Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heaven_n	body_n	earth_n	spirit_n	6,743	5	5.1226	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A12211	A friendly advertisement to the pretended Catholickes of Ireland declaring, for their satisfaction; that both the Kings supremacie, and the faith whereof his Majestie is the defender, are consonant to the doctrine delivered in the holy Scriptures, and writings of the ancient fathers. And consequently, that the lawes and statutes enacted in that behalfe, are dutifully to be observed by all his Majesties subjects within that kingdome. By Christopher Sibthorp, Knight, one of his Maiesties iustices of his court of chiefe place in Ireland. In the end whereof, is added an epistle written to the author, by the Reverend Father in God, Iames Vssher Bishop of Meath: wherein it is further manifested, that the religion anciently professed in Ireland is, for substance, the same with that, which at this day is by publick authoritie established therein.	Sibthorp, Christopher, Sir, d. 1632.; Ussher, James, 1581-1656.	1622 (1622)	STC 22522; ESTC S102408	494,750	610

not then a shame for him if he had any shame in him thus to intrude himselfe into such an high and soveraigne Authoritie without anie commission or warrant from Christ the King of his church Besides themselves acknowledge and that rightly that the companie of the glorious and invisible Saints in heaven and the companie also of the visible Saints on earth do all make but one church and one Bodie to Christ Iesus though their states be differing that is to say though the one sort be triumphant and the other militant Inasmuch then as they all make but one church one bodie unto Christ Iesus how can it be shifted or avoided but that Christ Iesus must be the head aswell of the saints on earth as of the saints in heaven aswell of the visible militant company as of the invisible triumphant Yea Bellarmine himselfe will not allow anie Christian to bee tearmed or called a member of the Pope How then can the Pope rightly be the head of the church for if all true Christians vpon earth bee and be to be termed the members of Christ and not of the Pope it must be granted that not the Pope but Christ onely is their head for the head and the members be relatives And whereas in this matter they talke of a ministeriall head which is not vitall it is also but a phantasticall and vaine distinction For there can be no head in true and proper appellation to this one bodie of Christ which is his Church but that which is vitall The Pope as appeareth even by this their owne distinction is but a dead head and hath no life in him to give to anie of the members of Christ or wherby vertue grouth nourishment or increase may distil or be derived from him as from the head to anie of the members What then should the bodie of Christ doe with such a livelesse and dead head or what good profit or benefite can anie reape or receive from thence A dead bodie is fittest for such a dead head but the living and mysticall bodie of Christ hath and requireth another manner of head namely that which is vitall which is Christ Iesus onely of whose fulnesse they have all received as S. Iohn speaketh Neither is there anie such necessitie as they also vainely fancie for the visible and militant Church to have such a visible head for albeit Christ Iesus be absent from his church militant here upon earth in respect of his bodily presence which he hath carried with him into heaven yet in his Deitie and by the power of his spirit is he alwaies present with the same his church For so himselfe witnesseth saying I am with you alwayes unto the end of the world And therefore alwaies doth S. Iohn testifie that notwithstanding the manhood and bodily presence of Christ be in heaven and there remaining yet neverthelesse by his almightie power and spirit he walketh and is in the midst of the seven golden Candlestickes that is In the midst of the seven Churches for so the text it selfe expoundeth the Candlestickes saying thus The seven Candlestickes be the seven Churches Vnder the name of which seven churches be also all other churches upon earth shadowed out unto us as Augustine Primasius Haymo Beda Thomas Aquinas and others affirme Seeing then that Christ Iesus notwithstanding his bodily presence remaining in heaven is neverthelesse by his almightie power and spirit present with all the true Christian churches in the world and walketh in the midst of them to guide governe comfort teach order rule susteine uphold and direct them and give all gifts and graces requisite It is manifest that he is sufficiently present with them in the church militant to doe all the offices of an head unto them so that they need not in anie sort the Pope to become an head unto them for anie of those uses or ends Yea is it not a verie great absurditie for anie to suppose or imagine that the Pope or anie one man mortall whosoever being on earth can better rule order guide and governe the whole militant church then Christ Iesus himselfe can doe being in heaven by his wisdome almightinesse and power of his Spirit But yet further when Christ in his manhood was to ascend up into heaven he promised neither the Pope nor anie one Bishop over all the rest to be his Vicar on earth or to supplie his roome and absence but the holy Ghost onely For thus he saith I tell you the truth It is expedient for you that I goe away for if I goe not away that Comforter will not come unto you And this comforter is the Holy Ghost the spirit of truth as is there expresly affirmed And againe he saith that After his departure they shall have another Comforter that shall abide with them for ever even the spirit of Truth vvhom the vvorld cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him Doe not these texts verie plainely shew that the holy Ghost is and is to be accounted Christs Vicar upon earth ever since his departure into heaven that is to say is in his stead and place unto the militant Church and to abide with it for ever And therefore doth Tertullian say accordingly that Christus misit Vicariam vim spiritus sancti qui credentes agat Christ sent the power of the holy Ghost to be his Vicar or in his steed to leade and direct the beleevers Howbeit if some Bishop will needes be so intituled namely Christs Vicar as being an Ambassador for Christ and in Christs steade yet let him then know that he is not so alone but that all godly and faithfull Bishops and Ministers be so likewise For which cause it is that the ancient Fathers doe call them all alike Vicarios Christi the Vicars of Christ But S. Paul yet further sheweth that not Christ himselfe tooke upon him this honour to be head of the church without his fathers appointment and constitution If therefore the Pope will take it upon him it is good reason he should likewise shew where God hath so constituted and appointed him which he is not able to doe Yea S. Paul sheweth againe That onely he is head of the Church vvhich is farre above all principalitie and povver and dominion and might and every name that is named not onely in this vvorld but in the vvorld to come And therefore this is such a high peerelesse and supereminent an honour and prerogative as that it is proper to Christ Iesus onely and not communicable to anie creature Lastly you may perceive by S. Paul that Christ is so the head of the Church as the husband is the head of his wife And is there anie honest wife that will bee content to have two heads that is two husbands though for distinction sake you should terme the one a ministeriall head or howsoever else you would please to call him 6 Now touching Miracles

in respect of his bodily presence and manhood departed from the world and in that respect is as himselfe affirmeth no more in the vvorld but in heaven untill the day of the general judgement as S. Peter also and our Creede doe teach us how grosse and absurd yea what misbeleevers be Papists that dare affirme him cleane contrarie to his owne testimonie and the testimonie of S. Peter and the rest of the Scriptures and contrarie also to the verie Creed it selfe to be still in the world in that his manhood and bodily presence It is high time therefore for all to renounce and forsake this monstrous and detestable errour if they will be right Christians and right beleevers As for that Text where it is said No man ascendeth up to heaven but he that descended from heaven even the sonne of man vvhich is in heaven It is easily answered and resolved for most true it is that the Sonne of man Christ Iesus was even then in heaven in his Deitie at such time when hee was also upon the earth in his humanitie So that in respect of that his Deitie or Godhead it is that being upon the earth he was neverthelesse also in heaven and not in respect of his manhood or humanitie for his manhood or humanitie or bodily presence was then on the earth and could not also be in heaven at one and the selfe same time as is before declared S. Iohn saith that Every spirit vvhich confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God but this is the spirit of Antichrist Now what is it else to denie Iesus Christ to be come in the flesh but to denie him to be true man and like unto men in all things sinne onely excepted Whilest men therefore thus denie Christ to be come in the flesh that is to have all the properties of a True man and to be like unto other men in all things sinne onely excepted how can they cleere themselves but that they must be enforced to yeeld and confesse that they be herein led not by the spirit of Christ but by the spirit of Antichrist Yea whilest they thus say that Christ is in his manhood and natural bodie present upon earth what doe they else but denie or impugne not onely those Articles of the Creed viz. that Christ is ascended into heaven and that there hee sitteth at the right hand of God his Father and that from thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead But this Article also that Iesus Christ vvas borne of the Virgin Mary and was incarnate and made man of her substance For this doubtlesse is the right Iesus Christ in whom wee are to beleeve but by this their doctrine they contrariwise beleeve in another Iesus Christ namely in such a one as they affirme by this their Transubstantiation to be made of another substance namelie out of the substance of a piece of bread And how can such a Christ so made of the substance of a piece of bread be the true Christ Of which and of all other sorts of false Christs the true Christ Iesus himselfe hath given us sufficiēt forewarning Fiftly they herein make their Massing Priest after their words of consecration uttered to be the maker of his Maker namelie of Iesus Christ And that Iesus Christ is thus made anew everie day or so oft as their Masse is celebrated How manie thousand Iesus Christs by this meanes will they have in the world But can anie be so absurdlie impious as to beleeve or suppose that Christ Iesus can be made out of the substance of a piece of bread by a Priest by vertue of anie words of consecration uttered or by anie devise whatsoever Can anie creature possibly make his Creator or the thing made make his maker Fie on these and all other such senselesse detestable abominations Diverse other absurdities also of the Papists might here be further alledged but these before mentioned will I hope suffice to declare the most grosse and most notorious false exposition of the Popish Church concerning those wordes of Christ This is my Body in the Lords Supper wherby they strangely suppose a Transubstantiation and a carnal eating of Christ his ver●e natural bodie contrarie to the Scriptures and contrarie to all sense reason right faith and true Religion For ye must learne so to expound Scripture as that yee make all the rest of the Scriptures to stand and agree with that sense you set upon it so that there may be no repugnancie But the sense and exposition which the Popish church setteth upon those words of Christ namely This is my Body is cleerely repugnant to other Scriptures and even to the verie Articles also of the Creede aswell as to all sense and reason as is before apparant and therefore it cannot possibly be the right sense nor true exposition What remaineth then but that the right and true sense and meaning of those words is and must needs be the same which the Protestants set upon them because that their exposition is consonant agreeing to the rest of the Scriptures and to all the Articles of the Creede aswell as to all sense and reason and is also sutable and correspondent to the like usuall ordinarie phrase and manner of speech in other and former Sacraments amongst the Iewes the old people of God under the old Testament according to which maner of speech Christ also spake when he instituted this Sacrament of his Supper under the new Testament calling according to the usuall Sacramental phrase the signe by the name of the thing signified Which thing I trust is now so cleare and evident as that none can iustly anie longer make anie doubt or question of it 5 But yet for the fuller discussing hereof it will not be amisse here to speake a few words touching Consecration because upon Consecration it is that they seeme to build their before mentioned error of Transubstantiation Let us therfore consider what Consecration is and what it importeth or worketh To Consecrate then is to take a thing from the prophane or ordinarie and common use and to destinate or appoint it to some holy use and end And if wee would know how things come to bee consecrate or sanctified S. Paul saith that everie Creature of God is good and nothing to bee refused if it bee received with thankesgiving For it is sanctified saith hee by the word of God and prayer Sanctification then or Consecration of a thing doth here appeare to bee by the institution and word of God and by praier or invocation whereof thankesgiving is a part And therefore the Lord Iesus before he brake the bread and gave it hee Blessed that is he gave thankes to his Father that hee out of his love to men had appointed him to bee the Redeemer for the satisfying of his Iustice in the behalfe of his elect and had given him authoritie to institute this

yee First it is well knowne that S. Peter was a contemner of the pompe and pride of the world and a disregarder of the wealth riches thereof insomuch that hee said to one that asked almes of him that he had neither silver nor gold but the Pope of Rome is not so but contrariwise hath the pompe pride glorie and riches of the world in verie high and chiefe esteeme and aboundeth with them Againe Peter was subiect to Emperors Kings and Princes and taught all Christians to be likewise subiect to them but the Pope is so far from being subiect to them that contrariwise hee claimeth soveraignetie and supremacie over them all and taketh upon him to depose Kings Princes and Emperors at his pleasure and to disannull and dissolve the allegeance of subiects when and as often as he listeth Peter would not allow Cornelius though but a Captaine of the Italian band to fall downe at his feete but bad him arise but the Pope of Rome doth well allow not only Captaines but Kings Princes and Emperors to fall downe and kisse his feet Yea hee hath not beene ashamed with his feete to tread upon the necke of some of the Emperors Peter was a godly earnest and diligent Preacher of the Gospel in his owne person according to that commandement of Christ so often repeated saying unto him Pasce Pasce Pasce feed my lambes feed my sheepe feed my sheepe But the Pope of Rome like an idle pompous and slothfull man in his owne person seldome or never Preacheth Peter was content and well endured to be reproved at the hands of S. Paul when there was cause He also patiently suffered himselfe to be accused and contended against by certaine Christians and mildely and modestly answered to those their exceptions against him for their satisfaction But the Pope of Rome though he be never so worthie of reproofe will neverthelesse not suffer himselfe to be reproved nor accused or contended against nor will have his doings examined questioned censured or iudged by anie men such is his unmeasurable pride and unmatchable loftinesse Againe S. Peter did acknowledge S. Paul S. Matthew S. Andrew S. Iames and the rest of the twelve to be Apostles aswell as himselfe albeit they had no ordination or calling to that their Office of Apostleship from him for that they all had an immediate calling to that their Apostleship from Christ Iesus himselfe and not from Peter is a thing undeniably manifest But the Pope contrariwise acknowledgeth none to be a Bishop except he be ordeyned and made a Bishop by him or by his authoritie Moreover they were accounted and held to be Presbyters and Ministers of the Church which were made and ordeyned by other Apostles though they were not made or ordeined by Peter nor by anie authoritie derived from him But the Pope of Rome acknowledgeth none to be Presbyters or Ministers of the Church which be made by other Bishops except they be made and ordeined by him or by authoritie originally derived from him Yea S. Peter did acknowledge the rest of the Apostles to be his fellowes or Equals as well knowing that Christ Iesus himselfe did directly forbid them to beare Princely authoritie one over another insomuch that Peter aswell as Iohn was content to bee sent by the rest of the Apostles into Samaria and did goe thither at their sending But the Bishop of Rome acknowledgeth not other Bishops to be his fellowes or Equalls nor will be content to be sent as their Messenger to anie place but most proudly challengeth a Princely Primacie and king-like superioritie over them all If the Pope will needes be Peters successor it were reason and a thing equall and iust that he should claime no more authoritie over other Bishops then Peter had over the rest of the Apostles yea if hee will make Peter his patterne and president to follow as it were a happie thing for him if he were in verie deed so wel affected he must then utterly give over his triple Crowne and all his Papal worldly pompe and pride and be cleane reformed and become altogether another man in all respects wherein he is so exceedingly degenerated and unlike unto him And then together with the relinquishing of his most proud Popedome he must also forsake renounce and detest his Poperie and Popish Religion for S. Peter cleerely was such a one as we call a Protestant that is to say one that both held and taught that Religion that wee hold namely that which is conteined in the Booke of GOD the sacred and canonicall Scriptures Yea S. Peter died a Martyr for the testimonie of this faith and religion and the Pope of Rome is contrariwise a persecutor of those that professe this faith and religion For that the Papists be the cleere and undoubted persecutors of the Saints and Martyrs of Iesus is afterward manifested by a direct and most evident testimonie thereof in the Revelation of S. Iohn to the end ye should not hereafter bee mistaken in that point as usually yee be nor deceive your selves anie longer therein Furthermore S. Peter was content and held it honour enough to be a member of the bodie of Christ which is his Church acknowledging with S. Paul and the rest of the Apostles that Christ onely was and is the head therof But the Pope of Rome is not content unlesse he intrude himselfe into this his verie royal prerogative taking upon him to be the verie head of the whole militant church We know that the Church of Christ is but one body as the Scripture speaketh and witnesseth though there be manie members of it and one bodie is to have but one head why then or by what right or reason doe they make this bodie of Christ which is his Church to have two heads namely one in heaven which is Christ Iesus another on earth which they say is the Pope They confesse that of the Church in heaven which is to us invisible Christ is indeed the head but of the visible Church on earth the Pope say they is the head and that such a visible head for the visible church is requisite and necessarie And here they have a distinction that Christ is indeed Caput vitale the vital head from whence all his members have and derive their life but that the Pope is Caput ministeriale visibile the ministeriall and visible head And thus they boldly speake frame and devise matters and distinctions according to the fancie of their owne braines But first what Patent conveyance warrant or commission from God can the Pope of Rome shew whereby he is thus authorized to be either Christ his special or onely Vicar Deputie or Lievetenant over his whole universall church here upon earth or to be this speciall and onely visible and ministeriall head Iust none at all doe they or can they shew for it And is it

in his owne supposall or the supposall of others be mentioned or regarded as the Prophet Ezechiel sheweth And so also doth Christ himselfe speake of s●me which when they have heard the word of God receive it at the first with a kinde of Ioy for a while beleeve but in time ostentation they go away because the word of God was sown in them as in stonie ground which for want of sufficiēt moisture deep rooting withered in fine utterly decaied But this temporarie faith which lasteth but for a while is not the faith of Gods elect nor the true lively iustify●ng faith heretofore mentioned For this true lively iustifying faith never utterly fadeth nor falleth away but the man that hath it is like a Tree planted by the rivers of vvaters that will bring forth her fruit in due season vvhose leafe shall not fade as it is said in the Psalme and he is the good ground into which the seed of Gods word is not onely sowen and received with Ioy but kept also and which having moisture sufficient and being deepely rooted persevereth and continueth unto the end bringing forth fruit with patience And therefore also doth S. Paul say that Men continue or persevere that be grounded and stablished in the faith which kinde of grounded stablished and iustifying faith whosoever have most certaine it is that they shall be glorified and saved for so S. Paul hath before expressely told us that vvhom God iustifieth he also glorifieth and consequently they must needes have perseverance unto the end This is also further witnessed where S. Paul saith againe expresly of them that Iesus Christ shall confirme them unto the end And againe hee saith Faithfull is he that hath called you vvhich vvill also doe it And so likewise testifieth S. Peter that all Gods elect are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation They then having so strong a Keeper as the power of God to support uphold and preserve them untill they arrive at the Haven of all happinesse namely everlasting salvation what doubt can bee made of their perseverance and continuance to the end for none can pull them out of his hand as Christ himselfe witnesseth And therefore doth S. Paul speake confidently in the person of all Gods elect being iustified and sanctified persons in this sort VVe know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle vvere dissolved vvee have a building from God that is an house not made vvith hands but eternall in the heavens Marke that he saith they Know it And thus againe it is said in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Call to remembrance the dayes that are passed in vvhich after that yee had beene enlightened yee endured a great fight in afflictions partly vvhilest yee vvere made a gazing stocke both by rep●●ches and afflictions and partly vvhilest ye became companions of 〈◊〉 vvhich vvere so tossed too and fro For both yee sorrowed vvith me for my bonds and suffered vvith Ioy the spoyling of your goods knowing in your selves that ye have in Heaven a better and an enduring substance Observe here still that hee saith they Knew by a testimonie within themselves namely by the testimonie of Gods spirit within them which is therefore called the Earnest of that their Inheritance that the same heavenly Inheritance and ever enduring substance did belong unto them And so againe testifieth S. Iohn saying thus These things have I vvritten unto you th●● beleeve in the name of the Sonne of God that yee may know that yee have eternall life Note that he here againe saith that Gods people are to Know that they shall have Eternal life And he further saith that If vve receive the witnesse of men the witnesse of God is greater For this is the witnesse of God which he testifieth of his Sonne He that beleeveth in the Sonne of God hath the witness in himselfe He that beleeveth not God hath made him a lyar because hee beleeved not the record that God witnessed of his Sonne And this is the record that God hath given unto us eternall life and this life is in his Sonne Hee that hath the Sonne hath life and he that hath not the Sonne of God hath not life And againe it is written that Hee that beleeveth in the Sonne hath everlasting life and hee that obeyeth not the Sonne shall not see life but the vvrath of God abideth on him And againe Christ Iesus himselfe saith Verily verily I say unto you Hee that beleeveth in mee hath everlasting life And sundrie other such promises there be That man then which considereth these promises of Eternall life to as manie as be Beleevers in Iesus Christ and that withall by good examination findeth himselfe firmely to beleeve in him and to have that true lively and iustifying faith can no way doubt of his everlasting salvation except which were most impious and detestable he will doubt of the truth of that which God hath spoken and promised and that so often and so earnestly yea as with an Oath with so vehement an asseveration For as it is further written in the Epistle to the Hebrewes God vvilling more abundantly to shew unto the heyres of promise the stablenesse of his Counsel bound himselfe by an oath that by two immutable things vvherein it is impossible that God should lye vve mig●●● have strong consolation vvho have our refuge to hold fast the hope that is set before us which vve have as an Anchor of the soule both sure and stedfast Where beside all the former testimonies you perceive verie plainly that the hope of Gods elect in this life is not an uncertaine or doubtfull maner of hope as the Rhemists and other Papists would make it but an assurance or hope without anie doubting or feare of being frustrated for it is here called Animae Anchora tuta ac firma The Anchor of the soule and such and Anchor as is Sure and stedfast so that there is no feare or doubt to be had of it Yea what feare or doubt can there be of this matter when it here appeareth that GOD both by promise and oath two immutable things in either of which it is impossible that he should lie hath tied and bound himselfe unto us to the end wee should have this assured and strong consolation And therefore would S. Iames also have the faith of a Christian to be without anie doubting or wavering at all And likewise the Epistle to the Hebrews and to the Romans requireth in everie true Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Assurance of faith and such a strong faith as is without anie doubting staggering distrust or wavering for so S. Paul sheweth by the example of Abraham I grant that if a man looke but upon himselfe and go no further then to himselfe and his owne demerits hee shall therein finde matter

shall be able to diswade them Howbeit I would desire you to be better advised and though it be to the utter overthrowing of your fancies and wills to yeeld to that puissant and unvanquishable truth which not onlie reason but all right faith and religion also requireth at your hands for even faith and religion aswell sense and reason perswadeth against that monstrous conceipt of Transubstatiation and of the natural bodie of Christ to be eaten with the bodilie mouth For further declaration whereof doe but consider some absurdities and inconveniences wherewith it is accompanied First you thereby make the Lords Supper to be no Sacrament for if it be a Sacrament it must of necessitie have aswel an outward visible signe of an holie thing as the holie thing it selfe The outward visible signe in this point is the bread and the holie thing whereof it is a signe is the verie natural bodie of Christ which was crucified for us Now you s●y That after consecration there is no bread at all remaining but onlie the verie natural bodie of Iesus Christ and so making no bread at all to be there you also make no outward visible signe to be there and consequentlie make it no Sacrament Secondlie if there be no bread remaining but onlie the Accidents of bread that is whitenesse roundnesse and such like without a substance as yee hold then beside that it is most absurd by the rules of reason to hold that anie accidents can be without their substance I pray further tell me what it is that the communicant receiveth and eateth for we thinke everie man should be ashamed to say that he eateth bare accidents and not the substance of bread But for cleere proofe S. Paul affirmeth it expreslie to be still bread after consecration and that accordinglie the communicant eateth bread neither will the bare accidents of bread without the substance nourish anie man Thirdlie how absurd and unseemlie a thing is it for one man to eate up another as if it became Christians to be Caniballs or Anthropophagi that is such as were eaters of men and yet if this Popish opinion were true should Christians be eaters even of the bodie of a man and of the best m●n that ever lived even of their owne Saviour and Redeemer Iesus Christ both God and man and that in a most grosse and carnal manner which is a most impious and most inhumane barbarous conceit Fourthlie it is well knowne that Christ Iesus is true man and hath all the properties of one that is a true man being like unto man in all things sinne only excepted as the Scripture witnesseth And therefore as he is a true man and hath a true humane bodie like other men sinne onelie excepted that his humane bodie cannot possiblie be in two or manie places at once no not after his resurrection as S. Augustine expresly witnesseth no more then the bodies of other men For which cause the Angel said of Christ Non est hic surrexit enim He is not here for he is risen This speech of the Angel sheweth contrarie to your conceit that the humanitie and bodie of Christ even after his resurrection is not in diverse places at once as his Deitie and Godhead is and that it cannot be in anie more places then one at a time because when his bodie was in the grave it was not anie where else and when it was risen ou● of the grave then it was not there but in another place as the Angel declareth Yea whilest you make his humanitie to be multi-present what doe yee else but confound his humanitie and fall into as manifest an errour as is the Heresie of the ubiquitares If anie alledge that the humanitie of Christ and his Deitie be inseparable and that therefore wheresoever his Deitie is there is also his humanitie and consequently because his Deitie or Godhead is everie where his humanitie also or manhood must be likewise everie where This is but a sophistical and deceitfull kinde of reasoning wherewith none should be ensnarled for although it be true that the Deitie and humanitie of Christ be inseparable in him in respect of his person in whom they are united both together making but one Christ yet are they not so inseparable but that the one may be and is namelie his Deitie or Godhead where the other is not For example the Deitie or Godhead of Christ is indeed everie where and filleth heaven and earth as it is said in the Prophet yea the heaven of heavens cannot conteine him as Solomon saith and consequently that Deitie was also even in the grave of Christ after he was risen from death and yet was not his humanitie or manhood there as the Angel himselfe hath before assured us So that although wheresoever his humanitie or manhood is there is also his Deitie or Godhead yet it followeth not contrariwise that wheresoever his Deitie or Godhead is there also is his humanitie or manhood Again doth not Christ Iesus himselfe say thus The poore ye have alwayes with you but me ye shall not have alwayes How could these words be true except wee confesse that he may be and is absent from us in his humanitie and manhood although he be alwaies present with us in respect of his Deitie and by his power and spirit In which respect he hath also said that Hee vvill be vvith his Church to the end of the vvorld You perceive then how Christ is present and how absent namelie that he is alwaies present everie where in his Deitie but not so in his humanitie or manhood And for further proofe hereof doth not Christ Iesus say againe expressely thus It is expedient for you that I goe away for if I goe not away the Comforter will not come unto you Againe he saith I leave the vvorld and goe to the Father And againe he saith Now am I no more in the vvorld but these are in the world and I come to thee Holy Father keepe them in thy Name even them vvhom thou hast given mee What meaneth all this but that Christ Iesus after his resurrection was to ascend into heaven and so to goe away to depart to leave the vvorld and to be as himselfe there speaketh no more in the vvorld Must not this needs be intended in respect of his manhood and bodily presence for most certaine it is that in respect of his Deitie power and spirit he is with us to the worlds end and for ever as before is said And therefore also doth S. Peter witnesse that in respect of that his manhood or humanitie the Heavens must conteyne him untill the time that all things be restored vvhich God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the vvorld began For which cause also we beleeve according to our Creede that from thence hee shall come to iudge both the quicke and the dead If then ever since his ascention hee be

then the Popish have the soules of men bin bought sold For be not their Priests Iesuits Friers and such other of that counterfeit holie order the men that are imployed as Merchants Factors in such wicked merchandizes Yea doth not everie 〈◊〉 among them take upon him to forgive sinnes verie boldli● I know that the Ministers of Christ have power and authorite given them to remit and forgive sinnes But these Priests of theirs bee not the Ministers of Christ whatsoever they pretend but the Ministers of Antichrist and therefore they have no such authoritie from Christ to forgive sinnes but doe onely cousen and abuse mens soules therein For the Pope from whom they derive their authoritie and ordination to that their Priesthood is the verie grand Antichrist as doth alreadie but yet more fullie afterward in good measure shal appeare And yet even the authority also which Christs Ministers themselves have received herein is to forgive sins not absolutelie as pleaseth themselves but ministerially only and declaratively that to such persons as by warrant from Gods word be allowed to receive it that is to say they are to declare pronounce remission of sins to all and everie such person or persons as unfainedlie beleeve in Iesus Christ as in their whole and onely Saviour and Redeemer renouncing utterlie all confidence in their owne merits and righteousnesse and together with a true and livelie faith have an earnest sorrow and repentance for their sinnes formerlie past and a purpose and endeavour of amendment for the time to come And so S. Hierome upon Matth. 16. expoundeth it and saith that the Ministers of Christ have received power to binde and to loose that is saith he to shew or declare who they bee that bee bound or loosed in the sentence of God and before his Tribunal and Iudgement seat And so doe the Schoolemen also interpret it and in all reason it must be so For if anie Minister shall declare or pronounce remission of sinnes to an ungodlie and impenitent or unbeleeving person or to anie whosoever whom Gods word doth not warrant remission of sinnes unto everie man will grant that such a one hath not remission of sinnes at Gods hand notwithstanding the Ministers such pronouncing of remission of them So that if they will have that to bee bound in heaven which they doe binde on earth and that to bee loosed in heaven which they doe loose on earth they must bee carefull to pronounce both remission and reteyning of sinnes to such persons onely as they bee due unto by the warrant of Gods word For if they shall binde the godlie penitent and beleeving Soule whom God looseth and absolveth or if they shall loose or absolve the wicked ungodlie impenitent and unbeleeving person whom God by the tenor of his word bindeth and forgiveth not such binding and loosing is not warranted nor ratified in heaven Howbeit most unreasonable and unsatiable hath beene the covetous merchandizing of mens soules in the Popish Rome not onelie this waie and by buying and selling of Pardons Indulgences but by buying and selling also of Popedomes Bishoprickes Cardinalships Abbathies Benefices and such like Yea from whence else arose the Proverbe so long used in Poperie viz. No penie no Pater noster but from the intolerable greedie covetousnesse of the Popish Priests and Clergie who would doe nothing without money and for money seemed to doe anie thing So that these Romish Merchants bee those that through covetousnesse with fained words doe merchandize men as S Peter foretold they should and as Claudius Espencaelus himselfe declareth But moreover whilst those their filthy Stewes be by publicke authoritie allowed or tolerated amongst them for rent or money do they not sell and merchandize both bodies and soules of men and women Be not also Masses Trentals Dirges Requiems Orizons and Praiers deliverance from supposed Purgatorie paines the supposed merits of the Saints and Martyrs the merits of Christ dispensations against Gods word yea and the Ioyes of heaven and all to be bought and sold in the Popish Church S. Bernard treating of the Psalme which beginneth VVhoso dwelleth speaketh on this manner of that Church The dignities and promotions of the Church are sought after for filthie lucres sake and to keepe revell-rout withall and for these roumes and their revenues they labour and contend in verie shamelesse manner And againe in his Sermon of the Conversion of Paul treating of the governement of the Church under the Pope of Rome hee uttereth the like matter And upon the Canticles Sermon 33. speaking further of the Romish Prelates and Clergie he saith thus of them They beare out themselves saith hee i● an honourable port with the goods of the Church vvhereunto notwithstanding themselves bring no credit or worship at all Hence commeth that whorish tricking that Stage-like attire that Prince-like pompe vvhich dayly vvee see in them Hence proceeds the gold they use in their Bridles Saddles and Spurres insomuch as their Spurres are more glittering then their Altars Hence came their stately Tables their varietie of Dishes and qu●ffing Cups Hence issued their Iunk●tting Bankets their Drunkennesse and Surfeits Hence followed their Viols Harps and Shawmes Hence flovved their Cellars and Pantries so stuffed vvith vvines and Viands of all sorts Hence gat they their Lee pots and painting Boxes And hence had they their Purses so vvell lined vvith coyne Oh such men they vvill needs bee and yet they are our great Masters in Israel as Deanes Archdeacons Bishops and Archbishops These vvorkes of theirs are little inferior to that filthinesse vvhich they commit in Darkenesse And in his 4. Booke De Consideratione unto Eugenius Bishop of Rome after that hee hath described and detested the pompe of Romish Bishops hee shutteth up the matter in these words saying thus unto him Herein thou shevvest thy selfe to have succeeded not Peter but Constantine the Emperor Peter is hee vvho never knevv vvhat belonged to such solemne shewing of himselfe abroad in braveries of precious stones or silkes or gold or riding upon a vvhite Palfrey or being guarded vvith a troupe of attendants c. Agreeably also whereunto speaketh S. Hillary contra Auxentium of the state of Antichrist saying thus These fellowes doe ambitiously affect the continuance and maiestical port of the secular power and so thinke to uphold the flourishing estate of the Church by a shew of vvorldly Pompe Againe he saith They make great account of this to be greatly accounted of in the vvorld And therefore doth S. Bernard againe in his Epistle 230 further make this accusation and exclamation against those Bishops of Rome saying thus unto them At first indeed yee began to play the Lords over the Clergie contrary to the counsell of Peter And vvithin a vvhile after contrary to the advise of Paul Peters fellow-Apostle ye would have dominion over the faith of all men But yee stay not there yee have taken upon you more namely to have

the people in the world may aptlie be divided The Vnchristian people be those that make no profession at all of Christ or Christianitie of which sort be Iewes Turkes and other Infidels of the world The Christian people revera and indeed of which in this distribution I speake be those that professe Christ and beleeve in him and addict themselves onelie to his religion and the rules and waies of it as it is described and set downe in the sacred and canonical Scriptures The Antichristian people be those that professe Christ in words in outward shewes and semblance but yet neverthelesse denie or oppugne him in deeds or in doctrine or in both Whence is concluded that neither the Turke nor Mahomet as I said before nor anie of the rest of the Infidells of the world can properly and according to the Scripture phrase and sense bee tearmed Antichrists or Antichristians fith they make no profession of Christ at all but such are properly to be termed Vnchristian and not Antichristian people and consequently it remaineth that Antichrist and Antichristian people bee onely to bee found within Christendome and amongst those that professe Christ. And who these be within Christendome is easily to be discerned for that the Pope of Rome and his followers be this kinde of covert masked and disguised adversaries and opposites to Christ and that under the name and profession of Christ his church and religion I thinke there is none but doth or may verie readilie perceive But would you know it further and in some particulars For you must indeed come to particulars with them inasmuch as otherwise in general termes and words they will make great profession of Christ and of the rights honors prerogatives to him his Church belonging and yet in the meane time in particulars and indirectlie and by consequent they will oppugne him Inasmuch therefore as he hath the name of Antichrist chiefelie by reason of his opposition unto Christ in this covert and disguised manner let us see how that is verified in the Pope and Papacie For which purpose let us consider our Lord Iesus Christ as he is to be considered namelie in respect of his person and in respect of his offices committed to him from his Father In respect of his person he is both God and Man in respect of his offices he is a Prophet a Priest a King unto us Now in everie of these respects doth the Pope and Papacie oppugne Christ. For first what a God doe they make Christ to be when they preferre the Virgin Mary above him and acknowledge authoritie in her to command him For thus they speake unto her Iube natum Iure Matris Impera redemptori monstra te esse Matrem That is Command thy Sonne and by thy motherly authority command the Redeemer and shew thy selfe to be a mother Is he God and the creator and supreame commander of all things that is thus made subiect to the authoritie and commandement of a creature But doe they not further oppugne his Godhead verie manifestlie when they hold that everie Priest of theirs after breathing of a few words out of his mouth can create and make Iesus Christ his maker for so they say as is before shewed that Sacerdos est Creator creatoris sui The Priest is the Creator or maker of his maker Now then is he a God that can be thus made by men And what doe they else but oppugne his Manhood also verie manifestlie whilest they make his bodie to be multi-present that is present in manie places at one time For they say it is both in heaven and in earth at once yea in so manie places as their Masse is celebrated or their Host reserved at one and the selfe same time which is contrarie to the nature and propertie of a true bodie which we are sure Christ Iesus hath Yea as they hold his Body to be carnallie eaten in the Sacrament with the bodily mouth so doe they hold it also to be void of dimensions and quantitie and to be uncircumscribed and invisible and no way sensible which is likewise as much as to make him to have no true bodie at all When againe they hold that his bodie is made out of the substance of a peece of bread for so much that their verie word of Transubstantiation importeth which was indeed not so made but of the substance of the Virgin Mary doe they not verie cleerelie oppugne his humanitie and the veritie of his bodie You see then how they doe oppugne the person of Christ both in respect of his Deitie and also of his humanitie verie apparantlie Let us now likewise briefelie consider how they oppugne Christ in his three offices namelie as he is a Prophet a Priest and a King unto us The Prophecie of Christ whose voice and instruction as of a Prophet and Teacher all-sufficient we are commanded to heare and obey they oppugne first by teaching that the sacred and Canonical Scriptures be imperfect and insufficient for a Christian mans instruction and salvation without their Traditions secondlie by adding not onlie their owne Traditions but the Apocryphal Bookes and Decretal Epistles also to the Canon of the Bible and stablishing them to be of equall authoritie reverence with the Canonical Scriptures themselves thirdlie by equaling also the determinations of their Popes and the Decrees of their Councels and Church which they say cannot erre unto the divine and canonical Scriptures they holding them to be as undoubtedlie the voice oracle of the Holie Ghost as anie thing is which is contained in those Scriptures fourthlie not onlie in equaling but which is more and much worse in preferring magnifying and advancing of their Pope and Church and their authoritie above the authoritie of the Scriptures and therefore doth Silvester Prierias Master of the Popes Palace affirme that Indulgences bee warranted unto us not by the authoritie of Scripture but by the authoritie of the Church and Pope of Rome which saith hee is a greater Authority Againe hee saith Whosoever resteth not on the doctrine of the Roman Church and Bishop of Rome as the infallible rule of God à qua sacra Scriptura robur trabit authoritatem from which the sacred Scripture draweth her strength and authoritie hee is an Heretick And so saith Eckius likewise that Scriptura nisi Ecclesiae authoritate non est authentica The Scripture is not authenticall but by the authoritie of the Church and sundry such waies doe they oppugne the all-sufficient written word doctrine and instruction of Christ our Prophet His Priesthood they also oppugne which consisteth chiefly in these two things viz. in sacrificing himselfe once for all his people upon the Crosse to take away their sinnes and in making intercession for them Now this his onely-propitiatory and only-bodily and all-sufficient Sacrifice they oppugne by erecting of another Sacrifice in their abominable Masse wherein they say their Priests

that they further obiect that there bee manie names which make that number of 666. and thereupon would inferre that anie of those may be the name there spoken of aswell as Latine or Romane they talke likewise very idely and to no purpose for although there bee many names that conteine that number of 666 yet none of them conteyning that number can be the name there spoken of unlesse it bee the name first of a Beast that is of a State or Kingdome secondly unlesse it be the name of that verie Beast with seven heads there mentioned nor thirdly unlesse it bee such a name as agreeth with that Beast in every other respect and circumstance of which sort none is or can bee shewed to bee but onely that which is the Latine or Romane State Inasmuch then as the Pope of Rome counterfeiteth the Lambe but acteth the Dragon in verie deede and exerciseth all the power and authoritie of the first Beast that is of the Romane State and that before his face and seeing that the deadlie wound given to the Empire was cured and healed in him and that hee with his Clergie and holie men and holy women hath by their Miracles done in the sight and viewe of the Romane State together with his doctrine and other his devises so bewitched and inchanted the Inhabitants of the Earth that they have as verily beleeved the Popes Supremacie and his religion to be of God as if they had beene ratified and approoved from God himselfe by some miraculous sending of fire from heaven for the confirmation of them and hath also caused an Image of the Beast to be made namely the Papall State in lieu of the Imperial whereof himselfe is now the Head and Monarch hath moreover put such a spirit into this Image of the Beast so that it did speake and give forth such terrible Edicts Iudgments that whosoever did not obey it the decrees therof should be put to death and hath also caused and commanded all professors of Christianitie under his rule and dominion to receive the Marke of the Beast which in respect of Religion is manifestly Poperie and hath willed also and ordained that none within his Dominions professing the name of Christ should buy or sell or use the trade of Merchandizing unlesse hee have the marke of the Beast that is unlesse hee professe the religion of Poperie or have his name which is to bee a Romanist or Latine man that is a man of the Romane or Latine Religion professing subiection to him or have the number of his name that is unlesse hee so carrie and demeane himselfe as that hee bee numbred and reckoned amongst them as if he were a verie true Latine or true Romane indeed and seeing that the number of the name of the Beast conteyning 666. doth also fitly and fully agree to the Latine or Romane State yea seeing the Pope hath all the Markes whatsoever mentioned in the holy Scriptures to belong to Antichrist for no instance can be given to the contrarie I conclude that hee is and must needs be helde to bee the verie undoubted Grand Antichrist and that there is no other to bee expected CHAP. IIII. Shewing also the Pope to bee Antichrist and the Popish Church to be the Antichristian out of the 1. Tim. 4. Vers. 1 2 3 4 5. THE words of this Text bee these But the spirit speaketh evidently that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heede to spirits of error and doctrines of Divells which speake lyes in hypocrisie having their consciences seared with an hot Iron forbidding to marrie and commanding to abstaine from meates vvhich God hath created to bee received with thankesgiving of them which beleeve and know the truth for every Creature of God is good and nothing to bee refused if it be received vvith thankesgiving for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer Beside the former notes and markes of the Antichristian and Apostatical Church the Apostle here hath for our fuller and better satisfaction in that point notified also and set downe unto us two other marks and those not the worst but the most sensible nor the most wicked though wicked enough but the most easie to bee knowne that none might anie longer erre or goe astray therein The two markes whereby to discerne and know this Antichristian Church which hath made an Apostacie or departure from the right faith and whose teachers bee false teachers hee specifieth to bee these namely 1. Forbidding people to Marrie which by Gods law bee not prohibited 2. A commanding to abstaine from meates for religion sake which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving Which two notes or markes bee apparantly found in the Papacie For there namely in the Papacie are divers persons forbidden to marrie which by Gods law be not forbidden as namely their Bishops Deacons Priests Monkes Friers Nunnes c. And there also is a commanding to abstaine from some kinde of meates for religion sake as is sufficiently knowne and as shall afterward appeare and therefore in the Papacie it is that the Church is Apostatical and Antichristian But touching the point of Marriage the Rhemists and other Papists answer that S. Paul here speaketh onely of the Manichees Encratites Marcionites of the heretickes called Apostoloci Ebionitae and the like whose heresie about Marriage was say they that to marrie or to use the Act of Matrimonie is of Satan and that the distinction of Male and Female came of an ill God And thus would they have the old Heretickes onely to be branded and themselves noe way to bee touched herein But indeede if you well observe the words not so much those old heretickes as the later hereticks namely the Papists bee there noted and branded yea these chiefely and especially if not altogether For those old hereticks that attributed the institution of Matrimonie to Satan and the distinction of male and female and procreation of Children to the Divel did not speake lies or falshood in hypocrisie as these are here said to doe but in palpable and open blasphemie which might therefore easily bee discerned of Christians and avoided But the Papists that under pretence of holinesse religion puritie and chastitie forbid Marriage bee those that utter this their doctrine in hypocrisie and therefore bee such of whom the Apostle here speaketh and had the more neede to give the Church a forewarning that they might beware of them and bee the better armed against them But because they confesse the old Heretickes to be here condemned let them tell mee how much differeth in this point the Church of Rome from those old Heretickes the Manichees For even the Manichees permitted marriage to the Lay people which they called their hearers but in no wise to their Clergie which they called their Elects or chosen men as S. Augustine declareth Seeing then they are in the same heresie with them in this very point how can they

be conditions of his person as he was in sacrifice and oblation But our ancestours in the use of their Sacrament received the Eucharist in both kindes not being so acute as to discerne betwixt the things that belonged unto the integritie of the sacrifice of the sacrament because in verie truth they tooke the one to be the other Thus Bede relateth that one Hildmer an officer of Egfrid king of Northumberland intreated our Cuthbert to send a Priest that might minister the sacraments of the Lords body and blood unto his wife that then lay a dying and Cuthbert himselfe immediately before his owne departure out of this life received the communion of the Lords body and blood as Herefride abbat of the monasterie of Lindisfarne who was the man that at that time ministred the sacrament unto him made report unto the same Bede who elsewhere also particularly noteth that he then tasted of the cuppe Pocula degustat vitae Christique supinum Sanguine munit iter least anie man should think that under the formes of bread alone he might be said to have beene partaker of the body blood of the Lord by way of Concomitance which is a toy that was not once dreamed of in those dayes So that we need not to doubt what is meant by that which we reade in the booke of the life of Furseus which was written before the time of Bede that he received the communion of the holy body and blood and that he was wished to admonish the Pastors of the Church that they should strengthen the soules of the faithfull with the spirituall food of doctrine and the participation of the holy body and blood or of that which Cogitosus writeth in the life of S. Brigid touching the place in the Church of Kildare whereunto the Abbatesse with her maidens and widdowes used to resort that they might enjoy the banquet of the body and blood of Iesus Christ. which was agreeable to the practise not only of the Nunneries founded beyond the seas according to the rule of Columbanus where the Virgins received the body of the Lord and sipped his blood as appeareth by that which Ionas relateth of Domna in the life of Burgundofora but also of S. Brigid her selfe who was the foundresse of the monasterie of Kildare one of whose miracles is reported even in the later Legends to have happened when she was about to drinke out of the Chalice at the time of her receiving of the Eucharist which they that list to looke after may finde in the collections of Capgrave Surius and such like But you will say these testimonies that have beene alledged make not so much for us in proving the use of the communion under both kindes as they make against us in confirming the opinion of Transubstantiation seeing they all specifie the receiving not of bread and wine but of the body and blood of Christ. I answer that forasmuch as Christ himselfe at the first institution of his holy Supper did say expressely This is my body and This is my blood hee deserveth not the name of a Christian that will question the truth of that saying or refuse to speake in that language which hee hath heard his Lord and Master use before him The question onely is in what sense and after what maner these things must be conceived to be his body blood Of which there needed to be little question if men would be pleased to take into their consideration these two things which were never doubted of by the ancient and have most evident ground in the context of the Gospell First that the subject of those sacramentall propositions delivered by our Saviour that is to say the demonstrative particle THIS can have reference to no other substance but that which he then held in his sacred hands namely bread and wine which are of so different a nature from the body and blood of Christ that the one cannot possibly in proper sense be said to be the other as the light of common reason doth force the Romanists themselves to confesse Secondly that in the predicate or later part of the same propositions there is not mention made onely of Christs body and blood but of his body broken and his blood shedd to shew that his body is to be considered here apart not as it was borne of the Virgin or now is in heaven but as it was broken and crucified for us and his blood likewise apart not as running in his veynes but as shedd out of his body which the Rhemists have told us to be conditions of his person as he was in sacrifice and oblation And least we should imagine that his bodie were otherwise to be considered in the sacrament then in the sacrifice in the one alive as it is now in heaven in the other dead as it was offered upon the crosse the Apostle putteth the matter out of doubt that not only the minister in offering but also the people in receiving even as often as they eate this bread and drinke this cup doe shew the Lords death untill he come Our elders surely that held the sacrifice to be given and received for so we have heard themselves speake as well as offered did not consider otherwise of Christ in the sacrament then as he was in sacrifice and oblation If here therefore Christs body be presented as broken and livelesse and his blood as shedd forth and severed from his body and it be most certaine that there are no such things now really existent anie where as is confessed on all hands then must it follow necessarily that the bread and wine are not converted into these things really The Rhemists indeed tell us that when the Church doth offer and sacrifice Christ daily he in mysterie and sacrament dieth Further then this they durst not go for if they had said he died really they should thereby not only make themselves daily killers of Christ but also directly crosse that principle of the Apostle Rom. 6.9 Christ being raysed from the dead dyeth no more If then the bodie of Christ in the administration of the Eucharist be propounded as dead as hath bin shewed die it cannot really but only in mysterie and sacramēt how can it be thought to be contayned under the outward elements otherwise then in sacramēt mysterie and such as in times past were said to have received the sacrifice from the hand of the Priest what other body and blood could they expect to receive therein but such as was sutable to the nature of that sacrifice to wit mysticall and sacramentall Coelius Sedulius to whom Gelasius Bishop of Rome with his Synod of LXX Bishops giveth the title of venerable Sedulius and Hildephonsus Toletanus of the good Sedulius the Evangelicall poët the eloquent orator and the catholick writer is by Trithemius and others supposed to be the same with our Sedulius of Scotland or Ireland whose