handled in the first booke Of the Second Booke 1 OF Churches and Altars their first beginning and proceeding 2 Of Images that olde and auncient Christians had not anie 3 VVhat manner of increase and proceeding Images had amongst Christians and of the licentious abuse thereof after they were once brought into the Church of Rome 4 Of vnleauened bread wine mixt with water and of such thinges as serued in the administration of the Sacraments 5 That the old worship and auncient manner of seruing God was altogether performed done in such a language as the common people knew and vnderstood and by what degrees it was altered and changed 6 That in the Primitiue Church and a long time after the holie Scriptures were read amongst the people in all tongues and languages 7 Wherein is intreated of the Ministers of the Church and of their charge and vocation in the same 8 That the Bishops and Ministers of the old Christian Church were maried 9 How a sole and vnmaried estate of life grew and got increase and strength in the church of Rome vnto the publishing of the decree made by Calixtus 10 The reestablishing of abstinencie from mariage and the continuing of the same euen vnto our dayes A briefe rehearsall of the matters handled in the second booke Of the Third Booke 1 THat the propitatorie Sacrifice of Christ is not reiterated in the holie Supper and in what sence the old Church did vse this phrase and manner of speech 2 Answeres vnto the aduersaries their obiections which they pretend to draw from the holie Scriptures for the prouing of their sacrifice 3 That the pretended propitiatorie sacrifice of the Masse hath no ground or foundation in the new Testament 4 That the olde VVriters haue not â—â—knowledged anie other propitiatory sacrifice then that onelie one made vpon the crosse 5 How and by what degrees the Sacrament of the holie Supper was turned into a propitiatorie Sacrifice 6 That there is not anie Purgatorie the foundation and ground pillar of their Masses for the dead and first how that it was not knowne vnto the Church of Israell or vnto those that liued vnder the olde Testament 7 That Purgatorie hath no ground or foundation in the new Testament 8 That neither the Primitiue Church nor the Fathers liuing in the same for the space of many ages did euer acknowledge the Purgatorie of the Church of Rome 9 Wherein are answered the aduersaries their obiections endeuouring to proue their Purgatorie by the olde VVriters 10 In what manner Purgatorie hath proceeded in the Church of Rome and by what degrees 11 That praying vnto Saintes hath no foundation in the holie Scriptures of the olde Testament 12 That praying vnto Saintes hath no ground in the holie Scriptures of the newe Testament 13 That praying vnto Saintes was not taught in the Primitiue Church and how it sprung vp and grew 14 The continuing of the puritie of doctrine in the matter of Inuocation and of the springing vp of the corruption of the same in the Latine Church 15 The springing vp of the corruption of inuocation aswell in the Greeke as in the Latine Church 16 That a man eannot merite or deserue eternall life for himselfe and much lesse for an other wherein he is considered first as he is before his regeneration 17 That a man regenerate cannot merite eternall life for himselfe or for any other 18 That the law was giuen vnto man to conuince him of sinne and to cause him to looke for his saluation from grace through faith in Christ according to the Scriptures and the Fathers 19 That good workes are the gift of God and therefore cannot merite and to what vse they serue according to the holy Scriptures and fathers 20 How the doctrine of merite first set foote into the Church how it proceeded and how it hath beene oppugned and set against in all ages yea euen vnto S. Bernard his time 21 How merite proceeded and went on euer since S. Bernard his time vntill thâ—se our daies and what oppositions haue beene made against it euen vnto the time of the full light of the Gospell breaking forth againe A Recapitulation of the third Booke Of the fourth Booke 1 WHat a Sacrament is and wherein it consisteth and of the difference of the Sacraments of the old and new testament where are likewise laide downe certaine rules by the old writers for the better vnderstanding of their writings 2 That the doctrine of the holy Supper must be examined by the rules before deliuered as all other doctrine whatsoeuer touching any other Sacraments eyther of the old or of the new Testament 3 That the exposition which our aduersaries giue vpon the wordes of the holy Supper destroyeth all the foundations of the Christian faith as also the nature of Christ and of his sacramentes 4 That the fathers knew not Transubstantiation nor the reall presence in the signes and that which is touched of the times euen to the first Nicene Councell is also included therein 5 The continuing of the beliefe and faith of the fathers of the Church in the matter of the holy Supper from the first Nicene Councell vnto the time of Gregorie the great 6 Likewise that a long time after Gregorie Transubstantiation was not knowne and in like manner that all the most famous Liturgies amongst our aduersaries are repugnant to the same 7 That the old Church did not belieue nor teach Transubstantiation seeing it neither did nor obserued in respect of the kindes or Sacramentes that which is done and practised at this day 8 In what manner the opinion of Transubstantiation was begun increased and finished vntill the yeare 1215. and that it was ratified and confirmed by a Decree made in the Councell of Lateran 9 What manner of increase and proceeding befell the opinion of Transubstantiation from the Councell of Lateran vntill the Councell of Trent and the absurdities and contradictions rising from the same A comparing of the holy Supper with the Masse A briefe rehearsall of the chiefe matters contained in the whole worke THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE MASSE AND of the partes thereof CHAP. I. After what manner the Supper of the Lord was first instituted and ordained and that the Masse hath no good ground eyther from the Scriptures or from the practise of the Apostles OVr aduersaries for the laying of a surer foundation for the Masse out of the holy Scriptures haue attempted to driue and draw the same from the institution of the holy Supper of our Lord ordinarily now a daies do vse to set downe as a note and marke of the same vppon all such places as concerne the holy Supper Heere is the institution of the Masse whereas their predecessors namely the ordinary Glose was wont to note such places thus Heere is the institution of the Supper or Eucharist Wherefore the better to know how like and how vnlike they be as likewise to see so much the more cleerely how farre the one
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
righteousnesse of God by which we are iustifyed And they are said to be of God and of the Lord because that both the one and the other are the giftes of his bountifull liberalitie Againe And by this faith wee are iustified not by the workes of the Law neither of nature neither yet by the power of free wil for iustification is obtained by faith Idem in c. 10. ad Rom. and thus by the righteousnesse of faith is accomplished the true righteousnesse of the Law yea saith he notwithstanding we be iustified by faith yet it is gratis for euen faith it selfe is a franke and free gift proceeding from aboue c. Againe Idem in c. 5. ad Rom. My impietie saith hee meriteth not this benefit but what is it then which the pietie of my redeemer meriteth Neither yet my vnrighteousnesse maliciousnesse or pride but what is it then that on the contrarie his righteousnesse goodnesse and humilitie cannot effect and bring to passe Yea what is not the punishment of the Crosse able to preuaile in against the kingdom of death Or the Son of God made man for the redemption of man especially seeing that with him and in him al our sinnes are pardoned and forgiuen vs and all his graces giuen vnto vs This faith therefore which iustifieth shall it goe bare naked and vnaccompanied Shall it not carrie with it good workes Yes rather it will appeare and shine out more euidently by workes but not therefore iustifie vs by the workes thereof Haimo saith From faith man commeth to workes Haimo in c. 11 ad Rom. but not from workes to faith faith is conceiued in the heart vttered and confessed by the mouth and garnished by good workes and by this faith liueth the iust and righteous man vnto eternall life but as for that which is without workes it is dead Idem in c. 1. 4. Now if Abraham himselfe had beene able to haue beene iustified without being assisted by the grace of God then the gift of iustification should not haue beene reckoned as a gift but as a thing of dutie and then Christ should haue died in vaine Ausbertus We must first belieue for after that a man belieueth he loueth Ausbert l. 2. c. 2. in Apocaly p. Theophyl in c. 6. ad Ephes An Ielme in c. 1. ad Rom. Ausbert in A-Apocaly p. l. 10 c 22. Radulph l. 1. c. 1. in Leuit. and faith and loue do make vs doe good workes Theophilact Charitie without faith profiteth nothing yea which is more without faith it cannot be Anselme By faith the soule beginneth to liue being before dead by infidelitie And faith by which a man liueth worketh by loue because that faith without works is dead But Ausbertus saith How holie and righteous soeuer a man may be yet he is alwaies in such case as that he may still grow and increase in vertue whereupon the Psalmist saith Lord shouldest thou forget to take pitie vpon me c. And Radulphus Hardly can a man doe anie good worke without the cleauing thereto of some sinne and therefore it is to be feared that so long as we expect and looke for the recompence of perfect deuotion God still exacteth the penaltie of the sinne which wee haue mingled therewith And Anselme Anselm de mensur crucis If a man should serue God a thousand yeares and that with great zeale and feruencie hee should not merit ex condigno to inherite the kingdome of heauen one halfe day For saith he in another place Workes are by grace and not grace by workes Idem in c. 2. ad Galath and therefore no man by anie meanes can be iustified by workes but onely by faith which proceedeth of grace And yet herewithall I am not ignorant that sometimes these selfe same Doctors doe attribute much to workes As when Haimo following Cesarius his trace Haimo super Euang. in oct Pasch setteth downe seuen waies for the obtaining of remission of sins And when Rabanus recommendeth to the same end fasting and almes deedes and yet rather as themselues say To enter into a certaine kind of recompence for their veniall sinnes which notwithstanding is contrarie to their owne Maxims then to merite rather thereby to shew forth some tokens of repentance then to make vp any worke of satisfaction c. Then thus it behoueth namely that their Maxims stand firme and immoueable and that what they say more bee squared and bounded by them and that so much the rather because such Maxims are vttered by them at such times as when they speake not after the conceipt of their owne corrupt and carnall sence but as searchers and seekers out of the true and proper sence and meaning of the word of God And yet notwithstanding all this we are farre off from those kindes of doctrine which came to bee preached in the beginning of this age wherein we liue namely That workes without faith do merite to receiue and haue faith giuen That the works of the faithful do merite deserue eternall life That Christians are able to merite the same not only for themselues but also for others c. And thus we are come to the yeare 1100. But this was the mischiefe that that which was preached ordinarilie to the people by the Priestes whether couetous or ignorant could more preuayle to leade them out of the way then the other which was written by these Doctors who were not but for the learned could worke to reduce and bring them into the way And on the other side that the soile whereinto this euill seede fell was verie apt to receiue and intertaine this abuse namely the naturall pride and presumption of man And yet further we are to note and obserue that which wee haue seene intreating of the inuocation of Saints that in the Catechisme of the sicke or rather such as draw neere their death Anselm in Ep. manuscript drawne out of the Epistles of Anselme they were daily taught to oppose and set against the reprochfull checkes of Sathan and the deadly accusations of their owne consciences nothing but the onely merit of our Lord and against the wrath of God for sinne no other thing then his righteousnesse And for a further proofe by a place out of Anselme a sufficient scantling and taste whereby wee may see what consideration all the holy men of the same age Anselme in medit bad of this matter My life saith he doth astonish me for when I haue well and throughly sifted it I find it either wholly sinne or else nothing but barrennesse But and if there appeare any fruit it is either counterfeit or imperfect or else corrupted and spoyled in such sort as that it cannot possibly please God yea that it cannot possibly but displease him In summe either it is wholly inwrapped in sinne and thereupon damnable or vnfruitfull and thereby contemptible But what cause or neede is there that there should a difference be
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
Serm. de verit mater 27. by the same grace the meanes to cause it to become and prooue such And therefore saith he Man is not onely said to haue the grace of God because he is beloued of God vnto eternall life but also because he giueth him a gift by the which he maketh him wore thie of eternall life which we cal gratiam gratum facientem Grace which maketh a man acceptable that is to wit this faith infused by the holie Ghost into our hearts by the which saith he all the fathers of the olde Testament became acceptable to God and iustified and whereby wee also are deliuered from sinne and death And this fayth saith hee quickeneth the soule by grace Galat. 2. It purgeth it from sinnes Actes 17. c. It giueth righteousnesse vnto the soule Rom. 3. It betrotheth and affianceth vs vnto God Osee 2. Iden in 1.2 q. 102 art 5 Idem in expos 1. Decret In offic de corp Christ In Hymno Tert. summ q. 4.49 arr 1. AEgid Fom c. 12. l. Examer l. 2. c. 4. It adopteth men to be the sonnes of God 1. Iohn 2. It causeth vs to approch and draw neere vnto God Heb. 11. Finally by it men attaine the hire of eternall life Iohn 6. c. Againe To establish and strengthen a sincere heart onelie faith sufficeth c. By faith the passion of Christ is applied vnto vs that so wee may be able to receiue the fruits thereof Rom. 3. It is vnto vs both the beginning and cause of righteousnesse Rom. 8. That righteousnesse which is by the faith of Christ c. Yea and yet Aegidius saith further That all our good workes are the workes of God Thou hast O Lord saith Esai wrought and brought to passe our workes And wee are not sufficient saith the Apostle to thinke anie good of our selues it is he which maketh vs righteous and which effecteth in vs the workes of righteousnesse Nowe were it not better to holde him to these Maximes and to the conclusions necessarily insuing heereof as that wee owe vnto the infinite grace of God our iustification to the perfect and absolute righteousnesse of Christ our righteousnesse to God by Iesus Christ the beginning middest and ende of our saluation according to the Scriptures then according to the curious Meditations which happen vnto the most excellent wittes when the drie and barren veine ouertaketh them to seeke our saluation in our selues in whome there is nothing to bee found but destruction or for any thing wherewith we may pay God or wherewith we may purchase eternall life both for our selues and others out of our owne stocks and prouision In the meane time wee see howe the succeeding ages learned to build vpon these strawie and stubblie foundations Thomas had said That free-will mooued by the grace of God proceeded vnto good workes and became fellow-worker with his grace These men say That free-will of his owne nature dooth such workes as that they merit that God should illuminate the worker with his grace giue him faith c. In such sort as that the vnbeleeuers doe merit of God by their workes not any more the gift of faith and righteousnesse but faith and righteousnesse for a hire which they call Meritum de congruo as a man would say of well beseeming meaning thereby that if not for righteousnesse yet at the least for seemlinesse sake God is bound to giue them his grace See I pray you how this matter agreeth with the Scripture Whatsoeuer is done without faith cannot please God With Saint Augustine The workes of all vnbeleeuers considered in them are sinnes As also with Thomas Whereas God is mooued to distribute his grace it is not in consideration of ante merits gone before or to come but of his free grace and good will sed ex mera gratia And this is the same likewise which the Schoole-men say in their dunsicall doctrine That man by his naturall power doing that which is in himselfe without faith and without the holy Ghost is able to merit de congruo that God should giue him grace And Gabriel Biel expoundeth these woordes Gab. Biel. in 3. sent d. 27. In 4. Sent. d. 14 q. 1. d. 14 l. 3. q. 2. That which is in himselfe louing God saith he aboue all things And this he affirmeth that Man may doe of his owne naturall power Whereas notwithstanding in deed the case standeth thus that loue proceedeth from knowledge and that imperfect knowledge cannot beget perfect loue Yea hee passeth further for saith he as no subiect receiueth anie forme except it be prepared and fitted thereunto euen so it is requisite that our soule should bee prepared for the infusion of grace which is our formall righteousnesse before God and this it commeth to be by the meanes of free-will which maketh a man to know his sinne and to be displeased with himselfe for the same which he calleth dispositionem praeuiam after which he resolueth to loue God aboue all which he calleth dispositionem concomitantem which maketh the soule apt to receiue the stampe and marke namely the infusion of his grace by this act so meriting the same euen so farre foorth as that grace of necessitie and that verie speedilie is infused into it Neither more nor lesse saith hee then in naturall things vltima immediata dispositio necessitat ad formam Which is as much to say in plaine English as that our free-will dooth not onely merit grace at Gods hande for seemelinesse sake but euen of necessitie and perforce Quite contrarie to that which Saint Paule repeateth so often times By grace Thomas likewise Mera liberalitate meragratia c. As also cleane contrarie to that that hee maketh Grace the beginning of our saluation in intention and the effectiue in the execution c. Thomas againe had saide That free-will deliuereth by the grace of God and worketh certaine actions auailable to the purging and taking away of veniall sinnes as also to the stirring vp of the increase of grace But such as come after staie not there For this infused grace of God by the merit of the free-will of man is turned by them into a state and disposition of the spirit made conformable to the Law and will of God by which Man saith this Gabriell also is not onely deliuered from bond of damnation but also is made worthie of life and eternall glorie And the soule saith he informed and taught by this grace by an action drawne partly from this grace and partly from a mans owne will doth merit eternall life not any more de congruo that is to say of congruitie or for seemelinesse sake but de condig no for hauing done a deed worthie of the same that is to say by righteousnesse For euen so doe they define it That the workes of the regenerate done in charitie in this life deserue eternall life in as much as it is to be rendred and giuen to good workes by
shewed at Rome and that the people with a lowde voice crying and weeping should aske mercie of the same When in like manner they consecrate an Image of the holie virgin they pray That it may bee of power against thunderinges and lightninges against floudes ciuill warres and inuasion by forraine and barborous people What will they aske of God himselfe if they pray vnto the virgin for these thinges yea which is more if they aske them of her image But yet much more That who so shall pray vnto this Image the Queene of Mercie may by it obtaine pardon for whatsoeuer sinfull deedes hee hath committed and for euerie good worke which he hath omitted as also merite present grace saluation for all that time that is to come What meaneth all this but to make the Crosse of Christ of no effect These and such like blasphemous superstitions are those which are practised about the Images of Saintes yea euen to the blessing of the incense That the Diuels may run from it that such as shal be senced therewith may neuer be bitten of the old Serpent that is may be exempted from sinne c. He that expecteth and looketh to receiue such graces of a deade creature what remaineth for him to hope or looke for to receiue of the Creator But these and other such like things haue been handled by others more particularly and their Pontificall booke doth testifie and witnesse the same so that this which is now done is rather but to point out then to examine the thinges And who is there that cannot thereby discerne the spirite and worde of Christ from the spirite and word of Antichrist of Christ as being he who euen of stones doth raise vppe children vnto Abraham of Antichrist as being he who of the children of Abraham maketh stones yea worse then stones seeing that he maketh them to fall down and worshippe stones God in the meane time taking care of his church hath not left these abhominations without contradictions Such opposit ons and gain-sayinges as haue beere taken vp against these abhominations Durand in ration Diuin Offic. Holcot in l. Sapient lect 158. but rather in the thickest of the darkenes hath caused some light to shine forth and that euen out of the darkenes it selfe The first Councel of Mentz saith Images are not set vp in the Churches that they should be either worshipped or honoured Durandus the Bishoppe of Miniate saith If neither men nor Angels must bee worshipped let them looke well to themselues what they doe who vnder the colour of deuotion do worshippe diuerse Images for it is not lawfull for vs to worship the worke of man aliquid manufactum c. There is but one Image of the Father which wee must worshippe as the Father that is to say the Sonne c. Robertus Holcoth a Fryer Iacobine liuing about the yeare 1350. whome they called Doctorem Moralissimum reproueth the deciding of the difference by Thomas saying Latria cannot conueniently be giuen to any thing but onelie God the Jmage of God is not God and therefore Latria or diuine worship cannot bee attributed vnto it for if it should then should also the Creature and the Creator bee worshipped after one the same maner that is to say otherwise Idolatrie should be cōmitted And therefore the Fathers of the Councell of Nice are Idolaters Durandus de S. Durand tit 57 Portiano is of the same opinion both for the Crosse as also for the Image of Christ but hee feareth the censure Loquendum sayeth hee vt plures wee must speake as the greatest number doe And so are Henricus de Gandauo Petrus de Aquila Iohannes de Guiuerra and other schoolemen About the yeare 1380. in the time of the schisme of Vrban the 6. and Clement the 7. Anno 1380. lib. de Concil whereof Theodorus a Niem hath written there was published a book de Concilio wherin is handled how necessarie a councell were both for the taking away of the schisme as also for the reforming of the Church And amongst other abuses he complaineth much of the multitude of Images saying That they gaue occasion to the people to commit Idolatrie In the time of the Councell of Constance Gerson the Chancellor of the Vniuersitie of Paris Gerson in Ep. de neglig praelat Anno 1415. writ an Epistle of the negligence of prelates saying It is great pittie to see how religion falleth away from day to day and becommeth worse euerie man is continuallie adding vnto it some one or other thing that is naught but no man doth cut off or lop away any part of all that is cuill All abroad in our Temples wee see not anie other thing exercised but the reliques of the Idolatries of the Pagans and our Spiritualtie will not haue anie man so much as to touch them And for the like reprehensions and reproofes hee was driuen out of Paris and died at Lions The same thing was taught by Nicholas de Clemangis a Doctor of Sorbone and Archdeacon of Barre in his booke Of the corrupt estate of the Church So in like manner did the Cardinall of Alliaco in his booke Of the reformation of the Church presented by him to the Councell of Constance And these were the lights of their time That great worthy Picus de Mirandola in his Theses which hee propounded for to bee disputed at Rome saieth Conclus 3. Gab. Biel. in Cant. lect 43 Neither the Crosse nor the image of Christ can bee worshipped with Latria neither yet after that manner that Thomas setteth downe Gabriel Biel the interpreter of the Canon of the Masse holdeth with them that taught That an Image coulde not bee worshipped eyther in regarde of it selfe or in regard of the thing which it represented saying That in what manner soeuer it bee considered yet it is euer more a senceles thing and a creature for both which respectes it cannot be worshipped with Latria And hence sayeth hee wee may see the sottishnes of such as attribute a certaine kinde of Diuinitie grace or holines vnto Images waiting and looking for the healing and curing of diseases or some other miracles from them and likewise the vndiscreetnes of some others which are more willingly drawne to worship such as bee faire then such as be fowle the newe rather then the olde and the trimmed and tricked vp rather then the rude and nakedones and the grosse lightnes of others who make their vowes vnto them binde themselues to goe on Pilgrimages sometimes to one Church sometimes to an other to beholde and take the view of certaine Images thinke to finde some miracles or powerfull workes more in one then in an other or more in one place then in an other All these thinges are altogether wrapped in superstition whereinto wee shall neuer fall if we know what the right seruing of God is or else bee willing in humilitie to learne the same For the way to serue God is founde out in
assist him Afterward the Deacon nameth The holy mother of God S. Michael S. Gabriel S. Raphael and S. Iohn The people answereth O Christ heare them Anno. 1000. c. In the yeare 1000 wheras it had beene accustomed to denounce their Excommunications in the Church in the power and authoritie of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost they began to mingle therewithal the Virgine Marie and the Saints And this is apparant by the Councell of Rhemes C. 12. By the authoritie saith he of the Almightie God Concil Rhemens c. 12. c. and by the mediation of the Virgine Mary c. We Excommunicate curse condemn c. In Germanie notwithstanding this forme was not as yet receiued as is to bee seene in that which Barnard Bishop of Halberstat pronounceth against the Emperour Otho neither yet in the other agends of the same age and time But afterward all the Saints were put into it and so it passeth for the common and ordinarie forme The absoluing likewise of penitents by the loosing key as they cal it Anno. 1100. Anselm in lib. de excellent Virg Mar. was conceiued and vttered in these tearmes to wards the yere 1000. The passion of our Lord Iesus Christ the merits of the blessed Virgine of S. Peter of S. Paul and of all the Saints and furthermore whatsoeuer good thou shalt doe or whatsoeuer ill thou shalt suffer worke and procure the remission of thy sinnes About the yeare 1100 Anselme reasoned strongly in a treatise made of purpose of the excellencie of the Virgine Mary Christ saith the Apostle is the power and wisedome of God in him are all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge but Christ is in Mary therefore all the treasures c. are in Marie And by the same argument may be concluded the verie same of all the faithfull for hee is said to dwell in the belieuers In the meane time it is from hence that hee gathereth all these goodly consequences Quòd Domina quòd Mediatrix quòd Saluatrix That shee is the Ladie of heauen and earth in the right of a mother Queene of Angels the repairer of mankind and by consequent the Mother as God is the Creator by consequent the Father And it was at this time also that Hermanus Contractus Conte of Vringhē in Germanie did make the Salue Regina which notwithstanding was not receiued into the church of Rome Anno. 1250. til about 150. years after in the time of Pope Gregory the ninth But would we see in the meane time a memorable example The Inuocating of God alone by Iesus Christ retained in the cōforting of the sicke and neere vnto death Anselm in Epist manuscript shewing that these abuses came not in all at a blow how this Inuocation of the Saints insinuated and crept into the Masse was not as yet growne to the corrupting of that consolation which men had that were in the extremitie of death and how God mercifully sparing his people after all these impieties reserued and kept vntoucht their consolation in their saluation by one onely Iesus Christ to be soundly taught and deliuered vnto them at the howre of their death It is found in the Epistles of this Anselme that there was a forme of comforting the sicke which I haue thought worthie to bee set downe here euen whole and intire such as it was Doest thou reioyce and cheare vp thy selfe saith the Priest to the sicke partie that thou diest in the faith of Christ The aunswere yea Doest thou confesse that thou hast liued so wickedly as that nothing is due to thy deserts but euerlasting punishment A. yea Art thou hartily sorie and grieued for the same A. yea Doest thou belieue that our Lord Jesus Christ died for thee A. yea Doest thou giue him thankes for the same A. yea Doest thou belieue that thou canst not bee saued but by his death A. yea Wherefore then whiles thou possessest thy soule repose thy whole saluation in this his only death put not thy trust and confidence in any other thing trust and commit thy selfe wholly to this death couer thy selfe with it onely with it onely wrap thy selfe all ouer And if the Lord God would iudge thee say vnto him Lord I set the death of Jesus Christ our Lord betwixt thee and my demerits I offer and tender vnto thee his merites in stead of that which ought to bee in me and is not If hee yet further replie vpon thee saying that he is angrie with thee say vnto him Lord I set the death of our Lord Jesus Christ betwixt me and thine anger And this being ended let the sicke partie say three times Lord I commend my spirit into thy hands Of the same veine is the difference which we obserue betweene the life Bernard in paruis Ser. 23. Idem Serm. 15. Psal 91. the extreame sicknesse of S. Barnard He saith verie excellently well sometimes He that will come let him come after me let him come by me let him come to me After me saith the Lord for I am the truth by me for I am the way vnto me for I am the life c. Againe I will deliuer him because he hath trusted in me Not saith hee in Sentinels or Nightwatches not in man not in any Angell but in me expecting good from none but me onely For preseruation and deliuerance must not onely be of me but from me And of the Virgine Marie hee saith Idem Ep. 174. She hath no need of false and counterfeit honour being as shee is in the midst and vpheaped measure of true and sound honour It is not to honour her but to take her honour from her The feast of the Conception was neuer well instituted c. But it is as true that in other places hee helpeth forward and setteth vp this abuse euen so farre as to say Thou hast O man a sure accesse to God where the Mother is before the Sonne the Sonne before the Father the Mother shewing vnto the Sonne her bosome and her brests the Sonne shewing to his Father his fide and his wounds Vpon the point of death notwithstanding seeing himselfe drawne before the iudgement seate of God and Sathan before him his accuser he remembreth not any thing but the wounds of the Sonne hee hath quite forgotten the bosome of the mother Gothfrid in vita Berr ard l. 5. I confesse saith he that I am not worthie by my merites to obtaine the kingdome of heauen but my Lord doth hold it by a double title both as his inheritance from his Father and as his purchase by the price and merite of his death and passion he will content himselfe with the one and bestow the other vpon me And so by vertue of this gift I giue it to my selfe I am not confounded As likewise he hath said verie excellently in an other place I seeke my salue in the wounds and stripes of my Lord my merites in the mercies
spoken of in the song of the three children in the furnace Daniel 3. ex Graeco Ye spirits and soules of the righteous blesse ye the Lord c. All these false couers and colourings notwithstanding being euident testimonies not so much of an vnwillingnesse to come to reformation as of a shamefastnesse to be ouertaken and detected of this spirituall whoredome Cassander therfore and Hofmeisterus more freely if so be they had but practised it in the Church as they belieued held it in their harts Cassander verily who after hee had excused the Church of Rome to Maximilian the Emperour as much as he could euen vpon this article that Orate was as much as Vtinam oretis Pray ye that is I wish and desire that you would pray saith notwithstanding That he maketh not in his owne behalfe any praier but vnto God by Iesus Christ and that he accompteth that the most infallible way Hofmeister who after he had gathered whatsoeuer hee could out of the old writers August de visâ—tâ—t infirmotu si eius est l. 1. c. 2. concludeth with these words of Saint Augustine I shall speake more boldly and ioyfully to my Iesus then vnto anie one of the holy spirits of God c. But what do our fathers of Trent say here after the long looking wherewith they haue made vs to looke for reformation Do they allow at the least these expositions these mitigations or do they bring some better of their owne Neither but on the contrarie they institute and ordaine that we should call vpon the Saintes by praier to help vs Suppliciter humblie beseeching them vpon our knees and that we should betake our selues not to their praiers onely but to their helpe and succour declaring all such as haue any other opinion to be wicked impious And the Catechisme made by the authoritie of the said Councell saith plainly Christians worship Angels but not as God is worshipped we must pray vnto the Saints in as much as by the grace and merit purchased by them God doth deale wel with vs c. And Cardinal Hosius a man approued of them Rom. 8. to such as alleadge S. Paul That we cannot call vpon any but him in whom we belieue answereth lustily That we must also credere in Sanctos belieue in Saints What reformation can there be from theÌ„ who after such enormous faults laid open discouered by the light of Christendome doe wilfully make themselues blind and yet will not haue themselues accompted of as hauing failed in any point And yet furthermore they ioyne thereunto another notorious pranke of maliciousnesse which is their causing to bee raced out in good bookes Index pag. 8.10.24 25.30.31.36.38.47.49.50 whatsoeuer might checke or controll their proceedings for so they haue resolued and set it downe as appeareth by their Index Expurgatorius As for examples The place where S. Augustine distinguisheth betwixt the honour due vnto God and that of Saints the interpreter hath giuen this note This that is to say that which is to be reserued to God alone is now giuen to all the Saintes Deleatur let it be raced and put out In the Tables of S. Augustine S. Chrysostome and S. Ierome their works there were many places noted which directed vs vnto such sayings in their works all speaking against the inuocation of Saints vpon the heads whereof were set Deleantur In Erasmus and Faber Stapulensis famous worthy men in their profession when they say Deum solum omnis oratio adoratio decet Vnto God alone belongeth all praier and worship is it not written Torcular calcaui solus Index pag. 49.50.55.59.61.255 I haue troden the wine presse alone All the Saints are nothing if the question bee once of true worship all our owne workes and those of our fathers from the beginning of the world are no better c. Deleantur And Cassander likewise where he sheweth how the old father did vse the words Merite and to merite That When they said Orate this was as if they had said Vtinam oretis c. Deleatur But what reasons will there satisfie these men if they need not any other answer to them but the racing and vtter blotting of them out or what witnesses if there be nothing but away with them to burning CHAP. XVI That man cannot merite eternall life for himselfe much lesse for another where the consideration is first of mans state before regeneration OVr aduersaries as they say do pray vnto Saints because they make intercession for them vnto God but we haue alreadie destroied this foundation And they make intercession for them say they by the power of their merites and that not onely for the procuring of them gifts and graces in this life but also eternall happines in that to come For which cause wee haue next to shew vnto them that so we may not leaue any thing doubtfull That no man can merite with God not eternal life or rather not the least grace of this fraile transitorie life not for any other man no not for himselfe And this we will deale in according to the three estates of man Man in his first estate could not merite Genes 1. Ephes 4. Colos 3. Psalme 19. his integritie or innocencie his fall or transgression and his regeneration Of his integritie it is said That God had created him according to his own image and S. Paul expoundeth it to consist in righteousnesse holinesse and the knoweldge of God c. That he had placed him in Paradise in a place abounding with all felicitie which Dauid calleth placed in honor In so much that he held had both his being his graces and his glorie at the good pleasure of his Creator of his meere free and vndescrued goodnes The abilitie to merite might haue beene great the good deeds only considered but then what abilitie or power can there be to merite of him of whom he holdeth all of him for whom a man can do nothing Let vs admit then that our first father had vsed all these graces perfectly well that he had possessed them in such feare 〈◊〉 awe as he should yea and that he had fulfilled the law as naturally he might yet had he beene able to say after all this but with the same pride which cast him down from his high glorious estate it selfe alone I haue deserued that God should yet further giue me this yea that he should continue vnto me what he hath alreadie giuen mee If we do not wrongfully name and call our merit that pleasure which it pleaseth God to take in adding and bestowing graces vpon his euen grace for grace and glory for glorie to deserue well of vs if I may so say and that so exceeding bountifully and liberallie as that we are not able to merite any thing of him So then here is place for that Iob. 41.1 which God saith in Iob Who is it that gaue me first I wil
Aquitanus moueth a question to this purpose wherefore the iust are called sinners for if they bee iust how are they sinners And if sinners how are they iust Not one of them saith he that liue in this mortall bodie can say that hee is without the contagion of sinne no not those excellent leaders of the flockes of Christes sheepe seèing that he hath enioyned euen them to say Idem in Epigra 46. in Psalme 129. Forgiue vs our trespasses c. Not any one of the Saints how well and commendably so euer hee liue in this world But saith hee in an other place those are called iust because that sinne is dayly taken away and diminished in them that is by the growth and proceeding of regeneration but these are called sinners because that it increaseth in them dayly that is by the increase of the proceeding of their corruption c. As also we alleadged heretofore out of Saint Chrysostome That God to shew that he is only iust and all the rest of the iust and righteous sinners suffered euen the best and most approued to fall c. as Dauid Abraham Peter c. In so much as that the exception would not extend vnto the Virgine Marie Orig. hom in Luc. 17. whome sometimes hee taxeth for her ambition and sometimes for weakenesse of faith c. And Origen goeth further If saith hee shee had not taken offence at the passion of the Lord the Lord hath not died for her sinnes And if all haue sinned and stand in need of the grace of God being iustified and redeemed by his grace then Marie also as who for a time was also offended c. We cease here to repeate many other for that they are before alleadged Wherefore without exception wee are all sinners but from these sinners hauing sinne proceeding and springing from them to the meriting of condemnation can there also proceed workes meriting life and saluation Let vs heare them yet further Origen expounding these words of Saint Paul To him that worketh the reward is not accompted for grace but for a debt c. But I saith he cannot be perswaded that there is any worke that can craue recompence or reward of God as a dew debt c. And hee rendreth a reason Idem in Ep. ad Rom. 4.4 August de verb. Apost Serm. 31. Idem Ep. 54. ad Maced Idem in psalm 142. For the wages of sinne is death but grace is eternall life Saint Augustine Wee are not in this world without sinne but wee shall goe foorth of it without sinne Againe Who so saith that he is without sinne is not in the truth and who so saith that in any worke that is verie well done he is without sinne he deceiueth himselfe For saith hee Neuer did man any good worke with that charitie that he might and ought and therefore euerie man remaineth vniust now the vniust and vnrighteous cannot but sinne in a iust and righteous worke And to be short saith he Charitie is a vertue whereby we loue that which ought to be beloued In some greater in some lesse and in some not at all and in no man growne to such perfection but that it may increase and grow in him as long as he liueth And that lesse measure that any man hath then he should euen that is a vice and such a vice as that it causeth that there is not a iust or righteous man on the earth not one that doth good nay which sinneth not Such a vice as that man whiles he liueth cannot be iustified before God A vice whereof it is said if we say that we haue no sin c. by reason whereof we are to say how well so euer we haue profited Forgiue vs our sins c. Where we see that S. Augustine maintaineth that the want of charity continueth alwaies here being of it selfe sufficient to make insufficient that which we take to be the most sufficient of all our workes Idem Ep. 30. ad Hieronym In a word he cleane cutteth off all Who are they that are blessed Not those in whome God findeth no sinne for hee findeth sinne in all c. Not those that doe good workes for all thy workes saith he are viewed and found to bee wicked And if there should bee giuen and rendred to thee according to that which is due to thy workes without doubt hee should condemne thee for the reward of sinne is death And what is due vnto wicked workes but condemnation But they are blessed whose sinnes are remitted God heapeth not vpon thee the punishment that is due but bestoweth grace fauor vpon thee which is not due or deserued Saint Ambrose saith I hold it for good and sound Ambros de Iacob that we are not iustified by the workes of the Lawe then it must follow that J haue nothing wherefore I should boast my selfe in my workes but rather in Christ. J will not glorifie or boast my selfe as though I were iust but because J am redeemed because I am disburdened and deliuered from sinne but because that my sinnes are forgiuen me not because that I haue helped my selfe therein or yet any other for me Quia profui Idem de vocatione Gent. l. 5. c. 5. but because I haue an aduocate with the Father c. Againe As there is no action so wicked as that it can hinder the gift of grace so there are no workes so excellent as that they may challenge as their due recompence that which is freely giuen For otherwise the redemption of Christ should grow base and contemptible and the prerogatiue of the workes of man should not yeelde and humble it selfe vnder the mercie of God if the iustification which is wrought by his grace were due vnto precedent merites For so it should not be any more the gift of one that giueth but the wages of one which laboureth c. To bee briefe mans merites whether past or to come are not to make vp any part of the price in this purchase Saint Ierome saith What vprightnesse Hieronym in Prou. 20. in Eccle. c. 7. Gregor Nyss l. de orat Bernard Serm. 50. what cleannesse can there be in the liues of the righteous The workes that wee discharge by the ministerie of our bodies are alwayes mingled with some errour Againe We are saith Gregorius Nyssenus taught by the Scripture that there is not any one amongst men to bee found which can passe ouer one day without spot or staine But Saint Barnard though hee liued in an age full of all humane presumptions did notwithstanding hold fast this puritie of doctrine If there be saith hee any righteousnesse in vs it may bee vpright and honest but it can neuer be pure If so be that we will not thinke better of our selues then wee doe of our forefathers all which haue confessed no lesse truely then humbly That all our righteousnesse is as the menstruous clothes of a woman c. For where shall
sufficiently set out this doctrine My merite saith he is no other thing then the mercie of God I am not poore or spare of merites vntill such time as mercies begin to faile I will sing eternally And what Of mine owne righteous workes Nay O Lord I will call to mind thy righteousnesse alone for euen it also is mine For thou art become and made righteousnesse vnto me from God Should J feare that it will not be sufficient for both Nay this is no short cloake Idem Serm. 67.68 that is not able to couer two Thy righteousnesse is righteousnesse and indureth to all eternities This large and long lasting righteousnesse shall couer both thee and me for euer and in me a multitude of sinnes Idem Ep. 190. contr A bailar c. On the contrarie saith he Whereas merite hath forestalled and setled it selfe grace cannot find so much as a doore or any other place to enter at All that thou attributest to merites belongeth vnto the grace of God c. The children new borne stand not in need of merites for they haue the merites of Christ c. For saith he where as man wanted righteousnesse of his owne Aliunde the righteousnesse of an other was assigned vnto him Man was indebted and man paid the debt the satisfaction of one is imputed vnto all the head hath satisfied for the members Colossians 2. c. And what reason should there bee why our righteousnesse should not come from elswhere then from our selues seeing that our sinne came from elsewhere And should sinne be inherent in the seede of the sinner and righteousnesse separated from the bloud of our Sauiour Nay but as they died in Adam so they shall be quickned in Christ J am defiled of the one by the flesh but I take hold of the other by faith And if thou obiect vnto me the sinfulnesse of my birth and generation I set against it my regeneration my spiritual birth against my carnall birth Idem de Caenaâ—â—cmâ—ni Idem l. degrat liber arâ—it He that hath taken pittie vpon the sinner will not condemne the iust And righteous I may be bold to call my selfe but by the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ And what manner of righteousnesse The end of the Law is Christ in righteousnesse to all them that belieue seeing he is made righteousnesse vnto vs from God the father Now if hee haue beene made righteousnesse vnto me is not it mine The righteousnesse then of man consisteth in the bloud of the redeemer c. So farre forth as That it is impossible saith he that the least sinnes should be washed away otherwise then of Christ and by Christ c. And who is he that iustifieth himselfe but he that presumeth of other merites then his grace Incentura And this also is properly to be said to be he that knoweth not the righteousnesse of God it is hee onely that doth meritortous workes which hath made them vpon whome he may bestow them That which we call merites Via regni sed non causa regnandi is the nurcerie of hope the matches and matter to make charitie shine out the signes of a secret predestination the forerunners of a future felicitie and the way whereby to enter into the kingdome but not the cause of raigning c. In as much verily as the kingdome of heauen is an inheritance but the way to come thither is the feare of God manifested saith the Apostle in good workes which God hath prepared to the end that we should walke in them c. Whereby wee may iudge how farre Saint Barnard his doctrine is off from that of our Aduersaries in this point and yet it is not passing three hundred yeares since he writ when as he acknowledgeth no righteousnesse able to iustifie a sinner but the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to the sinner continually vsing this word of imputation whereat they stumble and whereto they oppose and set themselues so much He acknowledgeth not I say any merit but the merit of Christ nor any satisfaction but that which he made for vs vppon the Crosse And he maketh al this to be ours by faith alone Idem in Psal 91. Serm 9. Idem Serm. 10 15. as appeareth by that which followeth Let him saith hee that will pretend his merit it is good for me to put my hope in God God will saue them saith the Psalmist By what merits Heare what coÌ„meth after Because they haue hoped in him Hereby then consider their righteousnesse euen that which is of faith and not that which is of the Law Faith saith Great good things are prepared for the faithfull Hope These good things are reserued for me Charitie I runne thither ward as fast as I can c. In a word all the merit of man is that he haue his hope fixed in him which hath saued euery man c. Idem in Cantic Serm. 24. Epist 190. Whosoeuer findeth in himselfe remorce and compunction for his sinnes hungreth and thirsteth after righteousnesse Let him belieue in thee O Lord which iustifiest the wicked and he shall haue peace with God Being iustified saith he by faith onely For saith he the end of the Law is Christ vnto righteousnesse saith the Apostle vnto euerie belieuer c. CHAP. XIX That good workes are the gift of God and therefore cannot merit and to what vse or ende they serue according to the holy Scriptures and the fathers WHat then Are our workes vnprositable God forbid Whereunto good workes serue They are vnprofitable to iustifie thee before God and yet no doubt profitable to iustifie that is to say to testifie thy faith before the Church vnprofitable to make thee a Sonne to make thee an heyre but profitable liuely to set forth and truely to point out a Sonne a child of the promise in as much as thou liuest according to God in that thou indeuorest to edifie his elect and chosen For saith the Apostle wee are created in Christ vnto good workes which God hath prepared Eph. 2 2. Cor. 5. 1. Pet 2. to the end that we might walke in them He is dead he is risen againe for vs but it is to that end that wee may liue vnto him that we may die vnto sinne and liue vnto righteousnesse Hee hath deliuered vs from the seruitude of sinne and from the power of darknesse Rom 13. Iam. 2. 1. Timoth. 5. Rom. 8. but to the end that we might serue vnto righteousnesse that we might renounce the workes of darknesse and put on the armour of light Be cause that Faith without workes is dead Because that Who so saith that he knoweth God and doth not his commaundements is a lyer And because that Wee are debters to liue according to the spirit and not according to the flesh And therefore if we haue not loue The loue wee beare to God must not consider thereward but our obedience and dutiful regard Iohn 3.
we haue not faith we are not of God we haue nothing to pretend wherfore we haue any right or part in his inheritance But certainely that which we doe if we bee the true children of God we doe it not for the inheritaunce that were in some sort too seruile a thing but rather in consideration of the great bountifulnesse and louing kindnesse of God who hath so loued the world yea which hath in particular so loued vs as to haue giuen his onely Sonne vnto death to the end that belieuing in him we might haue eternall life Who furthermore hath manifested this secrete vnto vs hath giuen vs to belieue therein hath iustified vs in his Sonne and hath sanctified vs by his holy spirit because that this great loue and fauour of God towards vs most miserable wretches ought to beget a loue in vs which may mak vs to loue him alone and that for himselfe which may cause vs to renounce our selues for him and which may make vs loue our neighbours in him Not to procure vs thereby the celestiall Paradice but for the loue of himselfe Nay to loose a Paradice for him if we cannot haue it but without him Such ought to be our loue towards God as that it ought to bee intirely and wholly set on him and cleane and free from all respect of reward or punishment As likewise the good child obeyeth not his father because he is the heire this were an euill signe but naturally because he is a Sonne Neither is he heire because he obeyeth but because he is a child a child who by obeying cannot merite this inheritaunce for it is his part and dutie who notwithstanding by disobeying might loose it and that euerie houre in as much certainely as the inheritance dependeth vpon the father and that grace is lost by ingratitude if it be not renued supported by the goodnesse of the father a bountifull goodnesse descending more freely from the father to the Sonne then it ascendeth from the Sonne to the father And this againe is the cause The loue of God the gift of God wherefore it is a gift of God that this loue of God which worketh good workes in vs this loue of God which hath begotten vs for children to him in the bloud of Christ euen that this same loue should giue vs to be true children and should giue vs to loue God by the operation of his spirit This free loue I say of the Lord which hath iustified vs in his bloud and sanctified vs by his spirit in as much as the merit of Christ worketh not only to the obtaining of the remission of our sinnes A double or two fold righteousnesse but both of them the gift of God Rom. 6. in that we die in him but also to the giuing of his holy spirit vnto vs which renueth the spirit of our vnderstanding to the end that wee may liue to him And yet in the meane time both the one and the other gift is called righteousnesse the former that is the imputation of the righteousnesse of Christ for the remission of our sinnes when it is said Abraham belieued and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse The latter that is the operation and working of his holy spirit renuing vs from daie to day from the outward man to the inward and from the old to the new when it is said 1. Ioh. 2. That we are freed and set at libertie from sinne to serue vnto righteousnesse Againe Whosoeuer worketh righteousnesse is borne of God c. But these two sortes of righteousnesse though they both proceede from one and the same fountaine of liberalitie are farre differing the one from the other That as which is able to stand out against the anger of God at all assaies because it is the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to euerie faithfull man by the which he is iustified that is to say quit before God not as one that hath paide the full paiment but as one that hath obtained an acquittance and absolute discharge and that by hauing seene the hand writing defaced and the Bill of debt cancelled and therefore he is called Blessed to whome sinne is not imputed c. This as which can neuer make it selfe able to discharge vs of our debt toward God as making vs day by day more indebted vnto him by reason of that contradiction betwixt the fleshe and the spirit and by the making heauie and sad of the spirit of God within vs Wherupon also the Apostle crieth out of himselfe Who shall deliuer me from this mortall bodie c. And this little righteousnesse notwithstanding as also sanctification which appeareth in our workes is euermore the gift of God grace for grace in as much as those whome he hath iustified 1. Cor. 9. he hath also sanctified hee hath giuen vs faith and the spirit and both to belieue and to do Wherupon the Lord againe thus setteth vpon vs and saith What hast thou that thou hast not receiued Who hath giuen vnto me first and I will repay it him againe c. You are not your owne For you are bought with a price c. Why it is called a reward The word Merit vnknowne to the Scripture Eccles 16. And notwithstanding in as much as Godlinesse hath the promises of this life and of the life to come God vouchsafeth sometimes to call it hyre which hee giueth vs of his free promises hyre promised by him but not deserued by vs a reward whereof he is become debter vnto himselfe that so he might crowne his own gifts vnto the faithfulnesse I say of his owne promises and not to the sufficiencie of our merits For as concerning the word Merit it is not to bee found in the whole Scripture the word it selfe is no lesse new then the doctrine that followeth vpon it In Ecclesiast 16. whence they alleadge Euerie man shall find according to the merit of his workes Hebr. 13. Their Glose hath noted Placetur Deo To the Hebrewes likwise where they Translate Talibus hostiis promeretur Deus by such sacrifices God is merited that is by giuing and distributing of their goods the Greeke saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is well pleased But let vs yet further heare the testimonies laide downe in the writings of the fathers The Lord Iesus saith Saint Ambrose Is come to fasten our sufferings to his Crosse Thus haue the old writers spoken Ambros de Incob vita beata l. 1. c. 5. and to forgine vs our sinnes In his death we are iustified c. Now as our sinnes are forgiuen vs in his death that in his death also the passions sufferings of our flesh might die that they might bee nailed to with his nailes Let vs liue and conuerse with Christ let vs seeke and search with Christ the things that are heauenly Wee are renued in the spirit let vs walke in the spirit let vs not cast our selues into new billes of debt by
vsed in this signification Proponant Collat. Carthag 1. 3. qui ista elicere meruerunt saith Petilian the Donatist that is to say obtinuerunt for there he speaketh of his Aduersaries Emeritus the Donatist in the same sence Quis supplicauit quis legem meruit quis iudicium postulauit Inferring that seeing the Orthodoxes had obtained and procured the Decree of the conference that it also belonged vnto them to begin the first More plainely in the Oration and speech made by one Habet-deus a Bishop To say nothing saith hee of the Christian bloud shed by Leontius Vrsatius Macarius Paulus c. and other executioners Quos in Sanctorum necem a Principibus seculi meruerunt Whome the common people obtained and procured from the Emperours or secular Princes to murther the Saints And further euen in their own praiers it cannot be otherwise interpreted or maintained Excita Domine potentiam tuam subueniat misericordia tua vt ab imminentibus peccatorū nostrorum periculis te mereamur veniente eripi aut saluari A wake O Lord and stirre vp thy power let thy mercie succour vs to the end that by thy comming we may merite to be deliuered from the daunger at hand procured by our sinnes c. To merite to be deliuered or saued by the mercie or by the power of God can it bee otherwise meant then that they might be made worthie in that powerfull mercie In some others Graunt vnto vs to come before Christ with righteous workes to the end that wee being set as fellow companions on his right hand we may merite to possesse the kingdome Te largiente c. Graunt vnto vs to be his fellow companions in the kingdome of grace as we haue merited to haue him to participate our nature in the wombe of the Virgine Is there any man that can make any other sence of this praier An other somewhat further fetcht Graunt vnto vs that wee may sensibly perceiue the holy Virgine to make intercession for vs Me uimus by whose meanes we haue merited to receiue the author of life How can wee merite by our workes the incarnation of the Sonne of God whether it were before hee came or since his comming if we doe not take the meaning according to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bee reputed worthie Saint Ambrose likewise speaking of the water of Baptisme O aqua quae Sacramentum Christi esse meruisti O water which hast desirued to be the Sacrament of Christ c. And how can this bee vnderstood any otherwise being spoken of a creature without life Infinite such other places may easily bee cited of vs out of the fathers And in deed in certaine Collects Cassand in Hymn Eccles f. 4◠Index Expurg f. 36. 38. in stead of Meruimus there is put Valeamus that is to say We may And Cassander confesseth that it must bee so vnderstoode but our Fathers of Trent haue therefore caused it to haue a dashe too many with the Penne in all his bookes But in nothing is their mind and meaning better manifested then in the interpretation which they giue both to the word Merite to proue no meriting as also to the word Reward Hillar Can. 20 in Math. super illud Idem in Psal 51. Donauit Idem in Psal 142. Basil in Psal 7. August in Psal 109.118.102 to proue that it is not but of grace Saint Hillarie The verie workes of righteousnesse would not suffer a man to merite perfect blisse if the mercie of God should not furnish and fit him for the same Againe Wages cannot come in the nature of a gift they are due for worke wrought but God hath giuen vnto vs all of meere gift and free grace by iustification which is of faith And againe Remission of sinnes is not a merite of honestie but a pardon and fauour flowing from a free will c. But in the meane time the wages of the good are called a retribution Yea saith Saint Basill but according to the custome of the Scripture which saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 retribution or recompence for a gift and he retributeth or recompenseth that is to say giueth Saint Augustine In the way of faith such are held for no sinners to whome their sinnes are not imputed God is made our debter not in receiuing any thing from vs but in promising so great things vnto vs. Idem de verb. Apost Ser. 22. Let vs be glad and reioyce for wee haue ouercome because that we are ouercome in our selues because that we haue ouercome in him Him saith hee which crowneth thee because he crowneth his gifts and not thy merites yea hee crowneth them saith the Psalme In miseratione misericordia In compassion and mercie And not in thee only O man wosoeuer thou art But in thy selfe also O thou Apostle how great so euer thou maist be Idem hom 50. hom 14. I haue fought a good fight saiest thou c. The Lord which is a iust and righteous iudge shall render me a crowne he is indebted the same What shall he render or repaie vnto thee He shall render me it for he is a iust iudge He cannot refuse to paie any man his wages and hyre hauing perused and taken a view of the worke I haue fought a good fight that is one worke I haue finished my course that 's one worke and kept the faith that is a worke Jt remaineth that I should receiue the crowne of righteousnesse that is the wages Nay saith he for the wages thou hast no power to commaund the same at all and in the worke thine owne power goeth not alone The crowne belongeth onely vnto him to giue where it pleaseth the worke is of thee but not without his aide and helpe When as therefore thou saiest he recompenceth good deedes this is as if that he hauing preuented himselfe in giuing of good things should retribute and make recompence for the same with other fresh and new good things He retributeth them but vnto such good things as he hath alreadie giuen to the good fight to be finished course and to the faith kept For if he haue not giuen them 1. Tim 4. wherefore then saiest thou I haue trauelled more then they al And yet not J but the grace of God in me And if he haue not giuen thee to finish the race wherefore is it againe that thou shouldest say it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercie And if he gaue thee not the grace to keepe the faith is it not in vaine for vs to keepe and indeuour to watch and keepe ward if God doe not gard and keepe c. Beare with me O Apostle I see not any thing of thine owne but that which is euill and naught Pardon me Apostle thus we affirme and speake because thou hast so taught I beare thee confessing and acknowledging Gods goodnesse I doe not heare thee
vnthankefull I do not see thee to haue any thing that thou hast prepared and gotten of thy selfe but what is euill And therefore when God crowneth thy merits he crowneth nothing but his owne gifts c. Now if the merites for which the wages are pretended as due be gifts then by a stronger reason the wages giuen to these merites which are gifts must needes be a gift Idem in Serm. 141. de Temp. Psal 16. As God cannot giue any thing againe to vs because he cannot haue receiued any thing from vs neither certainly can we retribute or giue any thing againe to him for his gifts for our goodnesse doth not extend or reach to him Thou hast nothing saith he to giue againe vnto him for thou expectest and lookest to receiue all from him Dauid sought on euerie side and looked diligently about him what he might retribute and giue vnto the Lord and what found he I will take saith he the cup of saluation Thou thoughtst to haue rendred and giuen but behold thou takest more and more and if thou take then thou inwrappest thy selfe in deeper debt how long then wil it be before thou become fit to retribute and to recompence c. In an other place Grace goeth before thy merite for merit is of grace and not grace of merite for if thou hast purchased grace by thy merit Idem de verb. Apost Ser. 15. then thou hast it not freely But it is said Thou shalt saue them for nothing And what is this for nothing That is thou findest nothing in them to saue them and yet thou sauest them Thou forgiuest them freely Thou sauest them freely thou goest before all merits to the end that thy gifts may purchase thine owne merits freely and because thou knowest no matter to saue but much to condemne c. This is the burthen of Saint Augustines song in all his writings Idem in sent 95. No man ascendeth vp into the heauenly Ierusalem that declareth not manifestly that it is not of his owne worke and doing but of the gift of God Otherwise saith he it should be a debt it should be a hire and deserued wages it could not be well called grace Grace is not giuen to merits but merits are giuen by grace shake off and cast away all thy good merites and thou shalt find nothing but my free gifts And therefore verily euen in thy wages nothing but my graces And therefore saith he Idem de verb. Apost Serm. 2. in Psa 51. Ep. 105. Eternal life it selfe which is the certaine wages of good workes is called by the Apostle the grace of God For saith he death is the reward of sinne but the grace of God is eternall life c. And the merites of a good man are the gifts of God whereunto eternall life being giuen what can this bee but grace for grace Barnard de Serm. Sepulch Saint Barnard God hath chosen vs in his Sonne by the spirit which is of God charitie is spred and shed into our hearts But this spirituall birth and generation is not felt or perceiued in the flesh but in the heart and that by them onely that can say with Saint Paul But wee haue the sence and feeling of Christ c. And therefore saith he Idem Serm. 30 in Cantic When we are busied in our hearts about euill and wicked matters they are our owne thoughts but when about good godly matters it is the word of God And therefore God speaketh in vs peace godlinesse and righteousnesse and these things we thinke not of by our selues we heare them in vs but the blasphemies the murthers c. those wee heare not but we vtter c. But it maketh no great matter for vs to know how it commeth to passe that such wickednesse is in vs prouided alwayes that we know it to be there c. Or rather that there is matter of errour and that such as is damnable if we attribute and giue to our selues that which is of God in vs thinking that the visitation of the word that is to say of the eternall word is our owne proper thought Proles Cordis Idem Serm. 67 68. Wherefore the sufficiencie of the heart is of the grace of God and whatsoeuer good thing wee thinke it is the voice of God and not any birth begotten of our owne hearts c. Againe I conceiue and take that which is mine to be mine owne for it is grace that maketh me freely iustified c. Thy merit saith the Lord had no stroke in the matter but it was my good will and pleasure The Church hath bene preuented by a former grace and after it commeth yet an other grace c. Neither hath the Church any neede to take care for merit seeing it hath wherein more certainely to glorie Idem Serm. 13 in Cantic In proposito Dei in the purpose that is to say in the decree and sentence of the Almightie who saith I will doe it for mine owne sake c. And from whence saith he commeth thy glorying rotten and stinking dust that thou art Idem delib arbitr Quid praemii From thy holinesse But it is the holy Ghost that sanctifieth thee thy holinesse is of God and not thine owne c. Againe How saith he may J commend the grace of God may some man say vnto me If God doe all what recompence doest thou looke for I answere He hath giuen me to will let him also giue me the abilitie to performe the worke And where are then our merits saith he Giue eare Not workes saith the Apostle c. For what our will or desire was that came through belieuing grace that it became better and amended that also was the effect of grace c. And we must not saith he a little after seeke or search after merits for mercie alone doth saue Saluation is of the Lord Saluation that is the Lord The way to saluation that is the Lord Tam nostra opera quà m eius praemia sunt Dei munera Both our workes and his rewardes and wages are the giftes of God c. who worketh in vs all our good thoughts good desires and good deedes But where shall bee then according to the old fathers either merit properly so called when the good worke is of God or else the reward seeing the euill commeth of vs And who seeth not that which wee haue obserued heretofore in many other points that the pride of man which puffeth vp it selfe and swelleth as bigge as it can of an ill Grammer construction to haue made in this point a peece of worse Diuinitie louing rather to exact eternall life of God as a hirelings wages then to receiue it at his bountifull and liberall hand for an inheritance after the manner of a Sonne But say they Assurednesse in the mercie of God is humilitie and not pride your selues are the proud persons which dare bee so bold as to
their course they are crossed by the Epistles of Paul written to the Romaines and Galathians for in them he opposeth and setteth against their righteousnesse of workes that which is of faith and grace giuing them to consider the enormitie of sinne and the soundnesse and sinceritie of the righteousnesse of God In summe he bringeth them backe to the seeking out of their saluation in the Crosse of Christ their blessednesse and righteousnesse in that that he is made a curse and sinne for them And yet notwithstanding this doctrine being of the nature of that old Serpent cannot be so cut in peeces by the sword of Gods word but that it taketh hold againe and knitteth together And so much the rather Merit maintained by the Philosophers brought into the Church by how much the flocking of the Gentiles into the Church was the greater to whome it was plausible as agreeing with the Philosophie of the world and their free will the fountaine of all mans presumption and ouerweening beeing admitted into the bodie of Diuinitie by the Greeke Doctors who sprung out of the same Schoole more easily then was either meete or needfull Now the chiefe brocher of the same was one Pelagius a Briton borne about the yeare 400. in the Latine Church who had beene a Monke in Syria and had many other Monkes his followers Merit of workes confuted But God raised vp vnto vs also in those times to withstand this doctrine Saint Ierome Prosper Aquitanus Fulgentius Primasius and other great persons who sharply confuted and gainesaid the same and aboue all one Saint Augustine Resistance and head made against the same who ouerthrew all the foundations of the same who also tooke occasion by this stumbling stone to plucke vp by the rootes all manner of presumption and preiudicate opinions which in the former times had crept into the Church by the meanes of Circumcision Paganisme the Law or Philosophie What followed hereupon He should haue rooted out men and all so deepely had this sprout taken roote in man For no sooner was Saint Augustine departed this world but this heresie sprung vp a new in a Monke called Cassianus meanely learned taking his beginning to the end hee might find a more easie and plausible entrance at a third Assertion consisting of a meane or middle nature betwixt the doctrine of Saint Augustine and Pelagius and by this meanes preuailed and was approued of verie greatly in our Countrie of France who yet found presently there to withstand and refell him the foresaid Prosper Aquitanus and certaine others This man at that time taught that many attained grace without grace by the only power of free will That man crauing the same of himselfe it was giuen him and afterward grew and increased according to the proportion of his merits That as fully there might be certaine men found who how vnwilling so euer they might be were notwithstanding made partakers of this grace through pure and meere grace Thus making two sortes of Christians one saued by free will and the other freely by grace That it was in the power of man after his fall of himselfe to doe good workes yea to merit eternall life But what saith Prosper thereupon vnto him Who if any others was mightie in the Scriptures And here it stood him vpon to haue alleadged him wholly Verily that it behoued him to haue firmely held the doctrine of Saint Paule being most excellently expounded by Saint Augustine and accordingly hee draweth our Countrie men thereunto most learnedly That no man obtaineth grace but of pure and meere grace That they that flie thereunto through the feare of death and those which runne thereto with a ioyfull hope are helped and assisted thereunto by one and the same grace That man in Adam hath lost all the meanes of comming vnto eternall life all the seedes of pietie and vertue That who so attributeth our merits vnto any other then God or vnto man any other thing but his deserts doth greatly erre and speake against the scriptures were he a Iob a Prophete or an Apostle the law hauing beene giuen to no other end but to condemne vs and consequently to make vs to be altred and chaunged by grace And yet notwithstanding all this this said heresie and naturall claime of nature against grace doth not cease continually to returne and swimme aloft being relieued by the Monkes the Pharisies of these latter times blowen vp and kindled by the common people who willingly hold and suffer themselues to be perswaded that their saluation is of themselues neglected by the succeeding Bishops the most part of thē being ignorant maintained by the grosse palpable darknesse which for a long time vnder the ouerflowing of barbarisme did couer all the world God notwithstanding not suffering this truth of saluation in the saith of one only Christ to be chooked extinguished as is easie to be verified by the writings of the most famous renowned that haue liued heretofore For Greg. saith We are redeemed by grace Anno 600. Gregor in c. 28 Iob. l. 18. c 22. Non nostri Conaminis sed diuinae dignation is who so should giue but their right vnto all our good workes in stead of giuing vnto them Christ should giue vnto them sharpe and seuere punishment For it is one thing that man meriteth by righteousnes an other thing which he receiueth by grace Again It resteth not in our power to attaine and come by the inwarde light but herein euen for that God hath vouchsafed to bestow it vpon vs For how oft doe we begge and craue it with inward sighes and gronings Et in eius amaenitates recipi non meremur neither doe wee deserue that is to say and affirme with a witnesse Wee are not reputed or thought worthy to receiue it at his pleasure and at another time all at a blow the grace of God will assist and help vs c. Againe Without him there should some become Saints and holy men if a man without the gift of the onely begotten Sonne Idem in 3. cap. Iob. l. 5. c. 8. could possiblie attaine the gift of sanctification But who is he that dare build himselfe as on a certaintie vpon men when hee cannot possiblie doe it vppon Angels Againe Our righteousnes being examined with the righteousnes of God is vnrighteousnes In destructione iudicis Looke what is glortous in the eye of the workman is nothing but dirt and dung being tried by the Iudge And therefore Saint Paule hath said I find not my selfe greatly guiltie in any thing but by and by he addeth and yet am I not therefore iustified c. And againe I am restored to life Idem in cap. 9. Iob. l. 2. c. 11. in c. 28. l. 18 c. 22. Idem in cantic canticor not by hauing merited but by being pardoned And as for them which boast themselues of being saued by their merits they are contrarie vnto themselues for whiles they desire
the dutie of the righteousnesse and iustice of God Rom 8.18 Cleane contrarie to that which Saint Paule saith But eternall life is the grace of God c. The miseries of this life that is to say the tortures and torments that we suffer for the name of Christ Are not worthie Non sunt condignae of the glorie which is to come c. As if they would vse this word Condignum of purpose in despite of the Apostle Durand l. 2. D 18. q. 4. art 12. Arist 8. Ethic. And Durand likewise saith in plaine tearmes That no man can merit Deâ—condigno according to the iustice of God either commutatiuely or distributiuely That such merit hath his place in the dealing betwixt man and man but not with God that the Philosopher teacheth vs That in things that concerne God Fathers and Mothers there is no equiualencie or equalitie That to gainesay the same cannot bee without temeritie and blasphemie That though God should not giue eternall glorie to him that should die in grace yet hee could not be called vniust no not though hee should take it away from him that had it On the contrarie that God might say vnto him that which is in the Gospell May I not doe with mine owne as best liketh me And what should such a partie haue to replie but onely the saying of Iob The Lord gaue it me and the Lord hath taken it away from me c. Jn as much as euerie good thing whatsoeuer is of the free gift of God c. Afterward Thomas had said That there was some manner of meanes for man to fulfill the Law although not in the highest degree and most absolute manner yet after a meaner and weaker fashion But these men say much more That it may not onely bee perfectly fulfilled but things much more difficult as namely some such as whereunto wee are not any way bound and therefore bee called and are workes of Supererogation And that as by the fulfilling of the Law wee purchase eternall life vnto our selues so by the working of that which is ouer and aboue the Law we purchase the same for others In which ranke the traditions of men are reckoned and placed Deut. 12. Numb 15 Esay 1.29 Mat. 15. as also their voluntarie deuotions afflictions affected fastings whippings and beating c. Of all which things God hath said vnto vs Doe not that which seemeth right in your eyes but that which I haue commaunded you Who hath required such things at your hands It is in vaine that you worship me according to the precepts of men c. To bee short a graie Frier became so shamelesse in the Councell of Trent as to declaime expounding the second Chapter of the Epistle to the Romaines That those who had liued before the Lawe had obtained eternall life without the faith of Christ. And wee reade in a booke intituled Flosculi B. Francisci That all those that were come into the world since the time of Saint Frances calling vpon him were saued by him And wee haue seene it that to weare his hoode was held for a second Baptisme to die in his hood or to put his hand onely in the same at the time of death with an intent to weare it as worthie a worke as to suffer martyrdome And what shal we say when as yet to this day to beare about blessed graines cast Pictures and such other the Romish marchandise are accompted to be as so many steps to lift a man vp into Paradise Romish ceremonies or to bring him backe out of Purgatorie When as also their Agnus Dei are consecrated with this blasphemie That they may haue the same power to deliuer vs out of the power of the Diuell that the Sonne of God the vnspotted Lambe slaine and offered vpon the Altar of the Crosse had to blot out our sinnes to obtaine our pardon and to relieue vs with grace and that such grace as whereby we may both merit and receiue eternall life We were come then so farre neither can we yet get out that we would not be any more indebted vnto God and withall we had robbed him if it had bin possible of the honour of our creation So mightily had pride masked vnder the shadow of humility wrought in vs as that we failed not willingly to arme our selues with our owne righteousnesse and therein to wrastle against his whereas indeed our miserie should haue brought vs on our knees and haue taught vs to implore and sue for his mercie Yet all these monstrous blasphemies were not vncontrolled For as S. Paul opposed himselfe to them of the Circumcision S. Augustine against Pelagius and S. Bernard against Abailardus and others of his time so in this age wherein the Schoolemen and Mendicant Friers stept foorth for the vpholding and fortifying of the same the Waldenses and Albigenses did oppose themselues thereunto of whose Articles this was one That euerie belieuer is iustified by onely faith in Christ c. Wickliefe in England in the yeare 1400. in the open Vniuersitie Profess fidei Waldens ad Vladislaum reg Iohn Hus and Ierome of Prague in the yeare 1415. in the Councell of Constance and Ierome Sauonarola in the yeare 1490. or there about whose bookes are so full of most excellent places for the prouing of free iustification against the pretended merits of whatsoeuer Saints or Martyrs as that it would beseeme vs to set them downe here word for word and the rather because hee was a man so highly esteemed of in Italy Tota meditat in Psal 5 1. as that the Counte Picus Mirandula called him the holy Prophet and tooke vpon him boldly to defend him in a booke written to that purpose against the Pope And what shall we say Adrian 6. in 4. Sent. when they themselues in our time vpon the beginning of the reformation of Religion were euen ashamed thereof Certes Adrian of Vtrecht who was afterward Pope Adrian the sixth saith plainely Our merits are a staffe of Reede whereupon if a man leane it breaketh and the shiuers therof runne into his hand Our righteousnesse a defiled cloth vpon this cloth of a good life which we haue a purpose to weaue vp with the workes of righteousnesse we continually distill and let droppe Clithou in Cant. the purulent and filthâ—â— matter of diuers crimes c. And Clithouius said at Paris Our merits are none before God vnto whome wee owe all our good workes if there be any such are not good vnto him but through his goodnesse our righteousnesse is nothing but filthinesse c. In like manner Iohannes Ferus a graie Frier whom they haue in our daies tearmed to be the chiefe and principall Preacher and Doctor in all Germanie is censured by Dominicus a Soto a Iacobine and Spaniard in 67. places but principally for hauing spoken euill of this Article according to their intention in his Commentaries In whose defence one Michael Medina a Spanish gray
reputed for the seede There is question then about this faith In controuersies we must haue recourse to the Scriptures and euerie man saith that he hath it To know of what side Christ is and euery man betaketh himselfe to him as his ayde and thereupon all Christendome liueth in suspence and doubt or in trouble But my brethren let vs not beleeue men Men saith our Lord himselfe who know not of their owne vnderstanding either from whence he commeth or whether he goeth The spirits of men saith the spirit of God which are not able to comprehend his wayes In a Sea so vnknowne to man in these gulfes so perillous we cannot attaine to the deliuering of any sure and certaine speech from other where then God himselfe from the father who hath spoken from heauen shewed vs the sonne Matth. 17.5 Iohn 5.3 9. Psal 19. 2. Tim. 3. and said vnto vs heare him from the son who crieth vnto vs in the midst of the Temple in the heate of the Pharisies and all these great doctors their disputations Search you the Scriptures diligently and from the holie Ghost who hath said to vs They cause the eyes to see they giue vnderstanding to children by the Apostles they are inspired of God they make the man of God euen the Euangelist and teacher himselfe instructed vnto euerie good worke and wise vnto saluation Our fathers say some vnto you beleeued as well liued as well whereto serue these alterations Verily if you vnderstand this of your carnall fathers then what other thing doe you say S. Bern. Epi. 91 besides that which the Iewes said to our Lord or which the Turkes or Iewes may not yet say vnto vs How farre better saith Saint Bernard speaking of the reformation necessarie in the Church Let them be cast behinde both me and you which say we will not liue better then our fathers If of the spirituall as of those that haue begotten vs to Christ then who are they but the Apostles and the holie fathers that followed them And what say we herein but by their mouthes And who is there to leade vs more from customes to the lawe from traditions to the holie Scriptures Irenaeus saith The Apostles preached the Gospel Iren. l. 3. c. 1. 11. con h. ret Tradiderunt Iust Mart in Dialog cum Tryphon in exposit fid and afterward by the will of God deliuered it vs in the Scriptures that so it might be the foundation and pillar of our faith Iustinus Martyr We must fixe our faith vpon God and his onlie instructions not vpon mans Traditions we must haue recourse to the Scriptures to the ende we may finde assurednesse in all things c. That Dauid that the Euangelists that the Epistles of the Apostles doe teach vs Tert. con Hermog Cum Apostolis senti c. Tertullian I doe not receiue or admit of that which thou bringest of thine owne without any Scripture If thou bee an Apostolicall writer be furnished with the doctrine of the Apostles c. Bring backe the heretikes to the Scriptures and so saieth hee they will not bee able to maintaine themselues What would he haue said then at this day of our pretended Catholikes who abhorre nothing more then to bee drawne backe to the Scriptures Verilie and without all doubt the same which he saith of these heretikes Heretici sunt lucifugae Scripturarum Like Owles they flie from the light of the Scriptures Wherefore if that which thou speakest be not written beware of that Vae that curse which is pronounced by the spirit of God against them which adde vnto the Scriptures S. Cyprian Cypr. de laps in Epist 74. Doe the Martyrs commaund any thing to be done But what if it bee not written in the law of the Lord. c That saith he must bee done which is written for so God appointed Iosua wee must haue good regard to see if it bee written in the Gospel in the Epistles of the Apostles or their acts for if it be then such holy traditions must be obserued and kept Traditions as we see contained in the Scriptures for so did the fathers vse this worde and not for all that which may be imagined in mans braine prouided that it be of continuance and toleration Origen Orig. in Ierem. in 25. in Matth. Wee must call the holie Scriptures to witnesse without these witnesses the sence and expositions which we giue them worke no beleefe VVhatsoeuer the golde bee which is without the Temple yet it is not sanctified and as litle that sense which is besides the Scripture Athanasius Athan. contr Idol ad Iouinian in 2. orat contra Arrios de interpret Psalm in Synopsi Theodor. l. 1. Socrat. l. 1. 5 Basi de ver fid in Mora◠Regu 26. 80 The holy Scriptures are sufficient of thēselues for the demonstrating of the truth The stones wherewith the heretikes are to be stoned are fetcht from hence they are the Mistresses of the true faith the anchors and props of our c. And this is the cause why in the disputation against the Arrians Constantine the Emperor breaking the array vnto the Councell of Nice appointeth not any other weapons The Euangelicall bookes saith he as also those of the Apostles and Prophets doe teach vs euidently whatsoeuer wee must beleeue Let vs gather from thence the deciding of our controuersies Saint Basil It is a most euident signe of infidelitie and pride to go about to bring in any vnwritten thing for the Lord hath said My sheepe heare my voyce and follow not the voice of any other c. Whatsoeuer we doe or speake must bee confirmed from thence for the beleefe of the good cōfusion of the wicked Euery faithful man hath this proper to him not to adde any thing thereto neither yet to ordaine any new thing for whatsoeuer it is that is besides the Scripture is not of faith Ambros de vocat Gent. l. 2. c. 3. in lib de Parad. c. 12. and therefore is sinne Saint Ambrose VVhere the Scriptures speake not who shal speake VVe must adde nothing to the commaundement howe good soeuer it be who so addeth thereto any thing of his owne argueth it of imperfection c. Saint Hierome The Church of Christ which dwelleth well Hieronym in Mich. l. 1. in ps 98. in Ezeen c. 3. in Agg. c. 1 in Mat. c. 23. in Esa c. 8. and all ouer the world c hath her townes the law the Prophets the Gospel the Apostles It goeth not beyond her limits that is to say the holy Scriptures VVhatsoeuer we say must be auouched from thence The Scriptures are our true meate and our true drinke of this wood is the house of wisdome built whatsoeuer is not authorized by them should be contemptible to vs is likewise striken with the sword of God who so is desirous to deliuer himself out of any doubt let him go thither but
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.
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirits which serue God his children Heb. 1. as his officers c. But let vs further grant vnto them that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place doth signifie how that they celebrated the holy Sacrament what can they gather from thence if so be that they haue not first proued that the supper is the Masse yea further let it be granted theÌ„ that it doth signifie to sacrifice what other thing wil this proue to be Epiphan haeres 79. against the Collyridians theÌ„ as Epiphanius saith that they sacrificed the Gospell throughout the whole world speaking especially by name of Paule Barnabas and others mentioned in that place According as S. Paule likewise calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sacrifice the Gospell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 15.16 And yet in the meane time they doe nothing but play vpon the ignorance of the world which with shamelesse faces they go about to make belieue that the Masse is found in such writers as in deede neuer thought of it translating out of the old writers these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into this sence namely to say Masses to celebrate Masses c. whereas in deed they signifie no other thing then to preach to assemble to celebrate the supper to administer c. I am ashamed to refute the inuention of one of this time Genebr in the Lithurgie of Denis which hath perswaded himselfe that the Apostles did sing their first Masse vpon the day of Pentecost and that he could find it in the old Testament seeing himselfe put out of the new And his reason is most excellent for so it pleaseth them to sport themselues with the scriptures It must needes be saith he that this was the day of the comming downe of the holy Ghost vpon the Apostles following that which our Sauiour Christ said in S. Iohn The words that I tel you are spirit life Act. 2.42 There is some question moued about that place in the Acts where it is said That they did perseuere in the doctrine of the Apostles in communicating in breaking of bread and prayers from whence he deriueth the whole matter at one iumpe namely that this day S. Iames began to say Masse And his proofe is that in the old Testament God had ordained that on the day of Pentecost there should be offred vp vnto him a new cake for an oblation which is called in Leuiticus Minha Hadascha In Deut. saith he Missath Nidbath Leuit. 23.16 Minha Hadascha Deuter. 16.10 Missath Nidbath Of this word therefore he will make the Masse to take his original as ordained instituted in this place by way of prophecie and fulfilled and accomplished on the day of Pentecost by Saint Iames. Vnto this he ioyneth a graue and weightie coniecture For saith he before it was onely said that they perseuered in praier and not in the communion and breaking of bread c. In stead that he should haue considered that this word perseuere cannot properly be referred to any thing which is but in beginning to be done and yet how in that place it is equally and indifferently affirmed both of the communion and breaking of bread as also of their praiers But let vs come to the foundation thereof In the place which he alleadgeth these words are contained Missath nidbath iadecha Thou shalt keepe saith he a solemne feast of weekes vnto the Lord thy God in bringing the free will offrings of thy hand The Greeke saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to thy power Which thou shalt offer according as the Lord thy God hath blessed thee Who seeth not that this ordinance extendeth it selfe vnto all and euery one of the people to offer their first fruits vnto the Lord according to that blessing which hath been receiued And who is it that hath any smattering in the Hebrew which knoweth not that Nibdath is to be vnderstood to signifie a thing which is freely willingly giuen by euery one according as he is touched in his conscience by the due consideration of his power abilitie as for example is to bee seene in that contribution which was made for the building of the Tabernacle in which place this word is ordinarily vsed And what is there then in common betwixt the Masse the offering of one onely priest and a contribution rising from euerie particular man amongst the people betwixt his host and the first fruits betwixt the Son of God whom they make men belieue to be there offred vp these new fruits But if he thinke to strengthen his cause make it good only by reason of the name how coÌ„meth it to passe then that so many expositors both old new yea and diuers who cannot please themselues but by running much into allegories haue not once so much as pointed at the Masse As Origen Origen in homil 13. in Leuit. S. Hieronim in Aggeum notwithstanding that he translated the institutioÌ„ of the shew-bread in this place vnto the holy Supper S. Ierome although he expound this feast very particularly citing expounding this same place vpon Haggee But much more how commeth it to passe that this word once indowed by S. Iames if we belieue this inuentioÌ„ with this sence signification hath not still retained it and passed it along from church to church as it befell vnto many Christians first broached and springing vp in Antioch How lyeth it buried foure hundred yeares after in deep and deadly silence not any old either Grecian or Latinist so much as once renewing the memory of the same And what should be the happy influence of this time that should reuiue set it vp againe Why was it not preserued amongst the Orientall Lithurgies which they beare vs in hand to bee of so high a price and valewe aswell as many other Hebrew wordes namely Amen Hosanna Hallelu-iah Sabaoth Pascha and others At the least why was it not retained in that Lithurgie of Ierusalem in the Syriacke tongue if it were vsed vttered in this sence out of the mouth of so great and famous an Apostle vpon so solemne a feast day in so honourable and reuerend an action and that but once Againe I cannot perceiue that any other man hath gone about to seeke or search for that either in that place of the Acts Gloss ordinaria in Leuit. Deut. or in that other of Deu. or Leui. which this fellow there findeth The Glosse saith A new sacrifice because it is made with new fruits not with corn as at easter but with breads therfore he addeth the breads of the first fruits c. And again A free will offring because that God loueth those which giue cheerfully those which adde more more vnto their good wâ—rks In azymis sinceritatis veritatis that is to say in the vnleuened bread of sinceritie and veritie And as for the place of the Acts They perseuered saith S. Luke
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
they held him to be a Creature and likewise the Nestorians worshippers of men because they separated the two natures that is the Sonne of God Athan. cont Arrian orat 1. Greg. Niss in laud. Basil Synod Ephes in Ep. ad Theo. ValeÌ„t c. 67 Synod Nic. 2. Act. 7. in Epist Synod ad Constanti Iren. Amphilo Ambros de obitu Theod. in Epist ad Rom. from the Sonne of Marie Athanasius Gregorius Nissenus and the first and second Synodes of Ephesus and the second and last of Nice how beit otherwise very idolatrous and yet with this priuiledge and prerogatiue that if any creature were to be worshipped who should be more worthy then Christ the man because Christ was acknowledged by these heretikes to be the Sauiour of men Amphilochius Bb. of Iconium We take no care to set out in colours or tables the Images of Saintes because we haue no need but we ought rather to call to our mindes the puritie of their liues And this he may seeme to speake against the Carpocratian Heretikes so called which did honour the Images of Christ and his Apostles S. Ambrose sayeth Helena found out the title What did shee shee worshipped the king not the wood because this is an error of the Pagans an impious vanitie TheÌ„ she worshipped him that was hanged vpon the wood who was described by this title Now hee speaketh there of Helena the mother of Constantine the contrarie wherof our Legends wold make vs belieue And in another place he saith By what reason or by what authority ought wee to worship the Images of Angels or of Saintes when as the Angels and Saintes in their life time did neuer suffer themselues to be worshipped Optatus Mileuitanus maketh mention that the Donatistes to make the Catholickes to be hated did threaten the comming of a people amongst theÌ„ Optat. cont Parm. l. 2. which would set Images vpoÌ„ their Altars And worthily saith he if the thing had succeeded according to the report but there was no such matter seen there was not seen amongst them anie thing but the accustomed purity ordinarie soleÌ„nity c. S. August skirmisheth very hotly in many places against Images as in the Epistle 222. and on the 114. Psalm August Ep. 222. in Psa 114. which is very plaine powerfull against the vanity thereof and we can bring from thence whole leaues for he abaseth them maketh them more vile then bruit beasts carrion or any other creature calling them the instruments of error and the habitations of Diuels c. And addeth his reasons agreeable with those of our times but trussed vp in a few wordes saying They worship what their own hands haue made of gold and of siluer and we haue like wise certain vessels of gold of siluer for the vse of the Sacraments which are called holy for the ministery sake wherein they serue If there had beene anie such like Images in the Temples of his time who seeth not but the scope of the text did carrie him to haue spoken much rather of theÌ„ then of these vessels wherunto he annexeth a conclusion which cannot by any meanes be deluded saying They haue more power to bend bow our miserable soules because they haue mouthes eyes eares nostrils c. then to correct amend them Cassand in Consult 4.151 inasmuch as they neyther speak see heare nor smel c. And indeed Georgius Cassander in his consultation with the Emperour Maximilian proueth from this place That there were not anie in the Temples within S. August his Diocesse But to the end that no man may gather to himself any opinioÌ„ that he meaneth here the Pagans only he saith in his book of the maners of the Catholike church August de morib Cathol Ecclel l. 1. c. 34. I know manie that are worshippers of Sepulchers pictures which make good cheare vpon the graues of the dead and burie or powre wine vpon those that are buried and place these their actions amongst the workes of religion c. If any man say that he reproueth this fault in the Manichies how would he then haue taken it in the true professors of Christ For the Church saith he condemned these dealings forced herself as much as she could to correct ameÌ„d them from day to day Idem contra Adimant c. 13 And against AdimaÌ„tus the Manichie he saith Adimantus reproueth our zeale that is Of the Catholikes by which we abstaine to honour Images his meaning is therfore that we should belieue that he fauoureth them which for certaintie no man need cal in question or doubt of concerning the Manichies who by that means seeke to win grace and fauour to their accursed sect from the Pagans Then it appeareth hereby that to honour Images is to play the Pagans Idem in l. 6. de fiâ—d Symbo c. 7. and contrariwise to liue as a true Catholike is to detest and abhorre them In his booke of faith and of the Creed he sayth Wheras we say that the Father is set we do not imagine that it is as men vse to sit with their hams bended for that were an impious and vngodly part for a Christian to place such an Image in a Temple but much more in his hart which is the very Temple of God And what would he then haue said of these Images of the Trinitie which are painted at this day where the Father is set with a gray beard a crown imperial vpon his head Index expurgatorius 146. Pet Ram. in Schol. Metaphysic Damas de Orthod rid l. 4. c. 17. Nicaetas in vit Isaaci commeÌ„ Niceph. l. 18. c. 53. Synod Nicen. 2. Act 6.7 art 3.4.5 6.7 Thom. part 3. q 23 art 3. Oleaster in Deu c. 4. Abusens Epis in Deut. c. 4. the Son in his arms c And what wold he haue said to Bellarmine who blusheth not in the cleare light of the Gospel to maintain theÌ„ To Pope Sixtus the 5 and Pope ClemeÌ„t the 8. who pictured theÌ„selues in the begining of the Bibles which they caused solemnly to be imprinted To the Councel of Trent which appointed that these words should bee raced out of a certain book Taxat inquit cos qui Trinitatis Imaginem humana specie depingunt in Templis deleatur c. A thing detested and accounted of in the Church as abominable euen to these latter ages and to the most part of the worshippers of Idols To Damascene telling vs that to paint God is an extream impietie To Nicaetas calling it a madnes and doting furie To Nicephorus calling it an heresie And to the Idolatrous Councel of Nice the 2. iudging it impossible vaine and wicked And to Thomas and Oleaster maintaining in plaine tearms that God cannot be pictured in the olde Testament but rather in the new since such time onely as the worde hath become flesh Wherupon Abulensis doth note 2. inconueniences in those which picture the
kissing the same and in a worde in holding it vnmeete to pray in any other place but before an image Likewise the good Fathers of Trent proceeding in good earnest Index expurg pag. 255. as they are wont in all their matters haue not forgotten to appoint that in printing the workes of Erasmus againe this place should very diligently be looked vnto and razed out Now if the Church haue beene 500. yeares those in her chiefest flourishing without setting vp or harbouring of any images in her temples what profite could there be in receiuing of them or what perill can there now be in taking of them away what conscience in persecuting of such as remoue them what audacious and impudent boldnesse in calling such heretickes when as the first fathers called it heresie to haue any of them and a diuelish inuention to bring them in and what would they haue said of the worshipping of them But least they should be accompted as dumbe as their images The aduersaries their obiections Damas l. 4. c. 17. Niceph. l. 2. c. 7. they wil not be without some thing to reply Abgarus say they king of Edessa sent a painter to take the proportion and portraiture of Iesus Christ They reade this in Damascene and Nicephorus who writ after the yeare 800. How commeth it then to passe that Eusebius a writer both more ancient and autentike saith rather that he hath read in the records and Monuments of the commonweale of Edessa that Abgarus sent vnto our Lord to bee healed of him and speaketh not a word at all of the drawing of his portraiture And what is there in that which is common and equally fitting our question if wee must haue images in the Church to worship them and if the Primitiue Church haue had them For there is nothing to be gathered but the curiositie of a Prince strangely affecting a portraiture and that of a prince which was no Christian so that here can nothing be concluded for Christians And why do they not remember themselues at the least that Pope Gelasius in his decree as also Isidore do place this historie amongst the Apocrypha whose originall is vnknowne They charge vs a fresh with the Veronique that is the liuely picture that hath no manner of testimonie or approbation saue onely in their Legenda Aurea What will they say to Viues where he saith The golden Legend consisteth for the most part of Iron or Lead so as the authour thereof could not but haue a hart of leade or a mouth of Iron And then with that of Nicodemus But how will they answere the vntruthes clearely proued freely confessed euen by themselues of the pretended treatise of Athanasius which onely maketh mention thereof yea rather for all these images of Christ how will they salue themselues of the Epistle written by Eusebius to Constance the Empres saying Seeing thou hast commanded me to send thee the image of Christ Euseb in Epist ad Constant Augustam I desire to know which it is that thou meanest whether the true vnchaungeable one which carrieth with it the characters ingrauen formes of his diuine nature or rather that which he tooke vpon him for vs clothing himselfe in the shape and habite of a seruant that is the humaine nature c. But without all peraduenture thou desirest the image of this carnall bodie which he tooke for vs and yet notwithstanding the same ioyned with the glorie of his deitie rather then subiect to passions and mortalitie But who shall be found able to expresse in painting with dead and liuelesse colours the shining brightnes of so great an excellencie of so great a glorie But and if they were not in the time of Eusebius Bishop of Cesarea in Palestina vnder Constantine the Great where were they then found out afterward And further what a vanitie is it to go about by false and counterfet images to proue the truth of images The like is that of the image of the virgine Marie painted say they by S. Luke And this is told them by one Theodorus Anagnostes who writ after all the rest one Simon Metaphrastes the compiler and gatherer together of the Legendes Maister of the schoole at Constantinople and a verie late writer But the Apostle S. Paule telleth vs that S. Coloss 4. Luke was a Phisition and not a painter and being a Iew what likelihood is there that it should be he if you do but marke that Origen saith that the Iewes did not suffer any amongst them But certainly as the Iewes heretofore in conuersing and keeping company with the Gentiles had taken vp their images euen so the Proselite or conuerted Gentiles affecting to become Christians brought them with them the Christians also thereupon became verie easie and readie to apply themselues vnto their fashions in thinges especially indifferent to haue them as recordes and remembraunces not for to worship them and so those which followed after went somewhat further as mans nature in thinges tending to superstition cannot keepe any measure But this point shall be handled in the Chapter following CHAP. III. What manner of proceeding Images had amongst Christians and of the most licentious abuse thereof after they once came into the Church of Rome IT is certainly agreed vpon by all the Christian Doctors The Gentiles the inuentors of images Ambr. in psal 118. Concil Nic. 2. Act. 6. Cypr. de Idol Vanic That images were brought in amongst the Christians by the Gentils Euseb l 7 c. 18 that the Gentiles were the first inuentors of images S. Ambrose The Gentiles worship wood as the image of God Gregory Bishop of Neocaesarea The religion of the Pagans did inuent giue entrance to images S. Cyprian They were made at the first for to retaine the countenances of the dead but after that which was brought in for the comfort and consolation of the liuing turned to a religious carriage toward the dead That the Gentiles brought them in amongst the Christians also still keeping and cleauing fast vnto some of this their old leauen Eusebius beareth vs witnesse for speaking of her picture whom our Lord healed of a fluxe of blood in Cesarea Philippi of that which she had erected vnto him of brasse neer vnto that of her owne he saith There is no cause why we should maruell that those which had belieued amongst the Gentils for the benefites which they had receiued of our Sauiour should offer vnto him such a thing as it were in manner of a present seeing that we do behold euen yet to this day the pictures which were intended and drawne for the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul yea and our Sauior himselfe and the tablets which are made of them as likewise certain old ones which haue beene kept And this seemeth to me to haue beene retained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the chaunging of the fashion according to the custome of the Gentiles which were wont so to honour
reproued Marcellina because she burned incense to the Image of Christ what would hee haue saide to them which burne incense euerie day vnto the Images of the Saintes And hereupon also it came that the Spaniard Peresius found fault with this distinction And as for the other namelie That they doe not worship the Image but the thing whereof it is a signe can they deny that the Pagans said not asmuch vnto S. Augustine Lactantius Arnobius and Tertullian who yet did not therefore surcease or giue ouer to reproue and condemne them And if they coulde not tell how to excuse the matter or defende themselues against those Fathers Idem l. 3. de doctr Christi c. 7.8 9. what hope is there left that our Idolaters can speed any better in the same cause and matter But S. Augustine cutteth off al excuse by a generall proposition saying The signes of the Iewes are profitable because they are ordained of God but those of the Gentiles vnprofitable as their Images pictures c. notwithstanding that in them they bee properlie giuen to honour their Gods Afterwarde hee speaking of the one and the other saith If thou honour the signes in stead of the thing signified intending the honour vnto these and not to them yet this is notwithstanding a carnal scruitude wheras Christian libertie hath euen deliuered the Iewes And so by this meanes this respectiue kinde of worship goeth downe the streame Cassand in consultatione which Cassander likewise sincerelie acknowledgeth neuer to haue had anie place nor yet to haue found any reason to pleade for it in the olde Church But after this they speake a great deale more plainelie The growth proceeding of Idolatrie and Idolatrie beginneth to lift vp her Maske Theodore Bishoppe of Myra had said in the second Councell of Nice There are not two sorts of worshipping Latria and Dulia there is but one There is likewise no question to bee made of relation or respectiue regard the resembling thing and the thing resembled are worshipped both the one and the other in one and the same degree and measure But this proposition was not wel and equallie liked of all Thom. in 3. sent D. 2. Idem Scoâ—us But beholde the Schoolemen haue now found out the meanes to remoue the blocke out of the way by vertue of a place out of Aristotle but what hath he to do with our Diuinitie saying The thought that is bent vpon the Image and that which is bent vpon the thing signified by the Image are both alike and therefore the worship of the one and the other is alike And therfore they con clude and resolue that the Crosse and Image of Christ must be worshipped with Latria And therefore they vse to sing to the Crosse in the Church of Rome Behold the wood of the Crosse we worship it O holie Crosse graunt that Iustice may grow and increase in good men and pardon thou the transgressors and the sinners c. And of this opinion are likewise Thomas Iacob Nancl. Clugiens Epis Anno 1557. Scotus and Bonauentura c. so long as till that Iacobus Nanclantus Bb. of Chioggia in Italie did sharplie reproue them which said that Images ought to be worshipped and would haue had the wordes to worship Images to bee cut out But what increase insued there vpon these goodlie principles Surely thus much that eueÌ„ as they held their Images by the tenure of imitation counterfeyting therein the Pagans so they borrowed of them all the fashions which they vsed to worship their Gods withall as to offer offringes vnto them to make vowes Temples Altars and Sacrifices to say also their Masses that is to say to sacrifice the Sonne of God Tertul. in lib. de Idololatria Germanus in Ep. ad Thom. in Nice conc 2 so far as in them laye vnto them and afterward gorgeous apparrell garlandes of flowers burning of incense wax-candles burning lampes fastinges solemne feastes in honour of them the carrying about of their pictures and a worshipping of their bones What one thing is there of al these that was euer practised in the Church of Israel or in the Primitiue Christian church Or on the contrarie what one is there amongst them al which is not coÌ„firmed both by testimony example in the stories of the Pagans And what then can they haue reserued as proper and peculiar vnto God himselfe vnder the name Latria Or what becommeth of Lyranus with his distinction That we are not to bow or kneele vpon both our knees to any but to God alone when as it is in this seruice done vnto the creatures made by God and the workes of mens hands But neither haue they yet contented themselues and stayed here for after the manner of the Pagans they haue likewise so consecrated these Images in such blasphemous sort as that Paganisme it selfe would haue been ashamed and blusht to haue done the like a thing as appeareth by the Councell of Francford vtterlie vnknowne at such time as it was held and kept For in consecrating of the Crosse they pray vnto God That all such as shall kneele downe vnto the same may haue remorse and compunction of heart and remission of their sinnes Now what remaineth besides this for the true Crosse that is for the mysterie of our redemption accomplished in that death vpon the Crosse suffered by Christ Againe That this wood of the Crosse so they call it may besaluation vnto the soule health to the bodie and a remedie vnto mankinde for the strengthning of faith the increase of good works the ransome of soules and for a defensatiue against the Diuell What shall now bee left behinde for the power of the holy Ghost to effect and work for the spirit of Christ which regenerateth vs sanctifieth and strengthneth vs making vs inheritors of eternall saluation c Pope Iohn the 22. In Antidotar Animae ordained a prayer to bee said that to the Veronique that pretended Image of Christ which was imprinted in a handkerchife Salue sancta facies Redemptoris nostri c. And in the same place it is praied vnto To cleanse and wipe away all the staines of whatsoeuer vices to vouchsafe to infuse light into the heart to increase and adde vnto the merites of such as doe belieue therein to destroye heretikes to defende the Christian faith to conduct and guide those which pray vnto it to the fruition of eternall life to the beholding of God to their coniunction and ioyning with Christ who of bread is made God c. And the Pope last aboue named granteth in the same place ten thousand dayes indulgences to him that obserueth the same And what doe they reserue more for Christ himselfe Or who shall alledge and say that this is but some particular mans deuotion when the pope himselfe is author thereof Pius 2. comment l 8. And when as likewise Pius the second ordained that vpon Easter day it should be
mysterie as indeed there is neuer any mention made but of bread simplie And all the offringes from amongst which the breade of the holie supper was taken was such bread as was ordinarilie vsed to bee eaten in houses which as al men might see was not without leauen seeing that the old church did communicate euerie day except wee will not belieue that the Christians likewise did not eate any other bread at their owne houses but vnleauened bread Chrysost 1. Cor. c. 5. Chrysostome saieth Take no care hereafter about this leauen for now likewise thou hast an other lumpe the shadowes are past And Gregorie the Great maketh not mention of anie other bread in the holie supper then the common and vsuall such as they kneaded and baked at the Bakers house and was solde in the market at Rome Gregor in Registio Likewise in his Register we haue these wordes When wee take the breade whether it be leauened or vnleauened wee are made a bodie of the Lord our Sauiour Againe expounding the Passeouer vnto the Christians he saith Hee eateth vnleauened bread which doth good works and when they are done doth not marre them with vain glorie and hee that doth the workes of mercie without the mingling of sinne with them c. To be brief Niceph. l. 8. c. 53. 54. Nicephorus intreating of the heresie of the Theopaschites and Monophysites so called because they taught that the Godheade it selfe did suffer doth obserue and note for our behoofe that in the supper they vsed vnleauened bread and not common and ordinarie bread And this they affirmed that they held from Gregorie the great Bb. of Armenia so far was it off to be held at that time either for an heresie or for an error to vse common bread in the celebrating of the holy supper And this was after the year 700. Insomuch as that it may seem that this custom entred into the Latine Church about the same time that the popes delighted themselues to trim vp their churches with al maner of Iewish ceremonies after they had once spoild and robd it of al her principal and goodly ornaments indeed as humilitie simplicitie purity c. And indeed the Decretal of Clement the third about the yeare 1188. against the Priests which vsed cups of wood leauened bread sheweth that this ordinance was not as yet throughlie established De celebrat Miss cont lit We reade that about the year 1100. there began a schisme betwixt the Greeke and Latine Church about this matter and that the reasons were handled on the one parte and on the other by Nicaetas Monke of Constantinople standing for the partie of Michael the Patriarke and Humbert Bb. of Sylua Candida standing for the side of Leo the 9. the one and the other shewing himselfe but weake in that they striue to make that necessarie which the Church had helde indifferent The worst was that vppon this question and controuersie these two Bishoppes fell into an other namely the Primacie or supremacie Durand l. 4. c. 41. Extrauag de celebr Miss C. finali Thom Aquin. op 1. cont error Grec c. 32. Hildebert Ceneman Ep. 44. which caused that neither of them to auoide the impeachment and weakening of his authority would yeeld a haires bredth from his conceiued opinion For about this time Durandus wrote that the Masse might bee celebrated with leauened bread and brought in to proue his purpose the Extrauagantes de Celeb Miss And Thomas Aquinas after him That of a truth it agreeth better with the puritie of the mysticall bodie to vse vnleauened bread in this sacrament but not saith hee as though it coulde not bee well administred with leauened bread And the Epistle of Hildebert Bb. of Mans which censureth the Priest that had offered common bread vseth these wordes Therein hee swarueth from the rule of custome but not of faith and it behoueth thee to correct the fact Concil Ferrar. as a scandall and offence rather then as a sinne and that thou carrie thy selfe rather like a Father towardes him then like a Judge And this thing was afterward decided by a Councell held at Ferrara for the agreeing and reuniting of the Greeke and Latine Churches That it was indifferent to celebrate the holy Supper either with leauened or vnleauened breade And therefore why shoulde such differing and disagreeing affections continue so long for thinges so reasonable and indifferent Of the wine The like hath beene about the wine of the Lordes Supper Some vnder the colour of sobrietie would vse water and not wine Of such S. Augustine and Epiphanius make mention amongst the Heretikes and not without cause seeing they abolished one part of the substance of the Sacrament But S. Cyprian doth refute them sharpelie and bringeth them backe to the institution of Christ who onely must bee heard in all thinges concerning them And hereupon it is that he hath it so oft in his writings That in this sacrament which is Christ no man is to be heard but Christ himselfe Others would haue the wine delaied with water and the most auncient Christians did so vse it and that not without apparant shew inasmuch as the people of the Easte did not ordinarilie vse wine without water as the Hebrew and Greeke phrases of speech do proue howsoeuer they alledge other reasons for thus their vsing of it as that there came out of our Lord his side water and blood That this is a signe of the two natures in Christ or rather of the vnion of Christ with his church allegorizing vppon euerie thing according to their accustomed maner Howsoeuer it bee notwithstanding it may bee that the course of the text would not shew vs in this particular point of the blood and water anie thing but the true and vndoubted death of the Lord in this that the wound had pierced the case of his heart because also that if wee should fall to allegorizing then with the greatest part of the Fathers we shold thence collect and gather the two sacraments of the Church that is Baptisme from the water and the Eucharist from the blood c. Onely let vs not finde fault with this obseruation prouided that it bee voide of superstition that is free from condemning of those which do not administer anie thing but onely wine as also without any preiudice to the libertie which Christ hath left vnto his children which will not admit any manner of necessitie but that which is grounded vpon the holy word If any doe contrarywise bring in any other necessitie wee affirme that it is not without an error because as they themselues do say to make that to bee a matter of faith which is not is to sinne and erre in the faith And therefore wee condemne the Canons of the church of Rome which say absolutelie that the wine cannot bee administred without water Canon Oportet C. in sacrament D. 2. de Consâ— seeing there is nothing saide or
may not bee afraid of any difficultie hee saith Whatsoeuer difficultie thou shalt meete withall yet if thou reade them thou shalt profite by them for if our Lord find vs occupied in the scriptures he will not onely vouchsafe to feede vs but also if hee finde these meates readie drest at our houses hee will bring vs the Father thither with him Hieronym in Epist ad Ephes l. 3. c. 4. c. Saint Ierome giueth a generall rule saying Wee must reade the scriptures with our whole affection to the end that as good exchaungers wee may know to distinguish the good money from the false So farre off was hee from fearing least wee shoulde therein receiue the false and counterfeite For saith hee in another place our Lord hath spoken by his Gospell Idem in Psal 86. not to the end that a fewe might vnderstand but all The laitie are not excluded but rather on the contrarie he saith The laitie must not onely haue sufficiently but aboundantly that so they may instruct one another that so they may also reproue one another Idem in ep ad Coloss c. 3. Idem in Epitaph Paulae Idem de virginitate ad Demetriad And hee taketh his assertion from the thirde to the Colossians Let the word of God dwell aboundantly amongst you c. The women in like manner as little for hee saith of his Paula in praising of her It was not tollerated or winked at in any of her sisters that they should bee ignorant in the Psalmes or faile to reade and learne something dayly out of the holy scripture And hee giueth the same counsell to Demetrias On the contrarie hee condemneth certaine of his time who did refraine to reade them as our ignorant friers doe vnder the shadow of humilitie Idem in 1. ad Tit. saying They giue themselues to ignoraunce idlenesse and sleeping thinking in the meane time that it is their onely sinne to reade the scriptures and therewithall they contemne and set light by those which meditate in the lawe of the Lord day and night accompting of them as pratling and vnprofitable fellowes And Saint Augustine speaketh to the same effect August serm 1. fer 6 post Dom. passionē Wee take great comfort and consolation in the reading of the scriptures for in them a man may view see himselfe as in a mirror This reading purifieth and purgeth him from the filth of sinne partly by setting before him the horrour of hell and partly by kindling the feruent desire of comming to heauenly ioyes Who would bee oft with God Idem in psal 33. let him pray and reade When wee pray we speake to God when we reade he speaketh to vs. And he further giueth this lesson to all saying in these wordes Reade the holy scriptures for God hath commanded that they should bee written Idem in Volus epist 3. to the end that you might all receiue consolation both learned and vnlearned and as well Cleargie as laitie for sayeth hee God speaketh in the scriptures as a close and priuate friende Hee speaketh without any colour or painting vnto our heartes whether we bee wise and skilfull or ignorant And hee is not contented that one should heare in the Church Idem in c. Ieiunn But furthermore saith he vnto those of his Diocesse It is not sufficient that you heare the holy lessons in the Church it behooueth you to reade them your selues in your owne houses or that you seeke out such as may reade them vnto you On the contrarie hee censureth certaine people of his time who thinking to bee more humble then the rest would not reade them who feare saith he to learne least they should grow proud Idem in psal 131. Idem in lib. 2. de doctr Chri. c. 6. 〈◊〉 tract 45 in Iohan. And by that meanes saith he they continue still as sucklinges in their milke which the scripture reproueth In like manner hee armeth vs with couragiousnesse against all obscuritie and difficultie that may bee conceiued or thought to be in them saying There is nothing spoken obscurely in one place which is not made verie cleare and plaine in some others All whatsoeuer belongeth to faith and good workes is therein set downe very clearely There are therein plaine and cleare points to satisfie thy hunger and there are againe some obscure and darke places to whet thine appetite And the same thing is giuen out by Fulgentius and Gregorie in other wordes Fulgent in ser de cōfessionib Gregor in ep ad Leandrum Basil in psal 1. There is store and plentie for a strong man to eate and for the child and weakling to sucke vppon in this riuer the lambe may sporte it selfe and bee merrie and the Elephant may swimme c. Saint Basill The holie Scripture is as an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a shoppe or storehouse furnisht with medicines from amongst which euerie man may make choice of that which is fitte for his disease the onelie way to come to finde out the truth is the meditating of the scriptures And hee handleth this pointe at large Bellarmine replieth saying Idem in Ep. ad Greg. Mang that hee sent the Stewarde of the Emperour Valens his kitchin vnto his kitchin when hee went about to be speaking of the Scriptures And what and if against so many places hee did alledge this one little storie in truth But Theodoret onelie sayeth that this was not in respect of the Scriptures Theodor. lib. 4 Eccles hist c. 19. Chrysost in hom de Lazaro but in respect of his course and barbarous carriage towardes him But let vs heare Chrysostome for hee perplexeth them greatly and maketh them in a pittiful case saying The reading of the scriptures is a great bulwarke against sinne the ignorance and not knowing of the Scriptures a headlong downfall and a bottomles mudpit To know nothing of the law of God is a mightie meanes of the ouerthrow of our saluation This is it which hath begotten heresies and corrupted the manners of men which hath turned all things vpside down Idem ad Hebrae hom 8. The Manichies saith hee and other heretikes doe beguile deceiue the simple but if wee haue acquainted our soules with discerning betwixt good and euill it shall bee easie for vs to know finde them out and this acquaintance and familiaritie wee shall attaine by the vse of the scriptures Theophilact who followeth thē almost step by step saith of the scriptures which arme vs to withstand such delusions because that they are that light which doth discouer catch the thiefe c. They are good for our Monks and Doctors of Sorbone will our aduersaries say But to this point let vs heare further for the same Chrysostome saith Idem in Mat. hom 3. Loe here the plague and bane of all you thinke the reading of the holie scriptures doth not belong to anie but Monks but it is more necessarie a great deale for you
were first instituted in the Church of God and after what manner they were obserued by antiquitie what new inuentions and deprauations haue ensued thereupon and at what times as also by what waies and pathes Wee haue seene the Church nowe shrowding her selfe into some pitte or caue of the earth and afterward to haue seated and assembled her selfe in faire and comely Temples and that such temples as haue neither altars nor images then wee haue seene altars vsurping the places of the tables for the holy Supper and after some long tract of time imploied about the offering vp of a pretended sacrifice and we haue seene how images being admitted for remembrances at length grew to be worshipped and adored And in the end both the one and the other to haue so increased prospered as that they haue brought the true altar Christ vnto nothing to the offending of the Iewes and to the scorne and reproch of the Turks through the madnes of silly miserable Christians We haue seene the vessels of the Church changed from decencie and comelinesse to great charge costlines from costlines to be honoured from honoring to adoration In like maner the apparrell and habites of the priests from common ones into peculiar and speciall ones from indifferent ones to certaine and vnchangeable ones from simple ones by degrees into comely ones yea into a ceremony into holines and into necessity the whole seruice in the vulgar tong such as was vnderstood of all euen vnto the infants common both to priestes and people in all the Churches of Christendome afterward by the corruptnes partly of languages and partly of men to become vnknown not vnderstood of al the people no not by those which were of best vnderstanding to the bringing of men thereby to dispute against the scriptures against the fathers against reason against cōmon sence how that it shold be both more profitable holy for the same to continue so We haue seen the Bbs. Ministers of the Church ordained to preach and to administer the sacramentes and afterward in succession of time both the seruants and their seruice banished and driuen quite out of place the bright burning lampe of Gods word altogether quenched in the Church the whole seruice turned to a Masse and all the charge and office of the Priestes to the saying of Masses and that for the most part with their harts and eares at home when their tongues are pronouncing the same And in the ende that they might be thought and seeme rather then bee holy in deede from married ones they become vnmaried and promising abstinence from mariage for euer And by what degrees Surely virginitie chastity in mariage hauing been praised as a wel matching paire at the first and as the singular gifts of God and recommended both the one and the other vnto the church were afterward in steed of this seemely and louing yoking together acording to the Apostle opposed and set the one against the other and the praise of the one was neuer thought sufficient without the dispraise disgrace of the other whervpon it followed that the Bbs. ecclesiastical persons who first were maried began to put more holines in an vnmaried estate and so in things that were free and indifferent men haue not let to place both difference and the prerogatiue of excellencie and therevpon exhortations to ecclesiasticall persons to embrace abstinence from marriage then to binde them to it with faire speeches and after to compell them thereto by law and to force it vppon them by seuere punishments and penalties and in the end by the depriuing of them of their Offices and Benefices and by shamefullie disgrading of them Whereupon so much vncleannesse ensued as that the world stinketh thereof as whereby the name of a Church-man is euill spoken of all ouer the world Now it followeth that we come to the third part which entreth into the handling of the doctrine of the holy Supper and consequently into the doctrine of the Masse And here I desire the Reader to be yet both more attentiue and more feruently affected that so he may be the better able to iudge both where the abuse is crept in as also where the true vse is retained as also where prophanenes hath entred and where the holy Ministerie true mystery is kept and obserued The end of the second Booke The Third Booke WHEREIN IS INTREATED OF THE SACRIFICE OF IESVS CHRIST and of the pretended sacrifice of the Masse CHAP. I. That the propitiatorie sacrifice of Iesus Christ is not reiterated in the holy Supper and in what sence the old Church did vse this phrase and manner of speech THe Lord our God hauing vouchsafed through his infinite mercie to chuse vnto himselfe before all worldes a people from amongst men which we call the Church which he hath by the same grace continued against all the changes and mutations which haue happened thereunto and amidst all the broiles confusions falling out in the world was purposed to bind and tie the same vnto himselfe by certaine holy and consecrated ceremonies full of instruction and efficacie by which it is continually aduertised of the dutie which it oweth vnto God and of the grace of God towards it euen that grace of God wherein it pleased him according to the purpose of his good pleasure to giue himselfe to his Church namely to his faithfull and that dutie of man which in the acknowledging of this grace he is bound to offer and consecrate himselfe wholly vnto God and that so much the more because he could not finde any thing in his owne nature that could merite euen the least thing that possiblie could or should allure and draw on this grace nothing yea on the contrarie not any thing but that which ought to prouoke the wrath curse of God vpon him But for as much as the iustice of God and the sinne of man were as it were two extreames there was requisite a Mediator to ioyne them together and that for the same cause he should hold of the said two extreames that is that hee should bee God and man this is that Iesus Christ our Lord begotten from euerlasting before all time borne notwithstanding and giuen in his due time And therefore in this Mediator all the holy ceremonies of the Church of God doe take their roote and foundation whether they bee those which are ordained for to offer vp our holy seruice vnto God in for if our works be not considered in the perfection of this Mediator the naturall imperfections cleauing thereunto will cast them out of his presence cause them to be taken for trespasses offences so far will it be off that they should merite and deserue grace or those which are ordained to assure vs of the grace of God for where is the conscience which being informed and roused vp be it neuer so little by the law of the most mighty yea if it haue neuer so
the supper and that by them wee are inioyned to doe the same that he hath done as to blesse the bread to eate the bread to blesse the cuppe and to drinke the cup to distribute them both and to receiue them both But as for the matter of sacrifice there was none but vpon the Crosse The communicating of him and his graces and the action of thanks is ordained instituted to be practised at this Table and vpon this Crosse hee hath borne our iniquities vpon this Crosse he hath beene broken for our sins God forbidde saith S. Paul that I should euer glorie but in this Crosse If then this be to sacrifice the bodie then it is not hoc facere to doe that which Christ hath done who tooke the bread who distributed it who performed not in all this anie action of a sacrifice but if it be thus Do that which I haue done then it must not bee anie worke of sacrificing here will not bee found any sacrifice and so there must needes follow as poore slender Diuinitie as the Grammer or sence that went before was poore and slender To be short if faire in that place bee to sacrifice it is saide Doe this as oft as yee shall drinke it c. by which reason it should follow that the sacrifice hath no place but at such times as a man doth drink And yet they say that the Sacrifice Transubstantiation doe goe before And againe if it were saide vnto all those which were sitting at the Table with our Lord Hoc facite then the commandement of sacrificing was generall to all for in like manner vnto all in general euen to all the whole Church of Corinth S. Paul said Hoc facite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Priestes by this account shall haue as weake a foundatiō for their places as the sacrifice hath But who can better expound this place then S. Paul Do this saith he in remembrance of mee And how For as oft as you shall eate of this bread and drinke of this cuppe you shall shew forth the death of the Lord vntill his cōming Not by standing gazing on in a fond sort not by the means of an Enterlude or play neither yet by any such apish fooleries but by a serious earnest either meditation or laying open of the horror of our sinnes and of the mercy of God who hath so greatlie loued the world as that hee hath vouchsafed to giue his Sonne to the death of the Crosse for vs miserable sinners to the end that he that belieueth in him may haue eternall life And this is the same with that which their Glose saith Do this in remembrance of me For saith it the sacrament ought to be receiued in the remembrance of the Lordes passion shew forth the Lordes death c. that is to say make your account and set it down for certain that the suffering and death of the Lord came through you For Whosoeuer sayeth Oecumenius sheweth forth this death he displayeth and maketh a shew of all manner of gifts and of all manner of loue towardes men yea in a worde Oecum in 1. Cor. 11. sayeth hee of the whole meanes of our saluation Let these fellowes now draw neare which haue the Fathers so full and so rife in their mouthes but cannot bring foorth so much as any one who hath founde the sacrifice of the Masse in these wordes Hoc facite that hath expounded this worde for to sacrifice And yet notwithstanding if there were any place wherein it might be found who doubteth yea or who can denie but that of all others that is no place for to finde it in A great man of this time seeing himself thrust out of this place Genebrard hath inuented this shift namelie to say that the Apostles did say their first Masse vpō the day of Pentecost And this hee would tug out by the haire both out of a place of Deuteronomie where mention is made of the offering of new fruites which then was ordained in the lawe as also from the 2. of the Actes where these wordes are Act. 1.2 They did perseuere in the doctrine of the Apostles in communicating and breaking of bread and in prayers which wee haue alreadie sufficientlie refuted For what agreement is there betwixt any thing therein and the sacrifice of the Masse for the remission of sins And yet notwithstanding we will further take the paines to call to minde Hugo Card. in Act. c. 2. what their Glose saith vpon this place of the Acts Of bread aswell common as consecrated that is to say aswell ordinarie as sacramentall And Cardinall Hugo after the same manner And Lyranus Partly sayeth hee because they did communicate euerie day partlie also because they did eate together in common And Oecumenius sayeth This is for to shewe the simplicitie that they vsed in liuing and conuersing together And the Syrian and Arabick interpreters They receiued the Communion or Eucharist Vcharisto And Caietanus This is to shewe the distribution of the meat as it was practised from familie to familie So that on euery side the standing of the Masse doth still faile and deceiue it But let vs come to other places It is saide Actes 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 13. as they sacrificed Their olde translation sayeth Ministrantibus as they were executing their office and Ministerie And the Glose addeth In good workes euery man according to his charge and degree The Syrian and Arabian As they were in praiers because it is added that they did fast Chrysostome and Oecumenius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they preached Caietanus As they preached and prophesied that is to say as they expounded the word And Cardinall Hugo Ministrantibus scilicet praedictis Prophetis And of him wee haue spoken else where But let vs grant them according to their owne desire Sacrificantibus let it bee said As they sacrificed Epiphanius saith concerning this place These were chosen with Paule and Barnabas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacrificing the Gospell Chrysostome saieth to the same purpose Let him sacrifice the Gospel But where shall wee haue a better expositor then S. Paule himselfe This grace sayeth hee hath beene giuen mee of God that I should bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Minister of Iesus Christ Let vs say a Priest if they will towardes the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacrificing in very forcible tearmes the Gospell of God to the end that the offering of the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might bee well accepted of being sanctified by the holy Ghost In which place Theodoret sayeth The Apostle called hit preaching 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a holy Ministerie a holy sacrifice and a true and sincere faith an acceptable offering It is said 1. Cor. 10. You cannot bee partakers of the Table of the Lord 1. Cor 10. and of the table of diuelles Now the Table of diuelles say they is an Altar and that of the Lordes
the same Amen CHAP. IIII. That the old fathers haue not acknowledged any other propitiatorie sacrifice then that onely one made vpon the Crosse THus you cannot deny say they that the old fathers haue called the Masse a Sacrifice yes we haue flatly denyed them the whole plainly proued that the olde fathers did not so much as knowe it by name But they reply at the least they doe vnfold vnto vs the celebrating of the sacrament of the Eucharist or holy Supper of the Lord. And surely vpon good cause warrant seeing it is a holy consecrate action and that the spirituall sacrifices of our heartes are thereby sacrificed to God vnto repentance as also seeing that the incense of our praiers and the calues of our lips and the Gospell the word of God as saith S. Paul is therein sacrificed seeing that our bowels tanquam per viscerationem doe therein open inlarge and spread abroad and distribute themselues by our almes deedes vnto our neighbours seeing likewise that the death of Iesus Christ is therein declared the onely sacrifice of the Crosse and that by the expresse commandement of the sacrificer And thus and no otherwise haue they all vnderstood it But we denie that euer they said any thing of it as a sacrifice properly so called of the new offering vp of the Sonne of God to God by the priest of his bodie and of his blood vpon an altar for our sinnes Neither must they here go about to abuse vs with a distinction of Sacrificium cruentum aut incruentum of a bloodie or vnbloodie sacrifice For this distinction wil not be receiued or admitted of against the vniuersal propositions of the scripture which tell vs that where remission and forgiuenes of sinnes is purchased there needeth no more sacrifice or offering Againe that there is no remission purchased where there is no shedding of blood But so it is that wee haue forgiuenesse in the blood of Christ much more then an oblation But so it is that in their pretended sacrifice there is no shedding of blood and therefore much lesse pardon and forgiuenesse or any effectuall grace that may procure vs Gods fauour But yet it is further to be considered that the old fathers did neuer name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bloodlesse or vnbloodie sacrifices to make distinction thereby betwixt the sacrifice of the crosse and the sacrament or pretended sacrifice of the altar but rather to set downe a difference betwixt the sacrifices of the law and the sacrifices of Christians Whereupon Oecumenius saith Oecumen ad Heb. c. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say Sacrifices without blood those saith he of the lippes as praiers hymnes and supplications vnto God by Iesus Christ c. And others after the same manner which wee shall see farre better by tracing them from age to age Clemens Alexandrinus next succeeding the time of the Apostles saith Clem. l. 3. Paedag c. 2. in strom We sacrifice not vnto God and that vpon good consideration for he hath no need of any thing but hath giuen all thinges vnto vs and therefore we do glorifie him who was sacrificed for vs in sacrificing offering vp of our selues Againe God would be honoured though he haue no need of any thing and therefore doe we honour him with our praiers and this is the best and most holy sacrifice when wee send them vp into his presence in iustice c. Our Altar then is the congregation of such as are attentiue in prayers and haue all of them one common spirit and one common voice c. Againe Our Altar that is one holy soule our perfume and incense euen our praiers So that he doth not acknowledge or make any mention of a Sacrament properly so called when he saith We do not sacrifice hee acknowledgeth another manner of fashion namely the prayers of the faithful the sacrificing of themselues vnto God c. And yet herein hee is not behind with speaking honourably of the Eucharist For saith he this is that speciall good grace whereof those are partakers which communicate therein in faith and are sanctified both in body and soule Ireneus we haue seene heretofore how he speaketh Iren. l. 4. c. 34. and yet you may perceiue him to deale more plainly We must saith he offer vp a sacrifice to God and in all thinges bee found to acknowledge our creator by a pure and vpright opinion and iudgement by faith without hipocrisie by certaine hope by feruent loue offering vnto him the first fruits of his creatures And this is that pure oblation which the Church onely doth offer vnto the creator offering vnto him of his creatures with thankesgiuing Therefore saith he he would haue vs to be continually offering our oblations vpon the altar And what Altar This also he teacheth saying There is an altar in heauen thither our prayers and sacrifices are directed and in the temple according to that which Saint Iohn hath said in the Apocalips and the temple of God was open and the tabernacle For behold saith he the tabernacle of God where hee will dwell with men Here then is no sacrifice but that of man vnto God in the acknowledgement of his benefits by continuall prayers as also of the first fruits of the goods which he giueth him and that by communicating them charitablie with his brethren Iustinus Martyr speaketh highly honorably in commendation of the Lords Supper he describeth and setteth out vnto vs the holy ceremony wholly intirely Iustin Martyr in Tryphon and yet not a word of the propitiatorie sacrifice in all that he saith But on the contrarie he saith I dare be bolde to affirme that there are no other sacrifices that are perfect and acceptable vnto God then the supplications and thankesgiuing of good people and Christians haue learned that they are not to offer any other c. Againe Idem in exposit fidei Tertul. aduers Iud. We sacrifice vnto God without ceasing the sacrifice of praise sincere praiers and of the sweet sauour of good workes c. We haue heard heretofore what Tertullian hath said vpon the first Chapter of Malachie but yet behold what he saith further It behoued that Christ should be made a sacrifice for all the Gentiles who was led as a sheepe to the slaughter Behold here the onely sacrifice Idem aduers Marc. l. 4. ad Scapul Againe The prophecies of the lawe did signifie that man otherwise a sinner presently after that hee was cleansed by the worde of God did offer an oblation in the Temple that is praier and thankesgiuing in the Church and congregation of the faithfull by Iesus Christ the catholike that is the vniuersall Priest of the father Behold now and see here an vniuersall and onely priest by whom wee offer vnto God our sacrifices and our praiers And therefore hee saith Wee must not sacrifice vnto God any thing but that which is spirituall for it is written a
contrite heart is a sacrifice vnto God And a sacrifice to God is the sacrifice of praise c. Againe Thy faith hath saued thee because saith he that it hath apprehended and taken for graunted that it must offer his sacrifice vnto the Almightie euen thankesgiuing in the true temple and by his true high priest Iesus Christ c. And againe Wee sacrifice for the health and prosperitie of the Emperour Idem in Apolog but vnto our God and to his Sonne and that according to his commaundement Pura prece by a pure and sincere praier c. Cypr. serm 1. de cleemosyn Saint Cyprian could not learne any other lesson of this his Maister whatsoeuer some would make him to belieue For hee saith Rich Ladie come you in Dominicum to the Lordes banquet without a sacrifice there to take of the sacrifice which some poore person hath offered c. Here sacrifice is vnderstood almes or offering because that of the fruits which were giuen by the faithful there was so much taken as might make a sufficient quantity to distribute in the celebrating of the holy supper amongst the faithful They obiect vnto vs his Epistle vnto Cecilius Idem l. 2. cp ◠wherein he saith Who is the priest of the high God by any greater priuiledge and prerogatiue then our Lord Iesus Christ who hath offered sacrifice vnto God his father hath also offered the same that Melchisedec did offer that is to say bread and wine his bodie and his blood Let vs obserue that here he compareth Iesus Christ with Melchisedec Melchisedec the priest of the highest saith the Apostle but Iesus Christ is preferred for he offered himselfe vnto God in sacrifice Melchisedec offered but bread and wine vnto Abraham but our Lord offered his bodie his blood for the faithful Otherwise this text contrary to the nature of the author should haue no force or power in it But let vs heare him expounding himself in this same Epistle wherein he saith In asmuch as we make mention of the passion and death of Christ in all our sacrifices for it is the death and passion of Christ which we offer wee are not to attempt doe or offer any thing but as he in giuing vs an example hath done before vs. For the scripture saith As oft as ye shall eate this bread c. you shall declare and shew forth the death of the Lord vntill his comming Then wee offer not Iesus Christ but we offer his death and passion we offer him alreadie slain vpon the crosse that is we celebrate the remembrance of his death and passion we offer it vnto God as the meanes of the remission of our sins And he giueth a reason thereof in another place saying Because the sacrifice which the welbeloued Son of God hath offred vpō the crosse is so acceptable and well pleasing vnto the father as that his oblation is as effectuall at this day in the presence of his as it was the verie same day that the blood and water issued out of his side Origen saith The blood of Christ is so precious as that he suffered alone for the redemption of all Origen in cp ad Rom. in hom 2. in Cant. What need then hath the Church of any other sacrifice And as for the whole burnt offerings of Christians Those are their praiers and supplications vnto God c. But yet there is more behind For when Celsus had obiected vnto him you haue neither sacrifice nor altars he answereth not any otherwise but we haue the sacrifice of the Altar c. Or els Our temples are the spirits of good people who breath out a sweet smelling incense Idem l. 8. contra Celsum the vowes praiers of a good and pure conscience To the like obiection made in the time of Arnobius and Minutius Felix by one Cecilius a Pagan there was shaped the like answer This was about the yeare 300. And as for the place of Tertullian Tertul. de paenit c. 9. Aris adgeniculari c. without troubling our selues therewith any further Pamelius as we haue alleadged before hath corrected it by the copie in the Vatican and hath very excellently shewed that it cannot so stand but that it must bee read Caris Dei adgeniculari c. in so much as that we may from hence conclude very strongly cleane against our aduersaries They say there were altars in the Primitiue Church and therefore Sacrifices and therefore the Masse Wherefore wee with the consent of all antiquitie for the space of 300. yeares do reply and crosse them saying there were no altars in the Churches of the Christians neither yet sacrifices neither yet Masses And if we shold repeat that which hath beene said before of altars our proofe would extend it selfe to a farre longer time Athenagoras in his Apologie for the Christians Athenagor in apol pro Christianis hath the verie same obiection to confute and freely vndertaketh to proue that the sacrifice that God demandeth of vs is that we should bee carefull to know him and to acknowledge all the goodnesse that we do receiue at his hands But what haue I to doe saith he to trouble my selfe with thinking vpon and remembring of sacrifices and burnt offeringes wherewith God hath nothing to do God who requireth saith he that men should offer vnto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sacrifice without blood a reasonable soule c. His answere had beene more readie We sacrifice Christ daily c. And let vs marke by the way that he calleth it a sacrifice without blood not to put any distinction or difference betwixt that of the Crosse and that of the altar but to distinguish betwixt the sacrifices of the Iewes and of the Paganes which were materiall and bloodie and the spirituall sacrifices of the Christians Lanctantius Lanctan l. 6. c. 26. Two things saith he must be offered giftes and sacrifices vnto God and they must be offered without bodily substance for the gift the integritie and vprightnesse of the soule for the sacrifice praises and hymnes c. who so doth this sacrificeth vnto God so oft as he doth a good worke c. And therfore vpon the Altar of God which is great in deed and which is placed in the heart of man so that it cannot be defiled with blood it behoueth vs to set patience faith innocence chastitie c. There is not any other holy seruice then this same This man as yet knew nothing what this pretended Sacrifice meant and as little of Altars Eusebius hath beene cited heretofore in the expounding of the place of Malachie We sacrifice therefore saith he and burne he answereth the Paganes Euseb de Demonstra l. 1. c. 6 10. And what sometimes the memorie of this great sacrifice celebrating the mysteries which our God hath giuen vs and rendring vnto him thankes for our saluation as also offering to him religious hymnes and praiers
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
to allude to the place of the prophet Malachie but in a far other sence then that of our aduersaries To bee short hee sayth Christ is called a high Priest sacrificing vnto God and besides him there is not any one to whom we do attribute either the name or the effect of priesthood for hee was made the mediator betwixt God and men hee hath sacrificed for vs and not for himselfe and that euen his owne bodie All which arguments are grounded vpon the qualities requisite in a priest of the new Testament but such as men cannot attaine vnto He calleth the Eucharist verie many times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sacrifice without blood Idem in Ioban l. 5. c. 7. ad Reginas de recta fide but in the same sence that the former by comparing of it with them of the law Vpon S. Iohn S. Paule saith he to the Hebrewes would not take away the second nor the third remission of sinnes but rather the secondoblation because that Christ hath beene offered once and cannot be any more offered c. The Latine fathers did not vnderstand it otherwise Saint Ambrose saith In Christ the oblation or sacrifice hath beene once offered powerfull and mightie vnto life eternall Againe The Lord commanded the Angell to spare the people and to offer the sacrifice of Dauid For at that time there were sacrifices for sinnes the same are now the sacrifices of repentance Ambros in ep ad Heb. c. 10. Idem ad Theod ep 28. Idem in ep ad Rom. c 12. Idem ibid. Againe The Elders did kill the sacrifice to signifie that men because of sinne were subiect to death And now that men by the gift of God are purified and deliuered from the second death they must offer a liuing sacrifice to the end it may bee vnto them a signe of eternall life For the case standeth not now as when bodies were slaine and sacrificed for bodies now there is not any more question of killing of bodies but of the vices of the bodies Again Is there not a celestiall altar our faith whereupon we dayly offer our praiers Let vs draw neere saith he in another place with a true hart a fulnes of faith let vs draw neere in faith in a spiritual seruice from a sincere hart for in all these there is nothing visible neither the priest nor the sacrifice nor the altar c. In our spirits we receiue spirituall things c. Idem in institut virgin c. 2. In another place We sacrifice vnto God the sacrifice of praise whereupon the Apostle saith I pray you before all thinges to make prayers supplications requestes and thankesgiuing c. Now this is one of the places from whence our aduersaries would gather their Masse their propitiatorie sacrifice and see how hee expoundeth it of the sacrifice of praise Idem epist 28. lib. de fuga sent c. 8. Againe A simple prayer is a sacrifice the good sacrifice that is wisedome the good oblation that is faith and euerie other vertue c. And of all this going before we conclude most euidently that he acknowledged no sacrifice for sinne saue the blood of Christ once shed nor any sacrifices amongst Christians but repentance mortification and calling vpon the name of God in faith c. But some will say vnto vs hee speaketh now and then of the holy Supper in the tearmes of a sacrifice But in this case I could wish such to hearken how hee expoundeth himselfe he speaketh to the matter of the onely oblation of Christ and saith What then do not we offer euery day for the Supper was then administred ordinarily We offer saith he but in making a memoriall of his death and there is but one oblation but one sacrifice not many One and not many saith he how because that it hath beene once offered in the most holy place and this sacrifice is the patterne of that other c. That which we do is in remembrance of that which hath beene done For hee saith vnto vs doe this in remembrance of mee c. Wee offer not as the Priest did another sacrifice but euerie daie the same or rather wee sacrifice the memoriall of this sacrifice Thus say wee sayeth hee to daye is the resurrection of the Lorde that is to say to day wee call to minde the resurrection of the Lord c. And Saint Ierome vnderstoode as little as the rest in this point namely that there should remaine a seruice to bee performed of Christians Hieronim in Esa c. 1. which properly was called a sacrifice Shall I eate sayeth the Lorde the flesh of bulles c. Psalme â—â— After hauing reiected and cast away sayeth hee the ceremonies of the old law hee passeth to the puritie of the Gospell and sheweth what hee desireth in stead of them Offer vnto mee the sacrifice of praise Idem in psal 26. c. Againe I will offer in his Tabernacle the sacrifice of ioy and gladnesse that is to say of full and perfect ioy that is to say I will ioyfully declare that hee did vnder-go a base and lowe estate for vs that is to say that he did humble himselfe to aduance exalt vs For God taketh pleasure in such sacrifices of reioycing ioyfull declaring of their gladnesse for this is the sacrifice of preaching And in another place Idem in psal 49. 50. The old sacrifices are past he requireth his sacrifice in good works and maners a fat burnt offering That is that God may be praised by man whom he hath created whom he hath redeemed and to whome hee hath promised the kingdome of heauen Againe By this place the Iewes doe knowe and vnderstand that their sacrifices are ceased And what then shall men haue hereafter to offer hearken to that which hee addeth The humbled heart and the contrite heart is a sacrifice vnto the Lord c. Idem ad Damas Yea but hee sayeth in another place Our Sauiour is the calfe of whose flesh wee are dayly fed and with whose blood wee all haue our thirst quenched This banquet is solemnized euerie day euerie day the father receiueth his sonne euerie day Christ is slaine and sacrificed This is a large speech but hee addeth yet one worde more Immolatur credentibus out of question not sacrificed by the Priest but sacrificed sayth hee by the faithfull In so much as this sacrifice is dayly freshe alwaies present and in Gods sight daily applyed apprehended and taken holde vppon with great efficacie of the faithfull as being such Idem in Psal 97. August quest euangel l. 1. as conceiue and finde their life to lie and consist in his death and the appeasing of Gods wrath for their sinnes to rest in his bloode This is it which hee saith in a worde elsewhere Euerie day Christ is crucified vnto vs. S. Augustine yet more distinctly Christ is then properly slaine for any one when hee beleeueth him to be
which was to come by which it was signified that by one sacrifice of which that was but a figure the liues of the people shoulde spirituallie bee spared And that one is Iesus Christ Idem de ciuit Dei l. 10. c. 5. who was offered vppe and giuen for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification whereupon also the Apostle saieth vnto vs Pascha nostrum immolatus est Christus Christ our true Passeouer was slaine and sacrificed c. And this is that which hee sayeth elsewhere in one word That which euerie man calleth a sacrifice that same is the signe of the true sacrifice Now all of them vse these wordes Altars Sacrifices and these verbes to Offer to Sacrifice for the considerations hereafter set downe for these manners of speaking did runne verie smoothlie and pleasantlie amongst Christians in those dayes comming either newlie from amongst the Iewes or else the Gentiles whose principall seruice consisted in sacrifices and yet notwithstanding they put thereunto continuallie if wee giue good heede thereto such corrections as are necessarie Whereby wee may iudge if they had but a little foreseene in what diuerse sortes they are now abused the Sacrament being drawne by little and little to a Sacrifice and then the worde Sacrifice drawne from his Metaphoricall sence to a simple and proper sence and from a sacrifice of thankesgiuing to a sacrifice propitiatorie what restrainte and limits they would haue closed them in withall CHAP. V. How and by what Degrees the sacrament of the holy Supper was turned into a propitiatorie sacrifice SOme there are which aske how this did happen vnto the Church Truelie not all at once For wee see in euerie dayes successe that when Sunne is set there is a twilight before that darknes it selfe doe come to hide and couer all thinges So after that those great lightes of the church which tooke their brightnes from the true light of the Gospel had runne their course yet there remained some glimses of that their brightnes a long time after notwithstanding that they were smothered and stifled with the palpable fogs of blinde superstition and although they were violently forced by a contrary seÌ„ce to do the thing they were neuer ordained for And this we see in Beda Beda in Leui. c. 1. the grand Disciple of S. Augustine who sayeth Christ is offered for vs both the Priest and Sacrifice together and hath eaten and destroyed our sinnes inasmuch as hee is our Priest according to the order of Melchisedech and in like manner the true Ministers of the Church doe eate the sins of the people by attributing vnto them the remission of their sinnes in the Church wherein sinnes are forgiuen If hee had beene of the same opinion with our aduersaries hee shoulde haue concluded And therefore the true Priestes do eate the sinnes of the people when they say the Masse for them c. Again We are commaunded to celebrate the feast of the Passeouer euerie daye Our aduersaries would saye here To say the Masse euerie daye But hee Idem in Exod. that is asmuch as to saye Let vs daylie goe from euill to good and from good to better and let vs consecrate our first borne vnto God euen our good workes seeing hee hath ouercome the Diuels for our sakes Again The high Priest entred into the forepart of the Tabernacle euerie day for to sacrifice And this is to put vs in minde to offer dailie vnto God the sacrifices of praise of humilitie and of a contrite spirite c. Thus turning euen the propitiatorie Sacrifices of the law into the Sacrifices of praise those which were offered by the hand and ministerie of the Priest to those which were offered by euerie Christian Albinus sayeth the same as also Charles the great And as for the Sacrament of the Eucharist The sacrament of the bodie and blood of Iesus Christ saith Charles the great was giuen vs thereby to renew the memory of his passion and our saluation And this was about the yeare eight hundred Bertram in the time of Charles the bald about the yeare 900. Bertram de corpore sanâ—uine Domini Heb. 7. Our Lord hath done this at once euen in offering vp himselfe that is to say sacrificing himselfe for vs For he was once offered for the sinnes of the people and this oblation notwithstanding is daily celebrated by the faithfull but in a mysterie to the end that what our Lord Iesus hath accomplished in offering himselfe once might be handled euerie day by the celebrating of the misteries of the renewing of the memorie of his passion Where it is to be noted how he opposeth the mysticall receiuing to the reall receiuing and the daily renewing of the remembrance to the once offering of the sacrifice Againe He hath saith he left vs an example which is daily offered by the faithfull in the mysterie of his bodie and of his blood namely that whosoeuer wil draw neere vnto him may know that he must haue part in his sufferinges the image and representation whereof is exhibited in the holy mysteries that is to say in the breaking of bread the renewing of the memorie of his bodie broken in the powring out of the wine the shedding of his blood for vs. Haimo saith To speake morally Haimo in c. 5 Ose in c. 2 Abac. Malach 1. the sacrifices of the Lord are the praises vttered by the belieuers the penance of sinners the teares of the humble suters whereof it is written The sacrifice of God is a contrite spirite c. Againe Prayer is a speciall sacrifice to be offered to God and so is almes also c. Remig in Psal 55. Remigius If we will sacrifice to God let vs not seeke out of our selues for that which wee are about to offer vnto him we haue in our selues the incense of praise the sacrifice of faith onelie let all that which wee offer be kindled made the more feruent and coupled with charitie Againe Idem in Psal 95. There are not any sacrifices that auaile without faith for there is no place for a true sacrifice out of the Church c. These men howbeit great and renowned for knowledge at this time doe call the sacrament of the holy supper as also the Masse such as it was then celebrated a sacrifice but doubtles with the same mind and in the same sence that Rabanus one of the same time with them did vse it Rabanus de Institu Cleric l. 1. c. 32. Sacrificium saieth he quasisacrum factum a sacrifice as if a man would saye a holy and consecrate worke or action which is consecrated by a mysticall prayer in the remembrance of the passion and suffering of our Lorde c. Which selfe same thing Paschasius calleth otherwise The passion of Christ in a mysterie Pasc de corp Sang. Domini Theophil in Iohan. c. 8. the calling to minde of the passion of the Lorde on the Altar
not any other sacrifice but that of bread and wine which hee hath ordained and is like vnto that which Moses in the law called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sacrifice of praise c. For therein wee praise God for the benefite which hee hath bestowed vpon vs sauing vs by his onelie Sonne c. Alexander Hales holdeth manie assertions that cannot agree with the Masse saying Iesus Christ hath offered a double sacrifice a spirituall and corporall the spirituall that is a sacrifice of deuotion and loue towardes mankind which he hath offered in spirit the Corporall the sacrifice of the death which hee vnderwent vpon the Crosse which is represented in the sacrament Marke represented The spiritual prefigured by the incense and perfume which was made vpon the inner Altar the corporall which hee offered in his flesh two waies that is to say sensibly vpon the Crosse and insensibly vpon the Altar obserue and marke again insensiblie That sensible sort being shadowed out by the sacrifiees of beastes but the insensible by the sacrificing of thinges that are incensible as fruites bread and wine both the one and the other vpon the vtter Altar The one of them to speake as hee speaketh propitiatorie for such were the sacrifices wherein beasts were offered with the shedding of their blood for sinne figuring out that sacrifice offered by Iesus Christ the other Eucharisticall onelie for such properlie were those of fruites and such like thinges Againe The sacrifices of the law were signes both of the true sacrifice of Christ Circumferimus as also of the spirituall sacrifices which we shall haue to offer vnto God That for the purging away of all our sinnes aswell originall as actuall these to haue relation to the mortification of our flesh inasmuch as we carrie about with vs Iesus Christ in our bodies to the end that his life may be manifested in vs. Lyranus handleth the matter more clearelie Lyranus in ep ad Heb. c. 10. That which cleanseth and wipeth away sinne must needes bee heauenlie and spirituall and that which is such hath perpetuall efficacie and by consequent ought not neither indeed can be reiterated and this that wee say of the oblation of Christ is because of the Godhead being vnited and conioyned with the manhoode for it being once offered ought not to be reiterated and yet is sufficient to deface and blot out al the sins that are alreadie or hereafter to be cōmitted You wil say yet behold the sacrament of the Altar is euery day offered vp in the church c. But the answere hereto is that this is no reiterating of the sacrifice but an ordinarie remēbring calling to mind of the only sacrifice offered vpon the Crosse wherupon it is said in Mat. 26. Do this in remēbrance of me c. Now manie such good people enflamed with a true zeale had stayed the course of this mischieuous monster but their owne infirmitie and weakenes did incumber and hinder them tyranous rule and gouernment astonished them and the multitude carried them away For on the contrarie to this error once so farre admitted of the multitude there is added an other heape of more then good measure Gab. Biel. lect 26. That it is cleane an other thing to be present at the Masse then to communicate in the holie supper That the Masse ex opere operato by the worke wrought that is to say by being onely present without receiuing anie thing or yet bringing anie good motion thereunto doth apply vnto euerie such person present al the merites of Christ Who could not now loue the Masse better then the holie supper which requireth a serious examination and tryall of the conscience that offereth life but representeth to the vnworthie receiuer the dreadfull horror of tormenting hell Againe That the Masse hath a most speciall a most great and an indefferent or middle power and efficacie a most speciall in respect of the Priest seeing that by it hee meriteth eternall life a most generall in respect of the Church and all the members thereof without anie exception and a meane or middle in respect of him or them that cause the same to bee saide c. Of the sacrament of the holie supper the institution of the Sonne of God of all the sacramentes together yea or of the verie death of Iesus Christ is there anie one of them that hath written so high tearmes of commendation But seeing that it hath such efficacie and vertue in it to what end is it so oft reiterated or multiplied so manie waies seeing that the oft administring and taking of a medicine as they saye themselues is a marke and note of the weakenes of the same But this question is not yet throughlie decided amongst them as those that haue too eager a stomacke to loose their fatte morsels They dare not saye that it is for anie wante of sufficiencie in the sacrifice neither will they saye that the vertue and efficacie thereof may bee so farre stretched and extended as the sufficiencie thereof woulde beare Some saye that none but Iesus Christ doth knowe how farre it concerneth euerie man Others that hee bestoweth the power and vertue of the Masse according to the determination and application of the Priest that sacrificeth it Gab. Biel. lect 26. And thereuppon Gabriel Biel is set in a chafe saying I praye you such as wauer in this sorte and doe not so much as giue but sell such vncertainties in the Church and that in so serious and waightie a matter can we otherwise call them then most pernicious and daungerous Impostors and deceiuers Now as all truth doth agree and hang together That the doctrine of the Masse is against it selfe so wee may see in this doctrine the figure of falshoode and broad stampe of a shamefull lye which as his nature is is giuen to destroye and ouerthrowe it selfe Sometimes they say that Christ hath offered his bodie vnto God in the supper for the Apostles and that in the Masse the promises of the new Testament euen those of the remission of sins are applyed and that thereby it becommeth propitiatorie yea ex opere operato Other sometimes they say that this sacrifice doth not worke sufficientlie and immediatelie Bellarm. l. 2. de Missa c. 4.2 Idem l. 1. c. 2. and that it is not properlie ordained of God the instrument to iustifie as Baptisme and Absolution are but that it serueth onelie to obtaine the gifte of penance by which the sinner would drawe neare vnto the sacrament and bee iustified by it Againe sometime that the Masse carrieth with it the remission of sinnes in asmuch as Christ hath sacrificed his body and his blood for the remission of the sinnes of his Apostles and that in the same howre wherein hee celebrated the supper with them and commaunded them to continue the same and therefore it is propitiatorie yea saith Caietanus infinitelie meritorious and satisfactorie Sometimes they conclude that
passed ouer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hath beene obserued by the most learned that the Hebrew words which signifie paines and bands doe not any thing differ Psal 18.6 2. Sam. 22.6 but in one small pricke And this might verie well bee referred to that which Saint Luke saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hauing loosed and made an allusion to these words of Dauid The snares of Hell or of the Graue haue compassed me about Where the Septuagints haue translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the paines of child-birth And the Paraphrast goeth not far from them and it may bee that one and the same word without any let by reason of scruple caused through the prickes doth signifie them both And this might very wel come to passe through the custome they had to binde the bodies of their dead according wherunto we read in the storie of Lazarus Wherupon our Sauiour saith vnto his Apostles Vnloose him c. And it is not to bee forgotten that neuer a one of the Fathers hath found out Purgatorie in this place neither yet any of the late writers Caiet in Act. c. 2. Fcrus Hofmester in Act. c. 2. Caietanus expoundeth it of the penalties for such a word hee vseth which the Soule of Christ suffered being separate from the body Ferus vnderstandeth it of Christ his loosing of the paines of death for the faithfull in so much as that he which belieueth in him tasteth not of death but is alreadie past from death to life Hofmester by these paines of death or Hell all the sufferings that Christ hath indured for vs c. According to that place of the Psalme The paines of death haue compassed me and the daungers of Hell haue enwrapped me c. And these are the most noted and best esteemed Expositors amongst them Now commeth their maine argument No man saith Saint Paul 1. Cor. 3. can laye any other foundation then that which is laid which is Iesus Christ. But if any man build vpon this foundation Gold Siluer c. The worke of euerie man shall be manifest for the day will declare it because it shall bee disclosed by fire and the fire will proue what euerie mans worke is c. But he shall be saued as concerning himselfe as it were by fire This last fire they will haue to bee Purgatorie by which we are to bee saued Here let vs call to mind againe that which hath beene so often spoken of That Symbolicke Diuinitie or that Diuinitie which is deliuered in Similitudes doth not proue that there is no disputation or argument to bee held from Metaphors that no Article of doctrine is established by darke and obscure places For these bee the Maxims of the old writers whereunto we doe willingly subscribe Now the case so standeth as that all this text consisteth of Metaphors as foundation frame building Gold Siluer c. Wood haye strawe c. August de fide opcrib c. 15. 16. Idem in quaest ad Dulcit q. 1. that it is likwise obscure and difficult In so much as that S. Augustine doth accompt it amongst those whereof Saint Peter speaketh saying In the Epistles of Saint Paul there are certaine things that are hard to be vnderstood c. And after that hee hath giuen his aduice and iudgement I desire saith he to heare the wise and learned vpon this place c. This is to make way that wee may come to this that vpon a doubtfull and darke Exposition we ought not to ground any certaine doctrine much lesse an Article of our Christian faith Idem de fide oper c. 16. Ambros in 1. Cor. 3. Hieronym in l. 2. in Ioh. Thom. in 1. Cor. c. 3. Chrysost in 1. Cor. c. 3. Ambros in 1. Cor. 3. Heronym in Esay c. 5. Haim in 1. Cor. 3. Greg. li. 4. dial c. 39. August l. de fid oper c. 16. Greg. l. 4. dial c. 39. This also is the thing that hath begot so many and so diuers interpretations almost vpon euerie word For by builders some vnderstand all Christians as S. Augustine S. Chrysostome Theodoret c. Other some the Doctors and Pastors as S. Ambrose Saint Ierome Thomas and others Againe some by the word foundation do vnderstand true doctrine by Gold Siluer c. good works by wood haye c. mortall sinnes as Chrysostome Theophilact c. Others the preaching of faith wherupon euery man buildeth his expositions some of them being Orthodox and according to sound doctrine and other some heretical as S. Ambrose S. Ierome Haimo c. Others the good workes of one part and the veniall sinnes on the other as S. Gregorie Others the good and euill hearers as Theophilact Oecumenius c. Againe by the day S. Augustine and Saint Gregorie vnderstand this present life or the time of tribulation which causeth the good to be known from the wicked others and those in greater number the day of iudgement yet differing herein that some will haue it to be the great day of the Lord as Theodoret Theophilact Haimo Anselme c. The others that iudgement which passeth vpon euery person so soone as he is dead as Caietanus many of this time Againe this fire which shall trie the worke of euerie man by some is taken for tribulations as S. Augustine and S. Gregorie and by others for euerlasting fire By some for the consuming of the whole world by fire By other for Purgatorie and by others for the fire of the iust iudgement of God c. who examineth and trieth say they but punisheth not And in this opinion may S. Ambros in Psal 118. August in Enchirid. ad Laurent c. 68. Ambrose seeme to be And finally by this fire whereof it is said But be shall be saued as it were by fire Some vnderstand the tribulations of this life as Saint Augustine and S. Gregorie S. Augustine by name who saith that this place darke and obscure in it selfe must bee expounded by diuers others that are cleare and plaine in which fire doth signifie the triall of tribulation Others the euerlasting fire as Chrysostome and Theophilact and certaine also Purgatorie and amongst them some after the manner and fashion of the Church of Rome others after a certaine particular opinion such namely as was then common Which was that in the verie moment of the vniuersall Iudgement euerie one without exception should bee tried and proued by fire By these so variable and differing coniectures euerie one may iudge with what face our aduersaries can take this place and the interpretations thereof for the foundation of their Purgatorie Seeing also that Bellarmine a thing worth the noting is constrained by reason of the absurdities that hee meeteth withall therein to leaue and forsake all and to refute them euerie one for this or that inconuenience that would insue that so hee may lay some one particular and speciall sence and that such as may be sound Now we cannot
better come out of this Labyrinth then by the course of the text Saint Paul therefore hauing spoken before of the Doctors and Pastors that doe teach in the Church and continuing his discourse saith That the foundation of Religion is Christ that is to say the remission and forgiuenesse of sinne in him That if those Doctors and Pastors doe build vppon this foundation matter conformable and correspondent vnto the same that is to say sound and sincere doctrines and instructions that then when they come to triall they will be able to beare out and vndergoe the same whereas on the contrarie vaine and friuolous doctrines will vanish and turne to nothing as dooth the smoake in the ayre The sound and sincere ones he compareth to Gold Siluer and precious stones matters able to indure the fire but the corrupt and vaine ones to wood haye or straw all of them being matter which doe not beare or indure the fire yea which on the contrarie doe serue for nothing more then to set it on flame and kindle it Comparisons vsed elswhere in the Scriptures Psal 29. 119 Prou. 8. and 16 and to the same sence The commaundements of God saith Dauid are more to be desired then Gold Siluer or precious stones The fruit of wisedome is better then Gold Siluer or any Iewel-house In the Psalmes and Prouerbes the vaine opinions of men of which notwithstanding they make great accompt are compared to haye that passeth and withereth away Esay c. 40. Esay 1. and 58 Tertul. aduers Matc. l. 5. Dignam aut indignam doctrinam and opposed vnto the word of God which indureth for euer Esay 40. dooth compare them to stubble and drie wood Esay 1. and 58. And thus Tertullian Saint Ierome and Saint Ambrose doe interpret it Bellarmine also doth not turne it into any other sence The Apostle saith Euerie mans workes shall bee discouered and made manifest for the day will declare what it is The day that is to say the light opposed and set against darknesse such darknesse as vnder the cloake whereof the most corrupt Marchandises are couered and shrowded the light which maketh them knowne to bee such as they are Ioh. 5. according to that which is said Who so worketh truely and iustly let him come to the light that so his workes may bee made manifest Againe That which maketh all things manifest Ephes 4.5 that is the light And indeede it is not said here The day of the Lord but the day And Saint Gregorie and Saint Augustine doe vnderstand it of this present life And this day saith hee shall declare the worke vnto euerie one because it shall bee manifested by fire for the fire shall trie the workes of euerie man c. Assuredly no materiall fire but a fire fitted and proportioned according to these matters for it behooueth that the Allegorie should hang together Now the matters or substances are spirituall as true or false sound and durable or else vaine doctrines This fire then must be spirituall that is the effectuall power of the word of God and of his spirit vsing to accompanie the same which pearceth euen into the most secret ioyntes and parts before which in shorter or longer time all false doctrines and humane traditions not builded vpon the foundation which Christ hath laid will bee made vnable to stand An vsuall Metaphor in the Scripture The words of the Lord are as siluer refined in the fire Psal 19. Malach. 3. Leuit. 1.3 Amâ—ros in Psal 118. Ser 13. God will purge the Sonnes of Leui as Gold you are tried like Gold in the fire c. And so Saint Ambrose hath vnderstood it expounding these words Ignitum eloquium tuum c. Let come saith hee the worde of God let it enter into the Church let it become a consuming fire let it burne the haye and the strawe and whatsoeuer is therein that is not holye and consecrate vnto the Lord let it melt this leaden Masse of iniquitie c. Againe This fire it is the word of Christ a good fire which heateth and burneth not any thing saue sinne By this fire built vppon the good foundation this Gold of the Apostles was tried by this fire the Siluer of workes or of maners is examined and proued by this fire these goodly buildings of beautifull Iewels and precious stones haeue their glasse and goodly shew giuen vnto them but the haye and the straw are consumed Wherefore this fire refineth and maketh cleane the spirit but consumeth and wasteth errour c. And note that this is hee that did interpret vnto vs this place heretofore to be vnderstood of Doctors and doctrines and in the same hee still persisteth and continueth vnderstanding by Gold doctrines and by Siluer workes in that of sound or vaine doctrines proceede good or euill workes Hieronim in Daniel c. 7. In Esay c. 66. Saint Ierome in like manner God saith hee is called a consuming fire for to deuour all that which is vicious in vs as haye wood stubble c. And I suppose that this is that fire that did sit vpon the tongues of the Apostles And it is generally to bee noted that not one of the old Fathers hath vnderstood it of their Purgatorie And what is it that will ensue of the triall made by this fire that if the doctrines that shall bee prooued therein doe abide the hammer then hee which shall haue builded vppon that good foundation shall receiue his reward but and if they burne or flie away in smoake hee shall loose his time and labour and yet notwithstanding in as much as he hath built vpon the good foundation and hath not defiled nor ouerthrowne it hee shall be saued but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were by fire that is to say as one that escapeth the fire He that escapeth out of the fire thinketh himselfe to haue performed verie much in hauing saued himselfe all bare and naked For hee accompteth his life for a pray how much so euer he loose otherwise And this is the true signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is also of sauuer in our tonge Acts. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saue your selues from this froward generation that is Eripite vos As also these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but so as it were by fire are held for a prouerbe Cicer. de consol Zachar. 3. Amos. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which wee shall not faile to meete withal in all languages amongst good Authors In Latine Tanquam ex incendio effugere vel euadere In Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if a man should say in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a brand saued out of the fire And these Particles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say Sic autem quasi doe sufficiently shew vs that he doth not speake of any sire here in this place but of a power like vnto fire and namely that fire whereof hee
might be forgiuen him before his departure out of this life for hee hath not obtained remission of his sinnes here shall neuer come by it there It will not be there at all because that such a one shall not possiblie attaine vnto eternall life seeing that eternall life is the remission of sinnes Idem ibid. And therefore he saith forgiue me to the end I may be comforted before I go hence and be no more Againe When the day shalkâ— come saith he let vs go on without feare directly to the companie of the Saintes for wee shall go to our fathers to them which haue instructed vs in the faith to that end that when our workes doe faile vs our faith might sustaine and succour vs August ad Maced cp 54. and our inheritance defend vs c. The Maxims of S. Augustine in like manner are After this life euery man shall haue that which he hath purchased vnto himselfe In this life there is place for repentance for such as indeuour themselues thereto Idem de temp serm 66. Here the mercie of God doth helpe but out of this life it serueth to no vse c. In such case as thy last day findeth thee in such case shall the last day of the worlde take holde vppon thee For as a man dieth in the one Idem de verb. Apost ser 18. so shall hee bee iudged in the other There are two places of abode the one in eternall fire the other in an euerlasting kingdome The one saith hee in another place for the faithfull Idem in psal 32. Idem de peccat meritis l. 1 c 2 8. Idem in l. qui ei adscribitur de vanitate saeculi Chrysost de Lazaro hom 2 Idem in Genes hom 5. 3. de paenit Hiero. in 13. q. 2. c. in praesent which is the kingdome of heauen the other for the Apostates and vnfaithful in hell of any third we know nothing at all neither yet do we find any thing therof in the scriptures Againe There is no third or middle place for any man so that he which is not with Christ can not possiblie bee any where els but with the Deuilles Againe Know this that so soone as the soule is seperated from the bodie either it is placed in paradice for his good workes or else for his sinnes cast headlong into hell in Tartara inferni and therefore choose you to which of these you will stand c. Chrysostome So long as wee liue here vppon earth we promise to our selues goodly things through hope but so soone as we are deceased there is no more time of repenting vs neither yet of washing away of our sinnes For saith he in another place hee that hath not washed himselfe cleane from his sinnes in this life shall not after it finde any comfort or consolation for here is the time of wrastling and fighting there of triumphing and receiuing of giftes S. Ierome So long as we are in this world we may receiue aide and succour one of another either by praier or good counsell but when as wee shall once come before the throne of Christ neither can Iob Daniel nor Noe pray for vs but euery man shal beare his owne burthen But our fathers of Trent haue caused the same to be razed in the Table Index expurg 1â—0 Hieronym ad Ga. c. 6. Againe vpon this place of the Galathians Let vs doe good whiles it is time c. Here saith he is the last time of sowing let vs make speed that we may haue sowen all our fieldes c. Againe vpon the Epitaph of Paula All this which returneth to the Lord is accompted amongst his family That which we make accompt of to be lost that is it which is placed in heauen for in that that Paula hath dwelt in this bodie she hath beene absent from the Lord as it were for so much time as one iourney or voiage would require Peregrinabatur a Domino c. Againe he saith Id mâ—de obitu â—lesillae ad Paulam After that Blessilla was returned to her maker discharged of the burthen of this life and aduanced again to her old possession and inheritance from which she had discontinued c. Againe Let vs weepe for the dead but for him that is gone to hell not for them who are accompanied with hostes of Angels not those to whom Christ himselfe commeth before c. Epiphanius in the same sence Epiphan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l 2 tom 1. In the world to come after that man is dead there is no succour no place for fasting calling to repentance or of making any vaine ostentation of almes deeds c. For as after the mowing downe of the corne the graine addeth nothing to his grosnesse neither yet is subiect to be corrupted with the wind c. So likewise all succour and help either by fasting pennance c. after death is cleane gone and vanished For Lazarus commeth not from where he was to the rich man nor the rich man to Lazarus Abraham casteth not his spoiles and bootie to the poore man to inrich him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iâ—de apud Tertullianum ad Scamina producete ad Marter c 3 apud Ambr. l. 1. de Offic. neither yet doeth the rich man any more receiue the thing which he requesteth how importunate soeuer he were with courteous bountifull Abraham For the garners are sealed vp the time accomplished the battell finisht the champions their places voide and emptie and the garlandes distributed Such as haue fought are at rest they which haue not excelled are gone those which haue not striuen and fought are not any more such as haue beene ouercome are cast out all thinges are fully consumate and finished Let our aduersaries here againe reconcile these Maxims and their purgatorie two places and not one more with a third the immediate inioying of the heauenly life with their darke and dolorous abode in Purgatorie the vnprofitablenesse of all manner of satisfactions after this life with their Masses Suffrages other pretended satisfactions Some will say vnto vs yea but it is receiued into the Christian Churches From whence purgatory came and in what sence this word is vsed of the old writers Plato de Anima in Gorgia Euseb l. 1. de prepar Euang. c. vlt. l. 12. Arnob. l. 2. contr Gentes yea it raigneth there yea it triumpheth there And how then or froÌ„ whence came it or entred it thereinto seeing it is not of Christ By what dore or rather through what windowes seeing that it did neuer enter by the scriptures verily we haue declared heretofore As namely that they that were conuerted to Christ whether from Iudaisme or from Paganisme did bring with them either their ceremonies or their opinions this happened in this article as in others For Plato who liued about 400. yeares before the comming of Christ hath this peece of doctrine so intire
for but approue O Lord and heare witnesse with Voluntariaoris mei the free offerings of my mouth Epiphan cont Aerium l. 3. t. 1 haeres 75. c. This argument was more throughly canuased and hotly dealt in about the yeare 500. in the time of Epiphanius who concealeth not or hideth the same from vs but setteth downe the verie same wordes That this is no commaundement of the father but an instruction and lesson taught by the mother that is to say by the Church Aerius found himselfe offended at these prayers for the dead which passed measure He put foorth this question Wherefore are the names of the deceased repeated and recited after their death And to what end doe praiers serue for those that are taken out of this life If it be to the end that they may not suffer for their sinnes c. Heere verily were a place to answere him that there is a Purgatorie That those that are departed hence without hauing satisfied for their sinnes are relieued by such suffrages c. But on the contrarie what dooth Epiphanius presuppose and set downe for the foundation of the matter in question Verily euen the quite contrarie That such as the liuing pray for are and liue in the presence of the Lord and that by these prayers such as are as yet trauelling this worldly pilgrimage doe witnesse their hope S. Chrysostome hath spoken of these prayers for the dead with greater aduantage then any others For that which Tertullian hath called Custome Epiphanius a Decree or Tradition of the Fathers he hath called an Apostolicall Tradition But he is confuted in one word by S. Ierome and S. Gregorie who saith that the Apostles vsed no other prayer in the celebration of seruice then the Lords prayer But yet for all that shall we thinke that hee praied for soules in Purgatorie when as hee belieued not any such thing Nay verily but rather for them which are with Christ Chrysost hom 3 ad Philip. Idem hom 4. ad Hebr. They are saith he with their king not any more beholding him as in a mirrour no longer loking vp vnto him by the eyes of faith but face to face For else what shuld be the meaning of these flaming Lamps but that we beare these glorious Champions companie home to their houses after their combat finished and accomplished As also what should bee the meaning of these Hymnes but that we glorifie God and giue him thankes for that hee hath crowned the deceased That he hath set him at libertie from all griefe and anguish and that he keepeth him now euen with himselfe These then are all of them nothing else but actions of ioy and reioycing And if thou marke what thou singest at that time it is Conuertere anima mea in requiem tuam Flie O my soule into thy rest for the Lord hath dealt graciously with thee And againe I wil not feare the euil wicked persons because that thou art with me c. Idem hom 70 ad Antioch in Math. hom 32 in Ioh. 61. In an other place The faithfull dying saith he shal take his flight vp into the habitation of the Angels so that he shal not be to be found euen at the time of his funerall And in deed the Liturgies which they obiect so much vnto vs should so much the more confirme them in this point That of Saint Basil Remember those O Lord which sleepe in hope of the resurrection Would he in their conscience call Purgatorie a sleepe And when hee prayeth for the liuing he saith For their saluation for the remission of their sinnes But for the dead For their rest and ease of their soule in a cleare and light place farre and free from weeping and wayling c. And thus Chrysostome The office of Millaine attributed to Saint Ambrose For them saith it which haue gone before vs with the ensigne of faith and which sleepe the sleepe of peace c. And that which they attribute vnto Saint Iames in the same sence For all such as haue embraced the true faith from Abell for the Patriarkes Apostles Prophets Martyrs as also for the Virgine Marie whome he calleth the mother of God most holy and pure c. And which amongst them is hee that would say that shee is in Purgatorie But after all Saint Ierome in the place before alleadged cutteth off all quite and cleane That out of this world we receiue no helpe aide or comfort either by the counsailes or prayers one of another And this is cited to the same end and purpose in the Decree And what shall wee say of the Masse vsed at this day Hierony apud Grat. c 20. in praesenti 13. q 2. which on the contrarie praieth not for the deliuerie of soules out of Purgatorie but out of Hell from the darke lake from the iawes of the Lyon and from eternall paines And that not for the time present but in respect of the iudgement to come as likewise that that which is read of the memorie of those which sleepe the sleepe of peace and which rest in Christ is not to bee read in the old Masse bookes of Rome which are written with hand but added onely after that the Masse hath beene applied to the vse of the dead So hard a thing it is and alwayes hath beene to vpholde and maintaine a lie against the truth They replie And what then was the end of praying for the dead In what sence they praied for the dead Orig. l. 3. in Iob We cannot better sound the reason of this then by the line of the Fathers themselues which did practise it Origen alleadgeth two reasons We celebrate saith hee the memorie of their rest partly to reioyce for that they are placed in Refrigerio at their ease partly for to pray vnto God that he would giue vs euen vs that are still liuing a good ende by faith c. This then is properly for the instruction of the liuing and not for the comfort of the dead Saint Denis Wherefore saith hee doth the Minister pray vnto God that he will pardon the dead Dionys c. 7. Eccles Hierar and place him in the region of the liuing For seeing that euerie man is there handled according to his life and that he hath now ended the same what can such prayers preuaile and helpe him Heere was to bee aunswered according to the doctrine receiued and taught by the Church of Rome That this was to free him out of the paines of Purgatorie But in deed what is his answere That the praiers of good and vertuous men doe neuer faile of their fruit That God rendreth to the faithfull according to their workes but in such sort notwithstanding as that he blotteth out their spots and imperfections for his mercie sake then it is not by the rigour and seueritie of Purgatorie That although the promises of God made vnto the faithfull be alreadie effected and fulfilled that yet the Minister doth
Hell and Purgatorie That all whatsoeuer miserie all the men in this world had indured from Adam vnto that time did not come any thing neere vnto the paines and punishment that is therein c. And that had not Saint Ierome come in the meane time they had beene neere to haue receiued the sentence of condemnation for not hauing belieued it c. Thus we may see a thing then which nothing is more naturall the doctrine of lyes maintained and nourished by a lie it selfe CHAP. X. What prosperous proceeding Purgatorie attained vnto in the Church of Rome and by what degrees IN the ende after that our aduersaries cannot all this while make choyse of any one of the Fathers to whose opinion they may trust and hold themselues in this matter of Purgatorie for wee freely permit and allow them their choyse out of them all notwithstanding that wee haue runne through the space of those fiue hundred yeares next after our Lord Purgatorie affirmed and avouched by Gregorie Anno. 600. Deut. 18.11 Esay 8.19 August de cura pro mortuis gerend Vpon what foundation he buildeth his doctrine Gregor Magn. in Dialog they are constrained to haue recourse to Gregorie Bb. of Rome liuing about the yeare 600 euen vnto that Gregorie which of the custome of the Gentiles made a Law in the Church of Christ of Origen his curiosities a necessarie deuotion of the speculations of the olde Fathers who had gone before him a grounded principle and firme Maxim and of S. Augustines doubt an affirmatiue doctrine but grounded also altogether vpon other raasons then had bene alleadged by the former as reuelations apparitions of spirits and others such like delusions directly contrarie to that which is said in the Law Who so goeth to aske counsell of the dead is an abhomination vnto the Lord as also against the Maxim which S. Augustine is so carefull for to proue That the soules of the dead intermeddle not with the affaires of those that are aliue The doctrin then of S. Gregorie in brief is That as at the breake of the day and in a browne colour the darke is mingled with the light is called the twylight so the neerer we come to the day of iudgement so much the more inter-course and communitie shall there bee betwixt spirits and men What solide or sound stuffe can hee picke out of this foundation seeing hee presupposeth and setteth downe the end of the world to bee as then And this is the cause why saith hee that men doe attaine speaking of his owne time to know the estate and condition of Soules a thing lesse knowne to such as went before Of Paschasius his soule he learneth how that it indured his Purgatorie amidst the scaldings of hotte waters because that in a certaine schisme falling out amongst the Popes he tooke part with Laurence not with Symmachus And thereupon he inferreth that good soules which halt and come short be it neuer so little in the workes of righteousnesse are detained kept backe for a like proportion of time from the inioying of heauen From the soule of a certaine Lord how that it serued at the bathes to pull off the hose and shoes of all such as came to them vntill the time that a certain Priest to whom it made it selfe knowne had offered two loaues such as had beene accustomed to bee offered for it As also from the soule of a Monke who died hauing in store the summe of three Crownes how when there was a holy day kept in his name it receiued the Communion in Purgatorie c. Hee inferreth that when the trespasses are not vnpardonable there is meanes to procure a remedy and helpe for the same by the offering of a sacrifice c. And his Dialogues are full of such friuolous tales Howsoeuer that Schoolemen doe not admit into Purgatorie any faults or sinnes how sleight so euer but the paines and punishment only he concludeth notwithstanding that there is no way to be followed but to do well so long as we are here without trusting to that which may be done afterward But what manner of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what steadfastnes of faith is there in all this Or rather what hath it but it may giue vs to belieue that these were spirits of deceipt watchfull and painefull in their craft and occupation euen in perswading the world to that which might deceiue them Tertullian saith Tertull. de Anima c. 5.7 These apparitions are but the mockeries and deceits of the euill spirit who carrieth himselfe priuily vnder the shapes of liuing men or masked and disguised after the manner of men deceased c. God hath sufficiently declared vnto vs in the parable of the poore and rich man that Hell is not open for any to come forth c. no not to winne credite to Moyses and the Prophets c. To be short all manner of representation or apparition of soules that is without body is nothing else but a delusion nothing else but witchcraft Chrysostome after the same manner Chrysost hom 29. in Math. hom 13. Idem de Lazaro hom 4. The possessed with Diuels will crie sometimes vnto thee and say I am the soule of such a one but wilt thou belieue it No not so saith hee for this speech commeth of the fraud and deceipt of the Diuell It is not the soule of any dead person that speaketh so but it is the Diuell that counterfeiteth the deepelier to deceiue and abuse the people For of a certaintie the soule seperated from the body goeth not vp and down wandring in these lower regions the soules of the righteous are in the hand of God those of the sinners after this life are quickly by force carried away The historie of Lazarus and the rich man doth proue the same vnto vs. And againe Wouldest thousee that the doctrine of the Scriptures and of the Prophets is of an other manner of weight then that of the dead which rise againe consider and know that whosoeuer the dead partie may be yet he is a seruant but as for the Scriptures it is the Lord which speaketh in them And therefore though a dead man reuine and liue againe though an Angell come downe from heauen yet let vs principally belieue the Scriptures For the Author of them is as wel the Lord of the dead as of the liuing of men and of Angels And therefore what the Scriptures teach vs most clearely let vs not goe about to learne of the dead c. And there is an Article in the auncient Synodes That such visions vnder the colour of soules are of the Diuell But what then may we thinke that Tertullian or Chrysostome would haue said to Gregorie Verily that these visions had beene of the Diuell Verily and his Purgatorie also a doctrine of Diuels And againe some haue doubted of these Dialogues that they were not his because that in the rest of his bookes hee seemeth to be more graue And
for feare saith he that veritas abeat in errorē the truth be turned and changed into error that is for as much as that which is performed duely vnto God can not chuse but be misplaced vnduely bestowed when it is performed vnto creatures Now these honors such as is adoration as also inuocation are parts of that which he calleth Latria For so he expresseth his meaning to be by the examples which he mentioneth of them in Ieremie that honour the hoasts Queene of heauen of Noe giuing thanks for his deliuerance by a sacrifice of Iacob crauing aide of the Lord in his necessity in powring the oile vpon the stone c. And whereas the abuse did grow more plausible by reason of the name of the virgine Marie There are some saith he which do not honor her sufficiently there are some that glorifie her too much The Deuil vnder the colour of doing good entreth into the spirits of men deifieth the nature of man to cause thē to worship the dead c. But although the bodie of Marie were holy yet notwithstanding it was not God she was a virgin to be honored and reuerenced but not to be adored worshipped she her selfe falling downe worshipping him that was borne of her according to the flesh whereupon he saith vnto her What haue I to doe with thee O woman for feare that any man admiring too much her excellencie might fall into heresie These are the reasons hee vseth in all this disputation In the first place It is not spoken of in the scriptures Where is saith he the scripture where is the Prophet that hath spoken it And for the second Rom. 1. It is an old error which must not rule ouer vs to forsake the liuing and to worship that which he hath made according to that which is written They haue worshipped the creature more then the Creator c. And therefore neither Helias nor S. Iohn nor Thecla nor Marie For if it be denied the Angels why should it be granted to the daughter of Hanna that is to say Mary And afterward also whole pages to the like purpose Let Ieremie saith he hold in these sillie simple women that they may not trouble the whole world that they may not haue any more to say we honor the Queene of heauen c. What other thing should he heare at this day in the deuotions of the Church of Rome Then he concludeth And this wee haue written for their sakes that are desirous to attaine the truth of the scriptures But if there bee any man that liketh better to heare the contrarie for this superstition did not want Monkes to support it he that heareth let him heare he that is disobedient let him be disobedient c. Chrysostome may seeme to haue taken to taske the pulling downe subuersion of this abuse he taketh such paines by all maner of meanes to vndermine the very foundations thereof Hee saw that the people were more inclined to receiue helpe from the suffrages of another then to amend their owne liues Therefore hee impugneth this opinion Nay saith he We are a great deale more assured certified Chrysost hom 5. in Matth. by our owne suffrages thē by the suffrages of an other neither doth God so soon grant our saluation at the praiers of another as at our owne For by that meanes was he moued to pittie the Cananitish woman by that meanes also he gaue the harlot to belieue thus also did the thief obtaine paradise there being neither aduocate nor mediator to moue him to any of these by intercession But Idem hom 12. in Matth. Thou saist I haue no good works I cannot trust to my good life hereupon it is that we are to betake our selues to his mercie the calme and quiet hauen of sinners where iudgement ceaseth wherein consisteth vnspeakable safety according to the example of the Cananitish woman who neither went to Iames nor Iohn nor Peter c. But in stead of all these she embraced as her dearest companion vnfained and hearty repentance and it was also vnto her as her aduocate going on her behalfe directly vnto the soueraigne head and fountaine And wherefore said she is he come downe to take humane flesh vpon him why is he made man but that I may speake vnto him In another place Idem hom de prof Euang. Wilt thou see saith he what more we do for our selues by our owne praters then by those of an other◠when the Apostles pray for the Cananitish woman they are repelled I am not sent but to the lost sheepe of Israel c. But when shee pleadeth her owne cause by prayer how great a sinner soeuer shee were euen then it was that shee obtained grace euen then it was that the Lord did graunt her petition Yea but the scripture commandeth vs to pray one for another Other mens praiers therefore are not vnprofitable Admit it yet it must be by the Saints that are aliue and not by them that are dead And of this intercession of the Saints it is that he speaketh and not of that of the Church of Rome When we offer saith he altogether vnto God Idem hom 44 in Genes 1. Idem hom 5. in Mat. Idem hom in 1. ad Thes Genes 18. Ierem. 7.16.11.14 that which commeth from our selues and the intercession of the Saints is ioyned therewith it doth greatly profite vs. For saith he in another place the praiers and supplications of the Saints are of great force power on our behalfe and therefore let vs not neglect them but rather let vs pray them to pray for vs and to lend vs their helping hand But what Saintes euen those that are liuing and wee know them by the examples and patternes that he giueth vs of them As of Abraham making intercession for Lot and of Ieremie whom God forbiddeth to pray for the people and many other Where in the meane time wee haue to obserue and note the faithfull and good dealing of the Doctors of the Church of Rome who alleadge the same of the Saints deceased and not of the faithfull liuing which are in all the scipture commonly called Saintes As concerning the Saints deceased he sometimes speaketh of them according to the common opinion Idem in Basil Martyr especially in his Panegyricks That the magnanimitie and vndaunted boldnesse of the Martyrs is a terrour vnto the tyrantes the deuils and the Prince of the deuils That they pray to God with confidence as soldiers are wont to shew their wounds vnto their Prince Idem in Iuuent Maxim That if S. Paule haue loued men here below he hath also in heauen a more feruent loue towards them but that this neuer reacheth either to praying vnto Saintes or vnto Martyrs on the contrarie in all his praiers we doe not heare of any other but onely God But haue they not purchased Paradise by their sufferings and merites
of my God The Breuiarie of Premonster And likewise we reade furthermorein the Breuiarie of the order of Premonster which was instituted in his time these Latine rimes in the Liturgie vpon all Saints day Adiuuent nos corum merita Quos propria impediunt scelera Excuset eorum intercessio Quos propria accusat actio At tu qui eis tribuisti Caele stis palmam triumphi Nobis veniam ne deneges peccati Shall we saith hee be helped by their merits which are hindered by their owne grieuous crimes Excused by their intercession who are accused of their owne actions and workes But thou O Lord which hast giuen them the ensigne of celestiall triumph denie not vnto vs the pardon of our sinnes The Valesians opposing themselues c. But whiles the abuse in the meane time was master of the plaine and open field there was raised new forces by the Waldenses and Albigenses which gaue a sharpe assault with great heate incountering the same euen to the drawing of the matter to such a dispute and parle as required for an indifferent hearing of the same an assembly of many graue and learned men in an open Councell and not staying there proceeded euen to the filling of a great part of France so far with the fauoring and good liking of their matter as that til all maner of fraud and force did ioyne and couple it selfe together they could neuer be perswaded to abandon and banish it out from amongst them yea which more is to the giuing of it such deepe roote as the Histories of that time as well as the enemies themselues doe witnesse as that it ouerspread and flourished in all the nations of Christendome Therefore amongst their Articles we reade this for one That there is but one mediator and that all inuocating and worshipping of men is but Idolatrie And the foresaid histories doe further adde that the doctrine of the Waldenses was no new thing but such as had continued euer since the time of the Apostles at the least euer since the time of Pope Syluester the first that is to say that the chaunge beeing come by succession of time into the Christian Church they should haue retained the puritie of the same amongst them Histor Vetus de Waldensib And in deed a certaine booke of this date saith That it was for three respects more daungerous then any other sect The first quia diuturnior because saith it it was of longer time for some are of iudgement that it hath continued euer since the time of Pope Syluester some there are likewise that say euer since the time of the Apostles The second because it is more generall Quia generalior for there is not almost any Countrie or nation wherin it hath not seated it selfe The third because that others by being blasphemous against God doe make men afraid of them whereas this hath great apparance that it proceedeth of pietie in as much as the fauourers thereof liue iustly before men doe easily belieue that which concerneth God and the whole Creed cleauing fast only to the Church of Rome c. And thus spake their enemies also and this being once said I would haue to serue without any further repetitions Now it is not credible how this abuse holding by open force the vpper hand of the truth Lombard l. 4. d. 55. did in short time become horrible fearefull Lombard from hence forth doth put it downe for a sentence That the Saints make intercession for vs and that both by their merits because they fulfill wherein wee come short as also by their affection because they ioyne themselues vnto our vowes This hitherto had not beene vttered in any sort so hardly to be disgested And furthermore from henceforth al the Schoolemen doe not only follow and approue what he hath said but doe labour to make it to be valewed still at more more As Alexander Hales Bonauenture Thomas c. And their reason is That Vltima reducuntur in Deum per media That the extreames cannot come to God but by meanes things of a midle qualitie The very same reason that the Platonists did alleadge for the intercession of their Gods Semi-gods As concerning the question whether the Saints do know the affaires of men or no that also they take vpon them to determine That they know all things in as perfect sort as the Angels in the beholding seing of God The same that S. Gregorie had said as it were by the way But what will they doe with S. Barnard who maintaineth that the Saints are not receiued to inioy the presence of God vntil the resurrection And to Pope Iohn the 22. whom W. Occam saith to haue so resolued him Thom. Sum. q. 57. art 5. 12 art 8. as also to haue laboured to cause him to sweare therunto at Sorbone And finally to S. Thomas who teacheth That the Angels by naturall knowledge doe not vnderstand the mysteries of grace and that by that which they haue in the seeing of God they do not know any more then it pleaseth him to reueale vnto them that for other matters they know not either those that are contingent neither yet the thoughts of harts Being notwithstanding the ordinarie subiects according to the doctrine of our aduersaries both of the inuocation of men and of the intercession of Angels But seing they haue brought vs to speak in their tearmes ab extremo ad supremum per media behold see the extremities whervnto they lead vs. Antoninus Archb. of Florence teacheth Anton. part 3. Sum t. 3. 12. Idem part 4. t. 15. 1. Ioh. 2. That Saints must be both inuocated adored of all that all those vpon whom the Virgine Mary casteth her eyes are necessarily iustified saued that Christ is ouer rough in as much as he is both aduocate iudge together for that God hath prouided vs of an aduocatesse in whō there is nothing but mildnes So that what is said in S. Iohn If we haue sinned we haue an Aduocate c. he turneth it in plaine words to be vnderstood of the Virgin Mary Heb. 4. and that which the Apostle to the Hebrews saith vnto vs of Christ the high priest Let vs draw neere vnto the throne of grace c. he will haue it to be vnderstood of her For Marie saith he is the throne of Christ Genes 2. c. What shall I say more The Seraphins say they would haue retained Marie as shee ascended vp to heauen No saith she it is not good that man should be alone speaking of the eternall sonne sitting at the right hand of the father I am giuen vnto him for a help in the worke of redemption by suffering with him and in the worke of glorification by making intercession to the end that if he should threaten to drowne the world as in the deluge I may appeare before him as the rainebow to the end that hee
me in the beginning of his waies Prouerb 8. before euer he created any thing I was ordainea euerlastingly c. And it is read in this sence in the Romish Missall vpon the day of the Natiuitie Leo 10. in ep 17. Anno 15 4. And Pope Leo the tenth in his Epistles written by Cardinall Bembo his Secretarie for them calleth her Deam Goddesse a title neuer heard of in any of the former ages thereby to adde vnto all this masse and huge heape this one thing which was wanting vz. the weathercocks And these are the goodly doctrines contained in these goodly bookes whereof all maner of Couents were full Marialia Rosaria Hortulus animae Promptuarium discipul c. Let vs come vnto the Saintes Alexander Halez and Bonaduenture haue taught That they are Mediators of our saluation that although they be sufficiently rewarded for their merites and not any more in case to merite yet for the manifold workes of Supererogation which they haue done they haue purchased so great a place as that they haue not onely merited blessednesse and glorie for themselues but also are able to relieue and make supplie for others in such sort as that they which before were vnworthie are likewise verie speedily made worthy by their intercession Now what is it that they haue builded vpon this foundation Verily the verie daughter and full representation of all Paganisme if so be it be not some worse thing Euerie nation towne village and familie is come to haue his Saint euerie estate condition craft and diâ—ease is become beholden and bound vnto one or other Thereby also they are come to the canonizing of their Saintes imitating therein the Pagans by so doing as much as lyeth in them they go about to make Gods of men to deifie them deifie I say for they are their owne phrases They canonize them whom they vnderstand to be worshipped and praied vnto Anton part 5. Summ. t 12. c. 8 This is the definition that they make of their Saintes Againe There belong seuen things to a canonized Saint The first to bee publikely held for a Saint The second to be inuocated in the praiers of the Church The third to haue Churches and Altars The fourth an office and sacrifice in honour of him The fist a fest iuall day The sixt an image with lightes in signe of glorie The seuenth relikes and shrines Adde also that they pray vnto them directly by the Lords prayer it selfe being directed and framed for God the Father And yet they say that this is not idolatrie That this is nothing els but Doulia and thus they thinke to pay God with their distinctions But I could wish them that they would at the least bethinke themselues and call to mind at the least that which is said vnto them by their Pope Innocentius Innocent l. 5. c. 4. Gulielm Durand epist Mimatens That there are two sortes of worship Latria and Doulia the former proper vnto God the Creator the latter for the creatures but that to the first do belong Churches Altars sacrifices feastes and ceremonies c. And Durand hath said the same wherefore by their owne reckning it must needes be idolatrie And what shall wee say in the end of their Frauncis and Dominicke Francis Anno 1200. in whose persons they haue delighted and pleased themselues to abolish and vtterly extinguish so much as lyeth in them both the merite and the name of Christ Barthol de Pisis l. conformit Frauncis say they in their booke of Conformities is a more worthy person then Iohn Baptist Iohn was a preacher of repentance Frauncis both a preacher and an ordainer of the order of Penitents Iohn a forerunner of Christ Frauncis both a forerunner and a standerd bearer Iohn receiued the word of repentance of Christ Frauncis both of Christ and of the Pope quod est plus which is more Iohn his father had reuelation from God by an Angell concerning him euen what he should be but of Frauncis it was declared both to his mother and his seruantes by Iesus Christ himselfe what he should be Iohn was the friend of the bridegroome but Frauncis like vnto the bridegroome himselfe Iohn a rare and singular man in sanctimonie and Frauncis in conformitie Iohn lifted vp and set amongst the Seraphins Fol. 39. Frauncis in the same order and manner with Iohn but set moreouer in the place from which Lucifer was throwne c. Againe hee is better then all the Apostles for they forsooke nothing for Christs sake saue some little ship Fol. 66. but hee left and forsooke all euen to his hosen The virgine Marie and the other Saintes in heauen go in procession euery one in his order but this man is lodged within the side of Christ He commeth forth by his wound with the banner of the crosse in his hand for to conduct guide them This man is a Iesus typicus a figuratiue Sauior a crucifixus singularis a singular crucified man who in sight hath receiued the verie same wounds that Christ suffered the same pains This is he that is via vitae the way of life abusing that which our Lord said of himselfe I am the way the truth and the life This man is the image of Christ as Christ is the image of his Father c. And what more Christus orauit Franciscus exorauit Christ did but pray but Frauncis prated and obtained Happie is he that dieth in Domino in Christ yea he that dieth say they in the habite of S. Frauncis yea if he haue but his hand in the sleene of it he is happie Baptisme doth wash away originall sinne the hood of S. Frauncis much more as oft as you shall resolue to continue the wearing of it it is worth as much vnto you as a new baptizing yea rather it is a new abolishment not of original sin onely but of all manner of actuall sinnes In a word we haue seene written ouer the gates of the gray friers of Bloys Quaeretur peccatum illius non inuenietur his sinnes shall be sought for but they shall not bee found The same that the Apostle hath said of one onely Christ and that the Prophete hath said of the abolishment of sinnes in his blood Neither can they excuse these matters in saying that they are but some particular mans opinions and not approued of the whole Church of Rome For the Popes Gregorie the ninth Alexander the fourth and Nicolas the third doe ordaine to bee belieued of all the faithfull vpon paine of being condemned as heretickes the scars and printes of S. Frauncis And Pope Benedict the twelft ordained that the day whereupon he receiued them should be kept holy And Alexander the fourth in particular Anton Archiep tit 24. S. 10 Math. Paris Monach. Albanens in hist Anglic. in Henric. 3. doth take into the protection of the Church of Rome and his Montem Aluerniae the mountaine wherein this
repay him againe The same also which S. Paul saith What is it that thou hast which thou hast not receiued And if thou hast receiued it 1. Cor. 4.7 why boastest thou thy selfe as if thou hadst not receiued it c. And the second Councel of Orange held about the yeare 450. doth conclude in these words Mans nature Concil Arans c. Can. 19. Man a great deale lesseable after his fall euen in his integritie could not keep his integritie without the help of God c. But after he had fallen and corrupted his waies being the second state that our first father fell into we became in farre worse and harder case Man euen in his integrity could not in respect of God merite or deserue any good thing but now in the daies of his corruption hee cannot chuse but merite yea he cannot merite any thing but the wrath of God his curse and eternall death For being become sinne and transgression it hath corrupted the most noble partes both of his humane bodie and diuine soule making the will to bee the slaue of vnbridled appetite vnderstanding of imagination vnto all euill and both of them faultie and corrupted in themselues the will estranged from the loue of God and the vnderstanding from the hauing of the knowledge of him both the one and the other carried from their naturall and one onely good state to the contrarie with all their power and abilitie euen to will and know that which is displeasing vnto him and hurtfull to themselues Man now in this estate what can he doe what can he but do amisse And notwithstanding this is the state of all men in themselues since the fall no man to be excepted God pronounceth this generall sentence in Genesis Genel 6. Iob. 14. Psal 51. All the thoughtes of the heart of man are set vpon euill continually The most holy do most freely confesse it Iob Who can draw any thing that is pure from that which is defiled Not one Dauid Behold I was begotten in iniquitie and my mother hath conceiued me in sinne and therefore he prayeth vnto God to create in him a new hart Ioh. 3.6 Christ in the Gospell That which is begotten of flesh is flesh and that which is begotten of the spirit is spirit If a man be not borne againe hee cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Rom. 7.18 2. Cor. 3.5 Ephes 1. And Saint Paule expoundeth it Because that in the flesh dwelleth no good seeing that the naturall man doth not comprehend that which is of the spirite of God And because That we are naturally deadin sinnes our workes then are both dead and deadly and to bring vs to bring out any other it cannot bee without the working of a miracle Ephes 2.5 Rom. 6.8 it is requisite that wee should bee raised againe And it is God onely that must doe this Because saith he moreouer that We are children of wrath That All the desires and all the vnderstanding also of our flesh which we make so much of is enmitie against God Prou. 10. And without exception For There is no man saith Salomon that can say Rom. 5.17 1. Cor. 15. My heart is cleane I am without sinne And the Apostle more expresly All men haue sinned and are dead in Adam By a man sinne entred into the world into all men and by sinne death c. Yea into Moyses the meekest of all other men Thou hast sette before thy face Absconditum nostrum our sinne that was hidden from vs. This naturall viciousnesse which like vnto a naturall disease is hidden from vs is lesse perceiued or felt of vs. Pâ— l. 51. Psal 116. Rom. 7. 14. reâ—â— 23. And into Dauid a man according to Gods owne hearte Create saith hee in mee a new heart Because the hearte of man is altogether peruerted Ab occultis meis mundame Cleanse mee from that which is hidden from mee And into S. Paule an elect vessell of God The law saith he is spirituall and I am carnall sold vnder sinne I see a law in my members fighting against the law of my vnderstanding and leading me captiue to the law of sinne which is in my members Wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death c. Into S. Iohn Baptist Luke 2. the greatest amongst them that are borne of women who saith vnto our Lord I haue need to be baptized of thee that is to say to be washed to be regenerate by thy spirit c. And into the holy virgin likewise for she acknowledged her low and base estate she magnified nothing but the onely mercy of God she placed her selfe amongst them that being hungrie are filled with good things she reioyceth in God which is her Sauiour so farre is she off from disclaiming her parte in the saluation promised in Iesus Christ the author of the saluation which is in her And in deed the Apostle to the Hebr. Hebr. 7. hath not seperated or excepted from sin any besides Iesus Christ alone The holy virgine likewise was subiect to the law of purification ordained in the Church a signe of the inward purification which God requireth in all our actions Rom. 11.32 to the end that this word may abide true That God hath shut vp all vnder sinne That no man also should thinke to be excluded from that which followeth That he hath notwithstanding shewed mercie vnto all That this that all the Saints haue beene saued euen the virgin Marie her selfe commeth of his free grace of the riches and bountifulnesse of his great mercies Now our aduersaries that will not be called Pelagians How the aduersaries do extenuate originall sinne doe agree in outward shew vnto this corruption of mankind but when we come to lay the sore open and naked they are as it were afraid of taking some harme they make the maladie as light and little as they can fearing to be too much bound vnto God not considering how that for a man to lay open his wounds before him is to heale them to confesse our sinnes freely and franckly to him is to haue them quit forgiuen whereas the hiding and couering of them doth make them mortall to denie conceale or smooth them ouer is to cast himselfe prisoner and captiue into hell and eternall fire vntill hee haue paid the vttermost farthing Pighius therefore letteth not shamelesly to say Albert Pigh de peccat orig that the punishment of Adam seized vpon all his posteritie as one bond man begetteth another but that his sinne was not transfused and conueighed into his children What is there more contrarie vnto the whole scripture then this Yea how is it possible that this man should haue so little profited in the knowledge of himselfe Andradius a true interpreter of the ambiguities and doubtes arising in the Councell of Trent teacheth That concupiscence is in nature corrupted altogether such as it was when nature
was in her integritie saue that in the state of integrity it was repressed by a supernaturall gift of originall righteousnes which did represse keep it vnder which God hath taken away in the first man so from all other men in him as a punishment of his sinne in such sort as that this concupiscence is not sinne in men because it is not against any law of God or if it be that it is the least of all other sinnes in as much as it is onely some small disorder in nature But how can this fancie agree with Saint Paule with this law of the members which maketh vs seruants of sinne Sinne whose wages is no other then eternall death But there is some pleasure in respect of these different opinions to heare what the olde fathers say handling this question against the hereticks of their times as those who are by so much the lesse to be suspected in this cause by how much they haue beene the more renowned testified of for their godlinesse and yet haue not ceased to acknowledge the infirmities of their humane nature Testimonies out of the fathers Ambr. in epist ad Rom c. 5. tom 5. Idem de vocat Gent. l. 1. c. 3. tom 2. Idem in Apol. Dauid c. 11. Notet Pighius S. Ambrose It is most plaine and manifest that all haue sinned in Adam as in the Masse by him therefore we all become sinners euen as we do all come of him He hath lost the benefite and priuiledge by sinne c. Againe Before we be borne we are defiled by contagion before we enioy the light we receiue the losse of our original goodnesse in as much as we be conceiued in sin c. And if the child that is but one day old be not without sin much lesse the daies of the mothers conception We are all therefore conceiued in sin of our fathers and mothers we are borne in their trespasses and euen the very infant beareth about it his pollutions And if thou doubtest from whence this commeth so to passe he maketh it manifest Hence it is saith he that wee are mortall from hence springeth not so much the multitude of our miseries as of our hainous sinnes and crimes our faith to bee lost our hope farre remoued our vnderstanding blinded and our will captiuated And what becommeth then of the power and vertues of the not regenerate of such as continue still and dwell in the corruption of their nature Without the worship of the true God saith he euen that which seemeth vertue is vice without God it is not possible for any man to please God And he that pleaseth not God whom can he please but the Deuill But to come as neere to the quick as may be is there any remainder of goodnesse abiding in man whereby hee may relieue and raise vp himselfe againe Idem Ambros de vocat Gent. l. 1. c. 5. Opere suo opus suum reparat Nay nay but on the contrarie No man saith he is found hauing any thing in himselfe whereby he may recouer his former place and excellencie Man will neuer be able to turne backe againe to God if God himselfe doe not turne and conuert him The grace of our Lord by his worke that is to say by the operation thereof repaireth his worke The will of man hath nothing left of all the powers thereof saue only a power and readie inchnation to destroy it selfe periculi facilitatem c. Gregorius Nyssenus Grâ—â— Nyss l. de oâ—at Man forsooke and reuolted from him who had made him and betooke himselfe to the enemies side that is to say to the Deuil whereupon his freedome and power changed of themselues and his wicked and vngodly will into a grieuous and dangerous seruitude and thraldome vnto sinne Then insued the abolishing of the image and figure of God which was before imprinted euen from our first creation in vs Adde hereto the losse of the groat By which the scripture doth teach vs that there is not of all the men that are so much as one to bee found that liueth one onely daie without spot And this is the cause why wee pray forgiue vs our trespasses although he were a Moises or a Samuel seeing that the same speech of repentance that agreed with Adam is common to all to the end that the Lord may saue vs by grace in graunting vnto vs the blotting out and abolishment of our sinnes And we need not for the finding out of the same enter into the consideration of nature in generall for euerie man entring into his owne censcience may find how needfull a thing it is to craue merciâ— Chrysostome Chrysost in Genel hom 29. tom 1. The first man by the decree of God by his sinne did incurre and draw vpon himselfe the sentence of death and hath past it ouer and conueighed it to his whole posteritie c. The second man is come downe from heauen he alone abiding without sinne and not owing any thing to death that so he might be free amongst the dead and that death might be condemned in his death Againe The nature of this pestilence tooke his beginning from one bodie hath now spread it selfe all ouer into euerie man Idem in Mâ—â—â— â—om 33. tom 2 And if thou demande what manner of plague it is When sinne entred saith he then came the downefall of our libertie for it corrupted the power giuen vs by nature it brought in seruitude and bondage c. Euen such a pestiâ—ence as that such as are infected therewith are not able to doe any thing that is ought worth â—em â—â—â—m 6. 〈…〉 â—â—a 〈◊〉 Fla. 〈…〉 de 〈…〉 Idem l. de natur grat c. 3 de â—id ad Petâ—um c. 23. Idem paâ—sim Iâ—eâ— cp 107. Idem contr Iul. Pelag. l 4. For saith hee in another place The heathen though they wrought good workes yet they wrought them not truely good because they did them not in anie consideration that they had of God but for to be reputed or because that goodnes is good or for the conseruing of hâ—mane societie c. But Saint Augustine against the Pelagians hath handled this matter and ript it vp to the bottome as the thing saith he wherein consisteth the summe of all Christian religion Hold fast saith he that euerie man which is conceiued by the carnall comunction of man woman together is borne in original sinne subiect to wickednes villanic and subiect to death and by this nature the child of wâ—ath c. And therefore this nature of man from the time of his birth hath need of a Phisition because it is nothing sound c. But mortally pestered as is to bee seene in the beadroll of euils which he attributeth vnto it That is the losse of free will thraldome by sinne ignorance and maliciousnesse banishment from the kingdome of heauen and the decree of eternall death Whereupon he saith We â—annot be
relieued if by grace we bee not borne againe in Christ. What then and what shall become of so many goodly vertues of the Pagans Let it neuer be imagined saith he that there can be any true vertue in him that is not iust let it neuer bee imagined that there is any truely iust if he liue not ex fide by faith Fabricius his torments shall be more easie then Catilines not because he was a good man but because he was not so wicked Without faith it is impossible to please God but they haue not expressed anie faith in their workes neither therefore had they anie in their heartes c. The man saith he in another place must first be changed before his workes be changed Antequà m iustificetur impius quid est nisi impius Idem serm 12. de verb. Dom. Idem cp 106. Before the wicked man bee iustified what is hee but a wicked and vngodly man c. Can there then be any thing in man whereby he may help himselfe to come vnto God except he bee first changed and regenerate by his spirite And where becommeth then our free will Hearken Man saith he abusing his free will Idem in Enchilid c. 30. hath lost both himselfe and his free will for as he which killeth himselfe in killing of himselfe liueth no more nor hath any power to raise himselfe to life againe hauing once slaine himselfe so man in sinning by his free wil and sinne becomming conqueror hath lost his free will For of whom a man is ouercome his seruant hee is and therefore man cannot be free and at libertie to worke iustly if he bee not deliuered from the thraldome of sinne and made the seruant of righteousnesse But how shall this libertie be purchased and restored to man againe being solde giuen vp and captiuated c. if he be not ransomed by him who hath said If the Sonne deliuer and set you free you shall be truely free that is to say if he cast you not in a new mould by his grace to be new creatures in Christ Idem de spirit liter tom 3. Tu non poâ—uâ—sti in te nâ—si perdere te Idem ad Bonif l. 1. c. 3. Idem de fide ad Petr. Diaco c. And therefore these are his ordinarie Maxims Free will auaileth vs nothing neyther standeth it vs in any stead it hath no power at all except it be to sinne Thou hast nothing resting in thee but the meanes of destroying thy selfe neither doest thou know to finde thy selfe except hee that made thee doe seeke thee vp Yea saith hee if he doe not draw thee that is to say if he giue thee not to belieue in Christ a power that hath no iotte of free will a power which is not but from God alone For hee concludeth in another place Euerie man is borne in originall sinnne by consequent the child of wrath and from that wrath no man can be saued but by the faith of the Mediator And no man can repent himselfe here if God doe not inlighten him if by his free and vndeserued mercy he do not conuert and turne him vnto him Prosp Aquit ad Capitul Vincent Prosper Aquitanus By the wound of originall sinne the nature of all men was corrupted and killed in Adam whence is sprung out the disease of all concupiscences and lustes and against the which there is no other remedie but the death of Christ c. Yea saith he a disease that he would needes haue and which by him was needfull for vs. For saith hee to him not to sinne was no other thing then not to be willing to sinne Idem de vita contemplat c. 2. but it is not enough for vs to be willing to liue without reprehension our will being vicious and hindered by our feeble and faint possibilitie that which was in him of pleasure choise is become to vs a necessitie euen to sinne And if you say any thing to him of the workes of infidelles hee aunswereth you in these verses Idem in epigram 81. in l. de ingrat passim Per omnes calles errat sapientia mundi Et tenebris addit quae sine luce gerit This light which he calleth faith when he saith in another place Omne etenim probitatis opus nisi semine verae Exoritur fidei peccatum est nique reatum Vertitur stirilis cumulat sibi gloria poenam Cyrillus Alexandrinus He that is become thrall to the seruitude and slauerie of sinne although that he haue cast himself of his owne free wil into this miserable slauerie cannot notwithstanding shake off this yoke when he pleaseth he must seeke deliuerance in another that is in the Sonne of God Let vs neuer make triall of or attempt any other way for the recouering of our libertie for by him alone is graunted our full freedome from sinne to the ende that sinne may not rule or raigne anie more in our mortall bodies and that in the world to come it may not find any place in vs. From whence in two wordes wee gather thus much That in our owne nature we are the seruants of sinne That it raigneth in vs without any gainsay to the procuring of the punishments that are after this life if we bee not renewed in Christ Petr. Diac. c. Episc Orient ad Fulgen. c. Episc Afric Damnatur mortis paena Petrus Diaconus ad Fulgentium Adam hauing willingly transgressed the law of God is by his iust iudgement condemned to suffer the punishment of death and is allâ— holly throughâ—ut that is to say both in bodie and soule changed into worse and hauing lost his owne freedome is become a slaue to serue the filthie drudgerie of sinne Thereupon it is that no man commeth into this worlde free from the bondes of sinne except hee who for the vnloosing of these bondes was begotten after a new kinde of conception the Mediator of God and men Iesus Christ. For what can base and vile man beget but that which is base and vile And therefore as euerie man is of Adam â—oret Pighius so by Adam euerie man is the seruant of sinne Rom. 5. c. And such deceiue themselues as say that death but not sinne hath passed throughout mankind when as there is not one of all the sonnes of men which is deliuered from this damnation death but by the grace of the redeemer c. without this grace a man might think and desire humane things but he could not either thinke of or haue any will vnto the things concerning God For the first principall foundation thereof is to belieue in the Lord of glorie crucified This commeth not from the libertie of our free will or naturall will for flesh and blood doe not reueale the same but the heauenly father to whom he will drawing him vnto this true libertie not by a violent necessitie but by a gentle infusing of his holy
yet notwithstanding the same hee loueth them For saith he There is not any one sinne that God iustifieth and aloweth he hateth them all but by his grace he causeth sinne to bee consumed in vs in as much as it is wasted somewhat and diminished in the liues of such men as profit but consumed in the liues of such as haue attained to perfection that is to say after this life And this he maketh plaine in an other place by S. Hillarie There is not saith he in this life any purifying and cleansing away of all sinne Idem l. 2 cont Iulianum and yet hee hopeth to attaine humane perfection that is to say a nature perfectly cleansed in the last resurrection Which thing our Lord if so be that our Aduersaries would haue belieued him hath said in one word vnto his Apostles You are now cleane because of my word And yet hee had said My father cleanseth you and purgeth you euerie day that so you may beare more fruit c. If then sinne do still dwell in the regenerate and that such sinne as begetteth infinite other sinnes in vs and these sinnes death yea so many deathes so many hels doe we purchase vnto our selues as we commit sinnes and therefore farre off from meriting of life for an other seeing we cannot doe it for our selues Neither haue wee any other exception to alleadge against it but this There is iust cause and matter in vs to condemne vs yea and more then inough but praised be the grace of our God That we are in Christ c. That there is no condemnation to such as are in him But if they say to vs that euen as the flesh worketh sinne in vs vnto condemnation if grace doe not preuent euen so the regenerate spirit worketh good workes vnto saluation yea sufficiently yea aboundantly c. We answere That the beginning and originall of good workes is altogether of God whereas the beginning and originall of sinne is of our selues so that in deed damnation doth belong to vs and saluation to God as also that these good workes proceeding from a heart not perfectly regenerate haue alwaies a spice of euill euen of the euill that is in and of vs and that sufficeth to make them displeasing vnto God saue that he beareth with them through his mercies exhibited in his Sonne the goodnesse which we cannot make our accompt and reckoning of before God seeing it is his It is generally therefore said of all men but this word is expresly and properly appointed and directed to the regenerate to the end that in their miserie and misdeeds they may seeke and search for the remedie which God hath prepared for them in Christ Eccles 6. Prou. 10. Iob. 15. Psal 143. that all are sinners There is not a man vpon the earth that doth good No man can say I am cleane from sinne yea euen amongst his Saints God cannot find any that are able to abide the triall And if we say saith the Apostle that we haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and there is no truth in vs. On the contrarie it standeth vs vpon continually To craue pardon Psal 19. because we are continually euen euerie houre sinning and pardon Ab occultis nostris From the sinnes that we neither see nor perceiue We are so seared in respect of the sence and feeling of sinne And of all this it followeth that as God hath shut vp all vnder sinne so likewise vnder condemnation the same extending and stretching it selfe also vnto vs if he had not shrowded vs vnder the protection of his grace As concerning our good workes Without me saith the sonne of God you can doe nothing no not so much as thinke a good thought Iohn 15.6 2. Cor. 3.5 Acts. 16.14 Psal 119. Philip. 2.13 Iam. 1.17 but in that you are any thing fitted thereto it is of God of God that openeth our heart that inclineth it vnto his lawes and which strengthneth it in his waies that accomplisheth in vs both the will and the worke according to his owne free-will and good pleasure Of God the father of lights from whome euerie good gift commeth c. But principally the gift of faith without which neither we neither any thing of ours can please God Math 16. the faith I say of the Sonne of God Which flesh and bloud do not reueale but the father that is in heauen And what should God be bound and indebted to vs for that which he himselfe worketh in vs of his meere grace for these pretended good workes Osce 13. Nay let vs say rather with the Prophet Israell thy destruction is of thy selfe And thou must impute and lay it to no other but to thine owne selfe But thy saluation is of me Thou hast not any thing then to reproach or accuse But how will the case stand if these verie workes weighed in the balance of iustice bee found to be sinnes And so much the rather and more likely because that thou dost make accompt of them for holy and sanctified deedes as also so much the more cursed and damnable by how much the more thou accomptest of them for meritorious The Sonne of God said vnto his Apostles When you haue done all that is commaunded you say we are vnprofitable seruants Luk. 17.10 But how farre off are we And next what meaneth this To do that which we ought But to doe it as we ought and to that end that it ought to be done c. And who is he that is able to obserue all that and if it were but in one onely action And that I may not presse them withall how would he bee able to doe it for Gods glorie c. without making some mixture for his owne interest as either for his owne profit or honour c. But as for sinne and that which is euill what is it that wee are not cunning inough in to doe verie well and on the contrarie where is that good thing that fadgeth not and falleth out most ill fauouredly in our hands and that in diuers respects So then we must say with the Propht All our righteous deedes are as a stained cloath Our righteous and best deeds saith he and not our vnrighteousnesse for in all our workes how good so euer they seeme to bee there doe iumpe and meete together something that is of the spirit and something that is of the fleshe as they are more or lesse strong in vs according to the saying of Saint Paul who teacheth vs not to flatter our selues When I would doe the good as if hee said euen when I buckle my selfe about it with all the power within me Rom 7. Philip. 3. Euill is readie with me to will is present but I cannot find the meanes to doe and performe it c. And for the proofe hereof wee neede no other proofe but to consider and looke into our selues and our best actions as into our praiers with what an
bee that pure righteousnesse when transgression and some default cannot bee shut out from it But it seemeth to vs that the iust and righteous dealing of men may be vpright and honest when it yeeldeth not so farre vnto sinne as to suffer it to raigne in the bodie c. Againe The Lord is hee that iudgeth me Idem de verbo Originis for I cannot auoide his righteous sentence yea and if I were iust yet would I not lift vp my head because that all my righteous actions are as a stained cloth seeing that before God no man can be iustified no not one CHAP. XVIII That the Law was giuen man to conuince him of sinne and to cause him to looke for his saluation in that grace which is by faith in Christ according both to the Scriptures and the fathers FOr what vse then will some say doth the Law of God serue vs The end of the law according to the holy Scriptures if we cannot fulfill the same Verily that by it thou maist know the difference that is betwixt the righteousnesse of God and that pretended righteousnesse of thine owne and that thou maist knowe that thou art not able to doe it As certainely also that thou maiest bee conuinced in thy pride condemned in thy righteousnesse and bound and beholden to his mercies And all the Pedagogie thereof Deut. 9. all the discipline and instruction contained in the same if thou consider it is no other thing Moyses saith Say not in thine heart O Israell This is because of my righteousnesse that God hath brought me into this land it is not by reason of the vprightnesse of thy heart for thou art a stif-necked people c. And then how much lesse into the true land Into the heauenly Chanaan The whole seruice of the Lawe consisteth altogether in washings altogether in bloud and in killing which aunswere fitly to our vncleannesse sinnes crimes accidents and happes yea to our verie ignorances to our faults known and vnknowne vnto vs and they were renued Euening and Morning and were continued perpetually and therefore also both an ordinarie and continuall charge and accusation of our whole liues and of all that which is within vs Psalme or that commeth out of vs. Whereupon Dauid saith If thou markest our iniquities O Lord who shall abide it who shall indure thy stroke And whereas he speaketh of his righteous workes he saith Thou art the Lord my goodnesse reacheth not vnto thee The Prophets likewise doe neuer speake vnto vs but of a circumcised heart of a new heart of a hart of flesh in stead of our vncircumcised and stonie harts to the end that wee may know where the disease holdeth vs euen in our most noble part and that it lyeth not in vs to reforme the same that it hath need to be quite framed anew by the operation of the Creator himself by his holy spirit and in the fountaine or spring head are all the waters issuing from thence condemned in the tree all the fruites thereof In the originall of motion all our motions and in the workman all the workes which he hath wrought Whereupon S. Paul also the true interpreter of the Law leadeth vs continually from workes vnto faith and from the Law to grace The Law saith hee giueth knowledge of sinne Rom. 3. the Law maketh it to abound the Law worketh wrath the Law is the ministerie of death by the workes of the Law no man is iustified for no man can fulfill it And yet in the meane time Cursed are they that abide not in all the words of the same And what shall we doe then But saith he the iust shall liue by faith he shall be iustified by faith without the workes of the Law iustified freely by the grace of God by the redemption made in Iesus Christ Rom. 4 That grace which superaboundeth whereas sinne hath abounded That faith which applieth vnto vs this grace which is imputed vnto vs for righteousnesse in as much as we belieue in him that hath raised Christ from the dead slaine for our sinnes and raised for our iustification Rom. 11.5 c. And If it bee of grace saith the Apostle then it is no more by workes otherwise grace were no more grace otherwise workes were no more workes And yet in the meane time faith the gift of God Faith the gift of God and grace that is to say the remission of sinnes the gift also of God and the hand to receiue the bountifull kindnesse and free liberalitie of our God in Christ this free mercy also the gift of God Faith Ephes 2.8 Rom. 5. for you are saued saith the Apostle by grace through faith and that not of your selues it is of God Grace the remission of sinnes in like manner For saith hee also if by the offence of one many die much more the grace of God and the gift by grace c. hath abounded on many Rom. 6. Againe The wages of sinne is death Our aduersaries would say and the wages of good workes is eternall life Nay saith our Apostle But the the gift of God that is to say Rom. 5 the gift of righteousnesse the aboundance of grace is eternall life by Iesus Christ And this gift notwithstanding is called an inheritance the inheritance of Children and not the wages of seruants And yet an inheritance which wee although adopted for children doe loose and forfait euerie day as much as in vs lyeth by our sinnes if God euerie houre in the obedience of his Sonne did not restore it vnto vs againe and that of his free gift Ioh. 1. Rom. 8. For saith Saint Iohn He hath vouchsafed vs the honour to be made the children of God And If saith Saint Paul you bee Sonnes you are also heires yea fellow heires with Christ Such is the paines that the Apostle taketh to weede and destroy out of vs this roote of Pharisaisme of pretended merite sometimes making vs heires sometimes Donatories or rather heires Donatories in as much as it is giuen vnto vs to be children which naturally we were not But what child is hee that can be indured or thought worthie to be maintained if hee say that he deserueth and meriteth at his fathers hands and that of his father of whome hee holdeth and inioyeth but this mortall life and that rather but as the instrument then the author thereof Some in like maner asked the auncient fathers The end and scope of the law according to the olde writers wherefore serueth the law of God if we cannot performe it And behold now what was their answere Saint Ambrose The Law worketh and causeth wrath Adam fell to offend by disobedience and to commit a fault by insolencie But in as much as pride was the cause of the fall and the prerogatiue of innocencie the cause of his pride there was iust cause giuen for the making of a Law which might make him subiect vnto God
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
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
to be innocent and redeemed they frustrate and make of no value the redemption in them But saith he in another place Notwithstanding that the soule of the holy man do wander out of the way of righteousnes yet if it lay fast hold by faith on him which iustifieth the sinner and bewaile vncessantly the sinnes committed in the time of this faith by such his continual washings it retaineth and kepeth stil his righteousnes And of faith he hath these Maxims verie ordinarie and samiliar Idem in Ezec. l. 1. hom 9. 7. In Ezec. hom 19. In Euang. hom 29. l. 3 indict 12. Ep. 27. All the Saints before the comming of Christ were saued by faith let vs not put our confidence in our teares and mourning neither yet in our deedes but in the intercession of our Aduocate faith goeth before brotherly loue and charitie It must bee first preached and taught thereby to raise vs vp vnto good workes vertues bring vs not to beleeue but faith bringeth vs to a vertuous life True faith is that which saith it and harboreth not any conditions or manners contrarie vnto the same we hold fast the faith and therewithall wee exercise it in good workes What is all this but the same which we affirme and say That the iust man liueth by faith that his faith sheweth it selfe aliue by his workes In the same sence dooth also Cassiodorus Olympiodorus Orgelitanus and others of the same time verie often speake although not altogether so properly in certaine places The ages following hold of the night shut in Anno 700. The proceeding of the abuse and yet so as that there shined forth some little glimces of star light Then in stead of the teaching of one onely remission of sinnes in the onely bloud of Christ and that in such sort as that it was famous and reuerently receiued throughout al the time that the purer antiquitie continued Gregorie and Cassiodorus had begun to teach that sins were remitted and forgiuen by martyrdome almes deedes forgiuing of our brethren reclaiming of a sinner c. acknowledging notwithstanding that nothing of all this stood good otherwise then in faith but contrarily that it was continually euill and against true and liuely faith Such as followed after as Cesarius Adelhelmus and others doe reckon vnto vs twelue deedes which do iustifie vs Baptisme Charitie Almes-deedes Teares and lamentation confession affliction correction intercession of the Saints mercie the conuerting of a sinner the forgiuing of our brethren and the suffering of martyrdome But as for faith which is the onely and alone meanes they negligently cast it behinde them This was the remainder of Pelagius his opinion which as our aduersaries they thought that they had well and sufficiently qualified when they said That the first grace was of God the first remission and forgiuenesse of Baptisme and as for all the rest Anno. 800. we ought to seeke and search for it in our selues by our works Now the inuocating and praying vnto Saints iumping and falling in togither with the same about this time did fortifie and adde more force to the error And it is to be noted that as in the change of the winds we see the cloudes in doubtfull sort to wauer and as it were stagger before they resolue vpon and take the direct course before the winde euen so it fared with the ancient writing of those times Beda in Psal 24. 31. before that they wholy and altogither inclined vnto this corruption For Beda doth cleane and wholie cleare and free the whole matter Forgiue me my sinnes not for my merits but for thy goodnes sake for there is no merit that is a sufficient price or raunsome for eternall blessednesse there is nothing but the meere grace of God that bringeth saluation yea grace freely giuen no regarde had either to merit precedent or such as may after insue And by faith by the alone righteousnesse saith hee of faith Idem in Psa 77 Idem l. â— in Marc. c. 2. 4. Idem l. 1. in Luc. c. 1. 2. Idem l. 4. in Luc. c. 11. Idem in Ioh. c. 6. Albin l. 3. de Trinit c 1. 7 Idem in Psal 4 20. paenit in 7. In Ioh. l. 1. c. 1. Bed l. 3. in Iob. c. 1. Anno 900. Haimo in Ep. ad Rom. c. 1. 4. Impertiendo Idem in Ps 84. Idem in Ps 26 Idem in Mich. c. 6. Idem in Zach. c. 3. Idem in Cantic Cant. c. 4. Consortium Diuum Idem in Epist ad Rom. c. 10. Idem in Ep. ad Heb. c. 5. 9. Idem in Ep. ad Rom. c. 6. Adelbert in altercat Theophil in Ep. ad Tim. c. 1 Anselm in Ep. ad Rom. passim which onely healeth the inwarde man which onelie forgiueth sinnes which onelie saued them which liued in the time of Circumcision and that without their offerings and sacrifices and which alone adopteth vs the children of God c. which is the life of our soule yea which sheweth forth his life by good workes c. And Albinus writeth in like manner Wash mee O Lorde from the spottes of mine vnrighteousnesse by the gift of thy mercie I am verie able to pollute and defile my selfe but I haue no power to cleanse my selfe there is no man iustified in thy sight but by thy grace by thy mercie in the name of the Sauiour and not by his merits And this grace is distributed and giuen vnto vs by the meanes of faith in Iesus Christ c. and the same the gift of God c. Neither yet haue these famous men so written but that withall there haue escaped and slipped from them some places verie different and vnlike such was the contagion of the time as that we are iustified by humilitie patience virginitie c. Notwithstanding that they euermore ioyne faith therewithall Haimo Archbishop of Halberstat saith The righteousnesse of God that is to say the iustification by which hee iustifieth them that belieue in him is manifested in the Gospell when the Lord saith He that shal belieue be baptised shal be saued that is to say shall be righteous This is that righteousnesse by which all those that belieue are iustified by the gift of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost which is called the righteousnesse of God because that hee in making the faithfull partakers of the same maketh them righteous c. and it is called the righteousnesse of faith by which Abraham was iustified c. And Christ is the Author of this righteousnesse vnto vs For before the world was framed saith hee God decreed with his Sonne to saue mankind without any precedent merites for euen man was not as yet c. This Sonne which hath giuen remission of sinnes and all other benefites of his onely and meere mercie Which is vnto vs the foundation of all righteousnesse In whose onely bloud it resteth for vs to be saued in as much
is the fountaine and welspring of iustification And in an other place Magniloqui dicuntur c. Such saith he are rightly called the greatest brauers who put their trust in themselues as being righteous and thereupon presume of the workes of the Law As on the contrarie those are called and are truely poore which know themselues sinners and perceiue that they can no way be iustified but by the faith of Christ. And therefore saith he it is requisite that this conceitednesse of thinking to be saued by workes should be laid downe Idem in Soph. l. 2. c. 3. Idem l. 2. in Genes c. 3. Idem in Esa c. 8. Without faith it is impossible to please God it is in like manner impossible but by faith Abraham Isaac and Iacob c. were not saued any otherwise For righteousnesse is Ex fide in fidem of faith and vnto faith Of faith that is of him who hath promised who hath sworne Vnto faith that is of him who hath belieued in him that promised and giuen credite to him that swore c. But as for such as are not true Israelites they haue no such faith for in seeking and searching after their owne righteousnesse they could not stoope vnto or vndergoe this of faith but haue toyled themselues by seeking the same from workes to workes as if Abraham had beene iustified by workes when as the Scripture testifieth of him Idem de Victor verb. Dei l. 4. c. 21. that he belieued and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse c. Verie excellently therefore is it said From faith to faith for in that the Sonne of God is come c. this proceedeth of the faith fulnesse of God of whome it is written God is faithfull c. Namely herein that Dauid and others moe haue not pearced him through with their sinnes and that he accomplisheth by his exceeding great faithfulnesse what hee had promised of his exceeding great grace And this righteousnesse tendeth in fidem vnto an other faith because it is not possible that any man should be iustified before him by his workes but by faith Idem in reg l. 2. c. 39. According to that which is said If thou obserue and marke mine iniquities O Lord c. And to be briefe he oftentimes vttereth these words The onely faith of Iesus Christ is able to iustifie c. Lombard likewise Loâ—bard l. 3 d. 19. 25. We are iustified by the death of Christ that is to say cleansed from our sinnes by faith in his death Beholding him by faith after the manner of the brazen Serpent we are deliuered from the bands of sinne and the Diuell in so much as that he is not to demaunde or looke for any thing at our hands Without faith in this Mediatour no man hath beene saued either before or since no man was euer deliuered from that condemnation that came by Adam otherwise then by faith Idem l. 3. d. 26. Rupert in Ioh. c. 1. Impraegnatam mentem Lombard l. 3. d. 23 Honor. in Specul Eccles Richard in Apocal. l. 1. c. And this faith saith he is of God according to that which Saint Augustine saith The mercie of God shall preuent me the mercie of God shall follow me c. That is saith Rupertus Because that to belieue is to haue conceiued the seed of the word of God with loue in his heart as also to haue his mind and spirit conceiued and laden with the same And Lombard To loue God is by belieuing in him to cleaue vnto him and to be incorporated into him by such faith the wicked is iustified inso much as that from thence forward faith worketh in him by loue for there are no good workes but those which are done by the loue of God and this loue is the worke of faith Honorius He is most happie in deede that belieueth rightly and that together with this beliefe liueth well but faith is the foundation and the loue of God and our neighbours is grounded vpon the same And Richard Of faith proceedeth charitie and of charitie doe good workes spring and growe And what is all this but the same which we affirme daily that faith cannot stand without charitie any more then fire can without heate That the life of faith euen as that of trees is knowne because it bringeth forth fruit In a word that wee are iustified by faith onely And yet such a faith as is neuer alone but which containeth in it a certaine heate which is naturall vnto it alwayes acting somewhat neuer idle continually bringing foorth as a fountaine of water the effects of loue which it beareth towards God and the good works it performeth vnto neighbours But Saint Bernard whome we haue so oft heretofore cited goeth further then all the rest For there was in his time a certaine man named Petrus Abailardus a verie Pelagian who durst say That whereas Christ had abased and humbled himselfe euen vnto the death c. that it had not beene but to haue left vs a patterne of liuing well and that our saluation consisteth not in his death and passion but in the growth and proceeding of our good conuersation Whereupon he is not content to giue him to vnderstand that this his assertion is the same which the Apostle calleth the making of the Crosse of Christ of none effect but taketh his occasion and proceedeth further and hauing taken the beasome once into his hand he sweepeth not onely this filth out of the Church that caused him to take it into his hand but withall he applieth himselfe all vnder one to sweepe away whatsoeuer the Iew Gentile Philosopher or superstitious Monke had brought and shuffled thereinto with their vncleane feete or else was negligently looked vnto or tolerated by the sorenamed it hauing fallen out then as it doth oftentimes vnto vs now who are not moued or stirred vp to remoue put away the thing that is euill be it neuer so great And therefore reprouing the waies that S. Augustine did walke in hee dealeth vpon the true iustification in the bloud of Christ by faith more exactly then all the rest Our master saith he knew well that the Law did require more then was in our power Bernard in Serm. 50. super Cant. Idem Serm de verb orig Idem Serm 38 super Cantic Idem Serm. 11 in Annunciat Mariae Idem de milit templ c. 11. Idem Ep. 99. Idem Serm 22 super Can. fusissime but notwithstanding he would giue it vnto vs that we might be admonished of our insufficiencie and that such and so great saith he as that we are neuer able to render vnto God that which we owe him in such sort as that if we should teare and pull our skinnes from off our backes yet are we neuer able to satisfie for our sinnes But wee haue recourse vnto the voice of the bloud of Christ which hath cried farre lowder then the bloud of Abell which proclaimeth in
constant assertion doth become fool-hardie and faith if it become wauering is infirme and weake And therefore it appeareth by his effects and sheweth foorth the life that is in it The life thereof saith he is Christ dwelling in our hearts Idem Serm. 1. in Oct. Pasch Idem ibidem and of a certaintie looke where he dwelleth he dwelleth not without loue sanctification and good workes The life thereof is loue and charitie These are the life of faith as faith is the life of our soules For saith he If thou deuide actum a fide action and working from faith thou makest an vnlawfull diuision and killest faith Idem Serm 24 in Cant. Ep. 107. Idem Serm. de resurrect Domini 2. Idem de Serm. omn. fester for faith is dead without workes And wilt thou offer vnto God a dead sacrifice a faith without loue a bodie without a soule c. Nay saith hee workes doe testifie the life of faith Our life is knowne by mouing and that of faith by good workes Now we reason thus Man liueth not because hee is moued but he is moued because hee liueth and then the faithfull is not iustified neither inioyeth he the life of his soule because he doth good workes but because hee is iustified because his soule inioyeth life in Christ by faith he doth good workes These good workes notwithstanding are such as if the righteousnesse of God bee considered are by him compared vnto the most filthie thing in the world and such notwithstanding as they bee if you consider them according to that small quantitie of goodnesse which they containe they are of God and not of our selues Idem Serm. de Annunciat Mariae the fruit no lesse then the tree For saith hee It is meete that the holy Ghost should testifie vnto thee that thou hast them not but of him he is the author the rewarder and the whole reward This soueraigne good thing is a twofold cause of good things vnto vs the efficient and the finall And yet further hee saith Without grace wee are not sufficient onely to thinke a good thought Idem Serm. 9 in Psalm 91. Serm. 32 In so much as that speaking of his owne workes hee attributeth them vnto God As in that his soule hath not beene giuen our from the beginning vnto all sinne in that it hath beene changed from bitternesse and vexation into ioy and comfort in that it hath repented after a sound and profitable sort Idem de Sept. misericord contrarie to the repentance of many others in that hee hath obtained free remission in that he hath beene kept from falling backe into his former sins in that he hath profited in abstaining from euill accustomed the practise of that which is good and in that he hopeth and looketh for a better estate in the world to come c. Now then what remaineth for to attribute vnto man In stead that of our aduersaries we say what reserue they then as a remainder for God For if we owe vnto God that which we pretend challenge to merit by namely a faith working by charitie which is our pretended merit for what owe we not to him of whome we hold all that we haue What hire can we pretend for a thing that is not our owne but only his mercy which hath made it ours and which himselfe according to the riches of his grace will bee ours And this is that which this our good and bountiful father left vs by testament I know well saith he that I haue not any merit In â—â—t Bernar. to bring me to heauen but my Lord doth possesse it by a double title and claime namely by nature and obedience hee is himselfe content with the one and giueth me the other c. CHAP. XXI How the doctrine and opinion of merit prospered proceeded and went forward from the time of Saint Barnard vntill these our daies And what contradictions and resistances were made against it vntil the time of the full springing vp againe of the Gospell BVt let vs now drawe neere vnto the yeare one thousand three hundred wherein Christendome felt a notable change in doctrine generally but especially in this article Therein at that time Philosophie began to raigne and ouertop the sacred profession of Diuinitie by the introduction and bringing in of Schoolemen so that Aristotle got the vpper hand of Saint Paule Sound and grounded dealing melted into fine and filed subtiltie curiositie and temeritie the later enuied the former and that consequently from one to another euen to the memorie of our age This scholasticall dealing fell amongst the Monkes who added Pharisaisme vnto Philosophie seeking how to make themselues highly reuerenced amongst the common people yea and to make God himselfe bound beholden vnto them by reason of their austere and stoical obseruations deuised and affected of their owne voluntarie inuentions They ingrossed for good debt which God should become answerable vnto them for all their Masses praiers fastings sermons contemplations watchings abstinences and the discipline and correction vsuall in their Cloisters c. And that to the making of them auailable not onely for theÌ„selues for they were not vnprouided of a remanet but vnto so many as became benefactors vnto their fraternities and couents And to the common people they assigned them for readie money therewith to pay for and discharge their sinnes to satisfie the wrath of God and obtaine eternall life Mightie therefore was the growth increase of this abuse when once such multitudes of people tanquam agmine facto lent their helping hand therunto And that so much the more for that they being mendicant begging people had their maintenance assigned them vpon the pretended merits of the coÌ„mon people which also that they might the better attaine and come by they assigned vnto them eternall life to be receiued vpon the reckoning of their deuotions And here we are not to forget the maner and forme of their donations gifts Bulla fraternitatum Dominicanorum FranciscanoruÌ„ which were passed at this time to Monasteries which was as foloweth Euery man must deeply weigh and consider how swiftly this present life doth passe away and that other approch and come on and by the same meanes thinke and consider with himselfe if there be any thing in his possession to giue vnto worshipfull places for his soules health that so hee may merite to inioy eternall rest in Paradise with saint Peter and saint Andrew because that they by giuing their goodes haue purchased the kingdome of heauen The kingdome of God is woorth as much and according to that which thou possessest For what is there that is more cheape when it is bought or more deare when it is possessed and obtained c. This was the declaration and maner of speech vsed for the moouing of their affections whereupon insued their maner of giuing and disposing vpon this promise then which was made vnto them by the
Frier hath purposely written and put forth a booke The truth is that he teacheth Ioh. Ferus in Mat. l. 1. In Ioh. c. 1. v. 4.13.17.19 That all our old birth for so hee calleth the man not regenerate and all the powers of our nature are condemned in the Scriptures that wee are nothing but sinne and darknesse that our thoughts speech reason and will are accursed that our light if the same be not inlightned by the word of God worketh nothing in vs but errour and going astraie that euen the Law howsoeuer good in it selfe without grace begetteth nothing but hypocrites that without faith there is no good workes and that none but such as belieue can worke them that in the regenerate not onely after Baptisme Idem in Ioh. c. 13. v. 10. c. 14 v. 16 c. 16. v. 9. but euen after they become to an actuall faith there abideth continually a remainder of originall sinne which bringeth forth sinne in vs whereupon it must consequently bee auouched that no man is without sinne and notwithstanding that such as belieue doe not cease therefore to be cleane that is in as much as they be purified by faith and by the same ingrafted into the body of Christ participating his holinesse and possessing himselfe according to that which S. Paul saith But you are washed but you are sanctified c. And that notwithstanding that considered in themselues they are nothing but sin yet there is no condemnation for them with God who doth not impute vnto them any their sinnes vncleannesse but rather reputeth them for pure cleane because of their faith in Christ Moreouer that this faith which iustifieth vs is not any other thing then the free mercie of God forgiuing sinnes for his Christs sake which only is requisite in vs vnto saluation c. and it worketh in vs a certaintie of the same so farre foorth as that it leaueth vs not without a pledge and earnest penie of eternall life that by the only merits of Christ we are saued made partakers of the same merits by faith alone In all which points he doth verie notably agree with vs that is to say with all antiquitie and consequently is condemned by the Councell of Trent in diuers Canons in the sixth Session Now of all this discourse wee gather that this doctrine of free iustification in the bloud of Christ by faith hath beene of a long time kept maintained in the Church in his puritie howsoeuer deadly assailed by Sathan and that at diuers times in diuers depending points as the See and seate of our saluation That notwithstanding it hath beene subiect to manifold diuers great alterations and changes through the proud and presumptuous nature of man through the doctrine of Philosophers through the subtilties of the Schoolemen and the Pharisaical hmuour of the Monkes In so much as that notwithstanding the couragious defence of the same by diuers worthie and great personages holding vnto the yeare 1200. more for the grace of God against the ingratitude of man the said Pharisaicall doctrine did preuaile and get the vpper hand and yet not so absolutely but that at the same time it was still impugned and confuted almost throughout all the nations of Christendome by many good people and that euen to the suffering of death for their confession being also mightily and soundly crossed by their Maxims by whose fine conceipts and subtile deuises it had beene chiefely established that in it there is hapned vnto vs as it falleth out in the Countries farre North wherein the brightnesse of the two twilights doe happen and fall out so neere together as that the day is no sooner dead and departed on the one side but it quickneth and reuiueth againe on the other This Article hauing beene no sooner shut in and couered with the darknesse which had ouer-spread and ouershadowed the Church but that wee might see it incontinently after more splendent and glorious then euer it was before Wherein we may note the singular goodnes of God towards his Church for in as much as iustification is that point of Christian doctrine which ioyneth man Christ together which maketh the proper difference of the Church from all other sortes of assemblies and of a Christian from all other men as being that without which no man can bee a Christian with which alone well vnderstood we retaine both the name and the effect and to be short which may bee called by good right the life of a Christian the soule of the Church the bond of the mariage betwixt Christ and his Church it was surely verie necessarie seeing that God according to his promise cannot destroy his Church that this article should be conserued in the same that such Eclipse as should couer the face therof shuld be but short to the end it might returne vnto his former brightnesse and light In a word as Phisitions say that the heart is the first liuing last dying part in man That this heart also of the Church by which it began to liue notwithstanding first assailed and set vpon by the venimous poyson of Sathan was the last that was mortally wounded and striken and the first againe recouered as for certaine it is come to passe in our daies wherein God making his Gospell as it were to liue againe after so long a time of death and darknesse would of his incomparable grace that this point should bee the first restored into his former estate and perfection by them whome he had raised for the restauration of his Church Now in this third part we haue entered into the consideration of the Masse A briefe rehea 〈◊〉 of that which hath beene said before this third book in the qualitie of a Sacrifice so it remaineth for our better comming to our selues againe after so long a discourse that we briefly repeate the same which we meane to performe in manner as followeth The Masse is properly a corrupting adulterating of the holy Supper of our Lord and the Supper of our Lord was not ordained for a sacrifice taken in his proper signification but for a Sacrament Neither can it be called a sacrifice except for that it is a holy action or else because it is a commemoration of the sacrifice of our Lord once made vpon the tree of the Crosse for our sinnes or thirdly for that it is a thankesgiuing for the benefits receiued by him Wherefore the Masse cannot properly be called a sacrifice and much lesse a propitiatorie sacrifice in as much as the whole Scripture and all antiquitie do teach vs that there is not in the Church any moe sacrifices truely propitiatorie then one euen the bloud of our Lord shed for our sinnes represented and shadowed out vnder the Lawe by all the sacrifices then in vse and fulfilled in the time of grace in one onely which ought not neither can bee reiterated without sacriledge From this pretended Sacrifice of the Masse haue
Mathew S. Marke and S. Luke doe all of them make mention how our Lord tooke the bread blessed it gaue it to his disciples saying vnto them Take eate this is my bodie how commeth it that S. Iohn maketh no mention thereof in this place that is to say in the rehearsing of that which goeth before the passion of our Lord Verily saith he It is a testimonie that our Lord hath spoken of that point a great deale more largely elswhere and where then but in this sermon of Capernaum Chrysost in Mat. hom 83. And Chrysostome saith How came it to passe that his disciples were not much troubled when they heard this Namely these words This is my bodie c. Verily saith he Because he had handled the great and waightie points of this thing before hand he laboured not to confirme that which they did alreadie vnderstand c. And againe And he drurke saith he himselfe least the hearing these words should haue said what then Doe we drinke blood and eate we flesh c. For when he first spake of these things manie were offended onely for the wordes sake to the end therefore that this might not come to passe againe he first performed the action himselfe that so he might take away whatsoeuer might trouble their spirits or perplexe their mindes in the communicating of the misteries Whereby it appeareth that those excellent olde fathers haue referred the place of S. Iohn to the interpretation of the holy supper instituted afterward that is to say that the eating which is ordained in the vse of the sacrament in the holy supper is the same that without the sacrament is declared in that place If then it bee spirituall here let it bee so likewise there And therefore let vs heare what the fathers say vpon the same Tertullian Notwithstanding that he saith That the flesh profiteth nothing Tertul. de resurrect carn wee must gather the sence from the matter of that which is spoken For in as much as they accounted his speeches to be harsh and intollerable as if he had determined in deed to haue giuen them his flesh to eate to direct and bring the state of their saluation to the spirite hee did set downe aforehand It is the spirit that quickeneth Marke that he saith Verily which cannot be expounded and taken there for Visiblie but for Carnally c. Athanasius â—pon this place Whosoeuer shal haue spoken a word against the Son of man De peccat contr spirit whereunto by consequent we haue to oppose Spirituallie Athanasius The Lord disputing in S. Iohn of the eating of his bodie and seeing that many were offended said vnto them what will this bee then if you see the Sonne of man ascend and go where he was before c. It is the spirit which quickneth c. For be hath spoken there both of the one and the other of the flesh and of the spirit and hath distinguished the spirit from the flesh to the end that belieuing not in that onely which appeareth to the eyes but also in the inuisible nature wee may learne that those thinges which hee spake are not carnall but spirituall For to how many men should his bodie bee able to be sufficient meate that so it might bee the foode and nourishment of the whole worlde But to draw them from vnderst anding of him carnally he made mention of his ascention and to make them to vnderstand afterward that the flesh whereof he had spoken was a spirituall meate and heauenly food that he was to giue it them from aboue For the thinges saith he which I haue told you are spirit and life As if he said My bodie which is shewed and giuen for the world is giuen for meate to the ende that it may be giuen spiritually to euerie one and that it may become a defensatiue and preseruatiue to all in the resurrection vnto eternall life S. Augustine expounding these wordes August in psal 98. The wordes which I speake vnto you are spirit and life bringeth in our Lord expounding those of the holy Supper in these tearmes Vnderstand saith he spiritually that which J haue said You shal not eate this bodie which you see you shall not drinke that blood which they shall shed that shall crucifie mee I haue recommended vnto you a certaine Sacrament which spiritually vnderstood will quicken and make you aliue Idem tract 27. in Ioh. and if necessitie require that it be visiblie celebrated yet it must be vnderstood inuisiblie Againe What meaneth this saying They are spirite and life that wee may vnderstande them spirituallie they are spirite and life hast thou vnderstoode them carnally they are notwithstanding spirite and life but not to thee And spiritually that is to say figuratiuely mistically Carnally is as much as to say literally really For saith he Thou hast to obserue this rule Idem de doct Christ l. 3. c. 16 If in the scripture a word or phrase of speech doe for bid thee some vile and wicked thing or command thee some honest and good worke that then it is not figuratiue but if on the contrarie c. thou must then make account of it to be figuratiue If you eate not the flesh c. it may seeme to command a trespasse c. it must needes then be a figuratiue speech a phrase and manner of speech commanding vs to be partakers of the death and passion of our Lord Cyril Cateches mystag Idem in Leuit. l. 7. and sweetly and profitablie to call to our remembrance that his flesh was crucified and pearced through for vs. S. Cyril Bishop of Ierusalem If you eate not c. Not vnderstanding these things according to the spirit they went away offended supposing that he had inuited them to a banket of mans flesh Saint Cyrill Bishop of Alexandria If you eate not c. But if you bee the children of the Church and instructed in the mysteries of the Gospell If the word which is made flesh dwell in you c. know that the thinges which are written in diuine bookes are figures c. For there is also in the new Testament and Gospels the killing letter c. as he shall find that doth not spiritually apprehend the thinges that are there spoken c. and hee bringeth forth this place for an example Theoph. in Ioh. c. 6. Whereupon also Theophilact though he were of that time wherein transubstantiation was set vp saith vpon this place In as much as we vnderstand it spiritually wee are no prophane deuourers of flesh but rather we are sanctified by this meate Againe For that they vnderstood it carnally he saith vnto them That which I tell you must be vnderstood spiritually and that is the way to profite thereby But to expound and take them carnally that profiteth nothing but turneth into matter of grosse offence Therefore he addeth The words that I say are spirit that is to say spirituall and life that is