The fourth the Iudge of matters of faith for which is quoted Innocentius Epist. 93. apud August and Leo Epist. 84 These are both bishops of Rome and partiall witnesses to depose of theyr owne Prerogatiue shewing what they claymed and not what al antiquitie gaue vnto them The Romane Prelacie as Socrates testiâ—…e in that time although it were a thousande partes more modest then it is at this daye yet was it then passed beyonde the bondes of Priesthood into forayne Lordship And oftentimes the bishops of Rome challenged more authoritie then of other bishops would be graunted as appeareth by many decrées of the Councels in Africa agaynst appealing to the bishop of Rome and against his ambitious titles of high Prtest c. Which this reasoner sayth was giuen him by all antiquitie The fifth title is the repurger of heresies for which is quoted Sy Alex. 4. apud Athanasium But Athanasius allowed no suche title to the Romane bishoppe whom he confesseth to haue subscribed to the Arrian heresie Liberius deinde c. After Liberius had passed twoo yeeres in exile he was turned and through threates of death induced to subscription The sixth title is The examiner of al bishops causes for which is quoted Theodor. lib. 2. hist. cap. 4. UUhere there is no such matter but that Athanasius desired to haue his cause examined and tried by Iulius Bishop of Rome which when it procéeded not because his aduersaries would not appeare his cause was referred by the Empérour Constantius his commaundement to the councell of Sardica when finding no helpe in Iulius the Byshoppe he had first appealed to the Emperour Constance The last title is The great Priest in obeying whom all vnitie consisteth and by disobeying of whome all heresies and Schismes arise Cyp. Epist. 55. This place is alreadie answered to pertaine no more to the bishoppe of Rome then to any other Bishop A second cause he rendreth why our seruice is blasphemous because wee pray to be deliuered from papistrie which hee sayth is onely true religion but that hath neede of many suppositions to prooue it A third cause he yeeldeth Because they sing it and make other simple men to sing it in the beginning of sermons and otherwise as though it were scripture it selfe and one of Dauids Psalmes If men were as ignorant in the scriptures and Psaimes of Dauid as the Papists would haue them to be this pretensed cause coulde haue but smale coller seeing the title of this hymme in euery booke plainly sheweth that it is none of Dauids Psalmes and the prayer conceiued therein for the Queene and her Councell with diuers other requestes pecâ—…ier to our time and state declare manifestly that it cannot of any man that hath his fiue wittes be taken for the expresse woordes of the auncient Canonical Scripture Much lesse can it with any apparance of reason be gathered that there is any purpose in them that cause it to be song to induce any man neuer so simple into such a grosse error that he shoulde thinke the same song to be scripture it selfe or one of Dauids Psalmes The fourth reason in particuler why the Protestantes must be déemed naught is Albeit it had not all this euill in it yet because it hath not in it those good thinges which christian seruice should haue for seruice sayth he may be euill as well for hauing too little as for hauing too much as the Arrians seruice for singing glory to the father and not singing the same to the sonne As if a man should recite his Creed and leaue out one article as in effect the Protestants doe the article of discention into hell all the whole Creede were naught thereby In deede whatsoeuer is defectiue in any necessarye parte cannot bee perfectly good in the whole but that for wante of some good partes all other good partes shoulde bee naught that is a great vntrueth as also it is a senselesse â—…launder that wee leaue out in effect the Article of Christes descention intoo heâ—… for whiche hee giueth noe reason but his bare woorde He might as well say we leaue out the whole Créede because wee vnderstand it otherwise then they doe But what our seruice wanteth whiche is necessary to bee hadd hée will shewe in twoo or thrée thinges First therefore saieth hée they haue lefte out the chiefest and highest thinges of all whiche is the Blessed Sacrifice of Christe his bodye and blood appoynted by Christe too bee offered vp euery daye for thankesgeuing to GOD for obteyning of grace and auoyding of all euill and for remission of sinnes bothe of quicke and dead as with one consente the Fâ—…hers of the Primitiue Churche doe affirme That any sacrifice of Christes body blood by Christe is appoynted not onely the Apostles and Euangelists which set foorth the institutioÌ„ of the Lords supper make no mentioÌ„ but also y e Apostle to the Hebrewes plentifully sheweth that the sacrifice of Christ was but once offered found eternal redeÌ„ption y â— he offered himself but once for if he had he must haue suffered more then once séeing y â— without shedding of blood there is no remissioÌ„ of sins Neither doe the fathers of the Primitiue church wâ—…oÌ„ he quoteth affirme the coÌ„trary He beginneth w t Dionisius the counterfeite Areopagiâ—…e Hier. 3. Where beside y â— the Author beareth a wroÌ„g name being not so old as the Apostles times by 600. yéeres more yet is not this imagined sacrifice by him in such order aduouched The next of the olde writers names with whom the Margent is paynted as Ignatius Epi. ad Smirnenses which if wee should receiue for Authenticall and not counterfeited yet hath it nothing to the purpose but the name of sacrifice Proptereanon licet c. Therefore yâ—… is not lawfull without the Byshop neither to offer nor to make sacrifice nor to celebrate Masses as the Latine translation is of celebration of the communion If this were bothe a true antiquity to be obserued the Popishe seruice were not lawfull but where it is ministred by a bishopp for that also is affirmed in the same Epistle Thirdly he commeth to Iustinus dial cum Triphone A Reuerend Father indéed whose woords if hée had set downe they would not onely haue cléered our seruice of the supposed crime but also haue béen sufficient to expounde whatsoeuer in any other auncient writer is vnproperly and figuratiuely vttered in the name of sacrifice priest and Aultar c. The woordes of Iustinus are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Euen so wee whiche by the name of Iesus as all shall bee one man in GOD the maker of all things hauing put of our filthie garmentes that is our sinnes by the name of his first begotten sonne and being set on fire by the woorde of his calling are a right kinde of high priestes of GOD as God himselfe doeth witnes that in all places among the Gentiles acceptable and pure sacrifices are
offered to him But God receiueth no sacrifices but of his priestes Wherefore God before hand doeth teslifie that he doeth accept all them that offer by this name the sacrifices which Iesus Christ hath deliuered to be made that is in the Euchariste or thankesgeuing of the breade and the cuppe which are done in euery place of the Christians By which words it appeareth that thankesgeuing was offered in the Sacrament not that Christes natural bodye and blood was offered therein and this not by the Prieste alone but by all Christians And this more plainelie may be séene by other words of his that are in the same Dialogue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. As coâ—…cerning those sacrifices whiche are offered to him of vs Gentiles in euery place that is of the bread of thankesgeuing and the cuppe likewise of thankesgeuing hee foresheweth saying that wee doe glorifie his name and that you meaning the Iewes doe prophane it In which woordes what other Sacrifice can wée sée but the sacrifice of thanksgeuing in the bread and in the cuppe And to proue most inuincibly that the Church in his â—…me had none other sacrifice but Eucharistical of prayers thankesgeuing This saying of his in the same Dialogue against the Iewes may serue abundantly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For I my selfe saieâ—…h Iâ—…inus doe affâ—…e that prayers and thanksgeuing made by worthy persons are the onelie perfect and acceptable Sacrifices to God For these are the onely sacrifices that christians haue receiued to make to be put in minde by their drie and moyst nourishment of the passion which God the sonne of God is recorded to haue suffred for them This place doth not onely shew what the only sacrifice of Christians was in his time but also teacheth that in the Sacrament is drie and moyst nourishment that is bread and drink and not bare accidents as the Transubstantiators affirme Therefore howe little Iustinus maketh for the Sacrifice of the Masse these places doe sufficiently declare And howe vntrue it is that all the Fathers of the Primitiue Churche with one consent doe affirme it Declaring rather how al the Fathers of the Primitiue church that speake of the Sacrifice of the Church are to be vnderstood of a Sacrifice Eucharysticall and not Propitiatorie The next quotation is Tertullian de oratione Where I find no such matter spoken of or once named But in his booke ad Scapulam he sheweth what was the Sacrifice of Christians in his tinte Itaque sacrificamus pro salute imperatoris c. Therefore we offer sacrifice for the Emperours safetie but to our God and his but as God hath commaunded with pure prayer Likewise in his booke aduersus Iudeos the Prophecie of Malachie which the Papistes wrest to their masking propitiatorie sacrifice hee expoundeth it de spiritualibus vero sacrifiâ—…s c. Of spiritual sacrifices he addeth saying and in euery place cleane sacrifices shalbe offered vnto my name sayth the Lord. Likewise against Martion In omni loco sacrificium nomini meo c. In euery place a sacrifyce is offered to my name and a cleane sacrifyce namely glory renowne and blessing and prayse and hymnes Other sacrifices then these Tertullian doeth not mention in all his woorkes The next authour is quoted Augustine Lib. 20. contra Faust. Manich. cap. 23. In which chapter there is neuer a woorde of the sacrament or sacrifice or any thing that tendeth thereunto But in the. 21. chapter of the same booke S. Augustine she weth his iudgement not to dissent from Iustinus and Tertullian concerning the Sâ—…ifice of the Churche howesoeuer hee often vseth else where thâ—… terme vnproperly Sed quid agam tantae c. But what shal I doe and when shal I shew to the blindenes of these heretikes what force that hath which is song in the Psalmes The sacrifyce of Prayse shall glorify me and there is the way where I will shewe my sauing helth The fleshe and blood of this sacrisyce before the comming of Christ was promised by oblations of similitudes In the passion of Christe it was geuen vp by the very truth After the Ascention of Christ it is celebrated by a sacra ment of remembraunce Goe your wayes now and charge Augustine to affirme a sacrifice in proper speech to be offered of the bodie and bloode of Christ which he himselfe affirmeth to be a me morie of the only sacrifice of Christe once offered as the legale oblations were promises of the same sacrifice before it was perfourmed Unto Augustine is â—…oyned Chrisostome Hom. 17. ad Heb. Wil you heare his iudgement after he hath made the obiâ—…ction howe we offer that sacrifice euery day which the Apostle and he before had directly and often affirmed to haue béene but once offered and might not be repeated Hoc autem quod faâ—…mus c. But this that we doe saieth Christe is done truely in remembraunce of that which was done For doe yee this saith hée in remembraunce of me We doe not make an other sacrifice as the high priest but we make the self same alwayes but rather we make the remembrance of a sacrifice Sée you not by this correction that the name of sacrifice was vnproperly applied to the celebration of the Lordes Supper which properly is no sacrifice of Christes bodye and blood but a remembraunce of his Sacrifice once offered for all and neuer to bée repeated â—…éeing as Augustine calleth it â—…he onely true and vnsacrificable sacrifice and the Lordes Supper a similitude of that Sacrifice As for Gregorie who liued almost two hundred yéeres after Augustine as hée she weth manye vncertaine miracles in those Dialogues which are next quoted so he was too déeply plunged in the superstitioÌ„ of his time that wée should looke for the right and auncient vse of the celebration of the Lordes Sâ—…pper béeyng the next Bishoppe of Rome saue one before Boniface that openly tooke vppon him the Antichristian authority whiche long before was in breaking out the mystery of iniquity that wrought euen in the Apostles times The rest of quotations that serue to prooue that Priestes were orvayned in respect of this Sacrifice I shall not néed to stand vpon them séeyng I haue she wed by the consent of the most aunciente and best approoued fathers that the sacrifice where of they speake was of another kinde then this where unto he would draw their authorities Ierom. vnto Heliodorus â—…hom this author quoteth speaketh not a woord to shew that Priestes were ordeined for this sacrifyce but sayth God for bid that I should speake any thing amisse of them which succeeding to the degree Apostolike doe make the body of Christ with their holy mouth by whom we also are Christians Where calling the sacrament of y â— Lords supper y â— body of Christ he saith no more then Christ saith of it nor in any other sense Whatsoeuer Chrisostome saith in his 2 booke de sacer whiche is nexte quoted muste bée expounded by his saying
which all men are to be saued Thirdly becaâ—…se they sing it and make other simple men to sing it in the beginning of Sermons and otherwise as though it were scripture it selfe and one of Dauids Psalmes Fourthly albeit the Protestantes seruice had not all this euil in it as it hath yet were it nought because it hath not in it those good things which Christian seruice should haue For seruice may bee euil as well for hauing too litle as for hauing too much As the seruice of the Arrians was for singing Glorie to the Father and not singing the same to the Sonne And as if a man should recyte his Creede and leaue out one article as in effect the Protestants doe the article of discention into hell all the whole Creede were nought thereby Nowe howe many thinges doe want in the Protestantes seruice which should be in Christian seruice it were too long in euerie point to rehearse yet will I for examples sake name two or three thinges First therefore they haue left out the chiefest and highest thinges of all which is the blessed Sacrifice of Christ his Bodie and Blood appointed by Christ to bee offered vp euerie day for thankes giuing to God for obteyning of grace and auoyding of all euil and for the remission of sinnes both oâ—… quicke and dead as with one consent the Fathers of the Primatiue Church doe affirme The which sacrifice beeing away no Christian seruice can bee saide to be there For so much as for this cause were ordeined Priests neither can there any be called Priest but in respect of this sacrifice also in respect of this sacrifice were christian churches called Temples for this sacrifice were made Aulters for an Aulter is the place of sacrifice euen as an armorie is the place where armour is For this sacrifice was Priestes apparell made Vestments Sensors Frankensence and the lyke in the Primatiue Church Whereof all the Fathers Councelles and histories doe speake so much The seconde thing which the Protestantes seruice leaueth out is no lesse then sixe of the seuen sacramentes which the catholike seruice of God doeth vse for as for their communion it can bee no sacrament as they doe vse it The commoditie of which Sacraments in the church saint Augustine saieth That it is greater then can bee expressed and therefore the contempt of them is no lesse then sacriledge because saith hee that can not be contemned without impietie without the helpe of which no man câ—…n haue pietie And for this cause in an other place hee saieth That the contemners of visible Sacraments can by no meanes inuisibly be sanctified The third thing that the Protestants seruice leaueth out is all the ceremonies of the catholike church of the which the olde auncient Fathers and Councels doe say these three thinges First that that they are to bee had in great reuerence and to bee contemned of no man Secondly that they are to bee learned by tradition and that many of them are receiued by the tradition of the Apostles Lastly that they which doe either condemne despise or wilfully omyt these ceremonies are excommunicated I might heere adde many other thinges as leauing out prayers for the dead beeing as the Fathers holde one of the chiefest functions of a Priest Also for hauing their seruice in an other order and language then the vniuersall church vseth But this is sufficient For if they leaue out of their seruice both Sacrifice Sacraments and all Ecclesiasticall ceremonies I knowe not what good thing they haue left besides a fewe bare wordes of scripture euil translated and woorse applyed which they read there Seeing therefore their seruice is such it is a sufficient cause to make all catholikes to auoide it The seuenth reason HE telleth vs that the seuenth reason why a catholike may not yeelde to come to the Protestantes churches is because the seruice which they vse is nought and dishonourable to God and therfore no man can come to it or heare it or seeme to allowe of it by his presence without great offence to God Wee heare that it is nought and dishonourable to God But let vs heare the cause why it is so tearmed First it is not sufficient he saith to defend it y â— it is takeÌ„ out of the scripture the Gospels Epistles Psalmes and such like â—…or by that argument the seruice of the Iewes and Heretikes which is taken out of the Scriptures might like wise bée made good I aunsweare if the 〈◊〉 and Heretykes haue nothing in their seruice but taken out of the Scripture their seruice is not euil in the matter thereof and no more can ours be but by that only argument I confesse that our seruice cannot be proued to bée simply good although it were taken â—…uerie worde out of the Scriptures except it be good also in forme and ende that it be referred to the woorship of the onely true God in the name of Christ and vnitie of this Church as in déede it is and therefore not like the seruice of Iews and Heretikes or Schismatikes but least the Protestantes seruice should not be déemed nought throughly Luthers opinion thereof is cited out of Copes Dialoges a sufficient witnesse of so weightie a matter saying That the Sacramentaries doe in vaine beleeue in God the Father in God the Sonne in the holie Ghost and in Christ our Sauiour al this doth auaile them nothing seeing they doe denie this one article as false of the real presence whereas Christ doeth say this is my bodie Suppose that Cope citeth this saying truely out of Luther and that those whom hée calleth Sacramentaries did deny this one article of the reall presence according to the meaning of Christes wordes This is my bodie as false as though Christe were a lyar It were true that all other articles of fayth could not profite them vnto saluation But what woorde is héere to shewe Luthers opinion of the Protestantes seruice whiche might bee good although they were nought which vsed it But wheras he hath gone hetherto vpon méere suppositions nowe wée shall haue his assumption confirmed by weight of argumentes and authorities First therefore to shew that the Protestants seruice is euil he saieth it were sufficient to say That it is deuised of themselues altogether different from al the seruice of Christendom CoÌ„cerning the matter it was confessed before that it is taken out of the scriptures the Gospels Epistles Psalmes therfore not deuised by vs. Touching y e forme and ceremony thereof it hath alwaies bin frée lawful for euery particular Church to deuise whatsoeuer is most méete for edification order cumlinesse as I haue shewed before euen out of the authoritie of Gregory Bishop of Rome therefore may be different from the forme and ceremonies of all other churches in Christendom so the substance of doctrine Sacraments be the same I wil set down his wordes The interogation of Augustine Cum vna
may bée an error in the number for Hier. 61. contra Apostolicos hee speaketh of some thinges receiued by tradition as that it is sinne to mary after virginitie professed but of ceremonies hée saieth nothing at all As for the Tridentine councell which is next quoted I will not vouâ—…afe to answere it béeing of none antiquitie but holden within these fewe yéâ—…res by the Papistes Then followeth Cyprian epist 66. Which I know not wherfore it is alleadged for there is nothing in it for Ceremoâ—…es or the contempte of them but against the Nouasianes and anerroneous opinion of his that none can baptize but hée that hath the holy Ghost After Cyprian wée are bidden to looke in Augustine de doctrina christiana without quoting the Chapter but for what I knowe not for there are not in him rehearsed any Ceremonies which wée omit for any thing that I can finde The like I say for Cyprian sermone de oratione dominica As for Isidorus who lyued more then 600. yéeres after Christe in ceremoniall age is no méete Authour to controle our want of Ceremonies by such as were vsed in the Spanishe Church in his tyme which yet are not all the same that the Papistes vse Then solloweth the fourth Toletane councell cap. 2. Which appoynteth that there shoulde bée an vniforme order of ministration of the Sacramâ—…ntes and publike prayers in the Churches of Spayne and Gallicia because they were contayned in one fayth and kingdome What pertayneth this vnto the church of England which hath as great authority to appoynt her own Ceremonies as the church of Spayne then had for theirs The laste quotation is Bede lib. Hist. cap. 1. omytting the number of the Booke but hauing perused all the fyrste Chapters of euerye booke I finde nothing for any Ceremonies And whatsoeuer their shoulde bée founde in Beda so late a writer shoulde bee no preiudice vnto the authoritie of our Churche in this tyme. For as I shewed before that Augustine out of euery Church waâ—… willed to choose what ceremonies hee thought most conueniente so his posteritie was not bound to his choyce but as they thought good some they added some they abrogated But where hée noteth in the margent that in these Authors wée may sée 〈◊〉 what tongue seruice was in they dayes in all countryes I marâ—…ayle at his imâ—…udencie séeing neyther in anye place by him quoted except the last Tridâ—…tine counsell perhappes there is anye worde spoken touching the tongue wherein seruice was in their countries nor in all their works is there anye thing to proue the contrarye but that euerye nation had their seruice in such tongue as they vnderstoode As for the leauing out of the prayer for the dead which is in déede an errour of great antiquitie séeing hée quoteth none authoritie for the iustifying of it I will referre the Reader to other treatises that I haue written against it namelye to my confutation of Allens booke of Purgatorie and to my reioynder lately â—…ritten to Bristoes reply So that for any thing which is brought or quoted in this reason the seruice of the Protestantes is proued to bée good inough The eyght Reason THe eight reason of refusall which maye nowe bee yeleded why a Catholicke maye not come to the Protestantes churches is because by going thither hee shall loose all the benefit of his owne relygion neither shal he take any more commoditie therby then if he were not of that relygion at al. This is a verye great waightie and most sufficiente reason to bee yeelded by catholyckes in Englande to their Princes for their refusall of comming to churche and such a one as being sufficiently conceyued by her Maiestie cannot but satisfie her highnesse and greatlye drawe her to compassion of the pitifull case of so many thousandes of her louing subiects who being as I haue sayd catholickes in hearts by going to ProtestaÌ„ts churches must needs be brought either to flat athisme that is to leaue of al conscience and to care for no religion at al as manye thousanâ—… seeme to bâ—… resolued to doâ—… or els to liue in continual torment of minde and almoste desperation considering that by their going to these Churches they loose vtterlye all vse and practise of theyr owne relygion beeing helde as Schismatickes and excommunicate persons of the same and their case 〈◊〉 that if they should die in the same state they were sure to receiue no â—…rt of benefite of that religion no more then if they had been Protestants The which what a danger it is all true Christian men doe both know and feare But yet that the simpler sort may better vnderstande it and the wiser better consider of it I will in particuler repeate some of the abouesaide dommages First therefore a Catholike by going to the Protestantes Churches looseth all participation of that blessed sacrifice of the body and blood of our Sauiour appointed by the saide Sauiour as I haue shewed before to bee offered vp dayly in the oblation of the Masse for the commoditie of the whole worlde quicke and dead and for that cause as the godly and learned Saint Iohn Chrisostome saith Called the comon sacrifice of the whole worlde The which action of offering of this sacred Hoste the sonne of God to his father is of such dignitie excellencie and merite not only to the Priest but also to the standers by assisting him as al the other good works which a man can do in his life are not to be coÌ„pared with it seeing that the very angels of heaueÌ„ do come down at that time to adore after the consecration that sacred body and to offer the same vp with vs to God the Father of the whole worlde As all the holy Fathers of the Primatiue churche did both beleeue and teach Of the whiche it shall be enough at this time to alleadge one or two S. Gregorie therefore the first saieth thus What faithfull man can doubt but that in the verie houre of immolation or sacrifice the heauens doe open at the Priestes voice and that the quires of Angels bee present there in that mysterie of â—…esus Christ And Saint Chrisostome handeling the same saith At that time the time of consecration in the Masse the Angels stand by the Priest and the vniuersall orders of the celestiall powers doe crie out and the place â—…igh to the Aulter is full of quires of Angels in the honour of him who is there sacrificed And immediatelie after hee telleth two visions of holy men whose eyes were by the power of God as hee saith opened and they in those visions sawe the Angelles present at the time of consecration And in an other place hee yet more at large explicateth the same sayinge At that time deare brotâ—…er at the time of consecration and eleuation not onely men doe giue out that dreadfull crie saying wee adore thee O Lorde c. but also the Angels do bow their knees to our
Christe our forefathers of the Primatiue church haue alwaies most earnestly exhorted al men to the often receiuing of this blessed sacrament alledging innumerable commodities of the same aud prouing by experience that the frequenting of this sacrament is the chiefest meanes to come to all grace zeale feeling and life in spirituall matters And on the contrary part that the abstayning from the same is the right way to al spiritual miserie and for the soule of man to wither away dry vp and starue euen as the plant doth that lacketh moysture The which we see now by experience in many a thousand who for lacke of the foode of this blessed Fountaine of grace are as dead in al spiritual cogitations and deedes as a starued stake in the hedge from beating of flowers and their mindes so ouergrowen with the â—…anke weedes of carnaâ—…lite that there is no differenc betwixt them and a bruite bullocke for as muche the one foloweth his passions as the other Wherby wee see what a losse it is to depâ—…iue themselues from the vse of this sacrament Fiftly they loose al the merite of their good deedes whatsoeuer For as S. Gregoâ—…ie saieth Euen as none receiued their peny in the Gospel but they onely which had laboured within the compasse of the Vinyarde so no man shal receiue any reward for any good deede of his except he haue done it within the vnitie of the Church So that if a man should doe neuer so many good deedes giue neuer so many almes nay as saint Cyprian prooueth if a man should suffer neuer so many things for Christ yea death it selfe yet if he were out of the vnitie of the catholike church hee shal haue no reward therefore And not onely this but if a man be in any mortal sinne whatsoeuer as long as he abideth in the same without repentance and confession al deuines holde that he looseth the reward of al his good deedes And the reason is because no worke can be meritorious of it selfe but onely by reason of the grace from whence it proceedeth but by euery mortal sinne which a man committeth hee looâ—…eth grace and much more by going out of the vnitie of the church And therefore in such men vntil they repent there can bee no hope of any reward for any good worke which they shal doe Sixthly they lose the benefit of Communion of Saintes which wee protest to beleeue in our â—…eede That is they haue no part of the sacrifices oblations prayers fastings almes and other good workes done within the 〈◊〉 church which al other catholikes haue Finally they beeing cut off and deuided from the vnitie of the other members they take part of no influence which commeth from the head to the bodie that is from Christ to the church no more then a mans hand once cut off doth take blood nourishment spirite or life from the arme from which it is now separated as most learnedly saint Austen doeth discourse Wherfore they must needes wither away and make drie wood for hell fire and as good for them it were in effect to bee of any other religion as of that whereof they take not one iote of commoditie And to al these miseries they are driuen onely by going to the Protestantes churches The eight Reason THe eight reason of refusal why a catholik may net come to y ◠〈◊〉 churches is because by going tâ—…ither he shal lose al the benefite of his own religion This is called a verie great waightie most sufficient reason yeâ—…lded by catholikes in EnglaÌ„d to their Princes for their refusal of comming to church and such a one as beeing conceiued of her Maiestie cannot but satisfie her Highnesse and greatly drawe her to compassion of the piâ—…iful case of so many thousandes of her louing subiectes Here be words of great importance but all the reason hangeth vppon our lothsome supposition which if it be denyed as it cannot be proued the Pâ—…pists â—…se nothing by comming to our churches but receiue inestimable benefite if as they be present in bodies so they be truely coÌ„uerted in mind But sée I pray you how honorably he thinketh of her Maiesties both wisdom coÌ„science y â— he presumeth to affirme she cannot but be satissied by this reason which is nothing but a beare sâ—…ppositioÌ„ wheras she knoweth most assuredly y â— religioÌ„ which she by law mainteineth to be y â— only true religioÌ„ that she would think any benefit to be lost â—…her louing subiects by departing froÌ„ the coÌ„trary errour And once againe he ratleth in his many thousaÌ„ds of her louing subiects by whoÌ„ hée meaneth y e obstinate Papists God forbid her Maiestie should haue many huÌ„dreds of such louinge subiects as in their heart haue receiued this traiterous Antichristian persuasioÌ„ that they are by y â— Popes bull duly discharged of all obedieÌ„ce oth of allegiance if any they haue made to her But that the simpler â—…ort may better vnderstand this reason the wiser better consider of it hee will in particular repeat some of the abouesaid damages The first losse is of the participation of the sacâ—…fice of the bodie blood of our Sauiour appointed by him to bee offered vp dayly in the oblation of the Masse c. Nay he that is truely conuerted from Papistry then first receiueth y e benefit of that only sacrifice which Christ offered for y â— redemption of al his elâ—…ct is discharged of the sacrilegious blasphemy wherby y e same is pretended to be often repeted in the Popish Masse But Chrysostome is affirmed for that cause to call it the common sacrifice of the whole worlde I haue shewed before howe Chrysostome calleth the celebration of the Communion a sacrifice which is rather a remembrance of the singular sacrifice once offered by Christ him selfe neuer to be reiâ—…erated But the action of offering of this sacred Host saith hée the Sonne of God to his Father is of such dignitie excellency and merite not only to the Priest but also to the standers by assisting him as all the other good works which a man can do in his life are not to be compared with it Nay of all other blasphemies it is the most horrible that a wretched caitife should presume to offer the Sanne of God to his Father which no creature in heauen or earth could doe but hée him selfe by his eternal spirite But of the sacrifices which the Church doeth offer Irenaeus saieth Non sanctificant hominem c. They doe not sanctifie a man for God hath no neede of sacrifice but the conscience of him that offereth doeth sanctifie the sacrifice if it bee pure and causeth God to accept it as of a friend This hée speaketh euen of the sacrifice offered in the Lordes Supper which if it were any other then of prayse and thankesgiuing it were extreame blasphemie that Irenaeus saith of it Yet let vs sée what reason hée bringeth
Lord the Archangels do beseech him for they account that a fit time hauing that sacred oblatioÌ„ in their fauor And therfore as men are wont to moue princes the more if they beare oliue bowes in their hands because by â—…earing that kinde of wood they bring into the Princes mindes mercy gentlenes so the angels at that time holding out in their hands the very selfe same body of our Lord they do intreate for al mankind as though they saide We do intreate O Lord for the men of the world whom thou hast so loued that for their saluation thou wast content to die and in the Crosse to breath out thine owne soule For these men we make sup plication for the which thou hast giuen thy owne blood for these men we pray for the which thou hast sacrificed this body of thine If this bee so then the hearing of Masse is not only worth the venturing of an hundred marks or six monethes imprisonment but also of an hundred thousand liues if a man could loose euerie one for that cause sixe times And an hundred times miserable is that man whiche for any worldly respecte doeth depriue him selfe of so great a benefite as the participation of this sacrifice is Secondly they loose by going to church the fruite and grace of sixe sa craments as the grace of confirmation by the Bishop whereby the holy Ghost was giuen in the primatiue church as S. Luke saith and nowe 〈◊〉 our time as S. Cyprian proueth are bestowed vpon vs by the same the seuen gifts of the holy Ghost set out by Esay the Prophet in his xi chapter They loose also the grace of Priesthood so greatly commended by saint Paul to Timothie when he chargeth him so earnestly not to neglect the saide grace Also the grace of Matrimonie which S. Paul so much extolleth when hee calleth this sacrament a great sacrament Also the grace of extreeme vnction which is so great as S. Iames saith besides the healing ma ny times of the body it also remitteth the sicke mans sinnes And so in like manner the grace of the other two sacramentes of Penance and the Aulter whereof I will say a worde or two immediately All these graces they loose being cut of by their going to the Protestants churches from these sacraments which are nothing els but conduits of grace The which losse of what value it is a man may gesse by that which all diuines with on accorde doe proue that one drop of grace is more worth then all the worlde esteemed in it selfe besides Thirdly they loose by going to church al the benefiâ—…e of the keies of the church or of the authoritie of binding and loosing of sinnes graunted by Christe to the gouernours of the same churche For the explication of the which we must vnderstand that Christ hauing newly made the marriagâ—… betwixt his deare spouse himself I meane the church hauing now sealed the same with his own blood being inforced to depart froÌ„ the said new married spouse of his touching his visible presence for a time hee deuised how to shew vnto her how greatly he loued her to leaue some notable pledge and testimonie of his singuler great affectioÌ„ towards her The which he finally resolued could be by no other meanes better ex pressed then if he should leaue al his authoritie with her the whiche hee had receiued of his father which making publike proclamation to all the worlde that What soeuer she should forgiue in earth touching sinne the same should be forgiuen in heauen and what soeuer sinne the Church shoulde retaine or not forgiue in earthe the same shoulde neuer bee forgiuen in heauen And againe that with what authoritie GOD his father sent him with the same he sent her gouernours the Apostles and their successours And againe he that shoulde not heare and obey the Church should be accounted as a Heathen and Publicane By the which speeches of Christ our forefathers haue alwaies vnderstâ—…ode that Christe gaue vnto the church a visible tribunal seate in earth for the forgiuing or retaining of sinnes vnto the which al christians must resoâ—…t by submission and humble confession of their sinnes if they thinke euer to receiue forgiuenes of the same at Christ his handes in heauen For so wee reade that in the primatiue church they confessed their fins vnto the Apostles of whom S. Luke writeth thus Many of the faith full came to the Apostles confessing and reuealing their owne acts And foure hundred yeeres after that S. Austen testifieth of his time saying Doe you such penance as is wont to be doone in the Church that the Churche may pray for you Let no man say I doe it secretly I doe it with God alone God which hath to pardon me knoweth wel how that I doe repent in my heart What therfore without cause was it said to the Priests that which you loose in earth shalbe loosed in heauen therefore in vaine were the keies giuen to the Church And in an other place again more neerely touching the humour of our men now a daies he saith There are some which thinke it sufficient foe their saluation if they do confesse their sinnes only to God to whom nothing is hidden and to whoÌ„ no mans conscience is vnknowne For they will not or els they are ashamed or els they disdaine to shewe them selues vnto the Priestes whome notwithstanding GOD by Moses his Lawe giuer dyd appointe to discerne or iudge betweene Leprie and Leprie But I woulde not that thou shouldest be deceiued with that opinion in suche sort that thou shouldest either by naughtie shame or obâ—…inate 〈◊〉 refraine to confesse before the substitute or Vicegerent of our Lord. For whom our Lorde did not disdaine to make his 〈◊〉 his iudgement muste thou be content also to stand to This benefite therefore of the keyes of the churche and of receiuing remission of 〈◊〉 sinnes by the same which catholikes doe thinke to bee the greatest benefite of their religion doe they loose that goe to the Protestants churches besides all the good instructions wholesome counsels and vertuous admonitions which catholikes doe receiue in confession at their ghostâ—…y Fathers hands then the which things they finde nothiâ—…g more forcible to bring them to good life especially if they frequent it often as al zelous catholikes in the worlde now doe Fourthly they loose the infinit benefite of receiuing the blessed sacrament of the Aulter the precious body and blood of Christ beeing the foode of our soules and as Christ saith The bread that came downe from heauen to giue life vnto the worlde To the worthie eating of which heauenly bread Christe promiseth infinite reward saying He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath life euer lasting and I will raise him againe at the last day And againe He that eatetb me shall liue through me Vpon which promises of
that not only saying but also hearing of Masse should bée a woorke so mereâ—…orious The verie Angels of heauen saieth hée doe come down at that time to adore that sacred bodie and to offer the same vp with vs to God the Father for the whole worlde as all the holy Fathers of the primatiue church did both beleeue and teach Then the Angels also are Priestes if they offer this sacrifice But which of all the holy Fathers so doeth teach that wée may knowe they did beâ—…ue First hée cyteth Gregorie Lib. 4. dia. cap. 58. Whose words are these What faythfull man can doubt but in the verie houre of immolation or sacrifice the heauens doe open at the Priestes voice and that the quyers of Angels bee present there in that mysterie of Iesus Christ What is there in these woordes to proue that the Angels doe adorâ—… that sacred bodie or offer vp the same to GOD the Father with vs Otherwise wée doubt not but the Angels of GOD which are present with the faythfull to defende them and kéepe them in all their wayes are present also in all holy actions and especially in the administration of the holie Sacraments The same thing and in the same woordes almost saieth Chrysostome de sacâ—…rd Lib. 6. At that time the Angelles stande by the Priest and the vniuersall orders of the celestiall powers doe crye out and the place nigh to the Aâ—…lter is full of quyres of Angels in the honour of him who is sacrificed For the presence of the Angels I answere as vnto Gregorie for the sacrifice and him that is sacrificed I sayde Chrysostome is the best expounder of himself Hom. 17. in Epist. ad Hebr. In the same woorke de sacerdoâ—…o Lib. 3. Hée saieth the lyke hyperbolicall spéech Nam dum conspicis dominum immolatum c. For while thou seest the Lord sacrificed the Priest leaning ouer the Sacrifice and powring foorth Prayers the people also that stand about to be dyed made redde with that precious blood doest thou thinke that thou art still conuersant among men and that thou standest on the earth Art thou not rather immediately trâ—…ted into heauen Doest thou not cast off all cogitation of flesh and with naked minde and pure vnderstanding looke round about on those things that are in heauen c. These words of his do shew that hée speaketh of a spirituall presence of Christes bodie and blood by fayth which ascendeth into heauen and beholdeth those thinges which the outward eye of the bodie cannot atteine to see As for the visions of Angels that Chrysostome speaketh of in the place by him quoted proue nothing but the presence of them But Hom. 3. contra Anomaeos Hée explicateth the same more at large saith our Reasoner At that time my deare brother not onely men doe giue out that dreadfull crye Héere our Reasoner addeth a parenthesis of his owne which is not in Chrysostome saying wée adore thée O Lorde c. But also the Angels doe bowe their knees to our Lorde and-the Archangels doe beseech him For they account that a fit time hauing that sacred oblation in their fauour And therfore as men are wont to mooue Princes the more if they beare Oliue bowes in their handes because by bearing that kinde of wood they bring into the Princes minde mercy and gentlenesse so the Angels at that time proramis oleagenis in stéede of Oliue braunches hée leaueth out holding out in their handes the verie selfe same bodie of our Lorde they doe intreate for all mankinde although they saide we doe intreat O Lord for the men of the world whom thou hast so loued that for their saluation thou wast content to dye and on the crosse to breath out thine owne soule For these men we make supplication for the which thou hast giuen thine owne blood for these men wee pray for the which thou hast sacrificed this bodie of thine What playner testimony can there bée then this saith our discourser In déed it is plain enough to shew that Chrysostome calleth that thing the verie bodie of Christ which in proper spéech was a Sacrament and pledge of the same And that the similitude of Oliue braunches which are a signe of peace doe shewe Againe their holding out of the bodie of Christ and intreating God for mankind by y â— memoriall sheweth that they did not hold out Christ for then they would haue prayed to that which they 〈◊〉 in their handes and not to Christ by contemplation of that The sense is therefore in this hyperâ—…olicall supposition that the Angels by shewing the 〈◊〉 sacrament of his body once truely offâ—…ed which Sacrament was instituted for a remembraunce of that Sacrifice to entreat our Sauiour Christ by that token of remembrance as men that carrie Oliue braunches in their handes to 〈◊〉 Princes But that the Angels doâ—… adore that bodie in the Hoste and offered to God for vs and with vs for which purposes this place is cyted héere is nothing saide neither of consecration and â—…uation at which time this supplication of the Angels is affirmed to bée The second losse is pretended to be of the grace of six Sacramentes for which hée bringeth small reasons but repeating them saieth That by the grace of confirmation the holy Ghost was giuen Act. 8. 19. In which Chapters is nothing but of the miraculous gifts of the holie Ghost wherwith the Priâ—…e church was garnished but are long since ceased But Cyprian in lib. de â—…ct Christi aduoucheth the same It is true that the Authour of that woorke de cardinalibus Christi operibus Whosoeuer it was maketh mention of that Ceremonie of annointing vsed in his tyme as also the Ceremonie of washing of féete after the example of Christ which hée maketh of as great importaunce as the other The grace that Timothie had by imposition of handes 2. Timothie which the Apostle willeth him not to neglect was extraordinarie and miraculous and therefore maketh nothing for the Ceremonie of vnction neither is there any worde of vnction there vttered That Saint Paule calleth Matrimonie a Sacrament in the Popishe translation it can not make it a Sacrament of the newe Testament which is and was euer before Christ A great mysterie of the spirituall coniunâ—…ion of Christ and his Church although the Apostle doe not say expresly that Matrimonie is a Mysterie thereof but saieth the coniunction of Christ and his Church is a great Mysterie The vnction whereof Saint Iames speaketh cannot be vnderstoode of extreame â—…tion of the Papistes seeing hée promiseth health and recouerie vnto the diseased whereas the Papistes neuer ministred it but vnto them of whose bodely health it is dispaired although our Reasoner say that many times it healeth the bodie Therefore it is manifest that Saint Iames speaketh of an extraordinarie gift of healing which was in the Church by annointing with â—…yle as the Euangelist also doeth witnesse The third benefite that is saide to be lost by going
to Church is all the benefite of the keyes of the church or of the authoritie of binding or losing But this is nothing so for by going to Church where they may heare the Gospell truely preached they may be made partakers of the keyes wherewith heauen is opened and of remission of sinnes at the handes of God by the ministrie of his woord As for consession of their sinnes such as the Scriptures requireth and the Primitiue Church practised they shal make dayly But Popishe â—…hrift no Scripture requireth neither did the auncient Church practise it They that confessed their dooinges Actes the 19. mâ—…de open and not auricular confession But for proofe of Popishe auricular confession as I thiâ—…ke Augustine is quoted in many Homelies not 〈◊〉 whereof saying Doe you suche penaunce as is wont to bee done in the Churche that the Churche may pray for you Let no man say I doe it secretly I doe it with God alone c. These woordes are manifest that hee speaketh of open confession of suche as had openly offended the Church and were to make open satisfaction for the same But more néerely touching the humour of our men hée saieth c. And so citeth a long saying out of the booke de visitatione infirmorum lib. 2. Cap. 4. Which was neuer written by Augustine nor by any other man of wit or learning Sâ—…che counterfeite stuffe is méete to defende suche false doctrine as that Wherefore although wée vrge not auricular confession neither make we a Sacrament of repentance because it hath no visible signe proper vnto it yet the benefite of the keyes of the Church is not lost but of such as be truely conuerted from Papistrie with an inestimable comfort to be found in our Church The fourth losse is layd to bee of receiuing the blessed Sacrament of the Aulter the precious bodie and blood of Christ beeing the foode of our soules There is no reason brought for this losse but the onely tedious supposition that the bodie and blood of Christ is receiued onely in the Popish Church And whereas hée commendeth the often receiuing of the Sacrament it is well that the Papistes who within time of mens remembraunce made small account of often receiuing as appeareth by their infinite priuate Masses now at length haue founde out that the Sacrament is â—…ot ordeined to be looked on but to be often receiued Fifthly they loose saieth hée all the merit of their good deede s whatsoeuer for which heâ—… citeth Gregorie euen as none receiueth their penny in the Gospel but they onely which had laboured within the compasse of the Vineyarde so no man shal receiue any rewarde for any good deede of his except hee haue done it within the vnitie of the Church To this saying I agrée which speaketh of the reward and not of the merite but that they which come to our Church may not bee members of the true Church of Christ there is not a 〈◊〉 or letter brought for proofe Sixthly they loose the benefite of the Communion of Saintes saieth hée and finally beeing cut off and â—…ut from the other members they take no part of influence which commeth from the head to the bodie c. Héere except wee graunt that vile supposition that the Popishe Sinagâ—…gue is the onely Catholike Church of Christ there can be no consequence but to proue that pointe which is the whole matter in debate we heare neuer a word The ninthe Reason The ninthe reason which catholikes may yeeld for their refusall of going to the church may bee the example of all men from the beginning which haue had any care or conscience towarde their own religion not only good men of whom I haue giuen diuers examples before but also al others howe false and erronious soeuer their religion were yet did they alwayes procure to separate them selues from them of the contrarie religion in the act of prayer and from the Temples Sinagogues churches Oratories and conuenticies of the same So wee reade of the Gentiles which thought it to bee a great sinne and pollution to enter into the Iewes Synagogues or Christians churches The like wee read also of the Turkes at this day So all heretiques from the beginning assoone as they had framed any newe religion eftsoones they eâ—…ected newe Oratories to them selues and refused to come to those of other religions as the Arians Donatistes and the rest had their churches and places of prayer distinct from the catholikes whose churches they 〈◊〉 and auoyded together with their doctrine And so the Anabaptists at this day refuse to goe to the Lutherans church and the Lutherans to the Trinitaries In like wise the Puritans of our â—…ime in Englande refuse to come to the Protestantes churches And the Protestantes in other countriâ—…s doe vtterly denye to present themselues to catholike Churches alledging their conscience for the same and affirming it to bee damnable hypocrisie in them that for feare or for any other temporal reâ—…pect do yeld to doe the same against their faith and conscience Wherby it appeareth that they goe quite against their owne doctrine and example in England which obiect the same to Catholikes as disobedience obstinacie and rebellious dealing which in other countries they them selues both teach and practise I will for more manifestation of this matter put downe here the verie words of one of them translated out of French and printed in England and dedicated to the Lord Treasurer by Iohn Brooke The Authors name is Iohn Gardiner a Protestant who in his Cathechisme or as he calleth it Confession of his faith maketh it a great heâ—…ous sinne for Protestantes to present them selues to our catholike churches wâ—…ich hee according to their blasphemous spirite calleth idolatrous His wordes are these I beleeue and confesse that it is not lawful for any Christian to be assistant neither in spirit nor body at the Sacrifices of idolators nor also to enter inâ—…o their Temples whilest they are doing their idolatries Sacrifices except it be to rebuke them in shewing them their abuses to teach them the truth as the holy Apostles Prophets haue done and not for to dissemble as hypocrites For if the body bre a creature of God as it is as the soule is the temple of the holy Ghost member of the mystical body of Christ and if it must one day râ—…se againe possesse the eternal life with the soule It must also necessarily be that it be altogether giuen vnto the seruice of God in this world with the soule and spirite â—… otherwise they can not be ioyned together after the general resurrection but being separated the one should bee in heauen with God whom he loued and the other in hel with the deuil whom he serued the which is an impossible thing Therfore I say al those dissimulations to be a very renouncing of Christ and of his Gospel And in like maner I beleeue and confesse that all those fayned and false