mee saith Iob Iob. 20. for if I woulde bee perfect mine owne mouth shall condemne me we haue bene all as an vncleane thing sayth Esay all our righteousnes is as filthy cloutes Esa 64.6 When yee haue done all those thinges which are commanded saith our Sauiour say thē We are vnprofitable seruants wee haue done but that which was our duetie to doe And there is none righteous Rom. 3.10 no not one by the workes of the lawe shall no flesh be iustified in his sight and all these words come from the mouth of God But seeing ye wil hardly admit the testimonie of Gods worde without the witnesse of men go to let vs see what say the fathers in this behalfe I doe scarcely saith Origen beleeue that there can be any worke Origen lib. 44. cap. 4. that may of duetie require a reward Basil In Psal 32. Basill saith that hee trusteth not in his owne good deedes nor hopeth to be iustified by his works he hath the onely hope of his saluation in the mercies of GOD. And Saint Hierome Hierom in Esai cap. 64. If we behold our owne merits we must be driuen to desperation The time will not serue to handle this matter at large therefore I ende this part beseeching al those that loue the Gospell vnfeinedly to take diligent heede to such false Prophetes as come vnto them in sheepes clothing faining them selues holy and by their holines thinke them selues iustified The thirde part Sed intrinsecùs sunt lupi rapaces But inwardly they are rauening wolues Although our English popish Priestes that come from Rome or else from Rheimes in France to this our natiue soyle tell vs that they haue taken great labor passed many daungers yea and hazarded their owne lyues to saue our soules frō eternall damnation and endles miserie they are not to be beleeued for all these their brags They are rauening wolues they seeke the euerlasting confusion both of our bodies and soules What doe they teach but false doctrine doe they not seeke to persuade vs to worship stocks and stones yea which is worst to worship that idole in the Sacrament They teache more then they are well able to performe Howe can they proue that Christ is really transsubstantially in the sacrament of the altar This is the effect and force of all their arguments Christ spake it whē he sayde Hoc est corpus meum This is my body They will haue no Tropicall figure herein to be expressed for that Christ sayde and promised that he woulde speake no more in parables This argument is nought if you saye that Hoc est corpus meum be a parable If you saye that Christ promised to vse no more figuratiue speaches you are farre deceyued For hee vsed a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this phrase Hic est calix noui Testamēti quem si biberit quispiam c. This is the cup of the newe Testament which whosoeuer shall drinke c. You knowe no man can drinke the cuppe wherefore here is Continens pro contento the thing conteyning for the thing conteined If Christ vsed a figure in this phrase Hic est calix c. Why shoulde he not in like wise vse a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this phrase Hoc est corpus meum Fe The death of Christ is not really present in the Sacrament ri But the blood of Christ is present in the Sacrament as his death is present Amb. de sac 4. cap. 4. o Therefore the precious blood of Christ is not really present in the Sacrament The Minor proposition is proued out of Ambrose in his fourth booke of the Sacramentes and fourth chapter Vt recepisti suae mortis similitudinem sic bibis similitudinem sui preciosi sanguinis As thou hast receyued the similitude of his death so doest thou drinke the similitude of his blood Dis The true naturall bodie of Christ is placed in heauen am But the true natural body of man can bee but in one place is Therefore the true naturall body of Christ can be but in one place and at one time in heauen Luk. 24.51 Act. 1.9 The Maior is proued thus Iesus receptus est in coelos sedet ad dexteram Dei c. Iesus was receiued vp into heauen and sitteth at the right hande of GOD the Father Matt. 26.11 Pauperes semper habetis vobiscum me verò non semper habebitis The poore haue you alwayes with you but me shall yee not haue alwayes Ioh. 12. Desero mundum eo ad patrem I forsake the worlde and goe to my Father Multi dicent in eo die Ecce Matt. 24.23 Mar. 13.21 hic est Christus ecce ibi Many wil say in that day Lo here is Christ and lo there he is Whatsoeuer is in many diuers places at once is God The body of Christ is not God but a certaine creature Therefore the body of Christ can not be in many places at once Da Euery quantitie that is euery body that hath lēgth breadth and thicknes is conteined in one peculiar place ri Christes bodye hath length breadth and thicknes and is a quantitie o Therefore Christes body is contained in one peculiar place The Maior is prooued out of Cyrill in his thirde booke of the Trinitie pag. 245. Quic quid intelligitur habere corpus hoc indubiè est in loco in magnitudine in quantitate Et si sit in quantitate euitare non potest circumscriptionem hoc est habere suum locum What thing soeuer is vnderstoode to haue a body that without doubt is in a place in magnitude and in quantitie And if it be in quantitie then it must needes be in some peculiar place Fe No naturall body can at one and the same time haue contrarie and diuers qualities ri But to be in one place local in another not locall in one place with quantitie in another without quātitie in one place finite in another infinite is to admit contrary qualities to a natural body o Therefore the body of Christ can not be in one place locall in another place not locall in one place with quatitie in another place without quantitie We must so defend the humanitie of Christ that we destroye not his diuinitie If we assigne to Christes body plurality of places wee destroye his diuinitie wherefore we must not assigne to Christes body pluralitie of places The mysticall signification that you haue imagined of your shewes and accidents that the formes of breade and wine outwardly represent the spirituall nourishing of the soule is vaine and fantastical without the witnes of any auncient Doctour or father is confirmed only by the authority of the Pope himselfe For what maner of feeding is there in these accidents and holy formes or howe can that thing that feedeth not the body represent vnto vs the spiritual feeding of the soule The matter is plaine ynough of it selfe and needeth
member of his church and stedfast in the faith of Iesus Christ euen vnto the end of my life So much for Antiquitie Multitude succession of persons or place miracles and reuelations God of his mercy graunt you my brethren true repentance Nowe good Christian audience and welbeloued brethren I will speake a worde or two touching the images which Papistes allow and haue in their churches The scriptures in sundry places plainely forbid any image to bee made The Lorde warned the people of Israel Deut. 4.15 that they should remēber that they sawe no image in the day that the Lord spake vnto them in Horeb out of the mids of the fire Isa 40.18 And in Isaiah Cui assimilabitis Deum aut qua similitudine illum exprimetis To whome then wil you liken God or what similitude will you sette vp vnto him And againe the Lorde confirmeth the same Isa 44.9 to the 19. saying Quis audebit effingere Deum aut fusile aut sculptile facile quod nihil prodest Who hath made a god or molten an image that is profitable for nothing Beholde all they that are of the fellowship thereof shal be confounded for the workmen themselues are men let them all be gathered together and stande vp yet they shal feare and be confounded together I can not a litle maruayle that among you my brethren I meane the Papistes that Dominicke Asotus writing vpon the Epistle to the Romanes the first chapter Rom. 2.21 durst so boldly affirme that in the same commādement of God the Christiās were not forbidden to make images representing the fourme of man for sayde hee the lawe there onely maketh mention of birdes of fourefooted beastes of creeping wormes whereas in very deede they are strayghtly charged not to make the images of male or female Moreouer it is expressed in the Psalme Psal 115.4 5 6 c. Os habent non loquuntur pedes habent non ambulant aures habēt non audiunt nares non odorantur They haue a mouth and speake not they haue feete and walke not they haue eares and heare not they haue noses and smell not The Carpenter is blamed in Isaiah Isaiah 44.13 14. which of one part of the hewen tree maketh an image of the other parte he maketh fire and vpon the same he baketh bread he carueth and laboureth much that he may expresse the similitude of a man By all these places it doeth manifestly appeare that the images of men are vtterly forbidden which are instituted to a religious end And yet you though you knowe that all maner worshipping of images is forbidden by expresse testimonies of the holy scripture must haue them forsooth as you say for bookes vnto such as can not reade What thinke you in making the image of God the father and God the holy Ghost You knowe God is a Spirite Iohn 4.24 whereof it followeth that you can not expresse his forme with lineaments with paintings and colours It is writtē Iohn 1.18 1. Tim. 2.16 1. Ioh. 4.12 that no mā hath euer seene God Why then if he can not be seene or if he possesse inaccessible light howe can he be pictured or howe should a picture make him to bee seene Moreouer God is vnmeasurable and infinite but the thinges which are paynted grauen or molten are measurable finite Likewise Images are made of men that the absent after a maner may be thought present but God is euery where neyther is he absent from any thing It is written in the Psalme Psal 139.7 8 9. Si ascendero in coelum tu illic es Therefore it behooueth vs not to make God present with images seeing he is alwaies present to al men The image should with apt similitude expresse that which is to be represented Howe doeth the image of God the father rightly truly represent him whereas he hath no beginning The images are made by man and haue a beginning Who can set forth the quantitie of God and his wonderfull woorkes howe he is neuer idle but euermore doing that which tendeth to the saluation of man Contrariwise images sleepe and doe nothing at all Moreouer God is altogether wisedome and knowledge whereas your images feele nothing and vnderstande as much Saint Paul sayeth Actes 17.29 that we must not thinke the Godhead to be like golde or siluer or stone grauen by arte God that made the worlde and all thinges therein Actes 7.48 seeyng that he is Lorde of heauen and earth dwelleth not in temples made with handes neither is worshipped with mens hands as though he needed any thing seeing he giueth to all life and breath and all things Fortunate doe I thinke those stones to be whereof images are made and put vpon your popish altars because they are had in such reuerence and honor amongst you whereas other stones not vnlike vnto thē lye in the streetes are troden with feete and spet vpon Papistes obiection You obiect vnto vs the authoritie of the Scriptures and say It is lawfull to paint God in the forme of man which you seeke to proue by the vii of Daniel Dan. 7.13 22. I behelde sayeth the Prophet till the thrones were set vpon and the ancient of dayes did sitte whose garment was white as snowe and the heares of his head like the pure wooll his throne was like the fiery flame and his wheeles as burning fyre In Ezechiel speaking of God Ezech. 1.5 is expressed the figure of man Isaiah sayeth Esay 6.1 that he sawe God sitting vpon a Throne Moses also with the Seniours sawe God when hee sate in his Throne or tribunal seate Exod. 33.20 23. And in the mount he sawe God in the forme of man departing Seeing these things nowe vttered were seene of the Prophets why then is it vnlawfull for vs to paint God with colours and karuing I answere thus vnto your obiection The diuersitie of bodily members which is ascribed vnto God in the holy Bible hath shewed in a mysterie that the Diuine nature should take vpō it the humane nature and likewise it signified mystically that God should take vpon him fleshe and become man Yea to let this answere goe I say it was the goodnesse of God wherewith he so applyed himself vnto our infirmity that whereas we could not vnderstand his nature GOD appeared so in the sight of man as though hee had bene man himselfe By his eyes hee described prouidence by his armes strength by his handes workemanshippe by his nostrelles wrath and many things of like sorte And whereas you say that it is lawfull for vs for the expressing of God to vse the like lineaments colours and caruings it followeth not To GOD there is no lawe giuen which hee ought to obserue neyther are all thinges lawfull to men which he iustly and rightly hath done Exod. 7.5 God reuengeth him on his enemies Gen. 22.2 10 hee giueth commaundement to the
or whereas Saint Peter sayth 2. Pet. 2.3 Per auaritiam fictis sermonibus negociantur de vobis Through couetousnesse by feyned talke they make sale of you that by these words they gaue vs warning of the very fourme and doctrine of your purgatorie for better authorities then these be that I recken you can lightly finde none And whereas you tell vs out of some heathenish fantasie that sinnes can not be washed away but by long space of time and payne in purgatory Saint Cyprian saith In eodem articulo temporis cum iam anima festinet ad exitum egrediens ad labia expirantis emerserit poenitentiā clementissimi Dei benignitas non aspernatur nec serū est quod verum est In that very moment of time euen when the soule is ready to passe and is euen at the lippes of the partie ready to yeelde vp the spirite the goodnesse of our most mercifull God refuseth not repentance whatsoeuer is truely done is neuer too late Saint Chrysostome sayeth Latro in cruce neque vno die opus habebat quid dico vno die Neque breui hora tanta est Dei erga nos misericordia The thiefe on the crosse needed not so much as one daye to repent himselfe What speake I of one day No he needed not one houre so great is the mercy of God toward vs. Saint August Epist 80. sayeth If any man depart hence without repētance Imparatum inueniet illum dies Domini quem imparatum inuenerit suae vitae huius vltimus dies Him shall the daye of the Lorde finde vnprouided whom the last daye of this life findeth vnprouided Saint Ambrose sayth in his booke de bono mortis Qui hic non accipit remissionem peccatorum ibi non erit He that here in this life receiueth not remission of his sinnes shal not be there And S. Hierome in Lamentationes Ierem. lib. 1. cap. 1. Thou shalt not goe foorth thence vntill thou haue payed the last farthing sayth thus Significat semper non exiturū esse quia semper soluat nouissimum quadrantem dum sempiternas poenas terrenorum peccatorum luit Christes meaning is that he shal neuer come out for that he must euermore paye the last farthing whyles he suffereth euerlasting punishment for his sinnes committed in this worlde So sayeth Saint August de sermone Domini in monte lib. 1. Donec soluas nouissimum quadrantem miror si non eam significat poenam quae vocatur aeterna Vntill thou pay the last farthing I maruaile but it meaneth that payne which is called euerlasting Hereby my brethren I thinke it may partly appeare that you maintaine your paynted fyre and paper walles with painted authorities and paper reasons Verely the Christian people of the East church of God which sometime was as great as famous as the Church of the West notwithstanding they beleeued in God and his Christ knewe there was both hell heauen yet in your Purgatory they had no skil One of your Doctors saith Alphonsus de haeresibus lib. 8. de indulgentiis Vsque in hodiernū diem Purgatorium non est a Graecis creditū Vntil this day of the Grecians or of the East church Purgatory was neuer beleued Therfore you can not iustly say that your fantasie herein was euermore accompted vniuersal or catholique Augustine in Psal 85. in deede sometime sayeth There is such a certaine place sometime he denyeth not but there may bee such a one sometime he doubteth sometime againe hee vtterly denyeth there is any at all and thinketh that men are therein deceiued by a certaine naturall good will they beare their friendes departed But yet of this one errour hath there growen vp such a haruest of those massemongers that the masses being sold abroad commonly in euery corner the Temples of God became shoppes to get money and silly soules were borne in hand that nothing was more necessary to be bought In deed there was nothing more gainefull for these men then to sell masses for the dead Your owne Roffensis sayeth Nemo nunc dubitat Orthodous an purgatorium sit de quo tamen apud priscos vel nulla vel quam rarissima fiebat mentio sed Graecis ad hunc vsque diem non est creditum quamdiu enim nulla esset cura de purgatorio nemo quaesiuit indulgentias No Catholique man nowe doubteth of Purgatory wherof notwithstanding among the auncient Fathers there is eyther no mention at all Marke well or very seldome yea euen vntill this day the Grecians beleeue it not for so long as there was no care of purgatory no man sought after pardons So much for Purgatory Nowe I thinke it not amisse my brethren somewhat to speake against your praying for the dead First I wil disproue your praying for the dead by scriptures Then after I will confute the same by the authoritie of the Doctours To beginne with Scriptures I cite the 2. of Samuel 12.22 While the childe was yet aliue I fasted and wept for I sayde who can tell whether God will haue mercy on me that the child may liue But nowe beeing dead wherefore shoulde I nowe fast Can I bring him againe any more I shall goe to him but hee shall not returne to mee Psalme 49.7 A man can by no meanes redeeme his brother hee cannot giue his ransome to God so precious is the redemption of their soules and the continuance for euer Ecclesiastes 9.5 The dead knowe nothing at all neyther haue they any more reward for their remembrance is forgotten and they haue no more portion for euer in all that is done vnder the Sunne All that thine hande shall fynde to doe doe it with all thy power For there is neyther worke nor inuention nor knowledge nor wisedome in the graue whither thou goest Also 1. Thessalon 4. I woulde not haue you ignorant brethren concerning them which are asleepe that you sorrowe not euen as others which haue no hope 1. Thes 4.13 for if we beleeue that Iesus is dead is risen euen so them which sleepe in Iesus will God bring with him Wherefore comforte your selues one another with these woordes Thus much for scripture Nowe will I alledge the ancient testimonies of the Fathers Cypr. serm de mort Cyprian in his sermon of mortalitie sayth thus Seeyng that we knowe that our brethren which bee deliuered out of this worlde by the hande and calling of the Lorde are not lost but sent before wee must not here take on vs blacke gownes syth that they haue already there put on whyte garments we must not giue occasion vnto the Paynims that they may deseruingly and by good ryght blame vs or lay to our charge that we doe lament and bewayle them as perished and lost whome wee doe affirme to liue with God and so to proue with the testymonies of our hearts and breake the same faith that we doe professe and set forth by our communication talke Againe