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
The sacrifice and oblation is Christ for Christ our Passeouer hath beene slaine c. Againe Melchisedec offered to Abraham bread and wine Christ hauing taken mans nature offered the priesthood it selfe vnto the father that so he might become our priest after the order of Melchisedec which hath no succession for he abideth and continueth for euer offering sacrifices and giftes for vs. And first hee offered himselfe to vndoe and loosen the sacrifices of the old Testament he becomming the oblation sacrifice priest and altar c. Not appointing any longer the successions of this priesthood vnto any tribe or stocke What then It may be making them able to succeed by the calling of priestes Nay rather he saith Giuing them freely to bee saued according to that righteousnesse which is by the holy Ghost And this is spoken generally for all Christians Then let our aduersaries note and obserue here by this place how ill fauouredly they alleadge the sacrifice of Melchisedec the Paschall lambe c. to bee accomplished and perfected in the pretended sacrifice of the Supper seeing that vpon the crosse of Christ as saith Epiphanius both these and all others going before are made perfect and fulfilled Chrysostome Christ is not crucified euerie day for hee hath vndergone but one sacrificing Chrysost aduers Iud. at 4. Idem in Ioha hom 17. et ad Heb. hom 13. but once onely to be offered for our sinnes but by that once hee doth continually purge and cleanse vs. Againe If Christ be perfect then he neuer sinneth and liueth euer wherefore then should hee offer many sacrifices for vs c. There is but one sacrifice one onely hath purged vs besides this there is nothing but fire and deuouring hell Wherefore the Apostle doeth throughly view and behold the same on euerie side alwaies saying one priest one sacrifice least that any man thinking that there were moe might grow the more secure and void of all suspicion of being deceiued And in another place In the heauens wee haue Sacrarium a holy and consecrated place in heauen wee haue a priest in heauen an oblation where is also our sacrifice Idâ—m hom de cruce spirit 3. Let vs then offer such sacrifices as may find place of receipt in this holy consecrated place not any more sheepe or oxen these thinges are come to an end but our reasonable seruice And what reasonable seruice The thinges that are offered by the soule and according to the spirit Iohn 4. because that God is a spirit and those that worship him must worship him in spirite and truth c. How farre doth this differ from the interpretation which Bellarmine doth giue vnto vs vpon this place That is spirituall thinges and such as sauour nothing of the bodie as gentlenesse patience temperance mercifulnesse c. Thus thou seest the sacrifices which are past away and gone as also the others succeeding them and comming in their roomes then let vs offer these Those are of our goods but these are of our vertues those are without vs but these are within vs c. Againe Christ was the sacrifice and the Priest the offerer and oblation The Altar that was the Crosse not vnder any roofe other then the whole cope of heauen that so all the putrifaction and infection of the aire might bee purged away Behold here the one onely priest and propitiatorie sacrifice of the Church But the particular and speciall Sacrifice of euerie Christian as also Sacrificer to offer vp the same sacrifice vnto God is euerie particular person in his place as hee teacheth vs saying What is then thine Altar surely thy spirituall vnderstandinge And what is thy spirituall sacrifice All thy good workes And what is thy Temple A pure heart wherein God taketh pleasure to dwell c. What then Idem in Mat. hom 83. Hom. 26. in ep ad Heb. hom 17. And saith hee nothing of the Eucharist in that place Yes verie excellently If Christ bee not dead saith hee whereof should this sacrifice bee a signe or seale Againe Wee offer but in remembrance of his death And againe That which God did long ago for the saluation of the Iewes in bringing of his benefites to their remembraunce by many feastes and solemne meetinges the same doeth hee now but more aboundantly in vs by this kinde of sacrifice stirring vs vppe to a continuall thankesgiuing for his benefites towardes vs. Where briefly wee haue thus much to note that there is not any sacrifice but one that doeth really purge and cleanse vs that is the bloode of Christ the Eucharist in as much as it is a sacrifice is a pledge a recording and a remembrance Hom. 7. ad Hebr. Some obiect and alledge against vs these wordes Wee offer the same Sacrifice nowe a daies that wee offered then for it wasteth not in offering Not an other Sacrifice as the high priest did but the same But let vs listen a while vnto that which followeth Or rather sayeth hee wee recorde and call to minde this Sacrifice Cyrill handleth this matter at large Iulian reproached the Christians Cyril 10. cont Iulian. because they had no moe Sacrifices Nay sayth hee wee haue farre better then yours or then those of the law For wee offer vnto God the spirituall sacrifices of vertues as Faith Hope Charitie c. spirituall praises And to this purpose hee alleadgeth Sainte Paule Offer vppe your bodies vnto God a liuing sacrifice c. God sayeth hee hath commaunded the lambe but for a figure of Christ but for to shew that this was a transitorie sacrifice hee commaunded them to eate it in hast a great oddes and difference in respect of that which our aduersaries themselues would inferre That the sacrifice of the Paschall lambe must bee dayly and still continued in the reall sacrifice of the true lambe that is in the Masse Idem in ep ad Hebr. hom 11. In another place Art thou ignorant howe that the whole priesthoode is giuen to the whole Church of God to all the faithfull people Giue eare vnto Sainte Peter who speaking of the faithfull sayeth you are a chosen generation a royall priesthoode c. Thou hast therefore the priesthoode because thou art a priestly nation and therefore also thou must offer vnto God the sacrifice of praise the Sacrifice of prayers the sacrifice of mercie the sacrifice of chastitie the srcrifice of righteousnesse the sacrifice of holinesse c. Againe Our true high priest Iesus Christ is then as yet standing vpright Idem in Leuit l. 9. and will fill his handes with small brayed incense Hee pondereth and wayeth what euerie Church vnder the Sunne doeth offer how well it bestoweth and imployeth her perfume how skilfull shee is in braying of the same that is to say how euerie one of vs doeth frame his actions how wee doe spiritually search and wade into the secreate deapthes and wholesome streames of the holy scriptures Where likewise he may seeme
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
of such as they did represent to such as could not reade that that was the occasion wherefore thou didst breake them And therefore vppon condition that they will containe themselues within the bonds for which they were admitted and receiued that thou art content to suffer them to enioy them And to be briefe if any man will make any those hinder not but if they beginne or offer to worship any then looke about thee and suffer it not in any case Now I could haue wished that as Gregory said to him Teach them by the scriptures that they must not worship them for it is written c. that he also had added yea but they ought not to haue them for instruction for so also it is written c. But the mischiefe is Ierem. 10 Abacuc 2 that the good man found the cleane contrarie in the scripture In Ieremie Ierem. 10 Abacuc ◠That the wood is a doctrine of vanitie In Abacuck That molten images are nothing els but the tellers of lies So that this Bb. though caried away with the waue of time and the multitude of people is one who speaketh all one with a certaine Councell which was held in the same age If thou canst without the people their making of any stirre or talke about it Concil Carthag 4. beat downe the Altars which haue beene erected to any other end then to be memorials of the Martyrs but let them alone tolerate them if they begin to stir And who hath not any other reasons then those of the Pagans euen the very same which the heathen Philosophers did vse to alleadge against Serenus for the supporting of these relikes of Paganisme Which saith Athanasius when they perceiued themselues pressed hard by the Christians in the matter of their images answered Athanas contr Gent. that they were visible signes to know the nature of the inuisible God and that they are as bookes vnto the ignorant by which they come to the vnderstanding of celestiall things But Athanasius and Eusebius do scoffe at these answers And hereupon also S. Augustine hath told vs That those are subiect and apt to learne lies who seeke for Christ Iesus his Apostles in the paintings of wals not in the scriptures Within a short time after Pope Boniface the same who aduanced Phocas the parricide to the Empire for images had exceeding great need of the patrons and protectors opened the temple of all the Gods that were at Rome called Pantheon by the licentious libertie and free permission which he gaue to euerie man to deuise and do therein and in stead of the images of all the Gods Sigibert Plat. Blond l. 9 Dec. 1. he placed therein the image of the virgin Mary and of the saints as likewise at the same time there were set vp in the Chappell of Laterane the images of Phocas and Leontia his wife because he had graunted the Pope the supremacy and supreme authoritie ouer all other Bbs. Afterward about the yeare 700. it was ordained by the sixt generall Councell Synod 6. c. 82. Constant 3. Gregor Cedren in hist that whereas it had beene the custome to picture represent our Lord vnder the similitude of a lambe he should frō thence forward be pictured in the similitude of a man seeing that the truth was come in place had abolished shadowes for thus it saith To the end we may be put in mind of his conuersation in the flesh of his passion death in them of our redemption And all this while no one word of the adoring and worshipping of them howsoeuer Gratian do most falsely cite bring this Synode for the adoration of images Gratian. de consecrat D. 3. c. venerabilis Zonara tom 3 taking in stead therof a canō of the second councel of Nice which began Venerabilis as Zonora◠doth teach vs that Polydor who had not as yet seen the canons of this councel alleageth at the sight of the country that the worshipping of the images of the Saints was resolued vpon Now at this time fell in the great strife and contentions which happened about this worship and adoration Wars falling out about images or to speake more properly the warres of images or rather of the Empires vnder the colour of images This sixt general councell had condemned the heresie of the Monothelites that is their heresie who acknowledged but one will in Christ namely a diuine will And Constantinus Pogonatus had caused to be painted in the porch of S. Sophies temple in Constantinople the images of all the fathers which had beene present at that councel But Philippicus holding the foresaid heresie cōming to bee Emperor caused such images to be taken away Pope Constantine in despight caused them to be painted in S. Peters porch not those onely which had beene at the sixt generall councell but all the fathers which had beene at the 6. general councels Wherefore now the question of images which had beene but as an accessorie becōmeth chiefe principall especially after the Synode held in the time of Constantinus Copronymus Bedo l. 2. Paulus Diacon l. 6. c. 11. wherin all the decrees of the sixt generall Synode were approued that especially against the Monothelites saue only that therein images were condemned for which alone the strife contention continued the controuersie of the Monothelites lying extinct and buried Then Constantine the Pope called a councell at Rome Lib. Pontisic Plat. where he caused it first to be affirmed and decreed that images ought to be honoured and excommunicated the Emperor Philippicus c. And it is no maruell seeing he also was the first which would haue his feet kissed in the citie of Nicomedia by the Emperor Iustinian And from that time forward the cruell wars for images betwixt the East and West the Greek and the Latine church the Emperors and the Popes entred and set in footing Philippicus is driuē out of his kingdome by Arthemius and Arthemius by Theodosius who hauing need of the Pope his fauour for the installing of him ordained that images should be restored But this man dying about the end of the yeare Leo the third called Isauricus succeeding him tooke vpon him the hearing of this matter Anno 730. Sigibert Paul Diacon l. 21. together with his diuines and to that end assembled a Councell at Constantinople all things being reasoned and debated by the scriptures the worshipping of images making of praier vnto them was therein condemned the Archb. Germanus who defended thē deposed the idols broken the painted pictures defaced blotted out a cōmandement and iniunction from the Emperor Bonfin l. 8. dec 1. Anton. Arch. Florent 1. 14. c. 1. S. 1. Canon Perlatum D. 3. de consecr that the determination and sentence of this councel shold be obaied Gregory the 2. to the contrary taketh this occasion to strengthen himself make his part strong in
Idols which they haue learned of their Fathers That wee must cleaue and sticke to God as hee is manifested vnto vs in his Scriptures August l. 3. de doctrin Christ Idem de locu ad Genes As for that which is obiected of the Cherubins they answere it by S. Augustine That there is a commaundement from God for the making of them and that it is the taking of the signes for the thinges To the annointing of the pillar of stone by Iacob they likewise answere from the said S. Augustine That Iacob did it to signifie a mysterte in the annointing of this stone and not for to honour the pillar of stone Comming in the end to that point as to affirme That when there had neuer been anie Images in the Church that then faith hope and charitie were no whit in worse plight and that when they are in the same for monuments and remembrances simplie that then the same vertues are not thereby embased or made worse But that they may not be forced vpon them who would not haue them nor permitted them in any wise who would haue them to worship them in any maner or sort whether it be by praying vnto them kissing them or gilding them and much lesse in offering vnto them c. Now this booke is sent vnto Pope Eugenius the second by the foresaide Emperours by the hands and mediation of the Bbs. Ieremy and Ionas that they may impart the same vnto him being therewithall inioyned to beseech him in their names that he would examine it throughlie and shew himself willing and forward to satisfie the consciences of the Emperours of the East as also that hee would vouchsafe to send his Legates together with the saide two Bishoppes vnto them with whome they shall also finde for the same purpose at the place of taking shippe Halitgarius and Amalarius in the behalfe of the Synode for the better yeelding of an answere and reason of the resolution and iudgement which they embraced and approued therein And it is to be marked that in the letters which they writ vnto Ieremie and Ionas containing their aduise how to demeane themselues they writte vnto them that they should intreate the Pope kindlie and rather to incline to yeeld and giue place then to dispute and argue the matter for feare say they of incensing the Romish obstinacre pertinaciam Romanam whereby hee might take such an opinion as from which he would neuer be remoued This was in the yeare 825. Anno 825. Of the Crosse As concerning the Crosse we haue seene what the olde Writers haue taught againe it is verie certaine that those ages were far off from that which is practised at this daye For the Synode of Francford speaketh of the Crosse after the maner of S. Paule and of the purer antiquitie vnderstanding by the same the whole mysterie of our redemption accomplished vpon the Crosse as likewise the afflictions which happen continuallie amongst the members of Christ In this sence S. Paule sayeth That he gloryeth in the crosse and woulde haue that Iesus Christ should be crucified daylie before our eyes that is that wee shoulde euerie howre remember the sham full and ignominious death which he hath suffered for vs by dying for our sinnes Chrysost ho. 1. 2 de Cruce Homil. de Cruce latrone de Cruce Dominica and so seeke for our life in him In the same sence Chrysostome sayeth The Cross is vnto vs the cause of all blessednes the hope of the Christians the resurrection of the dead and the ouer throw of the Diuell But of what Crosse doth hee speake assuredlie of the same whereof hee had spoken before To day he did hang vpon the Crosse that is of the death and passion of our Lord That Crosse saieth hee which he hath not left here vpon earth but carried vppe to heauen that is which hee hath ouercome by his resurrection which he hath garnished and cloathed with all manner of glorie that Crosse which wee must beare Not by laying sayeth hee a peece of wood vpon our shoulders but by preparing and making our selues readie to shed our blood at all occasions for his glorie c. And S. Augustine in like manner All the sacraments are perfected by the Crosse S. August For what are the sacraments both of the olde and of the new law but dumbe signes without this Crosse Likewise Honorius Bishoppe of Autun Honor August in Cemma Animae Nowise man worshippeth the Crosse but rather Christ that was crucified thereon c. notwithstanding that he liued in the midst of grosse and palpaple darkenes But what Communion or Fellowshippe is there betwixt the Crosse thus taken and vnderstood and these two crosse peeces of wood wherto Ionas doth applie the former benefits blessings or with this doctrine of Pope Adrian That when we see the Crosse we must say vnto it We worship the Crosse and we worship the Speare c. And therefore the foresaid Claudius Bishoppe of Turin and brought vp from his childhoode vnder Charles the Great Adrian in Ep. ad Constan Iren. reasoned verie well to the purpose and doubtles like vnto himselfe both for his stile and intention saying If we must worship the Crosse because that our Lord sufferd his death and passion vpon such a peece of wood then let vs worship all virgins because hee was borne of a virgin let vs also worship the maunger and swathing cloutes because hee lay therein because he was wrapped therein thornes reedes and speares for such were instruments vsed about him in his passion Asses for Jesus entred into Ierusalem sitting vpon an Asse c. But so the truth is that our Lord hath commaunded vs to beare and not to worshippe the Crosse c. And I doe not as yet see that Ionas hath deuised or found out anie thing to aunswere him withall As for the second Councell of Nice as it was in all mens sight ill begunne so it contented not the consciences of the Grecians in anie respect at all For Constantine as he grew out of his minoritie and came to age and his libertie did repeale difanull the same The Emperour Michaell did set it vppe again and persecuted the gainsayers The Emperour Leo the fourth an Armenian encouraged by the Monkes of Greece which cried out that to worshippe Images was idolatrie did pull them downe againe Michael le Begue and Theophilus his sonne Zona tom 3. did chastise and correct such as did maintaine them Theodore his wife came by his death to the Regencie and being perswaded by other Monkes did reestablish them with great seueritie Her sonne Michael Bardus being come to full age did destroy and ouerturne them againe Likewise Zonara the great patron and maintainer of Images doth tell vs that he made the Pope his Legate to consent and agree thereunto Insomuch as that pope Adrian obtained of Basill the successor of this Bardus that there shoulde a Councell
houshold of God doe sing in their psalmes of thankesgiuing we haue passed by fire and by water c. meaning that the hard measure of aduersitie hath not beene able to breake their course by causing them to faint neither the soft bedde of prosperitie make them to become slacke cold through delicacie c and he speaketh by name of the blessed death of S. Malachie Archbishop of Ireland Cassiodorus Because a vessell saith he well hardned and baked in the fire doth hold water better Another saith As S. Laurence passed through fire S. Clement and others through water And let this be set as a brand vpon our aduersaries that they alwaies take hold of the expositions that are least receiued and of all others the worst Caiet in psal 66. I could haue wished that they would at the least haue satisfied themselues in Caietanus his exposition saying He comprehendeth vnder these words of fire and water in briefe all the tribulations of Israel from their comming out of Egypt vnto Iordan that is we haue endured all manner of miseries and in the end thou hast made vs to come ad irriguam to a well watered soile that is to say into the land of promise Neither doth it auaile them Amb. in psal 118. serm 3. that Bellarmine to dasle the eies of the world doeth here alleadge S. Ambrose For this baptisme of fire whereof he speaketh setting the same at the entrance of Paradise allegorizing vpon the Cherubin that kept the passage in is but an appendance and limme of that ancient opinion that the world in that day when the end and consummation thereof commeth and all the creatures therein euen men and of them the most holy and sanctified should bee purged by fire and not in that space of time which shal be betwixt their death and resurrection It appeareth by these words This baptisme saith he shall bee after the end and consummation of the world when hee shall send his Angels to seperate the good from the euill Then shall the fierie furnace feed vpon iniquitie and burne it vp to the end that the iust may shine in the kingdome of God as the Sonne in the kingdome of his father And in deed saith he if that Peter and Iohn be there they shall haue their part in that baptisme Now in deed the truth is that Bellarmine doth not hold or meane that the Apostles haue passed or at any time must passe the fire of purgatorie In the Psalme 107. They cried vnto the Lord in their distresses Psal 107. v. 13. and hee deliuered them from their necessities from darknesse and from the shadow of death Thus wheresoeuer they reade darknesse the graue fire or the shadow of death there alwaies purgatorie must bee summoned to appeare This text is cleare and plaine wherein Dauid maketh a long catalogue or repetition of all the perils whereunto the life of man is subiect the deliuerances that God giueth vnto them that call vppon him although they should bee within two fingers breadth of death But they wil not belieue vs. Lyranus therfore telleth them They were stricken with remorce and sorrow in their afflictions called vpon God who deliuered them And these words frō the shadow of death August Hieron Theodor in psal 106. he expoundeth them by the psalme 23. the daunger of death As Caietan simplie vnderstandeth the same of the inconueniences of the prison S. Ierome did not acknowledge any such like thing to be contained therein but let it passe as he declareth by that which goeth before Et eduxit eos in viam rectam Neither yet S. Augustine who vnderstandeth it of the difficulties lets and impediments that the regenerate find when they should go about to do good and that after such time as God hath opened their knowledge Prosp in psal 107. Haim in psal and enlightned their vnderstanding except himselfe doe worke in them And thus doeth Prosper Aquitanicus also take it Neither Theodoret who vnderstandeth it of the darknes of ignorance and of the seruitude of sinne Haimo In darknesse that is in ignorance out of which no man can free himselfe in the shadow of death that is to say in the villanous and loose course of life which leadeth vnto death And Hugo the Cardinal taketh it in the same sence Darknes that is of ignorance the shadow of death that is faults transgressions bound that is the punishment c. Some others thus Of such as are inwrapped in heresie and are reclaimed by wholesome instruction But and if they wil cleaue to the plaine literall sence it is said There was no man to help them Where were then become the Masses and Suffrages Againe he speaketh of such as had beene rebellious vnto the word of God which had despised the counsell of the most high a mortall sinne and one of the most hainous ones that can be Now purgatorie by their owne speech is not but for veniall ones And yet furthermore if wee will credite the expositions of the old writers Dauid was but a simple fellow and knew nothing in the matter of purgatorie In the booke of the Preacher Ecclesiast 4.14 There is such a one saith Salomon which commeth out of prison for to raigne that is to say according to their vnderstanding out of purgatorie to go into the kingdome of heauen In this whole booke he discourseth of the courses alterations and changes of things happening in mans life and that which followeth in the same verse doth ouerthrow their mistaking And in like manner saith he there is such a man as of a king becommeth poore Now this should fall out contrarie to their owne doctrine that those which are once glorified do neuer fall away If this be not sufficient yet Hugo the Cardinall will help and afford vs some aid This is saith he Christ who from the prison of Pilate the graue and his handes is gone vp to receiue his kingdome Lyranus alleadgeth for an example of the one Ioseph taken out of prison to gouerne Egypt and Sedechias pulled downe from his throne of Maiestie to to be cast into the dungeon for the other I am ashamed to stand vpon the refuting of these fooleries Esay 4. yet notwithstanding we must go through to the end of them In Esay When the Lord shall haue washed away the filthinesse of the daughters of Sion and wiped the blood of Ierusalem from out of the midst of her by the spirit of iudgement and of zeale This iudgement and zeale are purgatorie Let them reade that which goeth before and that which followeth they shall perceiue that the prophet speaketh of the desolation of Ierusalem and of the restoring of the same in Iesus Christ But the Paraphrast saith By the word of iudgement and by the word of consummation He felt no smell of fire And the Glosse In the spirit of iudgement the lightest and least sinnes and in the spirit of zeale the more
Aquinas and all the rest And these are in summe all the places that I know whereby they would proue and allow the intercession of Saints If this were not that wee haue to adde thereto the blasphemie of the Archbishop Antonine Let vs drawe neere saith the Apostle vnto the Hebrewes vnto the throne of grace c. That is to say of the Virgine Marie which is the throne of Christ wherein he hath rested to the end wee may obtaine mercie and find grace for the obtaining of helpe in due time c. Which is manifestly spoken of Iesus Christ our Bishop And therefore it is no maruaile though Eckius doe freely and boldly say That the holy Ghost Eckius in Ench hath not appointed or ordained by the expresse Scriptures the inuocation of Saints either in the old or new Testament And Petrus a Soto That it is not manifestly taught there but onely insinuated and the Iesuites themselues that it is not clearely giuen vs there but as in a mysterie and by a certaine consequence And on the contrarie a great maruaile that a doctrine amongst them of such moment should not bee contained in the holy Scriptures but by the way of a lame and pretended consequence As in deed the Councell of Trent hath not found it in the Scripture but in auncient vse and custome in the consent of the Fathers and in the Decrees of the Councels Which we will examine hereafter A third point remaineth That the morite of the Saints hath no ground in the Scripture that they are as weakly and slenderly grounded in the Masse for the offering vp of the merits and passions of the Saints vnto God for the satisfying of their sinnes in stead of the infinite merite of that one onely sacrifice that the Sonne of God hath offered vpon the Crosse whether we consider the sufficiencie of that only one or the insufficiencie of all the rest how many and whatsoeuer they be The sufficiencie for it is the Sonne of God eternal and infinite the sacrificer and the sacrifice whose sacrifice hath by consequent an infinite and eternall efficacie as the Apostle doth largely handle the same in the Epistle to the Hebrewes The insufficiencie of al other because that they are the works of the creatures by consequent finite and imperfect and of men and by consequent subiect to sinne and sinners and those the most who presume not to bee at all according to that which is said vnto vs in S. Iohn Jf we say he putteth himselfe in the number that we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. That then that all the Saints haue not beene condemned it was in the mercie of God by Iesus Christ the holy Virgine her selfe whom hee hath vouchsafed to regard in her base and low estate being so much the more bound by how much the more shee hath receiued and so much the further off from meriting by how much the more it hath pleased him the Almightie and soueraigne Lord if it be lawfull so to speake to merite at her hands That they are raigning in heauen a botomlesse depth of his goodnesse an inheritance of the children and not any pledge or badge of seruants in as much as in his welbeloued sonne it hath pleased him according to the riches of his grace of vnprofitable and peruerse seruants to adopt them Sons yea coheires with his Christ according to that which is said in so many places Ephes 2. You are saued by grace by faith in Christ and not of your selues For this is the gift of God not by workes to the end that no man may boast Againe We are iustified by grace that we may bee his heires Tit. 3. in hope of eternall life And of grace For we are all conceiued in originall sinnes And all the water of humane merits cannot wash them away though they should amount vnto the measure of a mightie floud it must of necessitie bee the worke of the bloud of Christ washed likewise by that bloud yet the remnants of that naturall corruption doe continually abide and dwell with vs that so we may acknowledge his grace in our infirmitie whereas our first father lost the same by a pretended incorruption and impossibilitie for his nature to sinne And therefore wee haue to say with Dauid If thou enter into iudgement with thy seruant who may abide it With Salomon Psal 143. Ecclesiast 6. Iob. 15. There is not a righteous man vpon the earth that doth good nay which doth not sinne With Iob The heauens are not pure in his sight no not the Angels how much lesse man vnprofitable and abheminable which drinketh iniquitie like water Whereupon it followeth likewise that if God should haue giuen vnto man euen him that is the holiest of all the rest a thousand Paradises if it could bee done for an inheritance yet so gracelesse he is as that he should not be able to keepe one of them without his grace for quickly would hee loose them by reason of his sinnes and transgressions the rigour and seueritie of his iustice taking the balance once in hand And how should he purchase it then by his own power And yet further how shuld he leaue a remainder to be husbanded for others Some say if they haue lost them by their falles as Saint Peter by hauing denied Christ and S. Paul by persecuting of his Church yet they haue recouered them by the confession and Martyrdome which they haue made and suffered for his name and that so aboundantly as that they haue left an ouerplus But O horrible blasphemie 1. Cor. l. 30. S. Paul and S. Peter say not so They doe not glorie in any thing but in the Crosse of Christ but in his sufferings but in his stripes not in their owne righteousnesse not in their owne holinesse but in him which was vnto them from God wisedome righteousnesse sanctification redemption c. So farre off are they from being of that mind that in respect of them he hath suffered in vaine Likewise the bloud of the creature hath no part in making of the recompence or paimēt with or in stead of the bloud of the Sonne of God of the Creatour of the world to whom as he is the Creator we are alreadie indebted euen to the summe of our liues to whome as a iust iudge we stand bound for our sinnes in the summe of a thousand deaths And therefore as vnto our redeemer and that in the price of his bloud Our redeemer not to ransome vs but for to crowne vs not to draw vs from euill but to draw vs to all goodnesse not to deliuer vs from the tyrannie of hell but to cause vs to raigne and triumph eternally with him Here let vs enter into our owne consciences how shall our bloud and life be able to ascend vp thither And therefore the Apostle said All accompts cast the sufferings of this present world Rom. 8.18 are
goest about to worship them then it is that the good Angell is displeased with thee c. And in an other place That which the greatest of the Angels doth worship Colere Idem de Vera relig c. 55. tom 10. the same is that which is to bee worshipped of the most base and meanest of all men for because of fayling toworship it the nature of men is become the last and worst For the Angels are not become either wise and vnderstanding or true and iust by any other then man but euen from one and the same wisedome and from that one and the same immutable veritie Euen the truth and wisedome of God of the same substance with the Father which hath thought good to take vpon him the nature of man to teach vs thereby that man hath no other to worship and adore then him which is adored and worshipped by euerie creature indewed with vnderstanding and reason Seruitute And leâ— vs know and belieue that the good Angels are also of the same mind that wee should worship with them one and the same God and therefore we doe honour them with brotherly loue but not with diuine worship or seruice neither doe we build any Churches vnto them and that because that Religon doth bind and restraine vs to the one onely Almightie God c. And thus you may see one of the foundations of Inuocation irrecouerably vndermined by this that we are not to adore any but the one only God that the Angels and Saints take it for offered iniurie when we doe otherwise That Inuocation hath an interest in Adoration as apart thereof c. And now behold here an other Idem in Psal 29. That there is not any mediatour but one onely that this one onely God will not bee called vpon and praied vnto but by this mediator If thou consider saith he the Diuinitie of our Lord Jesus Christ wee find not in it either matter place or affection for praier For in the beginning was the word c. But hearken to that which followeth after The word became flesh thou hast herein a Maiestie wherunto to pray and an humanitie that praieth for thee For this was spoken by the Apostle and that after the resurrection Who sitteth saith hee at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for vs. In as much as he hath vouchsafed to be a mediatour betwixt God and men And what is this God The Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost And what are men Sinners wicked and vngodly mortall Betwixt this Trinitie and the iniquitie and infirmitie of men was a mediatour made euen a man But it may be that this man is not placed ordained al alone for the executing of this charge office Non est quo eas nisi ad me Non est qua cas nisi per me In Iohan. tract 22. Idem de Relig. Serm. 55. tract 10. Praeteripsum Idem in Psal 109. but heare yet further Behold what thy Sauiour saith vnto thee Thou hast not whether else to goe besides me thou hast not whereby to goe thither but by me Walke by Christ so thou commest to God thou goest by him thou goest to him Seeke not wherby thou maiest come to him otherwise then by him He was made the way by which thou hast to come I say not vnto thee seeke the way he that is the way is come vnto thee arise walke walk by good manners walke on foote Whosoeuer runneth out of this way the more hee runneth the more he waÌ„dreth because that he draweth the more backward out of his way And for as much as praier is the meane by which man approcheth vnto God he explaneth himself the more carfully Ther is not saith he any righteous praier but by Christ Again that praier that is not made by Christ is sin Let his praier saith he be turned into sin And wherefore Because it was not made by the mediatour of God men Iesus Christ the man What then the Saints Martyrs Apostls angels cannot they be mediators cannot they be our aduocates Let vs heare him Idemâ—ontra Parmen l. 2. c. 8 S. Iohn saith not saith he you haue an Aduocate as seperating himselfe from amongst sinners as though forsooth hee had had no more need of the propitiation which is made by the Mediator sitting at the right hand of the father making intercession for vs for then he had spoken arrogantly and falsely And if he had said you haue me for a mediator with the father I obtaine pardon for your sinne as Parmenian who set the Bishop in the place of the mediator betwixt the people and God it had beene yet worse Exoro Who would haue taken him for an Apostle of Christ Yea who wold not on the contrarie haue taken him for Antichrist To the end therfore that Christians may keepe the vnitie of the spirit in al their praiers let theÌ„ be assuredly perswaded of one onely mediatour For Christians doe recommend one an other in their praiers but he alone is the true mediator which maketh intercession for all and for whome no man praieth So Paul though a principall member vnder the head but yet notwithstanding a member recommendeth himselfe to the praiers of the faithfull he maketh not himselfe any mediatour betwixt the people and God but he praieth that all the members of the body of Christ would praie for him c. For if Paul were a mediatour then all his fellow Apostles should be so likewise Non constaret ei ratio Idem in 1. Ep. Ioh. And if that there should be any mediatour then Paul himselfe should misse in his accompt when as hee saith one God one mediatour of God and of men c. In an other place We haue an aduocate c. Behold and marke Iohn the same that dranke vpon the Lords breast c. He saith not you haue but we haue and he saith not you haue me for an aduocate but you haue Christ. And he chused rather said hee to put himselfe in the number of the sinners that he might haue Christ an aduocate then to set himselfe downe for the aduocate in the place of Christ and to be found condemned amongst the proud and arrogant He that hath held this hath not spotted himselfe with heresie hath not fallen into schisme For hence it is that schismes arise when men say we are iust and righteous we sanctifie the vncleane we iustifie the wicked we praie we obtaine c. And the Saints then saith hee doe they not pray for vs And the Bishops doe not they pray for the people Read but the Scriptures and you shall see that the Bishops doe recommend themselues vnto the people The Apostle saith praying alwaies for vs the Apostle for the people the people for the Apostle you for vs wee for you all the members one for another the head for all c. And then the Saints liuing and not the dead for
Francise Dominic To euerie one that would ioyne themselues not with the Couent but to be of the fraternitie onely of S. Francis or S. Dominicke c. For to merite the kingdome of heauen for to be able to ransome redeeme their owne soules and the soulet of their friends for these are the expresse tearmes of the Bull There are Bulles of fraternitie giuen vnto the Prouinces by which they are made capable as well in life as in death of the merites of the whole Couent and of all the friers in the prouince purchased by their Masses praiers sermons fastinges contemplations vigiles abstinences Cloister disciplines deuotions singinges lessons labours c. About this time also there was in England one Thomas Becket who was slaine for hauing traiterously attempted to haue withdrawne the Cleargie from their obedience vnto the king It was concluded by the full Colledge of Sorbone at Paris that he was worthie of eternall death the Cleargie notwithstanding caused him to be canonized by Alexander the third And in derision of the blood of Christ he was there praied vnto in these words Tu per Thomae sanguinem quem pro te impendit Fac nos Christe scandere quo Thomas ascendit That by the grace fauour purchased by the blood of Thomas hee would make vs ascend whither Thomas is ascended c. this was about the yere 1220. And who can then but be ashamed for their sakes for that as yet in the time of so great light they are not ashamed themselues verily it is not to be concealed or hidden that there haue been some that might seeme to haue blusht in their souls as being able to haue taught better things if they durst Alex. Halez q. 91. Alexander Halez Bonauenture likewise after all their wandrings turne backe againe to our Maxims Alexander We must not inuocate or adore any but one God onely c. The Saints ought rather to be reckned ex parte orantiū quà m illius qui oratur as assisting our praiers by their owne not to be praied vnto themselues Bonauent in l. 3. Sentent Anno 1360. Bonauēture likewise We must be warie in our large setting forth and commending of the excellency of the mother that is of the holy virgin least we impaire and diminish the glorie of the Son and by so doing prouoke her to anger seeing she delighteth more to haue her son praised and magnified then her self she being but a creature and he the creator And whereas there were some that replied vpon him that the honor of the mother returned to the honor of the Son But therefore saith he we ought not to giue vnto the mother all that which is due vnto the son c. And this was much spoken of both in his time in the Couent of S. Francis Wicklif apud Thom. Waldens tom 3. tit 12. c. 121. 124. Iohn Wicklife shortly after went further for amongst many abuses of the Church of Rome he condemned this openly by the scriptures and maintained the same with the peril of his life against all those of the facultie of diuinity in England His wordes are This is and seemeth to be a sottishnesse to leaue the fountaine which is more ready to our handes to seeke the troubled brookes and those further from vs c. Againe Who would make I know not what Scurram knaue that is the Latine of the time his Mediator when hee may freely speake vnto the King And yet notwithstanding his thus writing he ceast not to be verie well intreated of king Edward the third and after some small time of his liuing an exile in Bohemia to die an old man in his owne house leauing behind him a number of disciples of euerie estate condition in England Anno 1416. in whom his doctrine liued after him vntill such time as things grew to that extremitie wherein they now stand We may say the same of Iohn Hus and Ierome of Prage put to death contrary to the promise made them of safe conduct by the Councell of Constance wherein the good fathers in stead of being inuited and won to the reformation of the Church both by the truth of their doctrine and the constancie of their faith did thinke it better to haue them the heraldes of their condemnation by the iust iudgement of God then of their repentance before men And further as if they would worke a further despite they turned in the same Councell that goodly hymne which the Christian Church had made for the holy Ghost to the virgine Marie and in stead of Veni sancte spiritus c. they made it Veni mater gratiae c. wherein they call her the fountaine of mercie the light of the Church the saluation of those that call vpon her the Mediatrix betwixt God men the port of S. Peters ship the death and destruction of heresies c. But in the meane time as in this age wherein we liue men begin willingly and wittingly to cast out this dung and filthines with others such like the stinke whereof groweth so strong euen vnto themselues that haue made it as that they are constrained to stop their nose and to endeuour themselues to couer it as much as lyeth in them Viues in August de ciuit Dei l. 8. c. vit Viues that famous Spaniard had rather to cause them to be detested then couered and smoothed ouer in saying That he could find no difference betwixt the opinion that the Christians haue of their saintes and that which the Pagans haue of their Gods when as they giue them the same honour that is giuen vnto God himselfe And if there had beene any number found of the same zeale with him at that time he could haue hoped wel to haue obtained a remedie against idolatrie But certainly the greater part had rather against their owne consciences of a carnall wisedome runne and betake themselues to disguise and smooth ouer the matter Some saying that we ought not to pray vnto saints to obtaine any help of them or yet any mercie but onely to bee assisted by their praiers to obtaine them of God And this was in one worde to ouerturne all their Howres Psalters Letanies and praiers before alleadged which were directly made vnto the virgine Marie and that that she might not onely procure but giue the things praied for Wicelius Other some more boldly That wee ought not at all to pray vnto them inuocation being an honour due vnto God alone but onely Compellare to solicite them that they would remember vs vnto him as wee vse to stirre vp the liuing to succour and help vs with their praiers And other some do yet go further That this inuocation was nothing but a figure of Rhetoricke by which wee were admonished that the saintes deceased as triumphant members of the Catholicke Church haue care in heauen on the members which are as yet warfaring here below after the manner
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