spiritually vnderstood For it is the spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing All this hath this learned Doctour written and in many other places very amply And to the end it may not appeare that this man onely was of this opinion wee are willing to alleadge the sayings of many other holy Fathers as of S. Chrisostome speaking thus Christ hath ordained the Table of his holy Supper to the ende that in this Sacrament hee might shewe vs daily bread and wine as the similitude of his body and blood for the nature of the wine remaineth euer The like saith S. Dionisius Ireneus and Origen who haue all with one consent and accord written the very same as is to bee seene in the Booke called the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie and diuers others Moreouer wee will not conceale the Nicene Councell wherein it was decreed as followeth Wee are not bound to matters heere beneath as the bread and wine proposed on the Lords table But wee must by faith lift vp your spirits on high Considering and vnderstanding that the Lambe of God taking away the sinnes of the world is in this holy Table who is not offered in sacrifice by Priests after the maner of beasts And in taking his precious body and blood wee beleeue these are the signes of our resurrection You see heere the testimonie of many holy Fathers and Doctours of the Church who receiued this doctrine from the Apostles in this manner so truely as they are not to be gain-said The Pope and his Church THe Priest hauing an intention to consecrate saying but foure or fiue wordes leauing Enim vpon all the bread which is in the Market and vpon all the wine which is in a Sellar immediatly all the breads and and wines are conuerted and transubstantiated into the naturall body and blood of Christ So saith our learned Master Ioannes Scotus in quarto sententiarum I Gelasius Pope of Rome haue no way approoued your Transubstantiation For I will neuer vnsay that which I haue written against Eutichus and Nestorius Heretiques to wit The Sacraments of the body and blood of Iesus Christ which wee receiue are diuine things Therefore we are made partakers by them of the diuine nature and yet notwithstanding the substance of bread and wine doe not cease to be there still And surely the Image and similitude of Christs body and blood are celebrated in the action of the misteries It is then euidently shewen vnto vs what we ought to vnderstand in Iesus Christ our Lord. I Venerable Bede will neuer receiue your Transubstantiation for I will neuer reuoke that which I haue written vpon the 22. Chapter of Saint Luke namely Iesus Christ hath left the Sacraments of his flesh and blood vnder the figures of bread and wine in stead of the flesh and blood of the Lambe To the end that hee might shew himselfe to bee hee to whom our Lord had sworne and neuer would repent him Thou art the euerlasting Sacrificer I Drhumatus Monke of the holy Order of S. Benedict can no way approoue your Transubstantiation For I will neuer deny what I haue commented vpon S. Matth. to wit The wine doth cherish augment our blood for this cause is not the blood of Christ improperly figured thereby Because whatsoeuer commeth of him to vs doth cherish vs with a true and perfect ioy and increaseth all our happinesse Our Lord gaue to his Disciples the Sacrament of his body in remission of their sinnes and to preserue charitie among them To the end that keeping this act of his in their remembrance they might affixe in figure what he had done for them and neuer cast this charitie into obliuion This is my body that is to say in a Sacrament I Adrain Pope of Rome notwithstanding the ordinances of my Predecessors yet as I haue written in my fourth booke I confesse that the Church ought to know that she is not Mistresse but Minister of the Sacraments And that shee cannot institute any forme of Sacraments no more then shee can abolish any diuine Law The Apostles and Gods Church THe Disciple cannot be more perfect or wiser then his Master it is sufficient for him that he is as he is In regard wherof we will neither diminish nor ad any thing to the institution of our Lord and Master Iesus Christ whom we will onely heare and following his example as hee hath commanded vs wee will receiue and administer the holy Sacrament of his Supper vnder the two kinds of bread and wine nor dare wee doe otherwise without offering sacriledge The Councell of Basill vnderstood our Lordes will well enough when they ordained that Laye people should communicate in both kindes And S. Cyprian directly opposeth himselfe to any such contradiction of Iesus Christ affirming it to be full of sacriledge in his sermon to repentant sinners and these are his words How shall we exhort the people to spend their blood for the confession of Christ if we doe denie them his blood for whom they are to combate Or how shall we make them able to drinke of the cup of Martyrdome except wee first admit them to drinke of our Lords Cuppe Moreouer our Lord Iesus Christ and his Apostles did neuer teach or command vs to hide or keepe close the bread of the holy Supper or to cary it about hither and thither For the Church hauing beene alwayes obedient to his doctrine will neuer doe so And that full well vnderstood S. Clemens speaking thus As many Hostes as will suffise the people are to bee offered at the Altar If there shall any remaine or be left they are not to be kept vntill the morrow but by diligence of the Clerks with feare and trembling they are to bee receiued and eaten And Origen also opposeth himselfe against this superstitious vice which would haue intruded it selfe into the Church in his time hee saith Our Lord hath not ordained or appointed that the bread should bee kept vntill the morrow which hee purposed to giue to his Disciples but he sayd vnto them Take and eate Behold then how we will follow and imitate the Church of God without declining to the right hand or to the left The Pope and his Church THe Sacrament of the Altar ought to bee taken in bread and wine of the Priests onely But to Lay people it is to bee giuen vnder the kinde of bread onely Tit. de consecrat Distinct 2. Concerning them that be sicke the body of Iesus Christ ought to be caryed to them with great deuotion solemnitie and reuerence For this is the commandement of God and of his Church I Gelasius Pope of Rome doe oppose my selfe against your ordinance and will by no meanes approue it For I will neuer contradict that which I haue written in the Canon Comperimus de consecrat Distinct 2. speaking thus Wee haue vnderstood
hath taken such boldnesse vpon him as to dispense against the Gospels and destroy the holy commaundements of God and his worde which we beleeue notwithstanding shall endure for euer But he that fighteth against so strong a foundation declareth himselfe to be Gods enemie and Antechrist manifestly As after many testimonies of sacred Scriptures Saint Gregorie himselfe dooth giue vs a good aduertisement saying It is sacriledge and a foretelling of Antechrists coÌ„ming tâ— constitute an vniuersall Bishop of the whole Church For if he that nameth himselfe vniuersall doe fall the whole Church is ouerthrowne And proceeding on still to the same purpose he concludeth thus I boldly say that whosoeuer calleth himselfe vniuersall Bâ—shop or desireth to be so named is the fore-runner of Antechrist in that he preferreth himselfe in his owne pride before and aboue all other Behold now how God hath suffered that these diuelish Cautelles of the man of sinne should be made manifest euen by themselues euen those that he thought to defend couer himself withal As we could much more amply discouer as well by the testimonie of the worde of God as by the expositions of many holy Fathers of the Church But the faithfull Reader making acceptaunce of this our slender trauell may if please him haue accesse to the Fathers themselues as for his more ease we haue quoated them in the Margent The Pope and his Church OVr holy Father the Pope is instituted of God to be head and vniuersall Prince of his holie Church hauing receiued the keyes thereof with intire full and incomprehensible power to binde and loose pardon and retaine all sinnes yea in such sort and manner as there is no one that dare say to him wherefore doest thou this or that For it is an indubitable veritie yea altogether inuincible that our holy father the Pope the great successor of Saint Peter hath such power and authoritie as he may iudge the whole world but hee is not to bee censured or iudged by any person And his power is so great and admirable that he can dispense against the Gospels against the word of God and consequently against all the Apostles doctrine yea and against the right of nature As it is most amplie written and recited in the holy Decretales and in the CanoÌ„ Lector cum Glos 34. Dist Canon Presbiter cum Glos 82. Dist Apostolorum 17. Quaest 4. Canon Si quis Dist 40. Canon Si Papa Dist 26. Et eadem Canon satis cano simplici Can. Incipitis OF FREE-WILL Verely verely I say vnto you that whosoeuer committeth sinne he is the seruant of sinne Iohn 8. 34. It is God which worketh in you both the will and the deed euen of his owne good pleasure Phil. 2. 1â— Not that wee are sufficient of our selues to thinke any good thing as of our selues but all our sufficiencie is of God 2. Cor. 3. 5. The Apostles and Gods Church IN this matter wee may iustly answere as S. Hierome did writhing against Pelagius saying thus The Philosophers the Patriarches of Heretiques by peruerse doctrine haue polluted the puritie of the Church Moreouer in regard of our purposed breuitie it shall suffise vs to alleadge S. Augustine with whom do many Fathers consent in detestation of the Pelagian heresie which our aduersaries doe so boldely maintaine These are his words We cannot consent with them who by ouer great pride do labor to exalt and aduaunce a freedom of will for in their so doing they are the cause of more euil then good and they but striue to ouerthrow men But we in humilitie doe consider that which the Apostle saith It is God which worketh in vs both the will and the deed according to his owne good pleasure And we render thanks to our Lord and redeemer who without any former merits in vs hath healed our woundes and vlcers and reconciled vs to God hauing redeemed vs from captiuitie and hath brought vs out of darknesse into light and called vs from death to life The Pope and his Church WE doe constantly mainetaine and confesse a liberall and Free-will not onely in the state of innocencie but likewise in the state of corruption with sinne For it is written That God made man right and left him in the hand of his councell to doe what he would So that man being richly furnished with this noble francke and Free-will might worke of himselfe good or euill euen by his owne motion and can merit the first grace of congruitie As more amply is written and declared by our Master of the Sentences and others in their seuerall Expositions OF MARIAGE AND OF VOVVES It were good for a man not to touch a woman Neuerthelesse to auoyd fornication let euery man haue his wife and let euery woman haue her husband 1. Cor. 7. 12. Mariage is honourable among all and the bed vndefiled but Whoremongers and Adulterers God will iudge Hebrewes 13. 4. My praise shall be of thee in the great Congregation my Vowes will I performe before them that feare thee Psalm 32. 25. The Apostles and Gods Church SAINT Paul beeing a vessell of Election doth assure vs that Mariage is honorable among all and the bed vndefiled But your holy Father telleth vs the contrary to wit that Mariage cannot bee without vncleanesse and carnall filthinesse Now which of these two shall we say to be the false witnesse As for S. Paul we are very certaine that his testimonie proceeded from the spirit of God in regard whereof we will rather giue faith to him then to your holy Father although hee bee seated in Gods Temple for God and shewes himselfe as if hee were God Of whoÌ„ likewise the Apostle speaketh That in the latter times there shall some depart from the faith and shal giue heed vnto spirits of errour and doctrines of deuils Speaking lyes through hypocrisie and haue their consciences burned with an hot yron Forbidding to marry The Pope and his Church OVr Mother holy Church following our holy Father her vniuersall Head considering aduisedly that Mariage could not bee performed without vncleannesse pollution and carnall immundicitie For this cause hath iustly and holily prohibited and forbidden and so doth still forbidde Mariage to Priestes Deacons and Subdeacons for they are tyed and obliged to a vow of chastitie from which no man can free or deliuer them The Apostles and Gods Church THe Church of God did neuer learne of Iesus Christ nor of his Apostles to forbid holy and honourable Mariage to any person whatsoeuer except to such as are named in the 18. Chapter of Leuiticus Therefore we will not receiue any such doctrine of deuils For the holy Apostles were diuers of them maried and such as lawfully succeded after them according as Saint Clemens testifieth writing against them that contemned Mariage where he saith
To the end therefore that such reproch may not fall vpon vs wee rather couet to fast as the Saintes Prophets Apostles and holy Fathers of the Church haue done before vs then to decline either to the right hand or left with false seducers The Pope and his Church OVR first Father sinned thorow gurmandise or gluttonie Abstinence was enioyned him by GOD which hee hauing broken and transgressed was excluded and cursed of God Wherefore our Mother holy Church following the example of God of his sonne Iesus Christ and of his Apostles commandeth to Fast and vse abstinence vppon some certaine dayes ordained for that purpose vnder payne of sinning deadly And to the end that no one shall pleade ignorance of this holy Ordinance Shee giues it foorth publiquely to bee knowen that in these times as of Lent Vigils the foure quarterly times Frydayes and Saturdayes shee commandeth to bee kept fasting and to abstaine from meates as flesh Milke Butter and other white meates but most especially in the holy time of Lent And whosoeuer shall be so bold as to transgresse her ordinance hee shall bee reputed the childe of perdition and by all our holy Fathers shall bee excommunicated As more at large is declared and set downe in our holy Decretals and Ecclesiasticall Canons Can. Statuimus Dist 4. Canon Statui Dist 75. Et toto titulo de obseruat leiunior extr OF IMAGES Take heede vnto your selues least you forget the couenant of the Lord your God which he made with you And least yee make you any grauen Image or likenesse of anything as the Lord thy God hath charged thee For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire and a iealous God Deut. 4. 23. 24. Cursed be the man that shall make any carued or molten Image for it is an abhomination vnto the Lord. Deut. 27. 15. The Apostles and Gods Church THe Church of God hath not so slenderly profited in his Schoole but that she knoweth verie well that she ought rather to obey her GOD then men Your Romane Pope with his yonger purple Priests and others of the like condition commaundeth to honour yea to adore Images But our Lord who aloude hath deliuered himselfe to be a iealous God forbiddeth vs to make any manner of Image in semblance or similitude whatsoeuer for any respect of seruice due to him To which of these two then shal we be obedient The Prophet Dauid doth admonish that it is very daungerous to obey men rather then God saying That he scattereth the mouthes of them that are men-pleasers wee will then rather listen to our Lords voice then to the man of sinne although he haue seated himselfe in Gods Temple for God and shewing himself euen as if he were God yet being become mute and like vnto his Images hee hath quitted and resigned his office of instruction to Images hath giuen them his peculiar power to instruct such are ignorant tearming them to be Lay-mens bookes But we ioyning with the royal Psalmist doe say Confounded bee all they that serue grauen Images and glorie in Idols They that make them are like vnto them so are all that trust in them The Pope and his Church THe great and soueraigne high Priest of Rome hath so well ordained in his Church as well for the learned as the ignorant as there remayneth nothing to be further ordered To such as are Clearks and of knowledge he hath permitted to reade and exercise themselues in bookes But for the ignorāt vnlearned that are not able to vnderstand spirituall matters hee of his benigne grace hath permitted to studie and practise their saluation by Images painted and carued which is a matter verie easie for them to doe Wherefore according to his holy ordinance it is commaunded that all kinds of Images and representations shall be erected and placed in Christian Temples and Churches which it shall not be amisse for the people to honor cloath with garments and set lights before yea and to giue them all humble reuerence in honour of those Saints that they doe represent As it is better and more diuinely declared in the holy Decretalls and Canons and especially In Can. Perlatum Can. Imagines de consecrat Dist 2. The Apostles and Gods Church YOur holy Father the Pope would haue you to bee taught and instructed by those dead Images But we haue God and his Prophets that make answer for vs saying What profiteth the Image For the maker thereof hath made it an Image and a teacher of lyes though hee that made it trust therein when he maketh dumbe Idoles Woe be vnto him that saith to the Wood Awake and to the dumbe stone Rise vp shall it teach thee And Hieromie saith In this point onely they doate and are foolish for the stocke is a doctrine of vanitie What is he then that would be instructed by such maisters As concerning the second Nicene Councell which was in the time of Charlemaigne we confesse that Sathan sate there among them and being the head of such an assemblie hee made his members answerable to himselfe To whom verie aptly may be applyed that saying of Saint Paul When they professed themselues to be wise they became fooles For they turned the glorie of the incorruptible God to the similitude of the Image of a corruptible man And the truth of God vnto a lie and worshipped and serued the creature forsaking the Creator The Pope and his Church IN our former recited Canons is declared how a Bishop of Marseilles having broken downe and defaced the Images in his Dioces was therefore most iustly reprooued and controlled by our holy Father because he durst transgresse against his holy ordinance Moreouer we will not hide in secret or conceale in silence the second Nicene Councell accomplished in the time of the most Christian Prince Charlemaigne assembled by commandement of Irene Gouernor of the Empire who ordained and decreed That not onely it was good and profitable for Christians to haue Images in their Temples but also that they ought to honour and adore them with all reuerence And to the ende that it may bee more perfectly knowne what fruit and goodnesse was gathered by that holy Councell as also that the vertue and authoritie there of may the morefully bee vnderstoode we are willing in large and ample manner to recite the testimonies sentences and opinions alledged by the holy Bishops and Doctors assembled in that Councell According as more at large is contained in the Booke of Charlemaignes refutation First of all Iohn Ambassadour of the East Churches speaketh thus God hath created man after his owne Image Ergo we ought to haue Images For it is written shew me thy face for it is faire and louely An other Bishop saith No man lighteth a Candle to hide it vnder a bushell Ergo Images ought to be had An other Doctour saith Lord the brightnes of
this Shot and Powder against the Pope by way of Antithesis or comparison in opposition for better distinguishing the right of either part And because in iustice the Apostles doe deserue the cheefe and eminent place wee preferre them to lead the way in euery cause and then the Pope followes with his allegations vprightly and without any partialtie Commend both me and this worke to God in thy praiers and desire his blessing on it for generall benefit From Egypt neere the red Sea this yeere of grace 1608. Attending the yeerre 666. against Babylon Sentences extracted out of the sacred Scriptures which are especially to be noted for more iustly iudging the cause on both parties HE that refuseth mee and receiueth not my wordes hath one that iudgeth him the word the I haue spoken it shall iudge him in the last day Though that wee or an Angel from heauen preache vnto you otherwise then that which we haue preached vnto you let him be accursed Receiue with meekenesse the word that is grafted in you which is able to saue your soules Striue not about wordes which is to no profit but to the peruerting of the hearers Stay also prophane and vaine babling Put away foolish and vnlearned questions knowing that they ingender strifes You shall put nothing vnto the word which I haue commanded you neither shall you take ought there from You shall not do after all these things that we do heare this day that is euery man whatsoeuer seemeth him good in his owne eyes Whatsoeuer I command you take heed you do it thou shalt put nothing thereto nor take ought therefrom The Prophet that shall presume to speake a word in my name which I haue not commanded him to speake or that speaketh in the name of other Gods euen the same Prophet shall die Walke not in the ordinances of your Fathers neither obserue their manners nor defile your selues with their Idols I am the Lord your God walke in my statutes and keepe my iudgements and doe them There is a way that seemeth right to man but the issues thereof are the wayes of death The way of a foole is right in his owne eyes but hee that heareth councell is wise Other notable and important Sentences collected out of the holy doctours and auncient Fathers of the Church which doe both admonish and instruct all men of sound iudgement and vnderstanding how to censure in the cause betweene these parties as also which of them ought to be embraced and defended as the infallible best and most certaine testimonie before God Saint Hierome vpon the Prophet Micheas Chap. 7. Tom. 6. CHrist is the head of all men and Christ is head of the Church They that are reputed to be in his house that is to say in the Church fall out often times to be his enemies And though they part not from the head yet they will speake ill of their head because both without the Master and without the Lords grace they dare promise in their owne iudgement knowledge of the Scriptures Whereas indeed they are but only puft vp vnderstanding nothing but doe languish about questions contentions and strifes of words who if they bee truely in the house are yet meere enemies to truth and the house S. Cyprian ad Magnum Lib. 1. Epist 6. THis ought to be admired yea and greiued at with an holy indignation that Christans should giue assistance to Antichrists and that preuaricatours and betrayers of the Church should hold firme abiding in the Church against the Church S. Chrysostome vpon S. Matth. Chap. 24 Hom. 49. ALl heresies are the army or band of Antichrist especially those that get place in the Church and presumeth to be in the holy place where it would seeme to bee held in reckoning as if it were the word of truth But it is the abhomination of desolation euen the battalion of Antichrist which hath yeelded vp the soules of many men very desolate of God S. Hierome agaiust Pelagius VVIse Phylosophers Patriarckes of Heretiques haue polluted the puritie of the Church by peruerse doctrine S. Chrysostome in his imperfect worke on S. Matth. Cap. 23. IT is a matter behoouefull that the people should goe to all Doctors and teachers and enquire of them where pure truth is to be had and where it is corrupted For it is not prohibited to know that which all men do confesse and to elect the best And the Apostle saith Try all things and keepe that which is good S. Hierome his Prediction accomplished in our time as it is written in his sixt Tome on the Prophecie of Nahum Chap. 3. vpon these words O King of Assur thy shepheards do sleepe AT the comming of Iesus Christ and of the word of God and in the comming of Niniuies consummation heeretofore the faire strompet the people shall arise and walke that before had slept vnder their Masters And they shall goe to the Mountaines of the Scriptures and there they shall finde the hilles to wit Moses and Iosua the sonne of Nun. The hilles which are the Prophets the mountaines of the new Testament namely the Apostles and the Euangelists And when they shall bee fled to such hilles and haue conuersed in reading with such maner of hilles there will bee found none to teach for the haruest truely is great and the labourers very few in number then shall their studie bee praysed because they fled vnto the hilles And the sloth and ignorance of the other Masters shall be repooued The same S. Hierome on the 86. Psal Tome 8. ALthough any one should be holy after the Apostles albeit he should be learned yet hath he no authoritie because that the Lord is declared in the Scriptures of the people and of Princes that haue been and not by that which is in themselues The same vpon Ieremie Chap. 6. Tome 9 THe errour of our Fore-fathers nor of the greatest is to bee followed but the authoritie of the Scriptures ought to be followed and the commandements of God which only do instruct The same on the Prophet Micheas Chap. 6. Tome 6. TRueth begetteth pouertie and lying engendereth riches The seuerall Arguments handled in this small Volume Of the Lords Supper Of one only Mediatour Of Purgatorie Of Confession Of the Church Of Freewill Of Mariage and of Vowes Of Fasting and of Meates Of Images A Declaration of the great graces vertues and properties of the Masse which being well considered on is much more woorth then an vnualuable treasure The Sentence of interruption or stay of proceeding betweene both sides An Antithesis of Gods Commandements and the Popes The Approbation of the Popes Commandements against God and his holy word The Generation of Antichrist the Desolator and Sonne of the Deuill The Baptisme of Antichrist c. OF THE LORDS SVPPER Iesus Christ Iudge and PRESIDENT Where two or three are gathered
together in my Name there am I in the midst of them Matth. 18. 20. And as they did eate Iesus tooke the bread and when hee had giuen thankes hee brake it and gaue it to his Disciples and sayd Take eate this is my body Also hee tooke the Cup and when hee had giuen thanks he gaue it them saying Drinke yee all of it For this is my blood of the New Testament that is shed for many for the remission of sinnes Matth. 26. Mark 14. Luke 22. The APOSTLES of our LORD IESVS CHRIST and his CHVRCH AS our Lord IESVS hath done so will we doe without altering any thing of his holy Institution For the Disciples are not wiser then their Master Wherefore as we haue receiued the holy Supper of our Lord euen so doe we beleeue and teach and in the selfe-same manner will wee receiue and administer the same As for your Masse it is vnknowne to vs because it is your Sacrament and sacrifice and not that which was instituted by our Lord. For wee are well assured that Iesus Christ hath consecrated for euer them that are sanctified by one sole sacrifice and onely oblation of his body The Pope and his Church Ovr holy Masse is the same Sacrament which is one Sacrifice for the redemption of the liuing and the dead For of all sacrifices this is the best and most excellent wherein at the voyce of the Priest heauen openeth and thence Iesus Christ with his Angels descendeth downe who are all there assistant The Apostles and Gods Church OVr Lord Iesus hath long since admonished vs not to listen vnto such as say Behold here is Christ and there is Christ And although an Angel from heauen should proclaime your newly forged Transubstantion to vs we would hold him for accursed For by faith truely and onely do we eate the bodie of Iesus Christ and drinke his blood in spirit which quickeneth for the flesh profiteth nothing Thus do we receiue these words of our Lord which hee hath said to be spirit and life The Pope and his Church IT ought to bee beleeued vpon paine of euerlasting damnation that very suddenly the bread and wine are transubstantiated and conuerted into the true body naturall and precious blood of Iesus Christ euen as great as grosse and as large as it was in the wombe of his mother and on the Crosse The holy Doctors and Fathers of Gods Church S. Augustine Ambrose Hierome Chrysostome Epiphanius Cyprian Ireneus Origen Hillarius Athanasius Tertulian and many others The Lords Signeurs and masters of the Popes Church Gratian with his Decretals Gregorie with his Decretals the graund master of the Sentences S. Thomas of Aquine Iohn Bonaduenture Raymondus Petrus Comestor Iohannes Scotus and many others The Apostles and Gods Church AS the holy Apostles did receiue it from our Lord Iesus Christ Euen so haue they deliuered it vnto vs. Wherefore we will not demolish or cast downe their building wee are ignorant of your Transubstantiation being certaine that ignorance thereof is knowledge agreeable vnto GOD. Nor haue wee any want of testimonie concerning the Apostles doctrine which the Doctours of the Church receiued from them as is easily discerned by that which they haue written Saint Augustine an ancient and faithfull Doctour both vnderstood beleeued this holy Sacrament as you may perceiue by his owne Exposition speaking thus I can interprete that this commandement consisteth in a signe for our Lord made no difficultie in his saying This is my body when he gaue the signe of his bodie He instructeth these things to be sayd euen as he spake by figure in signe by signification For the thing which is signified of Custome is to be called by the name of the thing signified Saint Ambrose also saith Thou receiuest the Sacrament for the similitude of the flesh and of the blood of Christ But thou obtainest the grace of his true nature and by receiuing the bread in this kinde thou doest participate of his diuine substance And euen as in Baptisme thou hast receaued the similitude of death in like manner doest thou drinke in the Sacrament the similitude of the precious blood of Christ Saint Hierome saith Like as Melchisedech the soueraigne Sacrificer of God performed in the figure hereof offering the bread and wine euen so Iesus Christ representeth the veritie of his body and of his blood The Pope and his Church ANd such is the alteration that the bread is no longer bread nor is the wine any longer wine or do containe any thing of their owne nature For they are really conuerted into the substance of the natural bodie of Iesus Christ As more amply and diuinely is written in our holy Decretals and Canons and specially by the venerable Father S. Thomas of Aquine In tertia parte summae in quarto sententiarum Toto titu de Celebrat Missar extra Et de concrat Distin 2. Et in Clement de reliq venerat Sanct. And in many other places I Thomas of Aquine am constrained to speake this trueth as I haue written in my Summe pars 3. in the 46. addition Article 6. in this maner Because that the Church is founded vpon Faith and the Sacraments it appertaineth not to the masters of the Church to make any newe Articles of Faith or create any new Sacraments or remooue or take away them that are made For therein is the excellencie and power which appertaineth onely to Iesus Christ who is the foundation of the Church The Apostles and Gods Church D OVR Lord Iesus Christ did neuer teach vs any such fables but flatly hath forbidden vs to giue any credite to them And S. Augustine well instructed in Gods owne Schoole Saith Vntill such time as the world shal be finished our Lord Iesus shall continually remaine aboue but his trueth abideth heere with vs. For it behoueth that the body wherewith he is risen should be in a certaine place but his trueth is euery where spread abroad For wee must not imagine that Iesus Christ is euery where dispersed according to the forme and substance of his body And wee ought in such sort to maintaine his diuinitie that we doe not destroy his humane nature It ensueth not therefore that all that is in God is God For to take and eate his very body may seem that he commanded a thing vnlawfull or an offence It is then by a figure commanded vs how to communicate in the Passion of our Lord and louingly and profitably to preserue in our memorie that his flesh was wounded and crucified for vs And the wordes of Iesus Christ are spirit and life as if he should say vnderstand spiritually what I haue said vnto you You shall not eate this bodie which you behold nor shall you drinke the blood which shall be shed by them that must crucifie me I haue commanded you a Sacrament
that there are some who receiuing onely the body of our Lord doe abstaine from the Chalice wherein because they sinne through superstition they ought to receiue the Sacraments together or else to bee reiected from them quite For the diuision of so great a mysterie cannot be committed without notorious sacriledge The Apostles and Gods Church IN regard that wormes Mice Spiders and other creatures may and doe eate your Transubstantiated bread which being kept ouer long corrupteth and putrifieth of it selfe hereby it may be manifestly knowne that the signe of the Sacrament is not the thing signified thereby that is to say That the bread which is a signe as hath bin sufficiently proued already according as our Lord hath willed cannot thus be conuerted or transubstātiated into his natural body For it were a great fearefull blasphemie to say that the body of Iesus Christ should bee subiect to putrifaction corruption or the teeth of brute beasts Hence would ensue that Christ should bee lesse sufficient and more inferiour in power and vertue then were the Gods and Idols of the Gentiles For they defended themselues and spake by the cunning of him who thorowe Gods iust iudgement did hoodwinke and blinde the poore credulous world raysing beleife of such a transubstantiation after hee had once newly forged it in his owne shop Now the Church of God being instructed by the sanctified spirit beleeueth much more wisely namely That Iesus Christ is risen from the dead being no more subiected to death For he is glorified immortall and incorruptible sitting now at the right hand of God his Father from whence hee will not descend vntill such time as hee shall come to iudge both quicke and dead and render to euery one according to his workes Then will hee punish most grieuously these correcters and falsifiers of his word that haue changed and ouerturned the institution forme and true manner of his Sacraments And hee will iudge the horrible slaunder of our aduersaries who doe vniustly accuse vs to doubt of Gods power and deny that he cannot conuert the bread into the body of his sonne Iesus Christ But in this Article and difference of the Supper we pretend no disputation of Gods power which wee beleeue and confesse to be infinite and incomprehensible For heerein onely lyeth our controuersie that the will of God is such according to the testimonie of his owne holy word By the which we prooue clearly that we doe receiue and eate by faith and spiritually the very body and precious blood of Iesus Christ This confession is incorruptible not subiect to wormes Mice Spiders or to bee burned in the fire which being eternall is prepared for all them that shall breath foorth such blasphemies against our Lord and Master Iesus Christ The Pope and his Church OVr holy Father the Pope supreame head and President in the Councell of Orleance hath ordained and decreed as it is written in the fift Chapter to be seene That if the bodie of Iesus Christ be receiued and vomited by a sicke bodie If by humane frailty no person can be found that will licke vp and receiue the same againe I meane the same body of Iesus Christ so disgorged That then that body of our Lord is to bee burned and the ashes thereof put among the Reliques Also if the body of Iesus Christ bee lost or rotten by ouer-bad smell or age it shall be burned and the ashes layd vpon the Altar Moreouer if the body of Iesus Christ by the eating of Mice or Spiders do become much lessened impaired or gnawed by byting or if the very worme be found in it It shall bee burned But if there doe remaine any part of Christs body which is not gnawen or much out of order it is more safely done to take and eate that Neuerthelesse if it be greatly gnawen rotten and impaired by some vermine or putrifaction It shall incontinently be burned and the sacred ashes shall be reuerently put and kept among the Reliques Such is our holy ordinance which we will haue to be obserued vpon paine of Excommunication As most amply wee haue ordained and decreed in the sayd Councell and caused to be written vnder the title of Consecration the second distinction And yet much more clearely in the Cautells of our holy Masse OF ONE ONELY MEDIATOVR There is one MEDIATOVR between God and man which is the man CHRIST IESVS 1. Tim. 2. 5. Wee haue one Aduocate with the Father IESVS CHRIST the iust And he is the reconciliation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world 1. Iohn 1. 2. The Apostles and Gods Church THat is not the Church of God which beside both reproouing changing his word cannot so content it selfe but also disalloweth the sufficiencie of one onely Aduocate and Mediatour sole God and searcher of all hearts For the Apostles and the whole Church after them did reiect all other Aduocates and Mediatours contenting themselues with Iesus Christ onely who prayeth for vs as most euidently is testified vnto vs in the Scriptures and is likewise to be seene in the writings of the Doctours and Fathers of the Church And because we are to handle this point somewhat briefly Saint Ambrose deliuering the word for the whole Church speaketh thus There hath beene a miserable custome in saying that men might goe of and by themselues to God euen as by Earles and Princes they can make way to Kings Is there any man so mad or forgetfull of his owne saluation to attribute a Kings honour to a Prince or an Earle Why we see that if any man should dare but to speak this of his own King of good right hee ought to bee condemned as guilty of treason Shall not they then be held for much more faultie as dare attribute the honour of Gods name to creatures And in leauing our Lord shall honour such as are but seruantes with themselues Though men in Kings Courts are in more eminent place then others yet in the King of Kings Court the greatest meanest are all but seruantes and the poorest as soone heard as the proudest and sooner too For this cause men gaine accesse to a King by meanes of Princes and Lords because the king himselfe is but a man and knowes not otherwise how to deale in matters faithfully concerning his common-wealth But to gaine the fauour of God from whom nothing can be hidden because he knowes the hearts of all men their works wants or whatsoeuer There needs no other fauourite to present our supplication by but only an humble contrite and repentant heart These are the wordes of this worthy Father With him do consent many other Doctours of the Church affirming it to bee blasphemie and sacriledge to haue any other Aduocate Mediatour or Intercessour but Iesus Christ onely If any man shall make doubt hereof let him read what is learnedly written by diuers to
this purpose especially by S. Chrâ—sostome and S. Augustine who doe manifestly speake thus Although wee are full of all euils poore and miserable sinners yet notwithstanding we haue no need of any Patrons or Aduocates but onely Iesus Christ by whom our prayers are agreeable before God S. Augustine teacheth vs to honour the Saints as creatures and vessels of honour without attributing any thing else to them in matters that appertaine to God onely he saith We ought by no meanes to direct our prayers to the Saints which are in heauen because they can bee no searchers of our hearts neither haue they any knowledge of our necessities For it is impossible that they should in any thing bee helpfull to the liuing when they know nothing that is done in this life Consequently them we say that we ought not to dedicate Temples Altars or other things to Saints for we cannot be made happy or blessed by them Then the summe of all is that as we haue but one onely euerliuing God who will not giue his glory vnto any other Euen so wee haue but one onely Sauiour Mediatour and Aduocate Iesus Christ by whom and in whom we beg and haue all things which are needfull for vs. The Pope and his Church IT is ordained and decreed by the great high Bishop Head of our holy Mother the Church that not only Iesus Christ is our Mediatour But likewise the blessed Virgin Marie and all the Saints that are in heauen In regard whereof we ought to pray and inuoke their helpe in our wants and necessities as our Mediatours and Intercessours betweene God and vs. For by their prayers and merites we shall obtaine heauen Hee that hath any affaires towardes a Prince prepareth himselfe first to some person of his house to deliuer the message for him because by himselfe alone he cannot be heard Euen so the blessed Virgin Marie our Aduocate and all the Saints of heauen doe cary our petitions to God and humbly intreat him for our necessities and God doth neuer refuse the Saints for their merites are of great vertue and efficacie For in so doing we can neuer faile As it is written in the title De reliquis venerat Sanctor And in many other places of the holy right Canon And especially the prayer of my Lord S. Claude is very singuler and acceptable to God after the holy prayers of the blessed Virgin Marie our principall Aduocatesse I Iohn Gerson will neuer gain-say that which I haue written in my first part of the Examination of doctrines speaking thus The first truth should bee so firme that any simple man not authorised may bee thereby so excellently instructed in holy Letters That a man ought rather to beleeue in his assertion in the cause of instruction then in the doctrine of the Pope For it appeareth that a man ought rather to beleeue the Gospell then the Pope If then such a man doe teach some veritie to be contained in the Gospell concerning whether the Pope doth or may greatly erre it is manifest whose iudgement ought to be preferred And if it happened that a generall Councell should be celebrated and such a man so well instructed should be present there among them If it should chaunce that either through malice or ignorance the greater part should decline and be opposite against the Gospell Such a Laye man might oppose himselfe against the said generall Councell This is also prooued by the Canon Pudenda 24. Quest 1. And in the Canon Si Papa Distinct 40. OF PVRGATORIE Verely verely I say vnto you he that heareth my word and beleueth in him that sent mee hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life Iohn 5. 24. Wee haue deliuerance through his blood that is forgiuenesse of sinnes Hauing reconciled all things vnto himselfe and to set at peace through the blood of his Crosse both the things in earth and the things in heauen Coloss 1. 14. 20. God hath sent his Sonne to bee a satisfaction for our sinnes 1. Iohn 4. 10. To him that loued vs and hath washed vs from our sins in his blood c. Apoc. 1. 5. The Apostles and Gods Church THE true and faithfull Church of Iesus Christ knoweth and vnderstandeth his word And it yeeldeth no other testemonie but of two wayes onely heauen and hell Whosoeuer therefore shall inuent any other beside shall neuer enter into the others happinesse For no other Purgatorie do we beleeue and confesse then the onely and most precious blood of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ who in himselfe hath made a full purgatition of our sinnes and by his blood we haue deliuerance and absolute remission of them For he that loued vs hath washed and made vs cleane from all being sent from God his Father to be the satisfaction for all our sinnes Concerning that which S. Paul saith That euery mans worke shall bee reuealed by the fire This fire is very falsely vnderstood to bee Purgatorie For the Apostle speaketh in that place of the fire of tribulation of the Crosse and persecutions in this world whereby our Lord examineth and tryeth who are is And that it is so S. Augustine hath faithfully expounded this passage in many places saying Some doe beleeue that all those which haue not forsaken the name of Christ and haue beene baptised in his Church and haue not beene cut off from it by some schisme or heresie that in whatsoeuer sinnes they haue liued and haue not defaced them by repentance or redeemed them by almes deeds But haue continued in them vsually euen to the last day of their life They shall be saued by fire Howbeit according to the greatnesse of their sinnes the fire shall be but diuturnall and not eternall But me thinkes they which do so beleeue and yet are Catholiques are deceiued by humane beneuolence For if we doe enquire for such matter of the deuine Scriptures they make no other answere but Christs death onely and the shedding of his most precious blood You heare now what this holy Father saith that they which beleeue a Purgatorie being forged against the word of God are meerely deceiued by the conceit of humane beneuolence The Pope and his Church OVr Mother holy Church doth make no doubt at all but that there is a Purgatory fire burning for times and limitation which purgeth and extenuateth those sinnes the guilt whereof is forgiuen but not the paine or penaltie Let euery one bee therefore perswaded that the sacred Scriptures doe render vs good testimonie of foure places to wit Heauen Hell Purgatorie and the Limboes And whosoeuer doth not beleeue these 4. places he shall not escape because he hath been foretold of them And holy Saint Paul the great witnesse of this veritie was not willing to conceale such a secret from vs for he saith That the fire shall approoue the
works of euery one and that they shall be saued by fire I Raymondus Preacher of the Papall Church will not oppose my selfe against the faith of Purgatorie Neuerthelesse I firmely do beleeue and without any doubt that God doth not vse to pardon sinnes by halfes But by his grace he either pardons all or none at all I doe not speake this as of my selfe for it is written and approued by the holy Canons according to the testimonie of the glosse on the Chap. Maiores causas de Baptismo eius effectu extra Where it is said that the great goodnes of God doth not pardon a part or moitie For when a man commeth to God with sighes and teares hee forgiueth all or els nothing The Apostles and Gods Church WE read that Sathan being come to tempt Christ in the wildernesse hee proposed testimonies to him out of holy Scripture expounding them falsely onely to deceiue him But hee that could answere him so well hath taught vs also to answere in his name and to render a reason of our Faith to all such as shall question vs therein Wherefore we say that that place in S. Matthew of the Prisoner if he will not agree with his aduersarie is vnderstood of the reconciliation and agreement that ought to be between such as are in strifes of Law and such like variances And so is it expounded by diuers holy Doctors without making any mention at all of Purgatorie As namely S. Ambrose Chrysostome Hyllarius and Theophylact. Touching that text which speaketh of the sinne against the holy Ghost S. Chrisostome in his Exposition thereof speaketh thus Because this sinne can not be said to be veniall in you therefore it shal be punished greiuously in you both in this life and that which is to come It is very friuolously done then to fordge a Purgatorie out of this testimonie which speaketh onely of the remission of the fault and not of the paine And your Purgatory is so much the rather inuented for the paine onely As for the Bookes of the Macchabees they are not authenticall nor receiued in the Hebrew Canon For they are numbred with the Apocripha As S. Augustine Hierome Gregory with the Councell of Laodicea who doe all confesse those Bookes not to bee authenticall neither haue they any authoritie to prooue any thing by that is in controuersie Moreouer if wee looke well into the sacred Scriptures it is very easie to be found that the fire of Purgatorie was first of all forged in the diuels Shop and he hath stretcht it out to the vttermost onely to annihilate the soueraigne vertue and merite of Christs most precious blood The Pope and his Church WE haue three euident witnesses in the Scripture that doe make the fire of Purgatorie most certaine to vs. The first is where it is written of the prisoner who not beeing accorded and agreed with his aduersarie should neuer be suffered to depart out of prison vntill he had fully satisfied and payd the vtmost farthing Which cannot otherwise be vnderstood but onely of the prison of Purgatory wherein full satisfaction is to be made before any parting thence will be permited Moreouer the sinne against the holy Ghost is neuer pardoned in this worlde nor in the worlde to come Ergo it followeth that some sinne is to be pardoned in the other world Lastly the authenticall booke of the Macchabees doth say that it is an holy and wholesome thing to pray for the dead to the ende that they may bee deliuered from their sinnes Behold here how Purgatorie is diuinely approued and by long and auncient Custome receiued into our Mother holy Church Wherefore all these being well considered there is not any doubt to be made thereof But rather wee ought to pay vnto God that hee would saue vs by this holy fire of Purgatorie Out of which we shall be very soone deliuered by the celebration of Masses Anniuersaries Oblations Vigils Commendations Prayers and Almes deeds Amen The Apostles and Gods Church K WE wil yet further testifie our former speeches by the Expositions of many ancient Doctours and Fathers that neither confesse or make any mention of this Purgatorie fire but haue written and taught the contrary Especially Saint Augustine writing to Macedonius Epist 54. These are his words There is no other place for correction of manners but in this life For after it is ended euery one shall receiue what he hath purchased in this worlde there the mercy of God remaineth for them that haue bin heere repentant But in the world to come penitence doth profite nothing at all And in the 13. Booke of the Citie of God and 9. Chapter he writeth thus The soules of the good being seuered from their bodyes are in rest and no other doubt is to be made thereof But the soules of the wicked are punished vntill such time as their bodies shall bee raysed and then the good shall goe to life eternall and the others to euerlasting death S. Cyprian was not of any contrary opinion for hee speakes thus Wee are not to thinke that the death of the wicked should be of like forme and condition to that of the good The good are called to rest and comfort the vniust to paines and grieuous torments On a sudden is saftie giuen to the faithfull and torments to the vnbelieuers Moreouer these holy Doctours and Fathers S. Ambrose Hierome and Chrysostome doe contradict not any point of their precedent opinions but are all of the same consent with Epiphanius speaking thus It is neither Fasting nor Almes penitence nor iustice good or euill that after death doth hurt or helpe For then there is no further place for repentance nor any more effects of satisfaction Behold then what the faithfull Church doth beleeue with her learned Doctours and Fathers To hold worthlesse their iudgement it were impious and shamefull or to condemne and curse them for Heretiques Is not this then honor done to Saints when thus wee remember to imitate their example To conclude then the Councell held at Toledo can testifie if we doe ill in reiecting prayers for the dead For it was there forbidden as vnprofitable and fruitlessely inuented The Pope and his Church with the Councell of Toledo NOtwithstanding all that which hath been sayde before wee hauing assembled our selues at the Councell of Toledo haue ordained and decreed this present ordinance which wee will haue to be firmely kept and established for euer as followeth We command that such as depart out of this life by the diuine vocation shal be caryed to the earth with Psalmes sung before them and other Songs of the Singers For wee doe altogether forbidde those prayers at Funerals which were wont to be comonly sung for the dead It shall therefore suffice that you giue to the dead bodyes of Christians the seruice of diuine Songs in hope of their resurrection This is written in the 3. 22.
and 23. Chapters of the sayd Councell of Toledo And likewise standes allowed in the Decretals of Gratian. I Panormitanus Cardinall of Rome will not oppose my selfe against the Papale Ordinanees Neuerthelesse in matters that doe concerne Faith the saying of a Laye man ought to bee preferred both with the Popes saying and before it If it be more probable and by better authoritie both of the old and new Testament it then goes beyond the Popes opinion and iudgement According as I haue written vpon the Chapter Significasti extra de elect And as in other places and Canons the very same is to be seene OF CONFESSION VNTO GOD ONELY I haue acknowledged my sin vnto thee and haue not hid mine iniquitie I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto thee Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne Psal 32. 5. Against thee onely haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight Psal 51. 4. O God be mercifull to me a sinner This man departed to his house iustified Luke 18. 13. 14. The Apostles and Gods Church THE holy Scripture teacheth vs very euidently that for a man to confesse his sinne to man is not any way necessarie and consequently that such kinde of confession is meerely inuented ouer and aboue Gods commandement To whom onely our sinnes ought to bee confessed because against him onely and his holy commandements we haue offended S. Iames saith Acknowledge your faultes one to another But how not to the Popes Priests they are not called by the name of one another They that are not wilfully blinded may well perceiue that Saint Iames in that place speaketh of reconcilation with our neighbour As Saint Paul in like maner well vnderstood the same saying Forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any man haue a quarrell to another Euen as Christ forgaue you euen so doe yee Moreouer we are not ignorant that Auricular confession being only brought in by men without any warrant out of Gods word was put in vse at Constantinople vntill such time as it gaue occasion of committing whoredome which made it to be abolished And afterward it was renewed againe by Nectarius Bishop of the same place Likewise the Hystories doe declare before Pope Innocent the third no body was bound to confesse in the eare of a Priest Therefore without building vppon mens inuentions we will make no Confession of our sinnes but vnto God onely For the Apostles and the whole Church after them did neuer doe any otherwise as many holy Doctours doe render sounde testemonie Especily Saint Augustine speaking thus What haue I then to doe with men that they should heare my confessions as if they could helpe mee of my afflictions It is a curious case to know another mans life and be carelesse in correcting our owne Wherefore should they demaund to know what I am when they will not bee willing to heare what they are themselues Saint Chrysostome likewise was not forgetfull to aduertise vs herein verie amply to the ende that wee should not subiect our consciences vnto such a seruitude as God himselfe would neuer haue vs bound in and thus speakes he Confesse thy sinnes to the ende that thou maist deface them If thou be confounded or ashamed to tell an other man that thou hast sinned tell it dayly then to thine owne soule I doe not say that thou shouldest confesse to a seruant like vnto thy selfe that so he may reproch thee but tell them to God onely that onely can helpe them It sufficeth that God alone sees and heares thee I would not haue thee confesse thy sinnes to a man who afterward may disgrace and defame thee by publishing thy faultes But shewe thy woundes and soares to God who is the onely good Phisition You see what these good Fathers haue taught vs yeelding themselues obedient and conformable to the doctrine of the Apostles whome onely and none else beside them will we beleeue allowe or imitate For they haue giuen vs the worde of God holily and purely which being no way imperfect enstructeth vs suificiently in all things necessarie for our saluation Therefore all men else bee they neuer so holy or wise Nay were they Angels of heauen they can declare nor command vs any thing but what is diuinely written in the authenticall Bookes of the holy Prophets and Apostles The Pope and his Church OVr holy father the Pope enioyneth and commandeth it to euery one beeing of yeares and discretion to confesse himselfe to God and to man Priest his Lieutenant all his secret and manifest sinnes with good deuotion repentance and contrition and that at the least once a yeare Otherwise our said holy father declareth thē all to be heretiques verie pernicious wholy rebellious and disobedient to this his present ordinance For hereby he hath reserued to his holy and Apostolicall seate diuers great and enormous sinnes and knoweth and absolueth them by his sole authoritie and power more then all other Bishops can doe And to those Bishops hee hath reserued and giuen more might to know discerne and absolue sinnes then to other simple priestes who are much lesse in authoritie and potencie then the Bishops are As more amplie is contained and recited in the holy Canons and decrees but especially in the Chapter Omnis vtriusque sexus de poenitentia remissione extra Moreouer euery Bishop and Curate ought to constraine and compell euerie one euerie yeare at Easter at the least throughout their Diocesses and Parishes to present themselues before them or their Lieutenants and vicars to make a full intire and generall confession of all their sinnes secret and manifest And then are they to enioyne them such penance and satisfaction as they shall thinke meet to be expedient and necessarie for the saluation of their soules If it shall happen otherwise that the Parishioners wil not be herein obedient to their Prelates Our Mother holy church then straitly commaundeth that they be chased out and excommunicated like to Iudas Because they will not performe the commaundement of God declared vnto vs by Saint Iames sayding Confesse your sinnes one to another OF THE CHVRCH The house of the liuing GOD that is the Church the pillar and ground of truth 2. Tim 3. 15. The Apostles and Gods Church WE beleeue one holy Church Catholike and vniuersall the house of the liuing God washed and cleansed in his precious blood hee being the onely head and spouse thereof euen Iesus Christ Nor doe we beleeue any other head but him onely for all other that are founded on him are members incorporated into his Church Now by his iust iudgement he hath permitted that Antechrist should intrude himself and sit in the Temple of God as God shewing himselfe that he is God For he exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God and will be worshipped for God This is the reason why by the craft of Sathan he
Will they likewise reprooue the Apostles S. Peter and S. Philip for hauing wiues and had their daughters married Moreouer many Councels would not so wander from the Apostles doctrine as at any time to forbid mariage to Priests and Ministers of the Church but rather did excommunicate all such as sought to bring in such inuentions of deuillish doctrine As the Councels of Nice of Gangres of Constantinople of Anticira and the Canon of the Apostles Shall wee accuse or condemne those holy Fathers and Doctours with the whole Church and their good Councels to iustifie your vn-holy Pope and his ordinances Can you any way prooue him to be a better man or more illumined by God then all the Apostles and auncient Fathers of the Church were Or that he is more able can iustly condemne them to haue erred and lost the Faith And that your great high Priest was therefore sent of God to reproue their doctrine to ouerthrow and demolish all their ancient and diuine building Wherefore concerning this point of Mariage by you so idely contradicted we will conclude with S. Origen and S. Ambrose That virginitie may bee well wished and desired but not commanded For as he else where saith Things that are not in our power are more to be desired then commanded The Pope and his Church MOreouer our aforesayd Mother holy Church hath ordained diuers impeachments whereby a man is hindered from mariage as in naturall and spirituall affinitie For Cousins may not mary with their Cousins nor kinred their God-children except by dispensation Likewise there is a certaine time wherein none at all are permitted to mary As more at large is set downe and recorded in our holy Decretals and Canons Canon Affini Canon Multum 35. Quest 2. Canon Non oportet Canon Omnium placet Dist 32. Canon Interuenit Can Placuit Can. licite 32. Quest 2. The Apostles and Gods Church NOw as concerning inuented vows hauing some conformitie with the ceremoniall vowes of the ancient Law It is most certaine that Iesus Christ being the end and accomplishment of the Law hath deliuered vs from them as from all other sacrifices Wherefore according to the doctrine of S. Paul Wee will stand fast in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made vs free and not be intangled againe with the seruitude of meu If therefore wee make any Vowes or promises to God they ought to be orderly grounded vpon his word to the end that so they may be approoued of him For whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Which implyeth thus much That whatsoeuer we do after our owne fantasies thinking them to be well done and haue no warrant or authoritie therefore out of Gods word All such things we say are sinne and displeasing to God This then being well considered wee will maintaine this saying of S. Ambrose That no person is to bee compelled least by forbidding things that are lawfull they fall and offend in mattâ—rs vnlawfull The Pope and his Church COncerning Vowes our Mother holy Church hath ordained and straitely doth command that they should be rendered to God faultlesse Vowes are great and many in number but there are three only principall and substantiall as namely Pouertie Chastitie and Obedience Whosoeuer therefore shall vowe any one of these three hee is thereto perpetually bound all his life time As very meruailously and most diuinely it is declared by our graund Master of the Sentences I Pope Pius sirnamed Aeneas Syluius doe say and will maintaine that in good right and for good cause the Mariage of Priests was taken away and forbidden but surely for better cause it should be restored to them againe if mens infirmities be duely considered OF FASTING AND OF MEATES Meate maketh vs not the more acceptable to GOD for neither if wee eate haue wee the more neither if we eate not haue wee the lesse But take heed least by any meanes this power of yours be an occasion of falling to them that are weake 1. Cor. 8. 8. 9. The Apostles and Gods Church THe Church of GOD reprooueth not Fasting when it is done according to his diuine word For our Lord commandeth vs not to offend our heartes with gluttonie and drunkennesse And Saint Peter telleth vs that sobrietie is the meanes to withstand the deuill Neuerthelesse wee will not entertaine superstitious and fantastick Fastings to depriue vs of the libertie that wee haue in Iesus Christ. We doe vndoubtedly confesse that Iesus Christ his Apostles and the whole Church haue fasted but wee finde no time by them defined and limitted neither the difference of dayes or any interdiction of meates which to forbidde is the doctrine of Deuils as S. Paul saith For at all times it is permitted to eate of all meates that are solde in the Shambles without inquiring for conscience sake S. Athanasius speaketh plainely That such as doe abstaine from meats do profite as much thereby as those that separate themselues from true Faith S. Spiridon Bishop of Cyprus saith That hee durst freely eate flesh in the Lent time when others did abstaine from it because he was a Christian S. Hierome writeth That we ought neither to decline to the right hand nor to the left For to fall froÌ„ the right hand is to abstaine from those meates which God hath created for our vse Shall we then say that the whole Church hath erred and your holy Father is iust and perfect only The Councels of Bracharensis the 2. of Toledo the 13. And the Popes Martin and Eleutherius excommunicated all them that abstained from eating any meates whatsoeuer which were conuenient for the nature of man Moreouer wee are not ignorant that the Law and obligation of Fasting was first of all imposed by Montanus the Heretique as hee was reprooued thereof by Apolonius the Martir of Christ. Therefore in consideration of what hath bin before alledged we cannot otherwise choose but conclude with this saying of Saint Augustine Contemplating in true heate of zeale the diuine and Apostolicall writings of the olde as also the whole newe Testament I see that Fasting is recommended but finde it no where defined by the commandement of our Lord or of his Apostles either at what time or on what dayes we are to fast or not to fast Wherefore I vnderstand hereby that the commandement of Fasting doth gaine vs no righteousnesse which inwardly is the beautie of the Kings daughter Thus you see how religiously the Church hath vsed to fast for our better preparation to Gods diuine seruice and this Rule with glad desires wee will obserue and imitate reiecting your Popish Fasting as superstitious For it is like vnto that Custome of the Iewes which our Lorde God held in great detestation and reprooued them for it by the Prophet Esay
thy face is imprinted vpon vs Ergo We must haue Images And after many other good aud memorable verdicts Theodosius Byshop of Mira concludeth thus These testimonies are cleare and euident that not onely Images are to bee had but also that they ought to be adored and honoured For my Archdeacon so thinketh and beleeueth I Theodosius Byshop of Mira doe say that I excommunicate all such as will not worship Images And an other Byshop saith That all the calamities and aduersities which happened to the Grecians and people of the Easte was because they would not worship Images Another Byshop saith Seeing that perfumes and incense is bestowed on the Images of Emperours we ought to bestow much more vpon the Images of Saints Constance Byshop of Constance in Cyprus sayth and deliuereth this great and admirable sentence Concerning my selfe I doe protest that wee ought to giue equall honour and reuerence and in as ample manner to the Images of Saintes as to the holy Trinitie in Heauen And whosoeuer is not of mine opinion I excomunicate and send him among the Manicheans and Marcionites And assuredly all the holy Assembly of the Councell found this opinion to be very good whereupon they concluded with him in the approbation thereof and all together after him sayd Amen Iohn Ambassadour of the Easterne Churches giueth this notable opinion It were much better to haue all the Stewes and Brothell-houses of the whole worlde to bee kept in one Cittie then to reiect the seruice of Saintes Images And it is manifest that the Samaritanes were worse then Heretiques but they that reiect the Images of Saintes are much worse then the Samaritanes And all concluding with this opinion the ende and resolution of the whole Councell was determinatly set downe as followeth Wee beeing assembled in the Name of GOD doe will and command that this holy Councell and Decretall shall bee perpetually obserued in the Church And doe excommunicate all gain sayers as rebels and disobeyers heereof And to enlarge the treasure of our Mother holy Church wee giue full Iubilie of Pardons of all sinnes to all such as shall dayly haue the Image of IESVS CHRIST and doe Sacrifice honour and reuerence thereto Amen Beholde howe these holy Fathers and religious Doctours beeing wholly inspired with the holy Ghost haue gouerned our Mother holy Church whom wee will beleeue and imitate and in her Faith both liue and dye The Apostles and Gods Church LET vs come now and consider a little on the subiect of this Councell May it be called holy Or can it bee said to bee approoued of God Surely nothing lesse For if it were presented to Turkes and Saracines vndoubtedly it would bee highly detested euen of them Therefore wee may well say that neuer was that false Propher and Heretique Mahomet so beastly blinded as these grosse conceited Bishops conclusions were in this Councell to value in equall manner the adoration of Images with the worship of one onely true God in Trinitie of persons O poore miserable world plunged in all errour darknesse and ignorance It was wonderfull that in those times some man was not found in Gods behalfe to whippe those Heretiques those Marchant-sellers of Cockle and Darnell As Iesus Christ did the Marchants out of the Temple that deserued it not halfe so much as these blaspemers did But let them be assured that trueth hath euer preuayled against such impietie practised and warranted in those diabolicall Councels and that our Lorde God will be auenged on the sonnes of men deliuering them ouer in his iudgement to bee led by strong delusions and to beleeue lyes That all they might be damned which beleeued not the trueth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnes Behold what words are written by that vessell of Election proceeding from the spirit of God which should astonish and make them tremble that dare lift vp their hornes against God Against whom there is no wisedome neither vnder standing nor councell Moreouer not to digresse from our purpose if such a Monopolie of Sathan combined with his whole band by Gods secret permission did then get the day for once against Iesus Christ Should it therefore be concluded that the whole Church of God following the doctrine of her master and his Apostles hath erred in forbidding and pulling downe all Images and Idols Which being permitted by an vnchristian Councell to bee adored and worshipped ought neuerthelesse to be gain sayd broken defaced as appeareth by three other holy Councels who in this point differed not frō Apostolicall doctrine If weread the Councell of Constantinople celebrated by Constantine the fift the second Councell of Toledo and likewise the Elibertine Councell the 36. Decretal it will bee found that all these three did decree as hereafter followeth It is concluded that there shall be no pictures or paintings in Churches to the ende that no reuerence or adoration may be giuen to painted walles And after followeth We are very willing to admonish the Faithfull that so much as in them lyeth they should hinder the hauing of any Images in their houses And if they feared their seruants yeelding to them yet at least they should keepe themselues pure frō being corrupted by thē Wherin if they would not be obedient they should be accounted as strangers to the Church of God Thus did these holy Fathers in their Councels maintaine all pure Doctrine in the Church without forging any novell constitutions against the word of God The Pope and his Church COncerning all other differences and questions besides the case before declared wee doe wholly repose our selues vpon the holy Councells Decretals and Canons as more prolixly and cathegorically they are explycated by our Masters of the venerable Colledge of Sorbonne and especially by the graund Master of the Sentences All which together doe very well deliuer to euery vnderstanding the Articles and Questions proposed in that holy Councell With whom wee haue iudiciously and diuinely concluded and resolued to our great honour and glory and to the confusion of our aduersaries Notwithstanding all oppositions what soeuer alleaged on the Apostles behalfe by the Doctours of the Church For among vs we hold it as an indubitable veritie and inuincible according to the Gospels testimonie That all things which were necessarie for our saluation were not reuealed to the Apostles neither haue they written them all Wherefore it hath followed very necessarily that those things which the Apostles omitted and left out wee should afterward obtaine and diuinely finde finished in the supplement of our holy traditions and ordinances Which we will and command to be perpetually obserued and as sincerely regarded as those of Iesus Christ and of his Apostles and that vnder paine of deadly sinne excommunication and eternall damnation The Apostles and Gods Church BVt if holy Epiphanius aman of God and very highly renowned in his time were liuing in these dayes hee should haue worke enough to doe in
his Brethren Error begate Freewill Arrogancie and Selfe-conceite Free-will begate Merit Merit begate Forgetfulnesse of grace Forgetfulnesse of grace begate Transgression Transgression begate Distrust Distrust begate Satisfaction Satisfaction begate the Sacrifice of the Masse The Sacrifice of the Masse begate Annointing of Priests Priests Annointing begate Superstition Superstition begate Hypocrisie the King Hypocrisie begate Gaine by Offerings Gaine begate Purgatorie Purgatorie begate the foundation of Anniuersaries Foundation of Anniuersaries begate the Churches Patrimonie The Churches Patrimonie begate Mammon of Iniquitie Mammon of Iniquitie begate Aboundance Aboundance begate Ease Ease begate Crueltie Crueltie begate Dominion Dominion begate Pompe Pompe begate Ambition Ambition begate Symonie Symonie begate the Pope and the Cardinals his Brethren in the transmigration of Babylon The Pope begate the Mysterie of iniquitie The Mysterie of iniquitie begate Sophisticall Diuinitie Sophisticall Diuinitie begate Reiection of the holie Scriptures Reiection of the holy Scriptures begate Tyranny Tyrannie begate Slaughter of the Saints Slaughter of the Saints begate contempt of God Contempt of God begate Dispensation Dispensation begate Libertie to sinne Libertie to sinne begate Abhomination Abomination begate Confusion Confusion begate Labour of minde Labour of mind begate Disputation for the search of Truth And Truth hath reuealed Ante christ the Destroier THE BAPTISME OF ANTECHRIST ANTECHRIST beeing bred and borne in Rome there was great pompe and triumphall preparation made for his solemne baptising And the streetes beeing thicke set with Torch-bearers at noone day which neere hand obscured bright day light by such an infinite number being lighted all the way They marched a long to S. Peters Church in this manner An ancient graue matrone named Lady Custome walked on foremost After her with a sober pace and demure countenance followed Worldly Wisedome bearing the Salte Creame and Spittle to baptise the Infant Then came Madame Hypocrisie holding her head somewhat downe as hauing verie speciall care of the Childe And shee carried the water to fit the intended busines Subbornation went next bearing the Towell which was all beset with precious stones and round imbrodered with the fires of Purgatorie which was described in very antique great carracters Then vnder a sumptuous Cannopie came Abuse the Godfather who carried the Childe being attended on by Heresie and Tyrannie twoo hard-fauoured Ladyes and they held vp the corners of the linnen couerture behinde Error an old thicke square goutie Lord so bigge as his legs could scarse supporte his body hee beeing the other Godfather made what haste he could after the rest Dame Auarice and Dame Symonie being the appointed God mothers followed close after in a very sad and serious consultation Then came the Romaine Burgesses named Humaine Traditions with whome walked Idolatry and Blasphemy and they with the rest of the quiere sung very solemnly Now to glad the people the more and in signe also of liberality the Iubilie which had beene sold before at a verie deare rate was proclaimed freely and Bulles and Pardons were now as cheape as strawing hearbes When they came to name the childe striuing to haue it a name of immortall renowne there happened to growe a great difference among them and euery one stroue to please his owne appetite One would haue him to bee named Holy Mother An other thought it more fit to call him Holy Father Hypocrisie would haue him to bee tearmed The supreme Bishop But the Gossips named him The Seruant of Seruants Idolatry said it were better to call him God on earth When the Preist that was to performe the solemnity saw no likelyhoode of any other agreement but the contention still to grow on more and more He concluded to exercise his owne authority and bethinking him on a name that might both fit and answere all their hope He Christened him and named him THE POPE FINIS S. Aug. in Enchirid ad Lau. Cap. 10. De Ciuit. Dei Lib. 22. Cap. 1. Arist Lib. 2. Elench Cap. Vlt. Plato 4. de legibus Et in Protag Sir Thomas Moore in his Vtop Matth. 28. 40. The troubles of the church haue beene cruell and terrible in our time Pilate Iudas Cayphas and Simon Magus seem not yet to bee dead for they haue successors inow that do what they can against Iesus Christ Prou. 21. God neuer leaues his Church without friends and to maintaine the same keepeth his promise Matth. 22. 9. Hisio Eccle. lib. 1. King Abgarus a faithfull louer of Iesus Christ Acts 5. 41. Gameliel Prince and Doctor and secret disciple of Iesus Mark 5 41. Jayrus a prince of Israel conuerted to the Gospel receiued a great benefit from Iesus-God will not be approoued by mens inuentions Deut. 4. 12. Galat. 1. 8. S. Luke in his Praeface writes his Gospell to Theophilus a man of great authoritie The Church hath great vessels of honor at this present time God be praised therefore Mat. 6. 10. The Church of God is yet in Egypt but it is neere to the red Sea to passe from thence expecting the yeere 666. Apo. 13. Psal 19. Math. 25. 1. Thes 6. Matth. 24. Ephe. 6. Tit. 1. Apoc. 13. Good Ministers are the Masons of Gods Church 2. Cor. 11. 1. Tit. 3. 6. Neophytes are as Nouices in faith or yong beginners that haue no other defence put Pa pa like yong children Such as willingly conuert to the Gospell do often cry Pa Pa. but they are children The Papists are beaten with their owne weapons The order and methode obserued in the booke Iohn 12. 48. Galat. 1. 8. Jam. 1 21. 2. Tim. 2. 14. 16. 23. Deut. 4. 2. Deut. 12. 8. 32. Deut. 18. 20. Ezech. 20. 18 19. Prou. 14. 12. Prou. 12. 15. Many are in the Church that depart not from Jesus Christ and yet will speake against him There be diuers busy in the Church that fight against the Church Antichrist with all his band holdes strong power in the Church against the the Church VVolrdly wisdome is enemie to Gods Church VVe ought to heare ech one but to perseuere in Jesus Christ 1. Thes 5. 11. 21. There is no one so blinde but he perceiueth this prediction day by day accomplished The holy and ancient Scriptures are the hilles towards which the people fled in this time of desolation The people are praised for studying at the Mountaines and the ignorance of the seducing Masters is poynted at with the finger After the Apostles none haue authoritie Galat. 2. It is well seen that lyars are rich and they which heare the word of trueth are poore and persecuted Iohn 13. 13. Math. 10. 24. Heb. 7. 9. 10. Toto titu de celebra Missar de consecrat Dist 2. Math. 14. 7. Galat. 1. 8. John 6. 20. S. Thomas Aquinas in 3. pars summae The Church of our Lord Jesus Christ with the holy Doctours thereof The Popes Church and my Lords the great Masters of Sorbone 1. Cor. 11. 23. S. August cont Adimātus Epist 12. sup Leuit. 7. 9. 57. S. Ambrose lib. de Sacrā