith of Christ we would liue hencefoorth in Christ And this is the same that wee said that hee which hath iustified vs by his spirite hath sanctified vs also by the same spirite vnto the renuing of the inwarde man c. Saint Augustine in like manner We say that workes iustifie the faith August de spir lit c. 18. De fid operib c. 1.4 Ep. 105. ad Sixt. and the faith the Christian that is to say that the truth of his faith is proued by them Saint Augustine his words follow No man doth a good worke but he that is alreadie iustified but iustification is obtained by faith And these Maxims are ordinarie with him Opera sequuntur iustificatum non praecedunt iustificandum Workes follow him that is iustified they doe not goe before him that is to be iustified The merits of the righteous doe serue for vse Idem ad Simplic l. 1. q. 9 11 Idem de spir liâ— c. 10. Idem de patient c 21. Lib. 1. ad simp q. 11. Idem de fid operib c. 4. Idem Serm. 181. de temp de fid oper Idem quest 23 because that they are righteous but not to make them righteous Workes doe not beget grace but grace workes Grace is freely giuen vnto vs not because we haue done good workes but to the end wee may be able to to doe them Workes doe not preuent the mercie of God but follow it Againe They cannot bee if grace haue not preuented them by faith And good workes are by him sometimes called The workes of righteousnesse because saith he they follow righteousnesse that is to say iustification And thus you see that workes are the touchstone of faith yea the inseperable effectes necessarily following where faith is For saith he to belieue in him that is to loue him but this can neither the wicked nor yet the Diuels doe but Christians onely because that faith without loue is nothing worth And it is saith he of that health fall faith of the Gospell that the Apostle speaketh of from which workes proceede by this loue For that which bringeth forth none Saint Peter calleth a dried fountaine Saint Iude a cloud without water Saint James a dead faith c. And Saint Paul saith hee is expounded by Saint Iames namely that he vnderstandeth not that hee that belieueth Non finitur is not bound to doe well but rather that he knoweth that he is not come to the gift of iustification by the merits of his precedent workes neither yet by those that follow because it is not permitted in this life For be that is iustified by faith how can he but afterward walke righteously c. One man therefore saith he praiseth the faith of Abraham and an other his workes Idem in Psal 31. Ex side Idem in Psal 30. Confesss l. 12. and yet they bee not contrarie Great is the worke of Abraham but as it commeth of faith J see the foundation to bee faith and I praise the fruite of the good tree but in faith I knowe the roote to bee neither barren nor withered c. Whereupon hee concludeth Let not a man boast of his workes before faith neither let any man neglect them after hee hath once receiued grace to beleeue c. And as our Sauiour Christ doth liue in thine hart so let him also remaine and dwel in thy mouth Concil Arans c. 12. so also in thy deedes and actions c. This is that which the Councell of Orange doth hold vpon this question To loue God is a gift of God Hee hath vouchsafed maâ—â— to be beloued himselfe hauing loued without being loued He loued vs when we displeased him to the end that he louing vs we might please him for he hath shed loue into our hearts c. To be briefe these good fathers say Wee begin not in any good worke but afterward God helpeth vs to make an end Nay hee without any precedent merits inspireth into vs his faith and his loue c. But it may be at the least you will say that man may merit afterward Nay saith hee Prosp de vocat Gent. l. 1. c. 23. l. 2. c. 8. What hast thou that thou hast not receiued c. And Prosper Aquitanus who was of the same time Vnto euerie man saith hee is giuen Sine merito vnde tendat adâ—meritum without merit where by he may take the way to merite and it is giuen before any paâ—ines or labour taken to euerie man for which he is to receiue a reward according to his labour c. And then you wil say yet loe here both merit and reward but then againe behold â—and marke how hee expoundeth it If God find in vs what we haue committed in our selues we cannot but be condemned Idem sentent 126. but if be find in vs what he himselfe hath wrought we shall bee crowned Because saith he in an other place all our merit from the beginning vnto the end is the gift of God all our workes otherwise tending to nothing but condemnation Which thing â—ee setteth downe in these verses against the vnthankfull Nam meritum ad mortem subeundam sufficit vnum Ad vitam Idem contr collat contr ingrat nisi quod donarit gratia nullum And therefore concerning the iustice imputed vnto vs he saith Our righteousnesse consisteth more in the remission of our sinnes then in the perfection of our vertues And that same remission consisting also in the righteousnesse of Christ for from that commeth our righteousnesse in as much as wee are renued Ipsa inquit virtutum gaudiaâ—â—oulnus habent Idem in sent The greatest ioyes that their vertues can moue in them haue their pearcing wounds and scorching Corasiues Wee
haue not any reward but that which is bestowed vppon vs in our free pardon Saint Barnard saith in one word Bernard in Psal 91. Serm. 9. 15. De Sepulch Idem in Cant. Serm. 22. By faith Christ dwelleth in our harts and as for works they giue testimonie vnto our faith how that it liueth Againe The fruit of the knowledge of God is the strong crie of prayer c. Death being dead life is restored into his place in like manner sinne being taken away righteousnesse succeedeth it c. And how Because saith heâ—e in an other place they that are iustified from their sinnes desire and resolue themselues â—o embrace and follow holinesse without the which no man shall see God For they heare the Lord who cryeth Be holy c. But All these workes saith he all these pretended merits Sunt viâ—â— regni non causa regnandi They are the way to raigne but not the cause thereof But as we said before these two righteousnesses are verie much differing namely that which approueth and iustifieth our faith from that which iustifieth our selues that burning and beeing consumed at the onely appearance of the shining brightâ—nesse of the face of God this beeing of proofe against the Cannon shot of Gods wrath and Hell it selfe that being the worke of the newe man which is renued but slowly in vs this of the eternall God himselfe who hath giuen himselfe wholly and intirely vnto vs. And therefore all that righteousnesse before this is held for nothingâ— by the Apostle himselfe for worse then nothing that is for corruption and filthinesse so farre off is it from meriting any thing And this also euen with the littleâ— goodnesse that it hath in it is the gift of God and the worke of God working in our hearts by his spirit which saith vnto our pride What hast thou that thou hast not receiued That which is most rife in thee is the worke of Adam more weightie ordinarily then the rest and which concludeth against him Who can draw that which is cleane out of that which is foule and filthie c. For how should a perfect worke spring from an imperfect faith A sound fruie from a diseased tree But the case so standeth as that wee dayly crie here on earth Increase our faith strengthen it purge it from all diffidencie and distrust And notwithstanding wee admire heere the goodnesse of the mercifull God in respect of that which hee hath giuen to him whome hee hath iustified by the gift of faith and by the gift of righteousnesse hee will haue it called a reward but verily such a one as groweth due vpon free promise and not by purchase And thereupon our pride hath set in foote to build the matter of merit a word not heard of throughout the whole Scripture a word condemned throughout the whole Analogie of faith which setteth before it no other thing then the merit of Christ according to the free promise of the eternall father In the meane time where so euer there is Merces The abuse of this worde Merit Ierem. 31.16 Thom. l. 2. q. 114. art 2. a hire or reward promised of God the pride of man hath caused them to find out the merit of men Ieremie saith to the Church of the Iewes assuring them of their reestablishing They shall returne from the Countrie of the enemie Thy worke shall haue his reward From thence Thomas maketh an argument to proue their merit notwithstanding that there is properly handled the estate and condition which was to befall them in this world and not in the kingdome of heauen but hee concludeth notwithstanding that reward and merite cannot be but improperly spoken betwixt God and men betwixt whome there is no maner of equal proportion that is saith he That man obtaineth of God as in the nature of a reward it is because that he hath giuen him power and vertue to labour Quasi mercedem Hieronym in Esa l 15. c. 95. Mat. 5.22 Luke 6.23 Ambr. in Luc. l. 5. c. 6. But Saint Ierome hath spoken better alleadging this place That this reward is their inheritance which serue God In the Euangelists oftentimes Reioyce yee for great is your reward in heauen c. Ambrose verily wheresoeuer there is this word Merces interpreteth it praemium he causeth it to be attributed to the mercie of God and to be receiued by a Christian faith and in like manner all the rest as we shall see And as for that which Thomas argueth That that which is giuen according to iustice may seeme to be a condigne and worthy reward But the Apostle saith 2. Timoth. 4. Ambros in 2. Tim. c 4. Amplissima praemia The crowne of righteousnesse is reserued and laid vp in store forme which the Lord the iust Iudge will render vnto me in that day c. Verily he should haue called to mind that Saint Ambrose expounding this place saith Because that God giueth exceeding great gifts to them that loue him that is worthie of his greatnesse and not of our merits And the ordinarie Glose Seeing that faith is grace and eternall life grace it cannot be but that he hath giuen grace But Saint Augustine August in hom 50. Idem hom 14. as we shall see more largely and fully hereafter Nay saith hee Paul if he had giuen thee that which was due vnto thee he should haue bestowed punishment vpon thee c. Pardon me Apostle I doe not see any thing that is properly thine except euill and this is thine owne doctrine that thou hast taught vs That when God crowneth thy merites he crowneth nothing but his owne gifts c. And Thomas himselfe likewise may seeme to come neere to the same Thom. l. 2. q. 114. art 3. when hee saith That our workes considered as proceeding from our free will cannot merite but rather as proceeding from the grace of the holy Ghost giuen vnto vs. And in deed what man shall bee so proud as to dare to say That Abraham merited God by his workes vnder colour of those words which God saith vnto him I am thy reward Abraham saith the Apostle To whome faith was imputed for righteousnesse Now it were to be desired that the old writers had vsed this word more sparingly although their intention and drift be sufficiently cleare and manifest And whence it sprang But the truth is that that which the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dignitie or worthinesse the Latines haue translated Merit and consequently that which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be made or reputed worthie they haue expounded mereri for want of an other verbe to expresse it in one word And in deed the old Glosarie saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mereri to bee made worthie is expounded by this word to merit And it may be verified by many places In the disputation that fell betwixt the Orthodoxes and the Donatists in the time of Saint Augustine this word was ordinarily
Idem Serm. 5. dedicat Jt is impossible with men but not with God Wherefore wee are assured of his power but where are we so of his will For who knoweth say they who is worthie of loue or of hatred This is it which Abailard did obiect vnto him of Salomon and our Aduersaries vnto vs. But saith he It is here that faith must helpe vs that the truth must succour vs to the end that that which is hidden from vs in the heart of the father may bee reuealed vnto vs by his spirit And that this spirit that beareth witnesse vnto and perswadeth our spirits that wee are the children of God doth perswade vs of it in calling of vs and in freely iustifying of vs by faith c. CHAP. XX. How the doctrine of merite entered into the Church after what manner it grew and increased and how it hath beene resisted and withstoode in all ages euen vnto the time of Saint Barnard SEeing then that this doctrine of free iustification opposite and quite contrarie to the merite of workes is so cleare and manifest in the Scriptures so euidently and plainely taught and of such continuance in the Church from whence possibly may this doctrine of merit at this day taught and held take his beginning And what may be the meanes that it hath prospered and so well succeeded And how is it come to occupie the roome of the bloud of Christ And how hath such deepe presumption seazed vppon vs as not onely to arrogate vnto our selues an abilitie to fulfill the whole Law of God but furthermore to worke an infinite sort of workes of Supererrogation and those more meritorious then the other of the Law Not seruing onely to saue our selues but others also and that so farre forth as that we should bee bold to say no more with Dauid Saluation is of the Lord but my saluation yea and thy saluation is of me But and if we stand in need to search out the antiquitie of this opinion where shall we rather find it then in the mouth of the Serpent Gene. 3. â—â—ay 4.24 In the eare of the woman Yea which is worse in the hart of our first father You shall become as Gods you shall bee like vnto the most high and Soueraigne Lord c. In like manner the whole Scripture aymeth and tendeth to the rooting of this pestiferous weede out of the heart of man 〈◊〉 â—â—ope and 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 Scrip 〈◊〉 to hum 〈…〉 by 〈◊〉 of his sinne thereby â—â—ining him to see the necessiue of the merit of christ Ezech. 16. The Law as wee said and all the pedagogie thereof teaching and training vs vp to see our infirmitie and want of abilitie The Prophets controlling and reprouing vs of the same continually and that both generally and particularly In generall God by his Prophets saith vnto his Church Thou tookest thy beginning from out of the land of the Cananites Thy father was an Amorrhite and thy mother an Hittite In the day that thou wast borne thy nauel-string was not cut Thou wast not washed with water nor salted nor wrapped in swathing clothes Euerie man was afraid of thee I alone stoode forth to take pittie vpon thee I saw thee defiled in thy bloud I caused thee to liue in the same I cast the lap of my garment ouer thee I couered thy nakednesse I entered into league with thee I washed thee I annoynted thee with oyle I clothed thee with imbroidered worke I caused thee to grow vp and raigne then didst thou put thy confidence in thy beautie and hast plaid the harlot by reason of thy fame and high renowne c. What other thing can bee made of all this throughout this whole growth of the Church but that there is nothing in her as of her selfe but pollution and imperfection And that the whole matter of her being and felicitie is onely of God That her vncleanes and disloyaltie proceedeth from her trusting in her beautie notwithstanding that it proceede not from her selfe Esay 64 In particular hee saith of the most righteous and iust the Prophetes themselues being reckoned amongst the same You are all as a polluted thing and all your righteousnesse as a filthie cloth your iniquities haue carried you all away as a wind neither had you any manner of remedie left but onely to flie and haue recourse vnto me who deface and blot out your offences Idem 43. Idem 53. and that for mine owne sake who am not minded to call them to remembrance and through the attonement made by Christ vpon whom is laid the chastisement of your peace who is wounded for your sinnes and in whose stripes you are healed c. All which notwithstanding did it let or hinder this people consisting of men these men tainted and stained with this first and capital pride of man from hasting and endeuouring from time to time continually to returne to this pretended righteousnes which is euer floating and swimming vpon our hearts In the time of our Sauiour Christ Merit amongst the hereticall â—â—wes we see two sorts of people to bee infected with this poyson the Essees which would be so called as doers and fulfillers of the Lawe accusing the Pharisies to bee no better then bare teachers of the same whose will worship is taxed of the Apostle as deuotion of their owne deuise as also their superstitions Tast not touch not c. wherein they laid the foundation of their merits And the Pharisies who taught that it was in the power of man to fulfil the Law hauing also these same workes of supererogation whereof the Prophet speaketh saying Who hath required this at your hands Of these according to the diuers obseruations which they had tied themselues vnto the Thalmud maketh seuen sects but one especially which had this name What ought I to doe and I will doe it And of these we haue an example in him that is spoken of in the Gospell All these things haue I done euen from my youth c. Both the one and the other being verie vnfit to cast and repose themselues vpon the rest of grace and by consequent enemies of our Lord who reckoneth more basely of these sorts of people then of the Publicans and harlors And heereupon hee breaketh out to the denouncing of diuers curses against them as such as would not onely not receiue the kingdome of God themselues but hindered the people also by their interpretations and constructions to receiue the same that is to say remission of sinnes in Christ Whereupon S. Iohn Baptist preparing the way to this kingdome to vnbewitch them beginneth his Sermons at that point Repent the kingdome of beauen is at hand c. So then some of the circumcision that receiued Christ brought this errour into the Church of Christ as also they which did obstinately cleaue vnto Iudaisme had not any other ground for the same then the righteousnesse purchased by the Law and the workes thereof in which
the hearts of the elect the remission of their sinnes Vnto the Lambe saith he without spot or blemish that beareth the sinnes of the world alone righteous and by consequent alone fit and meete to enter into the holy of holies Now if he onely enter thereinto hee entereth all whole without any faile not one of his bones shal be broken The head shal not enter without the rest of his members his faithfull ones Cohaerentes fide conformes moribus which are fastned vnto him by faith and made conformable vnto him in their manners And they shall enter thereinto couered and clothed with his righteousnesse For saith he He hath giuen it them it is imputed vnto them he is made vnto them righteousnesse from God yea sufficient righteousnes And seeing he is made righteousnesse vnto vs it is ours c. And as for all our owne it is nothing but vnrighteousnes Idem in Can. serm 73. Idem Serm. 1 in Natal Dom Idem de â—â—pl miseric Dei Idem de sept miseric Idem Serm. 3. de Aduent Dom. Idem Dominic 1. post oct Epiph. Idem Serm. 1. de Annunt virg Mar. Initiat For there not the most holy that are but they stand in need to pray for their sinnes to the end that they may be saued by mercie Noe Daniel and Iob must repaire vnto this fountaine Pari voto with the same request desire and thirst that all others For euen the sinnes that we daily commit and which we accompt but sleight are such as presently receiue the sentence of condemnation without any delaie And mine owne soule saith hee of it selfe if God had not sustained me I both doe and will confesse was readie and prone to fall into all kind of sinne But saith hee behold and see his grace he hath iustified vs freely to the end that his grace might be the highlier esteemed of vs. And this grace doth not onely pardon and forgiue vs our sinnes but giueth vnto vs his merits For to the obtaining of remission of sins it is necessarie to haue indulgentiam Dei Gods pardon and it is impossible to haue any good worke if he himselfe doe not giue it but yet much more impossible to merit eternall life by any workes if it be not freely giuen c. Wherevpon the Prophet saith Blessed are they to whome the Lord imputeth no sinne c. And therefore saith hee we haue neede of a threefold grace a conuerting grace a grace assisting vs in temptations and a rewarding grace The first doth rough hew vs as being that whereby we are called The second doth set vs forward as by which wee are iustified The third doth perfect vs as by which we are glorified And the first is called the good pleasure of God The second merit but note by the way in what sence and signification he taketh it And the third praemium a gift wages recompence and all three graces Of the first it is said Idem Serm. 5. de Assumpt beat Mar. Wee haue all receiued of his fulnesse of the others grace for grace the gift of eternall life for the merit that is to say for the gift of temporall warfare And this grace of iustification sanctification and glorification is receiued in the Church by faith in Christ For saith he The misled and vnaduised Sinagogue which hath despised the righteousnesse of God for to establish her owne was reiected and cast off but vnto the spouse of Christ vnto the true Church it is said Desponsaut te mihi in fide I haue betrothed thee vnto me in faith iudgement righteousuesse mercie and compassion Neither must thou say that thou hast chosen me for I haue chosen thee and for to moue me to make thee my choice I did not find in thee any merits but it was of my selfe who preuented thee And therefore I haue affianced thee in faith that is to say not in the workes of the Law and in righteousnesse but that which is of faith and not of the Lawe It remaineth then for thee to iudge betwixt me and thy selfe seeing I haue affianced thee not according to thy merit but according to mine owne good will and pleasure Wherefore let it bee farre from thee to obiect vnto me either thy merits or the workes of the law or yet the heat of the day or the scorching heate of the Sunne which thou pretendest to haue indured but rather acknowledge that thou art affianced vnto me both by faith and also by the righteousnesse of faith in mercie and compassion For the true spouse acknowledgeth both the one and the other grace namely the preuenting grace as also that which followeth and commeth after it And what he saith of the Church he saith of the faithfull as he doth of the members that which he saith of the bodie Idem Serm. 67. super Cantic It is sufficient saith he to merit to know that merits are not sufficient And not to presume of merits is to merit and yet not to presume vppon them is to presume after a farre more sure and certaine way for we haue large matter to glorie of euen the ample mercies of the Lord Idem Serm. 68. super Cantic and his truth which indureth for euer That is to say faith in his promises For is there not sure and certaine matter for vs to glorie in when mercie and truth doe meete together for vs c. And al this by faith Belieue saith he that thy sinnes are forgiuen thee by him against whom alone thou hast sinned and who alone is able to deface blot them out and thou doest wel This is the testimonie which the holy Ghost beareth vnto our hearts saying Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Whereupon the Apostle saith that men are iustified freely by faith Idem Serm. 1. in Annunciat Mariae Idem super Cant. 22. Ep. 77. Yea saith he by faith onely And so Saint Ambrose vnderstandeth him in his booke of the death of Valentinian And with such I am willing either to erre or to bee wise belieuing that man may be saued by faith alone yea without the receiuing of the Sacrament for Valentinian died whiles hee was of the number of the Catechised prouided that hee haue a desire to receiue it And this it may be was the cause saith he that our Sauiour hauing said Who so shall belieue and be baptised shal be saued in that which followeth saith onely He that shall not belieue shall be condemned c. To shew that onely faith is sometimes sufficient vnto saluation that without it nothing auaileth But this faith by which the iust man liueth doth truely liue it selfe for otherwise how should it quicken and make aliue For by this faith saith hee the heart is cleansed And God cannot bee seene Idem l. 5. de confider that is to say knowne but of him that hath a pure and cleane heart Neither is this faith any doubtfull beliefe On the contrarie opinion when it is growne to a
is in the vnitie of this bodie that is to say in the coniunction and setting together of the members of Christ of the Sacrament of whose body the faithfull in communicating are accustomed to receiue from the Altar may truely bee said to bee such a one as eateth the bodie of Christ and drinketh his bloud And those on the contrarie that are not his members cannot eate him For hee hath said He that eateth my flesh drinketh my bloud he dwelleth in me and J in him Who so therfore dwelleth not in me I in him cannot eat my flesh nor drink my bloud he eateth it Sacramēto tenus and not re vera that is to say he taketh and receiueth but the signe and not the thing For saith he They which abide not in him are not his members And in an other place Seeing he hath recommended vnto vs the eating of his flesh c. that is to say our abiding in him Idem in Ioh. tract 27. and his in vs now wee abide and dwell in him when we are his members and he in vs when wee are his temple Which thing is much more clearely laid out by Christ himselfe I am the vine and you are the branches c. The branches sucke their life out of the Vine not to the end verily that they may be branches but because they are such alreadie and yet in so sucking they become more faire and beautifull braunches euen so the faithfull doe eate Christ in the Supper not to the end that they may become his members but because they are his members alreadie and to the ende that in deriuing and sucking their life from him they may become the better growing and thriuing members Saint Chrysostome The bread which wee breake Chrysost in 1. Cor. c. 11. is it not the Communion of the bodie of Christ Why did not the Apostle as well say participation Because that he would declare and point out some further matter and shew the great and close coniunction For we doe not communicate onely for that we receiue and are made partakers but for that we are vnited and made one for as this bodie which he hath once taken vpon him is vnited vnto Christ so by this bread we are vnited and made one with him c. For saith he what signifieth the bread The bodie of Christ. And what are they made which doe receiue it The bodie of Christ c. Whereby wee learne that the Communion is not a carnall eating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but a coherence and vniting of the faithfull vnto the body of Christ which could not be better represented then by eating which is the most strict and vnseparable way Leo. ad Cler. pleb Constant whereby one nature may naturally be ioined vnto another Leo the first to the same sense This is so currant in all mens mouthes as that the verie children cease not to speake amongst the Sacraments of our common faith of the truth of the bodie and blood of Christ seeing that in the mysticall distribution of the spirituall food it is both giuen and taken to the end that receiuing the efficacie power of the spiritual meat we may be translated and changed into his flesh who became our flesh c. that is to say let vs be fed of him as it hath beene said as flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones c. Wherefore to eate the flesh and to drinke the bloud of Christ is to fetch and sucke our spiritual nourishment from him and that from him dead for vs to the ende that the similitude may haue his full course as the corporall man draweth not forth the meanes of the maintenance of his life from things any otherwise then by the dying for the same To bee bidden vnto this banket and eating is to bee exhorted to maintaine and cherish our coniunction with Christ and our life in Christ by the continuing of this nourishment and this coniunction with Christ worketh a coniunction amongst our selues as members of one and the same bodie The coniunction and vnion of the faithful amongst them selues in the holy Supper 1. Cor. 10. which is more and more neerely and closely wrought in the holy supper which S. Paul expresseth in these words We which are many are one onely bread and one onely body for we are partakers of one and the same bread c. that is to say sucking the iuice of life from one and the same Vine we are quickned by one and the same spirit c. which is the second end of the Lords supper but yet depending vpon the first in as much as we cannot be ioyned by faith to Christ except we be also vnited and ioyned by loue and charitie vnto our brethren Ignatius making this coniunction plaine saith There is but one flesh of our Lord Iesus and one bloud of his shed for vs one bread broken for all Ignat. ad Philadelph Iren. l. 3. c. 10. and one Cup of the whole Church Ireneus The Lord promiseth to send the comforter that is to say the holy Ghost For as of drie Corne there cannot bee made any paste neither yet any bread without licour so we cannot of many be made one in Christ without that water which is from heauen Saint Cyprian Cypr. l. 1. Ep. 6 ad Magn. l. 2. Ep. 3. ad Caecil When as our Lord calleth his body bread made into dough by the mixing together of many graines he sheweth that our people the image whereof hee resembled is vnited together and made one And when he calleth the wine his bloud pressed out into one from diuers Grapes be signifieth in like manner our flocke ioyned together and made into one by the mixture Adunate multitudinis of an vnited multitude Now this vnion said Ireneus as it is spirituall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 August de Consecr D 2. c Qu a passus Ep. 57. ad Dardan so it is wrought by the spirit S. Denis The Minister saith he vncouering the bread that is couered and vndiuided and parting it into many peeces and distributing the Cup vnto all multiplieth and distributeth the vnitie mystically c. Saint Augustine And you saith hee are there at the Table and in the Cup you are with vs. Againe Christ is the head of this body This is the communion which the members haue with the head The vnitie of this body is recommended vnto vs by our sacrifice this is the communion of the members amongst themselues Being the same that the Apostle hath signified saying We are all one bread and one bodie c. Chrysostome What doe I speaking of Communion wee are the body it selfe For what is the bread Chrysost in 1. Cor. 10. the body of Christ And what are they made which receiue the same The body of Christ not many bodies but one body For as the bread is made into one lumpe by the kneading of many graines together and that in
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
Saint Ambrose saide to the water of baptisme O water which washest the worlde by the bloude of Christ which hast merited that is to say hast beene made worthie to bee a Sacrament of Christ c. shall hee be thought to haue adored shall he be iudged to haue transubstantiated it into Christ And when their pretended Amphilochius crieth O worshipfull and reuerende conception meaning of the virgine make vs inheritors of eternall life preserue thy people and thine heritage c. shall hee haue crowned this conception with the Godhead And when themselues say to the oyle Aue sanctum oleum sanctam Chrisma I salute thee O holy oyle or holy vnction To the Crosse Aue Rex noster due spes vnica I salute and pray God blesse thee O our King our onelie hope shall they bee thought to haue really transubstantiated him Nay rather let them acknowledge that this place concludeth nothing Epiphan in Anchor let them remember that Epiphanius did heretofore name this mysterie vnto vs An insensible thing that Pachymeres compareth it to Nazianzene his Passeouer And therefore that this manner of speech is an Apostrophe a Rhetoricall figure that in other points they do not agree amongst themselues as whether the body of Christ be there dead or aliue hauing a soule or not hauing a soule sensible or insensible c. And therefore that they are first to agree themselues before they go about to fortifie themselues from this place Origen When saith hee thou eatest and drinkest the bodie and bloud of our Lorde Orig. in diuers euang loc hom 5. the Lorde entereth in and commeth vnder thy roofe and therefore humble thy selfe with the Centurion c. Hee meaneth then that the Sacrament is adored and then he meaneth also that wee adore the Saintes that is to say vertuous people when they come to see vs. For hee teacheth in the same place two waies by which Christ entreth into the faithfull the one when the Minister of the Church visiteth them the other when they receiue the incorruptible meat of the Sacrament And this is that which he saith elsewhere That God is in vs by the preaching of the Apostles and by the Sacrament of his bloud Idem Lom â— And that this visitation is wrought in vs by the word and spirit he declareth and maketh plaine there also Speake onely the word saith he come onely with thy word Thy word is a looking glasse it is a perfect worke shew forth in this thy bodily absence the power of thy spirit c. If then according to Origen wee ought to adore the Sacraments and ministers then with as good right such men as are godly and vertuous but if these then it must be onely with a ciuill worship and adoration and so must that wherewith wee worship the other And if the adoration due to God alone being giuen to good men maketh idolatrie then also if it be giuen to Sacraments or ministeres or els this place concludeth nothing Chrysostome The wise men worshipped this bodie in the manger Chrysost in 1. Cor. 10. they worshipped it with feare and trembling Let vs at the least follow these barbarous and rude men wee which are citizens of heauen He speaketh of the bodie of Christ represented in the Sacrament and exhorteth the people to come thereunto with reuerence But the wise men verily did not worship him as God but as a king And therefore this is but to returne to that which Saint Clement sayeth Clem. l. 2. constit Draw neere vnto this Sacrament with the same reuerence that you would doe vnto a King that is to say vnto some honorable person He addeth Thou seest him not in the armes of a woman but thou seest the Minister present the spirite aboundantly shedde vppon this sacrifice The Priest verily with the eyes of the bodie but the spirite with the eyes of the spirite For was it not more readie otherwise if hee had had any such purpose to say as following the opposition Not in the armes of a woman but in the handes of a Priest Not the spirite shedde vppon the thinges set before them that is to say vppon the Sacraments But Christ sacrificed himselfe But the coherence and scope of the matter doth carrie vs to conceiue That Chrysostome laboured to raise the heartes of those that were present from base and lowe thinges vnto high and heauenly thinges when hee saith vnto them That there are not anie but Eagles that approach and come neere vnto this bodie Those saith hee that haue nothing to doe with the earth that haue the eyes of the vnderstanding sharpe clearely seeing and bent vpon the Sunne of righteousnesse Hee transporteth and conueigheth them as much as in him lyeth aboue the heauens when hee sayeth vnto them also Wee must with the wise men worship this bodie This bodie verilie which is no more on earth but on high at the right hand of God And then verilie after all these Hyperboles in spirite and not in bodie that is saith hee In as much as this mysterie causeth that the earth is a heauen vnto thee that the gates of heauen are open vnto thee that thou hast accesse and entrance thereinto c. And afterward how Verily In purging thy soule in preparing thy spirite to receiue these mysteries to see touch and eate this bodie After the same manner verilie that Saint Ierome saide of Paula Thou hast offered by faith the same offeringes that the wise men did offer thou hast worshipped with them God in the cribbe Chrysost in Lithurg c. But say they hee prayeth vnto him in his Liturgie I meane that which is attributed vnto him as Christ truely and not the Sacrament Heare saith hee O Lorde from the seate of the glorie of thy kingdome which art set with the father who aidest succourest and relieuest vs here below inuisiblie c. O Lord haue pittie vppon mee poore sinner c. Here I appeale to their owne consciences whether hee frame this his prayer vnto God or the Sacrament Is this to draw vs to gaze and looke vpon the Altar or to raise vs vp vnto the heauens of heauens Saint Ambrose Ambr. de spirit sanct l. 3. c. 12. Psal 95. 98. Worship his footstoole that is the flesh of Christ saith he which we worship in the mysteries which the Apostles worshipped in Iesus c. And Saint Augustine in like manner No man eateth this flesh except hee haue first worshipped it Who doubteth that wee ought to worshippe the flesh of Christ Christ inseparablie God and man Who doubteth likewise that no man can eate this flesh if hee haue not first worshipped it worshipped it by a true faith worshipped it with heart and affection c. But wee worshippe it after the same manner that wee eate it Wee eate it as wee take it and wee take it as wee touch it In truth but in spirite in spirite but in truth And God forbid that
c. Againe The heauenly bread which is the flesh of Christ is called the bodie of Christ suc modo after a sort though notwithstanding so it be that it is the Sacrament of the bodie of Christ that is of that which beeing visible palpable and mortall was fastned vpon the Crosse and that this offering vp thereof is called passion death c. Not in the truth of the thing but in a signifying mysterie c. In the Glose It is called the body of Christ that is to say significat it signifieth it The heauenly Sacrament which truely representeth the flesh of Christ is called the bodie of Christ but improperly c. Thus then according to the Canons we eate in the Eucharist the flesh of Christ c. spiritually not carnally Now it followeth that we looke a little about vs C Quia corpus 34. C Qui manducant 57. C. Vt quid 46. C Credere 18. C. Tuncâ—â—s 89 C Non iste panis 55. De Consecr d. 2. to see whether it be by faith or with our mouthes The Canon Quia corpus saith The Lord hauing to ascend vp into heauen did consecrate vnto vs in the day of the Supper the Sacrament of his body and his bloud to the end that that which had beene once offered for payment and satisfaction might be continually honoured in a mysterie and that this perdurable offering might stil liue and abide in remembrance which must be waighed and considered of fide non specie By inward faith not by outward appearance and pondered by the inward affection not by the outward sight The Canon Qui manducant That which is taken in the Sacrament visiblie is in truth eaten and drunken spiritually That which is seene is the bread and cuppe c. That wherein it is needfull that the faith should be instructed is how that the bread is the bodie of Christ c. And they are called Sacraments because one thing is seene another vnderstood That which is seene hath a bodily shape but that which is vnderstood a spirituall fruit The Canon Vt quid whereto doest thou prepare thy bellie and teeth beleeue and thou hast eaten The Canon Credere to beleeue in Christ is to eate the bread of life The Canon Non iste panis It is not that bread which goeth into the bodie that feedeth the substance of our soule but the bread of eternall life The Canon In illo Christ is in that Sacrament not therefore a corporall meate but a spirituall And againe the aboue said Canon C. Quia corpus 34. d. 2. de Consecr Quia corpus when thou goest vp to the Altar to be fed with spirituall meates behold by faith the holy bodie of thy God touch him with thy vnderstanding lay hold vpon him with the hand of thy hart Against all these they haue but one onely miserable Glose to obiect which saith So soone as the kind is touched with the teeth Glos in C. Trib. de consecr d. 2. C. Qui manduc 57. Mis in sequent C. Vtrumque 71. C. vt quid 46 Câ—mutat 69. A sumente nonconscissus non confractus non diuisus integer capitur Ioh. 19. Gl. in C. Ego Bereng 41. in C. vtrum so soone is the bodie of Christ rapt and conueighed with speed into heauen c. And yet it is diuersly canuased and tossed by the Canonistes and schoolemen Of eating with the mouth should follow the chawing of it with the teeth But these Canons are contrarie to that The Canon Qui manducat When we eate it we make not any morsels or bittes thereof The faithfull know how they eate the flesh of Christ It is eaten by partes in the Sacrament that is in the signes but it is all whole in thine heart The Canon Vt quid whereto doest thou prepare thy teeth The Canon Vtrum It is not lawfull to eate him with teeth The Masse likewise in the sequences and conclusions following thereon He that taketh him cutteth him not bruseth him not neither yet diuideth him into morsels c. Contrarie to this ancient truth is only that Canon Ego Berengarius made by the Cardinall Humbert as it were in despight of all antiquitie which saith That he is broken and brused with the teeth But without alleadging against him the Gospell which saith Not one of his bones shall bee broken we will onely lay down the words of two Gloses which proclaime for hereticks both Pope Nicholas II. as also the whole Church of Rome of that time The Glose of that same Canon which saith Referre all to the kinds for we make not any part of the bodie of Christ otherwise thou shalt fall into a greater heresie then Berengarius And the Glose of the Canon Vtrum vpon these wordes Is is not lawfull to eate Christ with teeth Berengarius saith the Glose saith the contrarie that is to say Cardinall Humbert in the retractation which he drew for Berengriaus but he spake hyperbolically and so exceeded the bondes of the truth Of the eating of him with the mouth it would follow that the wicked and vngodly should eate the bodie of Christ The Canons againe are contrarie thereunto The Canon Qui discordat Hee that is at strife with Christ C. Qui discordat 64. C. Qui manduc 57. C. Quia passus 35. C. Christus 56. Fidelium dentibus atters C Prima quidem â—aeres 43. d. ead C. Non oportet 3. C. Panis 38. C. Hoc est quod dicim 47. C. Ante benedict 39. C. Panis est 54. eateth not his flesh neither yet drinketh his blood although hee should euerie day take the sacrament of so high and great a thing as a iudgement of his destruction The Canon Qui manducant They that eate and drinke Christ eate and drinke life The Canon Christus Christ is the bread of whom who so eateth shall liue for euer Likewise the Canon Ego Berengarius attributeth it as proper to the faithfull to eate him with teeth In briefe vpon the question also of transubstantiation If the bodie of Christ after the words spoken must be sought for in heauen or in the hands of the priest and if of the wine bread there be nothing remaining but the Accidents Christ say the Canons is in heauen vntil this world shall be consummate and finished The bodie of Christ must be in one place but the truth is spread abroad euerie where And as for the kinds Wee must not offer any other thing in the Sacrament then wine water and bread which are blessed in the figure of Christ Before the blessing one kind is named but after the blessing the bodie is signified The bread and cuppe are a nourishing of the resurrection by the mysticall consecration that is by the efficacie of the worde and institution of Christ That is saith the Glose A spirituall refreshing of the soule which rayseth vs vp againe from the death of sinne Againe The bread and the cup saith he continue the thing
to this idol Magnificet animatua Demmum let thy soule therefore saith he praise the Lord c. Because thine eies haue seene thy saluation which we that is to say the Pope haue prepared before the face of thy people c. By the same meanes he sendeth vnto her Quaternum in in quo officium continetur a scedule or booke of the office which some hold to haue beene composed by Thomas Aquinas a great defender of this new opinion to haue had giuen vnto him therefore for a gift from the Pope a Doue of siluer whereupon it commeth that being painted he is alwaies set forth with the picture of a Doue at his right shoulder And namely he turneth the hymne Pange lingua gloriosi which Fortunatus had framed about the yeare 600. vpon the passion of our Sauiour to the honor of this feast But because as saith the Glose of Decretals In Decret de reliquils ve nerat Sanct. vbi Gloss Clem. l. 3. Pomerius De reliquiis veneratione sanctorum that this constitution was not receiued in euerie place about the yeare 1311. that is to say some 50. yeares after Clement the fift ordained in a Councell holden at Vienna that it should be obserued of all And about the yeare 1360. beganne the Processions and Tabernacles at Pauie the patterne whereof was recommended to all Christendome For in deed in that of Clements there was not as yet any mention made of bringing it forth in procession and offering of it in the streetes to worship for in it there are onely these words That this feast was ordained for the preparing of euery one to the better receiuing of him c. In like manner there is euery where mention made of two kinds But in despight that Berengarius who had striuen against and beaten downe transubstantiation was Deane of S. Maurice of Angiers hee was recommended vnto this same Cittie that he might in most singular and solemne sort celebrate this festiuall day And hence sprung the originall of the solemnities of Angiers more execrable cursed and in derision of our Lord then it was euer in any other place Since Pope Martin the fift and Pope Eugenius the fourth after the yeare 1400. redoubled the pardons againe so far forth as that those of the day of the Octaues calculated and reckned by Pomerius doe amount to fortie foure thousande daies of true pardon and that as well on his part and behalfe that looketh on as on his behalfe that communicateth And this is the goodly diuinitie of Popes vpon the holy Supper of our Lord. The pompe of Rome L. 3. Ceremon eccles Romā Let vs adde hereunto the pompe of Rome for it is yet come in of a later time after the other In the middest of the same a little before the Pope there is ledde a white ambling gelding which beareth the pretended Sacrament shut vp close and fast in a boxe This ambling gelding hath a little bell of a verie good sound hanging at his necke a sumpter-cloth is spread ouer it Lib. Pontifica lis sect 1. 2 5. 12. l. 1. 3. de offic sacrist wrought with the Popes armes twelue lustie cutters or ruffians walking before c. Sometimes also if the Pope go into the fieldes they send it with traine and baggage And hee that is desirous to know yet further let him reade the Pontificall bookes wherein they intreate of Processions through the Cittie of the Pope or of the Emperour his coronation But this is a thing for vs to marke and proue namely what agreement there is betwixt these inuentions and deuises of Popes and the institution of our Lord Take eate do this in remembrance of me c. As also what meanes there are for them to excuse this idolatrie There can no excuse be made for their idolatrie Summ. Angel Euchar. c 26. according to their owne Maximes They hold that If the Priest haue not had an intent and purpose actuall as some say habituall as others to consecrate that then he doth not consecrate That likewise if he had not any further purpose then to consecrate halfe a bread that then the other halfe is common breade Those then that worship if he haue not had any purpose to consecrate what do they worship but the creature And with what faith seeing when as he hath had a purpose they are not able to sound the truth and find it out Thom. Salisburiens de art predican c. 25. Wherefore it will behoue men to haue recourse to Thomas Salisburiensis his consideration as To worship vpon condition that euerie dutie and thing required to the action be well and truely done c. They hold also That the intent of him that consecrateth is not sufficient if his also that did institute the same doe not concurre Bonau in Còpend sacr theol l. 6. rub 11. that is to say that the Priest haue an intent saith Bonauenture if he worke not according to the institution of Christ To worship then in a priuate Masse is it not idolatrie seeing that Hugo of S. Victor Gabriel Biell and Gerardus Lorichius their great Maisters of transubstantiation doe openly hold and maintaine That the priuate Masse wherein there is not made any remembrance or publike Communion is against the institution of Christ And further seeing there is such an infinite number of cases such as are verie ordinarie Thom. p. 3 q 13. Ioh. de Burgo Pupilla c. 3. Gerson contr Florent Extr. de celeb Miss and notwithstanding not perceiued of those that are present wherein the priest doth not consecrate at all As If hee forget to put wine into the cuppe if the bread be made of any other then wheate flower if there be more water then wine if the wine be eager and sharpe if of seuen leaues moe or lesse he did thinke but of sixe if he haue omitted but one worde Of those wordes say I once againe whereupon they are not agreed amongst themselues c. who shall assure their faith that are present thereat of the consecration and by consequent warrant their consciences against idolatrie How that many notable personages of this time haue beene ashamed of the doctrine Pic. Mirand in Thesi◠secund Thom. Scot Idem in Apo in disput de Euch. Now it is verie certaine that manie in these our daies and times haue beene ashamed of this doctrine Iohannes Picus Counte of Mirandula durst dispute publikely at Rome against transubstantiation And his Theses are That the true bodie of Christ is locally in heauen and sacramentallie at the Altar That these wordes also Hoc est corpus meum doe not consecrate if the former be not expressed that is Pridié quà m pateretur c. That is to say that the institution lyeth not in certaine wordes but in the institution of Christ That the foure words tenentur materialiter non significatiuè Likewise he deliuereth a particular manner of eating the flesh