and marks of assurance of the thing signified wherein Gods power is the more renowned exalted in really giving us what by the sacred signe is represented by the vertue of faith and of the holy Ghost as if the signe it selfe had beene really transubstantiated by some occular miracle For the Sacraments comprehend in them more spirituall then carnall sense For this reason God by his Prophets ever blamed his people of Israel for understanding the sacraments too carnally as succinctly we have before declared But tell me O Missalians when Iesus Christ made it known how himselfe was the true bread of life descended from heaven to conferre life eternall how these sacramentall words of eating his flesh and drinking his blood were to be understood wherewith the Capernaits your Predecessors were scandalized The interpretation of Iesus Christ touching the eating of his body did he teach us in this interpretation that to eate his flesh should be meant by a little round transubstantiated host that the round host of flower and the wine is no more bread or wine but accidents without substance Is this your abhominable magicke the doctrine of Iesus Christ Nothing lesse But Iesus Christ like a true and heavenly Lawgiver who can onely sincerely interpret his owne law made answer to the Capernait Doctors how they were grosse and carnall minded Iohn 6 minding only the flesh as you Missalians doe though the flesh alone profits nothing alleaging how his sacramentall words were spirituall The flesh saith he profits nothing but the spirit quickens As also O Missalians how can you religiously accord your transubstantiation with the doctrine of Iesus Christ which promiseth and assureth eternall life to those that shall eate his flesh and drinke his blood if you conceive these words carnally For you cannot be ignorant but that your owne bodies when they have devoured these round transubstantiated hosts into flesh and bones drunke and taken downe the transubstantiated wine into blood notwithstanding live are mortal through the necessity of the law Wherefore eternall life promised by this communion cannot be understood by a mortall body or flesh And therefore of necessity you must needs acknowledge for the most sacred interpretation that to eate the body and drinke the blood of Iesus Christ must have reference to a spirituall and heavenly life and that the flesh profits nothing but the spirituall words the communion of the body and blood of Iesus Christ by faith and spirit give eternall life This interpretation is many times recited by the holy Apostle Saint Iohn when Iesus Christ himselfe useth these words Hee that comes to mee shall never hunger he that beleeves in me shall never feele thirst but have eternall life Are not these termes intelligible enough to expresse this holy sacrament of the communion of the body blood of Iesus Christ without running to your magick of transubstantiation Another interpretation of the holy Doctor and author of the sacramentall law is described Comparison of Baptisme with the Sacrament of the Supper Iohn 3. when Iesus Christ was interrogated by Nicodemus of the meanes how a man might be regenerated and borne anew Is it possible saith Nicodemus that a man can returne again into his mothers wombe Did Iesus Christ answer this demand by affirming that in the holy Sacrament of Baptisme the water was converted into the body into flesh and blood and transubstantiated in a carnall womb to be there againe ingendered and regenerate Was there not also as great reason according to your Magicke to have returned this answer as well as in the holy Sacrament of the Supper for by the one of these two Sacraments we are regenerated and by the other nourisht Now regeneration is as admirable to humane wisdome as nourishment for conformable to humane and carnall judgement it may seeme unpossible that we can be twice engendered and begotten But our good God useth the like interpretation of Regeneration as of the communion of his flesh and blood which is that these sacramentall termes must be spiritually conceived and not carnally for the flesh profits not but the spirit quickens What is of the flesh is carnall what of the spirit spirituall The holy Apostle 1. Cor. 11. relating to the Corinthians what hee had received from Gods hand admonished them of the comming of Iesus Christ during the expectation whereof hee commands them to communicate of the body and blood of Iesus Christ by the fraction of bread and the cup of benediction called the new Testament new covenant contracted by the blood of Iesus Christ wherefore seeing wee are assured of the 2d comming of Iesus Christ being ascended up into heaveÌ„ set at the right hand of God his Father till the day predestinate that hec shall returne to judge both the quicke and the dead how will you reconcile this passage O Missalians when by the magicke you utter you make him descend and returne the body of Iesus Christ in flesh and bone before the time preordained for his second comming This Magicke was by you restored since the first author of your Missall Sacrifice Numa Pompilius Numa Pompilius ut populum Romanorum sacric obligaret volebat vidâ—ri sibi cum dea Algeria congreâ—â—us esse noclurnos ejusque monituâ—e quae ccepia dij immortalibus sacra sorent insti â—uere Val. Max. li. 1. cap 3. Iohn 19. Exod 12. Numb 9. Corruption of the holy Sacrament who by his magicke divulged that he made his Nymph and Goddesse Egeria come downe fro heaven as also his Jupiter Elicius by whose meanes there were celestiall secrets and mysteries revealed unto him If by your magicke the round consecrated host was transubstantiated into the true reall body of Iesus Christ the bread being no more bread but the true body how came you to be so presumptuous to breake and teare in peeces the body of Iesus Christ according to the invention of Sergius the second of that name your predecessor Romane Pontife Are not you farre more execrable executioners then your predecessors Lieutenants of the Romane Church which crucified Iesus Christ yet they never tare nor rent his body in peeces as he prophesied And notwithstanding you are not contented to have broken it into three peeces but in your Missall sacrifices you presume to drowne steepe one portion in wine transubstantiated into blood to be swallowed and drunke To confirme your Magick of transubstantiation why tooke you no order to preserve from corruption your little round printed Hosts which you keepe and lay up so curiously in reliquaries and boxes after they are transubstantiated into flesh bone and into the reall bodie of Iesus Christ Against transubstantiation Is it not an abominable heresie to beleeve that the bodie of Iesus Christ is capable of corruption Nay and oftentimes is eaten by Wormes Weasels Rats and Mice Can you interpret this to be an accident without substance When your Hosts become many times
that the Bread is his body and the Wine is his blood he also said that himselfe was the Bread of Life the living Bread that hee was the living Bread come down from Heaven Further hee sayes That hee who eates of that bread shall live eternally Doth this inferre by the word Est that Iesus Christ is converted and transubstantiated into bread and that hee is no more Christ but an accident without substance O abominable heresies have you any more reason O you Missalians to interpret these words carnally This is my Body to transubstantiate the bread into the body then when hee testifies that himselfe was the bread to transubstantiate him into bread coÌ„sidering that it is written how the communion of this bread gives eternall life Iesus Christ said Hoc est Corpus meum hee also sayes of himself Math. 15. Iohn 6. Hic est Panis qui de Coelo descendit in both these places is not this word est used And yet must we needs hereupon inferre a transubstantiation in stead of orthodoxally interpreting the same by a Metonimy and familiar comparison of bread to Iesus Christ that we might apprehend how eternall life was given us by him and likewise by him our spirituall food is ministred even as by bread a nourishment corporall Howsoever wee must alwayes have recourse to the true expression of Iesus Christ the absolute Law-giver and Author of this holy Sacrament who expounding his owne institution saith in the first place that hee is the Bread of Life then afterwards hee sayes that this bread is his flesh his body Iohn 6 which 〈…〉 offered for the salvation of the world Hee said His 〈…〉 meate his blood true drinke he sayes that whosoever eatâ—s of his flesh and drinks of his blood hee will remaine in him How doth hee himselfe expound this Manducation Iesus Christ by his owne words expresseth himselfe Whosoever comes to me shall never hunger and hee that beleves in me Iohn 6. shall never thirst Is not this a true eating and a true drinking never again to be hungry nor never to thirst Must wee not in this have faith which consists in spirit To addresse our selves to Iesus Christ our celestiall bread our spirituall drinke wherewith to bee satisfied for ever to quench our thirst of sinne perpetually must we runne to the Magicke of transubstantiation and forge an accident without substance Wherefore O Missalians doe you presume to invent any other interpretatioÌ„ then that of Iesus Christ who witnesseth that the flesh profits nothing but the spirit quickens and that his words are not carnall but spirituall giving spirit and life by faith and confidence that hee is the Saviour of the world incarnate dead and crucified to purchase for us eternall life Iohn 15. and then raised up againe hec ascended into heaven sits at the right hand of God his Father remaining an eternall Priest Propitiator Mediator and Redeemer To returne to this terme est that does so molest the Missalians braines that they dreame out of it a transubstantiation If Iesus Christ uttered how hee was the true Vine Iohn 4. that God his Father was the Keeper that we are the Branches Can wee hereupon conclude by this word est a Magick of the transubstantiation of God into the keeper of a Vine of Iesus Christ into a Vine and of our selves into branches If Iesus Christ was said to be the immaculate Lambe that wipes out the sinnes of the word Iohn 16. can wee hereupon induce a transubstantiation If Iesus Christ said that hee was the doore of the sheepefold by whom wee must enter to be saved And that hee is the good Pastor and wee his sheepe Must wee needs so straine wrest these places of the holy Scripture as to thinke it necessary because the word est is mentioned to beleeve a transubstantiation When Iesus Christ admonished his Apostles Math. 5. saying that they were the salt of the earth did hee therefore transubstantiate or convert them into Statues of pillars of salt as hee did Lots Wife Genes 19. If Iesus Christ said by his Apostles that we are the Temples of God 1. Cor. 5. 2. Cor. 6. in which the Holy Ghost inhabits must wee therefore imagine that we are transubstantiated into a masse of stone If the holy Apostle writt 1. Cor. 10. that Iesus Christ is the Rocke out of whom came living water to wash and purge us from our sinnes must wee wrest out of this a transmutation and transubstantiation of Iesus Christ into a Rocke or a materiall stone If the holy Apostle testifieth 1. Cor. 12. that we are the Bodie of Christ may wee by this inferre that we are translated now no more men but transubstantiated into an accident without substance I readily foresee O you obdurate Missalians that you will object all these pre-alleadged places wherein this word est is make no mention of the Sacrament which must the more exactly bee observed in that these be sacred mysteries ordained of God which is most true And this word est is not onely found in the holy Scriptures formerly cited but when wee speak of holy Sacraments first instituted by God for his people of Israel it is written Genes 17. that Circumsicion is Gods alliance and Covenant In the other holy Sacrament of the Communion of the Paschall Lambe was it said that the Lambe was the Passeover Exod. 10 13 which is to say the passage But shall wee induce hereupon a Magicke of transubstantiation Will you not confesse O Missalian transubstantiators that in these passages of the holy Scriptures speaking of holy Sacrament that this word est can not bee otherwise interpreted then to signifie some reall performance Genes 17. and that Circumsicion was a signe a marke of the Covenant and alliance contracted by God with Abraham The Paschall Lambe was also a sacred signe of the passage Num. 10. Psal 68.24 Mat. 21. Iohn 2. for a remembrance of their deliverie out of Egypt The Arke of alliance for another Sacrament of which it is writteÌ„ that it is the truth power of the Lord Must wee understand by this that it was transubstantiated into the reall Majestie of God Wee must wee must I say interpret the holy Scriptures with discretion and in humilitie without sophistication and without Magicke soundly to apprehend the conception of words and not sticke so close to the letter which kils but receive the Word of God in lively spirit If then the sacred Arke is called the Lord and nominated God because in it hee exercised his omnipotent power and declared his Oracles and mysteries by exteriour signes to draw the Israelitish people to bee mindfull of God and to feare and obey him If Iesus Christ also said that hee was bread which came downe from Heaven the bread of life the wine was his blood that the Cup is the New Testament by the externall signes of bread
wine to give us to understand that our life and saving nutriment depended onely on Iesus Christ and that by his death and bloodshed we have assurance of eternall life even as Bread and Wine serve for corporall nourishment and that he meant and ordained these sacred signes to bee to us for Sacraments to approve and confirme our faith Did he determin we should hereby Capernice and Nicodemize to enquire or make doubt of Gods power how it is possible to eate the body or drinke the blood of Iesus Christ how we can possibly be regenerated and borne anew Seeing the promise was made unto us by the word wherefore have you O Missalians conceived a carnall taansubstantion destrusting in the incomprehensible power of God May it not suffice you simply to beleeve that the body blood of Iesus Christ was really and sacramentally offered to communicate thereof for our spirituall nourishment and to grant us eternall life through the Bread and Wine consecrated with giving of thankes the Bread being truely his Body the Wine his Blood which we must worthily receive by faith puritie of cōscience as sacred signes markes of the divine Caracter without searching too subtilly after the meanes other then the plaine interpretation of Iesus Christ that the flesh profits not but the spirit quickens and that his words are spirit and life Should we doubt whether God hath power by the symboles of Bread Wine consecrated to make us communicate of the bodie and blood of Iesus Christ though the bread remaine bread the wine wine If it were other wise this could be no Sacrament but rather called a Miracle As when Iesus Christ converted the water into wine Iohn 2. hee then used the miracle of transubstantitation changing the water into wine but hee ordained not this for a Sacrament as hee did the communion of his body and blood by the sacred figures of bread and wine Was it not also as easie for God to change the wine into blood Exod. 4.7.8 or the bread into flesh as for Moses and Aaron to change the water of the River into blood to confirme the hardnes of Pharaohs heart or when the clouds were turned into the flesh of Quailes Exod. 16. that rained upon the people of Israel Neverthelesse God did not ordaine that these miracles should serve for ordinarie Sacraments but herein he applyed himselfe to our infirmitie exhibiting to us sacred but not transubstantiated signes yet are not vaine nor fantasticall but signs externall that we may behold touch eate and taste remaining still in their substance and neverthelesse they represent sacramentally what is by them comprehended and intimated wherein consists the approbation of our faith to manifest by a sacramentall worke and ministration that we are in the number of the regenerate and sustained by the holy Sacraments of Baptisme and the Supper CHAP. XXII Comparison betweene the two holy Sacraments IF wee may presume to make comparison of the two holy Sacraments of Baptisme and of the Supper Comparison of the two holy Sacraments though there bee a difference betweene it and regeneration which is not reiterated For it sufficeth that wee be once regenerate and begotten a new but this spirituall nutriment is often renued according to the course of nature and other differences very amply described by the holy Apostles and Ministers of Gods Word Nothwithstāding the same end the same Iesus Christ is represented as well in Baptisme as in the Supper Tit. 3. Iohn 3.6 By the Blood of Iesus Christ wee are regenerated by the same Blood nourished By the Blood of Iesus Christ wee are renued sett and engraffed and by the same Blood wee are entertained Rom. 11. Iohn 6. Gal. 3. Ephes 4. and preserved from hongring or thirsting for ever By the Blood of Iesus Christ wee cast of our old corrupt skin put on his body from which likewise wee receive nourishment eternall life By the Blood of Iesus Christ wee have accesse and entry into the Kingdome of Heaven And by the same Blood wee have fruition of the same Kingdome In this sense the holy Apostle testifieth that wee were all baptized by the vertue of the Holy Spirit 1. Cor. 19. 1. Cor. 10. and wee all likewise drunke of the same spirituall drinke given unto us by Iesus Christ Be not these comparisons drawne out of the holy Scriptures to witnesse that Iesus Christ is the onely aime and scope whereto wee must tend both in Baptisme and the holy Supper If therefore that the signes of sacramentall water in Baptisme and Bread and Wine in the Supper of Iesus Christ are sacred Signes Earnests Gages Hostages Symboles Seales and Sacraments instituted by God for an assurance and approbation of our faith Against the Missalians Wherefore O Missalians seeing you have invented a Magicke of transubstantiation for the Sacrament of the Supper why did you not likewise with the same Magicke sophisticate the Sacrament of Baptisme Why have you not constituted that sacramentall water after it is by you exorcis'd and conjur'd with salt to repell devels to be transubstantiated into the blood of Iesus Christ the water being no more water but an accident without substance as you have forged by the bread and wine What difference doe you assigne but Sophistries Sophismes and Missalian subtilties If you persevere in your heresie Iohn 3.4.7 Tit. 3. Gal. 3. by reason of this word est This word is also used in the water of Baptisme which is termed renovation and regeneration it is named the Holy Spirit and the Vestment by and with which wee are revested renued and regenerated in the blood of Iesus Christ Seeing therefore you acknowledg O Missalians that you could never yet meet with a second Berengarius to institute another Decree of a Palinody for the extending of your Magicall transubstantiation to the sacred water of Baptisme and by the same meanes likewise to transubstantiate your lustrall Flegme Spittle your Oyle your Creames Against the corrupters of Baptisme your Salt and other Drugges wherewith you you have corrupted the holy Sacrament of Baptisme why are you so inveterate and obdurate in your Pompilian Religion as to hale Iesus Christ from the right hand of his Father to make him in body and blood to descend by your muttered Magick like another Jupiter Elicius before the day preordained for his second comming I may well propound unto you the similitude of the Sunne Luk. 1. Mal. 4. Comparison of the Sun to Iesus Christ which 〈◊〉 the Martyr used in his Treatise of the Exposition of faith chap. 2 A notable comparison of the Sun utterly to confute the erroneous doctrine of Transubstantiation called by some Apostles the Sunne of Righteousnes Iesus Christ because light comes from Heaven by this luminous glorious sphericall Planet and so spirituall light is exhibited to us by Iesus Christ who out of the night and darknesse of sinne hath
wather with Wine he might peradventure be instructed by the ancient Idolaters who 〈◊〉 celebrating their sacrifices were wont in a Chalice to consecrate Water with Bread especially upon the Festivals dedicated to the Sunne which the Persians worshipped called by them Mythros And in the Feast of the Nephalies they also used Water for sacrifice With this comparison Iustin in Apolo 2. Iustine Martyr relates the custome observed amongst Idolaters by Christians in the consecration of Bread Wine and Water by the one which is to say by the Idolaters in the name of their Idols and by Christians in the Name of their True God And yet this first corruption in the administratioÌ„ of the holy Sacrament by the mixture of water with Wine persevered not without contradiction Inno. lib. 4. cap. â—â—de officio Dissal For the Greekes were of a contrary opinion and that it was not requisite to brew water with Wine neither would they herein follow the Alexandrian corruptions Amarcanus was of the same opinion as Alexander affirming that the mixture of water with Wine was necessary Scotus the subtile Sophister absolutely denied that it was necessary to mingle the water with the Wine because saith he it cannot then be changed nor transubstantiated into Blond except the same were first changed into Wine Some others more ingenious laboured to interpret this Institution of Alexander by alleadging that the wine was coÌ„verted into blood but as for the water it was transubstantiated into the water that came out of Christs side This first corruption of Alexanders gave occasion of many other succeeding abuses For some other more profound Impostors devised to mingle with the wine bloud that was taken from yong Infants wherewith to besmeare the bread of the holy Supper of Iesus Christ as the Cataphtigians August lib. d. Hâ—cret ca. 26 64. who brought in a kinde of transubstantiation of wine into bloud really and corporally Some others added cheese thereunto Epiphan lib. 2. tom 5. haevet 49. called Artotirites which is to say Cheese-bread-mongers Certaine also abusing this holy Sacrament in stead of wine put in water under pretext of the greater abstinence Others had an Institution of steeping bread in the wine the which custome the Messalians also retained in their Missal sacrifices For another detestable corruption of this Sacrament some Popes of Rome forbade their Messalian sacrificers not to administer to Christian people whom they call Lay-men the Body of Iesus Christ in both kindes but onely under the sacred signe of Bread and not of Wine which they reserved for their Messalian sacrificing Priests Is not this corruption directly against the holy Gospel and Institution of the Supper of Iesus Christ ordained and commaunded that all faithfull men should eate his body drinke of his blood When he tooke the Cup did he not use these proper words Drinke all this Wine in memoriall of my Bloud shed Vsed hee any other words for the eating of his Bodie in the symbole of Bread then hee did of his Bloud under the signe of Wine Matth. 26. Marc. 14. Luc. 22. 1. Cor. 11. For if wee compare the sacred signe ordained by God in the Church of the Israelites being a Figure of the Communion of the body of Iesus Christ which was the true Paschal Lambe whose flesh was ordained to bee eaten without exception of persons so they were circumcised was there ever any difference in the eating of the Paschall Lambe and the celebration of the Passcover among the Iewes betweene the Levites being of the race of sacrificing Priests others of the common people To bring in another odious corruption the Messalians instituted in their Missal-Idolatries to sacrifice and offer the Body and Bloud of Iesus Christ reiterating by this means the sacrifice fully consummated by Iesus Christ which cannot bee reiterated because it was not according to the forme of Aaron but of Melchizedec the Eternall Sacrifizer and Priest 1. Cor. 11. without leaving any successor As also when the Apostle admonished the Corinthians to celebrate sacredly the Supper of Iesus Christ were they commanded to sacrifice No but to eate communicate together of the Body to drinke of the blood of Iesus Christ The beginning of the Supper was not to kill or immolate or to sacrifice any beast or oblation to God but onely to eate and drinke at his holy banquet prepared for us by Iesus Christ the Eternall sacrifice and sacrificer who reserved onely for himselfe this Eternall Priesthood yet neverthelesse hee left unto us a sacred Institution of a banquet set before us in the Bread Wine which represent his Body and Bloud After these above-named corruptions Satan a diligent Babylonian Architect employed all his power and means to rayse an inexpugnable Fort of Idolatry to the end that hee might wholly demolish and subvert the kingdome of Iesus Christ when hee undertooke to suborne the Masse in stead of the holy Sacrament of the Supper as wee will briefly produce and so clearely that the most hard-hearted Pharaohs inveterated in their ancient Idolatries shall by the trueth of Histories acknowledge their errours and abominable Heresies CHAP. IX The ancient Religion of the Romane Empire BEfore my deciphering of this labyrinth of Errour The Romane Emperors and their Priests wherein the Messalians did so loose themselves I thinke it verie requisite succinctly to lay open the ancient Religion of the Romanes during the reigne of the Occidentall Empire and of the Emperours usurping both the Temporall scepter the dignitie of high Priests superintendents over the Romane Church and Religion All of them as well as my selfe will confesse that the ancient Romane Religion was either wholly or for the greatest part instituted by Numa Pompilius the second King of the Romanes about seven hundred yeeres before the Incarnation of Iesus Christ Titivill lib. 1. deca 1. Then were your high Priests invested which afterwards were reduced to a certaine number even to foure then the number was augmented to eight and afterwards by Silla to fifteene In the Colledge of Priests Ecuestell lib. de Magist. Rom. there was one Pontifex Maximus who was chosen by the other inferiour Priests of their Order and dignitie even as the pettie Priest purple-Cardinals make the election of their great Romane Pope out of their place order and dignitie This Pompilian Relig on was so religiously observed by the Romanes from father to sonne as it was never possible to irradicate or supplant it but it continues even to this day as every one shall manifestly discerne by this succinct Narration To confirme this point no man can be ignorant if ever he read the Romane Histories but that before the Incarnation of Christ there was not so much as one King Confull Dictator or Romane Emperour instructed in the Law of God but all were Idolaters and Infidels observing the Religion of that Magician Numa Pompvius For since the Incarnation of Iesus Christ for the space
and places of the holy Scripture is said to bee the water the Stone also to bee Christ Even so the bread is said to bee his body which three places must be understood interpreted to bee sacred signes figures then when this very author said Christ Iesus uttered these words Hoc est Corpus meum this is my Body in presenting and breaking bread to his Disciples hee gave them the signe of his body for otherwise it should seeme to bee a thing both inhumane and unlawfull to devoure the pretious flesh blood of Iesus Christ if there were not the figure of the bread and wine for to keepe in memory his flesh and blood the body of Christ having beene sacrificed to God his Father for our life and eternall nourishment Againe the same Author used this interpretation Lib. 10. de Caut. des cap. 5. ea sacrificium de coÌ„sc dist 2 Tertul. lib. 1 3.4 Etiquid paras dentem ventrem crede maÌ„ducaâ—â— ea ut quid de consec dict 2 Aug. in lib. demmed paeniteud in Ioan. tra 25. cap. 6. The Sacrament visible is the new Testament that is to say The sacred signe of the invisible sacrifice the like interpretations are described by Tertullian against that hereticke Marcion Christus acceptum PanuÌ„ Corpus suum fecit dicendo Hoc est Corpus meum id est figura Corporis mei Wherefore then O Missalians have you not followed the authority of these holy Doctors of the Church which would not blaspheme against God by the Magick of transubstantiatioÌ„ bat have freelly and vertuously acknowledged the Sacrament to be a visible signe or sacred figure signifying by faith spirit that which is invisible Wherefore do you prepare the mouth the belly for to devoure the body and blood of Christ corporally really and carnally Why offer you not your selfes by true and lively faith for to eate worthily Christ Iesus Why have you not understood the manducation of the body of Christ by the notable distinction of that loarned Doctor St. Ierome saying S. Hieron in Epist ad Ephes Ca. dupliciter eadem distinct The flesh of Christ Iesus is to be understood carnally when it is spoken of the shedding his blood and crucifying of his body for our salvation but spiritually when it is said that his flesh is the meat for us to eate For another proofe S. Gelase against Entychius and Nestorius I will alledge that learned Prelate Gelase Bishop of Rome the which disputing against the heretickes Eutichines and Nestorians doth afirme the bread and wine consecrated and made Sacraments are neverthelesse in substance bread and wine but to be signes of the body and blood of Christ Iesus by the mystery of the Sacrament And if ye desire larger testimonies S. Ambrose in the book of Sacraments cap. 1. 11. S. Ambrosius upon the Epistle of S. Paul to the Corhintians hath explicated and made manifest that the eating of the bread and the drinking of the wine doth signifie the flesh and the blood of Christ Iesus offered for us Origen likewise in his Homilies Origen in Lev hem 7. teacheth the Sacraments to bee figures which wee ought to examine really and not carnally Because saith hee that those words Hoc est Corpus meum not understood spiritually kils the soule when he writes to eate the flesh of Christ Wherefore St. Chrysostome admonished the people to honour that holy Sacrament in offring himselfe his soule to God S. Chrysost hom 31. cap. 15. tont 1. for the which Christ Iesus was crucified and that by that holy Sacrament of bread and wine is signified to us the similitude of the body and blood of Iesus Christ For the resolution wee must follow and be ruled according to the instruction and interpretation of our holy Saviour Christ Iesus and his Apostles to honour and reverence his holy Sacraments instituted of him by extorior signes to lift up our hearts and raise our spirits and minds to Heaven Psa 12. for to comprehend that which by those signes is represented to us and not to esteeme hold and account them a vaine picture or apparitions but endevour to receive them worthily by lively faith and vertue of the Holy Ghost to the end to be fed and nourished with celestiall bread to the salvation of our soules thereby to attaine life eternall Let us then be assured in Christ Iesus as members of his body 1. Cor. 10. 1. Cor. 12. that wee may be reduced and brought all into one unity for to communicate and eate the same bread drink the same wine compounded of many graines united together to the end that wee may say with the holy Apostle All wee faithfull are the body of Christ Iesus saved redeemed by his holy body crucified and pretious blood shed for us and so remaining permanent in faith in Christ Iesus in eating his body and drinking his blood to beleeve firmely to have beene crucified and risen from the dead D. August in Ioan. tract 30. Art 1. 3. ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God his Father untill that hee returnes as hee is ascended with his humanity and neverthelesse his Almighty power and Divinity to be distributed to us and diffused in earth and in all places especially in his holy Sacraments which hee hath left us for a pledge and exteriour approbation of our faith for memory and recordation of the death and passion of our Saviour IESVS CHRIST FINIS Invincible proofes that Transubstantiation is but of late yeares gathered out of authentick Authours and confessed by the most learned of the Papists NOw to manifest that the Church of Christ taught none other doctrine coÌ„cerning the Lord Supper then the reformed Churches doe teach for one thousend years since Christ here I doe produce undenyable testimonies First the Book of Alfricus Archbishop of Canterbury Anno 996. in the raigne of Etheldred King of England which book doth remain in the Library at Exeter and a coppy of part of it dedicated to King Henry the 8. by Doctor Cranmer And by the same booke Alfricus having translated So. Sermons out of Latin into the Saxon tongue of which hee made two bookes and hee was of such learning and eloquence and of such worthy esteem in the Churches of England that wheras they made a book of Canons after his death to govern the clergy they did collect out of some generall counsells other ancient Fathers in which they did insert two of the Sermons in that book of Alfrieus his translation into the Saxon language the one was read in the church on Easterday before they received the Lords Supper and there anie may read it in the Saxon language or in English recorded by Mr. Fox and there are two of these books extant and one of them is to be seen in the Library at Exeter and the Italians and French did not understand the Saxon language I
take it that was the cause they did not suppresse it as they did others For Mr. Fox doth shew there how they have rased out of some of the Latin sermons which are to be seen in those of the Saxon tongue and thence he doth shew that they were such words as made against their superstition So it is manifest that this doctrine of Transubstantion was not received in the Churches of England for fifty years after for this book of constitutions was in use till Langfrank was Archbishop it doth appeare that sermon was read in those Churches untill William the Conquerour came into England had raigned there some years in likely hood till the year 1070. Capgrave and William Mamsbery who were History writers doe both of them affirm that this Alfricus was Archbishop of Canterbury about the year 996. And by the rehearsed booke of Canons constitutions it doth appear that this Alfricus was holden for a man of found judgment and a Catholike writer and this booke of constitutions was given unto the Church of Worcester by William Bishop of Worcester for an especiall treasure as doth appeare in the same booke Besides this book there is another booke given to the Church of Exeter by Leofrious the first and famous Bishop of that Sea which hath those two Epistles before rehearsed Manie other proofes ye may see in Mr. Fox for the truth of this Authour And it doth appear that Langfrank did alter this doctrine for before hee came into England I doe finde that hee was one of the four Henry Bulling de ongine erroris cap. 10. Counsell Vercellense doe say manie French stood with him WilliaÌ„ Mauâ—â—usbury affirme the same which did dispute against one Beringarius Archdeacon of Angreas in France who was turmoiled persecuted by four Popes for defending in the Lords Supper Bread and Wine did remain and that the faithfull received Christ spiritually and not with their carnall mouths his last recantation hee made under Pope Hildebrand named Gregory the 7. Anno 1079. Vpon which hee with griefe and sorrow did give away his living and all his goods to the poore and wrought for his living in his old age after hee had been persecated thirty years one Authour doth say hee did repent his forsaking of the truth before his death These with manie other testimonies are to be seen in the answere to the 6. Articles recorded by Mr. Fox And Osbon who did write an History at the appointment of Langfrank Archbishop of Canterbury doth say that at that time certain of the Priests and Clergy were deluded and seduced by wicked errour did hold and maintain that bread and wine which are sett upon the Altar after the consecration doe remain in their former substances and are but a figure of the body and blood of Christ Thus was the manner of the Popish Priests thus to deprave wher it is certain by that before rehearsed this herafter testified that this was the judgment of the Church the reasons he used to shew what made them alter their mindes are certain false miracles which are common in their Legendaries may be read in the forenamed History which if I should rehearse would be thought lying for the Whetstone Whilst this abhominable doctrine was in hatching See how many thousand witnesses the Lord did stirre up to maintain his truth even by their own Authors confessed See rerum Francicarum scriptores about the yeare 1283. Hee saith the heresye of the Waldenses spread throughout Europe Look a Rayling Booke written against Mr. Fox his Booke printed 1603. in the 528. Section he saith the doctrine of the Waldenses was spread in more then a thousand Cityes speaking of the yeare 1200. There is a Cronicle of Lambertus a Monk of Hersfield Anno 1078. hee writt from the beginning of the World to this yeare in which hee doth much complain of the Clergy but most of the Monks hee affirmeth them to be proud and ambitious destroyers of the Lords Vineyard by their ungodly life and great iniquityes by which they have polluted the whole Church The Bishop of Florence did teach and preach that Antichrist was then manifested as Gabellicus testifyeth Anno 1101. Vpon this Pope Pascalos called a counsell and putt him to silence condemned his books And Blondus Platina testifieth he also disalowed of many Ceremonies for which the Pope deprived him of all his goods See the two former testmonies A counsell holden at Rome Anno 1124. where was assembled one thousane Bishops Abbotts there they did ordaine that this transubstantion should be put for an Article of faith yet it doth appeare that it was opposed for Innocent the 3 did 86 years after enact it in a counsell but here by this connsel the Pope sent his Cardinall to the Monks of Caslam that they should acknowledge the Church of Rome had received power from St. Peter and hee had delivered it from the mouth of Christ that all Churches and Cloysters are to be planted and established by the Sea of Rome and all ought in conscience to be obedient to that Sea and to acknowledge that he hath received power to open the gates of Heaven to whom he would and also to shurt them against any and that the Romain Church was builded on the Sone of God which all ought to beleeve and this is builded on the faith of Peter that Peter and Paul did plant the Church at Rome with their blood and that it was the Mother church of all other Churches and those which did oppose that Church did oppose the Word of God See the counsell of Cissinences At this time was Arnulphus Bishop of Ludom Anno 1127 a zealous man he rebuked the wicked life of the clergy their much pride and he exhorted all to follow Christe in poverty as his Apostles did in holynes of life This man for his holy life and godly preaching was well accepted of the Nobility and of the Cittizens but the Cardinall and clergy hated him and sought to make him away privately But he having a revelation before what death he should dye he declared unto them in his teaching that he knew the clergy would murther him privately because he told them the truth in blaming their pride and wicked living and therefore they were offended with him he protested he was commanded of God to cry out against their great sins It doth follow that the clergy murthered him there is a book of his doth inveigh against many superstitions printed at Collen The Archbishop of Ments Anno 1131. Hildebertus a man of great learning did earnestly preach and write against the Sea of Rome against the abhominable wickednes He affirmed them to be Tyrants the sink of all iniquity that they banished away all goodnes out of the Church for this doctrine hee is sent up to Rome and there cruelly handled and imprisonned See Rainul in poli Chrocit Peter Blesensis
the Shrine or Reliquarie of god Jupiter or of Anubis by some Priests clad in white Surpleses with shaven heads and thereon wearing crownes This Crowne was of such reverence esteeme that the Emperour himselfe Commodus Antonius high Pontifex caused his head to be shaven and cut round expressely to carry the Cabinet of god Anubis Before the Cabinet or Reliquarie went a Cierger carrying a light taper in his hand When the Procession went along through the streets there were seats erected to serve for stations or places where the Priests which caried the relicks were apointed to rest and take breath When the Procession was ended the Temples were opened the Altars and Images perfumed with Insence and the Reliquies of their gods shewed On those dayes wheÌ„ the ProcessioÌ„ went abroad a Feast was celebrated the shops were closde up the Hall of Iustice shut in and the prisonners unshackled who can better discipher the order of Processions observed even at this day by the Missalians Instructed from father to sonne in the Pompilian Religion What other Author can be alleadged touching the Ceremonies performed in Procession except Numa Pompilius himselfe If the Missalians sought not out further for their crowned shaven crownes and white Surplesses which the ancient Aegiptian Idolaters were wont to vse the Priests of the Goddesse Isis or the Babilonian sacrificers wearing their heads beards shaven As for the Law of God the contrary therein was observed and the sacrificing Priests were forbidden to cut their heads or haire round to shave their heads And as for the Law of the Gospel there is no such like ceremony commanded by Iesus Christ nor by his Apostles they must therefore needs proceed froÌ„ the ancient Pompilian Religion For other things in the Procession they have added the carrying of the Crosse or Banner this Banner was tearmed by the ancient Romane Idolaters Labarum which was reputed a sacred ensigne so much revered by the Dictators Emperours as also by the souldiers that went to the wars Antenor first pictured in that Banner a Sow by reason of the name Troja which in the vulgar Italian tongue signifies a Sow which ensigne Antenor vowed and dedicated in the Temple of Juno Exlibris Messalae ad Octavianum Augustum Apul lib. 2. de Asin aur Queen of the heavens because the Sow was the consecrated Victime to the same Goddesse The old Romans afterwards caused a Mercuries Caduce to be drawn upon the Banner whereon was painted the picture of two Serpents coupled together then was an Eagle portraied for the Ensigne of the Romain Empire but Constantine the Great Emperour in Greece made to be drawne therein a figure of greek letters a Χ interlaced with an Ï In the said booke of the Religion of the ancient Romaines and on the two sides α and ω in this signe signifying thereby this word Christos or Christ This Banner was spread upon a pole or staffe of wood made in forme of a Crosse the Banner being foure square in the fashioÌ„ of an Ensigne crimosine violet silke edgd about with fringe of gold or silver precious stones In imitation of this the Missalian Priests have adorn'd their Pompilian Processions in which they carry Banners as if they meant to goe to the wars or conduct a martiall Army but in stead of portraying therin the name of Iesus Christ they paint the effigies Images of divers gods and goddesses saints men and women the Patrons of each parish This in summe is the originall of the Missal Procession standing for the second part of the Masse Was there ever such palpable Idolatry used by the Israelites when they would celebrate the Feast of unleavened bread to eate the Paschall Lambe which had analogie with the holy Sacrament of the Supper which the Missalians have adulterated by their Missal sacrifices did they ever carry about in Procession the flesh or the bloud of the immaculate Lambe Did they ever lay it up in a Reliquarie to be carried in ProcessioÌ„ about the streets The Serpent of Brasse though they much prophaned and abused it yet did they at any time carry any part of it in a Reliquarie upon the shoulders of their Priests wearing their heads and beards shaven as the Greek Pontife Vrban ordained An. Christ. 164. that the round consecrated Hoste should be carried in Procession by the Missalians and instituted a solemn Feast every yeare on holy Thursday that so he might convert the use of the holy Sacrament to a more detestable Idolatrie then all his predecessors CHAP. XV. The third part of the Masse that is the Altar and Candels lighted AFter the sprinkling of holy-water and Procession performed The third part of the Masse Altar and Tapers Omil. lib. 4. de Fast. Apul. lib. 11. de Asin aur Plut. in Numa Numa instituted that the Masse Priest to celebrate Sacrifice being clad with his Aube Chasible or painted coate his head crown'd beard shaven that he should approach to the Altar prepared for sacrifice set forth with a lamp or light Taper which ordinarily was of Tede or Pine For without an Altar fire no Sacrifice could be celebrated He also ordained that the Masse Priest should turne himselfe neere to the Altar towards the East Porphirius the Heretick did not only continue this Pompilean Magick but further he constituted that the entry into the Temple and the Images should be turned towards the East to the end that those which went into the Temples prostituting themselves before the Images might adore make their prayers towards the cast even as the Persians did who worshipped the Sunne in the East Are not these Missalian Pompilian Institutions contrary to the auncient ceremoniall Law of the Iewes wherein they were prohibited to pray towards the East that so they might be different froÌ„ the ancient Idolaters Alex. ab Alex li. 4. cap. 17. And therefore acknowledge O you Missalians that your erectioÌ„ of Altars towards the East your Lamps and light Tapers the Pictures and Images worshipped in your Sacrifices to have had their originall from one to another For those Images and Pictures wherewith your Altars are enritched and adorned cannot be derived from the law of God which doth not only prohibite the permission of any Images in Temples Exod. 20. Levit. 26. Deut. 5. Esay 40. Abhominable Idolatry but the very hewing of them out and that they should not be renewed To what can God be resembled what Image picture or portrature can be devised to his similitude And yet neverthelesse out of most detestable and abhominable heresie you O Missalians draw the Image and forme of the Trinity of one God in 3. persons in your round hostel which you cause to be ador'd Neverthelesse two Missalian Doctors Titelman Biel expresse the Altar otherwise when the Masse Priest approacheth with the golden chalice in his hand they alleadging how this doth figure Christ bearing his Crosse to Mount Calvary And then the
that they might eate and communicate of the flesh of victimes in their sacrifices especially the sheepe Blond lib. 1. de Rom. triumph the Sow the Goate and the Oxe which was first instituted by Evander King of Arcadia Wherefore that the Missalians might not degenerate from the idolatry of their predecessors they must needs follow this coÌ„munion of flesh they are not content with their little round azimall hosts consecrated and printed with images Hosts made of flower transubstantiated into flesh the wine into blood but with time they have invented a new magicke to transubstantiate their little hosts of flower into flesh and bones the bread being no more bread but an accident without substance and by this meanes to convert the round host of flower into a carnall sanguinolent host The wine also offered in their Missall Chalices to bee transubstantiated into blood the wine being no more wine but an accident without substance Detestable Heresie Was there ever a more abominable magicke or a more detestable Heresie then this Missaline transubstantiation When the people of Israel murmured against God because they were weary of eating Manna and celestiall bread calling for flesh was the Manna transubstantiated into flesh An. Christ. 1062. in Chronol Io. Volateran bones and blood When the ancient Romane Idolaters meant to change their round hosts of flower or meale and grew to eate flesh in their facrifices did they use this magicke of transubstantiation Wherefore I freely averre that this Missall addition was lately invented by the Missalians more then a thousand yeares after the Incarnation of Iesus Christ This Heresie began to spread very much of a Nicholaiâ—an Antichrist climbing up to the Romane Pontificacie by the monopoly suggestions of Hildebrand expelling by force the other elected Pope Lanfrac de sat which was Benedict the second of that name in the yeare of Iesus Christ 1062. Afterwards by a Monopoly held in Saint Iohn Lateran in Rome it was advanced during the ecclesiasticall tyranny of Innocent the third of that name about two hundred years after the Palinodie canonized by Berengarius Deane of S. Maurice in Angiers Against which abominable magick and heresie we must briefly by forme of a recapitulation compare the institutions of the Sacraments ordained by God First of all Against Transubstantion Tree of life the fruits of the knowledge of good and ill forbidden to our first father Adam as sacred signes and sacraments of feare and obedience whereon depended life or death were they transubstantiated or converted into knowledge or into death to leave their nature of beeing trees or fruits reduced to an accident without substance The celestiall Manna Celestiall Manna The Rocke flowing out water and the Rocke gushing out lively water sacraments that had reference to the holy Sacrament of the supper were they transubstantiated into an accident without substance The unspotted Lambs immolated by Abel Lambs immolated by Abel in his acceptable sacrifice to God were they transubstantiated into any other nature The Fore-skinne circumcised for a note marke of covenant to the good Patriarche Abraham and his posterity Circumcision was it converted into an accident without substance The blood of the Paschall Lamb Paschall Lamb. for an assurance of Israels salvation was that converted into any other substance The flesh of the immaculate Lambe to bee eaten on the day of the Passeover having reference to the holy Sacrament of the supper was it transubstantiated into an accident wiâ—hout substance The brazen Serpent which being only beheld Brazen serpent health was granted to the sicke did it not continue a Serpent of brasse was that transubstantiated being ordained for a Sacrament sacred signe to the people of Israel Victiâ—nes offered in sacrifice both of beasts of the earth Victimes sacrificed azimall loaves with other sacred signes ordained by God for holy signes sacraments of expiation salvation for the people of Israel were they ever transubstantiated into accidents without substance All sacred signes ordained by God in the Israelitish Church though they sacramently represented that which was by them figured and not as a simple picture without reall effect yet did there never live so detestable an heretique which invented or added thereunto this Magicke of transubstantiation And neverthelesse O Missalians you must needs coÌ„fesse that the good and holy Fathers of Israel were adopted engrafted and regenerated by faith in Iesus Christ begotten before all ages that they were nourished purchased eternall life by Iesus Christ that they and we have but one God one onely Iesus Christ one Mediator and Redeemer That by faith they sacramentally communicated and participated spiritually of the blood of Iesus Christ for their salvation and eternall life Comparison of the faith of the ancient fathers of Israell with ours That there is no difference touching God betweene them who did precede the incarnation of Iesus Christ and us that were since his incarnation but both they and wee are equally the Church of God redeemed by the blood of the just and unspotted Lambe Christ Iesus For the rest they had a faith of the future promise and observed the holy Sacraments and sacred Symboles of the Sacrifice which should be consummated by Iesus Christ D. Aug. contra Faust 20. cap. 21. cap. 14. l. 19. contra Petilian li. 2. ca. 37.77 1. Cor. 10. August in Psal and wee in the new law celebrate the memoriall and remembrance of the sacrifice now finished by Iesus Christ having a fruition of the promise accomplished If then the Israelites eate the same celest all bread drunke the same saving drinke which we doe by faith in one onely Iesus Christ If they had sacred signes to represent actually and really the future death of Iesus Christ even as we retaine sacred signes of his present or past death they for the future we for that which is past why did the Missalians invent this new magicke to convert an holy Sacrament ordained by God into a magicke of transubstantiation and into an accident without substance Against miracles alleaged by the Missalians Exod. 7. Exod. 8. Exod. 14. If God to approve his power and to manifest the hardnesse obstinacy of Pharaoh was pleased to performe wonderfull things by Moses and Aaron by converting a Rod into a Serpent water of the river into blood and into frogs the dust of the earth into lice and then to make the navigable sea dry performing many other miracles can we by this infer a transubstantiation of the little round azimall host printed with images into an accident without a substance In what place of the holy Scriptures when mention is made of sacred signes and Sacraments or sacrifices ordained by God is it said that the signe or sacrament was transubstantiated But on the contrary Gods will accommodating it selfe to mans infirmity he ordained from time to time common signes for notes
stinking and corrupted in your Cybaries Many times likewise devoured by bruite beasts of the earth which you cause to be burned and their ashes laid up in Reliquaries When Victor the third of that name Pope of Rome Herman Cont. Blond Plati received poison by your transubstantiated Wine into blood was this an accident without substance Or when the Emperour Henry the seventh of that name was poisonned by eating of a little round consecrated and transubstantiated Host was it without substance when it procured death There was much more apparance for the celestiall Manna given to the people of Israell the which though it corrupted when it was kept yet that which was reserved in secret Nehem. 9. Ps 78.104 Psal 16. Iohn 6. within the Arke of the Lords Covenant was preserved without corruption but yet for all this was it transubstantiated into flesh and bones to be called celestiall bread bread descending from Heaven the Bread of Life or the bread of Angels Now it remanes for us to contest with the subtill reasons of the Missalians who to make a foundation for their Magicke insist carnally upon the word est saying that these words were expressely written This is my body this is my blood when Iesus Christ instituted the holy Sacrament of his Body of his Blood under the Symboles of bread and wine But I desire all those that are zealous of the honour of God exactly to weigh the sacred Institution of this Sacrament by which God meant to symbolize and signifie the communion of his body by the bread and the drinking of his bloud by the Wine and Cup. All will confesse that the true and principall nourishment of mans body is comprehended under the kinds of bread wine so that the terme of bread is often taken in the holy Scriptures for the nourishment and life of Man Let us enter into an examination of the passages of the Bible Genes 3. Was not the first Man created after Gods similitude for the penalty of his offence told that hee should eate his bread with the sweat and labour of his body Can any man be so ignorant as not to confesse that this was understood by the living and life of Man When Iacob prayed unto God to give him bread raiment Genes 28. did hee not understand by bread whatsoever was requisite for his whole nourishment When wee heare recited that God rained bread upon the people of Israel being in the desart and that the I raelites were replenished with this celestial bread Exod. 16. Nehem 9. Psal 78.6 This terme of bread was it not conceived by the celestiall Manna sent by God to sustaine the people of Israel Is this Manna called the bread of Heaven Sap. 16. Iohn 6. and the bread of Angels given to the people without labour or travaile When Melchisedech meant to furnish good Father Abrahams Armie did hee not present him with Bread and Wine Genes 14. When Ahraham was to gratifie and refresh three Angels that appeared unto him Genes 18. Genes 21. Did hee not expose unto them Bread baked upon the embers Genes 27. Did hee not give Agar Bread for her nourishment Isaacs Mother to favour her best beloved Sonne gave him bread Genes 43. Ioseph in Egypt offered bread to his Brethren for their nourishment When we goe about to discribe a Famine and scarcitie of victuall do we not say there wants bread Genes 47. Num. 27. When God promised any mercy or favour to his people that did keepe his commandements Did hee not give them assurance of bread in sufficiencie When hee recommends unto us the poore Tob 4. Psal 104. as his members commands hee us not to give them bread â It is bread therefore which nourisheth and sustaines the heart and life of man When Satan enterprized to tempt Iesus Christ Mar. 4. Luk. 4. to testifie that he was true man Did hee not make choice of bread when hee nâ—ited him to make the stones bread When Iesus Christ celebrated his banquets to give bodily nouâ—iâ—hment once to five thousand men and then againe to foure thousand persons Did hee not shew his power under the Symbole of bread Mar. 6. Luk. 2. When hee taught us to addresse our prayers to God Did hee not expressely ordaine in the Lords Prayer that we should request of God to give us our dayly bread And bread is not onely mentioned in the holy Scripturs for vulgar corporall nourishment But also in sacrifices celebrated by the Hebrew Priests Exod. 21. Levit. 24. and the prescript Law of Sacred bread ordained by God that was azimall bread without Leaven Other bread was tearmed the bread of proposition which the Priests every weeke renued and eate Mat. 11. 1. King 27. which David used presented to him by Achimelech the High Priest Contrariwise the tearme of bread is appropriated to the bread of iniquitie of lyes of sorrow to polluted bread of Idolaters to bread of coinquination offered upon the Altar Ose 7. to bread of mourning and to bread of trembling The Ephraimites also called ashy and unturned loaves that is to say Halfe bak't halfe circumcised and Idolaters And therefore O you missalian Capernaites you must not be so obdurate and inveterate in your carnalities as not to observe the phrases of the holy Scripture Deut. 8. Mar. 4. Luk. 4. Math. 15. in which bread is oftentimes taken for terrestriall and corporall bread as when it was said that man did not live onely by bread but also by whatsoever proceded out of the mouth of God Sometimes also bread is taken for the Word of God and Doctrine Math. 15. Mar. 7. When Iesus Christ commanded his Apostles to keepe themselves from eating leavened bread with the Pharises These tearmes of bread and leaven are they not expressed by the Doctrine of the hereticall Pharises When the Cananitish Woman demanded grace and mercy for her daughters health detained in a long malady of sicknesse did not Iesus Christ answer her how it was not lawfull to take the Childrens bread and cast it to Doggs Was not the bread in this answer taken for life and health and not onely for corporall nourishment Wherefore if bread bee taken for the life of Man which depends principally of Bread and of Wine and that Gods goodnesse accommodating it selfe to our infirmities made choise of these two signes and symboles or notable markes to signifie his body and his blood that is to say The Bread the Wine these two provisions being common to all Nations was this any reason to build upon it a carnall transubstantiation as if God without it were not mighty enough really to figure and represent unto us sacramentally that life was given us Yea life eternall by the communion of consecrated Bread and Wine of benediction Mat. 26. Mar. 4. Iohn 6. these being figures and symboles of his body and of his blood Iesus Christ produced these words
the Archbishop for their conversion and they desired him to pray againe that it might returne to the former substance and presently he returned it into the same substance Now I would gladly know what was the reason that after this great miracle and the conversion of this clergie that this contrarie Doctrine should be taught and that an Archbishop Alfrecus should translate and write against this miracle doctrine and that all the Churches in England should with him teach against this Transubstantation and that for 90. yeares if not for a hundred and yet should not be excommunicated by the holy Father the Pope not once proceeded against seeing that 60. yeares after the clergie of England made a booke of constitutions to be governed by in which they did all approve that in the Lords Supper there remained bread wine and yet the faithfull receaved Christ spiritually and yet for all this the Pope did not proceede against them Againe what was the reason there were so many Latine sermons tolerated in the Church which taught against their superstitions and they not condemned by some generall councell for heresie if the Church had formerly concluded this Doctrine Againe what is the reason that these Latine Sermons are all made away except one and that that should have some words utterly razed out the same Sermon remaining in the Saxon language hath these words Notwithstanding this sacrifice is not the same body of his wherein he suffered for us nor the same blood of his which hee shed for us Anno 1141. but spiritually it is made his body and blood as that Manna which rained from heaven the water which did flow out of the Rock as Paul saith These words so razed out are restored againe by the same sermon in the Saxon language and is to be seene in a booke at Exeter Againe I marvell those clergie men were suffred to be so neare the Bishop at his celebrating of Masse and were not rather committed to ward like hereticks Againe I marvell that this Odo Popish Writer found falsh hee being a man of so great authoritie who had such extraordinary gifts in working miracles as never any Prophet or Apostle had yet that he would suffer those Latine sermons in the Church which Alfrecus did translate 46. yeares after him into the Saxon language and not he to have so much as writ against them and that heresie and to leave some testimonie of his detestation against it Againe I do marvell that Osbon doth not make mention of their singing to Deum seeing it was in the Cathedrall Church where so many singing men were That Jesuite who can cleare these Doubts shall do as great a miracle as Odo did when by his prayers caused a sword to come flying from heaven into King Ethelstanes scabard when he had lost his owne and he being in fight with Analnus Or as great a miracle as Odo did in making that all the time the roofe of the Chuch of Canterbury was a building hee caused that not one drop of raine fell in the Church nay that Iesuite deserveth a Cardinals hat All these reasons well considered do shewe that this Osbon did seeke to delude the people and his testimonie is found to be against them and to manifest the truth for us And this Doctrine was not established by generall consent till Innocent the 3. by the counsell holden at Rome Anno 1215. It was by 1300 Bishops and there they did decree that all must goe to confession once a yeare and come to the communion and this was made an Article of Faith About the year of our Lord 1280. lived Iohannes Scotus he is called Downes he was Master of Sciences in his 4. book he writes thus of the sacrament of the Lords Supper the scriptures might be expounded more easily more planely without Transubstantiation but the Church did choose this sence which is more hard being moved thereunto as it seemeth chiefly because of the Sacrament men ought to hold as the holy Church of Rome holdeth And in the same place he doth allude unto Jnnocent the 3. and the counsell holden in the Church at Rome called the Laterane counsell Erasmus on the 1. Corinth 7. saith The Church of Christ hath lately determined Transubstantiation in the Sacrament it was enough a lōg season to beleeve Christs body to be either under the bread consecrated or els to be present after any other manner this he wrote about an 120. yeares since He was as great a learned man as any lived in that age This Pope having as it is manifested altered the institution of the Lords Supper he having ordained a new faith and having chosen 4. orders of Fryers which brought forth a new Gospel called Cirillus by which they taught that God governed in the time of the Law the Sone in the time of grace but now by the comming of the 4. orders of begging Fryers the Holy Ghost began to raigne and should raigne till the end of the world and those which beleeved this new Gospell should be saved And if the Lord in mercy had not stirred up many witnesses Rev. 16.13 to withstand there croaking frogs they would have razed out all Christianity amongst which was that famous divine Gulielmus Master of Paris who proved by 39. Arguments that fryers are false teachers and all the Scriptures which are against Antichrist hee applyed against them See more in Mr. Fox This Innocentius the 3. came to be Pope Anno 1198. Hee was Pope 19. yeares and he having brought in many superstitions into the Chuch Hee commanded Almericum of Paris to be burned for an hereticke because he disallowed Transubstantiation and that whosoever did not goe to confession at least once a yeare should be excommunicate He ordained the Lords Supper should be celebrated without wine he ordained that the consecrated Hoste should be carryed to the sick by the Priest in a gorgeous habit with torches or candles light and a bell before him and so to goe to the sick and give him of it It is recorded this Pope was exceeding subtile and crafty he brought the Emperour under him and all the Kings in Europe as Abas Vespergincs saith Hee gott all the wealth in the world by his wicked devises He compelled king Iohn to receive his Crown of him See Fox 253. Hee decreed that whosever spake evill of the Pope should loose his life yea that hee should be tormented in hell sire This Pope did first institute the fowr orders of Fryers wheras the order of Monks were made first clergy men by Boniface the third in a counsell at Rome Anno 610. There it was decreed that the Moncks might preach and baptise excommunicate and absolve whereas before they did not attend any such office See Vencenee Belovanses Hist lib. 30. and it doth appeare that the Priests did much oppose them For I doe find that Pope Honorius after did conform them to those degrees To returne to
that is outwardly nothing is changed but all the change is inwardly Augustin saith The bread doth not loose his first nature after the consecration but it receiveth another quality wherby it differeth from common bread And against Maximinus hee saith Sacraments are figures Anno 400. August lib. 3 cont Maxins being one thing indeed yet shewing forth another thing And in another place he saith There are no other sacrifices then prayer praises and thanksgiving Gelasius saith The Sacraments which we receive Anno 492. are divine things yet ceasse they not to be bread and wine in nature Beda writing on the 21 th Psalme hath these words Anno 730. Poore men despisers of the world shall eate indeed really if it be referred to the Sacraments and shal be filled eternally because they shall understand in bread in wine being visible before him a thing invisible to wit the true body blood of Christ are true meat and true drink which filleth not the belly but the minde is nourished Haymo about 850. taught the same Doctrine Now to observe the Article of our Faith He ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God Augustin saith Aug. supper lean tract 30. tract 50. The Lord is above even to the end of the world and yet the verity of the Lord is here also for this body wherin he rose againe must needs bee in one place but his verity is spread abroad every where Elsewhere he saith Let the godly receive also that Sacrament but let them not be carefull for the presence of his body for as concerning his Majesty his providence is invisible unspeakable graces for these words are fullfilled which hee spake I am with you to the end of the world But according to the flesh which he took upon him when hee was born of the Virgin and was apprehended of the Iewes and was fastened to a tree taken down again from the Crosse lapped in linnen clothes was buried rose again appeared after his resurrection so ye shall not have me alwaies with you why Because as concerning his flesh The conclusion of Doctor Ridlye He was couversant with his Disciples 40. daies and they accompanied him seeing him but not following him for he went up to Heaven and is not here for he sitteth at the right hand of God his Father yet hee is here Math. 28. because hee is not departed hence as concerning the presence of his Diuine Majesty Mark well what Augustine saith he is aseended into heaven and is not here saith hee therefore beleeve not them which say hee is here still upon the earth Also hee saith doubt not but that Iesus Christ as concerning the nature of his manhood is there from whence hee shall come remember well beleeve the profession of a Christian man Aug. Ep. 57 that he rose from the dead and ascended into Heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God his Father and from that place and none other not from the altars shall hee come to judge the quick and and the dead and he shall come as the Angell said as he was seen to goe up into heaven that is to say in the same form and substance unto which hee gave immortality but changed not nature after this form meaning his humane nature wee may not think that it is every where And in the same Epistle he saith take away froÌ„ the bodyes the limitation of places and they shal be no where and because they are no where they shall not be at all Vigilius saith Vigil contra Vryche lib. 4 If the word the flesh be both of one nature seeing that the word is every where why then is not the flesh also euery where for when it was on earth then verely it was not in heaven And now when it is in heaven it is not surely in earth and it is so certaine that it is not on earth that as concerning the same wee looke for him from heaven whom as concerning the word wee beleeve to be with us in earth These few testimonies I have produced to shew that in the maine differences of our Religion betwixt the Papâ—sts and us we have proofs not onely from the Scriptures and authentick Fathers but also froÌ„ the confession of the Popish writers themselves and that for one thousand yeares since the Ascention of our Lord. And for these points I have related I could produce as many more but I hasten to be breefe In the next place I will shew the Fathers Iudgment concerning our Iustification by the free grace of God That we are justified freely by tho grace of God apprehended by Faith is a Doctrine taught by the Apostles testified by the ancient Fathers And now this Doctrine was opposed by the Pelagians Anno 420. against which Augustine wrote snndry large volumes And twelue yeares after his death Comentary on the Proverbs of Salomen wrote Salomus Bishop of Viennen who used these words No man is chosen to Salvavation of God for any foreseene goodnes hee did see in him nor any man is chosen of God for his good works but onely by his grace and mercy and of his meere love See of him Sidonius in an Epistle on Salloman lib. 7. and Providentia Prosper his Cronicle And the yeare following there was a councell houlden in the City Arragon against the Pelagians which denied this doctrine and maintained freewill and it was condemned in this Synode Venerable Beda departed this life when he was 72. Anno 734. yeares ould in his time he wrote much And on the 21. Psalm hee affirmeth Wee are justified by the grace of God and not by works He dissalowed Images praying to Saints He translated the Gospell of S. Iohn into English This Doctrine was maintained by sundry other Fathers Anno 776. as Falcanus a man of great learning Anno 780. the Patriarcke of Aquilla and Haymo Anno 850. At a Councell houlden at Ments against Godsaeldius Anno 848. a Priest of Belgica where he was charged by the Bishop of that place Rabinus to hould Erroneous doctrine in that hee affirmed That no man is chosen of God for any foreseene goodnes hee saw in man but wee are saved freely by the grace of God Which doctrine hee did maintaine very learnedly there did dispute against him fowr and because they could not pervert him for to give over they did banish him See the Counsell of Anelaus Apetheajedict frodurdes lib. 3. cap. 13. And it doth appeare this Doctrine was not yet established For there was a Counsell houlden at Valence in France Anno 855. concerning this Doctrine Which certaine Scottishmen did defend this Doctrine in the said Counsell the whith Godsaldun had defended before and was banished Yet wee find not there was any proceeding against them neither did they conclude any thing there against this Doctrine but there they decreed that none should be