grieuous both the one and the other by pennance Now the truth is cleare how that purgatorie is not pennance as also that it is not ordained for sinnes but for punishment but and if it be as some would haue it for sinnes yet it is but for pettie and sleight sinnes Ireneus saith It is the word alone that washeth away the filthines of the daughters of Sion that washed the feete of his disciples and which sanctifieth their whole bodies Clemens Alexandrinus It is the good spirituall washing which cleanseth the soule Hieronym in Esa 4. whereof the Prophet speaketh The Lord hath washed away the filthines of Sion c. S. Ierome expounding this place saith in like sort That which is but lightly foule will bee washed cleane but that which is deeply stained and defiled by being burnt in the fire And this is that which Iohn Baptist said He will baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire for man can giue but water but God fire and the holy Ghost which washeth away filthinesse and purgeth away the deadly and haynous sins Chrysostome Chrysost in Matth. hom 5. c. 4. Cyril in Esa c. 4. For men are baptised with fire by temptations that are present according to that in Esay In the spirit of feruencie and zeale c. Cyrill in like manner In the spirit saith he of iudgement that is to say by a iust sentence according as our Sauiour saith Now is the iudgement of this world for hee fighteth with the world and Sathan iustifying vs by faith c. And also in the spirit of zeale by the grace of baptisme which is not begotten in vs without the spirit c. For we are not baptised with bare water but with the holy Ghost with this diuine and intellectuall fire which wasteth in vs the vncleannesse of our vicious nature and melteth and burneth all the spots of sinne Haimo ibid. c. Haimo The same holy Ghost is called the spirit of iudgement and the spirit of zeale and feruencie of iudgement because that in baptisme Sathan is iudged and as it were condemned when his power ouer man is taken away from him of zeale because he inflameth the heartes of men with loue towardes their creator scouring away the canker of sin whereof it is said God is a consuming fire he will baptise vs with the holy Ghost and with fire c. And Hugo the Cardinall in like manner And thus you may see by these ancient fathers how they haue made a purgatorie of the holy Ghost and of the temptations and trials happening in this life the paines of purgatorie which cannot be except in the other And Lyranus In the spirit of iudgement for our Lord hath satisfied for the Church by the way of iustice in the spirit of zeale because he hath performed it in a great measure of charitie and loue And yet this is one of the textes whereby Bellarmine laboureth to make his cause so strong And here we are not to forget his vnsound and vnfaithfull dealing for that which S. Augustine hath spoken expresly De nouissimo iudicio of the last iudgement wherein saith he the daughters of Syon shall be refined graunt it saith he in as much as they shall be seperated from the wicked as the pure gold from his drosse in the furnace admit it also in this respect for that all creatures shall as then passe through the fire and likewise all manner of soules according to the opinion of that time this hee turneth and wresteth to help for the building of his purgatorie which they pretend to take place and seaze vpon men at the time of their departure out of this life And we are to request the reader to marke the deceit he worketh vpon the place Peter Abbot of Clugni abuseth either ignorantly or impudently another place Esay 8. Esa 8.19 Shall the people require a signe and vision of their God for the quicke and for the dead For so he alleadgeth it whereas the text saith Shall not a people inquire at their God shall they runne for the liuing to the dead reprouing such as did runne to south sayers sending them backe as is said afterward to the law and to the testimonie c. In deed the Septuagints haue translated it Shall they inquire of the dead concerning the liuing that is to say concerning the businesse and affaires of the liuing And the Chaldie paraphrast Euerie man saith hee inquireth and asketh counsell of his idolles so the liuing take counsell of the dead And Origen likewise You to whom God hath giuen his law will you go to inquire of the Deuils which are in verie deede dead Hieronym in Esa c. 8. And Saint Ierome vpon Esay saith As the infidels do aske counsell at their false Gods so the faithfull ought to runne to the true God and to the lawe and to the Prophetes inspired by him c. Lyranus saith as hee saith Saint Cyrill Cyril in Esa l. 5. orat 5. Would you aske counsell sayeth the Lord of the dead for the liuing you which are aliue is there any reason that you shoulde inquire of the deade of the bodies which lie in the graues or of the soules which it may bee are in hell Nay rather saith hee you which are quickned by the liuely worde of God will you go vnto sorcerers and Magicians which are dead in their soules Now the argument of Peter of Clugni was thus framed There are visions of the dead and therefore a Purgatorie but it is grounded as we haue seene vpon an vnsound Grammar or rather vpon the corrupting and deprauing of the old expositor wherein as some note there was as in S. Ierome Pro viuis à mortuis and not ac mortuis And this is the more likely in asmuch as for the most parte he applyeth himselfe to the Greeke text And in deed Cardinall Hugo said Amortuis of the dead for the liuing that is to say to aske counsell of images which are like vnto dead men which is a ridiculous and foolish thing Esay 9. Wickednesse saith the Prophete shall burne like a fire Esa 9.17 It shall deuoure the briars and the thornes and shall bee kindled in the thicke places of the forrest c. This is one of Bellarmine his maister-pillars There the Prophete threatneth the people of Israel From the head vnto the taile the boughes and the stumpe the Magistrate and the false prophete These are his wordes And after that hee hath denounced the anger of God to fall vppon the Magistrates and vppon the men in authoritie hee addeth That it shall not stay there but that it shall set on fire and deuoure the common sorte which hee compareth to bushes of thornes or to a thicke growne vnderwood And it is made plaine by the wordes following And the people shall bee as fewell or a baite for the fire no man shall haue pittie vppon his companion to spare him c What agreement is
is the fountaine and welspring of iustification And in an other place Magniloqui dicuntur c. Such saith he are rightly called the greatest brauers who put their trust in themselues as being righteous and thereupon presume of the workes of the Law As on the contrarie those are called and are truely poore which know themselues sinners and perceiue that they can no way be iustified but by the faith of Christ. And therefore saith he it is requisite that this conceitednesse of thinking to be saued by workes should be laid downe Idem in Soph. l. 2. c. 3. Idem l. 2. in Genes c. 3. Idem in Esa c. 8. Without faith it is impossible to please God it is in like manner impossible but by faith Abraham Isaac and Iacob c. were not saued any otherwise For righteousnesse is Ex fide in fidem of faith and vnto faith Of faith that is of him who hath promised who hath sworne Vnto faith that is of him who hath belieued in him that promised and giuen credite to him that swore c. But as for such as are not true Israelites they haue no such faith for in seeking and searching after their owne righteousnesse they could not stoope vnto or vndergoe this of faith but haue toyled themselues by seeking the same from workes to workes as if Abraham had beene iustified by workes when as the Scripture testifieth of him Idem de Victor verb. Dei l. 4. c. 21. that he belieued and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse c. Verie excellently therefore is it said From faith to faith for in that the Sonne of God is come c. this proceedeth of the faith fulnesse of God of whome it is written God is faithfull c. Namely herein that Dauid and others moe haue not pearced him through with their sinnes and that he accomplisheth by his exceeding great faithfulnesse what hee had promised of his exceeding great grace And this righteousnesse tendeth in fidem vnto an other faith because it is not possible that any man should be iustified before him by his workes but by faith Idem in reg l. 2. c. 39. According to that which is said If thou obserue and marke mine iniquities O Lord c. And to be briefe he oftentimes vttereth these words The onely faith of Iesus Christ is able to iustifie c. Lombard likewise Loâ—bard l. 3 d. 19. 25. We are iustified by the death of Christ that is to say cleansed from our sinnes by faith in his death Beholding him by faith after the manner of the brazen Serpent we are deliuered from the bands of sinne and the Diuell in so much as that he is not to demaunde or looke for any thing at our hands Without faith in this Mediatour no man hath beene saued either before or since no man was euer deliuered from that condemnation that came by Adam otherwise then by faith Idem l. 3. d. 26. Rupert in Ioh. c. 1. Impraegnatam mentem Lombard l. 3. d. 23 Honor. in Specul Eccles Richard in Apocal. l. 1. c. And this faith saith he is of God according to that which Saint Augustine saith The mercie of God shall preuent me the mercie of God shall follow me c. That is saith Rupertus Because that to belieue is to haue conceiued the seed of the word of God with loue in his heart as also to haue his mind and spirit conceiued and laden with the same And Lombard To loue God is by belieuing in him to cleaue vnto him and to be incorporated into him by such faith the wicked is iustified inso much as that from thence forward faith worketh in him by loue for there are no good workes but those which are done by the loue of God and this loue is the worke of faith Honorius He is most happie in deede that belieueth rightly and that together with this beliefe liueth well but faith is the foundation and the loue of God and our neighbours is grounded vpon the same And Richard Of faith proceedeth charitie and of charitie doe good workes spring and growe And what is all this but the same which we affirme daily that faith cannot stand without charitie any more then fire can without heate That the life of faith euen as that of trees is knowne because it bringeth forth fruit In a word that wee are iustified by faith onely And yet such a faith as is neuer alone but which containeth in it a certaine heate which is naturall vnto it alwayes acting somewhat neuer idle continually bringing foorth as a fountaine of water the effects of loue which it beareth towards God and the good works it performeth vnto neighbours But Saint Bernard whome we haue so oft heretofore cited goeth further then all the rest For there was in his time a certaine man named Petrus Abailardus a verie Pelagian who durst say That whereas Christ had abased and humbled himselfe euen vnto the death c. that it had not beene but to haue left vs a patterne of liuing well and that our saluation consisteth not in his death and passion but in the growth and proceeding of our good conuersation Whereupon he is not content to giue him to vnderstand that this his assertion is the same which the Apostle calleth the making of the Crosse of Christ of none effect but taketh his occasion and proceedeth further and hauing taken the beasome once into his hand he sweepeth not onely this filth out of the Church that caused him to take it into his hand but withall he applieth himselfe all vnder one to sweepe away whatsoeuer the Iew Gentile Philosopher or superstitious Monke had brought and shuffled thereinto with their vncleane feete or else was negligently looked vnto or tolerated by the sorenamed it hauing fallen out then as it doth oftentimes vnto vs now who are not moued or stirred vp to remoue put away the thing that is euill be it neuer so great And therefore reprouing the waies that S. Augustine did walke in hee dealeth vpon the true iustification in the bloud of Christ by faith more exactly then all the rest Our master saith he knew well that the Law did require more then was in our power Bernard in Serm. 50. super Cant. Idem Serm de verb orig Idem Serm 38 super Cantic Idem Serm. 11 in Annunciat Mariae Idem de milit templ c. 11. Idem Ep. 99. Idem Serm 22 super Can. fusissime but notwithstanding he would giue it vnto vs that we might be admonished of our insufficiencie and that such and so great saith he as that we are neuer able to render vnto God that which we owe him in such sort as that if we should teare and pull our skinnes from off our backes yet are we neuer able to satisfie for our sinnes But wee haue recourse vnto the voice of the bloud of Christ which hath cried farre lowder then the bloud of Abell which proclaimeth in
the hearts of the elect the remission of their sinnes Vnto the Lambe saith he without spot or blemish that beareth the sinnes of the world alone righteous and by consequent alone fit and meete to enter into the holy of holies Now if he onely enter thereinto hee entereth all whole without any faile not one of his bones shal be broken The head shal not enter without the rest of his members his faithfull ones Cohaerentes fide conformes moribus which are fastned vnto him by faith and made conformable vnto him in their manners And they shall enter thereinto couered and clothed with his righteousnesse For saith he He hath giuen it them it is imputed vnto them he is made vnto them righteousnesse from God yea sufficient righteousnes And seeing he is made righteousnesse vnto vs it is ours c. And as for all our owne it is nothing but vnrighteousnes Idem in Can. serm 73. Idem Serm. 1 in Natal Dom Idem de â—â—pl miseric Dei Idem de sept miseric Idem Serm. 3. de Aduent Dom. Idem Dominic 1. post oct Epiph. Idem Serm. 1. de Annunt virg Mar. Initiat For there not the most holy that are but they stand in need to pray for their sinnes to the end that they may be saued by mercie Noe Daniel and Iob must repaire vnto this fountaine Pari voto with the same request desire and thirst that all others For euen the sinnes that we daily commit and which we accompt but sleight are such as presently receiue the sentence of condemnation without any delaie And mine owne soule saith hee of it selfe if God had not sustained me I both doe and will confesse was readie and prone to fall into all kind of sinne But saith hee behold and see his grace he hath iustified vs freely to the end that his grace might be the highlier esteemed of vs. And this grace doth not onely pardon and forgiue vs our sinnes but giueth vnto vs his merits For to the obtaining of remission of sins it is necessarie to haue indulgentiam Dei Gods pardon and it is impossible to haue any good worke if he himselfe doe not giue it but yet much more impossible to merit eternall life by any workes if it be not freely giuen c. Wherevpon the Prophet saith Blessed are they to whome the Lord imputeth no sinne c. And therefore saith hee we haue neede of a threefold grace a conuerting grace a grace assisting vs in temptations and a rewarding grace The first doth rough hew vs as being that whereby we are called The second doth set vs forward as by which wee are iustified The third doth perfect vs as by which we are glorified And the first is called the good pleasure of God The second merit but note by the way in what sence and signification he taketh it And the third praemium a gift wages recompence and all three graces Of the first it is said Idem Serm. 5. de Assumpt beat Mar. Wee haue all receiued of his fulnesse of the others grace for grace the gift of eternall life for the merit that is to say for the gift of temporall warfare And this grace of iustification sanctification and glorification is receiued in the Church by faith in Christ For saith he The misled and vnaduised Sinagogue which hath despised the righteousnesse of God for to establish her owne was reiected and cast off but vnto the spouse of Christ vnto the true Church it is said Desponsaut te mihi in fide I haue betrothed thee vnto me in faith iudgement righteousuesse mercie and compassion Neither must thou say that thou hast chosen me for I haue chosen thee and for to moue me to make thee my choice I did not find in thee any merits but it was of my selfe who preuented thee And therefore I haue affianced thee in faith that is to say not in the workes of the Law and in righteousnesse but that which is of faith and not of the Lawe It remaineth then for thee to iudge betwixt me and thy selfe seeing I haue affianced thee not according to thy merit but according to mine owne good will and pleasure Wherefore let it bee farre from thee to obiect vnto me either thy merits or the workes of the law or yet the heat of the day or the scorching heate of the Sunne which thou pretendest to haue indured but rather acknowledge that thou art affianced vnto me both by faith and also by the righteousnesse of faith in mercie and compassion For the true spouse acknowledgeth both the one and the other grace namely the preuenting grace as also that which followeth and commeth after it And what he saith of the Church he saith of the faithfull as he doth of the members that which he saith of the bodie Idem Serm. 67. super Cantic It is sufficient saith he to merit to know that merits are not sufficient And not to presume of merits is to merit and yet not to presume vppon them is to presume after a farre more sure and certaine way for we haue large matter to glorie of euen the ample mercies of the Lord Idem Serm. 68. super Cantic and his truth which indureth for euer That is to say faith in his promises For is there not sure and certaine matter for vs to glorie in when mercie and truth doe meete together for vs c. And al this by faith Belieue saith he that thy sinnes are forgiuen thee by him against whom alone thou hast sinned and who alone is able to deface blot them out and thou doest wel This is the testimonie which the holy Ghost beareth vnto our hearts saying Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Whereupon the Apostle saith that men are iustified freely by faith Idem Serm. 1. in Annunciat Mariae Idem super Cant. 22. Ep. 77. Yea saith he by faith onely And so Saint Ambrose vnderstandeth him in his booke of the death of Valentinian And with such I am willing either to erre or to bee wise belieuing that man may be saued by faith alone yea without the receiuing of the Sacrament for Valentinian died whiles hee was of the number of the Catechised prouided that hee haue a desire to receiue it And this it may be was the cause saith he that our Sauiour hauing said Who so shall belieue and be baptised shal be saued in that which followeth saith onely He that shall not belieue shall be condemned c. To shew that onely faith is sometimes sufficient vnto saluation that without it nothing auaileth But this faith by which the iust man liueth doth truely liue it selfe for otherwise how should it quicken and make aliue For by this faith saith hee the heart is cleansed And God cannot bee seene Idem l. 5. de confider that is to say knowne but of him that hath a pure and cleane heart Neither is this faith any doubtfull beliefe On the contrarie opinion when it is growne to a
the furnace Also for that now the Church beganne to be very rich of gifts that the sacrifices that is the offerings of the people should be distributed and diuided equally into foure portions for the Bb. or Pastour for the Cleargie or ministers of the Church for the poore and for the repairing of the church And therevpon and that not without cause euerie one being hereby thus tickled and pricked forward to adde euery day some thing to the seruice as their fancie led them the Mileuitane Councell in the time of S. Augustine tooke the matter in hand ordaining that no other praiers prefaces supplications and masses that is Collects Recommendations or Impositions of hands should be vsed in the Church but those which were approued in that Councel or Synode Least as the same saith by negligence or ignorance there might slip some thing which might be contrarie to the faith this reason is likewise giuen afterward by the Africane councell and it came as yet timely enough if it had been well obserued by those which after came in place yea by Gregorie himselfe And thus be hold The vnlikenes of the Romish Masse we are come to the fiue hundreth yeares after Christ finding in all this time one seruice consisting of confessions and praiers Psalmes reading preaching blessing and distributing of the sacraments according to the institution of our Lord singing of praises vnto God during the time of the communion and a thankesgiuing for the end and conclusion c. without any new offering or sacrificing vp of the sonne of God without any inuocating of the creatures by praying vnto theÌ„ without adoring and worshipping of the sacraments and without as yet free from infinite other both impieties and superstitions and therefore by consequent far from the Masse vsed at this day and on the contrarie side comming much neerer vnto the manner of the holy supper as it is now vsed in the reformed Churches The Romish Masse which is the action of one onely man saying reading speaking by figures in a language not vnderstood that is voide of edification then eating drinking without communion all alone and yet speaking continually in the plurall number being a colde ceremonie if euer there were any The holy supper on the contrarie consisting of a feruent praier by the which the Pastour maketh open protestation The cokerâ—ce and agreement of the Lords Supper with that of olde and declaration of the miserie and destruction of mankinde for the people and himselfe of their serious repentance vnto amendement of life and of remission of sinnes by faith in Christ in Psalmes sung with one consent of heart and voice by all the people for to quicken and stirre vp their fainting and ouer dull spirits vnto God in the reading of the sacred word and the interpreting and applying of the same in his time place by the Pastour as namely after that he hath in solemne sort supplicated the Almightie creator in the fauour of his onely begotten that it would please him to open his mouth for to teach and deliuer the same profitably and the eares and hearts of the people for to vnderstand well in a generall praier for the necessities of the Church and of the whole world for Magistrates pastours the conuersion of Infidels the extirpation and rooting out of heresies the publike peace and all maner of generall and particular afflictions in the reading of the holy supper and expounding of the same by the which namely the faithfull are exhorted to come to the holy table in humilitie and deuotion in assurance of faith and ardent charitie with an earnest acknowledgement of their sinnes and notwithstanding in a stedfast affiance in the mercies of God manifested and reuealed in Iesus Christ admonished to renounce all rancour and hatred contentions and strife and carefully to labour to bee reconciled if so be that they bee broken forth and come to the knowledge of others but the impenitent and wilfull obstinate are debarred from the same and that not by the voice and declaration of the Deacon alone but by a seuere denunciation of the iudgement of God if they abuse the bodie of the Lord as likewise by the sence and feeling of their owne consciences or by the iudgement of the Church After which things all and euery one came neere vnto the holy table in decent order and due reuerence to communicate the bodie and bloud of our Lord they receiued the holie sacraments at the hands of the Pastors with the most significant words that are either in the Gospel or in any of the Epistles of the Apostles lifting vp their hearts on high and praying to God that it would please him by the vertue of his holy spirit to giue them the flesh of his sonne for their spirituall repast and foode and his blood for their drinke vnto eternall life seeing that of his infinit mercie he hath vouchsafed to make them bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh c that so they may abide liue and dwell continually in him And during all the time of this action the deuotion of the assemblie was cherished and nourished with the reading of the holy scriptures as most meete to declare the death of the Lord vntill his comming and to record the vnspeakable benefite of the same with singing of Psalmes also chosen out of purpose both for the calling to minde of man his miserie as also for giuing vnto them the sence feeling of Gods mercie and thirdly for the stirring of them vp to giue vnto God for the same all vnfained and solemne thankes And finally there followed the dismission of the assemblie with a praier of the whole people vnto God containing a briefe thankesgiuing for that it had pleased him to make them to see and taste the assurance of their saluation in the communion and participation of his welbeloued sonne ioyning therunto the singing of the song of Simeon vsed of the old Church as wee haue alreadie seene to the same end and purpose And after the solemne and accustomed blessing admonition being giuen them how they should witnes and testifie the coniunction vnitie which they feele and find in Christ by the way and manner of that liuelie sence and feeling which the members of the bodie haue with the head they were to distribute euery one according to his abilitie vnto the poor for whome the Deacons were to receiue what should be giuen I speake nothing of the order of Catechising both publikelie and priuatelie which was wont to bee appointed and practised certaine weeks before for the instruction and examination of such as should be partakers thereof the morning Sermon which ordinarily is spent in the expounding of the doctrine of the Sacrament vnto the people and that also of the after noone tending to the stirring of vs vppe to the giuing of thankes vnto God Now then let euerie man iudge without being partiall in the matter in which of these two
Carth. called the Doctor of trances said vpon the same place In the primitiue church the sacramēt was giuē vnder both kinds to al the faithful afterward the church did forbid the distributing of the kind of wine vnto the people propter periculum effusionis And now wee are come to the notable opposition that Iohn Hus and Ierome of Prage made against this abuse about the yeare of our Lord 1400. At the same time I say that the taking away of the cup gained and got entrance in Church after Church throughout Christendome by the practises of the ingrossers amongst the Cleargie And it is to be noted that this Iohn Hus as Pope Pius the 2. Aeneas Syluius hist Bohem. c. 23. maketh mētion in his historie of Bohemia was a mā Lingua potēs mūdioris vitae opinione clarus mighty powerfull in speech as also in being reputed to liue a holy life and which is more one that was called to the function of the ministrie for besides that he was principall of the Colledge erected at Prage by the king Wenceslaus according to the foundation of that of Paris hee was called to preach the worde of God in the vulgare language in the Church of Bethelem as they call it This man then began to preach against the abuses of the Romish Church and namely against the profaning of the holy supper and the taking away of the cup contrarie to the institution of Christ and practise of the Primitiue Church and he was seconded herein by Ierome of Prage and followed of many But whereas the Romish Church should haue reformed what was past and returned into the olde and auncient way repenting her selfe and correcting her by-waies and doctrines by the originall of all wholesome and sound doctrine the holy Scriptures she calleth a generall Councell at Constance at the instant request of the Emperour Sigismund and summoneth or calleth to appeare there before them vpon warrantize of being equally and vprightly heard by the pawning of their faith and faithfull promise thereupon the said Iohn Hus and Ierome of Prage they against the publike and sacred oath and promise passed both by the Emperour and Pope did condemne them before they had heard them the one of them forthwith and the other after long imprisonment to be burned quicke leauing in the end a writ for the posteritie succeeding to learn hold that there is no faith or promise to be kept with pretended heretickes to the end that from thence forward all hope of reforming the Church or curing and reconciling of the pretended schismes by that Councell might be cut off Wee haue not any to beleeue or giue credite vnto concerning the matter of their martyrdome saue Pope Pius or his Secretarie Poggius who in their owne persons did sit iudicially vpon them in the same Councell Pertulerunt saith he ambo constanti animo necem quasi ad epulas inuitati ad incendium properarunt nullā emittentes vocem quae miseri animi possit facere indicium Vbi ardere caeperunt hymnum cecinere quem vix flamma fragor ignis intercipere potuit Nemo philosophorum tam forti animo mortem pertulit quà m isti incendium Poggius Florentinus aetatis nostrae nobilis scriptor de morte Hieronymi ad Nicholaum Nicol conciuem suum elegantem scripsit epistolam c. Both of them suffered death very couragiously and went as merrily to the fire as if they had been inuited vnto some great feast or banquet without vttering of any one word that might argue a sorrowfull heart when they began to burne they sung a hymne which could hardly by flame or noise of fire be kept from being heard Neuer did any Philosopher suffer his death so constantly as they indured the fire Poggius in Epist ad Leonard Aretinū Fasciculus rerurn expetendarum Poggius a Florentine a worthie Secretarie of our age hath written an excellent epistle vnto Nicolas Nicol his fellow cittizen of the death of Ierome c. And as for this Poggius alleadged by Pope Pius the second who was Secretarie to the Councell writing to Leonardus Aretinus his Epistle deserueth to be read vpō that place or els to be here set downe at large It is not credible saieth hee how hee defended himselfe by arguments how well he was furnished both with scriptures and Doctours c. He neuer vttered one word misbeseeming a good man If he beleeued as he spake he was so farre from being worthie of death by iust desert as that indeed there was not any cause of offering him the least discourtesie that may be Euery man tooke his case heauilie in bewailing him euery man desired that he might be saued but he desired rather to die than to vnsay any thing that he had deliuered Was there neuer Cate Scaeuola or Stoike that inaured with such courage and patience the losse of one member as he did of his life nor that so went to his death as he to the fire But this saith he deserueth a more large discourse c. But the Councell kicking against the pricke and hardning their hearts of a custome brought in by sufferance made a law and in stead of restoring the communion excommunicated all those which were vrgent and earnest suters for the same The very words are let euery man iudge whether the spirit of Christ or Antichrist did speake in this Councel Seeing we are giuen to vnderstand that in many Churches there is continued the administration of the Sacrament vnder both kinds vnto the laitie wee pronounce and declare that although Iesus Christ hauing supped did institute and minister this reuerend sacrament vnto his disciples vnder both kinds and that since then it hath been receiued a conficientibus by those which haue administred it that is by the Priests vnder both and by the laitie vnder that onely of bread yet notwithstanding all this the laudable authoritie of the holy Canons and the commendable custome of the Church hath obserued and doth obserue that for the avoiding of certaine daungers and scandals this sacrament shall be onely administred vnder one kind Thus then you may see the Pope his Canons opposed to the institution of Christ the onely Canon and rule of all sacraments the Church of this time opposed to the Primitiue howsoeuer it be the patterne by which all others ought to square fashion themselues throughout all ages And therefore he addeth wee commaund vnder paine of excommunication that no Priest doe administer the communion vnto the people vnder both the kinds of bread and of wine contrarie to that hee had reserued and kept in the power of the Church and Pastors to iudge of the discretion of them to whom they were to administer as wee haue alreadie seene out of Thomas Waldensis who writ at this very same time yea and it is a worke of this time which our maister Gerson drew into a treatise against the heresie of the cōmunion vnder both kinds therby condēning of
Pope alone for to decide and aunswere together with the aduise of diuerse Bishoppes and in euerie case they send vnto him certaine conditions and articles whereto hee is admonished to binde them by whome hee shall bee wonne and ouercome and these articles are such as are not contained in the Decrees of the Councell but were then retained in mente Curiae and were afterwarde communicated vnto the saide Princes First Those that wil cōmunicat vnder both kinds shal protest that they agree in hart mouth vnto al that the church of Rome hath receiued aswel in this matter of the sacramēt as in all the rest either of faith or ceremonies and that they doe religiously imbrace all the Decrees of Councels as well published as to be published How many errors may they thus gaine and get in whiles they doe nothing but grant some one thing or other that is done Secondly That the Pastors and preachers vnto those nations or people to whom the vse of the cup shall be graunted doe beleeue and teach that the custome of communicating vnder one kinde is not against the sacred institution of the Lard but rather laudable and worthie to bee obserued kept as a law if the Church ordain not otherwise That such as teach or beleeue otherwise are hereticks and that they shall not administer vnder both kindes vnto any but such as shal both beleeue and confesse the same But and if this be to applie themselues onely to the infirmitie of the people that they thus giue place and yeeld vnto them in this their request then what a hell is that to force and violently to wrest this profession from them cōtrarie to their infirmitie by this meanes offering them one fauour with the left hand and in the meane while drawing twentie from them with the right The third is That they shall promise to acknowledge the Pope to be the lawfull Pastour and Bishop of the vniuersall Church yeelding to him as dutifull children all manner of reuerence from a free and loyall heart Who will beleeue that such things did euer come from the Apostles or who will beleeue that Saint Peter before that euer hee would graunt the sacrament to the faithfull had gone about to draw such an oath homage frō them And againe who doth not see that they sell the blood of Christ to the people yea the same blood which Christ himselfe did so freely and without any price shed for them doe they not make them buy with the high price of the seruitude of their soules and not of their soules onely but of the whole Church yea and of the truth it selfe But in as much as these conditions seemed vnto the Princes and Estates too hard and heauie a yoake and too much ouerlaid with tyrannie it was thought good that things should stand and continue altogether in such state as was graunted and allowed by the consent of the Councell And let them not maruaile any more at that which Luther said That it was wisedome to be well aduised and warie in taking any thing that the Pope shall yeeld and agree vnto namely seeing that for to take away one abuse hee would vndoubtedlie aime at and stand for the establishing of all others how many soeuer And it standeth him vpon seeing that of all the Christian Churches that are whether Greeke Russian Syrian Armenian or Abissine c. there is not so much as one but the communion is administred therein vnder both kindes and contrariwise the administration thereof vnder one kinde disallowed and condemned And this is the reason why they wish so much mischiefe vnto the writings of Cassander containing the Lithurgies rather then the reformation of their own profession Index expurgato p. 38. ordaining in their Index expurgatorius in that booke I meane wherein they haue set downe a register of all the places which they would haue razed and defaced in the reimprinting of the good and sound books that are now extāt that what soeuer Cassāder hath writtē of both kinds should be blotted out Deleantur apud Cassandrum quae de vtraque specie c. Now I woulde gladly know 2. Thess ch 2. by what priuiledge or dispensation the Pope is able to claime and challenge to himselfe alone this power if it be not from that which is belonging onely to the man of sinne the sonne of perdition who is deciphered in the second to the Thessalonians That he opposeth and lifteth vp himselfe against all that which is called God or that is worshipped so that he doeth sit as God in the temple of God shewing himselfe as if he were God c. CHAP. XII Wherein the pretended reasons of the aduersaries are aunswered as well by the holy scriptures as by the Fathers THus then it behooueth vs brieflie to examine the reasons which they pretend to beare them out The cōsutation of the reasons that are made against the vse of both kinds in so bold and hardie an enterprise of change howbeit indeed to goe about to alleadge and oppose reason against Christ his sound and solide institution is properly as the Poet saith Cum ratione insanire And first they inferre that the cup is not necessarie in the sacrament because say they that the sacraments of the old Testament which did prefigure and foreshew the same had no drinke as the Manna the Paschall lambe c. Indeed those sacraments were figures and types of this the Manna of the true bread which was to come downe from heauen the lambe of the true lambe which should beare and take vpon him the sinnes of the worlde in the communicating of whom we are saued But what force can this reason carrie with it being drawne from a figure or shadow against the expresse word of Christ So then Baptisme comming in place of circumcision because that in circumcision men were cut and not washed should it follow that in Baptisme men should be cut seeing they were so in circumcision or else that it should not be needfull to wash in Baptisme because in circūcision there was no washing On the cōtrarie Paul speaking of the sacraments of the olde law as of the sea of the cloude c. 1. Cor. 10. Our fathers saith he were all baptised in the cloud in the sea they did all eat of one spiritual meat they did al drink of one spirituall drinke c. from hence haue some of the old writers proued the communicating vnder both kinds But what wil they say of Melchisedech whō they the said old writers would haue to represent in bread and wine the sacrament of the Eucharist when as wee cannot but see that hee did distribute them to Abraham and those that were with him as his seruants and souldiers It is said Drink ye all all say they that is to say all the Apostles and therefore this precept prooueth nothing for the rest of the faith full Math. 26. These men boast much of antiquitie
cast away a booke framed in expresse tearmes approuing that of Constantinople and confuting for false and counterfeit that of Nice the same being signed by all the Bishops And furthermore for the further gracing of the same published vnder the name of Charles the Great which is yet at this day to be read and was put forth here some fortie yeares since by my L. Iean du Tillet Bishop of Meaux This booke keepeth the meane or middle way betwixt the Synodes of Constantinople and that second of Nice that is to say That images might be had to be remembrances of thinges which the Councell of Constantinople denied but that they might not be worshipped and this the Councell of Nice affirmed Neither doth it make as the sophisters of our time vse by a false Grammer that common distinction betwixt an idoll and an image but it rather affirmeth according to sound Diuinitie We call not idols those images which are in Temples but we forbid them to bee worshipped for feare that they should be called idols that is to say that by worshipping of them they become not the thing which they are not And to the end that no man may call this booke in question Augustinus Steuchus Bishop of Agobio the keeper of the Popes librarie testifieth that it is kept in the library of Laterane Hinemar Archiepisc Rhemens c. 20 Bellarm. de eccles triump l. 2. c. 19. written in old Lumbardie letters and Hinemarus Archbishop of Rhemes doth alleadge whole pages out of the same and Bellarmine likewise doth acknowledge that in it is contained the Councell of Franckford yea and that which is more maruellous and strange that is that Adrian by letters which he writ vnto the Emperour of Constantinople and to Tharasius the Patriarch the furtherer aduauncer of images doth approue that which was done at Franckford as in deed the truth is that he had his legates there which were ashamed of that which was done at Nice But seeing that images had beene retained in Churches when Charlemaine was once dead idolatrie found an easie reentry in the West as will be seene in the time of Charles his sonne who was constrained to write a sharper booke then the first as on the contrarie Constantine the son of Irene comming to his age would not obserue keep that Councell held in the time of his mothers regencie who for that occasion wrought his death and dissolution And this contention in the Empire of Greece indured more then 200. yeres according as the Emperours were well or ill inclined working sometimes the ruine and ouerthrow of images and sometimes the establishing and confirming of the same In this contrarietie of Councels A comparing of these two councels together to which of them I pray you shal Christians haue recourse to stay and rest their consciences vpon To whom say I when as they see the East armed against the West about this cause and quarrell yea the East against the East that is the Churches and Empires of those partes at iarre amongst themselues Doubtlesse nothing can assure or certifie them but the word of God Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image c. thou shalt not worship or serue them The word which the Popes Emperors neuer could neither euer shal be able to dispatch quite destroy from out of the world neither yet out of the hearts of such as are truely faithful howbeit it may be obserued that from this time this commandement beginneth such is the shameles boldnes to be raced out of the law of God as may yet be seene in the ancient lawes of England Archaeonomia Anglicana written published shortly after the second councel of Nice whose first title containeth the ten Commandements but the second commandement is wholly wanting therein the third continued in place thereof But let vs notwithstanding briefly weigh the reasons of these Councelles the one against the other because it may be that out of their disagreement wee shall make the truth and light to appeare The Nicene doth alleadge the image which Iesus Christ sent to Abgarus that which Nicodemus painted vnder the name of a false Athanasius which we haue proued to bee onely imagined and supposed likewise the vision of Constantine as it was foretold him by Peter and Paule before that hee was baptised which all ecclesiasticall histories together with those next afore mentioned do note for Apocrypha It playeth and sporteth it selfe with the scriptures as men vse to doe with Pasquils Adrian the Pope in his Synodall Epistle Concil Nic. 2 Act. 2 God tooke of the myre and clay and made man according to his owne image and likenesse And the Prophet Dauid saith Confession and dignitie are before him Againe I haue loued the beautie of thy house O Lord I will seeke thy face c. It behooueth therefore saith it to haue images in Temples Theodorus saith As we haue heard so haue we seene wherefore we must haue images to looke vpon them And God is wonderful in his Saints therefore we must haue painted pictures And No man lighteth a candle to put it vnder a bushell therefore it must bee set vpon Altars To bee briefe the Psalmist hath said Worship his footstoole worship him in his holy mountaine O Lord all the riches of thy temple shall worship before thy face wherefore we must worship images But I would verie gladly that of all the ancient Doctors that haue written vppon the Psalmes and Prophets they would shew me but one who hath from these places or any one of them found out images They alleadge the fathers with like conscience Quest 16. citing an Epistle written by Basill to Iulian which is not to bee found and another of Gregorie the Great which is manifestly knowne to be written by Gregorie the third a certaine booke of questions vnder the name of Athanasius in the sixteenth question and it is found to haue beene written by one Leontius almost three hundred yeares after in the time of the Emperour Mauritius And how should they spare the Doctors when they haue not beene ashamed to corrupt the first Councell of the Apostles held at Antioch daring to affirme Actes 15. that they therein ordained that the image of our Sauiour Christ should bee worshipped in steade of the images of the false Gods Although it be so as that there were not according to their owne confession any images in the Christian Churches before Constantine his time thereby charging the Primitiue Church with an vnsupportable crime for hauing made so small accompt of the Apostles their ordinance yea or rather of the holy Ghostes and that in a full Councell In the end they come to the legends of the Saintes and to pretended miracles And what miracles How that there was a woman healed of the gnawings and gripes that she suffered in her bellie by looking vpon the images of Saint Cosme and Saint Damian an other of the fluxe
his soueraigne and singular workes of creation and gouernment in the creatures also there are some vertues which are communicated vnto them by God in the Image there is neither the one nor the other Polyd. Virgil. l. 6. c. 13. for it can neither see heare nor vnderstand c. Polydor Virgill doth likewise take offence against these superstitions and concludeth in these wordes Wee are fallen into such a vaine of follie and doting rage towardes our Images as that the duties and seruices of pietie Caietan in Pentatcu Exod. c. 20. which wee seem to performe in that behalfe are nothing but verie impieties themselues The Cardinall Caietanus is taken vppe and checked for comprising and lapping vppe together both the Idoll and the Image in a like defence notwithstanding that he make a distinction inter Dolatum Similitudinem in respect of the wordes and Paulus Burgensis likewise one of the most learned Hebricians which had beene amongst them and in whome notwithstanding our aduersaries do place and put their chiefest hope of defence Paulus Ricius sayeth franklie and freelie after hee had weighed all the reasons and aunsweres to the same which were brought to that ende and purpose If wee must abstaine from thinges sacrificed to Idols because of the infirme and weake in faith how much more then whatsoeuer Thomas can say from this pestilent worshipping'of Images c These are the wilde vine growing vp and ouerspreading the natural vine of Christ these are the Darnell in his field The Iewes haue brought in the works of the law the Gentiles Images c. which I would to God that they had neuer come in our Temples then we should haue learned to haue lift vp our hearts to heauen in stead of bowing and casting them down to fixe them vpon Images In a word Ludouicus Viues writing vpoÌ„ S. Augustine saith That he cannot see any difference betwixt certain Christians addicted to the honouring of Images and the Pagans worshipping their Idols And Erasmus concludeth That it is more safe and sure to take them away then to expect or waite vntill there be some rule good directions for the moderating of the same Cassand in Consult deuised and established But Cassander after that hee hath alleadged Biel saith Who shall be able to do it who shall be able to bring backe the people from this their entred course of superstition especiallie seeing that such as teach them are themselues the authors of these superstitions Michael Episc Mersburg in Cathechismo are those that nourish and cherish them in their harts to the end they may sucke out some profite from them But our Fathers of the Councell of Trent imagined that they had well looked into the curing of all the mischiefes threatned against them by all these so euident testimonies when they ordained in their Index expurgatorius that these places of Polydor Viues Erasmus Cassander and others should be raced and left out in the first impression insuing But the very defenders of these abuses coÌ„mitted in this our time haue bin in some sort ashamed of their doctrine as Martinus Peresius Ambrosius Catharinus Nicolaus Saunderus intreating of this matter holding against Thomas Scotus BonaueÌ„tura That the Images cannot be worshipped after the same maner that the persons may whom they do represent And Alphonsus of Castres their resuter of heresies proceedeth yet further That wee must not at all worship or doe any reuerence vnto Images but rather before the Images for feare of being condemned for Heretikes our selues And Bellarmine willing to set them at one commeth so farre as to saye Bellar. de Ima l. 2. First That we must honour but not adore or worship them by praying vnto theÌ„ Secondly That no man may teach especiallie in any sermons that they ought to be worshipped with Latria no not the Image of Christ himselfe but rather the contrarie Where is now the second Nicene Councell affirming That there is but one kind of Worshippe one I say for the originall and for the image framed after the same c Thirdlie That images cannot properlie and of themselues be worshipped as the patternes themselues whereby they are made and that neither Latria nor Huperdulia nor yet Dulia or any other adoration or seruice is properlie due vnto them but I know not what after the proportion of those whereof they are Images What will now become of Thomas his ordering of the controuersie betwixt Scotus and Bonauentura c And finallie That there is no other honour dew vnto them then such as is vouchsafed and giuen to the bookes and vessels of the Church as to the cups and their couerings c. And what is now become of these kneelings inuocations and cleare euident worshippings For who did euer worship the Masse books the holy linnens or cups c But how much more brief and shorter course had it bin to haue held themselues to the pure vndefiled word of God to the obseruatioÌ„s of the ancient church theÌ„ to incumber the people with so manie superstitions ignorances and impieties as that no man is able to free them againe no not with all the distinctions limitations fine deuises or shifts that can be imagined And how much better had it been to haue followed the counsell of Gratianus in his Decree and that vpon far better ground Gratian D. 63. C. Qâ—ia Sancta seeing that all Images in the Church of Rome are of mans ordinance whereas the brasen Serpent in Israel was of Gods ordinance And notwithstanding hee saith Ezechias destroyed the brasen Serpent which Moses had set vp in the desart by the expresse commaundement of God because the people moued by the miracles which they saw betooke themselues to the worshipping of it whereupon saith he we see the greatnes of the authoritie of the church as that if our fathers predecessors haue done any thing in their time blameles without falt that the same afterward do turn into superstition or error that theÌ„ in such case the succeeding persons are to destroy and vndoe the same without delay that with great authority In the ende they make God a party with them It is he say they who hath taught it vs for wherfore did he commaud Moses to erect a brasen Serpent in the desert and to make Cherubins ouer the Arke As if God had bound himself by the commandements that he hath giuen vs and left vs free As if Abraham had aunswered God I will not sacrifice my Son for thou hast said Thou shalt not kill But wee haue authority to beare vs out for the caruing and worshipping of Images let them shew vs a contrary commandement forbidding vs to make any To this blasphemous obiection by which they make God the author of their abhomination they shal be aunswered by Tertullian for me Tertullian being beaten with this argument by the Idolaters of his time Tertul. de Idolo for euen
the same Amen CHAP. IIII. That the old fathers haue not acknowledged any other propitiatorie sacrifice then that onely one made vpon the Crosse THus you cannot deny say they that the old fathers haue called the Masse a Sacrifice yes we haue flatly denyed them the whole plainly proued that the olde fathers did not so much as knowe it by name But they reply at the least they doe vnfold vnto vs the celebrating of the sacrament of the Eucharist or holy Supper of the Lord. And surely vpon good cause warrant seeing it is a holy consecrate action and that the spirituall sacrifices of our heartes are thereby sacrificed to God vnto repentance as also seeing that the incense of our praiers and the calues of our lips and the Gospell the word of God as saith S. Paul is therein sacrificed seeing that our bowels tanquam per viscerationem doe therein open inlarge and spread abroad and distribute themselues by our almes deedes vnto our neighbours seeing likewise that the death of Iesus Christ is therein declared the onely sacrifice of the Crosse and that by the expresse commandement of the sacrificer And thus and no otherwise haue they all vnderstood it But we denie that euer they said any thing of it as a sacrifice properly so called of the new offering vp of the Sonne of God to God by the priest of his bodie and of his blood vpon an altar for our sinnes Neither must they here go about to abuse vs with a distinction of Sacrificium cruentum aut incruentum of a bloodie or vnbloodie sacrifice For this distinction wil not be receiued or admitted of against the vniuersal propositions of the scripture which tell vs that where remission and forgiuenes of sinnes is purchased there needeth no more sacrifice or offering Againe that there is no remission purchased where there is no shedding of blood But so it is that wee haue forgiuenesse in the blood of Christ much more then an oblation But so it is that in their pretended sacrifice there is no shedding of blood and therefore much lesse pardon and forgiuenesse or any effectuall grace that may procure vs Gods fauour But yet it is further to be considered that the old fathers did neuer name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bloodlesse or vnbloodie sacrifices to make distinction thereby betwixt the sacrifice of the crosse and the sacrament or pretended sacrifice of the altar but rather to set downe a difference betwixt the sacrifices of the law and the sacrifices of Christians Whereupon Oecumenius saith Oecumen ad Heb. c. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say Sacrifices without blood those saith he of the lippes as praiers hymnes and supplications vnto God by Iesus Christ c. And others after the same manner which wee shall see farre better by tracing them from age to age Clemens Alexandrinus next succeeding the time of the Apostles saith Clem. l. 3. Paedag c. 2. in strom We sacrifice not vnto God and that vpon good consideration for he hath no need of any thing but hath giuen all thinges vnto vs and therefore we do glorifie him who was sacrificed for vs in sacrificing offering vp of our selues Againe God would be honoured though he haue no need of any thing and therefore doe we honour him with our praiers and this is the best and most holy sacrifice when wee send them vp into his presence in iustice c. Our Altar then is the congregation of such as are attentiue in prayers and haue all of them one common spirit and one common voice c. Againe Our Altar that is one holy soule our perfume and incense euen our praiers So that he doth not acknowledge or make any mention of a Sacrament properly so called when he saith We do not sacrifice hee acknowledgeth another manner of fashion namely the prayers of the faithful the sacrificing of themselues vnto God c. And yet herein hee is not behind with speaking honourably of the Eucharist For saith he this is that speciall good grace whereof those are partakers which communicate therein in faith and are sanctified both in body and soule Ireneus we haue seene heretofore how he speaketh Iren. l. 4. c. 34. and yet you may perceiue him to deale more plainly We must saith he offer vp a sacrifice to God and in all thinges bee found to acknowledge our creator by a pure and vpright opinion and iudgement by faith without hipocrisie by certaine hope by feruent loue offering vnto him the first fruits of his creatures And this is that pure oblation which the Church onely doth offer vnto the creator offering vnto him of his creatures with thankesgiuing Therefore saith he he would haue vs to be continually offering our oblations vpon the altar And what Altar This also he teacheth saying There is an altar in heauen thither our prayers and sacrifices are directed and in the temple according to that which Saint Iohn hath said in the Apocalips and the temple of God was open and the tabernacle For behold saith he the tabernacle of God where hee will dwell with men Here then is no sacrifice but that of man vnto God in the acknowledgement of his benefits by continuall prayers as also of the first fruits of the goods which he giueth him and that by communicating them charitablie with his brethren Iustinus Martyr speaketh highly honorably in commendation of the Lords Supper he describeth and setteth out vnto vs the holy ceremony wholly intirely Iustin Martyr in Tryphon and yet not a word of the propitiatorie sacrifice in all that he saith But on the contrarie he saith I dare be bolde to affirme that there are no other sacrifices that are perfect and acceptable vnto God then the supplications and thankesgiuing of good people and Christians haue learned that they are not to offer any other c. Againe Idem in exposit fidei Tertul. aduers Iud. We sacrifice vnto God without ceasing the sacrifice of praise sincere praiers and of the sweet sauour of good workes c. We haue heard heretofore what Tertullian hath said vpon the first Chapter of Malachie but yet behold what he saith further It behoued that Christ should be made a sacrifice for all the Gentiles who was led as a sheepe to the slaughter Behold here the onely sacrifice Idem aduers Marc. l. 4. ad Scapul Againe The prophecies of the lawe did signifie that man otherwise a sinner presently after that hee was cleansed by the worde of God did offer an oblation in the Temple that is praier and thankesgiuing in the Church and congregation of the faithfull by Iesus Christ the catholike that is the vniuersall Priest of the father Behold now and see here an vniuersall and onely priest by whom wee offer vnto God our sacrifices and our praiers And therefore hee saith Wee must not sacrifice vnto God any thing but that which is spirituall for it is written a
Idem l. 3. c. 4. l 4. c. 5. sometimes we consecrate our selues all wholy vnto him and his high priest or sacrificer which is to Christ dedicating I say our selues bodies and soules vnto this word where wee haue to obserue that he reckeneth vp the sacrifice of Christians as the memorie of the passion of our Lorde thankesgiuing prayers praises and offering vppe of our selues c. but of the sacrifice without blood which they pretend whether it bee in the Supper or in the Masse not one word Nowe about this time was the first generall Councell of Nyce held Can. Nicaen wherein wee haue a Canon all saue some little parte thereof drawne out of the Vatican librarie the title whereof is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the holy table The wordes are Wee doe not rest and content our selues with the breade ministred vnto vs here belowe or yet in the cuppe but lifting vppe the vnderstanding of our mindes wee thinke by faith that the Lambe of God taking away the sinnes of the worlde lyeth in this Table 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacrificed by the Priestes without being slaine c. Where wee obserue agreeing with the doctrine going before that there is insinuated a certaine secrete opposition betwixt the holy table and the Altars of the lawe of the Lambe which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde and the Sacrifices of the lawe which were nothing but figures and shadowes of the Sacrifice which was there offered to this which is but renewed by being called to minde and of the bodily presence and visible substance of the one to the eating and receiuing of the other by faith And this appeareth more euidently by that which followeth which calleth vs cleane backe from all thinking of a sacrifice to the receiuing and communicating of a sacrament that is That we truely and verily receiuing his precious bodie and blood belieue these thinges to bee the infallible signes of our resurrection And this is the cause why wee take not much but a little that so wee may know that it is not to fill vs full vnto bodily nourishment but to further and feed the worke of our sanctification For if hee had rested in the sacrifice woulde that haue followed which he saith And that notwithstanding our being present at this sacrifice wee haue the resurrection and the life c. Athanas orat 3. cont Arrian Whereupon also Athanasius of the same time saith The oblation or sacrifice of the Lord once offered did accomplish all thinges and remaineth fast and sure throughout all times Aaron had his successors but the Lorde sine transitione successione without any succession or change from one to another holdeth the priesthood for euer Saint Basill Those which were wont to be consecrated of the seed of Aaron are excluded Basill in 1. c. Esa to the end that there might come in their roome a priest according to the order of Melchisedec and not the sacrificing priestes of the Church of Rome There is no more any question saith he of the continuall sacrifice neither yet of these so oft reiterated and renewed sacrifices c. For there is but one sacrifice that is Christ and the mortification of the Saintes which is become famous and renowned for their confessing of him There is but one besprinkling and cleansing with water and that is the washing of the new birth there is but one purgation for sinne that is his blood shedde for the saluation of the world To what end saith the Lord serueth so many sacrifices he requireth but one reiecting all whatsoeuer els that is that euerie man doe reconcile and offer himselfe to God appearing before him a liuing sacrifice by a reasonable seruing of him and offering vnto God the sacrifice of praise c. Againe Now in the end and latter age of the worlde one onely sacrifice is approued once offerred for an oblation for sinne For the Lambe of God hath taken away the sin of the world offering himselfe an oblation and sacrifice of a smell of a sweet sauour c. Idem in psal 115. And in another place I will therefore sacrifice my soule vnto thy praise O Lord as it were vpon some Altar I will offer vnto thee the sacrifice of praise which is more worth then an infinite number of others c. Gregorius Nazianzenus This great sacrifice Gregor Nazianz in Pasch orat 2. which in his first nature could not bee sacrificed is mingled with all the sacrifices of the lawe That same I say which is the purgation not of one parte of the worlde nor forsome certaine time but of the whole world and for euer And thus we are admonished not to seeke for any other But saith he we offer vnto God vpon his celestiall Altar together with Angels the Sacrifice of praise let vs passe through the first vaile and drawe neere vnto the second let vs sacrifice to God at all times And hee addeth For the chiefe and principall point of wisedome is a good and honest life purged and made cleane before God euen that God which is most pure and requireth no other sacrifice at our handes but this purenesse which the scripture commonly calleth a contrite and broken heart the sacrifice of praise a newe creature in Christ c. Eusebius Emissenus saith Euseb Emissen de caen Dom. Seeing that our Lorde was to conuey vp into the heauen beyond the reach of our pearcing sight this his humane bodie which he had taken vppon him it was needfull that vppon this day hee should consecrate for vs the Sacrament of his bodie and of his blood that so what had once beene offered vppe for the price of our redemption might bee honoured in a mysterie for euer to the end that as redemption hath his ordinarie course for the saluation of men without any wearisomnesse so also the euerlasting oblation perpetuall sacrifice of this redemption might liue and continue fresh in our memorie and that this one true and perfect sacrifice that is to say Christ might continually bee present in grace which wee must iudge of by faith and not by outward appearance by the inward affection and not by the outward sight Where wee are to note that hee saith Sacrament not Sacrifice and that hee opposeth the remembrance of the oblation to the oblation it selfe the powerfull course and continuance of redemption to redemption it selfe once wrought the presence of grace to the reall presence and the body of Christ lifted vp to heauen to the Sacrament of the same left remayning in the Supper Epiphanius Epiphanius cont Marcion haere 42. 35. Haue you offered me sacrifice saith the Lord fortie yeares in the wildernesse c. To the end that they might learne that God by the comming of his Christ hath taken away all manner of vse of sacrifices and that in respect of one sacrifice which hath perfected and accomplished all the other sacrifices that went before
which are with God haue not any foundation in the Scriptures Whereby for certaine we get as much aduantage at the least Ioh. 4. against our aduersaries as the Iewes against the Samaritans That we worship that which we know euen God who hath vouchsafed to manifest himselfe vnto vs in his word They worship that which they know not namely the Saints for the inuocating of whome there is not any thing deliuered or declared vnto vs in the same But they will deriue and fetch it from certaine places The consutation of certain places wrongfully applied as consequently following vpon the same and these are now to be examined of vs. For say they those which liue here pray vnto God one for an other and doe vse the praiers one of an other vnto God wherefore should such as liue in heauen aboue lesse performe the same for such as are liuing heere below and those below make lesse vse of such as are abiding on high The oddes and difference betwixt the one and the other doe furnish vs with store of answeres And first we haue an expresse commaundement to pray one for an other here below and a promise accompanying the commaundement and so consequently a blessing when these our praiers are made in faith Which falleth out contrarie in the matters of pietie and seruice of God exercised without any foundation in his word for so it falleth out to bee an vncertaine worke and therefore without faith and therefore also sinne and by consequent displeasing vnto God Secondly we belieue that the Saints in heauen are inflamed with charitie towards the Church neither do doubt of their hartie desire of the good of the same as vnto the bodie for the glorie of God and to euerie particular as they are members of the same for their saluation And to proceed thus farre is not beyond the bonds of pietie so that a man learne to stay himself there But we denie that they either see our necessities or heare our sutes and complaints affirming that this should make them like vnto God the onely searcher of hearts and our aduersaries themselues dare not say it They answere that they see our thoughts not as they are in our spirits but in God And we answere them that this is a deuised fantasie without any foundation and that the created spirit doth not pearce or enter into the spirit not created but on the contrarie that if it were otherwise that then the Angels should know all things in God as wel the things to come as those that are present seeing that with him euerie thing is present Now there are many things vnknowne vnto them for the mysterie of our saluation was hid from them before and now at this day they are still ignorant when the day of iudgement shall bee Luk. 15. c. But they say that the Angels reioyce in heauen at the conuersion of sinners c. And therefore they are able to know it and wee doe not denie it But by meanes that it is their office and dutie to bee imployed and set on worke of God for to serue the faithfull whereupon the Apostle calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebr. 1. Pâ—al 34. Psal 91. Act. 13. ministring spirits to whome God committeth saith the Psalmist the care of his seruants He maketh them to pitch their tents round about them c. But there is no such thing said of the Saints no not of Dauid himselfe who after he had serued in his generation by the wil of God was laid vp with his fathers And againe that praier which is of such importance vnto Christians must not bee grounded vpon the subtile deuises of mans braine but vpon the soliditie and soundnes of the word of God For certainly God can reueale what it pleaseth him either vnto the liuing or vnto the dead But wee are not to make a common rule of his miracles neither any commaundement of his reuelations vnknowne vnto vs from his power saith Tertullian the Diuine dooth neuer reason to his will but rather from his will vnto his power and that by a more forcible reason seeing the holy Scripture doth teach vs the contrarie 2. King 22.20 God saith vnto Iosias I goe about to gather thee vnto thy forefathers and thine eyes shall not see the euils which I will bring vpon this place The people of Israell saith also in Esay Thou art our father Esay 63.16 August de cura pro mortuis gerenda c. 13. notwithstanding that Abraham know vs not c. And from these two places Saint Augustine gathereth that the Saints know nothing of all the matters that happen vnto men in these words The dead and deceased doe not meddle with the affaires of those that are liuing neither to know nor yet to helpe or further them They are in rest and as for the troubles and turmoyles of them that are liuing they doe not disquiet them God promiseth to Iosias that he should die before to the end that his eyes might not see the euils the spirits then of the deceased are in aplace where they see not what is done in this life c. Adde thereunto that the greater part of the other fathers as we haue seene before haue taught that the Saints at their departure out of this life doe not inioy the sight of God but are in a place of rest expecting and waiting for the resurrection that so they may receiue the fulnesse of their glorie Now those which held this opinion could not approoue the reason which our Aduersaries alleadge for the inuocation of Saints that is that their soules and spirits doe see euerie thing in God nor by consequent this inuocation if so bee it doe depend and follow thereupon Saint Paul saith Rom. 8.26 Hee that soundeth the heart dooth know the affection of the spirit Salomon vppon the subiect and matter of prayer how in our afflictions wee must haue recourse vnto God 1. King 8. For saith hee thou alone knowest the hearts of all the Sonnes of men This reason should haue no force if these two generall propositions were not true together That man is not to praie to anie but him that knoweth all things And that God is hee alone which knoweth all things But where the word of God faileth them they forge humane reasons A confutation of their human reasons and those a great deale more vnmeete to bee admitted in Diuinitie as that which intreateth of God then those of the Ciuill Law to bee admitted in Physicke or on the contrarie because also that that in hauing an infinite subiect which is not knowne otherwise then as it pleaseth him to vouchsafe to reueale himselfe is infinitely and beyond all proportion exceeding all others In the Courts of great Princes say they there is not any man that goeth directly to the King hee hath need to make waie for the same by the fauour and mediation of some great Lord who is imployed neere
of my God The Breuiarie of Premonster And likewise we reade furthermorein the Breuiarie of the order of Premonster which was instituted in his time these Latine rimes in the Liturgie vpon all Saints day Adiuuent nos corum merita Quos propria impediunt scelera Excuset eorum intercessio Quos propria accusat actio At tu qui eis tribuisti Caele stis palmam triumphi Nobis veniam ne deneges peccati Shall we saith hee be helped by their merits which are hindered by their owne grieuous crimes Excused by their intercession who are accused of their owne actions and workes But thou O Lord which hast giuen them the ensigne of celestiall triumph denie not vnto vs the pardon of our sinnes The Valesians opposing themselues c. But whiles the abuse in the meane time was master of the plaine and open field there was raised new forces by the Waldenses and Albigenses which gaue a sharpe assault with great heate incountering the same euen to the drawing of the matter to such a dispute and parle as required for an indifferent hearing of the same an assembly of many graue and learned men in an open Councell and not staying there proceeded euen to the filling of a great part of France so far with the fauoring and good liking of their matter as that til all maner of fraud and force did ioyne and couple it selfe together they could neuer be perswaded to abandon and banish it out from amongst them yea which more is to the giuing of it such deepe roote as the Histories of that time as well as the enemies themselues doe witnesse as that it ouerspread and flourished in all the nations of Christendome Therefore amongst their Articles we reade this for one That there is but one mediator and that all inuocating and worshipping of men is but Idolatrie And the foresaid histories doe further adde that the doctrine of the Waldenses was no new thing but such as had continued euer since the time of the Apostles at the least euer since the time of Pope Syluester the first that is to say that the chaunge beeing come by succession of time into the Christian Church they should haue retained the puritie of the same amongst them Histor Vetus de Waldensib And in deed a certaine booke of this date saith That it was for three respects more daungerous then any other sect The first quia diuturnior because saith it it was of longer time for some are of iudgement that it hath continued euer since the time of Pope Syluester some there are likewise that say euer since the time of the Apostles The second because it is more generall Quia generalior for there is not almost any Countrie or nation wherin it hath not seated it selfe The third because that others by being blasphemous against God doe make men afraid of them whereas this hath great apparance that it proceedeth of pietie in as much as the fauourers thereof liue iustly before men doe easily belieue that which concerneth God and the whole Creed cleauing fast only to the Church of Rome c. And thus spake their enemies also and this being once said I would haue to serue without any further repetitions Now it is not credible how this abuse holding by open force the vpper hand of the truth Lombard l. 4. d. 55. did in short time become horrible fearefull Lombard from hence forth doth put it downe for a sentence That the Saints make intercession for vs and that both by their merits because they fulfill wherein wee come short as also by their affection because they ioyne themselues vnto our vowes This hitherto had not beene vttered in any sort so hardly to be disgested And furthermore from henceforth al the Schoolemen doe not only follow and approue what he hath said but doe labour to make it to be valewed still at more more As Alexander Hales Bonauenture Thomas c. And their reason is That Vltima reducuntur in Deum per media That the extreames cannot come to God but by meanes things of a midle qualitie The very same reason that the Platonists did alleadge for the intercession of their Gods Semi-gods As concerning the question whether the Saints do know the affaires of men or no that also they take vpon them to determine That they know all things in as perfect sort as the Angels in the beholding seing of God The same that S. Gregorie had said as it were by the way But what will they doe with S. Barnard who maintaineth that the Saints are not receiued to inioy the presence of God vntil the resurrection And to Pope Iohn the 22. whom W. Occam saith to haue so resolued him Thom. Sum. q. 57. art 5. 12 art 8. as also to haue laboured to cause him to sweare therunto at Sorbone And finally to S. Thomas who teacheth That the Angels by naturall knowledge doe not vnderstand the mysteries of grace and that by that which they haue in the seeing of God they do not know any more then it pleaseth him to reueale vnto them that for other matters they know not either those that are contingent neither yet the thoughts of harts Being notwithstanding the ordinarie subiects according to the doctrine of our aduersaries both of the inuocation of men and of the intercession of Angels But seing they haue brought vs to speak in their tearmes ab extremo ad supremum per media behold see the extremities whervnto they lead vs. Antoninus Archb. of Florence teacheth Anton. part 3. Sum t. 3. 12. Idem part 4. t. 15. 1. Ioh. 2. That Saints must be both inuocated adored of all that all those vpon whom the Virgine Mary casteth her eyes are necessarily iustified saued that Christ is ouer rough in as much as he is both aduocate iudge together for that God hath prouided vs of an aduocatesse in whō there is nothing but mildnes So that what is said in S. Iohn If we haue sinned we haue an Aduocate c. he turneth it in plaine words to be vnderstood of the Virgin Mary Heb. 4. and that which the Apostle to the Hebrews saith vnto vs of Christ the high priest Let vs draw neere vnto the throne of grace c. he will haue it to be vnderstood of her For Marie saith he is the throne of Christ Genes 2. c. What shall I say more The Seraphins say they would haue retained Marie as shee ascended vp to heauen No saith she it is not good that man should be alone speaking of the eternall sonne sitting at the right hand of the father I am giuen vnto him for a help in the worke of redemption by suffering with him and in the worke of glorification by making intercession to the end that if he should threaten to drowne the world as in the deluge I may appeare before him as the rainebow to the end that hee
may remember him of his couenant c. And when shall we see an end of these blasphemies Bernardine in his Mariall goeth yet more boldly to worke Bernard in Marial as if it were to make it worse God saith he said vnto her in her birth I haue giuen thee for a light vnto the Gentils to the end that thou mightest be our saluation to the end of the earth a light for a reuelation vnto the Gentils c. The Prophet Esay or Simeon did they euer dreame of this Again All the graces that distill and drop down from the father and the Son vpon vs are deriued and conueighed by the virgin the Mediatres betwixt God and men There is no grace commeth from heauen but through her hands All maner of graces do enter into her come forth of her They are in Christ Tanquā in capite influente as in the head which doth instil them in Marie Tanquā in collo transfundente as in the channel which doth distribute them she is the Mediatresse of saluation coniunction iustification reconciliation intercession and communication c. To be briefe the heauenly father hath giuen her the halfe of his kingdome as was signified in the persons of Assuerus and Esther he hauing retained and kept iustice to himselfe to bestow and distribute but leauing his mercie with her to exercise the same In so much as we may appeale à foro iustitiae Dei frō the seat of Gods iustice to the court of the virgin Maries mercy And what shall wee say then of her Letanies of her Psalter and of her howres Of her howres wherein she is named The Queene of mercie wherein she hath broken the head of the serpent which was spoken to our first parentes of the onely Sonne of God wherein she alone hath rooted all heresies out of the world where she is called The repairer and sauiour of mankind wherein is asked of her generally whatsoeuer can and ought to be asked of the one onely God by Iesus Christ as vtterly denied vnto all others Impetra nobis veniam applica nobis gratiā praepara nobis gloriā the grant of forgiuenes grace glorie c. I haue trembled and stood all afraid at the consideration of her Psalter wherein all that which Dauid hath spoken of God the Father the Son the holy Ghost is applied vnto her that without any maner of exception throughout euen from the beginning vnto the end changing only Dominū into Domina the Lord into the Lady Blessed is the man that loueth Marie that feareth her that praiseth her name that trusteth in her that hopeth in her c. The heauens declare thy glory the earth is thine Psal 19.24.31.51.52.53.56 59.67.71.91.93.94 98.109 111.131 c. the fulnes thereof thou raignest with God for euer blessed are they that cherish thee for thou wilt wash away their sins in thy mercies haue pittie vpon me O mother of mercy according to the tendernes of thy mercies wash me from all mine iniquities Thou wicked spirit why boast est thou thy selfe bow downe thy neck vnder Maries feet O Lady breake him to peeces with the power of thy foot Cast him downe into the bottomles pit by thy might saue me for thy names sake deliuer me frō mine vnrighteousnes haue pittie vpon me for my hart is prepared to receiue thy will Thou hast cast vs off O Lord for our sins hast had pittie on vs again for the virgin Maries sake Let Mary arise al her enemies shal be scattered Lord giue thy iudgement vnto thy Sonne and thy mercy vnto the Queene his mother O Ladie saluation and life are in thy hand c. O how kind and good is God vnto those that worship his mother God is the God of vengeance but thou art the Queene of mercie Come and let vs worship the Ladie let vs praise the virgin that hath saued vs let vs worship her and let vs confesse our sinnes vnto her c. The Lordraigneth Marie sitteth vpon the Cherubins on his right hand He that dwelleth vnder her wing is vnder a good protection c. The Lord hath said vnto my Ladie Sit mother at my right hand thou hast delighted in goodnes and holinesse and therefore thou shalt raigne with mee Remember Dauid O Ladie and all those that call vppon thy name Praise the Lorde for he is good and his mercie is distributed by Marie c. And when should I haue done seeing there are not so many wordes in it as blasphemies They haue corrupted and marred after the same manner the songs of the Prophets of Simeon of the holy virgine and the songs also that are attributed vnto Athanasius and S. Ambrose which are called by their first wordes Quicunque and Te ' Deum My heart is reioyced in my Ladie because that he that is mightie hath done great thinges for me by Marie his mother c. My soule magnifieth my Ladie c. Let now O Lord the seruant of Marie depart in peace because mine eies haue seene the saluation of Marie which thou hast prepared before the face of all people a light to be reuealed vnto the Gentiles c. Whosoeuer will be saued let him know before all things that which he must firmelie belieue of Marie Te matrem Dei laudamus We praise thee O mother of God Doctrix mother of the diuine Maiestie Ladie of Angels the Spouse mother of the eternall king the promised by the Patriarkes the truth of the Prophetes the teacher of the Apostles the mistresse of the Euangelistes the Ladie of the world the Queene of heauen and therefore saue thy people c. And as concerning the Letanie made of purpose for her she is therein praied vnto by all these names and many other so farre as that she is therein called The true saluation and the true blessednesse the length of charitie the breadth of pietie vnto whom the Angels obey she is praied vnto to giue all blessings as God as also to preserue the Church and Christian people And in these wordes Te rogamus audi nos we pray thee to heare vs. Of pardoning sinnes Propitia esto parce nobis Domina bee fauourable and gracious vnto vs spare and paraon vs O Ladie c. Of turning and putting away of euils whether they concerne punishments or faults any manner of sinnes any manner of afflictions Prouerb 8. yea hell it selfe in these wordes Libera nos Domina Deliuer vs our Ladie c. Likewise in certaine prose that is sung vnto her she is summoned to command the Sonne of God in the authoritie of a mother O pia paupera pians scelera iure matris impera redemptori Command in the authoritie of a mother the Redeemer To bee briefe for an vpheap of all abhomination they haue attributed vnto the virgine that which the holy Ghost had said of the eternall Son of God of the eternall wisedome The Lord hath possessed
spoken of in the song of the three children in the furnace Daniel 3. ex Graeco Ye spirits and soules of the righteous blesse ye the Lord c. All these false couers and colourings notwithstanding being euident testimonies not so much of an vnwillingnesse to come to reformation as of a shamefastnesse to be ouertaken and detected of this spirituall whoredome Cassander therfore and Hofmeisterus more freely if so be they had but practised it in the Church as they belieued held it in their harts Cassander verily who after hee had excused the Church of Rome to Maximilian the Emperour as much as he could euen vpon this article that Orate was as much as Vtinam oretis Pray ye that is I wish and desire that you would pray saith notwithstanding That he maketh not in his owne behalfe any praier but vnto God by Iesus Christ and that he accompteth that the most infallible way Hofmeister who after he had gathered whatsoeuer hee could out of the old writers August de visâ—tâ—t infirmotu si eius est l. 1. c. 2. concludeth with these words of Saint Augustine I shall speake more boldly and ioyfully to my Iesus then vnto anie one of the holy spirits of God c. But what do our fathers of Trent say here after the long looking wherewith they haue made vs to looke for reformation Do they allow at the least these expositions these mitigations or do they bring some better of their owne Neither but on the contrarie they institute and ordaine that we should call vpon the Saintes by praier to help vs Suppliciter humblie beseeching them vpon our knees and that we should betake our selues not to their praiers onely but to their helpe and succour declaring all such as haue any other opinion to be wicked impious And the Catechisme made by the authoritie of the said Councell saith plainly Christians worship Angels but not as God is worshipped we must pray vnto the Saints in as much as by the grace and merit purchased by them God doth deale wel with vs c. And Cardinal Hosius a man approued of them Rom. 8. to such as alleadge S. Paul That we cannot call vpon any but him in whom we belieue answereth lustily That we must also credere in Sanctos belieue in Saints What reformation can there be from theÌ„ who after such enormous faults laid open discouered by the light of Christendome doe wilfully make themselues blind and yet will not haue themselues accompted of as hauing failed in any point And yet furthermore they ioyne thereunto another notorious pranke of maliciousnesse which is their causing to bee raced out in good bookes Index pag. 8.10.24 25.30.31.36.38.47.49.50 whatsoeuer might checke or controll their proceedings for so they haue resolued and set it downe as appeareth by their Index Expurgatorius As for examples The place where S. Augustine distinguisheth betwixt the honour due vnto God and that of Saints the interpreter hath giuen this note This that is to say that which is to be reserued to God alone is now giuen to all the Saintes Deleatur let it be raced and put out In the Tables of S. Augustine S. Chrysostome and S. Ierome their works there were many places noted which directed vs vnto such sayings in their works all speaking against the inuocation of Saints vpon the heads whereof were set Deleantur In Erasmus and Faber Stapulensis famous worthy men in their profession when they say Deum solum omnis oratio adoratio decet Vnto God alone belongeth all praier and worship is it not written Torcular calcaui solus Index pag. 49.50.55.59.61.255 I haue troden the wine presse alone All the Saints are nothing if the question bee once of true worship all our owne workes and those of our fathers from the beginning of the world are no better c. Deleantur And Cassander likewise where he sheweth how the old father did vse the words Merite and to merite That When they said Orate this was as if they had said Vtinam oretis c. Deleatur But what reasons will there satisfie these men if they need not any other answer to them but the racing and vtter blotting of them out or what witnesses if there be nothing but away with them to burning CHAP. XVI That man cannot merite eternall life for himselfe much lesse for another where the consideration is first of mans state before regeneration OVr aduersaries as they say do pray vnto Saints because they make intercession for them vnto God but we haue alreadie destroied this foundation And they make intercession for them say they by the power of their merites and that not onely for the procuring of them gifts and graces in this life but also eternall happines in that to come For which cause wee haue next to shew vnto them that so we may not leaue any thing doubtfull That no man can merite with God not eternal life or rather not the least grace of this fraile transitorie life not for any other man no not for himselfe And this we will deale in according to the three estates of man Man in his first estate could not merite Genes 1. Ephes 4. Colos 3. Psalme 19. his integritie or innocencie his fall or transgression and his regeneration Of his integritie it is said That God had created him according to his own image and S. Paul expoundeth it to consist in righteousnesse holinesse and the knoweldge of God c. That he had placed him in Paradise in a place abounding with all felicitie which Dauid calleth placed in honor In so much that he held had both his being his graces and his glorie at the good pleasure of his Creator of his meere free and vndescrued goodnes The abilitie to merite might haue beene great the good deeds only considered but then what abilitie or power can there be to merite of him of whom he holdeth all of him for whom a man can do nothing Let vs admit then that our first father had vsed all these graces perfectly well that he had possessed them in such feare 〈◊〉 awe as he should yea and that he had fulfilled the law as naturally he might yet had he beene able to say after all this but with the same pride which cast him down from his high glorious estate it selfe alone I haue deserued that God should yet further giue me this yea that he should continue vnto me what he hath alreadie giuen mee If we do not wrongfully name and call our merit that pleasure which it pleaseth God to take in adding and bestowing graces vpon his euen grace for grace and glory for glorie to deserue well of vs if I may so say and that so exceeding bountifully and liberallie as that we are not able to merite any thing of him So then here is place for that Iob. 41.1 which God saith in Iob Who is it that gaue me first I wil
repay him againe The same also which S. Paul saith What is it that thou hast which thou hast not receiued And if thou hast receiued it 1. Cor. 4.7 why boastest thou thy selfe as if thou hadst not receiued it c. And the second Councel of Orange held about the yeare 450. doth conclude in these words Mans nature Concil Arans c. Can. 19. Man a great deale lesseable after his fall euen in his integritie could not keep his integritie without the help of God c. But after he had fallen and corrupted his waies being the second state that our first father fell into we became in farre worse and harder case Man euen in his integrity could not in respect of God merite or deserue any good thing but now in the daies of his corruption hee cannot chuse but merite yea he cannot merite any thing but the wrath of God his curse and eternall death For being become sinne and transgression it hath corrupted the most noble partes both of his humane bodie and diuine soule making the will to bee the slaue of vnbridled appetite vnderstanding of imagination vnto all euill and both of them faultie and corrupted in themselues the will estranged from the loue of God and the vnderstanding from the hauing of the knowledge of him both the one and the other carried from their naturall and one onely good state to the contrarie with all their power and abilitie euen to will and know that which is displeasing vnto him and hurtfull to themselues Man now in this estate what can he doe what can he but do amisse And notwithstanding this is the state of all men in themselues since the fall no man to be excepted God pronounceth this generall sentence in Genesis Genel 6. Iob. 14. Psal 51. All the thoughtes of the heart of man are set vpon euill continually The most holy do most freely confesse it Iob Who can draw any thing that is pure from that which is defiled Not one Dauid Behold I was begotten in iniquitie and my mother hath conceiued me in sinne and therefore he prayeth vnto God to create in him a new hart Ioh. 3.6 Christ in the Gospell That which is begotten of flesh is flesh and that which is begotten of the spirit is spirit If a man be not borne againe hee cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Rom. 7.18 2. Cor. 3.5 Ephes 1. And Saint Paule expoundeth it Because that in the flesh dwelleth no good seeing that the naturall man doth not comprehend that which is of the spirite of God And because That we are naturally deadin sinnes our workes then are both dead and deadly and to bring vs to bring out any other it cannot bee without the working of a miracle Ephes 2.5 Rom. 6.8 it is requisite that wee should bee raised againe And it is God onely that must doe this Because saith he moreouer that We are children of wrath That All the desires and all the vnderstanding also of our flesh which we make so much of is enmitie against God Prou. 10. And without exception For There is no man saith Salomon that can say Rom. 5.17 1. Cor. 15. My heart is cleane I am without sinne And the Apostle more expresly All men haue sinned and are dead in Adam By a man sinne entred into the world into all men and by sinne death c. Yea into Moyses the meekest of all other men Thou hast sette before thy face Absconditum nostrum our sinne that was hidden from vs. This naturall viciousnesse which like vnto a naturall disease is hidden from vs is lesse perceiued or felt of vs. Pâ— l. 51. Psal 116. Rom. 7. 14. reâ—â— 23. And into Dauid a man according to Gods owne hearte Create saith hee in mee a new heart Because the hearte of man is altogether peruerted Ab occultis meis mundame Cleanse mee from that which is hidden from mee And into S. Paule an elect vessell of God The law saith he is spirituall and I am carnall sold vnder sinne I see a law in my members fighting against the law of my vnderstanding and leading me captiue to the law of sinne which is in my members Wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death c. Into S. Iohn Baptist Luke 2. the greatest amongst them that are borne of women who saith vnto our Lord I haue need to be baptized of thee that is to say to be washed to be regenerate by thy spirit c. And into the holy virgin likewise for she acknowledged her low and base estate she magnified nothing but the onely mercy of God she placed her selfe amongst them that being hungrie are filled with good things she reioyceth in God which is her Sauiour so farre is she off from disclaiming her parte in the saluation promised in Iesus Christ the author of the saluation which is in her And in deed the Apostle to the Hebr. Hebr. 7. hath not seperated or excepted from sin any besides Iesus Christ alone The holy virgine likewise was subiect to the law of purification ordained in the Church a signe of the inward purification which God requireth in all our actions Rom. 11.32 to the end that this word may abide true That God hath shut vp all vnder sinne That no man also should thinke to be excluded from that which followeth That he hath notwithstanding shewed mercie vnto all That this that all the Saints haue beene saued euen the virgin Marie her selfe commeth of his free grace of the riches and bountifulnesse of his great mercies Now our aduersaries that will not be called Pelagians How the aduersaries do extenuate originall sinne doe agree in outward shew vnto this corruption of mankind but when we come to lay the sore open and naked they are as it were afraid of taking some harme they make the maladie as light and little as they can fearing to be too much bound vnto God not considering how that for a man to lay open his wounds before him is to heale them to confesse our sinnes freely and franckly to him is to haue them quit forgiuen whereas the hiding and couering of them doth make them mortall to denie conceale or smooth them ouer is to cast himselfe prisoner and captiue into hell and eternall fire vntill hee haue paid the vttermost farthing Pighius therefore letteth not shamelesly to say Albert Pigh de peccat orig that the punishment of Adam seized vpon all his posteritie as one bond man begetteth another but that his sinne was not transfused and conueighed into his children What is there more contrarie vnto the whole scripture then this Yea how is it possible that this man should haue so little profited in the knowledge of himselfe Andradius a true interpreter of the ambiguities and doubtes arising in the Councell of Trent teacheth That concupiscence is in nature corrupted altogether such as it was when nature
are dead in sinne without the exception of any as in the place aboue they haue added Dempta virgine Maria Except the Virgine Marie And Petrus de Natalibus hath beene as impudent in daring to attribute vnto her the feast of the Conception S. Barnard speaking of S. Iohn Baptist Bernard de excel sanctir Ioan Bapt. Serm. 75. in Cantic in the Sermon of his holinesse All we which come into the world doe bring with vs a great band of originall sinne be onely that hath not done any sinne is excepted Againe intreating of the Conception of the holy Virgine Christ the man onely excepted that which a certaine man humbly confesseth of himselfe that is to say Dauid respecteth all men in generall I am conceiued in iniquities and my mother hath conceiued me in sinne Yea and he goeth further euen to the kindling and mouing of his choler Idem Ep. 174 ad fratres Lugdun Potho Prunien Presbyter l. 5. de statu Domus Dei The virgine Marie which is vp heaped with true honours needeth not any false and counterfetted ones for that is not to honour but to dishonour her The seast of the Conception ought not to bee instituted it is neither according to the custome of the Church nor according to reason nor yet from any tradition there was none but our Lord onely that was conceiued without sinne wherefore shee will willingly forgoe this honour whereby we either honour a sinne or falsifie and belie a holinesse c. And Potho about the yeare 1200. doth speake of the same Lombard said It may be said and belieued Lombard l. 3. d 3. according to the attestations and testimonies of the Saints that the verie flesh of the word should haue in times past beene subiect to sinne as all the flesh of the holy Virgine but that it was kept pure and cleane by the operation of the holy Ghost in such sort as that it was vnited and ioyned to the word free from all manner of contagion And thus you may see the opinion of the Church vnto the yeare 1200. and more As for that which may follow after what authoritie or what credite is it worthie to haue Lombard vpon a good intent began to say That it was to be belieued that shee was purged from originall sinne when shee conceiued our Lord. Some others would adde thereunto that she should haue beene conceiued in originall sinne but that shee should be borne without sinne hauing beene sanctified in the wombe of her mother But Occam restraineth the matter to this head Occam l. 3. sentent q. 2. as that shee should not bee able to sinne but venially Scotus more boldly that shee should be conceiued without originall sinne contrarie to him are Thomas Bonauenture Gregorie de Rimini c. And for want of proofe out of the Scripture they caused the Proteuangile of S. Iames an Apocripha booke to make the supplie and for want of the reuealed will of God in his word his Almightines and in stead of the truth a likelyhood in so much as that the Councell of Basil determined Concil-Basil Sess Anno. 1439. that euerie good Catholike ought to belieue that shee was conceiued without originall sinne and that hee ought not to preach or teach to the contrarie In the end Pope Sixtus the fourth seing that the contentions and controuersies would not be appeased Anno. 1483. tooke vpon him by his authoritie to ordaine That the opinions both affirmatiue and negatiue should passe as indifferent what became then of the authoritie of this Councell And that without the staine of heresie to be imputed to either of the sides Anno. 1466. because the holy See had not as yet determined the controuersie Shewing notwithstanding that he inclined more vnto the affirmatiue for that a litle before he had ordained the Office of the feast of the Conception and for that hee graced it with as many and as great priuiledges as the feast of the Sacrament and the Councell of Trent rested thereupon Now hereby wee see how in a short time abuses grow to an extremitie after that the word of God is once cast behinde vs and our owne carnall and corrupt sence set in the throne and Chaire of gouernment But this is our conclusion in the end of the consideration of our estate after the fall and that with the consent and agreement of all the old Church that this fall was mortall both according to the first and second death That it corrupted all mankind in such sort as that blindnesse and peruersnesse seased vpon the vnderstanding Ephe 4.5 Ephe. 2. according to that which S. Paul saith You haue your vnderstanding ouershadowed with the clouds of darknesse you were also darknesse And brutishnesse and concupiscence vppon the will Rom. 8. following that which is said Doing the will of the flesh and of their fantasies c. So long as that all their wisedome became enmitie against God That abiding in the state of nature our condemnation was certaine from which condition and estate it is not notwithstanding in the power of nature to deliuer her selfe neither yet as it followeth by consequent from eternall condemnation in as much as it is not so much a fire which beeing blowne vp breedeth to such a diâ—ease as it is not able to cure vs of againe as a heape of dead ashes a soule in respect of spirituall parts without a soule that is to say which hath lost all whatsoeuer it inioyed of the spirituall life and seperated from God which is the life and spirite thereof and which hath therefore by consequent more need of the powerfull hand and soueraigne grace of the Creator then Lazarus who had beene foure dayes dead for at the least hee resisted not or yet that confused Chaos before that things were reduced and set in good order that is to say of a new fire which he kindleth euen whether it will or no in it and of a newe spirit which by a new grace hee sheddeth abroad into our hearts Whereupon Saint Paul saith When you were dead in your sinnes hee hath quickned you by Christ Ephe. 1. Coloss 2. â—3 Againe You were darknesse but now you are light in the Lord c. And we may see hereupon how that there is not any one creature able to recouer himselfe of his fall without a new infusion of the grace of God and the same beeing of his meere grace that no creature what goodnesse so euer hee practise after this grace can boast himselfe before God neither yet alleadge any merite either for himselfe or for any other it being no other then that pretended merite whereof the Apostle will alwayes bee saying vnto him Ephe. 4. 5. What hast thou that thou hast not receiued c. And which likewise is not able to be an equall match for proportion much lesse in comparison for the reward it challengeth seing it is of too short a time to
Idem Serm. 5. dedicat Jt is impossible with men but not with God Wherefore wee are assured of his power but where are we so of his will For who knoweth say they who is worthie of loue or of hatred This is it which Abailard did obiect vnto him of Salomon and our Aduersaries vnto vs. But saith he It is here that faith must helpe vs that the truth must succour vs to the end that that which is hidden from vs in the heart of the father may bee reuealed vnto vs by his spirit And that this spirit that beareth witnesse vnto and perswadeth our spirits that wee are the children of God doth perswade vs of it in calling of vs and in freely iustifying of vs by faith c. CHAP. XX. How the doctrine of merite entered into the Church after what manner it grew and increased and how it hath beene resisted and withstoode in all ages euen vnto the time of Saint Barnard SEeing then that this doctrine of free iustification opposite and quite contrarie to the merite of workes is so cleare and manifest in the Scriptures so euidently and plainely taught and of such continuance in the Church from whence possibly may this doctrine of merit at this day taught and held take his beginning And what may be the meanes that it hath prospered and so well succeeded And how is it come to occupie the roome of the bloud of Christ And how hath such deepe presumption seazed vppon vs as not onely to arrogate vnto our selues an abilitie to fulfill the whole Law of God but furthermore to worke an infinite sort of workes of Supererrogation and those more meritorious then the other of the Law Not seruing onely to saue our selues but others also and that so farre forth as that we should bee bold to say no more with Dauid Saluation is of the Lord but my saluation yea and thy saluation is of me But and if we stand in need to search out the antiquitie of this opinion where shall we rather find it then in the mouth of the Serpent Gene. 3. â—â—ay 4.24 In the eare of the woman Yea which is worse in the hart of our first father You shall become as Gods you shall bee like vnto the most high and Soueraigne Lord c. In like manner the whole Scripture aymeth and tendeth to the rooting of this pestiferous weede out of the heart of man 〈◊〉 â—â—ope and 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 Scrip 〈◊〉 to hum 〈…〉 by 〈◊〉 of his sinne thereby â—â—ining him to see the necessiue of the merit of christ Ezech. 16. The Law as wee said and all the pedagogie thereof teaching and training vs vp to see our infirmitie and want of abilitie The Prophets controlling and reprouing vs of the same continually and that both generally and particularly In generall God by his Prophets saith vnto his Church Thou tookest thy beginning from out of the land of the Cananites Thy father was an Amorrhite and thy mother an Hittite In the day that thou wast borne thy nauel-string was not cut Thou wast not washed with water nor salted nor wrapped in swathing clothes Euerie man was afraid of thee I alone stoode forth to take pittie vpon thee I saw thee defiled in thy bloud I caused thee to liue in the same I cast the lap of my garment ouer thee I couered thy nakednesse I entered into league with thee I washed thee I annoynted thee with oyle I clothed thee with imbroidered worke I caused thee to grow vp and raigne then didst thou put thy confidence in thy beautie and hast plaid the harlot by reason of thy fame and high renowne c. What other thing can bee made of all this throughout this whole growth of the Church but that there is nothing in her as of her selfe but pollution and imperfection And that the whole matter of her being and felicitie is onely of God That her vncleanes and disloyaltie proceedeth from her trusting in her beautie notwithstanding that it proceede not from her selfe Esay 64 In particular hee saith of the most righteous and iust the Prophetes themselues being reckoned amongst the same You are all as a polluted thing and all your righteousnesse as a filthie cloth your iniquities haue carried you all away as a wind neither had you any manner of remedie left but onely to flie and haue recourse vnto me who deface and blot out your offences Idem 43. Idem 53. and that for mine owne sake who am not minded to call them to remembrance and through the attonement made by Christ vpon whom is laid the chastisement of your peace who is wounded for your sinnes and in whose stripes you are healed c. All which notwithstanding did it let or hinder this people consisting of men these men tainted and stained with this first and capital pride of man from hasting and endeuouring from time to time continually to returne to this pretended righteousnes which is euer floating and swimming vpon our hearts In the time of our Sauiour Christ Merit amongst the hereticall â—â—wes we see two sorts of people to bee infected with this poyson the Essees which would be so called as doers and fulfillers of the Lawe accusing the Pharisies to bee no better then bare teachers of the same whose will worship is taxed of the Apostle as deuotion of their owne deuise as also their superstitions Tast not touch not c. wherein they laid the foundation of their merits And the Pharisies who taught that it was in the power of man to fulfil the Law hauing also these same workes of supererogation whereof the Prophet speaketh saying Who hath required this at your hands Of these according to the diuers obseruations which they had tied themselues vnto the Thalmud maketh seuen sects but one especially which had this name What ought I to doe and I will doe it And of these we haue an example in him that is spoken of in the Gospell All these things haue I done euen from my youth c. Both the one and the other being verie vnfit to cast and repose themselues vpon the rest of grace and by consequent enemies of our Lord who reckoneth more basely of these sorts of people then of the Publicans and harlors And heereupon hee breaketh out to the denouncing of diuers curses against them as such as would not onely not receiue the kingdome of God themselues but hindered the people also by their interpretations and constructions to receiue the same that is to say remission of sinnes in Christ Whereupon S. Iohn Baptist preparing the way to this kingdome to vnbewitch them beginneth his Sermons at that point Repent the kingdome of beauen is at hand c. So then some of the circumcision that receiued Christ brought this errour into the Church of Christ as also they which did obstinately cleaue vnto Iudaisme had not any other ground for the same then the righteousnesse purchased by the Law and the workes thereof in which
couenant is certaine that they in particular are comprehended and contained in the same c. And which more is they worke within a faith of the free promises of the Creator of the remission of sinne in his Sonne c. a confirmation of that most neere coniunction that is betwixt the faithfull and God an vnion with Christ by the bond of his holy spirit such as the members haue with the head from which they draw saluation and life Whereupon it followeth that they are made new men for so much as the power and efficacie of the spirit of Christ dooth conuert and turne them into his nature draw them from their owne regenerate and cast them anew by little and little and that both in their affections as also in their actions to put their trust in God through Iesus Christ to renounce and forsake themselues for the loue of him and to wish well and doe well vnto their neighbours but especially to the members of the same bodie both in him and for him Now therefore this is the office and part of the Sacraments What a sacrament is and thereupon a Sacrament to define it properly is a holy ceremonie instituted of God added to the promise of grace made in Iesus Christ to be an earnest penie and certaine testimonie vnto all the faithfull that this promise of grace expounded explaned in the word of God is particularly exhibited ratified applied to him vnto saluation And such were amongst the old people from the time of Abraham and Moyses vnto the comming of our Lord Circumcision and the Passe-ouer instituted of God to such end in stead wherof there were ordained for vs by our Lord holy Baptisme and the holy supper to continue to the end of the world It consisteth of a signe a thing and the word Genes 17.10 13. Rom. 4. Of these Sacraments the Scripture speaketh after this sort Of Circumcision It shall be vnto you saith the Lord for a signe of the couenant betwixt me and you and my couenant shall be in your flesh for an euerlasting couenant Thus of the signe And S. Paul Abraham saith he receiued the signe of the Circumcision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the seale of the righteousnesse of faith And we know that the righteousnesse of faith is that which is freely promised giuen in Iesus Christ our Lord. Now behold the effect and so by consequent a perfect Sacrament Deutr. 10. â—oâ— 2 28. Exod. 12. according to that which Moyses saith Circumcise the foreskinne of your heart And S. Paul Circumcision is not that which is made in the flesh but of the heart in the spirit Of the Passe-ouer The bloud of the Lambe is vnto you for a signe in the houses wherein you shall be 1. Corinth 5. I will see this bloud and passe ouer But this bloud saith the Apostle is the bloud of Christ Christ our Passe-ouer was slaine for vs c. Behold here againe both the signe and the thing and both the one and the other by the word that is to say by the institution of Christ who hath ordained the signe for the thing and giuen the thing with the signe otherwise naked and vnprofitable not answering the effect that is expected thereof This word in the Circumcision is this I am the Lord Almightie c. I will set my couenant betwixt thee and me Genes 17. Exodus 12. c. In the Passe-ouer The tenth day of the month let euerie man take a Lambe c. In which places God instituteth and ordaineth these Sacraments and giueth them by his institution perpetuall power in his Church as by these words once spoken Increase and multiplie he hath giuen for euer his blessing vnto holy marriage The same is that of the Sacraments of the new Testament Baptisme receiueth vs into the couenant of God in stead of Circumcision the holy Supper in stead of the Passe-ouer dooth nourish and maintaine vs therein whereupon the one is properly called Regeneration as a man would say a new birth and the other The communion of the bodie and bloud of our Lord to our nourishing vnto eternall life In Baptisme water is the signe the bloud of Christ is the thing signified water which washeth away the spots of the body bloud which cleanseth and wipeth away the sinnes of the soule namely by the mediation of the word or institution of God accompanied with his holy spirit which giueth efficacie and power vnto the Sacrament Of the signe S. Iohn Baptist saith Mat. 5. Act 1. 1 Cor. 12.13 Coloss 2.11 Rom. 3. â— Galat. 3.27 Tit. 3 5. I baptise you with water but as concerning the thing Hee will baptise you with the holy Ghost namely the Lord. Of both together the Apostle saith Wee are baptised into one spirit buried in baptisme into the death of Christ and raised againe into his resurrection and saued by the washing of regeneration and of the renewing of the holy Ghost In so much as that the word that is to say the institution of the Lord added to the element of water worketh supernaturally in our soules by the holy Ghost the same that water doth in our bodies by his naturall propertie Baptise yee in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost c. And we shall say the same hereafter but more largely of the holy Supper The new Testament of the Lord in his bloud Which being instituted to the same end is also of the same nature with the other Sacraments the bread wine for signes and tokens most fitly agreeing with the true and perfect nourishment of the faithfull that is in Christ a foode and nourishment that cannot better be expressed then by that of our bodies which turne into their substance that which they eate and drinke saue onely that the communion of the body and bloud of Christ hath this ouer and aboue because of his power which is infinitely more mightie then that of ours namely that it conuerteth and chaungeth vs into his substance maketh vs flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones and causeth vs to liue in him and by him c. Whereas our bodies being stronger then the thing which they eate doe cause and make the same to liue after a certaine manner in them turning it into their substance The signes therefore are bread and wine and by that name they are continually called of S. Paul and that euen after the words as they cal them of consecration The thing that is the Communion of the bodie of Christ broken for vs and of his bloud shed for our sins 1 Cor. 10. 11. The word that is the institution of the Lord which commeth thereunto Doe this in remembrance of me shew forth the death of the Lord vnto his comming c. This is the same that the old writers say that Christ is the onely saluation of the Church The Israelites were partakers of one and tâ—e same thing with vs.
had receiued of the Lord. But what Accidents No but bread As oft saith he as you shall eate of this bread and drinke of this Cup c. And he goeth ouer this word bread fiue times and that after the words of Consecration as they call them and yet notwithstanding The body of the Lord c. For Whosoeuer eateth saith he of this bread vnworthily eateth his iudgement is culpable of the body and bloud of our Lord c. As if a man should say Reus Maiestatis guiltie of high treason against the body of Christ because he hath abused his Sacramēts vnto death which were ordained for him vnto life And what is there more ordinarie in the Scripture then to vse the words of eating drinking spiritually As where wisedome it selfe saith Such as eate of me Ecclesiast 14. Iohn 7. shall further hunger after me and they which drinke of me shall still thirst after me Where our Lord the true and essentiall wisedome crieth Jf any man thirst let him come vnto me and drinke And particularly in the Paschall Lambe a figure correspondent to the holy supper were not these verie words which they call Sacramentall Verba inquam concepta This bread is the bread of miserie which our Fathers did eate in Egypt He that is hungrie let him come and eate c. But the absurditie of this pretended literall construction and yet altogether figuratiue improper and verie straunge shall be better knowne by the touch and triall of the same where wee shall see how that it destroyeth the nature of all the Sacraments of those of the new Testament yea euen the supper celebrated by our Lord with his Apostles how that it destroyeth the humane nature of Christ and offereth violence vnto his diuine nature and in a word how that it ouerthroweth the analogie of faith the consent of the holy Scriptures the Creede of the Apostles together withall the rest of the most firme and infallible points of Diuinitie which we purpose to handle briefely from point to point CHAP. III. That the interpretation and Exposition which our Aduersaries make of the words of the holy Supper doth ouerthrow all the foundations of the Christian faith as also the nature of Christ and of his Sacraments FIrst and principally That Transubstantiation doth destroy the nature of euery sacrament Transubstantiation destroyeth the nature of euerie Sacrament for euerie Sacrament consisteth of a signe and a thing signified both which abide and continue whole and intire in such sort as that it is not possible that the one can be the other neither any part of the other and notwithstanding they depend the one vppon the other they cannot bee well weighed and considered the one without the other But it destroyeth the nature of the bread In the signe the signe and seale of his bodie the nature of the wine the signe and seale of the bloud of our Lord either by changing and altering of them or else by making them nothing worth or by reducing them as others say into the first matter from substances into accidents contrarie to all nature yea contrarie to the Law of the Sacraments it selfe which made choice of signes proportionable to the things signified as they rained Manna to the bread of life which came downe from heauen Water which washeth away corporall spottes to the righteous bloud which cleanseth and taketh away the spirituall bread and wine which nourish and maintaine this life to the body and bloud of Christ which doe sustaine and feed vs vnto eternall life Roundnesse whitenesse moystnesse and rednesse which they giue vs for signes what analogie haue they with the spirituall nourishment Or the accidents with the substance And in stead of deeper and deeper setling vs in faith what is it that they are able to beget in vs but new forged opinions and vaine fantasies Let vs take from Baptisme water the signe of this liuing water of the holy Ghost which washeth our soules Mich. 7. yea saith the Prophet which drowneth and swalloweth vp our iniquities and what maner of doctrine remaineth there behind Take away bread in the holy supper Nehem 9. Psalme 70. Iohn 6. Apocal. the signe of that bread of heauen of the bread of life which giueth life vnto the world Wine the signe of the bloud of the Lambe wherein wee are to wash our garments wherewith wee likewise comfort our soules both the one and the other signes of our vnion in as much as they are made of many cornes kneaded and troden out into one and what doctrine or instruction will there bee then left for vs behind What proportion is there betwixt these accidents and our life Not that verily of our soule onely but that also of our body In the second place In the thing what shall I say of the thing signified How doe they handle it The thing signified is the body bloud of Christ it is Christ himselfe But wherefore was hee giuen in the holy Supper Verily saith he To giue life vnto the world And to what world Verily vnto them whome hee hath drawne out of and saued from the world To them saith hee Which belieue in him which abide in him To them saith the Apostle In whose hearts he dwelleth To them saith S. Augustine Which are his members and not to any others What iniurie then and wrong dooth Transubstantiation offer vnto our Lord vnto this precious pearle of the Gospell which giueth the same to hypocrites and vnbelieuers which casteth the same to Dogges and Swine in such sort as that they regard or looke after nothing else but that they haue a mouth to cast it into and a stomacke to swallow it downe into Can these courses bee maintained either by the scriptures or yet by the old church wee say of euery Sacrament that the signe which is called ordinarily the Sacrament may be receiued of all but the thing of the Sacrament res Sacramenti of the faithfull and beleeuers onely And as for that due regard and consideration which is to be had of the holie Supper the word of the sonne of God is expreslie laide downe concerning the same This is my bodie which is giuen for you my bloud which is shed for your sins He giueth them not for meat and food but to such as for whome it is shed as for whom it is broken that is to say which are effectually redeemed and by consequent his members And thus saith Origen Orig. in Mat. c. 11. That of this true and verie meat of this word made flesh no wicked or vngodly man can eate because saith he that it is the worde and the bread of life because that hee that eateth this bread liueth for euer Saint Cyprian Cypr. l. de Caen. Domini August tract 26. in Ion. That although that the Sacraments bee suffered to be taken and handled by such as are vnworthie yet they cannot bee partakers of the spirit that is to say of
consider and beholde therein the diuine power which is hid in these waters full of sanctification full of diuine fire that is to say full of the holie Ghost full of his effectuall working and yet not changed into fire nor into the holie Ghost and verily euen as little the bread and wine in the holy table either into accidents or any other substances whereof the same Councell saith That we must vnderstand by faith that wee do truly and verilie receiue the bodie and bloud of our Lord and that they are tokens and pledges vnto vs of our resurrection vnto eternall life Ambros de lit qui mistie init c. 3 de spir Sanct. l. 3 Saint Ambrose also is farre of from admitting anie change or alteration of the water in Baptisme and therefore ceaseth not to say Thou seest water and doubtest thou of the mysterie Thou beleeuest the operation and wilt thou not beleeue the presence of the diuinitie and Godhead From whence should the operation effectual working of the same proceed if it were not by vertue of the diuine presence Againe Beleeue not alone the eies of the bodie that which is not seene at all is most apparant clearly seene in asmuch as that is temporall but this is eternall c. And therefore S. Augustine saith not Take away this water August tract 80. in Ioh. that the bloud of Christ may take the place and enter in steade thereof but rather Take away the worde of God from the water and then there remaineth nothing but common water adde the worde thereunto and it will become a Sacrament And in like manner Tertullian The holie Ghost commeth downe and sanctifieth the water Saint Basill The kingdome of heauen is there opened Saint Chrysostome I beleeue in baptising the purgation of the soule Answere to the obiection of omnipotenty by the working of the spirit c. And all these notwithstanding without any the least presupposing of the changing of the water In the meane time these fellowes haue nothing to obiect or cast in our way but the omnipotencie of God and that when as the question properly is not of his Almightinesse in a miracle but of his will and pleasure in a mysterie Thus said Praxeas vnto Tertullian Wherfore could not God be father and sonne also Tertul. cont Pra◠Is it not said I and the father are but one c Vnto whome hee answered The mightie power of God is no other thing then his will and the vnabilitie of God his vnwillingnesse he could haue made and framed man to flie after the maner of a Kite but hee hath not done it c. And this his will we come to vnderstand by his worde whereof it is said Heauen and earth shall passe but the word of God endureth for euer Our Lord hath said That of stones he is able to raise vp children vnto Abraham And who can doubt hereof And yet notwithstanding I wil not therefore belieue if it appeare not vnto me out of his will that such or such are raised vp or begotten of stones Neither yet if thou shouldest shew me a stone that it is any child of Abrahams whē as I see not any other thing in it then the naturall shape figure thereof neither yet by touching it feele any thing but the hardnes heauinesse and coldnesse of a stone For saith S. Augustine August in Ench. ad Laurent c. q. de ciuit Dei l. c. 10. God is properly called Almightie because he doth whatsoeuer he will and because that his wil is not crossed either by the will or power of any other whosoeuer But the will of our Lord manifested in his word is to feede the faithfull with his flesh bloud in his holy supper I will firmely and steadfastly belieue that he doth it and will not thereupon goe about to remoue or alter either the predicables or predicaments but will be readie with all humilitie to subiect applie my reason to his promise by an obedience of faith Our aduersaries cannot conceiue how he should feede their soules if he come not nie vnto their bodies if he be not in their mouthes And how doth the Sunne which is a creature bring forth quicken heat and inlighten things and that so far off And he which feedeth vs in S. Iohn without Sacraments without signes Ioh. 6. why should he come short in the signes Sacraments Seeing they afford reliefe helpe for the vnderpropping of our infirmity not diminishing or any thing impairing his power and he that dwelleth continually in the hearts of his children why should he not manifest the same on some one day more plainely and plentifully Seeing it is hee for certaine which hath ordained it seeing also that his lodging is therein the better prepared by our faith by our zeale and by our repentance It is a point of deepe incredulitie vnbeliefe in vs not to trust him any longer thē he is at hand and neere vnto vs and that he should not bee able to doe it but by being neere and at hand should argue a certaine kind of impotencie weaknesse in God And this is that which S. Augustine saith August in Ioh. tract 10. To the ende that no man should deceiue himselfe in going about to adore the Head in heauen and to trample vpon his feet here on earth he hath declared and told where his members be The Head being to ascend vp into heauen hath recommended vnto vs his members here on earth and so is departed and gone hence c. He said from on high vnto Saule Wherefore persecutest thou me I ascended vp vnto heauen notwithstanding I am yet vpō earth here I sit at the right hand of my Father there I doe as yet indure and sustaine hunger and thirst I am a stranger c. The head although it be not in the feete doth yet minister vnto them the power of mouing and the Sonne of God the Head of the Church shal he not bestow as much vpon his members Fourthly Transubstantiation taketh frō vs this consolation Transubstantiation depriueth vs of the meanes of doing that which the Lord hath done that our Lord vouchsafeth to continue vnto vs in his Church the same misterie which he celebrated with his Apostles according to that which he said in expresse and plaine tearmes Doe this in remembrance of me The efficacie of which words must be perpetuall in the Church That is that celebrating the same action and in the same sort wee communicate likewise are partakers of the same grace in the same manner But if a contrary course be taken and that to the obtaining of an other kind of grace and after an other manner in stead of comfort and consolation we fall into a doubtfull labirinth for where is there any institutiō besides And where is the word where is the promise And what maketh the Sacrament but the word Wherby are we made partakers of
the fruit and effect but by the promise If we receiue not the same thing that the Apostles receiued after the same maner to what end then shold these words of the Lord Doe this c. as also those of the Apostle I haue receiued of the Lord that which I haue giuen vnto you serue And what other places are there whence we ought to learne take knowledge of the same But if it be the very same thing performed in the same maner then let vs cal to mind that it is a spiritual thing not a carnall and to be done after a spiritual not a carnal sort by faith and not by the mouth for he speaketh to them of a body broken for theÌ„ which yet was not broken and of bloud shed for them August in Psa 33. De Consecr d. 2. C. hoc est vbi Glosa which was as yet in his veines and therfore they did eate drink as the Patriarks and Prophets had done before theÌ„ spiritualy by faith And this is it which S. August saith That â—e sus Christ giuing the Sacraments of his body bloud vnto his Disciples did carie quodammodo after a certaine maner himselfe If he had done it really the quodammodo had serued to no vse for quodammodo say the Schooles is terminus diminuens a word of restraint denying the truth of the reall presence August Ep. 23 ad Bonifac. And then if this be quodammodo it is that which he saith in another place secundum quendam modum that is saith he By the similitude that the signes haue with the things not in very deede saith the canon but in signification not verily truely saith the Glose but improperly that is to say sacramentally And indeede that which he saith in one place He caried himselfe after a certaine manner in his handes hee speaketh thus in another place Idem de verb. Dom. in Euang Mat. Serm. 33. Hug. Cardin. in Mat. c. 26. in Marc. c. 14. He caried the bread in his handes in as much as he exhihibited and offered himselfe vnder these Sacraments for a spirituall meate and drinke vnto his disciples c. And the Glose expounding the wordes of the Supper saith Accipite comedite Take eate Intelligite fide comedite vnderstand eate by faith c. Cardinal Hugo likewise Take that is to say belieue with your harts and confesse with your mouthes c. In the mean time they goe about to graunt vs a larger priuilege then euer the Apostles had as though wee should receiue the body of Christ glorified and immortall whereas they receiued it as it was subiect to the death and passion But wee verily content our selues to receiue it as the Apostles did not aspiring after any more high and excellent manner that is therein to receiue the body broken and the bloud shed for vs for the Sonne of God properly doth quicken vs in that he is eternall but in that he hath made himselfe mortall neither doth he glorifie vs in that he himselfe is glorious but in that he hath abased himselfe taking vppon him the forme of a seruant and being made subiect vnto the ignominious death of the Crosse Therein I say to receiue it after the same maner the bread for a signe and certaine pledge of his body and yet notwithstanding at the very same instant also to receiue his body the wine a signe and infallible token of his bloude and notwithstanding at the very same instant to receiue his bloud by the inward efficacie of the holy Ghost and both the one and the other for the remission of sins and vnto the resurrection to life seeing that Christ is dead for our sinnes and risen againe for our iustification c. And in verie deed the auncient Fathers haue not otherwise vnderstood the holy supper of Christ with his Apostles Tertul aduer Marc. l. 5. c. 40. l. 1. c 14. Ambr. de iis qui myster init c 9. de Sacr. l. 4 c. 5. Hieronym l. 2. aduers Iouini an in Mat. c. 26. August contr Adaman c. 12 Idem in Prolog super ps 3. Macar hom 27 Theodor. in Polymorph seu Euarist Dial. 1. Tertullian He made the bread which he tooke and gaue to his disciples his body that is to say the figure of his bodie And in another place The bread by which he represented his body S. Ambrose The Lord himselfe crieth This is my body Before the blessing of heauenly words an other kind is named after the consecration the body of Christ is signified And in an other place more clearely The same which is saith hee the figure of the body and bloud of our Lord. S. Ierome He offered not water but wine for the figure of his bloud And in another place speaking of bread and wine Representing saith he the truth of his body and of his bloud S. Augustine The Lord doubted not to say This is my body when he gaue the signe of his body Againe He hath recommended and giuen to his Disciples the figure of his bloud Antitypes saith S. Macaire an Aegyptian Exhibiting the flesh and bloud of Christ Theodoret He that hath called his naturall body wheat and bread and which hath named himself a vine hath honoured the markes and signes which are to be seene with the name of his body and bloud not in changing the nature it self but in adding grace vnto nature Eusebius Emissenus Seing that our Lord must carrie vp into heauen the body which he had taken vpon him it was needfull that in the day of the supper he should consecrate for vs the Sacrament of his body and bloud to the end that that which was once offered vp for a ransom might continually be honored by misterie And here we must shun the confounding of these two words Truly carnally or really the one with the other being such as the old writers accompted of as much differing Cyril l. 3. c 24. in Ioh. Orig. in Gen. hom 1. c. 1. Hieronym ad Gal. c. 4. and carefully to be distinguished For Iesus Christ calleth himselfe the true Vine And Cyrill calleth him the true Manna And Origen the Apostles The true very heauens And S. Ierome the faithfull one true bread Whome it had beene verie hard to haue made to belieue that Christ had beene really the Vine or the Manna the Apostles the heauens or the faithful one loafe c. And thus you see what manner of holy supper it was that was celebrated kept of the Apostles and I verily belieue that there is not any true Christian that wisheth or desireth any other Fiftly Transubstantiation destroy eth the humaine nature of Christ Heb. 2 it destroyeth the humane nature of Christ for the truth whereof all the old Church hath so mightily striuen against the heretickes of that time and in the truth whereof likewise resteth the consolation of mankind the onely meanes of our saluation In as
to morrow c. And this is to bee noted against hereafter and for that there bee some that alleadge it vnder the name of Origen And that the effect thereof is the dwelling of Christ in vs by his spirit But saith hee he entreth into vs by faith Theodoret Theodor. dial 1. who was present at the Councel of Ephesus and Chalcedon decideth this question dealing against the Eutichians saying Our Lord giuing the misteries called the bread body and the wine wherein the sop had beene dipped bloud Then the Orthodoxe brought in in that Dialogue yeeldeth a reason to the Erranist that is to him that disputed with him and maintained the errour saying Verily hee chaunged the names giuing to the body the name of the signe and to the signe the name of the body And that in the same manner that he called himselfe a Vine he called the signe bloud And againe hee giueth the reason To the end saith he that they which are partakers of the diuine misteries doe not rest themselues vppon the nature of things which are seene but that because of the chaunge of the names they belieue the chaunge which is wrought by grace For he that calleth his naturall body corne and bread c. hath honoured the visible notes and signes with the name of his bodie and bloud not by chaunging their nature but by adding grace to their nature c. Which is as much as if he should say vnto vs that This is my body This is my bloud should be expounded by these wordes of the same our Lord I am the bread of heauen I am the stocke of the vine c. In an other place Idem Dial. 2. The mysticall signes saith the Orthodoxe which are offered to God by the ministers of God are the signes of the bodie and bloud of our Lord. But saith he to the Erranist Thou hast entangled thy selfe in thine owne snares for they forsake not their owne natures after the sanctification but abide in their first substance figure forme palpable and to be felt as before c. And he that shall compare Bellarmines answeres by his sensible Accidentes with the text of Theodoret which is worthie the reading throughout shall find them altogether fond and friuolous In the meane time we con him heartie thankes Gelas de duab natur in Christ for that he so freely confesseth that Gelasius whether hee were Pope or Bishop of Cesarea is of the same opinion with Theodoret as he was also liuing in the same time Certainly saith hee it is a diuine thing as also the Sacramentes of the bodie and bloud of Christ which we receiue for thereof and by them we are made partakers of the diuine nature and notwithstanding they cease not to bee the substances of bread and wine And verily the image and semblance of the bodie and bloud of Christ are celebrated in the action of the Sacraments Note Image and semblance that is to say The figure and not the thing Againe Which abide in their first substance of bread and wine Is it enough to say that by the word substance he vnderstood accidents Leo the first Bishop of Rome Leo 1. ep 23. ad Cler. pleb Constant In the mysticall distribution of the spirituall food that is giuen that is taken to the end that receiuing the vertue of this celestiall meate we might be turned into his flesh which is made our flesh Looke how many words there be so many breaches are there made vpon transubstantiation Mysticall distribution that is to say sacramentall Spirituall food the vertue of the heauenly meate to bee turned or chaunged into his flesh which is made our flesh For this is not wrought by any disgesting of the flesh as they pretend They obiect againe for the rest will carrie the question away Idem serm 6. dereiunio 7. mens That is receiued in at the mouth which is belieued by faith And therefore say they it is receiued in at the mouth whereas wee on the contrarie expound him by S. Augustine Thou takest the bread of the Lorde in at thy mouth if thou belieuest with thy heart Thou takest the bread of the Lord to thy condemnation if thou belieuest not And thus that which thou belieuest by faith thou receiuest at thy mouth be it vnto thy condemnation or be it vnto thy saluation Hesychius If his bodie had not beene crucified we should not haue eaten him Hesychius in Leuit. l. 1. c. 2. l. 2. c. 8. l. 6. c. 22 for the meat that we now eate is that wee receiue the memoriall of his passion Againe Hee forbiddeth vs once to thinke or conceiue any earthly or carnall thing of the holy thinges and commandeth vs to receiue them diuinely and spiritually c. And it was a custome in his time as he himselfe testifyeth To burne all that which remained of the Sacrament in the fire An argument that they had not receiued any such opinion in the Church then as is at this day But they haue a conceipt that they shall reape a better crop out of Eusebius Emissenus not that Greeke of whome S. Ierome speaketh for seeing he speaketh of the Pelagians it cannot be he but the author of the sermon De corpore Domini a Latine no doubt whome some take to bee Faustus Rhegiensis others Caesarius and the later writers some one some an other but both of them Abbots of Lirin Let vs heare him Let all doubting or wauering of faith depart far away from vs. Herein we agree C. Quia corpus de consec D. 2. This sacrifice must be in deed by faith not by the outward appearance by the inward affection not by the outward sight And in that also But say they The inuisible Priest chaungeth his visible creatures into the substance of his bodie and bloud by his word by a hidden and secret power Marke the inuisible Priest and not the visible or minister But so it is say they that he chaungeth it euen in conscience taking these wordes after the letter would they subscribe vnto them could they approue them by their owne Maximes That it is an errour yea an heresie to hold that the bread may be made the bodie of Christ that it may be turned into the bodie of Christ Against their Glose also vpon the word Conuertantur which expressely condemneth disaluoweth this proposition De paue fit corpus Christi and alleadgeth the inconueniences thereof c. Let vs then expound him by himselfe and not by our preiudicate opinions In the Sacrament saith he seeing that our Lord remoued his bodie farre away from our eies it was necessarie that he should consecrate the Sacrament of his bodie and bloud in the day of the Supper To the end saith he that Coleretur iugiter per mysterium C. Semel Christ de consecr D. 2. that might be continually celebrated by a mysterie which had beene once offered for the price of our redemption and that as
because of his blessing of it but not to be adored or worshipped as his essence or proper person In like manner none of all the East churches did euer admit adoration neither those that are vnder the gouernment and iurisdiction of the Patriarke of Constantinople Aluares nor those vnder the iurisdiction of Antioch And the Abyssines also at this day do receiue the communion standing though that with great reuerence and besides though they bee of the same iudgement with vs in the adoration and worship due to our Lord whom S. Iohn say the fathers worshipped and adored being as yet in the virgines wombe whom saith a certaine writer if the doctrine of transubstantiation had place the Church should haue in like manner worshipped in the stomackes of the Ministers and faithfull people and euery man in his neighbour But this thing neuer came into the mind of any man once to thinke or imagine What shall we say The old writers did not call the Sacrament their Lord. Cypr serm de laps when furthermore they labour to bring credite vnto the same from antiquitie as though the old writers had called the Sacrament Their Lord and their God But let vs see with what pretence or shadow of truth S. Cyprian reporteth that it came to passe in his time that a certaine man who had renounced God for feare of persecution taking the holy communion in the companie of Christians opening his hand found the sacrament turned into ashes This miracle saith he may be a lesson vnto vs that the Lord withdraweth himselfe when men denie him that is to say that he forsaketh them which renounce him They gather notwithstanding that the Lord of whome he speaketh is the Sacrament The Lord verily forsaketh such a one as denyeth him Is it then the Sacrament which hath denied him or man Verily man and not the Sacrament And God then doth not here forsake the Sacrament but man But God for an euident signe that he hath forsaken man doth also leaue him destitute of the Sacrament Paul Diacon l. 15. So as Deuterius an Arrian Bishop would haue baptised a man after his manner the water dried vp sodainly in the font Saint Cyprian might here haue said as before That God did teach vs thereby that he did withdraw himselfe that is to say that he would take away his grace when we abused it but he had not therefore gathered thereof that the water was God because he had shewed his wrathfull indignation in drying it vp Cypr. in orat Domin Again We beg and craue saith S. Cyprian that our bread that is to say Christ may be giuen vs euerie day And who doubteth that Christ is our bread the bread come downe from heauen which giueth life to the world that he may be our life our way c. But S. Cyprian saith not that the Sacrament is Christ but the wordes that follow doe make him plaine To the end saith hee that wee may dwell and liue in Christ and that we may not at any time seperate and put our selues farre away from his sanctification and bodie But this abode and dwelling as he told vs is made by faith This coniunction is not a mixture of substances Idem serm de caena Domin Se infundit Tertul. de baptism but an agreement of wils c. But they yet set his words further on the racke causing him to call it God For say they hee saith That by an vnspeakeable manner the diuine essence is infused into the Sacrament Therefore it is God And then also we will call the water in baptisme God For Tertullian saith That the holy Ghost descendeth from the father and resteth himselfe vpon the waters of baptisme Saint Ambrose That the whole Trinitie sanctifieth them Paulinus in his verses That this water doth euen conceiue God Augu. de baptism cont Donat l. 3. c. 10. l 1. c. 19. Câ—pr de vnct chrysmat or by God Saint Augustine That God is present with his word and Sacraments And there is not one amongst vs that doubteth thereof yet what one amongst them all is there that wil say that the water is God What is meant then by that which S. Cyprian saith The diuine power is shed vpon the visible Sacrament Verily the same which he saith in an other place In the Sacramentes the diuine power doth worke most mightily and powerfully the truth is present with the signe Adest signo and the spirit with the Sacrament c. Chrysostome Let vs draw neere vnto the body of our Lord with honor and cleannesse And when thou shalt see it proposed or set vpon the Table say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in thy selfe and not to the Sacrament not to that which thou seest set before thee for the Grammaticall construction will not suffer it because of this body I am not any more earth and ashes c. Of this body towards whom he exhorted vs in the sentences going before to flie vp on high after the manner of Eagles Of that body then which is at the right hand of the father not in the hands of the Minister Of that body in a word which is not inclosed in the bread but signified by the bread whereof hee hath said vnto thee before What signifieth the bread The body of Christ. And indeed he speaketh vnto thee to come vnto the Sacrament with reuerence but to GOD with feruencie of loue and firmenesseof faith And that thou shouldest set before thy selfe in the same at that instant thine owne miserie and his mercie that so thou maist bee a worthie partaker of this misterie Thy myserie in that thou art nothing but earth and ashes his mercie in that hee vouchsafeth to raise these ashes vnto glorie Thy miserie in that thou art nothing but sinne and corruption his mercie in that hee hath made his owne Sonne sinne for thee in that hee hath giuen his body to bee broken and his bloud to bee shed for thy transgressions And therefore comming vnto this Sacrament of the remembrance of his death August aduer Iudae c. 1. thou oughtest of good right say vnto him Because of this body I am no more earth and ashes But to approach or drawe neere thereunto saith Saint Augustine is to belieue The true and proper approaching is performed by the heart and not by the flesh by the power of faith Idem de peccat merit l. 1. c. 18. and not by the presence of the body c. As likewise to vs of Baptisme We are carried to Christ our Physition that wee may receiue the Sacrament of eternall saluation that is carried to Christ in Baptisme after the same manner that wee approach and draw neere vnto God in the Sacrament of the Eucharist who also saith the same vnto vs in the hearing of the word Chrysost hom 12. de mulier Cananaea Draw neere vnto him which is preached vnto
visibiliter to put inuisibiliter for substances accidents for temporall eternall c. And this is further to be noted therewithall that he was not taxed of heresie for the same that the Abbotte Trithemius which forgot not to set the brand vpon others when there was cause hath not once pointed at any such thing in him Haimo Bishop of Halberstat and one of Alcuinus his hearers Haim in 1 Cor. 11 in Sabbarh post Iudic. who was Schoolemaster to Charlemaine This is my bodie saith he that is the bread that Christ gaue to his Disciples and to all the predestinated vnto eternall life and that that which the Ministers do consecrate daily in the Church by the power of the Diuinitie which filleth this bread is the bodie of Christ Now I would know if they wil approue of this Proposition That this hoc is the bread Then it is not their Iudiniduum vagum nor yet their accidents Giuen to the elect or predestinated not then to the wicked and vngodly and not by the mouth Filled with the diuine power not then with Christ really who is that fulnesse And in the end This bread the body of Christ And how according to their owne speeches without heresie How then but Sacramentally by the neere coÌ„iunction of the thing with the signe Againe The flesh that Christ tooke in vnity of person and this bread are not two bodies but one And how can this be otherwise then by this Sacramental vnion The one then as saith the Canon In truth the other in a mysterie Againe At the same instant that this bread is broken and eaten Christ is offered and eaten whole notwithstanding and liuing Then it is the bread that is broken and not the body and not the accidents And therefore according to that which he saith afterward Hoc facite Sanctifie this body in remembrance of me in remembrance saith hee of my passion of your redemption that I haue redemed you with my bloud He addeth The Lord therefore hath left this sauing Sacrament to all the faithfull that so he may imprint in their harts that he died for their redemption So some man being about to die leaueth vnto his friend a gift and saith vnto him keepe that in remembrance of me he is heauie and pensiue when he seeth it and we when we are partakers of this eternall gift in the Sacrament must come to it with reuerence remembring our selues with what loue he hath loued vs giuing himselfe a ransome for vs. The bread therfore is a Sacrament of the gift and not the gift it selfe and that vpon far stronger reasons then any hee toucheth which assureth vs more and more of the reall possession of our life nourishment in Christ In whom saith he in an other place to abide and dwell is to eate him is to liue by him is to be bone of his bones flesh of his flesh and one with himselfe Rabanus Maurus Archbishop of Maguntia The creator of things redeemer of men Raban in eccl l. 7. c. 8. making of the fruits of the earth that is to say of Corne and wine a fit and conuenient mysterie turned them to Sacraments of his bodie bloud He saith not into his body and bloud Idem l. 1. c. 5. de proprie rerum verb. He would saith he in an other place that these Sacraments should bee receiued into the mouthes of the faithfull and become their foode to the end that by the visible worke the inuisible might be shewed that is to say by the true corporall eating the true spiritual eating What is now become of our accidents For euen saith he as the materiall meate doth nourish refresh the body outwardly so the word of God doth comfort and nourish the soule inwardly c. Where he layeth downe before vs the agreement and analogie which once comming to cease as in deede it ceaseth by Transubstantiation there followeth the destruction of the Sacrament Some obiect But are they not the bodie and bloud Let vs heare him Because that bread dooth confirme and make strong the bodie it is verie fitly called the bodie of Christ and the Wine because that it maketh the bloud in the fleshe is referred to bloud Note also That they are named But when they are sanctified then by the holy Ghost they become the Sacraments of the diuine bodie Idem de sacrâ—m Euchar. c. 10. 41. And then not into the verie thing of the Sacrament Which saith he in an other place hee hath left vnto vs because it must needes be that he should ascend vp into heauen to the end that they might bee figures Characters of his flesh and bloud vnto vs and that our spirit and our flesh might bee by these things the more aboundantly nourished to the receiuing by faith of the things that are inuisible and spirituall So by this it appeareth that the thing of the Sacraments is spirituall and receiued by faith that is to say spiritually And so in deed it is not receiued but of the faithfull euen by such as haue the spirit of Christ dwelling in their hearts For saith he The Sacrament is one thing Idem de prop. Serm l. 5. c 11. Idem l. 1. c. 3. and the power and vertue of the Sacrament is another thing The Sacrament is taken in at the mouth but the vertue of the Sacrament by the inward man The Sacrament is turned into the nourishment of the bodie but the vertue of the Sacrament worketh in vs vnto eternall life The Sacrament by some is taken to their destruction but the thing alwayes vnto saluation If they say that the wicked in the Sacrament doe receiue the bodie of Christ but not the power and vertue of the same how can they without blasphemie seperate the bodie of Christ from his soule Or the one or other from his Diuinitie From his spirit And who can receiue that but to his saluation They replie againe It is as he saith That the figure and Character is verily the same which it is outwardly perceiued to be Idem de Sacr. Euchar. c. 14. but that which is taken inwardly is altogether truth without any shaddow And without doubt also we say and himselfe dooth lay it open We participate the flesh of Christ which was crucified for vs verily and truely and the Sacraments of the same in deed are there And thus there is truth and veritie in euerie thing whether it bee the thing or else the Sacrament of the thing Paschasius Pasch Ratpert de Corp. Sang. Domini c. 1.19 50. Abbot of Corbie in Saxonie held the contrarie opinion for the Schooles and Monasteries were diuided concerning this point And yet so new was this doctrine as that we may see that he was not able to vtter his mind or to speake what he would seeme to meane in the booke which he made He saith The Lord hath done in heauen and in earth whatsoeuer
truth And by consequent Pope Nicholas and the Councel of Rome consisting of 114. Bishops and the whole Romish Church mentioned in the Canon Ego Berengarius So slenderly was this Beares whelpe as yet licked In the meane time this goodly recantation is sent throughout all Christendome and Prouinciall Synods assembled in euerie nation to cause it to be receiued But Berengarius returneth into Fraunce refuseth it and publisheth the cruell and violent dealing wherewith he had beene tormented by the Church as hee calleth it of the malignant Ecclesia Malignantium Auersanus Episcopus the Councell of vanitie Then beginne Humbert made Cardinall vpon that occasion and Guitmond of a Monke of the Crosse Saint Leuffroi made Bishop of Auers to write against him This was towards the yeare 1059. In the end Berengarius died in Fraunce the fierie and terrible threatnings of the Pope according to his former practise still perseuering And he had an Epitaph made him by Hildebert or Fuldebert Bishop of Mans Epitaph BereÌ„gar per Fuldebert Episc Cenoman apud Mamelsbur vel per Hildeb ex Gaguin such as hee could for the greatest and most holy person of that age which beginneth Quem modo miratur semper mirabitur Orbis c. Wherein hee extolleth his pietie and wonderfull learning both for the benefite of those of his owne time as also of the posteritie wherein hee bewaileth his death as threatning a ruine to the whole Church in as much as in him resteth the hope and glorie of the Cleargie wherein hee saith that enuie her selfe which did oppresse and beare him downe dooth weepe ouer him c. Afterward hee concludeth with a verie feruent desire and wish that hee might lie downe and liue with him that his estate and condition at the time of his departing out of this life might bee no better then his Mamelsbur l. 3. c. 58. c. But it is more to the purpose to see it in Mamelsburiensis who reciteth it wholly And Platina likewise the Popes their Historiographer in the life of Iohn the fifteenth dooth giue an honourable testimonie of him Some adde that dying hee should say To day Christ will appeare vnto me according to my penitentnesse as I hope vnto glorie or because of others vnto paine The most sound interpretation whereof is that he did repent of hauing yeelded or turned aside from the profession of the truth and that he feared that he had offended his brethren through his infirmities And it is to be noted herewithall Lanfrancus Guitmond do not speake as our aduersaries that Lanfrancus Alger and Guitmond doe not yet vse such tearmes and speeches as these dayes are full of But they beginne to call the bread and wine Kinds after the consecration where the Fathers called them by this name before the same vnderstanding by this word Substances and not appearances or fantasies onely as those of this time Againe they beginne to say that the bodie and bloud inuisible in the Kindes are Sacraments of the visible bodie and bloud for feare that mans infirmitie should be offended and surprised with the horrour of the thing But they as yet had not beene to learne their lesson at Sorbone As that the substaunce of bread and wine doe vanish that the accidents abide hanging in the ayre and yet notwithstanding are remooued by the hand and are brused with the teeth of the Priest c. Neither had they as yet intituled this their carnall fantasie and called it by the name of Transubstantiation But after the consecration they retained the name of signes and markes Lanfrancus saith oftentimes with the fathers The Sacrament of the Altar is the figure of the body and bloud of our Lord c. And what shall we say more Pope Gregorie the 7. his staning in doubte of the truth of Transubstantiation â—enno Card. in Gregor 7. when as Benno Cardinall of Hostia and Deane of the Cardinals doth make mention in his Historie that Pope Gregorie the seuenth called Hildebrand who had beene present at the Councell of Tours as Legat from Pope Victor II. against Berengarius is in such distressing doubt as that hee sendeth two Cardinals such as were his trustie and faithfull Agents in matters of weight Acto and Conno vnto S. Anastasius to the end that they should fast three daies with Suppon arch-priest of that Parish singing three dayes the Psalter and the Masse to the ende that God would shew vnto them by some signe which was the sounder iudgement that of the Church of Rome or that of Berengarius And notwithstanding all that saith he there came nothing of it Not yet satisfied hee inioyned the whole companie of the Cardinals to fast for the same end and purpose And when as Iohannes Portuensis to whome he committed all his secrets euen he that first said Masse in Latine at Constantinople according to the maner of Rome said after his death Ex ambone B. Petri from out of the Chaire or Pulpit of Saint Peter in the hearing of all the people and Cleargie Hildebrand and we haue done a deed for which we ought to haue beene burned aliue Being about to say saith Benno That he had consulted with the Sacrament as with an oracle against the Emperour Henrie his enemie and that afterward hee cast it into the fire in the presence and against the good liking of certaine Cardinals which then were there with him This Hildebrand I say of whome they cannot sufficiently content themselues with saying and that for good cause Vir Pontificatu dignus c. A man worthie of the Popedome c. Wherfore the Decree of Pope Nicholas II. could not so quickly root out of the harts of men the old and ancient truth but that the traces thereof might as yet be seen in such as were most deuoutly addicted vnto the Romish Church Anselme Lanfrancus his Disciple and successour as well in the Abbey of Bec-Heloin as in the Archbish-oppricke of Canterburie teacheth conformably to the Fathers That the Fathers vnder the Law did eate the same spirituall meate that we euen the body and bloud of Christ That in the Sacraments they signifying things that is to say the signes do take the names of the things signified And thus saith he the rocke was Christ That the breaking of bread was a signe of the breaking of his bodie which should be done at his Passion that to eate him vnworthily is to eate him with the mouth of the bodie worthily with the mouth of the heart c. Saint Bernard intreating vpon the supper A ring is absolutely giuen for a ring and it carrieth no further signification with it It is also giuen to aduance a man to some place of honour and dignitie or else to set one in possession of an inheritance in so much as that hee which hath receiued it may say The ring is nothing worth but it is the inheritance that I seeke and aime at After the same manner our Lord drawing
the vncertaintie of their doctrine as also of the spirite of lying raigning amongst them In the meane time heare them speake They iarre about a controuersie which is betwixt Luther and Caluin thinking to cloake and conceale such a multitude of contrarieties as are amongst themselues And thus when they haue cast about euerie way The Schoolemen shew that they are forced by the authority of the decrees of Lateran Hugo Card. in Mat. c. 26. in Marc. c. 14. in Luc. c. 26 now at the last they breake out and say that it is the Councell of Lateran or rather the tirannie of the Pope that tyeth their tongues like prisoners and not the concluding of their pretended reasons Cardinall Hugo in his perpetuall Postill swimmeth betwixt the truth and the errours of that time as well as hee can Hee blesseth sayeth hee but hee sticketh long in the bringing forth of the wordes of blessing as hauing purposed to accommodate himselfe to the opinion then receiued to which ende hee bringeth forth foure constructions of this texte and those verie diuerse Fregit hee brake that is to say Frangendum in cruce signauit hee signified that his bodie should bee broken vpon the Crosse Accipite take that is said hee by belieuing with the heart and confesting with the mouth Comedite eate that is by ioyning your selues to him in loue and vnitie This is my bodie this is my bloude that is that I haue giuen you for meate which I haue giuen you for drinke according to that sayeth he which hee sayeth in Saint Iohn 6. My flesh is truely meate and my bloud is truely drinke Now it is so that our aduersaries vnderstand it of the spirituall eating And afterwarde saith hee To whome giueth hee it Verily vnto his disciples His disciples and not others haue right to eate and drinke it they which go and sitte downe in his schooles that ruminate his lessons of humilitie of mildnesse gentlenesse charitie c. And yet in the meane time hee letteth not after all this to winde himselfe here and there within the errours of the time Thom. 3. p. Summ q. 76. art 1. Damasc l 4. c. 4. Thomas after hee hath spent all his breath about the prouing of the doctrine of Transubstantiation turneth backe at the last to approue of Damascen his opinion The coale is not of simple woode but it is vnited to the fire so the breade of the Communion is not simple breade but bread vnited to the diuinitie And wee agree to him if hee meane a Sacramentall vnion if hee meane that it is said of the breade This is my bodie which is giuen for you In like manner as it is saide of the cole This hath touched thy lippes therefore thine iniquitie shall go away and propitiation shall bee made for thy sinnes For hee woulde not haue it meant of any hypostaticall thing Bonau in l. 4. Sent. d. 8. d. 1. q. 3. Bonauenture doth flatly deny euerie part of Thomas his exposition That the bread was the bodie of Christ at such time as our Lord vttered these wordes This is my bodie Againe they hold it for an errour That grace is essentially contained in the Sacraments as the medicine in the boxe but they hold that it is in them in as much as they do signifie shadow it out Now the bodie of Christ vpon their consciences is it without grace That grace notwithstanding is in them if the default be not on the behalfe of the party that communicateth Could he deliuer his mind in better tearmes that the bodie of Christ is not receiued but by the faithfull And his conclusion vrgeth the matter yet further Thus vnderstanding saith he that the grace is in the soule and not in the visible signes that is to say that the effect of the Sacrament is wrought in our soules by the operation of the holy Ghost and not any miracle in the substances of the bread and the wine The same vppon the worde Eate Eating saith hee is properly found to haue respect vnto corporall thinges and from thence is translated vnto those that are spirituall And therefore if we will take well the right spirituall eating it is necessarie that wee should go from the proper signification of the word Idem in l. 4. d. 9. q 1. Scot. l. 5. Rep. in 4. Sent. d. 10 q. 1. vnto the borrowed and translated And so by this meanes he acknowledgeth a figure therein And note that hee was both a gray fryer and a Cardinall Iohn Duns saith Scotus neere hand 100. yeares after the Councell of Lateran durst bee so bold as to call the matter in question againe If the bodie of Christ bee really contained vnder the kindes and reasoneth by argument that it is not And his groundes are Idem d. 11. q. 3 That the quantitie cannot suffer it so neither the localnesse and circumscription of place which go inseperablie and naturally with a true and naturall bodie such as is the bodie of our Lord that as a temporall thing cannot bee at diuers times together no more can a locall thing be in diuers places together And therefore that the opinion which holdeth that the bread and wine abide in their substance Idem d. 2. 3 104.20 seemeth vnto him the more probable and no lesse worthie to bee embraced c. Notwithstanding that hee holdeth himselfe to that which the Church ordained in the Councell of Lateran Because it is said that Saint Peters faith shall not faile c. Although saith hee that the wordes of the scripture might bee maintained and defended by a more easie exposition Occam in centilog theol concl 25 26. c. and in all likelihood more true Occam durst propound and set downe That the bodie of Christ is euerie where as God is euerie where and that if there were an host that did fill all the world the bodie of Christ might bee together with euerie part of the same when it should bee consecrated Directly against the Councell of Ephesus which concludeth that euerie nature should retaine such his properties as could not become really communicable from one to another And from him the Vbiquitaries of this time may seeme to haue drawne their fountaine water spring But in another place hee holdeth Idem l. 4. q. 6. that the opinion which setteth downe That the substance of bread abideth and that the bodie of Christ is coexistant with it is most probable and least subiect to inconueniences not repugnant to reason neither to the authoritie of the Bible notwithstanding that hee keepeth himselfe vnto the determination of the Church and such opinion as is most commonly receiued Durand de S. port in l 4. Sent. d. 11. Gulielmus Durandus of Saint Poursain whome the vniuersitie of Sorbone calleth Magister by the way of excellencie and the most resolute Doctor and that more wisely It is rashnesse saith hee to say that the bodie of Christ by the