Ministers you cypher 1. Tim. 6.12 Fight the good fight of fayth lay hold on eterâ—all life whereunto thou art called Ibid. lin 3. to proue â—he Scripture to be sufficient for spirituall men you â—ypher 1. Cor. 2.15 But he that is spirituall iudgeth all â—hinges and is iudged of none which proueth the conâ—rary if it proue any thing to wit that the spirituâ—ll Man is not iudged and ruled by Scripture but raâ—her the Scripture is iudged and ruled by him Pag. â—0 lin 21. to proue that we wrong you in saying â—ou derogate from the Church you cite Matth. 18. â—7 He that heareth not the Church let him be as a Heathen publican Ibid. to the same purpose you cypher Heb. â—â— 17 Obey your Prelates and submit your selfe vnto them â—ag 169. lin 22. to proue that no Church euer priâ—â—d the oblation meritts of Christs passion more â—â—ghly and religiously then you do you cypher Heb. â— 14 With one oblation he did consummate for euer the â—â—nctifyed and Ephes. 5.2 He gaue himselfe a sacrifice 〈◊〉 vs to a sweet smelling sauour Iohn 1.29 Behold the â—ambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world â—ct 4.12 There is not Saluation in any other Name Pag. â—1 lin 1. to proue we wrong you by saying you aâ—â—int that (m) The words of Iohn White way pag. 126. EVERY particuler MAN examine â—â—dge of the Church her teaching you cite 1. Cor. â— 19 Are all Apostles Are all Prophets Are all teachers â—re all workers of miracles If one would study to apâ—â—y Scriptures impertineÌ„tly I am persuaded he could â—â—rdly deuise greater impertinencyes then these â—hich are so riâ—e in euery page of your booke so that it was intolerable folly for your Poet and Paynter to represent this your Voluminous cyphering of Scripture with a crowne vpon it bidding men to Behâ—â—â— grace and wisdome in your looke and Truthes Triumphâ—â—â— your booke For if this kind of cyphering of Scripture be Wisdome what I pray you is the last Extreme anâ— Non-plus of (*) I wonder you would not be warned to be more wise by the Booke of Quaeres or Prurit-anus For you cite the Scripturs as impertinently in good earnest as he did in iest to shew your Ministeriall Folly Folly You cite cypher Scriptures that make agaynst you §. 8. HEREVNTO I adde that the texts you cypheâ— many tymes make agaynst you Pag. 548. lin 19. to proue that reward is giuen vnto workes of Graâ—â— and bounty aswell as of Desert you cypher Rom. 4 4. which sayth to him that worketh the reward is not reckoned of grace but of debt Could any text be deuise more directly agaynst the purpose you cite it For by this place ioyned with a sentence of yours I conclude vnanswerably our Catholike doctrine of Merit The reward which is giuen to him that worketh in regard of the Goodnes and Righteousnes of his worke is giuen not of grace but of debt But Eternâ—â— life is tearmed a Crowne of glory because it is bestowed 〈◊〉 them which exercise Righteousnes and in regard of thâ— righteousnes the true inherent dignity sanctity and purity of their workes Ergo Eternall life is a reward oâ— good workes giuen to Gods children of debt not 〈◊〉 meere grace and bounty The Maior is S. Paules by you cyphered in this place the Minor your ownâ— in so many words pag. 174. in fine and 1â—9 so thâ—â— the text of Scripture by you cited proueth inuinciâ—bly the doctrine of Merit against which you cite iâ— Pag. 558. lin 4. to proue that liuing Saints haue no communion with Saints defunct by partaking the â—â—perabundant satisfaction you cyte Rom. 12. v. 4. We haue many members in one body and euery member hath â—ot the same office This text proueth the contrary to â—hat you intend to wit that Satisfactions are communicable betwixt Saints for from this text I arâ—ue thus If Saints liuing Saints deceased be memâ—ers of the same body hauing different offices then â—here must be betwixt them coÌ„munion in all things which superabound in some members and are neeâ—ed of other for this we see to be that fellowship which by the institution of nature the members of â—he same body ought to enioy the one with the oâ—her But the Myrrh of mortifications and satisfactions superabound in many most rare innocent and penitent Saints in heauen and is no lesse needed of diuers other Saints vpon the earth that haue done many sinnes and cannot do such great pennance Therfore the Myrrh of superabounding Pennance and Satisfaction ought to flow downe from deceased Saints in heauen vnto their fellow-members the needy Saints that liue on earth The Iesuite (n) See the Reply pag. 523. sayth that the first Precept Thou shalt loue thy Lord God with all thy hart c. bindeth not man to loue God in this life with Beatificall loue nor to be alwayes in actuall imployment of his loue on him but only to loue sincerely and inwardly to the keeping of all commandements without any mortall offence which breaketh friendship with God desiring though not inioying the happynes of beatificall loue This he sayth is the meaning of S. Bernard and S. Augustine when they say the perfection of the next life is contayned in this precept to wit in voto not in re This doctrine you impugne pag. 525. lin 26. saying That the Saints of God hauing obserued other commandements brake the first commandement and did vndergo corporall payne after the breach thereof How proue you this marry you cypher Heb. 11.31 They were stoned they were sawen a sunder they were slayne with the sword Doth this text proue the Saints transgressed the first Commandment That they were corporally afflicted for their not louing God with all their hart Doth it not rather shew the contrary that they loued God perfectly and were temporally tormented because they so loued him with al their hart that they would rather vndergo most cruell and barbarous deaths then offend him or abandon the truth of his word which is as our Sauiour saith the highest degree of Charity Pag. 10. lin 20. You deny the Church to be infallible in her Traditions and Definitions yet say you we acknowledge her lawfull authority for expounding Scripture and maintayning vnity in right fayth In proofe hereof you cite Matth. 18.17 Who so heareth not the Church let him be to thee as a Heathen and Publican You could not haue inuented a text that doth more inuincibly shew the coÌ„trary of what you intend Let vs make this text of Scripture the Maior and your Protestant doctrine the Minor and put your Argument in forme then will you see how handsomely you proue that you acknowledge all the lawfull authority of the Church The Scripture saith The Church is of so great absolute infallible authority that whosoeuer doth not heare her is to be held as an Heathen and a Publican Protestants say the Church is so subiect to
all other Saints men Angells be mediatours and intercessours not hauing accesse vnto God but by him then certainly that Saints mediate and intercede for vs is exceeding glorious vnto Christ Iesus But Catholikes teach that Saints be such intercessours as haue no accesse vnto God but through Christ Iesus by mediation of his merits passion and death there being no other name in heauen or in earth by which we are to be saued Therfore the doctrine that maks Saints subordinate mediatours vnto Christ by him approaching vnto God doth magnify and extoll the supremacy of Christs mediatourship more then if in this kind of mediation he had none depending on him Whence I inferre that Protestants mistake our doctrine when they say we teach that Saints are fellow-mediatours with Christ and that we bring them in to supply the defect of his intercessiō that otherwise would not be sufficient This we doe neither teach nor belieue but that the merits of Christ are infinite euery drop of his pretious bloud able to pay the full ransome of a milliō of worlds That the Saints mediate and intercede for vs vnto Christ is for his greater glory by whose merits they are made worthy of that dignity and whom by their intercessions they acknowledge to be the fountayne of all good that comes vnto mankind If it be a glory to the roote of a tree to haue many boughes and branches loaden with excellent fruite the Saints being but branches of Christ Iesus the true Vine-tree Iohn 15.15 surely the honour of all their meritts springs originally is referred finally vnto him And as it is impossible to honour and prayse the boughes without honouring and praysing of the roote So likewise it is not possible that Catholikes who acknowledge that Saints haue all their grace merit fauour with God from Christ Iesus should honor them or pray vnto them without honouring Christ without praying finally euer vnto him Wherefore Saints when they pray for vs that God would forgiue vs our sinnes grant vs fauours that help vs towards eternall life they do not alleadge their merits as a sufficient motiue of the grant but the merits of Christ. And when holy ancient Fathers in their prayers alleadge vnto God the merits of Saints this is because their merits make them gracious in Gods sight and worthy that the graces they craue for vs be graunted vnto vs not by the applicatiō of their merits but only through the application of the merits of Christ. Put case that a Prince should ransome a great multitude of his subiects taken prisoners and held in miserable thraldome paying for them a sufficient and aboundant ransome yet so that none should haue the fruit of that Redemption but those whom the King should singularly choose and make worthy of that fauour Suppose that some noble man in the Court whome his Merits made gracious with the King should by his interceding obtayne that the benefit of that ransome should be extended to some one whome he particularly affects Surely this Captiue should be redeemed deliuered through the ransome payd by the King not by the merits of the Noble man interceding for him whose merits concurred thereunto only remotely and a farre off To apply this similitude Christ Iesus hath payd an aboundant price for mans redēption yet none enioy the benefits thereof but they to whome by speciall grace he applyeth the same Sinners beseech him by the merits of Saints that made them gracious in his sight that he will vouchsafe to apply the merit of his Passion vnto them for the obtayning of fauours conducing vnto eternall life Christ grants their petition and request and thereupon applyes his merits vnto them These men cannot be properly sayd to be saued through the merits of Saints but only through the merits of Christ specially because euen the merits of Saints that concurred thereunto proceed originally from the merits of CHRIST How it is lawfull to appropriate the obtayning of graces and cures vnto Saints §. 6. OVR Aduersaryes finding our Inuocation of Saints for substance practised in Gods Church euer since her primitiue times take exceptiōs at some circumstances therof which they thinke new not iustifiable by Antiquity which are principally three whereon are grounded other three causes of their dislike So the sixt reason of their dislike is that we distribute amongst Saints offices of curing diseases seeke some kind of fauour of one some of another of which practise there is no example in Antiquity yea it seemes to resemble the leuity of heathenish superstitiō who did multiply Gods according to the multitude of the thinges they sought to obtayne of them I answere that to seeke some fauours by the intercession of one Saint rather then of another was the Iudgment (d) The Minister saith The Iesuit by Fathers meaneth the Trident Fathers not the ancient Fathers This is ridiculous for the Iesuit saith the ancient Fathers in S. Augustines time that is 12. hundred yeares before the Councell of Trident. And the Minister cannot find one Syllable in the Coūcel of Trent for this appropriatiō that may breed suspition that the Iesuit meaneth them wheras he brings the practise and patronage of Saint Augustine himselfe prouing by Scripture this appropriation of miraculous benefits to one place and Saint more then to another And S. Paul ad Hebr. 2.10 saying wherin himselfe suffered and was tempted therin he is potent to helpe them that are tempted shewes a reason why we should inuocate in some temptations rather some Saint then another as S. Laurence against fire S. Apollonia against the tooth-ach c. because wherein themselues were tryed they are specially able to help others of the Fathers in S. Augustines time which he himselfe practised vpon this occasion In the towne of Hippo one of the family of S. Augustine accused a Priest of an heynous crime making his accusatiō good by oath which the other did reiect in like manner purging himselfe by oath The fact being open and scandalous seing of necessity one of them was periured S. Augustine sent them both into Italy to the shrine of Saint Felix of Nola at whose reliques periured persons were vsually discouered In defence of which fact he writes an Epistle to his people of Hippo allowing of this proceeding shewing that to seeke recourse rather to one Saint then another is pious and godly wondering at the secret prouidence of God therein (e) The Minister sayth that this narration is not to the purpose because there is no mention of Inuocation of S. Felix or of oblation to him Answer This is idle For we haue proued by S. Augustine and Fathers and Scriptures that Saintes are to be prayed vnto only the question now is whether it be lawfull to seeke some benefits at one place and by one Saint rather then another which to be lawfull S. Augustine affirmes and proueth by deduction from Scripture shewing it to haue beē the practise of his age and
Infidells as more absurd to humane imagination then any other Mystery of Christian Religion The second Consideration This consideration is drawne from the quality of the difficultyes obiected agaynst this mystery which be such as a Christian in honour should neglect them (l) Vnto this argument shewing God cā couer the face of the whole world with thinner thinner parts taken out of a flyes wing euery Puny in our Vniuersities saith the Minister pag. 448. can distinguish betweē mathematicall and potentiall diuision of a body physicall and actuall Aristotle him selfe teaching vs that there is minima Caro though there be not minimum corpus Answere By this reply you shew your selfe to be not so much as a Puny in Philosophy For not knowing what you say you grant vnto your Aduersary as much as he would proue because you vnderstād not the Philosophicall tearmes you vse He did not say that the winge of the fly is physically or actually diuided into so many thinne parts as would couer the world but only that it is diuisible into so many thinne parts but you do not deny but there is so much potential or possible diuisiō in the flyes winge And if the diuision of a flyes winge into so many thinne parts as will couer the world be potentiall and possible I hope you will not deny but God can make the same actuall except you will say that there is in the quantity of a flyes winge more potentiality to be deuided then in God power to deuide so denying him to be Omnipotent Secondly your coming forth with Aristotles minima caro sed non minimum corpus doth more more bewray your Ignorance For the Philosophicall disputation de termino paruitatis is de minimo naturali whether a thinge homogeneous that is whereof euery particle is of the same kind with the whole as water fire flesh can be so little as it cannot be lesser or thinner by the course of nature wherein many learned Deuines hold the Negatiue part that no flesh is so little but it may be lesse by the course of nature But in respect of the Diuine power no Christian Philosopher doth hold there is minima caro flesh so litle and thine that God can not make the same lesser and thinner without end and so with a flyes winge couer the world And whereas you iestingly require you may haue respite not to belieue Transubstantiation vntill this vast worlds Capcase be made of a flyes winge you may haue your desire so you cā be contēt the meane tyme to vndergoe the punishment they must endure who will vndertake to comprehend the Omnipotency of God within the CAPCASE of their idle brayne For if it be the part of a prudent intelligent man not to permit imagination to preuayle agaynst his reason what a disgrace is it for a Christian that his fayth should be conquered by these kind of difficultyes For that the seeming absurdityes of this mystery be not in respect of naturall reason but meerly of imagination may hence appeare that some naturall truthes be in a manner as difficill and incredible which wil be seene if we compare the foure aboue mentioned difficulties with the difficulties some truthes euident in nature haue First we cannot imagine that the whole body of Christ can be contayned in the cōpasse of a small hoast But it is not more incredible that in a thing of small quantity for example in the winge of a fly there should be so many parts as vnfolded and layd togeather would couer the whole face of the world both of heauen and earth And yet it is demonstrable in Philosophy that euen in the wing of a fly there are so many parts as broad long as the wing though still thynner and thinner that Almighty God separating and vnfolding thē may therewith couer the whole world For certayne it is that some finite number of such parts so separated each of thē as long and as broad as a flyes winge would couer the face of the whole world Certayne also it it that the winge of a fly is stil diuisible into more more such parts that no finite number of them is assignable but God may still separate from that winge a greater nūber without end Therefore it is certayne that in the wing of a fly there is so much quantity as is sufficient to couer the face of the whole world both of heauen earth if God would but separate and vnfold the same Is not this secret of Philosophy as incredible to carnall imagination as the being of Christs body within a small hoast We that cānot comprehend thinges we see with eyes and feele with hands certaynly we shall haue much adoe at the day of Iudgement to iustify our not belieuing any part of Gods word by reason of the seeming absurdityes therof Secondly we cannot imagine the body of Christ to be really combined vnto the consecrated formes and not to be polluted by such indignityes as may happen vnto the formes yet we haue seene or may see thinges able to make this not to seeme incredible For holy men often by prayer so purify their soules and by contemplation bring their spirits to such an independency of their senses that neyther bitter meats offend their tast nor loathsome sents their smell nor shrill cryes their hearing yea burnings torturings are not perceaued their spirit being eloyned through diuine vnpolluted affection from the cōtagion of the body vnto the substance wherof it still remaynes most really vnited This being so cānot the glorious body of Christ graced with most diuine ornaments flowing from the excessiue blisse of the soule and and thereby made spirituall impassible vnsearchable be really present vnto the formes of consecrated Bread and yet immune free and wholy independent of any contagion or corruption that may happen to the formes specially the body of Christ not being so strictly and substantially tyed vnto the formes as the spirit to the body it informeth but is present vnto them as an Angell assistāt is to the body wherein he worketh what dishonor can it be to attribute vnto Christs most venerable body this spirituall manner of Angelicall presence yea rather a participation of the diuine immensity For as God by his incomprehensible immēsity existes euery where no lesse pure in the sinke then in the sunne no lesse sweet in the dungehill then in a garden of odoriferous floures So the body of Christ by supernatural participation of his diuine presence is really vpon earth in things visible inuisible in thinges hurtfull impassible in thinges noysome inuiolable in things impure immaculable to his friends that receaue him with loue most sweet and comfortable and ouerflowing in graces but to the vnworthy receauer present in a manner dead senseles as if he were not there at all And as he that receiues into his armes a body wherin the spirit absorpt in contemplation neyther feeling nor felt lyeth inclosed may be sayd
great confidence auouch that it is a diuine ordinance that all ignorant Laymen read Scripture in the vulgar A strong argument The Scripture doth not say the Beroeans read the Scripture in their vulgar tongue nor doth it tearme them Noble for their reading of Scripture but for their receauing the word of Paul with alacrity and ioy Yea the tearme of The more noble is not giuen them in prayse of their Religion but to declare the quality of their Gentry and so Fulke his Bible hath the Noblest for byrth But suppose the Beroeans read in their vulgar and be therfore called Noble is not this inference ridiculous Ergo it is a diuine Precept that euery man read Scripture Doth not this arguing deserue rather to be laughed at then answered The third (a) Apoc. 1.3 Blessed is he that readeth and heareth Ergo it is a diuine ordinance that all meÌ„ read the Scripture that the Church giue theÌ„ the Scripture translated into all vulgar tongues Here you not only argue impertinently but also detruncate curtall the text of Gods Word leauing out words without which the text hath a false and foolish sense For if all be blessed that read and heare without mention or care of what then they be blessed who read or heare Tully Virgill or the bookes of Knighthood Why doe you not let the Scripture expresse the thing which being read or heard maketh men blessed The Scripture fully and truly cited sayth Blessed is he that heareth and readeth the wordes of this Prophesy to wit of the Apocalyps Which place eyther proueth nothing for your purpose or else proueth a necessity that euery man read the Apocalyps vnder penalty of otherwise not to be blessed This perchance for very shame you dare not auerre If you do what shall we or may we thinke of Luther who did neyther read nor heare nor belieue the Apocalyps as a Prophesy or as the word of (b) Nec Apostolicum nec PropheticuÌ„ esse puto hunc libelluÌ„ similem reputo Quarto Esdrâ—â— nec vllo modo deprendere possum quod a Spiritus Sancto confectus sit Lutherus praefat in Apocalip God And what an idle inference is this He is blessed who readeth the Apocalyps Ergo it is a diuine ordinance that euery man read Scriptures S. Paul sayth (c) 1. Cor. 7. Bonum est homini mulierem non tangere vers 1. Bonum est illis si sic permaneant vers 7. Beatior erit si sic permanserit vers 40. he is blessed that doth not marry Is it consequent Ergo euery man is bound not to marry or Ergo men cannot be blessed but only such as do not marry Surely your wife wil see this inference to be foolish yet it is as good as yours Blessed is he that readeth or heareth the Apocalyps Ergo it is a diuine ordinance that none be blessed but such as read Scripture The fourth argument The Galathians read the Scripture Ergo it is a diuine ordinance that ignorant laymen read them and that they be translated into euery vulgar Dialect That the Galathians read the Scriptures you prooue by the cypher of Galat. 4.24 where the Apostle sayth you that will be vnder the Law haue you not read the Law For it is written Abraham had two Sonnes This proofe is very poore For the Apostle doth not affirme they read but doubtingly demaunds whether they had not read one particle of Scripture Also the question was mooued without doubt only to the learned Galathians But suppose they read the Scripture is it lawfull thence to conclude Ergo they read it in their vulgar If they read it in their vulgar is it thence consequent Ergo euery man is bound by diuine ordinance to read and this so strictly as the Church may not forbid translations vnto such as abuse them The fifth place The Ephesians read the Scripture Ergo it is a diuine precept that ignorant Laymen read the Scripture in their vulgar tongue The antecedent you shew by the cypher Ephes. 3.4 where the Apostle sayth Reading you may vnderctand my wisdome in the Mistery of Christ A seely proofe Saint Paul doth not say that the Ephesians read but only that by reading his Epistle they might vnderstand his wisâ—ome about the mysteries of grace and Christian Religion But suppose they read S Pauls Epistle sent vnto theÌ„ doth it follow Ergo it is a diuine ordinance that Laymen promiscuously read Scripture and that the Church must translate Scripture to that end This inference as euen as good as this By reading the Epistles of Saint Peter one may vnderstand the great knowledge he had of Christ Ergo Euery man is bound to read S. Peters Epistles The sixt The Colossians read the Scripture Ergo it is a diuine ordinance that all ignorant Laymen read the Scripture The antecedent is by you proued by the cypher Coloss. 4.16 which sayth When this Epistle hath been read amongst you cause it also to be read in the Church of Loadicea This place doth not proue your intent that they read so much as that Epistle priuatly by theÌ„selues but only that the same was publikely read in the Church by the Bishop or the Priest or some Church officer in the same laÌ„guage wherin it was written originally But suppose the Colossians read this Epistle priuately by theÌ„selues what a wooden inference is this Ergo euery Christian is bouÌ„d by diuine ordinance to read Scripture Or Ergo the Church is obliged by diuine precept to prouide that the Scripture be translated into vulgar tongues The seauenth Argument The Thessalonians read the Scripture Ergo the reading thereof by ignorant Laymen is a diuine ordinance The antecedent you prooue by the cypher 1. Thess. 5.25 which sayth I adiure you that this Epistle be read vnto all holy brethren Neyther doth this text prooue priuate reading of Scripture by Laymen but only publik reading therof in the Church But suppose they priuately read this Epistle sent them by the Apostle is it consequeÌ„t Ergo all Laymen are bound to read Scripture and the Church to translate the same into euery tongue Truly this argument is euen as good as this God created heauen and earth of nothing Ergo Ministers may make arguments of nothing or make argumeÌ„ts good that haue nothing in them Or as this In the beginning was the word the word was with God Ergo euery godly person is bound to read the Scripture word by word from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Apocalyps Or Ergo Godly persons do nothing els but read Scripture Grosse Ignorance of Theology SECTION III. BESIDES the manifold Errours which you maintaine in coÌ„mon with other Ministers you haue diuers proper peculiar to your selfe and exceeding grosse wherby you declare how ignorant how are of Theology I will only discouer some few of them but those fundamentall by which you so shake the fabrike of your Reply as no piece thereof remayneth â—ound The first
Scripture say that the Bookes of the Prophets and Apostles be diuine yet shall I not certainly belieue it except I haue aforehand belieued the Scripture which doth 〈◊〉 affirme to be diuine For also in sundry places of Mahoâ—â—ts AlcoraÌ„ we read that the same was sent of God froÌ„ heaâ—â—â—â— yet do we not belieue it Is there no difference betâ—â—xt these two sayings A maÌ„ is not bound to belieue the Sâ—â—ipture affirming the bookes of the Prophets to be Diuine 〈◊〉 then the Alcoran and this I should not belieue the Sâ—ripture saying the bookes of Prophets are diuine except I 〈◊〉 belieue the Scripture that so sayth Verily they differ 〈◊〉 much as Hell and Heauen as Blasphemy and Truth With Hosius you ioyne Petrus Soto to be a debaser 〈◊〉 Scriptures (m) Pag. 152. in lit a. citing these words as his (n) Petrus Soto â—nstructio Sacerdotum Part. 1. lect 6. pag. 17. if he be truly cited for in my Edition it is pag. 25. Quae 〈◊〉 cultum pertinent magis ex traditione Spiritus Sancti â—â—â—ustratione quà m ex scriptura petenda sunt The things 〈◊〉 belong vnto worship are to be taken by Tradiâ—â—on and the light of the Holy Ghost rather then froÌ„ 〈◊〉 Scripture Thus you Omitting and putting in â—â—ordes chopping and changing the Text. Let vs â—â—are the Authours very words (o) Aduerâ—aÌ„t hunc Doctrinae Euangelicae modum Quod ad vitae rationem attinet post illa quae communia sunt omnibus qualia sunt praecepta Decalogi atque dilectionis Dei Proximi de quibus Christus frequenter loquitur Post haec inquam omnia aduerâ—ant plura esse quaerenda extraditione illustratione Spiritùs Sancti potiùs quà m ex Scriptura praecipuè quae ad cultum pertinent Post haec omnia â—â—uertant plura quaerenda esse ex Traditione illustraâ—â—one Spiritus sancti quà m ex Scripturis praecipuè quae ad â—â—ltum pertinent After all these thinges that is after a â—riest knowes not only the articles and mysteries of â—ayth but also in respect of manners and good life 〈◊〉 communia omnibus de quibus Christus frequenter loâ—â—itur those thinges that are commonly to be kept 〈◊〉 all Christians as the Ten Commandements and 〈◊〉 like about which Christ doth frequently speake â—fter they know these things let them remember that more â—â—ings yet are to be sought for rather by Tradition and the 〈◊〉 Ghosts illumination then by the Scripture spâ—cially 〈◊〉 thinges that belonge vnto Reuerence In these words â—etrus Soto deliuers two thinges First that the things â—oncerning matters not only of Fayth but also of good life that are common and must be knowne of all Christians are largely deliuered in holy Scripture Secondly that post haec omnia after the knowledge of all these common substantiall matters 〈◊〉 for other particuler thinges they are to be learned by Tradition more then by Scripture Hence I inferre that Petrus Soto by the words quae ad cultum pertinent doth not meane the mayne dutyes of Latriae and Religion but Reuerentiall carriage and ceremonyes to be vsed in the administration of the Sacraments This is cleere For by things pertinent vnto Reuerence he meanes thinges that are not common vnto all nor to be knowne and obserued of all But the mayne dutyes of Latria Religion are common vnto all Christians Therefore Soto doth not meane them in his wordes Quae ad cultum pertinenâ— but only things of ceremoniall Reuerence in the vse of the Christian sacrifice and Sacraments as the Authour (p) Quae autem in celebratione Baptismatis qua ratione agenda sunt vbi est scriptum Credendúmne est tantum Ministerium sine vlla praeparatione SOLEMNITATE RITV quae ad eius excitant venerationem traditum esse Ibid. pag. 26. doth also in that place declare So that it is in you wonderful boldnes by so many leauings out by so many alterings and transposings of words to change Sotus his meaning as though he had been besotted with Swenckfeldian fancy of immediat Reuelation without Scripture In your Reply to the Preface (m) These leaues want numbers but it is in the sixt leafe the first side froÌ„ the beginning of the Reply to the Preface you say Thâ—â— the Roman Church doth require that Protestants send the holy scriptures packing and not reckon the same among Dâ—â—uine Principles To make this slaunder good you 〈◊〉 in the margent (n) Had Bosius spoken inconsideratly what folly or impotent malice is it to vrge the vnaduised speach of a priuate writer as the fayth of the Church Bosius de sig Eccles. lib. 16. cap. 10. scriptura non refertur inter eiusmodi principia the Scripture is not reckoned amongst these principles 〈◊〉 wit Diuine This saying of Bosius you repeate ouer ouer in your Booke yea the same is twice repeated in your answere to the Iesuits Preface In your Orthodoxe you haue it also and your (o) Defence pag. 1â—1 Brother more ofteÌ„ as though Bosius did say the Scripturs were not Diuine But your slaunder is intollerable for he doth not say that Scriptures are not reckoned amongst Diuine Principles but only not amongst the articles of the Creed His wordes are We know that amongst other articles of the Creed one is I belieue the holy Catholike Church Now these articles are as it were certayne principles which must be knowne and belieued in the first place But the Scripture is not numbred amongst THESE Principles although it be named HOLY and SACRED Hence appeareth how notoriously you slauÌ„der and falsify Bosius by making him say that Scriptures are not numbred amongst Diuine Principles First because he sayth not they are not numbred amongst Diuine Principles but only not amongst the twelue Articles of the Creed which is a truth so manifest as Ministers cannot be ignorant thereof if they be acquainted with the Creed SecoÌ„dly because in that very place and sentence he doth affirme the contrary to wit that the Scriptures are holy and sacred What is this but Diuine Verily this accusation that Protestants if they will be Catholikes must send the Scriptures packing is as true as what you (s) Answere to the Preface fol. 6. pag. 1. lin 19. there also affirme That they must let the Roman Nahash pluck out their right eye and vow blind obedience vnto him Which you proue because Bonauenture (t) In vitâ— Francisci c. 5. sayth that S. Francis exhorted his Fryars vnto blind Obedience As though Protestants might not be admitted into the Roman Church except they will be Fryars or that by Religious obedience men put out their right eye which regardeth God and Heauen and not tather the left which looketh vpon earth and worldly pleasure Had you eyther the right or left eye of Wisdome you would not write as you doe Had you any sparke of diuine Wisdome you would not vent such false odious slanders Had you any dramme of humane Wisdome you
Catalogue of Doctours in his Epistle to the Reader sayth In the yeare 605. more then a thousand yeares agoe falshood preuayled and then was the whole world ouerwhelmed in the dreggs of Antichristian filthines abominable Traditions and superstitions of the Pope M. Perkins in his exposition of the Creed pag. 307. 400. sayth During the space of Nine hundred yeares the Popish Heresy hath spread it selfe ouer the whole world and for many hundred yeares an vniuersall Apostacy ouerspread the whole face of the earth so that our Protestant Church was not then visible to the world M. Fulke treatise agaynst Stapleton and Martiall pag. 25. The Pope hath blinded the world these many hundred yeares some say 900. some 1000. some 1200. Mayster Napier Reuelat. pag. 64. 101. The Antichristian and Papisticall raygne beganne about the yeare 316. after Christ raigning vniuersally without debatable contradiction Gods true Church abiding certainly bidden and latent confessed by the Proteâ—tants whose testimonies plentifull in this behalfe if need require shall be brought First that the doctrines of the Roman Church which Protestants refuse haue byn vniuersally receyued for many ages a thousand yeares at least euer since Boniface the third Secondly that Protestants cannot tell the tyme when the Church of Rome began to change and deuiate from the Apostolicall doctrine deliuered by succession Ergo the Roman Church neuer changed her fayth so that her doctrines are to be receaued as Apostolicall if the Maior of the first argument be true to wit that (n) The Minister pag. 15. sayth The Iesuite conueyeth into S. Augustins proposition certayne wordes to wit doctrines vniuersally receiued c. which are not found in S. Augustine for this Father did neuer allow that the vniuersall Church belieue any doctrin of faith not coÌ„maÌ„ded in Scripture I answere The wordes of S. Augustine will discouer the Minister what he is for these they are formally in the place cited by the Iesuite l. 5. de baptis c. 23. Many things are Held by the Vniuersall Church therefore are TRVLY belieued to haue beene COMMANDED by the Apostles though they be NOT WRITTEN Thus he And though there be no doctrine which may not be in some sort proued by Scripture and deriued from thence by coÌ„sequence yet this Logicall Deduction doth not suffice to make doctrines to be vniuersally matters of fayth except they be also deliuered expresly by Tradition or the word of God vnwritten as hath been often shewed in this Reioynder doctrines vniuersally receyued whose beginning are not knowne are to be belieued as Apostolicall And what more true this being a principle set downe by S. Augustine lib. 4. de Baptism cont Donat. c. 6. lib. 5. cap. 23. allowed by Doctour Whitguift late Archbishop of Canterbury Defence pag. 351. 352. who in his booke written by publike authority agaynst Puritans citing diuers Protestants as concurring in opinion with him sayth Whatsoeuer opinions are not known to haue begunne since the Apostles tyme the same are not new or secundary but receyued their originall from the Apostles But because this principle of Christian Diuinity brings in as M. Cartwright there alleadged speaketh all Popery in the Iudgment of all men I will further demonstrate the same though of it selfe cleere inough The spirit of Christ or Christ by his spirit being still with the Church cannot permit errours in fayth so to creepe into the church as they grow irreformable eueÌ„ by the principles of christianity but if errours could so creepe into the church as their beginning could not be known since the Apostles and neuer be espyed till they be vniuersally receaued then errour could so creepe into the Church preuayle that by the principles of christianity they are irreformable This I prooue because errors 〈◊〉 (o) The Minister sayth that the errours of the Pharisees were vniuersally receaued in the Iewish Church and yet reformed by our Sauiour I answere First his desire to make our ReligioÌ„ like the Pharisees makes him fashion vnto the Pharisees a Religion of his owne head as if he had neuer read the Ghospell For the Traditions of the Pharisies were certaine practises of piety inuented by themselues deducted by their skill from Scripture wherby they would seeme singularly religious non sicut caeteri hominum Secondly Christ Iesus prouing himselfe to be true God might reforme errours vniuersally receaued the Church of the Iewes falling erect a new Church of Christians as he did But this is lawfull for no man eyther before or since For Christian Religion must continue vntill the worlds end by vertue of the first Tradition therof neuer interrupted without extraordinary and Propheticall beginning by immediate reuelation miracles and so if errours be deliuered by the full consent of Christian Tradition they are irreformable irreformable by the Principles of â—hristianity when whosoeuer vndertakes 〈◊〉 reforme them is by the Principles of â—hristianity to be condemned as an Hereâ—â—ke But he that will vndertake to reâ—orme doctrines vniuersally receaued by â—he church opposeth agaynst the whole Church and therfore is by the most receaâ—ed and knowne principle of Christianity and Christs owne direct precept to be accounted as an (p) The Minister sayth that one man may oppose the whole Church and oppugne her errours by Scripture and not be as an Heathen or Heretike For not euery one that opposeth the Church is to be accounted an Heathen but only such as in ordinatly and without iust cause oppugne it Thus he pag. 136. I answere By this doctrine euery particular man is made examiner of the whole Church and her iudge and Hellish Confusion brought into Christendome If agaynst the sentence of perpetuall vniuersall Tradition a priuate maÌ„ may without Heresy pretende Scripture stand stifly therin and though the Church giue seeming appearing answeres vnto his Scriptures yet coÌ„demne her saying these answeres are sophisticall as our Minister doth p. 581. what can be more disorderly or what is hereticall obstinacy if this be not Wherfore S. August epist. 48. sayth absolutly it is impossible men should haue iust cause to depart and impugne the whole ChristiaÌ„ Church adding nos cerâ—ò scimus herof we Christians are sure And why but because it is a ruled Christian case He that heareth not the Church is an Heretike Heathen and Publican Matth. 18. vers 17. And as S. Augustine â—ayth Epist. 118. to dispute agaynst the whole Church is most insolent madnes specially wheÌ„ the doctrin is ancient without any known beginning as are the supposed erroneous customes doctrins of the RomaÌ„ Church For then the vndertaking Reformer must striue agaynst not only the whole present Church but also the whole streame of the visible Church tyme out of mind since the Apostles Et quis ad haec idoneus who is able to beginne a new course of Christianity and to ouerthrow that doctrine which is vniuersally receyued cannot be prooued by any Traditions of Ancestours
Saynts vsed by way of deuout remembrance they would haue accused Epiphanius of impiety towards Christ and his Saints and not onely of iniustice in renting in peeces the Cloth without paying the price therof saying si scindere voluerat iustū erat vt aliud daret velum mutaret doth by this relation more then insinuate that this was the Image of some prophane man hanging in the Church as if it had been a sacred Image of Christ or of some Saint which is gathered by his reason When I saw saith he against the authority of the Scriptures the Image of a man hanging in the Church not absolutely any Image as M. White citeth him for euen by Gods expresse command Images were placed in the Temple but the Image of a man Why doth Epiphanius so much vrge the impiety of the fact in regard that it was the Image of a man but that he vnderstood by the word Man a meere ordinary prophane man not a blessed Saint For certainly it might seeme more against the authority of Scriptures to make and set vp in churches the image of God then the image of holy men the image of Christ according to his godhead thē as he is a mā so that there was no cause why (n) The Minister here setteth downe other answers giuen by Catholicks vnto this place of Epiphanius some of which he would haue thought better then this of the Iesuit and that the Iesuits is sleighted by Bellarmine which discourse is to litle purpose This is certayne that if other solutions he better then this yet this is so good as the Minister hath not been able to speake a wise word agaynst it as is more largely shewed in the Censure Sect. 1. §. 1. And whereas some authors thinke that Epiphanius in regard of the errour of the Anthropomorphilae whereof he was a great Ennemy did reproue this Image of the Anablathans as being of God in the forme of man although this conceyte doth not help the Ministers fancy nor make against vs yet is it not so conforme to the text as is the Iesuits Which any man may perceaue that will peruse attentiuely the text of Epiphanius and compare these two solutions therewith Epiphanius should put so much Emphasis in the word man had he not vnderstood a prophane man For some Christians in those Dayes being newly conuerted from Paganisme and so retaining some Reliques therof did out of their affection to their deceased friends and parents vse to paint their images and offer vnto them oblations of Frankincēse other the like Heathenish honour especially in their Anniuersaryes Dayes vpon their sepulchers These men S. Augustine de mor. Eccl. c. 36. reprehends and not the worshippers of Saints Images vnder the title of Sepulchrorum picturarum adoratores who to the ghosts of their parents defunct did though Christians offer that Heathenish worship which the Poet exhorteth vnto Non pigeat tumulis animas excire paternas Paucaque in extructos mittere thura rogos Parua petunt manes Wherfore seing this Minister so much esteemed in the Church of England in proofe of the Roman Churches change brings nothing but manifest falshoods so many in so few lines any indifferent man may cōclude that worship of Images hath continued without change euer since the Apostles For if any change in such a matter as this had bene made it would haue bene most euident when and by whom so great a Nouelty was introduced The places of Exodus Deut. with no probability vrged against the worship of Images by Protestants that make them §. 3. AGAINST Image-worshippe Protestants bring the places of Exodus Chap. 20. v. 4. and 5. and of Deuteronomy Chap. 5. v. 6. and the 7. Thou shalt not haue false gods before me Thou shalt not make to thy selfe a grauen Image or any likenes either in heauen aboue or on earth below or of things that are vnder waters or vnder ground thou shalt not adore nor worshippe them Which place I wonder they can thinke stronge inough to ouerthrow a custome in which the rules of Nature the Principles of Christianity the perpetuall Tradition of gods Church doth settle Christians For this place makes against (i) Note that the question between vs and Protestants is not whether the Image of an adored persō may lawfully be made for this they grant but whether the image of an adored person lawfully made may be adored We affirme and they deny but for their deniall haue not one sillable of Scripture The Minister pag. 259. lin 3. brings the brasen Serpent and golden Cherubims that were made yet could not be adored but these examples are impertinēt as hath been shewed because they were not proper images of adored persōs wherof wee speake though S. Hierome Epistola 70. also say that the Golden Cherubims were adored The Iconomachi the Turks and Iewes who thinke that to make any image of an adored person is vnlawfull consequently forbid adoratiō haue for them a little shew of Scripture which sayth thou shalt no make any image nor adore it But Protestants that grant that the proper images of adored persons may be lawfully made but deny they may be lawfully adored haue against them the light and instinct of nature and for them neither any example of Scripture nor any text that may make so much as a little shew them or not against vs which I proue thus The images we are forbidden to worship we are forbidden to make Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image thou shalt not adore them nor worshippe them Contrariwise the images we may lawfully make we may also lawfully adore or worshippe if they be images of venerable and adorable persons as before hath bene shewed But the images we worship of Christ Protestants make yea some to wit Lutherans set them vp in their Churches and they are images of an adorable Person Ergo they cannot condemne our adoration of images except likewise they condemne their making them as against Gods law If they answere we are not forbidden to make thē but only not to make thē with purpose intention to adore them they discouer much partiality and not so much reuerence to Gods expresse 〈◊〉 as they pretend for the words of Gods law are as cleere and expresse against making of Images as against worshippinge of them Thou shalt not make them Thou shalt not adore them If then Protestants to excuse their custome of making of images may to Gods expresse word Thou shalt not make them adde by way of explication with purpose and intention to adore them why may not (k) The Minister pag. 259. obiects that this precept Thou shalt not make to thy selfe a grauen image is expounded by the greatest number of Papists to wit with purpose to adore I answere Some Catholike Interpreters expound Thou shalt not make any image to wit with purpose to worship the same as God or with diuine worshippe referred vnto it or
heauen doth now more help vs with his prayers then euer he did on earth by teaching And agayne (e) Idem orat in appulsu Episcop AEgypt post paginam ferè à principio Res nostras vt persuasissimū habeo caelitùs inspicit virtutis causa laborantibus manum porrigit Holy Athanasius now after victory in so many conflicts doth from heauen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I know it wel or certainly looke downe vpon our affayres and reacheth out his hand to them that labour c. S. Sabinus (f) Sabin Epistol ad Polib Scio Credo c. Bishop sayth of the holy Father Epiphanius I KNOW and BELIEVE that as thou didest obtayne of God fauours yet liuing in this world so likewise that now thou canst do the same and much more Theodoret (g) Theodoret. in Theophil cap. 5. Planè scio quòd si Sanctorum memoriam fecero in hominibus c. I KNOW CERTAINLY that if I make commemoration of Saints vpon earth they will be mindfull of me vnto God The second Demonstration If the Fathers commend Inuocation of Saints and confidence in their merits as an act of Christian Religion promising assured comfort to them that do it with fayth they held the same as a matter of Fayth as groūded on the word of God For what but Gods word can be the ground of assured confidence about diuine supernaturall graces But the Fathers teach this Inuocation as a matter to be done in the assurance of faith and Christian piety wherin their wordes are most cleere S. Gregory Nazianzen (h) Nazianzen orat in S. Cyprian non longe à fine Omnia potest Cyprianus puluis eius cum fide exhorting people to aske al things of S. Cyprian sayth Cyprian and his dust or sacred Reliks ioyned WITH FAITH can do all thinges S. Prudentius sayth (i) Prudent Hym. in S. Agnetē Protegit puro fideli pectore supplices that S. Agnes protects and deliuers all that with pure and FAYTHFVLL harts are SVPPLIANTS vnto her S. Chrysostome (k) Chrysostom homil in Sanct. Iuuentium Maximum Mart. Magna Fide reliquias eorum contingamus vt inde benedictionem aliquam consequamur c. quaecunque voluerint apud Regem caelorum impetrare possunt Let vs often visit the Martyrs let vs adorne their shrines let vs WITH GREAT FAYTH touch their Reliques that thence we may receyue some benediction for they impetrate of the heauenly King by shewing their wounds and in their hands their heads cut off whatsoeuer they will Therefore let vs with Great Fayth and alacrity resort vnto them And in another place he thus exhorts (l) Idem homil post reditum ab exilio Credimus nos iuuari illorum meritis Let vs go to Timothy a new Paul vnto Andrew another Peter WE BELIEVE that we are holpen by their prayers Let vs go to their holy bodyes which carryed our Sauiours markes S. Basill (m) Basil. Homil. in 40. Martyres Vbiquadraginta quis dubitet Deum esse praesentem Qui aliqua premitur angustia ad Hos confugiat Who can doubt but God is present with these forty Martyrs who promiseth to be where two or three are gathered in his name whosoeuer is in any distresse let him FLIE vnto them and whosoeuer is in comfort let him PRAY VNTO THEM the one that he may be freed from misery the other that he may be preserued in prosperity S. Gaudentius (n) Gaudent homil de Apost Mart. Tot Sanctorum patrocinijs adiuuandi tota Fide omni desiderio supplices c. vt ipsis intercedētibus VNIVERSA quae poscimus adipisci mereamur We shall be holpen by the Patronage of so many Saints let vs then with FVLL FAYTH and all deuotion be supplyants vnto them and runne after their steps That by their intercessions we may obtayne ALL we request S. Maximus (o) Maximus serm de SS Nazario Celso Si martyribus regionis externae pia votorū debita redderemus c. Fides eos Nostros faceret If vnto Saints whose bodyes be remote from vs we offer the PIOVS DVTY of VOWES FAYTH will make them ours and how distant soeuer their bodyes be from vs they will affoard vs their Patronage we hope for And agayne (p) Ibidem Inuocastivbique Martyrem vbique te exaudit ill◠qui honoratur in Martyre Moderante vtique eo qui pensat vota tua dispensat munera sua in tantùm vicina praesentia efficacis praebitur aduocati in quantùm fuerit Fides Deuota succepti Doest thou inuocate the Martyr EVERY WHERE He that is honoured in the Martyr doth heare and will graunt thy prayers euery where c. And by how much the FAITH of the Clyent shall be more DEVOVT by so much the assistance of the PATRON will be more efficacious present Theodoret (q) Theodor. lib. 8. de curand Graec. affection Gratia enim quae fectis eorum corporibus pollens vigensue persistit petentibus dona distribuit Fidei supplicantiū liberalitatem suam cōmensa The bodyes of the Martyrs being deuided into parts dispersed ouer many Townes and Cittyes yet the grace and power remaynes entyre and vigēt in euery particle and they distribute gifts vnto petitioners measuring their liberalities according to the FAYTH of the SVPPLIANTS And agayne (r) Ibid. PIE FIDELITER precatos They who pray vnto the Martyrs piously with FAITH obtayne the things they most desire as do testify the giftes they being bound by vow offer at their Tombes manifest tokens of health obtained S. Gregory the Great (t) Gregor Dialog l. 2. c. vlt. Vbi sancti Martyres in suis corporibus dubium nō est quod multa valeant signa demōstrare sicut faciunt innumera miracula pura mente quaerentibus ostendunt No doubt but Martyrs at their tōbes shew innumerable miracles to them that seeke with pure hart but because weake Fayth may doubt whether they be present so that they can heare where their bodyes are not therefore oftentymes greater myracles are done where their bodyes are not but (u) Mens in Deo fixa tantò maius habet fidei meritum quantò illic eos nouit non iacere tamē credit non deesse ab exauditione they whose mind is fixed on God haue the greater MERIT OF FAITH in that they belieue the Saints to be there present to heare mens prayers where they know they are not present in their bodyes Behold how fully expresly constantly the Fathers affirme Inuocatiō of Saints with confidence in their merits and that they heare our prayers to be MATTER of Piety DIVINE FAITH The third Demonstration That deuotiō which the Fathers prayse honour admire as diuine and supernaturall as a testimony that Christ is God that could plant the same in the world this they hold as a point of Christian Religion and as an excellent
Sauiour vnder the Sacramentall signes and that the words of our Sauiour This is my body be true in their proper and litteral sense This was the reason that the Answerer omitted to proue largely this Catholicke Doctrine Now the Minister finding himselfe vnable vpon this supposition of his Maiesty to answere the Iesuits argumēts for Transubstantiation yea Pag. 397. affirmeth that vnlesse Transubstantiation be granted the wordes of our Sauiour cannot be true in their proper and litterall sense Hence he denyes the presence of the body of Christ Substantially within the sacred signe laboureth to proue that the words of the Supper are figuratiuely and not properly to be vnderstood He grants a Reall and True Presence of Christs body in words but so obscurely as no man is able to vnderstand his meaning Wherfore to cleere this matter wherein Ministers desire to be darke that men may not see the grosse infidelity of their hart agaynst Gods expresse word I shall shew 3. things First what Zuinglians and Caluinists hold in this point Secondly how the Doctrine both of Zuinglius Caluin is against Gods word Thirdly that their reasons not to admit of the literall truth of Christs word be vaine and idle The Zuinglian and Caluinian Religion about the Sacrament §. 1. A Three-fold presence of Christs Body in the Sacrament is confessed on all sides The first Figuratiue or in a Sacramentall signe bread signifying his body and wine his bloud The second Imaginatiue or by the pious apprehension of the faithfull receauer who for more deuotions sake doth or may imagine as if he saw the body of our Lord in the Eucharist truly really and bleedingly present vnder the signes of bread and wine The third Effectuall or according to the Spirituall effects of grace purchased by the Body and Bloud of our Sauiour and giuen by vertue of this Sacrament vnto the soule to nourish the ghostly life therof As all proceed thus farre so Zuinglians will proceed no further They grant the body and bloud of Christ to be present in the Sacrament figuratiuely in a signe imaginatiuely by fayth effectually by grace but deny them to be present according to their corporall substance or further then in the outward signe to the mouth and in the inward effect to the soule So that they grant the Sacramentall signe to be bare and empty in respect of contayning the body of Christ though full and effectuall in respect of affoarding soule-nourishing grace Caluinists seeme in their words to maintaine a more reall presence For though they maintayne the substance of the body of Christ in respect of place to be in heauen only and not in the Sacrament yet they teach that the same body without being present vpon earth is giuen vs on earth not only by the apprehension of fayth Non solùm dum fide amplectimur Iesum Christum pro nobis crucifixum à mortuis excitatum Not only in the inward spirituall effects of soule-nourishing grace purchased by the death of his body Non solùm dum bonis eius omnibus quae nobis acquisiuit corpore suo efficaciter communicamus but realiter really truly Dum habitat in nobis dum vnum fit nobiscum dum eius membra sumus de carne eius dum in vnam vt ita loquar cum ipso substantiam coalescimus Caluin in cap. 11.1 ad Cor. Hence we may discouer the Caluinian iugling and playing fast loose about this Mystery when they so often say that the body of Christ is really present but Spiritually for the word Spirituall may be vsed in this Mystery for two ends First to expresse the substance of the thing present to signify the reall Presence not of the corporall substance of our Lords body but only of the spiritual effect therof to wit of soule-feeding grace This sense is false as shall be proued and the very same which Caluin doth condemne in the Zwinglians as execrable blasphemy opusculo de Coena Domini Secondly to expresse the manner of the Presence and to signify that the corporall substance of our Lord is present truly yet in a spirituall that is secret inuisible indiuisible manner this doctrine is true and herein not differing from the Catholike In like manner their Phrase of Presence by Fayth is equiuocall and may haue a threefold sense First Presence by Fayth may signify Presence by pious imagination of Fayth the Receauer conceauing the body of our Lord as if he saw the same corporally and bleedingly present If by Presence by fayth Caluinists meane no more then this then they doe not differ from the Zwinglians nor do they put any more reall presence then imaginatiue that is presence of things according to pious representation and apprehension though not really in truth Secondly Presence by Fayth may signify that Fayth doth dispose and prepare the soule and that then vnto the soule prepared by Fayth our Sauiour is vnited really and truly not according to the corporall substance of his body but only according to the spirituall effect of his grace This sense is also Zuinglian and condemned by Caluin as hath been shewed Thirdly Presence by Fayth may signify presence according to the iudgment of Fayth or a presence which only Fayth can find out feele behold This sense is true and Catholike and doth suppose the body of Christ to be present absolutely and independently of Fayth For were not the body of Christ afore hand present Fayth should not be true that iudgeth his body to be present Whether our Minister be Zuinglian or Caluinist in this point God only knowes he speakes obscurely of purpose He neuer sayth as Caluin doth li. 4. Institut c. 17. n. 7. That by substantiall communication the body and blood of Christ are vnder the signes of the supper deliuered vnto the fayth full yet he sayth and often repeates that the body of Christ is truly really effectually communicated These words sauour more of the Caluinian then of the Zuinglian phrase Notwithstanding his adding effectually after truly and really may draw the speach to be Zuinglian in sense to wit that the body of Christ is giuen truly really effectually that is really accordinge to the truth and reality of the Spirituall effect not really according to the truth and reality of the corporall substance The Zuinglian and Caluinian Presence confuted §. 2. THE Zuinglian doctrine that the body of Christ is present only in an effectuall signe of grace not in substance is against the plaine expresse words of our Sauiour For he did not say this is the signe or figure of my body nor this is the benefit or effect of my body but this is my body and consequently it is his body in substance and essence if the substantiall Verbe Est do signify substance and essence Hence Luther Epist. ad Argent sayth that the words are nimis clara toto cleer and much more cleere then he could haue wished Caluin also in cap.
11.1 ad Cor. I heare saith he what the words of the supper import For Christ doth giue vs not only the benefit of his death and resurrection but also the very body wherin he died and arose againe from death Yea libro de Coena inter eius opuscula pag. 133. he saith that Negare veram corporis sanguinis substantiam to deny the true substance of the body and blood of Christ to be giuen in the supper is execrabilis blasphemia auditu indigna an execrable blasphemy against which we ought to stoppe our eares The Caluinian Doctrine that Christs body being only in heauen is Spiritually present not only by fayth not only according to the effects of his grace but also in his bodily substance yet only vnto the faythfull receauer not vnto the Sacramentall signe is both against Gods word and implicatory in reason First it is no lesse then the Zuinglian against the plaine expresse words of our Sauiour For our Sauiour by saying Take eate this is my body drinke yee all of this for this is my blood Matth. 26. doth auerre the Sacrament to be his body and blood in respect of that taking and eating vnto which by these words he doth inuite and exhorte But by this speach he doth inuite and exhorte vnto Sacramentall and corporall taking and eating This appeareth by the immediat practise of the Apostles who vpon these words of our Lord tooke the Sacrament with their corporall mouth This also our aduersaryes cannot deny seing they vrge by vertue of these wordes corporall receauing in both kinds Therfore the words of our Sauiour auerre the reall presence of his body in substance in respect of corporall taking and eating with the mouth of flesh which Doctrin Caluinists stiffely deny only holding the substantiall communication of Christs body in respect of spirituall receauing by the facultyes of the soule Secondly their Reall Presence is a fiction to no purpose For there is no reason to put the Reall Presence of Christs body in the Sacrament but only in respect of verifying the word of our Sauiour This is my body in a true and reall sense so making the thinge Christ had in his hand and which was demonstrated by the Pronowne This to be truly really his body But Caluinists put not a Presence which maketh the thinge Christ had in hand and demonstrated by the Pronowne This to be truly and really his body but only by figure This I proue That which is the body of Christ in figure and shew and not in substance is not truly really Christ his body Euen as what is a man in shew and figure not in essence and substance is not truly and really a man But Caluinists say that This or the thinge which Christ hath in his hands was Christs body in shew figure and not in substance Ergo they put not a Reall presence which makes that which Christ had in his hand did demonstrate by the particle This to be truly his body It is therefore a fiction deuised to satisfy the Caluinian fancy not the Christian fayth or the rigurous truth of Gods word Thirdly by this Doctrine they bind themselues and others to belieue an high and incomprehensible Mystery without any necessity or compulsion from Gods word For what can be more vnintelligible then that there should be true and reall vnion according to substance betwixt two distinct indiuiduall substances that be distant the one from the other as farre as heauen is from earth Hence Caluin saith libro de Coena that this is sublime arduum quod neque quidem cogitatione complecti possimus in Cap. 11.1 ad Cor. arcanum mirificum Spiritus sancti opus quod intelligentiae nostrae modulo metiri nefas sit But the word of God doth not inforce this Caluinian Mystery nor is there sufficient ground to affirme it This is proued because the mystery of their Reall Presence either hath no ground in Scripture or is grounded on these words of the Institution Take eate this is my body But Caluinists on these words cannot ground the incomprehensible mystery of their reall presence For they vnderstand these words of our Sauiour in a Figuratiue sense and say that they are not true properly and literally Now a mystery of Fayth cannot be grounded vpon the Figuratiue sense of a place of Scripture yea vpon meere Figuratiue construction of Scripture to obtrude vnto others an article of necessary beliefe is impudency as saith S. Augustine Epist. 68. Non nisi impudentiss mè nititur quis aliquid in Allegoria positum pro se interpretari nisi habeat manifesta testimonia quorum lumine illustrentur obscura Therfore the Caluinian Reall Presence is a mystery incomprehensible grounded on meere figuratiue construction of Gods word not backed by any literall text and consequently it is belieued without necessity or any Diuine and supernaturall warrant Hence I Inferre two things first that the belieuers of the Caluinian Reall Presence are vnwise For what greater folly then for men to deny their wits and breake their heads to belieue an hard and difficill matter in belieuing wherof ther is no merit of fayth In belieuing the Caluinian Reall Presence there is no merit of Fayth For the merit of Fayth is to captiuate our Vnderstanding vnto mysteryes cleerly deliuered by the word of God not vnto mans figuratiue expositions therof yea no figuratiue exposition aboue reason is to be belieued except it be proued by some literall text or be deliuered by the full Tradition as Gods word vnwritten Secondly I inferre that Caluinists beare more reuerence vnto Iohn Caluin then vnto Iesus Christ for Caluins mystery is belieued by Caluinists being confessedly a Doctrine most hard difficill incomprehensible and yet not the literall sense of Gods word but Caluins figuratiue comment ther-vpon On the other side Transubstantiation being acknowledged by them to be the litterall and proper sense of the word of Christ Iesus so that without Transubstantiation his word this is my body cannot be literally true as our Minister doth confesse pag. 397. yet because it is hard difficill incomprehensible Caluinists cannot be brought to belieue it What is this but to be more ready to belieue Caluin then Christ Specially seing the mystery of Christs literall sense is not so hard and vn-intelligible as Caluins figuratiue construction For one may more easily conceaue a body to be in two places at once which the litteral sense of Christs word doth inforce then a body to be truly and substantially giuen where truly and substantially it is not which is the article of fayth by Caluins figuratiue construction obtruded The Arguments agaynst the litterall sense of Christs Word vayne and idle §. 3. THE Minister to prooue that the words of the institution are to be figuratiuely vnderstood bringeth seauen Arguments pag. 391. one pag. 401. and three other pag. 418. but the first and third of these three are the same with the second
this mystery not accompanyed with many seeming absurdityes repugnances agaynst sense particularly these foure First that a body as big as our Sauiours remayning stil truly corpulent in it selfe should be contayned within the cōpasse of a round Hoast scarce an inch long and broad Secondly that a body so glorious should be combined vnto corruptible elements and so made subiect vnto the indignityes and obscenityes that may befall vnto them Thirdly that the body may be in heauen and on earth in innumerable places at once Fourthly that the substance of bread being cōuerted into Christs body the sole accidēts remaine by themselues performing the whole office of substance no lesse then if it were present euen to the nutrition of mans body These difficultyes so scandalize Protestants that some condemne Trāsubstantiation as impossible yea as (f) Field of the Church lib. 3. absurd ridiculous barbarous Others professe they cannot subdue their vnderstandings to belieue it as a matter of Fayth To giue full satisfaction in this point I set downe this proposition that these seeming absurdityes should not auert but rather incline a true Christian mind to belieue this mystery In proofe whereof I present vnto your Maiesty these three Considerations (g) The Minister here sayth that this longe tract about Gods omnipotency is impertinent because Protestants deny not Gods omnipotency But this Cauill is refuted in the Censure Sect. 3. §. 3. where it is shewed that to deny the litteral sense of Gods word about the mysteryes of our fayth to be possible vnto God is Infidelity Now Protestants grant the holy Eucharist to be a chiefe mystery of fayth Transubstantiation to be the literall sense of Gods word about the same wherefore this tract about the Diuine omnipotēcy is pertinently brought agaynst them The first Consideration The first is grounded vpon the supposall of two thinges most certayne First that the Primitiue Church preaching vnto Pagans Iewes and other Infidells the rest of Christian mysteryes as the Trinity the Incarnation the Resurrection of the body did most carefully keepe as much as might be from their knowledge the mystery of the Eucharist yea Catechumens and Nouices were not before Baptisme fully taught or instructed therein Secondly the reason moouing the primitiue Church to be carefull in this point was least Catechumens Infidells being fully acquainted with the whole mystery the one shold be scandalized the other mocke therat Hence it was accounted such an heynous offence that Christians should discouer vnto Infidels or dispute about the difficultyes thereof in their presence The Councell (g) Concil Alexand. apud Athanas. Apolog. 2. of Alexandria relating the crimes of Arrians number this as one of the greatest They were not ashamed in publike and as it were vpon a scaffold to treate of the mysteryes before Catechumens and which is worse before Pagans And a little after It (h) Epist. Iulij apud Athanas Apol. 2. is not lawfull to publish the mysteryes before them that are not initiated for feare Pagans out of ignorance mocke and Catechumens entring into curiosityes be scandalized And agayne Before Catechumens which is more before Iewes Pagans blaspheming Christianity they handled a question about the body and bloud of our Sauiour And to the same purpose Saint Ambrose (i) Ambros. de myster initian c. 1. saith To declare the Mysteryes vnto them that be Catechumens is no tradition but prodition seing by such declarations danger is incurred least they be diuulged vnto Infidells that will scoffe at them This supposed I inferre that the seeming absurdities of the Catholike reall presence should encourage a true Christian mind to belieue it For a true Christian desires to belieue and firmely cleaue vnto the reall Presence that was belieued by the primitiue Church But this was a reall Presence accompanyed with many seeming grosse absurdities that the Church had no hope to satisfy Infidells therein or to keep them from blaspheming but by concealing the mystery from them and consequently they held the Catholicke not the Protestant doctrine in this point The Protestāts (k) The Minister pag. 442. lin 12. saith that Protestāts hold the elements of bread wine to remaine to be instruments of our coniunction by grace vnto God and that this is a mystery incomprehensible Answere First Protestants do not hold the elements of bread and wine to be proper instrumēts infusing grace into mans soule but that men are iustifyed by their faith onely that this Sacrament is a meere signe and seale therof Secōdly though Sacramental influence of grace into the soule be a thinge supernaturall yet no mystery of extraordinary difficulty to be belieued nor absurd vnto sense For this is no more thē that vpon our eating and drinking of bread and wine in remēbrance of Christs body broken of his blood shed on the Crosse God infuse soule-nourishing grace into the worthy receauer Now what difficulty to belieue this or what seeming absurdity therin This is no greater mystery then that vpon the washing of the body with the element of water God inwardly wash the soule with grace Wherfore seing Protestāts cā find in their Eucharist no mystery more hard seemingly absurd thē in Baptisme doubtlesse it is not the mystery of the Primitiue Church concealed frō Infidells in regard of the seeming absurdity and immanity therof vnto carnall imaginatiō whereas Baptisme was not conceaued to be of that seeming absurdity nor concealed doctrine that makes Christs body present spiritually by fayth vnto the deuout receauer that communicating thinkes sweetly of Christs passion and death contaynes no mystery to be cōcealed in respect of the seeming absurdityes yea the Fathers did not feare to declare to Catechumens this Sacrament so farre as it was commemoratiue of Christ and his passion as appeares by the treatises of Saint Augustine vpon S. Iohn made before Catechumens out of which Treatises Protestants for their meere commemoratiue Presence alleadge many sentēces to little purpose For he there explicates spirituall manducation by fayth and he excludes the grosse imagination of eating Christs body in his proper shape tearing it in pieces with the teeth but denyes not yea rather insinuates another kind of spirituall manducation not only by fayth but by reall sumption though to conceale the mystery from Catechumens he speaks not so cleerly thereof Wherfore as the Palm-tree the heauier the weight is that is layd vpon it the more it riseth vpward as it were ioying in difficultyes So a true Catholike Christian feeling in the doctrine of Transubstātiation many seeming absurdityes that presse carnall imagination to the ground groweth thereby more strong to belieue it imbracing these difficultyes as manyfest signes that this doctrine was belieued by the Primitiue Apostolicall Church On the other side the Protestants finding the Presence of Christs body by faith to be deuoyd of such difficulties may by the very lightnes thereof suspect it is not the doctrine which the Fathers concealed from
to imbrace the body without the spirit which is in that body insensible and as good as if it were not there So they that receaue vnworthily are sometymes sayd by the Fathers (m) August tract 26. in Ioan. 25. Caeteri Apostoli manducauerunt panem Dominū Iudas autē panem Domini to receyue the Sacrament without the body of Christ because though the body of Christ be really in the Sacrament they receaue yet he is there in a dead manner in regard of them as if he were not there at all because he stirres not vp heauenly affections in them nor makes them feele the workings of his grace loue Thirdly we cānot imagine the same body can be in many places togeather at the same tyme it is true but as hardly can we imagine the soule to be in the head and in the feet of a man one the same without diuision in it selfe or an Angell to be in two Townes of the Countrey wherof he is President as farre distant one from the other as Yorke from London Also who can conceaue God who is infinitely one indiuisible to be both in heauen and on earth at once Of which incomprehensible manner of presence Saint Augustine sayth (n) August ep 3. ad Volusian Miratur hoc meus humana quia non capit fortasse non credit What meruayle that imagination fayles vs to apprehend the multiplyed Presence of Christs body in the Sacrament which is spirituall Angelicall and supernaturall comparable with the diuine that S. Gregory Nissen (o) Greg. Nissen in orat de Pasch. stickes not to say Sicut Diuinitas replet mundum tamen vna est ita innumerabilibus locis offertur tamen vnum corpus est The body of Christ being glorious is for operation as swift and agill as any thought but a mans thought is so quicke that one may be by thought in two disioyned places at once for example in London at Rome Some Deuines (p) Caiet 1. p. q 52. art 2. Ferrar. 3. contra Gent. ca. 65. Marsil in 2. q. 2. ar 2. Dionys. Cister in 2. dist 6. q. 1. art 1. conclus 6. giue such agility to Angells that they can place themselues substātially where they please by a thought thinke that as their thoughts so likwise their substances are so independent of corporall state that they can be naturally in two distinct places without being in the spaces interiacent But the agility of Christs glorious body is more excellent and perfect as being supernaturall then the naturall agility of Angells yea then of thoughts why then should we make any doubt but he may be in disioyned different places at once Fourthly we find difficulty to conceaue that accidents existing separated from any substance can performe the office of substance euen to the nourishment of mans body but we should perchance find as much difficulty to belieue that of a little Kernell of an apple a great Tree may be made and nourished by the force and vigour proceeding from the same did we not see by dayly experience the same to be true That ashes may be made glasse that stones in the stomake of a Doue yron in the belly of an Ostridge be turned into flesh that of a rotten barke of a tree falling into the water should be bred produced a perfect bird to me seemes more incredible then that God should make the accidents of bread separated from their substāce to nourish mans body (*) The Minister heere laboureth to shew a difference betwixt the wonders of Nature the Miracles of the holy Eucharist which is impertinent For the Answerer doth not intend that there is the same kind of strāgenes in both but argueth That seing in Nature such incomprehensible thinges be found we ought not to deny the litterall sense of Gods Word for any difficultyes that may occurre For the dead barke of a tree may seeme to haue no more efficacy of it selfe to produce a liuing creature specially so perfect a bird as a Barnacle then haue the accidents of bread to feed breed the flesh of a liuing man yea many Philosophers teach in my iudgement conuince that in substantiall generations where no cause coequall in perfection to the effect produced is present God by the secret operation of his power supplyes the deficiency of naturall causes Why then should any man so much mislike our doctrine that in this mystery where the substance of bread is wanting God by the secret operation of his power supplyes the defect thereof seing by the opinion of many learned Philosophers his Prouidence by the like secret special working doth ordinarily dayly and hourely supply the manifold defects of substantiall secondary agents Neyther is the manner how God can doe this difficill to explicate For he may enable the quātity of bread to receaue and sustayne the working of mans nutritiue power when in that quantity there is the last accidentall disposition to the forme of flesh he can secretly produce againe materiā primā that was of the bread and combine the same with the prepared quantity the substantiall forme of flesh what reason is there why God may not do this yea do it sooner then we speake it Wherefore the seeming absurdityes of this mystery being as I haue shewed meerly imaginary and not like those agaynst the Trinity and the Incarnation wherein not so much imagination as reason findes difficulty it is the part not only of sincere Christian Fayth but also of a cleere excellent wit to contemne them not to permit wandering vnruly fancy destitute of reason to controule our beliefe about the (*) The Minister here pag. 454. rayles lustily saying That the Romists presūptuously forming Chimera's and Idols in the forge of their own deceaued brest deserue to be fed only with accidents as the birds that pecked at paynted grapes All which is both blasphemous simple for what more impious then to tearme the litterall sense of Gods word concerning the misteries of faith such as our doctrine about the same is cōfessed to be a Chimera and Idol framed in the forge of a deceaued brest What more seely then to thinke the Protestants Sacrament being a figure of Christs body in substance but bread a more substātiall food of the soule then the Catholickes which is in shape shew bread in essence substance the pretious flesh of the Sauiour Be not Protestants rather the birds that peck at the picture figure shape of their soules food Is not the soule better fed with the litterall playne substantiue sense of Gods word thē by the figuratiue comments of men literal sense of Christs words so many wayes by the grauest testimonyes of Antiquity recommended vnto vs. The third Consideration Thirdly to make Christians incline to belieue this mystery so difficill to carnall Imagination this Consideration may be very potent to wit that in belieuing the same on the one side
there may be great merit and excellent Fayth if it be a truth and on the other side though which is impossible it should be false yet in belieuing it we shall not fall into any damnable errour For although we suppose this vnpossible case yet what can be layd to our charge which we may not defend and iustify by all the rules of equity and reason If we be accused that we tooke bread to be the body of Christ adoring the same as God so committing Idolatry we may defend that both for soule and body we are innocent heerin For seing the body is not made guilty but by a guilty mind euen our body may plead not guilty seing our mind our thoughts our deuotiō were totally referred vnto Christ whom we truly apprehend by faith as veyled with the accidents of bread and so may repell the reproach of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bread-worshippers with saying Quae vouit mens est pani nil vouimus illâ Neyther did we belieue that the bread was changed into Christs body vpō slight reasons or mooued by the fancyes of our own head but contrary to our fancyes out of reuerence to the (q) The Minister here contradicting himselfe sayth that Trāsubstantiation is not inuolued in the litterall sense of Gods word And further that the same was neuer defined in Generall Councells For as the Ariās would allow no Councell to be lawfull which condemned Arius so with these mē no Councell is lawfull vpon which Iohn Caluin will not bestow his Blessing Otherwise why should not the Lateran Councell vnder Innocent the third and the second Councell of Nice celebrated aboue eight hūdred years agoe where the substātiue reall presence is defined and the figuratiue condemned be lawful general in which both the Latin and Grecian Church did concurre to define expresse wordes of Christ This is my body A sense declared by most ancient Fathers defined by many Generall Councels deliuered by full consent of our Ancestours so practised in the Church for many ages without any knowne beginning Finally confirmed with the most credible cōstant report of innumerable (r) The Minister sayth that these Miracles be but the lyes of Fryars which he proues by a iest that was rife in the mouth of Wickliffifts Est Frater Ergo mendax Answer The miracles done in proofe of the Corporall and substantiall permanent presence of Christs body in the Eucharist are related by most auncient Fathers and writers of which many whole Townes Cittyes and Countreyes haue been eye witnesses as it were madnes to questiō thē These may be read in Ioannes Garetius who hath gathered them together as also in Iudocus Coccius The Prouerbe He is Fryar Ergo a lyar is true of such Fryars as Martin Luther Bucer Peter Martyr Fryar Barnes and the like founders and pillars of the fifth Gospell And if the matter be looked into without passiō this inference Est Minister Ergo mēdax will seeme more iustifiable euen in Caluins iudgement who sayth that most of them that shew most zeale are ful of falshod fraud lying Hierom Zanchius a famous Protestāt in the Preface of his booke contra Arianum Anonymū saith of Ministers That euen they who are tearmed Pillars of the Ghospell are for the most part impudēt lying companions that out-face the truth euery way thereupon exclayming O Tempora O Mores most euidēt miracles Can a Christian belieue any point of religion vpon surer grounds And if God at the day of Iudgement will condemne none but such as liuing in this world wronged him in his honour why should Catholikes feare any hard sentence in respect of their prōpt credulity of Transubstātiation that is of Gods word takē in the playne proper sense Is it any iniury to his verity that they deny their senses correct their imaginatiōs reforme their discourses abnegate their iudgments rather then not to belieue what to them seemeth his word Is it iniury to his power to be perswaded that he can doe things incomprehēsible without number put the same body in innumerable places at once make a body occupy no place yet remayne a quantitatiue substance in it selfe Is it iniury to his charity to thinke that loue vnto men makes him vnite himselfe really and substantially with them to be as it were incarnate anew in euery particular faythfull man entring really into their bodyes to signify efficaciously his inward cōiunction by spirit vnto their soules Finally is it any iniury to his wisdome to belieue that to satisfy on the one side the will of his Father that would haue him euer in heauen sitting at his right hād on the other side the ardency of his owne affection vnto men desiring to be perpetually with them he inuented a manner how still remaining glorious in heauē he might also be continually on earth with his Church secretly not to take from them the merit of Fayth yet to affoard full satisfaction to his owne loue really by continuall personall presence and most intime coniunction with them On the other side it imports them that thinke Transubstantiation impossible or that God cannot put the same body in different places at once to consider if they erre easy it is for men to erre that with the compasse of their vnderstanding measure the power of God how dangerous inexcusable their errour will prooue when they shal be called to giue vnto their omnipotent maker a finall account particularly of this doctrine so much derogating from him Let them thinke how they will answere if God lay to their charge the neglect of that most prudent reasonable aduise which S. Chrysostome Homil. 83. in Mat. giues Let vs belieue God sayth he let vs not resist his word though the same seeme absurd vnto our cogitation sense for his speach doth surpasse our reason and sense his words cannot deceaue vs but our senses be deceaued easily and often How will they reply if they be pressed with the interrogatory which S. Cyrill l. 12. in Ioan. makes vnto such vnbelieuers If thou couldst not comprehend the diuine operation of God why didest thou not accuse the imbecillity of mans wit rather then the omnipotency of God Or how disputing proposing so many Arguments agaynst Gods power reiecting or questioning the same because they could not vnderstand it neuer called they to mynd the saying (s) August lib. 12. de Ciuit c. 11. of Saint Augustine Ecce quibus argumentis Diuinae omnipotentiae humana contradicit infirmitas quam possidet vanitas THE SEAVENTH POINT Communion (*) Note that the holy Eucharist is both a Sacrifice and a Sacrament A Sacrifice as offered vnto God for thansgiuing and remission of sinnes A Sacrament as receaued by mē for the foode sanctification of their soules It is a Sacrifice because a liuely and expresse representation of Christs bloudy Sacrifice on the Crosse. It is a Sacramēt because representing exhibiting Christ Iesus as the full and all-sufficient
these horrible doctrines your Ministry doth resolutely define The fifth Argument In this kingdome the seditious and murtherous attempts of Campian Persons Garnet c. remayne to this houre in bleeding memory Answere The memory of your cruelty towardes Fa. Campian makes Christian harts bleed that such barbarous Inhumanity should be vsed by men that beare the name of Christians You condemned him who was a man to say nothing more ciuill mild courteous and completely learned Vir suauis politissimus Cambd. Elizab. p. 209. for meeting togeather with others to plot the Q death vpon a day when they were a thousand miles asunder the one from the other as it was there proued at the Barre The Queen ashamed thereof after his condemnation would by no meanes permit his execution but you by your importunity at last forced her to yield to the murthering of this Innocent Iesuit as the Scribes Pharises wonne Pilate to deliuer vnto their bloudy pleasure our Sauiour Iesus as your owne Historiographer doth testifye Importunis precibus euicta permisit Camden Elizab. pag. 326. Out of this your Caluinian immense desire of innocent bloud you neuer ceased to vent bloudy fables and to father them vpon Father Persons but neuer was nor could any be proued agaynst him nor agaynst Father Garnet but barely the hearing in Confession of the barbarous attempt of others But suppose your Antecedēt were true about these three Iesuits how foolish is your Inference Some Iesuits haue gone about murtherous attempts Ergo The Order of the Iesuits mantayne singular opinions against Regall authority If your argument be of good Consequence then this is of necessary importance Many Ministers haue been hanged in England for most bloudy and barbarous murthers yea commonly at the Assisses euery yeare some goe to preach from the Gallowes Ergo the English Ministry holds singular opinions about the lawfulnes of murther Can you proue that one of the Society of Iesus spread ouer the world was euer executed for any such crime by some Catholicke Prince If you could how would you insult So the vanity of your fifth Argument being apparent let vs cōtemplate the solidity of your last Lastly say you Iesuits heere among vs at this day be prime Oppugners Disswaders of the Oath of Allegiance it woūdeth them to the gall that secular Priests propugne the lawfullnes therof Answer That Oath contaynes not only Temporall Allegiance which Iesuits are most willing to sweare but also the Abnegation of the Catholicke Fayth to wit of the Authority giuen vnto Peter in the Gospell deuolued by course to his successour What you say that Iesuits herein be singular that secular Priests propugne the lawfullnes of this Oath their writings their deeds their deaths testify the contrary Which slaūder they would not let passe with silence did they not know your word to be of no credit yea by their experience of your Brother they be well assured that the venting of impudent falshoods comes to you by kind The Ministers fondnes in Cauilling at the Iesuits wordes about the Temporall Soueraignity of Popes IN your third Assault you vndertake to sift winnow as the Diuell doth Gods Elect these wordes of the Iesuit I disclayme from enlarging the Popes power ouer the Temporalityes of Princes by any singular opinion of mine or more then the definitions of Councells and consent of Deuines doth force mee to hold Thus you pleade agaynst him pag. 174. Marke heere You that shall reade this A sly Foxe that would seeme a sheepe and yet his tayle bewrayes him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Though a Iesuit can couch well when neede is yet he sometymes breaketh out at vnawares Doth his Maiesty suspect or enquire whether the Iesuit hold an opinion different from his followes and personall to himselfe These wordes by any opinion of Mine implyeth the Indiuiduall only and so if he haue but a few yea any two Mariana and Bosius this may hold in Grammaticall sense Thus you thinking you haue shewed your selfe a witty Cauiller and hoping for applause you call mens eyes vpon you with Marke heere Indeed you haue played the Foxe but that foolish Foxe which as I haue heard one relate that saw it byting at an oyster that gaped the oyster closing caught him by the tongue by which tyed fast he stood a spectacle of laughter For let vs discusse the matter You say the wordes of the Iesuit By no singular opinions of mine imply the Indiuidual only Be it so what harme in that Marry the Foxes-tayle bewrayes him the Iesuit hath broken out at vnawares Into what hath he broken out Forsooth he sayth he will not enlarge the Popes power by opinions personall to himselfe Is this the Foxes-tayles whereof you cry to your Readers Marke heere Verily you deserue a flapp with a Foxe-tayle for your discouery thereof Oh but the King did not suspect the Iesuit of personall opinions in the behalfe of the Pope Are you acquaynted with the Kings secret thoughts suspitions Suppose he did not suspect what treason was it to say I will not by singular opinions enlarge Papall power Yea but this notwithstanding he may enlarge the Popes power if some few ioyne with him You that cry Marke heere do you not Marke that the Iesuit foresaw this Cauill and to preuent the same sayd by no singular opinions of Mine nor more then the definition of Councells or consent of Deuines shall force me to hold Is the opinion of Mariana and Bosius or of some few Deuines agaynst the rest the definition of Councells and the consent of Deuines Now are you not caught by the tongue What more can you say to hyde your witlesse inuiting men to note the wittines of your Cauill with Marke heere What may men Marke heere If you were in the Iesuits case you would not sticke to say Not a Foxes-tayle in my speach but an Asses-head in the Aduersaryes carping thereat But euen Popish Synods say you are not farre to seeke which haue exalted the Popes Temporall Soueraignty as farre ouer Princes as Heauen is aboue Earth How proue you this You say in the margent Bellarminus contra Barclaium enumerat sex Synodos Bellarmine numbreth six Synodes in his booke agaynst Barclay Well let him number twenty what then Doth Bellarmine say they make for the Popes Temporall Soueraignty No but that they proue the spirituall Soueraignty of Peter deuolued by course to his present Successour which not any Roman or Christian Synode but Christ Iesus himselfe exalted as high as Heauen putting all thinges whatsoeuer vpon earth vnder the same To thee I will giue the keyes of the Kingdome of heauen whatsoeuer thou shalt bind vpon earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose vpon earth shall be loosed in heauen Matth. 16. Yet agayne your feeble wit would fayne second the strength of your malice agaynst the Iesuit You say Notwithstanding this Protestation he may defend the Popes Temporall Dominion and so close in
Christians behaued thēselues towards it sayth Flecte genu lignumque Crucis venerabile adora Bow knee adore the Crosses sacred wood Origen Homil. 6. in Epist. ad Rom. So great is the power of the Crosse that if it be placed before the eyes and faythfully retayned in mind fixed vpon the death of Christ the army of sinne flesh is conquered S. Gregory called Illuminator who conuerted Armenia did as Euthim. panop part 3. tit 20. relates place wooden Images of the Crosse vpon the shrines of Martyrs bidding the multitude of people that thither resorted to giue worship vnto God by the Adoration of the Crosse. S. Procopius Martyr as doth witnes Nicephorus l. 7. c. 15. did adore a golden image of the Crosse of Christ crucifyed by it got great victoryes In the second age in the beginning wherof some of the Apostles liued Tertull. in Apol. c. 44. writing against Heathens that obiected that Christians were worshippers of the woodden image of the Crosse graunts the thing to be true defendeth the same Yea the Protestant Magdeburgians Centur. 5. c. 6. acknowledge that such Crosses of wood were then amongst Christians frequently vsed set vp in Churches S. Ignatius epist. ad Philip. doth acknowledge diuine power vertue in the image of the Crosse. It is sayth he the victorious trophey or the monument of Christs victory against the Diuell quod vbi viderit horret S. Martial Epist. ad Burdeg l. 8. exhorts Christians still to haue the Crosse before them in mente in ore in signo in mind in mouth in the image thereof this being the inuincible armour of a Christian agaynst Satan The Canons of the Apostles haue beene euer famous in the Christian Church wherof one is cited in 2. Nicen Synode which sayth Let not the faythfull be deceyued by Idolls but paint the diuine humane vnmingled image of the true God our Sauiour Iesus Christ of his seruants agaynst Pagans Iewes that so they neyther goe astray vnto Idolls nor be like the Iewes Finally that these images of Christ crucified were vsed in the Apostles time by their allowance the Iesuite proueth by the text of S. Paul to the Galathians 3.1 so cleerly as you are forced to say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not signify to depaint agaynst all Lexicons agaynst the principall Protestants that so translate yea agaynst your selfe and yet you wonder at your aduersaries wondrous weakenes THE SECOND AND THIRD POINT 2. Prayings offering Oblations to the B. Virgin Mary 3. VVorshipping Inuocation of Saints and Angells I Haue ioyned these two Controuersyes togeather hoping I might doe it with your Maiesties good liking the maine difficulty of thē both being the same to wit worship and Inuocation of Angells and Saints For I am fully perswaded that if your Maiesty did allow of Inuocation of any Saint you would neuer deny that deuotion vnto the B. Virgin mother of God Opera Regia Respons ad ep Card. Peron p. 402. whome you honour and reuerence aboue the rest though perchance you may dislike some particular formes of our prayers that seeme to giue her Tytles aboue that which is due to a creature about which I shall in the end of this discourse endeauour to giue your Maiesty satisfaction In which question I will suppose without large and particular proofe being able to prooue it by testimonyes vndeniable if need be that Worship Inuocation of Saints hath byn generally receaued in the whole Christian Church at least euer since the dayes of Constantine HEERE the Minister either out of ignorāce or rather out of desire to out-face the truth writes in this sort pag. 290. You presuppose that which notwithstanding your outfacing you will neuer be able to proue that Inuocatiō of Saints was vniuersally receaued as an article of faith This Discourse following is an addition wherin is declared that the Ancient Fathers held Inuocation of Saints as a matter of Fayth euer since the dayes of Cōstantine Thus he Wherfore aswell because the matter is important as also to take away this tergiuersation I will heere make good the Answerers word and demonstrate that al the Fathers some one way some another haue testifyed to the world that they held Inuocation of Saints as a matter of Christian fayth and Religion An eleauen Demonstrations that the Ancient Christian Church did euer hold Inuocation of Saints as a matter of Fayth and Religion § 1. TO accomplish this more cleerly and with lesse tediousnesse vnto the Reader I shal reduce the Fathers saying vnto an eleauen heads which may serue as an eleauen different arguments demonstrations of this truth The first Demonstration If the Fathers held the doctrine that Saints are to be inuocated that men are aided by their merits as certain infallible then they held it as a point of faith or a reuealed truth for on what other ground but the word of God could they pretend to hold it as certaine the same not being euident in the light of nature But the Fathers teach this doctrine as a matter certayne and infallible not to be doubted of by Christians as their words declare S Augustine (a) Augustine de cur◠pro mortuis cap. 16. Illa quaestio vires superat intelligentiae meae quemadmodum Martyres opitulentur ijs quos per eos CERTVM est adiuuari This question is beyond the reach of my knowledge how martyrs help them whome it is CERTAINE that they help And againe (*) Idem serm 244. Tunc pro nobis absque vlla dubitatione Sancti Martyres intercedunt Then WITHOVT ANY DOVBT the holy Martyrs intercede for vs when they find in vs some part of their vertues S. Ambrose (b) Ambros. ser. 91. Quid non credunt vtrum quòd à martyribus possunt aliqui visitari hoc est Christo nou credere ipse enim dixit Et maiora his facietis Not to belieue that Martyrs may visit and relieue men liuing in this world is Not to belieue in Christ seing he sayd you shall do yet greater thinges Nectarius speaking vnto Saint Theodore Martyr (c) Nectar orat in primū Sabb. sanctorum Ieiuniorum in S. Theodorum Te post mortem viuere CREDIMVS vt ergo in Christo viuis stas prope eum precibus tuis propitium eum redde famulis tuis We belieue that thou doest liue in God a life without decay or end Therefore as thou doest liue in Christ stands by him so make him by thy prayers propitious mercyfull vnto vs thy seruants What is this but to say that as certainly as Saints see God so certaine it is that they pray for vs and heare our prayers S. Gregory Nazianzen (d) Gregory Nazianzen orat 26. in patrem suum Apostolium ferè ab initio NEC DVBITO quin hoc nunc quoque magis faciat postulatione sua quā priùs doctrinâ I do NOT DOVBT but this blessed Saint in