gainsaie this erronious and newe doctrine And on the coÌ„trarie part the Bishops Cardinals Monks and Friars vvith all the rest of the clergie as the ministers of Antichrist did by tirannie general Councels false diuelishe miracles cause the Church to receiue this opinion of real presence vvhich before that time vvas strange and vnknowen THE OBIECTION ON the other side if in the first sixe hundred yeeres the Christians had belieued as the Lutherans Protestantes Swinglians now do he that had first begon to haue taughte the real presence of Christes bodie bloud under the formes of bread wine must at that time haue bin noted and reputed for an heretike he must haue bin conuinced by some general or prouincial Councell kept either in the East Church or in the West the Preachers and Doctors of that age shuld hans written against him THE ANSVVERE THe diuersitie of these names deuised by the Papists with a number mo besedes as Caluinistes Hugonites Prescisians and vvhat not bring no new articles of faith or diuersitie of opinions into the vvorld or be deuided in substaunce of Religion Martin Luther onelie excepted in one poynt but holde and teache the auncient and Catholike faith deliured by Christ and his apostles in the canonicall bookes of th' olde the new Testament wherin they continuallie heare the voice of the true shepheard and sauiour Christ Apoc. 9. 18. Esâ—â— 16. and vvhereby they knowe the Romish church to be the sinagogue of antichrist therfore being warned by the scripture they flee from it as from the bottomles pit of darknes and denne of vncleane beasts from whence these fiue hundred yeeres there hath flowed vnmeasurable stormes of Sectaries aswel disagreing in substance of religion worship as in name and profession as appeareth by the Premonstatenses Augustinians Dunstinians Benets Bonames Monkes blacke white Barnardines Franciscanes Benedictes Augustine friars Crossed friars blackfriars white friars some beggers some lyers in steede of preachers some Mionres some obstinate with Hermites Ankors both men women with Nunnes of all sortes and last of all the secte of Iebusites and all these I saye with an infinite number besides who do differ in sect habite worship of God or dishonouring of God rather and substance of religion But if there be anie difference at anie time among vs it is onelie about suche remainders of Poperie as the misbegotteÌ„ bastards of Antichrist haue left among vs. In dede as the deare children and seruantes of God Galla. 2 Peter and Paule did sharplie contende about the reliques of Iudaisme euen so at this day some contention nowe and then ariseth among the preachers of the Gospell about some remnantes of poperie which for our great vnworthines God hath yet left amoÌ„g vs as he did leaue a remnaÌ„t of Cananites Iudicumâ—â— Hethites Iebusites to trie the children of Israel withal The myserie of iniquitie as the Apostle said did worke euen from the beginning with increase of loy tering laborers and decaie of faithfull pastors Cyprian saide in his time De delunia tontatioue dom Pinl p. 2. 2. Timi 3. Rarus hodie Phinies qui perfoderat impudicos rarus Moses qui occider at sacrilegos rarus Samuel rarus Iob rarus Noe flens cum Apostolo dico inmicos crucis Christi qui terrena sapiunt magistratus quorum deus venter est qui in hijs quae dicere nefas est elegantur gloriant At this day Phinies that may thrust through the shamelesse is seldome found Moses to slea the idolaters is rare Iob Aaron and Noe be verie thinne I saie vvith th'apostle vveeping the enimies of the crosse of Christ that sauer earthlie thinges teachers vvhose bellie is their God impudentlie reioyce glorie in those thinges vvhich once to name is vvicked venerunt periculosa tempora quae praedixit apostolus Math. 24. 2 Thess 2. Iohn 4. Apoc. 6. 9. the daungerous times vvhiche the Apostle foreshewed are come Yet before the generall Apostasie whiche our Sauiour Christ foretolde th'apostle S. Paule prophesied of and is so euidentlie described in the Reuelation did come there coulde no herisie no sooner arise but that the vvatchefull pastors did by and by note the autor therof by vvriting and afterwardes through the helpe of godlie Emperours in Councels both generall and nationall condemne such herisies vvith their authors as well apeareth by ecclesiastical histories For although the mysterie of iniquitie did euen in th'apostles time worke in the hands of Antichristes ministers yet throght the diligence of good pastors it vvas mightilie vvithstood but after the departure of these faithfull pastors through the negligence of such as afterward sought their owne ease vvith promotion and great dignities and falling fast aslepe with pleasure and securitie the enuious man found fit time oportunitie for the better sowing of his cokle darnel Apoc. 6. so that the ministery of the gospel decaied the truth was gretly darkned the church of God vvas not only vvith many corruptions superstitions defaced but became a pray vnto ra uening wolues which vtterly ouerthrewe the first beawty therof and chased banished and put to flight the true ministerie of the Gospel of Christ Matth. 7. 2. Thess 2. Whereby the man of sinne inuaded the temple of God sitting therein as though he had bin God After this I saie the noting and vvithstanding of heresie vvaxed much colder and for a time the churche or sanctuarie vvas troden vnder foote and the true members of Christes Church driuen into the vvildernes Apoc. 12. 13. vvher God did prouide a place for the same For after a thousand yeres ended Satan being for a time letten forth of the bottomlesse pit the man of sinne inuaded the Church of God as wel appeareth in the Reuelation Apoc. 6.20 whereunto agreeth manie writers of that age Arnolph in conci Lio Rauensi anno 1015. Arnolphus the Bishop of Aurelianense saide openlie of the Bishop of Rome Quid hunc in sublimi solio residentem veste purpurion aureo radiantem quid hunc inquam esse censetis Nimirum si charitate destitudtur solaque scientia inflatur extollitur Antechristus est in templo dei sedens sese ostentans quasi sit Deus What do you iudge of him that sitteth in so high a throne clothed in purple and shining vvith golde Apoc. 19. vvhat I praie you do you thinke of him truelie beeing voide of loue and puft vp vvith knowledge he is verie Antichriste sitting inthe téple of God bosting of him self as though he were God Eberchardus allo the archbishop of Salisburg said opély in the Coucel of Reginoburg Sub Pont. In concilio Reginolâ—â—rg an 12. â—0 tempore Frâ—â—er â—â— secuade Max. titulo pastoris pelle lupuÌ„ seuerissimuÌ„ nisi coeci sumus sentimus vnder the name of th chiefe or greatest Bishop except vve be blinde Math. 7. vve feele the most cruel vvolfe in the clothing or
skinne of a shepheard And againe among manie other thinges to this purpose he saith Hildebrandns ante annos centum septuaginta primus specie religionis Anti. christi imperij fundamentum iocit Hildebrande an hundred and seuentie yeres ago vnder the show cullor of religion did first lay the foundation of Antichristes Empire or kingdome And againe he saithe Pontifices Babilonis soli regnari cupiunt ferre parem non possunt credite experte non cessahunt donec imperatore in ordinem redacto Romani imperij honore soluto pastoribus veris oppressis per hune morem omnia extinguant omnia pedibut suis conculcent atque tui templo Dei sedeant extollanturque super omnia id quod colitur 2. Thess 2. Apoc. 9. The Bishops of Babilon desire to reigne alone they can abide no peere beleeue him that hath made a triall of them they vvill neuer haue done vntill they haue broughte th'Emper our vnto their bowe dissolued the honor or maiestie of th'Emper and oppressed the true pastors of Christ that in this sorte they maie extinguish all thinges and tread al things vnder their feete and that they maie sitte in the Church of God exalting the' selues aboue euerie thing that is vvorshipped To these maie be added Ioachim Abbas Franciscus Petrarcha Marsilius Patiuinus Michael Cecenus Baptista Mantuanus Laurentius Valla Hieronimus Sauonarola and before these foure hundred yeeres the Waldenses with manie other that shewe howe the Pope inuaded the church and oppresled the true ministers and pastors of the same whereby vvithout resistaunce bee might do vvhat he listed But these fewe out of manie haue I noted bicause the propounder of these questions vvould beare the vvorlde in hand that his Romish church euen from the Apostles time haue holden their faith or articles of religion vvithout contradiction or gainsaying of anie except those that he hath named that the Reader maie vvell perceiue when the resistance of errors vvaxed faint by vvhat meanes the Churche grewe vnto great decaie and also vvhat litle credite the papists deserue in their sayings and vvritings Thus also from the time of the Machabees vntill the comming of Iohn Baptist did the hipocriticall Pharisees vvithout controlement corrupte the lawes of God and yet I thinke no man vvill saie that they had the trueth bicause before the comming of Iohn Baptist and our sauiour Christ no man did controll them No more maie any saie that popishe errors be no errors because no man vvas able to vvithstand theÌ„ in these last fiue hundred yeres THE OBIECTION IT is not possible that all the vvhole Church which to that daie had bolieued the misteries to be consecrated vpon the altar to be no more but onelie bread and vvine to be onelie tokens of Christes bodilie absence in substance to be neither asacrifice propitiatorie nor the real bodie and bloud of Christ should sodenlie thoroughout all nations change their catholike and vniuersall beliefe vvithout anie trouble or tumult at all vvithout anie contradiction or disputation yea vvithout any man knowen or euer heard of vvhich should first commend vnto them the newe opinion of nine hundred yeres old Is it credible that so manie millions of Christian men as vvere in the Church at the ende of the first sixe hundred yeres belieuing the one yeere those halowed thinges vpon the altar to be stil bread and vvme should the next yere after altogether in al countries languages fal down prostrate or kneele or at the least bowe to the vorie same things as to the true bodie of their maker sauiour which before they had bin taught to be vnreasonable vnsensible creatures And did they al this without anie guide or preacher vvho mighte vvill them to do this Or did all the preachers in Christendome at one moment chaunge their mindes and bid the people do so Or did some fewe go through the partes of the vvorld and vvithout resistance of anie man preach that newe doctrine Were all the pennes of vvriters of histories so tied that none of them all was able to vvrite anie one mans name vvho after the sixe hundred yeres past taught first seconde third or at anie time that chaunge of beliefe throughout Christendome Was that Heretike so almightie that no man durst vvrite his name neither vvhilest he liued nor vvhen he was departed out of this vvorld If the man vvere vnknowen at the least vvhy had his sect no proper name Was not there one learned man in the Church of God either vvilling or able to resist the furie of nevve doctrine in the matter of Christes Supper THE ANSVVERE FIrst the true Churche of God did neuer thinke so singly of the reuerent mysteries as to saic they vvere no more but onlie bread and vvine onlie tokens of Christes body a bsent in substaÌ„ce but belieueh them and receiueth them to be holie misteries vvherby the Lords death is laide before out remembrance all the righteousnes and benefites of his death passion are offered vnto vs the vvhiche things being of vs by a liuelie faith receiued bring vvith theÌ„ remission of our sinnes renuing and feeding of our inwarde man to euerlasting life And thus after the bread and vvine beeing once altered from prophane vses vnto the nature of a Sacrament are no more saide to be onelie bread and vvine onlio tokens of Christes absence in his substance but they are the sacramentes of the Lordes death the bread of the Lorde and the cuppe of thankes giuing Corinth 10. 11. Aug. ep st 26. vvherein the vvorthie receiuer is made partaker of the Lordes bodie and of the Lordes bloud to his great ioy and comfort As concerning the Lordes presence absence there is sufficiently saide before neuerthelesse the first Church neuer acknowledged anie other presence in this sacrament then they acknowledged in the sacrament of baptisine Suche a presence as agreeth with the veritie of Christes body being in heauen and with the nature of a sacrameÌ„t Both the sacraments althogh they admit no real or naturall presence yet do they admit witnes such a preseÌ„ce as being spiritual and heauenlie is also most comfortable effectuall For as in baptisme Christ by the power of his spirite is present to washe away our sinnes to regenerate vs make vs members of his misticall boide Iâ—dom Eshel 5 Coloss 2. yea bones of his bones and fleshe of his fleshe and yet is there in this worke of our regeneration no reall persence of Christ or change of anie substance imagined Super Ioan homnilic 50. Gallst 3. but al is spirituall supernaturall and heauenlle Habes Christurrs in presentiper baptismaties sacriameÌ„tim saith S. Augustine thou haste Christ present by the sacrament of Baptisme We are saith Chrisostome in baptisme made flesh of Christes flesh Super epise ad Pip. chom 20. Ephes 5. bones of his bones And againe speaking of Christes presence in the bucharist Sic in baptismo Elien so is he present
time vvas suppressed banished and put to flight and driuen to hide her selfe These places I thinke were no corners Moreouer although no man before that time did so purposelie preciselie preach and vvrite against the reall prsence of Christ in the sacrament because no man did before that time of corruptiō drreame of suche a presence and therefore no neede of such preaching or vvriting yet did our Sauiour Christ in the institution of the sacramentes teache vs that he is absente in the reall substaunce of his bodie Matth. 16. So doth S. Paule 1. Corinth 11. So often as you eate of this bread and drinke of this cuppe saith he you set foorth the Lords death vntill his comming againe The selfe same thing do the Scriptures Fathers as it alreadie proued teache and vvrite concerning the absence of christ touching his humane presence from this sacrament as also from all other places heaucn onelie excepted vvhich must onlie enioye his presence vntill the daie of iudgement Act. 3. Purther where the papistes do imagine that this alteratiō must be in one yere or in a shorter time or els by no meanes it could be is childishe and foolishe toye to leade the simple into a maze 2. Thess 2. For as Antichrist did not in one moment of time or in one yere enter into the poslession of Christes Church But with long cōtinuance of time before he could enter although his mysterie vvas a vvorking in the Apostles time Epist Iohn 3. and yet preuailed not vntill a long time after euen so this error of reall presence was not in one yere receiued but with a long cōtinuance of time by a litle and litle as the sinceritie of doctrine decaied was it brought in and stablished vvith kneeling vvorshipping which before was not vsed of Christians tovvardes this sacrament Before that time Christians did vvorship Christ represented signified by that sacrament and vsed with reuerence to their comfort the outward simbals as the holie misteries by the which the death of Christ was laide forth to their remembrance But after this corruption stablished then cōmeth the mangling of the Lords supper and violating of his holie institution bringing it into one kinde that Christ ordeined in two kindes and making that priuate to the priest that was instituted especiallie for the people Then transubstantiation then sacrificing for the quick the dead yea for beasts and hogges which I am sure the papistes vvill not saie vvas done all in one moment of time or in one yere Do not the papists know that aster the Church of a long time had bin assalted by heresies and persecuting torments giuing them the ouerthrow alwaies contemning the chast spouse of Christ did at the laste receiue peace and quietnes which brought vvith it securitie idlenes Apoc. 9. And then fell that great starre from heauen spoken of by S. Iohn into the earth Which falling starre namelie the Bishop of Rome receiued of the beast the key of darknes and therewith opened the pit vvhence did yet dallie doth ascende the smoke of all superstition ignorance vvhich in time brought forth in finit swarmes of Monkes Friars and such like vvhich corrupted all true doctrine vvasted the same euen as Locusts consume all the grene things of the earth And in stead of true doctrine filled mēs eares vvith lyin dreams and superstitious fansies Thus came this real presence all other sonde and superstitious toyes into the Church not at one instāt but by long degrees of time not by faithful and ture preachers but by monkes and fivars and the infinite swarmes of false deceiuers THE OBIECTION IF none vvere learned inough to conquer it by preaching disputing or vvriting at the least vvise vvould none do his best to set foorth a bare historie of that tragidie Or vvho euer hath vvritten that the vvhole Church chaunged her faith in this matter So manie Councels haue bin kept in all ages and countries so manie heretikes names and opinions who vvere but in priuie corners haue bin of late yeeres vvritten vnto vs as Gogonuli Waldenses Petrobusiani Pseudo Napolitani Bogardi Beguinae vvith such like and could this herasie of Christes real presnece ouerrunne the vvhole Churche so farre that fiftie yeres past and vpward no small chappell can be named in the vvide vvorld where Christes supper was made vvithout adoration of his bodie bloud as present vnder the formes of bread and vvine and yet could no man vvpon the earth be found in the space of eight hundred fiftie yeres to leaue in monument of histories vvhen that heresie began or by vvhom it was promulgated or vvhat name vvas giuen to it Did Satā in those eight hundred yeres so stronglie oppresse Christ that his Gospell vvas cleane darkned and his kingdome loste Did hell gates preuaile against the whole Church Did the rocke it selfe faile Did the holie ghost cease to teach the people of God all truth I thinke it will be said the Bishop of Rome did preach cōmend set forth and maintein that heresie But they must shew which Bishop sirst began who writeth that of him and by what meanes he was so miraculouslie obeied that no resistance in the vvorld is read to haue bin made anie vvhere against him and yet surelie he neuer lacked enemies in the East Church THE ANSVVERE IT verie vvell appeareth by that I haue alreadie said that diuers learned men did both vvrite and speak against it as Bartrame and others yet after the botomles pit of Monkishe and Friarishe superstition vvas once by the bishops opened vvhose authoritie ruled in euerie Councel neither would writing or speking take place against those that abusing the name of Christe did gather Councels to suppresse Christ vntill the measure of their wickednes vvas fulfilled Apoc. 14. at vvhich time as vve nowe see Christ according to his promise hath to his owne glorie and the great comfort of his children Ihidem 17. opened their madnes and sollie vvherwith they haue a long time bewitched the Kinges and other inhabitants of the earth Likewise by these Waldenses and others vnto which a great number mo of al ages since these corruptiōs entered maie be added who euer spake against this matter of reall presence wel declare that ther was no time wherin this other corrup tions were not preached against although the preachers manie mo with them by the tyrannie of the Monkish locusts lost their liues But bicause the first authors deuisers of this carnal and grosse presence are so earnestlie called for I will more largelie laie them forth vvith their names and time First after the sixe hundred yeres ended diuers superstitions crepte into the Church Damas 728. whereof the adoring and vvorshipping of the bread in the sacrament vvas one among the rest against which superstition and idolatrie diuers learned men did both vvrite and speake Bert. 800. Beren 1049. as Bartrame Beringarius
no such a threefold difference of righteousnes before God as the Papistes imagine 9 The righteousnes of the lawe and the righteousnes of the Gospell with their difference 10 The Papistes make Christe no more beneficiall vnto his Church then is the lawe 11 That the father doth not only offer our Saluation vnto vs wrought in Christ but also through him doeth effectually bestowe the same vpon vs by a liuely faith in Christ 12 That this faith wherby weare iustified is not of our selues neither depēding vpō our free wil as the papistes imagine but it is the gifte of God in Christ and the worke of his spirite by the Preaching of the Gospell and dependeth vpon our election 13 That this faith onely iustifieth beefore God with out the helpe of workes 14 That this faith respecteth onely the promise of God made vnto vs in the death and passion of Christ and not legall or temporall promises as the Papistes wickedly pretend 15 That the promises of the Gospell are free and absolute and not condicional as the legall and temporall promises are 16 That a liuing and iustifiyng faith is alwaies fruitfull and neuer idle or barren and although it onely alone doth iustifie yet is it neuer alone or voide of good workes 17 The distinction of the Iesuiticall first and second iustification with their termes and woordes of arre haue the same meaning and corruption that the schoolemen had 18 That the Papistes leaue nothing vnto Christ and his Gospell in the worke of our iustification but onely this that he teacheth how a man may iustifie him selfe before God 19 That the continuall remission of sinne through Christ is our onely iustification before God 20 That sanctification and renouatiō are not our iustification before God but the fruites therof follow the same 21 That renouatiō and sanctification are not perfected at one instant or moment of time as the Papistes imagine but by cōtinuance not throughly performed vntill by death mortalitie be put off 22 The true interpretation of the place of S. Iames that the Papistes abuse to proue iustification by workes 23 That Sherwin in the forme wordes of his confession meant not as they did pretend but meere contrarie and therefore like vnto the prophecie of Cayphas 24 Why the Papistes and especially these Iesuites refuse the termes wordes of the schoolemen and conforme their wordes like vnto the Scripture THE PREFACE To the Reader THe old serpent The red Dragon Gen. 3. Iob. 1. Apoc. 9.12.13 1. Cor. 1.2.3 Mat. 15. Esay 28. Sathan the deceiuer of the whole worlde the continuall selaūderer and accuser of Gods childrē hath no way gentle reader more molested Gods people and preuailed against his Church to the great hinderance of his true worship and glorie of his blessed name then by renting the vnitie of his Church into the sectes and factions of men couering neuerthelesse these manifolde sectes and factions vnder the Cloake and shadow of the Catholike Church when in deede there most times emong these factions either remaineth no part of Gods worship and true religion at all or els verie little and that so corrupted as therein the true glorie of God may no way appeare when the true glorie of God his worship and religion is truly founded in Christe Gen. 3 17. Deut. 18 Esay 8.9.10.13 Mat. 3 10.28 Rom. 1.3.4.5.10 1. Cor. 1. Iohn 1.6 Ephes 4. Collos 2. Epist Iohn cap 1.2 by whom the knoweledge of God the father wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption is denied vnto vs through operation of his holy spirit and ministerie of his worde and wee againe by the same meanes as it were by iointes and cooples inseparable conioyned vnto Christ in whom dwelleth the fulnes of the Godhead substancially and is the only head of his Church Sauiour of his bodie that in him and thorowe him we may both see and enioy the glorious presence of God essectually This craftie workeman Sathan so cunning li transsigureth himselfe as though he were an Angell of light 1. Pet. 2. 1. Tim. 2. Ebru 1.2.3.4.8.9.10.13 Apoc. 1.4.6.7.10.11.14 Cal. 1.2.3.4 Phil. 1.2.3 that hee often renteth the parts and mēbers of this bodie from Christ and God conioyning them vnto himselfe through the inuentions titles and holines of men treading downe the true doctrine of Christ his precious blood death and merits by the doctrine of mens deuises merits and other such like abhominations Thus began Sathan in Paradise to worke at the very beginning Thus so soone as the lawe was giuen vnder Moyses wrought hee by Corah Dathan and Abyran and hath so continued vntill this day Num. 16. and will doe vnto the worldes end Vnder the titles names traditions of Saduceis Esseans and Phariseis he aduanced so farre his owne kingdome that hee vtterly defaced the kingdome of God blinded both Priest and people that not onely the name of a true Israelite in respect of a Saducie Esseā or Pharisy was of no regard or estimation hee thereby so much blinded them that they knewe not Christ the true Messias whē he was come among thē but vtterly refused him and to their great condemnation reiected him whom they daily had in their mouthes and bragged themselues to be his people his Church and children of Abraham Iohn 1. vnto whom as vnto his peculiar inheritance he was especially sent The sonne of God found none more obstinate malicious against him his doctrine and kingdome then these men that continually vaunted and bragged of his name promises law Church and kingdome After Christes giorious Ascention by false Apostles Sathan set forward againe his aunciēt practice which although the great paine and diligence of the Apostles Apostolicall Pastors in their time mightily suppressed But when the Apostles and the Apostolical Pastors were taken out of this life to rest with the Lorde and that the faithfull workemen and diligent Pastors wared shant and thin in the Lordes vineyard then did Sathan go forward very busily with this practice Act. 20. 2. Thes 1 Apoc. 13 2 Tim. 4. Apoc. 9. and by such as came sorth of the very bosom of the Church speaking great thinges to the drawing of Disciples and followers after thē vntil he had set his chiefe Preudēt antichrist vicar general in his sente wherin hee in these sectaries stil pretendeth religion and godlinesse but alwaies denyeth and detesteth the substance thereof this well appeareth in the sectaries of all ages but especially after the first seuen hundreth yeered when the Monkish Locustes began to rise swarme out of the bothomles pit to spreade themselues into the worlde as the Benedictes Augustines Donstinians Cistrians with an infinite number beades some blacke some white and when the admiration of these began to decay then giueth the Deuill a fresh onset againe by a newe supplie of fryers Chanons Nunnes Ancorettes and Heremites a new band of other sectaries which termed thēselues schoolemen Canonists some Sententionaries Some