follovved euidently out of their permises to vvit that the commaundemeÌ„tes are impossible vvhat thinke you dothe hee ansvvere to it or hovve dothe hee free gods goodnes from crueltie hee saieth that by light of nature and grace l. de seruo arbitrio it is vnsoluble hovve God damneth him vvho can not chuse but sinne and transgresse and here sayeth he bothe the light of nature and grace do tell vs that the faulte is in God only and not in miserable man but by the light of glorie vvhich the blessed enioye Gods iustice herein is manifested vvhich novv seemethe iniustice Ibidem Yea sayethe hee Gods iustice in this pointe is novve incomprehensible So that Luther sayeth that novve nether by light of nature nor of grace that is faythe for so I thinke is his meaning in his obscure distinction vvee can excuse God from iniustice and crueltie vvho commaundeth thinges impossible vvhich vvee can not performe and yet punisheth vs aeternally And truly if it bee so as they saye that God commaundeth impossibilities and yet punisheth and damneth the transgressours then not only by the light of nature and grace but by all light and reasoÌ„ in the vvorld it is manifest that god is most cruel and tyrannicall For if that master bee cruel and barbarouse vvhoe commaundeth his seruaunt that is lame to ronne or leape and bicause hee doth not soe beateth him blacke and blevve breaketh his bones in fine killeth him also theÌ„ certes God him selfe vvhoe commaundes vs impossibilities and for not doinge them doth not only punishe vs temporally but also damneth vs perpetually and condemneth vs to those aeternall flames of hell vvhere vvee shall euer feele the panges of deathe and yet neuer dye vvhere vvee shall allvvayes bee dying and neuer dead vvher after millioÌ„s of yeares of imprisonmeÌ„te torment vvee shalbe neuer a vvhit the nearer an end of our miserie he I saye must needs bee moste cruel and inhumaine more barbarouse then any Scithian and so tyrannicall that in respecte of him Nero Domitian and Dionisius vvere no tyraunts but Clement Princes The fifte chapter maketh it manifest that the reformers pull the true God out of his throne and place an Idol in the same of their ovvn imagination TErtulian that ancient and learned vvriter vvhen hee vvas best disposed that is vvhen hee vvas a Catholike and a vvriter against heretikes in defence of the Catholike and Romain Church and religion vvas of opinion that all heresies are idolatries and all heretikes idolatours Vvhich opinion thoughe at the first blushe it may seeme to rigorous yea erronious yet if it bee vvell vvayed and considered it may very truly be verified of the heretikes of his tyme and of this our vnhappy age and in some sorte of all heretikes vvhat soeuer But before vvee come to the proofe of this his opinion vvee vvill first set it dovvne in his ovvn vvords vvhich are these l. praesc c. 4â— Ether they faine another God to the Creatour as the Marcionistes did or if they confesse the only Creatour they declare him othervvise then in deed he is so euery errour coÌ„cerning God is in some forte a variatioÌ„ of a kinde of idolatrie By vv ch appeareth that in his opinion euery Heresie is a kinde of idolatrie And truly ther is noe Heresie but ether directly or indirectly it denyeth the true God For ether it denyeth some thing in God and then it directly denyeth God or it denyeth some thing vvhich perteineth vnto God and so indirectly and by a certain consequeace it taketh avvay the true God As for example the Marcionites affirmed that God vvas cruel and that the good God vvas not Creatour of this inferiour vvorld vvhich conteineth the fovvre elementes and all those thinges vvhich are compounded of them and seing that there is no such God vvho is cruel or vvho is not the Creatour of the vvholle vvorld they denyed the true God and confessed an Idol of their ovvn imaginatioÌ„ In like maÌ„ner the AriaÌ„s denied that God the father had a Sonne coequall and consubstaÌ„tiall vnto him and seing that the true god is one god vvhich is the father the sonne and the holy ghost the Arrians in denying the second person to bee God coequall vvith the father denyed the true God bicause the true God is not distincte in nature from God the sonne and they adored an Idol of their ovvne imagination that is a God vvho hathe noe sonne or not coequall and coÌ„substantiall vnto him Ser. 3. 4. sent Arianos Vvherfore Athanasius complaineth that the Arrians vnder pretence of religion had brought in idolatrie and abaÌ„doned baptisme vvhich can not bee equally ministred in the name of the father the sonne and the holy ghoste if those three persons bee not all equall in deitie and dignitie Other heretikes there vvere vvhich helde noe errour concerning the diuinitie or any diuine person and so could not be sayed directely to deny the true God but yet indirectly they denyed him by denying some veritie vvhich hathe a connexion vvith him As for example Nouatianus vvhoe sayed that there vvas noe remedie against sinne after baptisme directly only denyed the Sacrament of penaunce but yet indirectly and by a certain coÌ„sequence hee denyed God bicause it is not a true God vvhich vvill not accepte of penaunce after baptisme and therfore seing that hee confessed only suche a god hee adored a false God and so vvas an idolatour Nestorius also vvhoe sayed that in Christe beside the diuine person ther vvas also an humaine person and consequently tvvoe persons directly denyed the vnitie of Christes person and affirmed tvvoe persons in Christe but indirectly hee denyed Christe and consequeÌ„tly God bicause Christe is God and man in one the selfe same person and therfore hee adoring a Christe consisting of tvvoe persons adored a false Christe and consequently a false God and so vvas an idolatour 22. q. 2. a. 2. ad 〈◊〉 l. 9. mâ—t S. Thomas giues the reason of this bicause sayeth hee and hee alleageth Aristotle for more authoritie God is a thing infinit in perfection yet so simple and deuoide of composition that in him is noe distinction but of persons vvhich allso are one indiuisible God and therfore as an indiuisible pointe is altogether touched or not at all bicause it hath no partes so our vnderstaÌ„ding ether rightly attaineth vnto the knovvledge of God or not at all and if it erre in one perfectioÌ„ of God it erreth in all bicause all is one And so if an heretique denieth any thing of god hee denyeth all But althoughe all heretikes are in some forte idolatours yet I vvill not denye but that there is a difference betvvixte them and paganes For these men deny the true God in expresse termes and adore some creature for God as Iupiter or the planetes or some such like but heretikes only affirme some thing of God vvhich implyeth a denyall of the true God yet they professe in vvordes religion vnto
hee is our God novve that these three are one God sainct Ihon vvill acertaine vs for sayeth he three ther are vvhich giue testimonie in heauen the father the vvord I. Io. 5. and the holy ghoste and these three are one No lesse pregnaunte proofes doth holy vvrit afforde vs for the incarnation in vv ch mysterie vve confess one diuine persone Christe Iesus to bee true God and man And first let the father speake for his sonne Mat. 3. This is my beloued sonne in vvhom I haue taken great pleasure Secondly let the disciple speake for his master cap. 18. thou art the sonne of the liuing God Let another disciple and no other then hee vvhome Iesus loued bicause hee loued tell vs his opinion in this point Io. ◠hee sayeth that in the beginning vvas the vvord and that the vvord vvas vvith God yea vvas God and after vvards hee sayeth that this vvord vvas made fleshe that is became man Let Christ him selfe bee credited also in this matter bicause hee is the truthe vvhen the Ievves told him that hee had not yet 50. Io. 8. yeares of age and therfore could not see Abrahame he ansvvered that hee vvas before Abraham and yet the same Christe is called by saint Mathevve Mat. 1. the sonne of Abrahame vvhich must needs argue tvvoe natures in one person of Christe the one diuine in respect of vvhich hee vvas before Abraham the other humaine by vvhich hee vvas after Abrahame as the sonne is after the father and so the selfe same person is God and man and that man Iesus that liued in earth and conuersed amongest vs is the naturall sonne of God the vvorde of God is the vvorde Incarnate vvho in respecte of his diuinitie vvas before Abrahame but in respect of his humain nature vvas longe after him Novv as cōcerning the third mysterie if I bring not as plaine texte for it as can be brought for the others I vvill yeeld the bucklers and graunt the victorie vnto my aduersarie But to auoid multitude of allegations I vvill make choise of tvvoe places only vv ch seeme to mee to bee the plainest And the first shal bee taken out of the Sixt of saint Ihon Io. 6. vvhich Chapter althoughe of some it bee expounded only of Spirituall eating of Christe yet by the common consent of Interpretours it speaketh not only of a spirituall but also of a Sacramentall and reall eating as shall be made moste manifeste For first our sauiour Christe to dispose them to a firme beleefe of this mysterie made such a multiplication and increase of fiue barley loaues tvvo fishes that hee fed and filled about fiue thousand persons thervvith and that so sufficiently that the fragmentes of the banquet vvere as much as the vvholle feast For if hee could make so much of a litle vvhy can hee not turne bread and vvine into his bodye and if hee could vvithout diminution of the feast satisfie so many vvhy may hee not feed vs all vvith his body vvithout diuision or diminution of the same And if after that fiue thousand had eaten their fill of the loaues and fishes the fragmentes and reliques vv ch they lefte vvere as muche as the feast vvith vv ch they vvere filled vvhy should it seeme impossible that Christes bodye should bee eaten of vs and yet remaine in the pix or Altar or that after that the communicantes haue receued it the Reliques vvhich they leaue should remaine still as great as the vvholle banquet vvas Secondly after that this miracle vvas vvrought bicause there vvas a great aggreemēr betvvixte it the blessed Sacrament thus hee taketh the occasion to discourse vvith them of it and to induce them to the beleefe of the same Amen Amē I say to you you seeke me not bicause You haue seen signes but bicause you did eate of the loaues and vvere filled so svvet a tast had that miraculous banquet and such contentmēt it gaue thoughe of it selfe it vvas meane that they follovved him for the good cheare hee made them but sayeth Christe vvorke not the meat that perisheth but that vvhich endureth to life euerlasting vvhich the sonne of man vvill giue you They ansvvered vvhat shall vvee do that vvee may vvorke the vvorkes of God This is the vvorke of God sayeth Christe that you beleeue in him vvhō he hathe sent Vvhat signe sayed they doest thou for vvhich vve should beleeue thee Our fathers did eate manna in the desert and God gaue them bread from heauen to eate Here Christe beginneth to close vvith them and to enter in to his intended discourse of the blessed sacrament True sayeth Christe but Moyses gaue you not that bread but my father only hath the giuing of bread from heauen Lord sayed they giue vs alvvayes this bread Iesus ansvvered I ame the bread of life At vv ch the Ievves murmured bicause they vnderstood him not And yet most fitly is he called the bread of life for first in Scripture all that nourisheth is called bread vvherfore seing that Christe is the food of our soule vvell is hee called bread and not vvhatsoeuer bread but the bread of life to distinguish him from common bread Secondly in scriptures vvhen one thing is chaunged into another that into vvhich the chaunge is made taketh the name of the thinge chaunged So the serpēt into vvhich Aarons rodd vvas chaunged is called a rodde Exod. 7. bicause it vvas made of a rodde vvherfore bicause bread vvas to be changed into Christes bodye and blood vvell is hee called bread Thirdly bicause his body vvas to bee couered vvith the formes of bread it is called bread bicause it hath the shevve and forme of bread Gen. 49. and for this cause his blood is called vvine and the blood of the grape bicause it vvas to be inuested as it vvere vvith the accidentes of vvine in the same blessed Sacrament But not vvithstanding the Ievves murmuration Christe vvill not eate his vvord but againe he repeateth it I ame the bread of life your fathers did eate manna in the desert and they dyed this is the bread that descended from heauen that if a man eate of it he dye not And I sayeth hee ame this liuing bread that came from heauen of vvhich hee that eateth shall liue for euer and the bread that I vvill giue is my fels he for the life of the vvorld Novve hee speaketh his mynde plainly and so plainly that he compareth the figure vvith the veritie manna vvith his bread of the blessed Sacrament and giues the preminence to the veritie for sayeth hee your fathers did eate of manna and yet dyed but my māna is a more soueraine viande bicause vvho soeuer eateth of it shall liue for euer Novv if it bee true that the blessed Euchariste is only a signe of Christ and his body and blood then I demaund of our aduersaries vvith vvhat shevve of truthe Christe could preferre it before manna Vvhy should Christes bread giue life
doe set the gate open vnto all heretikes and heresies THE deuil hathe alvvaies played the ape euen from the beginning for after that he perceiued that he could not be God in deed to vvhich dignitie by climing thoughts he had ambitiously aspired he endeuoured by al meanes possible so to bringe his intentes to passe that he might at least go for a God and be taken for a God and therfore like an ape he hathe euer imitated God so neerly that he vvould be honoured and serued in the same fashion and manner as he savve the true God vvas vvorshipped Tert l. pras c. 40. God is serued vvith sacrifice as vvith a seruice devv vnto diuine Maiestie the deuil vvas euer honoured amoÌ„gest the paganes vvith his Hecatombs and Sacrifices euen by the Emperours of the vvorld God hathe his preests the deuil his flamins God hath his sacraments the deuil his expiations and ceremonies God hathe his baptisme his Euchariste his Nonnes and the deuil hath his vvashings his oblation of bread and his vestal virgins and as God promiseth a heauen to his seruanntes and vvorshippers so dothe the deuil promise his Elisian feelds and threatneth his stigiane lake Tert. ibid. And euen as the deuil by idolatours hathe imitated Gods sacrifice Sacramentes and manner of vvorship so by heretikes he hathe alvvaies affected to be as like as may be to Christe and his Apostles in citation and allegation of scripture Vvherfore Vincentius Lyrinensis noteth it to haue been the practise of heretikes the members of the deuil l. cont proph â— â—7 to alleage scriptures against the true Christians and meÌ„bers of Christe as once the deuil their head against Christ Iesus our head vvrested a place of scripture to proue that he must needs caste him selfe headlong from the pinnacle of the temple to proue him selfe the sonne of God Mat. 4. Marcion as Vvitnesseth Tertullian to prone that the vvorlde vvich he imagined to be of an cuil nature vvas created of an euil God l prase c 51. vsed that place of Saint Matthevv Mat. 7. Non potest arbor bona malos fructus facere a good tree can not bring forthe euil frutes l. de carne Christie 20. Valentinus as the same autour relateth to persvvade the vvorld that Christs body vvas framed of the substance of the heauens and consequeÌ„tly vvas noe true flesh nor truly conceued borne of the Virgin Marie but ra ther passed through her vvoÌ„be as through a Pipe taking noe substaunce of her alleaged saint Paules vvords vvho comparing the first Adame from vvhome vve fetch our carnal pedegree vvithe the second Adame Christ Iesus from vvhom vve are descended spiritually vseth these vvords The first man of earth earthly 1. Cor. â—â— the second man from heauen heauenly Not knovving or not vvilling to knovv that Christe is called heauenly ether in respect of his diuinitie and diuine person or bicause he vvas not earthly that is subiect to sinne vvhich proceedeth from earthly and terrene desires or bicause his body by right vvas from the first moment of his conception celestial that is glorious as are the bodies of the blessed vvich therfore saint Paule calleth also spiritual and aftervvarde vvas the first body that rose to that glorie to vvich it euer had good right Ibidam bicause a gloriouse soule such as Christs vvas from the first infusion of it into the body Io. 4. required as devve a glorious body but Christe vvould haue his body to vvant this devve vvhilest he liued vvith vs that he might suffer for vs vvich hee could not haue doone in a glorified body The Arrians to proue God the sonne inferiour to his father and not consubstantial nor coaequal vnto him brought his ovvn vvords against him the father is greater then I omitting many pregnaunt places vvich auouch the sonne to bee consubstantial and aequal vnto him to vvich places this also is not contrarie August l. 1. Trin. 6.7 bicause it proueth only that Christ as man is inferiour to his father The Nestorians by those places by vvich vve proue tvvo naturs in Christ the one humaine the other diuine proued tvvo persons in Christ The Eutichianes by the same places of scripture by vvich Catholikes do proue that in Christ vvas but one person endeuoured to proue that in Christ vvas but one nature And it hath been the propertie of all heretikes to make no bones of scriptures but prodigally to spende them and to lauis he them out to proue therby their heresies vvere they neuer so phantastical Supra Hic fortasse sayeth Vincentius Lyrinensis aliquis interroget an haeretici diuinae scripturae testimonijs vtantur Vtuntur planè vehementer quidem nam videas eos volare per singula quaeque diuinae legis volumina Here perchaunce some vvill demaund vvhether that heretikes do vse the testimonies of holy scripture they vse them assuredly and that vehemeutly for you shall see them flye through euery volume of the heauenly lavve Read sayeth he the vvorkes of Paulus Samosatenus of Priscilianus Iouinianus or Eunomius and thou shalt fynd an infinite heap of examples allmost noe page omitted vvich is not dyed and coloured vvith sentences of the olde and nevv Testament Remember sayeth Hilarius that there is no her tike vvhich doth not fayne that his blasphemies vvhich he preacheth are according vnto Scriptures Orat. â— conâ— Const. And faint Austine is of opinion that heresies proceede from no other fountaine then scriptures vvroÌ„gly expounded and crookedly vvrested Non aliunde natae sunt haereses Tract 1â— in 10. nisi dum scripturae bonae non intelliguntur benè From no other place heresies doe proceed but vvhilest good scripturs are euilly vnderstood But yet herin these heretikes are liberal of that vvhich is none of their ovvn and like Aesops crovve they proudly decke them selues vvith other byrds fethers For vvhat right or title haue they to scriptures of vvhich they are so prodigal or hovv came they to get the possession of scripturs truly as theeues take possession of other mens goods For Catholikes haue had the scripturs in their keeping tyme out of mynde as all histories all vvritings of the fathers all councells and ancient tradition vvill vvitnesse for vs and so at least by prescription Catholikes are the true and lavvful possessours of scripturs Yea histories and the ancient bookes of the fathers vvho from the first age alleaged scriptures are arguments that vve are the lavvfull heires to the Apostles concerning the inheritaunce of scripture Second booke chap. 1. bicause as herafter shal be proued vve only are the successours to the ancient fathers and Apostles them selues And seing that such arguments vvould cast them in lavve if the coÌ„trouersie vvere but about apeece of ground I see noe reason but that if the reformers of this tyme and the Catholike should put this case to any indifferent iudge to vvit vvhether they or Catholikes are the lavvfull possessours
as diuersly interpret scripture as you may moralize those fables Others calle scripture a nose of vvaxe bicause it may be vvrested and vvried euery vvaye vvhich comparisons although they bee odious and litle beseeming the maiestie of scripture yet are they true if by scripture you vnderstand the bare letter of scripture vvithout an assured interpretour as the Reformers doe For the baâ—e letter of scripture is so ambiguous may haue so many senses and meanings that it may be applyed to vvhat you vvill may be already hath been vsed for the proofe of the moste absurde heresies that euer vvere But vvhilest they alleage the bare letter of scripture for coÌ„firmation of their doctrine vvel may they so delude the vnlerned but men of learning and intelligence are vvel assured that the bare letter is no more scripture then the body of a man is a man For as the soule is the life of the body that vvhich maketh a man so the sense is the life of the vvorde and that vvhich giueth scripture life esseÌ„ce being Com. ad Gal. Vvherfore sainct Hierome sayeth that The ghlospel is not in the vvorde but in the sence not in the barke but in the sappe not in the leaues of the vvords but in the roote of the meaning Let not therfore out Reformers vaunte in their pulpits that they trye their doctrine by the touchstone of scripture nether let them insulte ouer Catholikes as though they relyed only on mens decrees and Popes Bulles for if they giue vs the letter of scripture vvith the true meaning vvhich is the formal cause and life of the vvord vve vvill reuerence it as the vvord of God and preferre it before all the decrees and vvritinges of Pope and Church but take the true sense from it and it is no more scripture then is a man vvithout a soule bicause as the same body may be the liuing body of a man and a dead carcas also so the same letter vvith the true meaning is the vvord of God vvith a false meaning it is the vvord of the deuil As for example those vvords of our Sauiour The father is greater then I Io. 1â— taken in the right sence that is according to Christes humain nature are the true vvord of God but taken in the meaning of the Arrians vvho imagined Christe a creature inferiour euen in person to his father they are noe vvord of God but of the deuil vnlesse you vvill graunte heresie to be the vvord of God The reason of this is bicause vvords are vvordes in that they are signes of the myndes meaning and do explicate her invvard conceipt and consequently that is Gods vvord vvhich explicateth his meaning and diuine conceipt but if it explicate the mynd of the deuil or of his ministers such as all heretikes are then is it not the vvord of God but rather of the deuil Vverfore vvhen the letter of the scripture is ioyned vvith the right meaning then do vve graunt though men vvrote it that is is the vvord of God bicause it explicateh his meaning vvho spake vnto the holy vvriters in that meaning and directed their hartes and handes in the vvriting of the same Isa 1. In so much that God sayeth to Isaie Heb. 1. Behold I haue put my vvords in thy mouthe And saint Paul saieth that God diuersly and by diuers meanes spake in tymes paste vnto our forfathers in the Prophets that is in the mouche of the prophets puttiÌ„g in their mouthes that vvhich they vvere to speake and directing their hands to vvrite it For as the vital spirit of man frameth his vvordes in his mouthe and giueth them their meaning so the vvords of the prophets and other holy vvriters vvere framed in their mouthes by the spirit of God Vvhich is the very cause vvhy diuines saye that God vvas the principal speaker and vvriter of scripture and that the Prophet Apostle or Euangeliste vvas his instrument and as it vvere the pen mouthe and tongue of God Psal 44. Praefat. in Mat. 1. Li. 7. conf â— vlt l â—â— Ciuit. c. 38. Hom 10. in â—exam in that he vvas guided directed by him and his holy spirit Vvherfore Dauid vvho vvas one of these vvriters sayeth that his tongue is the penne or quill of him that vvriteth svviftly and saint Gregorie and saint Austine affirme scripture to bee the venerable stile of the holy ghost and saint Basil sayeth that not only the sense of scripture but also every vvord and tittle is inspired by the holy ghost Vvherin a difference is put betvvixte scripture and definitions of the Church Pope or Councels Bicause these are assisted by the holy ghost only that they may define the truth and so the sense of a Councells definition confirmed by the Pope is of the holy ghost but it is not necessarie that euery vvord or reason in a Councell proceed from the holy spirit of God and therfore diuines say that in a Councell that thing only is necessarilie to be beleeued vvhich the Councell of set purpose intended to define But as for other thinges vvhich are spoken incidently and as for reasons vvhich the Councel alleageth they are not of that credit although vvithout cuident cause they are not to be reiected And this is the cause vvhy the ancient fathers do vvay and ponder euery vvorde and tittle vvhich interpretours of the Councels canons or definitions do not Vverâ—ore as I sayed let them not charge vs vvith contempt of scripture for our opinion and estimation of scripture is most venerable if it be in deed scripture yea vve auouch that in it selfe it is of farre greater authoritie then is the Church or her definitions bicause though God assiste both yet after a more noble manner he assisteth holy vvriters in vvriting of scripture bicause he assisteth them infaillibly not only for the sense and veritie but also for euery vvord vvhich they vvrite and euery reason and vvhatsoeuer is in scripture vvheras he assisteth the Pope and Councell infallibly only for the sence and veritie of that vvhich they inteÌ„de to define but nether for euery vvord nor for euery reason nor for euerie thing vvhich is incidently spoken as is already declared And yet vvee say also that although scripture of it self be greater then the Church and indepeÌ„dent of her bicause not from her but from God it hathe authoritie and veritie yet the Church is better knovvn to vs then scripture and therfore though she make not scripture yet of her vve are to learne vvhich is scripture and vvhat is the meaning therof vvhich is noe more disgrace to scripture then that faint Ihon and the Apostles should giue testimonie of Christe bicause they vvere better knovvn then he though his authoritie in it selfe vvas greater theÌ„ theirs not depeÌ„ding of them yea the reformers euery one in particuler be he a Cobler is according to their doctrine to iudge by his priuate spirit vvhich is scripture and vvhat is the
against certain hereticall Bishops that sayed that Christs diuinitie suffred on the crosse for he vvhen he hard that they vver come to speake vvith him coÌ„maunded his man presently after their entrauÌ„ce to vvhisper him in the eare vv ch being doon accordingly Alamundarus started at the vvhispering and seemed astonished The Bishops thinking that his man had told him some euil nevves demaunded vvhat it vvas at vvhich he vvas amazed My man sayeth he telles me that Michael the ArchaÌ„gell is dead Tush Tush sayed they that nevves can not be true bicause angels can not dye Can not Angells dye sayed Alamundarus and thinke you that God his diuinitie could suffer Anno 1554. Melancthon in his book of common places and in diuers other places hath these propositions l. cont Stanâ— ep ad Elect. The sonne of God according vnto his diuinitie prayed vnto his father for his Kingdom glorie and inheritaunce The diuine nature of the sonne Ep. 2â— tract pag. 994. vvas obedient to his father in his Passion The like saying hath Beza yea and Caluin also Is not this to deny Christes diuinitie and coaequalitie vvith his father For vvho but an inferiour prayeth â—â—is Kemn epud Bel to 1. l 3. de Christo in initior Lut ser de 〈◊〉 Domini â—0 â— Vvho but an inferiour obeyeth The Lutherane Vbiquetaries also vvho affirme that the diuine attributes are really coÌ„municated vnto Christes humain nature and that in such sorte that the humain nature vvas immense and omnipotent as the diuinitie vvas destroye Christes diuinitie vvilest they extoll his humanitie for by this doctrine it follovveth that Christes diuinitie vvas nothing else but his humaine nature deified really turned into diuinitie seing that humain nature can not in this manner participate of the diuinitie it follovveth that Christ is not true god bicause he hath not true diuinitie For allthoughe by incarnation man vvas God and so consequentely immense and omnipotent by a certaine communication vvhich diuines calle coÌ„municatio idiomatum Yet the humanitie could neuer really be the diuinitie nor omnipoteÌ„cie nor any other diuine attribute And to come to Caluin Li cont Valentinct Genâ—lem he sayeth plainly that the name of god aggreeth to the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per excellentiam by excellencie Vv ch if it be so then god the sonne is not so Excellent a god as the Father and consequently no god at all He also in diuerse places auoucheth that Christ is not god of god as the Nicen Councell calleth him li 1. Inst c 1â— 9.19.23.31 he denyeth that by eternall generation God the sonne hath his essence from his father yea sayeth he in the last place quoted in the margent the essence of the sonne is no more generated then the essence of the father To vvhom in this point subscribeth our countriman vvhitaker in his booke against ffather Campian pag. 1â—3 O blasphemie of them that vvill needs be counted reformed Christians better vvere it to deny Christ flatly then to professe his name and yet vnder hand to disgrace him for dissembled religion is double iniquitie Is not Christ God of God the father then is he some other God hath he not his essence from his father Then is he not the sonne of God bicause the sonne takes his substaunce from his father Is not the sonnes essence generated then is not the sonne begotten of his fathers substauÌ„ce then is he not consubstaÌ„tiall to his father but rather of another nature coÌ„sequeÌ„tly ether a creature or another God The diuines grauÌ„t that the esseÌ„ce diuinitie absolutelie vvithout addition is not to be sayed to be generated for then it should be generated in God the father also but yet they affirme that God the sonne is God of God and begotten of his father and that by eternall generation he receiueth vvith out all imperfectioÌ„ his essence from his father and consequently that the essence is generated not absolutedly but in the sonne else vvere hee not a sonne nether should he be coÌ„substantiall to his father Ep duabus ad Polon Pet. Mar. duab ep Kem. l. de duahus nat Mel. loc c. de filio The same Caluin accompanyed vvith diuers others bothe Caluinists and Lutheranes affirmeth that Christ accordiÌ„g to his diuinitie vvas Preest and mediatour To vvhom Ievvel in his booke against Harding subscribeth Ievvellus ae 17. vvhere he sayeth that in Christ ther vvere tvvo natures the diuinitie and the humanitie and that the humanitie vvas offered in sacrifice but the diuinitie played the preest and offered vp this sacrifice Se here another blasphemie Is Christ preest according to his diuinitie Did his diuine nature offer vnto the father the sacrifice of the humain nature then certes Christ vvas not only as man but also in respect of his diuinitie inferiour to his father for the Preest is inferiour to the God to vvhome hee offereth sacrifice bicause in oblation of a sacrifice he acknovvledgeth God the supreme excellencie and so vvas ether a creature or a lesser God and so noe God at all The ancient fathers diuines do graunt that the same Iesus Christ vvas Mediatour betvvixt God and man and God also to vvhom Mediation vvas made by reason of his tvvoe natures subsisting in one person for a Mediatour like a meane must participate of bothe extremes and therfore sithe man had offended and God vvas offeÌ„ded the Mediatour must be God man participaÌ„t of bothe for God only could not satisfie bicause he could not suffer maÌ„ only could not satisfie bicause his satisfactioÌ„ vvould haue been less theÌ„ vvas the iniurie vvherfore it vvas necessarie that one vvho vvas bothe God man should make this mediatioÌ„ and satisfaction And so the same Iesus Christ God and man satisfied but not as God but as man and he as the person offended receiued also the satisfaction but not as man but as God In like maÌ„ner the same Christe Iesus vvas the Preest the sacrifice and the God to vvhome this sacrifice vvas offered And so Christ vvas the preest but not as God but as man for in this only respect Christ had a superiour to vvhoÌ„ hee might offer a sacrifice Christ also vvas the sacrifice but as man for his humaine nature only suffered And Christ also vvas he to vvhome the sacrfice vvas offered but as God for so hee vvas noe lesse offended and iniuried by mans sinne then god the father I referre the Reader to a booke vvhich one Aegidius Hunnius a Lutherane hath vvritten against Caluin in vvhich he declareth hovv Caluin still expoundeth the old and nevv Testament in fauour of the Ievves Caluinus ludaizans as thoughe the places spake not of Christe and therfore this man calleth his booke Caluinus Iudaizans Caluin playing the Ievve Tell mee novv gentle Reader vvhether these men as they say do attribute all vnto Christ vvhoe as thou hast harde doe despoyle him of his greatest titles of honour that is God the
vvill vvith any reason persuade me to bee ether Turke or Ievve I may by authoritie bee of noe religion And thus Atheisme must needs follovv diuision in religion contempt of the Romaine Church The sixte Chapter shevveth hovv their vvant of a visible head giuethe a great aduantage to Atheistes and such as mocke at all religion IN the first booke and last chapter I haue declared at large hovve necessarie a visible head is in all societies and especially in the Church of Christe and I haue also demonstrated that ther is no suche visible head in the Synagogue of the reformers vvhence I haue inferred that amongest them it is lavvfull for euerye heretike to preach vvhat doctrine hee vvill and no man shall cōtrolle him Novve I ame to deduce another conclusion to vvit that thus also the gate and gapp is opened vnto Atheistes and godlesse and irreligious persons vvhich I can do easily and vvill doe in a vvord For if a visible head bee vvanting euery man may preach and imbrace vvhat religion hee vvill as in the alleaged place I haue proued and seing that if this head bee vvanting ther is noe certaintie for any religion but only the priuate spirite and bare scripture vvhich are altogether vncertaine In the first booke ch 2.3 as before is proued it vvill follovv that a man shall haue no more reason to imbrace one religion thē another yea hee shall haue noe probable reason to induce him to any religion at all and consequentlye he may take good leaue to bee of no religion And thus he may argue in forme and figure If ther be no visible head to determine by authoritie vvhat religion is to be imbraced euery man may be of vvhat religion he vvill and no man can controlle him and so I also may vse my libertie in choosing my religion as vvel as another And seing that if the authoritie of a visible head be layed a side I haue no more reason to bee of one religion then another bicause all religions alleage the same reason vvhich is no reason to vvit bare scripture sensed by the priuate spirite and I can not possibly be of all bicause they be contrarie to one another I may by good reason refuse to bee of any religion and noe man can controlle me for it if there bee no visible head vvho can proue that hee hathe authoritie to determine of religion And so he that forsaketh the Catholique Church vvhere only this visible head is to bee found hath leaue and licence to bee of vvhat religion hee vvill yea to be of no religion at all bicause leauing that hee hathe noe more reason to bee of one religion then another bicause hee hath no other reason then bare scripture sensed by a priuate spirite vvhich is not sufficient as is proued in my first booke and third chapter yea leauing the Catholike Churche he can not haue any probable reason to induce him to any of these nevv religions as I haue proued in my first booke and fifte chapter and seing that God nether can nor vvill commande him to bee of a religion for vvhich hee seeth no reason nor motiue vvhich is sufficient to induce a reasonable man as in the same place is proued hee maye vvith reason after hee hath lefte the Catholike Churche ioyne vvith Atheistes vvhoe are of noe religion The seuenth Chapter shevveth hovv the Reformers in denial of the real praesence do ruine Christian religion and call all the other mysteries of faithe in question SAcrifice is a thing so highly pleasing and acceptable vnto God that he vvill haue none to be pertakers vvith him in such honour but reserueth it as an homage devv only to him selfe and proper to a diuine maiestie 1. Reg. 15. Yet obedience is more gratefull vnto him then all the Hecatombs and Sacrifices in the vvorld bicause by sacrifice vve consecrate vnto his seruice the liues and substaunce of brute beastes but by obedience vvee make a burnt-offering and Holocaust of our ovvne soules resigning our desires and vvilles yea our ovvn selues vvholly vnto his vvill and pleasure But vvhilest this obedience resteth in the vvill thoughe it be very meritorious yet hath it not the full complement of perfection bicause so longe as the vvill hathe reason to persuade her the lesse thankes she deserueth for obeying but vvhen this vertue reachethe to the vnderstanding and maketh reason against sence and aboue reason to yeeld to more then reason can reach vnto then hath this vertue the topp of her perfection But this perfection shee hath not of her selfe bicause of her selfe she can only submitte the vvill vnto the commaundement of the Superiour but she is fayne to borrovv so much of the Theologicall vertue called Faithe vvhose propertie is to make the verie vnderstanding to stoupe vvithout any reason to yeeld to thinges for vvhich ther is noe reason bicause they are aboue reason Many such thinges ther are in Christian faithe vvhich seeme to sense senseless to reason vnreasonable and to humaine faithe incredible and as farre as mans reason can see euen to diuine povver impossible Emongest the vvhich three are the most principall and to humain reason most incredible to vvit the Trinitie in vv ch vvee beleeue that three are one that is that three persons are one God The incarnation in vv ch vvee cōfess that tvvoe are one that is tvvoe natures in Christe the one diuine the other humaine are one and the same person the blessed sacramēt of the altare in vvhich vve acknovvledge that bread and vvine by the vertue of Christes vvorde are changed into his body and bloud and that one body is not only in one but in diuers places at one and the selfe same tyme But as these three are the hardest to conceue of all the mysteries of Christian fayth so hath our blessed Sauiour giuen vs more plaine and euident testimonies of them in his holy vvritte then of any other vvhich are more easilie to be conceued For the blessed Trinitie vvhat more pregnaunt proofes can vve desire then vve haue in sainte Matthevv Going therfore teach you all nations in the name of the father cap. vlt. and of the sonne and of the holy ghost Vvhere the ancient fathers note that three are named to signifie three distinct persones and yet Christe biddeth his Apostles to baptise in the name not names of these three to signifie that these three are one God And that the father is God euery leafe almost of Scripture dothe testifie that the sōne is God many places most manifestlye do beare vvitnes Rom. 1.9 Tit. 2.3 Iuda 2. Mat. 1◠Act. ◠testimonie That the holy ghost is God S. Peter averreth vvho hauing demaunded of Ananias the reason vvhy hee vvould lye vnto the holy ghost auoucheth that he lyed not to mē but to God vvherfore S. Paule sayeth that vvee are the temple of the holy ghost and seing that to God only temples are erected if vvee bee his temple
his vvill and impart his minde to his people and not to giue them vvith all letters patentes of their coÌ„mission or to be so vnreasonable as to bynde vs to giue credit or audieÌ„ce to such Imbassadours vvho caÌ„ne only bragge of their eÌ„bassage but caÌ„not by ani probable proofes acertaine vs of it for so vve might imbrace a false preacher and Apostle vvhen in deed vve haue a levvd and lying prophet by the hand This Moyses vvell knovving Exod. â— neuer dreamed of that great embassage in vvhich he vvas sent from God to Pharao to deale for the deliuerio of the oppressed Israelites vntill God had called him and tolde him that he intended to send him knovvinge that if he shoulde haue gone vnseÌ„t he should haue abused his lord and masters name Aaron also durst not aduenture vppon preestlie function Exod. â—â— Leuit. â— before that Moyses by Gods commaundement had consecrated him vvhose example Sainte Paule proposeth vnto all pasâ—ours as necessarie to be follovved saying 〈…〉 Nec quisquam sumit sibi honorem sed qui vocatur à Deâ— tanquam Aaron Neither doth any man take vnto him selfe honour but he vvho is called of God as Aaron vvas The prophetes likevvoise presumed not to tell vnto the people gods mynd and vvill nor to fortell the thinges to come of vvhich god vvouldehaue his people for vvarned vvith out an expresse commaundement from god as maie appeare by the proheme and beginninge of their prophecies And those immortall creatures vvhich are by nature spirites are by office called Angells bicause they are sent from god as his legates and imbassadoures for so much the greeke vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imylyeth from vvhich our Inglish vvord Angel is deriued Vvherfore the Angel that came to Daniel declareth vnto him his con mission before hâ—e telleth him his message Daniel saieth he stam gradu tuo nunc enim missus sum ad te Dan. 10. Daniel stande in thy stepp for novve I am sent vnto the. And sainte Luke describing that great embassage of the Archangel Gabriel vnto the blessed virgin Marie Luc. 10 saieth that he vvas sent from God into a citie of Galilie vvhich vvas called Naâ—areth vnto a virgin despoused vnto a man vvhose name vvas Ioseph In like manner S. Iohâ— Baptist the precursour of Christ and more then a prophet of God vvhonot only for told the Messias but also poynted him out vvith his finger Malach. 3. Mat. 11. Ciril l. â— in Io. c. 17. Beda in c. 1. Mar. is called an Angel not bicause he vvas an Angel by nature as Origen imagined but bicause he vvas an Angel by office as beinge sent to make the vvaie and to prepare it for the Messias Yea Christ him selfe vvould not vndertake the office and function of a Messias and Mediatour before he vvas sent by his father Io. â— For I saieth he came not of my selfe but he sent me and therfore he saieth his doctrine is not his ovvne but his fathers because although he preached the same 〈…〉 yet bicause he preached it in his fathers name vvho seÌ„t him he calleth it his fathers doctrine And as Christe vvas sent froÌ„ his father sovvere his Apostles froÌ„ him Io. 20. els had not their name aggreed to their person bicause the vvorde Apostle cometh of the greek vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vvhich signifieth a messenger or Imbassadour And if they had not been sent they could not haue preached bicause as faith and religioÌ„ is reuealed only by God Matth. 1â— so none can haue authoritie to preach it but from God accordinge to that of S. Paul Rom. 10. Hovv shall they preach vnles they be sent And as it is proper to all true Apostles not to presume to preach before they be sent so is it as common to all false Prophetes to roÌ„ne before they be sent and to preach their ovvn fancie vvith out mission or commissioÌ„ vvho therfore in diuers places of scripture are saied to come but neuer to be seÌ„t All they saieth Christ vvho came before me are theeues and nobbers Io. 10. Vvhere you must note that he saieth not all they vvho vvere sent bicause Moyses and the prophetes vvere seÌ„t before him and yet vvere nether theeues nor robbers but hesaieth all they that came before me are theeues and rohbers Maldonatus in Io. 10. that is vvho came of their ovvn heades nether sent nor commaunded by cause they stole authoritie froÌ„ God and arrogated that vnto them selues vvhich he neuer gaue them vsing abusing his name and crying that the lord saieth so vvhen he neuer sayed so nor ment so Of vvhich kinde of theefe our sauiour speakinge noteth him vvith the same marke of a false Prophet vvhich is comminge Io. 10. Aâ—theef saieth he doth not come but to steale and kill The like manner of speech vseth saint Paul saying 2. Cor. 17. If he that cometh shall preach vnto yon any other Christe To be breefe he that cannot he bicause he is the prime and first veritie and vvill not lie bicause he is goodnes it self giues vs this marke to knovv a false Prophet by Bevvare saieth he of false Prophetes Mat. â— but vvhat marke doest thou giue vs o lord to knovv them by that vve maie take heed of them Vvho come saieth he vntâ— you in the garmentes of sheep but in vvardlie are rauening vvolues So that if any preachers come only that is come vnsent they are theeâ—es that steale authoritie vvhich vvas neuer giuen them and they are false Prophetes vvhich conne on their ovvn heades before they be sent and preach their ovvn deuises before they haue commission If then our nevv reformers and Prophetes of the lord as they call them selues be sent froÌ„ god as they saie they be to reforme the church not onlie in manners but also in faieth and religion lett them tell vs their mission and shevv vs their commission and vve vvill reuerence them as the messengers and respect them as the Imbassadours and Angells of god But if they come on their ovvne heades or cannot giue vs assurauuce that they are sent from god they must pardon vs if vve giue not eare vnto them for if they be not sent they haue noe authoritie to deale vvith vs and if they cannot proue their mission vve haue noe vvarraunt to deale vvith them Tvvoe manner of missions vvhich god vseth insending preachers vnto vs I fynde in holy vvrite vvhich also haue bene practised in the church of god the one an extraordinarie the other an ordinarie mission The extraordinarie mission is made immediatly from god the ordinarie mission god maketh by meanes of some other vvhom he hath sent immediatlie from him selfe For as god ordinatilie doth nothing immediatlie by himselfe but by meanes of secoÌ„de causes causing light by the sonne and heate by the fire producing fruites by trees men and beastes by some of their ovvne kinde yet he doth not so tye
iudge of all in interpretation of scripture and vvill be iudged of none l. â— cont haer â— 2 This intolerable pride self loue of their ovvne opinions Sainct Ireneus auoucheth to bee a common disease amongest heretiques Vnusquisque sayeth he fictionem quam à semetipso adinaenit illam esse sapientiam dicit seque indubitate incontaminate sincere absconditum scire mysterium Euery one sayeth that his ovvne fiction vvhich he hath deuised is vvisdome and that he vndoubtedly incontaminatly and sincerely doth knovv the hidden mysterie A rius that famous or rather infamous heretike not for spoiling Dianaes temple but for robbing Christ of his diuinitie vvas so vvise in his ovvne conceipte Nic l. 8. c. 7. l. 4 c. 12. that he thought none of the ancient fathers vvorthy to be compared vvith him Aetius another souldiour of Lucifers baÌ„de vvas vvonte to say that he knevv God as vvell as he knevv him selfe Theodoreth l 4. her fab Manicheus bragged that he vvas not only an Apostle of Christe Aug. cont ep fund but also a Paraclete Nestorius eloquent indeed though not so svveet in vttering Socr l. 2.3.22 as forvvard to come to the vtteraunce took such pleasure therin that he had noe mynde to read the ancieÌ„t fathers But to leaue the olde and to come to our nevv-borne heretikes you shall see that in this selfe loue and liking of their ovvn opinioÌ„s they degenerate not a iotte from their ancetours Luther seing him selfe oftentymes to be pressed vvith the old fathers authority preferreth his ovvne priuate opinion before their common sentence and decree and blusheth not a vvhit at the matter Li cons. â—â—gem Angl. Nihilcuro sayeth he si mille Augustini mille Cipriam mille Ecclesiae contra me sentiant I care not if a thousand Augustines a thousand Ciprianes a thousand Churches thinke othervvise then I do Pro l. lib constatutâ— Eâ—clesiae And in a nother place Doctrinam meam sayeth he nolo iudicari à quoquam necab Episcopis nec ab Angelis ommbus volo per eam Angelorum iudex esse I vvill not haue my doctrine iudged of any nether of Bishops nor of all the Angells I vvill by my doctrine be iudge euen of the Angels And againe in another booke of his L do sâ—râ—â—â— arbierâ—â— Ego sayeth he in hoc libro non contuli sed asserui assero net penes vllum iudicium esse volo sed omnibus suadeo vt praestent obsequium I haue not conferred in this booke but I haue affirmed and I affirm nether vvill I that any man iudgè herof but I counsayle all to obey myn opinion But especially he triun pheâ—liâ—n another place of the afore sayed booke vvhich he vvrote against Henry the eight I oppose sayeth he the ghospel but expounded as hee pleaseth against the sayinges of fathers and Angeles as though Angeles vver in opinion coÌ„trary to the ghospell Here I stand here I remain here I glorie here I triumphe here I insulteagainst the Papistes Thomistes Henricistes Sophistes and all the sayings of men though neuer so holy See hovv this man pleaseth him self in his ovvn opinion and hovv he preferreth it before all men and Angeles For all though he vvill seeme to preferre only the ghospelle before them yet seing that the controuersie is not betvvixte scriptures fathers bicause the fathers reuerenced scriptures more then euer Luther did but vvhether Luther or they expounded scripture most righthy hee in deed preferreth him selfe before all the fathers that euer vvere and in conceipt triumpheth ouer them all but before the victorie Caluin also in this selfe pleasing opinion shovveth him self as bragging and Thrasonicall as Luther for his harte and conteÌ„deth vvith him vvho shall stout it most l. 4. Inst. â— 9 Nulla Conciliorum sayeth he Pastorum Fpiscoporum nomina nos impedire debent quo minus omnes omnium spiritus ad diuini verbi regulam exigamus No names of Councells Pastours Bishops ought to hinder vs from examining the spirits of all men by the diuine vvord And in another chapter of the same book c 〈…〉 explicating those vvords of scripture This is my body in a contrary sense to the Lutheranes he sayeth that he having by diligeÌ„t meditatioÌ„ examined those vvordes doth imbrace that sense vvhich the spirit telleth him Mat. 26. and leaning to this sayeth he I despise thevvisaoÌ„ of all meÌ„ vvhich can bee opposed against mee See see the pride of an heretike may not Luther and euery false prophet say that he hath vsed diligence and that the spirit telles him the contrary Vvere not the fathers as diligent as Caluin as Vvise as learned and as vertuouse vvho expounded those vvordes in their proper sense No no one Caluin in his ovvn conceipt surpasseth them all and his opinion and priuat spirit must take the place and vpper hand of all the Austines Ambroses Gregories Hieromes of all the Councells yea and Churches allso all though they vvere thousands in number Virg. Aeneid 9. Ouid. meo 1. Of these mens priuate spirits may be sayed that of the Poet Sua cuique Deus fit dira cupido Euery ones cruel lust is his God Sibi quisque profecto est Deus Euerie one truly is to him selfe a God For these men especially vvho preferre their priuat opinions before Fathers Councells Churches yea and Angells also Vvhat do they but adore the idolls of their ovvne imaginations as their God Truly these men vvhich are not sicut caeteri homines like other men at ether goddes or beasts and that by the sentence of Aristotle the prince of Philosophers For if by this philophers verdit solitarie men or rather haters of societie vvhom the Grecians vse to call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bee other gods or sauage beasts vvhat are these men vvhoe flying allvvayes the company and common consent of Christians vâ—ill go alone in all their opinions and symbolize or sorte them selues vvith no men But this it is to leaue the Catholike Church vvhich vvhen the heretike forsaketh he bidds adevv to all fathers councells antiquitie and commoÌ„ consent vvhich only are to be founde in this Charch and must of necessirie stande post-alone and stick to his priuat spirit opinion against all the ChristiaÌ„ vvorld I vvould saint Bernard had been to deale vvith these singular spirits but bicause he is ridde of these troublesom companions vve vvill at least alleage his vvords vvhich he once vsed against one Petrus Abailardê° possessed vvith the same euill spirit vvho sayed that man vvas not deliuered by Christe from captiuitie of the deuill and although sayeth he the doctours of the Church think the coÌ„trary yet other vvise it seemeth vnto me Vvhat sayeth sainct Bernard shall I deem more intolerable in these vvords Epist â—â—0 blasphemie or arrogancie Vvhat more damnable rashnes or impietie Vvere it not more meete that such a mouth should be bobbed and beaten vvith stones then refuted by reasons doth
dull pate and such like names for pressing him vvith the authoritie of fathers thus he decideth the matter Hencricus dicta patrum inducit pro sacrificio missario c. Henrie for his massing sacrifice bringes in the sayinges of fathers Here say I that by this meanes my sentence is confirmed for this is it vvhich I sayed that the Thomisticall asses haue nothing vvhich they can alleage but a multitude of men and the ancient vse But I against the sayings of fathers men angells and deuills put dovvne the ghospell vvhich is the vvorde of the aeternall maiestie here I insult ouer the sayings of men thoughe neuer so holy so that I care not though a thousand Austines and Ciprianes should stand against me Thus one Martin Luther braueth them all thus this good child reuerenceth and respecteth his ancient fathers for as I sayed in the last chapter although he seemeth only to preferre the scripture yet seing that they admitted and alleaged scripture also the question is vvhoe hath better skill in expounding scripture and if vve beleeue this man all the fathers might haue gone to schoole to him in expos a. 6â— fol. 167. Zuinglius vvill not be behind Luther in this matter They affirme sayeth he and vve deny that the masse is a sacrifice Vvho shal be iudge of this controuersie The sole say I and the only vvord of God But by and by thou beginnest to crye The fathers the fathers haue thus deliuered vnto vs. But I bring to thee not fathers nor mothers but â— require the vvord of God Caluine desireth to be counted modest but herin also he could not conteine him self l. â— Inst ca. 8. â— 10. Vvhen the aduersaries obiect to me sayeth he that this vvas the cusstome I ansvverre that the old fathers in this matter vvanted both lavv and exemple vvere caryed avvay into an errour vvhilest they attributed to much to the name of poenaunce and the common peoples opinions And again I ame litle moued vvith those things vvhich occurre cuery vvhere in the vvritings of fathers concerning satisfaction I see truly many of them yea I vvill speake simply as it is all allmost of them vvhose bookes are extant vvere in this matter deceâ—ued and spoake hardly And in another booke of his he calles the fathers of the councel of Trent hogges asses in Antid can â— Peter martyr calleth papistes Patrologos not Theologos 〈◊〉 votis for alleaging fathers Doctour Humphrey in the life of levvell perceiuing that levvell had offered to much vvhen in the heat of his sermon he vvas content to be tryed by fathers sayeth that he might haue vsed a better defence for him selâ—e then the authoritie of fathers Vvhoe sayeth hee if they teache contrarie it litle skilleth for vvhat haue vve to do vvith fathers vvith flesh bloud or vvhat perteineth it to vs vvhat the false Synods of bishops do decree Vide â—undem in praefat in Orig. Beza calleth Athanasius Satanasius and the fathers of the Nicen Councell blind sophistes ministers of the beast and staues of Antichrist â—â—ont PapatuÌ„ And althoughe Luther affirmeâ—h that sainct Gregorie the great vvas the last good Pope yet Bibliander calleth him in derisioÌ„ the Patriarch of ceremonies Melancthon condemneth him for allovving of the sacrifice of the masse for the dead praef ep Zuiâ—â— gl Mel. Paulus Vergerius vvrote a booke of the toyes and fables of Gregorie Horne in his booke against Abbot Fecnam calleth this sainte to vvhome vve English men ovve noe lesse then our conuersion from paganisme to christiantie a blind bussard Cent 1. pag. 66 72 Cent. â— par 678. Bile the cronicler sayetâ— that this saint sent Austin the monke to plante in England his Romish religion but yet sayeth he Latâ—mer is much more vvorthy to be counted Englands apostle bicause Austine brought nothing but mans traditions masse crosses letanies vvheras Latimer vvith the hooke of truth cut of these superstitions Vvhitaker in his booke called reprehension Pag. 8â— sayeth that the fathers for the most part vvere of opinion that Antichrist is but one particular man but in that as in many other things theâ— erred The like respecte they bear to generall Councells in vvhich the vvisest and grauest fathers of the Church vver allvvayes assembled Luther in his booke of Councels calleth them Sicopâ—ants and flaterers of the Pope and sayeth that the canoÌ„s of the Councell of Nice vvhich Constantine reuereÌ„ced and honoured vvith his presence are hay stravve stickes and stubble Ibidem Yea in this councel he findeth a playn coÌ„tradiction bicause the councell forbiddes all Eunuches to be promoted to preesthood and yet commaundeth preestes to liue chastly As though only they vvho are gelded could liue chast and as though ther vvere no mean betvvixt vviuing and gelding Yea sayeth Luther l. â—â—nt Regem Angliae if all the decrees of councells vvere povvred into theee vvith a pipe yet vvould they not make thee a christian l. 4. Inst c. 9. sect 8. Caluin vvill examine all councells by the vvord before he vvill giue any credit vnto them and seing that the fathers in councells examined their decrees by scripture also Caluin vvill make an examination vppon their examinatioÌ„ and so vvill bee Iudge of them all But least I vveary the reader vvith to longe a catalogue of reuiling speeches of these contumelious chammes and parricides I report me vnto the indifferent reader vvhether they deserue not the punishment of parricides vvho so scoffe taunte contemne and reuile their forfathers But my meaning vvas not to condemne them vppon vvhom God his sentence must passe my drifte is herby to shevv hovv much in reuiling fathers they crack the credit of their religion and hovv vvithall in reiecting this authoritie they open the gapp to all heretikes and heresies And as concerning the first point it is vvell knovvn that antiquitie vvas allvvayes reuerenced old age vvas euer respected olde coynes priced ancient statues admired old vvritings esteemed and in all artes the moste ancieÌ„t professours of the same bear the bell a vvay In painting Appelles hath the credit aboue all painters in statuary vvorks Lycippê° in comedies Plautus and Terence in Tragedies Seneca in histories Liuie Salust Iustine in Poetrie Homer Virgil Ouid in Rhetorick Demosthenes and Cicero in Philosophie Plato and Aristotle in Diuinitie Peter Lombard sainct Thomas of Aquin Scotus and such other subtile schoolmen And shall not the ancient fathers and doctours of the Church vvho by their arte professed exposition of scripture be reuerenced and credited in their arte before oure vnlearned and vpstart ministers shall antiquitie giue credit to Poets and painters and not to Doctours interpretours of scripture Vvhat is this but to preferr ê“phane literature before religioÌ„ Philosophie before fayth diuinitie paganisme before Christianitie yea Poetes painters before Doctours fathers of the Church If any one novv should say that Plato and Aristotle vvere but
tyme bee all nouellaunts and nouellers vpstarts and of later standing arising many hundred yeares after the Romain Church vvhich vvas euer counted the only true Church for Luther the first of all this nevv frye and his religion is not yet an hundred yeares old it is as certaine that they are heretikes and their religion heresie as that Arius Nestorius Pelagius vvere heretikes and the same fathers and scriptures before alleaged vvhich haue condemned them for heretikes bicause of their late standing can not vvithout plaine partialitie free our reformers from the same sentence vvho vveare the same badge are noted vvith the same marke of an heretike vvhich is later standing The third Chapter noteth the Reformers vvith another mark of an heretike vvhich is a particuler name vvhich they take from their sectmaster THe hart of man is a secret closet Psal 7. Sap. 1. Hier. 11. Th. 〈◊〉 p q. 57. art 4. of vvhich God only Keepeth the Key it is a bottoÌ„lesse pit vvhich he only vvho searcheth the hart and reines can sound to the bottoÌ„ in so much that vnlesse God reueale or this hart of man vouchsafe to open it selfe nether deuill nor angell can discouer the hartes cogitations much lesse can one man tell vvhat another thinketh Vvherfore that men might impart their thoughts one to another God hath guien them a toungue as an Interpretour of the mynde and a messenger of the thoughts and a mouth also as a trompet vvherin the tounge soundeth forth by voice vvhat the hart thinketh And bicause the things vvhich vve vvould speak of can not by them selues immediately be brought into discourse the toungue frameth vvords and giueth names vvhich goe for the thiÌ„gs that so vvheÌ„ vve hear the sound of the vvord name vve may vnderstaÌ„d the thing vv ch is spoke of Vvherfore the nevv Christians of this tyme must not meruaill that by their name as by an infallyble marke I seck to discouer them for names are Symboles and signes of things by vvhich vve knovv the natures of things together vvith their proprieties But vvhat vvill you saye is this name by vvhich they are conuinced to bee heretikes it is the Surname vvhich they take from their Sect master by vvhich they vvere alvvayes more famouse then by their proper names At the first vvhen all Christianes vvere of one hart and lippe beleeuing and professing the same Act. 4. they vvere called all by the same names as Christianes of Christe brethren for their mutuall charitie faithfull in respect of one fayth but vvhen certain inconstaunte and deuising heads vvould vary from the rest of the faythfull in certain pointes of religion their names chaunged as they them selues vvere altered bicause they novv beganne to leaue the common receiued fayth vvhich Christe by him selfe and his Apostles and their successours had deliuered they vvere noe more called by the common name of Christiane but by the name by vvhich their autour vvas called vvho deuised their religion and so as in fayth they vvere separated from other Christians so in names also vvhich explicate the natures of things they vvere of necessitie seuered Simonians vvere named of Simon Magus the Ebionites of Ebion Marcionites of Marcion the Manichies of Manicheus the Arrians of Arrius Nestorians of Nestorius Eutichianes of Eutiches Pelagians of Pelagius Donatists of Donatus vvho not vvith standing before they varyed in religion and follovved nevv Masters vvere called only by the common names of Christians vvherfore the ancient fathers euer condemned them as heretikes vvho vvere marked vvith these particuler names Sainct Hierome pronounceth boldly this sentence li. contra Lucifer in fine Sicubi audÃeris eos qui dicuntur Christiani non à Domino Iesu Christo sed à quopiam alio nuncupari vâ—pote Marcionitas Valentinianos Montenses c. scito non Ecclesiam Christi sed Anti-christi esse Synagogam If any-vvhere thou here of them vvho are called Christians yet take their name not of Iesus Christ but of some other as for example of they be called Marcionits Valentinians Montanists c. Knovv thou that there is not the Churche of Christe but the Synagogue of Antichriste Iustinus Martyr discrieth heretikes by the same badge and marke Dial. cum Triphone There are sayeth he and euer vvere many vvhich come in the name of Iesus yet are called by diuers Surnames as Marcionits Valentinians Basilidians Saturninians euerie one Biorrovving a name of the first inuentour of their doctrine Of such kind of men this is sainct Ciprianes opinion They vvhich vvere once Christians Ep. ad Nouatum novv Nouatians are novv no more Christians bicause sayeth hee primam fidem vestram perfidia posteriori per nominis appellationem mutastis you haue chaunged your former fayth by a later infidelitie by the appellation of your name And the reason vvhy these father 's accounted allvvayes such nicknamed persons as heretikes is easilie seen Mat. 18. bicause such as leaue the Churche and vvill not here her voice vvere allvvayes esteemed as heretikes as the Greeke vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importeth vvhich signifieth election and separation Li. 2. contrâ— Faust c. 3. Cipr. l. 1. cp 6. and therfore S. Austin and sainct Ciprian put this difference betvvixte an heretike and a schismatike that although both doe separate them selues from the Church yet a schismatike only is diuided in vvill contumacie and breach of charitie an heretike also in fayth and opinioÌ„ and therfore seing that these diuerse names taken from diuerse autours argueth such a leparation for if they had still remained in that Church vvhich commonly vvas called Christian and had not follovved nevvmasters ther had needed noe distinction of names from other Christians it must needs follovv that all such as are distinguished thus in name from other Christians are diuided also from them in fayth and religion and so are noe true Christians but perfidiouse heretikes I demaund novv of our Lutheranes Zuinglianes Caluinistes Osiandrians Bezists Brovvnists Martinists and such like nevv named Christians of this age vvhether they dare stande to the sentence of Iustinus Martyr S. Ciprian and sainct Hierom in this point Truly I thinke they dare not and I thinke also that they haue good cause for if that they be heretikes vvhich are surnamed of particuler autours as they plainly affirme if our nevv Christianes be so surnamed as all the vvorld vvilbe vvitnesse that they are then must needs follovv this conclusion that they also are heretikes But to conclude more plainly that vvhich vvas intended This marke of an heretike can in noe vvise aggree vnto Catholikes but rather to them aggreeth the signe of the true Christians For as in the tyme of the Arians they vvere counted true Christians vvhich vvere called by generall names Christians and Catholikes and they vvere esteemed of as heretikes vvhich had particuler names deriued from the autour of their secte as Arians Aetians Eudoxians and such like so novv vve that are called by the same
of this fall is a sufficient argument that the Churche neuer fell for if it had falleÌ„ it hauing been once so famous so glorious so coÌ„spicuous the fall therof vvith the tyme occasioÌ„ and other circuÌ„stauÌ„ces could not haue been coÌ„cealed as sone may the sonnes fall from heauen be vnknovven vnto the vvorld as the fall of the Churche Mat. 3. vvhich is sometymes called a citie on an hill Psal 1â— some tymes a tabernacle placed in the some Secondly if the Church fell then certes it vvas not builded vppon a rocke but on the sands Mat. 16. 2. Tim. 3. then is it not â— piller of truth Luâ— 22. then did Christ pray that Peters fayth might not fayle that his father vvould send his holy spirit to remain vvith the Apostles for euer that is in their successoures for vvith them in person he could not remain for euer and yet vvas not hard Mat. 28. Then did Christ promise that he vvould stay vvith them for euer but performed not vvhat he promised TheÌ„ vvas Christ an vnfaythfull spouse vvho betrothed him self to his Churche but separated him self froÌ„ her many hundred yeares c. 2. And then did Daniel foolishly coÌ„pare Christes Church vnto a Kingdom vvhich should neuer be ruined Ser. 2 in Psal 107. But as S. Austin vvel noteth it is the propertie of theÌ„ vvho are out of the Church to say that the Churche is not Sed illa Ecclesia sayth he in the person of the Donatists quae fuit omnium gentium iam non est perijt Hoâ— dicunt qui in illa non sunt O impudentem vocem illa non est quia tu in illa non es vide ne tu ideo non sis nam illa erit etiamsi tu non sis But that Churche vvhich consisted of all nations novv is not it is perished So they say vvho are not in it O impudent voice Is not that extant bicause thou art not in it Looke least thou therfore beest not for the Churche vvill be although thou be not Ser. â—â— in Cant. Vvherfor sainct Bernard vvho vvas one of this Church doubted not but that she should perseuer to the end Ita est tunc deinceps noÌ„ deficiet genus Christianum nec fides de terra nec charitas de Ecclesia venerunt flumina flauerunt venti impegerunt in eam non cecidit co quod fundata erat supra petram petra autem erat Christus So it is both then after vvard the ChristiaÌ„ race shall not fayle nether fayth froÌ„ the vvorld nor charitie froÌ„ the Churche fludds haue come vvindes haue blovvn haue beaten vppon her but the Churche fell not bicause it vvas founded vppon a rock vvhich rock vvas Christ Hom. 1. de Pent. The vvords of Christ must be verified sayth sainct Chrysostome bicause heauen and earth shall fayle before Christs vvords and vvhat are those vvords sayeth he euen those and no other Mat. 16. Thou art Peter and vppon this rock vvill I build my Churche This Churche sayeth he vvas impugned but could not be ouercome dartes vvere shotte against it but could not pearse engines of vvarre vvere vsed to ouerthrovv it but this tovver could not be beaten dovvn Consider sayeth he the tyraunts beasts svvords deaths dartes vvhich the deuil prepared against this Churche but all in vayne for the deuil hathe emptied his quiuer and shott all his arrovves but the Churche hath no hurte The persecutours are novv dead rotten and forgotten but the Churche florisheth Vvhere is novv Claudius vvhere is Augustus vvhere are Nero and Tiberius these are novv naked names for them selues are not extaunt Ser. post exilium And thinkest thou ô deuil sayth he that thou canst ouer throvv the Churche that art not able to encounter vvith a younge Agnes and tender Christian mayd vvho hath proued stronger then all thy force and instruments of tormeÌ„ts And if sayeth he thou couldest not ouercome the Church vvhen she vvas younge and had the Ievves and Gentils Kinges and Emperours against her thinkest thou novv to giue her the foyle or falle And truly he that sayeth that the Churche hath fayled must consequently say vvith the Atheists that it vvas the vvorke of men not of God deuised by men to Keepe fooles in avve for if the Church vvas established by God then by Gamaliel his rule Act. â— it could not by any force of man be dissolued This argument so presseth them that they dare not stand to this ansvver yet they vvill play small play rather theÌ„ staÌ„d out l. de notis Ecclesiae Luther therfore in his book of the notes of the Churche graunteth that the Church neuer quite decayed but only for the most parte and so sayeth he it decayed euen in the apostles tyme for as Christe sayeth he from the beginning had his Church so the deuil had his chappel vvhich vvas bigger then the Church so there hath been euer a succession of both but the chappel as it vvas euer bigger so vvas it most famouse And this chappell saieth he is the Church of the Papists vvhich is so famouse in Ecclesiasticall histories But this shifte is poore and ridiculouse For if the Church of the Papists degenerated from the beginning as Simon Magus did vvhy vver not vvee called by particuler names as all heretikes are Vvhy vvas not our autour named Vvhy is not the tyme and occasion registred If our Church vvas euer the greater then vvas theirs the chappel for it is against the nature of a chappel to be greater then the Church If our Church vvas the greater and most famouse then vvas ours that societie vvhich vvas commonly called the Christian Church then vvas our societie that vvhich condemned heresies and called Councels vvhich vvas persecuted by the persecutours and consequently vvas not the deuils chappel for he persecuteth not his ovvn and fauoured by Constantine and other Christian Emperours Kings Princes for vvhich monasteries vvere erected Churches builded in vvhich all the ancient doctours ministred sacrameÌ„tes preached teached ruled and gouerned And vvhere vvas then Luthers litle flock Vvhat Historiographer vvrote the progress of it Vvhat Emperours persecuted it Vvhat heretikes rayled against it Vvhat Churches vvere builded for it Vvhat ministers ruled it And vvhat vvas the manner of gouermeÌ„t in it If ther vver no such societâ—e noe other counted Christian but ours theÌ„ ether ours vvas the true Church or else the Church quite fayled so they must retourn to their first shifte vv ch yet vvill not serue their turne as is allready proued Vvherfore if all other fayle they haue yet another shifte and that is this Vve graunt say they that the Church neuer decayed but still stood immoueable vppon the rock vppon vvhich Christ founded it Mat. 16. but soone after the Apostles tyme or peraduenture before they vver all dead this Church became inuisible and appeared noe more openly but vvas preserued secretly in obscure
mercie of the second 〈◊〉 â— iustice In the first he vvas as meek as a lambe in the second as terrible as a Lion The first vvas to saue sinners the second to condemne them In the first he exhorted vs to good dehorted vs from euill in the second he vvill revvard the good 〈◊〉 â— and punishe the euill of the first aduent prophecied the Prophet Zacharie vvhen he sayed Behold thy King shall come vnto thee iuste and a Sauiour Poore and mounted on an asse Of the second speaketh Daniel vvhen he sayeth he savv c. 7. that is forsavv one coming in clovvds liKe the sonne of man to vvhom the ancient of dayes gaue honour povver and a Kingdome Of the first speaketh Christ him self vvhen he sayeth God did not send his sonne to iudge the vvorld but that the vvorld might be saued by him Io. 3. Of the second speaketh the Prophet and Euangelist sainct Ihon vvhen he bidds vs behold Christ comming in clovvdes Apoc c. â— and telleth vs that euery eye shall see him euen they vvho pricked him and that all the tribes of the earth shall bevvayle them selues vppon him Luc 21. And of this aduent speaketh Christ him selfe vvho describeth his ovvn comming to Iudgement in a terrible forme and sayeth that then they shall see the sonne of manne comming in a clovvd vvith great povver ad maiestie For vvant of vvitte to distinguish these tvvoe aduentes and to apply them to the same person at diuers tymes some imagined that tvvoe diuerse persons vvere to come the one called the sonne of Ioseph vvho they say shal be slayne in the battayle of Gog and magog the other called the sonne of Dauid vvho shall reuiue again as they saye the sonne of Ioseph and shall redeeme Israel Ex Pet. Gal. l. 4. c. 1. de arcanu fid Cathol restore the Israelits vnto their Kingdome againe Others hauing their eyes dasled vvith the spleÌ„dour of the second aduent can not see the first vv ch is base and humble and therfore saye vv ch is the common voice of the Ievves that the Messias shall come like a temporall King in glorie and maiestie and by force of armes shall restore the Ievves to their former glorie and bicause they haue not as yet seene such a Messias they say that he is not yet come but still is to be expected But by the scripturs alleaged it is manifest that one and the selfe same Christ Iesus shall come first to saue the vvorld and after to iudge the same Vvherfore sainct Peter sayeth that Christ commaunded him and his fellovv Apostles to Preach to the People and to bear vvitness that he it is to vvit vvho before came to redeem vs vvho is constituted by God the Iudge of the liuing and the dead Act. 10. Io. 5. And Christ him self sayeth that God the father Iudgeth none that is in a vÃsible maÌ„ner but hath giuen all Iudgement to his SoÌ„ne And least that any should imagin that Christ only as God is iudge but not as manne he addeth that God the father hathe giuen him povver to Iudge vs bicause he is the sonne of man And sainct Paule sayeth that God hath appointed a day in vvhich he vvill Iudge the vvorld by a man vvhom he hathe raysed from death to life Act. 1â— So that the same Christe Iesus vvho came first in humble manner to call vs by his grace and to receue vs to his mercie shall come againe in glorie to giue vs our finall sentence And God the father and God the holy ghost shall Iudge vs as vvell as God the sonne yet he only as man and as an vnder Iudge shall iudge vs in a visible manner and in this sense God the father shall not iudge This Iudge shall giue sentence vppon all men 2. Cor. â— bicause as sainct Paule sayeth vve must all appear before the tribunall and Iudgement-seate of Christ This Iudge in this Iudgement shall exercise the three principall actes of a Iudge to vvit discussion remuneration and condemnation He shall discusse and examin the cause of euery one and euery circumstaunce of the same and therfore by the Prophet Ioel he sayeth that he vvill dispute vvith vs. Ioel. â— A sore disputation vvhere the Creatour disputeth the creature ansvvereth vvher God that is offended vvilbe the iudge vvitnes vvher the iudge is of such insight that he seeth farther into the guilties cause then he him selfe is so vvatchfull that noe excusing cloking or hiding can deceiue him so iuste that noe bribes can corrupt him so seuere that noe teares at that day can moue him so resolute in his sentence that noe repreeue nor appellatioÌ„ caÌ„ be admitted This discussion and examination shal be doone in a trise bicause it is nothing but a reuelation and manifestation vnto our consciences vvhat euery one hathe doone vvhich shall bee so euident that our consciences shall accuse and crye guiltie before the iudge condemne vs. This examination and discussion the Iudge shall vse only vvith Christianes bicause their cause of their condemnation they being Christians is not so manifest but not vvith infidels bicause in that they vvant fayth the cause of their condemnation is euideÌ„t and so no discussion shal be necessary vvherfore sainct Austine sayeth Ad iudicium non veniunt Serm. 38. de Sanct. Io. â— nee pagani nec heretici nec ludei quia de illis scriptum est quinon credit iam iudicatus est To Iudgement doe come nether paganes nor heretiks nor levves bicause of them it is vvritten he that beleeues not is all ready iudged that is in respect of discussioÌ„ of his cause he is all ready iudged needeth not in the generall iudgement any other discussion for the cause of his exclusion from glorie bicause his infidelitie is a cause most euident yet as some diuines affirme for their other sinnes and for the diuersitie of their paynes their cause also shal be discussed not that god Knovveth it not vvithout discussion but bicause he vvill make it Knovven vnto the vvorld The second office of a iudge vvhich christe shall exercise is called the sentence of remuneration vvhich after the discussion of their causes and approbation of their merites Mat. 25. hee shall pronounce for the electe in those most confortable vvords Venite benedicti patris mei percipite regnum c. come you blessed of my father take possession of the Kingdome vvhich vvas prepared for you from the beginning of the vvorld The third office and action of a iudge vvhich Christ shall exercise is the sentence of condemnation vvhich after examination of their crimes God shall pronounce against vvicked Christians and faythless infidels also bicause he that beleeueth not shal be condemned Mar. 16. And this sentence shal be pronounced by the mouth of Christ and vvith an audible voice in those terrible vvords also vvhich the Euangelist hath set dovvne Ite maledicti in
for their sakes Secondly the nature of frendship vvill haue it soe that if vve honour and loue any vve must respect for his sake all belonging vnto him euen vnto his dogge But Caluin vvill saye that greater vvould be the honour of Christe if vve gaue all honour to him and none at all to his saincts vvhich hee affirmeth and I vvith more reason do denye For as then I honour and loue my Prince best vvhen I soe respecte him that I honour and loue not him only but for his sake his alliaunce his frends his officers his seruauntes his image yea his ringe so do I honour and loue Christe moste vvhen for his sake I respecte and honour his mother his officers the Apostles his freindes the sainctes yea his crosse and image And as Princes take it for a dis honour to haue their officers seruaunts and images abused count it an honour to be honoured not only in them selues but also in their adherentes so no doubte Christ accountes the honour doone to Sainctes bicause it is giuen them for his sake and bicause they are his freinds and seruaunts as giueÌ„ to him selfe and can not but conceiue him selfe to be highly dishonoured vvheÌ„ his Saints yea his mother are reuiled and his Crosse and Images are defaced and defiled Vvherfore let not the reformers calle vs idolatours Vvl at 〈…〉 tris 〈◊〉 least they bevvray their ignoraunce For idolatrie is to giue supreme honour devv to God vnto his creaturs as it is treason to giue suprem ciuil honour devv to the Prince vnto any of his subiects but as it is noe treason nor iniurie but rather honour to the Prince to honour his officers and seruaunts vvith an inferiour honour for his sake so is it noe idolatrie but religion to honour the Saints of God vvith an inferiour honour for their Masters sake And if Saints may be honoured vvee maye make intercession vnto them bicause it is an honour to Princes retainers to haue sutes made vnto them And this may be doone also vvithout dishonour to Christe bicause to him vve giue vvhat is devv to vvitte the title of a Redeemer and cheefe aduocate mediatour and intercessour and vve acknovvledge Saints as secondarie mediatours and intercessours vvhome vve desire for the credit vvhich they haue vvith Christe greater then vve haue to make intercession to him for our necessities And so vve pray othervvise to Christe othervvise to Saincts to him vve pray as to our supreme aduocate to them as to secoÌ„darie mediatours vvho haue noe access to God but by him to him vve pray as vnto him that bestovveth grace healthe such ther benefits on vs to them vve praye not to bestovve those benefites but to pray to him to bestovve them on vs. And if some tymes vve desire our Lady and other Saincts to send vs healthe or to giue vs grace our meaninge is noe other then to desire them to procure of Christe these benefits for vs by their prayer and intercession But Sainctes sayeth Caluin caÌ„ not heare vs so farre of I grauÌ„t they can not naturally nor by corporall eares for as yet they haue none at all but yet I saye that by reuelatioÌ„ God vvho reuealed many future thinges to his Prophetes reuealeth also vnto Saincts all thinges vvhich are belonginge vnto them emongest vvhich are the prayers vvhich are made vnto them and I auouch vvith the diuines and holy fathers that as they see God face to face so in him they see knovve euen our cogitations prayers and vvhatsoeuer is beloÌ„ging vnto them Vvherfore I may iustly suspect our Reformers sinceritie to Christe vvho can abide nether his mother nor his Saincts nor his crosse nor image nor any thing belonging vnto him bicause the nature of freÌ„dship is such that if they loue and honour him they must loue and honour his frends and seruaunts Gen. 9.29 Num. 220 Ios 3. â— Reg. 1â— â— Reg. 30 Here I could demonstrate out of scripture the honour devv to saintes bicause scripture auoucheth that Abraham Loth Balaam and Iosue vvorshipped Angels that Abdias honoured Elias and that the sonnes of the prophetes reuereÌ„tly respected Elizeus vvho novv are much more vvorthy honour then they vvere in this mortall life and may accept of it as it vvell novv vvithout preiudice to Christes honour as then Prayer to Sainctes I could proue out of Gods ovvne mouth for vvhen he sayed Hiâ—◠〈◊〉 that if Moyses and Samuel should stande before him to vvit to make intercession for the people yet his soule vvould not be vvith that people he giues vs leaue to suppose that they may praye for the people that vision also of Iudas Machabeus in vvhich he savve Onias and Hieremie 2. Maâ—◠〈◊〉 then not liuing yet praying for him and his armie dothe argue that Sainctes pray for vs and consequently that vvee may pray vnto them Apoe 5. and this sainct Ihon confirmeth by another vision in vvhich he savve the tvventie fovvre Seniours prostrated before the throne of God hauing euery one harpes and golden vialls full of odours vvhich are sayeth sainct Ihon the prayers of Sainctes Tob. 12. Yea the Angel Raphael sayeth that he offered vp Tobias his prayers vnto God and another Angel prayeth for the people as Zacharie vvitnesseth in the beginning of his Prophecie Zach. 1. the like example of prayer to an Angel vve read in Osee Osce 12. And vvhy haue vvee angels vvhich are called our Gardians as Christe him selfe sayeth vvee haue but to protect and pray for vs Mat. 1. See Gen. 48. Iob 5 19. Exod 32. Apoc. 8. And seing that the soules of the blessed are immortall as Angels are see God face to face as they do and are indevved vvith glorie as they are they also can heare our prayers 1. Reg. 7. Iob vlt. Rom â—5 Ephes 6. 1. Thes 3. 2. Thes 3. Col. 4. Heb. 13. Iac. 5. as vvell as Angels and so are to be prayed vnto as vvel as they Vvee haue many examples also of the prayers of Sainctes in this life and seing that the soules of dead Saintes are liuing and haue eyes and eares of soule to see our necessities and to heare our petitions vvhy may vvee not pray to them and that also vvithout iniurie to Christe Exod. 2â— Num. 22. as vvel as to the liuing Saintes Novv that their Images Reliques may be vvorshipped Cen. 〈…〉 Act 3.2 Reg 6. Heb. 9. it is as manifest in the tvvoe Cherubins placed by the Arke in the brasen serpent in the translation of Iacobs and Iosephs bones the reuereÌ„t and deuout burial of sainct Stephen Yea the respect vvhhich vvas borne tovvards the Arke Manna the Tables of the lavve Aarons rodde vvhich vvere religiously Kept in the Arke argueth no lesse But the a fore sayed reason grounded in the nature of frendship vvhich saveth loue me and loue myne honour mee honour myne euen to my seruaunte and image and the absurditie vvhich follovveth
canons of the Apostles Canon Apo. Cone Nâ—ic and the councel of Nice And Ignatius bishop of Antioch and scholler of sainct Paule in in diuerse of his Epistles speaketh of the same Ignat. cp ad Eph. In his Epistles to the Ephesians this is his admonition Endeuour my dearest to be subiecte to the bishop cp ad Tral Preests and deacons bicause he that obeyeth them obeyeth Christe vvho appointed them And again in another Epistle he giues the reason vvhy vve should obey them For vvhat sayeth he is a bishop but one vvho is aboue all principalitie and is as much as a man can be an imitatour of Christe Vvhat is Preesthood but an holy company counsaylours and assistents to the bishop Vvhat are Deacons but imitatours of Angells vvho exhibit a pure and harmeless ministery as sainct Stephen did to sainct Iames Timothie and Line vnto Paule Anacletus and Clemens vnto Peter Ep. ad Antioch And in another place he reckeneth allmost all the inferiour orders of the Clergie I salute Subdeacons Lectors Singers Ianitours Exorcistes And so forthe By vvhich it is plaine that in the Churche of Christe euen from the beginning there vvas a Clergie of Bishops Preests and inferiour ministers and that the Churche and they euen from the beginning vvent together and by later vvriters and histories it is most manifest that preesthood vvas an order vvhich euer florished in the Church of Christe ruled also in it and vpholded it And truly religion and preesthood are so inseparately vnited that the very paganes as they practised superstition and idolatrie insteed of religion so did they deuise a kinde of Clergie and order of Preests to rule their Church in spirituall maters to offer their sacrifices and to minister their Sacraments as in the pagane writers is mostmanifest to be seene Novv that there is noe true Preesthood amoÌ„gest the ghospellers they them selues doe confesse and I shall also proue it but first let vs take their ovvne confession L. de abrog Missa l. ad Pragenses de Instit ministris Luther sayeth plainly that all are preests a like and that Christians are not ordained but borne Preests in baptisme Only sayeth he this is the difference that to auoid confusion the execution of preestly authoritie is committed to some only And this is the opinion of all the reformers euen in England vvho as they acknovvledge noe proper and true sacrifices but only improper such as prayer is and a contrite harte so they acknovvledge noâ— other Preests theÌ„ those vvho offer prayer and thankes-giuing and such like improper sacrifices vnto God And bicause all may offer such sacrifices all vvith them are preests a like And so the minister is no more Preest then the minstrell only the minister by election or by the Princes lettre hathe the execution of this preestly function committed vnto him vvhence it follovveth that ther is noe Hierarchie by their opinioÌ„ amoÌ„gest them nor distinction of the state of Clergie and laitie in order dignitie and povver but only in executioÌ„ Vvherfore seing that all are not true and proper Preests ther is no true Preesthod amongest them This they graunte and by their proofe argument by vvhich they proue all to bee Preests alike they declare their meaning for their principall profe is taken out of sainct Peter and sainct Ihon 〈◊〉 Pat. 2. Apâ—s 〈◊〉 vvho say that Christ hathe made vs all a holy nation a Royall Preesthood and preests to God his father vvhich vvordes argue only that vvee are metaphoricall and improper Preests vvho in that vvee are to offer vnto God vppon the Altare of our soule prayse thankesgiuing prayer contrition and such like vertues doe in some forte resemble true Preests vvho offer true sacrifices vppon true altars but as our soules are not true Altars nor our vertues true sacrifices so are not all true preestes And therfore S. Peter as he calles vs Preests so he calles vs Kings liuing stones and spirituall hovvses and therfore as vvee are not all proper and true Kinges as vve are not all true stones and hovvses so are vvee not all true Preests And seing that by this their opinion vve are all Preests a like ther is noe true preâ—sâ—hood amongest them by their opinion and so noe Churthe nor religion For all though ther is in Christs Church true presthood distincte from the state of the laitie in caracter order consecration and povver as I haue allready proued yet in their opinion ther is none and so amongest them by their ovvne confession is noe religion Bicause to vphold religion not only improper Preests such as euer vvere all the faythfull are required but also proper Preests such as differed in state from the rest of the multitude and offered true sacrifices vvere euer in euery lavve necessarie and true Preestes and true religion as yet euer vvent together And truly as they teach so it is amoÌ„gest theÌ„ for in their Church ther caÌ„ bee noe true preests nor preesthood as I vvill in a vvorde or tvvoe demonstrate And first of all if they haue any true preestes amongest them let them shevve vs a succession of them from the Apostles else can they not proue them to bee true preests Ephes 4. for if Christe ordained his Apostles preestes and in them began the goodly order and ranke of preests vvhich by succession he vvould alvvayes haue to coÌ„tinevv in his Churche for the vpholding of religion in the same then certes they are no true preests vvho can not deriue their pedegree fron the Apostles as Catholike preests can doe but bastard and apish ministers vvho cary the name and coate of Preests and arrogate vnto them selues that office but are no more Preests in deed then are their minstrells and coblers Secondly vvho in gods name layed hands vppon them Vvhat Bishops ordained them not Catholike bishops I ame sure and they them selues vvill think it noe credit to retch their pedegree froÌ„ them not their ovvn bishops bicause before Luther and Caluin vvho vvere no bishops them selues neuer any Superintendente of their secte vvas seene felte or hard of and before Luther and caluin ther could bee noe lutheranes nor Caluinists much less Lutherane and Caluinisticall Superintendents Vvherfore in the beginning of their nevv religioÌ„ they vvere enforced to make Superintendentes and ministers of our Apostating Preests such as Parker Grindal Sands Horne and many others vvere vvho vvere thought paste fitte to make such superintendents and ministers on vvithout any other moulding or knedding And vvhere they vvanted Apostataes vvho vver consecrated after the Catholike manner they tooke lay men of their ovvne of vvhich some vvere base artificers and vvithout any other consecration or ordination then the Princes or the superintendents letters vvho them selues vvere no bishops they made them ministers and Bit-sheeps vvith as fevv ceremonies and less solennitie then they make their Aldermen yea constables and cryers of the market And from this stocke procedeth all the
sacrifice as they confesse that they haue not and in deed they haue not if sacrifice as being the principall office of religion and proper vnto God as is proued is so necessarily required that vvithout it regilgioÌ„ can in no vvise bee supported the coÌ„clusion to vvâ—hich my former discourse driueth must needs follovve to vvit that tâ—e reformers haue noe religion bicause noe sacrifice noe reilgioÌ„ And seing that in the Catholike and Romain Churche only is founde a sacrifice like to Melchisedechs and correspondent to that of vvhich Daniel and Malachie haue fortold as the Sacrifice of the nevv lavve and the same vvhich Christe offered at his laste supper and commaunded to bee offered by his Apostles and their successours it follovvethe that the Catholike Churche is the true Church of Christe and that in it only is practised true faithe and true religion The third Chapter shevveth hovv the reformers amongest them haue reiected all the SacrameÌ„ts and so can haue noe religion bicause SacrameÌ„ts and religion euer goe to together IT is a common opinion amongest the holy fathers and diuines that since the falle of Adam SacrameÌ„tes vvere alvvayes necessary partely to declare mans dutye tovvards God and partely for maÌ„s ovvne instruction For first man being composed of soule and body vvas to serue God not only vvith invvard affectioÌ„s but allso by outvvard and visible signes Secondly bicause he vvas to receiue grace from Christe against the maladie of sinne into vvhich he vvas fallen he vvas also to professe his faythe in Christe from vvhome this grace proceedeth and to acknovvledge it as desceÌ„ding from his passion by visible signes and figures such as Abels sacrifice and Circumcision vvere in the lavv of nature and such as the Paschal lambe and other sacraments vvere in the lavve of Moyses and such as baptisme and the sacrament of the Altare are in the lavve of grace Thirdly bicause he had offeÌ„ded God by vse of corporall thinges it vvas conuenient that by corporall and sensible Sacramentes and by the religious vse of the same he should restore God his honour vvhich sinne had taken from him and make him satisfaction by such thinges as he had done him iniurie For mans behalfe also Sacraments since Adames sinne vvere alvvayes requisite Gen. 3. For first bicause mannes sinne proceeded of pride and a desire to bee like to God in knovvledge of good and euill it vvas conuenient for mans humiliation that hee should be set to Schole Prou. 6. to learne not only of the Ante diligence and of other brute beastes other vertues but also of these senseles creatures such as SacrameÌ„ts are his faithe and religion Vvherfore as the Paschall lambe brought the Ievves into a gratefull remeÌ„braunce of their deliuerie and passage from Egipte and Circumcision did put theÌ„ in mynde of a spirituall Circumcision Rom. 6. So Baptisme setteth before our eyes the buriall and Resurrection of Christe For vvhen the infante is dipped into the vvater vvee thinke of Christes buriall and vvhen hee is lifted vp a nevv creature regenerated to a nevve life vvee call to mynde the resurrection by vvhich Christe is risen to a nevv and an immortall life And in the Sacred Euchariste vvhich by the formes of bread representeth the body of Christe and by the accidentes of vvine the bloud of Christe aparte Mat. 26. vve commemorate the deathe and Passion of Christe Secondly as man by sinne had preferred the creature before the Creatour so vvas it meet and conuenient that he should as it vvere begge grace and seeke his saluation by the meanes of these sensibles signes and Sacraments vvhich are farre inferiour vnto him in nature Lastly as by abuse of corporall creatures he had vvounded his soule by sinne so vvas it expediente that by vse of the same his diseases and spirituall sores should be recured And so it vvas moste requisite that Christe in the nevv lavve should institute seÌ„sible signes and Sacraments â—i 19. cont â—eust c. 10. And therfore sainct Austine sayeth that as yet neuer any societie could ioyne in one religion and vvorship of God but by the vse of the same Sacramentes In vvhich pointe the reformers aggree vvhith vs for they all avouch Suenkfeldius only excepted and some other Libertines that Sacramentes are necessarie but in the number they vary not only from the Catholikes but also from one another The Catholike Churche hathe euer vsed seauen sacramentes vvhich are Baptisme Confirmation the Sacramen-of the Altare Penaunce Order Mariadge and Extreme vnction â— p q. 65. a. â— Vvhich number sainct Thomas the diuine proueth by a very pregnaunte reason or rather similitude vvhich is betvvixte the corporall spirituall life of man For in our corporall life seuen thinges are required to vvhich are correspoÌ„dent seuen sacraments in the spirituall life of man In a corporall life first is necessary generatioÌ„ vvhich giueth the first being and essence and to this is ansvverable Baptisme vvhich regenerateth vs again vnto a nevv life and spirituall being of a Christian by vvhich vvee are nevv creatures borne of vvater the Spirit vnto a nevv life Io 1. l. de Bapt. Vvherfore Tertulian callethe Christians spirituall fishes bicause though they haue their corporal life from earthe by carnall generation yet their spirituall life and being like fishes they receiue from the vvater by spirituall regeneration Secondly in a corporall life is necessarie augmentation by vvhich the litle infante for all beginnings are litle vvaxeth grovveth and gaineth devv proportion quantitie and strengh by vvhich he is able to exercise operations and actions belonging to corporall life as to eate drinke talke vvalke laboure to defend him selfe and to assaulte his enemie And to this is correspondent the Sacrament of Confirmation vvhich perfiteth vs in the spirituall life receiued in Baptisme vv ch is the cause vvhy some fathers say that before this Sacrament vve are not perfecte Christians and giues vs force to defende this our spirituall life by confessing our faythe before the persequutor vvhich faithe is the ground of spirituall life Thirdly bicause this corporall life of ours fadeth diminishethe continuaily for euery hovver vve lose some parte of our substauÌ„ce partely by reason of the conflicte of the contrarie elements vvhich consume vs vvhilest in vs they striue one against another partely by reason of the continuall combate vvhich is betvvixte naturall heate and moysture vvhich is as it vvere the tallovve of our light and life vve stand in need of nurriture and nutrition vvhich restores that substaunce vvhich is dayly loste and so prolongeth our life And to this in our spirituall life ansvvereth the Sacrament of the Altare Ioh 6. vvhich conteining in it the body and bloud of Christe vvhoe calles him selfe liuing bread and sayeth that his flesh his truly meate his blood truly driÌ„ke nourishethe the soule spiritually and conserueth our spirituall life here Io. 6. and prepareth vs to an immortall life in heauen Fourthly man hauing
calle the Supper for though some of them allovve vs also Order and some Penaunce yet in these Sacramentes as is before declared they do not aggree But yet if vve consider the estimation vvhich they make of these tvvoe Sacramentes vvhich all of them allovve vs vve shall see that herin vve are not much beholding vnto them And as concerning baptisme in Synop. Col. c. 17. Luther is of opinion that no forme of vvords is necessary yea he thinketh it sufficient if you baptize the child in the name of the lorde And being demaunded once vvhether it vvas lavvfull to baptise in milke or beare he ansvvered that any liquour that is apte to bathe or vvashe is sufficient And so you see hovv hee taketh a vvay the matter and forme of baptisme or at least bringeth them bothe in doubte And as touchiÌ„g the vsual forme of vvords Caluin iumpeth vvith him in the same opinion l. 4. Inst c. 17. and addeth that such formes of vvords are meare magicall charmes and enchauntementes Brentius sayeth that if the minister after that the Creed is read saye only In this fayth I vvas he thee departe in peace it vvill serue vvel enough in c. 26. Mat. And Bucere denyeth that vvords are necessarie in the Eucharistie and vvould say no doubte the same in baptisme The same Luther as is before related is of opinion that actuall faythe euen in children is necessarie and that Sacramentes haue no other effecte then to stirre vp this faithe vvherfore seing that Baptisme ca not stirre vp childrens faithe bicause they haue no knovvledge of the signification of such mysteries it must needs follovv that to Baptise children is but laterem lauare to vvash a tile and to loose labour Caluin also is nether a frayed nor a shamed to saye l. 4. Inst c. 17. § 17. that sainct Ihon Baptistes vvashing vvas as good as Christes baptisme Act. 19. And yet sainct Paule rebaptized them vvith Christes baptisme vvhom saincte Ihon before had baptized vvhich argued his baptisme of insufficiencie and proueth Christes baptisme to be of more perfection vvhich suplyed that vvhich vvas vvanting in sainct Ihons baptisme The same Caluin sayeth that in necessitie vvomeÌ„ may not baptise § 22. and that if the childe dy vvithout baptisme he may be saued if ether he be predestinated or be the childe of faithfull parentes yea he sayeth that fevv do mark hovv much harme that doctrine hathe doone vvhich teacheth that Baptisme is necessary vnto saluation And if you vrge him vvith those vvordes of our Sauiour vnless a maÌ„ be borne agame of vvater and the holy ghoste c. Io 3. he vvill father glosse the texte moste grossely then yeeld vnto you that baptisme is necessary to saluation l. â— Inst c. 16 § 17.18 The meaning is not sayeth he that materiall vvater is necessary but this is the sense vnless a man be borne againe of the holy ghoste vvhich like vvater vvasheth he can not enter into heauen And so by this exposition vvater is not necessary only the regeneration and vvashing of the spirit is necessary and this Baptisme according to Caluins opinioÌ„ children may haue vvithout vvater euen in their mothers vvoÌ„be if they be predestinate or childreÌ„ of faithfull parentes This is Caluins doctrine I saye Caluins for it is his singuler opinion contrarie to the opinion of the Churche and all the ancient fathers and councells yea contrarie to scripture it selfe For scripture telles vs plainly that vvee are all borne children of vvrathe Ephes 2. Rom. 5. and that vvee all sinned in Adam and consequently are conceued and borne in orignall sinne Iob. 3. vvherfore Iob vvho vvas predestinate curseth the day of his natiuitie and night of his conception Psal â—â— and Dauid not only prede stinate but borne also of saithfull parentes confessethe that hee is conceiued in sinnes that is in original sinne for the he brevve vvorde signifieth sinne in the singuler number vvhich not vvith standing the Translatour translated sinnes bicause originall sinne is the roote of all sinnes Gen. 13. And vvher as Caluin alleageth the blessing of God to Abrahame and all his seed and posteritie that serueth only to bevvraye his ignoraunce For first after that God had made that promise yet hee commaunded Circumcision and threatened that those that had it not should peris he And so althoughe Caluin vvere of Abrahams seed and his parentes also yet do the it not follovve that hee shal be partaker of that benediction vvithout baptisme secoÌ„dly that promise and benediction is novv to bee vnderstoode carnally or spiritually if carnally theÌ„ are none but levves capable of the benediction bicause they enly are the carnall children of Abrahame and so Caluin hathe noe parte in it at all If spiritually then they only are partakers of the benediction vvho as sainct Paule sayetâ—e Rem â— do imitate the faithe vvorkes of Abrahame Gal â—â— vvherfore seing that children euen of faithfull parentes doe in no vvise imitate ether Abrahames faithe or vvorkes they can not bee pertakers of his benediction vntill they bee baptised and so by receuing the Sacrament of fay the do in some sorte imitate Abrahames faithe And if Caluin say that at least by predestination children may bee saued vvithout baptisme hee shall but discouer herin hovv blockishe a diuine he is For none are predestinare but by the passion and merites of Christe Io. â— vvhich first are applyed by baptisme and not vvithout baptisme at leaste in desire therfore Christe threateneth damnation to all that are not baptised Vvherfore althoughe all children that are predestinate shal be saued yet not vvithout baptisme and they vvhich dye vvithout baptisme as by Christes ovvne sentence they are excluded from heauen so are they not predestinate But let vs see more of Caluins doctrine not tofollow it but to bevvare of it not to imbrace Suprae 16. it but to detest it The same man affirmethe that the reprobate or the children of infidels not predestinate are not to bee baptized least baptisme bee contaminated and bee made a false seale bicause sayeth he baptisme is a seale of former iustice and therfore if defiled infidels bee baptised the vvater is contaminated Ibid. and the seale is falsified He addeth that the children of the faithfull or the predestinate need not baptisme as a necessarie meanes vnto saluation and therfore if they dye vvithout it they may bee saued Yet sayeth hee baptisme is not to be contemned bicause it is commaunded as a ceremonie to incorporate vs meÌ„bers of the Church Novve put all this together to vvit that Baptisme is noe better then sainct Ihons vvashing that it is not necessarie for the predestinate oâ— children of faithfull parentes bicause they may be saued vvithout it and that it can not bee ministred vnto the children of infidelles least it bee contaminated it follovveth euidently that Baptisme is not necessarie yea that it is superfluouse bicause
them and those that speake most plainly and consequeÌ„tly do strike most forcibly and for the others I vvill referre the Reader to Cardinal Bellarmine Suarez Gregorius de Valentia and others vvho haue brought them all into the feeld and placed euery one of them in his ranke and station that is in the tyme and age in vvhich he liued And bicause all these fathers ether expressely do interpret the vvords afore sayed This is my body or at least do ground them selues vppon them or allude vnto them their sayings may vvel serue for interpretations of the texte alleaged Ignatius sainct Paules Scholler hath these vvords Ep. ad Rom. non gaudeo corruptibili nutrimento panem Dei volo panem caelestem qui est caro Christi Filij Dei viui potum volo sanguinem eius I reioice not in corruptible nutriment I vvill haue the bread of God he alludeth to Christes vvords in sainct Ihon Io. 6. vvhere hee calleth him selfe bread the heauenly bread vvhich is the flesh of Christe and the sonne of the liuiug God and I vvill haue the drinke vv ch is his bloud To vvhich vvords Caluin can not shape any reasonable ansvvere vnless hee vse much violeÌ„ce in vvresting the texte for he calles the Euchariste incorruptible nurriment Caluins Supper is as corruptible as bread he calles it the bread of God and bread celestial alluding to Christes vvordes Io. 61 vvho of his ovvn fleshe and not of common bread pronounced those vvordes I ame the liuing bread vvhich descended from heauen Caluins bread hathe no higher source origin from vvhich it is descended then the backhovvse or ouen This bread hee calleth the fleshe of Christ the Sonne of God and this drinke hee auoucheth to be the bloud of Christe vvheras Caluins bread and vvine is but bread and vvine or to make the moste that may bee of it is but a signe of the fleshe and blood of Christe but in deed it is noe signe nor sacrameÌ„t at all bicause Christ instituted that bread for a signe and sacrament vvhich is consecrated by a consecrated Preest vvhich consecration Caluins bread hathe not bicause his ministers are no Preestes as I haue demonstrated See ye fourth booke chap. â—â— But bicause Caluin might by a violeÌ„t glosse affirme that Ignatius calleth the Eucharist incorruptible meate celestial and the bread of God bicause it is a signe of Christes flesh vvhich is incorruptible and celestial the bread of God! I vvill bringe places that can admitte noe glossing And first of all I vvill bring some fathers vvho saye that this Sacrament is not a bare figure but is the true flesh of Christe Saint Chrysostome that golden Mouthe of the Churche of Christe stoppeth Caluins mouthe vvith these vvords Semetipsum nobis commiscet non fide tantum Ho. 61. ad pop verum reipsa nos suum corpus efficit he dothe mingle him selfe vvith vs and not only by faithe but also in very deed he maketh vs his body Caluin sayethe that vvee eate Christe only by faithe and consequently that his substaunce is not really vnited to our substance bicause according to his opinion they are distante as farre as heauen and earth but sainct Chrisostome sayeth that Christes substaunce in this Sacrament is mingled vvith ours not only by faithe but also in very deed ergo in very deed Christes body is in the sacrament and by meanes of the sacrament in the receuers also and communicantes Theophilactus vvriting vppon the sixte of sainct Ihon speaketh Theoph. in c. 6.10 if it bee possible more plainly Attende autem quod panis qui à nobis in mysterijs manducatur non est tantum figuratio quaedam carnis Domini sed est ipsa caro Domini Marke that the bread vvhich is eaten of vs in the mysteries is not a figuration that is an expression or figure of the flesh of our Lord but it is the very flesh of our Lord. hovv is it possible for the greatest Papist that is to speake more plainly Hilarius speaketh as plainly as if he stroue vvho should speake most plainly De veritate carnis l. â— Trin. sanguinis non est relictus ambigendi locus nunc enim ipsius Domini professione fide nostra verè caro est verè sanguis est Of the veritie of the flesh and bloud ther is no place lefte to doubte for novve both by our Lords profession and by our faithe it is truly fleshe and truly blood Vvhere the vvordes veritie and truly are clean opposite to Caluins figures and spiritual maÌ„ducation Secondly the fathers admire hovve Christes body remaining in heauen is not vvithstanding receued of vs in the blessed Sacrament Saint Chrysostome as a man astonished exclameth in this sorte O miraculum ô Dei benignitatem l. 3. de Saâ—erd qui cum Patre sursum sedet in illo ipso temporis momento omnium manibus contrectatur O Miracle ô Gods benignitie he that sitteth aboue vvith his father in that very moment that is in tyme of Consecration and Communion is handled in euery ones handes Novv if Christe be only in the Sacrament as in a signe or figure vvhat miracle is ther here vvorthy such an exclamation For so Christe is only really and in his ovvn person in heauen and in earthe hee is but as in his Image and consequently it is no greater a miracle then that the King at the same tyme should be really in his chamber of presence and yet figurately in as many other places as he hathe coynes or images Yea this miracle the vintner maketh dayly vvhose vvine is really in the caue or Celler and at the same tyme in the Iuiebushe vvhich is vvithout the Celler bicause in it the vvine is as in a signe Saint Austine vvondreth hovv Christe caryed him selfe in his ovvn haÌ„des vvheÌ„ he sayed this is my body Cano. 1. in Ps 33. vvhich is no vvonder if the Sacrament be but a figure and signe of him for so he caryeth him selfe vvhoe caryeth his ovvn image Thirdly the fathers coÌ„pare this sacrament vvith straunge and miraculous mutations Li 4. c. 34. Cat. 4.5 l. de â—js qui initiaÌ„ 〈…〉 9. su 〈◊〉 Iren l. 3. c. 12. Ab. l. 4. de see c. 4.9 Ireneus and Cirillus compare it vvith the Incarnation sainct Ambrose coÌ„pares it vvith the creation of the vvorld and the Natiuitie of Christe of the Virgin Mother The same Ireneus and sainct Ambrose liken it to the conuersioÌ„ of the rodd into a serpent of vvater into bloud and of the rocke into vvater vvhich straunge mutations vvere vvrought by Moyses in Aegipte in the desert Vvhich comparisons vvere very foolishe if the bread and vvine had no other mutatioÌ„ then that of bare bread and vvine they are made a signe and as vvell might they coÌ„pare an Iuie-bush vnto the same mutatioÌ„s bicause the Iuie-bushe vvheÌ„ it is haÌ„ged before the Inne of no signe is made a signe